《Tarot》 Prologue: Tarot Cards In a dark room illuminated only by the light of candles sat a young girl and an old woman, separated from each other by a table. Atop the table was a deck of cards. ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± the old woman cackled, ¡°I cannot be held responsible for any disasters that unfold.¡± The young girl snorted, waving her hand dismissively, indicating that the woman should continue. ¡°Very well. What is your question?¡± the woman asked ominously. ¡°When will the world end?¡± the girl asked, ridicule in her eyes. The old woman paused in surprise. ¡°The end of the world?¡± she asked, revealing a smile devoid of teeth, ¡°Lucky for you, the cards are sure to provide an answer.¡± She moved her hands towards the deck of cards and spread them face down. ¡°Choose three cards. One to represent your past, one to represent your present, and one to represent your future.¡± The girl rolled her eyes but did as she was told. She instantly picked the first three cards from the left with an uncaring attitude. The old woman laughed eerily. ¡°Flip over the first card.¡± The young girl did as told, revealing the image. On the card was a man with harpy feet, goat horns, and bat wings. An upside-down pentagram rested on his forehead. He held one hand upraised, in the other he held a staff. He sat on an altar, with two demons chained to it. ¡°The Devil?¡± the girl read, ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°The Devil represents many things,¡± the woman said mysteriously, ¡°He represents living in fear and bondage. He represents being trapped by a cage of luxury.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The girl frowned but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Flip over the next card,¡± the hag ordered. The girl did as told, displaying the picture beneath. On the card¡¯s face was a naked woman with her legs crossed. In each hand she held a baton. A green wreath surrounded her. In the top-left corner of the card was the face of a man. In the top-right, an eagle. In the bottom-left, a bull. At the bottom-right, a lion. ¡°The World,¡± the girl read plainly, looking at the old woman with a blankness in her eyes. ¡°The World symbolizes the end of a cycle of life,¡± the woman said gravely. The girl blinked, uncomprehending. ¡°Next card,¡± the old woman commanded. ¡°Wait, tell me more about The World,¡± the girl said, knitting her eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯ll understand shortly,¡± the old woman smiled. The girl flipped the last card. It showed a man with a bindle, walking towards the edge of a cliff, a small dog yapping at his heels. ¡°The Fool,¡± the old woman whispered, ¡°He represents a new journey about to unfold.¡± All of a sudden, the woman stood up. ¡°Our meeting here is done.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t explain things well enough! I still have questions!¡± the girl complained. ¡°Everything will be answered with time dearie. Now goodbye.¡± And the world went black. Chapter 1: Strength Chapter 1: Under the light of the sun, amidst the cacophony of bird calls, laid a girl with her eyes closed. The wind gently blew through her platinum blonde hair, creating a sense of radiance. All of a sudden the girl¡¯s eyes opened up, a look of bewilderment showing in them. ¡°Where am I?¡± the girl wondered to herself, glancing at her surroundings, ¡°A forest?¡± She bolted upright, growing startled when she felt something slide and fall from her chest. ¡°A deck of cards?¡± she asked with a start, looking at the object that had fallen. It was at this moment that her memories came flooding back to her. ¡°That¡¯s right! I was in the middle of getting that bogus tarot card reading!¡± She then felt a breeze brush across her skin. She looked down in surprise. She had no clothing on. Her heart skipped a beat and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Had she been kidnapped? Had they done something to her? After taking a minute to calm down, she shook her head. That couldn¡¯t be right. She was perfectly clean. It didn¡¯t seem like anyone had touched her or dumped her here. Puzzlement filled her face. The situation was extremely foreign to her. She couldn¡¯t understand what had happened. She sat on the grassy floor, unsure what to do next. After contemplating for a while, she grabbed the deck of cards. She opened it and withdrew the card at the very top. ¡°Strength¡± the card read. It showed a picture of a woman and a lion. The woman has her hands on the lion, gently taming it. All of a sudden, the card disappeared. Instantly, the girl was filled with overflowing power that threatened to burst out of her. She felt every part of her physique improve from her head to her toes. The girl¡¯s eyes went wide in amazement. She was now filled with boundless strength. She walked over to a tree and gently punched it. With a loud boom, the tree shattered into millions of pieces, scaring away the wildlife. She stared in stupefaction for a moment before quickly returning to the deck of cards. Although she was in a bad situation, excitement coursed through her veins. She attempted to open up the deck of cards once more, but found it wouldn¡¯t budge. She frowned, unable to find the reason the deck remained closed. After spending a few more minutes futilely wrestling with the deck, she sighed. She looked at the tree around her and started walking deeper into the forest, knowing it was important to find some kind of shelter soon. As she walked, the grass brushed her bare feet, tickling her. The sun shone down upon her skin, gently warming her. She knew the comfort wouldn¡¯t last for long though. At night, the temperature could prove to be too cold for her. After a few hours of walking, she heard a noise from a clearing. Quietly hiding behind a tree, she observed a group of four men laughing and drinking around a campfire, outside of an old, rundown mansion. ¡°Good work fellows!¡± one of the men, roared. ¡°We had a great haul today!¡± he laughed jovially, jiggling a bag of coins. ¡°That caravan didn¡¯t know what hit them,¡± he snickered. All of a sudden the man hiccupped, clearly displaying how drunk he was. The girl knit her eyebrows. Bandits? Was this the middle ages? Either way, she definitely couldn¡¯t allow them to see her. She attempted to quietly step away from the group, to bump right into a heavy object. She instantly backpedaled, only to realize that a man stood in front of her. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Look what we have here,¡± the man sneered. He slowly walked towards her, forcing her into the clearing with the other men. ¡°Look what I found guys,¡± the man laughed. The other men turned their attention towards the newcomer. ¡°A girl?¡± a man¡¯s eyes lit up, quickly turning lascivious as he realized she was naked. He drank her in with his eyes. The men smiled wickedly, quickly surrounding her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± the bandit captain asked her. ¡°Emily,¡± she replied, eerily calm. The bandit leader blinked in surprise, startled that she had actually answered his question. ¡°Nice to meet you Emily,¡± he smiled, his eyes making slits. He walked up towards her and grabbed at her, only to have her disappear from in front of his eyes. Bewilderment entered his face. He couldn¡¯t find where she had gone. All of a sudden, he felt a blow connect with his neck. Emily had set down her tarot deck, then delivered a perfectly executed roundhouse kick, displaying years of martial prowess. A sickening crunch rang out and the man¡¯s body flew a dozen meters, crashing into a tree. The remaining men stood flabbergasted. Their drunken minds were unable to comprehend the scene in front of them. Emily wasted no time. She instantly moved, using speed powered by the Strength card, nearly teleporting. She chopped at a man¡¯s throat, almost severing his head from his body. Her foot flew out, crashing into the stomach of one of the remaining men, turning his intestines to mush. Only two men remained, horror filled their features. They turned and ran away, only to drunkenly trip over thin air, falling to the ground. Emily jumped atop one of the fallen men, hooking her arms around his neck. With a twist, she broke his neck, twisting his head 360 degrees in the process. The final man she killed by stomping on his back, destroying his spine. Emily gazed at her hands in awe. Although she believed she could have taken care of the men without its aid, it was a tremendous help. She walked towards the fallen bodies and threw them atop the fire. Although the smell was horrible, she knew it was important to dispose of the corpses. She didn¡¯t know anything about the men. It was necessary to destroy the evidence. She would have taken some of their clothing, but it reeked of sweat and alcohol and didn¡¯t fit her. After spending some time attending to the flaming pyre, she observed the mansion. Although it was rundown, it would be a suitable place to spend the night. She would have to make sure there weren¡¯t any bandits inside though. She picked up her tarot deck and entered quietly, going from room to room, easily navigating the large mansion, with bizarre familiarity. Emily quickly came to the conclusion that no one else was inside, causing her to relax her tensed muscle. Her thoughts drifted back towards the bandits. ¡°Is it possible I traveled through time?