Forbidden love

Storm Spire

They got off the ambler the next morning bright and early. "Sorry, again, for conning you, betraying you, stealing  your dragon, and leaving you stranded in the desert." Nyx apologized. Rayla glared at her, and didn't plan to forgive her anytime soon.

"So... uh... good luck!" She shouted from the driver's seat in the ambler. Callum waved, though his heart wasn't in it. "We should get going." Rayla suggested. Callum nodded. At the Storm Spire stood a large stone structure. "Is it... a statue?" Callum pondered. "No, it's not a statue. That's him. The real Avizandum." Rayla answered.

"It is?" Callum questioned. His thoughts were interrupted by a screech. "That sounds like..." Callum started. "Phoe-Phoe?" Rayla finished. Then, out of the sky, flew a familiar moon phoenix.

A small head of poofy hair peaked over the top. "Ezran!?" Callum yelled. The king ran up and put his arms around Callum. "Ez!" Rayla shouted, running up to join the hug. "I missed you guys so much!" Ezran said. Zym ran up and knocked them all over. "Zym!" Ezran yelled as he fondled the baby dragon.

"We made it!" Callum shouted. "Just the 4 of us!" He continued. Zym whined. "Uhh... 5 of us." Callum added. "Well we should get a move on. We don't want to have to climb through the night." Rayla chuckled.

They started up the Storm Spire. When they reached about ¼ of the way up, the air started to get thinner. When they reached halfway, they could barely breathe. Callum almost collapsed, but Rayla caught him. "Thanks." He whispered raspily.

"Ezran, please. I don't think we can take much more of this." Rayla shouted. "We have to keep moving." Ezran panted. Ezran was far ahead of Callum and Rayla. He heard a roar way off in the distance. A dragon drifted down from the clouds below.

Ezran tried to run, but right then, he couldn't have achieved a trot. Ezran looked the dragon over. He looked at one of its horns. A piece was missing.

"Hey. We've met before. When you crashed. You're okay now!" He shouted. The dragon drew a rune on the ground, and said something only Ezran could understand.

"Got it!" He yelled. When he reached where Callum and Rayla were, they had both collapsed. "Callum!" Ezran shouted, trying to wake his brother. Ezran grabbed Callum's sketchbook and drew the rune the dragon had shown him.

"What's this?" Callum asked in a hoarse voice. "It's a rune, Callum!" Ezran yelled. "And the trigger words are ventus spiralis." He added. Callum drew the rune in the air. "Ventus spiralis!" He said. Suddenly, he felt his breath come back to him.

Callum ran to wake Rayla up. "Rayla! We're gonna be okay!" He panted. She opened her eyes. "We're gonna be okay." Callum repeated. As they continued up the mountain, Callum had a sudden realization. "Uhhh... Rayla?" He called. She looked at him. "How are we gonna tell Ezran?" He questioned.

Rayla looked at Ezran. She realized they hadn't told him yet. She shrugged. "Here goes nothing." Callum sighed. "Sooo.... Ezran.... while you were gone, there were some... changes." Callum stuttered. He had no idea how to tell him.

Rayla grabbed Callum's hand.  "Whaaaaaaaa..." Ezran was shocked. He knew what they were trying to say. "Yeah." Callum sighed. Ezran could have fainted from the shock right then and there, but he managed.

And the top of the Storm Spire, they were greeted by a skywing elf. Ibis. "Thank you for bringing Azymondias home. It makes my heart leap to see that he lives. But I am afraid you are too late. The dragon queen has not opened her eyes in 10 days." He sighed.

"Is she..." "No, no! She's not dead! She lives and breathes, but she is not with us." He responded. "I am beginning to think she may die any day now. It may be time."