Dreams of Dawn

by Twilight Incubus

What if Malekith's journey to the realms of chaos went a bit differently after Finuval Plain? Before dying to the flames of Asuryan, he is granted a vision and an ultimatum by Asuryan himself. The god tells him that if he can pass through the six circles of seduction in Slaanesh's realm, then Malekith will be his champion. AU end times fic, Anti-hero Malekith. Full summary inside.

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Empyrean

It was hard to tell how much time had passed since Malekith began his long exposition about his past and the events leading up to his current moment. It must have easily been two or three hours if he had to guess, but the time seemed to fly by as the elf conversed with Yin-Yin outside of the city.

He went into far more detail about his life than he ever cared to, but for whatever reason, the Sea Dragon would not stop asking him questions about certain things he wanted to gloss over. Minus some sensitive details, he essentially told her damn near everything about his life leading up to the battle of Finuval Plain.

He of course omitted certain things like his bizarre abuse at the hands of Morathi, his original dark cabal's feat of becoming immortals, anything involving Allisara or his potential child, Naggaroth's logistics, and sensitive things of that nature. She was surprisingly very patient and attentive despite her contempt for him, and the Sea Dragon appeared a lot more intuitive than her siblings gave her credit for. In some ways it seemed like the dragon princess wanted to understand his perspective on why he made the decisions he did in his life and how he felt about them now.

Unlike with Shen Zoo however, this didn't feel like a consolation and a 'feel-good' type of talk. It was more like brutally honest therapy and psychological analysis.

Malekith found it surprising how patient and insightful Yin-Yin was about certain things he was explaining. Yin-Yin had been unusually receptive to learning about him, but she became even more interested and conversive when Malekith explained his journey through the Realms of Chaos. Since she was an immortal dragon who could likely handle horrific truths, he spared her few details about his experience there and saw little reason to withhold anything except Kairos Fateweaver's unusual psychic contact with him afterwards.

Eventually the conversation derailed off of him when he got to the part about the Puzzle Box of Xholankha. Yin-Yin was mortified when she realized that Malekith had an old one trinket which was responsible for the events at Turtle Gate and was related to the Lizardmen's Prophecy of Dawn. She let him finish his story, but seemed distracted by that insight and almost uninterested in everything that happened after he met Kairos Fateweaver.

Upon finishing his story all the way up to the present, he sighed, "And that brings us to the present. I hope it's enough to alleviate your concerns about why I'm here."

Yin-Yin shook her head and spoke for the first time in a few minutes, "This…Puzzle Box of Xholankha seems extremely dangerous. I'm amazed Miao Ying didn't try to take it away from you while you were unconscious after the battle. My sister is paranoid and very controlling. I find her trust in you bizarre."

"I believe she tried, but she said she could not take it far due to it reacting violently. Your siblings believed I should show that Puzzle Box to the Dragon Emperor and they are concerned about the Prophecy of Dawn. It's clearly a serious issue if Kairos Fateweaver is so obsessed about opening the puzzle box, but I haven't decided what to do about it yet. As I mentioned earlier, I intend to return to Naggaroth and restore order before doing anything rash. The keys to open this thing are in Khuresh, Zlatlan, and Kislev. As I stated earlier, I have no interest in going to those places anytime soon if at all. I don't really know if I should gather them or not. If you have any insight or advice on the matter, then by all means tell me…but I wouldn't hand this device over even if I could. It belongs to the Lizardmen, and I think returning it is probably for the best. None are better suited to protect this artefact than the Slann," Malekith followed up.

The Sea Dragon was silent for a long moment before responding, "I imagine Shen Zoo is probably already explaining this to mother, but it's better that I got to hear it from you personally. To be honest, I don't really have an answer for you. The Dragon Emperor is the only person in our family that even knew Xholankha…or any of the Old Ones for that matter. Li Dao tells me that there is a great city in the heart of Khuresh where the majority of Xholankha's followers once existed. If what you say is true about the Naga having one of these keys, then it seems likely they will also find out that you have this puzzle box eventually. I'm more concerned about the lizardmen acquiring it though. That CAN'T be allowed to happen. Do you even have any idea what it could do? What if it's some kind of doomsday weapon that purges all life on the planet? Have you ever considered that? Tapping into the geomantic web is dangerous and I have no doubt you sent a magical shockwave across the planet doing what you did. That sort of thing can wake up Slann and alert the champions of chaos too. You quite literally and metaphorically lit a flare for the world's mages to signal this thing's existence."

"So, you think all the great mages of the world will become aware of this thing?" Malekith asked cautiously.

"Of course they will. This new Everchosen you spoke of probably knows about it as well by this point. I bore witness to the technology of the Old Ones with my own eyes. It is not something anyone from this world should be trifling with. When their great polar gates failed, the world was hurled into ruin and the green moon was formed from their debris. Now we face the constant threat of chaos all because of the needless meddling of the Old Ones. You could make things worse if you toy around with that object or lost it to the servants of chaos. The idea of Dark Elves possessing it concerns me. The high elves told me about the Sundering and the power of the dark elf mages who sundered Ulthuan. Having that thing gives you a dagger to hold at the throat of the world. Plus, it's the kind of power many will seek and try to take from you. People like Nagash, the Skaven, the Naga, the Lizardmen, the Everchosen, and especially your witch mother. Even if you were historically trustworthy, I still wouldn't trust you with it," Yin-Yin sighed heavily.

"So, what would you suggest then? I'm well aware of how dangerous this thing is. Unless you have a proper solution, I see little point in discussing it further." Malekith shook his head.

"You're actually willing to take my input on the matter? How unexpected for an elf," Yin-Yin scoffed.

Malekith rolled his eyes at her, "Spare me your snide comments princess. I didn't waste all this time talking to you for nothing. I wouldn't be here if I didn't see value in dealing with you people. I consider the opinions of immortal dragons relevant…certainly more so than a common human or any elf younger than I am."

"In that case, I'd suggest finding someone else trustworthy and powerful enough to take it out of your hands. Not even for my sake but your own. The lizardmen can't be trusted and neither can elves or especially the Oracle of Chi'an Chi. We have no idea what that thing can do, and you apparently summoned a god with it despite the puzzle box lacking its full power. I can't even imagine how cataclysmic it would be for you to open that thing. Forget the personal issues between our nations for a moment…that trinket is not safe in your hands. It wouldn't be safe in my hands either if I'm being honest. You should give it to my parents. They're powerful and trustworthy enough to keep it safely guarded." Yin-Yin lectured.

Malekith shook his head at her, "Really…because it seems the new Everchosen has a trinket that belonged to your family that the chaos dredges call the Eye of Sheerian. I doubt they could keep it any safer than I could. Believe me, I can't wait to get rid of this thing, but it isn't mine to give away. It belongs to Oxyotl and he saved my life. I won't betray him by giving it to anyone else. Besides…so long as this bracelet is over my gauntlet, it can't even be taken from me apparently. Miao Ying already tried, but the bracelet apparently keeps it within range of me. Oxyotl is wearing the other one. I believe these Bracelets of Xholankha are required to handle the puzzle box or perhaps they anchor it to the wearer after using it. As I said earlier, the bracers and the box belonged to a Slann called Chiccotta who resided in the Southlands and then Oxyotl's master Pocaxalan afterwards. At the very least they might be willing to tell me what it actually is if I offer to give it to them."

Yin-Yin seemed surprised by Malekith's loyalty to the chameleon skink and crossed her arms, "The Witch King with loyalty to a lizard…how peculiar. I'm not saying the skink would try to deceive you, but skinks are simple and savage creatures who are more prone to prophetical nonsense than humans. They're superstitious and primitive pawns of the Old Ones. Their masters on the other hand, are not. The Slann can't be trusted with that puzzle box any more than the champions of chaos. I'd rather you just keep it then hand it over to them. At least give it some serious thought before making a reckless decision like that. It's obvious that the puzzle box is dangerous if even the Oracle of Chi'an Chi was afraid of the lizardmen acquiring it."

The Witch King frowned as he looked down at the Old One artefact clipped to his waist, "I will keep that in mind. I can promise you nothing more."

"Maybe my mother will have a better solution for you, but I think it's best you show it to the Dragon Emperor. Like I said…he knew Xholankha, so he might understand this Prophecy of Dawn and what its true purpose is. Not to mention…if those bracelets are required to handle the puzzle box, then it's very likely that the Oracle of Chi'an Chi wanted you to open it for him. Did that escape your all-knowing awareness Witch King?" Yin-Yin sighed.

"I came to the same conclusion, and that's why I'm not in any hurry to pursue these keys. With that said, I'm prepared to do so if it becomes a necessity. I'll see what the Empress says before I decide on anything regarding this Puzzle Box of Xholankha though. Kairos Fateweaver called this puzzle box a webway generator and an octahedron. I believe it opens a portal to their realm or perhaps another world or reality entirely. I know that's possible because it was the original purpose of the polar gates before the realms of chaos erupted through them. The lizardmen seem to believe they can find Xholankha with it and Fateweaver was rambling about escaping reality or something insane. If that's true, then perhaps Xholankha can help stem the tides of chaos. After witnessing Slaanesh for myself, I know full well I can't fight chaos without the help of beings much greater than I. Even as powerful as your family is, you can't defeat chaos alone either. If you could then you wouldn't have built that Great Bastion to hold them at bay. Even as impressive as it is, that wall stands as a symbol that you are shelling up instead of fighting back. What could the Dragon Emperor do to protect this thing that I can't already?" Malekith countered.

"Are you implying you're as powerful as my father…how audacious of you," Yin-Yin hissed.

Malekith shook his head, "I am nowhere near as powerful as either of your parents, but this isn't about magical or martial might. It is about proactiveness. Locking this thing in a vault isn't going to make it any safer than me carrying it around. If anything, it will make Cathay a larger target. I'd almost say I'm doing you a favor by taking it away from here."

Yin-Yin frowned, "I suppose that does have some credence…though I'd rather take the risk than fret over the thought of you losing it to someone more dangerous than you are."

"You might think little of me, princess, but I'm better suited to dealing with chaos than any of you considering the ordeal I just endured prior to coming here. I know one of your siblings fell to chaos, so you are no less fallible to corruption than I am. Did your father stand before a chaos god? What exactly has he done to prevent any of this from happening? I refuse to betray Oxyotl who saved me from Slaanesh and I most certainly refuse to believe the stagnant indifference of a being as great as your father warrants me to entrust him with something I have already proven I can handle." Malekith stated sternly.

The Sea Dragon rolled her eyes and spoke spitefully, "Stagnant indifference?! Don't you dare speak ill of my father like that! He shoulders a burden you could never understand! My mother said as much, and we can all see it clearly ourselves! Xen Yang is not indifferent! He works tirelessly to keep the far east safe!"

"How so? What does he even do?" the Witch King spat.

"You wouldn't understand..." Yin-Yin shook her head.

The elf shook his head, "Apparently, you don't know either. If he's as powerful and great as you claim he is, then why did I have to protect his daughter? Why did he let a Monkey King take over his empire?! What possible burden could he be dealing with? Why doesn't he do anything?! I know he can given the fact that he hurled a meteor into the Mountains of Mourn to create the Great Maw!" Malekith growled back.

The Sea Dragon seemed a bit taken aback as she couldn't think of a way to answer Malekith's questions properly, "I don't know…but my father is honorable, and he does not delegate the empire to us children lightly. He's the type of person who would rather shoulder all the burdens of the world alone but knows he can't. You could never understand the weight he carries or the pain he's always in!"

"Maybe not, but isn't that all the more reason for you to accept my help? The last thing he needs is another problem to occupy his time according to your logic." Malekith countered.

"What makes you think we need YOUR help? You honestly believe that we should blindly trust the Witch King to follow a vague lizardman prophecy? Well, who am I to question the 'Savior of Turtle Gate' and the 'champion' the storm, jade, and light dragons. He's seen the light and now he'll save us all while the incompetent Yin-Yin sulks unjustifiably. What's next, you're going to suggest I become your mount and pledge my fleet to your cause? I will not be indebted to you, and I will not be humiliated by you ever again. I'm not afraid of chaos, and the sooner you're out of Cathay with that thing removed into Xen Yang's hands the better." She hissed back.

"Still don't trust me after I spent all this time telling you everything? I could have easily lied about the whole thing and kept it to myself, but I actually want your parents' advice. There's other things I want to talk to them about as well. I believe they can actually help me, and I want to understand their greater goals. I never would have wasted my time coming here or humoring your interrogation if I thought otherwise." Malekith sighed.

"Interesting…so you actually do want an alliance with Cathay then? That wasn't just for show?" Yin-Yin confirmed.

Malekith shrugged, "Nothing that grandiose…I just want an end to our hostilities, and I want answers that only your parents will have. Now that you understand the situation, how do you plan on responding to it? Have I told you enough about who I am and why I'm here? Or was there something else you wanted to express. You might as well do it now while we're alone."

Yin-Yin scoffed at him, "I feel like I understand you better now…but trust? Don't make me laugh. You're about as trustworthy as the minions of Chi'an Chi and I know you're just using us for your own benefit. My mother was right about one thing. You're extremely cunning and unpredictable even for an elf. I understand an alliance of convenience when I see one and you're clearly playing this political game like a master. I certainly understand why my mother warned me about how dangerous you were. Even if you're opposed to chaos, that doesn't mean you're not still a threat to Cathay. I find it even harder to trust someone who would associate with lizardmen. Whether you believe in the justification of your choices or not…nothing erases the evil you've committed and the evil you're still capable of unleashing. That is why I don't feel comfortable allowing you to carry around something so dangerous and why I am far more skeptical than my naïve siblings in believing you can handle things to our benefit. I know they've probably told you that I'm an impulsive failure, but I'm not a fool and I'm not so easily manipulated by pretty promises."

"Listen, I am not asking you to forgive anything I've done and I'm not trying to insult you by justifying my past or demanding your blind cooperation. The bigger picture is far more important than you or me. None of our achievements or failures will matter if the world ends. I'm also the last person who will mock your failed expeditions or belittle your worth. I've failed to conquer Ulthuan half a dozen times now. You seem equally as unlucky as I am in your endeavors, but you're not afraid to keep trying. I actually respect that. You may think it insulting, but I find you more relatable than any of the other dragons here. It's also why I know you'd make the best ally out of any of them. I'm not asking for that though. I just want you to back off and trust that I mean no harm to Cathay any longer. Is that truly too much to ask for?" Malekith explained.

Yin-Yin seemed taken aback by Malekith's remark, "You're calling me a failure like you and that makes me the best dragon to ally with? What in the world are you prattling about?! If this is your idea of talking me up, it's rather crude."

"You're not a failure…you're actually the bravest of your siblings in my opinion. I'm not speaking of battlefield bravery though. I'm speaking of your willingness to try things that others are too afraid to attempt. Everyone from this place is obsessed with tradition and saving face, but you speak bluntly, and you pursue your goals with fervor for better or worse. You are not shackled by the indolent stagnancy of the other dragons here. You are not aloof like your parents or delusional enough to believe Cathay is invincible. Miao Ying said you were impulsive and ambitious, but I respect those traits…especially in a dragon. You are willing to risk humiliation and failure for progress. That's something most elves sorely lack except for me. It's something your other siblings seem to lack as well minus Shen Zoo and maybe Zhao Ming. Your pride comes second to your goals and you're a realist like I am. That's a refreshing perspective compared to the delusions of everyone else in Cathay. I think past all of your pride, you believe as I do. You know in your heart that Cathay needs help. That's why you enlisted the aid of the Asur. I certainly need help, and I'd appreciate it from someone who thinks like I do," Malekith responded with unexpected praise.

The Sea Dragon was stunned briefly by the unexpected compliment and immediately soured her face, "Flattery won't get you anywhere with me, Witch King…I won't fall for something like that. Is this how you got Miao Ying to listen to you? Blow enough smoke into her and she'll inflate faster than a sky lantern. I won't fall over myself just because you seemingly admire me and certainly not over a pretty redemption story like Shen Zoo naively believes. You expect me to swoon for you like Shen Zoo or Miao Ying and believe this wishy-washy nonsense? To believe that you actually have Cathay's best interest at heart? I'll admit that we share a similar world view surprisingly…but that doesn't mean I believe you want the same things I want."

"You can believe whatever you want, but you asked me for the truth and there it is in its entirety. I actually want you to be my ally, Princess Yin-Yin, but I know it's an impossible aspiration. I'll simply finish by saying I don't hold any vendetta against Cathay, and I never have. If I knew the people out here were actually competent humans, then I wouldn't have let Laithikir and Lokhir Fellheart run lose sacking it for centuries. Prior to my arrival here, the only human empire that ever impressed me was Nehekara in its prime. This place has changed my perception on the worth of humans. Shen Zoo was right about that much. Even if it weren't to appease you, I still plan on ending slavery in Naggaroth eventually. It has done nothing but cripple my people and ruin countless the lives of other species because we were too proud to put down our swords and rebuild after the Sundering," Malekith trailed off.

The dragon frowned, "Even if you speak truly, I doubt your people feel the same way."

"Regardless of how they feel, I'll make sure they obey me and leave the humans of the east alone. I gave the Empress my word and I'd be a fool to lie to her since she's a far greater being than I am. What can I do to make you back off and show me a sliver of trust? I'm not unreasonable, princess. I'm already freeing your enslaved citizens. I told you everything as well. Are you determined to distrust me no matter what? If that's the case, then I'm not even going to bother trying or waste any more of my time dealing with you." Malekith sighed.

Yin-Yin frowned, "It's not really about proof anymore. My mother would have been able to tell if you were lying to her. You may even mean all these things at the current moment, but that doesn't invalidate the danger you pose to this world. This is about more than appeasing me. It's about making things right and showing sincerity. Intent is the thing that most concerns me. I don't deny that you probably aspire to battle chaos and keep the world from ending, but are you even sorry for what you've done or are you just doing this because you have to? Are you just doing this to please Asuryan? Believe me when I say that the context matters here. I won't cater to any of your words unless I know where you stand officially. How do you feel and why are you doing this really? I highly doubt it's because of remorse or something as grandiose as saving the world."

"Honestly? It took all my restraint to not kill those insufferable Asur in front of the celestial court and to offer them peace. I have never once humored anyone's delusion that I'm seeking redemption or that I'm not a ruthless tyrant. I did it because I have to…not because I wanted to. Just as I will kill any elf, be they Asur or Druchii, in order to secure peace. I think you misunderstand me, princess, I'm doing my duty as a king and as a sworn heir of Aenarion. I'm doing this for the sake of all elvenkind even if they resent me for it. If I did aspire to please anyone then it would be my father. Making sure that he didn't die in vain is all that really matters to me personally. I don't really care about you or this place…but I see the value in allowing it to prosper. I see value in its people and what your empire can do to help me if I cast aside my pride and help it. The Asur are more likely to accept peace if they see me making allies. I think you can also see the value in having me as an ally. Unlike the Asur, I don't wait around praying for a miracle…I pursue my goals just like you do," Malekith explained.

"Perhaps we are more alike than I thought. I find your apparent honesty quite admirable as well. I can respect that, Witch King, but you still owe me reparations for the millennia of torment your people inflicted on my provinces. I need tangible results to immediately improve Cathay's prosperity before I forgive your transgressions and humor the idea of believing that you could be a true ally. My honor as the ruler of the Eastern Provinces demands it. Words alone will never convince me to trust you. You've already helped my siblings, so perhaps you're willing to help me directly. I'll give you one chance only because my mother and other siblings trust you. Plus, you've been quite cooperative and unusually cordial to the people of Cathay and even those high elves that were following you around," Yin-Yin stated sternly.

"What do you want then? If it's reasonable enough and within my power, I'll do it." Malekith sighed.

Yin-Yin shook her head, "I've given it some thought, and I know how you can truly make things right between us. It is something you would be ideal for actually. Something that would also greatly benefit the Eastern Provinces almost immediately…as well as please my parents."

"Alright…what?" Malekith sighed.

"I have a list of tasks that I would like your help with. One: When we get that black ark in Haichai, I want you to join your fleet with mine and come with me to Nippon. Several of my best shugengans are being held prisoner there. Two: You're going to help me kill the Shogun in northern Nippon so we can free them. I'll give you the details later. Three: You have to bring me along when you confront Lokhir Fellheart and give me his head. Four: You have to help me find the Black Lion Tortoise. It is a celestial beast and has been missing for a long time. Finally, Five: I want unlimited safe access to whatever western passage your fleets use to sail into the Far Ocean from Eastern Naggaroth. That would open up our ability to trade with the west without having to sail around the southern continents and through high elf blockade fleets. It will be a good test to see if you can be trusted and if you can force the cooperation of the dark elves. Do all of that, and I'll forgive your past and validate my support for you. What say you Witch King? It's a pretty fair deal and more than you deserve." Yin-Yin listed.

