The Resolve and Decision

"The ceremony is now over, young master. As for Elder, Alfred wanted he wants you to put the torch on his body." Liam said on Oli.

Oli just nodded when he heard what was Liam said. Before Elder Alfred come along with Oli to Earth, Elder Alfred leaves an instruction to Zion that Oli is the one who would put the torch on his dead body.

After Elder Alfred drew his last breath and said his last words to Oli, Oli came back to Chronos to cremate the body. Oli was sure that Elder Alfred wanted to cremate in the place where he grew up and get old.

In the Continent of Chronos, all the races believe that the smoke being released by cremating is the soul. And that smoke is going up to the sky and going to the side of Chronos, their creator.

All the races don't have a belief about heaven and hell. All they knew was that cremating was the way to go on the side of Chronos.

Oli and Liam arrived at the site of the ceremony.

Oli looked at the remaining residents. The two hundred people before are now down to twenty people. One hundred residents got taken and seventy-five killed.

They all have a downcast expression. And it is normal. In just one day, all-important to them was gone. Their loved ones, home, friends, and their Chairman, who supported them through many years, were all gone.

"A couple of days ago, we lost all important to us, in just one day, one attack, one raid. And today, we lost another very dear to us. Your Chairman, who guided and helped you. My mentor and teacher. And a friend for all of us. For one last time, let's say goodbye to our respectable and wise Chairman one last time. Your soul may find rest and peace in the side Chronos, Alfred. The teachings and memories would remain to us." Oli said, then he looked at Elder Alfred as if he were peacefully sleeping.

Oli put the torch down to the branches coated with tar. With that action, the fire quickly spread where the body of Elder Alfred lay down.

The remaining residents looked at the body of Elder Alfred on fire, crying.

"Because I am a weak and half-ass Chairman, this situation happens but please. Please let me lead you guys once again. This time I will--." Oli didn't finished what he was about to say when Jose cut him.

"You are our Chairman, young master." Jose.

"The moment Elder Alfred passes the Chairman hood to you. You became our Chairman until you pass it to someone else." Viron.

"Even if you always call yourself an acting Chairman, you're not an acting Chairman but a real Chairman like Elder Alfred." Sia.

"You help us, bring food, clothes, repaired our homes, and even introduce a new farming method to us. You help us, young master. The one to blame was the Raiders, the Confederation, and the Supreme Pontiff and his Cardinals. So please don't blame yourself for what happened to us. It happens because we don't have the power to do so, a power to resist, a power to defend our land, our family." Haka, the mother of Rex. bring

"Today, we cry. But tomorrow, we smile. We cry because we are not strong. WE ARE WEAK." Oli.

When Oli began to speak, the residents looked at listening to him. Their Expression is a bit mixed as they don't know whether Oli was insulting or praising them.

"But not because we are weak. We can't do anything. As weak, we can adapt and evolve. Embrace those weaknesses and fears because that will be the strength and foundation for every one of us." Oli.

"And I, Oli Hayes, swear in Chronos' name that I would build a place--a Kingdom, an Empire where everyone, not only humans, has the freedom to do what they want. Freedom for themselves. A place free from slavery. A place far from the influence of the Supreme Pontiff and his Cardinals, the same goes for the Confederation and any Kingdom or Empire that have ill intent. A place where everyone can sleep peacefully. I swear in Chronos' name, I would do that if not this chain would choke me to death." Oli.

When Oli said that, a black chain emerged and bound upon his entire body. At the same time, Oli took the dagger that hanging on his side with the dagger in his hand he cut his right cheeks vertically where the wound he got from the cut Killer make located.

*(N/A: If you guys know Kenshin Himura, aka Battousai from Rurouni Kenshin, also known as Samurai X, the wound Oli got right now was just like the scar Kenshin got)*

When Oli did that, all the residents on the site became shocked! They don't know why Oli did that.

"The wound I get from the Raider named Killer will always remind me how naïve and weal I am. And this wound I make right now will always remind me about the promise I made that you guys witness and hear. And the request Elder Alfred made." Oli took some of the flowing blood on his wound with his hand and dripped the blood he had taken in front of Elder Alfred's body, which was currently burning.

Oli looked once again at the body of Elder Alfred before speaking once again.

"You guys take plenty of rest, because the day after tomorrow, we have a lot of work to do. That work would be the first step in avenging what happened to us. Take a rest now." Oli.

With that, all the remaining residents begin to go back to the castle. Zion and his family stay the same goes for Suri.

"E-eto, y-young master, a-are alright?" Suri carefully asked.

"Yes, I am, Suri," Oli answered then he patted the head of Suri. Then Oli felt someone tugging his clothes. When he looked at it, he saw little Mia with teary eyes.

"Remember the surprise I promise to you? I got it in my room. When we get back, I will give it to you, okay?" Oli

Little Mia nodded. Oli knew she missed her friends, especially Rex. As the two were always playing with each other.

"Now, go back with Aunt Sia and your elder brothers to the castle and wait for me there, okay?" Oli.

When Suri and Sia left with her children in tow, only Oli and Zion remained at the site.

"Want to see the world I came from, Uncle Zion?"

***

On the tallest building on the City.

"Haha, amazing. I didn't know you came to this world." Zion said when he saw for the first time the City where Oli lives in.

"There's a lot of this City in this world." Oli.

"I'll confess something to you, Oli. I hope you don't mind." When Oli heard it, he just nodded and remained silent.

"I didn't trust you fully when you replace Elder Alfred, but when I see how hurt and sad you are when the raid happens, it changed, like me, you love the people of Leefside, and now I could say that I fully trust you. Come to the castle after. My son and I would pledge our loyalty to you and help you in any way possible. And this secret of yours, I will keep it until my death." Zion said, then he walked to the portal that was currently opened.

"How naïve of me," Oli said while holding the wound on his right cheeks.

"I fully neglect that the Continent of Chronos is not Earth. So the law I adhere here on Earth does not apply to Chronos. The law on the Continent is the strong. If you are strong, you are the law. But if you are weak, you would only follow the law that the strong enforced. Just like the raid. It was conducted by the strong to prey upon the weak."

Oli was reminiscing all the decisions and on how he acted while he has on the Continent. Oli concluded... he acts like a child. Just like the child that throws tantrums.

"I act like a child before, but now it will change. I will play the rules that all the races on the Continent of Chronos were playing and on playing cheating is prohibited, but that's only applied if someone caught you. If no one caught you till the end, you are the victor of the game."

Oli said while looking at the large screen located on one of the buildings. Currently, Don Pedro Crisostomo was being interviewed.

"If the gold on the Continent were worthless, here on Earth the gold price a lot. There are no spices and some other things on the Continent, but here on Earth, they are ordinary. I will use that advantage to climb on top in both worlds.

If I didn't want my people to experience that hell again, I needed to act fast.

Be kind to your people and cruel to your enemies.

All the races on the Continent of Chronos will taste the power of modern-day technology."

***

End of Volume 1: The Beginning.