[Three Hundred Years Ago, During the reign of Al'ravee as Lord Ravee of the Divera Dynasty ]
"Father, you're getting quite good at this game. I'm finding it hard to win every day."
Inside a well-lit room, a young man in his late teen years sat before a table with an ongoing chess game on it.
On the other side of the table was Al'ravee. Both the young man and Al'ravee were in night garments, both apparently wanting to play a game of chess before going to bed.
"That's only natural. It would be weird if I could not beat you five times in a row by now." Al'ravee only commented lightly.
"The creator was indeed a genius, there are some parts of the game that I find very intriguing."
The Lord of the Divera Dynasty made a move on the chess board with a calm smile, this caused his oldest son to pay more attention to the game at hand.
This was one of the peaceful moments Al'ravee had where he could consciously relax his heart. He had a lot of leisure time but not all of them were as calm as this one.
"And what parts do you find intriguing father?" The first prince never took his eyes off the game.
Through the window beside them, one could see the bright moon giving off a splendid glow to accompany the duo in their game.
"Hmm?" Al'ravee paused in contemplation for a moment, the chess piece in his hand hanging in the air before finally landing on a white square.
"What is the purpose of these chess pieces son?" He asked, his eyes droopy yet fierce to behold.
The prince did not expect his father to ask him a question in return. But he answered nonetheless. "The chess pieces? They all serve a very essential role in the game. From the kings, queens, and knights, down to the pawns.
Invaluable yet readily expendable if needed. Everything is done so that the player can win the game. Therefore the chess player needs to properly manage the use of each piece and control all..." The teenage prince made a move before retracting his hand.
His answer was paused. He was merely mouthing some of the words in the tutorial book he read long ago. If he gave this response to anyone like his friends or siblings, there's no way that he would put much thought into it.
But everyone knew they had to be careful when in the presence of Lord Divera. This man was the type of person to read deep meaning into words, ruthlessly observing every detail.
Al'ravee smiled "It's good that those words came from your mouth, not mine. Humans have a perverse nature when it comes to advice from their fellows. It's also good that you realized something." He made another move again.
"You're quite smart and mature. Growing up, you've been surrounded by people with different kinds of character. An environment that required you to develop a sense of vigilance toward everyone and everything. So... you should find it easy to understand my next words".
Al'ravee sighed, his shoulders slumped. The vibe around him changed from an aloof ruler of an entire continent to a melancholic old man. The vibe was weird, like looking at the fastest runnerbina race, who sat at the edge of a desolate cliff.
That vibe... was loneliness.
"The next time you go out, look around you. Look at your mother, your stepmothers, your brothers and sisters, the guards, the workers, the gardeners, the politicians, the businessmen, their employees, their customers, the scientists, the actors, the singers, the prisoners, etcetera.
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When you observe them thoroughly with a scrutinizing eye, you will notice that the life you have been living, the life you so much cherish, is just a game. Yes, a game.
A game between multiple chess players and their chess pieces. Almost everyone is more or less a chess piece on someone's chessboard. The remaining few, the less than one percent are the chess players, the hidden ones, the main bosses.
The chess player with better skills wins, cause that's what matters to them. Winning. Never underestimate the feeling of winning, never.
These so-called chess players are intensely realistic, firm devotees to rationalism, seeing the world for what it is, not what they want it to be. And then, they attempt to reshape the world according to their wishes.
They fear death just like you, but that's just another term for game over. Most incompetent people would refer to them as villains.
Those who take life too seriously unnecessarily, those who drown themselves in the delusions of a happy ending, those who fantasize about dreams that they make little effort to achieve, the irrational. They are the chess pieces.
Most of them don't know that they are the chess piece. It's better that way though, saves a lot of trouble.
We tend to disagree with this ideology, not because we can't accept it, but because we don't want to. We are held back by a deep sense of morality and sentimental attachment imparted to us from childhood. We prefer to go with the flow that others make. Then we find out that where we thought we would be in our youthful years is not where we are now... or then.
We... they can only fall into the traps of the chess players, something they should have hidden from. This is why I didn't bother teaching you anything about morality, you're better off controlling others through that morality.
