I cannot face him alone. I cannot face Sauron.

Kaladin was still frustrated by his outburst of anger. Why did he raise his voice at Dalinar? He had never done that. He never imagined himself doing that. Dalinar did everything for his men and him. He released them from slavery, took care of them, saved them and lead Kaladin when he needed a leader himself. Dalinar was one of the rare lighteyes Kaladin knew that was a good, honorable man, who cares about his people, no matter the color of their eyes.

That name. Kaladin tried to repeat it in his mind, but it blurred. As if his mind was trying to erase it. But he knew enough - that name Strange spoke made him shiver. It filled him with...dread.

"Morgoth?" He finally said it and there it was - a cold shiver down his spine followed again. It had a sound to it, a quiet but obviously unpleasant, too sharp. Kaladin felt as if his own tongue refused to say that name. But why? What is it? Who is Morgoth?

Syl flew around him. "Kaladin?"

He snapped out of it. "Huh?"

"Are you alright?" She frowned, crossing her arms. "Do not tell me you are brooding again!"

"No." He barely paid attention to her frustration. "It's..." Some image flashed before his eyes, too quick for him to realize it completely. All he knew was that he saw himself, standing above a corpse. He shook it off. "Nothing. Just a headache."

"Well, others are waiting for us!" She laughed. "Especially Raphael, he already started rumbling, so I have to go back!"

"You go. I'll come in a minute."

She zipped away, leaving him alone for a while. He shook his head again touching it. That corpse. It was Tien. It must have been Tien.

But it did not look like him.

The bridgemen all sat on stones opposite to the man they knew as the Assassin in White. Szeth was not even looking at them, avoiding their eyes and keeping the blade hidden. Teft was muttering something while glancing at him every moment. Lopen tried to be friendly, waving and smiling at him whenever their eyes met, but even he kept the distance. Stephen and Turtles stared at each other confused, glancing at both Szeth and the bridgemen.

When Teft looked at them, Leo pointed at Szeth. Teft rumbled something, sharply shaking his head, but Leo was persistent. Eventually, Teft uttered: "Bah!" and dismissively waved at him. As he looked at his brothers and Stephen, he shrugged, then walked up to him.

"Hey, buddy!" Szeth gazed at him when he said that, with a weak smile. "Mind if I sit there with you?"

Szeth just nodded. Leo sat on the black stone beside him. He rubbed his knuckle and wheezed. "So...how's it going?"

"Leonardo, was it?"

"Yes."

"Leonardo, I know what you are trying." Szeth answered. "And I am more than thankful for that. But you do not have to be kind to me." He looked at the bridgemen. "They fear me for a reason. I...did terrible things."

Leo's brothers and Stephen got the courage to come a little closer, but he was still the only one speaking. "Ah...no one is perfect, pal. We just have to move on."

Szeth sighed. "I have killed hundreds of rulers and plunged kingdoms into wars. Thousands have died because of me." He looked at his blade. "And will continue to die."

"Then...why?" Leo asked. "Why did you do that?"

"Doesn't matter." he mouthed. "There is no excuse."

"Maybe. But there is always a reason."

Szeth stayed silent for a few moments, not looking at him. "Those were my orders. From my masters."

Leo's eyes widened. "You were a slave, weren't you? You weren't even paid or gained something from those assassinations - you just followed orders."

"It doesn't matter!" he insisted. "I could have stopped all those killings and ran away at any time. And I didn't."

"But you did, didn't you?" Leo pointed at bridgemen. "You joined them. You are fighting beside them. I think that's something as well."

Szeth looked down. "I know, but he..."

"What?"

"Sorry." he added. "I wasn't speaking to you." he looked at the sheath resting on his side. "I don't know, Leonardo. The sword thinks you are right, though."

Leo stared at the sheath. He could see pieces of black smoke emitting even through the clean brown scabbard. "So...it's true?"

What?

Leo flinched while Szeth sighed and grabbed the hilt of the blade. "Sword-nimi."

Leo glanced at Donnie. "Seriously?"

I am just trying to be friendly!

"Sword-nimi." Szeth said in a very calm tone. "You can talk only to me."

Why? I want to be good to everyone! And Leo wants to know what I am, after all.

"Well..." Leo went along with it. This was not the oddest thing he had seen. "Okay then. What are you?"

