Tarot
The ceremony wasn't that long. It only took half an hour before the bride and groom exchanged their vows, and people started moving to the dining room. The princess and the groom were talking with Vetek, who pointed at the humans. In response to that, the groom waved them over.
Hera and Blue weren't sure what was about to happen, but they still didn't get the notification saying they had completed the quest. With no other options, they headed over to the recently married couple.
"These are the ones responsible for the decorations, my liege," Vetek said as Blue and Hera approached.
"So you two are the cause of this heinous display?" the groom asked.
"Heinous?" Blue rose one eyebrow.
"Of course. Why were all the lights green and blue? Where are the gold and the silver? And how dare you ignore my presence and only make a grand entrance for the princess? I will be your king and demand to be treated as such."
"But you weren't," Hera replied in an icy voice.
"What?" the groom stared at Hera.
"With all due respect, before the ceremony was over, you had no claim to the throne. Acting in any way just by assuming that you would be married to the princess would be disrespectful to the royal family and might even be seen as a sign of treason. I'm sure that you would feel the same way if this was a ceremony for your future children," Hera continued.
"Oh… yes… I supposed you have a point," the groom cleaned his throat, "Since you have given my wife such a beautiful entrance, I shall forgive this transgression. However, by royal decree, you are forbidden to organize any other events in this city," he turned to the princess, "Come, my love, let us proceed to the dining room."
The groom and Vetek moved along with the rest of the people.
"Man, I feel sorry for the princess for having to live with that asshole," Blue said after the man was far enough away.
"I appreciate that someone at least seems to understand my predicament," the voice of the princess came from behind the humans.
"Crap! I'm really sorry, your Highness," Blue bowed while apologizing.
"Why are you bowing?" Hera asked.
"I'm apologizing."
"There is no need for that. I find all this politeness and manner to be extremely annoying," the princess said.
"Ok… but now I feel bad. I'm here badmouthing your husband, and I don't even know your name," Blue scratched her head.
"If that's the case. I'm Asta, and my… husband's name is Bheletag. Now you know, feel free to badmouth him as much as you would like. Just be careful not to be heard," Asta made a small curtsey as she introduced herself.
"Will do. If you don't mind me asking, why did you get married if you don't want to?" Blue asked.
"It is a political marriage. My family needed to rally the power of a faction to avoid issues, and a marriage was the best option. In a way, I was lucky, I was supposed to marry his uncle, and that would be much worse, but recently Bheletag's father broke off an arrangement so that his son could become the new king," Asta explained.
"I'm sorry. Does that mean you won't have any power? Or are you sad because you had someone else in mind?" Hera elbowed Blue's stomach after she asked that question.
"Stop being annoying. Respect the princess's privacy," Hera stared at her friend.
Asta chuckled, "Don't worry. With Bheletag as my husband, I will keep most of the royal power. I'm sure you are aware that we don't have any rules that a Queen can't rule, but some things are still under the rule of men. And…," she looked around that room to make sure no one was listening, "Someone has stolen my heart. She's a beautiful blacksmith, and I hope she's doing well. Our story is a bit too convoluted to explain here. Maybe we can talk more later since now people must be waiting for me. But I wish to thank you. Even if my husband wasn't happy with your work, I found it all to be beautiful."
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You have found the hidden history of the Weeding Disaster.
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Hera didn't expect to get a secret so easily. She opened her map, and the history was there talking about the princess and the blacksmith, how they've met and what happened during the past year.
"We are glad we could help, and who knows, maybe you can take that blacksmith as a lover. I'm not sure if you accept that type of thing here, though," Blue said.
"For fuck's sake, can you not suggest that she starts cheating just after she got married?" Hera rolled her eyes.
"What? She's unhappy. I'm just trying to help!" Blue gasped.
Asta giggled and thanked them once more before heading to the dining room. Hera and Blue followed her with their eyes and noticed the seer watching them in the corridor. Since talking to them was already part of the plan, this was a great opportunity.