'Fateweaver had no real reason to tell me about these future events since it seems I would have taken this path anyways given the ease of their progression. I don't understand why…was it to prove that he was being honest? Does he hope I'll do the opposite out of fear of being locked into this future he's seen? I don't know what to think anymore. Still…It doesn't feel right going to Nippon. Everything just aligns too easily. He wanted me to win over Cathay and apparently Nippon as well. No doubt if I get Yin-Yin on my side, she will probably help me invade Khuresh. That's likely what Fateweaver wants. Even so, having her and Nippon as an ally gives me a much greater level of control in the Far Ocean and it's one more weapon in my arsenal to defend against Ulthuan and the Karaz Ankor if they refuse peace. As much as I don't want to do this...it may very well be necessary,' Malekith thought in a long silence as he took in Yin-Yin's anxious stare.

"You seriously want me to go to Nippon with you? Surely you're capable of killing some Shogun I imagine." he asked dryly after pondering the request.

"Yes, I do want you to come with me to Nippon…even despite their inferiority as a nation, they possess a powerful navy, a radical population of xenophobic zealots, and difficult geography to invade. I have no issues dealing with them personally in combat, but my fleet is evenly matched with theirs despite Nippon being a smaller nation. They also don't fear me the way they should. The Eastern Provinces have been stretched thin the past few centuries and they believe I'm weak and incompetent even if I can personally kill most of their leaders," Yin-Yin answered.

Malekith was silent for a moment before speaking, "What's your quarrel with Nippon anyways?"

"Other than them being bigoted isolationists who reject the Dragon Emperor's lordship? Lately, they've been cutting off all our naval shipping routes and attacking my trade galleons. Some of their fleets have even sacked our shores for resources. They aspire to take over the Jade Sea and expand their empire. They've already conquered Honai...the only notable human kingdom of Khuresh. I know you dark elves have had the most success out of any nation in attacking Nippon. I hear it's so bad that they even allowed high elves to establish ports there in the hopes they would ward off the dark elves. They can defend their inland territory well enough, but their ports and fleets are defenseless against black arks. Cathay can't do much to stop black arks either unless a dragon is there to handle it. I was in Fu-Chow when Beichai got sacked by two of them. Two black arks and their armadas wiped out a quarter of the entire dragon fleet in my absence. I couldn't believe it…that was when I realized I would need the high elves to help us deal with Naggaroth. It's the only reason I asked for their help. I figured they could also force Nippon to make peace with Cathay as well. Unlike my other siblings, I don't underestimate elven naval power…at least not anymore. I've seen what dragonships and black arks can do. Plus, I know Lokhir Fellheart is as infamous in Nippon as he is in Cathay. That's nothing compared to your infamy there." Yin-Yin paused.

The Witch King nodded, "It makes sense…cannons aren't very effective against black arks and all of them have sorceresses, countless beasts, and a large fleet to protect them. Even the proud Asur don't even try fighting them unless they have a dragonship. The human nations of the Old World can't do anything to stop them short of some miracle. They aren't like ships…they're chunks of Ulthuan. Black arks will float even if you try to blow up half of them with ordinance. I'd argue they're the only reason the Asur can't defeat the druchii even despite Ulthuan being more populous and militarily superior in many ways."

"My father and I have sunk a few the past millennia, but I've seen what they can do even against my dragon fleet. Nippon has inferior ordinance to Cathay and they're practically impotent against black arks. They would never admit it, but Nippon fears Naggaroth more than any other nation. Two of my shugengans were captured a while back by the Nipponese Navy. They've refused to hand them over to me. Their newest Shogun has even vowed to expand their empire and invade Cathay. I'm certain if I showed up with the dark elves and the Witch King to kill him, they would quickly realize that they're overmatched, and I could force them to surrender. I've tried to meet their…Emperor once, but they said: 'The Divine Sun does not conduct diplomacy with arrogant beasts'. If I have to ask my siblings or parents for help, I'll be eternally shamed for it." Yin-Yin explained.

Malekith frowned, "Your siblings told me that you were trying to conquer Nippon to get a staging ground for attacking Naggaroth."

"Is that what they told you? Why am I not surprised that they would say something so condescending without knowing the full situation. That is not entirely true…at least that wasn't the case initially. I just wanted a port there for my fleet at first. Cathay has a long and tumultuous history with Nippon. I didn't care to conquer them until they started attacking us. My aspirations to invade Naggaroth were impossible so long as Nippon was in the way. That's why we're always at war with them. Don't let their fake politeness fool you…Nipponese people hate outsiders. They think they're better than everyone else culturally, militarily, and even physically. They believe Cathay dilutes its culture by having open borders and trade with the west, and that we're somehow savages for having dragons as sovereigns. As far as I know, the only western nations Nippon trades with is Ulthuan or the men of Marienburg. They can't outdo elven snobbery, but I hear they look down on westerner men more than anyone. Among my siblings, Zhao Ming and Li Dao both hate Nippon as much as I do for their dehumanization of other cultures. I don't tolerate that type of disposition and its one of the main reasons I dislike elves as well," Yin-Yin stated bitterly.

The Witch King nodded, "That paints a pretty clear picture. I can understand the disdain for a rival in Cathay or elven colonialism, but I wasn't aware they disliked other human nations that much."

"Honestly, they seem to hate each other too since they're always having civil wars trying to flex their honor. It's all pretty on the surface, but Nippon is filled with hypocrisy and many of its citizens suffer under the oppressive rule of the samurai and the shogunate. Nipponese people know nothing of harmony, and they revel in bloodlust, warrior honor, and pride. They might ignore my attempts at diplomacy, but I doubt they'd ignore me if I had the Witch King backing me up. If there's one thing they respect it's overwhelming power and a proven reputation!" Yin-Yin trailed off.

The dark-haired elf frowned, "And they don't believe Cathay has that?"

"They don't think the Eastern Provinces are capable of defending themselves and they have always believed their nation was impossible to conquer…until black arks started sacking their ports that is. Nippon won't risk hostility with Cathay if they believe Naggaroth will help us invade them. Once that stupid Shogun is dead, we'll coerce them into bringing us to their pathetic little Emperor and force his high and mighty court to negotiate. Samurai are obsessed with honor and strength, so they won't surrender without losing dramatically to someone they see as a demigod. As much as it pains me to admit it, I imagine they'd take the Witch King a lot more seriously than a Cathayan Dragon Princess. I know you're willing to kill them and make examples and I know they fear you. That's why you're better suited for this than the high elves. While we're there, I also want to find out where the Black Lion Tortoise went. He was last spotted near Nippon. Fellheart is probably lurking somewhere around there as well according to my latest intel. So now that you understand my situation…do we have a deal?" Yin-Yin finished.

"I suppose I don't have a choice…especially if Lokhir Fellheart is out there. Although it surprises me that you'd feel comfortable being alone at sea with my fleet. That implies you trust me somewhat," Malekith noted.

Yin-Yin laughed, "That's why we're going to tell mother. If you try to do anything to me, you'll have the entire royal family after you. Though honestly, I am quite curious to see how you discipline your heathen followers in person. I also like the idea of watching those smug Nipponese bastards squirm when I show up with you to kill them. They'll never attack Cathay again if they know you're allied to my family. As much as I dislike you, I also can't help but smile at the thought of watching you humiliate ronin on Cathay's behalf."

"Are you sure the Empress would allow something like this? You're essentially asking me to enter this war on your behalf. Wouldn't that officially make us military allies in advance?" Malekith asked doubtfully.

"It can't be helped at this point. I already know which way the winds are blowing. I know you're here to take advantage of us and this is my way of taking advantage of you. It's only fair that you compensate me with tangible results before I humor any notion of us being official allies. Mother has wanted me to make peace with Nippon for ages now, but those stubborn people keep refusing. I think she'd be in favor of you helping me and my willingness to give you a chance. Originally, I was going to have the high elves threaten them, but I know you'd be much more effective. Like I said…they're terrified of black arks and the people of Nippon know of your reputation better than the people of Cathay. The high elves that frequent their nation have told them all sorts of stories about you and Naggaroth. The Nipponese call you 'Mahō no jashin' which roughly means Evil Mage God in Nipponese. I've also heard the term 'Ankoku Kyo' which means Dark Lord. They actually believe you're some kind of demigod like their Emperor since you're immortal and the high elves fear you. Believe me that's a big deal since they have a lofty opinion of high elves. I hope you speak Nipponese, yes?" Yin-Yin followed up.

Malekith sighed, "Yes, I can speak Nipponese. I can also read it as well. Their language was actually easier to learn than yours was. Though I've rarely used it. Laithikir Fellheart said it was her favorite human language and liked using it I remember. She actually taught it to me."

"That's good, it will make this much simpler then. Translating for you would have been extremely annoying and diluted the threats," Yin-Yin nodded approvingly.

"I knew you hated me, but this seems unusually tedious and demanding. Have I failed to mention that I hate diplomacy yet? I'll go there and kill that Shogun and deal with Lokhir, but I'm not on some world tour to make peace with everyone and I'm not going on some hunt for this lion tortoise. You can handle all of that yourself. I'll go cut off a few heads, scare the locals, and tell them we're allies. Just don't expect me to sit through another human court listening to people drone on about tradition and honor. I'd go stand trial in Ulthuan if I wanted to deal with more self-important nobles who think their worthless opinions mean anything to me. I've seen samurai before and they're insufferably annoying and proud even in captivity. I can't even imagine how obnoxious they will be on a battlefield in their own homeland. It's no wonder they love Asur so much. As for your last request…we'll see what happens after I find Lokhir. We'll deal with that later, alright?" Malekith groaned.

"Hahaha, you know…you're surprisingly similar to Xen Yang. My father has the exact same disposition you do when it comes to diplomacy and people. It's probably why he makes the Jade Dragon handle everything for him. He usually just kills people who won't listen to him and leaves the rest of us to deal with the aftermath. I suppose we'll see if you can satisfy my requests. I for one am eager to see how this turns out," Yin-Yin chuckled at his dreadful expression and tone.

"Well…was there anything else you wanted to say?" Malekith changed the subject after a brief silence.

"There was one more thing…that dragon and spirit mage you were talking to. What do you think they wanted from you? I was so preoccupied with everything else that I haven't bothered to delve into that yet." Yin-Yin asked.

The Witch King shrugged, "I don't know for certain, but it seems Tiamat is the master of that Elspeth Von Draken woman. Tiamat the Terrible is a very infamous dragon in the west. I along with many others believed she was long dead. She is likely one of the few Emperor dragons that remain it seems. She spoke of Skaladrak and Skulex and it seems the greatest dragons of the Old World are allied to each other. I imagine they're working towards some greater goal. That is something worth knowing and I hope to find out more."

"You should ask Prince Imrik's dragon, Minaithnir. He's ancient even by the standards of star dragons and likely knows something about what those western delinquents are up to. We'll make time for that later. Their interest in Shiyama greatly concerns me." Yin-Yin noted.

"I'm surprised you would care to hear what a star dragon would have to say. Most of your family seems to look down on western dragons," Malekith pointed out.

Yin-Yin shrugged, "Typically I would, but Minaithnir is an elder…even older than I am. He also knows a great deal about the Old World and despite being a mount, he keeps that insufferable Prince Imrik humbler than most high elves. He'll certainly be interested in hearing about an evil dragon like Tiamat the Terrible being alive and might know what she wants."

"Tiamat hardly seems any more sinister than my dragon Seraphon. I know she slaughtered dwarves in droves in the ancient past, but I can hardly blame the dragons for doing that since the Dawi revel in slaughtering them for sport," Malekith countered.

"Encarmine dragons are abominations…no different than a black or a chaos dragon if you ask me. Tiamat in particular is a very cruel dragon from what I know. I can't believe nobody noticed her intrusion into Cathay. Western Dragons know better than to enter Xen Yang's domain, and Zhao was careless in allowing it. Shiyama knew Tiamat a long time ago I believe. If I had to guess, Tiamat aspires to enter the underworld so that she can feast on souls," Yin-Yin speculated.

Malekith frowned, "The underworld? You mean the land of the dead? Is that where Cathayans go when they die?"

"There's many names for it. I have no idea what elves call it. No doubt Tiamat has seduced that ignorant spirit mage into believing it's for a noble cause, but I'd wager Tiamat wants more power. She was always jealous of Shiyama…or so I heard. Zhao Ming actually knew her as well. If you can deal with his eccentric ramblings, he might be able to tell you more. Despite all his shortcomings, the Iron Dragon is intelligent and influential among the western dragons. I might actually ask him to look into that matter for me." Yin-Yin noted distantly almost as if she was thinking aloud.

"Tiamat and her apprentice Elspeth wanted me to train the girl for some reason," Malekith admitted.

Yin-Yin shook her head disgusted, "I won't tell you not to do it, but be careful who you entrust your teachings to. That entire situation seems suspicious and sinister to me."

"Believe me, I learned that lesson the hard way," Malekith noted.

"At least you're aware of the problem…hmm, between that and us going to Nippon, I think you and I should remain in each other's company indefinitely for a while," Yin-Yin suggested.

Malekith sighed dramatically, "I feel so honored…to share such wondrous company."

"Is that sarcasm? Weren't you the one who said that I'd make a great ally?" Yin-Yin sassed him.

"Yes, an ally…not an inquisitive observer. I've had enough of that for a while," he shook his head.

"Haha, am I truly that insufferable, Witch King? At least you're honest about it." Yin-Yin chuckled at Malekith's despair.

"Honestly, no…at least if you're around, you can keep the Asur away from me. To that end I'll agree to keep your company for now," Malekith pointed out.

The Sea Dragon nodded, "An excellent point. Plus, it would put them at ease if I were the one to watch you. Prince Imrik at least trusts me more than his kin does."

"Well…I know this is slightly off topic, but where is Xen Yang at? None of the others seemed to know and I can't imagine the dragon emperor would be gone for something trivial," Malekith changed the subject.

Yin-Yin answered him immediately much to Malekith's disbelief, "I was the last dragon to see Xen Yang. Father was looking for the Black Lion Tortoise, Xuanwu. It is one of the sacred beasts of Cathay along with the White Tiger and the Great Vermillion Bird. Part of the reason I suggested we look for the Black Lion Tortoise is so we can cross paths with Xen Yang. I wouldn't waste your time with that for nothing."

"So that's why you're so cooperative all of a sudden…you want to take me to your father?" Malekith realized.

"Honestly, there's no telling if we would cross his path, but finding Xuanwu would free up father to return home. He never explains anything to any of us, but father and the sacred beasts are all good friends from what I understand. They assist our family in protecting the far east," Yin-Yin replied.

Malekith crossed his arms annoyed, "I highly doubt it's sentimental. He must need these creatures for something specifically. What about the White Tiger and the Great Vermillion Bird? Where do these creatures even live?"

"Baihu, as some call the White Tiger, lives between Zhao Ming and Li Dao's provinces near the Mountains of Heaven. He has a strict code of honor and is very solitary. When the Monkey King took over Cathay, Baihu didn't intervene. He doesn't care much for the Nine, but he does like Zhao Ming oddly enough. He'll only talk to mother, father, or the Iron Dragon. I know for a fact that he dislikes Yuan Bo, Li Dao, and Miao Ying. The Iron Dragon likes to wear white tiger iconography on his regalia just to constantly remind them of the White Tiger's favor. Baihu is worshipped by the tigermen as their sacred protector and one of their gods. He's the reason we didn't purge tigermen from Cathay and why the majority of them live in the southwest of Cathay or Northern Ind. I know my father thinks very highly of him and I believe father instructed him to keep an eye on my crazy brother." Yin-Yin explained.

"So, what about the Vermillion Bird? I hear there's a shrine to phoenixes in Fu Hung. Is he around there?" Malekith wondered.

"She…and yes. Zhu Que or Suzaku as some people call her is the mother of all Vermillion Birds. She's a great phoenix and she is actually Li Dao's only real friend from what I hear. She really seems to love my brother for some reason. Though I imagine it's because Xen Yang asked her to help Li Dao discreetly so my brother wouldn't feel shamed by one of us helping. Zhu Que protects Li Dao and has even assisted him in battle against the Monkey King before. If it weren't for her, Li Dao would stand no chance against the border he has to guard. Unlike the north, he has no great bastion, receives almost no supplies, and gets little glory in guarding the south. The elven traders who've seen Zhu Que remark that she's even larger than the Mother of Flame in Ulthuan. Even YOU would be impressed by her," Yin-Yin added.

"So, what is the Black Lion Tortoise's purpose? Does he protect your shores?" Malekith asked.

Yin-Yin nodded, "Yes and no. Xuanwu is a sacred beast of the north. He's actually two beings…a great snake coiled around a massive Lion Tortoise. The Bastion Gates are named after him. Snake and Turtle Gates are from his namesake and Dragon gate for the royal family. Xuanwu is the most reliable of the guardians and has long assisted my family in defending against chaos. His absence actually weakens the Great Bastion's magical wards, and it will likely embolden marauders to sail from the north into the Jade Sea. He's very famous…though I fear perhaps the Nipponese captured him somehow. They often meddle with things they shouldn't. They probably think he's a kaiju or something. They kill enough whales…I'm certain they're indifferent about attacking the Black Lion Tortoise."

"Cathay is a very interesting place…" was all Malekith could think to say.

"Well, we've talked long enough out here. I think you and I should go speak with my mother about what to do about your Puzzle Box of Xholankha. Do you object?" Yin-Yin tilted her head.

"Lead the way…" Malekith replied blankly.

Yin-Yin nodded before the duo began to walk back to Wei-Jin.

Along the way, Malekith reflected on his thoughts in the silence, 'I can't believe she talked me into going to Nippon with her. Gods, why am I so cursed? Is this my divine punishment? I guess if I'm already locked into this path, I might as well consider looking for Yamata no Orochi while we're there. I'm not going to fall for Fateweaver's trap though. I think I should tell the Empress about what Kairos said to me. Someone needs to know in case the daemon is setting me up.'

Wei-Jin, an hour later

After his long talk with Yin-Yin, Malekith and the Sea Dragon walked side by side in silence almost the entire way back to the upper plaza of Wei-Jin. Malekith was grateful for the break from socializing, but unfortunately, he could not escape being the center of attention.

It was even worse than before…especially now because he was with Yin-Yin. Malekith wanted to die when he heard someone jump to conclusions declaring that the false betrothal rumor was true.

Unlike earlier though, Malekith did notice everyone was looking at him with less suspicion and more reverence now. Realizing that he was an elven king that saved Turtle Gate and befriended their monarchs was enough to cause a frenzy of excitement and awe at his passing.

As they progressed further up towards the celestial court, Yin-Yin glanced over and glared at Malekith, "I don't know who started that rumor that I was betrothed to you…but for your sake, you had better not get any weird ideas about marrying me."

"I wouldn't even dream of something so bizarre. It's equally as embarrassing for me, princess…I'd sooner marry someone from Ulthuan than a Cathayan and that would NEVER happen. Plus, if I was going to marry a dragon, I'd just marry my dragon Seraphon since I actually like her," Malekith replied blankly and cautiously.

Yin-Yin scoffed at him, "Her? Oh really? You'd be embarrassed if that was actually a reality? I'd be the one subjected to humiliation for it. You'd be lucky to have me as a bride. I didn't realize I repulsed you so much though. Well rest assured that the feeling is quite mutual. I'm being nice for now, but I find the idea equally as offensive. It's not like marrying a human where you just wait a century or two until they die. The idea of being stuck with you forever is rather bleak. Plus, my siblings would mock me for the rest of time. Whoever started that rumor is going to face serious consequences."

"Why are you acting like this is my fault or that I even care about some stupid rumor? To be honest, I'm shocked they would believe it was you over Shen Zoo. She at least likes me somewhat. Were I forced into such a terrible predicament; she would clearly be the better choice," Malekith shrugged carelessly.

Yin-Yin narrowed her gaze darkly, "Don't get any weird ideas about my little sister either…or I will kill you."

"You can't kill me, but I won't. Shen Zoo is too pure for me to even see her in that way. I was just saying that she'd make a better bride than you," Malekith pointed out.

"Is that right? Well be careful saying things like that around my brothers. They're all very protective of Shen Zoo and won't take kindly to anyone unworthy of her innocence," Yin-Yin threatened.

"Relax, princess. Nobody is getting married…especially not me. I already had a wife a long time ago and I don't need another one to nag me about every little thing I do. Shen Zoo nags me enough as it is. I wouldn't want to give her more of a reason to do so. Let it go. This is all nothing but a childish rumor that nobody with any common sense would believe. It's not even worth discussing and I think it's immature for a dragon your age to get flustered over something so ridiculous," Malekith sighed.

"My age?! What's that supposed to mean? Wait did you just call me both old and immature?! I've had shugengans killed for saying less…" Yin-Yin hissed.

Malekith chuckled at her, "And I've had dreadlords killed for looking at me the wrong way. You're more like me than I thought. You certainly have the right temperament to live in Naggaroth. Somehow, I feel more assured about our cooperation now."

"Huh?! What exactly are you implying?" Yin-Yin grimaced in disgust.

The Witch King shrugged, "Nothing."

A long silence passed as the two continued walking again. For reasons beyond his understanding, Malekith noticed Yin-Yin's demeanor changing as she became less flustered and more observant.

"So…you didn't answer any of my questions about your wife from earlier. What was her name?" Yin-Yin finally broke the silence.

"It doesn't matter…she died a long time ago," Malekith replied vaguely.

