CROT4D Slot machines chimed. Chips clattered. People cheered around poker tables. Cocktail servers dressed in golden jungle-themed uniforms moved through the crowd. It felt like Las Vegas had been dropped into the middle of an ancient temple.
Daniel walked slowly, taking everything in.
Then he saw it.
The statue. Thirty feet tall.
Golden eyes.
And a smile carved into the monkey face that looked almost… amused.
Beneath it sat the
CROT4D table.
Hanura’s Dice. The CROT4D Dealer The
CROT4D dealer looked older than anyone Daniel had ever seen.
His skin was wrinkled like dried parchment, and his white hair was tied into a thin braid. But his eyes were sharp and bright.
CROT4D “You wish to play?” the dealer asked calmly. Daniel hesitated.
“How much does it cost?”
The dealer smiled.
“Money is not the wager.”
Daniel frowned.
“Then what is?” The
CROT4D dealer slid three perfectly polished dice across the table. “Something of value.” Daniel thought about his life — the years spent chasing money, the countless poker games, the endless travel.
CROT4D “What do other players bet?” he asked.
“Years,” the dealer said.
“Memories.” “Luck.”
“Sometimes their future.”
Daniel laughed nervously.
“You’re serious?”
The dealer nodded.
“Very.” The Bet Daniel looked around the casino floor.
CROT4D Gamblers were winning and losing everywhere. The usual games suddenly seemed boring compared to the mystery at this table.
“What happens if I win?” he asked.
The dealer pointed toward a massive vault door behind the statue.
“You receive the Monkey God’s reward.”
“And if I lose?”
