However, as Adrian was about to get in, Seraphina grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him back. The rest stopped in their tracks by themselves.
"What?" Adrian retorted.
"The ritual, I'll have to do it alone," Seraphina replied to Adrian's question.
"Why do you-"
"It's not open for discussion," Seraphina said, shaking her head firmly. "This ritual is incredibly delicate. The slightest fluctuation in the mana stream could have catastrophic consequences.
She continued, "Considering your mental state, your reactions might complicate things. Besides, we only have one chance to get it right. That's why I need to do it alone."
Adrian wasn't convinced by the explanation, but since he knew nothing about the ritual, he decided to step back and let Seraphina do her thing. With that, she and Fenris entered the cold storage alone, and the waiting game began.
"Now then... let's begin," Seraphina mumbled, drawing a summoning circle.
***
