Chapter 11
A/N: here we are for the next chapter! Remember, I don't own this story or franchise, I'm just the writer.
"Did you find the knife guy? Did you get his knife?" Ezran asked as he and Callum raced over to the statue, not noticing that their two companions were sitting almost on opposite sides from each other.
Rayla sighed, raising her purple hand, "No, the sunforge blade didn't work. The good news is the binding will fall off naturally, when my hand does."
"Ah Rayla, I'm sorry," Callum apologized.
"It's find, now, after what happened back there," she tossed a glare at Trezac, "I need some good news. Tell me what happened with the egg?"
"Um…well, not—not yet. But maybe, so yes? In a way?" the elder brother sputtered.
"That's not exactly an answer," Trezac remarked.
"We learned about a miracle healer. Someone who might be able to help the egg," Ezran informed, "and maybe your hand too!"
Rayla perked up at that, "Really?"
"Why do I sense a but?" Trezac muttered crossing his arms.
Callum laughed sheepishly, "Y-yeah, the only downside is, she lives up there," he pointed up to the imposing mountain before them, "the Cursed Caldera."
"Please tell it's named that cause it was discovered by the great explorer Sir Phineas Cursed."
"Well actually cause it's infested with horrible monsters," Callum answered.
"Yeah, I know," she sighed standing up. "Who knows, maybe our resident Dark Mage could handle them."
"What?" Callum flinched, "I—I'm not—"
"Not you! Him!" she pointed at Trezac. "You still haven't explained to me what exactly you did to that man back there!"
"Whoa, wait, what happened?" Callum interjected.
"I'll tell ya what," this guy found out I'm an elf and Mr. Dark Magic waltzes over, waves his hand and the man's stumbling off like a zombie!" she accused.
"For the last time what I do isn't magic!" he growled. "It's the Force! And even if it was magic! I'd never use the Dark Side! Not after I lost everything to it!"
"Maybe you're just saying that to trick us!"
"Ugh! What I did wasn't magic, it was a simple Force mind trick. We use on those of weak will to get out of tough situations, like the one you were in!" he growled. "If it wasn't for me, you'd be getting chased by an angry mob. So you're welcome," pushing past Rayla, Trezac lead the way towards the mountain.
-.-
"I think we're safe," Callum said as they ducked behind a tree.
"Safe, sure," Rayla drawled removing her cloak and shoving it back in Ezran's bag to help warm the egg, and how are we supposed to find this miracle healer?"
Movement caught their attention and Rayla reached for her blade as a pair of glowing green eyes emerged from the underbrush, revealing a wolf and a young girl on its back. "Come with me. I'll help you find her," she smiled turning the hound. "This way!"
Bounding up the steep trail, the group scrambled after her till they ended up on a smooth path,, slowing down to a steady walk as the ascended the mountain. "So, uh, hi there," Rayla greeted waving at the girl with her good hand and glancing at the wolf, "who are you?"
"Me?" the girl turned. "I'm Ellis, and this is Ava," she patted her pet. "She's a wolf."
"Really, I thought bird," Rayla smirked before laughing as Ava licked her cheek.
"Oh, I should've introduced you guys," Callum facepalmed. "Ellis, this is Rayla and Trezac. We met Rayla when she…well, broke into our Castle trying to kill Ezran."
"But that doesn't matter now cause we're friends!" Ezran quickly added.
"And we met Trezac when he crash landed from the sky into our kingdom."
Ellis just merely smiled, "People meet in so many interesting ways!"
"So how do we find this healer?" Trezac questioned lowering his hood.
"Truth is, I never found her, she found us," Ellis answered. "We were hiding in a big, twisty hallow tree up near the rim."
"Then we need to get to that tree, even if it takes all night," Callum nodded.
"Wait," Rayla protested, "that's all we have to go on? A weird tree where this miracle healer showed up three years ago?"
"You have a better idea?"
"As a matter a fact…no. No I don't," she grumbled.
Ellis smiled again, leading Ava to the front of the group, "I can get us up. The healer will find us there and she'll save the egg!"
"And your hand too," Ezran added.
"Don't worry about my hand, the egg's all that matters now," Rayla reassured rubbing her wrist.
The climb up the mountain was hard, involving leaping over gaps in the narrow path and climbing up steep slopes. Coming onto the ridge, Ellis lead Ava forwards, admiring the sunset, "It's beautiful. It's like the sky's been painted with honey."
"Wow," Ezran breathed taking in the view.
Ellis laughed turning to them with a wide smile on her face, "Too bad that it also means the nightmare's about to begin."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh you know," she shrugged, "enormous monsters, indescribable terrors, stuff like that."
"Stuff like that," Callum chuckled dryly, "yeah."
"I've probably seen worse," Trezac shrugged.
"Considering what you do to people's heads, why am I not surprised," Rayla bit back.
"Just so you know, the higher we go, the worse it'll get."
"Sounds like a blast," the padawan sighed removing his cloak and shoving it into his bag.
"All right! Let's go!" Rayla sarcastically cheered before she was stopped by Callum.
"No wait, we need a plan," he said.
"How do you plan for indescribable terrors?" Ezran questioned. "I feel like you need to be able to describe them first."
"Um…horrifying! Blood-curdling. Creepy, but in a super extreme way that feels like it's lighting you soul on fire," Ellis offered with a smile
The remaining members of the group tossed concerned glances at each other. "Uh…I think that helps?"
"Wait!" Callum said, "Wait, wait wait!"
"We're waiting?"
"I've got it!" the elder prince jumped. "Flash! Woof! Whoosh! Slish-slash!"
"…Awesome!" Ellis said before turning to Rayla and whispering, "Um, is he ok?"
The elf chuckled, "I think he's finally cracked under the pressure."
