Rapunzel didn't see Varian again until the banquet. Apparently, they'd been invited to it by her father and Varian was wearing even nicer clothes than usual. Of course, so was she. Eugene was also, of course, dressed in his finest, with his ring in the inner pocket of his tailcoat, ready to propose to her.
She felt anxious. She wanted to run, but he called her up and she had to get up with everyone staring at her. Everyone but Varian, who was looking to the side guiltily. She looked at Eugene as he dropped down on one knee in front of her and pulled out the ring, holding it up and beginning his proposal that promised she would be in the castle forever...and ever...and ever.
She cleared her throat. "Uhm...wow! Uh...I love you Eugene, but...I...I need to...think about it." She glanced around anxiously. "I...uh...I need...I need some air." She backed up, then fled the area.
"Uh, Sunshine?!" Eugene stood up in confusion, but she ignored him.
She ran and ran until she reached the tunnels and then she hid and held her head with frustration. "I can't...I can't stay here, I..."
She gasped when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Varian had joined her. "...How did you think to find me here?"
"Only you and I know it." He shrugged. "At least at this point."
She sighed and looked down. "Varian..."
He sat down next to her. "...Let's do it."
"What?" she looked up with surprise.
"Let's get out of here." He stood up and offered her his hand.
"What changed your mind?" She asked, taking his hand and getting up.
"There's nothing but a wasteland beyond the wall." He said grimly. "It's all dead. And I get the feeling, if we stay here, that's what our world, our real world, will look like."
Rapunzel gently squeezed his hand. "Let's get out of here, then. Quickly."
He nodded and they headed through the tunnels. "Shouldn't we go back out?"
"When you had the book before, I memorized the map. We can get out of the city unnoticed by going through the tunnels." Varian explained as they walked. "We just have to, heh, avoid the traps."
"Yeah, I don't have any magical long hair to save us this time." She nodded. "Oh, wow...I'd almost forgotten about it."
"It's one of the few things I retained clearly." Varian admitted.
"That's good." Rapunzel nodded, and they carefully made their way through.
"Not having Pascal here to activate traps certainly helps, too." He remarked.
They managed to make their way out of the city and to the secret dock, where they rowed away quickly. "Varian, how are we getting outside the wall?" She asked.
"We'll use rope from my home and climb up from the roof." Varian replied.
They got to the opposite bank and took off running.
"Oh dear."
They stopped short and turned to see Quirin and Eugene behind them. "Leaving so soon?" Eugene asked.
"We're done dreaming." Rapunzel said firmly.
"But it's so perfect here. So happy. Why would you want to leave?" Quirin asked.
"Because there's nothing beyond the wall, and nothing if we stay." Varian said firmly.
"Is that your final answer?" Eugene asked.
"Yes! We're leaving!" Rapunzel said firmly.
"What a shame." Quirin said, then chuckled as the world around them shifted into a blizzard landscape. "Well, you're welcome to leave, if you can find your way in this." He said as they both changed into different people with a burst of green fire.
"But, don't think we'll make this easy for you." The man that was once Eugene said with a grin. "You said 'no' to the dream, now let's see if you can escape the nightmare!"
Varian gasped as masked men started to come out of the snowy treeline, swords drawn.
"We have to run." He said weakly.
"You can still change your mind." The man that was once Quirin said with a chuckle.
"Never!" Rapunzel said firmly, then grabbed Varian's hand and ran through the snow.
"Then," "Quirin" said with a cold smile, "let the games begin."
--
"Cold, cold, cold, cold, cold!" Rapunzel whimpered as they ran.
Varian looked at her worriedly, then lifted her into his arms, earning a yelp. "Just hang on!" He said as he ran through the snow, his eyes shifting to watch for the masked men as they darted through the woods as fast as he could manage in the snow. "This would be easier if I had my goggles..."
"Varian, how did they just change the season like that?" She asked, her arms wrapped around his shoulders tightly.
"I don't know, they're magical!" He said, then gasped and ducked behind a tree, holding her closer. They heard masked men run by and held their breaths until they'd run by. "They have us trapped in a strange dream." He said, once it was safe to speak again, and carried her onwards. "We know that."
"Well...whoa!" She gasped sharply as she saw someone else standing in the snow. "Uh, who are you?"
They silently pointed to side. "Are you friend or foe?!" Varian asked.
The stranger looked around, then went towards them. "Go to the tower." He said firmly. "I'll meet you there. I can only do so much right now, but I am on your side."
"The tower?" Rapunzel breathed. "Gothel's tower?"
