The path to Mount Fires was well-known: through the Bamboo Forest, past the sunless city, across the Black Lake, and finally to the cold, unforgiving mountain itself. The mountain earned its name because exposure to its frigid air could chill bones to the point of burning, making any journey there without preparation or dire necessity a fool's errand.
But Adrien needed help to afford to follow the main route. The path Edmund had marked on the map, tucked inside his horse's saddle, skirted Ozhem, the Bamboo Forest, Sunless, and the Black Lake. It led through the Shining River, the Everlasting Spring Mountain, the Valley of Butterflies, and finally to the Black Lake. Adrien was sure that if all went well, it would take less than eight days to reach his destination, and the return to Ozhem would take nearly half a month. By then, all the significant events would have likely transpired. Yet, the important thing was the dagger. Without it, the sacrificial ritual could not proceed. This thought spurred Adrien onward, increasing his pace. The Shining River was the first and nearest obstacle. Typically, the boats moored at the dock were too small to hold a horse, and Adrien needed his horse. Therefore, he needed help to use their own boat. He chose Mr. Chester's large boat, which had a big cabin built to carry all the necessities for his adventures. With great difficulty, Adrien managed to get the horse onto the ship and set off.
The people of Ozhem grew up by this river, learning to row and swim as children, so crossing it seemed straightforward. However, the darkness made the task daunting. Knowing he couldn't wait for dawn, Adrien set aside his fear and rowed. As he reached the middle of the river, the horse let out a loud neigh, and the current intensified. Adrien entered the cabin to check on the horse and noticed a bright light inside the saddle. He pulled out the dagger's case and opened it. The light of the water reflected off the jewels and engraved lines on the dagger, shining as brightly as the first night he had seen it.
Adrien needed to focus on steering the boat. He turned back and rowed faster, keeping the dagger close. With each step away from Ozhem, the dagger's light dimmed, and by the time Adrian reached the other side, it was barely visible. He led his terrified horse out of the boat and tried to calm it. Now, the ground beneath his feet trembled, unsettling him even further. Adrien mounted his horse and quickly put as much distance between himself and the river as possible.
***
Peonies and azalea bushes are among the most poisonous plants in the world—something Edward had a peculiar fondness for. They are beautiful and pleasing to the eye and easy to grow, but their green leaves can cause burning, itching, heart palpitations, coma, and ultimately, death. Edward carefully sealed the vial of poison he had prepared and placed it on the shelf with the other toxic extracts from flower leaves.
He had heard of the sacrifice's escape and knew he needed to prepare everything before John awoke. The cold and the five-day sunset would destroy his plants, so he wanted to gather everything necessary before they withered.
He sat in his favorite chair by the fireplace, draped his special knitted blanket over his legs, and reached for his teacup. But before he could take a sip, he noticed the flames suddenly turn blue, and a scream echoed from the third floor. The teacup slipped from the old man's grasp as he hurried towards the stairs. "It's too soon..." he muttered as he rushed up, taking the steps two at a time despite his age.
He hesitated for a moment when he reached Sebastian John's room. The wooden floorboards were frozen halfway across the door's iron threshold. Edward cautiously stepped forward, forcing the door open with great effort. John was still screaming, clutching his chest, and writhing on the bed. Edward braced himself against the wall and went to John's bedside. The boy's skin had turned a shade of blue, his lips nearly black. His tears fell like tiny shards of ice, yet he remained trapped in his slumber. Edward had to wake him before he turned into a frozen statue.
"Sebastian…" he called, knowing it would do little good. A man who had slept for five centuries would not wake so quickly. He retrieved a vial filled with the blood of the last sacrifice he had kept for hundreds of years from the drawer beside the bed. Removing the stopper, he held it under John's nose. The scent of blood filled the room, soothing John's restless body as he finally opened his eyes.
He took a deep breath, drawing in more of the blood's aroma, then looked at Edward and softly asked, "Is it time?"
Edward was relieved to see John awake but could not hide the sadness in his eyes for his enchanted wizard. He smiled, running his wrinkled fingers over the boy's face, gradually warming up. "No."
John frowned, sitting up. Something still burned in his chest. He touched his heart in confusion. "I can't feel it…."
Edward wasn't surprised. Something had undoubtedly happened. "The dagger… I can't sense its aura…"
"The Shining River is Ozhem's protective barrier. You wouldn't be able to feel it unless it crossed that boundary," Edward replied.
John stared into Edward's eyes. "They're refusing to hand over the sacrifice…"
Now, Edward appeared somewhat fearful. Sebastian's decisions rarely brought him joy. "What will you do?"
"I'll go after it."
John got out of bed, and his long strides took him quickly to the blood-stained garden. The Shadow Army gathered as he entered and began marching towards the city center.
Edward couldn't stop him. He never could. For thousands of years, he had berated himself for this weakness, for this fear that had haunted him.
John's long legs carried him swiftly to the square where the people of Ozhem had gathered. With the ground trembling and the murmurs echoing around him, he had no need to draw attention to himself. They were already staring at him, frozen in place. No one had seen this new face before, but its majesty and beauty answered all their questions.
"Where is my sacrifice?" John asked, his heavenly voice resonating in their ears. His voice had a particular power, compelling the listener to respond. The townspeople, including Edmund, who didn't know how to react to seeing John, spoke in unison: "He escaped."
John closed his eyes, frowning at the sheer volume of their response. He gestured, and one of his men seized Edmund, dragging him before John.
"Where is my sacrifice?" John asked again.
Fear shadowed Edmund's eyes, and though he looked into John's, he fully expected himself to take his life. Against his will, he replied, "He escaped."
John sighed in frustration. "You've already said that. Where did he go?"
Edmund's voice trembled. "I-I don't know… no… no one knows… he's probably been captured by the Sunless."
"And the dagger?" John asked.
Once more, Edmund's mouth moved against his will. "it's gone to Mount Fires."
John clenched his fists in anger. When he finally regained some composure, he placed his hands on either side of Edmund's head and whispered, "Show me everything you know."
John closed his eyes, seeing every detail of what had transpired in Edmund's presence. He released him and turned to address the townsfolk, who still had not regained the ability to move. "Store the provisions. No one is to enter the Bamboo Forest. I will retrieve them myself."
Then, turning to his army, he ordered, "Surround the town. No one goes in or out. Bring me a horse."
Within moments, the town was surrounded by shadows. John, accompanied by a thousand of his men, set off toward the Bamboo Forest.