"You're my best buddy, but don't ever change," Lance sang as everyone sat in a circle.

Aquaria was sat between Varian and her father, letting out a sigh.

"Well, I hate to say it, but it looks like we might be here for the long haul," Lance said to which everyone groaned.

"I can't believe that. Eugene will get us out. I just know he will," Aqua said, trying to remain positive as she leaned against Varian.

"Sweetheart-" Frederic started before a portal opened up in the air.

Everyone looked at it and gasped before it started to suck them all in.

Aqua held onto Varian tight as she clenched her eyes shut. When she opened them, she saw the familiar scenery of the throne room.

Varian stood up and looked back at the portal, his eyes widening.

Quirin stood at the lever as he turned off the portal. He smiled at his son who ran to him.

"Dad! You're back!" Varian exclaimed before hugging his father tight.

Aqua ran over as well and smiled as she hugged Quirin.

"I'm okay. I promise," Quirin assured as he held both teenagers close.

"We have to make sure the portal is still completely stable," Aquaria said to which Varian nodded.

"Don't let me stop you," Quirin said, letting them go to work on the portal.

🌙

"I helped you find your power within. It's only right I take it out," Cassandra said as he held out her hand.

"Cassandra, no," Rapunzel begged with the little energy she had left. The sundrop left her chest, floating towards Cassandra's outstretched hand. With the sundrop's no longer within her, Rapunzel's golden hair turned brown.

"Sorry, Rapunzel," Cass said sarcastically as she went to grab the sundrop from the air.

Just before Cassandra could get ahold of the sundrop, Zhan Tiri jumped from a pillar and landed on Cassandra's shoulders.

The sundrop fell to the ground as Cass stumbled, trying to get Zhan Tiri off of her. Zhan Tiri grabbed the moonstone from off Cassandra's chest before being thrown off.

"How did you-" Cass started before she felt the power drain from her body.

Zhan Tiri held up the moonstone before grabbing the sundrop from the floor. "Finally, they're mine."

The rocks around Rapunzel sunk back into the floor.

"I'd like to thank both of you for taking care of what rightfully belongs to me." Zhan Tiri laughed as she looked at the two powerful gems in her hands. "At long last, they are mine!"

Zhan spun around before both gems sunk down onto her wrists, her eyes turning yellow and blue, respective to the wrists each gem sat upon.

Tentacles sprouted from the bottom of her skirt and horns grew from her head. She morphed into her true form.

🧪

Varian tightened the last bolt on the lever, feeling confident that this was all gonna work.

"Everything is up and running. Alright. All set to send Zhan Tiri back," Varian said as he looked up.

"Now all we gotta do is figure out how to lure Zhan Tiri into that port-" Lance started before the ceiling crumbled as the palace trembled, crashing the portal to bits. "Aww, come on!"

The palace started to shake again and Arianna looked at everyone.

"Everybody, get out!" The queen cried.

Everyone made a run for the exit, regrouping in front of the castle.

Aquaria held Varian's hand tight as she looked up to see the demon crash through the wall of her sister's room.

"Let the Age of Zhan Tiri begin!" Zhan Tiri announced as she held her arms out with a wicked grin.

"Okay, if that thing is that little girl, then she has hit a really unfortunate growth spurt," Eugene remarked.

Zhan Tiri laughed as she looked out at the kingdom of Corona.

"At last, the power is mine. I've dreamt of wielding the moonstone and sundrop for centuries!" She cackled before Rapunzel slung her hair, pulling back Zhan Tiri's arm that held the sundrop.

"I am all about people living out their dreams. But today, not so much," Rapunzel spoke sternly as Zhan Tiri looked down at her.

"You may have been a worthy adversary once, princess, but now you're nothing!" Zhan Tiri ripped her arm back, sending Rapunzel's hair flying back at the princess.

Rapunzel grunted as she was thrown back by the force.

"And you..." Zhan Tiri looked at Cassandra with a smirk before grabbing her. "You lost before you even began, girl. Just like your mother. Felled by your own ego."

