Chapter 617 The rage (1/2)
When the bellow of pure rage shook the stone around the Legion camp, Aurillia was one of the few who didn't start wildly staring around themselves, trying to understand what had happened. She'd soldiered with the commander for a long time, and it wasn't the first time she heard him get angry. She was surprised, to be sure, that roar had shaken everyone, such was the sheer volume and depth of anger contained within it. She just wasn't confused, she knew what had happened.
”What was that?!”
Aurillia turned to see t.i.tus' daughter, the young Morrelia, approach her. The berserker's eyes were wide, as if she wasn't quite believing what she was hearing.
Aurillia raised a brow.
”You've never heard your father get angry before?”
She shook her head.
”No, never.”
The tribune was initially surprised at this, but then, considering her parents, it was most likely the mother who'd displayed the most temper. Only in the field did t.i.tus experience these sorts of eruptions. The man himself then appeared, storming out of the communications tent, the rage rolling off him in waves. So powerful was his aura that even experienced Legionaries were forced to draw back.
Morrelia watched, wide eyed, as her usually unflappable father stormed across the camp, his face a mask of black rage. When he reached the stone wall of the tunnel, he pulled back one fist and slammed it into the rock so quickly she couldn't see his hand move.
BOOM!
The stone exploded, sending chips flying throughout the camp and leaving the enraged commander with his arm buried up to the shoulder. With inhuman strength, he yanked it out in one solid pull and shook it, clearly irritated by the dust now coating the armour which had only moments ago been pristine. Aurillia decided to seize the moment whilst t.i.tus was distracted to approach.
Expression carefully neutral, she marched in front of the commander and offered a crisp salute.
”Commander t.i.tus, tribune Aurillia reporting.”
”Stop it,” he grunted.
She maintained her parade ground perfect form, feet flat, shoulders down, the exact angle on the saluting arm.
”I don't know what you mean, commander.”
”Every time I lose my temper, you march over, as formal as possible in a misguided attempt to inject some calm. It's irritating.”
”But effective.”
”That's why it's irritating.”
t.i.tus closed his eyes and drew a deep, slow breath. He focused his mind and concentrated on pus.h.i.+ng his anger away, forcing it out of his clenched muscles and pounding heart, out of his racing blood and into his lungs. From his lungs, he imagined forcing the emotion into the air contained therein, which he then breathed out. It only took a moment, but he was noticeably more calm. The almost physical pressure he'd exerted had eased, if not completely, at least enough that it was more comfortable standing close to him.
Though she tried to hide it, Aurillia breathed out a sigh of relief as the waves of anger stopped battering against her consciousness. Whatever had set him off this time, it must have been bad.
”I presume you've just finished communicating with our valued allies?” She enquired as Morrelia tentatively approached.
At the mention of the Golgari, t.i.tus' face twisted once more, but only for an instant before he was able to smooth it back to its normal state of smooth stone.
”I have.”
He paused for a moment, ensuring he had mastered himself before he continued.
”When they requested the Legion a.s.sist them in this endeavour, it would appear that the House communicating with us withheld some information.”
Morrelia came and stood beside the tribune, a worried expression on her face. She tentatively tried to speak up.
”Fathe -”
”How bad is it?” Aurillia asked.
”Bad,” t.i.tus ground out. ”Not only did they not tell us there is an abomination in this Colony of insects, apparently two others might be present, as they have somehow joined forces within Golgari territory.”