☽ ⭂—⭈ ✯
"You're about to meet your mama Zym!" Ez said to the little dragon once we arrived at the base of the mountain.
We had already been walking up the stairs for at least an hour or two. It was exhausting and a bit chilly.
"So, Y/n, Rayla. You guys going to tell the Dragon Queen you're, y'know, a thing?" He asked, walking behind us.
"In what kind of conversation is that going to happen in?" I asked. He shrugged.
"Agreeing with Y/n. Also, how'd you know we were a thing?" She asked, suspiciously.
"Uh, uhm me and Ez saw you two... Talkin.." He answered, hoping to not get yelled at.
Rayla scoffed. "Whatever. Just don't be telling everyone you meet about a relationship you're not part of!"
I snorted at Rayla's remark.
"Is it like a forbidden kind of romance? Oh the Dragon Queen must not know!" He continued his comment.
"Oh Y/n, we must hide our love for each other, the world isn't ready for us!" She said all dramatically, shaking my shoulders and doing all kinds of exaggerated expressions.
"Whatever dork." I said, punching her lightly in the shoulder.
"Hey!"
Ez and his mount stopped at some archway with writing in it. Rayla said it was written in elven and Callum asked what it said.
"Prepare to draw your last breath." She read the markings.
"Aw hell no, maybe we should find another way up here. I've been close to death already.." I said, backing away. Callum looked at me as if he wasn't also close to death when I tried killing him. I sighed.
"Fine i'm going.."
————-
"How tall is this thing.." Callum panted, Zym hopped onto his shoulder.
"Maybe we should rest... For a sec.." Rayla said
We took a breather but Ez said we had to keep going and it felt like i was going to pass out.
After more stairs, we all seemed to collectively fall to the ground, the air being too thin for us but Zym kept happily going.
Ez shook Callum's shoulder, urging for us to wake up. "I know how we're getting up there. To make it to the top, you have to draw your last breath."
He drew in Callum's notebook, showing him a rune. "The trigger words are Ventura Spiralis." He told his brother.
He took the book and drew the rune while chanting the words. We all were given better air to breathe and we continued our journey to the top.
————
"We're here! I can't believe we made it." Callum said, standing in front of a bridge.
An elf stood across the bridge out from the giant spiral. Rayla introduced their entrance, showing Zym.
The elf said that they were happy that Zym lives but said we were too late.
"The dragon queen has not opened her eyes in 10 days." They said once we went got inside the mountain.
"She's not.."
"Oh, no, she's not dead. She breathes and lives still, but she's not with us." They continued.
They introduced themselves as Ibis, mage of the Skywing elves. He explained that ever since losing her mate and egg, the dragon queen has fallen ill.
"Come, i will show you."
We walked through a hallway to get to the dragon but Zym slowly backed away, whimpering. He must be scared of his mother? Who knows.
Ez went to talk to the little dragon and hugged him. "You're not ready yet.. I understand, it's okay." He said to him.
"We'll go in first, i'll be back."
And with that, Bait was left to comfort Zym as we walked into the den.
Once we got in the cave, we saw Zym's mother lying in the middle. A decent amount of light seeped in through the top, shining down on the sleeping dragon. Her tail wrapped around a small nest, probably where Zym's egg was kept. She snored softly as we got closer.
Ez walked up to her, cautiously putting a hand on her snout.
"Wake up! Your baby's here! You have to wake up..." He said enthusiastically to the dragon. His smile dropped once she did not get up.
Rayla sighed and ran off towards the hallway. I moved my head towards her direction, ready to follow her but I was unsure if i should give her some time alone.
"Go, i'll talk with Ez." Callum said to me once he noticed me awkwardly standing near the hallway. I nodded and walked in Rayla's direction.
—————-
Her back was turned towards the cave and she seemed to be comforting a saddened Zym. I sat next to her, hoping my presence would be of some reassurance.
"This is when it happened, where my parents ran away. I can't stop thinking about that moment. How it led to.... all this.."
"Being here.. It hurts.." She continued.
I looked down and looked back at Rayla, I then put my hand near hers. We sat there for awhile, just holding hands.
