As everyone's attention shifted to the clock, its hands inching towards 12, a sudden and unexpected darkness swept over the room. A strange, otherworldly voice echoed through the engulfing shadows, "This will be fun."

And in that moment, everything changed.

...

"Let's see, for you... what about a game of chess?" the skeleton proposed, its voice a strange blend of ageless wisdom and playful mischief.

...

"The world is filled with uncertainties and choices," the skeleton began, its voice echoing softly in the void. "They intertwine in a beautiful, complex way – not entirely random, but not predetermined either. You're not completely free, yet not entirely a prisoner. To simplify... or perhaps complicate things, I'm setting you humans in a game. A vast game, by your standards. The 'why' of this game is for you to uncover, as is its objective."

...

“You’ve pondered it, but the true scope of this Game is beyond your wildest imagination…” A brief pause punctuated its point, “You are simply too limited in your current state to grasp its magnitude,” it continued. “No matter what strategy you devise, what concept you conjure, or what combination you dream up, anything within the realm of human creation or conception, even with your stats boosted a thousandfold, will not even remotely approach the complexity of the Game.”

...

"Your efforts may finally prove beneficial, Alice," her mother continued, her tone shifting as she broached a subject heavy with implications. "We have received an offer of marriage on your behalf. Richard, the Count's second son, has shown interest."

...

In the quiet, she schemed, her influence extending unseen through whispered words and carefully planted ideas. Her musings occasionally ventured to whether it was sight that rendered others so blissfully unaware of the deeper currents of life, or if she, endowed with an extraordinary mind amidst her physical limitations, was an anomaly in a world too shallow to fathom her depths.

...

Maybe, just maybe, her times of boredom were over.

...

Did the fact he didn't fight on the front lines mean he was a coward? The reality was he really wished he could. How could he not crave the adrenaline of wielding superhuman strength, of shouting as he faced insurmountable odds? He wished he had magic, he wished he could level up and be respected by friends and foes alike. He wished for it a lot. Fuck, he wished he still had his other eye and his arm. But reality was cruel; he was dealt a bad hand and had to make the most of it. He made his choices, his sacrifices, for the best outcome.

***

What's in store with “A Tale of Fate, Choices & Summons, Vol. 1: The Summoner’s Gambit"?

-Heavy on game elements and progression.
-A slow burn with precise conciseness throughout the story.
-Multiple POVs with two main characters.
-A new concept for a necromancer... sorry, an undead summoner like you've never seen!
-Laughs, because who doesn't need a giggle?
-Characters that grow on you, literally.
-Enlightenment typical of the wuxia-style.
-Kingdom management.

*Updates each two days, with chapters of 2000+ words.
*For extra chapters check out patreon.com/Wavequill