Watching "Dragon Prince: A Warrior's Journey"

Episode Two: An Elf and Two Princes

Sierra could be seen walking through the village, looking extremely tired and forlorn.
"You look so lonely and sad," said Ellis sadly.
"You could say that." Sierra looked back at the screen again.
She came across a large crowd that had formed near an old stone fountain. A slender young man was standing on the edge of the fountain talking loudly to the crowd. He appeared to be putting on some sort of show and repeatedly pointed to a sheathed dagger on his belt. He waved his arms in the air theatrically.
A huge number of warriors rolled their eyes at the man. Amaya had signed something to Gren, in which made him laugh.
But Sierra narrowed her eyes when she saw a cloaked Rayla, Callum, and Ezran (who's holding Bait) have joined the crowd too.
Ethari gasped at the sight, while Runaan and the other Moonshadow elves watched on.
"I defended the Border against all manner of horrors and monstrosities — things you can't even imagine! There's nothing I, Tristan, fear now." The man strutted around the fountain, fluffing up his fur collar and smoothing down his mustache. Then he held up gloved finger as if struck by an idea. He swiped a pouch from his belt and threw it down with the coins jingling inside. "In fact, I wager I could defeat any challenger here with nothing, but my dagger." He patted the small sheath on his hip.
Sierra scoffed softly as the crowd started chatting softly about the idea of it.
The same thing is happening in the theater. Callum patted Sierra's shoulder both of them smiled at each other sadly. A huge number of warriors rolled their eyes at the man. Amaya had signed something to Gren, in which made him laugh.
Just then, a massive shadow fell over the performer as an enormous man in full armor stepped forward. He sheathed an immense weapon and crackled.
"This isn't even my biggest sword," he said, making the crowd whispered in excitement.
Everyone watched on, unimpressed.
The giant and the mercenary squared off, Sierra listened to Callum as he said quietly, "Everyone's distracted. Let's go."
"Wait." Rayla's violet eyes were on the knife. "Look."
As the giant swung his sword as Tristan pulled the dagger out of its sheath. The blade was only a few inches long, but it glowed fire orange as though it had been pulled out from the heat of a forge.
Many of the humans who haven't seen such weapons gasped and started murmuring excitedly.
The magic dagger sliced through the giant's sword like butter and the broken half clanged to the ground. The hulk stared at the hilt of his sword, utterly dumbfounded, then dropped it and backed away in fear.
Many people tried to keep their amusement and sympathy towards the giant at bay. Allen ended up catching the eye of Lujanne, the Moon Mage.
"Anyone else?" Tristan asked.
The crowd gasped in awe as Tristan scuttled around to pocket his winnings.
"What was that?" Callum asked.
"A Sunforge blade," replied Rayla.
"What's a Sunforge blade?" asked Ezran curiously.
"In Xadia, Sunfire elves can make magic weapons that stay as hot as the moment they're forged for hundreds of years," Rayla explained.
"You can say that again," grumbled Sierra, still sour over the burning incident.
She observed the man getting given money for his victory. She eyed the scabbard intently. "The sheath is inscribed with special runes to protect him from the heat."
"Otherwise, his pants would be on fire?" Ezran asked, making Sierra chuckled quietly in her amusement.
Everyone laughed at Ezran's comment.
"Yeah. His legs too," said the girl.
Callum's eyes widened. "Rayla, if that blade can cut through a steel sword, would you say it can cut through pretty much anything?"
"My binding," said Rayla.
Runaan's eyes widened with horrified realization. "The binding?"
Callum nodded. "You will have to get that dagger. Let's split up. Ezran and I will find help for the egg. You work on your binding. Then we'll meet back here at the fountain."
"But how will you get the dagger?" Ezran asked Rayla.
Rayla tugged up her hood and narrowed her eyes. "I'm going to ask nicely."
"I wouldn't do that if I was you," said Sierra warningly. "People in the village are pretty paranoid about elves and dragons."
"Don't worry, I found out the hard way," Rayla replied.
Sierra gave an inward sigh as she headed towards a nearby alley and pulled out her own Sunforge blade from her secret scabbard of the magical blade. Sierra slipped her secret blade away into its secret scabbard, unaware that a certain white-haired girl has spotted her and her blade.
Uh oh has suddenly became very popular in the theater.
As she continued walking through the alley, she thought she heard something. Sierra trusted her instincts and gently placed a hand on her sword. She glanced over her shoulder, but the street behind her was empty. Then, she caught a flash of a cloaked person behind her.
"You have good instincts Sierra," signed Amaya with Gren translating.
"Thanks," Sierra replied.
Instead of running, Sierra stood her ground and kept her hand on her sword's hilt defensively. She waited and waited till a figure jumped from the roof behind Sierra. She spun around, pulling out her sword instinctively and it was immediately met by an immense, gleaming silver blade blocking hers.
They two of them stared at each other for a long time, so long it grew to become tense. Sierra saw that Rayla is trying to nurse her left injured hand carefully and Sierra's expression softened with sympathy. They both stepped back from each other.
