《The Games of Sin》


 A Deal with the Devil

    The storm raged outside, rain hammering against the windows as thunder roared through the sky. Wind howled through the cracks like a mournful whisper.


    I sat in a chair, my hands trembling, a rope tight around my neck¡ªwaiting. Ready.


    My breath came in short, ragged bursts. My mind was made up. I had failed¡ªat life, at purpose. There was nothing left for me here.


    I shut my eyes and kicked the chair.


    Darkness swallowed me whole.


    Then¡ªwhispers. Soft, mocking, slithering through the void.


    "This is him?"


    "What a pathetic soul."


    I opened my eyes.


    The world was¡­ gone. Nothing but an empty void. Cold. Silent. Endless.


    A low chuckle echoed behind me. I turned.


    A man stood there, dressed in a sharp black suit, a perfectly knotted tie resting against his chest. His beard was neatly trimmed, his hair styled with precision. He stepped forward, the sound of his polished shoes unnervingly loud against the nothingness.


    "Well," he mused, a smirk playing on his lips, "I wasn¡¯t expecting company so soon."


    "W-what?" My voice cracked.


    He tilted his head, studying me like I was some kind of puzzle. "You don¡¯t seem the prideful type. Nor any of the other sinful ones."


    "Prideful? Sinful? What are you talking about?"


    His gaze darkened. "That doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is what you do next."


    A chill ran through me. His words carried weight, something unsettling pressing against my chest.


    "Uh, look, I don¡¯t know what kind of game you''re playing, but I want no part of it." I turned away, stepping toward the abyss.


    "Not so fast."


    I stopped. Not by choice¡ªsomething held me in place.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going?" His voice was smooth yet commanding. "You haven¡¯t even played the game yet."


    I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding. "The game?"


    He grinned. "Oh, you¡¯ll find out soon enough."


    The suited man and I stood opposite each other, like two pieces on a chessboard. My nails dug into my palms, anxiety gnawing at me. I didn¡¯t understand what was happening. I thought I died.


    Yet, here he stood, smiling. Those cold, piercing eyes seemed to strip me bare, like he already knew everything about me.


    Silence stretched between us until he finally spoke.


    "So, tell me¡­" He adjusted his cufflinks. "Why did you die?"


    I hesitated, my throat tightening. "...I committed suicide," I admitted, the words bitter on my tongue. "I felt like there was nothing left for me. No one to turn to. So I did the only reasonable thing."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Saying it out loud made my stomach twist. It was the truth, but that didn¡¯t make it easier.


    I had no one waiting for me when I got home from school. No family who cared. No friends who noticed. I spent my days lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting¡ªfor something. For someone to reach out. For anything to break the silence and give me what I had craved for so long¡­ hope.


    But it never came.


    The suited man, still smiling, didn¡¯t seem the least bit fazed by my confession.


    "Well¡­ how about I give you an opportunity?"


    I blinked at him through watery eyes. "What do you mean, opportunity?"


    He adjusted his tie, his grin widening. "If you win the game I mentioned earlier, I¡¯ll give you something most people can only dream of¡ªa second chance."


    I scoffed. "I don¡¯t want a second chance. I don¡¯t want to go back to my miserable life. I just want to be done already."


    My voice cracked, and before I could stop myself, tears spilled down my face.


    Why would I want to go back to nothing? There was nothing waiting for me. Nothing to miss. Nothing I wanted.


    What did he think I killed myself for?


    His smile remained, but something in it shifted¡ªsomething colder.


    "Trust me," he said smoothly. "You¡¯ll want to go back."


    A shiver ran down my spine. My anxiety spiked.


    "What the hell does that mean?" I muttered.


    "Why don¡¯t you want a second chance?" he continued, tilting his head. "Is it because your life was truly unbearable? Or¡­" His grin widened. "Was it because you were just a coward?"


    My body tensed with rage. "What the hell did you just say?!"


    He chuckled¡ªa low, condescending sound that made my blood boil. "Relax. No need to get so defensive. Just because you know it¡¯s true doesn¡¯t mean you have to throw a tantrum."


    That laugh¡ªmocking, cold, infuriating¡ªpushed me over the edge. My fists clenched, and before I knew it, I swung at him.


    But he was gone.


    A split second later, something cold clamped around my throat. My back slammed against the ground with crushing force. Pain exploded through me. I gasped, but I couldn''t breathe.


    He was crouched over me now, his grip tightening like a vice. His eyes, no longer amused, burned into mine with something far more terrifying.


    "You¡¯re pathetic," he said, his voice devoid of warmth. "You can¡¯t even fight for yourself. No wonder your ex left you."


    My vision blurred from the lack of oxygen. My heart pounded against my ribs.


    "H-how do you know about that?" I choked out.


    His grip loosened¡ªjust enough for me to take in a ragged breath.


    "I know a lot more than you think, Kael," he said, his tone like ice. "And I know you can change¡­ if you take the second chance."


    "F-fine¡­ I will." My voice barely held strength.


    He released me, stepping back as he adjusted his tie with precise, unsettling calm. His suit remained immaculate, like nothing had happened.


    "Good," he said, his tone almost pleasant. Almost. "I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking this seriously."


    Then, just as quickly, his voice turned razor-sharp.


    "But¡­ you¡¯re even more of a pathetic coward than I thought."


    I barely reacted. I didn¡¯t care anymore. I just wanted this to be over.


    "So what¡¯s this game?" I croaked, my throat raw.


    His smirk returned. "It¡¯s simple. Seven games, each centered around a deadly sin. Your sins."


    He leaned in slightly, voice lowering. "Do you even know what they really are?"


    He didn¡¯t wait for me to answer.


    The Overseer listed them¡ªone by one¡ªeach word twisting into me like a blade.


    "Lust¡ªyour selfish desire for pleasure, even at the cost of others."


    "Greed¡ªyour endless hunger for more, never satisfied."


    "Envy¡ªyour jealousy that poisoned every relationship you had."


    "Gluttony¡ªnot just food, but indulgence¡ªyour need to fill the emptiness inside you."


    "Pride¡ªyour refusal to admit fault, even when you knew you were wrong."


    "Wrath¡ªyour anger, your violence, your destruction of everything around you."


    "Sloth¡ªyour apathy, your refusal to change, even when you had the chance."


    His words weren¡¯t just descriptions¡ªthey were accusations, each one cutting deeper than the last.


    "And each game will force you to face them, one by one," he finished, his tone unreadable.


    A knot of unease twisted in my stomach. I didn¡¯t want to do this. But if this was my only option¡­


    "Alright," I said, frustration laced in my voice, but beneath it, something else burned¡ªanger¡­ and maybe, just maybe, determination.


    "But what¡¯s the catch?"


    He grinned, sharp and knowing. "There is no catch."


    That grin didn¡¯t feel reassuring.


    Then, as if an afterthought, he added, "Though I should warn you¡ªyou¡¯ll die in some of these games."


    My breath hitched. "What?!"


    He sighed. "Relax. You¡¯ll be revived at a checkpoint every time you die."


    Then his voice dropped, turning glacial.


    "After all¡­ we know you couldn¡¯t handle just one."


    A lump formed in my throat.


    The man extended his hand. "I am the Overseer. I keep the game in order. But don¡¯t get confused¡ªI¡¯m not the one you go to if you have complaints."


    I hesitated before gripping his hand. His skin was cold, his grip unnervingly tight.


    "...So what¡¯s the first game?"


    The Overseer¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    "Pride.¡±


    Then¡ªdarkness.

 Role of a Loser

    "Hey, bro, you good?" A voice cut through the haze.


    "Hello? You there? Bro, what are you doing?" The voice came again, more insistent this time.


    "Dude, what¡¯s wrong with you? Wake up."


    A dull ache throbbed in my skull as I forced my eyes open. The world swam in and out of focus¡ªblurred lights, muted voices, the distant clatter of trays and murmuring students.


    I blinked.


    A kid around my age¡ªmaybe sixteen¡ªstood in front of me. Blonde hair, a faint line of freckles just below his eyes. His expression hovered somewhere between concern and amusement.


    "Hey, bro, you good? You were out for a minute." He let out a nervous chuckle, though I could hear the worry beneath it.


    I groaned, rubbing my temple. My body felt sluggish, like I was trapped in the grip of a fever. My head pounded, my thoughts tangled in a fog.


    I glanced around.


    Rows of metal tables. A long serving counter in the distance. The unmistakable smell of cheap cafeteria food clung to the air.


    A¡­ cafeteria?


    I was in a school.


    What kind of game was this?


    I swallowed hard, forcing out the words. "Uh¡­ yeah, I¡¯m good." Even as I said it, my head throbbed in protest.


    The guy¡ªwhoever he was¡ªnarrowed his eyes. "You don¡¯t look good." Then his expression shifted. Not just concern now¡ªsomething closer to disappointment.


    "It¡¯s because of Rebecca, isn¡¯t it?" His tone was firm, knowing. "Dude, you did this to your¡ª"


    "Who the hell are you talking about?" I cut him off, sharper than I intended. "I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but can you just¡­ stop talking for a second?"


    I pressed my fingers to my temples. My skull felt like it was splitting apart.


    Then¡ª


    A whisper. Right at my ear.


    "Remember, you''re in the role of your prideful self. Just play along. Otherwise, I''ll be dealing with you myself."


    The voice was deep. Commanding.


    And unfamiliar.


    Not the Overseer¡¯s.


    A shiver ran down my spine.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    I exhaled slowly, steadying myself. Play along. Right. Fine. I could do that.


    I glanced back at the guy in front of me. He still looked confused, maybe even a little hurt.


    "Hey¡­ what¡¯s your name again?" I asked, trying to sound casual.


    His brows knit together. "Huh? Bro, are you serious? It¡¯s Alan." A pause. His voice dipped slightly. "I can¡¯t believe you forgot my name."


    Shit.


    I forced a weak chuckle. "Sorry, man. I just¡­ got a massive headache out of nowhere."


    Alan didn¡¯t look entirely convinced, but he sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, whatever. But seriously, what were we talking about again?"


    I swallowed, my mind racing.


    Who was Rebecca? Who was I supposed to be?


    And more importantly¡­


    Who the hell just whispered in my ear?


    "So¡­ who¡¯s Rebecca?" I asked, keeping my tone casual.


    If I was going to play this role, I needed to know the backstory. But seriously¡ªwhy did transferring into this one feel so horrible? My head was still pounding, my body sluggish, like I was recovering from the worst hangover of my life.


    Alan blinked at me, then snorted. "Dude¡­ Rebecca was the girl you massively failed at flirting with. Like, it was brutal. Hard to watch, honestly." He laughed, shaking his head.


    I clenched my jaw. Really, Overseer? Out of all the possible roles, you stuck me with a pathetic, lovesick loser? Fantastic.


    I forced a chuckle, rolling my shoulders like I was shaking off an unpleasant memory. "Oh, yeah¡­ I remember now. That was rough."


    Alan grinned. "Yeah, bro, she was honestly kind of a bi¡ª"


    He stopped mid-sentence. His face stiffened, eyes flicking past me.


    Something was wrong.


    Slowly, I turned.


    A girl stood behind me, flanked by two others. She wore a tank top and jeans, layered in jewelry that caught the cafeteria lights. Long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, and even without knowing her, I could tell¡ªshe owned the space around her.


    And judging by the way her piercing gaze locked onto me, I was not her favorite person.


    "Were you just talking about me?" Her voice was sharp, biting. "What the fuck, Kael? Get over yourself. I said no, so that means no!"


    My stomach twisted. Oh, shit.


    This was Rebecca.


    I didn¡¯t know her, but she knew me. And judging by the venom in her voice, she wasn¡¯t thrilled to see me.


    A bead of sweat rolled down my temple. I had no idea what past-me had done, but I had a feeling I was about to find out. Fast.


    "Uh¡ªw-well, yeah, but it wasn¡¯t anything bad, I swear!" Alan stammered, hands up defensively.


    Rebecca narrowed her eyes, lips curling in disgust. "Mhm, sure. Well, do me a favor¡ªtell this lovesick loser to. Fuck. Off."


    With that, she spun on her heel and stormed away, her friends following close behind.


    I exhaled slowly. So that was Rebecca. And judging by that reaction, past-me had seriously screwed up.


    This is going to be a tough game.


