The Third Power: TTS AU

Chapter Twenty-Two

It was a sight unlike any other - the dark water passing by the submarine. Lance and Keira were stood by one of the windows, watching the fish swim by, completely entranced by this strange new world. Eugene and Catalina, however, were more apprehensive.

"And we're 100% sure this is safe?" Eugene called to Rapunzel who was driving. "It's not going to break and we're all gonna drown?"

"Oh, come on, you two," Rapunzel said with a laugh. "Varian built this! It must be safe."

"I mean I don't know if that's a guarantee," Lance said from the other side of the sub. "Remember that one invention that made me go deaf?"

"That was your own fault for tampering with it," Eugene reminded him.

Lance went to say something but stopped just as his mouth opened. He turned back to the window as a pufferfish swam by it.

Rapunzel giggled at their squabbling then returned her attention to the wheel. Her smile fell a little as she pushed herself back into focusing on their mission.

Don't worry, Varian, we're coming.

She took another glimpse at the map. They were making good time in the submarine. The princess could only hope they made it before Varian could claim the Seastone.

—————

Cassandra stirred in her sleep. When had she fallen asleep? The warrior tried to remember anything from before the blackout.

...

She remembered water. A lot of water. Like an ocean's worth of i- oh, yeah, she, Varian and Eclipse had been on their way to Atlantis. Then the bubble gave out and-

"Oh my god, Varian!"

Cassandra quickly sat up. She looked around and her look of panic immediately changed to one of confusion. She was sat in a bed, covered in soft, white sheets. There were others like it, separated by teal curtains. Most were empty except for the one next to her where the alchemist lay, still asleep.

"Varian?" she asked quietly, leaning over to him.

"He's fine," said an unfamiliar voice.

Cassandra looked up to see a girl with tanned skin, black hair and... wings? She had dark blue scales covering her legs. She walked over to the warrior's bed and sat at the edge, smiling at her.

"How are you feeling then?" she asked.

Cass looked at her before playing with the edge of her blanket.

"I'm alright," she said. "Just confused as to where we are."

The girl clapped her hands together and her eyes lit up with realisation.

"Oh, right!" She got up from the bed and lowered her head, offering Cassandra a respectful bow. "Owner of the Moonstone, welcome to Atlantis." She stood back up straight, a friendly gleam in her eyes.

Cassandra's eyes widened with surprise. Had she heard that right?

"Atlantis?"

The girl nodded, her smile unwavering.

"Yep. The journey, sadly, wasn't kind by the looks of it so you're staying here in the castle infirmary until you recover."

Cass nodded slowly as she absorbed all of this. They'd made it? How? Hadn't they been turning back? She rubbed her forehead for a moment. Questioning this after just waking up was giving her an unnecessary headache. She looked back over at Varian then back to the girl.

"What's your name?" she asked.

The girl fluttered up a little in shock.

"Oh, sorry," she said with a laugh. "I am Mari, the guardian of the Seastone and its holder."

Cassandra sat up more, her interest growing.

"So Varian?"

Mari nodded.

"I'll be taking him to collect the Seastone once you've both recovered."

It was then that Eclipse came into the room. Mari's kind eyes immediately narrowed with mistrust, though it barely lasted a moment as Cassandra swung her legs out of the bed and smiled at the ghost as she came over.

"Cassandra! So you're feeling better?" the ghost asked.

The warrior nodded.

"Much better." She turned to Mari. "Who do I thank for helping us?"

"No thanks necessary," she said. "As if we would turn away tired travellers. Especially those of great importance like you and Varian." She then sat herself at the foot of the alchemist's bed, smiling fondly at him.

"You two seem close," Eclipse said.

Mari was silent for a moment before answering.

"In a way. Though we have never properly met until now, I have known him for much of his life."

"How does that work?" Cassandra asked, confused.

Mari hummed and played with the bedsheets before answering.

"Not only am I the protector of the Seastone and its holder, I was born with a bond to the Seastone which carried over to Varian when he touched the stone for the first time. It's the same with all guardians, their items and the holders. We have a mental link. (A/N: unless Varian has the Seastone or is within a certain distance, only Mari can use the link and only now and then until Varian does have the stone.) This also applies to you and Z... Eclipse."

Cassandra sat, wide-eyed, then looked at Eclipse.

"Really?"

Eclipse hesitated a moment before answering.

"Yes," she said with a gentle smile. She spared Mari a glance and could see the mermaid's eyes cutting through her. "That's why I visited you in the House of Yesterday's Tomorrow. It was time you got away from that princess."

"Princess?" Mari tilted her head curiously. "Oh, Rapunzel right?"

Cassandra nodded. "I'm her- I was her friend until we drifted apart. That's when Eclipse found me and took me to the Moonstone." She smiled at Eclipse. "She guided me to my destiny."

"Oh." the mermaid's eyes widened a little with surprise before softening again. "That's wonderful, but what caused you and the princess to drift if you don't mind me asking."

Cass shuffled a little uncomfortably before finding her words.

"Rapunzel isn't exactly... it's not-" Cass paused a moment. "...it's hard to make her listen."

Eclipse nodded to the statement.

"Honestly, I can't think of a worse friend than that girl," she said bitterly. "She cares so little for her friends to the point that she listens to a stranger she just met more than her own handmaiden."

Mari nodded sadly.

"Weird to think a princess would act like that. I noticed how she treated Varian too. I wish I could've done something." She tried to keep her smile up. "But you're safe now, down here. She won't get to you, I promise."

She then stood up from the bed and eyed Eclipse again, signalling she wanted to talk in private.

Eclipse followed the mermaid from the room after a quick goodbye to Cassandra. She could only guess what Mari wanted to talk about.