Exercise.

Black... White... Light... Dark...

The colours of the battlefield that is never stained with blood. I await the orders of my King as I glare over at the opposition.

There, opposite me, they make their first move. A white man moves forwards two steps, at the ready. I come up to meet him, and there we stand. Both unable to attack the other, each immovable in an eternal stand-off until the other either moves, or is killed. A white horseman jumps over his fellow man, threatening attack. I am tempted to run, but I am loyal. I will never turn back. Another knight comes forward, one of ours, to protect me. I nod at him, thankful, and he grins back, eyes full of blood-lust.
Out comes one of the white kings advisers, his bishop, ready for action. He is so close, I want to attack him, but I know my sword will not reach.

And so the arrangement of the troops continue, like a dance. One is threatened, the other defends, and so on. Until, finally, in a clash of weaponry, a bishop kills the knight that once defended me. One of my fellow infantry immediately avenges him, but I am no longer defended! And then I am dragged off the field, while the white night takes my place. And all is darkness...

"Ha!" Comes a voice at the edge of my consciousness. "I'm up a pawn!"

Pawn? What on earth is that supposed to mean?