A man, his dad, stood before him, head bowed as he held a journal with such tenderness you would have thought it an infant.
"Your mother... she's not coming home."
Varian stood there, uncomprehending, and so so young, only knowing that his father was sad, and he couldn't help him.
This would be his beginning as an alchemist, he'd show those that had told him not to play around with magic that his inventions were real and helpful. The fumes that had forced an evacuation for an afternoon (leaving painful lines of fire in his lungs) would be long forgotten.
This would be a harvest that would be remembered forever...
...It was a harvest none would forget, black spores spreading like weeds through any and all produce his growth serum had touched. Corona had to send emergency supplies that year, and everyone finished the winter thinner than they had been before.
Quirin had been angry, but he would only express his disappointment. He had a village to care for, and his only son was making things harder on him. Alchemy was forbidden during the cold months, as they had no recourse in the case of disaster.
Varian promised he'd do better.
He had to do better.
Even the kindest soul in Old Corona no longer trusted him.
His elixirs and potions all brought boils and disease, they said.
Stay away from Varian, they said.
He's a dangerous wizard of dark magic, they said.
It was fine.
He'd show them what he could do. The boilers under the city, in the catacombs that ran beneath, would be ready soon.
He'd give them all a gift they couldn't deny. Even Corona didn't have hot running water.
His father would be proud...
"-anything that can cause earthquakes cannot be safe. We've gotta warn people about this-"
"No! We can't!"
"Those things down there are dangerous!"
He just had to fix the small problem, and everything would be okay again and his father would be proud and the people would like him again. He couldn't give up now!
"I can't let this happen again!"
"I-I'm sorry dad."
"Not again, Varian..."
"But, dad-"
But his dad was turning away, his chance at doing anything to impress him crumbling to dust around him as he stood in the wreckage of his village.
He had it this time. He'd created a new element! Surely that would be enough to win first prize at the Exposition of Sciences. It was fine that his dad wouldn't be coming, he'd just bring the ribbon and invention home, proof that it is not only perfectly safe, but worth something.
He just needed an assistant, and he knew just who to ask, or rather persuade. Besides, Cassandra would be happy to have an element named after her, especially one as beautiful as this.
"If I help you, you can help me and be my assistant! It'll only take a minute!"
"Um... deal."
He worked until his strength was spent but it would all be worth it when...
"Listen, Varian, I'm really sorry, but things have changed. I can't help you anymore."
"Don't worry about me. I am sure I can find another assistant in the next... five minutes."
"I've no choice but to disqualify you."
"You're building too much pressure!"
He was glad his dad hadn't been witness to the disaster that followed.
The black rocks were encroaching on the village, faster and faster. People were getting hurt, their homes destroyed and fields useless, but no one had died yet. Rapunzel had promised she'd figure it out, his father had promised to speak to the king-
"How- How can I trust anything when my own father just lied to the king's face?"
"That is enough, Varian"
He couldn't breathe. "Yes, sir."
"Everything is going to be okay, I promise."
He'd fix it himself. He could do it, he just needed to experiment on the rocks in the basement.
He'd do it and save the day and everyone would be glad and the fear fear fear of waking up to a spike through him or his dad or anyone would go away.
His father said to stay away from the rocks, but he'd also said he would tell the king about their problems and that the king would help.
He couldn't trust what his father said.
His father was being encased. He was going to die.
Nonono, no it'd be okay. He just had to be fast, he had to get to Rapunzel, Rapunzel would help, she'd promised.
He had time, but only just enough, like the heroes in the stories that would come right down to the wire and then save the day.
The cold didn't matter, his exhaustion didn't matter, no obstacle could stand in his way.
He'd make his dad proud and save him and things would finally be right again.
He'd finally see him for what he was and he would be proud.
He'd made it to the castle, he wouldn't be too late , he just had to-
Outrun the guards, apparently, but Rapunzel would explain-
He could see her, it'd be okay, she just needed to hear-
"You have to come to Old Corona with me. Now."
"I'm sorry. I-I-I can't help you!"
Why.
Why did it always-?
No, he'd make her come with him-
"You promised!"
But he was back out in the worst storm in centuries with no help, the doors slammed in his face.
He'd do it himself.
He'd save his father, himself.
The second trip through the storm was numb and he could feel the time slip out of his hands.
Wasted time traveling.
Wasted time asking for help from a princess who had no intention of doing so.
Wasted time thinking someone would keep their word for once.
He knew better.
He had to be faster.
He wasn't fast enough.
No. NonononoNO-
No, he could have. He could have figured something out-
They'd stopped him.
She'd lied to him.
He'd fix this. He would, he had to, this was fixable. It couldn't not be.
And those who had stood in his path? Lied to him?
They'd pay.
It didn't matter what they thought of him. They'd hurt him first.
They deserved whatever they got.
And he'd fix this.
All by himself.
It was like they knew he hated them, even if they couldn't have already.
He hadn't attacked the princess. He'd barely touched her and she was lying.
But now he couldn't even go to Corona for food, let alone answers. All he would find would be slammed doors and thrown rocks.
The others had abandoned their dying village, now that their leader was gone.
They were of no help either.
It was fine.
He was resourceful, he'd survive.
He didn't need their help.
All these people did was lie.
It was time for them to tell the truth, whether they wanted to or not.
The truth serum worked. He could get to the Sundrop flower.
He could use it to free his father. Once he was free, everything would be alright.
But first he'd need a guide, unfortunately.
Rapunzel may be a liar, but she couldn't detect one very well.
All she cared about was Corona, helping Corona. Forget the people who were already hurt. Forget the destruction already caused. The precious City of Light was where her family, her true friends, and she herself lived.
She'd seen the damage. She'd seen the guards cover it up. He'd made sure of it. He'd given her another chance.
But she didn't care.
It was fine. They just had to get into the vault.
"Sorry, Princess. But I know firsthand how well you keep promises."
"No! It's useless! It's like it no longer holds the sun drop's power!"
He needed Rapunzel.
He needed to force her to help him again. She never would on her own.
He needed a better plan.
Sleepless nights, days that blended together, he was running on fumes but he'd done it.
This would work.
It had to work.
They'd all regret it.
"Her hair, it-it should have cut through it! Why didn't it work?"
"I wasn't wrong!"
She didn't want it to work.
"It's her fault."
She could have done it.
"If I can't have a happy ending, then neither can you!"
A fight.
A war in one battle.
The proof that she could, in fact, manipulate the stones to her own will.
Pain.
A prison transport.
One week became three with no hearing. He was used to lean times, eating more now in prison than when he'd been alone. They were going to blame the rocks on him. They were going to blame everything on him.
And his father still wasn't free.
Rapunzel and her friends had gone off exploring, leaving them all behind.
He'd find them soon.
A bright blue glow could be seen from New Corona, coming from the ruins of Old Corona and heading out East. Each and every one of the blue spires had come alight for a few moments, pulsing frantically with some distant heartbeat before once again fading to their dark midnight hues.
They'd known.
Varian felt himself coming back to awareness, years whittled down to seconds. With awareness came an anger tinged sharp with acrid bitterness.
Had it been funny? To see someone they had refused to help so desperate to prove himself to them?
Or had it been too pitiful for humor when he'd failed miserably, as he always seemed to?
They'd been afraid of his memories returning. He knew why now.
Varian hated them for it.