《Chrono Born》 Emergence Chapter 1 In a tightly compacted box is a boy in prone. He looked no older than six, and his body that was smaller than an average six-year-old served as prime-evidence. The boy laid in a vampiric posture as he laid down and had no power to move. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯s been in the box or how he even got there. Thinking about it, he doesn¡¯t even remember anything before being confined in a box. It was as if he just appeared there. What he does know is that his name is Chrono. ¡°Chrono, Chrono, Chrono,¡± He would repeat to himself. He didn¡¯t want to forget that word; his special word. As he looked around, this box that he was seemingly jailed inside felt as if this was his own world. A world of his own. A very lonely world. This didn¡¯t last long. The box which had shown no movement from the outside began to move. ¡°Hey! You missed one!¡± A grumbling voice resounded from the outside. Chrono¡¯s ears perked up, and his eyes began to mist. So he wasn¡¯t alone. This deep angry voice made Chrono tear up, and he wanted to burst from the box and hug the person, but he was unable to. The box wouldn¡¯t budge no matter how much he kicked and thrashed. ¡°You sure boss? It doesn¡¯t look like any box that we¡¯ve stored. Look, it doesn¡¯t even have a label!¡± A confused voice replied, and Chrono felt as he was pointing. ¡°Don¡¯t mind the little things. Just throw it in there.¡± The voice replied sharply, and heavy footsteps could be heard stomping away. ¡°You¡¯re the boss.¡± The other voice sighed and gave a humph and tossed the box into what seemed like a vehicle as the vibrations of an engine can be felt below. ¡°For such a small box to be that heavy.¡± The voice heaved with the sound of sweat hitting the ground being heard moments later. A small alarm rang out, and the voice exclaimed ¡°Looks like it¡¯s lunch break already,¡± before running out. Chrono¡¯s body slammed as the box hit the ground and his hands that were once hinged to his shoulders fell and hit the surface of the box. Though he had been in the box for quite some time and his body was in contact with the box. He had never actually ¡®felt¡¯ the box with his hands. When his hand touched the box, a pulse of white fired from where his hand touched and spread throughout his body and the box. It felt that his body had synched up with the material of the box causing the box that once confined him to break apart. The pieces that broke apart dissipated into nothingness as if it was data being erased. A feminine voice then rang out inside his head ¡°Host connected. Synchronizing user¡¯s body with Temporal Essence.¡± ¡°Synchronizing complete.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A holo-projection projected from where his hand touched and a figure cloaked in a full robe appeared before him. ¡°Hello, you must be confused and have no idea of who you are or where you came from, but that is okay. It is for the better. We had done all that we can and followed the instructions you left behind us. This is the best we can do for you. I wish there was more that we could¡¯ve done. Like you¡¯ve always said, go where the waves take you.¡± The holo-projection ended, and Chrono was left in silence. If only he had heard this voice first. This beautiful symphony that played in harmony with each word. Chrono began to feel as if life wasn¡¯t fair, but he was grateful nevertheless. He turned his attention to his body, ¡°This feeling,¡± he said. The feeling he had in his body was new yet familiar as if it was always a part of him. He then turned his attention to his surrounding. He was in a more open area when compared to his box, but it was still contained. Around him were crates, containers, and trunks of varying sizes. He didn¡¯t know how to feel of it, being confined in a bigger space, but he knew he had to find those voices. He needed to thank them for freeing him and to tell him where he was, and more importantly if they knew him. ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± Chrono said as he began to look around. Walking corridor after corridor, he finally arrived at the steps of the stairs. Looking up, he saw a metallic platform that had a door embedded in its wall. Carefully placing one foot after another, he climbed the stairs and approached the door. The door had a wheel positioned in the middle and on the wheel was an arrow pointing right. Deciphering what it meant, he tried to turn the wheel right but the wheel was tight, and it wouldn¡¯t budge. Growing confused, he opted to try it left, and as it did, the door began to loosen and open. When the door fully opened, a narrow and tight hallway appeared in front of Chrono. Lights dangled from above grimly and at times the area would shake causing the lights to fly around. ¡°Never venture never learn.¡± He said and braced himself. He walked forward keeping an eye for any movement and made sure to pay attention to the vibrations of the floor. After passing through the hallway, past other sealed tight doors on the side of the walls. He arrived at an intersection. To the right was a sealed door and to the left were stairs that headed up. Not wanting to open a closed door to who knows what, Chrono headed left and ascended up the stairs. The room was much more open than the previous room. Replacing one of the walls is curved glass that curved to one corner, to the other with the morning sun¡¯s gaze penetrating through the glass. Chrono stepped to the edge of the glass and peered outside. Tall, large trees stretched to the skies nearly reaching the vehicle he was in. The visible soil looked rich and full of light, while bountiful vegetation clung to the surfaces of the tree. A tall brown mountain cradled a waterfall that fell from its cliff and fell down to a snaky river. Though there was vegetation, no signs of other life were visible. No birds in the sky, no insects that made their trees their home, and no animals that traversed the roots that sculpted the landscape. Chrono¡¯s eyes were practically touching the glass as he gazed out of it. It was too beautiful. Far better than the box he was in. Then again, there were no comparisons to a plain black box and natural scenery. Watching his figure from afar, was a reasonably tall man on top of the stairs; His long grey beard stretched to his chest and an eyepatch on his right eye that emphasized his career choice. The Old Man and the Little Girl Chapter 2 ¡±What do you think you¡¯re doing here boy?¡± The old man said deeply, his voice echoing through the room. Chrono turned and looked at the old man and stood in shock. The old man narrowed his eyes and begun to lead his one foot forward, then the other, each step causing a rumble. ¡°Th-¡± Chrono said slightly teary, ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Chrono cried out as he launched himself at the old man in full sprint. The old man widened his eyes and looked at Chrono as if he was a sprinting tornado. The speed at which Chrono ran was inconceivable; with every step he took, a gust of wind followed behind him. Chrono finally reached him and leaped in a giants hug as he wrapped his hand around the old man¡¯s belly. Well, you really couldn¡¯t say wrap around as Chrono¡¯s arm barely reached the old man¡¯s back. The old man felt his back sweat at the sudden hug and wondered if it was genuine or a hidden assassination attempt. Though he considered these, there was something else bothering him. It was after Chrono let go and smiled brightly at the old man that he loosened his guard and sized up Chrono. Chrono was smaller than most boys he saw and far more scrubbed. His overall appearance was a beauty that didn¡¯t belong to people his age. His features were smooth and all in the right places, especially his eyes. They radiated a sort of brilliance that one could get caught into his silvery white eyes. All would be dandy and well, but the boy was naked, as to why the old man hadn¡¯t shot the boy from afar. ¡°What¡¯s your name boy.¡± The old man crossed his arm and towered over Chrono. ¡°Chrono! My name is Chrono!¡± Chrono replied enthusiastically. He wanted the same words to come out of the old man¡¯s mouth. ¡°Chrono? That¡¯s a name you don¡¯t often hear,¡± The old man replied, ¡°Here they call me Captain Cason (Co-son).