After the familiar white light covered his body, Luca found himself back in his small apartment. Or, to be precise, back in his personal space.
Unlike the one from the vivid dreamscape of The Priestess, this residence looked almost sterile. If he had to describe it with words, he thought that blank, desolate, hollow, lifeless, and stagnant were quite befitting.
"Perhaps, this too is another type of pretend play..." His voice was hoarse, but his tone wasn't questioning. He wasn't seeking confirmation because he already knew; This space existed as a lifebuoy for the lost souls, not only physically but for their psyche as well.
The coldness of the metallic card grasped in his hand resonated with the one coming from his heart. After completing the challenge, his fragmented memories were restored to the time before he entered the dream.
12 hours ago.
[00;01;00;34] The timer on Luca's hand was counting down. When there was around 1 hour left, he chose to enter The High Priestess's challenge.
In the last three days of rest time, Luca realized that he could enter a challenge prematurely. There was no need for him to wait until the very last moment, and if he so desired, he could face games 24/7.
Of course, unless one was crazy, taking such a treacherous route was ridiculous. This time he made such a decision because he wanted to do an experiment. What would happen to his remaining time? Would it be lost, or would it be stacked with the new reward? After clearing The Magician, answering this question became very important and urgent.
Up to now, Luca had acquired 2 cards and had received a rest period after each one of them. Nonetheless, the rewards weren't the same. The Fool gave him 5 days, while The Magician only 3 days. There was no telling if the subsequent trials will yield more or less time. What if he cleared a game only to find 5 minutes on the back of his hand? Depending on the complexity of the game, his mental and physical state, and some other factors entering a game too soon could prove dangerous. Thus, by taking the initiative to test the waters, he could prepare for the future.
"Losing one hour is still fine," thought Luca as his eyes were blinded by the shine. This is why he waited for more than 2 days before making an attempt. It was a matter of comparison between possible profit and loss.
[Welcome to the Second Major Arcana Challenge - The One Man Dream Show
This is a Game of Sentiments
All game rules are equal to laws, and violators will be judged as guilty. The punishment is Path Failure.]
When the light subsided, Luca heard the usual mechanical voice introducing the game. At the same time, he took in his surroundings.
After opening the challenge, he found himself in a small classroom, sitting behind one of the first row desks. On his desk, there were a common pen and a blank piece of paper. While all other chairs and tables in the room were empty, making him feel like the sole protagonist in a scholastic horror story.
[The rules of the challenge are as follow:
[1].This is a single-player game, representing the challenger's dream of a casual Saturday at home.
[2].The game time is 24 hours in the dream world - from midnight on Saturday to midnight on Sunday.
[3].The use of all external items, titles, or other privileges will be prohibited throughout the game.
[4].From the moment the challenger Luca Lawrence enters the dream, he will forget everything related to his death and the Path of Life, becoming a genuine resident of the dream world.
[5].Throughout the game, various hints and obstacles will appear. The clues will be related to the winning conditions of the game, the challenger's circumstances, or the challenge itself. The impediments will be in the form of unforgettable and precious memories or people.
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[6].The challenger will receive a starting clue pointing toward the aim and the essence of the game.
[7].To clear The One Man Dream Show, listen to your inner voice and discover yourself. Claim the Arcana of Intuition, Subconsciousness, and Secrets, located in Luca Lawrence's pharmacy locker, before the end of the game. If the challenger hasn't acquired the card before midnight on Sunday, the game will fail, and the challenger will be disqualified from the Path of Life.]
Luca listened carefully, paying close attention to each and every word. It didn't matter if it was the name of the game, the description, or the rules. After entering the challenge grounds, even the surroundings could be considered a clue. Therefore, to ensure his own survival, Luca had to listen and observe.
"One Man Dream Show..." with every new word he whispered, his eyes widened more and more. A feeling of unease slowly permitted his spirit. He had the feeling that this challenge was going to be one he wouldn't enjoy.
