xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Near Shirotsume Town, 3:03 p.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

With the black curtains closed in Alfana's caravan and the candles lit with purple flames to restore the mystical atmosphere it had originally, Bernard sat in a chair with a small Lacrima orb in front of him on the table as Alfana proceeded to organize the Barendkoff: Fate Makers card tablets. With Vulp on all fours on one side and Corvus perched behind Bernard on the backrest of the chair, the pacemaker needing young man made a face filled with nervousness as he wasn't sure what was going to happen.

"Now, place your hands on the Lacrima to set yourself up." Alfana said with a slightly excited tone in her voice as she stood next to her son.

"Hold on!" Bernard exclaimed as he looked up at his mother. "I'm not "setting up" a single thing until you explain to me how this works!" He said with a defiant tone as Alfana pouted from his reaction.

"You don't have to be so mean about it, it's just a game." Alfana said with a bothered tone.

"Yeaaahh... A game that "makes fate..." Sounds like fun." Corvus said with a sarcastic tone as he looked at Alfana.

"More like "sounds like horse dung."' Bernard mentally complained as Alfana sighed.

"You have no sense of fun, do you?" Alfana said.

"Among other things people say I lack..." Bernard thought as he shifted his eyes away from his mom as the Celestial Spirits looked at him. "Fine, I'll play it. I just want an explanation for the game first, okay?" He asked towards his mother.

"I was going to explain it the moment you put your hands on the Lacrima." Alfana said as she walked away from Bernard, Corvus and Vulp, taking a seat in the chair opposite of the trio. "But fine, I'll explain before you do if it alleviates some of the mental stress." She said as she scratched her head. "Barendkoff is a two-player game but only one player is getting their future told." Alfana explained.

"Then why is two people needed?" Corvus questioned.

"A regular "crystal-gazing" session requires two individuals: the "teller" and a "client." Or in the case of Barendkoff: a dealer and a player." Alfana said while pointed at herself and then at Bernard. "The player is the one who receives the fortune, whereas the dealer is the one who offers counter fortune." She continued.

'"Counter fortune?"' Bernard reiterated.

"Take a look at the stacks of tablets but don't pick them up." Alfana suggested as Bernard and his pet duo looked at the card tablets, all face down in the bottom of the game box. "On all of the cards are a symbol, represented by an animal. And in the top corner, you'll find a numerical value ranging one to ten." She said. "Each of the animals represents an aspect of events to follow. The numbers are the likelihoods." Alfana continued as Bernards eyes slowly widened.

"...Ummmm..." Bernard thought as he processed the rules.

"This is pretty complex for a board game." Corvus said with squinted eyes as Vulp raised an eyebrow.

"Best ones have the most amount of thought put into them." Alfana said with a smug expression forming on her face. "But I'm not done yet explaining the rules. Once the player touches the Lacrima, designating themselves as the one looking for their fates to be made, the player and the dealer have to take five cards out from any of the stacks after they've been shuffled around." She explained as she pointed at Bernard.

"Sooo... What does that mean that you and I have a hand?" Bernard asked. "I'm... Partially interested in where this is going now." He thought.

"The Lacrima, which I've ever so wisely dubbed "The Time Bauble," will begin its effect once the preparations have been made. Essentially, the magic of the Lacrima will coat the player in a layer of "fate altering magic."' Alfana said with a smile on her face as a bead of sweat went down Bernards face. "Like I said, time can affect magic, but magic can also affect time. Once the aura from the Lacrima covers you, the five rounds of Barendkoff will alter the state of your future via the hands we play!" She loudly proclaimed as she pointed at her son.

'"...Huh?"' Bernard and Corvus muttered in confusion as Alfana's eye twitched, growing concerned about whether her explanation made sense or not.

"...Do I need to repeat myself?" Alfana said as she lost some of her composure.

'"Fate altering magic?"' Bernard questioned with a sheepish voice.

"And why do you need a hand again?" Corvus said as he rubbed his beak with his wing as Vulp scratched his head with his tail.

"Okay, in simpler terms, the five cards in Bernards hand will consist of five animals with numbers in the corner. I will also have five animals with numbers in the corner in my hand. Both Bernards hand and mine will consist of potential futures that Bernard will have." Alfana explained further.

"So, by "potential futures," you mean these cards will give me vague ideas of how certain aspects of my life turn out?" Bernard replied. "...What the hell is this game?" He thought with bewilderment.

