Divine Apostasy Book 7 - Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The bamboo near the Quartermaster had split, revealing items inside, and under each item a long sheet of paper hung. As the rest of the Adepts learned how to tie their white belts properly, Ruwen walked to the closest split bamboo.

An inch wide coin made of gold sat inside. The figure etched into the metal had mostly worn away. The handwritten note hanging below it provided details in fifteen languages.

Name: Boundless Bribe

Quality: Relic

Effect: Flip coin and press against any item to use as a bribe.

Cooldown: 30 hours.

Description: Worn gold coin. Imbued with illusion magic this coin imprints an item with the recipient’s greatest financial desire.

Ruwen wondered about the illusion enchantment. He hadn’t had much experience with that branch of magic, and he thought it might help him understand illusions better for when he could practice essence recipes again. He moved on.

The next few relics, a purple gem, a bent cross, and a broken chain, all enhanced attributes in some fashion. A needle caught Ruwen’s attention.

Name: Lightning Spine

Quality: Relic

Effect: Symbols scratched into the skin will absorb lightning until triggered.

Effect: Lightning Immunity with active symbol.

Duration: Until symbol has healed.

Restriction: One symbol created per day.

Restriction: Only one active symbol per person.

Description: A quill from a Cloud Razor. Symbol may itch and burn. If not discharged manually, the symbol will explode when the skin heals.

Ruwen wondered what a Cloud Razor looked like, as he moved to the next relic.

Name: Soothing Stone

Quality: Relic

Effect: Fear immunity.

Duration:5 minutes.

Restriction: Once per 6 hours.

Description: A river stone from a stream on Mount Jasper. Rubbing the stone for 6 seconds calms the mind. You hear the distant sound of a babbling stream.

Any type of immunity was valuable, Ruwen thought as he continued on. Rung Four grouped together around a handful of relics.

“What’s so interesting?” Ruwen asked.

“These all give bonuses to fighting demons,” Prythus said. “Would you like to see them?”

Ruwen pictured the Infernal army he’d obliterated not that long ago, along with the other demons he’d fought. The only demon he really feared was their leader, Lalquinrial. “No, you and your people need those more than I do.”

Ruwen moved around them and found the next set of relics which focused on attributes again. He realized how spoiled he was to come from a world where magic items were so common. In fact, he wondered how many of these relics had started their journey from a craftsman on Grave. Regardless, while a plus ten Dexterity ring might benefit many here, his Attributes had long ago stopped needing to be buffed separately.

The next item was one Ruwen didn’t recognize. It looked like a bracelet, but had a circular dial on the front. Numbers from one to twelve circled the face and three arms pointed at various numbers. The clear crystal of its face was cracked and he looked at the item’s description.

Name: Broken Time

Quality: Relic

Effect: Stop time.

Duration:3 seconds.

Restriction: Works twice per day.

Restriction: Must touch crystal to activate.

Description: Fashionable men’s watch with a leather strap. When the current time matches the value of the timepiece the wearer becomes unstuck from time for three seconds, disappearing from sight and gaining an extra three seconds to perform actions undetectable to others.

That looked interesting, if a little hard to use. Echo’s voice caught Ruwen’s attention.

“A book,” Echo said to the Quartermaster. “Like a journal.”

The Quartermaster shook his head. “We don’t have anything like that.”

“Are you sure?”

The Quartermaster frowned at Echo and she noticed Ruwen’s attention. She immediately moved away, putting more space between them. He wondered what book she was looking for.

Ruwen walked up to the Quartermaster and bowed. “What is your favorite thing here?”

The Quartermaster rubbed his chin. “That’s difficult to answer, as so many of these relics are situational. But I feel bad for Tarot and wish he’d find a home.”

“Tarot?” Ruwen asked.

The old man waved his hand and moved down the row of bamboo almost to the end. He pointed and said, “Tarot.”

Ruwen stepped up next to the man and looked down. “Oh no. I have terrible luck with these.”

Nestled in the bamboo like a tiny king sat a golem. Memories of Hamma’s Carnage Golem Smash flashed through his thoughts. Smash disliked Sift for valid reasons, and Ruwen for questionable ones, and every time the golem emerged, it caused more problems than if fixed.

The Quartermaster smiled. “It’s funny you mention luck. Tarot is a type of fortune golem.”

“What’s that?”

“He can read your future.”

Ruwen studied the tiny golem. Unlike Smash, Tarot had very distinct and defined features, carved and shaped by a master craftsman, and stood the height of Ruwen’s thumb nail. Remembering how Smash grew, Ruwen didn’t make any judgements about Tarot’s size.

Ruwen knew from his experiments with the Architect Role that seeing possible futures had benefits. “That could be useful,” Ruwen said. “Why has no one taken him?”

“Well, most Cultivators are so focused on the present they have little interest in the future.”

“But certainly insight into the future has value to someone.”

The Quartermaster winced. “It does, which is why Tarot’s power comes with a cost.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“He has a dimensional pocket he keeps the items he finds, and you could use as well,” the Quartermaster said hopefully.

Ruwen narrowed his eyes at the Quartermaster’s obvious deflection from the question on Tarot’s cost.

Ruwen had no need of extra storage. Tarot seemed like a terrible choice for him on every level. He glanced down at the detailed page.

Name: Thieving Misfortune Golem

Quality: Relic

Effect (Passive): Karmatic imbalance.

Effect (Triggered): Tarot reading.

Restriction: Reading requires an item you value.

Description: A half-inch golem made from Divine metal. No Fortune Golem provides more accurate results than those of the cursed misfortune type. The gods themselves turn their ears to hear a Misfortune’s reading.

The little golem was worse than Ruwen had expected. He turned to the Quartermaster. “What is karmatic imbalance?”

