The Dreamweaver's Warning

Kyen stood up, her eyes fixed on the strange man. Something about him sent a shiver down her spine, a quiet knowing that unsettled her. The others, however, were still caught in disbelief. It wasn't until one of the elders spoke that the weight of the moment began to sink in.

"Our ancestors spoke of this man," the old woman murmured, her voice raspy with age. "He is a remnant of the Maurrabi Dream Weavers-the ones who built marvelous wonders across the world. They vanished, but their monuments still stand today."

A murmur spread through the gathered tribe, uncertainty turning to awe. The elders, who had at first dismissed the stranger's words as the ramblings of a wanderer, now sat up straighter. One by one, more voices joined in agreement.

But before anyone could question the stranger further, the earth beneath them rumbled violently. The enormous tree at the heart of their village-their home-shook so fiercely that leaves rained down from its sprawling canopy. A deep, resonant groan echoed through the ground as if the world itself were speaking.

Kyen clutched her spear tighter, her sharp ears twitching. She was the first to voice what the others feared.

"They're getting worse," she said, her voice low but firm.

The earthquakes had been growing in frequency, an omen whispered about in hushed voices. Some believed it was the land rebelling against them, others feared it was a sign of something stirring beneath the surface.

Then, the old blind man, LD, stepped forward. Though his eyes were clouded with age, his presence commanded respect. His long, silver hair was braided with beads of bone and shell, each marking a piece of history long before Kyen's time.

"It is not the land that rebels," LD said, his voice like dry wind scraping across stone. "It is the echoes of the past calling to us."

The people turned toward him, waiting.

"We must leave this place," he continued, leaning on his gnarled staff. "We must find the ancient knowledge, the forgotten tools left by the Dream Weavers."

"Where do we go?" one of the warriors asked.

LD tilted his head toward the sky. "The Moon."

A stunned silence followed his words. Some laughed in disbelief, others muttered among themselves. The Moon was a distant, pale giant that loomed above their nights-how could anyone reach such a place?

Kyen, however, did not laugh. She stepped closer to LD, lowering her voice. "You truly believe the Maurrabi left something there?"

LD nodded solemnly. "They did more than leave something. They built something. A gate, a machine-one that could take us beyond this dying land."

Before anyone could question further, a new sound broke through the lingering tension-a deep, rhythmic pounding. Drums.

A scout rushed into the village, breathless and wide-eyed. "The Southern Desert Wallaby Tribe is at our gates! They come for war!"

A fresh wave of unease rippled through the people. The Wallaby Tribe had been their rivals for generations, locked in an endless struggle over land and resources. If they had come now, at a time when their home was shaking itself apart, it could only mean one thing-they sensed weakness.

Kyen turned toward LD. "If the Wallabies take this land, we'll never have the chance to find this ancient technology."

LD nodded. "Then we must fight."

The tribe sprang into action. Warriors grabbed their weapons-spears, clubs, and slings-while others began fortifying the village, barricading the entrances and readying for the battle ahead.

Kyen stood at the front, gripping her spear as she watched dust rise on the horizon. The Wallaby warriors were close.

She turned back to LD. "If we survive this, we go to the Moon."

LD smiled, a strange glint in his unseeing eyes. "Yes, child. We will go beyond the sky."

The battle was upon them. And beyond it, destiny awaited.