Chapter 23 - Home

For Ezran, things were going from bad to worse. First, Kasef wanted to attack Xadia…and then he threatened to attack Katolis if he didn't join the fight. So many people would be killed in a pointless war, and he wanted to stop the fighting. He'd thought about it for hours, trying to find a way to stop the bloodshed.

And his only option, to spare them, was to give up his crown.

After making sure Bait would be well taken care of, he'd given the order that anyone who didn't want to fight was allowed to go home without any consequences.

Then, he'd been escorted to the very cell Viren had been held in, and their bonds were exchanged. He could still remember the look on the mage's face.

"I'm so sorry it's come to this," he'd said, almost sincere.

"No, you're not."

He'd given him a small smirk. "No, I'm not."

"But don't worry Viren," Ezran called back, "You will be. My brother will see to it."

Viren had sneered at him, but said nothing, leaving the cell. He'd been left alone in the chamber ever since, but then, he heard a croak from the grate above. Looking up, he noticed a familiar face. "Hey!" he called up to Bait's grumpy face. "I was hoping you'd be my first visitor. I wish I could come up there with you, but…" He held up his chained hands.

Bait croaked before disappearing from view, and suddenly, it began to rain jelly tarts through the hole in the ceiling. The glow toad himself pushed through and flopped down into the cell. With food and a friend, Ezran smiled, settling back against the wall. "See? This isn't so bad." His smile soon faded to a frown, and he looked down at his wrist. "I'm sorry Callum…I tried."

Bait croaked sympathetically, then gently licked the band. They munched their way through the tarts, watching the sun rise above the grate. He hoped Callum and Rayla were safe and far enough ahead to stop the battle.

With only a few tarts left, Bait burped, bringing him out of his moping. Ez gave the toad's belly a good rub and laughed, but he soon heard someone approaching. "Someone's coming," he realised, turning to the toad. "You need to hide. No glowing," he told him, hiding the creature behind his back.

The cell door opened and a familiar face stepped in, looking slightly distressed. "Hey Ez."

"Soren? What are you doing here?"

"Getting you out of here," he explained, pulling a key from his pocket. "Dad's been crowned king, and I know him…he's going to… tie off loose ends. So you need to get out of Katolis."

"How?"

"I have a plan," he said, peeking out around the cell to make sure no one was near. "You need to get back to Scales and warn him."

The boy nodded in agreement as they walked out and made their way through the secret tunnels below the palace. "Thank you Soren."

"Ezran, I know I did some bad things…but you and Callum gave me a chance. I should be thanking you for that." They walked in silence for a bit before the guard sighed. "Your dad was a good king. As a Crown Guard, it was my job to make sure that nothing happened to him, no matter what. So, when the Moonshadow elves came, I did everything I could to protect him...but it wasn't enough. I just don't want to fail you too."

With a smile, the young boy nodded. "We will make everything right again, promise."

"Well… the first thing we need to do is get you out of here. Come on, follow me."

After walking down the tunnels for a while, the pair came to an opening that led up to the well. They climbed out, and Soren quickly smuggled the former king into a hay bale to cross the main bridge. The guard failed at acting inconspicuous, shouting loudly about hungry horses as he went. There was a close call when a soldier spotted Bait's glow, but Soren managed to bluff it off.

Once they were far enough away from the bridge, Ezran had a sudden déjà vu as he found himself in the same space they had slept during their first night after their escape. The boulder Rayla had sat on all night was the same as he'd last seen it. Had it really been only a few weeks since that night?

As Soren put the cart down, he nodded to the bushes. "Come on out everybody."

Ezran smiled as he climbed out and saw Corvus, Opeli, and baker Barius climbing out of the bushes. "Wow! I can't believe you all worked together to save me."

"Credit where credit's due." Corvus smiled. "Soren was the mastermind."

"Mastermind. I like it," Soren said thoughtfully. "That can be my new nickname. It even rhymes. Sor-ine the Mastermind."

"That does not rhyme," the hunter reminded him with a shake of his head. "And I think 'Dumb Lump' is a better nickname for you."

Smiling at the reminder, Soren turned to Ez. "I'm going to go back, see if I can help disrupt things…buy you some time. These guys will take you to the rendezvous point."

