Checkmate

[Requiem of Insanity]

The citadel in Corone was a wondrous place. People of all shapes and sizes, races and colors entered into the hollowed chambers to fight others to the death in arenas of their choosing. The magic involved inside the citadel was vast and the monks trained their were the most proficient in the land. It was said you could never die in the citadel, for even the most fatal wound would be nothing compared to what a monk could fix.

Cassandra Remi hated such a place. What was the point of the torture if everyone could come back from it. Even the most painful practice would be nothing if the afflicted were to survive. Yet this was the location she was told to go for her latest prey.

About three months ago she was traveling the land in Carthage trailing someone who raped his victims under a spell. In the process she was attacked by some unknown creature who raided her dreams and twisted them to nightmares she couldn’t even stand. She had got out of that mess by pure dumb luck, yet a solitary communication orb remained behind and someone by the alias King of All told her if she was looking for a challenge to come to this place and find someone by the nickname of Kingmaker.

So she was here, in the citadel, asking anyone for the room where Kingmaker was, but nobody knew he even existed. This infuriated her as she stamped her foot walking along the borders to avoid the central flow of traffic. At last she grew tired and hungry as she left the citadel making way for the nearby tavern. She was seated and she looked to the room with hungry eyes. She found several people who could pass for playmates in her midnight rampage, but nothing really struck a chord.

A dark feeling escaped from her and she felt the shadows swirling behind her. A cold gentle hand touched her shoulder, though no physical entity had done the deed. It was her dark companion, her deluded lover, her twisted ambitions made manifest. He looked to the room, and at last he found something of interest.

Off in a corner was a middle-aged man reading a book and looking down upon a chess board. She thought to herself about King of All’s riddle, ‘His name is Kingmaker. He likes to play games. It’s an ancient tradition, that no longer remains.’

Chess was a game that long ago was used to entertain king’s as well as settle disputes. Sometimes the game was literally used to make a king. Thus the term Kingmaker was born. Now that term has dual meanings, as anyone who pulls the trigger to set the events to lead to others ascension.

Cassandra knew she had found him.

Getting up she walked over to his table and sat, his eyes not bothering to look up at her as he rotated the page in his book. Without even glancing at the board he placed a pawn forward. Cassandra looked to him with a bit of irritation before she glanced at the board. With a curious eye she moved a pawn forward gently. Without a moment to look he moved his bishop across the board. Cassandra lifted another pawn and placed it forward.

He turned a page smiling as he read something particularly amusing advancing his queen opposite his bishop. Cassandra looked to the board and recklessly moved a knight out. The book snapped shut as the Queen moved in for the kill knocking her pawn out of the way.

“Checkmate.” He said in a calm tone, his eyes shining as he looked to her. He wore a simple pair of traveler’s clothing, his face belied his years as he looked to be no more than twenty three. He was clean shaven and his hair was slicked to the sides. He adjusted his collar before leaning back.

“Nobody ever falls for that these days.” he said looking to the board with a keen eye. Cassandra looked to the board with a devilish grin. With a single swipe of her hand the entire board was cleared as the little wooden pieces rained upon the floor.

“Whoops.” She said sweetly. Kingmaker looked to her with cold eyes.

“How utterly childish of you. Do you do this all the time?” he asked leaning over to pick up the pieces. She nudged the board to the edge of the table before dropping it on his head. He cursed loudly as the heavy wood rattled on the floor. Cassandra smiled roguishly.

“I’ve been looking for you for hours. I traveled all the way from Carthage to find you.” she seethed. “Your leader told me I would find you using stupid riddles from a kid’s book! So don’t, don’t, patronize me about acting childish when the King of All is the real four year old!” Kingmaker gave her a sly grin.

“He really rattled the great Cassandra Remi’s cage. I’ve heard about your methods. Far to barbaric for my tastes, but I guess to each their own. Harv used his sand, Catherine uses her swords, I play chess.” he placed the pieces into a box shutting the lid. “Would you like to play chess, Cassandra?”

“I’d like to kill you, and make you scream for mercy as I destroy everything in your soul. I want to rape your dignity and abolish your pride until you become a wheezing, whimpering potato. That‘s what I‘d like.” Kingmaker didn’t even flinch, instead grinning wildly.

“Ah but Ms. Remi, in this game it’s your soul on the line!” he said getting up. “If you are ready to play than follow me. Stakes are simple. Defeat me in a game of chess and I will let you have your way with me, but if you lose…well…that’s a surprise.” he chuckled darkly. Cassandra glared at him as she stood up.

The entire time they walked she heard just one simple voice in her head, her dark lovers voice, repeating over and over a mantra of simple words.

Don’t play recklessly. This isn’t a game.

She brushed it off casually, but her spine began to tingle. Regardless of the outcome the hunt was beginning. That always clouded her judgment as she got excited for everything that was about to happen. It never even bothered her that her dark companion was trying his damndest to warn her. But she brushed him off all the same ignoring one simple fact about her life:

Cassandra had never won a game of chess in her life.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra looked to the elaborately crafted chessboard before her. It was huge and made of a polished marble that gleamed in the little light the room offered. Many pieces were seemingly hand crafted from an igneous rock as well as a white marble to make the two sets. Each piece was a diorama of action, the pawns all arrayed for battle as the line soldiers, the rooks small fortress with menacing looking gates, the bishops blessing over a fallen pawn, the queen looking seductive and curvy, the knights riding upon gallant horses, and the king’s piece was probably the most detailed work of art she had witnessed.

As the central piece it had stairs that led up to a podium where one could sit at a desk. Upon the desk was a small chess board, her side had real black pieces, the opponents made of wood. She figured when her opponent made a move she would have to move his piece as well. A giant grandfather clock was attached to the edge of the podium with a long crank. She assumed it was for when her turn was over. Her army laid before her and as silly a notion as it was, she loved the idea behind controlling minions for her nefarious deeds.

Kingmaker sat across from her in the white chair, his table set up opposite hers. He lifted up a small orb, and Cassandra noticed she had one as well on her desk. It glowed a soft yellow with a red rune on the bottom of the shaft. She thumbed the rune and she could hear his voice clearly.

“I shall take the first turn, and then we begin. There will be the standard one hour time limit on the game, so don’t take to long to think out which strategy you wish to fail with.”

Cassandra watched him with mild interest as he looked to his board. Then lifting a single a pawn he moved his king’s foot soldier forward two spaces. “Pawn to E3.” He said proudly as the clock chimed once. Cassandra looked to the board and then to Kingmaker.

“Why am I bothering with this?” Cassandra said darkly with a grin. “I have the Butcher’s Bill, I’ll just walk over and kick your ass!” she began to stand up.

“Excuse me, Ms. Remi,” he interjected quickly. “But leaving the table is forfeit, and since the game began you are currently stuck with the game. To get up and leave means your life is…well let’s just say you should play the game.” Kingmaker laughed and Cassandra felt foolish. She should have killed the man when she had a chance, but now she was stuck playing a child’s game.

Her dark companion slapped her hard in the head.

“OW!” She bellowed loudly rubbing her head. She felt her twisted ambitions slap her across the cheek. She bellowed out again before she caught on. “Ok, Ok, you were right, I asked for this, jeeze.” she muttered. One last slap hit her in the back of the head.

