It was late at night. I had sneaked out of my house.
As I walked towards my favourite spot at the edge of Wundanium woods, I was thinking about the different methods I could hide my mark sheets which I carried along with me.
The results from the training academy for young men were out and as I expected I had failed miserably.
Combat was never a good skill of mine but since my family was from a military background with my dad being a head of a unit, I had no choice but to join the military.
I was so lost in my thoughts I had completely ignored my surroundings and had accidentally bumped into a bulky looking man.
Completely shocked, I looked up at him to apologise. The man was atleast 6 foot 3 and had strong muscular arms. He wore the military T shirt and had a sword which he carried on his back.
Knowing he wasn't somone to mess around him, I quickly lowered my head and started walking away. As soon as I thought I was away he shouted at me.
"Hey kid, you dropped something."
Surprised I looked back to see a piece of paper lying down on the road. It was my mark sheet !
I quickly jolted to get it but before I could, the man had already picked it up. He stared at the sheet of paper for atleast a minute and a half before bursting into laughter.
Seeing me in a shocked and confused state the man suddenly asked me.
"Are you Groffin, son of Ronate?"
Completely overthrown by the question I realised he would have come to know about my name from the marksheet.
However this didn't explain how he knew my father's name which was not mentioned there.
Speechless and confused, I answered with a nod.
The man gave me a humble smile and said,
"It's been a long time little one. Come I have some news to tell you."
I had always been told not to follow strangers but here I was following a 6 foot man who was from the military and seemingly knew not only mine but also my father's name in the middle of the night to an unknown place.
We soon reached a night bar. Although I was underage and technically not allowed in, the gaurd knew better to stop me and start an argument with the man I followed.
"You have grown quite tall Groffin."
The man commented once we were inside. Seeing my confusion the man introduced himself.
"My name is Akelene. Although you might not remember me, I was a friend of your dad and used to come over to your house many times when you were just a baby."
I was quite surprised by this statement. My father was one of those people who never used to interact with other people unless it was related to his business. Akelene continued,
"As you know after the war had started, it was compulsary that each household sent atleast one male individual to help in the military and both me and your father were forced to leave our families behind and fight."
I knew this very well. The human king had a relation with the dwarfian queen and when the king of dwarves had found out, he was enraged.
However the human king refused to give back the dwarfian king his wife back due to which a war was declared between the two races.
However the population of dwarves were atleast 2 times bigger than the humans and as a result of that the human king had passed a policy in which a household had to atleast send one male member to the military
Akelene continued,
"I was placed in the same unit as your father and we were responsible for fighting at the Katene coast. During one of those battles, your father was gravely injured and later succumbed to those injuries."
I was hit my a mixed feeling of emotions and managed to squeak out.
"That's impossible, if a member does in a war, his family members are supposed to be informed immediately."
Akelene nodded and sighed a bit looking at me with hazy eyes.
"Exactly, that is what's supposed to happen. However in the battle with the dwarves, the humans are loosing and the government is trying to do everything in their power to hide that fact, which includes reporting ess number of deaths that what actually happened."
I was left with a blank mind. Does that mean that I am an orphan now?
My mother had died when I was only 3 and now I have lost the only remaining member of my family.
Normally in such scenario the government would send a team to pick that child up and put the child either in a military orphanage or a slave centre.
This must haven't happened to me yet because they have decided to keep my fathers death a secret but till when?
Sooner or later they would have to reveal and then I would be in some major trouble.
"Although this information which I just revealed to you is confidencial and if I was caught, I would have to face harsh penalties, I feel it's worth the risk. I know you would currently be feeling sad about your fathers demise, I have come here to protect you from whats left to come. An adoption so as to say."
I lived in the middle of the country in a town named Polperro.
Even during the times of war, the battles never reached here making Polperro a very peaceful place.
However, Akelene being in the military had to live near the border so that he could be summoned immediately.
"Take all your important belongings, we will travel at sunrise. Meet me here at the same place at 5."
Akelene said as he got up from his chair and left the bar.
If I follow Akelene I will be safe from the government for now but my future would be unsure.
'Atleast I didn't have to worry about my marks anymore.'
I thought with a grin, which was soon replaced by a worried look thinking of my fathers demise.
My Father wasn't necessarily a good man and never spent much time with me but now that I know he would never be coming back made me sad.
I followed Akelene's instructions and took all my important belongings. I didn't have much just a bag with a few clothes and a weapons kit which I carried to my academy.
Akelene grinned when he saw me at the bar. He carried with him 2 horses, both of which wearing an Armour.
"I didn't expect you would come leaving behind your town and everything. Here take this horse, we will be needing it to reach our destination."
I looked at him and said.
"Akelene I don't know how to ride a horse yet."
Akelene laughed as he gave me the leash of one of the horse.
"Riding a horse is not a skill. You will yourself learn with few hours of practice. Also don't call me Akelene, just call me uncle."
Taking the leash from his hand I tried getting up on the horse.
It was much easier that I had expected it to be. Instinct I guess.
Turning around, I saw an appalled expression smeared upon Akelene's face.
"How did you climb on it so easily? On my first try, I fell down and the horse kickedp me in my balls."
Damn that must have hurt...
I simply shrugged,
"I guess I am a prodigy."
Akelene jumped on the horse and grumbled about prodigy while leading me towards his town that would be my new home for the near future.