"Leave her alone!" Rapunzel demanded.

"I'm sorry if I gave the impression we were having a conversation." Zhan Tiri threw Cassandra towards the door.

"Cass!" Rapunzel cried before running to her side.

"Now watch as I finally deliver on a promise I made long ago!" Golden rocks shot up from the floor as Zhan Tiri threw her hands in the air. The rocks trapped both girls in a multilayered cage of golden rocks. "Time to destroy Corona."

Zhan Tiri crashed through the wall and went down to the entrance of the palace.

"Okay, listen up. I need everyone to get as far away from here as possible," Eugene ordered.

"But what about you, son?" Edmund looked up at Eugene with worry.

Zhan Tiri roared at them and Aquaria narrowed her eyes. Varian got on Ruddiger's back and felt adrenaline surge through his veins.

"I'm going after Rapunzel," Eugene said before he and Max raced towards the palace.

"Not alone, you're not! I'm going with you!" Lance shouted as he ran after his best friend, Edmund following.

"So am I," Varian said before he spurred Ruddiger to go, charging at Zhan Tiri.

Aquaria summoned water to form a horse which she quickly mounted and ran at the demon monster.

"We are not going down without a fight!" Catalina cried out as the citizens charged.

"That's right!" Arianna agreed as she gripped the sword in her hand as Frederic twirled the frying pan in his.

"Our fight!" They all shouted as they ran at the enemy.

"For Corona!" Eugene cried as he swerved on Maximus to avoid the golden rocks shooting up from the ground around them. "For Rapunzel!"

"For Corona! For Rapunzel!" The kingdom chanted as they all ran to attack.

☀️

Rapunzel desperately tried to pull the rocks apart with her hair before looking at Cassandra who was just sat there.

She felt so guilty and numb, realizing how much she had screwed up everything. Playing right into Zhan Tiri's hand mindlessly.

"Cassandra, come on! I need your help," Rapunzel said as she walked over to the opposite wall before turning to run over to Cassandra. "Snap out of it, Cass! We've gotta stop Zhan Tiri before it's too-"

"Too late? Raps, look around. We failed. I've failed," Cassandra spoke helplessly.

"No. You can do-" Rapunzel tried.

"I can't do anything! Why won't you just give up on me?! Can't you see what I've done?! Look around you! This is all my fault!" Cassandra closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tears pooling in her eyes.

Rapunzel looked at Cassandra with a small frown, knowing Cassandra wasn't completely to blame.

"I've done terrible things!" Cassandra hugged Rapunzel tight. "All this time, I tried so hard to prove that I was more than everyone thought, but they were right."

"No," Rapunzel spoke gently and shook her head, holding Cass tight. "Cassandra, no."

"Raps, I am so sorry," Cassandra apologized as the tears spilled from her eyes.

🧪

Varian grit his teeth as Ruddiger jumped out of the way of Zhan Tiri.

Aquaria summoned water up and froze it, sending ice shards shooting at Zhan Tiri. Large golden rocks rose up and blocked the demon from the ice shards that shattered on contact with the golden rocks.

Zhan Tiri watched as the citizens fit her tentacles in a futile attempt to stop her.

"Have you come to watch me obliterate your kingdom?" Zhan Tiri spoke to which Eugene laughed.

"You hear that guys? Lady Squidbottom here thinks we're calling it quits!" Eugene mused as he charged at the demon.

He struck her with his sword which made her roar, shooting golden rocks up at him.

"You do not know Coronans very well, now, do you?" Eugene smirked.

"Coronans have always been the same. Pathetic," Zhan Tiri spoke with a grin.

"Come on! Let's hit her with everything we've got! Charge!" Eugene cried and everyone charged at Zhan Tiri.

Zhan Tiri just laughed and fended everyone off with ease. "Is this the best that Corona has to offer?"

Aquaria growled and jumped, small clouds that she could step on forned beneath her as she ran up the air. She jumped and punched Zhan Tiri in the face.

