Solar Blood Masters (172)

Chapter 172 - Gos Monarchs

The rows on the North Druid Chessboard began to turn, grinding against each other with a low rumble that resonated through the chamber.

Pi Muram’s hourglass Gos, the Chronos Viper, slithered into position. It reared its head, its forked tongue flicking out as it hissed, and the hourglass in its grasp became active. The sands within swirled, then froze.

The opposing King Leviathan's forces, caught in the Chronos Viper's time-bending magic, became statues. They were frozen in mid-motion and glowed grey.

Pi Muram’s Queen Leviathan seized the opportunity. She leaped onto a black tile. She vanished, then reappeared on the second row where King Leviathan occupied.

She skipped over three more tiles, closing the distance between her and the enemy Monarch and with her shield at the ready, prepared to slam that smug bastard’s face into the board’s surface.

Pi Muram’s turn expired.

The sands in the Chronos Viper’s hourglass resumed their flow.

The King Leviathan’s forces stirred. Sensing the approaching Queen Leviathan’s presence, the King Leviathan quickly moved its two Gos Warriors, Stone Golem and Shadow Mantis, into position.

The Stone Golem, wielding a massive axe, slammed it downwards towards the Queen Leviathan!

BOOM!

She raised her shield, deflecting the blow effortlessly. A ripple of energy expanded outward as those spectral runes adorning her shield now glowed.

With blinding speed, the Shadow Mantis dashed forward, flashing its twin scythes.

SLASH! SLASH!

But the Queen Leviathan was unyielding. Her shield, a fortress of golden light, protected her from the Shadow Mantis’s relentless assault.

Seeing his warriors unable to breach her defenses, the King Leviathan commanded his Chronos Serpent to extend his turn. He then retreated, hopping over several tiles, getting closer to the finish line at the board’s center.

He landed on a tile… that suddenly turned green.

“What the…?” He couldn’t comprehend.

Pi Muram smirked.

“You’ve fallen into my trap.”

“During my turn, I not only sent forth the Queen to assault you, but I also secretly commanded my Entangling Hydra to set a trap on that very tile. Just in case you would retreat. And it seems… my foresight was rewarded.”

From the green tile, thick, thorny vines erupted!

They snaked around the King Leviathan, binding him tightly. His health bar flickered, then began to drain slowly.

“Damn!” The King Leviathan struggled.

It was Pi Muram’s turn.

The rows shifted.

Pi Muram sent his warrior Gos to attack the King’s Gos Warrior, the Shadow Mantis. With a swing of his golden hammer, the Queen’s Stone Golem pounded the Shadow Mantis and decreased its health bar until it shattered. Her Light Mantis then darted forward and sliced the Stone Golem to pieces with her twin daggers.

Next, he commanded the Queen Leviathan to skip over a few more tiles.

She landed right before the King Leviathan, now still bound by the Entangling Hydra’s vines.

She rammed him with her shield.

BOOM!

His health bar depleted drastically. He stumbled backward onto another tile that glowed red.

“Another trap?!” The King Leviathan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The tile beneath him vanished! He plummeted downwards.

WHOOSH!

He landed roughly on the third row, farther away from the queen and the finish line.

“Having the queen attack the king directly… it was a good strategy, Raphael. However… I never expected her to actually defeat him. Her main attribute is defense, while his is offense. If he had recovered and attacked my queen… I would have lost.  Which is why I also set a trap using the Howling Banshee. Just in case to get the king as far away from the queen as possible.”

It was the King Leviathan's turn.

He wanted to command his warriors to attack the queen. But they were already slain.

He extended his turn with the Chronos Serpent, then skipped over a few tiles, landing on a black tile that transported him back to the second row.

He was now faced with the Queen’s Gos Warriors, Stone Golem and Light Mantis. He knew he couldn’t defeat them in his current, weakened state.

He activated his Emerald Phoenix. It unleashed a wave of healing energy that restored his health bar to max.

Then, with a mighty swing of his trident, he obliterated both the Stone Golem and the Light Mantis!

BOOM!

They shattered into purple fragments.

With his remaining time, he skipped over a few more tiles, landing four tiles away from the Queen Leviathan.

His turn expired.

It was Pi Muram’s turn.

