Forgotten Magic

Chapter 12

I made myself believe Rapunzel. Not because I wanted to. I knew a force like that wouldn't stop. Or...I thought I knew.

But, if I was being honest, I checked on those rocks on a daily basis for maybe two weeks. And they never changed. Never. But it wasn't long until they did.

At first it was just one more. And no one noticed. Which was expected. But then there were three more. And then six. And then ten. I thought it might've been me, since I kept getting close to them. But I tried to leave them for a week. And they kept growing. And at alarming rates.. It was terrifying. And the village finally noticed.

"Did you see those things at the edge of town?"

"I heard they came as punishment for taking the Sundrop."

"Now? After 18 years?"

"If anyone knows, it would be Quirin."

And I wondered about that too. Quirin? Why would Varian's father have the answers? I wasn't going to figure it out. I didn't want to.

The point is...if the village noticed, that meant Varian noticed.

"Ann! Ann, come look at this!" he called.

I looked up from my journal, carefully closing it and slipping it under my bed before running to the window. Varian was down there, waving up at me. He was pointing at something, but I couldn't quite see what.

I called "Give me a minute! I'll come down!" before sprinted downstairs and out the door.

He was right at the bottom of the steps, waiting for me. As soon as I was on solid ground, he grabbed my hand and ran across the grass, making me run with him. He dragged me towards the Corona wall and I didn't notice where he was taking me until it was too late. He pulled me to a stop in front of the spiky black formations I had been observing for weeks.

"What do you think they are?" he asked, moving forward and reaching a hand out to touch them.

"D-D-Don't!" I grabbed his wrist before I could stop myself, pulling him back.

"Ann? What-what's gotten into you? What's wrong?" Varian look at me, concern written across his face.

I shook my head, letting go of his wrist. "N-nothing...sorry...I-it was nothing."

He studied my face until he came to a conclusion.  "You know something, don't you?" It came out as a whisper.

"Sorry. It was nothing," I lied. "I just heard a lot of talk from the village. They told their kids not to go near these. I guess it just...got to my head."

Varian nodded, recovering quickly from his disappointment. "Okay. Yeah, I get it. Don't listen to them. They're just nervous."

"Right," I nodded. "Do you think your dad knows about them yet? Or should we tell him?"

"He probably knows already," the alchemist shrugged, kneeling down to take a closer look at where the rocks burst through the earth. "If he does, it'll be the first thing he brings up at dinner."

And he was right.

. . .

Whenever something new happens in or to the village, Quirin can't help but rant about it at dinner. And Varian and I always listen. I think Varian listened because it helped him gain better ideas on how to help the village. I listened usually out of pure interest. That was the same way this evening.

"I suppose you two have noticed the strange rocks at the edge of town?" Varian's father began.

Ww both nodded.

"I hope you haven't been going near them. Those rocks could cause serious harm, given the right circumstances."

"How?" Varian inquired. "I mean, I get that if they grow, they could impale people. But I-"

"Varian," Quirin sighed, "I understand your curiosity. But I believe these rocks will only grow faster when they get closer to their target. Which looks to be the island. Some of the people have found they're unbreakable. They cannot be stopped. Only avoided."

Now, Varian once told me that there wasn't a problem that couldn't be solved. He pretty much lived by it. If there was a problem, he would find a way to fix it. But that could sometimes have him grounded, like it did last time.

"No problem is unsolvable," the alchemist insisted. "I know there's a way. Dad! Please."

Quirin tensed. "Son, this is a serious issue. These rocks could destroy our year's crops. It could cause property damage. And death! I can't have you meddling un these sorts of things."

"But...dad..."

"No more 'but's." Quirin got up. "Excuse me. I think I'll turn in early tonight. Just promise me, the both of you, that you won't go near those rocks. Ever."

"We promise," Varian and I said in unison.

That seemed to ease the man a bit as he left.

. . .

Varian spent all his time in his lab after that, working on his invention for the expo. I kept an eye on the rocks' growth from my bedroom window. As Quirin had predicted, their numbers started to increase at an alarming rate.

I watched people run, watched those formations destroy everything that stood in their way. So far, it'd been little things. Some farmland, paths, a tree... But I knew it wasn't long until bigger things happened.

. . .

Meanwhile, I couldn't help but think of Taylor. Of one of my good friends. They'd been gone almost two years. I hadn't heard from them. I decided to finally pay their family a visit.

I'd found out, soon after becoming friends with Taylor, where they lived. In such a small village, almost everyone knew where everyone lived. But that didn't make me any less nervous.

After a long while filled of pacing and nervous muttering, I finally worked up the courage to knock.

A woman with waist-length brown hair and turquoise eyes answered the door. "Can I help you?" She seemed genuine. Not rude like some of the villagers were.

"Oh...uh, I-I was friends...with...with, uh, Taylor. They left more than one and a half years ago...and said they'd be back two years from then. I-I was wondering if you've heard from them...since...I...haven't..."

The woman's face changed from confusion to surprise and finally to delight. "Oh! Yea, they're doing well. They said they'll hopefully be back within maybe five months. They just have to finish and take care of some things and then they'll be home. It's so sweet that you came by to ask about them. What's your name, dear?"

"Savannah," I answered. "Savannah Eclipse."

"It's so nice to meet you. Call me Sarah. I'll let Taylor know you stopped by, shall I?"

"Yeah...yeah, thank you."

"Of course."
. . .

The day of the expo was fast approaching. And I had plans to tell Rapunzel everything. Everything about the rocks, about the destruction, everything. And I didn't care. After that day, I would tell Varian everything.