A/N- I am late. By a day. God Fucking Damn it. Jokes aside, I am participating on a D&D group, so that took most of my time, also writing my ideas for A Gamble Against Time didn't really help me to complete this deadline.

Now... Reviews!

Nicklaren: Oh you sweet, summer child, you have seen nothing yet.

DNguardian: Always good to find someone who likes StarCraft lore as much as I do, glad you enjoyed.

Epro987654: That was the main reason why I did it, lol. Glad you liked it.

Reven: Sorry, but no more Danger Sister for a while. Hope you enjoy this chapter though!

Sloth: Yeah, pretty much. I my defense, I was tired and wanted to finish describing fucking Cthulhu as fast as possible. The less I touch that can of worms the better.

Thel:(!) I have no idea~ the idea has merit though.

Webzayne: The majority says otherwise. Most peeps have no knowledge about SC lore, so might as well make a remedial crash course with a ton of information at first, then elaborate on the little things.

NazgulBelserion: That is a story for another fic. Stay tuned~

Rav: I partially blame you for this chapter being late, as you so much desired. Congratulations. But seriously, I'm glad you enjoyed the story so far!

T149Man: You were the first one to point that out! Congratulations, you actually found out a major plot point that will have an effective immediate effect on next chapter~!

The Seabass: Sooo... About that... She meets him this chapter. Enjoy ;)

Kragh50: Glad you enjoyed, might as well take the time to welcome everyone who found out my story from Shiro's recommendation (which I'm still baffled at, to be honest.) Hope you all enjoy my fics!

Avid Reader: Thank you for taking the time to review every single one of my chapters, I appreciate you, and your feedback! I'm glad you enjoy this little fic of mine!

Sorre: You wouldn't be nearly as confused if you weren't impatient and actually waited the explanation that comes on the later chapters and bonus explanations on lore. Just wait and see, my friend.

The-kirb-king: Ashamed, I am. Shame on me, my friend.

Dalton: I am not fucking with bleach, unfortunately. But I will be making Aizen references on future chapters.

And that is about it! This chapter is really special to me, because a game of chess is played in it. Chess has been a passion of mine for a very, very long time, so for those who know notation and are curious to see how the game played out, it is accessible to you. Shout out to Raven for playing with me and giving inspiration to what kind of strategy I wanted to describe. Please say thanks to her on either the discord or in the reviews.

With that out of the way, I hope you guys enjoy, and happy reading!

The second component of Openness involves two components. First, the phenomenal character of an experience has something to do with its presented objects: experience is, in its character, a presentation of, or as of, ordinary objects; and second the character of perceptual experience involves the presentation of ordinary objects as present or there in that it is immediately responsive to the character of its objects.

Presence: the character of perceptual experience itself involves the presentation (as) of ordinary objects in such a way that it is immediately responsive to the character of its presented objects.

When we reflect upon how the phenomenal character of experience is, and try to "turn inwards" to describe the nature of the experience itself, the best way to do this is to describe the objects of experience and how they seem to us. It seems a simple matter to move to the further claim that the way these objects actually are is part of what determines the phenomenal character of an experience.

But this is to move too fast. For what can be said here about experience can also be said about belief: it is widely accepted that if I want to reflect upon the nature of my beliefs, the best way to do this is to describe the object or content of my belief: that is, what it is in the world that my belief is about. The things my beliefs are about can be as 'objective' as the things I perceive. So what is distinctive of the dependence of perceptual experience on its objects?

One answer is that when an object is perceptually experienced, it is experienced as "there", "given" or "present to the mind" in a way in which it is not in belief, thought and many other mental states and events. Experience seems to involve a particular kind of "presence to the mind". This "presence" goes beyond the mere fact that the objects of experience must exist in order for the experience to be veridical. For the objects of knowledge must exist too, but states of knowledge do not, as such, have presence in the same way as perceptual experiences—except, of course, in the case when one knows something is there by perceiving it.

