Dragonsoul

Chapter 51

The steady flow of a river is rarely naturally disturbed. The deviation in its flow occurs in those rare instances of continuous rain. However, once the river's natural flow is altered, it can become a roaring beast. It escapes its cage and carries everything in its wake, never to be seen again.

Staring at the imposing figure, radiating power, Leonie could not help but wonder if she was about to be carried away by the rapid river of magic. After all, the Fates were considered to be among the most powerful beings, and one of them was standing in Leonie's room, clearly vexed.

"I have been listening to you, humans, complaining about the things we weave into the tapestry of your lives. What I've noticed is that you all seem to forget how intricate our work truly is. How challenging it is to keep the balance between good and evil, life, and death. Do you know what it takes to do so? Do you really believe we enjoy hurting other beings? That it is easy?" Clotho said, exasperated.

"I..." Leonie tried to say unsure of how to answer.

"Well, it takes a lot, and we don't enjoy hurting anyone. What we do isn't easy, but it's necessary. We do what's necessary to keep this world safe, to stop all the different beings inhabiting the earth from destroying each other." Clotho said.

"How does killing my father accomplish that?" Leonie asked, the spark of anger being reignited.

"It's exasperating how blind you humans can be! You can't see past your pain!" Clotho said, raising her hands in frustration.

"Every little thing that happens or doesn't happen can change one's course of life, one's destiny. I could have let that one man, your father, live and make one family happy. However, the consequences of that would have been thousands suffering and dying." Clotho said.

"How is that possible?" Leonie asked, utterly confused.

It sounded impossible to her that saving one life, any life, could have such dire consequences.

"If your father had never died, you would have never decided to run away into the forest. Thus, you would have never found Rimar. In consequence, he would have died, and you would have never trained with him so evil would have claimed an easy victory with multiple casualties." Clotho said.

Leonie felt dizzy with all the information spinning through her mind like snowflakes swirling in a blizzard. She did not wish to believe that the world was a better place without her father in it, she refused to acknowledge that.

Admitting that what Clotho was saying was the truth would be accepting her father's death, and even after all the years that had gone by, she was not ready to do so. It felt like an utter betrayal, accepting that someone was gone forever.

"There must have been another way for me to connect with Rim, somehow," Leonie said doubtfully.

"No, there were no other options. Many things I can weave around, but when a person needs to be driven by powerful emotions such as grief, there is nothing I can do to change that." Clotho said.

Leonie angrily brushed away a few tears that managed to escape her as she tried to find a way to convince herself that Clotho was wrong.

"Anyway, we are wasting precious time. I am here to fetch you. Someone wants to see you, and I owe her a favor." Clotho said.

Before Leonie could further question who Clotho was talking about, loud noises reached Leonie's ears.

"What is going on?" Leonie asked.

"It's already started. You need to hurry if you wish to be able to help your friends and family members." Clotho said.

"No, I need to go help them now," Leonie said as she tried to rush past Clotho.