Omega's Rebirth

The High Maiden walked down the path, her steps were light and her movement was nearly soundless save for the swishing of her dress around her ankles.

And then there was the barely audible sound crunching sound as the High Maiden stepped over the fallen leaves littered along the path.

The High Maiden was bare footed, Dante could tell that much from the sound of her footsteps. Not that it mattered to him, it was just in Dante’s nature to take note of every detail.

The strange items dangling from above swayed all the more as the High Maiden walked past, as though they recognized her presence.

Dante knew he had heard somewhere that the leader of a nymph clan wielded the most powerful magic, and Dante could sense the presence of the High Maiden’s magic hanging over the hall.

Though Dante could sense it, it was difficult to tell the exact strength of her magic. Dante assumed it could be likened unto that of a noble blooded fairy.

Of the fae race, the fairies were blessed with the most powerful magic and so Dante had never really thought of how powerful a nymph could be.

"You humans are quite amusing... existing in doubts, self denial, self deception...a pitiful existence truly."

"We nymphs are different, we embrace our truest selves. We dare to desire and go for what we desire." The high maiden declared proudly.

"Three blooming seasons I have waited, there were many set before me but I knew it, that when I set eyes on the one... I would know it." The High Maiden cut off her words and changed her topic.

"Do you not realize that with your eyes closed, your senses become all the more alert?" The High Maiden commented in amusement, laughing quietly to herself as she stopped.

Dante assumed the High Maiden glanced over her shoulder at him, but it was hard to tell exactly.

"You do not see, but you sense it all...you hear my voice, my footsteps, you know of my presence. Soon enough, your mind will begin to form an image of me."

"Then there will be curiousity...all your kind resist the inevitable but ultimately fall to it."

" Closing your eyes to me is but a futile attempt at self deception, wouldn’t you agree?" The High Maiden continued.

"Inevitable? Your end will be that." Dante replied in a blank tone.

"Stubborn... I was told you were." The high maiden sighed to herself.

"If you will not see it for yourself, I can tell you all that you would see. Come along, let me show you the beauty of my world." The High Maiden decided as she continued on.

Dante did not move an inch until the cuff around his limbs tugged him forwards and Dante frowned but complied reluctantly.

"All that lies around you are the sacred artifacts of the Nord clan. Of the three nymph clans, only the Nord clan has stayed true to the ancient ways." The High Maiden said as she walked.

"You know, there are many tales of the Nord clan. I am certain you must have heard of them as you grew up. All that you knew...you will do well to forget it."

"If you will say nothing else, then you should at least tell me... what brings you to Forest Tajmaé? From where do you come?" The High Maiden asked.

The High Maiden hummed softly when Dante still remained silent.

"Fate has brought you here...to me. You original path matters not. We shall build a powerful clan, you and I... greater than all the other nymph clans."

"I see it... and I know for certain that I shall get what I want." The High Maiden concluded as she stopped.

"The blooming season is at it’s close, I must divine to know what lies ahead." The high maiden decided.

Dante assumed the High Maiden took a seat, as she soon began chanting strange words.

Dante took a few steps back till he leaned against a tree and waited.

Time flew by quickly and Dante was certain a few hours had passed but still yet, the High Maiden’s chants had not faltered.

It was at this time that Dante’s ears twitched as he picked up a rustling sound from somewhere far ahead in the hall.

Dante frowned slightly, he sensed a strange presence that he had not noticed before.

’One...two...’ Dante counted.

There were two nymphs approaching and they were not coming from the entrance of the hall.

Dante guessed there was another entrance on the other side, or perhaps this hall truly opened out into a forest.

Somehow, Dante knew these two nymphs were not meant to be present here and so he concentrated his senses to hear their conversation.

"With the blooming season at it’s end, the High Maiden must make the final divination." A first voice said.

"The High Maiden is weakest when she divines. And with the arrival of her prize, all the guard nymphs are a great distance from the inner hall. This is the right time." The second voice replied.

Dante raised a brow, he could sense the killing intent of the Intruders.

It seemed there were those amongst the Nord clan who bore ill intentions against the High Maiden and Dante had found himself right in the middle of an assassination attempt.

’The nymphs are rather dramatic.’ Dante thought to himself, shaking his head.

His eyes remained closed and he tuned out the rest of the conversation. Whatever was to happen to the High Maiden was no business of his.

For a short while after, the intruders lurked in the shadows, just watching and waiting.

Dante could still sense every movement but he made no moves to warn the High Maiden.

Soon, the intruders emerged, one approached the High Maiden while the other crept up to Dante.

A cold blade was pressed against Dante’s neck the next moment and a menacing voice whispered.

"If you want to live... keep silent." The voice threatened.

Dante remained calmly leaning against the tree, a small smirk of amusement on his lips.

The High Maiden’s chants finally stopped, she only noticed their company much too late.

"You trespass on sacred grounds. I did not send for you... what do you want?" The High Maiden asked in a low tone.

From the High Maiden’s words, Dante could see that she recognized the two intruders who had come.

"Lady Melissa... the Nord clan should always have been ruled by a worthy male." One of the voices replied.

"You should never have left the safety of your palace to come out to Forest Tajmaé for the blooming season." He continued.

"You are here to kill me? On whose orders?!" The high maiden hissed furiously.

"Does it matter? You will not live long enough to do anything about." The voice replied

"Guards! Guards!" The High Maiden called for help.

Help that Dante knew would not come, Dante had wondered right from the start why there was so few nymphs in the cottage... perhaps this was the reason.

At this time, the other nymphs present were too far away to hear the High Maiden’s calls.

From the tremor in the High Maiden’s tone, Dante guessed she was in the same position as he was, with a blade pressed against her neck.

In Dante’s opinion, the High Maiden deserved it.

Anyone who could let her clan go around capturing innocents to be mated against their certainly would not meet a pleasant end.

Dante only found it amusing that only two assassins were considered enough to kill a High Maiden.

’I guess she is not so powerful afterall.’ Dante thought.

Dragons were raised to be self dependent, they would never be so vulnerable in the absence of guards.

"No one can hear you, Lady Melissa..." The first voice taunted.

"This was planned...right from the beginning of the blooming season. Planned for the moment I would be at my weakest. The final divination at the end of the season." The High Maiden murmured in realization.

"The ruling family of the Nord clan was meant to change since the deceased High Master named a female heir." The first voice said. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The High Maiden sucked in a shuddering breath before she laughed quietly.

"To reveal your true intents at this time, it only shows how much you fear me... your unworthy, female ruler." The High Maiden replied whilst chuckling.

Dante was drawn out of his meditation when the blade by his neck pressed in too closely, cutting into his flesh.

Dante hissed, his eyes snapping open as he threw his head back and crashed it into the head of the second assassin.

Dante could hear the sickening sound as the nymph’s skull was smashed by the impact and the wide eyed body dropped to the ground with a thud.

Dante lifted a hand to his neck, inspecting the injury with a frown before he returned his attention to the High Maiden and the other assassin who both stared at him in shock.