"Cass!" Varian put out a hand, not wanting to believe that she was truly the bad guy.
"Varian, don't get any closer!" Rapunzel held him back. "Hide the scroll. We cannot let her get her hands on that incantation."
"But the scroll is worthless without the translation key," Varian said and Aqua nodded.
"Well, then it sounds like I need two things." Cassandra pulled her sword from her back and got ready to attack.
"Get that scroll out of here! Blondie, I got this!" Eugene ran up the stairs and attacked Cassandra but his sword shattered with the first blow.
Eugene looked at his shattered blade and realized it too late. "Her armor is made of the rock!" Eugene announced as he was kicked off the stairs, but Lance and Max broke his fall.
Cassandra glowered before seeing the giant metal ball above her. She smirked and jumped up, slicing through the bar that kept the metal suspended.
The ball rolled down the stairs which made Eugene, Max, and Lance all run away from it.
Rapunzel pulled Varian and Aquaria out of the way with her hair.
"Give me that scroll, Rapunzel!" Cassandra demanded as she lunged at Rapunzel, her sword meeting Rapunzel's indestructible hair.
"Cass, let's just talk," Rapunzel tried, not wanting to fight with her best friend.
"Oh, sure, let's have another chat about how my mother chose you over me!" Cass sneered, hatred flooding her tone.
"Cass, Gothel took me and held me against my will. It wasn't my decision, you know that!" Raps defended, desperately wanting to make Cassandra see reason and become her friend again.
"Was it your decision to push her out a window?" Cass spat out and Rapunzel gasped, pushing back hard against Cassandra.
Cass pushed up and shoved Rapunzel backwards.
"You weren't there! You have no idea!" Rapunzel felt her heart breaking as she looked at Cass.
"Then why don't you make me understand?" Cass glared at Rapunzel before Ruddiger jumped at her.
Aquaria gasped and was about to jump in, but Varian held her back. Ruddiger climbed all around Cassandra's head.
"Get off!" Cass growled as Ruddiger pushed off her and ran towards Varian, grabbing the scroll from him before running off.
Cass ran after the raccoon and Rapunzel whipped her hair at her, grabbing her ankle which caused Cass to fall.
Varian looked at Aquaria and she was looking around frantically.
"We need to destroy the key, Varian. Without it, Cass won't have the third incantation," Aqua said to him.
"But what if she deciphers the scroll on her own?" Varian panicked and they hid behind the table that had been knocked on its side.
"We can worry about that later! It'll at least buy us time," Aqua said urgently and Varian nodded.
Varian grabbed some chemicals that were still in tact and started to mix them together to get a concoction that would get rid of the key on the wall of the chamber.
"Hey, Varian?" Cassandra whistled before she sliced the table in half between Varian and Aquaria.
The two sprung up and Aquaria made a sword out of water that froze in her hand.
Varian backed up with the beaker in his hand and Aqua ran at Cassandra.
"Get out of my way, Squirt," Cassandra growled, her sword breaking Aquaria's ice sword with one blow, but Aqua wasn't about to give up. "Stay down!"
Cass hit Aqua in the head with the flat of her sword and she crumpled to the ground.
"Aquaria!" Varian cried out, but he looked at Cass with fear. "If you want to read that scroll, you are gonna need my translation key!" He quickly threw the contents of the beaker against the wall and it disintegrated the wall where the key had been. "Ha! And now that I've destroyed it, you'll never know what the scroll says because the only translation in earthly existence is locked safely away up here. Boom!"
Cassandra smirked as she looked at him and asked, "is that a fact?"
Varian was doing a little happy dance. "Oh, yeah!" He then he realized what was going on. "I should not have said that out loud."
"Then I guess you're coming with me." Cassandra stalked closer to him before she knocked him unconscious.
💧
Varian woke up to a bad taste in his mouth and he gagged a bit.
"Huh? Ha! Where are we?" Varian looked around and then at Cass.
"I need that third incantation, Varian," Cassandra said and he glared at her.
"Never!" He stated firmly.
"I knew you'd say that. That's why I went through your little bag of tricks. I found something in here that might change your mind." Cass walked over with an empty vial. "Recognize this?"
