Chapter 4.26: A Fear of Heroes

“We meet again, Oslando, knight without last name.”
When the manifestation of the half-elf’s fear speaks the sound of snapping twigs resonates within his hollow voice. Even though his voice is loud and strong, it sounds like he’s whispering.
“I expected to see one of the Hollows as part of this trial. At least your looks have improved since we met last time.”
It’s unlike Oslando to be witty or wisecracking on a moment like this, but his companions believe it’s just one of his many sides they haven’t seen much of. They do recognize his unmoving attitude, the calmness he tries to always keep up.
“You sound not as pleased as I hoped, half-spawn”, the Hollow says. “Is it because you have found peace with your failures? Or did you tell yourself it’s time to stop caring so much about the flaws of your existence?”
The eldritch knight swallows, trying to rid the upcoming lump in his throat. He shrugs his head and shoulders ambivalently.
“I live to improve every single day”, he replies coldly. “Learning goes with ups and downs. Your presence doesn’t upset me. You’re here to taunt me and play with troubled thoughts from closed chapters of my past. You may do so and I’ll receive Gor-Thar’s blessings, improving yet again without you able to do anything about it.”
A baleful smile grows on his timber face, his blank eyes narrowing. He shakes his head slowly, the sound of a breaking tree accompanying his movement.
“You play the role of the bold knight so well. It feels like you have tricked yourself and probably everyone around you into believing you have figured out your whole life. How would they react if I lifted that false veil and let them peek into your worst failures? I know how you would react, Oslando. I can smell the fear in the sweat rolling across the side of your face.”
For a moment the half-elf breaks eye contact and looks over to his companions. They have faced their fears and no one judged them. Maybe it will be the same for him? However, that possibility doesn't ease his mind. He does indeed feel fear, fear of how much the Hollow will reveal about their previous encounter.
“Your adamant friend over here has a very interesting history”, the Hollow says loudly, receiving only silence in response. “After getting tired of being unloved by both sides of his family, this young half-elf tried to prove his worth all around the world. This journey eventually brought him to Oroki Isles, because he heard a rumor people had gone missing in the Jadesong Woods. The colonists there were chopping down one of the few Eternal Trees, ancient pinnacles of nature, all to collect its wood for building a ship. Misinformed and caught up in his heroic task to save people, the naive half-elf went into the Jadesong Woods. That’s when we met for the first time, didn’t we?”
He does not reply. His clenched jaw and the pulsating vein at the side of his head are the telltale signs for the Hollow apparition. He is hitting just the right nerves.
“He reasoned with us, or so he thought, but he didn’t listen to our reasoning. He was not in the position to order us around. He was empty-handed and without leverage, none of his diplomatic skills useful enough to persuade us to leave our home. You see, the Eternal Trees gave life to my people and with the increase of what you people believe is ‘progress’, my kind is slowly dying. Our numbers dwindle and we are in constant pain. And you, Oslando, burner of sacred trees, are the one to blame.”
The half-elf breaks the silence, his fists clenched by his sides.
“I did what I thought was right!”
“No!”
A long howl filled with agony and grief thunders throughout the temple. His pale copy falls forward and reaches for Oslando. His claws stop just in front of his head.
“No”, the Hollow repeats, “you did what you thought would make you a hero. Your desire to be praised outweighed the survival of my family. You fought my brothers and sisters and drove us away from the Jadesong Woods, proving once again that men and elves are just as uncultured and uncivilized as they blame us to be. We would have left all those people alone and leave the Oroki Isles unharmed, but you forced our hand. They burned down the entire forest to prove a point to us: the needs of men are superior to ours. Luckily for us, Abaddon has a few Ancient Trees as well.”
The half-elf’s eyes widen with terror.
“Yes, Oslando”, the Hollow continues, “we were here way before you were born and we returned to make sure nature will never suffer again like it did that day. This demonic plane and you have a lot in common. I feel your presence in Abaddon and I’m coming for you. We killed every single one of them, men, women and children, and turned their corpses into walking husks for nature to dwell in. We will see you soon. We Hollows are of one mind and I can feel we are legion. We are endless. We are armageddon.”