A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

I stepped into Elysium, and a long staircase leading down appeared before me. As I descended, the very air around me felt... too perfect. The kind of perfect that made me uneasy.

Golden light bathed everything, like a constant sunset that never quite set. The architecture was otherworldly, each column and archway more magnificent than the last.

My heart skipped a beat, not from awe, but from the sheer weight of this place—the aura of virtue pressing down like an invisible hand on my shoulders. It felt like I'd just entered the most divine, unapproachable part of the afterlife.

Not the kind of paradise you'd find in a vacation brochure, but the kind where you can't get away with anything.

It wasn't just beauty—it was righteousness with a capital 'R'.

Everything sparkled.

Even the air had a shimmer to it, and as I walked deeper into the vast hall, I was greeted by attendants in robes so white they almost glowed. Their smiles were so radiant they bordered on eerie, but they were all business—nodding silently as I passed.

At the center of the room, standing proud like some divine monument, was an enormous, glittering Wheel of Fortune.

And I don't mean some cheesy carnival attraction.

No, this was no ordinary wheel—it was an otherworldly spectacle, spinning slowly, a radiant gold that flickered like sunlight on the ocean.

Each section of the wheel was marked with a symbol: courage, kindness, wisdom, and the rest of the virtues I'd seen only in books.

There were jackpots of rewards—immense amounts of good fortune, divine favor, and even souls who had earned their place among the stars.

But there was no such thing as a free spin here.

No, in Elysium, you earned what you got.

The crowd around me, a collection of spirits and ethereal beings, murmured with anticipation, their forms a mix of human and ethereal energy.

I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the feeling that something was off. I had been told to come here by Hypnos.

But how did this... place know who I was?

And now I was here, at the gates of Elysium, and I had no idea what to expect.

Before I could process it all, the sound of soft footsteps drew my attention, and I turned to see a figure emerging from the shadows.

He wore robes that shimmered in the light, so bright and radiant they almost seemed to burn with their intensity. His face was sharp but fair, a regal mask of tranquility.

Pluto, the ancient Roman god of the dead, stood before me.

As he approached, his serene smile sent an unsettling chill down my spine.

This was no mere dealer.

The mere presence of Pluto, in all his heavenly and infernal glory, was enough to make anyone tremble. His eyes—dark as the night and yet infinitely knowing—locked onto mine.

"Welcome, Carl Suis," his voice was smooth, like velvet, but with an undertone of something far more ancient. "To the Wheel of Fortune."

I wasn't sure what to say to that.

It felt like a punishment, not a game.

Still, I nodded and kept my mouth shut.

"Here, in Elysium, the balance of goodness and morality is maintained by the ones who enter this realm," Pluto continued, his tone almost condescending. "You've earned your place here, and yet, you must prove yourself worthy to rise above the next level."

He gestured grandly to the enormous wheel that loomed before me.

I raised an eyebrow, wondering how he knew my name.

"I'm not exactly sure what's going on. But I'm all ears," I said, though my tone was more than a little sarcastic.

His smile didn't falter, though I could have sworn I saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

"You've been summoned to test your understanding of virtue. The Wheel of Fortune awaits. It is a game of your moral fiber, your intuition, your wisdom. Should you succeed, you may move forward. Fail, and..."

He let the words hang in the air, and I didn't need to hear the rest.

A chill ran down my spine.

"You must win three rounds of the Wheel, Carl," he continued, his gaze unwavering.

"Each round will present you with a clue. You must guess the virtue it represents. The stakes are high. You will wager your accumulated merit points."

"Merit points?"

I blinked.

"What merit points?"

"The points you have earned in your lifetime. Every good deed, every act of kindness, every moment of selflessness. You've accumulated quite a sum. You currently have 27 million points."

I almost choked on my own saliva.

"Twenty-seven million? What? How?"

Pluto's smile was unreadable.