I am glad you asked! You see, I am...I am... The sword sighed. Hmm...I never thought of that. All I know is that I am meant to destroy evil. That is why I was made. Hmm...A good question. I think I like you, Leo.

"Thanks." Leo then thought of something, as an experiment.

You...Oh. The sword sounded disappointed. You do not like me.

Raph scoffed. "I really wonder how you realized that."

Is that sarcasm? The sword spoke to Szeth. That's what you call sarcasm, isn't it?

"Yes, sword-nimi."

Stephen now believed that he has reached the tip of everything. Zombies, witches. Aliens. Norse gods come alive. The multiversal travel itself. Breaking of realities. Ghosts, in one shape or another. Now, talking swords. Of course there was his Cloak, but it did not speak.

Stephen blinked. He realized something. There was no rustling sound that always appeared whenever they spoke to Rosharans. The Connection he and Dalinar created, allowing them to communicate and speak in the other's language, was not perfect - that sound always appeared, causing a bit of a confusion sometimes. But the sword and the words it sent...

Oh, so you realized! The sword answered. It's good! I actually like English. The easiest language I ever heard.

"Sword-nimi!"

Fine, fine! I will be silent. For a while. He's coming now, after all.

"Who?"

"We should leave now." Kaladin walked down to them, followed by Adolin and Shallan. "We have waited long enough. Do we have the spheres?"

"All, gancho!"

"Good." He turned to Stephen. "Is she close?"

"I feel the itch." He looked over to the hill in the distance. "She is there."

"We better hurry then." Shallan said. She approached Donnie and said something to him, both of them nodding.

Teft raised his spear, following Kaladin from behind. "Let's just get this over with. Storms take these, honestly!"

"Don't call bad luck." Kaladin said, looking at the sky. "The Stormfather might hear you."

Good thing was, the storm did not arrive this time. According to Sigzil, it was probably not to come for three days at least. From time to time, they would all look to Rlain, asking him to explain something about the Fused and the singers, only for him to explain, rather uncomfortable, that he is a listener, not a singer. And yet, he looked like them, at least according to Stephen's and Turtles' memory, and expressed emotions in the same way they did - through rhythms. Some of those rhythms were obvious to everyone - everyone knew when he was confused, happy or surprised. But other, more subtle, were harder to understand and Rlain had to explain, even to many of his longtime friends, what each of those rhythms meant. It appeared he would never be completely one of them and understand humans or vice versa. Mikey imagined he and his brothers often took their connection to humanity a bit granted - no matter how much Leo insisted in the conversation from before, they were humans at heart. They were raised by a man, raised around human culture and constructs and had human DNA inside of them.

"How far away is that place?" Mikey broke that silence.

"A few miles." Kaladin said, gesturing towards the others to still their walk. Turtles moved quietly, but others got a bit too confident. "But I think they send patrols too. The Fused are not idiots."

"Geez." Stephen said. "The way you're saying that, you sound like Odium himself is with them."

"Maybe he is." Kaladin said with a stern face. "We must not risk. Turash is his second in command. If he is there, maybe the enemy is planning a serious assault."

"That man who attacked me?" Mikey said. "Could...could that have been Odium?"

Rlain cut Kaladin off with a Rhythm of Skepticism. "No. He...looks different and would have killed you immediately."

"Whoever it was, we don't know Michelangelo." Kaladin said. "Forgive us."

Mikey nodded silently.

"So," Shallan said to bring a different topic. "the Multiverse..." she smiled. "It is actually real?"

"Unfortunately." Stephen said. "It is as real as the barking dog unfortunately."

"What's a dog?"

Stephen frowned, but then realized. "An animal in our world. It is pretty irritating."

"You can't seriously think that." Donnie said. "A dog is the man's best friend."

"Because he couldn't find any better." Stephen said. "And I don't even like cats either - I just really dislike dogs."

Leo waved at him. "That explains why you're so miserable all the time."

"Hey!"

"Stop about cats and dogs." she said, as if commanding. "Seriously - the Multiverse. It is real?"

"Yes. Unfortunately to me, but yes, it is."

"It's not infinite." Donnie said. "But it is really big. Probably thousands and thousands of parallel, alternate universes out there, all with different histories for same peope."

"So," Lopen said. "that means...there is more than one the Lopen out there, gancho?"

"Most likely."

Lopen rubbed his hair. "I don't think I like the idea of that. I mean...what about me? Does that mean me me does not matter? Since there are so many of them?"