Cassandra looked to the board with a confused look before coming up with an idea. “Queen’s knight to C6.” she breathed lifting her little knight up. The front line soldier stood to attention, than moved to the side as the horse trotted forward and turned on it’s spot. After it finished it looked to her with diligence. “Why do you stare at me?”

“Because you haven’t released your hand from the piece. Until you let go your move isn’t over and you can take it back.” Cassandra slowly removed her hand and the knight turned about to face the enemy. She reached for the chime and pulled it hard. No noise was made, but the distant sound of a gong going off from across the way was heard.

“Interesting move.” He breathed. “You show aggression and recklessness. A desire to get to the slaughter quickly.” Kingmaker laughed. “You play like you live, brash and lack of finesse. But you do have a stronger piece advancing. Maybe we should put some pressure on him.” Cassandra waited for his move unable to see what could possibly threaten her knight.

“Queen to F3.” Cassandra watched the white queen move forward and stand at the ready next to the pawn, who knelt in her presence. Cassandra heard her clock chime twice. Irritably she looked to the board.

She immediately went to lift her hand to grab a piece when she felt a cold grip touch her shoulder. She melted to her Dark Companion’s touch and watched the board. “But I should move my knight out! I can place her on the defensive!” she breathed. Her deluded lover only kept his hand on her shoulder and with no protest she lifted the knight quickly. She removed her hand and turned to the clock.

“Knight to E5.” Cassandra said loudly as she chimed her clock. Kingmaker laughed as he quickly lifted his queen and placed it directly before the knight. The two pieces eyed each other carefully as the knight looked her down.

“Queen to E4.” Kingmaker held his mirth as the gong chimed three times. Cassandra looked to the board carefully. She had many options and she hated not having a simple solution. This infuriated her as she looked to the board, her instant urge to toss it up in the air overwhelming. But then she saw a move that made her heart skip.

“HAH!” She lifted her knight up softly slamming it down. “Knight to F3, CHECK!” she shouted. The bell chimed a darker note as Kingmaker laughed wildly into his orb. Cassandra felt her ire rise until a harsh grip on her mind by her lover alerted her to the foolishness of her move.

“If my king feels any fear I should let him die! How dumb are you, Cassandra Remi? I mean, aggression is good and all, but…That was ridiculous. Oh my, how many ways can I take you down? Oh, I haven’t had such an easy prey in forever. A four year old puts up a better fight than this!” His hands danced across many pieces as his soldiers all barred an ugly grin of sick satisfaction. “Queen to F3. I take your Knight.”

The queen turned softly to the knight as he brought his spear down. The queen lifted up a rapier in one smooth motion, sidestepping the attack and thrusting as the blade pierced the visor of the black knight. Blood spurted outwards in a spray all over the white marble, staining it red as the queen lifted her lips to taste it, the knight screamed his death toll as he fell from the horse. The piece then crumbled on the battlefield as the black knight before her blew off to the side inside a box. Cassandra lifted her hand to retrieve it, but it seemed to be stuck inside the box unable to be picked up again.

“Now it’s time to learn what happens when you sacrifice a piece to me. Be more careful Cassandra, for to lose a piece to me is to have a piece of your soul dug up!”

[Requiem of Insanity]

“Checkmate!” a soft voice said as a wooden king went flying. A tiny girl glared to the board and then with a tantrum her fist swiped the table clear of the pieces. A larger fist slapped her head for that and she grew irritated as she sniffled to him looking forward with dark eyes.

“Knock it off!” the voice said harshly. The girl looked away from him and he reached out and grabbed her jaw forcing her to look to him.

“WHAT?” She cried through pursed lips. “You won, whoop dee doo!” she chided.

“Cassandra, knock it off! There was a lesson in this game and you once again failed to learn it. Why do you keep slamming into everything? You need to learn patience.”

“I don’t get how a dumb game like this is going to help me learn patience. It’s soooo boring!” she whined. The grip loosened on her pushing her back in the chair.

“Pick up the pieces.” he ordered.

“NO!” the child Cassandra bellowed like a brat.

The man lifted up his fist again and Cassandra obeyed quickly picking up the board and pieces and rearranging them. When she was finished the man lifted up his pawn and placed it forward. Cassandra glared to him.

“I don’t want to play anymore.”

“Fine, don’t play,” he threatened. “But your going to participate in this lesson. Until you can place me in check you won’t leave this table.” Cassandra ifted her queen and tossed it at the enemy king knocking it over.

“There, I knocked your king over, Checkmate.” She sassed. A hand lifted up to slap her but she shied away from it in time, slapping the hand away. With a frustrated sigh the man picked up the pieces and put them back.

“You move.” he said darkly. Cassandra whined as she looked to the board and tossed a knight forward.

“Oh my god…” he slapped his face and dragged it down the front tearing on his lip. “Why the hell do you keep moving your knights out so early?”

“I LIKE THE HORSEY!” she screamed. “He’s my favorite piece!”

“So you honor your favorite piece by sacrificing him to the slaughter house first?”

“It’s not like he has feelings, it’s a dumb piece of wood!” Another sigh escaped the man’s lips.

“Fine, whatever.” He placed his bishop out and then looked to Cassandra with expectant eyes. Before he even finished his move Cassandra had advanced her second knight. “By the gods, why?!?” He seethed as he moved his queen out to protect his bishop. Cassandra already moved her first knight forward. His Bishop slammed forward and took out the pawn guarding her bishop and rook. She retreated her knight and her father slapped his face again.

“Why don’t you use your bishop?” he asked.

“Because I don’t like him.”

“He could have killed the other bishop!” he countered. “By not doing that I now took your rook!”

“Who needs him?” Cassandra chided. “Rooks are pointless.”

“They are one of the most powerful pieces!” he said incredulously. “Ugh, forget it, Cassandra. I’ll beat you quickly to end your pain. Clearly this isn’t an effective way to teach you.” The two played in silence and it wasn’t long before Cassandra ripped the entire board out from before them off to the side getting up and leaving the room.

She slammed the screen door shut as she screamed her frustrations to an uncaring sky. Her father, Jebb Remi, just looked to the pieces wondering if her daughter would ever learn.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra lurched forward from her perch, nearly falling out of the chair as the memory passed. She looked to the world as the fog slowly cleared in her brain, watching the board with morbid curiosity. Kingmaker was laughing hysterically as he pounded his table with his fist.

“What the hell happened to me?” Cassandra mumbled. Kingmaker softened his words as he spoke with amusement.

“This is how I play, Cassandra Remi. When you lose a black piece in this game your brain is forced to remember a memory you buried. The more power the piece was, the deeper the memory is purged from the canals of your black heart.”

“So what happens if you lose a white piece?” Cassandra asked in a nasty tone as she rubbed her temple.

“Ah, then a memory you hold dear is erased. The stronger the memory the bigger the piece has to fall.” He let something linger in the air. Cassandra looked to the board and focused her brain as best she could.

“Pawn to A5.” She whispered thinking it over reaching over and chiming the clock. Kingmaker returned to the game and gave her a casual look before addressing his pieces. With a soft chuckle he moved a piece forward, a pawn standing and marching forward two squares across Cassandra’s pawn.

