Initiation gone wrong (2)

The Lord then nodded at Damien before grabbing the cup from the platform. With a swift, practiced motion, he extended his nails into claws and clenched his fist tightly, causing the sharp points to pierce his skin. As blood dripped from his fingers, he poured it into the golden cup, which soon began to emit a faint glow.

This ritualistic act was the culmination of centuries-old tradition, infusing the cup with the power of the high lords' blood. With solemn reverence, he passed the cup to the next high lord, an elderly vampire who repeated the process without hesitation.

One by one, all the high lords poured their blood into the cup, each drop adding to the mystical aura that surrounded it. As the cup filled with their collective essence, it began to glow with an ethereal light, a testament to the potency of their lineage.