TBATE: The Rook

I walked through the cave, searching for a suitable spot to set up a fire and cook a meal for both of us. After a few minutes, I found the perfect location. Using the wind to clear the area, I took out my camping gear and ingredients and got to work. Once the setup was complete, I began cooking a simple yet comforting dish: spaghetti Bolognese.

I have loved cooking since I was young. I used to annoy my mother while she cooked, and when she had finally had enough, she started giving me tasks to do—cutting vegetables, washing rice, and preparing small meals, among other things. Every few days, she would assign me something more challenging until I was cooking on my own. The kitchen became a space for my mother and me to vent, talk shit about people, and share laughter. It was the best part of my day, and it was during those moments that I realized my mother was also facing her own struggles. From that point on, I stopped getting mad at my parents, understanding that they were navigating life for the first time, just like I was.

Pulling myself out of my thoughts, I began chopping the ingredients: onion, garlic, and carrots. After finely dicing them, I set them aside and started heating up the water. I took out a pan and placed it over the fire. Since I didn't have olive oil, I made do with grease. Once the oil was heated, I added the chopped onion, garlic, and carrot, sautéing them for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables softened. I remembered to add salt to the boiling water before tossing in the pasta.

Next, I moved the pan closer to the center of the fire to increase the heat to medium-high and added the ground meat. I cooked it until browned, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooked. Afterward, I stirred in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper, along with a pinch of chili flakes. I let the sauce come to a gentle simmer, and I like to add a splash of milk towards the end of cooking to deepen the flavor.

After adding the pasta to the sauce, I waited for five minutes, and voilà! A delicious meal was ready to be enjoyed.

( I don't know why I wrote this )

______________________________________

After a long wait, she finally arrived, and I sensed a disturbing emotion radiating from her, so I chose not to speak.

"Sorry for being late; I was burying my team," she said, her voice cracking.

"No need to apologize," I replied, pouring a portion of food onto a plate and handing it to her. "Here, you need to eat."

"Thank you, but I'm not hungry," she insisted, yet I didn't withdraw my hand and continued to stare at her. "I really don't want to eat."

"_"

Sighing, she finally relented. "Fine, give me that," Alea said, her voice tinged with irritation.

"What is this supposed to be?" she asked.

"Food," I replied.

"I know, but I've never seen anything like this," she questioned.

"It's pasta with meat sauce. Try it; you'll like it," I encouraged.

"What is pasta?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Just eat, Alea, and stop asking questions," I said in a calm tone.

"Okay, geez! I can't even question what I'm putting in my mouth (pose) ," she retorted.

Taking a forkful of pasta, Alea began to eat, and from the way she savored it, I could tell she loved it. "Another, please," she said shyly.

( after an hour ) 

"Alea, I'm going to explain the situation we're currently facing, so please pay attention," I said to her in a serious tone.

Taking a deep breath, she replied, "I'm listening."

"Our enemy is the Alacrya continent. Alacrya is one of the three continents, inhabited by the Alacryans and the Vritras."

"Wait, three continents?!" she exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down and let me continue," I urged.

"Have you ever heard the story of the Great Eight Clans?" I asked.

"Yes, Grandma Rinia mentioned it," she responded.

"Good. I'll proceed."

The Vritra clan was once part of the Great Eight before being exiled by the other Asuras and relocating to Alacrya, where they began experimenting on and interbreeding with humans. Once a leading clan among the Asuras, they are now hostile toward the other prominent clans.

The inhabitants of this continent are known as Alacryans, and their culture is vastly different from that of the Dicathens. Under the active leadership of the Vritras, Alacrya has advanced significantly compared to Dicathen. They possess the ability to control mana beasts and can even construct unstable teleportation gates.

Their magic system also diverges greatly from that of Dicathen. While many Alacryans can utilize mana, discrimination is prevalent among them.

The order of runes, ranked from weakest to strongest, is as follows: Mark, Crest, Emblem, and Regalia.

