Everyone was still in shock from the information Ezran had given them. He placed Bait down and said it again.
Ezran: There is no miracle healer. I'm sorry.
Callum: Stop being mysterious. If you're gonna make a claim like that, you owe everyone an explanation.
Ezran: Okay. Ava told me--
Callum: Ugh, here we go!
Ezran: No, it's true! I can understand animals.
Callum: Well, did you ask Bait? He might disagree. Or maybe we can find an opinionated squirrel around here somewhere.
Ezran: I knew you wouldn't listen to me.
Y/n: Hey, I'll listen to you.
Rayla: It seems pretty hard to believe.
Y/n walked over and kneeled down in front of Ezran. They gave him a soft smile, encouraging him to open up.
Ezran: I've always been different. It's hard for me to make friends with other kids. I just feel like I don't fit in.
Y/n: That's fine. Fitting in is just boring anyways.
Ezran: But with animals. Somehow, I have this connection. And a few years ago, I realized I could understand what they were saying.
Callum: Can you believe this?
Y/n: It may be a big claim, but he's not the only one who feels the same. He may be young, but he looks serious about this.
Callum: He's probably afraid to go up the mountain.
Ezran: I'm not afraid!
Callum: Come on, Ez, tell the truth.
Y/n: Callum, this is the truth. He wouldn't lie in such a serious matter.
Callum: The first time he did this, I asked him to prove it, so Ezran said that a group of raccoons had told him there was a treasure hidden behind a waterfall. But when I went through the waterfall, did I find a treasure?
Ezran: No.
Callum: But did my underwear get soaked.
Ezran: Yes.
Callum: Case closed.
This was exhausting, Y/n had forgotten about how difficult stubborn people could be. Ezran looked rejected.
Ezran: The raccoons were being mischievous. I have since learned you cannot trust raccoons.
Callum: This is ridiculous! See, this is why you can't make friends.
Y/n froze. Had they heard that somewhere before? No, not the exact way anyway. It was something else.
???: See, this is why you can't blend in!
The image flashed before their mind, fleeting but everlasting. The person was blurred heavily, there weren't any noticible traits. There was a mirror in the back though, a man- No, not a man, but an elf. With skin the color of the night sky looking pitiful at the scene he was watching. Wait. Y/n had seen him somewhere before, but where?
Y/n fell to the ground on their knees. Shaken by the sudden vision.
Ellis: Y/n? Are you okay?
They were already heading up the mountain.
Y/n: Yeah, yeah. I'm coming.
Everyone was still walking up the mountain. Callum was holding his cube of elements, the Moon Rune glowing.
Callum: Huh! The higher we walk up this caldera, the brighter the Moon Rune glows.
Rayla: Here's a theory. The higher we walk, the closer we are to . . . the moon.
Callum: I don't know. Something seems different this time.
Callum and Ezran both stopped walking. Y/n looked over Callum's shoulder at the Moon Rune, causing it to glow even brighter. Suddenly, disembodied voices started moaning.
Ellis: Did anyone else hear that?
Rayla: Yup! Ignoring it! Keep moving.
The voices only continue, scaring most of the group.
Ezran: Maybe we should find out what it is?
Rayla: I'm going to share an old elven proverb with you. When traveling up a mountain trying to save a dying dragon egg and you hear a spooky sound . . . just keep walking.
Callum: Wow, that's really specific.
The sound continues again, and bait jumps into Ezran's arms.
Ezran: What if someone needs help?
Ezran gave her a pleading look. Rayla turned around, walked back, and kneeled down in front of him.
Rayla: Ez, you have a good heart. It's super annoying. Fine, but we shouldn't all go up there. I'll check it out.
Y/n: You sure you want to go alone?
Rayla: That's sweet of you, Y/n, but it's best if you stay here.
Rayla jumps past the rock wall to the other side. Everyone else stays still and waits for her to come back.
She comes back after a little while. She looks shaken, and she's holding her left wrist, which is now a dark shade of purple.
Calllum: Did you find someone?
Rayla: No. There was no one there. We have to get moving.
Y/n: Are you okay? You seem shaken.
Rayla: It was barely alive. Crumbled to dust right before my eyes. It was horrible, Y/n.
Rayla kept walking, the others following close behind. Ezran splits off from the group, but nobody notices. He backs away screaming.
Callum: Ez, what's wrong?
Ezran: I . . . I saw somthing. A face in the dark.
Ezran kept his eyes shut. Everyone else took a look. Rayla pulled out one of her swords, but there was nothing there.
Ellis: Something's watching us. If you guys want to turn back--
Callum: No! There's no turning back. We have to keep going, no matter what. The egg doesn't have much time.
Everyone started walking again. Y/n stared up at the moon, the previous vision flooding their mind. Who was that? Why were they yelling? Why deos it feel so familiar?
Rayla cut some branches so everyone could pass through. One the other side, there were a bunch of spiderwebs.
Rayla: Hmm.
Callum: Can't you just cut through it.
Rayla: Probably better if we go around.
But there is no way to go around it.
Callum: I don't think there is an "around." We need to puch through.
Rayla starts to approach the webs and slowly cuts it.