    I turned back to Alan, trying to play it off. "So¡­ that¡¯s Rebecca, huh."


    Alan let out a laugh. "Yeah, man, she hates you."


    "Yeah, I got that much." I rubbed my temple, the lingering headache only making things worse. "Remind me again¡ªwhat exactly did I do to piss her off?"


    I needed context. If I was going to clean up this mess, I had to understand what kind of idiot I was playing.


    I took a deep breath. Just breathe, Kael. Figure it out.


    Alan scratched the back of his head. "Well¡­ you kinda backed her against a wall, put your arm over her, and started sweet-talking her."


    I felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment before he even finished.


    Then, grinning, Alan put on an exaggerated, pathetic version of my voice: "Hey cutie, you look mad cute. You wanna go out?"


    I physically cringed. What the hell was this version of me thinking?


    "Okay, what else?" I asked, bracing myself.


    "Then she tried to walk away, but you grabbed her arm and were like, ¡®Wait, come on, baby, give this guy a chance.¡¯" Alan winced, then burst out laughing. "She straight-up yelled no and decked you in the face. You had a black eye for two days."


    I let that sink in. Man. Past-me wasn¡¯t just cringe¡ªhe was creepy.


    Alan, completely unfazed, clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Yeah, it was pretty bad, but I saw potential. I could totally help you out, dude!"


    I shot him a look. "Yeah, no thanks."


    He smirked. "Come on, man! I have a girlfriend, y¡¯know. I know my stuff."


    I sighed. This was going to be a long game.

 The Weight of Who I Was

    The bell rang, echoing through the cafeteria, signaling the end of lunch.


    Just like that, it was time to head back to class.


    Alan and I shuffled out with the rest of the students, the weight of the role I was playing settling deeper into my chest.


    "Alright, class, we have a test today!"


    The teacher¡¯s voice was far too cheerful for the bomb she just dropped.


    "I hope you all studied because this will determine a large portion of your grade!"


    A collective groan rippled through the room.


    I glanced up at the teacher. She had long, flowing brown hair¡ªsimilar to Rebecca¡¯s¡ªbut softer, more composed. A delicate flower clip rested just above her ear. Her blue eyes carried a kind of warmth, her voice smooth and calm. She already seemed better than any teacher I ever had.


    As I approached her desk, she handed me my test, then gave me a knowing look.


    "Kael," she said softly. "I know you didn¡¯t study." She sighed, tilting her head. "Just¡­ don¡¯t copy off Alan, alright? He does a lot for you. More than you probably realize. And he doesn¡¯t deserve that¡ªespecially without his consent."


    Her voice was sweet, but her words hit harder than I expected.


    I hesitated. What did this version of me do to Alan? And why was he still my friend after it?


    A wave of guilt settled in my stomach. Even though this wasn¡¯t really me, I still felt responsible. This Kael sounded like an asshole.


    I swallowed and muttered, "I won¡¯t. And¡­ I¡¯m sorry. For anything I¡¯ve done. To you, to Alan¡ªjust¡­ yeah."


    She blinked, clearly surprised. "O-oh¡­ I wasn¡¯t expecting you to say that, but¡­ thank you, Kael. I appreciate it."


    Then, to my shock, she smiled. "Tell you what¡ªwhatever grade you get, I¡¯ll add five extra points. Just this once." She winked playfully.


    I nodded, not sure how to react, and headed back to my seat.


    I flipped over the test, and immediately, my brain short-circuited.


    "Where is Madagascar on the map?"


    The hell kind of question was that? Wasn¡¯t it, like¡­ near Africa? Or South America? No, wait¡ªdefinitely Africa. Probably.


    My eyes scanned the rest of the page.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "What year did the Byzantine Empire fall?"


    "Solve for X in the equation: 3(2x - 5) = 21."


    ¡­Yeah, I was doomed.


    The clock ticked, each second pressing down on me harder than the last. My thoughts swirled¡ªabout the test, about Rebecca, about why the hell I was here.


    Then, I saw her.


    Rebecca sat a few rows ahead, her presence impossible to ignore. Of course she¡¯s in my class. The Overseer had to make this even harder for me.


    I clenched my jaw. This is so stupid. Why did I even agree to this?


    ¡­Right. Because I wanted a second chance. Because my old life was a mess, and I thought maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªI could fix things.


    Pathetic.


    "Five more minutes, everyone!" the teacher announced.


    Panic shot through me. Shit. I was so lost in my head I forgot about the test.


    Frantically, I grabbed my pencil and started guessing.


    "Psst. Hey, bro!" Alan whispered.


    I glanced over. He smirked, silently chuckling at my desperation.


    "You look like you need a little help, man."


    I hesitated, remembering what the teacher said.


    She told me not to copy off Alan¡­ but she didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t if I had his consent.


    I smirked back. "Yeah, bro, I need help. You mind?"


    Alan grinned. "Of course, but hurry up. We¡¯ve only got three minutes left."


    I copied as much as I could before the teacher called out: "Pencils down, eyes up here, please!"


    I dropped my pencil and let out a heavy sigh, sinking into my chair.


    As I stood to turn in my test, Rebecca passed by, shooting me a glare so sharp it could cut steel. She smelled like strawberries.


    "Okay, thank you for turning these in!" the teacher chirped.


    I rubbed my temple, my headache pulsing stronger than before. "Yeah¡­ no problem."


    Sinking back into my seat, I closed my eyes for a moment.


    At least I got through that.


    I glanced at Alan, who was still grinning like an idiot.


    I guess I really am lucky to have him as a friend.


    The other Kael¡ªthis prideful Kael¡ªshould¡¯ve been grateful too.


    But from the way things were looking, he never was.


    The bell rang, signaling the end of class.


    Chairs scraped against the floor as students hurried to leave, eager to escape the confines of the classroom.


    "Hey dude, we¡¯re still gaming tonight, right? You promised."


    Alan stood beside my desk, looking at me with hopeful anticipation.


    I smiled. "Yeah, of course. What time are you coming over?"


    "Five o¡¯clock sharp!" he declared proudly.


    I chuckled. "Alright, I¡¯ll be waiting."


    With a satisfied grin, Alan strolled out of the classroom, whistling to himself.


    I exhaled, feeling a small sense of relief. At least I had him.


    And yet¡­ that relief was short-lived.


    The moment he left, the weight returned¡ªthe weight of who I used to be, of everything I had done in my own world. No matter what, I was still pathetic. Just like the Overseer said. And the worst part? He was right.


    "Hey, idiot."


    A familiar voice snapped me out of my thoughts.


    I looked up. Rebecca.


    I blinked in surprise. Why is she talking to me? Hell, why is she even acknowledging my existence?


    "Oh, hey, Rebecca. What¡¯s up? Also, sorr¡ª"


    "Look," she interrupted, arms crossed, eyes narrowing. "I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m imagining things, but¡­ you¡¯ve changed a little."


    For a split second, I felt something unexpected¡ªhope. I hadn¡¯t even done anything to earn it, but somehow, she noticed.


    Maybe this wasn¡¯t going to be as hard as I thought.


    And then¡ª


    She scoffed. "Still¡­"


    A pause. Just long enough for a spark of hope to flicker inside me.


    "Go fuck yourself, asshole."


    The spark died instantly. My stomach twisted, a cold weight settling in my chest.


    "Just because you¡¯re acting a little happier doesn¡¯t mean shit." Her voice was sharp, eyes burning with fury.


    And just like that, whatever sliver of hope I had? Gone.


    She turned on her heel and walked away, her strawberry scent lingering in the air like a mocking reminder of my failure.


    I let out a slow, exhausted sigh.


    Yeah. This is gonna be a long game.


    Shaking my head, I grabbed my bag and left the classroom.


    It was finally time to go home.

 Not That Kael Anymore

    I stepped into the house, slipping off my shoes by the door.


    A neat row of footwear lined the entrance¡ªlarge shoes, slightly smaller ones, even smaller ones, and a tiny pair at the end.


    So¡­ a dad, a mom, an older or younger sibling, and a little sibling.


    Alright. I could deal with this. Hopefully.


    A hesitant voice broke the silence.


    "Oh¡­ you¡¯re home."


    I looked up.


    Standing in the doorway was¡ªI¡¯m guessing¡ªmy mom.


    She wasn¡¯t what I expected. I thought she¡¯d look angry, worn down, resentful. Instead, she looked¡­ afraid.


    Her hands fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, her body stiff as she studied me like I was some kind of ticking bomb.


    "Yeah, I¡¯m home. It¡¯s nice to see you."


    I forced a smile, trying to make my voice as gentle as possible.


    She flinched. She actually flinched at my voice.


    A cold weight settled in my stomach.


    What the hell had this version of me done to her?


    She quickly looked away, forcing a nervous smile. "P-please, get comfortable. Oh! I almost forgot your soda!"


    Before I could even respond, she cut herself off¡ªher entire body tensing as if she had just made a terrible mistake.


    "Please don¡¯t yell at me! It was an accident, I swear! And if you do, I¡ªI¡¯ll tell your father about this!"


    My breath caught in my throat.


    She thought I was going to yell at her?


    No. Not just that. She was terrified of me.


    My stomach twisted.


    "L-look, I¡¯m not going to yell at you," I said carefully, raising my hands in surrender. "It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just get the soda myself, okay? Don¡¯t worry about it."


    She stayed rigid, as if waiting for the inevitable explosion. But when it didn¡¯t come, she gave a small, hesitant nod.


    I turned toward the fridge, gripping the handle a little harder than necessary.


    I needed a second. Just to breathe. Just to process the sickening realization clawing at my mind.


    This Kael¡ªthe one who lived in this house before me¡ªwas a monster.


    The fridge was fully stocked, the shelves neatly arranged with fruits, vegetables, and containers of home-cooked meals. A can of my actual favorite soda sat right in front.


    Huh.


    At least something about this life wasn¡¯t awful.


    Just as I reached for it, I heard rustling behind me.


    "L-let me clean your shoes!"


    I turned.


    She was kneeling by the door, reaching for my sneakers with trembling hands.


    Like a servant.


    My stomach churned.


    "What are you doing? No, you don¡¯t have to do that," I said quickly, stepping toward her. "Just¡­ relax, okay? Come sit with me. Let¡¯s talk for a bit."


    She froze, looking up at me like I had just spoken a foreign language.


    Like she couldn¡¯t understand the concept of me wanting to just¡­ talk.


    Her hands twitched, still halfway reaching for my shoes.


    I could see the hesitation in her eyes. Like she thought this was some kind of cruel trick.


    A test.


    But after a long moment, she slowly nodded and made her way to the couch.


    I followed, sitting beside her, feeling the plush cushions sink beneath me.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    For a moment, we just sat there, the air thick with unspoken words.


    Then, finally, I broke the silence.


    "Mom¡­ why are you acting like this? You don¡¯t need to be scared of me."


    She stiffened, her hands clenching together in her lap.


    "W-what? You¡­ you really don¡¯t know?"


    Her voice cracked.


    I shook my head, already dreading the answer.


    "Y-you used to yell at me all the time," she whispered. "You were cruel to me. Your sister and younger brother would try to protect me from you. And your father¡ªhe¡¯d lose his mind every time. But why can¡¯t you remember?"


    Her eyes were watery now, her body trembling.


    I felt sick.


    This version of me¡­ wasn¡¯t just some selfish jerk.


    He was abusive.


    To his own family.


    The realization hit like a punch to the gut.


    I clenched my fists, nails biting into my palms.


    It reminded me too much of myself.


    Of my mother.


    How I pushed her away. How she left me because she couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    How I told myself it was fine.


    That I didn¡¯t care.


    My chest tightened. That same crushing regret. That same guilt.


    But no.


    I couldn¡¯t break now.


    I needed to fix this.


    Not just for the sake of the game.


    But because I wanted to.


    I swallowed hard and took a breath.


    "Forget about all of that, okay?" I said softly. "I¡¯m better now. And I want to love you and protect you, just like my siblings did. I promise, Mom¡ªI¡¯ll never yell at you again."


    She stared at me, searching my face as if trying to figure out if I was lying.


    For a long, painful moment, she just looked.


    And then¡ª


    Slowly¡ªher shoulders sagged with relief.


    She didn¡¯t say anything.


    But I saw it in her eyes.


    Hope.


