The Tidebreaker continued to make his way forward, moving slowly across the eccentric boards of the bridge and occasionally looking over his shoulder to check on Sohalia. He nodded in relief to hear that she had recovered, but a glance back at her subsequent silence put the lie to her reassurance. He stayed quiet, listening without reaction or judgment as she related the full tale of her disappearance and survival, culminating in her return. He simply accepted her words, pausing when she came to rest near a spill of flowers and one especially blue one in particular.
He joined her in admiring a nearby bloom of his own, one that was orange and easily as broad across as his spread hand. He was quiet for a time after she finished, but it was a thoughtful, contemplative silence before he gave a slow nod. "Do not be ashamed of surviving," he rumbled gently. "Or retreating from a more powerful predator." He watched a multi-winged insect land on the flower and crawl inside, its rainbow iridescence sparkling against the matte orange of the petals. "They were able to rout Remi and Ronin when the Family's connection to Caido was still weak. I know of no one who has faced them directly and won. Yet." Their constructs and corruptions, yes. But a member of the Family themselves? No.
Though they would need to do something soon, lest the portents of the Dreaming come to pass.
He joined her in admiring a nearby bloom of his own, one that was orange and easily as broad across as his spread hand. He was quiet for a time after she finished, but it was a thoughtful, contemplative silence before he gave a slow nod. "Do not be ashamed of surviving," he rumbled gently. "Or retreating from a more powerful predator." He watched a multi-winged insect land on the flower and crawl inside, its rainbow iridescence sparkling against the matte orange of the petals. "They were able to rout Remi and Ronin when the Family's connection to Caido was still weak. I know of no one who has faced them directly and won. Yet." Their constructs and corruptions, yes. But a member of the Family themselves? No.
Though they would need to do something soon, lest the portents of the Dreaming come to pass.
