"Pascal, hide," Rapunzel whispered. Ruddiger instinctively jumped off of Eugene's shoulders, and hid in a small corner, under a table of beaten shoes.
"Say goodbye to your precious Corona, princess," Zhan Tiri mocked.
"I'd just like to ask a question," Eugene interrupted. Zhan Tiri rolled her eyes. "Ugh, what is it?"
"Well, uh..." Eugene stammered. "Did, uh, did Damanicus' scrolls ever say anything about actually killing you?"
"No, can we move on?" Zhan Tiri asked. "I don't have all day you know."
"Okay, okay, one more," Eugene said, putting his hands up. "Did Damanicus ever stop you from doing this before?"
"Yes, once, a long, long time ago. I took over a goat's body and attacked him with it. I have to admit, it was stupid, but I was winning," Zhan Tiri explained.
"'Was?'" Rapunzel asked. "What happened?"
"He killed me, then cooked that stupid goat for dinner!" Zhan Tiri yelled. "No more questions!" She raised a large shard of black rock into the air. "Die!"
"Wait, wait!" Eugene cried. "How does my hair look? I want it to look great when I die a second time."
"Your hair looks fine, Eugene," Rapunzel said.
"I hate these stupid questions! You're just wasting my time!" Zhan Tiri yelled.
"That's right," Eugene said. Zhan Tiri looked down to see Eugene's shattered sword pointed right at Varian's stomach. "I was."
"Wait, no, don't do this!" Zhan Tiri cried. "I'll...I'll do anything!"
"You'll leave?" Rapunzel tried, hope in her voice.
"Anything but that!" Zhan Tiri replied. "Please!"
Eugene's hands shook. The only way to get rid of her, once and for all, would be to kill the body she's in. But...it's not just a body. He's a friend. A friend who would stick to anyone's side if it means he'll help them. A loyal, kindhearted friend. Sure, he's made some mistakes along the way, but none of them are worth his life. Not even this.
"You hesitated," Zhan Tiri stated. Eugene backed away. "I...I can't do it."
"Ah, human hearts," Zhan Tiri said, smiling. "So soft. So weak. Looks like your friend won't be needing one."
She held the black rock shard up again. "Say goodbye..." she rolled her eyes, "again."
Rapunzel jumped in front of Eugene, and closed her eyes. She opened her eyes when nothing happened. "Eugene?" she checked.
"Right here, Sunshine," Eugene replied.
"Then...what...?" She looked up to see Zhan Tiri's hand had stopped moving, and was shaking violently. "What...are you...doing?" Zhan Tiri asked.
"I...can't...let you...do this..." came Varian's voice.
"Varian!" Rapunzel cheered.
"Kid, you're okay!" Eugene cheered.
"Why did you stop me?" Zhan Tiri asked.
"'Human hearts...are soft...and weak...' remember?" Varian asked. Varian's eyes turned back to normal but one of them remained with the yellow iris.
"No"! Zhan Tiri cried. The blue eye came back. "I can't let you win! I won't let you!"
"I'm in control...of the black...rocks...Zhan T-Tiri..." Varian said. "I...I can stop you..."
"How are you going to do that, kid?" she asked. Her hand went down some, closer to Rapunzel's face. Rapunzel closed her eyes and turned her head.
"I...I know how to...s-stop you...I've read...the scrolls..." Varian replied.
Zhan Tiri smirked. "You wouldn't." She laughed. "You possibly couldn't!"
"I...I can't..." Varian said stammered. The black rock moved closer to Rapunzel, nearly touching her. "I...I...I-I will..." Varian said.
"You will?" Zhan Tiri asked.
"I'll...I'll join you..." Varian tried.
Zhan Tiri laughed. This time, it was her actual laugh, not a creepy, child-like giggle. "I'll join you...just-just don't hurt them..." Varian said.
"If you insist," Zhan Tiri said.
"Varian! No!" Rapunzel cried.
