The convention floor was a kaleidoscope of color and chaos.

Cosplayers, vendors, and fans milled about in every direction, their voices blending into a hum of excitement that filled the massive hall. The air smelled faintly of popcorn and plastic, the kind of mix you only got at events like this.

I adjusted the edge of my costume—a carefully pieced-together version of Mitsuri Kanroji from Demon Slayer—and tried to keep up with Maya and Jake as they navigated the crowd.

Maya, dressed as Shinobu Kocho, was in her element, chatting animatedly with everyone who stopped us for pictures. Jake, pulling off a surprisingly good Tengen Uzui, stood with his usual quiet confidence, his dual prop blades strapped across his back.

“Evie, smile!” Maya called, tugging me into yet another photo.

I grinned, holding my borrowed prop sword at an awkward angle while trying not to trip over the flowy pink and green haori.

“Your cosplay is amazing!” a passerby gushed, snapping a picture before disappearing into the crowd.

“Thanks,” I said, the compliment warming me despite my growing exhaustion.

It had been like this all day—constant attention, endless walking, and more photos than I could count.

“This is amazing,” Maya said, her eyes sparkling as she glanced around. “I swear, conventions are the best thing ever.”

Jake chuckled. “They’d be better if we didn’t stop every five minutes for pictures.”

As we made our way through the vendor hall, something caught my eye.

A small, dimly lit booth tucked into a corner, its shelves crammed with trinkets, books, and items that seemed…different. Not the usual anime merchandise or fan art prints, but things with an esoteric, almost mystical vibe.

The vendor, an older woman with piercing eyes and a knowing smile, sat quietly behind the table, her hands folded in her lap.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

I felt an inexplicable pull toward the booth, my feet carrying me there before I even realized it.

“Go on without me,” I said over my shoulder to Maya and Jake. “I’ll catch up.”

The woman’s gaze met mine as I approached, her smile deepening slightly.

“Looking for something?” she asked, her voice low and melodic.

“I’m just browsing,” I said, though my attention was already drawn to the display.

And then I saw them.

A deck of tarot cards, resting on a black velvet cloth. Unlike my usual deck, these cards were larger, with intricate designs that seemed to shift under the light. The edges were gilded, and the art was a mix of traditional symbolism and something more…primal.

“How much for the cards?” I asked, picking them up.

“They’re one of a kind,” the woman said, her tone enigmatic. “Eighty dollars.”

I hesitated. Eighty bucks was steep for a tarot deck, but something about these cards called to me in a way I couldn’t explain.

I handed over the cash before I could second-guess myself.

“Use them wisely,” the woman said, placing the deck in a small black bag and handing it to me. “They’re not like other cards.”

Her words lingered in my mind as I rejoined Maya and Jake, the bag tucked safely into my costume’s pocket.

The rest of the day passed in a blur of panels, more photos, and too many overpriced snacks. By the time we made it to the Airbnb that evening, my feet were aching, and my mind was buzzing with the day’s chaos.

The Airbnb was cozy, with just enough space for the three of us to spread out. Maya immediately claimed the couch, Jake disappeared into the kitchen to grab drinks, and I collapsed onto the armchair, my new tarot deck weighing heavily in my bag.

As Maya and Jake bickered over who got the best room, I pulled out the cards, running my fingers over the smooth black bag.

“Alright,” I murmured to myself. “Let’s see what makes you so special.”

The cards felt cool and heavy in my hands, their weight oddly reassuring. I shuffled them carefully, the gilded edges catching the light in a way that made them seem almost alive.

I spread them out on the table, drawing three cards at random.

The first was the Moon.

Mystery. Illusion. Hidden truths.

The second was the Tower.

Destruction. Chaos. Upheaval.

My breath caught as I drew the third card.

The Devil.

Temptation. Power. Darkness.

Before I could process the spread, the room shifted.

The light overhead flickered wildly, casting strange shadows across the walls. A cold wind swept through the room, ruffling the cards on the table.

“Maya? Jake?” I called, my voice shaking.

No answer.

The tarot cards began to glow, their designs pulsing with an otherworldly light. The wind grew stronger, pulling at my hair and clothes, and I felt a strange, unrelenting force dragging me toward the cards.

“No, no, no!” I shouted, trying to push away from the table, but it was too late.

The light engulfed me, and the world fell away.