A mysterious plague has struck Vitalba village! Villagers are taking ill after a long lost huntsman returns to Celandine Valley. There seems to be no link among the victims. As Mikhelena, Nicole, and the other healers race to find a cure, Tristan is tasked with new responsibilities in the village. He is charged with maintaining the gate and stockade. However, when a magical blight rots the timbers of the stockade one winter, Tristan must venture into the forests to secure the precious resources to rebuild it. Unfortunately, Tristan and the huntsman's lodge are betrayed by one of their own! Undoing the damage sets off a chain of events that introduces Tristan to the most bizarre and terrifying enemy he has yet encountered.