Varian only slept a few hours, and then Lance, Cassandra, Andrew and Lance were loading up into the carriage while Varian got in front. Once the door closed, they set off for the Spire, Madam Tiri leading the way.
"So...we're following an invisible lady that only Varian can see to a building called the Spire that none of us know how to get to." Lance said, looking out the front window at Varian. "I mean, at least when he was going to Corona I knew the way. I have no idea if we're going the right way or not."
"We'll just have to trust in 'Madam Tiri' to lead us." Cassandra said, peeling an apple with a knife.
"She's never steered him wrong before." Andrew shrugged. Cassandra offered him a piece of apple and he accepted it, eating it with a smile.
Lance looked at them and smiled. "Aww. Should I go out there and sit with him, give you two some privacy?"
"I think Varian would tell you to come back in here and make sure we keep our hands to ourselves." Cassandra laughed.
"He told me that he'd only turn off the armor if we didn't 'mess around' in his carriage again." Andrew shrugged.
"Oh." Lance said in understanding.
They suddenly felt a jolt and looked out to see that Varian had stopped again. Cassandra opened the door and looked out. "What's wrong?"
"I need to build a bridge over this canyon." Varian replied. "It'll cut a lot of time, she said." He got down and walked over to the edge, where he knelt to the ground and started to sing, his streak and eyes glowing as he did.
"Crescent high above,
Evolving as you go.
Raise what lies beneath,
And let the darkness grow.
Bend it to my will.
Consume the sunlight's glow.
Rise into the sky,
And let the darkness grow.
Let darkness grow."
"I don't think I will ever get over how cool that kid's powers are." Andrew remarked, leaning against the carriage as a black-rock bridge formed across the canyon.
"Does he have to sing it every time, though?" Cassandra asked. "I mean, why not just chant it?"
Lance shrugged. "I haven't asked. Why don't you ask him when he's done?"
"Maybe I will." Cassandra nodded.
Varian finished and then pushed himself to his feet with the staff before he wobbled and fell back with a moan. Lance ran forward and caught him and cradled him in his arms. "You've been using so much magic." He cooed, carrying him back to the carriage. "Why don't you let someone else drive and you can rest?"
"No one else can see her..." Varian said, shaking his head. "And I need to leave the trail for her."
Cassandra frowned. "So, she really can't be visible to anyone else?"
Varian looked around. "Madam Tiri?"
Cassandra gasped a blue woman flickered into view, her form completely transparent. She walked up to Varian and cupped his cheek before turning to Cassandra.
"Can you hear me, daughter of Gothel? Surely, you must harbor some magic in you?"
"I...Yeah. Yeah, I can hear you." Cassandra nodded.
"I will siphon some of your innate magic to fuel my own, and you will lead the way while Varian rests. Of course, this will mean that the trail will end, but I suspect they will find their own way to the Spire."
Cassandra nodded and got in front. "Lead the way."
Lance carried Varian in and Andrew got him some water to drink before shutting the door. Cassandra set off with a "Hyah!" and they crossed the bridge Varian just created to continue on to the Spire.
Varian moaned softly and Lance stroked his hair soothingly, resting his head in his lap. "It's okay, little bro." Lance assured him. "Cassandra's leading. You can rest now."
Varian smiled and snuggled up close to him. Andrew offered him some more water, which he gratefully drank.
"We need to find him a pond or something soon." Andrew remarked.
"We'll find something." Lance nodded.
"That Baron guy wanted to meet with Varian. Maybe we can drop by his place after the Spire." Andrew suggested.
"Uhhh, why would we want to go to The Baron?" Lance asked, laughing nervously.
"Because he wants to talk with Varian and he's offered room and board. It's up to Varian, of course." Andrew nodded.
"Right..." Lance looked a bit nervous but decided not to share his apprehension with Andrew.
--
Cassandra followed Zhan Tiri down the road, with the woman pausing every so often to make sure that Cassandra was keeping up. It was...strange, following what was essentially a spirit, a ghost, someone that wasn't really there but somehow knew everything going on.
It was unnerving, but she wasn't about to tell Varian his mentor was creepy.
Do you have questions?
Cassandra gasped as she realized the woman was speaking to her in her mind. "I...uh...not right now, no."
Feel free to ask if you do. I indulge curiosity.
"Okay..." Cassandra gripped the reins tightly. "You know my mother, right? She was your student?"
Yes, before Demanitus sealed me away. She was one of three students of Demanitus that turned on him when he turned on me. He wanted to hide the power of the moonstone and sundrop from the world. I seek to benefit the world with them. And Varian has been such a good boy, making such wonderful plans even without my prompting.
"Why do you want to destroy Corona so badly?" Cassandra asked.
I swore to him that I would destroy his precious Corona when he turned on me. I tried to do it by turning into a blizzard, but he used that machine Varian destroyed to stop me and partly seal my power.
"Wow." Cassandra nodded. "That's why he destroyed it, then."
Yes, he's such a good boy.
She smiled a bit. "Do you see him as a son?"
I...
