Purpose | Short Story

BEFORE YOU START TO READ: Thank you for reading! I really do appreciate it! I plan on making at least 8 more short stories, all collectively part of what I will call the "Mundusian Collection." Stay aware for those! Also, news bulletin might come today or tomorrow - idk. Alright, you can read now :D

President Kopington watched over the capital city with curious intent. He had been halfway expecting for snow to fall in Africa the last few days, seeing as the nuclear bombs were dropped in the Atlantic Ocean. However, such locations were not able to be known or confirmed. He found it odd, yet somehow amusing, that the entirety of Orbis scattered to bunkers like ants when disasters happen. He found them comparable to simply pouring water on an ant bed or using the sunlight to burn an ant to a crisp. Nukes, in his eyes, were no different from such minor activities. Nukes and rouge nations, in his eyes, were if ants rebelled against their monarch.

Laughing at himself, he took a sip of candy cane tea he obtained from one of his loyal ministers when he visited a foreign country. The tea had a blackish hue to it, but tasted of mint, tea - of course -, and sugary than most teas available in the country. For once, the president was able to drink a cup of tea without having it too bitter for his taste. Outside the window, a plane flew by sporting the Mundusian Air Defense Force logo - the traditional Mundusian 5-stars logo of red, blue, yellow, and white. Breathing in and back out, the president remained in his normal, relaxed mood.

Footsteps, though very light, approached the room with a steady pace. They slowly became heavier and louder as they came closer to the door, at which time the president had noticed their presence. The visitor knocked at the door rapidly and softly. They knew not to abruptly disturb the president. Garnering a sense of mutual respect for the visitor, the president turned his chair around to face the door before opening his mouth to speak.

"It's open." the president stated in a nonchalant voice.

Upon the door's opening, a young man, no older than 26, walked through the door. His black hair was luscious in the sunlight's rays spreading through the overlooking window. The black and white hat he sported was adorned with the Mundusian crow, a symbol of power in the nation which fell just below the president himself. It was one of the president's personal military advisors, to which he could trust with his life, Reynold Sakhint. His dark brown eyes and pale skin tone were somewhat highlighted by the sun as well, along with his completely white uniform with a few blue patches here and there for where his badges are to hang. His black khaki pants, held up by his matching white and blue belt, were clean of wrinkles - something that the president had worried about with the rest of the military personnel, as it had got on his nerves for a long time.

"Loyal Presidency Kopington!" Sakhint yelled with much patriotism, bowing as he did so. "Reynold Sakhint, reporting! The army has been readied as you have asked."

"Ah. No need to be so stiff, Sakhint! Come on, be casual to your president for once." Kopington stated, laughing afterwards at Sakhint's rather straight posture. "I've known you as a loyal serviceman to our country for at least three years, even when I wasn't president! Come, sit!"

Sakhint sighed and moved out of his stiff posture. Walking towards the only visitor chair in the room, Sakhint held his head down until he reached his destination. Then, he pulled out the chair and began to sit down, now facing the president with direct eye contact.

"Tea?" the president asked as he walked towards the brass kettle which lay on the left side of the room on a smooth wooden desk to get himself some more.

"Yes, thank you." Sakhint said, now in a relaxed mood similar to the president himself. "However, I do believe my schedule is rather full today. Are you sure I can hang around here?"

Turning back, the president spoke. "You have at least two more hours until your next activity. Actually, it's in this very facility. Spend some time relaxing, you seem to be too stiff as of late, Sakhint! It's not good for you, as young as you are, to stress so much."

"Yes, but-" Sakhint began, but was cut off by the tea he had asked for being sat in front of him. Taking a sip, he noted the sweet flavor before continuing. "Maintaining an entire half of the army is hard. Surely, you do not stress too? Being the leader of a nation such as ours, of course."

"Not at all, my friend." the president stated calmly before sipping the newly poured tea from his cup. "It's called being organized before anyone else can organize. And it is indeed rather effective in all endeavors."

"How can I accomplish this, though?" Sakhint asked, now curious.

Kopington took another sip of tea before pulling out a cardboard box from under the desk at which they were sitting at. Despite being slightly broken, it had no dust whatsoever. Reaching inside, the president felt around before finally pulling out a chess board. Afterwards, Kopington put the box back under the desk to its original location.

Looking at the chess board, Sakhint felt nostalgic of his past. Although it was dilapidated, the board was otherwise in clean and near-perfect condition. On the sides, Cyrillic letters, embroidered in gold, wrapped around the board. It read, of what was readable, as such: "Only for those who... triumph in battle. For they shall... be the most prepared for all." To Sakhint, it was a very odd message, but perhaps it was because of the state of the board for him.

Before Sakhint could obtain a better look and admire the board more, Kopington began to place down the pieces in their respective spots. They were in surprisingly good condition compared to the rest of the board. The color had yet to fade away to the point of which you could not tell which color was which. Before Sakhint could figure it out and state his rejection, the president had already finished setting the board. Not that it would've mattered anyways.

