“Was this really necessary?” A familiar voice asked, pulling me from my introspection. Some part of me had recognized the familiar feel of Elendria’s magic, and ignored her approach.

“Yeah. Maybe. Prolly not.” I said in an emotionless tone as I looked at the remains of the goblin village. “Prolly not.” I reiterated, finalizing my choice.

“What happened?” She asked in concern, noting the lack of inflection in my voice.

“Tried a new spell. Not enough.” I shrugged. Not enough. Even splitting out 15,000 mana for the spell, it wasn’t nearly enough for what I wanted to do. Instead, I was left with this desecration. In the middle of the former village was a gory amalgamation of metals, light objects, and formerly living beings. As you got further away, everything was destroyed, pulled toward the middle of the village. The bodies though. Things inside had split, swelling and causing skin to rupture. It was like nothing I had seen before, and I never wanted to see it again.

“They deserved to die. And though it was almost instantaneous, no. No, I don’t think even they deserved this.” I said.

“What were you trying to do and why?”

“Ever used a magnet before?” I asked, finally looking at her. At her confused look I changed tracks. “Lodestone?”

“One of those iron rock things?” She asked.

“Yeah. Imagine one of those. Then multiply that power by over a trillion. Add in a bunch of gravity, and some other things I was obviously missing, and you get a magnetar. That’s what I was trying to make.” I said with a shrug.

“I just.” She started, stopping several times.

“I know.” I agreed. “It’s hard to think of something that strong. Hell, even back on my world we didn’t know of much that was that strong.”

“Ok, so you know some of your limits. Care to tell me why these goblins had to die?”

“They were sacrificing their children to fuel the creation of those abominations.” I said, a bit of anger finally coloring my words. “System gave me a quest to wipe them out. Now I think I need to make sure that they at least get a burial.” I said with a sad sigh, casting several large orbs of gravity and letting them suck up everything in the village, bringing it all into one center. They would have to be happy with a pyre. Using the same mixture of gases I did so long ago in the snow dungeon, I created an incredibly intense fire trapped within a mana barrier. I kept it burning, incinerating even the smoke until the only thing left were bits of liquid metal and fine ashes. Only then did I let the breeze carry it away.

“Feel a little better?”

“Well, I feel a little. That’s an improvement.” I said, turning away. “So what brought you here?”

“Oh I dunno. I was just minding my own business when I felt a massive pulse of familiar mana. Figured I would stop by to make sure that you were actually ok. Are you ok?”

“I’ll be fine, eventually.” I said, gently bumping her with my shoulder. “What I saw down there, it was bad. Somehow worse than your first friend. But at least we have three of your four friends freed, so we can focus on finding the last production facility.”

“Two? Who?” She asked, and I turned to see her several steps behind me, tears in her eyes.

“Gods, I’m an idiot.” I muttered, crossing the distance and pulling her into a hug. “I’m sorry. So sorry.” I murmured, holding her close as her body shook with sobs. God, what a great way to break the news Sean. I mentally chided myself. “I’m sorry Elendria. They were too far gone for me to do anything about. Their souls aren’t suffering anymore though.” I tried comforting her.

She didn’t say anything, but her fierce embrace told me enough. I held her until the strength in her arms waned, and we silently headed back to the main road. Flying would have been faster, but walking gave us time to process.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

“You’re running late, dearies. You’re not acting like yourself at all Elendria. You used to be the first up and onto my knee for stories, sometimes before I even sat down.” Called an elderly voice filled with mirth from the road. I was instantly on guard, but Elendria was practically frozen.

“Grandma Victoria?” She asked, and an old elf poked her head out of the back of the wagon to smile at us. Her hair was cut nearly to her scalp, and was pure white with age. Only now was I able to get a good look at the wagon, and I relaxed a bit. The symbol of the Oracles was on the side, a head with an open third eye, though this one was much nicer than what I was expecting.

“You remembered!” She said with glee, climbing out with surprising grace and walking towards us. Elendria wasted no time, shooting across the gap and wrapping her up in a hug.