¡± ¡°Captain Cason (Ca-son),¡± Chrono repeated with stars in his eyes ¡°It¡¯s Captain Cason (Co-son) kid,¡± Captain Cason replied with a cringe. ¡°Captain Cason (Ca-son),¡± Chrona replied innocently. This repeated five to six times before Captain Cason looked as if he was finished fighting a battle before finally succumbing to the horde. ¡®It would be far easier fighting a band of demons than arguing with this kid,¡¯ Cason thought. Cason then led the boy up the stairs and into another room. The room he led the kid in was a lounge that lied in the center of the ship. The lounge is pristine and clear of any dust or litter. On the side of the wall is a couch that reeked of cloud nine and on the other side was a circular shape that sat on a hollow oval desk. Inside the hollow oval desk was a clutter of items ranging from simple decorations such as a sculpture of a rising dragon, a flintlock pistol, and a purple lotus. In the middle of the desk and the couch was a pleasant rug made of nano-fiber. The last bit of furniture in the room was a bending machine that had an assortment of flavors and colors for drinks and a catalog of meals.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying here until we get to a nearby town,¡± Captain Cason told the boy and pointed to the couch, ¡°Stay put and if you want snacks just press a few buttons on that bending machine over there.¡± ¡°Here, wear this.¡± Captain Cason said giving a knock on a nearby wall and a compartment opened with spare clothes. A simple white t-shirt and blue jeans. Chrono watched Captain Cason leave and found his smile slightly disappearing. He looked around the room and decided that leaping on top of the couch seemed fun. Tossing himself towards the sofa, he landed face first perfectly on the middle of the sofa before whiffing an intoxicating aroma in the air. It was a smell he had never smelt before, and he couldn¡¯t help but continue breathing in the sweet perfume. ¡°Hey¡­¡± As he was busy, he could hear a faint hum to the left of his ear causing him to turn his head slightly. He saw a pretty young girl at his side. She had purple hair and delicate features that made you want to pinch her cheeks. She looked no older than him; in fact, she was a centimeter or two taller than him. ¡°He-Hello.¡± Chrono greeted shyly. The two entered an awkward staring contest with both sides getting lost in each other''s eyes. ¡°My name is Haisea,¡± Haisea replied ¡°But you can call me Ise,¡± she said giving a small smile. Chrono¡¯s cheek turned to strawberries and sprang upright. He looked at the empty seat next to him and looked down shyly before patting down the cushion. Ise fell on the couch, bouncing a little on the cushion before slumping down. ¡°How did you end up here?¡± Ise asked, ¡°Did the old man pick you from the streets?¡± Chrono was a little surprised at her sudden questions, but he still enjoyed her alluring monotone voice. ¡°I was in a box!¡± Chrono answered. Ise raised her eyebrows and said ¡°A box?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± Chrono replied. ¡®A box? He looks like a noble even without all the fancy clothing so how could he arrive in a box.¡¯ Ise thought. ¡°So where did you come from,¡± she asked then added, ¡°If you don¡¯t mind.¡± Chrono lowered his head, and Ise wondered if she asked too sensitive of a question. As she was about to say sorry, Chrono raised his head with a few shimmers in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯ve lived in a box my whole life. I thought I would be stuck in it forever until it broke apart. Which is why thank you!¡± Chrono answered with his heart out. ¡°Thank you? I didn¡¯t really do-¡± Ise replied looking quite shocked ¡°For being so pretty!¡± Chrono cried out before realizing what he said and heating up. ¡°What I meant to say was being here and talking to me!¡± Ise smiled at Chrono¡¯s silliness and was about to continue the conversation before the door opened widely. Captain Cason entered the room with a person following behind him. The man was lean and tall with stubbles on his chin. His hair was grey, and his eyes were black. If one were to exclude out his duster outfit and the many assortments of weaponry attached to it, he would appear to be an ordinary old man. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you two are getting along. ¡°Captain Cason said giving a small smile. ¡°Boy, come here, this man here is Auran. He¡¯ll be showing you to your quarters.¡± Captain Cason said gesturing at Auran. ¡°Ise, you¡¯ll be coming with me for a second.¡± Ise nodded and followed Captain Cason out. Auran looked at Chrono but didn¡¯t say much as he gestured to the other door leading to the quarters. Unwelcomed Guests Chapter 3 ¡°So what¡¯d you get from him.¡± Captain Cason asked as he and Ise walked to the bridge. ¡°He says his name is Chrono and that he doesn¡¯t remember anything that happened before he got here,¡± Ise replied with a downcast expression. ¡°Is that so? The boy¡¯s got amnesia. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good thing or a bad thing. Did he say how he got here?¡± Captain Cason asked. ¡°He said he was in a box and the second later he was here,¡± Ise answered. ¡°Is it really necessary for us to investigate him like this?¡± Ise asked, ¡°I mean, he doesn¡¯t seem to be older than I am. What harm could he do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem Ise,¡± Captain Cason said deeply ¡°He¡¯s young and for the boy to be here and have no memory beforehand means trouble.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Ise uttered slightly teary. ¡°I know you mean well, but we¡¯ve got enough trouble in our hands. If the boy were to bring trouble, then I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t do much to help.¡± Captain Cason said with a hint of compassion. Ise nodded her head and followed him silently. Following Auran, Chrono silently looked around him hoping for a new surprise in the day. He had finally escaped his box, saw beautiful scenery, and found and talked to a pretty girl. For him - it was the best day ever. To his disappointment, the corridors to the quarters were tight and compact with the dull color of iron. After passing a few doors, Auran stopped at Chrono''s door and turned to Chrono. With a deep voice, Auran spoke to Chrono ¡°This here is your room. Don¡¯t do anything that will bring trouble.¡± Chrono nodded, and Auran passed Chrono and left for the bridge. Opening the door, Chrono entered the room that had a simple cotton bed and a wooden desk and chair that faced a circular window. Chrono zoomed to sit on the chair and looked through the window. He had seen the same scenery as he did with the bigger glass window but with a smaller view. He continued to look through the window and witnessed the changing landscape going from dense jungles to empty ground. The land was no longer there, it had cut off a moment ago, and now the clouds in the sky had replaced the ground. As they traveled further and further, floating islands can be seen. Though they were small, they each still had their own ecosystem which fascinated Chrono. He had noted down birds with four wings, three long legs, and a single long beak and even land creatures that use their four short legs but large hand like feet to navigate through the rocky cliffs. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. In the midst of his fascination, the ship shook violently, nearly causing Chrono to fall from his chair. Curious but mostly worried about Captain Cason, Auran, and especially Ise, Chrono quickly got up and ran to the room outside the lounge. Running out, he ran to where he was found by Captain Cason. As he nearly reached his destination he could hear voices outside; the tones of their voices disgruntled and discontent. Silently opening the door, Chrono peeked out to see Captain Cason facing off with twelve men wearing bandanas marked with a skull around their faces. There was also Auran who hid Ise behind his back, with his hand circling his side that held a holster. ¡°We¡¯re going to make this easy on you old man. Hand what you have in your cargo, and we¡¯ll be on our merrily way.