Hours Before/No One's POV:
Hunter walks down the sunny hallways of the Coronan castle with a large smile on his face. He had just travelled to the bright kingdom, and the knight was very excited to see his husband and child again. The King and Queen had welcomed Hunter to their kingdom before he hurried off to find Varian.
Hunter had been searching for the alchemist for almost twenty minutes now, but there seemed to be no sign of loving advisor anywhere. He reaches the kitchen where he finds Gruffy and Ruddiger, accompanying Lance and his two daughters: Kiera and Catalina. They were surprised to find Hunter there but seemed to be grateful that was only him, and not the chef.
"What are you doing here, man?" Lance asks his witch friend with a friendly smile. "I didn't expect to see you until later today."
Hunter chuckles at the older man's confession. "I couldn't wait to see Varian. It's been too long. Waffles was also begging to see Corona again." He waves his hand, and the playful wolf pup comes to life, yapping happily at the young girls.
They all couldn't stop themselves from laughing as Waffles hopped up and down from the wooden table. The small pup began to run about with the girls following him around the kitchen.
"Have you seen him?" Hunter quietly questions the larger man. "Is he in his lab?"
Lance's expression changes negatively at the mention of the alchemist's whereabouts. He sheepishly shrugs his shoulders prior to taking a cookie for a jar and turning his heel. Hunter hurries over to Lance with confusion at their sudden change in emotion, asking the large man what the problem was.
"Is something wrong?" The Dimenscape guard questions after finally reaching Lance before he could leave the cooking area. "Did Varian do something, because if he blew up a part of the castle then we can easily fix it. What did he destroy?"
Lance shakes his head gravely, "he didn't blow anything up." He replies. "He's just been... different since he came back to Corona. It's like he's mad at us for some reason but we don't know what." The former thief explains with a dissatisfying frown. "Varian was okay the first day though but the longer he stayed, the grumpier he seemed to get."
"Lance is right." A voice from the far side of room states. They all turn around to find Cassandra walking over to them. "Varian's been distant with us except to Artemis; most likely because she's his child, but that doesn't explain why he doesn't want to be around us."
Angry and Catalina trot over to where the adults were with firm gazes. The red headed girl held onto Waffles like they were a baby while feeding him pieces from a banana muffin. They too agreed with their grown ups' accusations as they began to share their fair share of information.
"He growled at me one time when I bumped into them in the hall once, then they just marched to their room before slamming the door." Angry admits with an upset glare. "I said that I was sorry, but he didn't forgive me."
"There was a time where I passed by the portal area in the town square, and I found Varian trying to enter it. I don't know what stopped him, but they just left angrily afterward." Catalina tells the group. "He smells different too; like something terrible. I'm scared."
Lance kneels down to comfort his daughter while Waffles whimpers, rubbing his head against the girl's chin. This appears to bring the girl opulence. Hunter was trying his best to take all this information in, yet there was something inside of him telling him that they had to be lying. Varian would never do that. And use the portal to travel back? Sure, he must've felt homesick although the thought of being caught possibly pained him. However, there was the bad smell that Catalina mentioned due to her werewolf form. There was no explaining that one.
Cass scoffs, "if you think those are bad, just wait until I saw you what I saw before coming here."
"What happened?" Hunter queries nervously.
"I saw Varian arguing with his father."
This info came to everyone as total blow. Varian would absolutely NEVER have a fight with his father. This has to be a joke.
Hunter shook his head defensively, "no way. There is no fricking way that my husband was fighting with his father. He loves him too much to do that."
"I'm not finished, Hunter." Cassandra replies. "When I was heading the throne room, I passed his room and overheard him and Quirin having a heated argument. The door was slightly cracked open as well and inside I saw Varian, Quirin, and Artemis." She states sternly with a furrowed brow. "She was hiding behind the bed, yet it looked like she took notice of me watching them."
Upon the mention of his daughter, Hunter began to panic. Artemis had never been a witness to either one of her parent's squabbles- which he is very grateful that they had none- but that didn't change the fact that his poor, helpless daughter was being exposed to his husband's sudden hatred. Hunter had no clue what to do or say next. The man was too stunned to speak.
Luckily, he manages to form the right words.
"Is she still with him?" The guard asks with a nervous guise. "Is Artemis, okay?"
Cassandra could only shrug her shoulders, unsure of the result. "I'm sorry. I didn't stay for long because I didn't want to pry into their-!"