—————-
Some commotion was heard outside and I heard yelling.
"Callum! Y/n! Rayla!" We need your help!" Ez yelled from outside.
Quickly we ran out of the mountain to see the dragon that we had freed that one time, with Ez on its back.
On the ground next to it, was Soren.
'Awh shit he's going to recognize me, i'm fucked.' I thought, standing behind Rayla.
"What's Soren doing here?" Callum asked.
"Stop asking questions, he needs help!" Ez said.
"Right! Breathing!" Callum said, casting the breathing spell he did the other day.
Soren was given better air to breath and looked around.
"Is this... the afterlife?" He said with bed-head from the winds.
"No.. It's still just.. the life... still.. You're alive." Callum tried explaining.
"What are you doing here?" Rayla asked him.
He was about to respond but had to stop and breath for a bit.
"Okay so... We're all doomed." He finally said.
————
Back inside, we all formed a slight circle and talked about why Soren said we were doomed.
He drank his refreshment and said, "It's my dad..."
"Lord Viren? He's in Xadia right now?" Callum asked.
"He's rallied the armies of four kingdoms, and not just that. We went to some... Sun elf place? And my dad.. he stole some horrible power and used it to transform his armies into... something else." He continued, distraught about the whole situation.
"What do you mean?" Ez asked, probably about the armies.
"They're like stronger, angrier, big... claws? He's made an army of darkness and he's leading them here... for him. The dragon prince." Soren said, looking at Zym.
He slurped his drink loudly for a few seconds, everyone staring at him. When he finished, he turned in my direction.
"Wait when did Y/n get here?" He asked.
"Long story, not answering that right now." I simply stating, not wanting to get into details.
He made a 'huh' sound and continued talking, "I did use the word 'doomed', right?" He started at us after not much reaction.
————-
I went up to the top of the mountain, just to view the sky and take a breather. Ibis went up there earlier and Callum might've followed too.
Once I climbed all the needed steps, Callum was staring out into the sky, looking kinda sad.
"What's wrong dude? Watchin some birds up here?" I asked, walking towards him.
He turned and had a disappointed face.
"No I wanted to learn some spells from Ibis and he had this really cool one where his arms turned into wings but didn't tell me how to do it. All he gave was some.. advice." He said, walking to the entrance to the mountain.
"I wonder if my water spells can make me water wings.." I mumbled. Callum heard me and gave a small smile.
"So what advice did he give you?" I asked, walking with him into the mountain.
"I'll tell you inside.."
Inside, Rayla was sharpening her blades while we walked in.
"What were you two up to? Learn any new spells? Lightning lash? Water whip?" She asked, making goofy expressions.
I laughed and nudged Callum since he had 'advice' to tell.
"Oh uh no... He did have some advice. He said we should leave." He finally said.
"Leave?" Both me and Rayla said.
"I think he might be right.. Every choice we've made so far has been to keep Zym safe so maybe leaving is the right thing to do.." Callum added.
"I think I agree.." Rayla said, looking away from him.
I looked at the both of them, dumbfounded. Why would they want to leave? We can't just leave Zym's mother to die..
"But i'm not going with you.. I need to stay and protect the dragon queen. Something my parents weren't able to do." She continued.
"I want to help, Rayla. I'll stay with you.." I said at last. She can't do this alone.
"No, Y/n. You go with Callum. This is about my past, not yours." She said to me, sadness in her voice.
"Just... remember me.. Okay?" She said, putting the moon opal necklace she was given around my neck. She gave Callum a short hug and gave me a kiss goodbye and with that, she left.
"Rayla wait! This can't be goodbye.." I tried saying but she didn't stop to turn around.
I leaned myself up against the wall and put my head on my knees. How could she just leave like that?
Callum sat next to me, glancing at a glowing light in his bag. He picked up his rune cube and thought for a moment. Then he glanced at the necklace i was given.
"I heard your conversation with Rayla. About her parents.." He finally said, mentioning when I left to comfort Rayla.
"I think I know what to do."
.....................
1652 words
published this one a bit later than expected but it's out finally