"Your record is impressive, Carl. The help you've given others, the lives you've touched... it's all been noted."

I was speechless.

Sure, I'd helped a lot of creatures—animals, humans, magical beings—but that much?

Did feeding stray cats count for more than I thought?

"The rules are simple," the Pluto continued. "You must wager a minimum of 1 million points for the first round. With each victory, the minimum bet doubles."

"Hold on. One million? For one spin?" My stomach twisted. That was more than I'd ever wagered in my life—combined.

He nodded. "Shall we begin?"

I didn't have a choice, did I?

I approached the wheel, and as I did, the crowd grew eerily silent. The air seemed to hum with energy, as if even the very fabric of Elysium was holding its breath. The Wheel of Fortune glowed brighter, its segments shimmering with golden light, beckoning me.

I placed my first bet—one million points.

The moment I did, the wheel began to spin with a melodic hum, the segments glowing brighter with each rotation. The crowd watched with bated breath.

Then, the clue appeared:

"It stands tall even when battered by storms, shielding others without complaint."

My mind raced. I bit my lip, trying to focus.

Storms? Battered? Shielding others?

The first thing that came to mind was courage, but then again, resilience fit too.

Selflessness? A protector?

I had to pick one.

My gut told me it was something beyond just bravery.

"I'm going with... selflessness," I said, my voice louder than I felt inside.

The wheel slowed, then clicked to a stop. It flared with golden light. The crowd gasped in unison.

"You are correct," Pluto announced, his voice calm and unshaken.

I exhaled a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. The crowd erupted in applause, their ethereal voices harmonizing in a beautiful chorus. It was both soothing and unnerving, like a calm sea before a storm.

But before I could enjoy my victory, Pluto's voice cut through the cheering.

"For the second round, the minimum bet is now 2 million points."

I swallowed.

This was real.

I was already in deep.

I stepped forward again, feeling the weight of my decision more than I ever had in my life.

The wheel spun again, this time with a heavier hum. When it slowed, the clue appeared:

"It breaks chains but binds willingly, often mistaken for weakness though it is the strongest force."

My first instinct was to say 'love.'

It had to be.

It was the only force that made sense, that could bind people together, even when they didn't want to be.

"Love," I said, this time with a bit more confidence.

The wheel flared with light once again. The crowd cheered, but I didn't feel victorious—I felt like I'd just made a dangerous gamble.

But then, Pluto's calm voice shattered my thoughts.

"The third round will require a minimum bet of 4 million points."

I glanced at the glowing wheel, my hands trembling.

Four million.

That was more than I had ever dreamed of. I'd wagered a total of 3 million points already, and I still had no idea what I was getting myself into.

This was it. If I failed now, I might lose everything.

The wheel spun again, the noise now deafening. I barely registered the clue when it appeared:

"It requires no voice but speaks volumes. A guiding light in the darkest hour."

Hope? Faith? Was it wisdom?

The seconds ticked by, and my heart pounded so loud I could hardly think. But then I realized it.

Hope.

"Hope," I said, barely above a whisper.

The wheel erupted in radiant, blinding light. The crowd roared, but I couldn't hear anything over the buzzing in my ears.

I'd won.

Pluto smiled at me, a serene but knowing smile. "You've succeeded, Carl. You may now proceed to the next region."

That sounds... vague. Should I be concerned?

I wiped the sweat off my brow, trying to ignore the gnawing sense that something had changed. I glanced back at the wheel, the golden light flickering ominously.

It wasn't just a game anymore. I was in over my head.

The dealer nodded toward a staircase that had appeared at the far end of the room, glowing with a golden light. But the warmth of Elysium was already fading, replaced by a chilling sensation that made my skin crawl.

As I stepped toward the staircase, I felt the temperature drop, the golden light dimming.

"Good luck, Carl," Pluto said softly.

I turned back one last time, watching the Wheel of Fortune slowly spin again, its glow dimming as I ascended the stairs.