Ander's head was spinning. One moment he had been on his couch, a gaming controller in hand, and the next, he was… here. His surroundings were alien—an eerie, shadowed landscape stretching as far as the eye could see, filled with towering black trees that seemed to whisper among themselves. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, but the scene remained the same. This wasn't a dream. The air was cold, unnaturally so, and the sky above was an endless expanse of dark clouds.

Where am I? Ander thought, his mind racing. He looked down at himself and gasped. His body was no longer his own. Gone were his flesh and bones; instead, he saw a skeletal frame, bleached white and slightly glowing in the dim light. His hands, or what remained of them, were bony claws.

What the hell is going on? Panic surged through him, but it was quickly drowned out by a calm, emotionless voice that echoed in his mind.

Welcome, Lord of the Dead. You have been chosen to participate in the Game. Your objective: survive, expand your domain, and rise to power in this new world.

The voice faded, leaving Ander in stunned silence. The Game? The words seemed absurd, yet the reality of his situation was undeniable. He was no longer in his world. He was no longer human.

Suddenly, a translucent screen popped up in front of his vision, displaying what seemed like a system HUD from a video game.

Name: Ander

Class: Lord of the Dead

Race: Undead

Level: 1

XP: 0/100

Health: 100

Strength: 15

Dexterity: 15

Stamina: Infinite

Intelligence: 20

Mana: 1,000

Racial Gift: Lord of Bones – Grants a 15% bonus to all stats for undead creatures under your control.

Skills:

• Death Bolt - Cost: 75 Mana, Damage: 50

• Hex - Cost: 50 Mana, Slows Target by 25%, Weakens Target by 20%

• Inspect - Provides an overview of items, buildings, and troops

Buildings:

• House (Level 1): 0/100 Wood, 0/100 Stone (upgrade requirement)

• Other Buildings: Locked

Inventory:

• Items: None

• Currency: 5 Iron Summoning Coins

Ander stared at the stats, trying to make sense of everything. Lord of the Dead? He had always loved playing necromancers and dark wizards in video games, but this… this was real. He was in a game, but the stakes were higher than anything he'd ever experienced before.

The HUD blinked again, and a new message appeared.

Tutorial: Summon your first troops using the Summoning Portal.

A faint blue light caught Ander's attention, and he turned to see a glowing portal a few paces away. The urge to summon something, anything, was strong—perhaps a primal instinct ingrained in his new skeletal form. He approached the portal and felt a strange energy humming through his bones.

The HUD updated with more information.

Summoning Portal:

• Summoning Cost: 1 Summoning Coin per troop

He had five Iron Summoning Coins, and each coin would give him a minion. Here goes nothing. Ander thought as he inserted one of the coins into the portal.

The portal flared with light, and a moment later, a skeletal figure emerged—a Skeletal Minion. It stood about four feet tall, with a small, human-shaped body. Its fingertips were slightly elongated and sharp, and a deep blue flame flickered in its eye sockets. The minion had no armor or clothing and appeared fragile, but Ander could feel the connection between them—this creature was his to command.

Another screen appeared:

Skeletal Minion:

• Health: 50

• Strength: 5

• Dexterity: 5

• Stamina: Infinite

• Intelligence: 2

• Racial Gift: Fleshless – Immune to all forms of poison and toxins.

• Special Ability: None

Ander summoned four more Skeletal Minions, each identical to the first. As they assembled before him, Ander decided to name them—one small act of control in an otherwise chaotic situation.

I'll call you Bone, Ash, Dust, Flint, and Rattle, he thought, pointing to each one in turn. The names felt right, even if they were simple. His small army of minions was ready, but now he needed to figure out what to do next.

New Quest: Upgrade your house to Level 2.

Reward: 50 XP, 10 Summoning Coins

The HUD updated again, showing the requirements: 100 Wood and 100 Stone. Ander glanced around at the barren landscape. The dark forest was thick with gnarled trees—likely the source of wood—but the stone would require more exploration.

Before setting out, Ander used his Inspect skill on his surroundings to get a better sense of what he was dealing with. The trees registered as Darkwood Trees and the ground was a mix of dirt and small rocks, though none that would count as proper stone for building.

Ander's thoughts raced as he processed the information. This is real. I have to survive. The gravity of his situation was starting to sink in. His hands—bony and cold—tightened into fists. He had no idea how he got here or why, but one thing was clear: he would have to adapt quickly.

He sent his minions to gather wood from the Darkwood Trees. The skeletal creatures moved with surprising speed, their sharp fingers effortlessly cutting through the tough bark. Ander followed them, overseeing their work, and felt a strange satisfaction in watching them obey his commands without question.

As he wandered, he noticed a faint noise—a rustling in the underbrush. Ander's heart, or what used to be his heart, quickened. He used Inspect again, focusing on the source of the noise.

Crimson-Eyed Beast:

• Level: 2

• Health: 150

• Strength: 20

• Dexterity: 10

• Stamina: 100

• Intelligence: 5

• Special Abilities: Night Vision, Enhanced Hearing

The creature was a twisted, wolf-like beast with glowing red eyes and matted fur. It was strong—stronger than Ander's minions—but he had no choice. He had to fight.

"Bone, Ash, Dust, Flint, Rattle—prepare for battle!" Ander commanded, his voice steady despite his fear. The minions formed a line, their skeletal forms stark against the dark landscape.

As the Crimson-Eyed Beast lunged from the shadows, Ander cast Hex, slowing the beast's movements and weakening its strength. The minions swarmed it, their claws scratching and tearing at its flesh. The beast snarled and snapped at them, but it was slower, its attacks less effective.

Ander focused his mana and launched a Death Bolt. The dark energy struck the beast, causing it to yelp in pain as the spell sapped its life force. The battle was brief, but intense. In the end, it was Bone who delivered the final blow, his claws tearing through the beast's throat.

DING: Your soldiers have killed Crimson-Eyed Beast. +20 XP.

The battle was over, but Ander felt a strange satisfaction—a cold, hollow feeling that resonated with his new undead nature. He ordered his minions to butcher the beast, knowing the meat could be useful for trading with others or for feeding his growing army.

New Quest: Collect 100 Wood and 100 Stone to upgrade your house.

Reward: 50 XP, 10 Summoning Coins

He had his next goal, but as he stood over the corpse of the Crimson-Eyed Beast, Ander realized something important: this world was brutal, unforgiving, and he was alone. But he had power—power to control the undead, to bend them to his will. And in this world, power was everything.

Ander clenched his skeletal hand into a fist. I will survive. No matter what.

As his minions gathered wood and butchered the beast, Ander took a moment to explore his surroundings more. He was slowly adjusting to his skeletal form, the cold no longer bothered him, and the eerie landscape began to feel more familiar. He inspected his land, marking potential areas for expansion and strategizing how best to defend it.

With each step, Ander felt a growing connection to this world, a sense of purpose that was both terrifying and exhilarating. The Game had begun, and Ander intended to play it well.