Interstellar: Exploring The Cosmos With My Anomaly System
Chapter 33: Celebration

Chapter 33: Celebration

"Shit, you’re heavy," Belk gasped, his breath coming in sharp, ragged bursts as he struggled to regain his footing on the cliffside. His hands dug into the mud, fingers clawing desperately at the earth for leverage. After a moment of struggle, he finally pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly. "Woah! That was too close..."

A nervous laugh slipped from his lips, his heart still pounding in his chest a million miles a minute as the adrenaline surged through his veins.

"You did well..." Tanaka murmured, stepping closer, a hint of admiration in his voice. "I’m proud to call you chief—huh?"

His words were abruptly cut off by the sharp flash of the boy’s scowl, dark eyes narrowing with frustration.

"Are you serious!?" the boy snapped, his voice rising, making the hunters around them flinch. His anger was raw, unfiltered, as he stared Tanaka down with unblinking intensity.

"There’s no way I’m accepting that!" He turned his gaze toward one of the hunters, fury boiling in his eyes as he pointed a trembling finger. "That fight was beyond rigged!"

"Huh—" Everyone muttered in unison, Astra hiding her face in her palm from his annoying honesty letting out a soft groan of frustration.

The young scientist turned to the crowd, his hands balled into fists.

"Give him another spear!" He demanded his brows furrowed over his eyes.

"Do you really want your chief to decide on a fight like that?!" Belk roared his gaze snapping back to his father, receiving the full extent of his rage. "I want—no I demand a rematch!"

Silence fell onto the group like a striking hammer, everyone processing what just happened before it shattered with Tanaka’s laughter, the sound echoing through the small battlefield as he rested his hand on the shoulder of his son.

"We’ll have our rematch in due time, but for now, let’s eat yeah? I’m starving," Tanaka grinned before walking away, the boy’s gaze slowly following him as he departed, leaving him confused, and a tad bit insulted.

The villagers’ laughter rolled across the dirt clearing, their cracked clay cups glinting in the firelight as they drank. Tanaka stood apart, his threadbare tunic smelling faintly of woodsmoke and dried herbs. He lifted the drink to his lips, paused at the acidic tang hitting his nostrils, then took a swig. A shudder ran through his broad shoulders as the liquid burned its way down—sweetness first, then a punch like a mule’s kick. A droplet escaped the corner of his mouth, carving a path through the gray stubble on his jaw.

"I’ve never had this before!" His voice boomed over the crackling fire pit, calloused fingers tightening around the cup. "What is this?"

"It’s alcohol!" Astra declared, her ears turned pink. She rubbed under her nose from shere pride. "Made from fermented grape juice. Doesn’t beat modern drinks yet, but until I make glass and a few other things, it’ll do."

Tanaka studied the murky liquid, swirling it until it sloshed near the rim. The reflection of flames danced in his black eyes. "Well, I don’t know what this ’glass’ is," he said, the creases around his mouth deepening, "but I enjoy this. Teach us to make more."

A small shape darted forward. Sylvi’s short brown hair bobbing as she tugged Astra’s sleeve, her bare feet coated in dust. "Can I have some?"

Astra’s palm came down on the girl’s head, ruffling flyaway hair that hadn’t been combed in days. "Maybe when you’re older."

Tanaka snorted and thrust the cup toward Sylvi. "Oh, lighten up! Let the child have a taste!"

Astra lunged, the knee of her cargo pants scraping the hard-packed earth as she ripped the cup from Sylvi’s grasp. The liquid arced through the air, splattering Tanaka’s worn sandals. "Mr. Former Chief," she hissed, chest heaving, "that’s ill-advised."

Tanaka threw back his head and laughed, the sound raw and rasping, while Astra wiped her sticky palm on her trousers.

"Honestly, you people...maybe I should’ve diluted it a bit more—" She muttered, a bit of worry laced within her words at the possibility of a ramage of angry neanderthals.

As the events carried on Belk remained in the corner, tearing into cooked meat of a bear harshly, his mood sour over today’s earlier activities.

"You good?" the voice of Vagnis caught his attention, the young scientist raising his head to see him carrying two cups of alcohol. "You look down for a newly crowned chief."

"Don’t call me chief–" The boy grumbled through a mouthful of bear meat, Vagnis chuckling softly before resting the cups onto the ground before the young scientist, watching as the alcohol sloshed around in its wooden cage. "That fight was nothing like what the trials were supposed to be—"

"That’s new, never thought of you to be a stickler for tradition," Vagnis mused, sitting by his side and taking a sip of the alcohol, looking over to Belk who just looked down to his arms, chewing softly and in thought.

"Look—" Vagnis sighed, "Don’t worry about the fight, the good thing is you’re both alive and you can prove yourself by making our quality of life better right?"

Belk took a minute, his brows still furrowed as he nodded, taking in his point.

"Astra over here! Refill!" One of the hunters called out over their conversation, both Belk and Vagnis watching as Astra and Celi both refilled their cups as they continued to party.

"Coming!" She called out with a smile, walking over to refill their drinks.

"They seem to be enjoying themselves," Vagnis commented, Belk’s eyes narrowing as he saw them.

"That’s not a good sign for anyone." He murmured, already seeing the twisted smile beyond that sweet grin she wore. The young scientist sighed and stood up, leaving his drink untouched. "I’m gonna go hit the hay—"

"Huh? Already? But it’s so early–" Vagnis muttered, not really fond of the thought that his friend is leaving early for a ceremony that’s about him, but his concern was absently waved off by Belk as he walked away.

"For your own well being I suggest you do the same!" He called back, only leaving Vagnis even more confused.

Belk rubbed the back of his neck in fatigue, entering his hut with a wide yawn, stretching as far as he could, silence consumed him once he was alone, sitting back on his bed without bothering to look.

"Hm?" He murmured, eyes fell on a pouch, one of his woven pages folded as much as it could, he picked it up to read, his hands brushing against the rough texture of the page. "From astra..."

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