"In a certain sense, yes and no." Alfana said with her arms folded. "You already have a fate before you play Barendkoff. The game magically alters elements of that fate by creating a new one after the session of play is over. The five cards you pick will change your fate and the five cards I pick will also change that fate. And the fates will go against each other based on the numerical total with the highest winning." She said as Bernard's eyes widened.

"I'm still lost..." Corvus said.

"...I think I'm starting to get it..." Bernard said, catching the Celestial Spirits attention. "Once we set up the game and I put my hands on this Lacrima... I pick five cards and my mom picks five cards. We both pick a card to play against one another and whomever wins with the highest number in each round... My future is decided based on the card aspect that won that round." He said as Alfana snapped her fingers in confirmation. "Which also means... Whatever specifics of my life was going to happen in the future get completely overwritten by magic. I'm basically changing aspects of my own life." He thought as he looked at the Lacrima.

"Bingo! See, it's not that complicated! I refuse to tell you the specifics of your future with a reading but with Barendkoff, the future is entirely in your hands!" Alfana said with an excited tone, happy to see that the rules made sense as Bernard and the Celestial Spirits were taken aback by her reaction. "Now, let me see here. This is the sheet describing the various aspects. The dealer has to be one with the paper to read off." She said as she moved over to where the box was and pulled out a piece of paper from underneath the stacks of card tablets before returning to her seat.

"Hey, kid." Corvus said as Bernard looked at the crow. "You sure about this? Seems like something pretty bad could happen out of this." The crow asked with concern.

"Don't worry." Alfana said, catching everyone's attention. "I already removed all the mongoose cards from the regular decks." She said to the confusion of everyone.

"...What does that mean?" Bernard said with a raised eyebrow. '"Regular decks?"' He thought.

"...Nothing to concern yourselves about anymore because it was taken out..." Alfana said with a nervous smile as she looked away from her son. "Now that everything is settled, place your hands on the Time Bauble." She said, motioning for Bernard to put his hands on the Lacrima on the table.

"Any other rules I should know about?" Bernard questioned one last time.

"Well, there is one. Dealer can't look at their hand, but the player can." Alfana said in response.

"Why's that?" Corvus asked.

"The dealer is a stranger in the context of the game, they know nothing about the future of the player on the other side of the table. So, while both of our hands will be unknown cards, Bernard will be the only one seeing what's in his hand. Every card I pick will be at complete random." Alfana explained.

"This seems like a potentially dangerous game..." Bernard said with squinted eyes at his mother as she looked at him with furrowed brows before motioning once again for him to touch the Lacrima.

Relenting, Bernard stood up from the chair and reached his hands forward, nervously sweating about what could happen to him the moment he touches the Time Bauble. Placing both of his hands on the orb, a blue magic circle appeared beneath Bernard's feet as he and the Celestial Spirits looked down at the floor.

"Th-that supposed to happen?" Bernard asked towards his mother who nodded with a confident smile.

Suddenly, Bernard's body from head to toe was now glowing in a bright blue aura of energy as a series of five threads made of magic extended out of the top of his body, around the areas of his shoulders and head. Looking up, the lines morphed into the shape of chains as they phased through the ceiling of the caravan.

"What the heck are those?" Corvus said from the chair as he and Vulp looked up.

"Shouldn't have to explain what those are, yeah?" Alfana said with a smug attitude, much to Bernard's chagrin.

'"Chains of fate?"' Bernard said as Alfana nodded.

"Now officially, you're playing Barendkoff!" Alfana said as she pointed at her son. "Now sit in the chair and pick five cards. Remember, I'm not supposed to see your hand. The stacks are already randomized." She instructed.

"Right..." Bernard said as he sat back down and looked over at the stacks of card tablets. "Random, huh..." He thought as he looked over at the stacks before his gaze switched over to Vulp and then Corvus. "...Vulp, you pick then Corvus." Bernard said as everyone looked at him.

"Hmmm?" Alfana muttered in surprise.

"Whoa, why are you making us decide?!" Corvus exclaimed as Vulp made a shocked expression.

"You guys live inside me, yeah?" Bernard said as he looked back at Corvus. "Anything that happens to me affects you both too..." He argued.

"Still... Aren't you the one playing this weird game?" Corvus said as Alfana glared at the crow. "Just because I agreed to be your protector doesn't mean you should be leaving your fates up to me and Vulp..." The crow thought with worry.

