image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
3) RUINS IN THE HARZ REGION
Adelbert was trudging through the deep, shadowy forests of Germany's Harz region, a place brimming with legends of witches and ancient ruins. He’d decided to spend his university summer break here, carrying out an archaeological survey that most people would only dream of. The Harz was known for its mystique, its allure drawing in explorers and historians alike.
Walking ahead of him was his companion, a sleek Doberman with one eye gleaming green. The dog moved silently, almost in sync with Adelbert, weaving through the forest as if it knew the way.
"Alright, Gustav, we’ll launch the LIDAR here," Adelbert said, excitement bubbling up in his voice. The Doberman perked up its ears, glancing back at him with a look that almost seemed to say, "I'm ready."
Carefully, Adelbert pulled a small drone from his bag, piecing it together with a precision that spoke of hours of practice. This wasn’t just any drone; it was equipped with the latest LIDAR technology, capable of scanning the forest floor and projecting it into a 3D hologram. Perfect for finding hidden ruins buried beneath centuries of foliage.
“Watch this, Gustav. This time, we’ll uncover the real secrets of this forest.” He flipped the switch on the drone and sent it whirring into the air. The soft hum of the propellers mixed with the rustling of leaves. Gustav watched the drone rise, ears twitching at the noise, but remained firmly seated, his eyes following its ascent.
Adelbert’s gaze locked onto the tablet screen, where a digital map was forming. The laser beams scanned every inch of the terrain, sending back data that gradually revealed itself in a mesh of green and red dots. There—subtle undulations, faint traces of old paths crisscrossing the forest floor.
"Look, Gustav, there!" Adelbert pointed to the screen, his voice barely containing his excitement. It showed the outline of a hill, something that seemed unnaturally shaped, with distinct lines radiating from its center.
"This is it," he breathed. "These lines... they’re the remains of an ancient temple." His voice was high-pitched, almost giddy. Gustav gave a quiet snort, settling down at his feet as if he completely understood Adelbert’s excitement.
“Legends always spoke of Paleolithic ruins hidden here in the Harz, but I never thought we’d find them like this. Not even the great king who conquered continents managed to uncover this place…” Adelbert mused, his eyes glued to the screen. Gustav blinked, his single green eye shining with a wisdom that belied his canine form. He didn’t speak, of course, but his sharp gaze told Adelbert everything—he was on the right track.
“Now, let’s get a closer look at what’s at the center of these lines,” Adelbert muttered, adjusting the controls on his tablet. More detailed terrain data filled the screen, and with each passing second, the ancient ruins began to take shape.
Gustav stood, his movements mirroring Adelbert’s excitement. He nudged closer, his nose catching the scent of adventure in the air. It was as if he sensed that something incredible was about to unfold.
“You’re excited too, huh?” Adelbert grinned, reaching down to pat the dog’s head. Gustav snorted again, tilting his head into the touch.
“So, what’s the plan, Gustav? Should we go deeper into the forest now or head back to prepare our equipment?” Adelbert asked, though he already knew the answer. Gustav glanced up at him briefly, then turned and faced the forest, his posture resolute.
“Yeah, I thought so,” Adelbert laughed, his heart racing. “Alright, adventure it is!” He stowed the tablet and recalled the drone, sending it back to its case. With Gustav leading the way, they plunged into the forest, moving toward the hidden ruins.
Gustav’s steps were light and confident, his tail held high. There was a sense of purpose in his movements, as though he was meant to unravel these ancient secrets with his companion by his side.
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
4) ANCIENT RUNIC
Adelbert’s childhood was filled with archaeology. His father would spend hours in the living room, surrounded by shelves packed with books on ancient civilizations, pottery fragments, and bits of bone strewn across the desk. He was always so absorbed in his work, but when Adelbert approached, there’d be a twinkle in his eyes.
One day, when Adelbert was about five, he found himself staring at a cracked pottery shard on his father’s desk. “Hey, Dad, what’s this?” he asked, pointing to the strange patterns etched on its surface.
His father looked up, smiled, and patted him gently on the head. “This, Adelbert, is something made by people who lived here long ago. It has ancient letters on it, but no one knows what they mean yet.”
Adelbert’s eyes widened in fascination. “These letters are hard, huh? Not even you know them, Dad?” he asked, his tone blunt in the way only a child’s could be. His father chuckled awkwardly, lifting the shard to show him.
