The Third Power: TTS AU

Chapter Sixteen

Rapunzel and co started out early the next morning to continue their search. They were halfway through the forest so it would still take a while before they reached the sea.

"This is taking too long!" Keira complained. "We need to hurry up or Cassandra's gonna get V to the power!"

"Aww, c'mon, we'll make it just fine," Lance told her. "And if we don't then we re-kidnap Varian and run. Easy."

"Yeah, something tells me it'll be a little harder than that," Eugene mumbled to his friend as he slicked back a lock of hair out of his eye.

"Guys," Rapunzel called to her party. "We need to keep up a positive attitude. We'll get Varian back, no doubt. He's our friend. No way he'd stay with Cassandra."

The princess spun back around and skipped for a minute through the forest, though still being careful to avoid the sharp, thorny plants that tried to snag at her ankles. She was certain she could get Varian to come back. Why wouldn't he? He'd always been there for her. Why would he not be now?

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Cassandra led the way to the cave that Varian had been talking about. She had her sword halfway out of its sheath, ready to strike in case there was something unwanted waiting in the cave.

"This one?" she asked the alchemist a few steps behind her.

Varian tilted his head so that he could see past the warrior. He nodded.

"I'll go in ahead of you," Eclipse told them. "Since nothing can really touch me right now, I can give a better warning than Cassandra if she were to be attacked."

The other two nodded in agreement and Eclipse flew around them and into the cave. After a minute or two she came back out with an insuppressible smile.

"I think you two might want to see this."

Varian and Cassandra stepped inside and stared in awe at the sight that greeted them.

The cave walls were decorated with markings and engravings, drawings and text that seemed to tell a story, perfectly intact as if time hadn't touch this area.

"It's beautiful," Cass thought aloud, letting her sword slip back into its sheath.

Varian started walking towards the nearest passage of text, translating it as he realised that it was Demanitus Code, his eyes aflame with excitement.

"This is- I... I don't know how to describe this," the alchemist said as he finished a passage and immediately jumped to the next.

Cassandra watched Varian and Eclipse looking around at the paintings and text on the walls. She knew she couldn't really appreciate it to the same degree as them since she couldn't read anything but seeing them get all excited was amusing enough.

"No way."

Cassandra and Eclipse turned to Varian who was staring very widely at a small chunk of text and a drawing of what appeared to be a castle surrounded by walls.

"What is it?" Eclipse asked.

Varian turned to the two, smiling.

"According to this, Atlantis actually exists. Atlantis!" He said it as if he couldn't stress enough how amazing this was.

Cass didn't quite understand. She tried to recall if she knew anything about an Atlantis.

"...Do you mean that city that sunk under the ocean?" she asked.

"Yes! Apparently it wasn't destroyed." He ran a finger along a line of text. "It says here that it still exists and is completely intact! The story of the city's destruction must've been a lie to protect it."

The alchemist then began to quietly mumble to himself. Bits and pieces could be heard - theories about how much land-dwellers knew of Atlantis was real and how much was fake.

The girls shared a quick glance and a laugh before walking to the back of the cave, Eclipse translating what she could for Cassandra so that the warrior wasn't completely in the dark as to what anything meant.

Cass sighed inwardly, making a mental note to ask Varian to teach her Demanitus Code at some point if he didn't go back to Rapunzel.

Cassandra's eyes then strayed through Eclipse and to a passage of text on the very back wall of the cave. Above the passage was a painting of a blue circle with three white, swirling lines coming from the centre. There was a massive gap in the middle of the text.

"What's that?" the warrior asked as she moved towards it.

Eclipse followed her and eyed the passage. She grimaced then huffed with annoyance.

"It's probably more text that we can't see," she muttered.

"Oh, right." Cassandra joined her with the frustrated sighs then looked over at the boy at the other end of the cave.

"Varian!" Cass called. "Can you come here a sec?"

Varian looked over at the two then joined them at the wall.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Is there any text here?" Cassandra asked as she jabbed a thumb at the blank space.

Varian looked at where she was pointing and saw that there was a large chunk of text. He grimaced at the sight of it.

"Yep," he mumbled.

Eclipse and Cassandra shared a concerned glance.

"Would you mind telling us what it says?" the ghost asked. "Or would you rather not?"

The boy sighed quietly and let his shoulders slump as he almost glared at the text.

"No, it's fine, I'll translate it," he told them.

He straightened up and looked over the passage.

My meeting with the Seastone guardian has taught me many things about the powers of the pearl and the magic of the ocean. Some of my favourite things that I have learned are the relationship between the Seastone and Moonstone. It's interesting to think that the two are cousins. Another thing is how each divine gift has the ability to hide important messages and such they don't want others seeing. It's truly incredible. It makes me wonder how much I will never know about all three of the divine powers.
That being said, that must mean that you, the one reading this, are the owner of the Seastone. If you found this place from the text on my scroll, then I am happy to say: welcome to step three.
Below this is the Sea Incantation. May it guide you to your end goal.

Varian relayed this to the girls numbly as he stared blankly at the text.

"The fifth incantation? We found it already?" Cassandra said with a laugh.

Varian nodded as he bit his lip and let his thoughts flow. Did he want the incantation?