Omega's Rebirth

Forest Tajmaé was basked in shadows as the night hours dawned and still, Dante sat, cuffed to the tree behind him, his eyes firmly shut in meditation as he bristled in rage.

The hours had quickly passed by and it dawned on Dante that he would not be able to get out of this anytime soon.

There was no use calling for help too, Dante was certain the flight patrol would not hear him this far in the Tajmaé forest,

Furthermore, Dante was not certain what flight patrol commandeered this route as it was closest to Fort Blazed and far off from the other forts, hence it should have fallen under the guardianship of Fort Blazed.

Yet Dante knew better than anyone that the blazed dragons were indisposed, this meant all the territories under their guardianship were left unprotected.

Keep Skies was still so far off, Dante was not certain word had reached dragon keep of the fall of Fort Blazed.

Had it been just his own fate, Dante would not have been so worried. He would quietly watch and wait till the nymphs made the great mistake of taking off his cuffs, then all hell would break loose.

Yet Dante had left Estelle all by herself, thinking about just how worried she would be left Dante restless.

More than that, Dante worried Estelle may have also been captured. If not by this group of nymphs but by another group.

The nymphs had been completely ignoring Dante and Dante himself was in no mood to hold a conversation with his captors, but he just had to know.

"You should at least tell me what you have done with my companion." Dante called to the nymphs who sat around a small bonfire.

"Hey! I’m talking to you!" Dante snarled when the nymphs ignored him once again.

"You mean the girl?" The male nymph who Dante had overhead was called Timmon asked finally.

"Yes, the girl. Where is she?!" Dante asked quickly.

Timmon sighed boredly, moving around the logs of the bonfire with a small stick.

"Well, we did not take her if that is what you are asking. She should be back where we took you...or perhaps around somewhere searching for you. How could we know that?" Timmon asked with a casual shrug.

Dante’s eyes narrowed as he glared daggers at the nymph, considering all the ways he would torture the nymph for causing Estelle trouble.

Dante knew it too, though he had said nothing of it, he knew Estelle was protecting a treasure of some sort.

Estelle would never take the satchel off her back but Dante could sense a strange power coming from whatever was concealed within and so he knew they were in greater danger than he was willing to admit out loud.

If the Black Network were to come after Estelle for the treasure and Dante was not there to protect her...

Just the thought of it left Dante feeling horrified, he would never forgive himself if Estelle was harmed in anyway.

"If she is to meet any harm, you will compensate with your lives." Dante vowed in a dangerously low tone.

"You keep throwing threats about, who exactly are you?" Timmon asked with a roll of his eyes.

"He couldn’t be a dragon lord, could he?" One of the five nymphs who hardly spoke said in a wary tone.

All five nymphs fell into silence, exchanging horrified glances for a moment.

"Oh please! He does not smell of dragon, perhaps a son of a noble human family." The female nymph suggested, laughing to herself.

"Would we be intimidated by humans?" Timmon scoffed beneath his breath.

Dante furrowed his brows, he was no human...he was the farthest thing from a human as anyone could be.

But he was a dragon lord who could not shift and Dante had no idea when his dragon side would resurface again.

Dante knew there was no use claiming to be a dragon lord, the nymphs would not buy it and he could not even back up his claims, not until these cuffs were taken off him.

Dante could only hope Estelle would be fine till he found his way back to her.

________________

"Where are you taking me?" Estelle asked with a deep frown as she followed after the group of nymphs, heading deeper into the forest.

The group of nymphs Estelle had met were a part of the forest patrol, from what Estelle had gathered, they had been tasked with protecting Forest Tajmaé ahead of the blooming festival.

At such a time, no trespassers were tolerated on nymph territory.

"I have already made it clear, all that is under the sky belongs to the dragons. You cannot apprehend those of Dragon blood for trespassing." Estelle continued when the nymphs ignored her words.

"You claim to be Estelle Starron, the lightblood of Fort Blazed. There is no proof that backs up your claim, hence you must return with us to the town and answer to our clan leader." The leader of the guards said.

"I told you I have to wait for Dante! He will come searching for me and I need to be where he can find me!" Estelle hissed out, wondering if the nymphs had difficulty comprehending.

"This is blooming season... this companion you speak of is male?" The head guard asked.

"6ft2 inches tall, hair the shade of copper and goodly looking." Estelle quickly described.

"Well then, I fear your companion fits l the requirements and is already a part of the blooming hunt. As I have said, this is the most inopportune time to trespass on Forest Tajmaé." The head guard replied.

"Blooming hunt? What does that even mean?!" Estelle asked in exasperation.

"The blooming hunt is the main event of blooming season. It is a time where all the nymph clans gather in Forest Tajmaé while the hunt is declared."

"Parties are sent out to seek suitable candidates for various unmated nymphs and Forest Tajmaé is the hunting ground..."

"Now from what you say, it sounds to me like your companion has now become a prize." The head guard replied with a shrug.

"What???!!" Estelle exclaimed in horror.