Bloodthirsty Part 2

Raylan opened his eyes but felt his entire face throbbing from Amaya's powerful punch. He felt his hands bound to a column with a rope, right above his head. He tried to break free but a powerful step from a metal footguard made him look up to see Amaya and Gren towering over him.

"How did you do it?" Gren demanded.

"How did we do what?" Raylan simply asked back.

"'We'"?" Amaya said in sign language, Gren translating for her since Raylan didn't understand anything about sign language judging by the confused expression on his face. "How many of you are there?"

Raylan turned his head away. "Did I say 'we'?"

Amaya suddenly grabbed his chin and made her look at him. "Don't look away from me," Gren spoke.

"It's just me," the elf answered quickly. He pulled his chin free. "I'm alone,"

Amaya frowned. "Liar," she poked her finger at him. She stood up and addressed her soldiers. "If there are more of them, the children are in danger," Gren spoke again. She pointed at Raylan. "Do not take your eyes off him," The two walked out of the room. The two soldiers guarding Raylan looked at his blades and in his knapsack.

"Take your hands off my things!" he demanded.

The soldiers ignored him and went searching for these things, pulling out: a clock, an envelope with a card (from his parents), a blue opal pendant…

"Don't you touch that!" Raylan warned.

The soldier tossed it to the floor and it landed near his feet. He eyed it desperately. It was his mother's.

The left soldier started flicking one of his swords. It suddenly activated and the blade activated nearly cutting off his finger.

"I would be careful if I were you," Raylan warned. "Wouldn't want to lose a finger. You can't handle four fingers the way an elf can," he waved his hands with eight fingers altogether.

"Shut up," the guard pointed his sword at him.

The other one found his bottle of moonberry juice. "He drinks blood! He's a bloodthirsty savage!"

"Don't call me that!" shouted Raylan.

"I said shut up!" the guard point his sword right into his nose, silencing him instantly.

In one of the top rooms, Caroline pulled on a rope, heaving up a small lift. Willow and Felix stood at the barricaded door, pressing their ears to hear any approaching soldiers. Felix sniffed under the door for any strong scents approaching them.

"You sure this is gonna work?" Ez asked her.

"Positive. It's our only option. He'll know what to do. Is Bait ready?"

"Yep," Ezran lifted Bait. "Okay. Once the soldiers look at you, you glow up as bright as you can. Wait a minute what if Raylan gets blinded too?"

"He's a smart elf and he'll know what'll happen. Unless Bait of course can shut his eyes quickly and then open them again so he gets the message,"

"Good idea. Bait you got that?"

Bait did a grumpy croak.

"Great. It's up to you now," Ezran loaded Bait onto the elevator and Caroline gently released the rope one meter and a time and Bait was lowered down.

Raylan wondered how he was going to get out of this mess and find the others. His train of thought was interrupted by a gentle rumble. Behind the soldiers, he saw a small elevator of wood appear. Bait was on it. He looked across at him. Then he shut his eyes slowly and then opened them up again and at the same pace. The elf got confused. Bait did the same action again and tilted his head from left to right. Raylan still couldn't get it. Bait croaked.

The soldiers turned around and saw the glow-toad. "Where did you come from?"

Bait began to glow a little.

Immediately Raylan got the message and he scrunched his eyes just as Bait suddenly lit up the whole room, blinding the soldiers temporarily. With the distraction, Raylan stood up with his hands still bound to the column and kicked the soldier backwards. The other one regained his sight and tried to slice at him but he only stabbed his sword in the column Raylan kicked him in the face and he was knocked unconscious. The elf cut himself free, then gathered his swords and items before packing them away in his knapsack. He picked up Bait and dashed out of the room. He ran up the stairs but to his alarm saw the three royals charging down towards him.

"There you are," said Carol in relief.

Raylan simply gave Bait back to Ezran and grabbed her arm. "Come on!" they dashed down the stairs to the atrium but soldiers spotted them. They sprinted faster out of the lodge and tried to reach the bridge ahead but dozens of soldiers were crossing it. They tried to turn back but they were suddenly surrounded by more of them. There was no escape. Arrows on bows were loaded. Swords were pulled out.

"Stop right there elf!" Gren and Amaya emerged from the soldiers so Amaya could see her family. "Guys, come here," she ordered.

Carol bit her lip.

"Carol, we should just tell her…" Ez implored.

"Time for Plan B," opted Willow.

"Guys, come here," Amaya ordered again, Gren mimicking her serious voice.

Still, the children wouldn't move. Raylan heard the twitching of a string and saw an arrow about to be fired.

"Wait!" Carol stood in front of him, blocking the archer's vision.

