Chapter 604

“Wait! That Dominion Tree belongs to my brother!”

Arthur interrupted before the instructors left, keeping his palm against Idriss’s chest as the pink light continued flowing into his body.

“Your brother’s?”

The Dean studied the enormous manifestation again.

Its tongues coiled through the green flames, exposing rows of teeth whenever the flowers along them opened… even knowing that it belonged to an ally did little to make the sight pleasant.

Still, he lowered his pointing hand.

“Search the forest. Follow the assailants’ traces, and keep watch around the Tree… its owner must be undergoing a spiritual trial for it to remain here alone.”

The dispatched instructors departed at his command, their bodies bursting into swarms of tiny black bats that swept between the ruined trunks.

Arthur watched them go until the Dean addressed him.

“Do not worry. We Vallow take great pride in our hospitality. Your brother is our guest, too.”

The medics were already tending to his friends, giving Arthur little reason to doubt the Dean’s stern words… Plus, a Tier 7 Dean personally rushing to Idriss’s rescue with so many Tier 6 instructors at the first call for help spoke for itself.

“Thank you, sir…”

Among the Vallow, welcoming someone into their home meant accepting responsibility for their well-being. Wealth, standing, and strength made no difference… every guest deserved a place at the table and protection, even without a contract.

The tradition long predated the invasion, but its reputation now reached beyond Cruor.

Blood Specialists came for resources, the Blood Arts Academy’s instruction, and opportunities to advance their blood-related paths… while refugees and Raiders without a home found hosts who honored their agreements and treated them with respect.

Many chose to settle permanently, offering their support against the Nightcrawlers in exchange for residency… an arrangement the Vallow welcomed as they fought to keep their shared home from falling to the Shadow Dimension’s corruption.

“We will keep watch here,” the Dean continued calmly. “You should accompany your friends.”

A medic knelt opposite Arthur and checked Idriss’s neck before moving to the injuries across his torso.

“You can stop now. Let us take over.”

Arthur withdrew his hand, ending the transfer through Aurikara’s Gemheart… right away, the shield felt too heavy to hold, forcing him to dismiss it.

Treating Idriss’s grave injuries had nearly drained Arthur’s vitality.

Nurah informed the medic about the three recovery totems and the treatment they had already attempted.

“We won’t need any more recovery totems…” a handsome Vallow with a sharp jaw assured her. “Our Blood Arts can speed his body’s natural recovery, but he needs treatment at the Academy.”

Hearing this, Shia helped them settle her father onto a padded litter, carefully keeping his head from turning toward the damaged side of his neck.

Beside Jasmine, another medic finished his examination and called for a second litter.

“Her life force is dangerously depleted… keep her covered and prepare a place beside me.”

“Can you help her?” Jojo asked, worried.

“I can keep her stable for now.”

The medic pressed two fingers against Jasmine’s chest, sending crimson threads through her blood… then a seal formed over her heart, helping preserve her remaining vitality as her breathing steadied.

“Keep her beside me… I need to maintain this until we reach the Academy.”

Soon, the Dean ordered two of the giant bats to land closer… their handlers secured the litters to the broad saddles and made room for the medics to remain beside their patients throughout the flight.

As Shia settled beside her father on one of the giant bats, the Dean noticed the dried blood around her mouth… then the dressed bite wounds on Idriss’s body.

Through his unique blood vision, he recognized Idriss’s blood on her lips… the resemblance between their own blood signatures told him something else.

She was his daughter… and yet, she had torn into his flesh.

At once, his gaze lifted to the thick clouds concealing Cruor’s full moon as he pieced together what had happened.

’The Blood Moon Curse…’

He knew the ancient curse wasn’t exclusive to any one species… many Blood Lineages knew of it, and some possessed the means to inflict it on others… unfortunately, a cure wasn’t nearly as accessible.

He knew of none he could offer her.

For now, keeping her away from the moonlight was the only treatment available to him… and the clouds would cease to protect her once they left the forest.

