Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 910: Always a Way. ()

All eyes turned to Jian in surprise.

The ruins of witch territory were outlawed lands for a reason. Before this time, Jian would have frowned upon it himself.

"Why EbonHollow?" Imagor asked, "The Keep is never left unguarded by a King’s guard."

"Xenon will remain on Keep grounds, alongside Neveah." Jian said, "Menarx is unfit for battle. He will remain on Keep grounds as well."

Menarx grunted, but didn’t protest his assignment.

"As for why..." His brows furrowed, "I’m not certain myself."

The silence in the hall grew heavy.

The Dragon King never expressed uncertainty. It just didn’t happen.

Jian broke the silence. "The first and third squadrons are with me. Imagor will lead the second squadron to be on standby to aid Aloria if the battle grows beyond containment and endangers the surrounding human settlements."

"The fifth squadron will make flight for the Dunes. Rally the Rudder dragons and Scabbard dragons on the way, to provide reinforcement for the Dune dragons. But leave no fortress without sufficient guard."

"Send word to Dusk Castle. The Dusk dragons will rally reinforcements to aid Verothrax at the fodder grooves."

"All other fortress dragons, lock down the stronghold. I will not have another human settlement destroyed before we make those beasts understand the true meaning...of fire and blood."

He got up to his feet, heading out of the audience hall to the fervent echoes of ’fire and blood.’ 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

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The hidden archive was every bit as unwelcoming as Neveah remembered. The stench of mold thick in the air, and that cold draft that left a chill that seeped into the bones.

Neveah pursed her lips, fretting at the thought of how furious Everon would get if he discovered she had come down here.

"Are you just realising he’s going to bring down the roof of the Keep?" Xenon asked as they stepped into the archives.

She winced. She’d contemplated that. Still, she couldn’t just sit still because she was in recovery.

The stronghold was at war. All the squadrons rallied for battle. The rider council had gone on for the longest time, and Jian hadn’t returned yet.

She had to do something, or she would begin to feel like she was losing her mind.

And so she’d come down here, seeking out Garron. He’d be holed up in the hidden archives since he got his hands on the witch rune, and she was beginning to worry he would never come up.

It didn’t take long to find him, hunched over his desk, examining the rune through a magnifying lens. There were about a dozen gigantic tomes lying open on the desk.

He sensed their presence then, lifting a hand to signal for silence without glancing up from his work.

Xenon and Neveah both stood still. Anything else and the scribe dragon would lash out at them.

It took another few moments before he finally stepped away from it, noting a few things down on his parchment.

"Your Grace. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He asked, still writing.

Neveah rolled her eyes, walking over to the desk.

"How are we doing?" She asked, leaning over his notes curiously.

Xenon lounged off to the side, leaning against a shelf.

Garron shook his head slightly, "Getting somewhere... though I’m not certain where that is yet."

She smiled slightly, despite the situation. "You know, you don’t have to be anxious. Even without this..." She trailed off, "We’ll find a way. We always do."

"Look at you, becoming all optimistic. Where’s the gloomy golden haired brat I know?" Garron glanced up at her, winking.

She scoffed beneath her breath, shaking her head at Xenon who growled lowly at the address.

"How are things on the surface?" He gestured to the upper level.

Neveah sighed. "Chaos."

He nodded. "The end of the world... what else is new?"

Garron’s expression turned serious, "There’s something here, Veah. Have I ever been wrong about... well, anything?"

Neveah shook her head slowly. For most, that might have been too smug a statement. But if there was anyone who had earned the rights to say that, it was Garron.

"Not once." Neveah agreed.

"I’ll figure it out. I will. And we’ll hit them back..." His tone turned solemn, "For Orin."

Neveah winced visibly. There were some memories she would rather have never remembered.

Orin...Isalder.

She hadn’t heard from Tara since her return. Everon had said Lady Isalder had taken grievously ill, and Orin’s heir was now Tara’s to care for.

It was frustrating. The world was in such shambles and she couldn’t be there for Isa and Tara.

She found herself hoping desperately, that Isalder would pull through this. If only for her child.

"For Orin." She muttered, nodding once.

"If you need me, for anything at all...send word immediately."

Garron nodded, returning his attention to his work.

Neveah and Xenon headed back the way they had come.

The ascending room went closed. And Neveah leaned against the edge, heaving a quiet sigh.

"Easy love." Xenon offered her a hand, pulling her into his embrace. "You said it yourself. We always find a way."

His warmth drove away the chill from the archives, steadying her unsettled heart.

She eased into his hold, her eyes going closed.

When the doors opened on the ground level, Kaideon stood on the other side, waiting.

"Father." Neveah’s eyes lit up with a smile, "I was just about to go looking for you. The council gathering is over?"

Kaideon shook his head. "No."

"Then..." Neveah trailed off, understanding dawning.

If he’d left the council before it ended, it could only mean that duty called. The Dunes would need Kaideon at a time like this.

Rodvan made a good Lord. But this... this was beyond governance. It was war.

"You’re leaving." She stated.

Her smile dropped slightly, despite her attempts to keep an unfazed expression.

Kaideon nodded again. "Walk with me, precious."

Neveah glanced over at Xenon and he nodded slowly, taking off his outer coat and draping it over her shoulders. "I’ll head to the council. Take your time."

She stepped out of the ascending room, following Kaideon’s lead.

She didn’t need to ask. She already knew where they were headed.

The moment they returned from the Eclipse Domain, while Neveah was still unconscious, Everon said Jian had ordered the mages to build a chamber similar to the ice chamber in the Eclipse Palace.

They took a different ascending room, heading up to the private wing the mages had turned into a literal ice fortress.

The chill welcomed them the moment the ascending room slid open. They walked on in silence till they arrived at the ice chamber and Kaideon pushed open the door, stepping aside to let her in.

At the centre of the room, lying on a bed of ice much like before, was Eira.

Still... unmoving, and trapped in her own consciousness.

Neveah’s hands clenched tightly, a heavy feeling blossoming in her chest. She’d visited often. She should have grown used to the sight already. But the feeling never went away.

She walked over to the ice bed, crouching down to sit on the final step.

"Everon is positive he can bring her back. But she hasn’t shown any signs of improvement yet." Kaideon supplied, stopping beside Neveah. "I’ve watched closely...every day since. I fear I might miss it, that sign..."