Power of the Moon (a tangled Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

With a rock sword poking her warningly in the back, Rapunzel left the secret glade of the tower and her friends behind.
As soon as they left the tunnel, Cassandra put her blade away and walked beside her protectivingly, making sure she didn't make a break for it.
Rapunzel glanced at Cass and almost felt like it how things used to be.
The two of them walking together through this forest while Cass would always stay alert and guard her protectivingly.
But Rapunzel knew this wasn't the case at all and Cassandra was only trying to make sure she didn't run away.
Rapunzel felt a sickening sense of betrayal ever since she left with Cass and left her friends behind.
She realized that her friends knew she was only agreeing to leave with Cass because she wanted them to live, but that still didn't change the fact she backed down so easily.
Maybe she should have tried fighting her right then and there.
She was the Sundrop after all.
In fact she could fight her right now in the forest and maybe take the moonstone from her chest, nothing was stopping her.
But Rapunzel was to worried to try anything in fear that Cassandra would end the lives of her friends if she did.
She could feel the dark power radiating off her and knew somehow Cassandra wouldn't have to be in the same place to kill them.
But she had to try.
But what if she messed up? What if she tried and failed, only to let Cass destroy her friends for nothing?
Just like Adira?
Rapunzel felt numb with self doubt and sorrow as she walked through the forest being guided by her former best friend.
"Cass,", Rapunzel said breaking the grim silence, "What did I do to you to make you hate me?"
Cassandra stopped and looked at her, "You know what you did Rapunzel, so stop acting like your the victim here.", she said angrily.
Rapunzel shook her head, "Cass, I'm sorry! I don't know what I did to make you hate me like this, but I'm sorry. I want to make it up to you and make it right, but I can't do that if you won't tell me!"
Cassandra stared back at her with cold unfeeling eyes as she held up her right hand.
"Remember what happened Raps? Do you remember how you destroyed my hand and not only burned me physically, but mentally? Do you even remotely remember or know what you did that night?!?", Cass asked angrily while her eyes glowed bright blue.
Rapunzel stared at her hurting former friend and shook her head, "Listen, I would take it back if I could Cass, I really would. But you can't hurt innocent people!!!
"I'm the one you're angry with, I'm the one who hurt you, and I'm the one who used the incantation!!
"So don't hurt anyone else! Do whatever horrible things you've got planned for me, just leave my friends and my kingdom out of this!", she protested.
Cass just laughed, "I already said I'd let them live, didn't I?"
Rapunzel stared back at her.
"I know once you've used me for whatever you want, you'll probably try to hurt them. To still get revenge against me."
Rapunzel glared at the back of Cassandra's head as she turned her back and started walking again.
"Let's go Raps, wouldn't want to make me mad would you?", Cass called out ignoring her.
Rapunzel followed reluctantly as they walked farther away from her friends.
"I mean, we wouldn't want another Adira do we?", Cassandra smirked over her shoulder.
Rapunzel felt her heart sink and felt emotions surge through her hurting heart.
Adira.
Her friend who had trusted her and put her faith in to restore the light.
She was gone.
Dead.
And it was all her fault.
Rapunzel's eyes then flashed as she felt something in her grow.
"How could you kill her?", Rapunzel yelled as they came to the border of the Corona wall.
Cassandra murdered Adira, not her.
It wasn't her fault that Adira was dead, it was Cass's.
"She shouldn't have tried escaping or attacking me Raps, that was all on her.", Cassandra answered.
She continued past the Corona wall to the birthplace of the Sundrop flower and the appearance of the rocks.
Rapunzel followed then stopped Cass and held her arm, determination growing in her every second.
"No Cassandra, Adira is dead because of you, because you murdered her!", Rapunzel said her voice heated, "You did this, you released the demons as well I bet and whether the rumor is true or not, I'm sure you teamed up with the Separatists of Saporia as well!"
She glared at Cassandra as she glared back at her, neither moving from their positions.
"And I'm sure, just sure, that Zhan Tiri or one of his minions did something to you at the house of yesterday's tommorow!", Rapunzel continued, "So just fight it Cass! I know you hate me but I know you don't want the destruction of Corona! The Cass I know wouldn't ever want that!"
Cassandra broke away roughly from her grip, "What do you know?!?", Cass yelled angrily as the crashes of the ocean echoed their moods.
"You know nothing! Nothing Rapunzel! You're an innocent, naive, sickeningly, lovable little princess.", Cassandra spat, "You're foolish and blind to the truth! And you know what Rapunzel? You know what?! You're a coward!"
Rapunzel took a step back involuntarily and felt her eyes widen.
Cassandra eyes narrowed with hatred and self-glee, "That's right princess, you're nothing but a freakin coward! Hiding behind your supposed friends and trying to always run away from the hard truth!
"There is no good, there is no happy ending and there is no trust in this world! It's all one big messed up lie!!!
"And here you stand and have always found the positive side of things. Ha! Give me a break! You and I both know the truth, so there's no point in denying it.
"You make up these illusions of hope, love, loyalty, goodness, light, and heaven. But it's all a lie, a lie you make just to hide and deny reality. People live just to fend for themselves, reach their own ends, backstab each other, manipulate one another, reach power and create hell."
Cassandra looked up at her with a mad glint in her eyes and smirked as she half laughed, "I tried warning you about the real world, but here we stand with you still stubbornly holding on to your half-baked ideas of life."
Cassandra raised her arms to the sky as the grey clouds filled the atmosphere with despair, blotting out the rays of the sun.
Rapunzel felt like her heart was sinking into an ocean as Cassandra's words cut into her.
As she stared at Cass she could see the insanity in the young woman's eyes.
This was no longer the same person she knew and whoever was inside of her had taken control.
The demon had awoken and Rapunzel didn't know what she could do to stop it.
It was Varian all over again.
Cassandra had cracked.
"And you know what?!?", Cassandra laughed her eyes widening as her pupils contradicted and turned a sick green, "Once I free Zhan Tiri, he'll destroy you and everyone else who opposes me! So you tell me!! Do you really believe in good? There's only darkness and the illusion of life!
"I'll take over and become invincible!", she yelled taking out a box with decorated designs, "I'll become a goddess!"
Rapunzel stared in shock as Cassandra flung open the lid before she could react and watched as the sky immediately went darker and lightning flashed through the sky.
"What have I done?", Rapunzel whispered horrified as she watched a portal start to appear as Cassandra held up a glowing crystal.