Chapter 3

Xadia- Capital City Caledur

The ancient city of Caledur was a pearl in the crown of the whole elven race. Made entirely of white marble the very structure was carved from the mountain that gave the city its name. It was surrounded by mighty white walls imbued with magic to strengthen them making them virtually indestructible.

If by any chance. Invaders managed to get past them they would have to go through a multi-leveled maze of streets and alleys paying for every millimeter of the ground with their blood for the very flower of all elven tribes warriors would protect the city to their very last breath.

At the highest level of the city stood the palace of sources marvelous in its timeless beauty. The grand halls filled with gold have seemed generations upon generations of elves and dragons wandering its enormous halls.

It the very center of it was the chamber of seven where the representative of each elf tribe and king of dragons would meet to discuss events of utmost importance. The room consisted of six thrones each for every elf leader and one large lair right by the enormous entry able to fit the largest dragon.

Yet in these grim times, they could not call the Dragon King to the meeting with only the Dragon Queen being present.

The Queen of Dragons was an ancient being so old that she remembers the beginning of the war with humans as if it was yesterday. Unlike her deceased mate, her scales were a mixture of golds and browns instead of bone white. Her eyes had a golden-white shade that would enthrall even the most hardened individual with the inner kindness she possessed.

On her right was Sut-Ra the leader of Sunfire Elves. She had a fiercely red hair that contrasted with her dark skin and amber eyes. She was dressed in lose gold and red robe that showed a large part waist and navel adorned with multiple necklaces. She was high and mighty with powers enough to incinerate the whole battalion of enemies on her own

Next to her sat Terrus King of Earth Elves. He was a mountain of an elf with wide shoulders and even larger muscles. He had short dark hair and deep green eyes. He was dressed in a simple light green sleeveless shirt with a pair of white pants. Despite looking like a brute the man was an epitome of patience and calmness often being a voice of reason in the ground. Yet when enraged the hit of his two-handed hammer could split the earth open.

On his left was Nima the speaker of Star Elves. She was of petty built with pale skin, dark raven hair and amethyst eyes. She was dressed in a purple robe with golden inscriptions on it. It was said that she possessed knowledge so vast that even Dragons were no match for her safe for the Star Dragon Uranos. She could turn a meeting upside down with just one comment as her insight was legendary among the dwellers of Xadia.

Next one was Sirus Master of Sky Elves. He was a brown-skinned athletic man with pale blue eye sand light blonde hair, dressed only in a pair of simple pants. His chest was covered in blue tattoos representing an image of dragons flying in the sky. He was an easy going and laid back man yet he could easily summon a devastating storm when he was in a bad mood.

The last of the two remaining members of the council was High Admiral Adiel of Ocean Elves. She wore a red bandana that covered her white hair. The deep blue eyes held a fury of an ocean behind them. She wore a black leather vest over a white shirt with a pair of leather pants of the same color as the vest and high red boots.

The last one of the council was a brooding Moon elf Mater assassin Altair. He wore a typical moon elf green garment. Like most of his kin, his hair was bone white yet what distinguished him from the rest were his blood red eyes and ghastly white skin. He earned a nickname Ghost of Xadia whispered in fear by his enemies for the last thing that many of them had seen were a pair of crimson red eyes.

"Well, you want the bad news or worse news?" Sirus spoke first looking at the ceiling of the room bored out of his mind.

"Get to the point Rus we don't have all day to waste here." Adiel urged him giving him a mocking smile. The two of them were a life long friends and enjoyed a bit of banter from time to time.

"Well to satisfy our salty friend here I will comply." He snapped his fingers and a sphere appeared in the middle of the room showing an image of multiple human armies on the march. The sky magic allowed Sirus to see everything under the sky which proved essential in thwarting any attempt by humans to attack the lands of elves. "Killing the Human King as I predicted enraged them and make them mobilize their forces in numbers we have never seen before" His tone grew serious as good mood left him." But that isn't the worst part. Look."

Suddenly all the images became disoriented and foggy with every closing on chanting individuals.

Be it an old man, a young lady or a man in his middle age.

All of them had glowing purple eyes and were looking straight at the sky which in turn made them appear as if they were looking at gathered elves.

Soon the images were gone.

"They learned how to effectively block our vision." Sirus stated folding his arms." We tried to bypass it but all of our efforts were in vain."

"That is indeed deeply troubling." Terrus rubbed his chin.

"It is but we will find a way around it," Sirus stated.

