Convergence of Fates

Chapter 1 - Prelude To Disaster

"Hey, look over there." A young woman whispers to her sisters as the three of them kneel behind a dense bush. "Ha, we're in luck, this is the biggest boar I've seen in a long time. Rose, give me the bow."

Rose, a fair skinned, blonde girl in her mid twenties, hands the weapon to her older sister, Amelia.

As she draws an arrow, her short, messy blonde hair catches the sunlight and Rose turns to her younger sister and says, "Might want to close your eyes Ev."

Evelyn shakes her head and says, "No, this is part of life and I have to accept it."

Rose smiles and nods as Amelia releases the arrow and it sinks into the boar's neck. The animal runs for a minute before bleeding out and after catching up, the girls inspect their catch.

"Oh wow, this will be enough for everyone in the village!" Evelyn exclaims.

Amelia sighs and says, "Yeah, but how are we supposed to haul it back?"

After some thought, the girls decide to tie ropes to its legs and drag it back home. Rose and Amelia each grab a rope and Evelyn pushes the carcass from behind.

"Ugh, this is so heavy." Evelyn whines.

"Suck it up, it'll be worth it when we're relaxing by the fire with a full belly." Amelia grunts as her and Rose struggle to pull the dead weight.

"At least the elder will be happy, the village has been so low on food the last few years, and the land has been barren for even longer than that. It's kind of scary, what happens when there's no more food?" Rose ponders out loud.

"Didn't know you were such a downer Rose." Amelia laughs.

"It's true though, it seems like there's less to go around everyday. I hope Eris returns soon." Evelyn says with a concerned look on her face.

"Ha, don't get your hopes up, Eris is a goddess, it's not like she'll help us." Amelia says scoffing at the idea.

"Don't say that Amelia, I'm sure Eris has a good reason why she isn't helping us like she used to." Evelyn says.

Amelia responds, "Yeah, she doesn't care anymore. Like it or not, we're on our own. Praying to a goddess that hasn't even shown her face in hundreds of years is a waste of time."

"Hey, that's enough Amelia. Take it easy." Rose says and Amelia turns to see Evelyn on the brink of tears.

Amelia sighs and says, "It's good to have faith, just make sure you believe in something real. Something you can see and feel for yourself."

Amelia smiles at Evelyn and she lightens up.

"Hey, when we get back can we..." Evelyn's words are cut short by an arrow screaming past and landing a few feet behind Rose.

"Halt!" A commanding voice bellows from behind the trees.

A man steps out accompanied by several others, all wearing dark red armor and carrying weapons.

"What are Ryders doing here? This is Alissian land." Amelia asks.

The man laughs and steps forward as he says, "We're scouting out the enemy lines and I have to say, your defenses are atrocious. We've gone unnoticed for so long, the main army must be at the border by now."

"What? Are you really declaring war after all these years of peace?" Rose asks.

The man scowls and yells, "Peace!? You Alissians have only ever known the peace that was possible because of the Ryder empire! Six hundred years ago, after the first convergence, Rydell rose from the ashes of civilization and drove the monster hordes back into the wilds. Without us, your way of life wouldn't even be possible, but do Alissian warriors take responsibility and join our fight? No, you've squandered your own resources and now your kingdom lies on the brink of collapse. The almighty King Erimon has decided that if Alissi will not aid us, then they are an enemy of Rydell and must be eliminated."

"What madness is this?" Amelia shouts but one of the men hits her in the stomach.

He holds her down on her knees and says, "Think we should lock them up captain? The boys could use some stress relief."

The men laugh and their leader says, "Fine, just be ready to leave on a moment's notice, we march on Alissi as soon as reinforcements arrive. I want all of you ready to siege the city by nightfall."

The captain gives a final glance toward the girls before he walks away and the men move in. Amelia bites the man holding her and lunges for another as he falls back clutching his hand.

"You'd best calm down before I get jumpy, little girl." One of the larger men says as he holds a small knife to Evelyn's throat.

Evelyn's frail body trembles and tears stream down her small face as the muscular man tightly holds her shoulder.

"You bastard, if you hurt..." Amelia's voice fades as one of the men hits her in the back of the head with a rock and she falls to the ground.

"Amelia!" Rose yells just before one of the men hits her in the stomach.

