Breathe Part One

Pyrrah walked out of the water. The children were shivering, and coughing. Quickly she made a fireball in her mouth and crouched in front of them so they could warm up.

"What happened Willow?" asked Ezran. "What made you fall off?"

"I thought I saw shadow people attacking kings and queens, slaughtering them. It felt so real," Willow looked like she was gonna be sick. "And then I saw Viren. He was all dark and he had some sort of critter creature on his ear, speaking to him,"

Ezran quivered. "You think Viren's up to something terrible?"

"I think he is. Ezran, I know you might not want to hear this, but if he's doing bad things, you have to go back to Katolis and take your place as king,"

Ezran thought about it for a second. "We need to get back to Carol first. I hope she's okay,"

"Cary! Wake up!" Raylan begged, shaking her shoulders frantically. Felix whined in worry. Zym chirped and licked her face but to little success. "You've got to stay with me,"

As Caroline drowned under the sea, Raylan's voice echoed in her eardrums through the darkness.

"Breathe," a kind gentle voice echoed in her ears. Carol struggled to hold herself together. "Carol, you need to breathe," a pair of hands touched her shoulders. Her eyes were closed and she was no longer in the sea. She was sitting on a bed. "You just need to breathe pumpkin,". It was the voice of her mother.

Carol's eyes opened and she pressed her fingertips against the side of her forehead. "I feel so overwhelmed with everything. I have so many thoughts. So many duties…I just…I can't think straight,"

"Sometimes you just need to focus on the present," her mother comforted her. "Take a deep breath, and just breathe,"

Carol coughed. Raylan pulled up the upper half of her body and embraced her tightly. Felix whimpered afraid she was dying. Zym nuzzled him; they comforted each other.

"Carol. Come back. It doesn't matter what you did before. I just want you to be okay again," begged Raylan.

As he hugged her tightly, Felix noticed that the cube in her open knapsack was glowing. The sky Arcanum symbol was emitting a powerful sky-blue colour, the colour of Zym's scales.

"Carol!"

Sometimes things can get so complicated, that our minds can't quite sort them out alone," As Sarai spoke, her daughter turned her head and looked into her eyes. but when you slow down, and let yourself breathe, your spirit and your body can catch up with your mind and help out,"

"I just have to breathe?" asked Carol. She inhaled a deep breath and opened her eyes.

"To know something truly and deeply, you must know it with your head, hand, and heart. Mind, body, and spirit," she pulled her child into her warm arms. "I love you with all of myself. And I always will,"

Caroline hugged her back tearfully. "I love you too, mum. I miss you. So much,"

"I miss you too my melody angel. But I have always been with you. And I always will,"

Raylan hugged Carol tighter. "I can't lose you like this. You mean too much to me. Please be okay," he let go of her and held her cheek. "Cary…I….I…"

Caroline gasped, waking up. She was healed. Raylan nearly jumped in shock and let go, afraid of being awkward.

Carol. Zym pounced on her and she fell backwards, giggling as his zappy kisses smothered her face. I'm so glad you're okay.

Course I'm okay Zymmie. She assured. She sat up and Felix flew into her arms and she hugged him tightly. "It's alright buddy. I'm here,"

I thought I was gonna lose you. He licked her face and she giggled. She took a moment to breathe.

"You feeling okay?" asked Raylan.

"I'm fine. And I understand the Sky Arcanum now,"

Caldor snuck up towards his brothers' hideout. He peered over a rock and saw them still tending to Delmar. He peeped over towards some dark magic objects. He got an idea.

"Where is that Castor?" Lairus cursed. "He should be here by now!"

"We've only two Primal stones now," Tellus cursed. "And one of our own who wields them is injured. How hard can it be to capture that dragon hatchling and a pair of teens?!"

Caldor pulled out one of the moon pearls and crushed it.

Willow and Ezran were now dried up and ready to head back.

"Will you give us a lift?" he asked Pyrrah.

Of course. She said.

A twig snapped.

Get behind me. Pyrrah growled. Ezran and Willow hid under her wings. They saw the bushes shuffling. Come out. Whoever you are.

From out of the bushes appeared Gren and Corvus, armed.

"Get away from them!" shouted Corvus to the dragon.

Pyrrah growled, preparing to fire. But Willow came out from under her wing and held her hands up.

"It's okay Pyrrah," alerted Willow. "They're friends!"

"It's all right. This dragon isn't threatening us," Ezran said to the two men. "Please don't hurt her. Put your weapons down,"

Gren and Corvus slowly put their weapons down; the dragon calmed but still sneered.