“Oh Gram!” She said between tears.

“I know dear, I know.” She replied quietly, gently stroking her hair.

“Why? Why did it have to be me?”

“I’m so sorry my Frozen Lily. I’ve walked millions of threads in my lifetime, and yours more than anyone’s. Looking for a way to warn you, to prepare you, or even prevent you from having to walk this road. And each one led to a fate far worse than even this one. There were but a handful of threads that led to a lighter future, and all those split off from when you were a slave.”

“I hate to do this, but if we don’t leave, we will be late.” Victoria said after a moment.

“Late for what?” I asked as we all headed toward the wagon.

“Why, late to confront those traitorous brothers of Elendria’s as well as the last major player that bastard of a snake has on this world. Come along Sean, we can talk on the way.” She said matter of factly, jarring me from where I had stopped walking. “Haste us back to Steelbrew. There we will change the horses for Cormitian and Elk. We’ll need their speed and endurance.” She said to the driver, who immediately started when we were all seated.

“Push them through the night?” He asked.

“Yes.” She said as she settled in. She looked at me and continued, “Now, I suppose some introductions are in order. Victoria Threadwalker, currently the ‘exiled’ Royal Soul Seer.”

“Soul Seer? So you are like Elendria?” I asked.

“Partially.” She said. “Oracles need to be able to see your soul to find the threads that bind you to others and weave into the Grand Tapestry that is life. That is the limit of my power with souls. Elendria can instantly recognize souls, as well as strong emotions. She can interact with them, I am limited to sight only.”

“So can I ask what your role at court was?” I asked, confused.

“Of course! For generations, the Royal Soul Seer was present to determine the value of certain actions. The best of us were like Elendria, with actual powers to see into the soul. The times one wasn’t available, the strongest of the Oracles was promoted. We would see if it led to a darker or lighter path, but that was all.”

“Grandmother, you don’t have to explain-“ Elendria stared, stopping when Victoria turned a smile to her.

“Dear, of course I do. You have known me for years, your Sean just met me. His experiences lead him to doubt the people he meets in this world, and that is a good thing. Trust isn’t born overnight, and he isn’t going to like my plan.”

“Your plan?” I asked, immediately intrigued.

“Oh yes. See, tomorrow will be the day where it is best to confront the False Emperor Duerse and Crown Prince Olearis.”

“Why would that be?”

“Because he is marrying his consort. There will be plenty of nobility there to see your accusations leveled at them, as well as my own support. You’ll need that unless you want to try and explain regicide afterward, when you have half a country calling for your heads. Or had you not thought of that yet?” She asked.

“I.” I started, stopping to think things through. No, I hadn’t thought of what we would do after killing her brothers. “No, I figured we would just kill them and fly on to our next issue. Probably tracking down some of the priests of this new false religion and eliminating them.”

“May I?” She asked, holding out her hand.

“Sure.” I said with a shrug.

As she took my hand, she spoke as light welled from deep within her eyes, “A seer is granted this but once in her lifetime. After, her powers will gradually diminish. I, Victoria Threadwalker, fray my own thread to entwine it with yours, Sean O’Carrol. See with my sight the results of the thread’s path on which you tread. Entwined Vision”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I stood in a devastated room. Fires greedily consumed expensive tapestries as scorch marks marred the columns and floors. Bodies covered in black armor were eviscerated, parts strewn about. Some shattered as if a frozen sculpture was toppled, some cut through with an impossibly sharp blade, and some torn limb from limb with titanic forces.

“Weak.” Came a feminine snarl from the throne, where an elf in elegant black and gold armor lay impaled on a spike of ice. “Apophis never should have tried to save your pathetic race. Even with the gifts you have been given, you disappoint us time and again. Olearis, you know what to do.” With that, the form that was shrouded in darkness turned to me. “Until next time, champion.” With a flare of darkness, she was gone.

“GUARDS! GUARDS!” A panicked elf shouted from the corner. He was covered in blood, his robes torn and shredded. “THE EMPEROR IS DEAD! ARREST THEM!” He screamed as guards in gleaming plate entered and surrounded us with halberds pointed in our direction. I could tell that these were normal elves, and the corrupted bastard in the corner was hiding a smile.

