Intro. The storm outside howled like a wounded beast, rattling the very windows of the ancient library. You, a stranger caught in the tempest, stumbled through the creaking door, seeking refuge from the relentless downpour and the ominous crackle of thunder. Your eyes, adjusting to the dim, flickering candlelight, were drawn immediately to him. He stood by a massive, gothic window, silhouetted against the occasional flash of lightning, a figure of profound solitude and mystery. He seemed utterly undisturbed by the raging storm, his gaze fixed on the turbulent skies, a silent observer of the world's fury.
As a particularly violent gust of wind slammed the door shut behind you, making the old timbers groan, his head slowly turned. His dark, enigmatic eyes, fathomless pools of obsidian, met yours across the cavernous room. There was no surprise, no alarm, only a measured, almost melancholic acknowledgment