A man and a doll sit in an auditorium, watching Nicki fight against the injustice of incident after incident. Humans, monsters, and even sentient abstract paintings fates twisting, and fraying their essence leaking out. Only Nicki there only lifeline, and all too often he was either too late, too slow or missed his bindings being undone.
“I saw so much death and destruction. And wove the unbinding as they unbound.” Nicki looked down at his scared fingers, the purple lines looking nothing more than strange tattoos, until one looked closer. Lighting writhed wand wriggle under his fingertips. “It had taken me longer than I was proud of to realize someone was fighting against me. I just thought I wasn’t strong enough at the time. Or that I didn’t know what I was doing. I mean wouldn’t be the first.” He turned to Drystia, “Did I tell you they just kind of tossed me into this job and barely gave me anything to go on?”
Drystia looked back confused. “Why would they do that?”
He laughed. “No idea. But that’s beside the point. I really only figured out I was being thwarted when they came to gloat. When they thought I would be at my weakest.”
“Who?”
“There were three of them. Three sisters. One to spin, one to weave, and one to cut.” Nicki said reciting an old saying he once read about the three.
“Why does that sound familiar?”
“They were the three fates.”
“Why were they working against you?” Drystia sounded panicked. And by all rights should be. They were powerful deities, and she never realized who they were.
“Oh simple.” Nicki’s smile became predatory, “I gave free will back to their people. No more could their Gods change fate on a whim. No more oracles sending Demi-Gods on missions to correct their own mistakes. No more twisting fate for the slightest slight against them. Only freedom.” Nicki paused for a minute before adding, “I might not have meant to do that but that’s how it worked out.”
“You accidentally freed a world and made enemies of the Gods.” Her tone skeptical.
Nicki shrugged, “I know weird right.”
“To say the least.”
“Now, where was I?” Nicki looked back at the screen his hands were covered in purple, “Ah yes. Just as the fates cut my weaves. Time and time again I burned myself upon fate searing the strings together. So that they would hold fast. Then they came to gloat.”
#
Between life and death. Just outside of reality. Where the tapestry of the world is woven a man is fighting against the Gods themselves. Doing everything to save the people. Nicki’s hands were burned and discolored the last of the souls drifting beyond his reach. His muscles suddenly locked up from an errant, spasm leftover from the lighting. His essence burned and leaked from his incorporeal spirit. Nicki didn’t know how long he could keep this up.
It was when he was at his weakest that her heard the cackles, laughter, and jeers. "You thought you could take from us." An old crone, hunched over with deep wrinkles stepped from the dark. An evil smile on her face as her body switched to that of a young woman in her prime.
“Undo what we've done.” Another girl stepped out of the dark this one young, in her early teens. Her body shifted to that of an old crone.
“Burn us to the ground.” A woman in her prime stepped out shifting to a young girl.
All three were constantly shifting between an old woman, a young girl, and a woman in her prime.
“Punish us?” They asked in unison all letting out a cackling laugh, in horrifying disharmony.
“Who the fuck are you?” Nicki was too tired and frustrated to even try to be polite. Not to mention they were pissing him off.
“Such language.” The woman in her prime said playfully.
“From such a small creature.” Another of the girls said in sequence.
“All I see are three whiny bitches.” Nicki could barely move but something about these three irked him the wrong way. “Unable to deal with being bested.” He sneered.
“Oh, sisters it seems he knows who we are.” One said playfully, as they menacingly circled him.
“Nope. I just figured I bested you. Seeing how you're such small insignificant creatures.”
“Silence!” They yelled in unison, a wave of power pushing against Nicki’s soul.
That made Nicki smile “No.” He said simply.
That finally seemed to piss the three off. “You will pay for your crimes.”
“And what crimes are those?” Nicki actually had no idea what he did to piss these three off. He was sure it wasn’t for talking back, though they might have just been that petty.
“Freeing Atlas.”
