Amanises stood frozen for a second, then she swiftly excused herself from the table, leaving everyone confused.
She entered the bathroom of the Spirit Domain. It wasn't that fancy or brightly lit but it sufficed.
Help? How the fuck am I supposed to help????
She never felt more nervous in her entire life.
Amanises looked at the mirror above the sink, watching her own expression grow in panic.
She quickly checked her inner breast pocket for The Fool's charm.
This is the only thing I have! Should I quickly head over to the Castle and ask for a demigod? Perhaps the Leader Himself?
Miss Justice has a Charm too, she's going to be fine I'm sure, but what about the others?
Goddammit!
She ran down her hands over her garments, in the pocket of her pants, a small rectangular-like shape was felt by her hands. She trailed her fingers over the sculpted brass.
Azik's copper whistle!
Should I?
He's in Backlund and probably close to Qilangos. Do I risk it?
Amanises wasn't that trusting, but if she wanted to deepen the connection, she needed to ask him for help.
Alright, I'll do it. She sighed inwardly, defeated by her own mind.
The woman took out the ancient copper whistle and blew on it, but no sound came out as if it was a mere illusion.
She waited for a few seconds, wondering if this whistle didn't work, when all of a sudden a cluster of huge bones started rising from the ground.
What the hell?!
The bones jumped up one by one, slowly taking the form of a gigantic skeleton with burning flames that served as its eyes.
Shit, shit! This thing is huge, they're gonna see it!
Amanises was internally panicking, however the formed, gigantic skeleton dropped to one knee in front of her, extending a bony hand.
Oh yeah right, the letter!
She quickly took out a paper note from her pocket, scribbling something on it with a trembling hand.
Where the hell did I get a pen and a paper? Ugh it doesn't matter!
She handed the note to the skeleton, who took it and receded back into the ground as if being swallowed by quicksand.
Next, she sat on the counter with trembling hands, waiting anxiously.
After about ten minutes of waiting, her heart slowly calmed down. She was also thankful to the repeated tranquil poetry that she cited to herself over and over to even out her breaths.
Phew! If worst comes to worst, Mr Fool will be able to offer help.
Even if he asked me I'm sure He has a way!
She retreated back to the card table; the people there had already finished the game in her absence and were spreading the cards for another.
Amanises wasn't mad, she was actually glad that they didn't mind it or, Fool forbid, came to search for her.
None of them questioned her prolonged stay at the bathroom, believing it was some sort of 'women's troubles'.
Royale and Seeka might've contributed slightly to that image too.
The Midnight Poet sat back in her designated spot as two cards were already thrown in her direction by Leonard. She took a quick peek at her cards then fought tooth and nail not to swear out loud.
***
The next day, Amanises and Royale decided to visit a restaurant before heading to the Castle, to 'ease up' some of the stress.
While walking, they overheard one of the paperboys shouting.
"Extra! Extra!
"Extra! Extra! Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!
"Extra! Extra! Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!"
Amanises stopped in her tracks suddenly.
Qilangos is dead? Did Mr Azik succeed?
She was overtaken by numerous questions for a while, that was until Royale tapped her on the shoulder, taking her out of the trance.
"Are you alright?"
"Ah! Yes I am. I'm okay. Let's continue forward." She decided to leave everything for later, perhaps Mr Azik will contact her or if not she will summon his messenger to ask for details.
Royale looked at Eveyn's back for a second, completely befuddled at her friend's strangeness.
She had long guessed that Evelyn was peculiar, but never peculiar enough to match the queer Leonard.
Perhaps they're both on the same boat? Miss Reideen kept her comments to herself, careful to not let her expression betray her emotions.
***
After a nice meal at a restaurant with Royale's reccomandation, both women found themselves back in the Grand Castle of Elpahel not long after.
Once the receptionist saw them, she straightened up and handed her a document containing two papers, one big and the other—a note with a signature.
"Read the instructions and get your sealed artifact from closet room 204."
Closet room 204? Amanises suddenly felt saddened that she hadn't taken any opportunity to explore this place.
She brought the file close to her face and started reading the details regarding the Sealed Artifact.
Name: Fortune Bells
Description: A cluster of bells that can easily be attached to any clothing article.
