After sixty five years of intensely pitched battle, Laird finally understood what was needed to overcome Ansel, his most bitter rival.

Having spent all his coin to bribe the seedy residents of Sapience for information, Laird found the clue he was looking for. "Colchis..." the old man muttered, recognising the name as an island off the Tasur'ke coast. With the destination in mind, Laird headed to Hashan, searching for some folks with free time and adventure in mind. He needed transport and a crew.

Hobbling through the Crown, the old man stumbled upon Tharvis and his companion Shirszae. After some brief conversation Valentinus Xanatov-Jinx was called upon to captain a ship. Eager to see the conclusion of this decades old battle, half a dozen passengers boarded the 'Spirit of the Crown' and they set sail.

Barely out of the harbour it became apparent that something monstrous was following in the ship's wake. Captain Valentinus calmly bellowed orders to the crew, flawlessly manoeuvring through the perilous waters in an attempt to lose the beast. As the ship smoothly sailed into Colchian waters, a loud keening was heard for miles around, the giant and foreboding creature was unable to follow.

Ambushing the sailors of the Spirit upon landfall, two scrawny bandits were quickly felled, the last of Ansel's attempts at postponement dead and bleeding. A brisk search of the island followed, revealing the aged man hidden away in a watery cave on the beach.

Within the dank darkness of the small cave, the old men greeted each other with vehemence. They had both given up their families, wealth, and nearly their lives to this rivalry. With a weary gesture to the chess board sitting in the room Ansel proclaimed, "It's time, Laird. Your last move."

Laird approached the chess board slowly, shouldering Ansel out of his meager light. With a trembling hand he picked up the the last rook on the board saying, "Rook to C2... Checkmate!"

Ansel, accepting defeat without grace, cursed his old adversary at length before looking up. Hope lit the creviced face of the hermit as he asked, "One more?"

With a nod, both haggard men took their places at opposite ends of the board. Slowly, they returned the chess pieces to the starting configuration, and, ignoring the baffled bystanders, began their quest for the next victory.


Penned by My hand on the 22nd of Glacian, in the year 669 AF.