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, but for this to work, he had to stay hidden behind his back.

Kaladin wondered how much Mulguran knew. “Does he think I’m dead on Isulia? Or does he know that Malik pulled me out before I died?” he thought.

If luck would have it, Kal would have the element of surprise.

Approaching quickly, Kal peeked over Khan and caught sight of Mulguran who stood up straight, stretching his long black wings, 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 aloud. “You Vog don’t know when you are beaten. Come and I’ll show you what hopelessness tastes like.”

Kaladin couldn’t see any Thrak in sight but he noticed the demon standing next to a large pit and a steady trickle of blue essence leaking out. It looked as if a flow of gasses escaped from the hole. It was being sucked toward Mulguran, who seemed to absorb the blue light.

“What is that?” Khan asked.

“He’s draining your planet. It’s how he’s gaining power, by consuming the lifeforce.” Kaladin responded. “There’s no time to explain. We must stop him before it's too late. Tepra might not be as dead as you think.”

Kaladin felt a burst of hope ebb into his emotions. All of the Vog had understood his meaning. Tepra still could be saved.

“Very well.” Khan slowed to let his comrades pass him. “We will trust you, Kaladin. We will stick to the plan.”

Kaladin frowned, he both hated and appreciated the trust in which the Vog gave him, as it was unearned. He didn’t know if he could save them or not. Filling them with hope, filled him with the dread of failure.

Sliding down the opposite side of Mulguran, Kal 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 howls from the Vog, some being cut in half, some being kicked or punched. Unable to see much, Kal noticed more and more bodies falling to the ground, many had their limbs severed. Many already lay bloody and motionless on the lifeless earth.

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 rocky earth, 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 astonishing 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. “You're supposed to be dead! How-?” he stopped mid-question. “Malik.” he sneered.

Mulguran glared at the dagger, ignoring Kaladin, but a moment later his bright red eyes trained on him.

“You dare defy me? A Dyaddan?” Mulguran hissed.

“I don’t care what you are, demon,” Kal growled. “You killed everyone I ever cared for. This is payback. It’s been a long time coming.”

“He has cheated again!” Mulguran hissed. “Why has he sent you here? To kill me? I cannot die, foolish Emarine. I am immortal. I am a god.”

“You’re delusional.” Kaladin baited. “You are weak. Grasping at straws. Malik can’t even be bothered to deal with you himself.” he goaded further.

Mulguran hissed in fury and lunged for him, his bone blade aimed for his chest but Kal rolled to the side, ducking under the black 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 where his face had been an instant before. Shifting his weight, Kal turned and kicked downward with all his might.

Mulguran’s bone blade snapped and shards splintered everywhere. 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!” Mulguran 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 lift a finger to stop me. I’m proving that Hashem let us all down. But I can fix everything. I will bring about a future for everyone.”

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“You’re insane!” Kal yelled.

“No. No. No. I am the only sane one here. After I’m finished I will rule the universe and you all will serve me. No more pain and suffering, only the weak will be removed. Only the strong will survive. 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. Even Hashem knows this.” 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. Mulguran effortlessly leapt into the air and slammed down onto one of the males and plunged his blade through its skull.

A burst of pain and emotions reached Kal but he was too dazed to do anything.

Howls of rage echoed over the rocky terrain as the Vog tried to pile on top of him. Mulguran, again easily escaped and landed next to half a dozen females and swiped his blade in a three-sixty. Severed body parts flopped to the ground as even more blood soaked the earth.

“Back off!” Kal screamed with his mind.

Mulguran dispatched several more females before they did as he said. The demon immediately noticed their retreat and refocused on Kal. He lunged.

Still dazed, Kal whirled to the side an instant before Mulguran’s bone blade sunk into the rock next to him. Kaladin whipped around and brought his foot up for a kick to his head.

Mulguran brought a forearm up and blocked the blow effortlessly. The demon brought his own leg up and kicked Kaladin in the chest while mid-air. Again, Kaladin flew through the air and crashed into a boulder that cracked and shattered around him.

Sheathing his black blade into his forearm, Mulguran lunged again. This time, Kaladin couldn’t move. He had sunk into the rock itself. His long bony arm stabbed Kal in the chest, his long fingernails sinking into his body.

Agonizing pain shot through his chest as his hand sunk deeper into his ribs and came out the other side. He could feel his fingers touching his spine and he screamed again. The pain was blinding and Kaladin would’ve passed out if not for the nano-gel boosting his vitals.

His armor may be shattered. His suit was in tatters, but the nano-gel still worked to heal and strengthen him. It wasn’t enough, however.

“Here,” Mulguran said. “Feel the power. You can still join me! I would give you whatever you desire.”

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 strongest metal in the universe, and he had snapped it in the palm of his hand.

That was almost as frightening as his impending death. Kaladin felt a pure, cold fear creeping down his spine.

Mulguran used his free hand and sliced a tiny wound on himself, 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. You can rule as king. All you have to do is accept it. Say the words.”

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

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

“Very well.” he scoffed. “Then die here.”

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

He raised his free hand again and pointed it at his head but before he could move, Khan came from behind and lunged for him. He could feel Mulguran brace himself with a surge of power and stopped Khan with one blow. The demon balled his fist into an uppercut into Khan’s lower jaw.

Mulguran hissed in annoyance again as 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, feeling Malik’s power surge through it, and whipped it upward with all his might. Too late to react, Mulguran glanced back at him as his arm was cut off.

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

A sucking noise, followed by a tug on Mulguran’s exposed limb pulled him toward the giant pit he had dug before. Power drained from the wound and bright blue fluorescent lights lit up the surrounding area.

Another tug on his arm jerked him around fiercely and Mulguran howled in agony. He quickly brought his left arm up to the open wound and a blast of black energy sealed the severed limb.

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

“You fool! I’ll KILL you!” Mulguran shrieked in panic. “Do you know what you’ve done?” he howled. “You’ve doomed us all!”

The detached limb was still embedded in Kal’s chest up to Mulgurans forearm. He hissed again as more Vog approached. He jumped into the air and flew away.

The jump crumbled the ground and left an imprint in the rock as he disappeared into the night.

It was over.

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. “Your wounds-” he trailed off.

“It’s… alright.” Kal coughed, blood filling his lungs. “I… knew… what… I… was… getting… myself… into.” his mind was sporadic and he could barely form thoughts through the pain. “This… is… why… I’m here. To die.”

“We owe you our lives. You have saved us. Saved Tepra.” Khan bent his head down, almost touching him.

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 thought he was imagining it.

“Kaladin Valhorn,” Malik spoke aloud but Kal knew no one else could hear him.

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

“It is time,” Malik said, floating over Khan.

“You have set into motion something far greater than yourself. Not only have you saved the Vog, but you have also saved many others.” Malik said soothingly. “You chose to do what was needed of you. Your sacrifice will not be in vain. I asked that you trust me, and you have. Your obedience will not go unrewarded.”

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.

“Know that this needed to happen. I needed you to see what would have been.” Malik whispered. “Your death will lead them here.” Malik looked at him, his eyes full of hope through his bright white eyes. “My father has a gift for you. And it won’t be the last.”

Kaladin Valhorn closed his eyes and died on Tepra.