The forge's last flames flickered low, crackling softly under the twilight sky. The final strike of stone against metal echoed through the clearing as Torya raised one of the newly made bronze tips. It gleamed faintly under the dying light, rough and imperfect, yet full of promise.
The air smelled of earth, smoke, and molten ore. Everyone around was filled with awe they had done something that only the great tribes of old were said to know.
But as Torya stared at the spear tip in his hand, a sudden pulse of light flashed before his eyes.
[Mission Complete - Forge the First Metal of the Tribe]Reward: Basic Forging Manual
He barely had time to react before a wave of sharp pain slammed into his mind.
His vision blurred, and countless images and diagrams flashed behind his eyelids how to shape metal, temper its strength, build furnaces, and direct airflow. It was too much at once.
"Ah-!" He staggered, clutching his head.
"Torya!" Elder Saran called, rushing to him. The others froze Lera, Tir, and the older men all watching as he nearly fell.
Torya forced a breath through gritted teeth, shaking his head. "I'm... I'm fine," he managed to say, forcing a weak smile. "Just... need to sit down for a while."
He lowered himself onto a stone beside the forge, still holding his head. The pain slowly dulled, but the flood of knowledge lingered as if someone had poured years of experience straight into his skull.
He could now see it all: the structure of a proper forge, the balance of heat and air, how the color of metal revealed its readiness. It wasn't just learning it was awakening.
When the others returned to their chatter, Torya closed his eyes and whispered softly in his mind.Nova cant you give me at least a warning?
A familiar, calm voice answered from within.[I will keep the in mind next time.]
And the pain?
[A minor side effect. Get used to it.]
He leaned back, still breathing heavily. The flickering firelight danced across his face.
Nova... earlier, when we were forging... the others' hands, their veins they glowed red. Why?
There was a moment of silence before Nova replied.[Uncertain. It may be a hidden trait within your people or possibly triggered by your actions. There is also a chance that your presence is accelerating an evolutionary response.]
Evolution... because of me?
[Perhaps. You are not an ordinary member of your race, Torya. When you act, the flow of change follows. It could be instinct, or something that was always dormant in them merely waiting for a spark.]
He stared at his palms, remembering the red light threading through his veins. A strange warmth stirred in his chest fear mixed with curiosity.
If it's because of me... then I need to be careful. I can't let them see too much.
The fire dimmed, and the forge's glow turned to embers. The tribe slowly settled down, their voices fading into the night. The younger ones slept near the cave's mouth, their new bronze weapons laid beside them like precious treasures.
Torya sat alone for a long while, staring into the ashes, until the forest fell silent and even the insects' song faded away.
Change... he thought quietly. Maybe this is what I was meant to bring.
The first light of dawn spilled across the clearing. The air was crisp, the forest damp with dew.
Torya rose early, the soreness that he should've felt was nowhere but he felt strong, and his mind was clear. He found Elder Saran and a few of the older men already awake, their voices low as they admired the finished spearheads that had cooled overnight.
The bronze caught the sunlight beautifully not perfect, but sharp and solid.
"Harder than stone," muttered the one-eyed elder, Olan, running his thumb across the edge. "It'll change how we hunt."
Elder Saran nodded. "We must teach others to make more. The Lapinfolk may return in a few days perhaps we can trade for more ore."
Torya listened quietly, feeling a small sense of pride. Then the voices of the youths broke the morning calm Yoren laughing loudly, Daren adjusting the leather straps of his new spear, and Tir running back and forth with restless excitement.
"Careful with that!" Lera called, shaking her head as Tir nearly tripped over a rock.
"I just want to see if it shines in the forest light!" he shouted back, grinning.
Rahn stood a short distance away, silent as usual, but his sharp eyes watched the treeline with focus. He always seemed to sense things before others did.
Torya slung his own spear across his back and stepped forward. "Everyone ready?"
Yoren nodded eagerly. "We're heading south today, right? Toward the stream?"
"Yes," Torya said, glancing at the group. "We'll look for game along the ridge. But stay alert the Lapinfolk warned us that the forest isn't as safe these days."
The air grew still at his words. Even the cheerful ones quieted. Olan stepped up beside him, his expression serious. "The woods change when new things move through them," he said. "Let's hope the change favors us."
Torya looked once more at the cave the forge stones still blackened, the air faintly carrying the scent of burnt earth. Then he turned to the forest, his gaze steady.
"Let's move."
The young hunters followed him into the trees, bronze glinting in their hands like captured fire. The forest swallowed them slowly, the light dimming beneath the canopy.
And as Torya stepped deeper into the shadows, the faint whisper of Nova's voice brushed his thoughts again.[Observation: The forest's energy signatures have shifted. Proceed with caution.]
He tightened his grip on the spear.
Yeah... I can feel it too.
What had begun as a spark of discovery now felt like the first step toward something far larger — something that would change not just him, but the very nature of their tribe.