The Empathy Tax
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Ongoing, First published May 01, 2026

The narrative traces Kaelen Vance navigates a world where emotional labor is currency. She works as an emotional processor, absorbing the trauma of others, yet struggling to maintain her own detachment. The narrative traces Kaelen’s path as she infiltrates a clandestine auction—a lavish event offering immunity from emotional fallout—and encounters a mysterious stranger, Ezra Thorne. He warns her of corruption and provides evidence of systemic manipulation. As Kaelen delves deeper, she uncovers a conspiracy suggesting emotions themselves are manufactured and controlled, hinting at a hidden role for herself within the system.
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