The Hallowed War: Prophesy of Ruin

Ugly Truths

"S'rylo... as in..." Theon said out loud, his voice shaky at the implication.

"Yes."

If he felt inadequate before, now he felt like he had to kneel and grovel. Something!

"THE Allseer, S'rylo?!" He may be a grown ass man but his voice broke as he said the beings title. One thing was to meet a god that brings dreams and nightmares, the other is to meet the one who created the very essence of magic! This being breathed and the weave of magic that powers the world came to existence, Theon was going to pass out. He was. There was no way he was standing before the god whose magic runs through his veins.

"Indeed." The Allseer said, inspecting their gloved hand as if they were picking out dirt under their nails.

The rest of the team, ignorant to the magnitude of the situation, only looked vaguely impressed. S'rylo themselves, for the god was one of the few that nobody could ever agree on whether they were male or female and Theon would rather not assume and risk insulting the deity, seemed amused at the varying responses seen in the team's expressions. From Maunkein's blank and uninterested expression, far more interested in looking at the big shiny orb behind the deity; to Pyrrhic's excited little shuffles.

"We've met one of your kind before, Ambrose."

"Yes I'm aware, our dear Dreamweaver does love to meddle with mortal affairs. But it would be hypocritical of me to judge him now that I brought you here before me."

This all felt odd, Theon was no cleric or paladin, not even a firm or casual worshiper of the gods. He respects and admires their power and stories, it was shocking enough the first time one ancient and powerful being appeared before them but two? It was beginning to feel like more than just a coincidence.

"Why have you brought us here, Allseer?" Kyomi asked what they were all thinking.

With a sigh, they motioned for the others to approach before speaking.

"Hmm? Why indeed, I myself question my actions but Ambrose forced my hand. Come." They said ominously.

Hesitantly, the group approached. They weren't stopped by one of the deity's servants; in fact, there was none in sight so approaching must have been the correct choice. When they stood besides the Allseer their eyes gravitated to the glass sphere before them. Images passing by in such quick succession that it was impossible to track yet at the distance they were standing they could see their reflection.

"This was a gift I made for my followers, within it others can see what I see. The destiny of those that stand before it - and the past that shaped them. My magic transcends arbitrary rules like time, linking me to all that has, is and will be. This gives mortals a taste of such power, without the full knowledge of what or how it will happen. That would just take the fun out of living."

Glancing at his reflection, Theon stared in wonder at himself. His appearance shifted, from the current version of himself to ones that varied in little details such as eye color or hair length. But some gave him a foreboding feeling. Versions of himself, scarred and with nary a glint of hope in their eyes.

"So these are... the possible us?"

"Correct, they can all happen depending on your choices down to the very steps you decide to take. And yet, even if all of these are possible, only one will come to pass." S'rylo said, voice melancholic as unseen eyes appeared to fixate somewhere far away.

Kyomi seemed like she was about to ask something herself but stopped, her eyes looking directly ahead of the deity where the glass of the sphere was. Looking at what she saw, Theon too was left without words. Before the god there was no reflection, no version for the future.