Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 714: A Chase ()

Neveah hurried across the mountain range, her gaze squinted as she took a different route from where she had come from.

The lightning still tore through the sky at intervals, and Neveah knew the battle between Imagor and the sorcerer was still underway, she could not take Zephyroth towards danger.

Zephyroth turned over restlessly in Neveah’s arms and Neveah could somehow understand his unease though he was yet to speak or give any inclination that he could.

They were headed away from where Imagor was located and Neveah guessed the child could tell, somehow.

"Your father is clearing the path as we speak, I know you want to go to him but we will only hinder him. There is a barrier around the mountain, we can’t leave on our own either."

"The creator alone knows what else is prowling this mountain. We can only stay safe and out of sight... your Uncle Xenon’s cave is large and safe enough and I can protect you better there till it is safe outside again." Neveah explained to the child in quiet tones.

Though he was so young, Neveah knew the dragon kind developed much faster than humans. If Zephyr could recognize her just from hearing his parents speak of her, he certainly could understand her words.

And that was proven when Zephyroth became perfectly calm in her arms. Neveah hastened her steps, but was careful not to jostle the child more than what was necessary.

The layout of Mount Edar was difficult to navigate in the dark and even with Neveah’s eyesight, she could barely make out the path ahead and so she could not go very far as quickly as she would have liked.

A distant growl sounded from the forest behind them and Neveah’s brows furrowed in concern as she hastened up but was still careful so she did not end up falling off the mountain due to a misstep.

Another growl sounded not long after and as Neveah glanced over her shoulder, she caught a pair of yellow eyes far in the distance before she slipped.

Neveah hissed beneath her breath, quickly steadying herself.

’The path is too treacherous, and we cannot avoid an attack...kobolds, I think. You may have better luck.’ Neveah thought to her wolf.

"Hold tight, Zephyr. In a moment, I will let you see my own little magic, just like your big bad dragon. Don’t let go, can you do that?" Neveah asked the child in her arms.

Zephyroth nodded his head slowly, his eyes, wide and bright strengthened Neveah’s resolve.

"I cannot afford to die on this night, can I? Even if it was the King of hell and not just kobolds, your father would rouse me from my grave only to kill me again. You really make for a great responsibility." Neveah murmured to the child.

Neveah moved Zephyroth to her back, so he clung onto her neck with his legs wrapped around her waist. She lifted the bottom of her outer robes over Zephyroth and secured it around his midriff all the way to her own waist so he would not fall.

And then Neveah let her claws extend just as a massive kobold broke through the forest.

The kobold let out a bloodthirsty growl, its sight set on Neveah and multiple responding growls echoed from further ahead in the forest.

"Of course it couldn’t be just one." Neveah muttered.

The kobold dashed for Neveah, carrying a strange stone club-like weapon. It was three times Neveah’s size but smaller compared to most of the kobolds Neveah had faced... which meant it was far from the main threat.

Neveah did not hesitate, lunging forwards, she side stepped the heavy weapon as it crashed powerfully into the rocky earth.

Neveah leaped up, swinging her claws with all her strength, aimed for the throat and a single killing strike, she could not afford a drawn out battle.

Neveah’s claws slashed smoothly through the thick skin of the kobold, and she cupped her claws and pulled savagely,

Blood sprayed everywhere as the kobold dropped to its knees with a final growl and then thudded lifelessly to the ground.

Neveah shook off her claws. The growls from the forest grew closer and she turned around, making a dash for it.

Neveah leaped over the body of the kobold, her shift taking over in just a moment, she landed to the ground on her paws, with Zephyroth still clinging tightly to her.

Neveah gave the child a moment to grab a steady hold, Zephyroth spread his arms as far around her neck as they could go in her massive wolf form and took two fistfuls of her fur, holding tightly.

Neveah winced slightly at the firm grip but grinned in approval despite the pain and then she shot off, her wolf paws were more adept to rough terrains and less likely to slip and her vision was even clearer now.

Her paws barely touched the ground, even when the rocks beneath her feet cracked and fell loose, crashing down to the abyss below, Neveah was already far gone, her speed aiding a swift escape.

Neveah stuck to the edge of the mountain on purpose, her weight weakened the ground and she could hear the shrieks of the kobolds unfortunate enough to step on the loose portions and fall off.

The growls grew farther and farther away, but the pursuers were relentless and Neveah knew they would not give up till every last one was dead.

The back entrance to Xenon’s cave was soon within sight, Neveah calculated she would have enough time to create a barricade before their pursuers caught up and so she dashed straight for the cave, stopping at the entrance.

This entrance was much smaller than the other and would not fit Neveah’s wolf form, which meant it would not fit more than one kobold at a time which was exactly why Neveah had chosen it.

Neveah shook slightly but Zephyroth would not let go.

Neveah shifted back to her human form and shook her shoulders again.

"That means you can get off now." Neveah said to Zephyroth.

Zephyroth shook his head and held tighter around Neveah’s neck.

Neveah breathed a quiet sigh, realizing Zephyroth understood her the first time but had no intentions of getting off.

"You can stay right there then." Neveah murmured,

A hand grabbed Neveah’s arm at that exact moment and pulled her into the cave, just as a large boulder crashed right where Neveah had been standing.

Neveah let out a yelp which was cut off as a hand sealed her lips.

Neveah struggled fiercely, desperately reaching to shield Zephyroth but froze still when the hand around her arm moved to encircle around her waist.

Tenderly... lovingly... and that warmth, that familiar warmth...

Neveah’s senses finally overrode the panic, and his scent flooded her senses in a surge as uncontrolled as a broken dam.

"There, there my love...is this how you receive your man after months apart?" Xenon whispered to Neveah’s hearing, nuzzling his head into her neck.