Quick little question, would you guys be interested in a small little squeal about Callum trying to adjust to being back home.
In the seconds following his parting with Ezran, Soren took off on horseback to try and find Claudia. The young knight made great timing finding his sister and father standing in front of many soldiers. Soren recognized some of them from his fellow guards, but a few seemed to be from other kingdoms.
Soren hid behind a tree for him to hear Viren's conversation from a distance.
Standing before him was Viren with an odd-looking Staff that Soren had only ever seen in an old book about Sunfire elves. Viren then began to speak to the crowd.
"I would like to thank you all for following me here today," Viren said in a voice that sounded sincere, but Soren could hear the lies he was saying.
"What you're doing cannot be easy for any of you. Some will view you as a traitor to the Foolish King's who have allowed the elves to live because they spend their time plotting our destruction as Viren's words reach all those listening.
The soldier was getting more and more worked up as Soren watched.
"However, today, this all stops. For with this Staff, we can finally end this war on behalf of all humankind."
Viren called a man forward, and Soren saw him walk up. He recognized the man as Prince Kasef, King Ashling's son of the kingdom of Neolandia. Whom Soren had heard was recently killed.
He suspected that the story about the Moonshadow elf killing him was false information shared by Viren. In order to bring Kasef on board.
Holding the Staff up to Kasef Viren, he cast his spell on him. Soren almost fell back when he saw the once normal-looking man transform into something much more sinister. The prince of Neolandia began to show signs of cracks in his skin that might be described as magma.
Viren didn't make all the soldiers into monsters like Kasef, but he turned enough to make Soren's stomach churn.
As soon as Viren finished speaking, Claudia walked away. To collect more supplies for anything, they made the need for the upcoming battle. Soren seized the opportunity to go after his sister.
Avoiding being seen by the other soldier's Soren came to Claudia standing in a fled just a little bit in Xadia collecting this little fuzzy creature into jars.
As Soren whispered to his sister, "Pst Claudia," he caught her attention.
The adoraburns were freed from their imprisonment thanks to Claudia dropping the jar. She quickly ran to her brother and hugged him.
Claudia exclaimed joyfully: "I knew you'd join our side. I knew you'd help us, Sor-bear!" Claudia's Beamed. "I can't wait to tell Dad you're here." Her smile slowly faded as her brother pulled back.
"It's not my intention to join you, Claudia," Soren cautioned
Claudia cried, her eyes growing wide as she asked, "Why don't you want to be a part of saving all humanity?".
"But look at what happens to those soldiers, didn't you see what Dad did to them?" Soren was accused of trying to make Claudia understand what he meant.
The praise her father lavished upon Claudia during her younger years left her blind to what Dark magic was doing. Claudia retaliated. "Those Elves are the ones in the wrong. They couldn't accept that humans now had power on par with them, so they demonize Dark magic, ignoring its usefulness."
Then Soren pointed to Claudia's hair, which had a white piece embedded inside it. "Do you really think this is good?" he asked.
Claudia conceived herself as she spoke those words: "We're... I'm doing the right thing."
He reached out to grab the hand of his sister. "Come with me, Claudia. You and I can help end this war". He held her hand, trying to convince her of his point of view.
Claudia stepped back slightly, wailing, "No, no, no, Please don't make me choose again," she begged her brother.
When Claudia was younger, she thought the hardest thing would be deciding whether to stay in Katolis with Viren or return to Del Bar with her mother, Lissa. Claudia recalls being frozen back then until Soren decided to stay with Viren, and Lissa told her to stay with her brother.
Soren realized he would not be able to convince Claudia to join him if he stayed. "I'm sorry, but I have to leave."
Soren ran off to catch up with Ezran, with whom he started his journey to the Stormspire.
They had almost reached the peak. Rayla's mind was occupied only with these thoughts as they made their final steps up to the Stormspire.
"We really did it," Callum said with satisfaction.
Upon arrival, the team was welcomed by a skywing elf. Ibis, as he introduced himself.
Ibis said sadly, "I am truly happy to hear that Prince Azymondias is still alive, but I fear you are too late."
'What do you mean by that,' Ezran asked.
They followed Ibis into the front entrance of the storm spire. The two brothers were astonished by the beauty of the architecture that made up the storm spear.
"Queen Zubeia had never been able to recover since she lost her mate and baby," Ibis explained. "She has been in a deep slumber, and nothing has been able to wake her"
Callum, Rayla, and Ezran glanced at each other frantically in a panic. The anticipation of what was to come.
'This isn't good,' Callum remarked nervously.
"What's wrong?" Ibis asked, seeing the looks of terror on the faces of those who brought the young dragon home.
Rayla, who was the only elf present, explained what happened. Viren, the Dark Magic-user who had taken Zym and Callum along with him, is hell-bent on obtaining them back. Currently, he and his army are making their way to the Storm spire.
Ibis responded, "We must do whatever we can to safeguard the lives of Prince Azymndias and Queen Zubia."