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The town of Goldshire had always been fairly peaceful, the only real excitement happening during the harvest or whenever any of the drunks in the tavern decided they took offense with one another. Today was, unfortunately, one of the latter days.

"Too bad your mother was pig. She might be pretty if she'd cut off those snaggleteeth of hers." Said a human drunk by the name of Jonas, snorting into his ale. The moment he said the word 'mother' I was sure something terrible was going to come of it, and it came in the form of a mug flying in a direct interception course for Jonas' head. I didn't even have the time to cross the room before my brother Muzga was beating on his ruddy face.

"Muzga!" I called, wedging myself between the two louts and trying to pry them apart. Inwardly cursing being built like a twig, I resorted to just yelling at them after my prying did nothing. "You dumb little shit, just ignore him!"

"Shaddap, you!" Muzga growled, making a grab for my head to toss me out of the way. I maneuvered around it, trying to keep them apart and from coming to actual blows until Reginald, the tavern owner, could get there. I could already hear him crashing around in the back room, probably falling over something in his haste to come break up another fight.

"Yeah, you heard your littermate, little orcish pig!" Jonas heckled. I looped my leg around his, jerking hard as I rammed my shoulder into Muzga's chest, bringing Jonas to the ground and sending Muzga stumbling. I turned quickly, 'accidentally' kicking Jonas in the ribs as I held Muzga back. One of the other taverngoers grabbed Jonas, keeping him down until Reginald finally found his way out.

"What the fuck, you two!" Was his eloquent battle cry, rushing over and hauling Jonas up by his arm. He struggled a bit, but Reginald was a bear of a man and easily hauled him outside. With Jonas removed Muzga slowly calmed, until I could push him into a chair without getting a swift right while waiting for Reginald. Muzga was a big guy, about a head taller than me and much wider. He usually didn't have the will to fight, though, as he was more aptly compared to a toy bear than a wild bear.

"You heard what he was sayin' about mom!" protested Muzga, trembling slightly from the combined booze and anger. Though he was much bigger than myself, I usually had no problem settling him down. His tangled black hair dripped with sweat from the short yet intense struggle, and he glared at me with his unusually bright amber eyes. The past few months had been tough for the entire town, a poor crop caused by a lack of rain combined with a series of disappearances evolving into a perfect storm of trauma for the town. Our mother was among those taken, as well as Jonas' daughter Marie and the baker's son, Paul. Dad had left before I was even born, leaving us alone after our mother vanished. Our eldest brother, Olonu, had taken up the role of the head of the house after her disappearance, providing for us through his guard's salary. But with Muzga unable to work in the fields due to the harvest, things were highly uncertain.

"Yeah, I know," I admitted, crossing my arms and not meeting his gaze. "He's just a fuckin' moron, alright? Don't let him get to you." Muzga began to reply, but was cut off by the door opening and Reginald returning, brushing off his hands with an exasperated sound.

"Reginald," Muzga said, beginning to explain himself. "I'm sorry, but he-"

"Started it. Don't worry about it." Reginald said, gesturing over his shoulder as he started back into the storeroom. He stopped at the doorway, calling for me. I followed him into the storage room, where he leaned against a large barrel.

"Okay, Delsin. Here's the rub; don't let Jonas in here an' keep an eye on yer brother, alright? Yell fer me if Jonas tries to strongarm his way in, y'know?"

"Right," I said. I turned to head back out and clean up the mess, but Reginald laid a large hand on my shoulder.

"Delsin. Everythin' alright?"

"As alright as it can be, yeah. Why?"

"Muzga's been more touchy than usual an' I haven't even seen Olonu today."

"He got his shift switched, he's on night guard now."

"Mmm, that's what's goin on? What about Muzga?" I paused, sighing and leaning against a heavy barrel.

"Mom and dad disappearin' is bothering the hell out of him. He keeps talkin' about how he wants to take his sword and go look for her, but Olonu keeps stoppin' him and I keep tellin' him how much of a dumbass he is. That and Jonas being an ass ain't helpin'." I explained, sighing and shaking my head. "That's what's going on."

"Mmm. Well, you remember what I said. You three need anything an' I'm here." He gave me a sound pat on the shoulder and went about his inventory-taking, and I headed back to the bar to clean up the mess from the scuffle. There wasn't that much to clean up, just the spilled drink and the bits of the mug that was an unfortunate casualty. Muzga had left, probably back home or looking for odd jobs again.

The rest of the day passed by uneventfully, save for a group of elven travelers that stopped and asked for directions. After guiding them along Reginald dismissed me, handing me my pay for the day's work with a wink and a nod. I didn't count the coins as I slipped them into the small pouch on my hip, but it seemed like there were a few more. Outside, the town was beginning to wind down for the night. The workers headed home from the fields to their homes, some heading to the tavern for a bit of fun and drinking. I didn't work this shift, thankfully. It tended to get a bit rowdy in there at about this time, and my brothers feared so much for my safety they asked Reginald to pull me to morning shift.

Goldshire was a predominantly human town, with a substantial minority of ursine and canine beastfolk as well as elves. We were the only orcish family, and were somewhat known for that, though not usually in a negative light. The center of town held most of the governmental and upper-scale businesses and buildings, the streets cobble in the center of town and fading to dirt on the edges of town. On the way home an elf waved to me, nodding to a series of packages in his arms.

