Talking to Fate

Thor hit the button on the elevator.

"This elevator allows us to travel between godly realms and to The Watchtower. The Watchtower exists at the nexus of all dimensions, known and unknown universes. That's why it usually takes a while to get there," Thor explained.

They waited in the elevator for several minutes, just listening to it ding at imaginary floors, until the door finally opened. Beyond the elevator was a long hallway lined with statues of unknown heroes.

At the end of the hallway was a large ornate door with carvings in it that were hard to see from this far away.

"We'll wait for you outside the elevator. Only one person can see Fate at a time, and only if she allows you to open the door. We'll see you when you get back," Thor said.

"Good luck," Morcai said.

"Thanks," Alex said. Wow, that's a lot of pressure. Or at least that's what he would have thought if he didn't have full confidence the door would open for him.

Why wouldn't it? His reason for coming here was righteous and logical. It only made sense for the door to open for him.

Alex marveled at the statues that lined the hallway as he walked down it. He wondered if his statue would be here one day. One could only hope.

As he got closer, he was able to make out the carvings on the door. They were swirling patterns of the cosmos, with a nexus in the middle.

Alex grabbed the door handle and paused. He didn't know why. Was he nervous? He didn't feel nervous.

Maybe it wasn't so much that he was nervous that the door wouldn't open as he was nervous what he would find on the other side. How did you interact with a primordial being like Fate.

Fate was so far above his existence, he couldn't even understand it, let alone accept it. Should he act confident, should he be meek, should he joke, should he not joke-

"Oh, come in already!" A feminine voice boomed down the corridor.

"Ok! Coming in!" Alex said. "Please don't be naked, please don't be naked, please don't be naked."

"Stop worrying. I'm not naked. Now just come over here. I don't have all day," Fate said. "Well, I do have all day, but that's not the point."

Alex walked up a small set of stairs and arrived in an open space overlooking the cosmos. There were circular views of different dimensions and universes that surrounded the space like computer screens, except more magical looking.

Fate stood in the center of the platform with her back to him. She was taller than him, but that wasn't surprising. All the gods seemed to be taller than most people, why wouldn't a primordial being be taller too?

She wore an elegant purple and black gown and had long black hair that stretched down to her, um, butt.

"Please don't be scary when she turns around," Alex said.

"I'm not scary," Fate said as she turned around. She resembled a beautiful woman. Alex wasn't sure what her original form was, but he liked this one. It was approachable.

"I came to see you of my own free will, but I feel as if I was beckoned here," Alex said.

"That's because you were. By Fate. Me," Fate said.

"Then what do you want from me, Fate? Is it to punish me for having dirty thoughts about my 4th grade Math teacher, Ms. Matheson?" Alex said.

"Always with the jokes, Alex. That's why I like you. You never take anything seriously. Not even your own destiny, which most people take very seriously," Fate said with a smile.

"What am I going to do about it? It's not like I can change it. So why worry? It'll all work out in the end, unless it doesn't. Either way, I can't do anything about it," Alex said.

"That's a fair point, but some might say we make our own destiny. It just happens to be predetermined. That doesn't mean you didn't choose it. It just means you chose it a long time ago, before the present moment," Fate said.

"See, Alex, my job is not to change anyone's destiny or fate, so to speak. My job is to ensure that it happens as it's meant to happen based on their choices and circumstances."

Alex thought about that for a moment. "If that's the case, then it sounds like you're not capable of granting a boon to anyone. A boon would imply that the person's fate or destiny is being changed, but if it's your job to make sure it doesn't change, then how can you offer a boon?"

"Now, see that's where you're wrong, Alex. I'm perfectly capable of granting someone a boon. In fact, I do it all the time. But only when I need to," Fate said.

"Like, for example, I granted you a boon when I made Ludos," Fate said.

"What do you mean when you made Ludos?" Alex said.

"Ludos is my own creation. A creation who is designed to help you reach your full potential," Fate said.

She started pacing, and as soon as she did that, the platform got wider, giving her more space to pace.

"You see, most gods are created by people. People come up with explanations for phenomena or why things happen the way they happen, and they give it form. They give it a personality. They give it a name. Then they worship it, which nurtures it into existence," Fate said.

"Ludos was not created by people through this process. Ludos was created by me. I gave her form. I gave her a personality. I gave her a name. Then I poured some of my energy into her, nurturing her into existence.

"Ludos doesn't know this. In fact, Ludos despises me. She thinks things should always be fair. The better player should always win the game. Did you know she hates dice games? Because they aren't fair. The results are determined by me, Fate.

"I love Ludos for this though. I love that she thinks everything should be fair. That's exactly what my job is. Making things fair. I just don't always do it when a person is alive. Sometimes I give them a better afterlife because of what they had to endure in life."

"Why do I deserve such a powerful boon? What makes me so special?" Alex said.

"Because you always try to do the right thing. Even when there is no right thing. Even when the right thing feels wrong. I need someone like you if the multiverse is going to survive this war. We all do," Fate said.

"See, what the aliens are doing could destroy the very fabric of reality itself. Not only that, it could make it impossible for me to do my job. It is making it impossible for me to do my job. And if they go far enough, I could cease to exist."

"How do we stop that? Most of the gods don't want to help. I'm going to have to trick them into helping by beating them at a game. It's almost like reality doesn't want to save itself," Alex said.

"Reality isn't alive like you and me, Alex. It doesn't think. It just exists. It's not reality that doesn't want to save itself. It's people. That's what gods are. People. Very powerful people. Nothing more, nothing less. And they're just as selfish and self-interested as all other people. Sometimes more so," Fate said.

"Then what do I do? Tell me, what is the right thing here? Because I don't see it," Alex said.

"But you do, Alex," Fate said. "You're doing exactly what you need to do. Trick the gods. I don't care. Do whatever you have to do to get them to help.

"You are powerful, Alex, but you're not all powerful. Yet. For now, you need help, and that means more warriors chosen by the gods. Whatever you do to make that happen will be the right thing."

"But you don't have the ability to grant a boon to someone just because they won a competition," Alex said.

"Exactly," Fate said.

"So I have to lie to the gods and hope I don't get caught?" Alex said.

"Yes. And I will grant you a boon to do it," Fate said.

"You will?" Alex said, confused. "I thought we just said you couldn't."

"I'm granting the boon to you, Alex. Not the gods," Fate said.

Fate made a pen and paper appear in her hands. She started speaking as she was writing. "Whomsoever wins this competition amongst the gods and Alex shall be granted a boon by Fate. Signed, Fate"

"P.S. The gods are allowed to choose champions but are not allowed to actually participate themselves. That would be ridiculous."

Fate opened her hand, and the paper glided into Alex's hands with a stream of golden sparkles trailing behind it.

"That should help convince them to participate," Fate said.

"Thank you!" Alex said. "You just saved my ass!"

"Before you go, there is one thing you must agree to," Fate said.

"What is it?" Alex said.

"You won't lose," Fate said.

"Of course I won't lose. The entire multiverse is on the line here. This is my time to come in clutch," Alex said.

"It truly is, my boy. It truly is. Now get moving!" Fate said.

"Yes, maam!" Alex said, saluting her. Alex turned around and started walking back down the stairs.

"One last thing. You're this close," Fate put her thumb and index finger really close together, "to leveling up. Let me give you just a little bit more experience."

Fate snapped her fingers, and a small sparkle of gold slowly floated towards Alex and entered his body.

[Congratulations! You have successfully leveled up! You are now 'pretty good']