    For the first time since I got here¡­


    I actually felt like I was changing something.


    Later that evening, I heard the front door swing open, followed by a familiar voice¡ªsharp, energetic, and filled with life.


    "Hey, Mom! I¡¯m home! I have so much to tell yo¡ª"


    Silence.


    I turned my head just as she stepped into the living room, her eyes locking onto me. Shock. Then anger. A heat so intense I could feel it from across the room.


    She was beautiful in a fierce, effortless way¡ªdirty blonde hair pulled up in a loose clip, red nails tapping against her crossed arms, pink lipstick that made her glare even sharper.


    "What the fuck, Kael? What are you doing to Mom now?" she snapped.


    I barely had time to process her words before she stormed forward, fists clenched.


    "Honey, no," Mom interjected quickly, placing a gentle hand on her arm. "He didn¡¯t do anything. He just¡­ he wanted to tell me he¡¯s sorry. That he loves me and wants to protect me¡ªjust like you and your little brother do."


    My sister¡¯s furious expression wavered. Her hands shook slightly. "W-what?"


    She turned back to me, disbelief twisting her features. "Whatever sick joke this is, knock it the hell off."


    "I¡¯m not joking," I said, stepping forward, desperation leaking into my voice. "I swear¡ªI want to fix things. If you just give me a chance to¡ª"


    "Bullshit!" She cut me off, eyes blazing. "All you are¡ªand all you ever will be¡ªis a worthless, selfish piece of shit. Son. Brother. Friend. I don¡¯t believe for a second that you¡¯ve changed."


    Then, without another word, she stormed up the stairs, the door to her room slamming shut behind her.


    I stood there frozen, the weight of her words pressing down on me like lead.


    How the hell was I supposed to fix this?


    I buried my face in my hands, my mind racing. I don¡¯t know what to do. I don¡¯t know what to do.


    A soft touch on my head pulled me from my thoughts.


    "It¡¯s okay, honey," Mom said gently. "She¡¯s just not used to this side of you. Give her time."


    Time.


    I exhaled sharply. I wasn¡¯t sure how much time I had left.


    I glanced at the clock. 4:30 PM. I still had time.


    Without another word, I rushed upstairs, hoping my room wasn¡¯t the disaster I feared it would be.


    To my surprise, it was clean.


    Well. That was one less problem to deal with.


    I sat on my bed, scanning the unfamiliar yet strangely personal space around me.


    A sleek gaming computer sat on a desk in the corner, the screens dark and lifeless. The walls were decorated with posters of half-naked women¡ªthings my old self must¡¯ve thought were cool. A bulletin board hung above my bed, completely empty. No photos. No memories. Just a blank slate.


    Disgusted, I stood up and ripped the posters down, crumpling them in my hands.


    I didn¡¯t want to be reminded of the kind of person this version of me had been.


    I needed a plan.


    Mom believed me, but my sister? She wanted nothing to do with me. Would she ever come around? And what about Dad? My little sibling? Would they look at me the same way she did?


    My thoughts were spiraling when¡ª


    A presence.


    Cold. Heavy. Dark.


    I looked up sharply.


    A man stood in the corner of my room, half-shrouded in shadow. He wore a hoodie and cargo pants¡ªclothes that mirrored my own. His arms were crossed, his posture relaxed.


    And he was smiling.


    "Hello, Kael." His voice was deep, smooth, and laced with something that made my stomach turn. "How¡¯s it feel living in my world?"


    I stiffened. I recognized that voice.


    The same one that whispered to me at lunch.


    The same one that sent shivers down my spine.


    "You," I breathed.


    He grinned wider. "Me."


    Something inside me twisted, anger bubbling up. "You¡¯re a fucking monster."


    He rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Spare me the self-righteous act."


    He took a step forward, and suddenly the air in the room felt suffocating.


    "You¡¯re here to clean up my mess, aren¡¯t you? To pay off my debts?"


    I narrowed my eyes. "What debts?"


    He chuckled darkly. "Didn¡¯t the Overseer tell you? Or did you actually think this was just a game?"


    His words sent ice down my spine.


    A game.


    That¡¯s what this was supposed to be.


    But now, for the first time, I wasn¡¯t sure anymore.


    He tilted his head, mockingly polite. "In case you haven¡¯t figured it out yet, I¡¯m you."


    His grin sharpened.


    "Kael Holloway. The Sin of Pride."


    He gave an exaggerated bow, dripping with sarcasm.


    I clenched my fists. "So this world¡­ this was where I embodied my pride the most."


    Pride smirked. "Bingo. And judging by that look on your face, I¡¯m guessing you don¡¯t approve of my work."


    I glared. "What you did here was fucked up."


    "Aw, is someone going to avenge them?" he taunted, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Is someone going to make everything better?"


    I clenched my jaw. "If that¡¯s what it takes to win this damn game, then yeah."


    His smirk faltered just a little before he scoffed.


    "You really think this is about being a hero?" He stepped closer, staring me down. "Let me give you a piece of advice, Kael."


    He leaned in, eyes gleaming with something terrifyingly familiar.


    "You¡¯re not the hero. So stop acting like one."


    The words hit harder than I wanted to admit.


    And then¡ª


    Just like that, he was gone.


    I blinked, breath shaky. My room was normal again, the weight in the air lifting as if he¡¯d never been there at all.


    I looked at my watch.


    5:00 PM.


    Right on time.

 A Role to Play

    "Honey! Your friend Alan is here!"


    I barely had time to gather myself before I heard Mom¡¯s voice from downstairs.


    I rushed down to the front door, where Alan stood in a green t-shirt and shorts, grinning.


    "Bro!" he exclaimed. "I wasn¡¯t expecting you to actually invite me over!"


    "Come in! Don¡¯t be shy¡ªour house is your house!" Mom said cheerfully.


    Alan stepped inside, looking around. "So¡­ where¡¯s your room?"


    I chuckled. "Follow me."


    As we climbed the stairs, I couldn¡¯t shake the lingering sensation of being watched. The game wasn¡¯t done with me yet.


    But for now, I had to play my role.


    We entered my room, and Alan flopped onto the floor, glancing around.


    "Wait¡­ did you take down your dirty posters?"


    "Yeah," I said simply. "Didn¡¯t feel right having them up anymore."


    Alan smirked. ¡°Oh, I see. It¡¯s because of Rebecca, isn¡¯t it? You wanna impress her."


    I groaned. "No, dude. I just don¡¯t wanna look at girls like that anymore."


    "Yeah, yeah, sure," he teased. "So what were you guys talking about earlier? Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡ªshe confessed to you!"


    "No! She just doesn¡¯t trust this new me," I said with a sigh.


    Alan tilted his head in thought. "Hm¡­ maybe you just need to take things slow and be nice to her. I actually overheard Rebecca and her friends talking about what they like in a guy."


    He grinned. "I know you don¡¯t care about the other girls, so I¡¯ll spill about Rebecca."


    I leaned in. "Go on."


    "She likes someone who¡¯s independent, strong, and, y¡¯know¡­ not a jerk. Or gross. Like you."


    I rolled my eyes, but his words stuck with me. Independent? Strong? That was the opposite of who I was before. And even now¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure I could be that person.


    But I could try.


    "Okay," I said, "I can do that. I¡¯ll try."


    Now I had a plan.


    Step one: Build at least a friendship with her<b>.</b>


    I wasn¡¯t strong or independent, but I could at least be nice and not gross<b>.</b>


    I could treat a girl right.


    Maybe, for once, I had to stop thinking like a player.


    And start thinking like a person.


    Alan smirked. "So you do like her."


    "No! For the last time, no!" I groaned.


    He burst out laughing.


    And for the first time in a long time¡­


    I felt a little bit happy.


    "Okay, Mrs. Holloway, I¡¯m heading out!" Alan said with a grin.


    Kael¡¯s mother gave a small smile in return, though there was hesitation in her eyes. "Alright, honey. I hope you had a good time. I know Kael can be... well, difficult sometimes."


    Alan shook his head. "Actually, he wasn¡¯t. He was the friend I always wanted him to be today." His voice held something close to relief¡ªmaybe even hope. "I think you should really take a moment to see how much he¡¯s changed."


    Mrs. Holloway blinked, caught off guard by his sincerity.


    "Anyway, I¡¯m out! See ya!" Alan waved and pulled the door shut behind him.


    I leaned back into the couch, exhaling slowly. Playing the role of "Pride Kael" was exhausting.


    But I knew what I needed right now.


    I pushed myself up and stretched. "Hey, Mom. I¡¯m gonna step outside for a bit. That okay?"


    She glanced over, brows slightly raised. "Wow. I thought you were just gonna hide in your room forever." Her tone was teasing, but there was something else beneath it¡ªsurprise.


    I guess "old me" really never left his room much.


    "But sure," she continued. "Just don¡¯t stay out too long¡ªI still need to make dinner."


    I nodded and stepped outside, sinking into the rocking chair on the porch. The cold air nipped at my skin, but I barely noticed.


    Above me, the stars stretched across the night sky¡ªsilent, unwavering, eternal. Their quiet flickering made something in me settle.


    I needed a plan.


    My sister didn¡¯t trust me. And why should she? She¡¯s been protecting our mom from the version of me that hurt her. Mom said it takes time. She¡¯s right. I should¡¯ve thought of that sooner.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I¡¯d been too caught up in fixing everything at once instead of taking things slow.


    Alan¡­ he trusted me. Or at least, he wanted to. But did he really? Or was I just seeing what I wanted to see?


    Doubt gnawed at the edges of my thoughts.


    What if Alan didn¡¯t trust me as much as I thought?


    What if¡ª


    No.


    I forced myself to stop.


    Thinking about what ifs won¡¯t fix anything. This game isn¡¯t about obsessing over the past¡ªit¡¯s about making things right.


    But then, what Pride said earlier nagged at me. I¡¯m paying his debts.


    I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. What the hell does that even mean?


    What¡¯s the real purpose behind these games?


    Because it¡¯s not just about getting a second chance. That¡¯s just the price I¡¯m paying.


    I sighed and rubbed my temples. Rebecca seemed upset with me, too.


    Why?


    Why is everyone upset with me?


    Why is this so complicated?


    Why does fixing things feel¡­ impossible?


    I glanced at my watch. 7:30 PM.


    The date caught my eye. February 12th.


    Two days before Valentine¡¯s Day.


    ¡­That¡¯s it.


    A plan started forming in my mind. If I could at least become acquaintances with her by then¡ªI¡¯d have a real chance.


    For the first time all night, I felt something shift inside me.


    Determination.


    I leaned back, letting my gaze drift toward the stars again.


    Maybe this won¡¯t be so bad after all.


    I stepped back inside just in time for dinner. The table was set neatly¡ªalmost too neatly. Like mom was trying to make everything feel perfect, even though it wasn¡¯t.


    As I pulled out my chair, footsteps echoed from the staircase. My sister strolled down, phone pressed to her ear.


    She giggled. "Stop, babe, we can do all that when I get to your house, okay?¡± Her voice was sugary sweet¡ªuntil it wasn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day soon. I hope you got me something. If not¡­¡± Her tone sharpened, edged with something darker. ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret it.¡±


    Even I felt a chill. And I wasn¡¯t even her boyfriend.


    She plopped into the chair across from me, her gaze settling on me like I was something she scraped off her shoe.


    "Hey, Kael. If you¡¯re really trying to change, then prove it.¡± Her voice was flat, unimpressed. ¡°Don¡¯t say you want to be better and then pull the same shit you always do.¡±


    That was progress.


    A couple of hours ago, she wouldn¡¯t have even given me a chance.


    I smiled slightly. ¡°If you want, we can talk later tonight. I¡¯ll tell you everything¡ªwhy I changed.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes, scanning my face for any sign of a lie.


    "Fine." She leaned back. "But make it quick. I¡¯m supposed to be on the phone with my boyfriend after dinner."


    "No problem."


    Then, the front door slammed open. A rush of cold air swept through the room.


    And there he was.


    My father.


    Tall. Imposing. His frame filled the doorway like a shadow stretching too far. Black hair, mean eyes¡ªlike a storm waiting to break.


    "Hey... I¡¯m home." His voice was low. Too low. A slow, rumbling threat.


