The Fates
Chapter 8

The white light was so strong that it was blinding. Celia closed her eyes but her feet kept walking on their own, one more step, then another.

She walked on, until she did not. Her feet had finally come to a stop and she opened her eyes, squinting at first, afraid that the gleaming light would hurt her eyes but she relaxed and opened them more when she noticed that the bright light was gone.

So was the grass that had been under her feet, instead the ground was made out of smooth stone that was in the same color as iron. Celia looked up and over her head were looming dark clouds, thick and pressing. The stone made a clear path in front of her but her mind seemed to have woken up, she remembered walking through the fog but she remembered it more like a strange dream.

Celia looked back at where she had entered, the foggy arch was now gone, there was nothing but stone and clouds wherever she looked.

Was she dreaming? Celia pinched her arm, it hurt, so she could not be not dreaming.

Anxiety crawled its way inside of her, where was she? Celia could not believe that she had done something so dumb, what she should have done was to wake up Rhale, not walk away on her own.

And now she was here alone and she had no idea how in the world she was going to get back.

Instead of following the path Celia walked back to where she had entered, hoping that the mist would just appear before her again. Her footsteps echoed loudly as she hurriedly walked around the immense space, her heart started to beat faster and even though the vastness of the emptiness around her the pressing clouds made her feel confined. Her steps grew more rapid and she twisted and turned in sheer panic, there was nothing here, nothing at all.

Her movements turned erratic as she walked from one side to the other. The arch had been right here!

“Calm yourself” A loud booming voice said behind her and Celia spun around, her breathing heavy now and she gulped down air as if it held all the answers. Someone had spoken but she could not see anyone, there was still nothing but the pressing clouds and her panic arose to new heights.

“Please let me out” Celia pleaded pathetically, hating how terrified her voice sounded.

“Did you not come here freely, seeking the Fates?” A cloaked figure, as dark as the clouds above, appeared further away on the path that Celia had just walked away from. The voice was powerful, strong and so very unlike her own. It echoed in the space around them.

Had she come here seeking the Fates? Celia did not know anymore, perhaps she had wanted to prove that she was not in fact an angel or perhaps she had just not wanted to be left behind at Byrion without Rhale.

Whatever her reasons had been it did not change the fact that she had not expected to replace herself in a place such as this.

“I don’t know” Celia almost whimpered and her own honesty surprised her.

The figure let out a small chuckle “Why does that not surprise me? Come Celia, I am no threat to you.”

Celia looked behind her again, she could not keep running around looking for a fog that was not there or that may or may not appear again.

She took a deep calming breath before she forced herself to walk forward one terrifying step at a time. As she approached the figure she noticed that the cloak was not dark gray like she had thought, it was a deep blue color that reminded her of the color of Rhale’s eyes.

Celia stopped a few footsteps away from the figure and she could feel her hands trembling at her sides.

The cloaked figure pulled back the hood that covered the face and light curls fell forward in the same color as Celia's own hair. The cloaked figure was a woman and she looked to be around middle age but her eyes, they held a depthness to them. A depthness that only those old enough to have lived through too much held.

That alone told Celia that this woman's appearance was very much misleading.

The way the woman held herself was also telling, her back was impossibly straight but one could almost feel the heaviness of the burdens she carried.

It was a bit eerie, Celia thought, except for the deepness of her eyes and a few wrinkles around the eyelids, it was as if Celia was looking into her own eyes in a mirror.

“I am Mildritha” the woman, Mildritha, said as she moved next to her. Mildritha linked her arm through Celia’s and started to lead her down the stone path.

“There is much I must tell you.” Mildritha’s voice was lower now and it held a sweetness to it that calmed Celia, a little.

“Are you one of the Fates?” She wondered out loud.

“I am” The path came to an end and one simple wooden door was in front of them, thick fog rose up around it, creating a wall that continued as long as the eyes could see. Mildritha opened the door and it creaked in protest as she did so.

“Welcome to our realm”

Celia eyed the opening wearily, behind it the stone path continued on but bright fields of green surrounded it.

She wondered if Rhale was still sleeping in the flowering grass or had he woken up and realized that she was gone?

She felt strangely empty without him. Would he wait for her? She wished that he was beside her, she would have been much calmer if he was.

“What worries you child?” Mildritha asked almost indolently.

