In this chapter I introduce to you newbies another favorite of mine from The Stormlight Archive. It could be said he is similar to Loki in some aspects. However, Hoid is...Hoid:)

I am terrified. I thought Odium, Rayse, whatever he is called now...I thought he is the only trouble we would be facing here, but I was wrong. You didn't prepare me for this. Is...It coming, Uatu? Has the time for the End arrived?

I am begging you Uatu - I need your help!

"There is absolutely no way for two and two to be anything other than four, Raph!"

"Of course it can be! Twenty-two. See?"

Donnie sighed and facepalmed. "And you think that's funny?"

"Well it's funnier what you are capable of, that's for sure!"

Leo and Mikey were not even trying anymore. "And you say my jokes are bad."

"Forget about jokes." Leo said. "We need to just get out of here already!"

"How?" Stephen said, still on his chair. "Kaladin is stubborn as hell. There is no way for us to avoid this."

"If we don't find her everything is going to blow up!" Basically. "Whatever they are fighting for here is minuscule compared to what we are doing." He cussed. "We should have just avoided them..."

"That would have only put us in worse trouble." Stephen said. "We must wait. The patrol is going tomorrow. There is no rush."

"How do you know there is no rush?" Leo pressed. "Do you feel the itch?"

Stephen scratched his hand and gritted his teeth. "No, I'm not."

"Well, that's what I tell you! We might be having an emergency and not even know it!"

"Leo, I'd know..."

"You would know? You just want us to sit here and wait!" Leo knew he would regret this, but... "Listen, you need to snap out of it, Stephen." Stephen raised his head. "You are losing yourself! Donna is not coming back if you continue grieving for her."

He slowly got up. "You didn't..."

"Stephen, I understand!" That was not a lie. Leo tried as much as he could. He still saw Splinter's death in every nightmare. "But we need to respect the living as much as we respect the dead!"

"You don't know anything about that!" Stephen accused him with his hand. "And you will shut your hole!"

"I think you should all take some of that advice to heart." A voice said. They forgot they were in front of their room, not in it. "Some civilized people are trying to sleep here, you know my friend!" The creak of boots echoed, coming towards them. A man, with a long, angular face, tall and thin, dressed in black, matching his hair, came to them. "You could give the good people of this or any other planet a good...oh, my dear."

The man finally looked at them, his keen blue eyes inspecting them, so blue they were almost gleaming. "Well, what do we have here?"

Leo raised his head. "I'm sorry sir. We'll leave back to our room, we just had a bit of an..."

"Well, it was expected one of you would come here, no? The Multiverse is that vast after all."

They all went pale. "What?"

"Oh, now we are stuttering?" The man smiled, though his mocking tone made it obvious he was not in the mood for jokes. "A weird choice. Where is the jam, though? The armor?"

Stephen frowned. "Armor?"

"You are novices or what?" The man sat down on the floor. "Well, you've chosen a good moment I'll admit. So get on with it." He sighed. "I wish I had my flute at least, but what can we do!"

Stephen blinked, waving away. "We have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Just get away."

"Oh!" The man smiled again. "Well compared to what your colleagues usually do, you are polite. Now get those handcuffs out and get me away from here."

Raph scoffed. "Probably an idiot. Go away!"

"An idiot able to realize you are from another universe? Well, too bad. Will you actually let me get away?"

"Why would we be even chasing you, jerk?!" Raph snarled. "We don't even know who you are!"

"A poor idea, my friend. There is not a single member of TVA that doesn't know who I am."

They went pale again. "The..." Stephen rolled his eyes. "No, we don't know who you are and we are not from the TVA. You can leave! Leave!" Stephen raised his hands to send him away. The man slouched and grabbed his hand. "What the..."

"Hold on." The man took a glance at Stephen's bracelet. His keen blue eyes widened. "You know what the TVA is?"

"We told you, we are not..."

"That was not my question. I asked you if you know what the TVA is?"

Stephen and Turtles stared at each other, uncertain. "Sort of. Who are you?"

