The weight of Elara's revelation settled in the observation dome, a silence more profound than the vacuum outside.
The Dreaming Tree, the "Heartwood" of ancient myth, was not just a cosmic curiosity shown to Bolt by a Silent Listener; it was the key, the only known path to finding the Oracle of Thune and the last remnants of the Weavers of Harmony.
It was their best, perhaps only, hope of finding allies who could truly understand and counter Valerius's Dominion Sigil.
"So, let me get this straight," Eva said, her voice cutting through the reverent silence, her pragmatism a necessary anchor.
"To fight Valerius and his soul-warping ritual, we need to find this Oracle. To find the Oracle, we need to find a mythical, star-eating tree that exists in some uncharted, lethal region of space, based on a vision from a silent, alien god-thing."
She took a breath.
"That about sum it up?"
Elara inclined her head.
"In essence, Captain, yes. Though I would not term it 'star-eating'."
"This changes everything," Bolt rumbled, his gaze distant.
The chaotic mess of threats – Krell's fleet, the void-corruption, Valerius's ritual – now seemed to orbit this one, central, almost impossible quest.
All roads, it seemed, now led to the Dreaming Tree. "The silver thread I saw… it connects the Heart of Orion to this place".
"Healing the Heart might be impossible without understanding the Tree. And finding the Oracle might be impossible without following that thread."
The sheer, monumental scale of the task was daunting. Their ship was crippled. Bolt was still a novice in the use of his immense power. And the galaxy was actively on fire around them.
"We have three active fronts, Elara," Eva argued, pacing the dome.
"Krell is regrouping. That void-corruption is still a plague on the Heart. And Valerius now knows Bolt exists and is actively hunting him psychically. Can we really afford to go on a quest for a mythological tree right now?"
"Perhaps," Elara countered gently, "we can no longer afford not to. Krell and the void are threats of power and entropy".
Valerius is a threat to the very nature of consciousness. The Weavers of Harmony were the only order to ever successfully stand against the principles of the Dominion Sigil.
Their knowledge, their techniques… they may be the only true counter. "The Heartwood, therefore, becomes the most vital strategic objective."
A new resolve settled over Bolt. The despair that had threatened to engulf him in the Nyxwing was gone, replaced by the clarity of a single, unifying purpose.
His path was no longer just about reacting and surviving; it was about seeking.
"My training," Bolt stated, looking at Elara. "It needs to change. 'Wayfinding,' you called it. I need to learn to perceive and trace that silver thread, to understand the shielding around it."
"Indeed, Seed-Bearer," Elara affirmed.
"The Outer Sanctuaries possess archives and training grounds for just this purpose. We can teach you to strengthen your empathic senses, to use the Focusing Sphere not just as a lens, but as a sextant to navigate the deeper cosmic currents."
She gestured to the holographic star chart, which shifted and reformed, displaying complex energy patterns and ancient stellar alignments.
"The legends of the Heartwood, while fragmented, are not without clues. They speak of it residing in a place "where the new stars sing,"shielded by "folds in reality."
"While we begin repairs on the Nyxwing, your work will begin immediately. We must prepare you to follow that thread."
Eva watched him, a familiar mixture of worry and pride in her eyes. "And what do I do while he's learning cosmic navigation with his soul?"
"Your role, Captain Rostova, remains as critical as ever," Elara said with a respectful smile.
"You are his anchor. The Ahna'sara is a power that can easily get lost in the immense echoes of the cosmos".
"Your pragmatism, your courage, your humanity… they are the tether that will keep him grounded".
Furthermore, we will need your strategic mind to help us plot a course through the 'conventional' dangers that will undoubtedly lie along this path."
As Elara spoke, one of her sensitives approached, their expression urgent.
"Elara, a report from the listening post monitoring the Canid Confederacy. Valerius's energy surge is… stabilizing."
"But we are detecting new, smaller-scale energy signatures flaring up in systems known to house his staunchest opposition".
"It appears the dissenting song has become an open rebellion in some sectors."
The news landed with a thud. Bolt's intervention had not only strengthened the dissenters, but it may have pushed them into open, physical conflict.
"They are fighting back," Bolt murmured, feeling a surge of both pride and responsibility.
"And they will be crushed without leadership or greater hope," Elara finished gravely.
"The Oracle of Thune is now more critical than ever. It seems, Seed-Bearer, that your quest for the Dreaming Tree has just been given a terrible and urgent deadline."
The path forward was clearer than ever, but it was also narrower, and lined with more dangers than he could possibly imagine.
The Heartwood Quest had begun.