Everyone from different sides were surprised by both of the girls' mercy to each other.
A memory of simpler times have entered her mind when she was six years old and her mother's advice could be heard in the depths of her mind. "Violence is never the answers to our problems. The only way to stop the circle of violence is by making a stand against it and doing the opposite."
Ibis covered his mouth from his heartbroken sob once he recognizes the voice of his late beloved. That means the blonde girl with the team is his daughter. She probably hates him for his absence.
Without a single word, Sierra slipped her blade away and looked at the elven girl warily.
Rayla smiled at Sierra. She soon put her own blade away and gained a troubled look in her eyes. "I need your help with something."
Sierra raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
Rayla lifted her right hand and Sierra seemed horrified at the sight of it. Her hand was unusually purple and her fingers had become unnaturally clawed. As Sierra stepped closer to have a better look at the cause, she was startled to see a white binding tightening the blood flow on Rayla's wrist.
"Rayla!" cried out Ethari, his eyes were wide with horror and full of tears. While Runaan watched on with horrified guilt, since it was his idea to bring her along.
Sierra nodded sympathetically and pulled out her Sunforge blade. "Hold still. This might hurt."
Rayla seemed to have strengthened her resolve and met Sierra's eyes evenly. "I'm ready."
She nodded, a look of pride towards Rayla has entered her eyes. Rayla could see the heat radiating off the glowing steel and she winced as the dagger got closer to her arm. But before the blade could even touch the binding, her glove started smoking and went up in flames.
"OWWW!" Rayla yelped, she tore off the glove and stomped on it to stop the fire.
Ethari looked down, tears running down his face. Runaan felt his heart shattered at the horrible sound of his adoptive daughter's cry of pain.
"Are you okay?" Sierra pulled back her dagger from the girl and seemed stunned to see a Moonshadow elf girl at the same time.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine." Rayla looked hopeless, defeated even. Sierra frowned and felt sympathetic towards the elf girl.
"Lets try again." Sierra gave her dagger to Rayla. "But this time, maybe you should do it."
Everyone else surprised by Sierra's trust towards Rayla from their first meeting.
Rayla smiled as she took the dagger and brought it as close to the binding as she could bear, closed her eyes, gritted her teeth, and went in for the slice. She cried out as the blistering heat scorched her skin.
Her caretakers and her parents watched on with worry and concern.
"Did it work?" Sierra stepped up to Rayla, looking both concerned and curious. The binding was as tight as ever.
Rayla opened her eyes and became agitated. "No! Nothing can cut this stupid thing!"
Sierra fought back a flinch from Rayla's agitation. Sierra lightly placed a hand on Rayla's shoulder. Rayla's eyes flashed away from the binding and met hers. After a long moment of tense silence, Rayla slowly relaxed and smiled at Sierra gratefully.
"That was pretty bold Sierra," said Corvus.
"I better go now and find my friends now." The two girls stepped back from each other. "Thanks for the help."
"Sure thing," replied Sierra.
"You're not going to tell anyone about me?" Rayla eyed Sierra warily as they both walked together.
Sierra let out an amused huff. "If I was going to, I would of done it by now." Rayla cracked an amused smile at Sierra.
Sierra smiled at her new friends, it felt as if they were destined to meet each other and stop this war.
They both went walked out of the alleyway, but Rayla pulled her hood close around her face while they waited by the fountain for the boys. There was a chill in the air; it's going to be another cold night.
"Did you find the knife guy? Did you get his knife?" Ezran suddenly appeared, running up to Rayla with a huge smile on his face and accidentally startling Sierra, making her step back from the young prince. Callum was right behind him. "And who are you?"
"I'm Sierra," replied Sierra. "I'm a friend."
Everyone looked at the strange team of friends. They weren't even fighting each other, bickering maybe, but not fighting. The accepted each other as friends.
Rayla held up her wrist. "She's telling the truth. The bad news is that the Sunforge blade didn't work." Rayla breathed deeply for dramatic effect. "The good news is the binding with fall off eventually... when my hand does." Sierra grimaced at that piece of news.
Callum winced. "Ugh, Rayla. I'm sorry to hear that."
Everyone winced in sympathy for the bold and kind Moonshadow Elf girl.
"It's fine," Rayla said. "Just give me some good news. Tell me something good happened with the egg."
"Yes and no. Well, no." Callum's statement confused Sierra. "Not yet, but maybe! So yes? In a way."
"That's... very confusing," said Gren.
"Okay, that's averaging out to around a 'maybe minus'," Rayla said.
"Yeah, that's about right," agreed Callum.
"We learned about a miracle healer," Ezran said. "Someone who might be able to help the egg. And maybe your hand too!"
Everyone glanced at Lujanne, understanding the situation. But they were confused about this egg.
"An egg?" Sierra looked at the kid's bag and gasped. It was darkening, but there's a flicker of blue. "Is that the Dragon Prince's egg?" She sighed. "You had an accident at the frozen lake, didn't you?"
