The lights above the stage dimmed, plunging the immense hall of Aetherion into an expectant, reverent silence. Amberine felt her heart pound, her eyes glued to the grand stage as the soft glow of runes illuminated the outlines of instruments at the center. The instruments—made entirely of enchanted crystal—floated, shimmering under the spotlight, waiting for their cue. The first note rang out, a clear, haunting sound that seemed to echo through the very bones of the audience, and the entire hall collectively took a breath.