A fierce thunderstorm raged on outside of the tower. Thunder and lightning roared while wind and rain danced fiercely in the relentless torrent. Far from scared, Callum found inspiration from the storm to do his latest attempt to hatch the egg of the Dragon Prince. After so many attempts to do so ended up in failure, Callum was sure this one will success where all the others failed.
Stepping a couple of feet away from the egg, Callum took a few breaths before drew a rune, said "Aspiro fulmimus", and a blast of wind and lightning shooted from his hand. He repeated the process over and over, until a storm began to form. The spell Callum used is one used to conjure a storm. He came across it one day from one of the books in the tower's library and decided to use it upon seeing the thunderstorm raging outside.
The storm Callum created became fully formed and a strong wind appeared, blowing several objects off of the shelves, wildly causing the doors to the balcony to open and close non-stop, and even knocking Callum off his feet as he tried to shield himself from the wind. It almost even blew the egg out of the doors, but Callum caught it before it could be blown outside and hold onto it tightly. As the magically-created storm continued furiously, it began to part, forming an eye of the storm, and lightning struck the egg multiple times before it was lifted up into the air. Sparks flickered on the egg as more lightning struck it until they became prisms of color. A bright aura of light emitted from the egg as it began to glow, before suddenly giving out a light that'll put Bait to shame.
Callum shielded his eyes from the light until it passed, and he saw what happened next. The storm had stopped and the egg glowed as it floated in the air for a few moments before it became dark and dropped gently onto the floor. Callum was disappointed. He thought his newest attempt to hatch the egg would succeed, yet it had seemed to fail. However, before he can sulk some more, the egg began to move and the dragon inside nearly pushed a piece of his shell off, startling Callum, then the young dragon relaxed and the nearly broken-off piece of eggshell went back into place.
Cautiously, Callum approached the egg and began to break and peel away the shell, until the baby dragon came into full view. He picked up the dragon and saw that he was the same young Sky dragon from his dream of him on the spire amidst a storm and the one of the mysterious Startough elf. Callum had finally done it. He successfully hatched the egg of the Dragon Prince and now the baby dragon was born at last. Seeing the baby dragon struggling to open up his eyes, Callum licked his thumb and wiped it on both of the dragon's eyelids. The newborn dragon blinked a few times before his bright blue eyes were able to focus.
Upon seeing Callum, the young dragon tackled the teenager with affection, giving him zappy kisses and rubbing himself against him, before Callum pried the dragon off of him. Yet, the little dragon didn't stop and continued to give Callum love and affection by rubbing against him. For a few moments, Callum looked at the dragon giving love and affection before he finally spoke.
"Now, you're born, little one, what should I name you?"
"Azymondias." a voice came seemingly out of nowhere.
"Who said that?" Callum asked, confused as he look for the source of the voice.
"I did."
"Where are you?"
"Right here, in front of you, father."
Callum became more confused when he heard the voice call him "father" before turning to see the baby dragon before him.
"Did you said those things?"
"Yes, I did."
Callum couldn't believe it. The dragon was talking to him with his thoughts, seemingly knows his own name, and has even imprinted on him as his father. The last bit made Callum a little said as the dragon's real father was killed four months. He'll be the only father the young dragon will ever know. Shaking the thought out of his mind, he began to wonder how Azymondias was talking to hm with his thoughts when he saw the answer next to him: an Earth primal stone. Callum read they can translate animals' thought and allow their user to communicate with animals. The stone must have came next to him when his little storm was created.
"You know your own name, did you, little one?"
"Yes. My name is Azymondias."
"I'll can you Zym."
For a few moments, the two princes just looked at each other, before Zym became sleepy and gave out a yawn before curling up into a ball on Callum's lap and going to sleep. Callum watched the young dragon that become his adoptive son slept for a few moments, before he gently picked him up and placed him on his bed.
"Welcome to the world, Zym." Callum whispered to Zym.
