Omega's Rebirth

Neveah ventured into the woods, or what was left of it to be more exact.

Her pace was slow and cautious, there were fallen trees and broken logs everywhere and Neveah had to be careful of her footing.

More than that, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, her instincts told of danger all about her but it was hard to pin point an exact direction.

Neveah was not even certain of where she was headed, she did not know what path Xenon had taken or where exactly he was, all she knew was that she was getting closer to him with each step forward.

The earth tremors had come every so often, Neveah was not certain what it meant but she had already decided not to show fear and so she did not let it deter her.

A few more steps forward and a crunching sound stopped Neveah in her tracks, Neveah glanced down to find her boots had made contact with a strange item.

Crouching down, Neveah picked up the item and lifted it to her view, her eyes widening slightly as she instantly recognized it.

Though it was dark and soiled in mud, what Neveah held up before her was a part of that very painting of the beautiful woman named Misha.

"Did he..." Neveah murmured to herself in bafflement, realizing the painting had been angrily ripped in many parts and this was just a part of it.

This gave Neveah pause for a moment.

"Was she not his beloved woman? Or at least someone he cared for?" Neveah wondered aloud before she quickly shook her head and left the torn piece of the painting right where it had been.

Neveah did not wish to be caught up in any of this, whatever it was between Xenon and that woman in the painting...it was deep enough that it lingered over Xenon even till this day.

Xenon had flown into a rage at the sight of the painting, Neveah could not decide if it was longing, love or hatred... Xenon’s reaction was hard to read.

All Neveah knew was that she was not the woman in the painting and the woman in the painting was who Xenon truly needed beside him.

Neveah was just about taking another step forward when another low rumble sounded accompanied by a wave of blistering heat and a very familiar scent.

But this time, the sound was different from before... this time, it sounded so close as though it was right beside Neveah’s ears.

Neveah’s eyes widened as her instincts alerted her to Xenon’s presence.

She found him...or better yet, he was the one who found her but whatever it was, Neveah knew it without a doubt that Xenon was right behind her.

The low rumble came again and this time, a stream of steam dampened Neveah’s hair and sent it tousled all about.

That steam was so hot, it felt as though Neveah had been suddenly tossed right into the heart of an active volcano.

Perspiration beaded on Neveah’s forehead and went dripping down even as Neveah slowly turned around to face the black fiend.

Just as Neveah expected, the massive head of the black dragon gazed down at her, his fiery ember eyes narrowed and his lips bared to reveal his terrifying rows of sharp teeth.

And then he lowered his head, so it was on level with hers, his eyes staring so intensely as though he could stare right through her and Neveah was certain he could.

The heated breath of the black dragon fanned over Neveah’s face, he was so close that Neveah’s breath completely cut off, she did not dare breathe... she could not even remember how breathing was done.

Neveah just stared up at him, unable to move or form a sound thought other than the fact that if she moved just a step further, her head would bump right into Xenon’s forehead.

Or perhaps he would gobble her up the moment she made the slightest twitch and that would be the eventful end of her miserable life.

Neveah tried not to entertain dark thoughts, but with Xenon’s large beady eyes so close, looking to be gigantic pools of blazing fire from such a close range,

Neveah could not help thinking of all the things that could go wrong on this night and it all began and ended with her dying in a pool of her own blood.

Only this time, Neveah knew it was likely she would not have any remains...a pile of ash of a few stray pieces of bones if anything.

Of all the deaths Neveah had faced, this was the only time Neveah was not particularly scared... she could not tell why too, perhaps she had grown too accustomed to death to fear it.

Or perhaps the death was not what Neveah was accustomed to... rather it was the terrifying beast right before Neveah’s eyes which try as she might, Neveah just could not find him scary.

Even with the madness clearly reflected in his eyes, even with the memories of her last confrontation with his wild haze,

Still yet, Neveah could not find it in herself to be terrified.

Rather than terror and even knowing all the ways this black dragon could end her life, Neveah could not help wondering...

’Last I saw him, he was not so bad...it has only been a few days, how could he look so haggard already?’ Neveah wondered to herself.

’Haggard? How do you have the luxury to worry about him? He’s off the hinges! And he will probably rip us in two!’ Neveah’s wolf thought to her in astonishment.

Neveah ignored her wolf and began wracking her brains for what was most suitable to say in this moment and least likely to get her killed.

"Xenon... I... hi..." Neveah stuttered out.

After wracking her brains for a good few minutes, that was the best Neveah could come up with and as Xenon’s eyes narrowed again, Neveah knew she was in for a lot of trouble.