¡± Their pirate leader demanded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that. You blasted a hole through my ship, and you expect me to hand you over my cargo without you paying for the damages?¡± Captain Cason replied. ¡°Here, how about I make this easy on you. You pay for the damages and get on outta here, and there won¡¯t be trouble.¡± Auran threatened. ¡°Looks like it has to be the hard way.¡± The man said and signaled his boys to take action; Two of the men drew circles in front of them, causing balls of fire to appear; Four took out their sabers from their sides and gave out disgusting and dreadful snarls; Three twirled and turned their revolvers into position; And the last three placed their foot back and placed themselves in a stance. Captain Cason didn¡¯t pay mind to their actions and had his finger in his ear twisting and twirling. His ear wax that had slowly accumulated was more interesting than the twelve men. One of the men grew furious and launched a condensed fireball made from three smaller fireballs at Captain Cason. Chrono wanted to yell out for Captain Cason to dodge but he couldn¡¯t help but feel his throat dry as he saw the approaching fireball. Before the fireball could touch Captain Cason; Captain Cason had opened his mouth wide, and the fireball found its way into his mouth. With a big gulp, Captain Cason smiled with smoke coming from the corners of his mouth. ¡°That was pretty appetizing,¡± Captain Cason said patting his belly, ¡°But that¡¯s not real fire. This is.¡± He opened his mouth wide, and fire roared from the depths of his throat and out his mouth. The flames that were coming from his mouth were many times higher than the fireball that he had eaten. The three that were unlucky enough not to react fast enough were turned to cinders as the cone of fire struck past them and onto their ship. The ship was blasted away by the flames causing it to release it¡¯s hook on Captain Cason¡¯s ship, causing the other ship that had only one pilot but several burning parts to descend at a rapid pace and crash on the side of a floating island. Chrono¡¯s eyes lit up with astonishment and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim ¡®how cool!.¡¯ Now the pirates only had nine people left: one fire caster, three saber men, three martial artists, and two duelists. The pirate leader who was a duelist gave a piercing glare and aimed his dual revolvers at Ise. Chrono who previously stood still, felt his body move to action causing him to dash forward. Before the pirate leader could press the trigger of his revolvers, Chrono was already on him. Chrono who was merely six-year-olds and could barely reach the man¡¯s waist only had one method of attack. Chrono swung an uppercut to the man¡¯s jewels causing him to wince in pain and drop the revolvers on the ground. Chrono who felt as if time stopped around him, quickly grabbed hold of the revolvers but felt that one revolver was heavy enough and opted only to wield one. With one big leap, Chrono leaped backward to Ise¡¯s side and held the revolver gunpoint at the pirates. Clean up Chapter 4 ¡°What was that Chrono,¡± Ise said looking at Chrono with open eyes. Chrono couldn¡¯t help but feel shy but a little fearful. ¡°That was cool!¡± Ise cried out. It was different from her dull monotone voice, and Chrono liked her excited voice. ¡°Hehe,¡± Chrono giggled rubbing the back of his head with his open hand. Breaking from their moment of shock, Captain Cason and Auran turned their faces away from Chrono and focused on the pirates. ¡°You brat!¡± The pirate leader yelled. He held his jewels with a grimace and went to lunge for the revolver on the ground. Before he could, Auran had already drawn out his flintlock pistol and shot at the ground near the pirate leader; and as fast as he had shot, he had already stocked the flintlock pistol with another pellet. The pirate leader was seething with visible steam coming from his head. ¡°Kill them all! Show no more mercy.¡± The pirate leader cried out. With no ship for retreat and their backs against the wall, the other pirates had no other choices but to fight their way out. The three martial artists took action, two martial artists attacked in two separate directions while the other one leaped to the sky and began an aerial attack. Captain Cason who was attacked from three different directions indifferently moved to the side and avoided a high sidekick to his chin and then ducked to avoid a roundhouse kick. During this, he had gripped the two pirates legs as soon as their legs had stretched out thoroughly and with a small hmph tossed the two pirates at the pirate above. Their bodies collided causing the three pirates to fly through the hole and to their deaths. While that was going on, The one duelist and Auran were having a showdown. Behind the duelist were the three bodies of the saber men who couldn¡¯t move one step before they were gunned down. Sweat could be seen trickling down the duelists¡¯ neck as he was contemplating his chances of going off against Auran. With a do or die mentality he reached at the end, he pulled the trigger of his revolver consecutively; releasing four bullets. The bullets soared through the air with three of the bullets guaranteed to hit Auran¡¯s body and one at his head. Auran made his move and released his flintlock pistol, firing four bullets faster than the eye can see which intercepted the four rounds. The duelist looked terrified as he saw the flintlock pistol barrel pointed at him. As if he could see down the barrel, he saw the pellet be sparked by gunpowder and released; that was the last thing he saw. Now all that was left was a fire caster and the pirate leader; this was a sudden difference of twelve to two people in a matter of moments. ¡°Arg!¡± The Pirate leader cried in frustration. He turned to the fire caster and roared ¡°Burn it all to the ground! Do it!¡± The fire caster looked at the pirate leader then the group in front of him alternatively before coming to a decision. He clapped his hands together and the balls of fire condensed into one gigantic ball of fire. He then released his hands from its position and waved his hands to create a circle shape in front of him. The fire spiraled and coiled around him as if it were a snake. The fire caster then strode forward, slamming his first step towards Cason and the others. The flame that coiled around him surged ahead starting at the end of the fire near his head. The surging fire flew and began to spiral in a screwing motion; intending to pierce Cason. Cason snickered, opened his mouth and swallowed the flame. It was only after the surge of fire continuously poured into his mouth that he noticed a second surge of flame fire from the bottom and aimed at his heart. Auran who knew he had no way to stop the second surge of fire, removed his flintlock pistol from his holster once more and aimed to shoot at the fire caster. Bam! Before he could even pull the trigger, the fire caster fell with a bullet through his head. Auran turned his head in shock to Chrono who clumsily held the revolver in a firing position; with smoke coming from the barrel of the revolver.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Though the fire caster was dealt with, the second surge of fire still aimed at the heart; continuing the intentions of its now deceased caster. Ise who stood idle threw her head back and screeched forward in the direction of Captain Cason. The sound waves coming from her mouth amplified exponentially with each passing second, causing the surge of fire to weaken and then disperse into the environment. The pirate leader was unfortunate and also got caught in the sound wave which scattered the flames and him out the ship. Auran who already knew what was going to happen closed his ears while Chrono luckily imitated him earlier. Captain Cason who swallowed the last bits of the fire swayed back and forth before falling backward. ¡°Are you guys alright.¡± Captain Cason asked before burping sparks of fire from his mouth. ¡°We¡¯re fine! How about you old man?¡± Ise asked walking over with Chrono followed behind her. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the bridge and make sure the hole in the ship gets repaired and the bodies cleaned,¡± Auran said and walked to the bridge. ¡°I¡¯m fine! I just have a hangover.¡± Captain Cason replied rubbing his forehead. ¡°You were really cool Captain Cason!¡± Chrono said kneeling down near Captain Cason. ¡°You didn¡¯t do so bad yourself kid.¡± Captain Cason said giving a small smile. ¡°Ya! How did you move so fast Chrono? You moved even faster than Auran!¡± Ise said with a stunned look when she thought of the time Chrono shot before Auran. Captain Cason¡¯s eyes which were once thin and dizzy flashed with light, and he sprang upright. ¡°Faster than Auran? Are you sure Ise?¡± Captain Cason turned to ask Ise. Ise nodded her head and looked towards Chrono who had an absent-minded expression. Chrono broke from his expression and exclaimed while looking at Ise with sparkling eyes, ¡°O ya Ise! You were amazing! I didn¡¯t know you can blow fire away. Using only your voice too!¡± Slightly embarrassed Ise played with her feet while looking down and said ¡°It was nothing. I can go even higher than that.¡± ¡°Cool!¡± Chrono said admiring Ise. Captain Cason sighed and shook his head at the bantering of these two. ''Would the trouble be worth it?'' Captain Cason thought. Ever since Chrono came, this is the most he¡¯s heard Ise talk since that time. Plus it seemed like Chrono has abilities and potential himself. If they could groom his talent, the troubles that he brings is offset by the contributions he brings. Coming to a decision, Captain Cason stood up patted his captains navy blue uniform for any dust, gave some parting words to Chrono and Ise, and headed to the bridge. Test Chapter 5 ¡°Captain,¡± Auran greeted Captain Cason while he manned the control panel that controlled the repair bots. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take to do the repairs?¡± Captain Cason asked making his way to his chair. ¡°A large breach in the hull of the ship and some minor damage to interior parts. It¡¯ll take four to five hours captain.¡± Auran answered clicking a few buttons on the control panel; releasing the six repair bots they had to do repairs. After a moment of listening to the hums of the ship, Captain Cason asked: ¡°What do you think of the boy.¡± Auran contemplated for a brief second before saying, ¡°He¡¯s a mighty fine boy with great potential, but¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Captain Cason turned to look at Auran. Auran stopped what he was doing and turned to Captain Cason while leaning back on the control panel. ¡°We don¡¯t know where he is or where he came from, Cason. He got in the ship without us knowing. We even performed Nano Analysis procedures on every container that we had, and yet he managed to enter. Not to mention the¡­¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. No need to continue. Your concerns are the same as mine,¡± Captain Cason interrupted. ¡°So what are we going to do with the boy,¡± Auran asked letting out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of keeping him.¡± Captain Cason answered looking out the bridge window. ¡°Really?¡± Auran raised his head in surprise. ¡®What had gotten into the captain? He was never like this before.¡¯ Auran thought and looked at Captain Cason as if he was an alien. ¡°He¡¯s got potential, and he reminds me of when I was young,¡± Captain Cason replied, ¡°The main reason is that he¡¯s pure. Too pure for this world. He doesn¡¯t even know he killed a man. He probably thinks the man is just sleeping.¡± ¡°That is why, before anyone else gets to him and feeds him the wrong ideas. We¡¯ll raise him to become a worthy human.¡± Captain Cason said looking forward to the future. ¡°He also has Ise; she¡¯ll help guide him as well,¡± Auran added. Both nodded in their hearts and gazed at their headed destination. Chrono and Aura were walking through one of the many corridors in the ship. ¡°Where are we going Ise?¡± Chrono asked following behind her. ¡°I¡¯m going to show you something,¡± Ise said increasing her pace. The two headed up a set of stairs and reached the top. Opening the door, a wave of air zoomed past them, almost causing Chrono to lose his grip on the railings. ¡°Here,¡± Ise said spreading her arms at like a bird. Ise led Chrono past the door and to the outside of the ship. Specifically the roof of the ship that overlooked the skies, and the floating isles.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Wow!¡± Chrono cried out jumping forward in joy. He could see and admire the many floating islands all around them in a much broader view. He could spot the many new creatures he had never seen before. A reptile-like creature that swam in the sky with its large and wide cloth like arms that allowed it to glide in the air. It seemed that the creature was part of the dragon family as it breathed out fire periodically. ¡°Thank you!¡± Chrono said joining Ise who was leaning on the rail. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I thought I would thank you for protecting me.¡± Ise said recalling the time Chrono ¡®risked¡¯ his life and stopped the pirate leader from attacking her. Well, if that were to happen Auran would have shot the bullets out of the air in no time, but the gesture made her smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let them hurt you,¡± Chrono said a bit shyly, and an awkward silence came between them. ¡°Where are we headed to?¡± Chrono asked breaking the silence. ¡°We¡¯re headed to our camp on one of the floating islands here. After storing a few things, we¡¯re going to go to the city to sell the rest of our cargo.¡± Ise replied still keeping her eyes forward. ¡°You¡¯re brilliant,¡± Chrono said giving a smile. ¡°The old man taught me when I was young. He said that incompetence equals death and competence raises glory.¡± Ise replied giving a small sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± Chrono said tilting his head slightly. Ise gave a small smile and removed herself from the railing. She waved Chrono to follow her again, and the two headed down the roof and headed towards the bridge. Chrono and Ise arrived at the bridge with timeliness as the ship closed in on a nearby floating island. The island is similar to the other islands; rich vegetation and thriving jungles and forests with little to no open fields. One distinct difference was the sole towering mountain that lied in the middle of the island. ¡°Follow me once we land.¡± Captain Cason instructed, ¡°Ise you will help store the goods.¡± Ise and Chrono nodded, and the ship landed neatly on a patch of open land. The four of them left the ship through the cargo room with Ise scrolling through a holo-pad and Auran inputting commands on a side panel. Captain Cason walked off without a word towards a fort that attached itself to the side of the mountain and entered through its gates. Chrono who followed a few steps behind Captain Cason and opened the gates that closed behind Captain Cason. Once he was inside the fort, Captain Cason suddenly threw an object to him, and once he had caught the object, Captain Cason struck with a swift and powerful swing. The object that Chrono had caught was a wooden sword which he quickly held with one hand and rather than trying to block the sword that would remind him of the significant physical differences between them, he ducked. As he dodged and saw the curvature the wooden sword made above him, he suddenly flew through the air as Captain Cason turned his body and side-kicked Chrono¡¯s face. Tasting the rubber and dirt from Captain Cason¡¯s boots, Chrono began to spit the flavor from his mouth. He didn¡¯t get rest as Captain Cason followed with an overhead swing, intending to smash Chrono¡¯s head. Chrono dodged once again and rolled to the side only to get kicked in the back mid role causing him to tumble and violently roll several feet back. ¡°Is that all you got, boy?