Chapter 4: Aftermath

Hiro was sitting across from Kahn, the only thing between her and victory? A single chess board. More specifically, Kahn's Queen had her in Check. Soon to be Checkmate, but Hiro could squirm with the best of them. She moved a pawn, and blocked his next move.

He moved his queen and captured a pawn.

"Check." He said.

She could feel her eye twitching.

She saw that the rook was next to the king, and hadn't been moved. There was a pawn that was conveniently ahead of it.

She smirked, and went for the castle, switching places with the king and the rook. This way, even if he attempted to invade her little corner, she could capture his queen.

The perfect escape...

"You know you can't do that, right?" Said Kahn.

"But... How? The rook hasn't moved, and there are no pieces between the king and the rook!"

He grinned. "You're in check, so you can't castle."

She groaned with irritation.

"Fine." She said, undoing her last move, and moving a pawn instead.

He found a way around the pawn.

"Checkmate." He said.

She gaped, seeing the opening she had left.

"Wow... You're good."

He smiled. "Give it 200 years, you'll catch up."

She rolled her eyes. "That's a long time Kahn..."

He laughed. "Perhaps it is for you."

She looked at the clock.

"Oh, that's right! I need to meet with Shisuta, gotta go!"

She ran out of the room.

...

I smiled.

She may have lost to me, but she had a lot of talent... I wonder if Kuhn knows about this?

...I wonder if he knows about Kaihn...

He felt a presence.

He looked over his shoulder, and saw Nina staring at him. She quickly looked down at a book, avoiding eye contact.

"Nina, are you alright?" I asked.

She seemed to sink further into her book.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said in monotone.

I walked over to her table, and sat down next to her. We were in the library, so there was no one to disturb us.

I sighed. "What's the matter?"

She slumped. "I... I don't know. I feel guilty about something... Something with Shisuta. She's looked down all day, and I don't know why... I just have this feeling I did something wrong."

She looked up at me. "I've been remembering... I've been... remembering you. Who are you...? Where do I know you?"

She was remembering, and this time she was herself. Could she be putting together the pieces on her own?

"What do you remember?" I asked.

She held her head in her hands.

"I remember... I just..." Her eyes widened.

"Wait, hold on! You... No, wait..."

I saw bits of Violet slipping out. The one that mad her forget as soon as she remembered.

She seemed to done suppress her, and keep trying.

"There was... There was a boy... Yes, a boy. I never..."

She grabbed her hair, and held her head again. She was shaking...

"I failed... He was the only... Just like... Me. The only survivor!"

I put an arm on he shoulder, and she slammed her fist to the table.

"TWO YEARS!" She screamed. "Just... Just hiding... I was too small... I was forgotten. FORGOTTEN!" I DO NOT EXIST!" She yelled.

I tried to hold her back. "Nina! Just calm down. Talk to me, and not just yourself. I'm-"

She grabbed my shoulders, tears streaming down her eyes.

"Don't give me that kind of kindness. I failed you. I was going to come back, but I forgot. They were able to hurt you for so long... Because I forgot."

She looked out at nothing.

"Why!? Why would you just sell your own child!? HUH!? ANSWER ME! I HATE YOU! I swear... I swear to god. I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL EVERY LAST ONE!"

I physically restrained her.

"Nina. There's no one there. Look into my eyes... Just look into them."

She did.

She leaned into me, and began to sob.

"Why did you save me...?" She whispered.

"I forgot you... I'm just like them... You were... You were just like me. Why then? Why didn't you let me die...?"

I wrapped my arms around her.

"No... Nina, you're nothing like them. You saved me, so I saved you. That's how this works..."

She calmed down. "Thank you." She said. "It's still unclear, but I know you..."

She glanced at the chess board.

"Do you want to play another round?" She sniffed.

I nodded, how could I refuse?

We set up the board, and began the game. She insisted on black, so I gave it to her.

I moved my first pawn, and she moved hers.

I smiled. "No need to be so hasty. That makes you lose."

She grinned. "We'll just see..."

I moved another pawn, setting up my strategy.

She started to move her queen.

I blinked. "I-Interesting choice..."

I moved my king to the side, to protect myself.

She made a diagonal movement, moving across the board.

I was physically sweating.

I moved a pawn two spaces up, to inhibit another diagonal movement.

She moved straight down.

She smiled. "Checkmate."

What!? That was only four moves! No ones beaten me that fast since...

...Well, ever.

She smirked. "Give it six thousand years, you'll catch up."

Six thousand years? Now THAT was a long time.

I shook my head. "That was impressive."

She blushed. "Well... It's not THAT impressive, I mean... I mean anyone could learn... Six thousand years...? I'm still so, I mean... It's not that old, really!"

I laughed. "Six thousand years IS a long..."

Hold on, six thousand years!? How long have these mazes been around!?

"H-How long have you been... Infiltrating these mazes...?"

She smiled sadly. "Long enough to become a black market legend, and to be hunted constantly..."

Her face became bitter. "That never stops me though. I'll finish this, even if it kills me... and it will."

She stood, and an empty look filled her eyes.

"I'm going to talk to Shisuta now. Luna owes her an apology..."

She walked out of the room.

I was stunned. She was becoming aware of her personas, and I had become aware of something horrible. These mazes weren't just for bets.

No, they had been around far too long to sustain if it were only that.

There was only one possible explanation.

It was a cult, and the children were sacrifices.