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Chapter Text

Lucan sat at a desk in a large, dimly lit room. The desk was situated between long rows of shelves, shelves filled to the brim with ancient books of magic and mystery. At just thirteen, Lucan was already the most accomplished scholar in all the Dark Kingdom, and he would often venture to this library to further his studies. Sometimes, he’d ask his friends to accompany him… but Hector never wanted to pick up a book, and Quirin was often too busy. Only Prince Edmund made frequent visits to the library with his young friend, but on this day, Lucan was studying alone.

At least, physically alone. He wasn’t alone in spirit… as he read, a deep and learned voice spoke to him.

It was the voice of the great sage Demanitus, and as Lucan perused a book about the Sundrop and the Moonstone, a book said to contain some of the most heavily guarded secrets of the two great magical artifacts, he could hear the voice of Demanitus, guiding him in his search for knowledge.

“It is said that the Sundrop holds the power to heal, and the Moonstone holds the power to destroy. But sometimes, the opposite holds true.”

Lucan was puzzled by this, and he re-read the passage again, wanting to make sure his eyes and ears were on the same page, both literally and metaphorically. In the course of his studies, he’d only ever known the Sundrop to be a source of life and restoration, and the Moonstone, which rested at the heart of Umbra’s capital in the great palace, to be a source of decay and destruction… which is why it was so heavily guarded, and why his requests to study the object had all been denied.

“Lord Demanitus, is that really true?” Lucan asked out loud, seeing Demanitus’ figure before him, standing on the opposite side of the desk with his hands on the opposite side of the book. “I thought the Moonstone only possessed terrible powers of death!”

“It is true that the Moonstone is capable of terrifying destruction, and is extraordinarily difficult to control, making it easily the most dangerous of the two sacred objects under normal circumstances. But the Moonstone can also hold powers of creation. Its ability to control obsidian spires can be used to create massive structures, and even entire cities. And its energy can be harnessed to power great wonders of magical technology vastly more advanced than those capable of being created by science today. In the hands of someone with the knowledge and will to control its power, it can be a great force for good and prosperity.”

Lucan read on, listening as Demanitus spoke of the Sundrop next… and warned of its own capabilities for destruction.

“The Sundrop can restore life and reverse decay, and its powers are quite benign and easy to control. But it is important to remember that the Sun itself is capable of truly stupendous destruction, far greater than anything the Moonstone can perform. After all, the Sun is a far more vast and powerful object than the Moon, even though the two appear identical in our sky. The sun’s light can blind us, subjecting even our internal bodies to penetrating decay. The sun’s fire can scour the very surface of the Earth, sterilizing it permanently and erasing all life it touches. The Sundrop’s power is not to be feared, but to be respected, for in the hands of someone malicious, reckless, or merely naïve, it can be a tool capable of inflicting calamity of the worst kind.”

Lucan felt a chill run through his spine, and solemnly frowned upon hearing Demanitus’ warning. He sighed, remembering well the lessons he’d just been taught, then turned the page to read the next lesson… an incantation drawn from the Moonstone’s power.

“The Moonstone’s power can be invoked through the use of the Decay Incantation,” Lucan read, eyes and fingers tracing along the ancient page. “The incantation destroys all it touches, to clear the way for new life to emerge. Read these words with great caution, for in the wrong hands, they can bring death to any life too close to the source of power.”

Lucan leaned in, slowly reciting the incantation on the next page.

“Wither and decay…”

O-O-O

“Wither and decay… end this destiny… break these earthly chains… and set the spirit free.”

As Rapunzel continued to chant, unable to stop the deadly invocation, tears streamed rapidly down her cheeks, and the magic of death and decay continued to permeate the room. Cassandra, Varian, Adira, Fidella, Ruddiger, and Owl all cried out weakly on the ground, just as futile to stop the princess as she was to stop herself.

“Rapunzel… stop… please…” Cassandra called out, reaching for the princess with the last of her strength. Gods, Rapunzel, you have to fight it! Whatever this is, you’re killing us! I… I… this is my fault, I should be able to save her from this spell, but I’m too weak… I’m… too…

Just as Cassandra began to pass out, and Adira began to summon the last of her strength in an attempt to stop the princess herself, a burst of electricity hit the water around Rapunzel, shocking her into immediate unconsciousness and freeing everyone in the room from the spell. Though Cassandra’s first instinct was to be relieved as the life returned to her body, she was immediately struck by another instinct as Rapunzel collapsed from the shock… to protect the woman she loved.

“Rapunzel!” Cassandra cried out, rushing to her side as her hair turned back to normal. She rushed into the water, scooping up the princess’ limp form and cradling her gently, stroking her face to try and revive her. “Raps! No, no, no, please!”

Adira then looked at Varian, wondering if maybe the boy had managed to fire off one of his chem guns into the water.

“Did you do that, kid?” she asked him, only for him to shake his head, just as bewildered as she was. “Then who…?”

“I did,” said Lucan, leaping down from the balcony and kneeling besides Adira. “Are you all right?”

Rapunzel woke up and immediately smiled at Cassandra, glad to be freed from the spell, even at the cost of a mild electrical shock.

“That was… unexpected,” she breathed, nuzzling Cassandra’s hand as her face was gently stroked.

“Oh, you’re okay,” Cassandra gasped with relief, hugging Rapunzel tightly. “I’m sorry, Raps… I’m supposed to protect you.”

She then narrowed her eyes at Lucan, who was walking over with Varian and Adira.

“What the hell?!” she screamed at him.

“It’s okay, Cass,” Rapunzel reassured her, before looking up at Lucan with a grateful smile. “Thank you, Lucan.”

“I apologize for shocking you, but under the circumstances I really didn’t have a choice,” Lucan replied, mostly speaking that second part to Cassandra.

“What are you doing here?” asked Adira, who hadn’t expected her old friend to accompany them to the Tree. “Not that I’m not… grateful for the save, but I was about to handle that on my own.”

“Duly noted,” replied Lucan. “And I just-”

Before he could continue, there was a loud rumbling from above as Eugene, Stalyan, Lance, and the giant plant that had been about to eat them all came crashing down from the ceiling… thanks to the efforts of Maximus and Pascal, who’d managed to stomp a hole in the fragile floor above despite also being effected by the creature’s pollen. They were all still slightly loopy, but Stalyan, being cradled in Eugene’s arms, was coherent enough to wave at the others as the vines fell from around them.

“Hey!” she said with a laugh, waving at them with Lance and Eugene. “What’d we miss?”

O-O-O

After dusting themselves off, the group, including Lucan, made their way up a spiraling branch of the tree to a large, elevated platform with a steep drop to the core below. It seemed to be a good place to camp out for the night despite the creepy atmosphere, but after what had happened with the Decay Incantation in the room below, Cassandra still had her doubts, and Rapunzel’s reassuring touch wasn’t quite enough to assuage them.

“I saw Hector back at the river,” said Lucan, walking alongside Adira. “I think he’s figured out that you weren’t in that wagon when it went down. He’ll be coming here, so you’ll need to be careful.”

“That’s what I was worried about,” said Rapunzel, sighing and shaking her head.

“I say we leave now, don’t bother with setting up camp,” said Cassandra.

“But everyone’s tired, Cass, it’s been a long day… and I don’t think you’ve all recovered your strength from what happened before,” said Rapunzel, encouraging her girlfriend to sit down on the ground and join Eugene, Lance, and Stalyan, who were already sitting. Varian was standing by the edge, looking over the side… and as he did, he began to wobble. Just before he could fall, Rapunzel managed to snag him with a strand of hair and pull him back. “See?”

“Whoa…!” Varian called out, blinking as Rapunzel helped him to sit down. “Thanks, Rapunzel.”

“Any time, Varian,” she replied with a warm smile.

As Rapunzel gently set Varian down next to the others, Cassandra walked over to Adira and Lucan, whose conversation was continuing.

“I know you’ve got this, Adira.”

“Then why’d you come?” she asked him, her voice a mixture of anger and concern. “I know about Hector, but I can handle him just fine on my own. The people back in Edenlea need you.”

“Shanti will be fine handling Edenlea for a little while. Besides, this is important, it’s about the Dark Kingdom, our kingdom. I just came to make sure everyone got through the Great Tree safely. Making sure the Sundrop reaches Umbra is the best way to make sure our kingdom is saved… to make sure it can be restored to its former glory.”

Adira sighed… Lucan had a point, but she didn’t want to have to be responsible for anyone else. The Sundrop and her friends she could handle, but she and Lucan had history, and if anything happened to him, she’d never be able to stop blaming herself. She’d already lost most of the people she’d ever cared about… her family was dead and buried, Quirin was trapped in amber, Hector saw her as a traitor, and King Edmund… she hadn’t seen him in years and for all she knew, he was dead too.

“Just… be careful, Lucan,” she told him. “I’ve got to watch out for the Sundrop, I can’t watch your back too.”

