Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 782: A Way Back ()

Jian shook his head slightly. He was most likely just overthinking it. He longed for her so badly, he could now sense traces of her aura in a whole other dimension.

But a glance at Kaideon told Jian he was not the only one who had sensed it, whatever it was.

There was no time to contemplate it. The Black Sea was stirring and if they failed to answer its call, Fort Blazed would be sunk.

At any moment now, their hesitation would begin to reveal consequences and the first victims of it would be the citizens of the city.

The world shuddered again, this time harder. Jian could hear the distant crashing of waves.

The stone towers moaned. The walls of Fort Blazed rattled violently and the tremor rocked the cellar. Kaideon hissed beneath his breath.

"We’re running out of time. Someone has to go out there." He said firmly. "Cassian is in no shape, and it can’t be My Liege."

"Stay put." Jian dismissed instantly. His brows furrowed as he watched the mages weave their magic.

It was a risk he was taking, forfeiting a challenge. But Jian trusted in his own instincts and at this moment, his instincts told him the most important place to be was right here.

The hum of magic grew louder, more potent. It bounced off the walls of the cellar, almost visible.

The rune pieces glowed more brightly, their host items had been placed in a circle around a kneeling Jason and now, they rattled, inching closer to him on all sides.

"What’s happening?" Cassian asked warily, glancing around the cellar

"I’m not sure..." The only mage uninvolved in the reverse spell replied.

"Say it." Cassian insisted.

"It’s a flood of magic energy... like a magic source opened up somewhere in the dimension." The mage explained.

"That is to say there is an abundant source now? The spell can be reversed without fail?" Starron asked to be sure.

"Yes..." He trailed off, tone cautious.

"And?" Cassian guessed that was not all.

"It also means the veil between this dimension and reality has weakened enough for magic to seep in. It is a tell tale sign of a shut down." The mage finished.

Jian pursed his lips. "We knew it was coming. Between the dimension shutting down and the beast outside our walls, the only way out...is out."

"Literally." Cassian muttered.

The boy, Jason jerked violently, his eyes were impossibly wide and traces of dark mist swirled within. His mouth fell open in a soundless scream.

"Why do I feel like I’m witnessing a ritual sacrifice..." Orin commented, his tone unsettled.

"The mages assured he won’t die." Starron said, his tone was cold. "Not at their hands, at least."

A blinding flare lit up the cellar, the runes across Jason’s chest lifted, torn free of him like an outer layer of skin. Light flooded the chamber. A scream, Jason’s, or the Fort’s itself, rang through the walls.

Then, silence.

The elite mage leading the spell dropped to his knees, gasping. "It’s done."

All rune pieces had merged together, forming a strange sole rune that had etched itself into the ground.

The binding was undone. With the anchoring rune pieced back together, the spell was reversed...at least in theory.

"Nothing happened..." Ranjor muttered, peering out the window.

"I have no expertise with dimension runes. But I have done what is necessary for a spell reversal." The elite mage relayed. "And I’m certain we all felt that...it is the farthest thing from nothing."

"How certain are we that this will work?" Orin posed a question.

"Veah and Garron came up with this method together." Kaideon said, his tone was certain. "Neither of them have ever been wrong."

A violent clap of thunder tore through the sky, stirring a continuous tremor that was so potent, almost everyone in the cellar struggled to maintain their footing. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

And outside,

The sky tore open.

"It’s happening." Ranjor reported, still peering out the window.

Jian glanced over to the window, watching the sky rip itself open at the seams of reality.

It created a hole, black ringed and molten-edged. The ground beneath his feet still trembled, growing more restless with each passing moment.

But something was wrong.

"Why isn’t it pulling us through?" Starron asked, also watching the sky through the window.

"The Fort should be drawn back..." The elite mage said, shaking his head in confusion. "Everything is as it should be."

Cassian stiffened at that, his eyes met Jian’s and understanding dawned on both.

"Except it isn’t." Cassian said,

The elite mage’s voice was nearly inaudible as he also realized it. "The magic doesn’t account for new additions. It’s balanced like a scale. Equal weight. If we weren’t part of the Fort when it was drawn into this dimension..."

"...then we aren’t part of its return," Jian finished.

"The Fort can only return with the same number of souls it left with,"

For a beat, no one spoke.

Kaideon stepped forward. "And what of it? This is already unprecedented. We’ve cracked space itself, do you understand what that means?"

He turned to Jian and Cassian. "That tear, it’s still ripping open. It’s not wide enough yet. It might not be for long. But it’s enough."

Jian clenched his fists. "You want us to make a run for it."

Kaideon met his gaze. "We go through the crack. Or we get close enough to summon a portal. Portal magic won’t work here, but it surely will, closer to the veil separating the dimension. We find our own way out. If we don’t, we stay here. Forever."

"What’s new?" Jian chuckled despite himself. "Truthfully... nothing."

He turned to Starron. "Up for a flight?"

Starron shrugged casually. "Anything’s better than sinking into the Black Sea."

"Good. Cassian will take your place here." Jian decided.

"But..." Cassian began to protest but he was silenced by a glare from Jian.

"You’re not in any shape to accompany me this time, brother." Jian said, "I grant you temporary leave of your duty. Till we meet on the other side."

"This might be the only leave you get in this lifetime. Use it wisely." Jian added, successfully lightening Cassian’s brooding mood.

Cassian chuckled quietly, nodding once. "I’ll have a splendid few hours and a hell of a ride back."

Light laughter spread amongst the dragon lords.

"You do that." Jian approved.

The laughter died quickly, leaving only the low, rhythmic hum of magic still pulsing through the air like a second heartbeat.

Jian glanced at the window again, his fingers flexing restlessly at his sides. He turned away from it, eyes meeting Cassian’s.

Jian hesitated for a moment, contemplating the words he was about to say.

"My Liege?" Cassian’s voice echoed in his mind.

"If I don’t make it through..." Jian began but his words were interrupted almost immediately.

"No."

Jian continued regardless. "If I don’t, I want you to give Neveah a message for me.

Cassian straightened, his gaze sharpening. "I said no, Jian."

"She deserves to know," Jian thought to him quietly. "That it was never my intention to fail her...not ever. But I..."

"I won’t deliver your Queen, your ghost, Jian." Cassian snapped, a rare edge in his voice. "You don’t have clearance to die. Not now. Not like this."

"And do you think Veah will let me off for failing to bring you back safely? Or that I dare return without you? What will our brothers think of me then? Breaking our oaths? If you die, trust that you will find me on the other side alongside you, before I can think to deliver a message."

There was a brief silence. Jian’s jaw tightened, but he nodded once. He wouldn’t argue. Not with Cassian. Not when they both knew the odds.

Cassian exhaled and walked over to Jian, he placed a steady hand on his shoulder. "Save your goodbyes for when you see her again."

"Might as well save them all." Jian replied, his lips twitching ever so slightly.

Kaideon’s voice interrupted from across the room, brisk and sharp. "The tear’s widening. We don’t have much time."

Jian took a deep breath and turned to the others. Orin had already strapped on his cloak. Ranjor hung his blade on the wall, a darksteel saber that never left his side... until now.

Starron finished whispering a command to one of the remaining mages, who nodded and stepped aside.

"The mages will stay within the fortress, exchanged with a few Blazed dragons. All but one...in case we need a portal." Starron reported to Jian. "The dragons are ready, they await on the city walls. On your word."

Jian pressed a hand to his chest, where his reversed scale would have been. A reminder that his life was already too intricately entwined with hers.

Just a little longer, he told himself. Just one step closer and be would be with her again.

When he strode out of the cellar, he did not look back.