Yin-Yin frowned as she took in his expression. Malekith looked a bit depressed even mentioning it and it was clear to her that he must have felt some kind of affection for the dead she-elf.

"Did you love her?" Yin-Yin asked.

Malekith looked away, "I don't really know what love is…so who could say. Losing her certainly affected me negatively."

"That's a pathetic answer. I pity her for having married someone like you," Yin-Yin stated callously.

"So do I…" Malekith agreed.

The Sea Dragon was shocked by his agreement to her intentionally rude comment and for a brief moment she felt a bit of remorse for saying something that insensitive even to someone like him.

"How did she die?" the dragon princess asked after another awkward silence.

"She was murdered," Malekith replied bluntly without elaborating.

The dragon rolled her eyes at him, "I figured as much, but how and by who?"

"My mother had her killed," he answered.

Yin-Yin's eyes widened slightly at the new information. Malekith didn't elaborate on anything regarding Allisara and especially not Morathi killing her in their prior conversations outside of the city.

"Your…mother killed your wife?" Yin-Yin asked disbelievingly as her pace began to slow.

"Yes…and that's why I'm going to kill her eventually," Malekith replied darkly.

"Wait…you didn't mention anything about that to me earlier!" Yin-Yin gasped as she stopped in her tracks and looked at him in shock.

Malekith stopped as well and noticed a massive crowd watching from afar. They were no doubt very curious about whatever Malekith and Yin-Yin were talking about.

"Don't mention that to anyone yet…especially not that sorceress Maelyn. I can't tell if she's loyal to my mother or to me. My mother is the number one obstacle I'll have to deal with when I return to fix Naggaroth. I need to cull her sycophants before I declare war on her," Malekith said quietly.

The Sea Dragon looked at Malekith a bit baffled, "So…you're trusting me with a secret like that?"

"My mother is evil even by my immoral standards, and I won't be able to accomplish my goals so long as she remains to sow dissention. Most of my failures are a direct result of her meddling and my blind trust in her cataclysmic impulses. Morathi is one of the diseases I must remove from Naggarothi society. If that sorceress Maelyn is one of my mother's sycophants, I'm going to kill her before we even get to Haichai…just so you know," Malekith stated.

Yin-Yin seemed fascinated by this new development as she nodded approvingly, "Hmm…I never really considered your point of view regarding the prisoner. How would you discover if she was loyal or not though?"

"I'll find out…she's probably more afraid of me than any of you. My infamy in Naggaroth is usually enough to scare people into submission…let alone my personal involvement in druchii affairs. I'll have to torture her to unravel the truth," Malekith replied malevolently.

"I'd like to be there for that…if you don't mind," Yin-Yin smirked.

The Witch King looked away, "Fine…but it would be best if she didn't know you were present. She might be more honest with me if she believes we're alone. You can watch from afar so long as you keep yourself hidden."

"We should certainly make time for that. Perhaps after we speak to mother and deal with the parade," Yin-Yin suggested.

"Very well…let's keep moving, princess. Everyone's staring and we're wasting time," Malekith sighed.

"I swear you sound just like Xen Yang…he hates being stared at too. I can't believe I'm saying this, but my father might actually like you, haha," Yin-Yin laughed at Malekith's antisocial dread.

Celestial Court

Before long, the unusual duo had finally arrived back at the Celestial Court building. As they passed through it and towards the stairs that Quai Yin had ascended earlier from the main chamber, Malekith found himself being led up towards a lift that overlooked the city below.

Upon stepping onto it, Malekith took in the sights of the city as the lift began to rise up towards the floating palace above. He had been more or less silent the entire time and had been brooding heavily over what he was going to say to Quai Yin in private.

Malekith was drawn from his thoughts as Yin-Yin spoke up, "You know…I probably could kill you from here if I threw you off the lift. I doubt you can fly, Witch King."

"By all means try, princess. I'll just break the fall with magic and take it as my excuse to leave this place," he replied dryly.

The Sea Dragon shook her head, "Lighten up, will you? That was a joke. Where is all that humor from earlier? You're more uptight than the Jade Dragon is. No wonder he likes you. Are you always this grim and serious?"

"I didn't realize we were on such cordial terms already. I thought you were straining yourself to be nice to me," he countered.

Yin-Yin rolled her eyes, "What do you mean already? You expect I'm going to come around and start liking you? We're not friends, but I just can't stand that pitiful brooding of yours. Seriously, what's with you? You have the look of someone heading towards his execution. Are you dreading this that badly?"

"Is it that obvious?" Malekith asked almost rhetorically.

"It's about as obvious as an ox in a tea shop. Seriously, is something wrong with you? You've been like this ever since I asked about your wife. Are you depressed or something?" Yin-Yin asked.

Malekith shrugged, "Not really…why does my disposition concern you so much?"

"Never mind that. Forget I said anything. I have a question for you before we get there. I wanted to ask earlier, but I wasn't sure if I should until I heard you mention your plan to kill your mother," Yin-Yin trailed off almost hesitantly as if she was weighing the option of whether or not to go through with her question.

"You might as well ask me now. I doubt I'm going to be alone for a while after this…" he sighed.

Yin-Yin frowned, "Alright then…say hypothetically that the dark elves all reject your new ideas, and they try to kill you. What would be your next plan of action? Would you run away or try to get help from the high elves?"

"That's an absurd question. Why would I ask the Asur for help? They can't even help themselves. I'd sooner ask the Empire or Cathay for help over them since at least they get results. I'd even turn to Athel Loren for help first. I expect a lot of druchii will revolt when I start holding them accountable and forcing them to give up reaving and slaughter for a proper infrastructure." Malekith shook his head in disgust.

The Sea Dragon scoffed, "Anyone in particular that you're concerned about then? It might be good for me to know which dark elves are a threat."

"I would say the very powerful and influential druchii who control some aspect of our society. Hellebron, Anethra, and Morathi are the three biggest obstacles," Malekith stated.

Yin-Yin nodded, "I see…can you tell me about them in more detail?"

"Hellebron rules the Cult of Khaine as the top witch elf. I suppose you could call her the High Priestess of our religion. Anethra Helbane is an immortal sorceress from Saphery who was part of my original Cabal and she indirectly runs Clar Karond and controls a lot of noble families in my black council. She's my mother's most loyal sycophant and has considerable influence over the Dark Convent as well. Morathi, my mother, has her hand in everything. She rules the Dark Convent officially and the Cult of Khaine unofficially. She is also the leader of the Cult of Pleasure and undoubtedly has a horde of her own loyal minions who only pay me homage superficially. I never really cared about her little rebellion since I assumed she would always be allied to me…but I expect at least a third of Naggaroth will follow those three. I can certainly gain the majority of favor over the lowborn and many of the dreadlords, but I won't underestimate their influence or overlook the possibility of them having some type of contingency plan for me turning against them. The deciding factor will be whoever can gain control of the fleets first," Malekith explained.

"And who would you consider your most notable loyalist followers?" Yin-Yin asked.

"My black guard of Naggarond are the only surefire loyalists. My plan was to deal with Lokhir and seize all the black arks I can before announcing my new regime. The dreadlords won't even dream of opposing me if I directly control the majority of our fleets. After that I wanted to seize Ghrond and take control of the Dark Convent. I'll probably try and turn the Cult of Khaine to my side, but I imagine Hellebron will have to die as well. Unlike her father Alandrian who was my most loyal elven friend, Hellebron is a delusional zealot who fancies herself the spiritual leader of Naggaroth and she apparently only answers to Khaine and not to me. I expect some others like Furion, Malus Darkblade, or even Rakarth will follow me if forced to choose. A lot of the military and the lowborn would also be hesitant to follow anyone against me and I expect many of them to assassinate their own leaders who hesitate to pledge fealty. It's going to be a bloody and horrific purge…but it needs to be done to cull the corruption. From the ashes a new Naggaroth will emerge like a phoenix. So, to answer your original question, I'm going to kill any druchii that disobeys me…and I do mean ANY druchii," Malekith answered with more detail than Yin-Yin was expecting.

"That all sounds nice in theory, but you can't do all of that if you end up dead. Plus, if you die, I highly doubt the dark elves would honor your decision to make peace with Cathay. I must say that I'm quite skeptical. This seizure of the incoming black ark at Haichai will be a good first test for you and for me to witness. I personally think you're a bit too overconfident about all of this. Pride often comes before a fall. I don't say that condescendingly…I say it from personal experience," the Sea Dragon noted.

"Pride? You think I take pride in having to do this?! In having to kill my own people? I don't want to deal with this at all. You know what I actually want, Princess Yin-Yin? I want to go home…to my real home in Tor Anlec. I want to retire and live the rest of my life in the mountains never dealing with politics, war, or obnoxious narcissists ever again. It's never going to happen though. That's not who I am and not what I deserve. Big or small, we all have a duty…and this one is mine. I will see it fulfilled or die trying. Regardless of what the future holds, I'm going to go down fighting. Is that enough to satisfy your curiosity?!" Malekith growled in annoyance.

"It is…for now. Looks like we're here," Yin-Yin changed the subject as she led Malekith out of the lift.

The two walked in silence for a few minutes as they strolled through the floating city on their way towards the largest tower of the palace. The sights and architecture up here were breathtaking even to someone like Malekith.

"That's mother's garden over there. That big structure to the right is the Wu Xing Compass. We use it to channel the winds of magic in Cathay. Yuan Bo is tasked with turning it and maintaining the compass. I imagine he'll have his hands full realigning it for the rest of the day. The big tower over there is father's orrery. He and mother both enjoy stargazing and astromancy…it's one of the main reasons why it's the favored school of magic in Cathay. That structure also has the greatest telescope in the world," Yin-Yin started pointing out various structures and wonders to Malekith. It seemed like she was trying to gauge his reaction to the forbidden marvels he was being allowed to see.

Malekith found the sights quite fascinating, but he maintained an aloof composure as he nodded, "This truly is a worthy palace. Even the elves of Saphery would envy an orrery like that. The elves of Avelorn would envy that garden."

"What would the elves of Naggaroth envy?" Yin-Yin interrupted him.

"I can't speak for all of them, but I personally like how detached from the rest of the world this place seems. It's tranquil up here," Malekith noted.

On top of the floating palace above Wei-Jin was like a separate world from the humans below. The only people Malekith saw up here were very prestigious looking dragon guards and shugengans. Some seemed to recognize Malekith as they were no doubt present at the Celestial Court meeting earlier.

In the following minutes, Malekith didn't comment on much of Yin-Yin's explanations about the palace as he honestly didn't really care at the moment. His mind was focused intensely on what he was going to say to Quai Yin and what was even safe to ask. As risky as it seemed, he felt he needed to tell her about Kairos Fateweaver's bizarre plan involving him. It could at least spare him accusations of betrayal later.

After leading him further along to the main hub of the palace and up a large staircase, Malekith found himself in what was presumably the inner palace. Yin-Yin guided him inside and they eventually reached a large chamber where Quai Yin was seated looking over a balcony. Shen Zoo, Zhao Ming, Miao Ying, and Yuan Bo were all present as they appeared to be having a discussion with her.

Yin-Yin announced their arrival more casually since there was nobody else present minus the dragons and Malekith, "Sorry to interrupt, mother…but there is something we need to discuss with the Witch King."

Quai Yin regally stood up and turned around. Her other children mirrored this action, but they stayed silent and to the side as the Moon Empress walked closer to the approaching Yin-Yin and Malekith.

The dark-haired empress looked between the Sea Dragon and the Witch King briefly before speaking, "I take it you have come to terms with the Witch King's presence here, Yin-Yin? I find it odd to see you two alone in each other's company. Your timing is quite fortunate however as I was about to send Yuan Bo to locate you and Miao Ying to locate him."

"Well, I'm glad I could spare the golden children from such menial tasks. I have indeed come to an understanding with the Witch King. Despite what THEY might assume, I'm quite reasonable once I understand a situation properly," Yin-Yin sassed.

She seemed more comfortable talking less respectfully while alone with her family and not under the watch of the celestial court.

"Watch your tone, Yin-Yin…it is not appropriate to speak so condescendingly in front of mother regardless of how you feel about us." Yuan Bo stated disapprovingly.

"I wasn't speaking to you, Jade Dragon. Besides, mother knows I mean her no disrespect. In fact, I believe she will be very interested in hearing what I have to say regarding the Witch King. Unlike you, I don't just plan on sitting around now that he's our ally. I'm here to inform mother of my future plans that will immediately benefit Cathay," Yin-Yin replied sharply.

Yuan Bo rose a brow doubtfully, "I hope it has something to do with culling those chaos cults in the Eastern Provinces."

The Sea Dragon shot him an annoyed glare, "I haven't overlooked that problem, but Nippon is the immediate threat now that the dark elves are going to stop raiding us. Surely, you're aware of the concept of prioritizing greater dangers over lesser ones, yes?"

"Of course I am, but you are not. Culling chaos cults seems more in line with your ability than warring with Nippon," Yuan Bo countered.

Yin-Yin's eyes lit up with anger, "Excuse me?!"

"I can already see where this is going…" Miao Ying shook her head disapprovingly.

"What happened to Shugengan Sung Lian? I tasked her with staying near King Malekith. Did you send her away, Yin-Yin?" Shen Zoo asked Yin-Yin before she could explode.

"I did…I wanted to speak with him alone and the Witch King even backed me on this order. I apologize for overriding your orders, Shen Zoo, but the Witch King was safely under my watch the past few hours," Yin-Yin spoke more respectfully to Shen Zoo.

"Well, seeing you two together does give me reassurance that you've accepted the idea of him being our ally. I can assure you that King Malekith is very reliable and not just militarily or politically. He often seems to have good ideas," Shen Zoo nodded.

Miao Ying crossed her arms, "I am genuinely in awe of King Malekith's patience…to endure Yin-Yin's presence for several hours must have been quite the harrowing experience. I do hope that means he's talked some sense into you. He must have if he'd actually agree to help you. Truly a remarkable feat…for a dark elf no less."

"Not nearly as remarkable as having to deal with your wounded ego after saving the Great Bastion," Zhao Ming added a dry cheap shot.

The storm dragon leered at her brother with disgust, "At least the rest of us are doing something. What have you been doing the past few years besides embarrassing the royal family in Wei-Jin?!"

"I've actually been working on something important for mother…not that you would ever understand, sister." Zhao Ming replied callously.

Before this could devolve into a status flexing standoff, Malekith quickly interrupted, "I've had just about enough of watching you dragons squabble over nothing and try to outdo each other with perceived favor and delusional self-importance. Even elven courts aren't this petty, and I consider them insufferable personality contests. You act like petulant children and you're all older than I am! Shen Zoo is the only one of you with any humility or empathy for her siblings! I'm a cruel tyrant and I'd say I have more empathy than most of you do. Be grateful you at least have siblings to rely on! I hated my siblings even though they didn't hate me. One of my biggest regrets is holding a grudge against them for no reason. Do you know what I would give to have another chance at having a real relationship with Yvraine or Morelion? No wonder one of your siblings fell to chaos if this is how you treat your own family! If I can swallow my pride enough to make peace with the Asur, then the least you dragons can do is make peace with each other for the greater good of Cathay and my own sanity."

Dead silence followed Malekith's outburst as he looked over the disbelieving expressions of the royal family. Even Shen Zoo seemed speechless and concerned as she immediately focused her attention on the Moon Empress.

Quai Yin tilted her head but did not respond as she looked over the faces of her children.

Malekith took a deep breath before speaking again, "Even without knowing all of you very well, I understand your perspectives. Princess Yin-Yin IS annoying and impulsive, but she doesn't deserve your contempt…neither does the Iron Dragon who as far as I can tell isn't nearly as crazy as you all claimed he was. At least he believes in progress and isn't stuck in the indolent stagnancy of your vaunted archaic traditions. Miao Ying and Yuan Bo also deserve more respect from the rest of you for the monstrous duties they have to shoulder. In return they should be less haughty about it and less prideful in accepting help. All of you like Shen Zoo because she respects you as individuals…so why don't you all follow her example and start respecting each other? Your family is even more dysfunctional than mine was…and that's saying something. I'm amazed that your parents tolerate this type of behavior from their children. It's clear none of you respect your mother if you're willing to act this way in front of her. I wonder if you would do this in front of Xen Yang…probably not."

All of the dragons remained speechless and seemed to have expressions of pure disbelief that Malekith was fearless enough to call them out this brazenly in front of the Empress herself.

"Quite audacious of you to say that, King Malekith…but well said, nonetheless. For a moment it sounded like their father was scolding them," Quai Yin chuckled which lightened the mood considerably after the deathly tension and eerie silence.

They all seemed baffled by the Moon Empress' lack of offense and perplexed by her light-hearted reception to Malekith's scolding of her children.

The Moon Empress politely nodded at Malekith as she spoke again, "Sometimes an outside perspective is needed to truly grant self-awareness. Nobody except Xen Yang has the courage to call them out like that. I haven't the heart to chastise them like he does, and it is likely why they feel emboldened enough to act this way in front of me when we're not in public. I thank you for diffusing that squabble and saying what they needed to hear. They would never do this in front of their father. In our culture, it is inappropriate to speak directly and bluntly…especially in personal matters not involving oneself. Tradition dictates a hierarchy and a certain level of respect among siblings and family. Some of them adhere to it strongly like Miao Ying, Yuan Bo, and Li Dao. Others like Yin-Yin, Shen Zoo, and Zhao Ming are more outspoken. I can see why they listen to you now…for they have sorely lacked their father's authority and accountability for quite some time."

"I…I apologize for my unforgivable behavior mother. I never meant to disrespect you," Miao Ying quickly tried to save herself from the shame of Quai Yin agreeing with Malekith.

Yuan Bo lowered his head shamefully, "I will take those words to heart, and I will act more considerate in your presence and with my siblings, mother."

Yin-Yin looked at Malekith disbelievingly before making eye contact with her mother, "I'm sorry mother…I am just acting irritable because so much has happened recently. Forgive me for my actions at the Celestial Court and just now. I respect you just as much as I respect father. I didn't realize you felt that way…I feel so ashamed."

"I am sorry as well, mother…I realize my actions reflect poorly on you and our family at times. I respect no one more than you, and I will be more mindful of how I represent the royal family and treat my siblings in the future," Zhao Ming added.

'Is giving therapy sessions some hidden skill I never knew I had?' Malekith thought crudely as he looked over the dragons reflecting on the situation.

Quai Yin nodded at their apologies, "Raise your heads, my children. It is not my intention for you to bask in shame but to learn from this. I find King Malekith's words quite moving…he longs for another chance to love his siblings. You shouldn't squander each other or take what's left of our family for granted. Until just recently, we all believed Shen Zoo was lost to us forever. It took the selfless actions of an outsider to bring her home and instead of celebrating, you are all fighting over nothing. Xen Yang will be overjoyed to learn of Shen Zoo's return…for it is his wish that you all regain the harmony you had before her disappearance. To be able to feel love for each other in case a day ever comes where he and I can no longer be here for you. He wishes for Miao Ying to open her heart once again. For Yuan Bo to trust that he doesn't have to do everything himself. For Zhao Ming to not feel outcast or lost and to be the son he once was. For Yin-Yin and Li Dao to stop feeling envy or the crushing expectations they put upon themselves. For you all to see each other the way Shen Zoo sees you. That is what the Dragon Emperor wants…but as you know your father isn't one to say such things aloud. He probably wouldn't approve of me saying this, but given the moment, you should all understand what he truly wants."

"That's what…father wants?" Miao Ying trailed off deep in thought.

Yuan Bo nodded with firm resolve, "I will honor father's wish and yours as well mother."

Zhao Ming frowned, "To be the son I once was…"

"Don't worry, Zhao, you have me to help you with that," Shen Zoo said assuredly to the Iron Dragon who looked the most distraught over the Empress' words.

The Iron Dragon smiled at his sister before looking over at Malekith, "I find it embarrassing that an outsider and a stranger is present for this, but I will not dismiss his words or father's. Shen Zoo's return is a sign that we should all move past our grievances."

The others looked at Zhao Ming strangely until he focused his gaze on Miao Ying, "I…am sorry sister. Though I doubt you need it, I will gladly help you and be more respectful in the future. You at least tried to rescue Shen Zoo despite your duty to the Great Bastion. I failed to find her, and I do not carry the same burden you do."

Miao Ying looked shocked by the Zhao speaking to her with respect and truly didn't know what to say in response.

"You can ask me for help as well, Miao Ying. I won't micromanage your provinces, but I am always here if you need my aid. I hope you can do the same for me. It has never been my intention to show you up or revel in your mistakes. I simply realize that you carry the greatest burden among us all and as administrator of Cathay, I have the most freedom to aid you. Father ordered me to prioritize helping you since he knew you would be too proud to ever ask for help," Yuan Bo added.

The Storm Dragon looked between Zhao Ming and Yuan Bo briefly before speaking, "If it is father's wish, then I will be more receptive to your help in the future. I would ask that the Iron Dragon works on securing our western border when he returns to Shang-Yang. There is a new breed of dangerous black orks amassing in the west and I could use his help dealing with it. Plus, with the Chaos Dwarves attacking the Great Bastion, I'll need an engineering expert like the Iron Dragon to deal with that threat."

