Smoke and Mirrors Part 2:

Raylan entered Lujanne's palace again. She was humming on her stone pedestal, wanting peace.

Bang! Bang!

Lujanne jumped and the moon moths scattered in different directions. "Can I help you?"

Raylan stopped banging his swords against the moon drum. "Were you meditating?"

"I was,"

Bang. Bang. "Good," Raylan flipped them in the air like drumsticks before sheathing them again behind his jacket.

"What third act of help can I give you?"

"We're leaving. And the dark mage wants to come with us but we're sending her brother back. But I have a feeling they might do something,"

"To every truth, there is a dark shadowed side, consider the half-moon…"

"You already did this,"

"Well…that's all I've got," said Lujanne. "Unless you need a spooky monster or fake food. Hmm?"

An idea sparked in Raylan's head. "There is something you can do. And the mission depends on it,"

Lairus had hiked up the caldera, trying to find his two brothers who had followed the two other humans but to no avail. He walked around a huge oak tree and peering over some rocks saw his brothers tied to a tree. The orange-haired armoured man observed, holding up their stones.

"I will destroy the sources of your power if you don't tell me why you want the princess," he threatened.

"How about you tell us first who cast that illusion spell?" Tellus demanded.

The sun mage frowned. It had been a trick to draw them into a trip. What if Castor was following an illusion too? Who could have cast that spell?

"I'm the one who's demanding information from you two. Not the other way around," Gren threatened. "Now I will ask again, what do you want from her?"

Lairus pulled out his stone and drew a ruin.

Gren heard the chanting of a spell and when he turned he saw a powerful ball of fire fired towards his face.

The royal children were in their room packing.

Carol opened her knapsack. "It's okay Zym. It's very comfy," Zym wasn't sure.

"I won't close the lid,"

He stubbornly refused.

Felix purred seeing her efforts were useless. He nuzzled his face. It's all right. It'll be fine.

Zym looked up at his surrogate mother. I trust you. He leapt into her bag and just like Felix said it was very comfy.

Carol stroked Felix, grateful for his brotherly support. "Is everybody packed?"

Ezran and Willow heard up their bags. "All ready," he said.

Willow looked unsettled.

"You okay sis?" Carol asked.

"I just saw another vision. I saw a sword about to slice Raylan. And a snake coiling around us. They were dark magic ones. And the three black figures. I think they're the ones who tried to kidnap you," she was petrified.

"It's all right," Carol hugged her and Ezran joined in. "It's gonna be okay. I'm sure Raylan is already thinking of something. He said he'd keep us safe and that's what he intends to do. The sooner we leave the better,"

They heard the doors opening behind them. Raylan and Lujanne entered. Judging by the looks on their faces, they could see serious action had to be taken. "I've got a plan," he said. "But I'm going to need you all to trust me,"

Ellis, Claudia, Ava, and Soren waited in the green meadows. Soren was doing stretches just to show off and Claudia was just making sure all her items were packed and ready. "Everyone's packed and ready," said Raylan approaching them with Lujanne.

"Where are the others?" asked Claudia.

"They're be joining us soon," Raylan notified.

"It has been a pleasure to have you all here," said Lujanne. "I truly have enjoyed you all sneaking past my defences and desecrating this sacred place these last few days. It will be lonely. Quiet. But lonely without you,"

"I'll miss you so much," Ellis came over and gave her a hug which she affectionately returned.

"You are always welcome here Ellis," Ava barked, wanting attention. "And you two little one," she pulled out a moonstone collar. "You don't need the illusion any longer but I hope this serves as a reminder that someone is always looking out for you," she fastened it around her furry neck and it glowed.

The children appeared with Felix, Bait and Zym poking his head out of Carol's bag. "Time to hit the road," Carol announced. "Goodbye Lujanne. Thank you so much for everything,"

"It was my pleasure. Here," Lujanne gave her a small purse. "Inside this purse are moon opals. I hope they provide use for your journey,"

She took them gladly. "Thank you,"

"Thank you Lujanne," said Raylan. "Off we go, everyone. We'll take you back to the village Ellis and then the rest of us except Soren will be on our way to Xadia. Agreed?" he crossed his arms, eying Soren sceptically.

Soren received a soft glare from his sister. "Agreed,"

With Lujanne waving to them as they left, everyone walked down the slopes and Carol and Raylan took a look back as they left the Nexus behind. They walked through the forest, Carol feeling Soren's cold eyes pressed on her.

"I'm gonna miss you, Ellis," said Carol.

Ellis sighed sadly. "Me too. You've all been great friends to me and Ava,"

Felix purred sadly as Ava gave his head a licking making the girls laugh a little.

