Spiralbound ~ A Guide to Cradle

Swift Transferal (For Inquisitive-Ego)

??? PoV

"Ompf!"

I tumble out of mid-air, and hit Devilite ground painfully after falling around five feet. "Ow," I groan, crumpled up on the ground with some severe bruises.

"I am NEVER going through a Fiend Portal again after this." I growl, forcing myself to my feet. A sucking sound comes from behind me as the Fiend Portal I had just dived through closes, diminishing the circular view of an Aurora Isles depth completely.

After dusting myself off, and letting out about nine or so grumbles, I scan in all directions for the Yesmen that I had been stalking. With nighttime hovering over the Clockworks, the Dark City I'm navigating is much...darker...than usual, making it harder to see anything.

The Devilite office buildings loom taller than expected, almost staring critically down on anything that moves and breathes, giving the place a harsh, work labor feel. The broken, asphalt highway that makes up the ground of the level is tingling cold on my feet. The whole atmosphere is chilly, like a much less severe Amu-Sol.

It takes only a minute before I just barely catch the sight of a red bowtie, which disappears around a corner of a building to my left. There are several almost inaudible whispers and hushes beforehand.

Where there's shushing, there's secrets. Where there's secrets, there's something useful. I think to myself. I grasp my Recon shield handle, turning myself invisible within a nanosecond. I then proceed to creep in the direction of the Yesmen, past the scoffing work buildings and into a poorly lit alleyway.

As I peer around the corner of a building, what lays inside the alley makes my eyebrows jump. A Knight is sitting at a very small, makeshift table, made out of a shield and a mailbox to support it. She's gagged and bound hands and feet. She's wearing a majority of Hallow equipment, resulting in popping out of the gray and purple city environment. The most basic, obvious things however, are her Hallow Wings, her Hallow Spiral Tailed Helm, and her Hallow Fur Coat.

The Yesmen and several normal Devilites are gathered around her, most of them murmuring things in another language. The Knight glares at them, her eyes spitting daggers, yet she is unmoving and silent. One of the Devilites use large scissors to cut her gag off after a few minutes, and she shakes her head back and forth to get the material away from her face.

"Alright, you stupid devil-bunnies, tell me what on Isora is happening!" The girl snaps.

The Yesmen just look at her with bored businessman stares. One of them replies to the Knight in an identical manner. "Simply a classified business matter that involves analyzing, paperwork, strategic thinking, and...a change."

"That tells me nothing, idiot."

"Yet that's all you need to know. Just follow our instructions, and everything will go smoothly."

A Devilite brings out a large box, about the size of the Knight's shield, and places it on the table. The other Yesman lifts up the top, and inside is a set of...

Chess...pieces...?

The Knight stares inside the box, and her expression changes from contempt to bewilderment. "Chess? What is this supposed to be?"

"Just like you said. Chess." The Yesman straightens his bowtie and jumps into the chair on the other head of the table.

The Knight scoffs. "What, I'm just supposed to play chess with you, and then I can walk out of here? What kind of joke is this? And how'd you even know about this game if we're the ones who invented it?"

"You talk too much."

"Wish I could say the same for you, Yesman."

"Enough." A purple Devilite with a pencil and clipboard commands. "Now, the rules are the same as any normal game- beat the opponent." The Devilite comments.