"Thanks Soren." The young boy hugged him tight. "You're the best Crown Guard a king could ask for."

The older boy nodded and hugged him back. "Yeah…and tell Scales...I'm on his side."

With that said, he turned and pulled the cart of hay the way he'd come.

Corvus sighed. "I've got to say Ezran, things are not looking good."

"Viren has already called for the troops," Opeli explained. "He will have to obey your order, to let any who doesn't want to fight go but…I don't think there's many who will want to take the option. There will still be a large force marching on Xadia."

Ezran sighed. "Well…if Katolis can't stop the war…then it will have to be Xadia that makes the first move."

"Come, you will have to get there quickly." Corvus nodded, then led the way through the bushes and into the trees. "We have a ride waiting for you."

"Pyrrah?"

"I wish," he sighed. "But she's vanished…as have all the other dragons in the west."

"Callum did summon them. So…who's my ride?"

At that moment, a screech filled the air. They looked up as a bright flash of light shone and a blue creature came flying towards them. "Phoe-Phoe!" Ez laughed as the bird came down and landed before them, the guardian of the Moon Nexus on her back.

Lujanne smiled as she saw the young boy. "Hello again Ezran. I must admit, I was surprised to receive a message from Katolis," she said, looking at the letter in her hands. "It's not signed, but I assume it's from the strapping young idiot, since it starts with,Dear Moon Lady."

"In his defence, Lujanne is kinda hard to spell," Corvus chuckled lightly at her.

The mage gave him a look, but then nodded. "But I am happy to help."

Guessing that was his cue, Ezran turned to the woman beside him. "Goodbye, Opeli," he said calmly, "Thank you for believing in me."

"I serve the true king," she replied with a bow.

He turned to the other. "Corvus, I'm sorry I let you down as king. It only took me a few days to mess everything up."

"Are you kidding?" the tracker chuckled, kneeling in front of him. "In your first few days as king, you showed more courage, strength, and grace than most leaders show in a lifetime." He smiled, bowing himself.

Before he could say anything else, Barius grabbed him and Bait from behind in a tight hug. Bait was turning grey, then purple from the lack of air. "Goodbye, Ezran. Goodbye, Bait."

After the goodbyes, Lujanne stepped forward. "Time to go, Ezran. Phoe-Phoe will be strongest traveling at night."

Nodding, the boy walked over to the phoenix and climbed onto her back. "What about you guys?"

"We plan on going to Duren and asking Queen Aanya for help. Don't worry about us," Opeli told him with a smile.

With that said, Ezran took to the sky on the back of the bird once more. It was a long journey, and Ez looked down over the land he had already traversed twice on his way to and from the border. He spotted the lodge, the towns they had passed through, and as the sun began to rise, they passed over the Cursed Caldera. Passing over the nexus seemed to give the phoenix a boost, and she hurried onward.

It was almost mid-afternoon when Ezran saw a golden river below them and gasped in happiness. "I can't believe it!" he called, picking up Bait in his arms. "This is the moment I've dreamed of my whole life! We're going into Xadia! Phoe-Phoe, you did it! You got us here!" He paused for a moment, then blinked, looking at her drooping head and heavy breathing. "Phoe-Phoe? What's wrong?"

The moon phoenix slowly came down to land on the other side of the lava river, surrounded by lush trees and unusual wildlife. Once they landed, the bird fell forward, panting hard as she lay still.

Climbing down, Ezran hugged her face warmly. "Phoe-Phoe! You're exhausted and sick. You got us to Xadia. We can find them on our own now." He stepped back and nodded to her. "You need to go home so you can rest and get better. I know Lujanne told you to bring me all the way, but you have to promise me you'll be okay."

He stroked her face gently, and she cooed to him, closing her eyes. Ezran sighed and glanced at Bait sitting on her back. "She says she has to see this through."

Slowly, she leant forward and allowed him to mount before she took to the sky again, keeping slightly lower than before, but continuing to press on.

~#~

With the Moonstrider and Shadowpaw walking through the trees, it was a slow trek on the other side of the desert. Rayla smiled happily, and Callum barely held his own back. They stopped and rested when needed, Callum often holding Rayla's hand and pulling her into him for a kiss.

