"Hmm?"
As he raised his hand, he saw terrifying cracks radiate golden light traces outward. Shard turned his head in surprise back toward the shrine only to discover that the shrine that had been on the pile of books was now gone. In its place was an old man in a gray robe, his white hair draped over his shoulders blending seamlessly into his white beard at his chin.
Atop his head he wore a gray, pointed, wide-brimmed hat, which, even though he sat on a not-so-high pile of books, still positioned itself higher than Shard's head. His left hand rested on a long staff, while his right hand held a smoking pipe to his lips.
Because Shard had initially peeked at the shrine, turning his head back this time meant he was almost face-to-face with the old man. Before Shard could react, the old man suddenly widened his eyes and shouted,
"Ah!"
