The ritual hall rose under their feet when the last symbol William drew with his blood was completed. The sound of a silent internal explosion, not heard in the ear, but felt in the bone. The blue light arched from the circle on the ground and ascended like a dome radiating a scary aura, and inside it, the movement froze, as if time had stopped.
Cain and Jane retreated back, unable to approach, their bodies shrinking in front of that new force, which was not only magic... but a will.
In the middle of the light, the priest stood, looking at William with panicked eyes. His body is bleeding, but he barely feels pain. He said in a barking voice:
"No... that's impossible... you, you're not one of our men... you're a descendant of Vinar."
Cain, who was preparing to kill the priest, froze.
"Descendants of who?!" He shouted, but the priest wasn't talking to him.
The light surrounding William devoured shadows, and the inscriptions on the walls began to ignite with a dark red color. Then... split the void.
The world collapsed around William, no longer standing in the hall... but somewhere else.
A place without walls. Without land. Without heaven. Only a red faint light, and a thick black fog moves as if it were alive.
In front of William, a massive shadow was embodied... a semi-human body, wearing a broken crown and a black shield from which a faint fire flows. His eyes glowing like two inside a dark hole, and his voice when he spoke shook the whole space:
"Who dared to tear the veil between the worlds?"
But when he saw William standing firmly inside the rift field, his voice changed from anger to shock... and then to pure hatred.
"You... you're not one of those who called me."
The evil king approached, and the fog around him intensified as if serving him.
"You weren't supposed to be here... You're the son of that bastard... Son of Vinar!"
He was silent, then released an angry roar that made the fog rush like a storm, however, William did not move. The aura that was enough to crush souls, was not shaken.
One step forward, his tone is saturated with ancient hatred:
"Your blood is supposed to be fuel for my up... not an obstacle in front of me."
He raised his hand, and the darkness almost swallowed everything, but before it attacked, the light split the place as a silent stab, and the scene around William suddenly falled, and the strange world shrank as if it was twisted in a piece of time.
William returned to the hall, standing in place. Around him Cain and Jane are still in a damanishment, and the light has disappeared, as if nothing had happened. However, the statue in the middle has fragmented, and the ritual circle has completely burned.
The priest was lying on the ground, struggling with his last breath, and his face clung to fear even after his voice was silent.
Cain stared at William, then said slowly:
"What... did you do?"
But William didn't answer. He looked at the ashes, then whispered in a voice that only heard him:
"He's still alive... but not anymore.