Fate, Fractured

The first breath of air back in Arhor'ha came sharp to Ty's mouth as if he had been drowning moments prior. "Agggghhh," he groans, the pain throbbing in his bones and all the space between. Blue claws rake through the ground of a foreign forest as the mountain of a man lurches forward. Fresh blood coughs out from his lips.
"Agurk. Hah. Haeerrggh," the former noble struggles to stand. His efforts come to no avail. The large weapon on Ty's back clambers next to him. The smooth polish of a silver great sword is tilted to his body as the silver dragonborn casts violet eyes to himself. Parts of him are missing. His body carved and mutilated without any blood.
"Raaaaaaaaaggghhhhh," the dragon roars, unwilling to accept that is he going to die in a random forest. Alone. He made his choice to return Be'lania, but he had no desire to be a martyr. The cold fire of tenacity burns in his eyes. Survive. Against all odds. Against the fates of gods and kings. Survive.
The noise gathers the attention of the predators that stalk the wild forest. A hyena. Two. Three. Hungry eyes eye a defenseless prey. Ty levels his eyes at these beasts. A foul creature that wouldn't have given him pause. Now it is a mortal enemy. Weakly, the soldier grabs his sword. He crawls to a large tree with great labor. Any moment he expects an attack, challenging the beasts with fierce eyes. Taunting them. A show of force has sent weaker beasts away, but the Targarius warlord is no more than a wheezing bag of meat now. A matter of time.
Cackling, a hyena snaps in. Teeth sink into the fresh wound on Ty's leg. Adrenaline kicks in as he kicks the beast. "Come on you beasts," he roars back, vision fading in and out. "Do... your..." as the last thing he hears is the screeching of an owl.
Darkness.
Did he live a life he could look back on with pride? Did he change his fate? His thoughts wander endlessly in this dark void. He did not become a pawn in someone else's war. He found his own way. Yes, he did. A deep breath. Breath.
"If this is death," Ty says in a world without echo, "then I will raise an empire out of nothing."
"Not nothing," says another voice. Calm. Comforting. That of a man who would be seen smiling in libraries with a book in hand. Familiar somehow.
"I'm in no mood for half-answers," Ty grumbles to his own personal torturer.
"A fair boundary to set," the soft voice says, the god of wanderers wandering as a grace of light in this dark place. "I favor steps to a story so one may experience the journey, less be told the ending."
Ty floats in this void. One single dragonborn in a far realm visited by a deity of the Stars. "Your name," he demands in the arrogance fitting of a dragon's bloodline.
"Celestian, a wanderer Far and of Stars," the silver haired man says in a soft smile.
"Ty. Targarius," the violet eyed dragonborn replies.
"I know who you are. You were wandering here for quite some time. I observed it. Your sacrifice," Celestian says, tending to Ty's wounds with wisps of radiant light that drift like ribbons around him.
"Not a sacrifice," Ty corrects, "a calculated decision."
"Calculated decision? What was the calculation," Celestian asks, sincere.
"I..." Ty starts. He runs through it in his head. Was the calculation to return the favor to Nasdamn? The bard held up his end in protecting his sister. That means that he would return the favor. However, is that truly the first time he had lied to someone for the greater good of the outcome? Arhor'ha was worth the lie. Iolanthe was worth the lie. His dignity and shame was worth the slight to his honor. So what, then? Be'lania was as much a villain as he was. The world would have done better with him returning than she. A whole army of soldiers looked up to him. A whole Crystallis house! His eyes soften as he doesn't believe that. It wasn't a calculation at all.
Celestian watches the warrior find his way. Wander in his own mind as if he was there with him at his side.
"I stand by my decision, even if it wasn't calculated," Ty snaps back into tough, charismatic visage to the god.
"Surely," Celestian replies, "but, would you share with me why?"
Ty remains tight lipped. Sharing his emotions was never something he cared to do.
Celestian takes a deep breath, "I see. Then permit that I share a story. One of love. Of sacrifice."
"I'll pass," Ty snorts.
"Afraid you'll have to listen anyway," Celestian smiles, finishing with mending the man's wounds. "But, I shall give the short version. Someone I love wishes to change the hand delt to her. And I will help her, within the bounds of what can be done." He takes a seat on a chair of stardust.
"Celestian, right? I've heard this one before," Ty starts, interrupted by the god. "With Targe?" Celestian says.
"Yes. It seems like an endless cycle," Celestian says, his gaze looking off sadly as if to count the joy and pain of the cycles themselves. "And the desire to end the cycle takes great measures. Great people." A pause. "Great sacrifices."
"Fuck off," Ty grunts.
"Why did you sacrifice yourself?" Celestian says, patience waning.
"I told you it was a..." Ty starts, his rage building and ending in a roar. It was not a calculated decision. The knee jerk response is a flawed one. "Because it was the right thing to do. It felt right. She was frightened, but brave. Flawed, but those flaws made her amazing. She deserved to live her life, her way, and give her the chance to claim her happiness with her own hands. If I left her there and did nothing then all of that would be gone." He glares at Celestian, "It gave all this... SHIT.... meaning. For a moment. It gave it meaning."
The two share a silence. An unspoken acceptance of motives.
"Would you lend me that strength," Celestian asks Ty, quietly.
"What?" Ty says, left off balance by the request from a godly being.
"Beneath that heart of ice, I see love. Hope. You exist now, here, because you refuse to die. Your soul echos with the reverb of Targe. That echo will soon fade. You will soon fade," Celestian says, "It draws you back to Arhor'ha." There is a pause, "Each time you would go back weaker, but each time I will heal you."
The silver dragonborn squints, "So you want to make a deal?"
"No, Ty, no deal. What you do with your time that is left is up to you. I believe in you. I believe in her. If I support, from afar, then what follows is the best of what it could be," Celestian says.
"Foolish," Ty replies in a short jab.
"As it may be, this is my path that I wander on. May you wander on yours. With my energy flowing through you, you will be able to hear. To choose," Celestian says in a pause, "your own path. You may find a way to restore yourself without my help. For that, I would be glad to aid you so that you have that chance. You may decide to help Her. For that, you would have my thanks. You may decide to sacrifice for Us." Another pause. "But, Ty Targarius, I demand nothing of you. I ask you to be who you be who you want to be."
A smile as the pull of the Material world draws Ty's body back. "For love," Celestian says in parting.