"You need my help dealing with chaos dwarves and greenskins? Why didn't you mention that to me before?" Zhao Ming asked perplexed.

"Never mind that Zhao, we should help her deal with it. The Chaos Dwarves are clearly up to something, and the bulk of their empire is closest to your border. We'll gladly help you, Miao Ying," Shen Zoo agreed on the Iron Dragon's behalf.

"After I deliver King Malekith to Haichai, I am going to take a trip south and inform Li Dao of all that has transpired. I will see if he needs help as well. According to the Witch King, the Naga may become a much greater threat in the coming days," Yuan Bo followed up.

Yin-Yin looked around awkwardly before speaking up, "I apologize to all of you as well…I've been so impulsive and desperate to make a name for myself that I have inadvertently made a mockery of our fleets and I held resentment against you over my own failures. Regardless of what you may think of me, I will be more receptive in the future. I have the most freedom to travel and I will secure our eastern borders once and for all."

"With that said, I assume you've convinced King Malekith to help you deal with Nippon?" Yuan Bo surmised.

The Sea Dragon nodded, "Yes…King Malekith has agreed to help me put an end to our war with Nippon. After we stop that black ark attack in Haichai, I am going to go with him and we're going to force Nippon to make peace. I was originally going to have the high elves help with that, but the Witch King will work just as well if not better."

"It was smart of you to enlist the Witch King's aid in that endeavor. Nippon is afraid of Naggaroth, and they will stop attacking Cathay if the Witch King backs you up and announces our allegiance. A very tactically wise decision, Yin-Yin," Yuan Bo nodded with approval.

Quai Yin looked at the Sea Dragon and smiled, "You know, I was actually going to suggest that to you. Infamy has its advantages, and the Divine Sun will acknowledge the Witch King as a threat worthy of his attention. It pleases me to see that you have already reached that conclusion on your own. That is a very sound decision. Despite their military might, Nippon is wary of elven naval supremacy and magic. Forcing them to make peace is a great use of our new alliance with Naggaroth and it will benefit Cathay immediately. I'll have my onyx crowmen investigate the chaos cults in your provinces in the meantime."

"I…thank you mother. I half expected you wouldn't really approve," Yin-Yin replied with embarrassment.

"I know you are in good hands with King Malekith present. For all his immoralities, he is certainly powerful and intelligent. Besides, it will be good for you to make a friend and gain new perspectives on the world," Quai Yin replied.

"F-friend?! I don't want to be his friend…but he can actually help us and I'm going to collect on the reparations he owes Cathay immediately," Yin-Yin defended what was left of her pride.

Malekith sighed, "She also said the Dragon Emperor was out there as well looking for a Lion Tortoise. I imagine we could possibly cross paths with him."

"Is that what Xen Yang told you, Yin-Yin?" Quai Yin asked. The Moon Empress seemed doubtful of the news almost as if she knew more about what Xen Yang was actually doing.

"That's what he told me before he left," the Sea Dragon nodded.

Quai Yin looked away again, "I see…"

"Forgive me for changing the subject, Empress, but there is something important I wanted to discuss with you now that this is all settled," Malekith changed the subject.

The Moon Empress turned her gaze to Malekith and sighed, "Yes…the Puzzle Box of Xholankha is what you're referring to I assume?"

Malekith nodded grimly, "It is…one of the things I wanted to know about."

"Shen Zoo and Miao Ying told me about it and how you used it. I must say that I find it quite perplexing if I'm being honest. The fact that you even can use it is interesting," Quai Yin sighed.

"How so? You've surely seen the Old Ones and their technology before, right? What are your thoughts on the Puzzle Box or the Prophecy of Dawn?" Malekith asked.

The Moon Empress looked away briefly, "I don't know anything about the Prophecy of Dawn, but I do know what that device actually is. It is a specially crafted remote webway generator capable of entering the Webway…the lands between the Aethyr and the Materium. I am aware of the concept and how they work. Some called them stargate keys…portals to other worlds or realities. From the descriptions I've heard of it and from what I can see right now, it is a partially four-dimensional object anchored to reality by its pylon shell. That artefact is a marvel of physics and engineering…as are all the arcane sciences of the Old Ones. I've only ever seen one before, but it did not have a necrodermis shell like that. Clearly Xholankha meant to create a backdoor to this world with it so to speak."

"I don't quite follow…it's a backdoor? Where exactly would it lead to in the webway?" Malekith asked.

"It's probably a separate tunnel through space-time from the main webway the Old Ones built at their polar gates. The part we all see isn't even it's true form…only what is capable of manifesting in a three-dimensional plane of existence. Most of them are built that way, but that one particular seems special as it has necrodermis covering it. That's undoubtedly why it can manipulate the ebbs and flow of magic on an unprecedented scale," the empress theorized with a fascinated look.

Her children all looked intrigued by their mother's uncanny knowledge on this topic and Malekith could tell that it was very unusual for her to divulge this type of knowledge in front of them since they clearly had no idea what she was talking about.

"What exactly is necrodermis, mother?" Zhao Ming spoke up with great interest.

Quai Yin frowned as a serious look graced her features, "Necrodermis is a type of living star metal. It far exceeds anything of this world and it's practically indestructible. I don't know its true origins, but I do know that it can repel the aethyr or channel it depending on how it's used. I imagine the necrodermis for this webway generator was meant as a conduit to access areas beyond the aethyr and the webway itself…a pocket dimension to be specific. It would stretch beyond the reach of the materium, the webway, and the aethyr. I can see why a daemon like Kairos Fateweaver would be mesmerized by such a curiosity. Quite fascinating to think that one of the Old Ones hid away and left this marvel of technology in the hands of primitives. The part I am most baffled by is why…perhaps Xen Yang will know more about the Prophecy of Dawn. It is a shame Li Dao is also absent. He has taken expeditions to Khuresh and shares in his father's curiosity for the Old Ones. Xholankha was certainly divergent to the greater will followed by other Old Ones."

"You said this thing is partially four-dimensional? What do you mean by that?" Malekith asked.

"If a square is two-dimensional and a cube three-dimensional, then a four-dimensional object would be the level beyond that. A four-dimensional cube is called a tesseract. Such an object is difficult for beings like us to conceptualize. Consider the geometry for a moment though. A cube is made of six squares, one for each face. A tesseract is made of eight cubes with three to an edge. That gives it sixteen vertices, thirty-two edges, and twenty four squares in its makeup. It's impossible for us to see, but we can visualize it with mathematical understanding," Quai Yin explained in more detail than Malekith expected.

He was silent for a brief moment as he tried to visualize such an advanced concept in regard to a simple shape. This very idea opened an entirely new perspective on his opinion of mathematics and science. After trying and failing to fully grasp the relevance of this information he finally shook his head, "What does this fourth-dimensional space have to do with the webway though? How did the Old Ones even discover something like this?"

"They are millions of years old. Given enough time and thought, sentient beings will eventually gain a greater understanding of the universe and garner some level of control over it. As for your other question, that webway remote is partially four dimensional from what I know of them. I say partially, because it would be impossible for a three dimensional being to create a truly four-dimensional object. It can simply traverse through the fourth dimension to bend time and space," the Empress answered.

The elf looked down as he reflected aloud, "So this octahedron as Kairos Fateweaver called it is actually only partially in our reality? Is that how the webway works?"

"That is correct, but we can only perceive it in three dimensions as we are three dimensional beings. The Webway could bypass our three-dimensional reality by partially tapping into the fourth dimension. Their Webway is tethered to the aethyr which is also known as the immaterium, but it is also connected to the space between the third and fourth dimensions in the materium…our physical reality. It is how the Old Ones traversed the vast cosmos and built their stellar empire. Under the normal laws of physics this would take astronomical amounts of power. That is why the webway is tethered to the aethyr as a power source. This arcane science gives one the ability to fold time and space as I said. It comes with risks though…if the webway is torn asunder, the immaterium can pour into it…which is why the Realms of Chaos are connected to the polar gates at the north and south pole now. That is also why time flows differently there," Quai Yin elaborated.

Malekith had a deathly serious expression on his face as he stared into Quai Yin's dark and mysterious eyes. Were it not for his encounters with Kairos Fateweaver or Oxyotl prior, he would have assumed she was barking mad. Knowing what he knew now though, the Witch King was quick to realize that the Moon Empress had an unparalleled understanding about things far beyond anyone else's understanding. If there was any doubts that she was some kind of alien being before, they were quickly starting to fade as Malekith felt himself becoming smaller and irrelevant at the thought of such grandiose cosmic knowledge. Even her own children were in awe of this elaboration on the topic. It was quite obvious that they only knew partial truths about the matter since they seemed surprised.

After the long pause, Quai Yin continued, "The way the webway moves a three dimensional being through the fourth dimension would be the equivalent of a three-dimensional being like us taking an object outside of a square by picking it up and moving it beyond the lines of the square. That or folding the parchment the square is on to transfer the object inside of it. A being living within the two-dimensional square would only see a line grow, shrink, and disappear if the object was a three-dimensional ball for example. To a three dimensional being, the ability to tap into the fourth dimension would be equivalent to something being able to phase in and out of reality at any time and any place within the plane."

Malekith understood the concept better than he expected to…no doubt due to the strange book he read through Oxyotl's eyes in his vision-like dream. The Witch King pondered it for a moment before responding, "If I'm understanding the concept correctly, then how could anything even challenge the Old Ones and their power? Something that immaculate is truly mastery of the universe, is it not? How did they ever lose to chaos? Why did they flee?"

"As the old saying goes, King Malekith…there is always a bigger fish. The Old Ones were not the only rulers of the stars," Quai Yin spoke cryptically.

"You say that as if you have firsthand experience or knowledge on the matter. I personally find it incredible that you know such unfathomable things, but it leaves me curious as to how you gained such forbidden insight into the cosmos. Not even the greatest of the elven, dwarven, or human scholars have ever uncovered things similar to this," Malekith replied carefully.

The Empress seemed to understand what he was implying and looked at the elf seriously, "Any being as old as I, certainly has experience with things far beyond the understanding of people from this age."

The Witch King reflected on her evasive response before looking at Quai Yin seriously, "I have a few questions about you that I've wanted to ask for a while now. They might be a bit personal, so you don't have to answer."

Before Malekith could ask his questions, Quai Yin spoke up, "All of you leave us…I will speak to him in private now."

"M-mother, what for?" Miao Ying couldn't help but ask.

The others seemed equally unsettled by the thought of Malekith speaking to the Empress alone and they were all wondering why she didn't want them present for whatever Malekith was going to ask. Given the perplexing conversation Malekith and Quai Yin had been having up until now, it left all of the dragons deeply curious.

"Don't make me repeat myself. What I have to say is for his ears alone. It does not involve any of you." Quai Yin spoke darkly.

With reluctance, they all left the chamber leaving Malekith alone. Upon their exit, Quai Yin magically sealed the room closed before walking closer towards Malekith.

He felt extremely wary of her in this situation and almost hesitant to even ask what he wanted to now. It was clear that Quai Yin had some awareness of what he was going to ask if she was paranoid enough to send her children away. Despite her outwardly benevolent appearance and reputation, Malekith actually found her unsettling and intimidating up close and alone.

She had an otherworldly and uncanny presence about her that just felt foreign and eldritch. It was the same feeling Malekith had when he met Slaanesh minus the bewitching enchantment. Just looking into Quai Yin's eyes, one could see a life age of the world and experiences beyond reflected in her vaguely ominous gaze.

"I have a good idea of what you want to know…go ahead and ask your questions, King Malekith." Quai Yin gestured for the elf to speak.

"Are you actually a dragon, Empress Quai Yin? It's clear you're not of this world." Malekith began his first question.

She tilted her head at him curiously, "I find it strange you would ask me that before anything else. What makes you think I'm not a dragon?"

"You taught Xen Yang how to transform and even he seemed to believe you weren't a dragon when he met you. He instinctually realized you were something alien. This form of yours doesn't reflect the one you had when you met him…the form the primordial natives of this world had. You're a shapeshifter, and yet I have no idea what your true form is. It's only logical to assume you're something from the stars like the Old Ones," Malekith took the risk and called her out.

Quai Yin nodded her head, "I see…then my initial suspicions were correct. You know what the Crown of Night is, and you know of the Silent King. It would explain why you sought out Xen Yang and myself. I can't help but wonder if that was your true motivation behind rescuing Shen Zoo. To show us you're who we think you are."

"I didn't know anything about the Circlet of Iron's true nature or about you and Xen Yang until just recently. I…I've had strange dreams and visions. Your meeting Xen Yang at the throat of the world was one of them. You spoke of his mother Xiheyang perishing to cyrexi hive queens and of the Silent King uniting a force to destroy them. I remember Xen Yang staring at the sky in that vision and seeing strange lights," Malekith replied.

Quai Yin frowned, "Interesting, so you don't know everything then? I was always under the assumption you knew of its true nature. It couldn't have been easy to acquire in Vorshgar. The Eternal City is not easy to find and certainly not easily breached…especially its inner ziggurat which was sealed long ago. Your entry must have been…by design. I suppose it could explain Fateweaver's interest in you as well. That crown can shield you from Chi'an Chi's prescience. Tzeentch cannot truly see your future…only the Oracle himself can. He likely fears your power. If you don't know the truth, then I suppose you need clarity on a lot of things."

"I'd certainly appreciate some idea of what this Crown of Night truly is and who the Silent King was," Malekith nodded.

The Moon Empress sighed, "I suppose we should start with the basics before I speak of him. Do you know what an 'Outer God' is?"

"A god that exists beyond our world I assume? Something like the chaos gods or the god of another world?" Malekith guessed.

The empress tilted her head, "Not quite, but you're on the right track. Think bigger than that. This cosmos is after all quite vast and unknown. There are far older and more powerful beings in the universe than the Old Ones. Do you know what an empyrean is at least? Your predecessor was one."

"No…I've never even heard of that word before," Malekith replied confused.

"There are few who have. Even most of the ones of this world don't know they're empyreans. An Empyrean is an immortal being touched by divinity and capable of achieving godhood of their own. This can be confusing to people as there are actually tiers to divinity. In Cathay people call such beings Xian, but only the greatest of the Xian are true empyreans. The gods of this world are lower tier deities to 'outer gods' and most of them gained their power from an outer god's influence or through some other means of celestial ascension. It is similar to a daemon prince, but less malevolent typically and certainly more powerful as they are not tethered wholly to the aethyr. Empyreans can emerge in a variety of ways. Sometimes they are chosen by an outer god to be the vessel of their power. Other times they are the children of a god or another empyrean. They can also consume a god to take their power or even merge with them. Regardless of the circumstance, an empyrean is capable of wielding a god's power and mantling them. Most of the gods you know of were not born into divinity…they were created. Some even by the Old Ones themselves to enforce their 'greater will' upon the worlds they colonized," Quai Yin explained.

"So, they were the warm-blood equivalent to Slann then?" Malekith confirmed.

Quai Yin's mouth curled into a slight smile, "You catch on quickly…that is essentially they're meant to be, but gods are as fickle as mortals, and most have forgotten that decree or even how they came to exist. Only the oldest progenitors of the various pantheons would remember."

Malekith quickly realized this related to the passage he read about gods through Oxyotl's eyes, and he felt his attention deepen drastically at such obscure and forbidden knowledge, "You're implying all the gods of this world were these empyreans and that it's some type of larval pre-metamorphosis form required to become a god? Who even qualifies as such a thing?"

"Empyreans are typically demigods, or they are vessels to the power of a god or an outer god. Sigmar is an Empyrean, Queen Ariel is an Empyrean, King Orion is an empyrean, Morathi is an Empyrean, Nagash is an Empyrean, the Emperor of Nippon is an Empyrean, most of the gods of Ind are empyreans, I am an Empyrean…and of course so are you. I'm surprised you don't know about that since you can wield Asuryan's power, and you have the ability to influence a blood-crazed god like Khaine. Becoming the avatar of a god means becoming an empyrean…though I've longed believed you were an empyrean prior to receiving Asuryan's blessing. When Shen Zoo described the Battle of Turtle Gate to me, I realized that you were a likely candidate to become a god one day," Quai Yin explained.

Malekith started connecting the dots with Quai Yin's explanation and the strange texts Oxyotl read in Kairos' library. The strange wordage of those texts made a lot more sense now with this added context.

"Me…become a god? That's absurd. That's impossible!" Malekith gawked.

Quai Yin seemed unfazed by his reaction as she followed up with a question, "Do you hear voices in your head sometimes? Voices you don't recognize?"

"Are you asking me if I'm crazy?" Malekith shook his head.

The empress frowned, "No, you're not crazy…empyreans have the ability to commune with gods directly. The more you can hear, the closer to divinity you are. Usually, gods will take an interest in empyreans and speak to them in some way. Has something like that ever happened to you before?"

"Yes…" Malekith admitted reluctantly as he thought about all the times he had heard voices in his head.

"Describe them to me…if you would. When did it first start?" Quai Yin requested calmly.

Malekith took a deep breath before speaking again, "Back when I first acquired the Circlet of Iron…or Crown of Night rather, I noticed an immediate change in the way I behaved and acted. I've never told anyone this before, but I would always hear a voice in my head. I always assumed it was my inner self or something along those lines. I would even talk to it. That was the only voice I heard though for thousands of years. I used to believe it was Khaine since my father once confided in me that Khaine would speak to him through the Widowmaker. I learned recently that it wasn't Khaine who was speaking to me. It could have just been my own insanity or some chaotic influence. After I died to the flames of Asuryan, I spoke to him directly in some type of dream state in the Shrine of Asuryan. I could see the diamond pyramid behind him, and he restored my flesh and life to me before I woke up in the realms of chaos. I have been hearing a lot more voices since then. I heard Khaine's true voice since then and he speaks to me the most. I swear I've also heard cytharai gods like Anath Raema, Hekarti, Eldrazor, Drakira, and Ellinill when I was fighting for my life in the Palace of Slaanesh. I invoked them after my battle with N'kari outside of the Marcher Fortress. I also had a dream where Morai-Heg spoke to me through my sword Avanuir."

"Gods will typically ignore the invocation of most mortals, but they won't ignore an empyrean's invocation…especially one battling daemons in the Realm of Slaanesh. If the elven gods speak to you, then you are a true empyrean. Have you heard that first voice since then?" the empress responded.

"No…I haven't. I believe Asuryan or something has quelled that inner evil voice I once listened to. He also saved me from being bewitched by the glamour of Slaanesh. In fact, Asuryan is probably the reason I'm sane again," Malekith noted.

"Interesting…" Quai Yin nodded with a thoughtful expression on her face.

"So…we're empyreans? Does that mean you're a god and not a dragon then?" Malekith broke the long silence and followed up with another question.

"I am a dragon and an empyrean…but I became a dragon through dragon communion. I was born an empyrean however." Quai Yin stated factually.

"Dragon Communion? What do you mean by that?" the Witch King tilted his head in bewilderment.

"Where I come from, it was an ancient form of ascension to become a dragon. I was an empyrean from an outer world who became a dragon. My origins were far humbler than Xen Yang's…who was the half-breed son of the dragon progenitor of this world and the mighty sun serpent Xiheyang. Both of his parents were dragonlords. You've probably already figured out that Xiheyang and I come from the same place. I saw in her son a lord worthy of being my consort and ruling an empire to protect this world. He was powerful, but kind…wise and brave. He was very much like his mother. Xiheyang was my teacher, and I loved her dearly…as I do Xen Yang," Quai Yin answered.

"By that account, it would mean you're the true ruler of Cathay and not him…would it not? Are you older than him as well?" Malekith asked.

Quai Yin shrugged, "It depends on what you mean by 'true ruler'. Xen Yang is the sovereign lord of all Cathay. To the people of Cathay and to my children, his authority goes beyond even mine. I am older than him and I was once more powerful than he was in ages past. That is not the case anymore. He sees us as equals, but in truth I have always been his shadow and his counsel. He is the guardian and beacon of Cathay's power. Xen Yang often defers to me in private and I would say I manage most of the actual governing of Cathay, but he is the true dragonlord by birthright and I acknowledge him as such."

"You said I was an empyrean…and Morathi was as well. What does that mean precisely? We can actually become gods? How do we qualify as empyreans? I'm powerful, but certainly not a demigod," Malekith shook his head in confusion.

The empress sighed, "It means you have the soul and the flesh capable of wielding far greater power than most and you are host to the power of one or multiple celestial beings. Your mother shared some of her secrets of immortality with your original cabal of dark sorcerers, but their immortality is not the same as yours. I can say with certainty that you were in some ways born into it, which is why you've always been naturally more powerful than others. Both of your parents were vessels to the greater power of divinity. Every heir of Aenarion can feel the power of Asuryan and Khaine since your father was their vessel and avatar. In addition to that, you are a product of your own mother's self-empowerment prior to your birth. Her own blood makes you far more attuned to Dhar and resistant to its corruption than any other druchii or human. It's likely why you're capable of wearing the Crown of Night. Anyone else who has ever tried has died except the Silent King. You were a perfect vessel to inherit the power of night and destined death. Especially given your name. What's fascinating about you is that you draw celestial power from multiple sources and have two empyrean parents. You're far more likely to become a god than Morathi is. She made herself an empyrean, but you were born as one and named as such."

