A False Reality ||The Dragon Prince||

Chapter 21

Rayla slammed into Claudia, stopping her from completing the spell. That was it! If Rayla could keep Claudia on her toes then she wouldn't be able to cast any spells. Rayla raised her sword and swung it towards Claudia. However, Claudia had retrieved the fallen sword and raised it in defense. Their swords clashed. Rayla smiled, she had been trained in sword fighting for years while Claudia's sword looked awkward in her hands. If Rayla wasn't mistaken then that meant she had the advantage. So Rayla took the offensive and swung her sword repetitively at Claudia. Claudia barely managed to block each of Rayla's attacks. Their swords once again met and Claudia let out an insane laugh.

"And to think I would take pity on you," Claudia spat, "I should've killed you earlier."

"Oh but then we wouldn't be having this thrilling duel."

"I hate you," Claudia screeched, "Curse my soft heart, I couldn't bring myself to kill when you were my prisoner, but that is no longer the case."

"Claudia look where this hatred has gotten you," Rayla cried, "I know you hate me, but you don't hate Callum or Ezran so why are you hurting them!"

"I wasn't hurting them! All I wanted was for my life to go back to the way it was before you showed up and ruined everything!"

"I didn't ruin anything, you ruined it for yourself," Rayla said, "You didn't have to try to kidnap Zym. You could've left with Soren."

At the mention of her brother, Claudia cried out in fury and swung her sword at Rayla with all of her might. Rayla easily defended her blow.

"I didn't ruin anything," Claudia said as if trying to plead her case to Rayla, "This...this wasn't my fault."

"It kind of was," Rayla said as she launched herself over Claudia's head and kicked her square in the back. Claudia was sent flying into a wall. Rayla raised her sword to Claudia's throat, "Back down Claudia, I don't like you either but I don't want to hurt you."

Claudia started laughing, a crazed high pitched laugh. She looked up at Rayla, "No, I will never back down. Not until you're dead and I use your body for parts."

"Fine then," Rayla said as she prepared to deliver the final blow. This was her chance to prove herself. To prove that she had what it took to be an assassin and save her loved ones. But she hesitated. How could she kill Claudia when Rayla was partially to blame for Claudia's current state. Rayla had killed Viren, and she suspected that his death had driven Claudia to the brink of insanity. But that brief moment of hesitation was all Claudia needed. Within seconds Claudia had cast a spell and Rayla gasped as her world was turned upside down. Claudia had created an extension for her hand. It was made of smoke and it could take the form of whatever she willed. Claudia had molded the smoke into a rope that had trapped Rayla's ankle and was now holding her upside down.

"Hmm looks like I'm not the only one with a soft heart," Claudia said, "Now how should I kill you?" 

Rayla tired to cut through the rope but it was made of smoke. If only Callum was available to cast aspiro. Claudia threw Rayla against the wall right next to the scepter, and Rayla saw Callum on the platform trying desperately to escape his chains. Before Rayla could say anything to him Claudia's magic smoke pinned her against the wall and engulfed her throat. The smoke started constricting around Rayla's throat and her head started to spin. Claudia approached as Rayla gasped for air.

"Don't worry Rayla," Claudia said as she toyed with Rayla's horns and hair, "I'll make good use of you." No this wasn't happening, Rayla desperately tried to hit Claudia, but she stood just out of reach, "Goodbye Rayla, it wasn't nice knowing you."

"Wait!" Callum cried, "I'll break the spell if you don't stop hurting her right now." 

Rayla looked over to the platform where Callum was holding the scepter. Ezran must have helped him out of his chains and by the looks of it, Zym must have touched the scepter too. The baby dragon was hiding behind a crate looking scared but very much awake. Rayla would have let out a sigh of relief but she was currently having a hard time breathing.

"Now let's not be hasty Callum," Claudia said in a surprisingly calm voice, "If you put the scepter down I'll put your vile elf friend down." Rayla shook her head at Callum trying to tell him not to take the offer.

"I'm sorry Rayla," Callum said as he put the scepter back in it's resting place, "But we both know that if I break the spell now Claudia would kill you before we even make it home."

"Good point Callum," Claudia said, "Now let's discuss our options." With that Rayla felt the smoke tighten around her throat. Callum looked at Rayla with panic over his features.

"Claudia you said you would let her go!"

"Oh don't worry, I'm just gonna knock her out," Claudia said. Rayla tried to make her body and mind stay awake but she couldn't, the lack of oxygen was too much. The world blacked out.  

###Author's Note###

Wow, thank you so much for your support! I enjoy writing this story and I hope you enjoy it too. This chapter took some serious planning but I think it turned out awesome! Let me know what you think and thanks for reading!-HappyLlama160