"If they exist, they all made different choices in their lives." Donnie said. "They all chose different paths to walk and different people to surround them. I doubt they would all be exactly the same as you."

"But doesn't that mean my choices don't matter? After all, other me made a different choice, didn't he? If I make a choice, someone else has made a different one. If I don't, someone has made it instead. So why do I matter?"

"Uh..." Donnie stuttered. "Look, don't be so pessimistic buddy, okay? I'm fairly certain that doesn't change our lives as much as you think it does."

Lopen looked at him. "For someone so smart, gancho, I think you're not looking into it as much."

Donnie was about to say something, but Teft broke in instead. "It's all the same to me. That means there's just one more idiot out there named Teft. Maybe we'll meet each other after we are both dead. It might be interesting to see." Shallan tsked, to Adolin's dismay. Kaladin was looking back at them during this conversation, even though he was focusing primarily on the way ahead of them. "That other Teft will maybe be better than me."

"Pardon me if I misunderstand." Szeth approached Donnie. "But...does that mean that there is, somewhere out there, on a different world, a Szeth-son-Neturo that made the right choices? That did not fail to do what is right."

"Yes." Donnie answered immediately. "Almost certainly."

Szeth stared at him. Those large eyes looked like a child's, especially on that clean-shaven head. The smile that spread across his lips was childlike as well. "That...that is good to know." He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you."

Pattern appeared, flying above Shallan, inspecting Donnie. "Hmm..."

"That is not a lie." Donnie insisted. "And you know it."

"Hmm, not that!" Pattern said. "I see something else. Not lies. Merely...curiousity."

Raph scoffed. "Uh...duh! He's a scientist. You didn't realize that until know, Mr. Swirling?"

"Hmm, a good advice." He said. "Hmm..."

Raph was about to scoff again, but then saw frustrationspren flying around him. "Come on!"

"I seriously cannot get it!" Leo said, pushing the spren around him. "How can you stand these guys? They're like flies!"

Twenty pale ribbons of light all rose from their Radiants and flew towards him, stopping in front of Leo's face. His brothers and Stephen stepped away, including Adolin, all looking around. Some of these spren had forms extremely confusing and mind-boggling to Leo, even more so than the Pattern. But none had as much of an effect on him as Syl's frown that, though exaggerated, also seemed honest.

Leo swallowed. He had gotten so used to Raph or Mikey talking too much that he had also forgotten Splinter's first lesson ever. It isn't about how much you talk, my son, it is about what you say. If you say smart things, talk always. If you say stupid things, cut your tongue off if necessary. He wondered if Splinter meant the last one literally sometimes. "Okay." he cleared his throat. "Okay, I am sorry. I'll never be so disrespectful again." He bowed his head, with one eye open to see their reaction. All the other spren returned to their Radiants, except Syl, who still stood in air with her arms crossed. "Wait, you're serious? What should I do?"

She just laughed and flew back to Kaladin. "I love these Turtles!"

Leo groaned quietly. Too bad it's not mutual.

I like that I am the only who could hear that. Leo and Szeth both looked at the latter's sheath. Szeth was about to say something, but the sword cut him off. Fine. I am sorry. Understand, I have to get used to it. Szeth shook his head with his eyes closed.

"Quiet!" Kaladin grabbed Leo by the arm and pulled him away. He was about to complain until, in the distance over the hill, he saw an army of singers approaching. They all ran, hidding behind the rocks. Mikey tried to take a peek, but then forced his curiousity to remain silent.

"They're coming here." Teft said. "Storms! They are walking in our direction!"

Kaladin muttered something to Syl and, though terrified, she nodded and flew away. A moment later, she returned. "I don't see any of the Fused with them. But...there is dozens of Regals!"

"Almighty help us!" Kaladin said. Regals were nowhere near as powerful as the Fused, but still dangerous enough to defeat a Radiant if there is enough of them. "They were supposed to be miles away!"

"What will we do?" Mikey said. Kaladin and all the others looked at Shallan.

"I...I can cast an illusion, but I don't think it will last long enough to hide us from them..."

Stephen scoffed and prepared. Raising his hands, he cast the Spell of Invisibility on himself, then sending the rainbow-colored circles at everyone in the group. In the first few moments, confused by what happened to them, they looked at themselves and each other, but then Stephen toyed with the spell, twisting it. When that did not work, he cast the Spell of Bonding, creating an invisible thread between himself and all he chose. So, they were able to see themselves. Shallan frowned, staring at her hands. "Well, you have an ego, but it looks like you can be useful too."

