The force wasn't violent, but it was utterly unstoppable. Like a tide that gently yet firmly rejects an intruder, the mushroom's presence pushed Selphira's mana out of Ren's body.
Selphira collapsed to her knees, the mental exhaustion hitting her like a hammer. Her serpent instantly loosened its grip on Ren while she struggled to catch her breath. Blood continued to drip from her face, staining the polished floor.
The ancient Ashenway, who had faced abyssal horrors, who had stood in the presence of the King in his full splendor, who had survived battles that would have destroyed most beings, trembled slightly as she gathered herself.
"I'm sorry… Forgive me for frightening you," she finally said, her voice unsteady as she wiped away the blood with hands that used the water control of her turtle beast. "I wanted to give you an important lesson. You're keeping secrets that could determine our city's fate, and I thought you needed to understand the gravity of... Telling just anyone."
