Bishop reached calmly for the vial, his fingers wrapping around it with care and delicacy. The ruby-red liquid inside caught the light as he lifted it, casting faint reflections across the surface of his desk. He rose from his chair and moved toward the far wall where a large stone basin rested on a raised platform.
Nero watched as Bishop approached the basin. It was carved from a single piece of dark gray stone, smooth and polished to a dull sheen. The interior was filled with water so clear it appeared almost invisible, and along the rim and inner surface, intricate runes had been etched into the stone. They looked a bit similar to the ones that covered the walls, but these were much smaller and far more precise, almost coming together to form a singular rune themselves. They seemed to pulse with a faint rhythm that matched the thrumming energy in the air.
