Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56The sheer scale of the whole setup was staggering. What had been a warehouse just moments ago, had turned into one huge grid box among the many that surrounded it.
James looked around in shock.
When he saw the alternating grid boxes of dark and light, he shivered.
The name of the game had also made him swallow hard.
Chess.
Was this going to be some complicated game where they had to move their own pieces and take down the other team's pieces until they won or....
He didn't want to think about it.
Katie, turned and looked at the next grid box which was dark. She couldn't see anything beyond it. From up to down, it was all extremely dark till the start of the next grid box.
Everyone was looking around nervously.
It was simply one giant chess board!
Their apprehension towards the man in the mask soared. Fear turned into terror and terror into hopelessness.
If this man could create such a humongous place, what was the limit of his power?
As everyone was in a daze, some already kneeling down and praying for redemption, the man in the mask spoke. Now they couldn't see him because of the setup of the place.
"The rules and description of the game will now be explained to you," he said. "The game itself is nothing as complicated as the real chess game. First of all, you all are the chess pieces."
James gnashed his teeth. This was not a surprise to him or many who were already seeing the trajectory of this sick game.
"Your roles have already been decided prior to your participation and you will be moved to your specific locations after all the rules have been explained," the voice of the man in the mask echoed.
Heavy breathing was a prevalent sound among the terrified participants. However, they all knew better than to miss the information they were about to be given.
"The game will be played for the duration of thirty minutes. The conditions for winning will be to eliminate the other party's king within the game's duration. All those in the party of the one who kills the King will be deemed as winners as well," echoed the voice of the man in the mask.
James' heart quaked at the mention of this detail. Given the fact that they did not know their roles, it was horrifying to imagine himself given the role of the King.
"There will be no taking turns. Anyone is free to act and respond of their own volition. However, your movements across the board and the individual grid boxes will be limited by your role as a chess piece. Also note that in each grid box, all the rules of the game including the movement restrictions apply."
The man in the cardigan had his mouth agape as he heard this rule.. He frowned.
'Holy shit! Did I hear that right?' James thought and saw some looking in confusion at each other.
'If I understood what he said correctly, then to move across the board, it'll depend on which chess piece I am. If I'm a Rook I can only move in a straight line, as a Bishop, diagonally and so on.
Does that also mean even when I'm in one grid box, I'm also limited to move depending on what piece I am?! Shit! This will be tricky, especially..' James thought as he looked at those dark grid boxes.
Fighting someone in there would be challenging to say the least.
"Tools to defend and attack will be given to you when the game officially begins. If you should face an opponent, the ideal way to eliminate them is by ending their life."
The burly shuddered as he heard this.
"Hey! Didn't you say that murder was not necessarily an option! You're going back on your own word!" he yelled with a crazed look in his eyes.
"Yeah! You liar! How can we trust your words when you keep going against them?! This is already unfair!" someone else chimed in until a clamour rose as many people started yelling and even spewing expletives at the man in the mask.
There was comfort in the crowd and many felt better just by cursing at the man collectively.
"Indeed. I did say that your options were not limited to murder. Which is true. You may choose to subdue or incapacitate your opponent instead of taking their life.." the voice of the man in the mask spoke apathetically.
"...however, since it is not the ideal way stipulated by the game, all who fail to do as indicated will be indefinitely detained in this venue until the beginning of the next game."
'What the heck?!' James thought.
"You're still just basically forcing us to kill each other! Who wants to be kept here for who knows how long you asshole?! This is unfair!" the burly man yelled.
"The choice is yours," said the man in the mask.
"Dammit!" cursed James. He had also thought that perhaps he could just limit himself to incapacitating his opponents, but that was thrown out the window. If he didn't follow the rules...
What was worse than being detained for 24 hours? Being detained indefinitely.
"We're really going to have to kill?" Katie said, her hands shaking uncontrollably.
James couldn't bring himself to answer.
"This bastard!" The man in the office shirt yelled while clenching his fists.
James suddenly launched a question at their detainer.
"What happens to the losers? Will they just be killed?"
The clamour died down with everyone wondering the same thing. What would happen to those that lost?
