Asper

I awake by the sounds of hectic feet charging through the hallway just beyond my door. I rub crust of my eyelids, and sit up, urgently throwing on a fur cape and sliding into my boots. I pull the door open slowly and peek out, alarmed by the number ofpeople rushing to the courtyard. I decide to join the chase and follow Kyelm through the hallway, and out to the snow covered courtyard.
I can’t see beyond the huddle of people, and look to my life, b-lining it that way to escape the tight huddle. I see ivy green skin and brown talon like fingers just beside me. “Oldut?” I ask of the high elf next to me.
“Asper!” She grabbed my arm her rough skin harsh against mine.
“Whats going on? I can’t see.” Oldut looks unsurely outwards past the huddle and then takes my hand, dragging me back.
“Osskel. He has…uhm, upset Ryldom.” She looked at me wryly.
“What did he do?” I begged of her.
“He uhm…he gave away our location, to a town of orcs.” She bit her lip.
My mouth dropped. “Are the orcs coming here? Or are they going to tell Ki’Machi where we are?”
Oldut shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t know Osskel keeps saying that the orcs needed help, that their land too was being threatened by Ki’Machi, so Osskel told them to retreat here.”
“Alright.” I ran over different ways things could pan out in my head, when I heard the door open and Veset came out screaming.
“They’re here!” Veset cried. “They’ve invaded the north gate! The people don’t know what to do!” Veset was dressed in nice rayon slacks, an imperial vest and a long fur coat. He carried an Elvish knife.
Ryldom stomped through the huddle. “Have they threatened in any way to harm our people or our land?”
“They are taunting the locals, the women and children are searching for places to hide, the men are preparing to fight.”
Ryldom let out a long sigh. “Damn Osskel.” Ryldom kneeled and looked at me. “Asper, get out there, hold them off, I’ll brief the mages and warriors and send them within half an hour. Go, Go with Veset.” He looked up at Veset and shrugged his head toward the gate. “Good luck.”
I looked first at Veset, then we both took off, through the temple, he looked at me briefly, “You’ve never been out there have you?” His lips barely moved as he spoke.
I shook my head.
“The north gate is to the left, I’ll get to the leader, and try to figure out if their goal is to hurt us or if his men are just half-wits. You stay in the village and protect the women and children, try not to kill them, we don’t want them to reveal our location to anyone else.” He was strategic as always. He nodded and pushed open the large door.
I heard crying, screaming, and the cackly laugh of an Orc. Veset ran quickly to the north. I was overwhelmed by the simplicity here, small triangular huts which provide little protection from the harsh cold on the mountain. Small dirt pathways linked the houses, and rocks were laid around the path to frame it. There must have been at least two-hundred huts out there, two-hundred people terrified, cold, and in fear, unsure of our invaders.
I pinched myself, and slowly descended the stairs. This was Rivendell. This small place looked impoverish, although the mages told me grand stories since I was an infant, of the lavish lives of the civilians.
Ahead of me I saw my first real Orc. A short, stumpy, grey-ish green creature with visibly rough skin and grissly teeth. He looked around, finally seeing me. He smirked evily and started walking this way.
I balled my fist and whispered, “Para Co Lui.” I unfurled my fist and saw the yellow sparks, awaiting my second command. He had gotten about three feet away from me when I thrusted my hand out towards him screaming, “Para no!”
Small yellow sparks flew from my hand, consuming the stumpy Orc, They danced atop him, and soon it took effect. He was still. One of the first spells I learned, Paralysis.
I rubbed my hand on my cape and jogged into the village, it didn’t appear that many Orcs had been here yet, everything looked pretty good.
I looked into different huts to check on the people, in one hut a woman was cradling her young son. In another a couple hugged. Then I saw one where a sallow mother was being informed by her daughter. I squinted.
“I-I-Ingtia?” I made a guess.”
The girl turned around. “Yes?”
I fell to my knees, my eyes tracing over my family. My mothers eyes, sunken into her skull. Her lips pale and chapped. Her hair matted. How could I have left them like this. I saw my mothers eyes stare at my face.
“Asper.” She whispered, taking a grey finger and pointing it at me.
Ingtia looked. “Asper?”
I nodded.
My sister came around and enveloped me in a hug. She was beautiful, bound to have ample suitors. She instead watched over my mother. Ingtia was petite with a cascade of black hair, blue eyes, and a stern face.
“Thank you.” She plead, her eyes welling up with tears.
I nodded. “How is our mother?” I felt something foreing in my throat, crawling up, just as I felt a strange moistness in my eyes.
Ingtia pursed her lips and shook her head. “I’ll just say, It’s good that you came today.”
The feeling in my throat came up and an unusual sobbing noise came out of my mouth, as well as drops came out of my eyes.
“I can save her.” I nodded self-assuringly “If I get her in the temple, I can get her healed.”
Ingtia smiled with finality. “I think there are more pressing issues.”
I heard obnoxious footsteps behind me. My brain calculated, 5 yards. I turned my head. A pot-bellied Orc wielding a warhammer approached slowly.
I backed into the entrance of the hut. I balled my left fist. “Para Co Lui.” I whispered as the sparks began to fizzle in my hand. He neared, with a look of devilish intentions, I once again thrusted out my hand speaking, “Para no!” He moved no more and toppled to the ground, millions of tiny dustclouds erupting on his parimeter.
I looked back to my mother, she was still. I tapped her hand. “Mother, I can get you help.” I spoke fluidly.
She didn’t respond as I noticed Ingtia in the corner with her head in the palms of her hands.
I shook the frail corpse of my mother, expecting impossible results. I clenched my teeth. “Sik Hil!” I yelled placing my hand over her heart. I fell on my hands. “Sik Hil!” I screamed. Defeat washed over me.
The lifeless body of my mother sat just in front of me, the person who had given me life, then had me stolen away. She had begged for years just to see me, and when she finally does I am unable to help.
I locked eyes with Ingtia, her face stained with tears.
“What are you going to do?” She asked
“I’m tearing this place down.” I replied surely.