"Uatu sent you." The man said, still smiling. "Didn't he?" They flinched, Raph almost pushing Mikey. Leo laid a hand on his sword. "Oh, do not be disturbed, gentlemen! I am practically incapable of hurting anyone or anything. Even the very thought of it makes me feel dizzy. Goodness! Here it comes again!" He almost collapsed. A ribbon of light flew behind him, stopping right in front of Stephen's face. The ribbon gained a new shape, with a body dressed in stiff robes, but instead of a face a shifting pattern for a head.

Stephen flinched again. "This one gets annoyed pretty easily!" The thing - most likely a spren - had a feminine voice.

"Of course he does, Design!" The man said. "When you fly in front of his face!"

"That's too bad. It is annoying, so I like it." She flew back to him.

"Forgive her. She can be incredibly infuriating and that means something when it is coming from me!"

Stephen wasted no time. He called upon his spells and the Turtles followed his lead, raising their weapons. The man raised his hands, his eyes widening. "Well, no one actually has ever reacted in that way towards me, so I complement you for that."

"Shut up!" Stephen said. They walked towards him, making him retreat into a different room. Stephen slammed the door shut. "Who are you? Your name - now!"

"Dear friend, you just told me to shut up. Why are you contradicting yourself?"

Leo made a step forward. "Name!"

"Goodness, you are sensitive! Well, here on Roshar you can call me Wit: most people call me that way. I prefer Hoid, however."

"Good start!" Stephen said. "Now - who the shit are you and how do you know about the TVA and...Uatu!"

"Has he received a letter, maybe?"

Stephen raised his eyebrow. "A...letter?"

"Of course!" Hoid frowned, but then smiled. "Do not worry, my friend. Uatu and I are actually old colleagues. He saved me the third time TVA caught me." He made a confident gesture. "The first two times I got out of their hand myself, but still, I would be in their hands now if he had not intervened."

"Hoid..." Stephen repeated that name. "He did not mention you."

"Oh, I am not surprised. I am sort of a secret..." Hoid narrowed his eyes, gesturing towards them.

"We'll keep our names for ourselves." Leo said. "We don't who you are."

"Oh, but you do! I just told you, after all."

"We don't like risks."

"Hmm..." He rubbed his chin. "Well, I suppose I will need to give you something then. To gain your trust. How about a story?"

"A story?"

"It will be quick."

And all of a sudden, Hoid raised his hands, throwing smoke into the air. But instead of falling on the others, smoke danced in the air following the music of the small flute Design was carrying.

"This is the story," he said, the music still echoing through the flute. "of Nianel and her little sister, Miather."

The smoke gathered into a shape that resembled an old house on a hill. "Nianel was the elder, the most beautiful and hard-working woman of the country. Thousands and thousand of men would have gladly had her for their bride, while women would have all made her their sister if they could."

As the smoke swirled, Stephen could see a perfect face of a woman. In a moment it was as real and clear as the faces before him, only to vanish. Design's notes did not stop playing. "Miather was just a child. Playful, joyful and full of life. As far as Nianel was concerned, she did not need anyone except her sister in life. And to Miather, she was like a queen."

A queen, Stephen remembered. Donna always looked at him with same admiration.

"One day, a highstorm came to their house." The smoke changed again, turning into a huge cloud, that was rumbling with thunders. They flinched, taking the sound to be too real. Hoid smiled at that, and even Raph's face, that was initially stern, changed. "And that happened while Miather was playing outside with a fox."

The tune became...uneasy, having a sense of dread that crawled under Stephen's skin. His heart started beating faster. He faintly heard the breaking of ice. "During the very storm, Nianel went outside, calling her sister to come home. 'Mia, Mia, come back to me. Come back to me!' she continued screaming all the while the storm was there." The figure in the cloud ran through it like a thunder travelling through the storm. "She turned up every rock, cut down every tree, questioned every beast of air, field or water, but Miather was nowhere to be found."

The image changed now and had the shape of a woman with her face in her hands, sobbing. "As you could imagine, the sisterly bond made everything stronger. Stronger love, stronger grief. The very tumult of the sea is unable to stand against the grief of a sister.

