I looked around my surroundings, but it was an odd out-of-body sensation. I wasn’t really looking. More or less, I was sort of just existing in this place. I had been here before...drifting in this nothingness. I didn’t remember it lasting this long.

A small existence within itself. Does that even make sense? Is this place even a place? What is this void? Mmm…

The void was calming in a way. I didn’t feel pain or sadness. No grief. No, nothing really…it was just…well…empty, like me. I gazed out into the abyss, sort of expecting something to happen. Perhaps God would come down and judge me. Maybe Death itself would usher me on into the afterlife. But no…none of that happened.

Just nothing. That is what’s happening. Well, it seems something happened after all.

A purple orb materialized in my vision. I knew the orb came from nowhere because there was nothing in this void beforehand. I wasn’t sure of many things anymore, but I knew this to be true.

I observed the orb, and it was just that to me, a ball of purple. It had no defining features. It didn’t glow or radiate any warmth. It was just here with me in the nothingness.

Despair. Sorrow. Regret.

Mmm? I watched the orb, and then something happened again in the void.

Despair. Sorrow. Regret.

So? Are you communicating with me? But you can’t speak, so you are using…your emotions?

Despair. Sorrow. Regret.

I see. I believe I understand, but I don’t know why you are telling me, Little Orb.

Despair. Sorrow. Regret. Confess.

Confess? What is it that you want to confess? What would confessing to me achieve?

Repentance.

Repentance? Is that an emotion? Either way, what is there to repent? I believe you have a fundamental misunderstanding, Little Orb. I am just a man. I’m no god. Repenting to me won’t do or change anything.

Despair. Sorrow. Regret. Forgiveness.

You want me to forgive you? But why?

Despair. Sorrow. Regret. Forgiveness.

I see…well…I’m not sure what it matters, but I’ll forgive you. Perhaps this could be my final act of kindness before I disappear forever. I never wanted to be a destroyer…life just had other plans for me, it seems.

Exultation. Appreciation. Compassionate.

Are you saying I’m compassionate or that you are? Well…either way, you are welcome, Little Orb.

Inquisitive.

You are inquisitive? Ah…I see…you want to ask me something? Feel free.

Acceptance. Repentance.

You want me to repent by having me accept something, is that correct?

Acceptance. Repentance.

You want to repent by having me accept something?

Acceptance.

Will accepting your gift help you?

…

I see…no response, huh? Will it help me?

Regret. Repentance. Forgiveness. Acceptance.

You regret something, so you want to atone. You are asking for my forgiveness yet again and want to offer me something? In that case, I accept.

Bliss.

You are welcome, Little Orb.

Thank you. I am sorry for what I was forced to do.

Wait? What? Who—

—

I jolted awake, my left eye dark and covered. My body ached and protested against my sudden movement, and my neck snapped towards the person beside me. A tired and drained-looking Bowen watched me with wide eyes as he closed his book slowly.

He slowly set the book down on the nightstand and nodded. “Kaladin…it appears you really did wake up today,” he said slowly.

My mind felt like it was moving through sludge as I tried to piece together what just happened. I was dead…in the void…talking to an orb using its feelings…I…it apologized? Did I apologize? What?

What the hell is going on?

Bowen rested a hand on my chest and nodded. “You’ve been asleep for a while, Kaladin. I’m going to need you—”

Everyone…the Dragon!

I grabbed Bowen by the collar and my heart sank. I could barely muster any strength in my hands but I didn’t appear to be all that different. “What happened? The Dragon? Where is everyone?” I croaked.

Bowen removed my hands with ease and gently rested them on my chest. “Relax, Kaladin. Things are…okay. I shouldn’t say that things are okay necessarily, but you needn’t worry anymore. The Dragon is dead. You killed it.”

“I…I killed it?”

Bowen nodded his head and smiled. “You did indeed kill the Chaos Dragon.” Then his smile grew weak, and he looked at me with pity in his brown eyes. “But it also killed you.”

I touched my face upon hearing his words. I ran my fingers across my lips and grabbed a piece of my hair which had grown to shoulder length. I…I appeared to be alive. I wasn’t doing very well. My heart hurt, my body felt weak, and I was beyond tired. I quite honestly felt like crap, but…I was breathing…and alive…I think.

