Hey everyone! You may have noticed something different with this book. I did change the title from The Princess's Alchemist to The Alchemist's Redemption. I felt that with the next book in the series, it was a better fitting title to the book!

Enjoy the chapter!

☀️

Everyone's attention was spurred by a groan coming from the oldest princess.

"Rapunzel?" Eugene looked hopeful, having not left her side since he got to the tavern. "Rapunzel? Blondie..."

Rapunzel's eyes fluttered open and everyone's mood seemed to brighten.

"Wha-what's going on?" Rapunzel asked weakly as her strength gradually returned to her and she started to sit up.

"Thank goodness you're okay," Eugene said as he hugged her tight.

Realization slapped Rapunzel and her eyes widened before she looked up at Eugene. "What happened to Cassandra?"

"Aw, sunshine... I don't know if you should be-"

Rapunzel didn't let Eugene finish as she ran out of the pub. She went to the clearing to look at the island the kingdom of Corona was sat upon.

"No!" Rapunzel brought her hands up to her mouth.

Rocks littered the entire kingdom. They were large and scary, covering the island. Black rocks protruded out of the sea, reaching the mainland as well.

Rapunzel couldn't help her heart aching at what she was seeing. "I don't believe it..."

Everyone came up behind and Aqua held onto Varian's arm as she looked at her home in ruins.

She had no idea how they were suppose to fix it.

🧪

Varian stood by the fireplace and read a book, trying to figure out something, anything, to help them win this war.

He glanced down to see Aquaria grooming Ruddiger gently.

"Okay. Spirits are at an all time low. Think. What would Rapunzel do?" Eugene thought allowed and Ruddiger climbed off of Aqua's lap.

The raccoon stood on his hind legs and shrugged at Eugene.

"Oo! Got it!" Eugene got an idea. "Hey! Haven't any of you had problem you just couldn't solve? One we could sing about. Preferably a bouncy tune that makes you forget how bad..." He picked Ruddiger up and bounced him around a little.

Everyone at the tables just looked away from Eugene, almost cringing at how awful it was.

"Everything- oh come on!" Eugene let Ruddiger climb onto his shoulders. "We can't just give up!"

"Yeah! If Eugene can lose an entire kingdom in humiliating defeat and still hold his head up," Lance started before he blew out the fire on his marshmallow that he burned. "Then so can we."

"That's right!" Edmund spoke up. "I'm sure our captain has a plan to victory." He laughed before looking to the side. "Poor sap has no idea how doomed we are. Doomed, I tell you. Hold it together, Edmund." The dark king took a deep breath. "I believe in you, son."

"Thank you for the support, dad..." Eugene replied with his arms crossed over his chest. "Now, come on. There's gotta be a way out of this."

"There is!" Rapunzel said from the doorway and Aqua perked up, jumping to her feet. "But there's only one way out and that's through it. I'm not gonna sugarcoat this. This is the biggest challenge this kingdom has ever faced."

Aqua went with Varian and Eugene up to towards the stage where Rapunzel sat at the piano. Lance, Kiera, and Catalina stood behind them.

"No offense, Varian," Eugene teased.

"Nah," Varian shrugged and he wrapped his arm around Aquaria's waist.

"Time now to fight, let's turn our losing streak around. Rise and unite, let's do what we must do," Rapunzel sang as she started to as she played the piano.

Aqua smiled and looked at Varian before he went up and joined Rapunzel at the piano.

"If we're to win, we can't turn back or sneak around. Once we begin, the only way is through." Raps left Varian at the piano and Aqua climbed up onto the stage, taking Rapunzel's place.

"Through the fire, through the rain. We'll face whatever the fates may bring," Rapunzel continued after sliding across the floor. She ran over to her parents, Edmund, and Quirin. "And tear through every wall. Through the fear, through the pain."

Rapunzel climbed on one of the barrel tables and pulled a sword out of a target.

"And, as one, we will rise. Marching tall through it all!" Rapunzel sang as she trusted the sword into the air.

"It's not gonna be easy, but it's our only option. Who's with me?" Rapunzel asked the tavern with a grin.

"Time now to stand!" Eugene picked up and stood on the bar.

"Let's save our home and take it back!" Frederic joined in.

"At your command!" Lance sang as he pushed Varian and Aqua off the bench at the piano, saluting to Rapunzel.

"I'm in!" Attila chorused.

"And me!" Vladimir agreed.

"Me too!" Short cheered before falling through the balcony railing.

"Onward we ride," Aqua sang proudly as she jumped onto Max's back and Varian got on Fidella.

"Who knows if we will make it back!" Varian joined in as he rode with a tambourine in his right hand, pointing ahead with his left.

"We're at your side," Arianna sang as she and Fred held Rapunzel's hands.

"Together we'll come through!" Rapunzel continued as she jumped down from the table.