    Mom¡¯s voice brightened instantly. ¡°Oh! Honey, welcome home! I just made dinner¡ªchicken alfredo with veggies!¡±


    My sister smirked, resting her chin on her palm. ¡°Hey, Dad. How was babysitting the brat?¡± She giggled, but it wasn¡¯t a friendly kind.


    Dad¡¯s eyes flicked toward her. Then toward me.


    "It¡­ was fine."


    Even when he said something simple, his voice crawled under my skin.


    Why was he like this? How was he my father?


    If I acted like that, no girl at school would even look at me. What did Mom see in him?


    He dropped into his seat with a heavy thud, eyes settling on me like a weight.


    "Don¡¯t cause any trouble, Kael." His tone was serious. A warning.


    I swallowed hard. "I-I won¡¯t, Dad. Don¡¯t worry.¡± My voice cracked.


    My sister scoffed. ¡°Yeah, supposedly he ¡®changed his ways.¡¯ I dunno if I believe it.¡±


    Dad studied me. Long. Silent. Unreadable.


    He didn¡¯t see anything.


    "We¡¯ll¡­ see."


    Mom set the food on the table, clapping her hands together. ¡°Dig in!¡±


    I reached for my fork, but something felt off.


    I glanced down the table. There was an empty chair.


    No¡­ not empty. There were tiny shoes tucked beneath it.


    "Hey¡­ where¡¯s the brat?" I asked, trying to sound casual.


    My sister gave me a look. ¡°You mean your little sister Ann?¡± She smirked. ¡°She¡¯s right here.¡±


    She reached down, lifting a tiny girl into view.


    Ann giggled as my sister tickled her. ¡°Let me go! You¡¯re squishing me!¡±


    My sister laughed before setting her down.


    I blinked. I didn¡¯t even see her.


    So, I was the only brother in the family. Great.


    Dinner was silent. No one spoke.


    Then¡ª


    "I¡¯m done."


    Dad pushed his plate forward, standing up. His eyes cut into me, still dark, still unreadable.


    "Son¡­ don¡¯t cause any more problems, okay?"


    His voice wasn¡¯t sharp this time. It wasn¡¯t a threat. It was something worse.


    Exhaustion.


    Regret.


    Maybe even¡­ sadness.


    I sat up a little straighter. ¡°Yeah. No problem, Dad.¡±


    One by one, everyone finished and went their separate ways.


    Except my sister.


    I turned to her. "You ready to talk?"


    She exhaled, crossing her arms. "Yeah¡­ let¡¯s do it."


    My sister and I headed upstairs to her room. The moment I stepped inside, I was hit with the scent of expensive perfume. The room was bright and filled with purses, jewelry, and a neatly organized makeup stand¡ªeverything you¡¯d expect from a teenage girl. She plopped onto her pink bed while I took a seat at the vanity.


    ¡°Alright, spill. What¡¯s been up with you?¡± she asked, wasting no time.


    I took a deep breath. I couldn¡¯t tell her the truth¡ªthat I was meant to be this way, that my pride was more than just a personal flaw but something woven into the fabric of my existence. Instead, I crafted a story¡ªone that was close enough to reality.


    ¡°I thought I was better than everyone,¡± I started. ¡°I believed if I could be superior, I could gain control, power¡­ that it would protect me. But really, it all came from trauma, self-doubt, and disappointment in myself. I hurt people because I didn¡¯t want to feel weak. But then I realized something¡ªif I kept going down that path, I¡¯d lose everything. I needed to change. I needed to be better¡­ before it was too late.¡±


    I hesitated.


    In my world, it was too late. Everyone had already left. No¡ªI had driven them away. I was relieved to be here, but at the same time, I wasn¡¯t. Because this wasn¡¯t my life. I was just playing a game.


    I swallowed the lump in my throat, fighting the urge to cry.


    When I looked up, my sister¡¯s eyes were glassy with tears. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t know,¡± she whispered.


    She took a deep breath, then gave me a small, sad smile. ¡°Look, Kael, I believe you. Just¡­ don¡¯t do it again, okay? No matter what happens, if no one else is here for you¡­ I will be.¡±


    For a moment, I couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I finally said. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    The heavy mood lifted after that. We spent the rest of the night talking about her boyfriend, school drama, and random gossip¡ªwhat a normal brother and sister should talk about.


    Then, at one point, I asked, ¡°So¡­ what should I do about Rebecca?¡±


    She tapped her chin, thinking. ¡°Hmm¡­ girl, you need to be friends with her first.¡±


    I gave her a look. ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    She smirked. ¡°Look, little brother, what you did was hysterical¡ªbut if you really wanna make it up to her, you need to prove you¡¯re not the same guy anymore.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°And how do I do that?¡±


    She grinned. ¡°Talk to her. And listen this time. I¡¯m telling you, girls love it when a guy is nice, sweet, and actually cares about them. That¡¯s what my boyfriend does.¡± She winked.


    Her eyes flicked down to my clothes, and she immediately wrinkled her nose. ¡°Okay, first of all¡ªwe need to change that.¡±


    I blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    She suddenly perked up. ¡°Oh my God! Let¡¯s go shopping! I always wanted to do that with a little brother!¡±


    I laughed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m down. Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but we gotta go early. I have plans with my friends later.¡±


    I nodded, feeling a strange sense of relief. This was another step forward. And for the first time in a long time, it felt good to have a sister who actually cared.


    Then a thought crept into my mind.


    Did I¡­ have a sister in my world?


    I shook it off. I¡¯d deal with that later.


    ¡°Alright, now get out,¡± she suddenly said, standing up. ¡°I need to call my boyfriend.¡±


    Before I could react, she shoved me out of her room and slammed the door. Almost immediately, I heard muffled giggles and sugary sweet talking through the walls.


    I sighed and walked back to my room. It was bare¡ªempty compared to hers. Looking around, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a little jealous.


    But whatever.


    At least I had plans for tomorrow.

 A Fleeting Dream

    "Kael, it''s time to wake up."


    I heard a voice pull me from sleep. My body tensed for a moment¡ªout of instinct, my hand twitched toward my bedside, reaching for a weapon that wasn¡¯t there. But then, reality settled in.


    I blinked my eyes open and saw my sister standing over me, her makeup done and her hair styled to perfection.


    "Oh hey¡­ what¡¯s up?" I mumbled groggily, still shaking off the lingering tension.


    "What do you mean, ¡®what¡¯s up¡¯?! We¡¯re going shopping, idiot!" she said, hands on her hips.


    I shot up in bed. Crap! I completely forgot. I scrambled out of bed and opened my closet.


    "Alright, give me a sec to change."


    "Hurry up, I don''t have all day," she teased. "Move it, slowpoke."


    I grabbed a shirt and a pair of jeans from my closet. Surprisingly, they weren¡¯t bad. Did Kael actually have good taste? I threw on my clothes in a rush, nearly tripping over myself while pulling up my pants.


    "Okay, let¡¯s¡­ go," I panted, still catching my breath.


    She stifled a laugh. "You¡¯re a mess." Then, her excitement took over, and she squealed. "Let¡¯s go!"


    We drove to a massive mall, the kind that looked like it went on forever. People swarmed the entrance, their voices merging into an overwhelming hum of conversations, laughter, and shuffling feet. There were shops, food courts, a daycare, and even random kiosks selling overpriced accessories.


    "First stop¡ªFreddy Brown¡¯s!" my sister declared, dragging me into a clothing store.


    She immediately grabbed a black shirt and held it up. It had a stylized logo that read: "Vens: Off the Rails."


    "I don¡¯t know if this is your style, but trust me¡ªshe¡¯ll fall head over heels for you in this."


    I smirked, taking the shirt. "Alright, whatever you think is best."This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    She squealed again and ran off, grabbing more clothes. I took a moment to browse, running my fingers over different fabrics, keychains, and hats. It was¡­ nice.


    When was the last time I did this?


    The thought made my hands freeze over a rack of jackets. Back in my world, I never went out. I stayed in my room, waiting. Waiting for something to change, for something to finally reach out and save me.


    I swallowed and shook my head. Not now. I¡¯m not in that world anymore.


    Pushing the thought away, I followed my sister to another store, then another. We spent hundreds of dollars on clothes for both of us. I didn¡¯t mind, though. She was genuinely happy. Her pink lips curled into an excited smile, her eyes lit up as she held up new outfits, and her hair swayed every time she turned her head. She was enjoying herself.


    And¡­ I was too.


    We stopped at the food court and got soft pretzels with nacho cheese. My sister took a big bite, practically melting in her chair.


    "This¡­ is so¡­ good!" she mumbled with her mouth full.


    I chuckled. "Yeah, tell me about it."


    She swallowed and leaned forward. "So¡­ do you feel confident now?"


    I raised a brow. "Huh?"


    She smiled knowingly. "I didn¡¯t just bring you here because I wanted to. I did it for you. I know you needed this too."


    I blinked. My chest tightened, and my vision blurred slightly. She actually cared. No one had cared like this in a long, long time.


    Then, a voice slithered into my mind.


    "Remember, Kael¡­ this world isn¡¯t yours. It never was."


    Pride.


    I stiffened. My hands curled into fists under the table. Again, I felt that instinctual twitch¡ªlike I needed to reach for something. A weapon. But there was nothing. Because this wasn¡¯t a battlefield.


    "Hey, you okay?" my sister asked, concern flickering in her eyes.


    I forced a smile. "Yeah, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine."


    She stared for a moment before sighing. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"


    That was the problem. I couldn¡¯t. I wanted to tell her everything¡ªthe truth about who I was, how this wasn¡¯t my life, how I wasn¡¯t even her real brother. But if I did, it would ruin everything.


    I forced my best smile. "I swear I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m having fun, and you should too."


    She gave me a long look before nodding. "Okay!" she said, grinning again.


    We spent the next couple of hours shopping before she finally drove me home.


    "Alright, Kael¡ªdon¡¯t mess up with Rebecca. If you do, I will personally make you redo it with me supervising."


    I really didn¡¯t want that, so I quickly said, "Got it. I won¡¯t mess up."


    She beamed. "Good. I had fun today! We should do this again. You know what? You should meet my friends! They¡¯re amazing¡ªthey¡¯ll love you!"


    A pang of guilt hit me. There probably wouldn¡¯t be a next time. But I still played along.


    "Yeah, definitely. I had fun too."


    She grinned, blasted music in her car, and sped off.


    I stood there for a moment, staring at the street. That was the best time I¡¯d had in¡­ I didn¡¯t even know how long.


    But I couldn¡¯t get comfortable. Tomorrow was Valentine¡¯s Day.


    And I still had a lot to do.

 A Bloody Valentine

    It was Valentine¡¯s Day.


    I got up, threw on the shirt and pants my sister had picked out for me, and rushed out the door. No time to waste.


    I sprinted to school, heart pounding in my chest. This had to happen today.


    Rebecca.


    I ran through the hallway, dodging students as my eyes locked onto her. There she was. She looked beautiful as ever, sunlight filtering through the windows and catching the soft waves of her hair.


    I took a breath, steadied myself, and walked up.


    "Hey, Rebecca¡ª"


    "Hey, buddy. Who the hell are you calling Rebecca¡¯s name like that?"


    A voice cut through the moment like a dagger.


    I froze. A cold feeling slithered up my spine as I turned.


    A guy stood between us. Tall. Built. Smirking like he already owned the world.


    He crossed his arms, looking down at me with amusement.


    "Why do you care?" I said, my voice colder than I expected. "Are you her friend or something?"


    He chuckled. "Hey, boyfriend."


    The words hit me like a brick.


    A sharp wave of disappointment, anger, and something worse rippled through my body.


    I clenched my fists.


    "I think you should back off, kid." His voice dropped lower, just enough for only me to hear. "I know she¡¯s beautiful. I like making out with her and¡­"


    He leaned in.


    "Even more than that. I already marked my territory."


    My stomach twisted.


    This guy was sick. The way he laughed, the way his lips curled, the way he thought this was funny.


    "So¡­" He grinned, voice dripping with arrogance. "How about you back off her, okay?"


    No.


    I couldn''t let this end here.


    "What if I don¡¯t want to?" I said, voice firm.


    His smirk widened.


    "Then I¡¯ll kill you. I don¡¯t care. I will."


    The air in my lungs turned cold.


    Kill?


    This wasn¡¯t fair. Why would I die because of this?! I didn¡¯t want to die. I couldn¡¯t.


    NO.


