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Tales From Amber: Naddia; 1st Amber Game +10 point Journal
Topic Started: Nov 5 2017, 12:10 PM (30 Views)
aluckymuse
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
Death From Above 1979 - Trainwreck 1979

I exposed a rather toothy grin as a devil's light danced behind my eyes and I pushed back a stray hair that had escaped my auburn ponytail. Addressing the crowd was one of my favorite parts of this particular pastime. I scanned the faces in front of me as the rest of my compatriots already busied themselves with looting, or standing in various places for crowd control.
What a fat lot this group was. Sanctimonious faces, their bodies dripping in finery. They never had to want for much did they? And if they did, they just bent or broke someone weaker to get their way. They never knew a fear like this either, something transpiring around them they couldn’t control.
"Alright darlings. Here's how our transaction is going to go down."
A spit from one of them made it to the ground, Prompting a quick kick in the gut by one of my friends.
"Tisk-tisk." I looked down at the foolishly prideful passenger, "Now, now, none of that. I personally don't care whether you like me or damn me," I returned my gaze to the crowd, "but some of my companions may take personal convictions on such behaviors... Now, I want you all sitting as pretty as you can muster while we here relieve you of your ill-gotten weight. If you manage not to do anything witlessly stupid, you won't get a bullet to the brains. If not..." I moved one of my guns outward and shot a window causing many of the rich train passengers to tremble in fear. I let my gun pause there for a moment, scanning the crowd before lowering my arm. "Good. I'm glad to see we've come to an accord."
I turned round to focus on my next task: the safe. The others could handle plucking jewels and emptying wallets, what I enjoyed was hearing tumblers and getting the satisfaction of cracking open a lock. I had just set about in scanning through my pick-set when a tingling sensation stirred at the base of my neck and slowly began to rise in strength as it made its way to the base of my skull. My mind then became pressed, as if a niggling thought was waiting for me to turn my attention to it. I knew well what this was. A Trump contact.
My family had the ability to psychically contact each other through the use of a tarot card deck in which our faces were painted upon. There had never been a formal one made of me however, and so this immediately limited who could be contacting me. It didn't matter though. I disregarded whomever it was on principle. I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, and proceeded to empty my mind of thought. No one home, just leave now. The presence, whomever it was, sat there for a moment and then eased. I had only just brought my brain back online and looked back down at my things when another mental wave pressed against me. I shut my eyes again to start the process all over again. I had almost won out when suddenly I was shaken by one of my companions and jolted into conscious thought. He was looking down at me questioningly and I shrugged off my behavior as little more than a mild headache.
The thing inside my head was watching, it knew I was present. My subterfuge had failed. I moved my internal gaze towards its direction and a shiver passed through me as I did. This presence was an essence of emptiness. It was like having a void sit shotgun in your brain. I wrinkled my nose and shoved the thing to the back of my mind, doing my best to ignore it until it went away. It quickly became a battle of wills. I went back and forth, studying the lock and my tools and then began my work. Each moment that passed became harder and harder to focus as the darkness in my mind pressured me more and more.
Eventually I stood up in frustration. I could not work like this. I swapped my tension wrench and pick with my gun as I backed away from the safe. Suddenly a sharp pain rattled through me. I reflexively flinched, causing my trigger finger to fire. I did not know where. I let out a stifled scream.
What kind of contact was this?
I winced as the world seemed to slow and blur around me. I stumbled in the next lazy bounce of the train. I was barely able to keep my footing. The pain caused my ears to ring and I could not help but bring one hand up to my head. Screams echoed as pandemonium broke out on the train. Foolish gits deciding that this was their chance for escape. I shut my eyes tight. I could hear my group yelling, moving swiftly to try to regain control. One of them touched my shoulder, presumably to check on my well being.
I brought the contact to the front of my mind and addressed it quite thoroughly. If it wouldn't go away, I'd make it do so. I pushed hard and nearly crumpled to the ground in doing so. I bared my teeth in a primal anger mixed with distinct satisfaction as the strange darkness was pushed away and severed off. The world came back into focus as if I suddenly emerged from water. A tangling of bodies wriggled about the train my companions struggling to control the situation once more. The doors were open and it seemed a few people jumped.
I was so done with playing nice.
Edited by aluckymuse, Nov 5 2017, 01:10 PM.
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
I pointed my gun upward and let off a few rounds. "Everybody off or you're dead!" I roared. A few of my less principled compatriots started to kick some passengers out into the dirt below. Many desperately jumped of their own accord, the rest of the more mousy victims pleaded and cowered, effectively neutered from doing anything heroic.
I knelt down next to the safe and wiped my brow. The open doors whipped in dusty air that clung to my sweaty face. Time to continue my work, get off this damned train, and take a bath. I was about halfway to cracking the lock when another tingle rose up my neck and tickled the back of my mind. I spat to my side in contempt and forged onward.
The contact pressed with intent against my thoughts, but decidedly more humanely than the last. I growled a curse as I motioned for another to take over the task. I moved to the side and groped for my Trump deck inside my bag. I only had a use for the custom cards I had made, as one can use them for communication as well as quick travel when the images were places instead of people. For better or worse though I felt the need to hold onto all the family cards. Long ago I had ditched the minor arcana cards as a practicality. I had no want for vague fortunes and they only made it take longer to shuffle to a card that had purpose. I flicked through each ugly joke in a kingdom of empty faces, pausing on them in turn briefly. Uncle Caine and Aunt Fiona's cards sparkled with psychic energy, they were both active. My eyes squinted in discontent as I opened myself to the contact. Both Fiona and Caine were present. They stood in expertly tailored finary. Caine in black and greens that suited his dusky complexion, and Fiona in accents of green amongst her purples, a stark comparison for a relation with her pale skin framed by firey red hair.
I waited for one of them to speak.
Caine's dark eyes bore through me, "Naddia, you must come with me. Now."
My face twisted in a dangerous mixture of disgust and disbelief as I scanned them both up and down. "....No."
"I told you back then that I had made a commitment to protect you. I gave my word. Now come through."
I wrinkled my nose, "And I said that's fine for you and dropped the call, just like I'm about to now. I don't need your protection or anyone else-"
"I said come."
He reached out along with Fiona and I felt myself being plucked like a kitten out of my world and into theirs. Traveling by Trump was an odd thing. The physical sensation is not unlike what one experiences in an elevator as where you are in space becomes uncertain. The world you know blurs and then clears into a new one as if it had been there all along.
My jaw clenched as the new ground hit my feet. It took only a bat of an eye to know where they had dragged me. I was in castle Amber, in the land of Amber. The one true world from which all other shadow worlds are cast. Before me were what I assumed to be a handful of family members. I recognized a few of the elder Amberites from my Trump deck, the other three faces were new to me. I concluded that my deck must be outdated, not that I cared at that moment.
I folded my arms scanning the room realizing I had entered mid scene. One of the strangers, the petite woman of fair complexion and long red hair, swiftly turned and left before I could view her fully. The other, a big burly thing of a man lifted himself off the floor and offered the last stranger, a thinner dark haired man, a drink. The dark haired man took it politely after catching his breath from what I presumed to be some sort of trial, and took a deep swig before handing it back. "Thank you." he said curtly with a polite nod.
I moved to walk away when suddenly I felt a large hand upon my shoulder. "Where are you going?" Caine's voice rang through me and I stifled a growl.
