Aftermath

The sunlight of sunrise gleamed down through the windows of the Castle's room quarters. From there, a man was peacefully sleeping on the carved wooden bed. The moment the gleamed of the sunrise brushed his face, his eyes moved, and he was awakened from his long sleep. Oli tried to move, but for some unknown reason, his body didn't listen to him. But that's not all his body is aching for some reason. It feels like he lifted a heavy object. Oli is having a hard time.

It's been two weeks have passed since the Raid occurred. Did everything come back to normal? Nope. The Leefside village didn't come back to normal. Instead, it became worst than before Oli came into the village.

All the houses are burned down. The fields they hardly do and plow become obsolete. The plastic pipes have not matched the tracks of the cavalry horses, so they were all destroyed by them. The only remaining building that stands still is the shabby castle of the Leefside.

The door suddenly opened, and Suri came out of it holding a wooden bucket with a rag towel. When she saw Oli was awake, she let go of the bucket and hurriedly ran and jumped into Oli and hugged him tightly.

"UGH!" Oli released a pained voice when Suri hugged him. For Oli, it is good to be embraced by the cute and beautiful girl but not right now! His body is aching for whatever reasons!

"M-master! Hiik! M-master! Huhuhu!" Suri cried while she was hugging Oli.

Still having blurry memories, he just hugged Suri back, patted her head, and let her cry and release all of it. And a few minutes had passed, Suri calmed down.

"I-I thought master going to die..." Suri said while biting her lips.

"Huh? Going to die? Why do you think so?" Oli asked.

"It's been a couple of days since you fall into slumber, I thought..." Suri.

'What on Earth exactly happen?' Oli thought.

"Hush now... I am awake now, right? No need to worry, and besides, my time had not yet to come." Oli while patting the head of Suri. "You see, I have blurry memories right now, so I can't remember what happened. Could you please call anyone I can talk to?" Oli said. He can ask and talked Suri, but he sees that Suri looks tired and does not have enough sleep, maybe because Suri was taking care of him. memories

"Hmm.." Suri just nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Oli alone.

***

It took five minutes before the door opened again, but this time, Zion was the one who entered the room. take

"It's good to see that you have awoken, at last. Seriously, were having a hard time calming Suri down, and she poured all her time taking care of you." Zion said while having a tiny smile on his face.

"Well, I would say that it was the most relaxing and good sleep I ever had in my entire life," Oli said while chuckling while having a thought. 'Just what I thought... Suri takes care of me.'

After that, the room was enveloped in silence as the two didn't say anything after their interaction. But the silence broke when Oli asked Zion.

"What happened? I have a blurry memory, so I can't remember what happened." Oli.

Zion's face became dark when he heard the question of Oli. He thinks if it's okay for him to tell what happened, or he would just let Oli remember and know it himself. Knowing Oli, Zion was sure that maybe he couldn't take it, as Zion knew that Oli was emotionally and mentally weak. And when Oli learned about the current situation of Elder Alfred, maybe...

Zion just sighed and began to talk about what happened. Zion judged that if Oli couldn't take or accept what happened, then Oli couldn't grow as a person and a leader that the residents needed.

Zion began to narrate what was transpired in the village, all the events, and Oli's face began to sink. And eventually, all of his memories returned to him. He touched his right cheeks where the wound he got located with trembling hands. When Oli confirmed that there was a wound, he rested his head in both of his hands.

He gritted his teeth in frustration, anger, hatred, sadness, and guilt at what transpired in the village he managed and led, what the residents experienced. And what his mentor and teacher got. Then a tear finally falls into Oli's eyes when he remembers little Rex.

After what Zion said, he came out of the room and let Oli release all the feelings he feels right now. What he feels right now would become a major foundation on what he would do next. What decision he would make. And how his path of life is arranged because of that.

***

Oli lay gazed upon the village that once filled with the voices of children that played games, the parents--mother and father doing their respective roles. The village has newly built houses for everyone. The once rising village now turned unto ruined and burned down to the ground.

It's in the afternoon, and Oli was at the site where the bodies of residents cremated. It was two weeks ago when the remaining residents decided to cremate the bodies of victims in the Raids.

Even if Oli wanted to attend the funeral ceremony, he was in a coma two weeks ago. So the residents decided not to wait to avoid any diseases and to not further display the bodies of the victims.

"I'm sorry. I failed as a leader. As a Chairman, I failed to protect you. I'm the one to blame for what happened to you. I'm sorry." Oli said while kneeling and bowing his head at the site. Oli knows that they cannot hear what he has said, but at least, Oli shows that he deeply regretted what he had done.

