The Crone walked down the narrow path, the earth softened and marked by the thousands of steps that had come before hers. Barefooted, each stride was slow, even painful at times. Crooked toes and weak knees gave off the image of a frail old lady, easy prey for the creatures that skittered alongside the path in the dark. She moved with purpose, unbothered with the lingering threats that surrounded her or of the battle that she was moving towards.

The Mother was patient behind her, unhurried in her journey. The importance of this moment had come in glimpses of visions, feelings that she could never shake. The Crone stumbled, and a gentle hand was ready to assist her, guiding her on as the trees broke and up ahead the light of fire burned to mark their destination.

The Maiden forever looked back, the noises from the dark toying with her fears. Her power matched the others, there was little she would be unable to defend herself from, yet it did little to soothe her. Why they even had to walk here was something she hadn't understood, until she felt the magic in the air as they walked out into the open, moving to stand side by side as the other woman appeared as if from the flames themselves.

"Greetings sisters," The woman called dryly as the trio stopped before her. "I should have known I could not hide from you."

"It has begun then?" Nieve's ancient voice rasped.

All four looked out to the land below them, the wind howling against the cliff face beneath their feet. The space they stood in remained untouched, even the flames didn't alter their shape as they burned.

"As it has been seen," Adala confirmed.

"Fool." Nieve croaked, spotting their leader Chronus; a king whose own days in this realm were numbered as he faced off against his creations.

"The Furies will not bow to him." The fourth mused, thinking out loud more than anything as lightning rained from the heavens to his son. "Yet their time will come to an end tonight."

Inana raised an eyebrow with interest as she took in the other woman, curious as to why she was here and not down there aiding their defence. Her power seemed to rival theirs and she was just one being, while they were three. It was the first time she'd met this woman, and that in itself terrified her. She had a reputation, and there was little in it that had made this meeting something to look forward to. It was also known she did not play by Nieve's rules or anyone else so why Nieve thought to seek her out now was unusual. Despite her reservations, somewhere, a spark of youthful defiance flared to life, and she now looked at the woman in awe.

"You see what we can not." Adala frowned. The woman snapped her head around to face them, her eyes wide and alarmed. "We see them rising up once more. If they succeed, realms will fall to their mercy."

"It does not end here?" Her face mirrored Adala's as she looked back out onto the battlefield.

"And we see that which she can not." Nieve mumbled gravely.

"You have not changed, Nieve," She smirked, the hint of fondess for the old Crone not missed by any. "Did you come with an offer or to simply watch?"

A rattle of a breath left the old woman. "We seek to combine with your power. The future is not ours to see, which makes it difficult to-"

"I understand." The woman met Inana's gaze, the intensity causing the younger girl to step back towards Adala and take her waiting hand. 

She was as wild as Nieve had warned, with her mass of dark curls surrounding a delicate face like the mane of a lion. The woman was beautiful, and not just in her appearance. There was a glow surronding her, one that she had almost missed and piece by piece Inana's fear of the unknown fell away. New thoughts replaced them, inspired just by a glance that this female had given her. The urge to to rebel against all she knew to know terrified and excited her, and if sensing the cyclone of emotions in the Maiden, Adala gave her hand a squeeze, bringing her back into the moment.

"They have the ability to destroy you, destroy all of us. To even see them returning is reason enough for me to consider this madness." The wild woman vowed.

"You agree then?" Adala asked a little too hopefully, squeezing Inana's hand again as she did so; her own emotions as stable as an earthquake.

"I do."

"And the cost?" Nieve demanded, her hunched figure boldly squaring off against the other woman.

"My visions are simply to remain as mine. I owe you all nothing. Your misdeeds and meddling of the past are your own misfortune. You can not treat our gift as if it is a horse needing to be tamed, controlled and-"

Nieve laughed, the cackling causing all others present to shiver at the sound. "Yet here you are. Perhaps we are not so different. Come, let us see what this future holds."

Reluctantly they all took hands, standing around the fire and the golden thread that connected the Crone, Mother and Maiden appeared and ever so slowly found its way into the fourth woman's hold. Her powers connected to theirs and the thread of life, of past, present and future began to glow and Inana had a feeling this wasn't the first time this had happened.

Nothing was clear.

At least not to begin with, and then they saw a girl.

A woman.

A warrior.

A figure deeply engrained through each and every path in a time they could not even comprehend.

