Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 607: The Now ()

Cassian breathed a sigh but he nodded his head in understanding.

"We will spare no effort." Cassian vowed.

"You will not." King Jian agreed.

In the past two days since arriving at Fort Blazed, King Jian had remanded himself to this office to calm his predator who had been on edge after witnessing the void collapse.

"Summon them, it is time I faced the reason we have come here." King Jian instructed Cassian.

King Jian returned his attention to the dozens of scrolls and volumes spread out on his desk.

Soon, the doors opened and in came Lords Starron, Kaideon, Orin and Ranjor, Lord Starron’s deputy who had been among King Jian’s party.

King Jian’s gaze lingered on Kaideon for a moment, he had not set eyes on the Dune Lord since his arrival two days prior.

Kaideon instinctively hid his bandaged arm behind his back and King Jian’s brows twitched slightly.

"Lord Kaideon took on the last attack, defeating a rock golem, the largest we have faced so far. His injuries... required heavy medications that put him to sleep, hence he could not receive you, My Liege." Lord Starron reported in way of explanation.

"You look...to be in one battered piece, Dune Lord." King Jian inclined his head slightly to Kaideon, a greeting and an acknowledgement of respect and perhaps an assurance, that all Kaideon had left behind was left safe by King Jian also.

Kaideon smirked slightly, and returned the gesture with a deeper bow.

King Jian felt a pang of guilt deep within, Kaideon had only regained consciousness recently, he had ordered for the word of the void collapse to be kept from the Dune Lord.

King Jian forced away the guilt, he would reveal it to Kaideon himself in privacy.

"It has been two days, in this time... I have read all your reports of all the events in the past month. It has been hard on you... I am ashamed to face you, yet eternally grateful for your efforts." King Jian began with a sigh.

"With limited information available to us, and only ten dragons within Fort Blazed, we held out believing Your Grace would come... I did not doubt it for a moment." Lord Starron said with a small smile.

"Here in Fort Blazed, there is my kin...my people, there is no dimension I would not go to. Forgive my belated arrival... and my seclusion in these two days." King Jian said quietly,

"I am certain you have heard from Kaideon already, but it has been over a year back in the stronghold. In this time, the assistance provided by Lady Estelle Starron cannot be overemphasized." King Jian continued.

"Lord Cassian has delivered Elle’s letter. I can hardly believe it has been such a long time in the stronghold. For looking after my daughter, you have my gratitude." Lord Starron said gratefully.

"I have not done much of anything. That gratitude should be reserved for Dante Mycroft, the young scabbard lord has not left Lady Starron’s side in this time." King Jian related to Lord Starron.

Lord Starron nodded slowly in understanding.

"Kaideon, I am in possession of Veah’s letter for you. I shall hand it over after the important affairs are concluded." King Jian communicated to the Dune Lord.

"There is not as much information available here in Fort Blazed as compared to the archives of the Keep...there is hardly anything that speaks of the dimension planes," King Jian’s tone became more serious.

"No one knows more about the dimension planes and the dark lands than you, Jian." Cassian said as he took a seat.

King Jian nodded slowly, as he glanced through a scroll he held and then placed it aside.

"And I will tell you all I know of it." King Jian assured as he got up to his feet, crossing his arms at his back, his brows furrowed slightly in thought.

"My father mentioned the dimension planes in the dark lands on many occasions...it was always a concern of his, an evil he did not find settling to leave untouched." King Jian relayed thoughtfully.

"The darkness tainting the dark lands was one reason my father spared no efforts erecting the barrier and the Asvarian Beacons...but it was not the only reason."

"The dimension planes and what it concealed was always on the back of his mind. Even if all who knew of the magic arts to reach the dimension had been slain in the uprising...as long as even a single dark sorcerer remained, my father knew there would come a time it would resurface." King Jian said.

"Father said the dimension planes was an alternate dimension forged by the dark lord and his council...it was intended to be a place of exile and punishment."

"An alternate realm for the outcast species. During the early days of the dark empire, Forlorn beasts roamed the stronghold, orcs, golems of all kinds, trolls and many more of the likes..." King Jian trailed off.

"Terrible species they were, and the dark lord earned his fame by the banishment of the Forlorn Beasts to the dimension planes. Hence why it earned the title ’Birth place of the Forlorn Beasts."

"The Black Sea, a body of water created by dark magic was the place of imprisonment forged by the dark lord and his most powerful sorcerers... however, rather than cleansing the realm, the aim of the dark lord was always absolute control of the realm."

"These beasts became his weapons... his army, summoned from this dimension by his dark arts alone and tamed by dark magic. What was thought to be an act of salvation became the very basis through which the dark empire snatched supremacy..." King Jian paused briefly.

"We can all recall, the numerous times Forlorn beasts were unleashed on our borders... how many of them we faced during the uprising... and even the overthrow." King Jian carried on, reluctantly adding the last line.

"But let us leave the past and speak of the now."

"Starron tells me Fort Blazed has been besieged every few days...upon victory, the Black Sea would come to rest until the next beast or beasts arises."

"Equally, only a single Dragon Lord can fly overboard the Black Sea to face the enemy in the battle circle. The wards around the black circle close up the moment a dragon lord is within its bounds and only reopens when the beast is defeated."

"Any attempts to offer aid or penetrate the black circle has proven futile... this is to say that for each attack, there can only be one representative from our end, victory or defeat rests on this representative."

"These...rules are too familiar and after much thought, I would like us all to think back to the Dark Lord’s favourite Champion’s game... the game that claimed the lives of many of our kin for his amusement." King Jian murmured in a dark tone