Point of no return - Chess interlude

[Larose]

adnezar is cool! Just cuz he's bad ass, doesn't mean he's all evil

[Aicanor]

Well, update...

Chess interlude

It was raining. Adnezar was listening to the soft sound of raindrops splashing against the parapets and then down onto stone pavement of the courtyard. Tor Hisialcar, Adnezar noted, was a city of rain. And presumably of shining mists, but he saw little of those. The Asur were not inclined to give him sightseeing tours. And the windows were too far to reach, the length of chain allowed him only a few steps in any direction. But he became very familiar with the sounds of wind and water around the tower, having little to do but listen to them - and think.
He lay awake, sleepless. Having to spend days in forced inactivity was not something he appreciated. Now he was almost healed from his injuries, he found his predicament quite wearisome. But not of the kind that would help him fall asleep.
‘I do not need any crude methods - some time in quiet contemplation should do the trick,’ the lord of Tor Hisialcar has told him. And as much as Adnezar hated to admit it, he was right. But he was no novice at this game.
“What kind of pastime do you enjoy?” the old man asked with sardonic smile after their rather lengthy talk. “Music? Poetry? Painting?”
“Actually I would rather like to have some painting materials...”
“Not exactly harmless in your hands, are they? No, I think not. Is there anything else I can grant you to pass the time?”
Adnezar didn’t answer and the Prince motioned for the guard to lead him away. At the door he turned his head back. “A chess set would be nice,” he said. “I’ve never had the time to learn.”

And so he lay there, twirling the dark chess queen he nicked from the table earlier in his fingers. He had to admit the Asur lord was surprisingly generous. Maybe he did it just to show his superiority or just tried to teach him a lesson, but he could appreciate it anyway. Well, kind of. The obsidian statuette felt cool and satiny in his hand and it didn’t remind him as much of Morathi as of Rianor. Soft, cold and with all sorts of hidden edges. Chess...


Isilmir was winning third game in a row and was starting to think he should rather let the Dark Elf win to keep his peace.
Adnezar swore. “Good thing it doesn’t work like this in reality.”
Isilmir smiled. “And how would chess work in reality?”
“Let me see,” Adnezar said thoughtfully, carefully picking up the Rider. The chain was constantly getting in the way and Isilmir suspected the Dark Elf occasionally used it as an excuse to end a particularly embarrassing game. “Let’s see. The Dragon Prince would decide he’d like to go in this direction, damn the pirouettes. He can fly, can’t he? He put the dragon rider down. Then the Archmage decides it would be advisable to visit your Everqueen first. And they spend the turn chatting and plotting.”
“The Everqueen doesn’t plot.”
“In that case they are otherwise occupied.”
Isilmir coughed. Adnezar moved the white Archmage. “The left Sorceress hates the other and decides to conspire against her with the Dreadlord here and they prepare the trap.” He moved the two figures.
“You can’t move two figures at once.”
“That is the point. Now, the Chracian sends Eagle into the way of the Beastmaster to protect his lord. Hopeless task.” He moved another piece and immediately took it with the dark one.
“Unfortunately he doesn’t know the right Sorceress won’t be able to help him out, having enough trouble herself. He took the Beastmaster with the Dragon Prince. Now the King sends the Black Guard to get his subjects back in line. That gives the other Sorceress chance to send an Assassin to get rid of the Dragon Prince who now threatens her. He took a black pawn from Isilmir’s pile and put him down next to the Rider, twirling him in his hand. But in fact,” he continued after a while, “she wants to take the Corsair out before the Guard interferes.” He moved the pawn on the board, knocking the Dragon Prince over as the chain caught on the elaborate figure, and setting him next to the Dreadlord.
“There is no such piece in the game.” Isilmir objected.
Adnezar shrugged. “There should be.”
“I can still win this, you know?” Isilmir commented as he watched the board.
“Hell, I hope you can, because I most definitely can’t.”

Well, chess... Adnezar glanced over to the other side of the chamber. Isilmir certainly had no trouble sleeping. Twirling the chess piece between his fingers, he closed his eyes, back to listening to the constant splashing of raindrops behind the windows, pondering the past few days, and the possibilities of the future. He wanted to be prepared. Drifting off to sleep, he heard the familiar pattern of the rainfall change.

[Elessehta of Yvresse]

That took a long time, did you have to learn chess to write it? =P

[Aicanor]

I know chess rules. Doesn't mean I play any better than Mr. Dark Elf...
It is the stuff that is actually not here at all that took the longest.

[Larose]

It's about time you got the ball Rollin again! I was beginning to miss Adnezar

[Aicanor]

It's about time you got the ball Rollin again! I was beginning to miss Adnezar

Really? It's been a long time, true. I hope to finish the story this time. But I am quite sure he will not get better at playing chess anyway.