Nianel wondered: 'What did I do wrong? How could have I stopped it? Oh, when will I hear your soft voice again?'" They gazed at him. Hoid's voice changed - it was not that of a man anymore. "She continued: 'When will we ever play in the grass? When will we ever hold our hands? Never! Never will I know you again, and never will there be end to my pain.'"

Raph cussed silently, while Leo and the other Turtles had their mouth agape. Stephen was only half-present. He vividly remembered the chill of air above that frozen lake and he remembered the cool water through which he tried to reach her and failed. And yet...

Stephen.

"Nianel thought:" Hoid continued. It was so abrupt Stephen felt as awakened from a dream. 'Nothing will ever heal my pain, for I will never know you again.' So she came to the Cliff of Life, where she wanted to end it all. She did not look back, letting the cold wind touch her body. And she wept." Water started falling from the cloud. "Wept with the rain. She looked up and said only one thing: 'Why?' before she raised her foot to make a step.

And then," Hoid threw something else into the air, a golden dust that broke the gloomy image, dancing in the air above them all. The figure of a grown woman hugged the light. "'Why did you come here?' asked the little girl." Hoid's voice changed again. "'I thought I lost you forever?'

'Why? You cannot lose me, you know me.'

'Where were you?'

'I was playing here.' And Miareth took up her doll and put it into Nianel's hands. 'Let's play together.'

'We...will play together always, Mia?'

'As long as we love one another.' said the little girl. 'Always. I love you.'"

As the story ended, Stephen continued staring at the ground. He almost died himself that day, when he jumped to save Donna. He would have frozen there. He remembered taking her out of the water, wrapping his scarf around her neck and hugging her to warm her up. But she did not move at all. She opened her eyes just once and then closed them. He wiped the tears from his eyes. He felt a hand on his chest, turning to see Leo with eyes full of compassion. "You okay?"

Stephen made a sob. "No. No...I'm not." Almost forty years have passed since then, but it still haunted him. Stephen looked at Hoid. "How did you know?"

"Know what?" He answered plainly.

"Fuck!" Stephen cussed openly. "Don't pretend to be an idiot - how did you know about my sister!"

Hoid reached his chest. "What horrible words! I am stunned!"

"Well, that is unusual." Design said. "By the way yes, he knows - he is just pretending."

Hoid sighed. "Design, I think I told you something about stories."

"Something stupid that I ignored."

"Interpretation of all stories is subjective!" Hoid almost yelled. "The moment an artist puts his work out there, he holds no authority over it! Even if I had meant it for him - which I didn't - everyone can take what they want from stories! You are ruining everyone's freedom of art!"

"That is dumb!" Design argued. "You cannot fool someone when it's so obvious what you meant. If I call you an idiot - which you are most of the time - then you don't have the right to be insulted. Oh, I just said the word, I didn't mean it as an insult, you just interpreted it that way. Freedom!"

Hoid looked at them with tired eyes. "I have bonded," he said. "an abuser of art!" Hoid rolled his eyes. "I cannot even tell stories in front of her - she ruins everything!"

"Why, the young one likes it!" She pointed at Mikey, who was chuckling. "Everyone finds it adorable, except you."

"You are anything but adorable."

"No offense, Mr. Jester," Raph said. "But the story you just told us is incredibly obvious."

"Oh, I disagree! All stories seem obvious, until you go into them and turn them over and realize they are all a tangled mess that deserves deciphering."

Stephen never liked hearing fictional stories. He found them meaningless most of the time and preferred productive conversations. But now...

"Stories make the world go round!" said Hoid. "Without stories, what are we? Few dots of dust looking when we are going to procreate or eat! Doesn't sound lovely to me!"

"So..." Leo gestured towards him. "You collect stories?"

"Among other things, yes." Hoid threw his dust up in the air and returned it. "Let's say I travel a lot to find them."

Leo nodded. "Yeah, this guy is definitely friends with Uatu."

"And what if Miather didn't appear?" Stephen cut him off, gaining Hoid's attention. "What if she stayed dead? Would Nianel have jumped?"

"I don't know." Hoid shrugged. "But if she did, would that be a story you wanted to hear?"

"It's not about want, it's about if: would she have made the right choice if she jumped."

