Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 755: No Introduction ()

A storm had begun a short time ago, just as she predicted. The rain pelted down heavily, soaking up the dress Neveah had on and she was already completely drenched. In a distant thought, she lamented the prospect of having to change into another clothing to look decent enough to appear before the infernal dragons, but that was a worry at the very bottom of her steadily growing list.

Menarx had been gone for how long now? A half hour? And Neveah had not moved an inch from where she was. Her mind repeatedly supplied the reminder of the assurance she provided Xenon before he allowed her to leave his side. She had said she would not be gone long and at this point, she knew she had already been gone for long enough.

What kept her rooted to spot? Neveah was not certain, but for some reason, she just could not muster the strength it would take to summon a portal that would send her back home from wherever it is she was, at the moment. Especially since portalling with her own magic was not something she had practiced enough to be confident.

It was ironic how Adrienne had used a magic call on her, how had she even known for certain Neveah would receive it and be able to portal her way here? How had Menarx trusted this and waited? Seemingly, everyone else was beginning to trust Neveah’s magic and the abilities it afforded her, far more than Neveah herself.

In the time that had passed, Neveah wondered if the stronghold had already crumbled. It was a silly thought, since she did know it would take far more than the Fae and a few hundred werewolves to overturn the dragon dynasty.

And the infernal dragons were far more than capable of handling these affairs themselves, even without the aid of the squadrons on standby not far out. The only limitation...non-dragon casualties.

Even so, Neveah entertained the thought, if only for a split second, of taking Xenon up on his offer and leaving this all behind. Menarx had just done it...why was she the only one taking responsibility?

But even as she thought about it, Neveah already knew the answer. Jian had said it once... everyone else was allowed to make mistakes, everyone else was allowed to grief in the way they deemed fit, but not the King. The King’s weakness reflected on the stronghold...he did not have such luxuries.

A pang of pain tore through Neveah’s heart. "It is this difficult and I wasn’t even close to Adrienne. How did he do it... watch Xenon lose himself?" She wondered, once again in silent awe of Jian’s strength.

Neveah’s gaze strayed to the orb in her hands, her brows furrowed slightly. She was not certain how she was meant to use it but staring at the fragile orb, she summoned a measure of magic, watching the wisps of golden light twist and curl around the orb.

The orb itself gave off a strong aura of magic, Neveah did not expect it to react in the way it did but it lashed out, a crack spreading swiftly across the orb until it shattered in Neveah’s hands in a burst of light and energy.

A burning sensation lanced through Neveah’s chest, sharp, searing. Somehow, her mind strayed back to the very moment Adrienne had said those last words to her.

’I’m sorry Veah, I finally end up entrusting you...my burden.’

She had not understood then what Adrienne meant until now, as the pain lanced through her, and with it came blurry glimpses that Neveah did not recognise.

Memories...not Neveah’s own memories but Adrienne’s.

In the first few minutes, Neveah could barely make any sense of what she was feeling. But soon, it became clearer to her and Neveah finally understood why Adrienne left the orb to her.

The face of a woman flashed through Neveah’s mind repeatedly, but it was all jumbled up with a dozen other scenes, Neveah could not separate one from the other.

’Open your mind, Veah. You’re fighting it...you have to accept it.’ Demevirld offered from deep within Neveah’s mind. Neveah followed the instructions, lowering her mind barrier, the foreign memories surged into her mind so rapidly, she could barely make sense of anything.

Neveah was not certain how long it took, but when it settled, her mind had become a mess of unfamiliar, jumbled up memories. Amongst it all, only one stood out, like an urgent beacon calling for her attention.

It was the only clear memory in the entire mess and a quiet gasp escaped Neveah as she was tugged into it, her consciousness submerged in darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The darkness faded as Neveah regained a distant sense of awareness, the vision around her sharpened, finally clear enough to make sense of, like she was within and not just watching from the sidelines.

’I’ve been walking through memories more often than dreams. First Asrig’s now this...is it still a coincidence?’ Neveah entertained a distant thought.

Tall grasses swayed in the breeze, their vibrant green blades basking in the golden rays of the setting sun. The sky was painted in hues of oranges and pinks...a breathtakingly serene view, deceptively so.

A woman stood at the edge of a crystalline stream, her fingers slowly brushed the surface of the water. Ripples spread out from her touch, distorting her reflection.

Her appearance and aura told many stories, a woman strong yet gentle. Her white robes embroidered with gold gleamed beneath the sun’s gaze and the sword at her waist glinted with lethal promise. She turned, like she sensed Neveah’s presence. Her brows furrowed in confusion when she saw no one, but shock rippled through Neveah as the striking resemblance hit her.

She knew what Asrig looked like... And Jian was a face imprinted in the very crevice of her heart. How could she miss it?

This woman... though not much was written of her in the history books, Neveah had heard of her once from the Dune lords. A name that was held with as much caution, or perhaps even more caution than Asrig. Not for dishonour but that it was a reminder of a great and unforgettable loss...

This woman...she needed no introduction.

This was the woman who stood by Agardan the vanquisher, the rider who inspired nations.

Raena... the name echoed in Neveah’s mind.