Discordant Note: Crescendo | TBATE

Chapter 187: A Third Eye

Toren Daen

Olfred shook his head at my words. "I don't know what you've heard, Daen, but the Lance artifacts aren't so simple. I appreciate the sentiment, but I guarantee you won't be able to alter a thing."

I looked around us, making sure there was nobody present before enveloping the two of us in a sound bubble. "I'm not just saying this, Olfred," I said quietly. "Do you know where the Lance artifacts came from?"

The dwarf pushed off from the wall he'd been resting against, looking at me askance. "The asura gave them to the leaders of the three races in days of old," he said slowly. "To push us to greater heights."

I nodded, looking seriously at the Lance in front of me. "And if my power is derived from the same source as those who created the artifacts themselves?" I pushed.

Olfred's micromovements stilled entirely as he looked at me, seeming to hear me for the first time. "So what you're sayin'..."

"I discovered this in my duel with Lance Aya," I said, hearing as the dwarf's heartbeat picked up. "The tether for your Lance artifact isn't some static, immutable thing. I can influence it, for lack of a better term."

The dwarven Lance took me by the arm, staring up at me with a warring expression of disbelief and hope. "If what you're saying is true, then you could free me from the asura's control," he said shakily. "Free me from any control."

I gently took his hand from my shoulder. "Yes, but..." I thought of my confrontation with the elven Lance. "It's not nearly as simple as you might think. The tether between a Lance and their monarch is reactive. Sensitive to any sort of influence. If I'm not careful..."

"Then I might simply die regardless," Olfred said, filling in the blanks easily enough. The dwarven Lance's shoulders slumped as he heard my words. He turned around, looking at the many people milling about at a quick pace as they prepared for evacuation.

"Tell me, Toren," the older dwarf said, "Why do you offer such a thing for me? Only for your cause? I told you that I will not lead these dwarves. If you hope to rope me into service through gratitude, know that it will not work."

I exhaled, crossing my arms as I thought. "I was tasked with being an ambassador from Alacrya to Darv," I started, "And one day, to the rest of the continent. A sort of bridge between Dicathen and the land across the sea."

"You might not know my culture yet, Olfred, but Alacrya isn't so great a place to live. I don't know what went through Rahdeas' head when he sided with our continent. I will be honest with you: I don't see a future where the Sovereigns set the dwarves on an equal pedestal with Alacryans."

The dwarven Lance turned, looking at me through hard eyes that could have been carved from stone. His gaze quietly demanded I continue my story.

"But our Sovereigns upheld a system that put magic above all other arts. The advancement, utilization, and implementation of mana is the basis for personhood where I come from." I tilted my head. "But that's starting to change. And that process started from mage and nonmage meeting in the middle, recognizing each other for what they could do."

Olfred was silent for a long time at my implications. Gradually, the many torchlights around the cavern started to flicker and dim as their fuel sources failed to be refilled. The shadows stretched longer and darker, penning us close to Gruhnd's old home as they stretched their talons.

"If I am to die regardless," Olfred said eventually, looking back at me, "Then I would rather die trying to find a way out, rather than accepting my fate. Rahdeas will be waiting for me, and no others care for him as he deserves."