I am not a beginning, yet I am always the first.
I am not an end, but I follow every step.
I am the leap that cannot be seen,
The whisper of chaos in the silence of order.
The Trickster’s grin stretches wider, their eyes sparkling with mischief. “Ah, so you do have it in you! The Fool—you’ve named them well. The beginning that isn’t, the leap without a landing. Such a fine companion for what’s to come.”
They clap their hands, and the glowing doorway shimmers, shifting from a dull hum to a pulsating brilliance. “You see, the Fool isn’t just a card or an idea—it’s a state of being. To embrace the Fool is to embrace possibility, chaos, and the uncharted. And now, you’ve done just that. Bravo!”
The Trickster steps aside with a theatrical bow, gesturing toward the now-open doorway. “On the other side, your journey begins. A leap into the unknown, where riddles lead to revelations and tasks awaken the magick within you. But don’t get too comfortable. This is just the first step, after all. The game only gets stranger from here.”
They pause, tilting their head as if hearing a far-off sound. “Oh, one last thing before you go—keep your wits about you and your journal close. Chaos loves the unprepared, but it adores the curious.”
With a flick of their wrist, a key materialises in the air, glowing faintly. “Here’s your key to the first page. Step through, if you dare. But remember…” They lean in, their voice dropping to a whisper. “The Fool isn’t just the beginning. It’s always with you, waiting to remind you that the best plans are the ones you’re ready to abandon.”
The Trickster’s grin falters for the briefest moment, then twists into something sharper—half amusement, half pity. “Oh dear,” they say, their voice dripping with mock sympathy. “So close, yet so… utterly wrong. But don’t fret! Mistakes are just another kind of answer, aren’t they?”
They snap their fingers, and the glowing doorway flickers, dimming slightly. “Let me give you a little secret about riddles, my friend: they aren’t always about getting it right. Sometimes, the point is how you think, how you stretch yourself beyond the obvious.” The Trickster leans in, their eyes gleaming. “But alas, rules are rules. No right answer, no entry.”
They step back, tapping their chin in mock contemplation. “Still, you’ve intrigued me. You tried, and that counts for something. I’m a benevolent Trickster, after all—or at least, I am today. How about this? I’ll give you the key, in return, you promise to come back to the riddle complete at the end of your experience behind the door. Deal?”
They pause, watching you carefully. “But remember, chaos doesn’t wait forever. Tick-tock, my friend. Tick-tock.”