"It's not weird!" Alfana shouted as Corvus looked at Bernard's mother's annoyed face.

"Yeah, I know but... I would just feel more comfortable if you and Vulp drew the tablets for me." Bernard said as he looked at Vulp, the fox Celestial Spirit making a hesitant face towards him. "We're all kind of a package deal, remember?" He said as he petted Vulp to reassure him as the Celestial Spirits looked at each other.

"Anything that happens to him does affect us... He's valuing our opinion... Guess I got no choice." Corvus thought, relenting as he flapped his wings and landed on the table as Vulp's fur begun to move on its own, two tendrils stretching out of him to reach into the box as Alfana looked on, watching what just happened.

"You guys pick two. I'll take one." Bernard said as Corvus lifted up two tablets in his wing, Vulp picked up two with his tendrils and Bernard had one in his hand. "Mom?" He said towards his mother who looked like she was lost in thought.

"Huh? O-oh, right. Sorry. Now it's my turn." Alfana said as she reached into the box and picked five tablets at random before walking back over to the other end of the table, making sure not to look at the contents of the cards as she placed them facing down in front of her. "Now take a look at your cards but remember, don't tell me anything." She said towards Bernard.

Moving all of the tablets into his hands, Bernard flipped them over to look at the image and numbers on the cards as Corvus waddled off the table and perched on the armrest next to Bernard to get a good look as Vulp stepped back some to also get an angle on Bernard's hand. In his hand was a card with a picture of a gecko and the number five in the corner, one with a whale with the number nine, one with a squid with a number eight, one with a familiar ape-like creature known as a Vulcan with a five next to it and lastly, a card with a turtle on it that had a nine.

"I got a lot of high number ones... I just wish I knew what these animals symbolize." Bernard thought as he noticed how many cards in his hand were close to the cap of the numerical values as he looked over at Corvus and then Vulp, the pair of Celestial Spirits shrugging in unsureness.

"Alright! Let's get started!" Alfana said as she rubbed her hands together.

"Someone's enthusiastic..." Corvus muttered.

"I don't get to play Barendkoff with other people. Most my interactions with anyone outside of fortune telling clients are spent keeping on an eye on that disgusting excuse for an S-class wizard outside this caravan right now." Alfana complained.

"I'm hoping everyone's okay out there..." Bernard thought as he looked over to where the exit was as he was still glowing with a magical aura. "So, how do we start?" He asked.

"First, pick a card from your hand and place it in view of me. Since I'm dealer, it's important that the game knows which card you chose, then I'll go next." Alfana explained as she looked at her face down cards. "I made the game, so I already know what the images on the tablets symbolize but I'm very curious what's going to happen." She thought as she had her hand out, ready to flip a facedown card over.

"You guys want to pick this too?" Bernard asked nervously towards Corvus and Vulp.

"No... Because my job description doesn't entail "playing card games that manifest fates."' Corvus said with defiant tone as Vulp shook his head left and right to signify a negative response.

"Here's goes nothing I guess..." Bernard said as he took the tablet for "Gecko 5" and placed it in front of him.

"Oh?" Alfana said as she looked over to see the card in front of him. "Interesting..." She said quietly to herself as she placed a hand on one of her cards.

Flipping it over, Alfana revealed her card that she chose was a "Vulcan 3," meaning Bernard had won the round. Suddenly, upon seeing that Bernard won the round, the beanie sporting young man felt a weird tingle in his body as he looked upward and noticed one of the five magical chains sticking out of him had disappeared, fading away into nothingness.

"Did you win?" Corvus questioned as he and Vulp looked up at Bernard.

"I... Think?" Bernard replied. "Okay, she had a Vulcan card, I had a gecko card, now what do these animals mean?" He thought with frustration.

"Well, that was a peculiar first round. Then again, for the reason you came here, a gecko card in your hand does make sense." Alfana said as she picked up the Vulcan card and put it aside.

"What do both of these cards represent? That's the thing that's bugging me now." Bernard said with a disgruntled tone of voice.

"Vulcans are known for attacking people and geckos can adapt to any environment... So maybe you dodged a bullet?" Corvus said, trying to understand what happened.

"I guess that makes sense..." Bernard said, agreeing with the crow.

"Actually... No." Alfana said, catching everyone's attention. "In terms of the game, the gecko symbolizes "meetings" with individuals or beings of unfamiliar backgrounds." She explained as Bernard's eyes widened. "Winning that hand means Bernard is now going to have a lot of "new encounters" of sorts in his future." Alfana said.