(~)
Zym had been a welcomed addition to Callum's little world since he hatched. He'd followed Callum everywhere he goes as he had imprinted on him, and was bubbly, lively, and a zappy ball of fun. He would snuggle next to Callum in bed at night, jumped into the bathtub whenever Callum had a bath, especially when he spin the handle on a bubble maker with Ocean runes for bubble he found the first time he used the bathtub, and make bubbles which Zym loved as he cannot help but mesmerized by them, play various games with Callum, using toys from a toy chest on the foot of the bed, beg for food, even after Callum feed him, and listened to Callum whenever he just wants to talk and tell him stories. The stories were usually about Xadia, the Human Kingdoms, the dragons, elves and magical creatures of Xadia, humans, how the world was split in two, and the legendary Guardians of Xadia. Currently, Callum is telling Zym how it was unicorns who helped humans by giving them primal stones, as humans were the only creatures in the world with no connection to any of the six primal sources, after another long day of nonstop play with the young dragon.
"Always the most selfless of Xadian creatures, the unicorns were gentle and compassionate beings and when they saw that humans were struggling because of their lack of magic, they pitied them and wished to help, thus fulfilling Hoole's desire to help the humans when his kind and the elves didn't want to. The dragons and elves argued against helping humans as they believed if humans were meant to do magic, they would be born with it. Yet, the compassion of the unicorns ran too deep for them to ignore and created primal stones, gifted them to a few wise humans and taught them spells and the runes and words to release the spells. For the first time, humans no longer starved and struggled and were happy that they given help and have magic, all thanks to the unicorns. Because of this, they were revered and regarded higher than the elves and dragons."
"However, that happiness became short-lived when dark magic was invented and dark mages appeared. While they'll hunt any magic creatures and use any and all parts of them, the most sought-after prize of all was the horn of a unicorn. Thus, dark mages started to hunt the unicorns, yet they were almost impossible as they are deviously cunning and have stellar magic as they were creatures of the Star primal. Because of this, the success rate of hunting unicorns is exceedingly low. After some dark mages managed to hunt down and capture three unicorns, humans who were given primal stones by the gentle creatures became horrified and warned the unicorns about dark mages and successfully convinced them to go into hiding. While the dragons and elves believed humans wiped out the unicorns, humans knew the truth and sometimes came across the creatures hiding places called unicorn's domains and even meet unicorns that live in them. If humans came across a unicorn's domain and meet any unicorns that live in it, they have to promise to not tell anyone about the place and their encounter with said unicorns in order to keep them safe from dark mages. As long as the unicorns remain hidden from dark mages, they'll be safe."
There was nothing but silence as Callum finished the story. The human prince smiled in pride when he saw the amazed look on Zym's face.
"What an incredible story. I'm glad the unicorns helped humans when the elves and dragons." The Earth primal stone Callum used to communicate to Zym was on a nightstand next to the bed.
"It seemed you like this story, Zym." Said Callum.
"Yes, I do. But I don't understand. Why didn't the elves and dragons help humans with their struggles? They have magic. Why didn't they use it to give humans help? That's not fair."
"it is true they have magic, a connection to all of the primal sources. However, it had made them arrogant, causing look down on humans as lesser beings for their lack of magic. Hoole tried to change that and tried to give humans magic, but he died before he can carry out his desire."
"Well, I don't to be like that. I maybe a dragon too, but I don't want to be arrogant just because I have magic."
"I knew you won't, Zym."
"Yes, because I have you, father. Even if you are a human." Zym came up to Callum and snuggled against him. Callum gave Zym a hug which the dragon returned, and the two young souls stayed in the hug for a few moments before Zym said something Callum didn't expect to hear.
"Father, I want to see a unicorn. Where can we find one of the unicorns' domains?"
"Unicorns are rare. You're more likely to come across their domains when you weren't trying to find them and meet a unicorn when you least expected it." Callum laughed in a lighthearted matter.
"But, can we see a unicorn?"
"Hopefully, one day, after we leave the tower." Callum had promised Zym they'll both leave the tower when the time is right.
"I wish we have left already."
"Well, the right time hasn't come just yet. Not to mention I still haven't found a spell that'll fly us out of here or anything that'll help climb down. Even then, I still need to consider a few things before we can leave like weather.
Zym stayed silent for a moment. He knows there's no use arguing about wanting to leave now. Then, he spoke.