"Hold your fire," Amaya commanded, afraid of her niece getting hurt. "Carol, why are you defending this elf?"

"Aunt Amaya please, Raylan isn't our enemy," Carol signed as she spoke.

"How can he be your friend? He's an elf. A Moonshadow elf whose kind tried to kill you,"

"Yes, they did try to kill me. But he spared my life. He saved us from the assassins and now he's just trying to…"

"No Carol! Elves are lairs! They're nothing but killers! He attacked me!"

"You're the one who attacked me!" Raylan retorted. "I was only acting to defend myself!"

"Guys, you cannot trust this elf. His kind came here to kill you all and l will not lose any more of family. Now come here!" Amaya's commanding voice through Gren made her nieces and nephews tense.

"I'm sorry, aunt," Caroline pulled out her primal stone. "Stratum Caligo" she drew the ruin and immediately fog covered the group again. The fog covered the group and surrounded the soldiers making it difficult for them to see. Quickly she stuffed her weapon away and grabbed Raylan's hand along with Ez's. Bait settled on his rucksack whilst he grabbed Willow who held onto Felix tightly.

"Great way to get us!" he cursed.

"Just trust me," Caroline suddenly pulled the group with her. Trusting her instincts, they pulled them through the mist.

In the fog, Amaya struggled to see her family.

The soldier with the bow suddenly shot his arrow.

Raylan suddenly felt an arrow whiz right past his ear cutting off a short braid. "Ahh!" he gasped feeling a sharp slice just above his jawline.

Carol managed to get them out of the fog bank and they found themselves back in the open at the riverbank. They saw a boat. "Everyone into the boat! Now!" the party boarded except Raylan. "Come on,"

"I'm not going in that boat,"

"Just get in!" Caroline pulled his hand and before he could retort, she cast Aspiro with her primal stone and the group felt themselves falling onto the floor of the rowbow and it sped along the river. Raylan cringed and clung on tight.

The fog cleared and Amaya was shocked to see her family not there. "Over there!" a soldier shouted on the bridge. She rushed over and ahead in the distance she saw Caroline performing wind magic to make the boat carrying them far up the river away from her. She saw her eldest niece sending an apologetic face towards her before it disappeared into the distance.

After five performances of her blow spell, Carol sat down taking a moment to catch her breath.

"That was epic!" cheered Willow. "Well done," she offered a high-five and Carol accepted it.

"That speedboat trick was so cool," said Ezran.

Groaning interrupted the conversation and they saw Raylan struggling to hold himself together at the other end. "Please don't say anything," he begged.

"I wish Aunt Amaya had just listened," Carol lamented, remembering the upset face she saw across the river on that bridge.

"You were right Carol. No peace is possible until we deliver the prince back," said Ez. "I just hope that she understands once it's done,"

Felix purred and sat between his person and the egg bag. "We're probably far enough from her. We should make camp for the night," she suggested.

They docked at a riverbank near a tall tree with large roots. Raylan stood off instantly. Carol heard him fuming, not realising he was both green and red.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Raylan flew into a furious tantrum. "No, I am not okay! I nearly got killed today because you wanted me to get this!" he threw the Cube from his knapsack into her hands. "This stupid toy!"

"Raylan, I'm sorry that you nearly got killed…"

"You risked all of our lives, the egg for that stupid toy!"

"Oh, stop complaining! I saved your life! And this is not a toy!"

"You wouldn't have needed to save me if you knew we were going to have company at the lodge,"

"How was I supposed to know our aunt was coming to the lodge?!" she retorted.

"You should have known!"

Ezran and Willow tensed seeing them argue like that. Felix tried to bite at the elf but Bait bit his tail, shaking his head.

"Like I have mind-reading powers!" Caroline was beginning to lose her temper with him. "Like I know everything that goes in the human realm,"

"We didn't need that ridiculous cube!"

"Well, I do. I need this to help me understand magic for this quest,"

"You don't need to understand anything about magic. Because you're…"

"Just a lowly human?" Caroline finished. "A lowly human who risked her life to save you and to help you save that egg back in Katolis with magic? Who a while ago just saved you again even if it was from her own aunt?" Raylan growled and crossed his arms turning his back to her. She huffed. "Has anyone ever told you you've got serious anger issues?"

"I'll take first watch," Raylan marched off and sat on a rock, giving everyone the cold shoulder.

Caroline growled in annoyance and stalked off. She sat against a tree in front of the river and the boat, arms wrapped around her knees. Felix sat beside her crossing his arms and lying down like a purring cat.

Ezran and Willow ate a little of the food they had managed to pack from the Lodge. They turned their heads and saw Raylan sulking grouchily near the rocks.

