Avalonna

The ancient dragon king was still constrained as Avalonna and Connor approached, though Nera and Diamandra were near exhaustion.

"What can we do?" Connor asked aloud. He had trained somewhat in his magical abilities recently, but that was for combat, nothing like what they were about to try now.

"Do not fear, young one." Queen Aurora said as she joined the siblings. Although she moved swiftly, the elven queen kept a regal presence and never appeared rushed.
"I am sure the three of us are more than enough to math Drakar."

"It is good to see you again, Aurora." Nera said, the strain in her voice easily heard.

"As is the two of you." Aurora replied.
"We must save the pleasantries for later, you and Diamandra cannot hold on forever." She added and slowly walked over to Drakar.

The shadow dragon huffed and stared at the elf queen with his soulless eyes, but did not move. His anger could almost be seen creeping out of his glare,but if he planned to escape he made no sign of it.

"Drakar, it has been a while." Aurora said as Avalonna and Connor stood on either side of her.

'Yes, indeed it has,' the dragon replied with his mental voice.
'Last we spoke, you would never have aided humans, witches or not."

The elven queen nodded slowly and gestured for Avalonna and Connor to surround the dragon.

"That is correct." She stated.
"However, I have changed. If memory serves me correctly, last we spoke you were not the servant to a tyrannical royal family, living simply to serve their every wish like a common dog." She said with a taunting smile.

Drakar huffed out black smoke and a deep growl could be heard coming from within him. He attempted to move and escape, but the magical chains that restrained him did not break.

"Aurora!" Avalonna called out.
"There is no need to anger him further, it is only putting more of a strain on Nera and Diamandra."

Aurora gave Avalonna a stern glare, but Avalonna did not falter.
"I know what I am doing, child. You should speak to the queen of the elves with more respect. You are making me lose my temper and I can not concentrate on my magic." The queen stated flatly and returned her gaze to Drakar.

Avalonna went to respond but hesitated when she saw Connor gesture for her to stop. They had not been separated long since her return, but he had already changed so much in that little time. Avalonna nodded slowly and began to think about what the elf queen had said.

'Losing temper... Can't concentrate on magic...' Avalonna thought to herself. Suddenly, the idea came to her with a jolt. The queen had not been speaking about herself, but of Drakar! If he lost him temper, he could not focus on preventing their spell.

"Now do you understand me, miss Bishop?" Aurora asked with a knowing smile.

"Yes, I believe I do. You were saying how Drakar is nothing more than a puppet." Avalonna replied with a smile of her own.

Drakar snarled and black smoke sprayed out of his nose. He attempted to rise, but his chains held him in place.
"Do not dare to taunt me, witch.' The dragon boomed.
"I am no puppet, I will bring death to you all by my own accord."

"Oh yes, Drakar, we believe you. Although, your strings seem to be held tight by the Nitehardts." Aurora added with a smirk.

"You only bring a worse fate upon yourselves, witches." The dragon replied with a glare.

"I will keep that in mind. Please join me in wishing Drakar a fond farewell, young Bishops." Aurora stated.
"Tu es in exilium-" she started but was cut off by a deep growl.

"Silence, elven witch!" Drakar said, his voice thundering in his enemy's minds.
"I may not be able to break free from these chains, but I am never helpless. I am Drakar, the first born, no mere fledgling magicians will stop me!" He added and closed his eyes. They began to glow a faint purple and the ground rumbled under him.

"Aurora, what is he doing?" Avalonna asked.

"He is casting a spell!" The queen replied and immediately began chanting in the elven language.

"Connor, we must help." Avalonna said, determination lacing her words.

"How?" Her brother replied and was by her side in the blink of an eye.

"We must continue the banishing spell. We must-" she started to reply, but was cut off.

"You must do nothing." She heard Drakar's voice echo in her mid.
"You must listen to me, and do as I say." Drakar spoke in a slow, deep voice that was almost hypnotic.

Avalonna felt her head begin to spin and she was almost compelled to do as the shadow dragon commanded. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples and tried to block out the words echoing in her mind. She fell to her knees, as did Connor. Aurora stumbled back and swayed, but did not fall.

"Give up. Help me carry out my orders so that I may be free." Drakar added in a very enticing voice. His eyes soon began to lose their purple glow and he slowly opened them.

Avalonna felt the pain in her head begin to disappear, and was able to stand up straight once again.
"If that was your final plan to stop us, I'm afraid I must tell you that it failed." She said to Drakar boldly.

The dragon snarled and began to smirk as much as a dragon could.
"It may be my final plan, child, but it was not meant for you. Why bother with fighting you witches when your friends will gladly do it for me?" He asked.

Avalonna did not understand what he meant, but suddenly she was sent flying into the snow. She spat some out and slowly rose, only to see Connor standing over her with a blank expression. His eyes were a soulless black.

"Connor? What is wrong?" She began to ask and then stopped herself.
"Drakar, what have you done?" She asked bitterly.

"Even in this weakened state, I had enough power to turn your friends against you. The boy and the elf were simple, the darkness inside them is already quite strong. All who heard my voice, and were not a witch, are now my puppets." He replied with a deep laugh that resembled a growl.

Avalonna quickly looked at the elven queen. Aurora quickly made her way over and stood between Connor and Avalonna. She waved her hand and the mounds of snow that lay on the ground suddenly rose and threw themselves onto Connor, trapping him underneath.

"Wait, didn't the dragon say he controls you too?" Avalonna asked with a mixture of shock and confusion.

"No, child. He said the elf, and besides I too am a witch. How fortunate for you." Aurora replied.

Avalonna nodded and moved to stand next to the queen.
'Who was the other elf?' She couldn't help but think to herself. Her question was answered a moment later, when Lydia appeared as if leaping from a shadow. For the first time, Avalonna noticed Lydia's ears were pointed.

"Lydia is an elf?" She asked in awe. She now realized a lot must have happened for Connor and Lydia within the last few days. She wondered how much Connor knew.

"Yes, among other things. However, she is not our only problem." Aurora replied and turned to see Drow, now in the form of an elephant, charging straight at the two witches.