Chapter 118 - THE HEAVY PRICE (1/2)
MEANWHILE
FAR AWAY IN THE UNIVERSE
PLANET BELTHANA
The moment Fir enter the Temple he could see the Devotees of the Moirai.
The atmosphere around tem is somber and stern as each step is marked by profound energy.
They did not speak and their face is covered by golden veil. Their hand wears some kind of golden glove that covers their hand.
In the center of the first floor was a Golden Spindle. Fir look up and he could see thousands of doors and halls.
Then one of the Devotees who seem to rule the first floor comes towards him.
The odd thing was when this Devotee comes towards him, Fir realized that the woman was floating, like a feather being blown by the wind.
In her hand is a red goblet.
When she arrives in front of Fir Her Waz, the woman kneeled and then she presented the goblet to Fir Her Waz.
Fir was puzzled. He looks left and right at the other Devotees to get some hint but they are silent.
The goblet then suddenly was filled with black liquid to the brim.
Then a hoarse voice sounded from the woman who kneels.
'Drink, O Last Son of Yrinia. Drink and meet the Fates.' Fir Her Waz quickly understand and he took the goblet and drink the liquid.
The black liquid feel squishy in his throats and slowly Fir Her Waz feels dizzy.
What is in that thing? he thought to himself. Then the woman who kneels takes his hand and slowly she floats and he was floating too.
From what Fir could remember, he felt his bone became limbless.
He sees countless worlds, and imagines threads and see patterns as images blurred right in front of his eyes.
He could not tell the time whether it was long or short when suddenly he found himself kneeling in front Three Thrones made of golden stars.
It was the main hall of the Temple of Fates.
And in front of him was the Three Fates, sitting on their thrones, with twenty feet height, looking at him like he was some kind of smaller being.
He looks left and right and his behind.
He no longer sees the Devotees who brought him here and the environment and the scenery here is different from the first floor of the temple.
It is full of energy, chaotic or otherwise.
He looks around and he could not hide his shock and awe.
Beneath his knees are the stars, behind him he could see pulsating nexus of galaxies as countless planetary system revolves around their orbits.
When he looks upwards he could see the Eight Realms in a convergence. It was like he was kneeling on a sea of stars.
The Heavens, the skies of stars, countless of galaxies are all there for him to peruse.
Behind the Thrones of the Three Fates was moving scenery of bloodshed, war, carnage, a story of death and destruction filled the moving images.
And if you focused enough to see deep inside the images, one could hear the screams, the shrieks, the shouts and the lamentations.
But there is also other scenery.
One of the scenery shows rebirth, boundless life, the growth of plants and planets, formation of galaxies, of peoples and species, of things thriving while one of scenery shows emptiness, void and nothingness that devour the universes like an unstoppable plague.
It takes Fir a few moments to calm himself down and when he is calm enough, he prostrate himself and said
'Warrior Fir Her Waz is beyond honored to be in the presence of the Three Lady of Fates.'
'We have been waiting. Rise, child so we may look at your fate.'
Slowly, Fir Her Waz lifts up his face and look at the Fates who were talking. The Fates that looks towards Fir, nodded.
It was the oldest of the Three, Lady Atropos.
She sat in the center as she was the oldest; her body emits boundless energy, of something that is sacred and inviolable.
It was said once that one of the Frost Giants from the Eight Realms, Vonodur calls her true name, Aisa before being cursed by her other Two sisters and fall into oblivion.
So, Fir Her Waz is very cautious not to offend the Three Fates.
Lady Atropos face was stern and somber. Beneath her throne was her golden shears shining like the sun in the sky.
Her expression was always the same. Expressionless. Stoic. It almost like she would never smiles.
She sit charismatically on the throne with red dress as red as blood.
The throne itself was twenty feet high. The Three Fates has already shrunk themselves to a presentable size to meet him.
The Three Sister is the Daughters of the Night.
Behind her throne was the scenery of death, and her shears cutting the life of warriors, kings, killers, saints, children and the elderly, for death is equal to all.