She collapses, and the three girls are taken into the forest. The Ryders have set up a small campsite in the woods, complete with a makeshift wooden cage. As the sun begins to sink behind the trees, Rose, Amelia, and Evelyn are thrown inside and the door is locked with a thick chain and metal lock.

"Are you ok Amelia?" Evelyn asks as Amelia comes to and rubs her head.

"I'm fine, but when I get out I'm gonna kill every last one of..." Amelia begins.

Rose interrupts her and says, "We need to get out of here and warn Alissi. If the Ryders attack without warning, the city will be taken over."

"All those innocent people, how are we going to get out?" Evelyn asks fearfully.

Amelia smiles as she says, "You still have that hairpin grandmother gave you?"

Evelyn nods and takes the silver hairpin out, letting her long blonde hair flow freely. Amelia takes the hairpin and begins trying to get the lock open with out being discovered. Occasionally a soldier or two pass by but fortunately, they seem to be preoccupied with their duties for now.

"Did you get it?" Evelyn whispers as she darts her eyes around looking for soldiers.

"It's a lot harder since it's on the other side, I can't really see what I'm doing. Just give me a minute." Amelia says in a hushed voice as she struggles with the lock.

As night falls, Amelia finally gets the lock open and says, "Let's go now, before they try anything."

Rose nods and takes Evelyn's hand as Amelia silently opens the cage door and the girls sneak out into the moonlit forest. The trio begin to run after Amelia says they are far enough away but after a short time, Evelyn needs to rest.

"Are they really going to war with Alissi?" Evelyn asks as the girls stop to catch their breath.

"Ryders have been found at the border recently and if they're this close, then I'd say yes." Amelia replies.

"Why would they do this? They've been fighting the monsters for so long, do they even have the troops to attack another kingdom directly?" Rose asks.

Amelia shakes her head and says, "That's just it, they've been fighting for so long it's in their blood. A single Ryder soldier probably has more combat experience than a whole detachment of Alissians. It's like that guy said, Alissi really hasn't had to fight very much. Regardless, let's keep moving, we can figure this out later."

The girls resume their journey, stopping once more so Evelyn can catch her breath, and when they finally emerge from the trees, they see the city of Alissi in the distance, the moonlight reflecting off the ocean behind the large stone walls.

"Come on." Amelia says as she heads for the city.

Upon arriving at the gates, Amelia pounds on the heavy wooden doors and a guard appears on top of the wall next to the gate.

"Afraid the gates are closed for the night girls, come back tomorrow." The guard says between yawns.

"Open the gates, we have information about the Ryders!" Rose pleads.

The guard stumbles and says, "R-ryders? Fine I'll open the gate, wait a moment."

The guard climbs down from the wall and inspects the three sisters before he says, "Alright, I don't see any of those weird brands, I suppose you're alright. So what's this about Ryders then?"

"They have a camp in the forest and they said they're coming here with reinforcements!" Rose explains.

Amelia says, "Let us speak with the Queen, surely she would know..."

The guard cuts her off and says, "Absolutely not, I don't see any brands, but I can't let just anyone see Queen Seraphina."

The guard is adamant but before Amelia can protest Rose says, "Can you give us your word that the Queen will be informed? Not later, but right now?"

The guard nods and says, "I will deliver the message personally, you have my word."

Amelia looks unsatisfied but Rose puts her hand on Amelia's shoulder and says, "We've warned them, that's all we can do for now. Let's find somewhere to rest."

Amelia looks at Evelyn and sees she is exhausted from running.

"Ok I'll get us a room." Amelia says.

Rose replies, "Then I'll buy some food and meet you at the inn."

Rose turns to walk away and Amelia says, "Rose... uh, nevermind."

Rose laughs and says, "Were you going to tell me to be careful? Aww, don't worry big sis."

Amelia's face reddens with embarrassment and she says, "Shut up, I was gonna say get me some ale."

Evelyn giggles and follows Amelia as Rose wanders off in search of food.

A short time later Rose returns to the inn with food and after eating, Amelia says, "I'm gonna get some sleep."

"What? What if the Ryders come?" Evelyn asks looking over her shoulder as if they could burst in at any moment.

"Don't worry, we already warned the guards. If something happens, we'll hear it, we're not that far from the gates." Rose reassures her.

