Azaril awoke to dappled sunlight filtering through the woven branch walls of the dwelling. His mind felt strangely hollow, as if scraped clean by the overwhelming communion with the forest consciousness. The memories remained—centuries of forest history experienced in a single night—but they had a dreamlike quality, simultaneously vivid and distant.

  He became aware of a presence beside him. Silvius sat cross-legged on the floor, so still he might have been carved from wood himself. The silver-eyed companion had apparently maintained his vigil through the night, his gaze now fixed on Azaril with an intensity that suggested both relief and lingering concern.

  "How long?" Azaril managed, his voice rough from disuse.

  "Nearly a full day and night," Silvius replied, reaching for a cup of liquid nearby. "The forest communion demanded much of you."

  As Silvius helped him drink, Azaril noticed the unusual gentleness in his companion's movements. Though Silvius had always been considerate, there was something different in his manner now—a tenderness that felt new and significant.

  "The Council," Azaril said, memories of the trial's conclusion surfacing. "Have they rendered judgment?"

  "They gather this morning to formalize their verdict," Silvius expined. "Willowheart visited twice during your recovery. The pattern manifestation in the Eldest Grove has remained—the trees continue to dispy the alternative system in their roots."

  This was encouraging news. If the physical evidence persisted, it would be difficult even for traditionalists to dismiss.

  "Can you stand?" Silvius asked. "The Council has requested your presence if you're able."

  Azaril assessed his condition. The mental exhaustion had partially subsided, though his thoughts still felt unusually fragile around the edges. Physically, weakness lingered in his limbs, but it was manageable.

  "I can manage with assistance," he replied.

  Silvius helped him rise and dress, his support steady but unobtrusive. The care with which he moved suggested an awareness of Azaril's lingering vulnerability without diminishing his dignity. When Azaril swayed slightly after standing, Silvius's arm was immediately there, strong and stabilizing against his back.

  "The forest showed me everything," Azaril said quietly as they prepared to leave. "The original retionship, the Great Withering, how the sacrifices began as emergency measures when knowledge was lost."

  "The truth preserved in living memory," Silvius nodded. "More reliable than any written record."

  They emerged from the dwelling to find Willowheart waiting outside. Her expression brightened at seeing Azaril conscious and mobile, though concern lingered in her eyes.

  "You recover more quickly than any sylvan would," she observed, approaching to examine him with a healer's practiced gaze. "Though you should not push yourself too far yet."

  "The Council awaits," Azaril replied simply.

  As they made their way through the settlement, Azaril noticed the changed atmosphere. Grove members watched their passage with expressions ranging from awe to curiosity to lingering skepticism. Word of the Root Trial had clearly spread throughout the community, generating intense interest in its formal conclusion.

  "The traditionalists argued through the night," Willowheart informed them quietly. "Deeproots and his closest allies sought to minimize the significance of what occurred, ciming it was merely an anomalous response to an outsider's presence."

  "And the progressive faction?" Azaril asked.

  "Gained considerable support after the trees' response. Many previously neutral members have shifted their position." She gnced at him sidelong. "Few expected you to survive the communion with your mind intact, let alone bring back such clear confirmation."

  They arrived at the Council circle, a living structure formed from intertwined trees that created a natural amphitheater. The space was already filled with observers from throughout the grove, all maintaining respectful silence as the formal proceedings prepared to begin.

  The Witness Council occupied the innermost circle, exactly as they had during the Root Trial. Azaril noted the subtle shift in their arrangement—several members who had previously aligned with Deeproots now sat in neutral positions, creating a visible representation of opinion change.

  Trial Conductor Rootjudge stood at the center, his ceremonial position requiring neutrality regardless of personal views. As Azaril entered with Silvius's support, Rootjudge gestured to a prepared seat near the center.

  "Azaril of the demons," he acknowledged formally. "The Council recognizes your survival of the Root Trial and thanks you for your presence during deliberation."

  As Azaril took his seat, Silvius remained standing just behind him, a watchful presence that several Council members regarded with poorly concealed unease. The subtle power Silvius had dispyed during the sacrifice interruption had not been forgotten, adding another yer to the proceedings.

  "The Root Trial has been conducted according to ancient tradition," Rootjudge began, addressing the full gathering. "Azaril of the demons subjected himself to direct communion with the eldest trees—a trial few non-sylvans have survived with mind intact."

  A murmur passed through the observers, acknowledging the significance of this achievement.

  "The purpose of the trial was to determine the validity of the alternative feeding system and the subject's intentions in implementing it," Rootjudge continued. "The Council has gathered evidence from three sources: the subject's testimony, the visible response of the forest, and the interpretations of our Grove Keepers."

  He gestured to Elderoak, who stepped forward with the dignity of his ancient status.

  "I have communed with the eldest trees since the trial," Elderoak stated, his voice carrying surprising strength. "Their message is unusually clear. The alternative system implemented by Azaril reflects the original retionship between forest and sylvans, from before the Great Withering."

  This confirmation created another ripple of reaction among the witnesses. For many, hearing this from a respected Grove Keeper carried more weight than Azaril's own testimony.

  "The sacrifice system," Elderoak continued, "began as an emergency measure during the Great Withering, when knowledge holders died before passing their wisdom to the next generation. What was intended as temporary became tradition as the original methods were forgotten."

  Deeproots rose from his seat, his expression tight with reluctant acceptance rather than his previous certainty. "If this is so, why did the eldest trees not reveal this truth before now? Why wait centuries?"

  "The eldest do not think as we do," Elderoak replied. "Their awareness spans millennia, not seasons. They respond when directly engaged, but rarely initiate. The Root Trial created the necessary connection for clear communication."