"The treatment of those who fail to win the game will be same as those who fail to follow the ideal rules. Indefinite detainment," said the man in the mask.
"PLEASE!" yelled a certain young lady. "Please! I don't know much about chess as a game! What do I do?!"
"Unfortunately, I am not liable for any knowledge that the participants lack for the games," he said, much to woman's depression. She began sobbing and crying as she knelt.
It was sad that she failed to garner sympathy from her fellow participants. Everyone was worried about their own selves. James could only sympathise. He didn't think he had enough time to explain everything to her anyway.
"Everything else will be the same as you remember from the original chess game. Allow me to remind you. If any participant refuses to participate entirely, they will automatically be replaced with a loved one to play the game on their behalf.
It is also possible to forfeit your participation token willingly and choose a replacement from the mentioned criteria by raising your hand and calling out their full name," the man in the mask said.
"Shit!" James cursed.
"You can.... choose someone else from your family?" Katie voiced out with a distant voice.
She wasn't the only one thinking about it. Many were gulping and pondering over it. All of them heard this detail loud and clear. Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or the powers of the man in the mask at play, but they all heard that bit about forfeiting voluntarily.
It was shocking how they had all become attentive to the details issued by the man in the mask..
Loopholes existed, but..
James looked at Katie, wondering if she would actually go through with it. He thought about it, but... who would he sentence to this dreadful game anyway?
"The game will now officially begin," said the man in the mask.
Everyone suddenly vanished and appeared in different positions on the chess board. Some appeared in the light grid boxes, some in the dark ones.
As soon as they appeared, they all felt in their minds, their position and their role in correspondence to their chess pieces.
Many cursed, some simply cried out, others screamed.
They all held weapons of different kinds, feeling them in their hands as soon they stood in their respective grid boxes.
One grid box per person. One weapon per person.
James' breathing hastened. He was panicking! There were two reasons. One, he was in a dark grid box!
While he had thought that the dark grid boxes were just dark, he found that he highly underestimated them. He couldn't hear or see anything!
It was just pitch black and sound didn't travel so well!
"Shit!" he yelled, but only felt the faint, muffled vibration of his voice in his own body. No matter how he much he yelled, or focused his vision it all seemed for naught.
In his hand was a dagger. He had felt its short blade. Thinking that he had to use it scared the living shit out of him.
The second thing that made him panic was his role.
He was....
A pawn.
This was the worst. He wasn't sure just how screwed he was, but he was screwed nonetheless.
Another person who was panicking was Katie. She was in a light grid box, in her hand was... an axe.
She could barely hold it. Her eyes were warily looking around the dark grid boxes on all two sides. She could hear the wailing and clamouring as she stood which made the experience even more horrifying.
Her role was a Rook.
She knew the chess game at a basic level. Her knowledge of how the pieces moved being decent, however, she was nowhere near as calculating as the game itself demanded.
Con CHeSs didn't seem to need anything other guts and speed though, as she had thought. She wasn't sure she could master both of those.
The man in the white office shirt stood, looking lifeless. He was in a dark grid box. He couldn't hear anything. Tears were starting to pour out of his eyes.
He was scared.
In his hand, was a chainsaw.
What made him the most fearful was the fact that he.....
Was a King.
He couldn't imagine surviving the crazed attacks from all those that wanted to live. Mowing them down with a chainsaw wasn't something he was looking forward to nor was it something he thought he could do.
He thought of his pregnant wife and gritted his teeth.
'What did I do to deserve this? Was I bad father? A bad husband? I work my ass off and this is what a get?! I want to see my child! I want to see my wife!' he fell to his knees and sobbed. 'I want to see my family dammit!'
Did it have to end this way?!
No.
"It can't!"
He said as he felt the ticking of the clock in his mind.
Time was already moving.
The game had begun.
If he failed he would be trapped here! What was the use of wallowing in self pity. He had to at least do something.
'Act like a man goddammit!'
The man stood from his position and roared into the air even if the sound couldn't be heard.
He grabbed the chainsaw and huffed as he prepared. He suddenly looked ahead with his eyes showing desperation and determination.