Stephen smiled. His Cloak fluttered again and he rubbed it. The Cloak was what gave him the access to the Spell of Invisivility - without it, he would have never done that. "I'll admit, you should thank your queen. Though..." he shrugged.

Shallan rolled her eyes. "This won't last forever, won't it?"

"No. So we must move fast."

Teft prepared to Lash himself, but Kaladin pulled him down. "No."

"What?" Teft and Stephen said at the same time.

"We don't know how this will work!" Kaladin said. "Surgebinding and your magic...maybe they don't go along with one another. What if our use of Stormlight breaks your disguise?"

Stephen waved. "Trust me, it won't."

"Are you completely certain? We cannot risk, Strange. It is dangerous more than anything."

"I am certain." He stood up, raising his Cloak. "This spell will last at least for a time. Even if your Stormlight breaks it, we will be gone by the time it does that."

Kaladin looked at the approaching army, then back at his men. Thinking. "Storms! Fine - but now!"

Without a second thought, Stephen, Szeth and all the Windrunners in the group grabbed those they could and flew as high as they could to the sky. Stephen had the support of his Cloak, making flight much easier for him, while Szeth and Kaladin's Windrunners needed to relay on the wind and pressure as well. They were more sliding through the air rather than flying, though able to stand still in it for a few moments. Their spren all tried to stay hidden, fearing the Spell did not work on them and though Stephen considered that a bit paranoid, he could not guarantee they were wrong.

Kaladin flew as close to him as he could. "Don't let confidence get the better of you, Strange." he said, yelling as least as he could. "The sorceress is with them!"

"I know that better than you." The itch almost grabbed him by the mind. She was close. "Trust me: we know what we are doing."

"Everyone thinks so." Kaladin said. "But..."

"We need to be quiet!" Leo yelled, holding onto Kaladin. "What if they hear us!"

Stephen scoffed yet again. "They won't!"

"That was a Spell of Invisibility Stephen." Donnie argued. "Not of Hush."

"Do you want me to throw you down?"

"Hold on..." Leo said, looking at the sky, then widened his eyes. "Watch..."

The green light grabbed Stephen and Donnie dropped from his arms. He tried to reach him, his hand touching the tip of Donnie's staff, but she grabbed him by the throat, choking him. "Not so certain anymore, are we?"

Stephen struggled for his breath, even managing to spit in her face. She looked away, wiping her face, and Stephen prepared to create a whip of energy and envelop it around her. But the huge ball on her black staff erupted with green light, catching Stephen off guard. She hissed at him, then smiled when the green tendrils, shaped like arms, grabbed him, holding him down. Everything rose higher and higher above Stephen, while she stood in place, smiling deviously at him. Everything passed quicker and quicker, his eyes hurting until, at last, his back found the ground.

He felt incredible pain, but not excruciating. He heard no crack or breaking of bones. He looked confused at her.

"Oh, I did not mean to kill you. Not yet." She smiled and then, from a red mist behind her, emerged him. The same gigantic figure, surrounded by blood red circles and dressed in such same robes, staring down at him. Stephen swallowed ss he met those cold and heartless, yet burning red eyes. "Thank you, lord Turash." she said, keeping her eye fixed on Stephen.

"My master gave you what you wanted." Turash said, his voice incredibly strong. "Now - honor your bargain."

"He should not worry." she said. "I will share with all of you the skill and power of witchcraft. But only after we are done."

"Wi...witchcraft?" Stephen barely uttered, struggling to stand up.

"Of course." she said. "What else did you think would stop you? Certainly not simple sorcery?"

He turned around. He only saw the Turtles, Raph, Mikey and Leo helping Donnie. The Radiants were nowhere to be found. "Where are they..."

"Oh, you have a faulty perception of time, Strange."

He blinked.

"Yes, I know your name. Almost an hour has passed ever since you fell from the sky."

"The Radiants have escaped." Turash answered. "Did you really think they would risk their own mission for the sake of complete strangers? I think not."

Stephen cussed. He should have assumed that. He cursed them, but did not blame them.