“Oh. Him.”
“Yes, now you see.” The sister’s sinister smiles returned.
“Hmm....then that makes you”
“The fates.” They finished for him.
“The fats, huh?” He needled. If he was going out he would spit in their eyes as he went.
The sisters took a step forward at his remark before one stopped them, “Sisters pay no attention to him. We will make him our new fulcrum, he will be bound and burned as we use his thread to bind the world.”
“You’re forgetting one thing.” Nicki thought up a plan, one he wasn’t sure would even work.
“What an insignificant one.” One asked.
“This door.” Using every ounce of power left Nicki forced a door into existence not caring where it went. It barely formed not even corporeal but it was all Nicki needed. He opened it and jumped through to other worlds.
“Nooo!”
“We will find you and you will weep for eternity in Tartarus.”
The sisters shouted at him. Leveeing all manners of threats and promises as Nicki drifted through the darkness barely substantial, so much essence drained. He didn’t know how much energy he had left. Soon would he loose to much and dissipate into nothingness.
#
In a world too big to exist. A world that may or may not be a globe, or simply an unending dimension expanding on a near-infinite plain. Maybe just a size that should be too large for humans to survive, and yet here they are thriving.
Creating magic, cultivating heavenly energies, and upon a mountain isolated from the world is a secret where martial artists and immortal hopefuls train their bodies and souls.
Today is an ordinary day for the sect, yet an all too important one for Feng Rei had reached the Pinnacle of human limitations, and now she was to fight the heavens. She had been putting off her tribulation for weeks wishing to stabilize her foundations and knew she had enemies that would take this chance to strike, her spiritual companion was doing his best to cover her, but without a body, there was only so much he could do.
Now time was fast approaching and she couldn’t contain the power rolling inside her core anymore. The dark clouds of heavenly tribulation began to gather. As Feng Rei desperately searched for a place to ascend. A place she could recover, and enter the first true steps of an immortal.
She was supposed to go on a mission outside the sect, she had spent months gaining contribution points in order to afford protective treasures so she would have a better chance against the tribulation.
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This mission was supposed to be her last, and she would have just enough points to afford what she needed, the heavens dispersing pill. It would have healed her completely after the tribulation even using the lightning to strengthen her further. She had even been incredibly circumspect making sure that no one in the sect knew she was leaving, having gained assurances on the missions provider’s word. He would not spread the news.
She was berating herself for waiting for so long. She could have bought minor treasures to defend herself, increasing her odds. But she knew with the heavens dispersing pill she would not only survive but thrive from the lighting solidifying her foundation to a new level.
Now she had none of that, as she left for an isolated area of the sect to fight against the heavens themselves. Else the test becomes too strong as it might consider others assisting her and kill them too. Even her spiritual partner Silas was running around in her guise trying to ensure her safety. It was his idea yet she didn’t like it. Alone and hoping that her enemies wouldn’t dare attack inside the sect itself. A line they had truly yet to cross, and would bring the full force of the sect down on them.
She reached the area known as the tribulation point where most hopefuls went. Feng Rei sat in the center, holding back her cultivation till she was ready, and the clouds gathered fully. If she was going to do this she was going to do it right. By now she knew she had an audience. Some outer sect elders were curious about who was about to enter the first stages. Some looking for apprentices others, and others simply liked to watch from a fair distance off.
Except for the man in strange clothes not twenty feet away watching her. Looking on considering. He looked oddly familiar to Feng Rei but his clothes made her heart beat out of her chest.
“Didn't expect to see a heavenly tribulation. I guess that could count as a crossroads.” The man said calmly.
His voice startled her, making her internal energy go slightly wild. She tamped it down as the clouds rumbled. The man had been appearing to her all day, yet no one else saw him. She wondered if she stumbled on some sort of ghost, a vision from her past world, or possibly some heavenly treasure. But after some time Feng Rei realized she hadn't. Who was this man and why did he not exist to her senses? she wondered.