Everyone gasped at that. They had pledged themselves as assassins to avenge the egg's destruction, for while the death of the Dragon King was terrible, the Dragon King was grown powerful and had committed questionable acts of his own. The Dragon Prince was innocent. It was its destruction that had set fires of anger and hatred in the hearts of Xadians. But since they have discovered that the Dragon Prince is actually alive, they don't have to kill Prince Ezran. But King Harrow is another story. He had slain the Dragon King in a fierce fire of vengeance.
"Yes," said Callum. "But don't tell anyone here."
Sierra gave him a look. "Wasn't planning to."
"Who in the heck would believe me about a dragon egg being carried around by a pair of princes and a Moonshadow elf?" Sierra gave a sheepish Callum an annoyed look.
Rayla glanced at Ezran. "Really? A miracle healer?"
"Oh, now I remember." Sierra soon joined in the conversation. "That was a talk of the whole village." She looked at the boys with a smile. "You two met Ellis and Ava, haven't you?"
Ellis smiled at them and Ava barked happily. The team smiled at their two friends.
Callum nodded. "Yup." He soon looked at Rayla. "The only catch is that the healer lives up there." He pointed to an ominous flat-topped mountain in the distance. "It's called Cursed Caldera."
Everyone (except the team) exchanged uneasy glances at the mention of the mountain.
Rayla hung her head towards him and said, "Please tell the mountain is named that because it was discovered by the great explorer, Sir Phinneas Kirst." Sierra grimaced at the mention of the caldera.
"Well, no." Callum gave Rayla a sympathetic look. "It's apparently infested with horrible monsters—"
"Yeah, I know, I know," said Rayla.
"That's not ominous at all," Sierra remarked sarcastically.
Suddenly, they heard shouting and clanging heading in their direction. "There they are!" Their eyes widened in fear. Tristan came running from around the corner leading a pack of angry villagers.
"They're elves!" Tristan yelled.
Rayla jumped up and covered herself with her cloak. "Oh, right, I forgot about the other bad news. Let's move!"
Rayla facepalmed. "That was stupid."
"It was an honest mistake, Rayla," comforted Callum. "Mistakes happen at times." Rayla smiled at him gratefully.
They sprinted away from the violent, elf-fearing humans with Callum, Sierra, and Ezran behind Rayla. The crowd chased the gang over bridges, through narrow passages, and all the way to the edge of the village, swords and pitchforks ready to slaughter the enemies.
"Suddenly, the Cursed Caldera doesn't seem like such a bad option!" Rayla yelled over her shoulder.
"I beg to differ," muttered Sierra.
As they fled into the caldera, where black winds swirled wildly around a volcanic-shaped peak. They ran through snow and mist, barely noticing the darkening sky.
Finally, gasping in the air, the group collapsed at the base of a tree and looked down the mountain for their pursers. No one was coming; they were entirely alone on the caldera.
"That was too close for comfort," commented Corvus.
"Tell me about it," Sierra grumbled.
"I think we're safe," Callum said at Sierra apologetically. "Sorry for dragging you along, Sierra."
"Don't worry about it. It beats wandering around in the village." Sierra shrugged with a smile.
"Yeah." Sierra smiled at her friends warmly and started thinking of them as a family. "It's thanks to y'all that I snapped out of my grief."
Queen Zubeia blinked in surprise and felt the air of grief surrounding both Callum and Sierra.
The forest stretched around them in all directions, and the path upward loomed darker than where they had come from. Creepy, mysterious sounds echoed all around them.
"Guys, this place is pretty creepy," Ezran said, while Bait grunted his agreement.
"Yeesh, not an average vacation spot," commented Gren.
Sierra looked around warily. "No kidding. I never even been here before." She let out a rough sigh and facepalmed. "I wonder how I'm going to explain this."
Sierra playfully scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Guess I don't have to."
"Safe. Sure," Rayla said. "How are we supposed to find anyone? And what's that?"
She pointed to a rock just above them.
A large, shadowy creature stood looking down on them with glimmering green eyes. The beast pawed at the ground, snarling under its breath. Rayla put one hand on a blade, but the last of the fading daylight illuminated the creature.
"Monster!" screamed some of the more skittish people.
It wasn't one creature — it was two.
There's a young girl on the huge creature. She was wearing a hat, boots, and a heavy winter coat. Her long black hair hung in a single braid down her back.
The girl was riding a full-grown wolf — a very big wolf. The wolf seemed taller than the girl. The wolf is light brown and wearing a green collar with a shiny stone dangling from it.
Sierra facepalmed with annoyance and yelled to the skittish folks. "It's not a monster!"
"Hi," said the girl. "I'm Ellis, and this is my sweetie-wolf, Ava." Ellis ruffled the fur on Ava's head. "Come with me. I'll help you find the healer."
A smug look of "I told you so" could be seen on Sierra's expression. Many of the skittish people tried to look dignified and a few looked sheepish.