Callum was abruptly shaken awake to find a female Skywing elf standing over him. "Wake up sky boy, we're on patrol this morning." Callum sat up slowly. "Hungh, wha?" he said groggily. "I said we're on patrol, so get up." Callum looked around to find that he hadn't actually left the top of the Spire. He sighed, wishing that he had taken Rayla's offer to go back to bed.
Serrene was relentless. "C'mon magic prince, we have a two-hour patrol 15 minutes ago." Callum sighed, he arched his back, feeling just how sore it was. I suppose that's what I get for sleeping on the ground. He stood up and faced Serrene, "I'll be there in a minute, I just need to grab my stuff." And some food, he thought to himself. Flying always made him hungry.
Five minutes and one short breakfast later, Callum and Serrene were out on patrol, flying across the area surrounding the Storm Spire. Serrene was one of the lucky skywing elves, she had been born with wings. So she was able to fight and cast spells from the sky.
Serrene also liked to tease Callum and Rayla relentlessly about their relationship. At the time it was kind of embarrassing, but he supposed that was better than the looks of disdain and some slurs that came from the other elves. But that didn't happen here, no one cared here. Mostly because the entire Dragonguard had been handpicked by Rayla.
They were all skilled warriors and mages, the two Earthblood elves also possessed healing abilities, more than the simple first aid level of healing that Ibis possesed. But what really set them apart was their tolerance of humans, Serrene, Jamal, Xavier and the other four couldn't care less that Callum was human. They accepted him as one of their own.
Granted, it hadn't been an easy road. The other Earthblood and Sunfire elves hadn't been as accepting at first, but after they realised that Callum wasn't going to go away and that he was a very talented mage, they had tolerated him. Now they all treated each other like brothers and sisters, titles and ranks meant nothing to them inside the Storm Spire.
On the outside, they had to keep up formalities, but that was just that, formalities. They still acted like friends, Serrene had a nickname for almost everybody. However, besides the Queen Zubeia, Ibis was the only person she called by name.
"Hey, Serrene!" He called out to her." She tilted her head at him. "What's up, sky boy?" He angled his head at the tree line on the horizon. "Want to race? The first one to touch a tree wins." Serrene now had a wild smile on her face. "Oh, you are so on." "On three." He began the countdown. "One, two...Three!"
They shot across the sky, each trying to gain the upper hand as the treeline grew closer and closer. Serrene barrel-rolled into Callum knocking him back a bit. With a grunt of effort, Callum flapped his wings hard and tilted himself into a standing position allowing him to run across Serrene's back.
Serrene swore heartily, "Oh you are sooooo in for it now sky boy!" Callum laughed. "Only if you can catch me!" He called back and shot off again. The tree line was close, but Serrene was catching up. He felt something grab his leg, he looked back to see holding onto him with an evil smile on her face. "Gotcha!" she shouted at him.
The trees were right in front of them now. "Serrene." Callum was getting slightly worried, if Serrene didn't let go he would lose all control. "Serrene! Any time now!" She looked at the trees and the same realization Callum had crossed her face. "OH SHI-" It was too late, the pair crashed into the trees, hitting the ground hard.
Callum's eyes shot open as he came to. He lay on the grass, slowly assessing what happened. I was on patrol with Serrene, we were racing, we hit the trees and then...nothing. I must've blacked out from the fall. But if I was out…"Serrene!" he shouted as he shot upright, wincing at the pain in his side and left arm. "Serrene! Where are you?" He shouted again.
"I'm right over here you don't have to shout." Serrene stumbled out from behind a plant, pushing it aside revealing an odd-looking rock formation. "Ugh, how long was I out?" Serrene had also been knocked out it seemed.
"I don't know, I only just woke up my sel- Ach!" Callum tried to brace himself with his left arm to move into a standing position, but an intense wave of pain overcame him. "Sky boy! You ok?" Serrene rushes over to him.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little banged up from the landing." He tried not to sound overly accusatory, but failed. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was…you pulled a cheeky move running on my back...and you know the rest."
Callum chuckled and looked over at the odd rack formation that Serrene had presumably landed by. It appeared to open up to almost like a cave of some sort. "Hey Serrene, you landed over there right?" He pointed in the direction of the cave.
"Yeah, what of it?" Her words betrayed her, but her tone was questioning. "Does that look almost like a cave to you?" He pointed at the rock formation nearby her landing area. "Yeah, kinda. Has that always been there?"
"I don't know, I've never seen it before today." That's interesting, Callum thought to himself, what are the chances we stumble across a cave we haven't seen before this close to the Spire.
"We should check it out." He intoned to Serrene. "Are you sure sky boy? You're still hurt." Callum shrugged her off. "I'm not hurt that bad, see? I can already move my arm." He twirled his left arm in a circle, it wasn't better at all, but thanks to Rayla's training he managed to hide his pain.
Wow, he thought to himself, seeing Serrene accept his arm movements as a sign he was better. I definitely owe Rayla for this. They made their way into the cave. It smelled weird, unnatural as if it should not have ever existed.
Both Callum and Serrene wrinkled their noses. "Ugh, do you smell tha-" She started. "Yes Serrene, I do, and I'm trying to forget that I do." She just shrugged. "Whatever you say." As they went deeper into the cave, the smell got worse. Then, a thought hit Callum as hard as their crash into the trees.