¡± she wondered. That would certainly explain the bandits. It wouldn¡¯t, however, explain the magical properties of the cards. She needed more information. After she got some rest, she would explore the rest of the mansion, maybe it would provide some clues to her whereabouts. With a sigh, she went into a random bedroom and barricaded the door. After making certain no one could surprise her, she went to sleep. Chapter 2: The Knight of Wands Chapter 2: The gentle waves of the sun shone through the window, waking Emily from her sleep. With a yawn, she climbed out of bed and began to stretch. With a start, she realized she no longer felt as powerful as she did the day before. The difference was almost staggering, she felt like a newborn baby in comparison. ¡°That power is addicting,¡± she thought, licking her lips. She grabbed the tarot deck from the nearby dresser and once again attempted to open it. This time it opened easily. She took a deep breath as she drew a card, clearly excited to see what she would draw. The second she pulled the card out, the deck closed with a snap. This time she drew The Three of Pentacles. Shortly after she drew the card, a bag materialized from thin air, landing in her other hand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± she wondered curiously. Opening the bag, she found three hundred gold coins inside, each marked with the image of a phoenix. ¡°So the pentacle cards give money?¡± she wisely guessed, ¡°That would certainly be helpful.¡± After looking the coins over for a while longer, she attempted to open the deck of cards once again. ¡°It won¡¯t budge,¡± she realized, furrowing her eyebrows, ¡°What¡¯s the deal?¡± She still wasn¡¯t certain how the deck worked. She would have to keep experimenting with the cards in the future. She removed the barricade to her room and slowly peeked out. She once again did a check of the mansion, making sure no one slipped inside while she was asleep. Confirming that the mansion was clear, she headed towards the area she saw was the kitchens. Although the building was old, it was still filled with food. Apparently the bandits had been using the place as their base for quite a while. She grabbed a few pieces of dried jerky and began to gnaw on them as she further inspected the other rooms. This time she was looking for clothes. After searching the place from top to bottom, the only article of clothing was a pitch black robe that reminded her of a witch. ¡°Suiting,¡± Emily laughed to herself, glancing at the tarot deck. After throwing on the robe she decided headed to a room that was designated as a study. She rummaged through the bookshelf, unable to understand any of the words printed on them. ¡°What language is this?¡± she blinked. She had never seen writing that looked remotely similar. Eventually, Emily found a map. Spreading it open she looked to see if there were any obvious landmarks that might indicate where she was. She found a couple forests, but without any more knowledge, she couldn¡¯t be certain which one she was in. ¡°Should I just head in a random direction?¡± she asked herself, not really sure what to do. ¡°No. There¡¯s no need to rush. I have plenty of food. I can just relax here for a couple more days before deciding. Maybe I¡¯ll find some more clues.¡± At this point Emily was fairly certain she was in another world. However, she still wasn¡¯t sure how she got here or why. She currently had her suspicions on the old lady who gave her the tarot reading. Emily spent the rest of the day leisurely, looking throughout the various rooms of the mansion and flipping through the dusty books on the shelves. Every hour or so, Emily would check her tarot deck, seeing if it could be opened. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.It wasn¡¯t until the moon was high in the sky that she was able to open the deck. She drew another card. The Nine of Cups. This time nothing happened. She spent the entire day testing out various movements and actions, hoping to trigger the power of the card. ¡°I wish this thing came with an instruction manual,¡± she grumbled, annoyed that she wasn¡¯t able to discover the card¡¯s secret. Once again, Emily stayed up, checking the deck. After the moon had been in the sky for a couple hours, she opened the deck. ¡°It seems like the deck can only be opened once a day.¡± That was a conclusion she had come to early on, but only after sufficient experimenting was she able to say for certain. This time she drew The Five of Pentacles, adding five-hundred more coins to her collection. She wasn¡¯t sure what the value of each coin was, but she figured she would surely have enough to buy basic necessities at this point. Luckily, the coins didn¡¯t disappear like the benefit of the Strength card did. The following day a thought occurred to her. This time when she opened the deck, she counted the remaining cards, making sure that they weren¡¯t depleting. ¡°Thank goodness,¡± she sighed with relief. It seemed the deck replenished used cards. Now she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about her lifeline running out. With bated breath, she drew another card. This time she drew The Knight of Wands. A thin, crystal-liked rod, appeared in her hand. She held it in her hand warily. She was no fool. She knew what a wand symbolized. Magic! She was worried about using the wand. The knight card was ranked pretty high, she was unsure about the destruction it would cause. Just as she was contemplating what to do, a shout rang out through the forest. ¡°Geoff, Martin, Craig! Anyone?¡± the voice shouted angrily, ¡°Where did you bastards run off to? You were supposed to be keeping watch!¡± Emily peeked out the window of the mansion. A tan-skinned man with a scar across his eye stood at the front of a group of men. Swords hung from their hip. More bandits! A twinkle appeared in Emily¡¯s eye. This would be the perfect opportunity to test out her wand. ¡°You guys better not be inside!¡± the man yelled in annoyance. Just as he was about to head towards the mansion, Emily opened the door, revealing herself. She was covered from head-to-toe in a black robe, a wand held at her side. Instantly, the bandits went on guard. The man with the scar glanced at her, suspicion in his eyes. ¡°Where are my men?¡± he asked her. ¡°Dead,¡± she replied simply. ¡°Did you killed them?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. Emily nodded in response. ¡°Get ready men,¡± he ordered them, ¡°She¡¯s a mage.¡± Swords immediately jumped from their sheaths. Beneath her hood, Emily took a deep breath. She sincerely hoped the wand had impressive destruction power, otherwise she would end up dead. She lifted her hand, instantly causing the other men to tense up. Then, with a wave of her hand, she swung it forward. Instantly, the sky turned black, deep gray clouds appeared in the sky. ¡°Quickly! Kill her!¡± the scarred man shouted, dashing towards her. However, he was too slow. Lightning bolts rained from the heavens, crashing into the bandits. Bits and pieces of bodies flew through the air, the smell of burnt bodies filled nostrils. Just like that, all the bandits were dead. Chapter 3: The Emperor Chapter 3: Deep in the chambers of his castle, King Antillus, Lord of Antoire, trembled. His eyelids popped open in surprise. ¡°What an intense disturbance of magic,¡± he thought in bewilderment. He climbed out of his bed quietly, as not to disturb his wife, and threw on a robe. He immediately headed to the door. Right as he opened it, he found a familiar face waiting on the other side. ¡°Did you feel that, your majesty?¡± the man asked the king. ¡°Yes,¡± the king nodded with a grave face, ¡°I haven¡¯t felt a magical fluctuation like that in a long time. Have you pinpointed its origin?¡± ¡°Yes sire,¡± the man replied, ¡°The magic seems to have come from Dwindlewood Forest.¡± ¡°Send a group of men to investigate immediately. Have them use the utmost caution. I don¡¯t recognize the magical signature,¡± the king ordered. ¡°Should I go too? I fear that the strength of that magic may even surpass my own,¡± the man said worriedly. The king frowned in thought. ¡°Yes, go too. Discover their goal. Hopefully this isn¡¯t a declaration of war from another kingdom,¡± the king said, rubbing his temples. Mages of such power were held in tight control by the authorities of their respective kingdoms. The fact that such a large release of power occurred within Antoire¡¯s territory worried the king. Meanwhile, near a mansion located in the middle of the forest, Emily was taking care of the bandit¡¯s corpses. Luckily, few traces of the bandits remained. The lightning had disintegrated the majority of them, turning them into ash. Emily shook her head, ¡°If only I had this kind of power in my old world.