Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 161: The Hum Of Magic ()

King Jian sat at his desk, his hand moving over a scroll that was rolled open, writing down a word in large letterings.

His gaze was furrowed in concentration and there was a ghost of a smile on his lips, the kind that was so rare to find on the Dragon King.

At this moment, King Jian’s disposition was different from what it usually was, the chilling cold aura he exuded had reduced noticeably and his expression was not as cold as it always was.

"My Liege, if it delights you so much, it is not a crime to smile freely." Rodrick said to King Jian, his lips twitching visibly.

"You are courting death." King Jian murmured in response without glancing up.

"I spoke out of turn." Rodrick said in an apologetic tone, though the amused look in his eyes was still intact.

King Jian finally placed his pen down after a moment and lifted the scroll up, glancing over the letters he had written out.

"What do you think?" King Jian asked, handing the scroll over to Rodrick.

Rodrick accepted the scroll with a bow before he took a look at it, reading out the word written on it slowly.

"A name befitting a royal prince!" Rodrick exclaimed in delight, nodding his head.

"Lord Imagor is a little too much, the child is yet to hatch and he seeks for my liege to keep your word." Rodrick added with a quiet chuckle.

"Imagor and Kalia have had to worry for the unstable pregnancy for months now, they have not had the time to contemplate a name for their son."

"And he has arrived so early...only four months after conception, even I am caught off guard."

"But I have given my word and so I shall keep to it or Imagor would not let me hear the end of it." King Jian replied with a shake of his head.

"Shall I send it over to the second level?" Rodrick asked.

King Jian thought over it for a moment before shaking his head.

"No, not yet. Kalia is yet to regain consciousness, let Imagor see to his rider and child without disturbance."

"I would like to show it to Xenon first and my brothers...the child is our first nephew and Xenon was always better at things like this." King Jian decided.

"I am not entirely satisfied with this name, perhaps Xenon would have a better idea. There is still a few months till the child will hatch." King Jian added, taking back the scroll.

King Jian glanced over the name he had written before he rolled up the scroll and placed it into his drawer.

"Fetch the day’s reports, I have not had the time to see to them..." King Jian said to Rodrick, trailing off at the end of his words.

"My Liege is worried for Lord Xenon?" Rodrick asked knowingly.

King Jian sighed quietly as he thought back to the horror on Xenon’s face when he awakened from his nightmare.

Though what Xenon dreamed of was unknown, King Jian could surely take a guess. There were few things that could leave Xenon so shaken...in actuality, there was just one thing.

"He left in such a rush, I cannot tell if he is fine. He has also blocked me out of his mind and he requested I leave him be." King Jian murmured, lifting a hand to rub his temple.

The action did nothing to soothe the ache in his head and King Jian had not expected it to, he was used to this much already.

"Have the aches returned? Would My Liege like me to fetch Lord Everon?" Rodrick asked worriedly.

"No...no, Everon needs his rest. He has exerted much efforts, I will not burden him further." King Jian declined immediately.

"But...it has been almost a week since My Liege last slept, the Lords would be displeased to know you are keeping it from them." Rodrick argued.

King Jian lifted a look to Rodrick, the glare in King Jian’s eyes immediately silenced Rodrick who swallowed down any further protest.

"Shall I have my brothers guard at my bedside and sing me to sleep too?" King Jian asked with a raised brow.

"That is not what I meant, My Liege. But the tonics Lord Everon made using the molt scales were the only thing that helped you sleep and without them..." Rodrick said in a low murmur.

"I am fine, a few days without sleep shall not claim my life."

"I would have the herb better used on Kalia and my nephew. Though it is gone, my family is safe and I am at ease." King Jian replied dismissively.

Rodrick did not speak further, fetching the reports as King Jian had directed, he brought them over to King Jian and set them on the table.

King Jian reached for a scroll but his hand froze up halfway, his gaze narrowing slightly as his senses alerted him to a sudden change in the atmosphere.

The change was slight, barely noticeable too but King Jian knew clearly what it felt like when the halls of the keep sung of magic.

There was the hum given off by magic, the walls of the keep were made from ancient magic, certainly they could always detect magic.

But there was magic which King Jian was cautious of... and then there was sorcery which he absolutely loathed, malicious dark magic that had been the root of many troubles.

From the black network...to that city that could not be spoken of, it all began and ended with dark magic.

Wherever there was the hum of dark magic...it spelled trouble.

"Sorcery... someone wields dark magic in my keep." King Jian murmured,

Rodrick’s eyes widened in shock at King Jian’s declaration.

"I shall look into it." Rodrick said immediately.

"Without a doubt... first, I will check on Imagor. The child is just born, who dares cause turbulence at this time?" King Jian hissed, a dark look in his eyes as he got up to his feet.

King Jian strode out of his quarters and headed straight for the second level, arriving at Lord Imagor’s quarters at the exact same time Menarx did.

The two brothers glanced at each other.

"You sensed it?" King Jian asked.

"Indeed, My Liege. Kirgan and Cassian are on it already, I have come here... just in case." Menarx replied with a bow.

King Jian spoke no further and stepped into Lord Imagor’s quarters, moving towards the inner room, he was relieved to find Lady Kaliana still sound asleep with Imagor sitting at her side.

In a small cot not far away, the egg rested, giving off a pulsing energy of life.

Lord Everon was also present, standing over the cot and gazing down at the egg.

"My Liege?" Imagor asked, rising to his feet and walking over to King Jian and Menarx who both stood a short distance from the inner room.

From the look in Imagor’s eyes, he was the only one amongst the brothers who was yet to notice anything was off.

"You have tired yourself out, Imagor. Your mind is weary and your senses have grown dim." King Jian stated as Imagor reached them.

"What has happened?" Imagor asked in concern.

"Dark magic." Menarx replied.

"Here in Dragon Keep?!" Imagor gasped in horror before his eyes furrowed in rage.

"I will fetch my blade." Imagor hissed in a menacing tone, making to head back into the inner room but King Jian stopped him.

"Stay... and guard your woman and your son. I will take care of it." King Jian decided.

"My Liege...in person?" Imagor asked.

"The signs of dark magic...on the day of your son’s birth. I do not know who courts death, but he shall have it!" King Jian murmured, his hands clenching into fists.

"Everon... I will trouble you to watch over them." King Jian said to Lord Everon who quietly pondered the situation.

"Will do." Lord Everon said without hesitation.

King Jian turned and headed out, Menarx following behind him. They got to the ascending room where they found someone already awaiting within.

"Kaideon." King Jian acknowledged the dune lord who leaned against the edge of the ascending room.

"The dune lord has also sensed it?" Menarx asked knowingly and Kaideon nodded.

"Your senses are the most keen, Kaideon. You know where the source lies?" King Jian asked and Kaideon nodded again.

"Where?" King Jian asked as he and Menarx stepped into the ascending room.

Kaideon glanced to Menarx, gesturing with his head slightly.

King Jian and Menarx who had known the dune lord for centuries easily understood his meaning without the need for words.

"My district..." Menarx muttered in understanding, his eyes squinting slightly.

"I have been careless, I do not dare face you." Menarx apologized immediately, lowering his head to a bow.

King Jian did not respond immediately but after a moment, he passed a glance to Menarx.

"Yet you must, to the dungeons then.. Kaideon, you will come." King Jian instructed.