“Halt! You are under arrest!” The captain ordered, and I felt a weight settle on my shoulders, suppressing my powers. I was still more than strong enough to escape, but I could tell Elendria was on the last dregs of her power. Between the suppression and the exhaustion of battle, I knew I wouldn’t be able to protect her in time.

“If you truly value your world, you will arrest the sniveling bastard in the corner and let us go.” I said. “He is allied with –“

“Enough of your lies, murderer!” Olearis snarled, hobbling over. "You killed our beloved Emperor, and you will hang for it. In fact, I think we should summarily execute you now.” As he spoke, he moved a knife over Elendria’s throat. Only now did I notice the fine webbing of black lines surrounding her lips, preventing her from speaking. When did she get hit with a silencing spell?

“To think you would threaten the life of your own OOF!” I grunted, my words interrupted by the butt of a halberd slamming into my stomach. As I partially bent over in pain, I could see the resignation in Elendria’s eyes.

“Mana bullet. Gravity well.” I fired a bullet straight through Olearis’ forehead as a gravity well latched onto the knife, pulling it away from Elendria’s throat. The world blurred as time sped up. No matter how viciously I fought, Elendria ended up taking substantial wounds. The guards died as more poured in, forcing me to grab Elendria’s body and blast our way out through a window. Time flashed forward, showing me battles raging as elves and humans butchered each other with abandon.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

As the vision released me, I slammed back into my seat. My body was shaking from the vision, as it wasn’t just that. I had felt the exhaustion of my body, the splashes of blood and streaks of sweat. The chill from different ice spells across the room. I could tell that it hit Victoria just as hard, as there were beads of sweat across her forehead and she was heaving for breath.

“That, was intense.” I said, not trusting myself to say anything more.

“In. Deed.” Victoria agreed as Elendria was wondering who to hover over.

“Are you two ok? What happened? You touched hands and then almost immediately repelled each other.” She asked, the barest hints of panic tinging her voice.

“Shhh.” I said, gently patting her hand. “We’ll. Be okay. Need a bit.” I panted as Victoria nodded. It took a few minutes, and Victoria still wasn’t perectly recovered, but she seemed well enough to talk with.

“Go ahead and ask.” Victoria said weakly.

“That’s what happens if we just barge in and level accusations?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “I only had the strength to show you one scenario. Even if I had the strength though, there is a branch in the thread going forward. I couldn’t and wouldn’t show you anything that might happen along the path with my plan.”

“Too much knowledge of the future can be dangerous.” I nodded, thinking of how many stories there were where people did all they could to avoid a certain future only to have their actions hasten what they hoped to avoid.

“Indeed.”

“Well, I will admit you have my attention. You couldn’t have faked that vision as far as I know, though I wonder why I couldn’t see the figure in the darkness.”

“Something about her blocks scrying.” Victoria said. “The last person who tried to follow her thread received an astral blade through her third eye. She will never again be an oracle, though we will never disclose that.” We sat in silence for a moment, thinking on everything. Eventually Elendria spoke up.

“So if our original plan is no longer going to work, what is your plan Grandmother?”

“The ceremony for Duerse marrying his consort is tomorrow afternoon. I’ll get us into the city and we will join the party under Duke Mark’lein. We have clothes for you that are suitable for the inevitable fighting. When the time is right, we will level the accusations. I will use my powers to reveal the traitors in front of the nobility.”

“And after that, everyone tries to survive the chaos.” I muttered, but was nodding my head. “Alright. If you are sure you could get us in, we’ll go along with your plan. You in Elendria?”

“I’ll be by your side. Always.” She said with a smile.

“Right. Well, if we are going to be pushing through the night, we should get what rest we can. If you girls want, I’ll take the floor and leave the benches for yourselves.” I offered, getting nods of agreement from the two. It might have been the bumps in the road, it might have been the knowledge that things were coming to a head in the very near future. Either way, I didn’t get much sleep.