Omega's Rebirth-Chapter 821: No Storm ()

Dante stood outside the High Lady’s quarters, leaning against a tree, his arms were crossed and while he stood in place, his thoughts wandered.

The night air was chilly against his skin. He had waited hours now, for the third day in a row, and Verothrax was still held by the nymphs. He had known it would be a tasking process, but he had not realised it would be this tasking.

Estelle and Ida had waited with him for a few hours each day, but Lord Farren had come later to fetch them. While Dante could bear through a few days more, they were exhausted from the long flight and needed the rest.

Of course, neither was willing to leave. But Dante had insisted. There was nothing any of them could do to aid Verothrax at this point. All they could do was wait.

And now, Dante was alone with his thoughts and the nature surrounding him.

It was on nights like this Dante found himself thinking of how much had changed since the last time he was here. Yet the forest itself had not changed at all.

"Hey..."

Dante glanced up to see Estelle standing at the end of the path, watching him. Her bright smile warmed his heart and stirred his growing guilt at the same time.

She hadn’t mentioned her reservations about them, not since Scabbard. But it was etched into his mind, chipping away at him at every moment of quiet

"Why are you out again?" He asked as she walked over to stand beside him.

"I just... couldn’t sleep." She murmured, glancing up at the night sky. Her brows were furrowed in deep thought and her eyes were glassy, like she had been burdened by something.

Dante’s heart constricted. It was madness. Just seeing her unease made his breaths painful. "What’s on your mind?"

She didn’t respond immediately, contemplating her words. It took her a while to put them together but he waited. They told each other everything, not hiding or shying away...it had always been the basis of their friendship, turned companionship.

The titles tasted bitter on Dante’s tongue. He hadn’t realized a dragon’s heart could know such a need. Because it wasn’t enough... nothing felt enough anymore.

"When I close my eyes," She paused, "I see him... Verothrax. His screams reach as far as our hut."

"The agony I can picture on his face...in his eyes, I just can’t get over it."

"He must be in so much pain." Her voice was hoarse now. She turned her face away. To hide her tears, he guessed.

She was soft like that. The empathy he could never fully comprehend, Estelle was the definition of it.

Even after all this time, after all they had been through... she was still the same girl she always had been. Wiser, yes. But as genuine as always.

"Ida sleeps just fine." Dante pointed out.

Estelle passed him a withering, teary eyed glare. "What does that have to do with anything?" She cried.

"Because of me, you didn’t go in with him when the High Lady offered it. And now you can’t go in anymore... and there’s no one by his side. He must feel so alone..." She sobbed.

"And my father has returned. But I can’t go to see him. Because the stronghold is in danger and Veah is counting on us, and I can’t disappoint her..."

Dante felt helpless watching her. He was equally, if not more worried about Verothrax. And at the same time, he wanted more than anything to reunite the father and daughter.

But none of these were in his hands. And while he could accept that, she didn’t know how to.

"Elle..." He sighed. He tugged her gently till she turned into his arms. He winced at how her shoulders trembled, and how fragile she felt against him.

She was so small, he realized. Barely 5ft6 compared to his towering height. Why had he never noticed how small she was? How well she fit into his embrace... like his arms were made to hold her? To comfort her?

To think like this, scared him. To feel like this...

"Don’t cry anymore." Dante reasoned. "It was such a long flight to get here. In that time, Veah faced so much to keep the stronghold standing. War and a volcano... the least we can do, is get Verothrax to the Dunes."

"Do you think I don’t know that?" Her voice was muffled against his chest. "But we’re not doing a very good job with Verothrax either."

Dante didn’t have the right words. "Verothrax...will get through it. He is a greater dragon, greater man, than even he knows."

"I just wish we could do more for... everyone. Veah, she..." Estelle trailed off,

"She would be proud of you, Elle." Dante finished before she could. "Lord Starron too. I know I am."

"You serve the stronghold now. With all your devotion. You know to place your needs second to the greater good, even when it hurts...especially when it hurts. Look how far you’ve come... how much you’ve grown."

Estelle didn’t respond but the tremors slowed and her tight grip on his shirt loosened.

"I just want all the people I love, safe... and happy." She whispered.

He hummed in response. "Who are the people you love? Tell me." He coaxed, hoping to distract her from her dismay.

"My father." She replied in a brighter tone. "Veah."

Dante waited. Hoped.

"You."

If he could see his own heart, he was certain it had just blossomed. Like a bud that had waited an eternity for the sunlight.

Despite everything, her feelings for him hadn’t changed. He felt relieved, and even more guilty.

"Lord Ranjor and Blazed dragons. Lord Mycroft and Damien. Everon and Tara..." She trailed off, seriously contemplating the rest of her list.

Dante was sure she would eventually get around to mentioning the whole stronghold.

"Veah is ahead of me." Dante murmured as casually as he could.

Estelle glanced up at him, brows furrowed in a cute frown.

"She’s my only friend." She reminded. "Besides, she’s also your cousin."

He wasn’t certain if he was more satisfied to know he was not even a candidate for the ’friend’ category, or that she didn’t immediately catch on to his implication.

He contemplated his response carefully. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep his truth from slipping into his tone.

But before he could say anything, a sound like the clap of thunder shook the forest. It sent the trees swaying and raining leaves down. Birds took flight and the night life went silent almost instantly.

A strange, eerie whistling wind went by.

The sound didn’t happen again. But the forest had gone still.

There was no expected storm, or signs of one.

Dante glanced up. His eyes immediately drawn to the tiny rip in the sky, a small gaping tear of darkness.

"Is that..." Estelle stuttered.

"A void." Dante confirmed grimly. "Verothrax is losing control again."