Chapter 41: Preparations

As soon as all members involved had agreed to the terms, they immediately set out into the emerging night. The streets were cast in a faint orange glow. Gradually, the people who frequented the festival district dispersed. Various motorised carriages filled with labourers and salarymen littered the streets, filled with a mixture of laughter, satisfaction, anguish, and tired sighs. Motorised carriages, although far less common, demonstrated their luxury amidst the crowds of horses. During the emerging night, it was when people began to walk less. This was partly because travel by multi-tiered public carriage was fairly cheap, and so it only made sense for a weary labourer to conserve what little remained of their stamina in order to come home to their wives and enjoy leisure time with their children. Recently, this was also because many women had begun to go missing in the late hours of the night, and so it was thought to be safer to travel along with a group instead.

Lumière knew more of this danger than most, however. He knew that because of the rise in the activity of the evil cult who worshipped the evil orthodox deity that Peacekeepers had begun to flood into Leiden. However, despite their presence, not a single person began to feel safe. Despite their numbers, the Peacekeepers were just normal people. This was why the teams of magic users like Heaven's Roses had been formed under the watch of the other orthodox churches. Although, most people didn't know of their existence, and so they were left to live in fear. Still, it wasn't as if the four who walked through the streets of the middle borough were very ordinary people.

Two alchemists, an astrologer, and a heretic. Who among them could fear a mere monster, when they posed just as much danger among the streets?

Four of Hearts and Three of Hearts both carried small leather briefcases along with them, while Three of Diamonds had draped herself in a hood.

"So we'll be hoping to find him in his most beloved establishment, and then trail Mr. Basque until there's an opportune moment to alert the Peacekeepers?"

Three of Hearts nodded in response.

"That's about it. I'll explain more in the moment. In the meantime, there's some preparations we need to make." He spoke with a tone of seriousness that was unlike him. It was as if, under the stress of the operation, Three of Hearts had become an entirely different individual.

"Preparations?" Lumière inquired, curious.

"Yes. There's still the matter of Three of Diamonds's divination. Moreover, there are certain precautions that Four of Hearts is able to take in the event that your 'illusory murmurs' fail to bring about the outcome we desire."

"You're speaking about 'that' concoction?" Four of Hearts let out a slight chuckle. "Won't that effect us as well? I feel as if failing the operation entirely would be better than making use of that."

Three of Hearts shrugged in response. "It's not a problem if you aim well. Isn't it no matter? Or is it an issue of skill?"

"It'll be no problem." Uncharacteristically, Four of Hearts's eye began to twitch.

However, watching over this interaction, Lumière grew quite confused.

'Concoction? A matter of aim? Are they fooling around now?' Lumière pondered. 'No, it's not a joke to them. Four of Hearts is quite a calm individual, so otherwise it wouldn't make Four of Hearts react in such a way. Then, is it something related to 'alchemy', which implies a fine science? A mixture of chemicals perhaps? Then, will he put it into a flask and throw it, or will he simply run up and splash it onto the parties involved? Moreover, what kind of effect could it possibly have to be able to replace the 'illusory murmurs' I can conjure? Will those murmurs even affect someone as powerful as that surgeon, Johan Basque? There's a gap of four levels between me and him…'

"Well, it's important that we try and avoid a battle at all costs. Even with the four of us, there's a large chance that he will kill us all, even if he suffers serious injury in the process."

"Is a 'Five' card that strong?" Lumière grew curious, abandoning his 'One of Spades' persona slightly. While it was important for him to keep that unapproachable, confident aura going, it was also important that he knew what he was getting himself into.

Four of Hearts seemed to lose himself in thought for a moment, before answering succinctly.

"You're aware that the 'cards' are like instructional booklets, right?" Four of Hearts asked of him.

Still, Lumière looked puzzled. So, Four of Hearts continued.

