22: What is Fate?

Vo was leveraging on his roshi mastery to cut down the mindless mob, which weren't hard to fight. But it eased his conscience when the words that came out of the attackers' mouths was, "Thank you."

Zen sent the last trapped soul to rest until they were the only ones in the misty cloud space. He frowned and scratched his head when nothing was changing. "We released the victims so why is this dreamscape still here?"

Shane shook his head. "Is it because I'm in the array?"

"You don't know?"

"In theory, releasing the soul source keeping the array powered should make it collapse." Shane faced Zen and pondered on a new theory. "Or maybe..."

Vo glanced around and saw nature forming as the mist faded.

The dreamscape changed to a scenery of glistening moonstone rock forming a hot spring lake. Beautiful women dressed in silver gowns sparkling with starlight: flowing white hair around dainty and glamorously made youthful faces, wandered around the lake's edges and across the waters with dainty steps. Their bare feet caused ripples with each step. Among the ripple impacts were images: people's lives in the past, present and future.

"Wow, the Fairies of Lodshen." Zen came up beside him, completely in awe and longing.

"Hmph, those sisters look the package but their zang is so much." Shane turned up his nose.

Vo chuckled and patted his shoulder with understanding. "It's just a dream sequence."

"Whose, though. I suspect it's yours Vo." Shane huffed.

One of the women noticed the men and glided toward them. "You are here." Her steps cast ripples, which showed the men standing before her.

"Mistress." Vo bowed with his respects, stirring pleasant tingles and chiming around his ears.

"My dear good prince, your actions are like footsteps of world change." She tenderly stroked his cheek. "But your intentions are what determine fates."

Her attention went to Zen. Four more of the women stood before him. They circled his body, making him dizzy.

"Lakshima, you'll face a crisis to determine your loyalties."

Zen shook his head but respectfully added. "I'll take this to heart, thank you." There were many women in the world he could dismiss but the Lodshen and Akari were the exception.

The women nodded.

"She's grateful to all that you've done." A woman tenderly stroked his cheek like a mother would.

"Look at the water, the ripples of change continue to flow. See which that resonates with your intentions."

The three men saw Akari dressed in a fine gold sequence gown with a silk veil over her head. A silver jeweled choker was covering her neck. She held an image of a present day Vo in her hand. Her heart's desire to be with him was felt across the waters as a powerful energy of longing.

"Akari! No, please tell me she isn't at the whim of royalty again." Vo tried to grab her image from the waters, but his hand disrupted the vision. His heart raced with urges to be there to free her from the whim of others and be her strength.

"Your heart is steady for her." A lodshen noted.

"I risked my right to an empire for her freedom." He steadfastly faced the woman. "I will do it again. No one should be enslaved to life not of their own free will."

"Is that your conviction, Vo?"

"I believe people can dictate their own fate. I've told you that before."

His words opened up a new understanding within Zen. He laughed and patted Vo's shoulder. "I think I understand now."

"Okay." Vo blinked not getting it but glad the man had gained some insight.

"Did you intervene to bring us here?" Shane asked.

"Those Hartland necromancers upset the balance of fate and flow of life. Such disruptions would allow us entry. So, yes." One of the women confirmed and proudly added, "But it seems you've sorted the disconnections."

"Men, Akari has returned to her family partially of her will, as even she understands the delicate balance this continent hangs."

Vo's heart raced with worry and desperation to support her. "What do I have to do to help her?"

"It's your love that keeps all steady, Vo."

"So when you told me to find Zen at Rogue, it's because you knew about this operation?" Vo frowned.

He was answered with a sweet smile.

"Figures," Zen grumbled.

"Even we can't foretell all that is present to the future. But having both of you at Rogue ensured the people's high chance of survival. So we may have merely given a nudge." A woman gently added.

A woman caused new ripples of fate with a hand. She frowned when she said, "Stay true to your conviction Vo."

"Well, that's all good and well, but how do we get back?" Shane called out the obvious burning need.

Zen saw a ripple of a past moment with Vo and Akari together. Both were younger, but the power of love they shared was pure and firm. He nodded, understanding his role as the third wheel. If he was honest with himself, he owed it to Akari.

"Time flows again." A woman confirmed.

Vo bowed and thanked the fairy women. "I understand. I'll do all I can to ensure Rogue is saved. You placed your trust in me, I won't fail."

"Then there is hope for our continent. Save Rogue. Hold to your truths. We'll be in touch."

One of the women touched the water to stir a ripple around the men's present image. "Help is on the way."

Shane rapidly faded as the dreamscape came crashing down on them.

The men gasped for breath as they faced the physical reality again. Their binds had been burned away so they were free from the array, but the floor was a scorched mess with the entire array having been wiped clean with fire.

They slumped to the ground: their physical energy being reset within their bodies.

"Shane..." Vo glanced around and saw his sheathed sword tossed to the ground before him.

"Well, now I know what caused that magical light in the sky." Lyra wryly noted when she and Lyndal entered.