Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 824: Ebonhollow ()

~Ebon Hollow, The Witch Ruins.

The ruins of Ebon Hollow were nothing like anywhere else in the Stronghold. And they were nothing like the dark lands either.

It wasn’t a tainted land of cursed magic, with shadows lurking at every corner. It wasn’t the cursed forbidden swamps where danger lurked at every turn.

It was just... the remains of a civilization long gone.

A vast expanse of crumbling stone structures stretched as far as the eye could see. The Earth was blackened by dragon fire, evidence of the destruction that had wrecked the city centuries ago.

A few towers and structures still stood. They were regal, with polished walls gleaming like reflective surfaces. It attested to what a glorious city it must have been once. But now, it was nothing but ash and devastation.

Jian had been silent since they landed. Like he couldn’t bear to break the stillness.

Xenon didn’t fare better. His eyes scanned their surroundings, a grim expression on his face.

Neveah watched them take it in. The result of an age that should never have happened.

A dynasty that should have been cut off before its rot spread throughout the stronghold. And perhaps, the one amongst the many wrongs Asrig committed that finally pushed Jian over the edge.

She didn’t think she would ever understand how it felt to have a brother that wiped out a race on a whim. And that truth made it all the more difficult to be here with them.

"This is it..." Jian finally said, his tone barely audible. "This is where it all went wrong."

She reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. This was hard on them both and she knew it.

For one, it was the reminder of the turning point. The moment he realized his own brother, his only family left...was beyond saving.

For the other, this was the source of a vengeance he had nothing to do with, yet had been punished greatly for, by a woman he loved.

For both, it was a reminder of the genesis of what had nearly damned their brotherhood.

Misha’s grudge had originated right here. And the consequences of it still hadn’t faded.

For Neveah, she just wanted to be out of here as quickly as possible.

With Keila committed to the punishment chamber and a date agreed on for the unified council, there was no need to linger. Leaving Dragon Keep once again wasn’t an option, it was a necessity.

"Garron says the rune was stored in one of the four grand temples." Xenon says, still scanning the ruins. "If I remember correctly, the first one stood west of the city gates."

"West..." Neveah murmured, her gaze shifted. "That way, then."

The ruins were difficult to navigate on foot. With crumbling structures and only a general direction, the map was greatly different from what Ebon Hollow had become.

But finally, after a long time of walking, they arrived at the first temple. Or what was left of it.

The temple itself was nothing more than a few pillars still standing. The base and parapet had all crumbled and weathered away with time.

Neveah still knew it, because from the moment they got close, she sensed a subtle hum of magic. Distant, almost imperceptible.

It was an eerily familiar kind of magic but Neveah couldn’t quite place a finger on it.

"Do you think it’s here?" Xenon murmured, eyes roaming the ruins.

"I’m not sure..." Neveah admitted truthfully. "I sense something, but...it feels familiar. And not in a good way."

"I feel it too." Jian murmured, "It’s...dark magic. The oldest kind."

"Beoruh?..." Neveah felt the chill run down her spine even before the monstrosity made itself known.

The earth vibrated beneath her feet. Rocks and dust were dislodged and Neveah found herself lifted off solid ground as the ruins beneath her began to move.

"Veah!" Xenon lunged, grabbing Neveah by the waist. He dove out of the way just in time, as the worn down boulders all around them quickly latched to one another, spraying dirt and debris everywhere.

Neveah shielded her eyes as dirt rained down all around them.

A surge of potent dark magic filled the atmosphere and the boulders climbed steadily, forming limbs thick as trunk and a monstrous creature, ten feet high.

The mountain of a rock golem let out an earth shaking roar. A strong, putrid stench was carried on its breath and Neveah’s senses were instantly overwhelmed.

Her head spun in dizziness, nausea churning in the pit of her stomach. The world tilted and she clutched Xenon’s arm for balance.

"Get Veah away from it." Jian said to Xenon as he stepped forward.

Xenon guided Neveah through the ruins, putting good distance between them. Neveah shoved Xenon away, reaching for a boulder, she bent over, dry heaving.

’What’s wrong with me?’ Neveah thought to her wolf, shaking her head to clear her fuzzy vision.

"Love?" Xenon asked worriedly, pulling Neveah’s hair away. He rubbed her back, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Go...help him." Neveah forced out the words hoarsely as she sucked in a trembling breath to steady her racing heart.

Xenon shook his head. "He can take it. You need me more."

She didn’t protest. The sounds of the battle still echoed all around them and it took her a good while before she got herself settled.

"What was that?" Xenon asked, pulling her into his arms.

She breathed in his calming scent, shaking her head slightly. "I don’t know."

"I don’t know..." She whispered again, exhaling wearily.

______

Hours after they encountered the golem and their search for the witch rune had yielded no results. The sky had darkened a long time ago and they sought refuge in a cave a short flight away from the runes.

Jian sat on a boulder in front of the small campfire they had lit. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be deep in meditation.

Neveah sighed quietly, sitting up from where she lay against Xenon’s chest. "Is he going to do that all night?"

Xenon revealed a ghost of a smile. "He does that often. When...he needs to clear his thoughts. Though, he hasn’t been up to it much, since you."

Neveah pursed her lips. "I don’t like it. Not one bit. Feels like he’s withdrawing from reality."

Xenon nodded in understanding. "This is...an unusual place for us to be."

"I do know it." She admitted, her tone was heavy. "I also know you’re struggling too. Even if you don’t find ease in meditation."

Xenon was quiet for a short time. "Seeing it again... after all this time, it’s just..."

He sighed. "My kin pride ourselves on honor. We live not for personal gain, but for the good of the people...yet, in the memory of many, the world would be better off without us."

"In their eyes, we might not be much different than the sorcerers."

Neveah grimaced. "Mistakes have been made..."

"Mistakes, maybe for us. It’s not the same for those whose entire lives were defined by this ’mistake’."

Neveah wasn’t sure if Xenon referred to Misha, or his own self.

"You can’t save everyone, Xenon." She reminded. "No matter how much you want to, you can’t save everyone."

"People will be wronged. People will die. And some may never understand your motivations, your cause...but that doesn’t change what’s in your heart."