
James was no longer at the tree.
Instead, he stood back in his apartment. He blinked in confusion. Was he back in that vision the witch had shown him? Was he going through the same dream? Before panic could set in, James watched as someone burst into his room.
It was himself, dressed in earth clothes and looking much healthier than before. His future self’s beard was neatly clipped and his hair styled cleanly. He was thinner too, his arms lacking the muscle current James had. The lack of scars on his arms and face made James’ body ache with remembrance, his mind going back to the many battles he fought through.
The blond man watched as his future self rummaged through his room.
“Where is it?” Future James muttered as he opened drawers and closet doors.
“James? Are we going or not?” A female voice called out to him. Before Future James could respond, a young woman entered the room. She was unrecognizable, but her brown hair and bluish eyes were hypnotic in a way. She also had a noticeable bump on her belly. James noted the ring on her finger and on his future’s self.
“I swore it was here somewhere,” Future him answered.
“Maybe you left it at your aunt’s?” The woman asked.
“No, I kept it here. I just…” Future James frustratingly sighed. “The urn is all I got left of him,” he revealed.
“Do you want me to look? Maybe if we both look—”
“No no.” Future James stood up. “You’re already four months along. The last thing I need is for you to exert yourself more.” He sighed. “How about this? We continue with our plans and move into your place. When Nick comes back from his trip, we’ll look for it.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m positive.” Future James grinned. “Besides, it’s just an urn. I already spread the ashes a long time ago… I think he would’ve wanted me to move on.”
“That’s good to hear.” The woman smiled. “How about we get back to the house, huh? We still need to get that bed set up.” Future James’ comment was enough to make them both chuckle and laugh playfully. The real James only watched as the couple left the apartment before the vision faded.
James was back at the tree, his eyes still at the spot where his future self left.
“In that future, you never left earth,” Iendis explained. “You never left your home, and you never got fired.”
James looked down at the black blossom in his hand. He tossed it away. “What’s the other black one?” he asked.
Iendis smiled. “See for yourself.”
James hesitated for a bit. He looked at the other black blossom, which looked wilted and dead. The blond man shook off his hesitance. This was a dead future, one that will never happen. What could go wrong? James reached over and grabbed the next blossom.
This time, instead of a cozy apartment, he was met with a flaming inferno. He stepped back a little, unnerved at the sight of the flames despite feeling no heat. James looked around, trying to figure out where he was. It was only after a quick survey that he realized that this was Yorktown. The buildings were all leveled, their debris smoking and sparking with embers.
The vision dissipated quickly after that. “What was that?” He asked.
“It’s a boring one,” Iendis sighed. “That is the future where Deimos decided not to show mercy. He burnt the town to cinders and took Seamus, leaving you to die in a burning town.”
“That’s grim,” James commented. His chest tightened at the memory of his death at Deimos’ hands. It was one of the black fates he had experienced earlier.
“So are most black blossoms. The real fun lies with the pink and red ones.” Iendis raised her palm once more, gesturing to the remaining five.
James swallowed at the implication. He looked down at the goddess’ delicate hands, which held his future fates. A couple were growing red, while others stayed pink.
“What’s with the color?” He asked.
“The pink shows a simple fate, one that can range from anything. The red ones, they show your death. Good or bad, you can decide.”
James hesitated even more. He felt apprehension at the thought of reliving another death, let alone one that could happen in the future. Then again, this was the entire point of this trip. He was here to avoid death, not to accept it.
‘This is for my friends, to protect them.’
The blond man reached for one of the red blossoms, his fingers grasping onto its soft texture. He had held it for only half a second before the world around him shifted again. James now stood in the middle of a courtyard, one that looked nothing like he saw before. The stone ground bore a huge seven pointed sun, its points reaching the walls that surrounded the yard. People were around, their faces full of anger and spite. Before he could question it, James heard doors open, the courtyard erupting in shouts and cheers.
James turned to the courtyard doors, where men in armor shoved past people. They were Lumen Knights, he realized, judging from the wax seals on their chests. Guards surrounded the knights, shoving bystanders back as they moved. James squinted, trying to see what was happening. His confusion went away as soon as he saw what the knights were dragging. At first, he couldn’t recognize the unkempt and bloodied man. However, when he saw the man’s blackened and withered arm, it all made sense.