She didn't complain. Sometimes, she'd start it.

They spent one more night in the forest, snuggling into each other. They didn't even need a blanket with Callum's natural warmth, but the next morning, they came out of the forest into a large, open tundra. Small hillocks peppered the space while on the far side, was a large, thin mountain that reached into the clouds.

Between them and the mountain however, was something odd. At first, Callum thought it was another, smaller mountain, but as they got closer, he realised it was shaped.

Finally, they rode alongside it, and he realised it was a statue of a dragon, quite similar to Sol Regem. The shape was half eroded away by time, distorting some of the finer features, but it left enough to see what it was meant to be.

Rayla came to a stop and dismounted beside it, her smile gone as she reached down and plucked a small flower from the ground. She walked over to a flattened, open space that had a collection of ribbons, crystals, and other tokens placed near the base of the dragon.

Callum stared, his heart throbbing and his eyes building with tears. "That's…that's not a statue…is it?" he whispered, unable to take his eyes off it.

He looked up at the huge, stone figure towering above, broken and covered with moss. It wasn't a statue of a dragon, but the body of one, frozen still for the rest of eternity.

"No…it's-it's not a statue," Rayla whispered, standing and placing her hand gently on his shoulder. She gave it a little squeeze, hoping to provide a sense of comfort. She knew exactly who this was.

Walking up to the shrine, Callum passed it, then placed a hand on the broken leg rear of the beast. He looked around, and assumed the other boulders strewn about were the remains of what used to be his foot and wing.

A faint memory began to return to him. His little hybrid self, curled up cosily in the lap of this dragon, climbing up his neck, and pulling on his fur. He remembered the warmth, hearing him laugh and roll over, playing dead to his son's games. He remembered them sitting by a fireplace, him in his arms, hugged tight and feeling the strength in his breaths, of his dad's hands stroking his hair as he drifted off to sleep.

Tears began to roll down his cheeks as he nuzzled his face against the stone. His talons scratched at the surface, as if by some miracle, the dragon would come to life once again.

"D-Dad…Dad, it's me, Cadonumis…I'm…I'm home…see?" he sobbed to the statue, curling up at its foot.

Rayla watched the heart breaking sight. Normally, she was glad when he got his memories back, but not this time. A part of her wished he'd never remember this. After giving him a moment to grieve, she knelt beside him. "Callum?"

Moving his wing, his teary eyes met the elf's soft, loving gaze. "Over and over…Viren…Viren would describe how he killed him… my father…over and over…he would tell me about the…snapping of his limbs…his roars of pain and the way he reached out for…the Spire…" He closed his eyes and screwed his face up. "I didn't know what he meant. I-I'd forgotten it…forgot him. But now that I see it…I-I know it's true. He…he died so painfully, Rayla. He-he died trying to get back to me. He-he-he-he…"

Callum gasped once he felt himself being pulled into a tight embrace. Rayla held him close, rubbing between his wings in a soothing manner. "It's okay Callum…" she whispered gently into his ear, burying her face into the crook of his neck as her own tears threatened to fall. "I know it's painful…but…I'm here for you. I'm always here for you. So you let it out, okay? You just let it out."

The dragon held the elf close and wrapped his tail protectively around her. His shoulders shook while he cried, and the elf could only hold him as he unleashed a flood of agony. For a few minutes, the pair just sat, but then Callum pushed back, wiping his eyes. "S-sitting here crying isn't going…to do anyone any good," he said, his voice weak and sore from the sobs.

Rayla admired his determination and nodded slightly. "Alright, let's get going. We should make it to the foot of the mountain by sunset."

Standing, the dragon looked up at his father's broken remains. "Let's go..." He started heading for the Moonstrider, but then turned when he heard a screech from above. "That-that sounded like…"

His hunch turned out to be correct as the blue phoenix came down from the sun's glare and landed before them. The creature then lowered her head and revealed the passenger.

Callum's sadness vanished instantly as he ran towards them. "Ezran!" he called, laughing and almost knocking him over in a hug. "Ezran! It's you!"

Ez laughed as well, hugging him tight. "Callum! I'm so glad we found you! I've been so worried about you." He looked over the dragon's shoulder as Rayla joined them in the hug. "Rayla! I've missed you so much!"

