The Mystic Spires looked like distant pillars from the base of Dew Mountain. The white mountain appeared completely clothed in fog and looked like a swirling cloud. As they approached, doubt crept into Aurora's mind. The Fate's fortress was so high above their heads. It seemed impossible to reach. But she could not give up now."I suppose we should enter the fog so that we can find the actual mountain," the Empress said."I will go in first. Junayd you be sweeper," Nurlan ordered. "That is, if it pleases Your Majesty," he added, slightly embarrassed."I always appreciate your expertise," Aurora nodded approvingly.Brinn and Devrim looked at each other in wordless understanding. They would watch the Empress. None of them had come this far to lose her now. Nurlan stepped forward bravely and shoved his arm into the fog. It was thick like a wall, and his hand vanished from view. Nurlan grunted in surprise, but when nothing happened, he walked into the white b

After acquiring horses in Valiant, Zan and Gandr rode at a breakneck speed across the countryside. Zan had not ridden on a horse for many years, and the constant rise and fall beneath him chaffed his legs and fatigued his muscles. But he was not going to give up. Gandr for his part made no complaint, and the large gelding he rode powered onward.Unlike the Empress's party, Gandr knew exactly where to go. They made good time and avoided the traps and delays that the Empress's party encountered. They cut their journey by more than half and found themselves quickly nearing the ice barrier. Gandr, having inherited the gnome's aversion to water, opted for them to ride around the lake.The gnome found it interesting that nothing seemed to surprise Zan. The strange sights, animals and even the ice barrier gave the Guardian no pause. He eyed the entire situation with equanimity. The only thing that made Zan anxious was when they talked of the Empress's safety. When they had st

The nymph, man and halfling went barreling down the stream. Even as Zan fought the urge to vomit, he could see that they were covering a great distance. Gandr had his eyes closed, caring not one bit where they were. He either trusted the nymph or was fighting his own terror of water. The net result was the same: they were at the nymph's mercy.Finally they came to a stop and the nymph splashed them onto the shore. Waving, she disappeared back into the water without a trace. Zan sat up and tried to steady himself as the world still felt wobbly after their ride. "Where are we?" the Guardian asked as he tried, and failed, to stand.Gandr, who had just finished emptying his stomach onto the grass, wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "How should I know?"Zan paused from drying off his clothes. "The nymph did not give you any instructions?"Gandr shook his head only to realize doing so was a mistake. He pinched the bridge of his nose to clear his mind. "If she did,

Not help? Aurora stood in shock as there was a general murmur about the room. Some of the Fates seemed to agree while others were confused. There was an angry outcry from the door as Hanna marched forward. "How can you not help when it is your job?! A job you have been derelict in for far too long." Hanna's words spewed from her mouth. Her happy countenance had vanished. "Remember where you are," Ime reprimanded her. Hanna waved her off. "You sit on that platform because we allow you to, but we are all equals here." "Let her speak," Mercilla called from her stone seat. Others echoed her sentiment. "Our mission from the Maker is to take care of his favorite creation: humans. We should do as he bids us!" Hanna's voice reverberated, bouncing wildly and making the humans need to cover their ears. "The Maker has given us no specific instructions on this matter, so we have not broken his trust," Eunomia countered. "You follow the let

Aurora landed in the pool at the top of the spire with an impressive splash. She was back in the robe given to her by the Fates as she lay in the water unmoving. Devrim ran to her, his feet nearly freezing in the frigid fountain. Scooping up the Empress, Devrim carried her swiftly out of the water and laid her next to Hanna. As Aurora began to stir, the man heaved a huge sigh of relief. Although he had not wanted to voice his thought, he feared the worst when he had seen her materialize unconscious."Give her a moment. It will take time to adjust," Hanna said gently as she watched Devrim cradle the young woman.The Empress turned her head toward the sound of Hanna's voice. "Am I back?" she asked groggily.Devrim wiped a stray tear from his eye. "Yes, my love. You are back. I missed you." The moments she had been gone had been the hardest of his life. If a monster had threatened her, he would have slayed it, but the sense of helplessness was much worse."D