“Rhale”

“Ah, yes, worry not. He sleeps until I wake him, I only wish to spend some time with you alone. I will wake him in due time, come child” Mildritha pulled at her arm and together they crossed the threshold, the door shut firmly behind them making her jump in surprise.

The bright green fields went on and on around them as far as she could see.

As they walked she noticed that the same flowers were growing here as at the top of the mountain.

Carnations, Rhale had called them.

Their scent filled her nostrils and she was unable not to smile at the thought of herself smelling the same way.

Mildritha smiled too when she took in Celia's expression.

Further ahead, at the end of the path way, on top of a small slope, stood a huge building with rows and rows of white pillars between the floor and the ceiling.

The roof started out flat until it gradually rose up in steps and ended in one square in the middle and Celia looked at it in wonder.

They walked towards it in silence and once they got closer Celia gasped at the sight of the smooth marble, the sun’s beams reflected off of the shiny surface making it look like it was glowing.

The inside was just as astonishing, Celia could almost see her own reflection on the walls as they walked deeper into the building.

The rooms were big and empty, except for the pillars that continued on wherever they went. Mildritha led them on and eventually they entered a room where the middle of it was lined with statues that were just as white as everything else.

Celia carefully pulled away her arm from Mildritha’s and walked up to the statues, unable to stop herself she walked alongside them, trying to take in every detail.

There were seven of them, all imposing in their size. Strange gruesome faces stared back at her, their mouths twisted into crooked snarls.

Their well defined bodies twisted in strange angels and they towered over her as she walked.

Enormous wings, taller and bigger than the statues themselves, protruded from their backs. The feathers strangely live like in the carved stone.

It was the angels.

Celia walked past them one by one until she came to the last statue. She stopped there and looked at it more intensely than the others. It was bigger and scarier than the rest, his face twisted in rage as he looked out into the room. His hands were forward holding a bow and arrow as if he was ready to shoot.

Celia touched her own shoulder, her bow and arrows were still safely attached to her.

“We were seven Fates, all doomed to watch as our fathers creation suffered on earth. All of us tried and failed to ease their suffering and as dark magic grew so did the destruction of the humans.” Celia listened intently to every word Mildritha said, her voice sounded far away, as if she was in the time she spoke of.

“Creating life is no easy task and one must sacrifice greatly for it to be done. Not having as much power as our late father we worked tirelessly to replace a way to create a life that could fight the darkness on earth. We found ourselves ripping out parts of our own soul's and using the pieces to bring life to our creations.” Mildritha walked to stand next to her, looking at the same statue that she was.

“He was my creation, my pride and joy.” Mildritha's voice sounded heavy, burdened.

“What was his name?” Celia asked softly after they had been quiet for a little while.

“One should not speak the name of the dead and disturb their rest.” Celia could clearly hear the sadness in her voice.

“I’m sorry for your loss”

“There are always flaws when one is creating life, we made them strong and fierce. So fierce that they would put fright in anyone who saw them.

We also made them immortal, or so we thought.

There is always that one flaw.

We failed to take into account free will, most of the Angels died simply because they willed it so.

Time, heartache, sorrow, those things grow and build as time passes and eventually the will to live no longer outweighs the will to die.

My own son did not choose death, he had too much to live for. I still do not know how he died but I no longer feel his presence.

My brothers and sisters chose to fall into a deep sleep, unable to bear the pain of the loss of their children and I have been unable to wake them. For many years now have I been the only one awake, watching the earth and its struggle.”

Celia silently thought to herself that the other Fates sounded a bit uncaring to let their sister be alone with all the burdens.

But then again if the Angels were made with the souls of The Fate she could not even comprehend the pain they must have felt.

The fraction of it that she had heard in Mildritha's voice was enough to make her think that perhaps she too would do the same.

She wondered how Mildritha had been able to stay alone when she could have chosen to sleep.

“Why did you not choose to sleep?”

“I was the last one awake and I knew what was to come” Mildritha’s hand stroked her cheek, her hand cold and soothing against her skin.

She heard the words that she had said but the meaning did not sink in.

“I knew that he had fathered a child, my grandchild. That he had fathered you. How I have longed to meet you Celia.”

It still did not make sense, Amos had said that the last angel died five months before she had been convinced.

“I don’t understand, it is believed that he died before”

Mildritha interrupted her “Believed is not known, he had found true love with your mother and had hidden himself away with her so that they could be left alone by the world. He is your father, there is no mistaking that, can you not see our resemblance?”

