Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 414: Exhaustion ()

"We have received reports of strange disappearance of Fae children. They do not venture into the royal forest but other clans have submitted reports."

"Most of the time, the children were found after a search was declared and with no memories of what had happened. We thought it suspicious but never reported it to dragon authority as we were not certain it was a worthy concern yet." Keila relayed to Menarx. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Equally, over the last two decades, more and more Fae children were found ungifted. I believe this was the period the dwarves begun this plan. We could never have imagined it was the dwarves all along." Keila added with a shake of her head.

"I can’t believe this! Two decades! All this time, right under our nose!" Conrad hissed furiously.

"We must send word to Our Liege at once." Fiona said, equally as dismayed by what Neveah had just revealed.

Lodenworth nodded in agreement, meanwhile Menarx was silent and had been since Neveah broke the news of what she had discovered.

He stared at the mechanism Neveah had brought along with her as evidence, the one used to absorb magic.

There was a complicated expression on his face and Neveah winced slightly when he slammed a fist down on the table, the wooden table crumbling under the strength of his fist.

"I should have annihilated them..." Menarx said, his eyes shining with rage.

There was no greater disrespect to the dragons than this, destroying the peace and prosperity they had worked so hard to provide a dynasty with so many different species.

Menarx had been the battle lord of the last battle against the dwarves, he had also been the one to sign the peace treaty in the Dragon King’s stead from what Neveah heard in recent times.

Though the Dragon King had given his consent and was fully in approval, it had all been up to Menarx’s judgement and he had chosen to end the war after the adamantium mines were destroyed.

Now that it was clear the dwarves had not only betrayed the treaty by mining adamantium all this time but had harmed other races under the protection of the beasts of Asvar, Menarx felt directly responsible.

"Narx, you could not have known. They waited so many decades after the peace treaty to show their true intent. To do something so sacrilegious as stealing magic, how could you have imagined it?" Neveah asked, placing a hand on Menarx’s shoulder.

"Lodenworth, send word to the Academy of magic and the Fae royal forest... even the Mers, all races with magic origin. This situation must be closely investigated."

"How long and how many have been harmed exactly? We must know that to determine the weight of judgement." Menarx instructed.

"Conrad, you send word to the Keep. All Lodenworth’s findings are to be reported first to My Liege, we will act according to the orders we receive. In the meantime, we must find the hidden city as soon as possible."

"What is more, the dwarves could not have come up with this scheme on their own. I want to know exactly who the dwarves have had dealings with in the past two decades." Menarx added.

"As My Lord commands." Lodenworth and Conrad said in unison before taking their leave with their riders.

With Neveah and Menarx being the only ones left in the tent, Neveah winced slightly as Menarx’s final orders played through her mind.

"Narx... I think I know who gave the dwarves this idea. Who has been behind them all this time." Neveah confessed guiltily.

Menarx glanced over at Neveah with a raised brow and Neveah exhaled heavily as she thought back to the dark sorcerer, she had only met him on two occasions now and both times, his actions had been strange.

As much as Neveah loathed to admit it, he also saved her life. She could never have escaped from the dwarves without him and so she did owe him a debt of life, it was why she had not mentioned him all this while.

Also because Neveah did not want it to be made into a big deal, she also did not know anything about the dark sorcerer or why he had helped her.

But Neveah did not think she could hide it from Menarx any longer.

"Back in the dungeons where I was held by the dwarves... I met him." Neveah revealed.

"Met who?" Menarx asked with a raised brow.

"The dark sorcerer, the one who attacked us in the forest back in South District when we searched for the herb to save Kaliana." Neveah explained.

Menarx’s eyes narrowed slightly and Neveah knew he did not like what he was hearing.

"And you are only telling me this now?" Menarx asked pointedly.

"I... Narx, he broke me out of the dungeon. I could not have gotten away without his help. The last thing I remember was him offering to help me, I refused him but I woke up out in the tunnels." Neveah explained.

"And you were so grateful to him that you could not tell me about it? I understand for everyone else...but did you think I would also make things hard for you over that?" Menarx asked, his tone reflecting his hurt.

"Narx... " Neveah trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"You did what you had to to protect yourself, I understand it... I only wonder, if you will ever trust me enough." Menarx said, rising up to his feet.

"Narx, don’t be like that, you know I do trust you." Neveah reasoned.

"Do you?" Menarx asked, passing Neveah a pained look.

Neveah opened her mouth, but she then recalled the reason she had even gone into the forest in the first place, another thing she was keeping from him...

The words were stuck in her throat, for some reason, she could not say them and so she kept her silence.

"Right... I thought so. I’ll be out on patrol, do not wait up. I’ll return at dawn." Menarx said as he strode out of the tent, leaving Neveah to herself.

Neveah exhaled heavily, taking a seat, she lay her head down on the table, a heavy feeling of exhaustion settling over her.