"Father, can you pretend to be a human and unicorn meeting each other?"
"Yes, Zym. We can do it tomorrow. You needed to rest first."
"Are you sure? I feel like doing it now?"
"Yes, I'm sure. We have been playing all day. Now, please go to sleep. We can't play if I'm tired from staying up at." Callum gave out a yawn and stretched out his arms.
Zym nodded. He knew his father wouldn't play if he's tired and sleepy, although this didn't stopped him from playing on top of Callum and walking all over him when he's sleeping. The Dragon Prince yawned, tucked himself under the bedsheets, and fell into a deep sleep, a stuffed unicorn Callum showed him earlier, tucked in his front paws.
Callum watched his adoptive son sleep peacefully for a few moments, before he turned towards the doors leading to the balcony. His heart beated longingly as he began to wonder how his family and friends back at the castle are doing, wondering if they missed just as much as he missed them. He'll see them again soon after he and Zym leave the tower and head for Xadia to return the young dragon to his mother, the Dragon Queen. The time to get away from here will finally come soon. Feeling really tired, he tucked himself under the bed sheet and slept peacefully next to Zym. What little did Callum knew was that the time to leave his prison might come sooner than he thought.
(~)
It was the same dream every night since the night Callum was stolen and imprisoned in the tower by Viren. He'd find himself in the same dark forest with Zym by his side, rubbing affectionately against his legs as he purred while Callum laughed, before the young dragon sense something that made him feel uneasy. He searched and look around for the thing he sensed before bolting off after finding a unfamiliar scent, causing Callum to chase after him.
After the chase led the princes to the edge of the forest, they both spotted the mysterious Startouch elf that haunted Callum in his sleep and thoughts eversince he first dreamt of him, standing on the edge of a cliff before he turned towards the princes. The three of them will then look at each other for a moment or two before the elf walked towards Callum and Zym, sending more chills up their spines than they have when they were first looking at the elf. As the elf got closer, Zym begged Callum to pick him up, which Callum did just before the elf stopped when he was a couple of feet away from the human and dragon before. Then after another few moments of Callum, Zym and the elf looking at each other, the mysterious figure removed his cloak's hood, revealing his silky white hair and antlerlike horns, and called Callum "Guardian" in the same deep voice he had.
Callum sat up quickly and gasped as he woke up from his dream. He breathed heavily as he calmed himself down. He thought the dream of the Startouch elf would be a one-time thing, yet it kept coming back to him whenever he slept. Why did it keep on coming to him? Was it really trying to warn him of something? About the mysterious elf?
"Father?"
Callum looked to see Zym wide awake, and looking at him with concern.
"I heard you talking in your sleep, saying things 'what is it, little guys?' and 'Whoa, slow down there! You got me worried back there!'."
"Oh, it's just a dream I've been getting every night. You were in it and there was a Startouch elf with a really deep voice that sends chills to both of us, and called me 'Guardian' at the end of the dream."
"A dream? What I was doing in it?"
"You were rubbing against before you sensed something, then bolted off. I chased after you before we came to a forest edge and saw the Startouch elf on the edge of a cliff. He just stood there before he turned around, looked at us, and walked towards us, only stopping a couple of feet from us. He looked at us again before he removed the hood of his cloak and called me 'Guardian.' I had the dream before you hatched."
"Do you know who the Startouch elf was and why he was in your dream? I thought they were mysterious and rarely seen."
"I don't know. I have wondered why I have that dream each night and still haven't figure it out." Callum said as he got up from the bed, taking the primal stone with him. "Come on, let's have a bath and then breakfast. You still want us to pretend to be a human and unicorn meeting each other, do you?"
Zym gave out an excited squeak and jumped out of the bed, following Callum to the bathroom. The daily morning routine of Callum and Zym's day-to-day lives was simple: first, they have a bath, especially a bubble one, then breakfast, and then the two played whatever game Zym wanted to play.
Callum filled the bathtub with water, making sure the water was warm before going into it, after placing the primal stone on a table next to the tub and taking off his sleeping clothes and undergarments. Zym jumped in shortly afterwards, causing a big splash which he always did whenever he jumped into the tub when Callum took a bath.
