Startouched Mage

Chapter 3

Callum proved to be very protective of his new passengers, usually having them under his horns and shifting them if anything bigger than them flew too close for comfort. Rayla couldn't really blame him. Star primal creatures were incredibly rare, and even finding the adoraburr was lucky enough as is. His whole life turned on his head, and he's clinging to anything that might help.

She does make an effort to distract him though, by talking about herself. "I can't believe I'm almost home. I'm kind of happy and excited but also terrified."
Pulling his attention away from Burnie and Twinkle, Callum conforms to his first instinct and comforts her. "That's just your nervousness. Once they see you and Zym, they'll probably worship you as their savior and do whatever you want."

Rayla smirks. "Mhm. Speaking of worship, me and Zym would be one thing, but a Startouched elf, that's a whole new deal."
That idea shocks Callum a little. "You don't think they'll actually do that right?"
The apprehension shrouded Rayla. "Aren't you a prince? Wouldn't you be used to people bowing and all those things?"

"Eh, not really. Sure I was a prince but Ezran was next in line for the throne. In terms of politics, I was about half as important as he is."
Rayla scoffs. "Oh please. You're important."
Callum straightens up. "Really?"
Rayla shrugs with a smile. "You're here aren't you?" Watching her walk down the path they're following, Callum's eyes widen ever so slightly while the glow of his star speckled face intensifies.

During the long walk, Callum and Zym played with Burnie and Twinkle, mostly by making them stick to things, before Rayla suddenly races ahead. "We're finally here!"
Callum looks around and sees that they're in a rocket clearing. "It's... modest?"

Rayla face palms. "It's an illusion. To get in, I perform a special ritual that lets me see through it. Like a magic key. You can use mine to get in. Just do what I do." She takes up a pose that Callum mimics and they do the dance, a little more hesitant on Callum's part. As they dance, dunes glow beneath their feet and they're enveloped in moon magic as the ritual takes effect and the illusion falls away.

Rayla stands at the end of the large root they're standing on and holds her arms wide in presentation. "Welcome to Silvergrove!"
"Wow."
Rayla grabs Callum's arm in her excitement and drags him into the village. "I can't wait to show you everything. You hungry? They have the best moonberry surprise."
"What's the surprise?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

Rayla continues talking, but Callum is put off by the lack of reaction from the other elves. I can n show you where I grew up, where I went to school-"
Callum gets a better look at the elves and realizes the problem, grabbing Rayla's arm."Uh, Rayla. Something is wrong." He points at the elves. "They don't have faces."
Rayla's excited expression falls into horror and dread. "Oh no."
"Rayla, what is it? What's wrong with them?"
She shakes her head. "It's not them, it's me. I'm... a ghost!"

Rayla sits down on a rock sullenly while Callum tries to get a reaction out of literally anyone. "Hello?" He holds up Zym. "Anyone? Dragon prince and a Startouch elf here." Even Twinkle and Burnie did little tricks on his head to try and help.
"It's no use. They can't see me, and they can't see either of you because you came in with me. Being ghosted is like being magically banished. It happened to my parents when they abandoned the dragon guard. And now it's happened to me."

Callum puts a hand on her shoulder. "But you didn't abandon anything. They just don't know the whole story."
That fills Rayla with hope. "Right. It has to be a mistake. Come on, there's one person who will understand."

Rayla takes him up one of the many staircases going around tree trunks. "Remember Runaan, the leader of the assassins?"
Callum wracks his brain, scratching at the base of his horns. "I think so. Tall, pointy, aimed a bow at me? Seems like a nice guy."
"Right. Well when my parents joined the dragon guard, I went to live with him and his husband Ethari. They were my parents best friends. They took care of me. We're going to meet Ethari."