Futures Unseen

[cityship]

The crew had retrieved the Tapestry without any real problems, but much of the information that had been revealed to them in the process weighed heavily on their minds.

The war would soon get bigger than any of them could ever imagine.

Still, there was work to be done. Namely, getting the Tapestry to where it needed to go. The whole affair with that

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[fireforger]

Daja was very curious about this Tapestry. Not only because it was a scrying artifact, but also because it was a tapestry. She knew her sister Sandry would love to see such an artifact, and Daja hoped that one day she could tell her about it.

But what she found was not what Daja expected. She gasped, marveling at all the strange shapes and lights. And was that - yes, the Tapestry wasn't made of thread. It was metal! Then why was it called a Tapestry? Maybe it was a reference to it's construction...if the metal was woven together...

She approached the Tapestry, reaching out with her magic to try and find out more about the mysterious artifact. What are you made of? she asked, her magic searching for answers. How were you constructed?

[cityship]

The presence within the Tapestry regarded Daja silently.

Apparently, it must have deigned to answer her question, as it seemed benign enough. In return, she was shown a quick series of images, each floating in the air before her.

Images of esoteric strands, similar to what she would view as magic. Somehow, she would instinctively understand that these were the threads of fate.

Images of those threads being drawn together, bound both in reality and their metaphysical existence.

Images of those threads being woven together, bound to a device, a metallic ring forged by skilled hands and imbued with powerful and strange energies.

And finally, and image of all these strands coming into focus with one another within this creation. This was how the Tapestry was born.

[fireforger]

Daja watched, fascinating. So the threads were the threads of fate! Then the metal ring - that was simply the physical anchor for those threads? But it was strange...out of the corner of her eye, and within the threads, she could see glimpses, similar to how she saw magic. But while magic appeared to her as a silvery flash, this was multicolour, a whole spectrum, twisting and turning. And it kept slipping from her vision, like the magic wasn't quite all there.

Are you magic? she asked next.

[cityship]

The Tapestry seemed to consider this for a moment. In a moment, though, Daja would feel its response as a vague, odd sensation, that she would understand as being a half-yes, half-no sort of answer.

It was rather complicated.

[fireforger]

Daja frowned, thinking. So the Tapestry was magic and yet...not? Was it even possible, for something to both be magic and not magic at the same time? At the very least, she was able to communicate with it through her magic...perhaps she would have to speak to the Magical Department about this.

But for now, she was curious to see what else the Tapestry had to teach us. Can you show us our threads? Our fate? she asked. What do you have to teach us?

[cityship]

Once again, Daja would receive another wordless response. This time she would come to understand it as being When the need is great, you will see.

It would give them what they needed, when they needed it. No more, no less.

[fireforger]

Daja nodded, understanding. To be able to know your own fate was indeed a powerful ability - there was a reason that mages like Niko, who could scry the future, were held in high regard.

How will we know, when we need to speak with you? she asked, wondering if there might be any signal, or if they would simply need to use their own judgement.

[cityship]

Time. Look.

Unfortunately, ancient and powerful artifacts typically aren't known for being particularly clear in their instructions.

[fireforger]

Daja frowned again. I don't understand, she said. Do you mean that when we think the time is right, we should look at you?

[cityship]

The Tapestry paused, and there was a vague sense of frustration as it attempted to put it in terms that were easier to understand.

Wait. Learn.

[fireforger]

Daja paused, thinking. Perhaps they needed to study the Tapestry more then. Lean about how it worked, much like how any seer needed to learn how to make sense of the images that they scryed. If we study you more, will we learn how to know when we must look to you?

[cityship]

There was a positive response from the Tapestry.

It wouldn't hand them everything on a silver platter, after all.

[fireforger]

That made sense to Daja - knowledge was not something that could be gained with no effort, after all. She felt a pang that not only was Sandry not here to see this amazing artifact, Tris wasn't either. She would have loved to learn more about it.

But they were not here; only Daja. She would have to learn as much as she could on her own. If learning about the Tapestry itself was the key, then she would seek to find out as much as she could.

What do your lights mean? she asked, looking up at them.

[cityship]

In response, one by one each different section of the Tapestry grew brighter for a moment, paired with a feeling, an image of a concept.

Hope.

Fear.

Sorrow.

Joy.

Emptiness.

Mind.

Soul.

Presence.

And many more. More than it could show Daja even given all the time in the world. Each portion represented some aspect of reality. Some aspect of fate.

[fireforger]

Daja didn't say anything for a while; she simply let the images and feelings wash over her, experiencing the emotions herself. So many of them reminded her of her own home, her own friends. And her own family. Of the loss and dreams and joys she had lived through in her own lifetime.

You have so much within you, don't you? she asked, her magical voice almost a whisper.

[cityship]

There was a positive response.

It was, after all, made to be so.