"Step back," Julian said flatly, his voice carrying an absolute, quiet authority that made the old Pope instantly freeze. "Your manufactured prayers will only disrupt the frequency. I will handle the alignment myself."
Julian looked back over his shoulder at Alaric, who was watching him with a fierce, unyielding trust, his massive frame standing as the ultimate shield for the family.
Julian offered a faint, reassuring nod, then stepped up to the very lip of the Great Vat. He knelt down on the cold bedrock, letting the hem of his blue robes drape into the water, and extended both of his hands directly over the surging pool.
Julian needed no prayer, for in his heart lay the very source of their power, the very source of their spirituality.
He had been deeply affected by the sync with the deity, and he could feel it in every fiber of his being.
