Chương 1: Chapter 1: The Fall and Rise of Valerius Nightshade, The Duke of Shadows
The smell of antiseptic filled the room, cold and sterile. A single monitor beeped rhythmically, its dull sound counting down the last moments of Marcus Reynard's life. He lay on the hospital bed, staring at the flickering fluorescent lights above him. The sharp pain in his chest had dulled to a numb throb, a sign that the end was near.
Marcus had been an average man—mid-thirties, working a desk job that paid enough to cover the bills but never gave him satisfaction. He had no family, no friends to speak of. His life had passed in quiet monotony.
As the days had blurred into weeks, weeks into years, his only escape had been through gaming. Imperium's Dominion, a world where power meant everything, where lords and nobles clashed in a deadly dance for control of the empire. Marcus had spent countless hours immersed in that digital realm, always as a calculating figure, always dreaming of wielding true power.
But now, in the final moments of his life, all of that seemed pointless. How could I waste so much time? he thought bitterly, his breaths growing shallow. Regret gnawed at him, a pit deep in his stomach. The game had been his refuge, but what had it gotten him in the end? Alone, in a hospital room, dying of heart failure.
A tear slipped from the corner of his eye, and as his vision blurred, the beeping of the monitor slowed. If only I could have lived in that world, he thought wistfully. If only I had another chance...
The world faded to black.
---
A sharp gasp echoed in the darkness. Marcus bolted upright, cold sweat clinging to his skin. His heart raced in his chest, thudding against his ribs like a war drum. But something was different. He wasn't lying in a hospital bed anymore. He wasn't dying.
He blinked, trying to make sense of the world around him. The bed beneath him was impossibly soft, draped in rich velvet. Heavy curtains adorned the towering windows of the room, and the scent of incense and burning wood filled the air. Everything looked lavish, extravagant even, as if he had been transported to some royal palace.
This isn't... His thoughts faltered as he caught sight of his reflection in the ornate mirror on the wall.
It wasn't his face.
Gone were the tired eyes and sunken cheeks of a man who had wasted away behind a desk. Instead, the face staring back at him was sharp, aristocratic, with piercing silver eyes and dark hair that fell in loose waves around his shoulders. He touched his face, half-expecting it to shatter like glass, but the skin was warm and real.
This can't be happening, he thought, panic rising in his chest. He swung his legs out of bed and stumbled toward the mirror, his limbs moving clumsily, as if they belonged to someone else.
A knock echoed from the door, and Marcus—or whoever he was now—froze. His mind screamed at him to run, to hide, but he was too stunned to move. The door creaked open, and a figure stepped in, bowing deeply.
"My Lord Valerius," the man said, his voice calm and measured. "Your presence is required in the council chamber."
Valerius. That's...my name?
It clicked then, like a puzzle piece sliding into place. The grand room, the lavish bed, the name—this wasn't just any world. This was Imperium's Dominion. And he wasn't Marcus anymore. He was Duke Valerius Nightshade, the Duke of Shadows, second only to the emperor.
A wave of cold fear crashed over him.
The game had been a place where strategy and manipulation ruled, where powerful nobles owned gates that connected to other dimensions, through which beasts of unimaginable terror poured into the world. The gates were both the empire's lifeblood and its greatest threat, and now...now he was standing in the heart of that world.
This is real. The thought gripped him, sending a shiver down his spine. In the game, he had always been in control, moving pieces on a board, calculating every move. But here...here, the stakes were real. The danger was real. One wrong move, and he wouldn't just lose a game—he would lose his life.
The servant still waited, head bowed, as if oblivious to the Duke's inner turmoil. Valerius clenched his fists, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his mind. I need to think. I need time.
"Tell them I'll be there shortly," Valerius managed, his voice steadier than he felt. The servant bowed again and left the room without a word, leaving Valerius alone with his thoughts.
He sank into a nearby chair, his heart still pounding in his chest. I need to adjust... The room seemed to spin around him as reality set in. This was no longer a game. The beasts that came through the gates could rip him apart. The empire was a powder keg, waiting for any spark to ignite it. And he was at the center of it all.
Fear gnawed at him, clawing at the edges of his mind. He had no idea how to survive in this world. In the game, he had always relied on the knowledge that he could reset, start over if things went wrong. But here, there were no second chances. The gods and devils of this world played for keeps.
His thoughts spiraled, dark and heavy. I can't die here. Not like this.
Valerius drew a shaky breath, closing his eyes. I need to stay alive. That was his first priority. Power, control—those things could come later. But for now, he had to survive.
His ability, Telekinesis, hummed in the back of his mind, a faint whisper of power. He knew that if he could master it, it would be his greatest weapon in this world. But it would take time, and time wasn't something he had in abundance.
He opened his eyes, staring at his reflection once more. The silver eyes of Duke Valerius stared back at him, cold and calculating. I need to learn the rules of this world all over again, he thought grimly. And I need to play it smarter than I ever did before.
The title of Duke came with power, influence, and wealth. But it also came with enemies—enemies who would stop at nothing to see him fall.
Valerius Nightshade, he thought, testing the name on his tongue. It felt foreign, but there was a strength in it. A darkness. The Duke of Shadows.
He would use that name, use the reputation that came with it, to carve out his place in this deadly game.
But first, he needed time to adjust, to gather his strength and learn. He would bide his time, stay in the shadows, and when the moment was right...he would strike.
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Hey_you_there This chapter sets the stage for Valerius’ journey, focusing on his initial fear and the dangers of the new world. We can expand on his adjustment to his new life, the political landscape, and the challenges of managing his gate as the story progresses. Like it ? Add to library!
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