¡± Captain Cason taunted with disdain in his eyes. Chrono looked at Captain Cason and felt weak. He struggled to his feet not wanting to disappoint Captain Cason and saw that he intended to attack once more. Rather than a swing, Captain Cason rushed forward and pulled the wooden sword near his shoulder with the intention of impaling Chrono in his neck. Chrono, faster than he could think, narrowly dodged the thrust and placed his free hand on Captain Cason¡¯s back as he passed by him and added force causing Captain Cason to move farther than he intended. This caused him to tumble which was the only chance that Chrono had. With his wooden sword, he whacked Captain Cason on the nape of his neck causing him to skid on the ground. Exhausted, Chrono stared at Captain Cason¡¯s fallen body and wondered if he had overdone it. Before his next thought could be processed Captain Cason''s body disappeared; Chrono''s eyes filled with bewilderment. ¡°We¡¯ll need to work on your sword handling, but overall you did pretty good kid.¡± Captain Cason¡¯s said appearing behind Chrono, ¡°It¡¯d be best not to push it and get some rest.¡± Hearing him, Chrono nodded and fell backward into Captain Cason¡¯s chest. Captain Cason quickly held Chrono at his shoulders and slowly let him lie on the ground. Slightly blowing air in front of him, a cloud-like substance came from his mouth and floated in front. Captain Cason directed the cloud to the boy, and the cloud lowered itself to Chrono¡¯s body and gently lifted his body up. The cloud then carried Chronos body inside the fort; using its wind as a means to open the door Heart and Soul Chapter 6 Captain Cason routinely hit the training dummy positioned at the end of one of the many training fields outside the fort. Each swing was rhythmic and contained similar portions of strength. He would strike in a one, two, one, two, one, two, three pattern with each beat hitting a different section of the body. One swing would strike the throat and step, then it would transition to thrust to the neck and then another step. He would use his footwork to carry the motions of his attacks adding fluidity but also more energy to his strikes. Finishing up and slightly sweaty, Captain Cason looked to his ship; The Seven Skies Voyager. It wasn¡¯t an original name by any means, but it was one that he treasured. He had seen Ise and Auran finishing up the unloading of the goods and transportation of it back into the fort using hauler bots. Wiping the sweat off his forehead, he made his way to the two. Looking up from her holo-pad, Ise greeted Captain Cason with a nod and entered the last bits of information. Finishing up the final touches, Ise looked at the old man and in response to her silent stare, he said ¡°The boy is in his quarters. Three rooms from yours.¡± Ise nodded and leaped from the crate she was sitting on and hastened her steps to the fort. Auran who stored the last cargo bot back in its pod approached Captain Cason and asked, ¡°So how did he do?¡± ¡°If I described it in one word - fast, ¡± Captain Cason replied ¡°He evaded all my attacks like he saw them before I even moved. If it isn¡¯t for his hesitation, he would have landed quite a few blows on me.¡± Auran raised his brows and nodded in agreement, ¡°He drew his revolver and shot before I could even play my hand on my revolver.¡± ¡°Ha, you must be losing your edge.¡± Captain Cason snickered. For the Deadeye Auran to be outgunned by a boy, who wasn¡¯t even ten. ¡°Might I remind you, I¡¯m the reason for the bullet lodged in your knee,¡± Auran said making a wry smile. Captain Cason shrugged his shoulders and said ¡°It¡¯s only fair,¡± while making sure to look at Auran¡¯s wrists. ¡°Anyways, are you going to teach the boy the arts?¡± Auran asked changing the subject. ¡°No, the boy needs a foundation. The arts I practice have no foundation to practice as it involves self-individuality and only when he finds himself, will he be able to soar.¡± Captain Cason answered.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Instead, I will teach him the basics of the sword, and you will teach him the basics of gunpowder.¡± Captain Cason said detailing his plans. Auran himself was interested in how far Chrono could go, so he nodded his head in response. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve trained, better start again before I embarrass myself in front of him,¡± Auran said drawing not his flintlock pistol but his two revolvers hidden inside his coat. With a series of twelve total bangs, two bullets were lodged in each body part of the dummy: the head, the body, both arms, and the legs. ¡°Show off.¡± Captain Cason said rolling his eyes and continued to practice on his own training dummy. Inside the fort, Chrono laid on his bed in a small room. The room only contained the bed Chrono was sleeping on, a rug in the middle, and a desk and chair to do any work. Similar to his room in the ship minus the window. By his side sitting on a stool was Ise who was quietly looking at him. After a few minutes of her staring at Chrono, she grew bored and began to hum. Despite it being a hum and not full on singing, it was soothing and calming one that would enrapture ears and steal hearts. Inside Chrono¡¯s body, Chrono was floating in the abyss that is his soul. He felt that the world around him was empty. It hurt him, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel his heart being beat down. This world was too similar to one he was all too familiar with. He curled himself like a fetus and couldn¡¯t shake off the darkness that was engulfing his body. At the peak of him being consumed, an angelic sound reverberates throughout his soul. It cleansed him of the evil in his heart and the demons in his soul. Suddenly he felt his body become lighter and he found himself unraveling and back into an upright posture. When he looked above he could see the light - it was his sun - his star in a world of darkness. With its presence above him, he felt as if he was on top of the world and invincible against all adversaries. As he was about to fly up to the light, he suddenly felt something pull his heart. Looking down he could see a chasm that was darker than the darkness that already surrounded him. He felt that if his star hadn¡¯t appeared, he would¡¯ve fallen in the chasm and be lost forever. Struggling against the pull, Chrono used all his strength to claw his way to the light. Inches away from his star¡¯s embrace, Chrono was pulled down with inconceivable strength. ¡°It is far too early for you to venture here my friend.¡± A female voice he recognized said. With the arrival of the voice, he felt the chains that were dragging his heart down vanished in fear. Swift and decisive, he thanked the voice in his heart and embraced his star. ¡°Carry on my dear. I leave you with gifts and my eternal love,¡± the voice said with deep melancholy as she watched Chrono¡¯s retreating figure. Opening his eyes, he expected to see the sky or the cement ceiling of a room. He hadn¡¯t expected to see Ise and in such close proximity. It was only after a few moments of staring and a few blinks that Chrono had realized what he was doing. Releasing himself from Ise¡¯s embrace, Chrono couldn¡¯t help but feel saddened at the leaving warmth and hid under his blanket. Ise couldn¡¯t help but let out a giggle and say ¡°I didn¡¯t mind.¡± After a few moments of Chrono processing what he had just heard, he calmed his beating heart and said: ¡°I-is that so?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Ise responded ¡°Then can I have another hug?