“You and I both know I’ll be fine,” he reminded her, lifting his hand which began to spark with magic.

“Zhan Tiri’s energy still courses through this tree, be careful about using your magic here,” she warned him.

“So Hector’s here, and Lucan’s magic might not work?” Cassandra suddenly said, prompting them to turn back toward her. “All the more reason for us to get out of this tree as soon as possible.”

“My magic works just fine here, I just need to be careful,” Lucan replied, crossing his arms over his chest. “There’s a possibility that a loose spark could damage the spear binding Zhan Tiri’s evil energy, especially the closer we get to the core.”

“And I’m not sure that’s your call, kid,” said Adira with a smirk, gesturing to Rapunzel.

“Cass, please… I told you I trusted your judgment, and I do, but everyone really needs the rest, and with Adira here we’ll be fine,” Rapunzel said, trying to reassure her girlfriend so that everyone could get some sleep.

“Adira was here when we almost got killed an hour ago, remember?!” Cassandra shouted.

“And now I’m here,” Lucan replied.

“Shut up, Lucan!” Cassandra roared, narrowing her eyes.

“Excuse me?” he replied, blinking. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” Adira told him, glaring at Cassandra. “I think you should calm down.”

“You know what I think?” she told both of them. “I think you’re playing us. Adira, I think you led us here on purpose, and for some sick reason you wanted Rapunzel to find that incantation and read it. And Lucan, you abandoned your own people to come here. I don’t know what happened to Umbra and I don’t care, but you’re not risking Rapunzel’s life on some fool’s errand to revive your shattered old Dark Kingdom!”

“Come on, Cass, listen to yourself,” said Rapunzel, trying to calm her girlfriend down. Cassandra turned to her, gently taking her hand and looking into her eyes.

“Rapunzel, I’m telling you right now. We need to get out of this tree, but more importantly, we need to lose Adira and Lucan before they get us all killed.”

“…you know what?” said Lucan, turning and starting to walk away from the others. “I know when I’m not wanted or needed. The rest of you camp here, I’m going to go try and cut off Hector before he reaches you.”

“Lucan, wait-” Rapunzel began, pulling away from Cassandra and reaching out to him.

“It’s fine,” he replied, turning toward her with a smile. “It’s clear you all have some… issues you need to work out amongst yourselves, and the last thing you need is my old friend from Umbra ambushing you while you’re doing that. …see you later, Adira.”

“Lucan!” Adira called out to him, before seeing him disappear into the shadows and turning to Cassandra with a harsh glare. “I hope you’re happy.”

“I’ll be happy when we get rid of both of you,” Cassandra replied fiercely.

“Cassandra, that was completely uncalled for!” Rapunzel shouted, turning Cassandra to face her. “No one is getting rid of anyone else, is that clear?”

Everyone, especially Cassandra, was taken aback by the princess’ sudden burst of anger. Cassandra fumed, clenching her fist tightly, but she knew that once the princess had set her mind to something, she wasn’t going to be swayed away from it… and that, technically, the princess was still her superior. She bowed her head, then looked at Rapunzel and nodded.

“Yes, Rapunzel,” Cassandra said bitterly. “…I’ll keep first watch.”

Cassandra then sulked away as Rapunzel looked on, a worried expression on her face as she wondered if taking such a tone with her girlfriend was really the right thing to do. She looked at the others, whose looks of stunned silence were gradually being replaced with relief and exhaustion, as they hoped this argument had come to an end. As everyone worked to begin setting up the campfire, Rapunzel kept her eyes on Cassandra the entire time, hoping the two could resolve their dispute.

Cass, I’m sorry… I trust you, I truly do, but I can’t abandon any of our friends. I don’t know why you’re so upset with Adira and Lucan. They’ve both helped us so much, and now you don’t trust them? I know you’re trying to protect me, and that what happened earlier must’ve terrified you… but I’m going to get us all through this, and everyone will be just fine. You’ll see.

O-O-O

A short time later, and the group, minus Cassandra, was seated around a roaring campfire. Varian was already asleep, using his notebook as a pillow, and Eugene and Stalyan were holding each other close as Lance sat nearby. Rapunzel sat with Pascal in her lap, thinking about what she’d said to Cassandra before.

“I just don’t know why she’s so upset,” Rapunzel said, looking over at Stalyan and Eugene. “I mean, it’s not just today… ever since we left Corona, she’s been lashing out at everything. I thought it might be trauma from what happened with Lady Caine, but I think it’s more than that.”

“Hey, it’s been a long journey, everyone’s changed over these past few months,” said Eugene, squeezing Stalyan’s hand. She smiled at him and nodded, leaning on his shoulder as she spoke to Rapunzel.

“Eugene’s right, I mean, look at me,” Stalyan said. “I used to be, well… not a very nice person, and now? Accompanying the princess on a quest to find the Moonstone and save the world? Time changes all of us, Rapunzel. Though… all of you have changed me too. Maybe Cassandra just needs her girlfriend right now.”

“Are you sure?” asked Rapunzel. “I seem to be the one that’s gotten her upset in the first place.”

“Nah, that was me,” Adira replied, taking a bite out of an apple. “If anyone can help her right now, it’s probably you. Just… lay down the law. You’re the princess, she’s the knight. You outrank her.”

“That’s not helpful,” Stalyan replied, glaring at Adira.

Adira just shrugged, and Rapunzel sighed and walked over to Cassandra, sitting down at her side. Cassandra was still brooding, and didn’t look up at Rapunzel sat down.

“Hey, Cass,” said Rapunzel, leaning over and smiling at her. “So, earlier… that got awkward, huh?”

“Yeah,” Cassandra replied, finally looking up at Rapunzel.

“And I know that a lot has happened today… and recently. Cass, are you still… upset about what Lady Caine did six months ago? Because if you are-”

“I’ve recovered from that, mostly,” Cassandra replied. “And it’s not just Adira, either. Yes, I don’t trust her, she… gets on my nerves and I still think she’s up to something. And yes, before you say it, I know she helped me saved you and I’ll always be grateful for that, but that doesn’t mean I have to let her lead us into a trap. Raps, you promised you’d listen to me, you promised you trusted me, but today, I… I don’t know if that’s true anymore.”

Rapunzel sighed, standing up and walking around in front of Cassandra before kneeling and facing her. She reached up touching her face and stroking back her hair, and Cassandra couldn’t help but smile, even faintly, as she felt the princess’ soft hand on her cheek.

“Cass, you’re my girlfriend and I love you with all my heart.”

“And… I love you too, always, Raps,” said Cassandra, taking Rapunzel’s hand and squeezing it.

“But… I’m not that naïve girl fresh out of the tower anymore,” Rapunzel told her. “I’m responsible for the lives of everyone here, not just yours. I’m going to be queen someday. And I can promise you, I’m going to make decisions that you’re going to disagree with. And… I need you to be okay with that.”

“…no,” said Cassandra, rising to her feet.

“Cassandra?” Rapunzel replied, standing with her and looking into her eyes, wondering just what she meant by that… only to see in Cassandra’s eyes the most serious, resolute expression she’d ever seen on her face before. She wasn’t angry, but she wasn’t smiling… and she reached down to take Rapunzel’s hands, holding them gently but firmly as she looked into her eyes and began to speak.

“Rapunzel, I need you to listen to me very, very carefully. I need you to understand every word I am about to say to you.”

Rapunzel just quietly nodded, and Cassandra continued.

“Raps, you are my princess, and I am your knight, and I will always be faithful to you… but you are also my partner, and if we’re going to be together, if this… if this thing we have between us is going to work, I need you to understand that very clearly. You do not, ever, get to pull rank on me. When it comes to making decisions, you for me or me for you, we are equals, and that is all we can ever be if this is going to work between us, do you understand?”

Rapunzel let out a quiet gasp, and though she still stood by her decision with Adira today, she suddenly realized everything Cassandra was telling her, and everything Cassandra must’ve been feeling before. She felt her heart quivering, and thought back to every time she’d ever asked something of Cassandra… did I use my authority as princess of Corona to force her to do anything for me, ever?

Going back through her mind, she couldn’t think of any particular occasion, but her memory wasn’t perfect, and she needed to be sure. She nodded, and felt Cassandra squeezing her hands again.

Surely, if I ever… she would…

Then, she heard Cassandra sigh, and her lips curved slightly into a smile. Rapunzel smiled back as well, even as her mind continued to race.

“Yes, Cassandra, I understand,” Rapunzel finally stammered out, not from any reluctance to agree to what Cassandra had said, but out of her continued worry that she herself may have used her authority unjustly. She wanted to say something else, but not until her girlfriend had finished saying everything she needed to say. Then, the promises, and perhaps apologies, could come.

“Rapunzel, I will fight for you, I will protect you, I will stand by your side always and be faithful to you, but I do not have to obey you, and I need you to be okay with that.”

