Joining the group huddled in the corner of the group, I looked around for my family, I was disheartened to find my aunty and Uncle still alive, probably scheming how to turn this whole mess to their advantage even now. Still that was to be admire I supposed, that ability serves all who wield it well, for anybody around them maybe not so much. My captors walked up to the town hall after dropping me off, after knocking on the door of the town hall a few times. The door opened revealing a goblinoid figure, hunched down low to the floor.

"Tell Master we found another child on the outskirts" The hunched figure began nodding quickly, his whole body trembling "Yessirs Yessirs, I go now, Yessir" Closing the door slowly. The two henchman began making their way back out the town though the very new road. One that went through quite a few of houses and shops that I really quite liked, so that was sad to see.

Turning to the closest person to me. Ben Irehu, a kid I had known for quite some time. The resolute look in his eyes spoke of his determination not to end up like those on the wall of the town hall. it brought me a measure of calm as well. Someone quite a bit younger than me was responding so well, so what the hell was I doing.

"What the hell happened Ben?"

He turned to look at me. His eyes took a second to focus. With the resoluteness was also a new hint of craziness. "Micael, how did you get here" looking at him a bit askance, my response maybe wasn't as measured as it probably should have been

"Did you not see me fucking being brought here by two fucking crazy looking guys".

He was taken aback for a second. My outburst brought a bit of attention as the other survivors turned to me. Quickly shushing me. Ben just glanced at me before turning around to stare at the town hall once again. Once I focused on what he was looking at I froze. I hadn't truly processed what was on the wall. Too caught up in my own troubles, but now staring at the remains of Bens parents and the warriors who protected this town, I was instantly sobered. Why did they have to end up, hung up so ignobly. What was the point of it all. Why do such things. My musing was broken by the door of the town hall splintering into pieces, walking through was one of the most nightmare inducing sights I had ever seen in my life. A real life Halas. A creature steeped in legend, not something I thought truly existed. There it was however, a horror made flesh. The mundane facial features did nothing to offset the giants figures otherworldliness. The series of horns coming off his head, the malevolent magic pouring out his body. Cloaking him as he moved. I had no questions any more. If this was their leader than it made perfect sense why my fellow townsmen were treated so terribly. That wasn't a foe any of them could beat. It is said even the weakest of them were Tier 7 powerhouses. I never would have expected encountering something like that in my small town. Why? It didn't make sense.

The stare from the beast brought me out of my musings. This was not something I could handle. I felt panic creeping in. Only intensified by its booming voice rattling my soul.

"So these are our new livestock, They don't seem all that worthwhile"

The beast approached us in a lazy fashion. Power rolling off him in steams, even to my unawakened senses something innate and primal screamed at me to run. Its presence even still brought me to a halt.

"Those who are left alive are of use to us, we have no need for Empires scum warriors and fighters, craftsman and Workers, those we could use"

Moving ever closer the group started to surge backwards, there wasn't much space for us to move as we began to squish into one another like livestock. None of us cared for that though, the primal sense to run in the face of impending doom was just far too strong.

"You unawakened are even luckier, if one of yous awaken a combat talent then you will have an opportunity to join our wonderful army that fights against the cruel injustice of the empire"

The fear seemed to ebb from me a little as I heard that I would still be awakened. I still had a chance to gain power. I cared little for the army he touted for us to join, id say if they went against the empire they will be destroyed in a matter of days, doesn't matter if they have a tier 7 on their hands. Gaining the opportunity to awaken was all I needed.

"Still that won't be until tomorrow, for today you guys can rest in peace, I will try to restrain any of my members from being to cruel."

Moving his hand up to the sky, the golden barrier surrounding the town began to shrink, as it reached the edge of the town, a cacophony of noise rang out as the dome began to squish all the rubble and debris together, slowly moving it towards the centre of the town. The power that must have went behind such things was truly immense. The noise grew as the wall of rubble came nearer, becoming an impenetrable mass, that would require quite a bit of manoeuvring to get to the top of. It stopped just a few metres from the centre of the town, the shocking cry's and gasps of the townsfolk finally becoming audible after the immense noise of our town being reconstructed into a circular fortress. With a satisfied look on his disgustingly human face, the Halas turned to us, giving out an order.

" Now I don't want to hear that any of you tried to escape while I was gone".

With a smile, a glowing golden portal opened up behind him taking him to who knows where. Leaving us alone with a few soldiers and a little goblin creature.