¡± Chrono asked slightly lowering his blanket to reveal his silvery white eyes. Ise couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly guilty and helpless. Letting out a small smile Ise said ¡°of course¡± and scooted Chrono to the side. Lifting the blanket, Ise made her comfortable at Chrono¡¯s side and turned to embrace him. Chrono stiffened at Ise¡¯s sudden actions but felt his muscles loosen as he found himself dozing off under her embrace. Making sure to turn to embrace her as well, Chrono and Ise fell together to a land of sheep. Bittersweet Chapter 7 The hairless bird that looked like a shaved cat hollered with its two heads to signify that morning had arrived. Waking due to the noise, Chrono opened his eyes to once again, find himself staring at Ise. Rather than panicking as he did last time, Chrono admired Ise¡¯s sleeping face. He enjoyed how she looked like she was at peace with the world, especially how her hair covered parts of her eye and how her breathing matched his. He was so engrossed in Ise''s face that he hadn¡¯t noticed Auran leaning on the door frame. Shaking his head helplessly, he let out a small cough. Chrono truly believed that it was only him and Ise in the world, and didn¡¯t register Aurans voice. Auran slightly ticked gave a violent cough. Chrono felt his hand slowly go to Ise¡¯s face as he softly caressed her cheeks. Auran who was practically seething placed his hands at his holster and pulled at his revolver. Aiming it to the sky, he pulled the trigger and, BANG. Chrono didn¡¯t even flinch as he brought his head closer to Ise¡¯s and placed his forehead and hers and hugged her tighter. At this point, Auran diffused and couldn¡¯t help but not be mad anymore. He sighed and thought of the time when he was young. Leaving the room, he moved the responsibility of getting them to dinner to Captain Cason. An hour after this event, Ise fluttered her eyes open and saw that Chrono was still asleep. What surprised her was that she was in his embrace as well which caused her heart to beat out of rhythm. Looking at his pretty innocent face though, Ise couldn¡¯t help but let out a radiant smile. She was enthralled by him and was tempted to poke his cheeks. Falling to temptation, Ise slowly poked his cheek and felt her finger smoosh Chrono¡¯s soft and smooth skin. She giggled and was having too much fun to stop. Captain Cason who walked in saw what Ise was doing and rolled his eyes.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Get up! It¡¯s already 11; we have a lot to do!¡± Captain Cason yelled. To his surprise, Ise seemed like she couldn¡¯t hear him and began to pull on Chrono¡¯s cheek while giggling to herself. Captain Cason felt his eyes twitch as he roared upwards ¡°Get up!!!¡± With small flames shooting out from his mouth. Whether it was due to Ise intentionally ignoring him or due to her amusement of Chrono, she didn¡¯t pay attention to Captain Cason. Instead, she placed her hand on Chrono¡¯s cheek and leaned in and kissed his forehead, snuggling back into his embrace. Captain Cason for the first time in his life felt utterly defeated and groaned. ¡°If only I hadn''t spent most of my money.¡± Captain Cason complained to himself and left the two in their own world. Outside the fort, Captain Cason headed towards Auran who was sitting on a dead log at the edge of the island and looked out to the other islands near them. In his hand was a cup of alien wine famed for its strong bitter but savory taste; A Grachery Speciality. ¡°Mind if I join?¡± Captain Cason said with exhaustion in his voice. Now he knew why Auran dragged himself here and drank so early in the morning. Auran nodded and poured Captain Cason a drink. ¡°To adventure, to glory, to being free!¡± The two cheered somberly and swung down the wine Training Chapter 8 ¡°Come on! Put your back into it.¡± Captain Cason yelled swinging downwards. Chrono filled with sweat sidestepped the attack and rotated his body to deliver a roundhouse kick at Captain Cason¡¯s knees. Chrono¡¯s speed was quick and swift as always, but Captain Cason¡¯s reflexes were faster when honed. Captain Cason lifted his legs from the ground and held his sword in on hand. He then screwed his body mid-air and quickly turned to face Chrono. Time seemed to slow as he smiled at Chrono. Chrono flashed with the many memories of being knocked when he saw the usual smile and felt a sting rise up his spine. He was once again going to be hit in the face. As Captain Cason¡¯s body twisted mid-air, Captain Cason swung his wooden sword from below and struck Chrono¡¯s chin with the momentum of the twist. Chrono flew high into the air; his world turning upside down. Not to mention being a six-year-old boy who had barely developed strong bone structure; even an adult would have been knocked unconscious by the blow. Chrono fell to the ground in a mass thud, causing clouds of dust to form at his descent. Captain Cason gave a small smile. The boy was improving faster than he thought he would; just a few moments ago Chrono couldn¡¯t react to 20% of Captain Cason¡¯s speed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re overdoing it?¡± Auran said giving a wry smile. He had seen Chrono get knocked out roughly ten times today. Those ten times he had to douse Chrono in water and watch him repeat the process. ¡°Not at all!¡± Captain Cason laughed putting his hands to his side and stretching. ¡°I feel young again!¡± He hollered satisfied with pink cheeks. Ever since the day Ise ignored him and cuddled with Chrono, he hasn¡¯t shown mercy since. Auran rolled his eyes at the pitiful display of his Captain and tossed another bucket of water on Chrono. Feeling the rush of cold, Chrono¡¯s eye opened with a look of confusion before realizing where he was. He quickly stood up and gave a nodding smile of thanks to Auran before taking a stance once more against Captain Cason. Auran silently whistled to himself after looking at Chrono awaken once more while bursting with energy. Despite the injuries he continuously sustained throughout his fights, he seemed to always recover moments later. This recovery coupled with his speed makes Chrono a problematic adversary to face in the future. For now, though, Chrono is but an infant, and any real expert can quickly deal with Chrono if they choose to not hold back. ¡°Remember what I taught you. Use your momentum and breaths to increase the power of your attacks.¡± Captain Cason instructed and swung at Chrono¡¯s side. Chrono unable to dodge placed his sword blade to his side in an effort to block. The swing nearly went through the sword as Chrono loss grip of the handle. ¡°Your grip isn¡¯t stable and your foundations are weak! Place your right hand higher on the handle and dig your feet down on the dirt!¡± Captain Cason instructed once again and delivered a thrust to Chrono¡¯s chest. Chrono with a better base managed to turn his body in time allowing the thrust to slip past him. Using his elbow, Chrono struck Captain Cason¡¯s stomach as his momentum carried him forward. Chrono would have preferred to hit Captain Cason at his chin to return the favor, but the height difference between the two became Chrono¡¯s number one disadvantage. Any efforts to strike the chin from their position would have cost Chrono energy and power and would have resulted in his loss. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Captain Cason clenched his stomach as Chrono elbowed him and cushioned the blow. With a small smirk, Captain Cason dropped his sword and placed one hand on Chrono¡¯s hand that held his sword and one hand on Chrono¡¯s back. Twisting the wrist of the hand that held the sword, Chrono felt pain course through his arm causing him to drop the wooden sword. Another surge of pain came as the hand that held his back moved him forward and into the face of Captain Cason¡¯s knee. Chrono felt the world turn black once more and fell to his back. Auran couldn¡¯t help but shake his head once more and said: ¡°How about we move on to my expertise?¡± He didn¡¯t want to see Chrono repeatedly beat in an effort to teach him. ¡°Ah, this reminds me of the time I taught.¡± Captain Cason said baring his teeth with bloodthirst at the past memories. Auran shook slightly remembering the meaning and title the old man held; ¡®Mentor of Evil.¡¯. Auran doused Chrono with water once more and led him to the small firing range the fort had. Captain Cason who was wiping himself of sweat watched the two leave. The backs of Auran and a little boy brought a small smile to his face with tiny sparkles at the corners of his eye. Arriving at the armory near the firing range, Auran opened one of the cabinets and showcased Chrono the assortment of weapons they had. ¡°Which one do you prefer?