The corridor leading to the secondary hall was narrower than the main passage. Deliberate, probably, creating natural chokepoint where guards could check passes without disrupting the broader gala.
Two guards stood at the entrance. Both were women. Both wearing academy formal security uniforms, dark grey with silver trim, weapons at their sides that were decorative in appearance but functional in reality.
They checked passes with practiced efficiency.
Alaric produced his pass when his turn came. The guard examined it. Looked at him briefly. Nodded him through.
He stepped inside.
The secondary hall was smaller than the main space but felt more concentrated. The ceiling was lower, still high by any reasonable standard, but intimate compared to the grand hall's vaulted expanse. Dark wood paneling on the walls absorbed light rather than reflecting it.
The essence crystal illumination here was cooler, more focused, designed for visibility and clarity rather than atmosphere.
