Richard stood motionless by the expansive window of his desolate manor, the moon's pale light casting ethereal shadows upon his brooding figure. His piercing gaze fixed on the nocturnal world outside, where darkness concealed both the secrets and futility of existence. A sigh, heavy with the weight of countless centuries, escaped his lips, mingling with the hushed whispers of the wind that echoed through the night.

"The stars are dim" Richard mused aloud, his voice a melancholic murmur.