'"What?!"' Bernard and Corvus exclaimed.

"How the hell does a gecko symbolize meeting people?!" Bernard questioned in a bothered tone.

"In terms of how Barendkoff works, that's what it is." Alfana said with a nonchalant tone.

"You made the damn game!" Corvus shouted.

"Yes... Anyway. Next round?" Alfana said, blowing off the criticism. "Don't want to admit it but the animal choices and the fates they represent have nothing to do with each other... I did that just to make the game more exciting." She thought, acknowledging a certain aspect of the game might be slightly contradictory.

"Wait, what does Vulcan symbolize?" Bernard asked out of curiosity before they continued. '"New encounters," huh? Well... I did come here to find where the monsters I want to get are so... Maybe this is the best potential outcome, now that it's my locked future..." He thought, trying to find a positive spin to the round.

"Vulcans symbolize a period of respite." Alfana stated as Bernard, Corvus and Vulp looked at her with bewildered expressions forming. "Typically, that card winning means that you'd have a period of mental and physical relaxation in the near or immediate future that would leave you in the best of spirits." She continued as Bernard slumped back in his chair and began to stare at the chains magically sticking out of his glowing aura.

"...I just lost a potential future where I had a vacation..." Bernard said to himself as Corvus rubbed the back of his head and Vulp looked at his master with worry. "I didn't even know when the vacation was gonna be, but I lost it anyway!" He exclaimed in frustration as he grabbed his beanie and pulled it over his face.

"Why does a Vulcan represent a vacation of all things?!" Corvus said loudly towards Alfana.

"In terms of how Barendkoff works, that's what it is." Alfana said, repeating what she said earlier.

"Something about this game is bullshit..." Corvus thought with a twitch in his eye. "Yo, kid. Get a hold of yourself." The crow said as he looked at Bernard and reaching his wing over to pull Bernard's beanie up to reveal his disappointedly upset expression. "Pick your next card." Corvus said as Bernard sighed.

"Just got to hope the next one is actually good..." Bernard thought as he looked at his hand once again. "This time I'll go for a big number." He thought as he picked up the "Whale 9" card, placing it down as Alfana glanced at it.

"Huh?!" Alfana exclaimed in shock as she quickly stood up from the table, her face turning blue. "The-the whale card..." She thought with worry.

"Whoa..." Corvus muttered.

"Something wrong, mom?" Bernard asked as Alfana looked at her son and tried to recompose herself.

"N-no-nothing! Nothing! It's fine. Sorry, just... Thought I saw a bug trailing along the floor." Alfana said in an attempt to hide her emotions.

"Oh. Okay then... Vulp, keep an eye on the floor and stab any bugs you might see, please." Bernard said before turning towards Vulp and ordering him to keep watch, the fox complying by looking down at the floor with intent.

"Yeah... You do that..." Alfana said with a suddenly exhausted tone as she sat back down. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Why the whale... Why, of all cards, did he pull out a whale?! And it's a nine!" She thought as she glanced at the card as another of Bernard's chains disappeared. "I have to get a ten card of some kind... For his sake..." Alfana thought as she glanced at her son before turning her attention back to her facedown cards.

"Is it me or does she look like she just saw a ghost?" Corvus whispered towards Bernard.

"...Well, her hair is a whitish grey so maybe she did." Bernard said with a slight smirk as Corvus looked at him with a disappointed expression.

"You are your fathers' son..." Corvus said bluntly towards Bernard for his poor joke attempt.

"Alright... I can do this... I can do this... This one!" Alfana thought, anxiety rising from deep within her as she quickly lunged for a card and flipped it over, revealing a "Crow 10" card. "Yes!" She screamed loudly as she stood up again, startling Bernard and the Celestial Spirits with her outburst.

"Huh?!" Bernard muttered.

"Oh... Oh, thank God... Pheew..." Alfana said with sighs of relief as she clutched at her chest.

"Hey, a crow card... Doesn't look like me though." Corvus said as he looked at the card Alfana picked.

"Well, I lost that hand..." Bernard said as he looked at the "Whale 9" card he had. "So, what's crow and whale?" He asked towards his mom, still heavily breathing.

"Eh, uhhh... Right, right..." Alfana said, finally calming down before sitting back down. "Crow symbolizes a cancellation. Effectively speaking, nothing happens. Whatever fate was going to happen from your card will definitely not occur." She explained. "The "God of luck" shined on me today..." Alfana thought as she rubbed her eyes with her left hand.

