Checkmate

Sho moved through the city streets, passing shops, buildings, cottages alike.

He halted, his attention shifting to the right.

His eyes widened as he whispered, "This is..."

His words trailed off as he caught sight of a familiar stone platform.

"The scaffold."

Narrowing his eyes, he noticed the wooden chopping block still remained, but something was different. A tall infrastructure stood beside it, with a large silver blade hooked against a rope, suspended in the air.

Sho's brow furrowed. "Must be a new execution device?"

Glancing around, he observed the people, the buildings, and a flag he couldn't recognize.

His mind raced. Everything looked different. More advanced...

His eyes landed on a red flag with a yellow dragon design billowing in the wind atop a building.

"Kingdom of Ymir..."

A memory flashed through his mind. He had stood at this same spot before. The flag had been black with a yellow design. The buildings had been less developed. The stone scaffold hadn't existed. Smoke had ascended high into the sky. Fire from a nearby tavern.

A dark whisper coursed through Sho's mind. Come to me. To reclaim a part of me.

Suddenly, Sho felt a bump against his arm, snapping him out of his trance. He glanced to his left.

A familiar womanly figure in a red hood passed by, whispering, "Beg pardon."

Her face was concealed beneath the hood as she continued walking.

Sho's brow furrowed, his mind racing. Who was that? Have I seen her before?

He sighed and shook his head, pulling the golden watch from his pocket. "I don't have time to understand everything." Gripping the watch, he glanced toward the kingdom gates. "I need to find her."

Without hesitation, he made his way out of the gates, traveling down a large road flanked by forestry on both ends.

As he walked, he glanced toward the trees on his left. "Their cottage is right next to the kingdom. Almost there."

After fifteen minutes of travel, a gentle breeze accompanied him as he found a well-structured stone trail leading toward a distant cottage, forestry on both sides.

Sho advanced, eyeing the trees as he moved.

Before, they had been small and green—like most trees. Now, they stood large and beautifully vibrant.

Leaves fell. Trees tell. The closer I got to the cottage, the smoother the wind became. It was peaceful.

I stepped onto the open grassy field. In the distance, the cottage stood—different from before. It was once made of stone and wood, but now it was built with brick, larger than before.

That didn't matter because I saw her.

Felene.

I noticed she was sitting on a strange chair. It rocked back and forth, making loud creaking sounds that reached me from where I stood.

I was twenty meters away from the cottage. That's how loud it was.

Another thing I noticed—the wooden porch. Last time, there was no porch.

Everything looks new.

How much time has passed?

When I approached, her hair remained a dark blue, and she still wore the white dress. Her hands rested on her lap, eyes closed—sleeping, perhaps.

"Excuse me?" I muttered.

Her eyes fluttered open, revealing the shiny blue I recognized.

She glanced up at me, her brows knitting together.

Taking another step forward, I raised my voice. "How are you today?"

"I'm well... How can I help you?" she replied, her expression calm and cool, like the breeze.

"My name is Sho. Is your husband home?" I asked.

The moment I said that, she closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

I saw her face tense up as she muttered, "No. He is away for the mills again."

My brow furrowed as I examined her features, but I couldn't help but say, "Hard worker, huh?"

Her expression deepened—like she was angry for some reason. "Very busy..."

Her words trailed off, like she was holding something back, but I wasn't here to pry.

I wanted answers, so I said, "Yeah... it must be hard being lonely."

Slowly, her eyes snapped open, and her expression softened.

I pulled a golden watch from my pocket. "Not trying to take up your time, but I found this watch down an alleyway. Do you recognize it?"

I pointed it toward her.

She leaned slightly forward, eyes narrowing. She hummed before leaning back in the chair. "I do. Why?"

I took another step forward. "I'm looking for the owner. Do you know who they are?"

Felene sighed, her tone dry. "Yes. There was an old lady by the name of Vermilla Aeon, who sold watches like that not too long ago..."

She paused, a smirk forming on her lips. "She was very witty and full of suprises—but so was I."

She chuckled softly.

I asked, "Do you know where she is?"

I took another two steps, stopping just before the porch, hoping she could give me the answer.

She cleared her throat and uncrossed her arms. Her expression was somber. "I heard she passed away from an accident."

My eyes widened. Passed away... then what am I doing here?

No. No. No.

I still wanted to know more. The golden watch was the only clue I had.

I didn't let up.

Desperately, I asked, "What accident?!"

Calmly, she glanced to her left toward the trees. "I'm not sure... but she was buried in the great cemetery, where crows woe."

I stepped onto the wooden porch. "Do you know where it is?!"

There was a long pause as the wind blew.

Felene stared into my eyes, her gaze narrowing. "We just finished this porch..."

My eyes flickered toward my boots. The first step of the porch was cracked.

Felene clicked her teeth and shook her head. "Why did he choose wood... such a terrible option."

She sighed and pointed left toward a dirt trail leading through the trees. "If you go that way, you'll reach the cemetery. I'd say it'll take you thirty minutes or more..."

Slowly, I took a step back from the porch. "Thank you."

Quickly, I turned and ran, leaving Felene behind.

As I dashed through the trail, my mind raced.

I'm sorry, Felene.

Even you, Kleyn.

But... I need to know.

Maybe... my thoughts spaced out. It didn't matter that much. Because now—I had made it.

After 36 minutes of running, here I was—the Great Cemetery.

