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theavengerfairy · 2 years

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One Step Closer - Chapter 7

Hello everyone. I'm sorry this chapter took so long and I thank you for your patience. The last year of my life has been hectic to say the least, and while this did take me much longer than I would've liked, finishing it now is a small victory in itself. During the past year, I have received questions about whether this story was discontinued, which is understandable, so I wanted to share a little general explanation here for all of you of what my standard practice when it comes to this matter as it is a bit different from what I've seen most people do. If I decide I will not be finishing one of my stories for any reason, I will delete or archive the story rather than leave it up as I do not want to mislead readers new and old into thinking there is still more to come when I have already moved on. I know for some this may seem like a waste of time and effort, but the way I see it, the love and attention while the story was active still makes the energy and time I put into it worthwhile. If an unfinished story is still up, even if considerable time has passed since the last update as happened with this one, that means that I still hope to continue the story. I hope this clears things up, and I thank you again for your patience.

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"Staring at it isn't going to make anything happen, ya know. You're just causing yourself to worry even more."

A jolt shot through every fiber of Callum's being as he finally noticed Rayla's reflection hovering beside his own in the lake's eerily still surface, her arms folded and her head slightly cocked to one side as she stared at him. As he silently observed her mirror image, he saw her lips purse and her brows pinch together in a crystal clear expression of annoyance when she received no response from him.

"She hasn't been down there that long; it just feels like it's been a while because we're all on edge." she prodded again, doing her best to keep her irritation from permeating her tone with moderate success. "All we can do right now is trust in her."

Callum's stomach dropped into some impossibly deep crevice within him while his tongue remained glued to the roof of his mouth. Tearing his gaze from Rayla's reflection, he searched for a distraction upon which he could fixate his attention to try and drown out the millions of thoughts swirling in his mind, all of them competing for his immediate attention. Eventually, his eyes settled on Madeleine and Zym, both of whom had taken refuge beneath a particularly large willow that loomed a short distance from the water's edge. Maddie had fished some random bits and baubles from the depths of her satchel and was now fiddling busily with them while an intrigued Zym looked on. However, more than once Callum observed the girl's gaze wander from the odds and ends in her hands to the lake as well, wearing the same look of helplessness he had seen plastered upon his own face as it stared back at him earlier. Each time, she peered unblinkingly at the water's surface for several long moments before snapping back to her senses, and after a sharp shake of her head, she returned her attention to the items in her lap, thus starting the futile cycle of resistance over once more. The desire to offer her some comfort tugged relentlessly at Callum's core, yet he could not will himself to move as any reassurance he offered would be but hollow words uttered by lips that did not themselves fully believe what they were saying. But it would get him away for a little bit longer, give him a little more time to try and sort through his feelings before he had to step into this moment he so dreaded.

"So are we going to talk about it or are you just going to keep ignoring me?"

Even with racing thoughts further muddling his already foggy mind as they all competed for his immediate attention, Rayla's voice was familiar enough to Callum now for his ear to detect the traces of dejection that dulled the bite of her words. Though some part of him pleaded that he keep his eyes averted, he swallowed a steadying breath before swiveling his gaze back to Rayla's reflection. His heart started a little when his stare found hers almost immediately within the water's surface, and yet he held fast, meeting the scrutiny of those amethystine eyes head on.

From amid the flurry in his mind rang his mother's voice, perfectly clear despite being no more than a gentle whisper. "Breathe, sweetie. Just breathe."

"I..." Shaking his head a bit, Callum gulped down some more of the cool evening air and tried again. "What if you don't like what I have to say? I don't want to hurt you, Rayla."

Rayla's ears drooped slightly. "You're already hurting me though. You can assume all you want, but how can you know for sure what I'm thinking and feeling if you won't let me speak for myself? I get needing space to process, but this feels like more than that. It feels like you don't trust me to try and work this out between us. That's not fair, Callum."

"That's not-" Callum's voice broke off, the young prince already recognizing his folly. "...You're right. You should get to speak for yourself instead of me just assuming things. I'm sorry for being a jerk. I'm just...I'm really struggling..."

