The Rise of the Algorithm King

Chapter 2

The sun was starting to set and Grandpa Sikes sat on a small wooden stool feeling restless. Storm had gone to the farm very early in the morning, and up till now he was yet to return. 

"Why is he taking so long today?" Grandpa Sikes pondered internally and began to walk towards the door to take a peek and see if Storm was coming.

BANG

Before grandpa Sikes could get close, the door was sent flying and two enormous figures stepped in. The figures were gigantic and had muscular builds with red skin, two horns on their head, and pointy ears.

They were high orcs.

Catching a glimpse of the figures that just emerged, grandpa Sikes took several feets backwards with a frightful expression on his wrinkled face.

"Greetings, old dwarf." The leader amongst the duo spoke in a deep and terrifying tone. "We are here to receive the tribute money for today. Hand it over so we can leave immediately." He added.

Since humans are considered weak amongst the creatures, the higher-ups made a rule that they should pay tribute money every single day for their life. And if they fail, they die or get a much worse punishment.

Storm was a human, so his grandfather who was a dwarf had to go out of his way to pay tribute for his son's life.

"My son is yet to return from the farm, please hold on a bit." Grandpa Sikes explained.

"Are you seriously asking us to wait around like jobless fools? Pay us the money and let's be on our way!" The high orc voiced in a deep tone.

"I do not have any money on me right now! Storm went out to the farm to pick up vegetables to sell and he has yet to come back since then. Please hold on a bit for his return and i shall pay the money." Grandpa Sikes pleaded.

"Too bad, we do not have extra time to waste around in a place like this!" The high orc then stretched forth his huge hand and gripped grandpa Sikes's neck.

He squeezed the neck before lifting up the floor, causing him to choke and struggle to break free.

"We shall leave now and return later." The high orc informed while strangling Grandpa Sikes. "By the time we return you will be paying us double the amount."

Saying those last words, the high orc released his neck and kicked him on the head that sent him sliding across the room.

"Let's go." He spat before leaving with his comrade.

Grandpa Sikes knelt down on the floor while coughing up saliva and rubbing his red swollen neck. He picked himself up after the pain reduced and began to clean up the broken stuff and things that got shattered by the Orcs.

He knew if Storm gets back and realised he was jumped by the High orcs he would get mad and do drastic things. Grandpa Sikes hated to see Storm that way so he began to clean up the house and pretend nothing happened.

While cleaning, Storm walked in slowly. His once brown leather jacket was burnt in different areas, and his chest was also burnt. His face and body was stained with black dirt and it was obvious Storm had just emerged from a burning place.

"Storm, what happened?" Grandpa Sikes blurted out in shock after examining Sikes, and he swiftly made his way towards him.

Storm ignored his grandpa's words and began to glance around the room in bewilderment.

"What happened here?" Storm questioned in a cold tone after catching a glimpse of the broken tables and other broken stuff on the floor.

"Oh, uh...I accidentally broke it while arranging." Grandpa Sikes lied with a nervous smile. Storm glanced at him for several seconds before leaning down infront of him and examined his red neck and he could see red prints that were definitely made from a palm.

"They were here, right?" Storm questioned with clenched fists. Grandpa Sikes saw no reason to lie anymore so he gave him a nod in affirmation.

"When are all these going to stop?! When we leave us the hell alone!" Storm voiced out with his face bright red in anger.

"It's okay, Storm. Do not stress yourself." Grandpa Sikes uttered with a look of concern.

"No it's not okay!" Storm interjected. "The farm land was burnt to the ground earlier, that's why I arrived late! The high orcs bullied you just because you were unable to pay tribute money for my life! All this is happening because I am a mere human! K brought this all on you, grandpa!" Storm cried while grabbing his dirty blonde hair in frustration.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Storm. Don't blame yourself, blame the current world system." Grandpa Sikes remarked with tears in his eyes also.

"Maybe they were right all along. I am not meant to be alive!" Saying those last words, Storm dashed into his room and locked the door behind him.

Grandpa Sikes tried following him but before he could enter, Storm already shut the door.

"Storm, open up! Do not do any drastic thing in there, Storm! Open this door!" Grandpa Sikes kept banging the door afraid the other might do something bad to himself.

"I am sorry for causing you trouble all these years, grandpa!" Storm apologised before walking away from the door and moving closer to his small drawer. He pulled it open and took out a small round plastic container.

Storm opened the container and five red pills could be seen inside.

'If I am not wanted here, then I should just die!' Storm pondered internally as he sat on his bed. He began to recall his life's memories, both the good ones and bad ones.

He never got the chance to meet his parents..the only thing they left for him was the silver bracelet he straps around his wrist everywhere he goes. Grandpa Sikes refused to give him more information about them, and everytime he asked he would always find a way to ignore the question by bringing up a new topic.

Storm glanced at the poisonous pills in the container before opening his mouth and tossing all five inside. He swallowed it and his vision began to become blurry, causing him to fall down on his bed.

The silver bracelet on his wrist began to shine brightly and the bright light enveloped the small room.

Storm felt sharp pains in his stomach as he became dizzy and his vision became more blurry. While he was at the verge of passing out, a strange window screen popped up in his line of sight.

[VESSEL HAS BEEN AQUI....]

Storm finally passed.