"Nowhere." I responded through my teeth. I was decidedly trapped for the time being. Travel through Trump was still possible here to be sure, but I knew their strength was far more than my own. Even if I managed to slink away, if Caine wanted me here I’d find myself unconsciously dragged back. I looked at him through the corners of my eyes rather then turn to face him properly, "I would just very much like to clean myself up...Uncle." He released me and I walked off.
The castle was beautiful, I'd give it that. It's aesthetic was decadent as buildings of power often are, but Amber's walls held themselves in a rather quietly wise way. As I traveled through the hallway trying to get my bearings after centuries of absence I was quickly stopped by an older maid whom politely and rather hesitantly beckoned me to come with her to see that I was attended to. My ears perked up at that moment and I looked behind me, another maid had whispered something under her breath, presumably a curse. My boots had been leaving a dirt trail.
I quickly knelt down and addressed the woman who was now on her knees trying to clean up my mess, "I am very sorry for the trouble mam.'"
Her face was shocked and then turned red as a cherry as she looked back down at her work, "No need, no need, my lady. Please, it is my humble job to serve."
I frowned as I stood and then proceeded to take off my boots. The other maid had bridged the gap to more intimate conversation when she saw what I was doing, "My lady! Please, you cannot walk barefoot in the castle." She looked at me with an air of embarrassment as the maid on the floor quickly glanced up at us and then back down, averting eye contact.
"But...the dirt?" I held up my boots, brow raised. To hell with normal convention, was this not better than leaving a needless mess in my wake?
The elder maid shook her head in frustration and let out a small sigh, "Just, come dear." she lightly touched my arm and lead me away. I was brought to a bathing room that had been prepared for my arrival. I found solace in the water as I washed my face and took in deep meaningful breaths. I hated and wanted nothing to do with this family. But I was not an idiot. I was in Amber now, and if any of my elders issued a command I would have to obey, even with a smile if it was required...at least for now. As much as I was loathe to admit, I feared their power, and rightly so. Until an opportunity presented itself to slip away I would have to play the part of a royal lady of Amber. A bird in a gilded cage as it were.
Edited by aluckymuse, Nov 5 2017, 01:08 PM.
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
Once I was clean I was taken to my old apartment. It was lavish with detail but ultimately came off as unlived in. It was my room but only in name. I had not been here for hundreds of years, my time, and once this was all over I had no plans to stay. Two servants tended to me there. A short tidy young woman and the elderly woman from before. They had laid out an assortment of long dresses for me to choose from. I assumed they had made quite a fuss over my former clothing that I arrived in; trying to hurriedly find garments that would fit me before I was done washing myself. All the options looked pompous and hard to run in, and I found myself wrinkling my nose in mild dissatisfaction at the idea that I would have to be wearing one of these things. They all were of similar shades to my original clothing that was comprised of mostly purples. What was it about Amberites and their colors? We each had our own, that we would almost always be seen wearing. I was no exception. I picked my poison, shoes were paired, and was helped into the thing. Then I was sat down, my hair was brushed and set, jewelry was offered and adorned, makeup was offered and denied, and perfume was sprayed. While this transformation was taking place I decided to break the relative silence. I was ready to get down to business as soon as possible. And so far it seemed there was no threat in sight that would warrant Caine purposefully reaching out to protect the family pariah.
“Do you know what the occasion is, that I would be brought here?”
“My lady, King Random has declared there’s to be a gathering, a family reunion of sorts. This will be the one year anniversary of peace since Patternfall. The King requests the presence of all family members. New Trumps will be painted for the newest generation and you will be able to meet all of your cousins. It will be a celebration to the continuation of familial harmony.” My brow raised, incredulous at the news and then slowly lowered. There had to be something else...Something not being shared about the castle.
The servants busied themselves as I sat politely like a doll. A few empty compliments were received to the health of my hair or the sparkling of my eyes before there was a knock at the door. The tiny one opened it and addressed a guard whom had brought news that my presence was requested in the Yellow Room. The two finished up rather hastily to get me on my way. The older maid led me out of the room and down the hall. In her intuitive wisdom she had surmised that I would have most likely become lost without an escort. She was right of course, but she led me carefully so that it seemed I had a sense of direction as we passed other nobles in the hall. Appearance was important in courtly life.
Eventually we rounded a corner and only a few paces in front of me was the thin dark haired man from before. The maid gestured in his direction, “It appears he is going to the same destination, it is just further up the hall, clearly marked.”
“Yes, I remember it now. Thank you.”
She left me then and I caught up to the man. He was dressed in typical high society Amberite fashion. Straight black shoulder length hair grazed a silvery gray and red vest that surrounded a white satin shirt. Everything about him seemed severe and impassive. He looked me up and down from the corners of his emerald green eyes but was remaining silent for far too long.
“Naddia.”
“Excuse me?”
My name, is Naddia.”
“...Blaine.”
“Anything else you are quietly wondering you can ask using your words. Your eyes won’t get you nearly as far.”
The conversation shifted to dead air after that as we reached the Yellow Room. The guard held the door open as we both crossed the threshold. Blaine moved to the side and allowed me to walk in first, a polite gesture. Inside was Uncle Random, and three of my cousins, the burly one from before and two other men whom I had never met in person. The big one let out a grin of hospitality and beckoned us to come sit with him at a large table. I could do little else but oblige. I sat opposite of him and Blaine grabbed a chair beside him. He wore simple minimalistic grays with dark brown boots. Clothing fit for hard work. His bushy brown beard framed a habitual and white smile.
He extended a large hand in my direction, “Garth!” He stated exuberantly.
“Naddia.” I smiled cautiously and allowed him to shake my hand, however my whole arm was instead.
“And you?” he quickly turned his full attention to Blaine.
I quietly surveyed him. Garth seemed...quite nice. A warm friendly demeanor that was oddly genuine. I had not believed it’s like existed within this family, and concluded that he had not spent time around relatives or in Amber and thus was untainted by it’s cruel nature. Either that, or he was just charmingly dull witted.
Garth addressed us both now, snapping me from my thoughts, “What do you think we’re all here for?”
“I am sure we will find out soon.” Blaine offered bluntly as he studied the far wall.
I twisted in my chair to look over at the two other men in the corner with tepid curiosity. One dark haired, the other blonde, both were fair skinned and equally uninterested in bringing their conversation over to the table.
How long were we to wait here? My gaze rotated to Random whom had procured himself a drink. The current king of Amber. He had a kind looking face topped with blond hair. His attire was suitably formal, but not overly so. A mix of orange red and brown.
I was reminded of my time spent within these walls as a young woman in my late 20s. Neither of us looked to have aged a day even though it had been so many years since then. He had made a few appearances, and I remembered him to be more of a free spirit. It seemed rather strange to see him a king.
Suddenly the doorway opened and the red headed stranger from before emerged. She floated in like a graceful swan wearing an elegant yet minimalistic looking dress that flowed around her form in olive green and lavender hues. I rested my left elbow on the table and propped my head up with my hand as I watched her, stifling a snort. The poster child of an Amberite. She was too much of a lady for me. Too much like those women that I would empty pockets from and shame for sins. Her social grace was ever present and the other two cousins off to the side immediately acknowledged her, I reasoned they must already know each other. She leaned in quick to kiss one on the cheek before continuing on to sit at our table. I noticed that she was subtly looking us over as she set herself daintily in her chair at the end of the table.
