The Third Power: TTS AU

Chapter Eighteen

A dark blue light filled the cave as the words were uttered. Varian felt his chest tighten and his head started to pound.

"Agh!" He grabbed at his hair as the pain became too overwhelming, dropping to knees.

"Varian?"

Upon hearing the alchemist's cry of pain, the fighting ceased. Everyone's heads were turned towards the boy kneeling on the floor.

Rapunzel moved closer a few, cautious steps.

"Varian, are you alright?"

"Finish the incantation," Eclipse encouraged gently. "The sooner it's done, the sooner the pain will go, I promise."

Varian tilted his head up, fighting against the sudden swaying of the world and tried his best to keep reading.

"Ocean, deep and dark, flowing down belo- AGH!!"

The alchemist curled in on himself as the pain only got worse. He was seeing visions. No, memories. Memories of days he didn't know. There was a mermaid and-

"Varian!" Cassandra's voice broke through his thoughts. "Finish it and we can go!"

"No, don't finish it!" Eugene called to him. "Don't listen to this destiny-crazed lunatic!" He put a little extra weight into his hold on Cassandra as he said this.

Varian could feel tears and slammed his eyes shut. It was too much. Too much! One decision could hurt those he cared about or one decision could get them out of this stupid situation. Just one choice.

"Varian."

The alchemist opened his eyes at this new voice. Or was it new? It seemed almost familiar.

"Y-Yes?" he asked quietly, just hoping no one heard him.

"Please finish the incantation," the voice said.

"Who are you?" Varian mumbled.

"I am a friend from years ago. You don't remember me now but you will soon. Please finish the incantation. I have something for you."

The voice faded as it finished its last words.

Varian sat there for what felt like an eternity as the words ran through his mind. Who had spoken? The voice was so familiar and yet he couldn't place it.

"Varian!" Cass called again. She was still attempting to break out of the hold and was actually making some progress. "Varian, please!"

"Varian," Rapunzel said softly as she came a little closer. "You don't have to do this. Come back to Corona with us ok? We can sort this out." She placed a hand on his shoulder.

Varian jolted under the touch as other memories flashed back to him. Memories of the other year when his father was being encased in the amber and he'd received no help. His conversation with Cassandra yesterday about how unfair it was that the princess had taken this long to try and help him.

"It really wasn't fair," Eclipse told him. "We can-"

"NO, STOP!" Everyone stopped at the boy's scream, all shocked including Varian himself.

"I can't keep doing this," he said in a shaky voice as he forced himself to stand up. "No more. No more. I'll just hurt someone no matter what I choose." He'd started mumbling, panicked. He felt the mess of thoughts and memories and emotions spinning so fast in his head it was making him nauseous.

Varian stared at the incantation on the wall.

If this will make this stop...

"Ocean, deep and dark." The alchemist started again, gritting his teeth as the pain only got stronger. "Flowing down below. Rise with the moon and let the water flow."

The light in the cave got brighter and the pain in Varian's head got stronger. He fell to his knees again, shrieking with agony, his chest getting tighter.

Everyone stared, paralysed with confusion and panic. What could they do? What are you supposed to do when a child is in pain from saying a magic incantation?!

The screaming stopped.

Varian was sat, kneeling on his knees, eyes closed and breathing heavy as his hair started to turn blue. The black turned into a dark blue then faded into multiple shades until the tips were almost white, his hair streak actually turning white.

"Varian?" Rapunzel asked softly as she moved a little closer to him. "Are you-"

"Ocean, deep and dark, flowing down below," he mumbled as he used the wall to push himself up. "Rise with the moon and let the water flow."

Varian moved away from the wall and opened his eyes. They were no longer their usual sky blue, but a bright, icy blue like Cassandra's.

"Kid?" Eugene asked.

Varian stared at him for a moment, his face blank. He then held out a hand and, in his palm, a ball of water started to form. He concentrated on it until he was satisfied with the steam coming from it.

"V, what is that?" Keira asked.

Varian's gaze strayed to her for a moment. A light seemed to flick on in his eyes like he'd just realised what he was doing. His gaze returned to the ball in his hands which was still steaming. He threw it on the ground and it exploded into a cloud of thick, hot steam.

"Ow!" Was the cry that resounded around the cave as everyone felt the steam burn at their skin.

Cassandra used the confusion and pain to break free from the pinning. She looked around and grabbed Varian, who was just stood there, seemingly in a daze, by the arm and dragged him out of the cave with her.

"That was amazing!" the warrior said with a laugh. "Just how strong are your powers?"

Varian couldn't find his words. He couldn't believe what he'd almost done. If that had hit Eugene or Keira directly...

Eclipse soon came flying out after them once she realised they'd made a run for it.

"Wow, thanks for leaving me," she huffed.

"You can fly, walk through stuff and no one can touch you," Cass reminded her. "Or see you, actually. You'd've been fine!"

The three ran down to the beach and turned to make a run for the forest.

"Wait," Varian told them.

The girls stopped and the alchemist got his arm out of Cassandra's gentle hold. He turned back the way they had come and started walking towards the ocean.

"What are you doing?" Eclipse asked. "We have to go now!"

Varian shook his head.

"I want to see this through," he told them. "I can hear so much. There's a voice. It..." He wasn't sure how to continue but the girls understood.

"What's the voice saying?" Cassandra asked.

Varian looked up at her and smiled.

"Go to Atlantis."