"Happy birthday, Kotaiso!" the village of Nibel called aloud as music played and people laughed.
It was March 1st...Kotaiso's eighth birthday. The entire village had gathered to celebrate, as they did every year for his birthday.
There was games, music, food, drinks, and many other fun festivities. It was like a fair when a birthday occurred in Nibel. Birthdays in Nibel were viewed as a sacred, holy day where the Light blessed the village with another child to keep the village thriving, so the people of Nibel never gave up a chance to celebrate.
And now was the time for presents! Kotaiso didn't really care for getting presents. He didn't even really care for his own birthday. He differed from the rest of Nibel on that part...and many others.
The villagers all lined up to give him a present. He had recieved an assortment of things so far: flowers from the girls who thought he was cute, rocks from the kids who liked playing pranks, food from just about everyone, and a little bit of spending money.
The present line dispersed and the only present Kotaiso had left to recieve was from his family.
Alma, Ingo, and Lucrecia stood before Kotaiso, who was standing in the village square where most of the village meetings were held (and where all the celebrations were held annually, as well). All of them smiled at him as the crowd watched anxiously to see what wonderful present he was about to recieve.
Alma stepped forward with her hands behind her back and got down on a knee; looking Kotaiso in the eyes.
"Happy birthday, my beautiful Son. I hope you have many more and wish you longevity and wealth."
Ingo stepped forward and patted his Son on the shoulder. He didn't say anything...and Kotaiso didn't want him to. Even the thought of his hand on his shoulder disgusted him beyond belief.
Finally, Lucrecia, who was now two, stepped forward a bit awkwardly, having just only learned to walk two months prior. She walked up to her Brother and gave him a hug. Kotaiso hugged her back and didn't want to let go.
"I wuv you, bi Bruba." Lucrecia said as well as she could manage.
Kotaiso smiled and kissed Lucrecia on the cheek. "I love you, too, Lucrecia."
Alma kissed her Son on the cheek and then brought her arms forth to show Kotaiso what she had in her hands.
Kotaiso looked in his Mother's hands and was confused for a moment. The object was oval and smooth to the touch. It was not hard, but very fragile and could break easily enough if Kotaiso squeezed hard enough.
"...what is it, Mom?"
"It's a Chicken's egg, Kotaiso. It's yours."
Kotaiso eyed the egg suspiciously and then nodded. "I'll take care of it! Promise!" Kotaiso said as he carefully placed the egg inside a fur-lined pouch that would keep it both protected and warm.
Everyone clapped and cheered for Kotaiso and then went on with their celebrations and fun.
* * * * *
Kotaiso held Lucrecia's hand as he brought her over to a jester who was juggling three plates with expert ease.
He knelt beside his Sister and pointed at the jester. "You see him, Lucrecia? He can do all sorts of tricks like that. He's also very funny."
The jester purposely dropped all the plates on the ground and acted as if it were an accident. The crowd laughed.
Grinning, the jester looked about the crowd and laid his eyes upon Lucrecia. "Ah! Precious darling, what animal wouldst thou heart desire?"
Lucrecia hid behind Kotaiso, afraid of the man. Kotaiso smiled.
"It's okay, Lucrecia. He just wants to give you something. What animal would you like?"
Lucrecia continued hiding behind Kotaiso. "...a...a...Beh...."
Kotaiso nodded and looked at the jester. "She'd like a Bear!"
The jester clapped his hands together and laughed a jolly laugh. He grabbed a deflated balloon and blew into it. He moved his arms this way and that and created the image of a Bear with the balloon and offered it to Kotaiso. "Give this to your Sister, young lad!"
The crowd clapped as Kotaiso took the balloon from him and handed it to Lucrecia. "Here you go. Hold on tight or it'll fly away!"
A scream was heard and the music quickly died out after that as people looked around in confusion. What was going on?
Kotaiso looked around and listened, holding Lucrecia's hand tightly. The ground shook and there was a sound like a drum beating off in the distance...
What could that be...? He thought.
Another scream rang out and another and another. Soon almost everyone was screaming and people began to run. People pushed past Kotaiso and nearly knocked him over. Because of the massive crowds of scared people running, Kotaiso couldn't see what was going on.
Someone grabbed him by the shirt and began to drag him along. The force of the person dragging him made him lose grip of Lucrecia's hand. "Lucrecia!" Kotaiso yelled as she was swallowed up by the continual crowd of people rushing forwards.
Kotaiso struggled to get out of the grip that dragged him. "Let me go! Let go! I have to go get my Sister!"
"She'll be fine, Kotaiso! We need to leave!" it was Farmer Paxton.
Kotaiso kicked Farmer Paxton in the shin and bit his hand. Paxton yelled out and glared at Kotaiso, releasing him. "Fine, boy! You're not my responsibility!"
Paxton ran off and Kotaiso was a bit confused as to what he meant. Not giving it another thought, he turned back the way he came and began to push through the oncoming crowd.
