Patience.

Candle wax ran slower than the infinite sands of time, trickling down from their flames. Aaravos reclined by the fireplace, eyes not really seeing what was in front of him, warming himself with flame, as it was all he had left. No touch, no company, no one to curl up with, no life but fires all around him, large and small.

Patience.

He was like a bow, bent and ready to fire, arrow nocked for centuries now. He was Sagittarius, fixed in his place in the constellations. His vengeance kept him grounded. Keeping the string taut was something to focus surplus energy on. Could he simply cease his planning, lay down his arms? Did he know how to anymore?

Patience.

Sometimes, he wondered if he was out of his mind. Viren's voice, the first contact he'd had in so long, a voice that wasn't from himself or his memories, had fallen on his ears like rain after a draught. He'd realized how desperately he needed to hear others again. Did he want to fix this world alone?

Patience.

He had to stay composed, exuding power and promise. It was how he'd accomplished his goals, how he stayed alive, how he'd break free.

Patience.

Callum was different than the rest who wanted to use Aaravos as a rung up their ladder of ambition.

What Callum suggested was selfishness.

The candles flickered and he frowned, curling his knees closer to his chest. His palm pressed against the same place on his shoulder which Callum had touched, the warmth of a touch even in a dream sustaining him. He could still feel that gentle, uncertain pressure, the care of someone else who was at a loss about how to even care for the likes of Aaravos.

Of course he wanted more time with the boy, his apprentice, humanity's hope, his newest companion, little dove. Of course he wanted to live and live happily, to walk upon the earth and feel soil and wind and sunshine and taste anything he wanted, wine and lover's lips alike.

Inside his rib cage was a sinkhole, and any pressure upon his heart inside was like pushing into quicksand, sinking into a bottomless abyss. Even a glance at the prolonged years of grief and isolation without a shield up was too much, paralyzing him with misery as it all caved into his hollow chest, eaten away by despair.

He didn't realize he was crying until he was full on sobbing, free to be pathetic now that the mirror was shattered.

There was so much work to be done. Xadia's comeuppance couldn't be put on hold. Humanity deserved better, effective as soon as he was returned to Xadian soil.

He was patient.

He wished in his loneliest moments that he was allowed to be selfish.

To be human.

-BREAK-

Callum could feel the tension in the air. No one had any proof that he had contact with Aaravos, but him echoing Claudia didn't help. He trusted every single one of them, and he was sure they trusted him… but it was still awkward. Visions. New unexplainable knowledge. It didn't look good.

He didn't expect anything good when Soren elected to walk by him, hanging back from the others.

"What is it?" Callum asked, on edge.

Soren glanced around, making sure no one else was listening. "I think I can help you fix things with Rayla," he whispered.

To Callum's surprise, it was finally a relief for someone to ask about Rayla. "Oh, whew. Yeah. Um, things are totally great, actually."

"Uh huh. You're a bad liar."

"You got me. They aren't great, but they also aren't bad. I'll take that."

Soren threw an arm around Callum's shoulder. "So, we've had a bunch of near death experiences again, yeah? Wouldn't you say you're friends, that you've built up some trust?" Callum wished he could say that. He wished he didn't feel torn in two. He wished he deserved their full trust. "Now is the time for sparks to fly, and I know just what you need." Soren made a showy motion with his hands as he leaned in close to quietly proclaim, "Poetry."

Whatever Callum had been expecting, it wasn't that. "Uh, I don't think—"

"Now now, everyone has the makings of a great poet. Don't be hard on yourself."

"No, really—"

"Let me get you started." Soren cleared his throat, walking upright again and posing as if at a formal recital:

"You are like the moon

"A beautiful mystery

"I really like you.

"Now, you could totally say love instead of like, but I just didn't want to assume where you left off, you know?"

Callum blushed and shook his head frantically. "Listen, that's- that's really something, but I'm good. Thanks. I don't even think she likes poetry."

"But it shows effort is the thing! The best haiku comes from within haik-you." Soren pointed to Callum's heart.

"You totally just made that up."

"Yeah, but it's true! You try it."

They had a long day of traveling, and it was better than most other topics Callum had on hand. He sighed, caving in. Maybe if he got something good, Soren would let him be. Callum counted syllables on his fingers as he spoke.

"All the moon opals

"I've ever seen are nothing

"When compared to you."

Even though he'd just been trying to whip out a poem on the spot, Callum looked to Rayla walking with Zym and Ezran further up the path. His cheeks grew pinker thinking well, it was true.

"That's what I'm talking about. When the moment is right, unleash the bard within!"

