I stood around, waiting quietly against the aged and cracked marble walls. There was a loud beat of hammered metal which sent sparks from the corner of the room, with several strange bottles and glowing books arranged on a workbench. Apparently that's where our enchantments were going to come from. I thought to myself why I didn't follow Robert, but that was mainly because everyone else was still standing or sitting idly by. Dorisma was still inspecting her mysterious glass orb, while I took out a pack of cards from the depths of my pocket and began shuffling them around. I thought I was going to prick myself on a knife or dart, or maybe get a paper cut from the cards I was holding. Instead, I picked up something else that cut through me like butter. My old heirloom card; it seemed a lot different from when I first got it. It some had a few dried speckles and drop of blood on the corner, superimposed over the pattern of the Kobold Ace of Spades. The card itself was somewhat munted, folded asymmetrically and the fold giving the bottom more side than the top. I frowned at it as my arm feel loose, still holding a pack of shuffled cards and sighing quietly.

One of my only links to the past, really. My dad gave it to me as not only a sign of luck but as a birthday gift. It wasn't bloodied and folded at that time, but it wasn't long that I ended up spurting my wound on there. Some good luck charm. It left my family broke and made me gambled away, receiving bugger all from almost everyone I met. First person I'm gambled to as a young kid, I end up getting socked in the cheek and forced into a wagon. I've since heard stories of how children like me would've been made into slaves or be forced into prostitution. Thank goodness life decided enough was enough and got me to Birchvale instead. Though since then, I've become a fraudster criminal and a Drake. Tough luck, eh? Wonder how my life would've been had I had more fortunate circumstances.

My thoughts were derailed by a sudden sound of... well, wailing mixed with the sounds a demon would make. I quickly raised my head and went by instinct to draw out my throwing knife, confronting nothing more than Dorisma throwing a few punches at the air. "You fighting ghosts or something, lady?" I asked, sheathing my knife and my cards. It could've been true, but she seemed quite elated. I was still rather jumpy in all honesty, turning to see Robert coming back from wherever he came from. "Hello, Robert. Glad to see we don't have anything else to do."