The Space Between

Prologue

Corona-2 months after Zhan Tiri's fall

"Woah, kid, what…"

"Eugene!  Careful!"  Varian emerged from a pile of papers.

"What is this?"  Eugene asked.

"It's something I've been working on since we went to the Demanitus Chamber.  That one creation obviously sent us into another dimension, hence my snake hair, and everything."

"Your what?"  Eugene raised a brow in confusion.

"You know what, never mind.  The point is, if that was another dimension, there's got to be more, right?  I've been conducting countless experiments, thus the mess, and so far, my theory seems to be accurate!  I am building this portal to see if I can reach one.  I don't plan on entering, I just want to know if I can reach it.  There's no telling what lies on the other side-"

"Kid, you've gotten this far in two months?"  Eugene cut him off.

"Yes, I-"

"You never brought this up to anyone?  Varian, you're the Royal Alchemist, and this is big.  You need to tell people about this sort of thing."  Eugene's expression showed his worry.

"It's not like that, Eugene.  It kinda just started out as a wild goose chase, but I ended up landing on some big info.  All my experiments were safe and most of them were just air tests.  It wasn't like I was going to use the portal without permission.  I was going to come to you and Rapunzel first before.  I just wanted to make sure that I was on the right page before I brought it up.  You and Rapunzel know that you both can't keep a secret and if it had been too soon, and my hypothesis was just fragments of a total fantasy, I would have never been able to live it down by other big scientists.  The idea of other dimensions is already outlandish.  No pun intended there."

"Ok, I get your thinking there, but you need to tell someone anyway, I mean when that's an issue, come to me.  Team Awesome, alright.  I know when I need to stay secret.  If saying it will hurt someone I care about, I can keep my mouth shut.  You really need to tell people when you're messing with this stuff."

Varian opened his mouth to say something, but Eugene crossed his arms.  "And not just Ruddiger."

"Alright, but I promise I would have said something if I was doing anything like my water tanks.  There were no dangers."  Varian frowned.

"You're mad at me?" Eugene blinked in surprise.

"Well, not really, no.  I get your concern, but it's like you don't trust me or my judgment, but it's not like I mind telling you either…"  Varian admitted.

"No, kid, I do trust you.  I'd put my life in your hands any day, but I'm just concerned.  Not that you'd do something like the water tanks again, but you know just how crazy life has been."

"Right, because if it can go wrong, it goes wrong."  Varian sighed.  "I promise I'll tell you more about my projects from now on."

"Thanks.  Now, tell me all about what this does."  Eugene pointed to the lever.

"Opens the portal.  I have a few kinks to work out before it's able to be tested, double check the math, etcetera…"  Varian began to walk in front of the portal to get to Eugene.  "I don't want to turn that on yet."

"Right."  Eugene stepped back, but his foot got caught in the wire and he stumbled backwards. There was a sputtering sound and then a hiss and a click.

The portal blinked to life.  "Eugene!"  Varian panicked as he felt himself being picked off the ground.

"Varian!"  Eugene leapt at the lever, but it was too late.  The boy was sucked in and the portal erupted in smoke, the opening closing.  Varian was gone.  Just like that.