This version of James had his hair bloodied and shaggy, its length covering the beaten man’s eyes. Crimson stained his beard and bloody lashes were visible on his chest and back. His left hand was gone, a stump in its place. The present man watched as the prisoner was dragged across the courtyard, his body tensing up as he tried to pull away. Even at his weakest, his future self still had fight in him. James noted the burning scar on his future self’s chest, its placement being right above where Deimos had stabbed him. The Lumen Knights restrained and punched at James, forcing him onto his knees in the middle of the courtyard.
As the future man was restrained, one knight stepped up. She was an elf, her silver hair tied and bounded behind her head. The woman looked disappointed in a way, her expression a polar opposite from the other knights. James wasn’t sure if it was hesitance or guilt. The elf took a deep sigh, her gaze narrowing as she spoke out into the courtyard.
“James Holter. You are here to answer for your crimes. For too long, you have fought back. For too long, you have evaded our law. Now, after losing the war you yourself have started, we have finally captured you.” The elf crouched down to eye level. “Your punishment shall be execution. For the damage you caused and the pain you afflicted. I hope Delphine has mercy on your soul.” The elf stood once more, her hand gesturing at the knights. One knight raised his sword, its edge hanging above James’ exposed neck.
Future James screamed and shouted incoherently, spittle flying all around. Yet the knights didn’t falter, their hands strong enough to keep him restrained. The sword came down soon after and James was subjected to the image of his head hitting the cold ground.
When the vision faded, James felt like throwing up.
“That was a future where the Lumen Kingdom retaliated for what you did last frost,” Iendis explained. “They burnt Yorktown to cinders and killed most of your friends. In response, you fought back and waged a lone war against the Lumen Kingdom. You raided their coast, burnt villages, and pillaged. It worked and your clan grew to be a powerhouse of Valenfrost. Yet it wasn’t enough. In the end, the Lumen Kingdom was bigger. You were defeated and everyone who followed you perished. What you saw was your execution. The end of the terrorizing Draugr.”
“What was with the wound on the chest?” James asked. He forced his hands to be still. He needed to keep his nerve. “How did I manage to live that long?”
“That version of you healed the wound Faust covered up. When the frost solstice came, you and Dahlia used the flame cleanse spell to help cauterize and seal the wound. It was brutal, inefficient, but it miraculously worked. However, Faust was gone permanently, and you were left without his strength,” Iendis revealed.
“I see,” James muttered.
‘A war with the Lumen Kingdom? Would that even happen?’
Gryff and Hugo, the two Lumen Knights from last year. They died because of him. That itself was reason enough. Yet since that day, nothing came for him. Yorktown was safe and James had seen nothing from that kingdom. No messenger or soldiers. Now that he thought about it, the vision he had witnessed was not set in stone. It was a possibility, one that had a chance of happening.
James knew what kind of man he wanted to be. Raiding and burning villages was something that he never saw himself doing. Taking someone’s life was still trivial to him. Gryff was the only person he had ever truly killed. Even if it was in self defense, the event haunted him to this day. That his future version had resorted to such tactics gave an implication he didn’t want to think about.
“What’s the other red one?” He asked.
“This…” Iendis raised the red blossom. “This is a future that could happen sooner than you think,” she whispered. James reached out, his brow furrowing. While his inner conscience was advising against finding out his fate, his morbid curiosity was getting the better of him. Just like before, his vision changed.
This time, he stood in a destroyed hall. Flames and embers filled the corners, their soft glow being drowned out by another light. James looked up, noticing the destroyed ceiling. The sister moons Luna and Callisto were flooding the hall with their light. Instead of their blue glow, however, their light was a crimson red.
“Blood moons…” He realized. James looked around the hall, his eyes adjusting to the red light.
What he saw made him sick. Bodies littered the floor, their blood staining the floor and walls. Marauder bodies were spread around, their wounds ranging from evisceration to simple decapitation. Some even had frost shards poking out from their torsos and heads. The unsettling part wasn’t just them, but the fact they were accompanied by corpses that bore white ravens.
