They stood in a new place, Syl and Filou both transported by the black eyed goddess’s power, under the branches of a great tree alone in a well tended pasture. The pasture was part of a shelf cut into the side of a mountain. Below Syl could see other shelfs almost like steps along the mountain’s side each step green with crops or orchards. Water flowed down the steps from pools and well defined canals down to a vast terraced city below. The city was encircled by a massive black earthen wall that in parts shimmered like glass. Beyond the wall there was a coastline and active trade port full of tall masted wooden ships with white sails and a rough looking sea beyond. Filou turned and looked at Syl with a small smile and sad eyes.

“I have been manipulating you, though for both our sakes. This is my favorite place.” Filou said and leaned against the base of the tree. She gestured with an open hand beyond the field to the city below. “We stand far removed from where you belong, here we are part of a mostly forgotten mythic age, the time of the gods long over. Under that sea rests the ruins of what became of Dion and far to the west Ril is beneath an ancient forest.” Filou said and beckoned Syl to follow her around the base of the tree. There were two small statues set in a protected nook. The statues were of two women, their faces serene and timeless. “A family shrine to the sister goddesses, Syl and Filou, patron goddesses of the Black City.” Filou said as she reached down and brushed off a few stray leaves. Filou sighed a quiet sigh and patted Syl’s arm and they shared a quiet moment. As they stood there Syl heard the light twinkling of a bell and Filou turned to her. “We have special guests, I’ll leave the vocalizing to you dear sister.” Filou said and her smile seemed mischievous.

They stood quietly and watched a procession walk towards them from the mountain. There was a woman in a long white dress with a hood covering her head, A diminutive green skinned man with large pointed ears and a neat beard walking with a long staff, a woman wearing heavy looking black armor with a massive man wearing similar wicked looking black armor walking slightly behind her.

“Hail holy mother” Said the green skinned man when he got closer while looking at Syl.

“Hail and welcome.” Syl said matching the style of his greeting.

“You honor us with your attendance on this occasion thank you.” The green skinned man said. Syl didn’t know quite what to do so smiled in return. The woman in white removed her hood and the time worn face of an old woman smiled. It was the woman that had cried in the streets of Darnsa somehow alive in a different age. Her horns were slightly larger but still graceful and with brown hair now gray.

“Thank you for coming holy sisters, we’ve missed you.” She said with a reverent nod. Syl gently reached over to the hooded lady and gave her a hug. To her side the armored man and woman offered hand gestures to Filou that she returned while smiling and nodding.

“Thank you for being here for this Auntie Filou, nice to see you so young again.” Said the woman wearing black armor. Filou started silently laughing and did a quick series of gestures that shocked the woman in black armor. The woman turned to Syl eyes wide.

“This is the first time she’s met me? REALLY?!” The woman said stunned. This was followed by some more gestures from Filou.

“Auntie it hasn’t happened already for her, no one else thinks like that, I doubt even Nim could follow your nonsense.” The woman in armor said while shaking a scolding finger as Filou who continued to gesture and make faces like she was laughing.

“Obviously I’m going to help her, this is important and she needs to know why she is here besides your shenanigans!” The woman said as she came over and grabbed Syl’s hands.

“I’m Arnseth, you helped raise me with your idiot sister over there. We asked you both here to bless the alliance and migration of the Raging River goblin tribes to the Black City. The goblins were delighted when I offered to contact you both. Though I didn’t realize ‘she’ would see this an opportunity for one of her tricks…” Arnseth said giving her a warm smile then an exaggerated squint at Filou who slapped her knees in delight.

Syl looked over at what she now knew as a goblin. They weren’t part of her books before and she wasn’t sure what race the horned woman was though that must have happened right after she checked the first time in the book. The two in black armor looked human. She decided to check everyone out.

‘Identify’

My lady have you started going senile? Wait… which Lady Syl are you?