"What's so strange about my name?" Malekith wondered.

Quai Yin shook her head, "I always assumed you knew…or that perhaps you were him reborn. You share his name…for reasons even I don't know. One of the greatest mysteries of my life the past seven thousand years is wondering why you were named Malekith."

"You're implying I'm named after the Silent King?" Malekith gawked.

"I am indeed. The Silent King's name was also Malekith…" Quai Yin stated grimly.

The elf's eyes shot open in disbelieving horror, "W-what?! That's impossible…how could that be? Why would I be named after him?!"

"That has always been the biggest mystery surrounding your origins. It's one of the main reasons I forbade Yin-Yin to challenge you. I had always assumed you knew since you even wear the Crown of Night. It seems only your mother will have that answer. I can't imagine your ability to enter the ziggurat of Vorshgar was merely coincidence. It seems by design…fated even. As if the call of night had drawn you there to become the new listern," Quai Yin sighed.

"I still can't fathom why or how my mother could name me after some ancient king who died long before elves even existed. That's preposterous! How could she possibly know anything about the primordial age of the world?" Malekith bellowed.

"I suspect it has some connection to how she learned True Dhar. She certainly knows more than I gave her credit for," Quai Yin shrugged.

"You know far more about my life and Morathi than I ever expected you to. It sounds like you know my mother personally…do you?" Malekith asked.

Quai Yin looked away, "What she calls herself now or whoever she pretends to be is not who and what she once was. Unlike you, she wasn't born an empyrean. Her origins are far humbler than she'd ever admit. I saw a lot of myself in her admittedly and long ago I played the role of mentor to a young ambitious elf with a noble dream. Before the polar gates collapsed, I remember a simple village girl who had a great fascination for the stars and the nature of magic. One who sought me out to learn about the visions that plagued her mind and how to save her people. In her current form, she is a mockery of how I remembered her. She died long ago and something else replaced her."

The Empress' eerie conjecture on the subject caused a chill to run down Malekith's spine. It almost seemed like the Empress was speaking literally and not figuratively about Morathi dying a long time ago.

"What else can you tell me?! My mother has never spoken of her past to me before meeting Aenarion. How old is she even?" Malekith seemed anxious to know more.

"Even I'm uncertain about that. I only know of the girl from ten thousand years ago who was a priestess pariah. Whoever 'Morathi' is now, she is not who that girl was and not what she was known as to me," Quai Yin shook her head almost disappointed.

"What was her name back then?" Malekith asked almost desperately.

Quai Yin seemed hesitant to answer as she followed up with a question, "Are you sure you really want to know that? You have never known that person…and I fear it may complicate your feelings and hinder your ability to deal with Morathi. You cannot allow yourself to feel sympathy for her…she will use it against you as she has no doubt done for millennia. You must accept the truth…that girl no longer exists."

"Please…I just want to understand," Malekith requested as humbly as he could.

"You may very well regret getting the answer you seek. So be it. Her name back then was Marina…she was a kind girl with an endless thirst for knowledge and a great desire to be loved by others. As I recall, she was an outcast born with black hair and abandoned by her family. You probably don't know this, but the ancient elves thousands of years before the reign of the phoenix kings looked down upon black-haired elves as fell omens. They saw them as tainted children…to be cursed and reviled. The prejudice you likely grew up with pales in comparison to how they used to treat black-haired elves. Some would even believe this was justified since most black-haired elves became the elves of Nagarythe and later druchii. I remember Marina had a great disdain for the Everqueens and the elitists who saw her as a waste of life. She desired to prove herself to other elves and worked tirelessly to gain power so that she may one day be a hero to change that narrative. She warned Ulthuan of the coming catastrophe, but they didn't listen to her. Along the way, she dabbled in darker powers, believing the ends justified the means. Eventually, she ceased to be who she once was and turned into a mockery of her once noble intentions. Does that sound familiar to you?" Quai Yin paused.

Malekith was stunned by this revelation as he responded slowly, "It sounds like me…if I'm being honest."

"It's terribly sad considering how things ended up for her. She once had a good heart, and I can see some of her in you. 'Morathi' as she has called herself for the past nine thousand years is not that person. She didn't just change or become corrupted…I speak quite literally when I say that I saw Marina's lifeless body in what is now modern day Khuresh. I saw her attempt to achieve godhood. She somehow returned to life later with a new name 'Morathi' and had a completely different personality and seemingly no memory of being Marina. Though I can only hope that's true. I have no idea what it was…but it was something sinister. I have long believed that something else has taken her body. Marina is your mother in flesh, but she was long gone before you were even born. Morathi has always been your mother," the Moon Empress added.

The elf looked down in stunned silence as he began to recall every personal memory he had of his mother over the years. Even when he was a boy, he could always sense something dark and uncanny about his mother. Unlike anyone else, he was immune to her unusual glamour, and he always knew she was wicked and ambitious. It seemed hard to believe that something possessed the body of this Marina person, but he couldn't help but wonder if that was related to the source of Morathi's power. His mother clearly had power beyond that of elven means. He long assumed it was daemonic in nature, but this new information implied it was something even worse than Slaanesh. The location of Marina's death in Khuresh also raised a lot of questions and speculation.

"Do you have any idea what possessed Marina's body? Any theories at all?" Malekith asked.

"Unfortunately, I don't. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and Marina chose a darker path a long time ago for the supposed good of others and for revenge against those who wronged her. This is the consequence of seeking ultimate power even if it is for a noble cause. As you gracefully said to the celestial court and the Asur…those who wronged you died long ago and holding onto hate forever will only destroy you. Your mother's condition goes beyond corruption. Whoever or what ever is wearing her skin now, is not Marina. You've never known Marina and you should not let this information cloud your judgment when dealing with Morathi. They are not the same person. Marina died nine thousand years ago…and you can't save her. Not even I could," Quai Yin answered darkly.

"How did Marina die though?" Malekith gawked.

"It doesn't matter what happened since it cannot be undone. Explaining things further will only weaken your resolve. Do not show her any sympathy or mercy. If you truly desire peace, then she has to die. Morathi is very dangerous as I'm sure you know and it's very likely that she knows a great deal about the Silent King if she would name you after him," Quai Yin mused.

"Is this Silent King evil? You make it sound like he is…" Malekith changed the subject.

"Certainly dark like myself, but evil? Perhaps by modern standards, but in that age, he was a hero. He achieved the greatest feat of any of his kind…he befriended the dragons. He was a friend of Xen Yang and me. He lived in a time of terrible tragedy and desperation, and I find it incredibly hard to judge him considering the horrors he endured for our sakes. I always felt a kinship towards him despite his malevolent and violent nature. He wielded dark power to save the world and then sealed himself away so that others could live on. He resisted the call to godhood even though the world was in the palm of his hands. It was a noble sacrifice…but I knew it wouldn't last forever especially after the coming of the Old Ones. The call of night is far too powerful, and I have long feared that it corrupted you prior to the news of Shen Zoo's return." She replied.

"So, this Silent King was also some kind of vessel or living god for a cosmic deity?" Malekith asked.

"Yes, he was…one of the first ones of this world in fact. He wielded destined death and the Numenox race worshipped him as their god king, but they didn't know where his power came from. He was an empyrean to an outer god and wielded its power despite damning his own soul. He was called the Silent King because he was the listener and of this…being. The Nightbringer is what many called it." Quai Yin nodded.

"The…Numenox race? The Nightbringer? Why is there no record of this anywhere? I mean I know it was tens or hundreds of thousands of years ago, but still…does Asuryan know about this?" Malekith's eyes widened.

"Considering you stopped hearing the Nightbringer's voice in your head after Asuryan gave you his power, I'd imagine he probably does. Asuryan has long sought to ward away the influence of outer gods and chaos gods upon this world. He is among the honored few gods Xen Yang and I actually respect," Quai Yin noted.

"That's another reason he probably burned me originally. He said that chaos gods were manipulating me…but he never mentioned this Nightbringer. Why?" Malekith shook his head.

"He likely had his reasons. The more you know about the universe, the more susceptible you are to its influences, and the more tempted you'll be to dabble in forbidden power. I can't imagine he trusted your intentions initially considering who your mother is and who you were named after. Asuryan likely believed you weren't ready to know such things. He likely believes that even now and wouldn't approve of me telling you the truth. Warding away outer gods also includes limiting the knowledge of them. It's far easier to direct your concerns to a more immediate threat like the chaos gods than weigh you down with existential dread. I don't fault him for thinking this way…for ignorance is often a mercy and he probably had sympathy for you. I can't imagine how your journey through the realms of chaos would have gone had he told you everything I just did. It is why even now I believe it wise to limit how much I tell you for your own good," Quai Yin noted.

"So that voice…it was this Nightbringer? What exactly is that thing? What was this outer god and what is the nature of its power?" the Witch King asked horrified by this revelation.

"The Nightbringer is death incarnate…it is an ancient eldritch being that brings darkness, death, and destruction wherever it goes. It's difficult to describe it with true accuracy, but it is the antithesis of life and the most feared outer god I know of. Its power is called 'destined death' and there is no being mortal or divine immune to it. This power is so great that it can permanently kill daemons and gods. Even the Old Ones feared it. The lichelord Nagash has long sought this power…but he doesn't understand it. He has only uncovered prophecies of it. Destined death has nothing to do with soul-binding, necromancy, or spirituality. It is the bane of fate and change…it is entropy...the breaking of causality…it is annihilation…erasure…oblivion. The cold void of space and the empty silence of nothingness. It is true death," Quai Yin explained.

"So do the various death gods of this world draw upon this power?" Malekith wondered.

"No, they as well as my daughter Shiyama are the guardians who repel this power and safeguard the souls of the dead from daemons and the nothingness of oblivion. Destined death erases souls from existence. Nagash seeks to become a god by mantling the guardian gods of the underworld and he will eventually learn of this power and of the Crown of Night if he succeeds. It might be in your best interest to ask the elven death goddess Ereth Khial what Nagash is doing and make preparations to deal with him eventually. I have no doubts that he will come for you when he learns of the Crown of Night. Shiyama has told me what Nagash is planning, and he is equally as dangerous if not more so than this new everchosen Archaon. Were he to acquire destined death...we would all be doomed," the empress replied.

"Ereth Khial? The Pale Queen?! How in the world would I contact a god of the underworld?!" Malekith shook his head.

"You'll have to figure that out for yourself, but you shouldn't concern yourself with distant problems for now. There are more immediate threats to deal with. I just thought you should be aware and have an idea of how to deal with Nagash when the time comes. The guardians will probably help you. I'll even let Shiyama know…if she doesn't already," the empress brushed off his question.

"Fine, I have another question then. Do these Outer Gods exist within the Aethyr or the Materium and what do the chaos gods know about them?" Malekith changed the subject.

"Both…they are true gods unlike the empyreans who became the gods of this world. They do exist physically though unlike Chaos Gods and they often send meteors and fallingstar creatures to worlds across the cosmos to enact their influence and spread their…shards and spores I suppose you could call them. The chaos gods are well aware of them. Chi'an Chi in particular fears the Nightbringer the most," Quai Yin stated factually.

"How could I have been so blind my entire life? This is overwhelming if I'm being honest. Does Xen Yang know about any of this?" Malekith asked.

"He does, unfortunately, and it is why he despises gods and forbids their worship in Cathay. I had hoped to shield him from it all, but the Silent King told him many things I wished not to. I have never even spoken of this to my children…and for good reason too. The piecing together of dissociated knowledge can open up terrifying vistas of reality and of our frightful position therein. As the old saying goes…ignorance is bliss. Xen Yang says he is glad to know, but his paranoia and suffering says otherwise. Why do you think he's so obsessed with stargazing? Why do you think he mastered gravity magic and astromancy beyond any being of this world? Why he uses so much of his power to hold back the 'falling stars'? He could easily assist Miao Ying in repelling chaos, but that is not what he most fears and it is why he often doesn't intervene in the more mundane conflicts in Cathay. The children don't truly understand his burden and he prefers it that way. He would suffer for eternity just for others to feel safety and live in blissful, ignorant peace. If anyone could ever understand the path you now walk, it's certainly him and myself. He will respect you for the sacrifice you're making even if nobody else will…for it was the Silent King Malekith who taught him that lesson." Quai Yin replied vaguely.

An eerie chill ran down Malekith's spine as he reflected on the implications of her statement. Quai Yin was essentially telling him that he was better off not knowing the details for his own sake. Given what she had implied already though, Malekith finally understood why Xen Yang was supposedly so aloof and uninvolved in Cathay. The Dragon Emperor was using his power to fight a battle on a different playing field that no one else saw. It briefly made him wonder about the meteor Xen Yang threw at the Ogre Kingdoms that created the Great Maw. Would there be more things like that everywhere if Xen Yang wasn't holding them back? The empires of the world were like ant colonies battling each other over the territory of a yard who were totally oblivious to the war being fought by greater beings over their heads. Just the very notion of the idea made Malekith realize how insignificant the conflicts of men, dwarves, and elves were in comparison to whatever Xen Yang and Quai Yin were dealing with behind the scenes. He felt his respect for them triple almost immediately after realizing this and he felt a small measure of reassurance knowing that the Dragon Emperor would have empathy for his new mission.

"So does that have something to do with why the two of you were gone for centuries and why you allowed the Monkey King to take over Cathay?" Malekith asked after a brief silence.

Quai Yin frowned, "If you're that desperate for more elaboration then perhaps it's best if you ask Xen Yang personally. He could explain it better, and I would rather not speak of that venture for the risk of overwhelming you further. You look quite distressed, and I've already overstepped my boundaries telling you this much. I find your temperament and curiosity almost identical to my husband's…and I have a feeling you would act the same way if you knew exactly what Xen Yang spent most of his time doing. I know he'll ask for your help once he knows that you're allied to Cathay...and I'm sorry to involve you in our struggle. Xen Yang thought very highly of the Silent King in ages past and I can tell already that he will think highly of you."

"Fine, I'll ask him if I see him, but there is one last thing I desperately want to know. Where do the chaos gods fit in all of this cosmic theology? I still don't understand how they're any different than these 'outer gods'." Malekith asked grimly.

"The beings you call 'Chaos Gods' are Outer Gods that exist purely within the Realms of Chaos which is part of the Aethyr. They are collective perversions of nature and strong emotions that gained sentience in the aethyr. As you can probably imagine there are many chaos gods. The primary four are merely the greatest contenders. There are lesser chaos gods such as Hashut and the Great Horned Rat. They are different to the Outer Gods I speak of and not nearly as ancient. Some Chaos Gods like the Great Horned Rat seek to become true Outer Gods by manifesting outside of the Realms of Chaos. If you want an example of Outer Gods you might be familiar with, consider the Greenskin gods Gork and Mork…they are true outer gods and greenskins plague many worlds with their spores like an infectious mold. I hope that is enough to sate your curiosity for now," Quai Yin explained vaguely.

"This is all deeply shocking, but I will reflect on it later. Thank you for telling me as much as you did. It certainly puts a lot of things into perspective for me, and I feel prepared for my eventual meeting with Xen Yang now," Malekith nodded respectfully. It was fascinating to think about as it made Malekith ponder the idea that greenskins were alien beings that landed on the world possibly. Their fungal physiology was certainly incompatible with the evolutionary paths of any other being in the world and it also explained why the Old One texts Oxyotl read didn't even mention Greenskins as being a creation of the Old Ones at all. Their spores must have somehow landed on the planet.

"I suppose I've indulged in curiosity long enough. We should get back on topic and focus on the pressing issues now that I have a baseline understanding of things. On that note, I want to know what your impression of the Oracle's objectives could be. Kairos Fateweaver mentioned being trapped in a time loop or some kind of break in causality. Is there any truth to that?" the elf questioned.

"The Oracle of Chi'an Chi is completely insane due to him being cast into the Well of Eternity. If you stare into an abyss long enough, it stares back. He sees parallel universes, alternate realities, and branching timelines all in simultaneous loops. It's quite likely he has no concept of what's real and what isn't. His perception of reality is probably like a dream-state. He only knows of what can be or what was…not what is. We can only surmise what he might do given the infinite possibilities he sees, but he doesn't know which timeline is the real one. He can only guess. That is what makes him blind to the present and it is his only true weakness. Even a daemon doesn't have the mental capacity to cope with such knowledge. If he could then he would be greater than Chi'an Chi himself. Fateweaver claims the world has ended multiple times because he has likely experienced all possible futures and pasts in his visions. What he knows isn't in question…it is the path he wants. He clearly wanted you to have this puzzle box of Xholankha and to open it. What I find curious is why would he injure Shen Zoo with the knowledge that you would bring her here? He surely knew I would cross your path and what I would advise you to do with it." Quai Yin pondered aloud.

"Perhaps it's all part of his master plan. I imagine he wants Cathay to help me get the key in Khuresh and Oxyotl to get the key in Zlatlan. Princess Yin-Yin believes I should give this Puzzle Box to you or the Dragon Emperor, but I still don't know what to do yet," Malekith stated.

The Empress thought for a moment before speaking, "You may be surprised to hear me say this, but I think you should gather the keys."

"Why? None of your children seem to think that's a good idea." Malekith shook his head disbelievingly.

"If you reverse its power intake and use the necrodermis pylons as a conduit, it could theoretically be possible to seal the breaches into the Realms of Chaos at the polar gates with it. I imagine Kairos Fateweaver knew I was aware of that and would encourage you to gather the keys for the chance to do so. Xen Yang would also be interested in it as he has long been curious about the disappearance of Xholankha. I know for a fact he would want to gather the keys." the empress stated.

"Seal the realms of chaos away…impossible. Even if that is true, why would you encourage me to do that if you know it's Fateweaver's angle to manipulate us?" Malekith asked disbelievingly.

Quai Yin tilted her head eerily, "The alternative is hardly any better…a world overrun by daemons. The Rhana Dandra as you elves and the dragons of the west call it is coming. Regardless of whether this thirteenth everchosen succeeds or not, the coming apocalypse will arrive eventually. That device can provide a more permanent solution and the Prophecy of Dawn might not be as sinister as my children believe. Xholankha was unique among his kind, and he was Xen Yang's friend and mentor. If any Old One could be trusted, it's certainly him. Xholankha was a fascinating being and something of an outcast among his kin. He taught Xen Yang a great deal and even trained him. I'm certain my husband will tell you more about that."

"Earlier, you seemed doubtful about Xen Yang actually looking for the Lion Tortoise. Do you know where he really is?" Malekith asked.

Quai Yin almost seemed to smirk, "Of course I do…I always know where he is. Xen Yang isn't in Nippon as Yin-Yin believes. He went to Lumbria…a place forbidden to even my own children. Xuanwu is there."

"So, he went to rescue Xuanwu in Lumbria?" the Witch King seemed puzzled by this revelation.

"Xuanwu went there at Xen Yang's request three decades ago and hasn't returned. Don't ask me why. The Dragon Emperor will tell you himself if he wishes. I volunteered to stay behind and watch Cathay so that Xen Yang would not fear Cathay's safety in his absence. I don't like leaving Xen Yang unattended, but we cannot afford another Monkey King incident in these dark times. The empire has only recently recovered fully from that nonsense and until the children can come together, one of us must always be here," the Empress sighed.

"There is one other thing I wanted to talk about…I hesitate to even do so as I know how it's going to sound. In addition to having visions of strange things lately, I have also been psychically contacted in my dreams by Kairos Fateweaver. The truth is, he told me the Changeling would arrive before Yuan Bo at Turtle Gate and he told me about the black ark headed for Haichai. He even told me to go to Nippon to seek out a creature called Yamata no Orochi…and now Princess Yin-Yin wants me to go with her to Nippon. I feel like I'm being strung along by this path he has laid out and I feel I have to tell someone about it so I won't be framed for betrayal later or made a fool. From what it sounds like, Fateweaver wants me to unite the humans of the east…he even told me about the everchosen and said he was conspiring against him for his own agenda. He orchestrated the attack on Turtle Gate as well knowing I'd bring Shen Zoo there. He wants me to be an ally to Cathay…I just thought you should be aware of that." Malekith finally mustered the courage to confess the bizarre interactions he had been having with Kairos Fateweaver.

The Moon Empress crossed her arms and frowned, "That is indeed grim news, but I am not surprised. If anything, it actually makes more sense now. His number one priority is to breach the webway I assume, and he can only do that if you unite the keys. You cannot unite the keys if specific events do not come to pass, and alliances aren't made. It seems likely he is aware that the forces of order are currently too weak to outlast the warhost of the apocalypse and Nagash attempting ascension. His chance to see that puzzle box opened can only be achieved if that is delayed or stopped outright. The oracle certainly cannot be trusted, but he stands to gain nothing from you failing or perishing any time soon. As I said before…he can see your future far better than Chi'an Chi can. Regardless, I am glad you were sensible enough to tell me that though. I will reward your trust in me with my own in you. For now, I advise that you do what you think is right. Just because Fateweaver knows what we might do, doesn't mean he can predict the exact outcome with full accuracy. I wouldn't suggest searching for the keys until after you speak with Xen Yang first, however. He will know more about the Prophecy of Dawn, and we can reevaluate the situation then. I will trust Xen Yang to make the right decision in that matter and I will trust you to wield this newfound knowledge wisely. Regardless of whether it was oracle's intention or not, you would make an invaluable ally to Xen Yang and myself. You can go places and do things we cannot."