“I am,” Rapunzel immediately replied, squeezing Cassandra’s hands back and leaning slightly up toward her as she looked sincerely into her eyes. “Cassandra, I will never use my authority as princess to order you to do anything, ever… and if I ever have before, I’m truly sorry.”

“It’s okay, Raps,” Cassandra replied, her smile growing slightly again. “I-”

“But,” Rapunzel then said, finding her own strength now that she knew she had Cassandra’s forgiveness. “This partner thing? It cuts both ways. Cassandra, I swear on my soul that I will never tell you to obey me again. But… there will be many times when I’ll ask you to listen. I trust your judgment, and I’m asking you to trust mine.”

Cassandra heard the princess, and nodded her head, closing her eyes as Rapunzel stroked her face.

“And I do trust Adira. And Lucan. But if you want them gone…”

“No… you’re right, Raps. It’s fine, I just…”

“You just want to protect me.”

Cassandra sighed, bowing her head. Rapunzel pulled her close, embracing her before the two sat down together.

“…I should get some rest,” the princess finally said. “I’m on the next shift.”

She then leaned in, kissing Cassandra’s cheek before getting up to walk back to the campfire. Cassandra looked out, seeing the platforms and branches before them, and then seeing a platform nearby with statues and elaborately decorated murals. Realizing that it must be a chronicle of the ancient sentinels who stayed to guard the tree and prevent Zhan Tiri’s return, Cassandra stood up and began to walk over, curiosity entering her mind.

As devoted as she was to protecting Rapunzel, and even though her dream of finding the lost princess and loving her had come true, she still felt that there was a piece of herself missing.

Rapunzel doesn’t need me… not always, thought Cassandra. So if I’m not here to protect her, what am I here to protect?

O-O-O

Cassandra began walking amongst the statues and crumbled walls of the grand gallery, admiring the statues and murals of warriors and heroes lining the path. Tracing her hands along the walls, she saw the heroes etched into them, brave and brilliant on their horses, wielding their swords and shields gallantly. They weren’t just protecting one person, they were protecting the world from the most dangerous sorcerer it had ever known, and the young woman could suddenly feel that hole in her heart growing larger as she thought about what might have been… and maybe, what still could be.

These heroes gave up everything to protect the world, and here I am, stuck as a princess knight. I love Rapunzel dearly, and I know this is an important mission, but there’s still something missing. I look at Adira and I see… I see someone who’s chosen a different path, who’s seen the world so many times over. Maybe that’s why I… why I don’t trust her. Maybe I’m jealous, maybe I…

Her thoughts wandered off, as she imagined the great battle against Zhan Tiri and her evil magic that must’ve taken place here. Demanitus and his brave armies, charging into battle… throwing that spear into the heart of the Tree to save the world. She sighed, and felt a song stirring within her heart… the same song she’d felt all the way back in that forest the day she met Rapunzel. Its melody was similar to the old lullaby her mother Gothel had sung to her.

Cassandra had everything she ever wanted, so why did she still feel like she was waiting for something, after all this time?

“Guess we all are born with parts to play, huh?”

Cassandra turned at the sound of a familiar voice, and could see Lucan making his way over. Her eyes narrowed, and he smiled and raised up his hands as if wishing to call a truce.

“Sorry, I… didn’t expect you’d be here.”

“What do you want?” she asked him, turning back toward one of the murals.

“I’ve been looking for Hector, and you’ll be happy to note that I haven’t seen any sign of him since stepping away from the group,” Lucan replied.

“Doesn’t mean he’s not still lurking in the shadows somewhere.”

“True, but for now I think you and your friends will be safe.”

“I know they will be, because I’m watching them.”

Lucan decided to take a different approach to breaking the ice with Cassandra. He stood nearby, but kept his distance, deciding to look at one of the same murals she was observing. Though he’d only been to the Great Tree once before, before Hector had come to make it his home, he’d always found it to be a rather fascinating place. The scrolls and inscriptions on the walls contained little that he hadn’t already learned in his studies, but the history of the art and statues dedicated to Demanitus’ ancient army was certainly something he enjoyed learning about, especially as he too considered himself a student of the great sage.

“It’s enlightening, isn’t it?” he finally asked, turning to Cassandra. “These statues, so well preserved…”

“…what are they?” Cassandra asked, finally relenting to her curiosity.

“The army of Demanitus,” Lucan replied, confirming something Cassandra already suspected. “These statues were part of a temple, constructed by the sentinels who stayed to honor those who fought and fell. Brave warriors all, charging into battle on what must’ve seemed to them like a suicide mission, to defeat Zhan Tiri in a place that made her nearly invincible.”

Cassandra sighed, wandering among the statues and imagining the soldiers as they rode, spears and swords in hand. She imagined herself as one of them, but realized that as long as she was sworn to protect Rapunzel, such a thing might not be possible. She clutched her heart, feeling the conflict within, and leaned against one of the statues as her mind wandered with her.

“Careful now,” Lucan told her, placing a hand on the ancient statue to steady it. “These are relics, part of history… you wouldn’t want to knock one over.”

“Looks like most of them are already knocked over,” said Cassandra, crossing her arms over her chest. “And what about you? I take it these statues inspire you?”

“In a way, though I’ve chosen to fight a different battle,” said Lucan, offering to guide Cassandra to a different part of the ancient temple. She rolled her eyes, but followed him, to a shadowed area in which a statue of Demanitus stood, the man holding a shield in one hand and a book in the other. “Demanitus built many things… and I’ve devoted my life to following in his footsteps.”

“He founded a town?”

“More than one,” Lucan said, smiling with admiration. “He was centuries ahead of his time… millennia, in fact. Had he not been forced to devote much of his life to his struggles against his childhood friend Zhan Tiri… or, as noted in his journals, Tirisia… he might’ve been able to advance the whole world, and we’d be exploring the stars by now.”

Cassandra was suddenly fascinated by Lucan’s words, and felt some of her distrust for him fade. How did he know so much about Demanitus, about Zhan Tiri… that she had another name, that she was his childhood friend? If she’d have been rested, if she hadn’t had to worry about protecting the group, she might’ve pressed him further… but she knew Rapunzel would be taking over the watch soon, and she sighed, feeling exhaustion creep over her.

“Look, I didn’t come here to talk about some ancient guy,” Cassandra scoffed, turning away to pace amongst the statues again.

“Then why did you come here?” Lucan asked, following her as she walked.

“I came to protect Rapunzel and help her find her destiny,” said Cassandra, looking back toward the campsite. “…but…”

“But there’s something else you still want,” Lucan replied. “I admit, I came here mostly for Adira. I was worried about her… but I also wish to restore Umbra, and to do that, the Sundrop needs to unite with the Moonstone.”

Which could annihilate her, thought Cassandra, tempted to go off on Lucan for valuing his old kingdom more than he valued Rapunzel’s life. And yet… as devoted as she was to Rapunzel, she could understand why Lucan wanted so much more. …and could also change the world.

Cassandra clenched her fist, cursing herself for having these thoughts. Rapunzel was her world, or at least she thought she was. Why, why did she still want more? Why, after getting everything she wanted, finding the lost princess, earning her father’s and Corona’s respect, winning the love of her life, did she still feel like she was waiting for something?

“Let me ask you something,” said Lucan, placing his hand on Cassandra’s shoulder. “If you had to choose between saving the world and saving Rapunzel, what would you choose?”

Cassandra gasped and turned to him, pulling away from his hand as if almost offended that he’d even asked such a question.

“What kind of question is that?” Cassandra shouted. “Of course I’d choose Rapunzel!”

“Then you’ve already made your choice,” he replied, before giving her a supportive smile. “And there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s nothing wrong with being willing to forsake the world to protect the one you love most.”

“…then why do I feel so empty?” Cassandra finally admitted. “I know I’d save Rapunzel in a heartbeat, but why do I want to save the world too? Why do I feel so upset that I can’t have both? I love Rapunzel and I’d follow her anywhere, but sometimes I feel like if I keep following her, I’ll never be able to fulfill my real destiny? I told her she is my destiny, why do I feel like I lied to her?”

“That’s something you’ll have to figure out on your own,” Lucan replied. “You’ve made your decision, now you have to come to terms with it.”

Lucan began to walk away, but before he could, Cassandra called out to him.

“Lucan, wait,” Cassandra said, before turning her head slightly away as he turned back to her. “I’m… sorry about before. I know you were just trying to help, and… I’m glad you were there to snap Rapunzel out of that.”

“It’s fine,” Lucan reassured her. “You wouldn’t be the first person to get upset with me and want me gone.”

“Well… now I think it’s nice to have you around,” she told him.

“I’m glad you’re there for Rapunzel,” Lucan replied. “Watch out for Adira too, okay?”

Cassandra nodded, and Lucan continued to walk away.

“Hey,” she called out again. “You can come back to camp with me if you want.”

Lucan smiled and shook his head.

“I still need to make sure Hector’s not followed you all,” he said, turning away again.

“Be careful.”

