Chương 145: Epilogue 2: Riel.

Malik Najm focused his mind. The tapestry of space that was Earth extended into his perception. With a flex of his will, two points joined, the weave barely flickering from the slight fold. Massively complex glyph arrays formed in the air in instants, what was once a fantastic challenge grown into a routine. His mind was elsewhere. The newly opened wormhole led to a secluded opening in the shadows of tall cypress trees. The local time was slightly after 6PM.

Children played in the distance, and the air smelled of the sea, of spices, and a bit of trash. The tombstones were simple and unadorned. He kneeled on the ground.

"Hello, wife, daughter." His voice broke a little. With his large hands, he delicately picked two carefully wrapped kibbeh. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I made them without cardamom. You two always disliked cardamom." He paused while a plane flew overhead, far in the distance.

"The last time, I didn't take the time to talk. The three who survived you had all my attention, and for this, I am sorry. I came here… I came here to apologize.

"I tried to make a world you could live in, one you could be happy in. I gave it my all and it cost me everything but my life. I could not be here with you through the aftermath. And because of this, you didn't get to live in it. I am sorry. I am so, so sorry." Malik thought that damn it, it was raining today. His people were never afraid to show grief, yet everything he was prevented him from breaking down now, even in the intimacy of the graveyard. He was Riel. Riel couldn't afford to cry.

He had been Riel for so long, he struggled to be Malik again.

"But I cannot afford to stop for the three who have awakened. It is a big many worlds out there. We are not ready. The girl and I bought us some time — I wish you could have met her — but we need more if we are to thrive. We need the best portals. We need efficiency. I need to learn. We… we will make it. I promise you, we will make it." He bit into the first of the kibbeh. Savory meat filled his heart with pleasure and nostalgia, and that unique tangy kick that made his mouth numb.

"Laziz. I wish you could have tried this. The girl is right, this is too tasty." Too bad it was so aggressively poisonous.