"I am relieved to hear you say that, Empress…" Malekith let out the breath he had been holding in as a wave of relief washed over him.

It felt great to get that off his chest and actually confess that horrific secret to someone without being condemned.

"It's very strange that Fateweaver would direct you to Yamata no Orochi though. That is unquestionably a dangerous endeavor. Hmm…he must be expecting you to cross paths with the Divine Sun then. Orochi would make for a good source of information." Quai Yin changed the subject.

"What do you know of that creature?" Malekith asked.

"Orochi is an eight-headed serpent…they call him the blasphemous devourer of gods. Nippon sealed him away long ago, but he was once a great force who ruled over the far east…not too different from the divine beasts. I imagine the reason he wants you to speak to that creature is because Orochi recognizes the authority of the Crown of Night and destined death. He was once an ally to the Silent King and helped us subdue the Cyrexi hive queens. He also knows the weaknesses of the Naga Blood Queens as well and can teach you how to resist their blood magic," Quai Yin noted.

Malekith nodded, "I will keep that in mind, Empress."

"Orochi is not the only creature to be wary of in Nippon. Trust your instincts and remember that humans aren't the only sentient beings to inhabit those lands. Many can take on the guise of men. Life's greatest illusion is innocence…don't forget that while you're there. I don't fault Yin-Yin for struggling to defeat Nippon. They are a very powerful nation and their reputation for being unconquered is well warranted. You will have your work cut out for you," Quai Yin stated cryptically.

The Witch King sighed, "Great…and here I was hoping this would just be a quick detour."

The mood became grimmer and awkward as the Empress turned around and gestured for Malekith to follow her to the balcony overlooking the city. He slowly followed her and remained silently unsure of what to say as the woman stared blankly for a long moment into the distance. She appeared to be gazing southeast towards Nippon's direction.

Finally, she spoke again, "Please look after Yin-Yin…I'm entrusting my favorite daughter's life to you. I know she is bratty and headstrong, but Yin-Yin is not fickle or as prideful as she seems. Deep down, she's very sensitive and fragile, but she is highly intuitive to the feelings and intentions of others. If you treat her genuinely and acknowledge her worth, she will come to trust you. Please continue to show her empathy and support like you did today. That has no doubt already improved her opinion of you."

"I will…you have my word. I'll protect her as I did Shen Zoo," he nodded.

"Also, if…no when you encounter the Divine Sun…the Emperor of Nippon, you may find yourself outmatched by his power. He is prideful and will not yield unless he considers you his equal or better. Your invasion may unite the whole of Nippon's warring clans against you and their emperor won't surrender without a fight lest he shame his people. I imagine you'll have to duel him to truly end this war. Orochi knows his weaknesses better than anyone. You may actually need the serpent's help to succeed in this venture. If you happen to fail, then at the very least keep my daughter alive. Should the worst come to pass, I will abandon my post here and deal with Nippon personally. That won't end well for them," Quai Yin's voice got even darker.

"I won't fail…I swear it upon my father Aenarion's name." Malekith replied strongly.

"Good…we've spoken long enough, and I believe you have a parade to attend. Make sure all of the children join you…especially Yuan Bo. He needs a break and should bond with the others. Tell him I'll finish fixing the Wu Xing Compass. I'm sure this goes without saying, but do not speak of this to anyone. Before you go, take this amulet. It is a Moon Heart amulet…Xen Yang will be able to find you with it. Those are priceless symbols of status in Cathay and grant you the highest authority to act on my behalf. I only give them to my most trusted vassals or children. May its silver hue shine as proof of our trust in each other," she stated seriously as she handed a beautiful amulet with a gemstone silver moon on it. The metal looked like star metal and Malekith could tell that it was magical.

Malekith nodded as he took the amulet and slowly put it on. He could sense it reacting to him and felt a strange magical surge upon doing so. He then turned to leave the chamber as he wondered about the amulet's mystical power. The doors to the chamber were already magically opening which implied Quai Yin was dismissing him.

As he headed for the exit, the Empress spoke one last time, "I should warn you…do not seek to wield destined death. If there's one thing I condone Asuryan for, it is his decision to shield you from that evil. You may be tempted to use it one day soon. I hope you have learned a lesson from your past and from your mother about the dangers of seeking ultimate power for a noble cause. If you feel burdened by duty and the weight of the world, know this…you don't have to shoulder it alone. Xen Yang and I will stand with you, King Malekith no matter what may come."

The elf stopped in his tracks right outside the chamber doors as he looked back at the empress who was still facing the balcony. He wanted to say something but had no clue how to respond to such a statement.

Finally, he spoke, "I have one last question. If I were to have any children, would they be empyreans as well?"

"Most likely…though I imagine any child of yours is well protected by Queen Ariel of Athel Loren. She would probably even say it was her own child," Quai Yin stated before magically closing the doors on the elf and leaving him alone outside the chamber.

The Witch King stared at the closed doors with shock as he immediately realized that the empress was aware that he had an heir in Athel Loren. The elf shook his head as he turned around, 'Never in my wildest imaginings did I expect Quai Yin to be this knowledgeable. She knows so much about the world and the cosmos beyond it. She knew mother, and she even knew I have an heir. I'm glad this Moon Empress is on my side. She truly is worth having as an ally…but something about her intimidates me. I haven't felt this type of existential dread since I spoke to Asuryan or Slaanesh. She says she isn't a god...but she might as well be one. I can't even imagine what Xen Yang must be like.'

He took a deep breath and reflected on the incredibly bizarre epiphanies their conversation yielded. Malekith felt even more confused about the nature of this plot he was involved in now than he did before. He felt small thinking about the cosmic scale of the universe and even about the greater nature of the world they lived on. Just knowing these things could cause nihilism or despair, and Malekith knew that it wasn't something any regular being would ever be able to cope with or understand. For better or worse, he was now among the cursed few who did.

The dark-haired elf brooded over these insights as he began to exit the palace and walked in deafening silence. A lot of things made sense now, but he didn't know how to feel about being an empyrean.

'Me…a god? That's ridiculous. I don't want to be a god…I just want to be a good king. No, I don't even want to be a king anymore either…I don't want any of this. I just want to live with Allisara in the colonies…free of this burden. Free of this cage to divinity and suffering. Haven't I suffered enough?! Why me?! Why did any of this have to happen? Why must I carry this thankless duty? My chest feels so heavy. I feel like I can barely breathe…and now I have to worry about these 'Outer Gods' and Nagash coming after me at some point as well? This nightmare keeps getting worse. No wonder the seekers of forbidden knowledge go insane. This world is so fragile, and it sits upon the edge of a knife. How could I ever find peace knowing that? I just wish I could wake up in my bed at Tor Anlec and none of this would be real.' Malekith thought to himself.

Even though most would leap at the opportunity to be a deity candidate, Malekith was wise enough to understand that it was an even larger responsibility than being a king and in some ways it was like an eternal prison. What type of cosmic hell would he be subjected to under such a life knowing what he knew now? Nevertheless, the thought did seem tempting as it could give him the power he needed to truly fight back against chaos. At the very least he would proudly wield Asuryan's power and hopefully redeem his soul before the end. All of this god-talk was a bit too much for his tastes and he didn't want to think about it anymore.

He eventually reached the entrance chamber where the thrones of the royal family were and saw the siblings all sitting around talking in there about what their plans were.

All of them perked up when Malekith entered the room.

Miao Ying was the first to speak, "Did the empress dismiss you?"

Malekith nodded, "She did…our conversation is over. She told me to go enjoy the parade now and said all of you should attend as well. She also said she would fix the Wu Xing Compass and that Yuan Bo should join us."

"Mother specifically requested I attend the parade?" Yuan Bo frowned.

"She did…she also gave me some necklace," Malekith spoke distantly as an evident depression could be heard in his voice.

Zhao Ming's eyes lit up when he spotted it, "A Moon Heart Amulet?! If mother gave you one of those…"

"Then it means she's given her full approval and support to King Malekith. Wear it with pride, Witch King, but understand that you are now granted the favor and grace of Quai Yin. Your actions henceforth will be a reflection on her…so I hope you understand the grandeur of our mother giving you such a precious artefact and continue to act honorably on behalf of Cathay," Yuan Bo interjected.

"I will…" Malekith nodded as his voice sounded a bit defeated.

The storm dragon frowned as she traded a concerned look with Yuan Bo, "Hmm…you look more crestfallen than usual. What did you speak to her about?"

"That is his business, Miao Ying, and mother's. She would not have sent us away if it was our business to know," Yuan Bo quickly answered on Malekith's behalf.

The elf was relieved that the Jade Dragon did so as he truly had no interest in trying to explain his conversation with the empress or decide what was even safe to say.

"Moon Heart Amulets are a symbol of mother's protection, favor, and authority. She only gives them when a vow is made. That's why Yuan Bo and I are the only dragons that have one," Zhao Ming added.

Miao Ying sent the Iron Dragon a disapproving glare as did Yin-Yin. The two daughters had long been jealous of their mother's favor for Zhao Ming. They could understand why Yuan Bo was entrusted with one, but always found it odd that the Iron Dragon had one too. Granted it was no secret that Zhao Ming was her favorite son.

"Well, even the Witch King got a Moon Heart Amulet before me…how splendid," Miao Ying grumbled in disapproval.

"Father has given you more than enough exclusive gifts, sister…so stop complaining," Zhao Ming shook his head.

Yin-Yin frowned as she looked over her siblings and sulked. It was no secret that the rest of them had the favor of one or both of their parents in Shen Zoo and Yuan Bo's cases. Unlike Miao Ying, Zhao Ming, or Yuan Bo…Yin-Yin felt a bit dejected thinking about how she was a forgotten problem child by both her mother and father. Anyone could tell that she was burning with jealousy at the sight of the Moon heart Amulet hanging from Malekith's neck.

Shen Zoo quickly approached Malekith and placed a hand on his spiked pauldron, "Are you okay, Malekith? I've never seen you like this before."

He nodded at the youngest sister, "I'm fine, Shen Zoo…I just have a lot on my mind."

"You're not fine though…mother clearly told you something terrible if you're making a face like that. You didn't even look this distressed in the realms of chaos or at Turtle Gate. If I'm being honest, you look like you're about to break down," Shen Zoo pointed out as her worried expression got more urgent.

"I didn't realize I was that transparent…" he sighed.

Shen Zoo's eyes looked sad as she tried to empathize with how he was feeling, "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

Malekith shook his head, "I'll simply say that Quai Yin has opened my eyes to a terrifying new vista of reality. I never expected to learn just how much your parents do to protect the world. They truly carry a greater burden than I ever expected…and it makes me feel small and unworthy by comparison. I suppose I'm just a bit overwhelmed at the moment. I have a lot to live up to knowing what I know now. Think nothing of it…I'll be fine."

Hearing Malekith speak that way caused all the dragons to eye him with expressions of curious thoughtfulness.

Zhao Ming looked deep in thought as it made him reflect on his lack of effort in defending the western border. Yin-Yin on the other hand found it baffling to hear Malekith say that after calling Xen Yang aloof and stagnant earlier that day.

Of all the dragons, only Yuan Bo seemed to have some slight understanding of what Malekith was talking about and how he was feeling. The Jade Dragon knew this feeling well as he recalled a talk he had with his father after being appointed the administrator of Cathay. He remembered how it felt. He remembered feeling like he always needed to do more to alleviate his father's unknown and greater burden. He knew that feeling of inadequacy and resolve just seeing his father under constant stress.

Miao Ying also had some level of empathy as it reminded her of when Xen Yang named her Warden of the Great Bastion. She never quite understood what her parents did most of the time, but she remembered the grim look in her father's eyes when he told her that he often wouldn't be able to help her and that he needed her help.

Shen Zoo of course seemed to understand that Malekith had been entrusted with some terrible secret and duty by her mother. It made her heart ache with sadness when the Light Dragon thought of how full Malekith's plate was already. A part of her was glad to see that her mother supported Malekith, but the Light Dragon felt a bit guilty at having been the catalyst to thrust all of this burden onto her elven friend.

Miao Ying was the first to recover as she walked towards Malekith and changed the subject, "Are there any political things we should know about? I can't imagine mother would speak to you for that long unless it was something very important. What are you going to do about the puzzle box and what of father?"

"She said the Dragon Emperor would come to me and that he would have a solution for this Puzzle Box of Xholankha issue. The Empress also believed that we should be true allies…and I agree with her. With that said, I will ensure Princess Yin-Yin's success in defeating Nippon," Malekith replied assuredly.

Zhao Ming then spoke up, "All of this talk of war and progress has me motivated to go deal with the greenskin and chaos dwarf problem in the west. I should probably negotiate with the ogres to stop attacking our caravans as well. If father wishes for me to be the son I once was, then I will work just as hard as the rest of you for the glory of Cathay. No…I'll do even better now that Shen Zoo is back."

"I never would have expected the Witch King would be such an anomalous boon to Grand Cathay…but in honor of the Year of the Rooster, we should all turn over a new leaf and work towards new beginnings," Yuan Bo nodded approvingly.

Yin-Yin was the only one of the dragons who didn't seem to be joining in on her family's optimism.

She crossed her arms and stared at Malekith intensely, "Why didn't our mother want us to know what you two were talking about? I mean what secret worth sharing with a stranger warrants keeping her own children out of the loop? To think she would give you a Moon Heart Necklace…you don't deserve one of those."

"She didn't want me to tell you. You're better off not knowing…but she did ask me to keep you safe and I will do so even if it kills me. I'll protect you as I did Shen Zoo," Malekith answered the Sea Dragon.

All of the dragons gave him a wide-eyed stare for his remark, including Shen Zoo herself. It almost came across as chivalrous which was extremely uncanny to see from Malekith. Only Shen Zoo had seen this side of Malekith before and couldn't help but smile at it.

The Sea Dragon scoffed at him, "As if I need YOU to keep ME safe. Don't treat me like I'm some damsel. Shen Zoo might like that sort of thing, but I don't. I swear, you elves are so arrogant. Never mind, at least you're wise enough to listen to mother I suppose. Something good came out of all of this…even if it came at my expense."

"I'll make the effort, nonetheless…if not for you then for your mother at least. I am truly grateful for the knowledge and trust the empress shared with me, and I am actually looking forward to meeting the Dragon Emperor now. I wasn't sure about this alliance with Cathay at first, but I feel confident now in trusting and helping your parents." Malekith replied diplomatically.

Yin-Yin grumbled in annoyance but seemed somehow pleased by this comment as she smirked a moment later and looked away. The Sea Dragon was no doubt pleased that Malekith was completely receptive to listening to Quai Yin. Plus, given the context of what Quai Yin told him about Yin-Yin, Malekith figured that Yin-Yin probably liked his declaration of protection even if she wouldn't admit it. There was something to be said about having a villainous figure like the Witch King vowing to protect you. If one could overlook the uncanny aspect of it, the gesture was quite rare and endearing…as well as special.

"Enough idle banter. The parade is going to start soon, and we should all attend it…even you, Yuan Bo," Miao Ying chimed in.

The Jade Dragon shook his head, "I still have a few more tweaks to make to the Wu Xing compass…I'll catch up with the rest of you later."

"You're coming along…mother's orders. Besides, mother said she was going to fix it," Miao Ying shot back.

He sighed heavily, "That type of labor is beneath mother, and it is my duty to maintain it. Father would scorn me if I slacked off and left my responsibility in mother's hands."

"It was mother's orders…you're coming along Jade Dragon," Zhao Ming interrupted.

"Very well…let's get this over with so I can return to my duties," Yuan Bo conceded.

"Maybe some cheerful celebration will lighten the mood. All of you look so uptight and serious…it's honestly starting to get annoying. Why can't we all just be happy for one day…it's the New Year's festival after all," Shen Zoo sighed.

"You're right, sister…we should cherish moments of triumph and peace while we can. We never know when we'll get another one," Miao Ying agreed.

Wei-Jin, Upper Plaza, Half an Hour Later

Malekith continued to brood in silence as he reflected upon the grim reality explained to him by the Moon Empress earlier. The sight of celebration, joy, and revelry did little to alter his mood as he felt trapped in his own head thinking about what he was meant to do.

He was barely paying attention to the dragons talking about various topics as their group reached the largest and most prestigious looking palanquin which was lined behind many parade floats. Countless people were in awe of the sight of multiple dragons together, and a great number of the turtle gate survivors were all staring at Malekith who was sulking with his eyes looking down.

Many people could see the Moon Heart Amulet around his neck and were gossiping wildly at the sight of it. Malekith was unsure what that actually meant to the common humans of Cathay, but he didn't care enough to speculate right now.

'Once I get back to Naggaroth, I have to seize control of Ghrond and find out more about what mother has been doing up there for all these years. I need allies in the dark convent if I'm to seize control of it quickly. It might also be in my best interest to try and commune with Atharti and Hekarti. Mother has strong ties to those gods and maybe I can get them to tell me about her. Hopefully that doesn't involve any troublesome concessions,' the witch king thought.

"Malekith," someone's voice tried to snap him out of his thoughtful daze.

'Whenever this stupid parade is over, I need to go find Maelyn Gloomwhisper and interrogate her immediately. I can't risk her sending any messages to mother or risk leaving her alive if I can't force her undying loyalty. How to do it though? Most sorceresses say they're loyal to me, but that's only because mother pretends to be.' Malekith wondered.

"Malekith, hello?!" the voice tried to get his attention again.

'I'll have to take Maelyn's soul and hold it hostage maybe. I don't know this Maelyn Gloomwhisper very well…but she could have a great deal of insight into mother's recent endeavors, and I could use her to open the gates in Ghrond and take the city without a siege. I'll definitely ask her about sorceress traitors before I make it clear that I'm opposed to Morathi. She might be willing to give me some names of sorceresses I can recruit. The only one that comes to mind is Felicion Heartkeeper. Mother told me she was a traitor back before my last war on Ulthuan that tried to kill her. That's the kind of sorceress I need on my side,' Malekith pondered.

"Witch King, what are you doing? Get on the palanquin! You're holding up the parade," Miao Ying's voice snapped Malekith out of his daze.

He looked up slowly and saw all of the dragons already on the float and staring at him concerned. The elf quickly gained his composure as he climbed up the palanquin float and focused back on the surrounding city.

The Storm Dragon shook her head, "Look, I know mother didn't want you to tell us what was said, but if it's affecting you this badly, then I'd at least like to know something. Why are you so distressed?"

"I was just thinking about my mother…apparently the Empress used to know Morathi," Malekith gave a sliver of information to quell the dragons' concerns.

"Wait a minute…our mother knew your mother?!" Shen Zoo gawked.

Yin-Yin seemed particularly interested in this information, "How could the empress possibly know your mother…isn't she evil?"

"That would certainly explain your mood. How did they know each other exactly?" Miao Ying asked.

"There's a time and a place for everything, and now is not the time for brooding or interrogations. This parade will be remembered for years to come, and it is imperative we leave a good impression on the people. Please at least try to look like you're not here against your will, Witch King," Yuan Bo stated seriously as the parade began to move.

The dragons all took a place at the front of the massive palanquin float where they could be seen by the countless citizens of Wei-Jin lining the streets on either side. Many more were watching from the rooftops and windows. Malekith slowly walked over to the corner, where he could be seen from the end.

"Stand over here with me, King Malekith. I'm the one sponsoring you after all as the hero of Turtle Gate," Miao Ying immediately walked over and dragged Malekith towards the front and center of their float.

The elf was a bit surprised that Miao Ying would actually deign to touch his arm, but it quickly dawned on him that the storm dragon did remove his armour and heal him not too long ago.

The white-haired dragon woman sighed at Malekith's brief resistance, "You really don't like being touched, do you?"

"I suppose I don't," he stated distantly as he joined Miao Ying at the center.

She seemed oddly understanding of his feelings and nodded, "I don't either…I should have asked first. My apologies, King Malekith."

Seeing her apologize to Malekith caused Zhao Ming to go a bit wide-eyed as he found his sister's respectful attitude towards the elf impossibly shocking.

Malekith ignored the various remarks from the other dragons as he tried his best to not suffer being the center of attention. Yuan Bo quickly took his other side before Shen Zoo could and even stood a bit more pronounced than Miao Ying was. In the following moments, the Jade Dragon and the Storm Dragon both appeared to be in an unspoken competition to look like the most important person on the float, but they seemed to compromise with Malekith standing between them in the most prestigious spot.

Yin-Yin took Miao Ying's other side while Shen Zoo and Zhao Ming were standing next to Yuan Bo. Every single person in the city must have been lined along this parade path as countless citizens tried to push to the front of the crowd to see the heroes of Turtle Gate and the royal dragon family who were at the very back. In the float ahead of them, Malekith spotted Sung Lian who was waving at him. Captain Zhu was standing next to her, and he nodded at the elf before turning around to the front of their float.

Malekith didn't wave back, but he gave a curt nod of acknowledgement.

