The Halfing

Chapter 7: Reunited, Part 1

For a moment, all Ethari could do was stare in horror.

His granddaughter, snatched up by the very monster who'd once held his husband and now held his daughter and son-in-law. A monster who'd almost driven the world to the brink of all-out war simply to satiate his own greed. A monster Rayla had very nearly given her life to destroy. For so long, Viren had been nothing but horror stories told at night after Sarai had gone to sleep or whispers in the dark of evil growing. Now it was all too real and he'd lost his granddaughter.

"We were careless," whispered Lujanne, backing away in panic. "We need to tell the others before they reach the fortress."

"I'll prepare for the fight." She nodded in agreement.

Within minutes, they were saddling up Phoe-Phoe and riding as fast as they could towards the others. It was a fight against time as they had no idea where they were or how close to the fortress. But they did manage to find the group that was traveling and began their descent. Ezran immediately looked up and looked terrified at the sound of Phoe-Phoe's cry. Hope was not on the face of anyone else as they landed.

"What happened?!" Soren asked.

"Viren. He... he took her."

There was no need to say who the dark mage had taken. Amaya punched a tree in her frustration once Gren relayed the message. The only good news is that Viren more than likely had taken Sarai to their destination. And that meant that they'd find her there.

Hopefully, she'd be unharmed...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is not a discussion."

"Dad, she's just a kid."

"But it will grow up, Claudia. And it will cause problems."

"How? She can't fight. She can't do magic."

"It can do magic. Every half-breed is able to do magic and it's magic that can't be found otherwise. Healing even the most severe injury without taking any lives, seeing into the future, turning back the clock—all of those are abilities that the half-breed could have and I want to be able to harness that kind of power!"

She narrowed her eyes.

"You want to kill a little girl because she might have amazing magical powers. And you want to put her loving parents through the pain of losing their child. What... what happened to you, Dad?"

"I saw things as they truly were. Humans are meant to rule entirely. Elves are meant to be subservient. Half-breeds shouldn't exist. I am merely trying to restore the balance to the way it is meant to be."

Claudia took a deep breath.

"Then I'm sorry."

"For what?" He faced her, his eyes darkened from years of using the darkest of spells.

"I can't... I can't let you kill a child."

"I wasn't asking for permission."

"Then let me put it another way—I refuse to stand by and let you kill a child, not when I can do something."

Before she could move, Viren snapped his fingers and she was tackled to the floor by some of the elven guards. She struggled against them but it was in vain as one trapped her in shackles. Then she was brought to her feet to look her father in the eye as he narrowed them at her.

"Claudia, you are a fool. You're blind to what needs to be done for the good of the world." He nodded to the guards. "Take her away."

She was dragged from her father's chambers and down to the dungeons, where she was thrown into the cell Callum had once occupied. For the first time in years, she looked around and felt so small and insignificant. She had no way of escape. This was it; this was her punishment for going with her father instead of her brother. This was her penance for trying to rip Callum and Rayla's family apart. She deserved this. But then her mind turned to Sarai. What would happen to her?