The three humanoid figures stared at me in confusion, unsure of what I was. Their skin was a vivid green and they possessed tusks that protruded from their lower jaw.

Being over two meters in height coupled with their impressive physiques, anyone in their right state of mind would flee when faced with them. Their skin was rough and parts of their flesh were exposed; only a piece of fabric covered their lower half and their great swords were latched onto their hips.

My body was frozen and my mind went blank; these creatures could kill me with ease.

"What are you doing here, human?" one of them said.

"W-We were running away from bad people and everyone was killed."

"Return to your family in the human kingdom and don't set foot here again," he replied.

My eyes immediately teared up upon hearing his words; I wiped the tears using the back of my hands while trying to gather my words.

"I don't have anyone. My only family is there," I said while pointing to my father's corpse.

They started mumbling amongst themselves for ten minutes; I tried to eavesdrop on them, but my efforts were unfruitful. I was already surprised that we spoke the same language and wondered if this was also the case with the elves. The monster who had previously spoken turned around to face me.

"What's your name boy?"

"It's Jett."

"We can take you in if you want, but keep in mind, there is a good chance that you will be shunned by the others," he replied.

"I'll stay in the beast land," I said with a stern expression.

"My name is Hunter and these two ugly ones are Xavier and Jasper. Follow us."

My legs were already exhausted beyond belief and I was bone-tired but I couldn't afford to be left behind. The beast land was as magical as I had envisioned; the trees imposingly towered over us and the leaves were brightly colored. The smell of damp moss filled my lungs as we made our way through the forest; my mind was blown away each time I saw a new species of animal that seemed to be in complete harmony with its surroundings.

"Your eyes are nearly popping out of their sockets. Are you that surprised?" he said while laughing.

"This is all new to me," I replied.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Be surprised all you want, but close your mouth, you don't want to have a fly as your next meal," Jasper said.

Keeping up with them was challenging even though they slowed down for me; after all, I was a quarter of their size! Along the way, I received information about them. The beast land was shared between three species: the orcs, the goblins and the ogres. The three of them were orcs.

"What are the ogres and the goblins like?"

"No need to rush. You'll learn about them in the future."

"Are we far away from your home?" I asked.

Hunter smiled before speaking.

"Not far at all, in fact, we're here."

I wore a perplexed expression. We were still in the middle of nowhere. It became even more surprising when I began seeing buildings. Even beasts had buildings! I couldn't seem to wrap my head around that fact. Their houses might have been of lower quality, but I expected them to sleep on the ground.

The rain ceased and rays of sunlight began to seep through the thick clouds. The droplets of water acted as mirrors and reflected the glimmers of light, illuminating the forest. The environment was akin to something out of a fairytale.

A gravel path connected all the buildings together and was being trotted on by several orcs. They shot confused glances at us. This was to be expected as it was the first time that they had seen a human!

"Hunter, why are the buildings different sizes?"

"The size of your house is determined by your strength. The stronger you are, the bigger your residence."

"Then those two massive houses must belong to the two strongest?" I asked while pointing in the distance.

"I've heard that the man who lives in one of them is a fat and ugly bastard who can only stuff his face," Jasper said while giggling.

"I've even heard that he is into men," Xavier added.

"Haha, very funny. You have a better shot at being a comedian than a fighter," hunter replied.

"One of the houses belongs to me and the other belongs to my brother, the soon to be chieftain."

My eyes were sparkling in admiration; I was eyeing him down. Hunter must be an incredible warrior!

"Why are you staring at me like that kiddo."

"Oh, I apologize. Can you show me where I'll be staying?" I asked.

"You'll be staying with me until you're old enough to look after yourself," Jasper said.

After that exchange, we split up as it was getting dark; to my surprise, we were walking away from the center. Jasper looked back and smirked.

"Yes, I am a weak orc. Despite me hanging out with Hunter, I am nothing like him. Unlike his older brother, he doesn't discriminate against others on the basis of strength."

Our footsteps led us to a rundown shack covered in moss; the wooden planks were rotten and were in dire need of repair. Jasper kept on apologizing for the lack of accommodation, but how could I complain when I was a stranger that he had just met. The rusted hinges squeaked as the wooden door swiveled open. The inside was far cozier than what I had expected, never judge a book by its cover! The interior was lit using candles mounted on the walls and the floor was covered with a plush and luscious rug that brought warmth to the house.

Upon seeing such a homey environment, memories of my late father popped up in my head and tears began rolling down my cheeks. Jasper attempted to hug me without crushing my bones; his embrace felt comforting as I leaned into him.

We sat around a wooden table in the center of the room; the pieces of furniture were up to par with what the humans could make. A massive pot was placed in the middle of the table; despite having an additional wooden block under my buttocks, I still couldn't see what type of delicacy was prepared.

I lifted myself using my arms and managed to sneak a glance inside; I saw a head... I was going to be staying here, it was better to adapt!