When she was younger, Grakka admired her father with all her heart. The courage he demonstrated when facing stronger opponents and the confidence he inspired in his companions were difficult to describe in words. Her father was one of the greatest warriors in the orc tribe, someone whose reputation extended far beyond his own people.
"Father, I want to be like you someday!"
"Hahaha! Of course you will. After all, you're my daughter!"
As he gently stroked little Grakka's head, he told her stories about his adventures, in which he had faced Circle 8 mages, Rank Ranvil, Level Three Nartheis, and high-ranking demons. To her, each story was even more impressive than the last, and the best part was knowing that her father was still alive to write new chapters of his own story.
'I will be able to see how far he goes and follow in his footsteps!'
That was why Grakka tried to imitate everything her father did, following the same path he had walked during his childhood. She believed she would continue living that way, admiring him and learning from his adventures, at least until the day her father faced a Circle 9 mage from Sanos who could control shadows.
For some reason, that enemy managed to destroy all the magic that existed within her father's body, depriving him of his abilities.
For orcs, their entire lives revolved around battles. They grew up fighting, lived amid conflicts, and faced death while honoring the path they had chosen. An orc who managed to reach old age was considered a legend, someone who had survived countless challenges and earned the eternal respect of their people.
Grakka hoped her father would have such a fate.
However, when she returned home that day and found him sitting with lifeless eyes, unable to show his former determination, all she could do was cry and run to embrace him. She still hoped that someday he would get better, even if he could never fight again.
The years passed.
When Grakka turned fourteen, her father had already been retired for four years. She remembered perfectly the day he abandoned battles, when she was only ten years old. Since then, her routine had changed completely.
That morning, Grakka was training outside her house, concentrating as she attempted to execute a new technique.
"Resistance Magic: Hard Body!"
Her body began showing the first signs of the magic, and she had to make an effort to maintain control over her mana.
"Grakka, it seems you've finally managed to awaken a magic!"
An older orc watched her training with a nostalgic expression.
"Yes! Today I managed to use my first magic! My father awakened his when he was younger, but I'm sure he'll be proud of me, ma'am."
The woman smiled upon hearing those words. She had known Grakka's father since their youth and remembered very well how dedicated he was to training, even sacrificing an hour of sleep every day to improve his abilities.
"Your father was always very stubborn. Once he set his mind on something, he wouldn't give up until he succeeded."
"Well, what can I do? He's the father I admire and the man my mother chose."
"Yes... Your mother was strong, too. In fact, back then, she was stronger than your father and every other member of the tribe."
Grakka's mother had been considered the most powerful warrior among her people. Her life ended in battle, where she fought honorably until the very end, facing death with a smile on her face.
'From what I've heard, my mother fell in love with my father because he never stopped challenging her. Even after years of being the strongest in the tribe, he kept facing her, being the only one who never abandoned those challenges. I hope I find someone like that someday.'
Grakka smiled as she imagined it, but soon realized she needed to return home.
"Well, I need to go prepare today's meal for my father. See you later!"
"Of course, dear. See you later!"
She said goodbye and ran through the tribe. Along the way, she passed a stall and bought meat to prepare a special meal. Since her father could no longer walk, she had to take care of practically everything at home, from obtaining food to preparing meals.
Despite the difficulties, Grakka believed that a good meal might help him regain some of his strength.
'I hope he likes today's food. I'll put a lot of effort into it!'
When she arrived home, she opened the door with a smile and called out to her father, but received no answer.
At first, she wasn't too worried. Perhaps he was resting in another room. However, when she went inside, she noticed a letter and a piece of paper on the table.
When she saw the Astrong Academy seal, her eyes lit up.
It was the acceptance letter confirming her admission to the academy.
'I got accepted!'
Grakka held the letter with trembling hands, feeling joy swell within her chest. However, her happiness didn't last long, as she soon remembered her father's situation.
'But it's a shame... I'll have to decline. I need to take care of my father.'
She had taken the exam because her father insisted that she try, but she had never truly believed she would be accepted. Her plan had always been to remain in the tribe, continue training, and take care of him.
Of course, part of her heart ached at the thought of giving up the opportunity to face powerful opponents and discover the world beyond her homeland. Even so, she didn't consider it a difficult choice.
She couldn't abandon her father.
'If he saw this letter, he must have been happy... But how am I going to explain that I don't intend to go?'
Grakka placed the letter on the table and picked up the other piece of paper, beginning to read it as she searched for her father inside the house.