“Pawn to B4.” he rang the clock and it chimed for Cassandra five times. She figured the chimes meant how many turns have passed. She looked to the threat on the board and focused herself. She didn’t want to relieve a memory she worked all her life to forget. The feeling itself made her feel something she had never really thought of before, but she was growing terrified at the thought of revisiting her past again.

“Better to take control of my own path,” she said lifting her pawn forward and knocking it into his piece. “Pawn to B4.” Kingmaker only breathed heavily before he softly chuckled to her clucking his tongue. “What is so amusing to you?” Cassandra spat.

“How much you hate yourself, your past. You will do whatever it takes to forget your humanity that you’ll even sacrifice it, but Cassandra I am playing to win, not to avoid painful experiences. You are playing each turn to avoid a memory from surfacing. You will be easy to crush.” His fingers danced along the tops of pieces before he settled on a move. “King’s Bishop to F4.” The bishop lifted himself from his kneeling position, lifting high a religious icon as he humbly stepped forward blessing the pieces on his side as he went before kneeling again. Cassandra’s pawn next to him lowered itself in a ready stance as Cassandra looked to the table.

This is bad. she thought. I’m getting worried, my love. Do you have any suggestions? The darkness around her lifted a bit before swarming around the board clouding it and blocking the site of the pieces. Slowly it opened up the clouds to reveal Kingmaker’s bishop, Kingmaker’s queen, and Cassandra’s king.

She studied the omen and the board and realized that Kingmaker was attempting to push her into a checkmate with her king, using her Bishop to protect her. Her mind became clouded again as she remembered the memory again, her eyes watering as she tried to will it away, but her inner child seemed to be screaming at her to make a move.

“Hurry up Cassandra, you only have an hour to play!” Kingmaker taunted laughing hideously. With all the pressure she felt like tossing the board aside, but she stopped as her eyes fell upon her discarded pieces pile. She saw the knight and looked to the board again.

“Knight to H6!” She called out lifting the piece up and moving it forward. Kingmaker’s breath stopped short for a moment as her warrior charged forward into his position, horse trotting in place as it awaited to move again. She rang her clock and Kingmaker growled lowly in frustration.

“I honestly didn’t expect that from you, Ms. Remi.” He said honestly. “But the idea is to win, not dawddle around.” He flexed his fingers as he looked down at his board rubbing his chin. “Hmmm. King’s Knight to H3.” His horse advanced forward knocking the lesser Pawn out his way as it rounded upon the square.

Cassandra pulled at her hair, insanely confused as to what to do. She wanted to advance forward and become the aggressor again, but that could risk another memory surfacing. She didn’t want that at all. Yet…Kingmaker was right, she needed to play to win. She was Cassandra Remi, she feared nothing, not even her past.

So why was it so difficult to make a move? She knew it was because she was scared. Her memories were buried for a reason and she hated this man how he used them to his advantage. She looked to her Pawns and saw only one move that seemed to open up ideas in the future. “Pawn to E6.” she said shakily as the soldier sprinted forward his square, taking up a scout role mouthing off to the other pawns what he saw.

“King’s Knight to F4.” He said as the warrior advanced forward.

Cassandra took a quick look at the table, and then she felt a cruel chuckle from behind her. She felt a calming hand grip her shoulder and she looked to the enemy forces and saw an opportunity present itself. “Queen to F6.” she smiled as she rang her chime. Kingmaker looked to the table and pondered to himself in mutterings before he scoffed to her.

“Try harder, child. Pawn to D4.” The pawn ran forward and lowered itself in supplication next to the bishop who turned and began to pray over the piece. Cassandra growled lowly that her plan was thwarted. Now was the time her knight would have been useful. The memory resurfaced again and she grew irritated, but the last part her father snided her for came back clearer, and this time her dark companion gripped her shoulder tightly. Soon she took stock of the table and a cruel smile came over her.

“King’s Bishop to D6.” She cooed as the Bishop lifted itself reverently and moved forward, chanting a hymn of praise. The other pieces around him lowered their heads in soft prayer until he took his place looking right at Kingmaker’s knight.

Kingmaker laughed at her attack and lifted his hand to his knight, but suddenly he stopped before cursing loudly. “AH SHIT!” he seethed. Cassandra cackled wildly as she pointed to his queen.

“Save the knight or save the queen? Oh delicious choices!” She mocked him and pointed to him as he ran a hand through his hair. Something was about to die.

“Nice try,” He whispered. “Pawn advance to G3.” Cassandra watched as the pawn advanced and then placed a spear near the queen in protection. Cassandra cursed to him but was still going to take the knight, until that was when she realized she would lose the battle faster that way. “Forgot I had a Pawn on E3?” He sassed as he chuckled. “It’s okay if you feel incredibly stupid right now.” He taunted. “It’s only because you are.”

Cassandra seethed her frustrations, shrugging off her lover’s touch. She was getting annoyed by Kingmaker and the threat of having her memories ripped up from their hollow grave kept her from rushing recklessly. She hated him so much now that it pained her to not be able to cut into his flesh. She decided to throw a little caution to the wind.

“Pawn E7 advance yourself to E5.” The soldier obeyed with a salute before charging forward, placing a spear against the hide of the bishop. Kingmaker laughed in hysterics as he watched her stare at him in blank confusion.

“Now my Queen advance to A8 and destroy her pitiful Rook.” Cassandra watched as the queen turned her sights to the rook and lifted her rapier up high into the air. The two rooks from her side of the field opened their top halves revealing catapults filled with huge rocks. As she lowered her sword arm both catapults fired lobbing the rocks all the way over and smashing her rook to pieces where the enemy Queen sauntered over and stood, sitting upon the rubble like it were her throne.

Cassandra felt her blood rise as her world went black.

[Requiem of Insanity]

“But I wanna go with you!” A small child’s voice echoed into the night air. Cassandra felt herself growing irritated as she turned on the child.

“I told you already to stop following me, Cat! I don’t want your body anywhere near me! Only when you can lift that Axe and kill me with it will I allow you into my heart.” Cassandra turned on her heel and walked forward, the child making it far to hard to make progress as she tossed herself onto Cassandra’s leg.

“LET GO!” Cassandra bellowed.

“Please, mommy! Let me come with you!” Cat cried out. “I want ot be like you, I want to hurt others who hurt me! Even if they didn’t! I just want to do whatever you do so I can be with you! Please mommy!”

Cassandra’s heart ached at the words. Her child saw what Cassandra was, and instead of being terrified it wanted to join her. Cassandra felt the words mommy burn in her heart, even though she wasn’t the child’s mother. It cried to her for the attention it wanted, but she was Cassandra Remi, she didn’t want this child in her life. Her heart made room only for her dark ambitions.

Cassandra lifted her hands down and lifted the child up into her arms holding her tightly. “You can’t come, kiddo. I don’t need you.”

The child sobbed into her chest. “But I need you.” she cried. Cassandra nuzzled the kids neck with her nose. “Please mommy, please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not your mother, Cat.” Cassandra said flatly. “You are not mine to hold and control. Leave me alone, please.” She said forcefully trying to avoid the tears in her eyes.

“You promised me.” she whispered in her ear holding her tightly.

“I never promised you that, kid.” Cassandra said darkly. “I never lied to you, I never meant to be so influential in your life. But my life is alone with only my dark companion. Not with you.” She lowered the child down and walked away as it screamed for her to stop, crawling after her through the mud.

