"Tell me what happened."

Two blue-skinned half-orcs walk down the dirt path leading to their home. One is a wide-shouldered muscular warrior with a shaved head and a large tribal tattoo on both of his arms. 

The other is a small boy of 10 years old, conversely with a full head of navy colored hair. The adult walks with a slight limp and the child, covered in fresh bruises, silently follows him.

"Tell me what happened," the man raises his voice as he repeats his demand to the child.

Garik stammers for a bit before saying, "Marqog was picking on me." His father looks back at him but keeps his pace. 

The young boy avoids making eye contact with him and states, "I got mad so... I got a rock," he pauses to see if his father is still looking, to which he is. He asks, "What happened next?" 

Deciding to get it over with, Garik confesses, "I hit him over the head with it when he wasn't looking." 

The older man immediately stops walking and turns to his son, "How did you get beat up?"

Garik, having gotten his nerve back after admitting what he had done, replies, "He told his friends and they ganged up on me!" 

His father closes his eyes, thinking about what his son had told him. After a moment he tells his son, "You deserved it." 

Garik starts to protest, but the look in his father's fierce eyes as he opens them is enough to stop him in his tracks. The man then gets onto his knees and, now face to face with his only child, starts to speak earnestly with him. 

"You are just as much of a member of this family and of this tribe as anyone. You are right in wanting to defend your honor, but going out of your way to hurt another member of this tribe is unacceptable." 

The volume of his voice steadily increases as he explains, "You broke two of the most important rules we have in this tribe: 'Never attack an unarmed person with a weapon' and 'under no circumstances should you fight another tribe member unless they have agreed to it.' And to attack someone from behind as well! I know that I've taught you what we stand for and-!"

He stops his speech after taking a look at his son, the shame causing tears to run down his face. 

He puts his hands around Garik's shoulders and declares, "You are a proud warrior of this tribe as well as a descendant of your mother's family. You deserve respect. Words are one thing, but if anyone tries to forcefully take your pride away from you, you are well within your right to unleash your fury upon them to prove it. Do you understand me?" 

Garik looks directly in his father's confident, glowing green eyes for the first time and replies, "Yes sir." The father pulls his young son into his arms before continuing their walk home.

"Gods! He didn't say he would stab him! What do we do?" 

Garik continues to seize on his hands and knees as more blood runs out of his body. Some of the group that hunted him down have sprinted down the street in panic, not believing their leader's attempt to appease them. The two armed members start to slowly walk out of the alley while their leader hangs back behind them. 

The half-orc collapses to the ground. All is still for a moment and it appears that the confrontation is over, but then the voices of his parents ring out like explosions in his mind.

"Both your father and I know the pain of being rejected by the ones who should be supporting you.” 

"You are a proud warrior of this tribe as well as a descendant of your mother's family. You deserve respect.”

"If anyone tries to forcefully take your pride away from you, you are well within your right to unleash your fury upon them. Do you understand me?" 

Time appears to slow down as all of the voices stop, and for a moment Garik’s mind is completely at peace. The half-orc opens his eyes once more and gets back to his knees. He takes off the shirt and jacket his mother had made him, revealing a scarred midsection that had been sculpted through his years of training for war and a dark green tattoo that resembles his father's on his left arm. 

The two armed thugs have reached the opposite end of the alley and turn back to their leader. “H-He’s back up! Look out!” one of them shouts in horror at the sight of Garik, standing at his full height for what feels like the first time since he moved away from his home, marching towards the man who had cut him. 

With every step, all thought in his brain is replaced by pure rage. Garik breaks out into a full sprint and meets the leader just as he turns around to see what his friend was talking about. Before he can pull out a weapon, Garik grabs him by the neck and slams his body against the nearest wall. The force of Garik’s move knocks off the rogue's mask. 

Upon seeing his face, Garik, who had been acting purely on instinct, falters for a moment. The image of the distressed girl flashes before his eyes as he holds the helpless assassin pinned to the wall. 

“P-put him down!” a voice stammers, snapping Garik out of his vision. He turns to his left to see the leader’s two friends, the one who had spoken up is now trembling with a crossbow aimed at Garik’s head. 

Garik takes one last look at his captive before throwing him at the terrified archer. All of the people who had been waiting for them have disappeared, the last remaining member falls backwards to the ground at the sight of the bloodsoaked half-orc turning his attention towards him.  

“GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!” Garik screams at his attackers, more blood shooting out of his wound. The two masked humans hurriedly collect their weapons and carry their unconscious leader away. 

Now alone, Garik’s fury subsides, leaving him exhausted and in immense pain. He stumbles towards the street, and he is barely able to reach the corner before leaning on a wall sliding down it onto the ground. Garik moves himself into a sitting position and looks towards the night sky before finally passing out.