chapter 11: Signs of progress

The wind howled through the crumbling ruins, kicking up dust and ash as Leon and his party hurried away. His fingers clenched tightly around the Corrupted Sigil, its jagged surface rough against his palm.

The Hollowborn weren't just a natural threat. Someone—something—had sent them.

And now, it knew he was here.

As they made their way back to the settlement, the forest seemed quieter than before. Too quiet. Even the usual sounds of birds and insects were gone, as if the land itself was holding its breath.

Leon exchanged a glance with Garrick. The veteran's eyes were sharp, scanning the shadows between the trees. He had sensed it too.

Something was watching.

But nothing attacked.

Not yet.

---

By the time they returned, the settlement was already hard at work. The fires had been extinguished, the walls patched up, and the survivors moving with a renewed sense of urgency.

Leon wasted no time. He climbed onto a wooden crate near the center of the settlement and raised his voice.

"We are not alone out here," he announced, holding up the Corrupted Sigil for all to see. "The attack last night wasn't random. It was a warning."

Murmurs spread through the crowd. Some looked fearful, others grim.

Leon's gaze swept over them. "But let me be clear—we will not be driven from this land. We will not cower behind these walls and wait for death to come knocking again."

He turned to the settlers who had been reinforcing the palisade. "The walls must be stronger. Taller. Sharper stakes. Double-layered defenses."

Then to the blacksmiths and craftsmen. "Weapons. Real ones. We need better steel, armor, and bows."

Finally, his gaze landed on Garrick and the training militia. "And you—train harder. Smarter. We don't fight like bandits. We fight like an army."

A fire lit in the settlers' eyes. They were still afraid. But now, they had purpose.

The work resumed, but faster. More determined.

Leon stepped down from the crate, exhaling. He turned to Garrick. "We need metal. More than what we can scavenge."

Garrick nodded. "The mines, then?"

Leon smirked. "I think it's time we made use of my abilities."

---

The mines were only half-explored, a narrow cave system carved into a rocky hill near the settlement. So far, only a handful of settlers had been working it, using crude tools to chip away at the stone, gathering what little iron they could.

But Leon had an edge they didn't.

He placed a hand on the nearest rock formation and activated his Extraction ability.

A soft glow pulsed beneath his fingertips, and suddenly—

Ding!

---

[Extraction Successful!]

Iron Ore (x15) obtained!

Copper Fragments (x7) obtained!

Traces of Mana-Infused Stone detected… further extraction required.

---

Leon's grin widened. Now, this was what he needed.

He moved deeper, placing his hands on another mineral-rich section of the wall.

Ding!

Iron Ore (x20) obtained!

Mana-Infused Stone (x2) obtained!

Silver Vein detected! (Extraction Level Insufficient—Upgrade Required)

Silver? That was new.

Leon stepped back, nodding. "We have enough iron to start forging better weapons. Get the blacksmith working immediately."

The miners stared at him in awe, having just watched him pull resources from solid rock with his bare hands.

One of them, a burly man named Oren, swallowed hard. "My lord… you're not human, are you?"

Leon chuckled. "Not anymore."

---

A Conversation with the Stranger

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Leon returned to the Lord's Mansion. The wounded stranger, Doran, was awake.

He sat on the edge of the cot, his expression tense as he took in his surroundings. His gaze snapped to Leon as he entered.

"You saved me," Doran rasped, voice still weak.

Leon nodded. "Figured you had something worth saying."

Doran let out a dry chuckle. "Lucky guess." He gestured toward the Corrupted Sigil still in Leon's possession. "You found one of their marks, didn't you?"

Leon studied him. "You know who they are?"

Doran's face darkened. "I do."

He hesitated, then sighed. "They call themselves the Eclipse Covenant."

Leon's fingers curled around the sigil. The name sent a chill down his spine.

"They control the Hollowborn?" he asked.

Doran shook his head. "Not quite. They don't create them, but they know how to command them. And they use them to eliminate threats before they become real problems."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "And I'm a threat?"

Doran smirked weakly. "You are now."

Leon leaned forward. "Why?"

Doran exhaled slowly. "Because you're different from the other lords. Stronger. Smarter. And that makes you dangerous to them."

Silence hung between them.

Leon's mind raced. The Eclipse Covenant wasn't just some distant enemy. They had already tried to wipe him out once.

And they would try again.

Doran met his gaze, eyes filled with something between exhaustion and warning. "If you want to survive, you'll need to be ready for the next time they come."

Leon smirked. "Oh, I plan to be."

Because now, it was personal.