A warm sensation, as well as the feeling of touching hair, the boy jerked up panicky from the floor with drops of cold sweat flowing from his forehead. He hurriedly left the room and returned, holding a lightened candle in his hand that brightened the room a little. A woman was lying face down at its center, surrounded by scattered opened books, a sight that almost made the boy drop his candle.
She is alive, he thought as he checked her breathing, putting the candle on the floor and trying to raise her and put her on the bed. He was exhausted, though. Carrying the woman until the bed, he could hardly keep his footing, collapsing, in the end, on the bitterly cold floor.
No! I have to get up!
However, his body wouldn't listen to him. He was devoid of strength.
"I have to get up! I have to get up..." He kept on muttering as his eyelids began to close.
...
...
"Wake up, sleepyhead! It's already morning!" The Great Shaman shouted with a singing voice.
"That geezer... Ouch! My body hurts everywhere."
Seeing Sirius's sleepy expression become pained and then start yawning again, a small laugh escaped from the man's mouth.
"I heard that you finally made some new friends. I was a little worried when I saw in what kind of state you returned yesterday, but I guess you just played a little more than usual?"
"Is this how friends play with each other here? No, more importantly, how do you even know what happened yesterday?"
"Haha, I'll leave that to your imagination. Don't worry! Starting today, you'll learn how to put some fight, or at least become more durable..." The Great Shaman commented with a mysterious smile while gesturing at the boy to sit at the table.
Do they plan on torturing me? Sirius shivered upon thinking of the imminent training he would start today.
"By the way, I'll have to leave for a few days, so you'll have to take care of yourself on your own for a little time. I have agreed with a woman from the village to bring you food every day. The problem is..."
"Don't worry about me. I can handle several nights," Sirius suddenly said, knowing why the Great Shaman was anxious about leaving him alone.
"Don't be stubborn and listen to me. I have already talked to your friend's parents, I am talking about that girl, Nerida, and you can stay over there until I return."
Sirius felt a little touched. The Great Shaman never stopped looking after him despite the problems he had created for him. For one year, he remained by his side, holding his hand at night until he fell asleep, delaying his many responsibilities in order not to leave him alone.
"No... Let me try! Please! If I become afraid of the darkness again, I promise I'll go to Nerida then."
"Why do you continue being stubborn about this! You have no reason..."
"I can't keep on being scared. I have to stop running away from my fears, or I'll never become strong. Please... Father!"
This boy...
It was the first time he called him like that. Not calling him a geezer or old man, but a father. How hard he had tried to win his trust, only he knew the answer.
"Alright, alright. Leave! You shouldn't make the Chief wait for you."
"Have a nice trip, old man," with the man's consent, Sirius hurriedly exited the hut with a triumphant smile on his face.
"What I'll do with him," the Great Shaman muttered while wiping the tears from his eyes.
...
...
Walking through the village had been one of Sirius's favorite diversions since his first day in the tribe. He loved the liveness of the outside, the picturesque scenery of lush green around him, but most importantly, how his strolling reminded him every time that he had escaped from his prison, his previous world. The village wasn't that big, allowing him to quickly become familiar with its structure, knowing his destination's exact location. The Chief's house was located at its center and was the largest house in the whole village. It was made of wood, and like the other buildings, it was built around a circular courtyard. The villagers' main occupations were hunting and fishing, while they were also farming in their yards. They lived a self-sufficient life, peaceful and enviable.
Sirius began hearing shouts as he approached the house. Walking closer towards its courtyard, he saw a muscular man with tattoos on his whole body yelling at two boys. Despite he could only see their backs because of their position, Sirius still recognized one of them as he was the one he fought with yesterday, Ajamu. His steps also attracted the attention of the trio, making them turn their heads to the boy.
"What are you doing here!" Ajamu shouted upon seeing Sirius, but a punch suddenly landed on the top of his head.
"Stop embarrassing me, idiot, and shut up!" The muscular man roared at him before turning to the boy with a big smile.
"You must be, Astar! I remember your face from when you landed that night from the skies. I wanted to meet you sooner, but I never found the time to do it in the end.
"No, it is this youngster's fault for not coming to pay my respects even though I have been in the village for almost a year," Sirius hurriedly said while lowering his head.
"Haha, you have a silver tongue, don't you? Speaking so eloquently in only one year, you are truly amazing! I wish my two sons to become as smart as you one day, but that is just wishful thinking," the man said with a laugh.
