i really like pop songs that take a dozen listens before you really figure out how to sing along to the chorus. like, yes! make me work for that euphoria, king!
When Rayla is found out, Callum stays behind to give her and Ezran time to get started on taking the egg back to Xadia. Viren tortures him using methods designed by Aaravos because Aaravos can feel that Callum is just like him and has the potential to link to all six arcana and he’s tired of waiting.
Soren leaves Viren to go and help Rayla and Ezran and he tries to take Callum with him, but Callum knows Viren will not notice Soren missing the way he would Callum and Soren is forced to leave him behind.
Excerpt:
“You left him?!” Ezran had tears in the corner of his eyes.
Rayla left her blood freeze as Soren tried, desperately, to explain his reasoning and that Callum had told him to go on. It was all a blur what happened next, Rayla felt like she had no control of her body anymore as she flew at Soren and tackled him to the ground. She began to punch his face, tears streaming down both of their faces. “YOU LEFT HIM?! THEY’RE GOING TO KILL HIM!”
“Rayla, stop! Please!”
“THEY’RE TORTURING HIM! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?!” Rayla was screaming as she was pulled off of Soren. “IS IT BECAUSE OF ME?”
Soren shook his head. “No, Rayla-”
“THEN WHY DID YOU LEAVE HIM?”
“I didn’t have a choice. They would have noticed Callum missing within minutes. Me...my own family barely remembers I exist half the time anymore. He wanted me to make sure you two got to the Spire safely.”
“We don’t want your help. You left Callum. I don’t want to see you again. EVER.” Rayla didn’t bother waiting for anyone else. She went as far back into the cave as she could cry in peace. Eventually, Bait came over and sat next to her. She felt so helpless. “Is this the price we have to pay for peace, Bait? It’s not worth it. It can’t be worth it.” Bait croaked in a comforting manner against her, a dark blue taking over his skin. “Callum...”
A few hours later, Rayla walked over to a bruised Soren. She felt better, but also so much worse seeing his face. They had been friends once. Even with his flirting and attempts at courting her, she knew this had nothing to do with jealous like she had accused him of. He had done what Callum had told him to do and Callum had sacrificed himself because he thought it was the best choice. She took a spare cloth and a bit of their healing balm, lighting brushing some on Soren’s face. He jolted. “Rayla?”
“I’m sorry. I...There’s no excuse for my actions. I know you’re more honorable than that. I just...”
Soren nodded. “I get it. I didn’t want to leave him. I tried to convince him to let me grab him, but, you know Callum. He’s smarter than me and he had a point.”
Rayla was silent for a few moments. “He’s a self-sacrificing fool. And I miss him so much it hurts.”
“Callum made me promise to look after both you and Ezran until he saw you two again. I intend to keep that promise.”
Rayla nodded. “I need you to understand something, Soren. Right now, the only goal is to get Zym back to his mother. We can’t be distracted by other things. So, please, help us do that so we can help Callum. Every day they keep him alive is a gift and we have no idea how much time we have left until they decide to kill him.”
“They won’t kill him.”
Rayla’s brows furrowed. “How do you know?”
“Dad has plans for Claudia and Callum to get married,” Rayla snorted, “I know. It’s a bad match, especially now. Safe, but, bad. There’s more to it than that. They’re torturing him because they want him to connect to the primal sources.”
“What? That’s not possible. He’s human.”
“The purple bug Dad keeps talking to seems to think otherwise.”
“Purple bug? What could a purple bug-” Rayla paused as she remembered something from her history class back in Silvergrove. Her eyes went wide and her breath came in short pants. Soren bent over her a bit, a look of concern in his eyes. “Soren, are you familiar with the name Aaravos?”
“Yeah. That’s what Dad calls the bug.”
“Fuck.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Soren, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound crazy, but please believe me.”
“OK.”
“Aaravos has tried to destroy Xadia before. We locked him up. I don’t know about Viren, but I don’t think Aaravos is planning on Callum marrying Claudia.”
“What do you think his plan is?”
“I think he’s planning on turning Callum into a weapon.”
hey so apparently AO3 is giving every existing user who’s been there 6 months or longer and been active 8 invites to share around
So if you’re not on AO3 and you want an invite, send me a pm and i’m happy to hand them out first come first served style!
i haven’t used a single one of mine the whole time i’ve been on the site - everyone i know IRL who would want an account already has one, so i’m openign them up for everyone!
A few of you have been asking about my baby registry, and while I really appreciate the interest, it has my address attached and I don’t feel comfortable giving that out. However, I do have a Ko-fi if you really wanted to get us something. Every donation will go towards baby supplies!
So I just woke up from a dream that was very BNHA themed, up to and including most of Class 1-A. Which leads me to my brand new, very shiny, very awesome new headcanon that you will have to pry from my cold, dead, hands.
Yaoyorozu Momo raps.
Not only does she rap, but she’s good at it, and loves doing it! It’s one of the few thing that’ll get her flushed and grinning as she lays down lines and leaves everyone else gaping at her like idiots.
Class 1-A knows, and basically lose their minds whenever she actually does any.