    Something inside me snapped.


    "NO!"


    I roared and swung.


    My fist slammed into his face.


    He didn¡¯t even flinch.


    A short silence. Then, he chuckled. "Your funeral."


    He moved faster than I could react.


    His hand snatched my throat.


    Before I could fight back, he slammed me against the lockers. Metal bent under the impact, and pain exploded across my back.


    Before I could recover¡ª


    He threw me to the ground.


    The world spun. Damn it. I tried to push myself up¡ª


    His boot crushed me back down.


    A sharp, sickening pain erupted in my ribs.


    I couldn¡¯t move.


    He got on top of me, straddling my chest, and his fist came down.


    Once. My vision blurred.


    Twice. Something cracked.


    Three times. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.


    And then he whispered, "You''re pathetic."


    The same words the Overseer had told me.


    The same words Pride had burned into my mind.


    Pathetic.


    Pathetic.


    Pathetic.


    He lifted his foot.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    I knew what was coming.


    He was going to finish me off.


    I barely heard Rebecca gasp.


    "No, Denel! Don¡¯t do it!"


    A bright light. A flash of pain.


    Then¡ª


    Nothing.


    Just like that, I was dead. Again.


    I woke up in a panic.


    My lungs were on fire. My ears rang like sirens. My eyes shook in their sockets, struggling to focus. My hands¡ªslick with sweat.


    What¡­ just happened?


    Then, it hit me. The Overseer¡¯s words.


    "Relax. You¡¯ll be revived at a checkpoint every time you die."


    The words echoed, wrapping around my mind like chains.


    Checkpoint.


    I looked at my watch.


    8:00 AM. February 14th. Valentine¡¯s Day.


    Of course it was.


    This was a checkpoint.


    I shot up from bed, heart hammering in my chest. D¨¦j¨¤ vu crashed into me like a tidal wave. The same morning. The same suffocating feeling in my gut.


    I ran to school. Again.


    I saw her. Rebecca.


    And then, just like before¡ª


    "Hey, buddy. Who the hell are you calling Rebecca¡¯s name like that?"


    Denel.


    The same smug voice. The same sick laughter.


    I died again.


    And again.


    And again.


    Ten deaths.


    Ten times I clawed my way back to life.


    Ten times I sprinted through the same goddamn hallway, hoping¡ª**begging¡ª**for a different outcome.


    Ten times I felt my ribs shatter, my skull crack, my body fail me.


    Ten times I heard Rebecca¡¯s gasp, saw her face twisted in horror¡ªright before it all faded to black.


    I woke up again.


    Same as the first time.


    Everything hurt.


    I wanted to die.


    Not like this¡ªnot by his hands. But maybe, just maybe, it was easier to stay dead.


    I staggered toward the school, my legs numb, my mind slipping.


    Then¡ª


    Darkness swallowed me whole.


    A suffocating presence surrounded me. Familiar. Overwhelming.


    Then, a voice. Mocking. Arrogant.


    "I see you¡¯re having trouble."


    Pride.


    I clenched my fists, my breath coming out in ragged gasps.


    "I don¡¯t need you here, Pride. I never did." My voice cracked with rage. "This is your sick game, isn¡¯t it? Making me repeat these deaths over and over."


    I took a shaky step forward.


    "It¡¯s because you can¡¯t accept mistakes, huh?!" My voice rose, raw and bitter. "You want your little fucking game to be perfect!"


    Pride scoffed. "I want to help you. But if you¡¯re going to be like that, then I won¡¯t."


    He gave a dramatic sigh. "You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m even talking to you. I should be off doing far more important things¡ªamazing things, really. Things that someone like you could never comprehend."


    His voice dipped, venom laced in every word.


    "But instead, I¡¯m wasting my time helping a pathetic little failure like you."


    Pathetic.


    There it was again.


    I felt the word crawl under my skin, burrow into my chest, cut deeper than any knife ever could.


    Pride smirked. In his hand, a pocket knife. Sleek. Small. Deadly.


    He held it out to me. "This can help, right?"


    I stared at the blade. My heart slammed against my ribs.


    "Y-You want me to kill him?" I breathed.


    He laughed. "This game is about who¡¯s better, isn¡¯t it?"


    The weight of the knife settled in my hand. Cold. Solid. Real.


    Pride''s voice purred in my ear. "After all, this is the Game of Pride."


    I tightened my grip.


    "You¡¯re right."


    The words left my mouth before I even processed them.


    "It¡¯s all about survival. Who¡¯s better."


    I blinked¡ª


    And suddenly, I was back.


    The hallway. The checkpoint.


    Rebecca.


    Denel.


    His voice slithered into my ears again, dripping with mockery.


    "Hey, buddy¡ª"


    I didn¡¯t hesitate.


    The knife was already in my hand.


    I swung.


    The blade sliced deep into his flesh.


    Blood.


    His. My hands. The knife.


    Denel stumbled back, clutching his wound. "W-What the fuck?!"


    I didn¡¯t stop.


    I lunged¡ªthis time, the knife plunged straight into his chest.


    Right into his heart.


    A choked gasp left his lips. His body hit the floor, blood pooling beneath him.


    Everything blurred. I killed him.


    I killed him.


    I KILLED HIM.


    My hands¡ªdrenched in red. Shaking. Unsteady.


    Why?


    Why did I do that?


    The world was spinning, screams rang out, students fled in terror¡ª


    But Rebecca¡­


    Rebecca didn¡¯t scream.


    She stood there, looking at me. Not with fear.


    But happiness.


    She stepped closer. "Thank you, Kael."


    My breath hitched. My vision blurred.


    "W-What?"


    She smiled¡ªgenuinely smiled. "He was horrible. He did¡­ awful things. To me. To others."


    Her fingers brushed against my cheek, smearing my own blood across my skin. Then, she leaned in and kissed me.


    Soft. Warm.


    Wrong.


    So, so wrong.


    She pulled away. "You actually did that for me?" She giggled. "Maybe you¡¯re not as bad as I thought."


    Then, she turned and walked away.


    Her friends followed. Terrified.


    I stood there.


    Blood still dripping from my fingers.


    I had done it.


    I had completed my goal.


    ¡­Yay.


    Then, the world went black.


    It wasn¡¯t the smoky darkness of before.


    It was something worse.


    A void.


    And in it¡ªhim.


    Pride.


    His grin stretched wider than ever. He was smiling.


    Like he always did.


    "Well done." He clapped slowly, mockingly. "I never thought you had it in you."


    Then¡ª


    He reached behind him.


    A sword materialized in his grip.


    Black as the abyss, with golden trims that pulsed like veins.


    He leveled it at me.


    "But now," he said, voice dripping with amusement¡ª


    "I have to kill you."


    And just like that, he charged.


    Pride¡¯s sword came down in a flash of gold and black steel. Instinct took over.


    I caught the blade in my bare hands.


    Agony. White-hot pain ripped through my palms as the blade sliced deep, carving through flesh and muscle. Blood gushed from my hands, dripping onto the blackened floor beneath us. My grip trembled, but I held on, my breath ragged, my body screaming at me to let go.


    Pride sneered down at me, his eyes glinting with amusement.


    ¡°W-Why are you doing this?! Stop! This isn¡¯t what the Overseer said would happen!¡± My voice cracked with desperation.


    The Overseer was a liar.


    He never said I¡¯d have to fight Pride to the death. He never said I¡¯d be here, bleeding out in this abyss, struggling for my life. My hands throbbed, the pain unbearable. But Pride only laughed¡ªa cruel, mocking sound that sent rage boiling in my veins.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it?¡± he said, voice filled with mania. ¡°You got too strong. I need to prove who¡¯s better!¡±


    Of course. This was Pride.


    This wasn¡¯t just a fight. This was a competition.


    If I wanted to win¡ªI had to think like him.


    I gritted my teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll show you¡­ I¡¯M the better fucking PERSON!¡±


    With a roar, I shoved his sword aside, ripping my hands free from the blade. More blood. More pain. But I didn¡¯t care.


    I slammed into him, throwing my full weight forward. We crashed to the ground, grappling, rolling over each other in a brutal struggle for dominance. His fists drove into my ribs, pain exploding with each hit, but I retaliated¡ªslamming my fists into his face, again and again.


    His strength was overwhelming. He kicked me off, sending me skidding across the floor. Before I could fully recover, his sword slashed across my chest¡ªa deep, searing wound that stole my breath. I gasped, my vision flickering.


    Pride stood over me, blade raised. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. You¡¯re still pathetic.¡±


    That word again.


    Pathetic.


    I felt something deep inside me snap.


    I wasn¡¯t going back.


    With every ounce of strength I had left, I lunged forward, tackling him to the ground. His sword slipped from his grasp. I grabbed it, my bloodied hands gripping the hilt.


    Pride glared up at me, still grinning, even now. Even beaten.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be better than me,¡± he hissed, his voice rasping with pain. ¡°Because at least I¡¯m not a pathetic little bitch.¡±


    I didn¡¯t hesitate.


    I drove the sword straight through his chest.


    Pride¡¯s grin finally faltered. He gasped, his body twitching beneath me. The golden light in his eyes dimmed as the life drained from them.


    Silence.


    Then¡ªa slow clap.


    A presence loomed behind me. Cold. Calculated.


    ¡°Well done, Player.¡±


    The voice was smooth, measured¡ªalmost amused.


    I knew that voice.


    I turned my head, breathing heavily. There, standing in the endless void, was the Overseer.


    Of course. It was always him.


    ¡°Congratulations,¡± he said, his unreadable eyes locked onto mine. ¡°You¡¯ve completed your first game. The Game of Pride.¡±

 The Games We Play

    I looked at him, my mind struggling to process everything.


    That was it?


    Everything I had done¡ªthe mall with my sister, Alan helping me with the test, and¡­Rebecca.


    A shiver crawled down my spine. Rebecca. The way she looked at me. The way she¡­ kissed me.


    For killing Danel.


    My stomach twisted. Why?


    I clenched my fists. My knuckles went white. "I¡­ I killed someone."


    The Overseer chuckled, slow and deliberate, like he was savoring my torment.


    "What, you think that¡¯s the only one you¡¯ll kill?" His smirk cut through me like a blade.


    I swallowed. My hands trembled.


    "Let me tell you something, Kael. Get over yourself." His voice was cold, sharp. "If you want to win these games, you have to be the last one standing."


    I forced myself to breathe. My gaze dropped to my palms. The deep cut from Pride was still there. A dull, lingering pain.


    Pride.


    My breath hitched. "I killed your guy," I choked out. "I killed Pride."


    The nausea hit me like a freight train.


    The Overseer¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.


    "He had to die," he said. "He let his pride get the best of him. What a shame."


    I snapped. "You don¡¯t care?! That was your fucking guy! Your friend¡ªor whatever he was!"


    He locked eyes with me, emotionless. Then, that goddamn smirk.


    "He wasn¡¯t my friend. He worked for me. Just like the other hosts."


    My chest tightened. "Other hosts?"


    He sighed, adjusting his tie like I was an inconvenience. "The sins. They¡¯re the hosts of the games. I thought you would¡¯ve figured that out by now¡­ but of course, you didn¡¯t."The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The words felt distant. My head was pounding.


    I clenched my fists harder. My nails dug into my wounds. Blood dripped between my fingers, staining the void beneath me.


    The Overseer sighed. "Well, let¡¯s talk about your next game."


    That cruel smirk widened.


    "The Game of Lust."


    A weight slammed into my chest.


    That smile.


    He didn¡¯t just want me to suffer¡ªhe lived for it.


    My whole body felt heavy. My voice barely scraped above a whisper.


    "I want to go home¡­ please."


    He tilted his head, amused. "Oh, Kael¡­ You aren¡¯t going home for a long, long time." He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "But hey, if it makes you feel better, you can always kill yourself in these games."


    His laughter sliced through the air.


    "Of course," he added, his grin widening, "you¡¯ll just come back."


    Before I could react, someone else stepped into the void.


    A woman.


    She didn¡¯t walk¡ªshe glided. Every movement slow, deliberate, as if the air itself bent to her presence.


    Her skin was flawless, her curves carved to perfection, draped in a black-and-gold bikini that left little to the imagination. Long, raven-black hair cascaded down her back, shimmering like silk. But it was her eyes¡ªthose deep, crimson eyes¡ªthat made my breath hitch.