Play nice. I reminded myself. All I had to do was fulfill my purpose here as quickly and as smoothly as possible. I quickly shifted into a proper posture as Random walked over with a wide smile and addressed us, “Please introduce yourselves, and your relation.” I quickly glanced over to the two other men, now whispering to each other. Apparently they were not going to be a part of this sharing circle.
“Blaine. My father is Julian”
“Hello, I’m Evelyn, Flora’s daughter.”
“Garth, Gérard’s kid.”
I looked them all over in turn and before the silence grew too long I drew a breath and replied in a polite tone, “Naddia...daughter of Brand.” I once again assessed everyone's faces. It looked as if something quickly passed behind Evelyn's eyes, Blaine was rather stoic, and Garth just had an amicable grin on his face. I had assumed knowledge that my father was Brand wouldn’t be well received, but would be quietly tolerated on the King’s behalf. My father was the one that fell into insanity and nearly destroyed the universe after all, making him a fast enemy towards the rest of the family till he was killed. There was even a war over the whole affair; Patternfall.
They could douse me in their prejudice for all I cared. The sins of my father had nothing to do with me. He was kind and gentle once, until Amberite affairs eventually twisted him into a absolute monster.
Edited by aluckymuse, Nov 5 2017, 12:27 PM.
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
Random seemed rather pleased, nodding to himself. “Yes, good, good. Now, to the reason you were all assembled here a bit earlier than scheduled. It would seem that there’s a strange oddity targeting Amberites through Trump contact. So far you were the only ones affected.”
Blaine looked down in thought, “The empty void that trapped me.”
“The very same.” Random confirmed.
Evelyn cocked her head, “Trapped you?”
“Yes...I...attempted to reach out and make contact with it and it sucked me inside of itself.”
“Reach out? You mean you stuck your hand in it?”
“....Yes.” He was holding back his embarrassment very well.
“Anyway,” Random interjected, “So far we know very little about this Empty Trump. Suffice to say it would be unwise for any of you to engage with it in any capacity. You will all be staying in the safety of Castle Amber at least until after the celebration when this matter can be properly handled. Now, I’ll let you get acquainted. Your dinner will be brought to you here.”
I could have groaned, I wished I had asked how many days this was going to take but I had thought it best to hold my tongue. It would all be over eventually. Random left us then, with the other two cousins in toe.
“Who were they?” Garth thumbed as the door was closed behind them.
“Merlin and Martin.” Evelyn answered simply, as if we’d be able to tell who was who.
“Oh...”
There was an awkward silence rapidly growing as we sat there generally avoiding eye contact. And then Garth started up again, “Uncle Randy seems pretty nice.”
I tried to stifle a snicker as Blaine raised an eyebrow and Evelyn nearly blushed in embarrassment.”Uncle...Randy?” she questioned. “It would be wise to never have him hear you call him that.”
Garth let out a laugh, “It’s fine Evie!”
“Evie?!”
I let out a laugh of my own and Evelyn gave me a rather sharp look.
I liked this guy.
Blaine let out a short huff, “I suppose since we’re to get acquainted we should share a bit more about ourselves then who our parents are.”
I let my posture relax a bit, Garth’s casual charm pulling me in like gravity. “All business huh? Alright Smiles, as you’d like.”
Garth smiled ear to ear looking at me with a sense of approval. I gave him a thumbs up as Blaine eyed me, “Really, Smiles? That’s what you’re going with?”
“Oh yes.”
In the next few minutes that followed we went around the table sharing very little. It was a family custom to withhold as much useful information about oneself so that there wouldn’t be the possibility for it to be used against them later. Which ultimately made the whole dragged out conversation boring and pointless to me. Eventually the small talk was quelled by the sound of the door opening. A new person entered the room.
A woman dressed in a uniform of black with bright green and purple accents headed directly towards us. She had dark auburn hair that was tightly cropped to her head, and a smattering of light freckles across her nose. Despite the uniform and the no frills hairdo she hardly had a stodgy or stern way about her. Only a few paces behind her was Fiona. The stranger stopped short at our table as Fiona brought her hand to rest on the woman's shoulder.
“Hello everyone. This is my daughter Alexandrea.”
Alexandrea seemed to wince at the mention of her name but stayed silent as we were all prompted into exchanging our names once more for her benefit. Afterwards, with a satisfied nod Fiona made her exit and Shade pulled up a chair.
“Evelyn, I’ve heard of you. You fought in Patternfall quite courageously, I’m told.”
Evelyn quickly brushed off the compliment, “I wasn’t all that impressive, really.”
Shade simply nodded and then with a new intensity she addressed all of us. “Before we go any further I want to make something very clear. My name, is Shade. If any of you try to call me Alexandrea, I will try my hardest to kill you.”
Garth furrowed his brow, “How about Ale-”
“What part of kill you was unclear?”
“...Uh, Shade-y? Shadie...Sadie then!”
Shade just stared at him for a few seconds unblinking before finally letting out a long exhale through her nose. “Well, at least it’s not Alexandrea.”
She surveyed each of us in turn and then lifted her legs up plopping her feet down onto the table in a dull thud, “Right...” she let the word roll off her tongue lazily as she brought forth her Trumps and started to flick through them, “I have no plans to stay for dinner. My mother said to stay together, but she didn’t say where. Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome to.”
“Do you really think that wise?” Blaine looked her up and down.
“Yea? My personal Shadow is absolutely safe.”
“Wouldn’t it be wiser to stay here, where it’s protected?”
Shade scoffed, “I can shut down Onyx to all Trump calls. No contact in or out without my permission. The second we get there, I’m closing it off.”\
My ears perked up and I suddenly became much more focused on the conversation at hand, “How do you do that?” I questioned.
Shade shrugged, “It’s just knowing how to manipulate the Shadow correctly.”
“Can you teach me how to do it?” My head snapped to see Evelyn was just as invested in this topic as I was. I gave her a slight look up and down in mild confusion; why would she care about something like this?
Shade just shrugged again, “Yea probably. Anyway,” she put the rest of her deck away now holding a single card in her hand of a rather futuristic looking interior of some kind, “is everyone who’s coming ready?”
“...I still do not think it would be wise to just leave like this.” Evelyn looked conflicted as she spoke.
“Okay, would it make you feel better if I asked permission first?” Shade huffed as she withdrew her deck once more and flipped to her mother's card, swiping her hand over it.
“Mother, would it be alright if I take my cousins to spend some time in my personal shadow?” She nodded twice and then after a pause her gaze rested upon all of us again. “She’s fine with it. We good now? You obviously don’t have to come if you don’t want.”
I brought my hand forth. I was deeply considering going regardless of permission, but now that Shade had acquired it, the decision was obvious. Garth put his hand in, exuberantly I might add, and then Blaine did as well, Evelyn was last.
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
We were all pulled through the Trump into her world. The environment transformed from regal architecture filled with artistic details to one of simplistic utilitarianism. In front of us, a large window rose and through it we could see the vastness of space in perfect clarity. I released myself from them immediately, enamored by the view. It was always a beautiful thing to me, as well as an outlet for contemplation on the nature of our world. Did space even exist before the Pattern? There were an infinite number of Shadows on this world, this was known, but were there other true realities out there? Somewhere? Another Chaos, awaiting it’s other half to be born...or something completely different altogether?
