A slow and majestic voice reverberated throughout the trial room, congratulating Otis.
As for Otis, he looked up with confusion.
The gargantuan stone dragon statue came to life.
It moved smoothly, as though the stone was stretchy skin.
A layer of thick red energy wrapped itself around Otis.
His shut eye slowly opened. The flesh of his maimed eye squirmed, reforming into something... different.
The sclera, or outer white part of his eye, became a faint shade of pink. Otis' iris and pupil shrunk considerably while transforming from a hazelnut color to a deep red.
The effect of these new changes was not immediately apparent.
His new eye joined his old one in staring at the overbearing stone dragon statue.
Otis recalled his father's remark about the final step.
"Son, if you make it to the fourth step, you have, in essence, made it. Our ancestor will personally judge you and determine if you are worthy of the inheritance."
His father smiled.
"So hope, with all your heart."