"Let's play, Sakhint. Perhaps I can teach you something. I'll take the white pieces, and you can take the black ones." the president stated with much enthusiasm.

Seeing no way to get out of this situation, Sakhint could simply only nod his head. Smiling, the president made the first move.

"Pawn, E4."

"Pawn, E5."

"Knight, C3."

"Oh? I've never seen this opening from you before, sir." Sakhint stated, confused on what the president was preparing to do. Taking two sips from his cup, Sakhint responded with "Knight, F6."

The president simply chuckled before making his next move. "Knight, F3."

"Knight, F6. Were you aiming for a Four Knights game? If so, I do believe you have accomplished such an act."

The president stayed silent for a short amount of time until a smile formed on his face. One could incur that he was analyzing the board, in all of its strategy. "Knight, E5 - and the cavalry captures the battalion!"

Slightly embarrassed on how he could not pick up such an obvious play, Sakhint was left speechless. Taking yet another sip of tea, he planned to retreat his knights. Within this next turn, he planned to gain a victory this time around. He had never found himself victorious in a chess match against the president. Perhaps, he thought, this time it would be different. The game of chess went on...

***

"Checkmate! Your side has fallen!" the president exclaimed as he laughed.

Sakhint glared heavily at the board for a long time. His head was down, and he let out a sorrowed sigh. The president had one once again, and at this win-loss ratio it seemed that Sakhint would never win against him. Every time he played against the president, all of his pieces had been captured with such strategic thinking and undetectable swiftness. This time was no different, for his final pawn, which was close to becoming a queen, had been captured by a rook within no less than the last few seconds of the game. 

To Sakhint, it felt like the president was simply toying with him. However, in the president's eyes Sakhint had potential - he simply needed the minor experience for that is what counted the most. All the tea that had been made was gone, teacups slightly stained by a previous mishap when the tea was overfilled. The candy cane tea bags themselves were still in a numerous quantity, though, with at least an eighth of the pantry filled by them.

The room lay silent, leaving only the ticking of a clock, which had been set correctly from its previous time, on the right side of the room the only sound. After some time, Sakhint was reminded of his schedule. Realizing, Sakhint opened his mouth and spoke with a rushed tone.

"I must go, don't you think, sir? How long has it been?" Sakhint asked as he got up out of his chair which had been left warm by his presence on top of it.

"Ah, yes. I too forgot about your schedule!" the president joked, getting up to check the clock. "You have 10 minutes until you must leave my room to arrive at your destination."

"Then I must go! Excuse me-"

"Wait." the president interrupted in a solemn tone. "Just to be sure, you do know why I always invite you to play chess with me - right?"

"Sure." Sakhint responded. "It's to have fun and toy around as such, is it not?"

"Ah. You have it all wrong!" the president shook his head in disagreement. "I shall explain it to you then. You have potential, Sakhint, you do. I have seen you in action, using terrain, knowledge, and positioning to gain the best effectiveness. Your organization skills are among the best I have seen in my lifetime. I invite you to play such a game to hone your skills. And believe me, you are getting better. Do not let me give the impression I am simply toying with you as I play. For example, this time - if you had placed your rook better - you would've gotten your first checkmate against me. It's simple things like this, that will ultimately decide the battle and then the war."

Sakhint paused for a while, staring at the president while he did so. Snapping out of it, he simply nodded and turned back - opening the door by its handles and preparing to leave for his scheduled activity. 

"Excuse me, once again." Sakhint said as he left.

The room yet again lay in silence. The sun's rays now shone brighter, as the heat began to rise in the city. The shadows had shifted in the room, following the sun's steady movement. More people were on the beaches at this time, as the president supposed. Like ants, they scattered to whatever was in their rightful territory, the president also supposed. Some time had passed as the president continued to view the overlook.

Suddenly, the cabinet on the left side of the room began to shake as if someone was in there. Muffled screams rang out soon after, asking questions, pleading, begging if you will, for someone to let them out. However, the words were vague behind whatever covered their mouth. The president's look remained the same, relaxed. He had expected this.

Walking over to that side of the room, he opened up the cabinet. Inside lay a man, no older than 33, who started to struggle even more at the mere sight of the president. His short blonde hair, filled with dust and dirt, and brown eyes somehow accompanied his near-naked appearance. His body looked to be malnourished, as if he hadn't eaten in a month or so. Scars covered his body, inflicted by a clearly well-sharpened weapon. Covering his mouth, a piece of duct tape which had attempted to be taken off to no avail as his hands and feet were shackled as well. Out of a show of false pity, the president ripped off the duct tape in a way that would cause the most amount of damage. The man screamed as the president did so. Despite this, the man started to beg for his life.

"Please! Let me go, I'll tell you everything! Every little thing, I promise! Just please, don't do it again! No man should have to bear such pain in this world!" the man started to plead. "I-I'll even tell you who I work for, so please don't do it again!"

The president mimicked a thinking pose before finally deciding.

"No."

The man's eyes widened as the president reached for something in the adjacent pantry...