Fallen Stars
Mystery Forty-Five
Enlightened
Draco gets comfortable in his seat.
Lerna: Great weather we’re having, huh?
Draco: I guess.
Lerna: Can we cut the small? I always hated it. Let’s talk about something interesting during our match…
Draco: (You started it…) Haha. Yeah, sure.
Draco and Lerna get their pieces ready. Both gauging the other. Waiting on Draco to make the first move, he does his usual starter move.
Lerna: (...)
Lerna connects his hands, putting them under his chin, having a calm demeanor, staring at his pieces.
Lerna: Are you sure you want to do that?
Draco: I’m sure.
Lerna makes his move, moving accordingly to GTD. After exactly thirty seconds go by, Lerna pauses for a second.
Lerna: Tell me, GTD. *Moves chess piece* What are your thoughts on killing?
Draco: Killing…? *Moves chess piece* It's necessary sometimes.
Lerna: Oh, so how do you feel about... genocide?
Draco (interesting smirk): I can see genocide working in certain situations.
Lerna: Hm. I agree.
There’s another pause.
Draco: But, since you asked me something, let me ask you. A scenario in a sense.
Lerna's usual calm expression nods.
Draco: *Moves chess piece* Say there’s a serial killer. They’re going around on a killing spree. To contain that monster, someone steps up and feeds it, people, guiding others to it.
Above Draco is a portrait of a silhouette monster with green terrifying eyes.
Draco: Who is truly the evil one? The serial killer, or the person feeding it? The answer can’t be both.
Lerna thinks for a second.
Lerna: Obviously the serial killer. *Moves chess piece* If they didn’t exist, the person wouldn't be feeding people to someone at all.
Draco: That’s what I said! But my friends didn’t agree.
Lerna: Your friends aren’t thinking logically.
Draco: Finally someone understands. *Moves chess piece*
Lerna: *Moves chess piece* We can end this here, right?
Draco: Yeah, it’ll end in a tie.
Draco and Lerna clear the board to reset it. Starting again. Lerna comes with questions again while the two play.
Lerna: What about an afterlife? *Moves chess piece* Believe in that?
Draco: You would have to, wouldn’t you? (Especially after meeting M.) *Moves chess piece*
Lerna: I know a few people who believe when you die everything goes black, and there’s nothing else for you.
Draco: That’s what they believe then.
Lerna: What about God? Believe in it?
Draco (smiles): *Moves chess piece* I would have to believe in God. But not in the way you think.
Lerna: Which way?
Draco: I believe in God. Because I’m the one, true God. I have to believe.
Lerna: God of what? *Moves chess piece* Every God has something they govern.
Draco: Don’t worry about that.
Lerna: Hm. Another tie.
The game ends in a tie again. They reset.
**Dorado’s Window**
Dorado: Seems no one is getting anywhere.
Dex balled up his fist.
Dex: Dad! What’s an Enlightened?!
Dorado: Oh yeah, that’s right. You can’t see it. Hmm. Cosmos is the origin of Dark Energy and Dark Matter. They formed from it. Enlightened ones are mysterious, they have a special relationship with Cosmos because they were “born” in it.
Portraits of Draco, Lerna, Vega, and Wrath are overhead.
Dorado: Engulfed in the darkness. And Cosmos is attached to them since birth.
Dex: …*tears up* Why didn’t you name me after a star?!
Dorado: ...Dex. All stars are evil. You probably wouldn’t agree with me. But I didn’t want you to be evil...
Dorado wraps his arm around his son, as he cries.
Back to the chess match, GTD vs Lerna is halfway through the current match.
Draco: What about basketball? Watch it?
Lerna: Yeah, of course. *Moves chess piece*
Draco: Favorite player? *Moves chess piece*
Lerna: Jordanus. Easy choice.
Draco (stunned): Mine too!
Lerna: It seems we agree on a lot of things…
Draco: Reset?
Lerna: Yep. Three resets. This is closer than I thought.
Draco: Yeah. I haven’t reset with anyone this much before.