"I might be of assistance," Nima spoke. "Our domains are close to one another, My mages will aid yours in attempt to break through the spells of humans."

Sirus nodded to her in gratitude.

"Yet that still leaves us at with the problems of incoming human armies." Sut-Ra spoke her voice was smooth yet firm." Altair what your spies have discovered? "

"What was shown was not even a fraction of human forces." The elf uttered quietly, yet all of them could perfectly hear him. The humans outnumber our people almost 10:1 and the gap keeps widening. My estimates are that they're amassing armies around three hundred thousand men strong."

That stunned the rest into silence.

"The battles on the sea are getting fiercer and fiercer too." Adiel spoke with a sigh." We still have an advantage but recently we lost few vessels to humans. They managed to copy our solutions and implement to their ships..."

"Then it is as per usual that those barbarians steal our inventions." Sut-Ra cringed her nose in disgust." But none the less we will prevail as always-"

A deep rumble interrupted her as all the attention turned to the Queen of Dragons. The Queen was laughing.

"Children..."Her voice was soft, and king yet one could hear deep grief within it." Nothing will be as always anymore."

"What do you mean My Queen?" Tarrus asked respectfully.

"My beloved mate was the most formidable warrior out brood has ever produced...yet he perished along with dozens of our best warriors in last battle." A deep sigh escaped her mouth. "Humans have surpassed you already."

One could hear a pin drop as the silence was absolute. But the Dragon Queen wasn't done.

"I begged my mate to make peace with Humans, to atone for our sins of the past..."

"We have committed no such sins! Sut-Ra protested Humans were the ones to disrupt the balance of magic with that abhorrent Dark Magic!"

"Ra let's not delude ourselves." Nima spoke." We all know why Humans turned to dark magic even if the truth might be uncomfortable to us."

"Yes...we Dragons raised your race and helped you along the way, we pointed the direction so you would grow and reach your fullest potential." The Queen mussed closing her eyes." Yet when Humans came around we did not give them the same love as we gave you. Like an unwanted child, devoid of its parent's attention they got scraps from the table." An actual regret emitted from the ancient being." The children without parents either die or learn how to survive...Humans did so by discovering the secrets of Magic on their own…yet just as we Dragons failed as parents you elves failed as an older sibling race. For you looked down upon those short-lived ugly creatures. Even with all their flaws and shortcomings, you could not come to terms with the fact that they could wield magic so you forbid them from practicing it...even going as far as making those that rebelled against it disappear." She gave Altair a cold stare, yet the elf did not turn his eyes from her.

"Then he came," Nima spoke looking at the ground.

"Yesssss…" The Dragon Queen hissed with notes on anger in her voice." The First Dark Mage...which name won't be ever spoken in those halls again. While our sins were many what he did wasn't justice. Nor Humans deserved what happened to them after the war. If we just for once reached out to them and helped them to get out of the darkness we might not be meeting today in such grim times."

"That still does not change our situation." Altair spoke calmly." We need to prepare for the invasion unlike any other before."

"My Dragon Riders will be ready when the times comes," Sirus stated.

"My Fleets will answer the call." Adiel crossed her arms.

"My forges and mines are at your disposal." Terrus offered.

"My knowledge is yours." Nima bowed.

"My armies will march when the time comes." Sut-Ra stood.

"My blades will reach our enemies hearts," Altair whispered.

"Very well my children, prepare for the oncoming storm for I feel that something is lurking in the darkness." Dragon Queen stood at her full height easily towering over the elves." Tell it to your people, Humans are coming!"

Naraka

"Now let's see, dried meat, dried fruits, ropes, water..." Rayla began to enumerate things in the room.

Since obviously, they weren't lava proof they had to take a hike through the mountains south to the lava river that separated the continent in two.

Luckily Rayla knew the hidden pathway but it there was a problem here.

Exactly two, three counting Bait in.

While for a Moon Shadow elves the path wasn't that bad for a pair of untrained humans it will be a tenacious road.

"I think that we have everything we need to get past those mountains." Rayla finally announced." We got more food than we need just in case someone." She gave Bait a pointed stare that absolutely did not intimidate the frog." Get a case of gluttony."

"So what can we expect on the way?" Callum asked.

"Narrow passages, treacherous slopes, powerful winds, mountain lions, dark caves and Elven Rangers." She enumerated." But do not fret! With myself, you should be able to get past that with one piece...mostly." She reflected at the end." Besides, when they see Zym they will take us straight to the Capitol and this dumb war will be over before it begins."

