FAR AWAY: BEYOND THE REEF
For centuries, the scattered islands of Kiribati have been bound together not by the tools of man, but by the tides of fear. The ocean here gives life, but it also takes it away—silently and without warning. The locals speak of Te Anti—monstrosities from the deep that rise to claim the living.
Sixteen-year-old Tawi carries the weight of this history in his bones. Sensitive and fiercely spirited, he struggles to find his footing in a world constantly on the edge of grief. To prepare for the unthinkable, Tawi trains in the Buubura Karekare—ancient, communal games designed to sharpen the body and spirit. He isn’t alone; he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with a brotherhood of young warriors: Taake, Bwene, Tabuto, and Kauro.
But the ocean is changing. The disappearances are no longer random tragedies—they are strategic strikes. Realizing their enemy is executing a coordinated invasion, Tawi and his rivals must dissolve their petty differences. They have to master the brutality of the games not for glory, but for survival, before the rising tide swallows their people forever.
WELCOME TO 'THE MIRROR OF RUIN'.
This is a story about the breaking point.
I wanted to move away from polished myths and instead focus on the grit of survival, the salt on the skin, the hollow ache of hunger, and the heavy silence that follows a great loss.
On this boat, the ocean isn't a friend, it’s an indifferent witness to four brothers who are running out of time and patience.
This isn't a journey of heroes, but a raw look at what remains of a family when hope is stripped away and only the instinct to endure is left.
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