"Hi, sorry to bother you, but do you have a moment?" Hera asked.
"But of course, I was waiting for you," Dwyn replied.
"You knew we were going to talk to you?" Blue asked.
"I am a seer, child. That allows me to see things that have yet to happen, and the truth of what is. For one, I know you two are human and not dwarven kind."
Hera glanced at Blue, worried that this person could know that they were inside a dungeon, "Do you know anything else?"
"Only that whatever magic you used to trick the rest of my people is strong, stronger than I have ever seen."
There was a loud noise coming from the dining room. It was the sound of heavy stone doors being closed. Following that, a notification appeared in front of Hera and Blue.
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You have completed the dungeon quest inside the Weeding Disaster.
The princess loved the wedding you organized, but the groom was not as excited.
Rewards:
25 000 gold
Dwarven Wedding Gift Bag (C)
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You have completed the Dungeon Quest as the first to enter this dungeon
Rewards:
+1 Level
The Three of Stars Major Arcana
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You have leveled up
Current Level 17
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"Ah, I see you have become stronger. Since you both received an increase in your strength together, I assume you completed a quest, yes?" the seer asked.
"You can even tell that?" Hera asked.
"I can. These eyes of mine can see much more than you imagine," Dwyn turned to Blue, "For one, I can see that you have a new power within you. Something different and yet familiar to those such as myself."
"Do you have a legacy?" Blue asked.
"Indeed, but such things are better off unspoken," Dwyn replied.
"Why?" Blue pressed.
"Someday, you will understand. Now, children, I have to get to the ceremony unless I can interest you in a reading."
"You mean like read our future?" Hera asked.
"Yes, but not quite. I can see the thread of fate within you, and by using my powers, I can bend said fate. Tell me, child, which arcana were you gifted with?" the seer turned to Hera.
In response, Hera picked up her tablet and selected the tarot reward she had just received. A large playing card appeared in her hand, depicting a figure with sharp cold eyes and reddish skin, wearing a twisted smile that made it seem like a sadistic serial killer. In the background, there seemed to be windows covered in blood and the light of a half moon.
"Ah, yes. The three of stars. Unlike what it seems, this card can be a very good card to draw. It represents the reversal of fortune and an unwavering virtue. If this were a normal reading, this would be all I could tell you. However, this card was gifted by forces beyond ourselves, and the powers that made the universe have blessed it. It can trigger unique effects, and if you so wish to, I can reverse the card, changing its abilities," Dwyn explained.
Hera used her [Inspect] in the card to see what it could actually do.
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Kul Dorul Tarot
Three of Stars - Major Arcana
When activated, this card can increase the rank of a passive Luck-based skill by two for 1 hour or an active skill by 4 for one minute.
By adding mana to the card, you can trigger its effects.
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"Wow, this is insane!" Hera gasped. She never heard about items that could increase skill ranks.
"Mine too," Blue said, "It can grant me a rank 5 recovery passive skill for 1 day. Or permanently increase my agility by 2 points."
"Ah, yes. The Storm Cloud of the Golems arcana on its reversed form. It represents rebirth and flexibility against any situation. I've only seen it drawn a handful of times," the seer nodded.
Blue's card had a drawing of several golems falling down from a castle-shaped cloud, but she held the card upside down.
"Can't she turn the card so we can see it better?" Hera asked.
"She may, however, the power of the tarot only exists in the position the card was drawn. Even if you change that, its power will remain the same," Dwyn explained.
"Unless we ask for your help, right?" Blue asked.
"Correct. I can reverse the cards for you, turning yours," the seer looked at Hera, "Into the Reversed Three of Stars, a card that represents a cunning mind and the toils of life. Its power should increase one's intellect and remove that which afflicts you. The Three of Stars specifically is more powerful when it is reversed."
"What about mine?" Blue asked.
