It has apparently been three decades since our tribe migrated to this island.

The trees and plants are young, but they provide enough food for the entire tribe on rough hunting days when the only thing we were able to hunt were tiny birds.

Tiki Island, as the elders of our tribe called it, was a great place to live, and my healthy, recently matured body is proof of this.

I have enough strength to lift significantly heavier than the women, speed to flee from mighty beasts, intellect to set up traps and discern whether it is safe to continue hunting or not, and stamina to last throughout an entire day of work.

A significant part of our survival was apparently the natural runes in our body, however, so we must nourish them through sorcery.

The others and I of the same generation were now of age, and the tribe's head shaman would be teaching us sorcery soon.

But I, Hal, have a secret.

Yesternight, I entered the forbidden sacred temple where only the strongest warriors of the tribe were allowed to enter.

All I saw inside was darkness…one my eyes couldn't see through, and I was among the select few who had the sharpest and most reliable sight.

I touched something inside.

The moment I did, memories suddenly flooded my brain, and my head hurt to the point I lost consciousness.

I survived, though.

I now stand in front of the sea, appreciating its beauty while waiting for the head shaman's summons.

The memories I gained were strange, but they granted me powers, ones that probably even the head shaman couldn't imagine.

Yes…

I can now use sorcery. Not just simple sorcery, but one at a level that never existed in the history of our tribe.

I suddenly became the tribe's strongest warrior.

However, only I know of this, and I don't plan on letting anyone know, especially since the tension between the chief's lineage and his brother's is high.

I fear something bad will happen.

But I'm ready…

With the help of this newfound power given to me, I shall ensure the peace of our tribe will never be shaken.

I will be…

My thoughts, however, were disrupted by none other than her.

Of course it's her…

"Hal! I've been looking for you all over the island! Quick, come! The head shaman had summoned us thousands of breaths ago! We'll be punished, you idiot! The assigned hunters have caught a deer beast! I don't want to miss out on such rare meat! Quick!"

"Hmm? Lionna, why are you always panicking? It's just deer meat. Boar meat is way better, no?"

"Hmph! For you! Boar meat is common, deer meat is rarer, hence it's more delicious! Also, aren't you excited? The head shaman will finally teach us sorcery today!"

I only gaze at her enthusiasm, as I had lost it just this morning.

What could the head shaman possibly teach me?

I'm far stronger than that elder now…

"Fine, fine, I'm coming, you go back first. Tell the head shaman it's all my fault that you got late since you looked for me."

"Aihh…what the hell are you saying? Just come with me!"

Lionna grabbed my wrist and began dragging me back to the warrior's practice field.

I truly wonder why she can't leave me alone even when I told her I'll be fine…

Of course, what could I do except go with her?

The head shaman was naturally displeased by my late arrival, but the elder, surprisingly, had more patience than I imagined, allowing Lionna and me to join the class with nothing but a reprimand that exited my right ear almost as soon as it entered my left.

The sorcery training was, as expected, boring.

A small ball of flame?

Hmph! I can even shoot a big, powerful, and fast one now. Unfortunately, I have to keep this a secret.

I would probably capture Enah's heart with my current skills in sorcery…

But I must not for now, as this is not the right time to reveal my power.

I feigned enthusiasm and lack of talent until the end of the first training session.

Fortunately, not being able to succeed on your first day seemed to be considered normal by the head shaman, so I wasn't labeled unworthy of the head shaman's teachings.

At least not yet…

An hour later came Lionna's much-awaited dinner.

She seemed very happy, biting on a huge chunk after luckily securing an entire front leg for herself.

I, my father, mother, and little sister happily ate in front of the fire, too.

The night was proceeding peacefully.

At least in our tiny hearth's grounds…

Only my, Lionna's, and five other families are members of the eleventh hearth of our tribe.

Enah's family lives quite a distance from mine, in the seventh hearth.

We in the eleventh hearth were quite close to each other, so we always roast the meat in one huge fire and eat together, chatting and laughing happily with the other members.

The night passed just like this.

After filling our stomachs and refreshing ourselves with fruits and water, we returned to our modest shack—barely enough to house a family of four.

Our humble home didn't have separate spaces, just one big area where we prepared tied leaf stacks and slept together.

We did the same tonight, just like we had done the night before, and every night before that.

Our family wished each other a restful slumber, then drifted off individually.

My little sister, Acca, always sleeps the earliest, then my mother, then me, and finally my father, who stays up the latest to ensure the surroundings are free of beasts before he rests.

Dalo is an amazing father and member of the tribe.

He's stronger and smarter than the average father, and he looks better than they do, too. My mother, Eha, is smitten with him to this day.

I'm quite proud to be his son. One day, I, too, will be like him.

Unfortunately, I didn't expect that tonight would be the last peaceful night our family would spend together.

I should've cherished the moment more...