I remember the simple days in my life. When my sister and I would sneak out at night and look at the stars. We would talk about the great adventures we would take on.

We were going to be the sister and brother team. We would imagine ourselves bringing justice to an unjust world, meeting and helping those in needs. Usually we would get so excited that we would wake our parents and then my father would rush out and chase us back in the house.

The next day we would be give more chores. But we did not care our imagination would always whisk us away to far away lands. I miss those simpler times. I miss my father yelling at me telling me that he would whip me when he catches me. Of course he would catch me and I would have problem sitting down for several days. Despite all that I wish I could go back to those times.

My father and I were coming back from market. My father did quite well today at the market and was bringing back this exotic sweet candy for my mother and sister. As we approached our home we both heard screaming. My father urged the horses onward trying to see what was wrong. Our door swung open and out walked three big green skinned humans. They really weren t humans but look more like human pigs. The charged the wagon and my father withdrew his short sword.

I cowered in the wagon too afraid to move. I could hear my sister screaming, and I lifted my head up over the wagon and saw her being dragged away. I yelled at my father that they were taking Jaunince away. My father was to busy fighting the three pig men. They were surrounding him. I saw my mother try to run to help Jaunice only to be pulled back in to the house by another pig man.

I swallowed hard and thought now is the time to bring justice to the world. I jumped off the wagon and landed flat on my face. Breathing deeply I brushed myself off and took off running after the pig man that had my sister. I wasn t sure what I would do yet but I did know that I would not let him have her without a fight.

The pigman was strong, he was able to dragged Jaunince as she was kicking and screaming. When I did catch up to him he was on top of her and she was scratching and punching him. I ran and tackled him only to fall backwards from his massive body. The nerve of that pig man, he didn t even acknowledge my presence. I grabbed a piece of firewood and bashed the back of his head.

The pigman arouse and acknowledge me now. He spoke some type of pig language and pulled out his sword. I charged him with the firewood and swung spinning myself dizzy. He laughed then kicked me down. I grabbed some rocks and threw it at him. When I hit him in the face his laughter stopped. He rushed me and threw me to the ground. With one hand he was choking me laughing at me. I saw stars and speckles of light, I was about to die.

The pigman lifted his sword for the killing blow when his body was pierce by an arrow. He looked bewildered as another arrow pierced his body. The pigman slumped over dead. I yelled at Jaunince asking her to get him off of me. After a few seconds the weight of the pig man was gone. It was then I realize that our parents were still fighting and probably need our help. I yelled out to whoever shot the arrows that our parents are fighting the pigman and need help too.

Jaunince and I ran back home and we saw our parents sprawled on their backs lying motionless. Tears filled my eyes as we continued to run to them. We saw men around them touching them. I picked up a rock and threw it at one of them. Yelling at them to stay away from my parents, I wanted to vengeances for this injustice.

To both our surprises our parents were ok they were being watched over by a priest of Ehlona. Our saviors were a band of adventures passing by and hoping to barter for a good meal. My mother prepared a feast for them once she felt a little better. They decided to stick around for a while to ensure the pigman, which the called orcs, would not return.

I tried to learn as much as I could from the adventures. I wanted to learn how to use a sword and bow. I wanted to kill as many orcs as I could, for what they did to my family. At night I could still see the orc laughing at me as he choked me.

Many years past and I would sneak into the forest and learn from nature. I would hear the whispers of the forest and tried to follow the teachings. Weapons would appear for me to use and I practiced and practice and practice some more. I became stronger from the training and my household chores. On one night in particular the whispers told me to take the equipment home.

I was still nervous as to what my parents would think of me and the weapons I had. I did not even want to think of how I would explain the fact that the forest gave me the weapons. As I approached my home I heard movement. I froze in place. I watched my home and saw three orcs approaching. I knocked an arrow and prayed to Ehlona that my arrow find its mark.

The first shot killed the orc. The other two fled in terror. I continued to my home and spent the rest of the night explaining how my family needs to leave this place and relocate further north. I had to repeat several times that the forest gave me my armor and equipment.

Two days later I led my family to the north where they started over. I promise my father that I would visit from time to time but that I needed to protect others from the orcish horde.

Several years past and I became a proficient tracker. I tracked wanted men to add to my income. One job in particular would change my life. I saw a wanted sign for a gnome accused of robbing and killing a shopkeeper. The bounty was quite high so I figured I would track down the little one.

He was a good one elusive and sneaky, but eventually I managed to capture him. I was taking him back to town and he asked if he could cook for me. I humored the little man and allowed him to do so. My mouth thanked me for the decision, for I had not tastes such good food since the days of my childhood. Thought I would never admit it to her, dare I say his cooking was better than her cooking?

The next night I was jumped by orcs in the middle of the night. As I fought them off the gnome ran away, I could not blame him. I fought them the best I could but I was not match for them. The gnome returned and distracted them; we fought side by side slaying the orcs. I felt guilty that I had to turn him in, but it was a bounty.

Later that same night the whispers returned to me, informing me that the gnome has a purpose and that I should heed his concerns. I woke the gnome up and begin asking him questions. He was a chef, and only wanted fine spices from the shopkeeper. He swore he did not kill the shopkeeper and I believed him. He also told me the tail of how the giants torment his people and that he wants to return to them and help them.

His people had become quite adept in fighting giants he told me several tactics they used as well as vital areas. For aiding me with the orcs I offered my blade and bow in the defense of his people. I explained that after we clear his name, he can return to his people without looking over his shoulder.

We ran across a group of kids bumbling in the forest. The gnome wanted to play tricks on them and give them a good spooking. They were certainly brave if not foolish; I asked them where they were going and they replied to the south. I then told them that they should not be out in the forest a night alone. They then wanted me to guide them to the south, offering some reward from a duke from their hometown. I accepted and we begin our trek southward.