The Second Thread of Dissent

Tamsin’s absence was a silence that screamed. Joric’s followers, once a unified front, now exchanged furtive glances, the unspoken questions hanging heavy in the air. The ‘first thread of dissent’ had not been a solitary strand; it was the beginning of an unraveling. A young strategist, Doran, was the first to voice the growing unease, not as a challenge, but as a tactical question during a planning session: ‘Our objective is to dismantle the Symphony. But what is their objective? If they do not fight, what is their victory condition?’