Igor had never considered himself odd, but those around him certainly did.
Igor's father had initially expected his son to follow in his footsteps, chopping wood in the mountains his entire life and leading a simple existence. However, the world changed too quickly. Before Igor's father could even think of retiring, firewood became obsolete. A new type of black fuel had swept the entire continent. This new fuel, reportedly concocted by alchemists, came in small black blocks that could burn for an entire day, completely eclipsing firewood. The upper echelons of society across the continent quickly abandoned firewood, opting instead for these compact and highly efficient black blocks.
Igor's father initially felt his life was over. Now that he could no longer chop and sell wood, what would he do? Financial hardship soon followed. Igor, only eight years old and not yet strong enough to wield an axe, couldn't alleviate his father's burden in the slightest.
