GRONN’GAR CAME to his senses and slowly opened his eyes as his consciousness returned. The first thing he saw was a face hovering close - a young, pale-skinned elf with long blonde hair and piercing green eyes. At the time he knew that he was looking at an elf. He was taken aback, for though he had heard tales of the elven folk from his village, he had never before laid eyes on one in person.
“Oh, you’re finally awake,” the elf called to him, but Gronn’gar didn’t catch it as he was still coming to his senses. “Hey,” the elf added, snapping his fingers before Gronn’gar’s face and keeping up his attempts to rouse him. “Hello~? Can you talk now?”
Gronn’gar flinched, and he was finally able to see the elf’s features. He noticed the whole appearance of the elf and that he was well-equipped. He has a complete set of armor made of leather from top to bottom, a dark green cloak, a sword on his left hip, and a holster on his right thigh that seems to be holding a dagger.
“Do you have a name, kid?” He asked.
Gronn’gar still couldn’t wrap around his head about what happened to him since the only thing he remembered was the wolf was about to eat him. He touched his chest, which was supposed to be wounded, but not even a scratch could be found. He felt as if his strength was back to his full capacity, so he mustered his voice to speak.
“Are you the one who saved me?” Gronn’gar asked.
“Well—yeah, I guess I kinda did save you,” The elf answered, his eyes darting to the side as he scratched his cheek. “I actually wanted to ask what happened to you and... Maybe your friends? I saw some dead orcs a few kilometers back.”
Gronn’gar’s face fell as he contemplated his fallen comrades.
“Ooh—uhh... s-sorry about that. I’m not great at reading the room,” the elf stammered.
“It’s okay. Thank you for saving my life. My name is Gronn’gar.”
“I’m Kraye,” he said, “ranger from Luminaris Kingdom. I have a LOT of questions for you. Mind if I ask?”
“If that could help you, it is the least I can do.”
“Perfect! First question: why are you so small? Are you part goblin, part orc?”
Gronn’gar raised his eyebrow as the question got to his ears. “I don’t know the answer myself. But my parents are both orcs. My mother died when she gave birth to me.”
“M-my condolence. Next question: What were you doing?”
“We were hunting for food for our village. We were setting up a camp to rest for a day until a stampede of animals demolished our camp, and that’s when the wolves came in.”
“I see… So it was a stampede. But did you see anything—or anyone besides the wolves?”
“I don’t remember seeing anything except the wolves.” He paused briefly after he replied. “What do you mean by that?”
Kraye stood up and pointed at the creature he’d slain. “You don’t know? That Sergal that attacked you isn’t a common monster from here.”
“Sergal?” Gronn’gar puzzled.
“That’s the name of the monster. A giant wolf that can turn invisible.”
“R-really…?”
The elf then paced back and forth, thinking about the possibilities of what might’ve happened. “Is there a traitor or just a reckless sorcerer? Or maybe an evil prodigy? Damn it! Why is it so confu—”
“Excuse me!” Gronn’gar interrupted.
Kraye was startled. “Y-yeah?”
“Do you mean that someone is behind all of this?”
“Those Sergals are proof that someone might be behind all this.”
“How did you know?”
Kraye sighed. “Sergals aren’t native to these parts of the forest. They are creatures that were supposed to be in the upper zone.”
“Upper zone?” Gronn’gar seemed puzzled. “What is that exactly?”
“Simply put, it is a place where abnormally powerful monsters live. We’re currently in the lower zone, so they are not supposed to be here.”
“So, someone let those monsters loose…?”
“Most likely, since I went to check the barrier that separated between the zones, it was altered; it means someone has broken the barrier.”
“Why did they do that?!”
“That’s what I’m trying to find out.”
Gronn’gar just sat still, perplexed by all the things that happened today, and at the same time, his stomach growled because he had not eaten since morning.
“You hungry?” Kraye heard his stomach growl and offered him a grilled fish.
“Y-yes,” he said as he took the skewed grilled fish.
They sat before the campfire, feasting on grilled fish. Gronn’gar pondered why an elf would save him. In his village, they were always told to flee at the sight of humans or elves, their intentions unpredictable. Yet here was one who had come to his rescue. How could he have escaped? After much deliberation, his curiosity finally won out.
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“Um… Kraye,” he ventured, “How come you save an orc like me?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Because you have pieces of information.” Kraye replied without a hint of hesitation.
“Well—that’s fair—but my people would say humans and elves are not our friends. They would always say to run and hide from you people because…”
“Because?” Kraye prompted.
“Because you are dangerous and might kill us on sight!”
“‘Might’, huh?” he quoted. “Well… Your people aren’t wrong. We could do as you describe, but it depends on the situation. I’ve killed orcs before, but only when they threatened me first.”
“How come?!” Gronn’gar exclaimed. “Some of our people left to gather food and never returned because humans and elves killed them!”
Kraye exhaled and rolled his eyes. “How can I explain this to you? If our kind killed your people, it doesn’t mean they don’t kill us either. Countless village raids come from your kind and other lesser races, too, and I understand that they need to do it to survive; the same could be said for us.”
Gronn’gar was rendered speechless. He could not think of words to say back to him.
"Listen, kid, you’re too young and don’t know much about the world, for now. And you will learn about it soon enough. Besides, it aches my heart to see a youngster like you die by a giant wolf that wasn’t supposed to be here in the first place. Seems unfair to me.”
“Is that your other reason? Because I’m too young to die?”
