Divine Apostasy Book 7 - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Tarot flicked his wrist and a small card appeared. He jumped on the card and stood like a sled surfer. The card shot forward fast enough that Ruwen’s Last Breath triggered. Tarot circled Ruwen’s head three times before the card vanished and Tarot jumped off it directly onto Ruwen’s head.

Tarot burrowed into Ruwen’s hair and Ruwen resisted the urge to slap or itch the tiny golem. Three seconds later, Tarot stopped moving.

“You need a new barber,” Tarot said.

Two thoughts immediately surfaced in Ruwen’s mind. He had given himself a haircut shortly after arriving at the Black Pyramid when he’d gotten covered in rod spider blood. The blood had hardened so completely he’d had to cut it out of his hair, leaving it a little uneven and spikey.

Not long after that, Ruwen had created his Core and his hair had stopped growing on its own. He guessed he could make it grow if he wished, but had never tried it, although he and Overlord had discussed possibly growing a beard.

The second thought was that Ruwen could hear Tarot at all. The golem’s voice had not been loud and not arrived telepathically. It meant the communication likely happened via bone conduction or some type of vibration.

Ruwen spoke under his breath, vocalizing the words but not speaking them. “Can you hear me?”

“No need to shout,” Tarot replied.

Ruwen tried again. This time he kept the vibration so low he wasn’t even sure the thought left his mind. “Sorry.”

“That’s much better.”

Thorn spoke loudly. “We leave in five minutes.”

The crowd around Ruwen dispersed as everyone prepared for the transition to Savage Island. He studied the little bamboo cocoon Tarot had lived in.

“Do you need anything from your bamboo house?”

“No. I carry all my stuff with me.”

Ruwen could relate to that.

“I’m looking forward to this,” Tarot said.

“Does that mean you expected me?”

Tarot laughed. “Expectation’s fruit is disappointment.”

“That’s true,” Ruwen agreed. “And a much better saying than ‘Don’t judge a pastry by its frosting.’”

“That is also good advice.”

“I guess. You didn’t answer my question, though.”

Tarot paused a few seconds before speaking. “For the last seventeen years, my self-readings have contained the same six cards. And being one of the few creatures in existence that brushes against the universe, they reflect the universe’s probable outcomes. The first set is always the Fool, Death, and the Wheel of Fortune. The second is the Archfiend, reversed Death, and the Tower.”

Ruwen went still. Tarot’s repeated readings had started at the same time as Ruwen’s birth. “Archfiend? Like a demon?”

“The lord of demons, actually: oppression, fear, imprisonment, domination. Fun stuff.”

It made Ruwen uncomfortable that Death had shown up in both readings, as it reminded him of Echo. “What do you think they mean?”

“The Fool, Death, and Wheel all reinforce the same theme: change. The Fool is new beginnings, Death is an end of a cycle, and the Wheel is change coupled with inevitable fate.”

That described Ruwen’s path pretty well. “And the other?”

“The Archfiend represents obsession and oppression and the Tower disaster. The reversed Death emphasizes the Archfiend’s fear, decay, and resistance to change. That is a much darker outcome.”

“Great.”

“I’m just the messenger.”

Death existed in both readings, and Ruwen wondered if that had anything to do with Echo. She wore the Aspect of Death from her father Lalquinrial and had become intertwined with Ruwen’s life as well.

“Do you think I’m the Fool?” Ruwen asked, unable to hide his embarrassment. “I guess I’ve certainly acted like one.”

“The name is misleading. I consider the Fool the most powerful card.”

“Really?”

“The Fool walks the cliff’s edge of adventure and recklessness, order and distraction, and idealism and foolishness. It requires outstanding balance.”

Ruwen’s skin prickled as his body flushed. “Balance?” He repeated.

“Yes,” Tarot replied. “Everything is balance, but the Fool represents its immense importance like no other card.”

That made Ruwen feel better. “What would have happened if I’d left you here?”

“There is an aura here other than yours that reeks of Divine association. I would expect that would have led to that deity destroying this place to recover me.”

That must be Echo and her father Lalquinrial.

“You’re that valuable?” Ruwen asked.

“The desire to know the future is universal and others are obsessed with collecting us.”

“How many are there like you?”