I was abruptly rattled out of my thoughts as Garth rushed to the window rotating his head around in excitement, “Wow! ” he placed his hands on the glass, “Is that...Earth? How are we up so high?”
I stared at the same sight alongside him, “The technology is advanced here. We are on a spaceship Garth.”
“A ship for sailing through space?” he frowned slightly in thought, which then melted into a smile of what looked like esteem.
“Pretty much.” I replied, now studying him.
Suddenly I heard a new voice which stole my attention. I walked away from Garth and found that there was a dire wolf talking to Shade. It stood proudly, with fur of natural color brindled with green. The thing spoke in a tongue that I could not understand in perfect clarity. Each Shadow was its own special reality with its own languages. However, all shadows were a reflection of Amber and thus all languages were reflections of our mother tongue, Thari. I picked up enough from the conversation to know that it was briefing her on events she had missed while away. I cocked my head to the side in thought.
Is this Shadow largely inhabited by sentient wolves?...Is this ship run by canines skittering about?
There were no others in this lobby area for me to confirm or deny my thoughts.
“What a cute doggie Shade!”
I jumped in surprise, Garth had made his way next to me, eyeing the wolf. Its yellow predatory gaze quickly locked onto Garth and it’s nose rose revealing a full set of teeth. It growled and lunged towards our direction.
“Garm! Halt.” Shades voice snapped through the air, yanking the beast to an obedient halt a few feet away.
I moved off to the side as Garm looked directly up at Garth, “I am a wolf.”
Garth laughed, unfazed. “Alright, wolf then buddy.”
Garms snout twitched but it said nothing as it walked back to its master’s side. Shade waved at all of us to huddle up once more, “Come here, let's go to my home now. No need to have you blundering about my ship.”
We clasped hands once more and were trumped to a very high class and minimalist living room. The sky line immediately informed me that we were somewhere in the heart of a city, and presumably in a penthouse.
“Make yourselves at home, or go out exploring. I don’t care. I’m entirely in charge here, so you’re safe out on the street. If you get yourselves in trouble with the law you’ll have to wait, I’ll bail you out later. I have things I need to take care of, but if you need anything, the staff will help you.” She pressed a panel on the wall, “ I’m going to retire for a bit and try to figure out what that ‘Thing’ is that’s after us.”
“Can I help? Is there anything I can do?” Evelyn asked with a considerate smile. I frowned ever so slightly. I didn’t trust her one bit, I knew that smile must be fake. Granted, I didn’t feel exactly peachy-keen either about being under someone else's domain, but better here than Amber. With any luck I might find a chance to slip away. Blame it on this Void thing chasing us, to avoid any possible reprimanding. Now that I knew there was a way to lock down a Shadow it was only a matter of time before I would figure it out for myself. Safety without proximity to Amber.
“No, best leave it to me. I don’t want any of you poking around in my Shadow’s defenses or messing with it’s barrier.”
Blaine had been standing there quietly but as Shade was about to make her leave he addressed us, “We should have an agreed upon time for us to reconvene here.”
“Dinner time.” Shade replied and then promptly made her exit. The sun was already on its descent, we had a few hours. Finding the elevator we made our descent in relative silence. We were a group but only in the loosest sense. Garth broke the silence a few times, but no real conversation took root. When we reached the ground floor the staff Shade had mentioned was waiting for us. They were humanoid and pleasing to the eye but ultimately synthetic. They furnished each of us with what looked like a debit card, and explained how it was used to buy things. As we exited the complex and took in the city, Blaine quickly slipped away. I decided it was high time to cut loose from everyone as well. I inserted myself into a crowd and became one with the sea of moving bodies as we crossed the intersection.
It seemed that everyone here was humanoid, no canines wandering around after all. Eyes threw confused stares as I strode by. I was still in Amberite formal wear, and now, finally, I had a proper opportunity to rectify that. After a while I found a store selling what I wanted. When I emerged back out into the city streets I was dressed in more suitable attire for the setting. I couldn’t help smiling as I tapped a boot toe on the paneled sidewalk; it was nice to let my hair down and be in pants again. Hanging off my shoulder was a bag in which I stowed the dress. It wasn’t a terrible looking thing, and with a few alterations it could become more reasonable to wear.
I walked about for a while. Taking in the sights, buying any trinkets that I fancied. It wasn’t long until I settled on what I wanted to do with the rest of my time. The vehicles here were levitating ones. They operated in different lanes of altitude, rising and falling. I had not driven in a Shadow like this in quite some time.
As all in my family do, I decided it was probable as I rounded the next corner, that I would find what I wanted. A car was making it’s soft descent into a parking space as I arrived. It was a gleaming thing, shiny and new. The driver, dressed to the nines, exited the car and it made a soft beeping noise as he stepped onto the sidewalk signifying the locking mechanism was engaged.
He was in a hurry, and that made pickpocketing him all the easier. I waited for him to make his way down the street, and then slid into the slick black and gold car.
My family didn’t need Trumps to travel through different realities, those cards were really just convenient shortcuts. We had the ability to simply walk to where we wanted, and once we were in a Shadow world we desired we could bend the probability and luck of that Shadow to have the details in our favor. My inclinations were always towards bending probability for my marks to be the rich and powerful. Ones that deserved what they got, or at the very least were people who could easily replace what was lost. Some things, such as the duality of strong and weak were simply universal no matter where I found myself.
I smiled as I made myself comfortable in the driver's seat and inserted the key, allowing the mechanical beast to come alive. After briefly getting acquainted with the controls, I shifted the levitation stick into ever higher gears and proceeded to move upward.
As I ascended I flicked on the radio and found a station with music that had enough bass to make the speakers hum. Then I took my hair into my hands, smoothing it back and securing it into a ponytail. Once I reached the height I wanted I revved the engine, switched into proper gear, and sped off like a galestorm. I gave a wide smile as I opened the windows and felt the rush of air around me.
The car started to flash a dull light in protest; indicating I was over the speed limit for the zone as I made the speed display creep ever higher. Others started to beep as I navigated around them and eventually a siren could be heard behind me. I smiled impishly. The chase was about to start.
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aluckymuse
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
Driving for years in all sorts of weather, and differing laws of physics made me a match that couldn’t be met. The law enforcement here made a valiant effort, after all this was their turf. But however it looked on the surface, it always was a game of cat and mouse. A simple thrill of dismissing someone's “Do not walk on the grass” sign and proceeding to skip and dance all over the lawn. Once I had my fill I managed to slip away like an echo in the night. Ditching the car, I slowly made my way back to Shades apartment.
My return was met by Blaine sitting by the fire waiting in silence while servants set the dining table nearby. For a fraction of a second I considered killing time by way of conversation but already knew Blaine well enough that it was about as pointless as trying to have a conversation with a wall. Instead, I sat down and whittled the time away by visualizing my escape into Shadow. Eventually Garth and Evelyn walked in and with all of us there, we sat down to eat. Shade allowed herself a few mouthfuls before addressing us.
“That Thing has enveloped the barrier that blocks Onyx from incoming messages or travel through Shadow.” she casually informed us, contrasting with the rather serious news as she took a sip of her drink.
This sparked a heated discussion on developing a plan of action and for the rest of us, a cascade of questioning to learn more about the predicament Shade had unwittingly landed us all in and how strong Onyx’s barrier really was.