Ellis observed Raylan and Carol walking close together. "You know you guys are so cute,"

"Don't you start," warned Raylan. "Oh look…" he looked down a slope and saw some berry bushes. "I'll go and pick those berries. You guys just stay here," he walked down.

Soren saw this was now his chance. He winked at Claudia and she nodded. He gently snuck away following the elf down the pathway. As Raylan plucked some berries, he pulled out his sword and swiped.

Raylan flip-rolled out of the way and faced his attempted killer pulling out his blades. "Just as I thought,"

"This time I will get you elf," Soren attacked and they fought.

Claudia raised her hand and chanted a spell. Her eyes glowed pink and she sent her chain bracelets snaking to the floor. They turned into vipers with green glowing eyes. Ava saw them and got spooked. She bounded off and the siblings and Bait and Felix were wrapped in chains.

"Run Zym!" cried Carol. Zym shot out of her back and bounded off but Claudia chased after him with a large sack and captured him. She walked back up to her prisoners with a look of regret.

"I'm sorry, guys. But I have to do what's right. I can't let you all go. I have to take you back," she sighed when they didn't look up at her. "Just say something," she begged. She knelt before Carol…"I'm so sorry Caroline but you're wrong about my father. I'm sorry that I've had to hurt you like this," They looked dull and lifeless… She became scared. "Soren, something's wrong!"

Soren was too busy fighting Raylan to listen. The elf growled with every strike he enforced against the teenage warrior. "You did mess with the zipline. You tried to kill Caroline," The bully didn't deny it at all. "If her father was here, he'd had you in chains for your actions! And you deem me a monster when I risked my life trying to protect him,"Something in his words affected Soren but he ignored at gut feeling twisting his throat.

Still, they fought. Hidden from their sight, three pairs of eyes glared through the leaves and them. They enlarged when they saw Raylan.

The elf leapt up into a tree. "Too scared to fight against me elf?" he mocked.

Raylan snorted. "What I'm waiting for is the look on your face," he whistled.

Ava and Ellis appeared out of a bush. "Moonstone collar trick," She pulled the collar off Ava's neck and it growled.

Back where she was Claudia was shocked to see the children's bodies glowing and then disappearing out of sight. "They're…illusions,"

Soren heard what she said. "What? They're not real,"

"That's what illusions are stupid!" booed Raylan.

Claudia growled and glared down at him. "Where are they?"

"Right here," a bitter voice boomed.

Claudia turned around and saw three bitter betrayed faces glaring at her. The real children. Felix growled and Bait looked very grumpy than ever. They had witnessed everything.

"Why Claudia?" Carol demanded, more hurt than angered compared to Ezran and Willow who glared at her with angry eyes. "I can't believe I trusted you. You lied to me. You were my friend and I trusted you!"

Claudia tried to speak when they heard a loud squawk from the heavens. She turned around and saw Phoe-Phoe descending upon her like a giant eagle. She fell to the floor shocked at being scooped up to be her lunch. The children leapt onto Phoe-Phoe and she took off again flying towards the tree Raylan was on. He jumped and Carol grabbed his hand pulling him up onto the saddle with her.

Soren was frustrated. He tried to attack the wolf and her girl but Ava dodged elegance. "Not even close!" mocked Ellis pulling a well-deserved face at him. "Ha-ha!" He made again to try and kill them but Ava galloped off. He saw Phoe-Phoe flying above their heads. "They're getting away!"

"No. They're not," Claudia pulled out an item and her eyes glowed again. She sent a magic tentacle and it grabbed the giant bird and her riders and started pulling them to the ground.

Willow and Ezran were scared. Felix pressed his face against Carol's chest. "Claudia! Don't do this!" Carol begged.

Claudia nearly had them when a lasso hook came out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist, disarming her with her magic item. The spell broke and Phoe-Phoe managed to ascend into the air again.

Corvus pulled Claudia to the ground, tying her up in chains. Soren tried to attack him but he deflected his sword and kicked him into a boulder. "What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Protecting them from you!"

Suddenly the ground beneath him became liquid-like and he struck halfway into the ground. The dark mage and soldier were amazed. They turned their heads and saw three cloaked mages with Gren, gagged and tied up and burnt on the neck approaching them.

Claudia and Soren held their breaths. Then to their surprise, the mages helped them up and untied them before bounding Corvus in ropes again. As Phoe-Phoe carried them across the sky, the team looked down at Ava and Ellis on the cliff top. They howled and waved.

"Goodbye, guys! We'll miss you!" called up Ellis. "Don't forget about us!"

"Goodbye!" they cried down.

"We won't forget you!" promised Willow.

After waving their goodbyes, Carol looked down with a hurt expression at her former friend who looked up. The sympathetic Felix purred and she hugged him; both felt deeply betrayed.

"I'm sorry Cary," Raylan sympathised, touching her shoulder, and comforting her again.