The high-pitched squeals of Artemis immediately fill the vast castle, instantly silencing everyone from every hall, room, nook and cranny within the building. The distressed call sounded like they were getting closer and closer to their destination yet passes by them very quickly. A large thumping and many crashing noises presently follow after. Along with a monstrous roar.
"ARTEMIS!" Hunter cries out in a panic before running out of the kitchen and down the now demolished halls. Multiple sharp yellow crystals were coming out of the floorboards and walls, but that didn't stop the wizard. With a wave of his hand, Waffles- in their staff form- appears and allows Hunter to swiftly fly through the corridors all the way to his next destination.
The frightened screams of the servants, guards, and even his fellow comrades could be heard as Hunter made his way into the throne room. Upon opening the door Hunter gasps in distress to what was unfolded in front of him. In the center of the massive area stood Varian in his monstrous form, growling and hissing at everyone and everything.
At Artemis.
The terrified girl was trapped against a nearby wall as her father horrifyingly caused the destructive chaos in the Coronan castle.
"MAMA, YOU'RE SCARING ME!" Artemis's pitiful cry warns the beast. "STOP!" She blocks her face with her arms to hide from the dangerous creature.
Varian with an disgustful scowl on their face growls at the child, leaning over to face the small adolescent. "Quiet child! I'm tired of your whining so I suggest that you either shut up or ship out!" He sibilates with a shrill voice but this only causes his child to cry even more. "Enough!" One of tentacles was about to grab hold of the sobbing kid, however, Hunter had seen enough to know that this was not his husband.
Using his lightening speed and the magic in his staff, Hunter teleports over to Artemis, picking his offspring up and carrying her away from the danger prior to the tendril hurting her. They take cover close to the throne where Hunter searches for any of his friends to see if they were okay. Lucky for him Rapunzel, Eugene, her parents, and their friends from the kitchen were all perfectly fine as they too hid close to the thrones. Although the Sun Queen appeared to have bruise on her cheek possibly from Varian's rampage.
She notices Hunter's presence, hurries over, and asks what had happened. "Varian just barged in while chasing Artemis! I overheard from Cass that he and Quirin were having an argument but I don't know why." She states with a worried expression. "Is your daughter okay?" Rapunzel looks down to Artemis who still hadn't stopped crying, tears flowing out of her eyes and down her face.
A thunderous roar fills the room as Varian is now glaring daggers at the people in his way. They all froze on sight while silently awaiting the creature's next move. However Hunter broke the cycle. He takes a step towards the horrifying beast with a firm grip on his staff just in case Varian had any unpleasant ideas.
"Varian..." the witch calmly sighs. "I need you to relax and tell me what the problem is right now. Take a few deep breaths and change back please. You're scaring everyone and I know you don't mean to, but we're all here. Just tell us what's wrong." Hunter soothingly says. "Please... just talk to me."
Varian turns in his partner's direction with suspicious eyes that soon turn lovestruck, quickly complying to the small witch's suggestion, leaning over to their eye level. His pink luminescent eyes shine like diamonds in the sunlit chamber when staring into Hunter's stern hazelnut irises. "Why hello gorgeous~." Varian purrs in a deducting tone. "Have we met before?" They began to slowly shrink in size but ever so leisurely.
Once they did return to their normal height, Varian starts to lead the upset Dimenscape guard astray, taking their hands and pulling them close to them. They were slightly taller then the magical alchemist but that was besides the point; Varian was avoiding the obvious situation he had caused.
"Hey." Hunter pushes Varian off of him and glares at them with an unnerving unappreciative guise. "What was that earlier? Why were you attacking everyone? I leave you here for a week and you almost kill our daughter, who was crying— in complete horror— as their mother basically rampaged throughout the castle! What were you thinking?!" He was angrily yelling at him now.
He didn't know how to feel about yelling at Varian, but deep down he knew that they weren't the real Varian. The obvious clue was the angry aura they were giving off. So much hatred in such a small person. The real Varian would have openly admitted to the rage instead of bottling it up, and going on a riot. There was also the way that he treated everyone; specifically Artemis. Hunter's real husband would have NEVER yelled at their daughter, no matter the situation. Varian always looked for calm solutions to solve their problems which is why they never argued, or punished Artemis— who was a naturally good kid.
Varian glares at Hunter with a raised eyebrow and a furious sneer. "I know that you are not talking to me like that, Hunter." He growls inconsiderately before scoffing. "I know damn well that you aren't yelling at me, mister. You don't control me!" A few of his imperial stones pop out of the floorboards behind him in defense. "Do you know who you're talking to Hunter! I'm a being of creation and destruction! A healer and a monster! The rightful ruler of Corona!"
