The stage flickers into view, Luminara standing in the center, arms wide, glowing with neon energy. The crowd erupts into cheers, some shouting bets, others laughing at Mark’s misfortune. The pulsating lights from the stage reflect off their eager faces, the air electric with anticipation.

  "Oh, my radiant ones! My luminous seekers of tragedy and spectacle! What. A. Performance! Spread Two: Awakening in Chains!" Luminara's voice cuts through the cacophony, commanding immediate silence and attention.

  Ventrix stands beside her, shuffling his tarot deck with a practiced hand, unmoved by the excitement that grips the audience. His robes, a deep shade of indigo, flutter slightly as he prepares for the next act.

  "A necessary step. The pit, the suffering, the chains of fate tightening. It was inevitable," replies Ventrix, his voice a calm island in a sea of frenzy.

  Luminara smirks, her eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and mischief. "And yet, our dear Mark still fights! Oh, how delightful, how foolishly stubborn. He scrapes, he bleeds, he climbs, he falls; again, and again. And tell me, my Luminaries, did you hear the way the abyss screamed for him?"

  The audience erupts into a mix of cheers and jeers, some mocking, some genuinely invested in the unfolding drama. The sheer energy is palpable, almost overwhelming in its intensity.

  Luminara waves her hand, and holographic images of Spread 2 flicker across the air; Mark battling in the pit, the four-armed beast looming over him, Donovan watching lazily from above, his expression one of utter disinterest.

  "The battlefield of the forsaken. A place where the past does not rest, where vengeance never sleeps," Ventrix intones, his eyes never leaving his cards.

  Luminara, with a mock gasp, covers her mouth theatrically. "Ohhh, but surely he’s a good man? Surely the universe isn’t this cruel? Surely we aren’t watching him pay for every sin he thought was buried?"

  The audience bursts into laughter, a few voices calling out “Nope!” “Hell no!” “Let him rot!” The collective response is a testament to the shared schadenfreude that binds them.

  Ventrix nods, satisfied. "He awakens in chains, just as all do."

  A final image flickers; a close-up of Mark, his wrists still bleeding from his restraints, his breath ragged as he finally reaches the train. The intensity of his struggle is almost tangible, a stark contrast to the opulence of the stage.

  Luminara flicks her wrist, and the image lingers in the air like an afterimage of suffering. "Tell me, my dear Ventrix, what is it that makes this spread so… poetic? So deeply, tragically compelling?"

  Ventrix exhales, his fingers tapping against the deck. "It is not merely suffering, Luminara. It is recognition. This is the moment where the self must be weighed. Not by an outside force. Not by gods or chains. But by one's own soul."

  Luminara purrs, stepping closer, circling him like a predator. "Oh, how intriguing. So you’re telling me that poor, darling Mark isn’t just enduring the pain, but understanding it?"

  Ventrix does not meet her gaze, instead placing his cards onto the table before them. "Understanding is irrelevant. He either accepts what he is… or he does not. The chains are not the punishment. They are the truth."

  A murmur ripples through the audience. Some nod knowingly. Others scoff.

  A figure in the crowd calls out, "Then why fight? If the chains are truth, why not just give in?"

  Ventrix lifts his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "Because that is the final test. To see if he will break… or if he will transcend."

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Another voice shouts, "Does he even stand a chance?"

  Luminara lets out a laugh, twirling in place. "Ohhh, that’s the best part, isn’t it? None of us know!"

  Ventrix turns over a single card. The Hanged Man glows faintly in his hand.

  Luminara’s grin widens. "Ahh, now that is delicious."

  The audience murmurs, understanding the weight of the reveal.

  "And now a message from one of our dear sponsors," Luminara announces with a flourish, her tone dripping with irony.

  ---

  ”Guilt-Free Incarceration!"

  (The screen suddenly glitches, transitioning to a cheerful yet unsettling commercial. A narrator’s voice, smooth and inviting, echoes in.)

  "Feeling overwhelmed by your past mistakes? Tired of living with the crushing weight of your own conscience? Well, worry no more!"

