Look nae into the void my dear
nor fear what comes hense.
For like the phoenix after years..
unforeseen events will commence.
Travel in peace and do nae fear the darkness ye now embrace, but fondly remember my dear each traveler ye did face.
Look to the future now, stand strong, as others in past did before. Do nae dwell on ye past wrongs, but remember the days of yore.
Like the Zephyr, airy and sweet or the trace of a virgin's first kiss.. Take gently now in this defeat, and forever live in bliss.
-Jack the Gambler "04
The whispers float through Jack's mind. His eyes flicker with motion behind closed lids. The empty bottle of whiskey lying against his leg told its story earlier this evening. The dreams have been haunting Jack since his arrival here. Dreams of the past, dreams of home, dreams of a world lost"
The lounge was empty, save for a lone figure facing away from her. He was tall, obviously human, and wearing the most ridiculous helmet Dacara had ever seen. In an instant the helm sparked a memory.
"Jack..."
Dacara said in a whisper, and then louder, with a hint of mirth.
"Jack!"
The man turned around and removed his helm.
"Ah, lassy, it be good to see you."
Jack stated with a grin. Dacara could not believe she was seeing Jack the Gambler. It had been so long.
"What do you say to a roll of the dice Jack" For old times sake?"
"Why that's a fine idea lassy. And just to make things interesting, I'll bet my precious dragon's scale."
Dacara was shocked, but then nodded.
"Very well, then I shall bet my Journal, and let the winner leave with the others prized treasure."
The gambler rolled his die between his fingers, the tightness growing in his abdomen, feeling as if a throng of pixies were dancing among his internals. A dabbling of perspiration forming on his brow as the quiet calm in the room consumed all. He watched as she threw the die...his breath becoming caught in his lungs, the feeling of dragon-fire rushing in around his ribs. TAP. The roll of the die on the floor sounded like the footsteps of an ogre. Tap..tap.
It spun for a moment and time seemed to stop as the anticipation rose" the die finally resting on 5. Nervously, she waited for The Gambler to perform his magic. She knew Lady Luck was on his side.
"A right fine throw lassy, almost as much a thing of beauty as yer rarely seen smile."
He liked flustering her in that manner, as he knew her internal reaction would be a slight battle of rage and something else that is more akin to his own nature. Giving the half-demon a wink Jack brought his die to his lips kissing it lightly and as he whispered a prayer to Lady Luck he let it drop.
The die bounced yet Jack wasn't watching it. He was taking in the pleasure of watching Dacara. The passion mixed with tension, the longing and desire. It was this moment that Jack lived for. He watched intently, memorizing it all...knowing before it happened. Her face turned into agony as she muttered..
"Six?"
Disbelief shone in Dacara's eyes. She took a step back, contemplating whether her word to Jack was worth more than her journal, then swore under her breath. It was not her way to go back on her word, the most important lesson she had been taught by her mentor Gert. Jack laughed as he picked up the die.
"Nae lassy. Let me use a fair die now."
He let go his largest secret, the rigged die that had guaranteed Jack's streaks and commanded his notice. Ignoring the voice in his head calling him an idiot as he pulled out his other die from a pocket inside his sleeve, he cast it against the ground his eyes going once more to Dacara's face. Watching the lust for the game, the intense pleasure of the gamble he began to slowly pull out the case of his rarities: the helm of invisibility, the chicken egg that The Gambler always swore contained a baby phoenix, the dragon scale, books of all kinds, telling stories of days gone and other trinkets.
"TWO!?
Jack smiled and winked at the smile on Dacara's face. He vaguely noticed the confusion that started to set in after her initial pleasure.
"Here you are lassy, as agreed."
Jack handed Dacara a whole box, with that ridiculous helmet sitting on top. Dacara took the box cautiously, setting the helmet on the floor before peeking inside.
"Jack this is...these are all your treasures."
Dacara looked at Jack, who stared at the box with sad eyes.
"Now you take good care of that. One of these days you'll have a baby phoenix from that egg, I swear it."
"You always did."
With that, Jack stared around the room, which was not so familiar to him, Dacara knew, and sighed. He was facing the other way now, but he twisted his head to look back at Dacara.
"Tell the others, the Gambler has thrown his last hand.", and with that, he dropped his die on the floor and vanished before Dacara's eyes.
In this version of the dream Jack imagines that Dacara stared at the spot where he had stood for a silent moment. Perhaps she then drew her own die from out of her pocket. She would have knelt down and slowly picked up his die with the same hand. Rolling the dice around in her palm she may have thrown them and watched as they spun. The final numbers, a One and a Six.
Dacara picked up the one that rolled six, kicking the other die under the bar. She stared down at her new die speaking quietly to the empty room.