Did Oli blame himself? Yes. Oli thinks that as a leader--a Chairman, he needs to protect the residents in his management, yet he failed to do that. What Oli means in protecting, he is not the one who would face whoever attacks or invades the village. Oli is not a superhero. He doesn't have supernatural power.

Oli means by protecting is that he would deploy and arrange, train some guards or militia in case someone attacks the village, but Oli failed to do that.

First, he solely focuses on the internal development of the village and forgets the external factors. Second is, Oli hates fighting and battles, so he sets that aside and focuses on another matter. Lastly, he was too focused on collecting and gathering gold.

Oli stayed in the kneeling position for a couple of minutes until someone tapped his shoulders. When he looked, he Zion with a sad expression.

"Come with me. Elder Alfred wanted to say something to you."

***

Oli followed Zion into the castle, and in of the rooms lying down Elder Alfred, his upper body is wrapped of some kind of silk.

"Elder Alfred," Zion called.

"Uhh..." Elder Alfred.

"Oli's here." Zion.

Elder Alfred forced his eyes to open and looked at where Oli stands.

"O-Oli?" Elder Alfred.

"Elder Alfred... I'm here..." Oli then walked towards Elder Alfred.

"Elder Alfred was mortally injured in the last confrontation between the Raiders. I'm afraid Elder Alfred would not..." Zion didn't finish what he was going to say cause even he couldn't accept Elder Alfred's fate.

Oli's expression further sank when he heard what was Zion said. He clearly remembers that if not because of him, Elder Alfred wouldn't suffer a grave injury.

"Hohoho... Don't blame yourself for what happened to me. I am old, so there's only one destination for me. I've just accelerated my death. And I'm happy I saved you as you were like a grandson to me. I have no regrets for what I did. I am proud of what I did. I save the future Emperor. Hohoho... So, don't you blame yourself on anything, Oli?" Elder Alfred said and using his remaining strength. He patted Oli's shoulders.

"I have a request Oli." Elder Alfred.

"What is it? I will do it. Anything Elder Alfred." Oli said. He's hurt. Even if Elder Alfred said that he's not the one to blame, Oli still felt guilty.

"Could you please show me where you came from?" Elder Alfred said, which surprised Oli. "Hohoho... No need to deny it. I had my doubts when you first came here. All the things you about you are different from what an ordinary resident in this Continent is. From the spice, cloths, especially your principle in life. All of that is unusual in this Continent."

"I'm not angry with you because of that. I feel and know that you are a good person. I hope you grant this old man death wish." Elder Alfred.

Oli looked at Zion. And Oli was not a slow person, so he saw that even Zion knew he was not from here. And there's nothing to worry about because Elder Alfred trusts Zion, so Oli can also trust Zion to keep his secret.

Without any remorse, Oli carries Elder Alfred on his back with the help of Zion. Oli didn't know if he could open the portal elsewhere, but for the sake of Elder Alfred, Oli opened it.

With that, the door-like portal with a faint of green lights on sides opened. The two were amazed at the sight.

Then Oli walked through the portal, and he came out on Earth. On the tallest building in the city where Oli lives.

When Elder Alfred saw the scenery, the City on Earth, there was only one reaction, amazement.

Elder Alfred saw the all-mighty buildings. Big birds that fly in the sky. A noise below that he didn't know. And the voices of the people doing their businesses in life.

"Hohoho, so, this is where you came from? So, different and peaceful. Would say..." Elder Alfred.

Oli didn't reply and remained silent as he continued to listen to Elder Alfred.

"Ah... Sadly I will never see Vedrain be like this in the future because my time is near. I will leave it to the younger generation to witness such a feat. I know you didn't want to lead as you think it is just a pain in the ass, but you have the Aura of the Conquer sleeping on you. I know this old man is being selfish. But please help the residents living in Chronos experience peace that they hadn't experienced in hundreds of thousands of years."

"Let them experience what it means to live without any worries of getting raided, attacked, or invaded. It's up to you what method you would do. You can do it. Have faith in yourself. I'll leave the faith of the residents on Chronos to you, my grandson."

Elder Alfred said before his last breath left his mouth and nose. Elder Alfred dies witnessing the greatness of the modern City.

June 18, 2022, at 3:00 PM, time and date on Earth, the first person from the Continent of Chronos arrived on Earth but, at the same time, drew his last breath.