Her shoes, boots in this case, are rather simple, but somehow fits well with everything. They are coloured with that soft dark brown colour and with a few stripes of the platinum-white colour, it truly bends well with the rest of her outfit. Another thing about her outfit that completely blows me away is how it was made. The amount of magic her whole outfit has is astonishing, so much so that I don’t even think an elder Dwarf could create something like this. Only a Grand Dwarf could do it I would say, but unfortunately none of such Dwarves are alive today, if they are, human kind is ignorant to that fact. I wouldn’t doubt it, I won’t say that we have the “best” relationship with them. The outfit is enchanted with protection magic, physical to be precise, against all types of it even. Stabbing, slashing and smashing. Seriously, it is on a level that I more than believe I wouldn’t do much damage to her if I just slashed at her with my Paladin White Sword for example. If I enchanted it with magic, or in this case, just use its magic properties, then I would do a good amount of damage to her, but it’s more thanks to the magic itself than the strike. For some reason her outfit does not have any type of protection against magic at all. Maybe it’s a trade off? Or worst-case scenario, she does not need it.

  Ah, before I forget it, on the side of her head, her left side to be exact, she has a somewhat big flower on it. One that is far different from the Periwinkle that she has on her outfit, but I can’t tell you what it is. My knowledge about flowers is barely existent, and the ones that I know is thanks to my upbringing, I was a child of nobility so you can guess that in my house I had a garden. Enough about myself, this flower has magic coming out from it, something akin to a magic aura, one that has a dark golden colour to it, just like her pretty golden eyes. However, I did notice that from time to time said magic aura seems to get slightly bigger and more vivid, to make it even more noticeable, the opposite also happens. Either it has free will or it’s affected by something... But what could it be? Maybe her emotions? Hmm, for some reason that does not seem like it.

  Anyway, I went for too long, but seriously, she’s a true sight to be seen. If someone told me that she was the goddess of beauty I would believe it, that is just how gorgeous she is. Just a shame that she might end me at the end of this, or I will end her instead. One of the both. If not both. Way too many both.

  “Have you seen everything that you wanted to see about myself? You were staring at me in quite the way, how should I say this… Intensely I would say.”

  Oh, crap I was caught red handed. Damn, I really went for way too long, didn’t I? But she sure seems to enjoy messing with me as she says this with a soft smile on her face. Alright I have to look at something else or else she might comment again… Actually, now that I am having a look around, this chessboard is rather odd, magical even. Some of the chess pieces are missing while the ones that are present, they are all out of place, in random tiles it seems. Was she playing before I came here? Is someone else here or was she just playing by herself? Passing the time as I traversed the path that she laid out for me?

  Void Queen- Oh? Are you interested in chess? Or did you figure something out?

  “Well, the only thing that I can tell you is that this chessboard is not normal at all. What is this?”

  As calm and as collected as I can be, I ask this to her. I am curious about this chessboard and of course the connection to her. After all, either this has some hiding meaning that I’m missing or it is a part of her plan, maybe she will challenge me for a game? One that will decide the future of the world! I hope not, I’m not that good at all. Maybe I should call that pair of siblings to help me out? I more than believe they could win against her, but since this has magic on it, there’s a good chance it will be a different type of chess than anyone is used to.

  More reason to call them, they will figure something out.

  Void Queen- It’s a chessboard, just like you said. But I understand your confusion, after all it’s filled with magic. Not only that, I was the one who constructed all of it, in a sense, it’s special. It wasn’t easy to be honest, and I had to “borrow” a type of magic from someone that I know, that she knows. What do you say, let’s play a game of it?

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  With a soft and yet teasing smile on her face she begins her sentence, reverting back to a natural face as she says the rest of it. However, while she was saying all of this, she was gently playing around with a chess piece, the queen to be precise. And crap, she actually asked me to play a game with her. Before that, she mentions at least two individuals, both “her”, female in other words. Maybe one of them is the intruder that Miranda talked about? Is that too far stretched to make a connection? The “she” that she referred to, I have no clue who that might be. Who would’ve guessed?

  “I will tell you this right now, I’m not good. I don’t think you will have a challenge at all.”

  Just like before, with the same tone of voice and posture, I try to convince her to not go through with this. Will she take my word for it? I don’t think so as she simply shrugs it off with another simple smile. She sure likes to smile, I mean, I don’t mind it at all, way better than having her crying or something like that.

  Void Queen- When did I say that, you will be playing against me?

  “Eh?”

  A simple phrase with a simpler meaning. But with it, I’m now confused, so much so that I let out these two syllables that together form that word. Not only that, I do think I had my mouth wide open for a second or so when I let that out. However, I can definitely tell you that my eyes were wide open, but you know why that is? Because I could see her better, of course! Duh, it’s not because of the shock from what she said. Nah, never. She did pick up in my surprise and shock rather quickly, raising her chin slightly upwards and at the same time leaning back at the chair, puffing out her chest by just a bit. Huh, she sure seems a little happy with what she got out of me.

  Void Queen- You seem a little confused, let me explain it to you then. As you can expect, this is not a normal chess game, it’s a rather special one, one that will definitely change a few perspectives you have about all of this.

  She softly puts down the queen on the board, however she does put it in the correct spot. Right after that she gets up from the chair and starts to walk around the table. She does so slowly and in a teasing way? In a joking way it seems as each step is exaggerated and long, each time her foot touches down the ground is “loud” and “violent”. Seriously, is she a child? Is this just a game to her? Well, maybe it really is… I don’t like where this is going.

  Void Queen- You won’t be playing against yourself either but instead with a rather peculiar opponent, one who seems to be holding someone “hostage”. Ah, what a poor soul she is, but I digress.

  Well, you sure are “digressing” my Queen. What the hell do you mean by holding a hostage? I never heard anything about a hostage or someone of that sort, so who could she be talking about? God dammit, now I actually do have to play the damn game! I cannot stand idle when someone is in need. Just as I was about to question her about the hostage situation, she stops right behind her chair and leans forward towards me. She does not show anything nor even a peek if that’s what you’re asking, but I did notice that her collar in the dress follows the same pattern as the end of it and at the sleeves, in a frill way that is. Humm, bery elegant eben!

  What happened to my V’s?

  Void Queen- I know you have questions but let me finish first. The opponent that you will be facing is none less than fate itself! Amazing, no? You have a chance to beat fate! How I wish I could have such an opportunity!

  She says all of this with a rather lively tone of voice and one that is just a timber higher than normal. Yep, she definitely sees all of this as a game. I just hope the hostage is fine. Dammit, now my head is filled with said hostage.

  “Against fate you say…”

  I look down towards the chess as I say this, as I contemplate what she just said. It made me think, it’s definitely not my fate at all, but someone else as she affirmed. Now the big question stands, who is that individual? Who is the hostage whose fate I will have to save from this Empress? I look down at the chess with hopes to find any connection to anything, but nothing of that sort, at least for the naked eye. I use my Magic Sense Skill to sense the magic on the chess and maybe, just maybe, find any understanding of the situation in the process.

  “Fuffu… Are you there?”

  First a soft and warm wind is blown into my left ear, then a soft voice, one that made me skip a heartbeat is heard in my right ear. I was so focused on the chessboard that the woman went around towards my back without me noticing it, whispering this into my ears. Let me tell you, I was this close to elbowing her. Man, you don’t get behind a guy and do something like that! I can and will get the wrong impression about you! Of course, any thought process that I was having was gone in that instant, thank you so much my Queen!

  I really can’t let my guard down around her.