The Quartermaster sighed. “Bad luck. But just a little,” he quickly added.

“Uru help me, bad luck is the last thing I need.”

Tarot stood, and Ruwen leaned back in shock. He glanced at the Quartermaster. “I thought golems needed activation.”

“Fortune golems are special. The way they’re made gives them sentience. Not anyone can use them. They must agree.”

Tarot spoke, Ruwen’s Diamond hearing detecting the quiet voice and Hey You translating the golem’s words. “Why do you look so sour?” Tarot asked Ruwen. “Did someone you love die?”

“No.”

Tarot studied Ruwen, the shock of being understood clear on his greyish-white face. “They will.”

Ruwen leaned down. “Did you just do a reading on me? Who is going to die?”

Tarot laughed. “No reading. You haven’t paid. And dying is inevitable.” Tarot looked down, his face growing sad. “Eventually, everyone you love dies.”

A memory of Blapy flashed into Ruwen’s memory. It had been the first time she had mentioned her God Stone, and her research into storing the essence of someone in one of Fractal’s crystals, allowing them to be resurrected in a new body without the need for Divine intervention. She had said, “Fractal’s crystals, my research, and the celestials’ power source will mean the gods’ control of life and death is over. No one I love will ever die again.” Ruwen had no doubt she would succeed.

Ruwen looked down at the sad golem. “Times are changing. If you believe your loved ones will always die, you are a terrible Fortune Golem.”

Tarot looked up and a mischievous smile appeared. “Is that so?” He held out his hand. “Pay up, Grumpy.”

“I’m not grumpy.” Ruwen turned to the Quartermaster. “Is it safe?”

“Is what safe?”

“What Tarot wants to do.”

“You can understand him?”

Ruwen sighed and turned back to Tarot. “Can anyone here talk to you?”

Tarot shook his head.

“How long have you been here?” Ruwen asked.

Tarot shrugged. “Time here or time there it is the same.”

Ruwen felt Tarot’s immense sadness, and he wondered what it must be like for Tarot, sitting in this bamboo container, waiting to be taken out periodically and shown like a trinket to eager token bearers.

“Why don’t you run off?” Ruwen asked. “Is the Quartermaster keeping you here?”

Tarot shook his head. “No, the old man has tried to free me ever since he took over the job.”

“Then why are you here?”

Tarot’s playful smile returned. “Because I am the best Fortune Golem in existence, and why would I run toward my destiny when I could let it find me here.” Tarot held out his hand. “Now give me something of value, Grouchy.”

Ruwen frowned and then realized that only reinforced Tarot’s observation. He swiped his right hand under his left wrist in a practiced motion, dropping an item out of his Void Band as his hand passed, the action so quick the item would look to have just appeared by magic to most.

Ruwen held out a silver coin, wondering how Tarot would take it since they were the same size.

Tarot waved a hand. “Something you value. Do you value this?”

Ruwen looked at the coin. Before he’d ascended, money had held more value, but since then, money had not been at the center of his problems or needs. He wasn’t as bad as Sift, but his views of money had definitely shifted. Did he value this silver coin? He answered out loud. “Not really.”

Flicking the coin back into Inventory, Ruwen glanced through his items. One of the early items had proved very valuable to him. He dropped them out of his Void Band and held them out.

“What are these?” Tarot asked.

“They’re wax earplugs. They stopped these flying things from crawling into my ears, getting into my brain, and exploding.”

Tarot stuck out his lower lip and nodded appreciatively. “These are acceptable.”

A black hole appeared in Tarot’s stomach and an invisible hand reached out and snatched the earplugs from Ruwen’s hand. The black portal looked exactly like his Void Band, but that might be how all dimensional openings looked. The opening expanded as the ear plugs neared and, in a blink, they’d disappeared.

Tarot laced his fingers together, reversed his hands so the palms faced Ruwen, and cracked his knuckles. Tarot shook his hands. “It has been a while.”

Tarot went still and the portal in his stomach reopened. The invisible hand appeared again, this time holding a worn deck of cards. The cards all looked black, with intricate gold designs around the edges. A single open eye, also in gold, sat in the middle of each card.

“Present your question,” Tarot said.

Ruwen had never done anything like this and didn’t know what to ask. Should he ask something specific? A general or vague question? This whole thing seemed like a street performer’s scam.

The slight vibrations Ruwen now associated with the Founders appeared behind him, and he wondered if they had bothered to make themselves visible. It seemed they took this seriously, or were at least interested.

Not really knowing the best thing to do, he asked the question he’d spent the last year and a half preparing for. “Will my plans succeed here?”

“Shuffle,” Tarot said.

The cards burst outward as if from an explosion, and Ruwen stepped away. The cards’ spinning slowed and then stopped, before rapidly falling back together, each of them fighting with the others to fit in the deck. Tarot repeated this six more times and then the deck stilled.

The deck hovered in front of Ruwen’s stomach.

“Cut?” Tarot asked.

Ruwen had played cards, always for fun, with his parents and sometimes at the library with Tremine, and he repeated what he always did. He reached out and touched the top card of the deck with a finger. The card felt warm, and it spread to the tip of his finger. He brought his hand back, leaving the deck uncut.

Tarot looked into the sky and his voice grew louder. “Harken lost soul. You stare into the abyss. Prepare yourself for its gaze.”

Then with a flourish Tarot spread his arms, and the cards exploded once again. This time they formed a circle, seventy-eight cards hovering in perfect stillness, and the top card of the deck occupied the highest point from the ground. Tarot continued, his voice still loud. “I, Tarotmethiophelius, a Divine Fortune Golem forged from the mists of heaven, touching past, present, and future, offer this fortune.”

Tarot lowered his head and locked eyes with Ruwen. “Ruwen Starfield, choose three cards.”