Anz?, the gorgeous port city, with bustling fisherman and other seafarers rushing about. The air hung heavy with humidity, smelled of fish and salt, and the water loudly lapped against the shore. It sounds nice and serene, peaceful even. So why are we rushing down a dark alley towards a woman screaming for help?

  As we rush through the streets, the smell of blood starts to mix with the smell of the salt in the air. The woman screams out again before her voice becomes muffled. As we rush around the corner, a woman lies on the ground with a man on top of her, his hand around her throat.

  “Get away from her!” Madison screams after him. The man, startled, sharply turns towards us.

  “I’m trying to save her here!” He screams back, his voice full of despair. Madison pushes off the ground and sprints towards them. As she slides into them, she begins chanting inaudibly.

  “We were too late.” Madison whispers softly as she closes the woman’s eyes. Underneath the woman sat a puddle of blood from where her throat had been slashed and she bled out. It appears as though the man was attempting to stop the blood.

  He climbs of of her and backs away until he runs into the wall behind him, and lets out an exasperated sigh.

  “What happened here?” Dardania questions.

  “She screamed. I ran over and saw a man running away. I tried to save her, but it I couldn’t.” He turns his ahead away and stares off into the distance.

  “Why would someone do this?” I ask. I knew it was a dumb question since murder in my opinion doesn’t really make sense. I suppose if it was a crime of passion or a revenge killing it could make sense, but slitting someone’s throat doesn’t feel like that. It just feels, I don’t know, monstrous.

  “She’s part of the Minor Arcana.” Prisha says softly. She kneels down and reaches in the woman’s satchel and pulls out a Four of Wands card. She gently places it on the woman’s chest and folds her hands over it.

  “This was the Arcana Killer.” Prisha stands up and turns her attention to the man. “And who the hell are you?”

  “Prisha!” Dardania scolds her. The rest of stare on in just as much of a state of shock as Dardania.

  “What are the chances that some random person would be here with her when she was killed by the Arcana Killer?” She slowly starts walking towards him. “So, who are you?”

  “He tried to save her, how could you just—” The man raises his hand, stopping Dardania from speaking. She goes to speak again but immediately snaps her mouth shut when he pulls out something from his pocket.

  It was the Strength Card.

  ****

  “She was going to introduce me to another of the Major Arcana. We had set a meeting but when I arrived, that’s how I found her.” The man slowly sips his tea as he recounts his story.

  We were now back at the inn to get cleaned up and give him a chance to explain what happened to him.

  Now that we were no longer in a dark alley, I finally got a good look at him. He had the most cliche look of a man you’ve ever seen. All American was probably an understatement. If there was ever a quarterback of the football team, this would be him.

  He had bright blue eyes, pale white skin, and blonde hair with a faded undercut. Square jaw, muscles, and he has a whole Hitler youth look to him. I know, that’s terrible to say, but it’s true. Boy next door is the best way to describe him. I don’t like it, just makes me think back to every homophobe I’ve ever met. He just looks like a cliche bigot.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “I guess we can’t judge a book by it’s cover.” Prisha says softly as she sips at her tea. “I’m sorry I immediately assumed the worst.”

  Okay Prisha, fine, I guess I won’t judge a book by its cover.

  “I haven’t met any of the other Major Arcana, and when I came across the Minor Arcana I hoped that I would be able to. I didn’t think the killer would show up though.”

  “What do we know about the killer?” Dardania asks Prisha, the only one who seems to know anything about it.

  “Not much to be honest. I’m not sure entirely if they have killed any of the Major Arcana, but they have wiped out quite a bit of the Minor Arcana. Our network has tried to keep tabs on it, but information is scarce. It doesn’t help that members keep getting killed.

  “What’s the pattern?” I ask. Hey I don’t have a lot of information but American Housewives seem to be obsessed with true crime so serial killer information is readily available in the United States. Documentaries, reality shows, and dramatic reenactments are a favorite pastime for Americans and Hollywood. It’s quite grotesque and oh my god we are all so obsessed with violence. What is wrong with us?

  “I haven’t actually thought about it before.” Prisha pauses and contemplates on it for a moment before seemingly having an ah ha moment. “I think they are going by the suit. Based on everyone I know who I know has either died or disappeared was a Wand.”

  “And what are you?” The man asks.

  “I’m a Sword.” She immediately responds, not giving it a beat. “But I’m not sure why target the Wands.”

  “No clue, but we know who one of his next targets might me now though.” I say, trying to offer some glimmer of hope. If we know where he will strike next perhaps we can stop him or even catch him.

  “That is true. For the time being, let’s just get some rest. We will leave this room for the three of you and the women will adjourn to another room. Have a good night everyone.” Prisha, Madison, and Dardania all stand up and leave the room for the night.

  Avis was sitting on the bed staring at our guest. I guess glaring would actually be more accurate. He looks to me and pats the spot next him on the bed.

  “Come over here.”

  I’m not sure why says this, but I follow suit anyway. Just as I sit down he begins speaking again.

  “I don’t trust you.”

  “I can’t blame you.”

  “Good, glad you see it my way.”

  “I’m Trevor by the way.” He raises his gaze to meet Avis’s who just stares at him unblinking. “I get the feeling you don’t trust anyone.”

  “Keen eye.”

  “Well, when you fall into another world, you tend to keep your guard up.”

  “Can’t blame you.”

  “Glad we can agree.”

  “Look, I don’t mean any of you any harm. I’m just trying to find a way back home, that’s all. I figured that maybe other members of the Major Arcana could help me with that.” Trevor lowers his head. “This isn’t exactly what I had planned for my life.”

  “Does anyone ever really get to plan for their life?” Avis questions, his gaze still hard as stone. Geez, he wasn’t going to cut this guy even a little bit of a break. Sure, I said he looks like Hitler youth, but that doesn’t mean I hate the guy. Just me judging him based on the way he looks. Sure he looks like a classic cliche white southern bigot, but that doesn’t mean he is. Hell, half the guys I’ve date were white. I’m white, it doesn’t always mean evil. Just most of the time.

  “I suppose you are right.” Trevor chuckles while he leans back in his chair and stares up at the ceiling. “I just miss my family and want to go home.”

  After a long awkward silence Trevor stands up and walks towards the other bed, takes his shirt off, and sits down.

  “Have a good night.” He says before getting on his knees and begins praying.

  I can’t quite make out what he is saying but I can tell that he is praying to the Christian God. I do find it interesting that he would hold onto his faith after being transported to another world. Then again, I suppose that does prove that magic exists in the world, and if magic exists then it means there is probably a greater change that God exists as well.

  I on the other hand am more confused about faith and spirituality than I ever was before. I wasn’t religious prior to any of this but with the loss of my father followed almost immediately by being transported to another world definitely made me question all of that. Perhaps there was something bigger in this world than any of us knew about it.

  Avis motions for me to lay behind him, closest to the wall, and him on the outer end.

  “Just stay behind me.” He whispers softly before becoming quiet. Part of me thought it was some romantic gesture but deep down I know it’s just him being protective. He wants to keep himself between me and Trevor in case Trevor tries anything. I wasn’t worried about all of that.

  But as I slowly drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but think more about faith and religion. I know the Order of the Saint dominates this world, but what religion came before that? In the memories of Lucias, they mentioned a Diviner. What was that? I couldn’t help but think that there is more to these two Earth’s than meets the eye.