History: Correspond to a fashionable fortune teller who relied on divination too much. Nobody knew what she had seen.
Danger level: 3
Number: 114
Requirements: The wearer must attach them to any piece of clothing. Example: hat, dress, coat, boots etc.
Must wear Gothic style fashion, otherwise the divination may fail. The more fashionable the better the results.
Sealing Method: Can be left by themselves or attached to something in a closet for a long period of time.
Usage process: While wearing the bells, perform a divination (best done by Mystery Pryers or Seers), make sure that the divination will not lead to death. Take precautions.
Warning: Unless absolutely sure the divination will not have side effects, do not attempt to use them.
...
Amanises read through the file and saw the photo of the Sealed Artifact.
Just like the description, it was a cluster of bells tied up by a silver string.
"Must wear Gothic fashion? What strange requirements..." Royale, who also read through the given information, expressed her thoughts out loud.
"I'd rather be forced to wear a black Gothic dress than have to kill my bloodline just to perform a divination."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Where's room 204?" Amanises turned back to Sasha Birmingham.
"On the second floor, in the first hallway to the left." She said while pointing at a set of stairs that were a bit further away from the main desk.
Amanises followed the curving stairs and saw a mezzanine balcony overlooking the first floor.
Huh, that completely skipped my view the times I've been here. How did I not notice?
She looked even higher and saw more of those indoor balconies stacked atop each other. They seemed to form an infinite pattern.
Just how spacious is this thing?
While thinking that, Amanises and Royale climbed up the curving set of stairs and entered the hallway to the left, looking for the fourth room.
The castle had a suitable naming system. There weren't 200 rooms before this one on the first and basement floor, but rather in order to understand which room was on which floor without needing to explain. The number of the floor was put in front of the number of the room.
For example, if you were to say the 5th room on the fourth floor the door will be numbered 504.
If you needed the 22nd room on the 13th floor, you would say room 1322.
It's a common way of numbering back on Earth, but not standardized in the Loen Kingdom.
The hotels here aren't big enough to warrant such a system.
Soon enough, the women entered room 204, also called the "Closet Room." And just like its name this was very much a closet.
This looks like the backstage of a drama performance...
Amanises and Royale looked through the different styles of clothing, most of them looked to be from early and mid-Fifth Epoch, but some dated back to the late Fourth Epoch, recognizable by their asymmetrical style.
Royale noticed a pitch black veiled hat with a cluster of bells tied to it a little further away as if concealed by the numerous clothing hangers.
"I found it!" She exclaimed, drawing Amanises' attention all the way across the room.
"Great! Let's take them."
"Shall we take a dress from here?" Amanises looked at the incredible number of dresses and clothing, all with different styles and embroidery.
I don't suppose they're cleaned regularly, are they?
"I have a Gothic dress at home in my closet, that one fits me and it's pretty clean too.
"We can also grab Daly with us, I'm sure she's bored from talking to the same dead spirits that plague our street."
Royale chuckled a bit and took the hat, making her way over to the entrance door.
Back at the receptionist desk, Amanises informed Ms Sasha that she took the bells along with the hat and that she will return with them later today.
The woman simply nodded, not taking her gazs off the newspapers.
She's actually playing Sudoku...
***
Daly Simone decided to waste some more of her time developing her sewing skills, something she hasn't done in a while.
When all of a sudden, the door opened and her roommate, Evelyn Dusk entered wearing a large black fishnet hat on her head that obscured most of her gaze.
"I thought you were going to perform a divination not run through the shopping district." She joked.
Royale entered soon after, giving a small greeting.
"Daly, I need to get the black dress on." She turned to Royale. "Wait for me here, please."
Amanises gave the hat to the woman and left for her bedroom to change.
"I'm guessing that's a requirement to wear the Sealed Artifact?"
The poet nodded her head and showed Daly the cluster of bells. "It's these ones, they need a Gothic Style attire, otherwise everything goes down the ditch."
"Ah, I see. Well come sit down here, don't just stand! Evelyn takes ages to change, especially dresses!
"Her tits are far too big for most corsets and dresses, but she still insists on wearing them! Do you know how hard it is when she forces me to help tie the back?"
Royale fought tooth and nail for more than twenty minutes to not laugh that day.
