The Toll

by Jeanette Lynn

  “Mm. Maybe,” Lachesis whispered softly between hums, hips swaying in an odd, almost hypnotic rhythm, “but not as much as you do. Atro, though, Atro knows.” Tapping Death on the shoulder, she handed her something that had the dark Fate tilting her head in question.

  “A tangled web we weave. Not all should be lost. The loss can come at a cost, but yours was not in vain, sister-dear. Some, but not all, if willing, can be saved.”

  Gripping it tight, the grim Fate nodded.

  “Now,” Lachesis commanded quietly.

  Jumping in surprise, Niniane gasped when Atropos leaned down, placing a chaste kiss upon her forehead, murmuring something against her skin, then wrenched her face to the side. Eyes popping open wide, she only had a moment to think before Atropos raised her fist high, a long golden needle fisted in her hand tight, stabbing Niniane in the neck.

  “NO!!” But it was too late. Gasping as blue sparks shot from her limbs, leeching from her being to soak into the soggy ground, falling back as she clawed helplessly, her mouth open wide on a silent shout.

  Gathering around her, the Fates all bared their faces, hoods pulled down, staring down at her quietly as she cried out silently, mouthing, ‘Why?’

  “You were right.” Clothos shrugged. “You are not for this realm, and the age of Divinity is ending. Man will eventually give up his faith in the ways of Other. Soon enough, the four corners and the overseers will become obsolete.”

  Giggling into her hands, eyes white and unseeing, Lachesis sang, “Man’s realm? No. But you could be perfect for... this one!”

  ‘Your love will be your undoing, but it will set you free. Be still. Take heart. Have faith. Accept your inner fire,’ Atropos mouthed, nodding as she stepped forward, bending down, and tore the needle out of the Water Elemental’s neck, sighing as she wiped the blood, no longer tipped with red and silver, off onto her sleeve.

  “Peace be with you, Niniane.” Clothos pulled a long black string from her pocket, handing it off to her sister.

  Lachesis accepted it, pulling a large, oddly shaped object from the folds of her robe. “May the fires of Tahl burn bright, and your mates be plenty!” Exclaiming excitedly, she wrapped a piece of string around Niniane’s wrist, wrapping the other end around the large, metallic, shimmering plate-sized scale.

  Niniane’s eyes bulged, a shocked cry squeezing past her lips.

  “You said it wrong,” Clothos whispered worriedly, eyes darting between them as Niniane fought to stay in her head.

  “Matters not.” Lachesis chortled into her hand, too giddy to care. “I liked mine better. Besides, I’m not the one that asked all the wrong questions.” With a flick of her wrist, Niniane’s body lit up, cutting off any protests, licking with blue flames as she shrieked in surprise, batting at her limbs, then promptly disappeared, bursting into a million specks of stardust, winking right out.

  Clothos’ white brows raised questioningly.

  “Her necklace is valuable, but it’s not her medallion. Smart Elemental, she tricked you!” Cackling, Lachesis held her sides.

  Blinking, dumbfounded, Clothos’ blurted, “Hardly.”

  “She said the necklace was safe when you asked, not her medallion. Silly Clo, her tether is Excala... Ecola... Exifragablur... Uhm, her sword.”

  Face pinching tight, tinging red, Clothos couldn’t believe her ears. “And you just let her?” she gritted out.

  “No. You did. Huzzah! Tahl is about to get very exciting,” the eccentric middle Fate sang. “Excala... uh, catbur lives on!”

  “I don’t think that’s what it’s called, either.”

  The sisters all turned to see Feng Bo approaching, nearly jumping out of their skin. A small smile tipped his lips as he stared at the spot his fellow Elemental had just been. It dipped, the longer his gaze lingered, sadness pooling on the surface. “You are speaking of my sister Elemental Niniane’s tether, yes? Excalibur is the name you’re looking for, I believe.”

  “Excalibur,” Lachesis whispered over and over, as if trying with all her might to remember.

  “How did I not know this?” Clothos muttered, arms crossing over her chest stubbornly.