"But now, we will see what you are made of?" She raised her hand, green light emitting from it again. Slowly, his own body rose up, moving against his will. The green tendrils gathered around his head, as of trying to touch something. "Marvelous." she said. "I have never imagined this. This is incredible power. I want to learn it. Will you show me?"

Stephen gnashed his teeth and tried to spit again. His jaw was so still the saliva drooled down his chin instead, but it left the same impression on her, as she laughed.

"That's too bad...for you. I'll have to do it another way."

"Leave him! You..." The Turtles tried to reach him, but the Regals of Turash held them back, making them scream in pain. Stephen tried to do the same for his friends, but the invisible fist held his jaw so tight he could feel pain.

"This hurts sometimes." she uttered, raising her hand filled with green power. "Sometimes not. But based on your attitude...well, I am afraid it will hurt."

Stephen twitched, trying to move his way out of this. Struggling against the invisible hand. He felt like a man stranded on the sea as Maleficent herself raised her force to hold him. She smiled again, enjoying his pain.

He wanted to scream. To bite. To kill. To hurt. But he could not move. Instead, she held him down, all his bones and muscles becoming numb, all except the skull, which could still feel the pain of her power going through him. She continued smiling as Stephen felt more and more pain. He felt as if thunder was striking him over and over again, without giving him a minute to rest. He tried to beg her to stop, but his teeth and tongue could not move. And all the while she smiled.

Until she did not.

"Show me his mind!" she commanded to her own power. He barely paid attention to it, feeling the pain. "Show it to me!"

It hurt. It hurt so much. More than anything, more even than when he lost his hands.

"Show it to me!" Maleficent even started yelling, which did manage to enter Stephen's mind. But his skull and physical pain that tortured him was just that - physical. As horrible as it was, he did not feel anything else in his mind.

"Show it!" She grew more and more wrathful. She placed both of her hands around his face, gnashing her teeth almost as strongly as he did. He could even see sweat falling down her forehead. "Show me his mind!"

It hurt. It burned. It was agonizing. It was horrible. But a whisper in the back of his head stopped something else.

Stephen...

"What is holding you back!" she yelled, not even expecting the answer. "Why won't you come out!"

Turash walked closer to him, at first staring at him as little more than a hunter who gazes at the new animal he found in the forest. But, as unsettling as his eyes were, he then managed to narrow them and he stared a bit longer at Stephen. While he struggled to endure the pain and she struggled to do something beyond hurting him, the twinkle of realization passed Turash' eyes and he had his mouth agape in horror, seeing, in Stephen, what he never thought he would. He turned towards Maleficent, to yell something, but lightning struck between them. The pain was sharpest then in Stephen's body, but as he fell to the ground, he gasped for air, forcing it in. Touching his Cloak, his hands reached back for the Turtles, who stayed almost paralyzed themselves after their captors were sent flying away across the camp. Raph was the first to awaken. "Stephen. What...what happened..."

Other Turtes forced themselves to consciusness as well, looking tired at Stephen. He tried to say something, only to glimpse the pale lights falling from the sky. The thing that fell made such a force that it hurt everyone standing near it. When the mist disappeared, Stephen and the singers saw, with joy and fear respectivelly, Kaladin holding Dalinar. Behind them dozens and hundreds of other Knights Radiant appeared, all holding their spren as weapons. Above Dalinar, the cloud took the shape of a face, staring down at the singers and frowning at Turash and Maleficent.

Now, Dalinar!

As the Stormfather said, Dalinar clapped and Stormlight raced up and down his hand, surrounding him and then embracing. The Radiants all breathed in that Stormlight and, following Kaladin's lead, charged at the enemy.

The simple singers who had nothing but weapons to fight all made a loud Rhythm of Fear, runnng as fast as their legs could carry them, while the Regals, lead by Turash, stood their ground. Turash rose into the sky himself, preparing to strike Dalinar, but Szeth and Kaladin both stood before him first, facing him under the thunders of the Stormfather.

"Geez!" said Mikey. "I missed this. Let's do it! Booyakasha!" He yelled despite the others' protests.

Leo held him back. "Mikey! We are not here for that."

Mikey's eyes wandered towards the green shadow slouching away from the Stormlight released by Dalinar and the Stormfather. Alone against Stephen, Maleficent may have been more powerful, but under the strike of a hundred Knights Radiant no evil was allowed to stand.