Callum wanted to argue that there was never a good time for that, but Soren was already on his way to go and take the lead down the trail.

The significant conversations of the day weren't over yet.

Ezran was particularly quiet all day.

Callum could usually count on Ezran to be team morale. If he was honest, he might've counted on him a bit too much, and made up his mind to talk to him. He finally got a chance after dinner, when Rayla announced she was going to go and scout ahead, and Soren passed out asleep moments after eating a bread sandwich.

Carbs'll do that.

Callum sat beside Ezran. He was tempted to draw more of Elarion, but he didn't want to seem too obsessed with his visions. "Hey, Ez."

"Hey."

Even in one syllable, Ezran seemed uncharacteristically pensive.

"Sorry if I've seemed weird lately." Callum softly bumped his shoulder against Ezran's. "And maybe I've been grouchy for longer than that. I… want to be a better team guy, you know? So I'm sorry. About all that."

Ezran shook his head. "We're all going through our own trials. It's okay."

Callum sighed with relief. "I just wanted to tell you, I've been totally myself. You know, no more of the possession stuff, just like you said. There were times it would have made sense, but it didn't happen. I just don't want you to worry."

"Yeah. I know." A bit of Ezran's usual smile came back before he gazed into the campfire. "I've spent a while thinking about his plan and what it might be."

Callum was the bookish one, but he thought Ezran was the smarter one between them sometimes. Ezran was the one who could see the truth of matters. Whenever there were puzzles and riddles to solve, it seemed Ezran got to the answer before Callum. What if Ezran had had the time and helped him figure the mirror out before they'd gone to Xadia with it? If the translation had some sooner, if Ezran had been clever and dimmed all the lights back in the high mage's office... That was both exhilarating and frightening.

Whatever it was Ezran was onto, Callum was excited.

"What do you think?"

"You remember what Zubeia told us about him? It seems like he made Queen Aditi disappear when she stepped in to make peace between the dragons. So, he didn't want the dragons to have peace. He wanted the dragons to fight— and if it never ended, then they might've killed each other." Ezran gestured as he spoke, deep concentration on his face, mixed with concern. "I'm certain I'm right, that he was trying to destroy the dragons. It's why he tried to take Zym too. And after all the dragons were gone, and everyone loved him like Zubeia said, Aaravos would have been the next best leader."

Zym, curled nearby, made a concerned noise. Ezran patted his head soothingly.

Callum's heart raced.

"Woah."

"It might sound crazy, but it's gotta be it. Now, I don't know what he wants."

Callum scratched his head. "Wouldn't it be the same thing? Power? He seems to think he knows best for the world. Look at what he told Claudia." Look at what he's shown me.

"Maybe. But people don't think he's innocent anymore." Ezran stared off into space. "Viren could take Katolis because people were willing to give him power. They believed him, they trusted him, they wanted what he did, as much as I wish it wasn't true. I'd hoped that more of our army, or even our entire army, would refuse to fight for him. I was wrong.

"Three hundred years ago, if everyone thought Aaravos was innocent and wise, they would have handed him the power the dragons had. Now? He'd have to take it by force, or try and make everyone think differently about him. I just don't know which his next step is."

Ezran seemed dejected, but Callum was energized by the possible breakthrough.

"I think you might be right. Maybe we can warn the dragons, tell them we think he wanted infighting so it won't happen again. It isn't just chaos, it's a thought out plan!" Callum felt half exhilarated as he always did with discovery, and half panicked, but he couldn't tell if he felt panicked about what Aaravos might do, or worried for Aaravos's safety.

Ezran wasn't excited about his potential revelations. "I know. Aside from that, what can we even do? When he possessed you and he said I was in over my head… he was right."

Callum frowned.

He hadn't thought that much about his possession for a while.

Aaravos was becoming much more of an ally than an enemy to him, but no one hurt Ezran's feelings like that and got away with it. He might be strong enough to handle hurdles like that, but Ezran was Callum's little brother before anything else.

"No, he was wrong. We'll figure it out. And if I ever see him, I'll give him a piece of my mind about that." He'd do it that very night, in fact.

Ezran smiled. "Thanks, Callum. I don't think what he said about you guys felt like how you all really are. Especially what he said about you."

The human mage, already tainted by darkness, destined to play right into my hands.

Callum had never been so tempted to cave and just tell the entire truth when faced with Ezran's unwavering faith and love for him. But the moment passed, and Ezran got busy giving Bait a tummy rub.

Later, he fell asleep with a sense of purpose, determinedly snuggling into his bedroll.

It didn't go as planned.

-BREAK-

Callum opened his eyes seated at a desk in the middle of the classroom in Elarion, but that wasn't the most striking thing about his dream.

