Cursed Draw

The path of the summoner and the path of the enhancer are both divided into twelve ranks. However, as the changes wrought on the body of the wielder are so dramatically different between the paths these ranks or ‘forms’ as the ancients dubbed them bear separate titles.

These titles are as follows.

Summoner Rank Twelve: Aspirant

Enhancer Rank Twelve: Unblooded

Summoner Rank Eleven: Emboldened

Enhancer Rank Eleven: Bloodied

Summoner Rank 10: Lesser Embued

Enhancer-

Remainder of page too faded to read.

-Mysteries of the Deck Book One

Chapter 17: A Step On The Path

Darius

While Alley and his parents finalized the funerals for the folk of Valeton Darius had been left in charge of organizing a wake of sorts. His twin younger siblings were clearly overtired from their efforts salvaging the village. Lacking any other manpower he put them to work helping to prepare for dinner.

Assisting him in carving chunks off the huge boar, chopping vegetables, or getting the large outdoor bonfire going the MuckRunners as he called the pair of ten-year-olds complained the entire time. Knowing they would never disrespect Alley’s loss by doing it in front of him Darius let them vent.

Skewering the various cuts of meat onto an iron cooking apparatus Darius left the meat hanging over the budding bonfire while he fetched the oak barrel holding his parent’s supply of whiskey. After confirming the twins still had the process of pig cooking well in hand. The red-headed teen headed back to his room to fetch his Tambura. It wouldn't feel appropriate to mourn or celebrate the lost lives of the villagers without the somber wails the long-necked string instrument produced.

Darius would soon need to add a spicy rub to the quickly crisping pig meat, but for now, he had time to move the table and chairs outside.

In the light of the increasingly huge bonfire, the Knots family and their near-adopted son would feast, drink, and trade stories about the Roe family and the other deceased villagers. This was what the Knots family always did after a tragedy. The tradition, like his Tambura, was leftover shards of culture his father had brought from the homeland.

Though having been there several times Darius knew the funeral feast was only vaguely similar to the rituals performed in the FrostWing Lands, more like traditional flavor added to local custom.

He felt a little callous thinking it but Darius was quietly grateful they didn't observe something similar for the traditions of his mother's ancestral home. After a horrific event like the one that had befallen Valeton, they would have been praying, fasting, and performing rites for months at least.

Eventually, the three siblings slid the iron hook device they had skewered the meat on out of the fire. At which point the hound Atex who was far too well trained to steal raw meat, but more than happy to beg for cooked scraps made a miraculous appearance.

“Hold off old man,” said Darius with a smile at the mutt. “ You will get plenty later.”

Normally he would pat the retired hunting dog but that was probably bad form while he was adding spices to meat. A process that was slowed down by the twins’ attempts to steal hunks of meat, or complain about how they were starving to death.

“You two are worse than the dog.”

While he didn’t voice it even Darius was starting to get impatient by the time his parents and friend returned. He’d had to add extra fuel to the bonfire twice, and the boar he had cooked had long since gone cold. Still, when the trio appeared at the edge of the homestead all three Knots siblings greeted them with somber respect.

Darius could tell Alley had been crying not that he blamed the boy. If he was being honest he was surprised his friend had held things together as well as he had. Darius was sad about the loss of the Roe family, quietly distraught in fact. But the rest of the Valeton villagers? They fell firmly into the category of acquaintances for him. He would miss them but not a one was a major figure in his life. That was not the case for Alley.

The dark-haired boy lived on Cursed Isle year round, only leaving when his family took a trading trip to a nearby river isle, or to attend a festival where Alley’s mother would defend her regional title. Darius couldn’t imagine how his friend must feel. To have lost almost everyone he had ever known in the space of a day.

It wasn’t long after they had returned that the pseudo-feast began. Clamoring around the table the warmth of the fire, the good food, the somewhat weak whiskey. It all combined to thaw the awkward and mournful atmosphere. Soon enough the family air returned as the Knots and Alley took turns sharing stories about the deceased. Even the twins took a turn each, though the food and quarter cup of whiskey they shared put the exhausted ten-year-olds to sleep in short order.

A state they surprisingly managed to maintain once Darius began to play his Tambura, his only real outlet for the pain he was feeling. He sharply missed the Roe's, especially Hecatia. Or was he sad for himself that he would never have the chance to woo her? ‘No.’ Darius had been a hunter his whole life, survivors guilt was an old friend for the seventeen-year-old boy and he recognized it as the source of his self-deprecating thoughts.

Picking up speed with his fingers he used the large long-necked lyre to send deep wails out into the forest around the homestead, haunting and beautiful Darius had always loved the instrument, like his Deck it had been passed down to him by his grandmother and always reminded him of the barbaric old woman.

As is the nature of parties big or small the energy infects the attendees with joviality must inevitably ebb. The wake of Valeton was no different, the bonfire burned low, the plates and sleeping children were taken inside, scraps were given to Atex, the cups of whiskey exchanged for sweetened coffee and the conversation slowly turned from the past to the future.

“So.” Said Leshy matter of factly “ when are you two leaving?”

Alley shot Darius a questioning glance at that and the red-haired boy shrugged helplessly in return, he had no idea what his dad was talking about.

The older man noticed the confusion of the teens and sat back taking a long sip of his coffee.

“Well I don’t want to pressure you boys or anything” he went on when the two of them offered no more response than to stare at him with identically blank expressions.

“But we assumed that Alley would want some sort of revenge or closure right?”

“That's what I had thought.” Added Artunis as she brought out a shuttered lantern and what Darius recognized as the rolled-up oiled leather his family used to make maps.

“Well of course.” Replied Alley scratching the back of his head a little awkwardly.

“But” he started to reply before Darius' mother continued.

“And naturally as Darius is your spirit brother he has no choice but to assist you.”

Darius felt his jaw hang open in surprise. Yes of course he had been thinking about revenge and had spent most of the preparations for the little feast fantasizing about the level of power he and Alley would have to reach. The dungeons and ruins they would have to delve in search of rare cards, the tournaments they would have to attend and win, the legendary monsters they would have to hunt. All would be necessary to have a hope of avenging themselves on a Fifth Rank wielding a True Deck.

It was the stuff of tales, the sort of thing every boy who had ever seen a deck dreamed about.

He had been fully expecting to have to make arguments for the next few days to both Alley and his parents that such a quest was the only course of action.

“It really is the only course of action.” went on Darius’ father.

“Will you be able to manage without him?” Asked Alley, clearly warming to the idea.

‘Stop being polite you ass’ Darius silently willed at his friend.

“Once Leshy gets off his ass and finishes our barge we can.” Replied Darius’ mother with a smile.

“And like dad said I'm your spirit brother.” Chimed in Darius. Pushing to have the matter settled in the affirmative before some additional calamity, or fickle parent ruined his chance at a truly grand adventure.

The red-haired boy's words drew a quizzical look from Alley. But Leshy, ignoring the playful jibe from his wife nodded and voiced his agreement.

“The twins will be more than enough help, and it's true. Those rituals when you were young might have just been a kooky bonding experience to the Roe’s but they mean a lot to us.”

“I didn't mean-” stammered Alley, but Darius’ father held up a hand for silence and Alley cut himself off.

“If you wish to pursue this man, and this path the Knots clan will gladly support you, and Darius has no choice but to aid you.” He grinned then. “Not that I think he minds too much.”

‘Mind?’ Internally Darius was jumping for joy.

“So Alley. Do you plan on hunting for revenge?”

The dark-haired boy looked around the table, eyes shining with gratitude and maybe just a tiny bit of hope.

“Yes.”