"Maybe because we took after you," the other boy muttered softly. Unfortunately for him, the man's hearing seemed to be sharp as he threw him a punch similar to one he gave to Ajamu.
"What will I do with these two... Anyway! I am glad that you are here, Astar! Come inside! Hey, Juno, Sarah! We have visitors! Come out!"
What a delightful person! Sirius thought as he entered. Seeing how nicely the man bullied Ajamu, he had already formed a favorable impression of him.
At the same time, one woman and one girl also came out from the wooden house. The boy could hardly contain his amazement when he saw them. Not because of their stunning beauty or their porcelain, doll-like faces, but because of their hair's peculiar, navy-blue color. It didn't look like a fake. No, it was undoubtedly their natural color, transfusing them an ethereal feeling, like they were fairies that came out directly from a fairy tale.
"Hey, bastard! Don't leer at my sister like that," Ajamu, who noticed Sirius's astonishment snarled as he poked him with his elbow. That guy had already taken his woman from him, now he wanted and his sister? He was indeed a beast!
"Didn't I tell you to shut up? What's the matter with you? You are more annoying than usual," the man sighed while giving him another punch.
"Astar, this is my wife, Juno, and my daughter, Sarah, and these two are my sons, Anders and Ajamu, who I think you should already know," the Chief said with a provocative smile that Sirius found irritating. There was no doubt that the last part of the sentence was an intimation for yesterday's incident. Not even a day had passed since then. How did everyone know?
"As for that boy, his name is Astar. You have probably already heard stories about him. Since I have not immediate responsibilities these days, I plan to train him from today onwards.
"What? You'll train him?" Ajamu couldn't help than shout, instantly regretting his words and trying to guard his head, but the Chief just stared at him with amusement this time.
"Yes! It would be best if you gave your all in training from here on. You wouldn't want him to surpass you, right?"
"There is no way something like this can happen," he replied casually but was actually staring dagger at Sirius.
"Please, forgive that boy, Astar. He has grown up used to be admired by his peers, making him arrogant, but he is, in reality, a kind boy," Juno said softly while looking at Ajamu with affection.
Witnessing the family's warmth, Sirius couldn't help than feel jealous. It was like admiring a beautiful painting from afar, only watching from a distance, but being incapable of being part of it. He was hungry for love and affection but was forced to stay alone for most of his life instead. This night wouldn't be different. When he returns to the hut, the Great Shaman won't be there this time.
"I think that's enough for the introductions. Let's talk about you now, Astar. Honestly, your body is in a worse condition than I initially thought. For now, the most important thing is to make your body become used in training. Since it's the first day, I won't be cruel to you."
That is a relief! That geezer must have wanted to scare me!
"Let's do a warm-up with a little running. Let's see... How about running around the village ten times?"
"What?"
It was around 490 BC when the Athenian army, aided by Plataea, blocked the numerous soldiers of the Persian Empire at Marathon. Later, it would be recognized as one of the most critical fights of ancient times. The first reason was that Athens' victory gave time for the Greeks to prepare for the imminent invasion of the Persians. Secondly, because if the Athenians hadn't won, then no one could have stopped this mighty army in the whole of Europe at that age. As the General of the Athenian army, Miltiades realized that they would win the fight during the battle. He assigned Pheidippides, one of his soldiers, to announce their victory to Athens. The same man was tasked with requesting Sparta's help, running around 250 kilometers in two days and then returning, adding another 40 kilometers to reach the battlefield from Athens. Although he was a professional long-distance runner, he died, in the end, from the exhaustion during his victory announcement to the magistrates in session. Insp
"One! Two! Three! Again! One! Two! You are bad at this, huh?" Anders commented as he looked at the boy who had just fallen on the ground."The moves are too complicated. I also don't understand why I need to learn dancing," Sirius replied while patting his clothes in a try to remove the dust from them."It's not just dancing, I told you. These are exercises that will strengthen your body, giving you at the same time flexibility. Watch!" Anders said and took a fighting stance. He first punched the air with a force that was so strong that it even created a sound. He bent down next, making a sidekick and rolling backward over his shoulder before standing back to his feet, all these in a few seconds."The proficiency to move your body in whatever means you want to is essential in battle," he continued with a proud expression."Wow! That was amazing! You look stronger than Ajamu," Sirius couldn't help than remark with admiration.
