“It seems like a worthy pull Cheshire.” says three voices speaking in harmony.

“It has been nine hundred ninety-nine champions for the rest of the pantheon. According to our agreement, I get to pull one of my own now.” In darkness all I can see is an exaggerated smile. I look left and right but it encompasses all.

“Where am I”, dribbles out of my…mouth? Doesn’t seem like one exists as I know it.

“It is conscious.” The three voices say, “We insist you send it back. That should not be possible here.”

“No that is remarkable, I would like to see how this plays out. I’ll make my decision after the reclamation.” Says the voice now known as Cheshire.

“I can’t feel anything. What is happening?” If I had a heart, it would be racing with abject fear. Alas, none exist in this place.

“That is to be expected, no, keep quiet I am working on bringing you through.” Those teeth are unsettling. Is this hell? Did I die and now must pay for all my sins? The train. I got hit by the damn 9:05. Wait then I really am dead.

“It remembers its past. This is folly. We beg of you to send it back.” Implored the 3 voices.

“Now now, let us not get ahead of ourselves.” said the teeth, “Reclamation is just beginning. Let’s start with the pulls for boons and banes.”

“What is happening?” I thought. PULL 1: Empty Handed- the bane of empty handed denies the champion the use of any weapon.

“Now that is a tough opening move.” Cheshire went on to say, “Let’s see what else is in the deck for you.” PULL 2: Null Magic- the boon of null magic keeps mystical forces away from the champion. While no magic spell can hurt the champion no magic will come from it either.

“Ooh that is a good one, the mages of this world will learn to fear…whatever your name is. Although magic is not the only source of mystical damage this world has to offer.”

“Wait a minute are you rolling me like a D&D character? I want out of here!” I thought.

“Chatty one isn’t he, if we’re lucky the next pull will be mute or something of the sort.” replied Cheshire. PULL 3: 2nd tier form- the champion with a second-tier form requires enchanted weapons to be damaged.

“Preposterous, no champion begins life with a second-tier form. You must be influencing the draw.” says the choir of voices.

“Fates! You would accuse the god of Gambling & Chaos of cheating?”

“Bear in mind you were banned from the board of destiny for one thousand champions because the pantheon distrusted you. We are merely seeing and concluding that others may as well.” PULL 4: Needlessly Defiant- the champion with this bane will be difficult to get along with and be defiant to the detriment of those around it.

“A difficult path lies ahead” Cheshire commented.

“It will be nearly uncontrollable and how did you pull the rarest of cards for a champion. We should strike it from the deck and send this monster in the making back to the sea of souls.” the voices sang.

“I think not. Where you see trouble I see opportunity, another pull to move this along.”

PULL 5: Fully Grown- the champion will not be birthed from a mortal and will appear in the world fully grown.

“There are you happy. Hardly a rare pull but a bane none the less. It won’t know the ways and laws of the world. Imagine a full-sized adult baby. Everything will have to be explained.”

“Now hold on a damn minute, you were planning to turn me into a baby! Screw this gimme that deck!”

“NO! you must not touch it” The fates screamed.

A golden card ripped from the deck with the sound of an avalanche. I never knew a sound could be so loud. PULL 6: Rule Breaker- Epic card pull. This card is both a bane and a boon. The champion is not bound by the normal rules of its ilk. The bane portion of this card is vast and reality shattering.

“You may be right fates, there is a monster in the making here.” quipped Cheshire.