* * *


“...Well, if that’s the case then we’re effectively trapped here. You just said no matter what you did the entity remained. There’s no walking out of here.” Blaine responded in mild frustration after Shade had finished explaining her experimental attempts with dispelling the entity from Onyx’s borders.
I had shut my mouth for the time being, trying to process the situation. The Void, Thing, Entity, whatever we fancied calling it, was not just confined to Trump contact. None of us were Shadow walking out of here, and of course that meant that my machinations of an escape into Shadow were now a risk on my life. Anywhere I’d go it could follow and at best, assuming I could learn how to create my own Shadow barrier in time, I’d be confined to a single Shadow for who knew how long.
“It is risky, but we can still contact my mother through Trump.” Shade looked over to Blaine, “She may be able to fend off that Thing, as she has done before, granting us passage to Amber. Of course, we could always use a Trump of Amber itself, if we all go at once maybe we’d have the safety in numbers to make it there.”
Evelyn, who had taken up the mantle of quiet listener for quite some time now, suddenly sneezed and with a polite smile and graceful movements excused herself from the room. I eyed her for a split second before returning my gaze to the table. Sighing softly I observed Garth lean his head against his hand as he continued to watch Shade and Blaine intently. I was about to address him when suddenly a high pitched whine shattered the space between my ears. I clasped my head as the room began to spin, falling to the floor in an overload of pain that radiated through my body. A fresh raw sensation of fear coiled around me, a terror of such weight I had felt only once before. Just before my memory could attempt to be my own worst enemy the pain and it’s partner lifted, as sudden and inexplicable as it had began.
I swiftly brought myself to my feet, and found that everyone else just went through the same ordeal. Shade was slowly picking herself up, seeming to be running mental checks and hypotheticals dispersed with curses under her breath all the while. Garth, surprisingly quick to stand, began to question what had just happened. He first directed his focus to me but all I could muster in response was a shaking of my head. That had been too close, too close to the edge of memories and feelings I dared not ever tread. I needed a moment to collect myself. He spun around and started towards Blaine.
“Where’s Evelyn?!” Shade called out suddenly, making everyone look at her.
She growled in frustration as she left the room. We all followed in her footsteps as she navigated her home to find Evelyn standing discreetly in a guest room, still as a statue.
“Are you freakin kidding me?!” Shade’s nose wrinkled back in anger as she reached out to shake Evelyn. There was no response. I walked to face the now catatonic Evelyn and studied her face. It was frozen in a neutral expression, she must have missed out on the nerve grinding pain. How lucky for her. I leaned in as a glint of light caught my eye. Her pupils were dilated, and I could now notice subtle flecks of green light dancing behind them. It was as fascinating as it was unsettling.
“We need to return to Amber. Now.” Blaine stated firmly as I put my hand up to her mouth and nose to check for breath.
Garth folded his arms, “I agree. If this is what this Thing does to us.”
Shade leaned in quickly noting the same lights I had before turning to face the rest of the group, “More like we can’t trust each other to not do something stupid. We should use our Amber Trumps to get there, I think that’s our best bet now. Considering Evelyn's present state, we will have to carry her through.”
“Well..she’s still breathing.” I said absentmindedly as I pulled away and then gradually inspected her. “I wonder what it’s doing to her exactly...The Thing is like a void, but the lights behind her eyes suggest some kind of substance. Perhaps it’s even sentient...” I looked up to see all faces were on me.
“Wh-what?” I rubbed my shoulder and after a small pause let my gaze travel to the far wall, “Oh yea, yea...Amber. Sounds like a plan to me.”
Blaine tore a blanket off of the nearby bed and proceeded to place it over her.
“Is this some kind of esoteric lesson in dignity that I should know about? Because now she looks like a child's bad interpretation of a ghost.” I quipped, enjoying her new look more than I should have.
Garth laughed softly.
“Yes.” Blaine’s nose wrinkled in mild distaste, “We can’t just drag her through the castle halls exposed for all to see.”
“Ohhh...” I nodded, now understanding, but still not caring.
Shade’s eyes just rolled, “Ok. Let’s get this over with. Blaine, you and Naddia can take Evelyn. Garth you’re with me.” She pulled her Trump deck out now shifting through the cards, “Blaine, Naddia you use one of your cards,” she flicked her own Amber trump between her fingers, pocketing the rest of the deck. “Garth and I will take mine, Countdown of 3, we go on 1.”
“Good luck everyone.” Garth added, clasping hands with Shade and nodding at us as I held my card at the ready.
Shade took a deep breath before letting her voice ring out into the silence of the room.
“3...2...1.”
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aluckymuse
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
Buckling over, I gulped fresh air into my lungs as we landed on solid ground. We had caught the strange entity off guard ever so slightly by splitting up, giving us just enough of an edge to make it to Castle Amber safely. The sensation was not unlike trying to outrun a tornado. My eyes flashed to my side as I saw the empty sheet being thrown to the polished floor.
“Damn all.” I heard Blaine mutter in frustration as he took off down the Great Hall.
I chased after him.
“Where are we going?” I asked as we ascended the grand staircase.
He remained silent.
“Hey, I get it, you’re not the talkative sort, but really where-”
He squinted in dissatisfaction. “I am going to Fiona’s Lab. She’s the most likely to know what should be done next. You can do as you like.”
My blood boiled but I said nothing after that.
We eventually reached Fiona’s Lab on the third floor and Blaine called out her name upon entry. There were a few heads that rose at our abrupt intrusion. One of the small rooms on the far side of the laboratory opened and Fiona emerged. She walked briskly to the front of the room to greet us.
“Ah,” she smiled for a beat before letting it fade, “Where is Alexandrea?”
My eyes looked back and forth as I began to wonder the same.
“Righ- right here.” Garth's voice could suddenly be heard behind us as he leaned against the doorframe. Catching his composure rather quickly, he once again stood tall like some noble giant and stepped forward. “When we got here we saw the bedsheet on the floor, Shade said you two must be here.” He nodded towards Fiona politely, “Your daughter was right behind me, she’ll be here soon.”
We began relaying everything of interest, Fiona probing us for further details till Shade arrived, at which time she quickly ran over to hug her daughter.
“I’m glad you are alright dear!”
“You know I can handle myself mother.”
Fiona bit her lip, “If I had any idea that this could have happened I would have never allowed all of you to leave.”
Shade looked to the side. “Obviously.”
“Your Trump barrier around Onyx, they say that the unknown entity broke through it?”
“Well, I’m not completely sure. We do know Evelyn was affected, most likely by Trump contact. And she didn’t have any cards in her hand so she wasn’t attempting to call out.”
“Yes I see.” Fiona began to nod to herself in thought, ”There’s still so much to learn.”
“So then what are we going to do about this?” Shade questioned. “You said you were able to retrieve Blaine when he was caught in a Trump contact with this thing, so maybe-”
“Alexandrea please.” Fiona muttered exasperated, “It has grown to be much more hostile. Flora will need to be alerted of the situation first, and we don’t even know what we’re dealing with yet. And even when we do, your generation will be kept at a safe distance until the threat has been neutralized.”
“Right.” Shade replied letting her arms fall to her sides, “Looks like you’ve got this covered then.” she finished with an obvious air of dissatisfaction as she walked out of the room.
