The Chess Master had been undefeated at the time of his death.

He'd been in a much-anticipated match with some young upstart, was cleaning the floor with him, when something didn't feel right in his head.

It was a brain aneurysm that felled the mighty king of the board.

And so, the Chess Master found himself sitting with Death, the two of them opposite the very board he'd become so accustomed to.

"Chess?" the Chess Master asked incredulously. "Of all things, you wish to challenge me in a game of chess?! Surely you know who I am!"

"Of course," replied Death. "You are a mortal man, a mere babe in my eyes. You have played throughout your entire life, but remember I have been master of this game for much, much longer."

Without any further discussion, the game commenced. The champion made his move, followed quickly by Death. The tide turned one way, then another. Pieces fell, turned to dust, as each player claimed them from the other.

"Anything to say, now?" the champion goaded his opponent, who now had one piece in comparison to the champion's two.

Death shot the man a stare that could have frozen his heart solid... if he still possessed one.

The Chess Master looked at his pieces, the King and Queen. He studied Death's King with a slight smile.

"What stays your hand, arrogant fool?" Death growled. "Finish the game!"

The Chess Master moved his queen across the board, but stopped one space short of the opposing King. There, he abandoned the alabaster woman.

"What is this?" Death sneered. "You force me to claim your Queen? Surely you know that I will take the move... not only because I desire to, but because I must!"

"Of course," the Chess Master nodded happily. "Of course you must!"

Death claimed the Queen, a slight shriek of horror barely audible as it escaped her diminutive lips. Then, it turned to dust.

"This is absurd!" Death shouted, moving his King one space.

"Indeed," the Chess Master replied, doing the same.

To and fro, the Kings danced, never approaching one another, never able to reach or claim the other.

"What..." Death shook his head, one boney hand clasped to his temple, "What is the meaning of this madness?!"

"Simple," the Chess Master moved his King again, "I have nowhere important to be, but I'm guessing you have rather a lot of work piling up."

Death's hand moved to his King, suddenly retracting once more as the Chess Master continued to explain...

"I wanted to see you resign.