Destiny Unbonded

Chapter 14

There is no true destiny but that bonded to the Gods.

- The Canon

[Ophelia]

In only a few days, Cyril had regained his strength. The medicine they gave him was miraculous, something they called an antibiotic. If made available for all men, many deaths might be prevented.

While Cyril learned how to use the Chaos within him from his mother, I wandered around the village or revisit the Ark, sometimes with Kit and Selene, sometimes alone. I saw the ship logs, which confirmed what Nyx told us. The Ark held so many amazing things I could barely comprehend: pictures that moved, lights that could be turned on and off with a touch, strange machines, and much more. And so much knowledge resided there: of the stars and other worlds, art and music, and the history of humanity. Anger burned in my heart when I thought about how the Gods had kept these from us, followed by a stinging guilt that I played a part in the fraud.

The people in the village were generally respectful and friendly, but I noticed the wary glances, the hesitations, the subtle avoidance. The Moirai part of me sensed good hearts, but also hidden suspicion, unease, even fear. I could not judge them for that, given my past and that we might have actually led the Gods here.

We needed to strike soon, before the Gods struck at us, so that we might trap them in their own realm. The plan was simple in concept: get in, destroy the loom, get out. If this worked, humanity would be free of the Gods once again, free to prosper. But there was so much uncertainty, so much that could go wrong. The worst part, and also the best part, was that Cyril will go with us.

Selene graciously offered her room to us at Nyx's house, staying elsewhere with friends. But as the time drew near, I found myself unable to sleep amid the thousand anxious thoughts that swirled in my mind like angry hornets. In the dim light of a moon beam, I watched Cyril's chest rise and fall in gentle rhythm. Even in slumber, he radiated a beauty beyond strong shoulders and handsome face, something that came from deep within. Dared I hope for a destiny together? With all his goodness, I felt unworthy.

Gently sliding from the bed, so as not to wake Kit, I tread softly around Cyril's bed roll and into the main room. Dying flickers of the night fire cast a mesmerizing light. I sat on a cushion near the center table, letting the flames hypnotize me.

"Unable to sleep, Ophelia?" Nyx's words from the darkness made me jerk. "Forgive me for startling you," she continued. "Sometimes herb tea helps calm a troubled mind. Join me in a cup?"

I nodded. Nyx poured tea from a pot hung above the fire into two pottery mugs, handing one to me. I blew across the hot liquid and took in the subtle aromatic aroma.

"You care deeply for him, Ophelia. I see that in your eyes when you look at him." Her words were a statement, not a question.

"It is so," I replied, dipping my head.

"He cares for you, too. I see that in his eyes." Nyx took a sip of tea. "There is nothing he would not do to protect you."

"That is what I fear most." The words hung in the room like smoke, my admission taking on a life of its own. "He is a good man. I cannot allow him to risk himself for someone like me."

Nyx smiled. "He is his father's son." The smile faded, and her eyes bore into mine. "Do not discount yourself, Ophelia. Cyril sees the goodness in you. Trust him on that."

But he does not know how many threads I cut short, how many lives I took in the name of the Gods. A sigh escaped my lips. "At first I bonded myself to a destiny given by the Gods. When I came to understand the cruel falseness of it, my destiny became unclear, like a path in the darkness. What if humanity suffers from it? What if my destiny leads you and Cyril to your doom?"

Nyx wrapped a supportive arm around me. "Destiny is not something so mystical. It is merely the meeting of choice and circumstance, no more. I know not what tomorrow will bring, but I know this, we do no better than to choose our path based on love."

"I suppose so." I took a sip of tea, savoring the earthy floral taste. "If only there were true gods."

"The Ark tells of many old human religions, some have a God that loves unconditionally."

"Do you think it could be so?"

Nyx shrugged. "I do not know. Like all religions, it is a matter of faith. But anything less would be unacceptable."

I grinned at the audacity, that she would dictate the characteristics of God. Drinking the last sip, I put my mug down. "Thank you for the tea. I do feel better now."

As I laid back down in bed, a strangely comforting thought came to me: whatever our destiny, it will be a path of our own choosing.

*****

The morning sun climbed over the horizon, casting golden rays across the sky and chasing away both the night and what remained of my uncertainty. Closing my eyes, I felt the pleasing warmth on my face. It signaled more than a new day, but also a new destiny.

We, the warriors three, gathered in front of Nyx's house. Four others stood in witness: Kit; Selene; Tamir, the village magistrate; and Clavis, the grumpy man who reluctantly released me from captivity on the Ark. I took it as a good sign when Clavis gave me a grudging nod.

Kit hugged her big brother. Her trembling expressed the unspoken fear we all carried, that we might not come back. Coming to me, she turned moist eyes up to mine and held out the crystal long-knife I had given her. Although the Chaos infused weapons that Cyril and Nyx carried would be far more effective against the Gods and I was unskilled with a knife, the meaning behind the gift warmed my heart. After tucking the knife into my dress sash, I bent down to wrap my arms around her.

Cyril took Kit to Selene, joining their hands together. With a smile, he spoke to Selene and signed to Kit. "Sisters, you are. Watch out for each other while we are away."

Nyx, Cyril, and I formed a circle, holding hands. "We shall enter the Gods' Realm through the Gateway near the Moirai Chamber." I reminded them. "The loom lies inside. Most of the Gods live at the top of Mt. Olympus, and if we are fortunate, we will not encounter them. But we must work quickly, activation of the Gateway will be noticed."

Cyril firmed his jaw. "For so long the Gods have defined our destiny. The time comes where we define theirs!"

After a deep cleansing breath, my human body dissolved into the Moirai form of myst and light. Cyril and Nyx followed, converting into Chaos forms of black smoke. Laminar dark tendrils embraced me, circling my myst. Not long ago this would have been terrifying, but now I welcomed the Chaos, or more so the essence of the two that composed it.

Calming my mind, I called for the Gate, willing it to open. A shimmering circle appeared before us, bending light and air. Three souls together, we floated toward the gate. As the shimmer engulfed us, I silently prayed for success to an unknown God.