Evelyn looks scared but concedes, and she lays down on the bed. Amelia sits down on a chair and puts her feet on a small table before she folds her arms and closes her eyes. The bed is big enough that all three girls could fit, but Amelia has always been like this, silently going without so her sisters could enjoy what few comforts remain. Rose climbs into bed next to her younger sister and soon her world fades to black. A few hours later, an explosion rocks the entire city and the girls jump out of bed.

"Is it the Ryders?" Evelyn says fearfully.

Rose takes her hand and smiles as she says, "Amelia and I will keep you safe, just stick close ok?"

Evelyn hesitantly nods and follows her sisters outside. The gates are on fire and there is a huge hole in the stone wall that surrounds the city. Some of the buildings are on fire as well and rubble clutters the streets. Having never experienced something like this before, the girls are frozen for a moment, the chaos of screams and crackling fires reaching intolerable levels before Amelia snaps back to reality.

The sounds of men yelling and swords clashing can be heard clearly from the other side of the gate as a guard takes an arrow to the chest and falls from the top of the wall with a sickening thud. Suddenly, another explosion sends tremors throughout the city as the old wooden gates shatter. Flaming debris is sent flying everywhere and Amelia grabs her sisters and turns her back to the gates, shielding Rose and Evelyn. A long sliver of wood embeds itself in Amelia's left arm and she winces in pain. She quickly pulls the splinter of wood from her arm and flexes it, testing the mobility.

Seeing her sisters faces, Amelia says, "Don't worry, it's nothing."

Amelia pulls Rose and Evelyn into a nearby building and watches as Ryder soldiers pour in through the open gates and overwhelm the Alissians.

"This is bad, we have to get out of here." Amelia says looking for a way out.

Rose says, "We have to make sure the Queen is alright, if she dies, what would happen to Alissi?"

Amelia scowls and says, "God damn Ryders... alright, let's get to the palace and after we check on the Queen, we're leaving got it?"

Rose and Evelyn nod in unison and the three sisters quietly make their way to the royal palace. They quickly move from one building to the next, avoiding the growing number of battles taking place in the streets. Finally, the girls make it to the courtyard in front of the palace.

"Wait, look." Rose says as she stops Amelia and points towards the royal chambers.

The opulent palace has a balcony overlooking the courtyard and through the opening, a struggle can be seen.

"Oh no..." Rose says as she covers her mouth and watches as Queen Seraphina is dragged onto the balcony by her long black hair.

"Alissians, your fight is over, your lives are forfeit, and..." The man takes a knife from the sheathe on his hip and places it against Queen Seraphina's throat. "Your Queen is dead!"

The man yells as he slices the Queen's throat and her blood sprays onto the railing. He viciously cuts into the woman's tender flesh until her body goes limp and falls on the balcony, blood now pouring down to the street below. The man proudly holds her head into the air and lets out a bloodthirsty roar.

Rose holds Evelyn tightly as the young girl sobs and Amelia gits her teeth and says, "They'll pay for this."

She grabs Rose and Evelyn and leads them to one of the smaller side gates. As the gates creak open, Alissian guards round a corner and see the girls trying to escape.

"It's them! They brought the Ryders, get them!" The guards yell.

Rose wants to explain but Amelia grabs her and begins to run. Evelyn and Rose can barely keep up, Amelia has always been more athletic, but they do their best until Evelyn trips and falls.

"Ow." Evelyn cries.

Amelia crouches down, picks her up, and says, "Sorry, didn't mean to make you fall but we can't stay here."

Evelyn wraps her arms around Amelia's neck, but as she stands up, a massive orb of fire flies into the sky.

"They brought mages too, this really is war." Amelia says as the sphere lazily floats above the battlefield and illuminates the area.

"Over there! Alissians are trying to escape!" A voice calls out from the distance.

Rose looks and sees a large group of Ryder soldiers approaching from the forest and Alissian soldiers chasing them from the city.

"Run!" Amelia yells as she carries Evelyn and dashes into the woods.

The girls spend hours running, hiding, and slowly draining their stamina before Amelia says, "I think we lost them."

Evelyn looks up and says, "Are you sure?"

Rose nods and says, "The Alissians wouldn't chase us too far, not with the city under siege."

Amelia nods and says, "I don't think the Ryders will come this far after such a fierce battle either, at least not yet."

Evelyn grabs onto Amelia's waist and hugs her tightly, trying her best to hold back her tears.

Amelia is caught off guard, but smiles and says, "Don't worry, you have two big sisters, and neither of us would ever let anything happen to you."

