The light was so bright that Callum's hand instinctively came to cover his eyes. When the light dimmed, he opened his eyes.

Before him stood a Moonshadow Elf.

Runaan stood up slowly and then took a huge breath, gasping for air. Before her father could catch his breath, Rayla was running towards him. The joy on her face was so incredible. Callum could feel her happiness as if it were his own. He supposed that was how it felt to love someone the way he loved Rayla.

"You're alive. It's you. It worked!" Rayla exclaimed happily.

"I'm here. I'm alive. Oh, Rayla," Runaan said as he hugged his daughter. "What happened?"

"So much!" Rayla replied. "There's so much I have to tell you! Everything's changed. I don't even know where to start. I guess- oh, I have to introduce you to Callum."

But Callum wasn't looking at the others. Instead, he was focused on the small, now-empty coin he had just picked up off the ground. Even empty, it was still a cursed coin. Still able to trap a soul for all eternity. Oh, how he hoped he was just being paranoid. Surely, he would never need to use this. Even so, Callum pocketed the small yet powerful object.

He'd intended to turn around and let Rayla introduce him to Runaan but on his next breath, Callum smelled smoke. Standing up, Callum walked forward and looked out over the horizon.

"Callum?" Rayla asked, concerned.

He didn't answer. All he could focus on was the smoke rising higher than seemed possible in the direction of his home.

"Is that… Katolis?"

"I don't know Callum," Rayla replied.

He could hear her footsteps moving towards him and then felt her hand on his shoulder. Callum brought one of his hands up to rest on hers, showing how much he appreciated the support.

Just then, Runaan toppled over, falling to his knees again. Rayla gasped and turned to help steady him.

"You need to lay down," she ordered her father.

"I need to return to Silvergrove," Runaan disagreed.

"You can't even stand up straight," Rayla lectured him. "What makes you think you can make a journey to Silvergrove?"

Callum wasn't paying attention to the reply. He knew Rayla would win that argument. He could hear it in her voice. It was a tone she'd used on him. Her 'just because I love you, it doesn't mean I'll let you martyr yourself' tone. Runaan would be lying down and resting within the hour without a doubt.

The smoke on the horizon was spreading out, covering more and more of the sky. It was getting harder to tell where exactly it had started from. Callum just stood and stared at it, trying to interpret all he could from the swirls of grey mixed into the blue.

A part of him wanted to spread his wings and fly in a straight line until he could see the origin of the smoke; until he could know for sure where it was coming from. But he couldn't leave Rayla, and Rayla would never leave her father in such a weakened state.

"Oh, alright, fine," Callum heard Runaan give in her his daughter's request. "But absolutely no longer than necessary. I must return to Ethari."

Rayla agreed and then spoke to Callum, who finally turned around. She asked if he was coming with them or wanted to wait here. Callum knew if he stayed here and stared at those pillars of smoke, he might actually fly off. Instead, he turned and followed Rayla.

With the help of Lujanne and Allen, Rayla managed to get Runaan to rest. Callum tried and failed to stop thinking about the smoke. Before he knew it, Callum found himself back outside pacing.

"Don't wait for us, Callum," Rayla said as she approached from behind him. "I know you're worried about Katolis."

"There's a lot of smoke. So much that you can smell the fire all the way up here. I'm afraid something terrible happened."

"I know," Rayla said with a hand on his shoulder. "That's why you need to go."

Callum took a deep breath and turned around to face her. "I guess I'm also worried you'll go back to Silvergrove without me. I don't want to be separated again."

"Oh, Callum," Rayla said, lifting her hand to touch his face. "You're stuck with me now." She pulled him in just a little and then kissed him. Callum could feel some of his anxiety fade away with just her words and her kiss.

"Stuck, I say!" Rayla smiled at him. "Like two Adoraburrs cuddling on a cold day. You go ahead. I won't leave without you. As soon as Runaan is better, we'll come and find you in Katolis. I promise."

Callum smiled back at her. Sometimes, he could hardly believe how much he loved her. He kissed her again before he spoke.

"Thanks," he said. "I really needed to hear that, but it won't work. We can't take Runaan to Katolis."

"Why not?" Rayla asked, but then her face changed and Callum knew she was remembering the very first time both she and Runaan went to Katolis.

"I brought him back for you," Callum told her. "And I'd do it again. I've let go of the past, but I don't know if Ezran has. If the smoke is as bad as I think it is, he doesn't need to be reminded of more pain right now."

"Yeah, that's fair," Rayla said with a sigh.

Callum took a deep breath. His options were to leave Rayla and find out what happened to his home, or stay with Rayla and wait to learn why the sky was filled with smoke.

"I'm not even sure if I can help at this point anyway," Callum sighed. "By the time we saw the smoke, the chances are that whatever happened is long since over. So we stick to the plan: get Runaan home then you and I can head off together."