Now, what do you think happens after they find out that they are just a chess piece?" Al'ravee made another move after the prince, eliminating one of the black chess pieces of the prince.
The prince remained silent, everything he heard was true. He waited for his father because he was sure that question was rhetorical.
"If they ever got to find out, the smart ones would make sure that they are seen as a king, not a pawn. Their skills would make them appear irreplaceable among others. They might even try to become chess players themselves. But the consequences can be quite fatal if they fail".
The young prince made another move with a pawn piece to try to counter his father. "And what happens to the not-so-smart ones?"
Al'ravee looked up with noble nonchalance filled in his gaze. It looked like he was about to talk about some random ant he saw on the floor. "I'd call them dumb, because their downfall would be their inability to control their emotions.
It's like rushing into a wolf's den in the name of vengeance only to get eaten up. They've been manipulating from the start, what makes anyone think they can't do it again.
A lot of drama could unfold. The chess player might just wait for the chess piece to take a bait and make a silly move before completely crushing the unlucky fellow... Oh, checkmate".
"Huh?" The prince was surprised. On the actual chess game, Al'ravee had made it look like one of his chess pieces was open and vulnerable. This prompted the prince to make a move and take out that chess piece.
It had been a bait. One move from Al'ravee and game over.
"Not everything is always as it seems son. There are people who even if they knew, cannot and would not do anything about it. After all, the reason why they pay their bills and put food on their families’ tables is due to the generosity of the chess player.
A chess player would have the backing of an entire set of chess pieces, each with their own purpose. It would be really stupid for anyone to play the hero and antagonize them.
The expression you see on their face is not always how they feel, it's what they want you to think they feel.
All of them are great thinkers and planners. The execution of their plans are done by their chess pieces, keeping their hands clean.
It could be the secretary as the chess player and her boss, the chess piece. Some wife and husband. Some parents and children, or children and parents.
Never should you underestimate a chess player. Always question yourself when you feel like you're suddenly smarter than someone, it could very well be intentional. They can be unbearably patient, never revealing their intentions unless they don't see a need to hide it
In fact, the best thing is to start gathering your chess pieces and become a chess player yourself. Your life would be easier that way.
You don't have to wait for an opportunity, you don't even need to look for it. Just take someone else's opportunity. Why should you work hard when you can reap where you did not sow without stress?
*Sigh* Not all are realistic enough to understand my words. He or she would be like a scientist going around, begging for patronage."
The game was over, they should go to bed.
"Am I a chess piece father?" The first prince felt like he wouldn't like the answer to that question.
Al'ravee gave his son a harmless smile "Yes. Yes, you are. For now." Both of them stood up from their chairs.
"For now? Whose chess piece could I possibly be?" The young man had a weird feeling in his head. Like everyone, he didn't like the idea of being tricked intentionally or unintentionally.
Al'ravee turned away with his arms behind his back. The night garments somehow hid his imposing muscled body. " You are my chess piece."
He began to walk to the large doors of the room. The prince felt like he had been struck by lightning. He didn't know how to feel about what his father just said to him. Then again, that could be expected.
Years back, his father had garnered the favor and support of hundreds of millions of people of the poor masses by being a renowned philanthropist. At the same time, using top-level assassins to clear out his obstacles.
After a ten-year war, he successfully united the continent under his name. Right now, apart from some exceptions, the poor masses of then are still the poor masses of now. What did they think, that everything would suddenly change and they would gain sudden wealth? Society needs its distinction.
They were not dumb, no, they were just not smart enough to understand the simplicity in his complexity. Technology and the people are nothing but tools in his eyes.
He was lonely, but it was worth it "You might as well become a chess player or spend the rest of your life being someone's chess piece.
I took the moment to tell you all this because I definitely won't be with you forever"
And with that, Al'ravee walked out of the room, immediately flanked by guards on his way to his room. He left the prince to his own thoughts.
Little did the prince know that this would be the last discussion he would have with his father.
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[Three hundred years into the present ]
Al'ravee opened his eyes with a calm expression, the aura of loneliness still lingering...