Lucan just raised up his hand in one final wave before disappearing back into the shadows, leaving Cassandra alone in the ruined temple. He’d given her a lot to think about as she turned back to the broken statues and engraved walls, and though she had been reassured that there was nothing wrong with the decision she’d made, his words had done little to fill the emptiness she was still experiencing. She clutched her hands to her heart, thinking about Rapunzel and hoping that someday, she’d be able to protect both the world and the woman she loved.

Who cares how loud the silence rings… you’ll find me waiting in the wings.

As Cassandra sat alone and began to think, she could hear faint snarling off in the distance… and stood up just in time to see Hector’s two wolverines coming down from one of the walls toward her. She put her hand on her sword, and spun around to face Hector, who was coming up quickly behind her.

“You guys couldn’t take a hint? Now I gotta finish you.”

He took out his own blade and came at Cassandra, who managed to parry his first strike, only to have the blade knocked from her hand and skid across the ground. Realizing that she was no match for Hector, she began to call out, hoping Lucan hadn’t wandered too far off.

“Lu-”

The first syllable of his name was all she managed to get out before Hector quickly grabbed her and covered her mouth in his stifling grip. She screamed loudly behind his gloved hand, then fought against him with all her might, grunting as she struggled in his grip.

“I’d rather us not be interrupted,” said Hector with a sadistic smirk. “Now, what to do with you? Finish you off now, or use you to lure out your friends?”

As Cassandra felt Hector’s blade push against the side of her neck, she let out another terrified shriek… but when he brought up the idea of using her against her friends, she became filled with determination. She stopped struggling, and managed to plant her feet into the ground as he held her close.

This is it… one chance… remember what dad taught you.

Using her skill and strength, she managed to counter Hector’s grasp, flinging him hard over her shoulder to escape. As he quickly recovered, she slid toward her sword and picked it up just in time, rising to her feet and taking a fighting stance as he pointed his own blade at her.

“You’re gonna wish you’d let me call for your friend,” Cassandra told him, her voice resolute as she and Hector began pacing around each other.

“Lucan ain’t been my friend in a long damn time,” Hector replied bitterly. “And you shouldn’t trust him either.”

Cassandra narrowed her eyes, but as she prepared for Hector’s attack, she could hear another voice rapidly approaching.

“That’s enough, Hector!”

Adira rushed forward, her own sword at the ready, and put herself between Cassandra and Hector as she confronted him.

“Why don’t you pick on someone your own age?” Adira asked, crouching into a fighting stance of her own.

Cassandra could see the others rushing over, and though a part of her was upset that Adira had come in to save her, another part was quietly relieved that she’d been saved from a fight she had little chance of winning.

“Fair,” Hector replied, before walking to a nearby stone pillar. “And just so we won’t be interrupted…”

He then sliced the pillar in two with his blade, creating a large, rocky obstruction that cut off Adira and himself from the rest of the group. Rapunzel rushed forward to try and move the fallen rocks, but she was unable to do so, even after Cassandra came over and tried to help.

“Now then,” said Hector, before charging Adira and swinging his blade wildly at her. She dodged the first few strikes before striking out with several powerful kicks, which Hector managed to dodge before inflicting a strike with his arm that knocked Adira back. “Still playing defense like always, Adira?”

“You know I don’t want to hurt you,” she replied.

“And that’s what your problem is,” said Hector, coming forward with another powerful slash.

This time, Adira decided to take out her black blade, but used it mostly to parry his strikes as he launched another assault.

“It’s sad to see the once mighty Adira waste her life on a fool’s dream!” shouted Hector, as he continued to push Adira back. “Almost as sad as seeing Lucan retire to become the babysitter for the Dark Kingdom’s runaways!”

Adira parried another of Hector’s strikes, creating a vulnerability that she quickly took the opportunity to exploit.

“Talk about wasting lives!” Adira shouted, before slamming her foot into Hector’s chest and sending him flying. “You and the brothers spent yours hiding something no one was even looking for!”

As Adira and Hector fought, Rapunzel and her friends looked on, worried about Adira and listening closely to what she and her opponent were saying.

“Varian, can you get us over that pillar?” asked Cassandra, pointing to the obstruction cutting everyone off from the two fighters.

“I… I’m not sure,” he said, holding up the last two of his chem bullets. “I have an explosive charge and a sticky goo blast, without the wagon I can’t mix anything else…”

“Save them,” said Rapunzel. “We’ll find another way around.”

She then looked at Cassandra, who nodded in agreement with Rapunzel’s decision. Blasting their way over the pillar might be too dangerous… if Lucan’s magic had the potential to disturb Zhan Tiri’s energy from the core, an explosion directly above it certainly could.

“How about this rope?” asked Stalyan, holding up the rope from her belt. “We’ll need to find something above to loop it around, but if we can get up there…”

“The wolverines might be a problem,” Eugene replied, pointing out Hector’s two pets as they stood menacingly atop the pillar. “Blondie, can you use their hair to take them out?”

“From down here? Maybe, but they’ll see it coming… but it’s still worth a try,” said Rapunzel, who held up a strand of her hair. “I’ll distract them, Stalyan, you get your rope and hoist everybody else up and over!”

“I’ll stay with you, Raps,” Cassandra replied, holding up her sword in preparation to defend her princess against the creatures. Maximus and Fidella did the same, flanking Cassandra and Rapunzel as she readied her hair and as the wolverines locked eyes on her.

Back behind the pillar, Adira and Hector continued to clash swords and argue over the Moonstone and King Edmund’s wishes.

“How can you say looking for the Sundrop was a fool’s errand when you once came with us to find it?” Adira shouted.

“I came along to humor you, I had no illusions that we’d find it and I was right, as I’ve always been,” Hector replied. “I’ve always had King Edmund’s best interests at heart, I’ve known him years longer than you or Lucan has, which is why it was no surprise that you both turned traitor!”

Adira managed to get the upper hand, flinging Hector to the ground after a furious flurry of slashes.

“I’ve seen the Sundrop’s power firsthand, Hector. And so will you, when we return to the Dark Kingdom.”

Adira then reached down, offering him her hand to help him up. She truly never wanted to fight him, and had always seen him as a friend, even now… but Hector rejected the gesture, grabbing Adira by the wrist and flinging her into a nearby rock.

“That’ll never happen!” Hector shouted, before looking at the injured Adira with regret. “I’m sorry it came to this, sister.”

Eugene managed to make it up onto the pillar, but just as he did, Hector leapt down in front of him.

“Oh, uh, hey there!” said Eugene, starting to take out his sword.

He barely got it out of the hilt before Hector kicked him in the chest, sending him falling to the ground below.

“Eugene!” Stalyan shouted, abandoning her own efforts to swing up onto the pillar, and instead, swinging on the rope to catch him and lower him gently to the ground. “Are you okay?”

“Did anybody… see the carriage… that ran me over?” Eugene stammered, delirious with pain as Stalyan and Lance both knelt over him.

Meanwhile, Cassandra had managed to fight off the two wolverines and was now ready to swing up onto the pillar with Rapunzel… but Hector leapt down in front of them before they could, and the two quickly got into fighting stances as he began backing them toward the edge of the platform.

“And now… for the so-called Sundrop,” said Hector menacingly, focusing entirely on Rapunzel.

“You’ll hurt her over my dead body,” Cassandra declared, stepping forward and pointing her sword at Hector.

“Cass….!” Rapunzel called out.

“Protect the others,” said Cassandra, turning to her. “I can take Hector.”

Cassandra was experiencing more fear than she ever had in her life, even when she was in Lady Caine’s clutches… but her resolve was clear, and despite her fear she was determined to fight to protect the woman she loved. She gripped the hilt of her sword and faced down Hector as he extended his blades, a cruel smile on his face.

“Brave child,” said Hector, smiling in admiration. “Stupid, but brave.”

“You want the Sundrop? You gotta go through me first.”

“’Kay,” said Hector, easily dodging Cassandra’s first strike and pushing her back. “You wanna try that again?”

Cassandra went for Hector a second time, only to be disarmed as easily as she had been before. A second blow struck her directly in the face, immediately bruising it and opening a cut that bloodied her cheek. She fell to the ground, her sword sliding almost to the edge of the platform.

“Tell me, princess knight…” said Hector, walking around in front of Cassandra and stomping hard on her hand, causing her to grunt loudly in pain. He leaned down, looking into her eyes with a taunting smile. “Are you more princess, or knight?”

Rapunzel immediately rushed toward Hector, determined to protect her girlfriend. He looked up at her, but before he could react, she swung the frying pan into his face as hard as she could. The blow merely stunned Hector, but gave Cassandra the opportunity to stand up and shove him over the edge of the platform, sending him plummeting below. Cassandra rose to her feet, looking at Rapunzel and smiling with gratitude before turning back toward the cliff and looking down at where Hector had fallen.

“She’s the princess, I’m the knight,” said Cassandra.

