The second man entered the room in an expensive pinstriped suit. At first glance one would assume him to be a well pleased man. But so much as a long glance would show this man as a liar. At least in the dim light of the seer's parlor.
He sat with a sly grin seemingly plastered on his face.
"So how does this all work?" He asked, expression turning slightly pleading.
"Shuffle the cards and split the deck." The businessman did as he was told, shuffling the cards thoroughly. He placed the cards in front of him in a single stack and looked at the seer questioningly.
"You gonna do my reading now?" The seer chuckled.
"If you want predictions and fatalism, you can leave now. I deal only in what will be, not what could be. The cards dictate what is below the surface, those things that are there, those things that only you and the cards are aware of. That is why I do not touch those cards. I only advise you to the things the cards are. The risk involved here is tremendous, but so are the gains. A man like you should love it." To that he added, "Now, split the decks and draw one card from each of the two piles."
Again, the businessman did as he was told. "You listen well." The businessman nodded and looked down to his left which jerked seemingly involuntarily. Seeing this the seer smiled.
The businessman looked down at his cards, the Hierophant and Strength, then back up at the seer. "So what does this mean?" He asked the aged man.
"Nothing yet. You have until your fifth card to choose your fate. However, you may only do so if you pick a pair of cards. But, beware, starting at your fifth card, fate chooses you."
"So, I have to pick another card?"
"Yes." Answered the seer with a sly grin that would've been more likely seen on the businessman's face.
The businessman reached forward and drew a card from the right handed pile. It was the card of the Star.
"So far your cards appear promising. I must urge you to continue."
Looking untrustworthy he fingered the next card on the rightmost stack. Finally, after he had chanced a look at it he drew the card.
At first the card appeared blank, but slowly print and images appeared. The card of Judgement.
"Ahh, it seems fate has chosen you." The businessman grabbed his left wrist as if in spasm.
"But I've only drawn four cards. No pairs." His left hand drew and seized violently.
"And what of the cards up your sleeve?" As if on cue, a card slid from the right sleeve of his jacket. The card read "The Emperor".
"That doesn't make a pair either."
"You think that pain in your wrist is some coincidence. There are no coincidences, simply fate acting on us in its perverse ways. No, that is the card of Judgement, fused to your wrist." The businessman pulled up his left sleeve with so much haste he ripped the seam for several inches up his forearm. On his arm "LIAR" was scarred into his flesh. "You thought you could trick fate? No, no one can fool the unseen phantom that is fate. All who arrive here catch the tide of fate that have followed them through life. What they get, they deserve. It is simply fate catching up with them."
"I don't deserve this." Said the man and fell into the floor, writhing in pain, clutching desperately at his wrist. The seer loomed over him.
"And you thought you could escape those things that you deserve? You are corrupt, and worse, you thought I would help you to create the destiny you want. No, I give you only what you deserve." The man at his feet began to speak but all he could manage were tortured screams.
"What happens now is that if you lie, or try to, your arm will become alight with pain the likes of which you cannot imagine." The man lay screaming in agony at his feet.
"Maybe you can."
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