“I can see your confusion. Perhaps I should rephrase that,” Bowen said with a tired sigh. “It killed you, but you somehow came back to life. Unfortunately, you were pronounced dead by well…everyone, including Sylvia.”

“How?” I asked in disbelief.

“That is a question I do not know the answer to,” Bowen said quickly. He was staring at me intently with tired eyes, and I watched as a bead of sweat rolled down his face.

I touched my face again and realized something was wrapped around my head and covering my left eye. I pulled at it, and Bowen grabbed my hand. He was shaking, and he tried mouthing words to me, but it only came out as a pained gasp.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. If you were to gaze at me with that eye accidentally, you would suffer the most excruciatingly painful death of your lives,” an unfamiliar voice told me. A warm voice tickled my mind for all the wrong reasons. It made me want to scream…to run away from it.

My heart started beating at a million miles an hour.

Sweat escaped from every pore in my body, and it felt like I was being crushed by gravity. It was almost like a giant was pushing me into the planet with their finger. My frail body suddenly felt like it could run a marathon as every fiber of my being screamed at me. I was shaking uncontrollably in my bed, and my teeth clattered.

Oh…I’m terrified. I’m really, really scared right now. Is this what it’s like to be deathly afraid of someone?

The pressure was lifted just enough to allow me to turn my head. It was like my neck was made of lead as I watched someone slowly appear from the room's darkness. She looked to be a Human woman in her early twenties. She wore an elegant black and purple dress that shimmered with an unearthly aura, and it was cut so far down the middle that calling it a deep V was generous. The dress was form-fitting to her luscious body, which exposed much of her almond-colored skin.

Her shimmering purple hair draped her shoulders and fell off of her like waves. I looked into her face, and she appeared to be extremely beautiful to an almost unnatural degree. But she quickly stopped being Human as I continued to look at her.

The whites of her eyes were an inky black instead, and she gazed into my very soul with swirling purple reptilian eyes. Her eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, and she was radiating a power that I had never experienced before. It made me fear for my life…a primal fear so deeply seated I didn’t even know I had it.

She ran her finger across my face and over to the bandaged area. She smiled at me, but it wasn’t the welcoming smile of a beautiful woman. Instead, her mouth was filled with razor-sharp teeth, and her eyes had a dangerous glint to them. Bowen had receded into his chair, sweat beading down his skin and eyes bulging from his head.

“Look at you…Child of Chaos…” she muttered while running her finger across my body.

What?

I tried speaking, her simple statement made me want to answer her, but I couldn’t form words…just push some air from my lungs in a wheeze. Finally, the pressure was lifted from me, and I could breathe again…it was gone… all the fear just evaporated…just like that, like a bad dream.

Was that her bloodlust? Is that even bloodlust? What….what is this monster.

“Who…who are you?” I stammered out.

“What? Your mother never told you?” she questioned while tilting her head innocently.

Too bad there is nothing innocent about that smile.

“Huh? What does my mother have to do with anything?” I asked carefully.

The woman let out a deep cackle that sent chills down my spine. I felt utterly helpless in her presence, and even though her overwhelming aura was gone…it didn’t diminish her in the slightest. Instead, she gave me a bone-chilling smile.

“I am Chaos Dragon Empress Avasta.”

I bit down so hard I think I chipped a tooth. This…this is a Dragon Emperor? What is she doing here? Why does she know Mom? And why did she call me a Child of Chaos?

Wait…I just killed a Chaos Dragon…oh…

She let me wallow in despair for a moment and poked me in the forehead with her finger. Her nails were filed down to razor-sharp points…almost like claws. “You need to begin to control your new eye, Child. Treat it as a new limb with your mana enhancement, and all will be well. Just be wary of gazing into the abyss for too long. You may go blind. Or worse.”

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

“I don’t understand…” I muttered.

New eye? Like a limb? Ah…this is not good.

“You will in time,” she said with a grin.

“Why are you here? My mother? How do you know her?” I asked cautiously.

“So many questions from you, Child, and I don’t particularly feel like answering all of them,” she said dangerously. I swallowed the saliva in my throat and looked up at her terrifying smiling face. “On second thought…perhaps it would be more entertaining to tell you?” she said with a wicked laugh.

