Taking off her Fateweaver robes almost felt like a ceremonial act.

Like a snake shedding her skin, Nyu stepped out of the heavy gowns and quickly put on her old clothes. They seemed snug now, and for a second there, she could understand why the Fateweavers had preferred their choice of clothing. But that was in the past, now.

When she'd set Kaelen's tome on fire, nothing spectacular had happened. No colorful lights, no mythical echoes, no otherworldly voices. Just a book burning in her hands. She was certain it had worked, but what she didn't know was whether it had been in time. But even that didn't matter now. She'd done as much as she could, more than one could've expected of her. She'd done it for Elara, but Elara was gone now. And so was Kaelen. And with that, there was nothing that kept her in this ruined place.

Nyu spent a moment staring at the wrinkly orange robes on the floor, in the lonely tower that had served as her hideout. It felt like she was leaving more than a change of clothing behind. A part of her soul would forever be tied to this place, and forever be lost to her the moment she crossed the doorstep. Unfortunately, she'd liked that part.

With a heavy heart, she grabbed her remaining things and rushed down the staircase. The night air felt soothing on her rough skin, and a gentle breeze ruffled her dark hood.

Not trying to disguise herself any longer, she soon came up on the main gate. Fateless soldiers were still swarming the outer courtyard, but now, they barely looked at her twice. How easy it was to blend in among her kind, she thought, as she carved through the dark mass of people. Some of them were still on their way to join the battle, others were already returning, or simply taking up space with no clear purpose. Their expressions were a wild blend of emotions — some of them were mortified, others triumphant. A few of them looked evil, but for the most part, their faces were those of simple fools who had followed a powerful man. Seeing how her own sister had done the same, she could hardly blame them. Still, she'd kill them if they laid hands on her again.

In the light of spitting torches, Nyu passed rows of injured Fateless soldiers who were lined up along the wall. Most of them would not live to see the sun rise, and maybe some of them even bore the mark of her daggers. She didn't feel remorse or compassion — her soul was exhausted, and she was tired of feeling anything at all.

In passing, she saw the large breach in the wall and the mountain of corpses it had spawned — or rather, should've spawned. But next to all the dead Fateless soldiers, she only saw empty orange robes scattered across the way, like blankets for their defeated opponents. The bodies of their fallen owners had ceased to exist, like they were never real to begin with.

Nyu shuddered — she had been too late to save them. The Fateweavers had been eradicated, blinked out of existence. Kaelen's death had been in vain, and the realization that fate transcended even death itself made her feel all sorts of uncomfortable.

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But there was nothing she could do now, and so she just left, through the open gate, past the soldiers who were trying to organize the chaos, and into the darkness beyond the light of the torches. As the murmur of many voices slowly subsided behind her, and the occasional scream was nothing more than a minor disturbance in the quiet of the night, a sense of calm slowly returned to her.

#

Nyu was already at the treeline when she glanced over her shoulder, and back at the Great Library. Past its many roofs and towers, the rising sun was heralded by an orange and purple glow at the far horizon, where the clouds had cleared over the vast ocean. Columns of smoke emanated from behind the walls of the compound, with one of them standing out among the others. For a moment, she watched the ominous plumes as they ascended towards the sky. They were most likely a result of Kaelen's actions, and she wondered if the hellfire he let loose could still be contained. But then again, it was none of her business anymore, and so she just enjoyed the view one last time.

Now, with the cool air brushing against her cheeks, it all felt like a fever dream. She knew it had been real, but all the memories she'd made were already fleeting. Maybe that was for the better. Maybe, if she forgot everything that had happened, eventually she would heal.

Nyu sighed, then turned her back on the Great Library.

She didn't think she'd ever come here again.

#

With no plan in mind, she headed north and east, past rivers and forests, until she reached the feet of the mountains. Cold mud squelched under her boots as she strode along, weaving her way through the thick undergrowth. Some of the pine trees still sheltered frosty patches under their needle skirts, and more would soon come. Winter was almost here, as was evident every time her breath turned to clouds of frost. Without supplies, this journey into the woods could soon be the death of her. But what choice did she have? Morathen was now deserted, and no home she could return to. Cylion was destroyed, and the fortune she might have had in the vaults of the Dor bank molten or pillaged. There was no place for her to go, and so she had to make her own place, somewhere.

Maybe she would live secluded in the mountains, live off the land and the forests, and forage what she could. But the coming winter would make any attempt at that a daring endeavor. After that, when the fields turned green and the birds started singing again, life would get better.

Or so she hoped.

At the very least, she would be alone, and that was an intriguing prospect in and of itself. No one she could get close to, no one she could hurt, and no one that could hurt her. She'd spent most of her life as an outcast — maybe that had never been a choice, but just who she was. Friendships were not meant for her, let alone anything more than that. But as much as she tried to convince herself, there was still a part of her that wished it wasn't so.

Nyu stopped and looked back at her own muddy footsteps.

She wondered if someone would come after her, find her all the way out here. But she knew that was not going to happen. And soon, all traces of her journey would be lost to nature, and she'd be nothing more than a memory to those few left behind. If they even wanted to remember her, that was. She figured Senya certainly wouldn't.

Nyu let out a low sigh and listened as it slowly became one with the silence of the woods.

Then she marched onwards, and she would not look back again.

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