‘Huh.. its the morning I met Filou in the prison for me’

Damn her! No! She isn’t doing this to us again! Just wait until you go back, we are on the way.

Thick clouds formed above the field and the air crackled with energy. “I think you really made her mad this time Auntie.” Arnseth said holding a gauntleted hand to her chin as she looked up at the darkening clouds above them her silhouette imposing. Syl looked at the people around her again, black-eyed the Filou had a somewhat sinister look as she smiled contentedly, A goblin diminutive but fierce seemed concerned though relaxed in this company, her priestess was a horned creature of some kind, and the large man in black armor could have easily been a villain in a video game.

Stolen story; please report.

A noise caught her attention and she turned towards the great tree in time to see the bark on its base bend and stretch as a slender feminine hand pushed out. The rest of the arm followed and soon a leg and the remainder of the body. It was a graceful woman wearing a dress of green and gold made of fine leaves with skin that might have been pale bark with long white hair.

“Is that you Luna?” Said Syl in wonder. The woman’s piercing green eyes flashed towards Syl and widened.

“You are a vision of the past my lady. It is a pleasure to see you.” Luna said with a nod and then turned towards Filou and the others. “It’s good to see you healthy trickster, would have thought you were in the south as I just left your side.” Luna said with wicked smile. Filou returned the smile and it looked just as sinister. Syl noticed two new figures that walked out from the mountain to the field. A man in clad head to toe in dark red armor a long black cape fluttered behind him and a woman that sent a chill down her back, it was her, she was watching herself walk with a brisk pace into the field. As they approached Luna spoke first.

“I never thought I would beat you to the clearing my lady.” Luna said to the other Syl.

In response the other woman, a vision identical to herself and that was her in the future, gestured in her direction. “This is a big day for her.” Other Syl said.

“Explains the look.” Luna said considering other Syl. A new bout of silent laughing struck Filou and she rocked back and forth with glee.

“Are we meeting with the Raging River goblins sweetie?” Other Syl said while smiling and looking at the black armored woman, Arnseth, and the armored woman nodded. “Let me speak with her a moment and then we will get started.” Other Syl said and walked over to her.

“Its awkward being on this side of the conversation, until today I considered this moment something that might never happen. I know you feel overwhelmed and that you’re desperate for a home and family. Let me help by saying the things you need to hear and save you some frustration.” Other Syl said and reached out with a hand and lightly touched Syl’s arm.

“Julie and Stan will always love and accept you.” Other Syl said and she pointed to the woman in black armor. “Their future and their love stands strong and proud as part of your family right over there. Filou is barely holding it together, all of this is for you, she needs you. Do not be afraid to punish those that do wrong though all things have a price.” Other Syl said and opened her hand. Lines of light spread from her palm like threads and formed circles around Syl in the air.

“Ros’ auth OKurum!” Other Syl said and the circles started to change and expand with intricate lines. Patterns of light swirled around Syl as other Syl talked. “Stop thinking you can only see with your eyes, we are the primal magic of the world, see me and see the truth.” Other Syl said as she gave her a piercing look.

Syl inhaled and connected herself to the magic all around her. Her natural state was pure magic and she could sense everything it touched. She looked at her future self and saw the difference between them. Future Syl was a raging torrent magic and power that seemed barely contained. Her future self had cords of condensed magic reaching out to the world around her like braided veins and forces raging in her that Syl didn’t recognize. She was a vortex of power.

“When you get back use the graphical interface to interpret your memories and don’t forget to be yourself. Iride!” Future Syl said and the patterns of light swirling around her contracted in an instant.

There was a disorienting ripping sensation and she was back in the ancient prison beneath Dion in time to see the version of herself from when she met Filou disappear. Filou however was still standing in the room still wearing the rags that she changed out of in Darnsa her hand still up from the earlier chest poke. Filou dropped her arm unable to hold the weight of her own limb.

