"You do not understand, human. You no longer live your life
according to the dictates of Destiny. You have been touched by
the Fates -- you are an *adjunct* to them, their agent and
antithesis both, whether you know it or not."
This fine October night I had barely gotten to the meadow where I
usually did my surveillance summonings when -- finally! -- one of
the stalker centaurs left the Forbidden Forest and galloped up to
me. But instead of greeting me, introducing himself or otherwise
being anything *close* to social, he instead started raking me
over the coals because I somehow messed up their astrological
calculations. Apparently my gravitic mass was sufficient to sway
the stars and planets from their usual courses and send them
dancing willy-nilly across the sky in ways that deeply offended
the centaurs.
Naturally I called bullshit on this silliness. Oddly, this did
not endear me to the as-yet-unidentified Greco-Roman hexapod. In
response he instead began to lecture me on why my very existence
was an insult to any right-thinking seer of the future.
I heroically restrained myself from rolling my eyes as he worked
himself up to the point that I had to step back to avoid being
showered in humanoequine spittle.
"Your very presence destroys Destiny, breaks Fate, changes
what-must-be to what-you-need as the world around you dances to
the tune you play," the centaur growled, clenching his fists and
stomping with one front hoof as if to punctuate the seriousness
of his accusation. I yawned at the theatrics. "You may have
once been a normal wizard," he continued, "but no more. Your
every movement is infused with the energies of Fate."
I snorted. "I *beg* your pardon, Trigger! I was *never* a
'normal' wizard. And for your information, I haven't been
*touched* by Fate -- I've been *kissed*." I stopped and
reconsidered. "Well, four kisses and a handshake."
according to the dictates of Destiny. You have been touched by
the Fates -- you are an *adjunct* to them, their agent and
antithesis both, whether you know it or not."
This fine October night I had barely gotten to the meadow where I
usually did my surveillance summonings when -- finally! -- one of
the stalker centaurs left the Forbidden Forest and galloped up to
me. But instead of greeting me, introducing himself or otherwise
being anything *close* to social, he instead started raking me
over the coals because I somehow messed up their astrological
calculations. Apparently my gravitic mass was sufficient to sway
the stars and planets from their usual courses and send them
dancing willy-nilly across the sky in ways that deeply offended
the centaurs.
Naturally I called bullshit on this silliness. Oddly, this did
not endear me to the as-yet-unidentified Greco-Roman hexapod. In
response he instead began to lecture me on why my very existence
was an insult to any right-thinking seer of the future.
I heroically restrained myself from rolling my eyes as he worked
himself up to the point that I had to step back to avoid being
showered in humanoequine spittle.
"Your very presence destroys Destiny, breaks Fate, changes
what-must-be to what-you-need as the world around you dances to
the tune you play," the centaur growled, clenching his fists and
stomping with one front hoof as if to punctuate the seriousness
of his accusation. I yawned at the theatrics. "You may have
once been a normal wizard," he continued, "but no more. Your
every movement is infused with the energies of Fate."
I snorted. "I *beg* your pardon, Trigger! I was *never* a
'normal' wizard. And for your information, I haven't been
*touched* by Fate -- I've been *kissed*." I stopped and
reconsidered. "Well, four kisses and a handshake."
-- Bob
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
I have been Roland, Beowulf, Achilles, Gilgamesh, Clark Kent, Mary Sue, DJ Croft, Skysaber. I have been
called a hundred names and will be called a thousand more before the sun grows dim and cold....
)