She looked at me for approval, but I said nothing. “I failed in a…duty of mine. However, your mother saved something very precious to me, and for that, I bestowed upon her a wish.”

“A wish?”

Avasta’s grin grew more expansive, and she seemed to be reveling in my confusion and anticipation. “That’s right, a wish!” she said, her laughter only growing. “Your mother made an impossible request of me to do something nobody has ever done. I told her it might not be possible. That the chances were low…yet here you lie, a product of my creation. You may even call me your mother if you so desire.”

My mother? I’m certain that I came out of my real mother…not this monster. And if she was my parent, then talk about a deadbeat…I could have used her help a long time ago. But she is just toying with me now.

“How’s that for an explanation, Child?” she asked me.

“I understand…but why are you here? Surely you didn’t come all this way just to see me now all of a sudden,” I pointed out.

I don’t really understand, but I know she isn’t going to tell me more. This Child of Chaos nonsense… may explain my very existence in this world.

“I’ve come to explain your situation to you and make my decree known,” Avasta stated.

“I uh…okay…” I mumbled slowly.

Avasta’s purple eyes glowed with power as she gave me a once-over. Then, seemingly satisfied, she nodded at me. “Qylrenth saved you, and he managed to piece your soul back together using his own. It appears he regained his senses somehow even after the Madness consumed him.”

“Who? Madness? What do you mean…I don’t understand,” I told her.

“The Dragon you slew, his name was Qylrenth. He was affected by Madness, a disease that our kind has long since eradicated. We haven’t had a single Dragon fall victim to it in thousands of years,” Avasta explained slowly to me like I was a child.

I suppose compared to the ancient world-ending Dragon…I am nothing but a child. But what’s this about my soul being pieced back together? What does—oh…the orb…I almost forgot. That feels like it was an eternity ago already. Could that have been Qylrenth?

“Seems you’ve come to an understanding. There is no need for me to explain further. You are alive and well. And only the parts of Qylrenth that hold you together will remain with you. Perhaps if you hadn’t died, you might have reaped more benefits. Chaos Magic is truly fascinating, isn’t it?” she said with a playful shrug.

“Wait…Qylrenth said something to me before I woke up,” I told her.

Avasta raised her eyebrows and gave me a look of genuine curiosity. “Oh? Since when have the dead been able to communicate? Well…I suppose you may be the exception now. But do tell me, what did he say exactly?”

“Well…at first, he didn’t say anything to me, really. Then I accepted his gift or something like that, and he gave me some parting words. Qylrenth told me that he was sorry for what he was forced to do,” I recounted. “What does this mean?”

Avasta narrowed her eyes at me, and my heart felt ready to explode from my chest. The difference in power levels was night and day. Dragon Emperors aren’t just strong or on a different level. They are on a completely different plane of existence.

If that’s the case…how did Talgan get so strong? How could anyone ever hope to stop the Dragon Emperors? I don’t even think every War God I’ve ever met combined could best her. What’s stopping the Dragon Emperors from just taking over the entire world?

I was about to say something in response, but Avasta stood back and waved her hand dismissively. “I understand what you’ve told me, Child.” She looked to Bowen, then back to me. “Now then, I’ve come bearing my decree. As the person who completed my duty, with the power I wield and in my name, I hereby bestow upon you a wish.”

Wait…she didn’t even apologize…so many people died.

“Are you even sorry?” I asked her.

“Sorry? For what exactly?” she scoffed, seemingly annoyed that I stopped her rant.

“For all those people you let die.”

She scoffed at me and let out a wicked laugh. “You are an interesting one indeed. Only a Child of Chaos could be so impudent towards me. I shall ignore your frivolous comments this one time. Let it be known that I am regretful you fulfilled my duty in my stead. Nothing else.”

The rage I felt boiling in my chest tapered off. There was no point in getting into an argument with this monster. If I so much as breathed funny in her presence, Avasta may just end my life for real.

And there is no way I’m ever going to be able to kill her. Besides…what’s the saying? The lion cares not what the sheep thinks? Or something like that…

“A wish? A wish…” I rolled the word on my dry tongue, and I blurted out the first desire that came to my mind. “Gather my family and bring them to me. Alive and well,” I said plainly.

