The room went completely silent as the fiery message hovered in the air, its ember edges casting an other worldly glow across the high stone walls.
Everyone, including the elders still dazed from the image the Vlad had shown them, turned their attention to the dancing flames.
Vlad's piercing red eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, plucking the letter from the air with a sharp motion. The flames dissipated into thin air at his touch, leaving behind a neatly rolled parchment sealed with the unmistakable crest of the Foreones.
The silence became even louder throughout the hall.
Slowly, his fingers unsealed the letter and read its contents in silence as his eyes followed the writing.
Everyone watched in anticipation and curiosity. They wanted to know what the letter entailed. His expression was a cold mask that betrayed nothing of the message's contents.
Finally, he spoke, his voice low and calm.
