Chapter 9: Return to Elden Hollow
The golden light of mid-morning filtered through the thinning mist as Lira, Shadowmane, and I crested the final ridge overlooking Elden Hollow. The village lay spread below us like a patchwork quilt: thatched roofs glinting with dew, fields of golden grain waving gently in the breeze, the wooden palisade standing sturdy against the forest edge. Smoke rose in thin, lazy columns from chimneys, carrying the scents of baking bread and wood fires. Children's laughter drifted up the slope, faint but clear. After days in the wild, the sight felt almost unreal, too peaceful for a world that had already ended once.
Shadowmane padded silently at my left side, his massive frame moving with fluid grace. The once-corrupted beast, now a loyal Juvenile Elite companion, had grown slightly since the cleansing, silver streaks in his dark gray fur catching the light like polished steel. His yellow eyes scanned the landscape constantly, ears swiveling at every sound. The bond between us thrummed warm and steady in my chest, a quiet awareness of his alertness, his contentment, his readiness to protect. Lira walked on my right, bow unstrung but quiver full, her short black hair tied back with a leather cord. She kept stealing glances at the Shadowmane, still not entirely used to traveling with something that had nearly killed us both.
We descended the path in single file. Mud from last night's rain sucked at our boots, but the going was easy. Halfway down, a shout rang out from the palisade. Torv's voice, unmistakable even at distance. "Gate! Open for the Null! He's back, and he's not alone!"
The heavy wooden gate creaked wide before we reached the fields. A crowd gathered quickly. Farmers paused with hoes over shoulders. Children darted between legs for better views. Guards lined the wall, spears lowered but eyes wide. Whispers spread like wildfire as we approached.
"Is that the thing that took the hunters?"
"Look at the size of it."
"It's following him like a dog."
"The Null tamed it?"
Torv stood front and center, scarred cheek twitching as he took in the sight. His spear rested loose in one hand, but his knuckles were white on the shaft. He stared at Shadowmane for a long moment, then shifted his gaze to me. "Kael. You look like you wrestled a storm and lost. And… what in all the realms is that walking beside you?"
"Shadowmane Stalker," I said, keeping my voice calm. "Was corrupted. We cleansed it. It's with me now."
The beast sat on silent command, tail curling neatly around massive paws. His head came level with Torv's chest. The guard swallowed hard, then reached out a tentative hand. Shadowmane sniffed once, then licked the offered knuckles with a rough tongue. A collective exhale rippled through the crowd.
Mira emerged from the hall doors as we passed beneath the gate. The elder moved with purpose, straw-colored braid swinging, gray eyes sharp as ever. Villagers parted for her automatically. She stopped ten paces away, arms crossed, studying the three of us. Her gaze lingered longest on Shadowmane.
"Inside," she said simply. "All of you. Hall. Now."
We followed. The crowd trailed at a respectful distance, murmuring excitement. Children tried to get closer to the beast, but parents held them back. Shadowmane ignored them all, padding silently at my heel.
The hall felt cooler after the morning sun. Long tables were mostly empty this early, but a dozen villagers already sat with mugs of weak ale, talking in low voices. Conversation died the moment we entered. Shadowmane's claws clicked softly on the wooden floor as he followed me to the raised platform where Mira waited beside the map table.
Lira took a seat to my left. I sat center. Shadowmane curled behind my chair like a living shadow, head resting on crossed paws, yellow eyes watching every face.
Mira wasted no time. "Report. From the storm onward. Leave nothing out."
I started with the fight in the tower. The beast's silent entry. The desperate struggle. Lira's arrows turning the tide. The hunt the next day. The smoke trap. The avalanche. The glowing runes of corruption. The cleansing through Wild affinity. The bond that formed after.
Lira added details when I paused: arrow placements, the beast's speed even wounded, the moment the corruption leeched away like black smoke.
Villagers leaned forward as we spoke. Faces paled at descriptions of the Void Bleed influence. Eyes widened at the purification. Gasps rose when I described the companion bond and Shadowmane shrinking to Juvenile form, wounds healing instantly.
An old hunter near the back, missing his left arm from some long-ago raid, spoke up when I finished. "That thing took three of mine. Good men. If it's truly turned… that's proof the Null path ain't just suicide. It's something new."
Mira tapped the rolled map thoughtfully. "And this corruption? Void Bleed, you called it?"
Lira nodded. "Ranger bestiary updated after the fight. Says it's not native. Old seals breaking. Zones destabilizing faster than they should."
Mira's expression darkened. She unrolled the map fully, revealing marks in fresh ink: the western woods, the ridge hollow where we'd fought, the tower now labeled clearly as mine. "We've heard rumors from traders. Larger settlements east report the same. Monsters too strong for starter areas. Spawns wrong. Players vanishing on routine quests."
She looked at me directly. "You neutralized a threat no classed party could touch. Not by killing it. By changing it." She slid a heavy pouch across the table. Gold glinted inside, far more than the coppers promised. "Tower's yours permanent. Pay tripled. Supplies on request. Tools, food, armor if the smith can manage it."
Text flickered in my vision:
Deed recorded: Major threat to settlement neutralized through mercy and purification.
Reputation upgraded: Elden Hollow (Honored).
Skill progressed: Basic Purification (Adept to Intermediate).
Title updated: Beast Tamer (Established).
New title gained: Corrupted Cleanser.
I pocketed the gold. The weight felt solid, real.
Mira continued. "Reputation spreads fast. Other villages will hear. Some will want alliance. Some will want the beast. Or your head." She glanced at Shadowmane. The companion met her gaze calmly, tail thumping once against the floor. Mira's mouth twitched in what might have been a smile. "We stand with you. Elden Hollow owes you a debt."
Villagers brought food without being asked. Platters of roasted meat, fresh bread still warm, sharp cheese, bowls of stew thick with vegetables. Someone produced a massive iron bowl of raw venison cuts for Shadowmane. The beast devoured them neatly, bones crunching like dry twigs.
Talk turned practical. Mira marked new patrol routes lighter in the west now that the apex predator was no longer a threat. Farmers asked about safe expansion into former hunting grounds. Children, braver now, crept closer to Shadowmane. The beast tolerated small hands in his fur, even rolled onto his side for belly rubs from the boldest.
Lira leaned close while Mira spoke with Torv. "This changes things. Brother search just got wider range. Shadowmane tracks better than any Ranger."
I nodded. "We leave at dawn. Ruins north of here. Mira mentioned old Aetherian structures. Might hold clues about previous waves."
She grinned. "Adventure already."
Night settled softly outside the hall windows. Firelight danced on walls. Stories flowed with ale. An old woman sang a walking song from Earth, voice cracking but true. Shadowmane curled at my feet, a warm, living weight.
I sat back and watched the room. The blank slate was filling fast. Deeds stacking. Allies growing. Power shifting in ways the System had not predicted.
New Aetheria listened closer now. And somewhere beyond the palisade, in the dark between stars, something ancient turned its attention toward the new world. The real game was just beginning.
*****
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