I - THE MAGICIAN
Tales of the prologue part 1.
Asra
"Your names are Cin Foole and Rem Petyarus, you're students of the magical arts. You live and train in the city of Vesuvia." It feels like a foggy dream... maybe a memory from long ago.
I kneel, placing a piece of bread on the ground. I sigh with disappointment when the rat that lives inside the hole in the wall doesn't come out to eat.
It feels like, today, everyone is trying to leave.
I get up from the ground and I lean over the wall with my arms crossed. I look over at Rem.
Rem is my cousin. They're my best friend and family. I'd do anything for them.
They're lingering at the window to appreciate the tranquil scene. Tonight, the evening fog is thick blanketing the streets in a white ethereal glow. I watch Rem as they draw the curtains shut, turning around. Their eyes fixate on Asra.
Asra is my- well, our master. He's a fortune teller. I know nothing of his past and he avoids my questions when I ask about it. Yet, he's taught us all of his magic.
"I'll miss you," Asra says, adjusting his bag on his shoulder. I look away, feeling displeased. "Do you have to leave tonight?”
"It's the dead of a moonless night." he replies, lowering his gaze. His eyes twinkle in the low lamplight. "the right time to begin a journey."
I sigh in defeat. I can't help but feel bitter whenever he has to leave, but I decide to keep quiet for now.
Rem walks away from the window and closer to us. They seem disappointed too that Asra has to leave.
When Asra sees Rem stepping closer, his eyes widen as if he just remembered something. "Rem, here... take this." I see Rem’s expression light up with interest after being addressed.
Asra reaches into his bag. "For you to play around with while I'm gone.”
A gift? How unusual.
I watch Asra put something in Rem’s hands. It takes me a moment to register what Asra has placed in their hands.
"My tarot deck," he says with a smile.
The tarot deck is Asra's creation, imbued with great power. That's the last thing I expected him to give them.
Rem stares at the cards incredulous. "You think I'm ready, master?" Rem looks hesitantly at Asra.
Asra immediately looks away, frowning his eyebrows slightly.
"You're still calling me that..." He mutters, pausing for a moment before continuing. "You know I can't answer that for you. You've made incredible progress, but you still won't let go of your doubt."
Of course, it's some ominous reply that avoids answering Rem’s question directly.
Asra closes his bag as if to tell Rem that they won't take the deck back even if she intends to return it, and then he smiles at Rem. "Do you think you're ready?"
His question makes me huff. I just wish he would answer instead of avoiding replies or being cryptic about things.
"Why don't you ever answer our questions?" The words come out of my mouth before I can even think them. I look at him, he doesn't look mad despite the fact I was rude to him.
"I don't?" He asks, genuinely surprised. "Well, I might not have all the answers you seek, but... the cards do if you know how to use them."
He looks me in the eyes. I avoid his gaze. "and you do know how to use them"
I go quiet. I can't argue with that. Despite the fact I believe Rem to be a better card reader than me, I do know how to use the cards.
"Why don't we ask the cards right now?" Rem asks, breaking the silence.
Master Asra has that look in his eyes as he pulls back the curtains leading to the backroom. A few rays of starlight peak through the curtains on the window.
I separate from the wall, taking a step forwards. I know where this is going.
"It's been a while since we've practiced." Asra says.
“Because I've perfected it?" Rem asks curiously.
I keep quiet and I roll my eyes. I'd say that it's more because of Asra’s absences but I'm just being negative. Of course, Rem perfected it.
Asra smirks playfully at Rem’s question. "Have you now?" Rem rolls her eyes at the playful challenge.
"You both truly are gifted, I shouldn't have expected any less." He says looking at us.
He's always going on about how powerful and gifted we are. I mean, his confidence is heartening, but I don't know where it comes from.
I slap my hands together. I rub them together, grinning playfully. "Well, let's see how perfected you are, Rem." I tease, trying to get us moving to the other room faster.
Asra beckons us to follow them and we do.
We sit down at the table. I sit next to Asra while my cousin sits in front of us with the deck still in their hands.
I see Rem moving, like something's touching her under the table. I bend down to look under the tablecloth to check but I can't see anything.
"Oh?" Asra esclamates. I sit back up to see Asra reaching down from his chair and holding out his hand. A long purple serpent finds her way up his arm. She flips her tongue at Rem and then at me.
It's Faust, Asra's familiar. She seems pleased to see us.
I respond to Faust’s greeting sticking out my tongue as well. Rem rolls her eyes seeing me do that. They look amused nonetheless.
"If we're all here," Asra says as Faust climbs her way to his shoulders, officially joining us. "Let's begin."
Rem shuffled the deck looking like an expert. I can remember the struggles of their first times, the cards flying everywhere at my first attempts. Now we don't struggle with this anymore.
Me and Asra follow the cards as they slip through their fingers. Rem picks 3 cards out of the deck and lays them on the table, then, following her instincts, she chooses one.
I lean over the table to take a look. "...the High priestess." I say. I move aside so that Asra leans over and sees for themselves. He watches the card looking expectant.
"What is she telling you?" he says as he looks up at Rem. "Is she telling you anything?"
When I'm reading the cards, they speak to me. They don't speak in any human tongue. Nonetheless, an answer always comes to my mind.
Rem looks at the card for a few moments, listening. "you've forsaken her." they say.
Asra looks surprised. "I have?" he asks.
I look at the both of them in silence, listening.
Rem nods slowly. "Yes, you've pushed her away and ignored her voice." Asra frowns and says nothing. They wait for Rem to continue. "She calls out, but you won't listen"
Rem pauses looking at the card, like they're reflecting. I frown.
"Master, if you ignore her—"
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.
A sharp knocking startles the 4 of us.
Someone's at the front door.
I raise an eyebrow confused. I look at Rem who’s looking at me with the same confusion.
“A customer? At this hour?" I ask.
Asra turns around to look at me. "Did we forget to put out the lantern again?"
I quickly shake my head. I remember we put it out earlier. Rem shrugs when we turn to look at her for a second opinion.
Asra takes a deep breath as he starts to get up from his chair. "Just as well, I can't stay any longer." Asra gathers up his things to leave. Suddenly, he's back in a hurry to leave again.
I wonder where he's going this time and what he'll bring back. But I know better than to ask him, not when he's been avoiding all my questions.
Me and Rem follow Asra to the backdoor. They're never wasting a moment when it's about getting ready to leave, so I have to walk fast.
"Well then, take care of yourself, guys.” They say, standing in front of the door and he looks at Rem, like something is on his mind.
He still has something to say but he won't say it.
He puts on his hat. I don't even have time to tell him how bad that hat looks, looks that he's already halfway out.
"Until we meet again." He parts the curtains soundlessly and slips out the back door.
Rem opens her mouth to say “bye”, but Asra is already gone.
The moment Rem closes her mouth again, the mystery visitor knocks again. Impatient, by the sound of it.
I watch Rem turn around and walk closer to the door. When I realize they're about to open to the strangers, I rush to stop them, putting my hand on their shoulder.
I go lock the door instead.
I've been rewriting and changing this text like 50 times. before i modify it again, I'm posting it HAHSGDGF
this is the start of the story of the au with Cin and Rem anddddd idk
This is a project with @wxnderdream so credits go to them as well.
and a big thanks to everyone who has been helping me write <333
in the end, I'll divide each chapter of the prologue in 3. Kinda like the game does ig??