"That is if we won't get into trouble on the way." Callum pointed out.

"Bah please, when they see Zym they will take us straight into the Capitol with all honors." Rayla waved off his concerns." Elves are reasonable after all."

Callum opened his mouth to ask if the murder of the King that shoot the war into high gear was reasonable but shut his mouth. Ez still did not know that his father was dead.

"Yeah, so I guess we'll have to move then," Callum stated.

"I wouldn't mind staying for a bit longer." Ez spoke sitting on the bed." This beats sleeping on the ground."

"I know but Claudia and Soren might be gaining on us right now. We kicked their asses before but I bet they will come with a lot more force now." Callum told him.

"I know it's that I'm just a bit tired from all this." The young prince sighed earning a sympathetic look from the duo. Yes, the journey was tedious and Ez was still a child.

"Hey." Callum walked to him and put his hand on his shoulder." We got one final stretch and then it's chilling time in Elven capitol! I bet that they have a lot of awesome magical stuff there!"

"We do, you don't have to guess!" Rayla joined Callum in his attempts to rise Ez spirits.

That got the younger price visibly excited.

"When do we go!?"

"After we eat like Kings and Queens." Callum winked at Rayla." Then it's Xedia time!"

The trio went to have their last meal in human kingdoms and possibly last one for a while in civilized regions.

After bidding the city farewell they moved east towards the border. The terrain gradually became more and more rough and steep. On the very early dawn, they reached the right place.

"Okay, now I can see why exactly that part of the border was deemed impassable." Callum mussed looking at the extremely high and mean looking mountains."

"Yes, it took us a while to find a,, safe" passage." Rayla told them making air quotes." Now we have to climb for a while so I'll take a lead, Callum you will be tied to me while Ez will be tied to Zym." From the time the dragon prince first hatched he gained in size. Not much but the young creature was deceptively strong being able to lift Ez, Bait and some supplies but not much." Zym will take you to the first shelf that is there." She pointed to the place way up." Can you do it Zym?"

The Dragon puffed his chest nodding with excitement.

"Great you will take him there first then you will take our bags there. Don't worry I have the heaviest one." She ruffed the Dragon's fur." Don't exhaust yourself you're the most important part of my plan on how to get through it with you two."

"Hey! You make it sound like we're the dead weight!" Callum protested but Rayla's flat stare silenced him.

"You will do just like I say ok? You follow my lead and grab the rock I tell you too."

"Sure want me to carry some bags?"

"No, you're still not used to the climbing so you will need to save your strength." She shook her head tying the rope around her waist then handing the rope to Callum." Make sure that it's tight because your life depends on it."

Callum tied the rope as instructed but of course, Rayla had to check it if it was done right. Luckily the journey up here taught Callum a lot. Mostly the importance of doing what Rayla told him to do because much to his irritation she was about 95% right about things connected to survival.

"Callum I want you to listen to me now." She looked in his eyes with absolute seriousness." If you feel tired or feel like you can not go up, tell me immediately. We will stop and rest there's no shame in that. "

"Got it."

"Good Zym do the honors."

The young Dragon gently took Ez in his claws and with a mighty pull, he lifted the boy in the air and started to fly to the first shelf.

"Woooooooo" Ez wonder with excitement.

Rayla and Callum began climbing too since it would take them a lot longer to reach the first stop. The elf assassin had to admit the human did not slow her down as much as she thought. She heard an occasional grunt now and there but he managed to keep a steady pace. The hardships on the way must have had a positive effect on him.

Now she was thinking about it he did indeed gain some muscle mass and if that would keep up he will develop a quite athletic build in time…

'Focus on the task at hand girl!' She shook her head. 'Her warned her that she was entering that tender age when the opposite gender will start to get her attention but the damn climb where she could fall to her death surely wasn't the best place to discover that.

A bit under Callum was feeling all his muscles right now. While he was far from being tired and knew that he could go on he was also aware that the next day will be horrible. He noticed Zym passing them over few times carrying their bags up to the shelf that by some miracle was getting closer and closer.

After what seemed like forever a four-fingered hand appeared before him and dragged him up on the rock shelf.

"Thanks."

"What took you so long?" Ez asked handling them a bowl of what looked like some sort of meaty soup." Zym and I made something warm for you to eat."

Surprisingly on their way, Ez discorded a hidden cook inside of him which made their journey that much less tedious

"Just what I need. Thank you, Ez." Rayla took the bowl and dug in." We need to get two shelves higher than we are now since the nights here are freezing and the wind might throw us off. On the third shelf is a cave where we can camp for the night." She chews on the meat." We'll take a longer break before the final climb, the weather is fine now but it can change instantly here."

