"So… why don't you allow me escort you safely, Emperor? Let the others handle the chaos they are so fond of."
Zen looked at Lyra's outstretched hand, then back to the violently sparking portal and the frantic Empress trying to salvage it.
He didn't summon his aura. He didn't accuse her of treason. Instead, he reached out and firmly grasped Lyra's pale hand.
"Lead the way, Lyra," Zen said, his voice dropping to a low, icy whisper. "Let's see exactly where this path takes us."
The moment they stepped into the Aether-gravity tunnel, the emergency alarms went silent. The transition was abrupt. Space and time folded around them, creating a pocket of shimmering purple light that cut them off from the physical world, entirely insulated by Lyra's mana.
As they walked down the seamless corridor, Zen felt the subtle shift in the air.
