Gambit

His feet were constantly tapping on the carriage floor as he scrunched his brows with furrowed concentration. Drops of perspiration rode down his face. In an attempt to cool off, he ran his hands through his brown hair.

The atmosphere was tense to the point where a slick butter knife could cut through it. He looked around nervously, trying to figure out how to get out of the situation he was in. He was met with the cold stare of the adolescent girl in front of him.

His green eyes were strained with concentration; his head was bowed down to the chess board. He inhaled deeply.

He said, opening his eyes, in a deep, clear voice.

"I lost."

"I guess it's my turn."

The teenage girl moved her queen to e3. "Stalemate."

They both stood up and shook hands.

"Good game," they both said.

"You could've won? Why did you move to e3? " The boy said, putting the chess pieces into a bag.

"There is no point in continuing a futile fight."

The boy's name was Theo Pendragon. The last surviving member of the Dragon bloodline He opened up a window and stretched his arms. "Hey, are you sure your plan will work out?"

"It's fine, Theo, I can only assume what other people will do; I can not predict it, Life is not a chess game."

"Plus, this is the only chance we have to change our lives."

I guess she's right. Damn it. I guess this might be the last time we see each other.

Theo glared at Ember, who was standing in front of her while biting his lips in frustration.

'If I had chosen to act 9 years ago, maybe I could've prevented her from doing this'

Theo shook his head to get rid of useless thoughts.

She looked up at herself in the mirror. "Come on, smile," she said, adjusting her features to suit a smile.

He reached under the seat, pulled out a katana, and handed it to her. "Use this to protect yourself, I'm sorry, but I am unable to protect you there."

"I don't need that," she responded, throwing the sword aside and opening the door.

Even with Theo dissuading her, Ember ignored his advice and existed. Theo had no other choice but to accept the chance that he might lose everything again while restlessly shaking his legs and biting his nails.

"I wish you luck," he said.

19-year-old Ember Giwon stepped out of the carriage wearing a dark purple gown, the same color as her eyes.

She was the true embodiment of beauty. Her raven-black hair flew and danced with the wind as if they were one. She radiated elegance and serenity with every step.

She stopped at the entrance to the gate to put on a dark-red lipstick and fix herself.

"One gold per transport," the Royal Guard yelled.

Royal guards are individuals chosen by the council for their innate strength and abilities to guard Yggdrasil, the sacred tree that allows people to travel between realms and continents.

"Raia's Lake" Ember took out one gold coin and handed it to the guard.

Ting

The Royal guard opens the portal. "You may pass."

Ember told herself, "it's now or never' as she entered the gate.

***

[ Raia's Gate]

A young man around Ember's age stood on the balcony, where he and Ember agreed to meet. Cale was a lovely blonde with blue eyes. wearing a suit that matches the color of chocolate

Despite what Cale said, Ember couldn't be seen on the balcony.

Time quickly passed from the 8 o'clock he'd promised to meet Ember at, and it got closer to 9 o'clock. Cale strolled around the entrance by himself and mumbled.

"Ember, that bastard. She talked about meeting the next day, but I can't even see her anywhere. It would have been better if she hadn't said she was coming. "

"I should've never come here. It's just a waste of time. "

'I could've gone to the party '

For Cale, it would be better to take care of those with better talent and standing.

But for Cale, a noble who was at the top of his class to be hanging out with her, Ember was just a girl he met at the bar who was one of "the cursed ones" who were incapable of using magic.

Cale let out a sigh as he observed his surroundings. As soon as he did so, he saw Ember strolling around at the entrance mumbling.

Ember started to make her way up the stairs to the balcony for her engagement.

Ember considered every scenario for what might happen after her plan was successful with each step. She stopped to admire the spiral staircase.

'I guess the golden ratio can be found anywhere.'

She walked up the stairs, feeling the handrail to figure out what it was made of.

'Gold or Silver'

Before she knew it, she was at the entrance to the balcony. She inhaled deeply before climbing onto the balcony.

"Hi Cale"

"Hey"

Cale grabbed Ember and took her to the edge of the balcony. He presented her with a white rose and went down on one knee and asked her, "Will you marry me?"

"Cale..." Before she could say anything, he dropped the rose and quickly grabbed her hands and pulled her close.

"What in the world is he going to do?"

'Is he going for a kiss'

Normally, Ember would not allow someone to get so close to her, but today was a special occasion, and her months-long plan was finally coming to fruition. As a result, she willingly accepted what was about to occur.

He held her by the hips. He gradually drew her in closer until their faces were so close that she felt a wave of heat travel from her stomach to her chest. Her heart began to beat faster and faster as his lips approached hers. Her heart skipped a beat as his aroma drew her in.

Her entire body tingled from the sensation of his body pressing against hers and his arms wrapping around her. He drew her in, seizing her mouth once more. This feeling was indescribable until her knees buckled. She closed her eyes, savoring the kiss and her plan's success...

Ember yells in agony, "Arrgh!"