"The Storm Cloud of the Golems, when in its upright position, represents the magical power and the ability to create, and that is its strongest form," Dwyn said.
"Oh… that seems really good. What do you think?" Blue turned to Hera.
"Can't you tell us more about what the cards can do?" changing the buffs was a gamble, since they didn't know what they actually did. Yet, this Three of Stars could end up being something that could help Helena.
"I'm afraid I cannot. The cards will tell you the rest, and I may only interpret them. There is another thing you should be aware of. Reversing an arcana is not something absolute. The cards themselves have a will, and the process might fail. A failure could weaken the arcana, break the card or even destroy it completely. And this is a onetime option. If you choose to attempt the reversal, I won't be able to do it again with the same card."
Hera stopped for a moment. This was a big reward, but it shouldn't be the only time that this happened. For the seer to be a part of the dungeon, it meant that there had to be a way to receive other tarot cards here. Even if the odds were low, losing this wouldn't be like losing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She could, at some point, get this card again. Not to mention that it should be possible to sell these cards since there was nothing talking about it being bound to her.
"I want to have my card changed," Hera announced.
"Me too. If this is already this strong when it is reversed, imagine when it's upright!" Blue nodded.
"Very well," Dwyn slapped their hands, and suddenly the entire scenario changed. Hera and Blue were now inside a dark tent filled with black and purple cloths. In front of them, there was a table covered in some sort of silk, and the two cards they were holding were now floating above that surface. On the other side, Dwyn was covered in an even deeper shadow with both their hands above the cards.
Without uttering a single word, a spell was cast, and the cards began to twirl on their axes. They sped up more and more, turning almost invisible under the dim light that seemed to come out of nowhere. The Storm Cloud of Golems began to glow and spin, creating a globe with its afterimage. In contrast, The Three of Stars grew darker and slowed down. Little by little, the two cards continued to spin and become unrecognizable. One was becoming a beacon of light and the other a shadow deep enough to eat up the light.
Finally, the Storm Cloud of Golems stopped and fell back to the desk. Another minute went by until the Three of Stars shattered with a loud sound of breaking glass, and only its frame remained. At the same time, a notification appeared in front of Hera.
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Skill Acquired: Silver Lining
Silver Lining:
When something bad happens to you, there is a chance of it leading to something good.
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"What the…" Hera stared at the notification. This description was too random and too subjective. What would be considered something bad? Was it something she didn't like, or something that would hurt her? And why did she get the skill now? Before she could consider any other questions, the area changed once more, and they were back in the ballroom.
"Apologies, child. The fate felt offended by the change and pushed back against it. However, not all is lost," Dwyn picked up both cards and gave them to their owners.
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Frame of the True Reversed Three of Stars
The frame from one of the cards from the Kul Dorul Tarot. This card was broken during the process of reversing it, and it will take time to regenerate all its pieces.
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"Oh, this is so broken," Blue gasped.
"What?" Hera turned to her friend after putting her frame away.
"If I use this card, the rate that my maximum mana grows will be 10 times higher for a week, or it will give me a skill related to crafting," Blue put her card in her pocket, "What about yours?"
"It's broken. It says it will take time to regenerate, but it doesn't say anything else," Hera sighed.
"That is correct. You now have the true Reversed Three of Stars. It is a much more powerful version than the one you had before, but unfortunately, the card was broken. Keep it with you, and the card will eventually regain its complete form," Dwyn said.
"Any idea how long that will take?" Hera asked.
"Unfortunately, no. But you can keep track when looking at the card. The closer it is to being whole again, the more of its picture will appear."
"Right… thanks." Hera felt let down. It also didn't seem very fair. Blue had a legacy and now a powerful tarot card that could even give her a free skill, and she had no legacy and a broken card that would only be available to use who knows when.
She pushed those thoughts away and tried to head to the dining room, but the doors were locked. Without another option, Hera and Blue thanked Dwyn once again and exited the dungeon.