In the center of the elevated stage, a figure appeared, his presence imposing. It was the same elder responsible for the previous stages, his hair and beard completely white, his long golden robe shining under the light.
Embroidered across his chest was the symbol of the Alchemists Association, the emblem of an organization that had existed for millennia.
The elder walked to the center of the stage, his eyes sweeping over the twenty-five finalists with an assessment that seemed to penetrate beyond the surface. His voice, when he spoke, echoed throughout the arena with the clarity of a jade bell.
"Welcome to the final of the Alchemy Competition of the Celestial Descent Festival."
The amplification formations spread throughout the arena, causing his voice to reach every corner, every ear.
