What comes next?

The Bearer Of Bad News

Eugene led the guards towards where Rapunzel's childhood home used to stand. His Brown eyes scanning the area to find .. nothing. Not a single sign of life. His eyes shift around as he gestures for the guards to move forward to investigate.

"See if you can find any sign of him. Or something to tell us where he could have gone off to." The group would begin to comb the grounds for any sign of the kid or where he could have gone.

As they searched, Eugene would look around himself, noticing one thing in particular. "Hey.. has anyone seen an alchemy bag?" He would call out. Surely, someone might have seen that. If it was gone, that would mean he was here. That.. or someone stole it. But no one else knew about this area that he was aware of, so it was probably Varian that had it to his knowledge.

Finally receiving confirmation that it was nowhere to be seen, Eugene let out a short sigh. "Not here, well. That must mean he's moved on. We need to locate which direction he went and.. If he ran into anyone along the way." He paused for a moment, eyes locking onto Maximus. "Max! Sniff out Varian, see if you can find the kid."

The horse perked up in attention and nodded with a huff at his orders. With his snout to the ground, he began sniffing around before finally catching something. Varian. And something else. He let out a frustrated and angry noise before gesturing in the direction he could smell them in. "He's got the scent! Men! Let's go!" Eugene would rush back onto Max as they all moved out to follow the trail.

--

It had only been a mere few hours when Rapunzel heard the door open once again. Hope filled her eyes until she saw, not Eugene or Varian, but Adira. "Adira.. What are you doing here?" She would ask, approaching the much taller woman.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news. A powerful darkness has fallen over the land. Someone has made their return. I'm afraid.. The moonstone was never fully destroyed. We've been looking into this for quite some time, even locating short hair to talk it over with her, but she shows no signs of the moonstone within her." She explained, an expression of worry and sorrow on her face. "Can you think of anyone in this town that might have had a connection to it other than her?"

Rapunzel thought for a moment. Trying to think if there was anyone at all, but she shook her head in response. "No.. I can't think of anyone. Not one person that could have been exposed to it. Even.. if what you say is possible also. For them to be connected to it in such a way. They would have had to gain this before Cassandra had it. And not give it up."

A frown crossed Adiras face at her words. "I fear the same. And, in all honesty. I do have a small idea of who it could be. But. I would need to see them first. Where are your friends?"

"My friends? Varian. Is missing. Eugene went to find him. Lance is at home with Catalina and Angry, and Cass is out living her life." She watched Adira as she seemed to look even more distressed.

"Where is Quirin?" Was all that she could bring to say next.

"Quirin? He should be down below, trying to keep Varians machines running until he gets back. I'm sure he and Eugene will return soon. He might have just gotten lost." She at least hoped that as all.

Without saying anything else, Adira moved closer to her with her mouth beside her ear as to whisper into it. "I need to speak to you and him. Alone."

Hearing these words, she nodded to her and would guide her down towards where Quirin was working.

The two traveled through the long decorated hallways and towards the steps to lead towards the new workshop they had made in the palace specifically for the two of them, very deep below to allow privacy.

"Quirin. You have a visitor." Rapunzel would say as she knocked and opened up the door. The man would look over, noticing Adira was there.

Shocked, he nearly dropped what he was holding. "Adira- what are you doing here?"

The door was shut before either of the two could say another word. She wanted to ensure they were in privacy. Turning to face the two, she sat herself down, gesturing for them to do the same as she began to speak. "Some of the moonstones magic still exists. Quirin. If you recall. Back during when King Edmund tried to destroy the opal himself, a blast of its energy went shooting out?"

He would nod, terrified about where this was going. "It affected so many people. But. Perhaps. Just perhaps, being so close to the king. You.. absorbed a sliver of its energy. And passed it on. Unknowingly?"

"Passed it on? I don't think I understand Adira." Adira gave him a knowing look, understanding why he would be skeptical about the whole matter.

She stood up and kneeled in front of him, hands on his shoulders to offer comfort. "You know.. What I mean. We both know. When the Stone and the sundrop were destroyed, that one part was never returned to the opal. It still exists and I fear. An evil force has returned somehow and might try to use it. To bring back the sundrop and moonstone."

"We always just thought it was an abnormality. I guess I never wanted to think or accept. That it was possible."

"Do either of you want to tell me what is going on?" Rapunzel asked, getting frustrated as Adira and Quirin looked back over to her. Adira shifted and continued to speak. "Rapunzel. Your friend is in grave danger. A dangerous person, who has used the sundrops power, selfishly and continuously will not rest. Until it has been restored now that life has been breathed back into them. How it was possible. Remains.. Unknown."

Those words just echoed through Rapunzel's head as she tried to make sense of them. "A person who has used it selfishly and continuously. Selfishly-" Fear and realization rushed through her before the panic set in. "You don't mean- Please tell me you don't possibly mean she's back. She's dead. She's long dead!"

"I'm afraid it's true Rapunzel. Gothel. Has returned. And, I'm afraid, Varian is the person still linked to the Moonstone"