"Ha! No... gah! Yes! It's a truth serum of my own design and it compels the drinker to tell the truth and answer any question asked! Wait, but I never drank that!" Varian was so confused.
"Lucky for me, you sleep with your mouth open. So let me ask you, what's the third incantation?" Cass asked as she held the scroll in her hands.
Varian fought it as hard as he could. "I-I won't tell you!" He struggled out.
"I thought you might have a strong will power against the truth serum but lucky for me, I have a back up plan," Cass said before pointing her sword over to Aquaria who was tied up and still unconscious.
Varian's eyes widened when he saw his girlfriend.
"Now, the third incantation for Aquaria," Cass said and Varian breathed deeply.
Between the truth serum and Aqua, he couldn't hold back anymore.
'I'm so sorry, Rapunzel...'
"Crescent high above, evolving as you go. Raise what lies beneath and let the darkness grow," Varian started, feeling like he was betraying his friends. "Bend it to my will. Consume the sunlight's glow. Rise into the sky and let the darkness grow. Let darkness grow."
"Thank you. Now was that so bad?" Cassandra smirked before she heard a groan.
Aquaria started to wake up and she shook her head. "Varian? Var, where are you?"
"Aqua, I'm over here!" Varian looked at her and she struggled against her restraints.
"Shut up!" Cassandra snapped at the pair before turning to the tower wreckage.
"Cresent high above," Cassandra tried and a glowing black rock rose from the ground.
Aqua watched in shock and she kept trying to break out of her restraints.
Cassandra smirked and held out her hands. "Crescent high above, evolving as you go."
Hundreds of black rocks started to grow around them and Varian desperately was trying to get free so he could protect Aqua who was trying to do the same to protect Varian. The ground was quaking and they were both scared.
"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," Cassandra chanted and Varian watched in horror as a fortress grew from the rocks.
"What is that?" He asked in pure shock.
"Let... darkness... grow..." Cassandra finished the incantation and Aquaria looked up at the finished stronghold.
"Home sweet home," Cassandra said with a smirk as she looked up at her creation.
☀️
"We have to figure out what Cassandra is planning to do with Varian, Aquaria, and the scroll!" Rapunzel announced as she paced in front of the fireplace. "We're not just gonna sit by and let her ruin Eugene's birthday or... or anything else. Right?" She opened her satchel and glanced at the engagement ring she had for Eugene.
"Sure," Eugene's voice squeaked.
"I don't know," Lance spoke lowly.
"Just... give me a minute..." Eugene said, out of breath.
"Seriously, guys. Cass has Varian and Aquaria. Not to mention an incantation that can control the rocks. We have to stop her," Rapunzel said with determination.
"Uh, princess. Were you in the same fight as us? We don't stand a chance against Cass in that unbreakable armor," Lance said, defeat dripping from his voice.
"Oh, come on, Lance. She wasn't that bad," Eugene said as he tried to be positive like Rapunzel.
"Oh, I'm sorry. What were you doing during that fight? There was a large boulder and you were..." Lance watched as Pascal started running on the spinning globe which made him start laughing. "Yeah, yeah. Like that. Okay, okay. He's getting offended." Lance put a hand on the globe which stopped the it from spinning, sending Pascal flying.
"What are you laughing about? You were right there with me," Eugene pointed out with his arms crossed defensively.
"No, no, no, no, no. You're remembering it all wrong," Lance said as he stood up, walking over to Eugene. "You know, they say memory is one of the first things to go with age."
"Are we finished?" Eugene looked at his best friend with a frustrated look.
"Listen, I know Cassandra's dangerous, but we cannot forget she's also our friend," Rapunzel spoke up.
"Fine! There's only one big problem. We don't know where she is," Eugene pointed out.
Max neighed from the window and Rapunzel quickly went over to see what Max was looking at.
"I think we know where to look," Raounzel said as she saw a tower that had risen from on the mainland behind the hills and mountains.
💧
Aquaria walked up the stairs of the large tower with shackles made of black rocks around her hands. Cassandra had a grip on both her and Varian, not allowing them to run or try anything.
