The world was like a giant primal stone.

Therefore, it could be said that a primal stone contains a world.

Most of the way home from the Sea of the Castout was uneventful, their moods lighter than they'd been in days. However, even with a recent victory, something hung over them. Callum was more reserved than usual, Soren's smiles were a little too forced, Rayla seemed exhausted, and Ezran couldn't stop looking at Aaravos's prison.

It bothered him.

The prison was a perfect sphere, deceptively beautiful, glowing like it was the most splendid of all jewels in the world. Ezran reminded himself that it contained the source of much of the evil and tragedy of the world to snap himself out of how pretty it was, but he kept being drawn to look at it anyway. It captivated his gaze even more than it did Callum's.

Ezran sat with the prison on his lap next to the campfire, as if some answer was present in the pearlescent shell. Sometimes, he caught a reflection in it that didn't quite look like his own. He squinted, leaning close-

"Woah, Ez. You probably don't wanna mess with that thing," said Callum, reaching over and putting his hand on the surface of the orb.

"I know." Ezran sighed.

Soren gave Hat a couple of head rubs from where he was perched on top of Soren's head. "At least Aaravos can't get out, right? I mean, it's held for this long. That thing is totally safe!" He was trying to convince himself and failing in real time. "Right?"

"Yeah," agreed Rayla, also uneasy. "But the sooner we deal with it, the better."

Deal with it.

That feeling was back. Ezran looked back to the ball, Callum's palm still against it. There was a person inside of there. He couldn't help feeling uneasy about what 'dealing with it' meant.

"Hey… I feel something." Callum frowned with concentration.

Relief washed over Ezran. They hadn't seen eye to eye lately on a few things, but this could be where they agreed. "You feel it too? I didn't think you'd understand, but it's been on my mind-"

"Digitus illustris!" Callum kept his hand on the pearl, other hand drawing a rune. The orange rune dissipated and his free hand lit up, holding a small flame in his palm. His expression was so shocked it was borderline comical. "You guys! Look!"

Soren raised his eyebrows. "I'd like to be supportive, but you do way more impressive stuff all the time."

Rayla shook her head, scooting closer to look at the fire in Callum's hand. "No, that can't be- you just did Sun magic!"

Ezran blinked. "Huh?"

Callum took his hand off of Aaravos's prison, trying to draw the same rune again. He gasped, unable to do it. "Wait…" He put his hand back on the pearl. This time, he succeeded in drawing a bright green rune. "Glarea creo!" He gestured to a nearby boulder and it crumbled into gravel as his mouth hung open.

"Earth magic!" exclaimed Rayla. "But how are you doing that?"

"Feels like a bit of a show off thing to do, going for like three arcana in a week," commented Soren.

Callum stood up, snatching the prison away from Ezran, so excited to hold it that he almost dropped it. "It makes total sense! Look at it, it even looks like a primal stone! And what's inside? Someone connected to every primal source!"

Rayla cautiously rose and peered at the ball with him, as if seeing it for the first time. "So you're telling me Aaravos's prison is a primal stone?"

"For all six sources," confirmed Callum, bouncing on his heels. "This is INCREDIBLE!"

Ezran rubbed his head, suddenly getting a twinge of a headache. He should be happy. If what Callum said was true, they were in possession of the most powerful magical item in the world, but it still bothered him. "I don't know… what if there are side-effects? Something we can't see?"

Callum looked at his hands. "No Dark Magic stains!"

"No, I mean like…" Ezran frowned. "That's a Startouch Elf in there. What is using his power doing inside?"

"Hmm." Rayla tapped on the orb, focused. "I don't know much about it; there aren't many eternal magical prisons made for ancient wizard elves, so who knows if using this power could give him a chance to escape or break free?"

Callum nodded, eyes still bright with excitement but managing to keep both feet on the ground. "Right, we should be careful. I'll save it for when I need it."

Soren folded his arms with a chuckle. "Let me guess, you need it right now?"

"Welllllll…" Callum searched his memory. "Anyone want some rock candy? Literally! You can make edible crystals! Oh, also, we can use Star magic with this too! We can do anything we need to do to help people!" Callum glanced at Rayla who hugged him, warmly but wary of the prison in his hands.

