Chapter 156 – Shadows of Trust
The tent was quiet, the only sounds the crackling of a small fire and the subtle rustling of cloth as Kael and Lyria approached the corner where the daemon girl sat, bound and wary. She shifted slightly at their presence, her white eyes flashing with curiosity and caution.
Kael knelt a short distance away, lowering himself to meet her gaze. "You're safe," he said firmly. "I won't let anyone harm you. I mean that."
The girl's gaze darted to Lyria briefly, then back to Kael. "Safe… for now," she said, her voice soft but edged with a caution that made the words feel like a knife.
Lyria stepped closer, placing a hand gently on Kael's arm. "She's scared," Lyria whispered. "It's understandable."
Kael nodded. "I know. That's why I'm here." He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to maintain calm. "You don't have to speak if you don't want to. But if you do, I want to hear your story. Only what you're willing to share."
The daemon girl hesitated. Her hands, bound loosely at her wrists, fidgeted. "My name…" she began, pausing. "…is Azhara." Her tone was almost reverent, as if saying it aloud made her existence more tangible. "I… I wasn't meant to come here. I wasn't meant to survive the summoning. I… I only wanted to help."
Kael leaned forward slightly. "Help how?"
Azhara's white eyes flicked to the fire, her expression haunted. "The rift… the power. I felt it tearing at reality, at everything… at you." She flinched slightly. "When you called your magic, I… I responded. I didn't want to hurt anyone, only to stabilize it. I thought… I thought I could make it right."
Lyria, still standing close, spoke softly. "So you helped Kael close the rift."
"Yes," Azhara whispered. "I gave him strength… a bond. I shared some of my essence so the rift wouldn't tear him apart. It cost me something… but I don't know how much. I can feel it fading now." Her head lowered, a shadow passing over her striking red skin and scarred horns.
Kael's jaw tightened. "You risked yourself for me… for us."
Azhara's gaze finally met his again, trembling but earnest. "I… I didn't know what else to do. I wanted to survive, yes, but I didn't want to let the rift destroy your people."
Lyria sat on a stool across from them, her voice calm. "Kael trusts you. That's not a small thing, Azhara. Do you understand?"
Azhara nodded, her shoulders slumping. "I… I do. But I can't understand why." Her white eyes flickered between Kael and Lyria. "Why would a dragon—demon dragon—trust me? A creature summoned from the void?"
Kael's crimson eyes softened, yet burned with intensity. "Because I've learned that strength isn't only in power. It's in judgment. In knowing when to fight, when to forgive, when to take a risk. You could have betrayed me, destroyed us, and yet you didn't. That matters more than your origins."
Azhara's expression wavered between relief and disbelief. "Origins… I… I was born in the Shadow Halls. The daemon lord, the one you fought… he summoned me for power, for obedience. He said I must serve, or I would burn."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "And you defied him."
"Yes," she said, voice trembling. "I… I could feel another path. A choice." Her tone was raw with emotion, as if revealing a secret she had carried for years. "I saw your strength, Kael. The way you fight not just for yourself, but for others. I… I wanted to be like that."
Lyria's hand found Kael's, squeezing it lightly. "See? Even she can recognize it."
Kael nodded, then looked at Azhara squarely. "If you stay, you follow the rules of this Hollow. You work with us, you learn, and you are not above consequences. But you are under my protection. Do you understand?"
Azhara swallowed, her eyes wide. "I… I do. I swear it."
Kael exhaled. "Good. That's a start."
Lyria leaned back slightly, smiling faintly. "And you'll have time to adjust. You're not going to be thrown into battle tomorrow."
Azhara's relief was palpable. She nodded again, a small tremor running through her frame. "I… I won't fail you."
Kael gave her a rare, approving smile. "I know you won't."
As the conversation wound down, Kael rose. Lyria followed. "I should leave you both," she said. "Get used to each other."
Kael lingered a moment, glancing at Azhara. "One step at a time," he said simply. Then he and Lyria left the tent.
Outside, the council hall's doors were open. Kael's ears picked up fragments of voices immediately.
"Insane!" one voice hissed. "He trusts a daemon! This is madness!"
"It could cost us everything," another chimed in.
Kael's eyes narrowed as he moved closer, hearing the unmistakable tones of heated disagreement. Then, unexpectedly, Rogan's voice rang out, steady and firm.
"You may think Kael is making a dangerous choice," Rogan said, his tone low but powerful, carrying authority, "but think back to everything he's done for this Hollow. He's the only one willing to shoulder the responsibility, willing to risk himself when no one else would. He leads differently, yes. Unconventionally. But he protects us. He takes the burden of the risk, so that the rest of us can survive. That is strength. That is leadership."
The voices faltered. Murmurs of agreement, of disbelief, mixed with hesitation.
Varik stepped forward, his cold eyes scanning the assembly before resting on his brother. "Even if we do not always like his choices," he said, voice calm and deliberate, "we have to trust that he sees paths we cannot. Kael is willing to act where others hesitate. That is why the Hollow thrives, why we survive. We may not understand all his decisions—but we can have faith that he will lead us down the right path."
The room quieted completely. Even those who had previously yelled ceased, staring at the two ogres with a mixture of respect and doubt. Kael's gaze swept across the council members. They were still uneasy, their trust tentative at best—but the foundation had shifted.
Rogan met Varik's gaze, a faint nod shared between them, silent acknowledgment of the truth in their words.
Kael stepped into the room, Lyria close at his side. He did not speak immediately, allowing the gravity of the moment to settle. Then, in a calm voice, he said:
"This is not blind trust. It is calculated. I understand the risks, and I will accept the consequences. But we will not destroy someone who has proven their loyalty and their worth. Azhara stays. That is final."
The council remained silent. No one spoke. Kael could feel their unease, but he also felt the subtle tremor of understanding beginning to take root.
Rogan leaned slightly on the table, muttering under his breath, "He's not normal. He never was. But he is ours."
Varik's expression softened almost imperceptibly. "And ours to follow, as hard as it may seem."
Kael nodded slowly. He felt the weight of his decision, but also the first flicker of relief since the rift had opened. Azhara would live. The Hollow had survived. And despite the council's fear, a path forward—difficult and uncertain—was now theirs to tread together.
The next steps would be testing her abilities, integrating her into the Hollow, and ensuring that even in the darkest hour, her presence could become a boon rather than a threat. But Kael felt ready.
Because no matter the fear, no matter the doubts, he would bear the responsibility—alone if he had to—and he would do so with the council, his people, and Azhara beside him.