Deception (A Dragons Race to the Edge Fanfic)

Chapter 14

'Well, here goes nothing.' You said to yourself, as you walked towards Viggo and the Maces and Talons game board. You were about to play a life-sized game with real hunters. Viggo was already sitting down, as you took your place standing beside him. You were still wondering why he would want to play against you. You had little experience in the game but, even if you had more, you were sure he would beat you easily. Viggo had years of experience, and was familiar with using these tactics far beyond the game board. He smiled as you scanned the clear board, all of the pieces lined up neatly at each end. However, you didn't find that smile reassuring - it was more like a challenge. You drew a deep breath, preparing yourself for embarrassment, as he prompted you to make the first move.

'Well, I might as well try a few tricks, but I guess he already knows them.' You thought to yourself. And, of course, he did. You had tried to surround and trap a small group of his hunters, and lure them away from the King of the Marauders piece, but he had seen through your plan, and used it to his advantage, capturing two of your hunters in the first ten minutes. You weren't surprised - you knew you were going to lose, this was merely the beginning of your defeat. But, as you heard the clang of a mace knocking your hunters to the ground, something within you snapped, making your body grow tense. You had, at first, been playing halfheartedly, but now your competitive nature was getting the better of you. Even if he was going to beat you in the end, you were going to put up a good fight.

'Fine.' You thought to yourself, 'Let him think my plans are as basic as that, and I can trick him into moving his pieces where I want them.' You thought about the game logically, weighing up the prudence and careful calculation of each move before committing to it. A sense of triumph washed over you, as you captured one of Viggo's hunters. It was only a small victory, but a victory nonetheless. But, you didn't let that blind you; he was still beating you by quite a margin. You were getting pretty intense about this game, and you were determined to prove that you weren't merely another simple-minded opponent that he could enjoy outplaying.

The two of you played furiously, becoming more and more invested as the game stretched on. You had now been at it for three hours, but you were by no means about to give up. The game had increased in skill and intellect as it progressed, and you were now thoroughly engrossed in it. Viggo's skills of deception, manipulation and strategy were undeniable, but you had made some pretty impressive movesvof your own as well. But, of course, you were an amateur compared to him. It wasn't so much that your plans were beyond the intellect of his previous adversaries (although they probably were). But, your strategic thinking process was different to the opponents he had contested, meaning the tactics you used weren't necessarily ones he had commonly come across before.

After the fourth hour had been reached, it seemed a game of endurance. No one had successfully captured a hunter for some time now, and every time you thought you had got him, he escaped. Likewise, you saw his attempts to trap you at the final moment, and made a narrow escape. You seemed to be going around in circles. You both only had two hunters left.

Then, you had an idea. You would make him think you were positioning yourself to use a classic move to capture the hunters, but instead use an advanced move you had seen him employ towards the start of the game. A few moves later, and his pieces were positioned precisely where you needed them. You were making the final adjustments before striking, when you realized you were cornered. He had known what you were doing all along! You couldn't make any more moves – the game was over.

Annoyed at what you had fallen for, you clenched your fists, and bit down hard on your lip. You hadn't realized how engaged you had become in the game. You felt a sudden urge to punch something, but the closest thing happened to be Viggo and, as tempting as that was in the moment, your common sense told you that wouldn't be such a great idea. Swallowing your emotions, you attempted to maintain a cool exterior.