While he was jaded to the sight of bloodshed, James was not used to recognizing the faces of the dead. Haggard’s corpse was half burnt, his hand holding onto a shattered hammer. Helen was nearby, her guts spilt and her eyes staring into nothingness. Bjorn had spears running through his back and torso, his body slumped on its knees. Malik’s head rested nearby, his single eye staring at James.
As James walked around the hall, he saw more and more people he recognized. Felix, Kate, Harald, and even Miles the mercenary were among the deceased. Finally, he came across one person dreaded to see. Dahlia’s body laid in a pool of dark blood, her throat cut open. Across from her, was a headless body, one that James soon recognized once he saw the bear insignia pinned on the cloak. He took a couple steps back, his knees wobbling as he steeled himself. This was just a vision. Nothing more.
Footsteps rang out in the hall, catching James by surprise. A tall man was limping towards the end of the room, his hand dragging a long ax.
Deimos was grinning, his single eye staring furiously at James. He was injured, but still standing. He had visible wounds and scorch marks on his armor. Someone had given him a fight.
“James!” He called out suddenly, his voice echoing around the blond man.
James’ eyes widened, his thoughts going wild. Was he able to see him? Wasn’t this a vision? He soon got his answer in the form of another voice. His own.
“How…? How are you still…?” James turned around, his gaze meeting that of his future self. This version of him wore bloodied steel plate armor, which glowed with runic enchantments. His hair was longer, its length reaching the man’s shoulders. James could spot the way his future self was trying to administer aid through potions, his hands shakily opening vials.
There were multiple wounds and gashes on his injured self, his right hand mangled and his foot broken. Future James tried to down a health potion, but Deimos kicked it away. His future self raised his left hand in retaliation, his fingers focusing into a rune.
“Ice Lance!” Right when the spell formed however, Deimos simply slapped it away, sending the ice shard flying.
“No more of that, I’m afraid. You’ve lost…” The Red Death muttered as he stomped on James’ chest. The blond man let out a breath, his mouth gasping for air as his chest was crushed in. Deimos laughed as he raised his ax with one hand. When it came down, James looked away. He didn’t want to subject with another sight of his deceased self. It was already torture enough that he had to witness this cursed future.
When the vision finally faded, James crushed the blossom. With ease, it crumpled and disintegrated before being blown away by an invisible breeze. He fell down onto the ground, his knees finally giving out. James sat there, his eyes closing for a bit. Yet the longer he kept them closed, the more he caught glimpses of the bloodied scene.
“Do I even have to guess what kind of fate that was?” James asked in a shaking voice. He grabbed at his hair, trying his hardest to shake the memory away.
“Remember, it is simply a possibility. Not a certainty,” Iendis softly assured him. The goddess sat next to him, her hand gently grabbing at his shoulder.
“So these…” James gestured to the three remaining blossoms that were in the goddess’ free hand. They were all bright pink. “These show me futures that don’t involve me dying?” James didn’t want to see death anymore. He hated the thought of seeing another corpse he recognized. He was sure to go insane if he saw more.
“Correct.” Iendis nodded. “Personally, I like to see a couple of these as specifically ones where you won.” The goddess smiled.
James focused on the brightest blossom of the group. It almost beckoned to him, as if it was asking to be picked.
‘Maybe this one won’t be so damn bleak,’ He thought to himself. Before he knew it, James had already picked up the blossom.
He was subjected to the visage of a throne room. The walls were adorned with banners that showcased a white skull. Men and women discussed and hung around the room, their expensive clothing signifying them as more than simple people. Advisors and guards kept them away from the throne itself, using themselves as a border to make sure none got too close.
Sitting on the throne was someone near unrecognizable. The only thing that looked familiar was the trimmed blond hair and braided beard. James’ future self was old, around the same age as Harald. He wore armor that looked impractical to wear. Rubies and gems adorned his outfit, their glistening surfaces enough to blind anyone. His left arm had a special gauntlet attached, the runes that glowed upon it looking close to divine. James stared at himself, unsure if he truly recognized any of it.