"Ezran, what are you doing here?" she asked as they parted and looked at each other.

The young boy smiled. "Let's just say that being king isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Are you okay?" The dragon suddenly snarled, looking him over. "Are you hurt? I saw the bond with fear and anger but…I wasn't sure what the cause could be."

"I'm fine Callum," he chuckled, pushing his tail away as it tried to wrap around him. "I'm safe now."

Suddenly, behind them, the phoenix collapsed, and with Ezran and the prince around her to offer some comfort, she soon passed in their arms. She faded into blue flames and a pile of silvery dust, leaving a single glowing feather in the human's hands.

Ezran chuckled as he held it tight. "She's going to be okay. She's a Moon Phoenix! When the time is right, she'll be reborn!"

"Well, you take care of her Ezran." Callum smiled, rubbing his shoulder. "And I'm glad to see you're okay."

The boy looked up at him, then blinked. "Callum? Are you okay? Y-you look like you've been crying."

The teen smiled sadly and looked over to the statue. "This…this is my father," he said softly. "This is the Dragon King, Avizandum."

Ezran gasped at the words. "Oh..."

"Ez?"

He looked down to the ground. "I…I never told you before Callum… I…I didn't want to. But…the thing is…" He frowned, glancing at the dragon. "Your dad…he…he killed my mom."

"What?"

"It was a long time ago…I'd only just been born," he sniffed. "A few years later, my father attacked yours…in revenge for her death and…and did this."

Callum took a moment, then hugged his brother close. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"But Ezran, that's in the past," he said with a faint smile. "Humans and Xadians have been at war for thousands of years. The actions of our fathers…they may have shaped us, started us on our paths, but their actions don't control us. We're in control of our own fate." He held out his hand and looked at the band on both their wrists. "You and I? We're the ones who are going to change everything." His gaze moved to the tall mountain beside them. "And to do that…we have to get up there."

~#~

A few hundred miles away, the human army was setting up camp and awaiting orders. They weren't heading straight for the lair of the Dragon Queen, but instead, for a grand city belonging to the Sunfire elves. No one was sure why, but Soren had a feeling of dread building up in his chest. Whatever the reason, it wasn't good.

Even worse, his father said he'd be going to the Sunfire elves alone.

As he walked around the camp, trying to work out what the plan was, he spotted his father heading into his own tent. The mage glanced around as if he were worried about being followed.

Soren eventually walked over himself and knelt by the entrance, watching as Viren pulled a chain from under his clothes and carefully unlocked a chest sitting on the table.

He watched in horror as his father pulled a vial out, then used an odd device to inject the substance into his arm. The look of exhaustion on his face instantly vanished, and when he turned to leave, he looked powerful.

The Crown Guard had no idea what could cause such a change, but he wanted to find out. Carefully, he made his way over to the chest.

It was locked once more, but with a small shimmy of his dagger, he cracked it open. Inside were five vials of red liquid, each one marked with a date. Soren has a nasty feeling he knew what these were, and it made him sick.

Callum had told him about his father taking his blood, but he had never known why. Now Soren knew. He used it to boost his own power, injecting it into his body. "Not anymore," he whispered, knocking the open chest onto the floor and ensuring each vial was broken before casually walking out of the tent.

~#~

Camping at the base of the mountain for the night, the reformed group began to trek up the spire at first light, but not before they released the Moonstrider and Shadowpaw to be on their way. They both appeared reluctant to leave, but Callum explained it was too dangerous for them to join and that they had done a good job getting them there. They gave the elf and dragon one final nuzzle, then ran off together the way they came.

Halfway up the mountain, Rayla slowed and began to hang back, breathing heavily as they made their way up. At the front, Callum was feeling oddly good again, just like at the Moon Nexus. "Hey, Rayla, is the Storm Spire a nexus?" he asked, then turned back to see her, holding her arms and leaning on the wall. "Rayla?"

"Yeah?" She looked up at him with a slight uncertainty in her eyes. "What is it Callum?"

"I was asking if the Storm Spire is a nexus?" he repeated, frowning at her. "Rayla, what's wrong? You look…worried?" He took hold of her hand. "What is it? What's on your mind?"