Where do I know this smell? He pondered it as they continued in. The cave wasn't deep, but they were still movin cautiously. And then realization hit Callum, he knew why this smell was so familiar. Da"rk Magic"
"What did you say?" Serrene asked, confused. "The smell, it's Dark Magic," Callum replied solemnly. "What does that mean?" Serrene almost sounded scared. "It means we need to be extra careful," Callum replied as he reached over his back for his staff, only to find empty air.
Damn, it must've come off when I fell. His movements didn't go unnoticed by Serrene, who handed him one of her daggers. For being a swordswoman, she was exceptionally skilled with knives, specifically throwing them.
They moved even more cautiously through the cave, eventually coming across what looked like a makeshift camp. Even then it barely qualified as a camp, but it had definitely been lived in. Both Callum and Serrene scanned the surrounding area for traps and finding nothing ventured inside to look around.
The first thing they noted was the skeletons. Some looked like animals, the others, elves. Serrene stifled a sob as she realized what those skeletons were as well. "Who could do such a thing?" Callum put a hand on her shoulder. "A Dark Mage, unfortunately, I think I know who."
"You don't mean…" Serrene trailed off. "Yes, I believe Claudia did this. What she could want with the bodies of elves I don't know, but it can't be for the protection of humanity." Callum mockingly quoted her before turning away from the bodies.
He noted an almost cocoon-like structure sitting in the corner. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know what was in there. He noted something odd sitting by some rocks. He leaned down and picked it up. A coin purse? What would Claudia need with a coin purse?
He opened the coin purse and took a coin out. He turned to coin over in his palm and shouted in surprise. "What? What happened?" Serrene rushes over. He held the coin up. "Look." He said with sorrow in his voice.
Serrene sword colorfully, "Please tell those aren't what I think they are." "I really hope it isn't." He took one last look at the cave. "We should get back, the others are probably getting worried, and we need to let Queen Zubeia know right away." Serrene nodded her agreement.
As they were on their way out, Callum heard a strange hum in the air. "Do you hear that?" He asked. "Hear what?" Serrene replied. "There's a hum, almost like-" he saw a purple glow coming from the rocks behind Serrene. "GET DOWN IT'S A TRAP!" Callum shouted as he tackled Serrene to the ground. He felt pain, and then his world went dark.
Serrene grunted as Callum tackled her aside, she didn't get hit by whatever that ballast was, but Callum wasn't so lucky. "Hey sky boy, are you ok?" She shook him, but there was no response. "Sky boy? Hey sky boy? Callum!" Oh shit oh shit oh shit, think Serrene, Think!
She knew it was Dark Magic that had struck him, but she didn't know anything about Dark Magic, other than it was an atrocity that humans used. The only person that seemed to know anything about Dark Magic has just been rendered unconscious by it.
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind her, Serrene drew her sword. "Hmmm, interesting." The figure said. "That spell is meant to kill elves, I wonder what will happen to the human mage." The figure seemed delighted at the prospect of Callum's death. "Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" Serrene shouted her question at the figure.
The figure stepped forward and revealed a Startouch elf. Serrene makes eyes widened. "I am Aaravos." Serrene had no time to hesitate, she launched herself at the elf. Surprisingly, he made no move to dodge, in fact, he didn't need to for her sword went right through him.
"What are you?" She asked in surprise. "I am a Startouch elf, but as for what you can see, I am an illusion." Serrene scowled. That meant the she couldn't hurt him, but at the very least she couldn't be attacked either.
She narrowed her eyes at Aaravos. "What did you do to him." Aaravos grinned maliciously. "I have done nothing, that spell however…" he chuckled. "That spell targets creatures with a strong connection to an arcanum, like an elf." Serrene scowled at him. "The spell won't kill a human even if it strikes them, it's designed that way."
"However, given that your friend here has an unusual connection to both the Sky and the Moon, he is not going to have a fine experience," Serrene growled. "And what does that mean." Aaravos scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Given that the spell has sat dormant for three years, had the spell struck you, you wouldn't have survived longer than a day."
"Given that your friend is a human, yet posses a connection to two Arcana, the next three or four days are going to be more than unpleasant." "Tell me how to fix him!" She demanded, which only caused Aaravos to laugh. "Oh I would love to, however, it seems this illusion spell is at the end of its ropes, we will meet again. You and your unusual friend."
"Oh, and show that coin purse to the Captain, she will want to see it." The illusion disappeared. Shit! Serrene thought. What does he mean show it to the Captain? Damn it, at least sky boy isn't going to die, ok ok ok. Think, think. Need to get him to the Storm Spire, right.
Callum groaned as Serrene hefted him onto her shoulders, "Hang in there sky boy, I'm going to get you home." Moving as fast as she could Serrene exited the cave. She moved past the treeline where they had crashed and unwittingly found this evil cave.
She kept moving until they were out in the open. "Ok Serrene, you've done this a million times, this is why Ibis beat it into you, ok, focus." Serrene desperately tried to calm herself. She took a deep breath in and out, and then drew a rune in the air. "Fulminis Navis!" She put a hand in the air.
A bright beacon of lightning shot into the air and exploded into more lightning bolts that shot across the sky. Oh you guys better have seen that or I'm going to be pissed,Serren thought to herself. "Just hang on sky boy," she said, setting Callum down on the grass. "Help is on the way." She looked towards the Storm Spire. I hope.
This chapter was a long one, but I had a lot of fun writing it. I can't promise more long chapters like this or more consistent ones. I write the story as it comes to me, but I sincerely hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.