Rather than put us through the transformative phase of landing in the courtyard and climbing the steps to the huge open air building where the Fates resided, I simply altered our sizes in transit and deposited us in the garden where sister Fate lived. Not surprisingly, both Fates were in residence. Brother Fate seemed to have abandoned his own place in Core with the dark maji, spending all of his time with his sister. Only the maji, Iepa, seemed to care for them, the woman I once looked to for guidance now reduced to a servant to the fallen Fates.
She greeted me with a gentle hug, lines on her youthful face I'd never seen before. The maji didn't age normally, adopting whatever appearance they chose. But, these etched wrinkles seemed genuine, as though the Fates were drawing the life from the maji in an attempt to sustain themselves.