"No that's the plan," he answered and Trezac smacked his forehead muttering about owing someone money for finding a worse planner than someone. "Ezran, you have the first job! You hold Bait in the ait so he can flash and blind whatever monster we face. Flash!"
"Wait…but them I'm not really doing anything. I'm just kind of holding up Bait."
"You're support, every team needs a great support," Callum answered. "Ellis, Ava, Agir, you're next. You'll run around in circles and bark to confuse the monster."
"I dunno, do you think you can run around and bark a lot Ava?" The wolf barked in reply. "She's ready!"
"Then me, I'll use my windbreath spell, Whoosh!"
Ellis gasped, "You're going to cast a spell?!"
"It's just a simple rune thing I picked up," Callum brushed off with a wave of his hand. "No big deal."
"Yeah, he's gonna blow on the monster, ruffle it's fur real good," Rayla teased.
"It's that or the half of the lightning spell I know," he retorted. "Or, we can have Trezac do his magic thing. Shove the monster back?"
"That's more a defense move, not attack," Trezac replied ignoring the wary glance Rayla gave him.
"See, anyways, that'll leave you and Rayla, the finishers," Callum continued. You two will take out the blinded, distracted, windblown monster with your blades! Slish-Slash!"
Rayla refrained from scowling at the prospect of having to work with Trezac. After what happened earlier, she didn't trust the human as far as she could throw him. But, she supposed it was better than having the chance to use his own strange magic against them. "My hand's in pretty bad shape," she said flexing her bad wrist, "I'll only be able ti use one blade."
"Ok, then you're slash and Trezac is slish-slash!"
"No, this is my slish hand," she smirked as Callum balked.
"Really?"
"No, not really ya dummy," she smirked before facepalming as she remembered something. "Wait, you may be a dummy, but you're no fool!"
"I'm pretty sure that's a contradiction," Trezac muttered crossing his arms as Rayla grabbed Callum.
"Am I supposed to feel flattered by this?"
"You said Claudia called you a fool when you interrupted her lightning spell," she recalled getting a nod from the boy, "but, I'll bet she was actually trying to say fulminis, the draconic word for lightning!"
Green eyes went wide as the elder brother picked up on what she was saying. "So if fulminis is the trigger word—"
"Then you know the spell for lightning!" Ezran interrupted.
Callum grinned, pulling out the primal stone. "Revised plan! Flash! Woof! Zap! Slish-Slash!"
"Wonderful," Trezac grumbled turning to walk away.
-.-
-.-
"So, who exactly is it that we're coming to visit down here?" the Eleventh Sister smiled trailing behind Viren with a skip in her step. "I'm guessing someone important with all that food, but why would they be in a dungeon?"
Viren sighed, opening the door and the woman, finally went quiet as she took in the elf. Stepping inside, Viren set his staff aside and knelt down in front of the prisoner. "If you don't eat, you'll die."
"I am already dead," the elf spat back.
"Not really; you don't look dead," Eleven spoke crouching beside him. "And you certainly don't feel dead. Though, that hand…" she got up grabbing the elf's hand and twisting, causing the prisoner to give a sharp cry of pain. "Nope, you can still feel it…good."
Viren took a slow breath, finding himself slightly unnerved by the gleam in her eyes. "I went out of my way to acquire some rare Xadian fruits," he spoke again holding a few of the delectable morsels up, "How remarkable? So strange and exotic," he picked up a knife slicing the peel away from one, "and these Xadian oranges, no seeds. Incredible." Holding out a slice, he raised a brow as his prisoner scoffed at the food, turning away. "No?" he plopped the slice into his mouth. "I understand the whole honor in not eating thing, but at least drink something," he offered a cup, holding it out, "don't worry it's berry juice."
"Ugh," Eleven scoffed stomping forwards and pushing Viren aside, "you're being too kind Viren," she turned to look down on the prisoner, "and you, how rude, to decline such offers from your hosts. If we were back in my land you'd be punished for such a disgrace to your kind hosts. But, lucky for you, we need you alive."
The human reached out her hand and Runaan gasped as his throat suddenly felt constricted. He couldn't breathe. Why couldn't he breathe? Wide eyes turned to the mage, her gold eyes gleaming in malice as she was trying to choke the life out of him. She strode forwards, the pitcher flying up into her hand without even a spell passing her lips. A hand grabbed his hair roughly, yanking his head back and suddenly the pressure around his neck was gone. However, instead of a gasping breath of air he'd been expecting his mouth and throat burned as berry juice was dumped. Sputtering he coughed whatever got into his lungs out, wheezing as the woman tossed the pitcher aside looking bored.
"There, that wasn't so hard."
It was then the other mage took a step forwards, looking, dare he say, almost as disturbed as he was. "Um, well, we have a proposition for you. I just need you to look at an object and tell me what it does. After that, I'll unchain you and you can walk out of here."
The woman made another annoyed sound and Runaan couldn't help but flinch as she strolled back over, crouching in front of him with narrowed gold eyes. "You will cooperate with us," she spoke slowly, waving her hand. He gasped as he felt something dark brush against his own mind, trying to subject it to its will. He knew human magic was vile, but this…it was beyond evil. Narrowing her eyes at him, an almost insane smile came to her face, "You're a strong one, mind tricks won't work on you will they? You're gonna be such a fun toy till I break you."
"I told you, I am already dead," he ground out, trying to sound braver than he currently felt.
It didn't appear to work as he smile impossibly grew wider, "Ooh, is that fear I sense?" she purred.
"I believe it's a Moonshadow Elf philosophy, accepting one is already dead so you don't fear it," Viren interrupted.
"So we need to find something he fears more!" she smiled bouncing to her feet. "This is gonna be so fun!"