Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 109: A Cavern ()

For a moment, Neveah just stared at Xenon’s outstretched hand. Though he stood calmly on the other end of the bridge, his mere presence assured Neveah that she could safely cross over to the other side and no harm would come to her.

This sense of security, no matter how brief and fleeting it was, it was something Neveah had never felt before...safe.

Without giving it much thought, as though on instinct, Neveah complied with Xenon’s direction and walked across the bridge, taking slow, careful steps.

She did not have to worry about those she turned her back to and whatever their intentions were, even if they grew another head, they would not dare act unruly in Xenon’s presence.

Whether Xenon was for her or against her, in this moment, his outstretched hand eased her fears and she gathered the courage to move again.

One step at a time, Neveah swiftly made her way across the creaking bridge till she arrived at the very edge and as she stared at Xenon’s outstretched hand, she contemplated over it for a moment.

Take the hand of the black fiend? The reason she was to be held captive in yet another palace? Was that not equivalent to accepting her own fate?

If everyone else believed this was it for her, did she also have to share the same believe as the rest of them and adjust to her new life?

Neveah was not sure she wanted to and what stopped her was more the fact that she had to contemplate if she dared refuse his outstretched hand...it reminded her that she was not free and her life was no longer up to her own decision.

But try as Neveah might, she could not deny the tiny, miniscule feeling of warmth that settled in her heart to have found Xenon awaiting her at the other end of such terror,

Not pushing or pressing, but letting her overcome this obstacle on her own while his presence spoke the words he could not say... that he was right there and so she did not have to be scared...he would not watch her fall.

Meanwhile, Xenon watched Neveah’s eyes, waiting for her to take his hand, but she did not.

He could not understand why the little wolf would rather stand on the last wooden slab that could possibly give out at any moment, rather than taking his hand.

Xenon had barely restrained himself from storming over to her and throwing her over his shoulder, but but that was only because he knew his added weight would only make it even more difficult for the little wolf to get across.

Yet she stood at the edge so conveniently... if she did not care for her life, Xenon did care...he cared a whole lot more than he was supposed to ...

"Lord Xenon... I..." Neveah began, lowering her head to a bow but before she could complete her words, a hand encircled around her waist and a yelp escaped her as she was pulled right into Xenon’s chest.

Neveah’s eyes widened as she took in a deep, shuddering breath, her senses immediately clouded with Xenon’s scent of ash, embers and an earthy tinge,

A strange but somehow, it still was an extremely pleasant combination that left her tempted to bury her face in his chest and take even deeper breaths.

Xenon just held her in place, his arm wrapped securely around her waist but at the least, he had brought her safely to stand on solid ground so she was no longer on the unsafe bridge.

In all this, Lady Adrienne and her company as well as Davina bore witness and were left staring in astonishment.

"What do you think he wants?" Neveah’s wolf thought to her.

Neveah’s wolf who was usually the all knowing party was also at a loss whenever it was Xenon in the picture and Neveah herself was in no better situation and so she did not have an answer to the question,

’What does he want?’

It was a question that was also on the back of Neveah’s mind and had been so for the longest time... what exactly did Lord Xenon of Asvar want from her? Why had he brought her all the way from the Eclipse Domain?

Neveah had come with nothing this time, Davina said she only needed to familiarize herself with the path leading to Xenon’s cave and pay her greetings to him before returning.

Neveah had already prepared how she would say her greetings and the exact words she would say, but she never imagined she would be in such close proximity to him when it was time to say these greetings.

And so, the words that eventually escaped her were not words she intended to say out loud.

"Xenon, I just have to make this clear... attendant or not, dragon or not, do not expect that you can force me to obey...I..." Neveah was again cutoff as Xenon’s thumb rested over her lips, stopping her from saying anymore.

Neveah lifted her gaze to him, his eyes were already fixed on her, black orbs an endless pool of mystery, difficult to decipher.

"No...o.obe...y o.nly l.isten...d.ecide..." Xenon forced out the words, it sounded like the words were difficult to compose but he did compose it.

Decide... listen and decide, these were his words. He was not enforcing, he was requesting and awaiting a decision.

"I... the mountain..." Neveah finally said.

Xenon gazed back at the Mountain and when he moved, Neveah held on to his hand and shook her head.

She knew what he would do, and she also knew she did not want to be placed in a position anymore difficult than she already found herself.

Now that she knew the significance of riding a dragon, how could she still let things go as Xenon wanted it? Perhaps he could no longer understand, that the place upon his back was not meant for just anyone.

"No...no riding, not anymore. There has to be another way up the mountain." Neveah said with a shake of her head.

Xenon’s brows furrowed into a frown at Neveah’s words, he could not understand why she was opposed to it at this time, but he complied, leaning down, he lifted Neveah into his arms and slung her over his shoulder as he had done once before.

"What are you doing?" Neveah hissed, her cheeks colouring red in shame as she recalled there were still eyes witnessing this.

Xenon did not respond as he headed over to the steep climb and made his way up the mountain with ease, even with the aid of only a hand.

Realizing Xenon was taking her up the mountain in the only way he could that was not riding, any protest Neveah previously had died on her tongue.

She said nothing but waited quietly, when Xenon’s cave approached closely, she sensed it, there was a sudden surge of the temperature that could not be covered up by the winds on the mountainside.

Xenon arrived the entrance of his cave, he climbed up into it before he placed Neveah down on her feet.

The entrance of the cave itself radiated an intense heat, not so much that Neveah could not withstand it but enough to have light perspiration beading on her forehead,

The cave of a fire breathing dragon, this much was expected, the entrance of the cave was like a tunnel and Xenon lead the way deeper into it, it only took a short walk to arrive at a wide cavern.

Neveah glanced around the cavern, it was wide, almost six times the size of the quarters Neveah was assigned and there were many other tunnels in sight leading to different places.

Which meant there were many more caverns attached to this cave,

The cavern itself did not look to be a place that was lived in, there was hardly anything in sight but rocks and ashes and the likes.

Cracks ran all along the walls of the cavern and there were large claw marks at different parts... Neveah was certain these were dragon claws.

The atmosphere of the cave itself was dreary, there was not a thing but signs of destruction and flames...it was not an abode, instead it seemed more like a dungeon...a place of darkness and devastation.

Neveah was not certain why it bothered her, but it did... perhaps it was because she knew what it meant to be stuck in an abyss of darkness,

Unable to find a way out even when each moment spent in that abyss corrupted the mind and blackened the heart, reducing one to a being filled with rage and a thirst for vengeance.

"This is... where you live?" Neveah asked in a low tone while Xenon stood off to the side, just watching her in the manner he always did,

"Are there not enough rooms in the keep? Why must you be the only Lord Dragon living out your days in a cave...all alone?" Neveah asked in a low tone.