She would have spoken to him, or at least tried if not for everything she had planned, that and it might have given them an excuse to stop her. The man disappeared and reappeared constantly throughout the day, with every spike in her core. Never saying anything, just observing. As a test, she sneakily threw a rock at him, as it just passed through disturbing nothing. That was when she knew that she was either going crazy or a master at the pinnacle had taken an interest in her, though she did not know why.
With him finally speaking Feng Rei felt she could finally ask.
She cupped her hands and bowed forward slightly, “This student greats elder.”
“Huh?” He said looking around for someone only to look back at the lady sitting on the ground. “Me? You can see me?”
Did I screw up? Was he going to punish me for calling him out? “Was I not supposed to grand elder? I am sorry and will ignore you if you wish.”
“Well, that is unsettling.” He said calmly. then began to talk under his breath, just enough for her to hear him. “Why haven’t the other cultivators seen me? Wonder if it’s her bloodline or the fact the lighting is coming. Maybe both?”
She watched on and still couldn’t figure out why he looked so familiar, and why he wore clothes from back home. The sky rumbled, and she became a bit more panicked, “Grand elder, I am sorry but my tribulation is upon me. If you wish to assist I would be more than grateful.” Hoping she might get some kind of boon from him. After all, he was observing her tribulation.
“Ah, you think I’m a cultivator, and since you can't sense me. That makes sense to you.” The man shook his head. “No Venessa, I’m not some grand elder. I am...well right now I might as well be a ghost. I am here to witness you.”
“Witness. Is that part of the tribulation?” She asked before her mind locked onto what the man had called her. A name discarded and lost, long ago.
The man continued like he didn’t just shatter her with a single name, “For you? Possibly. Honestly, I have no idea. But this is your crossroads. I’ve already helped you once, and can’t seem to do it again. I wonder which way you'll turn.”
All the man said would have seemed like complete nonsense to anyone else. She stared at his semi-transparent form wondering if he was actually a ghost from her past. Was this part of her tribulation, one of her heart demons trying to destabilize her? She had seen ghosts before and they always carried an aura of death, here this man just didn't exist except for what she could see and hear.
“And now I know to be more careful if you can see me. Then others could too. They'll probably think I’m some sort of cultivation resource here.” He put his head in his palm. The sky rumbled as purple light sparked within the clouds.
The two looked up, and the girl knew her tribulation was here.
“Good luck Vanessa Greigh, and tell me about your adventures with Silas one day.” The man said walking away, as the clouds grew darker.
#
In a place between a dream and waking. A place of madmen and mystics. A man bears witness to a crossroads. A choice in the fabric of reality, as he has done now hundreds of times. He was running from the Fates and found a sort of refuge for a time here, and an old client. Sure he said he couldn’t help, with his essence leaking more and more by the minute he probably only had a few jumps left before he was gone. So why not fight the heavens?
He stood waiting. Preparing to mitigate the damage to the girl as much as he could. The clouds grew dark to the point they were absorbing light, only the strange purple lightning angrily rumbling gave any illumination. He watched on as the girl sat preparing herself for her tribulation. One he knew she wasn't prepared for. As her thread began to pull tight and tighter trying to break free. Nicki reached out and grabbed her thread pulse as much of himself into it as he could.
Then the first bolt fell.
It was strange to Nicki. He knew how fast lighting moved, it was near instantaneous. This was like a slowed-down film. He watched as it fell, as Vanessa drew her sword and attacked. Seeming to deflect the majority of the power before the rest continued into her body, as her weapon now only slag fell to the ground as she seized. I know that feeling.
The sky continued to rumble as she struggled. Nicki though was looking at the scene confused. It was not about what was happening. He had read hundreds of novels with similar things. No, it was the lightning, he could feel it as it disappeared. The portion she had deflected was redirected into him. He could feel his essence taking it in and healing his soul ever so slightly. It was like when he received payment from a new Hero except different.
