The Jest of Shadows

+Rewrite of "I Jest"+ In the shadowed corners of the world, where power and darkness intertwine, lives Earnest Samael Creed—a man forged by pain, tempered by cruelty, and driven by a singular purpose: revenge. Abused and scorned by his powerful family, Earnest has long since abandoned any hope of love or kindness. Instead, he has become a master of cold efficiency, an emotionless soldier with a dark past and a mind as sharp as a blade. At twenty-one, Earnest is a high-ranking operative in the army, known for his deadly precision and unflinching demeanor. But his true strength lies in the shadows—both in the real world and the virtual. Selected by the army to beta-test a cutting-edge virtual reality game, Cyber Steam Online, Earnest steps into a world where the lines between reality and fantasy blur, and where his darkest desires can be unleashed without consequence. In this steampunk universe filled with danger, corruption, and intrigue, Earnest adopts the persona of "Jest," a twisted jester who thrives on chaos and destruction. As he ascends the ranks of the underworld in the game, his real-life connections to the notorious Argento mafia family begin to surface. Gracelyn Argento, a cold and sadistic genius bio-scientist, is the only person who truly understands him. Their dark, yandere romance is built on mutual obsession and a shared love for power and control. Together, Earnest and Gracelyn navigate the treacherous waters of both the real and virtual worlds, their bond growing ever stronger as they face enemies on all fronts. But as Earnest rises to power in Cyber Steam Online, he begins to confront the demons of his past. Flashbacks reveal the brutal abuse he endured at the hands of his family, and the calculated revenge he has meticulously planned for years. Earnest's journey is one of self-discovery and vengeance, as he prepares to exact his long-awaited retribution on those who wronged him. But in the end, even as he stands on the precipice of victory, a twist of fate threatens to unravel everything he has worked for. Earnest must navigate the intricate web of power, love, and revenge, where trust is a rare commodity, and betrayal lurks around every corner. Will he achieve his ultimate goal, or will the shadows consume him entirely? *I do not own the cover. *