Chapter II - The Red King

"Chess!" Ferald said with such a smile on his face that even the simple word gave him such glee "the game of the wise, the war of strategy and intelligence where every move counts to a conclusion". Thesus felt the feeling of doubt swell his chest as no string of logic would ever tell him that it was that simple, "what's the catch sorcerer?" Ferald played with the crown on the White King's piece on the board. Eventually picking him up and revealing it to the desperate King. "if you win… I will grant you what you wish…if you lose, you will lose." Thesus questioned Feralds true motive, an internal debate was set questioning the morality of such a wager. Yet the reward in his eyes was much greater than what he could risk, if there was any risk. "I accept the wager, whatever the cost". Feral replied "so be it" he spoke an incantation in a language which felt like the ground itself understood every word, Looking at the piece in his hands as if he was speaking to it, he placed it in the old man's hands and wrapped his fist round it. Looking up into Thesus's eyes deep into his soul as he squeezes the King's fist. Incantations spoken louder and louder, each syllable exaggerated as if he was warping the wager into a deal with the devil. Feralt eyes sharpened and for a split second, his pupils turned black as night as if they were voids consuming the white around them. Thesus's looked at his closed palm feeling a painful sensation enclosed inside his fist. He slowly opened his hand, blood oozing out of his hand tho more he unclasped. But it as if there was no cut to be seen, with that there was no piece . His eyes shot at Ferald, then straight at the board… Black and white pieces as usual…. But the White King was there covered in blood. The red clashing with the contrast of the black and white made Thesus felt uneasy, scared even. But not just fear, something greater than that. The thing that feared him the most was the unknown. 

Ferald sat on the dark oak chair, and looked down at the black King, slowly turned it 180° to face him "So…" He looked at the old man cast his hand out with an open palm towards the White Oak chair and proposed the question "Shall we begin?" on either side they sat opposing each other, examining each piece on the board wondering how to propose this battle of wood and steel, Thesus was the first to make the move first. He moved the white pawn forward two paces, exposing the King. Ferald delicately plucked the Left Knight and moved it into the center of play. Thesus was somewhat surprised that such a bold yet aggressive move was played. He thought nothing of it and moved his right pawn two spaces forward to release his castle from the prison the pawn kept him from. Ferald knocked the pawn over and placed the Knight in its place.

Horses mounted by armoured men stand side by side on a steep hill, helmets shielding their identities from the world. Their bodies covered in metal shining yet not white, nor chrome. But black, cold. Consuming reflections that could have mirrored what shone upon them. Whispers started their endless chats in the soldiers ears, dark evil thoughts corrupted their minds and souls along with them. The horses all grew uneasy, riled up and anxious as they're masters we're no longer the most noble of them all. Down they looked upon a small poor village made of thatch and wood, farming crops of wheat and feeding the pigs they kept penned in like the animals they are. The Black knights stood in front of the setting sun, revealing the hundred mounted dark silhouettes, one took out a dark green raven out of a small cage, then wrote on a strip of parchment and wrapped it around the birds ankle, the man whispered something into the ravens ear and set it off on its long journey, it flew away to the south with such speed, the band of knights rode down from there stand and charged with force onto the settlement, sliding their swords out there sheaths and flashed them bare pointed at the village, each Man pointing their weapons at the individual innocents that stood in their way of there blood fuelled rampage Blood flooded the streets, the mud soaked up the blood spilt, screams filled the valley. Then came the smoke, it burned the sky caused by the roofs falling, crying out embers. A once peaceful village in the land of Thesus's realm, slaughtered and destroyed, just like that. Thesus was not aware of the punishments that would become of his actions, nor will he before it's too late. Unaware of what he sacrificed. He continued with the game,the war for everything.