I couldn’t blame her. I wanted at least some kind of proactive course of action to take place at this point. My life was on the line, and I wanted so desperately to leave Amber. If only this had just been a simple reunion party. As the other voices became background noise to my inner thoughts I began considering retiring to my room. What else could I really offer to this situation? I had been out of the loop and actively avoiding Amber for most of my life. I was probably the least educated person concerning higher powers here.
I was jerked back to reality by Fiona's yell of surprise. I whirled around to see Evelyn, barefoot, walking slowly towards the group. Shade hot on her heels.
“Oh Evelyn!” Fiona exclaimed, “What happened?”
“A Lot.” Evelyn huffed, taking another deep breath. “I’ll explain in a moment.” She looked up studying our little group. “How did all of you get here?”
“You were attacked by the entity. We all felt a tremendous presence, it tried to terrify us. Knowing we were potentially vulnerable, we fled to Amber carrying your body via Trump.” Blaine replied succinctly.
“Your body remained while your mind was trapped Evie.” Garth explained, “We tried to rescue you by splitting up into two groups and Trumping to Amber.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he continued. “But apparently when Naddia and Blaine arrived you were gone.”
I felt myself wince slightly at the word ‘rescue’. Garth seemed to mean well, but from my recollection I was pretty sure what we did was a desperate attempt to save our own hides.
“...I see.” Evelyn nodded, “What state did you find me in, exactly?”
“You ah, Your eyes had glowing green lights floating within your pupils. Beyond that you were just stiff as a board and catatonic.” I offered in response.
“Perhaps those were the lights I saw in my vision, everything was taking place within my mind.” Evelyn puzzled half to herself, half out loud.
“No, it was more than a mental connection.” Blaine shook his head. “How else can we explain your body missing when we tried to transport you here.”
“What vision?” Fiona stared at Evelyn with heavy interest.
Evelyn began recounting the details of what had transpired as best she could remember. She had been transported to a strange and extremely foggy area that gave off the sensation of being submerged in water. Beyond tiny green sparks of light flickering in the distance it was a dark place. She didn’t seem to get any traction when she tried to move, and she found it impossible to break the silence there.
“I couldn’t breathe. So I took out my Trumps and I called for Eric-”
“Eric?” Fiona's gaze softened somewhat as she looked at her niece.
“Evelyn...” She spoke gently, “Eric is dead.”
I cocked my head at the sudden tender turn our conversation had taken. I had only met him in brief when I was studying in Amber as a youth. I really only knew of Uncle Eric as recounted in stories. Uncle Caine had spoke well of him, and said in the end he died protecting Amber. Evelyn’s skin gave her away as it started to flush. “I know.”
“Then...why?”
“Who else do I have to call?” She remarked in a tone that panged of a loss.
My heartstrings were uncomfortably tugged as her voice rang in the air. For better or worse my empathy forced me to know we had both experienced terrible things; the loss of that which we love. She very well could be cold and cruel, as I constantly told myself was the case of every Amberite. However in the end, even after Amber has her fill twisting and rending those that we loved and trusted unrecognizable, underneath we were all still people. That pain of this truth was unavoidable.
Distance had made it easier to dehumanize the ruthless and sanctimonious nature that Amber exuded. Now suddenly standing side by side with them my anger was giving way to sympathy which only breed a bitter frustration as I stood there watching her. I could no longer presume to view her as just an Amberite, and I was sure this course of action would never be genuinely returned in kind.
Fiona nodded and tenderly urged Evelyn to continue her recounting.
She tried to use the card, and instead of no response as would be expected, the image shifted and transformed, draining it’s colors in front of her eyes. In a jarring fashion she was transported to a cluttered attic, Shadow unknown. There she met and spoke with Great Grandfather Dworkin. This was something that interested everyone greatly. Dworkin was an original Chaosite and the first of our family. He created the Pattern that only those of his bloodline were able to use for expert Shadow travel. And ever since was always taken seriously due to his sheer power. The man was known to be enigmatic to put it lightly, though Evelyn believed insane to be the more fitting word. She recalled that he couldn’t offer any particularly useful information or advice but was able to return her here, to Amber.
Fiona had been silently soaking everything in, a radiance of calm. “I’ll continue to look into it. We’ll have to postpone festivities until we’ve sorted this out.” She sighed picking up a notebook on the table at her side that an assistant had left amidst our conversation. “Random’s grand announcement by the way, is that Vialle is pregnant. I also must tell all of you that Martin has been taken and is currently in the same condition in which you found Evelyn.”
“Why didn’t you lead with that?!” Evelyn exclaimed as I leaned slightly to the side observing the room that Fiona had exited when we arrived, wondering if that was where they were keeping him.
“Clearly, there is something about the third generation, and clearly, there is little safety to be had anywhere, so you’ll all have to be kept here and under careful watch for the foreseeable future.” Fiona finished as she flipped a few pages in the notebook, scanning them.
Well, fuck.
“Where is he?” Eveyln spoke, with a hint of desperation. “Where is Martin?”
Fiona looked straight up from her text, meeting Evelyn's gaze. “He’s resting. Merlin’s with him.”
“And you can’t help him?”
“Not yet.”
I saw Evelyn’s face twitch for a fraction of a second and then she whirled around and slammed the door behind her. I folded my arms in disatisfaction as Shade left again. It was good that Evelyn had returned and was still alive, but on the whole this day had been almost exclusively bad news. I excused myself and made my way through the castle in a partial daze. As the tapestries and ceiling adornments passed by I felt as though I was walking deeper and deeper inside a dream. In the course of a mere few hours my life had been completely flipped upside down. What was going to become of me now?
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I spent some time out in the castle grounds. I took to horseback riding and generally avoiding those of higher pedigree. It was during this time that I found Shade was in a similar dilemma of boredom. We had not known each other very long, and I still harbored a poor disposition towards my kin, but misery always does enjoy like company. We had a dinner of our own down at the docks at a restaurant as rowdy as they come and after that spent time setting somewhat harmless pranks about the castle. There was a mutual understanding that we were each others company of convenience. In this like mindedness, I found that I tolerated her presence quite well.

* * *

A sharp light suddenly blanketed my vision, erasing all previous imagery from my mind. I reflexively brought my arm up as shield and turned away, only to find there was nowhere to hide as the next set of curtains were drawn back to let yet more blinding light to flood the room.
“Blaine walks the Pattern today!” A chipper female voice bounced off of the walls filling my room with an artificially inflated sense of excitement.
“What?” I managed to reply, as my eyes opened just enough to let colors and shapes begin to take form.
“It’s his Patternwalk.” The petite handmaiden repeated with greater emphasis looking straight at me, almost bewildered that the weight of the word alone wasn’t enough. It seemed that just the mere mention of the word “Patternwalk” was supposed to rouse me out of bed in rosy excitement.
I blinked in mild surprise at her expression and then let my eyes narrow slightly as my brain regained painful conscious clarity. Most Amberites being ruled over by my family thought of us as gods, or at the very least something god like. We had strange incomprehensible powers and seemingly youthful immortality; although it should be known that Amberite lifespans themselves are quite long compared to common Shadow standards. Any mention of the Pattern hardly traveled far from the castle walls and were enigmatic at best to commoners. But a few of those that operated in the castle knew enough to understand it as a special occasion for the royal family.
“Grand.” I replied lazily as I sat up, some of my hair falling into my face. “Don’t know why in particular I have to be there, or why I was even invited.”