" I think I'll manage," Callum answered her silent question while stretching his arms.

"Good because it will get harder now." She pulled out two small pickaxes from her bag." This part won't have a path so we will have to make one. While those are inferior to what I have you should be able to use them. Sick them into the holes I made and pull yourself up the moment you' re certain that you have a firm hold."

"So I just have to copy what you do all the time? Yeah, nothing new here." He grinned.

"Yeah Zym, I want you to go first with our stuff then with Ez. After you rest a bit come assist Callum and make sure that he won't fall if his pickax falls out. " She explained.

Following the instructions, the dragon began to move their belonging higher while Rayla and Callum begin climbing again.

Like she said that part was even more difficult. Now not only he had to waste his energy to properly stab the rock but he also had to keep firm grip all the time.

"You're doing great guys! Keep it up!" Ez cheered on them just as he, Bait and Zym passed them.

The older prince grunted in response as he continued the climb wondering how the Elven girl managed to do it with so much additional weight. The backpack was larger than her yet she did not show the signs of slowing down unless she felt that he was slowing down.

Callum grits his teeth and picked up the pace. He had that much of pride to at the least try his absolute best to not slow her down.

"Are you okay!?" Rayla shouted to him. "You want to rest?"

"Don't worry, I'll get to the shelf!" He shouted back. Soon after he heard a flutter of wings and noticed that Zym was hovering over him.

"You have no idea how I envy you those wings." He wheezed making the Dragon do a back-flip in the air and hiss with excitement.

"You can do it, Callum! We're almost there!" Rayla gave him verbal support.

"I swear after today I won't be able to move!" He shouted back.

"Don't worry I'll make sure you will!"

"Now I have even more reasons to worry!"

Somehow the idle chat made their climb a bit easier and soon but not soon enough for Callum they were on the second shelf.

He fell on his fours gasping for air feeling that his clothes were soaked in sweat. The fact that the air was getting sparse since they were so high now wasn't helping. But a steaming ball of stew surely did.

"We have about 5 hours of Sunlight left so we can spare an hour here at best. Zym you can already move everything we don't need up. The last part of the climb will be the most difficult so we will need your all the time." She began to reordering thing in her backpack lessening the weight a bit.

The dragon was done moving everything in about twenty minutes leaving one last Ez shaped weight to carry.

"Ez you can start setting up camp in the cave. Don't go too deep in since that part is reserved for tomorrow. We should be there before the nightfall."

"The supper will be waiting for you!" The boy promised with the smile and left the temporary camp.

"How hard we're talking about?" Callum spoke while looking up.

"The last part is the worst the climb here is more treacherous than before due to a lot of loose rocks. There is also a moment where we will have to climb without backs facing down."

"What?"

"We are now climbing up yes?" The boy nodded." Well, the bad part is that the entry to the cave is preceded by a rock formation that forces us to climb horizontally for a while...but that's where Zym comes in. He will wrap himself around you and basically carry you for that part."

"What about you?" Will you be fine?"

"Oh please, how do you think I got here?" She waved off his concerns. While it was true that she got here she wasn't carrying anything as her companions did most of the heavy lifting, but he did not need to know that.

Right on time, Zym came back signaling the end of the break. The duo moved for the final climb.

From the very start, Zym attached himself to Callum's back wrapping its legs around boy's mid-section careful to not obstruct his arms movements. He waved his wings taking a lot of pressure from Callum's tired muscles which the boy was infinitely grateful.

Like Rayla said the wall there was treacherous, more than once Callum's pickax came out of the mountain wall and if now for Zym he would probably be hanging on the rope right now.

Then just when he thought that things wouldn't get any worse he saw the rock formation Rayla as talking about.

Like a reserve slope, they now had to climb horizontally.

"Awwwww." Callum let a very manly wail.

"Do what I do and you will be fine! Zym is holding you!" Rayla encouraged him, feeling that she would need a bit of support herself.

With a grunt, she stabbed her blades into the wall feeling her legs being to detach themselves from the wall.

She cursed herself for forgetting to buy crampons. She just hoped that that mistake won't cost them their lives. Having to improvise she looked for any kind of gaps to gain proper footing. Looking behind she noticed that Zym pressed Callum to the wall correctly making the task that much easier for him.

