Discordant Note: Crescendo | TBATE

Chapter 242: Broken Future

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Toren Daen

"Toren Daen!" a voice snapped angrily, cutting through my broken thoughts. The rising of another power–dark and turbulent–forced my mind from its downward spiral.

My gaze darted from the pictures–from the glaring accusation written in ink and blood–to Seris. She was standing now, her face a mask of anger as she stared at me. Her power was spreading through the room, suffusing the air as it pushed back against my intent.

I didn't realize it, but my breathing had increased. The pictures in my hands felt heavier than lead as I swallowed, belatedly recognizing that I'd nearly caused the mages in this room to have heart attacks from the outpouring of my aura.

"I... I'm sorry. I lost control," I said quickly, my gaze darting to Aurora's shade where it hovered by my side, her sunlit eyes wide with shock, recognition, and a strange sense of hope. "I need to go. To process this."

It wasn't a question. Seris might technically be my superior, but no command of hers could keep me in this room right now. The cavern felt infinitely more stifling with every second I stayed there.

Seris, thankfully, seemed to understand. Her expression hardened as she nodded slowly. The many men and dwarves around us gradually pulled themselves back to their wits, more than a few shying away from me in terror, I allowed my thoughts to centralize on something.

I needed to be under the sky so I could think. So I could process this–process what it meant.

"Is there any other action that needs to be taken, Toren?" she asked, a subtle bite in her tone. She said nothing else, only allowing her head to tilt ever-so-slightly to the side.

Toward Rahdeas.

She's asking me if he needs to be accosted, I realized, forcing my hands not to clench around the pictures in my hands. If what he showed me was worth punishment.

But it wasn't. Not really. "I'll be fine. I was shown something disturbing," I said, sending a covert look at Rahdeas, who only smiled lightly in turn. The council was silent as I was allowed to speak. "I need time to sort it out, but it is nothing worth any more action. For now."

At least not yet. Not until I'd thought it through more. I couldn't afford to push for actions if I hadn't given them thought.

Seris nodded slowly, and from the questioning glance she gave the papers in my hands, I knew she wanted to look at them. But as I strode away from the council table, Aurora following mutely by my side, I didn't allow her the chance to peek.

As I stalked through the halls, I was able to rein my emotions in more thoroughly. Anger and horror evened out into more temperate lines of irritation and uncertainty. But still, as I reached an equilibrium of thoughts, I didn't speak.

I stepped off the Divot's landing pad, allowing the ambient mana to carry me toward the cavernous exit of Burim. It was late afternoon now, and the city's industry was gradually winding down. I spied the many soldiers out and about along the stalactite-bound city, and it was clear that the tension they felt wouldn't set with the sun.

I welcomed the sun as I finally exited the massive cavern. Like the brush of an inviting campfire, the joyful yellow dot encouraged me as it gradually dipped lower in the sky.

I floated over the Bay of Burim for a few minutes, allowing my thoughts to flow and my emotions to settle. I wasn't quite meditating, but acknowledging all I felt in the wake of the letter. Now, though, I pushed it all aside as I let myself go for a moment.