Jayden sat at the poker table, still wincing from the pain in his ribs. Felix, that twisted grin never leaving his face, shuffled the cards effortlessly, as if he’d done this a million times. The room felt colder, the air thicker with tension, and Jayden’s pulse quickened as he glanced at Aiden—lifeless on the floor, his soul trapped in some sick game.

“So, kid,” Felix began, his voice smooth but sinister, “you ever play high-stakes poker before?”

Jayden gripped the armrests of the wheelchair, glaring at Felix. “Not for someone’s soul, no.”

Felix’s grin grew wider, his eyes flashing with amusement. “You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that.” He dealt the cards with a flick of his wrist, the motion too smooth, too controlled. “But then again, I’d expect nothing less, considering who I am.”

Jayden frowned, suspicion gnawing at him. “And who exactly are you?”

Felix chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with arrogance. “Ah, I see you don’t recognize me. Makes sense—you mortals don’t get out much.” He leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper, “I’m Felix, the God of Luck. And I never lose.”

Jayden’s blood ran cold. The God of Luck? That explained the constant grin, the confidence, the sense that the deck was always stacked in his favor. This wasn’t just any poker game—Felix controlled fate itself.

Felix dealt the first hand, sliding two cards toward Jayden. “We’ll start small. Texas Hold’em. You know the rules?”

“Yeah, I know the rules,” Jayden muttered, picking up his cards. A seven of diamonds and a two of spades—terrible. He tried to hide the frustration on his face.

Felix smirked, as if he already knew what cards Jayden held. “We’ll see about that.”

The first three community cards—the flop—were revealed: an ace of hearts, a ten of clubs, and a six of diamonds. Jayden’s hand was still trash. Felix’s grin widened even more.

“You can fold, kid. Save yourself the trouble,” Felix teased, his fingers drumming on the table rhythmically.

Jayden’s mind raced. He had nothing—no pair, no straight, no chance. But folding wasn’t an option. Aiden’s life—or soul—depended on him winning.

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“I’ll stay,” Jayden muttered, clenching his fists under the table.

“Bold move, kid,” Felix said, tossing more chips into the pot. “But then again, you’re up against the God of Luck. Don’t expect the cards to go your way.”

The fourth card—the turn—was flipped: a king of hearts. Jayden cursed under his breath. Still nothing. Felix’s grin grew darker, more sinister.

“The thing about luck,” Felix said, leaning back in his chair, “is that it’s not just about chance. It’s about control. And I control it all.”

Jayden scowled. “I’m not giving up.”

Felix laughed, the sound hollow and echoing. “You think defiance will save you? I’ve watched kingdoms fall on a coin flip, empires rise on the roll of a dice. You’re nothing but a speck in the grand game of fate.”

The final card—the river—was revealed: a queen of spades. Jayden’s heart sank. He had absolutely nothing.

Felix leaned forward, his grin predatory. “Last chance, kid. You folding? Or do you want to watch your friend’s soul disappear forever?”

Jayden’s ribs screamed in pain, his head pounded, and he had no idea what Felix was holding. But something gnawed at him. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Felix was playing him, that maybe, just maybe, the God of Luck wasn’t as invincible as he seemed.

“I’ll raise,” Jayden said suddenly, pushing everything he had—two bucks and his soul—into the pot.

Felix’s grin faltered for a brief second, barely noticeable, but Jayden caught it. Then the grin returned, more vicious than before. “Big gamble, kid. But I like your style.”

Felix slowly revealed his hand: a pair of kings. “Well, would you look at that,” he said mockingly. “Seems like the house always wins. And in my case, the house is fate.”

Jayden’s stomach twisted. He was done for. He had nothing.

But as Felix reached for the pot, something flickered in Jayden’s mind. The scythe… the power of void travel… Could it…?

With a shaky breath, Jayden raised the scythe slightly under the table, its handle cold in his grip. He closed his eyes for a brief second, concentrating, Void, show me.

Suddenly, his mind flashed with an image—the next card in Felix’s deck. It was another king. Felix had three kings. But somehow, Jayden knew that if he played this right, the void would bend the odds in his favor.

Jayden’s hand shook as he laid down his cards: the seven of diamonds and two of spades.

Felix burst out laughing, a twisted, echoing sound. “You serious, kid? You lost! You don’t even have a pair!”

But before Felix could collect the pot, the air around them began to shift. The cards on the table shimmered, their symbols rearranging themselves. Felix’s grin faded as he looked down in confusion.

“What…?”

The seven and two in Jayden’s hand morphed into a straight flush, glowing with a faint, otherworldly light. Felix’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“That’s… impossible…”

Jayden smirked. “Guess even the God of Luck can have a bad- Ow, Leg cramp.”

With a snap, the scythe pulsed, and Aiden’s body twitched. A burst of light shot from Felix’s chest, and the wisp of Aiden’s soul flew back into his body. Aiden gasped, his eyes flickering open.

“No!” Felix shouted, slamming his fists on the table. “You cheated!”

Jayden stood up, wincing from the pain in his ribs but fueled by the adrenaline surging through him. “Looks like luck wasn’t on your side.”

Felix snarled, his once-confident grin replaced by a look of pure rage. “You may have won this hand, but the void is eternal, kid. You can’t outrun luck.”

Jayden grabbed Aiden’s arm and helped him to his feet. “Yeah? We’ll see about that.”

As they turned to leave, the casino around them flickered, like it was losing its grip on reality. Jayden tightened his hold on the scythe, feeling its dark power hum beneath his fingertips.

“Let’s get outta here, Blitz,” Jayden muttered, still feeling the weight of the battle behind them.

Aiden nodded weakly, still catching his breath. “Yeah… let’s never gamble with a god again.”

The two of them stumbled out of the casino, the eerie laughter of Felix—the God of Luck—echoing faintly behind them