Remoran, a young boy of 13 years old, trudged up the hill, his heart heavy with excitement and anticipation. He had been exploring the forests around his small farm for days, and he couldn't wait to show his family the sword he had found. As he crested the hill, he looked down at the sprawling farm below and felt a sense of pride and joy. He had grown up here, surrounded by rolling fields, dense forests, and the gentle hills of Sharil.

As he began to climb the last hill before he would see his family’s farm down below in the valley his hand gripped the hilt of the sword and his mind went to that discovery.

Remoran had always been curious and loved exploring the forests around his small farm home. Sometimes he would explore for days at a time, since he was taught by his father how to survive and hunt in the wild. Just as the snows were beginning to melt and Spring was on its way, Remoran noticed a strangely arranged pile of rocks with an opening big enough to fit his arm into. They seemed to be calling out to him but he couldn’t hear any words, just feel them.

Intrigued, Remoran approached the pile of rocks and cautiously peered into the opening. He couldn't see much, but he could feel something smooth and cool to the touch. He reached in, his heart pounding with excitement, and felt his fingers close around something hard and metal.

He pulled the object out of the opening and unwrapped the leather wrapping to reveal a pretty rough looking sword. The sword had uneven and jagged edges to the blade, but as Remoran felt the edge with his finger just barely, it cut him with ease drawing some blood. He sucked on his finger while admiring the rest of the strange sword. The guard and handle seemed to be made of a dark colored, almost wood-like material, strange.

Remoran couldn't believe his luck. He had found a sword, a weapon he had been wanting for some time, and he couldn't wait to show it to his father. He carefully re-wrapped the sword and made his way back to the farm, eager to share his discovery.

His mind came back to the present swiftly because as he crested the hill he realized something was wrong. Smoke was rising from the direction of the farm, and he could hear sounds of fire and chaos. His heart racing, he broke into a run, his hand clutching the sword tighter. He went as quickly as he could, almost falling from the forward momentum as he came down the hill. He sprinted and pumped his legs for all they were worth through the fields just as he’d always done a thousand times. When he reached the farm, he was horrified by what he saw. His family's small wooden home was a smoldering ruin, and his parents and little brother were nowhere to be seen. He scoured the surrounding area and finally made his way back to the rubble praying not to find them amongst the heat and ash. He searched the best he could as the heat was unbearable, but could not find a trace of his family.

Maybe they had escaped, and fled into the woods. Maybe they would be coming back any minute and find him.

Suddenly, he heard a noise coming from the stable. He tensed, his hand going to the sword at his side. He realized that he may not be alone, and that there could still be danger lurking on the farm. He approached the stable cautiously, his heart pounding in his chest.

As he pushed open the door, he heard a low growl and saw an hulking orc feasting on one of his family's horses. The sword in his hand seemed to pulse with power, and a voice whispered in his mind, "Kill." Without thinking, Remoran let out a roar and charged forward, the sword raised high. The orc turned to face him, snarling, but Remoran was beyond reason. He felt a surge of strength and rage as he brought the sword down, stabbing through the back of the orc and killing it instantly.

Breathing heavily, Remoran stood over the orc's body, his mind a whirl of emotions. He hated the orcs with a passion he had never felt before, and he swore to himself that he would never rest until they had all been eradicated from the land. He hit his knees and tried to understand all of the emotions flowing through him. The hate, the pain, the fear threatened to overwhelm him.

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Finally, he stood up, his mind made up. He would head to town and look for anyone that could help. Maybe his family headed that way after the attack began or maybe they weren’t even home at the time and had stayed away. Either way, it was dangerous to stick around.

Just as he was making his decision to leave, he heard the sound of hooves approaching, and he turned to see Demoris Valhaven, the head of the town guard, riding up the path toward him. Demoris was a tall man with broad shoulders and a stern look on his face. He had a long, silver mustache and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through you. He dismounted from his horse and approached Remoran, taking in the scene of devastation.

"What happened here, boy? We saw the smoke all the way from town and the alarm was raised." Demoris asked, his voice stern.

Remoran told him what he had found, and immediately asked if he had seen his family on the road into town. Demoris listened in silence, then nodded.

“I haven’t seen your family, but if they were smart they would've followed the road within the forest to try and not attract attention and get caught in the open by any other roaming Orcs.”

"I'll take you back to Sharil with me," he said. "You can stay with me until we figure out what to do next."

“No sir! We must look for my family now, they can’t be far!” Remoran cried

Demoris regarded Remoran with knowing eyes and slowly dismounted his steed and kneeled down to his level. As he placed his hand on Remoran’s shoulder he began to speak.

"Remoran, I need to talk to you about the Orcs," Demoris said, his voice serious. "You saw for yourself what they are capable of. They are all roaming tribes with little to no regard for others. They attack and pillage when they are in need, ruthlessly killing anyone who gets in their way."

“We must gather and come at this the right way with proper backup.”

Remoran nodded, understanding Demoris’s words.

“Let us still be cautious, the Orcs that did this could still be lurking nearby. You also said you killed one in the stable? Not an easy feat for someone your age, not an easy feat at all. Wish I could say we don’t see attacks like this too often, but the Orcs are a bloodthirsty species at times.”

As they rode back to Sharil, Demoris spoke again, "I will do everything in my power to find out what happened to your family, Remoran," Demoris said, his voice filled with determination. "I will investigate and try to find the orcs responsible. I promise you, justice will be served."

Remoran looked up at Demoris, his eyes shining with gratitude. "Thank you, Demoris," he said. "I want to know who was responsible, and I want to make sure that they pay for their crimes." He kept the rest of his thoughts to himself, I will make them pay for their crimes.

Demoris nodded, his expression serious. "I understand, Remoran. And I will do everything in my power to help you find the truth. We will start by gathering a squad of men and coming back here in the morning to see if we can follow their tracks and ascertain their direction."

Remoran nodded, his heart filled with hope. He knew that Demoris was one of the best swordsmen in Sharil, and that he was a respected and trusted member of the community. If anyone could help him find the truth, it was Demoris.

As they approached Sharil, Remoran couldn't help but notice how different the town was from his small farm. The streets were bustling with people going about their daily business, and the air was filled with the sounds of commerce and laughter. Demoris took Remoran to his home, a spacious house on the outskirts of town.

"You can stay here as long as you need," Demoris said, showing Remoran to a small room. "I'll make sure you have everything you need."

Remoran thanked Demoris, “Please let me know when you are ready to head back and look for my family.”

“I think it is best you stay here and get some rest and leave that piece up to me, Remoran.” Demoris replied.

Remoran geared up to argue but remembered whose house he was in and knew it would be ugly to behave that way. Remoran nodded his assent and started to settle into the room Demoris led him to. He laid down in the bed, fully clothed, and before he knew it he was fast asleep.