<span class="mu-s">"It's best not to spill these secrets to anyone. Lest you wish to be obliterated."</span>
Everyone, including you, nods with a mutual understanding. You're already on thin ice with K-Corp and you really rather not ruin your relationship with X-Corp either.
You grab a pawn on the board. The Admiral smirks. You smirk back. You hold your hand out. He firmly grabs it. The two of you shake hands.
"It was a pleasure."
<span class="mu-s">"I could say the same."</span>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrNDEi0MIKo - WARNING! WARNING!
Pieces fly faster than anyone can keep track of. Every single pawn, every single bishop, every single knight. Your hands are moving automatically. So are his. Your shoulder implodes as one of your knights is captured. You quickly pull out a TRAUMA KIT and begin to patch up your body on the fly as the game continues.
Cracks begin to form across the Admiral's body as he loses his own pieces. Bright, neon magenta light oozes out of the cracks.
[UNSTABLE RESOLVE] MOTHERFUCKER IS STILL SMILING. YOU SMILE BACK. NEITHER OF YOU IS GIVING UP UNTIL THE OTHER DROPS DEAD.
Neither of you two are using recognizable chess strategy as pieces are being destroyed by both sides. Your left hand is severed as your rook is captured. You're too far in to give up now.
[UNSTABLE RESOLVE] WE WON'T DIE. YOU PICK YOUR HAND UP AND STUFF IT BACK ONTO THE STUMP. IT FUSES BACK.
Blood oozes from your mouth as you try your best to corner his king. He moves his queen to capture one of your bishops, which was out of position. You feel your skull crack wide open. Your head is SEETHING but you WON'T STOP. CAN'T STOP. PATCH UP. PLAY MORE PIECES. CORNER HIM. KILL HIM.
Screaming. There's so much screaming. But it's not of fear. They're cheering you on.
"KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!" LEX BELLOWS.
"YOU'RE NOT FUCKING DYING TODAY! KEEP! MOVING!" ASHLEY BARKS OUT A COMMAND.
"RIP. AND. TEAR! RIP. AND. TEAR!" BENEDICT BEEPS OUT WITH HIS ROBOTIC VOICE.
"DISTRUGGERE LA SUA ANIMA!" ADAM POUNDS ON THE TABLE.
[UNSTABLE RESOLVE] SOMETHING IMPLODES INSIDE YOUR STOMACH. YOU VOMIT UP MORE BLOOD ONTO THE BOARD. BUT YOU WON'T DIE. NOT YET.
[UNSTABLE RESOLVE] YOU. ARE. NICOLE. SMITH. YOU. ARE. NICOLE. SMITH.
Click. Clack.
Checkmate. Your board remains of two pawns, a queen, your king, and a single bishop. The Admiral's board is empty except for his King.
You look up at him. The Admiral refuses to die even despite the latticework of scratches and stab wounds coating his whole body. His hands are mangled hunks of bone and loose skin. You can see his exposed ribcage and skull. Most of his teeth have shattered. Yet he stands.
[DEEP INTUITION] Ashley immediately tenses up and raises her baseball bat up, ready to strike. She knows something you don't.
He raises up his hand. <span class="mu-s">"You failed to kill me. Now, may you hear the pale horn of death-"</span>
[DEEP INTUITION] Ashley immediately rushes over to the table and smashes at his arm with her baseball bat.
