Nightfall, a few moments before Lucas entered the Room of Fate.
"That is what Lucas told me, sister..." - Said Maxwell - "And I believe her... She was afraid of getting into more detail so as not to risk her plans for this..."
Robert paused. She seldom ever was informal, but, this time, she felt the need to be.
"What is it with Lucas and Cass and delving into things much bigger than themselves?" - Said Robert.
"It comes with the territory, I believe..." - Said Maxwell, pensively - "Lucas did not get into detail about who will she try to save, Robert, but she did say it is someone from this city."
"I see..." - Said Robert, pensively.
"Given Lucas's... state in recounting it, I have reason to believe whatever she saw was quite... Distressing."
"But what can we do?" - Asked Robert - "Even if we could do much, the plan counts on us staying out of it..."
"Yes, indeed." - Said Maxwell, smiling lightly - "However, sister, tell me. How did Selene know Lucas needed help? Clearly, it seems that prayers allow for some beings to be informed of a need and, maybe, to have some more allowance in intervening?"
Robert smiled lightly. They were priests. There was something they could do, especially in this new world.
They prayed for Lucas to have guidance.
After Lucas heard that thing...
"As water? Who is there?" - Said Lucas, looking around, feeling disturbed when she saw no one and heard no retort.
A Brazilian saying about water crossed her mind, one that translated fairly nicely as Ovid's "Dripping water hollows out a stone".
If this is chess... - She thought - Then I can move the pieces around slowly preparing things. It doesn't need to be all in one move...
A red rook was currently threatening Lilly, the pawn. Lucas smiled sarcastically at an opponent that wasn't there.
"You know the best thing about chess? You can't quite kill your own pieces. No matter how much you want to. You know the best thing about being me? I don't have to follow the rules. You do."
Changing her sword into a hook, she pulled a red pawn and put it in front of Lilly, who had been herself put in front of the "queen". The red pawn was now blocking the rook. One turn of time had just been bought.
And time to prepare - Thought Lucas - is all I need... All water needs... Whatever was meant by... whoever. Screw this, no time to wonder what am I or what is my sword right now. Let's see...
You can move the pieces for this turn due to the leeway you opened before coming, Lucas. So, if you make more moves outside this game... - The voice was male this time, and Lucas had a brief vision of roads and crossings.
"Okay, this is a real bad place for me to hallucinate. Who's there?" - Said Lucas.
No response.
"Splendid." - Said Lucas, rolling her eyes. The chess board glowed, and Lilly moved forward once more. This time, though, Lucas got a feeling of permanence. As if the move had been accepted. Lilly wasn't safe, but the moves hadn't played out yet. Three squares would change the pawn to a queen. The chess board vanished as it was.
If they want more life and more complexity, I can bend the rules until the cows come home, so long as I give those to them and have some other means to open up more venues. So, I now have some more info... - She thought - So... Whoever is saying these things to me, they are helpful...
Lucas turned to the air.
"Yo! Voices in my head! Thank you!"
She then smiled at the statues, a toothy, sarcastic smile.
"I made some progress, then, didn't I? It has been lovely playing chess with you, gents! I will prep up some more measures to cheat like all hell and I will be back to bilk fate a bit more soon enough."
Lucas did a victory pose of sorts, doing a flourish with her sword, sheathing it in the same motion, and taking a sarcastic bow. She then left.