As Rapunzel started to check on Cassandra, she saw the wolverines rushing forward to avenge their fallen master. She gasped, calling out a warning to Cassandra, who leapt over the beasts, grabbing Rapunzel in the process. The two creatures hurtled over the edge, following Hector to the abyss below. As Cassandra held out her hand, which had now been stomped on by Hector twice that day, she winced… at least one of her fingers and maybe the hand itself was broken. She sighed, then felt Rapunzel’s arms wrap tightly around her. She turned to the princess, enjoying her tender embrace and allowing herself a smile.

“Partners,” Rapunzel said, smiling.

Cassandra replied with a nod, breathing heavily as she turned to kiss Rapunzel, but then collapsed into her arms from exhaustion and relief. Rapunzel just held her, embracing her tightly as the others looked on.

“So, uh… did Cassandra just kill that guy?” asked Lance, blinking and looking toward where Hector had fallen from the cliff. “Because I think Cassandra might’ve just killed that guy.”

“I doubt it,” said Cassandra, turning away with Rapunzel and walking toward the rest of the group. “Now we do need to get out of here.”

O-O-O

Sure enough, Hector was still alive… screaming with terror, but very much alive, and using the vines to cushion his fall ever so slightly on his way down to the core of the Great Tree. He landed with a loud grunt, his wolverines landing nearby. The three were scuffed and bruised, but quite intact, and Hector realized exactly where he was as soon as he stood up, coming face to face with the Tree’s core… and the Spear of Demanitus, still containing Zhan Tiri’s evil after all these years.

He gripped his chest tightly, feeling the evil still permeating the Tree… if he released it now, he knew the consequences could be terrible, not just for the Tree but for the world itself. Zhan Tiri’s terrible corruption could spread far and wide, unleashing untold evils into the world… but the Moonstone was even more dangerous, its power capable of far more evil than even Zhan Tiri was capable of on her own.

He then removed his glove, looking down at the scar that still streaked across the palm of his hand, a symbol of the blood oath he’d made so long ago. He swore to protect the Moonstone from all comers, no matter what the cost. He put his glove back on and walked over to the spear, gripping the shaft tightly.

“Forgive me for unleashing the evil that sleeps within.”

And then, he pulled the spear from the core, raising it high into the air.

“For King Edmund!”

The effect of Hector’s actions was immediate. The evil magic within the core had barely diminished over thousands of years, and it quickly overtook everything in the area, summoning forth hundreds of vines that extended outward, strangling everything in their path. Even Hector hadn’t expected the evil to take hold so quickly, and the vines began wrapping all around him, hoisting him into the air and encircling his entire body. He stabbed at the vines with the spear, but they were too numerous and too quick, and soon, he found himself completely trapped within their grip, his consciousness soon overtaken by Zhan Tiri’s will.

Perhaps I’ve made a mistake… was the last thing he thought as the vines coalesced around him and lifted him high up into the air.

O-O-O

Back up on the platform, Rapunzel was the first to notice the loud rumbling from below. She turned back toward the edge of the platform, and as she, Cassandra, Adira, and all the others looked on, the vines from the heart of the Great Tree surged upward, giving off an eerie green glow. They parted to reveal Hector, now ensnared in the vines and possessed by Zhan Tiri’s evil magic, being used as a mouthpiece to communicate her dark desires.

“All who enter the Great Tree of Zhan Tiri shall be destroyed!"

Nearly a dozen massive vines then came down at the group, sending them all running for their lives as quickly as they could. As they ran, more vines burst back up from the ground, forcing everyone back together in a circle.

“The tree!” shouted Rapunzel, terror in her voice. “It’s alive!”

“Normally I’d be fascinated, but right now I’m about to pee myself!” shouted Varian, backing into Lance and Eugene.

“Maybe don’t do that while you’re standing next to us?” Lance replied, as several large vines lurched over the three of them.

Lance and Eugene did have swords to defend themselves, and they managed to do an adept job of keeping the vines away, using their agility to slice the oncoming plants to pieces. Stalyan’s rapier wasn’t capable of slicing through the vines, but she could stab through them to gain leverage for herself, grabbing Varian and climbing up the vines as they came by leaping from vine to vine with a series of flips and somersaults. Nearby, Cassandra was doing her best to keep a particularly large vine at bay, but was unable to see another one creeping up behind her. Rapunzel saw it just fine, and called out quickly.

“Cass!” Rapunzel shouted.

She then threw out a strand of hair, wrapping it around her girlfriend and pulling her in just in time. Cassandra twirled around, the strand wrapping itself around her even tighter before she ended up right in front of the princess, who was smirking.

“Gotta watch that flank,” Rapunzel said with a wink, prompting Cassandra to smile and blush brightly.

“…maybe I wanted you to save me,” Cassandra sheepishly replied, blushing even more as she playfully struggled in Rapunzel’s hair.

Adira, meanwhile, was having little trouble with the vines, cutting through dozens of them with her blade and avoiding their attempts to snare her with subtle shifts of her body, dodging from side to side and drawing much of their attention.

Maybe I can draw them all to me so the Sundrop and her friends can escape, thought Adira, who then looked off in the direction Lucan had gone, and for a moment, her face took on a somewhat sad expression. Lucan… wherever you went off to, I could sure use your help now.

Adira then looked up at the ensnared Hector, and a new plan formulated in her mind. She ran along the vines to reach him, and with a powerful kick, sent Demanitus’ spear flying from his hands. It embedded itself into a particularly large vine, killing it instantly… something that a nearby Cassandra quietly observed as she fought off more vines on her own.

“Hector! Snap out of-”

Adira’s efforts to break her old friend free were interrupted when another large vine slammed into her. She landed on her feet, sliding backwards and preparing for another assault on the heart of Zhan Tiri’s evil… but her exhaustion was growing, and Zhan Tiri had sensed this attack and was conjuring more vines to protect her vessel… many, many more. The vines then surged toward Adira, but Rapunzel was there just in time to block the strike, using her hair to grab the vines and pull them down to the ground.

“Princess, you need to go!” Adira called out weakly. “If we lose the Sundrop, everything is lost!”

Rapunzel sighed, remembering Quirin saying those exact words as the amber overtook him all those months ago back in Old Corona. She knew there was some truth to them, but she also knew that she had to protect her friends, no matter what. She was responsible for them, all of them, and if she was the only one who could protect them, then she’d do so, despite the danger.

“And I won’t lose any of you!” Rapunzel shouted, straining with great effort to keep the vines at bay. “It’s like I told Cass before, I refuse to abandon anyone!”

Meanwhile, the others were fighting for their lives against the vines… particularly Cassandra, who was trying to keep several of them away at once. As one of the vines slammed into her, knocking her back, Varian saw this and rushed to her side.

“CASSIE!”

His charge left him completely defenseless, and he was soon grabbed and wrapped up by the vines, hoisted high into the air. Stalyan saw this and rushed to free him, only for she too to be grabbed up and taken away with a loud shriek.

“Stalyan, no!” Eugene shouted, charging forward with Lance only to be wrapped up tightly himself and dragged away. “Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!”

“Eugene!” Rapunzel called out, turning to save him only for one of the vines to slam against her, knocking her into a slab of rock and briefly sending her into a daze. When she recovered, everyone was in trouble. “No…”

Even Adira, Maximus, and Fidella had been unable to keep themselves from being snared, and though Adira was still swinging her sword as best she could, she too was losing the battle. She could hear the screams of her friends all around… she looked up to see Stalyan and Varian wrapped up tightly back to back, Stalyan squeezing Varian’s hand tightly to comfort him as the vines began to strangle them both. Eugene and Lance were dangling in the air, Eugene trying to call out to Stalyan but being much too far away to even begin to reach her. Even Cassandra was ensnared, but she was fighting, crawling along the ground in an effort to reach Demanitus’ spear, which had become stuck into the rocky platform.

“This… can’t be happening…” Rapunzel gasped quietly, a tear streaking down her face.

“Rapunzel…!” Eugene called out, still trying to swing over to Stalyan and Varian. “Please…! Help!”

Rapunzel then saw where Hector had been, now encased in a large clump of vines… clearly the center of Zhan Tiri’s evil magic, and the point from which it emanated. Then she looked down at her hair… and thought of the Decay Incantation from before.

It can kill anything… maybe it can kill these vines… maybe it can free everyone.

Thinking quickly, the princess wrapped two long strands of hair around the large clump of vines, beginning to walk toward it. Cassandra, still fighting on the ground with everything she had to reach Demanitus’ spear, could see immediately what her girlfriend was doing, and reached out to stop her.

“Raps, wait!” Cassandra called to her. “You can’t do that incantation again!”

Cassandra had felt the incantation drain the very life from her body, and she never wanted to experience that feeling again… but more than anything else, she couldn’t let the princess lose herself in its dark magic. If Rapunzel activated the incantation now, there’d be nothing to stop her… she could lose herself forever, and the Tree itself would become a haven of death. Even if she recovered, she’d have to live with the deaths of her friends… Cassandra couldn’t let Rapunzel make that terrible mistake.

