Chapter 24: The Joker

Lumiere looked on in horror at the processions of the Joker's gathering within the House of Cards. His body was shaken, his mind frail, yet his heart grew steeled.

In unison, Lumière had come to a realisation watching the woman control the shadows. When the duel had begun, the man had also tried to weave the shadows around him, but it had taken him much longer, and so if it had gone on, it was likely he would have lost. That was the meaning of 'six' being higher than 'five'. In just a moment, he had grasped that fundamental difference.

'I see… the cards are in some way directly connected to this 'power' that they wield. The higher cards of a suite influence one's strength, so the way to progress one's innate strength is to ascend the suite. One will always be at a disadvantage in a duel against their senior, but that's the price paid for vying for greater power. Then, to balance the 'duel' aspect, the challenged senior can buy their way out of the duel by paying their junior an equal amount of currency or wares. That 'game-master' Joker gets his entertainment, and the participants gain power. That is the existence of the House of Cards…'

This also meant that as a 'One of Spades', he was severely outclassed. He was a small fish standing in a pool of sharks. He could feel the malice in the wandering eyes around him that seemed to scan for prey, but he let out a heavy sigh and calmed his heart before steeling his gaze. Slowly, he began to connect an unquenchable anger to the being that sat at the head of the ballroom. If that spade card had been connected to the person who had intruded on the monastery, then surely that person at the head of the room was connected to it in some way.

The caution that Lumière had chosen to proceed with slowly slipped away. His malice slowly began to seep out of his body, forming a light illusory black aura around his body. The greedy eyes of the room quickly shifted over to Lumière who began to waltz up the steps towards the man at the head of the room. Their gazes weren't filled with greed- but had gathered an irrefutable sense of craziness in Lumière's actions.

Looking towards the man approaching him, the Joker's smile curved upwards as he leaned his head on his hand.

'If I don't act forward here, it's likely he'll just cast me aside. If he likes entertainment, then isn't an 'ant' acting like a giant quite so?'

Lumière stood before the intense being that sat in the regal high-back chair with trembling legs. Every part of his body seemed to tense up in his presence, and each of his hairs had stood up straight out of anxiousness.

"And who are you, little dove?" The Joker asked of him with a calm smile, still in a relaxed posture.

"I'm Lumi- no, the One of Spades." Lumière bit at his tongue, before pulling the card out of his inner coat pocket with two fingers before displaying it so that the Joker could see it.

"Ha- you really are a little dove, a fledgling. What business do you have with me, and where does your forward attitude that defies human nature come from?"

The Joker laughed in amusement.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to harm you, as long as you're not boring. So far you've been quite interesting. Freely speak your business."

Lumière's eyes filled up with worry.

"I should speak with you here, in front of all of these people?" Lumière asked of him hesitantly.

"You would demand otherwise? From me?" The Joker retorted with a look of amusement.

Lumière continued to glance at him nervously. The Joker just let out a quiet sigh and waved his hand in the air. Lumière was about as terrified of the people around him as he was with the Joker. If he could separate the two from his business, then he would only have to worry about one of the groups at a time. So, Lumière tried to appease his malice and shove it away into the depths of his heart, presenting a calm unmoving atmosphere about him.

"Very well. They won't be able to hear us for a short time. I've removed their sense of 'hearing'." The Joker smiled in an amused fashion.

Lumière's eyes shimmered with a slight sense of horror, but he steeled his heart as he remembered who he was facing in that moment, and parted his lips as if to speak. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the familiar silver-glowing card before presenting it to the Joker.

"This card... it's yours, right?"

"No, it's your card, little dove." The Joker smiled softly. "Do you know what it does?"

Lumière shook his head in response.

"Well, it's not my job to say, so I'll refuse to tell you anything about it, even if you ask."

Lumière slipped back into thought for a moment as he recalled the information he wanted to acquire apart from the use and meaning of the card. As it had appeared beside the rat man, the only assumption he could make was that it was in some way related to the attack.

"The person related to this card was responsible for killing someone... close to me."

