Varian's Tangled Trials

Never Too Late, Part 1

"How can I believe that!" cried Varian. "How can I-?"

Varian clutched his head, digging his fingers into his hair, and Hugo's heart clenched at the pain in his face. The tears clung to the corners of his eyes.

When his eyes snapped back up at Hugo, his glare burned with enough force that Hugo stepped back as if he'd been pushed.

Yet when Varian sprinted for the portal, Hugo reached out after him instinctually.

"Varian!"

But Hugo couldn't move, his feet pinned to the ground by Varian's hateful look. It was like he was trapped in a dream, helpless as Varian quickly rewired the portal. He stepped through the rippling bronze. Then with a flash of gold, the portal closed behind him, leaving only the still image of Hugo's horror in its wake.

He was gone.

~ * ~

. . .

 And that's it.

That's the story of how I ruined my life.

At least. That's how it felt.

We'd been through so much. Tackled each and every trial meant to decide whether we were worthy enough for the secrets of some old man's great dusty library.

Yet there I was.

The door slammed in my face.

So much for being worthy. 

. . .

~ * ~

Everyone had eyes on the arch as the image of the Library flickered, flashed, and disappeared, taking Varian with it. The massive hall was deadly silent as the soldiers surrounding it looked back over their shoulders anxiously at their boss.

Donella looked livid, hands clenched into trembling fists and face curled in a snarl. But then her face relaxed, and her expression changed into one closer to pity. "Fine. He's your problem now," she murmured before raising her voice in sharp command. "We still have what we came for. Take care of the others." She turned her attention back to the converter.

Hugo stared at the empty space in the arch, hurt and despair in his eyes, the hand he had tried to reach for Varian with still hanging in the air.

His knees gave beneath him, and he buckled to the floor.

Cyrus stepped close. "Hugo."

Hugo gave no indication of even hearing Cyrus's voice. Cyrus huffed and grabbed Hugo by his upper arm before dragging him over to the wall where others had already dumped Yong. Yong was glaring at them both, but Hugo just kept his eyes down and didn't resist as his hands were restrained behind him. Cyrus focused on his task before stomping away bitterly.

Ruddiger squirmed and hissed as he was taken to a cart full of the Ingvarrian's supplies and quickly tossed into a little cage.

Another soldier extracted Nuru from where she was trapped in Varian's pink goo. Nuru, in stark contrast to Hugo, continued to fight tooth and nail as she was brought over with the other two, prompting the soldier to bind her more securely. She stared daggers at him as he worked, then when the soldier walked away, she directed her ire at Hugo.

"How could you?" She hissed at him. "Varian trusted you. We trusted you!"

Hugo curled in on himself. "I know," He murmured.

~ * ~

Varian's lip trembled as he stepped forward, looking at his mother with watery, joy-filled eyes.

"Mom."

Ulla stared back, eyes wide as if she didn't trust her own senses. Her pupils darted up and down, taking in the young man before her. She almost looked afraid. Varian stepped up to her, and she slowly lifted a hand to cup his cheek.