"Well, what happened? How come you two are no longer Weavers?"

“A deadly poison secreted by a Purple Wyrm,” Gilmore said. "And, we still are Weavers, just—inhibited."

Aleister recalled all the information he could about wyrms. However, it was nothing specific.

All wyrms shared two traits in common. The first was that they were all gargantuan, spanning tens if not over a hundred feet in length, and weighed tens of thousands of pounds. The other was how each one came into existence—a draconic lineage. Further information about their origin remained unknown to him, but their other various traits and abilities depended on their bloodline. This included the color of their scales.

“That poison almost ended up killing us. Luckily, your mother's m—" Gilmore hesitated for a brief moment. "Master, saved us. Unfortunately, the poison still rendered our abilities useless for a long period. We heard rumors about the village chief knowing some ancient remedies and visited to check them out. That is how the two of us settled in Stillside village. Since then, he has given us many potions and pills to aide in our recovery. Right now, he's brewing a special medicine that will temporarily restore us to a superior state and allow us to dispatch of the threat."

“So that was what you mentioned about not being ready." Although what Aleister was more interested in was how Gilmore tensed up as he mentioned his mother's master.

Branne sat next to them and expressed a multitude of different emotions across his face. “If I may ask—”

“It’s ready!” Ryellia said, bursting the door to the villager chief's office open.

Hearing her voice, Mitre lifted his head up from Gilmore’s lap and said, “Mommy?”

Her voice faltered, and as she looked down and saw Aleister and Mitre. “Damn, the two of you didn’t manage to escape?”

“Unfortunately not,” Aleister replied. “Although, the medicine being done sounds like a good thing to me.”

“It should be,” Gilmore said as he stood up and entered the chief's office.

Aleister nodded. All he could do now was wait. He lifted his legs and rested them on to the table as he leaned back. As he waited, the weight of his eyelids pressed down. Just a few minutes of rest couldn't hurt him.

“Bro, wake up!” Mitre said, shaking Aleister’s arm.

His eyes blinked open as he fell out of his chair. He didn’t know how much time passed, but he knew it was much longer than just a single minute. After a quick rub, he glanced around the room. Mom, dad, and the village chief hadn’t left the office yet. “What happened?”

“The bad guys are right outside!” Mitre said.

"Right outside?"

“Yes,” Branne said, standing next to him. "Follow us, we’re all planning to hide inside an office as we bide for time."

Aleister nodded and followed them. It wasn’t the best place to hide, but when the gnolls burned the entire village down, was there anywhere better to hide?

He entered a small office. Multiple bookshelves and a desk took up most of the interior, but there was still enough space that allowed people to separate into small groups. The biggest advantage was how other rooms protected this one, and the fact that there were no windows.

Branne entered last and locked the door behind them. This wouldn’t really stop any of the gnolls from just knocking down the door, but it aided in the purpose of hiding to buy time. They could only hope the gnolls couldn't bother to check every room. An almost guaranteed impossibility. But there was always the chance.

There wasn’t much for Aleister to do but sit and stare. He grabbed a book, but put it back. When the gnolls attacked, he needed to be ready at a moment's notice. He turned around and noticed that the same black raven managed to sneak in with them. All he could do now was wait.

This moment of silence gave Aleister the time to reflect on life once more. Quite funny how the threat of death does that to a person. It gave him the time to think about what his life could have been if they never attacked his family. If he never became a slave? But, it was because they happened that he even met his new mother, father, and brother. Cause and effect. How much of a hand had he played for him to end up like this?

An explosion thundered out from behind. Aleister turned around and drew his sword, gazing at the broken wall. The Thall he saw at the southern gate stood in front of him now. A few lesser gnolls stood behind. The once beautiful garden outside the town hall was now burning a brilliant orange. They opened their mouth and spoke using short snarls and barks.

The Thall grinned, adding to its fierce appearance, and in Common said, “Interesting smell.”

It walked into the room, its head scraping against the ceiling, but no one moved. Just its presence caused everyone to feel fear. Their lives could end at any moment, including his. During this time, Aleister tried to stay as calm as possible as the Thall continued to sniff and examine each individual, moving ever closer.

It stopped in front of Mitre. Its tongue lubricated its lips as it raised a finger. "You."

Mitre slumped onto the floor.

The Thall reached to grab him, but Aleister stepped in front and stabbed his sword. No effect.

It snickered and opened its gaping maw, exposing its vicious fangs, and bit down. Blood spattered across his face. Yet he was still alive. Delilah had stepped in front of him. He couldn’t gather his thoughts as her body dropped. Her entire left chest was missing. Her heart and bones—exposed.

Aleister closed his eyes.