“That’s right. I’ve been trying to figure out what language this is, how to read it, for a long time. Haven’t cracked the code yet… but that’s why I want you to get used to them, even just a little.”
Adelbert nodded enthusiastically. “I like learning letters! Teach me these too!” His father blinked in surprise, then gave a warm smile.
“Alright,” he agreed. “But these letters are tricky. It’ll take time, but I think you’ll feel something if you spend time with them.” He pulled a stack of cards from a drawer, each bearing a different runic shape.
“Try playing with these,” he said, handing the cards to Adelbert’s small hands. “Arrange them, combine them, make patterns. Maybe then, you’ll become friends with these letters.”
And so, their nightly routine began. After dinner, father and son would sit at the living room table, playing their “ancient letter game.” Every time Adelbert arranged the runes, his father watched with a mix of hope and excitement. As the boy’s fingers moved the cards, creating mysterious shapes, his father’s heart swelled with pride.
By the time Adelbert was eight, the letters began to speak to him in a way they never had before. One day, he spotted runes on an old bone his father had brought home. Without hesitation, he shouted, “Dad, these are witch letters!”
His father’s eyes widened. “Witch letters?”
“Yeah, see this part?” Adelbert pointed at the markings. “It says ‘clear the mist.’ I think it means that when someone with witch’s blood says these words, the mist will clear!”
His father gasped. He could sense the truth in his son’s words. For years, he’d studied these runes, never able to fully piece together their meanings. But here was his son, understanding them as if they were whispering secrets directly to him.
“Adelbert… can you hear the letters?” his father asked, voice barely above a whisper. Adelbert met his gaze and nodded confidently.
“Yes. Somehow, I just know. They feel… kind.” His father’s eyes filled with tears.
“I see… You can sense them.” Grasping his son’s shoulders, he took a deep breath. “You, my boy, will do what I never could. You’ll solve the mystery of these runes.”
From that day on, they delved deeper into ancient letters. His father gave him all the knowledge he had, and Adelbert absorbed it eagerly. They spent countless hours examining artifacts, discussing possible meanings.
“This pattern looks like it was used in religious rituals,” his father would say, pointing to a pottery shard.
“But look, there’s a rune for ‘fire’ here,” Adelbert replied, picking out the corresponding card and placing it beside the fragment. “I think it could’ve been part of some burning ceremony.”
His father stared, astonished, before breaking into a laugh. “You’re amazing, Adelbert… You see things I never noticed.”
They exchanged a smile, the bond between them growing stronger. In that moment, Adelbert knew one thing for certain: one day, he would decipher every single one of these letters and fulfill his father’s dream.
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
5) SOPHIA'S MOVE IS E4
Sophia woke with a start. For a moment, her vision was blurry, her mind foggy. The first thing she felt was the sharp sting of cold wind brushing against her cheeks. A gray mist stretched out before her, thick and endless. She blinked hard, trying to focus, to make sense of where she was.
“Wh-where... am I?” she muttered, her voice barely a whisper in the eerie quiet.
Glancing around, she realized nothing looked familiar. It was all mist and shadows, no landmarks or trees—nothing but a blanket of gray that swallowed up everything around her. Tentatively, she reached out and felt the cold touch of metal beneath her hand. Leather, too. Her heart skipped a beat.
“An autogyro...? But... why?”
Sophia’s pulse quickened as she finally took in her surroundings. She was sitting in the cockpit of her grandfather’s old autogyro. The low, steady hum of the engine vibrated through her seat, a sensation she knew well. But how had she ended up here? She didn’t remember starting the autogyro, let alone preparing to fly.
“What’s going on...?” she mumbled, staring out into the mist.
A small, warm body shifted at her feet, drawing her attention downward. Reinhart, her Chihuahua, was curled up on her lap, looking up at her with those big, round eyes.
“Reinhart... are you okay?” Sophia asked, reaching down to stroke his fur. He nuzzled against her hand just as he always did. But then, something happened that made Sophia’s blood run cold.
“Yes, I’m fine, Sophie,” the Chihuahua replied, in perfect English.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“...?!?!?!” Sophia’s mind went completely blank. She stared at Reinhart, her eyes wide as saucers.
“Uh... wh-what? Did you just... talk?” she stammered, trying to wrap her head around what she’d just heard.