Everyone gasps at Varian's wrathful remark, staring at him as if they were seeing a different person entirely. Rapunzel attempts to walk over to her once beloved friend but Artemis grabs her hand, fearful of the outcome if she approach her father. Eugene hurries over to his wife and niece, telling them that they should leave before things could get any worse.
"We can't just leave!" Rapunzel responds defensively getting out of her husband's grip. "Varian obviously needs help and he could hurt Hunter if he retaliates."
"Aunt Punzie, no!" Artemis cries while pulling on the brunette's purple dress. "That's not mama! Mama's not here!"
Rapunzel and the others, including Hunter and Varian stare at the child in bewilderment after her comments. However, when Hunter looks back at Varian, his so called husband is back to their giant form; growling a storm.
"Who are you?" Hunter questions the beast with a warning scowl. His staff beaming with magical energy, getting ready for battle. "Where's Varian?"
The giant laughs at his anger with a malicious grin. "Oh Hunter... but I am Varian."
"No you're not!"
"Yes I am." They sneer. "If I wasn't him would I know about the spell protecting both the butterfly and peacock miraculouses?"
At the mention of the two powerful jewels everyone gasps. Only members of Tabitha and Cole's court, and close friends knew about the spell. Including Varian. Tabitha had casted the protection spell once she had the miraculouses after defeating Hawkmoth. It was measure for just in case anyone went after them.
"How do you know about that?" Hunter questions in frustration, clenching his staff tighter than earlier. "No one was supposed to know that!"
The imposter chuckles lightly at the witch's annoyance. "Let's just say that I've been keeping a close eye on them after my little fiasco in the Diamond City."
Rapunzel's eyes widen in horror upon hearing the criminal's confession. "So we were right! Varian was framed! You monster! Our friend was arrested because of you!"
"That was the whole point your majesty."
"That's it!" Hunter shouts aggressively. "Tell me Varian is! NOW!!!" His eye burned bright with rage when learning about the monster's framing as a powerful surge of energy emits from his staff.
The beast smirks evilly before grabbing hold of the guard with one of his tentacles, pulling him close to their face in order to speak. "Oh darling, I don't think you want to know." They reply with a devilish grin. "Now pipe down because I want to enjoy this."
Opening their mouth to show their massive fangs, they begin to slowly move Hunter closer in order to consume them. He tried to get out of his grip but was too frightened, and couldn't do anything to get away. The closer he got to the monster's mouth the lesser chance he had of escaping. Yet before Hunter had no time left, the screeching of an eagle could be heard and a large stone could be seen coming in the imposter's direction.
It hits them in the face before eating Hunter, who falls out of their mouth with slobber all over their them. From above, Gruffy, Artemis's griffin, flies over and grabs hold of Hunter before he could harshly bash onto the floor. They carefully place him onto the floor next to the others who were trying their best not to freak out.
Artemis takes a step forward towards the monster and circles her finger, creating a visible outline in the air in which magically causes multiple vines to grab at the creature. They pull on Varian, immobilizing them for a bit, but it wasn't enough to stop them. The giant roars deafeningly at the child's attack then luges over in her direction, yet Hunter pushes Artemis out of the way and gets crush by the giant's weight.
"DADDY!!!" Artemis cries out. She teleports over to him after the monster crashes through the main entrance, and escapes out into the Sun Kingdom.
Hunter was badly injured and unable to move but places a loving hand on his daughter's cheek. However, a couple seconds later and the Dimenscape guard falls unconscious. Rapunzel and many others rush over to their aid. Seeing their friend's unconscious body they decided to hurry him back to Dimenscape. The Kingdom of Dreams was the only place with the proper resources to quickly and safely heal Hunter's wounds. Eugene and Lance place the hurt soldier onto Maximus with little ease, while Artemis solemnly watches.
She looks to her brunette aunt with weeping eyes. "Is mama a bad guy now?" The crying child questions with a crack of her tiny voice.
"No sweetie." Rapunzel sighs, placing a reassuring hand on the girl's wet cheek. "Your mother is not a bad guy now. They're just..." She looks to the others for guidance but they all had the same unsure guise as she had on. "Varian is going to be okay. Now come on, lets get your papa back home and healed."
Artemis nods her head but there was one thing still lingering in the back of her head.
What had happened to her mother?