But Rapunzel couldn’t let her friends die… she knew the risks of the incantation, but if Zhan Tiri’s evil magic continued, they’d die anyway… at least if she freed them, they’d have a chance to escape.

“I don’t have a choice, Cass,” said the princess, her voice full of both fear and resolve.

“Please, Raps, that spear can kill it!” Cassandra shouted, gesturing to the spear embedded in the ground, just a few feet away. “If I can reach it, I can stop the vines, I can stop Zhan Tiri’s magic all together! Let me try and grab it! Trust me!”

The vines continued to squeeze everyone tighter and tighter… Rapunzel could hear her friends’ screams echoing through the room… she heard a muffled shout, and looked up to see Varian, his eyes wide in absolute terror as the vines squeezed his mouth and neck, crushing the air out of him. Stalyan, still gripping his hand tightly, was in a similar circumstance, and her eyes met Rapunzel’s, tears sliding down from them as she begged the princess to save not her life, but Varian’s, as she could no longer comfort the boy that she too, like Eugene and Lance, now saw as a little brother. Rapunzel then looked at Cassandra again, who had made a little more progress toward the spear, her fingertips now almost able to touch the shaft.

I have to do this, thought Rapunzel, closing her eyes and preparing to use the incantation… but then, she looked at Cassandra one last time, and all the memories of their conversations flashed quickly through her mind. But I… Cassandra… I have to trust her!

Rapunzel’s mind knew that her best chance of saving everyone was to use the incantation… and she was responsible for everyone… but her heart trusted Cassandra, with her life and everyone else’s.

And the princess let her heart decide.

“Cass… okay, I trust you!” Rapunzel told her, pulling her hair away from the clump of vines. “Grab the spear… but hurry!”

Cassandra smiled, nodding her head.

“Right, Raps… I’ve got this!”

Cassandra lunged forward, grabbing for the spear but still unable to reach it. She pulled at the vines with all her might, but they held fast, and now they were grabbing for Rapunzel too.

“Cass…!” Rapunzel cried out, before the vines encircled her quickly, wrapping around her arms, her legs, her neck, and all the way up to her mouth. “Cass-mmmph…!”

“RAPS!”

With a powerful lunge, Cassandra grabbed the spear of Demanitus, pulling it from the ground and taking aim at the Heart below.

Here goes… no pressure…

Cassandra threw the spear into the heart of the Great Tree, her aim swift and true. With one strike, the spear sent a wave of neutralizing energy through every corner of the Tree, stopping Zhan Tiri’s magic in its tracks and causing the vines to immediately retract. Rapunzel was freed first, and as she fell to her knees, Cassandra was there immediately. Stalyan and Varian were dropped to the ground, gasping for breath as they fell and as Eugene and Lance rushed to their sides. Hector was freed from the vines ensnaring him, falling unconscious to the ground with a thud as Adira walked over to check on him. Zhan Tiri’s magic had been sealed away once again, and Cassandra couldn’t help but smile as she turned to Rapunzel.

“Thank you for trusting me, Rapunzel…” Cassandra told her, a tear of gratitude sliding down her face.

“I knew you could do it, Cass,” Rapunzel replied, their foreheads pressing together. “I just…”

Rapunzel then turned away from Cassandra, who knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“I just felt responsible for everyone,” said the princess, looking all around at her friends, who were all smiling with relief that their ordeal was at last over. “I’m going to be queen someday, and that means I’m going to be responsible for everyone in Corona… and even though all of you feel like you have to protect me, I feel just as strongly about protecting all of you. That’s why I thought that the incantation was the only choice. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you, Cassandra, I just felt that I needed to protect everyone myself.”

“Hey, Blondie,” said Eugene, pulling Stalyan close to him as the two looked at Rapunzel with admiration. “You’ve been looking out for us all this time, let us share the burden.”

“You’ve always put others before yourself, Rapunzel,” said Varian, clinging his notebook tightly to his chest as Ruddiger perched on his shoulder. “Like when you went back to Old Corona to try and save my dad.”

“And you trusted me to protect everyone back in Corona,” Cassandra replied.

“Which… turned out to be the right call,” said Rapunzel, taking Cassandra’s hand.

“I know… what you were trying to do, Raps, I just… couldn’t bear to lose you,” Cassandra replied, wiping another tear from her face. “Seeing you lose yourself to that incantation, it terrified me, and I… didn’t ever want to see that happen again.”

Rapunzel looked down at the strand of hair in her hand, then looked up, her mind thinking back to the incantation and everything it had done. She then stood up with Cassandra, taking her hands and looking into her eyes.

“Cassandra, I promise, I will never use that incantation again,” said Rapunzel. “No matter what, I won’t use its terrible power. You’ll never have to worry about that.”

Adira sighed, disappointed that the princess would commit herself to such a promise, and knowing that Cassandra had been lucky to be able to save them… but she also knew that once Rapunzel set her mind to something, she stuck with it, and trusted that no matter what happened, the Sundrop would be able to protect everyone’s destinies.

Cassandra was touched by Rapunzel’s promise, and after nuzzling their foreheads together again, leaned in to kiss her.

“If only I could believe that.”

Rapunzel and Cassandra, along with everyone else, looked up to see Lucan standing on a branch high above, in a doorway overlooking the platforms below. He was focused particularly on Rapunzel, and though he hadn’t seen everything that had happened with Zhan Tiri’s dark magic, he’d certainly felt it… and had heard just how close Rapunzel had been to using the Decay Incantation a second time. He’d also heard her promise… but he’d seen promises broken before.

“Lucan?” Rapunzel said, walking over to get a closer look at him. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that your power has become far too dangerous,” Lucan said, remaining where he stood as the princess looked up into his eyes. “You’re the Sundrop, but now you’re corrupted with that terrible incantation… its magic the same type of darkness that destroyed our kingdom.”

“Lucan, it was the Moonstone that destroyed our kingdom, not the Sundrop,” said Adira, walking over as well. “And now that Rapunzel is nearing the Moonstone, she can neutralize its power and restore everything.”

“No,” said Lucan, shaking his head. “She’s going to destroy everything. That’s why I can’t let her get near the Moonstone, or Umbra.”

“That’s not your call,” Adira told him.

“Oh, but it is,” Lucan replied, extending his hand. “Rapunzel, I truly did think that you would be the one to save us, but after seeing you lose yourself so easily to the powers of darkness, I can’t take the risk. It’s as Demanitus himself once told me. In the wrong hands, the Sundrop is capable of far more destruction and death than the Moonstone could ever be. You are not worthy of its power… and so you and your friends must remain here for all eternity.”

“I knew it, I knew I couldn’t trust you!” Cassandra shouted, taking out her sword and starting toward one of the branches leading up to where Lucan was standing. “And for your information, Rapunzel is the only person I trust to wield the Sundrop, it’s her destiny. She’s kind, and brave, and smart, and you’re wrong about her!”

“Cassandra,” Lucan said sadly, shaking his head. “Do you remember before, when I asked if you could choose between saving the world and saving Rapunzel? It was a test, and you failed it. You made your choice, and if you’re so devoted to your precious Sundrop, I’m sure you’ll be more than happy to stay here with her. All of you are staying here with the Sundrop. Including you, Adira. I’m sorry it had to be this way, but your blind belief in this naïve little princess will be the end of you… as it will all of you.”

“You can’t do this!” Eugene shouted, unsheathing his sword. “You don’t get to decide what Rapunzel does or where she goes, just because you don’t think she can handle her powers!”

“I am telling you, she can control it!” Cassandra protested, furiously charging toward the path leading up to Lucan. “And you can’t stop any of us!”

“I most certainly can,” Lucan said coldly, pointing his hand at Rapunzel and narrowing his eyes. “And I’ll show you just how little control you really have, Rapunzel.”

Lucan then began to recite words that chilled the hearts of everyone in the room… the words to the Decay Incantation.

“Wither and decay… end this destiny… break these earthly chains… and set the spirit free.”

At first, nothing happened, and Cassandra just smirked, looking back at Rapunzel and even starting to laugh.

“It doesn’t work if you say it, Lucan, you have to- …Rapunzel?!”

The princess’ eyes were starting to blacken over, and her hair was doing the same. She wasn’t reciting the incantation, and was completely lucid, but somehow, the dark magic was being called out of her, and she looked down at her hands in horror as she saw everyone around her begin to collapse, crying out in agony.

“What… how….?! I can’t control it!”

“Rapunzel!” Cassandra shouted, turning and rushing back to her.

“Lucan, how…?!” Adira stammered, falling to one knee and gripping a nearby rock to support herself.

Lucan continued the incantation, this time its second verse… a verse that not even the scrolls or the inscriptions on the wall contained.