Stephen and Turtles nodded to one another. He cast a Spell of Levitation for them, giving them a temporary ability to slide and ran through the air faster than they were already able to. Charging at her, the Cloak carrying him, Stephen was in front of her within moments and seeing her like that, he took a moment of satisfaction by hitting her with his own bolt of lightning. She tried to strike back, but she blazed again. Her staff lost its gleaming power and she fell to the ground, coughing hardly. Stephen and Turtles all stood above her, staring at her.

"We won't kill you." Raph said. "Even though, honestly? We really want to!"

She looked at them, then smiled. Confused, they turned around, seeing the green mist grab Stephen again by the throat. Turtles panicked. "So much for that." said Maleficent, getting up. Leo and his brothers took a defensive stance. "It seems I have this now. Too bad. Now, if you would..."

She screamed as some other force grabbed her. Her staff fell from her hand and she collapsed, her skin gleaming red, but then returning to its normal color. Stephen fell from her mist, gathering his breath again, looking at her. Behind Maleficent's body, Shallan was standing, Pattern in her hand as a blade. Her eyes and her entire appearance that of a gleaming star, she raised her blade, smiling to them.

Kaladin and Szeth continued their duel with Turash, managing to get him to the ground. "This will end now." Kaladin demanded. "Tell the Regals to retreat."

Turash made a Rhythm of Fury. "Never."

That makes it easier for me, Nightblood spoke, both Kaladin and Szeth hearing it. Szeth reached the hilt of the sword and Turash hesitated.

"This is not a battle." Kaladin said. "This is a slaughter. Tell them to retreat, now!"

Why though? I can kill some evil today. Kaladin looked at the blade. To Szeth's own surprise, it obeyed him. As you wish.

Kaladin also did not understand why, but it did not matter now. "Retreat now. You fear him? Do you think Odium will take it lightly when he realizes you wasted his valuable soldiers for a simple tiff on a storm-forsaken hill? You will gain nothing here and, honestly, I do not want to kill today. Not even any of you."

Szeth made a step forward again, to demonstrate, with Turash makng a step back.

"Retreat." Kaladin pressed him. "Now."

Turash looked at his army, then back at Kaladin. Then he raised his hands and the Regals all stopped fighting, looking back to him. He made a loud, though not unpleasant, Rhythm of Withdrawal. Some of his soldiers made disagreeing rhythms, even scorning, but at the end they all looked at the Radiants behind them and ran back to Turash' position. As the Regals passed by him, following other orders, Turash turned again towards Kaladin and Szeth and, respectfully, bowed his head, which they returned. Then, he flew away, his army disappering in the storm that followed them.

Kaladin breathed in relief, Syl on his side. He looked at Szeth, and both of them then jumped, using the Surge of Gravitation to reach Dalinar. The Bondsmith looked up at the sky, the Stormfather still visibly present. "It is over?"

There is no singer to be seen, Stormfather replied. This was just a glimpse of what is to come. Odium will send more.

"After this, I doubt it."

"Do you have to send the storm after them?" Kaladin asked. "They retreated willingly."

I am the storm, son of Tanavast. I will not be bent because of the pain of others.

Kaladin scoffed. "I thought Honor would have said different. Do you know what is honorable? That when the enemy surrenders or retreats, you let him live."

Do not explain that to me!

Dalinar placed a hand on Kaladin's shoulder. Don't bother, the look on his face said. Kaladin took a deep breath to calm himself at least by one fact. A battle or a simple tiff, it did not really matter. This day was won.

"I looked like an idiot."

"Oh, don't bother, gancho." Lopen patted him. "I think you looked like a hero from songs."

Raph scoffed.

"I think the same for you, though." Lopen said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You looked like a court fool from songs."

Mikey and Lopen both laughed. A few years ago Raph would have slapped both of them, especially Mikey but now, he just joined their fun.

"You just continue jesting." Stephen said. "I have to go. Need to say a few words with Dalinar."

"Well, go." Donnie said. "We'll wait." Maleficent was kept bound by Stephen's projected chains, but kept imprisoned within their cells for the time being. Stephen and Dalinar probably needed to finish some formalities before they leave.

"See you in a minute." He left them on the balcony of Urithiru.

Leo rubbed his neck, still feeling it numb. If I don't die because of all of this, I don't think I ever will.

