Mercy: Dayna's Choice

A moment of time after Dayna encounters a predator that has a human companion. She was forced to give a mild demonstration, in which she grasped the life thread and gave a brief tug, the result being a unique feeling- an instinctual knowledge of a deadly risk as well as intense pain centered at the heart that radiates throughout the body. Relieved when he backs off, she can focus better on what she sees, and looks at the threads of these people she has encountered.

The following is her thoughts as she looks at the threads and considers her options.

     Thank goodness he backed off... I would have hated to have been forced to clip his thread. I hate to end lives early, especially when they seem to be so nice. It's not his fault he was going to kill me; it was only a matter of survival, a predator seeking prey. I can understand that, and if it was not for how painful revival is after death, I might have simply let him... I see in his thread, in his past, that he has some guilt over it, surprisingly even apologizes. What a unique trait... it's rare to see a predator with such a kind heart. I'm glad he took the warning seriously.

     What's this I see in his thread? It turns dark and becomes so thin... that's quite soon! He almost certainly won't survive this... and it's not long off at all. I wonder what the cause is... I can just take a glance...

     Oh my. That isn't good at all. How painful... and not that quick either. Perhaps it would have been better if I had cut his thread. That at least would be instantaneous, not like being attacked by such a terrifying creature. Aw... when he sees the threat he first tries to get his companion safe. A good soul... he doesn't deserve to suffer in such a way. But he shouldn't have to die like this at all. Already I'm trapped on the mortal plane for extending the lives of people I saw worthy... for binding the threads of those who were willing to die for each other... Had I come across his and his companion's threads while in the realm of the gods, I almost certainly would have wound their threads to each other.

     I wonder what happens to his companion after this is supposed to happen... her thread looks dark... not the darkness of sorrow, this darkness is like his... but not as dark... so the odds of her death are less. What's this in the thread? Her death is tied to his? I need to look closer... Oh dear... If his death comes to pass as it shows in his thread... there is a fair chance she will take her own life. That's... terrible. I can't let that happen... this human is a distant cousin, descended of one of my father's kin... I could follow them... kill the creature before it could kill him... but my mother's twin would be furious... He's already quite cross with me over the binding of threads... But the girl is the descendent of another deity... one who is so far merely indifferent towards me. If I could get on the good side of at least one of them, perhaps it could help to expedite my return to the realm of the gods, or to regain some abilities, perhaps even to have my sight again.

     My mother's twin Death is already cross with me... it couldn't make it too much worse to prevent his taking of another... Especially if there is a substitute for him to take... A more powerful creature, but farther down on the range of sentience. He doesn't care much for substitution of lesser creatures... but at least it is powerful. Perhaps its power, its strength will make up for the lack of intellect. Hopefully it won't occur to him that it's not just substituting one life for another, but also preventing a second death as well.

     So it seems I have three options. I can let them go on unknowing of what is in store for them, one of them almost certain to die, the other likely to take their own life after... I could grant him the mercy of a quick death rather than a slow one, and try to prevent the girl from reacting so poorly... Or I could follow them and kill the beast that will attack him. I don't want to see them dead, they are both good people... but I'm already in trouble for extending lives. Mother, her twin, and Father would probably approve of my clipping his thread as an act of mercy... but I doubt it would give me any chance of their improving my condition here or shortening my duration on the mortal world...

     I know what feels right to me... to assist them by saving them... but there is a chance they would lengthen my punishment for continuing my activities. They would approve of a mercy killing... but it just doesn't feel right.

     Two forms of mercy... to save their lives, or to spare them pain. I have heard that people want merciful gods... but which is the right mercy?