So what is this perceptual presence? Compare perceptual experience with pure thought. Pure thought, like experience, goes straight out to the world itself. But a difference between them is that in the case of thought, how the object of thought is at the moment one is thinking of it does not in any way constrain one's thinking of it; but in the case of perception it does. One's perception of a snow covered churchyard is immediately responsive to how the churchyard is now, as one is perceiving it. But one's (non-perceptual) thought need not be: in the middle of winter, one can imagine the churchyard as it is in spring, covered in autumn leaves, and one can think of it in all sorts of ways which are not the ways it presently is. This is not available in perception, because perception can only confront what is presently given: in this sense, it seems that you can only see or hear or touch what is there. It is because of this that perception is sometimes said to have an immediacy or vividness which thought lacks: this vividness derives from the fact that perceived objects and their properties are actually given to the perceiver when being perceived, and determine the nature of the character of the experience.

Openness is the combination of Mind-Independence, and Presence. It is most clearly understood when it applies to those perceptual experiences involved in genuine perception (e.g., when one sees a snow covered churchyard for what it is). But we understand Openness as applying more broadly to even perceptual experiences which don't involve perceptual contact with the world. This is why we have formulated it in terms of the presentation '(as) of' ordinary objects. For instance, take pure hallucinations. Suppose one has an hallucination of a snow covered churchyard for what it is, even when there is no such churchyard there to be perceived. Here, Mind-Independence characterizes one's experience. For one's experience is still as of a public mind-independent scene: the apparent objects of such hallucinatory experiences are ordinary objects. And, in a sense, Presence holds. The hallucination is, in its character as of the snow covered churchyard, and the churchyard seems to be there, present to one, such that the character of the experience is constrained by that apparent scene.

If such thing is possible, how can one differentiate what is real, and what is not?

Morpheus, where am I at the moment?

You are currently 6 blocks away from Kuoh academy.

Perfect. Now the question is what the hell should I do to get into Kuoh!

Maybe ask miss Danger Sister for help?

And wake her up? For no reason? I want to live, thank you.

She might have mercy on you, after all you're family.

Don't remind me! How does that even work!? I was protoss, then suddenly: Bam! I'm a Xel'Naga.

Amon created hybrid by mixing Zerg and Protoss, what happened to you wasn't much different. In the process of stopping the psychological attack on you, Gamer's Mind accidentally made you absolve some Xel'Naga essence. That is why you currently are currently at stage 1.

Sigh, how much did I change in appearance?

See for yourself.

And then I saw it.

It had a triangular shaped head, with a plasma-like substance covering what should have been it's forehead. It was covered by a bone-like armor, made from materials lost to time. Its eyes glowed a bright purple, and lightning like energy flowed around them. But what picked up most of my attention were the wings. Tendril like appendages surged from its back, made from the pure essence of the eternal cycle. Together, they formed a bone-wing form, like a gargoyle whose flight was deemed worthy of the divine.

That is me. My mind corrects itself.

I look again at my body.

...I will need a Terran form, won't I?

But on second thought, why should I? To give up my appearance for that of a Shortlived, Lumberfoot, Terran!? While these primates learned how to walk, we had mastered teleportation! Why should I demean myself for the convenience of monkeys!?

Partner. Unless you want to announce the existence of aliens to the whole world, and be hunted by the entire collective human race, you should.

That... would be a shit storm. And I already have enough in my plate as of now...

Fuck! Morpheus, how does Alter Appearance work!?

It conceals your entire figure in an image of your choice. I know how hard this is for you, do you want me to come up with the image for you?

...Please.

Ok, I'm on it. Just give me a second. You might want to hide, two presences are inbound to your location.

Thanks Morpheus. I appreciate it, I really do.

Don't worry about it.

I activated my natural cloak. And waited.

Then, I saw them.

Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri.

Morpheus, can devils feel a Xel'Naga's presence?

I do not think so, but the Satans most certainly can. Be careful around both of them, you never know when their siblings are watching, or not.

Copy that.

And, done. Do you want to change appearances now?

Will it deactivate my cloak?

No, but it might appear on magical detection radars and make yourself know to sensors.

Is there anywhere in Kuoh that isn't monitored?

The abandoned church. And that is it.

And that is currently a den of Fallen Angels, right?

Unfortunately, yes. They are setting up their base of operations at the moment.