I glanced around. Hundreds of rows of stone graves lined my right, the grass tinged with yellow.

To my left, a large white stone cottage with black-tinted windows stood.

Next to the cottage, an old, pale man with a black beard sat on a wooden bench.

He held a black cane and wore a peculiar black outfit, with a long hat covering his thin nose

I couldn't make out his facial features. I passed by and stared at the graves on my right.

Making my way around the cemetery, I searched for the names that started with 'E,' and after five minutes of walking—I found it.

Standing in front of her grave, my eyes narrowed at something strange.

There was no name.

That's strange—I thought her name was there a second ago.

Wait...

The only thing on the gravestone was a weird saying.

It read:

"Time is truly a precious thing, only for the wise, but a fool. Corruption."

I examined the meaning of those words, but nothing clicked.

I was left puzzled, rubbing my chin with my fingers. What does this mean?

Hmm...

Suddenly, I heard the sound of dirt shifting in my right ear.

I turned and saw another gravedigger, who looked just like the old man from earlier.

But he was digging up an empty patch of grass with a shovel.

Carefully, I approached him. "Excuse me."

The man glanced at me. He also had a black beard, but he was younger and had a big nose.

"What is it?" he said.

"Sorry for interrupting, but can you lend me your ear?" I asked.

His brow furrowed. "For what?"

I glanced back at the grave and said, "A gravestone without a name."

After that, he asked me where. So, I led him back to the grave with the strange message on it.

I glanced at him. "What does this mean?"

He examined the gravestone. "I've never seen that there before."

My eyes widened. "What?!"

The gravedigger turned to me. "Did you do this?"

His eyes narrowed, suspecting me.

I couldn't risk getting in trouble after coming this far.

So, I shook my head. "N-No, just passed by and saw this."

His gaze sharpened before he hummed, glancing at the gravestone. "Don't worry about it. I'll deal with it tomorrow."

After that, I watched him turn and walk away, hearing him mutter, "Damn kids."

I sighed deeply. That was close.

Glancing at the gravestone, I pondered the message. Then, something struck me.

Looking up at the horizon, the afternoon was approaching.

I had an idea.

Risky, but worth it.

Walking away from the gravesite down another dirt road leading out of the cemetery into a forest—I waited as early evening neared. 

Watching from the forest, I kept an eye on the gravediggers.

I saw the one with the shovel leave through the entrance.

The second one, who had been on the bench, went back inside his cottage. He turned on his lights against the darkening sky.

This is my chance.

Coming out from the forest, I made my way back up the road.

I kept glancing up at the windows of the cottage, making sure I wasn't noticed.

Quickly, moving through the graveyard—I found it again.

This time, I took a deep breath before digging into the grave with my hands.

I could've gotten a shovel, but that guy took it with him when he left.

Also, I didn't want to sneak into someone's cottage just for something like this.

It was getting dark.

And darker.

I was getting desperate.

I needed to know.

What does that mean?

There had to be something—

...

There was a wooden, rusty coffin beneath me. Using all my strength, I tried to pry it open with my hands.

WRENCH!

The coffin opened, and dust clouded my vision.

I coughed and coughed. The moment it cleared—there was no body.

Instead, I saw this written inside:

"Time is a falsely paradox, only for the fool. But a wise-woman. Wits."

Sho's brow furrowed, and his mind started to wander. Wits...

Something clicked.

A memory flashed.

"She was full of surprises and very witty, but so was I."

Slowly, Sho's eyes widened as he stumbled back onto his ass.

Another flash—he got up and started to run.

"I heard she passed away from an accident."

He made his way out of the gravesite and ran toward the cemetery entrance.

Though... the old man watched him from the top-lit window.

He sighed in disappointment, tipping his hat with his finger.

"There goes my betting money."

Crunch.

N-No... it couldn't be?!

Crunch.

Sho's boots pounded against the dirt road.

Crunch.

The evening went by quicker.

Crunch.

The night grew shorter.

Crunch.

The morning was no longer.

Crunch.

Even in the afternoon...

The moon had already descended.

The Second Sun had risen.

The moment Sho caught sight of the cottage, everything was different.

The open fields blossomed with white lilies.

The distant trees bloomed with dogwood leaves.

There he was.

Approaching with an expression of utter disbelief.

Rustle. Rustle. 

The wind blew gently as Sho stood a few feet away from the porch.

His eyes were wide. He stared at Felene.

Rocking back and forth.

Back and forth.

Back... and forth—humming with her eyes closed.

"Who are you?!" he yelled, stepping closer and closer.

Slowly, her eyes opened, revealing a fierce amber, followed by a sly smirk.

She pulled out a golden watch from her right pocket.

She looked down at it.

"Next words... Where's Kleyn?"

Sho took a step closer, raising his voice.

"Where's Kleyn?!"

At that instant, his eyes widened.

The watch stopped ticking.

She glimpsed up at him.

"Perfect timing."

Then, his eyes gave out.

The world began to spin.

Everything darkened.

A turning cog.

Tik.

A voice amidst the dark fog.

Tok.

"Remember this…"

Tik.

"I hold the wheels of your past."

Tok.

A woman's laughter. The croak of a frog.

A sultry whisper—just behind my ear.

"Click."

…

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Sho's eyes snapped open, hearing a tapping sound coming from his bedroom window.

He abruptly sat up, glancing around the very peculiar room he was in.

"What?"