¡± After sinking into thought for a few minutes, she headed back to the mansion. She wanted to experiment with the wand further, but decided not to in the end. After lounging around all day long, night came, and with it, her wand disappeared. Emily held the deck of cards in her hands, eager to have another taste of the power it could bring. She felt the air vibrate as she drew the card, causing her to shiver in anticipation. This time the card held the image of a man holding an ankh scepter in one hand, and a golden globe in the other. He sat upon a throne adorned with rams. Underneath the image in big black letters, spelled: THE EMPEROR. The card disappeared, returning into the deck. However, it left Emily trembling uncontrollably. Her entire being was wrapped in power. It was a different kind of power from the Strength card. She didn¡¯t know how to explain it. She went back outside, under the cover of darkness. She swung her fist, noticing that it didn¡¯t have any increase in power. ¡°I feel so powerful! But what abilities did the card grant me?¡± she wondered in amazement. It was at this moment that the air trembled, and a large hole tore open empty space. From the portal stepped a legion of men, carrying swords and shields. The shields were marked with sigils of a lion. At the front of the group stood a man with a goatee. He held a wand in one hand. Emily immediately recognized the wand as one similar to her old one. ¡°Where are all these people coming from?¡± Emily asked herself. First bandits, now an army? Would they ever give her a break? ¡°Good evening,¡± the man with the goatee said amiably, ¡°My name is Yurat, aide of King Antillus of the Kingdom of Antoire.¡± Emily¡¯s mind turned. King Antillus? Antoire? All the names were unfamiliar to her, further enforcing her theory that she was in a different world. Stolen story; please report. She smiled inwardly. This would be a good time to retrieve some information. ¡°May I have the honor of knowing your name?¡± Yurat asked her. ¡°Emily,¡± she said without hesitation, ¡°The Witch of Tarot.¡± Emily had said the last bit without thinking. For some reason it felt right. Yurat stared at her in confusion, ¡°Where is Tarot?¡± He had never heard of such a place. However, he now deepened his guard. The figure in front of him admitted to being a witch. She was obviously the cause of the magic disturbance. ¡°For what reason did you violate the pact?¡± Yurat asked her curiously. ¡°What pact?¡± Emily asked in confusion, having no clue as to what he was talking about. ¡°You don¡¯t know about the pact?¡± Yurat blinked. All high class wizards and witches knew about the pact. ¡°It¡¯s an agreement that forbids mages from using magic above the tenth rank. The only purpose such powerful magic serves is war,¡± Yurat knit his eyebrows. Could she really not know this? Emily frowned, ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware.¡± Yurat hesitated, ¡°Well, because you violated the pact, you¡¯ll have to come with us for further questioning.¡± ¡°No,¡± Emily replied, her frown deepening. There were still too many things she didn¡¯t know. She couldn¡¯t allow herself to be taken advantage of. It was Yurat¡¯s turn to frown. He didn¡¯t want to make things difficult, but it was required by law to apprehend her. He waved his hand forward, signaling for his men to surround her. ¡°Stop!¡± Emily yelled. She wasn¡¯t in a good situation. The Emperor card was powerful, but she didn¡¯t know how to use it. However, the moment the command exited her lips, the men stopped moving. They completely froze on the spot, their eyes wide with panic. Yurat was bewildered, ¡°Surround her!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t move Lord Yurat!¡± one of the men said with a panicked expression, still frozen in place. Emily burst out laughing. She understood how the Emperor card worked now. ¡°Kneel!¡± she ordered. With a thud, all of the men, including Yurat, crashed to the ground. Yurat¡¯s eyes went wide with horror, ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± Emily smiled widely. ¡°What¡¯s the name of this world?¡± she ordered Yurat. Although confused, Yurat had no choice but to answer. ¡°Uwd,¡± he replied. ¡°Where are we geographically?¡± ¡°On the continent of Fara in the Antoire kingdom. ¡°How many continents are there?¡± ¡°Ten so far. Explorers discover a new one every century.¡± Emily nodded in confirmation. She was definitely in a new world. ¡°Do you know anything about this?¡± she asked, holding out the tarot deck. ¡°It¡¯s a deck of cards,¡± Yurat answered without hesitation. Emily rolled her eyes, ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°No,¡± Yurat shook his head. Emily twirled her hair in thought. There was a lot of new information to process. She turned towards the rest of the men. ¡°Everyone except for Yurat, dig a hole and bury yourself.¡± The mens¡¯ eyes went wide in horror; shouts of protest rang out. However, they had no choice but to obey. They mechanically started digging. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Yurat yelled. ¡°Taking care of future problems,¡± Emily answered with a raised brow. ¡°Now come with me, I still have more questions to ask.¡± Yurat followed her into the mansion. The muffled screams of men rang out through the night. Chapter 4: The Tower Chapter 4: Yurat was scared, very scared. His mind trembled at the being before him. A cloaked figure asked him question after question, compelling him to answer through unknown means. Secret after secret were stolen from his tongue. He had betrayed the king enough times at this point that he wanted to hang himself. ¡°Enough!¡± he begged the figure, ¡°What more do you want to know?!¡± The figure frowned and walked towards the window of the building, looked at the sky, and sighed. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ve asked you plenty.¡± Yurat despised her voice. The robed figure wore the appearance of a young girl, but he was certain she was a demon in disguise. No ordinary mortal could possess as much power as she did. His hands and feet were currently bound. He wasn¡¯t sure why she bothered. She had already ordered him not to harm her in any way. He crinkled his eyebrows. Something was going on here. The girl left the room temporarily, leaving Yurat alone. All of a sudden, he felt the compulsion she placed on him break. He was no longer under her control! He sprang into action, struggling against the rope that had been used to tie him up. The girl had taken away his wand, leaving him unable to use any of his magic. Luckily, he had been trained for situations like this. After a few minutes he sprung free and retrieved a dagger he had hidden in a sheath on thigh. He dashed towards the window and looked down. He was on the third floor of the mansion. There would be no way down from here. Frowning, he heard slow, unhurried footsteps approaching. He took a deep breath. He would have to silence her before she had the opportunity to speak. He grabbed the dagger by the tip and pulled back his arm, prepared to throw. He slowly waited for the door to open. It burst open with a loud bang. With a whoosh, he chucked the dagger with his maximum power. The dagger spiraled through the air before crashing into the witch. The dagger slammed against her, point first, but simply bounced off, falling to the ground. Yurat was unperturbed, he immediately dashed forward and scooped up the fallen dagger and stabbed it towards her throat, prepared to end her life. With a loud snap, the point of the dagger broke, falling to the ground. Yurat went pale. He could attribute the first failure to armor, but what about the second? He had stabbed directly at the exposed skin on her neck, only for the dagger to shatter instead! The girl laughed, sending a chill down Yurat¡¯s spine. ¡°You¡¯re free to leave,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°What?¡± Yurat blanked, uncomprehending. She was letting him go? Even after he attacked her? ¡°Leave!¡± she snapped. This time Yurat felt no compulsion, but he immediately obeyed her. ¡°Don¡¯t come back,¡± she sneered. Yurat wouldn¡¯t. At least without proper preparations, the girl was too fearsome. He quickly left the mansion, only sparing a fleeting glance of terror at fresh graves as he left. When he left, Emily collapsed to the ground with a boom. ¡°Too...heavy!