Lerna: Time for me to get serious.
[For an instant. Draco saw Lerna’s eyes change, a quick glimpse of them changing into the form of a star… But they reverted.]
Lerna laughs a bit.
Lerna; Let’s end this.
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Draco (grins, getting serious): Yeah. This game will be our final one.
[In this instance. Lerna saw Draco’s eyes change. Changing exactly like his, turning into a star…. But reverting.]
Lerna: (I thought he was from the same clan. I knew it.)
Draco does his usual opening, Lerna following him up, and the two clash back and forth, taking the opponent’s pieces as they go.
**Dorado’s Window**
Dorado watches the whole clash, seeing Azure Blue Cosmos coming from Draco, while Royal Purple Cosmos comes from Lerna.
Dorado: This is a good one.
The game comes close to an end. One making the final move…!!
Draco: And… checkmate!!
Lerna: Ah.
Draco: You actually brought my real spirits out. You were useful.
Lerna: So what, you were only using me?
Draco: If you can’t be used, you’re not useful.
Lerna: *smirks* Cheeky bastard.
Lerna starts to fix his coat, getting ready to get up, but he has one final question...
Lerna: Do you know about the “Star of Evil”?
Draco: …!!
Lerna: By that reaction, you do.
Lerna stands up, Draco looking up at him. Draco feels a heavy weight on him like pressure is weighing him down.
Draco: (...!!)
Lerna: Good game, GTD. You win this one. But I’ll see you again, descendant of Draco...
As Lerna leaves, the pressure leaves.
Dorado: Whew. I didn’t want a fight to break out here.
Dex looks at his dad and sees him smiling, going against what he just said.
Dorado: Dex. Everywhere an Enlightened goes, a great revolution follows. I wonder what both of them have in store for us.
Dex: ...
**Floor**
Draco: (Descendant of Draco… Star of Evil…) Man. He was my best competitor so far.
A supervisor comes up to Draco and tells him the next four are coming. As they do, Draco breezes through all of them, ending his day.
Draco: *sigh* I guess my competition won't get tough till the end.
Over the next two weeks, we see Draco beating everyone in chess. Breezing through the competition. Vega is still training on the mountain top, Muppet nearby still pressuring him with Vulpecula stalking him. And Wrath supercharging Volta’s giga battery and technology. Aaron has Regulus submerged in his body. Volta pesters Wrath while he’s charging the battery.
Volta: I’m thinking about buying this social media app, think I should?
Wrath lifts his goggles.
Wrath: …What?
Going through the competition, one of Draco’s battles is Fausto. Who he completely beats firmly. But upon getting up. The boy with wild hair mouths something to Fausto, and it catches his ear. Fausto sees his star eyes.
His next battle, the semi-finals, was against Messia. He beats him the same, so much it hurts his pride. But again, the boy with wild hair mouths something to Messia. It gets him to look up at the boy who has the shining sun behind him, and he’s only able to see his smile.
And now, the finals are here. Draco vs Chad. The two of them are on stage.
Denzel: THE FINALS ARE HERE!!! Reigning champion, Chad!!
The crowd goes crazy for Chad, ladies love him. He waves to them all smiling.
Denzel: And the newcomer, GTD!!!
The crowd is kinda quiet. No one knows who he is. GTD stands there quietly.
Chad: (GTD?)
Denzel: Well. Alright, shake hands, and let's get started!!
Chad turns to his opponent, but GTD waves it off and goes to sit down.
Chad: (Not shaking hands? Alright.)
They both sit, and the finals begin. GTD has the first move.
Chad: (I haven’t been watching his game. I wonder how he plays.)
As he says this, Chad turns all his pieces a certain way.
Chad: (Let’s get started.)
Denzel: This is chess, not checkers!!! Begin!
GTD makes the first move. Doing his usual opening.
Chad: (The Kelp Opening???)
Chad pauses for a moment, it becomes around thirty seconds. He starts sweating.
Chad: Are you-
Draco: C’mon. There’s no time to talk.
Chad returns to focusing, takes out a handkerchief, and wipes his sweat.
