If bad things happen, I need you to kill me.
I'm afraid, Rayla. What if I'm on a path of darkness?
I'm afraid he'll use me to do awful things.
Or hurt the people I care about.
So that's why all I'm asking is that if he takes control of me again…
You have to kill me.
I need you to promise.
It's deafening - the sound of blades clashing, spells casting, and shrill cries against the stone walls is deafening .
She's hurt…at least, she thinks she is hurt. Rayla's bleeding from her cracked nose - is it broken? - and the pain from her old wrist injury is blinding. Yet she continues to fend off the onslaught of magic - water, earth, fire - and everything is coming at her at once. Miraculously, her blades deflect each one, but as time passes, so does her strength, and she is just so tired and so desperate for it all to be over.
Callum is next to her, and - is that gash on the side of his head? - doing his best to keep up with the Startouch Elf's speed and wit. He's good, yes, and he's gotten astoundingly stronger…but Aaravos is better. Rayla can see his lightning's accuracy is off, and she wonders briefly if the sparks of a stray spell will fly toward her.
There's a scream - a cry of anguish from across the way - and her head turns for just a second. Soren is in a corner, crumpled, body bent at an odd angle. Viren - his own father? - is above him, triumphantly.
On the other side, Ezran is atop Zym - when did Zym get big enough for Ezran to ride? - and the two are warding off Claudia. The Dark Mage seems to have gone completely berserk. Her hair is wild and almost completely white; her purple, glowing eyes are ablaze as her lips quickly mutter reverse incantations.
" Fulminis !"
There is a burst of electricity, and one of Callum's spells hits Aaravos dead in the chest. The Startouch Elf breaks eye contact and roars in protest, clearly in pain, and likely thrown off by the direct blow. Rayla pauses her defense briefly as Callum's heavy breathing reaches her ears. She sees the opening immediately, but another cry - why is it so close? - makes her inside freeze.
And it happens.
Callum begins gasping, desperately trying to force air through his lungs. Ibis' staff falls with a clang as the young man clutches his throat. His eyes roll, and his body contorts, bending over itself. He is struggling, choking, gagging on an invisible force.
Rayla knows - this is it.
If bad things happen, I need you to kill me.
"No, Callum , you have to fight. FIGHT HIM. You write your own book on destiny!"
His head twists, his arms are thrown askew, and his eyes - but are they his own? - have gone all black, and gone is the brilliant, verdant sheen of emerald.
Possessed Callum now stands straight as an arrow, calculating. Then - and he doesn't even need to call on Draconic to cast spells - he simply waves his arm, and SHHZZZOOOOM , the bolt hits both Ezran and Zym.
Ezran is thrown from Azymondias. The young boy flies in one direction, landing against the wall with a sickening thud - is he dead? - . The Dragon Prince explodes in the other. Claudia pauses her intelligible mutterings for only a second before she turns her heels on Zym.
Rayla steals a look at the Startouch Elf, who has recovered from Callum's spell and is actually smiling - smiling . He knows exactly what is happening. This is exactly what he wants.
The Moonshadow Elf raises a blade to slice the smirk clean off his face, only when - -
" No - RAYLA !"
Ezran's voice pierces through the air as Callum, eyes still dark and twisted, lunges at his younger brother. His hand is high above his head, and the deep-blue heat of another electric spell sparks in his open palm.
I'm afraid he'll use me to do awful things.
Or hurt the people I care about.
Rayla acts upon instinct - moves without reason. She retracts her blades and pounces on Callum's back, forcing his arms upward in the nick of time. The spell is unleashed, but not at its target; the voltage hits the wall of the cave and suddenly, there are rocks spewn about. Ezran's smaller body is quickly gobbled up by the avalanche of stones.
The lightning magic propels Rayla back, too, and she is thrown away from the scene. Panic sets in as she cries, "Ezran!" but a cruel, melodic laugh cuts through the dusty air.
"Oh, how I desired to watch a brother kill his own sibling but... a lover " - were they ever even lovers? - "killing their own is second-best ."
