Gabriel sat beside his mother, his small hand holding hers as she lay motionless on the floor. Her breathing was shallow, her face pale in the dim light of the cottage. The sounds of battle outside grew louder, the screams and roars mingling with the crackling of flames. Gabriel's mind was numb, struggling to comprehend the chaos that had shattered his peaceful life.

He heard a groan and turned to see his mother’s eyes flutter open. She looked at him, her gaze clouded with pain, and managed a weak smile.

“Gabriel...” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “My brave boy...”

“Mama,” Gabriel said, his voice trembling. “I’m here. I’m right here.”

Lena reached up, her fingers brushing his cheek. “You need... to be strong, Gabriel. Your father... he’ll...”

Her voice faded, her eyes closing again. Gabriel held her hand tighter, tears blurring his vision. “Please, Mama, don’t leave me,” he begged, his voice choked with sobs.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Gabriel looked up to see a figure standing in the doorway. It was Roderic, one of the village guards, his face smeared with dirt and blood. His eyes were wild with fear.

“Gabriel!” Roderic shouted. “We have to go! The orcs... they’ve set the village on fire. We’re being overrun!”

Gabriel shook his head, clinging to his mother’s hand. “I can’t leave Mama!”

Roderic’s face softened with sorrow. He stepped into the room, his hand resting on Gabriel’s shoulder. “There’s nothing you can do for her now, Gabriel. I’m sorry. But if we don’t leave, we’ll die too. Your father would want you safe.”

Gabriel hesitated, his heart breaking. He looked at his mother’s face, so still and peaceful, and then back at Roderic. The guard’s eyes were pleading, desperate. Gabriel knew he was right. His father had told him to be brave, to be strong. With a final, lingering look at his mother, Gabriel stood, his legs shaking.

“Okay,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. “Let’s go.”

Roderic nodded, relief flooding his features. He led Gabriel to the door, pausing only to grab a sword that lay abandoned near the entrance. Outside, the night was filled with smoke, the acrid scent stinging Gabriel’s nose. The village was a sea of chaos, with flames consuming the thatched roofs of cottages, casting a hellish glow over the scene.

Orcs and goblins rampaged through the streets, their cruel laughter mingling with the cries of the villagers. Gabriel saw the bodies of his neighbors lying in the streets, lifeless eyes staring up at the sky. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat, forcing himself to look away.

“This way!” Roderic urged, pulling Gabriel towards the edge of the village. “There are others heading for the forest. We can make it if we’re quick!”

They ran through the streets, keeping to the shadows, avoiding the orcs that prowled the village. Gabriel’s heart pounded in his chest, each step a struggle against the fear that threatened to overwhelm him. The flames roared around them, the heat searing his skin. The sounds of battle echoed in his ears, the clashing of steel and the cries of the dying.

As they neared the forest’s edge, Gabriel saw a group of villagers gathered, their faces drawn with fear and grief. Among them were women and children, some crying, others staring blankly into the flames. A few men held weapons, though their expressions showed they knew these would offer little protection against the oncoming horde.

“Roderic!” a woman called, relief washing over her face as she saw the guard. “You made it! And Gabriel...”

The woman, Marta, rushed forward, pulling Gabriel into a tight embrace. She was the village healer, a kind woman with a gentle touch. Gabriel had known her his whole life, and her presence was a small comfort in the midst of the nightmare.

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“Where’s Cael?” Marta asked, looking at Roderic with wide eyes. “Is he...?”

Roderic shook his head, his expression grim. “He’s still fighting, trying to hold them off. But the village is lost, Marta. We have to go, now, while we still can.”

Marta nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. “What about the others?”

Roderic looked around, his face etched with sorrow. “These are the only ones I could find. We can’t wait any longer.”

He turned to the villagers, his voice rising over the noise of the flames. “Everyone, follow me! We’re heading south, to Calen’s Crossing. It’s the nearest town, and we can get help there. Stay together, and keep moving!”