Perhaps this isn’t the best use of a wish from a Dragon Empress…but nothing in the world matters to me all that much. Dying again…I’m sick and tired of all of this crap…I just want to go back to normal… I just want my family. And with Mom and Dad most likely looking for me…there isn’t a point in taking me home.

Avasta started laughing so hard she doubled over. Genuine tears flowed from her black eyes, and she wiped them away. “Are you positive? I can do anything for you! This country?! This continent?! I’ll give it all to you. All you need to do is make the request.”

I eyed Bowen, and it looked as if his soul was about to leave his body. “I don’t want a country or this continent or the damn world. Just bring my family to me in one piece and in a timely manner,” I told her.

Avasta finished wiping the tears away and gave me a different kind of smile. I imagine it may have been charming if it weren’t for, well…literally everything that was wrong with her.

She ran her hands across her seductive body and brought her hand to her chin. “The world truly does move in circles. A mother that wanted a son and a son that just wants his mother. Ironic.”

“So be it, I shall bring your family to you alive and well.” Avasta began striding out of the room, her long dress dragging across the floor, when she stopped and looked directly at Bowen. “When I return, I expect that Qylrenth’s head will be returned to me in full. And when I say in full, I do mean it. What you do with the rest of him is of no importance to me, Human.”

And just like that Chaos Dragon Empress Avasta strutted out of the room.

Wait…does she even know who my family is? I mean…she must…right?

The second the door closed behind her, Bowen let out a cough full of spittle. The man threw himself out from his chair and desperately tried to breathe in the fresh air. He looked up into the ceiling with tear-filled eyes, and a stream of water magic went into his mouth and splashed his face.

I looked at Bowen, and I licked my dry lips. “Can I…uh…get some of that?”

Bowen looked over at me and quickly diverted the stream of water towards me. I had a feeling he missed on purpose as it connected with my cheek, but nonetheless, the cold water felt refreshing. What little I could get down my throat was also a welcome reprieve.

Bowen was still hyperventilating and looked worse for wear. “Are you okay, Bowen?” I asked him.

“Okay?” he scoffed while running his hands through his long wet hair. “No…I’m not okay, Kaladin! How are you even a little okay right now?! What just happened?! Never in my life have I known such fear! I thought the birth of my daughter was scary, but this…who am I kidding? This was something else,” Bowen muttered.

“I uh…sorry…” I told him.

Bowen waved me away and tossed himself back into his chair with a groan. “Don’t apologize…it appears you had no control over all of this. I can hardly blame you.”

“Bowen…what happened?” I looked down at my hands and body. Bowen said I had been out for a time, and my hair had grown significantly, but I appeared to be in near-perfect shape, besides the whole drained and feeling like crap part.

Maybe even better than I was before I died…did I even die? I…no…I definitely died.

“How long have I been asleep? Where is everyone?” I questioned.

“Where to even begin…it’s been an absolute mess, Kaladin, but thanks to you and Sylvia, things aren’t nearly as bad as they should be. I owe both of you a great…great deal. Maybe even my life and the lives of my family,” Bowen said despondently.

“Bowen…just start from the beginning,” I asked him. So I readjusted myself in bed, which was a battle. My back ached, and I was sure I hadn’t moved much in however long I’d been unconscious.

Bowen rested his face in his hands and spoke through them, muffling his voice. “Hundreds and thousands of gold worth of damage. One hundred and seventy-eight students and staff are deceased. Sixty are unaccounted for but have been pronounced dead…their bodies are too destroyed to identify. And over a hundred were grievously injured. But, of course, the death toll would be much higher if it weren’t for Sylvia,” Bowen explained to me.

“That’s…not good,” I muttered. “But wait…Sylvia, is she alive? And she saved everyone? Does that mean…” I trailed off.

“That we know she is a Vampire? Yes, although I wish you two had told me beforehand,” Bowen grumbled.

Relief washed over me like a warm blanket. Knowing Sylvia was still alive was the best bit of news I’ve heard in a long time. Ahhh…

“Oh…so you know…but do you know?” I asked him.

Just because they know she is a Vampire doesn’t mean they know she is an ancient one, let alone Talgan’s granddaughter. Sylvia could have just lifted her mask slightly and not shown her eyes. I imagine Bowen would be slightly more surprised if he knew, but I just wanted to double-check.

Bowen gave me a confused and annoyed look. “What?”

