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Chapter 54-
Paramnesia Or Unwanted Promnesia
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You shift and roll on your other side, stretching your hand out only for something sharp to poke against your palm.

Your eyes open and see a familiar black rock slowly sprouting up. You quickly sit up and your eyes widen. Your reflection stared back at you and you glance around to see a lot of those rocks surrounding you. You turn to see Varian wasn't beside you.

“Varian?” You call out and stand up.

You squeeze through a small opening and you see the this is now a whole field of black rocks.

“Varian!” Your voice echoes out, but there was no reply.

You slightly panic and run around where there's no big cluster of rocks. As you glance around quickly, you immediately stop and backup.

“Varian!” You look through the small opening and only your arm can fit.

It was Quirin and Varian. They were panting like they were running from something. Quirin spots you and pulls Varian with him. “(____), you need to take Varian and run! They're going to be coming for you two, but promise me YOU will keep Varian safe.”

You panic more, “What are you talking about?”

There were voices yelling angrily from afar. Quirin turns to his son, “Get out of here.”

You hear something like glass hitting against something and look down to see something golden encasing him.

“Dad!! No, no, no, no! DAD!” Varian began to tear up and tugging on Quirin’s hand.

“Quirin! Please, you can't leave Varian!” You look around to find a way in and run to see another place to squeeze through. A few smaller rocks shoot up and catch the end of your dress.

“Stupid…..dress!” You yank it and it tears at the ends.

“Let go of me!” Varian screams.

A few people in metal masks and weird blades are holding Varian. One of the them with long white hair holds up something in their hands.

You don't know why, but you felt so scared by orbuculum.

“Varian!” You run at them.

Black rocks sprout up and surround you in another dome. You look through the small gap.

At that moment, Varian falls to the ground and doesn't get back up.

“Varian?”

This wasn't real. This can not be real.

The cool surface beneath your fingertips made you grasp the sharp ends and you yelled in pain. Both mentally and physically. Varian can't be gone, this wasn't real.

Your eyes fly open once you felt the ground shake and you scream when a black rock shoots out where you were laying.

Varian sits up in panic along with Rudiger. “(____)! Are you-” He stares at the sharp rock as you two stare at you reflection in it. He gets up and helps you, “We should get going. Come on, Rudiger.”

Rudiger jumps to lay around Varian’s shoulders and you take your satchel while holding onto Varian.

The field was perfectly fine except the trail of black rocks that end where you two were laying. You see all the rocks are slightly leaning in one direction.

Solaris is back up in the sky and Varian keeps it in the direction of the village. He clicks the switch on the wheel, locking it in place and turns to you.

His eyes stares at your slightly shaking form in concern. He grew more worried when he notice your eyes glazing with tears. “(____)?”

You hold the torn end of your dress and stare at it. Why was it ripped there?

Varian kneels down and gently takes the end of your dress in confusion, “What happened to your dress?”

“I don't know.” You mumble quietly.

Rudiger, still on Varian’s shoulder, chitters sadly and reaches over to wipe a tear from your cheek. Varian smiles softly, then stands and pulls you into a tight hug.

You close your eyes and hug him, not wanting to let go. He always gave you this calm feeling when he was close. A feeling of safety. The only thing that seemed to grow more than anything; is guilt.

Rudiger purrs and tries to hug both of your heads in his arms.

This caused you and Varian to laugh slightly. Rudiger smiles and jumps to sit in his seat.

Varian softly places a kiss to your forehead, “Everything will be fine.” He grins and taps your nose before turning back to take the wheel.

You pout when he pulled from the hug, so you hug his back and nuzzle your face onto his back. Varian chuckles and really enjoyed your hugs. He prayed that nothing will ever come between you two.

Varian lands Solaris near his home and luckily no one noticed it.

“There you two are.”

Well except Quirin.

Varian smiles sheepishly, “Hey Dad, sorry. We sorta fell asleep while we were out.”

Quirin shakes his head and smiles a bit, “Hopefully not flying.”

You couldn't help, but giggle, “No. Not while flying. We were stargazing in the fields. Sorry for coming back so late.”

“You mean, early.” Varian grins.

You roll your eyes and gently shove him, “Ha. Ha.”

Varian laughs and takes your hand, “Shall we have breakfast, Dad?”

Quirin nods to the house, “But I'm not cooking, unless you want burnt eggs.”