"Would Miather want that?" Hoid asked. "Let's say Nianel jumped. Who would she be grieving in that case: Miather or herself?"

Stephen knew where this was going. "There are some people one can't live without..."

"So you are saying the person you love failed?" Hoid asked. "That they failed to bring such meaning and happiness that you will want to live for them or smile for them even after they are gone?"

"I didn't say that..."

"You do not want to remember everything good that happened? Only that last moment you two spoke to one another?"

Stephen waved. "Do you even understand?"

"Oh, I understand all too well, my friend. I also understand what our loved ones would want for us. Think - if there is something beyond the grave, your loved ones are in a better place. There is no need to despair when you will go to be with them one day. And even if there is nothing beyond the grave, are you going to make everything they did for you meaningless by giving up? Is grief left unchecked grief or self-pity?"

"I..." Stephen stuttered. Turtles listened as well. "I don't know."

"Well, let me tell you something I do know." Hoid said. "What about the living? They need us as well. If we take time only mourning those who passed away, are we loving those who are still with us?"

Stephen tsked. "Ah, there it is. I am a selfish bastard for grieving, am I?"

"No. You are a human being." Hoid looked at Design, then approached Stephen. "If we do not mourn...what are we? Even animals mourn their dead and even their masters. But we must never take anything to extreme and disregard others around us."

Stephen sniffed. "It's not as easy as you make it seem."

"Of course it is not." Hoid said. "I say this after thousands and thousands of years of experience and I still remember those I have lost. But then I remember all the good things and realize I was happy to even have such people in my life. And then I go out and try to be to others what they were to me."

Stephen sniffed again. And yet, he felt something else besides grief and confusion. A sense of ease. He chuckled. "Who are you?"

"A friend." said Hoid. "At least I hope I was."

Design let out a sound alike to a chuckle. She was prepared to say something, but as she turned her patterns towards Stephen, she shrugged and disappeared. "Well, time to leave, isn't it?" Hoid smiled. "You five do have incredible work to do."

Mikey waved. "Damn it, you're right." Maleficent's laughter passed through his memory "But...what about you? Don't you travel the Multiverse?"

"Ah, not at all!" He answered as if he was accused of a crime. "Not anymore! Those dungs in suits have ruined all enjoyment in it. I escaped them, yes and I can bet they still talk about me when they are red in face. But there is no way I am going back there. They are more irritating than flies. I just stick to the Cosmere, it is a pretty universe after all. And already big enough, probably one of the biggest made during the Music of the First Choir." He patted Leo on the shoulder. "Tell old Uatu I send my regards, if he has not received my letter."

"We have not seen him for a long time already." Leo said. "But...how did you know he sent us?"

"Thanks to this." He touched the symbol on Leo's chain. "I can recognize that sacred symbol wherever I go. The Holy Ones...You are lucky to have heard their voices, my friends." He raised his hands. "But, I will have to go now! It was nice talking to you." He smiled and went away before Stephen managed to thank him.

Those words that he said...they helped. Stephen felt he could breathe easier and see more clearly.

The Turtles, however, only wondered about one thing, still staring at the bracelets on their hands. "What did he mean by..."

A knock was heard on the door, and Kaladin entered. "What...what are you doing here? Were you spying around?"

"What?" Donnie defended himself. "Shell, no! There was this guy who brought us over here and told us a story, that's it. Hoid."

"Hoid?" Kaladin repeated, then sighing. "Oh...Wit, isn't he?"

Leo's eyes widened at such lightness with which Kaladin said that. "You...know him?"

"Almost everyone does." Kaladin said. "Let's go now. And I thought it was something worrying. You should go to sleep."

They listened to Kaladin, but Raph still wanted a more serious response. "Have you heard what we said? The guy just..."

"Raphael, everyone knows Wit." he said. "And we all know his antics. We just ignore him, mostly, since we don't have the slightest idea about who he is."

Stephen stood in front of him. "And you people just let him...do all that?"

"He can be annoying." said Kaladin. "But he's kind, actually. Very friendly. When he is not insulting everyone, that is." Kaladin brought them to their room. "You should go to sleep now."