"Thank goodness you're both all right," said Corvus.

"You two are so fast at running," panted Gren. He looked at the dragon. "Nice to meet you?"

Pyrrah's eyes softened.

"She's our friend," explained Ezran. "This is Pyrrah. She gave us a flight,"

"Thank goodness," breathed Corvus. "When I tracked your scents, I thought she'd eaten you two," Pyrrah growled, making him jump. "But I can see you didn't so sorry for the misunderstanding," he apologised sheepishly.

"My king, princess…we really should get back to your sister," Gren said.

"First we should find Caldor," said Ezran.

"He's tracking the mages who attacked you and your sister,"

Willow decided to tell the guys what she felt about Caldor. "Guys, there's no easy way to tell you this but I think…"

"We know princess," said Corvus. "We know he is a brother to those mages. But he's on our side,". Willow and Ezran sighed in relief. They could still trust. "He told us everything but he wanted this to remain a secret from everyone including you both and your sister. So with all due respect your highnesses, it's best if your sister doesn't know. Yet,"

Willow and Ezran remained uncertain. "Okay," Ezran accepted. "We need to get back her and our friends. And I know just the way to get us there quickly. I think you guys are gonna like it,"

Corvus and Gren looked at the dragon. Gren gulped.

"How do you understand the Sky Arcanum?" Raylan asked Carol as he pulled her up.

"It's not one simple thing. It's all things. They just have…come together. I used to hold the power of the sky in my hand. But now I see that the whole world is like a giant primal stone and we're inside it. We're surrounded by sky magic but it's also inside us. It's everywhere through birds and sails and everything that connects to the wind,"

"That makes sense,"

"You just have to be the wing,"

Zym and Felix tilted their heads side-ways in confusion. Bait wasn't impressed either. Raylan's face dropped. "That doesn't make sense,"

Carol took in a deep breath. "Time to give it a shot," she walked forward to the edge of the cliff, her friends' eyes watching her intently. She reached out her finger and closed her eyes. Guided by her mother's words, she took in a deep breath and breathed out slowly. Her fingertip glowed. She etched a symbol in the air. "Aspiro," She opened her eyes, took in a deep breath again and blew. She sent a torrent of air flying through the trees, brushing the leaves off.

Raylan and the creatures watched on in amazement.

Well done Carol. Cheered Zym.

I knew you could do it. Felix jumped around for joy.

As the wind spell died down, they heard a flap of wings and they turned their heads to see the great red dragon land on the mountain pathway leading away from the cave. They sat the siblings, Corvus and a green-faced Gren on.

"Guys you're back!" cheered Raylan.

Corvus hopped off and helped the children off Pyrrah.

"They were gone?" asked Carol.

"A lot happened while you were out,"

Once Gren dismounted the dragon, he puked and everyone winced. "I'm never flying a dragon again," he said.

"Gren?" said Carol. "What are you doing here?"

You're back. Zym pounced forward and landed on Ezran, licking his face with zaps.

"I love your zappy kisses," he cheered.

Zym hopped into Willow's arms and she gave him a hug. "I've missed you, little guy,"

"You're better!" Ezran was so delighted to see Carol all better again. "And you can do magic again!"

"That's incredible princess," said Gren, standing up.

"It's good to see you, Gren. What happened to your neck?" she winced at seeing his burnt mark.

"The mages that tried to capture you guys gave me a good hit," said Gren.

"That wind trick you just did was incredible Princess Caroline," complimented Corvus. "We saw it from the sky,"

"Who's this guy?" Carol asked.

"This is Corvus," Raylan explained. "He's on our side,"

"I've always been on the same side. I was sent to track you all down. And I serve the young king," he gestured to Ezran.

Carol's heart dropped. She looked at her depressed brother and sister. "We know about Dad," he said dolefully. "And we know that you know,"

A tear fell from her eye. She knelt before them. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you both. I...I tried to but I just...couldn't. I was just so afraid of hurting you two,"

Ezran and Willow just threw their arms around her and she gave him the biggest hug in the world. Her tears fell onto their heads as they cried into her chest.

Raylan watched them with tearful eyes as she shared sad glances with the two remorseful men.

Castor arrived back at the campsite. But when he did, he saw that neither of his brothers were there. And to make matters worse all his dark magic supplies were gone. He roared into the sky.

One more chapter to go and then that's Season 2 done. Just one more season to go after that and then it's the end of this book. See you all next week. Thank you all so much for your support and thank you for the idea Wildgirl6.