Hello and welcome, fanfiction fans, to my Tangled fanfic. After witnessing the shocking Season 2 finale of the Tangled TV series, I just knew I had to write my own version of what direction I think the show might go in. Author's Note: The cover image for this fanfic is "Team Awesome and Co." by SnowWinterFrosted on DeviantArt. Go and check it out! And now, let's begin the story.

Prologue: An Unexpected Visit

Varian woke up on a hard cot, just as he had every day for the past few months.

The jail cell had two cots, and Ruddiger had claimed the other one for himself. "I dreamt about my dad again last night," Varian told the raccoon. Ruddiger looked up hopefully. "Someday, I will make him proud," Varian added darkly. Ruddiger shook his head and curled up on his cot.

Despite Rapunzel making her father promise to do everything he could to "get Varian help," Varian figured that the King of Corona was just as bad at keeping promises as his daughter. Other than the guards that brought him meals, Varian hadn't seen another human in months, yet alone someone who could "help" Varian. Standing up to stretch, Varian attempted to mentally prepare himself for another day of one-sided conversations and dark thoughts.

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. Unable to keep his balance, Varian fell onto his hands and knees.

Right outside the cell door, a spire made of a black rock was growing through the floor of the jail. Unable to stand due to the earthquakes the rock was causing, Varian stared at the reflection within its shiny surface…

The reflection wasn't his.

The young woman in the rock's reflection looked like Rapunzel's lady-in-waiting, Cassandra. She wearing a spiky, black-and-blue bodysuit with a blue glowing opal embedded in her chest. Cassandra's hair and eyes were glowing the same blue as the opal.

Cassandra smiled at Varian… and slowly walked out of the rock until she was right in front of Varian's cell.

"Hey Varian," Cassandra said, holding out a hand. "Do you still want to free your father, and to get revenge on the kingdom?"

Eyeing the hand warily, Varian asked, "How do I know this isn't a trick? And aren't you mad at me for trying to squeeze the life out of you with my automaton?"

Cassandra shrugged. "You can't know whether or not I'm trying to trick you. Besides, I think you were more focused on killing the queen."

Varian's gaze moved to Cassandra's eyes. There was only one other question to ask. "Why?"

Cassandra sighed, "A lot has changed since we last saw each other. I'll explain everything soon, but for now let's just say that I'll need your help."

"Well, I'd love to help you, but I'm kind of busy being a prisoner," Varian said sarcastically. "And I doubt you brought a key."

Cassandra looked at the bars of the cell door. "Not a problem." She took a deep breath, placed her hands on the bars, and began to sing.

"Wither and decay, end this destiny, break these earthly chains, and set the spirit free, the

spirit free."

Varian stared as Cassandra's hair turned black, blacker than her old hair, and a dark power flowed through her hands until it rotted the bars of the cell. With a crack, the bars splintered in Cassandra's hands and rusted to dust.

As Cassandra's hair turned back to blue, she held out her hand to Varian again. "What do you say?"

Varian stared at the hand outstretched out in front of him, the hand that had just obliterated the barred door with a song. He was vaguely aware of Ruddiger chittering nervously, just as when Varian had started down the dark path of revenge.

Varian grabbed Cassandra's hand, and she pulled him to his feet.