Aqua was taken by surprise when cold blue flames encased her fist.

Zhan Tiri grunted and rubbed her jaw, but the punch didn't do much. She plucked the princess from the air.

"And where do you get your power from, little one?" Zhan Tiri asked as she squeezed Aqua.

"Squirt!" Eugene cried and Varian's eyes widened.

"Let her go, right now!" Varian demanded with a dangerous look in his eye.

"She may be the most powerful one here but she is still weak." Zhan Tiri laughed.

"Let her go!" Varian shouted again and Aquaria could swear she saw the streak in his hair start to flicker.

"Protective, I see," Zhan Tiri squeezed Aqua tighter and she let out a cry that pierced through Varian's soul.

Something snapped in him when he heard her cry of pain.

"Let! Her! GO!" Varian's streak was now glowing bright and his eyes turned a bright blue, almost white.

Quirin's eyes widened when he saw his son. There was no going back now.

"Varian! Let go! Just release!" Quirin yelled to his son.

Varian listened and thrust his hands forward, and blast of pure energy shot from his hands. He hit the shoulder of Zhan Tiri on the side she was holding Aquaria.

Zhan Tiri roared in pain, dropping Aquaria as well.

Varian spurred Ruddiger and grit his teeth. He caught Aquaria and held her tight, tears coming to his eyes. The stripe in his hair, as well as his eyes, stopped glowing.

"Thank the stars," Varian murmured before he looked back at Zhan Tiri.

"You're only prolonging your own demise," Zhan Tiri growled and thrust out a hand, golden rocks caging Varian, Aquaria, and Ruddiger. A cage formed Angry and one around Catalina as well.

"You could've taken the form of a chimp, like your buddy, but noooo, you just had to be whatever that is!" Eugene mocked as he charged.

Maximus avoided some golden rocks that shot up at him before he came to a quick halt in front of some rocks that erupted in front of them. Eugene was thrown off Max's back and Zhan Tiri caught him with one of her tentacles.

"Oo! Okay! Okay!" Eugene grunted, hanging upside down. "Wow! I've got you right where I want you!"

"I've grown tired of this. At last, Corona dies!" Zhan Tiri threw Eugene down and Aquaria gasped as she got off Ruddiger.

"Eugene!" Aqua held onto the rocks that formed the bars of the cage.

"Wither and decay. End this destiny," Zhan Tiri chanted and Varian hopped off Ruddiger, holding Aqua close.

"Oh no..." Eugene breathed deeply as he watched Zhan Tiri.

"Break these earthy chains and set the spirit free," Zhan Tiri continued, the land becoming dark and dead.

The golden rocks turned pitch black and everyone became weak.

Varian held onto Aquaria as he grit his teeth. "I love you..."

"I love you too," she murmured as her beautiful blue locks became a muted gray.

She kissed Varian gently and gave a weak smile.

Varian sunk to the ground with Aquaria in his arms. He wanted to spend the rest of his days with her. He wanted to marry her and have a family but now he was afraid that would never happen. At least he got to go holding her in his arms.

☀️

"There's gotta be something we can use to get out of here," Rapunzel spoke as she moved pieces of rubble out of the way.

Cassandra felt helpless and like a complete failure. She didn't see any hope.

"You know, Cass, if it makes you feel any better, when you grabbed the moonstone before I could, there's a pretty good chance you save my life," Rapunzel said as she continued to look for a way out.

"What do you mean?" Cassandra asked with confusion.

"Well, we know that the sundrop and moonstone have to be reunited, but we still don't know what will happen. When they actually are. And if we believe Adira..." Rapunzel spoke and Cassandra scoffed at the mention of Adira. "It could be really bad for whoever puts them together. Like, bch, bad." Rapunzel imitated an explosion.

"Well, I guess we'll never find out now that Zhan Tiri has them both," Cassandra said glumly.

"See, I refuse to believe it's hopeless," Rapunzel replied gently.

"Ha, there's a surprise," Cassandra spoke and Pascal pulled out Rapunzel's journal from the rubble.

