Echoes of Forgotten

Kollr

"My village is over there," Kollr said, pointing to the south of Mount Torac.

"You lived on Mount Torac?" Penrod asked, his voice filled with awe.

Kollr nodded. "Hmm, hmm. I was the thirty-fourth child out of forty. My father is the leader of our clan, and my mother was his sixth wife. Growing up, I thought I was just like my brothers, but over time, I realized I was different."

The party grew quiet, listening intently as Kollr recounted his story.

Kollr had just turned ten years old when it was time for the first trial—a tradition of the Blue Orcs to find the strongest candidate for clan leadership. All of the leader's children had to participate, and their first trial was to hunt.

"Those who hunt the biggest prey will lead, and those who hunt the most will follow," one of the orc generals announced.

At ten, Kollr was one of the youngest participants. His oldest brother was thirteen, and the youngest was eight. As the signal for the trial began, all forty children ran off in different directions—some heading north, others west. But none dared to venture east, toward the dangerous Falton Forest, a place known for its unknown monsters, bandits, and the forest elves that most feared.

None, except Kollr.

Without hesitation, Kollr sprinted toward the east, unaware of the dangers that lay ahead. He ventured deep into the forest, far beyond the safe borders, until the thick trees seemed to swallow him whole. Hours passed as Kollr wandered through the dense foliage, but instead of hunting, he found himself distracted by the beauty of the place. He chased butterflies and climbed trees, the child in him still very much alive.

But as the sun began to set, panic set in. Kollr scrambled down from the trees and tried to retrace his steps, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find his way out. Exhausted and hungry, the young orc walked aimlessly, tears streaming down his face as he realized he was lost. The moonlight filtered through the thick canopy as he trudged along, searching for any sign of escape.

It was then that Kollr stumbled upon a group of bandits. Hidden behind the trees, he watched them curiously. They were a mix of races—humans, elves, and even some orcs. In the center of their camp, a small cage glowed faintly, and inside it was a tiny, winged creature—a fairy. The little creature sobbed softly, its delicate wings shimmering in the dark.

"Nice catch, brothers," one of the bandits said.

"This one’ll fetch a high price," another added, grinning.

"Those filthy nobles will pay a fortune for a rare creature like this," another sneered.

Kollr's heart sank as he watched the fairy’s tears fall. Without a second thought, he decided he had to save her.

When the bandits had fallen asleep, Kollr sneaked into the camp, carefully stepping over their sleeping bodies. He made his way to the tent where the cage was kept. The small fairy noticed him and whispered, "Hey, who are you?"

"Shhh, they might wake up," Kollr whispered back, frantically searching for a way to open the cage. When he couldn’t find the key, he took a deep breath and said, "Get ready to run."

"What?" the fairy asked, confused.

With a grunt, Kollr used his orc strength to tear the cage open, the metal bending and breaking with a loud clang. The noise woke the nearest bandit.

"Intruder!" the bandit shouted, rousing the others.

"Run!" Kollr yelled to the fairy, pushing her toward the exit. The tiny creature zipped out of the tent, darting through the air like a glowing firefly. Kollr followed, but fatigue was catching up with him. He had been wandering the forest for hours, and his body was weak. He stumbled and fell, tumbling to the ground as the bandits caught up to him.