The sand of the shore shifting slightly beneath her, Rayla eased herself down beside Callum. Reaching out her hand, she placed it gently atop one of his as it picked absently at the fingerless glove adorning his other hand.

"Then let me help you. That's part of being friends, isn't it? Being there for each other during hard times?" she pleaded, every word emphasized by the earnesty in her eyes as she gazed at Callum. "Just weeks ago, I don't think either of us could've imagined we'd be sitting here like this, not just as allies but as friends. We've already overcome so many things that once seemed impossible, Callum. We can work through this too—together."

Rotating his hand so his palm pressed against Rayla's, Callum interlaced his fingers with hers before squeezing her hand lightly. It was a small gesture, and yet there was something reassuring about feeling her hand clasped in his, especially when she returned the squeeze almost immediately.

"So how much did you overhear?"

"Of your conversation with Anora? Just the tail end of it really." Rayla shrugged. "I kinda had an idea already of what was bothering you. Now I know I was right on the mark."

While he yearned to curl in further on himself and hide his face, Callum instead forced his head to tilt upward towards the night sky, where he found himself studying the stars as if the answers to his plight might be hidden somewhere between them. "I don't know what to do, Rayla. Part of me wants to stay angry at him, and why shouldn't I? Even after seeing with his own eyes that the Dragon Prince's egg hadn't been destroyed after all, he still murdered my stepdad and tried to kill Ezran. I'm supposed to just forgive that and let it go?"

It wasn't until something warm and salty touched the corner of his lips that Callum realized hot tears had begun to spill down his cheeks. Using his free hand, he started to brush them away but eventually gave up after a few moments of futile wiping that left his face stinging.

"You're right," Rayla mumbled, her ears drooping again, "That is a lot to ask of you..."

Gazing down at her now, Callum gave Rayla's hand another squeeze, "But that kind of thinking is why we're on the brink of war now, isn't it? Staying bitter and holding onto grudges, it's all part of the cycle, and the longer we stay stuck in this loop, the worse things are going to get. Keeping Runaan in that coin won't change anything. It won't bring my stepdad back; it won't even make me feel better because I know leaving him in there will hurt you. I know all of this, so why can't I just..."

Feeling Rayla's arms wrap around him, Callum did not resist as she pulled him into a tight hug, guiding his head down onto her shoulder. His whole body shook as he snaked his arms around her middle and up her back, clinging onto her as though his life depended on it.

"I know I need to choose, but I'm scared of what might happen if I make the wrong choice." he sniffled. "The only thing I feel like I know for certain right now is that I need to protect Ez, and so far, I've been given no reason to think Runaan won't try to attack again once he's free."

Rayla's expression hardened. "If he did, we would stop him. I stood up to him for you and Ez once already, and I would do it again."

"Would we really stand a chance against him though? I mean, he's an experienced assassin, Rayla. It just seems like too risky of a gamble. I'm not saying he should stay in there forever, but maybe right now isn't the best time to bring him back out. I don't want to decide anything without talking to Ez first either; he deserves to have a say in all this too."

For a moment, silence once again fell over them save for the racing of Callum's heart and the gurgling of his somewhat nauseous stomach. Pulling back in the embrace so he could look Rayla in the eye again, he studied her face for a moment before continuing.

"So...do you hate me now?"

A heavy sigh puffed from Rayla's lips, the weight of the coin in her pocket increasing tenfold from what it had been just moments earlier. "No, I don't hate you, ya dummy. All of this just isn't easy to hear, especially because I understand your thinking. I would never want to put Ez in danger either, and I feel awful for what Runaan has put you both through. I just...I know there's good in him. He may be stubborn and strict and biased against humans, but there is more to him than that. He's devoted to his people and protective of his loved ones, and though he hides it well, the things his job requires of him do weigh on him at times. I know he made his choice, but the idea of him spending the rest of his life locked up, even if logically he doesn't deserve a second chance..."

Now it was Rayla who felt the sting of tears pricking her eyes and tried to rub them away with the heel of her hand. Removing his scarf, Callum offered it to her but she shied away, eying the piece of cloth with mild revulsion.

