The Dragon Prince storyline altered

Chapter 13. Lepidolite

Lepidolite, Soren, Claudia, Ellis, Ava, and Rayla waited in the clearing.

Claudia: Where are Linopha, Callum, and Ezran?

Lujanne: Oh! They'll be here soon. I think Ezran's still packing up his dragon. It has been a pleasure to have you all here. I truly have enjoyed you all sneaking past my defenses and desecrating this sacred place these past few days. It will be lonely- quiet, but lonely- without you.

Ellis hugged Lujanne.

Ellis: I'll miss you so much, Lujanne!

Lujanne: Ellis, you will always be welcome here.

Ava walked up to Lujanne, and Lujanne petted her.

Lujanne: And you too, little one. And here's the moonstone collar I gave you so long ago. You don't need the illusion any longer, but I hope it serves as a reminder that someone is always looking out for you.

Lujanne put the moon collar around Ava.

Lepidolite saw Linopha, Callum, and Ezran approaching.

Rayla: Okay! Everyone's here now! We can all hit the road!

Soren: Time to go to the magical land, and do... whatever.

They began walking. Lepidolite, Soren, and Claudia walked behind everyone else.

Soren: So, you guys are ready to do this the Soren way, right?

Lepidolite: Now that it's come down to it.

Claudia: Yes, there's no other way at this point.

Soren: Good. When it's time to strike, I'll give the signal.

Claudia: What's the signal?

Soren: The signal... is me attacking the elf.

Rayla: It's going to be a long journey, let me just go around this bush corner and see if I can find some berries or something.

Rayla went into the forest.

Soren: Should I go now?

Claudia nodded vigorously.

But Lepidolite couldn't help but feel something was off.

When Soren left, Lepidolite soon heard the clanging of swords.

Claudia: There's the signal.

Claudia extended her hand to reveal her two emerald-eyed snake bracelets and transformed them into snakes as she said the incantation.

Claudia: Meht dnib leets gnirehtils!

The snakes transformed into chains around Linopha, Callum, and Ezran, and they fell to the ground.

Claudia took Zym and stuffed him in a sack.

Ava ran into the forest, with Ellis chasing after her.

Lepidolite and Claudia walked over to Linopha, Callum, and Ezran, and bent down to face them.

Claudia: I'm sorry this feels like a betrayal, but I can't let you go! I have to do what's right! I have to bring you home! Please don't give me the silent treatment! Say you hate me! Say anything!

Lepidolite examined them. Upon further inspection, the three of them seemed lifeless, like they were an empty vessel.

Lepidolite: What's wrong with them?

Then it dawned on her. It was an illusion.

Lepidolite: I get it now. They're illusions.

Claudia: Soren! This is a trick!

Rayla: A trick? Us? No!

Soren: What did you do, elf!?

Rayla: Ellis! Show them!

Ellis and Ava emerged from the bushes. Ellis tugged at Ava's moonstone collar, and released the spell.

The illusions of Linopha, Callum, and Ezran disappeared and the chains binding them fell to the ground.

Soren chased Ellis and Ava, but they easily dodged him.

Soren: Where are the real princes?

Lepidolite heard a shout from way up high.

Callum: We're up here!

Phoe-phoe flew overhead, carrying Linopha, Callum, and Ezran on her back. Rayla reached up from her tree branch and grabbed Phoe-Phoe's talon to hoist herself up into the sky.

Soren: They're getting away!

Lepidolite looked up into the sky at the escaping moon phoenix.

Claudia: No they're not.

Claudia crushed a mummified tentacle in her hand.

Claudia: Nwod meht gard psarg gnihtirw!

Claudia grew a massive tentacle that she thrust at the moon phoenix, dragging the bird and its passengers down to the ground.

Callum: Please! You guys don't have to do this!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a metal chain wrapped around Claudia's wrist, and she cried out in pain. Immediately, the spell dissipated, releasing the moon phoenix.

Lepidolite looked to where it had come from, and she saw Corvus- a tracker sent by Katolis's military to bring Callum and Ezran home.

Claudia: What are you doing?

Corvus: Protecting them from you.

Soren knocked Corvus on the back of his head with a rock.

Soren: Big mistake, chain man.

After Phoe-Phoe and her passengers had gotten away, Lepidolite, Soren, and Claudia tied him up and interrogated him.

Soren: You know you're going to pay for this, traitor.

Corvus: Traitor? General Amaya sent me to protect the princes of Katolis- and you just tried to kidnap them. Please tell me who the traitor is.

Soren: Everyone who votes Corvus is a traitor, raise your hand.

Soren raised his hand. Then Lepidolite and Claudia raised their hands as well.

Soren: Three against one, traitor.

Soren tied a gag over Corvus's mouth.

Claudia: What are we going to do? We betrayed our friends, and it was all for nothing.

Soren: Not all for nothing.

Soren pointed at the bag containing Zym.

Claudia: Oh yeah! The dragon! We still have the dragon!

Lepidolite sighed. If they had planned out a whole trap with illusions, it was doubtful that they would've left the dragon behind.

Lepidolite: That's probably not-

Soren rushed over to the bag and opened it.

Soren: Come on out, you little-

But a few moon moths fluttered out into Soren's face.

Soren: I hate the moon! Ugh!