Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 858: Other Half ()

A swift movement cut through the foliage some distance ahead. It drew Jian’s attention from the battle below.

’Rauron?’ Jian questioned the tracker.

’Stray watch guards.’ He thought back. ’They must have split from the pack up ahead.’

Jian shot after, diving beneath the canopy of trees. He shifted and landed to the forest floor, blocking the path of the retreating beasts.

There were three of them, hideous looking creatures with toxins dripping from their stingers. The black goo sunk into the earth, emitting a toxic fume that killed whatever it touched, accounting for the path of devastation through the forest.

The maticore beasts circled Jian, stingers primed for attack. Jian stood in place, his gaze studied their mannerisms, tracking their weak points.

Forlorn beasts weren’t common enemies. The stronghold had long forgotten their existence and there was hardly any records about them. The less was known about them, the more unpredictable they were. That was precisely what made them so dangerous.

Just then, the beasts lunged as one. Their size was nothing compared to orcs or golems, but their speed was swifter than most of the forlorn they’d faced.

Jian exhaled a slow breath, twisting on his feet, his claws elongated and he swerved to the side, slashing the length of the closest maticore.

Sparks flew as his claws met firm resistance. Their skin was as hard as metal, his claws wouldn’t penetrate. Not in human form.

They were also clever enough to pick their battlegrounds in enclosed spaces where no creatures bigger than they were could access.

How much more did the beasts have to show? He would have to see.

He’d also noted their impenetrable skin left a few exposed areas, ones he would take advantage of.

Jian leaped over another of the beasts, tilting away from their thrusting stringers, he landed on the other side. The beasts snarled fiercely, rounding on him again.

As they lunged, Jian released a torrent of flames on the closest beast. He met the second head on, his movements were a blur as he made for it’s throat, slashing through the soft tissue unprotected by hardened skin.

Two down. There was just one more to go.

The beast lunged and so did Jian.

________

Blood dripped steadily from Jian’s claws as he landed at the edge of the camp of the fourth squadron on the boundary of the fodder grooves.

Xenon and Decaron weren’t far behind. It’d taken nearly three hours to clean out the groove of the maticore pack, particularly the strays that weren’t initially caught.

The air hadn’t gotten anymore conducive and Jian was at the limits of his patience.

Lord Egwain of the mages received them alongside Verothrax and a few dragon lords of the fourth squadron. They lowered their heads to a bow as Jian walked over to them.

"The shadow toxin is contained for now." Lord Egwain reported. "We will need some more time to ensure it doesn’t spread any further. This might take a few more days." He finished grimly.

It was just his luck. He had to be out here a few more days.

Jian nodded once as he strode past them. Heading into the camp.

Verothrax handed him a damp towel and he took it, slowly wiping his bloody hands.

"Send word to Cassian..." He was saying but trailed off when Cassian emerged from the command tent.

He raised a brow in question. Three hours ago, Cassian had been back at the Keep which was more than a day’s flight to the Fodder Groove.

Unless of course, he’d travelled by other, less savory means. Even so, what was he doing out here?

"My Liege..." Cassian trailed off, "There’s someone you need to see."

Jian frowned slightly, his eyes searched Cassian’s and then moved to the command tent.

He hadn’t expected company. He wasn’t in the mood for it either.

Everon came into view first, and then supported by him was a face Jian did not expect to see at all.

"Narx!" Jian exclaimed.

Jian hadn’t seen the ruby scaled dragon since he returned from the forlorn realm and that was too long ago. Too much had happened since, but Menarx had always weighed heavily on his mind. Especially since Kirgan reported he’d lost contact with Menarx some weeks ago. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

At first glance, Menarx looked worse for the wear. Painfully so.

Menarx revealed a lazy smile, leaning heavily on Everon. "Brother."

Jian crossed over to him in a few swift strides, pulling the frail man into a tight hug.

Menarx’s arms rested weakly on his back. For a moment, no words were exchanged, they just held on tightly to each other while the entire fourth squadron looked on.

Finally, Jian exhaled a shuddering breath.

