Green.
There was so much green.
Vines surrounded him, encased him, glowing as he stared blankly through half-lidded eyes. He could distantly hear voices...and then the vines shifted, loosening, unwrapping from around his body. Above him, an unfamiliar man looked down at him. His eyes glowed green.
With a soft groan, the once-encased man raised a hand, pausing when he saw it was glowing. A familiar face appeared before him, gently taking his hand in his own.
He knew this man. Lucas.
He slowly blinked and then groaned as everything came back to him, closing his eyes.
Corona.
Rapunzel's birth and kidnapping.
Grief, loss, anger. RAGE.
JUSTICE.
Rapunzel's return, magical hair cut.
Black rocks, Rapunzel's hair returned.
Varian.
Black rocks. Truth serum.
Varian.
Arianna's kidnapping. Automatons. Black rocks.
VARIAN.
Rapunzel standing by his side, the boy clad in black rocks with a crown atop his treacherous head. A cold, triumphant smile as he took everything from Frederic.
Everything.
He saw red.
"Frederic?"
His brow still furrowed, his scowl slowly eased off his face and he opened his eyes and focused his gaze on the man before him. Lucas. His ally.
He gripped his hand and the man slowly helped him sit up. People were surrounding him, all of them wearing robes. He was wearing a similar robe.
Disciples of Zhan Tiri.
He looked at his hand, surrounded by a green glow, and slowly opened and closed his fist.
"How are you feeling?" Lucas asked gently.
How was he feeling? Angry. Vengeful. But also... "...Hungry." He admitted.
"Well, we have some food for you." Lucas assured him. "Besides that, how do you feel?"
He looked at his hand again, watching as green sparks came from his fist before a fire formed around it. He gasped and shook his hand and the fire vanished.
"Don't worry, we'll train you up." Lucas assured him. "Can you stand?"
Frederic felt offended at the question and moved to step down off the altar. He felt a bit woozy, but was determined to not appear weak and so shook it off and set his feet firmly on the ground. "...How long have I been asleep?" He asked him.
"Around 34 days." Melina assured him. "You've been asleep for around a month, brother."
"This is Melina." Lucas introduced her. "Beside her is Selina, and over here is Tromus. Unfortunately, most of us have been sealed up, but when we free Zhan Tiri, we'll be able to free them."
"Hm." Frederic nodded. "Not many of you...us left, is there?"
"All because of that Saporian warrior." Selina hissed. "Mother and Father Feather were sealed up while you slept, as was The Jester. Regulus and Gothel betrayed us, and Sugracha is with our Mistress, trapped in another world because of the Sundrop's friends disrupting a ritual to free her."
"Gothel." Frederic whispered.
"Yes, Gothel was one of us." Lucas confirmed. "But, she betrayed us. Even in death, she uses her powers, powers given by our Mistress to aid us, to get in our way just as Regulus is doing." He chuckled a bit. "Turns out, she and Varian have a...close relationship. I wonder if he knew all along where your daughter was and was laughing behind your back while you searched for her?"
Frederic growled. "I would not be surprised at all."
Lucas nodded. "Well, now that you're awake, we have a feast prepared! Let's have a good time tonight and, tomorrow, we'll get start on training you in your new powers."
"Powers?" He looked at his hand.
"Yes." Lucas grinned. "You have powers now. Powers to rival Varian's. Powers to take your daughter, your Kingdom, back from him."
Frederic's lips curled into a shark-like grin. Lucas took a moment to appreciate his new sharp teeth and then turned to go. "Come on, let's go party!"
Frederic walked out with the rest of them, moving a hand up to shield his eyes from the bright light. Tromus snapped his fingers and the lanterns dimmed so it wasn't as bright. "You'll have to adjust to your new eyes." He told him. "Now you can see in the dark, by the way."
"That's useful." Frederic nodded.
–
Though there were only a few of them left, they still managed to consume the entire feast just by themselves. Magic, Frederic learned, apparently consumed a lot of energy and made one very, very hungry.
He'd caught sight of himself in a mirror and was examining his reflection thoughtfully. Lucas walked over and pulled him back a bit gently. "Careful there, Fred. The mirrors here tend to be a bit...grabby."
"I look so...inhuman." Frederic reached up to touch his pointed ears, opening his mouth to examine his sharp teeth, widening his eyes to see the slit pupils better. Even his nails had sharpened, everything looked so...demonic.
"Don't worry, part of your training is learning how to regain your 'human' appearance." Lucas assured him as they walked away from the mirror. "For now, just relax, talk, have fun! We've got a chess set here."
