It was humid, and hot. The rains had only just left this place a few days ago, they had been shorter than expected. The night was quick, the light already peaking over the world’s edge, and birds were slowly awakening.

Then, a shrill cry.

Hasty steps, and panicked yelling.

A few moments later, the clear sound of a brass bell rung out, tearing the small city out of it’s nocturnal sleep.

Guards rushed to the wall made of vertical tree trunks, up the ladders, eyes searching the thick jungle about 20 meters out.

The stumps were still visible, where they had been cut all those years ago, slowly decaying, but a stark reminder of what once was.

Then, a loud, ear-shattering, gutteral roar split the quiet, a cry of war and soon after, the whole southern jungle seemed to creak under the vibrations, The city walls and the few guards on top shaking to their very core.

“I SEE THEM!“, an archer yelled!

And what he had seen, was the eastern Tribesmen, of the species Dainekorr, or commonly referred to as…

“ORKS!“, came the follow up of the captain.

“TO ARMS, MEN! KEEP THEM OUT OF THE CITY!“

The guards who listened held their ground with a grim determination, those who ran did so with determination aswell, Determination to live another day.

Even as the first 20 Orks broke through the tree line did hold.

The archers loosened their pre-drawn bows a few hitting, but most orks quickly took cover behind the tree stumps.

The orks pulled out strange liquids from ther pockets, it was brown, viscous and visibly dry at the surface.

They launched these vials now at the walls base during the precious seconds where the archers drew their shaky arms back.

The containers shattered against hardened wood, as the liquid splashed onto the bare wall, forming steam and slowly eating through the wood.

The guards, who were preoccupied with peppering the follow-up hord of enemies didn’t notice umril the wave reached the wall, and they heard a loud crack, as splinters flew, and the now acid-covered ork raider quickly tried to wipe himself off, to no avail.

He died in an agonizing scream of slow suffering, few of his fellows taking the time to try and save him.

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But the attack didn’t deteriorate, with new vigor did they climb the ladders, meeting stelled spears of the human guards.

Yet it didn’t take long until they lost the strength in their arms, and the orks made quick work of them.

And though they may have failed in defending the wall, they did achieve one critical goal, to buy time.

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In the city center at the same time, every single habitant had awoken, and ran towards the opened gate.

Some even took the time to take their most valuable items, others their children

and others again only saved their own lives.

Children were screaming everywhere, the bell drowning out almost every other sound.

But the church looked still and tranquil on the outside.

On the inside, on the other hand, priests and priestesses quickly moved to reinforce the door, trying to protect their place of worship, and in the midst of the commotion stood one singular boy.

A priestess took notice of him, and quickly ushered him back into the cellar, where his room layed.

“Who allowed you to come out? You shouldn’t be outside of your room!“

“T-there were no paladins guarding me, so i thought it was ok…“

The boy looked down at his feet, clearly sister Naria wasn’t happy about his actions.

“Well, it wasn’t! Don’t you see the chaos? We are being attacked!“

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and there stood the second paladin, knight Ferrion.

“That will be enough, sister. Go help outside.“

Flustered, she bowed her head and hastily left the dark and damp chamber.

“Knight Ferrion! Where were you? I was just looking for you! Is…is it true we are being attacked?“

“Indeed, small Sir Elison. But fear not! I will not let them come here! You need to trust your older brother on this, ok?“

“I told you not to call me Small!“ , The boy, Elison pouted. „Now you need to give me even MORE fighting lessons, ok?“

The Holy knight was, of course not his real brother, if he ever had any. He was found on the church steps when he was only a few months old, or so the sister had said.

Elison was still grateful for being taken in, so he forgave sister Naria.

She always took care of his needs, especially the strange marking between his ribs.

It looked weird and symmetrical, and no matter how often he asked, she never told him where he got it.

“You got it, little knight!“, Ferrion answered enthusiastically. But…for some reason, he was tearing up? „You just need to do something first, ok? For me?“

„Yeah! What? Why are you crying?“

“It…it’s nothing! Listen, i need you to go away from here, yes? You know where we train normally, right? Just go there, then through the small hole in the wall, ok? And then, follow the way until you reach the next city. I will try and meet you there, but don’t turn back, ok? And don’t get seen!“

“Ok, but why?“

“Trust me, lil bro! And you‘ll need this.“ He takes out a small blade and puts it in Elisons hand.

“Now go.“ Ferrion turns away, tearing up as a loud boom fills the air, and A loud, gruff scream comes from the orks outside.

Ferrion turns towards the door and rushes out, blade drawn.

Elison was speechless, he didn’t even notice the thick arrow sticking oit of Ferrions left shoulder pad.

But he was a good boy, so he followed the instructions.

He ran for the bolted window, pulling the rusted grade out, and squeezed his way through. He could hear sounds of battle not far away, so he wasted no time in listening.

He reached the training yard, where he could see the dummy he used to practice his swings on.

He pulled himself away, searching for the gap in between the logs of the wall coverd by just a wooden board.

He found it and quickly slipped through.

This…this was the farthest he ever was from home, he wanted to say, but decided against it.

A few steps later he entered the deep forest, he knew what kind of animals lurked in there, but he followed the small, winding path away from the main street used by the other refugees.

He found a small cave beneath some roots, and he decided to rest his burning legs inside.