"Sung Lian really likes you…I'd call it cute if it wasn't so strange. Her grandmother tells me that she's headstrong and prideful…but she seems to act like a schoolgirl when you're around. Do you have this same effect on elven women, King Malekith?" Miao Ying asked.

"Of course I don't…other elves don't look at me that way. I've always been a symbol of power and fear even before becoming the Witch King," the Witch King answered bluntly.

The storm dragon frowned at his dismissive pessimism, "But you were married once…weren't you?"

Malekith didn't respond as kept his gaze forward.

Yin-Yin then crossed her arms in disgust, "That shugengan must be delusional or a deviant…I'd expect no less from any child from your line, storm dragon."

Miao Ying smirked at the Sea Dragon to her left, "How so? It's not wrong to like a foreigner…even if it is an elf. Aren't you always hating on Nippon for having that kind of attitude?"

"That's different. She's a shugengan…not a commoner. Liking a westerner as a royal seems a bit wrong. I don't care if the regular citizens want to marry Indans, Nipponese, or western humans, but he's an elf…a dark elf no less," Yin-Yin noted.

Miao Ying shook her head at Yin-Yin but chose not to say anything to her. She instead glanced at Malekith, "What are your impressions of Sung Lian's obvious infatuation of you, King Malekith?"

"It's not infatuation…it's respect. She said she learned a lot from me and that she hopes to emulate my type of leadership. Normally I'd scoff at such a remark, but Sung Lian is loyal and receptive once you've earned her trust. She's one of the better humans I've met in my life," Malekith deflected Miao Ying's comment with cold logic.

"Well, that's true…but you'd have to be blind to not think there's something else there. She has great respect for me as well, but it's not quite the same. I suppose enduring hardship together developed a bond between you two," Miao Ying mused.

Shen Zoo was quick to interject after hearing that, "Why does this topic concern you, sister?"

"What makes you think it does? I was just stating the obvious and I was curious about King Malekith's thoughts on the matter," Miao Ying replied coolly.

Malekith immediately began to tune out the dragons' conversation about this topic as he took in the sights of the parade and the odd costumes and prop dragon being guided by dancers further up ahead.

About an hour passed as the parade looped down into the lower city and back around to upper plaza where an assembly to recognize the heroes of Turtle Gate was going to be held. During that time, Malekith didn't talk much but he did his best to not look gloomy as he stood with the dragons and watched the humans of the city cheering and celebrating at their passing. It brought him physical pain to be the center of attention on the royal palanquin float. He would occasionally answer questions or comment on something being pointed out, but he was dying to be alone right now. Nothing truly noteworthy happened much to his utter relief, but Malekith did manage to spot a familiar human in the sea of faces near the latter third of the parade.

It looked like Lieutenant Kongyu's youngest sister from the tea parlor earlier that day. Malekith couldn't help but wonder why he noticed her of all people, but the sight of the young human reminded him of Turtle Gate and her brother's death. He could see the resemblance and after making eye contact with the girl, Malekith found himself reliving her brother's death. In the girl's eyes was the same look of sadness.

He felt a strange resolve burning from within as he found himself hallucinating about the battle again. The sounds of fireworks going off throughout the city reminded him of the rocket batteries raining into the chaos army. Seeing the dancing dragon prop up ahead reminded him of watching Shen Zoo getting shot by guns from chaos dwarves. The cheering and celebration then began to sound like screaming as he imagined all the Cathayans that died at Turtle Gate. An unfiltered anxiety and aggression began to take hold of his senses as he felt himself entering a fight or flight state.

"Hey, Malekith, look! It's a-" Shen Zoo didn't get to finish her statement as she touched his arm.

The elf jerked defensively as he immediately reached for the hilt of Avanuir and glared back at Shen Zoo. She looked mortified by his reaction and stepped back, "What's wrong?"

"I…don't know. Sorry," he replied awkwardly as he returned to reality and looked over the dragons. Every single one of them could tell that Malekith had just experienced some kind of post-traumatic stress out of nowhere.

It must have been unsettling, because not one of them thought it was a good idea to pry further. Even Shen Zoo seemed uncertain about what to say.

'What was that?! Why did I start hallucinating about the battle? I'm used to having nightmares, but not losing my composure in public while I'm awake. What's wrong with me?!' Malekith thought shamefully about his own mental weakness.

Zhao Ming saved the atmosphere as he soon spoke up and changed the subject, "I've been meaning to ask you this, Witch King, but your armour looks quite damaged. I could repair it if you'd like."

"You're offering to repair my Armour of Midnight? It's made of materials you might not be familiar with, and we don't really have time to do that. Tomorrow morning, I need to set off for Haichai," Malekith responded.

The Iron Dragon crossed his arms, "I can forge and repair anything. It would only take me half a day at the most and Shen Zoo and I are going with you to Haichai to see you off. We have a good supply of star metal, and I certainly owe you a reward for saving Shen Zoo."

"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather fix it myself. There are adjustments I want to make once I return to Naggaroth. I wouldn't say no to receiving materials though," Malekith replied.

"Hmm…I can understand. You must be a true smith if you want to fix your own armour. I did not expect that. I'll gather some from the treasury supplies later," Zhao suggested eagerly.

Yuan Bo frowned, "More paperwork…outstanding. At least consult with me first if you're going to do things like that, Iron Dragon."

"Rescuing Shen Zoo and earning mother's favor is nothing to scoff at. All of you should consider giving him a gift as well. That is unless you aren't as grateful as I am," Zhao Ming responded gruffly.

Miao Ying rolled her eyes, "Very well, Zhao...you made your point. I'll dig something up to reward King Malekith for his feats in Grand Cathay and it will far surpass your measly tribute of crafting materials."

"I hope you don't intend for this to be a competition…if that's the case, none of you are going to outdo the administrator of Cathay," the Jade Dragon countered.

Shen Zoo laughed, "I already have a gift for King Malekith and it's the best one by far."

"We'll see about that, Shen Zoo. I already have something in mind as well," Miao Ying smirked.

'Why are these damn dragons always competing with each other over trivial things? Is this just a sibling thing? I wonder if I would have had a relationship like this with Yvraine or Morelion? Maybe not…Yvraine was Everqueen and they never would have let me near her. Morelion though…I mean his daughter liked me well enough I suppose,' Malekith thought as he watched the dragons bicker like classic siblings.

Yin-Yin didn't join in on this competition as she huffed and looked away. Shen Zoo was quick to call her out a moment later, "What are you going to get King Malekith, Yin-Yin?"

"Nothing, I don't owe him anything. He owes me…and that's why he's rewarding me with hard service," the Sea Dragon huffed.

"She could probably use some 'hard service'. Maybe that's why she's been so uptight the past two hundred years," Zhao Ming laughed.

Shen Zoo laughed as well. Miao Ying and Yuan Bo kept their composure, but both smiled lightly at the comment.

Yin-Yin then hissed at them, "That's not what I meant! Why do all of you always insist on making fun of me?"

"It's a good thing Li Dao isn't here to see this…Yin-Yin allying with elves. You'll never hear the end of it…especially after tarnishing his work to befriend the elven colonies," Miao Ying finally started to chuckle.

"I'll make sure to tell him that Yin-Yin is betrothed to the Witch King too. I could use some amusement when I see him," Yuan Bo finally let out a quick laugh.

The Sea Dragon's eyes shot open disbelievingly, "It was YOU! Yuan Bo, you started that stupid rumor?!"

"I can neither confirm nor deny that," the Jade Dragon remarked as he immediately regained his composure.

"Wait, what? Betrothal?! Malekith can't marry Yin-Yin!" Shen Zoo piped up.

Yin-Yin nodded, "Exactly, I would never do something so…humiliating. You're NOT funny, Yuan Bo."

"So, it was just a joke then…" Shen Zoo calmed down a moment later. Her distress over the matter was a point of interest to the others.

"I'm surprised mother didn't suggest the Witch King marry you, Miao Ying. Personality wise, you're a match made in heaven, I'd say," Yuan Bo continued riling up his siblings.

"Or hell…" Zhao Ming couldn't help but mutter.

To everyone's surprise, the Storm Dragon took it better than they expected, "We'd certainly make a powerful couple and he's not hideous or incompetent. I wouldn't have to worry about him getting old either. I don't find the idea wholly repulsive and even my people seem to like him. I would marry him if father wanted me to. Nevertheless, I doubt King Malekith would be interested in marrying anyone who wasn't an elf."

"Wait, what?! So, you'd be okay with marrying him?!" Yin-Yin gawked.

The storm dragon nodded, "Absolutely. He's not exactly my type, but there would be more benefits than detriments. He's no Sung Jinwoo, but I have been without a consort for a while. Looks aside, I do like his personality too. He reminds me of father and he's certainly dependable and strong enough to deal with me on a bad day."

"Isn't that every day?" Yuan Bo grinned lightly.

"Sister, you're serious?! I would have thought you'd be wholly opposed to something like that," Shen Zoo seemed horrified.

Miao Ying smirked at her, "You seem awfully distressed about the idea. Would that be a problem to you?"

"I…well no, but you have the Great Bastion to worry about. If anyone had to do it, I'd be willing to-" Shen Zoo didn't get the chance to finish her statement.

"Absolutely not!" Zhao Ming interrupted.

"That's NEVER going to happen!" Yin-Yin added.

"Li Dao would go berserk," Yuan Bo sighed.

Shen Zoo frowned as she looked over her siblings, "Well, it's not actually happening, but I was just saying I'd make the best option. King Malekith and I are good friends after all, and the people of Cathay would find it heartwarming after he saved me from the Realms of Chaos."

"Technically Yin-Yin would make the best option. It would also reinforce the faith of the people in the eastern provinces to trust the Witch King as well. Plus, Nippon would never attack Cathay again if the Sea Dragon was the Witch King's bride," Yuan Bo stated logically.

Miao Ying rolled her eyes, "Not even the Witch King deserves a fate as horrid as being married to Yin-Yin. I wouldn't subject him to such cruelty after everything he's done for Cathay. As the eldest daughter here, the responsibility would be mine. Besides, it would reflect poorly on Yin-Yin's high elf friends if she married King Malekith. Don't overlook that, Yuan Bo."

'Are they seriously arguing over who I would theoretically marry?!' Malekith thought dreadfully.

He felt cringeworthy embarrassment from even listening to this conversation and prayed to the gods nobody would ask his opinion on the matter.

"What do you think, Malekith? If you had to marry one of the princesses of Cathay, who would you pick?" Shen Zoo asked him.

'Damn it!' Malekith cursed mentally as all the dragons stared at him intensely.

"I don't have much interest in getting married right now. There are far more pressing issues to deal with before I even humored something like that. Besides, it's something your parents would need to decide on, not me," Malekith skillfully evaded answering the question.

Shen Zoo tilted her head, "We know that, but if you had to choose one of us…"

"Yes, I am quite curious to know the answer to that as well. Obviously, it would either be me or Shen Zoo," Miao Ying added.

Zhao Ming was staring daggers at Malekith as if daring him to say Shen Zoo's name.

The Witch King looked away as he picked the safest answer possible, "It's inappropriate to discuss such things before I've even met your father yet."

"That is a good answer," Yuan Bo agreed.

Zhao Ming nodded, "Yes, though if you ask me, the Witch King is a perfect match for the Storm Dragon. She certainly acts humbler and more bearable when he's around."

"The Sea Dragon is clearly the better option. Her provinces are closest to Naggaroth and she has the disposition and temper to deal with dark elves as well. Besides, the logistics make the most sense as she will be spending a lot of time recovering our enslaved people from Naggaroth and it wouldn't interfere with her duties as the admiral of the dragon fleet," Yuan Bo shook his head.

Shen Zoo looked a bit dejected by her siblings all arguing over this and being kicked out of the consideration.

Yin-Yin then stopped the argument as she spoke up, "Can we please stop talking about this already?! Your little joke is over Yuan Bo, and it was never funny to begin with."

"As you wish," the Jade Dragon nodded.

Miao Ying crossed her arms, "It may be a joke now, but that is the kind of thing mother would suggest. I suppose I'll spare Yin-Yin any more humiliation and offer myself if mother and father want a political marriage. None of you should get worked up over it. Clearly I would do it since I have the most experience with duty."

"Oh, don't go preaching about how much of a martyr you are, Miao Ying. As if I'd let you lord that over my head for the rest of time. The Jade Dragon is right…it makes the most sense for it to be me. I don't like the idea, but I'd consent if mother and father wished it so," Yin-Yin groaned.

"I'm not martyring myself. Didn't I say I was fine with it? Or do you not like the idea of me being the Witch Queen? Come to think of it, I'd be upgraded from Imperial Princess to Queen. I find it humorous that you were wholly opposed to the idea until I volunteered for it." Miao Ying shot back.

"I don't like the idea of being indebted to you for accepting a duty that I'm better suited for! I'm the best option, and even the Jade Dragon agrees." Yin-Yin countered.

Miao Ying scoffed at her younger sister, "Tradition dictates that the eldest daughter should marry a foreign sovereign…especially if it's a king or an emperor. Are you suggesting we ignore tradition? You should just go marry Nippon's emperor. The only reason father would select you over me in a political marriage is if you really wanted to marry King Malekith. Do you?"

"This is getting good," Zhao Ming chuckled as he nudged Yuan Bo. The Jade dragon actually seemed to agree with his eccentric brother as he watched the petty argument with amusement.

"No, of course not, but I won't let you either! By your dumb logic about tradition, Shiyama should marry him." Yin-Yin growled.

"And I'm certain she gladly would, but since she's indisposed all the time, the duty falls to me," Miao Ying replied smugly.

Malekith couldn't tell if Miao Ying was being serious or just doing this to tease Yin-Yin. Either way, it made him uncomfortable.

"Can you all please stop arguing about this nonsense?! I'm not marrying anyone. I already had a wife, and I don't need another one to nag me to death," Malekith interrupted.

Miao Ying and Yin-Yin were both glaring at each other now for some peculiar reason. It seemed doubtful that they were actually fighting over who would get to marry him, but more likely that they just wanted to one-up the other in some way. At least that was how Malekith interpreted it. The idea of anyone wanting to marry him seemed impossible…especially these dragons. He hadn't known them nearly long enough for there to be any kind of affection.

Almost nobody loved him, and nobody wanted to marry him even for political gain. Shen Zoo obviously liked him a great deal, but Malekith just couldn't accept the idea of her being his wife. She was too pure and innocent. He wouldn't put her through that even if she thought she wanted it.

He couldn't even fathom someone like Miao Ying finding him attractive as the Storm Dragon seemed way too serious and simultaneously aloof. Just imagining that impossibility made him wince. Malekith found it unsettling and was disgusted with himself for even pondering the possibility of it for half a second.

Yin-Yin obviously was the best choice, but she disliked him the most out of all the dragons present. Malekith had no interest in trying to change that narrative and knew that becoming cordial with her was the best he could ever hope for. No…it was the only possibility. He'd have better luck having a happy marriage with an Asur from Ulthuan than the Sea Dragon.

All of the joking about marriage did give Malekith something to ponder though. Since he was no longer bound to his Armour of Midnight, he could theoretically get married again and sire heirs.

'Maybe I should consider remarrying someone in Naggaroth or Athel Loren. Hmm…I was opposed to it initially, but it would worth a lot politically. Anethra is too promiscuous and ambitious…the idea repulses me. Hellebron is too old and too crazy. Her younger self would have been a decent option, but I couldn't marry my friend's daughter. Her derangement aside, that doesn't seem morally right. No one else in Naggaroth is even worth marrying who could garner me political favor. Laithikir Fellheart is the only she-elf I'd ever consider from the druchii as a bride, but she's most likely dead and she already had a family. I could have a political marriage with Athel Loren though. I can't marry Ariel since she's already married…someone else perhaps. It could easily get the Asrai on my side and I could look for my long-lost heir while I'm there. The only issue would be quelling any animosity Ariel has with me. I haven't seen her in millennia. There has to be a decent option somewhere. As much as it disgusts me, marrying someone important in Ulthuan would be beneficial. It would show them I'm serious about peace. Obviously not the Everqueen, since I'm relinquishing my claim on the Phoenix Throne. Hmm…maybe a Princess from Eataine or Saphery? Caledor might be the best option. I could gain access to a lot of materials and to more dragons. The only problem is no Asur Princess would ever sacrifice her pride and sully her family's reputation to marry the Witch King. Plus, then I'd have to worry about her trying to kill me all the time…and worse have sex with her to sire children,' Malekith tuned out the dragons as he thought about the political marriage options available.

Fortunately, the dragons had finally stopped talking about marriage and Malekith was relieved to see the parade was reaching the end. Many citizens were following behind the parade as they gathered up in the upper plaza to where the royal palanquin float was being carried to.

"It looks like the parade is already over," Shen Zoo sighed.

"Time to address the people…I hope you're all ready to give speeches," Yuan Bo announced as he moved to exit the float first.

One by one the dragons got off as they followed Yuan Bo up some stairs to a large platform overlooking the sea of humans gathered below. Malekith walked in the back next to Miao Ying as he slowly ascended the steps.

He was dreading the idea of possibly having to give another speech. Miao Ying leaned over and spoke to him quietly as they walked up, "Remember, King Malekith…most of these people aren't soldiers, so try not to be too negative or grim up there. This will be our official announcement for peace and our alliance. First impressions are a big deal and if I do have to marry you, I'd prefer you not embarrass me before it even happens."

"I'll try not to scare them…" Malekith stated without acknowledging her marriage comment.

"A little fear is good…just don't overdo it. Maybe a softer version of the one you gave at Turtle Gate," Miao Ying smirked.

A brief silence passed as they continued to climb the stairs. Malekith glanced over at the white-haired princess and reluctantly asked her a question, "So…is Sung Jinwoo the progenitor of the Sung family?"

"Obviously…why do you ask?" Miao Ying tilted her head at him curiously.

"Why would a dragon marry a human? What made you like that man?" Malekith wondered.

Miao Ying chuckled at his question, "You're the last person I ever expected to ask about my past paramours. What interest is it to you?"

"I was just curious about Sung Lian's ancestor and shugengans in general. I figured he must have been a great human if she's descended from him. Don't misinterpret my curiosity as interest in your love life," he looked away.

The Storm Dragon looked away and seemed to go cold as if Malekith said something rude, "Maybe you should ask the shugengan then. I don't care much for talking about my personal life outside of defending the Great Bastion and it's none of your business anyways."

"I will do that then," Malekith nodded in acceptance. He probably came across as incredibly dense in the moment, but it was the best way to keep things from becoming awkward. Malekith wasn't sure why, but Miao Ying looked a bit offended somehow.

Directly in front of them was Yin-Yin who was looking back at Malekith hostilely. He ignored her glare, as he kept a stoic expression on his face. Malekith was just ready to get out of Cathay and to go home. He had probably done more socializing in his brief stint of Cathay than he did in the past millennia in Naggaroth. Plus, now he had to go to Nippon and do this nonsense all over again.

Upon finally reaching the platform overlooking the crowd, Malekith saw a host of important looking people ranging from magistrates, shugengans, celestial generals, and other prestigious nobles of the city. He paid them no mind as he dreadfully followed the dragons to the edge of the platform where they could be seen by an endless crowd below.

He had no idea what he was going to say and mentally reflected on the best way to talk to human civilians for the next few minutes as the dragons all gave out various speeches about the new political changes and what the Witch King accomplished during his time in Cathay.

Malekith was so zoned out of the ordeal that he wasn't even listening to what they were saying specifically after a few minutes. He had already been through this before, and he didn't even care what the crowd's reaction would be to hearing this news from the royal family. The only thing that drew him out of his own brooding was the occasional reaction from the crowd and the random cheering here and there. One by one the dragons all spoke. Yuan Bo went first, followed by Miao Ying, Zhao Ming, and Yin-Yin. Shen Zoo was the last one to speak.

All of their speeches did seem themed though from the bits he bothered listening to. Yuan Bo's was a political explanation as well as a detailed account of his assurance to the people that Malekith had the Moon Empress' trust. Miao Ying's speech was mostly about the Great Bastion and how its defenders deserved honour and praise. Her speech concluded on giving a vague explanation about Malekith's actions there. Zhao Ming talked about the future the new year would bring and how the return of Shen Zoo had motivated him to work harder for the people. His speech was probably the most interesting one to Malekith since Zhao Ming also requested that brave and able-bodied people, whether they were commoners or nobility should do the same.

Yin-Yin's speech was about the Eastern Provinces and how she was going to bring them justice. She explained that even though she abhorred the dark elves and the Witch King, that the Moon Empress believed in him and that she would determine his worth in the coming days. She also offered reassurance to the people that the Dragon Fleet would be bringing enslaved people from Naggaroth home, and that people shouldn't give up hope.

Malekith found it curious that Yin-Yin didn't mention her plan to defeat Nippon, but it made sense after quick analysis. The possibilities for spies always existed and Yin-Yin probably didn't want to make any declarations until she had results. Her public and private personas were completely different as the Sea Dragon came across as very wise and level-headed in her speech…which seemed like the opposite of the way she acted around him or her family.

Shen Zoo's speech went last, and it was very moving to the people of Cathay as she spoke of new beginnings and the bond of love and family. Malekith tuned in for her speech and he wasn't disappointed at all…at least until she started talking about him.

