But he dared to ask another question.
"Please explain Ascension." Before Jun went to rest his chin on his hand he quickly added. "And anything else that needs to be explained.
A faint smiled formed on Misaki's lips. It was like she understood how Jun was feeling. Like she had been in his exact position before.
"Don't worry sai[1] bān, I'll teach you everything you need to know."
Jun learned that the King, Gold Warrior, and the Silver Warrior had different patterns on how they could move to one adjacent square. The Soldier could only move one square up. While the Shè and Swordsman could move anywhere on the lines they were allowed to travel.
But the Archer was strange in that it could hop pieces. Jun guessed the move set for the Archer was the reason for it's name.
Then Misaki explained Ascension to him which basically upgraded or changed the pieces into something else. Ascension was optional, in the sense that once a piece that could ascend was in the area it was at the player's discretion at when they wanted to ascend it. The opponent's area, the three rows from the opposite end of the board, was the area where Ascension could happen.
The pieces that could ascend were the Shè, Swordsman, Silver Warrior, Archer, Horse Rider, and the Soldier. Ascension created the Immortal, Demigod, Spirit, Dragon, Lesser Dragon, and Deity respectively.
The Immortal had the combined move sets of a King and Shè while the Demigod moved like a King but combined with a Swordsman.
And what surprised Jun was how the rest of the ascended pieces all had the same move set. The four all shared the same move set as the Gold Warrior.
Misaki also added that Ascension was permanent. Unless the piece got captured then it gets descended back to the piece it originally was.
Capturing was when a piece landed on the square that an opponent's piece was on. When an opponent's piece is captured, the piece is descended if it is promoted, and set off to the side table of who captured it.
Misaki and Jun didn't have the small side tables but they decided on using the space next to the board for the captured pieces.
She said that capturing a piece didn't mean the piece was out for good. It was now apart of the capturer's army. Kind of like how mercenary's were used in older times in the East. How a captured piece was placed back on the board was through Engagement.
Engagement allowed a captured piece to be placed on any unoccupied square. It could also be dropped in the path of danger, in where the opponent could capture the piece, or cancel a siege.
But certain pieces couldn't be placed on the last row because they would have no legal move. Along with placing a Soldier to give an immediate siege, though all of the other pieces can.
Misaki said that when the next move would mean a Weimi for the opponent, the opponent can say besiege. Saying it was a way to warn the other that they will lose if they do not try and get their King away from the capturing position of their opponent.
Though it isn't required and in serious play it is unheard of to say Weikami out loud.
Jun felt like he was going to fall asleep or have his head implode from the amount of information he had to retain just to play a board game. But Misaki soon ended her explanation with the object of the game.
"The object of this game is to achieve siege. There are three other ways as well, but we'll cross that river when we get to it." Jun watched as she rubbed her hands together. "My hands are so eager to play after so long. Let's begin!"
She bowed her head which caused Jun to do the same. Misaki gestured towards him, which he guessed meant that it was his turn.
He rested his hand on his lips as the pieces shimmered at him. Waiting for his command.
The middle Soldier caught his gaze and he slowly picked it up and set it in the next square up. He looked up at her and noticed that her eagerness was replaced with a calm but serious face.
Jun felt a sense of dread as he couldn't read her facial expression.
It felt like forever before Misaki moved her first piece. Jun watched as she moved the same piece that he did. He looked at his other pieces, wondering if he should move any other of the Soldiers. Or maybe even his King.
But he decided to move the same Soldier once again. Now his and Misaki's Soldiers were staring at each other. Waiting to see who will be stuck down first.
Misaki looked up at Jun before she replaced his Soldier with hers and placed his on the side of the board as she did a soft, amused laugh.
Her laugh grew a little louder as she noticed Jun's facial expression. Jun looked at his now captured Soldier with an open mouth and wide eyes.
"Don't lose hope sai bān. The game has only just begun." She mused with a small grin.
Jun did a deep sigh as he came out of his state of shock. He realized that this game was going to be harder than he thought. Not because Misaki was obviously more experienced at the game than him.
But that the journey to understanding this game was going to be hard and intimidating.
Jun did his best to remain calm and collected as he looked down at his army once again. Even though he was now one piece short, he still had hope that he could win this game.
Maybe. He tried to not let his doubts wander in his mind as he placed his Gold Warrior in front of his King.
He saw Misaki do a small nod of approval as she watched his play. She responded by placing a Soldier forward.
Jun moved another one of his Soldiers so that he could use his pieces that were closest to him.
Suddenly he watched as she swiftly moved her Archer in the place her Soldier once was. He had forgotten that Archers could hop over pieces.
As he looked at the battle that had started between their Soldiers in the middle, his gaze wandered over to his King once again.
Jun knew he had to protect him so he moved his right Silver Warrior next to his King. Now his King couldn't move, but it was protected by pieces on all around.
