Chapter 7 - Oath

Author: J. Arque

Editor: –

Proofreader: –

Hi, guys!

At first, I planned to write this chapter on Saturday. But I just couldn't stop. :D

So I hope you like this chapter since I had a lot of fun writing it.

Cheers,

Exton, 30th Late Winter, Markadia Calendar

Two hours past noon; about a hundred villagers, young and old, men and women, all gathered in front of Wilmot's house. Nobody seemed to know what's going on and why they were told to gather there.

Pateyk, Ingrid, and Gischa chatted with other villagers, as well as Yolanda and Natasha who stood next to an elderly woman, who I recognized as Ellen.

There were some travelers, though, that had stayed in this village for several days. Most of them traveled far away to this village because they wanted to search for magical artifacts and relics on Arsus Mountain or Great Forest, like every other traveler who came before them.

"Kal, come here!" Natasha said and waved as soon as she located us in which I returned the gesture back at her before I turned towards Antonei and Shoren who followed right behind me. "Uncle, stay here with your family," I said, "later, I will introduce you to the villagers", Both of them nodded to this.

Other villagers who also caught a glimpse of Bob, called him and asked about his trip. And of course, he replied with his usual Bob-style enthusiasm. Some even asked about the people we brought there with us, but we evaded the detail and only said they are family and will live in Exton from now on.

We kept on walking until we arrived in front of Pateyk's family and others.

"Hey, Pat, how's yer night? got a nice whip…" Bob said but interrupted by Pateyk's punch that landed on his stomach, "Ouch! Hey, what's that for?"

"Pshhh… Shut up Bob"

"What are you both talking about?" Ingrid asked.

"Nothing honey," Pateyk said. "please ignore him"

"Hmph"

"Hello Grandma Ellen, where's the twins?" I said.

"Hello Little Karl" Ellen replied with her grandmotherly smile. "They are with Sacha back there"

With ease, I spotted Ellen's oldest granddaughter, Sacha, a mute girl, and only a few years older than Gischa. She stood outside the crowd carrying her infant cousins. Her unique freckles and that glowing red hair were so easy to spot.

"Why they… Oh, Nevermind" I wanted to ask why but then I looked at the fidgety Natasha who kept staring at the twins in a way that reminded me of how she lust over the deer meat this morning.

"Do you know what's going on?" Yolanda asked.

"I don't know," Ingrid said.

"Hmph, we've been standing here for a long time," The fifteen-year-old Gischa said, "but Gods, that Old man still hasn't come out… Daddy, let's go home"

"Eh" Pateyk panicked, he looked at his wife for help.

"Gischa, behave or else?"

"I am sorry mom," Gischa said then she threw a dirty look to his father, "Hmph, traitor"

As I watched Pateyk's family dynamics unveiled, I thought, 'Damn, these Paloph chicks are scary'

"Maybe something about the spring festival?" a widow named Yvenca said.

"But we never had a festival since Young Wilson died" Ellen replied.

"Perhaps he wanted to step down," Ingrid said, "He is too old to be a chief anymore"

A farmer named Konnor who also heard our conversation said, "But that's impossible, who's gonna take the chief's place? He doesn't have any relative left"

"Maybe his adopted sons?" Ingrid said, "like Weldan or Jamey"

"I doubt it, I once heard He needs coins to build a sun tomb for Wilson, Janna, and Little Wilan," Yvenca said, "Chief even offered his land to some of his friends in the capital but nobody interested"

"Yeah, I've heard that one too" Konnor nodded.

"A sun tomb?! Gods," Ingrid said, "does he finally go mad?"

Ellen said with a sad expression, "No, He just love three of them so much"

'So that's why that old man insisted on 100,000', I thought.

Sun tomb itself was the best tomb that you could possibly order from a tomb builder. It consisted of three altars for each major god to ensure the soul of the dead directly entered the pantheon of gods. However, the price was about 100,000 Strung which was not a price that lower caste could afford.

At that moment, Wilmot, Kante, and Storn came out of the house; Wilmot brought a piece of sealed parchment while Kante and Storn lifted a four-feet tall engraved pole right behind Wilmot.

"Oh," Konnor said, "It's been a while since I've seen that thing"

"Ellen, what is that?" Yolanda asked. Ingrid and Gischa also seemed curious about that engraved pole.

"That is Oak Totem," Ellen said, "been here even before this very village was built; My grandmother told me it was made by the old tribe"

"Old tribe?" Yolanda surprised, "you mean Ancient Exton Tribe?"

"Ohoo… you know about that?" Ellen said, "It's rare for a foreigner to know about the Old tribe, you know?"

"Er, I mean… " Yolanda hesitated, "I've read a tale about them once in the Capital"

"Oh, I never thought they would write something about the old tribe," Ellen said. "Back then a man named Wilsar, first chief of our village, and a Markadian; married an old tribe girl and rally the support of the scattered tribesmen using the lost totem that he found next to that tree over there" she pointed towards a-thousand-year-old oak tree that stood just a few yards from the riverbank, "and it was used to take chief's oath since then"

"I thought they were wiped out and their city was destroyed by the invasion"

"No, most of the villagers here are the descendant of the Old tribe," Ellen said, "But I'm not sure about old tribe's city, if there's such city as they claimed, perhaps it just vanished since no one ever see a city ruins around here"

'Well, that's new' I thought, 'Karl doesn't know a thing about this old tribe thing'

When Yolanda and Ellen continued their talk about the Old tribe, Kante and Storn put the totem right next to the oak tree that Ellen pointed earlier.

Everyone stopped their conversation and waited for Chief Wilmot to talk.

