Between Rayla and Callum and Ezran and Aaravos as romantic.
The silver glow of the full moon bathed the spires of Katolis Castle in a light that seemed to hum with ancient magic. Within the castle's highest tower, Rayla and Callum huddled over an array of runes, their brows furrowed in concentration. It had been exactly one year since peace was declared, and for them, this night was more than a celestial event—it was an anniversary of survival and of a love that had weathered war.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Rayla asked, her lilac eyes darting between Callum and the runes.
Callum offered a reassuring grin. "It's mostly theoretical," he replied. "I mean, moon magic is your thing, and we're just trying to create a basic empathy link. It's about connection, understanding one another better. It's totally benign."
Rayla crossed her arms, only half convinced. But her trust in Callum had always guided her through uncertain moments. With a hesitant nod, she agreed to proceed.
They positioned themselves opposite each other, the runes forming a circle around them. Callum began to chant, his voice sure and clear, as Rayla followed, harmonizing with him. The runes ignited, casting prismatic shadows along the ancient stone walls and encasing the pair in a swirling vortex of light. For a moment, it was as if the world outside ceased to exist, leaving only the two of them, tethered by an unseen force.
Then, without warning, the light snapped inward, and a shockwave of energy threw them both to the ground. Rayla's head spun, her ears ringing, and as she looked into Callum's eyes, she felt a wave of emotion that was not her own. Fear, confusion, love—a cocktail of feelings that mirrored her own. Panic surged through her veins, but it was laced with the unmistakable essence of Callum. They had become a single storm of sentiments, chaos under one skin.
Elsewhere, in the depths of the Moon Nexus, Ezran stood beside the still waters. As the tremors of the distant spell reached him, the young king could not help but feel a shudder of disquiet. The hope of his kingdom lay in the hands of his brother and Rayla, but the world was still a fragile shell over the boiling cauldron of past grievances. His advisors warned of whispers in the night, of those who did not wish for unity.
Meanwhile, deep within the confines of an ancient prison, the startorian elf Aaravos felt the flutter of new magic—a distortion in the echoes of the arcane. His ageless face, still fair despite the eons of confinement, curved into a knowing smile. The bond between the human mage and the moonshadow elf could provide a curious opportunity, one he had been awaiting for a long, silent time.
Back in the tower, Rayla and Callum now stood trembling, hands reaching for each other as they struggled to separate where one ended and the other began. They were bonded more deeply than either could have anticipated, and the journey to unravel it was one they would have to face together, with their hearts perilously threaded into a single destiny.