  "Introducing Ereshka’s Guilt-Free Incarceration Resort! – the ONLY premium correctional facility designed for those who can’t forgive themselves!"

  Now featuring luxurious, handcrafted punishments!

  - The Sulking Suite ("For when you need a time-out from existence, complete with echoing regret whispers! Now with extra-long silences for deep existential dread.")

  - The Eternal Time-Out Chamber ("Because sometimes you just deserve to be in the corner... forever. With mirrors. So you can really reflect on your mistakes.")

  - The 'It’s Not Torture If You Asked For It' Experience ("We promise, you wanted this. Your subconscious signed the contract before you even knew it existed.")

  "Now with customizable guilt! Pick your level of self-loathing and we’ll tailor your sentence accordingly! Choose from: Mild Shame, Regretful Reflection, or Eternal Damnation! And for a limited time, get a free 'You Did This To Yourself' T-shirt with every eternal sentence!"

  “Ask about our VIP package; includes personalized scorn from all your past lovers, plus an exclusive seat at your own roast, hosted by your worst mistakes! Featuring our guest performer: Your Inner Voice!"

  "For those who REALLY hate themselves, try our Double Regret Special! A stay in the 'Room of Infinite Bad Decisions' where every exit leads right back to that thing you said in high school!"

  "No bars, no chains; just a one-way ticket to poetic justice! Sign up today and let us lock you away... guilt-free! We promise to make you feel bad, but in a luxurious way!"

  (Fine print appears at the bottom, but every time the viewer tries to read it, the words shift into passive-aggressive judgmental statements like "Wow, you’re actually trying to read this? Desperate much?" and "Look at you, trying to justify your life choices.") The ad cuts off abruptly, returning to the show.

  ---

  Luminara reappears, wiping away tears of laughter. "Ohhh, I love our sponsors. So thoughtful. So customizable in their punishments. And so relatable!"

  Ventrix has already begun pulling cards from his deck, his movements deliberate and almost reverent. The audience hushes, sensing something new unfolding, the air thick with anticipation.

  "Enough of the past. It is time to move forward," Ventrix says calmly, his voice imbued with a quiet power that commands attention.

  The lights dim. A slow, haunting melody hums in the background, its eerie notes weaving through the air. Ventrix holds up the first card;

  Card 1: "The Wasteland"

  The image flickers into being; a barren, twisted landscape, the River of Souls winding through it, a lone lost soul wandering aimlessly.

  As the card envelops the view, Ventrix whispers; "The first step of The Journey. The Wasteland. A place of echoes, of forgotten remnants. Where the weight of eternity lingers."

  Luminara, whispering theatrically, adds, "And where little lost souls go to wander… forever."

  A few Luminaries in the crowd make mocking “ooooooh” sounds, others murmur in intrigue, the atmosphere charged with a mix of fear and fascination.

  Ventrix pulls the next card;

  Card 2: "The Constellation"

  The card flashes to life, revealing floating islands of divine promise, the River of Souls weaving between them.

  "The second step. The Constellation. A path of temptation. Islands of power, of salvation, of lies," Ventrix intones, his voice a steady guide through the imagery.

  Luminara twirls dramatically, her movements fluid and mesmerizing. "Ohhh, look at them! So beautiful, so golden! And yet… my Luminaries, would you trust what waits there?"

  The audience shouts a mix of “NOPE!” “Hell no!” “TAKE MY MONEY!” their responses a chaotic symphony of skepticism and greed.

  Ventrix smirks, a rare expression of amusement. "The desperate often do."

  The final card is drawn;

  Card 3: "The Nexus"

  A massive floating crystal appears, flanked by two shadowy cities on either side. It radiates an impossible presence, a sense of power that is both alluring and terrifying.

  "And the final step. The Nexus. The heart of the Astral Plane. Where paths converge, where destinies are decided," Ventrix states with finality, his words hanging heavy in the air.

  Luminara watches the card shimmer, her grin widening. "And where our dear Mark is headed next. Will he find answers? Or will he be just another soul lost in the tide?"

  The audience erupts into cheers and chaos, placing bets, whispering conspiracies, the excitement almost palpable.