Discordant Note: Crescendo | TBATE

Chapter 261: Shadows of the Soul

Thank you to my beta reader and editor, GlassThreads!

Toren Asclepius

I sat amid the Sunswept Glade for a time, breathing in the swelling passion all around me. The intent of all the phoenixes had settled slightly in the wake of Aurora's reunion, and the press of bodies and warm emotions around me still made something in me creak.

I heaved for breath, staring mutely at the ground beneath my feet. My eyes traced the curve of a blade of impossibly sharp grass as it bent from the weight of a teardrop. Whether it was mine or another phoenix's, I did not know.

The phoenix with short hair and a dark green dress–the one who had finally stepped forward to talk with me–knelt by my side alongside a few others. I didn't even know their names, but the interweaving of our intents made it feel like I'd known them all my life. I thought I could almost feel their souls calling mine.

Aurora's shade weakly pushed its way through the crowd of phoenixes, her head swiveling like an owl's as she looked at all her family. More and more were still arriving, but her burning suns couldn't hone in on whatever she was looking for.

She knelt by me, abruptly pulling me to my feet and breaking me from my reverie. I almost fell, still feeling overwhelmed by everything swirling around me.

"Chul!" she beckoned out, her voice somewhere between ragged and joyful. "Chul! Where is my son?"

And suddenly, the intent of the phoenixes around us dipped away from the joy and happiness of reunion. With it came confusion and worry, and I felt my focus suddenly sharpening at the change.

Aurora didn't seem to understand the intent, too enraptured with her reunion. "He's here, isn't he?"

Aurora, I thought, looking around at the members of the Asclepius Clan as they watched us with sad features and wincing grimaces. Something's wrong.

"Chul isn't in the Hearth any longer, Aura," Mordain's voice echoed out sadly as he settled down onto the grass a little ways from us. "When your truefeather showed signs of life once more, his fire began to burn hot again. I tried to convince him to stay for a time until I could be certain of your condition, but his heart was closed to my words, and I would not bar him his freedom."

Aurora froze, the Unseen wind in her hair abruptly stopping in its movement. Her eyes traced the gathered phoenixes again, searching and probing as if she could somehow prove Mordain's words wrong.

"He isn't here?" she whispered, seeming to shrink in on herself.

"I didn't tell you when we arrived because I didn't want to sully your mood," Mordain said sadly, walking through the murmuring crowd. "But I will beckon him back now that you are here. You need not wait long, Aura. I promise."

The shade trembled, and I felt a strange sort of loss at the missed opportunity to meet my brother. I shifted slightly, then spoke up.

"If he isn't here, where is he?" I asked, worried about the implications of the young half-asura roaming about in Dicathen.

"From my last divination, Chul is currently traveling around the countryside of the land you call Sapin." Mordain tilted his head. "He's been striking at each and every rogue beast horde he could find, working to ensure none of the men and women of that land suffer any more tragedy."

Tragedy you caused, his eyes subtlely accused.

Mordain's eyes flashed orange for a moment as he stared at me, the implications of his words making me exhale in annoyance. I felt my soul tremble in resonance.