She looked at her hand in his, his touch warm against the cool air, and the feeling of his talons nice against her skin. She liked his touch. It felt nice to have him with her.

"Rayla?"

She blinked, looking at him. "Sorry, spaced out a bit."

"What's wrong?" he asked again, nuzzling her cheek gently. "Tell me...Please?"

She smiled, remembering the feeling. "It's…it's just...you and me."

"What about us?"

"Well…I…I don't think…" She sighed. "I don't think we should tell anyone."

He pulled back and tilted his head. "Why?"

"It's just…" She shook her head and forced a smile, walking on up the stairs. "It's nothing."

The dragon didn't look convinced as he followed her. "Rayla…something is on your mind. What don't you want to tell me?"

She looked back at him. "Callum…we're…different. I don't think we should tell anyone we are…whatever we are."

"Rayla," he sighed, hurrying up the few steps parting them and holding both of her hands. "Rayla, please, tell me the truth; are you really worried about what people will think of our relationship?"

She blushed suddenly. "W-we're in a relationship?"

"Well…" He blushed deeper, glancing away. "I-I think we are."

"Well…I wouldn't mind, but…you're an Archdragon…and I'm…just an elf?"

"So?" He shrugged. "We know dragon-elf relationships work. We spent almost two days with the Variants."

"And you heard how they're shunned from place to place, never welcomed. That would be us."

He smiled and leant towards her, hovering over her lips. "No, it won't," he whispered, then kissed her firmly. "Because I won't let it."

"Callum, you are the future king of Xadia. You have responsibilities and duties and…a destiny…"

"My destiny is to change the way the world has been for the last one thousand years, to restore peace between humans, dragons, and elves. And what better way than to have a human as my chosen brother and an elf as my chosen partner?" He smiled, brushing her hair back. "You're everything to me Rayla. You know that." He sighed, then stepped back a little. "But if you don't want anyone to know, that's fine, we will keep it a secret...for now. When the time is right, I will tell everyone my feelings for you. Agreed?"

A sad little smile came to her lips. "Agreed..." A little part of her hoped he'd eventually meet a nice dragoness and forget her...but another part wanted to hold onto him forever.

They continued on, hand in hand up the mountain path before noticing Ezran had stopped before a large gateway, carved to look like a pair of wings. Rayla frowned as she looked it over. "This is elven writing."

"Can you read it?"

"It says, prepare to draw your last breath."

The human looked back at the elf. "I don't like the sound of that."

"Don't worry," the dragon said as they continued onwards. "If anything is beyond...I'm sure we can handle it."

They continued the climb for a few more minutes, nothing really interesting happening. However, Callum slowly began to notice that Ezran, Rayla, and Bait seemed to be struggling to press on. Ezran finally fell to his knees, breathing heavily.

Callum knelt at his side and rubbed his back. "Ezran? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I-I can't…I can't breathe," Ez managed. "I-it's…too hard…to b-breathe."

"Rayla, what's wrong with him?" he asked, but then turned to see her lying on her side, also struggling to breathe. He ran over to her, helping her to her knees. "Rayla? Rayla what's wrong?"

"I-I can't go on," she moaned softly, "I-I can't…I just…" She groaned as he helped drag her over to Ezran.

Callum looked over them both as they curled up. "Rayla? Ezran? Please, wake up!" he pleaded, shaking them and noticing their breathing was getting slower. He looked around the misty path. "Someone! Someone help me!" he shouted out over the clouds. "Please! Someone!" He looked back at the others. "Rayla? Ezran? Come on, y-you need to keep breathing!"

"My word, you're a noisy one."

He gasped as he looked up and saw a hybrid walking down the stairs, her short, raven hair framing her horns and face. "Pyrrah?"

"You did tell me to go to Storm Spire."

"D-do you know what's wrong with them?" he asked desperately, shaking the others' shoulders. "I can't…I don't know what's wrong with them!"

The dragoness rolled her eyes. "Calm down, they just need Ventus Spiralis."

"What?"

"It's a spell."

"C-can you cast it?"

"No, I'm a sun dragon. I can't do sky magic. You can do it." She nodded to the unconscious pair. "Just think of the words and cast the spell."

Callum took a few deep breaths before nodding, closing his eyes, and calling on his powers. "V-Ventus Spiralis."