Unfortunate indeed. Let's get this over with, I don't have the time, neither the patience to get out of city just to change appearances into a Terran. Ugh.

Roger that, you might feel dizzy after the first illusion.

I felt the mana surround my whole body, creating a veil around me. Then I could feel the energy changing, molding itself into something new. It is fascinating, like an expert cook placing the ingredients in a certain way to form something beautiful, something that could appease the divine by sheer looks alone. Pity it was wasted on the form of a mayfly.

Where once stood an Ancient One, now neither purity of essence, neither purity of form stood.

Now, there was only an Interloper.

'Something is there.' Sona Sitri noticed.

She could feel the mana in the air, reacting to something. Something Dangerous.

"Who is there? Show yourself!" She exclaimed, preparing for combat. Rias seemed startled, but got the clue.

Then she saw a young man appear from thin air.

His hair was brown, medium length and messy with a single strand bearing a pitch black tone. His skin was a healthy limestone, and his eyes sported a deep, dark green. Over his right eye, a golden monocle stood, covering part of his deep frown. He wore a black hoodie, and jean pants. For some reason, he was barefooted.

"A sensor. Great." He says. His voice was... unique? It was unlike anything she had ever heard. It sounded ancient, angelic and demonic at the same time.

"Who are you?" She immediately asks.

"We would have met sooner or later... Hmm. Mallory Le Blanc, an aspiring mage." Weird, she had never heard of a magician with that name.

"What faction do you serve?"

"Serve!? What do you take me for, a weak underling!?" He sounded offended, what a prideful little human.

"Forgive my wording, what faction are you part of?" she decided it was better to humor him for the moment.

"None of your business, Sona of house Sitri. I am surprised they didn't teach you manners in whatever education you went trough. Not even presenting yourself, I suppose I expected too much from the sister of a Satan."

"I'm sorry if manners are not a priority when talking to a unknown, possible threat that has invaded devil territory."

"Fair enough." He says with a laugh.

"What are your motives?"

"I've mainly come to bargain. I'm in need for sanctuary at the moment, and you have the means to provide it."

"Why should I give you said sanctuary?"

"I was willing to bet for it. Over a chess match, maybe?" Hoh, so this is how he wants to play.

"Assuming I might be willing to take such bet, what would I gain from it?"

"What would you want?"

"If you could keep yourself concealed from my senses for that long, you must have great magical potential. You might even make a great pawn."

"You wantto turn me into a sideshow Hellspawn!?Hah! The insolence you flesh gargoyles have. But unfortunately, I don't have the means to deny such terms. Assuming you take such bet, of course." He says with a smirk on his face, it will be satisfying wiping it off his face.

"I accept. Now, follow me. I have just the right place in mind."

"Sona, what are you doing!?" Rias whispered in her ear.

"Ask Sirzechs to search all databases for a mage called Mallory Le Blanc. Something isn't right here."

"And leave you alone with him!?"

"Just trust me, Rias. It is not like I can lose at chess."

"Sigh... just be careful."

"Your friend isn't coming with us?"

"No, unfortunately she has an appointment she can't miss. Now come."

"If you say so. I bid you adieu, Miss Gremory"

My luck has failed me. Of course she was a sensor, why wouldn't she be. I should have waited for them to go away first! Damn me and my lack of oversight! I wanted to grind my INT and WIS first before going into a game against Sona. But I now I don't have a choice. And if I ask for time I am 90% sure she'll deny my request. I suppose I'll just have to roll with it.

And cheat, of course. Morpheus, how are you doing buddy?

You know, I already help you too much. If I do more, I risk losing my rights as an administrator.

Damn, there goes my plan. What about Mr. Trickster God that blessed me? Could you get in contact with him?

I...Could. Are you sure you want to get even more debt with god-like beings?

Do I have another choice?

You complete the quest either way, so yes, you could just lose.

And serving someone unworthy!? Not in this lifetime!

If you're sure... Just be careful, Gods have a habit of making deals you regret later on.

Sir yes sir.

Um, hello? Administrator, what do you want?

You know the one you blessed? He wants to ask for your help with something.

Oh, pray tell, what does a mortal want from little ole' me?

Technically speaking, he is an Old One.

Then why is he asking for my help!?