“Crumble into dust… dark bleed into light… take what once breathed life… and give it to the night… GIVE IT TO THE NIGHT!”

A wave of dark magic emanated from Rapunzel’s body, causing everyone to immediately collapse to the ground, crying out as the life was sucked from their bodies. Lucan, standing high above, was affected far less, but even he too could feel the energy pulling the life from him, and he staggered back into the doorway, but not before his hands lit up with energy.

“Goodbye, Rapunzel.”

He then fired a small explosive burst into every possible exit from the room, causing all the archways to collapse and filling them all with debris as he slipped away… trapping everyone else inside with Rapunzel, who was still being forced to use the incantation’s magic against her will. She fell to her knees, tears racing down her cheeks as she muttered the spell to herself, eyes wide with terror as she looked over at Cassandra.

“I can’t… stop…!” Rapunzel sobbed, almost screaming for help.

“Raps…!”

Summoning all of her strength, Cassandra ran to Rapunzel’s side and reached out to touch her, trying to break the spell. As she did, she screamed out in pain and clutched her hand… the injuries she’d sustained from Hector were flaring up again, and she’d been unable to touch Rapunzel before the pain forced her to pull herself back. She tried again, but this time she was stopped by Adira, who’d fought through her own pain just to get up and restrain Cassandra.

“What are you doing, let me go!” Cassandra shouted, trying to break free from Adira’s grip.

“Anything that touches her, you’ll lose!” Adira shouted back. “The magic is too strong now!”

“I DON’T CARE!” Cassandra screamed, still trying to break free. “LET ME GO, GODS DAMMIT!”

Eugene came over and grabbed Cassandra as well, helping to pull her away. As the dark magic continued, Rapunzel’s hair went wild, flailing about before falling all over the room, forcing everyone to crawl away from wherever it fell, lest they touch it and be immediately withered away by the evil energy coursing through it.

“We have to save her!” Cassandra yelled, before falling to her knees and sobbing, looking up at Rapunzel, whose terrified eyes were calling out to her.

“Adira… get everyone out of here…” Rapunzel said, fighting through the magic’s hold on her. She looked up at Cassandra, sadly calling to her. “Promise me you’ll go with her… promise me you’ll get out!”

“NO!” Cassandra cried, still trying to reach Rapunzel despite it all.

“Nnngh… dammit…” Stalyan grunted, barely able to crawl over to Lance and Varian, who were already unconscious on the ground. She managed to position some rocks to block Rapunzel’s lethal hair from overtaking them, but she knew it was just a matter of time before everyone was caught up. “Eugene… help me!”

Eugene stopped his efforts to restrain Cassandra, knowing that the princess knight was now barely strong enough to move at all, and came over to help his girlfriend protect Lance and Varian. Stalyan looked all around, trying to find a way out, and Eugene did the same.

“I don’t know… if we’re gonna get out of this one…” Stalyan said weakly, before smiling at Eugene. He smiled back at her, and placed his hand on her cheek.

“Hey… it’ll be okay,” Eugene replied, tenderly stroking Stalyan’s face. “At least we… got to see the world again, huh?”

Stalyan nodded and sighed, before bowing her head, realizing this might truly be their last adventure. Nearby, Adira was the only one still standing, but just barely. She looked all around, searching for a way out, but Lucan had blocked off every possible path. She then felt the tree start to rumble, as Rapunzel’s magic made its way into every root, every branch, every inch of the Great Tree’s structure.

It's going to collapse… thought Adira, falling to her knees. That would free us, but not before the Decay Incantation kills us first.

She looked down at her hands, then back at Rapunzel, who was still powerless to stop herself and her magic from destroying the tree. She sighed, shaking her head.

So this is how it ends. Hector was right… but not in the way he thought he’d be. And Lucan, why? Why now? Why kill us all just to keep Rapunzel from reaching the Dark Kingdom? After all these years searching for the Sundrop, we finally find it, and now you want to trap it forever?

Thinking back, Adira knew Lucan had his reasons… reasons that went back far longer than any of the others knew. Outside, Lucan was already staggering out the other side of the Great Tree, watching as it began to crumble behind him. He smiled with grim satisfaction, then looked out, toward the Dark Kingdom beyond… and realized exactly what he needed to do next.

I’m going to do what I should’ve done 27 years ago… thought Lucan, who had finally realized after all of these years that the only one who could save the Dark Kingdom was him. I will take the Moonstone myself.

Back inside the Great Tree, Cassandra could barely move, much less try to reach out to Rapunzel again. She could only reach out with her eyes now, looking into Rapunzel’s and trying to reassure her, even though they both knew there was no chance for salvation for either of them.

“Rapunzel, I’m sorry…” Cassandra gasped, needing to use all of her strength now just to speak. “I’m… I’m so sorry…”

“Cass… I’m sorry too…” Rapunzel replied, sobbing her words as she felt everyone’s lives slipping away all around her. “Everyone, I’m sorry!”

Eugene and Stalyan heard Rapunzel’s cries of agony, and Stalyan could see a single tear slip down Eugene’s face as he looked over at Rapunzel.

I promised… and I can’t do anything to save you… thought Eugene, unable to protect either Rapunzel or Stalyan. He felt Stalyan’s hand on his cheek, wiping the tear from his face. “Stalyan, I’m sorry.”

“Eugene…” she weakly gasped, before taking one final look around the room. She thought back to the waterfall the group had seen before… and remembered the direction from where they’d come. There was a door nearby, across a series of platforms, a door barred by debris. That’s where the waterfall was, and now Stalyan could see a small trickle of water emerging from behind it. The rumbling was intensifying… behind that door, maybe, just maybe… if I can just reach it…

Stalyan then turned to Eugene, and leaned in to kiss him tenderly on the lips. She parted from him with a smile, turning back toward the door.

“I have an idea,” she told him. “Just hang on until I get back, and keep Lance and Varian safe…!”

Summoning all her strength and determination, Stalyan rose to her feet and started toward the blocked off door. Eugene reached out to her, trying to grab her hand, but she looked back at him and shook her head calmly.

“Trust me,” she told him, smiling.

“…with my life,” Eugene replied, smiling back at her.

Stalyan pushed herself forward toward the platform leading to the door, but despite the adrenaline flowing through her body, it was still a struggle, and Adira could see that she was barely able to move. She stood up, walking toward Stalyan in an attempt to intercept her.

“Stalyan, wait,” Adira told her. “Let me go up there and unblock the door.”

Stalyan shook her head, pointing at the debris.

“See that? The gaps are too small for that… huge sword of yours, wow that’s a big sword,” Stalyan said, blinking for a moment as her treasure sniffing senses briefly returned. “No, only my rapier can get through the gaps… it’ll be okay… I can… I can make it!”

With a surge of strength, Stalyan leapt the gap to the next platform, and finally reached the path in front of the door as Adira watched from below. Adira sheathed her sword, looking on in concern. Stalyan yelled down at her.

“Help Eugene protect the others, I’ll be-”

The room shook violently and everyone, even Adira, collapsed to the floor. Rapunzel’s magic surged, and everyone let out cries of agony as more of the life was drained from them. Rapunzel’s jet-black hair continued to slither across the room, snapping at everyone. Adira was barely able to move Eugene, Varian, and Lance out of the way, and Cassandra rolled away from both the hair and Rapunzel, the strands now forming an impassable gap that barred her from reaching the princess without ending her own life.

“RAPUNZEL!” Cassandra screamed, weakly reaching out before fading and hitting the floor.

“Unnngh….AAAAAGHH!!!” Stalyan cried out, somehow making it back to her feet. “Oh… dammit.”

The strands of Rapunzel’s hair had fallen across the entire pathway leading to the blocked door. They pulsed with dark energy, and Stalyan knew that even with her boots, a single step would cause her body to decay immediately. She looked across at the door, seeing the water still slowly trickling through, and then back down at the others, including Eugene… who had now just passed out himself, slumped against Lance and Varian as Adira shielded them all.

She looked at the door again… and gripped the handle of her sword.

“Here… goes… nothing…!”

She jumped the gap, and landed about five feet from the door, right on top of the carpet of pulsating hair. She screamed immediately, and nearly fell right then and there, feeling her feet and legs start to wither away inside her boots. She screamed again, louder this time, her agonized cries reaching Rapunzel down below.

“No, Stalyan…!!!”

Even Eugene awoke, his eyes fluttering open just in time to see Stalyan take another step, and then another, crying out in pain with each step she took, but determined to see this through.

“Stalyan…” he gasped, reaching up to her.

With every step, Stalyan felt the painful destruction of nerves, skin, muscle, the decay eating all the way down to her bones as she finally reached the door. She looked through the debris until she found a gap big enough to fit her sword through, stabbing it in all the way to the hit with a scream of absolute determination and pain.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

Summoning every ounce of courage and strength, Stalyan pushed downward as hard as she could, using the sword as a fulcrum to pry the rocks free. After several seconds of painful effort, she felt part of the debris give way.