Orcs and summoned skeletons guarded his sides, their weapons high class and far from cheap. Gold was embedded in almost everything around James, to where it ordained even the blond man’s teeth. James couldn’t help but feel disgusted at the sight, his disdain growing once he saw collared men and women walk into the room. They carried plates and followed commands from advisors, their golden collars glowing whenever they were told something.
The vision faded slowly out of sight, the throne room around James disappearing. Once he was back at the tree, his hand shook the blossom away, almost as if it was a piece of trash.
“You seem upset,” Iendis whispered disappointedly. “That’s one of my favorites.”
“What kind of future is that?” James asked in a hostile tone.
“One where you won. In this future, you became a warlord, conquering Valenfrost and subsequently, Azurvale. You destroyed the Lumen Kingdom, placing your own kingdom among its ashes.”
“That wasn’t me.” James shook his head as he stood up.
“It was,” Iendis pushed. “That was you, through and through. This you killed Deimos and beheaded the Lumen King. This James abused his power and exploited his enemies. He disregarded morals and pursued without hesitation.”
“That’s not who I am,” James muttered. “The banners, the castle, gold, hell the slaves…” He turned to the demi-goddess.
“Slaves are a part of this world. Areno uses them, Olafson uses them. Half of this world’s kingdoms was built on slaves,” Iendis explained. She was standing now, slowly inching closer to him. “That version of you was at least considerate when it came to them.” She smiled. “You only took in prisoners and offenders as slaves. Those who defied you and those who sought to hurt everything you’ve built. Better to be an obedient slave than a corpse, is it not?” Iendis laughed.
James felt himself grow with anger, his hands balling into fists. “It’s not me. I don’t want this future. Ever.”
“That is what you say now, but the blossom remains in color. Who knows, perhaps you will come to reject those morals you hold dear.” Iendis raised a blossom from her hand. “This is an interesting one, if you like to see it.” Her voice was almost cooing in a way. James gritted his teeth but reached out, regardless. There had to be a good future. There had to be at least one.
As the surroundings changed and shifted, James felt a sinking feeling come across him. Instead of the sun’s light or the moon’s glow, he was met with the bright haze of hospital lights. He blinked in confusion, his hand moving to cover his gaze.
“I’m back on earth?” He asked aloud. His question would soon be answered in the form of padded walls and a steel door. James stared at the door, which had its food slot moved to allow a tray of stale food in.
The blond man turned around, his gaze meeting the other side of the room. Drawings and marker streaks covered the padded white wall, names and gibberish scrawled all over it. Dahlia, Valenrost, Azura, and more. Countless words and names were sloppily written. Near the corner of the room, where most of these drawings were concentrated, was a thin and malnourished James. He had no left arm, the only remainder being the nub of his shoulder. The blond man was muttering to himself as he drew runes into the walls, a near direct repeat of what was already on the walls.
“Gate summon! Fuck! Gate summon!” Older James shouted as he slammed his marker against the runes. Nothing happened, and that only seemed to infuriate him even more. Current James could only watch as his future self cried and shouted, his fist banging on the wall. That only worsened things, since the commotion was enough to summon in a few people to the room. A doctor and some nurses rushed in to detain James, who screamed and shouted at them.
“Carapace! Power Strike!” the older man shouted before the doctor injected a needle into him. The blond man perked up at the poke, his body growing weaker as he tried to fight the sedation.
Once he fell asleep, the doctor spoke up. “Patient is still having delusions. How’d he get the marker?” A nurse shrugged. “Make sure he’s not allowed around the staff without my permission. Got it?”
James watched as they dragged off his future self, the vision almost clearing immediately after. “Why was I back on earth?” James asked quietly after a moment of silence.
“In this future, you were sent back to your world,” Iendis responded.
“How? By who?” James asked.
Iendis opened her mouth to say the answer, but her brow creased. “That’s strange. I do not know,” she muttered. “Whoever it was, they must be someone powerful. Strong enough to restrict me from seeing their branch.”
“What does that mean?”
“Who knows? Perhaps it is a god, or a mortal protected by one. Either way, they had the power to send you back. Which is strange.”
