A darkening world (Part 1)
Darklings. (A darkening world Part 2)
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( A darkening world part 3 )
The two beings hunched over the Darklight gameboard, and considered the intricate positioning of the pieces, centuries passed....
“I am winning the game my friend, the Darklings are close to victory, and soon your Lightlings will be overrun, and you will lose.”
“It is true that you appear to be winning, but the best strategist in the fourth quadrant you are not, you may have overlooked one or two moves along the way.”
“I think you try to bluff me, admit your defeat and yield the game.”
“I think not my friend, I believe if I take this piece from here, and place it here, it allows me to relight two of their suns, does it not?”
“Oh... I hadn't seen that move, relight the suns then, but this game is not over yet, and I still hold the lead.”
“Then play your next move my friend.”
The two beings hunched over the Darklight gameboard, and considered the intricate positioning of the pieces, centuries passed....
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A darkening world (part 1)
Darklings (A darkening world part 2)
©2010 Stephen. J. Green.
I don't know Darklight. Is it like Monopoly? Will you teach me as we go along?
ReplyDeleteVery brief first entry, sort of setting up the game board. How long is the whole thing, if it's finished?
Hi John, this is possibly the last instalment of "A darkening world" the endless fight for survival of the Darklings and the Lightlings, I envisioned two god-like beings playing a chess-like game, but far more intricate, taking centuries between moves, and each move results in consequences on the planet, when the game is over, the board and the planet would be re-set.
ReplyDeleteI would love to teach you, but I haven't learnt how to play it myself yet. :-D
Really enjoyed these three stories, Steve. Interesting take in this one, I had a mental image of a chess board before I read your comment.
ReplyDeleteI like the way you say 'possibly' ;o) I would like to know more, if you change your mind.
So that's how the universe works. Interesting. So when a game ends and they start a new one, I'm guessing that's the big bang? Good story!
ReplyDeleteThanks guys,
ReplyDeleteRebecca, I'm happy with the way this has gone, so I'll probably leave it alone now lest I spoil it.
Eric, who knows? for all we know this may be how OUR destinies are controlled.
Now I understand why our deities take a hands-off approach to their godly duties. They're all playing darklight.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed the premise of the game and liked the cleverness of light. We'll see whether his strategy pans out. Ok, I won't see... I probably won't be around then.
Haha, thanks Aidan, I probably won't be around either, the gameplay is a bit slow for me anyway, I prefer shooters. :-D
ReplyDeleteReminiscent of the chess game in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, one of my favorite poems. Enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete~jon
Pretty cool Steve. I read part 3 first and had to go back to read parts 1 and 2. Reading just part one and two I would think you were beginnig a post apocolyptic sort of tale. Not to take anything away from that but to me, this part three where you reveal the "god-like beings" deciding fate over a game, is where it really gets interesting. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteI went back and read the other episodes. I think you've had a glimpse into the inner workings of the universe with this last one. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's all in your perspective, I suppose, because you can't see everything that's "in play."
I really enjoyed this story. Good one!
Oh, that's fantastic. All the world's a stage and we are merely players. Reminds me of the mental game between God and Satan with Job in the balance. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteThis ties into the first two parts so well and yet was nowhere near what I was thinking. Very cool.
ReplyDeleteI love the premise of this story. Just imagining these two beings at it over the centuries in enthralling. Great stuff.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for reading,
ReplyDeleteJon, thank you, I too have read The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a marvellous piece.
Harry, thank you, the idea only popped into my head a few days ago, I actually had another short story earmarked for this week.
Gracie, thank you, in all truth, none of us really knows what the grand scheme of things really is, I once read a story where the earth was just a molecule in a blade of grass.
Stephen, thank you for your very kind comparison.
Tim, thank you, as I replied to Harry, it was nowhere near what I was thinking either until last week.
L'aussie, thank you, I had to put the bit about centuries between moves to give it a sense of perspective.
Very interesting story Steve. I like the idea of those two ancients playing this game over eons with centuries beginning and ending between moves.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel, time is relative though, and the centuries could be like seconds to them.
ReplyDeleteI like how this story gets bigger with every chapter.
ReplyDeleteI've had chess games that lasted centuries too.
Hi Rol, I think sometimes chess games can seem to last for centuries, especially if you are losing, and you have an audience. :-D
ReplyDeleteAye, this is up my street. I like a big, short tale, about strange goings on. I liked the re-lighting suns line. It felt quite a lot like somebody pulling out an obscure rule, and you're like: 'Damn it, I wanted this game to end five eons ago, so I can go to bed...'
ReplyDeleteThanks Stephen, I'm really glad that you liked it, and yes, Just when the Dark player thought he had the game in the bag, he slips backwards a couple of steps. :-D
ReplyDelete