“I can see you’re a man of culture,
Bernardo. Since you’re an archeologist who knows so much about this game, tell
me what you know about it.”
“I know that you instituted this
game after your death, or should I put quotation marks over death? You faded into
sand just like the players that lose in the game when you ‘died’.”
“But did I really die? I’m right
now with you in the flesh or rather the lack of flesh. With you in the bone?
Whatever it is.”
“I don’t know. The clues that you’ve
left behind don’t tell us much. There are various legends about your game. Some
people say that God was punishing you and the gambling and gaming country you
created by making you start this game. Others say you’re the devil or a wizard
of some kind. The details conflict with your nature as a fun loving person who
liked to play games and who was rumored to play games with even God Himself.”
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re just playing a game
with us. One of the most consistent things you said was to confuse people a
game strategy. You took the history of your people, philosophy, and games very
seriously, so it makes sense that you are trying to play a game of some kind
when it comes to the details behind your game.”
“That’s right, and with that, you win
the fifth game.”
The souls in the tomb begin to
escape it.
“What? I thought the game needed to
be won in order for the souls to be freed?”
“You have to win the seventh game
in order for all the souls to be freed. Beating the fifth and sixth game
forcibly frees the ones who don’t want to be free from here. Besides, it’s not
like I keep them here against their will. Do you see that ladder in the back?
That is Jacob’s Ladder, the ladder used by angels to descend from Heaven to
Earth. I got it after Israel fell. It was God’s gift to me for disciplining His
chosen people at the time. The souls here can use the ladder to escape to the
afterlife, but some don’t because they are gambling addicts who fear the
destination of their soul and don’t think that God will forgive them.”
“You seem to be a faithful servant
of God, so does that mean that this game is God’s gift to you?”
“That’s-that’s right! I’m completely
shocked but pleasantly so. You’re the first mortal who came here to figure that
out. I rarely get men of God to play my game despite its origins. For your
answer, you win the sixth game.”
More souls are freed from the tomb.
“Wait, it can’t be this easy to win
the last three games.”
“Why not? Games are meant to test
people and to have fun. Remember what you said in your game with Amanda about
the nature of games? You play to make someone else lose? I know you know that
there’s more to games to winning and losing.”
“That’s right. Games are for
entertainment and for testing your skill.”
“And with that, you win the seventh
game. Congratulations, Bernardo. You are the first to win the King’s Game.”
All the souls besides King Ammon
and Bernardo leave the tomb.
“Wait, is this a trick? Winning an
unbeaten game centuries old can’t have been this simple.”
“Would playing a game make you feel
better? We could play games like tic tac toe, rock, paper, scissors…oh! I
should have a deck of cards around here and various other board games. I’m not
up for playing anything too complicated since the souls that were here liked to
do that. I can’t tell you how many games of chess, blackjack, and checkers I’ve
played.”
“Why have I won while everyone else
has lost?”
“Because you know the real purpose
of playing games and how to control your gaming habits. You also give proper
respect to your opponent and live in a very upright way. Because of that, you
win the game and all the riches within my tomb. If you know me well, then you
know that I’m a simple man. I even let people decide what games to play in my own game. There was never any complicated reason for this game to exist nor was
there any deeper meaning behind it. The game itself has as much meaning as the
riches you now have. It was a fleeting thing only meant for a short while, but
people have given it a value that made it more than it was supposed to be.
I just wanted to play games with others
and give them my inheritance for doing so and God granted me that chance. Unfortunately,
so many people have died because of their greed for my treasures. Thank you so
much for ending the game, Bernardo. You have my eternal thanks and prayers. I’m
happy that a man such as yourself inherits my treasure. Oh, before I go.”
King Ammon snaps his fingers and an
exit opens up so that Bernardo can leave.
“Enjoy your life, and don’t forget
that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is
for a rich man to enter Heaven, so spend your treasure wisely.”
King Ammon’s soul ascends to the
Heavens and leaves Bernardo in silence. He feels empty inside despite winning
the game.
“That’s how it is, isn’t it?” he
asks himself aloud, “Once the chase is over, the thrill wears off. I guess I should’ve
expected this. The best part of playing games isn’t winning or the reward you
get after. It’s playing the game.”
Bernardo leaves the tomb and sees
that he isn’t too far from Egypt as he sees the bright lights in the distance.
He smiles then makes the sign of the cross before walking away. When he tells
his archeology team about him winning the game, he shows them the treasures and
is celebrated by the world. He brings the treasures to his personally owned museum
that tells of the history of games and famous gamers from the past till the
present. The museum holds gaming tournaments and a special tournament where
Bernardo faces off against others for a prize of their choosing from King Ammon’s
tomb.
The treasure is left out in the
open because if someone tries to steal it, they are turned to gold, and the
only way they can be freed is if someone wins to free them. Another player
approaches Bernardo to play against him.
Bernardo says, “Okay, friend, what
is that you want from my collection?”
“Nothing. I just want to play a
game with someone as famous as you.”
Bernardo smiles for the first time
in months, then fixes his hat then says, “I’m happy to hear that. Let us play
for the fate of our souls.”
The End
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