Rapunzel returned back inside the palace. "Varian!" she cheered. She hugged him. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
"Me too, Rapunzel," Varian smiled.
"What happened?" she asked.
"I-I don't know," Varian said, putting his hand on his head. "It's a little fuzzy. I remember looking at someone's window. My reflection felt...well, weird, and then the black...amber thingy started covering me. I...I don't even know where it came from."
"What was it like?" Eugene asked. "Being trapped in it?"
"Kind of like...a slumber?" Varian replied, shrugging. "It's still fuzzy."
"How about you hang out with us today, Varian?" Rapunzel suggested. "I don't want you to be alone again if that happens again."
"I...I appreciate that, thanks," Varian said.
"We have to check on some new signs in Corona," Rapunzel said. "I'm sure your eye can see if something is wrong with the structure!"
"Heh, I'd like that," Varian smiled.
Ruddiger eventually calmed down and put himself on Varian's shoulders again. Varian followed behind Rapunzel and Eugene, who were apparently flirting when they thought Varian couldn't hear. He could, however, hear the whole thing.
"Feldspar!" Eugene called. "My man! How's things going? Well, I presume?"
"Well enough," Feldspar said, a hint of irritation in his voice.
"What happened?" Rapunzel asked.
"This weird black mist filled up my entire shop and...well, you might wanna look yourself," he replied. He opened the door, letting the sunlight in his surprisingly dark shop. "Why is it so dark?" Eugene asked.
"I don't know, it's like all light got drained from it completely," Feldspar replied.
Eugene put a foot through the doorframe. "Uh, you might wanna be careful," Feldspar said.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Eugene said. "Right, Blondie?"
"That's right," Rapunzel said. Varian followed in after Rapunzel, using a couple of his test tubes to fill the room with light. He put a cork on them and started shaking them. "Hurry up with that light, buddy," Eugene said. "It's spookily dark in here."
"That's not a word," Varian said.
He tied them onto his staff he carries around with him, untying it from his bag, and tying the test tubes, still swirling, onto the top of it. The liquid inside stopped swirling and filled the room with pink and green light. "Woah!" Eugene cried. He backed away from a large silhouette in front of him. "Hey, kid, bring the light over here."
Varian walked next to Eugene and pointed the stick at the shadow. In front of them is a collection of people, frozen inside the black amber.
"Is that...?" Rapunzel asked, walking closer.
Varian looked behind them, as a small shuffling sounded behind. Ruddiger jumped off Varian to smell the black amber.
Varian pointed the light, slightly, to the left, behind the group, and saw a quick flicker of...something. "Hey, guys?" Varian asked. "Did you see that?"
"See this mound of black amber?" Eugene asked. "Yeah, spooky."
"No, not that," Varian said. "There's...something else here. Something...bad."
"Bad?" Rapunzel asked. "How so?"
"I don't know," Varian said. "But...I think whatever it is, created these black amber rocks."
"Varian..." a voice called. "This is your fault..."
"What?" Varian asked.
"Varian?" Rapunzel asked. "You okay?"
"This is your fault," the voice called out again. "The black rocks...this is because of you. All these people...because of you..."
"N-no! You're lying!" Varian called.
"Hey, kid?" Eugene asked.
"Look around you, kid," the voice said again. "This is because of you..."
The darkness in the room fled, revealing the entire room filled with people, frozen in black amber. "It's because of you!"
"No, no, no!" Varian cried, putting his hands on his head. "No, no, it's a lie!"
"Varian, kid, calm down," Eugene said.
"And...you can do it again!" the voice cheered. It giggled. "Just give into your hate! To your sadness! To your fear!"
"No, no, no, no, no!" Varian cried. Eugene reached his hand out, but recoiled when Varian stumbled forwards. "Get out of my head!" Varian yelled.
"If you insist," the voice replied. "I'll be out of your head, but the transformation is on its next step. See you real soon, kid."
"Kid, calm down, it's okay," Eugene tried.
"Eugene?" Rapunzel asked. "What happening?"