Rayla: All right. Let's find out what made this. Be careful.
Everyone walks in through the hole Rayla made. Callum reaches out to one of the webs in curiosity. Rayla grabs Callum's wrist.
Rayla: Do not touch those webs!
Ezran: Ugh, they're everywhere. It's too dark!
There's sikittering sound behind them. Ezran turns around to be meet by the face of a giant spider. He screams and the spider screeches back. Callum draws the rune for 'fulminis' and casts the spell. Y/n notch an arrow in their bow, ready to fire. The spider seems to disappear becuase of Callum's spell.
Callum: Ahh! Uh, did I get it? Where'd it go? I feel like it's in my hair!
Rayla: Really? It's a two-ton magical spider. You'd know if it was in your hair.
Ellis: Shh . . . we need to listen.
Y/n: It's above us!
The spider jumps down, screeching. Everyone runs screaming. Y/n fires their arrow directly at the spider's eye, but it's deflected by one of the spider's arms. Everyone hides, panting.
Callum: How are we gonna get past that thing?
Rayla: Even if we manage to get past, one misstep and we're caught in one of those crazy webs. And trust me, you don't want to know what happens if you get caught in a web. There has to be a way. We have to get through.
Y/n: We need a plan, and I'm out of arrows.
The spider keeps screeching and making unusual sounds.
Ezran: Wait a second. Something's not right . . . in a good way, this time!
Ellis: What should we do? We could turn back and try to find another way up the caldera.
Ezran laughs.
Ezran: No, it's gonna be okay. We can just walk right past it.
Callum: What are you talking about?
Ezran: It's not real! I'm sure of it.
Rayla: That doesn't make any sense.
Ezran: Exactly! All those crazy chitters and screams . . . that's not how spiders talk.
Callum: Ezran, you've lost your mind.
Ezran: I'm going out there to prove it.
Callum: Don't!
Callum grabs Ezran's arm to try and stop him, but he pulls away and keeps walking. Y/n gets up and follows after him.
Callum: Ezran, Y/n, no!
Ezran and Y/n approach the spider and it jumps down in front of them. The spider screeches, but doesn't harm them. Ezran screams back. The spider screeches again, pushing their hair back. Ezran yells back.
Ezran: It's fun. Try screaming at him.
Callum reaches his hand out. The spider screeches back again.
Ezran: See? It won't do anything.
Callum: You're right. Ez is right!
Callum loudly shouts to the others.
Ezran: Let's see if we can get it to turn around and show us its creepy glow face.
Callum: Ezran I owe you an apology. You too Y/n. I should've believed him like you did.
Ezran: Well, at least one.
Callum: I'm sorry I didn't believe you, Ezran. I promise, I won't ever doubt you again.
Ezran: If you really mean it . . .
Callum: I do.
Ezran: . . . then you have to do the thing.
Callum: Here? Now?
Callum starts doing a weird dance while Ezran claps a beat. Ezran laughs.
Ezran: Callum's famous jerkface dance!
Y/n: Is this like a sibling ritual you two have?
Ezran: Yup!
The others join the three by the spider and watch Callum's ridiculous dance.
Rayla: So, if it's fake . . . what's it doing here?
Ezran: Cheering for the jerkface dance, I think. It wants more. Knees higher! Knees higher!
Y/n starts laughing. Rayla and Callum both look towards Y/n with starstruck expressions. callum keeps dancing with a smile on his face. Everyone starts to walk away while Callum follows beihind, still dancing.
They finally arrive at the tree. It's large and growing out from the mountain.
Ellis: This is it! We hid in that tree when the miracle healer found us! Remember this place, girl?
Ava barks in response. Everyone walks into the tree, but nothing happens.
Callum: So, now what? Do we just . . . Uh, Miracle Healer? Hello! We're here!
Ellis: I don't know. I just showed up, then she showed up.
Callum: Yeah, I don't see why that shouldn't work.
A light starts glowing from outside the tree, everyone walks outside.
Rayla: Actually, I think it is working.
A large blue bird appears to come from the moon. Everyone squints their eyes. The glow in the moon fade when the bird lands and the rider dismounts. Rayla's expression quickly falls when she sees who it is.
Rayla: Oh, no! Ez was right about everything. There's no mirable healer. She's a fake
Callum: What? How do you know?
Y/n: She's a Moonshadow elf.
Rayla: A moon mage, an illusionist. She can't heal anything.
The illusionist: It's true. I am no healer. I am Lujanne. Guardian of the Moon Nexus.
Rayla: Ugh, I'm such an idiot, I should have figured it out. None of those monsters were real, they were all illusions.
Lujanne: Yes. They were just to scare you. That's how I protect the Nexus.
Ellis: But . . . I don't understand. If you're not a healer, how did you save Ava's leg?
Lujanne: I remember you and that little cub . . . both so frightened and sad.
Lujanne explains what she did to Ava's leg. She had created a leg that humans would see and feel, but didn't truly exist. The moonstone collar helped hold the spell. Lujanne takes the collar off and Ava's 'leg' disappears.
Lujanne: She never meeded that fourth leg to be happy. Everyone else did.
