Endyr had brought some gold with her in preparation for getting her papers, so she could spare one or two coins for a poker game. However, she swiftly realised the game wasn't cards but Liar's Dice instead.
The players were herself, the woman called Renée, a black haired man called Callum and a middle-aged woman named Jane. The four of them were seated at a circular table in the middle-left of the room, the pot of six gold coins placed in the middle. Around two dozen more Adventurers were lounging around the room, chatting or playing pool. The atmosphere was light and harmonius, but the table was very different.
Looking at her opponents with narrow eyes, Endyr was internally sweating buckets and cursing. 'By Infinity, how are they doing it?!'
This was the fourth game she'd played since sitting down, and she had yet to win a single game. Endyr considered herself a master gambler with an unreadable poker face, but it seemed masters were as common as grass in this building. Renée had unneccesarily instructed her on how to play when they first sat down, but also stated the minimum bey was three coins. Endyr has only brought 50, and already lost 12.
All her opponents seemed to have Lady Luck on their side, constantly swindling money from her and each other. By the time the fourth round began, Endyr's purse was noticeably lighter and her temple throbbing. She could have cheated from the start, but her pride had held her back. Now that it was obvious the others were cheating however, she began to lose that inhibition. Before she could make up her mind, Callum cleared his throat and gestured the start of the round.
Endyr lifted her cup and glanced at her dice. A six, four and one. She then glanced at the other three but saw nothing she could use.
"Two sixes and three ones" Callum spoke softly, sweeping across the faces of Endyr and Jane. Both played it cool, though Endyr was once again convinced he was cheating. No one had ever guesses the exact amount of other players, but was always close enough to right anyways. How they did it alluded her, though Endyr had already decided to use her eyes to figure it out next round. For now, she just leaned back and called based on her intuition. "Three sixes three ones."
"Liar" Jane rebuked her, causing everyone to reveal their dice. Callum and two sixes, and but only Renée had a one. With a sigh, Endyr flicked another gold coin into the pile.
After rolling the dice under her cup for several seconds, Endyr seized a moment when no one was looking to discreetly activate her Skill. At once, the layers of reality began to peel as all colours became denser and more saturated, like an eccentric oil painting. Endyr scanned these colours attentively for anything that stood out, and soon focused on one in particular.
Endyr noticed streaks of silver-grey flowing towards the other three players, wrapping around them. Yes, "flowing". This was what caught Endyr's attention, since basically all other colours were just floating along, without direction. Peering deeper at the mercury, Endyr soon recoiled as a multitude of symbols suddenly flashed in her mind. At the same time though, she understood why she was losing.
The mercury flows represented the Fate Affinity, or the Luck aspect of it at least. Yes, all three people at this table had a Luck Affinity and were flexing it as we speak. While Endyr could manipulate casuality on a far greater scale of course, it required conscious activation and would cause her location to light up like a firework for those that sought her.
Seeing the flow of Mana, Endyr came to the realization that this was all an elaborate scam: the three of them were working together to chip away at her wealth. Their reason for targeting her eluded Endyr, but she guessed her identity had been exposed, as well as the recent wealth she acquired. Despite their efficency in controlling their Affinity, Renée and the other two were just mediocre Grandmasters with no uniqueness she could see. It made sense why Renée had invited her in the place...as well as the suspiciously absent Kulkiri.
'That sly bastard! He's after my money!' Endyr regretted coming to him for help now, but she had to first take revenge on the three in front of her. 'Try to fleece me ay? Well, let's see just who's the loser in the end!'
Endyr utilised a small amount of her Mana to sink into their mercury flows, tainting them bluish black. In the meantime, she drew different mercury from the atmosphete and directed it towards herself. Since she wasn't using a Skill to create it directly, it took quite a bit of effort to make, but time was slowed down considerably in her current state so nobody noticed.
Once she successfully created a Luck Charm, one that would last several hours, she deactivates her gaze and time resumed back to normal. Looking at the trio with hidden derision, Endyr said nothing and continued to play like nothing had changed.
...only this time, Callum ended up losing twice and Jane once. The two frowned and shot a look at Renée, clearly expecting subterfuge from her. They knew Endyr had a Water Affinity, so they naturally discounted her as the cause for their bad luck. Furthermore, they failed to detect anything directly interfering with their Luck Charms. Seeing their suspicion, Renée could only ignore them so as to not tip Endyr off they were communicating.
When the next round began, Endyr paused and looked at Renée. "Do you know much about Kulkiri?" She asked casually. Renée considered her answer before shrugging. "He plays with us regularly, and gets along well with most people. But he's only been here a few months and claims to be leaving in the next few weeks. Said he was returning home."
When she admitted to having a connection with Kulkiri, Endyr's lips curled up slightly as her eyes cooled. "Is that so? In that case, do you know where he lives?"
"Uh, he said he's settled down in Nossont, by the sea. I don't know much else" Renée revealed very natural, not putting much thought into her answer and focusing on her dice and remains gold. They had entered the last round, and everyone could only afford one more bet. Rapping the table with her index finger, Endyr waited the dice were rolling before pouring Mana into both her mercury stream and their own.
As the clattering of dice was drowned out by loud cheering further back in the room, Endyr felt something click in her head as she lifted her cup, the necessary numbers slotting themselves into her brain. "Four sixes, two fives and three ones" she said breezily. Jane, Callum and Renée hesitated as they attempted to judge her hand but failed to find anything to grasp. After several seconds of silence Callum raised with two twos and Jane with a four. Renée observed her for several seconds. "Liar."
Everybody revealed their hands: the final result was four sixes, two fives, a four, two twos and four fours. It ended exactly as they called, and Renée had lost. Her face crumpled as she took her several quick breaths before abruptly standing up and throwing the money in the pile. Shooting Endyr a look, she then turned and walked off.
Callum and Jane watched her go before uneasily looking at Endyr. She flashed them a predatory grin and rattled her dice. "Well then, should we up the starting bet?"