My mind struggled to process everything Master Kairos had told me. Strangely, it was my parents’ divorce that really stumped me.

  Though Justin’s death was horrible and I certainly wanted to find a way to reverse it, death was something easy to grasp. It had happened before, so the thought of it happening again wasn’t a shock so much as it was unwelcome news.

  The divorce, though… I couldn’t wrap my brain around how my parents – my happily married parents – could have split up. I knew they loved each other, so… why?

  Was my abduction and Justin’s death the reason? Was I to blame for their marriage failing?

  “You might be tempted to turn back time again,” Master Kairos said gently, “but I ask you to please reconsider. You’ve already saved him once. Fate may have plans for him that we don’t see. In all likelihood, your brother has already been reincarnated.”

  The reminder that reincarnation was a legitimate, verified occurrence jolted me out of my oddly spiraling mental state. Still, I couldn’t help but frown as I questioned another aspect of his statement.

  “What does that even mean: ‘Fate may have plans for him?’” I asked. “Is that like how people used to say, ‘God has a reason for everything?’ Is it something said to comfort the grieving, or is there actually some kind of higher being controlling everything?”

  Religion was a super messy topic for Earthborn since the reintegration. Heck, it had been a messy topic before we knew the truth about the universe.

  Master Kairos shifted a little uncomfortably before saying, “Well, obviously, god-like beings exist. To the people of pre-integration Earth, we would both be considered such beings. But when people reference Fate, it is usually the realm itself they are truly talking about.

  “For all intents and purposes, the realm is considered by many to be an omniscient god. How it developed into such is a point of real contention amongst Scholars, but there are too many signs that point toward such a fact for the theory to be easily dismissed.”

  “And part of that is forcing certain people to die?” I asked in stunned confusion.

  Master Kairos winced slightly. “I may not have presented this properly, but in essence, yes,” he replied. “Fate Mages have long learned that some visions cannot be avoided. To attempt to change things often brings about a harsher reality than the original vision. According to Anya, those types of visions come with a specific flavor, for lack of a better term.”

  “So, she foresaw Justin’s death?”

  The still-youthful-looking Time Mage nodded slowly. “She did.”

  “And her vision had the special flavor that told her that his death couldn’t be avoided?”

  Again, he nodded.

  My eyes once again filled with tears, blurring my vision. I didn’t resist the tears, but I did banish the physical discomfort that accompanied them.

  “What’s the point of having such overpowered magic if I can’t even save my family?” I asked. “I-I want to be mad at her for not stopping it, but…”

  I was mad at her, I realized. But I also understood that Anya had a vastly different perspective about such things. Even so, I couldn’t believe that she would simply accept her own brother’s death, given the ability to stop it.

  “Remember the part about interference causing a harsher outcome,” he reminded me.

  “What? Like, more people would die, or his death would be more gruesome?”

  Master Kairos raised both hands. It was a motion that was half shrug, half surrender.

  “I don’t have all the answers, Emie. I’m sorry.”

  “And I can’t force a time branch because it would just result in something worse,” I said critically. I shook my head. “I just… I already changed things once and things were better. Justin had a wife and kids. The twins didn’t exist in the other timeline. Kaylee and Ashlynn, too. They were never born in the other timeline.”

  “Again, I don’t have all the answers. I know that’s not what you want to hear.” He sighed tiredly. “Even as a Pinnacle in this realm, I can’t fight Fate. If I hadn’t already challenged it myself during my youth…”

  “So, short of killing myself in this timeline, there’s nothing I can do?”

  “I’m afraid not.” He looked at me sadly. “For what it’s worth, I truly am sorry for your loss. Would you like a few minutes alone?”

  I quickly shook my head. The last thing I wanted was to be alone again. “No. Please stay. I’ve had enough solitude.”

  We sat in silence for several minutes as I processed my emotions.

  I hated that my brother had died… again. But knowing he’d likely already been reborn was immensely comforting. I hoped his new life was filled with happiness and joy.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  Maybe he’d even get a decently strong affinity this time.

  I wasn’t sure exactly how affinities worked, whether they were something controlled by the body, soul, or some combination of the two. But however it worked, I hoped his new affinity was stronger than his old one.

  As far as my parents went…

  Mom was living back on Earth? Dad had gotten remarried? I just… I couldn’t even process it.

  I was glad that Master Kairos had informed me of the change, though. It would have been horrible to have learned about it during our reunion.

  Would Dad bring his new wife?

  I shivered at the thought. I hated the thought of some other woman being with my dad. It felt indescribably wrong. He was supposed to be with Mom.

  I forced the thought away. As much as I wanted my parents together, I wanted them each to be happy even more. If Dad’s new wife made him happy, then… I’d figure out how to deal with it.

  “Okay. I think I’ve got a handle on my emotions now. Thank you for being patient with me.”

  “You can take as long as you want. There’s no rush,” Master Kairos said.

  “No, I want to see my family sooner rather than later, if possible. I’ve been gone long enough,” I said, shaking my head in a mixture of denial and guilt. “What else should I know?”

  “The rest of your close family is doing quite well. Amie awakened dual Mind/Crystal affinities and your friend Ms. AldQuartz sponsored her for one of the better academies. She now works as Ms. AldQuartz’s personal assistant, which comes with far more advantages than you probably expect.”

