"Get Down!!!" A voice screams, jarring me from my sleep, followed by an Earth rumbling crash. *Just what on Volas were they doing out there? Dremak's coming of age ceremony wasn't for another quarter cycle, and we were still a week off from the next Hunting Festival, so what is with all the racket?* I find myself wondering as I stumble towards my tents entrance. Just as I was about to step outside I hear a low rumbling followed by the sound of my tent cracking and ripping from the back. A large boulder continues rolling by, mere feet from where I stand, what it revealed is the sight of my village burning and crushed while all the warriors are charging out the gate, weapons in hand.
I step out of my tent, Spear and Shield in hand. My coming of age was still 4 cycles off but I wasnt going to let my village burn while I stand idly by. From my tent I could see my kinsmen on the mountainside pushing large boulders and throwing smaller ones at whatever enemy was attacking us. We've had those boulders ready for invaders for years, but the one that crushed my tent wasnt the same. It came from where the enemies were, and it was darker, almost like it was wet... *Shit... It's wet with oil!* I thought and looked to where the boulder was rolling, it was headed right for our villages spit roasting fire. The trail and oil it splashed was all over the ground and nearby huts and tents, if it reached the fire, half the village would burn.
Before I could think about what I was doing, I threw my weapons and charged after the boulder, nearly slipping on the oil it left all over the ground. As I make it in front of the boulder I stop in my tracks and try to plant myself solid in the ground. I raise my hands to it and close my eyes right as it crashes into me, *I caught it!* I thought In disbelief, I'd never stopped a boulder before. As I open my eyes, I soon realize that the feat wasnt over, my feet were covered in oil from before and we were sliding towards the fire. I strained, putting all my strength Into pushing the boulder, solely focused on stopping it before it causes more damage. Suddenly I feel a warmth knawing at the back of my legs, I glance behind me and realize that I was now mere feet from the fire. *No, no, no!!! Come on!* I think as I push as hard as I ever have against the boulder.
It stopped. It finally stopped. After 20 yards of fighting, the boulder finally stopped moving. *Thank the gods... Now I have to...* I couldn't even finish thinking. My feet were on on fire, and it spread past my feet and reached the boulder. However it wasnt exactly a boulder anymore, at this point I was holding nothing short of a giant ball of fire. "GAHH!!" I scream at the top of my lungs, I could feel my skin boiling and charring. I immediately start running towards one of the village wells that was nearby, in case the fire got out of hand. Once I reach it I jump straight in, desparate to put out the fire that was burning away at my flesh. After a few moments I begin to climb out, but was I see is true horror. There were several more boulders soaring through the air towards the village, meanwhile the one I stopped was on fire, as well as the trail it left through my village.
I hop out of the well and begin charging towards the village gates, *The village may be lost but we may still win the battle.* I thought, but as I pass by a nearby hut it practically explodes as a boulder crashes into it. The shockwave jarring my senses as another crashes behind me, throwing me forward as I black out. When I come to my senses, I found myself chained being dragged by what I had to assume was horses. My head was pounding and I couldn't see, I could hear the horses walking as they dragged me, and an unrecognized voice as it yells get closer.
"Where did you find this one?" The voice barks as we stop.
"He was trapped and knocked out under some rubble near the main gate, sir. Should we execute him?" Another voice replies.
"No, they may be savages, but the chief asked us to spare the young before he was executed. We can do that much at least. Take him to the Healer's Tent to get his wounds treated, and prepare a cage for him. Maybe we can make use of him eventually." The voice stops, and I begin being dragged off again. As I begin to open my eyes, the sun Is starting to rise, and I see the man who sent me off. *Why is he so short?* I thought, just before my head smacked a rock and I blacked out again...