《The Adventures of Hood: Part 1 - The Book of Portals》Chapter 30: The Bear
Advertisement
When reading the Allegoricals, the first upturned card represents the perspective from which one should interpret the remaining sequence of cards. But, as any and all would point out, one must first interpret just what that perspective is. So to reveal a bear would be to cast the reading from the perspective of however one would interpret the meaning of a bear. Which raises perhaps the slightly bizarre question: What does a bear mean?
To Hood, a bear, as a bear, should be thoroughly avoided…at all costs…as quite frankly, at least from Hood’s perspective, all bears - although he hasn’t actually had the misfortune of meeting any - are by definition mean, dangerous, and simply out to eat either the food you possess or, if not in possession of any food: you.
This is not a good beginning - Hood has never liked the Allegoricals, believes them to be some strange throwback to a time when people intimated the magical arts but could not themselves perform any: trickery and charlatanism. Hood takes a deep breath and sighs. He does not like partaking in meaningless activities but patience, and a requirement for polite, courteous, civilised behaviour, makes him continue.
The Countess, perhaps noticing Hood’s reluctance, and interpreting its meaning from her perspective, chuckles again to herself. “Please young master, continue, one cannot avoid one’s fate.”
“Why not?” Hood’s voice rasps the shadows.
Hood stares silently across the table, stares into the sockets of the mask that confronts him, and holds that stare for what could be interpreted as an uncomfortable amount of time. Hood will always maintain politeness and civility…up to a point…a point at which he may ‘ripple the waters’ so to speak.
The lantern gutters and the Countess, although her features are hidden, seems for a moment taken aback, her confident body language vanishing momentarily. The question seems to hang between them in the damp air, seems to have been spoken and carried with it a weight of meaning suggestive that the person who asked it knows precisely how to avoid one’s fate should they so wish. Seems to have been spoken as a challenge, not only to the Countess, but to fate itself.
Advertisement
Hood lets his eyes fall back towards the table, and counts out twelve cards from the deck, placing them in a circle. Counts them out nonchalantly, as if nothing has happened. When he has finished, he takes ‘The Bear’ card and places it in the centre of the circle, looking up expectantly at the Countess, who has seemingly regained her composure, if she had ever lost it in the first the place.
“Why not indeed?” she says rhetorically, taking the ashes from the crucible and rubbing them into her hands. She leans forward as if to make a point: “But wisdom would say that to react against one’s fate is the very thing that sets it in motion,” before turning her attention to the table.
With the cards in place, the Countess now picks up a card, seemingly at random, and places it on top of another, and continues to do this until there are four piles of three, each located at the four cardinal points of a compass. Hood lays out the three cards from the west, lays out the three cards from the north and south so that each central card of the three is in line with ‘The Bear’. The three cards from the east he leaves.
“I’m sorry Madam Masque, but I’m not familiar with the Allegoricals,” Madeleine says, having watched everything play out, and feeling, if truth be told, slightly sidelined from what is happening.
“Do not worry dear,” the Countess replies, “The west is the past, the centre the present. Where the north and south are: the winds or forces that are acting upon us. The east the future, dependent upon which forces influence us. All is interpretation, a mirror for the mind to know itself. A means of remembering future things that may or may not be.”
Madeleine stares at the cards.
“Tell me dear, what do you see?”
Advertisement
- In Serial18 Chapters
The Pursuit of Power: Grinding To LVL 100 By Just Killing Slimes
“I need immutable power. This world isn’t as forgiving as the last one. I won’t stop until… I’m unmatchable.” The story of a man who grinded to LV100 by killing just slimes to gain 1xp. Maki Hibiki was a normal Japanese wage slave at an average, working long hours every day, doing unpaid overtime and appeasing everyone around him. He kept telling himself it’d be worth it in the future. That he’d save money and be free of this lifestyle where he lived to work. “Death by Overworking.” It had been all for nothing. He stared down at his own dead body filled with rage and regret. “Congratulations! You have won a prize! Would you like another life?” He stared at what looked like a robot offer him another chance. One more time. He would throw everything into the black pit of repetition one more time and then be free of it forever. He would earn his power. He would win his freedom. It would be his and his alone.
