Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 104: The Healer’s Hall ()

"All you need to learn, I will guide you through it to the best of my ability. In time, you will ease into it." Davina continued as she lead the way out of Lord Rodrick’s study.

"But if my father has not already made it clear, I must say it again...you must tread cautiously around Lord Xenon, he is the most terrifying existence in the Asvarian Stronghold, even more so than our liege." Davina warned as she took Neveah down the hall.

Neveah had also seen the wariness with which the other dragon lords of the King’s guard regarded Xenon and she was yet to fully understand it.

She had once heard from a traveling bard in her childhood that the Black Scaled Dragon was the true Asvarian beast...a beast through and through with no humanity.

Tales of the Asvarian Stronghold passing through the Eclipse Domain were few and far in between, the wolf shifters did not even dare speak the name of the Asvarian beasts on their tongue.

As one of the few races beyond the supreme rule of the dragon shifters, it was considering incurring bad luck to make mention of a dragon when the wolf shifters only preserved their freedom of rulership due to their terrain.

Hence the existence of dragons was something that had never been of consequence to Neveah, as such even those few tales, she hardly gave ear to them.

But if she knew anything of the dragons, it was that they were three parts beast and only one part human, for a beast to truly be regarded as the true Asvarian beast...it could only mean there was no humanity left but the barest traces.

Neveah had also watched Xenon in her course of their journey and she could clearly see the wildness in his eyes and then there was his animalistic tone... his inability to form speech.

Even to her, his actions were forceful and demanding, but Neveah had not seen enough to come to any conclusions.

Though Xenon was easily angered and domineering, she was yet to see any of the cruelty she was being warned of and though Neveah knew it was silly of her to doubt the words of those that had known Xenon for decades,

It still was difficult for her to place Xenon in the same sentence with a terrible monster of nightmares as everyone made it sound.

Yes, he was a brute, truly rough around the edges and lacked understanding, but was that all that made him a monster or was there more Neveah was yet to see?

"We do not know him, Veah. What we do know is that it is this cause that we have been brought here against our will." Neveah’s wolf reminded her.

"You are the voice of wisdom, your words, I have them in mind." Neveah assured her wolf.

Neveah did not feel any sympathy or the likes, she just wanted to understand the situation she was in at this moment.

"Xenon... Lord Xenon, why is he...so feared?" Neveah asked after a moment of quiet.

Davina passed Neveah a look, her usually calm expression was now scrunched up into a frown.

"This is the question I am not allowed to ask?" Neveah asked knowingly.

"When Lord Xenon’s curse awakens, he knows neither friend nor foe, all life before his eyes are vanquished...among the Asvarians, the name of his whispered in low tones is the Black Fiend but no one dares speak it out loud."

"It is a topic no one dares speak of, do not ask of it or even ponder over it. You need only hope to the creator that these times of peace do not pass by in a hurry." Davina said with a heavy sigh.

"There, the ascending room is right up ahead. It is the only means by which we move between the thirteen levels of the Keep. Unless of course, you would prefer the stairwell." Davina said, changing the subject.

"There is just one ascending room, how does it serve everyone in the keep?" Neveah asked with a raised brow.

"There are three to be exact. This is the nearest to us. The keep is more vast than you can imagine, the two levels we have been to a three times larger than the glimpse you have seen."

"However, the ascending rooms are mostly used by the attendants and other Asvarians incapable of flight. There is a landing platform on each level, that is the preferred path for the Lord Dragons." Davina revealed.

"So...they just fly about and land on whatever floor they intend to go?" Neveah asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Mostly, however you will still find them around the keep. Ensure to be respectful at all times and accord them the highest regard."

"I will say this again, from the Lord Dragons, to the riders, to the nobility of Asvar residing within the keep, you have to be cautious around anyone and everyone." Davina said, passing Neveah a look.

"I understand." Neveah said and Davina shook her head.

"Do you really? I see the fire in your eyes Neveah, I sense the regal aura you exude... your very presence speaks of everything that you used to be."

"Yet you are not one of us and everyone with eyes can see that. If you do not learn to keep your head low, you will face many troubles... the Dragon Keep is the most dangerous place in the Asvarian stronghold." Davina said,

Her tone revealed her worry and Neveah raised a brow, it had only been a few hours since Davina had met her, Neveah did not see why Davina would worry for her.

"I am not very good at keeping my head low, as long as no one crosses my path... I will also stay on my own lane." Neveah murmured as she moved ahead.

"I sense trouble looming." Davina sighed as she followed after Neveah.

They waited a moment for the ascending room to arrive, the cubicle was small but large enough to carry at least six people at the same time.

It was crafted from the same strange rock as the walls of the keep and Neveah wondered what mechanism controlled it’s movement and just how had it been built.

Although the Eclipse Domain had made reasonable advancement in mechanisms, Neveah was certain it would all be insignificant when compared with the Asvarian stronghold.

Neveah stepped into the ascending room before Davina, her eyes fluttering closed in meditation as the ascending room jerked slightly, producing the sound of whirring mechanisms as it shot downwards. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Soon, Davina lifted a hand and pulled on a rope at the top, and the ascending room came to a stop.

Davina led the way out and this time there were attendants and other people moving this way and that, going about their respective duties.

What was more, Neveah could feel all eyes settle on her, subtly trailing her as she followed after Davina, she could also hear quiet murmurings.

This hallway was rather busy compared to the fourth level where Neveah’s quarters was located and the fifth level where Lord Rodrick’s study was.

As such, it was not even a surprise that Neveah immediately became the center of attention,

Neveah kept her gaze fixed ahead, ignoring the stares her presence attracted as she trailed after Davina.

"This is the seventh level, the healer’s hall is just up ahead. Now, the healer’s hall is not just an infirmary but an academy of it’s own." Davina began,

"Many Asvarians who have chosen to study the healing arts come here to learn the ways from the Keep’s healer. The healing academy is situated at the rising plain an hour’s ride from the keep."

"However, the royal healer is one of the professors of the academy and he hosts his advanced classes right here in the healer’s hall." Davina explained the reason the hall was so busy.

"These are study hours and so the training healers and their attendants will be seen around the hallway, we should hurry in and see the healer before he gets too occupied." Davina said, doubling her step.

They soon arrived at a grand double door that was slightly ajar and there were two healers situated at the door.

When Neveah and Davina came up to the door, they were stopped by the healers.

The healers were clearly familiar with Davina, it was Neveah who was the unfamiliar one and the reason they were stopped.

"Are you summoned by the High healer?" One of the healers asked and Davina nodded.

"This is Neveah... Lord Xenon’s attendant. The High healer sent word that she was to visit the healer’s hall." Davina explained.

"Lord Xenon’s attendant?" One of the healer asked, exchanging a look with the other before they stepped aside and to let Davina and Neveah through.

"Come along and do brace yourself, we will have to go right through the study hall before we get to the royal infirmary. There will be many eyes on you." Davina warned before she lead the way in