Night fell as the rickety carriage stopped momentarily. The old driver, took out a tinder box from his dirty over coat as he attempted to light the lantern that hung from the carriage. The four guards men who were on their own horses also did the same, holding the lantern in their hands after they lit it.

The old driver grunted as he lifted himself up, taking hold of the reins as he did so. The rickety old vehicle shook as it moved, waking the two passengers who were within.

Aleron woke up, annoyed that he was interrupted from his rest, and grimaced as he breathed in the stuffy air, mixed with the scent of sweating horses. He opened the carriage window and looked outside, ignoring the other passenger, who was smiling as she observed him.

Aleron refused to look at her. She was ugly after all. She had a bent back, mangy black-silver hair, with yellowed teeth. He was already pissed at the fact that he, who was used to riding business vehicles, was to ride in a stinky, stuffy box, with an old hag.

The other passenger grinned wider as she saw his discomfort. She then spoke to him, for the first time after getting in the vehicle.

"We should be arriving soon, young one. It would be best if you wore your new uniform." She purred. She had a strangely soft voice, contrary to her hideous looks.

Aleron looked at his side uncomfortably, where a black and silver outfit laid. He muttered, "And how am I supposed to do that with you in here?"

She smirked, "You're only 7 years old, and you act so conceited. Almost as if you were nobility. I guess we won't have to teach you too much etiquette when we get to the Institute. Anyways, hurry up and change. It's not like you have much to show."

Aleron sighed as he thought, 'Blasted old hag is making jokes like that at her age. Annoying.'

Aleron fidgeted, before finally taking off his tattered clothes, and put on the outfit. It was a uniform you would see Military officers would wear, Stiff shoulders, weighted pants, the whole deal. He raised a his eyebrow as he looked over to the old woman questioningly.

He noticed that she was grinning as she held a crystal as if recording something.

He realized she had been holding it for the whole time. 'Great. Not only is this woman old and ugly, she is a pervert as well.'

He tried to snatch at the crystal, but she put it away cackling, "Observation Log 23. Save and store."

'Fuck....' he thought. He sighed again as he asked her, "So who are you? I think it would be polite if we had a proper greeting, which you never did."

She stared at him with a slight smile, before she said, "I, am an Inspector of the great Institute. Call me Margerie, I am to be your personal Observer, and Helper for when you are the Institute."

Aleron groaned as he realized what she had implied. He was to be stuck with this perverted, dirty old lady as long as he was at the Institute.

He sighed for the umpteenth time, before he said, "I suppose you know already, but I am Aleron Qwintun. Unnoticeable, Unremarkable, small child of age 7. Pleased to meet you Miss...Margerie."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Margerie smiled as she replied, "Pleased to meet you."

Aleron gazed outside as he said that. 'Ignore her,' he thought, 'just ignore her...'

He then realized it had gotten surprisingly darker all of a sudden. 'Wait..., isn't that.....'

A large black citadel loomed in front of them, towering as it casted its shadow over them.

Margerie cackled, "Welcome Aleron, to the Institute!"

-------------------------

"Now that you have thrown away your shackles, what will you do, young mortal?"

Beneath the murky depths, where even gods don't go, a beautiful woman smiled darkly as she licked her finger tips.

'Ah,' she thought, 'this..this will be truly.....delicious.'

She merged with the black haze that filled the endless ravine, and a laugh rang out as she disappeared.

----------------------

Rekces tapped his fingers against his throne.

They were bickering again. Mere children, fighting over obsolete matters.

"SILENCE!" He shouted. The minor gods trembled as Rekces looked outwards darkly. Little did they know, he wasn't angry or annoyed.

He was mildly amused as he peered out at the mist which covered his domain. It had been a minor whim, in fact, that he would pick this mortal as his champion. He could've picked anyone. A hero, a dragon, a demon...yet, he chose this small mortal being. Sure, there were laws which even gods followed in their small game that they played to ensure the next generation of Defenders of Fate, yet still, he chose one of the weakest beings ever.

A human. A creature whose only asset was the collective knowledge they had gathered throughout centuries. An old, yet weak race who depended on flexibility and adaptability to situations.

Yet he chose one of them.

Honestly, he has no real expectations for the little mortal. Maybe a brief refute in the boredom he was facing.

Although he was concerned about the way the wheel of fate was turning, he didn't have a clear way to do anything about it.

Maybe this mortal will do it.

Rekces closed his eyes as he listened to the soothing sound of fire crackling.

----------------------------

A golden ethereal wheel, forged out of the collective parts of souls from across the galaxy, turned slowly yet surely, crushing, yet raising souls who begged and praised.

Then,

*CRACK*

A serpentine eye opened as it gazed upon the wheel. A small piece of it seemed to have fallen out, and vanished. The serpent rose from it's resting place.

It gazed at the minuscule crack in the wheel, and it hissed, furious.

The wheel will turn, it thought, it must.

Forever.

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