"There's a story you need to know. It's a long one. Bear with me."

She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"Just 3-4 weeks ago, this place was nothing like the sanctuary you see now. It was crumbling, barely held together, and everything was under the control of a man named Hughes. He wasn't always the monster people remember him as. When Siddharth, Hughes, and I first arrived, we worked together as equals. We were desperate, trying to build something from nothing in the middle of this hell. The goal was simple—survive, gather the scattered survivors on the island, and create a refuge. There was no structure and no easily obtained resources. Just the will to live and the hope that maybe we could make this place sustainable.

At first, it felt like we were making real progress. We built cottages, brought in people who needed protection, and rationed the food obtained from the sharks. But something changed in Hughes. Survival wasn't enough for him anymore. He wanted control—absolute control. It began small: more rules, tighter discipline. He silenced anyone who questioned him, using the excuse that they were jeopardizing our safety. He convinced us his way was the only way forward. And for a time, some of us believed him.

But as the days passed, Hughes' grip tightened. His punishments became harsher, more frequent. It was no longer about order—it was about domination. Fear became his weapon of choice. He humiliated those who defied him, made examples of them in front of everyone, and people stopped questioning him. Not because they agreed with him, but because they were afraid. No one wanted to be the next victim of his so-called discipline.

Hughes stopped seeing the survivors as people. They became tools, assets to control and manipulate for his own gain. The power he craved grew, feeding his ego, turning him more ruthless with every passing day. This oasis was no longer a safe haven—it was his personal fiefdom, and we were his subjects. What had begun as leadership turned into a reign of tyranny. Survival was no longer the goal. Submission was. And anyone who didn't bend to his will paid dearly for it."

Her expression hardened as she paused, choosing her next words carefully. "There were whispers about Hughes. Things said in hushed tones, rumors that circulated when no one else was listening. Too many people were afraid to speak openly. But eventually, we found out the truth. Two women had fallen victim to his darker desires. And they weren't the first. Once Siddharth and I learned what was really happening, we knew we couldn't let it continue. Something had to be done."

Chiara's jaw tightened. "We couldn't risk open rebellion at first. He had too many loyalists, and those who questioned him were afraid. So we planned in secret. We gathered people who saw through his façade, who wanted change. But Hughes wasn't an idiot. He sensed the shift, and before we could act, he made his move. He captured Ayu."

Alonso's blood ran cold, and a wave of anger surged through him. His fists clenched involuntarily, and he felt his heart pound in his chest. He forced himself to stay quiet, but every muscle in his body tensed, his breath coming out in slow, controlled bursts.

Chiara's eyes flickered with a cold, distant memory, unaware of Alonso's reaction. "She had fought him, but Hughes wasn't just strong, he was vicious. He beat her down, tried to break her will, and dragged her away. I knew what he intended to do. Everyone knew. And it sickened me to the core. I wasn't going to let that happen. I couldn't."

Fuck this Hughes! Right now, he wished he could revive that asshole and kill him again. If not for respect for Chiara, and knowing this was in the past, he would have just wanted to punch something to release the steam.

Chiara's tone grew sharper, the edge of her voice cutting through the room, her eyes still somewhere else as the memories surfaced and a tinge of anger appeared on her face. "I broke in, alone. There wasn't time to plan or think—just act. By the time I got to Ayu, she was on the floor, barely conscious. Hughes… well, let's just say he didn't get to do what he planned." She didn't elaborate, the unspoken truth hanging in the air. "I got Ayu out, and that was the turning point. It was war from that moment on."

For some reason, Alonso felt a strong wave of relief, but the anger didn't subside, even though his impression of Chiara had grown by no small margin.

Her eyes narrowed as she recounted the battle that followed. "The rebellion was brutal. Hughes' enforcers were ruthless, trained killers, but we had Siddharth. He wasn't just a leader, he was a symbol. People looked to him for guidance, for hope. He led the charge, cutting down Hughes' men like they were nothing. Every swing of his swords was a message—freedom or death."

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Siddharth became a hero that day, whether he wanted to or not," Chiara said, her voice carrying the weight of truth. "He didn't kill because he enjoyed it, but because it was the only way to save this place. And people saw that. They saw him stand against Hughes' tyranny and fight for them. They saw him become the leader Hughes never could be."

