The night had already fallen, draping the Empress's palace in a veil of darkness pierced only by the ethereal glow of the full moon.
The full moon hung low, bright and round, casting its pale light over the palace grounds like a quiet watchful eye in the empty sky.
No stars dotted the heavens; it was just that one light in a sea of dark, giving the night an odd, tense feeling, as if the whole world was holding its breath for what might come next.
Moonlight spilled over the Empress's palace, turning its grand shape into something that seemed to glow.
The palace itself stood out, almost like the only star in this empty sky, shining as if it wanted to match the moon's own light.
Inside, room after room stretched out in all directions, like a maze of luxury, with each room more decorated out than the last, lying quiet and untouched in the darkness.