"Oh, Zym. You always do that. Not only you got me even more wet than I already am, but you make a big mess." Callum laughed lightheartedly.
"Sorry."
"It's alright. You're young, so I don't blame you for not knowing any better." Callum said, reaching for the bubble maker and began to spin the handle on it, causing bubbles to appear. Zym loved it when Callum does it as he liked to play with the bubbles, and blow at them. After spinning the bubble maker's handle, Callum set the item back on the table, reached out for some rubber bath toys and put them in the bath for Zym to play with. The second thing Zym loved about bathtime is playing with the rubber toys. He bats at them and chew on them, and loves the squeaking sounds they make when squeezed. Callum watched as the dragonling played with the bubbles and bath toys while he washed himself. Then, he washed Zym which he liked and didn't once fussed about it.
After bathtime, Callum and Zym had breakfast. Callum was thankful that Viren gave him plenty of food so he wouldn't starve. Every day, Callum pull out three plates: one for him and two for Zym, as the dragon would beg for more food after eating his fill, and then make a breakfast of sausages, eggs and bacon for the both of them. All the while, Zym waits on the kitchen table for his food and is given a bowl of either juice or milk for him to drink to ease his waiting. Callum learned that juice and milk is incredibly soothing for dragons to have as the liquids can put them at ease and make them feel less cranky. After cooking their breakfast, Callum set all three plates on the table, filled a glass of juice or milk for himself and the two enjoy their breakfast until they finished it.
"That was good. Now, can we get to play? I really feel like wanting us to pretend to be a human and unicorn meeting each other right now." Zym looked at Callum with pleading as the human prince collected the dishes and puts them in a sink for him to wash said dishes.
"Of course, Zym." Callum said. "After I've wash those dishes and put them away."
Outside the tower, a shadowy elf dashed off from the elven fortress after it and other shadowy elves came to the fortress with a group of real elves, Sunfires, all tied up and gagged.
(~)
Having woken up long before everyone else in Katolis castle, Viren had gotten to work with a basket filled with tiny metallic bits called flecks. Individually, they are harmless, but when together, they become electromagnetic and harmful to flying creatures and creatures connected to the Sky primal. Viren knows this through his experiments with the flecks at the elven fortress when he had captured Skywing elves, before he moon blinks them, put flecks into basket filled with the bits and they ended up compounded by the electromagnetic power and succumb to it, until they put the flecks into the baskets and pull themselves away from them.
While flecks when together are harmful to Sky magical creatures, Viren learned from a journal he found at the elven fortress that bunched up flecks can become harmful to all magical creatures with a dark magic spell, using the blood of creatures of the Sun, Moon, Star, Earth and Ocean primals. A spell Viren is about to do now has flecks and five jars each filled with magical creature blood with him. Each jar is filled with the blood of a sunbird, moon Phoenix, unicorn, uwabami, and kelpie. One by one, the dark mage pour the blood from each jar until all five of them were empty. Then, he said the spell's incantation.
"Skcelfs eht thiw eno emoceb nellaf fo doolb." The spell took effect and the blood glowed as it became absorbed into the flecks until there was not a single drop of it left. Now the blood in absorbed into the flecks, Viren brought out a cage with a small bird called a Broxa, a creature of the Moon primal, in it. He picked the bird out of the cage, and exposed to the magically modified flecks, where the bird became compounded and effected by the metal's electromagnetic field, until Viren pulled the bird away and set it back into its cage.
"Ah, so with this spell, flecks can be unstoppable." Viren mused to himself. The spell can make flecks a powerful weapon against all magical creatures, and even Xadia's legendary Guardians wouldn't be able to do anything against them.
Before Viren could experiment some more, the shadowy elf from before appeared.
"Oh, good morning. Did you and the others caught some young elves like I asked?" Viren said. The fake elf nodded.
"Good. Then, it's off to St. Aegolius." Viren said as he excited his private study, taking the cage, the basket of modified flecks and another basket filled with normal flecks with him. "I was planning to do another visit to Callum's tower for another experiment with the flecks anyway. Which I'll do before I meet our new guests at their new home."