Her chest ached with a scorching sensation unlike any she'd experienced before, and it was agonizing. She pushed him away on instinct and took a step back before balling up and collapsing to the ground, attempting to absorb the impact.

She was utterly perplexed and unsure of what had occurred. She wanted to get out of here, but she couldn't.

"Aargh!" she screams.

As time passed, the pain in her chest became more intense. She looked down and reached for the cause of her pain, hoping that it was all a dream. A dagger had pierced her chest.

"Did I?" she inquired, having been stabbed.

'No, I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming, this isn't real,' she says.

Her body began to tremble.

"I need to double-check," she said, wrapping her fingers around the dagger. She rubbed her tummy. She screams, "Aargh! It hurts! " "It's red... Oh, sh*t, I'm bleeding, I'm bleeding!!"

Her hands were scarlet and stained with blood, and she started shaking as she felt it. She burst into laughter. "It's not a dream, I'm going to die,"

She screams, "It stings." "It hurts!" Her entire body was in excruciating pain. It stings one second and then burns the next.

To her, the pain was extremely hot, as if she was on fire. The pain and stress were messing with her mind, and old memories were coming back to her.

Perhaps she was simply witnessing what everyone experiences before death: their life flashing before their eyes.

Cale approached her and took a position right over her, smiling as if to say, "I won, and I will suffer more." He drew the blade from his shirt and prepared to put an end to her life.

She stood up and took a few steps away, ignoring the pain, and with each step, he got closer and closer until she reached the edge of the balcony. That's when he burst out laughing and giddy. "Hahaha

"How beautiful, the pain and agony in her eyes'

hahaha

'He's crazy and he's about to kill me '

She couldn't help but accept what was about to happen. She probably could have pushed him away and gotten away if she had even a smidgeon of power...

She was, however, helpless. As a result, there was only one possible conclusion.

She was going to die.

She asked, "Why?"

"Did you think that I would fall in love with a fool like you?" he snickered as he put his blade down.

"Cough, " She coughed out blood.

So she summoned every ounce of courage she could muster in the hopes of expressing her final regret in life.

"Please... promise me that you'll get rid of everything I own," she says.

Her request took a moment to register with Cale. He just stared at her. He then snickered.

'Maycough.We could've been lovers if you were born into a different family.'

"Ha-ha! Isn't it just like you? Even in your final moments, you are not begging for mercy. "

He snickered again and extended his hand to shove her off the balcony. *Crack!*

'Shit. I believe this might very well be the end. '

By this point, all the pain and heat had almost subsided. It was simply freezing... The chilly air stroked over her skin as she drew closer to the river, yet for some reason, it was comfortable. It was like she was finally home.

"Hey, guys!! I got her!" Cale screams.

Before that, he made his way to the ground and the Nobles who had tormented Ember since the incident emerged from the shadows.

That's when everything started to make sense.

Why he urged her not to bring anything and why he selected the cathedral for their date.

'Quite poetic if I don't say myself'

"Just die!!! You're useless either way. "

They made such statements while staring at her with disgusted expressions on their faces. They then burst out laughing, as if they were witnessing a play.

"How low must one sink to enjoy someone else's misfortune? I suppose this is the ideal example of what humanity has come to. But, I am not a better example "

Hatred, fear, and rage are a few of the emotions that someone might feel in this situation, but her heart was empty and devoid of emotions at the time. Instead, she was preoccupied with the numerous simulations she was running, going over each action she took in an effort to spot what she did incorrectly. But she couldn't find any. Her plan was perfect.

She only erred in failing to take into account the fact that humans are a social species and that the majority of them will go to any lengths to gain favor with their fellow citizens.

"Gambit declined," she exclaimed as she burst into maniacal laughter.

I guess I lost this game, but it was entertaining. I failed again. I'm sorry, Arthur.

A soft breeze blew in her direction, tickling her skin and brushing her hair away from her face. showing off her icy, pale red eyes. She closed her eyes, accepting her road to the underworld.

*Splash!!*

Her body fell into the river.

Ember was unable to see the ground. She looked down. She had the impression that she was sinking into an endless abyss when she could only see darkness. She was pleasantly surprised to find that the emptiness that death provided for her was better than she had anticipated.

She lost more of her precious air as she fought to escape death's grasp. Her body gradually merged with the water as it grew cold and numb.

She felt a sharp pain in her chest, and she could hear her heart beating louder and louder. She was in dire need of air. She kicked in an effort to break the surface. It was pointless. Her chest felt heavy, and everything started to hurt. She then kicked again, using all of her remaining strength. Her body was no longer in pain. She knew she wasn't going to make it...

It was over

Silence. Everything fell silent, and she was unable to hear anything. The voices in her head that were usually loud and obnoxious vanished.

As she bathed in her blood, her body drifted away, and her mind began to wander. A woman dressed entirely in white rushed in to save me, but to someone on the verge of death, she appeared to be an angel; besides, that image of her would later change. How beautiful... that was her last thought. Thump... Thumb Thump...