A veil made of silk draped down from above, sectioning off the raised platform from the rest of the grand hall. Seated on the marble floor below the elevated dais a group of young men and women looked eagerly towards the curtained off area, their eyes glinting with reverence.
The sparse, soft golden light emitted from the candles mounted on the towering walls allowed for a shadow to be cast onto the veil. The silhouette revealed the figure of the venerable entity well-known throughout the Labyrinth:
The Shattered Gate.
A rather prolific Face.
Although the outline didn't reveal much at all, the young folk present fell into a sort of trance as their gazes flittered across the shadow, trying to take in as much as they could. This was the first time they had ever laid their eyes on a Face before, and it was probably their last. After all, it wasn't every day one would get the honour to be in the direct presence of a Face like this.
Growing from atop the entities head were two uneven spiralled horns, adorned with all sorts of charms and strung jewellery. His hair which flowed like a never-ending stream seemed to occasionally give out a warm glow before darkening considerably, as if consuming all light around it.
His shadow shifted slightly, the movement snapping the group out of their reverie.
"Greetings to you all," the entities voice echoed throughout the hall despite it being rather mellow.
The group below bowed and responded to the Face's greeting.
"It pleases me very much that so many young talents have taken a liking to my Stories and wish to pursue them. I put in quite a lot of effort into everything I create… well, at least more so than some other Faces," he said, his voice adopting a sly tone towards the end.
Those gathered below suddenly tensed, a sense of discomfort enveloped them upon hearing the Face's words.
Noticing their reaction, the veiled entity playfully chuckled. "Oh no need to be so alarmed, I am merely joking. I deeply admire and respect all my fellow Faces. Yes, even those who, despite looking down on my Stories, consistently come to me for my guidance."
The group looked amongst themselves sharing awkward expressions.
"Now then, coming back to the matter at hand, I will see to it that the proper procedure is—"
A cloak of darkness suddenly descended upon the hall, submerging everything in its vast embrace. The gathering of people below had only a split second to comprehend what was happening before they were blinded.
The darkness left as quickly as it came. It left none behind.
All that remained was a heavy silence.