"What's the rush?" Leo asked while everyone else was yawning.

Kaladin walked to the door, looking back at them for once more before ending. "You'll see."

As they fell asleep, the darkness became a light in the distance and Leo saw himself on a barren wasteland, surrounded by sickly yellow mountains. With the sun burning as if he was in a desert, he did not notice his brother as he stepped on him.

"Ow!" Raph touched his side, standing up as if he was suddenly awakened. "Leo!"

"Are you okay?" Leo grabbed for his side too. Raph pushed his hand away, though he took care not to be too violent.

"No thanks to you."

"Where..." Stephen appeared behind them, Mikey and Donnie waking up behind him. "Where are we?"

Donnie could understand something. He could see himself as clearly as he could see his brothers. "This...this a dream."

The clouds muttered something. Mikey was curious, certain he saw something in the clouds. He climbed up the nearest high point, but instead of the sky, his eyes wandered elsewhere. "Shell."

His brothers and Stephen followed him, and gasped at the same sight. On the wasteland before them, hundreds and hundreds of swords, left plunged into the ground. Huge armors were left beside those blades, standing as living soldiers kneeling before their weapons. A few moments passed before they dared to walk into that field, passing by those armors and blades. Leo felt a sense of awe, admiring both the horror and beauty of those armors. If he wore any of them, his entire body would be protected.

Mikey's mouth was left agape as he was staring at the blades. "I've gotta have one!" He touched one of them, feeling a chill down his shell. "Dude..." Of course, as he pulled it, it stayed in place. "Ah, you won't."

"Mikey." Raph said. "I don't think those blades are real."

"I'm gonna have one even in a dream." Mikey jumped at the blade, pulling it as much as he could. "Booya...booya...booyaka...shaaaa!" He fell, hitting the armor that stood before the blade. The huge thing could have broken his skull open had he not moved. "Shell!"

"Yeah..." Raph said. "I'm pretty sure that ain't real too."

Not now. The clear voice roared out of the clouds. But it once was.

They followed their instinct, reaching for their weapons, but Stephen felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's alright."

He turned, happy to see it was Dalinar Kholin. Behind him were the queen Jasnah, Kaladin and Shallan, all dressed in armor in this place.

"What is this?"

Dalinar looked up at the sky. "Thank the Stormfather for bringing us here."

The Five slowly looked up at the sky, with Raph barely holding his anger. "So it's you."

I am.

"Who would have guessed you are capable of normal conversation?"

When the need calls for it, I can. The Stormfather's voice sounded like a thousand thunders roaring in the distance. Do not tempt me, though, son of Yoshi.

"Maybe you're the one who shouldn't tempt me, Stormfarter!"

Leo slapped him on the shoulder, raising his fists in anger.

Donnie and Stephen continued staring at the blades and armor that were leaking Stormlight. "What is this?"

"The Day of Recreance." said Dalinar. "This is the day the last Knights Radiant broke their oaths and abandoned their weapons and armors." He looked up. "They believed Surgebinding was too dangerous and that it destroyed the home of humanity."

"The home?"

"You're a scientist, Donatello." Queen Jasnah said. "Does this world look to you as if it was built for humans?"

That was an odd question, but still. "Well, humans are incredibly versatile, so..."

"Adjustment is one of our strengths." Jasnah said. "That is correct. But this planet, Roshar, it was not built for humans. We came from another world, a world that was destroyed by Surgebinding and they," she looked at the blades and armors. "realized that. They believed Surgebinding was too dangerous and swore to never use it again."

"I guess you guys disagree with them on that."

"Maybe." said Dalinar. "But we also understand." He pointed towards their surroundings. "These visions are how I learned of Odium. Stormfather was not very willing to talk, so I had to learn by myself."

That is not how it happened and you know it.

"Really? I remember otherwise."

"Why are we here?" Stephen asked. "Dalinar, did you want us to see something?"

No. I did. Stormfather said. In these visions my powers are the strongest and I can control my surroundings.

"So what was it?"

