ESCAPE KINGERS CASTLE!

dIGITAL

CHESS

ESCAPE

© 20XX A game by 'GENESIS'

Story

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Start chapter 3

Start chapter 2

Start chapter 1

"GUILT... OR MOMENTOS?"

Start beginning

...Hello. Who might you be?

You look familiar. ...Are you a product of guilt?

...I don't have time for this.

THE BISHOP'S MIND HAS BEEN INFILTRATED. EXPLORE HIS MIND TO YOUR OWN LEISURE... BUT DON'T BE CAUGHT BY HIM. PERHAPS IF YOU SHOW YOUR WITT AND WISDOM THROUGHOUT HIS TRIALS, HE MAY SPARE YOU? ...OR PERHAPS YOU'LL BURN.

Start game

LEVEL 1 - HOMETOWN

THE SHADOW WRITER

YOU FEEL A HEAVY WEIGHT ON YOUR CHEST.

Start level

YOU SEE SOMEONE UP AHEAD... THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE SMILING.

...

I like stories. ...Do you like stories?

Yes.

Not really...

O-Oh! I like stories. Want to hear a story I wrote?

Go ahead!

You should quit while you're ahead.

SELECT THE SYMBOLISM CORRECTLY THOUGHOUT THE STORY... IF YOU ARE FOUND TO BE BORED OR NOT LISTENING, YOU WILL BE FOUND BY THE BISHOP.

Begin Story

Once upon a time... There was a little white rabbit. The bunny spent it's whole life hiding inside the popular magicians hat! It was such a clever rabbit.

Q1: WHICH ONE BEST REFLECTS CRUSTY?

The rabbit

The magician

The rabbit was the star of the show! It knew exactly how to make the magician fameous! It knew how to disappear effortlessly, making it's master rich! He was so rich.

Q2: HOW DID THE RABBIT MAKE THE MAGICIAN RICH?

Not being seen

Being talented

But the man never gave his rabbit nicer food... He kept feeding it cheap pellets. Wasn't it doing a good job? Hadn't it earned finer dinner by now? The rabbit pondered.

Q3: ARE PROPS USED IN A MAGIC TRICK MORE VALUABLE THAN THE MAGICIAN THEMSELF?

More valuable. A magician without his props is just a clown.

Less valuable. No magician, no show.

...The little white rabbit asked it's master about this one night. "Feed me finer food for I am finer value. Have I not filled your pockets with shine and paper? I am hungry. I need finer food." the rabbit begged.

Q4: WHY DID THE RABBIT SPEAK UP AGAINST IT'S OWNER?

Hunger for a better life

Jealousy for the magician

... That night, the man ate the rabbit.

Q5: WHAT IS THE BUNNY'S CONSUMPTION SYMBOLIC OF?

The rabbit is killed by the very man who it trusted.

The rabbit is consumed of what little value remained in it.

After it was consumed, the horrible magician laughed. ...he mocked the rabbit. The next morning, he went to the pet store... and found another little bunny.

Q5: WHAT IS THE NEW LITTLE BUNNY REFLECTIVE OF...

The replaceable nature of performers.

The endless cycle of consumerism.

...and it was so good at the magic trick. It made it's master so much money. ...It was such a clever rabbit.

... Thank you for listening to my tale. I appreciate your kindness. Do you think i'm a good writer?

...

"That's quite enough."

RESTART

LEVEL 2 - THE INDUSTRY

the punchline

YOU FEEL A HEAVY WEIGHT ON YOUR HEART.

Start level

YOU SEE SOMEONE UP AHEAD... THEY DON'T SEEM TO BE SMILING.

...

Would you like to hear a story I wrote? It broke records this week at the writers festival.

Yes!

Not really...

Unfortunately we need an editor right now, so you don't have much choice. Now come sit.

EDIT THE STORY FOR THE NOVELIST.

Begin Story

Dancing in twilight, the hare gazed upwards, morose. The grass was lush and green beneath it's feet as it pitter-pattered across the fields. The hare was dissatisfied.

