Preface

About three years ago I had the idea to write Purgatory Chronicles. I am not sure where the idea stemmed from, but I was likely watching Isekai anime at the time. Potentially Re:Zero or another show that is similar.

I’ve had moments in my life where I was sensitive to depictions of death and tragedy in media. When I wrote Purgatory Chronicles, it seems I must have been in a phase where I was more desensitized and willing to write content that was more sensational when it comes to portraying death as spectacle. These writings no longer align with how I believe death should be portrayed in media.

Today, I am more careful with how I portray and write death; however, as an exercise and habit, I decided to revisit this series and reflect upon it. Despite discontinuing the series, I’ve stolen characters and concepts from it for one of my newer series, Power, Curses, & Broken Promises (PC&BP).

Here you’ll find a Proof of Concept chapter, a re-polished nine chapters (which were originally published to Wattpad), and a reflection piece at the end. This story has changed dramatically from its first conception, to what made it on Wattpad, and to what I am now creating.

The Proof of Concept was focused on a very contained world with a few characters playing these “games” that the Game Keeper puts on. Oddly enough, this coincidentally was similar to what “The Amazing Digital Circus” is. (I wrote this proof of concept in November of 2023, prior to ever having watched the pilot for “The Amazing Digital Circus” which released in October of 2023). I started writing what actually became Purgatory Chronicles in July of 2024 as a one month writing challenge on Wattpad, where I had to finish eight chapters within a month. It was severely different from the Proof of Concept, expanding into a whole afterlife, political systems, and magic factions. I had finished the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin and was currently reading the Dune books by Frank Herbert. Both likely influenced me at the time, although I could not hope to match the writing quality. The most obvious influence from Frank Herbert was starting my chapters with excerpts from in-universe documents.

Stumbling upon the Proof of Concept chapter in my old files was a treat and also what sparked this project. Sometimes my writing grows in ambition and starts expanding rapidly before coming back.

Purgatory Chronicles is unfinished and I have no plans to continue it. The story does not align with my convictions or writing taste. I am re-visiting it as a reflection project.

I’ve fallen in love with many of the characters, Viviette Grenadine being a favorite of mine. I couldn’t leave them in stasis for a mediocre story. These characters work better in a different context and different story. When I get around to publishing PC&BP, you’ll see a lot of Purgatory Chronicles return. Liam, Viviette, Alaric, and the Game Keeper return. They are operating in a new context (No longer an Isekai or story of incarnating into another world). You may also recognize that the magic system is heavily transferred over.

If you decide to read Purgatory Chronicles, then I’d invite you to also partake in Power, Curses, & Broken Promises. That is where you’ll truly get to see these characters shine.

Now, I’ll let you get on with the reading. Enjoy.