The classroom had a class inside of it.

Students chattered all around him. At a guess, he'd say there were about twenty. Most seemed to be in their teens or twenties, though there were a couple who were younger than Ezran or older than Viren.

A guy in his early twenties sat at a desk further from the others despite chatting with them and clearly being welcomed. In a moment, Callum realized why. He held out a palm with a spider on it as a couple people around him shrieked. "Oh don't be like that, she's sweet! Starweavers never bite. I'd know, since I have about thirty."

"Well I don't know about you, Kumo," said a girl out of spider range. "But I like knowing that any white in my hair is from magic, not cobwebs."

"That was one time." A few people giggled, though Kumo took it good naturedly, setting the spider in his hair and then laughing at the shocked expressions around him.

Spider boy wasn't the only mage of interest. Callum looked over the shoulder of the girl in front of him, watching as she wrote down spells over and over again on a piece of parchment, a moon primal stone sitting on her desk. Callum realized it was possible some of them weren't all dark mages.

One of the younger children happened to be sitting next to Callum. A girl who reminded him a lot of Claudia as a child had a front pocket in her slightly too big robes and was sneaking berries out of it. When an older student saw, she put her finger on her lips, eyes glowing black. The other student whipped back around, pretending to not have seen anything.

"It is NOT FAIR!" shouted a girl around twelve, holding a bunch of books to her chest, standing at the front row of occupied desks, scowl on her face. "You lot always take the front, but you're not even studying the chalkboard and everyone knows it."

One of the girls she was lecturing laughed, leaning in to speak. "Well the best view isn't of the chalkboard ."

"Yeah," said the guy next to her. "Even the way he walks is dreamy. Have you seen his abs, by the way?"

"Hmmhmm," said another girl in front, a grin on her face. "Sorry you haven't hit puberty yet, but for those of us who have… whew . And his voice."

The girl holding books sniffed indignantly. "Maybe he'd like you if you paid attention to anything he said."

A man around Viren's age rolled his eyes. "Come now, don't you usually save this for outside of class?"

The girl who was rather taken with the subject of the conversation's voice shook her head. "Why should we? Ziard isn't here today to make us be boring and formal. I'm just saying the truth is all. I hang on our teacher's every word, thank you very much."

"Yeah, Ziard is off meeting with some big bad dragon," said the boy, turning around in his seat to talk. "Relax a little, huh?"

Callum got the impression that this was all a memory, but he wondered how it could be Aaravos's without Aaravos present. His question was then answered.

"Good morning, class." The air shimmered and Aaravos appeared behind the front row of students, smirking down at them among blushes and mortified giggles. Aaravos strode to the front of the room, turning with a smooth motion, hands behind his back. "I've been here since the first of you trickled in. Work on sensing the presence of other beings with more than just your eyes." He paused and waved to the younger girl. "Oh- and let me get an extra desk up front for you. It would be a shame to waste such a genuine desire to learn."

Anyone who wasn't seated settled in as the class quieted down, all eyes on Aaravos. Callum blinked, realizing Aaravos looked a bit different. The star on his chest was bright and in general, it was like he had brighter hues on his skin, still shining with starlight as always. His eyes were brighter too.

"Now then. Let's talk about reality." The class hung on every word, but the girl with the moon primal stone leaned forward with particular interest as Aaravos spoke. "Is this real? All of this? Any of this? Your eyes may tell you yes, but the fact is, our senses cannot comprehend any whole truth. Rather than sort illusions from reality, we may treat reality as one large illusion. Once you treat all you see as an illusion, then creating illusions is easier."

Aaravos locked eyes with Callum.

"So, Callum. Is this real? Is anything you've ever seen truly reality? Is this somehow less real, because its in your head?"

Callum had gotten so used to observing the memory around him that it took him a moment to respond.

"There's a difference between dreams and the real world."

"Yes, but does this feel just as real?"

Callum could feel his feet on the floor, hear Aaravos's voice and a few birds outside, and see everything clearer than he did in most dreams. "To my senses, but behind it all, there's more I don't know."

"Exactly. The same is true everywhere."

"You mean, if you accept that there's something hidden in everything, that you can't fully know it, it's easier to put up illusions?"

He glanced around, but the other students didn't seem able to hear them.

Aaravos nodded. "Something like that. The moon only looks like it changes. Except for lunar eclipses, the moon is always getting the same amount of sun. The moon and sun are real, but it's your perception, from a fixed point, that makes it look like it changes. Everything you experience is only from your point of view. Moon magic acknowledges this."