(~)
Having set up a fake forest using books stacked on top of each other and bedsheets to emulate a unicorn's domain, Callum and Zym began to play the game that the latter wanted to play since last night. It started with Callum being the human pretending to be lost and has unknowingly entered the fake unicorn's domain, becoming mesmerized by the forest being timeless and out there.
"Where am I? Why does this forest feel so timeless and out there?" Callum asked himself as he wandered through the fake forest. "Maybe, the map will help find out where am I."
Yet, as Calum tried to pull out a fake map, he fumbled and almost dropped it when he managed to grab it. Then, he unfolded it and tried to pinpoint his location, but didn't.
"Who am I fooling? I'm lost and I don't know where am I." Callum sighed, sitting down. "It's gonna take a miracle to get me back home."
"Did I hear somebody ask for a miracle?" Callum turned to see Zym standing before him on a stool, with a fake horn and horse ears attached to a band tied around his heard, socks to emulate unicorn hooves and a fake horse tail tied to his tail.
"Human, what has brought you here to my domain?"
Callum just gawked at Zym.
"You don't have to gawk at me. It's a simple question."
"Oh, sorry! I guess I was just so awestruck to see a unicorn in my presence that I didn't know what to say."
"It's alright. Now, let me introduce myself: I am Lightfoot, the unicorn that lives in this unicorn's domain, hidng from any dark mage that'll want my horn."
"Nice to meet you, Lightfoot, and I didn't know I came across your domain. That explains the why forest felt so timeless and out there. I thought they're almost impossible to come across."
"Well, you did because you least expected it. Humans are more likely to across our domains and meet any unicorn that lives in them when they least expected. Now, please tell me why are you here? I can help you out."
"I was walking home back from a town and I think I took a wrong turn and ended here."
"So, you want to know the way back so you'll get back home?"
"Yeah."
"Okay, I'll help, but you have to promise not to tell any about my domain and your encounter with me. Do you know that rule about when you came across a unicorn's domain and meeting any unicorns that live in them?"
"Yes, I do and I sincerely promise to not tell anyone."
"Good. Now, come along. I'll show you the way." Zym jumped off the stool and began to lead Callum from the fake forest until both of them are out of it.
"Here it is."
"Thanks, Lightfoot, and I remember the promise I made." Callum said, walking a few away from Zym. Then, he let a sigh. "Wasn't that fun, Zym?"
"Yeah! It was fun." Zym ran up to Callum jumped into Callum's arms. "Oh, you're the most wonderful father ever! You love to play no matter what. Could we do it again?"
Callum smiled and hugged Zym for a few moments, before he heard the sound of horse hooves approaching. Callum gasped. He knew what the sound: Viren is coming for a visit to the tower or the fortress next to it. Zym heard the hoofbeats and his adoptive father gasping, and sensed his apprehension.
"What was that?"
"Viren, a dark mage."
"Dark mage?"
"Yes. I'll tell you about him once he's gone." Callum said, looking around before seeing an open cupboard beneath and the sink, placed Zym in it and closed it. "For now, just stay in here, be quiet, and don't come out until I say so."
After placing Zym in the cupboard, Callum immediately went to work putting away the bedsheets back on the bed and the books back on the library shelves. After all the bedsheets and books are put away, Callum placed a fake egg that looked exactly like Zym's egg on the spot where he first saw it on his first day, just moments before he heard someone speaking a strange language from outside which caused him to black out temporarily. Viren used this spell of his to prevent Callum from knowing how the dark mage got into the tower so the prince wouldn't use it to try to escape.
"Prince Callum, how are you feeling today?" Viren said in a mocking tone as Callum went back to consciousness, carrying a concealed basket. He then walked over to his prisoner and handed out a bag filled with supplies.
"I'm fine, thanks." Callum said in a somewhat sarcastic tone as he looked into the bag. It's always the same things Viren brought: food, books, paper, and drawing supplies.
"How is everyone back in the castle?"
"Not so fast, you know the rules for my visits here: spell and your blood first, then I tell you." Viren said, then showed Callum a rune and the word for it on a small piece of paper.
"Fine." Callum took the paper, then stood up.
