Darkness gave way to light once more.
The endless void that had cracked moments ago slowly repaired itself, like shattered glass reversing time. Klein blinked—or whatever passed for blinking in the nothingness—and found himself drifting again in calm emptiness.
'Well,' he thought. 'I'm not dead. Again. That's progress.'
A nervous cough echoed around him.
"Hey, uh… you still there?" The familiar voice of his cosmic handler sounded sheepish. "Sorry about that little hiccup. Turns out you can't overcharge the Wheel of Destiny with mortal energy. Who knew?"
"Apparently not you," Klein muttered. "What even happened?"
"Technical issue! Totally minor. We're back online, though, so if you're ready, we can continue with spin number four!"
'Minor,' Klein thought. 'Right. Because reality exploding counts as minor around here.'
Still, he had to admit he was curious. Three spins down, seven to go. If this thing was giving out treasure, he wanted more.
"Alright, rookie," he said. "Fire it up."
The voice brightened immediately. "Yes! That's the spirit! I knew you were a good client."
"Client?"
"Uh—soul. I meant soul."
The Wheel of Destiny shimmered into existence again, its glowing segments spinning gently in the void. Klein noticed new patterns glowing faintly along its rim, like cosmic runes pulsing in rhythm.
"Ready when you are," the voice said cheerfully. "Let's see if your luck holds."
Klein grinned. "Spin number four!"
The wheel began to whirl, colors blending into a storm of motion. Sparks danced across the void as it slowed, clinking past one slot after another. Finally, it clicked to a stop.
A pale blue orb drifted toward him and burst into glowing script.
[Fourth Spin Result: Chalice of Endless Wakefulness]
[Description: A silver cup that removes all fatigue from the drinker. Warning: Overuse may cause emotional detachment and insomnia.]
Klein tilted his invisible head. "So… a magic energy drink cup?"
"Basically!" the voice said proudly. "You'll never have to sleep again!"
"That sounds horrifying."
"Well, technically, it just removes the feeling of tiredness. You can still sleep. You just won't want to."
'Great,' Klein thought. 'A relic for caffeine addicts. Perfect for someone who spent most of his life reading till 3 AM.'
Still, he had to admit it might come in handy. "Alright. Not amazing, but not useless. I'll take it."
"That's the attitude!" the voice said. "Spin number five?"
Klein nodded. "Let's roll."
The wheel spun again, this time with a deeper hum, as if it were thinking. The lights around it dimmed slightly, shadows flickering across the void. Klein watched as it slowed, then stopped on a strange dark sector covered in swirling marks.
The resulting orb pulsed with red light before revealing its message.
[Fifth Spin Result: The Grinning Coin]
[Description: A cursed token that always lands on heads. In rare cases, it may talk to you, whisper advice, lies, or both.]
Klein stared at the text for a long moment.
"...You're kidding me."
"Hey, don't look at me," the voice said defensively. "The Wheel gives what it gives."
"It's a coin! And a cursed one!"
"Well, technically, it's a talking coin. That's rare craftsmanship."
"What am I supposed to do with it? Bribe demons?"
"You could flip it for decisions."
Klein sighed. "So it's a magical way to make worse life choices."
"Exactly!"
Klein groaned. "Fantastic. The gods have a sense of humor."
"Technically, that's me," the voice said proudly. "I programmed the coin sector myself!"
"Figures."
He rolled his nonexistent eyes but couldn't help smirking a little. "Alright, fine. I've got a cloak, a dragon heart, a silent sword, a cursed coin, and a cup that'll keep me awake forever. I'm starting to sound like a magician who shops at a cursed flea market."
"Well, you have four more spins," the voice reminded him. "Plenty of time to balance things out!"
"Then let's see if luck's still on my side," Klein said. "Spin six."
The wheel began to turn once again, humming with brighter energy this time. The runes flared, and for a moment, Klein thought he heard faint laughter—like the universe was enjoying the show.
He watched the wheel slow down, clink once, twice, and then stop with a heavy thunk.
A golden shimmer filled the void.
[Sixth Spin Result: Aegis of the Hollow Star]
[Description: A radiant shield forged from the dying heart of a fallen star. When activated, it projects a shimmering barrier capable of deflecting both physical and magical attacks. The stronger the user's will, the brighter the shield burns. Prolonged use risks draining the wielder's life force and may, under rare circumstances, cause minor stellar implosions.]
Klein blinked. "Now that's what I'm talking about."
"Pretty neat, right?" the voice said proudly. "It's one of the safer relics. Only a few have… exploded."
"Exploded?"
"Statistically insignificant number," the voice said quickly. "Like… two. Maybe three. Out of a few hundred."
'Comforting,' Klein thought. Still, he couldn't deny the thrill. Between the cloak, the sword, the drake heart, and now a literal sun fragment shield, he was starting to feel like a fantasy protagonist already.
"Alright," Klein said. "That's three more down. What's next?"
"Spin seven! But we can pause here if you want to—"
"No," Klein interrupted. "Let's keep going. I'm on a streak."
"Technically, a mixed streak," the voice said. "One good item, one neutral, one questionable."
"Yeah, but that's better than my old life," Klein said with a grin. "At least this time, I've got loot."
He floated quietly for a moment, letting the glow of the items fade around him. The silence between them stretched, soft and oddly comfortable.
"You know," the voice said after a while, "you're taking this better than most humans. Usually they panic, cry, or demand to see a manager."
"I read enough novels to know the drill," Klein said. "Guy dies, gets lucky, ends up somewhere cool. Classic pattern."
"That's very self-aware."
"I'm just saying—if I end up in a world of magic and swords, I'm not wasting time crying about it. I'm going to enjoy it."
There was a pause, then a quiet chuckle from the voice. "You might be my favorite mortal already."
"Your only mortal."
"Still counts."
Klein smiled faintly in the emptiness. For all the ridiculousness, there was something comforting about the conversation. This unseen god—or whatever he was—didn't seem all-powerful or distant. Just… awkwardly human.
"Alright," Klein said, stretching his nonexistent limbs. "We'll stop here for now. Let's save the next spins for the big finale."
"Sounds good," the voice said cheerfully. "I'll recalibrate the wheel in the meantime. Don't touch anything."
"How am I supposed to touch something in a void?"
"Exactly! You're already following instructions."
Klein snorted. "You're a weird god."
"I prefer the term 'cosmic professional with aspirations.'"
"Uh-huh."
The wheel began to fade, its light dispersing into drifting sparks. Klein watched them swirl lazily in the dark, like fireflies caught in slow motion.
He thought about the treasures he'd earned—the cloak of silence, the drake heart's power, the whispering blade, the sleepless chalice, the cursed coin, and the stellar shield.
It was ridiculous. Random. Unreal.
And yet, somehow… it felt like destiny.
'Alright,' he thought. 'New world. New start. I can work with this.'
The voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hey, Klein?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't tell anyone, but… I think you're going to like the last spin."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"I peeked at the database," the voice whispered conspiratorially. "It's… unique. Never been given before."
Klein's pulse quickened. "You mean, like, divine artifact unique or 'it explodes on use' unique?"
"Honestly? Could go either way."
Klein groaned. "Great."
The god chuckled nervously. "See you after recalibration, partner."
The voice faded, and Klein was left alone once again, floating quietly through the infinite black.
For the first time since dying, he didn't feel lost. He felt anticipation. Curiosity. A hunger for whatever was coming next.
'So this is it,' he thought. 'My new beginning.'
The void pulsed softly in response, as if it too was waiting.