Prologue

"In its profundity I saw — ingathered and bound by love into one single volume — what, in the universe, seems separate, scattered."

 (Dante, Paradiso, Canto 33)

In the warm, softly lit lecture hall of the university, Professor Matilda Dawes stood before a group of eager third-year students, her gaze sweeping across the sea of faces. The air was charged with a palpable sense of curiosity and ambition, a testament to the years these young minds, spanning majors from computer science to economics to physics, had dedicated to their academic pursuits.

"Today," she began, her voice resonating with a blend of authority and passion, "we delve into the intricate world of game theory, a landscape where mathematics, psychology, and strategic behavior intertwine."

As she spoke, the projector hummed to life, casting a glow across the whiteboard that now displayed an intricate matrix of choices, payoffs, and strategies.

"Consider the classic Prisoner's Dilemma," she continued, her pointer tracing the crisscrossing lines of the diagram. The students leaned forward, their pens poised above notebooks, ready to capture the essence of her words.

"Two individuals, arrested and isolated, each faced with a choice: to betray the other or to remain silent. If both remain silent, they face minimal punishment. However, if one betrays and the other remains silent, the betrayer goes free while the silent suffers the maximum penalty. If both betray, both receive a moderate penalty. This predicament," she elaborated, "illustrates the complexity of decision-making when individual interests conflict with mutual benefit. It's a profound demonstration of trust, risk, and the consequences of our choices in the face of uncertainty."

Professor Dawes turned to face her class, her eyes glinting with enthusiasm.

"But let's not forget, game theory isn't just a theoretical exercise. It's a tool, a lens through which we can examine human behavior in competitive and cooperative scenarios."

She paced slowly, her hands gesturing to emphasize her points.

"From economics to political science, from evolutionary biology to computer science, the applications are vast and deeply impactful."

As the hour progressed, the lecture hall transformed into a vibrant arena of intellectual exchange. Questions sprang up like wildfire, sparking animated debates among the students, with Professor Dawes skillfully navigating the discourse. She pushed her students to explore the depths of game theory, challenging them to look beyond the confines of their textbooks. Amidst this lively exchange, one student, Dante Fellan, appeared slightly out of sync with the environment. Seated near the back, his demeanor was unassuming, his gaze often drifting into the distance, as if he were exploring realms beyond the immediate discussion.

Dante's presence was hard to notice; he was mostly silent during the lectures, with his thoughts running mostly astray. If some of his classmates were asked to talk about Dante, most would think for a bit and end up answering, "Yeah, that smart guy who doesn't talk too much," or "The one hanging out with Alex?", or even "He is very smart, but I don't know much more about him." Yet, it's the spirited few who share memorable tales: "Oh yes, the guy Professor Henry caught gazing out the window. He asked him a question, only to receive a perfect answer. That was probably the first time I've seen Henry speechless for more than a second."

As the class drew to a close, two figures made their way toward him. "Hey, the new update came out yesterday, lots of changes. Wanna check it out later? Randall and Scott are joining; we'd complete the team with you." Alex, in stark contrast to Dante, was exceedingly social but struggled academically. His life philosophy was 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger,' a mantra he unfortunately applied to his studies, barely scraping through at the end of each semester… every semester.

"Bug off, we have an event at the chess club today," retorted Susan, who was unofficially dubbed Dante's girlfriend. However, the reality was that nothing romantic had ever transpired between them; they were just close friends. Susan was incredibly diligent, arguably within the top three for study discipline in the class, but she lacked creativity, often relying more on memory than on logic. She was incredibly fond of chess, having read countless books and mastered many openings, yet she struggled with the mid-game and end game. This was the complete opposite of Dante, who had probably never read a chess book in his life but would still win every game against Susan.

Dante looked at both of them and smiled. "I'll check it out tonight, Alex. You guys can test it first, just team up with any random player online." He then turned to Susan. "It was at two, right?"

"Wow, you remembered," Maria said, looking at him squarely. "The time we agreed to have lunch. It's not like you have three messages on your phone saying it's at 3 PM, right?"

"Well, I'll leave you with your girl, man," Alex said, winking an eye in amusement. "I'm going to have fun with the boys. Don't join too late, and read the changelog first. A lot of stuff happened, and they nerfed your guy again."

"What! Wait, wait, again! How could they nerf him again? What the hell is wrong with them?" Dante exclaimed, but Alex just laughed and walked away.

"Ahem," Susan coughed. "So, meet you at the usual place at 1:50?"

"Eh... yeah, yeah," Dante was still in shock after Alex dropped that bomb on him, but then he just shook his head, thinking maybe he was just teasing. He would check the changelog later. But if they did nerf his character again, he would definitely sue the company for discrimination and whatever else he could add.

He finished packing his stuff and, out of curiosity, started looking at the clock atop the classroom. He felt something stir within him. Absent-mindedly, he watched as the clock's hands slowly moved toward 1, as the seconds ticked by, all the way until the bell sounded.

But then everything went black. A strange, otherworldly voice echoed through the engulfing shadows, "This will be fun."

And in that moment, everything changed.