"Okay," Rayla said. "Besides, I'm a ghost anyway. It isn't like I'll be able to stay and hang out. A quick drop-off, and then we check on Ezran."

Callum nodded. Even if he knew he was making the right choice, he couldn't help but feel horrible about it. He felt like he was abandoning his brother. Reaching forward, Callum wrapped his arms around Rayla and hugged her tight. She hugged him back and rested her head gently against his shoulder.

She didn't say the words, but Callum could feel her reassurance in their hug. When he felt the tightness in his chest lessen, Callum released her. Rayla was looking right into his eyes as if she were trying to tell him that everything was going to be okay. It was, at times like these, that he knew just how much he needed Rayla. Needed her love, her support, and her friendship.

"How is Runaan taking to bedrest?"

"Like a bird to water," she explained. "He's so determined to leave, but he can barely walk without shaking."

"I have never read of another instance of a person being brought back from the in-between before," Callum explained. "Who knows how long it will take him to gather his strength."

"Oh, I doubt I'll be able to make him wait that long," Rayla scoffed. "Stubborn fool."

Callum laughed a little. "I can see where you get your stubborn streak from."

"Shut up," Rayla laughed, playfully hitting him on the arm. "I had planned to sit beside him and catch him up on what has happened the last two years. It might be the best way to keep him in bed."

"Good idea," Callum agreed.

"What are you going to do?"

Callum sighed. "Not sure," he said. "Maybe see if I can find some food that isn't grubs covered in an illusion."

Rayla chuckled at him, then rested her four-fingered hand on the side of his face. Callum closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. He wasn't surprised when he felt her kiss him. He reached out to put a hand on her lower back and pulled her closer.

"You know the grubs aren't so bad, really," Rayla reminded him.

"They most definitely are," Callum disagreed. "But I will admit Lujanne's illusions are actually quite good."

Rayla held out her hand to him, and Callum took it. He followed her back into the house and sat beside her as she recounted their adventures to her father.

As he listened, Callum realized just how far the world had come in merely two years. When Runaan had been sealed in the coin, war was inevitable, but once the dragon prince was returned, everything changed. He enjoyed listening to her talk about her travels, looking for Claudia and Viren's body. Callum had spent that time studying magic and helping his brother.

Now, looking back on it, he wondered why he hadn't just gone with her. Traveling to every corner of the world surely would have made him more of a knowledgeable High Mage, and he would have been with Rayla. Maybe they would have come back and visited a couple of times during those years to check on Ezran.

Thinking about those years without her made Callum reach out his hand and hold hers. Rayla accepted the gesture, squeezing his hand back just a little, as if she knew why he'd reached out to her.

Runaan finally fell asleep as Rayla recounted their journey to find Rex Ingenious. Slowly and quietly, so as not to wake him, the pair tiptoed out of the house and stepped back outside.

"When he wakes up, we should probably pack up and leave," Rayla said, once they had safely closed the door behind them.

"I agree. If he seems worn down, we can take breaks along the way, but it's best to keep moving. It will make him calm down and we'll make better time."

Rayla nodded and then suggested they pack up while he slept.

When Runaan woke, he seemed more determined than ever to leave. He was even halfway through a speech about how he wouldn't wait one minute more before he realized they were both packed and ready to leave. After that, he didn't have much to say. It was funny, but the look on his face reminded Callum of Rayla. He may not be her biological father, but Callum could definitely see where she'd picked up her sense of urgency from.

They made good time, only stopping when the light was starting to fade. They made camp for the night, getting a fire started. Rayla asked Callum to stay and watch Runaan while she went to collect more firewood. He agreed, but once Rayla was gone, Callum found himself quite at a loss for words.

He was oddly nervous, as if this person sitting across the campfire was merely his girlfriend's father. It felt odd given how much else there was between them. This is the man who killed his stepfather and intended to kill his little brother, but also the man he, Callum, had worked hard to bring back to life. Callum really had no idea what words would be appropriate. He was, therefore, grateful when Runaan broke the silence.

"I feel like I owe you more than I can ever repay," Runaan began.

"Oh, don't worry about that," Callum replied awkwardly.

"And yet, I know I have taken something from you," Runaan continued. "I could hardly believe it when Rayla told me who you were. She introduced you as a prince of Katolis and as the one who saved my life."

Again, Callum had no clue how to answer.

"I know I don't have the right to ask, but I have to anyway," Runaan continued. Callum braced himself for an impossible question. "Why did you save the man who assassinated your father?"

"Oh, wow, for a second there I was worried you were gonna ask me a hard question," Callum sighed in relief. "That one is easy. I did it for Rayla."

"That's it?" Runaan replied, clearly stunned and confused by such a simple answer.

"I'd do anything for Rayla," Callum explained easily. He laughed nervously and added, "Jumped off a very tall mountain once in the hope I could sprout wings and save her. What's a resurrection spell compared to certain doom?" He laughed again, trying to keep the moment light. He was altogether too worried about Katolis to have the energy to worry about anything else at the moment.