Varian's eye turned yellow again. Zhan Tiri stood up straight. She started giggling. "I've got him now, princess," she mocked. "Now...I'm unstoppable."
"V-Varian..." Rapunzel whispered.
"Don't worry, Blondie," Eugene said. "I know him. He's planning something. I...I hope."
"Now, prepare to die first, princess! I'll make your pitiful boyfriend watch you scream in agony!" Zhan Tiri cheered.
"Ah ah ah! Husband now!" Eugene cheered.
"Pfft, whatever," Zhan Tiri scoffed.
Zhan Tiri raised the black rock into the air. She laughed as she pulled it down. "Rapunzel!" Varian cried. He kicked her out of the way.
Eugene caught her as she landed on the ground, then helped her up, at least onto her knees, before they both looked.
Varian had kicked Rapunzel out of the way, causing the momentum of Zhan Tiri's arms to stab himself instead. The black rock glew a faint blue, before Varian's hands came off the rock.
"Y-you...how could you...?!" Zhan Tiri cried. "I fell for your stupid tricks! I fell for it again! How could you?!"
A black, eerie mist floated out of Varian's body. The black rocks, along with the yellow ones, began evaporating, into colored mist of the rocks. "Heh...hah..." Varian panted. "I...I did it..." Varian fell.
"Varian!" Rapunzel cried. She was the first to run over.
Eugene looked at his broke sword. He could've done that. But...he was too...scared. He was too attached to Varian. He liked the kid, he never liked to say it out loud, but he liked the kid. Since he didn't do it, Varian did it himself. He's...much braver than Eugene ever could be.
Eugene dropped his sword, his hands shaking. Why couldn't he do it? He's stolen things, he's invaded on personal property, he's stabbed people in the back, so why couldn't he do this? He never actually stabbed anyone, let alone, killed anyone, but Varian...he's like a brother. A younger brother.
"Eugene!" Rapunzel called. "Varian...he...he wants to talk to you."
"I'm coming, kid," Eugene said, keeping his voice as still as possible.
"E-Eugene..." Varian said. "T-thank you..."
"Thanks? F-for what?" Eugene asked.
"For...helping me," Varian replied. "When you put...your sword...against me...it reminded me of one...of D-Damanicus' s-scrolls. It mentioned...that Zhan Tiri...did this before...with a goat. She was killed by...Damanicus...he had to kill the goat's...b-body to get her out..."
"Where did she go?" Rapunzel asked.
"Zhan T-Tiri is...gone," Varian replied. "We...won, " he chuckled lightly, before wincing, "for good."
"Is it because she didn't have a body?" Eugene asked.
"Y-yeah..." Varian replied.
"Varian," Rapunzel said, "y-you're loosing too much blood."
"Don't tell me that, R-Rapunzel..." Varian said. "I'll...f-faint." Varian chuckled lightly again, then winced again. "There's...there's something I haven't...told you."
"What is it?" Rapunzel asked.
"I...I planted the Sundrop..." Varian said. "It's been...growing...it's in my lab...underground..."
"Varian, hold on," Eugene said.
"Get it..." Varian continued. "A-and...bring it h-here. I...I can...use it...to..."
"Varian? Varian!" Rapunzel cried.
"Don't worry, he just fainted, Blondie," Eugene said. "Rapunzel, I'll get it. I'll get the flower."
"Okay, I'll stay here with Varian," Rapunzel said.
"I'm taking Max. Keep people out of this building until we fix this," Eugene commanded.
Rapunzel smiled weakly. Eugene has gotten better at commanding and leading people since he became Captain of the Guard. Cassandra's father retired to be with his daughter more.
"Pascal, come with me," Eugene said. "Please." Pascal squeaked and climbed onto Eugene's shoulder. Eugene ran out to the castle. This is his fault. If he'd just done something about it when he was in the Dark Kingdom, none of this would've happened. He could've dealt with Zhan Tiri then and there. He'd have to figure out how to, but he could've stopped this from happening. He could've stopped Varian from dying.