Lumière's eyes unconsciously with a distrusting malice as he met the being's calm gaze. He couldn't help failing to curb the turmoil of his feelings when those horrific thoughts came to the forefront of his mind.

"These cards seem to lead back to you, so does this mean that you're the one responsible for taking her away from me?"

The Joker's lips curled up a bit as he witnessed the churning malice in the eyes of the man before him, and he raised his palm slightly as if to feign ignorance.

"If one throws a rock into the ocean, and a thousand years later, another picks up that rock and casts it at someone, is the original person responsible for that grievance?"

'This guy... is he comparing magical abilities to stones?' Lumière's brows furrowed as he cursed inwardly. 'Still, him speaking like this- is he claiming he's the origin of these templates of power?'

Seeing that Lumière wasn't quite satisfied with that answer, the Joker let out a sigh and asked him a question in turn.

"Is your heart not satisfied because you didn't kill that man with your own hands? Is that why you were hoping there was some grand mastermind left, for an 'alternate end' to finish yourself, so you didn't have to feel so guilty for doing nothing?"

"You- how can you know that?" Lumière's eyes widened. He had not known how the intruder had died so suddenly, as he had lost consciousness, but he knew that at the very least, it wasn't him. So, he felt as if he had not really avenged Elise. It would have been real trouble for him if there was some grand mastermind behind it all, especially if it was the powerful being that sat before him. However, despite that, it would have comforted Lumière to know it wasn't over because it meant he had a chance to rid himself of the gnawing pain in his heart.

"I know many things." The Joker replied furtively. "I also know that your little 'hope' still exists. There's still someone- no, many people you can kill to make up for your regret."

"There really was someone behind it all?" Lumière exclaimed. He lurched forward as if to grasp at the Joker, but the attendant named Abaddon quickly stepped between them. Amused, the Joker raised his hand to tell Abaddon to step back and then stood up from his seat. He was a bit taller than Lumière, so his gaze fell downwards as he stood above the magician.

"I can tell you who was behind it, but I won't." The Joker smiled softly. "You see, despite my demeanour, as much as I love fun, I also care for my little doves. Of course, I'm not above killing you all, but that's a pleasure I won't give to others. As long as you know of 'his' identity, you'll be in danger. I would rather you not die yet, so you can provide me with further entertainment."

"Then when can you tell me?" Lumière's eyebrows furrowed. "How do I know that you're not lying right now just to get rid of me?"

The Joker walked back to his high-back chair with a soft grin, before turning around and sitting back down. He leaned his head on his hand before replying curtly.

"When you've grown stronger, I'll consider it." He waved his hand dismissively. "Of course, that can't stop you from wanting to explore the matter yourself, which I'm sure you will do. I just won't offer you help in killing yourself in that regard, is all. As for whether I'm lying or not, you won't know until you've grown stronger or investigated the matter yourself. There's not anything you can do about me right now, anyway."

Lumière bit at his lip in aggravation. He felt intense turmoil, of both anger, annoyance, and excitement. He felt satisfied knowing it wasn't over, but he also felt a bit scared, anxious, and hesitant. To grow stronger, using what he had gathered so far to formulate a basis, he realised he would have to fight with those 'card holders' belonging to his suite. However, he didn't particularly know what those powers even entailed. The two he had seen fight previously were holders of the 'club' cards, and so they were prone to being different.

"The powers of the card that woman used- the 'Six of Spades' could control shadow."

The Joker's expression grew a bit tense on the matter of the subject, but he still kept a genial look about him.

"Every once in a while you see them, don't you? 'His' shadows." The Joker smiled softly. "You've been gifted a small amount of 'insight', haven't you? You're the bestowed of a Deity, I can tell. With the ability to see those creatures that lie in the darkness, they must be trying to turn you into a Beacon. How amusing."

'He can tell such a thing? Fuck, I gave too much away… but to him, who seems equivalent to a very powerful being, maybe even withholding information is useless. He knew of the attack on the monastery, after all…'

"What are those creatures?" Lumière asked of him.

