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Mal was a little disappointed to find out behind all the cryptic dreams and heartfelt pleading and ethereal bullshit, the Dream Visitor was just another asshole with a sob story. No one special. Not some kind of divine messenger, or warrior.

A coward…then the remnant of one.

Now the fate of the world fell on them: Mal, his crew, their allies, all of Mythris.

The air thrummed with power and the weight of what lay ahead, but Mal turned to the Dream Visitor and spared him a hard look. You know, if you weren't a ghost I'd kick your ass myself.

The portal closed behind Mal. He couldn't see it with his back turned, but he felt it—the faint pressure change as it collapsed, like a soap bubble popping, leaving him stranded in a rough walled cavern deep in the heart of the island.

No turning back now.

Ears ringing, Mal faced the monster at the epicenter.

He felt the ground tremble beneath his paws, sending small shockwaves of pain up his still-healing hind leg. Mal winced, shifted his weight to take off some of the pressure. He'd known going into this fight it was going to be a problem, but he could fight, so he would. Still, the irony of facing down a foe whose downfall had come as a consequences of similar wounds wasn't lost on him.

With the clarity the dream offered, Mal realized what a raw deal the guy had gotten. The betrayal. Captivity. The last flicker of hope being snuffed out after seeing just how badly he'd been screwed over.

A part of Mal genuinely felt sorry for him. In the reverse situation, Mal probably would've wanted to see the world burn too.

It also meant only a dumbass would try to set him free, banking on the very, very slim hope that he'd be grateful enough to not squash them (and the rest of Mythris) like bugs.

No. At a certain point, the greatest kindness was offering a quick death.

And that was the only outcome that guaranteed the survival of Mal's family.

I'm sorry, Mal said, words bitter and heavy as he dove into the fray, ready to end this once and for all. But I can't let you do this.