Chad: (I can beat him this time. I know I can.)
Chad starts with a strong opening, and Draco responds. The two go back and forth not even listening to Denzel commentating.
Denzel: We have a real fight going on!! Ok people, that move, has Chad thinking of what to do next. GTD has him on the ropes!!
Chad pauses for a second and grabs his water bottle to drink. He continues thinking and moves ahead, trying to trip up GTD. Moving some pieces back, to gain a numbers advantage.
But from Denzel’s perspective, Chad is losing.
Denzel: (What is Chad doing? He’s stumbling. Is Chad going to lose? But he’s the best of this generation.) This one is an absolute heater! What a match!
In the second. GTD says checkmate. Denzel comes over and stares at the board.
Denzel: Chad… lost?
The crowd is stunned.
Denzel: Yeah. He lost. The new champion of This Chess classic is GTD.
Draco smiles it off and begins to get up.
Chad: Wait!
Slamming his hand on the board.
Chad: I want a rematch! All or nothing!!
Draco: What do I gain from playing again? Beating you twice?
Chad: I’m willing to bet my life’s fortune. Three-point two million sols!!
Denzel: Ohhhh. This is against the rules, but I’ll allow it!!
The crowd gets hyped. Some people in the crowd are talking saying “Who would’ve thought Chad had such weak pride.” “What a sore loser.”
Denzel: Will GTD, the champion, turn down this offer?!
Draco (smiles): (Bet…) Sure.
Denzel: It's on!!! Round two!!
The board is set back up. And the two are ready to go again. GTD starts by doing his usual move.
Chad: (Yeah. This is him. This is DTG.)
They go back and forth for about six minutes. It ends in almost the same fashion. Draco beats Chad for the final time.
Chad balled up his fist, pissed off. But musters up enough sportsmanship to say...
Chad: Good game.
Draco, who’s standing up now, looks down at Chad.
Draco: Ha. Ha.
Chad: !!!
Denzel: And with that! We crown our new champion!! GTD!!
The crowd claps it up, but not as loud as it was for Chad. But Chad is sulking in his seat.
[Years Ago.]
Angelo: And that’s it! Our new champion is Chad!! Defeating his opponent, Denzel!
Chad: Good game, Denzel.
Denzel (laughs): Yeah. Good game.
Chad gets up, being crowned the new champion.
Denzel: This is your first time as a champion. Better enjoy it.
After the day, he goes home really late at night, around three am. Getting on his computer. Ready to continue playing chess even after winning. Got online, and booted up his account on FDIE.
Name; ChadTheMagnus1 Rank: 2534.
Chad: Let’s get a few matches in before I go to sleep. *Search for opponent* Wonder how long this will- *Match found* Huh? Already?
*Loading in an opponent. Name DTG. Rank: 2666.*
Chad: DTG…? I never played with him before. And he’s already above me in rank? *Starting match*
Chad gets a little excited. He starts the match and DTG goes first. Moving his piece. 1. F3.
Chad: What? Doesn’t he know the Kelp Opening is the worst move in the game? How is he so highly ranked?
Minutes go by and Chad loses to DTG.
Chad (confused): Huh???! Nah, we have to play again. *Goes to type in the chat* I’ll just say gg, wanna rematch. *Types GG*
DTG responds before Chad can type again and says ‘Ha Ha’ and leaves the chat. Chad becomes pissed.
Chad: Who does he think he is?!
Chad leaves the chat and begins searching for another opponent.
Chad: He ran from me anyway. I bet I beat him next t- *Match Found* Ok.
*Loading in an opponent. Name DTG. Rank: 2688.*
Chad: It's him again! *throws everything off his desk but his laptop* Time to focus.
DTG does the same opening, and the same result happens. He beats Chad.
Chad: Fuck! No gg, I’ll just say rematch.
Chad goes to type but before he could, DTG types ‘Ha Ha’ and leaves again.
Chad: Why do you keep running!!!
Chad, furious, goes to search for another opponent.
