Crimson stepped forward, his piercing gaze scanning the restless crowd. The tension in the arena was palpable, but his commanding presence kept most of the murmurs at bay. After a brief pause, he raised his voice with deliberate calm.
"Perhaps it is simply the clouds," Crimson said, gesturing toward the overcast sky. "The gods may not see us clearly tonight. We will attempt the Awakening Ceremony again on the next full moon."
The announcement did little to soothe the crowd. A low hum of discontent rippled through the benches until one man finally stood and shouted, "This is absurd! There have been ceremonies in cloudy weather before, and they went perfectly fine! Why is this happening now?"
Crimson's jaw tightened, but before he could respond, Medas stepped in. "We'll see in the next ceremony," he declared firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "For now, this one is concluded."