  Rootjudge raised his hand for attention. "The visual evidence cannot be dismissed. Since the trial, the Eldest Grove has maintained the root pattern matching the alternative system. Forest Interpreter Treespeaker confirms this as explicit endorsement."

  Treespeaker stepped forward, her role giving her special authority regarding pnt communication. "The forest speaks through pattern and response. The root manifestation is the clearest expression I have witnessed in my lifetime. It is not merely acceptance but instruction—the eldest trees are actively teaching us what was forgotten."

  The testimony continued as various Council members and specialists presented their interpretations. Throughout the proceedings, Azaril remained quiet, still processing the profound experience of forest communion. Silvius's presence behind him felt like an anchor, steady and reassuring amid the lingering mental fragility from the trial.

  Finally, Council Leader Ancientbark rose to deliver the formal verdict. The ancient leader had remained neutral throughout the debates, his position requiring bance rather than partisanship.

  "The evidence before this Council is clear," he announced, his voice steady with the weight of formal judgment. "The forest itself has confirmed through multiple manifestations that the alternative feeding system represents our original retionship with the eldest trees. The sacrifice system, while born of necessity during crisis, is not the original way."

  He paused, allowing this decration to settle across the gathering.

  "Therefore, this Council formally recognizes the alternative system as valid and historically accurate. Implementation will continue under careful supervision, with appropriate rituals developed to honor our traditions while embracing this recovered knowledge."

  The pronouncement created a complex wave of reactions throughout the gathering. Relief and validation from progressives, reluctant acceptance from moderates, and tight-lipped resignation from the most dedicated traditionalists. Deeproots and his closest allies maintained stony expressions, their opposition muted but not eliminated by the formal verdict.

  "Azaril of the demons," Ancientbark continued, turning toward him. "The forest has accepted your contribution. The Council acknowledges the service you have rendered in recovering this lost knowledge."

  The formal recognition represented a significant shift from his initial reception as a suspicious outsider. Azaril inclined his head in acknowledgment, still conserving his strength.

  "This concludes the formal proceedings," Rootjudge announced. "Implementation details will be addressed in subsequent Council sessions."

  As the gathering began to disperse, various sylvans approached to speak with Azaril. Some offered congratutions, others asked questions about his experience during the Root Trial, while a few simply observed him with newfound respect. Throughout these interactions, Silvius remained close, subtly intervening whenever Azaril showed signs of fatigue.

  Willowheart managed to create a buffer eventually, guiding them away from the Council circle toward a quieter area of the grove. "You need further rest," she insisted, noting Azaril's increasing pallor. "The mental strain of forest communion requires proper recovery."

  "The verdict exceeded expectations," Azaril noted as they walked slowly through the settlement. "I anticipated continued resistance."

  "Oh, resistance remains," Willowheart assured him. "Deeproots and his closest allies will continue to warn of potential dangers. But they cannot openly oppose what the forest itself has so clearly endorsed."

  They paused beside a small stream, settling on natural root formations that served as resting pces. Azaril's strength was waning again, the exertion of the Council meeting depleting his limited reserves.

  "The most important outcome is Willowheart's safety," Silvius observed. "And others who would have been chosen in the future."

  "Yes," Willowheart agreed quietly. "Though it will take time for many to fully accept the change. Centuries of belief don't transform in a single day, even with the forest's explicit approval."

  As they rested, Azaril felt a wave of exhaustion washing over him. Despite his efforts to maintain composure, his body was still recovering from the intense strain of the Root Trial. Noting his condition, Silvius moved closer, providing subtle support without making it obvious to observers.

  "You should return to your dwelling," Willowheart suggested. "Complete recovery requires proper rest."

  Silvius helped Azaril to his feet, the movement smooth but clearly necessary. As they prepared to depart, Willowheart watched them with a thoughtful expression.

  "Your bond runs deep," she observed, looking between them. "Even by sylvan standards, such care is noteworthy."

  The comment carried no judgment, merely observation, yet it highlighted something that had been evolving beneath the surface of their centuries-long companionship. Neither Azaril nor Silvius responded directly, though something flickered briefly in Silvius's silver eyes—an acknowledgment perhaps, of what remained rgely unspoken between them.

  Back in their dwelling, Azaril surrendered to the need for further rest. As Silvius helped him to his sleeping mat, the unusual tenderness in his companion's movements continued—small adjustments for comfort, the careful way he provided water, the attentive monitoring of recovery signs.

  "You've been unusually solicitous since the trial," Azaril noted, his weakened state perhaps allowing greater directness than usual.

  "The forest communion left you vulnerable," Silvius replied simply, though something in his expression suggested there might be more to his concern than practical considerations.

  "I saw so much," Azaril murmured, fragments of the forest's ancient memories surfacing. "Centuries of retionship between sylvans and trees, the original harmony, how it all changed during the crisis."

  "Rest now," Silvius encouraged. "There will be time for reflection when your strength returns."

  As Azaril drifted toward sleep, he was aware of Silvius settling nearby, resuming his protective vigince. The forest verdict had formalized what the Root Trial revealed—the alternative system represented the original, healthier retionship that had been lost during crisis. This validation brought not just personal vindication but the promise of sting positive change for the sylvan community.

  Yet as significant as this cultural victory was, Azaril found his thoughts returning to the more immediate reality of Silvius's presence beside him. The careful attention, the protective concern, the gentle support—all suggested a deepening of what had always existed between them but had remained rgely unacknowledged across centuries of companionship.

  Willowheart's observation lingered in his mind as consciousness faded. Their bond did indeed run deep—perhaps deeper than either had fully recognized until this moment of vulnerability had brought it into sharper focus.