"Through the strife, through the fray!" The tavern chorused as Rapunzel and Eugene danced.

Aqua smiled as she looked at Varian on Fidella's back. She laughed gleefully and Varian felt his heart flutter at the sound of her melodious laughter.

"We can't hold back in this time of need!" Rapunzel sang happily as she danced with her boyfriend.

"We all must heed the call!" Eugene continued, smiling bright at the beautiful blonde princess.

"Through the dark to the day!" Everyone sang together as Oaf poured some birch beer for the folks at the bar. "And, as one, we will rise marching tall! Through it all!"

"Time now to fight, to face whatever fate may bring," the men sang as Varian grabbed Aquaria and spun her around with a bright smile.

"Through it all," all the girls sang over the men.

"Right over might, till victory and freedom ring," the guys continued, dancing around merrily.

"Through it all!" The girls chorused, as if there was nothing to worry about.

"Stand and unite, for home and heart, for land and king. For love and life and everything," the boys sang as everyone grabbed some birch beer.

"Through it all, through it all, through it all, through it all! Through it all! Yeah!"

Everyone was so pumped and ran out the door. Aqua sat down at the bar and breathed deeply as she leaned her head on Varian's shoulder.

Eugene ran out and held a pitchfork. "Quirin!" He called and the leader of Old Corona turned, catching the pitchfork.

Quirin's hand showed and Eugene felt his heart stop.

The Brotherhood symbol was on Quirin's hand.

But wouldn't that mean-

"Eugene?"

Eugene was pulled from his thoughts by his lovely girlfriend looping her arm in his. "Ha! No one can rally the troops like you." He kissed her forehead. "Thanks, sunshine."

"You're welcome. Huh, you know after all this time I've never come up with a cute little nickname for you," Rapunzel realized after he called her sunshine.

"Well, I've already got three names and two of them are awful so I think we're good," Eugene said as he scratched the back of his neck. "Do you really think we stand a chance? Cass has the moonston, the Brotherhood, and we've got..."

They both looked to see Shorty and Hamuel fighting over a pinecone.

"You're being rude!" Shorty whined at Hamuel.

"Not to mention Zhan Tiri. I mean I don't think any of us are up to fighting an ancient demon creature," Eugene continued.

"Neither was Lord Demanitus," Varian said from the bar with Pascal and Aquaria, setting down his stein that was filled with birch beer. "When we were researching the scroll, I found out Demanitus banished Zhan Tiri to some kind of netherworld."

Eugene and Rapunzel walked over and both teenagers looked up at them.

"But the machine he used to do it was dismantled centuries ago," Aquaria said to her sister and Eugene.

"Can you build it again?" Rapunzel asked, having a feeling that if anyone could do it, Varian and Aquaria could.

"If we had the plans, but Demanitus took his only blueprints to his tomb," Varian said and Eugene started to laugh.

"Let me guess. The tomb is thousands of years old and no one knows where it is?" Eugene grimaced.

"Well, I-I wouldn't say no one knows," Rapunzel said smugly.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Eugene grumbled.

🛡

"Snow... why did it have to be snow?!" Eugene cried and Aqua giggled.

"Oh, get over yourself, Eugene," Lance chided.

Varian kept his arm around Aqua as they walked.

"I'm doing my best to keep the snow off of us, so chill out," Aqua said with a grin.

"No... please no puns..." Eugene groaned.

"Why not? Puns sweep away all these wintry storms." Rapunzel laughed.

"Yeah, and telling puns is a breeze," Aqua continued.

"That one was cool," Rapunzel replied.

"Heh, well- mph-" Aqua was cut off by Varian putting a hand over her mouth.

"No more out of you unless you don't want anymore kisses," Varian threatened, removing his hand.

"I'll be quiet," Aqua said quickly and Varian gave her a peck on the lips.

Aquaria beamed and Kiera gagged as Lance gushed over them.

"You guys are adorable! Aren't they adorable, Eugene?!" Lance looked at his best friend for approval.

"I guess so," Eugene remarked with a shrug.

"Well if they keep it up, I'm leaving," Catalina joked.

"Yeah, I don't wanna be around when they decide to make little Varian and Aquarias," Kiera teased with a smirk and Varian choked on air.

"We aren't there yet, Angry," Aqua squeaked and Rapunzel laughed.

"Good, but I can't wait to be an auntie! Auntie Raps. Has a nice ring to it don't you think?" Rapunzel chimed in and Varian's face nearly erupted in flames.

"Dixie!" Lance announced and everyone looked at him.

"Who?" Varian raised an eyebrow.

"Your baby! Dixie would be cute!" Lance clarified and Aqua blushed bright.

"Oo! Oo! Dakota!" Rapunzel suggested.

"Hmm, Leila. I like Leila or what about Leilani?" Eugene suggested.