***
"Daly! Come help."
A shout could be heard coming from the bedroom, where Evelyn was still trying to put on her dress and its intricate accessories.
"Well I had fun. Time for my daily fitness program." The Spirit Medium put down her sewing needles as she sighed heavily.
"Fitness program?"
"Evelyn said it to me one day and it stuck. Must be some noble practice with how hard and tight these damn corsets are."
Royale looked at her in question.
"Well it doesn't matter, how about today you give me a helping hand, heh?"
"M-me? How could I??"
"Well it's simple. You thug from one string while I do the other. Makes everything easier."
"B-but I—"
"Daaalyy!" Another shout, this time even louder and more annoyed.
"I'm coming! I'm coming! Geez!"
The Spirit Medium dragged the poet along with her to Evelyn, who was getting rather impatient.
"We're here."
"We?" Amanises looked at Royale. This wasn't who she called for!
"If I'm going to cage you into that metal trap corset of yours, I need an extra hand."
"You've done this so many times before!"
"Yes! And my hands fricking hurt!"
She signaled for Royale to get closer and grab a black string.
Amanises, who stood in front of the mirror wearing the dark dress with puffy sleeves and button up top, not to mention holding her breasts in her hands was quite surprised but not as much.
"Alright, just make this quick."
"Okay, come on one, two, three—Thug!"
Euuuhgghh!
Amanises watched as the two struggled to tighten the black corset, with an indifferent expression.
It wasn't me who struggled, I don't even feel any pressure.
Seeing as how no progress was made, Daly and Royale tried one more time, each tugging as far as they could the black strings.
How are they not snapping? What are they made of—titanium?
Daly was struggling the most.
Eventually, they failed.
"Alright, let's take a small break and start agai—"
"Sighh! Just hold these and let me do it." Amanises said while letting go of her tits. At this moment in time, she really wished to have more arms for this task.
"Uhh...Huh?" Royale became flabbergasted just by hearing the request.
"You heard the woman, hold one I'll take the other." Daly didn't even bat an eye as she walked around the woman and lifted one.
What?
She was stupefied but followed the instructions nonetheless, taking one of the large titties in her hand.
It's so soft. I wish I could squeeze...
She stood there a little dazed while Evelyn tightened the corset in one go.
How the hell? What did you need me for?
Tying the black strings and making sure they wouldn't snap, Amanises made the two women let go of her breasts by taking a step back.
Royale's hand lingered for a second, as if missing the squishy flesh.
Amanises then started tucking the excess fabric under the tight corset and other hundreds of layers of clothing.
Royale was about to ask the question, when Amanises responded first.
"When I put on a corset of this type, they get squished unevenly under it, and sometimes the skin can even be pinched."
"Oh. I didn't know. I don't wear corsets of this type."
"It's alright, actually it's good that you don't. These hurt like hell."
"So why do you wear it?"
"I'm too lazy to go buy another one."
"Ah, I see." She was left at a loss for words.
After making sure everything was in place, Amanises grabbed the large black fishnet hat and put it on her head, completing the outfit.
She did some posing in front of the body mirror turning her head to the side. Her spirituality suddenly spiked up as if the bells were acknowledging her fashion taste.
Hmmm, not bad. Not bad at all.
"Alright, let's make our way back to Lanevus' residence."
Notes:
Tussock Times Newspaper Article
Seer—Forsaken by Fate
December 2nd 1322 A lousy report from an animal trainer at the Backlund's Falling Feather Circus has been heard today.
Apparently, a famous Fortune Teller that had been renown for her accurate tarot reading and divination arts has been missing for no more than two days. The speaker says that she had divined a 'fortuous encounter' outside of town and decided to follow her 'fate'.
After the police report, it didn't take them more than five hours to find her in the outskirts of West Borough. An officer says that she was laying down in a ditch completely lifeless but with a crazed look on her grayish eyes.
It was unknown what exactly happened, but the world had lost a fashionable Seer that very day. One of the clowns at the circus even reported that she has been 'seeing sounds and hearing colours'—whatever that meant.
Many of the Circus' most frequent watchers had been saddened by the news, claiming that even fate could not save her.
The final question remains—Is Fate truly fortuous or does it hide under layers of performative goodwill?