Fortune Told

Art sat down at the round table, his leg shaking from excitement. The lady placed her palms on the table, the air feeling heavy with suspense and anticipation.

"So what is my future?" Art blurted out hoping to break the silence.

"Be patient young one, fortune telling is no simple task."

The Fortune Teller concentrated at channeling her energy into the crystal table. The table started glowing brighter, now illuminating the whole room. The room was divided into sections by large pieces of cloth, draping from the ceiling. Behind the fortune teller was a row of 10 statues, lined up together only a few feet apart.

These statues were known as the Saviors of Terra, and the supreme leaders of their respected nation. The statues were gold in color with a few gems placed in the eyes and the clothing. This would allow the light to reflect off them, giving them a more divine effect.

When the glow of the table, reflected upon the statues, the light blinded Art briefly, catching him by surprise. He leaned back in his seat, and rubbed his eyes.

When his eyesight cleared, he noticed the golden statues behind the Fortune Teller. He opened his mouth in awe.

"Woah! Who are those people?" Art asked pointing behind the lady.

The lady kept her eyes closed and her palms on the table the whole time.

"Silence please, the time is almost here." The lady whispered.

** ** **

A mass of villagers moved in an unorganized, yet civilized fashion, towards the prize and food tent. Doan followed, hoping to find a certain young friend. He had lost track of time entering the trading tent, and the story telling one right after.

"Now where could that boy be?"

Doan walked through the people and arrived at the prize and food tent. He looked around, scanning the area for a blue haired boy. Suddenly he spotted a purple haired man and walked up to him.

"Greetings Ryker have you seen the boy anywhere?"

Ryker turned to the man's voice. He smiled at the old friend. It felt like only just a few years ago he was offered the position of Sugar Knight, along with his childhood friend Doan.

"Doan! So good to see you old friend!" Ryker smiled, smacking Doan's shoulder.

Doan smiled back and nodded

"Likewise." He quickly took a glance at the people inside the tent, making sure to be looking for Art. He and Ryker walked towards the food area, and served themselves a plate of food and sat down at an empty table.

"Mmm, so i hear you're looking for Art?" Ryker took a bite out his food, speaking with a mouthful of food. He had developed this habit since he was a child, and nobody corrected it. He smiled and pointed with an empty bone in his hand.

"I'm sure the boy is fine, he has the physical qualities of a Sugar Knight!" Ryker laughed.

Doan nodded in agreement.

"I certainly don't deny it, he has a gifted stamina."

"Yeah no kidding." Ryker snorted.

"That kid went to the Fudge Forest and back in only 5 hours."

To say Doan was impressed was an understatement. He knew that the Fudge Forest mainly lied on the outskirts of the uncharted territory. It would take an average adult at least 8 hours to do the same. He had briefly taken note of Art's abundant stamina back when he helped him get to his vault. There were about 30 stories in the vault room. Yet, Art only showed signs of minor fatigue.

'Sugar Knight, huh?'

** ** **

While Art was waiting for his fortune to be told, remaining quiet as the teller ordered, he watched her intently, with the curiosity of a child. He wondered what she could be doing that made the table glow, and the fact she had her eyes closed the whole time. She didn't appear to be saying anything. Art knew it was something though, since her hands were placed down on the table, and she was making it glow brighter steadily. 

Art had heard of what energy was. Not just the energy he gained from the meals Doan made. Not just the energy from his favorite juicy and savory fruits, gapples. He knew there was controllable life energy. Energy that one as human mortal, could mold and enhance themselves with. He had learned this from the book he peeked at, in King Dulcee's castle. 

'Is it candy energy?' Art wondered. 

"Um, excuse me lady but do you know what candy energy is?" He asked the lady.

"What I'm using is not what you think it is." The lady immediately replied, knowing what Art wanted to ask him.

The Fortune Teller was known as Mary, and she was the second person in the village who had learned magic besides the king. When she was younger, her fascination for magic grew, then turning into an obsession. She got into trouble with higher forces, trying to research about them, hoping to grow more powerful. One day, when one particular force was fed up with the ignorance from Mary, it appeared in front of her and placed a life binding contract on her.

She was forced to work for it, for the rest of her life, and the force would bless her with a small portion of its magic power. However, the force would control her unwarranted, whenever it wished to do so. The moment the lady spoke she was, vulnerable to the control.

The table suddenly stopped glowing, darkening the room almost entirely. Mary went limp in her seat, her head tilted down as she lost consciousness. Suddenly she sprung up on her seat, rapidly as she opened her eyes. They were glowing a bright blue that illuminated the room with a stronger light than anything the table produced.

Art was wide eyed, looking at the lady glowing like a million Bumble Glows combined into one.

"Uhh what's happening!?" He yelled in a nervous tone.

Blue mist started coming out of the lady's eyes from the sides. It flowed out liked the green rivers Art had seen back in the strange sour biome.

The lady started to lift her arm slowly like an overjointed puppet, raising her finger. She pointed directly at Art with a single index finger, the mist now around her body and finger, slightly covering her skin.

'Cease your dramatics.'

'Child.'

'I mean no harm.'

'I harbor no hatred in my soul.'

'For I have seen it all.'

The voice was deep but it wasn't loud. It was in his head speaking in a telepathic way.

'Yes, I see your soul and I see your life.'

'A brave man you shall become.'

'And will carry the wandering souls of many into the light.'

While the powerful force spoke, the lady was blank faced, with tears rolling down her eyes. She had seen Art's future, and was emotionally hurt. Seeing the burdens and the obstacles this child would have to carry or overcome. It was a life filled with sorrow, if she ever was in one.

Suddenly the voice from the blue mist broke into a deep laughter and spoke.

'Gotcha! what'd ya think of my all-powerful fortune telling abilities?' The voice spoke deeply, but sounding more modernly. However, it kept the same volume in his head the whole time.

Before he could respond, Art looked at the lady, as the glow started fading away and mist started dissipating. The room soon darkened, and the lady started waking up. She held hear head, shaking it weakly, then turned to the young boy.

She gave a large grin, and nodded her head yes, as if making a statement. She then pointed at herself with her thumb and opened her mouth to speak.

"Guess who?"

Art was confused as he heard the powerful force, speaking out loud, its voice coming from the woman. He stood up and stepped away from the table.

"Hey, what did you do to the nice lady?"