"Oh?" Bernard replied. "What does the whale represent?" He questioned.

"It symbolizes when I create the second expansion pack for this game in the future, I remove the whale card completely from the game..." Alfana said with an angry voice towards her son, Bernard confused over her sudden tonal shift. "...The whale represents a shortened lifespan... You almost gave yourself a death sentence... And I don't know who pulled that; you, the crow or the fox!?" She thought with exhaustion as she shifted her eyes towards Bernard and then Corvus and Vulp. "Let's just move on..." Alfana said as she motioned for Bernard to continue.

"Okay, one win and one loss... If you can even count those two rounds in that way." Bernard said as he looked at the remaining cards in his hand: "Squid 8," "Turtle 9" and "Vulcan 5." "Also, "second expansion pack?" How much of this game have you come up with?" He thought as his mind focused on what his mom just said. "Guess I'll go with this one." Bernard said as he placed "Squid 8" down.

'"Squid 8?"' Alfana mumbled as she noticed the card Bernard chose.

"...Yeah?" Bernard replied.

"This another one where you have an emotional moment, lady?" Corvus questioned.

"...Okay, I know exactly what this one is about..." Alfana thought as she glanced at her son. "Actually... This one I'm going to tell you about before I make a flip." She said.

"Now I'm extra curious. What does the squid symbol mean?" Bernard said. "Please be something not stupid..." He thought, hoping for a positive outcome.

"Squid is a representation of wealth acquisition." Alfana said plainly as Bernard and the Celestial Spirits looked at her. "It means that, at some point in the future, you're going to come into some money." She explained as Bernard grew curious. "I'm saying this one in advance because I think I know the specifics to what this one is referring to." Alfana thought.

"...Is there a specific number on that...?" Bernard asked, facing his head down so only Vulp was able to see his overly excited face.

"All I can say is that it's probably sizable... Can't really give an exact figure though." Alfana said as she turned her head away as Bernard stood up. "Just be smart with how you manage your funds..." She thought.

"Yeahahaahah!" Bernard shouted loudly. "This is it! Fate is telling me I'm going to pay off that debt the royal family saddled me with!" He thought with his tongue sticking out, having an insane freakout at the possibility of paying off his loan in the future actually happening.

"Settle- whoa!" Corvus said until Bernard grabbed him by his sides and raised him high into the air.

"We're in the clear! Woohoo!" Bernard shouted happily as he swung Corvus around.

"I know you're happy and that's a rare thing but calm down!" Corvus shouted as Vulp jumped up and down in a delighted manner, joining in.

"Uhhh, excuse me." Alfana said, catching everyone's attention. "We're still in the middle of playing." She said, trying to get everything back on track.

"Oh right, right." Bernard said, still sporting a smile on his face as he placed Corvus back down on the armrest before reaching down towards Vulp and scratching him behind the ears a few times. "Good boy!" He said as Vulp started to violently wag his tail in enjoyment from seeing Bernard in such a cheery state.

"You should try being like this more often." Corvus said with a smug tone as he folded his wings. "Can't deny though, happy for you." He thought, feeling the same way as Vulp as Bernard sat back in chair.

"I don't normally see him this happy... Hope this doesn't burst his bubble." Alfana thought as she looked at her relieved son. "Think I'll pick this one." She said as she flipped over another card, everyone looking in anticipation as the card was revealed to be "Badger 4."

"Woo!" Bernard said with his arms raised as the third chain disappeared over his body. "No stopping it now!" He exclaimed in happiness as Alfana stared at the card.

"Alright!" Corvus shouted in a similar happy state as Bernard and the Celestial Spirits celebrated as Alfana picked up the badger card.

"Okay, this was a really weird round... And a bit too much information." Alfana thought as she looked at the card.

"What's that one mean?" Corvus said as he caught Alfana's attention.

"This one... Might be a bit too hard to describe." Alfana said as Bernard looked at his mom with a raised eyebrow.

"Does it matter? A good fortune won in the end anyway!" Bernard said with a wide grin as he was so personally content with the outcome that he didn't care what the potential other future was.

"I guess not..." Alfana said as she put aside the badger card. "I guess I should be okay that his future is confirmed to have monetary stability... But the badger card showing up at all... Makes me a very concerned parent." She thought as she looked at her son. "Well... Anyway, let's continue. Two cards left." Alfana said.