The Fourth felt the tears on her cheeks as it all began. A daughter of her own she had never seen or felt before. A daughter she never planned or wanted. The pain that would follow tore her apart, her body folding down onto her knees as the connection was nearly broken. The decision was made again. She would never birth a child of her own.

Nieve growled, forcing her back up to her feet. The woman she saw in her vision was weak, soft and mortal; at least until Adala saw her being reborn as their third, then the warrior. Finally a queen. The Fates would rise to a power they'd never known, led by the new Maiden. No more would they hide in the shadows. 

They would be free. 

Respected.

Worshipped. 

She would rule, and they would be at her side. War was hot in her blood, the power she wielded ancient and strong. The three of them would be an impenetrable force. Hope bloomed within all of them for different reasons as one by one, they all saw this creature face the Furies. 

Only, how did it end?

The vision they craved still lingered beyond their reach despite how hard they fought the powers that be, the universe, that an infinite golden path which knew it had already been travelled further than any should ever see.

Except for Inana. 

Perhaps if she had joined them how she was supposed to the future would have been theirs. Instead, her golden thread twisted, curled around infinite loops of wisdoms, of life and deaths and times that could not be named. She lost sight of the girl the others hunted, following instead the lure of a man. A boy really, with dark eyes and hair. A boy with a cursed fate, yet despite the darkness fighting to claim him, there were the softest of touches, the gentlest of kisses. A smile that would change her life forever. 

Love. 

Never had she ever felt so free and the visions she was gifted with were for her only. Inana locked them away, deep down so no one would ever know as she followed his thread, only realising too late as he became seen by the others. She kept her visions blocked, too curious to stop as all the threads of life became tangled once again.

The others saw him more clearly now. The darkness that had been created at his conception and growing with him free now. It was a force many would face and few would survive. 

Cursed. 

It was like an infection, a sickness that would forever destroy all he touched and Inana knew that would one day, through no fault of his own, it would include her. The Third had always been cursed too and the second her last breath left Inana in his arms, she was gone and in her place was their girl. The mortal. The warrior. The queen. 

Taking her last breath in his arms; body torn and broken from battle.

No one said anything as the visions faded.

All eyes were on Inana who simply smiled because she now knew what love felt like. Already she ached to meet him, eager for the visions to be reality even if she knew one day it would end before she felt she'd ever be ready to go.

"You have always been weak!" Nieve barked. "Love. You'd die for love."

The Fourth looked at Inana who seemed unbothered by what Fate had chosen to show her. Death, especially ones own, was never freely given, yet she too had seen the Maidens fall. The truth. What a cruel trick to play on them all.

"I accept my Fate," Inana said defiantly, never more sure about anything.

Adala and Nieve whispered to themselves, disappearing down the path they had come with a disapproving shake of their heads. Disgust hung in the air, their feelings not hidden at all while Inana hesitated to follow them, drawn to stay with the other woman for just a moment longer.

"And so it will be," The Fourth told the Maiden, turning her gaze into the fire. The younger woman sat beside her, a tiny smile appearing that she noticed instantly. "What was it you saw young one?"

"What will truly be."

The pair looked at each other in understanding as they had seen it all, but not every secret needed to be spoken. 

"The Mother and the Crone will never allow it to be so." The woman sighed, her strength weakening as she contemplated her own glimpse at fate. "They saw too much. Perhaps we all did. I felt sure this was the right path to take, yet now they have more power than ever before."

"Even they can not control everything. They do not control you and they will never control her." Inana stared past the fire into the night, beyond the battle and the world as they knew it. "My only regret is that I do not get to see the day they discover that for themselves."

"I wish it could be, young one."

"Promise me. You will help them. Help her." Inana took the other woman's hands, begging her as she fell to her knees. "This battle is not the last, it is but one of many. Your pain is just as much apart of this journey as hers. As his. Promise me and I will die a good death."

"You ask for a lot, child." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "They will come for me. They will not stop until my visions are theirs, and so I promise you, I will help as I much as I am able." 

"I know you will." The Maiden kissed the woman's hands. "Thank you."

"Go. Your sisters wait, and I fear I can not avoid the battle any longer. They grow too strong, and while I would love nothing more than to see Chronus fall, it will not be on this night." As she stood, her robes turned to a golden set of armour and the magic that filled the air around them was fueled by rage.

"Fight well, friend." The Maiden bowed, then vanished.

"And you, Inana." Even though she knew that it wouldn't be enough to change the thirds fate. "So it will be."