if (love === lost && fate === rigged) { play_hand("defiance"); }

In the rain-drenched streets of Styx City, where neon lights flicker like dying stars, Charlie King is a private eye haunted by more than just his past. Plagued by dreams of ancient battles and lost loves, he stumbles upon a case that blurs the line between reality and memory. His search for Ivy, a woman he believes to be the key to his salvation, leads him into the darkest corners of the city—where shadows have secrets and love is the sharpest blade of all. As he confronts the enigmatic Red Queen and the ruthless Red King, Charlie must face a truth he’s been running from: sometimes the hardest battle isn’t against the world but within. In a game where the House always wins, Charlie’s not playing to survive—he’s playing to break free.

Read the short story [runtime=”32m”]:

Soundtrack (from Punchline of the Void): Neon Tears