"I wonder how the money will come in?" Bernard said with a smile on his face as he ignored his mom, looking at Corvus.

"Maybe we'll find some buried treasure in a landfill somewhere." Corvus joked as Alfana looked on.

"Should I mention the four hundred thousand Jewels and how exactly it was spent on Barendkoff: Fate Makers?... Nah, let him enjoy this high." Alfana thought with half-closed eyes.

"I'm actually starting to like this game. It's more straightforward as soon as you play it and the aspect about fate is questionable but it's actually kinda fun." Bernard said with an honest tone as Alfana looked at him.

"Great. Last thing I wanted was for it not to be fun." Alfana replied with a sincere smile on her face.

"Alright, for my next pick. This one." Bernard said as he placed down "Vulcan 5."

"Another shot at a vacation, huh?" Alfana said as she looked at the Vulcan card.

"A future where I get a vacation and I'm filthy rich is all I want right now... Please! Please! Please!" Bernard thought with exaggerated tears dripping off his face. "Now that I know what the Vulcan symbolizes, I'm going for it!" He said with an energetic tone.

"Looks like there's some signs of that crazy young boy you used to be in your childhood still left in you." Alfana thought as she looked at Bernard, feeling nostalgic by the way he was acting. "Well, round four, here we go!" She said with an excited tone as Alfana flipped over her penultimate card, revealing "Swan 7." "...Uh..." Alfana muttered as her body froze.

'"Swan 7."' Corvus said.

"Crap... Another vacation attempt gone..." Bernard said with a defeated tone. "Well, at least I still got money in my future." He said, not feeling too melancholic over the loss of the round.

"Sw-swan..." Alfana stuttered as the trio looked at her. "You... Gotta be kidding me..." She said as she looked at the card before slumping back in her chair.

"Mom?" Bernard said with worry over his mother's actions.

"I think you might want to forget about setting up with a banking guild in the future, Bernard..." Alfana said with a dejected expression on her face as she looked up at the ceiling as the fourth chain on Bernard's aura disappeared.

"...Wha?" Bernard muttered.

"...Oh no... What does swan do!? I'm expecting something bad to happen!" Corvus said with a confrontational tone.

"Swan- hold on..." Alfana said before stopping to sit back up in her chair. "Swan represents reversal of fate. It negates the winner of the prior round before Swan won and swaps it with the losing card." She said as she put her hands on her face, pulling down on it.

"Ho-hold on... Are you saying..." Bernard said with his face turning sickly as the Celestial Spirits looked at him with exhaustion.

"Effective now... Badger beat squid..." Alfana said with a bothered expression on her face as she picked up the badger card again with Bernard slammed his skull on the table in despair.

"Nrghhhhfhhhhh!" Bernard moaned in personal anguish as his fate was changed as he began to slam his fist into the table.

"Ugghhhh..." Corvus groaned in similar disbelief.

"So much for that chipper attitude he was displaying... And please don't break my table..." Alfana thought, the sight of watching her son in such a sorry state making her feel bad. "And of course, it had to be a badger card." She said aloud.

"I guess you can't scapegoat telling us what that card symbolizes now..." Corvus said as Vulp tried to comfort Bernard by rubbing his face against Bernard's leg as he looked at his mom.

"I... Feel like I shouldn't..." Alfana said as she turned away from everyone.

"Mom... Just get it over with..." Bernard said through gritted teeth with rage forming on his face, Alfana sighing as she placed a hand on her forehead.

"The badger card... Symbolizes..." Alfana said as she made an embarrassed expression. "How do I put this...?" She thought, struggling to figure out the exact way she wanted to word what the badger card's aspect of fate was.

"Just say it, I want to end this game and then end myself!" Bernard thought with twitching eyes as Corvus and Vulp looked at him.

"Wait, wait, wait. I got it." Corvus said as he flapped his wings and flew over to where Alfana was, landing in front of her on the table. "Whisper it to me and then I'll tell it to him if it's too much for you to say it straight up." The crow said.

"I'll take you up on that offer..." Alfana said with a sense of relief in her voice. "I'm glad these creatures of his are such decent attendants." She thought as she leaned forward to whisper towards Corvus. "First thing's first, can I ask you one little thing?... Because I kinda overheard something outside earlier that makes me a little concerned." Alfana whispered.

"Shoot." Corvus said quietly as Alfana proceeded to tell him about the nature of the badger card.