Reinhart tilted his head in that cute, familiar way, as if this was all perfectly normal. “Yes, I did. You seem really surprised, Sophie.”
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “Wait, wait... This is a dream, right? It has to be!”
She clutched her head in her hands, trying to steady her racing thoughts. Her Chihuahua was talking. This wasn’t possible—it couldn’t be real. Yet, everything around her felt so tangible: the cold wind, the engine’s vibration, the soft fur beneath her fingers.
“Calm down, Sophie,” Reinhart said, sitting up properly on her lap. His tone was calm and almost... comforting. “We don’t know where we are, but we need to figure it out.”
Sophia took a shaky breath. “Y-yeah, you’re right. First, we need to... figure out where we are. But why in the autogyro?”
Her mind raced back to everything she knew about the aircraft. Unlike helicopters, autogyros didn’t use powered rotors to lift off. They relied on the airflow created by forward motion to spin the rotor. The engine drove only the propeller. This made flying tricky; controlling vertical movement was a delicate balancing act.
“That’s why autogyros are so unstable... and why I promised Grandpa I wouldn’t fly it alone...” she murmured to herself, her heart sinking. If the autogyro lost its balance, it could spiral into an uncontrollable series of dips and climbs. In the worst case, it could crash. No wonder they were hardly used anymore.
“Yes, which is why we need to be careful,” Reinhart added, his gaze fixed on the swirling mist around them. “But I think right now, we should focus on figuring out where we are.”
Sophia followed his gaze into the endless gray. No landmarks, no shapes—just an expanse of misty nothingness. She squinted, trying to catch even the slightest hint of something in the fog.
“Is this... really a dream?” she whispered, doubt gnawing at her. Everything felt too real. The engine’s hum, the wind’s chill, Reinhart’s words—all of it seemed unnervingly genuine.
Just then, something flickered in the corner of her vision. Down below, through the swirling mist, she caught a glimpse of something moving. Something dark.
“Did something just... move?” Sophia leaned forward, eyes straining as she looked down from the aircraft. For a split second, she saw it—a pattern, like a giant chessboard etched into the ground. And on it, pieces were shifting.
“Are those... chess pieces?” she muttered, her voice tinged with disbelief. Her mind spun as she watched a white pawn quietly advance through the mist.
The pawn moved forward, stopping at e4.
“W-wait, what on earth is going on?” Sophia’s eyes widened, her heart thudding in her chest. She could barely process what she was seeing. This couldn’t be real... could it?
Reinhart let out a small, knowing snort. “It’s e4,” he said calmly, his voice cutting through her confusion like a guiding light.
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
6) ARDY ADVANCES TO E5
Adelbert was hunched over his tablet, his eyes glued to the LIDAR data that had been collected over days of surveying the dense Harz region forest. He could almost feel the secrets of the forest coming to life on the screen before him.
"This shape... It’s not just a regular forest, is it?" he muttered to himself, his heart pounding with excitement.
There, on the screen, several pyramid-like structures took shape. They might look like natural terrain to the untrained eye, but the way they were arranged at perfect intervals told a different story. The LIDAR scan revealed traces of artificial structures buried beneath the layers of time.
But what really made Adelbert's pulse race was the discovery of what looked like an ancient road running deep into the forest. It stretched out in neat, straight lines, like a city map. This wasn't some natural animal trail; the roads intersected at precise right angles. Adelbert's thoughts jumped to ancient civilizations.
"This is... like the layout of an ancient city. Just like Heijo-kyo in Japan or old Chinese cities... Could it be?" He squinted at the screen, trying to match the images to the history books he'd pored over.
“Tall structures aligned in a straight line... This is incredible!” Adelbert couldn’t contain his excitement any longer. He shot up from his spot, his eyes gleaming.
"Gustav, let's go check it out!" he called out to his Doberman. Gustav lifted his head, his ears perking up as if he'd been waiting for this moment all along.
Adelbert grabbed his backpack, his tablet still clutched in one hand, and started making his way deeper into the forest. It wasn’t easy going; thick undergrowth and thorny vines blocked his path at every turn. He pulled out a machete, slicing through the foliage with determined swings.
