"What the hell?!!"

"There's no reason to act so surprised, it's not like you haven't been in here when it's been up.", Cass said rolling her eyes at Diverion as he felt the caravan lift into the air slowly.

Diverion quickly braced both hands on the floor firmly and clenched his teeth as his stomach plummeted to his feet, "If I was, I was unconscious!! This is different!", he shouted.

He felt like he was about to pass out as his mind thought about how high up they already were...; why couldn't he just have the nice solid ground under his feet??!

"Are you asking me to knock you out then? 'Cause I can do that.", Cass smirked at him, "It'll be nice and quick."

The teen narrowed his eyes, or what Cassandra guessed was narrowing his eyes; his mask currently concealing his face, as his eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"For a person you claim that you think me to be, you aren't really treating me very well.", Diverion said irritated as he felt butterflies arouse in him, "And I still can't believe that I'm stuck with you, even though I've told you I'm not that Varian person, it's ridiculous!! Why won't you just let it go?"

"I'll let you go once we're up to The Spire and we know for certain you're not Varian; if you're not, I'll let you go.", Cass answered looking out the window.

Diverion shifted and clung onto the wooden floorboards as if his life depended on it as he watched a bird fly by the window.

Regaining a bit of more stability he looked back at her, "It's a pointless task really..."

She whirled on him, having enough of being told that she was wrong, "Do me a favor and shut up, I know what I'm doing!", she shouted at him, "And if I do happen to be wrong, so what? You're just one person off the list!"

The teen stared at her, "You seem very worked up about this and for what?", Diverion hesitated for a moment before continuing, "The person you seek is dead, Cassandra... there's no point in wasting away your life on this foolish quest."

"What would make you say he's dead?", Cass challenged, "Been talking to Hubert lately??"

She glared at the teenager boy as a mix of emotions went through her.

Why was she so scared? Was she really that afraid of being wrong about this supposed Diverion kid? But what if she was right about it and he refused to come back home to Corona with her??

And why was Andrew so determined to crush her hopes??! Didn't she have a hard enough time hoping as it was?

She was woken out of her thoughts as the boy shook his head, "The man... Andrew..? Hubert? I'm honestly confused on his name...; he hasn't spoken with me for quite a while.
I just know what I've heard as you two argued..."

"Well he does seem to suddenly have a very strong disliking to you now...", Cass said rolling her eyes, "And his real name is Hubert, he just goes by Andrew because he doesn't want to sound stupid."

Diverion managed a nervous laugh, "The concept itself is a bit stupid if you already know his true name."

She smiled, "Yeah, it is isn't it?"

The two sat there in silence as Cass sighed in frustration.

"I guess I should apologize for everything I've put you through... but I'm doing it with the best intentions here.
I need to find Varian and I'm sorry kid, but you seem like you could be him!
You might have had your memory wiped after that fight with Zhan Tiri and then got an altered look or something 'cause of crazy magic! So of course you wouldn't remember who you actually are! I can't just let you run off.
But if... if you aren't him.. like I said, I'll let you go. For real. I'm sorry...
I'm just tired of losing people...", she said tired.

"The loss of someone you care about will sting and leave scars.., it's an inescapable fact..,", Diverion said quietly, ".., But it can heal over time if you let it.
I understand what you're saying here.. I've heard tons of people before you say the same thing.. but I'm not HIM. And you're only hurting yourself further trying to convince yourself I am.
It'll only tear your heart more if you're not careful and don't learn to let go...
Please listen to me now...", he pleaded gently.

Cass stared at him, her heart pounding hard and loud.

What was he trying to say here? That she should just give up hope altogether for Varian?

Biting back a colorful retort, Cassandra was relieved to see the spiraled tower.

She shook her head, "We're only a few minutes away from finding out... there's no sense in me backing out now even if I wanted to."

Cass then noticed the teen gripping the floor and his tense shoulders, "You Alright?"

He groaned, "I already told you I didn't like this feeling!!! Y'know, before you decided to act decent and we're being careless and rude?"

"You're not going to fall you know.", she said raising an eyebrow as the ballooned caravan landed down with a gentle thud, "Besides we're here now kid."

The door opened as Andrew let the horses out to graze and came back in, looking over at Cass as he crossed his arms, "So what now? We're here, but we can't move him with that fractured rib."

"I.. didn't think of that...", Cass admitted slowly as Andrew sighed in exasperation, "But I'll figure it out!"

He waited for like two minutes as she mulled it over before throwing in an idea.

Andrew pointed to the building, "Why don't we go inside and ask for help? I mean, those people already know you don't they? We're here to see them so go talk to them and bring them over here."

Cass nodded, "Sounds good enough I guess... but I'm not exactly a fan favorite here."

