Date: March 22, 2039

Location: Elowen Village, Veyra Kingdom

Altan Yüce's Age: 7

As the final traces of winter melted beneath the earth, Elowen Village slowly began to feel the breath of spring. Tiny buds appeared on the bare branches of the trees, and birdsong once again filled the sky. But that morning, the forest was unusually quiet. A cold stillness settled over the ground, the trees, the leaves... and into Altan's breath.

Altan had woken before dawn. In his hand was a short spear he had crafted himself. The shaft was carved from a walnut tree branch, and at its tip, he'd fastened a sharpened piece of an old kitchen spoon he had secretly taken from his mother. This small weapon he had worked on for a week wasn't a toy — it was a step. In his past life, he had commanded hundreds of soldiers in war. Now he was alone. But the knowledge remained. Methodical. Patient. Deadly.

He moved silently through the depths of the forest. He watched where he stepped, avoiding twigs that would snap beneath his feet. In a small leather pouch tied to his belt were wooden knives he had carved with stone. Some he had hidden in hollow tree trunks, others under rocks. If someone ever followed him, or if he needed to return one day, everything he needed would be there.

A sharp scent struck his nose. Dry leaves. Rotten fruit... and blood.

He knelt, feeling the soil with his hand, scanning the tracks with his eyes. A heavy animal had passed through. Three wide claw prints dug into the dirt. A bear…

A few steps ahead, he found fresh paw prints. In the shadow of the bushes, he spotted a large figure. Holding his breath, Altan crept closer. A massive gray-furred bear stood before him, blood oozing from a wound. It had likely fought with another predator. Strong, but tired.

Altan could have run. Or waited. But the voice inside him wouldn't go quiet:

This is your time.

He slipped behind a tree and gripped his spear tightly. The bear lifted its head and sniffed the air, but its eyes seemed dull, unfocused. In the silence, even Altan's heartbeat echoed. Then — a sound. Not far. Footsteps.

Altan didn't look.

It was time to move.

He crept to the bear's blind side and threw a stone. The bear turned its head, distracted. At that moment, Altan climbed a tree. Balanced on a thin branch, he waited. The bear stood directly beneath him. He didn't close his eyes — he leapt.

The spear plunged into the bear's shoulder. It roared. Altan fell but rolled to his feet in an instant. The bear turned, furious but off-balance. Altan hurled a rock, hitting its head. Then a wooden knife.

With a final lunge, the bear charged — but collapsed after only a few steps. It was over.

Then came a voice behind him.

"Altan..."

It was his father, Doran. He had gone looking after finding Altan missing from home. The scene stunned him — a dead bear at his son's feet, his child bloodied but unshaken.

"Did you… do this?" he asked.

Altan didn't look away.

"Yes."

Doran took a deep breath, chest swelling with pride. He saw not a child, but a warrior.

Without a word, he embraced Altan — firmly, silently.

That same day, they returned to the village. Doran told everyone what had happened. Bear meat was cooked, a fire lit in the village square. Elders nodded in approval. Women looked at Altan with new eyes. At only seven, no one would see him as just a child again.

That night, a quiet excitement filled their home. Elara, Altan's mother, had gone into labor. Altan sat in a corner, silently watching her. The birth was long. Outside, his father prayed. Then came the cry of a baby — thin, delicate, but strong.

Altan stood. As the door opened, his eyes met his mother's.

"A girl, Altan. You have a baby sister."

Altan didn't approach immediately. He walked to the doorway. Inside, wrapped in a blanket, lay a tiny baby. She had stopped crying, her eyes half open. Altan leaned in, staring quietly. The baby looked back at him. No words passed — but something deeper connected them. An invisible thread, heart to heart.

Altan sat beside his mother. He placed a hand on his sister's head and whispered softly:

"I'm not alone anymore."

That night, the stars shone brightly. And for the first time, Altan felt peace inside. The war fate had written across his chest… would no longer be his burden alone. That little girl, unknown to all, would become a guiding force in Altan's life.

End of Chapter Note:

Altan's strength finally roared through the silence. The boy who once wandered between dreams and memories has now taken his first true step toward destiny. But destiny has its price — and its own allies.