"I washed it, I promise." he reassured her, waiting for a bit longer until she finally took the scarf and began to dab at her eyes with it. "I can't make any promises about what will happen, Rayla, but I want us to figure it out together, alright? What you have to say about all of this is important too, and...and I'm starting to see now that maybe the best way for us to solve this is to work together as a team instead of me trying to figure it all out myself."

A coy "I could've told you that" danced on the edge of Rayla's tongue, but instead she handed Callum's slightly damp scarf back to him and gently grabbed his wrist before he had pulled it out of reach. "You know that means you're going to actually have to talk to me like this, right? No more shutting me out even if you're scared of what I might have to say."

"Right. Understood." Callum replied with a sheepish nod, warmth blooming in his cheeks as he intertwined his fingers with Rayla's once more.

"Together then? Just like we've been doing things so far?"

"Yeah...I think that's best...Thank you, Rayla."

As some of the weight rolled off of their shoulders, the faintest traces of smiles appeared on both Callum and Rayla's faces ever so briefly. However, in the blink of an eye, their grins had disappeared as the splash of something piercing through the water's surface caught their ears and drew their eyes back to the lake where Anora was swimming swiftly towards the shore, which was still several yards away.

"Anora!" As he jumped to his feet, Callum's eyes shifted from Anora's face to the damp, dark brown mane that he could just make out over he shoulder. His heart leaping into his throat as his little brother lifted his head, the prince sprinted down the shore. "Ez!"

"STAY BACK! GET AWAY FROM THE WATER!" Anora screeched, trying to frantically wave one arm while still dragging herself along with the little boy and the glow toad on her back towards the shore.

Callum skidded to a halt at the water's edge, his face contorting in confusion until he shifted his attention to a section of the lake not far behind Anora just as the mirror-like surface exploded into a shower of crystalline droplets.

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She was being watched. She had yet to spot a single fish lurking in this section of the lake's flora, and yet Anora could feel eyes upon, observing her every move with an almost predatory interest. As she brushed aside more plants with a wide sweep of her arm, she half expected a hand or face to suddenly appear, but only more lakebed and vegetation stretched out before her. Still, her gut told her she had to be close given how deserted the area was, and after swimming a bit farther forward, a dark patch of stone amid the greenery and earth eventually caught her eye. Paddling her way over, she felt the humming of Callum's cube growing stronger until the vibration permeated her entire arm as she came to hover above the opening. This was it; this was the place.

After eying the darkness apprehensively for a moment, Anora glanced briefly overhead at the distant surface of the water before diving down into the hole, the cube tucked protectively against her chest. The shadows swallowed her eagerly, almost unnaturally so as though they had a mind of their own, and as her eyes adjusted, she resumed actively inspecting every nook and crevice around her for any sign of life. As she wove her way down the long, winding passage, she felt almost as if she was traveling down the throat of a monstrous sea beast with a grisly fate awaiting her at the end of her journey. Gradually, the tunnel began to widen into a larger cavern, and just as she crossed the threshold, a flash of movement caught Anora's eye. Starting, she whipped around while drawing in as great of a breath as her lungs could hold only for several perfect copies of her own panicked face to greet her. Arranged in a row that followed the curvature of the stone wall behind them, the mirrors were all about the same size but boasted their own unique qualities, be it their shapes or the ornamental variety of the frames that somehow showed no sign of tarnish or elemental damage. Though her heart was still thundering in her chest, Anora couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the display that showcased its owner's vanity almost as clearly as her reflection.

