After Mike’s conversation with Jonathan, he put on the clothes Jonathan had given him and prepared for the party. He left the tent and wandered around the village, observing the old huts and the simple people, whose lives seemed rooted in a primitive way of living. He roamed aimlessly, as though lost, unable to process everything happening around him. After a while, he returned to his tent and stayed there until evening, when torches were lit and the party began around the campfire.
When Mike stepped out of his tent, the villagers welcomed him warmly, greeting and cheering for him without pause. He sat In front of the tribe’s leader, Manu, and greeted him respectfully. Manu reciprocated the gesture, then stood and said:
“More than two centuries ago, invaders repeatedly came to our island, plundering its resources and abducting our people. Our ancestors were powerless to resist, and the situation seemed hopeless—on the brink of our tribe’s extinction. But one day, something happened that changed our fate and saved us from annihilation. The Master appeared, shielding the island and placing a magical barrier around it with his immense power, hiding it from the invaders’ eyes. Since then, we have lived in peace. We are deeply grateful to the Master for saving us, and we show our appreciation and love for him by celebrating and welcoming his honored guest, Mike.”
The crowd cheered enthusiastically for the Master’s guest and began approaching Mike to greet him and introduce themselves. They seemed like ordinary people but bore unique appearances: some had reddish or dark skin tones, while their clothing varied. Some wore animal hides, and others draped brightly colored fabrics around their bodies.
As Mike met them one by one, his attention was drawn to a figure with a large, muscular build. It was Ismir, the strongest warrior in the village, who had been with Roger when they found Mike. Mike thanked Ismir for helping him that day.
The party continued through the night, with people dancing, singing in an unfamiliar language, and drinking until dawn. When it finally ended, Mike returned to his tent and fell into a deep sleep for the first time since arriving on the island. He didn’t wake until Manu summoned him to his tent.
Curious about the reason for the call, Mike entered Manu’s tent, greeted him, and sat down. Manu looked at him with eyes filled with hope and asked, “Do you remember how you arrived on this island or the path you took to get here?”
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Mike replied, “No, unfortunately, I don’t remember. I woke up on the island’s shore after being swallowed by what you call the Master. But why do you ask?”
Manu sighed with sadness and frustration, thanked Mike, and dismissed him. Sensing that Manu was hiding something serious, Mike insisted on knowing the truth. Eventually, Manu relented and summoned some of the warriors, including Ismir and Dr. Roger. He told them, “Follow me.”
Though confused, Mike followed them without hesitation. They walked a long distance through the forest until exhaustion hit them, and they finally reached a barren, desolate land devoid of plants or animals. Mike was taken aback, as this area was entirely different from the rest of the vibrant island.
Mike asked Manu, “Why is this land like this? What’s going on here?”
Manu replied, “What you see now is the result of the Master’s actions. While we are grateful for his protection, the magical barrier came at a cost. The Master took away the sun and the rain. The island has survived on the light that seeps through the barrier and the underground water, but that water is running out, and the island is dying slowly. If we stay here, we will perish with it. That’s why we’ve decided to leave the island, and I asked you about your arrival, hoping you might know a way out.”
Mike wondered about the true nature of this magical barrier and whether magic itself could be real. However, he stopped questioning and said to Manu, “Don’t worry, we’ll solve this problem. The island is home to skilled warriors, explorers, and resourceful people. If you want to leave, we’ll find a way out. You helped me, and now it’s my turn to repay the favor.”
Manu didn’t fully understand what scientists or explorers were, but he grasped Mike’s determination to help the tribe escape and save them from destruction. Mike returned to the camp and asked Jonathan and Roger to gather everyone who had arrived on the island in one place. It didn’t take long for the group to assemble. Standing among them, Mike said:
“We need to leave this island. We can’t remain at the mercy of this Master. If we want to leave, we must work together to create a plan for our escape. Do you all agree?”
No one hesitated to agree, and everyone acknowledged the urgency of leaving. They began to plan and divided themselves into groups: an exploration team led by Mike and Jonathan would investigate the magical barrier and search for an escape route, while other groups would focus on building boats and gathering resources for the journey.
And so, their journey toward freedom began, fraught with mysterious challenges and an uncertain fate.
End of chapter 7