It felt strange.

Elethien sat up on the bed of grass. A moment ago, she was still fighting in Maerila, leading the Foresters in battle. She vaguely remembered firing a massive energy blast, collapsing a section of the wall. She herself then collapsed, the world fading away before her eyes. Exhaustion. Darkness. Unconsciousness.

And then she was here.

This seemed like some sort of trick or dream, an imaginary realm created by her mind. Or maybe this was the afterlife, her soul permanently resting in this space for the rest of eternity… however long that’d be. She must’ve died, then. Being blessed by Fate, she still somehow managed to exhaust her core, draining away her entire life force just to blow up a section of a wall.

So much for her Kingdom of Foresters.

Somehow, she was still clothed in this dreamlike world, albeit dressed in a loose white dress. As she looked down, white flowers with six petals began sprouting up from where she sat, gradually spreading across the landscape until the entire scenery was a field of white, matching her dress and hair. The air was filled with a light, sweet fragrance, giving an atmosphere of pure innocence.

Yet there was one spot which remained untouched by the flowers. Elethien’s sword rested quietly by her side, the blade emanating a faint red light which repulsed the gentle flowers. When a petal accidentally touched the tip of the blade, the entire flower withered, disintegrating into dust without a trace.

Beautiful, isn’t it?

A childlike figure of light appeared out of nowhere, sitting cross-legged directly opposite her. An irrational sensation of fear once again crept up her body, but unlike her initial reaction during their first encounter, she gripped the ground tightly so as not to succumb to her instincts. A few flowers were crushed and squeezed by her hands before also disintegrating into ash, disappearing into the air.

Fate had shown itself once more.

These lilies… How do you like them? It nonchalantly plucked a flower from the ground, gently stroking the petals, before placing it back down, the flower stem connecting itself back to the roots.

Their fragrance, their purity, their innocence… It fits you, my dear child. You have faithfully followed my commands, taking on the path to create your kingdom. You are a light to the Foresters. Your wings have protected them, your sword has led them to victory over your enemies. In their eyes, you are their saviour, an invincible god.

It stopped its movements. But you have forgotten… You are just the same as them, a lily amongst a field of lilies, picked up by the grace of Fate.

Without warning, the flowers all wilted away, yet they did not disintegrate. Instead, their ashen corpses lay across the entire field in a sea of black and grey, the decay happening over the course of a mere moment.

You have forgotten your God, my dear child.

Elethien’s right eye began to bleed. As the warm blood trickled down, the liquid began burrowing into her cheek, burning her skin. Her entire eye turned into darkness, hollowed out into a void of nothingness. She saw nothing but the blinding wrath of Fate, its power and light surrounding, engulfing, consuming her whole.

Have you already forgotten who gave you these blessings?

A snap, and Elethien returned to her previous state. Tears uncontrollably poured out from her eyes, her body automatically prostrating itself before Fate, grovelling at its feet. She buried her face to the ground, unable to even look at a part of Fate. How had she already forgotten that sensation? The feeling of absolute power, of domination, of divinity before her.

The feeling of primordial, animalistic fear of one far beyond her wildest comprehension.

‘My God, my God, my God…’ she sobbed. All self-control and pride had left her, her fear so raw and unfiltered. There was no composure to be had, nowhere to hide herself from the might of her God. It was incomprehensible. One moment she was still full of calmness, the next moment she was bawling like a child. She was practically naked before Fate, her entirety, from her emotions to her thoughts to her body, exposed like an exhibition.

It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense. Her emotions were all over the place.

Just by being in its presence, she was going insane.

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I am Fate. The creator of gods. The God of all gods. The one, true almighty God.

And you have disobeyed me.

‘W-Where have I…’

But she knew. She launched the attack on Maerila without waiting for Fate’s response. In her haste, she stupidly ordered hundreds of her people to their deaths. With Fate, she had pulled miracles, her wings nearly a symbol of invincibility to her people. In a month she had recruited thousands of Foresters to her kingdom. This was all due to Fate’s machinations. Throughout her path, Fate had always cleared the way for her.