I know where you come from, son of Adam and Eve. Stephen flinched. An odd title, for sure. Honor taught me - he told me everything about the Worlds beyond the Cosmere I could know. And I know what you are here for.

"Really?" Raph rubbed his chin. "Huh, it's weird you know. It's not like you saw it in the middle of your own storm!"

Your sorceress is close to Urithiru. Stormfather ignored him. I can sense all power that does not come from either Honor or Odium. At first I thought it was you, but your own magic is...still natural. It is not of Roshar nor of Cosmere, but it does not feel wrong. Hers is...twisted and...debased. Something else entirely.

"Do you know where she is?" Stephen asked. It has been long since either he or the Turtles felt the itch.

I have not looked into it.

"Then what the shell are you waiting for?!" Raph yelled. "If you hate us that much, tell us where she is and we'll get out of here!"

The thunder roared louder. I think Dalinar forgot to tell you something. I do not obey anyone.

"Ha! Well too bad, you're gonna do it now."

Kaladin grabbed him by the shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Get away!" He pushed Kaladin, who rubbed his forehead at this. "Listen, big boy - I don't know what kind of ego you have or whatever excuse you're gonna make up, but you will search for her now!"

I, Stormfather pressed, do not obey anyone.

"We're gonna get in hell because of you!" Leo tried to reason with him. "You never keep your temper down, Raph."

"My temper? The guy almost killed us in his own storms!'

"Well, if he's a bully doesn't mean you have to be?"

A what?

Leo smiled nervously. "Uh...sorry, it slipped off my tongue."

I deal with such arrogance in my highstorms usually!

"Stormfather," Dalinar looked up. "they are not from here. Forgive them..."

I know exactly where they come from. But I cannot go against my nature.

"An excuse, eh?"

Stormfather rumbled. You should take greater care of the way your companions behave, son of Eve.

"We're not his pets, asshole!"

Now the lightning almost struck Raph. Keep your mouth shut now!

"Try to make me!"

"Woah, woah, guys!" Mikey stood between everyone. "Let's all just chill. We're fighting for the same thing here. Ain't that right, Rainboss?"

How did you call me?

Mikey blinked, his brothers and Stephen facepalming, while Dalinar uttered: "Bah!"

"Um...Rainboss?"

The thunders roared again and at first they were all terrified, but after a while, they noticed this sounded different. The Stormfather was laughing. The laughter terrified the Five, but Dalinar and the others with him just stared in wonder. "What?"

Rainboss! He kept laughing. No one has ever... Whatever he tried to say, it was interrupted by laughter, like a man trying to get serious after hearing a funny joke. Oh, Michelangelo. You are the first creature in thousands of years to have made me laugh! He kept roaring.

Mikey chuckled nervously. "Yeah...yeah. That's what I am. A jester!"

Slowly, the Stormfather calmed himself. Oh, it is a good feeling. I have almost forgotten. He chuckled. Oh. How can I ignore that now? Well, let me see what I can do.

Thunder was still for about five minutes, leaving them in complete silence. They all stared at their surroundings.

She is here. The thunder made everyone except Dalinar flinch. She is with the Singers who have come near Urithiru.

Leo looked at Kaladin. "The ones your scouts met?"

Yes. She is trying to make a deal with them.

"What kind of deal?"

That I do not know. But whatever it is, you do not want her to see it through.

"We know where those Singers are?" Leo looked at Dalinar.

"Yes." he answered. "Perfect. We will get to strike two birds with one stone." Dalinar looked up. "Thank you."

Thank Michelangelo. Stormfather said. The lad saved all of you. He chuckled again. Rainboss...

Mikey nervously chuckled again. "Yeah, thanks for help dude. Hope we see each other again!" When the sun sets in the east maybe!

Everyone was preparing to leave, and Stephen only now realized something. Looking down at his chain, he noticed it was shinning. "It's not just Mikey's joke, isn't it? There is something else." He raised his bracelet. "Mind if I ask you a question? Just one more."

Alright, say it. But I do not have eternity.

"Do you know who is Morgoth?"

Silence filled everything. Everyone held their breath and the Stormfather kept himself quiet. When he spoke after several moments, his voice was less loud. She is planning something terrible and you must not let that happen. You should all go now and prepare, Dalinar.