"When one advances to that 'next step', it involves a very complex ritual. Usually, one would do so after beseeching a Deity to watch over them and make sure they remain safe. They would have to participate in a 'trial' that would try to shake their wits- making them lose large amounts of their humanity, morality, sanity, or their very soul. Moreover, those trials take place in a hellish, lonely space apart from our world, filled with dangers and strife that threaten one's life at every turn. However, to we bearers of these cards, we are allowed to skip such a thing. Although, this leads us to bear a harsh cost by failing to adapt to our powers in such a short amount of time. For us, it's almost inevitable that we will lose all of ourselves. It's the cost of a shortcut- the cost of becoming a godlike being."

'A hellish space? Trial? Isn't that a bit like Mr. Sinner's labyrinth? Then, because I'm connected to such a grand being, does it take the place of that 'trial', even if I were to have been exempted from it originally?

"Godlike? Can we really become so strong?" Lumière inquired further.

"You don't even know that much, little fledgling? The 'doors' you open, the path you take, the steps you climb- it's all a journey towards the peak of power. While I'm not sure why

"Do you think that Deities can change the order of the world?"

"Don't they already preside over the world's order?"

Lumière nodded in agreement.

"Then, perhaps I should become a deity myself." Lumière shrugged.

"What could you possibly want to become a deity just to change?"

In response, Lumière just began to turn his head from side to side, glancing at every seeming event that was happening around them. The carriages that drove past, the few Dwindlers of the middle borough who refused to move themselves, and the people that stayed out late at night, dancing about in drunken states. In response to his question, Lumière met the gaze of Four of Hearts. In response, Lumière smiled gently.

"Guess."

Four of Hearts let out a sigh.

"Well, this is all to say that the first ten stages of a domain of power, the user is still considered 'human' However, those that reach the final three of those thirteem stages are not so much.

"If they're not human, then what are those that reach the final three stages considered?"

Four of Hearts just shook his head in response.

"I'm unsure of that. This is just what I've been able to gather by associating with the House of Cards. Of course, the higher one wishes to raise themselves, the greater mental and physical costs will accumulate. Whether or not you could even make it that far is sheer luck, willpower, and the kindness of fate and deities." Four of Hearts sighed. "However, this means that ultimately, Johan Basque is as human as us. However, underestimating him based on that fact is a fool's game. We can anticipate the type of abilities he has based on his connection to the 'Hearts', or rather, the Alchemical Domain. However, that doesn't reveal to us whether he has also contracted himself with a demon or deity. He could have some sort of mysterious power we can't anticipate, and so there are many unknowns to us. This is why we have to divine your future for the sake of our safety."

"Can our safety really be determined by a divination?"

Four of Hearts shook his head.

"Unlike destiny, fate is never set in stone. The divination will reveal the most likely outcome, but even the most likely outcome in a pool of a thousand outcomes could be a meager one percent chance. Caution and preparation will still be our best friend in this scenario."

Soon, they had come to a lonely, silent street. Immediately, Three of Hearts reached into his briefcase and pulled out a small twine-bound satchel and threw it towards Four of Hearts.

"Spread the saltpeter. I'll prepare the necessary ingredients for the concoction." Three of Hearts spoke to him, before turning towards Three of Diamonds. "In the meantime, please divine my future, Miss."

Three of Diamonds still seemed hesitant towards the man, but she nodded her head to his request, and reached into the pockets of her robes, procuring a large deck of cards with intricate designs on their back.

"Little fledgling, do you know how to disguise yourself yet? Have you become adept at all with your illusion painting?" Three of Hearts asked of Lumière.

Lumière shook his head, his expression still a bit perplexed. Countless new things were being thrown at him in such a short span of time, and he began to wonder if the reward of money had become worth it.

'Illusion painting... I recall having the ability to paint images into the air, but can I really disguise myself with such a thing? Moreover, to an astrologer who can grasp insights of the world- will such a thing really work against Johan Basque?'

Three of Hearts reached into his briefcase once more and procured a large black cowl, which he threw over to Lumière. Without hesitance, Lumière thanked him before draping it over his head, casting his countenance in shadow. Simultaneously, the two alchemists, having finished casting saltpeter around their perimeter, placed their hands against their mouths and bit into their flesh, casting blood onto their skin. Intricate runes began to form themselves with the blood, and were illuminated a bright green colour in an instant, the marks on their hands alighting alongside the glow. The runes gradually disappeared along with the blood, and their faces became obscured by bright-silver half masks.

