“And the way he fought against both you and Thornmaker,” another added. “Making our finest warriors look helpless. What did you learn from him, Boarstaff?”
The council chamber fell silent, all eyes turning to their leader.
“I learned that we’ve been fighting… reacting blindly,” Boarstaff answered honestly. “That scouts are nothing compared to nobility. He showed us exactly how they hunt, how they think, their weaknesses and their strengths.” He let that sink in. “And then he chose to harm no one. That’s the point none of you seem to grasp. He showed us the threat, then deliberately stepped back from it.
“The council’s priority has always been the protection of our people,” Boarstaff continued, looking at each member in turn. “Sometimes that requires difficult decisions. Unconventional approaches.”
“Or dangerous alliances,” Doechaser observed quietly.
“Yes,” Boarstaff acknowledged. “Sometimes those too.”
The chamber remained silent for several moments, each council member wrestling with implications that stretched beyond immediate safety to questions about their people’s future.
"The villagers are terrified, with good reason," Thornmaker’s voice was hollow with the memory of his utter defeat. “I’ve killed seven vampires in my lifetime. Seven. And hemade me look like a child playing with sticks.” He looked up, meeting Boarstaff’s gaze. “If Zarek comes with others like him…”
Thornmaker cleared his throat. “While I… disagree with how this situation has been handled,” he began, each word measured carefully, “I cannot deny what I witnessed today. The vampire could have killed me, could have killed everyone around that ring. He chose not to.” He looked up, meeting Boarstaff’s gaze directly. “He also revealed truths about vampire nobility that cannot be ignored.”
The admission hung in the air, unexpected from the proud spearmaster.
“What are you suggesting?” Elder Moonsinger asked, surprise evident in her voice.
Thornmaker straightened. “I am suggesting that Boarstaff may be right. That as much as it pains me to admit it, we have an opportunity to learn about an enemy we’ve been fighting blindly for generations.”
Murmurs of surprise rippled through the chamber. No one had expected Thornmaker to shift his position, especially after the morning’s humiliation.
“Our warriors need to know how to face more than just scouts,” Thornmaker continued reluctantly. “If we can implement what Sebastian knows about vampire nobility into our defense training… then my pride, my broken spear, even my dignity is a small price to pay.”
“You propose we let the vampire anywhere near our warriors again?” Rockbreaker asked incredulously. “After seeing how easily he defeated our best?”
“No,” Thornmaker replied firmly. “I would never agree to that. The village is already afraid. Children were in tears watching him move like that, seeing that… metal flowing under his skin.” He shuddered slightly at the memory. “But I would agree to Boarstaff gathering information from him, specificweaknesses, tactics that we can incorporate into our own training methods.”
The council fell silent again, absorbing the spearmaster’s unexpected support.
Doechaser shook her head. . “The tales don’t capture the reality of it, the speed, the unnatural grace, the way they seem to enjoy the fear they cause.”
“That’s why we need this knowledge,” Boarstaff insisted. “Because Zarek will bring that same terror to our borders… or farther, and our people must be prepared to face it.”
“And what if knowledge isn’t enough?” Doechaser asked softly. “What if knowing how they move, how they think, only increases our fear rather than our capability?”
“Then at least we face our destruction with open eyes,” Boarstaff replied. “Rather than clinging to comfortable ignorance until the end.”
Elder Moonsinger’s weathered hands smoothed across the ancient table as she considered. “Your proposal has merit, Warchief. But it requires trust that many here aren’t ready to give. Especially after witnessing what we saw today.”
“I’m not asking for trust,” Boarstaff said. “I’m asking for pragmatism. Sebastian has knowledge we need. Knowledge that could save lives when his father’s forces eventually find us.” He looked directly at Thornmaker. “Knowledge that might have prevented what happened this morning.”
Thornmaker nodded slowly, the admission clearly difficult.
“I move that we allow the Warchief to gather tactical information from the vampire,” Doechaser said, her aged voice carrying surprising weight in the chamber. “Information to be carefully vetted before incorporation into our training regimens.”
Hands began to rise around the table, a slow count that eventually included even Thornmaker’s reluctant agreement.
“It’s decided then,” Elder Moonsinger announced. “Boarstaff will extract what knowledge he can about defending against vampire nobility. This information will be reviewed by the council before implementation.” She fixed Boarstaff with a meaningful look. “But at the first sign of deception, at the first indication that this arrangement threatens our people, it ends immediately.”
“Understood,” Boarstaff agreed, rising from his seat. “I’ll inform Sebastian of the council’s decision.”
As the council members filed out, Thornmaker remained seated, his fingers still tracing the fragments of his broken spear. When the chamber had emptied, Boarstaff lingered at the doorway, watching the proud warrior who had been so thoroughly defeated that morning.
“He knew exactly how to counter my technique,” Thornmaker said quietly. “As if he’d studied it for years.”
