The Moon Calls

20

"It's getting pretty bad out there." Cassandra said grimly as she looked out the window. The townspeople were all over the castle, much to the staff's annoyance. Xavier had taken up residence in the library, where Varian and Rapunzel were currently talking with him.

"Xavier, you're the local lore expert. Varian is convinced that there's something odd about this storm-"

"My hair has been glowing since it started." Varian cut in.

"-and I just wanted to know if you know of any, I don't know, reason that it could be anything but a normal snowstorm? I mean, doesn't it normally snow this much?" Rapunzel finished.

"No." Xavier shook his head. "In fact, there hasn't been snow like this since..." He faltered. "The Legend of Zhan Tiri."

"Zhan Tiri?" Rapunzel and Varian asked in unison. Varian shivered a bit as he heard laughter in his head and Rapunzel's brow furrowed, like she had heard it too - or maybe she was just worried about him.

"Eons ago," Xavier started, "an evil warlock, Zhan Tiri, had a deep hatred for Corona and cast a spell which caused a blizzard to sweep across the land. The storm destroyed everything in its path. All would have been lost, had it not been for the ancient engineer and inventor, Lord Demanitus."

"Lord Demanitus." Varian breathed. "Gothel's old teacher?"

Rapunzel looked at him, surprised. He realized he hadn't told her that part of their conversation and smiled apologetically. He had so much to tell her, it seemed.

"Using both magic and science, Demanitus built a massive subterranean machine deep in the Corona mountains." Xavier went on. "This mighty device had the ability to change the direction of the wind, and it pushed the flurries out to the sea. The day was saved. Zhan Tiri had, indeed, been defeated. But, some say the curse of the storm lives on, and is simply waiting to strike again."

"Waiting? For what?" Rapunzel asked.

"For Corona to be at its weakest." Xavier said grimly.

Varian frowned. With the black rocks everywhere, Corona was certainly suffering now.

"But...it is only a legend, right, Xavier?" Rapunzel asked nervously.

Xavier chuckled. "My dear, every legend is born of truth. Such as the Sundrop and Moonstone, for example." He gestured to Varian's hair, which was still glowing.

Varian pursed his lips. "Where would this machine be if it was real? Do you have directions?"

Xavier blinked. "If it were real..." He sighed. "I do know where it is. I will show you."

Varian nodded. "Alright, take me there."

"Varian?" Rapunzel frowned.

"Rapunzel, we can't both go. You need to lead the Kingdom, and I know about this kind of stuff." He turned to her. "I'll go and activate the machine and end this storm."

"No, no!" She held him close to her. "My parents, Eugene, they're all out there, I can't lose you, too!" She smiled desperately.

"I won't be alone." He assured her. "I'll have Xavier, and Ruddiger." He smiled at his ever-constant pet.

"And me." Cassandra walked over to them from where she was watching the snow fall outside the window. "I'll go with him, too. I promise, Raps, he'll be okay."

"Cassandra..."Rapunzel sniffled and then hugged both of them. "You promised! You promised that you'd be safe! Promise you'll be safe too, Cass! I can't lose you!"