A/N: I don't usually write fanfiction, but I've been working on this for a while and really want to show the world (aka approximately three people who will read this). The first few chapters might seem confusing (I haven't done this in a long time so I can't be sure), but everything should be explained in the next few chapters, so bear with me. :)
Disclaimer: Homestuck is own and written by Andrew Hussie. This is just a fanwork, and gain absolutely nothing but minimal satisfaction from writing this.
Prologue
He won.
The mere thought galls you beyond belief—not necessarily because he won, as that is a necessary evil and something you endure every now and then so the nature of your game never tips too far out of balance, but because he cheated. Cheated in such a brazen, disgusting way, that you can feel whatever semblance of order in your game disintegrate every moment he sits in the room in front of you, seen by all, laughing at his victory.
You are not seen. You stand bitter and alone in a darkened black hall, a ghost that has even less power than usual, helplessly watching your opponent crow over his illegally-gotten winnings. He sees you, you are sure, as his eyes will occasionally flick over to you and his disgusting smile will grow even wider.
You want to destroy him, as you always have. The feeling is mutual. However, unlike him, you are aware of the severe consequences his absence will bring on the universe, and are hesitant to bring about such chaos. He has no such compunctions; if you do not find a safe hiding place soon, he will kill you, and the land you stand on will die even faster under his hand.
The Void, perhaps. Many of your chess pieces hid there, to either escape your opponent's merciless hand or to avoid becoming one of his own pawns, and you know the creature on the throne cannot follow you there. If you leave now, he might not even notice your absence until it's too late to put up too much of a chase.
Just as you think that, however, the new ruler of the land of Skaia turns to you and gives you a smile that's all teeth, stroking his hand on the throne he had crafted from the bones of your Heroes. In that second, your anger overcomes your need of survival—you need to beat him. You should have beat him in this game, but because he is a dirty liar and a scoundrel and chaos he cheated and left you in the dust, possibly forever this time. His claim on the trophy—on Skaia—is so strong, it would take a miracle to beat him before the land withered and died in his grasp.
That is, if you play by the rules. The idea of cheating is repugnant to you, but you know that if you ever want a foothold in your game ever again, you will need to employ some underhanded methods to get your way.
Still, that doesn't necessarily mean you can't play by the rules—you can't not, because while your opponent may be able to cross any boundaries he chooses you are a creature of order—but that doesn't mean you can't…stretch your limitations.
Inspiration taking hold of you, you spirit away while your adversary drinks and dines, content in his win.
The game is not over, not quite yet.