Her voice softened slightly, a tinge of reluctance seeping in. "And me? I fought too. I didn't want to lead, didn't want to be the one people turned to for answers or guidance. But it didn't matter what I wanted. After we killed Hughes, the Oasis was fractured, vulnerable. It needed leadership. Siddharth saw that clearer than anyone. But he knew that concentrating power in the hands of one person—no matter how well-intentioned—wasn't the answer. It was dangerous, and after what we'd been through, no one wanted to risk creating another Hughes."

Chiara glanced away, her expression momentarily distant, before locking eyes with Alonso again. "So we made a decision. We formed two factions—his and mine. Not because we wanted to divide the Oasis or create conflict, but because it was the best way to prevent another tyranny."

She leaned forward slightly, her tone growing more reflective. "The divisions happened naturally. It wasn't intentional. The two main populations on the island—Chinese and Indians—split, with the former aligning with me and the latter joining Siddharth. After that, people slowly began choosing sides, though more eventually leaned toward Siddharth. Not that I cared much. For me, leadership is a burden, something I would prefer not to have. Heck, I was quite the nerd back on Earth. But I understand the role I must play and the dangers of avoiding it."

"After that, we gathered everyone and made it clear—the factions, though separate, were united. We ensured people understood that Siddharth and I were aligned in our goals. We would pursue the same path for the Oasis: finding a way out, finding an escape. We established rules—clear and non-negotiable. The most important was that murder would be met with death or trial by combat with one of us. As for assault, there wouldn't even be a trial by combat for that. It was harsh, but necessary. We had to create order, or everything would descend into chaos."

Chiara shifted slightly, her expression hardening as she continued. "We also mobilized the survivors, sending patrols to scour the island, gathering anyone who was lost or struggling, bringing them back to the Oasis. We set up patrols along the borders, keeping an eye on newcomers, controlling who entered and who left. We thought we were building something stable, a system to maintain peace."

She paused, sighing heavily, and then turned her gaze to Alonso. "Something I can now confirm was a mistake. The patrols... they've created more problems than they solved. Instead of welcoming people in, we inadvertently became gatekeepers. I didn't see it at first, but looking back, I realize it created tension, distrust. And worst of all, we missed the real dangers—the ones who couldn't be controlled by rules or borders, who wouldn't submit even if faced by a squad of three. We forgot to consider people like you."

Her voice dropped, the weight of the last words pressing on both of them. "And now we've paid the price."

Alonso remained silent, though he was shocked by the story. It explained so many things. It all just… clicked. The reason why Siddharth was so loved, the reason there were two factions, the reason why Chiara, even if she didn't strike him as a leader, held that position, and the order that seemed to reign in the Oasis.

"Seems like while you were training your now not-so-reliable Fake Reality, a whole tyranny and revolution were happening here. Talk about being an outlier," Houston mused.

But the whole process—it was rather quick. Was it accelerated because of the conditions, the people, or perhaps both? In any case, it was certainly a story. He considered asking Chiara why he hadn't been told this before but quickly dismissed the idea. He had a guess why.

Chiara seemed to be giving him time to gather his thoughts as she remained silent, waiting.

Alonso looked at her but was unsure of what to say. It was a lot of information to process. But then the part concerning Ayu resurfaced. He felt a deep anger and hatred, but… he hadn't been there. What right did he have to give an opinion on the past? And the worst outcome had been avoided; he could still see a strong Ayu even now, though the story perhaps shed a bit more light on her highly emotional state of mind.

She was indeed a very strong woman.

But then he suddenly remembered the clues he and Houston had gathered, and the suspicions they had. He still recalled the words mentioned: the alien trials Oleg talked about, the unity in the Oasis, the so-called Tower Chiara had mentioned in passing when they talked before the duel. He knew there was more he was unaware of. And today, before he decided on the steps to follow, he needed answers to all those questions.

"That explains many things. But I believe there's one more story you want to tell?"

Chiara was slightly taken aback, but then the seriousness returned to her face. "Yes. There is."

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