Strategic Victory

        The sky was overcast near the banks of the Bering Sea, where two brave kingdoms prepared for war. The weather was neither rainy nor sunny, setting a somber tone. The atmosphere was tense, faces filled with aggression. A strong wind howled, so powerful that it made the Weselton horses tremble. On the other side, Baleen soldiers adjusted their helmets, patted their horses and elephants, bracing for what was to come.

        The Weselton kingdom, with its white-skinned warriors, hailed from North America, while the Baleen kingdom, made up of brown-skinned soldiers, hailed from Asia. Both kings surveyed their mighty armies—equally strong and formidable. But the Baleens, with their fiery expressions, seemed poised to conquer at any moment. The armies were mirror images of each other—equal in number, strength, and even the size of their elephants and horses. Ministers stood at the ready, and all ears were alert for the sound of the buisine that would signal the start of battle. Every soldier stood with their right leg forward, swords and shields ready in hand. At last, the battle cry rang out: "Go ahead!" But to everyone's surprise, the Baleen army did not move. They stood firm, waiting for the Weseltons to strike first.

        In the blink of an eye, a cavalryman from Weselton charged. A lone Baleen soldier, armed only with his sword and shield, stepped forward to face the oncoming horseman and his swift, powerful steed. The battlefield exploded into chaos, with trumpets blaring and elephants trumpeting from both sides. Camels too joined the fray. Blood was shed, and brave Baleen soldiers fell, their souls leaving their bodies amidst the shouts and cries of war. Weselton, too, faced losses—a beloved elephant, a cavalryman, and a prized horse. The battle raged on with both sides still evenly matched, making it impossible to declare a victor.

        As the battle drew to its climax, only a handful of Baleen soldiers remained. Among them, one soldier fought valiantly for his kingdom, a fresh wound near his left eye, limping as his right thigh was gravely injured. Despite his pain, he struck down an enemy before him. But in his fatigue, he failed to notice a red-eyed camel charging at him from the diagonal side. Overpowered, the brave soldier fell, martyred in the heat of battle. Meanwhile, amidst the heavy losses of men and resources, the Weselton king decided to take matters into his own hands. But just as he stepped his one foot forward, his minister was surrounded by Baleen soldiers. Now, only a few remained on the battlefield: the Weselton king, his minister, a camel, and two soldiers; on the Baleen side, their minister, a cavalryman, an elephant, and one remaining soldier.

        The Baleen king had been killed minutes earlier, and the battlefield trembled with the trumpeting of elephants and the cries of soldiers. The Baleens were shocked by their king's death, but hope was not yet lost. The last standing Baleen soldier, a devotee of Lord Vishnu, was exhausted. Crawling to the outskirts of the battlefield, he fixed his gaze on the horizon and prayed with all his heart. He begged the Lord to take his life in exchange for bringing back their beloved king. Lord Vishnu, ever watchful over his faithful devotees, heeded the soldier's prayer. The Baleen king was restored to life.

        Now with their king, minister, cavalry, and elephant, the Baleens rallied. Organized, clever, and powerful, they ultimately emerged victorious. A great wave of joy swept over the battlefield as the sounds of victory echoed in the air.

        Not only was the battlefield filled with the sounds of victory, but Maanya herself was bubbling with joy. Her fingers lightly tapped the chessboard as she declared, "Checkmate!" with a gleam of pride. Rohan, sitting across from her, had been left with only his White(Weselton) minister and a lone camel. His once-imposing king had been cornered by Maanya’s well-timed Black(Baleen) bishop diagonal and a strategic knight move. "Looks like the great Rohan has finally met his match!" she teased, her eyes twinkling.

        Rohan smirked, leaning back in his chair. "You’ve certainly outplayed me this time," he admitted, with a playful bow of his head. Maanya grinned, satisfied not just with her victory but with the sweet taste of triumph. "And now," she added with a wink, "I believe I’ve earned a dessert from you tonight." Rohan chuckled, raising his hands in defeat. "Alright, dessert it is. But next time, I’ll be the one calling checkmate!"