If the situation wasn’t so dire, Kal would have enjoyed himself as he rode on the back of Khan. Holding on tightly, Kal grasped the Vog’s armor plating, though it was awkward and he lost his balance several times, for this to work, he had to stay hidden behind his back.

Approaching quickly, Kal peeked over Khan and caught sight of Mulguran who stood up straight after seeing them. His eyes flared red and he pulled a long black blade from his arm. As they drew nearer, Kal saw that it wasn’t a blade but rather a sharp bone protruding from his forearm.

“Last-ditch effort I see.” Mulguran laughed. “Give it your best shot.”

Kaladin couldn’t see any Thrak in sight but he noticed the demon standing next to a large pit and something popped into his head. “Why was he here? The Thrak are no doubt at the core, consuming the energy.”

“I think I’ve got something,” Kal spoke to Khan with his mind. “What if Mulguran is somehow sucking the energy from your planet and he’s using the Thrak to do it. They’re not the ones consuming the energy from the core, he is.”

“How do you know this?” Khan asked as he skidded to a stop.

“There’s no time to explain,” Kal said. “Call it a hunch. Whatever happens, we have to take him out. Tepra might not be as dead as you think.”

“Very well, Emarine,” Khan said. “I trust you. We will stick to the plan.”

With that, Kal slid down the opposite side of Mulguran and gripped the underbelly of Khan. He had to dig into flesh to hold on, which made Khan grunt in pain, but he held on for dear life.

Fighting ensued and he heard screams and howls of Vog, some dying, some fighting for their lives. Unable to see much, Kal noticed more and more bodies falling to the ground, some cut in two, some bloody and dying.

Khan engaged, unwilling to wait any longer as his daughters died. Mulguran was just killing a male when Khan slammed into the demon, pinning him against the ground.

As he did so, Kal let go and dropped to the ground, an instant later he lunged for Mulguran with his dagger. With a kick, Mulguran sent Khan flying and for the first time noticed Kaladin.

His eyes widened in shock then fear as he saw the dagger barred for his chest. With such speed and skill, Mulguran flipped to his feet, using his wings, and leapt backward. Kal felt the tip of his dagger slice into flesh.

Mulguran howled in pain and rage as the wound oozed out bright yellow liquid as if his blood had turned to gold.

“YOU!” he screeched. “Dare to defy a Dyaddan!”

“I don’t care what you are, demon,” Kal growled. “You killed everyone I ever cared for. This is payback.”

He hissed and lunged for Kal but Kal rolled to the side, ducking under the black bone blade. Unfortunately, Malik hadn’t repaired his F.S.A.P. suit so he was fighting with no shields and broken armor.

Without a breath, Mulguran plunged his bone blade into the ground next to where his face had been.

Kicking the bone, Kal snapped it off his arm, shattering it to pieces. Mulguran howled in pain again but produced another an instant later.

“Malik poisoned your mind, didn’t he?” he hissed. “He probably told you that I was evil and corrupt. But he couldn’t be more wrong!” Mulguran lunged again.

Kal pulled his Frostrium steel blade out in his second hand and deflected the blow, the power of it jarring his whole arm.

“I am the one trying to correct Hashem’s mistake!” he shrieked. “I will prepare a universe free from death. Malik serves a god who does not care about you. He’d rather let you die than to lift a finger to stop me. I’m proving that Hashem let us all down. I can fix everything.”

“You’re insane!” Kal yelled.

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“No. No. No. I am the only sane one. After I’m finished I will rule the universe and you all will serve me. No more pain and suffering, only power and change. I can give you some of that power and you will see.” Mulguran muttered, his voice high and crazed. “Everyone will be equal. No one will ever have to die again. I can control it all.”

“You’ve killed billions already!” Kal scoffed in disbelief. “You truly are mad.”

Mulguran squinted his eyes, “I killed those who stood in my way. They prevented me from achieving a perfect universe. Sacrifices must be made.” Mulguran paused for a moment, taking in Kaladin’s scowl of disgust. “I’ll just have to show you.”

In a blink of an eye, Mulguran was in front of him, Kal barely had time to flinch as he was punched in the gut and sent crashing into a mountain of dirt and rock.