“Strange how?” James prodded.
“As you know, Thien is one who can travel realms. Most gods need his help. No one else could do what he does. But some gods could still summon from other worlds. Take from other realms without the need of travel,” Iendis explained. “Myr and Delphine are one of the few I know of who can do this. Perhaps this version of you somehow enacted their wrath, to where they break the holy law of interference to send you away from here, back to your world.”
“Pissing off Delphine could get me sent back?”
“No. Unless you yourself have invaded her holy temple in her domain, Delphine cannot touch you. She cannot interfere directly. That is what her clergy are for.” Iendis grinned. “To be fair, it is something. The mere fact that you angered someone so powerful, to the point where they break holy law, is quite interesting.”
While the demi-goddess was having a laugh about the entire thing, James was feeling the opposite. The idea of going back to earth, in that condition no less, was a terrifying thought.
‘Maybe I should watch myself when it comes to messing with Delphine,’ he internally told himself.
“Will you take the last one?” Iendis asked, her fingers holding the final blossom up. James stared at the harmless looking thing. Such a small thing, able to tell the fates of men.
“Do I even want to know what it shows?” James asked with narrowed eyes.
“I myself won’t know until you look into it.” Iendis leaned forward even more, her body straining against the golden chains that held her. “You got this far. Why not finish?”
James sighed. He cautiously reached for the pink blossom, his fingers gently grasping at it. In just a moment, he was transported.
This time, he stood on a grassy plain, one that looked rather peaceful. James was underneath a tree that sheltered him from the bright sun. He looked around, his gaze searching for anyone or anything. In the distance, he could see a palisade. Smoke billowed from behind it, signifying civilization. Children laughed and played around the walls, their shouts and playful banter heard from the distance.
James noted the banner that hung from the palisade. It was a shield, one that bore the symbol of a raven and wolf. Before he could question it, a man shouted for the kids to go back in the town. This was a man James had never seen before. He had a noticeable limp, his age showing through the countless wrinkles and white beard. The man wore a green cloak over his half steel plate armor, his sword swaying side to side as he walked to the tree James was at.
“Arthur! What took you so long?” a female voice called out. A woman stepped into view, her black cape swept back to reveal a partial gambeson and wrapped clothing. She looked like she was in her mid thirties, her auburn hair tied up to reveal the eyepatch she wore over her left eye.
“I’m getting too old for this, Naomi.” The man named Arthur admitted. “I’m past my prime, far from it, in fact.”
“Well, maybe you can retire after our negotiations go through.” James heard his own voice speak up from behind. He turned around, his eyes locking onto the older version of himself. This version of James looked healthier than the rest that came before. There were some scars on him, mainly on the arm and face, but this James looked… happier. He had a grin on his face, his hand holding a bitten apple that looked fresher than fresh. His armor was a mix between gambeson and tunic, his left hand still wrapped in bandages.
“Look at you, resting easy,” Arthur scoffed.
“It’s not easy being Jarl,” Future James groaned as he stood.
“It is when you have clans to assist you in your every need,” Naomi pointed out.
“Not when Dahlia is constantly pulling me into every meeting,” Older James revealed. “She wants me to keep relations constant and beneficial.”
“It’s a good thing you married a natural diplomat,” Arthur sighed. “I can’t tell you how many Jarls I’ve watched burn themselves to the ground just because they refused to talk things through.”
The trio talked at length about some more things James didn’t recognize. Still, that wasn’t what got his attention. No, he was focusing on the two strangers. The strangers laughed and smiled with James like best friends, their grins far from malicious. They looked strong as well. They had gear that looked mundane at first, but upon closer inspection, there were magical runes etched into them. James could see how they carried themselves with confidence befitting of powerful people, their arms crossed and their body language relaxed.
Still, there was something else that bothered him, something that bothered him throughout the vision, all the way to its end.
“What a treat! Finally, a vision that shows what you want,” Iendis giggled. “It might be boring, but it is just what you want, right? A peaceful future, one where you unite the clans of Valenfrost.”
“Who are they?” James asked bluntly.
Iendis frowned. “The two strangers you were with? Why?”
