Chapter 204 - Chess (1/2)

Everyone was surprised to see a huge chessboard. It was something strange and unbelievable.

”Welcome to the next challenge and maybe even the final challenge. It will be up to you.” Said the mask flying up to the group.

”Chess is a worthy game to put your lives on the line, isn't it?”

”What are the rules?” Asked Ayla.

”It's simple, two of you will play, and the rest of you will bet on who wins. The losers will die. That goes for the players and those who make the bets.”

”How do we determine who will play?” Finch muttered.

”Huh, it was all decided a long time ago, during the first challenge. As you all know, chess has two sides, white and black. They are two opposite colors that are as far apart as possible. You could say it's the first and last color.”

No one understood what the mask was talking about. Ayla waited with trepidation to find out who would play.

”Whoever picked up the revolver first during the first test would play for white. Whoever held the revolver last before the trial ended would play for the blacks. Isn't that easy?” The mask said with a smirk.

Then everyone looked at Ayla and Wain. Given the rules, they had to play, and like the mask said, it had been decided initially.

”Damn...” Wain muttered.

He knew how to play chess, but he couldn't boast a high level of play. His skills could be compared to a beginner who had played no more than ten games in all time.

Wain's only hope was that Ayla didn't know how the pieces moved at all.

However, when he looked at the girl, she was smiling contentedly. This could only mean that Ayla was confident in her abilities, unlike Wain, for whom chess was a passing distraction.

”Hey, Elf, you come from a noble family, right?” Finch asked.

”Yes. My family is influential and powerful. The length of our lineage goes back several thousand years, and we honor tradition.” Ayla said with genuine pride.

Finch and Dia smiled. At that moment, they decided who they were going to bet on. They were sure that Wain could not play better than Ayla, a noble family's offspring. It was impossible.

”All right, then, it's settled. Players, please take your seats.” Said the mask, and the darkness turned into two stairs and platforms the next moment.

Ayla smilingly made her way to her platform and was ready to make her move.

In the meantime, Wain slowly climbed to the top and reasoned about the situation. He didn't know what to do or how to win. It wasn't strength or luck that decided everything now, but his level of chess.

When Wain stood on the platform and looked at Ayla's confident face, he finally realized that he could not win this duel, but Wain thought he had a chance.

'None of the previous trials have been common. There must be some secret in these chess games. It can't be an ordinary game.' Thought Wain looking at the chess pieces.

Whooooooosh.

The mask flew up to the chessboard, and two coins each appeared in front of Dia, Finch, and Keya, one was white the other black. They smiled and immediately took the black coin without even waiting for the mask's words.

”I see that the spectators have already had time to place their bets, well, I hope you won't regret your decision. As before, this challenge has one peculiarity. These chess pieces are magical artifacts responding to your power. It may help you, but it may be a critical mistake.” Said the mask and disappeared.

Then a massive clock appeared to the left of the chessboard and started the countdown. There were only three minutes to move, and the game could last indefinitely until one of the players won.

'Will the chess pieces respond to our power? Hmm, perhaps not all is lost yet.' Wain thought and looked closely at one of the pawns.

Wain wanted to try to use his power on it, but he was having none of it even after two minutes. He didn't understand if it was supposed to be that way or if he was doing something wrong.

”Okay... it's worth making a move first.” Mumbled Wain looking at the fact that he only had ten seconds left.

He swung his hand, and pawn moved to the center from the second square to the fourth. It was the classic and most effortless move, so Wain decided to do just that.

Moreover, he knew that chess is a game where the longer the game lasts, the more complicated the situation becomes.

”Hmm? Did you decide to give in to me?” With a slight smile on her face, Ayla said and waved her hand.

One of the pawns glowed brightly and jumped over two squares at once, and destroyed his pawn to Wain's surprise.

”What's going on...?” Wain muttered.

The pawn could step over one square, but Ayla's piece stepped over two, which was impossible according to the game's rules. Also, pawns could not destroy other pieces directly but only diagonally.

Wain was in a stupor. He didn't understand why this happened.

'I tried to influence the pawn, but it didn't work. However, she did it like it was a regular thing... Shit, shit, shit.' Wain thought.

He stared at the knight and tried to reinforce the piece, but Wain failed again. He had to make a move and watch Ayla destroy him again.

Thus fifteen minutes passed, and each side made a total of four moves. Wain tried to stall for as long as possible and figure out the difference between him and Ayla.

He looked intently at the girl, at her surroundings, at the pieces.

'She looks like an ordinary girl, only if it weren't for her pointy ears... Right, ears...' muttered Wain to himself.

Then Wain realized that the answer to his question was obvious. He was human, and Ayla was an elf. That was also the only reason why he, unlike her, could not interact with the chess pieces.

'Humans have many disadvantages, one of them being the inability to absorb energy. I could control the pieces if they could use energy, but it looks like the chess pieces don't absorb energy.

They give it to me. In that case, it's impossible for me. I can't absorb energy from the crystals, and therefore from the chess pieces...' Wain thought and bit his lip until it bled.

Wain was right. Every time Ayla made a move, she received a large amount of energy and increased her strength. For a human, this test was a real disaster, Wain didn't have a single chance to win.

For the next ten minutes, Wain tried to figure out how to get out of this situation alive.

He made the simplest moves and did it as slowly as possible. In contrast, Ayla answered in seconds and looked at Wain with a satisfied smirk.

'Damn, I'm no expert, but I think it finished in a few moves. I already have fewer pieces than her. I need to hurry up.' Thought Wain and looked at Finch and Dia.

They were just as happy with the situation as they supposed Ayla was easily defeating Wain and dominating.

At that moment, Wain had an idea. He realized that one important detail had eluded him for a long time.

Every time he was in the Purgatory zones, someone tried to invade the zone.