Raphael scrutinized the board meticulously, pondering Pi Muram’s next move. ‘The King Leviathan is getting closer to the finish line. We have to stop him. But how? Our warrior Gos are gone. Our traps are depleted. The Howling Banshee’s penalty can only be used once per game. And the Tectonic Plates Gos can only shift tiles, not transport them. Hmmm…’

His thoughts were interrupted by Lu Jade’s voice.

“Big Brother! Just go for the finish! You’re so close!”

“That snake might be onto something,” Pi Muram mumbled. He observed the board for a moment, then turned to Raphael. “What do you think?”

Raphael considered Lu Jade's suggestion. It was tempting, but risky. ‘If we move the Queen Leviathan forward, she’ll be vulnerable to the King Leviathan’s attacks. And her defense, though potent, might not withstand a direct assault from his trident. Especially not at this close range. There has to be a way to protect her.’

“Ok. I’ve got a plan. A risky one, but… it’s our only chance.”

“Explain.”

Raphael detailed his strategy. Pi Muram listened intently.

“It’s brilliant,” he breathed. “But… are you certain it will work?”

“We have to try.”

…

The rows shifted.

Pi Muram commanded his Queen Leviathan to skip onto a black tile. She vanished, then reappeared on the first row, four tiles away from the center.

She activated her ultimate defense. A spherical shield, radiating golden light, enveloped her and the remaining Gos pieces on her team. While this shield was active, she couldn’t move.

Pi Muram extended his turn using the Chronos Viper. He sent the Entangling Hydra and Howling Banshee to the second row, setting traps on the black tiles there.

His turn expired.

The King Leviathan observed the situation. He scowled. The queen was only four tiles away from the finish line. He couldn't let this stand!

He drew his trident.

“Tidal Wave!”

A massive wave of water erupted from his trident, slamming into the two Gos guarding the black tile on the second row. Their shields shattered, but their health bars remained full.

He extended his turn and attacked again.

“Oceanic Fury!”

This time, his attack was more potent. The two Gos shattered!

He hopped onto the black tile and was transported to the first row, only two tiles away from the Queen Leviathan.

He prepared to attack.

But first…

He commanded his Gos Mage - Storm Drake to attack from a distance.

“Lightning Bolt!”

A bolt of pure energy struck the Queen Leviathan’s shield, shattering it!

“Now… DIE!”

He swung his trident, slashing off three of her health bars.

She had one remaining.

The King Leviathan’s turn expired.

It was Pi Muram’s turn.

He didn’t hesitate.

He commanded a regular Gos, the Golden Beetle, positioned on the third row, to skip onto a tile with a wing pattern.

The tile glowed. And two magnificent, golden wings sprouted from the beetle’s back.

“With these wings, the beetle can skip over two rows without stepping onto a black tile,” Pi Muram explained.

The winged beetle flew over two rows and landed on the very center of the chessboard. The finish line.

The King Leviathan, observing this move, scoffed. “What a foolish move! That beetle… It can’t claim victory! Only a Monarch can!”

He grinned. He was eager for his turn.

He would crush the queen!

…

It was the King Leviathan's turn.

He didn’t waste time strategizing.

He jumped over two tiles and lunged towards the Queen Leviathan with his trident!

He was about to deliver the final blow when…

The Queen Leviathan vanished!

And in her place… stood the winged Golden Beetle!

His trident struck the beetle.

It shattered into manay fragments.

The King Leviathan froze.

“What…?”

“How did that beetle get here? And… where’s the Queen?!”

He turned towards the center of the board.

And his jaw dropped!

The Queen Leviathan stood there glowing and her shield raised high.

She had reached the finish line.

“How…?” He couldn't comprehend. It was impossible to cheat in this game.

Pi Muram laughed.

“Before I activated the winged beetle, I had my Gos Mage - Sun Dragon cast a spell on it – ‘Dying Man’s Sacrifice’. It’s a spell that forces the affected Gos to seek death in place of its Queen, should she be in danger. It can only be used once per game.”

‘Oh, so that’s what happened? A magnificent strategy.’

The King Leviathan and his remaining Gos slumped in defeat.

A blinding flash of light erupted from the board's center, and the Queen Leviathan was adorned with a magnificent crown.

She was the victor!