Chase continued on his way throughout the vast library.
For a while, no books seemed to be of interest to him. Most of the sections he passed were fiction anyway.
'Who the hell even reads fiction anymore?'
He thought, as he frustratingly picked up his pace, trying to find something that was useful to him.
Granted, he used to love reading fiction books. That was the case, until he was plunged into a forest full of monsters at the age of twelve.
He gritted his teeth as he turned a corner, revealing a spacious area with a large fireplace, several small tables, and a few couches.
Chase assumed that this was the public reading area for the academy students who didn't want to take books back to their dorms.
Leaning against one of the towering bookshelves, was the brown haired girl from earlier.
He sighed and made his way over to her.
She seemed to be reading some sort of small picture book, as she didn't bother to look up to greet him.
Chase stood quietly a couple meters in front of her, not wanting to disrupt her reading. He knew she knew that he was there, and must have decided a Stray like him wasn't worth her time.
"Excuse me?"
He spoke softly, breaking the silence of the grand library.
She slowly looked up, to meet his gaze.
"Hm?"
Chase frowned.
"Could you maybe, show me where to find swordsmanship books?"
She frowned as well.
"Do I look like I work here?"
He rubbed his sore shoulder with his free hand, and shrugged.
"You helped me earlier?"
She sighed.
"I was just bored."
Chase was internally screaming.
"And, you aren't bored anymore?"
He said, leaking out slight frustration.
"No, I am, but why should I help you find books?"
His expression turned deadpanned, as he tried to think of a reason she should help him.
"Actually, on second thought, I dont want your help."
Chase said turning around, and stepping in the direction of one of the many aisles of shelving.
"That's alchemy related stuff."
She called out, with a hint of amusement in her voice.
He palmed his face and groaned in annoyance.
After cursing her in his head, he turned around and slumped his shoulders.
"Then which way would swordsmanship be?"
She set her book in a small bag that was hung around her waist, as she walked over to one of the small tables.
Motioning him to come over, she sat down in front of a table with a wooden board on its surface.
As Chase walked over, he noticed a bunch of white and black pawns that sat on the board.
She looked at him, as she gave him a curious look.
"Do you know how to play chess?"
He scratched the back of his neck, as he gave her a confused glance in return.
"I guess, but why would I play chess?"
She sighed softly.
"I'll help you find your books if you win."
Chase was going officially going to lash out at someone at this point.
"I just forged an entire sword from scratch for some damn dwarf, just to find this library. Why in the hell would I go through all of this trouble, when I could just go find it on my own?"
She shrugged, not even bothering to question his previous dilemma.
"I'm bored, and this place is huge, the odds of you finding the books you want in one day are pretty much zero."
She paused.
"And, I practically live in this library, so if you win, I'll help you."
Her voice hinted at an ulterior motive, but Chase didn't care
He set the history book on the table, and sat down across from her.
"Fine."
She gave him a satisfied nod.
Upon further studying of the chess board, Chase realized there were two pieces on each side of the board he wasn't familiar with.
"This isn't chess."
She nodded.
"No, this is paladin chess."
She took a soft breath before continuing.
"The pieces that would normally be the pawns at the ends of your side, are your paladins."
She paused, as she pointed at them.
"They can only move once the queen has been taking, but they cannot be taken until then either. Also, the pawn in the middle, is an assassin."
She gave Chase a second to process the information before continuing.
"The assassin can only move like other pawns, but that one is mine, and the one over here is yours."
She pointed at the one that stood in front of her king, similar to his.
"They act just like a pawn that would normally be on your side; however, they can take any pieces that go in front of them. Think of it as a backstabber of sorts."
He nodded.
"Then you go first," she said with a small smile.
Chase clenched his fist under the table. He hadn't come here to play games, but if this was the fastest way to get what he wanted, so be it.
He moved the pawn that stood in front of his knight- up two spaces.
She mirrored his move, shifting the same piece forward.
"Then what can the paladins do?"
He said, as he moved his knight in front of his left side's paladin.
She gave him a soft smile, as she set her bishop on the opposite side of his newly positioned knight.
"The paladin is without a doubt- the strongest piece on the board, because it can move three spaces in any direction, as well as being able to cause a chain reaction, making you able to take any pieces that are directly surrounding the already taken piece."
Chase moved his far most pawn on the right side of his board, as he gave her a questioned glance.
She nodded.
"Of course, it has limitations, as all pieces do."
She moved her second-farthest pawn on the left side of her board, up one space.
"The paladin cannot take another paladin without destroying itself in the process."
He took a deep breath, as he moved his left side bishop to where his first pawn once stood.
"There's more."
She nodded, as she moved the farthest pawn on her left one space toward him.
"While the paladin is the most dangerous space on the board, they cannot initiate a checkmate on their own, unless the opposing king does not have any pieces surrounding it."
Chase moved his left bishop up in front of his second farthest pawn on that side.
"What about the assassin? Why shouldn't I just take it with my king?"
She smiled.
"Because for starters, that would make your king vulnerable, since It also acts as protection. Second, Once I move it, then it outs itself as an assassin, and then you can take it."
She said, before moving her left side bishop in front of her knight.
Chase realized she was preparing for an attack with said bishop, so he moved his left-side rook one space to the right.
She gave him a quick glace, before sliding the farthest pawn to her left, in front of his pawn- blocking it from moving anymore.
He moved his other bishop into the pawn's original spot.
She moved the knight on her left, up and to the far-side of the board.
Chase moved the bishop on the opposite side in front of the pawn to its left.
"My name is Vivian, by the way."
She said, moving her other knight in front of her second farthest pawn.
He sighed, finally putting a name to the smug strategist across from him
Casually brushing his long and messy hair to the side, he quickly took that knight with his right-side bishop.
"Chase." He responded quietly.
She gave him a look of satisfaction, as she took that knight with the pawn that originally stood in front of her queen.
'I sacrificed that bishop, so I wouldn't lose my positional advantage on that side.'
He thought, questioning if it was the right move.
She seemed to realize he was second guessing his move.
Vivian then moved her right side rook a space to the left.
He followed, by moving his right side knight up and to his left.
She then slide her queen up one space.
"Why did you want to play chess?"
He asked, as he moved the rook to his right- a space to the left.
"No one ever wants to play with me, they say I'm a sore winner."
She paused, as she moved the rook on her right side up and behind the pawn she had started with.
"Why do you want books about swordsmanship?"
She said, as he made the same move on the other side of the board.
"Why would a teacher, want to learn about teaching?"
He asked sarcastically.
She then responded by moving her queen up one more space.
"Are you a swordsman?"
Chase gave her a quick glance before sliding the pawn in front of his queen- up two spaces.
"I've dabbled."
She seemed curious about the answer, as she moved her queen up one more space- setting it directly in front of his pawn.
"Have you killed before?"
The question seemed to catch Chase off guard- causing him to move his second farthest pawn to the left up one space.
She smiled, as she took his knight on the right side of the board with her queen.
"Strange question... Why, have you?"
He said, as he took her queen with his rook.
"Yes, I just so happened to have killed your knight, and now my paladin is going to wipe out your entire board."
Vivian smirked as she moved her hand toward the board.
"Now that I can move my Paladins..."
Chase's eyes flicked across the pieces, and it hit him all at once.
'Shit!'