Startouched Mage

Prologue

"I love you with all of myself. And I always will." Even so long after her death, those words just felt... so good to hear. Opening his eyes, Callum expects to wake up back in the real world with Rayla, but instead he finds himself standing in a blank space similar to the one he faced Harrow and his darker self in.

"Oh come on!" He spreads his arms wide and yells into the void, as if trying to get the attention of whatever divine entity is prancing him. "Haven't I already resolved all my issues?! What else is there?!" Not getting a response or sign of any kind, the Prince slumps. "Fine. Stupid magic coma with its stupid- what the?!"

The would-be mage is startled by the appearance of an elf he doesn't recognise. He greets them with a nervous wave of his arm. "Uh... hi?" The elf copies him perfectly and Callum furrows his brows for a second before noticing the golden oval around the elf. "A mirror?"

Walking up to it, he can make out the r-elf-lection's features. Its shape was exactly like Callum's, the only differences being aesthetic. Its skin was purple, and dotted with diamond stars, its hair was a startling bright white color that seemed to almost glow, its sclera were black with violet irises, and most prominent were the impressive set of horns that came out of its hair. Even its clothes were different, the style being the same as the ones he wears now, only coloured in blacks and purples with the sign for the North Star prominent on its chest. Reaching out to the mirror, the elf copy copies him as he rests his hand against the glass. "What the-" he is cut off by the reflection suddenly reaching though the glass and pulling Callum through with a startled yell.

Gasping awake, the first thing Callum sees is Rayla. "O-oh. You're awake now. And you're even looking... better." Her eyes rapidly flick over his body with a grim expression. "Look, Callum, you've got kind of a... situation," She points to her horns "upstairs."
"What do you-" Callum raises a hand to his head, expecting to brush off some kind of bug that crawled on him, only to come into contact with something hard and pointy.

Grasping at the hard pointing thing, Callum confirms that it is attached to him, and it has a twin on the opposite side of his head in the exact same spot. "...Rayla... what are these?"
The Moonshadow elf cringes. "Don't freak out, but... you look like an elf."
"WHAT!? HOW?!"
"Callum," Rayla pauses, trying to think of the words before resting a four fingered hand on his shoulder in what she hoped was a comforting gesture "your mum made sandwiches with an elf."

Before Callum can begin to process that, the prince hears a voice. "Callum?" Turning, it's Ezran and... some new guy?
Nervously waving (thankfully with a still five fingered hand), Callum responds. "Hey Ezran... so, there's been a development."
The smaller boy nods. "Yeah."

Callum sits down on a stone, looking down at his hands. He still had all ten fingers, but now his skin was a purpley-blueish-black color and dotted with silvery diamonds. Like an artist's depiction of the night sky. He'd already explained the summary of his dream to everyone and had even managed to cast Aspiro without a primal stone. Normally he'd be celebrating, but with Ezran's discovery of his newfound position as king and the fact Callum himself grew horns and changed color, then Ezran left for Katolis, he wasn't in a celebratory mood.

He takes the Key of Aaravos and holds it close to his chest, the symbol for the Sky Arcanum glowing brightly. "So," Rayla sits beside him "before we head for the border, do you... have any elf related questions?"
Callum shrugs. "I'm just wondering what kind of elf I am."

Rayla takes a closer look at his face, a thumb tracing over the diamonds in the corner of his eyes like teardrops. "I think you're a Startouched Elf. I can't tell you much ABOUT them since the dragons might be the only ones old enough to have met one, and even then they were known to be really reclusive, so you might not get much even then. Most common knowledge about them is legends and myths."

Callum groans. "Great. I am an elf that no one knows anything about, my entire life has been a lie and I can't go home without getting killed on sight." He buries his head in his knees.

Rayla nods nervously. "Uh huh... you know what, if this little quest has taught me anything so far, is that when bad things happen there's always a way to put a positive spin on it."
Callum looks up at her in deadpan. "How can you look at this," he points at his face "positively?"

"Well, crossing through Xadia is going to be easier now that we don't have to disguise you. As for the whole "life is a lie and can't go home" part..." she snaps her fingers "we can ask Lujanne to make you an illusion like what she did for the wolf with the missing leg. Hey wait a minute," she narrows her eyes in a glare "what's wrong with being an elf?"

Realizing how what he said could be taken, he attempts to stutter out an apology. "O-oh no I didn't mean-"
Rayla cuts him off with a laugh. "Callum, I'm messing with you. Honestly, you're handling this a lot better than I would be. If I woke up with an extra finger and my horns falling off I'd probably be panicking. And if it makes you feel any better, you, uh-" she turns her head away to hide a faint blush and clears her throat "you look good."

That perks Callum up slightly. "Really?"
In the dying light of the setting sun, Rayla seizes an opportunity to take the attention away from her. "Oh yeah, all the elven girls love a boy who sparkles." True to her word, the stars scattered across Callum's body all glow faintly in the growing darkness.