    They burned. Not with warmth. Not with lust.


    With hunger.


    She smiled, running her fingers through her hair. "Wow¡­" Her voice was velvet-smooth, dripping with something too sweet. "So this handsome young man is our player."


    She giggled, tilting her head. Studying me.


    "Oh! Where are my manners?" She placed a delicate hand on her chest. "I¡¯m Mia. The Sin of Lust."


    A chill ran down my spine.


    Something was wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t just her beauty. It was the way her presence pressed against me, like an invisible weight. My heartbeat quickened. My mind screamed at me to move, to run, to do anything¡ª


    Instead, I felt my lips part.


    I wanted to respond. To flirt back. To fall into her.


    What the fuck?!


    I wrenched myself out of it, forcing a breath. "I¡­ I¡¯m Kael Holloway. The player."


    My hands were shaking, still slick with blood.


    Mia¡¯s eyes flicked downward.


    Her lips curled into something softer, sweeter. "Oh¡­" She reached out, her fingers barely brushing my skin. "I¡¯m so sorry, baby."


    Her voice was a whisper against my ears. "Did Pride hurt you? Ugh, he can be a handful sometimes."


    My throat closed.


    I can¡¯t trust her. I can¡¯t trust any of them.


    But my body¡­ it wanted to.


    She took my hands in hers. Her touch was warm.


    My pulse roared.


    A wave of heat flushed through me, melting into my skin. My wounds vanished. The blood disappeared.


    Like they were never there.


    Mia gave me a soft, sweet smile. "There¡­ all better."


    I sucked in a breath. Too close. Too warm. Too much.


    The Overseer cleared his throat, bored.


    "As you can see, this is Mia," he said flatly. "She¡¯s the host of Lust. Get comfortable with her before the game begins. She can be¡­ a handful."


    I forced myself to nod. "Okay¡­"


    Mia pouted. "Oh, I¡¯ll miss you." She tilted her head, eyes gleaming. "But I know we¡¯ll see each other again."


    The Overseer chuckled darkly. "Try not to freak out this time, you pathetic coward."


    And just like that¡ª


    Darkness.


    The heat in my skin didn¡¯t fade.


    The Game of Lust has begun.


    And for the first time since entering these games, I wasn¡¯t afraid of dying.


    I was afraid of losing myself.

 Welcome to Paradise (Updated!)

    I woke up in a very comfortable bed. The sheets were soft, the air smelled faintly of lavender, and sunlight spilled through the curtains in just the right way¡ªalmost too perfect.


    I sat up slowly. This¡­ was my room. My actual room. The posters on the wall, the slightly chipped desk, even the tiny scuff marks near the closet¡ªit was all exactly how I remembered.


    For a moment, I almost forgot.


    Then I heard the door slam open.


    ¡°Honey! Time to get ready for school! You don¡¯t want your girlfriends waiting too long, right?!¡±


    My blood turned to ice.


    I turned my head, slow, deliberate.


    There she was.


    My mom. Or at least, that¡¯s what she looked like.


    She smiled warmly, standing in the doorway in her usual cardigan and apron, holding a spatula like she had just been cooking breakfast. The smell of bacon and syrup drifted through the air.


    I swallowed hard. Something wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡°¡­Girlfriends?¡± My voice barely scraped out.


    Her smile didn¡¯t waver.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, silly! Now hurry up, you don¡¯t want to make them worry~¡±


    A sharp pressure bloomed behind my eyes¡ªlike something was digging into my thoughts. The Game was reaching for me, nudging me, trying to shape my reality.


    Oh, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m in the Game of Lust.


    My stomach twisted. My head still felt groggy, like a fog was pressing down on me. I rubbed my temples, trying to shake the feeling.


    This one can¡¯t be as bad as the last game. It just¡­ can¡¯t.


    I tried not to think about Pride. Or the blood. Or the way Rebecca kissed me. For killing Danel.


    My chest tightened.


    No, I don¡¯t miss Rebecca. Not at all.


    I exhaled sharply and forced myself out of bed. The faster I got moving, the better. I needed to stay ahead of whatever this game was throwing at me.


    I walked to my closet.


    For some reason, I hesitated before opening it.


    It felt like a game show¡ªwould my clothes be normal or something completely over-the-top?


    I took a breath and swung it open.


    ¡­Okay, not bad.


    Designer jacket, black shirt, and black jeans. Stylish. Too stylish. Like the game wanted me to stand out.


    I got dressed quickly, throwing on the jacket and heading into the kitchen.


    A full breakfast waited for me. Eggs, bacon, and pancakes, steaming hot, perfectly arranged.


    I didn¡¯t trust it.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    But I was starving.


    I ate quickly, barely tasting it, my body moving on autopilot.


    My "mom" hummed from the kitchen, washing dishes.


    ¡°Oh honey! You¡¯re going to be late. You might want to go now.¡±


    Shit. Late? No way I was risking that. This was the Game of Lust¡ªwho the hell knew what would happen if I showed up late?


    I pushed my plate aside. ¡°Uh¡­ where¡¯s school at?¡±


    My ¡°mom¡± turned, tilting her head.


    For a split second, her face didn¡¯t move.


    The smile was still there. But her eyes¡­ her eyes didn¡¯t blink.


    ¡°Oh silly, don¡¯t you remember your friend always picks you up.¡±


    Her smile was too much for just a normal smile.


    I snapped out of the awkwardness I was getting from her.


    ¡°O-oh yeah ¡®silly¡¯ me¡±


    I nervously laughed.


    She walked up to me, her steps echoing through the house.


    ¡°Here is your new house key. Don¡¯t lose it.¡±


    She said that with pure hatred. I could feel it.


    I grabbed the key from her hand.


    Her skin was ice cold.


    I stiffened, but she just smiled like nothing happened.


    I forced a nod, shoving the key into my pocket before power-walking out the door.


    A loud, sputtering clank came from the street just as I stepped outside.


    My friend''s beat-up car screeched to a stop, coughing out smoke like it had barely survived the trip. The passenger door handle jiggled before the door swung open.


    "Hey, dude! Get in! You¡¯re gonna be late!"


    I jogged over and slid into the seat, immediately regretting it. The upholstery was torn, stuffing peeking out like it had been through a war. Crushed cans, fast-food wrappers, and a suspicious-looking hoodie littered the floor. The car smelled like a mix of cheap cologne and bad decisions.


    My friend scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Ah, dude, sorry about the mess. Had a party last night."


    I glanced at him.


    Ginger hair, striking blue eyes, a cocky smirk¡ªyeah, I bet he did. Probably pulled every girl at that party.


    The car jerked forward, rattling like it might fall apart at any moment. For a few minutes, we just drove in silence, the engine making random noises like it was speaking in Morse code.


    Then he casually broke the silence.


    "So, have you broken up with all your girlfriends yet?"


    My stomach dropped.


    Shit.


    I barely even knew what the hell was going on in this game yet. I wasn¡¯t even sure how many girlfriends I had, let alone if I¡¯d broken up with them.


    I needed to think fast.


    "Uh, no¡­ not yet," I said, forcing a chuckle. "I just¡­ don¡¯t know when, you know?"


    He turned to me with the most disappointed look I¡¯d ever seen.


    "Dude. You suck. Just break up with them! What¡¯s the worst that can happen?"


    Oh, I don¡¯t know¡ªmaybe I die? Maybe the game punishes me in some horrific, twisted way?


    I forced a nod. "Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right. But¡­ how do I even do it?"


    He rubbed his chin, thinking. "Easy. Just find a good spot at school, pull each of ¡®em aside, and tell them it¡¯s over. Simple and sweet."


    Simple and sweet.


    I gave him a weak smile, nodding.


    I really hoped it would be that easy.


    The moment we arrived, I got out of the car and waved bye to my friend.


    I stopped dead in my tracks.


    The school was huge. Gothic architecture, towering windows, students flooding the entrance in perfectly neat groups.


    I stepped forward¡ªand that¡¯s when I felt it.


    A presence.


    Not a person. Not a sound.


    Just¡­ something watching me.


    The back of my neck prickled. I turned slightly, scanning the crowd.


    Nobody was staring.


    But I knew someone was.


    The moment I walked in, the hallway fell dead silent.


    Not all at once¡ªno, that would be too obvious. It was slow. Natural. A trickle of voices fading into hushed whispers.


    They were watching me.


    I exhaled, clenching my fists. Stay focused. This game was already messing with my head. I won¡¯t let it win.


    Then, a tap on my shoulder nearly made me jump out of my skin.


    ¡°Hey, cutie~¡±


    The voice was honey-sweet.


    My heart skipped. Not out of shock. Not out of fear.


    But because it wanted to.


    No. No, no, no¡ª


    I turned, and there she was.


    She looked just like my ex. Shit.


    And that¡¯s how I knew.


    She wasn¡¯t real.


    She smiled too wide, her hands clasped behind her back, shifting slightly on her feet like she was giddy just to see me.


    Long, perfectly curled auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders. Bright, warm hazel eyes that practically glowed. Her uniform¡ªa crisp, dark blazer over a white blouse and pleated skirt¡ªhugged her form a little too perfectly.


    "Missed you a lot," she murmured, stepping closer.


    I froze.


    My body wanted to pull her in. To kiss her. To whisper that I missed her too.


    The game is forcing this on me.


    I missed my ex so much.


    From the moment she left till now I always missed her.


    But I can''t give in.


    I clenched my jaw. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    She giggled, grabbing my arm with both hands. Her grip was too tight.


    "Let¡¯s walk to class together, okay? I don¡¯t like when you¡¯re away from me for too long¡­¡±


    Something pressed against my mind again.


    A whisper. Faint. Familiar.


    "Just give in."


    I stiffened.


    No. Not again.


    I needed to play this carefully.


    She wasn¡¯t real.


    But if I handled this wrong¡ª


    She might kill me anyway.

 The Game of Lust Begins

    The moment we stepped into class, I knew the game wasn¡¯t playing fair.


    Valentine¡¯s decorations covered every inch of the room¡ªred and pink hearts dangled from the ceiling, delicate roses sat in vases on every desk, and warm, candle-like lighting bathed everything in a dreamlike glow.


    But that wasn¡¯t the worst part.


    The classroom was filled with beautiful girls.


    I clenched my jaw. I knew exactly what this game was trying to do.


    Then came the whispers.


    "Just give in."


    "It¡¯s fine if you have another girlfriend, right? You already know they¡¯re beautiful."


    "Why fight it?"


    I tried to push the thoughts away, but every time I silenced one, another slithered into my mind like a snake, wrapping around my thoughts. It was like fighting a war in my own head¡ªexcept I was losing ground fast.


    I forced a breath and turned to my ¡®girlfriend,¡¯ keeping my voice as casual as I could. ¡°Uh¡­ where¡¯s my¡­ seat?¡±


    The words barely made it out. My head throbbed, my thoughts fogged with the game¡¯s influence. If this was how it was going to play, I needed a plan¡ªfast.


    She smiled, tilting her head. ¡°Oh, baby, how could you forget? Your seat is right there.¡±


    Her voice. Her tone.


    It wasn¡¯t just similar to my ex¡ªit was identical.


    I shoved the thought aside, swallowing hard. ¡°Oh¡­ yeah. Sorry about that. Thanks.¡±


    She clasped her hands behind her back, expression soft. ¡°Of course, baby! Anything for you! We did have that conversation about always having each other¡¯s backs, right?¡±


    I froze.


    That wasn¡¯t just a random line.


    I remembered that conversation. From my past life.


    How the hell did she know that?


    I forced a laugh, playing it off. ¡°Yeah¡­ I remember.¡±


    I took my seat. Of course, she sat right next to me.


    At the front of the class, the teacher stood tall, dressed in an elegant red dress, bright red lipstick, and just the right amount of blush to look picture-perfect. It was too perfect¡ªlike a stage costume for some twisted Valentine¡¯s play.


    Then I noticed the sheet of paper in front of me.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Review Questions.


    Okay. Hopefully, this wasn¡¯t as bad as¡ª


    What the fuck.


    The questions were ridiculous.


    ¡°What¡¯s the best way to handle relationship problems?¡±


    ¡°Where in the world do people get married the most?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the most romantic thing someone can do for their partner?¡±


    This wasn¡¯t a quiz. It was psychological warfare.


