Chapter 103 Rising Tide (1/2)

t.i.tus was worried.

It was hard to see, the weathered lines of his face were cut deep over years of campaigning, an extra furrow in his brow, a little more tension in his stare, were signs almost impossible to notice.

Tribune Aurillia had noticed. After so many years serving in the Legion she was able to detect the subtle changes in her commander. The tightening of his shoulders, the way he constantly thumbed the blade of his famed axe, testing an edge that he had kept razor sharp for the better part of thirty years.

It wasn't often t.i.tus was worried.

”… suspicious activity on the part of the mercenary union and merchants guild, as well as a s.h.i.+ft in the rhetoric of the Church of the Path have been reported over the last two weeks. Our strategists suggest that the possibility of a coup in Liria is rising by the day” Aurillia reported.

…

t.i.tus nodded absently, his iron gaze never leaving the forest expanse that spread out before them from their vantage point on the camp walls. The forest was dark now. Very dark. Even the monsters seemed to sense that something was coming. The din of combat, constant over the last week had faded away to nothing.

There was a tension in the air, as if every living thing in the Dungeon was waiting, ready to spring into violent battle at a moment's notice.

”Do you have any instructions to relay to the surface? Commander?” Aurillia queried.

Her commander didn't respond, instead continuing to gaze pensively at the expanse, his ice blue eyes reflecting the dying light from the trees.

”What do you think the Dungeon was like before the Rending, Tribune?” he asked suddenly.

Aurillia was taken aback by this seemingly unrelated question. After a pausing to consider her response she answered.

”n.o.body knows the condition of the Dungeon before the cataclysm commander. No-one even knew it existed”.

t.i.tus shook his head. ”Of course I know that. I asked what you think it was like, use your imagination Aurillia”.

The Tribune was confused. ”I don't know commander. We know that the mana level on the surface rose dramatically, I can only imagine that the mana level underground surged to incredible levels.”

”I think the Rending was a wave” mused t.i.tus, ”I think it was just a very large, very long wave”.

This wasn't an unheard of theory regarding the Rending, but no wave had ever come remotely close to replicating the world shattering effects of the cataclysm that had created this Dungeon age.

”You've read the reports from our neighbouring Legionary outposts?” t.i.tus asked.

”I have” Aurillia nodded.

”The mana levels have been rising all around us, not just locally. The change has been even, no variation at all. Readings in Banron are the same as ours. I wonder just how far this wave is reaching? It may be covering the entire Perior federation. Perhaps even further?”

”Surely you aren't suggesting this is the beginning of a second cataclysm?” Aurillia scoffed.

The signs were worrying, but the cataclysm? The civilisations on the surface, humanity included, had almost been wiped out at that time!

A moment of silence descended as t.i.tus stroked his grizzled chin with one hand, contemplating the dim light reflected in his eyes.

”I don't know” he said finally, ”but I'm not sure. Something is different about this one. I just wish I knew what.”

Another break in the conversation fell as side by side the two veterans spend some time lost in their own thoughts.

Eventually Aurillia felt compelled to speak.

”Do you have any instructions regarding the situation on the surface commander?”

t.i.tus slowly nodded.