Meanwhile, her muscles started to scream in pain as the climb with the heavy bag exhausted her more than she expected. Maybe it was due to the fact that last time she was climbing down and the longer she moved the more air she had.

Now it was the opposite and it was another possibly deadly oversight on her part.

In a stroke of bad luck suddenly one of her blades slipped out of the rock not being able to hold her whole weight on the sole blade the other one came out too and soon she was in free fall.

Yet before she managed to even scream the lifeline painfully dug in her waist halting her fall.

"Rayla!" Callum's strained voice reached her ears.

"Don't panic!" She exclaimed panic evident in her voice.

"Zym won't be able to support us for long!" He exclaimed. Rayla spun around so now she was facing the boy. True to his words the dragon was waving his wings furiously yet one could hear that the hisses began to sound more and more hoarse." I have a plan! How far is the shelf!?"

"Not even three hundred meters behind this corner!"

"Great! I have a firm hold so I'll send Zym to get your backpack up. This way we will lessen the weight!"

"But what if you won't hold us?"

"I will trust me!"

Rayla bit her lip. Ez won't get to Xedia on his own, yet with Callum and the maps she packed to other bags they would be able to get there, Zym was the absolute priory, not her.

"Ok, I'm sending Zym!" Callum took her silence in a totally opposite way. Before she managed to stop him the Dragon flew to her taking hold of her back. She quickly removed the straps and allowed him to take him up.

All while listening to Callum's painful grunts as her whole weight was now on his tired shoulders.

"Callum you won't be able to hold much longer." She finally said feeling her throat was dry as a dessert.

"I will Zym will be here any moment!"

"I'm sorry that in the end, I screwed up..."

"We all make mistakes Rayla!"

"I'll cut myself off" She finally uttered feeling her eyes water as she used all of her will power to move the blade towards the rope.

"Don't you dare! I will hold!" Callum cried with horror.

"There no need for both of us to die I see that you're slipping." The blade almost touched the rope. "It's my fault so I need to-"

"SHUT UP!" He screamed at top of his lungs." We will make it to Xedia together! I swear even if I had to jump after you we will make it!" Callum grit his teeth forcing his screaming muscles to hold." If you maybe climb over the rope and attach yourself to the goddamn rock it would help!"

Rayla did the classic goldfish expression.

For one Callum never addressed her in such a way, two he was right. She could climb up to him and hook herself again.

She wanted to ask again if he would hold but she remained silent. She showed enough lack of trust in him.

She hid her blades in the sheaths and grabbed the rope pulling herself up. Each move caused Callum to grunt in pain but he held otherwise.

Rayla reached his waist and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Thank you." She whispered into his ear. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled out her blades. Then in one swift move, she dug them deeply in the rock making sure that they are stuck firmly there.

She then pulled herself up while her legs were still wrapped around Callum. That way she lifted a lot of pressure from him.

So currently they were hanging on a rock with a disturbingly scary distance between them and the earth with Rayla's legs wrapped around Callum's waist.

Face to face.

Maybe if Callum wasn't dead tired he would have noticed that Rayla's face was getting slightly (a lot really) red.

"I'm...glad that you did not do anything stupid," Callum told her quietly.

"I'll leave stupid to you, you're the best at it." She joked happily that the boy chuckled weakly.

Much to their mutual relief they soon heard Zym flying up to them. The dragon was hissing from exhaustion but the fiery look in its eyes spoke volumes of its determination.

"One last push Callum and we're there. Zym doesn't let him fall."

Rayla untangled herself from the prince and allowed Zym to take the hard work.

Then they began moving at a painfully slow pace and Callum was spent relying only on his will power. If not for Zym he would have fallen for sure.

Meter by meter they climbed higher like in some sort of nightmare.

"We'll be there soon Callum..." She kept babbling to him worried by the prolonged moments of silence. She knew that she wouldn't be able to lift both of them not to mention the wheezes from Zym indicated that he was at the end of his ropes too.

"Guys!" Ez's head peaked from the edge. "You're here!"

Rayla wanted to cry from happiness they made it.

She felt a surge of energy and hurried over the edge instantly dragging Callum up. The boy fell limply on the ground with one exhausted dragon next to him.

He was gasping for air yet at the same time he felt like he was at the top of the world.

He made it. No, they made it!

"So my fellow human friends we made exactly one-third of our way to Xedia!" Rayla announced.

Callum promptly fainted.

A/N

So have anyone seen the trailer for season 2? Looks amazing! Plus Darth Callum is on his way!