I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING

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The image above does not belong to me.

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The image above belongs to the mobile game Arcana by Nix Hydra Games

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A Fanfiction based on the mobile game Arcana by Nix Hydra Games

 

Everyday it would appear similarly. A bluish like wormhole, a portal of some sort would come into existence, brought to life by my will. Through it, realms that were of billions and billions would open up, chiding and whispering at me to explore, to venture, to enter, and some even to stay. Its luminous glow would blind me of my faith and my resolve. Was this magic? I would wonder, touching its effervescence in awe. Similarly, every night that fantasy would end with a glow of red angry eyes and claws, plunging me into a world of darkness. To which he would whisper in my ears that I was his, and his alone.

 

The first few times I had dreamt of this, I would wake with a gasp, startled and pale with fright. It had become such a norm, a regular feat even that I would simply wake with an annoyed huff, for I still have no idea what it meant.

 

I rise from my slumber, eyes easily adjusting to the darkness of the room. A figure dressed in a cloak catches my attention.

 

Asra is seated at the study, seemingly writing something before he turns to find me awake, to which he smiles softly, “ah, you’re awake” my eyes narrow at him, unamused with how he enjoyed pointing out the obvious, “I was just writing a note for you,” he stands, waving his hand to undo the ink on the parchment, a spell that I had learnt years ago, funny how I couldn’t recall when he had taught me that, “I’m leaving”

 

“Oh, yippee, I can’t wait to see you vanish yet again on one of your shady adventures” I sassily remark before kicking off the covers and standing to follow him downstairs to the shop. He’s getting his coat, I push my shoulder against the wall as I cross my arms, pout evident on my lips.

 

He chuckles lightly, “come now, Y/N, don’t be like that. I’m sorry but this is one mission I must perform alone”

 

I glare, “that’s what you said last time, you--” he snaps his fingers, casting an incantation on my lips before I could say the foul word, “--pile of sugar lumps” slapping my mouth, I watch, aghast as my master starts to laugh hysterically at the nasty words I just muttered, “you beautiful human being, what did you do to me?!” my temperature rises and I stomp in rage as he clutches his sides, tears forming in the corner of his eyes as he laughs, “Ugh, this is the compliment spell, isn’t it?”

 

He grins, “well it can’t be the truth spell, now can it? There’s no way you’d call me a pile of sugar--” before he could get to the last word he bursts into small giggles.

 

I glower at him and stand my ground, breathing deeply, “where are you going…” I bite my tongue to stop myself from calling him a gracious presence.

 

He finally chortles and says, “somewhere far, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back”

 

I sigh, grumbling, “sounds like your everyday routine to me, sweet cheeks”

 

This time he doesn’t laugh, instead he looked rather somber and down. He approaches me and gives my head a gentle pat, and whispers a spell before I sink visibly in relief as he undid the magic on my lips, “I haven’t been the best master, have I?” to which I huff. My cold demeanor is something Asra is used to, I don’t really remember how we met but it must’ve been ages ago.

 

In all that time that I’ve known him, he’s never felt offended from how mean and snarky I am to him.

 

“I’ll miss you” he tells me, looking over at me longingly, “here… take this, for you to play around with while I’m gone” I look down just as he places it firmly in my palm, and I frown, “my Tarot deck”

 

“You think I want your creepy deck?” I scoff, crossing my arms before pushing his hand off and turning away. Why is it so hard for him to understand that all I want is for him to stay? I’ll be so miserably lonely without him. As sad as it is for me to admit, Asra’s my only friend.

 

“Scared of them, still? You’re really something” he chuckles, and I growl at him in disdain, “I’ll hide the cards, if you wish”

 

I spin and grab his wrist, just before he waves it, his eyes look at me in alarm, and my cheeks went up in flames, “it’s not the cards, I want, Asra” I tell him honestly, “I just don’t want to be left alone again”

 

He shivers as I see him make a sullen face, and suddenly he pulls me in a warm embrace that I cannot find myself parting from, ever. My head feels fluffy, as if nothing else matters in the world. We can just stay like this. My heart burns, knowing that he never stays for long. Asra brings a palm to the back of my head, and guides it to his chest as my arms wrap around his waist. His emanating heat is something I can never get enough of, “do you hear this?” his heart beats faintly against my ear, “know that with every step I make in my journey, this heart,” he lets go of my head and cups face, bringing me to look upwards to his own face, eyes hazy as if dreaming, “only beats for you” my bottom lip quivers and he kisses my forehead, and he hugs my head to his chest once more.

 

A knock sounds, and Asra jumps. He sadly pulls away, and I do nothing but watch as he apologizes again.

 

“Did you forget to put out the lamp again?” he gives me a fake smile to which I roll my eyes and shake my head. He heads towards the back exit, pausing a little by the door, “I should go, if I stay, I…” my head turns to the side, trying to hide my clearly unhappy face, “... I’ll find myself never leaving” a part of me selfishly wants to hurtle him down to the ground just so he wouldn’t, but I know better than that. Just as he turns, he looks back at me, “so do you want them or not?” Asra waves his Tarot at me.

 

I don’t want them, they give me shivers most of the time. But this time, my instincts told me that I’d be needing them. He puts it on the table right after I nod, and he’s gone, vanished into the night.

 

The knock repeats, a little louder this time, and I retrieve the deck and shove it in my pocket before pausing by the door. Seriously, though. Why is there a customer here in the middle of the night? Sounds fishy. I should prepare some form of defense just in case it’s some random rapist or pedophile. I look through the peephole and found someone, seemingly a woman, draped in a cloak and hood. Even under such a guise I can see evidence of jewellery and wealth. Her fingers poke at each other anxiously. I pull away and smile as a scheme forms in my head.

