".."
"Don't be shy Michael here, I brought this for you."
Graha pushes a cup of Alma booze onto Michael. The weak kid tries to push the cup out but it has little to no effect.
"Don't be like that Michael, try it, that uncle over there says that it would make your hunt better." Michael has seen people drinking this before but, he doesn't know what it is. The old man in his house doesn't drink it. Michael often sees this drink at the Youla's rest but, people who drink this thing always act funny.
The person that Graha refers to also acts a little funny, talking nonstop, and keeps accusing people of being drunk. Seeing the guys doing weird stuff when drinking it Michael thought that this must be a bad drink.
People in Boniha village were typically permitted to purchase alcohol at the age of 15, but this regulation was frequently broken. The child will copy the parent if the adult does it. This rule is therefore hardly ever followed, yet breaking it could result in punishment. Michael doesn't know about this since most of the time he gets bullied or stays at home.
"Michael, you don't believe me? I thought we were best friends." Graha smiled at him.
"Yea Michael I tried it once and I could hunt a Gruta turtle!"
"Yea! Drink it! Drink it!"
"But...."
"Michael trust me! this is the best drink here I try it before!"
They keep pressuring Michael to drink the Alma booze. Michael is overwhelmed. To him talking to people is more terrifying than killing a monster. The monster only wants to eat him but people want him to suffer.
Succumb to their insistent Michael drinks the booze. The brown liquid enters his body and the effect starts to come in. From only one gulp Michael starts feeling a little dizzy. Michael has no alcohol tolerance at all.
The trio grins ear to ear when Michael starts drinking the booze.
"Hey what are you guys doing!" a charming voice sounds from behind the three. Looking back they could see a young girl approaching them. It was Layla.
"Oh.. you know, we were playing with Michael here."
"I have something to talk about with Michael. So please excuse us."
Layla doubts that Graha is "Playing" with Michael. His face looks completely red and he looks confused.
"Can't you just share it with us? I'm sure Michael wouldn't mind."
"But, I do! Get out of my way before I punch you!"
"Ok ok, chill princess"
Layla quickly grabs Michael and left the place. They squeeze through the crowd and get behind one of the trees. Layla pours a cup of water for Michael.
"OK, it's safe now drink this...."
"OHHHHHHHH~ LAyla why aaare you here, I'm Michael the apex hunter a sky shaker Michael HAHAHAHA"
"..." Layla is speechless, Michael is clearly drunk but, from what she saw, he only drinks about 2 gulps of the drink. Isn't that too fast!? She tries to give Michael water to soften the effect of the drinks.
"Drink it"
"....."
Michael grabs the water cup when seeing that Layla looks mad. The water washes away some of the alcohol but, Michael is still quite dizzy.
"hm... Where am I? Layla?"
"Now we are even, ok?"
After that, she walks off leaving a half-sober Michael in a confusion. What did she do? Why are we even? Michael doesn't know the answer, it also makes him feel dizzier. He sits down next to a root of a mangrove tree.
A while later.
"Where am I?"
Left alone in the back of a tree, Michael looks around and finds that he's not that far from the festival. Thinking back to what happened he feels a little Hazy. The only thing he remembers is that he drinks something from Graha and Layla.
"Are all the participants ready!?"
Hearing Belga in the distance Michael panicked. Why does the trial start now!? Isn't there like 1-2 more hours? unbeknown to himself, he has been sleeping for an hour already. Michael rushes back to the stage.
"Yes!" other participant doesn't want Micahel to participate so they play along.
"Wait for me!"
Michael shouts his lung out and rushes into the lineup. Luckily, he was not far so, he made it in time. Many of the tribesmen didn't like that fact.
"Wow, not only is he from the mainland but he also doesn't respect the sacred trial."
"Yeah, such an idiot. Don't even know the time."
A lot of insulting words aimed directly at Michael. They don't need to hide their hated toward him at all. He is accustomed to all the insults and bullying, after all, he's been here for 6 years already. Seeing that Michael's late, Belga starts to attack him.
"Seeing that you're late, It seems like you don't value our tradition. We'll have to punish you. I'd like to confiscate the right to have a weapon in the trial from you."
"Wha..." Michael would like to say that he wasn't late by that much but, he doesn't have the power to do so.
"Do you have a problem with my decision?"
"No.." Michael gritted his teeth, If he were another Boniha kid, he would have been let off scot-free. Why would they treat him like this? He didn't do anything wrong. Micahel felt sad inside.
"Since everyone is ready let the hunt begin!!"
bang bang bang!
they explode something to make a sound signifying the start of the trial. All the kids rush to grab a weapon except for Michael. The weapon on the rack is limited, which means there are only 4 greatswords and 4 hammers, the most popular weapon in the tribes. So the competition is fierce.
Michael had nothing to do walk to another section and grab the tools that he need for the hunt. He strap on the tool belt, crackling, tree climber, and put on light armor made with brown-ish leather. The armor is a little bigger than himself because of the size difference between him and from other kids.
He felt uncomfortable when he put it on but he could do nothing and only accept it. There's surprisingly more supportive stuff he could choose to bring to the trial. This time Micahel aside from the stuff that he brought before also bring a bottle of oil, 4 sticky bushes, and 4 soft bushes. He stuffs it all in a leather bag that the village provides.
With the last item being smoke meat Michael is ready for the hunted!