“This is no animal trail,” he muttered, eyes scanning his surroundings. “There’s definitely something here…”
Gustav walked beside him, moving with the grace and alertness of a guard on patrol. But then, the mist rolled in. Thick and sudden, it wrapped around them, blurring the path ahead. Adelbert stopped, his heart beating faster.
"Fog... We need to move slowly," he said, his eyes narrowing as he peered into the mist. But then—was that movement?
“...Did something just move?” he whispered, glancing around. Nothing but shadows and mist. His heart drummed in his chest. Was it an animal, or just the wind? Gustav stood stock-still, his eyes fixed ahead, every muscle in his body tense.
And then, out of nowhere, Gustav spoke. “Black to e5, it’s on, Ardy!”
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
7) SOPHIA ATTACKS, ARDY DEFENDS
Sophia took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she knew panicking wouldn't help. She reached into her basket and pulled out a sandwich, taking comfort in the familiar ritual.
"Food usually helps... right?" she murmured to herself, lifting the sandwich to her lips. It was her favorite: tuna, mayonnaise, and egg.
But before she could take a bite, that strange object reappeared in the mist. It looked like a monument—or maybe a giant cookie? A belt inscribed with cuneiform patterns circled its middle.
“Here we go again… wait, is it different this time?” Sophia squinted at the thing, confusion etched on her face. Then, Reinhart, her Chihuahua, spoke casually from beside her.
“Hello. Something wrong?”
Sophia’s mouth fell open. “Reinhart, you’re talking again?” she gasped. Reinhart, unfazed, continued as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Just then, the object transformed into a small mouse.
“Could I have some of that sandwich?” the mouse asked, looking up at her with big, hopeful eyes.
“Um... well...” Sophia hesitated but tore off a piece, handing it to the mouse. A squirrel peeked out from behind, grinning.
“We’re brothers. Different bodies, same head,” it chimed in cheerfully.
Sophia blinked, utterly bewildered. "Well, this is... fine, I guess," she muttered and finally took a bite of her own sandwich. Reinhart, the mouse, and the squirrel dug into their pieces, and for a brief moment, an odd sense of peace settled over them.
"Ready to move on, Sophie?" Reinhart said suddenly, standing up and pointing into the mist. “This is f4.”
----------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Adelbert arrived at the spot marked by the LIDAR data. There, looming in the fog, stood a large stone monument. His eyes widened in awe.
“This is... a Sandwich Stone. From the pagan era of Anglo-Saxon England... But why is it here? It should be in the Royal Museum!”
Runic letters covered the stone’s surface, like ancient graffiti. Adelbert recognized them immediately. "Runes... originating from ancient Mediterranean scripts, spread by the Vikings... but what on earth is it doing here?"
He moved closer, studying the intricate carvings. Then, the stone trembled, almost as if it were alive.
“Watch out, Ardy,” Gustav’s voice cut through the silence.
“Gustav, did you just... speak?” Adelbert stared at his Doberman, who stood calmly, one eye gleaming a strange green.
“White has occupied f4. Your move,” Gustav intoned, his voice calm and unearthly.
“F4? What are you talking about?” Adelbert was thoroughly confused, but curiosity got the better of him. He pulled out his camera and began snapping photos of the runes.
"If I trace these outlines in Photoshop, I might be able to decipher more of the script..." he muttered. But just as he looked up, he caught sight of a shadow moving in the grass. He crept forward, parting the grass to reveal—
"What in the world...?" Something was underfoot. Gustav’s voice rang out again.
“Exf4 has been established!”
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
8) SOPHIA AND ARDELBERT: DISCUSSING THE NEXT MOVE
Sophia and Ardelbert stood frozen in the mist, bewildered. Both of them had just watched as the stone monument transformed into a squirrel and collapsed as if dead. Sophia wanted to rush over and check if it was okay, but Ardelbert stopped her, warning that they didn’t know what would happen if they moved. After about 10 minutes, the squirrel slowly got up and scurried off into the mist. They both watched wide-eyed, unable to say a word for a moment.
“Uh... Did that stone monument just turn into a squirrel and run away?” Sophia finally managed, her face a picture of disbelief.
“Yep, that’s what it looked like,” Ardelbert replied, still processing the bizarre scene. “It was a squirrel, heading straight for that monument, and then... well, it grabbed a sandwich and bolted.”
