The Dragon Prince storyline altered

Chapter 34. Linopha

Linopha, Callum, and Rayla reached the top of the tree, and jumped onto one of the huge maple helicopter things.

Linopha and Rayla started hacking at the stem that attached it to the tree.

Callum: Uh, are you sure this is safe?

Rayla: As long as you hold on tight.

The stem gave away, and they sailed down into the forest. At the bottom, they got off, and kept walking through the forest.

The sun began to set when they made it to a colorful meadow in the middle of the forest.

Rayla: We made it just in time.

Callum: So, what did you want to show us?

Rayla: I used to come to this meadow when I was a kid. I would spend hours on my own, exploring and making all kinds of colorful little friends.

Callum: Friends?

Linopha heard chirping in the grass. She dug around and found what looked like living pom poms.

Linopha: Adoraburrs.

Callum: They're so cute!

Callum lifted up his foot and his boot was covered in adoraburrs.

Linopha made a stack of adoraburrs.

Linopha: They stick together.

Callum: I love them.

Callum free fell on his back into the meadow. When he stood back up, his whole head except for his face was covered in adoraburrs.

Rayla: That's nice.

Callum frowned at Rayla, clearly annoyed.

Rayla: No, really, that look suits you.

Soon, they left the field and kept heading to Rayla's home.

Rayla: I can't believe I'm almost home. Somehow I'm happy and excited, but also terrified.

Linopha: It's called being nervous.

Callum: Once they see Zym, I'm sure they'll help us.

Rayla: When the other elves see Zym is one thing. But my new human friends might not be so popular.

Callum: But you know who is going to be popular? Your charming new elf friends.

Callum reached into his bag, and pulled out a few things.

He handed a headband with sticks for horns to Linopha, and then put one on himself which also hid his rounded ears.

Callum: Get ready to meet... Elf Callum! You know, I'm one of those forest elves, with the... with the antlers.

Rayla: An Earthblood elf?

Callum: Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. The illusion's not complete.

Callum cleared his throat and exhaled.

Callum: Oy, mate. I'm an Earthblood elf. All me best mates are trees.

Callum hugged a nearby tree.

Callum: "Mate" is Earthblood for "friend." High four?

Linopha hid her pinky finger and high foured Callum.

Linopha: We need to make sure we act like elves too!

Linopha cleared her throat.

Linopha: Let's go be hypocrites that judge and criticize humans but then go and do worse things ourselves!

Callum: Elf Linopha is the best!

Linopha: Why don't we go destroy entire human cities and start a war?

Callum: You're right! Xadians really do love doing that!

Linopha: I sure do love oppressing humans, don't you?

Callum: The great imbalance of history!

Linopha: Committing genocide and regicide on humans is so much fun, don't you think?

Callum: There goes my mom and dad!

Rayla sighed.

Callum: Come on, Rayla, you have to admit we're right about Xadia!

Soon, they arrived at a clearing in the forest.

Rayla: We're here. My home.

Callum: Here? I mean, I like it. It's... modest.

Rayla: It's hidden by an illusion. To get in, I perform a special ritual that lets me see through the spell. It's like having a magic key.

Linopha: Okay, so a magical ritual.

Rayla: Just do what I do.

They complete the dancing ritual, and the illusion disappears.

Rayla: This is it. The Silvergrove. I want to show you everything. Oh, are you guys hungry? I can take you where they make the best Moonberry Surprise.

Callum: Moonberry Surprise? What's in it?

Rayla: I can't just tell you what's in a Moonberry Surprise, Callum.

Callum: Oh, right.

Rayla: I can show you where I grew up, where I went to school, and...

Linopha: Guys, something's wrong.

Rayla: What is it?

Linopha points at all the other elves.

Linopha: They have no faces. And none of them seem to notice us either.

Rayla: Oh, no. Oh, no.

Callum: What's happening? What's wrong with them?

Rayla: It's not them, it's me. I'm... a ghost!