"You've done well, Cassandra."
Aqua's back straightened as she heard a voice from behind her. She looked, but she didn't see anyone there.
"Soon Rapunzel will come for the boy and the girl."
"And then what?" Cassandra spoke and Aqua raised an eyebrow.
"Then you will face her with the full power of the moonstone."
Aqua looked again, but there was still no one there.
"Who is she talking to?" Varian asked himself under his breath.
"What was that? Who was talking?" Aquaria asked suddenly.
"What?" Cass looked at her, confused as to what she was talking about. Surely she couldn't have heard the girl. Right?
"That voice. Who was talking to you? She said that you would face Rapunzel when she came for us," Aqua said and Varian looked so lost.
"You can hear her?" Cass raised an eyebrow.
"Who is it?" Aqua asked again.
"It's not important. Come on," Cass said as she led them into a large chamber.
Aqua shut her mouth and kept walking.
Cass looked at the two teenagers and sighed. "Look, I know known of this is your fault and I don't want to hurt either of you." She made their cuffs shatter after she let them out of her grasp. "So when Rapunzel comes for you, don't try anything foolish."
"Cassandra, you're angry. I get it. Believe me, I know what it's like," Varian tried as Cass walked away, removing her sword from it's sheath on her back. "But you are making a mistake."
Aqua watched Cassandra, worried that their friend would be corrupt forever.
"The path of hate is a dangerous track
You take one step and it's hard to turn back," Varian began to sing as he walked towards Cassandra.
A stumpy black rock rose up from the ground and Cassandra sat on it, starting to sharpen her sword.
"It pulls you along and though it seems wrong, it feels right," Varian continued as Cassandra saw her reflection in the flat of her sword.
Aquaria walked over and gently put a hand on Cassandra's shoulder.
"Don't you see this path you're on leaves a permanent mark. It feels good at first, then it slowly turns dark," Varian sang as Cassandra looked up at Aquaria with a hard look. "With each passing day you're further astray from the light." Varian reached after Cassandra as she got up, brushing Aqua's hand off of her.
Aqua frowned but didn't chase after Cassandra like Varian did.
"Suddenly, you lose your way and lose the thread. Lose your cool, then lose your head," Varian kept singing as he ran in front of Cass, stopping her. She turned around but stopped in front of some black rocks, seeing Varian's reflection. "Every loss is harder to excuse."
Cassandra turned and found herself looking at her own reflection in some black rocks.
"Then you'll see you'll lose your faith and lose your soul. 'Til you lose complete control and realize there's nothing left to lose."
Cassandra grimaced and walked passed Varian.
"Nothing left to lose," Varian sang as he ran after her, grabbing her wrist.
Aquaria stood behind Varian and looked up at Cassandra, her eyes pleading for Cass to change her mind.
"Cass, trust me. Becoming the villain isn't the answer," Varian tried to convince her.
"Is that what you think I am?" Cass turned towards Varian, ripping her hand from his grasp.
"The path I'm on is a path paved in black," Cassandra started to sing as she walked forward, making Varian move back. "I'm taking that road and I'm not looking back."
Black rocks rose in a circle around Cassandra and Aquaria held Varian's hand, fearing what would happen.
"Each twist and each turn leads straight where I'm yearning to go," Cassandra sang as a black rock lifted her up, the other rocks coming to a set spiral around the rock she was stood upon.
"Yes, it's true, my path is dark but I see where it ends." Cass gently put her fingers on the moonstone that was situated over her heart. "My rivals will fall as my power ascends."
Cassandra leapt from the rock only for more rocks to raise her even higher.
"Despise me, that's fine. I'm taking what's mine even so."
Aquaria watched in shock as Varian pushed her behind him protectively.
"Not like you. You lost your nerve, you lost the game," Cass sang angrily as she walked along the wall, rocks jutting out in her path for her to keep walking on. "But you and I, we're not the same. I'm not lost, this fate was mine to choose."
Cassandra jumped from her ledge and swung off another rock, landing gracefully for a third rock to move her around the two teens.