Callum's body goes limp, but then quickly snaps to attention as he is forced to turn around.
His empty, black eyes seek Rayla.
So that's why all I'm asking is that if he takes control of me again…
She scrambles to get up, blindly grabbing for her blades.
"Callum, I know you, I know you're in there. You must fight him!"
It falls on deaf ears.
" Please , Callum, please , don't make me - - !"
A gloved hand raises itself into the air.
"CALLUM! "
Rayla's palms are slick as she grips the blades tighter.
The young mage's lips finally part. " Fulgur - - "
There is a cough that comes from the other side, and rocks begin to stir.
Ezran's weak voice once again calls out. "Rayla…"
But it was enough. Possessed Callum's head turns in a nanosecond, seeking out his brother's voice. His hand snaps to Ezran's direction.
" - - Mortifer - - !"
You have to kill me.
It had to be done.
Rayla pushes back Callum's body before the deadly spell could be cast.
But…his eyes.
For a second - for one, beautiful, desperate second - Callum's eyes come to.
They are wide, and warm, and green.
He is awake. Aaravos had retracted his control. His senses have returned…
I need you to promise.
…a second too late.
Their eyes meet.
Rayla's blades plunge into his torso with a meaty squelch .
The elf's anguished cry echoes through the cavern as Callum gasps, belly full of sharp metal.
" NO! "
It's too late. Aaravos is once again chuckling, his evil mirth creating a ringing in Rayla's ears. Callum attempts to collect his breath, making measly, pathetic sounds. Brilliant crimson leaks from his lips.
The lush, fluid feeling of blood begins to trail down her arms as the blades remind in their place. Callum slowly clutches Rayla's face as he wheezes. A constellation of scarlet stars splatters across the Moonshadow Elf as Callum tries to speak.
The light behind his brilliant green eyes fades away.
"Thank you, Rayla…" he rasps as Rayla catches his collapsing figure.
I need you to promise.
She is screaming.
Rayla is screaming as her body shoots up.
Her body is trembling from the nightmare. Her breath comes in spurts, in and out , and she clutches a hand to her face, biting down on the knuckles, trying to muffle out the sounds. The cry bounces off the walls of the Storm Spire as it wanes.
Trying to compose herself, she glances at the sleeping forms, and prays no one was disturbed. A few seconds pass without any motion, and Rayla is grateful she can face her fantastical fears in the silence of the night without explanation.
But then, there is movement.
Across from the elf, out of the corner of her eye, she can see someone is stirring, and sitting up - him .
His luminous, emerald green irises follow her, widening as she continues to choke on her tears.
It doesn't matter if they haven't talked.
It doesn't matter if they are incredibly awkward still.
It doesn't matter if there are things that need to be addressed.
There are things that need to be said and done and discussed - two years worth - but none of that matters at this moment.
It's too much.
It was a dumb promise.
She rises, too, from her sleeping pack and flies into his arms, only minutely registering the look of pure shock on his face - and begins to sob .
"Callum, why did you make that dumb promise?" she cries as her body succumbs to the tremors. Rayla buries her face into his neck as she clings to his form. "I can't, Callum. I can't…please, you can't do this…it's DUMB!"
He doesn't speak but…she feels his arms wrap around her, gripping her tightly.
I need you to promise.
A/N
Hi friends (and new readers, since this is my first work featuring TDP),
I know many other authors have written their own version of how Callum's promise worked out. I hope you enjoyed my humble offering. This is, for certain, my most violent piece to date, and it challenged me in a different way. It's not usually my forte, but I felt it was appropriate given the situation. I tried to elate a certain tone with this piece, and so I formatted it in a certain way. It may be a bit confusing at times, but that's the point. Hopefully, it got through in the writing, and you were able to keep up!
We all know this promise is going to bite both Rayla and Callum in the butt.
Also, please leave a review if you enjoyed. You can find me on *another fanfic website* and Tumblr as HerWrittenUniverse.
Remember...Don't make promises you can't keep.