After telling the crow Celestial Spirit what the badger card represented, Corvus' eyes widened to an extreme degree as he lifted his wing to cover his beak as Bernard and Vulp looked on, confused. Making a troubled expression, Alfana motioned for Corvus to fly back to Bernard's side as the crow flapped his wings while making a face that appeared to be holding back laughter.

"What...? I see that face you're making..." Bernard said with a serious tone as Corvus landed on the armrest again.

"It-it's- pfff... Nothing... Hehehe..." Corvus said, stammering as his speech was mixed in with snickering.

"What!? What?! Just tell me now! Please!" Bernard said loudly as he stood up from his chair, looming over the crow on the armrest as Vulp glared at Corvus, wanting him to tell Bernard what he knows.

"Okay, okay... Sweet mother of the stars- hahahaha... Sit down, I'll whisper it." Corvus said as Bernard sat back in his chair and moved his head over to where Corvus was. "The badger represents this..." The crow said before whispering what Alfana told him to Bernard.

As Corvus quietly told Bernard what the badger card represented, Bernard's face slowly morphed from one of agitation and frustration and into one of shock and bewilderment, his facials cheeks starting to turn bright red as Corvus looked at him, nodding to confirm what he was told. Staring at Corvus for a few moments of time, he turned his face towards his mother as she turned away from him, unable to look Bernard in the eye.

"...You gotta kidding me right now..." Bernard said towards Alfana as he was blushing profusely.

"...The badger... Symbolizes romantic success... On a somewhat non-traditional scale..." Alfana said, sweat coming off her face with Vulp's eyes widening, Corvus continuing to chuckle and Bernard slamming his head once more on the table in response to the reveal. "It could mean anything from a very successful intimate relationship between him and a significant other... Or he's going wind up being a man-whore at the center of a pile of- no! No! Don't think about it!" She thought with troubled emotions.

"Why of all things is that in my future?!" Bernard shouted loudly as he picked his head up, a bruise forming on his forehead. "Don't I already have a girlfriend!? Why do I need a future where I have more success in that field!?" He mentally screamed towards himself as he tried to fathom what that meant.

"Given the fact that I overheard him mentioning Camilla and Marlene are both "his" in some way... And what I read on their hands about what's going to happen later tonight involving him... I... Genuinely didn't want to know any of this... There are just some things a mother shouldn't know about their kids..." Alfana thought with a bothered expression forming on her face.

"Ugh..." Bernard grunted. "This is just awful..." He said, catching everyone's attention.

"Not too bad. It's just more of what you already knew..." Corvus commented.

"The mental image of a brown cat and a turquoise lizard with hearts in their eyes attacking a grey mouse with a beanie on its head just popped into my brain..." Bernard thought as he glared at Corvus, not saying anything.

"Well... Look at the bright side." Corvus said, raising a feather on his wing in the manner one would raise a finger.

"What possible "bright side" is there to any of this? All I got out of playing this game was the fact I'm going to meet "new people" now and my love life is somehow going to become absolutely insane when I'm already trying my darndest to not be viewed as some "pervy boss!"' Bernard complained.

"...Then don't be a "pervy boss."' Alfana thought with half-closed eyes as she looked at her son, judging him. "Alright, one chain left." She said, catching everyone's attention as Bernard looked up towards the ceiling.

"Okay... Just get it over with. I don't even care at this point." Bernard thought with a dejected expression as he propped his head on his hand, laying his left elbow on the armrest that Corvus wasn't perched on as he looked at the "Turtle 9" he had left in his possession. "...What crazy bullshit will this card represent? My hair falling out? I get an illness added on to my other physical issue?! The pastry shop I love shuts down?! What!?" He mentally shouted to himself.

"Put it down and the aura around you will disappear." Alfana said with a serious tone of voice as the last round had begun.

As Bernard took the "Turtle 9" card and placed it on the table, the aura around Bernard's body disappeared, signaling the end of the game as Alfana looked over at the card he placed down. Upon seeing the turtle card, Alfana opened her mouth as if to say something before closing it suddenly.

"Everything okay over there?" Corvus asked as Bernard sat back in his chair.

"It's probably crap..." Bernard said with a defeated tone.

Looking at her son and then shifting her attention back to the turtle card, Alfana looked at her last facedown card with silence. Lifting her hand, Bernard and his pets looked on with confusion as the fortune teller proceeded to shift her last tablet off the table and moved it closer to herself, looking at what her card was without the others seeing it.