    I tried to scrape together answers, but my brain was still fogged with the game¡¯s influence. Then, my ¡®girlfriend¡¯ tapped me on the shoulder.


    ¡°Hey, need a little help?¡± she asked sweetly.


    I looked at her.


    The way she said it. The way she looked at me.


    For a split second, I didn¡¯t see her¡ªI saw Alan.


    Alan¡ªmy best friend. The one I could always count on. The one I¡¯d never talk about girls with again. The one I¡¯d never play video games with again.


    Because he was gone.


    I sucked in a sharp breath, shoving the thought down before it could sink its claws into me.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I muttered, voice tight. ¡°I could use a little help.¡±


    She smiled, leaning in as she whispered the answers. I copied them down, barely registering the words. We turned them in.


    And just like that, class was over.


    This game was not going to be easy.


    We stepped out of the classroom, and I felt like my brain had been fried by the Game of Lust¡¯s influence. My thoughts were sluggish, my body heavy, every second dragging like I was wading through thick mud.


    Then I saw her.


    My ¡®girlfriend¡¯¡ªAnna.


    She stared at me with the saddest expression, like I had just ripped away the most precious thing in her life.


    ¡°Hey¡­ it¡¯s Serenity¡¯s turn to have you now,¡± she whispered. Her voice wavered, but then she forced a smile¡ªone that didn¡¯t reach her eyes. ¡°Just¡­ don¡¯t do too much with her, okay? You still love me more, right?¡±


    I turned my head toward her, each movement slow and heavy, like even looking at her took effort. I barely managed to mutter, ¡°Huh¡­ what?¡±


    And then she appeared.


    Serenity.


    Long white hair. Dark brown eyes.


    I felt my stomach drop.


    She didn¡¯t just look like the girl I once lost in the talking stage¡ªshe was her.


    ¡°Hey, handsome~¡± she purred, her voice smooth and teasing, just like I remembered.


    I met her gaze with tired eyes. I didn¡¯t care anymore. I just wanted the pain to stop.


    ¡°¡­Hey.¡±


    Anna¡ªthat¡¯s right, her name was Anna¡ªglared at Serenity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited with him, Serenity. He¡¯s my boyfriend too,¡± she spat, venom dripping from her words.


    Serenity side-eyed her with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever I want, Anna. He¡¯s my boyfriend too.¡±


    My temples throbbed. I was barely holding myself together, and now I had to deal with this?


    Anna stormed off, and Serenity turned back to me, her expression shifting from smug to soft.


    ¡°Hey¡­ you look exhausted,¡± she said gently. ¡°How about we go rest on the bench? I¡¯ll let you lay on my lap~.¡±


    I nearly laughed at the irony. Of course she said that. Serenity from my past life used to say the exact same thing.


    Just like that, I found myself lying on her lap.


    She ran her fingers through my hair, humming softly. ¡°You know¡­ I wanted to ask¡­ you love me more, right?¡±


    I closed my eyes, exhaling slowly.


    I had loved these girls before¡ªmaybe in different ways, maybe at different times¡ªbut I had never once compared them to see who I loved most. That was a loser thing to do.


    And even then¡­ I was a loser.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I admitted. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided.¡±


    I needed to keep them from fighting. That had to be my main goal. The way they spoke, the way they looked at each other¡ªI got the distinct feeling that if they ever snapped, someone would end up dead, and there¡¯d be no evidence left behind.


    It felt like only five minutes had passed before the school bell rang. The sharp sound cut through my skull, and I winced.


    Serenity sighed. ¡°Well¡­ time to go back. That stupid bitch Abby is next,¡± she muttered under her breath.


    I sat up, and just as expected, we held hands all the way to my next class. I barely processed the goodbye before she left, and the moment I stepped inside¡­


    I froze.


    More beautiful girls.


    Oh, come the hell on. How many girls are in this damn game?!

 A Reason to Stay

    I walked out of school, drained and beaten from the mental exhaustion of the day. The game had pushed me to my limit. Every step felt heavier, my thoughts weighed down by frustration and the whispers still echoing in my mind.


    Then I saw him.


    My ¡®new¡¯ friend.


    I hated that word¡ªfriend. Because the truth was, no one could replace Alan. No one could change the fact that everything I did, every sacrifice I made, had amounted to nothing but a hollow pat on the back. The Overseer didn¡¯t care. That selfish bastard just wanted to be entertained.


    I clenched my fists. Whatever. I shouldn¡¯t care right now.


    A beat-up car rattled to the front of the school, brakes screeching like they were held together by sheer luck. The window rolled down, and there he was, smirking.


    ¡°Hey dude, how was school?¡±


    I exhaled sharply. ¡°It was hell.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay, not the reaction I was expecting, but alright, dude. That¡¯s what¡¯s up,¡± he said with a casual shrug.


    I didn¡¯t care anymore. I just wanted this fake day to be over. I wanted the game to be over.


    As we drove off, the warm air from the car vents clashed against the cold creeping in through the cracked window. The scent of old fast food bags and worn-out leather filled the small space. He tapped his fingers against the wheel, humming some offbeat tune before glancing at me.


    ¡°Hey bro, I know I keep buggin¡¯ you about this, but have you broken up with them yet? I feel like you¡¯d be a lot happier without them in your life. Honestly, it¡¯s bad to have all three like that.¡±


    I stared down at my lap, fingers curling against my jeans. If he only knew.


    If he knew I never chose to have three girlfriends. If he knew I never wanted to play this fucked-up game in the first place. If he knew I wanted to die the first day I got here.


    A lump formed in my throat. I swallowed it down, but the weight in my chest didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Look¡­¡± My voice cracked. ¡°I know you think I can just break up with them, but it¡¯s not that simple. I just¡­ I want this life to be over. I want it to end. Please¡­ just leave me alone.¡±


    Silence.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    For the first time since I met him, he wasn¡¯t smirking. He wasn¡¯t brushing it off.


    When I finally looked at him, his expression had shifted. Concern filled his eyes.


    ¡°Brother, you can¡¯t think like that,¡± he said, voice softer than before. ¡°There¡¯s so much to live for. Think about it¡ªif you didn¡¯t have a life, you wouldn¡¯t have a friend like me. You wouldn¡¯t have even a semi-normal girlfriend. Hell, you wouldn¡¯t have that brilliant-ass mind of yours. I¡¯ve seen you get out of tough shit, so what makes you think you can¡¯t get out of this?¡±


    He didn¡¯t get it. He didn¡¯t know what I had seen. What I had done.


    I turned away, pressing my forehead against the cool glass of the window. The city lights blurred past us, streaks of yellow and red flashing in the dark.


    ¡°I¡¯m struggling so much,¡± I whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do anymore. I¡¯m lost. I want to be successful, but I don¡¯t know how to win. I want a good life, but my mind¡ªmy fucking mind¡ªwon¡¯t let me. It forces me into bad choices. I want¡­ I just want to be happy for once in my goddamn life. But I feel like that time will only come if I¡¯m lucky.¡±


    For some reason, I kept talking. Kept venting.


    But even after I let it all out, nothing changed. The weight was still there.


    Then, he suddenly turned the wheel.


    ¡°¡­What the hell are you doing?¡± I snapped, gripping the seatbelt.


    He grinned. ¡°Alright, dude. Detour.¡±


    We pulled up to a liquor store.


    The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead as we stepped inside. The air smelled like stale beer and cheap detergent. Before I could even ask what we were doing, he darted down the aisles, grabbing snacks and drinks like a kid who just won the lottery. Chips, sodas, candy bars¡ªhe practically raided the place.


    I watched him dump everything onto the counter, a ridiculous pile of junk food towering in front of the cashier.


    The old man behind the register squinted at him, unimpressed. ¡°$87.59¡­ plus tax.¡±


    My friend grinned like he didn¡¯t just waste almost a hundred bucks on sugar and caffeine. ¡°No problem!¡±


    We walked back outside, the cold air hitting my skin as he popped open a soda with a dramatic hiss.


    I stared at the overflowing bags. ¡°Dude¡­ you know there¡¯s only two of us, right? You spent way too much.¡±


    He smirked, taking a swig of his drink. ¡°I know. That¡¯s the best part! We get all the snacks and drinks in the world right now! Don¡¯t you get it? If you had gone through with it¡ªif you had ended your life¡ªyou¡¯d never get to have dumb moments like this ever again.¡±


    He waved his soda in the air. ¡°For the rest of your¡­ uh, non-life? Whatever, you get my point.¡±


    I blinked. Then, I laughed.


    A real laugh. The kind I hadn¡¯t had in years.


    ¡°¡­You know, you¡¯re right,¡± I admitted. ¡°There are things in life worth living for.¡±


    He grinned. ¡°Yeah, you bet your ass there are.¡±


    We sat on the hood of his car for hours, watching the stars as we talked about life, about girls¡ªjust like I used to with Alan.


    But this time, I wasn¡¯t sad.


    This time, I was grateful.


    When he finally dropped me off at home, empty snack wrappers spilled onto the pavement as I stepped out of the car. He leaned over, resting his arm on the wheel.


    ¡°Hey dude, if you ever feel like that again¡­ just remember this moment, okay? I didn¡¯t just spend a shit ton of money for you to forget all this.¡±


    I chuckled, shaking my head. ¡°Yeah. I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry.¡± I hesitated, then met his gaze. ¡°Thank you. Seriously.¡±


    His smile softened. ¡°Anything for my homie. Always.¡±


    And just like that, he drove off.


    I stood there for a moment, the cold night air brushing against my skin, the distant hum of his engine fading into the night.


    Yeah¡­ I¡¯d never forget this.


    For the first time in a long, long time¡ª


    I wanted to live.

 The Illusion of Control

    I opened the door to see my ¡®mom¡¯ standing in the kitchen, washing dishes.


    Why are there always dirty dishes?


    I watched her for a second, my brow furrowing. Something felt¡­ off.


    Her hair.


    Didn¡¯t she have a different hair color?


    I frowned, but my exhaustion drowned out the thought before I could question it further. Whatever. I just need to sleep.


    I walked past her, feeling her gaze on me as I headed toward my room. The floor creaked under my feet, the weight of the night pressing down on me. Alan. My sister. The whirlwind of emotions I barely had time to process.


    I collapsed onto my bed, staring at the ceiling, thoughts tumbling over each other until¡ª


    Darkness.


    For the first time in a while, I felt like¡­ maybe things would be okay.


    I woke up to my ¡®mom¡¯ barging into my room, her voice piercing through my haze of sleep.


    ¡°Honey, time to get up! You don¡¯t want your girlfriends waiting today, right?¡±


    I sat up, rubbing my eyes.


    Didn¡¯t she say that last time?


    A chill ran down my spine. Something about the way she spoke¡ªtoo cheerful, too rehearsed¡ªmade my stomach twist.


    I got up, forcing myself to shake it off, and walked to the dining room. Sitting on the table was a plate of food.


    Jello. And eggs.


    I blinked. What kind of breakfast is that?


    ¡°Oh honey, sorry about breakfast today,¡± she said with an awkward chuckle. ¡°We ran out of food, so that¡¯s all I could make for you.¡±


    I stared at the pathetic excuse for a meal, my appetite vanishing. Something isn¡¯t right.


    Before I could dwell on it, a weak car horn sounded from outside. I glanced out the window and saw my friend¡¯s familiar beat-up car waiting in front of the house.


    Perfect timing.


    Grabbing my backpack and slipping on my shoes, I bolted for the door before my ¡®mom¡¯ could say anything else.


    I slid into the passenger seat with a sigh.


    ¡°Hey dude! Ready for another day of hell at school?¡± My friend smirked before adding, ¡°Kidding. Kind of.¡±


    I exhaled, shaking my head. ¡°Yeah¡­ hey, has my mom always been this weird? She¡¯s been acting more off every day. I have a bad feeling.¡±


    At that, his expression shifted. His usual playful demeanor faded, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened.


    ¡°Your mom¡­¡± he muttered, staring straight ahead. ¡°She isn¡¯t really herself. She¡¯s more like¡­ out of it, if you know what I mean.¡±


    I turned to look at him.


    He wasn¡¯t sad.


    He was angry.


    A strange unease settled in my chest. ¡°¡­Okay. That makes sense.¡±


    Neither of us spoke for the rest of the drive.