¡± Auran said pointing to the collection. There were pistols of varying types, m1711s, flintlocks, rugars, desert eagles, Colt revolver, you name it, and it was probably in there. Chrono browsed through the collection with an analytical eye, wondering which pistol was right for him. In the end, Chrono opted for Taurus .454 raging bull which was similar to Auran¡¯s Colt Python. ¡°Interesting choice,¡± Auran said eyeing Chrono¡¯s choice. The Taurus .454 raging bull was black all over with silver lining on its handle and parts of the cylinder. To be more specific on its type, it is a .454 casull caliber with a quintessential cartridge and firepower that can stop a buffalo. Auran gave him an approving nod and then went next to a panel on the edge of the firing range. ¡°Choose the distance and whether you want your targets to move from here,¡± Auran said giving a light pat on the panel. ¡°For now, let¡¯s start with 15 meters,¡± Auran said sliding and choosing through the options that appeared on the panel. After clicking start, holographic humanoid figures appeared fifteen meters from them. There were five in total with some of them hiding and popping out of cover repeatedly. ¡°Show me what you got,¡± Auran said leaving the panel and walking to Chrono to show him how to properly hold a revolver of its magnitude. After showing him the grip and stance, Auran allowed Chrono to take the stage. His finger on the trigger while stone steady lined up his shot at his targets. Pressing down on the trigger he fired the Taurus at the closest target and time seemed to slow. He could see the bullet fly across at sonic speeds heading towards its target. Chrono who felt as light as a feather after not having felt the recoil of the gun and in a slow suspension of time, switched his target and fired once more, then again, and again, until the cylinder was empty. Time seemed to start normally once more, and a series of loud booms rang out in succession. Then the sound of impact as all five targets were hit dead center on the head. Auran¡¯s jaw hit the floor after seeing this; it wasn¡¯t even a few seconds that all targets were hit, how fast exactly was he? He was about to praise the Chrono infinitely as his talent was very close to his. But when he saw Chronos jittery figure, shaking hands, and the Taurus on the floor, he knew something was wrong. The five shots had caused Chrono to experience a sudden backlash. Chrono hadn¡¯t expected that after he transitioned to regular time speed his hands would instantly drop the Taurus due to the immediate pressure and force put on his whole body as well as sounds similar to explosions ring in his ears. If it weren¡¯t for his training with Captain Cason, he would have fallen unconscious by now. Though that may not necessarily be a good thing. Favor Chapter 9 After being carefully put into recovery, Chrono lied once more in bed; staring at the stains on the ceiling. Chrono thought back to his training session. Throughout it, he couldn¡¯t talk. It was like a lump got stuck in his throat. He wanted to show himself off and make them proud of him. Yet, it was failure after failure. Giving a small sigh, he focused on the stains on the ceiling and thought ¡®¡®I should clean those later.¡¯ Sitting upright, he stretched his muscles on his arms, neck, and back. Taking a deep breath and a slow and smooth exhale, he got up and walked out of the room. Walking to the dining room, Chrono arrived at a simple wooden door. Opening the door accompanied by a slight creak, Chrono found Auran and Captain Cason sitting around the large round table centered in the room. The contents of their discussion were left unknown to Chrono as they stopped speaking and welcomed Chrono. They pointed to an empty seat across from them and said that Ise was still preparing their meal. Sitting down and quietly waiting for Ise, a few minutes passed, and Ise came with a cart of plates. Each plate had different types of food on it. One dish had bacon, another egg, one pork, one filled with different kinds of vegetables and legumes and lastly a pot of rice. ¡°I usually cook, but Ise was pretty adamant in cooking today''s meal,¡± Auran said giving a teasing smile towards Ise. Slightly blushing while slightly glaring at Auran, Ise placed the meals on the table and passed everyone¡¯s plates around; naturally giving Auran the plate last. Sitting down next to Chrono, Ise silently watches Chrono as he shyly grabbed a piece or two of each plate and a huge scoop of rice. Once everyone had food on their table, the three thanked Ise and dug in. Instantly Captain Cason and Auran¡¯s faces filled with endless bliss and heavenly joy. They ravaged the food on their plate and moved to get more servings. Ise didn¡¯t pay attention to the two and watched Chrono as he clumsily took the fork and spoon and cut a part of pork and piece of bacon and put the two onto a spoon filled with rice. Lifting the spoon to his mouth, Chrono took a sizeable bite and savored the flavor unlike the other two who gulped it down. Seeing Chrono¡¯s red face that enjoyed every single taste that entered his mouth, Ise was beyond gratified and couldn¡¯t help but tap Chrono¡¯s shoulder after he finishes eating. Ise held a spoonful of rice covered in rich yolk and the white part of the egg near Chrono¡¯s face. ¡°Aaah.¡± Ise sounded out. Chrono, a little bashful, opened his mouth and let the spoon enter his mouth. With a small bite, Chrono ate the contents of the spoon while looking at Ise¡¯s eager eyes. Giving one more chew, Chrono swallowed and shyly said: ¡°Thank you.¡± The dinner continued with Chrono and Ise bonding with one another while Captain Cason and Auran who had finished their meal helplessly look on. After Chrono and Ise finished eating their meal, Captain Cason began to speak ¡°After a few days we will be heading out to the city and will be staying there for a week.¡± ¡°City?¡± Chrono asked. Aside from the Isle they were on, the fort, and the Seven Skies Voyager, Chrono hadn¡¯t been anywhere else. ¡°It¡¯s one of the main cities of the sky region were in. Xicram, the city of the Azure sky.¡± Auran said.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. While Chrono looked somewhat amazed, Ise asked: ¡°Why are we staying there for a week?¡± In their past journeys, the three had never stayed in a place too long. Only buying and selling the goods and quickly departing. This was due to a majority of reasons, mainly because the three didn¡¯t want to attract any attention to themselves. That is why they barely visit a location two to three times a row. Last time they did that, an incident blew out of proportions and let¡¯s just say the real-estate prices in the area plummeted. ¡°Last night I received a message from a friend. He said that he has a part we¡¯re missing,¡± Captain Cason answered, ¡°The catch is that he wants us to do a little favor for him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ise asked. Captain Cason sighed, and this time Auran answered: ¡°We have to break his friend out of prison.¡± Ise opened her eyes in bewilderment, ¡°Are you sure this is even worth it?¡± Ise asked. ¡°The part he has is fully functional and is up to the latest prototype. Though normally if this were the case, we wouldn¡¯t have taken the deal, the deal breaker is his friend that we¡¯re supposed to break out is an Aerial Machinery Engineer. He promised to make a few upgrades around the ship that we could really use.¡± Captain Cason answered scratching his head in slight frustration. ¡°What¡¯s a prison?¡± Chrono who was trying to catch up on the conversation asked. ¡°It¡¯s where bad people go to.¡± Auran tried to explain. ¡°Then why are we breaking a bad person out?¡± Chrono asked. ¡°Sometimes, not everyone in prison is bad,¡± Captain Cason explained, ¡°Remember Chrono, people have their reasons, and it¡¯s up to you decide whether you think they¡¯re reasons are good or not. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Chrono said taking Captain Cason¡¯s words to heart. ¡°That is why we¡¯re going to continue our training.¡± Captain Cason continued. Chrono slightly winced but steadily regained his composure. ¡°Ya!¡± Chrono enthusiastically agreed and followed Captain Cason out. At the door, Chrono turned around and smiled at Ise and gave her a goodbye wave. Ise gave a small smile and waved back. ¡°Are you beginning to train again?¡± Auran asked eyeing Ise. Ise who sat silently for a few moments and nodded her head. Now with Chrono here, the two would find it harder to help defend the two of them if need be, so Ise was thinking of becoming stronger to alleviate the burden they had. The other reason that Ise had that was buried in her heart was the words ¡®Cool!