A False Reality ||The Dragon Prince||

Chapter 22

Callum let out a sigh of relief as Claudia released Rayla and the magic smoke dispersed. Claudia came to stand directly in front of the platform, and Callum turned to face her. He was just a few feet from the scepter. But it was just him and her now, and Callum needed to be careful. One wrong word and Claudia might hurt him, or worse, hurt Rayla or Ezran.

"Well, what should we do now?" Claudia asked sounding very sarcastic.

"You could just let us return to the real world," Callum offered as he took a tiny step towards the scepter.

"This world is perfect!" Claudia roared her voice filled with rage, "It is the real world now."

"No Claudia, it's not. It's all an illusion, everything here is a lie! Any happiness, joy, or accomplishment gained here is fake. None of it is real Claudia!"

"Be quiet Callum!" Claudia screamed. She looked almost insane, Callum wondered if she had reached her mental limit. "Stop it Callum or... or..." Claudia scrambled for something to say when her eyes landed on the unconscious Rayla. Callum tensed as he saw a murderous glint enter Claudia's eyes. Callum watched as Claudia raised her right hand. Her purple bracelet transformed into a deadly dagger and Claudia pointed it at Rayla.

"Or I'll kill her." Claudia finished.

"Okay, okay," Callum said holding up his hands in surrender, "I'll be quiet just don't hurt her."

"Why do you even care about the elf?" Claudia asked as she lowered the knife, "She ruined our lives."

"She didn't ruin anything," Callum said, "Rayla is talented, kind, and brave. I love her."

Claudia's face fell and she stumbled back as she had been physically hit. Then she started giggling, mad insane giggles.

"Oh, that's just too funny!" Claudia wiped at the tears streaming down her face. Callum wasn't sure if they were tears of laughter or madness, "You love the elf that took my family from me. And now she's taken you away from me too. That is just too good." Claudia continued to laugh, and now Callum was sure that Claudia had snapped.

"Claudia you might as well let us go home," Callum said cautiously, all too aware of the dagger still clutched in her hand, "This false reality is just as messed up as the real world now. "

Callum watched anxiously as Claudia thought it over. He could see her weighing her options.

"You're right," Claudia finally said and Callum felt a flicker up hope rise inside him. Maybe Claudia wasn't as insane as he had originally thought. She continued, "This reality is all messed up, so I'll just make a new one."

"What?" Callum gawked, surely Claudia wasn't serious, "I'm not going to let you."

"You think you can stop me?" Claudia scoffed, "Sure I made a few mistakes in this reality but the next one will be even better, even more perfect."

"No Claudia," Callum cried, "You can't keep running away from your problems."

"I'm not running from my problems I'm fixing them."

"By erasing them from existence?"

"Enough! I'm sorry Callum, but I'll do anything to keep my family together," Claudia said raising her knife and she aimed it at Callum, "I'd even kill you. I'm sorry but I have to do this."

"No, you don't Claudia," Callum said as he inched closer to the scepter. He could almost touch it, just a few more inches. Callum had to keep Claudia talking, "Your father isn't your only family. What about Soren, Ezran, and I. Don't we count?"

"I've gone too far. I-I can't come back."

"You haven't gone too far. I know you've been hurt and I'm sorry about that. But Claudia this isn't you!" Callum yelled.

"Isn't it?" Claudia yelled back, "And tell me, Callum, what was so bad about the spell? Everything was perfect!"

"But Claudia all those things we have gone through, wither good or bad, they happened. We can't change them, we just have to accept them and move on." Callum said as his fingers brushed the scepter. In his excitement, Callum smiled and Claudia took notice. She saw his hand around the scepter.

"Maybe you're right," Claudia said with a look of resolve, "But I made a promise to my dad, and I intend to keep it."

With that, Claudia threw the dagger at Callum. The world seemed to slow as the knife sped towards him. Callum frantically tried to cast aspiro but he wasn't going to finish in time. It was too late to try to counter or dodge. So Callum closed his eyes and braced for the coming pain. But it never came. Callum heard a sharp intake of breath followed by a gasp of pain. He opened his eyes and saw Rayla standing between him and Claudia.

"No," Callum whispered as he realized what had happened. Rayla had saved him by taking the dagger herself.