The candle wavers, its flame bending as if whispering secrets only the darkness can hear. Today is the day of truth, a day when life itself will shift. Before me, the letter rests in my hands, its edges softened with time, the ink etched in my mother's familiar writing.

The house, now empty, awaits my return. I glance through the window and see my father smiling as my mother speaks to him. I wait patiently outside, finally stepping into my thirties. A chilly breeze drifts through the room—lotus mixed with jasmine—a scent I know too well, curling into the air. My gaze shifts back to the letter. With steady fingers, I unfold it. A faint murmur drifts through the air as the words slowly emerge.

My lovely Nabara, you always asked me why the seven cards were missing. I never gave you an answer. Tonight, I will.

My gaze drifts to the crafted box resting before me. Small. Unremarkable. And yet, the air around it hums, charged with an unseen force. My pulse quickens. My curiosity always plays tricks on me, yet tonight it finally gives me an answer.

Inside this box are the seven cards. They are unlike any others. They do not predict the future, nor do they merely recount the past. They are the tale of everything—what was, what is, and what will be. These cards are the truth, waiting for the one who dares to see it. You, my Nabara, the last one, my youngest, and definitely the strongest.

The candle flickers violently, its flame stretching, twisting, as if reacting to the weight of these words. My pulse quickens even more.

Tonight, you come of age—not just in years, but in knowing. Knowledge is a burden, Nabara, as much as it is a gift. To see clearly, your heart must be willing. To understand fully, your mind must be ready. What you will find within these cards will challenge all that you believe, just as it once did for me.

A sharp inhale fills my lungs; my grip tightens, feeling heavy. The space around me feels smaller now, thick with unseen things shifting in the quiet.

When you have seen, when you have learned, you will know where to find me. When your journey through these cards is complete, I will be waiting. Let us share coffee then.

The words settle into my bones, lingering in the hush that follows. I press the letter to my chest, closing my eyes for just a moment. "Thank you, Mama." Then, slowly, I reach for the box.

The tale is ready to be told.