The Dean drew his long silver braid over one shoulder, freeing it from his cape’s collar… black silk bound it at even intervals, with a small garnet securing its end.

He unfastened his cape and approached her.

“You have endured enough for one night, my dear. Allow me to spare you the cold.”

His deep, measured voice drew her attention as he draped the cape over her head and shoulders, closing it around her bloodstained hands. He secured the opaque folds against the wind, keeping her face shaded.

Seeing her look at the unfamiliar garment, he leaned closer and lowered his voice.

“Keep this wrapped around you until you are indoors. The moonlight can awaken a curse in your blood… I believe that is what happened here.”

Shia stared at him… her pupils dilated.

“What it made you do was no choice of yours,” he continued gently. “You must not mistake its cruelty for your own.”

He saw her lips tremble before she pressed them together, struggling to contain the sound rising in her throat.

“Take heart, my dear. Your father lives… and that’s all that matters.”

The Dean turned to oversee their departure, giving her what little privacy he could as she bowed her head beside Idriss and sobbed in silence.

Soon, only Arthur remained on the ground with the Dean and another instructor… his eyes fixed on the distant Soulleech Maw’s spiritual Tree.

’Arthur… Get on. They’re ready.’

’I can stay here,’ he replied. ’You don’t need all three of us at the Academy.’

’We are leaving Cruor as soon as Jasmine and Sir Idriss can travel safely… All of us, as Levi ordered,’ Nurah stressed sternly.

’I know what he said…’

Arthur clenched his fists until the veins stood out… he kept the rest of his anger out of the dimensional conversation as he looked toward Jasmine’s litter.

Brittle hair framed an aged face he barely recognized, and even after the medic stabilized her, he kept checking for the rise of her chest.

Idriss barely clung to life, his internal wounds refusing to heal despite Arthur’s efforts.

His eyes moved to Shia, who hid under the Dean’s cape, her head lowered as she sobbed under her breath… Arthur had heard enough to want to comfort her, but nothing came to mind.

Throughout the battle, the Titan had kept updating him from within Arthur’s spiritual leywell.

With every report, Arthur had fought the urge to rush over, disgusted with himself for remaining safe while his brother and friends suffered.

Yet without a Dominion, he would have been nothing but a glaring target… Levi seemed to have anticipated his reaction and had kept his own wisp dormant within Arthur’s spiritual leywell.

So, Arthur had no way to argue with his brother… only the Titan’s reports and the instructions Levi had given them before leaving Jasmine’s territory.

He understood the plan.

He had just kept hoping his brother would leave with them, injured and complaining about the rescue’s cost, perhaps… but at least there.

’Then you know why we have to go,’ Nurah uttered solemnly. ’News of Levi’s unique spiritual Tree is going to reach the dimensional network sooner or later… the same powers that targeted him and Jasmine back home will rush over here.’

’We can’t overstay our welcome here… not when both Jasmine and Levi are being sought.’

Arthur remained silent as he looked at the Dean and the medics… he understood that the Vallow would try their absolute best to protect them within the Academy; however, he believed they would be safer back in Jasmine’s Deserted Kingdom.

That was why Levi forbade Arthur, Nurah, and Jojo from joining the initial confrontation with the three elites… but kept them ready to help afterward if his plan to get everyone back to the Boundless Expanse failed.

As for Levi himself? He had already prepared for the possibility of spending months in the spiritual trial… which meant the enormous Soulleech Maw looming over the forest could draw the wrong attention throughout his absence.

Arthur hated leaving Levi among strangers, but staying meant exposing him to the very situation he had arranged all this to prevent.

’Come on, gorilla…’ Jojo joined their conversation, her tone leaving no room for argument. ’You can argue with him when he comes back… he knows what he is doing.’

’Fine… but if he comes back and tells me I worried over nothing, I’m punching him.’

’Count me in.’

’Just not the face,’

Nurah cracked a small joke to ease the tension, though her own chest burned just as fiercely as Arthur’s.