Ryana couldn't move. She was surrounded by darkness. Yet for the first time in her life she could see. At least five feet in front of her that is.
Where Am I? She said aloud. What...What has happened?" The floor was cold and smooth beneath her. A clean and polished surface with a strange square pattern the size of a battlefield in every direction.
You can't win this. A booming harrowing voice called out from beyond the shadows. "Give up while you still can. There is no way to recover from this.
Never. Another yet equally harrowing voice declared from the opposite direction across. It sounded female in nature and strangely familiar. I just have to make it a little longer.
Even so. You may not make it that far. Responded the other voice. Sounding male and terrifying. I have you right where I want you. Castle takes Knight.
A loud resounding crack came from the tiled floor beneath Ryana. It was somewhere in the shadows out of view. She felt the impact of it's fall rattle her very bones. Like a watchtower or tree collapsing suddenly. Only something was different. This watchtower was rolling towards her out of the darkness.
Ryana leered her gaze forward. It was a white chess piece. A fallen knight made of shimmering transparent glass. Though not for long.
what..What how...
The large taloned hand of a giant suddenly emerged from the shadows. Coiling it's long clawed fingers tightly around the slain knight crushing and shattering in its grip. The giant laughed at the dead soldier's broken remains before dragging them back into the shadows into a graveyard of its fallen kin. "Another one down. Called out the first stranger. You're losing fast. You've grown sloppy. Only three pieces left. One more knight. A king. And one meastly pawn. There is no way to win. It's over for you.
Yes there is. Snarled the female giant from the shadows. I just have to get my pawn to the other side alive. And she'll become a queen. Safe from your clutches. She will succeed.
She'll never make it that far. The male giant laughed at her assuredness. I will have her. And you as well soon enough. You will forfeit soon enough. Make your move. This game is beginning to bore me.
The giantess hesitated in her placement. She moved her bishop diagonally across the board to the far corner slowly and nervously. Allowing Ryana to catch a brief glimpse of it moving past her.
Check. The giantess said proudly. Thinking she had him in her grasp.
Not quite. Replied the giant with an arrogant laugh. Castle takes Bishop. You never were very good at planning ahead. I'm always five steps ahead of you. You bloody fool."
Crack. Fall. The bishop shatters and is discarded like all the rest of the giantess army.
Two left. The giant smiled. My turn.
The giantess didn't respond. Her breath was heavy and nervous over her hasty mistake and lack of judgment. Hold on. She thought. Just hold on a little longer. We can win this together.
Why can't I move? Thought Ryana. She looked down. She was horrified.
She was made of glass. A diminutive weak pawn. The last one standing. Her wings and arms frozen beside her helpless like a living cold statue. She may be able to see at last just as she had always dreamed to be able to. Yet still, she was trapped in terrifying darkness. Unable to fly away. With no one who could protect her this time.
A loud long screeching like the dragging of a sword across stone was getting closer. The giant's hand moved his favorite piece into view right in front of her six squares away. A towering black watchtower. Ready to shatter her the very next move in a straight devastating charge. Or go right for the white king across if he so chose.
Help...Help...She began to cry. Yet no tears would come out. I'm right in it's path. Alone. Weak. Helpless.
You're turn. Mocked the giant. The shadows were slowly beginning to lift around the arena of black and white squares. Giving sight of the disbalance of power on the board. The giant had nearly all his pieces surrounding the battlefield. The giantess had two. "What to do. What to do." The Giant laughed. Tapping his talon against the table in anticipation for his opponent's next spectacular blunder.
The giantess hesitated once more. She had to either move her pawn two more steps to become a queen and move in quickly to take the black king. Or sacrifice her own king and lose everything she had fought so hard for to keep.
I always was the smarter of the two of us. Laughed the giant.
The giantess had her finger held shakily against the top of her one and only knight left. Weighing his worth to her pawn she needed to win.
I'm sorry. The giantess muttered from the darkness. She sounded sad. Why she would be was beyond anyone's reasoning. It was only glass after all. And just a game.
She moved the polar bear knight into play. Jumping right over and to the side of Ryana the pawn to tempt and take the full blow of the castle for her.
No...Ryana said to aloud horrified. Though no one could hear her. Garotan..."
Garotan didn't respond. He stood there shield and axe in hand. Strong and tall as ever to defend her as the black castle rushed forward. Ryana could only watch in horror as the towering monument shattered him into a thousand pieces like a battering ram against a feeble window. Spraying his broken remains and limbs at her feet cracked and in utter ruin. But he had done his job well. She was alive. And the castle was right next to her. She could take it for it was her turn to move. Yet she was too afraid to.
A pitiful sacrifice the giant laughed unafraid. I have another castle. And a great deal many more men. If you feel this will save you by all means take it.
Pawn takes castle. The empress called out not giving his words any mind.
Ryana didn't want to move. She didn't want to kill. But the choice wasn't her's to make. She felt an invisible force consume her entire body as it compelled her forward to rush in sword in hand. Ryana didn't think it possible but she brought her blade with both hands deep into it's side, sending cracks to ripple a nd creep up it's black high walls. She was nearly crushed under it's monumental pieces as it lost it's form and collapsed all around her. Yet still she remained unharmed. She had won the battle. A little insignificant pawn. But the war was far from over. She had one space left to go. And then. She would be a queen.
Not a bad move. The giant admitted. But still. You can not win this.
Shut up. The Giantess scowled, running her fingers through her white hair nervously. Move your piece.
The giant seemed genuinely shocked by her bluntness and if a bit amused. She was beginning to crack. And he could see it. Very well then. If you insist.
The giant having saved his most powerful piece for last, moved his black queen personally in the path of the white king all the way at the other side of the board. Ready to slay the undefend monarch once again. The giantess began to panic. She was in checkmate. Her king. Was about to be taken from her yet again.
Not again. Not again. She muttered inside her mind. Sweat pouring down her face from the shadows.
Pawn or king? The giant laughed. Drumming his fingers against the table patiently. You can only save one. No matter what you chose. You lose the game. I have won. I will always win. You are too cautious and indecisive. That is why you fail. You are a failure of a leader. And a mother. For you can't even protect the ones you love.
Mother!!? Screamed Ryana. HELP ME!!! PLEASE!!"
I..I...Muttered Veadora. The defeated Emperess once again. I...can't. There's..There's no way to..."
I'm sorry...Veadora sobbed. Moving her last pawn into place. Right in the path of the black queen.
"I'm sorry.." I can't lose now.."
The last thing Ryana heard before the death blow was struck was her uncle's cackling as the black queen rushed forward to greet her and shatter her into fractals of fine powdered dust. She could not even scream as she broke apart. She would never find out if her sacrifice had even won her mother the game in the end. She hoped it was worth it.
"MOTHER!!!!"