"What about Kalani?" Catalina piped up.

"Or Kendyl?" Kiera added.

Varian looked at Aqua who's eyes were trained on the ground.

🧪

"Lloyd is a good name," Varian said and Aqua spluttered.

"Don't feed into it, Var!" Aqua's face was bright red.

"I'm just saying that Lloyd is actually a good name and I liked the name Dixie as well," Varian admitted and Aqua hummed softly.

"I guess they are good names," Aqua said softly.

"They both agree! Dixie and Lloyd it is!" Lance cheered happily.

"Almost there, guys!" Rapunzel announced as they came upto a cliff they had to climb up. "And by almost, I mean, not really at all."

"Come on, you old-timers!" Kiera started climbing.

"Last one up is a Saporian slug!" Catalina called to the group as she raced up with her sister.

"Princess, how did even know Demanitus' tomb was up here?" Lance asked curiously.

"As acting queen, I got to learn a lot of Corona secrets," Rapunzel said as grabbed onto the cliff wall. "You know the great oak tree in Corona Park? It's not an oak. And it's not that great."

Lance gasped in shock at the outrageous revelation of the great oak tree.

"I've said too much," Rapunzel said before she started climbing.

"You think you know a tree," Lance muttered.

Aqua climbed up behind her sister, Lance following her up as well as Max.

"So, Varian. We're buddies, right?" Eugene looked at the alchemist as he shivered slightly from the cold.

"Team Awesome, remember?" Varian smiled bright at the captain of the guard.

"Oh, right. That... yeah. You know how Adira and rhino guy have fallen under the spell of the mind trap?" Eugene asked.

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll figure out a way to help them," Varian said as he held onto the cliff wall with one hand.

"Well, yeah, of course, we will. Um, but, wasn't your dad a member of that club?" Eugene asked, trying to be sensitive about it. He knew how protective of his dad Varian was, especially after the amber incident.

"What are you saying? That my dad... Listen, Eugene, my father is just fine," Varian said defensively.

"Okay, I didn't, uh... l-look, forget I even mentioned it, okay?" Eugene replied before he climbed the cliff.

Varian stood there and thought about it.

His father was perfectly fine! Quirin would never betray them.

He took a deep breath and climbed up the cliff wall.

"Did you find it? Oh, boy!" Eugene looked in shock at the intricate designs on the large wall front to the tomb.

"It's magnificent!" Varian walked up with awe written in his eyes.

"Is it just me or is there no door to get in?" Eugene asked as he walked over.

"It doesn't look like there is. But there is a riddle," Rapunzel said as Aqua traced the engraving on the wall.

"Ha. Classic Demanitus." Eugene rolled his eyes.

Aquaria was about to ask what Eugene meant but then remembered that Rapunzel told her and Varian that they met Demanitus.

"I grow, but do not live. I need air, but do not breath,"

"A fish!" Kiera cried out.

"A rabbit!" Catalina guessed.

"A rabbit fish!" Both sisters yelled out.

"People, are you even listening to the riddle?" Eugene turned to see the girls and Max sitting in front of Lance who was acting out an animal.

"Oh, sorry," Lance laughed as he looked up at Eugene. "We were playing charades, but the answer to the riddle is fire."

"Lance, it's not-" Eugene started.

"No, no, no, he's right! It is fire!" Rapunzel said and she grabbed the emergency torch from Varian's backpack before smashing the orb at the top. Fire erupted at the top of the torch and Rapunzel held it to the fire symbol engraved in the stone.

A golden light spilled through the engravings and Aqua gasped softly as she held onto Varian's arm.

They all watched in complete awe as the gold light spread quickly and suddenly, a door was raised.

"See, G-Bug? Easy peasy!" Rapunzel grinned as she held the torch up.

"Excuse me?" Eugene raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry. I was trying out a pet name," Rapunzel said with a sheepish grin.

"Maybe try harder." Eugene looked unimpressed.

"Maybe you should ask Varian. He was stuck for over a year on a pet name for me," Aqua said, nudging her boyfriend.

"Hey, I wasn't thinking about the entire time we were apart," Varian defended and he bit his lip.

"Yes you did," Aqua teased.

"Okay... yeah, I was still thinking about it... but it had to be perfect!" Varian blushed and Aqua pecked his cheek.

"I like G-Bug though," Aqua said and Eugene crossed his arms.

"Don't call me that," he grumbled.

"No! Please! G-Bug is a keeper!" Lance laughed as he walked into the tomb. "Come on, everyone. G-Bug doesn't like to wait."

"Come on, G-Bug!" Kiera teased as she ran inside.

"It's nice and warm in here, G-Bug!" Catalina joined in as she ran in beside Maximus.

"Oh, G-Bug..." Eugene grumbled as he shuddered, following everyone into the tomb.