From an outsider’s perspective, it wouldn’t be surprising to call her journey exaggerated or fake. Weaving its threads, Fate had lined up everything perfectly for her… so long as she obeyed its commands.

And yet, in her impatience, she had acted on her own volition. To even think she’d stand a chance when she went against the wishes of Fate was pure childish ridiculousness.

But how could she have thought of that in her limited rational capacity? In her pride, she had unconsciously put herself on a pedestal, acting upon her role of god without acknowledging the God who had given her such powers in the first place.

And in her foolishness and ignorance, she paid for it with the lives of her people and her own.

It was utterly absurd to even think for a moment that she was independent of Fate.

‘My God…’ she whimpered.

But I still love you, my dear child. Fate gently lifted Elethien’s head and touched the emptiness of her right eye, letting its warmth gradually enter her body and into her core. Even after she had committed such a fatal mistake, it still did not abandon her. Of all its creation, Fate still chose her to be blessed.

There is still much to do.

She felt her core being revitalised, the energy pouring back to refill what was lost… and more. Her wings sprouted out once more like a bird freed from its cage. The flowers were reinjected with life, blooming as they once again covered the entire field in white.

It wasn’t supposed to be possible. This was a contradiction to the workings of magic itself. But this was Fate, the one who dictated and created the world. The God who could do whatever it pleased, yet chose to utilise Elethien of all people.

As long as you strive towards the path I carved for you, I will be with you.

The message from Fate was clear.

To be free is to obey.

Fate had given her a second chance. Knowing her flawed mind and logic, it was merciful. Despite her impatience, it displayed patience. Despite her ignorance, it showed kindness. This was the God Elethien followed, a God who would never let her down so long as she followed its desired path.

Will you follow me, dear Elethien?

The words, echoed from their first encounter over a month ago, once again struck Elethien’s heart.

‘Yes, I do,’ she cried in joy.

She once again swore to dedicate her whole life to serving Fate, to let it guide her as she created her kingdom. With her obedience, she would be invincible. No power could stop her so long as Fate was by her side.

This time, she would not let go.

It was absurd. The creator of the world, the one who ruled over all, blessed her and chose her. Despite her stupidity, it was forgiving towards her. As a perfect being, it accepted her imperfection. No human being with their flawed logic would do such a thing. Only God would.

Faith. The word appeared in her mind. This was her attitude towards Fate. She was filled with conviction, of belief in the plans Fate had in store for her. Absolute and utter obedience and devotion. This would be her attitude from this point forth.

There was no room for pride. She was to become completely subservient to her God. The days of youthful foolishness were over. With a newfound maturity and fear, she would lead her kingdom in the worship of her master, her God.

Her life was poured back into her. The energy from Fate filled up her core, giving her a new life as it already had back on that battlefield a month ago. Her consciousness was returning, her limbo in that world about to be finished with Fate’s mercy.

You are blessed, my dear child.

The dreamlike world was falling apart. The flowers all burst into the air, the petals floating down like soft rainfall before they disappeared. The ground warped and shifted as a heavy air set in. She fell on her back, feeling the sensation of a rough mat underneath her.

Have a nice dream.

For a moment, Elethien thought she saw two white-haired girls in place of Fate, their appearances exactly the same as her, but slightly younger.

She saw her sisters.

‘Aletha… Enaien…’ she called out.

‘Elethien…?’

She reached towards them, binding them in an embrace. She knew this was a dream. They were apparitions, illusions to temporarily give her the feeling of comfort and solace. It was a small gift from Fate before she returned to reality. She knew all this.

But they were still her sisters.

The three of them softly hugged each other in the imaginary realm. If it was Fate’s gift to give her a moment of solace, then it only served to show how temporary that feeling was as her sisters began to fade.

‘No, please… don’t leave…’ Elethien begged, but she could do nothing.

The feelings she shared with her siblings were always fleeting, after all. One would have to eventually let go of an embrace, no matter how unwilling. It felt more like a farewell to her fickle emotions, of mortal attachment before she continued upon her path.

To show her such a dream before she would go and dedicate her life towards her God… Fate was absurd.

The illusions faded away along with the world, leaving her in darkness once more.