¡± she groaned, sprawling on the floor. This time she had drawn: THE TOWER. She felt its effects the moment she drew it. She instantly felt as if she had a million pounds on her shoulders. Deep and heavy weight pressed down on top of her, sending her to the ground. On the other hand, her skin was now as strong as stone, providing a nearly impenetrable defense. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. She wasn¡¯t a fan of this card. She laid on the ground for the rest of the day, unable to climb back up to her feet. While she laid there, she thought about the all the information she had learned from Yurat. She now was no longer lost in matters of the world. She would be able to make her rise from this point on. She only had one goal in mind. Conquest! Her previous world had been far too dull. She would change things this time. She would use everything within her grasp to achieve absolute power! She would instill fear into the kingdom of Antoire, then take it over completely. She cackled aloud. Yurat wearily knocked on the door to the king¡¯s chamber, requesting an audience with him. Most people could never dream of meeting the king in such a way, but Yurat was a trusted friend of Antillus, and was an exception. The king and Yurat immediately went into another room. ¡°You¡¯re back later than expected. What happened?¡± the king asked, worry in his eyes. ¡°It was a complete failure your majesty,¡± Yurat tiredly sighed. The king frowned, ¡°What happened? Who was behind the disturbance? Was it the Illat Kingdom?¡± ¡°No sire,¡± Yurat shook his head, ¡°It was the Witch of Tarot.¡± ¡°The Witch of Tarot?¡± the king asked, confused, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that name.¡± ¡°Before today I hadn¡¯t either, but she is the most fearsome person I have ever met. All the men you sent with me are dead,¡± Yurat said, shoulders drooping. ¡°She killed them all?¡± the king asked, his voice laced with anger. Yurat hesitated, ¡°No. They all killed themselves.¡± ¡°They killed themselves?¡± the king asked in puzzlement, ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°The witch has a powerful compulsion power,¡± Yurat explained, ¡°We were forced to obey every word she said. She ordered the men to bury themselves alive.¡± The king frowned. That ability was truly terrifying. The king thought for a moment, ¡°She¡¯s made an enemy of us. We must be swift in our retribution. Send twenty of our best assassins, their ears stuffed with cotton, to dispose of her. Don¡¯t give her an opportunity to use her magic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure that would work either,¡± Yurat said, shaking his head, ¡°I struck her with my dagger twice, only to have my dagger break. Her skin was as hard as stone.¡± ¡°What do you think we should do then?¡± the king asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°We should keep an eye on her and see if we can come up with any weaknesses. Send our best spies to observe her.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± the king nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯ll be what we¡¯ll do then. Send our spies to watch her. Don¡¯t have them approach her without permission though.¡± ¡°Yes sire!¡± Yurat saluted. The king left the room in deep thought. The enemy was truly fearsome this time. Superior magic, stone skin, the power of compulsion. He shook his head. It would be difficult to dispose of her. However, she had made an enemy of him, so she would pay. The Witch of Tarot must die! Chapter 5: The Devil Chapter 5: A golden-haired child with sky blue eyes could be seen walking alone through Dwindlewood Forest. A sword was held in one of her hands, shimmering in the sun. The figure was none other than Emily. After much consideration she decided to leave the mansion, and headed towards one of the cities she learned about from Yurat. Staying at the mansion was as good as being a sitting duck. As she walked she swung her sword, causing trees to split apart from her blows. Earlier that day she had drawn: The Paige of Swords. The sword was just a bit weaker than the Knight of Wands, furthering keying Emily in on the information about the deck. Never in her life had she wished she had researched tarot cards as much as she currently did. The sword didn¡¯t provide its user with the knowledge of how to use it, but Emily already knew how to use a sword. The knowledge had been deeply engrained in her. She shook her head, dispelling bad memories. She hated her sword lessons, but she was thankful for them now. She trotted through the forest for hours, displaying a physique unbefitting a child her age. She carried a sack filled with gold, food, spare robes, and her tarot deck. The following day she drew The King of Cups, finally allowing her to draw conclusions about the deck. She thought about the cards she had learned about so far. Pentacles, cups, swords, and wands seemed to be standard cards. Strength, The Tower, and The Emperor seemed to be special cards. She had counted the cards in the deck. There were 78 of them. A normal deck had cards numbered from ace to ten, the jack, the queen, and the king. With four suites, that totaled 52 cards. Her tarot deck seemed to have a page, a knight, a queen, and a king. That meant it had 56 standard cards and 22 special ones. Although she was able to count the number of cards in the deck, she was unable to draw any card but the top one. She was also unable to remove the cards from their container. Emily was unperturbed. She would gain more knowledge about her tarot cards and use them to sweep away all opposition. A few days later she arrived outside of the city of Gerya. Two guards stood on duty, inspecting the arrivers. ¡°Halt! Who goes there?!¡± they demanded of the cloaked Emily. Emily took a deep breath and dropped her hood. Crocodile tears immediately appeared in her eyes. ¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she trembled, ¡°My mom and dad were k-k-killed by bandits, and I have nowhere to go.¡± Tears streamed down her face. The guards immediately went into a panic. ¡°It¡¯s okay dear,¡± one of the guards comforted her, ¡°You just looked a bit suspicious, that¡¯s all.¡± One of civilians, an old woman, gave the guard a death stare. ¡°How dare you act that way to the poor girl?!¡± ¡°It was just a misunderstanding. We¡¯ll let her in,¡± the guard said hurriedly, stepping aside. ¡°Thank you,¡± Emily said, wiping her tears with her sleeve. Just like that she gained entrance to the city. She sneered inwardly. It didn¡¯t appear that Yurat had men searching for her just yet. She wove her way through the throng of people, avoiding merchants haggling in the streets. She needed to find an inn. She would rest for a few days while planning her next move. Emily quickly found what she was searching for. She came to a high quality inn called ¡°The Silver Goblet¡±. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The innkeeper greeted her as the door opened. Although she was wearing her cloak once again, she wasn¡¯t questioned. ¡°How much for a day?¡± Emily asked. ¡°1 gold coin,¡± the woman replied with a smile. The inn was considered expensive, but Emily was not lacking in money. She immediately handed over 7 coins. ¡°I¡¯ll pay more if I decide to stay longer.¡± ¡°Here you go,¡± the woman said, handing over a key, ¡°Your room is upstairs, the third on the left.¡± Emily nodded in thanks and headed to the next floor. She opened the door to her room and nodded in appreciation. Although it couldn¡¯t compare to the mansion, it was still well furnished. It would suit her just fine. All of sudden, she heard a commotion downstairs. Shouts and yells rang out, causing her to frown. She had planned on relaxing for a while, but now her mood had been ruined. She turned her attention towards her deck and drew a card. The air trembled once again, signifying the arrival of a powerful card. This card she recognized. It was none other than THE DEVIL. It brought back memories of her card reading, causing her to frown. She shook her head. There was no point in worrying about that now. She headed downstairs. A group of thugs surrounded a man at a table. The man drank calmly, clearly ignoring the thugs. ¡°I said this is our table! Move it!¡± one of the thugs ordered. The man simply snorted, uncaring. The thug trembled with rage, punching out at him. The man simply moved his head slightly, avoiding the blow. Emily whistled in appreciation. The man was an experience fighter. The thugs were about to deliver another blow, when they noticed Emily out of the corner of their eyes. She had unconsciously gotten closer to them. ¡°What? You want some of this too?