 

“Good day” I speak in a monotonous voice, “the person you are interested in meeting is currently not available, please try again tomorrow” I look through the peephole, and she gasps, before crossing her arms in an amused manner.

 

“I know you’re in there, don’t try to hide from me” she says, and I almost scoff.

 

“This is an automated voice recording. If you would wish to hear it again, please knock once more” I almost laugh as she rolls her eyes. She knocks again, and I lock the door this time. Honestly, woman, just come back tomorrow. I need sleep, that stupid Asra went and woke me up for who knows why. Why did I even need to see him off? He’s done it so many times, and yet I’m still pissed he leaves.

 

As I push away from the door to my warm cot, the annoying customer pounds furiously, and I all but groan at her impatience, “I’m not leaving, Magician!” she trembles, sounding exhausted.

 

Ugh, why am I such a kind soul?

 

I drag myself to the door and open it in an ungraceful way, giving her a scowl, “did you not get the message our automated voice recording said? Shouldn’t be very hard for someone with an average sized human brain to understand” I sass.

 

“Forgive me for the hour, but…” she steps inside and undoes her shawl around her neck, “I will not suffer another sleepless night”

 

…

 

“And so you come here and offer me one?” I cross my arms on my chest as I size her up, “who are you, anyway?”

 

“Please, you must read the cards for me” she says, and I almost choke at the sight of her face, “it has to be you”

 

Oh, boy. The Countess, here? Of all places?

 

I grin, “you’ve come to the wrong place! My master has already departed for his journey, and I’m afraid I’ve not even the slightest clue when he’ll be back” I gesture to the door, “oh well, see you in another century!”

 

She narrows her eyes at me, “spare your breath, magician” she closes her eyes as she talks, entering as she pleases, and I just gawk at her attitude, “this is the place, I know it. These walls, these wares… and you” she shifts her gaze to me with a flush in her cheeks and I raise my brow, “though you were no liar in my dream” she smiles knowingly.

 

I groan, “oh, come on! Give me a break! I just wanna go back to sleep, woman!” then I pause, “wait, you’ve seen me in your dreams?” alright, this is beyond creepy.

 

She sighs with a worrying expression, “yes, an unwelcome ability I have come across. My dreams are haunted by visions of a future waiting to unfold. But the future I saw, the one that brought me to you…” I sense fear in her eyes, “... is one I will not allow to pass” she then clasps my hands in hers, bringing herself close to me with concern in her eyes, “tell me, magician. Will you hear my proposal?”

 

I tilt my head, “would you quit calling me a magician? I’m no Magician!”

 

This isn’t right; if memory serves, this Countess doesn’t really believe in fortune tellers and seers. In fact, she doesn’t believe at all! Is this a trap, is the part where all the guards all of a sudden bombard into the shop and arrest the moment I say, ‘I’m a magician! Ala kazam! Ske doosh! Whoo hoo a floating head, so MAGICAL~’

 

“You insist on playing dumb? Fine, I am no stranger to the rumors about me” oh, so she’s aware, “that I am a tyrant” well, not that particular rumour, I’ve personally never really thought the word was for her, more for her late husband anyway, “that I loathe your type. But know this, I mean you no harm. If you accept my proposal,” her grip on my hands tightens in desperation, “you will be rewarded handsomely”, she then lets go of my hands at my undeterred face, “if you reject, I suppose I’ll find a real magician”

 

I clap my hands in joy, “oh, that’s great! Then I’ll make this clear for you! Me? Not a real magician. Proposal; rejected! Handsome reward? I don’t think I really care for one since I’ve got enough, thanks” my eyes dart for the door, “hey, look, I think this can open” I open the door, “oh, wow! Would you look at that? It totally can! Goodbye!” I wave at her.

 

“I require very little of you; be my guest at the palace for a short while,” I gape, how is that NOT imposing me? I have to stay at the palace, ew, “you will be afforded every luxury, of course”, the only luxury I look forward to is sleep, “it is as my dreams fortold”

 

“For someone who doesn’t believe in magic and etcetera you sure sound spiritual, Madame Countess” I add.

 

She gives me shrug, “I ask only that you bring your skill… and the arcana”

 

I tilt my head, the arcana, she says. It sounds familiar…

 

I honestly raise my shoulders as I confess, “I am at a loss, Countess”

 

“The arcana” she repeats, then widens her eyes when I remain clueless, “the cards. You haven’t heard their true name?”

 

I giggle sheepishly as I rub my neck, “I’m a pretty forgetful person. Whatever my master teaches me, it’s a miracle that I would remember!”

 

She looks away, “you read them well, but I wonder if you truly know them”

 

I raise my brow at her, “sounds to me that you’re rather confident you’d know them better than me”

 

She clears her throat, “show me, magician. I wish to judge with my own eyes… these rumoured talents of yours”

 

“But I don’t wanna~”

 

She glares at me, and I whimsically sigh, closing the door before locking it and lead her to the back room. It would seem I have to read the cards for her, and this is the only way for me to get some sleep tonight! She seats herself across me, and her eyes are scanning everywhere in the room. She compels me to continue.

 

I shuffle the deck, and she crosses her arms, eyes closed in concentration. I pick one of the three cards, and I read out “The Magician”, his fox eyes are giving me a warm look, as always. Although I don’t really like the deck, the Magician is the only one I am most comfortable with. He’s always giving me a sense of ease.

 

“How very appropriate,” she comments as she looks over at the card, studying his face, “And what does he hold for me?”

 

I close my eyes in concentration, and the answer comes to my mind. “You have a plan” She looks worried now, but tells me to go on anyway.

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TBC?