James took a shaking breath. He turned to Iendis. “Those were earthlings. Both of them,” he pointed out. He had no definitive proof that the two strangers were from his home world, but James couldn’t shake off the way they spoke. Their accents stood out like sore thumbs, the mere pronunciations enough to send James back to his days on earth. There was also the presence. Ever since he had come to Valenfrost, James had never felt the same. Everyone he had ever spoken to had felt off and foreign.
The two strangers in that vision were different from everyone. They felt familiar, like someone he would genuinely meet back on earth.
“You’re sharp, aren’t you?” Iendis smiled at the accusation. “They are from earth, same as you.”
“You’re telling me that people from my world have been here before?” James asked in disbelief.
“Did you really think you were the only one?” The demi-goddess asked. “People from your world have been coming to Azura for decades. You are the latest of them,” she revealed.
James stared at the chained woman, his mind going back to when he was first summoned here. For months, he had figured his summoning for an accident. One born of pure coincidence.
“Who was it? Who’s been summoning people?” He asked.
Iendis grinned. She raised her arms, extending hands into the air. “For decades, we’ve been looking for someone to change this world for the better. To do what my father thought was right.”
“What are you talking about?” James asked.
“Almost every earthling summoned here has died. Most don’t survive a month, as their resolve is not enough for this world. The only promising one was Naomi… and she has abandoned everything. No other earthling before had come that close. Not until you. You… You were the one. The man who changed everything…” James could only stare at Iendis, his heart sinking at the realization.
“When you came, everything changed. The day you were summoned, your mere existence set the Tree of Fate aflame.” Iendis laughed and gestured towards the trunk behind her. “Nearly a third of the blossoms above turned pitch black, their branches wilting and taking new form. Millions of fates were doomed, and millions more opened up. You changed everything! You did the unpredictable.” Iendis breathed heavily as she spoke about it. She was even blushing, her flustered breathing increasing. “Father was right about you… You are truly something different. Something that not even fate saw coming. True chaos.”
James stood there, stunned. Everything had come clear to him now. Iendis summoned him. She had brought him here as some sort of experiment. As a way to fuck with this world and to appease Myr. It had nothing to do with his parents, nothing to do with his blood. His dreams were probably another layer of her interference. Her brother was the boatman, after all. Changing dreams was possibly nothing new to him.
He was a factor. An unpredictable factor that was enough to change the fates of millions.
“What am I? Who am I?” James muttered to himself. Was he really just a pawn in the game of the gods? He clenched his jaw hard. Enough to send a migraine through his head.
‘No… I’m still me. I made my choices, not them.’
Myr was a god of chaos, but he never pushed James to do the things he did. The god was a bystander, one that only watched the world unfold. Iendis and Thien might have summoned him here, but they didn’t force his hand on all the things he had done. James did it all of his own volition. Hell, he even enjoyed some of it.
Earth was long gone. James had seen the life he could have had had he not been summoned. It might’ve been a good one, but it was one that was far out of reach. In another life, perhaps. Now, it was different. While he was dealt a shitty hand, James still had the chance to choose what fate he wanted, what future he could strive for. He looked down at the blossom in his hand, the tip of which started to turn black. He could fathom a guess at what it meant.
“How do I heal my bond with Faust?” James asked.
“The truth lies in the fates you saw,” Iendis pointed out. “In nearly all of them, your spirit will be lost, no matter what. Healing the wound is the only option you realistically have. In all the futures you saw, you healed it after the spirit left. You only need to find the treatment.”
“No hints?” James asked.
Iendis only gave him that sly smile. “That is a task you must complete on your own. The answer will come to you before the solstice hits. Be vigilant.”
“I will,” James answered as he turned around. He took a step towards the boatman before Iendis called out to him.
“My Draugr, heed my warnings.”
James turned around to meet the demi-goddess’ blinded gaze. “What is it?” He asked.
Iendis’ smile was gone, replaced by a grim expression. “If you wish to pursue the earthlings, be warned. While one has the chance to become an ally, the other cannot. Arthur Clarke is a Lumen Apostle. Peace may not be an option.”