“None of my siblings compare to me, but there are thirty-six of us. Nine specialties, each with four types: fortune, misfortune, cursed misfortune, and blessed fortune.”

“Why couldn’t you have been a blessed fortune?” Ruwen asked.

“Please, those golems are useless.”

“I bet they’re lucky, though.”

“Luck is overrated, and if you need it to succeed, you’re doomed anyway. Plus, only cursed misfortunes can manifest our readings into the physical world. It makes us extra valuable.”

“So I need to worry about people stealing you.”

“Yes, if it’s just a collector. If they want me for my readings, they’ll need to kill you first since I’ve made a pact with you.”

“Good to know. What can break our pact besides my death?”

“My death, or we agree to part ways.”

Ruwen’s body could sustain massive damage now and it made him worry. The sheet had described Tarot as consisting of Divine metal. Did that mean terium? “How durable are you? Trouble seems to always find me, and some if it is powerful magic.”

“I’m a combination of terium and aura extracted from the Universe itself. I’ve spent time with peak deities and only the great darkness ever concerned me. So don’t worry about me.”

A million questions flooded Ruwen’s mind about Tarot’s revelations.

The Quartermaster retrieved the bamboo shoot he’d thrown into the ground, and the forest disappeared in a blink.

Thorn raised her voice. “Group up and listen. I’ll explain the details on our run.”

Ruwen strode toward Rung Four and spoke to Tarot. “I hope we can talk about your adventures sometime.”

“Of course. Knowing the past is a map of the future. It is also a pit that can trap you. It’s a balance. Something the Fool should understand.”

“Right. Maybe at least in the beginning you can help me manage that. My curiosity is still like a tidal wave, and it tends to carry me to places I’m not ready for.”

“A wise and balanced approach Ruwen Starfield. You might be okay.”

Ruwen stepped up to Sift, who had stayed with Rung Four instead of moving over to Echo and Rung One. Shelly poked her head out and swung it back and forth.

“Shelly, stop it,” Sift said.

“What is that?” Tarot asked.

Tarot squirmed in Ruwen’s hair and a moment later the tiny golem rode a card through the air, diving toward Sift’s hip. Now that Ruwen could see the golem he used the passive Sphere of Influence from Rami’s third Codex of Evolution and created a mental link with Tarot.

Is something wrong?

Tarot looked up at Ruwen. How did you form this link? Are you bound to a Perception Wyrm?

Yes.

What type?

Bookwyrm.

Oh, wow. You have really complicated your life. You can add the Ink Lords to the list of people who want to kill you.

That list is pretty long. Ruwen touched the hip pocket containing his Ink Lord’s Wrap armor. It sat rolled up in the shape of a tiny scroll, but remained ready to deploy in seconds. He didn’t bother mentioning to Tarot he had become an Ink Lord himself. Is everything okay?

Oh, yes. Tarot replied, not looking up. I’m just saying hi to an old friend.

Tarot flicked his wrist, and another card appeared in front of Shelly.

“Control your golem,” Sift said to Ruwen. “He’s upsetting Shelly.”

Shelly squirmed out of Sift’s pocket and climbed onto the card. Tarot jumped forward and hugged Shelly, wrapping his tiny arms around the tortoise’s neck. She closed her eyes and rocked in pleasure.

“Hey, get off my turtle,” Sift yelled at Tarot.

Ruwen resisted the urge to correct Sift. “It’s okay. Tarot says they’re friends.”

“Sure, sure. That’s what they always say.” Sift bent and glared at Tarot. “Watch yourself, little man. I will squash you if you hurt Shelly.”

Tarot ignored the threat and spoke on the mental connection he had with Ruwen. It’s great to see her so happy.

Sift keeps good care of her.

Tell him I’ll do a free reading for him, with your permission, of course.

You can do them on other people? Will they get the marks as well?

Yes, Tarot said as he let go of Shelly and flew back up to Ruwen’s head.

You are full of surprises.

“Let’s go,” Mist yelled as she turned and jogged out of the courtyard.

Rung One fell into line behind the Founders and the Addas and the rest followed, Rung Four at the rear, with Ruwen and Sift at the very end.

Thorn’s voice floated back to them. “I’ll start the instructions for Savage Island with a warning. A quarter of you won’t survive.”