Iskandor's chest collapsed inward, forming a swirling black vortex that sent the room into chaos.
In an instant, the desk in front of him, scattered documents, and even a nearby guard were sucked into the vortex.
Just then, a flash of green light enveloped Iskandor, shielding him temporarily from the void's crushing pull.
"Pfft!" Iskandor spat out thick, crimson blood, staining his silver hair and softening his cold, imperious visage with a fleeting hint of vulnerability.
His icy blue eyes locked onto Lyra, and with a ragged voice, he said, "I'll teleport you back to Elden Prime... first..."
With trembling hands, he opened a dimensional corridor. "Go... now."
Lyra hesitated only a moment before stepping through the portal.
Three seconds later, Iskandor collapsed to one knee. The towering pillar of the Empire had fallen, and the room erupted into disarray.
…