Y/n: But we need real help. No illusion can help us.
Ezran takes his backpack off. He opens it and show Lujanne the egg. She gasps.
Rayla: It's the egg of the Dragon Prince. It was stolen, but we saved it. I mean, we were trying to save it and return it to its mother. but there was a terrible accident. You see, I--
Lujanne stops her in the middle of her sentence. She puts her hand above the egg.
Lujanne: Its life is fading quickly. The only chance of saving it now would be to hatch it. But that won't be possible. Sky dragons can only be born in the eye of a storm. The weather is clear for miles.
Ezran: No . . . that can't be. THere has to be a way to save it!
Lujanne: I'm sorry.
Rayla: I dropped it. This is all my fault.
Y/n: Rayla, we're all to blame. Don't beat yourself up over this.
Y/n puts a hand on Rayla's shoulder. Rayla grabs Y/n's hand with her good one.
Callum: Y/n's right, I should have trusted you. Things only went wrong becuase we kept fighting.
Rayla: I let you all down. I let the world down.
Tears kept falling from Rayla's face. Y/n brushed them off with their free hand.
Ezran: You tied, Rayla. You're so good and brave.
Ezran comes over an hugs Rayla, bringing all three of them to the ground. Callum starts to think of any possible chance to save the egg.
Callum: Wait a minute. It can only hatch . . . in a storm. What if I . . .
Y/n: Callum? What are you thinking?
Callum: I know what I have to do.
He throws his Primal Stone on the ground. The Stone shatters and the storm inside is released. The winds are strong, blowing around the group. The egg starts blowing away.
Ezran: No!
Rayla gets up and runs towards the egg. Before it can fall off the cliffside, Rayla catches it. SHe falls on her back. She tries to make her way back to the others, but debris keeps threating to push her off. She grabs her sword and uses it to stablize herself and the egg.
Callum: Hold on, Rayla!
Y/n: Rayla!
Y/n gets up and runs to Rayla. They stop in front of her and protect her form the debris with their own body. A branch almost hits Rayla's arm, but hits Y/n's instead, making a cut that slowly bleeds. The wind picks up. Y/n is able to stay on the ground, while Rayla holds onto her sword to not blow away. Y/n grabs Rayla's arm to help. The strom starts to split apart. Rayla falls back to the ground. The wind only surrounds the ground now. The egg crackles in sync to the lighting of the storm. Y/n backs away, feeling a weird pull on their back. Lightning crackles and strikes the egg over and over again. The lightning changes to a rainbow color as the egg levitates above the ground. There's a big blast and everyone is knocked over. The egg only drops to the ground, looking lifeless. The storm dissapates. Everyone seems mournful, but the egg starts cracking. A small sky blue dragon pops out, eyes shut.
Ezran: Come on Bait, help him! His eyes are stuck. You need to lick them open!
Bait turns purple, then reluctanly licks the dragon's eyes open. The dragon opens his eyes and tackles bait, licking him. He spots Ezran and licks him too.
Ezran: You know your own name! Azymondias. We'll call you "Zym". That's Rayla. You almost blew off the mountain, But Rayla saved you! And Y/n did too. They're over there . . .
Y/n sat up holding their head with one hand. Unaware of the new change. Zym immediately ran over to Y/n and tackled them, licking them.
Zym: You're back! I missed you, Khuzaimah!
Y/n: My name's not Khuzaimah, it's Y/n. And . . . Wait, I can understand you?
Zym: Of course you can, why wouldn't you silly! You even got your wings back!
Y/n: Wings? What are you . . .
Y/n looked over their shoulder and found angel-like wings attached to their back. An elegant f/c color. They screamed and their new wings flexed in return. Y/n stood up and spread their wings. Everyone only stared in shock, but only Lujanne seemed to come to a conclusion. Zym wandered over to Rayla. She switched her focus and knelt down to the little dragon. Zym noticed the silver ribbon on her wrist.
Rayla: Aww! It's okay, little one. The important thing is you. One miracle is enough for me today.
Zym bit down on the ribbon. He pulled and pulled till it finally snapped off. Y/n walked up to Rayla and hugged her, enveloping her in their new wings.
The group except Lujanne and Y/n were watching Zym play. Lujanne and Y/n were standing beside the tree.
Lujanne: I didn't think it was possible.
Y/n: What are you talking about?
Lujanne: I should've known. Your dragon necklace should've convinced me.
Y/n: Lujanne, I don't understand. What are you talking about?
Lujanne: This isn't my secret to tell. You'll have to figure this out on your own. Though I can help you with your moonshadow powers.
Y/n: Wait, I have powers?
Lujanne: Yes, you do. Though, you will have to figure out how to fly on your own.
Y/n: Sorry, but I need some time to think about this.
Y/n walks back to the group and sits down to watch Zym. Lujanne watches her with a pitiful expression.
Ezran: Look.
A purple light comes to the mountain and turns into little balls of purple light.
Callum: It's beautiful.
Ezran: They're gentle. They even tickle a little.
Y/n stares off into the distance, feeling uneasy about the sudden information from Lujanne.
Word Count- 2713
*Author Note*
- Completely open to constructive criticism 💛