"You're not such a bad gambler Jack..."
Travel in peace and do nae fear the darkness ye now embrace, but fondly remember my dear each traveler ye did face.
Look to the future now, stand strong, as others in past did before. Do nae dwell on ye past wrongs, but remember the days of yore.
Like the Zephyr, airy and sweet or the trace of a virgin's first kiss.. Take gently now in this defeat, and forever live in bliss.
-Jack the Gambler "04
The whispers float through Jack's mind. His eyes flicker with motion behind closed lids. The empty bottle of whiskey lying against his leg told its story earlier this evening. The dreams have been haunting Jack since his arrival here. Dreams of the past, dreams of home, dreams of a world lost"
The lounge was empty, save for a lone figure facing away from her. He was tall, obviously human, and wearing the most ridiculous helmet Dacara had ever seen. In an instant the helm sparked a memory.
"Jack..."
Dacara said in a whisper, and then louder, with a hint of mirth.
"Jack!"
The man turned around and removed his helm.
"Ah, lassy, it be good to see you."
Jack stated with a grin. Dacara could not believe she was seeing Jack the Gambler. It had been so long.
"What do you say to a roll of the dice Jack" For old times sake?"
"Why that's a fine idea lassy. And just to make things interesting, I'll bet my precious dragon's scale."
Dacara was shocked, but then nodded.
"Very well, then I shall bet my Journal, and let the winner leave with the others prized treasure."
The gambler rolled his die between his fingers, the tightness growing in his abdomen, feeling as if a throng of pixies were dancing among his internals. A dabbling of perspiration forming on his brow as the quiet calm in the room consumed all. He watched as she threw the die...his breath becoming caught in his lungs, the feeling of dragon-fire rushing in around his ribs. TAP. The roll of the die on the floor sounded like the footsteps of an ogre. Tap..tap.
It spun for a moment and time seemed to stop as the anticipation rose" the die finally resting on 5. Nervously, she waited for The Gambler to perform his magic. She knew Lady Luck was on his side.
"A right fine throw lassy, almost as much a thing of beauty as yer rarely seen smile."
He liked flustering her in that manner, as he knew her internal reaction would be a slight battle of rage and something else that is more akin to his own nature. Giving the half-demon a wink Jack brought his die to his lips kissing it lightly and as he whispered a prayer to Lady Luck he let it drop.
The die bounced yet Jack wasn't watching it. He was taking in the pleasure of watching Dacara. The passion mixed with tension, the longing and desire. It was this moment that Jack lived for. He watched intently, memorizing it all...knowing before it happened. Her face turned into agony as she muttered..
"Six?"
Disbelief shone in Dacara's eyes. She took a step back, contemplating whether her word to Jack was worth more than her journal, then swore under her breath. It was not her way to go back on her word, the most important lesson she had been taught by her mentor Gert. Jack laughed as he picked up the die.
"Nae lassy. Let me use a fair die now."
He let go his largest secret, the rigged die that had guaranteed Jack's streaks and commanded his notice. Ignoring the voice in his head calling him an idiot as he pulled out his other die from a pocket inside his sleeve, he cast it against the ground his eyes going once more to Dacara's face. Watching the lust for the game, the intense pleasure of the gamble he began to slowly pull out the case of his rarities: the helm of invisibility, the chicken egg that The Gambler always swore contained a baby phoenix, the dragon scale, books of all kinds, telling stories of days gone and other trinkets.
"TWO!?
Jack smiled and winked at the smile on Dacara's face. He vaguely noticed the confusion that started to set in after her initial pleasure.
"Here you are lassy, as agreed."
Jack handed Dacara a whole box, with that ridiculous helmet sitting on top. Dacara took the box cautiously, setting the helmet on the floor before peeking inside.
"Jack this is...these are all your treasures."
Dacara looked at Jack, who stared at the box with sad eyes.
"Now you take good care of that. One of these days you'll have a baby phoenix from that egg, I swear it."
"You always did."
With that, Jack stared around the room, which was not so familiar to him, Dacara knew, and sighed. He was facing the other way now, but he twisted his head to look back at Dacara.
"Tell the others, the Gambler has thrown his last hand.", and with that, he dropped his die on the floor and vanished before Dacara's eyes.
In this version of the dream Jack imagines that Dacara stared at the spot where he had stood for a silent moment. Perhaps she then drew her own die from out of her pocket. She would have knelt down and slowly picked up his die with the same hand. Rolling the dice around in her palm she may have thrown them and watched as they spun. The final numbers, a One and a Six.
Dacara picked up the one that rolled six, kicking the other die under the bar. She stared down at her new die speaking quietly to the empty room.
"You're not such a bad gambler Jack..."