Tale of Four

Standing inside the Mad House once again, Alice stared at the numerous doors available and sighed. Jumping onto the railing, she grabbed tight hold of it and leaned backwards, dangling over the edge, staring into the distance with a lost expression, wondering where to go. For ten years, she had dreamed of exploring the doors, and yet when she could, it became the hardest choice in her life.

”You shouldn’t do that.” Footsteps that got closer stopped, and Alice looked up, seeing a young Magi yet to have earned their colours, by their side an old man.

”It doesn’t matter.” Alice fell back again, dangling off the edge, trying to decide how she would choose the next door.

”You...” The young Magi’s voice was cut off by a croaky chuckle from the old man next to him.

”You are lost. I understand.” The old man leaned over the railing next to her and stared down at the abyss below. ”Will you take an old man’s suggestion to help you?”

”Sure.” Alice readily agreed, without any other way in mind.

”Climb until you can’t climb anymore. When your legs get tired and give out, rest and choose the door you stopped by.” Alice looked at the old man and made a face. Looking up, she saw the dark void that couldn’t be pierced and groaned.

”No, that.... that sounds terrible.” The old man shrugged and pushed off the railing.

”Then. Jump off and come to a stop when you feel like it. Whatever door is closest, jump through.”

”Teacher, that is against the rules.” The young Magi said with a shrill, staring at his teacher, unable to believe he had suggested soemthing. Waving his hand, the old man chuckled.

”The Magi break rules all the time in the pursuit of knowledge. Besides, there is soemthing freeing about jumping off.” Turning to the young boy, he gave a kind smile and rubbed his head, ”Only do it if you are confident in your abilities, like this one is.” Looking at the old man, Alice smiled when he turned back, and let go, falling backwards. Like a torpedo, she didn’t move to correct herself and be upright, instead using the chance to practise her wind magic, casting spells to make herself slowly spin.

All around, she watched as the Mad House zipped past, the floating platforms that flew up and down the centre, narrowly avoiding her as Magi cried out in panic when they noticed her. ’Here.’ Holding a hand out, wind flew out of her palm, slowing her. Pushing towards the railing, she jumped over and stared at the door before her, opening it and jumping through.

On the other side, Alice groaned and pulled the hood up, feeling the rain falling on her head and looked around, finding herself in a foggy area, coming out of a hut. ”Child of the Magi.” From within the hut, a dry, quiet voice called out, ”Come.” Alice stared at the hut for a moment with a strange look. All around, there wasn’t a sign of life, just this place. It made her wonder where she even was.

”This is an adventure.” From atop the hut, Chesh said, covered in fog, barely visible.

”Chesh. When did you follow me here?” Alice narrowed her eyes, barely able to make out the woman’s figure, ”I would have seen you.”

”I was always here.” Through the fog, Alice saw the same playful grin that always looked at her and returned one of her own.

”Child. Come.” The dry voice said again, and Alice smiled, sensing something exciting before her. The hut was empty, with only a table and two chairs on either side. Staring at the door, the hooded figure shuffled a set of cards that glinted under the candlelight, a soft clanging sound echoing as they touched.

’Steel cards. Strange.’ Saying to herself, Alice looked around the hut, falling deeper into confusion. It wasn’t the location that bothered her, but the lack of anything in the hut, only big enough for the tables and chairs, holding nothing else, as if it was purposely placed there just for her.

”Do you want your fortune read?” The hooded figure asked, continuing to shuffle the cards. Alice stared at him and narrowed her gaze before taking a seat and leaning forward.

”That’s impossible.” The hooded figure didn’t stop, his hand only getting quicker as he shuffled.

”Indulge me then. It’s rare I get a visitor.” Alice stared at the man, finally sensing soemthing from him.

”You’re a Magi?” The hooded figure paused. One second, two, three. Finally, he started again, dryly chuckling.

”I have been many things; now I am a fortune teller.” Alice let out a groan, hearing his words.

’Why do I keep finding people who talk in riddles and try to sound smart?’ Groaning again, she slumped forward and got a look at the cards. All were steel and nearly bare, with a sole carving on one side.

”Fine, tell me my fortune. Are you going to read the cards?” The man stopped and placed the deck of cards on one end of the table. Holding the top, he glided them acorss, spreading them out evenly.

”Choose five and lay them out before you.” With a roll of her eyes, she randomly picked out five, not putting much thought into it, and laid them out before her. The hooded figure swooped his cards up and clapped his hands together. Pulling them apart, the deck was gone, and like a magician to prove his trick, he showed his hands to Alice.

Reaching out, he grabbed the first card, turning it over, showing a face with stitched eyes and a stitched mouth, ”Blinded is the one who acts without thought. Blinded to the truth and the world. Blinded is the one who acts without question.”

Reaching out, he turned the second over, revealing a cat with eight tails, ”Curiosity will guide you. Curiosity will damn you. A cat has nine lives, and one is spent.”

Reaching out, he turned the third, revealing a book with a lock, a key inside the lock. ”Knowledge is hidden, and will be revealed. Knowlegde is true, but knowledge is dangerous. Some things are never meant to be opened. The wrong choice is made.”

Reaching out, he turned the fourth, revealing a blindfolded nun holding a pentagram, staring up at a pentacle, ”Worship is true, but misguided. Faith is real, but their god is a lie. Salvation for a God, for heretics, damnation for the faithful. Promises for oneself, nothing for its servants. One’s dream is another’s nightmare. A mistake through generations. A warning misread. Blinded to their mistakes, both God and their worshippers.”

Finally, he reached the last card, revealing a man wearing fake wings, believing they were flying, madly laughing, ”Delusion will be a prison, will be your shackle. Yet delusion is comfort. Reality is cruel. Believe you will fly, and you will always fly, never knowing you never left the floor.”

The man stopped and looked at Alice, ”Are you satisfied?” Alice stared at him and burst into laughter.

”That was quite good. I almost believed it all with how serious you sounded.” Alice clamed down and sighed, grabbing a card, ”But at the end of the day, it is impossible to read fate.” The hooded figure smiled and grabbed Alice’s hand, chuckling.

Finally, Alice got a look at the man and saw his crusted eyes, one darker than the other, so sunken that it was hidden by shadow. She saw his dry, crusted, tanned skin, which looked older than the trees and his rotting black teeth. ”Tell me, young Magi. You dismiss me reading fate, and yet you blindly believe your own.” Alice stared at him for a moment before her eyes widened. Jumping out of the chair, she pulled her hand back as the old man’s dry laugh turned manic.

Stepping back, she left the hut and fell backwards, as the fog covered it, the hut vanishing with it. ”How?” Alice stared at the figure through the door, her fear barely contained behind her mad smile, ”How does he know?” Laughing, she felt her hand and, for the first time in her life, felt sweat on her palms. ”He knows who guides me. It was real.” Laughing to herself, she fell backwards into the dirt, staring past the fog at the night sky, at the moon, delighted and terrified by what she had just seen, ecstatic that his command wasn’t a delusion.

’The world will be mine.’

End of Arc Two- The Doors of the Mad House