Confusion.
Regret.
Loss.
As if those memories belonged to someone else.
Yet somehow belonged to him too.
He didn't understand.
And honestly—
He was getting tired of not understanding things.
The winged woman.
The strange visions.
The nightmares.
The voices asking for help.
The Order of Karma.
The cult.
The drifters.
Every answer seemed to create three more questions.
Kai buried his face into the pillow.
"This sucks."
The pillow offered no advice.
Typical.
After several minutes he rolled onto his back again.
The ceiling stared back.
Unhelpfully.
His eyes slowly began to feel heavy.
For the first time in days—
There were no demons attacking.
No cultists chasing him.
No rabbit people trying to eat him.
No bald men punching him through walls.
Just silence.
Peaceful silence.
Kai's thoughts drifted one final time.
Toward Andre.
"If you're alive..."
He paused.
Then snorted.
"You're probably annoying somebody."
The image alone was enough to make him laugh.
A small laugh.
A tired laugh.
But a real one.
Eventually—
His eyes closed.
The city lights beyond the window blurred.
His breathing slowed.
And for the first time since arriving in Asphyxia—
Kai finally fell asleep.
Deeply.
Without dreams.
Without voices.
Without memories.
Without answers.
Just sleep.
The room remained still.
Outside, the city continued moving.
Guards changed shifts.
Merchants closed shops.
Workers returned home.
And elsewhere in the palace—
Raj was still awake.
Unfortunately for her.
Because Alice wasn't.