The ancient chamber sprawled before Salomonis as the doors swung shut behind him with a resonant boom that echoed across weathered stone. Centuries of imperial judgments had transpired within these walls, decisions that had altered the course of nations pronounced from the imposing dais that dominated the far end. The chamber predated even the Castle of the Sun itself—a remnant of an earlier age incorporated into the newer structure like a precious relic enshrined in gold.