Alchemist Out Of Corona

The Great Tree, Part 4/7

As strange as the sight is before Varian, something else catches his eye... The stripe in his hair actually begins glowing. Glowing! He would be more intrigued, if he weren't suffocating to death.

Coughing, Varian attempts to crawl slowly toward Rapunzel. But he notices that Cassandra is also trying to get to the princess.

     "Rapunzel, stop!" Cassandra wheezes, reaching her hand out to Rapunzel. "Please!" But she is still too weak, and her head falls forward.

     Adira pushes herself to stand, but before she can walk any farther she falls back to the ground, weakening more and more by the second.

     This can't happen. Varian won't let it. As Rapunzel continues to repeat the incantation, he closes his eyes for a moment to compose himself. Gripping his bandana in his hand, he pictures the princess in his head. He thinks of all the things she has done for him; all she has done for all of them. For a split second he feels rejuvenated, and he takes advantage of it to run to Rapunzel.

     "Rapunzel, you have to snap out of it!" He shouts, grabbing the princess by the shoulders. But when he touches her, his gloves dissolve into nothingness right off his hands. He gasps, but doesn't let this deter him. "Rapunzel, come on!" He grabs her shoulders again with his bare hands, expecting the worst. But surprisingly, nothing happens. "You didn't give up on me. I'm not giving up on you!"

He shakes her like he is trying to awaken her from a deep sleep, but she still continues to sing. Finally his knees give out again, and when he lets go of Rapunzel and drops to the ground she falls backward into the water. Her long hair flows everywhere, but it finally returns from black to its usual blonde. The glow of his hair stripe also fades away.

     Now that Rapunzel has quit singing, everyone is able to breathe and stand again. They heave a collective sigh of relief, but Cassandra jumps up and rushes past Varian toward Rapunzel.

     "Raps?" She asks worriedly, kneeling in the water beside the unconscious princess. "No, no, no. Please!" She holds Rapunzel in her arms, gently touching her face.

     Finally, Rapunzel slowly opens her eyes. "That was... unexpected," she says with a small smile.

     "Oh, you're okay!" Cassandra says with relief, giving Rapunzel a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Raps... I'm supposed to protect you."

     "It's okay, Cass," Rapunzel says reassuringly. She then turns to Varian and says, "Thank you, Varian." She extends her hand, and he takes it briefly. "But, uh, what was up with your hair?"