He lifted his right hand and yelled.
"Erica Monstroll!"
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
Age of Serial Synot First Act (6)
Erica Monstroll, daughter of Carl and Olivia Monstroll was a 19 year old girl with a spoiled personality.She was born in New York, being given all she wanted when growing up. Her father who worked for a multi-million dollar company was too busy to spend time with her hence he compensated for it by giving her large amounts of money every week to splurge to her hearts content.Her mother was even worse, having married Carl for his money and having Erica before she was ready to have children. She owned her own firm which she had started thanks to the funding she received from her husband and used it as a way ti escape her parental duties.She too spent more time away from home, leaving a couple of maids whom she had hired to take care of her daughter's needs.As such, Erica grew up with a rotten personality that only kids such as herself could put up with. She was stuck up and would never allow herself to hang out with people she didn't consider to be
Age of Serial Synot First Act (7)
James stood within the dark grid box. He held onto his dagger with a steady grip.He felt that time was moving. It was information that flowed within him constantly. In the darkness, he was still deliberating. However, there was no way turning back.Literally.As a pawn, he couldn't turn back.He mustered his courage. For his grandmother, for his future. He couldn't remain idle.He ran within the darkness, the feeling of the eerie pitch void making it seem like he was going nowhere. However, he raced forward, dagger in hand knowing that there was an end to the darkness.After running for a while, the scene before him changed abruptly.He was blasted by the return of information into his surroundings.He clutched his ears as he heard the chaos."WHERE AM I?! HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!"&
Age of Serial Synot First Act (8)
(A/N: Beware of the stuff we talked about). It was only after the blade of the dagger tasted the flesh of a human that James felt the unnerving sensation and withdrew quickly. He was in a dark grid box. Again, his senses were suppressed, vision and hearing entirely useless altogether. He had gone for the kill, anticipating that it was just the same as killing a chicken. However, the reality was different. It was enough to tear him out of his reverie. James took deep breaths. That sensation. He could never forget it. The vibration of the blade as it carved through the skin and flesh. The rough yet thick feeling of the blade that travelled through his hand, spelling out that it was not the weapon but him who was using it that was accountable. It made him stop. <
Age of Serial Synot First Act (9)
Four minutes back... Katie looked around in the light grid box and shook her head. The axe in her hands still felt as heavy as hell. She was beginning to think that she had spent enough time swimming in fear. However, her nature went against what the game demanded her to do and she was not sure how to tackle this. She gnashed her teeth and forced herself to take a step forward. However, the looming darkness that awaited her from the giant grid box ahead demotivated her from moving further. She wasn't sure if she should go straight ahead as she didn't know what to expect. After hesitating momentarily she finally continued walking ahead. The more time she wasted, the more her choices and options became unclear. As she walked along, the screams were a major deterrent to her movements. Hearing people screaming and the sounds of clashing weapons made her feel a deep sense of dread. The gurgling and crunching of human flesh and blood was even more u
Age of Serial Synot Prologue
Earth.It exists in a collective structure with other overlapping entities that resemble it; other Earths from different realities. However, the reality of each Earth is mostly the same. How could it possibly differ?A magnificent world of grey. Not by any means lifeless or devoid of activity and colour. But a mash of good and bad to create a frustrating middle point that causes the law to be unfair and justice to be as vague and subjective as any other opinion.In this same world, humans have tried escaping their harsh realities by creating comical characters. Benevolent beings drawn onto paper who fight for justice for the weak. Who steal from the rich and give to the poor. Those who punch criminals and hand them to meet the gavel of the law in courts.On paper, they write their dreams and fantasies. Having extraordinary abilities, being able to read minds, to fly and to make money without having to work so damn hard.Children grow up watching th
Age of Serial Synot First Act (1)
2029.New York, USAJames rushed around in the small apartment.There was a small kitchen with a stove, a small fridge and a few cabinets near the ceiling as well as the floor, made of cheap wood that housed a few water glasses, mugs, cutlery among other things.It was tiled, facing the small lounge where only two brown sofas could be found, a TV, a few picture frames and a window.James rushed from his bedroom and into the lounge with a toothbrush stuck in his mouth. He walked briskly into the kitchen where he saw the frying pan giving the smoky signal of proudly burnt meat.He removed the pan, made some toast and placed it in a plate with a frustrated shaking of the head as he packed all in his lunch.He ran to the toilet. A spit, rinse and splash later, he was rushing to the lounge with a satchel on his back.
