The Prophecy of Five

I: 29 :I

Callum

"Why're they black? What happened to her?"

"I... I don't know. This can't be good for her." said Claudia.

Rayla had opened her eyes briefly, just long enough for them to see her eyes. They had changed from their beautiful amethyst to a pitch black. It reminded Callum of Claudia's eyes when she used dark magic. Whatever Viren had done to her, they needed to reverse it, and fast.

"Here. Let me try something." he said, drawing out the healing spell Kalli had taught him.

"Careful Callum. We don't know what's wrong with her."

Its true, but this had saved his life. It had to work for Rayla too.

"Focis"

Callum closed his eyes and placed his hands on either side of her head. He focused, willing the magic to flow through her body, to heal her. After a few seconds, he let go, exhausted. The light from his hands dimmed and returned to their normal color. 

"Well? Did it work?" asked Soren, dumping his father onto the floor next to the table.

"Rayla? Rayla are you there? Please, please come back." Callum whispered.

"I... I don't think it worked. Any other ideas?" asked Claudia.

Nobody said anything. Callum hung his head in defeat. He could feel Rayla slipping away in his arms. Each breath seemed weaker than the last. Her eyes hadn't opened again and she laid nearly perfectly still. He could feel someone put their hand on his shoulder. Callum looked up, tears clouding his vision, to see Claudia standing behind him with a sorrowful expression on her face. He turned back to the girl in his arms.

No. No, she's not gone. She can't be. I... I...

He lifted Rayla up and hugged her, burying his face in the hair. He didn't even try to conceal his crying. He let the tears flow. Soren and Claudia just stood in silence, knowing that nothing they could say would comfort the prince. He was grateful for the silence, but what he wouldn't give just to hear her call his name one more time. 

Eventually, Callum pulled himself together. She wouldn't want this from him. She would want him to go, stop the war they had set out to end. With a heavy heart, Callum lifted the broken body of his best friend into his arms. His best friend, his trusted ally, his love. He turned to Soren and Claudia.

"We... we should go."

They didn't say anything. The only response he got was a nod from both of them. Soren began dragging Viren's unconscious body to the door. Claudia followed close behind, until an object seemed to catch her eye. Her father's staff, along with a small bag tied to the top. She picked it up, not recognizing the bag on the end. She untied it and let the contents spill out into her free hand. Nothing but a couple of coins and a piece of paper. She inspected them closely before screaming, scaring Callum and her brother half to death. Soren dropped their father on his face and ran to Claudia.

"Claudia? Claudia, what's wrong?"

"F-f-faces! Faces on the coins!" she said, letting them drop from her hand.

"Well yeah, dummy. Coins have faces on them." her brother retorted.

"Do they move?"

"Nnnnno? I'm gonna go with no." Soren said triumphantly. "Wait, what?"

Callum set Rayla's body down on a soft patch of grass just outside the temple and returned to the siblings. Claudia was reading the small piece of paper as her brother examined the coins.