Evelyn's hand brushes against Amelia's wound and she quickly reaches for the small pouch attached to her hip.

Evelyn rolls up Amelia's sleeve as Amelia says, "What are you doing? I'm fine really."

Evelyn pulls a small roll of bandages from her pouch and says, "I was really good at this in school, even though the blood made me a little sick. It might not be bad now but you don't want it to get infected, at least let me wrap it."

Amelia sighs and says, "Fine."

Evelyn quickly bandages Amelia's upper arm and then says, "Well?"

Amelia flexes and stretches her arm before saying, "You are good at this, it's tight but I can still move freely, nice job."

Evelyn smiles and sits next to Amelia as Rose scoots closer and puts her arm around Evelyn. The girls sit against a tree and gaze into the night sky, occasionally hearing screams echo through the woods before they are cut short.. Eventually, the sun emerges from beyond the horizon and breaks the ominous darkness as the girls look at each other, all thinking the same thing: 'What do we do now?'

Chapter 2 - Divine Encounter

"Where are we?" Evelyn asks looking around.

"I'm not sure, we ran for a long time last night." Amelia replies.

Rose sees the concern in Evelyn's face and she says, "At least we're together, we'll find our way out soon enough."

The girls begin walking through the forest and eventually come to a mossy, broken stone wall.

"What is this? It looks ancient, but almost like the walls around Alissi." Rose concludes after examining the broken stones.

"There used to be more cities, a long time ago. Then the first convergence happened and about a hundred and fifty years after that the second one came along. They say almost all of humanity was wiped out." Amelia explains.

Evelyn seems intrigued and asks, "Really? So what that man said was true, about them fighting monsters?"

Amelia sighs and says, "Didn't they teach you this in school? Why do you remember the medical training but not history? The convergence took pieces of our world, Rhea, and left pieces of other worlds in their place. The monsters came from one of the other worlds, maybe more than one now that I think about it, and with most of the humans dead, they almost took over the entire world. Ryders eventually learned how to fight the monsters and pushed them back to the western desert, but it was too far from their kingdom to maintain, so they founded Gracia as a foothold to kill the monsters once and for all. The second convergence cut off Rydell from Gracia and they eventually claimed independence after Rydell basically abandoned them."

"That's so sad, then what about Alissi?" Evelyn asks, engrossed in the story.

Rose laughs and says, "Amelia's right, you need to pay more attention in school. Two hundred years after the second convergence, people from Gracia and Rydell got fed up with the constant fighting and came east to start their own city. It was tough at first, neither empire wanted to acknowledge Alissi as a kingdom, but our economy was thriving and they didn't have a choice if they wanted to survive. Alissi was the main source of food for all of the kingdoms, because our lands were least affected by the destruction from the convergence, but eventually most of the land became barren and food began to dwindle over the years."

"But if Alissi is giving food to the Ryders, why would they attack?" Evelyn wonders.

Amelia shrugs and says, "Maybe they felt like it wasn't enough, who knows, Ryders have always been strange like that. They even brand their warriors, did you see the mark on the captain's neck when we were caught in the forest?"

Evelyn shakes her head and says, "No, I wasn't really looking."

Amelia smiles and says, "Hey for only being eleven, I think you're handling everything pretty well."

Evelyn lowers her head and says, "I'm really scared though, what if the Ryders came through our village?"

"Burket is out of the way, especially if the Ryders went straight to Alissi. I'm sure everything's fine back home, mom and dad are probably worried though, we've been gone longer than usual." Rose says cheerfully and Evelyn smiles.

"Alright, enough sitting around, let's get out of this forest and find our way back to Burket." Amelia says as she stands up and stretches out.

"How's your knee Ev?" Rose asks.

"It's ok now, Amelia carried me here so I feel fine." Evelyn responds.

"Good then let's go." Amelia says leading the way through the dense trees.

A few minutes later, the girls stand before a clearing and Rose says, "Those look like buildings, this must be one of the cities destroyed in the convergence. The entire city has been retaken by plants, if I didn't know people died here, this would be really pretty."

Evelyn nods and says, "Yeah, I can't imagine Alissi looking like this, it's kind of creepy."

Amelia looks around and says, "Come on, this place has been abandoned for hundreds of years but monsters may still be around."

As the girls make their way across the overgrown city square, Rose hears something coming from a nearby building.