"Hallo there, Delsin." He said, pausing in front of his shop and resting his packages on a bench. "Fine day for a stroll, is it not?"

"Oh, Jel. Yeah, I guess." I said, looking up at the sky. It was clear, but dark clouds on the horizon threatened much-needed rain. Jel frowned and sat on the bench, patting a spot next to him. He had straight, jet-black hair as typical of elves, with tanned skin covered in a bevy of scars from his days as a soldier.

"Something bothering you, little one?" He asked.

"Lots of things," I admitted, "but nothing really fixable."

"Your mother?"

"I miss her, Jel. Muzga wants to go out looking for her, but we can't lose him." I frowned, shrugging. "He's getting into fights again. I don't know how long Reginald's patience will last."

"Your mother was a great leader. It was a shock to us all to lose her." Jel sighs. "I'll have a talk with Muzga. Where is he?"

"Dunno. He left after the fight."

"Mmm. I see." Jel patted his lap before standing, offering a hand. I took it and stood, and he smiled at me. "All will be well, Delsin. Times may be hard now, but they change. Even now they do, do you see the storm on the horizon?"

"Yeah."

"It is not a normal storm. I called upon some friends in the forests, and they are doing all they can for us." He tapped the packages on the bench with a long, thin finger. "And these are for if we lose rain once more."

"Really?" I looked between him and the bundles, seemingly irregular shaped objects wrapped in brown paper.

"Yes. Trinkets and charms for rain spirits." He gathered them up, cradling them in his thin arms. "I must get back to my chores. Be well, Delsin."

"You too." With that we parted ways again, he off to his business and me home. If it was going to storm I didn't want to be stuck out in it, and if Muzga had gone home I definitely didn't want him to be home alone.

Our home was on the west side of the town, near the river. We didn't have riverfront property, of course, but we were a few houses down. It was built of river stones like many of the houses on the street, with timber framing. The front door was locked tight, so I went scrounging about the bushes at the side of the house for the key. After procuring it I unlocked the door, locking it behind me. The house felt empty and dark after mom's disappearance, and especially with all of us out for extended periods of time. The house was a trio of rooms, one cooking and dining area, a central gathering room, and a bedroom where all of us slept. The central room was rather messy, with Olonu leaving his things scattered about and Muzga's books stacked in a teeterig pile in the corner. After going about and tidying up, I flopped down on one of the long couches in front of the dark fireplace. I wasn't even aware I was that tired, but I almost instantly fell asleep.

Many miles away, in the kingdom of Rhord, a meeting was being carried out in a brightly lit room in the center of a tower. Said tower loomed over the city of Enossel, glimmering in the morning sun. The tower rose up out of the Mus Academia, the center of learning both magical and nonmagical in the entire kingdom. The meeting room held a large table, around which four robed figures sat.

"But why should we get involved in this at all?" Asked a human with a prodigious gray beard. It was almost as if his hair had migrated from his scalp to his chin, leaving his head completely barren while his chin thrived.

"We have a responsibility to the kingdom," said a second human, this one with a full head of hair going silver with age. He rubbed his forehead, frowning. "If not the world. We have to have a part in it."

"So what do we do?" interjected a third, somewhat unusual member. She was robed, yes, but she was female and an avian beastfolk. Her black feathers rustled as she crossed her arms. "This boy is not only a liability, but he's also a completely unknown factor. How do we know he's of his blood and is actually remotely important in all of this?"

"The seers said he would be important." Defended the bearded wizard, shrugging. "I trust their judgment over yours, if I might be so brusque." The avian seethed, but said nothing.

"Aye, we did say he would be crucial." Another wizard said, toying with the hem of her robe's sleeve. Her long, pointed ears bobbed as she leaned forward and smoothed her dark hair.

"In what, though?" The avian insisted, glaring at the elven seer out of the corner of her eye.

"That is the question. We know he will be crucial, and knowing his genealogy we can draw an educated guess."

"Yes, like all other diviners, you resort to guessing."

"Educated guessing, dear. There is a difference."

"Ladies, ladies." Said the bald wizard, holding up his hands in an attempt to placate the two. "There's no need for interpersonal arguments at such a time."

"I don't feel comfortable coming to a decision without the others." The elder wizard said, shaking his head. "I know that they are not in a position to communicate with us due to the war, but..."

"No buts. This is something that needs to be done." The elven seer said, "The child is important, I know that much. We need to set something up to retrieve him."

"And then what? Lock him away in a room?" The avian wizard squawked in frustration. Feathers fell away from her as she stood, gesturing quickly. "Who's gonna keep him? Who's gonna train him?"

"Aeromilus. We'll compensate the funds, but he was looking for a second apprentice. And putting him in the hands of a trusted mage such as himself will allow us to keep him from those who also desire him." The seer said, nodding. The avian shrugged and sat again, tapping her finger on her beak as she stared out the window and into the clear sky.

"I'll send a missive. It'll be his responsibility from then out." said the bald wizard, nodding.

"You do that." The avian grumbled.