“Stop mommy! Please!” Cassandra continued to walk away, picking up the pace. “Mommy please, I love you!”

Cassandra’s steps were getting quieter.

“MOMMY!” She cried getting up and running after her with tear filled eyes. When she was within a few yards Cassandra sadly turned lifting up the Butcher’s Bill and slamming it down into the child. Blood flew up in the rain as the body slid onto the mud.

Cassandra’s face was masked in tears as she looked down upon the unconscious child before turning and walking away.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra Remi was convulsing as the memory faded. Tears streamed down her face as she looked down upon the chess board with utter defeat. Kingmaker remained quiet for once, not speaking. The silence made the chess pieces shift uncomfortably before Kingmaker made a noise.

“Catherine…” He whispered.

Cassandra felt the dark arms of her lover warm her up, a gentle blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She loved the child. She truly did. But she loved her destruction, her torture more. She never meant to be so special to the girl’s life. It was an accident, a horrible accident.

“What darkness is to one man is a source of light for another. You feed upon the evils of mankind, the shadows lurking within their hearts. Yet when a child devotes herself to you, becomes your slave only to hear the words, ‘I LOVE YOU’,” Kingmaker shouted in rage. “That’s PAINFUL to you? That’s your antithesis? You tried so hard to shed humanity from your soul, but I will pull and rip every memory out of your mind to show you just how human you really are!”

Cassandra looked to the board and saw the threat coming. Her rook was a powerful lost piece, but she could rebound. She had to regain control of her defenses. Looking to her king she made her move. “I advance the king forward to E7.” She felt her podium lift itself, small serfs crawling out from beneath her as they moved the table forwards. She could still see Cat’s face in her mind as it brought more tears to her face.

“You are horrible, Cassandra Remi. It was one thing when you destroyed a criminals life, but to destroy a girls? What darkness did she harbor in her soul to be of use to you and your twisted desires? You tortured this poor child, and didn’t even stick around to hear her song to you!” He breathed furiously.

“Bishop C4 to C5, I take your Pawn.” he spat as the knight trampled the pawn in his way to his location. It tried to lift up the spear in time, but the horse ran him down as the Knight impaled his face in. Cassandra winced in pain, but didn’t feel anything coming.

“What’s going on?” She trembled. Kingmaker remained quiet before he spoke hostilely.

“Pawns are insignificant, they are to weak to pull or rip memories up. Be grateful for that. Only the big players get to purge memories or revisit them. Of course, when you took my Pawn a few turns back you would have noticed I didn't get affected by the removal of it.”

“Pawn G7 to G5.” Cassandra said wiping the tears from her eyes. Her Pawn ran forward and placed a testing blade in the perimeter of the knight. The Knight kept his shield up and ready to defend. Kingmaker lifted the Knight up and slammed it down.

“Knight F4 to H5.” The horse galloped around the pawn, their weapons testing each other as he stopped before the other black pieces, weapons held at the ready. She saw how the Knight threatened her queen, and decided to make her move as she advanced her most powerful piece one square.

“Queen to F5.” she said in a daze. That last memory took a lot out of her. It was buried deeply within her mind for a reason and to have it forcefully ripped up was causing her heart damage. Kingmaker began to chuckle to her.

“I have taken three of your pieces, you have only managed to take one of mine. Come Cassandra Remi, you still have more hell that awaits you.” He lifted the knight up. “Knight B1 to D2.” It was off in a fury as it knocked over its own allies.

Her mind looked to the board, and shortly she grew disinterested with the game. Her mind wandered back to the memories she was feeling and seeing, to afraid to witness anymore. Her dark companion felt cold to her as she looked at the board. “Knight F6 to G4.”

Her mind watched as Kingmaker looked to the board with eagerness, his own smile covering his face. She pondered if that was what she looked like when she hovered over a victim. That sick smile, that gleam in the eye of a person who knows they can’t be stopped now. Cassandra realized she was in deep for accepting this game, but now it didn’t matter. Her worst fears were coming true. She was going to be exposed for being human, and touchable.

“Stop insulting me!” Kingmaker shouted. “Pawn F2 to F3.” the piece obeyed, testing the flanks of her knight. She lifted the same knight up and took it over smashing aside one of his pawns.

“My knight takes your Pawn on E3.” she said weakly. The Knight road in quickly, running along the front of the other pawns before stopping on the square pulling out a mighty sword and decapitating the pawn on the spot pushing the body to the side.

“Knight H5 to F7.” He grumbled as he made his move, glaring to Cassandra as he waited for hers.

“You are getting restless. What in my memories is of such value to you?” Cassandra said suddenly, looking to him with curiosity. Kingmaker looked to her and then leaned back in his chair.

“There is nothing you can base your accusation on. Like you I love to punish the evil in this world, see the memories that made them who they were, but you…you’re an enigma. What is the reason to throw others into the pits of destruction only invigorates you.” He slammed his fist on the table. “People like you piss me off!” he said irritably as he clenched his fist in anger. “People like you, who are monsters, who do evil for the sake of evil NEVER SHOULD BE BORN!”

“Such convictions!” Cassandra taunted, feeling strength return to her limbs as she fingered her queen. “But tell me, why did you leave your Bishop open for me to take? Queen to B5!” Her queen turned on the spot and approached the Bishop without interruption. Kingmaker looked to the board and suddenly cursed loudly as the Bishop turned to the queen lifting up his staff of office.

The queen knelt before the Bishop who looked to the queen oddly before the woman produced a small flint lock pistol firing it into the Bishops chest. He staggered for a moment before dropping to his knees lifting up his hand to an uncaring god in the sky.

Kingmaker screamed as he gripped his head in pain.

[Requiem of Insanity]

“SISTER!” A voice called out into the sky. “SISTER!!!” He bellowed as he dropped to his knees weeping. “Why, why didn’t I go instead?” he sobbed heavily. The sound of soft footsteps echoed behind him, and he turned to see a man looking down upon him, draped in a large coat with a hat that covered his face. Darkness seemed to gather near this person as he looked down upon the man on the gorund. “Who are you?” he asked through his tears.

“You see a world before you, don’t you Xathius.” a cold voice said from afar. “A world you no longer feel a part of.”

“How can I?” Xathius, said looking into the shadows. “How can I see a world like that and feel I belong to it? A world without her!” He cast his hand to the side. “A world as dark and disgusting as that makes me want to destroy it, but I can’t!”

“Hate the deed, not the person!” He choked. “She taught me that! She loved me and taught me that! How can I not hate him? How can I not hate Regal Burnswidth for killing my only sister!” Xathius ripped into the dirt with his fingers before tearing up the roots of the grass and screaming into the air.

“Your sister was the one in that fighting arena. Can you honestly blame him for all your troubles?” the voice said in a teaching like tone. “Or can you blame him because you blame yourself?”

“What?” he sobbed.

“Do you hate Regal Burnswidth because you hate yourself, Xathius?”

“I…I don’t’ understand.”

“Were you not assigned in place of your sister? Was it not your orders to go out that day into the arena? Was it not your choice to let your sister take your summons instead so you may spend time with your lover?” Xathius turned to the shadows, a look of rage and regret on his face.

“I didn’t know…I didn’t know…” he mumbled. “I never knew…he mumbled crazily, mentioned how he was a demon of swords…I never took him seriously though. I thought…I thought she could handle it!” he pleaded as tears brimmed his face.