He showed it to Rapunzel with a smile and she took the journal, looking back at all the memories it held. She flipped to the first page and looked at the inside of the front cover.

"Plus est en vous," Rapunzel recited softly.

"What?" Cassandra looked over at Rapunzel.

"Plus est en vous means: there is more in you, Cassandra," Rapunzel said as she stood up.

Cass smiled as she looked down, holding a hand over her heart before she noticed crackling under her fingertips.

Both girls and Pascal's eyes widened when they saw the crackling of energy coming from Cassandra's chest.

"Our first fight at my black rock tower," Cassandra said, remembering how the moonstone have broken. The broken sliver was still on her chest. She grabbed it gently and geld it up.

"Our last hope. Cass, do you understand what this is? It's power. We can use it to fight back against Zhan Tiri," Rapunzel said with hope gleaming in her eyes.

"No. No, you can use it to fight Zhan Tiri," Cass said as she held out the shard for Rapunzel. "Rapunzel, this is your destiny."

Rapunzel smiled and gently touched the shard. Her hair flew up, returning to it's golden color as the rocks caging them in were blown to bits. She looked at her hair once it fell to see that her hair was flickering.

"Uh, this doesn't look like it's gonna last very long," Rapunzel saud as she held up some of her blinking hair.

"Well, then you better get a move on, blondie," Cass said with grin.

Rapunzel nodded and then ran out to face Zhan Tiri. When she saw the state of her kingdom, she was shocked.

"What have you done?" Rapunzel spoke from the lower balcony.

"I am fulfilling my promise to Demanitus by destroying Corona," Zhan Tiri replied befire she was slapped by Rapunzel's hair.

Raps ran at Zhan Tiri with a cry, anger in her eyes and she jumped. As Zhan Tiri was about to slap the princess out of the air, Rapunzel looped her hair around Zhan Tiri's horn and pulled her down to the ground.

Rapunzel ran when she saw Eugene looking lifeless on the ground. "Eugene!" She held his hand gently.

Eugene's eyes fluttered open and he smiled when he saw Rapunzel, reaching up to cup her cheek. "Sunshine..."

"Do you honestly think you can stand up to my power?" Zhan Tiri glared down at the princess.

"I am not backing down!" Rapunzel said with determination dripping from her mouth before she charged at Zhan Tiri.

The demoness slammed her fist into the ground and then raked up the ground towards Rapunzel.

Raps leapt over Zhan Tiri's hand and then ducked from the giant's swing.

Zhan Tiri growled and threw her fist down to slam Rapunzel into the ground but Rapunzel's hair protected her. She summoned golden rocks up out of the ground and send them into the air, spinning rapidly like circular saws. They flew at the princess who ran from the attack but one of the rocks landed in front of Rapunzel which made her stop.

"And now the sun finally sets on Coron-" Zhan Tiri froze after a pain erupted in the back of her head. She fell to the ground and Cass stood on her back with a smirk, holding a frying pan.

"Frying pans! Who knew?" Cassandra joked as she jumped down and ran to Zhan Tiri's wrist that held the moonstone. "Quick! Get the other hand!"

Rapunzel ran over and started pushing the other hand closer.

"Remember what Adira said about the moonstone and the sundrop coming together?" Cassandra smirked as she looked at Rapunzel.

The two grabbed hands and started Zhan Tiri's wrists together but just as the gems were about to collide, the demoness regained consciousness.

Zhan Tiri lifted her wrists with a growl and she got up.

"She's too strong!" Cassandra grimaced as she looked at Zhan Tiri.

"You're right. What did you say the number one rule of combat was?" Rapunzel held up her flashing hair.

"Turn your enemy's strength into a weakness," Cassandra said before smirking at Zhan Tiri who lunged towards them.

Rapunzel tossed her hair to Cassandra who threw a loop of it around Zhan Tiri's wrist as the demoness threw a punch.

"Just like old times, huh?" Cass grinned as she pulled the hair tight.

