''Chapter Seven''
===Summary===
Kian Alvane arrives in Marcuria and is escorted to the Azadi Tower, to meet the Emissary. He is amazed by the scale of the Tower he's never seen anything like it. Inside, he is greeted by Sister Sahya, who is pleased at the prospect of the 'Rebels' nuisance ending soon. She offers him the services of the garrison, but Kian says he already has some leads to follow. As he starts to leave, the Emissary's office door opens and Commander Vamon enters. The dislike of the two men for each other is palpable Kian is coldly polite but Vamon is just short of rude. After a curt exchange, Kian leaves to get to work.
Once he is gone, Vamon and Sister Sahya speak in private about Kian. Vamon is concerned because he thinks Kian has risen too far too quickly, for a young man with no family. He believes Kian has connections in the Sixth Circle and says he has 'strange friends'. Sahya is more interested in Kian's apparently 'softhearted' nature, which might mean his edge is blunted by the local heathens. Vamon agrees to keep an eye on Kian, and leaves the Emissary's office.
FileDarkcity_shift.png Meanwhile, April Ryan has arrived at the Dark People's Library and is greeted by another of the Dark People. He welcomes her warmly and addresses her as a Wave. April is curious as to why this Dark Person recognises her when the Shadowguide didn't, as the Dark People share a collective consciousness, but there's more important business at hand. She follows him through the city to the Library itself, which descends below the surface of the water. The Dark Person says the Mother will arrive shortly, and leaves her beside a table covered with books. As April waits, a black bird flies overhead and lands beside her. It's Crow, April's best friend... whom she hasn't seen for eight years. After trying to keep an aloof demeanour, Crow finally snaps and happily gives April a big hug. He says he's in the Library on a journey of self discovery, but April has no time to ask more. A young woman with white hair is approaching; the White Dragon reborn has arrived.
The White of the Kin - addressing April as 'sister' - welcomes her to the Library. April says the White looks very different to the last time she saw her. The White tells her she's in disguise because something is hunting the Draic Kin - not the Azadi, as April asks, but some immortal enemy that wants to "eat her up". The other dragons are gone, and the White is alone. But she should be safe in the Library, in this form.
The White says she knows April wants to speak to the Guardian. April says she's lost her ability to Shift, but according to the White, that isn't possible - she's probably just forgotten how. She says she will help send April through to the Guardian's Realm... but that Crow is necessary for her to be able to. The White opens a Shift through her, and says that when April wants to return, the Shift will take her back to Marcuria, not the Library. Marcuria is where April needs to be, no matter what the Guardian tells her. April thanks her, and - along with a rather bewildered Crow - enters the Shift.
Back at Damien Cavanaugh's apartment, Zoe - who seems to have been there for a few days - is talking to Damien. He says the Data Worm is starting to transmit information back. DreamNet is spreading onto the Wire and this 'virus' is getting more of a grip on the DreamCore. It won't be long before the situation is irretrievable. There is one piece of good news Damien is getting information back from when the Static began to appear. He should be able to find out where the attack originated, and give them a chance to stop it.
Zoë's glad to hear it, but that's not enough. She decides to go back under, to use a Dreamer Console. If she does that, she can speak to the Faith again, the one who seems to be at the centre of all this. Damien disagrees. It's too dangerous she would be putting herself in Alvin Peats' line of fire. Zoë counters that Peats can't read her dreams. There's little to lose, and a lot to gain. Besides, Damien will be right there - he can pull her out if there's trouble. Damien is still unconvinced. Zoë thinks, then confesses that she's attracted to Damien. He awkwardly says that he feels the same way, but with things as they are - Suddenly, Zoë kisses him, "So you don't forget". Damien starts to speak, but she kisses him again.
FileGuardiansRealmDF.jpg Meanwhile, April and Crow emerge from the Shift in the Guardian's Realm, which has vastly changed since the last time they were there. While Crow waits behind, April crosses over to the ruins of the Guardian's Tower where Gordon Halloway, the Guardian, is suspended above them. He descends to solid ground as she approaches and greets her. April compliments him on the changes in the landscape.
Gordon says she has questions April knows something is happening with the twin worlds and wants Gordon's help. According to him, the flow of dreams between the worlds has changed they're passing from Stark to Arcadia but not the other way around. He tells her that dreams are what make up the fabric of the cosmos, that the Dreaming is where everything begins, but this is neither his concern nor April's responsibility. Their fates are linked to the Balance, and April is not the one who will set things right this time.
Reassured and grateful, knowing she can focus on fighting the Azadi, April thanks him and leaves the Well. As she and Crow pass through the Shift back to Marcuria, the Guardian ascends to the sky once more.
Returning to Damien's place, we find Zoë preparing to use the Dreamer Console. Damien gives her an injection of Morpheus and places the Dreamer beside her head. Zoë sleepily asks Damien not to leave her. He says he'll be there when she wakes up... which happens to be the code phrase Reza arranged with Lucia to open the safe in his apartment. Before Zoë can ask if she heard correctly, she falls asleep and the activated Dreamer rests on her face.
Zoë opens her eyes and realises she is back in the Winter. She decides to find the little girl, but as she runs towards the Black House, the girl appears in front of her. Zoë tries to talk to her about what's happening, tries to ask who or what she is, but the little girl won't listen to her. She insists that Zoë "find April Ryan - save her!" She makes the ice crumble beneath Zoë's feet as before, sending her through into the abyss below.
===Themes & References===
The title 'Destiny' appears to refer to April's encounters in this chapter; she is reunited with the Dark People, the White Dragon, the Guardian and, of course, Crow, all of whom she met during her previous journey which saw her heavily involved with the concept of fate. The presence of her old acquaintances seems to serve as a reminder of the purpose she once had, a purpose she has lost, or so she thinks. From the Guardian she gains a sense of destiny that is very different than the one she once had - instead of being driven by fate, she apparently is now free, able to witness the 'destined events' of others while she makes her own choices.
However, at the Dark People's Library, she is greeted by a Dark Person with her old title of 'wave', and the Guardian reminds April that her fate, like his, is tied to the Balance. This suggests April may not be quite as destiny-free as she thinks.
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