Power of the Moon (a tangled Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-Five

Varian followed her as Cassandra arrived at the hidden entrance to the tower and pulled back the vines.
"So what is this place?", Varian asked peering around her shoulder.
"The old tower is through here and it's where Gothel hid Rapunzel all those years ago. I have a feeling Rapunzel's here.", Cassandra answered.
Varian felt excited and nervous, "So if she is, what are we going to do?"
"We need to capture her.", Cassandra said looking at Varian, "And under no circumstances kill her. Is that understood?"
Varian blinked, "Whaaah, did you just say kill her?"
Cassandra sighed, "No, we don't kill her, understand?"
"Uhhh, yeah I guess.", Varian answered a little concerned.
Cassandra gave him a long look and turned away from him, "Alright, follow me."
Varian nodded even though Cass wasn't paying attention anymore and followed her through the vines into a little passage.
He walked after her in silence and thought about Cassandra's order not to kill Rapunzel.
Cassandra was different and he knew it.
She was brooding, grim, and an aura of blood thirst seemed to radiate from her.
It was terrifying for Varian to see this side of her, but he had a dreaded feeling this Cass was only the tip of the iceberg.
It was only a matter of time before she let out a terrifying monster.
Even if Cassandra wanted revenge, he knew that Cass valued life and would only take it if necessary.
So what had made her completely and utterly break in order to make her like this?
Varian's head throbbed as he wondered and questioned these things and he felt the power of the moonstone trying to block it out.
He then remembered remembering that he knew the moonstone was bad.
That it was trying to overtake him with its power.
But just as he was remembering, it was gone as his fathers image appeared in his head and he brewed on his hatred that was magnified by the opal.
The stone had replaced his thoughts with power and revenge, making him forget the dangers of the moonstone.
Varian followed Cass as she came to the exit and he stopped as she held up her fist and put a finger to her lips.
She then pointed out and hunkered down behind some rocks, spying on Rapunzel and her friends.
Varian followed suit and watched Rapunzel, Eugene, Lance and a couple of others he didn't know talk.
He strained his ears trying to hear their conversation and creeped forward carefully until he was finally in hearing range.
"I'm Cassandra's father.", a tall creepy man announced to the group.
Varian gasped and blinked several times at the same time as Rapunzel and her friends.
He felt someone beside him and turned to see a stone-faced Cass behind him silently watching them.
Varian turned back to the strangers and familiar faces dumbstruck as he listened to Hector's story.
Every word the freakishly tall gothic man said shocked him as he unfolded Cassandra's parents.
That man was Cass's father! Not only that, but Gothel was her mother!?
He turned and glanced at Cass to see how she was taking this information, but her face was unreadable and calculating.
Varian listened intently as the conversation went on and turned towards defeating Cassandra and him.
As he watched Rapunzel's reaction, Varian felt some of the blood drain from his face as well.
Destroy?
She would have to destroy them?
He then felt his dread wash away as the moonstone reminded him of the power he possessed.
Rapunzel would never have the guts to end either himself or her best friend.
She would freeze up and try talking sense back into them or something like that, whatever cheesy naive junk that she could come up with.
Varian smirked haughtingly as the strangers protested against the knowledge Hector was handing out and said Rapunzel wasn't ready for.
He then shook his head, he couldn't get all haughty or Rapunzel would beat him.
"Come on.", Cassandra hissed in his ear suddenly making him jump slightly.
He stood and followed as they inched forward as the group stopped talking as Hector suspected their presence.
Varian creeped along the foliage after Cass as she stalked toward Eugene.
She then motioned for Varian to stay put as she got in a position to jump out at the group.
Turning, Cassandra looked at Varian, "Listen, don't do anything until I say you can come out. You got that? No matter what.", she whispered so quietly Varian had to strain his ears even though they were beside each other.
He then watched as Cass suddenly grew rocks around Eugene, Lance, Shorty, and the rest of the group in a giant deadly cage.
All, except Rapunzel.
Rapunzel barely had time to register what was happening when Cassandra slammed her against a tree with her arm sword to her neck,
"Hey Raps, hows it going? It's been a while.", Cassandra greeted smirking.
Varian shivered as he watched her smile and looked at the group of friends and strangers.