  “Will you send me to find mates too?” Bo asked playfully, scanning across three very similar faces of women with vastly different personalities. Masking the fear hidden just beneath the superficial veneer of self-assured cocky playfulness he wears so often, his raging emotions formed a tight ball in the pit of his stomach, well hidden behind the quick wit and wayward humor he’d always clung to like a second skin. When his eyes landed on Atropos, they held for a moment longer than the rest, a spark of something lighting then, but then he grimaced and shook his head, quickly looking away.

  Atropos, glaring down at her feet, never looked up.

  “No,” Clothos replied carefully, smiling tightly, “we had something else in mind entirely.”

  “Really?” Mild surprise registered as he quirked a brow, lighting his features. “Does it involve stabbing me with fate’s needle to make me mortal too?”

  “No,” Lachesis sang, grinning when Atropos snuck up behind him, smashing him on the back of the head with the butt of her scissors.

  “Well,” stumbling as he wobbled toward the ground, grunting in pain as blood rushed to his ears, he blurted, “that was unexpected...” Eyes rolling into the back of his head as the world spun, Wind gurgled out a shocked curse and slumped to the ground.

  The sisters, all but Death, grinned as Atropos hooked her scissors on her belt loop with a good job pat, motioning that they each grab a limb.

  “Come now,” Clothos muttered, grunting and grimacing under his weight. “We haven’t much time.”

  “He’ll hold,” Lachesis said non-chalantly, ever confident as they half dragged, half carried him to a large oak tree. Eyes fixing on Atropos, she murmured, “There’s always time for good-byes.”

  “This one,” Clothos muttered, motioning to a wide, enormous tree, surrounded by thick branches sprouting up and out— shaded, even without leaves.

  Atropos unhooked her scissors, dropping Wind with a sound thump. Gaze set on her target, she stepped over his slumped body, her boots crunching heavily, steadily, as she strode to the tree. Fingers running over the base smoothly, palms flattening wide, she pressed her ear, closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and waited. Pulling back after a long moment, eyes slowly opening, she nodded once and handed her scissors over to Lachesis, who prepared to rip a seam.

  Opening a long gash with Death’s scissors, a small pocket formed along the trunk—a gate way to another plane of existence.

  With a few not so gentle heaves as Lachesis stepped back, scissors clutched to her breast, Atropos helped Clothos lug his not so light frame, and with a few good shoves and a hard push, they dumped the Elemental into his temporary cocoon.

  Clothos snatched the satchel at his side—his bag of wind—his medallion—and handed it off to Atropos, who promptly stabbed the golden needle clean through. The bag flashed and lit up in a spray of gold and brown and a blustery gust of wind, until it was nothing more than a sprinkle coated goatskin bag, but Bo remained unscathed.

  “Peace be with you, brother Wind.” Clothos nodded her head and took a step back.

  ‘May the wind be with you’, Atropos mouthed, ready to turn away. She got only a few steps before she froze, indecision riding her hard.

  “Go,” Lachesis ordered.

  Rushing back, Atropos cupped his face and brought her lips to his. ‘I will watch over our little one, dear friend of my heart’, she swore, though no words left her lips, pulling back to swipe a quick tear from her eye.

  Clothos walked up behind her as she stood, wrapping her arms around her waist tight, chin resting on her shoulder. “She was worth it,” she whispered, “ears are but a small price to pay. Who needs to hear anyways, eh? I’d give my lips, nose, tongue, and heart, sister-dear, for your child if it would have helped.”

  Fingers tightening over hers, emotions rushing her throat, Atropos nodd
ed.

  “She is beautiful, you know, your Vidi. If Feng Bo could have sensed it, could have known-”

  Atropos gave her head a vigorous shake, imploring her not to take her thoughts where they were best left un-thought.

  “He would have fought to stay to be with his child, and he would have died,” Lachesis interrupted. “Such is the hand, in a life like this. He will be happy, and Vidi is destined for much.” Tapping her temple, the sister Fate shrugged. “You did not care for him, sister, and nor he for you.”

  The fierce, outraged look on Atropos’ face said otherwise, but Clothos, wisely, kept silent on the matter. It was not for her to say, and who was to say they knew Atro’s heart, but the Fate herself?

  “Better you one night of passion and a child, then love and punishment, never to love freely with the one of your choosing, fate be damned. He doesn’t remember, and maybe it is best he doesn’t. They will both move on, even if you refuse.” Face pinched, Lachesis slammed her lips shut, a guarded look crossing her porcelain features.