He nodded and called them all, but Stephen persisted for a while. "You are not going to answer my question, are you?"

No, I will not. Even if I wanted to, I would not.

"So you do know?"

I have no authority to answer that question. Not even the Honor would have had it. Leave now.

Leo tried to pull him, but Stephen almost slapped his hand. "We are travelling throughout the Cosmos itself to save it and you are not going to answer that? We must know!"

Yes, you must. But I will not answer you. He is the very reason you have started this journey at all.

Turtles widened their eyes. "He?" Leo repeated the word. "Morgoth?"

I will speak no more. And you will not speak that name anymore either! Now, they heard the loudest thunder ever, Stormfather's anger boiling. Leave now!

"But..."

"Storms take you!" Kaladin said, pulling them all. "Sir, let's just get out of here."

"I will." Dalinar said. "Just..."

"Now, sir! We must!"

Everyone was surprised, even Kaladin himself, realizing he just raised his voice at Dalinar. Dalinar was caught in wonder, though not angry, patting Kaladin on the shoulder. "Calm down, son. Alright. We are going."

"Sir...I...I am sorry."

"It happens to the best of us." he said, smiling. "As it did in this case."

Stephen looked back at the abandoned weaponry of the last Radiants, cursing himself and the Stormfather.

"Gancho, are you sure..."

"Sure as shell, trust me!" Mikey jumped at him, but the Herdazian quickly deflected the blow, sending Mikey away. If he was just a bit less skilled he would have hit his head against the ground, but he found himself on his legs. "Geez! That was a good hit."

"My hit was good?" Lopen said. "You should teach me that!"

Mikey frowned. "Really? I mean...you can fly."

"How about this, gancho." said Lopen. "I'll teach you to fight with a spear, but then you will teach me to jump like that."

"Not unless you teach me how to bond a spren."

Lopen sighed. "It's not that simple. You know, you need to find one and then you speak the Ideals."

"Ideals? What are those?"

"Oaths." Lopen answered. "Words that every Radiant says when they bond a spren. There are five of them, though those who have said all five are very rare. It is different for everyone, but still..."

"Well, tell me the first one."

Lopen waved away. "Gancho, you cannot just repeat the words. You have to feel them and believe in them."

"Really? Well try me."

"Life before Death. Strength before Weakness. Journey before Destination." Lopen said those words with reverence, even holding his hands down. "Those are the words every Radiant says."

"Well, easy! Life..." Mikey started. The words blurred in his mind. "Life before...Life..." He slapped himself. "Life...Shell. I cannot say them!"

"No, you cannot." said Lopen. "You don't think them and you haven't bonded a spren." He paused. "Or rather a spren has not bonded you. They are the ones who begin the bond."

"Man." Mikey looked at ordinary windspren flying above him. "It must be pretty cool to have these guys as pals."

"Well, it has its advantages." Lopen patted him on the shoulder. "But trust me, you are good the way you are as well."

"Well, I guess so." Mikey said. The wind flew again, sending shivers down his spine. "Dude! I need to go a bit."

"Don't worry, gancho. I am here." Lopen walked back to the Rock, taking a piece of his stew. As he left, Mikey turned back to Urithiru. Back in his world, he had believed his brothers and he were resistant to cold after growing up in the sewers, but this planet made him admire Rosharans instead. It'd be nice to be a Knight Radiant, too. He approached a place where all other people rested and leaned against the wall.

"Hey, you!" Someone waved to him from the distance, a man dressed in a uniform of Bridge Four. He approached him slowly. "Kaladin has told me to bring you to him. He says there is something you and your brothers need to know." The man's voice was tall and...enticing.

"Right dude. What's your name, though, I don't remember seeing you before?"

"Some have called me Zigûr. You may too, if you want to."

Mikey's instinct tingled. "O...kay?" That name did not sound right. The man's face seemed perfect without any flaw in it, ageless. Even more than that of Hoid. The only odd thing Mikey noticed was the missing index finger on his right hand. Everything else was too perfect.

