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The Fool
Chapter One
A New Beginning
The Fool stands at the edge of a precipice, a flower in hand, a satchel over his shoulder, eyes lifted to the sky.
He is the first card in the tarot deck, yet he bears no number, as if belonging both to the beginning and the end.
He represents a soul poised between ignorance and enlightenment, between the old world and the unknown future.
For those who understand, the Fool is not a fool at all.
He is the traveler who steps willingly into the abyss, trusting that the path will rise to meet his feet.
Jim had always been that traveler.
Isis studied him with a smile that was both affectionate and calculating.
"That is… astonishing, Jim. Instantaneous. You’re right—your Box surpasses the Pegasus for time travel." Her eyes glimmered with admiration she’d never admit. "Where is it?"
Jim’s lips curved faintly. "Damaged. Needs repair."
"Truly?" She tilted her head, the gold threads woven into her braids catching the light like sunlit serpents. "Your brainchild?"
He shrugged, and she exhaled a soft, dramatic sigh.
"Well, I’m sure it will serve you again. As much as I loathe to admit defeat…" She leaned closer, lowering her voice to a velvet whisper. "I shall abandon all efforts to steal your Genie and your Box. But if you dare share your secret with another, you must share it with me. Agreed?"
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Do I have your word on that, my queen?"
Her lips curved like a blade. "Look from my vantage, beloved. I cannot allow you to release this power into foreign hands."
"Foreign, my lady? I thought you ruled all."
"Don’t provoke me, Jim."
"Are we being quarrelsome, Isis?"
She stiffened. He never used her name. The sound of it on his lips was deliberate, slicing through her composure.
"And what," she asked coolly, "is that supposed to mean?"
"Ask me tomorrow," he replied lazily. "If you still want the answer. You’re home, my love. Shouldn’t you see to your empire?"
Their children, Ching and Jan, darted through the royal chambers, their laughter echoing against marble walls and silken drapes.
Jan spun in awe. "What a wonderful bedroom, Mother! Is this yours? What kind of room do we get?"
Isis’ stern façade softened as she gathered them close. "Your chambers await," she murmured, then dismissed Jim with a flick of her jeweled hand.
"If you wish to wander, go. But leave my Pegasus untouched—I’ve learned to fly her now, and I’ll not need you to steer again."
Jim smirked. "Then don’t expect me to teach you to fly the Box. That, I’m keeping for myself."
She tsked, lips curling in amusement. "Oh Jim, your principles rob you of joy."
"Joy is subjective," he said with a shrug. "I could choose to enjoy anything—or nothing at all."
"Can’t you at least invent something new for the children?"
"Let them invent their own."
She arched a brow. "Tell me, then—when are we?"
Jim chuckled. "Ask your astrologers. Genie, page Sophia and appear."
A hum of energy filled the air, followed by a wisp of violet smoke. From it stepped Genie, in a perfectly human form, bowing deeply before them.
"What is your wish, Master?"
"I wish you to entertain the children."
"By your command."
The children squealed with delight, clutching Genie’s hands as they vanished down the corridor for a palace tour.
Isis arched a brow, impressed despite herself. "Splendid. No wonder you named it Genie."
"It’s an acronym," Jim said casually. "General Electronic Nexus Information Exchange. My software suite, my creation."
She smiled thinly. "A fitting name—and a mark of your Earthly indulgences."
Sophia arrived in a flurry of silks, her expression bright.
"Your Majesty! You’re here—and with him! And the children…" She clasped her hands to her chest. "They’re beautiful! Shall I summon the court for a reception? We could gather everyone by midday!"
Isis straightened, reclaiming her regal poise. "Sophia, spare me flattery. News. And any word of the invasion."
Sophia faltered. "Invasion, my grace? All members of the fleet have been… returned to Xanadu, courtesy of His Highness. The ships are gone, destroyed. Earth remains independent."
Isis’ eyes darkened as she turned to Jim. "How were they defeated, Sophia?"
Sophia’s voice dropped to awe. "They report the Pegasus delivered fatal strikes. One moment they thought themselves dead, the next they found themselves here, alive, through the portal. He destroyed the ships and teleported them away before the explosions."
She looked at Jim, wide-eyed. "How did you do it? I’m… impressed."
Jim only shrugged. "Would there be any point in future attempts?"
Isis’ voice softened to a dangerous purr. "Beloved, I can rule them better than they can rule themselves."
"You’re arbitrary and unforgiving," Jim said evenly.
"I am firm and fair."
"Your rules are built on empty rituals and false assumptions."
"The rituals remind them of their place. The assumptions reflect the beliefs of the masses I govern. Humans cling to ritual, Jim—it binds them, teaches unity. You, my love, dismiss this truth as naïveté. You hide from your destiny, refuse the throne, and dress it up as virtue. Genius you may be, but you lack common sense."
Jim’s smile was faint but sharp.
She turned, her robes whispering against the marble floor. "Go, then. Play with your inventions. I will manage the empire. Earth will destroy itself within decades. When it does, you must consent to let me use your Box and claim them at the hour I choose."
She looked towards Sophia. "Witness the response of my beloved."
The Fool takes a step forward, into the unknown. The path is not drawn. The leap is inevitable.
