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The Two Of WandsThe Library of the Covenant of Mystra had an odd chill that evening. Not that such a chill was a strange occurrence, due to the presence of the one named Toc and his icy magics, but the air was filled with a coldness which disturbed even the solemn and bleak hearts of the Mystrans. "...and the future cries out in despair, Toc." the blonde haired girl whispered below her breath. "But she cries out in tones heard by only a few. The 5 of Pentacles is a card few realize is truly evil. Pentacles in general foresee fortune and bounty, but this one... this card... is despicable. She is the signal of dark forces that even you should fear. Silent death, that is her nature. Blasphemy disguised as Blessing. Even the Tower would be preferable to such a fate, for at least the Tower does not deny its nature and is honest in its disaster." The ice mage before her merely starred into her eyes, showing no sign of emotion... or awareness... beyond the gleam of his eyes. "The future is mutable though, so don't take my word for absolute truth. It only takes strong will to break the whims of fate. The problem is that humanity as a whole is a weak willed child. But you... you seem to possess the will to change, if you so desire." Toc looked down at the 10 Tarot cards that lay before him for a moment before turning his head from them and stood up to leave. The girl sighed. She was never able to get him to even heed her words. Every time she did a reading for him, it was the exact same outcome. No matter how many times she would read for him, the 5 of Pentacles would always find its way into the reading, and it always insisted on being the final card of the draw. She watched as the ice mage worked his way towards the Library entrance. Had she been more observant of the fact, she would have realized that instead of the chill disappearing with his dismissal, it only grew in strength. She stood off into the distance for a moment, trying to keep her mind off of the current reading, but that was when THEY began to speak. camille...no...the future...not mutable...fixed...permanent...futile to give him hope...no hope...only death...and corruption...and oblivion...we know...we live there "Silence! Let me be!" never...you are our mistress...we chose you...forever bound...forever intertwine...we serve you...you listen to us...we help...help you save yourself...keep you from ignorant happiness...bring you to the truth...yes...truth...no lies of salvation...no...nothing...that is the truth...nothing Camille grabbed her Tarot deck and hurled it at the nearby wall. The cards scattered about the floor, all landing face down... save for The Empress. Camille leaned over and picked up the card. She starred at the card for many a moment, trying to keep the screams and cries of the lingering spirits out of her head as they cursed her for throwing the cards. The Empress sat upon a throne, dressed in renaissance clothing, and clutching a pair of knitting needles. The card, as tradition held, was a symbol of motherly intentions. The card never appealed to Camille. It was a signal of womanly servitude to men-- a sign of woman's second-rate nature. But the face somehow seemed stronger than the meek mother figure she recalled being on the card before. It was as if the card's visage had suddenly changed... either that, or this was the first time Camille saw the inner strength of the card. As Camille continued to stare at the card, she calmed down. The voices of the spirits had ceased, their rantings ended for now. She slowly proceeded to pick up the card that lay about the ground. Soon, only one card was left laying on the floor. She turned the card over. The 2 of Wands, a card signaling travel. "Does it make sense now, Little Seer?" a soft voice said from behind her. A cloaked figure stepped out from behind one of the bookcases and lowered her hood, revealing her youthful, yet world-weary, face. "Nothing makes sense around here, Ravenna." Camille responded as she turned the final card over and shuffled it back into her deck. "Only more riddles and more paradoxes. More curses and more abominations. All this place does is to serve as one wellspring of damnation. I should have never come here." "Oh... we all know of the vile nature of Battle Master High. But not to worry, Little Seer, your visions of a journey will come true soon enough. The School will fall, many will die, and you will be spared for the future battle. You are not the only Seer to pass through these halls, but you are the only Seer strong enough to question the Future and spit in her eye. I, unfortunately, follow her every bidding willingly. But for now, I must go prepare for the Fall, for it is eminent. I hope that you are able to bring your curses of fate into reality, Little Seer, for Toc's Fall is on the horizon as well." Ravenna slowly put her hood back over her head and disappeared behind the bookcase she emerged from, leaving Camille to herself... and to the returning voices. see...she is wise...she has no hope...give in to us...obliterate your needs...FALL...FALL...FALL "I will not Fall, not until I have seen my Fate after the end of this Journey." "Foolish, yes, but certainly far from dull. Makes one wonder how he will act when he meets 'The Dual Souled' one." "Don't... don't talk like that. You're starting to sound like her." Devyn smirked. "She is on Khazan, just to inform you." "So long as she lays low on the epithets and cryptic nuances, that's fine by me. I had my fill of that in our school days. Always trying to make everyone ponder their destiny. Almost ruins it. Meditating on the future. Why live on if fate is known." "That is what she asks herself everyday, since she cannot help but know." "It still makes this cold one's heart warm up in a most uncomforting way." "You sure this is where you want out, lady?" the driver said as he extended his hand out the window awaiting his pay. "Nothing out here but snakes and insects, if even that." "Positive. This is the spot." Camille handed the driver a wad of bills from her purse before turning away from the taxi, apparently walking off into the deserted landscape. As she walked away, towing her suitcase behind her, she slowly disappeared from view. Only those that have the need to see the Amber Express can see it, or those whose destiny is tied to its tracks. "Kyoko Nagami." "That's it. Last I heard, you two were seeing each other. At least, the reports of the battles you two fought made it seem that way. You two moved about with such abandon. She made your dancing look more like a real dance rather than some violent force of destruction." "An old dance routine. She is of little consequence. You heard of my sister's death, yes?" "Shuttle accident while traveling back to Earth after her big Khazanian concert tour. I take it that wasn't the truth though." "Kyoko... was the cause of her death. She was forced into believing my sister was her enemy by certain forces I would rather not speak of at the moment. Soon after her murder, Kyoko and I parted ways. Where she is, I care not." "That's the way things go sometimes." "You had your own 'friend' back in our so-called glory days. The Tarot reader." "That was a one-sided friendship as far as I was concerned. She was almost as bad as Ravenna, except she always tried to steer me away from destiny, rather than lead me towards it." "Best to keep the soul perpetually cold rather than allow it to thaw before being shattered?" "Something like that. That's how I was back then." "Is that how you still feel?" "Why do you ask?" Devyn turned his head slightly to the right. Through the gates of the Express' terminal walked a blond woman dressed in khaki pants and a white blouse, her hair tied back into a unfrivilous pony tail tied back by a simple white bow. She towed a suitcase behind her with one hand, and in the other she held in her pocket. "Number three on my list of people I never expected to see here." "And Number two is?" "I'd rather not say." Devyn nodded. "So, I ask again. Is that how you still feel?" Toc didn't answer Devyn. He simply turned to the Express and boarded the train, walking to his cabin. Inside, he found the blond woman lifting her suitcase into the storage rack above. "About time you arrived." she said in an ambiguous tone. "I was hoping you would be here when I arrived, rather than barging in after I've already arrived. Far more appropriate that way." he is here...see the truth...he is lost...he has succumb...you shall succumb too...FALL...FALL...FALL |