The executors of Destiny and fates in Olympus much like the Norns in the Eight Realms. Then one of the Fates speak
'Speak, child. Tell us what you want to know. You have been given a tough lot to deal with. It is a pity. For you to be the only survivor of such a grand civilization, what a tragedy. Yet, the Destroyer fate is not controlled by us, or the Norns. The Destroyer is a calamity, a disaster none can evade. Only the Creator could stop him. But each to his own quest. Pursuing this, your thread of life will be shortened.'
It was Lady Lachesis that spoke and looks at Fir Her Waz with a little pity in her eyes.
She was clothed in white light, luminous like the color of the sun before dawn is breaking.
Behind her, the scenery of life well lived can be seen.
On his right hand was a rod. There is also the image of many kinds of life forms, humans, animals, other races, like a selection of lives.
Fir knows that the Three Fates has already known what he was about to ask, but he also knows that the Three Fates wanted him to choose.
Asking for a glimpse to the future will as Lady Lachesis so aptly describe, shortened his life thread which means there is a price to be paid.
Every magic has a price.
And this particular price is his longevity, his time on this universe and his soul will go to the Three Fates when he dies and will not join the Oasis Everlasting of his Gods.
He will be sent to Lord Hades of Olympus and not Lord Cexoan of Yrinia, The God of Death of his planet.
'I wish to know the All Source location, My Lady. I hope my lady could fulfill this lowly wish'
One of the Fates shakes her head.
'A pity. A pity. Are you sure child? The All Source is the most powerful energy in the universe. The Price…..will be steep'
It was Lady Clotho who speaks the youngest of the Fates. Behind her is the scene of void forming and dissipating.
Looking farther behind the void is moving scenery of a lady Aphrodite making love with multiple Olympians, the scene of Titan Lord Typhon death, Lord Zeus hurling his lightning to a mortal and a war in which the Lady helped the Olympians.
Her hair reached her hips and her clothes is golden light. Her face is beautiful and youthful with vibrancy of life.
In her hands is a ball of golden thread.
'I am sure, my Lady.' He replied
The Three Fates close their eyes and nodded. Then they open their eyes and in unison they made a grasping motion as invisible golden threads appears from Fir body and was curling itself to the three Fates artifacts.
Then three voices melded into one as it echoes in the room, revealing prophecies and information.
'Now, your destiny, life and death belong to us, last Son of Yrinia. This is the price. The thing you seek is on Earth. That damned little planet meant to insult all creations for they, humans, were the favoured child of the Creator. They destroy and spread carnage and destruction, yet the Creator favoured them above all others. The All Source has gifted the humans with the Dao of the Jade palace, the mastery of Runes of Asgardian, the Eternal Armaments crafting of the Olympians and many other abilities, for it is the All Source and it is capable of anything.' And as the Three Fates said this an image of an orb embedded itself inside Fir Her Waz mind.
The Three Fates continues to speak of his prophecies.
'The moment you enter Earth, you will face great dangers. Beware of a shadow that wields Ten Rings, five in each finger for he will be your doom.'
And an image of a man clouded in shadow and aura of death, with ten rings on his fingers appears inside his mind.
The man shrouded by the shadows seems to possess powers to overturn the heavens and the stars.
His steps ripples realities and his swish of his sleeve dim the stars. Even as this image burned itself inside Fir Her Waz mind, the Three Fates keep talking.
'This is what we Three Fates could tell you. If you succeed in your quest, your world will be revived and our Threads will shatter for the All Source reject Death. If you fail, then your soul is ours for eternity. No longer will your soul be transported to the Oasis Everlasting of Cexoan, but rest in peace, in the Blessed Isle for that will be your reward for your kind and honorable deeds. Now, go and set forth. May the Gods of Olympus be with you'
And saying this, the Three Fates simultaneously waves their hand and Fir was teleported in front of his spaceship.
Fir Her Waz could still see the faint trace of the golden threads from his body before it fades from his visions.