Blood of an Arrow (UNDER REVISION)

CATORCE

"Maybe you forgot. Our family owns the academy, you low-budget villain." Nagulat ako sa biglaang buga nito. Ngayon ko lang din nasaksihan ang ganitong ugali ni Magnus. He's judging Luke's style and appearance. Hindi nga naman umabot sa dulo ng kuko ni Magnus ang mukhang ipinagmamalaki ni Luke. Anong laban mo sa Espanyol na 'to, Luke?

Tss. Nakangisi pa rin ito kahit halatang na-offend.

Nang marating namin ang rooftop ay sumalubong ang kaaya-ayang simoy ng hangin. Ang bawat dampi nito sa balat ko ay nanunuot sa loob na nagpapagaan sa mabigat na atmospera sa pagitan naming tatlo.

Kinakabahan ako kahit hindi naman ako ang maglalaro. Hindi ko rin alam ang level at rating nilang dalawa ngunit masasabi kong ang kompiyansa sa kilos ni Luke ay pinangagambahan ko.

They started the match with Magnus moving the white and Luke as the black.

Magnus opened the game with the usual pawn to e4, positioning for center control at tinugunan naman ni Luke ng pawn to e5.

Knight to f3

'Yan ang naging sunod na tira ni Magnus. He's developing his position as well as aiming to take the pawn in e5.

Knight to c6 was the opponent's response to support his pawn and slowly develop his pieces as well.

Magnus moved his Bishop to c4 to further develop it and pose a threat to the pawn in f7.

Pagtataka ang naipinta sa mukha ko at ni Magnus sa sunod na tira ni Luke. He moved his Knight to d4 which is a questionable move. Usually, in openings, you do not move a piece twice if not necessary as it will only delay your piece development. But his move challenges Magnus' knight in f3.

Magnus' Knight takes pawn e5 avoiding the challenge and gaining a piece advantage.

Luke's move was excellent as he moved his Queen to g5 threatening the knight in e3 and the pawn in g2.

Walang maririnig na ingay kung hindi ang mahinang pagaspas ng mga dahon sa paligid na sumasabay sa agos ng hangin. Magnus heaved a sigh. Nahihirapan siya.

His Knight took the pawn in f7. It was supported by the bishop in c4 so it confidently forked the Black's Queen and Rook.

Luke's Queen takes pawn g2 and endangers the opponent's rook which moved to f1 to avoid the Queen but left the pawn in h2 with no support.

But that's not the concern now because Magnus is in serious trouble when Luke took the pawn in e4 with his Queen leaving a check and so much pressure on White.

"Mierda!" Magnus cursed when he saw his position and this is actually the first time the silence broke when the game started.

He has no choice but to move his Queen to e2 forcing a Queen into Queen because if he chooses to move his Bishop to e2 for cover, then Luke's Knight will simply take its place in f3 to mate.

Luke knows his game. He used the Blackburné Shilling-Trap on Magnus who is now hopeless and knows what he has to do in this kind of situation.

And just like that.

He resigned.

It is a common conception of sportsmanship in chess that when one loses his queen due to blunders and unprecedented moves by the opponent, the resignation will show his respect.

"Good game." Magnus remarked accepting his defeat as he shake hands with Luke who's grinning from ear to ear.

Nakatayo lamang ako habang nagmamasid nang mapatingin sa akin si Luke.

"Do you know why chess is called the Game of Life?"

Tumayo ito at nakapamulsang lumapit sa akin.

"To win you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge, and by learning the lessons that are accumulated along the way. We become each and every piece within the game called life." he quoted from an Author, Allan Rufus.

A creaking sound of the door was heard throughout the silence after he spoke. Ang taong pumasok ay nagtuloy-tuloy sa pagalalakad na parang hindi kami nakita hanggang marating ang dulong bahagi ng rooftop.

"And sometimes you can't avoid meaningless sacrifices..."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang bigla itong tumalon mula rito.

"...that leads to death."

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Note: 'Magnus' was a name chosen before the chess scene was decided to be written as part of the story, thus any connection it has to the real Chess Grandmaster, Magnus Carlsen, is untrue. All is coincidental.