Cassarian August

August 23: Nothing Left to Lose

(I'm debating whether to make this the canon Nothing Left to Lose for SoaA or not. We'll see.)

"You have so much to hold on to!" Varian exclaimed, stopping Cassandra's arm before its blade hit the painting.

"What?!?" Cassandra exclaimed, questioning. She turned to Varian furiously. "What do I have to hold on to?!? I lost my friends, Rapunzel, my dad, the kingdom!" She swung her blade at him, eyes squeezed shut. "I have nothing left to lose!" There was a resounding clang as Cassandra's blade hit another black rock, this one held by Varian. He grabbed her wrist as she tried to pull away.

"You're wrong. You have one thing left to lose," Varian told her as he gently pushed her arm down to her side. He looked directly into her eyes as he dropped his blade. "Me." Cassandra looked startled, but then her electric blue eyes softened. "Please Cassie, we can figure this out together, I-" He hesitated for a moment. "I promise." Cassandra moved forward, still gazing into his eyes. Suddenly, the ghost girl materialized behind her.

"He's trying to trick you," the girl whispered in Cassandra's ear.

"No, Cassie I-I'm not! Please, Cassie!" Varian pleaded as he saw something change in Cassandra's expression. She walked forward and placed a gentle hand on his chest. She gave him a look that was a mix between regret and determination. "Cassie, please..." Varian pleaded. Knowing it was his last chance, tears welled up in his eyes. "Please..." His last plea came out as a whisper. Cassandra looked him dead in the eyes, the regretful look still in hers.

"Sorry, Var," she said softly. She suddenly shoved him backwards and coils of black rock gently curled around him, pinning him and then expanding and closing him into a cage. She walked forward and placed her hand on the bars.

"Cassie..." Varian whispered. He reached a hand through the bars. "Don't do this." Cassandra entwined her black rock covered fingers with his. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"It's the only way," she told him. Tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she breathed. She dropped his hand and thrust her arm forward. The cage was pushed outside, a good twenty feet from the wall of the tower. Cassandra walked out of view of the opening, and then collapsed onto the ground, head in her hands. Tears streamed down her face and fell to the unforgiving rock ground.

What am I doing? She asked herself.

"You are doing what needs to be done," the ghost girl reassured her unconvincingly, materializing near her. The moonstone, embedded in Cassandra's chest, flashed, signaling that Rapunzel and the others were here. Cassandra stood, wiping her face.

What's the point of doing what needs to be done if you lose everything in the process?