¡± one of the hooligans sneered at her. Emily simply frowned, trying to figure out what power the devil card would bring her. One of the men approached, standing in front of her. He towered over her threateningly. ¡°Take of your hood,¡± he ordered. Emily¡¯s frown deepened. She didn¡¯t move a muscle. The man trembled. Clearly angry at being constantly ignored. He reached over towards her and forcibly removed her hood. Golden hair fell downward as her head was freed. She raised her eyes to meet the thug¡¯s. It was at that moment that the ruffian froze, his eyes wide in horror. He took two steps backwards, trembling, a wetness spread on his pants. Before he could take the third step, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he passed out. Emily blinked, turning her head towards the rest of the hoodlums. They opened their mouths wide in terror. Two of them passed out, while the rest ran from the inn, screaming in horror. The man sitting at the table gaped. The cup dropped from his hand, shattering on the floor. ¡°M-m-monster!¡± he trembled, jumping to his feet. He unsteadily removed his sword from its sheath. Emily groaned inwardly. She knew what The Devil did now. The walked closer to the man, causing him to retreat towards the wall. After thinking for a bit she turned and walked away, heading back upstairs. The man¡¯s shoulders drooped and his sword fell to the floor with a clatter. He sighed in relief. He had never met such a fearsome being before. Chapter 6: The Lovers Chapter 6: On the second floor of ¡°The Silver Goblet¡±, Emily sat, waiting. It didn¡¯t take long for the guards to arrive. Heavy knocks banged upon her room door, followed by a shout, ¡°Open up! It¡¯s the Gerya guards!¡± Emily rolled her eyes and hopped off of her bed. She lightly flitted across the floor to the door and unlocked it. ¡°Can I help you?¡± she inquired politely, her hood covering her head. On the other side of the door sat a group of five guards. The man who knocked scanned her with his eyes. ¡°Are you the monster?¡± he asked skeptically, surprised her by polite attitude. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me,¡± she answered, throwing off her hood. The reaction was immediate. The guard talking to her started to froth at the mouth. The other guards starting screaming like little girls and dashed down the stairs, shoving at each other in their haste to get out of the way. Emily shook her head in amusement, ¡°What did they expect? Did they really think they would be able to apprehend me?¡± She shut the door to her room and went to sleep. While Emily was asleep, the city went into a panic. Numerous reports of a terrifying monster broke out amongst the people. A curfew was enforced, keeping the citizens inside of their houses. The adventurer guild and mage guild were also called to action. A large bounty was put on Emily¡¯s head. Anyone who could remove the monster from the city would receive a large sum of gold. Blockades were placed around ¡°The Silver Goblet.¡± Numerous men surrounding the building, legs shaking in fear. The people who had seen Emily¡¯s face refused to go anywhere near her and were already making preparations to evacuate the city. Emily awoke with a smile. She had rested quite comfortably knowing that numerous people were afraid of her. She looked outside her window, noticing the blockade and the dozens of people around the building. She wasn¡¯t worried because it was time to draw a new card! She crossed her fingers, hoping that it was something useful. Emily slipped the card out of the deck and held it in front of her eyes. She groaned loudly. The card was: THE LOVERS Outside of the inn, Captain Ringard and his men stood waiting. He fiddled with his sword hilt, his hawk-like eyes scanned the building for any signs of movements. This was an unprecedented situation. The reactions from his men were extreme. They refused to speak about the creature inside ¡°The Silver Goblet¡±. All they would say was that everyone was going to die. They seemed to believe that the monster was an unstoppable being of tremendous power. If it weren¡¯t for their genuine reactions, he would have believed someone was playing a prank on him. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves. It was very likely that he would die tonight. All of a sudden, he saw the door to the inn get thrown open and a robed figure leisurely walk out. Swords were removed from sheaths, arrows were knocked in bows, and wands were held at the ready. Although it was against his better judgement, Captain Ringard spoke to the figure. ¡°Remove your hood!¡± he wanted to see the ¡°monster¡± with his own eyes. The monster complied. Swords, bows, and wands fell to the ground. Captain Ringard¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°Y-y-you!¡± he stuttered. This was no monster. This was the most beautiful person he¡¯d ever seen! Long golden hair that fell to her waist. Blue eyes clearer than the sky. A complexion as fair as snow. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Ringard felt his heart palpitate, a blush crept up his face. He could barely keep his mind clear while looking at her. This was the monster his men were talking about? His mind was in a daze. Only when the goddess in front of him lightly coughed did he awaken from his reverie. He immediately stumbled towards her. ¡°A-a-apologies,¡± he stammered, ¡°There seems to have been some kind of misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± the goddess mouthed, raising a perfect eyebrow in question. Ringard¡¯s heart almost stopped as she looked at him. His hands were clammy as he replied. ¡°Yes! There were reports of a monster inside the building, but clearly you¡¯re not a monster,¡± he laughed awkwardly. He would punish his men severely for their mistake. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m no monster,¡± Emily laughed, a sound that chimed like a bell. Ringard¡¯s heart ached. All thoughts of his wife and children were thrown out the window. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do for you, just say the word!¡± Emily felt weird. Wasn¡¯t she a little young for all this attention? No matter. She would use it to her advantage anyways. ¡°There is one matter I need help with,¡± Emily sighed. ¡°Anything!¡± Ringard said with determination. ¡°I¡¯m actually looking for a lover,¡± she smiled coquettishly, causing Ringard to feel faint. ¡°A-a-a lover?¡± he asked, his mouth dry. ¡°Yes, but there are so many of you. I couldn¡¯t possibly choose,¡± she said pointing at the group of people behind him. It was only then that Ringard realized all the adventurers and mages had followed him closely from behind. They swayed with Emily¡¯s every word, holding on to them tightly. One of the men in the crowd spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll be your lover!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll be your lover!¡± one of the other people shouted. ¡°No me!¡± ¡°No, me!¡± The crowd immediately broke into heated debate. Curses were thrown back and forth. Emily coughed lightly, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I have an idea,¡± she said, eyes twinkling. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys fight to the death and I¡¯ll marry the last person standing?¡± Ringard felt something was wrong with her words, but he was too smitten to think clearly. ¡°That sounds like a great idea!¡± he said, picking his sword off the ground. He immediately stabbed the person next to him. As the blood spilled to the floor, a brawl instantly broke out. Magic and swords clashed against one another. Arrows whizzed through the air. Emily stood back at a safe distance watching the proceedings with a smile on her face. She laughed inwardly. This was one of her favorite cards so far. Captain Ringard fought using every trick he had ever learned. The pressure was immense. This was the most important battle of his life. He had to win! His sword chopped and cleaved apart his opponents. He whirled around, dodging blades and magic alike. Even Emily was mildly impressed at his display. In the end, the Captain was the last person standing. Dripping with blood, he kneeled in front of Emily, his head bowed. ¡°Please grant me the honor of being your lover!¡± Emily laughed and approached. Ringard shivered with anticipation. All of a sudden, he felt a sharp pain in his neck. His eyes turned round in confusion. He saw Emily holding a bloody dagger. Realization dawned on him, but he died with a smile on his face. There was no bigger joy than being killed by her. Chapter 7: The Hermit Chapter 7: The sun of the desert scorched the sands below it. The arid winds blew through Emily¡¯s blonde hair. Emily cursed loudly, ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± After the events of the other night, she had fled from the city. The following day, she had drawn yet another card, unable to resist the temptation. She had pulled a card with the picture of an old man carrying a lantern. The card was: THE HERMIT. She had felt the air warp around her and before she could blink, she found herself in the desert. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a freaking hermit,¡± she muttered inwardly. She knew where she was. According to Yurat, it was likely that she was in the Ria Desert, a location far from civilized lands. She trudged across the sands mindlessly, thoughts twirling through her mind. ¡°I really should stop drawing cards without care,¡± she sighed. After walking for a few hours, the moon rose into the sky. Emily pulled out her deck of cards. ¡°Damn it!¡± she cursed. She had pulled: The Ace of Pentacles. A bag materialized in the air. Emily opened it up and was flabbergasted. It was filled to the brim with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. However, she immediately frowned. The bag was heavy and she was in the middle of the desert. She would not be able to carry it with her for long. She slung the sack of gems over her shoulder and started walking once more. She was growing thirsty and tired, she needed to find some place to rest soon. A harsh wind blew, causing her teeth to chatter. ¡°I need to find shelter, fast,¡± she thought with worry. Suddenly, a howl rang out through the night. Half a dozen coyotes dashed towards her from the horizon, snarling and drooling. Emily¡¯s mind began turning, trying to figure out what to do. She couldn¡¯t outrun the dogs and she couldn¡¯t draw another card for an entire day. She would have to fight. She dropped her bag of gems onto the sand. She reached into the sack and pulled out a fist-sized diamond. The coyotes quickly caught up to her and encircled her. They yapped and barked at her. She took a deep breath to gather her focus. She would have to use all her knowledge of combat if she wanted to survive this encounter. One of the coyotes suddenly howled, leaping through the air towards her. She ducked under its assault, smacking the pointed tip of her diamond into the eye of the beast, killing it immediately. The other beasts howled in rage and dashed towards her. She threw herself to the side, summersaulting through the sands. She quickly stood back up and struck out against one of the coyote¡¯s heads, bludgeoning it to death. A coyote swiped its claws towards her chest. She quickly raised the diamond, using it as a miniature buckler to deflect the claws. Her energy was beginning to wane. All of a sudden, a spear erupted from the sand, stabbing into the exposed stomach of one of the coyotes. More spears quickly followed. Sand whirled through the air as figures appeared from the ground. Emily was stunned, she hadn¡¯t detected the figures¡¯ presences at all. The new arrivals were a group of sand people, or at least that¡¯s what Emily assumed they were. They wore loose rags and had tanned skin. Reddish-brown hair waved in the breeze. One of the newcomers removed his spear from the coyote¡¯s belly and turned towards her. ¡°You are in Sojos territory. What do you want?¡± he asked her, a cold expression on his face. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Ideas quickly raced through Emily¡¯s head. ¡°Seeking passage out of the desert. Will pay,¡± she said, tossing the diamond in her hand to the man. The man snatched the diamond out of the air, wiped the blood from it, and inspected it closely. After a while he broke out in a toothy smile, ¡°Welcome friend!¡± He turned towards his comrades and explained the situation quietly, showing them the diamond. He quickly gained their approval and turned back towards Emily. ¡°Follow me. We take you out of desert tomorrow. For now, we rest.¡± Emily nodded her approval and followed the man, leaving the bag of gems buried in the sand. If the sand people tried to rob her, she would be doomed. It didn¡¯t take long before they arrived outside of a group of hastily constructed tents made from animal hide. Emily confirmed a thought: the people were obviously nomadic. ¡°This is guest hut,¡± the man said, pointing to a rundown tent. Emily frowned at its condition, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. After saying her farewell to the man, Emily crawled in the tent and fell asleep. Meanwhile, in a castle in Antoire, a group of spies were giving their reports to King Antillus. Yurat was at the king¡¯s side, listening as well. One of the spies stepped forward. ¡°What have you observed?¡± the king asked the woman in front of him. She bowed before talking, ¡°The Witch of Tarot stopped in the city of Gerya. The purpose for her visit is unknown. She took residency at ¡°The Silver Goblet¡± inn.¡± She stepped backwards, allowing another of the spies to step forward. ¡°According to reports, a commotion broke out on the tavern floor, involving the Witch of Tarot. Witnesses say she simply removed her hood, causing the hooligans to pass out and flee in terror. The guards that attempted to apprehend her suffered a similar fate.¡± Yurat frowned. He hadn¡¯t gotten a good chance to look at her face. Was she truly that fearsome? Maybe his idea that she was a monster in disguise was true after all. The second spy stepped backwards, making room for the third. After a minute of silence the king spoke up, ¡°Domus? Your report?¡± The third spy awoke from a daze. ¡°Deepest apologies your majesty! I-I don¡¯t know what overcame me.¡± Yurat directed a glare towards the spy. ¡°After the guards retreated, the townsfolk set up a blockade and surrounded the inn. Numerous adventurers prepared to combat her. However, they all killed each other at her suggestion.¡± Yurat frowned and spoke up, ¡°Did she use her power of command?¡± ¡°No. She used her power of beauty,¡± the spy sighed dreamily. ¡°Pardon?¡± the king blinked, questioning the spy. ¡°She¡¯s the most beautiful person I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± the spy said with his eyes closed, ¡°The men fought to the death for her hand.¡± ¡°I would have joined too, but you specifically ordered me not to get involved,¡± the spy said sheepishly. The king¡¯s cheek twitched. ¡°I thought she was a horrible demon that caused people to pass out from the sight?¡± The spy seemed puzzled, ¡°Of course not! She has a face that surpasses angels, a smile that could cause mountains to tremble.¡± Yurat and the king exchanged gazes, thoroughly confused. ¡°Where is she now?¡± Yurat asked, knitting his brows. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the spy said with a forlorn sigh, ¡°She simply vanished one night. Leaving my heart arching.¡± ¡°Did she teleport? Did you trace the magic?¡± the king asked. ¡°There were no signs of magic being used. She just disappeared without a trace.¡± The king exhaled tiredly. Things would be more difficult than he had imagined. Chapter 8: The Hanged Man Chapter 8: The Hanged Man Emily twirled the spear she had been given. She was currently being escorted out of the desert by a group of five sand people. ¡°We must be careful,¡± the man from yesterday, Hiat, warned her. ¡°The sands are full of dangerous beasts, as you saw yesterday.¡± Hiat was the best-spoken of the bunch, easily communicating with her. Emily was thankful to have met him, he would be her ticket out of this barren wasteland. The group traversed the sands in silence, their feet flitting over the ground. While she was walking, Emily drew a card. The Six of Cups. She frowned. She had drawn a cup card before, but was unable to determine its purpose. At this moment in time she wished it would quench her thirst. The water skin she had been given would only hold a small amount of water. It was only after she had walked for a few hours did she realize that she didn¡¯t feel tired. ¡°Is this the power of the card?¡± she wondered, knitting her eyebrows, slightly disappointed. She shook her head. There was no use in complaining, the card would be useful in this situation. As she and the nomads walked through the desert, the ground began to tremble. Hiat¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Desert scorpions!¡± With a boom, enormous arthropods burst from the sand. Three giant stingers dripped dangerously. The group was surrounded on three sides. ¡°It should go without saying,¡± Hiat warned, ¡°but don¡¯t let them sting you.¡± Emily tensed up, her muscles tightened in preparation. She wasn¡¯t too worried about the stinger. Instead, she was focused on the massive claws the creatures possessed. She imagined getting gripped by the pincer and started sweating. ¡°Two people per scorpion. I¡¯ve seen you fight girl, you¡¯re with me.¡± Emily grunted in acknowledgement and prepared her spear. She handled it with familiarity, causing Hiat to raise an eyebrow. He had given it to her at her request, he didn¡¯t expect that she actually knew how to use it. The scorpions didn¡¯t give them any more time to think. One swung a giant claw in Emily¡¯s direction, forcing her to jump backwards out of its reach. Almost instantly, the tail whipped forward, catching her in midair. Emily¡¯s eyes bulged in surprise as she raised her spear defensively. She hadn¡¯t expected the creatures to be capable of such tactics. She narrowly blocked the stinger with the wooden shaft of her polearm. However, it split under the force of the blow, shattering into pieces. Emily gripped the remaining piece of wood, grimacing. It was nothing more than a dagger now. Meanwhile, the other sand people were having even worse luck. One of them had gotten grabbed by a pincer and was crushed in half, dying instantly. Another man had been stung by the tail. His body grew paralyzed and his throat swelled shut, cutting off his access to oxygen. He died shortly afterward. There were now three scorpions against Emily, Hiat, and two other men. The situation wasn¡¯t looking favorable. ¡°Run in that direction!