“Never mind…” I muttered. “Anyways, how long have I been out for? Linnetia…Sylas…Jen…Varnir, all my classmates and the professor, did they live?”

“You’ve been asleep for almost three months, Kaladin. Yesterday Chaos Dragon Empress Avasta appeared and told me you would be waking up today, so I made preparations for you two to speak…I had no idea things were going to be like this, though,” Bowen said while scratching his head and sighing. “And yes…a lot of your class survived thanks to Sylvia, including your professor.”

“Wow…” I said in utter disbelief.

Three months…three months, huh? My body…I should be a husk right now but I’m not. And even the professor survived? Guess he is stronger than I thought.

I let out a tired sigh and felt my eyelids getting heavy. All the stress of waking up feeling like death, learning about all of this crazy crap with the Dragons and Chaos magic. Knowing everyone is okay…I’m just tired…I need to get some more sleep.

“Where is he?! If you don’t—”

I heard a familiar voice yelling in the hallway, knowing my time to sleep was slipping away. And although I was drained mentally and physically…hearing her beautiful screaming voice really did make me happy. I was looking forward to this.

Bowen chuckled and extended his hand, only for something to materialize out of thin air. “Here, you are probably going to need this back. You’ve had it on while you slept so don’t worry about anybody knowing who you are just yet. I also have your Spatial Ring…well…what’s left of it anyway.”

I gingerly accepted my mask and ring back and gave them a once-over. It was all but unrecognizable…the gold designs had been completely melted off the mask while the ring was all but destroyed. Nevertheless, it was impressive that either of these still worked.

I could hear Sylvia’s stomping from outside, so I quickly slid my mask on. The door to the room was kicked in, and standing there was a very angry-looking Sylvia. Her bronze mask was dented, and a deep gash ran across the right side, exposing some of her pale skin. But…none of that mattered.

Seeing her was overwhelming. I thought she was dead and that I would never see her again. My heart—

“Daddy! You’re awake!” a little girl shouted.

I gasped audibly, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Mila had…changed quite a bit since I last saw her. The starving little girl was gone and, in her stead, was a normal-looking Beastmen child. Her orange hair had grown just a little, and she ran toward me on solid legs. She even sounded a little different as well.

My heart…I can’t take this.

Mila threw herself into me and squeezed me. I could feel a strength behind her that wasn’t there before, and it made my heart ache. I had promised I would see her again…but I failed and let her down.

“Daddy…” she muttered in between sobs.

I felt the lump form in the back of my throat and I tried to hold it back. But I failed. Tears rolled down my face, and my eyes began to burn from the sensation. “Mila…I’m so sorry…” I told her while trying to hug her back. I just couldn’t manage the same strength I was used to.

“Mila read to you every day and every night, you know. She also refused to sleep anywhere but at your side,” Bowen told me softly.

Did she? Ah…

She didn’t say anything back to me as she hugged me, seemingly giving me no room to say no to her…not that I ever would. Sylvia was standing there, her one blue eye wide, and she slowly walked towards me. She bent over and put her helmeted forehead on my mask. “You…I hate you,” she muttered half-heartedly.

Sylvia’s body was shaking from her sobs as she continued to mutter that she hated me. She placed a shaky hand on my shoulder, and I could hear her sniffling as well. It only served to make me feel worse…although I’m not sure if I could have really changed all that much.

“Why? Why didn’t you wake up? I thought…I thought you were dead!” Sylvia yelled in between her sobs.

“I’m sorry, you two…” I choked out in response. “I missed both of you…more than I realized.”

Mila looked up at me with teary eyes. “You won’t ever leave us again?!”

“I know…I know…I’m sorry, Mila,” I told her while caressing her hair. “You’ve grown so much…”

Bowen cleared his throat, and we all looked over at him. “I hate to break this up, but I can’t let Voker go to sleep so soon.”

Sylvia summoned her sword and pointed it directly at Bowen’s throat. “What could you possibly need from him? He just woke up! You better—”

Bowen slid the point of the sword away from him and smiled wryly. “Don’t fret. We just need to get Voker’s size quickly, and then he can rest for the next few days, undisturbed with all of you.”

“You need my sizes? What for?” I asked.

“Well…we will need to get you some new clothes.”