"So I chose to lose my doubts and lose my chains." Cass jumped down from rock to rock until she was on the floor. She looked at a piece of a painting that was on the ground, using the rocks to raise the picture.
Aquaria's eyes widened when she saw that it was her sister in the piece of the painting.
"Lose each weakness that remains. Now that I have nothing left to lose. Nothing left to lose." Cassandra went to swing a blade at the painting but Aqua stopped her.
"You have so much to hold onto," Aqua sang to her desperately.
"I only want my rightful dues," Cassandra replied and she shoved Aquaria back with some blunt black rocks.
"Listen please, you've lost your grip !nd lost your mind," Varian joined as he ran to help Aqua stand.
"I'm not gonna lose!" Cassandra's voice rang.
"All's not lost, don't be so blind," Aquaria persisted as she stood beside Varian.
"I refuse!" Cassandra wouldn't give in.
"Cut your losses, drop the IOUs!" Varian tried, not wanting to give up.
"I refuse!" Cassandra glared at them.
"Oh! Choose!" Aquaria and Varian sang as one while Cass ran to the painting of Rapunzel propped up by the rocks.
"I lose no tears and lose no sleep. What I want I'll take and keep," Cassandra continued as she stared at the painting. She then turned and rocks shot from the ground towards the couple.
"It's time for you to choose!" Varian sang in desperation as rocks caged him in while Aquaria was caged separately.
"You can't stop the turning on the screws!" All three of them harmonized and Aquaria became very afraid.
"You'll stay in these cages until this is done. And just in case you think of escaping," Cassandra spoke before sending Varian out of the tower on a long ledge but Aquaria was only moved against the wall.
Cassandra snapped her fingers, a rock shooting up at the painting of Rapunzel which made it crumble.
"Now I have nothing left to lose," Cassandra sang out as she sat on her throne of black rocks.
Aquaria looked at her and breathed deeply.
"Please, Cassandra. You don't have to do this," Aquaria tried as she held onto the rocks that formed her cage.
"You don't understand, princess! You'll never understand what it's like to constantly live in the shadow of Rapunzel no matter how hard you try!" Cassandra snapped.
"You're wrong!" Aqua shook her head. "I do understand!"
Cassandra rolled her eyes, not believing her.
"I live in her shadow too. I was raised being taught everything I would need to know to become the queen one day. I thought I had my future all figured out and I was always the number one princess. When Rapunzel came home, that all changed. I'm not gonna be queen and I'm always second," Aqua explained and Cassandra walked over to her.
"But you're always so happy and positive about everything like your sister," Cass said.
"Because while I'm always gonna come second to the kingdom, I know that I have people who put me first. I don't feel like I have to leave Rapunzel's shadow because I have my friends and family. I don't have to be the best to be happy," Aqua said softly as she looked up at Cass. "I'm following my destiny even if it is to be second to Rapunzel."
Cassandra grimaced and turned away. "Well I'm following my destiny. This is who I am."
"I don't believe that, Cassandra," Aqua persisted.
"I don't care what you believe!" Cassandra shouted as she turned to glare at the younger princess. "I-"
"She's here."
Aquaria looked around quickly when she heard the voice again.
"Who's here? Who is that?" Aqua asked quickly but Cassandra ignored her, walking over to a window.
"About time they showed up," Cassandra grumbled and looked down to see the group attempting to climb the tower.
They tried climbing, using sap, and even catapulting themselves with a tree.
Cassandra watched with amusement and was laughing at how stupid they looked to her.
"I could watch them do this all day," Cassandra said with a chuckle.
"Let them in."
Cassandra stopped laughing and looked at the little girl who was floating beside her. "What?"
"Defeating her isn't enough," the girl spoke. "You must take away who she is. Force her to fight you. Break her spirit."
Cassandra looked away from the girl, glancing back down at the group of her former friends.
"You've held back long enough. Let her in and finish this now," the girl urged and Cassandra sighed.
"Fine," she replied lowly before getting up from the window ledge.
Aquaria was so confused as to who was speaking. Cassandra could clearly see who it was but she couldn't and Varian seemed to have not been able to see or hear the voice at all.
What- or rather who- was it?