Stage one of evolution.

Oh! Ohhh! Interesting! Very, very interesting! Well, you still didn't answer, what do you want?

As ridiculous as it sounds, I need help with a chess match.

...That's it? A chess match? An Old One needs help with chess!?

Yeah, a number of bad decisions led me into this position.

...Sure, why not. I'll give you some help. In return, I'll ask for a favor to be used at a later date.

What kind of favor?

The fun kind!

...Ask for anything too outrageous, and I swear I will kill you as soon as I have the strength to do so.

My, my. Big words for someone who can't even be certain they'll win a chess match.

I'll... ignore that. We have a deal.

Great! I'll contact you when I need to turn in that favor~!

And... you pretty much sold your soul to the devil.

Who was he.

Hermes, he is one of the most reasonable trickster gods, so you should be thankful for that. But a trickster god doesn't get that title for being fair, nor for being nice.

Fantastic... I'll worry about it later, I have bigger problems to take care of.

Oh well, here is his "help".

Trait acquired.

[The King of Chessboards]

"The chessboard is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the

Universe, the rules of the game are what we call the laws of Nature

and the player on the other side is hidden from us"

Your understanding of the game of chess goes beyond that of a mortal creature, you will always have a 99.99% chance of winning every match you are part of.

That seems... excessive. But I won't complain. I just hope the favor he asks for won't be proportionate to the blessing he gave me.

I have a feeling he will, partner.

Oh well, fuck.

"We're here" Thank you Sona for taking my attention off my problems.

Now I just have to decide how do I want to beat you... Hmm.

Oh, that could work!

This will be fun!

This is... horrendous.

"Who was the one that designed this building!? Why is there a shower in the bloody main room!? Do you devils not have a notion of basic interior design!? Never applied any sense of ara'dor!? This is sinful! Bloody sinful!"

"...Ara'dor?"

"And don't even get me started on the lighting! God!" She flinches. Oh, yeah, devils don't take kindly to his name.

"Are you here to play a match, or criticize the building?"

"I can do both!"

"Sigh, please take a seat. You're going to get used to it in the long run."

"Oh, so sure of your victory, aren't you? I wouldn't count the chickens before the eggs hatch."

"I think I'll be fine."

"We'll see, won't we?"

"Preference on color?"

"I'll take black, if you don't mind"

"I don't." As I sit, a board magically appears on the table before me, then the pieces start arranging themselves one by one. In no time, all the black pieces stood in front of me.

"White goes first." I say, and the match starts.

E4, how original.

"Who are you really?"

I'll go with Sicilian, C5.

"I already told you my name, and my occupation."

NF3, I can work with this line.

"Do you think I'm so dumb as to take that at face value?"

D6, I really don't want a pawn goes to E5.

"Quite frankly, yes"

D4? She really wants center control, huh.

"Careful mister Le Blanc, I might take offense to that, and as your future master, I might not be as... patient, as I am right now."

I'll take on D4, might as well humor her.

"My, you really are over confident, aren't you? Have you never lost a game?"

NxD4, expected.

"I haven't lost in a long time, is it such a crime to be confident in your own abilities?"

NF6, that threatens E4, she will be forced to defend it.

"It is when you have no idea of your opponent's skill level. Never underestimate your opponent miss Sitri."

NC3, that does defend it.

"You still haven't answered my question."

Might as well develop A6, that stops the bishop from potentially check-ing me at B5.

"Neither do I plan to."

H3, mirroring me. She might be going for advanced fianchetto.

"Would you at least humor me on a game of 20 questions?"

I'll develop E6, I won't be able to use my bishop in C8 for a while, anyways.

"Sure, but there will be questions I won't answer."

G4, advanced fianchetto it is. G5 is a very real treat, and that sets up BG2 very nicely.

"Just how much of the supernatural are you aware of?"

I'll prevent G5 with H6, better safe than sorry.

"More than your usual mage, but I imagine not as much as a full fledged devil. What is your favorite color?"

BG2. Expected, again.

"Turquoise, Not the kind of questions I was expecting."

I'll be a little sneaky, G5.

"The little things tell a lot more than you would expect." She frowned at that, and at my move too.