Each rune allows its wielder to cast a single spell. Although it is possible to acquire additional runes, the conditions for doing so remain unclear. In contrast, our mages are more versatile, capable of casting numerous spells within their elemental affinity. Alacryan mages, on the other hand, have access to far fewer spells, but the fact that they dedicate their lives to perfecting those few makes them significantly more potent. Furthermore, Alacryan mages are categorized based on the spells they wield:

Striker - a mage that fights on the offensive.

Shield - a mage that focuses solely on protecting the striker.

Sentry - a mage specializing in sensing and detection.

Caster - a mage specializing in long range spell; they are similar to Conjurers.

Instiller - a mage that specializes in enhancing objects with their mana.

This 'rune-based system' was largely a mystery to the Alacryans as well. Because of the awakening process that all children went through in order to become a mage, the Alacryans thought that magic was given to them by the Vritra themselves, or 'the sovereigns. 

In consequence of the unique process of awakening, the ratio of mages to non mages in Alacrya is 1 out of 5, while in Dicathen that proportion is of 1 out of 100.

The mages of Alacrya also have a few special deviant elements, seemingly connected to the decay mana arts of the Vritra, so far, only partially or fully awakened vritra blooded alacryans can use these

Acid ← Water (assumed)

Black spikes ← Metal / Earth

Shadow ← (i don't really remember some one using it )

Soulfire ← Fire

Poison ← Water

Erosion← Wind

Black fog←Gravity

"So, the monster I faced was a Vritra," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

"No. As I mentioned before, he isn't even close to being as strong as a Vritra. He's a half-blood, not even respected in the inner circle. Now, let me continue."

The Scythes are the strongest warriors in Alacrya. The Six Scythes are all awakened Vritra-blooded Alacryans, and they possess immense power. Each Scythe has their own retainer, and given that a retainer can be taken down by a single Scythe, it's clear that the Scythes are extraordinarily strong.

They discovered our continent long ago, and to make matters worse, they have spies everywhere. More than half of the nobles on this continent have switched sides. They've planned everything, Alea. The last thing you need to know—and remember—is that we are alone in this war."

"So what I understand is that we are outnumbered, outmatched, and unprepared," she said after a long silence.

"No, we're fucked ."

"_"

"Say something positive, please," she shouted, adding, "We need to inform the others immediately."

"No, not now. They will eventually find out."

"Do you expect me to stay quiet after what you just told me, Ellis?" she said, her voice laced with anger.

"Yes," I replied calmly.

"No, I will g—"

"You seem to forget what happened to you a while back. What can you do? No, what other options do you have but to listen to my orders, Alea?" I continued in a cold tone.

"The contract says—"

I cut her off again. "It says what I wanted it to say. I have the final say. Do you not understand something so simple? I'm not asking you to keep quiet; I'm commanding you to."

"I have my own plans. If you want to disobey me, I will cast you aside, Alea. It's that simple. I don't need you, and if you hinder my plans, I will replace you with someone who won't." I said, letting some of my killing intent seep into my words.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth closed as she looked down at the ground.

"Are we clear?"

"Yes, I'm sorry for not seeing the full picture," she said, her fingernails digging into her skin.

"Good. Now, I will give you a book. Inside, there are tasks you need to complete and things you need to learn. After finishing the tasks, or if you encounter any problems, contact me through the contract, and I'll be there. Any more questions?" I said, tossing the book to her.

"Yes, about the missions—"

sigh "Okay, now pack up. As we head back, you can ask me anything you want."

She nodded and began to pack up my camping equipment. "Fucking hell, she talks too much." She understands that she is weak and doesn't stand a chance against the retainers. 

Alea possesses a slight inferiority complex towards her comrades, fully admitting that she is the weakest among the Lances. This is both a good sign and a weakness I can exploit to make her more dependent on me. As time passes, she will come to see me as her only hope to overcome obstacles. 

Little is known about Alea's past. She lost her parents when she was young and was left to raise her younger brother by herself. Sometime later, Alea's brother died, leaving her with no family. "Ah, what a wonderful thing I can use."

..... And once again, I found myself lost in thought.