SHOULD THE HARE BE HAPPY WITH IT'S LIFE OF FREEDOM?

No, Living is to yearn for more.

Yes. Living is to find peace.

Bountiful grass as far as the horizon spanned, the hare moved at unimaginable speeds, chasing the scent of something finer. It found a farmhouse during its travels.

SHOULD THE HARE GO INSIDE THE FARMHOUSE?

It must. The temptation...

It should consider its safety!

Entering the farmhouse, the hare picked up on the scent it had chased it's whole life. Upon the table laid a basket of freshly plucked carrots from lush soil outside.

It began to nibble on the food, quickly addicted to the euphoria such a deliacy produced in it's brain. The world melted away along with all warning signs as it indulged.

The hare does not notice that the farmer resides just in the other room... Its hubris blinds it from the call of death, it's bells ringing with omnipotent clarity.

WHAT DOES THE FARMER DO?

The farmer has grabbed his gun.

The farmer is fast asleep...

The farmer aims at the hare, the innocent vermin oblivious to its impending doom. Hungrily, it greedily ate the carrots. It chose to not hear the gun cock.

Do you think the hare is in the wrong here? Should punishment be given to the hare in the end? After all, it had endless fields to graze upon... It chose to be greedy.

HOW DOES THE STORY END?

The farmer shoots the hare.

The farmer lets the hare go.

Ah... So the lesson of this story is to always yearn and hunger? To never be satisfied with what we have, and to attain our pleasures and vices at all costs?

... Is your ending driven by greed and self-indulgence...? Or does it come from a place far more nuanced and kind? Do we all deserve second chances...? Is this the tale you wish to tell?

IS THIS THE ENDING YOU DESIRE?

I change my mind...

Yes.

Ah. So we kill the hare in the end for it's sin of greed? ...Perhaps audiences would find the ending... crude? Would they slander the book as tasteless and unappealing?

... I am curious if this is the right choice. While it tells a cautionary tale about the greedy little rabbit, I fear the backlash of such a... grim tale. Hm. What a mess.

... I suppose my name is never on these books. If it fails, Mr. Morose will be the one to bear that cross. ... Are you certain that this is the ending you want?

IS THIS THE ENDING YOU DESIRE?

I change my mind...

Yes.

...You see the world like I do, don't you? ... But how can you ever understand what I have given. What I have sacrificed? Can you imagine what hunger does to someone?

... Hunger for the love of your parents. Hunger for the finer things in life. ... Hunger for recognition. Appreciation. Do you understand these concepts? That pain?

... Could another human being ever understand that pain? My king is the only one who ever truly extended empathy that I did not see through as the farce it was. What are you to me?

... Your name is Cole? I don't remember that name. ... Were you from my hometown? If you're here in my subconcious, you were a victim of mine...

... 307? Why does that number sound... Wait-

... Kid?

You have a naive outlook on the world. You couldn't possibly understand the type of suffering people endure every single day. You are obviously a child.

You want people to have 'happy endings' but fail to understand that if anyone in life wins, someone else has to lose. An idealistic world is one built on delusion, child.

I might not remember your face, but I surely hold no regrets watching you burn in that fire all those years ago...

... What do you mean "what fire"? You are here in my subconcious... You are formed guilt from the fire. You know exactly what I am talking about.

... "Sit on the tiles with you?" Heh. Somehow those words feel familiar. I still intend to kill you though. Not your wisest final wish...

...

... I remember now. ...No wonder you are so fond of the rabbit. ... You always did like my lop-ears.

Those humiliating rabbit ears not too dissimilar to your Rook's... And yet you somehow always made me resent them less the more we spoke.

...You were a wonderful experience.

... How about I read you a story... I would love to hear your ideas on... my novels. How does that sound?

...Would you like that... 'Son'?

"How insincere."

RESTART

"I need to burn this memory..."

RESTART