Omega's Rebirth

The forest was vast, stretching on for miles and miles, untouched by civilization and an ever thriving monument right beyond the fodder grooves.

King Jian did know this forest, he had lived many long and tiresome centuries, there was not an inch of Keep Skies and it’s environs that did not hold some form of meaning or the other to him.

These lands were the very lands he had watched his father build out of nothing, establishing a dynasty greater than any that had ever been seen before even against all odds.

Every inch of keep skies had been fashioned with great care by the deceased King Agardan, every border marker and boundary much like this forest had been decided and mapped out by him.

For the dragon king, this forest was one he had seen many times, from the great heights above on the many events he had spoken out of turn and was exiled to the borders by his brother Asrig.

He would fly overhead, taking note of it that once and then for the second time a decade or more later, when Asrig’s wrath was pacified and King Jian was finally allowed back home.

As familiar as this forest was to him, King Jian had never known it’s name, he realized. Or perhaps the forest had never been named and was always considered just a landmark beyond the fodder grooves.

"It would require a name soon, a great battle would be fought here." King Jian thought to himself as he landed to a hill just beyond the forest.

King Jian folded his wings to his sides but did not change forms, he just stood there, lost in his own thoughts.

"Battles...does it ever end?" King Jian wondered. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

King Jian had thought he had seen the last of them after the overthrow, after he had put his own brother, his only blood related kin to the sword all for the greater good...as he was constantly reminded but never once believed.

But King Jian realized he had hoped for too much, he had let these centuries of peace and prosperity delude his mind, he had gotten too comfortable...too assured that no one would dare rise against his dynasty, now look how wrong he was.

The troll golem was one thing, and the masterminds behind it were another thing entirely. And then there was the dwarves, pesky little cretins harboring malicious intent.

The dream of a lifetime of peace and quiet had already been shattered long before and the very last shard had fallen to dust the very moment King Jian had set eyes on his bleeding brother,

Now someone would have to pay for ruining everything...and the only payment King Jian accepted was that offered in blood.

The battle and blood lust of the beast within had already been awakened, King Jian could feel the darkness of rage and blood thirst churning within him. A beast of battle as he was, this darkness was familiar...it was welcome even.

And King Jian did dread it, not the battle itself but the side of him that craved it...that had longed for it and would delight in it.

There was darkness in all men, King Jian had lived knowing his...it was only that the world only knew of the wild haze that could be seen and not of that which lurked within.

King Jian turned his large dragon head away from the forest and to the other side where the human settlement stretched out before his eyes, their lives as bustling as ever, ignorant of the evil that lay just a hill away from them.

An evil that could overturn the world they knew, leaving nothing but misery and darkness behind.

A low growl rumbled out of King Jian. He knew that would never happen, not as long as he had a say in it.

Though his dream of a lifetime of peace had been shattered more times than he could count, so much so that he had forgotten what it meant to dream, the peace of his people was one he would give his life to protect.

It was the sole purpose for his existence,and his lifetime vow...to protect all that his father and his kin had fought so hard to attain.

Now, and not for the first time, he would have to make good on that vow, in fire and blood.

________________

"My Liege." Lords Kaideon and Cassian greeted in unison as King Jian landed at the main camp.

It had been a short time since his arrival at the outskirts of the fodder groove, but King Jian had only just landed after scouting the entire expanse of the vast forest and even beyond it.

It had been far too long since the dragon king had flown out here, especially with the close proximity of the human settlement and so he there was a need to see for himself, to make his own judgement on what shape the hunt would take.

The great golden beast scanned the camp of the second squadron with his gleaming silver orbs, towering high above his subordinates in their human forms, though it would be much the same result had they been in dragon form .

Other than the black fiend, the largest beast of Asvar ever known, the dragon king’s golden beast came in a close second, but certainly was unrivalled in ferocity.

King Jian shifted back into his human form, his hands crossed behind his back and his black robes billowing softly in the wind behind him.

There was hardly an expression on his face, one could not really determine his mood. But his aura was dark and dangerous, which was enough to attest to his great displeasure.

King Jian passed a look to Cassian and then Kaideon, saying nothing at all, he strode past them, heading towards the tent he already knew was set up for him.

"Rauron and Mauldray have been summoned, they will arrive in no time." Cassian relayed as he followed behind King Jian.