For a while after Griselda finished explaining the three destinies, no one spoke.
I watched Veneri closely because in all the time I have known him, he had never looked like this. Without saying anything, he walked over to one of the enormous piles of gold and simply sat down on it.
Coins shifted beneath him with a soft metallic sound as he settled in, resting his elbows on his knees. He looked down at the floor for a moment, thinking for a while.
Finally he spoke.
"When I met the Time Primordial for the first time, she told me something similar to what Griselda just explained. She told me that I would eventually face three choices that would determine the direction of my life. At the time I didn't fully understand what she meant, but she described three possible futures."
He lifted his head slightly.
"One where I would remain in the Dynasty and eventually become a Monarch, another where I would leave everything behind and live as a wanderer and one where I would attend Minafallen Academy. I believed I had chosen two of them."
Apparently Elyonari had the same reaction as me. Veneri continued speaking calmly.
"When I was four and the Dynasty was celebrating Anamorsia's birth, I thought I had chosen to both become a Monarch and attend Minafallen Academy. I assumed that meant my future would combine the two paths. But it seems I misunderstood what the Time Primordial meant. It turns out I only chose one destiny and that choice led to everything that has happened so far."
There was something strange about hearing him say that so casually. Everything that has happened like the The First Epoch Cycle, the disasters, the people he had saved and killed, the people he met, all of it traced back to a decision made by a four-year-old child.
Veneri leaned back slightly against the pile of gold.
"If I chose to remain in the Dynasty and become a Monarch, my life would have unfolded very differently. In that future, I would never have attended Minafallen Academy, which means I would never have met Narisva, Elyonari or Asenane."
Hearing those names listed like that made the alternative reality feel suddenly very real.
"In that path, I would eventually become the Dynasty Monarch and marry Adelasta. She would be my Monarchess and we would rule together."
He glanced briefly toward me.
"In that future, the only person who would accompany me to this spaceship would be Phaenora and Adelasta."
Veneri continued without pause.
"If I had chosen the second path and escaped from the Dynasty before my second birthday, I would have grown up traveling the world as a wanderer without any connection to the Dynasty. In that future, I would eventually meet Narisva and become lovers. In that timeline, Phaenora would still appear in my life and the three of us would eventually arrive at this spaceship together."
Then he added one final detail.
"But Elyonari would not be there."
For the first time since the conversation began, Elyonari spoke.
"Honestly, I'm very glad you chose to go to Minafallen."
Her voice was calm, but there was something sincere about it. I decided this was the perfect moment to address the extremely strange detail that had been bothering me since Griselda explained the timelines.
"Griselda, I have a question."
The golden goose turned toward me.
"Why am I present in all three destinies?"
Because that part was starting to feel suspicious. In every version of Veneri's life, apparently I'm just there. Griselda tilted her head slightly before answering.
"The reason is simple. No matter which timeline Vastarael chooses, you are always bound to him. In every possible future, you appear beside him. Your existence is connected to his Destiny, which means that regardless of which path he walks, you will always be there."
I crossed my arms with satisfaction.
"Well, that is reassuring."
Then I glanced at Elyonari with a bright smile.
"See? Even Destiny itself cannot pull us apart."
Elyonari completely ignored me. Instead she looked directly at Griselda.
"There's something else I want to know as well. Why did Vasreveilder want Veneri to find this spaceship?"
Griselda nodded slightly as if she had expected that question.
"The purpose of this place is to grant Vastarael access to the Aeterium Demesne. However, the individuals who obtain Demesnes alongside him depend on the timeline."
"In the Monarch timeline, Vastarael arrives here with Phaenora and Adelasta. The three of them would receive Demesnes together."
"In the Wanderer timeline, he arrives with Narisva and Phaenora. In that future, those three would obtain the Demesnes."
Then her gaze shifted toward Elyonari.
"In the timeline that has actually occurred, you are the one who will receive the Demesne."
Elyonari stood very still. Griselda continued her explanation.
"The moment Vastarael made his decision at the age of four and chose to attend Minafallen Academy, Vasreveilder committed himself to the third destiny. After that, he began preparing the trials that would determine who was worthy of obtaining the Demesnes."
The goose slowly turned in place, gesturing to the strange world surrounding us.
"He created three fairytale worlds. Each world was designed as a trial. The individuals who accompany Vastarael must pass these trials in order to obtain the Demesnes."
Veneri spoke again from his seat on the gold.
"What is Vasreveilder's second goal?"
Griselda paused briefly.
"I don't know."
That answer sounded surprisingly honest.
"All I know is that Vasreveilder created this world and gave me the memories necessary to explain everything to you."
She then turned toward Elyonari.
"This trial belongs to you. If you succeed, you will obtain the Verdarite Demesne. You will obtain it not only for yourself, but also for your brother Veylonar."
Elyonari's expression changed slightly. She asked a quiet question.
"In the other timelines, did... Veylonar die?"
Griselda nodded.
"Yes. In the other two destinies, Veylonar never receives a Demesne. Without one, he eventually dies. The same is true for Vastarael's siblings. Any of them who do not receive Demesnes will eventually die as well. However, because Vastarael exists in all three timelines, if he succeeds in these trials he will obtain enough Demesnes to distribute to his siblings and prevent their deaths. But that does not mean he will succeed."
The room felt a little colder when she said that.
"Each trial is different and each one has its own conditions."
Finally she looked directly at Elyonari.
"This trial belongs to you. In order to complete it, you must locate two Demesnes hidden somewhere in this world."
"Where are they?"
Griselda gave a small, amused smile, which again felt weird for a goose.
"I have absolutely no idea."
She sounded almost proud of that fact.
"Vasreveilder deliberately hid their locations. Even though I'm the guardian of this world and the Demenses, he ensured that even I wouldn't know where they are."
Which meant the situation was exactly what it sounded like. We were trapped inside a fairytale world created by one of the most powerful beings in existence. Somewhere inside it were two ancient Demesnes capable of shaping reality itself.
The one person responsible for finding them had absolutely no idea where to start.