Kael stepped back, panting, his silver eyes blazing. "What's the trick?"
A thought suddenly hit him. Maybe it wasn't force, but linked to blood.
"Should be worth a shot," he muttered, slicing a shallow cut across his forearm with the dagger.
Crimson welled, dripping onto his fingers. He pressed a single drop onto the lotus crest, smearing it across the runes. The blood glistened, sinking into the metal, and Kael stepped back with his dagger raised, his heart pounding in anticipation.
Seconds passed by with only the silence of the room accompanying him. The door didn't move an inch. Kael's smirk faded, his patience breaking apart. "Are you kidding me?" he snapped, slamming his fist against the crest. "Open, you piece of—"
~Rumble!~
A low rumble cut him off, the ground trembling under his boots. The crest flared, blood-red light spilling from the lotus, the runes blazing. Kael stumbled back, his Instincts giving warning signals.