Callum looked down at his hands. "This is sort of… sudden. Trying to teach me the moon arcanum."

"Hm. I feel you may have an aptitude for it. Even if I can't actually learn it for you, I can give you the knowledge behind it, so it may one day awaken."

It wasn't necessarily praise, but the idea that Callum could actually learn the moon arcanum made his heart skip. He wasn't used to teachers having a lot of faith in his abilities. How Aaravos explained it made a bit more sense than what Lujanne had said, but Callum didn't feel any epiphany happen. "But… we both see the same room right now. There are things we all know."

"Reality exists, certainly. Yours is just a tad different than mine, because I'm standing here, and you're sitting there. It isn't about changing reality, but the view we have of it."

Callum thought back to the leg Lujanne had made for Ava. Then, he wondered if Zym had actually felt that much different disguised as a dog, or if he only looked like one but didn't feel like one. "I kind of get it."

"That understanding will only grow."

They'd had quite the lengthy conversation, and even though Callum knew he wasn't part of the memory, the total lack of reaction from anyone around him was unnerving. "So, about these other students. What happened?"

The room was quiet for a moment, and then everyone but Callum and Aaravos faded and vanished, and Aaravos's body dimmed to how Callum knew he looked in the present.

"All but a few died within the week. Elarion fell shortly after my first apprentice went to reason with Sol Regem. Not even the children were spared if any were caught in the conflict as the elves and dragons razed the city to ruins."

It was the answer Callum had been dreading.

It wasn't exactly a surprise.

His voice was low, fists clenched with determination to keep himself steady. The emotional weight was enough to crack and break under, and he refused to cave. Not yet.

"Is that why you're trying to kill all the archdragons?"

Aaravos raised his eyebrows. "That's a lofty goal, even for me. What if I was?"

"Answer me."

"Name a person who wouldn't benefit from Sol Regem permanently laying his miserable head to rest. I'll wait."

"Yes or no."

"Tell me, why are you so determined to defend your enemies?"

Callum shook his head. "You know, you talk about arrogance, but you sound a lot like them, thinking only your way is right. You got a lot of people killed, doing what it is you do. People from my kingdom."

Aaravos sat on a desk, facing Callum. "I got my hands dirty. I can't argue that. I didn't expect for humanity to fight a civil war over on Xadian soil."

"I was there. You don't have to remind me." Callum folded his arms. "I don't care what you show me. I'll never agree that you and Viren trying to kill Zym was right."

"He'll grow into something worse than his father."

"No, he won't!"

"If I'm wrong—" Aaravos raised his voice. "It will be the first time I've ever been wrong about an archdragon." He shook his head. "Zubeia manages to be civil to your faces, so you forget what you're dealing with. How vile."

"We're fixing things! Don't you get it?"

Aaravos abruptly stood back up, eyes narrowed down at Callum. "Where do you think dragons get their gold?"

Callum swallowed. Aaravos continued.

"They're powerful. They demand tribute and plunder the rest to build their nests. Even elves suffer under them. Call it worship, taxes, whatever you want. Fine. I'll admit it. I want the world to be rid of their kind, and yes , I see no one fit but myself to guide in a new, equal world. Xadia owes the human kingdoms. The Border must be sealed back up. The reason it has fallen to me is that no one else cared whether humans lived or died," he hissed. "Humanity asked! They begged for help! Do you think this is just about dark magic, that it can all be blamed on me and my meddling? The elves and dragons of old didn't even want humans to use primal stones!"

Callum stared.

He didn't doubt that Aaravos believed everything he was saying, that he'd seen it all himself. "That might have been the case, but I haven't met an elf who had a problem with humans using primal stones. I mean, Rayla was pretty upset when I tried dark magic and then it felt like I nearly died, big oopsie, but neither her or anyone else I've seen is like that. I think, when you get out… you should take a look at the world. It isn't perfect, but it's not how you remember."

Aaravos seemed furious still, like he was going to argue, but then his shoulders slumped.

"I did not mean to take that out on you. I suppose my feelings got the best of me. Though I'm fairly certain my prison isn't in the Storm Spire, I have been kept like a trinket in their possession. It's as much about justice for humanity as it is personal for me."

Callum didn't know what to do about that. Aaravos had done things Callum was sure he'd never fully know about, but 300 years and counting of confinement seemed like enough. He couldn't blame Aaravos for having a personal grudge, and asking him to just drop it wasn't going to help. Trying to stop Aaravos on his path seemed like trying to push a boulder up a hill. Impossible.

Maybe he just needed to divert him.

Maybe they could both get what they wanted.

"What if I did it? What if I ran away with you?"