"Leonardo." A softer voice said. When Leo turned, he saw Dalinar's younger son, Renarin Kholin. Unlike Adolin, he was a Radiant, though...a strange one. Leo never liked to judge a book by its covers, but compared to everyone else Renarin did appear to be frail. Surgebinding made him stronger, but otherwise he was even shorter than most of the men, though still almost as tall as Stephen - enough to be taller than Leo. To an observer, though, Leo would appear taller, simply based on the way they looked.

"Hey, buddy. What's up?" Leo stood, offering a hand. "We should probably say a goodbye before we leave."

"Yes, and...Can we talk alone? Just for a minute?"

Leo narrowed his eyes. This young man was able to be even weirder than Donnie from time to time. But he saw something in his eyes, something honest. "Sure. Why not?"

He followed the highprince into a corner separate from everyone else. Renarin looked around, fearing someone was watching them, but when he was convinced, he sighed. "You see..." He looked down again. "I am not good with words, forgive me. But...you have heard from some that I...that I can glimpse events that have not happened yet?"

"I did." People outside of Bridge Four mentioned that all the time as gossip, and that's what Leo took it as. Until now. "Hold on...it's true?"

"To an extent." he sighed. "I don't know how. Maybe it's my spren, maybe it's something else but yes, I can see some events that have not yet occured. But...honestly I think I see possible futures, rather than what will actually happen. Some have not come true."

"I see." Leo said. "Well, that's useful too, isn't it? You can know what to avoid."

"From time to time yes. But...I've seen something about you four."

Leo flinched. "Us?"

"You and your brothers." he said. "Something...something that will matter. Really matter. You are the eldest, or I understood wrong? Your brothers obey you?"

"Well..." He made an uncertain gesture. "Sometimes they are whinging a lot, but yeah, most of the time they listen."

"They will have to in this instance."

"Well...what is it?"

"It's about Stephen." Renarin went right to it. "You and your brothers...you are connected to him. In more ways than one." He made a step, raising his hand in a pressing gesture. "You must follow him. In all things. Everywhere and always. You must behave as if he is your shadow."

Leo waved. "Don't worry about that. He's safe with us." Frankly, they have spent so much time with Stephen they no longer could imagine a day pass without him. As much as Leo was concerned, Stephen was even one of them now. Maybe even family to some degree.

"But listen," Renarin went on. "You must take his side always - even if you seriously think he is wrong and so does everyone else around you. You must stand beside him in all things, no matter what it looks like."

Leo narrowed his eyes. "No offense, Renarin, but that's a lot to ask of us. I didn't even trust my own father in everything, why should I..."

"Then please," Renarin still pressed. "just promise me you will remember this. Promise me you will remember what I told you. That's all I ask."

Leo paused, but then nodded. "Okay." He offered his hand and shook Renarin's. "Okay. I can do that."

Surprisingly, Renarin smiled. "Thank you. The Cosmos bless you for that, Leonardo."

She is contained, the Stormfather said, and it is done.

"I know." Stephen said. "Thank you." Then he turned to Dalinar, shaking hands with him and his wife Navani. "To all of you. It meant more than you can realize."

"Believe it or not, you helped us too." Dalinar said. "We know that Odium planned an attack, so now we can prepare for the next time."

"And the fact you were here at all," said Navani. "it meant a lot. Thank you, Strange."

He bowed his head, then turned to the queen Jasnah, making a full bow. "Your majesty."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Strange. I admit, I might have been a bit...unhospitable. For that, I do want your forgiveness."

Stephen blinked. A queen apologizing to him? He had fought aliens and demons, but he had to admit that made him feel weird. "There is nothing to forgive, your majesty."

She nodded. "Wit sends his regards as well. I believe he said he shares a friend with you. I think his name was Uatu?"

"Yes?" Stephen said. "So...this Wit or Hoid, he is a friend?"

"To us, he is." Navani said. "Though I will admit he is quite...odd."

"I suppose I and my friends are as well, from a certain point of view."

That made all of them chuckle a bit. Jasnah approached him, her purple eyes having a twinkle. "Let's go. Accompaying you as you leave is the least we can do." Stephen smiled an accepted.

The departure was a bit more emotional than he imagined. Rock and Lopen both said goodbyes to Mikey, and he even showed them his secret sign, which only Raph knew, though he was not jealous this time.

"I'm sad I couldn't be a Radiant like you, guys." Mikey said. "We could have done a lot more."

"Well, that's life, no?" The Rock said. "We will always remember each other at least."