'Did they just turn their blood into masks? Is that something alchemists are capable of? In the same realm as turning coal into gold- is such a thing really possible?'

"Saltpeter will protect us for the time being. Those monsters that wander when night breaks- the Nameless hate this substance. We can stage our operation in this obscured alleyway without worry. No one will choose to wander here willingly out of fear either. The only thing that may interrupt us is the patrols of Peacekeepers or the church's magic users, so we'll be sure to work as quick as possible to avoid that." Three of Hearts grinned.

Three of Diamonds had already knelt on the ground as he spoke, placing the cards beside her after shuffling the deck. She then drew three cards placing them face-down on the ground in front of her.

"Since we're the same rank in terms of our domains, I can only do tarot divination. It could be fruitless, obscured, or vague, but this is all I can manage. I might be able to glean something more from One of Spades, but for you this is all I can do." Three of Diamonds sighed quietly.

Lumière watched intently at the process.

'A tarot divination? Isn't this only for bored housewives or scammers who prey on people for the sake of money? Can something like this really bring about mystical answers?'

Three of Diamonds flipped over each card in succession. The past on the left, the present in the middle, and the future on the right, each representing a facet of time within Three of Hearts's life. For the sake of the operation, the present was the most important.

As this could meant the near-present, and all that encapsulates it, the result was heavily necessary to glean.

"The present has drawn the 'Six of Wands'. It's a card that represents certain success or victory. In seeing such a thing, I don't think there's too much to worry about in terms of this operation, although it's a very vague result."

Humoured, Three of Hearts nodded.

"And what of the other two? For curiosity's sake, of course."

Three of Diamonds looked back down to the other cards, and her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"The past is shrouded in a strange, obscuring mist. I can't recognise the face of the card. Have you really lives so strange a life that not even physical divination can glance into it?"

Three of Hearts just kept a characteristic smirk upon his expression.

"And the future?"

Three of Diamonds looked down once more.

"It's the Hanged man. However, it's reversed... this implies sacrifice, but not in a noble sense. It will be an unnecessary sacrifice. You will be a martyr with no purpose."

"That's fine with me." Three of Hearts laughed heartily. "I've always wanted to die with conviction. Even unnecessary sacrifice implies that I had some."

After cleaning up the cards, Three of Diamonds turned towards Four of Hearts.

"For One of Spades, I can go a bit more in-depth. Will you assist me in accessing a dream divination?" She asked of him.

Four of Hearts nodded, understanding immediately. As Lumière watched the two converse, Four of Hearts reached into his briefcase and procured a small glass vial. He walked over towards Three of Diamonds, who was still kneeling, and began to support her with his arm. He then uncorked the glass vial and held it up to her nose. As soon as she caught the scent of the substance inside, her eyes glassed over before rolling back, and her eyelids shut almost immediately. She slumped back into Four of Hearts's arms, and he knelt behind her as she fell into slumber. Lumière's eyebrows raised slightly, and he inquired into the matter.

"Will she be alright?" She asked Four of Hearts.

"She'll be fine. It's just a matter of falling asleep quickly in order to do a dream divination. We're short on time, so this was the only choice." Four of Hearts shook his head. "I'll wake her up with a separate substance in a moment. She just needs ample time to glean any necessary information."

After a short time, he brought another uncorked vial to her nose, and breathing its scent in unconsciously, life filled her eyes as her eyelids opened. Her blank, shaking gaze moved towards Lumière in an instant.

"The operation will go fine. There was nothing of dangerous note that I saw."

However, her whole body seemed to tremble. Four of Hearts and Lumière noticed this much. She kept her gaze upon Lumière, although it seemed she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes. She was lost i her racing thoughts.

'His past... his present... his future... I saw nothing. There was only darkness, as if he was cloaked in it. Besides that, there was a pair of violet eyes staring down at me. However, the sounds of crows echoed throughout the darkness, like an army of thousands... who is this man, who reveals nothing to me?'

'Rather, is this unhinged 'One of Spades' even human?'