Chief.
Alex stood outside his house, observing his surroundings.
"Follow me," Ray took his hand and led him towards a particular location.
Jannese trailed behind them, and the entire area buzzed with people watching them.
"GO AHEAD!!"
"You can do it!!!"
"You're the best!"
The crowd cheered for Alex, regarding him as some kind of hero.
"Father, did I do something this amazing? I simply killed an already weakened monster," Alex asked, puzzled by the adulation.
"You may have been reckless, but what you did essentially saved everyone here. If it weren't for your quick thinking, the battle between the village warriors and the monster would have devastated everything around the arena," Jannese explained, shaking her head.
"Huh?" Alex raised his eyebrows, surprised. He thought they had defeated the monster with a trap.
"Didn't you trap the monster and then kill it? How could you have done that in the village?" he inquired.
"The ways of the warriors cannot be explained in words. Now, let's go," Ray replied, and they hurried away.
Alex anticipated a brief walk, but he couldn't have been more mistaken.
Three Hours Later.
"Gah..." Alex was almost panting. How large was this village? They had walked so much; it felt like he could have traversed all of North America in the time they spent walking. Despite breaks for Ray and Jannese to rest, the journey seemed interminable.
Alex was astonished by the size of the village and the evolution of the houses as they progressed. The dwellings became more refined, with actual roads replacing muddy paths and beautiful carriages dotting the streets. this was a weird sight to him, this was weird as everything changed the moment they stepped on a first plate on the ground before this, like the side of the village they were in didn't even exist or something like that, This kind of change wasn't something normal and Alex knew something was going on here that he needed to investigate. this place was becoming more and more weird as he explored it and looked around carefully, this was weird.
The development resembled Victorian England, which left Alex thoroughly bewildered.
"What is this, and how is it possible?" he wondered aloud.
"We've arrived," Ray announced, and everyone looked around.
Alex gazed upward and was immediately shocked. The mansion-like house before them resembled an 18th-century English manor, complete with intricate decorations, chandeliers, and a beautiful garden. Every detail, meticulously crafted by hand, exuded elegance.
Knock!!!
They knocked on the door.
"Greetings, please come in," a man with loose leather clothes and a goatee greeted them, his unique appearance catching Alex's eye.
"Thank you," Jannese and Ray bowed, and Alex followed suit as they entered the house.
Inside, Alex whispered, "Wow," marveling at the opulent décor reminiscent of an old English mansion, complete with chandeliers and fine furnishings.
He noticed a grand staircase.
"Follow me," the man instructed, and everyone complied.
As they ascended the stairs, Alex reached for the banister.
"What are you doing, Alex? Behave," Jannese reprimanded, swatting his hand away.
Perplexed, Alex withdrew his hand, wondering what he had done wrong.
Upon reaching the top, they encountered a wooden door.
Knock!!!
A man knocked on the door.
"Your visitors, Chief," he announced.
"Come in," a deep voice resonated from within.
"Please," the man holding the door open gestured with a smile.
Alex regarded him curiously.
As they entered, the atmosphere shifted.
The room, adorned entirely in wood, exuded a distinct wooden scent. A wooden table sat before them, with an open chair facing away from them towards a figure gazing out the window.
"Huh?" Alex strained to see the man's face, but all he could discern were his clothes.
"So, this is the village hero I've been hearing about?" the man remarked with a deep voice.
"We can't exactly call ourselves heroes, Chief. My son simp—" Jannese attempted to interject.
"Oho? Did I ask you anything?" the Chief cut her off with a cold tone.
"Y...yes," Jannese stammered, paling as she glanced at Alex.
Furrowing his eyebrows, Alex pieced together the situation.
"Yes, I know the significance of my words, Chief. And what I'm saying is that..." Alex approached.
"I am a hero," he declared with a smile.
Ray and Jannese paled, but they remained silent.
"Do you understand the weight of your words, boy?" the Chief asked with a cold tone.
"Chief... he's just a kid. He doesn't—" Ray began to protest.
"Silence!" the Chief barked, causing Ray to stagger back.
Alex's gaze grew colder as he realized the power dynamics at play.
"Yes, I understand the significance of my words. And what I'm saying is that..." Alex leaned in closer.
"I am a hero," he repeated, his tone unwavering.
"Hoo... Hooo Hooo... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH, REALLY NOW!!!" the Chief laughed uproariously, his aura emanating from him.
"Aghh..." the others in the room groaned, but Alex feigned weakness to the aura's effect.
"(It's really weak)," he thought, considering it a mere breeze.
"Next time you want to be cheeky, think about who you're addressing, boy," the Chief said, weakening his aura slightly.
The others in the room lifted their heads.
"But since you did indeed save the village, I must reward you. Tell me, what do you wish for?" the Chief turned back to the window, his tone softer.
"Hmmm... I wish for..." Alex pondered, considering his options.
"I wish for..." He mulled over numerous possibilities.
"I wish for..." Unable to decide, he hesitated.
"Speak sooner, or I'll decide for you," the Chief's tone grew colder.
"Money. Give me money," Alex decided after contemplating various options.
"Humph..." the Chief snorted, opening a drawer on his table.
CLING!!!
A pouch filled with coins landed on the table.
"Now leave my sight," the Chief ordered, waving his hand dismissively.
Ray nodded, and they departed.
Outside.
The butler remained at the door.
"Did you enjoy meeting Chief Ranom?" he asked sarcastically.
Jannese forced a smile and nodded, her face pale.
The butler nodded and walked away, followed by the rest of the group.
Ranking: 7/10.