Chapter 52: Hope
The evening air carried the scent of roasted meat and herbs throughout the settlement. At the same time, several citizens paused in their tasks when they noticed Hiro approaching with a massive stone floating behind him.
They stared, half-curious and half-wary. No one dared to approach or question him directly.
By utilizing Ultimate Force Telekinesis, Hiro plopped the stone down at the center of the settlement. The massive cuboid landed with a solid thud that sent a small cloud of dust billowing outward.
A few citizens jumped at the sudden noise, their nerves still frayed from the earlier monster attacks.
Hiro seemed completely unconcerned with their curiosity. He merely stood there, arms crossed, waiting as the cooks ladled out portions of dire wolf and monster meat stew into wooden bowls.
The smell was surprisingly enticing—gamey and rich with herbs that Hema and a few others had gathered earlier that day.
Bob approached hesitantly, nervously rubbing his hands together. "My Lord, that's... a very symmetric stone you have there. Might I ask what it's for?"
"You'll see soon, Bob." Hiro replied with a smile, not offering any further explanation.
He watched with mild interest as his citizens collected their evening meal one by one. He also noticed that the Shuvlok tribesmen kept a small distance from the Selune worshipping group.
Barbara seemed to have noticed Hiro's observant gaze, for she crossed her arms and scowled in Hiro's direction. Unfortunately for her, her defiance only increased Hiro's anticipation of the inevitable conquest.
Beyond the gray clouds, the Sun had already set. The settlement was enveloped in a faint yellow glow from Yelough mushrooms now that the fires had been extinguished in order to avoid attracting any Cinderveil Wraiths.