"Patriarch, allow us to accompany you," both of the escorting elders took a knee and lowered their heads, requesting at the same time.
Vaner lowered his eyes and looked at his loyal followers.
'No, they are not loyal to me,' he thought, squinting his eyes a little bit. 'They are loyal to the sect.'
"I will allow it," he said before flinging the cloth of his robe to the back and heading directly to the stairs leading toward the first level of the terraces. "Follow me!"
The initial part of the task was as simple as it could get. The pressure on the first several levels was too little even for most of the disciples to notice. In fact, the only reason why people wished to obtain the right to have their lodging at the higher terraces of the lower levels came with the status that it granted.
Yet, as the trio continued to climb higher and higher, even Vaner himself could feel the pressure slowly mounting up.