The wind blows through massive plains, full of wild animals, strange plants, and raging rivers. In the outskirts of these plains, near the dark forest, stands the village of Latham, and right now all the villagers are in an excited rush, going to the gates of the village's short wall.

Togat, being one of the oldest, at 15 years, leads 12 other children to the gate as the adults keep reminding him of things to look out on their travel to the capital city Hadon.

''Yes, I know what to do if an Aifera snake bits one of us uncle, I'm fully prepared for my duties as the oldest.'' Says Togat for the seventh time this week.

All this uproar is for the Origin awakening ceremony, which is happening 2 months from now in the capital. Due to the Magi of Old, who thought that to be a strong demon, one has to know how to take care of themselves and many other things, the children who are participating in it need to make their way to the capital by themselves. Of course, it helps that Togat was born 2 days after the last ceremony, which makes him the leader of this little group of theirs.

''Yes, we won't be foolish enough to eat the Purfosa berries aunty, especially not after what happened to Ainazo.'' said Togat and all the villagers grew silent and looked at the little 9-year-old Ainazo, whose cheeks flushed.

Who knew these little glazed berries, which looked so appetizing, would make him curse like an old man for a week. 

This ceremony was of such importance in the child's life that families used up enough money to feed a tavern full of people for a good month. Getting them proper clothes, medicine, a food capsule (which were exorbitantly expensive and would keep you full for a week in an emergency), a tent to camp in, and enough extra money to rent a room till the awakening ceremony. 

Togat looked at his group of children, which they were, because the second oldest in his group was Aizora, an 11-year-old girl and the rest were between the ages of 6 to 10. The demons usually chose to procreate 5 to 7 years after the Origin awakening ceremony, because then the kids would be able to walk far enough by themselves and don't drag the group behind, but also the younger you awaken your origin, the more time you have to develop it. There were stories about other villages where half of the group was made up of 2-4-year-olds (happy accidents). That meant the other kids would need to carry them most of the way, and because of that, the group would be late to the ceremony, which meant they didn't get their origin tested.

And not getting your Origin tested at the corresponding 15-year cycle leads to death. Truly, the Magi of Old were not merciful for setting such a rule and creating a group to hunt these kids down. 

The Origin was a direction which the soul was most inclined to go, some would call it a talent, a way forward, and awakening it meant you could develop it further, transforming it in unimaginable ways.

Togat looked over his group ''Are all of you ready?'' and the children answered with excitement ''Yes, big brother Togat!''.

''Then we should go.'' He said, and looked over at other villagers, who placed so much trust in him to bring their kids to and from the capital safe and sound. He was also nervous, because traveling to the capital entailed a mortality rate of 1 in 3. But not going would mean getting hunted. 

''Father, Mother, I will not disappoint you'' said Togat, wanting to believe that himself, but he knew he had no way of knowing. God's forbid he gets an Origin of Laborer or even Peasant

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''We believe in you Togat'' His mother, Ifera, said, while his father, Wezor, just solemnly nodded.

Togat hugged his parents one last time, waved them and the whole village goodbye, and set forth with his group.

He still didn‘t know that that was the last time he saw his parents and the villagers of Latham.

Their first days of traveling were quite uneventful. All of them were taught by their parents and elders how to survive in the wild, so putting up tents, procuring firewood was easy enough for them. They would take rotating shifts at night to look out for potential dangers that lurk in the shadows. Usually, it would be a pair of one older and one younger member of the group so that they could chat and wouldn‘t be bored while being awake at night. Every 4 hours they would switch with another pair of kids. Only Togat would stay up alone to watch over others because of his introversion. That was his alone time, and while everyone was sleeping he would stare at the night sky, feeling the burden of responsibility for bringing his friends he grew up together safely to the capital fading into nothingness. Togat knew he didn‘t fit in. From the first moment of his life that he remembers, he would look at his demon folk and feel somehow different from them.

That was the biggest reason he was anxious about the coming awakening ceremony. Sometimes one‘s Origin could be guessed by what they are good at and what their parents‘ Origins were. A child who quickly picked up his dad‘s work at the smithy would probably get an Origin of Blacksmith or another variation of it. But at the same time, there were examples of children who were good at something like sewing, awakening the Origin of Priest, and being taken away from their families to study under the Church of Origin even if their families only had Origins of Seamstress for 4 generations.

Togat, in his old age of 15, didn‘t have any talent in anything he tried. After learning about Origins, he tried everything to see what his possible Origin would be, and being the only child after the last awakening ceremony for solid 4 years, everyone in the village spoiled him saying he was the firstborn of the village and would truly get an honorable Origin. Going from one villager to another, he tried every occupation and action he could find or think of in their small village of 50. He still kept his journal of possible Origins he could get:

Origin of Fishing

Origin of Farmer

Origin of Seamstress

Origin of Cook (Aunty Abane said he was as good at cooking as her long-dead husband. Togat thought that was pretty good if her husband also had an Origin of Cook, but later learned from his parents that he had an Origin of Warrior and for the life of his couldn‘t make a simple meal to feed himself.)

Origin of Blacksmith

Origin of Archer (the rabbits near their village didn‘t like getting shot at so for the next four days Togat would find rabbit dung near his window. That gave him a fear of rabbits for the next couple of weeks, because while walking he could see them looking at him, always stalking him.)

Origin of Mage (No one in the village had this Origin, so he couldn‘t try it, but has heard of demons in big cities getting it, and he himself has imagined throwing fireballs at those godforsaken rabbits.)

Origin of Warrior

Origin of Builder

Togat had hope for awakening the Origin of Mage, but a passing merchant 2 years ago told him that usually, these special demons would be able to feel or see little floating mana circles as he called them. He didn‘t know what mana was, but had heard of demon mages wielding elements like they were Gods, slaying monsters who threaten the capital with a simple raise of their finger and a few words. A rustling of grass got him out of his thoughts and he saw a yellow frog, the size of his foot, jump out from the grasses, look at him, nod, and jump away from sight. ‘Well that was extremely weird even for Hellsey frog, maybe I’m starting to see things, better to go to sleep.’ He thought and went to wake up the next pair for night watch.

Laying in his tent, he slowly drifted to sleep while thinking about how his life would change in a couple of months.

Togat didn’t know that one particular God had his eyes on him since the day he was born, slowly shaping Togat’s fate to tie it with his own.