Chapter Thirty-Four (continued): The Weight of Blood
The Hollow was quiet when Kael and his companions returned, but word of their absence had spread. Lanterns burned late into the night, casting a wary glow over the settlement. People whispered as they passed, eyes darting to Kael, to Umbra's blood-stained muzzle, to Fenrik's uncleaned claws.
The council chamber was already ablaze when they entered. The longhouse smelled of smoke and sweat, the firepit roaring in the center. Every council member was present—Thalos looming like a stone tower, the dwarf master with his soot-stained hands folded tightly, the goblin elder leaning forward on his gnarled staff, and Lyria sliding into her seat with the calm poise of a blade at rest.
Kael took his place at the head, Fenrik and Umbra flanking him like living shadows.
The dwarf master spoke first, his voice sharp as hammer on anvil. "Six humans. Adventurers, aye? You slew them all?"
Kael's crimson eyes didn't waver. "They came for blood. They made their intent clear. I gave them what they sought."
The dwarf slammed his palm against the table. "And what of the kingdom, Kael? Men don't just vanish. When they don't return, their kin, their guilds, their lords—they'll come asking. And when they find six corpses and no answers, they'll march."
Thalos rumbled in agreement, his deep voice carrying through the hall. "You've bought us time, nothing more. The kingdom's eye will turn here sooner than it would have."
Fenrik growled, claws scraping the wood. "And what would you have him do? Roll over? Let humans spit on us, call us monsters, and cut our throats like cattle?" His voice rose, raw and furious. "Kael chose strength. That is why we follow him. That is why we live!"
The goblin elder leaned forward, his voice creaky but edged with cunning. "Strength keeps us alive, yes. But caution keeps us hidden. If humans send many, even Kael's power may falter. We are not ready for war."
The chamber stirred, voices clashing like blades.
Lyria finally spoke, her tone steady but firm. "Enough. Kael acted because they forced his hand. But the dwarf and Thalos are right—this will bring attention. We cannot pretend otherwise." Her silver eyes flicked to Kael. "So the question is not whether you were right to kill them. The question is: what do we do now?"
Kael let the argument simmer, his crimson gaze sweeping across the table. He could feel the tension, the fear, the pride, all boiling beneath the surface.
The dwarf spoke again, more measured this time. "We must prepare to defend the Hollow. More walls. More steel. If war comes, we need arms in every hand."
Thalos shook his head. "Defense alone won't save us. We must train for war, not just survival. If the kingdom comes, we meet them with an army, not cowering behind wood and stone."
Fenrik's lip curled. "Good. Let them come. We'll drown the forest with their blood."
The goblin elder tapped his staff. "Foolish pride. We cannot outnumber them, cannot outlast them. Better to make the Hollow invisible again. Hide our strength, let the humans fight their own battles elsewhere."
The chamber bristled again, each voice striking like flint against steel.
At last, Kael raised his hand. Shadows flickered around his fingers, and silence fell. His voice was calm, deliberate, carrying the weight of command.
"You all speak truth," Kael said, looking at each in turn. "The dwarf is right—we need stronger defenses. Thalos is right—we must prepare for war. Fenrik is right—we cannot bend, or we'll be broken. And the elder is right—if we fight carelessly, we'll be crushed."
He leaned forward, eyes burning like embers.
"So we do all of it. We build, we train, we prepare, and we watch. If humans come to trade, we meet them with diplomacy. If they come to kill, we meet them with steel. We will not cower. We will not provoke. We will endure."
The words settled over the council like cooling iron. Not all agreed—Kael could see it in their eyes—but none could deny the clarity of his plan.
At length, Thalos inclined his head, slow but certain. "Then we prepare. And when war comes, we'll be ready."
The fire popped in the silence that followed, sparks leaping upward like stars into the smoke-black rafters.
Kael sat back, his gaze far away though his voice was steady.
"The Hollow was born in blood and shadow. If more blood must come, so be it. But this time—this time, it will be on our terms."