Her attention drifting from the mirrors to analyze the rest of the room, gold, jewels, and other items of finery that should have been destroyed by the nature of their watery home long ago crossed her vision, practically spilling off of the shelves naturally eroded into the cave wall upon which they sat. She drank it all in, the knot in her stomach tightening as her mind momentarily wandered down the twisting side path of speculating just where all these riches had come from. However, her eyes continued to roam as she pondered and she was jolted back to reality as they settled upon a more sparsely decorated section of the wall, a curious inconsistency amid the rest of the gaudy display. Here a faint, pulsing glow reflected off of the slick stone, the light gleaming brightest just around the mouth of an alcove embedded in the rock. It beckoned her to come closer, yet she drifted but a few inches nearer before sharply drawing to a halt. Ignoring the bountiful riches, the cave was eerily empty with not so much as one wandering fish swimming about. The back of her neck still prickled in that foreboding way, but as she scanned the cave once more, only the many treasures stared back at her. Her heart rang deafeningly in her ears as she darted over to the wall, pressing herself flat on her stomach against a section of the stone just below the glowing crevice, and as she poked her head over the edge, she found herself staring up into a collage of bright yellow and turquoise which framed a pair of large blue eyes which glared back down at her.

Grunting, Bait began to glow brighter than before, his scowl still trained on Anora. Scooting back a bit, the Oceancry elf threw her hands up in front of her face and turned her head a bit to shield her eyes.

"Wait, wait, wait! Hold on a minute! I'm not here to hurt you, I promise!"

"Who's there?"

Lowering her hands a bit, Anora risked a glance back at the crevice, and though Bait's radiance stung her eyes a bit, she could just make out the somewhat smaller humanoid shape of Ezran crouched behind the glow toad, tucked further back within the recess. Lips curling back into a threatening snarl, Bait inched closer to the edge of the alcove, trying to hide the prince from Anora's view as best he could.

"Ezran? My name's Anora. Corvus and your brother sent me to come get you."

Ezran's gaze glanced from Anora's face to the Key of Aaravos, which was still clutched tightly in one of her raised hands, and though Anora couldn't tell from her viewpoint, his face paled a little. "Why do you have that?"

Realizing what he was referring to, Anora shot a glimpse at the cube as well before bringing it back to her chest. "Callum gave it to me to use as a bargaining chip to get you back."

"But that's something our dad wanted us to have! It's one of the last things he gave to us! We can't just hand it over!"

"...We might not have to." Gliding up to the edge of the recess once more, Anora began tracing out in the water the same rune which glowed on her own throat, which Ezran recognized as the rune that Castel had also used on Corvus days earlier. "I'm not keen on trying to strike a deal with that merman. We might be able to slip away before he gets back from wherever he is, but we need to hurry-"

In that moment, Anora's blood instantly went cold as she felt the water stir behind her, and Ezran's eyes went wide as a familiar face suddenly appeared over her shoulder from out of nowhere, as if conjured into being by the water and shadows of the cave themselves.

"Look out!"

The warning was futile, of course. Anora didn't even have time to turn her head before Castel's tail smacked forcefully between her shoulder blades, sending her slamming against the cave floor so hard it caused Ezran to yelp. Propelling herself back up with her arms, Anora whipped around, her lungs swelling with air, but in the blink of an eye, Castel's hand had snatched her by the neck and hurled her into the wall behind her, black spots dancing in front of her eyes as the back of her head collided with the stone. Whimpering, Ezran yanked Bait away from the hollow's entrance and tucked him securely under one arm before crawling further back into the depths of the hollow again, all the while craning his head to try and catch a glimpse of Anora.

"My my, this is a surprise, Annie. I can't say I ever expected to find you lurking about in my home uninvited. And plotting to cross me no less? I'm shocked you had it in you." Castel sneered, eyes glinting with the somewhat sadistic delight of a predator that had just ensnared its unsuspecting prey. As Anora's mouth gaped, he clenched his hand that was still clutching her throat, his fingernails digging into her skin as she instinctively squirmed. "Ah ah ah, don't be even more stupid now. You try one of your little screams and I'll end you, the boy, and the toad, understand? Although, I did warn the human not to bring along extra help-"

"It isn't his fault!" Anora blurted out quickly, refusing to avert her gaze from Castel's despite feeling as though those golden eyes were burrowing their way into the depths of her soul. "Corvus was badly hurt during an attack and in no condition to make it back here himself."

"So you came in his place, did you?" In a single dramatic, flowy motion, Castel swiveled his head to scan the entire cave. "I don't see my mirror though."

"We don't have it."

"Then you've squandered your life for nothing. I would've thought you smarter than this, Annie, but you continue to disappoint me today."

