Discordant Note | TBATE

Chapter 48: To Move Forward [End of Book 1]

Toren Daen

The page of my book turned as I finished reading it. It was outlined in a dull white, seeming to keep it aloft as I scanned the paper.

I was still stuck in bed, even after a few days awake. My body was recovering at an increased pace, and I was currently being evaluated to see if I would need to stay any longer.

A nurse was currently poking at my ribs with a slightly baffled expression. Considering they'd been shattered over a week ago, it made sense she'd be a little unnerved by the fact that my bones had reknit themselves.

I felt a gentle prod over my mental bond with Lady Dawn–Aurora–as another book floated nearby. With a nudge of my emblem, the page turned on that book as well, allowing the invisible asura to keep reading.

"Considering how well you've healed, Lord Daen," the nurse said respectfully, "You'll be free to go any time," she finished.

I nodded, smiling in thanks. "Thanks for your help these past few days," I said honestly. This woman had seen to my care after Trelza stopped doing it himself.

The nurse nodded. I didn't recognize her from when I'd worked here as a healer's assistant. A few days ago, I'd asked the woman when she'd started. Apparently, she transferred here barely after my own injury.

"It was my pleasure to help you recover, even if it seems you have it well in hand," she said. The grey-haired woman then frowned. "Pardon me for asking, but... is it a rune that makes your healing faster?"

I had made an effort to cover my runes from even the people who attended me. I didn't know who else had seen my singular emblem, but considering I hadn't been hauled off to the Sovereigns, I doubted it had caused a fuss.

"It might be," I said with a bit of a conspiratorial smile. "I'm afraid you'll have to keep guessing."

The woman shrugged, unphased by my response. After a couple more questions regarding my health, she excused herself from my stark-white room.

"Your control of your spellform has improved rapidly," Lady Dawn said as the woman left the room. The Unseen World washed over my vision, dampening the colors in the room. Since my capture by Lawrent Joan, the phoenix had taken to speaking over our bond as well as out loud.

She gave me another subtle prod over our telepathic tether. The sensation was odd: it felt like a string vibrating across my mind. Noting the signal, I used my emblem to turn the page of her book again. The phoenix appeared to be sitting in a nearby chair, the book hovering in front of her eyes.

I've had nothing to do for the past few days but read and test my magic, I replied over our bond. The asura encouraged me to refine my ability to communicate mentally, even though my first instinct was to respond out loud. If I didn't improve at least a little bit, there would be no point.

The changes to my telekinesis as it upgraded from a crest to an emblem were manyfold. I could exert many more pushes and pulls at once, the strain on my mind minimal. No longer was I limited to just three.

Furthermore, the force I could exert over a distance increased dramatically. Where before my ability to affect objects decreased exponentially as the distance from my body increased, now that force decreased linearly. It was also far less taxing to maintain a telekinetic effect for a while, though that could still change depending on what I was trying to affect.

However, there were still limitations. If I wished to control something, it couldn't be too heavy. The heavier an object was, the greater the drain on my mana and mind it would be.