"You trusted your instincts and you saved us. You're a real friend,"

Raylan smiled again. "Can't take all the credit. Good thing you warned us, Willow,"

She smiled, proud that her gift had helped them. Looking down again towards the retreating nexus, they saw the black-hooded mages. "I can't believe they were so close,"

"We're safe now," assured Carol. "We're gonna get as far away as possible," Raylan looked a little scared. "We're going to keep each other safe. That's what friends do,"

Phoe-Phoe carried them far away and the night settled in.

Soren and Claudia lamented over their failure as they disappeared into the darkening sky. They looked at the three black strangers who had saved them. "Thank you," she said. She glared down at Corvus and Gren.

"What brings you traitors here?" demanded Soren.

"You tried to kidnap the new king and the princesses of Katolis," claimed Corvus.

"Whatever it is that your father has planned it won't work," scoffed Gren. Soren gagged them before looking at the three mages. "Who may we ask are you, 'strange-hooded men'?"

"We are mages," the fire one said. "We have primal magic. It seems we have a common enemy. That elf who took off with those children…we're after him. So how about we propose a deal…we work together to track them down, you get the children and we get the elf,"

Gren and Corvus knew they were lying. They tried to warn Claudia and Soren but their mouths were muffled by their gags.

Claudia wasn't quite convinced. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"We saved your lives didn't we?" the earth one questioned.

"How do we know you're not from Xadia?" Soren challenged.

"We are not. At least not entirely. But like your kind, Xadia despises us because they believe themselves to be superior," the ocean one spoke. "So, we stole magic to relieve ourselves of pain and suffering,"

"What do you think Soren?" Claudia asked.

"If it means we can get the children back, then 'yes'. At least we don't have to worry about the dragon,"

"Soren!"

Soren realised what he said and smacked his hands over his lips. It was too late.

"Dragon?" the earth one questioned. He noticed a sack was moving. "Would it be a dragonling by any chance?"

Claudia scoffed. "Yes. And it is not coming with you. It's coming back to…" she gasped when she picked up the bag and it stopped moving. She opened it and out came a swarm of moon moths. Another illusion. She looked again at the men. "If we're going to work together…we are going to agree to these conditions…the children and the dragon come with us back to Katolis…and you get the elf. Agreed?"

"Agreed," they said together.

Gren and Corvus eyed each other worriedly. They wondered where Caldor was right now.

"You can come out now Zym," Carol opened the bag and Zym poked his head out. "There. There. That's a good dragon," he licked her face and she giggled. "We're all safe,"

I was scared. I felt your fear. And I felt your pain. I'm so sorry about Claudia.

Carol's heart was broken. It was just like how she felt when Soren turned his back on her and become her number-one nemesis. It's okay, Zym. I have all the friendships I could ever have.

"Can I hold him Carol?" asked Ezran.

"Sure. Now. I'm gonna pass you Ez okay?"

I trust you. The hatchling chirped.

Carol gently handed him over to Ez and the young prince raised him in the air. Open your wings. She telepathically said to him.

Zym did just that and he roared in joy. It was incredible. It was the most fantastic feeling anyone could feel.

Castor had followed Caldor for hours far away from the caldera. He finally saw a chance to capture him and the braided dark-haired lass whilst he had the chance. Perching on a clifftop, he raised his wrist and cast a spell sending snakes slithering down upon them. The horse was spooked and scurried off leaving Caldor and Caroline on the ground. The snakes wrapped around their bodies, trapping them.

He marched upon the braided girl. "You're mine now," he said. He suddenly noticed what was off about her face. "Wait a minute," he noticed her face was emotionless. He scrunched his eyes and sprinkled some dust. The two prisoners were actually illusions. He growled. "Come out wherever you are! I know you're close by!"

"Hello…brother," Caldor stepped out from the shadows of a tree on a slope above Castor.

"You're supposed to be dead Ihar!" he spat.

"I don't go by that name anymore,"

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Far enough away from you," he said. "You will never get your hands on her,"

"You were supposed to suffer the same way we suffered when you betrayed our cult,"

"A cult committed to doing heinous acts? As if," he scoffed. "If you want me you gotta catch me," he whistled and his horse came back and he jumped on and galloped off into the distance. Castor called his horse and he swung himself onto his charging steed and the night stalking turned into a night chase.

And that's the third episode of Dragon prince Season 2 done. Hope you all enjoyed it. What do you all think of Claudia and Soren teaming up together with the mages? And Caldor was once one of them? What does this mean? We'll have to wait and find out. I'm going to take a break from writing this story for a while because I want to focus on the other stories I'm doing for a bit. I'll update again by March if that's okay. Thank you all so much for your support. It means a lot. And please keep sending over ideas, they really help a lot. See you all soon.