¡¯ that Chrono said to her when she first showcased her power to him. She wanted to be praised more, and so she used that motivation to train. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Auran said giving an approving nod, ¡°Even though you have your bloodline. That can only get you so far without training. Even if it¡¯s high grade.¡± Taking in Auran¡¯s words, Ise contemplated her mere existence and the clan that she belonged to. The clan that suddenly ceased to exist. ¡°Take care, I believe that you¡¯ll soar higher than all your ancestors,¡± Auran said giving words of encouragement before walking out to the training area. ¡®The clan of Music and Melody. The Sea of Voices and the Sky of Songs.¡¯ Ise reminisced before walking out as well and headed the Cave of Melodies. Golden Light Chapter 10 Five days flashed in a heart-beat, and the group of four found themselves sailing towards Xicram. During those five days, under the strenuous and mentally exhausting training, Chrono built his resilience and skill enough for the approval of Captain Cason and Auran. As for Ise, she was cultivating herself in the Cave of Melodies. Her bloodline to be exact. The Cave of Melodies in face value is but a simple cave one could find anywhere. The reason for its name is the natural phenomenon that occurs inside the cave. The condensation of water and the drippage from the ceiling. When someone with Siren¡¯s bloodline focused and honed on the dripping of water - it¡¯s rhyme, frequencies, and pitches - Siren can strengthen the essence of her voice. Though this training is considered primitive by her ancestors, it was an effective method for Ise to enhance her power and gave her the rights to go on the journey with them. The distance from their home base and Xicram was a ten-day journey which the crew put to good use. Due to Captain Cason and Auran being poor in their academics, Ise tutored Chrono of the world and the many races, factions, and places in the world using the many books she collected over the years. While Ise tutored, Captain Cason dealt with flying and Auran dealt with the maintenance of the ship. Ise and Chrono were hunkered down in Chrono¡¯s room with Chrono and Ise sitting side by side facing the desk. Pointing to the text on a heavy duty book filled with an abundance of pages, Ise lectured. ¡°We are currently in the Kuki Empire. It is one of the many empires and an empire that lies somewhat in the middle regarding power. It is located at the edge of Woodland Dusk and the Myriad sea!¡± ¡°Sea?¡± Chrono¡¯s eyes lit up ¡°We should go visit the sea sometime!¡± Ise nodded her head, ¡°We¡¯ve only been there once, but it¡¯s beautiful. Especially Brinbreeze falls!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± Chrono said delightedly. Reading through the books thick text, he pointed to a section in curiosity. ¡°Au-to-ma-tons?¡± ¡°Automatons.¡± Ise corrected, ¡°They¡¯re robots.¡± ¡°Robots!?¡± ¡°They¡¯re like us, but they¡¯re also like the ship.¡± Ise described ¡°They look like us, but the way they move, speak, and eat, it¡¯s all mechanical.¡± ¡°Mechanical? They have metal moving inside them?¡± Chrono said agaped. Ise nodded her head and turned a few pages in the book. To the left of the book was a design of an automaton. The automaton was a ballerina automaton who was raising one of her legs high into the air. In the space around the automaton were parts and gears that pointed to different parts of the automaton, with a brief description of what each part does. ¡°My head hurts,¡± Chrono said grasping his head in slight pain. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Ise smiled and rubbed his forehead.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Chrono nodded and stared into her eyes in contemplation for a while until he asked ¡°Are they like us? Are they alive?¡± Ise was silent. Disregarding his overthinking question, thinking about it, she asked herself the same thing during her study. But she hadn¡¯t put deep thought into it. They were made of metal, gears, and all other assortments. They didn¡¯t have bones, skin, blood, or even a brain. Though they could speak, eat, and drink, they didn¡¯t exhibit emotions one would find in a living being. She knew in her heart that they were alive, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to fully accepting that notion. Maybe it was due to her past; her stoic expression she always had on. If another person had asked Ise before she met Chrono, she would¡¯ve immediately said that those who didn¡¯t show emotions weren¡¯t alive or at least human. They were monsters. Now she was conflicted. Left in a trance Ise gazed off into the distance until Chrono spoke. ¡°I think they¡¯re human.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Ise asked curiously. She wanted to know how he came to a conclusion so fast. ¡°I just do.¡± Chrono answered ¡°It shouldn¡¯t matter if they don¡¯t look exactly like us. As long as we can talk to each other, I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be lonely anymore.¡± Ise took in Chrono¡¯s words to heart and recalled the little experiences he had since arriving here. Ise gave a small smile and moved on from the conversation. ¡°Since you know the basics of the world. Let¡¯s talk about Xicram.¡± Ise said flipping past a number of pages. ¡°Xicram, the city of the Azure Sky, the Empyrean Halo. Xicram is a major economic force in the Kuki Empire with the focus of jewelry and gems. Due to border disputes between the Kuki Empire and the Yinyia Empire, Xicram was the location of many battles. One of the most famous and major battles being the Golden Light. To defend from an approaching armada, the Kuki Empire sent what it could; a fleet of four Golden Battlecruisers armed with heavy weaponry. The fight began at the strike of dawn with the Yinyia armada outnumbering the Kuki empire four to one. A hopeless battle meant to delay the fleet as best as it can until reinforcements arrived. Through a miracle, the light from the rising sun struck the golden plates of the battlecruiser causing a strong blinding light to hit the Yinyia armada. The light gave the Kuki fleet the advantage they needed to defeat the Armada. As a result of the light, the Kuki empire achieved its first devastating victory over Yinyia. Causing Yinyia to lose all but three ships while Kuki only lost one of its battlecruisers which is now displayed in the National Museum. ¡°Cool!¡± Chrono cheered as he envisioned himself in the battlecruiser. Though there was one thing that confused him ¡°How did the light blind them from so far away?¡± Chrono in his free time would gaze through his window or walk around the roof of the airship. At times the light would reflect from the metal plates, but never enough to impede his vision to the extent that he couldn¡¯t move. ¡°That¡¯s one of the many mysteries of the battle!¡± Ise said ¡°How did a reflective light do so much damage that it could cause a one-sided slaughter. Why did at the crucial moment after the lights effect faded from their eyes that their weapons were non-functioning?¡± Chrono nodded and asked himself these questions, but he couldn¡¯t find an answer that was reasonable. ¡°Though it was five years ago, the questions regarding the event are plentiful. These questions are what makes history fun.¡± Ise smiled, ¡°Learning of the past while contemplating the many questions that it brings.¡± ¡°Do we have history?¡± Chrono asked innocently. Having just been introduced to it, history seemed so profound to him. He wondered if he could truly be included in the many pages of the book they were reading. Ise misinterpreted Chrono and slightly blushed. ¡°O-of course we do.¡± She said as quiet as a mouse and held her head down. ¡°Ise?¡± Chrono asked moving his head to get a better look at Ise¡¯s face. ¡°Anyways! It¡¯s almost time for dinner.¡± Ise squealed and got up and paced herself towards the door. Opening the door with one of her feet out, Ise turned around and said ¡°Make sure to read about the regions.¡± before gently closing the door behind her.