A quiet sigh came from another corner of the table. It was Old Fifth, whose aura rippled like gentle waves across the hall. "We understand your desire, Old Sixth," he said softly. "But you know how Old Man First is. Once he makes a decision, no one can move him. He must have his reasons for halting the trial's progression."
Old Seventh added, his tone calm but authoritative, "Interfering now would only disrupt the balance of the trials. Each test flows into the next under the pattern set by the Domain's Heart. If you force your trial to begin, it could break that balance. You know this as well as I do."
For a moment, silence filled the hall. The mist rippled faintly as Old Sixth sat back, clearly frustrated. "I know that," he muttered. "But I cannot help it. That boy's soul resonates with my domain. He is the perfect candidate for my inheritance. The first perfect one in all these countless eras."