Andrew pulled on his face, "THEN WHY DID YOU WANT TO COME ALL THE WAY OVER HERE IF THEY AREN'T GOING TO HELP US?!"

Both Diverion and Cass backed up for a moment surprised.

"I never said they wouldn't help us Hubert, it's just I kinda stole some stuff and caused a lot of trouble for the keepers... I wrote an apology letter after the events before Varian's funeral which contained the stone... But again, I don't know how willing they'll be at first to even try to talk to me.
If they do help, it'd only be for Varian's sake, not mine...", she explained feeling a bit embarrassed.

"How come I don't remember or recall you doing this??", Andrew asked confused and annoyed.

Cassandra rubbed the back of her head, "Yeah... I kinda got there by accident when I was practicing my teleportation power in private.
I found myself right in there and I pretty much wreaked the place after Calliope wouldn't give me the secret to destroying the sundrop and all that crap... and then I snagged that magic stone that let me see where Rapunzel was... and then I teleported back over here...", she finished, "So yeah. Don't think they'll even talk to me."

"Well, we'll never know unless you go over there and try! Someone's got to watch Diverion while the other gets the keeper of the spire.", Andrew told her impatiently, "Besides, apologizing in person is a lot more appreciated then by letter."

She winced, "True enough..., Fine, I'll go."

"Good."

"Just don't you go chickening out again like last time you were with him.", Cass said half jokingly, half serious, "Watch him."

The teenager boy looked at the adults in utter annoyance, "It's not like I can go anywhere like this!", he protested, throwing his arms up in the air before cringing from the pain.

Andrew was over him in an instant, asking him if he was alright as he shooed Cass off.

She heard Diverion mumble a response as she stepped out the doorway nervously into the warm sunlight and yellowing grass.

Pine trees immediately surrounded her and the caravan as she walked over to the building that rose high above her.

She could see the two horses standing in the grass under the shade of some trees from the afternoon heat.

Cass stared at the intricate gigantic periwinkle stone doors as a she sorely wished for a breeze or something. She was already sweating from worry.

She had caused so many people hurt, including Calliope.

Granted, Calliope wasn't the easiest person to get along with and was a smart-ass know it all, but she didn't deserve all the destruction she had ravaged on her things.

Cass took a deep breath as the hot autumn air pressed down on her.

All she had to do was knock. One simple bang of the door knocker and everyone inside would know she was there.

Grabbing the smooth metal knocker, Cass let it drop, making the area around her vibrate with a deep booming sound which seemed to resonate through her throat.

After a minute the heavy doors slid open, scraping against the floor as they opened inward revealing the beautiful room inside.

"Ahhhhh... it's you. Cuh-sandraaa...", Calliope said enunciating her name standing right in front of her, "Why are you here?"

Cass started a bit, forgetting how short Calliope was as her voice seemed to cut out of nowhere.

Looking down at her, she sighed, "I'm here to ask for help... and to apologize to you. If you'll let me.."

Pushing up her glasses and squinting at her, Calliope waved her on, "Well, where's the apology? Go on then."

Cass half wanted to slap her but pushed the urge down. Causing bodily harm to her would get them nowhere.

"I'm sorry that I attacked you Calliope, I really am.", she started, "I wrongly destroyed some of your most precious items and artifacts that you were entrusted to take care of, just because I was mad you wouldn't help me. I'm so sorry I stole that seeing-stone from you as well.
I probably should've apologized to you in person the first time and given you the stone that way. So I'm doing it now.
I'm a different person then what I was before Calliope, and I'm asking you humbly for your help to see if someone I found is Varian.
Varian if you haven't heard, sacrificed his life... in order to save all of us.
But I don't believe he's really dead though. And I found a teenager boy who looks like him!! And I don't know quite what to make of it.
Please... I need your help in this more then anything... I'm so sorry for everything I've done to you and the Spire.
And if there's anything I can do to make it up to you... I'll try to do it.", Cass finished, respectfully looking straight into the shorter woman's eyes.

"Your written apology was a lot more impressive then this...", Calliope commented after several minutes, "But I still appreciate the effort. It's the thought that counts right?"

Cass stared at her, "What..?"

"Anyway, I forgive you and if you want to make it up to me... learn how to pronounce this place already!
It's SPY-ER... not Spire."

"Right...", she said slowly, again reminding herself not to throttle the woman before her, "So will you help me?"

Calliope snorted, "Of course I'll help you. Everyone knows I provide the best assistance in the whole world!
I'd never turn down a person in need."

Cass breathed a sigh of relief, igniting Calliope's superior attitude. At the very least she was going to get help.

She was only one step away from finding out if she really had Varian, confirming her high hopes or putting her back to the beginning.

She motioned to the caravan, "Follow me."

{holy shiz, over 2,000 words!
Also thank you for your continuous support on my story!}