"It would be dangerous for you to know, once again. So, I won't tell you. The more you know of them, the more 'He' will know of you. It's how 'He' gathers information. Just knowing that they exist puts you in great danger. Since 'they' know that you know, the one that rests in your shadow is likely looking for every opportunity to kill you."

''He'? So it's another powerful being I've run into? Why so suddenly have I fallen into such dangerous waters?'

"How can I avoid my own shadow? Am I doomed to die?"

The Joker let out a sigh before raising his hand slowly. He snapped his fingers together, and immediately, the space around his hand seemed to warp. In an instant, a small ornate wooden box appeared in his palm.

"This music box- well, there's nothing particularly unordinary about it. You could find one just like it in any toy shop. The shadows are quite prone to exhausting themselves- so much so that any sudden exertion of their strength or any soothing environmental factor will cause them to enter an immediate and long slumber."

"So, with this music box, I can indefinitely keep the creature at bay?" Lumière asked, accepting the box from the being's extended hand. The Joker didn't respond in turn, staring down at Lumière with a quiet expression. "So, what's the price for this music box?"

"You'll owe me a simple favour, which will be repaid at my discretion. It won't endanger your life too greatly, so you don't have to worry about it too much."

'You say that way too lightly when I'm sure anything that involves you will be dangerous.' Lumière sighed inwardly.

"So, what should I do now?"

"Live...? Die...? Why are you asking me? Why should I care about what happens to you, little dove? I've said I'll do all I can to ensure you'll be entertaining to me, but don't imagine it extends so far as to tell you how to live your life."

Looking at Lumière's lost expression, the Joker sighed aloud and leaned forward in his seat.

"The world is cruel, and now you're a prime component of its reality." He spoke straightforwardly. "You now have magic- real magic that all children dream of, and that all adults lament the lack of. So, embrace that gnawing feeling in your heart and begin to wonder- what will you seek to do?"

He had traded his hatred of a cruel world for the fulfilment of a dream. His euphoria had become reality in his hands, and so had his participation in the malice of the present. Long had he lamented his lies in place of real magic, and obtaining it had only cost him everything.

"What am I now?"

"You are a man, and so you are a sinner." The Joker grinned, leaning his head back on his hand.

Lumière let out a sigh and steeled his gaze as he looked back up towards the lofty and powerful being.

"If not from you, how do I figure out what I can do with this card?" Lumière asked of him with furrowed eyes.

"Do you expect me to guide you? Do I look like a teacher to you?" The Joker furrowed his eyes. "You have a room full of people to ask. Moreover, why isn't your first instinct to ask that book of yours?"

"It can tell me such things?" Lumiere furrowed his brow. "How do you even know such a thing?"

"Once again, I know many things. You received a mysterious item, and your first instinct was not to explore it? You really are an amusing individual. I'll watch you with great interest." The Joker smiled warmly, before letting out a pitiful laugh. "Open that book once you're free of here. This is the last piece of advice I'll give you. If you wish for more answers, bring me something entertaining. Now leave me, I'm already quite bored of talking with you."

The Joker waved his hand lightly- as if to tell Lumière to clear his sight of him.

"Wait, there's a payment for all of this information, isn't there?"

"Consider it the same as the debt with the music box." He said dismissively. "Now, go away, little dove. Go get stronger so you're more useful to me."

Lumière walked back down the steps with a sigh, and gradually everyone's sense of hearing returned. Yet, Lumière turned back towards the Joker with one last question.

"Why do you want everyone here to grow stronger? Why provide them with these abilities?"

The Joker's smile curved up his lips slightly.

"I'll tell you when you grow stronger."

'Ironic.'

Lumiere stepped back out of the House of Cards into the mist, where the night had emerged, and the air was cold and silent. He had found no answers, but there was some slight glimmer of hope that there was someone he could kill.

There was a sense that he could become half of himself, for the sake of himself, for he who had lost all, and for he who had nothing at all.

End of Act 1, Despair.