"What is it?" Bernard said out of curiosity as Alfana was silent, only staring at the image of the card she had with a serious expression on her face. "Mom?" He said as Alfana took the unknown Barendkoff card in her hand and then proceeded to place it into the sleeve of her robe.

"Oh, come on, you've given us the "I won't tell you what it is" routine three times now! You didn't even tell us what the animal was this round!" Corvus said, growing frustrated at Alfana once again keeping the contents of her card a secret before suddenly standing up from her chair. "Eh..." The crow muttered as Bernard sat up as he, Corvus and Vulp watched Alfana approach her son.

"Stick out your hand Bernard." Alfana said as she locked eyes with Bernard.

"Huh?" Bernard muttered. "What for?" He asked.

"Just do it." Alfana said, once again requesting her son raise his hand as he complied, stretching his right palm out. "Keep this a secret between you, me and your pets. Don't tell your father I broke a promise." She said as she grabbed Bernard's hand, unsure of what she meant.

"Huh? What does dad have to do with this?" Bernard thought, unsure of what she meant.

While holding Bernard's right hand so the palm was facing her, Alfana traced her free finger from her other hand along the palm lines as her eyes glowed slightly with a bright purple hue. Letting go, Alfana grabbed Bernard's other hand and proceeded to repeat the same thing she was doing before.

"I thought she said she wasn't going to read my future?" Bernard quietly said towards Corvus behind him on the armrest as he looked down at Vulp, who could only shrug to show his confusion.

"Hmmmm..." Alfana muttered to herself before walking over to the dimly lit candles and putting them out. "Won't be needing these." She said as she began to open the dark curtains.

"Uhhhh... Mom? What's going on?" Bernard said as he stood up with Corvus taking flight off the armrest.

Ignoring her son trying to get her attention, Alfana walked over to a nearby bookshelf stand that had a ton of open space for more books but also had stacks of parchment paper on them. Taking a piece of paper, Alfana grabbed a book off the shelf before turning around to look at Bernard.

"I need a few minutes." Alfana said as she looked at Bernard, who could only raise an eyebrow in response.

"Why? What's wrong? What card did you have?" Bernard said, growing slightly worried.

"It's not important at this very moment. What I want for you to do right now is to go outside and check on your fellow guildmembers." Alfana requested as Bernard looked at Corvus and Vulp, also unsure of what was happening. "I have something important I have to do." She continued.

"Ummmm... Okay?" Bernard said as he motioned for Vulp and Corvus to follow him towards the exit.

"The heck was that about?" Corvus asked towards Bernard, loud enough for Alfana to hear.

"Beats me..." Bernard said as the trio left the caravan, leaving Alfana by herself.

Placing the book she had in her hand under her armpit, Alfana reached into her sleeve and pulled out the last Barendkoff tablet she had from earlier. Taking a deep breath and looking at it, she placed down the card on the bookshelf, revealing it to be a "Turtle 10" card.

"Even in a board game that makes it, fate works in mysterious ways." Alfana thought as she glanced at the door to her caravan.


Why is a swan a symbol for reversal and a gecko the symbol for encounter rates? Better question, why is a Vulcan, those crazy creatures that look like monstrous apes a representation of relaxation? They take over people's bodies for nutrients and then attack people who enter their territories. What kind of shit game is this? I'm buying it on sale damn it! With his beastly allies picking out some of his cards, Bernard played a full session of Barendkoff: Fate Makers with his mother, Alfana. And suffice to say, I don't think Bernard liked what the outcomes were. His chances for a vacation were dashed twice, his love life is confirmed to somehow get to an extremely uncoordinated degree, and he lost a future where he was going to make serious earnings... But what about that last card? What does turtle entail? Will we ever know for certain? Fate ain't set in stone.

Author's Note: (The confirmed cards and what they represent include:)
1. Squid = Wealth acquisition.
2. Badger = Romantic success.
3. Whale = Lifespan shortening.
4. Vulture = Quality of health improvement.
5. Ant = Poverty.
6. Crow = Cancellation of previous fate.
7. Rabbit = Illness.
8. Elephant = Conception of children.

9. Bear = Inconvenience incoming.
10. Vulcan = Period of relaxation.
11. Mongoose = Coup-d'etat.
12. Gecko = New encounters.
13. Swan = Reversal of previous round.
14. Turtle = To be revealed.