The Diviner looked up in surprise at the abrupt entrance of her two customers. They were pitched over, huffing as they caught their breath. The Fortune Teller settled down. She happened upon clients this way surprisingly often, it was a perk of working from a covered tent in the outer city.

“Y-you can let go now…” Luna gasped, her face red from exertion and embarrassment. Exill let go as he realised he was still gripping her hand.

“What fortune would you like read? Your future? Compatibility with your partner? I can answer all for ten Denars…”

The Diviner spoke up before the couple had a chance to catch their breath. She needed to make the sale now before they had ideas of leaving.

“We don’t ne-”

“Future please.”

Exill looked at Luna in shock. He couldn’t believe she would pay ten Denars to hear from a swindler. Of all people, he should know! Meanwhile, the Diviner grinned inwardly; they had nearly escaped her hook but now they were firmly in her grasp. The Fortune Teller summoned her Card and held it forward for them to inspect. Her profession was [Diviner] and [Cook] and she was 48 years old. Exill surmised this gesture was to stave of claims of fraud.

“Now, channel mana into these bones for me, child.”

The woman took out a handful of worn ivory bones, and the runes etched across their surface began to glow when Luna touched the surface. The Diviner fuelled it further with her own mana and the runes glowed bright blue, then let them slip through her fingers onto the worn table surface below. They flickered in sequence over a period of seconds before growing dim.

The Diviner sighed, relating her findings, “You are truly blessed my Child. You are much loved by the World and those around you. Your kindness is both your weakness and strength. You will achieve much in your profession. As for your private life… hmm… unfortunately, you don’t appear to have much luck with men. I see a bad influence looming over you as it chips you away piece by piece. You must learn to let go at times, even if it means abandoning a part of yourself.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

A suffocating silence fell within the tent when the Diviner declared the Truth as she had seen it. Seeing the young girl’s worried look she added in a comforting tone, “There is nothing so bad in which there is not something good. Especially where the Will is involved…” she said, attempting to convey to the elf maiden that there could be a silver lining to her fortune.

Exill’s impression of the woman rose markedly, and he felt a tug of curiosity. Forecasting the future was an incredible skill, and he wondered how he could obtain the job.

“I would like my fortune read too.” Then he channelled mana into the divination tools as Luna had done, and watched them glow brightly before slipping through the woman’s fingers.

“Ah…” The shawled woman sighed after watching the runes flash impossibly fast and dissipate in under a second. She gathered up the bones and put them in a pouch, frowning all the while. Then, she began to speak, haltingly at first, before simply returning his 10 Denars.

“I cannot read your future.”

Exill did not believe it for a second, he had seen a hint of recognition in her eyes. She had seen something, and he needed to know what. Firmly, the copper coin was pushed back into the old woman’s palm.

“Tell me the truth.”

The Diviner finally locked eyes with him, her eyes narrowed in accusation.

“Why does the World hate you so much?”

***

The two emerged from the tent.

Luna was shaken by the revelation of her future, and she threw a suspicious look at Exill.

‘Why would one who was blessed by the Spirit, be hated by it?’

An unknown fear grasped her heart. Did she really know this stranger that was Exill? They had just spent over a month together but really… she knew nothing of his past.

Exill sensed her suspicion and the distance growing between them but said nothing. It was… regrettable, but perhaps it was for the best. The Diviner had confirmed what had been yammering at the back of his mind ever since he entered this world.

It was obvious that the ‘bad influence’ looming over Luna was him, and that he would only bring pain by remaining near her. Taken by itself, he would have easily laughed over it and called the Diviner a hack. But the way she had sensed his state of rejection had dispelled those thoughts.

The two returned in sombre silence to the Clinic.