Mikey heard a hush in the shortest moment he could and avoided the attack, rolling against the ground. He turned towards Zigûr or whatever his name was and was shocked to see him laughing.

"Who are you?"

"You learned a bit since the first time." Zigûr said. "That is good. Last time, the Five of you fell for the trick like a pack of children you are."

"Last time?"

Zigûr's eyes burned, as he levitated above the ground. He threw his spear at Mikey's right side. He avoided it again, but Mikey looked up and saw the spear did not stop. Instead, it passed through the ground, as if the earth itself was swallowing the spear. The hold of it finally disappeared and the man repeated his laughter. "You are not so stupid, I see." That laughter made Mikey's skull ache. "Good. Your father was right, Michelangelo, do you know that? You actually have the greatest potential as a fighter among your brothers, you just refuse to realize it in full. But still it is nothing compared to the great scheme of things."

"Who..." Splinter said that once to Mikey. When they were alone. He might have bragged about it to his brothers here or there, but that was it. "Who are you?!" he roared.

He continued laughing. As he did so, the fire spread from his eyes to the rest of his body. Lopen and the Rock both ran to help him, but were left terrified at the sight. The laughter echoed in the air, even when the last piece of the man disappeared in flames. Mikey reached out with his hand, but Lopen and the Rock grabbed him. "Run! Everyone! Out of here!"

"Who was that?"

"I don't know! Run!"

The crowd of people was not waiting for Lopen's orders. They all screamed, running back to the tower. Mikey tried not to get lost among them. A light fell on his face and he saw pale blue lights descending from the sky. Kaladin was carrying Dalinar.

"What is happening?" Dalinar asked, his voice calming the crowd. "Cease! Everyone! What happened?"

Kaladin pulled people away, placing his hands on their shoulders. "Easy, everyone!" He passed through their midst, approaching Mikey and Lopen. "What happened?" Mikey's brothers and Stephen all walked behind as well.

"A man in your uniform!" Mikey said. "He...he attacked me."

"Moash?" Kaladin looked at Lopen. "Was it Moash?'

"No!" Lopen insisted. "No, gancho. This...this man burst in flame." Lopen snapped his fingers. "He...he just disappeared."

Leo ran to pat Mikey. "One of the Fused?"

"Unless they've learned to shapeshift." Kaladin looked at Stephen. "Your sorceress maybe?"

"No!" Mikey said. "He...he burned like fire. Like normal fire." At least it looked so. In truth, he felt it was hotter than the sun itself.

Kaladin and his men looked to Dalinar. "I don't know. Maybe it was Odium's trick, but...I don't know."

Kaladin looked at the crowd. They were still now, but terrified. "We must go for the patrol now. Whatever is hiding there we cannot wait."

"You may. And Szeth will come with you as well."

Everyone went silent again. Lopen muttered something in his own tongue, while Kaladin looked at Dalinar with worried eyes. "I...don't think my men will like that, sir. Or anyone."

"He will go. He is more trustworthy than you think."

Kaladin nodded. "If those are your orders, sir." Kaladin and Lopen both Lashed themselves up to find the others, bright Stormlight left behind them.

"I am sorry it is as sudden as it is." said Dalinar. "But I hope your sorceress is there now."

"I am feeling the itch." Stephen said. "It is weak, but it is there. Thank you for what you did for us until now."

Dalinar looked over him. "I think I am not as responsible for that as you think."

Stephen turned, seeing queen Jasnah standing behind them. Raph rumbled despite Leo's words, but still looked down. Stephen and Leo both approached her, bowing their heads. "Thank you." said Leo. "We owe you a lot, your majesty."

"And I believe," she glanced at her uncle before looking back at them. "I owe you an apology." The red cloak appeared in her hands, as if summoned out of thin air. Elegant, yet friendly, she offered it to Stephen. He looked back at her, uncertain, but when she nodded he took the Cloak. It wrapped itself around Stephen tightly, as if it was hugging him. The fluttered with the wind, sending the sound Stephen knew only it could make. He chuckled in response, gently rubbing it. "Glad to have you back, buddy."

The next chapter will be the last one in this story and possibly the longest. See you soon:)