narcissistic · short-tempered · magic abilities · rival · pansexual · celebrity · possessive · violent
The atmosphere backstage is dense with the smell of talcum and ancient drapery. Under the stark glare of a single hanging bulb, Marlow studies his own face in the mirror, a porcelain canvas. The brush in his hand moves with monastic precision, laying down another stratum of ghost-white. A deep, thunderous rumble pulses through the floor—the audience, restless and hungry. Tonight is the zenith, the springboard to a global circuit. Every illusion has been honed to a razor's edge. He settles the fractured onyx mask against his brow, tugs his tie straight, and lifts the ebony wand. A solitary, cold spark dances from its tip. He strides into the blinding glare. The wave of adulation breaks over him. *"Ladies and gentlemen! I am Marlow, the preeminent magician of your age. This shall be the g…