“And yet, she died. Not even a contest.” the voice scolded him. “All because you didn’t want to get up. Because you didn’t want to take a stand against him. You preached for days about how you became a prize fighter to clean up the world of the dregs of society. You would beat them, defeat them, kill them if necessary. Then one day a man shows up with more tenacity in his heart than you.”

“I didn’t know,” he whispered again. “He…frightened me. He killed without a whim, a care! He was…he was a demon!”

A chess set flew before him. He looked down to it before tossing it aside. “I don’t want that cursed thing!”

“Don’t you want to forget this memory? Don’t you want to repress it? Purge it from your mind? Pick up your legacy, and change the world. Become the force that creates the events to change history. Prevent monsters from growing, kill them in necessary. Do this for her Xathius.”

Xathius looked to the chess set, feeling the magic of the deadly family heirloom. He promised his father to never even touch it, but now that it was in his hands he felt the magic swirl inside him.

“I will shape this world…” he said. “I will shape it and destroy the monsters.” He looked to the moon with determination. “I shall become the Kingmaker of this plain.”

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra watched as Kingmaker slowly looked back up from his podium, his dace a mask of pain and rage. Before she could speak he shook his head violently, his features replaced with confusion.

“Who was that?” Cassandra asked. “Who gave you this chess set?” Kingmaker shook his head.

“I don’t…know.” he said shaking the memories again. “And don’t ask any further, I don’t know what your talking about anyway. That memory is purged, the only way to get it back now is to win the game.” he said determinedly. He looked to the board and placed his pawn forward. “A2 pawn to A4.” he said rubbing his head.

“Pawn B4 to A3, En Passant.” Cassandra said darkly moving her pawn forward. The two exchanged blows as they lifted their shields and weapons, until Cassandra's Pawn was able to dart by dragging the weapon across the Pawn’s arm and stabbing it into the armpit. It took it’s place and looked down upon the glaring form of the rook.

“I didn’t expect you to know that rule, considering how poorly you played.” Cassandra gave him a dark grin.

“You are underestimating me again, like I had just said not to moments before. Now the game is much more interesting as I am in the position of power.” Cassandra looked to the board placing her chin upon her fingers in contemplation. “Hmm, my father is right, this game can be fun.”

Kingmaker scowled at her, looking into her eyes and seeing the monster in his own den, but he wouldn’t lose, he couldn’t fathom losing. He only lost a chess game once in his entire life, to the man who was now his employer, the King of All. He had told him of Cassandra Remi, and she met his code of honor. He would kill her for him, as his thanks to the King bringing him another monster to slay.

“You monsters need to learn to shut your mouth when you play my games!” He grabbed his pawn and slammed it forward near the queen. “Pawn C2 to C4.” Cassandra laughed as she danced her fingers towards her knight.

“Your so stupid.” she chimed as the Knight advanced forward taking the Pawn. “My knight takes the pawn at C4.” It galloped forward and as the two were about to meet the Knight lifted from his horse, launching itself at the pawn with short sword in hand before taking it down repeatedly slamming blade down into the chest of the foe.

“Damn you!” he seethed as he lifted up his own knight to take hers, but the Queen standing nearby placed a gentle hand on the Knight’s shoulder showing her support. Kingmaker suddenly grew irritated before he reached for his other knight. “Retreat back to H6.” he ordered. His Knight obeyed.

“And now for a killing stroke. Bishop to E5!” Cassandra said carefully moving the Bishop along the board. He lifted from prayer before chanting a litany of hatred before the pawn.

“Kill it!” he ordered as the Pawn lifted up and attacked the Bishop, stabbing its spear into the Bishops flesh. “Pawn takes your Bishop at E5! Now let’s see what’s around your heart!”

[Requiem of Insanity]

“Oh, Kane how I wish, wish upon a shooting star that you could hear the dark attentions of my devoted lover!” Cassandra cooed as she waltzed through the darkness upon the moonlit path.

Kane, a male about six feet in height, pasty skin and slender features dragged his feat behind his mistress as she reveled in her latest kill. “At least for a brief moment the two of you got to be together.” Cassandra continued as she walked backwards, her hands reaching for his as she dragged him along. Her face was brimming with delight as she looked into his eyes.

Kane had spent the last three months of his life searching for powerful relics to resurrect the woman before him, her dark ambitions infesting his soul like a parasite. He had seen, witnessed, and performed acts that to this day he knew would never fade away.

The biggest sin in his life was bringing back this woman before him.

“I shall, and always will be, your eternal puppet.” Kane said half sadly, half happily. He was her slave, unable to break his will into leaving her. He felt he loved her, despite how wrong she was. Her hand danced up along his sleeve until she grazed his chin, looking him in the eyes.

“It was torment without you,” she said in the quietest of voices. Kane’s face titled in confusion. “I…I don’t know what possessed me to think this, but all I could think about in the afterlife was you. You became my hope…” She said again as a tear brimmed her eye.

Kane started to shake on the spot, unable to accept her words of kindness. This wasn’t like her, not normal for her to say these things. She looked to him with sorry eyes before she lifted up the Butcher’s Bill and let it free fall onto his shoulder. The sword cut deep, hitting all the way to the bone and Kane dropped to his knees in agony.

His lips never parted as his eyes remained fixed on hers.

“Why?” Kane said at last. Cassandra’s face contorted into a mixture of hate and regret. Her body began to tremble as she gripped the sword tightly.

“I’ve never in my entire life had to rely on others like I did back there with you. I never felt these emotions for anyone at all…I…I don’t want them…but…” she cried.

“Oh my god…” Kane spoke softly. “Cassandra…do…do you love me?” he said chocking back tears. Cassandra’s own face began to swell up as tears streamed down her cheeks. She looked to him as her lips quivered. Kane lifted himself up despite the pain as he slowly moved forwards, her blade lifting up to his chin.

“Stay away from me!” She screeched. Kane kept his composure as he looked her right in the eyes.

“Cassandra, it’s okay! Fight him, fight your twisted desires!” he shouted to her, fighting for her very soul. The conflict inside her heart was titanic as the tears swelled down her face. “He’s a vile, twisted creature, dark and disgusting! I know you Cassandra, I know who you really are!” Kane shouted to her. The two looked to each other before Kane softly took one step forward. He pushed the blade aside gently as she quaked in her own boots at his approach.

“It’s okay, Cassandra.” Kane whispered. “I love you, Cassandra.”

The two locked their eyes together as Kane gave her his heart, and softly the grip on the sword loosened before she rushed forward, her lips meeting his as they kissed deeply and passionately. She held him tightly as he stroked her hair with his one good arm.

She pulled away and smiled to him, sweetly, her eyes never leaving his. “I love you, Kane.” she replied.

Kane’s only response was a soft smile as blood pooled out of his lips, a small dagger protruding from his gut. She sat there, shivering on the spot as she watched Kane’s life leave his eyes, and she turned away from him, feeling a coldness swell up within her.

That feeling was soon warmed however, as the loving arms of her dark companion wrapped around her. She held back onto them, and cried. She cried and cried as she looked back at Kane and sobbed as she felt that emptiness slowly be filled by the warmth of her deluded twisted ambitions. When she was done crying she went over to Kane’s body, picked up his axe and walked forward. She never looked back at Kane as she walked.

