Princess With A Cursed Sword play through

 Princess With a Cursed Sword Play Through 

(Apologies for wildly inconsistent verb tenses)

What does her gown signify?

The gown is actually the uniform of her school. It is a prim, dark blue dress with a white hem that is now stained

Why are her feet bare?

She gave her shoes to a beggar in her way to the ruins. They pinched her feet anyway.

What does her Sword want?

Her Sword wants to devour knowledge and memories.

What are her pronouns?

She and her. 

The story begins as she comes to the ruins.

Card 1 - The Devil

As she walks through the gate, the princess finds herself inside what looks to have been a great library. Surely that means that learning was once important to this place.

But the roof and ceiling are altogether gone. Years of rain and snow and sun have ruined the burnt remnants of the Mubarak. Despite it all, the air is still full of the stench of ashes and smoke.

All around her, in the midst of the silence, the princess hears voices rise. It was the ghosts of all the murdered books, like a legion of demons.

She closed her eyes and thought of all the hours she had spent in the academy’s library. She thought of the rows of books in their rows of shelves. She thought of how every book had its place, one part of a single pattern.

Two coins - one head

In her mind, the princess took each ghost of a book and put it in its place. As she did so, their voices fell quiet. But when she put the last book in place, she heard a sharp crack.

The world suddenly had lines all across. The princess took off her glasses and saw that the lenses had cracked.

Card 2 - The Moon

The princess came across a deep, wide pool that was formed in the shape of a perfect circle. Of course it was artificial. You didn’t build something around a pond. 

She doubted it had originally been a pool. Rain had filled iit.

She stared down into the water and saw tiny silver fish swimming .

Card 3 - King of Cups

It is a shadow but not a shadow. It sits on a throne that is made of moss and broken rocks and glowing vines.

It is a memory and it hungers for more memories. It hungers to turn the princess into nothing but a memory. 

Cold sweat coating her brow, she swings the sword that hisses and mutters of its own hunger.

Two coins - two heads

The sword hungered for memories and knowledge. The thing was nothing but that. All that remained on the ruined throne was a bunt outline.

In her hand, the sword somehow had a gloating, satisfied feel. And she could no longer remember her grandmother’s eyes.

Card 4 - Five of Wands

The door was made of a wood so dark that it was almost black. It was far taller than her. If it wasn’t for the bright door handle, she might well have missed the door in the dark.

When she grasped the handle, it grasped her back. Long bronze teeth grow out of the handle, prepared to bite down on her hand.

The sword in her other hand, the hand that could not release it, muttered in bored tones. The door was not knowledge and held no interest for it.

One coin - head

Desperately, she pulled away. The teeth tore at her hand and arm. She fell to the ground, free but blood dripped down her arm.

And the door swung open.

Card 5 - Page of Pentacles

At first, the princess throught it was a person. Than a statute. But, in fact, it was machine in the shape of a person.

It was made of silver and crystal and glass. It was beautiful and in the shape of a young man. 

And clearly and permanently broken.

Card 6 ~ The Sun

The princess had lost count of the stairs she had walked up and she was very good at counting. Around and around the stairs went up the ivory tower until she reached the roof and the sky above.

And the burning eyes of the gods stared down at her.

One coin - heads

The princess refused to bow her head. They were not her gods. There was a flash of darkness, as if the gods had blinked. She found herself in a gallery, far from the tower.

And she knew the gods were still watching.

Card 7 - The Magician

The princess knew that the tomb was what she had been searching for. It was in between two tall  structures, almost as if the tomb itself was a canyon.

‘It is time,’ she said. Her feet were sore and bleeding. The arm and hand that were forced to hold the sword aches.

And the sword hissed and muttered. Black smoke rose from it.

‘No,’ the princess said. 

And her hand opened. The sword fell. Fell into the darkness of the tomb. She did not hear it land.

And the memory of the lullaby her mother had used to sing her to sleep was gone.