"The battle doesn't focus just in one place," Jun heard Misaki comment, as if she was warning him.
Her Swordsman moved in front of her King as well. It seemed as if her pieces were watching his and matching him.
Or taunting him. Jun couldn't tell.
He moved his Gold Warrior forward as he remembered Misaki's Soldier that had captured his. As he moved the piece, the Soldier seemed to take notice and move towards him.
A smirk came to Jun's face as he noticed that his Gold Warrior could capture her piece. He replaced the Soldier with his piece and placed it on the side. A surge of confidence went through him and Jun could feel himself sitting up straighter. Looking down at the board in content.
But that glorious moment soon came to an end as Misaki's Swordsman was suddenly in the place that his Gold Warrior was.
"Besiege," Misaki said plainly which caught Jun off guard.
She has a besiege already?! Jun thought frantically.
He felt himself start to panic as his eyes darted around the board. Then it came to him.
He placed frantically moved a piece near his King. It protected his King once again as pieces can't hop over others.
"You're learning," Misaki observed, but her neutral face never wavered as she placed a piece in front of her King.
Jun wondered why she didn't use a piece to take his piece that protected his King. He went to move his Silver Warrior towards her piece but stopped himself.
He realized if he did that it would probably take his piece right then and there. Instead Jun opted to move one of his Soldiers.
But then just as Jun expected the her to capture another one of his pieces.
"Besiege." Was said once again.
Jun swore he could hear Misaki trying to suppress an amused laugh while she did her play.
Jun then remembered that he had one of his own and used his Swordsman to take hers. Misaki didn't seem to care that he took her piece and moved a piece forward.
He decided to finally take his revenge against her and captured her Gold Warrior in front of her King.
But her pieces soon avenged it by taking his. Jun grumbled as he moved another Soldier.
"Besiege," Misaki said as she took a Swordsman from the side and dropped it near his King.
Jun couldn't possibly attack her piece as it was too far away so he decided to move his King to the right.
Misaki then moved her pieces to the left of Jun's. Before she could even call besiege again he captured her piece.
"Besiege."
Jun saw as a piece was placed near his King. He responded by sending his King forward by one square.
Suddenly he heard Misaki trying to suppress a laugh with her hand. Her pokerface was now broken and Jun was bewildered by her sudden change in behavior.
"Se...ige..." Misaki managed to say between laughs.
Jun looked down to see a Gold Warrior placed near his King. Jun furrowed his brows as he looked down at his King.
"Wha-how?" He uttered as he looked at the board from every angle.
Misaki regained her composure before speaking to Jun.
"No matter where your King moves, he'll be in a space that one of my Warriors can move to. Therefore no matter what, I can capture your King when it's my turn."
Jun stared at the board for a good minute in stunned silence. When Misaki was explaining the rules earlier he remembered that she told him that games usually lasted anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours.
It had only been a little over ten minutes since they had started.
Jun was soon taken out of his bewilderment as he felt Misaki put her hand over his.
"Don't worry sai bān. It's only your first game. You'll do better the next few rounds."
Jun looked at her before nodding his head in agreement. "You're right."
"Well then, let's get ready for another round then. Shall we?" She asked as she began to place the pieces back where they belonged on the board.
"We shall," Jun answered as he grabbed a piece of fruit. He was ready to beat Misaki at this game.
Jun felt himself be in a state of unwavering focus. He felt as thought was in the battle alongside his pieces. The moonlight shown down on his and Misaki's game.
They both swiftly moved their pieces along the grid. One right after another. As if they were both in an unspoken rhythm. They both had multiple ascended pieces and captured pieces in hand.
Besiege hasn't been used at all the past few hours as Jun can now swiftly notice if his King is endangered.
Jun watched as Misaki moved her piece accross the board to endanger his King once again. But he moved his own down to protect it.
The piece was soon captured by Misaki. But instead of using another piece to get his King out of Weikami, Jun just captured her Immortal.
"Siege," Misaki announced as she moved another Immortal across the board.
Jun felt as he flopped back into his chair and groaned. The entire day had been spent playing Warrior's Game.
And every single game ended with Misaki saying "Siege".
When it had become roughly noontime, Misaki had asked Jun if he wanted to stop playing the game for the day. But he refused and wanted to continue. So Misaki had decided to get her pot of tea out and offered him to take some.
He had welcomed her offered and they continued, match after match, drinking tea and eating fruit. Now it was the evening and even though they sat the entire day, Jun felt absolutely exhausted and worn out.
"You're so impatient when it comes to playing. You need to think more when making decisions and not be so contrary."
Jun ignored her comment and looked out into the forest.
"How much longer until we reach the Grand Wall?" Jun heard himself ask.
"Turn around," he heard Misaki answer.
———
1 Little in Huazan.