Force of Magic

Into the Storm

Chapter 14

A/N: hey y'all, welcome back for another chapter of the story. Remember, I'm just the writer!

"This is it!" Ellis exclaimed pointing to a massive tree just ahead. "We hid in that three when the miracle healer found us!" Ducking inside, the girl pet her wolf, "Remember this place girl?" Ava gave a short bark, laying down panting as they all filed inside.

"So now what?"

"Uh, Miracle Healer?!" Callum yelled up into the hallow tree. "Hello! We're here!"

"I don't know. I just showed up and then she just showed up."

"Don't see why that shouldn't work," Trezac deadpanned.

Light began to filter in through the hole they cam through. Looking at each other, the group filed out, looking up as the moon began to glow. "I think it is working," Rayla commented.

The light got brighter, and they could see something approaching. The call of a bird echoed over them and the large shadow landed revealing a glowing blue bird and an elvish woman.

"Oh no!" Rayla gasped. "Ez was right about everything. There's no miracle healer, she's a fake!"

"What?"

"How do you know?" Callum asked.

"She's a moon mage, an illusionist. She can't heal anything."

"It's true," the elf spoke up, "I am no healer. I am Lujanne. Guardian of the Moon Nexus."

"I'm such an idiot, I should've figured it out, none of those monsters were real, they were all illusions."

"Yes," she confirmed. "They were just to scare you. That's how I protect the Nexus."

"But...I don't understand," Ellis voiced, looking confused as her hand gripped Ava's fur. "If you're not a healer, how did you save Ava's leg?"

Lujanne knelt in front of them, gently scratching under Ava's chin, "I remember you and that little cub, both so frightened and sad. I saw she had lost her leg and I understood humans would have trouble accepting her. But I knew her spirit was strong and that was all that really mattered. To help you, I created an illusion," she placed her hand on the jewel hanging from Ava's collar. "A leg that others would see and feel even though it wasn't real. I enchanted the moonstone collar to hold the spell. She never needed that fourth leg to be happy; everyone else did." Removing the collar, they all watched the illusion fall away.

"But the help we need is real," Ezran spoke up biting his lip, "an illusion won't help us." Stepping forwards, he pulled his bag around and undid the latch, revealing the dimly glowing egg within.

The elf gasped, looking grim. "It's the egg of the Dragon Prince," Rayla continued. "It was stolen but we saved it—I mean, we were trying to save it and return it to its mother. But there was a terrible accident. You see I—"

Lujanne raised her hand, cutting the younger elf off as she leaned forwards. She reached out a hand, going silent for a moment before a shadow crossed over her face as she closed her eyes. "Its life is fading quickly. I'm afraid the only way to save it now is to hatch it...but...but that won't be possible," she looked up to the clear night skies, "Sky Dragons can only be born in the eye of a storm; the weather's clear for miles."

"No, that can't be it," Ezran pleaded. "There has to be a way to save it!"

"I'm sorry," Lujanne whispered as they all watched the glow practically fizzle out.

"No..."

Rayla closed her eyes, looking away. "I dropped it. This is all my fault."

"No, I should've trusted you," Callum reassured. "Things only went wrong cause we kept fighting."