The lever slid through Xavier's fingers with less resistance than before. The wheel's vibrant colors blurred together as it spun faster.
"Come on, come on..."
"Third time's the charm," Calypso sang, floating upside down with her silver hair cascading toward the infinite void below.
"That's what grifters tell marks before they fleece them," Xavier muttered, eyes locked on the spinning wheel. The colors slowed, separated, then clicked into place.
Five cards materialized. One gold. One silver. Three bronze.
"Oh." Calypso's enthusiasm deflated slightly. "Not... terrible?"
Xavier reached for the gold card, hoping for something that would justify this gamble. It flipped, revealing a warrior with glowing hands.
[SR-RANK ABILITY: MANA MANIPULATION]
You can harness raw magical energy and shape it into basic forms. Create shields, minor blasts, or small constructs. Cannot cast formal spells without additional training. Energy capacity: moderate. Regeneration rate: slow.
"Magic, huh?" Xavier's lips curved upward. "I could work with this."
The silver card showed a figure surrounded by swirling wind.
[R-RANK ABILITY: AIR DASH]
You can propel yourself through the air in short bursts. Maximum distance: 20 feet. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Cannot change direction mid-dash.
"Better than walking," he conceded, then reached for the first bronze card.
[N-RANK ABILITY: BASIC COOKING]
You can prepare simple meals that are consistently edible. Nothing fancy, but you won't starve or poison yourself.
Xavier's eye twitched. "Cooking? Seriously?"
"Hey, don't knock it," Calypso said. "You'd be surprised how many heroes die from food poisoning in the wilderness."
The second bronze card flipped to show a barren wasteland.
[N-RANK WORLD: THE BLASTED LANDS]
A post-apocalyptic desert world with scarce resources and constant territorial warfare. Technology level: mixed, mostly scavenged pre-collapse tech. Contains: humans (common), mutants (uncommon), and synthetic beings (rare). Water and food are precious commodities. Political climate: tribal warlords control resource deposits. Radiation storms occur regularly. Opportunity for adventure: moderate. Danger level: high.
"From medieval fantasy to this?" Xavier frowned.
He tapped the final bronze card, revealing a man stumbling over his own feet.
[N-RANK FLAW: CLUMSY]
You occasionally trip, drop items, or fumble in non-combat situations. Probability increases when rushing or under stress. Does not significantly affect combat abilities but may create embarrassing social situations.
Xavier stared at the cards, calculating their worth against what he'd given up. The math didn't favor him.
"One more roll."
"Are you sure?" Calypso's enthusiasm had dimmed. "I mean, you've already used three..."
"I'm sure." He pulled the lever again.
The wheel spun faster this time, as if sensing his desperation. When it stopped, four bronze cards and one silver floated before him.
Xavier's heart sank. The silver card flipped to show a man with a glowing brain.
[R-RANK ABILITY: ENHANCED LEARNING]
You learn new skills at twice the normal rate. Languages, crafts, and academic subjects come more easily to you. Does not affect combat skill acquisition.
"Useful, but not in a fight," he muttered, flipping the first bronze card.
[N-RANK ABILITY: ANIMAL EMPATHY]
Animals are less likely to attack you unprovoked. You can sense their basic emotional states. Does not grant control or communication abilities.
The second bronze revealed a simple cottage.
[N-RANK WORLD: QUIET MEADOWS]
A peaceful agricultural world with minimal conflict. Technology level equivalent to Earth's 18th century. Contains: humans only. Political climate: stable monarchy with fair taxation. Opportunity for adventure: minimal. Danger level: very low.
"A farming world?" Xavier hissed. "Are you kidding me?"
The third bronze card showed a man holding his stomach.
[N-RANK FLAW: WEAK STOMACH]
You suffer from motion sickness and food sensitivity. Travel by boat, carriage, or mount causes discomfort. Exotic foods may cause illness.
The final bronze card revealed a figure with a small flame.
[N-RANK ABILITY: FIRE STARTER]
You can ignite small fires with concentration. Requires flammable material. Range: touch only. Cannot control existing flames.
Xavier stood perfectly still, the muscle in his jaw jumping. His hands curled into fists so tight his knuckles whitened.
"One more roll won't hurt, huh?" His voice dropped to a whisper. "Tell me, goddess, is this your idea of entertainment?"
"I didn't..." Calypso's usual bubbly demeanor faltered. She drifted closer, pink eyes wide. "I didn't think you'd be so unlucky with it. This isn't funny at all."
Tears welled in her eyes, catching the ethereal light. "You poor thing. This is practically a tragedy."
"You're the one who told me to do it!" Xavier shouted, his voice echoing through the Liminal Space.
Calypso sniffled, wiping tears from her eyes and gave Xavier a thumbs up. "Keep at it, buddy. You'll be okay!"
"Okay?" Xavier's laugh held no humor. "I've gone from weapon mastery and shadow stealth to cooking and fire starting!"
"Go, Xavi!" Calypso cheered, pumping her fist in the air as pink and white rose petals materialized around her. "Last roll! Make it count!"
"That's enough!" Xavier shouted, stalking toward the wheel. His footsteps should have echoed in the vast space, but the Liminal Space swallowed all sound except their voices. "This is my last chance."
He glared at the wheel, hatred burning in his chest. Stupid goddess. Stupid wheel. This whole situation was beyond absurd.
"This sucks," he muttered, reaching for the lever one final time.
His fingers wrapped around it, and he paused. In his former life, he'd developed rituals before important kills. Small gestures to focus his mind. He closed his eyes now, drawing a deep breath through his nose.
"One more," he whispered to himself. "Just one more."
He pulled the lever and the wheel began to spin, slowly at first, then faster. Xavier watched it with unblinking intensity, as if he could will it to land where he wanted through sheer force of attention.
As it slowed, Xavier's eyes widened incrementally with each passing second.
"Oh," Calypso whispered, floating closer.
"Ohhhhh," she continued, voice rising as the wheel settled.
"OHHHHHHHH!" she shrieked, clutching her cheeks.
Five cards materialized. Two crackled with black lightning that seemed to tear at the fabric of reality itself. One pulsed with the same electric pink energy as the earlier UR card. Another glowed emerald green, so bright it cast shadows. The final card shimmered gold, light rippling across its surface like sunlight on water.
Calypso zoomed around him. "I told you! I TOLD YOU! Fifth pulls are ALWAYS the best!"
Xavier's expression transformed, tension melting into disbelief. A grin spread across his face as he clutched his fists.
"JACKPOT!"