Four tribe members stood on the other side of the hill, hitting the large leather drums in the rhythm of their hearts. Wide and wild smiles spread across their faces as they bathed in the song of nature and men.
Bum-bum bum-bum bum...
Everyone's eyes were locked fixed on one spot, waiting for the children to come.
Rion walked past the redwood trees while his eyes shifted between various herbs and flowers. Just by seeing them, he was able to remember what their name was, what they naturally did and what they could be used for.
'This is crazy...' he thought as a wide grin split across his face.
The chiming sound of flowing water spoke in his ears, and the fresh smell of damp earth reached his nose. His grin widened even further — a grin that questioned if it was even possible.
He slightly slowed his steps and announced in a voice full of joy and power, "We are about to reach the spring."
The children's faces brightened up and their eyes shone like morning sun.
Their legs quickened by themselves as they walked past a few more trees and gazed upon the site of rituals — of promises.
Before them was a cliff from which cascaded the glistening blue water and fell into a small pond.
At the left peak of the cliff stood seven figures whom Rion knew pretty well. They were the ones with awakened bloodlines, after all.
The seven figures included Haden the Dragonslayer, Jura the Silent Arrow, Nena the Shaman and Haria the Panther.
On the other side were the drums with various other figures, such as the other hunting group leaders, the weaponsmiths and Dora.
Before Rion could focus on the system's screen, Granny Nena's voice thundered within the hill.
"Run and jump in the pond."
The children looked at each other in scepticism; however, Rion didn't hesitate for even a breath and ran towards the pond with a single thought, 'There's no way I'll act like a scaredy cat before Papa!'
He dived into the pond, water rose where he landed before it fell.
He plunged deeper into the pond with closed eyes, as he feared the cold water. Much to his surprise, the water was warm, and for some strange reason, he was able to breathe in it.
'What is going on?' He thought in disbelief.
Before he could continue his thought, he felt a push from underneath, and he was thrown out of the pond.
"Whoa... that was crazy," he mumbled with an awed expression.
He looked around and saw that the other children, who sat near the pond, were staring at him like they were staring at some kind of monster.
His face turned dark at those eyes as they reminded him of the looks that nurses and doctors gave him back on earth.
"Rion... are you alright?" Granny Nena, who stood a few steps away, asked worriedly and walked over to him.
Rion turned towards her and asked while pointing at the other children, "Why are they looking at me like that?"
She bent a little and wiped his face with her palms as she answered softly, "Well, my boy, it's because you were in that pond for ten minutes..."
His eyes widened as he spoke with a dumbfounded look, "W-what? But I was in it for only a few seconds."
"Hoho! That is just one of nature's various mystics," Granny Nena explained with an aged chuckle.
He gazed at the pond and thought, 'How strangely fascinating...'
Right then, a blue screen appeared before him.
[Ding!]
[Sign-In at
[Yes / No]
'Let's do this... Yes,' he commanded.
[You have obtained a passive skill (Minor Heal)!]
'Oh? That's good,' he thought, joy burning in his heart.
[Ding!]
[Lucky spin is in effect!]
[Congratulations, you have obtained X100 Rewards!]
'What the—'
[You have obtained a passive skill (Immortal Body)!]
His eyes widened as he shouted. "WHAT THE F—" However, he covered his mouth to stop himself.
'No way, no way! There's no fucking way... What the hell do you mean I obtained Immortality?!' He thought. He was flabbergasted, dumbfounded, bamboozled and in utter disbelief.
He neither grinned nor smiled; the reward was simply overwhelming for him. Before he could organise himself, Granny Nena's voice entered his ears.
"All right, brats! Come here."
The children, as well as Rion, who was in a daze, turned and walked over to her.
"Sit," she ordered, and he followed. He folded his legs and sat in a lotus position.
She placed four painted bowls full of glistening black liquid around him and took out a leather pouch.
She placed her hand inside the pouch and grabbed a handful of sparkling blue dust.
She drew a circle around him with the dust while mumbling something under her breath. At last, she took a dagger and cut the tip of her finger as she spoke his name, "Rion Del Haden."
The blood dripped out of the small cut and fell within the circle.
The dust emitted a faint glow before the black liquid within the bowls rippled, and a string of black shot out from the bowl behind his back.
The black string wiggled on his back and began to imprint a tattoo. He winced as a burning yet soothing sensation spread across his small figure.
"What's going on?" He questioned after coming out of his daze. He turned his head to look around and saw the blue circle and the painted bowls.
'Am I in the marking ritual?' He thought, and the weird sensation stopped.
Granny Nena walked over to him and spoke in a pleased tone, "You have grown wings, little king."
"Hmm? What do you mean?" He questioned, confused by her words.
But the voice that answered was deeper and primal, "You got a mark of feather wings... Rion Del Haden."
He turned to look at the person, but before he could see him, the person disappeared, and Haden took his place.
"Always so impatient," Haden mumbled while shaking his head.
He walked toward Rion and picked him up in his arms before muttering, "Let's go... your mama must be waiting."