¡± Hiat shouted, pointing towards the horizon, ¡°We¡¯ll hold them off.¡± ¡°Why would you do that for me?¡± Emily asked in puzzlement, she had never had anyone display such sacrifice for her before. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Sojos honor,¡± he said with a grim smile, ¡°Now go!¡± Emily took a deep breath and nodded, immediately dashing in the direction Hiat pointed. It was only after she took a dozen steps did she realize she had been fooled. Hiat was making no attempt to stop the scorpions from chasing her. Emily felt her blood boil as she cursed. She swore revenge against Hiat in her mind. If she ever saw him again she would make him pay the price. She fled across the sands, the scorpions hot on her heels. Thankfully the Six of Cup had given her an increased amount of stamina, or else she would have fallen a long time ago. The scorpions chased her for a few hours. Now Emily was in a dilemma. A new day was about to occur. Her stamina would start to wane once more. She desperately prayed that she would draw a useful card. The card she drew displayed a man being strung up upon a tree. His foot is held by a rope, he hung upside-down. THE HANGED MAN. Emily immediately felt her body grow light. With a thought, she rose into the air, flying high above the scorpions. ¡°The power of flight!¡± Emily beamed in excitement. Humans dreamt for ages to be able to fly and Emily had finally done it. She now had a ticket out of the desert. However, she paused. There was something she had to take care of first. She turned around and flew, heading deeper into the desert. Hiat sighed in relief. The girl had proven a good distraction. It was only because of her that he was able to survive. He felt bad about sacrificing a person so young, but his own life took priority. He limped under the desert moon, headed back towards his people. He had injured his leg in the battle against the scorpions. One of the pinchers had grazed him. He used his spear as a crutch, supporting his weight. All of a sudden, a shadow appeared beneath his feet. His eyes went wide in a panic. He turned his head upward and saw a mass of black hurtling towards him. He went to raise his spear to deflect the projectile but was too slow. The figure crashed into him, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Before he could raise his head, he felt a coldness against his neck. He turned his head and saw sky-blue eyes staring back at him. ¡°You!¡± Hiat started in a panic. It was none other than Emily. ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d let you live after you tricked me like that?¡± she sneered. ¡°I was doing what I had to do to survive, you would have done the same,¡± Hiat weakly protested. She shrugged, ¡°You¡¯re right. I would have done the same thing.¡± ¡°But the situation isn¡¯t reversed. So you have to die.¡± Hiat opened his mouth to speak once more, but Emily didn¡¯t give him the opportunity. She quickly stabbed the spear tip forward, penetrating his throat. He choked and gurgled on his own blood, his eyes filled with regret. Emily stood upwards, switching her broken spear for Hiat¡¯s whole one. She also searched his corpse and retrieved the diamond she had given him. She then flew into the sky and left the desert. Chapter 9: Wheel of Fortune Chapter 9: Wheel of Fortune As the moon rose into the sky, Emily descended to the ground. She would rather not be flying when The Hanged Man ran out. Her feet touched the floor of the Hesper Marshlands, sinking into the mud. She grimaced at the feeling of dirt on her soles. She supposed it was a better environment than the desert though. Shortly afterwards, she felt the power of flight fade from her body. A new day had arrived. The deck comfortably rested in her hands. She had grown quite attached to it. She slowly removed a card. WHEEL OF FORTUNE. Immediately, a circular spinner with multiple words written on it appeared in front of her face. Emily¡¯s eyebrows jumped upward in surprise as she read the options available. ¡°Card Upgrade¡± and ¡°Deck Upgrade¡±. The card upgrade section took up the majority of the wheel. Only a tiny sliver was available for the deck upgrade. Her hand immediately jumped towards the wheel. With a tug, she sent the spinner into action. With a clack, the spinner began to rotate around the circle rapidly. After a few seconds it began to slow down, before landing on card upgrade. Emily was slightly disappointed she didn¡¯t get the deck upgrade, but she was curious as to what card upgrade did. All of a sudden, the wheel disappeared with a poof, leaving behind a glowing golden tarot card. Emily picked it up with bated breath. THE WORLD. After she picked it up, it disappeared and went inside of her deck, leaving her alone with her thoughts. ¡°I¡¯ve never picked that card before,¡± she thought with a frown, ¡°Now I won¡¯t be able to make a comparison of the upgraded power.¡± She sighed lightly. No matter. An upgrade was still an upgrade. She was looking forward to the might that The World card would display. Emily turned her attention back towards the marshlands in front of her. The desert sat at her back, meaning she could only go forward. She slowly advanced through the muddy water, sincerely wishing she still had her ability to fly. Although she had learned about the geography of the world from Yurat, she wasn¡¯t sure about the specifics. She had no clue what kind of creatures lived in these lands. All of a sudden, with a giant splash of water, an alligator charged out from the water. Emily dove to the side, causing herself to get covered in mud. She cursed loudly. The alligator quickly crawled towards her, flinging its tail at her head. Emily jumped backwards out of reach, narrowly avoiding the tip. The alligator roared in frustration, opening its mouth in an attempt to bite down on her body. Emily quickly seized the opportunity and flipped onto its back. Using her thighs, she clamped down onto the alligator¡¯s mouth, forcing it shut. Then, using her fingernails, she reached forward and jabbed them into the alligator¡¯s eyes. With a giant roar of pain, the alligator thrashed, throwing Emily into the water. She wasted no time in standing back up. She immediately dashed deeper into the swampland, leaving the blind alligator behind. That wasn¡¯t the end of her worries though. Almost immediately, a giant buzzing noise resounded. In front of her flew a massive mosquito. Its proboscis stood five feet long. Dangerous serrations ran along its length. Emily went pale. Bugs were disgusting. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. She clenched the spear tightly between her fingers, ready to use it in battle. However, the mosquito suddenly cocked its head, its compound eyes stared at her intensely. Suddenly, with speed surpassing her vision, it dashed past her. Emily turned her head after it, only to see the mosquito attacking a snake that had snuck up behind her. The snake didn¡¯t stand a chance. The mosquito rapidly drained it of its blood, leaving a dead husk behind. Emily blinked. Had it protected her? She shook her head. She wouldn¡¯t give it time to change its mind. She headed deeper into the swamp. After a few hours of uneventful walking, she came across a strange building. ¡°Is that a temple?¡± she noticed with a start. The building stood rigidly, dominating the area. No wildlife could be seen nearby. It was as if they were afraid of the structure. Emily approached carefully. A building meant people, and people likely meant danger. Her encounter with Hiat left a lasting impression on her. She would have to be wary. She carefully went up the temple steps, her curiosity getting the best of her. As she got closer, one of the temple doors slid open with a click. It seemed her presence had already been noticed. She took a deep breath and went inside. Her mouth fell open. The inside of the temple was nothing like she had expected. Instead of a dark, cold interior. The temple was lavishly furnished. Leather couches and cushions were arranged neatly around the room. A warm, inviting fireplace shone brightly in a corner. ¡°Greetings fellow witch!¡± a voice resounded. Emily turned her head and saw a young girl with dark skin and white hair. ¡°My name is Greta. Nice to finally make your acquaintance, Emily,¡± she said with a mysterious smile. ¡°You know me?