Celia could, they had the same hair and the same eyes, perhaps even their features were alike.

She glanced at the statue, she could not see any likens between her and him.

“You look as if he was on the inside, kind, gentle and soft.”

Celia's head was spinning “What does this mean?”

“I do not know, you are the only child of an angel. Only time will tell what it means.”

Tears filled Celia's eyes, she was not human, not fully. She was half human and half angel and she was standing before one of the Fates, not as a worshiping subject but as a child of her child, a granddaughter.

It was all too much, everything, it was too much. Her tears escaped her, falling soundless down her cheek and she wanted the only person who knew her better than anyone, she wanted her mother.

“Let me comfort you” she felt Mildritha's arms circle around her and she let herself fall into the embrace. There was a connection there, she could feel it, her body calmed at her touch and soon her tears dried.

“We still have a few things to talk of before I wake up your companion, this is no place for mortals so we must make due with little time. Come Celia, let’s sit outside.”

They walked back the way they had come in, the green fields filled her vision as they made their way to a bench by the end of the building. Celia was extremely grateful to be able to sink down on the marble seat, her body was growing more and more tired.

“I have watched over you since the day you were born and sadly I could not prevent your mother’s passing. I saw that Rhale was close to you and I helped guide you to him, knowing that he would save you. I am sorry that I could not do more.”

“I do not blame you, you have no need to be sorry.” Celia and everyone else knew that the Fates had no control over the dark creatures.

“Still, I am sorry. Now, tell me how you feel about Rhale.” Mildritha's voice grew lighter when she abruptly changed the subject.

“He saved me as you know and he has been very kind to me.”

“Yes, yes, yes I know that, I want to know what you feel. What does he mean to you?”

Celia did not know how to answer that, what did he mean to her? She thought about yesterday and how he had kissed her and she could feel herself blush profoundly.

“That’s an answer if I ever did see one, still I want to hear you say what you feel. There is no reason to be shy here, not with me.”

“Well... I, I” Celia stammered, she took a deep breath and tried again “He makes me feel safe and I don’t like being away from him” once she got started she found that she had a hard time stopping “he makes me feel things that I never felt before and even after this short time together I can not imagine my life without him. He is brave and strong and he is always so understanding. He has this softness to him that” she did stop when she saw Mildritha smile from ear to ear and she blushed even more at her confessions.

“That was all I needed to know, thank you.” She patted Celia’s hand “Now, the King has summoned you.”

“He has” she was starting to feel a bit light headed and grabbed a hold of the bench for support.

“Are you planning on answering his summons?”

“I don’t think I have much of a choice in the matter.”

“Oh there is always a choice, one that we might be unwilling to make but still, there is always a choice. Do you know of the King’s intentions?”

“No, I do not.”

“Knowing the King I would guess that whatever his intentions they will not be in the best interests of you.”

She did not think so neither “No, I would imagine not.”

“So we both agree that if there were a way to keep you safe from the King that would be the best course of action.”

“If there were such a way” Celia frowned “but I can not see that there is and even so we do not know what the King wants, not really. If he only wants to ensure that I do not have any magical powers then would it really be that bad to go and show him that I don’t?”

“And how do you think he will make sure that you do not have any powers?”

Celia shuttered, she did not want to think about what he could do to try and draw it out of her.

“And let’s say that you do go and he does test you and in those tests you replace out that you do have powers, what will he do then do you think?”

Her head was really spinning now, what would he do? “I don’t know.”

“He will lock you up and use you. That is not the life I want for you.”

“It is not the life I want either.” It really wasn’t but what other choice did she have?

“There is a way, Celia. It is, however , a discussion that Rhale must be present for.”

Celia's body felt heavy and she moved back a little, letting her back rest on the back of the bench.

“I can see that you are getting tired, as I said this is no place for mortals. I will awaken Rhale and bring him here before you tire even more.”

“What does Rhale have to do with this?” She asked, blinking her eyes to keep them open.

“Everything sweet child”

“Mildritha, he has done so much for me already, I can’t ask any more of him.”

“We'll see, let me get him and then we’ll see.”

Mildritha stood up and walked down the path that would lead her back to the wooden door. Celia sank deeper down on the bench and waited for her to come back, she still had a hard time comprehending that any of this was, in fact, real.

She truly was the daughter of an angel, whatever that meant.