Wide smiles appeared on the faces of the True Depravitas as they followed Vlad's gaze, circling around the towering Infernal Monolith. Its obsidian surface pulsed faintly with veins of crimson energy, as though the sector's very lifeblood was caged inside it. Overlord cast one last glance at the seven mutated Devils he had reshaped with the Nightmare Eyes and gave a silent command.
At once, they obeyed, leaving the castle to stand guard and patrol the surroundings like loyal hounds. Only after the halls were empty did he rejoin the group beside the Monolith.
Vlad took a deep breath, his eyes glowing faintly as he began the delicate, dangerous work of siphoning Origin Force. He extracted it forcibly yet carefully, drawing more and more into himself before guiding streams of that power into the other True Depravitas and Overlord. Every motion was measured. He dared not make the Monolith react violently or alert the rest of the Sector to what was happening.