Ezran wasn't sure what that was about, but he let himself relax. Maybe it would be fine. "So if there's a way to magic our problems away, I guess we have it all at our fingertips," he mused. Callum didn't simmer down, gushing to Rayla and Soren about all they could do, unlimited good for all. Ezran dozed off while Callum talked about finding a way to undo the river of lava splitting the continent in half. Such high aspirations…

It took Ezran a moment to realize where he was. He'd only seen a glimpse of it through the mirror one time, but as his vision cleared the elegant bookshelves and cozy fireplace came into focus.

Aaravos's prison.

"Ah!" Ezran scrambled to stand up, his body not feeling right. He looked down at- no, through his hands. Panicking, he glanced around. He was alone.

That couldn't be.

For a hysterical moment, he wondered if he and Aaravos had swapped places, but Ezran's body was clearly not in the prison. He took a few deep breaths. His new body was lavender and translucent. He could move normally, even touch things within the prison, but he still felt uneasy being able to see through his own body.

Silence pressed in on him from all sides. Ezran could normally hear even the tiniest of creatures, their presences easy to sense whenever he was outside or around the kitchens. Even when he was sitting in his bedroom he could tell when there was an insect on the windowpane or a mouse somewhere in the halls, but this prison had nothing. No life, no sounds.

He'd only been there for a few minutes and he felt isolated. How would centuries feel?

Ezran assumed he must be dreaming, but he was unable to wake up. There was really only one thing to do, which was find out how and why this was happening.

He pushed the doors open and stepped into the prison's version of outside.

It was beautiful. It reminded him of the Moon Nexus. The building he'd just come out of connected to a few other buildings by charming stone pathways with silver arches overhead. The grasses and gardens between each building were meticulously well tended to. The place he'd just come from, what seemed to be a study or library, was the largest of the four buildings.

The sky was the most surreal thing.

It was like looking up at an overcast day. Uniform soft white light shone down on the little world. Ezran looked around, realizing the light also extended to the edges of the little world. Knowing what the prison looked like from the outside, he guessed that this was the equivalent of being inside of a snow globe but unable to see anything outside.

He followed a path to another building, giving the ornate handle on the door a try. It opened, leading him into another room.

It was a bedroom. Like the study, it was elegant and well furnished, but unlike the study, it was occupied.

Ezran had expected a lot of things. A shouting match, a real fight, a reprisal of Aaravos's taunts at him and his friends- but what he got was even more of a surprise.

Aaravos just seemed… sad.

He was lying on his bed, hair limp and disheveled, bedding all messed up underneath him. He'd laid down with his clothes and boots still on, which made Ezran realize that the room around him was a mess. Aaravos certainly had other clothes since they and what seemed to be magical junk were stashed everywhere on every surface. There was only one clear route through from the door to the bed.

Aaravos's face had been pressed into his arm. He raised his head to acknowledge the door opening.

They met each other's eyes, Ezran wary, Aaravos flinching away.

"Wait," said Ezran, not sure where the words were coming from or why he was suddenly so anxious to reassure Aaravos of all people. "I'm sorry I just barged into your home. I don't know why I'm here, or even how to leave."

Aaravos's mouth twitched, but he didn't smile. "I don't know how to leave either."

Ezran took a step forward, unsure where to look. Aaravos was so different from the powerful, composed, confident being who'd possessed Callum. This was someone who the Archdragons feared. At that moment, Aaravos seemed too depressed to even sit up. "What am I doing here?" he asked Aaravos.

"It's interesting," commented Aaravos. "Usually it's Dark Mages who have the ability to connect with me. You're quite special."

"What does that mean?"

Aaravos propped himself up on his elbow. "You're not exactly connected to an arcanum or Dark Magic. I'd like to think I am more than a mere animal, but your sensitivity to them has given you a connection with my own power."

It shouldn't have been a surprise that Aaravos already knew about his ability, but it was still uncomfortable.

Ezran grimaced. "So this is happening because we're connected?"

"Misery does love company," muttered Aaravos. He bowed his head, hair falling forward. He seemed to be almost dimmed compared to when Ezran had last seen him, but he couldn't be sure. "Perhaps someone should know the truth. You can go wherever you please while you dream in here. Eventually, you'll wake up and be free. You can see me when I'm offstage for what I really am."

As sympathetic as Aaravos was before him, Ezran thought back to that horrible first time he'd ever seen him.