And then came the flood.

Water surged through the opening, pushing Stalyan immediately off the pathway and down onto the main platform, landing with a loud grunt next to Adira and Eugene. Water continued to surge through, and soon it reached Rapunzel, finally snapping her from the spell just in time to restore everyone’s strength… strength they would need, as the flood and the collapse of the tree began to destroy everything around them.

“Raps!” Cassandra called out, rushing to her side and finally scooping her up into her arms.

Nearby, Stalyan twitched in pain on the ground, and Eugene lifted her up, while Lance took Varian. Pascal and Ruddiger climbed onto Maximus and Fidella, while Owl accompanied Cassandra as she ran with Rapunzel, dodging debris that fell around them. Adira looked down below the platform, and knew what she had to do. She looked over at Rapunzel.

“Stay on the path, Rapunzel,” Adira told her. “All our destinies lie with you.”

She then leapt down below, finding the unconscious Hector quickly amidst a tangle of broken vines. She grabbed him, and his wolverines latched onto her. Above, Cassandra could see that a large crack had opened in the room, and she rushed out of it with Rapunzel in her arms, while Eugene and Lance followed, carrying Stalyan and Varian to safety. Behind them, the Great Tree was collapsing into the canyon below, taking all its artifacts and secrets with it. Cassandra leapt with Rapunzel across a wide cliff, landing on the other side and tumbling with her before clutching her broken hand, taking off her glove to see that while Hector’s stomps had bruised it, it was still mostly intact… and certainly in better shape than it would’ve been had Adira not stopped her from grabbing Rapunzel.

“Uggh…. Raps, are you all right?” Cassandra asked, as nearby, she watched Lance set down Varian and Eugene set down Stalyan. Varian quickly stood, but Stalyan didn’t get up. At the moment, she was more concerned with Rapunzel.

“I… I think so…” said Rapunzel, clutching her head and groaning.

“Lucan’s going to pay for what he tried to do,” said Cassandra, clenching her fist and looking back toward the canyon. As she did, she could see Varian rushing over, a look of horror on his face.

“Guys? It’s Stalyan,” he said, his voice quivering.

Cassandra and Rapunzel rushed to her side, and when they made it over to where Eugene had set her down, they could both see that she was in dire straits. Her eyes were twitching violently, and she could barely speak… and when she wasn’t speaking, she was gasping. Her shoes had completely burned off, along with her stockings, while her pants were in tatters, revealing that every inch of skin below her waist, and even slightly above, had completely blackened. The decay went deeper than that… every internal organ, every blood vessel… all succumbed to the destruction wrought by the incantation.

“I’m… sorry, Eugene…” Stalyan gasped, knowing immediately how serious her injuries were.

“Stalyan, no… no!” Eugene shouted, gripping her hand tightly. He looked at Rapunzel, tears already streaking down his face. “Rapunzel, help her!”

Rapunzel was now tearing up as well, and as she grabbed Stalyan’s other hand in both of hers, she began wrapping her hair all around Stalyan’s broken lower body, praying desperately to any deity who might be listening to please let her healing powers work one last time.

“Flower, gleam and glow…” Rapunzel sang quickly, tears flooding her face. “Make your powers shine…!”

“It… won’t work…” Stalyan gasped, looking at Rapunzel and smiling. “It’s… okay…”

“Don’t try to talk,” Cassandra told her, begging her to save her strength as her own eyes flooded with tears.

“Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mine…”

“Aaaaahhh….!!!!” Stalyan weakly cried out, pain shooting through her entire body as her half-decayed heart tried one last time to pump blood to the rest of her destroyed organs. “Eugene…!”

She gripped his hand tightly with her shaking one, fighting the urge to cry out again and giving him one more smile.

“Heal what has been hurt, change the fates’ design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine…! What… once… was….”

Rapunzel, finally realizing that nothing could be done for Stalyan now, collapsed into tears, putting her head in her hands and sobbing broken apologies. Cassandra held her tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she fought desperately to console her princess. Lance and Varian were now crying as well, and Maximus, Fidella, and the other animals all looked on, surrounding Stalyan as she fought to tell Eugene she loved him one last time.

“Stalyan, please, no… we… we had so much to do together, you changed, I changed…! We were gonna see the world, we were finally gonna get married, you and me, Stalyan, please don’t do this, please…!”

Eugene was stammering through sobs, but as Stalyan squeezed his hand, he felt a strange calm go over him… his tears continued to fall, but he stopped sobbing, even as sorrow still filled his heart. Stalyan knew she didn’t have the strength to give him one last kiss, but she continued to grip his hand tightly until she could no longer hold it, letting it slowly slip away.

“Eugene… I… love… y…y…you…”

The last word and the last breath slipped from Stalyan’s lips at the same time, and then she was gone. Her eyes closed, and her arm dropped to the ground, and Eugene just knelt over her, stunned into silence as rivers of tears fell from his cheeks to the ground. Varian convulsed with sobs as intense as the ones he cried when his father had been encased, and Cassandra immediately pulled him to her chest and held both him and Rapunzel, letting them both sob as she cried and looked over into Eugene’s eyes.

“Eugene, I am so, so sorry,” she told him.

Adira, having watched as the wolverines carried Hector away, now walked over to the others, but kept her distance, not having anything to say to them as they mourned Stalyan’s passing. She looked past them, toward the Dark Kingdom, and knew that no matter what the price, no matter how deeply the Sundrop mourned, she had to reach Umbra and achieve her destiny.

For Stalyan, that destiny has ended. For the rest of you, it’s only just begun.

O-O-O

The group took the time they needed to bury Stalyan beside the resting place of the Great Tree, marking her burial spot with her rapier embedded into the ground and a beautiful red rose laid beside it. Everyone had something to say, while Adira remained back, seated on the ground with her legs crossed, watching the solemn ceremony proceed. Rapunzel and Eugene were the last to speak, and the princess honored Stalyan as best she could, as doubt echoed through her mind that everything that had happened was her fault.

Lucan was right… I can’t control this terrible power, and now it’s taken Stalyan’s life. What am I doing here… how can I even go on?

She felt Cassandra’s hand on her shoulder, and found the strength to eulogize her departed friend.

“Stalyan was… as brave as any of us, perhaps even more so. She found the courage to reach that door and save us all, despite knowing what would almost certainly happen to her. But more than that… more than that, she found the courage to leave the life she knew and walk with us on this perilous journey. She had resolved to end her own life of crime, and to end her father’s as well. She’s… an inspiration… that we can all be… better people. Each and… every one…. of us…”

Rapunzel let out another sob, but quickly dried her tears and knelt down beside Stalyan’s grave, reaching out and touching the freshly-placed dirt over her grave.

“Thank you, Stalyan… for everything,” said Rapunzel, as more of her tears fell upon the dirt. And… I hope you can forgive me.

As Rapunzel tearfully walked back over to Cassandra, into another supporting embrace, Eugene knelt down beside Stalyan’s grave, kissed the tips of his fingers, and placed them on the rose.

“I don’t… really have a lot to say,” he uttered, wiping a tear from his face. “Except… that I love you, Stalyan, and I always will. I wish… I wish I’d realized that sooner. I wish I… I wish I could’ve gotten that door open in your place. I’d give anything to have you back.”

Lance walked over and placed a hand on Eugene’s shoulder, and Eugene stood up, immediately feeling Lance’s arms around him.

“I’m gonna miss her too, buddy,” said Lance, looking down at the grave as the two embraced and cried together. “She was… the best damn thief I ever met. Okay, tied with you, but… still.”

Adira sighed, her own heart going out to Stalyan as well. She’d seen so much death in her life, both back in Umbra as a result of the Moonstone’s baleful miasma, and back in Kimura witnessing the slaughter of her own family. But still… time was of the essence. She knew where Lucan was headed next, now that he believed the Sundrop wouldn’t save them.

He’s going for the Moonstone, thought Adira, looking toward Rapunzel and the others. But fortunately for us, not directly for the Moonstone…

She’d planned on leaving the group behind, but now, she knew she needed to stay with them just a little while longer. There were things they needed to know, secrets about Lucan’s past and her own that needed to be revealed… things she now regretted keeping from them.

And despite her own grief and guilt, Rapunzel sensed that same urgency as well… turning away from Cassandra and toward the Dark Kingdom and the path that lay ahead.

“Rapunzel?” Cassandra said, standing alongside her with her newly-bandaged hand now clasped in the princess’. “It’s your call.”

“Stalyan’s sacrifice can’t be for nothing,” Rapunzel said, her voice tinged with new resolve. “This path has been laid out for me. There is no turning back.”

The wind began to blow through Rapunzel’s hair, and her friends all followed her, Eugene lingering for just a moment at Stalyan’s grave before joining the rest of them as they walked. Rapunzel looked straight onward, the sun rising before her, thousands of spikes lining the treacherous road ahead.

“I am going to the Dark Kingdom.”