  “Lachesis?” Clothos asked quietly, canting her head questioningly.

  Clothos and Lachesis knew of Bo and Atropos’ indiscretion, and they knew of Atropos’ choices. She was not allowed to keep the babe if she wanted her to be immortal, but could give the child inherent powers, though masked as Other’s, so as not to draw suspicion, and if she’d wanted to remember, Bo would have to forget. If not, the price for acting on her lustful indiscretion, and keeping her lover in the know, was her sight. If they had kept on the path they’d been headed originally, things would only have gotten worse.

  Choosing the path she had, all parties had benefited from the decision, the other two none the worse for wear, but as her gaze returned to that sturdy oak, her lover’s temporary holding, she had to wonder, was it?

  “Forgive me. I am bitter.” Letting out a long sigh, Lachesis took a deep breath. The humming started up again, followed by the swaying, and Atropos and Clothos grimaced.

  Just when they were getting ready to close everything up, Lachesis held out a hand. Clothos and Atropos waited.

  Taking the bag and tossing a small silver wristlet from the folds of her cape in after him, Lachesis beamed proudly when she heard it clink and thunk, sliding down his prone form, staring down where she assumed he’d be. “May you not lose your britches ‘round your ankles! Here, for your mate!”

  Wiping their hands off as Clothos quickly sewed the seam shut, Lachesis pricked her thumb to smear a length of deep, dark blue blood along the seam, then they all rushed back to their cloaks, tossing them on to wait.

  “How long ‘til he wakes, do you think?” Clothos murmured quietly, lips twitching at her sister’s odd ramblings.

  ‘Long as it takes’, Atropos signed. She bore no ill will how things would turn out for Wind. He would find someone on Hearthe, fate willing, and find some small measure of happiness, she hoped.

  Lachesis was right, and she knew it. The alotter never spoke lightly of such things.

  She hoped Bo might find his way back to Hegtrag someday, though, to claim the daughter he never knew was his. Her chest started to tighten again, but she fought back the hurt.

  Tapping her chin in thought, Lachesis’ face scrunched up and she murmured, “When does man have cars again?”

  Frowning, Clothos blinked a few times and stared at her sister, “Never on this plane of existence, why? That is another dimension, another world entirely. We sent him to Hearthe not Earth, sister.”

  ‘Hearthe. The one that portals from the other end of Underhill, opposite Hegtrag’, Atropos signed.

  “Whoops!” Grinning sheepishly, Lachesis shrugged. “Hearthe, Earth. Guess we’ll see him on the, uh, the flips side.” Then she giggled hysterically while Atropos grunted, froze, shoulders slumping, and slowly shook her head.

  Clothos’ eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but the clearing buzzed with the rumbling of the ground, rocks, dirt and moss trembling beneath their feet.

  “Earth!” Snatching up their hoods, they donned them and raced back.

  They almost didn’t make it back in time for Gaia’s dramatic entrance, Clothos grimacing as she tried to catch her breath. “We’re getting too old for this.”

  Ground rumbling, splitting as a crater opened wide, rocks and grass tumbling in, Mother Nature rose up from the gaping maw in the ground, dirt rolling off of her smoothly as she stepped out and shook herself off.

  The Fates watched avidly as the ground slowly closed behind her, grass and small patches of clover popping up.

  Holding a hand out, Gaia shook her head, stopping several yards away. “I know the corners are at an end,” she murmured sadly, gaze dipping before she forced it to meet the three hooded figures before her, “and my time, as well, but... but I would ask that you let me stay, here, on this plane, as...” she looked positively sick as she forced the words through dry lips, “a mortal, a human, so that I may look after the one called Brevin.”

  “Look after him?” Lachesis mused, a knowing smile titling her lips. “Is that what you wish to do?”

  Intrigued, the other sisters waited.

  Frowning at the Fate’s odd wording, she nodded somberly. “Yes, that is what I wish to do.” Slipping her earrings from her ears—her medallion—her tether to her Earth magicks, Zeme held them out and waited.

  Hands behind her back, Clothos motioned that she come forward.

  “You will have to take a human form,” Lachesis informed her warningly, gesturing to her person. “Is this one acceptable to you?”

