His name is Max... well OK it's not exact. To be exact his complete name is Maximilian Baltazard Van Nilmerus, but he goes by Max, easier, simpler and who the hell in this day goes by his complete name ... even if one of them is in honor of a kick-ass grandpa, but I digress.

There's little to know about him. At 35, he works as a seller, not by vocation, but a man's got to eat, so yeah.

Kind of a loner, not that he's not good with people, he just doesn’t have time for them....and frankly, he doesn't give a damn. Friends? Not so much, well it is of course if you don't count ones in video game.

As he would say "Oh you dear NPC... your dialogues make my night and put me out of my misery after a day serving people I don't like and/or don't know at the shop. In the day, it's listening to this woman complaining about her boring life, but at home, I have adventures, dungeon exploring, dragon killing, treasure hunting, and of course, saving damsels in distress (yeah kind of old school, but he likes it). "

As you may have guessed, he likes fantasy; video games of course, but also the world around it. Books, movies, music, you name it, he likes it. The truth is that he find this world grey, boring in all possible ways. Therefore, he evades by all means possible (no including drugs, he's not an idiot by any means).

He's working in a vintage weapon shop in his local town, it's the closest thing to entertainment he managed to find. The owner is an old man who Max swears is as big a swordplay fan as he is, but at 69 years old, he is simply not strong enough anymore for it, so when Max saw the "seller wanted" poster in the window shop, he didn't hesitate more than two seconds. It's not big money at the end of the month, but on the good side, he gets to learn to use the weapons all he wants as long as he's careful (did I mention he is a fantasy fan?).

Anyway, it's been four years since he has started working at the shop, it was easy work to be honest.

Max was kinda tall and strong, not quite a giant, but still at 190cms tall with large, semi-long, light brown hair and light blue eyes. His work at the shop consisted of tidying, cleaning and selling (not a lot of work on the latter; the shop isn't doing that well) and he's taking his work seriously, here from 8am till 8pm, since he lives not far from there, it's not a big deal, maybe 15 minutes on foot and he's home.

So one Monday evening, as he was talking with the owner who was about to close the door for the day, a man entered the shop. What they thought was the last customer.

As the man took a gun out of his pocket, Max realized the man was going to shoot the owner.

He still don't know why he did this, but he took the first thing his hand could reach, and it happened to be a fake shield (you know, one of those used in a medieval fair by the combatants, a metal shield, but so light it's easy for them to use and play with). Taking the shield in both his hands, he screamed has he literally charged at the guy with the gun. The guy with the gun turned the his weapon towards Max and, as Max rammed into him, a loud bang detonated in the shop. The collision knocked the gunman out of the shop and Max quickly closed the door (one with metallic grid all over it), he was not going to enter anytime soon, and with the noise the gun just made, the Police were sure to arrive soon. Max turned towards the owner as he asked: " Sir, are yo........"

As Max turned, he just felt it. Maybe it was because of the adrenaline, but he didn't immediately notice the pain in his chest. As he looked down, he saw the fake shield with a hole in it, the bullet had gone through it like paper and he fell on his backside as he saw his shirt

dyeing red. The owner came to him, trying to stop the blood with his jacket, but Max was already feeling his consciousness fading as everything went black all around him......

..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

White... only white.

Max was standing in..... well he was not very sure; there was literally nothing around him, but white.

"YOU FREAKING IDIOT!!!!!"

A tremendous voice echoed everywhere around him. Suddenly, coming from everywhere, a flow of playing cards, dice and coins gathered in front of Max in a small tornado then disappeared, and in place stood a man. How best to describe him..... well let's start with the hair. Long, descending all the way down to his knees, one side black, the other one white, his eyes had the same theme, one black the other one white, but inverted. He was wearing a three piece suit, all checkerboard-like, also black and white, even the shoes. On each of his fingers, a ring with a gemstone shaped like playing dice. Those rings were the only things of different colour than the rest. His hands were very rainbow like with each gem of a different colour.

He was looking kind of pissed, supporting himself on a cane consisting of a coin standing on playing cards. As he spoke, his voice seemed calmer, but Max knew it was only in appearance.

"Do you have any idea what you just did?"

Scratching his head, Max responded.

"Hum … saving the old man...."

Looking around him, he kept talking.

"....and dying in the process."

Smiling and closing his eyes, lifting his cane by the handle, the guy made a bell sound by repeatedly hitting the coin-looking knob with his index finger.

"Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner folks. My, my, aren't you the smart one... Now for my next question..."

The knob came hitting Max's head hard, I mean really hard, imagine an anvil falling from a building and you won't be too far from the idea. The only reason Max didn't die right there ....well was because he had died already.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF A MESS YOU'VE MADE FOR ME TO HANDLE!!!"

The black and white man's foot flew out hitting Max in the chest and he literally flew 10 meters away. While he was trying to catch his breath, the man seemed to calm down a little, taking deep breaths.

After Max managed to breathe again, he sat and asked.

"Listen, I don't know what I have done to annoy you, and I'm sorry if I did, but I don't even know who you are, so could you please at least explain that to me?"

There's a universal rule that says; "be polite to the man who can literally wash the floor with your face if he wants to" and Max choose, at this moment, to respected it.

"Ok...ok, ok, ok, ok, ok…"

The two colours guy calmed himself and took a step forward, appearing just in front of him.

"Let's begin by presenting myself. I am Odds, the God of Luck and Misfortune."

The man opened his arms crosslike, waiting for a reaction from Max or so it seemed. Standing on his feet, he thought for a second before answering.

"And I'm Max..."

"Maximilian Baltazar Van Nilmerus, don't you think a god would know that much?"

"Ok... then pleased to meet you God.....or should I call you Odds?"