"Yeah, I guess so." He gave both of them a high five. "Goodbye, gancho."

"See you soon." Lopen smiled. "Dude."

Adolin and Shallan stood talking to Donnie as she offered him the stone back. "I left some notes for you if you are interested." He said. "It's the last I can do for what you've done for us." He raised the stone, hidden inside the glass that changed colors. "This is wonderful! And...thank you for saving us."

"Most of the time, we save the day." Raph added from behind. "It was time for someone to save us!"

Shallan hugged Donnie, while Adolin shook hands with him. "You taught me much." Shallan said. "It was my pleasure, Donnie."

Leo smiled at that, then looked at Bridge Four and Szeth, all standing to say goodbye. "Well, it was a fun time." He said, offering his hand to Kaladin. "I mean it."

"It was good to stand beside you." Kaladin said.

"You too." Leo said. "I hope I can lead my brothers as good as you lead your men."

"You already do." Kaladin said. "Honestly, I never think of them as my men. For me, they are brothers." Just like Tien was. "I think you will do fine."

The two of the smiled, then hugged one another, patting each other on the back. Teft and Raph shook hands as well, and Syl flew back to Raph. Raph rolled his eyes, expcting the worst. "Oh, damn it! Fine, just get on with it."

"Goodbye."

Raph blinked. "Wait...that's it? No scene or exaggerated face? You won't slap me or something?'

She shrugged. "Why would I? I like you! You're my friend as far as I'm concerned." Syl frowned. "You... thought I hate you? Well...I'm sorry then. Most people find it sweet when I annoy them, so I thought..."

"Nah, we're good." Raph smiled. Little Syl was wonderful. "Friends?"

"Friends!" She exclaimed and flew around him, leaving some Stormlight on him. Teft chuckled, slightly annoying Raph. But only slightly.

Leo finally approached Szeth. "We're cool buddy, are we?" He was not sure if he spoke to Szeth or Nightblood.

"I suppose that means we are on good terms?" Szeth asked. "If so, yes...I hope we are."

Leo sighed, looking at all of them. "I won't lie to you guys. Of all people we met in these shennanigans, you were the most helpful. I'm...sad we won't see each other again."

There is, the Stormfather spoke, life beyond death. At least as much as I know. So maybe we will see each other again, son of Yoshi.

Dalinar looked up with a raised eyebrow. "Stormfather? Since when are you sentimental?"

He rumbled, then turned his clouds to Stephen. You should leave now, child of Adam and Eve. I can sense Cosmere becoming...unstable because of your presence.

"Thanks for that." Stephen said. "And...thank you all."

Adolin brought Maleficent, who was still muttering, but defeated. The Turtles held her up and as Stephen did, prepared to press the symbols on their chains. "You guys should probably move now. This can be...messy sometimes." But before he pressed it, he gave one last smile to these good, honorable people. "Thank you. With all our hearts."

Dalinar, Kaladin, Jasnah and everyone else saluted them as they moved away. Even the Stormfather sent a lightning in the distance, most likely out of respect.

Stephen pressed the symbol. The power that once would have made them all sick now looked quite tame, no longer forcing them on anything. The portal just spread around them in a spherical shape, embracing them in a strange hug.

And in a moment, they were gone.

Well...that was intense. Phew!

This was a story I planned ever since I started the series 'Strange Turtles'. I'll admit, all other stories were sort of just a build-up to this, preparing until I can tackle into one of my favorite books series, especially the Stormlight Archive, which had an immense positive impact on my life. That's why I hope that I both honored Sanderson's characters and also introuced these characters in a good way to all of you who have never read the series.

The good news I have - Stormlight characters WILL return at one point in the story. It is pivotal in what I am writing, so this was NOT the last goodbye. And also, after a while, I will post an epilogue for this story - that epilogue is, once again, tackling into something more important and beyond just these fandoms here. So it is not necessary, but I am posting it for the sake of tha scene I always wanted to write. But only after the following...

You see, the next three chapters set in the Sanctum, in 'Strange Turtles' direct story will be EXTREMELY important, so watch out for them! I have actually written them LONG ago - they were just waiting for this. So, for those of you who were wondering what this series is actually about, well...you will get answers soon.

See you until then!:)

Link to next 'Strange Turtles' Sanctum chapter: s/14095246/14/The-Strange-Turtles