She had done all that in less than ten seconds. Ten seconds!
Cassandra was definitely an enemy to be reckoned with, if not her cunning and fighting, but also her speed.
Varian glanced at Rapunzel's comrades and stared at the black rock prison.
The friends were trapped in a intricate cage of rocks with sharp pointed ends nearly touching their throats and woven rock restraints on their arms and legs.
Cassandra had done her work well and now they had Rapunzel, but why wouldn't she let him join her?
"Cass, let them go!", Rapunzel shouted drawing Varian's attention back to the two girls.
He watched as Cassandra just laughed, "You want them to be free? Then come with me and do as I say."
"Don't you even dare think about saying yes Rapunzel!", Eugene yelled as everyone shouted in agreement.
"Stay strong!"
"Don't back down!"
The group's cheers suddenly went out as Cass bound their mouths shut with a thrust of her arm.
Rocks obeyed her call and wound their way over her enemy's mouths, muffling the cheers and shouts.
She then turned back to Rapunzel, who had grabbed her frying pan again and was pointing it at Cassandra.
How the heck is that gonna help anyone?, thought Varian disgusted.
Cassandra raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing?"
Rapunzel braced her feet into the dirt, "Let them go Cass! Right now!", she demanded, "Or things are going to get real ugly, real fast!"
"Really?", Cassandra responded half-amused.
Varian stared as Rapunzel just narrowed her eyes and readied her pan, wholly prepared to fight her former best friend.
Rapunzel's eyes then glanced behind Cass for a millisecond, but it was enough for Varian to notice as he quickly turned and looked at the cage.
He had to will himself still and quiet as he watched a tall woman with red war paint fling herself at Cass.
Somehow, that tall lady freed herself.
Cassandra turned just in time and rolled out of the way just as the woman's sword came down.
"Really Adira?", Cassandra shouted as she blocked a blow to the head, "You know you can't beat me!"
The woman, Adira, swung her sword expertly at Cass as Rapunzel ran over and tried to free Eugene and the others.
"Maybe so, but I can still fight you!", Adira retorted dodging a cut to the gut.
Varian watched in shock as Cassandra laughed, "I was expecting more from you Adira, but I guess I was expecting a little to much from someone like you. I was hoping you'd be a noble opponent and could die nobly, but all your efforts are in vain.", she said as she caught Adira's sword blade against her own.
Suddenly a black blur shot through Adira and as Varian's eyes adjusted, what he saw nearly made him pass out.
There, in Adira's stomach and back, was a rock.
Blood immediately pooled around the wound and it ran down the rock in a sick red river.
Cassandra had impelled Adira.
Rapunzel screamed as the rock went through her friend like a needle through a piece of soft cloth.
"You tried and that's all that matters.", Cassandra whispered as Adira eyes widened as she held her stance.
The two stood close together and their blades were still crossed until Cass smiled and made the rock lower into the ground fast as she put down her sword.
Adira, the rock being ripped from her system, dropped to the ground bleeding and completely limp.
"ADIRAAAAA!!!!", Rapunzel screamed running to her side as tears flowed down her cheeks.
Varian watched the heartbroken princess shake Adira gently, hoping for some form of life.
"It's not going to change anything, prodding her like that.", Cassandra said standing over the kneeling Rapunzel and dead Adira.
Rapunzel hugged Adira and looked up, her chin shaking, "How could you?"
"How many more lives Raps?", Cassandra asked with cold eyes.
"No more lives are going to be taken.", Rapunzel responded standing up facing Cassandra, "No more."
"You know what you need to do.", Cass responded sheathing her arm sword.
"Don't Rapunzel! Please!", Eugene pleaded his mouth free.
Rapunzel looked down, "I'm sorry Eugene, but I've got no other choice."
Eugene shook his head, "Rapunzel you need to run! Save yourself and don't worry about us! Please!"
Varian felt himself start to tear up as several emotions battled through his mind.
"I'm sorry Eugene, but I can't do that!", Rapunzel said determined.
Cassandra then looked at Rapunzel, "Shall we get going?"
Rapunzel stared at her with a stony cold glare but left the area with Cassandra, leaving Varian, a bleeding Adira and grieving prisoners behind.