The spell seemed to work at once, Rayla and Ezran suddenly gasping, and taking in a deep breath.

"Oh wow, it worked. What a surprise," Pyrrah mocked. "Honestly, didn't you see the instructions halfway up? Draw your last breath? Cause, you know, elves can't breathe in thin air?"

"Okay Pyrrah, you made your point," the prince growled at her. Rayla sat up and took several long deep breaths, Ezran also smiling at his and Bait's recovery.

The elf smirked, looking over at Callum. "Did it have to be her?"

"Considering I just saved your life, a thank you would be nice."

Helping her stand, the dragon growled softly. "I was the one that cast the spell."

The dragon rolled her eyes. "Whatever, look, since you clearly can't shift yet…" She looked away. "Do you want a lift up the Spire?"

Looking upwards, the elf judged the remaining height. "It would be appreciated."

With a slight nod, the dragoness closed her eyes and shifted into her true, dragon form, and leant forwards so they could climb on her back. "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or proud to be giving you a ride."

"I'll say proud," the prince said as he climbed onto her back and helped Ezran sit in front of him. "You get to take me the rest of the way home."

The sun dragon nodded, then took to the sky, dropping through the air for a moment before soaring upwards. On the dragon's back, Callum reached forward and held Rayla's shoulder in front of him. "You okay now Rayla?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." She smiled, then looked to see his tail wrapped around her wrist. "Callum?"

"Sorry," he whispered, removing his tail from her. "I…I was just worried about you…when you weren't breathing."

"I'm fine Cal," she whispered in reply, leaning back and kissing him softly on the lips. "Thanks for saving me."

In front, Ezran turned around just in time to see them. "Wait…what was that?"

Rayla just blinked, cheeks flushing. "Umm…"

"You were gone for a while," Callum said over her shoulder as they went upwards. "And…things happened."

Ezran smiled at them both. "About time."

In front of them, the dragoness huffed.

"And you can keep your mouth shut, Pyrrah. That's an order."

"If you say so, your Highness. Besides, we're almost there." The dragoness landed on a large platform at the top of the mountain, a bridge of wood and stone ahead of them while on the other side of the bridge, was a large building, cut into the stone. It looked slightly rough and worn, but still beautiful, several towers and windows reaching out into the sky, while at the very front, was a massive door engraved with beautiful runes.

As the group climbed down and the sun dragon took to the air once more, Callum just stared across the bridge at the palace. "Y-you've been here before Rayla?" he asked softly, not taking his eyes off it.

"Yeah...but…it looked a lot...brighter the last time I was here."

"It seems…pretty dark," Ezran commented. "Like...no one's here."

"Only one way to find out," Callum decided, slowly walking over the bridge. The palace towered higher and higher the closer he got.

As they finally reached the other side, the dragon paused for a moment, his heart pounding as he stared at the ominously large door.

Beside him, Rayla smiled and held his hand. "Callum…we got you home."

Callum smiled as he walked towards the door, but the moment he reached for the handle, it opened, and an elf with dark blue skin and a staff stepped out.

He looked over the dragon before his eyes widened. "Prince...Cadonumis?"

"Yes. I've come home and I'm here to see my mother."

He blinked, then bowed his head slightly. "It makes my heart leap to see you're alive, your Highness...but I'm afraid you're too late."

"What do you mean? Too late?"

"I'm sorry, your Highness, but your mother, Queen Zubeia...she's fallen into a deep sleep and hasn't woken up since."

"But she's still alive?" Rayla asked.

"Oh yes…she still lives," the elf confirmed with a nod before sighing. "At least…at the moment. We do not know how long she can hold on."

Callum felt his heart sink at the words, but decided to keep his chin up. "I wish to see her."

"As you command your Highness," he said, turning away and walking towards the entrance.

It was oddly dark, the torches burning dimly as if in mourning. As he led them down a hallway, the elf looked back at the others. "My name is Ibis, mage of the Skywing elves. When I heard that Queen Zubeia was ill, I thought I could use my magic to help her. Losing her mate and her child had irreparably broken her heart. For a while…it seemed she would be alright but…eventually, she closed her eyes and has not opened them since."