    The second I stepped out of the car and onto school grounds, I felt it.


    Eyes on me.


    I scanned my surroundings, but nothing seemed out of place. Just students shuffling to class, voices mixing into an indistinct hum.


    I shook off the paranoia, but my friend didn¡¯t seem convinced.


    ¡°Hey dude,¡± he said, voice low, ¡°just¡­ be careful, alright? You know how much I care about you.¡±


    That tone again. Serious. Different.


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    I met his gaze. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    He didn¡¯t look convinced, but he didn¡¯t push. With a final glance, he drove off.


    As I walked down the hallway, my mind still clouded with unease, I accidentally bumped into someone.


    ¡°O-oh, sorry, man! I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±


    I stopped mid-sentence.


    The guy I had run into turned slowly to face me.


    Short black hair. Hazel eyes. A sharp suit and tie. Not black and gold, though.


    Something about him felt¡­ wrong.


    He studied me for a moment before a small, knowing smile formed on his lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Kael.¡±


    My breath hitched.


    He knows my name?


    He took a step back, eyes glinting with something unreadable.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll bump into each other again soon enough.¡±


    And just like that, he walked away.


    I turned to watch him disappear into the crowd.


    Wait.


    I looked around.


    That was the only other guy I¡¯d seen in this school.


    ¡­Who the hell is he?


    I reached the door of my first class and spotted Anna waiting for me, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw me.


    "Hey, cutie. Did you miss me?" she teased, leaning in close.


    To be honest, I hadn¡¯t. But I played along. "Yeah, of course I did."


    She beamed, her entire face lighting up like I had just confessed my undying love. "Really?! Oh baby, I love you so much!"


    Before I could react, she threw herself at me, wrapping her arms around me in a death grip.


    I could barely breathe.


    "Okay¡­ let me go," I choked out.


    She finally released me, stepping back with an apologetic smile, her cheeks flushed. "Oops! Sorry! I lost control for a second."


    "It''s fine. You¡¯re just¡­ showing how happy you are." I forced a smile.


    The thing about this game¡ªI had learned the hard way that falling for these girls was dangerous. If they got too attached, they''d turn possessive. If they got too possessive, they might kill each other¡­ or me. This wasn¡¯t a love story. It was a time bomb. One wrong move, one mistake, and boom.


    Class was the same as always¡ªhearts, flowers, beautiful girls everywhere. The teacher passed out ¡®review papers¡¯ like we weren¡¯t all trapped in a twisted dating sim. Then, of course, the usual: Anna and Serenity bickering, me stepping in to keep it from turning into a bloodbath.


    But today was different.


    I had to break up with one of them.


    If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t make progress.


    I told Serenity to meet me in the schoolyard. No more stalling.


    I sat on a bench, fingers laced together, heart hammering against my ribs. I didn¡¯t want to do this. But I had to.


    Serenity arrived, her bright eyes shining with anticipation. "You wanted to talk?" she asked, rocking on her heels like an excited child.


    I took a breath. "Yeah, it¡¯s about us."


    Her face lit up instantly. "Oh! It¡¯s about your confession, right?! Baby, I love you too! You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment!"


    I swallowed hard and shook my head. "No, Serenity. It¡¯s¡­ about us breaking up."


    Silence.


    Her expression didn¡¯t shift at first¡ªlike her brain hadn¡¯t registered the words. Then, slowly, her smile faded.


    "What?" Her voice was quiet. Too quiet.


    I forced a weak chuckle, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah¡­ I just feel like I need to focus on myself, you know? I can¡¯t have three girls clinging to me all day."


    Her eyes flickered with something unreadable. Then she grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly.


    "You don¡¯t have to choose them," she whispered, desperation leaking into her voice. "You just have to choose me."


    I hesitated.


    She clung to me now, her grip tightening. "I love you, Kael. I¡¯ll be whatever you need me to be. I¡¯ll change. Just¡­ don¡¯t do this."


    Shit.


    "Serenity¡ª"


    Tears welled in her eyes. "I need you," she choked out. "Please. I can¡¯t¡ªI won¡¯t lose you."


    Her voice trembled, her entire body shaking. Then, her breath hitched as she whispered:


    "If you leave me¡­ I¡¯ll kill myself."


    My stomach twisted into knots.


    She meant it.


    I knew this was the game manipulating her emotions, twisting her into something broken and desperate. But that didn¡¯t make this any easier.


    I steeled myself. "Serenity, listen to me. This isn¡¯t healthy. Love isn''t about¡ª"


    She suddenly let go of my hand, her expression shifting into something unreadable. Her voice dropped to a whisper.


    "No. I won¡¯t let you."


    I tensed. "What did you just say?"


    She looked up at me, eyes hollow. "I won¡¯t let you do this. Either you stay with me¡­ or I¡¯ll have no choice but to kill you."


    I felt my stomach drop.


    Oh, come on, game. Just once, can I get a normal breakup?


    I clenched my fists, my mind racing. I had to end this. If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d never escape.


    Then she pulled out a knife.


    My reflection gleamed off the blade. My breath caught. For a split second, I saw someone else¡ªDanel. The moment I killed him. The moment I snapped.


    Pride. Arrogance. A part of me that had deserved to die.


    She lunged.


    I barely dodged.


    "I won¡¯t let you leave me!" she screamed.


    I exhaled sharply. Focus. This was nothing. Just breathe.


    I rushed forward and drove my fist into her face. She hit the ground hard but scrambled back up, her grip on the knife tightening.


    "You don¡¯t have to do this!" I shouted. "Life doesn¡¯t always go the way you want! It¡¯s going to knock you down, break you apart, but you can¡¯t lose yourself like this¡ª"


    I froze.


    Something¡ªno, someone¡ªgrabbed my arm.


    A hand.


    I had no time to react before the blade plunged into my stomach.


    A sharp, searing pain erupted through me.


    I gasped, but no sound came out. My body locked up. My legs buckled. I collapsed onto the ground, clutching my gut as blood spilled between my fingers.


    A low chuckle echoed above me.


    "Oh, Kael," a voice mocked. "You really thought you were in control?"


    My vision blurred. That voice¡ªwho was it?


    A slow, deliberate step. Then another. A figure loomed over me, sneering.


    "Man, you really are predictable," they continued, their tone dripping with amusement. "I knew you¡¯d try to be the hero. Give the little speech. Try to fix her. But guess what?"


    They crouched down, their breath hot against my ear.


    "You¡¯re the one who¡¯s broken."


    My fingers twitched, but I couldn¡¯t move.


    "Like you said¡­ life doesn¡¯t always go the way you want." A cold chuckle. "So, just like how you killed Pride, I¡¯m going to show you who¡¯s really in control."


    Their laughter sent ice down my spine.


    This wasn¡¯t the Overseer. It wasn¡¯t Mia.


    This was someone new.


    Serenity dropped the knife, staring at her bloodstained hands in horror.


    "I¡ªI didn¡¯t mean to¡ªI¡­" She fell to her knees, sobbing.


    And just like that¡­ I was dead.


    For the eleventh time.


    All the confidence, all the determination I had built up¡ªgone.


    I was just my pathetic self again.

 A Puppets Defiance

    I felt like I was on the floor.


    A dull ache spread through my body as I forced my eyes open. Marble pillars stretched high above me, smooth and perfect. A black carpet with golden trim led up to an empty throne. The air felt heavy¡ªlike the weight of something unseen was pressing down on me.


    Where the hell am I?


    Then, I heard him.


    ¡°Hey, Kael. Welcome to the Palace of Perdition¡ªhome of the hosts of the Seven Sins.¡±


    That voice. Smug. Amused. Familiar.


    I looked up. The man I bumped into at school. The same one who held me in place while Serenity stabbed me.


    It was him.


    I pushed myself up, my body still weak from death, and glared.


    ¡°Why the fuck did you do that?¡± I snapped.


    The man smirked, folding his arms. He looked like he was enjoying this.


    ¡°Because you were getting ahead of yourself,¡± he said, tilting his head slightly. ¡°You really thought you were in control, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    My fists clenched. I wouldn¡¯t say it, but¡­I had felt like I was handling things pretty well. Until, y¡¯know, I died.


    ¡°So what?¡± I shot back. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing? I wasn¡¯t being reckless. I knew I was still in the game.¡±


    He sighed dramatically, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Kael. You felt powerful. Admit it. You thought you could win against Serenity, thought you had it figured out. That confidence of yours? It¡¯s nothing more than a delusion.¡±


    His voice turned colder.


    ¡°I had to remind you of your place.¡±


    I glared at him. My place?


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing more than a puppet dancing for the Overseer¡¯s amusement. A jester in his little game.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°I already knew that. I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m here for a second chance. I need to fix things in my own world.¡±


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    The man laughed. Not just a chuckle¡ªa full, mocking laugh. Like I had said something hilarious.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re getting a second chance?¡± He smirked. ¡°God, you really are stupid.¡±


    He flicked his wrist, and with a snap, a table appeared between us. A chessboard sat atop it, pieces already in place. Two chairs materialized¡ªmy stomach twisted when I saw them.


    They were the same as the one I had hung myself from.


    A chill ran down my spine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make this easier for you,¡± he said, settling into one of the chairs. ¡°A game of chess.¡±


    The ticking of the game clock echoed through the vast palace.


    Reluctantly, I sat down.


    As I placed my hands on the table, he leaned forward, smirking.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who I am yet, do you?¡± he mused.


    I narrowed my eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Archbishop of Pride.¡±


    I stiffened.


    ¡°Not the host of Pride,¡± he clarified, moving his first piece. ¡°I serve Pride itself. The real deal. A person, by the way. Doubt you¡¯ll ever meet him, though.¡±


    He laughed at my expression, enjoying how little I knew.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your actual role in all this?¡± I asked, voice laced with irritation.


    ¡°My role?¡± His smirk grew wider. ¡°To make sure people like you remember their place.¡±


    My turn. I moved a piece forward. The clock ticked.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s make things interesting,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°A bet.¡±


    I paused mid-move. ¡°¡­What kind of bet?¡±


    The Archbishop¡¯s smile sharpened.


    ¡°If I can seduce those little ¡®girlfriends¡¯ of yours and become the school president, I win.¡± He leaned back. ¡°And after that, I get to kill you. Permanently.¡±


    My grip on the chess piece tightened. He was toying with me.


    ¡°And what do I get if I win?¡± I asked coldly.


    ¡°If you can keep your girls and become president instead of me, I¡¯ll leave you alone.¡±


    I scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s everything,¡± he corrected. ¡°I¡¯ll step aside and stop interfering. No more surprises. No more knives in the back.¡±


    I eyed him. ¡°Why even make this bet? Why not just leave me alone?¡±


    He chuckled, amused.


    ¡°I could,¡± he admitted. ¡°But where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±


    He moved another chess piece.


    ¡°I like watching you struggle.¡±


    He tapped his fingers against the table, smug.


    ¡°You see, the Overseer doesn¡¯t care about me. My kind. We have more power than him. So I can do whatever the hell I want.¡±


    The ticking of the chess clock filled the silence between us.


    He folded his hands together. ¡°So¡­do we have a deal?¡±


    I stared at the board.


    ¡°And if I decline?¡± I asked.


    The Archbishop grinned. A predator¡¯s grin.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill you here and now.¡± He reached toward his coat. ¡°And trust me, Kael, you wouldn¡¯t last five seconds.¡±


    He made a show of slowly drawing a dagger from his belt. The blade gleamed under the golden palace lights.


    I could feel it. The weight of his confidence.


    He truly believed I was nothing compared to him.


    I exhaled sharply, weighing my options. I had no choice.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I set my king piece down. ¡°I accept.¡±


    The Archbishop¡¯s eyes flashed with satisfaction.


    ¡°Oh, and Kael?¡± he added, extending his hand.


    I hesitated before shaking it.


    The moment our hands touched, my vision went black.


    His voice was the last thing I heard.


    ¡°Even if you die, I¡¯ll just reset the bet. Just saying.¡±


    A cruel laugh echoed in the void.


    ¡°Who knows? You might still lose.¡±


    Not a chance.


    As the darkness swallowed me, my fingers clenched into fists. He thought he could humiliate me. Toy with me.


    But he made one mistake.


    He challenged me.


    I will win.


    And I will make him regret ever thinking he could control me.