"I would like to start my training now." Frederic said, examining his sharp nails.
"Training will start tomorrow. You just woke up, you need time to adjust. You're trying to go for a swim when you've just been born." Lucas chuckled.
Frederic pouted but agreed that he had a point and let him steer him away to where the other three were in what looked like a lounge/recreation room. Tromus was playing darts while Selina had a book in her hands and Melina was sneaking up to Tromus with a teddy bear – scratch that, a real, live baby bear.
"Gah!" Tromus yelled as the bear was put on his back. "Melina!"
She giggled and stepped back while he tried to dislodge the bear without being scratched up or dropping the creature.
"Melina, why did you separate the cub from its mother?" Lucas asked.
"Who said I did?" She pointed behind them and Frederic looked back and jumped in alarm as a bear charged at them. Lucas calmly moved him out of the way and they watched as the bear charged at Tromus, roaring. Melina moved between them and held out a hand. "Shhh." She soothed, and the bear slowly calmed down and lowered her head. Melina placed her hand against the bear's head and hummed softly. "Hey, can you do me a favor?"
The bear moaned softly and Melina giggled before placing both hands on the bear's head. "Go to Corona...and make a mess. 'Kay?"
The bear roared and then turned and ran off. Melina waved as she left and then turned back to where Tromus had safely dislodged the baby. "As for you, why don't you go to Old Corona?" She tapped his nose and set him down and the baby left the same way his mother did.
"Melina can control animals." Lucas explained. "They've been trying to keep us from using animals against them, but they couldn't account for all the wildlife, could they?"
"What do you mean?" Frederic asked.
"Maximus, Pascal, Owl, all those fine, noble, loyal animals? They're all human now, because Regulus, who was the raccoon that decided to hang around Varian, told them about our abilities and what to do to counteract them. But..." Lucas chuckled, "you're new. He can't prepare for you. None of them can, least of all Varian. And I look forward to seeing what you can do."
Frederic smiled. "I'm looking forward to it, too."
"Shall we play a round?" Lucas gestured to a chess table and walked over to take a seat. Frederic took a seat across from him.
"White or black?" Lucas asked, setting the pieces back to the beginning positions.
"I already have white in front of me." Frederic replied.
Lucas nodded. "Alright."
Frederic sighed. "...What has occurred since I...since...I went to sleep?"
"What little we've managed to find out is that Gothel is helping Varian but Rapunzel doesn't know yet, Nigel was forced to reveal the bunker and it was emptied and everyone set free, Saporia is being rebuilt with King Crawford back in charge, and Rapunzel called Queen Elsa to help fight us because apparently fighting demons means they need more magic. And as if that poor woman doesn't have enough problems, they decided to foist Varian's onto her by making her his personal therapist slash trainer. Also, Varian's started dating one of the demon hunters."
"...Is my daughter married yet?" Frederic asked.
"Not yet." Lucas chuckled.
"Oh, good." Frederic sighed.
Lucas smiled. "Don't worry, we've been keeping them all far too busy to worry about that kind of thing. I'm sure you'll be happy to distract them."
"Absolutely." Fredric made his first move and gasped as the board glowed green. "What?" He breathed, looking up as smoke rose from the chess piece and revealed green-armored warriors with an image of himself among them in the same green armor.
"Well, well." Lucas chuckled. "It seems that you can project your image. Shall we take them for a spin?"
"What do I do?" Frederic asked.
"Give them a target." Lucas grinned. "How about...Old Corona?"
Frederic's lips curled into a shark-like grin.
"Very well, Varian." He purred. "Your Dark Knights against my army. Let's see who wins."
–
"Whoa, hey, it's okay." Ruddiger soothed as he stroked the little bear cub, the green light fading from its eyes. "There we go. You poor thing, Melina's grip on you was pretty strong, huh? Thank the Sun for this Ward."
The bear cub looked around and started to cry out in alarm. Ruddiger soothed him and then gasped, looking up. "...What the hell?"
"What's up?" Hector asked, walking over to him.
"A Disciple is coming this way. A strong one." Ruddiger's brow furrowed. "But I don't know this aura."
"Looks like a large mass of them." Eiram said thoughtfully as he looked at a crystal ball with several green dots appearing on it.
"Can we get a focus on it?" Floyd asked.
"Let me see." Eiram nodded and moved his hands over the crystal ball.
"Whoever it is, they can't hurt us as long as we're inside, right?" Clyde asked.
"No, not us. But we don't want them running wild, either." Varian said grimly as he and Elsa got up to walk over to look at the crystal ball.
