Bravo. Bravo, indeed to you and Nerull both. I had to skip some parts to get through to the end fast enough before bed, but this is definitely not a bad piece. It ran on a little long in one or two places for my taste, but again, that may have just been urgency to finish before it got too late.

There are certain things in here that I definitely appreciated. I was sad to see that Sorgi chose to do that. And the fact he gained so much power is worrisome, since it makes one wonder how he could have if he was, in fact, meant to be weaker.

Though I would like to point out that this heart magic that all humans are capable of using appears to stem from the concept of selfless sacrifice. Magic often requires a price and a payment, but more often than not, the way heart magic works, in my experience, is that it is the kind of magic that is designed to be inherently selfless.

It is invoked because of that willingness, that pure selfless desire. One might say, in part, that it is why humanity is able to touch the divine. And, perhaps, why the divine gives humanity the ability to choose their own fates, even if the divine already knows what that ultimate fate will be. I believe that explains much of why Fae and other magic users are often foiled by it, and why they often seek to take humans for their own. I think it a rare thing for the fae to be able to generate this unique power on their own. Its power is binding and sealing. It can be as a chain, but like a chain, can be broken or undone according to the will of the one who bears it or through neglect.

Acrathia herself must have witnessed that love before. And I would not be surprised if she came to those same conclusions herself after coming to a greater knowledge of fate and its workings.

Fate will show its hands and work wonders, but they must work through the actions and lives of others. Cruel and kind. Wild and free. Unchangable and immutable. Not in the aspect of choice, but in the sense of inevitability.

Songs shall be sung. Stories told. And many a soul shall be claimed to play their part in what is to come. Let the magic of the heart grow strong and guide the hand of this lad. So long as he continues to choose for good, that love shall remain and gather in strength. Deviate from the path, and the gift shall diminish. He has lost a family. He has gained one anew.

And in time, he will make peace.

But beware the eyes that watch from beyond. For not all shall be content. And opposition shall rise as it must. I fear the Sidhe will not be prepared. I fear for the dark days that are to come.

And come they will, though vain hands will grasp at the portal to hold them back.

Still, there is hope. There must always be hope. And it will reveal itself when the time is right and the proper conditions are met.

And maybe, just maybe, one of the Sidhe will be able to touch that power and wield it. Should she do so well, I believe the desire of her heart will be granted, though not, perhaps, in the way she might expect.

Ah, but who am I to say how much of this shall come to pass, and how much are mere imaginings? Forgive this rambling storyteller his musings, and, pray, allow him his foibles. It is never a wrong thing to dream and to delve into one's gifts. One must simply beware the threat of drowning, should one go too deep.

Perhaps that is why the oracles are given only bursts of prophecy, rather than becoming immersed. It is few and far between that an individual is able to navigate the paths of the future without the aid of one who is experienced or of sacred tools designed for that purpose. We cannot behold the whole, but we can be given glimpses from time to time. And, perhaps, in due course, we will be able to widen our vision to behold what we could not see before.

That will be a day most interesting, indeed, I should think.

Most interesting, indeed. And I believe the arbiters of fate would agree.

Thank you for your thoughtful response and very astute insights, even this late at night! It may please you to know that Sorgi is not the shellycoat in question. He remains safely in the Greylands with his young ward. The exiled creature is a very distant relation of his. ^^

Oh, thank goodness! :D I hated thinking he had anything to do with this.

Very wholesome! It's not often I see a post-transformation as long as this one, and it is more important than the transformation itself. Well done!

Thank you so much! And thank you for sticking around to read through this monster. It really means a lot

One question: What era does this occur in?

It was sort of nebulous when we wrote it... I want to say earlyish 1900’s? It was definitely post 1890.

Well, at least he didn't have to worry about WWI, the Spanish Flu, the Great Depression, WWII, and the looming threat of nuclear annihilation. But he must have had quite the surprise when he finally finished his term of service: The Internet, a black president, the world map being radically different, vehicles moving at high speeds without horses, people communicating across the globe nearly instantaneously with devices the size of one's hand, and did we mention the Internet? What's twelve more years, indeed...