The image ahead of her flickered as she looked thoughtful and then shrugged with a nod before moving on.
I suppose, in a way, I do. Though he has made it clear that he does not want to call me his mother. He still thinks his mother is alive somewhere.
"Is she?" Cassandra asked.
...We will worry about that when we have achieved our goals. One dream at a time. The boy can only reach for so much at once.
"Yeah, that's understandable." Cassandra nodded.
--
They traveled for a week from there, with Varian and Cassandra switching off so they could keep going while the other rested. They stopped when they found another river and let Varian have a soak for a few hours,
"So, are we not leaving the trail anymore?" Lance asked as he brought out food for them all.
"Cass can't leave the trail, so it's inconsistent." Varian shrugged, biting into his sandwich. "Besides, Madam Tiri said they took another road."
"Yeah, because they actually have a map." Cassandra remarked, standing by with her armor on and sword ready in case of trouble.
"We'll be there long before they will." Varian assured her. "So, we're going to camp out at the Spire to wait for her to show up."
"How are we getting in? I heard there's a key held only by the Keeper of the Spire." Andrew remarked.
Varian flicked his wrist and a black rock stabbed into a boulder. Andrew nodded. "Of course."
Madam Tiri giggled. She was in her Mer form right now, sitting in the water next to Varian. She didn't need to "recharge", but she liked copying whatever form Varian was in at the time, Cassandra noticed.
It was kind of sweet.
Varian stretched out his arms and then pushed out of the water, his body changing back to the human form as it was covered with the armor again. "Let's move on."
"Alright." Cassandra nodded. "Who's driving?"
"I am. You're going to sleep." Varian said as he got dressed.
"We gotta get you some cooler clothes." Andrew remarked. "Something more befitting of a god."
"A god?" Varian laughed a bit.
"You're the literal moonstone. You're a god, kid." Andrew said as he and Cassandra walked over to him to get their armor removed.
"Well, then doesn't that make the princess a goddess?" Varian asked as he reverted their armor to bracelets.
"I suppose it does." Andrew nodded.
"Maybe The Baron will have something. We'll pay him a visit after we finish at the Spire and let Rapunzel go find the piece Madam Tiri can't locate." Varian decided.
"How many pieces are there?" Lance asked.
"Four, and two of them are in the Dark Kingdom." Varian chirruped in amusement. "Once she gets her piece, I'm going home and she's gonna follow me!"
"Nice, I get to see your homeland." Andrew grinned.
"The land of the Mer?" Lance asked eagerly.
"Well, the Dark Mer, at least. There's others." Varian shrugged.
Cassandra yawned. "Well, let's get to that Spire."
They nodded and Varian went to the front while the others went inside. Lance paused and walked over to sit up front with him. "Want some company?"
Varian looked at him, then looked at Andrew. "You'll keep your hands to yourself?"
"I won't wake the lady." Andrew assured him. "I'll behave."
"You better, or I'll trap your wandering hands in blocks." Varian nodded firmly.
"You're so strict, boss." Andrew laughed as he went in after Cassandra.
Lance smiled and climbed up to sit next to Varian. "To the Spire!"
Varian chirruped in agreement and gripped the reins before lashing them. "Hyah!"
"You know, I've been thinking," Lance said as they headed down the road, following Madam Tiri, "we need a team name!"
"Why?" Varian asked.
"I dunno, just for fun? Like...Team Awesome! Or...Team Moon! Moon Team? Moon Team and Sun Team!" Lance grinned.
Varian chirruped, nodding. "Yeah, okay. That works."
"Yes! We're gonna beat the Sun Team, because we're the superior Moon Team with the greatest leader ever!" Lance declared.
Varian chirruped louder this time and nudged him. "You're just flattering me now."
"Nonsense!" Lance grinned and nudged him back. "I'm by your side no matter what, little god."
"Oh boy, a new nickname is born." Varian shook his head with a smile. "'Little moon', 'little bro', 'little god', 'little pup'-"
"Who calls you 'little pup'; because that is adorable." Lance cut him off.
"My dad." Varian blushed. "Young Mer are called 'pups', so..."
"Aww." Lance hugged him. "That's so cute!"
"Okay, seriously, I'm driving." Varian nudged him off and Lance nodded, looking forward.
"So...what's this big 'final confrontation'?" He asked.
"When the Sun and Moon collide in battle. Her creation powers against my destruction." Varian nodded.
"Buuuuut, you create, too." Lance chuckled. "And I bet she's also got some destructive stuff of her own."
"You think so?" Varian hummed.
"Yeah. I bet there's a whole bunch of powers that she hasn't unlocked, and you, too! Maybe the secret to restoring the Dark Kingdom lies in unlocking the healing stuff?" Lance suggested. "Maybe...you just need to look inside yourself to find it."
"...Hm." Varian looked thoughtful.
Could he be capable of healing magic? There was probably loads of powers he hadn't unlocked; the moonstone was so powerful after all and came from the moon itself. He was potentially able to control the water, and she could probably control fire if she figured it out.
'Look inside myself, huh...' He thought.