“All of the family is invited, as well as some prominent lords and ladies! There will be festivities in the Great Hall.” She clasped her hands and then after a beat leaned in with a less exuberant tone, “Although, between us my lady, I am unsure how many of your elders will be in attendance today. Your uncles and aunts have been rather busy lately.”
“Oh of that I’m reasonably sure...” I mumbled, dangling my feet over the edge of the bed now as she pulled back the doors of my wardrobe. I let my brow fall firm on this new day in purgatory. “I am quite capable of dressing myself. You may leave.”
“Oh, oh...Of, of course my lady.” She spun around with a tiny bow as her eyes darted to the far wall in hesitation for a beat. “I was just... told that you-”
A knock at the door made her jump as I swiftly pulled a robe over my shoulders.
“Who is it?” I asked, looping the cord at my waist.
“Random.” The voice replied, then after a pause continued, “Has someone seen to you yet? We’re all to be wide awake and presentable for Blaine's Patternwalk this morning.”
Oh no, dare you ask to come in and address me properly.
“Yes I’m fine.” I stated flatly, not moving from my spot, “I’ll be there shortly.” I looked over at one of the windows that held the view of the country side, “Like I have a choice...” I muttered under my breath causing the handmaiden to give me a quizzical glance.
“Good, good.” I could hear the smile encircling those words as he spoke and then made his way down the hall.
I could feel a growling lion beneath my surface. He wanted me here for his own selfish and unnecessary fanfare. It’s not like anyone genuinely wanted me around. I was the daughter of a pariah, a formality. I suddenly had the realization that he had arranged these doting maids, and perhaps even the clothing provided to make sure I wouldn’t be out of place. I turned to the maid again, and gestured to the door with a forced smile.
Once I was alone I dug through the wardrobe looking for anything that had a balance of function and fashion. I was not above playing along for these people for the time being, but I needed to find something suitable, something feminine that included pants. My mind wandered, wistfully entertaining various ideas of escape as I prepared myself for public appearances. By the end I had cleaned up rather well and was about to leave my room when a thought caught me in the doorway. I glanced back to the dresser where my equipment laid. A small clutter that had been on my person when I was unceremoniously plucked from Shadow. I returned to my room and fastened a decorated leather scabbard about my waist that had been modified to hold the inconspicuous black metal rod I slid into it. I took the last of my items that were strung along a belt and secured them around my waist as well. Then took a summery glance in the mirror. Casually armed; an Amberite fashion as classic as denim jeans.
The Great Hall was a flurry of colors, music, sparkling finery, and tables filled with perfectly prepared food. This was a full court event, and as I scanned the floor I noticed Blaine reluctantly trapped in a spotlight position amidst the family. I frowned internally as I made my way over. What had my Patternwalk been? A quiet affair between my father and I. I had never thought to wonder if it was natural for Patternwalks to be accompanied by such festivities. At the time, surely, my father would have made it a spectacle if that was the natural order of things.
I saw a dream of a thought projecting itself out onto the floor in front of me, Blaine’s visage replaced by my own, far younger. Dressed to the nines, laughing and drinking in the limelight, truly honored to be a part of it all.
As I entered the ring of royals Garth turned to me with a warm smile.
“Naddi.”
I looked up at his face and realized he had noticed the feelings floating behind my eyes. My expression relaxed in his empathy, and I managed a smiled in return. I had not given him enough credit on our first meeting. He was smarter than he looked, maybe not in conventional ways, but in ways that mattered. He chuckled merrily and we quickly began a conversation.
After a shorter breakfast than I would have personally liked, I was taken aback as Random escorted Blaine, Garth, and I to the front of the room and announced us to the court. It was due to the fact that we were to have our portraits added to the family collection. In other words, we were to have our official Trump cards painted and given to all family members. I stood there stiffly, staring out at the sea of pampered faces as he presented us, feeling mixed emotions.
It was hours later that I found myself patiently waiting, perched on a stool, still as a stone. My great grandfather Dworkin sat in front of me, feverishly flicking his wrist, wielding his tools with an unparalleled speed and precision. He was the one who made all the official family Trumps. I had only ever studied the technique from my father, whom had learned it from him. Dworkin was a marvel even by Amberite standards. An artistic undertaking that would take an average human months in some cases was taking him mere hours. Not even counting the ability of catching a person's essence, their unique psychic frequency, in the image. His materials were special of course, but every motion had purpose and was exacting, as if he had made up his mind of how to capture me the moment we met.
He finally set down his brush and picked up a rag, gently wiping his hands. With a small wave of his hand he dismissed me from my post and I was more than happy to oblige. I slid from the chair and walked towards him. He had finished his first piece that he could derive copies from and I was quite curious to see how he had framed me.
I frowned in confusion as I studied the illustration. “It’s...”
“Marvolus? Exactly what you were expecting? Akin to seeing the depths of your soul reflected in a mirror?”
“…upside down.”
He turned me then, to face him, and suddenly set about studying me intently. “Hmm, hmmm, no no.”
Almost comically I imagine, he pulled me back and forth scrutinizing my sides quickly before stareing once more at my face. Satisfied he stepped back, “You almost had me,” he waggled his finger in my direction. “Almost. But I’m sure I’ve got it right. Yes.” He laughed. “Maybe if you were more right side up I would have painted you that way.”
I squinted in confusion and I looked back at the illustration that had me suspended, hair flowing downwards. He had rendered me in perfect detail with the strange addition of a red string tied to my pinky that twirled down and around my hand. Evelyn was right, he was insane.
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
Shortly after our paintings, Random lead us along with Julian, Fiona, and the rest of my present generation down into the cavern beneath the castle for Blaine to become a Shadow walker. Watching Random instruct Blaine was a boring affair. I could tell that for the rest of my generation, the sentiment was mostly mutual.
We all stood at the Patterns edge, Julian close to his son, as Random in his usual jubilance tried to set the tone, a juxtaposition against the somber quiet of the Pattern room. He was missing the atmosphere of shining lights and whimsical music from up above, atmosphere is so very important in presentation.
Eventually Blaine began his walk and things became much more interesting to observe. The Pattern always glowed a soft white upon the smooth stone it was a part of, but when one goes to walk it, it blossoms into a fantastic light show under their feet. With every step he set off tiny fireworks, as mesmerizing as fire. The Pattern in all its glory, was an incredibly dangerous thing to endeavor. Blaine looked as if he was working against a galestorm, pushing forward with all his might. And he had to. The Pattern would demand no less, and if he were to stop his forward momentum he would surely die from the strain.
A sudden sharp pain, that unfortunately was becoming all too familiar, crushed into my head and pressured my mind. It was another Trump attack, as potent as ever even within the walls of Amber a breath away from the Pattern itself. It certainly did well to enforce the notion that nowhere was I safe. In a jerking motion I quickly extended my hands out, seeking a body to help dissolve my burden. One hand latched onto Shade’s arm and I could feel in response her hand replying in kind. Instinctively we combined our mental efforts to fend off the darkness that pushed upon us both. From moments that felt like ages we emerged from the grueling strain victorious.
