“We understand,” Queen Nor interjected quickly. “The Which of Front Tier, have you been able to become any more specific than simply ‘a common soldier’?”

The Which met the queen’s eye with confidence, knowing that her male counterparts would never do the same given the circumstances.

“I’m afraid not, Queen Nor,” she said. “However, the Predeciders were not random in their writing. It is a specific soldier who can access the Tree and harness the Dogs. Who that might be is still yet to be revealed. In all deference, I should certainly be the first to know since the Tree still stands on the outskirts of Front Tier. I anticipate an answer soon.”

The Why stepped cautiously forward. “With that in mind, Your Majesties, the only thing that has changed…Well, I must defer to The When of Back Tier.”

The When stood stock-still, his hands clasped serenely before him, his head bowed slightly, in deference or with introspection it was unclear. What was clear was that he was much older than the other magi seers and, fittingly, exuded an aura that was unrushed and measured like time itself. His deep voice resonated with tones more evocative of academia than alchemy.

“The only thing that has changed, Your Majesties, is time,” The When said. “It has elapsed since we last spoke. The time is nigh for the Prophecy to be realized.”

King Xander’s hand flexed as if groping for a bottle. “Have we discovered any way to stop it?”

The Why sighed. “King Xander, the Prophecy is hypothetical. Like any prediction, be it storm or seismic activity, any number of elements must align for it to come true.”

“Piss in a volcano! You’re saying nothing!” Xander exploded. “You’re supposed to divine, yet your counsel is providing no such intervention!”

The When raised his voice slightly but decisively. “The time is specific, Your Majesty. The Predeciders wrote that the time of the Prophecy will coincide with the appearance of the Aurora Constellation. As you may remember, Aurora is only complete every two thousand years…”

The When approached the dais and pressed an almost imperceptible button on the console. Twelve points of light erupted from the polished surface like a geyser and hovered in midair with no discernible pattern. The When pressed yet another discreet button, and the jagged shapes of the planets Indira and Mano materialized on either side of the floating cluster of lights. The When tapped a final button, and two larger glowing orbs representing the stars Femera and Amali floated upward from the console and took their places in the three-dimensional diagram.

“The constellation’s configuration is dependent upon the rotation of our planets, Mano and Indira, in respect to one another and to our twin suns, Femera and Amali,” The When explained.

With a wave of his hand, the holographic representation rotated. The random points of light began to slowly coalesce into a constellation.

“However,” he continued, “it is the placement of the three moons of Indira that complete the crown of the Aurora Constellation and make her appear in the night sky of Mano.” The When indicated the final three points of light as they drifted desultorily into place, crowning, literally, the now identifiable figure of a reclining queen. “That celestial event is less than a cycle away.”