Elsa gasped as the image changed to show a familiar face. "Isn't that—"
"Frederic!" Varian hissed. "He's a Disciple now?!"
"Well, he did disappear with one." Clyde remarked.
"Where are they bound?" Quirin asked.
"Here. They're coming here." Eiram got up.
"Then I'm going out there." Varian said, heading for the door.
"Whoa, hold on." Elsa reached out and grabbed his arm and he snatched it back. They both flinched before he looked at her.
"Sorry. I just...I'm not going to let him get away again." He went to the door. "Brotherhood, demon-hunters, Ruddiger, let's go!"
"I'm helping you, too." Elsa walked over to join him. He smiled gratefully and then he turned to see Catalina changing into her werewolf form. "Cat, no--"
"I'm helping!" She said firmly.
"...Okay, then." He nodded and they headed outside.
They could see the green, glowing attackers from the moment they stepped out. Varian changed his black rock armor to something more battle-worthy and summoned a sword as they walked out onto the bridge over the moat around his house.
The attackers marched up to meet them and then stopped. Frederic himself, clad in green armor, walked forward with a cold smile. "Varian."
"Frederic." Varian hissed.
"It seems you've made a few more friends since the revolution." He gestured to the group with him. "Queen Elsa, this is not your fight."
"You've joined creatures of the dark that threaten the entire world. It is as much Arendelle's problem as Corona's." Elsa said firmly.
"So be it." He drew his sword. "Yes, I have joined the Disciples of Zhan Tiri. They gave me strength, power, and companionship the likes I have never had." He swung his sword to the side. "And, with this power, I will cut you down and take my Kingdom, my daughter, back! You will not manipulate her any longer!"
"Well, you've just gone full-blown wacko!" Varian retorted. "I'm not manipulating Rapunzel, she took one look at the damage you did to my back and decided you'd fallen off your rocker!"
"Enough lies!" He stepped back. "I will take you down!"
His knights drew their swords and everyone on Varian's side took fighting stances, Elsa summoning ice crystals into her hands. With a feral yell from Frederic, the battle began, with both sides clashing. Elsa stayed in back and summoned ice golems to join the battle.
Blades clashed, fists and legs struck, both sides were at equal odds. Varian himself ran forward to clash blades with Frederic, fury in his eyes. He noticed, however, that something was wrong here.
Every knight that got cut down disappeared in a burst of green light and then got replaced by a new one. They weren't real. He gasped as he realized this and then cried out as he got slammed into during his moment of distraction, hitting the ground a few feet away. "Ngh!"
Thank the Moon for the armor.
Frederic moved towards him, dragging his sword along the ground. He raised his sword to cut Varian down and Varian moved to try to block it but then a blue figure moved in front of him with a burst of ice magic coming from her hands just as the sword started to come down, knocking Frederic back.
"You should have never gotten involved!" Frederic said cruelly, getting up and then slashing at her with green fire around his sword to cut through her ice. "Looks like Arendelle is going to need a new Queen!"
"NO!" Varian held out his hand as Elsa held up her hands defensively and a black rock burst out of the ground and stabbed right through Frederic's chest.
The fighting stopped. The knights all vanished, and Varian stared in shock and horror at what he'd done. Elsa stepped back, her eyes wide with horror. Then Frederic was engulfed in a green light and disappeared from the rock that impaled him, leaving not even a pool of blood behind.
"Well, that was close."
Varian scrambled to his feet and looked behind him at Frederic dusting himself off. "I was not informed that you learned to control the rocks. Unless that was simply a panic-induced creation."
Varian looked at the black rock and quickly lowered it before looking back at Frederic. He briefly wondered how he hadn't realized it sooner and then looked down at his armor – the same armor he had been wearing during the revolution.
"This was entertaining, but simply me letting you know...I'm back. And I will be taking back my Kingdom." He vanished in a green light.
Varian stared at where he was and then slumped to his knees, wrapping his arms around himself. Elsa knelt at his side and he was quickly joined by the others.
"Varian, are you alright?" Elsa asked.
He looked up at her. "...We need to get to the Capital. They have to know."
"Why not just use a mirror?" Clyde asked, helping him up.
"Because we need to have a meeting. We need to find where he's being hidden." Varian said firmly.
"What you need is to rest." Eiram walked over to him. "We'll inform Prince Andrew, he will pass the message on. Tomorrow, we will meet in the Capital."
Catalina licked a wound and whimpered a bit. Ruddiger went to help her inside to get it treated.
