A figure shrouded in black stared at the chess board before her, thinking of her next move. Picking up the smooth gold queen piece, she moved it to another square on the board.

"Check mate," she smirked, glancing at the man sitting opposite her who merely returned her a smirk of his own.

"Well played, sweetheart, but unfortunately," he knocked the gold queen from the board and replaced it with his shiny black rook, "you made the wrong move."

The woman could only watch as the man easily cornered her king. She had no other piece left to play with. She was defenceless.

"Remember, sweetheart, war is like a game of chess. One wrong move can get you and many others killed. So anticipate every possible move your enemy could make and always have multiple backup plans for each scenario. Bid your time wisely and wait for the perfect opportunity to strike. Attack when they're least expecting it, when they're the most vulnerable. But most importantly, play your cards well."

He glanced at her briefly before he turned his gaze, not to the chess board, but to the large war map on the war table. His gaze returned to her and he dipped his head slightly. "The choice is yours, sweetheart."

Her painted lips curved into a smile. Oh, she will bid her time alright. She glanced at the companion and said, "We'll let them enjoy their reign for now. But when the time comes, we're going to make them suffer. Even the most powerful gods can fall."