He tried his best to not look annoyed as Shen Zoo turned and gestured her arm at him, "I know what many people may think of the Witch King or dark elves, but I kindly ask that you pay my rescuer the respect he's earned. He is nothing like the dark elves of Naggaroth…he is truly a Xian, and he believes in the greater good of the world. Not one of you has ever walked a day in his boots or understand the darkness he has suffered through in his life. It's easy to be virtuous and righteous when you bask in the light of glory and adoration, but it's hard to be a good person when the world has turned its back on you and mocks you for trying. There is no greater heroism than someone who makes a thankless sacrifice believing full well it won't bring glory or appreciation. I have known many great heroes and Xian in my life…but none of them compare to King Malekith. When people ask me what the Dragon Emperor respects the most in others, it is that humility…that sacrifice. That strength of character and empathy for those much weaker than oneself. Every survivor of Turtle Gate can attest to King Malekith's character. From the peasant militia to Shugengan Sung Lian herself, there is not one man or woman from that garrison who would speak ill of him. In spite of all his great deeds, the Witch King has asked for nothing. In all honesty, he didn't even want to come here. He wanted to go home and is here on our behalf. It may be inappropriate to explain how he saved me, but I will just so that you all understand how moved my family was by his actions."

A brief pause followed as the crowd seemed to be staring with eager anticipation to learn more about Shen Zoo's rescue. None more so than the Turtle Gate survivors who were standing close to the front of the crowd.

Shen Zoo then continued, "I was ensnared in the Realms of Chaos…certain of my own death. Surrounded in a sea of evil and darkness. I was at the mercy of Chi'an Chi and Slaanesh. Even as a dragon, I felt powerless and doomed…but destiny delivered me the most unlikely hero in my hour of need. Not a golden knight or a paragon of chivalry and virtue…but a dark elf sorcerer king who fought his way into the palace of a daemon god. Our meeting was unexpected, but he freed me, and we worked together to escape. We even encountered the horrific Oracle of Chi'an Chi who King Malekith and I fought along with a host of other terrible monsters. He had many opportunities to leave me behind, and he didn't. When he brought me out of that dark realm, I was unconscious at the north pole. He had the choice to return to his own land of Naggaroth and he chose instead to bring me here. The world knows him as a tyrant, a slaver, a dark sorcerer, and a selfish villain. I ask you though, people of Cathay…what kind of a villain would risk his own pride and safety to deliver me personally back home? He even had the option to take me to Naggaroth, but he did not. He chose to help me. He chose to sit in the gallows of Turtle Gate until I awoke. He chose to stay and fight a chaos army to ensure my survival. I will refute any claims that he is evil or selfish from ANYONE be they man, elf, dwarf, or dragon! He bled for us…don't ever forget that."

Malekith almost groaned in disapproval at hearing Shen Zoo speak so highly of him to the massive crowd. It honestly made him sick to his stomach. What was he supposed to say to them after Shen Zoo put him on a pedestal.

He sighed as he looked down and didn't take in the reactions of the crowd. He could hear cheering and other sounds of endearment from the crowd and braced himself for the coming cringeworthy suffering.

"King Malekith will now speak to you all," Shen Zoo concluded as she motioned for Malekith to go.

The Witch King still had no idea what to even say, but after a brief silence he spoke, "I appreciate the endorsements from the dragons of Cathay, but I have to make this clear to all of you in attendance. I am not a hero, and you shouldn't misinterpret Princess Shen Zoo's words for anything other than a lesson to reflect on. It's never too late to do the right thing. It's never too late to become the person you should be. She is kind and optimistic and she has been more beneficial to me than I to her. I can see why she is called the light of Cathay and you have her to thank for all of this…not me. I wanted to go home right after the battle of Turtle Gate, but I only stayed because the Storm Dragon healed my wounds and requested that I meet her parents. I owed her for saving my life. I owe the Light Dragon for the same reason. Regardless of my reputation, I always repay those who help me. That is the only true honor I claim to have. I'll be the first to admit that I'm undeserving of anything here…especially from a nation that I allowed my black arks to raid for a thousand years. To be honest, I didn't really care at the time because I didn't know much about this land or its people. I don't expect or want your reverence, but I will help you if you help me. Shen Zoo told me that humans were worthy of my respect, and I honestly didn't believe her until I came here. Your enslaved citizens will be set free…even if I have to kill a third of Naggaroth to do so. I would say the best thing that came out of this entire ordeal was my epiphany on the worth of humans. Those of you who fought beside me at Turtle Gate have my respect. The ones that died…even more so. Your comrades didn't die in vain...I'll make sure of that. Despite all the glit and glamour of this cultural festival, I saw the real culture of Cathay at the Great Bastion and the real mettle of its people who stood against the armies of darkness. It reminded me of zeal my father's army in Nagarythe had when daemons flooded Ulthuan. You didn't fight to kill what was in front of you...but to protect what was behind you. Somewhere in my life I lost track of that vision, but I have regained it here. What ever the future may bring, I will honor the promise I made to the Moon Empress. That is all I have to say."

After concluding speech, Malekith immediately turned around so that he didn't have to see the crowd's reaction. Not even a second after he turned around, he heard his name being chanted, "Malekith! Malekith! Malekith!"

The Witch King slowly looked back and saw it was the Turtle Gate survivors doing it. Obviously, Jin Tao was front and center and Malekith even made eye contact with the man. The rest of the crowd quickly followed suit and before he knew it, half the city was chanting his name for some bizarre reason.

'Why are they chanting my name? That speech was terrible. I just spoke the truth to them. Why does my charisma work on humans but not elves? This is ridiculous. I wonder what mother would say if she could see this,' Malekith thought incredulously.

Unlike the time at Turtle Gate, he couldn't just walk away and immediately go to sleep to avoid basking in the limelight. He was stuck up here until one of the dragons would end this dreadful ordeal.

'Ughhh…maybe I should get those drinks with Jin Tao. After today I honestly wouldn't mind being drunk and taking my mind off of all this. I don't want to go to sleep though. Who knows what horrible thing I might dream up next. Sometimes I wonder if I ever left the Circle of Paramountcy,' Malekith thought as he kept a completely stoic reaction to the crowd.

After what felt like an eternity to him, Malekith was finally saved by Yuan Bo stepping forward and concluding the assembly, "In honor of the Year of the Rooster, let us all work together for new beginnings and a new dawn. This assembly is hereby concluded. May you all enjoy the rest of the festival. Glory to Cathay!"

Despite giving the closing statement and dismissing the crowd to finish off the night in merriment, many people stayed as they kept staring up at Malekith for whatever reason and kept on cheering.

The elf couldn't help but think that this reminded him of a story he heard from an Araby slave once about a Djinn granting wishes. Often times they came with unwanted conditions or strange technicalities. His old self would revel in something like this…from elves. Instead, he was getting it from humans when he didn't want it. Life was full of strange ironies it seemed.

Moments later a mosaic of fireworks launched into the sky all throughout the city. The greatest concentration came from behind the platform they were all standing on as it seemed to give off a radiance to the royal family and to Malekith who stood in a sea of colorful lights above the adoring citizens below. Hoping to fade into the background, Malekith walked away from the group, but stayed on the platform as he got a bit more privacy.

He then looked up at the fireworks and watched them in silence as he felt himself tuning out the world again and staring into the night sky beyond, 'In Darkness, I shall be light.'

"That was a very good speech, King Malekith," Miao Ying interrupted the elf from his brooding as she walked up next to him, "you certainly know how to inspire people. Better that you're doing it for good now instead of evil."

He snapped out of his melancholic daze as he glanced over at her, "If you say so."

"The last time my father made a public appearance, he did this exact same thing. He even walked to this very spot. By the way, it was nice of you to mention that I healed you. I'm still amazed that an elf is actually capable of being humble," she stated after a brief pause. It was obvious that Miao Ying wasn't really sure what to say to him in that moment.

"It's what happened…" he stated blankly.

Miao Ying cocked her head at him a bit annoyed, "Well I have to return to the Great Bastion tomorrow. Hopefully you don't get yourself in a situation like that again. I won't be there to save you next time and it would make Shen Zoo incredibly sad if you died…so do me a favor and don't die. I'm certain you'll have to do all the real work in Nippon while Yin-Yin complains. Be careful out there. Their nation is not as weak or inferior as my sister thinks they are."

Malekith did not respond to her as he turned his attention back to the sky and returned to his thoughts. Miao Ying silently did the same and was quick to realize that he wasn't actually watching the fireworks but staring into the heavens.

"He was from Goguryeo…a place called Ihan. His father was a Hung shaman who assimilated to civility. His mother was a Mudang…also a shaman. Naturally, he was a mage himself, but he was no stranger to martial ability either. You're quite similar in some ways," Miao Ying broke their awkward silence again.

He looked at her confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Sung Jinwoo…you were curious about him. That's where he was originally from. He wasn't actually Cathayan even though he looked like most eastern humans. Unlike my siblings, I didn't look down on foreigners. Anyone worthy can earn my attention," Miao Ying added.

"Oh…why are you telling me that now?" Malekith asked.

The Storm Dragon rolled her eyes at him, "You asked, didn't you? I just figured I would tell you since we won't be seeing each other again for quite some time."

"He was a foreigner then from that peninsula to the northeast? I'm amazed you would allow some half-breed northern barbarian to be your consort. How did that union happen?" Malekith wondered.

Miao Ying looked away, "He helped my father battle a terrible monster in the Emerald Meadows…a dangerous place in Ihan. Some kind of bug creature is all I know about it. He swore secrecy about the ordeal to my father. Xen Yang made him a lord of Cathay afterwards and he also helped me battle a Hung invasion a long time ago. I rather liked him because he was very pragmatic, and he knew a lot about the Eastern Steppes. I have always liked the Sung family the most out of my descendants because they all share his bravery, intuition, and empathy. Most of the greatest wardens of the Bastion Gates were Sung family descendants."

"Sung Lian told me some woman named Hua Mulan married into the Sung family and that people think she's a reincarnation of her. They certainly seem like a prestigious family if they have blood ties to two great heroes recognized by the Dragon Emperor," Malekith stated.

The Storm Dragon tilted her head curiously, "She told you that, did she? Sung Lian does look like Hua Mulan…or Sung Mulan rather. She has great ancestors, and I could see the fire in her eyes to live up to their names. It took generations for the Sung family to earn the trust and respect of the Celestial Court. It's no secret to anyone in the nobility that her ancestor was a foreigner. I think it's why she tries so hard all the time to not sully everything they've achieved. I'm glad you went out of your way to save her."

"If her ancestor was anything like her, I can see why you liked him. It's difficult to replace people like that," Malekith noted.

"What about your past paramour? Allisara was her name, right? What made you like her?" Miao Ying asked.

He glanced back at the Storm Dragon briefly and answered, "I don't really have words to describe that. She was the opposite of me, but we were complimentary. I met her in the colonies in what is modern day Bretonnia, but her family originated from Yvresse and Avelorn back in Ulthuan. Her older sister Ariel is the Queen of Athel Loren currently."

"A yang to your yin then? Well…from what I gathered; she must have been a lot like Shen Zoo. I'm guessing that was your answer from earlier?" the Storm Dragon probed.

"I'm not going to ruin another virtuous maiden's life. I like her, but not like that. It's precisely because she reminds me a bit of Allisara that I would never sully her life with my darkness. Besides, it wouldn't be worth the headache of dealing with your brothers and there are much better political options available to me," Malekith spoke honestly.

For whatever reason Miao Ying smirked, "Good."

"Yes, it is for her own good," he followed up.

Before this conversation could go any further, Shen Zoo walked up with a curious and inquisitive expression. She seemed a bit nosy about why Miao Ying and Malekith were speaking in private off to the side and was quick to voice her suspicions, "What are you two doing over here talking in private?"

"Your sister was explaining Goguryeo to me. I was curious about other eastern nations in this part of the world," Malekith spoke half-honestly.

Shen Zoo seemed completely aware that something else was being discussed and frowned, "Well, Shugengan Sung Lian wanted you to meet her family, Malekith. Do you mind?"

"I suppose I can stomach a bit more socializing," Malekith sighed.

He immediately walked past Shen Zoo and didn't see as Miao Ying gave her younger sister a coy look.

The Light Dragon shook her head once Malekith was further away, "What were you really talking about?"

"Nothing," Miao Ying stated almost smugly as she strutted away.

Shen Zoo frowned at her sister before turning around to follow Malekith. There was no doubt in her mind that Miao Ying was trying to dissuade Malekith from getting closer to the Light Dragon.

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Okay so I sort of lied…we won't be seeing Minaithnir and Haichai until next chapter and I decided to save the Morathi POV for later. Well, it is what it is. This chapter went way longer than I expected it to. I probably could have cut out half of the beginning part with Yin-Yin, but whatever. If you're still here, then you probably don't hate these long talking bits anyways. I know I have a problem…don't try reading this all in one sitting.

ALRIGHTY boys and…girls? (and everything in between), that's a wrap for chapter 11. I already know what you're going to say: "Weirdo author, why did you make a 38 k word chapter? It's too long and I thought we were going to see more dark elves soon!"

Well my good readers, as usual I couldn't help but delve into the weeds a bit and give you some new lore stuff that I'm bringing into the story. Rest assured, Rakarth is in the next chapter and we will be going to Nippon finally. I must apologize for my long absence though and hopefully this large chapter can make up for that. It's been like what…half a year since I updated? Sorry about that. Life has been busy, and I recently got sucked into playing the Elden Ring DLC in my spare time. For those of you that have played Elden Ring, you'll no doubt see some familiar references in this chapter from it. Ever since I played that game way back when, I wanted to incorporate aspects of its lore into the WHFB setting. I've been slowly making subtle references throughout the story, and I just went all in this chapter. I felt like it was a cool way to incorporate cosmic horror and aliens without making this a full-on 40k/Fantasy crossover.

So, to specify what I mean by that, I'll just go ahead and point out the references I'm talking about. The name of the chapter "Empyrean" is something from Elden Ring that references a demigod eligible for ascension to godhood. In this story it's more about one's connection to divinity and is what most normal gods began as. Quai Yin tells Malekith that some were created, and others were born that way. It's also a good way to utilize gods in the setting but still make them feel smaller compared to the more grandiose cosmology of the setting. It's kind of an unspoken rule that you don't show or use gods too much in fantasy stories. Often times they're better being left up to interpretation or as some greater nebulous force beyond the narrative…but I'm not GRRM and I think that's boring. My way of going around that is by making the gods of WHFB lesser gods to REAL and far more powerful gods in the universe. It's also a bit of a homage to the actual canon of the gods we learn about in the End Times and it explains how people like Sigmar and Nagash could become gods.

Quai Yin states that the Old Ones believed in the "Greater Will" which is a vague reference to the force in Elden Ring that seeds life and tries to enforce its golden order in the universe. Nobody actually knows what it is, but for all we know it could be the divine creator of the universe or just an Outer God of order. In Elden Ring, the Greater Will sends its vassals across the stars to colonize planets and ward away the influence of Outer Gods and chaos. It will leave a god in charge of lesser beings on a planet. This seems very in line with what the Old Ones would do, and could be the higher power they believe in. I decided to ambiguously connect them. It's not there to invalidate the actual lore of the Old Ones, but it will hopefully give you something to ponder…as there are many layers to the universe and divinity.

The normal definition of Empyrean means "celestial", "divine", or "heavenly". So, as you may know…it's possible to ascend to godhood in the Warhammer Fantasy universe and Malekith finally learns a bit more about how that came to happen. He also learns that Quai Yin is an empyrean from an outer world. Another Elden Ring reference I made was "Outer Gods". Although this could also be a Lovecraftian reference depending on how you want to interpret it. Quai Yin states that Gork and Mork are outer gods and Malekith also gets confirmation that greenskins are aliens.

Now the Nightbringer reference is a bit more straightforward. As many of you probably know, it's the name of a C'tan in 40k or a "star god" as they are also known. The Nightbringer in this story is somewhat similar in that it is THE god of true death, but it's not a C'tan exactly. I would say it's more like Sithis from Elder Scrolls and anyone who worships it is obsessed with death. The most blatant Elden Ring reference I made in this chapter was "destined death" which was wielded by Maliketh (from Elden Ring…not the same as Malekith). In that setting "destined death" can kill gods and the same is true for this setting…and we find out that the Silent King used this power, and we now know why his crown was called the Crown of Night and why Tzeentch is scared of it.

We also find out that the Silent King was named Malekith as well. He was the empyrean listener of the Nightbringer and used its power. If you're familiar with Elder Scrolls lore, consider that the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood can hear the voice of the Nightmother. They worship the void…known as Sithis (or Padomay). From the way Quai Yin describes the Nightbringer, he is more like Sithis than his C'tan counterpart in 40k…though that form does exist as a reaper of death. Something very odd about this situation is why would Morathi name Malekith after the Silent King?

Speaking of Morathi…we find out from the Moon Empress that she knew Morathi when the elf witch used to be known as Marina. Quai Yin speculates that Morathi is not Marina…but something that took over her body after Marina died. Even Quai Yin herself does not know how this happened or who "Morathi" actually is. The best way to describe this would be think of how Shabriri possesses Yura's body in Elden Ring after he dies to Eleonora…or how the blind woman Irina is killed and comes back later with the name Hyetta. Same body…but something else took over after they died. It's an ominous thing to ponder and it just made the mystery of Morathi even more mysterious. She obviously has ties to the Cytharai gods and Slaanesh, but it seems there's something else as well. Malekith will have his work cut out for him trying to kill her. A slight spoiler...but he will be seeking Ariel's help to deal with her.

The last major Elden Ring reference I made was Xen Yang's true duty to the world. Quai Yin tells Malekith that the Dragon Emperor is terrified of the cosmos and uses his power to hold back the stars. This is obviously a reference to Starscourge Radahn who used his gravity magic to halt the movement of celestial objects and ward away cosmic horrors. This type of power is very much in line with what Azyr/Astromancy is as a power and why Cathay calls it the meteor wind or the lore of stone. Hopefully it all makes sense to you even if you don't know the references I'm making. Upon learning this, Malekith realizes that the Dragon Emperor and Moon Empress are fighting a much more terrifying war than their children are in secret. Believe me when I say…Xen Yang is an absolute unit. He's one of if not the most powerful being on the planet, but most of his power is being used for something else and that is why he doesn't help his children deal with mundane problems very often.

The Empress tells Malekith that Xen Yang would probably want to collect the keys since he had a close friendship with Xholankha and the puzzle box could possibly seal the realms of chaos away. She describes its dimensions and also my interpretation of how the webway actually works and why that webway remote in particular had necrodermis on it. Hopefully you guys enjoyed that and didn't find it confusing or contrary to what you might know.

Next chapter Malekith will be headed to Nippon with Yin-Yin to kill some Shogun. There will be samurai. There will be ninjas. There will be feudal and edo period Japan references. And they will be badass. Pretty much everyone loves Japan and its culture/mythology, so I will do Nippon justice for you guys.

Once again Kairos Fateweaver is never wrong and Malekith will be forced into this path in order to appease Yin-Yin. We'll be seeing Lokhir really soon as well. Before we get to the Nippon stuff, I also want to say that at the time of me writing this, there is almost no official lore to go off of…but I also doubt there ever will be so I'll just fill in the blanks with stuff from Shinto mythology and what I know about fantasy Japan. Eventually I'll delve into Ind once we get to the Khuresh arc (after Malekith returns to Naggaroth) and we'll see Li Dao then.

If you thought that immortal empires trailer with all the different empires meeting was crazy…wait until you see Malekith roll up with the whole far east on his team. I'm looking forward to eventually getting over to the Old World, but it's going to be a little while. Malekith will be paying a future visit to Athel Loren and Laurelorn at some point as well. That flashback/dream of Athel Toralien wasn't for nothing...

Another amusing topic worth noting here…the dragons joke about a political marriage and we find out that Yuan Bo was the culprit behind the rumors of Yin-Yin being betrothed to Malekith. Despite his seriousness, Yuan Bo does have a subtle sense of humor. To the Witch King's disbelief, it escalates into a very awkward dynamic when he finds out the dragons aren't as opposed to it as he would expect. Poor Shen Zoo gets kicked out of consideration almost immediately. Will Malekith end up with one of them or none at all?

Despite the awkwardness behind that situation, Malekith learns that Sung Lian's ancestor was from Goguryeo (Korea). The name Sung Jinwoo is shamelessly the same name as the main character from Solo Leveling (which is my favorite Manhwa.) If you know…you know. While we're on that topic, Sung Lian is actually based off of my favorite Jade Empire character Princess Sun Lian. But anyways, Miao Ying references that Jinwoo helped the Dragon Emperor fight some "bug monster" and was made a lord. This type of stuff is more of an easter egg, but it gives you some more context about everything else in the story.

Anyways, that's quite enough rambling from me. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and I hope the things I took inspiration from don't turn you off from this story. I just like making the scale of a setting much greater than it actually is in the canon and expanding on the unknown lore. As always, thanks for reading. See you next chapter…hopefully. Malekith is about to reunite with some DRUCHII!