The Prophecy - A TTS AU

Ch. 3: Uniting Paths and New Allies

Varian sat at his and Cass's picnic area, eating his third fruit bowl in a row. He was at ease until he heard Cass rushing towards him.

"Varian! You won't believe what I fou-" She stopped once she was the two bowls on the floor and the one in his hands. "Damn, Varian. I didn't know you liked fruit THAT much." She joked.

"What can I say? I have to stay healthy, you know?" He replied.

"Right... Anyways, you won't believe what I found. Follow me!" She exclaimed before sprinting. Varian took a moment to register what happened before running behind her.

"For someone who's 'healthy,' you're quite slow, Var!" Cass teased, still running.

"I'm running as fast as I can!" Varian retorted.

After a whole minute of running, Cass stopped abruptly. Varian walked beside her, taking his breath.

"Jeez, Cass. Give me a warning next time..." Varian said while breathless.

"Sorry. I got excited." Cass said, though there was a teasing sound in her voice.

"Now, what is it you wanted to show... me?" After catching his breath, Varian spoke, but he was quickly interrupted by the sight ahead of him.

It was an opening of the cavern leading to the outside world. Varian had his mouth gaped, eyes wide with glee.

"Woah... Cass. How did you find this?" He asked.

"I was walking back to our picnic spot when I found these crystals that were brighter than the rest. They were hollow, so I used my body strength to break them. Voila." Cass replied, feeling a bit of pride.

"I've walked around this area for so long! How come I never noticed this?"

"Well, you know what they say. Sometimes the most obvious things are right under our noses!" Cass said, chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Now, let me enjoy this. I haven't seen the outside world for a long time!" Varian rushed outside, with Cass following.

Outside, the two couldn't help but admire the sunset. Varian let out a content sigh.

"I never thought I'd see the sunset again..." Varian said calmly.

"Well, looks like we've defied the odds, Varian," Cass replied with a playful glint in her eye. "Best part? We can watch as many sunsets as we want now!" Cass smirked, playfully nudging Varian, savoring their newfound freedom.

"Alright, I guess you're right," Varian said, chuckling. "Now, what's the plan? Do you want me to leave or..."

"Oh, I don't think you're going anywhere, Var." Cassandra cuts him off.

"Wha-?"

"Varian," Cass began, her voice warm and steady, "we make a great team. Your resourcefulness, intelligence, and bravery are qualities I deeply value. Through our shared experiences and challenges, we've proven our reliance on each other."

She paused, sincerity evident in her eyes as they met his. "Now, with the chance to reach the dark kingdom before the others, I can't imagine embarking on this journey with anyone else. Your unwavering spirit during nearly two years in that crystal cavern continues to inspire me."

With a faint smile, Cass extended her hand. "So, what do you say? Let's be travel partners, facing whatever comes our way, and reach the dark kingdom before that fake does. Together, we can make a real difference, stopping Zhan Tiri's chaos. What do you think?"

Varian is speechless. He doesn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't that. Once he came back to his senses, he smiled brightly.

"Uh, yes?!" He exclaimed, clearly happy.