"I-I don't know, Blondie," Eugene said. "He won't answer me. He's in his head." Varian muttered something. It was too quiet to hear. "What was that, buddy?" Eugene asked, walking closer to him.
"Get...away from me..." Varian muttered, slightly louder.
"Hey, easy, Varian, there's nothing here," Eugene said quietly.
Varian moved his head up a little to make eye contact with Eugene. "I said...get AWAY!"
Black rocks emerged from the ground where Varian stood, flat ones pushing Eugene out of the way. "V-Varian?" Rapunzel asked.
"W-what is happening?" Varian asked. "What did you do to me?"
"I did what I must," the voice repeated.
"Varian, what's happening?" Rapunzel asked.
"Leave me alone!" Varian replied.
"Varian, we aren't leaving you," Rapunzel said softly.
"You're going to hurt your friends," the voice warned. "You want to save them?"
Varian glanced up towards Rapunzel and Eugene. Eugene is lying on the ground, propped up with his elbow, while Rapunzel is standing a but further back, a look of worry on her face. "Y-yes," Varian replied.
"Then have them join you," the voice said.
"W-what?" Varian asked.
"Use the black rocks." A small, woman, child-like in appearance with buns with a jewel crown, appeared by his side. "Use the black rocks to have them join you."
"N-no, I won't!" Varian replied.
"Hmm, well then," the woman said. "Your transformation will finish and your friends will die."
"Varian, kid, snap out of it!" Eugene called. "Whatever's happening, don't do it alone!"
"Varian, we're right here," Rapunzel said, taking a few steps closer, her hand extended. "Varian, take my hand."
"Hm, pick a side, kid," the woman said. "Join your friends and lose them, or give in and save them."
"I...I..." Varian said.
"Varian, what's happening?" Eugene asked. "Kid, answer me!"
"I...I won't...chose," Varian replied.
"Then you will give in," the woman replied, a smile spreading across her face. "Say goodbye, kid. Any last words?"
More black rocks started growing around Varian. They started small before they broke through the building. People outside screamed and ran away. "What's happening?" Eugene asked.
"The black rocks?" Rapunzel asked. "I thought we stopped those!"
"Rapunzel!" Eugene cried. "The Moonstone uses the black rocks!"
"But we destroyed the Moonstone!" Rapunzel said. "Unless...you're saying..."
"It's possible," Eugene said. "But how?"
"That's not important," Rapunzel said. "We have to save him."
"Varian!" Eugene called. "Varian! Fight her!"
"Fight...her...?" Varian asked.
For the first time through his pain, he was aware of the black rocks. He let out a small gasp. "The black rocks..."
"Ooh, clever kid," the woman said. "You're...you're Zhan Tiri!" Varian replied.
"You're really smart, kid, now you know why I want you," Zhan Tiri replied, floating around to his front. "Get out of my head!" Varian yelled.
"I can get out of your head," Zhan Tiri said, vanishing, "but you can't get rid of me. Not that easy."
Varian bent forward, gripping his head tighter. "What are...you doing to...me?"
"I'm changing you," Zhan Tiri replied. "Soon, you'll be my new host."
"Varian..." Eugene whispered.
"Varian, fight her!" Rapunzel encouraged. The black rocks grew more. Some smashed through the windows. "Blondie!" Eugene cried. "Look out!" Eugene blocked a black rock with his sword, which flew out of his hand, but stopped the growth of the rock. "Blondie, you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Rapunzel said.
"Your friends are being hurt," Zhan Tiri said. "You have to control those rocks."
"I...I can't, I won't," Varian said.
"You can, if you give in," Zhan Tiri said.
"You're a monster," Varian muttered.
"And you're stubborn," Zhan Tiri said, unimpressed. "You're out of time."
Tears swelled up in Varian's eyes. "Say goodbye, kid," Zhan Tiri said.
Varian looked up at Eugene and Rapunzel. "I'm sorry," he said.
Author's Note
I really don't know why but all I could think of was Changes by David Bowie and the Butterfly group I can't remember the name of. It was a little hard to write this chapter with that in my head, but I got it!