  Hands encircling her waist protectively, she nodded vigorously. “This is my true form. I would like that it be no other, human or not. If I cannot... well, then I would choose that of my glamour, Adamina. The boy is familiar with that one.”

  “Is he now?” Smiling so wide her eyes crinkled at the corners, Lachesis’ hands formed a steeple as she brought them to her lips.

  Blinking as her eyes darted from one hooded figure to another suspiciously as the two on the ends each let out a collective, “Oh,” followed by a knowing nod, her lips pursed. “Yes. I would think he’d be more comfortable that way.”

  Clucking her tongue, Lachesis tapped the tips of her index fingers on her small, bowed lips several times thoughtfully as she nodded her head slowly. “Excellent.”

  Zeme failed to grasp the double conversations going on. “Then, my glamour would be more appropriate, you think?” she mumbled uncertainly, soft brown brows pulling down.

  “Oh, no,” Lachesis chirped excitedly, “he thinks of her like one would a staid aunt, or annoying neighbor lady, and that would never do!”

  Zeme’s face scrunched up as Lachesis gripped her fingertips, yanking her hand towards her, the earrings still sitting in her palm. “It wouldn’t?”

  “Of course not! No,” Lachesis’ head shook, the folds of her cape rippling along with her, “that would never do.” The golden caped Fate chuckled as if the Elemental had just said the silliest thing ever. Motioning that Atropos do the honors, she smiled happily.

  As the needle arced down, about to pierce the raggedly cut agate, Lachesis jerked Gaia’s hand hard, the needle piercing straight through her flesh. “How would he mate with you if he thought you an old crone?” the crazed Fate cried happily. “No, that would never do. Don’t worry, by the time you’ve found each other, you’ll both be of age!”

  “What!? I don’t want to mat-Ahhh!”

  As Earth yanked her hand back, screaming as blood streamed freely from her wound, she ripped the needle out, tossing it to the ground. “What have you done?” she cried, cradling her hand to her chest. Blood seeped her beautiful gown, staining it with crimson and liquid silver.

  “I’ve helped you.” Without an ounce of remorse, Lachesis held the earrings that fell into her palm out to Atropos. “Finish it please, so that she may be reborn.”

  “REBORN?” Earth bellowed, rage lighting her features as her powers bled into the ground. “You think I wish to be re
born?” she spat. It was already too late, and as the needle pierced the first earring, she crumbled right before their eyes, literally, her screech lost on the wind as her soul shot from her, flying off to its new body.

  “Mmm. Always liked Earth,” Clothos remarked absently, bare toe nudging the small pile of dust left behind.

  “The world or the Elemental?” Lachesis giggled, chortling merrily.

  “I hate when you’re like this,” the spinner muttered, shaking her head. “Makes me want to brain you.”

  Stilling, gasping as if struck, Lachesis whispered, “He comes.”

  Seeing the ball of licking flames, far up in the sky as it came barreling towards them, Hephaestus needed no introduction.

  Lachesis’ hum started up again, eyes shutting tight beneath her hood, but it faltered as the giant Elemental scorched a long path across the earth, tumbling as he rolled to stand, shooting up to his full height, lumbering towards them with an uneven gait.

  Phaestus, eyes stormy and bleeding red, licking with fire, thick chest heaving as he strode towards them, the metallic clink of his leg clanking loudly, stopping just before them, eyed each of them warily.

  “Ladies Fate,” he murmured quietly, bending down on one knee, head bowed, and waited. His mechanical leg hissed as it creaked, bending to its creators will, thumping heavily on the cold, dirt ground.

  All humor fled Lachesis and she stepped forward, shoulders tense.

  When nothing happened and no one spoke, Fire’s eyes fixed on her exposed, pale toes, Clothos began to fidget in place, gaze darting between her sister and the Elemental, then Atropos questioningly.

  Normally nothing slipped past the sisters three, they were one, attuned, and shared in all things, but something was going on here, something that had the hair along the bookend siblings’ napes standing on end.

  “She doesn’t look like you,” Phaestus murmured quietly, squeezing his eyes shut tight as he waited.

  “I know,” the for once somber, golden caped Fate agreed, a sadness in her voice that tore at Fire’s insides.