The dragon sighed as he walked, his steps slowing for a moment. A hand slid into each of his and he looked to see Rayla holding one hand and Ezran holding the other. With their support, he carried on walking, following the mage as he led him around several dark hallways until they came to a chamber. It had a few doors leading off and a tunnel leading to the entrance, guarded by two stone carvings of dragons.

"This is the royal chamber," Ibis explained as he walked down the darkness, his staff glowing to light the way. "Sadly, a lot of the palace staff have left since the queen entered her slumber. I try to…keep everything going here, but it's not easy when there are normally a few hundred staff. Currently…there are twelve, including myself."

The prince released a breath, preparing himself as he squeezed the two hands. They arrived at a large cavern, standing in the entryway at the top of a flight of stairs. Veins of blue metal ran across the rocks while a hole in the ceiling allowed sun and moonlight to flow in and illuminate the area. The ground sprouted a collection of crystals, flowers, bushes, and grass.

In the very centre was a dragon, bigger than anything Callum had ever seen. Her scales were a dark blue, and her spine was covered in a mane of white fur like the tip of his own tail. Her head rested on the grass near a large boulder, and her tail wrapped around herself.

The others stood at the top of the stairs and looked on in amazement before the prince slowly headed down first and the others followed. Walking up to the dragon, he looked her up and down. "This…is my mother?"

Ibis nodded. "Yes. This is the Dragon Queen, Zubeia."

With a shaky breath, Callum slowly reached out to place his hand on her face, but then, at the last moment, hesitated and stepped away. Instead, he looked at the rock near her head. He stared at it for a moment before suddenly staggering backwards, clutching his head with both hands.

"Callum!" Rayla shouted, hurrying to support him as he tripped back and fell to the floor. He barely even noticed as he held his head and his breathing got sharper. "Callum? Callum are you alright?" She held his cheek and watched him with concern while the others gathered around.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and stared at her, panting for a moment before he settled. "I-I remember."

"Remember?"

"That night," he confirmed, sitting up but wobbling a little, grabbing her arm to steady himself. "I remember…the night I was taken." He glanced at the rock. "I was hiding behind this rock. And…I remember your parents Rayla!"

"Your parents?" Ibis repeated, but the others ignored him.

"They were trapped…Viren…he did something to them…I heard him…he said…Aspiro Frigis…the freezing breath. He…he trapped them with it…they couldn't move…and he came over to me." He blinked at the memory. "I saw him, standing over me, his staff ready to kill me…and I was so scared…and then…Tiadrin…" He paused, remembering the moment. "She told him…I was powerful. That I…I had use to him…since he was a Dark Mage. She told him...I would…I would make him powerful."

Rayla gasped at the words. "Wait…she…she said that? She…she told him that?" She looked away from him, ashamed. "So, she did betray you."

"No," he chuckled lightly, turning her face back to him. "She saved me. Viren was going to kill me, and she convinced him to let me live. Yes, it meant I spent the last ten years chained to a wall, but he kept me alive!" He stroked her cheek to remove her tears. "Your mother saved me then so you could save me now. And Viren…he said…he would repay them for the idea...and then I remember his magic…the darkness…it…" He frowned. "Your soul is my treasure."

"What?"

"That's what he said…he was saying it strangely...but I remember…Your soul is my treasure. That was the spell he cast on them." Suddenly, he laughed and jumped to his feet. "Rayla they're alive! Your parents! They're still alive!"

"Y-you're sure?"

"Yes! I know it! That spell…it didn't kill them! It did…something…changed them…but they're still alive! That's why they never came back to you! Because they're trapped somewhere. I'm sorry I didn't remember before, but Rayla, they're alive!"

Smiling, the elf stood and hugged him tighter. "Thank you."


RK: Okay, I still like the scene where Callum sees the stone remains of his father, alright? I don't know why, but it's just so powerful and heartbreaking, and I just love the deepness behind it. Rayla's there for him, he releases the pain freely with her, and he remembers the good times he had with his papa. Okay? Sad? Yes. But good? Yes.

SL: So, a few people may have read 'Arrival' as one of our prompts which is about Cadonimus's kidnapping and the outcome… Ray and I realised later that we had actually published it a chapter too early. Ops. Well, now you can see the other side!