βΛβΉα° Forsaken Hearts: A Forsaken Dating Sim!
9 parts Ongoing (Crosspost on AO3)
The monotonous purgatory setup raises no stakes, no reward at the end of the road. Boredom seeps in this very game the Spectre plays god, and with unwarranted freedom given to an entity-a being of code-that craves power through torment, they mock their victims with a patch update:
"Welcome to the next stage of the game."
"A dating simulation. With a side of death."
"One of you has been cast as the protagonist-the heartthrob of this hellhole. The rest of you? Suitors. Rivals. Background extras. Play your parts well."
"Win the protagonist's affection. Compete for his attention. At the end of this trial, the protagonist will have to choose someone. And only then will he and his chosen partner leave this place."
"Elliot, darling? Smile for the camera."
(Current chapters may undergo a bit of rewrite for more polishing whilst I write the next chapter.)