C A L L U M

 The sky was a peaceful black that was speckled in white spots, stars that glimmered over the Xadia. Callum and Rayla recently got a temporary place to live in next to Lujanne's house.

Rayla sat down in front of a lake layered in a thin layer of ice as she looked at her reflection. She smiled to herself, feeling accomplished at the fact that she did all she could to help save her kingdom. 

"Rayla!" Callum called, his feet crunching in the snow. She turned around to find him holding a black and blue scarf in his hands. He smiled, placing it around her neck. "It's going to get colder. We don't need anyone else getting sick."

"Who are you to take care of me, bread eating human?" Rayla joked, pushing his side as he sat down in the white snow next to her. She held the scarf in her hands, rubbing her hands around the material. "Did you make this?" she asked.

He nodded shyly. 

"Where'd you get the material?"

Callum suddenly broke into a smile and smirked mischievously as Rayla suddenly got the hint.

"Is it from Luja-"

"I stole it from Lujanne!" He said gleefully.

"Nice one!" Rayla said, fist-bumping him. Callum now stared at her, eyes wide open and jaw to the ground.

"What?" She asked.

"You- You know how to fist bump?!" He exclaimed.  

"Uhh... yeah, human." Rayla smiled as she wiped the white snow off her pants. 

They sat in peaceful silence for a couple of minutes. It was as if they could talk... without words.

"Rayla," Callum smiled, holding her hand. "You know I love you, right?"

Rayla blushed as she laughed out of joy and kissed him on the cheek. "And you know I love you, right?"

The night sky began to glaze over as the two looked up at each other. 

"It's almost midnight. Let's go back in," Callum nodded.

 "Oh, and thanks for the scarf." She said while putting her arm around his shoulders. 

"I'm glad you like it." He chuckled as they headed inside, arms wrapped around each other.

--------------------------

S O R E N

"Soren, you can go to bed you know," he heard a muffled voice say. "It's so late."

"I'll be just fine, Ezran. You should be sleeping, little prince," Soren smiled through his armor, his arms still steady against the locks of the palace door. "You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"I guess I do," Ezran said as he snuck under his velvet covers. "But I don't want to sleep- there's so much to think of!"

Soren laughed to himself but quickly covered it up with a cough. "Really? Like what?"

"You know. I have my meet with Rayla and Callum tomorrow, then I have-"

Thud.

Around a thousand alarms began to go off as the lights in the castle shut down entirely. From the basement, there seemed to be smoke emitting from the depths of the grounds.

"What was that?" Ezran asked, alarmed in the dark. 

"It'll be fine. Just stay inside and be very, very quiet- I'm sure it'll be over soon." Soren gave a warm smile as he raced out the doors, watching his steps and carefully placing his hands around the walls.

Soren stepped out to the corridors to find soldiers were racing up the stairs, their armor clinking against their shields and attempting to get into formation around the door.

"What's going on?" Soren demanded.

"Crownguard, there has been a bombing in the basement of the palace. Sir, with all due respect we must ask of you to go down and see what has been going on there." A soldier answered firmly.

"Excuse me? I have to protect the King. This is my job," Soren demanded. "Marcos, could you please go down and find out if anyone was hurt?" 

Marcos approached the front of the guards and kneeled, replying, "All due respect, we do not have full authorities to go down, sir."

"Alright then. Marcos, watch the King while I go downstairs. Make sure everyone is safe."

"Wait, but Soren, I can help-" Ezran began.

The King's door slammed as Soren grit his teeth, ignoring Ezran and racing down the stone stairs of the palace as he reached the basement. He had to do his job. 

The basement was dark, musty, and dry. 

The stone walls had moss somehow cloaking over it and you could barely see a thing. It was almost impossible to see where your feet were going in general, too.

Just imagine your garage or attic- but all the floors were made of complete garbage and the place smelled like it, too.

Then imagine all the lights being off and hearing random chanting and echoing screams, with-

A flute.

He stopped his footsteps to hear a distant melody from afar exploding into his ears. 

The flute continued- his eyes began to droop slowly. This was a sleep spell.

Why was someone playing a sleep spell in a time like this? Unless they were the one causing it?

"By the name of King Ezran, show yourself!" He demanded, his heart pounding against his chest and sword raised. 

Someone yanked onto his ear and pulled him back, causing him to fall over.

A hand clamped over his mouth, now revealing Aunt Amaya with her index finger over her lips, a common sign of, "shush."

"What's going on?" He whispered in a low voice.

 Amaya looked ahead and pointed her finger towards the direction of a room.

From that room included 3 things he saw, heard, and smelled.

1. Purple light.

After a few minutes of holding his breath, he mustered the courage to creep over to the room. 

Where was the light from? It couldn't have been from his father, that wasn't...

No.

Yes, Soren. He is my... little bug-pal.

Of course.

Aunt Amaya quickly and swiftly grabbed his arm and pulled him back down as she stared at him with a silent but murderous glare. 

Stay silent. She seemed to glare.

But if that was where the purple light came from, then who was causing it? The only reason why it would glow was that...

2. Chanting.

Soren racked at his brain for more knowledge, he had read about this before when he found a bunch of books sprawled across the desk. 

What was his name, what was...

Aaravos. It was Aaravos-

Amaya motioned with her head, still crouching towards the exit. 

Soren followed as quietly as he could, only to hear a distant scream that sent a shiver down his spine. 

He swallowed, quickly tagging along behind her with his shield up in a battle stance.

"Are we-"

Shink.

His shield was now in half, revealing two sets of eyes glaring back at him- fiery red eyes.

Janai?

He now lowered his shield, only to have her strike again, barely missing his face when Amaya came out from behind him. 

Although Soren was unaware of what she was signing, Janai suddenly smiled and lowered her weapon. 

Soren let off his guard too early.

She struck again, this time grazing his side as he winced in pain.

Amaya now stepped in front of him, placing her shield out but not striking.

"Why aren't you striking?"

She looked back at him and shook her head.

And three-

Burning flesh?!

Quicker than Soren's eyes could move, Janai lunged forward and cut her side open, now bleeding through her armor.

"Amaya!" Soren said as he took out his shield and began to strike once more, scraping at the elf's shield.

She placed her hand over the cut that was now bleeding out and pooling the ground behind her in the dark tunnels.

"We have to get you out of here," he said.

Amaya smiled at him weakly, signing, "I'll just slow you down. Please, hurry." There was urgency in her eyes as she grimaced, holding a wound beneath her chest. "I'll make it out of here, I promise. Please."

"I can't just leave you-"

"I'll be fine, please, go!" She signed, as she thrashed, being thrown and dragged into a cell.

Soren looked back at her one last time as he ran out of the dungeon as fast as he possibly could.

A scream was the last thing he heard before he shut the door.

WARNING:

If you are uncomfortable with - Angst - Major Character Death - Suicidal actions - Two bros sitting in a hot tub five feet apart because they're not gay,

then please don't read this. The only reason why it's rated mature is because of those ^^ Thank you!

There's a lot going on in this chapter. Be sure to read carefully, because there's gonna be a pLoT tWiSt relating to this chapter! ^^ (Oh, and you can listen to the music if you want while you read!)