Echoes of war still sound across the shadowy realm of Idria. Their lingering fervor causes an uneasy peace; while the elves grow their forest, the humans develop their technology. The dwarves, for their part, hide themselves in their mountain forges, eyes for naught but their craft. Regardless of their many differences, they all share in one thing: the constant struggle against the dark tides that push at their borders.  Only the hollows, a magicless race, live scattered against the shadows that shroud much of the land. They restlessly stalk the monsters that roam the essence-rich region and emerge only to sell the spoils of their endless hunt.  Despite the perils of such a life, Selerim is content to follow in his father’s footsteps. But when, following a coming-of-age ceremony, his sister’s illness forces him from the secluded village that he calls home, he finds himself entangled in events that promise to shape the course of history. What to expect:  *Dark fantasy: while there will be moments of warmth and tenderness, the setting and tone will remain in line with what one should expect from a dark fantasy story. This is not an isekai or a LitRPG. *Slow progression: characters growing stronger is both a plot point and a focus, but it will take time for them to grow comfortable with their individual powersets. Different characters will follow different routes to power.  *Character-driven story: while there are occasional sporadic events, for the most part, the plot is advanced by the characters and their actions. Each will have their own motivations that (I hope) make sense. This includes the overarching antagonist(s).  *Different POVs: there will be different “POVs.” In quotations because the story is written in third person. Many will return, but some will be once-offs.  *A sprawling, exposition-esque story & world: I enjoy revealing worlds and stories bit by bit. It can be slow at times. *A slow-burn romance subplot: I like romance that takes its time and really gives the involved characters the ability to understand their partner as a person. There will be romance, and while it will take time for it to blossom, there will be no love triangles or harems. Keep in mind that this is a grimdark story, however, and there will be ups and downs- just as there are in everything else. Lastly, please heed the violence and content warnings. There won’t be any outright murderhobos or murderhobo-ing (that’s a word, right?), but this will be a violent story, and some moments will be both gruesome and graphic. In the same vein, darker topics will be present, but never the focus.  I hope you enjoy. Updates M/W/F, 2.5k-4k words/update.  Story currently exclusive to Royal Road. Any other distribution is a violation of copyright and will be met with legal action.