Nearby, Zym peaked a little out of his hiding place to see what's happening, but didn't make a sound. He saw Callum looking at a piece of paper before he drew a symbol of some kind and say "Ventus Phoenix!", causing a bird made of mind to appear from his palm and the bird hit a bookshelf, causing the books to blow off from it. Before him was a scary man that Zym never saw before.
"Excellent work." the scary man praised before he gestured towards a couch. "Now, time for me to collect some of your blood."
Callum did as the scary man told him and sat on the couch where he held out on his arms for the man to stick a sharp thing into them and used it to collect Callum's blood.
"Now, can you tell me? How are my family faring?" Callum demanded.
"Fine." Viren said, rolling his eyes. He explained to Callum how his family missed him dearly since he disappeared. Ezran's thievery of jelly tarts from Barius had increased, Harrow refused to give the search for hm and even had Callum and Ezran's aunt Amaya led search parties whenever he was too busy with a meeting as she too missed him dearly since she first heard of his disappearance. Viren's children, Soren and Claudia, and Kasef had also somewhat changed. Soren became a little more serious, Claudia became sad and depressed and wanted to find him, and Kasef became less harsh and stoic. Calum was said to hear this. This fueled his desire to escape from the tower, a desire he kept well hidden from Viren.
"Now, I told you about everyone back at home, I need to do a little experiment with you before I leave for the fortress next to the tower."
"Experiment?" Callum asked confused.
"Yes. In several parts of Xadia and the Human Kingdoms, there are naturally occuring tiny metallic bits called flecks. Alone, they are harmless, but when together, flecks become electromagnetic and harmful to flying creatures and magical creatures connected to the Sky primal." Viren explained as he placed the basket on a table and uncovered it, revealing it to be filled with flecks, bunched up together and emitting a kind of blue field.
"While flecks are normally harmful to Sky creatures, with dark magic, they can also be harmful to all magical creatures."
Callum couldn't believe what was he hearing. "But, rest ensure, these are just normal flecks. I brought them hear because I want to see if they affect you too, since you're a creature of the Sky primal." Viren said.
Callum didn't like the sound of this.
"It'll only be brief." Viren said, coming over to Callum as he pulled out a handful of flecks from his pouch. "Now, put these flecks to where all the others are." Viren handed the flecks to Callum and encouraged him to go towards the basket, despite his obvious fear.
Zym was scared for Callum because of what he heard about these 'flecks' from his hiding place.
Slowly, Callum walked towards the basket of flecks. But, as he approached them, he suddenly become pulled in by the metal bits and almost succumbed to them, much to Zym's frightfulness. Yet, Callum managed to resist the electromagnetic force and managed to put the flecks in his hand with all of the others. He then tried to pull myself from the flecks until Viren took the basket away. The field's energy remained attached to the prince before it was fully pulled away. Once it's over, Callum collapsed onto the floor and breathed heavily.
"Wonderful. You did well with my little experiment." Viren said as he walked away to leave, before turning to Callum who was still breathing heavily. "Oh and one more thing. In seven days, I'll come back here and take you out of the tower temporarily and show you the elven fortress next to it."
"Why seven days and what is that fortress anyway?" Callum asked haggardly.
"Because on the seventh day, there is a full moon that night." Viren answered. "As for the fortress, it's called St. Aegolius Academy For Orphaned Elves and I'm its Ablah General. You better be on your best behaviour that day." After Viren gave out his warning, he used the same spell he used to exist the tower whenever he comes for a visit.
Once Viren is gone, Zym came out of his hiding and ran straight for Callum.
"Father! are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm alright, Zym. Just recovering from those things Viren brought."
"I don't like the scary man! He could hurt you again if he comes back."
"I don't like this either. On the bright side, I could get some available information from St. Aegolius and see what Viren does there as "Ablah General"." Callum said, taking several breaths to ease the pain. "And don't worry, Zym. Once the job is done, we'll figure out a plan to get out of here and head for Xadia."
"You won't let the scary man hurt you again, will you?"
"No, Zym. I won't let him hurt me. I promise." Callum hugged his adoptive son, which he returned and the two princes stayed in the hug for a while.