Torag awoke to a world in ruins. The once-thriving orc village was now a smoldering graveyard, strewn with the bodies of friends, family, and neighbors. His eyes scanned the devastation, his heart sinking as they finally came to rest on the lifeless form of his mother, Grima.
With a choked sob, Torag crawled to her side, cradling her head in his lap as he futilely shook her, begging her to wake up. Hot tears streamed down his face as the bitter reality of her death began to sink in. He clung to her cold body, his grief all-consuming and overwhelming.
As the last of the sun's light faded, Torag realized that he couldn't stay here; it wasn't safe. Grimgor and the other attackers could still be lurking nearby, and he needed to find his father, Remoran. With a final, heart-wrenching embrace, Torag left his mother's body and set out into the dark forest, his grief a heavy burden upon his young shoulders.
The journey was treacherous, as Torag was still reeling from the blow Grimgor had dealt him. He staggered through the underbrush, hunger gnawing at his insides and his head pounding with every step. He couldn't understand how he had survived the brutal attack, but he knew that he had to keep moving, to find his father and the rest of the orc war party.
After what felt like an eternity, Torag stumbled into a clearing, a field of ripe tomatoes stretching out before him. With a desperate hunger driving him, he began to pluck the ripe fruit, devouring them as though they were the most delicious feast he'd ever tasted. His ragged, bloodstained clothes hung from his thin frame, and he was painfully aware of his lack of any weapon to defend himself.
As he gorged on the tomatoes, Torag failed to notice the figure approaching him – a human farmer, whose eyes narrowed in suspicion as they fell upon the young half-orc. The farmer, whose name was Eldrin, had never seen a creature like Torag before, but he could see that the boy was in desperate need of help.
"What're you doing here, boy?" Eldrin asked gruffly, his hand gripping the handle of his pitchfork warily.
Torag looked up at the human, fear and suspicion warring in his eyes. He understood the farmer's words but struggled to find his own in the foreign language. "Please," he managed to choke out. "My village… attacked. Need find father."
Eldrin eyed the boy warily, his grip on the pitchfork never loosening. "You're not like any orc I've ever seen," he said, studying Torag's unique features. "You've got some human in you, don't you?"
Torag nodded, his eyes pleading. "Father… human. Must find him."
Something in the boy's eyes softened Eldrin's heart, and he decided to help him. "Alright," he said, his tone gentler than before. "You can come with me, get some food and rest. But I'll be keeping an eye on you."
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Fear and hunger warred within Torag as he considered the offer. He knew that he had little choice – he was too weak and defenseless to continue on his own. With a tentative nod, he agreed, and Eldrin led him to his farmhouse.
The scent of the stew that bubbled over the fire in Eldrin's home was intoxicating, and Torag's stomach growled loudly in anticipation. Eldrin watched him closely, still unsure of the strange half-orc boy that had stumbled into his life. But as he saw the desperate hunger in Torag's eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the child.
"Here," Eldrin said, handing Torag a bowl of the steaming stew. "Eat up. You need your strength if you're going to find your father."
Torag hesitated for a moment, then took the bowl with trembling hands, his eyes never leaving the farmer's face. He devoured the stew, savoring the warmth and the rich flavors that filled his mouth. For the first time since the attack, he felt a small measure of comfort, a brief reprieve from the terror and pain that had consumed him.
As Torag ate, Eldrin studied him, his curiosity piqued by the boy's unusual appearance. "I've never seen a half-orc before," he admitted. "How did your parents meet?"
Torag swallowed the last mouthful of stew, his stomach finally quieting. "Father… captured by orcs," he explained haltingly. "Mother… saved him. They… fell in love." His eyes filled with tears as he thought of his parents, the love they had shared, and the devastation that now lay in its wake.
Eldrin's expression softened, and he reached out to place a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry about what happened to your village, Torag. We'll do everything we can to help you find your father and the rest of your people."
Torag nodded, his gratitude evident in his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.
Over the next few days, Eldrin helped Torag recover from his injuries, providing him with food, shelter, and a makeshift weapon – a sturdy wooden staff. Though Torag was initially wary of the human, he soon came to trust the kind farmer and even began to learn more of the human language, allowing for better communication between them.
However, the looming threat of Grimgor and the other attackers still hung heavily over Torag's head. He knew that he needed to find his father and the rest of the orc war party before it was too late. With each passing day, the danger grew, and the chance of reuniting with his family seemed to slip further away.
One morning, after a particularly restless night, Torag approached Eldrin, his determination etched on his face. "I must go," he said, his voice stronger than it had been since he'd first arrived at the farm. "Must find father. Please… help me."
Eldrin nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. "I'll do what I can, Torag. I have some friends in the nearby villages who might have heard something about your father and the orcs. We'll ask around and see what we can find out."
With a newfound sense of purpose, Torag and Eldrin set out on a quest to locate Remoran and the orc war party. The journey would be fraught with danger, as the tensions between humans and orcs continued to escalate in the wake of the brutal attack on Torag's village.
Together, they would navigate a world on the brink of war, their unlikely alliance a testament to the possibility of unity and understanding between their two races.