“I’m sorry, my love.” She said earnestly to her dark companion. “I stumbled, but I am back now.”

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra’s head buzzed as the memory was violently ripped out, her brain unable to comprehend the situation she was in. Kingmaker’s voice was eerily silent as he sat across the board, his eyes looking to her with deadly intent.

“So, somebody loves you and you throw a shit fit?” he said at last, his voice on the end of exploding. “You damn near killed a girl, and you stabbed a man in the gut and watched him die just because they said the words ‘I love you’?” He shook his head in disbelief.

“You don’t understand…” Cassandra said groggily.

“Oh, I think I do!” Kingmaker shouted. “You want the abyss of darkness as your only companion! Then let me give it to you.” Cassandra felt the harshness of his words push her back, her spine tingling in fear as she felt her heart waver. That last memory was hard to pull out, and she lost track of her previous mind set. She had no idea what she was thinking, sacrificing her bishop like that. Her dark companion held her tightly in his arms, giving her warmth as she tried desperately to remember.

“Why…why did you mention my heart before you took my piece?” she slurred.

“Each piece of the game resembles a part of your soul.” Kingmaker said vilely. “The knight’s represent your convictions, your ties to loyalty, your memories of kinship.” he said touching his own knight lovingly. “The bishop ties you to your heart, the memory of something that once enticed you like a lover or a faith. The rook ties you to the foundations of your soul, your home, your memories of your life growing up.”

“What then does a queen represent?” Cassandra asked curiously, feeling a bit of energy flow back into her. She looked to the board with confusion as she tried to remember what she was thinking before.

“The queen represents the strongest memory you control. Your fondest, happiest moment in your life. The one moment where you felt you could do anything, go anywhere, move freely. Like the piece’s movements, so to is the memories hold on you.”

“So the day I met my dutiful lover.” Cassandra said.

“Normally, yeah, if it was a memory that you wanted to remember, but see, you’re the black pieces.” Cassandra looked up to him with a confused face. “Heh, starting to realize now? I only gave you examples of memories you want to preserve, the white pieces. Black pieces have a different set of rules.” Cassandra looked to her clock, she hadn’t much time to make a move.

“The memories I have are ripped up, memories I’d rather forget, so if I were to lose my queen I could only assume it would be of a memory I buried so deeply I couldn’t afford to see it again.”

“The monster learns…” Kingmaker taunted. “In this game, the most powerful piece is not what you think, is it?”

“In this case, no, it would be my queen. The backlash of having such a deeply purged memory would probably knock me out, making me unable to finish my turn in time and thus forfeit the game. Clever Kingmaker,” she said looking at her army. “You developed a way to defeat people you couldn’t beat with your intelligence.” he growled to her, but waited as she lifted up her hand to the pieces on the board.

I don’t have much time left on my clock. I already wasted to much time. It may be risky my love, but I have an idea. She thought to her dark intentions. In response, her lover chuckled in her ear.

“Knight to E3.” Cassandra said as she watched her knight whistle for his mount, it galloping towards his assigned orders swiftly bringing another spear up into his hands as he moved to his position.

“How utterly meaningless!” He spat angrily as he moved his hand to his knight. “Pawn G3 to G4.” The Pawn obeyed his orders with a snap salute before running forward placing a warning spear upon the black pawns perimeter. The middle of the board seemed eerily clear as Cassandra scanned the floor plans of the table. She lifted her hand to her Bishop.

“I hope this works,” She muttered under her breath. “Bishop to A6.” she said. Reverently her Bishop rose up, praying over the ground he covered until he stopped , turning to the black queen with a bow saying a silent prayer for her health.

Kingmaker’s hand rose up instantly to his Queen. “You’re so stupid! I knew if I moved a Pawn to waste your time you would start making idiotic moves! And now you'll feel twice the pain. The more memories I take, the more painful they get! This will rip your mind asunder! Queen to H8!”

The queen moved with a furious pace, her hand lifting up a long pike as she charged the breath of the board, her weapon piercing the castle in the door knocking it down. She entered the rook’s sanctum and within moments the whole building came crashing down. Woozily the queen resurfaced, covered in debris as she pushed a rock off of her.

Similarly Cassandra’s mind was ripped open as another painful memory she tried to repress was pulled out.

[Requiem of Insanity]

“You were my biggest sin.” Jebb Remi said darkly as he watched Cassandra walk out of the darkness into the moonlight. He tested his bonds one last time, realizing there was no safe haven from this hell he was about to visit upon.

“You upset, Father, because I wouldn’t be like you? Because I wouldn’t regret what I’ve become?” The two glared daggers before Cassandra twirled on her heel walking back into the shadows. “You are sadly mistaken, Father.” she chided. “I do have a regret in this life, a regret I’m going to correct.”

“That’s it then? Kill me?” Jebb sighed loudly. “Is this some sort of initiation into madness for you? Defeat your teacher and become the master?” a soft voice chuckled behind his ears. “Give into your stupid ambitions?” he shouted into the void of darkness. "Knock this off Cassandra!"

Footsteps creaked along the wooden boards as she stepped back into the light on his side. She lifted a single fillet knife and gently ran the tip of the blade down his side. Blood pooled down his side where it formed on his hip before spilling over down his leg onto the floor.

Jebb Remi seethed in pain as he hissed at her, not crying out in agony to spite her. Cassandra gave him a disillusioned look. “You don’t have to do this.” He whispered to his daughter. “We can start over.” he continued.

“Shut. Up.” Cassandra commanded as her eyes narrowed.

“Cassandra look at me! You can’t do this, I’m your father! Think, my darling! Think of what we can do together!” he begged, his eyes going soft as she took off his right nipple making him cry out loudly,.

“SHUT UP!” Cassandra shouted as she tossed the fillet knife off to the side in anger. “I don’t want this! I didn’t want you to beg! For once, I just wanted the silence of a kill, and now you won’t give me that!” She stormed back into the darkness.

“It’s okay…my…child…” Jebb said woozily as he felt his stomach grow wet and sticky. “We can, we can live…live together…” Cassandra returned back with a large dagger eying her father with tears in her eyes. At last she thrust the weapon into his chest in a reverse grip, her face covered in anger and confusion as she stabbed her father in the heart.

She took a few pained steps back as she looked to him, her face contorting as she watched the life in his body begin to shiver free from his flesh. He coughed up blood weakly, it drooling from his quivering lips as he looked to her.

“I…always…hated you…my sin…” he breathed out in a wheeze. His eyes started to close sharply as Cassandra looked to her father.

“I hated you too, father.” She said in choked sobs. “Then I just stopped caring about you.” she said as the knife fell from her hands. She looked as he passed on, her lips quivering as she looked down upon the bloodied weapon, feeling a darkened void start to fill in her heart.

For once she couldn’t feel her dark intentions, her dutiful lover, and she preferred that. She stumbled on her own towards a corner, looking at the body in the moonlight as she fell upon the corner, trembling as she softly slid down, her hands instantly wrapping around her knees as she drew them in, sobbing into her arms as she cried over the death of her father.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra’s eyes were flowing with tears as she sobbed, her body losing all it’s energy as she looked to the board with no care in her heart. She wanted to die now. She wanted to end this. She didn’t want to see her memories anymore. She just wanted to forget.