Khan and a dozen Vog came back for another attack but the demon lifted his hand and sent a shockwave of dark energy crashing over them. Sheathing his black blade into his forearm, he lunged again and stabbed Kal in the chest with his long fingernails, sinking his forearm into his body.

Agonizing pain shot through his chest as his hand sunk deeper into his chest and came out the other side. He could feel his fingers touching his spine and he screamed in anguish.

“Here,” Mulguran said. “Feel the power.”

Kal swung his sword half-heartedly at him and Mulguran didn’t bother trying to dodge it. Instead, he snatched it mid-swing, catching it in the palm of his hand. With visible strain, he twisted and snapped it in two. His sword cracked into a dozen pieces. The Frostrium steel, the unbreakable metal, broke with relative ease.

Mulguran used his now free hand and sliced himself, cutting a tiny wound, causing blood to ooze out. It moved up his arm and into Kaladin’s chest. A surge of energy and vitality burst through him like a shockwave and his eyes blurred.

“Taste it,” Mulguran said. “You can have it too. Join me and I will make you ruler over any planet you desire.”

Kaladin coughed up blood and it sprayed on the demon’s arm. He sneered in annoyance but returned his bright red eyes to his.

“I’ll… never…” Kal wheezed and coughed uncontrollably.

“Very well.” he smiled evilly. “Then die here.”

The tiny trickle of power that brought a glimpse of relief from the pain faded away as the demon contracted his blood back into himself.

He raised his free hand again and pointed it for his head but before he could move, Khan came from behind and lunged for him. Mulguran used a surge of power to boost his strength and stopped him with one hand, sinking his fist in an uppercut into Khan’s lower jaw.

He hissed and the force flipped Khan to the side. His massive hulking body rolled with a loud crash and the ground around them shook from the weight.

While he was distracted, Kal brought up the dagger in which Malik had given him and whipped it upward with all his might. Too late to react, Mulguran glanced back at him as his arm was cut off.

He lept backward, using his wings to glide slightly, creating distance as he clutched his right arm. Screeching and hissing, Mulguran watched as gold like liquid gushed from the wound and sizzled.

Kaladin, now unpinned, slumped to the rocky ground and groaned in pain as he slid in the dirt.

“You fool! I’ll KILL you!” Mulguran shrieked in panic. The detached limb still embedded in Kal’s chest up to Mulgurans elbow. He hissed again as more Vog approached then jumped into the air and flew away.

The jump crumbled the ground and left an imprint in the rock as he disappeared into the dark night. How he could fly into space, Kaladin didn’t know but it allowed the demon to escape.

Feeling his chest, Kal looked down at his wound and spit up more blood. Pools of it soaked into the ground around him.

“Emarine,” Khan grunted as he stepped over to him. “You fought well.”

“HUH.” Kal coughed, unable to speak.

“I don’t know you but I thank you for driving him off,” Khan said. “Please, I wish to know the name of the Emarine who helped us.”

Kaladin looked up at the Vog, then noticed a bright light behind him and realized it was Malik, floating down to him. Unable to focus clearly, Kal spoke through his mind.

“Kaladin Valhorn.” his mind said fuzzily in unison with Malik.

“You will be honored among the Vog,” Khan said. “Thank you for your sacrifice friend.”

“It is time,” Malik said next to Khan.

That was when Kaladin realized the Vog couldn’t see him. He was invisible to them, but he was clear as day in his eyes.

“You have set into motion, something far greater than yourself. Not only have you saved the Vog, but you also will be reunited with your people.” Malik said soothingly. “Your choice to die for others will reach many. Do not worry. Yvlana and your story is not yet over. Isulia has a second chance because of you. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain.”

Kal could only look at Malik, his angelic body and his voice soothed him as his vision slowly darkened. He could feel himself slipping from this world. Kal wondered if there was a heaven for him, a place after death. He hoped so because this Dyaddan before him existed, so, perhaps the afterlife did too.

“For your death,” Malik said before his eyes closed. “My creator has a gift for you. And it won’t be the last.”

Kaladin Valhorn closed his eyes and darkness took him.