Wilmot raised his head and looked at the countless thin strands of cloud that scattered across the clear blue sky.

"It's a very fine weather, isn't it?" he said.

"By the Gods, Chief," said Engler, one of the militia boys who stood at the very front of the crowd, "Why are we gathered here?"

Many of the villagers also started to demand an explanation from him.

"Hohoho, calm down," Wilmot said, "calm down everyone"

"As you can see here the oak totem" Wilmot put his hand on the totem, "some of you already know what it means, and some of you don't; for you who don't understand, it means we will hear an oath from our new chief"

The crowd erupted. Most of them congratulated Wilmot, but some were anxious about the new chief.

"Finally," Ellen said, "Wilmot really deserved a good rest after all these years"

"Yeah, it pains me to see him some time" Yvenka added.

"Hmph, Good for him," Ingrid said.

"I just hope our new chief is not a greedy person," Konnor said. (:D)

As the crowd's uproar resided, Wilmot continued, "Yesterday, a fellow villager bought all my ancestor's land"

"Fellow villager?" Yvenka and many other villagers couldn't hide their disbelief.

"Impossible," Engler said, "You can't be serious Chief? Nobody here is that rich"

"Hohoho… I am quite serious," Wilmot replied with his calm smile, "and as you know, according to our state law, a villager who own most land has the right to become the chief of the village and its vicinity" Then, he raised up the sealed parchment that he brought with him, "This letter is about Exton's leadership succession and I will send this to his majesty King Horath tomorrow. So," Wilmot walked to front of the crowd and said loudly, "Wilson's successor, please come forward"

The crowd once again were left puzzled by Wilmot, but no one tried to let out a sound since they were busy turning their head, left and right, tried to catch a glimpse of the presumed person.

Meanwhile, Pateyk stared at Bob then whispered, "Bob you didn't..."

Yolanda also laid her eyes on Bob suspiciously.

Bob shook his head and directed his gaze toward me.

Pateyk confused by Bob's gesture but then said, "Oh, you mean… Oh"

At that time, I saw Wilmot looked at me and then winked.

'Yap, that's my cue' I thought.

I looked at Bob beckoned him to come with me, but he shook his head and grinned as if telling me to face my own problem myself.

I sighed, 'Well, let's get this over with'

"Kal, where are you going?" Natasha whispered and grabbed my left arm.

"Don't worry Nat," I said, "stay here"

"But… But, don't leave"

Bob put his hand on her shoulder "It's all right"

She looked at Bob then looked at me again.

Finally, she nodded and let go my arm.

I pat her pale blond hair and then tried to break through the crowds.

"Ehem..." Clearing my throat as I raised my voice slightly "Excuse me"

However, with the silence, everybody could hear my voice with ease which made a hundred people at once shifted their attention upon me.

"Erm… Excuse me" I said again.

The silenced crowd, and still without a sound, gradually moved both ways, creating a straight path for me to Wilmot.

Nobody let out a sound.

I could literally listen to the hymn of the upcoming spring breezes from the woods.

The crowd only stood there watching me took every step towards Wilmot.

I gulped but kept on walking.

When I arrived in front of Wilmot, I heard him said, "Karl son of Xander, 44th Chief of Exton, put your right hand and state your oath to the Oak Totem"

I nodded, put my right hand on the Oak Totem, and started to close my eyes as I recited loudly the oath that I personally prepared this morning.

"Dear gods, ancestors, and the people of Exton.

I, Karl son of Xander, 44th Chief of Exton, hereby declare, on oath, that I will bear true allegiance to Exton, and defend to the utmost of my power against all of her enemies. I will administer justice to her people no matter how rich or poor they are, no matter what their caste, religion, age, ethnic, and race; And that I will try to the utmost of my power to bring prosperity to her, her land, and her people. So please bless us Mandhala, Safera, Azai, and ancestors in the pantheon of Gods"

When I opened my eyes, I felt something different about my body.

'Why is it so hot all of the sudden?' I thought.

I looked at Wilmot, but he just stood there, slack-jawed, blinked a couple of times as he kept staring at me.

'Shit, did I just messed up my oath?'

I shifted my gaze towards the crowds who more or less gave me the same kind of expression Wilmot gave me earlier. Some even drop to their knees and shaken.

'I know it was rip-off version of Presidential Oath that I heard on Earth, but why they keep staring at me like that'

It was then I saw my right hand was glowing, glowing with a bright white light.

'Holy shit!'

In fact, my entire body was glowing, but I was so busy inspecting the weird light from my right hand and I totally forgot there were a hundred people witnessed a glowing 8 years old who just begged for a blessing of gods.

*Thank me later Carl*, I heard a familiar voice in my head.

'He.. Helen?'

Just as Helen's voice faded away, the white light that previously wrapped around my body dissipated into the air.

"Praise the Gods!" Wilmot raised his hands and pointed to the sky, "New chief is blessed! We are blessed!"

Kante ran towards me and lifted me into the air, "Praise the Gods, Praise the Chief!"

"Hey Kante, put me down," I said, but he ignored me as if he didn't hear anything because, at that moment, a hundred people cheered. Some people like Bob and Pateyk were laughing and yelled fanatically 'Praise the Gods, Praise the Chief', some people like Konnor and Engler were crying while they tried to recite the same oath that I said earlier.

'No, this is madness'

Storn added to the chaos by roaring, "Chief! Chief! Chief! Chief!", Which everybody soon followed, even the travelers.

"Chief! Chief! Chief! Chief!"

'Oh Helen, what mess did you just get me into?'