A False Reality ||The Dragon Prince||

Chapter 17

"Claudia probably didn't expect anyone to figure out the truth," Callum said in reply to Ezran's inquiring about why it had been a bit easy to find the scepter.

"Yeah," Ezran said, "What do we do now?" Callum considered the question. What should they do? He hadn't quite thought this far ahead. Callum didn't know how he could break the spell, but he could feel forgotten memories nagging to be brought back.

"I'm going to touch it," Callum said as he started across the room.

"What?" Ezran said running after him. 

They soon found themselves in front of the raised platform. Callum stepped up onto it and raised his hand, "Well, here goes nothing." With that Callum wrapped his hand around the scepter. A wave of memories crashed into him. His head was spinning as details and events came flooding back. Each new memory he received felt familiar and right. He remembered bringing Rayla to the Banthar Lodge; climbing the Cursed Caldera; Zym hatching from his egg; Claudia and Soren's betrayal; saving the red dragon; crossing into Xadia; exploring Xadia with Rayla and Zym; kissing Rayla... Wait-- kissing Rayla. No wonder he had felt so drawn to her--so protective of her--he was in love with her. With this thought, his brain seemed to play him a shot-by-shot of all the moments he had shared with her. He saw the night in the oasis when Rayla had broken down, she had kissed him then. Callum had kissed her the next night on the ambler. He remembered every smile, every joke, every hug, and every kiss. Callum had the privilege of remembering and reliving them all. That was until the last memory, the one where Rayla had tackled Viren off the pinnacle of the Storm Spire. He had watched in horror not wanting to believe his eyes. He couldn't lose her. Callum knew he had to save her, but he had also known that his plan might not work. But the thought of Rayla dead-- crumpled in a broken heap at the bottom of the Storm Spire-- caused to much pain to even think of. So he had jumped too. Thinking that if he saved her everything would be fine but if not at least they would be together. Luckily he had saved her and everything had been fine till Claudia had cast this spell. Callum would rather die than let any harm come to Rayla, he loved her.

"I love her," Callum muttered.

"What?" Ezran said, "Callum are you okay?" Callum slowly opened his eyes.

"Yes, I'm more than okay, I'm great! Ezran I remember everything!" Callum cheered, "Go ahead, touch the scepter." Callum watched as Ezran joined him on the platform. Ez reached out his hand and he and Bait touched the scepter. Callum watched as a look of deep concentration and understanding crossed over Ezran's face, and Callum knew he too was remembering.

"What are you guys doing here?"

Panic surged through Callum as he turned around to see who had spoken. It was Soren, he had his sword drawn, and was approaching the platform.

"Oh hey, Soren! We were just exploring," Callum said trying to hide how nervous he was, "What are you doing?"

"I have strict orders not to let anyone touch the scepter," Soren said then gulping added, "I'm supposed to kill anyone who does touch it."

"So you would kill the Crown Prince, your future King?" Callum said knowing that Soren had once turned on his father after realizing that his father was a villain.

"No... I would never?" Soren seemed to be questioning himself.

"Soren, do you feel like somethings wrong?" Ezran asked he had taken his hand off the scepter and was now addressing Soren.

"Sometimes," Soren sounded confused, "I just feel wrong, like I've forgotten something."

"We have to Soren," Callum said then pointed to the scepter, "Just touch the scepter and everything will make sense." Soren hesitated for a moment before he set down his sword and climbed onto the platform. He reached out and touched the specter, and Callum watched as the same look of understanding crossed over Soren's face. He opened his eyes and looked around the room.

"What happened?" Soren clutched his head trying to process everything, "The last thing I remember is a weird fog and then everything went black and...and now we're back in Katalis?"

"I know it's a lot to process," Callum gestured for Soren to sit, "We will tell you everything, but you might want to sit down." Callum and Ezran then filled Soren in on everything.

"So Rayla's voice was stolen?" Soren asked, and Ezran nodded his head, "Well I think I found it."

"You did?" Callum asked.

"Yeah I heard it and followed her voice into a different room," Soren explained, "And that's why I wasn't here guarding the scepter."

"Great, can you take us there?" Callum asked. Soren nodded and led them out of the vast room containing the scepter. Soren took them back into the main room, and then led them down a different hallway that was ridiculously long. As they approached he could hear Rayla's voice, it was unnerving to think that Viren could do something so cruel. Soren opened the door just in time for Callum to hear Rayla's voice say, "I love you too, Callum." Callum blushed as Soren gave him a good-job-on-getting-a-girl-to-love-you look. Callum walked over and picked up the jar containing Rayla's voice.

"What next?" Ezran asked.

"I have a plan," Callum said, "Soren will need to stay here so Claudia and Viren aren't suspicious while Ez and I get Rayla out of her cell. Then we will rendezvous here and I'll take us home. I think I know a spell that might work."

"Sounds good," Soren said, "But Callum if I get the chance I'm going to try and persuade Claudia to join our side. She... she is my best friend and I miss her." Callum nodded in understanding. He couldn't imagine he and Ezran being on opposite sides, it must be hard.

"We'll be back soon," Callum said turning to leave.

"Wow, someones in a hurry," Soren said raising an eyebrow.

"I have a promise to keep," Callum said as he and Ezran headed back down the long hallway. Callum couldn't wait to be reunited with Rayla. After all, it was his turn to save her.