"Lucrecia! Lucrecia, where are you?!" he called, hoping to find her.
Kotaiso...come and get me..."I'm coming, Lucrecia!"
Kotaiso pushed past another person and the crowd had finally stop coming in what seemed like an endless wave. He was back in the village square and Lucrecia was there, by the lamp-post next to the eldest tree.
She was clutching her teddy Bear and her balloon Bear and was staring at what looked to Kotaiso like a sea of green mutants.
His eyes widened as he laid eyes upon what seemed like thousands of the creatures. They had long, black, greasy hair, their skin was green, their eyes as red as blood, and they were twice the size of a well-built Human. They also had what looked like two over-grown teeth jutting out from their lower jaw.
These must be those Orcs Father and the other villagers are always talking about... Kotaiso thought as he ran up to Lucrecia and grabbed her by the hand.
The Orcs stood there, staring at the two children.
Why...why aren't they coming any closer? Kotaiso thought.
Kotaiso...we have to leave...Kotaiso nodded. "Come on, Lucrecia!" He lifted her up into his arms and began to run back in the direction he had come from.
Now the Orcs came to life. They marched forward in unison and a howling scream was sent out by one of them. They began to jog, then sprint.
Kotaiso pumped his legs as hard as he could manage, but he knew he wouldn't outrun the Orcs forever.
His chest began to heave as he gasped for the air to continue on and his legs cramped up.
Keep running, Kotaiso!"I...will...protect...you..." Kotaiso gasped as his pace slowed, but didn't stop.
The Orcs had split their forces in two. One was to attack from the east, and the rest were to attack from the north and west. The southern edge of the village was the mountains that seperated Elwynn from Stranglethorn Vale; there was no escape that way.
As the villagers ran from the Orcs in the East, hope of survival began to build inside of them. They had apparently stopped at the village square and were slaughtering the stragglers there. It was home free now...or so they thought.
The villagers ran straight into the waiting Orcs, who hid behind tree trunks in ambush.
Screams ran out as villagers were cut down, dismembered, and killed. Those left alive turned and ran back into the village. There was no way of escape...and they could not fight off the Orc armada...they were farmers and shop keepers...not soldiers.
Soon all of the villagers were once again in the village square, surrounded and left without the hope of a new day.
Kotaiso had Lucrecia behind him and held his wooden sword at the ready...he would die to protect her if he had to.
Some of the villagers had picked up pitchforks and tried to attack the Orcs out of desperation, but were easily cut down and ripped to pieces. Kotaiso watched as one by one, the Orcs picked a villager at random and killed him or her...they didn't hold a bias towards age, race, or gender...they killed them all.
Then something Kotaiso never would have expected to happen did indeed happen. His Father, with a sword in hand, stood in front of him in a protective manner.
"Stay behind me, Son...if they kill me...take Lucrecia and run."
"...Father..."
"Just do as I say!"
All bad people redeem themselves in the end, Kotaiso...Kotaiso glanced back at Lucrecia, who was still clutching both of her Bears.
The Orcs had turned to killing the villagers execution-style. They were quickly running out of people to kill, so they thought they'd spruce it up with new, innovative ways to kill them and feed their bloodlust.
There were only four left now...a woman, a man who was armed, and two children... The Orcs licked their lips as they grabbed the woman. She let out a scream and struggled, but the Orcs were much too strong for her.
"Alma! No! Alma!" Ingo yelled as he ran forward. "Let go of her, you fucked up monstrosities!"
Ingo charged the Orcs who held his Wife. He made contact with one of their arms, severing it. The Orc screamed and growled in rage and pain.
Ingo went to strike again, but was swarmed by four other Orcs who came to their comrade's aid.
"No! Let go of me! Alma!" Ingo yelled out.
"Ingo!" Alma was crying.
The Orcs dragged the couple towards Kotaiso and Lucrecia. Kotaiso straightened his back and held his sword at the ready. He was ready to die if necessary.
Eyeing the children, the Orcs grinned. The rammed Ingo down into the ground face first and pinned him there. He let out a grunt as his body made contact with the hard soil.
The Orc who had just lost his arm hefted an axe above his head and brought it down on Ingo shoulder; severing his own arm.
Ingo screamed out in pain. The Orc spat on Ingo and then repeated the process to his other arm.
Ingo was armless. Kotaiso watched in horror as the Orc with one arm continued to sever every limb of Ingo's right in front of his eyes.
Finally, when there were no more limbs to cut off, two Orcs lifted Ingo's barely concious body into the air. He looked around weakly, just about to slip into the confines of death. He managed a look at his Son and forced the weakest smile.
"Father..." Kotaiso said to himself, stunned.
The Orc lined up his axe and then brought it across Ingo's neck. His head sailed through the air and landed a few meters away from Kotaiso, but the blood sprouting from his neck showered him and Lucrecia.
Tossing the limbless, headless body aside, the Orcs then moved on to the wailing woman. She was making too much noise...