Gustav, Ardelbert's Doberman, stood firmly at his feet, one eye glowing an eerie green. He had a look that seemed oddly wise, almost as if he had seen this kind of thing before. Meanwhile, Sophia's Chihuahua, Reinhart, nudged her leg.
“Sophie, we need to move on,” he said, sounding unusually serious.
“W-wait a minute!” Sophia stammered, turning to the little dog. “Reinhart, why are you in such a hurry? And how... how are you even talking?”
Reinhart simply gazed ahead, offering no explanation. He wasn’t in the mood to answer questions, apparently.
Sophia let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing her temples. “What in the world is going on?” she muttered, clearly at her wits’ end. Seeing her like this, Ardelbert decided to step in.
“Look,” he said, clearing his throat. “Why don’t we start by introducing ourselves and figure out what’s going on? I’m Ardelbert, an archaeologist. I came here to investigate the forest.”
Sophia paused, then nodded. “I’m Sophia Weiss, but you can call me Sophie,” she replied, still sounding a bit dazed. “But hold on. Can we eat something first? I can’t think straight on an empty stomach.”
Ardelbert chuckled. “Fair enough. Eating might help us calm down a bit.” He rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a slightly squished energy bar. “This is a sports supplement, but it’s all I’ve got.”
“That’s fine. I’ll take it,” Sophia said quickly, grabbing the bar, tearing off the wrapper, and taking a big bite. She broke off a small piece for Reinhart, who took it gratefully. Gustav, not to be left out, accepted his own share from Ardelbert, wagging his tail contentedly.
Sophia sighed in relief after finishing the snack. “Phew... I think my brain’s starting to function again. Thanks, Ardelbert.”
“Glad it helped,” Ardelbert replied. “So, how do you make sense of our dogs speaking and all this ‘f4’ business they keep mentioning?”
Sophia frowned thoughtfully, chewing on her lip. “Well... the way they say ‘f4,’ it sounds like some kind of coordinate,” she said, closing her eyes to concentrate.
Ardelbert raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Coordinates? What are you getting at?”
“Well,” Sophia began, slipping into her natural element—mathematics. “Imagine a sequence from 1 to n. The space between them would be n-1, right? Now, if we assign letters to those spaces...”
“Ah! Like a chessboard!” Ardelbert interrupted, catching on. “A chessboard has columns labeled A to H and rows numbered 1 to 8. ‘F4’ fits perfectly with that kind of grid.”
Sophia’s eyes widened. “A chessboard... Right. But I only know the basics of chess. I get the numbers and letters, but I’m not sure how to move...”
Ardelbert smiled, his eyes twinkling with enthusiasm. “Then let me explain. For example, moving a pawn to f4 is a classic move. If it’s White’s turn, Black might respond with ‘exf4,’ capturing the pawn. This is called the ‘King’s Gambit Accepted’ opening.”
“King’s Gambit...?” Sophia tilted her head, trying to absorb the information.
“Yes. It’s a move where White sacrifices a pawn to gain control of the center and open up attacking opportunities. It’s a bit like taking a risk for a potential reward. Kind of like your math, right? Risk versus return?”
Sophia’s face lit up with understanding. “Ah! Like making an initial investment with hopes of bigger gains later. But there’s a catch—you’re giving the opponent a chance to counterattack, right?”
“Exactly!” Ardelbert said, clearly impressed. “White is taking a risk. Meanwhile, Black gains a short-term advantage but has to be wary of White's future attacks.”
“This is fascinating!” Sophia's eyes sparkled with excitement. “Can I try guessing the next move?”
“Of course. For White’s next move, how about ‘Bc4’?” Ardelbert suggested confidently.
“‘B’...?” Sophia looked at him, puzzled.
“B for Bishop,” he explained with a patient smile. “You move it to the c4 square. It’s a strategic move to put pressure on Black. In response, Black might bring out their Queen with ‘Qh4+,’ putting White in check.”
“The Queen comes into play... I get it now. So that’s how chess strategies unfold,” Sophia said, her interest growing with every word.
“Exactly,” Ardelbert nodded. “Chess is all about predicting your opponent's moves and planning your strategy.”
Sophia took a deep breath, her eyes narrowing in determination. “Alright. I’ll make the move then. I’ll go with ‘Bc4.’”
Ardelbert grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. “Good choice, Sophie. Now, we can expect ‘Qh4+’ to be Black's next move. Let’s see what happens.”