Age of Serial Synot First Act (2)
A short man in a white office shirt that had rolled up sleeves, a blue tie and flat front navy blue pants stood on the other side of the secure interview room.(A/N: Interrogation room).He had light brown hair in a quiff and a clean shaven face, his sharp, deep set hazel eyes intently looking at the process ongoing in the room.A middle aged man in a dark jacket was being interrogated by a young man who looked to be frustrated.The young man glared at his counterpart, shooting up from his seat in the next second and his pointing finger at the middle aged man, who, despite the pressure applied on him, only smirked at the young police officer's display.The man outside the room held the bridge of his nose and grimaced. He knew it wasn't going well. Just like the other six cases before this one.A middle aged woman in her police uniform walked up to his s
Age of Serial Synot First Act (3)
James was spooked as he saw the man. He stood in the dark of a corner, while smoking a cigarette. It seemed that the smile design on his mask had a small space in between allowing him to smoke without a problem.The mask had no other features except that detail; even eyes holes, making it very unsettling.The man wore a long, dark coat with black pants and shoes of the same colour. In his hand was a thick brown book that he looked to be reading.James finally stood and looked around the place. It looked like an enclosed warehouse with nothing in it except windows and a door at the far end. The walls looked rather crude with chipped paint.The lighting came from some hanging light bulbs on the ceiling.The man in the mask suddenly walked up until he reached a certain distance from the people on the floor who were still waking up and struggling to stand."Welcome," he said in a particularly masculine voice. "You have qualified and have met the
Latest Chapter
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (9)
Four minutes back... Katie looked around in the light grid box and shook her head. The axe in her hands still felt as heavy as hell. She was beginning to think that she had spent enough time swimming in fear. However, her nature went against what the game demanded her to do and she was not sure how to tackle this. She gnashed her teeth and forced herself to take a step forward. However, the looming darkness that awaited her from the giant grid box ahead demotivated her from moving further. She wasn't sure if she should go straight ahead as she didn't know what to expect. After hesitating momentarily she finally continued walking ahead. The more time she wasted, the more her choices and options became unclear. As she walked along, the screams were a major deterrent to her movements. Hearing people screaming and the sounds of clashing weapons made her feel a deep sense of dread. The gurgling and crunching of human flesh and blood was even more u
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (8)
(A/N: Beware of the stuff we talked about). It was only after the blade of the dagger tasted the flesh of a human that James felt the unnerving sensation and withdrew quickly. He was in a dark grid box. Again, his senses were suppressed, vision and hearing entirely useless altogether. He had gone for the kill, anticipating that it was just the same as killing a chicken. However, the reality was different. It was enough to tear him out of his reverie. James took deep breaths. That sensation. He could never forget it. The vibration of the blade as it carved through the skin and flesh. The rough yet thick feeling of the blade that travelled through his hand, spelling out that it was not the weapon but him who was using it that was accountable. It made him stop. <
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (7)
James stood within the dark grid box. He held onto his dagger with a steady grip.He felt that time was moving. It was information that flowed within him constantly. In the darkness, he was still deliberating. However, there was no way turning back.Literally.As a pawn, he couldn't turn back.He mustered his courage. For his grandmother, for his future. He couldn't remain idle.He ran within the darkness, the feeling of the eerie pitch void making it seem like he was going nowhere. However, he raced forward, dagger in hand knowing that there was an end to the darkness.After running for a while, the scene before him changed abruptly.He was blasted by the return of information into his surroundings.He clutched his ears as he heard the chaos."WHERE AM I?! HELP! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!"&
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (6)
Erica Monstroll, daughter of Carl and Olivia Monstroll was a 19 year old girl with a spoiled personality.She was born in New York, being given all she wanted when growing up. Her father who worked for a multi-million dollar company was too busy to spend time with her hence he compensated for it by giving her large amounts of money every week to splurge to her hearts content.Her mother was even worse, having married Carl for his money and having Erica before she was ready to have children. She owned her own firm which she had started thanks to the funding she received from her husband and used it as a way ti escape her parental duties.She too spent more time away from home, leaving a couple of maids whom she had hired to take care of her daughter's needs.As such, Erica grew up with a rotten personality that only kids such as herself could put up with. She was stuck up and would never allow herself to hang out with people she didn't consider to be