"Kotaiso! I love you! Always remember that! Lucrecia...my darling! I love you, too! Please live long and --"
Alma's voice was cut short as her head was also cut from her shoulders. This time the head landed at Kotaiso's feet. He looked down and stared into his Mother's widened, terror-filled eyes.
"M-M-Mom..." Kotaiso's lips trembled.
He looked up and watched the Orcs dismember her body, as well.
At least she was dead before-hand..."Lucrecia...I'm not going to let them harm you...I swear..." Kotaiso did his best to keep his voice calm.
I know, Brother... I love you."I love you, too..."
Now that the parents were out of the way...it was time to deal with the two remaining Human children. First...that witch.
Kotaiso stood his ground as two Orcs advanced towards him and Lucrecia. He began to grow anxious and finally ran up to them and tried to beat them away with his wooden sword.
The Orcs looked at each other and laughed. Kotaiso's attempts were for nothing. The Orc he was striking grabbed his sword and snapped it in two before backhanding him.
Kotaiso fell to the ground and tasted the familiar taste of blood. He forced himself up and was kicked hard in the chest which sent him tumbling backwards.
He struggled to breathe.
Kotaiso...Rolling onto his stomach, he forced himself to his knees; gasping for air. He looked over to the Orcs. They were holding Lucrecia.
"No...no...I won't...NO! I WON'T LET YOU!" Kotaiso screamed as he got to his feet and limped over to the Orcs and Lucrecia.
"Lucrecia! I'll save you! I won't let them hurt you!"
He saw the Orcs grin and laugh as he came nearer. He went right up to one and punched him in the meaty part of his leg. He yelped out in pain as he retracted his hand...the Orc's skin was as hard as rock.
The Orc gave Kotaiso a punch of his own, which sent Kotaiso straight to the ground. Kotaiso struggled to stay concious. He felt blood drip from his nose and pool in his mouth. He felt dizzy as he again, forced himself to his feet.
"I...made...a...p-promise..." he spat out blood. "I will...protect you, Lucre--" he stopped midsentence as he watched one of the two Orcs plunge a sword right through Lucrecia's chest.
Kotaiso could feel the pain as if it were his own... He clutched his chest and fell to his knees.
He watched as blood poured from Lucrecia's mouth and her black eyes smear. He watched as her life drained from her.
Brother...you said...you'd protect me... Brother...I'm...scared... Kotaiso... ...good-bye... I...love...you...Br...oth...er...She was dead. He felt her presence in his mind leave. He watcher her life leave her small body. She was dead...and he had failed. He had broken the most important promise he had ever made.
Kotaiso suddenly didn't fear death any longer. His eyes burned as tears flowed freely from them. He was a failure.
He clenched his fists and stood up. The Orc who had punched him went to grab him, but Kotaiso moved out of the way. He ran.
"Let him go! He is only a child! He can do the Horde no harm." The Orc Captain said as he dropped the girl's body to the ground. "Now...let's burn this place."
Kotaiso ran as best as his limp enabled him. He ran until he was far away enough from Nibel to know that the Orcs weren't following him.
He fell forward on his face, exhausted. He lay there for quite some time before the smell of burning wood entered his nostrils.
He forced himself up and turned around to look at Nibel in the distance. It was on fire.
Kotaiso stood and watched his village...his life burn away before his eyes. He stood and watched his village burn until he could bear it no longer. He turned and continued running into the depths of Elwynn Forest.
* * * * *
Kotaiso sat against a tree and wiped the tears from his eyes. He tried his best to stop, but the tears just kept coming. He buried his head in his hands.
Kotaiso sat there like that, wallowing in his failure and misery for what seemed like an eternity. The only thing that stirred him from it was the feeling of movement from one of his pockets.
Kotaiso lifted his head and felt the pocket where the movement was coming from.
The egg...He opened the pocket and pulled the egg out and held it in his hands. The egg rocked back and forth and a crack appeared along the sides.
Kotaiso watched as a baby Chicken hatched its way out of the egg.
The Chicken looked at Kotaiso and squeeked.
"You...survived..."
The Chicken squeeked again.
"You're a survivor like me..."
The Chicken tilted its head and blinked at Kotaiso.
Kotaiso stared at the Chicken for a while before wiping his eyes again. "I suppose you need a name...don't you?"
The Chicken flapped his tiny wings and squeeked again.
"I'm not that good with name-making...so I'll just call you Chicken...how's that sound?"
The Chicken squeeked once more before closing its eyes and going to sleep in Kotaiso's palms.
Kotaiso held the sleeping Chicken in his hands. Suddenly, while watching the Chicken sleep, Kotaiso felt a drop of rain land on his head...then another...then another.
It began to pour rain. Kotaiso sheltered the sleeping Chicken under his shirt and looked up at the sky, the cold, wet rain pelting his face as he did so.
A smile spread across his face as he thought back to that distant day of when Lucrecia was born. The day when everything was perfect. That long ago day...in the rain.
THE END