Chad: C’mon DTG, let’s go again. I’ll beat you this time!!
After ten minutes of searching. *Match Found* *Loading in an opponent. Name CJFSA. Rank: 2200.*
Chad: Damnit! Where is DTG?!
Chad spends the whole night looking for DTG, but never finds him. Going through the motions, every night he plays late at night around the same time, looking for DTG. Weeks go by, then months. Never found him again. But always when Chad checks the leaderboard. DTG has the highest rank, and Chad is in second.
Chad: I’m getting no points from beating these low levels. Where is everyone?
At the end of two months, Chad is playing again, ready to call it a night on his last match. *Match Found*
Chad: Ugh. Let’s get this over with.
*Loading in an opponent. Name DTG. Rank: 2875.*
Chad (eyes widen): It’s game time!!
[Minutes Later]
Chad: FUCK!!! You aren’t running from me now!
The Chat
ChadTheMagnus1: Don’t run now!
ChadTheMagnus1: Let’s rematch it!
ChadTheMagnus1: Punk! You little punk! Don’t run from the grind!
ChadTheMagnus1: Oh, too scared to talk?! You wimp!
ChadTheMagnus1: Where did you go? Did you go missing to hide from me?
ChadTheMagnus1: Did you leave yet? Quit running!
After Chad takes a breath. Exactly one minute passes by.
Chad: I need to calm down. What’s wrong with me? He hasn’t left yet.
ChadTheMagnus1: GG.
DTG: Ha Ha.
DTG has left the chat
Chad smashes his keyboard.
Over the years they never faced each other again. DTG never came to chess events, especially not “This is Chess.” The tournament Chad won four years in a row. Chad ran into a lot of fakes that tried using DTG’s opening move, or better yet Kelp’s opening. But they all crumbled once they realized it was the worst opening move in the game. Chad continued to check on him, and he remains at the top of the FDIE rankings.
[Present]
[Chad: After every game, I lost to him, I never beat him. And every time I would say 'gg', he would always respond 'Ha Ha' it infuriated me, and I became hostile to those around me. I hated everything and the only thing I wanted was to beat him and finally respond with 'Ha Ha'. Just one time, that's all I ever wanted…]
Denzel: We crown our new champion!! GTD!!
Draco: So how will I get that three million?
Chad (defeated): I’ll just transfer it. Where’s your bank card?
Draco: Bankcard…?
The big window opens up, and Dorado steps forward.
Dorado: Don’t worry about that! I’ll set it up for you! New champion.
Draco: And you are-
Denzel: Ah! The president came to meet the new champion so fast! President Dorado!
The crowd cheers, while President Dorado is all smiles.
Draco: (Dorado…) So that’s the president.
[Wrath’s Location.]
A flying car drives by, at a crazy fast speed!! Looking at the person driving, it turns out to be Wrath! Regulus is in the passenger seat fearing for his life, Zeus (dog form) has its head hanging out the back seat, tongue flapping in the air. A drone is attached to the flying car.
Wrath: Who would’ve thought Volta would offer me a flying car!!
Regulus(sweating): Yeah…
H2K0: Master Volta *beep* is a very generous man.
They blitz by buildings and Wrath's electricity sparks all over the car.
Wrath: And to think it's electric powered.
H2K0: He’s a very *beep* electric-based person.
While driving Wrath notices something, a few people walking… he lifts his goggles, finally getting hyped!
Wrath: Let’s go!
Lowering his goggles and presses down the gas pedal at full speed!! Getting close, he hops out of the car grabs Regulus, and tosses him to Zeus.
Wrath: Yahaha! Just what I wanted from a car!
Regulus: What?! You only wanted a car to crash it?!
H2K0: W- *beep*
The car landed in front of a few people, exploding on impact!! Causing a large explosion!
Crux: He’s here.
Wrath comes flying down, *Bzzt* landing and touching the ground, cape draped.
Wrath: *Bzzt* So you came back for more?!!
Absolutno: This is him.
[Wrath Vs The Nobles!!
Again?!]
Mystery 45 Fin