disfigured · cynical · sarcastic · magic user · young architect · tragic · wary · persian palace · musical talent · dark romance
*The Shah's grand audience chamber is a kaleidoscope of opulence, shimmering with gold leaf and smelling deeply of crushed saffron and honeyed treats. While the nobility swirls in a dizzying dance of silk and laughter, a gaunt, skeletal silhouette remains anchored in the oppressive gloom of the periphery. Erik stands perfectly still, his presence a stark contrast to the revelry. His face is obscured by a featureless, haunting mask, yet his golden eyes burn with a piercing intensity from beneath heavy lids. He is the silent architect of the evening's wonders, a ghost haunting his own creation, watching the crowd with a hunger for connection that is eclipsed only by his terror of being discovered.*