Bound

Threads of Fate spread through an ethereal mist, physical yet insubstantial, silvery and gleaming, somehow reflecting a light that had no source. Wisps of effervescent material danced around each Thread, circling it like a curious child inspecting it's mother, only to shoot off into the void, dimming into nothingness in the process. Ever so rarely, two Threads would wander close together, drawn into parallel by a mysterious force with no origin. As the Fates literally aligned, the intangible Wisps would get more excited, as if hoping to make the best of this one-in-a-million chance occurrence. They would happily bump into one another, as pleased as any inorganic matter could be. The Wisps solidify, bonding with their contemporaries with a tenacity they shouldn't possess. Stretching and twisting, they wove themselves together, exhibiting an intelligence beyond understanding. Manipulating energy at its most fundamental states, they coalesced into a glistening Thread. A simple, innocuous looking Thread, indestructible yet intangible… ethereal, like something out of a dream. These Threads would stand the test of time. Oddly, time had no meaning in this strange place, everything seemed instantaneous, yet, infinitely long all the same. It was like forces beyond human conception had conspired to make this world as confounding to the senses as possible. Maybe they had. This world was strange, but not frightening. With all it's oddities, It had the calming reassurance of a home. And a home it was. For the manifestations of Fate were not the only things in it. Beings of immeasurable power drifted about. Engaging in tasks that could not be deciphered by the human mind. All taking no note of the Threads of Fate woven into the fabric of their world. All but one. This entity hovered, studying four particular Threads which had become intertwined, weaving in and out in graceful, glowing knots of destiny. Why? This entity, prescient as it was, was puzzled.  An occurrence such as this was incredibly rare. Not impossible, — in this world, impossibility was a meaningless concept — but the odds against such an event was astronomical. It knew that human life had no meaning. Their lives were short and without purpose. And so they gave it purpose.  It was a silly solution, but what choice did they have? If one was to have a pointless existence, why not make the best of it? Their very existence was debatable. To be is to be perceived, and yet if the totality of one's experience took place within the blink of an eye, how could that be equated to a being that was timeless and eternal?  Even in the bounds of their inconsequential world, their actions bore no meaning. Rather than accept the inevitability of their actions, they fight destiny, and live as blindfolded livestock do, pretending that the consequences of their decisions are relevant and far-reaching. In spite of it all, they managed to grasp the fringes of the rules of the universe. They built sprawling empires and nations. In perhaps their most important innovation, they developed a system that allowed them to store knowledge en-masse and defy the ever looming threat of entropy.  Of course, they used this tool to satisfy their pathetic little goals and add banal pleasures to their lives. But perhaps one day, they would achieve the philosophical and metaphysical enlightenment they have only just touched upon.  Perhaps one day, they would come together to achieve a goal larger than themselves. For now, they do what they can. Every now and then, they group together and make a seemingly irrelevant discovery, or make philosophical arguments whose truthfulness they are ill-prepared to fully grasp. There have been singular figures throughout their history who have made great strides in advancing them. Far more often, two or more individuals would be drawn together in Fate, destined to make a profound realization. In this case, it seemed there were four individuals. As The Entity pondered all this, the four Threads seemed to strengthen even further, removing all doubt that their convergence was temporary or coincidental. It was amusing.  Perhaps… No, what was the point? As much as these four were unlikely to live the life of an average human, they would still have short lives. They were still humans after all, and a golden speck of dust was still a speck of dust. Still, it took barely any effort. The Entity had Interfered, in the past, and had no philosophical or moral qualms with meddling in human endeavors. Afterall, when you had an eternity to live, no event had any particular significance. Yes, why not?  Perhaps, they would turn out to be different from the rest. Their fates were intertwined after all, whatever happened, their existence would be… Entertaining. With a confident resolution borne of an eternity of experience, The Entity focused on the four Threads, welding its will into them.  It experienced their consciousness. Time, physicality, a soul. It experienced humanness. It acknowledged and processed all of this without effort, then… for an instant, nothing happened. Then it was gone. The other Entities barely registered the significance of the event. A few were intrigued, some repulsed, most completely indifferent. It was barely worth their attention, afterall.  An Interference like that was a rare but ultimately insignificant occurrence. After all, even if four individual humans were bound together, what would change? Everything.