“Duh! Of course! Let this be a lesson for you as well. If another person had been in my place for this mission, they would’ve let you die instead. People are different.” He yapped.
Despite Kraye’s trivial reason, Gronn’gar felt grateful. “Tha-thank you again for saving my life!” he said, bowing deeply.
Kraye realized Gronn’gar’s behavior was unlike any orc he’d met. Their entire conversation had been... surprisingly reasonable. Having known orcs for their savagery and boorishness, this was the first time he felt as if he were talking to a human or even one of his own kind. Gronn’gar’s gratitude left him with a sense of satisfaction.
“Don’t mention it. Anyway, rest’s over. I don’t really have much time to—”
An explosion interrupted him, the sound carrying for miles.
“What was that?!” Kraye exclaimed, leaping to the top of the tallest tree to spot smoke rising from the southwest.
“That direction...!" Gronn’gar chimed in, suddenly beside Kraye.
“Whoa! How did you—Never mind. What’s in that direction?”
“It’s... it’s where I lived. My village!”
“We must go now. It might be the same person who broke the barrier. Gronn’gar, get on my back. We’re going full speed.”
“O-okay.”
As Gronn’gar climbed on, Kraye chanted two enhancement spells: “Enhancement Magic: Festinare! Enhancement Magic: Velox Motus!” He called over his shoulder, “Hang on tight and don’t let go, you hear me?”
“Yes.”
The second he warned him, he flashed forward, moving at super speed, heading towards where the explosion occurred.
Gronn’gar had to close both of his eyes due to the force of the wind rushing past through his eyes, making it harder to keep them open, but at the same time, he was in awe of the wonders of magic since this was the first time he had witnessed such a thing.
“Kraye, how much longer ‘til we reach there?”
“Any minute now, why you ask?”
“It’s just… I cannot open my eyes because of the wind.”
“Oh yeah, sorry about that. I forgot you can’t use mana to protect your eyes.”
Minutes later, they arrived a few meters from the explosion's source. Kraye deliberately kept his distance, wary of alerting potential culprits and keen to gather information first—a fundamental skill for any scout.
“Can you walk?” he said.
“Yeah, I’m fine now,” Gronn’gar replied, sliding off Kraye's back.
They approached the village cautiously. As they drew closer, the acrid smell of smoke filled their nostrils, and they saw plumes rising into the air. A devastating scene unfolded before them: the village lay in ruins, consumed by flames that devoured homes and people alike.
Gronn'gar stood frozen, his eyes wide with disbelief as he processed the horrific reality. The devastation of his home left him paralyzed, unable to think or act.
Kraye, sensing Gronn'gar's shock, grasped his shoulder, trying to reach for his absence of mind “Be on your watch. Let’s look for survivors,” he said as he grabbed Gronn’gar’s shoulder.
“Y-yeah… you’re right.”
They searched through the rubble, finding only charred corpses and debris. Gronn’gar rushed to his house, desperately seeking his father, but deep down, he knew it was futile. Despair overwhelmed him as he realized no one, not even his father, had survived. The bodies were burned beyond recognition, denying him even the solace of a proper burial. He fell to his knees, confused, furious, and weeping.
“Why did this happen!” he screamed.
Kraye approached, placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”
“Who did this?” Gronn’gar asked, his voice raw with emotion.
That’s what I’m trying to find out,” Kraye replied. “I’ve checked through every corner in this area, but there are no traces to follow.”
Kraye, at a loss for words, sat beside the grieving orc. “You know, I lost my parents during the war against the demon army seventy years ago. I was only four at the time. It’s not the same, but you're not alone in this pain.”
“What is your point?” Gronn’gar sniffed.
“I’m saying that you’ll be okay. I am a living proof of that.”
“I was—” Gronn’gar wiped the snot out of his nose. “I was born without a mother. My father has taken care of me ever since I was born. To think that I will never see him again… I don’t know what else to do.”
After careful thinking, Kraye thought about something to do with Gronn’gar. So, he asked him, “How about you come with me?”
“What?” Gronn’gar looked bewildered.
“You have no place to go after this, right? Come with me instead.”
“But I’m just going to be a burden to you.”
“Then I simply make you not a burden.”
“How?”
“I will train you,” Kraye suggested.
When Gronn’gar heard his suggestion, he briefly paused after what happened. He is still unclear about whether he can carry on with his life. He is experiencing a deep depression.
“I… I don’t know… I’m small and weak compared to others,” Gronn’gar hesitated, deep in depression.
“It’s not really the time for you to compare yourself to those barely alive,” Kraye said bluntly.
“What do you say?!” Gronn’gar lashed out, angered by Kraye's seeming insensitivity.
Kraye countered, “Do you still want to let the person behind all this linger around—possibly causing the same thing? or will you do nothing and act like this never happened?”
Gronn’gar fell silent again.
“This is reality. You have to accept and learn to move forward. Do not live in the past.” Kraye lectured. “You have no time to feel depressed. We have the same goal: to find the bastard who wreaks havoc around here and killed your people.”
Kraye extended his hand. Gronn’gar stared at Kraye’s reaching hand and began to contemplate his life. He reflected and realized how he came to be who he is and how he managed to get this far.
“I-I’m sorry… I should’ve not shouted at you,” Gronn’gar apologized.
“It’s okay. You’ve been through a lot,” Kraye accepted his apology. “So, what do you say? You’re coming with me?” he said as he stared at him intently.
“Yes,” Gronn’gar affirmed, reaching for Kraye’s hand. “I’m under your guidance.”