8 213 - In Serial17 Chapters
Rory Richardson: If He Had Lived.
Join Rory on what could have been. Taken tragically from life by sudden infant death syndrome. Join in the reimagining of what his life could have been... With a system forced reset of human civilisation thrown in for good measure. One minute Rory was a college student struggling under pressure, the next he and the entire world find themselves at the mercy of the System. Its sick sense of humour results in Rory and hundreds of others going through the tutorial from hell. Monsters straight out of myth become reality, forcing Rory and the unlucky group to fight if they are to have any chance of survival. Those that overcome the tutorial will be thrust into a totally alien world, where might and magic rule and where humanity is far from the top of the food chain. Join Rory as he comes to grips with his new reality, developing new powers and gaining friends and foes alike. This is my first attempt at writing a story of any kind and is dedicated to Rory who died from SIDS at a far too young an age. This story will contain great adventures, epic battles, good friends and foes alike. I am aiming to create a world that will, in some small measure, hopefully keep his memory alive.
8 93 - In Serial275 Chapters
One Piece: Reborn as a Skypiean
He rose from the rabbit hole, only to fall into the abyss, Death. Death wasn't his end as Fate had planned something else for him. A new life in the familiar world of pirates and admirals. As a member of the not-so-special Winged race. ** This is a One Piece Fanfic. Mc will be reborn as a Skypiean, or to be more specific, he will be a Shandorian. *All Characters belong to their owner(s). Advanced Chapters–https://www.patreon.com/Master4thWall
8 1192 - In Serial63 Chapters
The New Era Project
Feng Ye, a freshman one step away from finishing his first year of university, had the unfortunate experience of encountering a distortion in space, thus, sending him into the void. Due to a fortuitous encounter, he had acquired a system and had found himself in an interesting developed world comprised of individuals with the abilities of the supernatural. Feng Ye mutters as he looks at the huge influence he had created. "When I look back, I wonder.. since when did I become Mr. Nice guy?" Nearby, Akeno chuckles, “Ever since you had decided to establish the New Era Project and became the president of the New Era Society, you have been doomed to take on the Mr. Nice guy title.” With an eye roll, Feng Ye retorts, “Didn’t you know that nice guys finish last?” Follow Feng Ye as he makes his mark in this new world while finding his way home. The beginning of the New Era. Feng Ye’s Era. Discord: https://discord.gg/rdyPuhs
8 139 - In Serial10 Chapters
Pursuit of Eternal
This Story is about Dev's pursuit of Eternal. We follow Dev as he passes hurdles, one after another to Grab Immortality and control Time. What If you lose everything, but you still have a chance to reclaim everything back. Dev got the same chance after losing everything and left with nothing. This is Dev's journey from nothing to everything. How will Dev achieve his Goal? Join me and we will all walk through this journey of his struggle to the peak. ************************************************ [I'm writing for the first time, so there'll be issues with my way of writing, but as I learn I'll also edit the changes which could be done to the chapter. Please don't give up on me and my book. Please read the chapters, and tell me what I can do to make it better. If people don't like the story then what's the point of writing it.] [Sorry for Grammatical mistakes. English is not my main language. There will be some problems with punctuation. I can assure you that there won't be any problems in understanding what I'm trying to say.]
8 160 - In Serial14 Chapters
The Void King
So after reading books for my entire life I have thougth it time try my hand on writing one. This book is currently in its early stages and due to that i can not,not for lack of trying mind you, come up with a Synopisis for this book with out feeling it would give away its entire story. In fact the only reason i am even posting it is from the uging of several friend to get my work out there and see what others think. I read books regardless of the synopsis any way, so it cant be that important can it? Regardless if you are reading this i hope you enjoy it. If not. Oh well. Postinote: Feel free to hit me with all your criticisim, After all i cant get better without it.
8 309