Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 749: Welcome The Guest ()

"Well... that takes away our element of surprise." Xenon commented, in vain hope to make light of the situation. A golden, semi-solid slab had formed underneath him, breaking his fall some distance away from the tip of the sharp rock. "This feels comfortable, and warm too."

For a moment, the thought of Xenon getting hurt had horrified Neveah so much, she had forgotten she even had any magic and could do something about it. Or that Xenon’s reflexes were fast enough, he still would have taken them to safety.

Neveah cringed, the sound of her shriek echoing through the cavern still rang through her mind, and who knew just how far that sound had carried. Neveah realised, Xenon was not the only one who had become more sensitive and Neveah wondered if she could attribute it to how on edge her wolf had been.

"I’m glad you’re enjoying this." Neveah grumbled beneath her breath as the slab moved them safely away from the sharp rock to solid ground. Neveah shoved Xenon away and got to her feet while he smirked in amusement, also getting off the slab. It disappeared as he did so and they were left to take in their surroundings.

They had fallen into some kind of hollowed out, underground cavern. It was vast and circular, but there was only one exit in the form of a small tunnel opening, save for the cracked space high above them that led to the level they had just fallen from.

Though the cavern they had fallen into was wide enough for Xenon to take dragon form, there was no way out except in human form. The tunnels were too small and even the opening above them was not large enough for Xenon to fly through.

"Do you think this tunnel still leads to wherever we are headed?" Neveah asked Xenon. "Or do we find a way back up?"

Xenon shook his head slightly. "The cracks are still spreading. The upper level is weak and on the verge of collapse, going through this tunnel and finding a way around would be safer." He decided.

Neveah agreed with his judgement, it was one thing to have fallen into an empty, relatively safe cavern. If they insisted on taking the collapsing level, who could say they would not drop into somewhere more dangerous this time?

The sole tunnel in the cavern they were in led to uncertainty, this was true but it was the same for the rest of the volcano. They had no idea what lay ahead.

"Come on. We should go on." Xenon said and he led the way again.

Almost an hour later and the tunnel opened up into a passage way much like the one in the level above. The low vibrations had become more frequent and more distinct now, the vibrations sent dust and debris raining down from the upper level and Neveah guessed they were getting closer to the heart of the volcano.

A short time ago, Neveah had picked up Menarx’s scent again and they hurried their pace, it grew stronger as they went on and eventually, Neveah picked up on the sounds of a battle.

"He’s under attack." Neveah said to Xenon. He exchanged a look with Neveah and the two hurried on till they came out into another hollowed out cave. The cave was littered with the dismembered bodies of kobolds and that putrid stench of the creatures was thick in the air. Despite that, there still were a group of almost a dozen bearing down on a single enemy... Menarx.

"Quite the party." Neveah commented, readying herself for a fight.

More of the kobolds poured out of one of the tunnels, adding to the crowd and Menarx was right in their midst, slicing his way through them with a gleaming blade. There was no flame in sight, which would have been the easiest means to clear out the overwhelming force bearing down on him.

But Neveah guessed Menarx also knew it as well as Xenon did, dragon fire in a dormant volcano was asking for trouble and the victims of any rash decision he took would be the innocent inhabitants of Fort Inferno.

The kobolds were gigantic, towering far over Menarx in his human form and the only way Neveah had caught a glimpse of him was when he leaped to slice through the throat of a kobold.

Menarx also seemed to have noticed them. "Adrienne! She’s in there! Go after her!" He called out.

’Now why would we want to do that?’ Neveah’s wolf spoke up in her mind, her tone indignant.

’Now is not the time!’ Neveah snapped at her wolf, her patience worn thin. Neveah felt her wolf’s agitation peak, but she ignored it. Her wolf was not the only one agitated.

Xenon glanced over at Neveah, his brows furrowed slightly and he reluctantly let go of her hand. "Go, I’ll clear you a path and follow right behind."

With that said, Xenon lunged in a flash, jumping straight into the fray. His movement was so fast that he soon disappeared amongst the roaring kobolds and Neveah winced, making a dash for the tunnel the kobolds were pouring out of.

A few kobolds swung their weapons at Neveah but a glowing shield roared to life around her, pulsing with magic energy. The tunnel ahead was teeming with the gigantic creatures charging into the cavern. Xenon flashed by and the attention of the kobolds were drawn to him.

As they charged on him, Neveah slipped past and dashed into the tunnel, her shield warded off any unexpected attacks till she got through the attacking force and into a quiet part of the tunnel. Neveah followed the tunnel swiftly till she sighted an exit somewhere ahead and hastened up.

As Neveah made her way to it, a strong force of dark magic slammed into her, as though ripping through her very soul and Neveah skidded to a stop, her eyes going wide.

’Dark magic!’ Neveah thought, she could recognise the hateful power with ease now and what was worse, this particular magic felt eerily familiar.

The same way the ferocity of the kobolds was different to the ones she had faced with Menarx and more similar to the ones she had faced on Mount Edar before Verothrax and Xenon took care of it.

Neveah knew this was not just any dark magic wielder, it was no dark fairy and it certainly was not Azkar, the dark sorcerer Neveah still couldn’t figure out. This was something far more dangerous.

"This is... the sorcerer the King’s guard spoke about. The master of soul arts..." Neveah realised with apprehension.

________________

Another tremor shook the ground and Keila frowned visibly. The low vibrations of the volcano were swiftly graduating into full on tremors due to the effect of the channeling gems, and sooner or later, the attention of the dragon lords from Fort Inferno would be attracted to the volcanoes.

She was finally right at the edge of achieving her goal, the last thing she could tolerate at this moment were any interruptions, or any delays. Keila could practically hear the seconds ticking away in her mind. Every moment that passed by was time enough for the dragon lords to catch wind of her intentions, figure out why she used the werewolves and even her own kin as a distraction.

"Pacing around like this will not make this go any faster." Beoruh stated in a matter of fact tone. "For a High Queen, you are quite lacking in composure... and patience."

Keila flashed a glare to the dark sorcerer. His deceptively innocent appearance like that of a young child never ceased to unsettle Keila. Not since the first time she had encountered him as the seer of broken blade.

"Yesss... I do recall." Beoruh said. "That day, your sister Adrienne was the one who came to seek me out. But you...you trailed her, kept to the shadows and watched." He said. His eyes came open, pools of pure whites with no pupil settled on Keila.

Keila felt her skin crawl, that disturbing sensation as though one could see right through you, know all that was on your mind and for a master of the soul arts, Keila knew that was the least of his capabilities.

"Stay out of my head." She warned in a cold hiss,

"Or... what?" Beoruh asked, tilting his head to the side. "Your arcane magic is barely awakened. It might be just enough to intimidate your kin, but before me...you are still just a little winged princess."

Wrath surged within Keila’s veins, and she loathed every second she had to tolerate the dark sorcerer’s condescending tone.

"Now, child...you would be more useful to me welcoming the guest." Beoruh added.

Keila’s brows furrowed in confusion, her eyes widened in realisation when a familiar voice called out to her.

"Keila?"

That voice...it was unmistakably Adrienne’s and Keila’s gaze snapped to Beoruh, eyes dark with accusations.