"You hurt Callum! You used him to get at all of us! You started a war and who knows what else to get you in here in the first place! Is that what you really are? Why is hurting people all you want to do!?"

Aaravos sighed. "Do you think I could have asked Viren for help? Do you think I have anyone left? I have nothing left. Every bridge is gone and burned. I felt like some wild, half starved animal, more desperate than you can imagine to give Viren what he wanted and find some way to escape. I had a plan which involved spurring you all on to help Claudia and Viren find me, and now? My last hope is gone."

Ezran's mind raced. "You wanted us to chase them, to find you."

"I had to seem like a threat."

No, that didn't seem right. If the threat was an act, then- "But if you didn't want to hurt us, what do you want?"

Aaravos thought about it.

"I miss sunlight. Wind. Apples. Hearing other people." His hands were folded, fingers brushing against his palms. "Feeling someone else's touch. Seeing the moon. Having anything to do that isn't just waiting to finally die."

Ezran's eyes were wet.

Suddenly, Aaravos's head snapped up, as if something had just occurred to him. "Please make it quick."

Ezran had no idea what he meant, scrambling to reply. "Make what quick?"

"What do I have left?" Aaravos's shoulders slumped. "Killing me."

He wanted to shout no, he couldn't do that, but what else had Rayla meant by deal with it ? What else did Callum and Soren think they were going to do now that they had Aaravos's prison? Ezran opened his mouth and looked away, guilt and horror mixing inside of him. Aaravos seemed so helpless and distressed. Asking to be killed as his only hope of ending his solitary confinement made Ezran feel worse about it than before. His hands curled into fists and he tried to not let his voice crack, but he couldn't control it. "I don't want to hurt you or anyone else! But I don't know what to do!"

Aaravos stood up carefully, as if he was afraid Ezran would prematurely vanish. He laid a hand on Ezran's shoulder, marveling at the contact. Ezran stood his ground despite the sudden fear that gripped him. The fear, it turns out, was entirely unnecessary.

"I'm sorry. After several lifetimes of mistakes, there's nothing I can do or say to make it right." Aaravos knelt in front of Ezran, head bowed again. "Please have mercy on me, King Ezran."

Ezran wanted to reply, even though he had no idea what to say, but something seemed to come over Aaravos.

Aaravos gasped, hand flying to his chest. His star spots, blackened diamond, and eyes all lit up. He screamed, voice echoing around the room, so loud Ezran covered his ears. Ezran's head pounded, but it was nothing compared to Aaravos collapsing on the ground, eyes screwed shut with pain, body spasming. The agony only lasted a few seconds, but Aaravos was clearly trying to not cry in front of him.

"What's happening to you?!" Ezran rushed to Aaravos's side, at a loss for what to do.

Aaravos shakily got himself upright, resting against his bed. He struggled to catch his breath but managed to speak. "It's like something is trying to rip the magic out of my body."

Ezran covered his mouth. "Oh no."

He woke up drenched in sweat, kicking around in his sleeping bag. It was morning. Everyone else was awake. Ezran almost tripped himself as he launched himself at Callum, who was holding Aaravos's prison. "STOP IT! You can't use it anymore!"

"Ack! Hey!" exclaimed Callum as Ezran grabbed the ball out of his hands. "What on earth are you-"

"You're hurting him!" Ezran hugged the prison close.

Callum stared. "What?"

"I saw it in my dreams, I was there!" insisted Ezran. "Using this like a primal stone hurts Aaravos! It was horrible!"

Callum's expression was hard. "What do I care if the guy who's ruined the world gets a headache when I use his magic-"

Ezran shook his head. "You don't get it! I know this is powerful, but you're not cruel Callum! You didn't see it!"

"We can save Rayla's parents!" snapped Callum. "And you want me to care about him?"

Callum tried to grab the pearl but Soren got between the two of them, keeping them apart. "Okay, woah there! Calm down. Hold up. I have a lot of questions. Let's talk it out."

Ezran looked at Rayla, who was off to the side, shuffling her feet. "Your parents?! What do your parents have to do with this?"

Callum gestured to Ezran. "You being in Aaravos's prison?! How did that happen?"

Rayla sat down, putting Stella on her lap. "Alright. Okay. I guess we have more decisions to make than we'd thought, yeah?"