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (5)
The sheer scale of the whole setup was staggering. What had been a warehouse just moments ago, had turned into one huge grid box among the many that surrounded it.James looked around in shock.When he saw the alternating grid boxes of dark and light, he shivered.The name of the game had also made him swallow hard.Chess.Was this going to be some complicated game where they had to move their own pieces and take down the other team's pieces until they won or....He didn't want to think about it.Katie, turned and looked at the next grid box which was dark. She couldn't see anything beyond it. From up to down, it was all extremely dark till the start of the next grid box.Everyone was looking around nervously.It was simply one giant chess board!Their apprehension towards the man in the mask soared. Fear turned into terror and terror into hopelessness.If this man could create such a humongous
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (4)
The tension in the room was so thick that one could almost touch. Everyone was trying to wrap their heads around the situation and figure out what to do.Some had already resigned to their fate warily gazing at others, trying to determine which of the other participants could be the biggest threat.The diverse reactions among the people represented the different attitudes and convictions that they had cultivated throughout their lives; the die hard, the quick to give in, those who lost it entirely.Among the sixteen people in the warehouse, most could be said to already have given up on getting out of this alive, after all, fiction may be made up, but it is based on real life events most of the time.James slumped down and took a deep breath. The thought of his grandmother suffering even for a minute hurt him.She could barely walk as it is, her one feature that spelled out loud that she was alive, being her eternally yammering mouth.
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (3)
James was spooked as he saw the man. He stood in the dark of a corner, while smoking a cigarette. It seemed that the smile design on his mask had a small space in between allowing him to smoke without a problem.The mask had no other features except that detail; even eyes holes, making it very unsettling.The man wore a long, dark coat with black pants and shoes of the same colour. In his hand was a thick brown book that he looked to be reading.James finally stood and looked around the place. It looked like an enclosed warehouse with nothing in it except windows and a door at the far end. The walls looked rather crude with chipped paint.The lighting came from some hanging light bulbs on the ceiling.The man in the mask suddenly walked up until he reached a certain distance from the people on the floor who were still waking up and struggling to stand."Welcome," he said in a particularly masculine voice. "You have qualified and have met the
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (2)
A short man in a white office shirt that had rolled up sleeves, a blue tie and flat front navy blue pants stood on the other side of the secure interview room.(A/N: Interrogation room).He had light brown hair in a quiff and a clean shaven face, his sharp, deep set hazel eyes intently looking at the process ongoing in the room.A middle aged man in a dark jacket was being interrogated by a young man who looked to be frustrated.The young man glared at his counterpart, shooting up from his seat in the next second and his pointing finger at the middle aged man, who, despite the pressure applied on him, only smirked at the young police officer's display.The man outside the room held the bridge of his nose and grimaced. He knew it wasn't going well. Just like the other six cases before this one.A middle aged woman in her police uniform walked up to his s
- Age of Serial Synot
First Act (1)
2029.New York, USAJames rushed around in the small apartment.There was a small kitchen with a stove, a small fridge and a few cabinets near the ceiling as well as the floor, made of cheap wood that housed a few water glasses, mugs, cutlery among other things.It was tiled, facing the small lounge where only two brown sofas could be found, a TV, a few picture frames and a window.James rushed from his bedroom and into the lounge with a toothbrush stuck in his mouth. He walked briskly into the kitchen where he saw the frying pan giving the smoky signal of proudly burnt meat.He removed the pan, made some toast and placed it in a plate with a frustrated shaking of the head as he packed all in his lunch.He ran to the toilet. A spit, rinse and splash later, he was rushing to the lounge with a satchel on his back.