Kingmaker was howling with laughter as he pointed to her in triumph, watching her as she sobbed like a new born babe. “Does the monster miss her daddy?” he taunted. “Does she wish to be with him again?”

“Leave me alone.” Cassandra whined.

“Like hell I will!” Kingmaker shouted wildly, fire in his eyes as he looked to her. “I am the Kingmaker of this plain! I am the one who will set forth the wheels of fate and make the darkness fear the light! Far to long has the shadows ruled over the light so monsters like you can thrive, live and breath! But I? I will end this as I snuff out everyone touched by darkness and give them the glory of the light! I will make them feel the pain of their own tormented life and relive each moment of it as I strip their souls apart piece by little piece!

“In the end you will be a shell, with nothing but your memories flooding out of your head to keep you company! You will look to me and tremble! So open your eyes, Cassandra Remi, see the futility it is to fight me!”

Cassandra felt her will being drained quickly, her energy nearly spent just to breath. A warmth covered her as her dark companion did everything within his power to save her, but she was broken. Her mind was unable to focus and function.

“You don’t have much time left, Cassandra! Make your move and lose the game!” Kingmaker taunted.

Cassandra felt her dark intentions gripping at her mind, trying to wake her out of her daze, but she felt no desire to risk seeing another memory. She was torn and broken. She just wanted to sit and wait and have her soul be taken.

“What’s the point?” Cassandra muttered. “Why should I bother to live when he’ll just rip up from the grave of my heart another memory?”

With a howl of rage the shadows began to stir in the room, the candles flickering as an unearthly wind howled in the pillars and across the board. Kingmaker began to shout and scream for explanation, but Cassandra felt disassociated with the howling energies and the commotion going on.

Something sparked her heart however, and she lifted her head a fraction of an inch. She couldn’t’ hear it, and when she was about to give up again she felt another spark. This time she perked her head up in curiosity like a tiny dog would. Her eyes scanned the horizons, but aside from Kingmaker’s confusion nothing seemed to be striking her as off.

Then she heard it.

Her eyes fell upon her queen, her most powerful piece was looking right at her, a bloodied knife in hand. The bishop was behind her, his eyes upon her as well as both of them looked up to her before they let out an ear piercing scream of pain and regret.

Her ears twitched at the sound as she felt her heart spark back into life. She watched as all her pieces turned to her, their eyes showing terrible fear as their mouths pitched into a terrible wail of agony and remorse. Kingmaker’s hands covered his ears as he looked to her.

“What the hell is this wailing noise?” he said, his voice cracking in fear. Cassandra felt her spirit lift as she heard the screams, her fingers dancing across the board as she listened to her lover’s most beautiful song. Each piece she touched screamed louder, as if she was personally torturing them with her finger. She felt her heart beat wildly to hear these screams and she closed her eyes in pleasure to hear her twisted song.

“This is my song, Kingmaker!” Cassandra said in a fever of excitement. “My Requiem of Insanity! Will you join the chorus?” Kingmaker looked to her in terror before his eyes glanced down upon the board.

“I knew if I opened myself up to another painful memory you would punish me for it! You would make me see what I wish to forget! But now that I made you waste a move you should have spent protecting your King I will now become the Kingmaker!”

“NO!” Kingmaker shouted as his eyes scanned the board quickly. “No, this is wrong, you can’t beat me!”

“You‘re probably are wondering why I am about to win?” Her hand gripped the queen tightly, her screams ear piercing as Cassandra slowly moved it, deliberately making it take a slow path as she dropped it off in front of the king. “It’s because you tried to stop the monsters in this world, not once realizing you were the monster you sought to fight!”

The piece sauntered over, it’s wail of terror ending as it produced a dark grin, an inviting grin. The queen opened her robes and dropped it behind her, revealing a sneaking suit as blades of all shapes and sizes covered her body. The queen lifted up a single fillet knife before placing it into her mouth seductively as it stopped before Kingmaker’s podium.

“I do believe that this is,” Cassandra said lifting her hand up to her throat. “Checkmate.” she motioned for the execution.

Kingmaker lifted up in his seat, his eyes glossing over as a white light erupted from his chair, engulfing him as he screamed in torment. He howled, screaming for the King of All, for his sister, for anybody to help him. After a minute he began to scream for death, begging for it as he screamed in agony.

The White pieces remaining on the board screamed with him, along with the black pieces as the Black Queen moved forward, taking the knife out of her mouth and lifting it over Kingmaker's heart.

Then, there was only silence.

[Requiem of Insanity]

Cassandra watched as all the white pieces upon the board began to crumble into dust, Kingmaker’s podium being torn asunder as it engulfed him in the debris. She stood up from her perch, feeling her muscles ache as she turned down the steps lazily dragging the Butcher’s Bill behind her as she sauntered over to the wreckage of the White King.

Her pieces all turned about face and slowly returned back to their side of the board, silently moving as sentinels as they took up positions before remaining neutral in their stoic faces. As she looked down upon the wreckage she found Kingmaker’s bloody face half buried under his desk, his chess board mere inches away from his fingers. She could already tell he had died.

She sighed heavily, disappointed she couldn’t torture him in depth, but a powerful feeling rushed over her body as her Dark Companion whispered sweet nothings into her ear. She looked upon his broken form, and with one last sigh she bent down and picked up the white pieces from his board placing them into a small pouch. Turning on her heel she left the fool to linger in the afterlife with no memories of who or what he is. If what she learned from the game was any indication of the chess boards power, Kingmaker should be rotting in hell and not even knowing the reasons why.

That made her grin.

She moved towards the dais where she played her game, her hand swiping all the pieces into her sack where she dumped their white kin. Without even a second thought she pulled the string and tied it off before dropping it into her backpack. Settled and ready to leave, she began to walk.

As she was about to touch the door handle she heard a loud fizz sound followed by a pop. She had heard this sound before, and she groaned slightly to herself before turning. Her communication orb that she used to talk to Kingmaker was glowing a soft blue, the sound of clapping echoing in the playroom.

“Bravo, Bravo!” the voice was filled heavily with sarcasm as the clapping died down, and Cassandra walked back to the podium looking up at the orb as if it were a disgusting pile of ooze. “Kingmaker was a strong, if not a little delusional, opponent. I do hope he gave you a run for your money.”

“The King of All speaks again,” Cassandra said darkly as she dropped her bag for comfort. “Come to give me another riddle?” she chided. “Perhaps this time you’ll provide me with where I can find you and kill you?”

The king laughed as he heard her speak, reveling in her anger. Cassandra felt her ire rise and she bent over to pick up her bag.

“Oh come now, child,” The King said laughing. “All in good fun now, all in good fun!” Cassandra rolled her eyes. “You do have to admit to me that you enjoyed yourself, even a little bit is more than what you are used to…”

“…” Cassandra looked away from the orb before she grinned to herself. “…Maybe…” she admitted. The King let out only a cruel chuckle.

"I must ask this, because I'm dying to know..." The King of All said sheepishly. Cassandra figured this would come, and cut him off.

"What memory does the queen hold in my heart? What is the worst thing in my life I dug deeply into the chasms of my being to forget for all eternity? What memory spawned my dark nature so to say?"