Adrenaline still rushing through my veins as I released her, I stepped back and let my eyes take in the room. Everyone was on high alert, Julian naturally concerned about his son and Evelyn had attached herself to Fiona much the same way Shade and I had done with each other. Then there was Garth, how strangely amongst the fray he stood, still as stone. I knew then, like Merlin and Evelyn before him, he had been caught in this aggressive trap. I was mildly surprised at the discomfort I felt seeing him this way, but could do nothing to process those feelings in the moment, only hoping that he would escape as Evelyn had. I turned my head back to the Pattern, hearing Uncle Random’s voice lamenting about the task of carrying Garth back up the stairs as if it were an echo, far away from me.
Blaine had passed the first curve, approaching the second bend. He seemed to have been spared by the Trump contact the rest of us had just received. I couldn’t imagine he’d still be able to function if he had. I was suddenly struck by the idea that the Pattern could somehow protect us, we just needed to figure out an effective way to tap into its energies. Then as thunder preludes lightning my mind was hammered yet again by the Empty Trump. It erased all previous thoughts, leaving only a wild and exposed desire for survival. Time crawled as I turned my head, seeing Evelyn first I reached desperately for her. Our eyes met in entirety. So much can be said in a glance, in that moment of ambiguous intensity. In our moment of need, her eyes fluttered there, and then rejected me. She twirled around leaning away and reached both arms out to Fiona once more. I continued my rotation in earnest, uniting with Shade. We fought like cavemen brandishing fire at wolves that prowled around the edges of our minds. We would focus our consciousness in one direction, like a beacon of light, and the darkness would quickly slink into another part of our minds, desperately trying to get a foothold, to sink into the cracks of our psyche. We managed to succeed in banishing the thing, but at the expense of a lingering exhaustion. We would not be able to holdout at this rate.
The light of the room suddenly dimmed around me. I feared lightheadedness before the fade was quickly followed by a surge of light that made me frantically twist to face the Pattern once more. Large flickering energies danced strongly around Blaine like wildfire. It was unlike anything I had seen or heard of before. He had reached the end of his gauntlet, and stepped off into the center safe zone as the extra light seeped back into the Pattern and then with terrifying speed surged through its entirety. Time slowed yet again as I heard my heartbeat echo in my ears. It threatened to burst from my chest and have me die from the strain of this would be celebration. I scrambled like a madwoman towards the back of the room as a high pitched tone reverberated off the cavern walls and the Pattern’s ghostly lines impossibly began to move. They rose up into the third dimension, becoming ungodly mimics of tentacles crescendoing at head height, with a soundtrack of screams and well deserved panic.
The tendrils hovered for a tense moment before lashing out, extending with vicious precision outside of its normal bounds and above the rough stone we ran upon. It first captured Shade, I could see her being plucked from the corner of my eye. Within seconds, breath violently expelled from my lungs as I saw my legs and arms flow out in front of me. I rose in altitude and saw Evelyn being pulled as well. She had managed to get a small holding in the stone floor and was extending a desperate hand towards Fiona. All the elders recoiled in fear, leaving us abandoned to our uncertain fate. Evelyn’s sliver of hope slipped away from the earth as she ascended with the rest of us, all the while vocalizing her disapproval at Fiona.
We were being dragged inward and downward, to the circular stone on which the Pattern traditionally laid. I quickly began to move my legs through the air. I knew the rules that were always drilled into every one of us. Never, ever, stop once you start. My feet hit the polished ground as the line fell underneath them. I had one good step before embodying a will to survive whose function was to simply put one foot in front of the other and stay the path. I had noted, before my walk began, that Blaine had been trapped the entire time. Unable to pass through the eye of the Pattern into whatever Shadow place he wished as was normally the case when one finished walking the Pattern. Whatever was occurring, it was desiring for us all to be present at the center. Only when I finished did I notice that the Pattern was lifting once again, much slower this time. Waiting on Evelyn before eventually curling in on the group of us like a prison of light. With a blinding shockwave I felt gravity release me, and sound leave my ears.
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I think I am, therefore, I am. I think.
It had already been hours.
My exhaustion from having walked the Pattern coupled with the helplessness of the situation I had now found myself in had transformed my movements into zombie like weary strides as we trudged ever downward on the rolling slope of black sand that dominated the surrounding landscape. Above, a black sun hung within a white sky. It was impossible to tell time by as it seemed to be frozen there, but it was ideal for keeping a steady direction. We were westward bound, more or less, with Evelyn in the lead. Everyone quietly hoping we would find water, plants, shelter- anything other than more desert.
We had arrived here in an inelegant fashion; collapsed on the black sand that sparkled white in the sunlight, still reeling from the Patterns transportation. Sound was muffled here and it took a moment for us to get our bearings. As can be imagined, we discussed in length what had just transpired and let loose all sorts of conjecture on where we were and how the Pattern was impossibly able to transport us in the way that it just did. All our Trumps were as good as painted paper; warm to the touch and unresponsive. Shadow Shifting could not be done either. It was during this time Evelyn exposed the fact she was in possession of a rather unique item. She was reluctant, but eventually explained that the personal spyglass she carried with her was imbued with the ability to peek into surrounding Shadows and after studying the surrounding area she could see none here. It was as if we were not in any Shadow at all, and that only added to our collective confusion, and my fear. If not the Courts of Chaos or Amber, where else could we be that existed separate from Shadow? And how could we return to the lands we knew? Blaine had mentioned that the Empty Trump did attack him as well, and in desperation he had reached out to the Pattern for aid. It had more than done such a thing. It either protected all of us, or damned us. It was too early to tell.

* * *


Eventually a mirage solidified into view, down in the valley we were heading towards. A clump of white amidst the black. Evelyn's spyglass reemerged as she inspected the visage. According to her, It turned out to be a building of some sort, but it refused to come into clear focus. Our curiosity and quiet desperation forced us closer, and as we approached it gathered features. Seeming far less of a mirage with each step. I hurried along, finding a reserve of energy that welled up at the sight. The smooth white stone looked ancient and worn, rising up into multiple columns. The vision had solidified into what could best be described as an ancient Greek temple, but far more the giant in size. We allowed ourselves no rest as we climbed the stairs and as a group investigated the building. It was devoid of life with a small enclosed room at the back that held only a fire pit in it’s center. The main area was expansive and empty except for a large thick wooden door curiously positioned in it’s center. The door was held up by old metal hinges that were tightly secured in a stonework archway. Although the archway seemed at home with the rest of the architecture, the wooden door did not.
We huddled to one side of the thing. It was simple in design, baring no remarkable carvings or embellishes of any kind. But regardless of its homely appearance there was a quiet almost desperate hope that filled the air around us. Blaine took the initiative, circling it once with his index finger absentmindedly tapping at his lips. Then without warning he grabbed the handle and pushed it open. The door made a soft low sound as the hinges begrudgingly let the door swing open to reveal the other side of the room. We stared in silence for a moment at the completely conventional turn of events, our hope lingering on a razor thin edge. Before any of us could object Blaine continued with his rash actions and stepped gingerly through the threshold. Leaving him standing on the other side, a perfectly normal occurrence for simply walking through a door frame.
Evelyn let out a small hiss of air. “Blaine, a little warning next time!”
He stood unmoving for a beat. “We will need to search this place in further detail.” He responded in his usual deadpan way and then smoothly continued on in his trajectory, now leading him to the front of the building as if unfazed by our lack of progress.
“At least he tried to do something I suppose.” I remarked casually with a sigh before turning away from the scene to the direction of the small back room. I heard Evelyn's heels click off into the distance as Shade let out a small puff of air and caught up to my stride. It seemed we were both interested in the room.
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