>, Volume-1, Chapter-1

Since long ago, the various legends and myths speak of our great world. A world whose skies were the shade of a giant tree irrigated by the three immemorial rivers, with ground as the dirt bound within its roots, and filled with various forms of life all throughout. The story foretells the life of a boy within the ancient era — Arkhan.

Several aeons ago, within a small hut in the wildlands, lived a boy called Arkhan. Together with him lived his younger brother, as well as his parents. His family were hunters who lived alone in a remote forest. They lived a modest life, neither barely scraping by, nor having too lavish of lives. They had food, clothing and shelter, the necessities for survival.

Arkhan looked out the window blankly, spacing out as he stared at the trunk of the Great Tree. Despite being an immeasurable distance away, he could make the tree out clearly.

The Great Tree, Origin of Everything, Tree of Existence, Tree of Miracles, Tree of Life, Mother of All Beings — all were just the names to refer to the massive tree at the supposed centre of the world. No one could see the top of the tree. The shade provided by the canopy serves as the skies while its roots bind the ground together, forming a total of seven skies and twelve continents.

Arkhan yawned, having thoughts of going back to sleep.

However, in the next moment, the land beneath his feet shook. Arkhan looked down to find the ground breaking apart as a calamity descended out of nowhere.

In upcoming months, a famine spread through the lands nearby, causing many beasts in the nearby area to die of starvation, elevating food to the level of a luxury.

The area around the hut was in ruins, as both Arkhan and his brother looked at their mother lying on a stone in front of them, her eyes closed, missing an arm. Her body looked as if she hadn’t eaten for days while her chest no longer heaved up and down.

To the side, their father wept silently as he cooked the missing limb before passing it onto his children.

“Children, you must survive. Your mother perished due to the disaster. I am afraid that father can no longer take it as well and will follow her soon after. But you both must survive.”

The children cooked the shrivelled remains, eating all the flesh while leaving behind the bones.

“Arkhan, you saw how to cook, right? Now help me bury the bones. There is some food at the back, enough to keep you afloat for a few days. And with me following your mother as well, you would be able to get by the crisis. Also, here, take these. One is from your mother and one is from father. Take care of them.”

As he said that, from his sleeve, two creatures resembling fireflies flew out, one landing on Arkhan’s head while the other circled around his brother.

“This is hope. All I can give you both now is both of our hopes. So please, survive.”

Arkhan nodded, unaware of the severity of the circumstances.

His father dug a pit as both he and his brother poured the bones down the pit, burying the remains.

After filling up the pit, he said, “Arkhan, remember this spot well. You must put my bones here, next to your mother’s. Remember to take care of your brother. And remember to live well.”

A relieved expression flashed past Arkhan’s father as he gazed at his children deeply. A moment later, his eyes dimmed. He fell to the ground, no longer breathing.

Arkhan stood there silently, looking at his father’s remains.

“Father!” To his side, his little brother shouted as he cried profusely.

Arkhan shook his head before dismembering the body and removing the flesh, as instructed by his father. All the while, his hands never stopped shaking. His little brother watched silently from the side, having stopped crying since a while ago.

Both boys ate the miniscule food every day, barely scraping by.

But one day, Arkhan opened the pot lid, only to find enough food for only one person. He looked at his little brother deeply before dividing the portion in three parts, taking one himself while giving the other two to his brother.

After finishing his portion, he said, “You stay here. I’ll go to hunt and get food.”

Finishing his words, he picked up the spear before leaving for the forest nearby.

He walked through the forest, observing the area acutely. Half a day flew by in the blink of an eye as the sun overhead was replaced by six moons of six different colours

His stomach rumbled with hunger while he still looked around, observing the area cautiously.

With a rustle of leaves, a beast resembling a wolf, made of pitch black darkness, pounced on him out of nowhere.

‘A Hardship!’

Arkhan thought as his heart chilled. He couldn’t help but recall his father’s teachings.

‘Son, there are three types of beast in the world: Dilemmas, Hardships, and Predicaments. Right now, you can only go to the nearby areas and hunt Dilemmas. If you run into Hardships and Predicaments, come to father as soon as you can to ask help.’

Arkhan wanted to flee, but the hardship pinned him down, blocking all routes of escape.

‘But… father is no longer here. What can I do… I must escape. But it is a Hardship. It can run faster than me. Am I… going to die under the claws of this Hardship? But then what about my brother? How will he live all alone?’

Worry filled Arkhan’s eyes as he looked at the ferocious teeth of the beast in front of him. The beast pounced ahead, baring its fangs.

Arkhan closed his eyes, shaking all over.

‘Only if some miracle could happen to save me. I… I don’t want to die!’

While Arkhan was thinking this, a warmth seeped through his skin, calming his shaking body.

A voice, slightly high pitched and cheerful which seemed to come from everywhere, filled his ears, “Human! Oh, human! Open your eyes and stare at the hardship straight. Don’t close your eyes. Without looking at it, how will you defeat it?”

“You are?”

“I am Hope. The Hope your father left behind. And now, your Hope.”

Arkhan looked to his side blankly, only to find a small firefly glowing brightly, with a dazzling light hovering above his head.