The emperor's eyes widened so much that the lines on his stern face seemed to deepen with disbelief. He had already been shaken when Lucas tore the air apart like fabric, but his heart nearly leapt from his chest when the boy stepped forward without hesitation and vanished into that tear. For a breathless moment the emperor wondered if Lucas had simply destroyed himself in his arrogance, but before the thought could fully form, the youth emerged at the far end of the palace gardens, his figure illuminated by the moonlight as though he had merely taken a stroll.
Gasps escaped from some of the emperor's attendants who stood further back, their voices hushed and filled with awe. The emperor's pulse thundered in his ears when, in the very next instant, Lucas calmly stepped back into the shimmering fissure and reappeared directly in front of him.
