The wind shifted as the path narrowed, leading them down a slope of broken stone steps and toward a crooked wooden gate. Beyond it lay the village of Hollowfall, a place whispered about in forest taverns and outlaw dens. Not human. Just lost.
The group stood at the entrance, silent for a moment.
The buildings ahead leaned like tired drunks, roofs patched with mismatched tiles, windows covered in rusty mesh. Smoke rose from chimneys and barrel fires. The cobblestone streets were cracked and uneven, stained with old blood and newer regrets. Figures shuffled through the alleys, horned, winged, scaled, and furred, some hooded, some armed, all wary.
It smelled of burnt oil, wet moss, and distrust.
Kyra's small hand found Axel's, gripping tight.
He looked down at her. She said nothing, but her wide gold eyes said enough.
He raised his free hand. His helmet hissed, folding back over his face.
"It's alright," he said quietly. "Stay close."
Sylthea pulled her violet cloak tighter around herself. She stepped closer to Korrak and instinctively wrapped her arm through his.
He blinked in surprise, tusks twitching, and his whole face turned a soft pink.
"You cold?" he asked.
She didn't answer. But she didn't let go either.
They passed through the gates and entered Hollowfall.
Eyes turned. Conversations halted.
A goblin barkeep dropped a bottle. A satyr stopped mid-card game. A lizardman dragging a sack froze and dropped his cargo with a wet thud.
Then, one whispered...
"It's him…"
Another...
"The Black Wolf…"
The ripple grew.
"The Monster Protector."
"He's real?"
"That's the Exterminator who turned."
Axel sighed under his breath. "Here we go again."
Beside him, Sylthea grinned. "My pleasure."
As they moved deeper into the town, heads turned, whispers chased them, and beings of every kind peered from windows and doorways. The group made their way through the market square, where fruit stalls leaned against ruins and beggars warmed their hands over enchanted coals.
Then they saw it.
A rusted cage dragged along the road by two werewolves in scavenger gear. Inside were five human children, ragged, bruised, eyes wide with fear.
The largest boy, maybe ten, spotted Axel instantly.
His mouth fell open. "It's him," he breathed. "The Black Wolf…"
The others looked too, hope igniting in their eyes.
They pressed against the bars.
"He's here!"
"He came for us!"
"Please, help us!"
But Axel didn't stop.
Didn't even glance their way.
He walked right past.
Kyra stared at them as they passed. Sylthea slowed in disbelief, then turned to him sharply.
"Axel… they're human. Like you. Aren't they your kind?"
Axel's jaw tightened.
"Let their Exterminators rescue them," he said, voice low and even. "I don't trust demons. Especially ones who look like children."
Sylthea stopped in her tracks. "You think they're...?"
"I don't think. I know. Bastion influenced all kids they no good demons would kill your kind in a second if they could."
Sylthea's expression darkened, her voice lower. "You're sound like a non human."
"I would rather be a non human than a human" Axel said without turning. "They aren't demons."
He kept walking.
Kyra clutched his hand a little tighter.
Sylthea followed, though slower, a hard look in her eyes.
Behind them, the human children in the cage watched their supposed savior disappear into the crowd, hope burning out in silence.
They walked in silence now, the whispers still trailing behind them like fading echoes. Hollowfall narrowed the deeper they went, alleyways snaked through crooked buildings, bridges of rotted wood crossed above them like ribs over a spine.
It was in one of these alleys that they heard the growl.
And the whimper.
Two werewolves, scavenger types with matted fur, dented armor, and poorly fitted knives, had cornered an old goblin. His back was hunched, his green skin sagging with age, eyes filmy with cataracts. One of the wolves slammed him against a wall.
"Disgusting to see your kind walking free," the first snarled, spitting at the goblin's feet.
"Shouldn't you be chewing on rats or spreading disease somewhere else, old slime?" said the second, chuckling as he grabbed the goblin's tattered bag and tore it open, spilling dried herbs and brittle bones across the dirt.
Axel's step slowed. His hand twitched near his pistol.
Kyra looked up at him. "Are we going to help?"
His voice was quiet. "We're about to teach them a lesson."
He stepped into the alley, the shadows swallowing him whole...
CRACK.
A fist broke through the air like thunder.
One punch. Two bodies.
Both werewolves flew into the alley wall and dropped like broken puppets.
Standing over them was a giant.
An ogre.
She was easily eight feet tall, all muscle and scars, green skin dappled with old battle wounds. Her long brown hair was braided down one side, a massive greatsword strapped to her back, though she hadn't needed it. Her gold eyes shimmered with fury and then calm, like the quiet after a forest fire.
She looked down at the old goblin and extended a hand.
"People these days," she muttered, her voice deep but feminine. "No respect for the elderly."
The goblin chuckled with a raspy cough, took a piece of dried meat from his pocket, and handed it to her with a grateful bow. "Bless you, miss. Keep this old goblin from getting flattened."
She took it, smiled faintly, and nodded. "Walk safe, grandpa."
He hobbled off, whistling through his missing teeth.
Then she turned.
And saw them.
Axel, helmet sealed, Kyra gripping his hand, Sylthea arm-in-arm with Korrak. The ogre's eyes narrowed.
"Well, well…" she said, resting a hand on her sword hilt. "So the Exterminator finally shows. I thought you'd be taller."
Axel tensed.
She tilted her head. "Come to collect the bounty on my head? I always wanted to fight an Exterminator. Heard you bastards hit hard."
Inside his helmet, Axel was frozen.
And blushing.
Black Wolf System:
Warning: Heart rate elevated. Internal temperature rising. Possible emotional spike detected.
Conclusion: You are in love.
"…I think so too," Axel muttered under his breath.
Kyra raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Before anything else could be said, Axel's helmet hissed and receded into his armor, revealing his face, cheeks flushed, jaw clenched, trying very hard not to look too impressed.
"Hi," he said awkwardly. "My name's Axel. What's… uh… your name?"
The ogre blinked, then smirked.
"…Name's Brakka Stonegrin. Bandit-turned-bounty-turned-adventurer. Most folks just call me Brakka the Breaker."
She chomped into the beef jerky and chewed slowly as she watched him.
Kyra looked between the two. Back and forth. Slowly. Intently. Then pointed a tiny accusatory finger.
"You temptress! Stop tempting Axel with your… your… charms!"
Brakka paused mid-chew. "What?"
Kyra narrowed her eyes. "You're using your muscles and meat snacks to make him fall for you."
Brakka raised an eyebrow. "Kid, I punched two werewolves and ate some jerky. If that's what gets your guy going, that's not on me."
Sylthea choked on a laugh. Korrak looked deeply uncomfortable.
Axel rubbed the back of his neck, eyes locked on Brakka's gold ones. "She's not wrong…"
Brakka gave a sharp toothy grin. "Well then. Maybe I am tempting. Depends how much you're buying."
Axel opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "…Drinks first?"
Brakka tossed the leaf jerky wrapper into the air. "You're buying."
She turned and walked down the alley like she owned the world.
And for a moment, it felt like she did.
Kyra tugged Axel's hand again, fuming. "I don't like her."
Sylthea smirked. "I do."
Korrak nodded gravely. "She scares me."
Axel just stood there for a moment, then followed, heart thudding in his chest like a war drum.
Hollowfall just got a whole lot more complicated.