The Moon Calls

17

Quirin's hands shook as he read over Varian's letter. 'Things have gotten worse.' He thought, his grip tightening on the parchment a bit and making it scrunch a bit. 'What am I going to do?' He let go of the letter and walked over to the black rock that had aggressively stabbed into Varian's lab shortly after he took him away. He looked at his wife's old alchemy set and pursed his lips. "Do I...really have no other option?" He whispered to himself.

He heard the front door open and hurried out, stopping short when he saw who was standing in his living room. "...Sister." He greeted.

The white-haired woman dressed in furs and leathers walked closer to him. "Brother." She smiled a bit. "It has been too long."

"It has." He nodded. "What brings you to Corona?"

"What do you think?" She raised an eyebrow and gestured to the black-rock sword she'd somehow managed to create many years ago.

His "sister",Adira, was from the Dark Kingdom just as he was and knew of the Moonstone's power just as he did. He gestured to the table and went to get them both drinks.

"I went to where the Sundrop Flower was." She said calmly.

"It was taken almost nineteen yearsago." Quirin commented.

"I am aware of that, brother. I witnessed the Sun Princess touching the black rocks that sprouted there. Ever since, the black rocks have gone wild. I suspect, they knew of the threat she poses to them." She looked at him.

"You witnessed it?" Quirin set down the drink in front of her and sat in front of her. "What else did you witness that day?"

"She was accompanied by a girl and a boy. The boy seemed to have...powers as well. Perhaps of the Moon, judging by the color." She said thoughtfully.

"That boy is my son." Quirin pursed his lips. "He was born with Moon powers. The Moonstone wants him because he has a piece of it inside of him."

"Oh. I assumed it was after the Sun Princess, since they seem to have traveled to the Capital." She looked around. "Where is your son now?"

"...I took him to the Capital. The black rocks there are of his creation, not the Moonstone's." Quirin sighed. "When he gets angry, they appear."

"Perhaps you should teach him how to better school his temper." She remarked.

"He's doing a lot better than he used to." He gestured to the black rocks of various sizes around the living room. "He's just...had some troubles over there. I sent him so he would be safe, but I forgot that trouble follows the royal family in the way of criminals with grudges."

"Hm." Adira sipped at her drink. "Well, that aside, I think that the Sun Princess should go to the Dark Kingdom."

"What?" Quirin frowned.

"The Sundrop has the power to destroy the Moonstone—"

"That's just an old legend. And I would never risk her going there when she could possibly die in the process. Not only because she is like a daughter to me, and she is also the daughter of my friend, but I would never sacrifice anyone to that thing!" He stood up. "The Queen was killed by that thing. So many suffered, our Kingdom is reduced to a wasteland by its power, and you want me to send Princess Rapunzel there?!"

"If she does not, then many more will suffer." She stood up as well, setting down her cup. "You know this as well as I. You have a piece of the scroll, have you shown it to your son?"

"I havenot." He shook his head. "It's nonsense without a translation and in pieces besides." He walked over to look into the fireplace. "No...I'll find another way to handle this. I will not sacrifice anyone else to that thing." He moved one hand over the other. "It was pleasant to see you, sister, but I must ask that you leave and never approach the princess or my son."