A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

If there was ever a moment where I regretted my life choices, this was it.

Standing at the entrance of a casino, surrounded by mythological figures who looked like they'd either gamble their fortunes away or rip your head off for sport, I tried to figure out how I had gotten myself into this mess.

"Well, Carl," Agnos said, lounging against a marble column with an infuriatingly calm smirk.

"Welcome to the heart of desperation. Ready to gamble for entry into Domos Haidou?"

"No," I replied flatly. "But apparently, that doesn't matter."

Dr. Philippe adjusted his glasses, the lenses catching the flickering neon lights of the casino sign.

"Statistically, your odds are not... favorable. But sometimes randomness favors the inexperienced." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Beginner's luck, as they call it."

"Oh great, beginner's luck," I muttered. "What happens when that runs out?"

Eldrin clapped me on the back, nearly sending me face-first into the ground. "Don't worry, Carl. You've got a spark about you. I'm betting on you."

"Literally?"

"Of course. I'm placing side bets," he said with a grin.

Fantastic. Nothing like having friends who'd bet against you for the fun of it.

Agnos chuckled. "Who knows? Maybe you're a secret lucky charm. Or you'll implode spectacularly. Either way, this should be entertaining."

*******

The first table was as intimidating as the man sitting across from me. Hercules. Yes, that Hercules. Broad shoulders, biceps like tree trunks, and a glare that could turn a hydra to stone.

When I imagined playing poker, I thought of cigars, low lighting, and friendly banter. What I got instead was Hercules himself sitting across the table, glaring at me like I'd just insulted his 12 Labors.

The dealer, a troll, shuffled the deck with hands the size of dinner plates, the cards practically disappearing into his grip. His eyes locked onto mine, unblinking and piercing.

"You look nervous, human," he said, his deep voice rumbling like a distant storm.

"Me? Nervous?" I laughed nervously. "No, just, uh... excited to play against a legend."

The dealer handed out the cards, and I stared at mine like they held the secrets of the universe. They didn't. In fact, they barely held the promise of a decent hand.

"Fold," Hercules said, tossing his cards aside with a dismissive grunt.

What? That was it? He just folded?

Eldrin laughed from the sidelines. "Hercules doesn't waste his time. If he's not sure, he doesn't play."

"Great," I muttered, my confidence sinking even lower.

The next few hands were a blur.

Hercules played aggressively, raising stakes with every round. My beginner's luck kicked in somewhere along the way, giving me a flush in the third hand. The crowd that had gathered around the table cheered as I revealed my cards.

"Let's make this quick," he growled, shuffling the cards with hands that looked like they could crush a deck into powder.

The dealer handed me my cards, and I stared at them like they were written in ancient Greek. My hand was garbage—two low hearts, a club, a diamond, and a spade that didn't even flirt with forming a sequence.

"Poker face, Carl," I muttered under my breath.

Hercules raised the stakes immediately, sliding a pile of chips forward like it was pocket change. The room seemed to shrink, the weight of every eye in the casino pressing down on me.

"Raise," I said, my voice cracking slightly. Eldrin coughed to cover a laugh.

Hercules' glare intensified. "You sure about that, kid?"

No. Not even a little. But I nodded.

The rounds went on, my hand steadily improving by some miracle of the gods—or perhaps their cruel sense of humor.

By the final round, I was holding a full house. My heart pounded as I pushed my chips forward.

"All in," I said, trying to sound confident.

Hercules snorted and revealed his cards—three of a kind. The crowd erupted as I revealed mine.

"Full house! The underdog takes it!"

Hercules stood, towering over me. For a moment, I thought he might flip the table. Instead, he grunted and extended a hand. "You've got guts, kid. Respect."

I shook his hand, barely suppressing a sigh of relief.

********

If Hercules was a hurricane of brute force, Theseus was a knife—sharp, deliberate, and unsettlingly calm. The roulette wheel gleamed under the neon lights, its metallic surface reflecting my pale, nervous face.

"Pick a number," Theseus said, his voice smooth and detached.

I glanced at Eldrin, who leaned in and whispered, "Thirteen. Always bet on thirteen."

"Thirteen," I said, my voice barely audible.

Theseus gave a faint smirk and spun the wheel. The ball clattered against the edges, bouncing erratically as if it was toying with me. My heart raced, every nerve in my body screaming for it to stop already.

Finally, the ball landed—on thirteen.

The crowd erupted, their cheers deafening. Eldrin whooped, jumping up and down like he'd won the lottery.

Theseus, however, was less enthusiastic. His smirk vanished, replaced by a clenched jaw. He slammed his fist on the table, rattling the chips, but didn't argue.

"You win," he said through gritted teeth.

********

Orpheus oozed charisma. From the way he slid into his seat to the casual way he handled his cards, everything about him screamed confidence.

"Ah, the hero of the hour," he said, his voice melodic. "Shall we make this a game to remember?"

"Or a game to forget," I muttered.

The cards were dealt, and Orpheus immediately launched into a monologue about fate, destiny, and other things I wasn't paying attention to. I focused on my cards—an ace and a seven.

"Hit me," I said.

The dealer slid me a three. 21.

The crowd erupted once more, their cheers a chaotic symphony of disbelief and excitement. Orpheus leaned back in his chair, his smile faltering for the briefest moment.

"Well played," he said, standing and giving me a slow clap. "It seems fortune truly favors the bold tonight."

As the final cheers died down, the tension in the room shifted. A ghoul in a black-and-gold uniform emerged from the shadows, his hollow eyes fixed on me.

"Congratulations," he said, his voice echoing unnaturally. He extended a gloved hand, holding an ornate black-and-gold envelope. "The Master of Domos Haidou invites you to his domain."

The crowd parted as I took the envelope, its surface cold and heavy. My fingers trembled as I opened it, revealing golden script on black parchment.

"You're in," Eldrin said, his voice low with awe.

Agnos whistled. "Well, Carl, it seems your luck is either divine intervention or the setup for something far worse."

"Probably both," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

As I stared at the invitation, a chill ran down my spine. This wasn't just about luck anymore. The stakes had changed, and whatever awaited me in Domos Haidou wasn't going to be a simple gamble.

The crowd buzzed with speculation, their whispers a backdrop to my racing thoughts. I folded the invitation carefully and slipped it into my pocket.

"What's next?" I asked, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.

Agnos grinned, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Next? You survive. If you can."