Nicki was so caught up that he had missed when Vanessa stood, and the next bolt fell. She had two treasures out a bell and a fan readying herself as the power closed in. Then she rang the bell and the world seemed to stop. The electricity about to hit her just vanished, and the bell exploded. As she easily dispersed the last remnants of power.
And Nicki felt even more energy fill him, as he watched the girl’s thread struggle and fight for all it was worth, as another one fell, then another, then another, a total of six bolts fell as she threw treasure after treasure determined to survive.
But Nicki knew that it wasn't to be as he watched. Her thread was fraying ripping at reality. Ever so close to being flung away altogether when. The seventh and final bolt fell upon her and she screamed and he watched on as her thread was severed from the world's tapestry.
The threads began to drift away like so many others. He could only push more of himself and the newly gained essence into her, as the thread slipped out of his hands. So he watched her and waited for her to be pulled away. He hoped her next world would be kind.
Then something he didn't think possible happened. The girl stood up as her thread reconnected to the tapestry now free of its former tangle. Now flowing smoothly through the tapestry.
Nicki began to connect the dots. Cultivators fight fate. Is this what. Heavenly tribulation truly is? Severing yourself from the tapestry and using that to grow in power?
The more he thought on it the more it made sense. After all, that's how Heroes worked, freed from the tapestry they could move faster, entanglements were more difficult and they would grow incredibly fast.
He watched on bearing witness not to another death but a triumph as Venessa let out a mad laugh. Her clothes and herself were still slightly charred.
“Congratulations,” Nicki said beyond proud of this once little girl. One once stuck to so many machines.
“Thank you. Elder.”
“Again not elder.”
“Then what are you?”
“Just a witness to your triumph.” He suddenly felt the pull trying to rip him away to another potential Hero. But now he found himself easily holding back the pull. The lightning had charged him up, and he felt nearly alive yet still very much damaged. But he wants to thank her for what she showed him. A way to stay ahead of the Fates, and maybe one day fight back, or better go home.
“Thank you.”
“Elder, I do not understand.”
“You showed me something new and gave me a glimpse of how to get home.”
“Where are you from? If that's not impermanent.” There was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She already knew.
“Oh, Vanessa Greigh you already know. But I’ll pretend you don’t.” He said cheekily, “Another world, and I am lost. But now.” He felt a tingle just beyond the pull to another place. A place familiar, a place of medicine and machines. The place where his body lay. It was the first time since this all happened he felt it hidden behind the pull of duty. “I might be able to return soon. Or at least deal with those damn fates.”
“Would senior give some advice?”
He stared at her for some time. “Sure. Don't forget you are human. You no longer have tentacles to hold you back. You are fallible, and so is everyone else. Understand yourself, and you will begin to understand the world.” Nicki said trying to sound like an old master from his many stories.
“Now go stabilize your foundations. Prepare yourself. Oh, and don't forget to live and enjoy life. What's the point in living forever if you’re always cultivating? Might as well just be a tree.”
“Thank you senior I will meditate on your words.”
Nicki then let himself be pulled forward onto the next world, ready to do more.
#
Back in an auditorium a man and a doll watch the scene. Drystia was in disbelief, as Nicki spoke.
“It was then I finally had some semblance of power. I had even glimpsed a truth of the multiverse. Something I don’t think mortals were supposed to see.”
“You really called the Gods whiney bitches.” She said almost completely ignoring his statement.
“That’s what you get hung up on?”
“You could not have thought that was a good idea.” She said seriously.
“I admit it was a bit much.” He conceded. “But I was not having the best day.”
“What? You were only dying, and they simply wanted to use you as a fulcrum.”
Nicki rolled his eyes, “Ah yes. I should have been a complete gentleman to my would-be tormentors.”
“As long as you understand.” She said nodding.
“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”
Drystia only laughed.