"I never said I came empty-handed."

One of Castel's brows arched upward skeptically, but the other rose up alongside it as soon as Anora pulled the cube out from behind her back, having instinctively hid when she was first pinned to the wall. Some of the wickedness drained from his smile, leaving it softer and only slightly less menacing, and his head cocked to one side as he stared at the item with genuine intrigue.

"What is it?"

"Another magical artifact belonging to the royal family of Katolis. If it is near something that contains magic from one of the Primal Sources, the respective rune will glow." Sneaking a glance down at the item as well, she noticed for the first time that all sides of the cube save for the Stars rune were glowing now with the Ocean rune shining the brightest. As the light radiated from the cube pulsed with energy, a tickle arose in the back of Anora's brain, a tickle that transformed into an idea.

Reaching out a hand, Castel chuckled as Anora's grip on the cube tightened before hovering his palm about an inch above each rune. Delight warmed his entire face as each rune gleamed a little bit brighter in turn until his hand reached the lone dark rune, which didn't even flicker in response to his presence. His smile souring to a bitter snarl, he tried to brush his fingers against the side of the cube but Anora sharply jerked it back out of reach.

"Is that all it does?" the merman drawled while his attention shifted back to Anora's face, entirely missing her free hand that had subtly inched its way to the edge of Ezran's hollow and was now slowly tracing out different shapes in the hole's watery barrier. "It's an intriguing little trinket, but mere curiousness doesn't make it valuable to me."

"It's supposed to be a key of some kind. I'm not sure to what, but it must be something significant to require such an unusual key," Anora crooned, silently pleading that she appeared calmer than she felt and that Castel wouldn't happen to glance down at any moment to notice as her fingers strained to reach as far as they could into the hollow from the somewhat awkward angle at which her arm was bent.

"Perhaps...However, there is no guarantee this supposed treasure's worth to me will equal that of my original prize. Normally, I would find such a gamble tantalizing, but this time-"

Anora's heart dropped as the jeering smirk vanished from Castel's face, an ominous frigidity creeping up to take its place.

"-this time, I want only what I asked for. If you can't bring it to me, then someone else will."

In that moment, Anora finally felt Ezran's smaller hand tightly grasp hers, the signal she had been waiting for; it seemed that the boy had miraculously understood the message of her rather chaotic gesturing. Adrenaline flooding into her veins, she twisted her other arm around and rammed her elbow up into the side of Castel's, catching him by surprise. His grip on her throat slackened only slightly, but it was enough for her to wrench herself free, his nails carving a few superficial gashes along the sides of her neck as she tore loose. With a grunt, she raised her knees to her chest and then thrust them outward, ramming her heels into the merman's chest and forcing him back a bit as his brain scrambled to catch up to what was happening. Tightening her grip on Ezran, she hauled him out into the water, the runes she had drawn glimmering against his and Bait's throats as they drew in their first breaths, and as she pulled the two to her, she and Ezran both squeezed their eyes shut in the nick of time. Bait's brilliant flash was accompanied by a howl of pain and frustration from Castel, and when Ezran and Anora opened their eyes, they saw the merman rubbing at his own with a pained grimace.

"Hold on tight!" Anora demanded, draping Ezran's arm around her neck as Bait snuggled himself deeper into the prince's other arm. Pressing her heels against the wall behind her, she propelled herself towards the cave's exit, narrowly avoiding Castel's hand that swiped at her legs as she darted past. The mirrors twinkled up at her as she hurried by, and on instinct, she grasped the one closest to the passageway and dragged it down behind her, partially obscuring the opening. It probably wouldn't do much, but hopefully it could buy them at least a couple extra seconds.

The tunnel somehow seemed even longer than it had earlier as Anora raced along, refusing to glance behind them. As soon as they jettisoned themselves back out into the open water with the greenery of the lake floor swaying back and forth with a deceiving calmness, she and Ezran both fixed their gazes on the surface of the water above. Their hearts hammered harder and harder against their chests as they climbed closer and closer, but just before their heads broke the surface, Anora's eyes caught a glimpse of something behind them, something approaching with incredible speed and tangible fury.

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