Their sister drew in her sketchbook to quell her nerves. She was both angry at Raylan for his outburst but also angry at herself, feeling guilty for what had nearly happened to them. She drew the cube next to her primal stone. As she did, the cube's Sky insignia flowed blue when close to the ball of sky magic. Felix noticed and purred getting her attention. She eyed it in wonder. "Amazing,"

"You'll need it for this journey," Ezran said as he and Willow came to sit with her. "You okay?"

She sighed. "Not really,"

"Look Raylan was just being a big jerk," Willow said, crossing her arms and eying the elf coldly. "You saved his life and he acted ungrateful for no reason,"

"But he's right though. I could have put this egg in danger," she eyed the egg carefully in Ezran's bag. "I nearly got us caught,"

"Carol, you had no idea what was going to happen," Ezran consulted. "And don't let what he said get to you…he's probably just shocked that he nearly got killed by Aunt Amaya,"

"You should definitely learn magic," Willow approved. "You used magic to save us twice now so you should use it to help us get that egg to Xadia,"

Caroline felt better. "We should get some sleep. We've got a long journey tomorrow. Did you guys get some other supplies from the Lodge?"

"Yep. We've got our own blankets so you won't have to go cold again," Willow pulled them out from her rucksack and Carol laid them down under the three. They lay down and she sat in the middle, Felix lying beside her like a fluffy toy again. Willow hugged the toy she had had since infancy in her hands and Ezran hugged Bait. The egg glowed brightly near their faces.

Raylan sat on the rocks still staring at his wrist bindings unsure what to do now. He eyed the sleeping children and sighed. He pulled out the blue opal pendant from his knapsack and held it protectively as he closed his eyes.

The day had finally come for Lain and Tiadrin to leave the Silvergrove, their best friends, and their son for the Storm Spire to protect the Dragon Prince. Raylan was so heartbroken; this day had come too quickly for him. He didn't feel ready to say goodbye. He was only six years old and that age felt too young to say goodbye to his family.

He sat on his bed, hugging his dragon toy. He heard a door open. He saw his parents entering, all packed and ready.

"It's time son," Lain said with regret, making his son sniffle.

Tiadrin walked over and knelt in front of him. "Do you want me to hold you one more time?"

Young Raylan nodded and she hoisted him into his arms and hugged him tightly. Laid escorted them out, giving his son some tickles to make him chuckle so he could forget about how lonely it would be without them. They walked through the Silvergrove till they reached the entrance. Runaan and Ethari awaited them with remorseful faces.

Lain and Tiadrin eyed each other. Though both knew they would not be around to raise their son, both knew that they could rely on their closest friends to take care of him. Tiadrin gently placed Raylan down on his feet and held his hand.

"Farwell for now dear friends," Runaan bid sadly. He embraced Lain like a brother and then Tiadrin like a sister.

"We don't how we'll ever repay you for saying you'd take our son in," Tiadrin snivelled as she hugged Ethari next.

"Don't worry. We promise we will protect him," the blacksmith swore.

"And we'll teach him everything he needs to know," promised Runaan eying the young Raylan.

"Thank you," said Lain.

The mother knelt in front of her son. "You will love Runaan and Ethari. They'll take care of you. And they will love you as their own,"

"I don't want to replace you and dad,"

"It doesn't mean less for us. It means more love for you," Tiadrin reached for her blue moon opal necklace. She unclipped it and then clipped it around her son again. "My love will always be with you. Even when the moon is not,"

"I'll never take it off," Raylan promised. He threw his arms around her and she hugged him tightly. "Never,"

"I love you with all of myself," she wept. "And I always will,"

Lain saw his wife and son hugging and shedding tears of his own knelt beside his wife and embraced his son too. "We love you so much, son. And we know you'll become a fine elf when you grow," they slowly let go and Lain lifted him again and gently passed him over to Runaan who held him gently.

As Ethari placed his arm around his husband's shoulder and leaned his head against his shoulder, Raylan settled into his new guardians' arms as she watched his parents set off to the border. As they were about to phase through the wall that made the Silvergrove invisible, they took one last look at their son in their best friends' arms and waved. Tiadrin wiped a tear away and Lain held him close. They smiled and waved and Raylan waved back. And then they went through and they were gone.

Raylan stroked the opal. Then he pulled it over his head, clutching it protectively. Regret clutched his heart tightly for breaking his promise. He swore to never do so again. He observed the sleeping Caroline again and sigh. He realised how he was such a big jerk for lashing out at her when she had saved his life again. He really did have anger issues as she said. The truth was he had been burying so much anger for years. For many things. He just didn't know how to let it all out.

That's the next half done. What did you all think? I hope you all enjoyed it. Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought. I would love to hear your opinions and any ideas too. See you all soon.