"So, Frederic can use illusions?" Quirin asked as they all headed back inside.
"Looks like. And probably astral projection, too. A fitting skill for someone that is always avoiding responsibility for his actions." Varian scowled.
"Varian, are you alright?" Elsa asked.
"Oh, I'm...I'm freaking out. Are you okay, though? I don't know if you've seen someone being impaled before?" He looked at her.
She wrung her hands a bit. "...No. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight, and I am...grateful Anna wasn't here to see that."
"Yeah." Varian nodded. "I'm glad Rapunzel didn't see it, too."
–
"Well, that was a fun game." Frederic said as he watched the glowing board restore itself.
"Best game of chess I've watched in a long time." Lucas chuckled. "I'm sure you must be tired after all that, though. Shall I show you to your room?"
"Yes." Frederic got up and nodded. "Thank you for such a warm welcome to your cult, Lucas."
"We're happy to have you." Lucas grinned.
"That was pretty cool." Selina agreed.
"Mm." Melina nodded. "Those Wards are so annoying, though."
"Aww, it's alright." Selina rubbed her sister's head. "We'll make them run in fear next time. For now, let's all rest up and relax for tomorrow."
"I wonder if my illusions can reach inside the Wards?" Frederic wondered as they all left the room together.
"Worth a try!" Lucas grinned.
"Another time. I am quite weary after that battle." Frederic admitted.
"We'll train you up and practice your magic starting tomorrow." Lucas assured him. "For now, we all should rest."
--
"How's she doing?" Rapunzel asked, looking in at where Andrew was treating a bear in the empty stables.
"She's hurt, but she'll recover. She's strong." Andrew assured her. "Using the wildlife...how could we have not expected this? They're monsters..."
Rapunzel walked over and sat next to him. "Here, let me heal her." She untied her hair and gently wrapped it around the wound. "Flower, gleam and glow. Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, bring back what once was mind. What once was mine."
The bear calmed down and sighed contentedly now that the pain was gone. She unwrapped her hair from the wound and Andrew smiled. "Thank you."
Rapunzel nodded, tying her hair back up. "We should find where she lives tomorrow."
"I'd rather focus our energy on finding the Disciple that controlled her." Andrew said coolly. "What was her name? Melina?"
"Andrew! Rapunzel!" Juniper ran into the stables. "Andrew, you need to carry your mirror with you everywhere. We got notice from the group in Old Corona – Frederic is back, and he's a Disciple with illusion powers. Varian also thinks he can astral project."
"What—how did Frederic get powers?" Andrew asked.
Rapunzel gasped. "That altar!"
"What altar?" He looked at her.
"The ones Varian and I were put to sleep on, when we entered the dream world together! There was a statue of Zhan Tiri!" Rapunzel reminded him.
"...That means that Tromus must've recreated The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow somewhere in Corona!" Andrew got up. "We have a lead! Something to look for!"
"I'll paint The House of Yesterday's Tomorrow so the Royal Guard knows who to look for!" Rapunzel nodded firmly as she got up.
"And I'm going to Kline." Andrew ran off and Rapunzel headed out after him.
Juniper watched them go, then walked over and sat with the bear, rubbing her head. "Looks like it's you and me, girl."
–
"Elsa was attacked?!" Anna cried in alarm when they were told the next morning.
"Old Corona was attacked, but no one is hurt, they're all fine." Eugene assured her. "They said they'll be coming here soon to discuss what happened."
"Ohh, I shouldn't have left her side..." Anna started to pace anxiously.
"Hey, hey, it's okay." Kristoff gently pulled her into his arms. "No one got hurt, it's okay. Remember, all of Varian's guards are there, plus some demon hunters and they've got magic to fight with. And they won that battle, remember? We knew there would be fighting when we came here." He gently kissed her forehead. "She's okay, Anna."
"You two are so sweet." Pascal said with an adoring smile.
"Anna!" Anna gasped and turned to see Elsa coming into the courtyard with Varian and the others.
"Elsa!" She ran to her and they tightly hugged.
Catalina ran to Kiera, who looked at her wound anxiously. "Rapunzel!"
"I thought no one got hurt?" Rapunzel asked as she untied her hair and wrapped it around the wound to start healing it.
Varian sighed. "I said everyone was okay. That would've healed on its own just fine in a day if it was left alone."
"We're alright." Elsa assured her anxious sister. "But, we need to talk about what happened, what we're dealing with."
"Right." Rapunzel nodded, tying her hair up again. "Everyone, let's gather in the throne room."