Callum x Rayla-Darkness

Bargin

Callum woke up and yawned. The sunlight told him that it was still early in the morning. He was smiling. today was his birthday. Ezran and the others probably had something planned for him and hoped to surprise him. "Hey Rayla, wake up," he said as he walked over to her bed. He knew she was going to be irritated with him for waking her up, but then again, she was usually already up. It was unusual for her to sleep past dawn. 

When he got over to her bed, he realized she wasn't there. He saw a scroll on her nightstand picked it up. "No, no, she didn't," Callum thought as he shook. He sat down and opened the note.

It said,  "Callum, I am so sorry, but  I have to do this alone. You mean too much to me, and I can't let Viren hurt you. I've already lost everyone else I care about. Please don't follow me, and don't feel like you have to wait for me. Just know that I love you Callum, and I always will."

Callum felt like a ton of bricks just fell on him all at once. He felt tears beginning to stream down his face. She left him. She lied to him. "Why did she do this?" he asked himself. That was a stupid question. He knew why she had done it. It was the same thing that drove her to jump off the damn storm spire. She cared more about other people to the point where she would put herself in danger to protect them. He knew she needed closure with her parents and Runaan, but he wanted to help her. He thought about following her, but it was useless. She was fast and a moonshadow elf.  He wouldn't find her. He was mulling over what to do when Ezran and the others came into his room.

"Happy Birthday Callum!" They all shouted. Ezran came in with a cake, but he noticed something was wrong. Callum didn't look happy to see them. In fact, he look like he was crying. "Callum, what's wrong, and where is Rayla?" Ezran asked. Callum couldn't even speak right now. His chest felt too tight. He handed Ezran the note. Ezran read it over and a look of realization came upon his face. "Callum, it's going to be okay," Ezran said as he hugged his brother. Callum cried onto Ezran shoulder. He looked up to see worried looks of his friends.

"Callum what happened buddy?" Soren asked. Ezran saved Callum from having to talk about it.

"I'll tell you about it latter," Ezran replied. Soren looked even more confused, but he didn't argue which Callum was grateful for. They eventually got Callum to come out and eat cake with them to celebrate his birthday, but it felt hollow. Without Rayla there, he felt empty. He hadn't felt something like this since his step-father told him his mom had died. He understood why Rayla left. She wanted to protect him, but who was going to protect her. If he hadn't jumped off the storm spire to save her, then she would have died. Her martyr complex was going to get her killed. That thought only made him feel worse. He put on a fake smile for the others. He tried to enjoy his birthday, but he just couldn't. 

...

Rayla was running though the forest between the breach and the moon nexus.  She didn't have time to stop. If she stopped, she would only think about Callum and what he was doing now. Try as she might though, even she had a limit and she had reached it. Her legs screamed for a break after hours of running. She finally decided to settle down next to a large tree and eat some food from her bag. As she ate, a nagging feeling started tugging at her. It was like she was forgetting something. Then, it hit her. today was Callum's Birthday. She didn't want to think about it. Today of all days she had to leave. Callum would hate her even more now for leaving on such an important day. But that is what she wanted right? Still though, it hurt. She began crying. Leaving hadn't been an easy decision, but she had to. She wouldn't let Viren get Callum. "Callum is safe, and that's what matters." she told herself. But that though did little for the pain that she felt.

...

It was night time and Callum couldn't sleep. He had decided to go for a walk. There was too much on his mind right now. His birthday had been awful. Not because his friends didn't try and make the day special. But the fact that Rayla wasn't here with him made it worse. She probably would have made her fare share of sarcastic jokes. He wished she would have stayed or let him go with her.

As he was thinking about what had transpired, a figure walked out from behind a tree. He was taller than him, about 6 feet. He was white hair and wore a black long-sleeved shirt and loose fitting pants(sweatpants but they don't know about those.) His eyes were what unnerved him the most. Instead of white with a black pupil, his were black with red pupils. the figure spoke.

"You know, she left because she thinks you're weak," the figure said. His voice was even and unnervingly calm, but there was an edge to it. 

"How do you know about that? Who are you?" Callum almost yelled at the man. He walked out of the shadows and he was surprised to find that he was not a man, but a teenager. He looked a bit older than Callum, but he looked to young to be in his 20s. 

"I am but an interested onlooker. You are a very intriguing person. As for who I am, my name is Yalaxy and I am a ghoul," Yalaxy said.

"What's a ghoul," Callum asked half terrified half confused. He didn't understand why he was scared. 

"A ghoul is a being that eats humans and elves. We are the creatures at the true top of the food chain. We look like humans and elves for camouflaged purposes. Although, I shouldn't say we, since I am the only one left," he said. Callum now new why this person unnerved him so much. He was standing infront of his predator and his body was telling him to run. "No need to be frightened, I am not here to eat you. I try not to eat living people, but every so often one manages to piss me off enough and well, let's just say they won't be able to do that again."

"Why are you here," Callum managed to get out.

"As I said before, she left because she thinks you are weak," Yalaxy repeated.

"She doesn't think that," Callum argued but in the back of his mind, he considered it. Did Rayla really think he was weak. 

"Of course she does. Why else would she abandon you to protect you." Yalaxy air quoted the word protect. "She is afraid of losing you and rightfully so. Viren is strong. She will probably die though. It is interesting how logic works for some people. They try to save someone from certain death, but throw themselves into a situation where they are almost certain to meet death to achieve that goal. As for why I am here, I have an offer to make you," Yalaxy said.

"What kind of offer?" Callum asked. Yalaxy had his attention. Was he offering to go after Rayla. He eats elves and humans. Maybe he can track her. 

"I offer you power. Right now you are weak. Even with magic, you are too inexperienced to go against experienced forces like Viren. To reach such a level with that power would take you far more time than you have. I am offering you a once in several life times deal. I can make you a ghoul and you will become powerful. Make her see that she doesn't need to protect you. Save her from dying trying to save her parents. Accept my offer, and nobody can stand against you," Yalaxy said. 4 black tentacles sprouted from his lower back and pulsed. "This is a kagune. It is the organ our body provides us to hunt and kill our prey. However, it is a very useful weapon in combat as well. Accept my offer, and I will teach you how to use it," Yalaxy extended his hand, He meant for Callum to shake it. Callum hesitated. What would Rayla do. She would tell him to not take the risk, but then again, that line of thinking is what created this whole mess. As much as he didn't want it to be true, Yalaxy was right. He was weak. He needed to get stronger. He had to save her from dying trying to save him and her parents.

"I accept your offer," Callum said as her shook Yalaxy's hand. He smiled.

"Good," he said as he fished a vial out of his pocket. "Drink this and tomorrow, you will wake up as a ghoul. Meet me here when you wake up." Yalaxy handed him the vial. Callum uncorked it and sniffed. It smelled kind of nice actually. It smelled like a fresh baked pie. He drank it. It tasted sour. Like a jelly tart with the special sour filling Barrius put in the green apple tarts. He started to feel dizzy and he fell over. The last thing her remembered seeing, was Yalaxy with a blank expression. "See you tomorrow then," he said and Callum blacked out.