Now, as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, Boarstaff saw the his scouts spot them, heard the alarm horns sound. The forest had protected them through the night, ancient trees obscuring their trail from pursuing vampires. But they couldn't hide forever. Cornelius would send hunters. Would tear down the forest itself to find them.
Sebastian's condition had worsened with each passing mile. The wound in his side had reopened, and whatever his father had done to him during reconditioning was clearly causing him agony beyond the visible injuries. His face had grown increasingly drawn, his eyes distant, as if retreating from the world around him.
"Almost there," Boarstaff said, adjusting his grip around Sebastian's waist. His own injuries throbbed, broken ribs, a wrist that had been set hastily during their escape, countless cuts and bruises. "The healers will—"
"No." Sebastian's voice was barely audible, the first word he'd spoken since they'd made it out of the citadel. "No healers."
Boarstaff glanced at him, concerned by the hollow emptiness in his tone. This wasn't just physical exhaustion. Something had broken in Sebastian during their escape, or perhaps during the fight with his brothers. The weight of what he'd done seemed to press him further into himself with each step.
The village's alarm horns sounded again as they approached the eastern gate. Warriors appeared along the wall, weapons raised until someone recognized them.
"It's the warchief!" a voice called out. "Open the gates!"
The wooden barriers swung inward, and a group of warriors rushed out to meet them, Thornmaker at the lead. The spearmaster's face showed immediate relief at seeing Boarstaff alive, quickly followed by concern at their condition.
"Warchief!" Thornmaker clasped Boarstaff's arm briefly before helping support his weight. "We feared the worst. Three days with no word..." His gaze shifted to Sebastian, suspicion mingling with grudging recognition. "The scouts reported vampire movement at the borders, more than we've ever seen. We were planning to go after you."
Sebastian pulled away from Boarstaff's supporting arm as they passed through the gates, standing alone despite his injuries. His gaze fixed on the massive Heart Tree rising from the village's center, its ancient branches spread protectively over the orc dwellings.
"Sebastian," Boarstaff said quietly, reaching for him.
Sebastian flinched from the touch. "I need..." His voice faltered. Blood dripped steadily from beneath his fine tunic, creating a trail of dark droplets on the packed earth. His eyes never left the Heart Tree. "I need to go there."
More villagers gathered, drawn by the commotion.
Ochrehand pushed through the crowd, her healer's eyes already assessing their injuries. "Both of you need immediate treatment," she said firmly. "The blood loss alone—"
Sebastian staggered toward the Heart Tree. His steps were uneven but determined, as if pulled by some force only he could feel.
"Stop him," Thornmaker ordered the guards. "He can't go to the sacred chambers without council approval, not in that state."
Two warriors moved to intercept, but Sebastian continued forward as if he didn't see them. Boarstaff recognized the expression on his face, the same distant focus he'd worn when returning with the dead warrior across his shoulders. Not aggression, but absolute certainty of purpose that wouldn't be denied.
"Let him pass," Boarstaff said, his voice carrying the weight of command despite his weakened state.
"He's not stable," Thornmaker argued, gripping his spear tighter. "Look at him, Boarstaff. Whatever happened at the vampire citadel has broken something in him. We can't let him near the Heart Tree in that condition."
Ochrehand stepped forward, studying Sebastian with her healer's insight. "The Tree is calling him," she said quietly. "Can't you feel it? He’s not burning in the sunlight. Our magic is still protecting him. All the changes aren’t undone."
And Boarstaff could feel the tree’s magic, a subtle vibration in the air, a pulse of energy from the ancient wood that seemed to strengthen whenever Sebastian took another step toward it. The Heart Tree had awakened something in Sebastian during his first transformation. It was dragging that something home.
Villagers backed away as Sebastian moved forward, their expressions a mixture of fear and uncertainty. Many had witnessed his first transformation, but this was different, a broken vampire lord's son, covered in blood, moving with single-minded focus toward their most sacred place.
Sebastian staggered, nearly falling, before forcing himself forward again. Each step seemed to cost him more strength than the last, but his determination never wavered.
Boarstaff tried to follow, but his own injuries betrayed him. The world tilted sideways as he took a step, and only Thornmaker's quick reflexes kept him from collapsing entirely.
"Let me go to him," Boarstaff insisted, struggling against the spearmaster's supporting grip.
"You can barely stand," Thornmaker replied. "Whatever path he's walking now, you cannot follow."
Sebastian paused at the edge of the central clearing, swaying slightly. For a moment, he turned back, and Boarstaff saw the depth of pain in his eyes, not just physical, but something deeper. Raw. Unregulated by any mechanical component. Hisgaze briefly met Boarstaff's, a look of such hollow anguish that it needed no words to convey his need for solitude.
Then he turned away, staggering toward the Heart Tree's entrance, where crystal light glowed from within the massive trunk.
Sebastian didn't acknowledge the spearmaster, his eyes fixed solely on the Heart Tree. He staggered past the gathered elders with single-minded determination, approaching the sealed entrance to the inner chambers.
"Wait," Thornmaker called, reaching out. "The council should—"