"I see... Does that mean that I'll have to participate?" Sirius's voice contained a little anxiousness as he said that. Not only he didn't like fighting, but he also knew he couldn't contend with other people as he was now."Of course not. You haven't even done your awaking day yet. How can you win against others? The people of the Tiger tribe may not be as strong as us, but they are far from weaklings.""I am not a weakling. It is your power that is supernatural.""Haha, it's because we follow the path of the warrior," Anders commented with a laugh."I-I am sure that Astar will also become strong one day. He is the most determined person I have ever seen!" Sarah suddenly said, having awakened from her daydreaming."It's true that he is not your average person. I have never seen someone as desperate as you. That day is still giving me chills when I think about it," Anders also seemed to agree with the girl, recalling the boy
"Are you alright, boy? Wake up! Do you hear me? Wake up!"The boy slowly opened his eyes as bright rays of light welcomed him. How long had he been dreaming? It was a long nightmare, almost eternal. He was alone, running desperately in the darkness. Everyone was dead. Only he had remained. The sole survivor in a ruined world. Was it a nightmare, though, or the precognition of a possible future? He didn't care. He already knew what destiny held for him, an inescapable trap he couldn't avoid."Did you finally wake up? You like to take your time, eh?"Who was that? The boy turned his head toward the voice, scared, facing the woman who was staring at him. She had short gray hair and a pair of big round eyes. Although her face was young, its harshness disclosed the struggles and the suffering she had incurred, making her look older.It was her! The woman he had tried to help! So, she was alright! However, the boy started to feel regret. Why d
"Well, well, you are here. How was your journey?" The Chief welcomed with a smile the Great Shaman who had come together with Sirius at his house."It was fruitful. Shall we talk about it in private?""Come inside! Guys, you'll have to train alone again today. Don't laze around!" He said with a stern voice and gestured to the Great Shaman to follow him.The two men entered the house, whose decoration was simple, having inside only the bare necessities. If there was something that was sticking out, it was the countless heads of beasts that decorated the walls of the building, trophies the Chief had earned during his hunting days."It's been a while, Great Shaman," Juno, who had just got out of the kitchen, lowered her head respectfully."Nice to see you again, Juno. Every time I see you, you look more beautiful.""Don't flirt with my wife, old man. Have some consideration of your age," the Chief commented w
"How many laps you think you'll make today?""All of the ten," Sirius's voice contained confidence this time. He was running like there would be no tomorrow the past two weeks. Today, he truly felt he would finally achieve his personal goal."Where is Ajamu, by the way? I haven't seen him today," the boy wondered. He would see him almost every morning, but because he usually finished far too sooner than them, the two of them rarely talked to each other. However, it was the first time he didn't see him at all the whole day."He woke up unusually early today. Having finished with his training, he went somewhere together with his friends. Why? Did you miss him?" Anders asked while carrying a mocking smile."Yes! As much as he misses me every day," Sirius replied ironically. The two of them were incompatible, like water and fire. The only reason they conversed sometimes was that Ajamu wanted periodically to mock him during the training. Luck
"Look! It's him! The boy who slew the beast!""He is so skinny! How did he do it?""Hey, Astar! Come! I have just collected some fruit. You want some?"Sirius wanted to run away as much quickly as he could. On his way to the Chief's house, the villagers would often detect him during their works, cheering him with loud voices, making the poor boy want to hide in some dark corner. He didn't enjoy being the center of attention. The embarrassment wouldn't allow him even to raise his head to look straight. Although it had become a part of his everyday routine since that incident, he couldn't become used to it, despite the fact it had already been a week. It was not that he wasn't proud of his accomplishment, though. He had managed to achieve something similar to David's feat when he killed Goliath. No, his might have been even more formidable. He was only a kid, after all, neither a soldier nor a fighter. However, he still won against a beast
Sirius was standing still under the bright sun with his eyes closed. His senses sharpened as he began regulating his breathing. The calming song of the cicadas became trenchant; the fresh air of the bush revitalized his mind. The more the boy immersed himself in that addictive feeling of peacefulness, the more he felt distanced from reality. And then his eyes suddenly opened. They were bright, like they were shimmering stars in the dark sky. Sirius took a step forward and punched the air hard and fast. Again and again, his attacks were carrying vivid emotions he had forgotten for a long time. He jumped back as if he wanted to avoid some unseen strike and raised his knee, getting himself into a defensive stance. Although the boy seemed to fight some non-existent enemy pointlessly, Sirius's moves were intense, his face already filled with drops of sweat."How is it?"The boy turned his head to face the girl who had just talked to him. She had long black hair