Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 929: Peace ()

The ruins of EbonHollow were in a somber mood. Death and devastation spread for as far as the eye could see.

The forlorn army, or what was left of it lay in piles of black ash. A few stragglers had fled into the forest and Imagor led a unit to hunt them down.

Cassian and Kirgan led another unit, flying low over the devastation, seeking out their kin who were yet to be accounted for.

The death toll was yet to be listed, but Neveah’s heart already weighed a few tons, because they had won the battle. But the war wasn’t over yet.

Word had arrived from the White Dunes. Kaideon secured a narrow victory, with the aid of the reinforcements.

But in the midst of the chaos, Beoruh, the genesis of these troubles had slipped away, and with him, the two rune pieces that could open more cracks and let more beasts in.

When would it all be over? When would it finally end? When would they get to just... live?

Her eyes drifted to the spiked roof of the witch temple, where Asrig/Mykael’s body had laid, impaled, right before Jian ripped out his heart as his kin bore witness.

He’d been withdrawn since then. And Neveah wanted to comfort him, she did. But somehow, she felt Xenon would do a better job at it than she could ever hope to.

Deep down, she knew that was only an excuse. She just didn’t want to face it...the despair she knew currently wracked through his heart, because she had endured the very same when she killed Alessio.

People would tell you monsters didn’t deserve to be mourned. They would applaud you for ridding the world of evil. They didn’t understand...they couldn’t.

Jian didn’t just kill a monster, he killed the idea of a brother who he had once looked up to.

The emptiness that followed...

"Your Grace..."

Neveah glanced over her shoulder, a sigh of relief slipped out of her as she watched Dante approach.

He inclined his head to a bow and she nodded in acknowledgement.

"Elle?" She asked, glancing around, "She’s... unhurt, right?"

Dante winced. "Thankfully, your radiance detoxified the hydra’s slime. She’s unconscious, but fine. I flew her back to the camp but I wanted to... thank you, in person."

Radiance... that was what they were calling the healing wave now.

They claimed men who had been an inch away from death had been brought back at the touch of it.

Neveah wasn’t sure. She didn’t want to think about any of it now.

"This is Elle’s first battle as a rider. When I saw her fall, I feared..." He trailed off, his eyes reflecting his pain, "I heard you had Imagor and Kirgan watch our backs. Even in the midst of all that..."

"You have my eternal gratitude, Veah." He expressed, "For loving Elle, as you do."

Neveah smiled, "She loved me first. You both did."

She sucked in a breath, returning her gaze to the battlefield. "How many do you think we lost?"

Dante sighed heavily. "Not as much as we would have, if you didn’t show up when you did."

The words were meant to be comforting. They weren’t.

"I have a favor to ask." Dante murmured, coming to stand behind Neveah. "If you don’t mind."

"When Elle awakens, I would like to take her back to Fort Blazed." He said,

"You finally decided to leave my side?" She teased,

Dante shook his head quickly. "Not that. I want to take her back to the meadow we played in as children. Her mother was buried there. I would like to officially ask Lord and Lady Starron’s blessings, to take Estelle as my bonded."

Neveah didn’t turn, but a genuine smile stretched her lips.

"I know there’s still so much left to do...Beoruh is still out there somewhere, and the runes..." he sighed heavily, "But when I saw her fall, I realized...though we live such long lives, we are not immortal. We don’t really know how much time we have."

"I should really like to love her with all I have to give, for as long as we are allowed."

She nodded in understanding. She understood how important this decision was to him. To both of them. "You have my consent to return home. I will let Jian know."

Dante grinned, "Thank you."

Neveah shook her head, "I also have a favor to ask of you."

He quirked a brow, but she only smiled in response.

"Later... I will ask you both, much later."

It was a short time after Dante left, Xenon returned to Neveah’s side.

His hands slipped around her waist, hugging her from behind. "My Love..."

She sighed quietly, easing into his hold. "My Love..." She whispered back,

His arms tightened around her.

"Jian..." She asked after a moment.

Xenon hummed, moving slightly so she could glance back to see the silver haired man standing a short distance away, watching them with a lazy smile.

He walked over to stand beside Neveah, taking her hand and entwining their fingers.

"Orin?" She asked in concern,

"Conscious." Jian replied, "Isalder has been informed. She will arrive soon."

Neveah exhaled a breath of relief. That was perhaps the greatest victory, asides Asrig’s death.

They fell silent for a short moment.

"What you did out there..." Jian trailed off, drawing in a sharp breath, "Healing dozens of my fallen kin..."

"Because of you, I do not have to be a King who led his people to their death." His thumb stroked the back of her hand, "You are my salvation, Neveah."

Xenon had said the same words to her once. Now, Jian did.

She shook her head slightly, "No. You are mine."

"You both are."

She sighed then, "It should have all ended here. It should have..."

Xenon pressed a kiss to her temple, "I may have been unable to complete the merging process, but Garron says the witch rune within me can track the other runes."

"We will go after him. We will find him. And we will end this, and destroy those runes for good."

They fell into an easy, yet solemn silence, watching the aftermath of the second terrible battle these ruins had known.

Snow fell steadily. The sea of flames had long died out. Dragon lords aided the injured. Fae, Mer, mages, elves and dwarves alike.

If only for just this moment, there was no division. No discord. Just a solemn unity.

If only for just this moment, she felt at peace.