“It’s over, everything is over…” Filou said and with her forehead scrunched. Her clothing changed into a basic green and white dress that would pass as traveling clothes as she looked over at Syl.

“You deserve the truth now that we are at the end.” Filou said looking miserable. “I exist in lots of places and times and they aren’t all connected, kind of like your shards but different. There isn’t a path to that future. It doesn’t exist. This was all set up so we could see it.” Filou said and slumped to the ground her childlike body made her look tiny in the dark room.

“It seemed so real.” Syl said.

She rolled over so that she was on her back and stared up at the dark cavernous ceiling. “I’ve tried everything, you always die and there is no going back now.” Filou said as she laid there and didn’t move.

“What do you mean?” Syl said as she walked over to the girl sized goddess and sat on the floor beside her.

“After your ‘event’ you found me in a mental hospital. My brain isn’t right, I see things people aren’t supposed to see… fecking Werthe even then… and I was the only one that could see you.” Filou said as she weakly waved her arm at the room and when it fell again so did tears. “I was so lonely.”

Filou turned away from Syl and curled into a ball. “We would talk for hours while I was there in the dark. The only other person that really talked to me was my brother, and he thought I was sick. He even got a degree in mental health, inspired by the sister he saw get thrown into the back of a van with schizophrenia.” Filou said bitterly as she hugged herself and cried.

“The monsters are gone, they were in one of your shards… It was the cost of showing you the only future I could find that you lived. Now when you die this time, the paradox will destroy everything.” Filou said and her body shook with grief.

“I’m not dead yet, Filou.” Syl said as she put a hand on the shaking girl.

“You will be! When we make Werthe you die! Or you survive broken and sleeping until you are devoured by dragons!” Filou screamed into the dark room and then in a quiet voice. “I found it by accident, a future where you lived, but it is impossible. The only way to wake you is to destroy the shard with most of your memories of making this place with me… the shard with the rest of the fecking monsters!” Filou said and she sobbed, defeated.

“Monsters that are part of the future.” Syl said and realized why Filou was such a mess. She looked over at the sobbing girl and felt horrible for what she must have gone through trying to save her only friend, her sister.

“Come on, this place is the worst, let’s get you to bed.” Syl said and stood. Filou didn’t move she just batted a feeble arm at Syl like she was trying to push her away. “No. I mean it, come on, stop acting like a brat.” Syl said and then picked up the small goddess while considering where to take her and knew right away.

There was a shift in perspective as they moved through magic to an open space in front of a sturdy wooden door in the village of Ril. Nervous and feeling a little silly the goddess Syl reached out with a glowing hand and knocked. She couldn’t help but swallow when she heard a noise on the inside and started rehearsing what she might say to them.

Stan opened the door welding a broom while looking out from the interior of the home with a fierce look until their eyes met. After their eyes met his mouth opened like he was about to say something and then stopped. Behind him somewhere out of sight she heard Julie start speaking.

“Syl is still sleeping, I hope we didn’t keep her up too late last night. Who’s at the door? You’re being a little rude honey.” Julie said.

Stan turned his head towards the room never breaking eye contact with Syl or changing his expression and nodded towards Syl while pointing at her. “What in the world is wrong with you.” Julie said as foot steps made their way across the room. The door opened the rest of the way and Julie stepped out and promptly stopped to stare at goddess Syl.

“Hi, good morning.” Syl said still holding a now sleeping Filou.

“Good morning.” Stan said with a little bit of a nervous stutter.

“This is Filou, you know her as Sister Sun, can she spend some time here in my bed? I’ll explain when she is resting.”

“Uh, sure.” Julie said as she moved aside to let goddess Syl in the house.

“Thank you so much. Be right back.” Goddess Syl said and carried sleeping Filou into the room. It was a strange thing to look at her avatar sleeping in the room and everything was a little different from a larger body. She decided since both feet were in the water it was time to jump in so she put Filou in the bed and wrapped the blanket around her sleeping form and woke up as her avatar.