Omega's Rebirth

Xenon was nowhere in sight in the outer cavern, but Neveah could sense he had been here recently.

The temperature in the cavern was warm, a great contrast from the chilling cold winds on the outside.

It was winter already, though Neveah was yet to witness the first snow, the days were all the more cold.

Yet, within Xenon’s cavern, it was as warm as ever, balanced out by Xenon’s natural fire energy.

Beyond that, Neveah could still pick up Xenon’s scent...it was slightly faded but to Neveah, that much was already overwhelming.

"Not the best time to play the disappearing act, is it?" Neveah murmured with a quiet sigh.

Neveah knew she did not have much time, she was certain her visit to Mount Edar would not go unnoticed by the dragon guards.

Neveah could only hope they would turn a blind eye so she got to say what she needed, if not today, Neveah doubted she would find the will to come out in search of Xenon again.

The road between Xenon and Neveah had already come to an end, that much was settled in Neveah’s heart.

Neveah glanced over at the inner cavern, she had only ventured in there but once and things had not gone so well on that occasion.

There was a certain level of wariness and reluctance to head into the inner cavern again.

"I should have just let Menarx bring me, then there would not be a need for this sneaking." Neveah grumbled beneath her breath.

With another sigh and growing trepidation, Neveah ventured into the inner cavern.

A quiet gasp escaped Neveah’s lips as she stepped in to find the wreck that was Xenon’s inner cavern.

For as far as Neveah’s eyes could see, the shelves had all been broken in multiple pieces, those books kept neatly were ripped in shreds and potteries and treasure boxes were smashed.

There were a number of other ruined things Neveah could not identify because they now lay in a pile of ash.

This inner cavern which Neveah had found so impressive on first glimpse of it...a part of Xenon’s cave that held the only trace of the man he was before the wild haze, it was completely destroyed.

All along the walls were claw marks and burn marks, tables, chairs, beddings, clothings, there was not a single thing left in one piece.

"Oh gods!" Neveah gasped again as she took in the damage Xenon had dealt to his own home.

Neveah’s heart constricted in pain, it was unbearable to her to see what great of an effect the wild haze had on Xenon. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Not because Neveah cared for anyone else, what burdened her heart was the harm Xenon could deal to his ownself...he was a great danger truly, but to no one greater than his ownself.

Neveah followed the path of ruins, with slow steps she made her way beyond the inner cavern, out into the back mountain.

Just as it was with the inner cavern, all the summit of the back mountain of Mount Edar lay in devastation.

Trees had been fell or razed down to the ground, it was destruction for as far as Neveah’s eyes could see.

There was not a single sound of life reaching Neveah’s sensitive ears...the back mountain was deathly quiet, and how could it be otherwise?

What was known to be a beast of death and destruction lurked here, the black fiend of the Asvarian stronghold... the greatest, deadliest beast of the dragon kind and precisely the man Neveah had come to seek.

"Menarx had said the wild haze returned in a greater wave... which means, Xenon may not recognize me at all..." Neveah finally thought of a great trouble she should have realized much sooner.

It was no wonder Menarx had wanted to accompany her...the Xenon Neveah would be facing here was the Xenon from that day,

The Xenon who had slowly crushed her windpipe while staring down at her with a madness Neveah could not comprehend or perhaps he would be worse.

Neveah shuddered visibly at the memory, knowing she would have to face Xenon either ways.

Before Neveah could think to question her own sanity, a quiet rumbling reached her right before the ground beneath her feet began to tremble.

Neveah’s wolf growled low within her mind and Neveah did not need anyone to tell it to her that he was here.

Neveah swallowed nervously, her hands clenching up into fists as she sucked in a deep breath.

Xenon was still far, Neveah could tell it, he was somewhere out in the woods but he had sensed her and he was watching.

There was no hopes of going back to safety, though it was doubtful, Neveah still wanted to believe Xenon would not hurt her.

And even if he would, Neveah still could not head back, she was determined to say her piece to Xenon today whether he wanted to hear of it or not.

But more than that, a beast on the lose could not be outran, since Xenon had picked up on Neveah’s scent, Neveah knew if she ran...he would chase and it would quickly become a hunt.

A hunter and the hunted, predator and prey. If anything, Neveah did not want such a scene between Xenon and her.

"We must face him." Neveah’s wolf thought to her and Neveah gathered her wits together just as another rumbling echoed through the back mountain, sending a chill of terror down Neveah’s back.

Neveah waited and a moment passed by but Xenon still did not show up, instead his brooding presence only grew more intense.

"He’s watching... waiting, standing here shows fear and we fear nothing, no one. If we cannot go back, we must go forward." Neveah’s wolf thought to her firmly.

"Go forward...to him?" Neveah murmured quietly.

"Well, what did we come here for then?" Neveah’s wolf replied with a question of her own.

"For him...we came for him." Neveah replied, her fists clenching even tighter as she took the first step towards the woods.