BE3, just developing her pieces, not really threatening anything.

"Right. What school of magic are you proficient with?"

ND7, I'll start prepping my trap.

"The subtler arts. What is your favorite food?"

QE2, she might do a castle on queen side.

"Cinnamon rolls. What kind of subtler arts?"

NE5, and if my hunch is right...

"The really subtle ones. Do you enjoy cooking?"

O-O-O, I was right.

"I do actually, specially baking cakes. Necromancy or Demonology?

FND7, and the trap has been strung.

"Neither. What is your opinion on Shogi?" She looks confused, as she should be. She plays too tightly, no real margin for creativity, and that will be her down fall.

She goes to H4, that's not happening, dear.

"I don't necessarily have an opinion on it. Never bothered to learn it. Do you know basic chess theory?"

RG5, I am not willing to give up my position.

"Oh, I do, but that doesn't stop me from following certain lines of thought that might be considered... unnatural. Sometimes the rules are more like... guidelines."

HxG5. I suppose she doesn't have much else to do at the moment.

"That is outrageous! Why are the rules there if not to follow them?"

I have to HxG5, otherwise I just lose a pawn for free.

"You skipped my question, miss Sitri. What makes something a rule? Or a law, if you must"

KB1, she's not sure what to do in this position. Cute.

"A... compromise that reflects reality, and changes it for the better?"

B5, and now I can safely say I am winning. This move has 3 purposes, and limits her range of movement significantly.

"That could be true. But now I ask you: What is reality? What is real?"

Pawn to A3, dealing with the most obvious problem.

"What we experience? What we see? What we feel?"

BB7, oh! How the Turntables.

"If that is true, then how does one have memories of things that never happened? How do hallucinations occur? How does an amputee feel phantom pains?"

BC1, she really doesn't know what to do here~

"I... don't know." It looked like it hurt her to say that.

RC8, time to start counter attacking.

"Reality, my dear, is a lie. And so are the rules of mortals."

RH3, someone is scared of losing her position.

"What do you mean by that?"

NG6, might as increase the activity of my pieces and prepare for an attack in the future.

"Think about it for a second. Let's say... how would you define the sin of sloth?

BH1, trying to save what little space she has.

"Inactivity through a conscious desire to remain inactive."

DNE5, I won't give her any more space to maneuver before going on the offensive.

"That is one truth, but there are others."

RG3, in preparation for my assault.

"Ellaborate."

BE7, let me improve my position just a bit more.

"The act of not acting, nor reacting, maybe the act of not doing anything productive, or the act postponing something important for a later, undetermined date for no reason other than "Do not want to do it now", or simply, the act of not wanting to do something beneficial. All of these are also possible truths."

NA2, improving her defense around the king.

"Your point being?"

RH8, putting it on an open file.

"I'm getting to it, patience. Now, each of these definitions could be used favorably to either condemn, or to justify."

She tries to neutralize my pressure on queen-side, with RC3.

"Yes, anyone with a brain could figure that out."

And succeeds, RxC3.

"Just humor me, will you?"

NxC3, neutralizing my point advantage.

"Alright." She says hesitantly.

QC7, to continue the assault.

"The act of not acting, nor reacting, is in many cases not associated with sloth, it is associated with Emotional Shock. But it remains as a valid definition, to a parent who sees a unmotivated infant lying in the floor simply to pass the time. That parent would condemn the child of being guilty of Sloth. That is a prime case of someone twisting reality to fit their own morals, reasons and perceptions. In short, changing reality to their own benefit."

BG2, saving it from a possible forced reposition of her Rook in D1

"I can see that being the truth, but how do I know this is not only the ramblings of the reality of a mad man?"

Let me spice this up. QC4.

"That is exactly my point. I could be right, I also could just be twisting reality to fit my own vision of it. The question now is... Do you want to hear more of the ramblings of this madman? Will you go down the rabbit hole with me, Sona?"

QxC4

"...Carry on with your reasoning."

Pawn takes Queen on C4, the trade has been completed, and down the rabbit hole we go.

"All that doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a true reality, just nothing I have seen, thought and experienced have pointed out for that truth to be in mortal hands. Just shadows of it torn apart, and sown to fit mortal reality like clothes."

