Holder of Finality

In any city, in any country, head to a chess club and tell the person at the front desk, “I wish to speak to the Holder of Finality.” Most will have no idea what you are talking about, but if you are in the right place, he will shudder for a moment, and then beckon you to follow. He will march down a series of corridors until he comes to one that looks like a janitor’s closet. He will open the door and then run away.

When you enter the door, you will find that it is a large room. The walls and ceiling are painted with scenes of entire races, culture, and species being exterminated. Many of the characters in the painting will not be human, and some will haunt your nightmares for years to come. In the middle of the room, there will be an old man sitting in a chair in front of a wooden chessboard. He will motion for you to take a seat at the other side. Do so, but when you start to play, you will find that no matter what, the game will end in a stalemate. Once the game ends, the pieces will teleport back to their original position. Keep playing as long as necessary.

Once the thirteenth game has ended, the pieces will remain where they are for a moment, not teleporting back. Immediately look the old man straight in the eye and ask, “What is a final answer worth?” He will respond by upsetting the board. Once the pieces fall to the ground they will start to grow until they are human sized. He will then answer your question. The answer will be brief, but at the same time, the most horrible thing you have ever heard. He will then attack you, and the black and white pieces will start to fight each other. Use whatever means you have at your disposal to defeat him, for he means to kill, and if he kills you, there will be no afterlife, just unending nothingness. Should you manage to defeat him, the oversized chess pieces will disintegrate, and the man will slump to the ground and say, “The game is over, the final victory is yours.” He will then burst into flame and burn until there in nothing left but ashes. In the center of the ashes will be a small clock.

This clock is Object 211 out of 538. When it is set in motion, it can destroy souls; make sure it does not consume yours.