The Moon Calls

45

"Okay, so...why do we need to go through the tree, anyway?" Hugo asked. "Why can't we just sail down the river?"

"Well, because we don't actually know how that would go. It might be a good idea to, uh, secure anything we don't want destroyed by impact in black rocks." Adira suggested. "We'll catch up with it later."

"Alright, I can do that." Varian nodded. "I can use black rocks to safely lower it to the river, too."

"Besides, who doesn't want to go through a big, scary tree?" Eugene asked optimistically.

"Uh, I don't." Lance said nervously.

"We HAVE to go into the tree." Varian reminded them. "I need to get that incantation to save my dad." He held up Gothel's book.

"...Right." Hugo nodded. "Into the creepy ol' tree we go, then."

"Besides, this could be fun!" Rapunzel said eagerly.

"Ah, yes. Fun. Loads of fun evading Varian's murderous uncle in a creepy tree that is, what, possibly haunted?" Cassandra shrugged. "We're gonna have a blast."

"We'll be fine." Adira assured them.

They finished unpacking what they might need and then Varian secured everything else before securing the door to avoid any thieves trying to get in, and also to make sure it wasn't damaged.

"So, now we're just gonna send this block of black rock drifting down the river?" Eugene asked. "Why can't you just lower it into the ground and summon it again later?"

Varian blinked and looked at him. "...You think that would work?"

"Worth a shot." Eugene shrugged.

Varian walked over to the caravan and placed his hand on it, focusing on sinking it into the ground. He gasped as it slid into the ground and he grinned. "It worked! Eugene, you're a genius!"

Eugene grinned. "I've grown pretty acquainted with what you can do."

"Alright, with that settled let's go inside." Adira nodded.

–

The tree was even bigger up-close, and the way in was a doorway with vines hanging around it. Varian gasped as his streak started to glow and groaned. "Great. There's magic here."

"That's because this used to be known as the Great Tree of Zhan Tiri." Donella explained. "Gothel talked about that in her book, remember?"

"Zhan Tiri..." Varian clutched at his chest.

"Oh, great, ol' creepy demon in the portal." Hugo cringed. "Think we'll run into any of his, uh, goons?"

"Disciples. And, who knows?" Donella shrugged.

"Whoever we face, we'll take it on, no problem!" Rapunzel said enthusiastically. "Let's head into the tree and find that incantation!"

They nodded and headed inside.

--

High above them, ice-blue eyes glowed green as a figure tilted their head curiously before a wide, wolf-like smile spread across his face.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? The Sundrop and the Moonstone in the Great Tree? How...fortuitous."

His eyes shifted to look at the feral man glaring at the group from the road. "This should be an interesting way to spend my day. I've been so dreadfully bored since my unsealing." He chuckled and disappeared into the tree.

Far below, Hector headed for another way into the tree, intending to cut off the group.

–

"Whoa..." Rapunzel breathed. "Look at this place!"