At first, she still had a smile on her face. However, with every line she read, her expression changed. Her smile disappeared, her eyes widened, and before she had even finished reading, she began running desperately through the rooms, letting the letter fall to the floor.
'Daughter, I cannot explain how proud I am to see the strong person you are becoming. I'm sure your mother would feel the same way.'
Grakka opened one door after another, searching everywhere, but found no one. She picked up the letter from the floor again.
When she finished reading the paper, she ran out of the house, tears already streaming down her face. She began asking the neighbors whether anyone had seen her father.
'But knowing you, it's entirely possible that you would refuse this opportunity because of me... That's exactly why I've made a decision.'
"As far as I know, he left in the direction of the outskirts of the tribe. He took the sword he used to carry when he was still fighting."
Upon hearing those words, Grakka dashed down the street, running as fast as she could. She stumbled once along the way, but immediately got back up and continued without caring about the pain. The tribe's gate was still far away, and every second seemed to last an eternity.
'For us orcs, being unable to fight is almost the same as being dead. We only abandon battles when our bodies grow old and we are satisfied with the path we've traveled...'
When she finally reached the gate, she found several orcs gathered there. Some guards were entering, carrying a body wrapped in a blanket.
Grakka stopped for a moment.
Her body began to tremble, and she felt her heart tighten as she slowly approached.
'My life ended the moment my abilities were torn away from me. Daughter, I don't want to become a burden on your path. I don't want to be useless, a dead body that keeps walking and only gets in the way of your life...'
The orcs around her looked at her with pity. It was the same look they had given her father over the past four years, a look he had to endure every day while trapped inside his own body, unable to do what he considered the purpose of his existence.
'I promised your mother that I would never get in your way. I promised I would take care of you until you were strong enough to begin your own journey. That's why I endured this feeling growing inside me for so long, because I was certain I could withstand it.'
Grakka knelt beside the body and grasped her father's hand.
It was the hand she had held so many times during her childhood, the same one that had stroked her head while he told stories and encouraged her to become a great warrior.
Now, it was cold and motionless.
Around them, the orcs watched the deceased with renewed respect. Many of those who had grown accustomed to seeing him as a defeated warrior began to understand the true meaning of his final decision.
'But I know that this feeling of wanting to keep fighting until the very end would eventually kill me. So forgive me, my daughter, for being unable to endure it any longer. Forgive me for not being able to watch you grow up, become stronger, have children of your own, and find someone to love.'
'I'm sorry for being this way. I only ask that you follow whatever path you desire without abandoning your dreams because of me. Even after death, I'm certain your mother and I will be watching over you, no matter where we are.'
'I love you, and I will always love you. Goodbye, my daughter.'
"Waaaaaaaaaaah!"
Grakka's scream echoed before the gates of the tribe.
For an orc, battle was life itself. To stop fighting before completing the chosen path meant, to many of them, being dead even if their bodies continued breathing. Their entire existence revolved around this belief, which could not simply be erased from their essence.
That day, a warrior who had once been respected by everyone but had fallen into disgrace after losing his abilities regained the respect of his people. He had gone to fight a Nartheis that was causing trouble for the tribe in the final battle of his life. Even though he could no longer fight as he once had, he had found the strength to take his final step and follow the path he believed was his until the end.
"My condolences. He was a great orc."
"Your father was a great companion."
"We will honor his memory and place his grave beside those of the orcs who fell in battle."
The other warriors' words continued around Grakka, but she could no longer hear them. She remained kneeling, staring at her father's grave, unable to accept that he would never return home.
The days passed, but she couldn't resume her life.
Grakka remained inside the house, without eating, talking to anyone, or feeling any desire to go outside. Her routine began to resemble her father's during those four years: she continued to exist, but had lost the desire to move forward.
Her eyes suddenly opened, and the first thing she saw was Enrico's hands as he prepared a campfire to warm them both. Judging by the state of their surroundings, several hours seemed to have passed since the confrontation with Asterion.
Grakka remained silent for a few moments, trying to understand where she was and what had happened. Several Nartheis corpses were scattered across the ground around her.
"How long was I unconscious?"
"Five hours."
Grakka observed Enrico's condition and realized that he had undoubtedly been fighting for a long time. For a moment, she could see the boy's aura and notice how exhausted every muscle in his body was. And it wasn't just a consequence of the battles in that dungeon. His muscles had already been tired before he even entered that place, and she knew exactly why.
'Five hours... Is he really human?'