Strong Together (Rayla x Callum)

The Threat

Rayla jerks awake while gasping for breath.

"Woah easy Rayla, you have been through a lot," Ash says to her.

She looked around and she was in a tent on a bed. Ash and Evelyn were in the room with her.

"Where's Callum," she asked immediately. Ash gave her a sad look.

"We...don't know. We only found you unconscious, and," he gives her a letter. Rayla takes it quickly and reads it.

If you want your precious Callum back, bring us the cube with rune symbols on it. If you refuse, we will not hesitate to kill him. You have a few hours. Come alone.

-Viren

Anger builds inside Rayla. There is no way Viren will get away with this! He will not take anyone else away from me, especially Callum. She jumps to her feet but feels light headed.

"Slow down," Ash says. "You're not ready to be on your feet yet." Rayla stumbles a bit but helps steady herself with a table next to her.

"We will get him back Rayla, but you need to stay here," Evelyn says to her.

"No, it said only one of us needs to go. I need to save Callum myself," she argues.

"No Rayla, it's too dangerous," Ash says while frustrated.

"You can't change my mind Ash, I'm sorry but I'm going," she finishes. Ash sighs.

"Fine but we are helping you get there," he says to her. Rayla nods.

"Wait Ash, what about your father," Evelyn asks him. Ash had a worried look on his face.

"What happened to King Azad," Rayla asks. Ash looks down.

"He got attacked during the battle and he is hurt, the doctors are trying all they can," Evelyn answers for him. Rayla goes over to Ash and places a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Ash, I'm sure he will be ok," she reassured him. Ash gave her a weak smile.

"I still want to help you find Callum, I know my father would want me to," Ash tells her. She nodded to him.

A moment later, Rayla hears a scream behind her. She turns and sees Evelyn fall to the floor.

"Evelyn," Ash yelled while rushing to her side.

"What's happening to her," Rayla asked.

"I-I don't know," Ash stuttered.

Evelyn was not talking, she was just grumbling in pain while on the floor. Her eyes were squeezed shut while she clenched herself.

"We need to get a doctor now," Rayla says urgently. She runs out of the tent to find one.

When she comes back with an Earthblood elf doctor, she goes and looks over Evelyn. The doctor looked worried.

"She has no physical wounds, but something in the inside is hurting her," the doctor says.

"Will she be ok," Ash asks.

"I will need time to help her," the doctor says as she lays Evelyn in a bed.

Evelyn has not opened her eyes, but she seemed to have calmed down and now she is asleep.

"You kids should leave now and let her get some rest," the doctor says.

"What was that all about," Ash asks, once they exit the tent. Rayla thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure, but something is wrong and I don't like it. We can come back to see her later, but we still need to find Callum," Rayla tells him. He nods in agreement.

...

Rayla and Ash set out to look for Callum. Before they left, Rayla found the cube from Callum's bag. There was a map on the back of the letter that shows them where to go.  It led them to a dark and large cave.

"Be careful Rayla," Ash said to her. "I don't want to lose you." Rayla smiles at him.

"I'll be ok," she reassured him. She started walking into the darkness, with nothing but the Cube in her hand.

...

It was pitch black and she was trying to feel around. I should have brought a torch or something, she thought. After a while she finally spotted a small light. She quickly walked toward it and peaked around the corner into the next room.

What she saw was shocking. There was the giant purple dragon laying down in the back of the room. Viren was sitting on a throne carved out of stone. She skimmed the cave. Then she finally found him. Callum! He was unconscious and laying on the ground. His arms and legs were bound. Next to him was Claudia who was guarding him.

Rayla took a deep breath. You can do this Rayla. Do it for Callum. She came out of the shadows and entered the room. Viren was the first to notice her.

"Welcome Rayla, we were expecting you," Viren sneered. Rayla glared at him and reached for her blades. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Have you forgotten his life is on the line," he asks while pointing at Callum.

Rayla looks over at him. Callum's eyes were closed and he seemed so lifeless.

"Let him go," she orders. Viren chuckled under his breath.

"Not until you give us what we asked for," Viren tells her.

She frowns at him, but she pulls out the cube anyway. She knew this had something to do with magic, but she never understood it.

She reaches out and hands the Cube to Viren. He holds it up and examines it.

"Perfect," he says.

He then turns behind him and gives the cube to the dragon. The dragon takes it and it looks like he grinned.

"Foolish girl," the dragon snickered at Rayla.

She gave the dragon a nasty look. I hope I didn't just make a terrible mistake. She turns her attention to Viren.

"Now release him," she orders.

Viren waved his hand at Claudia and she moved away from Callum. Rayla rushes over to him and kneels down beside him.

"Callum, please wake up," she says eagerly. He didn't move. He must be in a coma. She turned to Viren. "You said I would have Callum back, this isn't a fair deal," she yelled.

"You do have him back, he will just sleep forever," Viren said while laughing.

Rayla jumped up and pulled out her blades. Claudia stepped in and was ready to do a spell.

"Don't do anything stupid elf," Claudia says. The dragon then spoke up.

"Viren, let's not act like animals here. She gave us what we needed, so now we will help her," the dragon says.

Rayla was surprised at this, but she sensed trouble in the dragon's voice. Claudia nodded as if she understood what to do. She walks over to Callum. Rayla glared at Claudia as she went past her. Claudia sits next to Callum and holds her hand above him.

"tsoc a htiw semoc ti tub, tsol si tahw kcab gnirb," she chants many times.

While this was happening the dragon started saying weird words while holding the cube. All the sides on the cube started lighting up and shining brighter and brighter.

The dragon starts laughing. "Finally! I shall return," he shouts.

Everything went white for an instant. Rayla rubbed her eyes to see. She looked around and they all disappeared from the cave. She looked to the side and saw Callum still laying on the ground. She rushed over to him and placed his head in her lap. She notices his eyelids have turned black.

"Please Callum, you need to be ok, just wake up," she whispers to him while tears run down her face.