Three weeks passed in a blur of preparation.
The village, now named Hollow's Edge, stood taller than ever before — its wooden walls reinforced with stone, mana wards humming gently along the perimeter, and banners flown for the first time. They bore no noble crest, only a silver tree upon a black field — Uther's chosen symbol, representing rebirth from ruin.
> [System Notice: Hollow's Edge – Recognized as Tier 1 Settlement] Regional Influence: Moderate Trade Status: Pending Defense Rating: Above Average Faction Alert: Noble Houses Now Aware of Village Existence
Uther adjusted his travel cloak as he stood near the eastern gate, where a small caravan waited. He wouldn't go alone. With him were:
Mara, representing the hunters and defense forces.
Borin, to speak on logistics, trade, and diplomacy.
Thalen, whose insights into magic and cult movements remained invaluable — despite still being under watch.
Elena, recently appointed as Hollow's Edge's first official scribe and record-keeper.
As the gates opened and they began their journey to the Capital of Virdale, Uther turned back to glance once more at his village.
"Don't let your guard down," he told Garrick, now acting as interim head of security.
Garrick smirked. "I've got the walls, the steel, and the nerves. You just worry about the snakes in silk."
---
The Road to Virdale
The roads to Virdale were long, winding through plains and river valleys dotted with ruined outposts — echoes of the last war. Occasionally, travelers and merchants offered greetings, some recognizing the banner and sharing murmurs of "the village reborn."
Elena took notes constantly. "There are already rumors spreading — they say you're the chosen of a forgotten god, or that the Hollow Heart was part of an ancient empire. Some even claim you're a prince in hiding."
Uther chuckled. "Let them guess. The more uncertain they are, the harder it'll be to control us."
They reached Virdale on the fourth day.
The capital city loomed like a gleaming beast: vast spires, stone roads, armored patrols, and bustling marketplaces. At its center stood the Ivory Citadel, where the summit would take place.
Their entrance was met with cold precision — a royal guard escort, silver-armored and expressionless, led them inside.
---
Summit of Tensions
Nobles, guildmasters, and military envoys from across the kingdom sat in a half-circle around a raised dais. At its center stood Lord Governor Calren, the Crown's representative in the outer provinces.
He regarded Uther with mild amusement. "So. You are the man who raised a village from cursed ruin, destroyed a cult, and now stirs unrest in the borderlands."
Uther remained calm. "I protected land your guards had abandoned. Built what your coin wouldn't fund. Reclaimed what you considered lost."
A murmur swept the chamber. Calren's smile faltered.
"And yet," he said, "you hold a weapon we do not understand — the System. You attract enemies from beyond the known kingdoms. The Crown demands transparency."
Mara whispered, "This is a power play. They'll either try to bind us… or break us."
Before Uther could respond, another figure stepped forward — cloaked in blue, face veiled.
"I represent the Circle of Scholars. We've seen this kind of energy once before — during the Cataclysm Wars. We wish to study your village… in cooperation."
Thalen narrowed his eyes. "The last time scholars 'cooperated,' they summoned the Hollow Heart itself."
The Circle representative said nothing.
---
An Unexpected Proposal
After hours of veiled threats and posturing, the summit reached a pause. That's when a messenger rushed in.
"Apologies, Lord Calren — urgent missive from the western frontier!"
He handed over a sealed scroll.
Calren read, then turned grim. "The Wardens have issued a decree. They name Hollow's Edge as a strategic site of interest. They claim… the land beneath it holds a sealed Core."
Gasps erupted.
The scholar from earlier paled. "Impossible. The Cores were lost—!"
Uther's gaze hardened.
He remembered the dream — the fractured world, the broken systems, the ancient voice.
> [System Notice: Legacy Path Revealed – Corebound Awakening] New Option Available: Align with the Wardens / Defy All Factions
Calren slammed the gavel. "Until this is resolved, Hollow's Edge is placed under Crown Observation. You will return — under escort — and allow inspection."
Borin stepped forward, angry. "You want to leash us."
Uther raised a hand. "No. They want to see if we'll kneel."
He looked Calren dead in the eyes. "We won't."
---
Return to the Edge
The journey back was tense.
On the road, they were watched — not just by royal guards, but others. Shadows moved through the trees. At one point, they discovered a dead scout with no insignia and a symbol carved into their skin — a jagged eye.
"The other cult factions," Mara muttered. "They know."
Uther stared at the mountains beyond the forest. "Then let them come."
As they neared Hollow's Edge, the System pulsed again.
> [System Milestone: Declare Allegiance] – Accept the Wardens' Offer
– Align with the Crown
– Reject All and Forge an Independent Path
(Warning: Each path has world-altering consequences.)
Uther stared at the choices.
Mara leaned close. "What now?"
He closed the interface.
"We choose soon. But first… we prepare."