¡± Emily asked, furrowing her brows. ¡°Of course! You¡¯re famous!¡± Greta laughed. ¡°Witch of Tarot, Devil of Gerya, Goddess of Beauty, et cetera, et cetera.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made a name for yourself quite quickly,¡± Greta said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Have you been watching me?¡± Emily asked in puzzlement. ¡°Yup!¡± Greta admitted, pointing to a crystal ball in the corner, ¡°Ever since that initial magic fluctuation. You¡¯re too interesting!¡± ¡°Oh don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± Greta said, waving her hand, ¡°I don¡¯t mean any harm.¡± ¡°I even saved your life with my mosquito,¡± Greta rolled her eyes. Understanding went through Emily¡¯s mind. No wonder the mosquito hadn¡¯t attacked her. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to talk to you,¡± Greta smile, ¡°Because I have a question.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± Emily asked, slightly warming up to the girl. ¡°Can I follow you?¡± Greta¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°W-w-what?¡± Emily stuttered. ¡°Watching you from a distance is boring,¡± Greta sighed. ¡°I want to follow you on your adventure!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not on an adventure,¡± Emily frowned. ¡°Everything that I¡¯ve done so far was an accident. I don¡¯t have any purpose,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to return to your world?¡± Greta asked, her eyes sparkling dangerously. ¡°-what?!¡± Emily coughed. She knew she was from another world?! ¡°All those questions you asked Yurat were mighty suspicious,¡± Greta smirked, ¡°It was obvious you¡¯re not from around here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal,¡± Greta said smiling widely. ¡°Help me take over the world and I¡¯ll make sure you get home.¡± Chapter 10: The Chariot Chapter 10: The Chariot ¡°Take over the world?¡± Emily mouthed, eyes wide. What the heck was she talking about? ¡°You want to take over the world?¡± Emily repeated, knitting her eyebrows. ¡°Of course!¡± Greta laughed, ¡°Who doesn¡¯t dream of world domination?¡± ¡°Look,¡± Greta said with a serious expression, ¡°You want to get home and I can get you there. All I require is a little help.¡± Emily frowned, ¡°How can I trust you?¡± ¡°What? You doubt me?¡± Greta gasped, feigning horror. Emily¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Okay fine. We¡¯ll sign a magical contract,¡± Greta submitted, summoning a scroll and a quill from thin air. ¡°The terms are pretty simple. I¡¯ll get you home and all you have to do is convince the other witches across the continent to join my army. If at any point one of us betrays the other, we¡¯ll die.¡± Emily hesitated, ¡°How am I supposed to get the other witches to follow you?¡± Surprise appeared in Greta¡¯s eyes, ¡°Can¡¯t you make them fall in love with you or command them?¡± ¡°I guess so,¡± Emily said warily, not wanting to divulge the secret of her powers. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Greta smiled, clapping her hands, ¡°Sign here.¡± The contract and quill gently drifted into Emily¡¯s hands. She looked over the contract with extreme care, making sure there was nothing that could be used against her. After confirming that the contract was sound, she signed it. Greta grinned widely and reached out her hand, ¡°Now we¡¯re partners!¡± Emily reluctantly shook her hand, ¡°So it would seem.¡± ¡°As you read, the time limit is indefinite, so there¡¯s no rush. However, it should go without saying that the sooner you complete the deal, the sooner you get to return to your world,¡± Greta explained. Emily nodded in understanding, ¡°How many witches are there and where can I find them?¡± ¡°Yurat told you there were ten continents right? There¡¯s a witch on each of them. You¡¯ve already found me so there are nine more to go.¡± ¡°Why are all the witches spread out?¡± Emily wondered aloud. ¡°It¡¯s an unspoken rule. We¡¯re a territorial bunch. Every once in a while a new witch pops up. We usually kill them quickly,¡± Greta grinned ferally. ¡°You would have killed me?¡± Emily asked warily. ¡°I was going to, but you¡¯re too interesting to let die,¡± Greta laughed lightheartedly. A question popped up into Emily¡¯s mind. ¡°You aren¡¯t afraid of me?¡± she asked Greta. ¡°Why would I be afraid?¡± Greta asked blankly. ¡°I could force you to obey my orders,¡± Emily said provocatively. Greta waved her hand dismissively, ¡°I have my own secrets. I¡¯m not too worried.¡± Emily¡¯s heart thumped. Greta¡¯s confidence made her worried. She would have to be extremely careful of the witch. Greta opened her mouth, ¡°Before we go, there¡¯s something we should take care of first.¡± ¡°What would that be?¡± Emily asked curiously. ¡°King Antillus,¡± Greta spat, the words laced with venom, ¡°He¡¯s tried to kill us both in the past. We should repay the favor.¡± Emily was curious about the relationship between Antillus and Greta but didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°How far away are we?¡± Emily asked. ¡°A few months if we travel on foot,¡± Greta frowned. ¡°Can¡¯t you teleport?¡± Emily asked, thinking back to Yurat¡¯s display. Greta shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t specialize in space magic. Nature magic is what I¡¯m best at.¡± ¡°Anyways,¡± Greta continued, ¡°We can leave in a couple days, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired from travelling. Get some rest.¡± Emily obeyed and made herself comfortable in the witch¡¯s abode. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The following days Emily drew The Two of Pentacles, The Six of Swords, and The Nine of Wands. On the fourth day she drew THE CHARIOT. ¡°Well that was convenient,¡± Emily thought, staring at the structure in front of her. A carriage materialized in front of her. Four horses and a phantom coachman stood on standby. ¡°You¡¯re just a bundle of tricks, aren¡¯t you?¡± Greta laughed, ¡°How long with this last?¡± ¡°One day,¡± Emily admitted. ¡°Well that¡¯s not much use then,¡± Greta rolled her eyes ¡°But I guess we might as well take advantage of it while we can. Ready to go?¡± Emily nodded. Soon afterwards, she and Greta climbed on the carriage. ¡°To Antoire Castle,¡± Emily told the coachman. At her command, the coach lurched, transforming into a streak of light. With speed surpassing imagination, the carriage sped through the marshlands, leaving Greta¡¯s temple far behind. Inside of the carriage sat Greta with her mouth agape. ¡°Holy cinders!¡± she gasped in surprise. She looked at Emily with a gaze containing admiration. ¡°At this rate we¡¯ll finish half of our travel time in one day!¡± Emily was surprised too, although she didn¡¯t show it. The carriage was must faster than she had originally anticipated. The power of the tarot cards was incredible. ¡°Can you summon it again when it stops?¡± Greta asked in excitement, ¡°We¡¯d be able to conquer the world in no time!¡± Emily shook her head. She couldn¡¯t. At least she didn¡¯t think she could. She had yet to draw the same card twice. ¡°Shame,¡± Greta sighed, ¡°This beats walking though. We¡¯ll stop and get some horses when we get to a town.¡± They spent the day in leisure. Although the carriage was moving at speeds beyond their imagination, the cabin experienced no disturbances. Traveling was smooth the entire time. Greta was taking a nap when the carriage began to slow down. She opened an eyelid, ¡°Done already?¡± With a stretch, she opened up the carriage door and exited. Emily followed closely behind. After they exited, the construct disappeared with a poof. Greta gazed around with a finger on her lip. After a minute she pulled out her wand and stuck it into the soil. ¡°We¡¯re two days away from the nearest town.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind walking a bit,¡± she smiled. ¡°Not at all,¡± Emily shook her head. She had experience plenty of hardships in the past. A little bit of walking would be nothing to her. As the two girls walked, Greta began asking Emily questions about her home world. ¡°What¡¯s your family like?¡± Emily clenched her fists. ¡°My father is a wealthy merchant,¡± Emily said, using terms Greta would understand, ¡°My mother is a healer. I have no siblings. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Greta asked when she realized Emily wasn¡¯t continuing. ¡°What more is there to say?¡± Emily frowned. ¡°What are their personalities like? What do they do for fun?¡± Greta probed. ¡°My father is obsessed with money. My mother is obsessed with the dead. They work too much to have fun.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be all. C¡¯mon,¡± Greta asked, poking Emily with her fingertip. ¡°Enough!¡± Emily growled, ¡°They aren¡¯t worth talking about.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry. I won¡¯t ask again,¡± Greta said with a placating gesture. However, Emily didn¡¯t see Greta¡¯s smile.