20
Aihi
A game board floated before Aihi, 361 perfect squares rendered on a slab of mahogany. A smattering of round white and black pieces dotted the field; an untrained eye would see the board as utter chaos, but she saw the opposite. White sacrificed pieces to gain a later advantage, black attempted to cull the strategy by being selective about which sacrifices they accepted. Each side played intricate mind games in an attempt to gain leverage.
At least a hundred pieces were already in play, but there was no clear winner. Not yet. The tide could turn at any moment.
The board was so pristine, an elegant game against two masters, yet the longer Aihi observed the pieces, a sense of apprehension sprouted in her gut. It all seemed so familiar. Had she started this game before going to sle