"Have you... returned to me now?" He asked in slow apprehension.

Menarx’s response was interrupted as he grunted in pain.

"You’re hurt." Jian made to pull away but Menarx held him and didn’t ease on his hold.

Instead, he said, "I... Veah..."

Jian’s heart stuttered within him at the mention of her. He stiffened, visibly.

"I... found Neveah..." Menarx forced the words out in a shaky exhale, and then he went limp.

Jian held up Menarx’s weight, his eyes wide. Had he heard it wrong? Did Menarx just say... he’d found Neveah?

Jian exchanged a look with Xenon who had also heard Menarx’s words, but Xenon’s eyes reflected the same fragile disbelief that clawed at Jian’s heart.

Hope... that cruel, bitter feeling of warmth had taken root again. Blossoming faster than Jian could resist it.

But there was something darker around its edges. A fearful dread...a hope bright, yet trembling.

And while it pressed at the quiet edges of his heart, a quiet sense of foreboding prevented him from embracing it.

Not because he didn’t want to believe it... Menarx was not a man to speak untrue words. Even so, his heart trembled within him.

"I’ll take him." Everon offered, reaching for an unconscious Menarx but Jian lifted Menarx over his shoulder and carried him into the tent, placing him on the bed.

His gaze lingered on the unconscious dragon lord for a moment before he turned to Everon.

"He... what..." Jian trailed off, uncertain on how to word the myriad of questions churning in his mind.

"It will be best you hear from him directly." Everon responded to the unspoken question. "I will rouse him within the hour."

Jian nodded once and backed out of the tent.

Xenon stood a short distance away, his gaze shifted between the tent and Jian. Jian shook his head slowly and Xenon’s brows furrowed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jian lifted a hand to cup his lips, his eyes narrowed in deep thought as he paced about the same axis.

He wasn’t certain how long passed by before Everon emerged once again. A grim expression on his face.

"He will not be conscious for long." Everon relayed.

Jian frowned, "How badly hurt is he? Will he make a full recovery?"

Everon sighed heavily. "With the severing, it is difficult to tell. But he has lived through the worst of it... I’m convinced he will recover with dedicated care."

Everon stepped aside to let Jian through. Xenon and Cassian followed him in and the three walked over to Menarx’s bedside.

His eyes came open tiredly. "I promise... I’m not dying..." He began with an assurance.

There was not much to go on given his physical state, but it was enough for all three to exhale heavily.

"You’d better not be." Cassian murmured, "You gave us quite a scare, crashing into the Keep like that."

"His flight?" Jian asked as he heard of Menarx’s arrival.

"Barely stable. Don’t know how he got here safely." Cassian reported grimly.

"I’m... just a bit... rusty." Cassian forced the words out in between trembling breaths and shaky exhales.

"Jian... I saw her..." Menarx spoke with difficulty. "Neveah... I saw her."

Jian exhaled slowly, the hope he’d attempted to keep at bay quickly took root, spreading across his heart a warmth he hadn’t felt in too long.

"I... come...see for yourself." Menarx offered, his eyes went closed.

Jian hesitated for a moment. But then his eyes went closed and he tapped into his consciousness, seeking out the bond that tied his King’s guard to him in life and death.

There was first the black pulsing, and vibrant strand belonging to Xenon, closely entwined with Jian’s own consciousness.

And then, just a little further, he found Menarx’s. A frail ruby strand, pulsing weakly but still very much there.

He reached for it and it let him in, merging their consciousness.

For a moment, Jian’s mind was assaulted with a surge of memories. Of loss deeper than comprehension, and a pain greater than anything he could imagine... pain he’d only felt in another life and hadn’t survived.

His heart had long ached for Menarx. But now, it broke, into a thousand pieces he didn’t think he’d ever be able to put together again.

Every breath was too painful. He didn’t dare look deeper. His hands trembled and he staggered backwards but felt a hand steadying him.

Xenon...

Pushing through the pain, Jian sifted through Menarx’s mind until he found it... and all the hollowness he’d felt for months vanished in that same instance.

There she was. Neveah...the other half of his soul.

There she was...