Volume 2 – Inheritance of Fire
Chapter 13 : Return to the Table
Two months had passed since the summit.
Two months since the circle of companions stood shoulder to shoulder, choosing not to return to safety but to forge something lasting. In that time, kingdoms had stirred, borders shifted, and emissaries crossed through snow and ash with messages that bore the seal of Hollowreach.
Now, it was time to return to the table.
Not the war table of strategy and vision—but the council table of governance and foundation. The one that made visions real.
The chamber had changed little. The stone walls were still etched with runes that hummed faintly when I entered. The scent of old ink, scorched wax, and steel lingered beneath the vaulted ceiling. Fire crackled in the hearth behind me, throwing light on the faces I trusted most.
Elric. Tyla. Rowen. Sir Joric. Calderon.
They were already seated when I arrived—quiet, alert, and weighed by the burden of progress. These weren't soldiers. They weren't kings. But they were something just as vital.
They were the roots of Hollowreach.
I took my place at the head of the long rune-inlaid table and placed my hands flat against the stone.
"Let's begin."
Elric, Chancellor of Trade, spoke first as always.
"We've stabilized the copper standard," he said, unfurling a leather-bound ledger. "Regional bartering tokens have been accepted in most interior districts, and the merchant unrest in the Western Lower Quarter has subsided. But along the outer rim and coastal exchanges, we still face resistance."
I nodded. "Velisport?"
"Soren's preliminary decrees were enacted quickly. Port taxes are being recalibrated to match Hollowreach's northern tariffs. But he's encountering resistance from the Merchant Houses. He's requested your formal seal on a letter of consolidation—something that reaffirms their inclusion under the Hollowreach banner without diminishing their operational autonomy."
"I'll write it by nightfall."
"Good," Elric said. "He also requested an emergency reserve of 3,000 gold weight—backed by Hollowreach's treasury."
Rowen raised a brow but said nothing.
"Granted," I said. "He's purchasing stability, not indulgence. That price will buy peace faster than swords."
Elric nodded. "Our own trade flow has increased 12% since the merchant roads were regraded. And with the new levies arriving from Naomi's outer sanctums, we may see gold returns stabilize by the next quarter."
Tyla, the High Enchanter, sat up straighter as she spoke.
"The leyline bridge to Naomi's sanctum in the north is unstable but functioning. We've begun transferring low-energy artifacts and scribed messages through it. Her Hollowlight order is holding—for now."
"And our own schools?" I asked.
"We've launched three apprenticeship cohorts. Arcane literacy is rising among the youth. However—there's been trouble."
She slid a scroll across the table.
"Three wardens defected. They're forming a rogue enclave in the Red Hollow. They believe Hollowreach's centralization of magic is sacrilege."
I glanced at Calderon, who didn't blink.
"They're led by someone who once trained here?" I asked.
Calderon answered, "A gifted seer. Too proud. But not beyond correction."
"I'll leave that to you."
Rowen, Commander of the Hollow Guard, folded his arms across the table.
"Capital patrols are holding—barely. We're operating at sixty percent capacity after deploying troops to Darius and Naomi. Morale's slipping in the outer ridings. Citizens see soldiers leave and begin expecting danger."
"Then show them purpose," I said. "Launch city-wide banners. Public drills. Street tournaments. Let them see strength in presence."
Rowen smirked slightly. "If nothing else, it'll keep them from brewing rebellion."
Sir Joric, Captain of the Runebound Scouts, placed a weathered satchel on the table and opened a new map.
"The griffon towers are halfway finished along the Windward Bluffs. Once they're up, we can reach Darius's eastern wall in under a day. We've also mapped two new valleys for possible watchtowers."
"Any resistance?"
"None human. But we lost two scouts to frost specters near the Cradle Basin. I've already redirected our pathing."
He paused, lowering his voice. "We also encountered a masked rider along the Silverpine Passage. Didn't engage. But didn't retreat either. Not Darius's colors. Not a known guild."
"Keep eyes on it."
Calderon, Archmage of Hollowreach, finally spoke.
"I've confirmed the vault below the city—the one that housed the Aetherreach relics—is a node. One of several. They pulse when you draw near, Caelan. Whatever you've become… it's connected to them."
He pushed forward a page of ancient glyphs. Some mirrored our VR dive code. Others bled with symbols from the other side.
"If we're going to merge this world with the framework, you'll need to map this network. It's older than any leyline. It may be older than the world."
I nodded once. "We'll approach it carefully. Quietly."
Elric cleared his throat again. "We've also received encoded raven dispatches from Ezra. He and Soren have already begun rooting out subversive merchant guilds within Velisport. They're preparing for consolidation but anticipate resistance."
"What do they need?"
"A formal writ of authority. A license bearing your sigil that allows Ezra to act as Shadow Consul on your behalf while stationed in Velisport. With that, any act of intelligence, asset seizure, or detainment is seen as sanctioned."
"I'll send it today."
We discussed Naomi's progress: her Hollowlight oracles had strengthened defensive rites at our outer sanctums. Her cities were slowly stabilizing—but she had written of dissent. Of zealots who believed no kingdom should hold divine authority.
Darius had begun culling the last of the hill rebels. His reports were sparse, but his tone was sure. He was building a northern warhost—not just to defend, but to march if needed.
We talked until the sun touched the runes above.
The kingdom was growing—not just in land, but in form.
And though the others were scattered, this table still held the shape of Hollowreach's heart.
Before we adjourned, I looked at them—my original circle.
"You've carried more than your share these past months. I see it in your faces. The weight. The resolve."
Tyla smiled faintly.
Rowen only grunted.
Elric bowed his head.
Sir Joric placed a hand on the table and whispered, "Then we'll carry it farther still."
Calderon's eyes glowed with arcane fire.
"This kingdom was always meant to awaken."
Hollowreach would not falter.
And I, its king, would not walk forward alone.