"Congradulations, Zelgadis." Her words echoed through the empty air. "You just wished yourself out of existance."
"I what?" With a blank expression, he examined his hands. They seemed to be in tact...
"I'm going to show you what life would be like if you had never been born." She gestured, and screen-like pictures appeared from the void. Zelgadis stared in awe.
"We'll start at the beginning, naturally." She lead him to a cerulean frame. "Come with me." She pressed her palm to the smooth, cool surface, then motioned for him to do likewise. He did, and they disappeared in a flash of light.
"Where... are we?" He opened his eyes to the simplicity of a midwife's birthing room.
"Had you been born, this is where it would have taken place. Don't worry, they can't see you. Yet." She answered, pointing to a young woman, sweat-stained from labor. Beside her, the plump, middle-aged midwife shook her head sadly and handed the would-be mother the stillborn child.
"Mother..." He breathed as tears welled up in his blue eyes. "In... In my life, she died giving birth to me. Father didn't take it very well, he always blamed me for her death. He started coming home drunk, really late. Sometimes... Sometimes he'd hit me around, calling me the weakling that murdered her."
A tall man with a pale complexion and dark violet hair came up to the grieving woman, placing a slender hand on her shoulder.
"Rezo..." He growled, but fell silent as the Red Priest turned his blind glare directly at him.
"Wh's there?" the sightless sage asked in the soft voice which Zelgadis had inheirited.
"No one." The chimera replied, glad that his mask and hood hid the worst of those monstrous traits. "I was... passing by, and... I heard about the baby." The spun lie did not exectue the way Zelgadis had hoped, but Rezo accepted it for the time being.
"Help me console her." The red clad priest whispered. "Please."
With a nod, he knealt by the unfortunate woman's side.
"He was supposed to be... so strong!" She sobbed. "My baby, my son! Mine! He... He... He..." Her voice deteriorated into crying.
"Shh." Zelgadis hushed her. "You'll have other children. Why not try for a little girl next time?"
"I can't!" She cried. "I'd die if it was another stillborn!"
"You are strong." He assured her. "You'd survive. I'll bet that one day you'll have a pretty little girl to dress up." He neglected to say that this was based on the reaction he had recieved as Gadis.
"Do you think so?" She sniffled, still clutching the tiny corpse.
"Yeah." He nodded, then moved to leave.
"Wait!" She grabbed his hand. "Tell me your name! I... I would like to give my son, the one I will have, the name of the man who helped me get through this difficult stage."
"My name?" Zelgadis felt his blood turn to ice. If he gave her his name, that next child could very well grow up as he had. "My name is of no importance."
"Please?" She begged. The chimera's mind raced to come up with a psuedonym.
"Orlog." He finally spat out the name of the rune of Fate.
"Thank you, Orlog." She gave him a hopeful smile, but allowed him to leave.
"Can you tell me if she will ever have a child?" He asked her as the room faded to black. She nodded briefly.
"Twins." She uttered. "Named the boy Orlog and the girl Wyrd."
"Did... Rezo get them, like he got me?"
"...no."
"I have seen enough."
"There is more."
"More?"
"Come." She turned to a new panel, this one the color of emeralds.
"Where...?" He looked around, finding himself to be on the edge of a strange lawn. A little boy with soft green hair tugged at his cape.
"Hey, mister, will you play with me?" He asked.
"Nauthiz!" A familar voice called out. "Nauthiz!"
"Poppa, we have a guest!" Nauthiz shouted, much to Zelgadis' despair. A tall man with green hair and an equally colored mustache strode out from behind the house.
"Ah, a wandering bard, perhaps?" The man shook his hand. "It matters not, my door is always open to the weary traveler."
The hospitality was, put mildly, shocking to Zelgadis.
"I am Zolf, this is my son Nauthiz, and my wife Daeg is in the house." Zolf introduced them.
"I'm sorry if I offend, Zolf, but what exactly is it that you do?" The Shaman forced the words from his mouth.
"Ah, my friend, I am glad that you asked!" Friend? They met mere seconds ago, and he was already a friend? "I just haven to be a diviner! One of the world's finest!"
"You into divination?"
"Indeed I am!" Zolf beamed with pride. "Come inside, I'll do a reading for you. You must be tired, or at least thirsty." Without waiting for a reply, he ushed Zelgadis into the house.