My mind was blank, the darkness around me kept swirling, extending tendrils of dark matter only to retreat and more just kept coming. Honestly I was lost, All I know is that I was abruptly taken out of my room and into this dimension of darkness.

Who was I, I have to admit the better question is Who I used to be.

I felt like something ripped me from my body and left it behind, and sadly enough, with the body went my memories alongside it.

This notion of "waking up" that people go through. The one where they escape sleep, where their conscious wakes them up. Is such a thing good or bad?

Some people may wake up from nightmares and escape to the safety of reality. Others are forcefully taken from sweet dreams and thrown into the harsh world of reality.

I have come to understand that someone or something has taken me to a separate plane of existence.

I found myself on a board, squares in eight columns and eight rows. At my side 15 other people. Strange though, mist covered the other half of the board so I couldn't see what was on the other side.

Some seemed to be militants as they carry weapons with them, others appear to be common people, dressed in nothing more than simple garments.

As for me, I was one of the common folk. One of the militants was saying something but I couldn't really understand them.

Ignorant is bliss, an odd saying from what used to be my home but in such a strange dimension as this, knowledge is everything.

At this sudden realization I found myself with the ability to hear again, and the words of the speaker finally reaches my ear.

"... they show you what your status is, no matter what though you must always listen to the king as he/she has absolute order of you in this game"

I turn to the one who was explaining what was happening and I saw a pretty girl with long lustrous, opaque blonde hair that was tied in a scorpion braid. Her dazzling green eyes complimented the feathered hat on her head. A garden dress fitted well on her body and her hands wore tight-fitting gloves. The only thing off about her appearance is the bulges on her back.

One look at the bulges that gave us such a sinister aura that all I wanted to do was run.

She had mentioned something about a card, Feeling around I noticed I had one and I picked it up.

Experimental Subject No. 712

Name: ???

Main Fighting Style: Needle Vines Whip

Second Path: None

Class: Knight.

Apparently I did not have a name, I guess I will call myself No. 712 until I do receive one.

I looked around to find seven other common folk just like me, they were all gathered alongside me were grouped together in front of a very important looking person.

"We got 5 Pawn replacements, 2 Rooks, 1 Bishop and 1 Knight, that is good, we got the replacements we needed" the person said and then coughed "Sorry.... I guess I have to introduce myself, I am Keiro, as implied by my card.

He swung his card and it popped up in front of everyone.

Experimental Subject No. 37

Name: Keiro

Main Fighting Style: Magma Steed Throne

Second Path: Golem Creation

Class: King.

^^^

I was very confused, what exactly where we here for? Why were we chosen?

The king saw that many people were confused and he explained.

"This place is a game for god to enjoy, he wants to see us fight against each other to appease their boredom. The game is simple, it is like chess, at least the movement and placement for it is.

But the rules, they are significantly different.

When two pieces meet they contest for a territory. Unlike chess where the piece that lands on the other pieces to take them out, who the two meet they fight to the death. When one comes out victorious they claim the area and live to fight another day. " Keiro explained.

"As for the losing piece, wiped from existence, no second chances, redos, or reverse time. They make it so that you never existed in the first place in any place in the universe, except for here, where we will remember you. " Keiro sighed.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

The new people murmured to each other and I was just shocked at the news that came to me.

Erased from existence? The cost of losing one battle was to enormous, and what reward would we get if we won? The only thing that would be left was another battle. The despair of continuous fighting would eventually leave some to lose spirit.

"The prize for winning though, a chance to leave this accursed hell hole, the catch, 100 battles won against opponents of the same caliber" Keiro said, "Sadly I only won three as marked by the notches ( ^ )."

The pieces on the board, that is all of us, are commanded by a king, that is me. We will work together to fight our way out of here" Keiro announced and a few just glimpsed at him.

"Preparation time is almost over, everyone get into place, Vine Knight, Go next to the Blast Bishop and Serum Rook." The king commanded and I felt myself walk into my square.

Once on the square the square lit up and the clothes on my body changed. the once simple garments that I wore have changed into a long one-piece dress, the belt of the dress was a vine, on the vine were tiny thorns that glowed a greenish-purple.

Next to me one of the veterans fit into place, by the spot she was in I am guessing her name was Blast Bishop, from her card the name was Rurua. She wielded a sinister black katana, her garments was a bloodied vampiric dress and she wore combat heels.

Rurua noticed my attention and smiled at me, fangs protruded from the top of her lips and she licked her lips.

The other side a guy settled down. He was in a hazmat suit and the belts on it had multiple syringes filled with multiple liquids. He looked at me through the mask and I just shuttered. The face was mangled, skin paper white, eyes half dead and hair that was half dead.

I settled down in my corner of the board and waited.

A voice spoke from the mist. "May the game commence, Kings, set a wager and send your first troops.

Keiro spoke up "Two Bishops and a Knight, E2 to E4", Across the mist came another voice, more feminine, "One Queen three Pawns, 8B to C6"

I turned my head to look at the pawn in front of the king. A poodle? The dog barked happily and trotted up to squares then growled. Across the mist the sound of footsteps walking and then stopping.

The mist cleared away and the enemy was revealed most of them were human or humanoid. I was mildly shocked at the otherworldly beings that existed as well. In their Rook Class there was a huge insectoid that glared menacingly at us. One of the Pawns was a weird furry reptile with multiple eyes.

The girl/king smiled at us "Disadvantage moves first" and she curtsied. The girl king was in a prestigious dress with multiple emblems, behind her was a multitude of flags that seem to be protruding from her back.

Keiro nods his head and orders "F1 to BF".

I looked to my right and saw Rurua walked over to her position and with a smile slung her katana over her shoulder.

" G8 to F6"

"I trust in you, D1 to H5" Keiro said and the pretty girl with the sinister bumps walked over to her position.

"F6 to H5" and the enemy knight landed on the queen's square.

Battle Commence: Arachne Queen vs Headless Knight

The terrain randomly flashed and they were in a forest. The trees blocked out the view from where I was so I couldn't see what was happening in there but After a bit of time, the sounds of combat died down and the forest fell flat.

The corpse of headless knight was cocooned and peppered with blood. Arachne Queen on the other hand, had the shoulder of her dress torn, one of the bulges on her back twitching and her hair disheveled.

"Battle Won: Arachne Queen"

I was in awe at how quick the battle went, I was eager but also scared. What if I lose? What can I do to win? How do I win?

The battle raged on and I lost myself in thought on how to comprehend on what was happening. sure I moved a couple of times but no one to fight me.

Lost in thought I didn't notice what was happening around me but suddenly the field around me changes and the voice for battle spoke "Vine Knight vs Bone Bishop"

I gulped and unhooked my belt, it was a cavern type map and it was dark. a perfect place for a person with "bone" in their name.