The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 32: Chess Players

The whole atmosphere was filled with tension as Buji finished explaining the strategy. The four teammates exchanged glances, knowing that they were not prepared to face the opponents yet.

A wide stone arena opened before them. The checkered floor glowed as light poured from jagged cracks in the ceiling above, revealing the Black Chess Players assembled in the usual formation.

At the forefront was the king, a tall figure with dark armor resembling a living shadow. Beside him was the queen, holding a staff that crackled with energy, if it should be live. In that same way, other officials stood in their normal formations, leaving the pawns in their front to wait for the first sign of movement from the White Players—Buji’s team.

"I don’t think those officials are just statues. I mean, with their weapons and posture, they look… alive," Tyga swallowed hard.

"If they are alive, it means they bleed. And if they bleed, anything that bleeds can be defeated. But still, we need to treat them like enchanted statues allowed to move on their own," Buji stated.

"We’re not certain what they are yet. But we quite know they look dangerous. And for the pawns, watch out for them. Since they are weaponless, I guess they are the baits, used to trigger our movements."

"I guess that’s all for now. Let’s stop the talking and start off, there’s no time," Kirex said, stepping forward. "Buji will be leading us this time."

"It’s okay. I only wish you all remember the plan," Buji said and stole glances at his teammates. "Let’s go!"

The four of them charged forward, leaving behind footprints on the marble chessboard. The first person to make the move was Lian.

Lian, as the rook, sprinted down the center of the arena, following Buji’s order to take the E-file. Afterward, a pawn lurched to life and marched ahead two squares, stopping on the D-file. Lian wished he could strike but he couldn’t unless the pawn rests on the same file with him.

"Just as expected. Moved the wrong pawn," Buji affirmed and made a movement that could trigger a check diagonally if any pawn closer to the Black king is moved.

This caused the pawn from earlier to move a step forward, causing Lian to sprint towards the pawn.

"But what should I do now," Lian asked in confusion.

"Try smashing it, since we can’t pull them out of the chessboard," Buji suggested.

Lian held onto his weapon tightly, and with an underlying force, smashed the pawn into black shards splintering on the marble floor.

"Good!"

It was Tyga’s turn to move. As the Bishop, she moved swiftly to square B2 and planted herself on the diagonal targeted at eliminating at least one out of two pawns, in case the other attempts to escape.

After the pawn Buji had expected to make its move, allowing the other pawn to keep the barrier for the king’s protection, Buji ordered Tyga to strike the other pawn.

We a gleeful smirk, Tyga threw her dagger in the pawn’s direction. The dagger hit the pawn and surprisingly, it shattered instantly.

"But these pawns are defeated easily. I don’t think a throw should scatter it," Tyga commented.

"You should also ask why the officials are making no moves yet," Buji added to the comment.

Meanwhile, Kirex with his L-shaped dashes darted toward the F6 square under Buji’s instruction, making it easier for Lian to eliminate more pawns.

Buji watched the chaps unfold from a vantage point. His mind raced as he processed every move on the board, analyzing Black’s weakness in formation and also possible moves.

’Seems like the officials will be making their moves now." Buji thought, seeing that the pawns were almost finished. He ordered his teammates to return to the square where they could be safe, should any black official make a move.

Kirex, as the last player to make a retreating movement, landed at a square that looked dangerous should the expected Black official move.

Fortunately, instead of the Bishop, the Black queen suddenly moved. She started her movement with a piercing scream toward Kirex.

’Please, not yet. Kirex can be the sacrifice but not now. I would have loved Lian though.’

Buji’s heart pounded. Like a miracle, the strategy was working, but barely.

As if God answered his prayers, the queen stopped halfway. But Buji realized it had stopped at the current spot since any more of its moves could trigger quick action at the king’s headquarters.

Buji’s grin widened when he found out the queen had stopped on a diagonal to Tyga.

"Tyga! Cover Kirex!" Buji yelled.

Tyga redirected her attack with her second dagger, firing it at the black queen. But the queen shrugged them off with her staff, unscathed. Her movements were graceful but deadly as she closed in on Kirex.

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Without Buji’s instruction, Kirex who saw the queen had stopped at an L-shape relative to his position, unsheathed his spear and with a speedy horizontal arc, hit the queen on the neck. Like the pawns, it shattered in shards, proving that it was a statue.

"One man down. Good job, Kirex," Buji appraised.

In a form for revenge, one of the bishops moved diagonally and stopped at the board extreme, targeting Buji who stood on the same diagonal line, and straight to the other bishop.

He took the choice to attack the other bishop, creating space for Kirex to chop off the bishop in an L-shaped square, relative to it.

Seeing the threat posed by Buji to their king, the black rooks moved into position to form an impenetrable wall around their king.

Buji’s eyes narrowed. He had expected this.

’And it’s time for the sacrifice.’

"Lian, go for it," Buji instructed, and with a dash, Lian smashed through the front line of pawns and charged toward one of the Black rooks. He swung his hammer with every might, breaking through the rook’s defense with a bone-shattering impact.

The black rook crumbled into dust.

Lucky enough, he was not on any file relative to the other rook, except the pawn at the closest diagonal to him. But the pawn is powerless backward.

It was not over yet. The black king moved a step forward and Lian with a rush, hinged at the second rook and crushed it with his hammer.

"Oh no, you were almost safe. But you were too fast to listen to my next instruction," Buji, as well as his teammates, was distracted by a scream from Lian.

The king had come at him from the side, slamming his heavy sword into Lian with incredible force, sending him sprawling to the ground.

"Lian!" Tyga screamed.

Buji’s eyes widened. He had calculated the risk, but for a moment, there wasn’t going to be a risk if not for Lian’s carelessness.

Lian coughed out blood, blood staining the corner of his lips. "Keep… going…" and he was replied with a stab from the back.

The sacrifice had been made. The Black King’s defenses had been totally shattered, all thanks to Lian.

"Tyga, Kirex, now! Buji commanded.

"Check."

"Check."

"Check."

But just as Buji prepared to make the final movement, the ground trembled violently. A deep, guttural laugh echoed across the arena, sending chills down their spines.

The Black King began to glow.

"No… no, no, no," Buji muttered. "This wasn’t supposed to happen."

"Are we doomed?" Tyga asked with a tremble in her voice, but she was replied by another scream, this time by the Black King.

Kirex had sprinted forward with his Knight movement, with his spear gripped tightly into his hand. He raised his spear, his voice mixed with fury and determination.

"This ends now!"

A sudden silence filled the arena.

"Checkmate!"

As soon as Kirex’s spear pierced the Black King, all the shattered pieces vanished including the king followed by a burst of dark energy which exploded outward, swallowing the entire board.

After the dark entity had gone, everywhere became lit again, leaving only Buji, Tyga, and Kirex in play.

Lian was gone.

And just in front of them, was an altar. A sanctuary.

Then everything went black again.