Tatal was an Ascended by then, having lived up to the expectations of the tribe's elders and become as powerful as her grandfather had been at the peak of his power. She had learned how to be a warrior from him. The previous shaman, meanwhile, had taught her the secret of sorcery, making her a Shaper.
Most of those elders had already left for the Realm of Shadows by then, and those who still lived were too old and decrepit to manage the affairs of the tribe. So, the responsibility for its well-being lay squarely on Tatal's shoulders. She did her best to safeguard her people — but, just as she had mentioned once, disaster was always around the corner.
Sometimes, it took less than a single bad decision to doom a tribe of humans. All that stood between them and extinction was a bit of bad luck.
This time, the bad luck of Tatal's people came from far away.