Gabriel looked back towards the center of the village, his eyes searching for any sign of his father. But all he saw was fire and death, the once familiar streets now a vision of hell. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Marta looking at him, her expression filled with a mixture of fear and determination.

“Come on, Gabriel,” she said gently. “We have to go.”

He nodded, swallowing his tears. They moved into the forest, the trees providing some shelter from the smoke and flames. The path was rough, the underbrush thick, but Roderic led the way, his sword held ready. Gabriel stayed close to Marta, his eyes darting around, every shadow seeming to hide an enemy.

They walked for hours, the night growing darker as the flames of Briarwood faded into the distance. Gabriel’s legs ached, his feet sore from the rough ground, but he didn’t complain. He knew they couldn’t stop. The memory of the orcs’ snarls, the sight of his mother lying on the floor, drove him on.

As dawn broke, they reached the edge of the forest, the trees thinning to reveal rolling hills bathed in the soft light of morning. In the distance, Gabriel could see the faint outline of a town, the stone walls standing strong against the horizon. Calen’s Crossing. They were almost there.

Roderic paused, turning to the group. “We’ll rest here for a moment, then continue. We’re close now. Just a little further.”

The villagers sank to the ground, exhaustion etched on their faces. Marta sat beside Gabriel, pulling him close. He leaned against her, his body heavy with fatigue, his mind numb. He closed his eyes, the events of the night replaying in his head like a nightmare he couldn’t wake from.

“Do you think Father’s okay?” Gabriel asked quietly, his voice trembling.

Marta hesitated, then hugged him tighter. “Your father is a strong man, Gabriel. He’ll do whatever it takes to protect you. You must believe that.”

Gabriel nodded, though his heart was heavy with doubt. He had seen the orcs, seen the destruction they had wrought. He couldn’t imagine anyone standing against that and surviving. But he clung to Marta’s words, the hope that his father would somehow find them, that they would be together again.

The group rested for a few moments, then Roderic urged them on. The sun was rising, and they needed to reach Calen’s Crossing before nightfall. The walk through the hills was easier, the air cooler. Gabriel felt a flicker of hope as they approached the town, its gates open, guards visible on the walls.

As they drew nearer, a shout went up from the walls, and the gates swung wider. A group of townsfolk rushed out to meet them, their faces filled with concern. Roderic stepped forward, his hand raised in greeting.

“We’re from Briarwood!” he called. “Our village... it’s been attacked. Orcs and goblins. We need help!”

The townsfolk murmured among themselves, their eyes widening in shock. One of the guards stepped forward, a tall man with a grizzled beard and a stern expression.

“Briarwood is a day’s walk from here,” he said, his voice rough. “How did you make it so quickly?”

Roderic’s face was drawn with exhaustion. “We ran through the night. The village... it was burning. There are others still out there, maybe. We need to send help, but first, these people need food and rest.”

The guard nodded, his expression softening. He turned to the townsfolk. “Open the gates! Get food and water! We need to help these people.”

Gabriel felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Marta smiling down at him, though her eyes were filled with sadness. “We’re safe now, Gabriel,” she said softly. “You’re safe.”

As they entered the town, Gabriel glanced back at the forest, his heart aching. The image of his burning village was etched into his memory, a wound that would never fully heal. He thought of his father, still out there somewhere, and his mother’s last words.

Be strong, she had said. Gabriel felt a new resolve settle in his heart. He would be strong. He would survive. And one day, he would make the creatures that had destroyed his home pay for what they had done.

As the gates of Calen’s Crossing closed behind them, Gabriel took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the horizon. He had lost everything, but he was still alive. And as long as he lived, he would fight.

He would become the hero his father had always told him about. He would make them proud.

Gabriel had taken his first step on a path that would lead him to greatness, though he could not yet see where it would end. For now, all he knew was that he would never stop fighting. Not until justice had been done.

And as the sun rose over the hills, casting its light on the town and the weary villagers, Gabriel felt the first stirrings of hope. A hope that, though dim, would guide him through the darkness that lay ahead.