Inner Demons

Chapter 9: Marks Of Regret

   (Disclaimer: Self Harm and Blood)

Varian closed his eyes and held the dagger up to his wrist. He sucked the air through his teeth and started the deed.

Cut 1

Varian wished he never touched that elixir that trapped his father in the unbreakable amber.

Cut 2

Varian regretted putting the truth serum in the cookies to give to the guards.

Cut 3

Varian never wanted to betray and turn away from Rapunzel.

Cut 4

Varian should have never built the automaton army and step inside one.

Cut 5

Varian regretted turning Ruddiger into a terrifying beast as a distraction.

Cut 6

Varian wishes he never tossed the sleep dust into the Queen's face to kidnap her.

Cut 7

Varian should not have attempted to trap Queen Arianna inside the amber to use Rapunzel.

Cut 8

Varian regretted trying to crush Cassandra and Queen Arianna.

Cut 9

Varian shouldn't have tried to stop Rapunzel from stopping him.

Cut 10

Varian wishes he was nicer in jail instead of angry at the people who were trying to help him.

Varian continued the task on both of his arms. The cuts were bleeding and very painful, but in a sick way, Varian enjoyed it. Maybe it was because he believed there was a justification in it all, he was justified in doing this to himself because he deserved it.

Varian eyes were tearing up, he knew this was a terrible idea, he held up the knife to continue, but heard the gang coming down.

Varian quickly hid the knife on him and  rolled down his sleeves to hide the cuts.

"Sorry it took forever, but hey! We made it!" Rapunzel chirped to Varian, still climbing down. "I-It's fine." Varian mumbled, he was incredibly tired. "Varian! Are you ok?!" Rapunzel yelled to him, worried about what happened earlier. "Y-Yeah I'm fine, you really shouldn't worry, I'm just a little tired." He replied, trying to stand up but his wounded leg preventing him from doing so. "Varian, you need to rest, that's final." Cassandra says, "I don't need to rest." Varian says back to her, not in a rude way, but in a dismissive tone. "Varian, we're all tired, so let's just camp here so we can rest." Rapunzel softly says to him. Varian sighs, and slowly nods in understanding.

Eugene once more starts the fire and everyone starts to settle. Varian sits by the fire and notices that everyone sat on the other side, away from him.

"They don't want to be near you, they're scared of you." The Medallion Demon says to Varian, Varian looks down and sighs.

Varian lies down and slowly closes his eyes, he knows he doesn't deserve to sleep, but he is far too tired to care, Varian slowly falls asleep.

"I'm worried about that kid." Eugene blurts out to the gang. "No kidding, he has some demon inside him!" Lance whispers with a shaky tone. "I know, I know, we're all worried, but what could we possibly do to help?" Cassandra asks everyone. "Poor Varian..." Rapunzel mumbles, "Maybe we could-" Rapunzel shops and everyone watches Varian twist and turn in his sleep, whispering to himself.

In his sleep, he kept messing with the bandages on his leg. They came loose and revealed the wound to the gang. The leg's infection got so much worse. Instead of just blacks streaks coming out of his scar, his whole wound was an inky black.

"Oh my God..." They all said under their breath. "What on Earth...? It looks terrible!" Eugene commented, "I think that monster has something to do with this!" Rapunzel cried out. They all gasp as Varian's shadow sits up and looks around.

It was as if Varian's shadow was its own separate body, it just kept looking around, until, it noticed the gang. The shadow began to sob and stand up. It walked only a few feet until it collapsed, crying out in agony. Then out of nowhere, it grabbed a dagger and began cutting itself. Still sobbing, it mumbled words and flinched when another shadow came, belonging to no one there. The shadow had a silhouette of a familiar beast, towering over Varian's shadow. It was The Medallion Demon, smiling at the boy's shadow with a crooked grin. The shadow of the monster then looked at Rapunzel's gang, and laughed a psychotic laugh.

Then the fire erupted with a strong flame, making everyone stumble back with fear. Suddenly, the flame stopped, everyone breathed heavy breaths, trying to understand what just happened.

Rapunzel noticed that Varian had his sleeves down, instead of being rolled up as usual. "Varian, you didn't. Please tell me you didn't actually do it." Rapunzel said in her mind. She slowly walked up to Varian's sleeping body, afraid of the answer she'll find. She bent down, and carefully started to roll up his sleeves. But Rapunzel didn't prove careful enough, Varian's eyes opened and he flinched back. "W-What are you doing?" He asks her, fear in his eyes. Rapunzel stands up, "Roll up your sleeves, Varian. Now." Rapunzel demanded. Varian backs away, "N-No." He stuttered, his voice cracking. "It wasn't a question, Varian." Rapunzel sternly said to him, stepping closer to him. He continues to step back up, until he stumbled over a rock and falls against the wall.

Rapunzel suddenly grabbed his arm and rolled it down. She gasps, there were multiple cuts on his arm, gushing with blood and staining the cloth. Varian tears up, Rapunzel grabbing his arm didn't help with the cuts, not to mention Rapunzel's face was soul-crushing.

"Varian, how could you?! How could you do to this to yourself?!" Rapunzel exclaims, tears forming in her eyes. "Answer me!" She yells at him, her voice shaking. With tears falling down his eyes, Varian cries out, "You wouldn't understand!" Rapunzel grabs his other arm and rolls down the sleeve, gasping once more, she sees the other multiple cuts on his arm. "Varian! I don't think you understand! By doing this, you're giving him exactly what he wants!" Rapunzel shouts at Varian. "B-But I like it! It helps me, I deserve to the feel the pain, to starve, to never rest, and to suffer alone! After what I did to everyone in Corona, I deserve to die!" Varian exclaims, his voice cracking and more tears coming down. Rapunzel felt stunned, she wanted it more than anything for Varian to realize his mistakes, but not at all like this! "Varian, that isn't true! This isn't going to help you! Please don't believe those lies!" Rapunzel cries out to him, clutching onto his arm as he tries to push away. Varian tried to resist and push away but suddenly stopped when his leg collapsed, making him fall. Rapunzel bends down and pulls him into a hug. "It's gonna be ok, Varian, it's gonna be ok..." She comforts him, holding him close. "I-I just want it to stop." He cries, clutching onto her for comfort.

Varian continued to sob, but it turned into faint cries, and then he finally fell asleep. Rapunzel lies him against the wall and holds onto one of his arms. "Cassandra, help me bandage his arms." Rapunzel calls out to her lady-in-waiting, Cassandra rushes over and helps Rapunzel bandage the broken boy's arms.

It was gonna be a long night.

Chapter End.