"How can we trust you?" Varian asked.
He held out a hand and a masked man vanished. "Go."
They nodded and Varian ran off to where he pointed.
Rapunzel looked up in surprise to see the tower still standing. Of course it would be. She got down and pulled Varian inside and through the trap door.
"Well, at least it's warmer." Rapunzel said, rubbing at her arms.
Varian looked around. "Gothel lived here?"
"Yeah." Rapunzel nodded, then gasped. "I can get her things!" She ran into another room.
Varian looked towards the window, then jumped a foot in the air when he heard the trapdoor open. To his relief, it was the guy that helped them. "Who are you?"
"Doesn't matter. All you need to know is that I'm a friend." The stranger said.
"What can I call you?" Varian asked.
The man looked to the side. "It's better you don't call me anything, trust me. I'm taking a big risk by doing this, if they found out..."
Varian pursed his lips and nodded, then turned to see Rapunzel coming out wearing boots and a cloak. She offered Varian a cloak and he put it on. "Can you help us get to the monument?" She asked.
The man nodded. "Remember, everything here is an illusion. That wasteland is a lie."
Varian held the cloak tighter around him. "Any other advice?"
"Don't get caught. They're using your cosmic powers to revive Zhan Tiri." The man told them. "So, they're not going to let you go so easily. The guy posing as Eugene is Tromus, also known as Matthews. The guy posing as your father is Lucas."
Varian held his head. "Hn..."
"Yeah, he's one of the things you forgot, I know. We should get going, now. I've made the masked men disappear, but they'll be back soon. And I can't do this for long, so--"
"So, we gotta hurry." Rapunzel nodded. "Got it."
"Let's go." He headed back down and followed him. "Normally, since its your dream and your mind, you would be able to manipulate it, but Lucas is boosting Tromus' powers, so it's not going to be so easy."
"Are you one of them?" Rapunzel asked as they trudged through the snow. "A Disciple?"
"I was. I betrayed them and was punished for it and banished." The man replied. "Which is why you can't know my name."
"Got it." Varian nodded.
The man smiled softly, then looked forward, his body tense. "Go. Go, now!" He yelled, and they ran forward just in time to avoid a burning tree falling to block their path. The man caught up to them a bit later and they ran through the snow.
"I can't tell where we are, or what's up or down or--" Rapunzel looked around frantically.
"Princess! You have to calm down or your pounding heart is going to blind your senses worse than the snow!" The man said firmly.
"He's right, we have to stay calm." Varian told her. "Or, calm-ish. Either way, we can't panic."
"Well, well."
They all gasped and turned to see Lucas standing behind them. "Looks like you found some...help."
The man fired off green fire at him and Lucas summoned vines to block it before throwing his own fire. He dodged and then grabbed Varian's and Rapunzel's hands. "I'm going to try to take you closer. Don't panic!" He yelled, and then they were all engulfed in green fire.
--
They reappeared near Old Corona, and then the man groaned. "I can't do much else, I'm afraid. Get out there and get to the monument!"
They nodded and ran for Varian's manor. Varian looked back at the man but didn't see him and didn't know why he felt such pain at not seeing him. He shook it off and they kept going.
They found rope and made their way to the roof. "Careful." He said as he helped her up. Then he tied rope to the chimney and then hung the rope over the wall into the wasteland. "Come on."
They lowered down the rope, looking around anxiously for any sign of their captors. "Do you think that guy's okay?" Rapunzel asked as they got down.
"I don't know." Varian sighed. "I hope so. Let's keep going!"
They heard something thumping and looked over to see a giant Pascal coming towards them. "Uh..."
"Run!" She grabbed his hand and they ran through the wasteland, Pascal stomping after them and roaring.
"Well, that was a sight I never thought I'd see!" Varian admitted.
"Duck!" She pulled him into a cave and they curled up together until he'd passed by, roaring. "Okay...that was...scary."
"Yeah." He nodded. "So, they know we're out here."
She looked out. "We've still got a few miles to go. How are you doing?"
"As well as I can be, considering I just threw away a perfect world where my dad actually cares for me and people don't hate me." He said dryly. He sighed. "But...I'll get over it."
She hugged him tightly. "It's going to be okay, Varian. I will never let him hurt you again. And if your dad doesn't love you, well...you've got us, and your aunt and uncle. I'm sure Hector will e happy to take you and Ruddiger in if you dad throws you out. You have options." He smiled brightly.
He chuckled a bit. "Yeah. Options."
She looked out again. "It's clear. Let's go."
She held his hand tightly as they ran from the cave, heading for the monument