  My lips twitched into an involuntary smile at the news. Amie’s affinities were basically the same as Rhona’s, which probably explained the older princess’s fixation with the girl.

  “Her brothers…” Master Kairos’s eyes briefly flickered. “Lucas also awakened dual affinities. His were for Force and Space. He was recruited early into the Space Exploration Force, and it looks like he has a post-service contract in place with the Asper family as a retainer.”

  The Asper family was Stella’s family – Rhona’s cousin. They were big into the SEF and Space magic in general. It was actually something of a family tradition for their members to serve in the SEF, even if they didn’t have a Space affinity.

  Truly, few who worked for the SEF had a Space affinity, but it was one they constantly recruited for. In retrospect, I was a little surprised that I was never approached in the other timeline.

  “Daniel had a middle-of-the-road Light affinity and followed in his mother’s footsteps with Enchanting. Speaking of his mother, Bell now works as an Enchanter for the sect full-time. I’m uncertain about her relationship status, but my last report has her listed as still single.”

  My heart went out to my friend and sister-in-law. For her to still be single after so long…

  “Your younger sisters are both doing well,” Master Kairos continued. “Kaylee has a decently strong Life affinity and has dedicated her life to becoming a specialized healer for animals and beasts. I believe your world called them veterinarians?”

  I nodded.

  “Yes, well, she is living on Morkin, one of the demi home worlds.”

  I tilted my head in confusion. “Why is she living there if she’s a veterinarian?”

  “Demis have far more beast companions than other races,” Master Kairos informed me. “Her services are actually in heavy demand since knowledge impacts the effectiveness and efficiency of spells. Not a lot of healers bother learning animal or beast anatomy, after all.”

  “I suppose that makes sense,” I conceded. “And Ashlynn?”

  “She was a real surprise. A dual Nature/Death, both strong affinities,” Master Kairos said with a hint of excitement. “That girl is a prodigy, likely on par with you. Several sects and families began courting her as soon as the results of her awakening were made known, and, as a group with a vested interest in her success, Epikairos ensured she was not taken advantage of during the process.”

  “Thank you for that,” I said.

  “You are welcome,” he replied with a nod of acknowledgment. “The girl is still quite young, so she’s still attending academies. I believe she’s currently attending one of the more prestigious Alchemists’ Academies. She has yet to sign a formal agreement with any of the groups, but has taken advantage of the leveling opportunities made available to her over the years.”

  His eyes glittered mischievously. “You’ll never guess what level your youngest sister has managed to reach already. Take into consideration that she has been attending academies almost full-time since shortly after her awakening.”

  “I don’t know. Level twenty-five?” I guessed. Halfway through Tier Three sounded pretty impressive.

  Master Kairos shook his head smugly. “My latest report has her at level forty-one.”

  My eyes widened in surprise. “Forty-one! How in the world did she manage that? She’s only twenty-six years old! And you said she’s been attending school the whole time, too? That’s just crazy.”

  “I told you, she’s being courted by some powerful families and sects. That comes with a lot of benefits,” Master Kairos replied. “She’s actually stronger than both your sister-in-law and your niece, and Amie has the support of the Quartz Princess.”

  I shook my head in amazement. That kind of advancement outside of the dungeon seemed impossible.

  “That kind of advancement isn’t sustainable, of course,” my mentor continued, echoing my thoughts. “Nobles and certain organizations can get away with pushing through Tier Four, but the restrictions get much more stringent at Tier Five. Your young sister will likely stagnate there for quite a while as she completes her schooling.”

  “Still,” I said, impressed at Ashlynn’s progress.

  Truth be told, I didn’t know the girl at all. She’d been a baby the last time I saw her. Even so, she was my sister, and that had to matter. When family stopped mattering, I had no reason to remain in this realm.

  And I absolutely wasn’t ready to leave yet.

  “What about Zavira? How is she doing?” I asked.

  “Good!” Master Kairos said before his expression dropped slightly. “She struggled deeply with your abduction. I think she blamed herself since she was the last one to see you before the Assassin captured you. Had the timing worked out better, she would have been here to meet you.”

  “Where is she now?” I asked.

  “She entered her mandated rift delve two days ago,” the Time Mage said. “It was right after you defeated the second boss. We expected a similar gap until the third, but you breezed right through the last three. I’m sure she would have traded slots if she’d known how quickly you’d finish.”

  I released a little sigh of disappointment. While I’d wanted my best friend to be here, I understood that it was hard to estimate such things. Then again…

  “Didn’t Anya see my return?”

  “Ahh, no,” Master Kairos said a bit apologetically. “The Council is in session, so she’s focused on Council issues. When I handed over leadership of the sect and took on an inactive ‘Founder’ status, Anya took the opportunity to shift her focus to the Council. It was a bit of a blow to the sect, but I’m sure they’ll recover.”

  “Still, I would have thought the most powerful Fate Mage in the Alliance would have been able to know when I’d escape.”

  “Yes, well…” Master Kairos sighed heavily. “As I said before, I don’t presume to understand Fate or its Mages.”