The small, dimly lit room was filled with the scent of incense and a subtle chill that made the hair on young Sam Noctis's arms stand on end.
He was only eleven, but his fascination with time and its mysteries had already grown into an obsession.
His dark eyes flicked around the space, taking in the shelves stacked with old books, the strange trinkets hanging from the ceiling, and the thick velvet curtain draped behind the table.
The tarot reader, a woman with piercing eyes and long, silver-streaked hair, gestured for him to sit.
Sam hesitated, then lowered himself onto the creaky wooden chair, trying to hide his nervous excitement.
"You seek to know your future?" she asked, her voice soft but carrying a weight that made Sam's heart pound.
He nodded. "Yes. I want to know if... if time will ever change for me."
She raised an eyebrow but said nothing, shuffling the cards with practiced ease. The rustle of the cards was almost hypnotic.
"Time is a fickle thing, child," she murmured. "But it often leaves traces in the shadows."
She laid out three cards, face down, on the table between them.
"These will show you what lies ahead," she said, turning over the first card.
The Shadow.
The card depicted a dark figure shrouded in smoke, its eyes glowing red, claws stretching outward as if to grasp something just beyond its reach. Sam felt a shiver run down his spine.
"What does it mean?" he asked.
The tarot reader's eyes seemed to cloud over as she stared at the card.
"This is a presence from the darkness, one that thrives in nightmares. It seeks power... and time itself may become its tool."
Her voice grew quieter, almost as if speaking to herself. "It represents a force you will confront, a shadow you cannot escape."
Sam swallowed. "And the next one?"
She turned the second card.
The Moon.
A silver moon hung high in a night sky, its light reflecting off a calm sea below.
"This is a guide," she explained.
"One who walks between worlds, seeking to bring balance where chaos reigns. The Moon shines a light in the darkest hours and guides those who are lost."
She paused, her eyes meeting Sam's.
"A guardian and a friend, but also someone burdened with secrets."
Sam felt a twinge of curiosity. "A friend... but why secrets?"
She shook her head. "Some mysteries remain hidden, even to those who seek the truth."
Sam's fingers tightened around the edge of the table as she flipped the final card.
The Dawn.
The card showed the sun rising over the horizon, illuminating the world in warm, golden light. A young girl stood in the foreground, holding a staff with a clock at its tip.
"This is the beginning of something new, a light that breaks through the shadows. The Dawn represents hope, a spark that can change the course of time."
Sam's eyes widened, transfixed by the card's image.
"Who is she?"
The tarot reader smiled, her gaze distant.
"A force for good, though she may not know it yet. She holds the power to alter fate... and to unlock the secrets of time."
He felt his heart race as he studied the three cards before him.
"The Shadow, the Moon, and the Dawn... what does it all mean for me?"
The tarot reader collected the cards, her expression unreadable.
"These paths are intertwined with your own. In time, you will face the darkness, seek the light, and witness the dawn of a new era. But remember, the future is ever-changing, and the choices you make will shape your fate."
As Sam left the small room, her words echoed in his mind. He didn't fully understand the significance of the cards, but he felt a sense of destiny begin to stir within him, one that would grow into a lifelong quest to understand—and manipulate—time itself.