NOVEL NEXT Chapter 91: The Game of Advanced Chess
The next day;
In the living room, a large chessboard occupied the center of the table, but this was no ordinary chess game—it was an advanced version developed by the Empire of Nymira a century ago and later exported to the rest of the world—a 16x16 battlefield of intellect, strategy, and deception.
Laura and Nadia sat across from each other, their gazes locked in silent concentration. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken challenges as the two women engaged in the game. Kael, seated beside Laura, simply observed.
He knew the basics of chess—the standard 8x8 board with pawns, knights, rooks, and the usual setup—but this? This was something else entirely above his head.
He watched the game with intense concentration in silence, but his mind struggled to keep up with the sheer complexity on the board.
Unlike the classic game, this board sprawled with twice the number of squares and a far more intricate set of pieces. Apart from the usual General (the strongest piece on the board and one that represents the strongest military authority in the queendom), the Queen (the helpless and yet the strongest authority on the board—of course, representing the absolute authority in the queendom), Bishops (pieces that represent the religious clergywomen who control the masses), Knights (pieces that represent the elite warrior pieces), and Rooks (pieces that represent the feudal lords), there were additional units that made Kael's head spin just trying to remember their abilities:
Two Marshals—who could move like both a knight and a rook.
A Light Cardinal—which could maneuver like a knight or a bishop, but only on white squares.
A Shadow Cardinal—identical to the Light Cardinal, but restricted to black squares.
Two Fortresses—Moves like the General but unable to move past the 8th row from their starting position. Unlike other pieces, a Fortress piece cannot capture an enemy. It can be merely used to protect other chess pieces. But at the same time, a Fortress piece cannot be killed by an enemy pawn too. And once killed, a Fortress cannot be revived by the pawn either.
Two Imposters/False Queens—perhaps the most fascinating and game-changing piece in this advanced version as they also mimic the General's movements, roaming all over the board but lacking offensive or defensive power. Instead, their purpose was deception, allowing them to switch places with the Queen under specific conditions like the Queen cannot be in check, and neither can the imposter be in a position where there is a direct threat from the enemy piece. While switching places, there should be no pieces placed in the squares between them.
Kael rubbed his temple as Laura moved her Shadow Cardinal with a decisive flick of her fingers. "When will this end? It's going on for like two and a half hours."
Laura leaned back, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. "You've been playing defensively for the past fifteen moves, Lady Nadia," she mused.
Nadia let out a small chuckle, her hands folding together as she studied the board. "Caution is not the same as fear, dear. And besides, you're rather aggressive lately. Tell me, are you losing your patience?"
Laura didn't answer, but the glint in her eyes spoke volumes.
Kael watched as another exchange of moves took place, the two women seemingly predicting and countering each other's actions several steps ahead. The tension between them was obvious, yet neither seemed frustrated—only thrilled. If anyone is frustrated, it is Kael, who wants to leave but can't leave.
As the sun almost rose to its peak state, meanwhile in Nadia's residence, the chess game finally reached a critical juncture—Laura and Nadia were evenly matched, their pieces positioned in a delicate balance where the first one who made the mistake would lose the advantage and the game will tilt completely in another favor. The tension in the room was quite thick, both women silently calculating their next move.
Just as Laura reached for her Light Cardinal, about to make a decisive move—
*BOOM*
A deafening explosion from downstairs rattled the entire house. The walls trembled slightly, and the impact sent a shockwave strong enough to make the pieces on the chessboard quiver.
Laura shot up from her seat alarm flashing in their eyes. "It's Penelope." She said.
Nadia, with her gaze still on the board, spoke casually. "She messed up quicker than I expected."
Kael was already on his feet. "I'll check it out!" he called out, rushing toward the exit and going downstairs.
When he reached there, he saw the once-pristine lab now in ruins. Broken glass littered the floor, shelves had been knocked over, and an acrid smoke hung in the air, burning his nostrils. The cauldron at the center of the room was completely obliterated—reduced to nothing but jagged shards of metal. The explosion had been violent.
And amidst the chaos, Penelope lay on the ground, barely conscious.
*cough* cough* cough*
She was coughing heavily; her usual composed demeanor was gone. Her lab coat was torn in places; her sleeves singed from the blast. Blood trickled from a shallow cut on her forehead, and one of her arms was twisted at an unnatural angle. She groaned, trying to push herself up, but her body failed her.
Kael wasted no time.
He rushed to her side, kneeling as he pulled out a healing potion from his storage ring. He then carefully lifted her head with the other.
"Miss Penelope, drink this," he urged.
She barely stirred, her breath coming out in short gasps. Kael tilted the vial against her lips, pouring the liquid into her mouth. The moment the potion entered her system, its effects took hold almost instantly. The shallow cuts across her arms began to heal, and the worst of the burns faded slightly. But she still looked quite weak.
Kael exhaled, observing around. "There is heavy equipment damage but apart from that, the walls are fine. And so was the floor." He rubbed his forehead, murmuring a complaint under his breath. "Ugh… today was supposed to be the last day of the quest and this happened."