Chapter 23: The Waking Dream

In a stasis chamber aboard the Sky-Seraph warship, Yu Meilan stirred.

Not physically—but within her spirit.

She dreamed of the garden they once walked in, the one she and Wang Chung had promised to return to when everything was over.

In that dream, she saw him—older, broken, but beautiful. He smiled at her.

"You came back," she whispered.

But the image flickered. Reality leaked into the dream.

From behind the trees came a shadow—not Long Tian, not Wang Chung, but herself.

A version of Yu Meilan where she had chosen power over love. This Meilan had once been offered a Sovereign Throne... and accepted.

The vision-Meilan stepped forward. "You gave everything to save a man who might still break the world. Are you sure it was worth it?"

Yu Meilan didn't answer.

Instead, she looked at the tree in the center of the garden.

Its leaves were burning.