RE: The Broken Prophecy (Walls O' Text)
09-19-2012, 12:48 AM
Edwin blinked. The old woman gave him a disapproving glance, then went back to preparing a sandwich. But after a moment, she turned back to him and called out.
"Something wrong, boy?"
"My apologies. For a moment, I thought... You look quite a bit like my dear departed grandmother."
"Don't be so shocked, Edwin. When you get to be this old, you look like a lot of people."
"How do you know my name?"
"I've known it since before you were born, boy. It's my power, or perhaps my curse. I've seen much of your life before you ever lived it."
"You... You can see the future? Without a Crystal of Truth?"
The old woman laughed.
"I can see a future. But it's a future that can't happen any more."
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean."
"My visions show a future that could have happened. Now it can't. That's simple enough, isn't it?"
Edwin shrugged.
"I suppose. What are these visions of, exactly?"
"I see a future where four heroes gain the magic of Truth, to destroy the demons and their sleeping king. But it went wrong somewhere. Not sure where, exactly; probably started years ago."
"And now that can't come to pass?"
The woman nodded, and slowly walked over towards Edwin.
"Why not?"
"Inquisitive, aren't you? Well, let me explain. The four heroes I see are a priest-turned-knight who's not much of a fighter..." She paused, and handed Edwin the sandwich. "And who could do with a good meal, I should think. The others are a brave young girl from a distant village on the border of the kingdom, a boy who looks like a demon... and a young woman named Alicia, the one destined to deliver the final blow."
Edwin's heart sank.
"I think I lost my appetite," he muttered, staring into the sandwich.
"Eat it anyhow. You'll need your strength."
He sighed. That was true enough. He bit into the sandwich, and frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry. It was very kind of you to offer me food, but I can't say I'm fond of the taste," he said apologetically.
"Hmmph. It's all you're getting, boy. If you expect to challenge fate itself, you'll have far worse to face than an egg salad sandwich."
"I suppose that's true," Edwin admitted resignedly. He took another bite. "Do you have any advice for me?"
"Ha!" she laughed. "My advice would be to forget the whole thing. Fate can be changed, boy, but not often. Your chance to affect it died with Alicia. It doesn't matter what you do now; the demons will win."
Edwin looked the woman right in the eye.
"I have quite a different opinion on the matter," he said simply.
"You and Blackbird both," she laughed. "You don't know fate like I do. It's been whispering in my ear since I was born, I know it better than anyone."
"Your visions didn't come true," Edwin replied.
"Almost did, until it couldn't. I know how close we were to it. It wasn't easy turning fate from that path, boy, and whoever did it started early. You're already out of time."
"Then I'd best move all the more quickly to make up for it," Edwin said. "Thank you for the sandwich, and the information. Do you know if my horse is still around?"
"Tied him up outside. He's all yours. You're doomed to fail, but it's not my place to stop you from trying."
"Thank you."
"When you see Blackbird, tell him I said he's still a fool," she replied curtly. "Enjoy whatever it is you're doing."
Edwin left the house, untied his horse, and rode towards the castle. He had an important task ahead of him.
"Something wrong, boy?"
"My apologies. For a moment, I thought... You look quite a bit like my dear departed grandmother."
"Don't be so shocked, Edwin. When you get to be this old, you look like a lot of people."
"How do you know my name?"
"I've known it since before you were born, boy. It's my power, or perhaps my curse. I've seen much of your life before you ever lived it."
"You... You can see the future? Without a Crystal of Truth?"
The old woman laughed.
"I can see a future. But it's a future that can't happen any more."
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean."
"My visions show a future that could have happened. Now it can't. That's simple enough, isn't it?"
Edwin shrugged.
"I suppose. What are these visions of, exactly?"
"I see a future where four heroes gain the magic of Truth, to destroy the demons and their sleeping king. But it went wrong somewhere. Not sure where, exactly; probably started years ago."
"And now that can't come to pass?"
The woman nodded, and slowly walked over towards Edwin.
"Why not?"
"Inquisitive, aren't you? Well, let me explain. The four heroes I see are a priest-turned-knight who's not much of a fighter..." She paused, and handed Edwin the sandwich. "And who could do with a good meal, I should think. The others are a brave young girl from a distant village on the border of the kingdom, a boy who looks like a demon... and a young woman named Alicia, the one destined to deliver the final blow."
Edwin's heart sank.
"I think I lost my appetite," he muttered, staring into the sandwich.
"Eat it anyhow. You'll need your strength."
He sighed. That was true enough. He bit into the sandwich, and frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry. It was very kind of you to offer me food, but I can't say I'm fond of the taste," he said apologetically.
"Hmmph. It's all you're getting, boy. If you expect to challenge fate itself, you'll have far worse to face than an egg salad sandwich."
"I suppose that's true," Edwin admitted resignedly. He took another bite. "Do you have any advice for me?"
"Ha!" she laughed. "My advice would be to forget the whole thing. Fate can be changed, boy, but not often. Your chance to affect it died with Alicia. It doesn't matter what you do now; the demons will win."
Edwin looked the woman right in the eye.
"I have quite a different opinion on the matter," he said simply.
"You and Blackbird both," she laughed. "You don't know fate like I do. It's been whispering in my ear since I was born, I know it better than anyone."
"Your visions didn't come true," Edwin replied.
"Almost did, until it couldn't. I know how close we were to it. It wasn't easy turning fate from that path, boy, and whoever did it started early. You're already out of time."
"Then I'd best move all the more quickly to make up for it," Edwin said. "Thank you for the sandwich, and the information. Do you know if my horse is still around?"
"Tied him up outside. He's all yours. You're doomed to fail, but it's not my place to stop you from trying."
"Thank you."
"When you see Blackbird, tell him I said he's still a fool," she replied curtly. "Enjoy whatever it is you're doing."
Edwin left the house, untied his horse, and rode towards the castle. He had an important task ahead of him.
Spoiler