F3, defending G4.

"And if not in mortal hands, where would the truth be?"

RH2 attacking the bishop.

"With the divine, of course"

BF1, keeping it safe for now.

"Angels exist, are you saying that the truth lies with them?"

NF4, bettering its position.

"Oh please, the Goody Two Shoes are a bastardized version of the divine themselves." In more ways than one.

BE3, protecting the knight in D4.

"What is the divine you speak of, then?"

BD8, giving it a chance to improve its value.

"The divine, is quite simply, in the hands of those who have seen the truth."

RD2, hoping to neutralize the pressure with a trade.

"And what is 'the truth' you speak of?"

RxD2, but not always a trade is favorable to the one offering it.

"I don't know, for those who have seen it have long since left this astral plane, and now reside with the essences and concepts. I like to call them 'the forsaken'."

BxD2, consummating the trade.

"So they are dead, is what you're saying?"

BD6, being a menace to the knight in D4.

"Let me tell you a story. There once was a prince, his name was Keleseth. He was a traveler, that went to many places, and met tons of different people."

BxF4, she is getting desperate.

"He learned many things in his travels, such as the fact that with the proper amount of "encouragement" one can extract all the truths that a man dares hide."

GxF4, the trade is complete.

"But, one day, he died at the hands of a necromancer. Which, after killing him, brought him back."

NE2

"And he served that necromancer willingly, until the day he was given true death."

D5

"Why did he serve the man who killed him?" She asked me.

ExD5

"Because he learned that truth is found in death, and that truth scared him so much, that he couldn't bear the thought of coming back to face it. And was thankful to the necromancer, for saving him from the terrible truth."

BxD5

"I see..."

BD2

"In the end, the truth maybe is not meant for mortals to understand, but for simply to be."

NxG4

"So, in a world without truth..."

NxF4

"Rules founded on it are merely suggestions, and reality is relative to the eye of the beholder."

NE3

"I understand. Well, pardon me if I will stick to my own version of reality. In this rabbit hole only lies madness.

NE2

"Sanity is overrated, my dear."

NxG2

"It may be, but it is what I know, and the truth I choose to believe in."

NxG2

"I can respect that choice. So, for now, we only agree to disagree."

BxF3

"Indeed, I resign."

#

"Good game, Sona. This is the most fun I've had in a while."

"Good game, Mallory. It will be a pleasure to grant you sanctuary. I hope you don't mind going to classes? I would like to keep my eye on you."

"That is acceptable, yes. Pleasure doing business with you."

[Quest Complete!]

A/N- And that is it! Hope you guys enjoyed it! After this note, there will be a better explanation on the Xel'Naga, so go read it if you are curious and/or want to know more about SC lore.

Next upload will be this story again, then two chapters of A Gamble Against Time. Repeat. Expect it within the next 5 days, but I make no promises.

Blessed Mother, Deliver us onto hope. Praise be her and her eternal love.

[StarCraft Lore Crash Course - The Xel'Naga]

"The xel'naga were the first, born within the Void. Their sacred purpose was to cultivate life and perpetuate the Infinite Cycle."

-Hierarch Artanis

Originating from the Void, the xel'naga were incredibly long-lived even by protoss standards, but not immortal; eventually their species would come to an end. In the interest of survival they planned to create new xel'naga by uplifting two species. A pair of qualities was required and these were defined by the xel'naga as purity of essence and purity of form, and each uplifted species would be targeted for one of them. Over an extraordinarily long period of time, the two species would naturally come together and merge, forming the next generation of xel'naga and beginning the cycle anew.

The cycle was repeated in numerous universes; at the start of a universe's creation, the xel'naga would take on physical form and enter the universe, seeding it with cycle repeated so many times that time itself was affected by it.

However, some among the xel'naga resented being uplifted into their god-like forms, and saw the Infinite Cycle of the xel'naga's reproduction as horrid, relying on the conflict of others for the benefit of the xel'naga. Under a powerful xel'naga named Amon, this rogue group of xel'naga sought to undo the Xel'naga's work, purge the universe of their creation, and make a new perfect universe without the strife of the cycle.