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Mira was resolved to fight and die. There was no way she could seriously challenge the beast when Tiamat jumped forward.
“My Mira is a master of illusion. She has a game she has played throughout the Realms and has never lost. It’s called Three Card Monty. She can beat even you. No matter how good your magic may be, you won’t be able to see through her illusions.” Tiamat proclaimed.
“I am not familiar with this game. But I can hear the winds beyond the Cloud Palace, feel the very magic underpinnings of the world, and see past any deception. So, tell me about this…Three Card Monty.”
Mira smiled and thought spoke to Tiamat. Nicely done, Miss T. Good hook and lead-in too.
Mira conjured a table and pulled her cards from its pocket in her cloak. She pulled free the Queen of Diamonds, her favorite lucky charm, and a pair of black-suited deuces. She placed the cards on the table, flipping them and shuffling them around.
“The game is to find the Queen. She starts in plain sight. I will turn the cards and help her move in mysterious ways. Around and around, she will move. A discerning Dragon should have no problem tracking her. My power will hide her. How good is your ability to see through my deceptions and find the lady, despite the powerful magics hiding her? If you think you stand a chance of winning this nigh unwinnable game, we must state terms.” Mira said, delivering her tried and true goads.
She had won a lot of coin from other adventurers with this game over the years. Mages were usually the easiest to trick, thinking their magics could see through the illusions she might use on the mundane cards. The cards were coated in Void stone powder making them resistant to any magical marking, clairvoyance, illusion, or telekinetic tricks. The cards were as close to Anti-Magic as was possible.
Vercynath’s golden eyes burned with pride at the challenge and spoke.
“Very well. I will find your Queen. For terms, if you win - I am “defeated” and will allow you to pass. If I win - you will depart, never to return. Agreed?” Vercynath boomed his smile exposing teeth longer than Mira’s dagger.
Mira smiled and began the game as the Dragon’s huge head dropped low to closely observe the cards. Mira had never lost this game as she had an extra black deuce in her sleeve. Using her practiced sleight of hand, the Queen never actually ended up on the table. Except for the initial show and if necessary, at the end if the loser questioned the results. For most of the shuffling show, the Queen was hidden in her sleeve. Mira shuffled the cards as the large adamantine key dangled under the Dragon’s massive jaws, just out of her reach. Mira couldn’t stop smiling as she shuffled the cards back and forth with her normal banter.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
“There we are. The cards are like a dance partner, and I'm leading... but I hope I'm not leading you into a fiery rage!" Mira stopped the shuffle to show the Queen again, then flipped it back and started shuffling again. The Dragon’s attention was like a physical weight on Mira. It was muttering some incantations under its breath. Mira had visited abattoirs that smelled more pleasant. With watering eyes, she continued. As the dance of cards moved, Mira swapped the Queen with her extra black duce from her sleeve.
"You think you're clever, but the cards always have... uh, wings? Well, something like that. If you're feeling lucky, now's the time to prove it! Step right up and try not to turn me into a pile of ash.” Mira clapped her hands, showing her palms, waiting for the Dragon to make his choice.
Mira sweated slightly under his regard; she was about to do something very risky. The Dragon’s look of confidence was classic.
“The middle card is your Queen hatchling! Ha! Ha!” the Dragon declared loudly.
“Well, let's see what the fates say, shall we?” Mira flipped the card, revealing a deuce.
“WHAT!?” The Dragon bellowed, shaking the small table. Mira stepped around the table brushing up against the Dragon’s head, one hand on her Talisman as she focused. She slapped the table with her other hand, palmed the right-hand card, and swapped it with her hidden sleeve card. She “revealed” the Queen, flipping the card already in her hand.
“So sorry, Great Vercynath. It appears the mysterious Queen has evaded you. I have won this contest. By your own terms and promise, you have agreed to let us pass now.” Mira looked up…and up…and up. The Dragon’s head rose with anger, his internal flames sending curls of smoke through his massive teeth.
“Very well, little mage, you have proven your cleverness. Now go and be quick about it. If you know your lore, the powerful tend not to stay “dead” for long. GO!” Vercynath roared.
Mira nodded briskly to Tiamat and they both quickly turned to face the dangerous Vault door. With her back to the Dragon, she summoned the large Adamantine key from her Talisman. She held it close so that the Dragon behind her wouldn't see it and she unlocked the door. The pair hurriedly passed through and then swiftly slammed it closed behind them.
The confused Dragon stared in wonder; unaware that the “key” around its neck was now, in fact, only a large copper frying pan.
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Mira collapsed on the other side of the vault door with Tiamat right beside her. She shook as she tried to recover her wits and breath without hyperventilating. Poor Tiamat was shaking too.
“Bwa Ha Ha Haaa! Didja see the look on the big lump’s face when he guessed wrong? I need to record that on a memory crystal. Mira, can you record my memory? Hey, what’s wrong?” Tiamat’s mirth dissolved seeing Mira’s pale face.
“To borrow Pip’s favorite curse, Bibi’s Blue Balls! Do you know how easily that monster could have squashed us? Don’t you have any sense of self-preservation?” Mira screamed with frustration.
“Chill, Hatchling. Hah. That dragon played all rough and tough, but he was clearly a goody-goody hero type. He wasn’t gonna kill us.” Tiamat giggled.
“T! Seriously, we’re burgling a treasure he’s been Geased to protect. Do ya really think he wouldn’t kill us?” Mira vented.
“But we’re good thieves, not evil at all. That wouldn’t make any sense.” Tiamat complained.
“And he would know that how? Exactly? Hmm?” Mira stopped abruptly and gasped.
She focused on the room they were in. The Vault room was lit at least, and not by a deadly Dragon. The room stretched out before them curving to the left and then right in a sinuous shape. The walls were filled with niches and lined with shelves and tables. All were filled with meticulously arranged treasures and items of power. Mira goggled at the immense wealth and barely contained power.
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