"Odds is fine."

"Very well Odds. So can you tell me what I did to upset you?"

"You died."

Then came a minute of silence....before Max made a "please go on" gesture with his left hand.

" Oh yes, excuse me. You see, you were not supposed to die then. The old guy was supposed to…"

" Oh..."

"Yes, " oh" is a good choice of word to say to a god when he just told you screw with destiny..."

Mumbling to himself, Max said; "Go tell this to the gun toting bastard."

One hit on the head later, Max stood again on his feet, rubbing his head.

"Could you stop hitting me please !?"

"Only once you stop interrupting me... good? Ok, let's continue. You see, every individual in this world has a certain quantity of luck bestowed upon them the day they are created. Not everyone has the same, some have a lot, some have.....well not at all, those are the one’s that generally die the day they were born, you can say it's no luck for them. You follow me till here?"

Max just nodded yes and Odds continued.

"So coming to you my boy, you had a tremendous quantity of luck bestow to you, one that happened to be given once in a century, you should have lived 110 years or so, have children, grandchildren and maybe great grandchildren, you were supposed to meet the owner's niece after his death and you would have realized that she was the one for you. Everything was going to be great for you. Everything was written, but here you go and decide "I wanna be a hero, I wanna save the old man" and BANG!, the one second I'm not paying attention you screw everything up."

"Not paying attention?"

Those three words stopped the god in his monologue. Putting his hand on Max's mouth to shut it, Odds looked around, as if fearing something.

"Shut it you imbecile, if they hear you I'm going to be in a bigger mess than I'm already in....."

"Uhmhmhmhm" Max said in a muffled voice.

"Pardon?"

Max pointed his hand at his covered mouth.

" Oh… sorry."

As Odds took away his hand, Max pursued.

"Sorry, didn't mean to give you any troubleS........so, what do I do now?"

"You.......well, to be frank, I don't know...."

"Am I not supposed to go to ‘afterlife’ or something like that?"

"No.....well not now, it's not your time. Before going to the afterlife, you're supposed to exhaust all your luck, but you are far from done in that matter. And I can't really stay here with you, I have work to do, you know, that's why I'm kinda in trouble by your presence........let me think for a moment...."

Has Odds sat hovering in mid-air, seeming lost in serious thinking, Max suddenly thought of something.

"Tell me Odds, you are the God of Luck right?"

"Yes, luck but also misfortune, why?"

"I was wondering, how do you determine if, when in a certain situation, I am supposed to be lucky or not?"

Suddenly seeming far more interested in the matter, Odds lowered himself down and snapped his fingers, making the rings on his fingers shine a second.

"I roll the dice, why?"

"well, I want to know, are you the betting type?"

The god's eyes seemed to have a sparkle in them for a moment.

"Maybe, what do you suggest mortal, you want to make a bet with Odds, God of Luck?"

"Yes."

At this word, the God laughed.

"And what would you want to bet on, tell me."

"All of my luck."

A minute of silence, then the God said.

"Go on....."

"You don't want me here, and I can't exactly go back now that I'm dead in this world right?"

"True, but I don't see how it involves a bet...."

"I'm geting to it..."

He breathed in, hoping it would work with all his heart.

"....let's bet on the flipping of a coin. Heads, you give me my life back, but in another world, so I don't screw this world's rules up by coming back. Tails, all of my luck disappears and my soul is yours to do as you please..."

By the look on his face, Max knew he had piqued Odd's interest. He knew it, God and soul, an old trick always worked. Thinking for a moment, Odds took out a coin from his pocket and then flipped it in the air.

"Agreed..."

The coin seemed to fall at a pace so slow that the world itself seemed to have stopped a moment to look at it.......and then it hit the ground.....Heads up.

Odds clapped his hands happily.

"My... my, congratulations, you won. Oh, it's so fun to bet on myself for a change. You see, I am the God of Luck but I don't often come across the occasion to test my own luck."

Odds was really enjoying himself at this moment, and the air around him changed as the mood lightened a little.

"Would you do me a favour, mortal?"

"What is it?"

"Would you make another bet with me? Just one last bet as we part ways? I want to test your luck with my dice one last time before you go..."

"Could you explain?"

"I will transfer you to another world, just as you asked. I will give you a gift... but in exchange, you have to test your luck."

Thinking for a moment, Max wondered what could Odds possibly give him.

"Can I ask you what gift it would be?"

"Oh…I cannot tell you everything right now, it wouldn't be fun, but let's say that, to a man such as yourself, such a fan of fantasy, video games and the likes, it would be the perfect gift.

"And what exactly is the ‘test of my luck’ for?"

Making an innocent look on his face, Odds responded.

"Just to judge exactly where you will arrive...... it will be completely random, a pure test of luck my dear mortal... Sooo… what do you say?"

He gave himself a moment to think. It could be very dangerous, not knowing where you will arrive, but on the other hand, he was dead anyways, so why not take the risk (and the gift in the same way....)

"Alright, I accept. Your gift for me......and the thrill of randomness for you."

Odds clapped his hand again, very cheerful at that moment.

"Oh thank you, thank you, random is so much fun, you know, for a God who seems to know everything in advance, this is the ultimate entertainment....Sooooo, let's begin."

With this said, he threw his cane in the air, it turned as it fell down and, just as it passed before him, he clasped his hand in a prayer like form, making all the dice on his rings jingle and shine at the same time.

"One last thing mortal...."

"Yes?"

"You should look for a crystal. Who knows, it might help you...."

As the last words echoed around, a bright light who seemed to be composed of a thousand of colours enveloped Maximilian. The man, blind by the intensity of it, closed his eyes and then he lost consciousness.