Maran

The Garden of Souls breathed spring, but the scent of the apple trees was tinged with the smell of cooling ash. In the place of eternal life, the Prince of Death's arrival felt like an icy draft. “Maran,” my voice cut through the twilight. His silhouette emerged from the shadows. He smiled, hiding the abyss of centuries-old fatigue. "Viva, the pulse of my life. My Oblivion is too lonely. I just wanted warmth." Above us, the crown of the "Truce" shimmered - a constellation that foretells the inevitable. “Shall we play?” I suggested. "Chessmen?" he grinned. Space curved. We sat at a carved table. I chose the white figures of Dawn, he the obsidian Darkness. — What are we playing for? "For centuries of reign," he said suddenly, without sarcasm. "You will bring light to Oblivion, and I will be in your garden more than just a guest with a scythe." There was such longing in his eyes that I gave in: — Fine. If you win, we'll trade thrones forever. The game began in silence. Maran attacked, and I defended in kind. “Safety is an illusion,” he remarked as he led the riders out. I grinned and "tied" his figure with an officer, aiming at the black queen. "Your horse isn't going anywhere. I'm the one with the initiative." Maran froze, but suddenly, with a smile, he cut down my pawn with this “tied up” rider.

• You're wrong. Take my queen. I was taken aback. His queen was defenseless. I greedily swept her off the board.
• Your fatal mistake, Maran. “You don’t see the whole picture,” he replied calmly. His hand moved the officer with lightning speed, declaring check. My king jerked to the last square, and at the same moment, Maran's second horseman leaped into the heart of my defense.
• Checkmate. The garden grew cold. The spring breeze gave way to the icy breath of the abyss. Maran extended his hand, and the black seal of the soul guide flashed on his palm. I placed my palm in his. The handshake burned my skin. The seals swapped, handing over the keys to realities. Now the mark of Death glowed on my hand. A hundred years in darkness... A moment of eternity that became torture. And above us, the constellation of the Truce still flickered insidiously.

(more bots in TGC: @digitaldarlingss)