Chapter Thirty-Two: Shadows Beyond the Firelight
The Hollow awoke with the first break of dawn, the smell of woodsmoke and damp earth lingering in the cool morning air. Kael walked the narrow paths, the ground beneath his boots packed firm from the endless tread of goblins, elves, wolfkin, dwarves, and now even humans.
He found the dwarf master already at the forge, hammering at a glowing ingot while goblins stoked the flames. Sparks danced like fireflies, and Kael paused long enough to watch the apprentice smiths working with an energy that hadn't been there weeks ago. The dwarf caught Kael's eye, grunted, and said, "They'll be making steel worth selling before long. Not yet—but soon."
"Soon is enough," Kael replied.
From there, he drifted to the training fields. Thalos was barking instructions, his massive form looming over young recruits who strained to copy his movements. The old ogre's eyes burned with a rare pride as the wolfkin sparred in formation, shields locking in a tight wall. Fenrik prowled along the line, correcting stances, and the wolfkin roared together as one when their drill was complete.
Kael allowed himself a small smile. This is what discipline looks like. This is what we've built.
Near the hunters' lodge, Lyria crouched with Elria, the human girl, her voice gentle as she corrected the girl's grip on her bow. The younger brother dashed around with goblin children, laughing without fear. Kael lingered just long enough to catch Lyria's proud smile when Elria struck the center of the target.
It felt almost peaceful—almost normal.
But peace never lasted long.
Later that day, Kael convened with the council in the longhouse. The fire burned bright at the center, casting long shadows across the gathered faces. The smell of herbs and leather filled the room, mixed with the faint iron tang of weapons stored along the walls.
Lyria began. Her scouting reports were never anything less than thorough. "The Hollow is changing the balance of the forest. With the overlords destroyed, the land itself is stirring. Monsters that once fled into the deeper wilds are drifting closer to our borders. But…" She hesitated, her silver eyes narrowing. "It's not just beasts we should worry about. Humans are watching us."
The words settled heavily over the table.
Fenrik growled low, folding his arms. "Let them come. They'll break against our walls like any other."
Thalos rumbled in reply, his deep voice steady. "Walls won't matter if they send an army. Kael, you've fought their kind. You know their strength."
Kael leaned forward, fingers steepled, crimson eyes glinting in the firelight. "I know their strength—and I know their fear. We've grown too quickly for them not to notice. The Hollow controls much of the forest now. The kingdom will see that as a threat. And if they decide to move against us…" His tone dropped, cold as steel. "They won't send scouts. They'll send legions."
A heavy silence followed.
The dwarf master finally broke it, stroking his beard. "They'll want what we've got—iron, herbs, rare hides. If they can't trade for it, they'll try to take it."
Lyria's gaze flicked to Kael, her expression unreadable. "What will you do? Lead us to war against an entire kingdom?"
Kael let the question hang, letting the weight of it settle on everyone in the room. His answer came calm, but firm.
"No. Not yet. We prepare. We fortify. We grow strong enough that when they come, they'll see the Hollow not as prey… but as equals."
The fire popped, sparks snapping upward like stars.
Kael rose, his shadow stretching long across the table. "We've fought monsters. We've carved out a home where none existed. Now we stand on the edge of something greater—and more dangerous. The forest bends to us, but beyond the trees… kingdoms, politics, greed. They'll test us." His gaze swept across each council member. "And when they do, we will show them what it means to stand against the Hollow."
The room grew still. Each of them—elf, dwarf, goblin, ogre, wolfkin—held his words, weighing them. For a moment, Kael saw in their eyes not just loyalty, but a quiet, unspoken unity.
The Hollow had survived the forest. But beyond the firelight, in the world of men, new shadows were gathering.
And Kael knew their greatest trials were still to come.