I've just decided to catch up on some reading today. I have some anxiety that keeps me away from this place most of the time but I'd really like to start getting over it, as there is an engagement problem and a readership problem on the platform and as a mostly inactive user I am part of that problem. Plus, I miss the place.

I read this and the first part just now. I notice you've not received any human comments for either part and that it's been four months since it was written. I imagine that must have been discouraging and it must feel like it fell upon deaf ears (blind eyes?).

Well anyway, for what it is worth, four months later, I've read it, and enjoyed it. It's interesting that each person has their own assigned fate-being in this universe; I don't think I've seen that before... the closest thing is the "guardian angel" concept but this is different.

There's some good dissonance here; we feel an impulse to root for Zuen since we, as humans who value our free will (or whatever illusion of it we have), identify with Caleb and the idea of being sacrificed because we think too independently doesn't really vibe with us. Besides, it's always a good time to root for the rebels. At the same time, though, how many other humans are going to die as Ishtar and the other fate-beings relentlessly pursue Caleb's death? I certainly would not want to be Zuen in this situation, feeling that guilt. But then again, why should they feel guilty? They're not the one doing the killing, after all... though it is unavoidable that if they just allowed Caleb to die, fewer lives would be lost in the whole mess.

Good story; would like to see what happens next.