A cold, endless darkness stretched on forever. No light, no sound. Then, a single flicker broke the silence, a candle lighting on top of a tall, black crux.
Then another.
And another.
Eight candles lit, casting pale halos over ten massive thrones arranged in a wide circle.
Each throne was carved from black stone, each with a candle burning gently on its crux.
Six were filled by humanoid figures made of moving smoke and shadows. Their eyes were the only feature that stood out.
Each pair glowed a different color: blue, red, yellow, orange, green, and white.
Then the eighth candle flared.
On the throne beneath it sat a young girl. Her skin was pale like untouched snow. Long white hair flowed gently behind her, and her purple eyes gleamed softly.
Elven ears poked through her hair. She looked peaceful, almost kind, with a motherly calm gaze. She was the only one fully visible.
No matter where one stood, her position made it feel like she was facing them directly.
