Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 831: Foreboding ()

~The White Dunes

The death gale shrieked in the distance. It was soon followed by the familiar echo of cracking earth.

The canyon was spreading again, carrying with it, the death gale within. Eating further into the Earth and pushing harder against the barrier.

The Dune barrier glowed, becoming visible as it hindered the darkness tearing apart the Earth.

The sky beyond the barrier was blackened by the shifting miasma and something else. A swirling, hollowness right in the middle of the sky, emitting a strong pulse of magic. The toxin, like a living, breathing thing raged at the intrusion.

The vibration that followed was initially weak, especially from the top of the city wall, but it was enough to be concerning.

"Do you think he’ll be fine, out there on his own?" Estelle asked, passing an uneasy glance to Dante.

She didn’t like the unease she constantly felt, like something bad was coming, and it was coming fast. It had been more than a few days since they arrived at the Dunes after all the time spent at the nymph settlement.

And in all those days, Verothrax had gone beyond the barrier each day, to pit his magic against the fallen void. So far, his attempts had not been successful.

Reversing a small void above Forest Tajmaé was one thing. This was something else entirely.

The breaking had taken place too long ago. The extent of damage was far reaching and too much to be so easily reversed.

And Forest Tajmaé and the dark lands were vastly different in layout and magic source.

Verothrax’s magic had been stabilised. But without the Fae magic ability in his veins, they realised he was much weaker than when he had summoned this void.

His magic strength then was borrowed. This time, he could only rely on his own self. And no one could tell if that would be enough.

Dante shook his head slightly. "If anyone can withstand shadow toxins, it would be Verothrax."

"We can’t go out there. We’ll only hinder him."

Estelle pursed her lips, unable to dispute the truth in Dante’s words. Even Coran and Garron with far more battle experience than Dante had nearly fallen to the toxic miasma.

Whereas she... she had barely been a rider for a year. She didn’t stand a chance.

The vibrations underneath the earth occurred at intervals, in a range of light to heavy.

When it was light, she could stand still. When it got heavy, she had to secure her stance with a hand clinging to Dante’s.

At least she had Dante.

Estelle wondered how Dune city fared through all this turbulence Verothrax was causing. This feeling of bringing along a solution that first made everything worse, it was unpleasant.

"I don’t think he’s ready yet..." Estelle said uncertainly. "The nymphs say he will need more time. Why won’t he listen?"

Dante didn’t respond for a long moment until finally he said, "Guilt."

Estelle exhaled audibly. Spotting the gray scaled beast as he came through the barrier. At least he still knew his limits and always returned after a few hours out in the miasma alone.

So far, he returned. What if one day he didn’t?

She kept a close eye on Verothrax as he flew for the mountains, returning to the caves he had taken up residence in. Shutting himself out from everyone else but Ida.

Estelle hadn’t seen him in human form since he flew out to the caves with his strange woman. And he hadn’t returned to the castle once since. Shuffling between the canyon and the caves each day.

Perhaps she was overthinking. They had been in the same company long enough, she had caught him hiding a smile once or twice when he thought no one else was watching.

And there had been a few occasions he would find her wild berries even before Dante did, maintaining a gruff and cold expression...but he cared enough to ensure she was fed for the duration of their travels.

He wasn’t the gloomy, shadow dragon everyone had decided he was. She just couldn’t make peace with it.

Verothrax had never been sociable, but this was different. And while Dante and Everon didn’t find it unusual for a dragon who had slumbered for centuries to retreat from the world around him and shut down, she couldn’t shake off the bad taste in the back of her throat.

Whatever had happened in Tajmaé, Verothrax had changed. He had become even more withdrawn and cold.

And if no one else saw it, she did. She couldn’t unsee it.

"He’s gone back to the caves. We should head back to Dune Castle." Dante said to her.

She hesitated. "I’m worried about Verothrax. Do you think we need to check on him?"

Dante smiled slightly, his gaze tender. "If that will make you feel better. I’ll take you."

The flight to the mountain cave was short and silent. Dante perched lightly, careful of the steep rocks.

When Estelle dismounted, she found Ida already stood by the cave’s entrance. Like she had been expecting them.

The mask she had on grated on Estelle’s nerves now. And it baffled her that there was someone other than a dark sorcerer she found so unsettling.

At least, dark sorcerers didn’t conceal their identity.

Her father had told her once, that someone who saw the need to wear a mask was someone with something to hide.

"Where is Verothrax?" She asked, forcing a smile to her lips. "He came this way some moments ago."

"He’s resting." Ida replied, dismayed "The trips to the barrier exhausts him and he goes to slumber the instant he returns."

Estelle pursed her lips slightly. This was the same response they had been given every other day before this. She could understand Verothrax’s need to withdraw, but it was still worrisome.

He was one of them. Void magic or not. And she didn’t think it was right what he had been through, between Keila and his recovery in Tajmaé.

From what she had heard, he had never been through anything right, really.

It left a bitter taste on her tongue. To know she existed in a world that had ripped away the very sanity from dragons like him.

"Is he hurt? Everon has instructed he returns to the castle as soon as possible." Estelle continued. "The dark miasma is toxic, and while he has exhibited greater tolerance than most dragon lords, we have to be careful."

Ida nodded slowly, exhaling. "I thought the same. But all he can think of is undoing the breaking, I don’t dare suggest anything else."

"We should let him rest. Return at a later time." Dante suggested, though his gaze shifted between Ida and the cave behind her.

She could tell then, that he was uncertain as she was. Of Ida, and her words. But Verothrax was dangerous and Ida was the only person he still tolerated.

Could they risk forcing their way in? Could Dante take him on if he lost control?

He would if she insisted. But she couldn’t bear the thought of him getting hurt.

"Right." Estelle finally gave in. "Let him know we were here."

Estelle turned to leave, a sense of foreboding churning in her heart.