As the game rules mentioned, The High Priestess was the Arcana of secrets, intuition, and subconsciousness. It represented one's connection to their inner self and voice, repression and doubt. Unlike the Magician, in The Priestess's game, the challenger could not hold the initiative. They could only passively believe that their rationale will outpower their emotions. However, for a dead soul, the sentiments of the past were their biggest bane.
[Please proceed to write the starting clue.]
Being prompted by the voice, Luca slowly lifted the pen. This was the only thing he could do for himself.
Back to the present
"I really did hate this challenge," his face grimaced as Luca clenched his hand around the chilling metal card. This trial was pure mental torture. He had to choose between staying with his beloved people and unknowingly perishing and decisively bidding goodbye to move forward in the darkness ahead. Ultimately he made his decision. "Maybe I really am cruel."
Just like The Priestess said...Even if they were only illusions imitating his family and friends, it was still cruel to break their hearts and leave them behind. It required great resolve and hidden brutality.
[00;01;15;28]
The time ticking down on his hand was proof of this determination. And after all this, he gained merely 15 minutes..."This bitch!" Taking a breath to refresh his emotions and clear his mind, Luca went back to analyzing his situation. Cussing, throwing tantrums, or crying were pointless...
His experiment was successful; He could stack time in order to use it when needed. For example, if he was injured in a future trial, he could use the accumulated time to let his body rest and heal to a certain extend.
After he acquired the Fool and gained time, Luca found out that his bodily needs were restored, albeit somewhat reduced. Once again, he could feel hunger and even the desire to sleep. In this regard, it was fortunate that the personal space had a mysterious supply of clean water, fresh ingredients, and electricity. The only thing he was lacking was the internet and freedom to leave. Therefore Luca suspected that if he was injured, the chances of a magical recovery were slim. Even if it didn't take as long as in the real world, he would still need some time to regain sufficient strength before opening the next challenge.
"15 minutes," was his judgment of the time he would use now. To save as much as he could, in these 15 minutes, Luca would calm himself down, look through his rewards, and enter the subsequent trial. Although The One Man Dream Show shook his mental barrier, he had a good sleep and ate well. He had to take advantage of his current psychical state.
The gains this time were bountiful. Not only did he receive an item, but he unlocked a new function of the Tarot card. Both were standard rewards for completing the challenge, but Luca was more than happy.
The item was a pair of silver-rimmed circular glasses, called Observer's Dignity. It could enhance the user's perception and allow them to see quite well in the dark. However, although it could be used an unlimited number of times, its durability was equivalent to any pair of regular glasses.
"Better be careful not to sit on this accidentally," was Luca's remark after studying the description.
Dora loved mockery, and he found her habits helpful when it came to relieving stress. Therefore, from time to time, he could use it to regulate his psyche.
"I wonder what they are doing now?" Luca's lips pursed for a second but soon relaxed once again. He would leave all sadness and pain in the previous game and will not look back. He will lock it inside of that locker.
It was time to check on the second reward. This was probably the biggest surprise.
Previously Luca had managed to pry into some of the card's secrets. It could be used as an identification document, guide revealing some information, and even a bag to store things. Now, there was a new excellent function. The card could be used as a messaging application to connect with other exiled souls!
And the use was equally simple. First, it required a voice command to access. Then the user could enter the message by speech or write it down directly over the back of the card using their finger. There was only one problem. The user could send messages solely to people included in their contact list. And this required both parties to touch their cards. For the time being, Luca couldn't use this function at all.
But on second thought, it wasn't a big deal. Probably, he wouldn't rely on this function. He couldn't randomly share information or ask for help from a stranger. And to gain and earn trust wasn't an easy thing. It required time and effort.
"Well, it is still better to have this option than not having it," he muttered, closing his eyes. Luca patiently counted down the remaining four minutes before letting the light envelop him again.
There were nineteen more trials to go.