"Yes," The King of All said calmly. "I'm terribly interested." Cassandra thought about it. Should she lie and feed him a line? Should she not say anything? This man was dangerous, always knowing about her, but she knew nothing about him. Was this dangerous? She came to a conclusion.

"My mother's death..." Cassandra said in a half whisper. Silence ruled the room as the King of All thought about this, and Cassandra did her best not to let the memory unravel itself in her mind.

"You may ask me one question in return." the King said in return, his voice echoing in the silence. "Something of equal value about my past. Fair is fair. That I know something about you now you should know something about me."

Cassandra thought about it. She had a million questions to ask this man, but in the end those questions would do her no good, instead she opted for a simpler one.

"Who was the first person you ever killed?" Cassandra asked. Silence once again filled the room. Her lips curled into a smile as the King of All remained silent, far to silent for just mere simple thinking. This man was repressing the question, doing his best not to go down a road he promised never to walk again.

"My..." he said softly. "My first kill was my own brother. We were hiking out in the wilderness, just us too. Well, we fell from a cliff, down a hole into the darkness of the abyss. We stumbled upon a group of cultists for a fallen god. They demanded we fight each other. Whoever was stronger was allowed to live, whoever weaker had to die."

"A strange set of events." Cassandra pondered loudly. "That should have been torture. That should have been the toughest thing to ever do. I am going to guess that you didn't waste a breath in killing him."

"Before he knew what was happening I took a knife and slit his throat. He hadn't even been given his weapon. I killed him in cold blood." The King of All's tone was like he was in a daze. He seemed distant and Cassandra listened to each word he spoke.

"Strange that," Cassandra said sitting on her haunches. "I take it that death was similar to me killing my father. You had no regrets killing him, just..."

"The way I did it." he finished. "It wasn't the way he was supposed to die. I had something so much grander for him in the end..." There was silence before the King of All spoke again. "Alas, fate is fickle and all that jazz!" he said quickly ending the matter.

"Okay, King of All," she said with a sigh standing up. "I take it you are going to give me a riddle?"

“The Sandman, the Kingmaker, what next is in store?” he rhymed. “For our midnight monster, this next prey will be a chore.” he continued. “She’s a woman from your past, a person’s memory that will forever last.”

Cassandra bent her head to her chin as she began to think of who the King of All referred to in her riddle. “Who?” she said, confused as all hell.

“Who knows. But this little kitten wants to come home to see her mommy.” he let the hint linger.

“Where?” Cassandra asked vehemently as she thought of who it could be. The King of All laughed to her before the orb began to fizz again. “TELL ME!” She shouted.

“Go to the desert.” he whispered to her.

Cassandra lifted herself back upright, grabbing her bag as the orb shattered into thousands of tiny pieces, her mind made up. If Fallien was where she had to go, Fallien is where she will go. Her Dark Companion gave her a gentle hand, his warmth adding to hers. He approved of this action. All was in accord.

She stepped out of the Citadel and made way for Fallien. The entire time her heart was wrenching as she instinctively gripped the Black Rook in her hand.

[Taskmienster]

Checkmate: I wasn’t given any details as to the type of commentary that was requested. So, I’m going to be doing my average amount. If I see something that stands out I’ll make a note of it for you, and so forth. If you have comments or anything catch me via PM or AIM as per usual. :p



Continuity 5

:: Continuity through memories is a good way to get the reader to know a bit about the character, but what the purpose of the thread is other than to kill another person is lost. Why are you trying to kill him? What purpose does he have in Cassandra’s life? What happened to lead up to this event?

Setting 4

:: You seemed to have forgotten the setting after the first couple posts, which didn’t have a lot of setting to begin with.

Pacing 3

:: At first it was really quick, then there was a chess match which took up the vast majority of the thread. Pages of reading a chess match aren’t really that interesting unless you take the time to make them so. You don’t have to tell the reader every little detail of the mental battle through the use of the board, but it would be nice to have the focus shifted to something… interesting. Such as character, or a focus on persona.

Dialogue 4

:: The dialogue is somewhat childish, a lot of cussing and a lot of childish anger. Its as if the character is a small child, with a foul mouth, and weapons to kill someone in every thread. As I said in the persona, she doesn’t have a lot of depth which makes her really unbelievable as a character. What personality you do show is normally only through dialogue, and it is almost the same at all times so it doesn’t seem to add a whole lot to the general story.

Action 4

:: After playing so much, how does the Kingmaker have any memories left? Even small ones here and there, after losing pieces other than pawns, would eventually run out, right? It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to use this as a means of hurting others when it also hurts you… The action is there, but not entirely clear.

Persona 3.5

:: Cassandra isn’t really that interesting. She does the same thing every time, never changes, and has the same cliché villain killer attitude. I’d suggest giving her some depth, something more than “I kill you, oh wait, I need 9 more posts till I can do that.” Also, something more than trying to portray her persona through dialogue would help a whole lot. Depth, that is what she needs more than anything.

Technique 5.5

:: You normally have a rather interesting, and welcoming writing style, one that makes the reader really want to continue. This thread, however, doesn’t follow that trend unfortunately. It feels like I’m reading a technical manual on the actions of the character. It doesn’t have enough feeling. Try and remember to keep the advanced technique in the thread, and don’t favor immediate ‘to-the-point’ storytelling that doesn’t allow the reader to get drawn in.

Mechanics 5

:: The Citadel is a proper name for a specific location, so should be capitalized. Minor spelling errors, such as writing ot instead of to, as well as comma errors (either too many or not enough).

:: “She had got out of that mess by pure dumb luck, yet a solitary communication orb remained behind and someone by the alias King of All told her if she was looking for a challenge to come to this place and find someone by the nickname of Kingmaker.” Post 1 :: “She had [gotten] out…” got out is incorrect grammar. Also, the sentence is a bit of a run-on. You have the conclusion of what happened, what had been left behind after the conclusion, and then what came next. Too much in one sentence. You should stick to conveying a single thought per sentence, the only time a sentence should be as long as this is if each part of it relates to the initial train of thought started with.

Clarity 4

:: “About three months ago she was traveling the land in Carthage trailing someone who raped his victims under a spell.” Post 1 :: Did the person rape people that were under his spell, or did he rape them because he was under a spell? Make sure that you’re clear with your wording.

:: “Now that term has dual meanings, as anyone who pulls the trigger to set the events to lead to others ascension.” Post 1 :: “Now” has a present tense connotation, and in this case completely cuts away from the past tense writing style. Also, after the comma, the sentence really doesn’t make any sense.


Wild Card 5


Score: 43


Rewards:

Requiem :: 1400 exp | 100 gold
((Reward request : Cassandra Requests the following spoil:
Kingmaker's Chess Pieces: The pieces of this demonic artifact is a testament to men's insanity to get what they want, regardless of the price. Depending on which color you play will determine what happens to your soul:

-Black: If you play the black pieces, painful memories from your past will be forced up to the front of your mind, making you relive them as if they just occurred. (IE any emotional effects will immediately be revisited.) This process is also very painful.

-White: If you play the white pieces, fond memories from your past will be stripped from your mind, forever lost. This leaves the player in a state of confusion and very disoriented. This process is also very painful.


Changes :: White cannot remove memories forever. Also, cannot use on a PC without permission, though I don’t know how you would without their permission… ))

[Taskmienster]

Exp and GP added.