Runaan just blinked at him. "Rayla did not tell me that story," Runaan said.

"Really?" Callum inquired. "Cause that's a good one. It was when she saved the dragon prince from the dark mage."

"Yes, she covered that, but she failed to mention almost falling to her death," Runaan replied.

"Ah, I see," Callum said awkwardly. He was suddenly very unsure what to do with his arms or his legs. He wants to both pace, stand, and run all at the same time, which somehow ended in scratching his head. "Probably didn't want to worry you."

"Mmm," Runaan replied in that annoying parent voice Callum hadn't heard since his step father had last used it on Ezran.

The moment Rayla returned, Runaan asked her about almost dying falling off a mountain. As he suspected, Rayla hadn't wanted to worry her father. This in no way satisfied Runaan, who made her confess to all the other parts of her story she'd edited.

The rest of the journey was fairly uneventful. They made good time during the day and rested at night. Callum had been on enough of these types of journeys now to take them in his stride. Things even got less awkward with Runaan as the days passed.

When they finally reached Silvergrove, the three of them did the password dance.

"I've dreamed of this," Runaan said with awe in his voice as Silvergrove appeared before them as if from thin air.

"Runaan, why don't you go on ahead?" Rayla suggested.

"Nonsense," Runaan replied. "We should go together."

"Sorry, but I can't," Rayla said. "Getting you here safe and sound was my goal. Ethari can take care of you now. I made a promise to Callum. We have to go find out what happened to Katolis."

"But Ethari will want to see you too," Runaan replied. "Please just wait an hour, then you can go."

But Rayla was already shaking her head even before he'd finished speaking. "We can't stay."

"Another hour won't make a difference, Rayla," Callum reminded her. He had a feeling this wasn't about seeing Ethari and was entirely about her not telling her parents about her banishment. This was her secret and her family, and he wasn't going to bud in, but that didn't mean he would be her excuse either.

"See? Another hour, and then you can go off on your adventures," Runaan smiled at her.

"You go first," Rayla said with a smile. "You'll want a minute with Ethari before we show up, right? A minute alone."

"Yes, very well," Runaan replied. "But you better be right behind me."

And with that, he turned and joyfully ran toward his home. Once he was out of sight, Rayla turned to Callum and told him they were leaving.

"Oh no, wait just one minute," Callum said. "What's gonna happen when he finds out what you haven't told him and comes right back here looking for you?"

"I failed to kill the scout," Rayla reminded him. "I put the whole team in danger. I abandoned the other assassins, and they all died because of me. I'm a ghost and that isn't anyone else's burden to bear but my own."

"But they are your family," Callum reminded her.

"Yes, they are," Rayla told him. "I have to live with what I've done. I can't force them to suffer for my mistakes." Her voice turned soft as she looked up at him and added, "Besides, my home now? It's wherever you are." She leaned in and kissed him.

As he kissed her back, Callum knew exactly how she felt. Whenever he was with Rayla, Callum always felt safe and at home, no matter where he was.

"He's going to find out on his own anyway," he reminded her. "At the very least, Ethari will tell him."

As if to prove him right, that very moment they heard the word 'Rayla' spoken with a very disapproving tone.

"How could you keep this from me?" Runaan asked. Callum turned to see both him and Ethari walking towards them.

"Told ya," Callum whispered.

"I didn't want you to worry about me," Rayla explained. "If I told you, it would have messed everything up-"

"Not another word," Ethari interrupted her. "Your family is here for you."

"This can be set right," Runaan said.

Callum watched as Rayla was hugged by both her fathers. Sometimes, seeing them together made him miss his stepfather. King Harrow hadn't always been the warmest, but he was the only father Callum could remember. His mother had told him stories of his dad. She'd shown him his dad's poems, and Callum remembered taking great care in memorising them as a child.

"Undoing my banishment will have to wait, I'm afraid," Rayla said, pulling out of the hug. "Just as you made a promise to the elf you love, I've made a promise to the human I love."

"I know," Runaan said. "But when you can, come back, and we will find a way to be a family again." He turned and added. "Callum too."

Rayla hugged them both again before turning and walking away. Callum walked beside her, reaching out to hold her hand. She held it tight and leaned against him as they went.

Once they cleared the trees, Callum performed the wing incantation and Rayla wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Ready to fly?" he asked her.

"With you," she said. "Always."

Edited by Fire and Starlight.

I hope you enjoyed chapter one of my season 7 re-write story. I have a bunch of ideas of how to fix Dragon Prince season 4-7 and all of them are very likely to actually get written. I've loved Dragon Prince since the beginning but the plot holes and lose ends seem to be endless. With so many missed opportunities this shows 'conclusion' has really set off my writing itch. This re-write is currently plotted out into seven chapters. Once they are done I have four more alternative endings planned.

Next Chapter is Rayla POV :)