The wind howls like a pack of hungry wolves as the storm claws at our shores, but I stand firm as the ancient stones that dot our coast. Batu’s fury is nothing new to the Hiwai; we’ve weathered countless tempests under his watchful gaze. As the rain lashes down, turning the earth to mud, I move among my people, my voice carrying over the din like distant thunder.
My hands, calloused from years of building and fighting, now guide the elderly and the young through the downpour. Little Kaito clutches my leg, his eyes wide with fear, until I lift him onto my shoulders. His mother, heavy with child, follows close behind, her face etched with worry until she sees the safety of our communal lodge. I offer a silent prayer to Heman for strength and to Shika for cleverness – we’ll need both tonight.
Once everyone is sheltered, I step back into the storm. The wind whips my dreadlocks into a frenzy, but my spirit remains calm as still waters. This is Batu’s test, and we shall pass it together. As I secure loose thatch on a rooftop, I smile – for in this chaos, there is a strange serenity. The gods are watching, and so long as we stand united, no storm can break us.
>Soulkyn