They had spent what seemed like five full minutes inside that chaotic, beautiful void. Five minutes in which Lucas had spoken at length, patiently describing the mechanics of anchoring one's will to coordinates, of fixing the resonance of a chosen point, of holding the path together with sheer control of Qi. The emperor had asked questions and even allowed himself moments of wonder, gazing at the shifting lights of the void as though staring into a boundless ocean.
But when they returned, the world outside had hardly noticed their absence. The servants waiting by the garden's edge, the guards keeping their careful watch, even the faint sounds of music and laughter from the distant feast, all of it had continued without pause. In truth, only a handful of seconds had ticked by since they vanished from sight.