"Sure! I could do without the ancient demon monster though," Rapunzel said as she looped her hair around Zhan Tiri's other wrist.

"Ditto!" Cass replied as both girls ran up the side stairs to the main balcony entrance to the castle.

They pulled Zhan Tiri down, keeping her stuck with her arms spread open.

"Is it your plan to keep me here forever?" Zhan struggled as she fought to get up.

"No. But that's kinda the point," Rapunzel said as they kept pulling back Zhan Tiri's arms.

Cass saw a jagged piece of golden rock. "Rapunzel," she warned before kicking the rock so it flipped up into the air over to Rapunzel.

Raps caught the rock and the brief power she got from the moonstone shard wore off. She used the sharp rock to cut her hair.

With the sudden lack of tension while Zhan Tiri was still fighting for release, her arms came crashing together.

The sundrop and moonstone collided and they surged in power, throwing Rapunzel and Cassandra back.

Zhan Tiri realized what was happening and she panicked. "No, no, no, no! No, no!"

The black rocks disintegrated from the earth and the particles came into an orb of energy around the two gems combining.

The eclipse was ending and as the energy burst from the two gems now combined, the sky brightened.

The singular gem now floated in the air, a combination of both the sundrop and moonstone.

Rapunzel stood up and looked at the gem. "It's beautiful." Raps said as Pascal squeaked in agreement. "Cass, we did it! Cass?"

She didn't receive and answer so she turned. Cassandra was lying on the ground looking completely lifeless.

"Cass! No! Cassandra!" Rapunzel cried, gently taking Cassandra's cold face into her hands. "It can't end this way." She pressed her forehead to Cassandra's. "You can't leave. I won't let you."

A tear fell from Rapunzel's eye down onto Cassandra's cheek but it merely rolled off. Rapunzel looked at the sun and moon gem before getting an idea.

"I'm bringing you back," Rapunzel stated firmly before going to grab the gem.

When Rapunzel reached into the power barrier, she was blown back.

Eugene looked up weakly at Rapunzel. "Rapunzel, don't. The power, it's too much."

"I'm willing to take that chance. We did not fight so hard to bring our friend back, only to lose her now," Rapunzel said as she walked back to the sun and moon gem.

Eugene watched helplessly as Rapunzel approached the gem.

"Flower, gleam and glow," she chanted as she reached for the gem. This time she was able to grasp the gem. "Let your power shine. Make the clock reverse. Bring back what once was mine."

The power spread around her as the energy swirled. Rapunzel had the gem clutched close in her hands against her chest.

"Heal what has been hurt. Change the fates' design. Save what has been lost," Rapunzel continued and the power stretched to Cassandra.

Cass woke up and started to sit up. "Raps?"

Rapunzel smiled when she saw Cassandra okay once again, but then she looked back at everyone else. Her family.

"Bring back what once was mine. What once was mine," Rapunzel cried as her eyes glowed and the power spread to the rest of the kingdom. "What once was mine."

The power continued to grow, healing the citizens of Corona until Rapunzel let out a cry. She thrust her hands into the air and shot the gem out into the sky, sending it out into the cosmos.

Rapunzel fell to the ground and Pascal ran over to her. He tried to shake her shoulder to wake her up before he shot his tongue into her ear. Rapunzel shot awake at the feeling.

"Ech! Oh, so that's what that feels like, blech." Rapunzel smiled at her little green best friend.

Eugene ran to Rapunzel and slid on the ground over to her, hugging her tight. "You did it, sunshine!"

"Yea, we did it," Rapunzel spoke gently before she hugged him back and rested her head on his chest.

Everyone came up onto the main balcony as Cass walked over to Eugene and Rapunzel. She stood to the side a bit, but looked away until Eugene held out a hand. Cass accepted his hand before she was tugged into the hug.

Aqua smiled and leaned against Varian happily, her hair now back to its natural brown color.

"Now what are we gonna do about the castle?" Angry piped up. "And the rest of Corona..."