You chuckle, “Well now I think you two need a good breakfast. Varian can cook, but I feel like cooking this time.”

Varian rolls his eyes, smiling, “You cook much better than me and it always tastes better when you make it.”

The white shell cracks before the yolk flows into the pan, sizzling once it touches the hot surface. Your long sleeved shirt covered your mark, making it easy to do cooking without the gloves. You changed not to long ago after tiring from wearing the dress.

Breakfast went by quickly and it was a content looking moment between you three. Rudiger was on Varian's shoulders and happily eating what Varian offered him.

“Varian. I have a task for you today. Can you handle in delivering stacks of hay to the villagers who need it?” Quirin questioned.

Varian grins, “Of course I can!”

“No fooling around, alright? I have another task for (____) as well, so I need your to do this by yourself.”

Varian frowns, but nods and smiles, “Okay.” He gets up then gives you a quick kiss on the cheek, “See you in a bit.”

You hold your cheek and smile shyly, “See you.”

Varian goes out with Rudiger and you begin to pick up all the silverware. The image of a heartbreaking Varian pulling his Dad had crossed your mind.

“Varian can't lose you Quirin. Don't come into contact with any of those rocks. Please.” You softly plea with him.

Quirin stands up and stares at you in confusion. “(____), what happened?”

“Just please trust me. He can't lose you. I keep seeing you encased in something that was a bad reaction to their rocks.” You try to remember what caused it and you rub your temples as your head began to hurt.

Quirin places a hand on your shoulder and sighs deeply, “Don't think about it too much.” He stares down in sorrow, “If it happens then it happens. There's nothing we can do about it.”

You turn to him with a shocked expression, “How could you say that? Quirin, Varian needs you. He can't lose both of his parents.”

You can tell he want to say what he did and you were lucky Varian wasn't here to listen to this.

“I know, but it's going to happen one way or the other, (____). You can try to stop it, but it will find a way to happen.” He closes his eyes and turn away, “Varian is going to have to learn the something much greater than himself. Something he must learn on his own just like all of us wise ones.” He sits down with his head in his hands, “Varian can do everything and he does his best, I know. I see it.”

You sit down beside him and gaze at him sadly, knowing he was trying his best to help Varian especially with being a single parent.

“But he has to learn the True Meaning of Integrity.” He stares at his hands, “Yes, Varian is honest and as a sense of being himself. The only thing that concerns me is the way he handles his actions and thoughts in any circumstances.”

Quirin sighs, “He doesn't see how what he does impacts others or how they feel, he doesn't know teamwork. He must realize there are others that want to help and almost all of the time he doesn't listen to what others have to say and gets very defensive.”

He runs a hand over his face, “He loses himself sometimes in order to prove something. He has to know he has to be just himself no matter what the situation is and not to leave any parts of himself behind.”

You sigh, “So Varian has to learn to be himself no matter what is thrown at him. Not letting his emotions get the best of him and work things out with others. That is going to be very difficult thing to learn.”

“It's hard, but I know he will do it. I have faith in him just like Cordelia has seen through Varian once she first laid eyes on him in her arms.” Quirin smiles sadly.

“Promise me you will keep Varian safe through it all.”

You stare at him, remembering that he had said that before and you smile a bit, “I promise you, Quirin.”

He nods and gets up, “You can go to Varian if you'd like. I have things to take care of.”

You watch Quirin go to his room and glance down.

“I will do anything for him, I promised another, but I don't know who.” You mumble, then go outside.

Through town, you managed to spot Varian taking a bale of hay into one of the villagers horse stables. You go over and smile, gently petting the horse that pulled the wagon of hay. He neighs softly then huffs when Rudiger crawls on his head

“Rudiger.” You laugh and take Rudiger in your arms.

Varian comes back out and his face beams happily once he sees you. “(____)!” He hugs you and grins, “Are you done with whatever you were doing?”

“Yeah and your Dad said I can join you.” You follow beside Varian as he gently pulls the horse to go forward.

“Good. Rudiger and I needed company.” Rudiger chitters and Varian chuckles.

“Well you got the most amazing company right here!” You giggle and nudge him.

“The perfect company.”

You blush lightly, “I guess.”

“You guess? You should know.” Varian wraps an arm around you.

You lay your head on his shoulder and smile happily while you two walk to the next villager who needs hay.