Ultimate Level 1 - Book 8 - Chapter 445a - Games Played

“So it’s been done?”

“As per your request, yes. He should no longer be traveling to that planet anymore.”

The slightest grunt came as Wekime bobbed his head once and then moved a piece on the game board before him. Hundreds of boards, each with thousands of spots, were connected. Some pieces vanished while new ones appeared.  Occasionally, some seemed to defy logic, appearing on multiple boards simultaneously before disappearing from them all, only to make a new entrance somewhere else.

One piece held his complete attention, as it had since the moment he had marked it.

A solid black stone shape of the man they called Max Hoste.

“You’ve made more moves than I can remember in so long.”

“Says a friend that we both know never stops.”

The being next to him was swirling in the void, its presence held in check only because they were in a domain both had agreed to be in.

“My child was more than happy to enjoy a free meal. Still, part of me had wished this one had fought. It seems you know him better than I expected.”

“Young… so young and yet so powerful and with so much potential,” Wekime stated as he waved a finger in the air and a piece dozens of boards over moved. “He cannot begin to imagine his potential.”

“You mean the threat he poses. To everything, including ourselves.”

Turning slowly, both gods faced each other.

Each had been there the day everything had begun. Both were part of the nine who had seen it all.

“Do you believe that? Tell me, does time even matter? All these pieces and boards, how many times has the game been almost completely wiped out only to restart again?”

“More than either of us would like to count.”

“Hogroothu, we have been allies most of our days. Occasionally, we have not, but we both understand balance and order, even when you are the lord of the void.”

A deep chuckle came, and a stone finger wagged in the air, sending another piece in motion.

“Tell me, Wekime, why this one? After so many?”

Sighing, the gold dragon turned his attention back to the boards and tapped his scaled jaw with a claw, eyes always scanning everything he could see.

“Because for the first time, I believe one of them may finally upset the balance we have so long tried to keep. And perhaps it is time.”