Light

The narrow passage ahead sloped upward, winding like the inside of a twisting shell, pressing them forward into the unknown. The air remained damp, thick with the scent of earth and moss, but something had changed, the darkness was no longer absolute.

A faint glow shimmered at the far end of the tunnel.

Rapunzel's heart leapt. "Eugene, look!"

He followed her gaze, eyes narrowing. "I'll be honest, I've never been so happy to see light that isn't coming from your hair."

She shot him a look but couldn't suppress the small thrill in her chest. They were close. The underground maze was behind them. The real world, the sky, the sun, the floating lanterns, was just beyond that opening.

She turned to Eugene. "Come on!"

He grinned. "After you, Blondie."

They hurried forward, their feet crunching against the damp stone. The walls began to widen, the air shifting from stale and enclosed to something fresher, touched with the scent of trees and wildflowers.

With one final step, they emerged.

Sunlight poured down in golden streams, warm and brilliant, making Rapunzel blink against the sudden brightness. The sky stretched above them, endless and blue, and the forest rolled out like a sea of green below. They had emerged onto a rocky outcrop at the edge of a cliff, the land dropping steeply into the valley beneath.

For a moment, Rapunzel simply stood there, drinking it in.

This was the world she had dreamed of.

She tilted her head back, letting the sunlight wash over her face, feeling it kiss her skin with a warmth she had only ever felt from the single window of her tower. The wind swept through her hair, making it ripple like gold in the light.

A breathless laugh escaped her. "We made it."

Eugene, standing beside her, crossed his arms and smirked. "What did I tell you? I always come through."

She turned to him, smiling. "You were worried back there."

"I was cautious," he corrected. "There's a difference."

She arched a brow.

"Alright, fine," he admitted with a dramatic sigh. "Maybe a little worried. But in my defense, underground rivers and collapsing bridges aren't usually part of my daily schedule."

She giggled, the sound light and free. The weight of the past few hours, the fear, the exhaustion, the unknown, had lifted, replaced by something brighter.

Excitement. Anticipation.

She turned her gaze forward. The forest stretched endlessly, golden with afternoon sunlight, the breeze rustling through the trees in a melody she had never heard before but already loved. Somewhere in the distance, she spotted the faint outline of the kingdom, her destination.

The floating lights.

They were closer than ever.

She turned to Eugene, eyes shining. "We're almost there."

He followed her gaze, nodding. "Yeah. Just a little more to go."

A thrill ran through her. The festival, the lanterns, this was happening.

Eugene stretched, rolling his shoulders. "So, what's the plan? Stroll into town, maybe pick up some snacks, see some lanterns?"

Rapunzel hesitated.

The excitement inside her was almost too much to contain, but something else settled in alongside it, a small, growing fear.

What happened after the lanterns?

She had spent her whole life dreaming of this moment. But what came next?

Her grip tightened slightly on the strap of her satchel. Mother would be furious when she returned. That was, if she returned at all.

Eugene must have caught the shift in her expression, because his smirk softened. "Hey. You okay?"

She nodded quickly. "Yes! I just—" She looked back at the forest, at the endless road ahead. "I can't believe it's real."

He studied her for a moment, then grinned. "Well, believe it, Blondie. Because this adventure is just getting started."

She smiled, but before she could say anything, a sudden rustling sound came from behind them.

Eugene immediately went tense, hand flying to his dagger.

Rapunzel turned sharply. "What was that?"

More movement. Footsteps, several of them, approaching fast.

Then. The royal guards!

Eugene swore under his breath. "Seriously?"

A group of soldiers emerged from the trees, their armor glinting in the afternoon sun. The lead guard, a burly man with a thick beard, pointed a gloved hand straight at Eugene. "There! Flynn Rider! You're under arrest!"

Rapunzel's breath caught.

Eugene groaned. "Oh, come on."

The guards advanced, weapons drawn.

Eugene spun toward Rapunzel. "I hate to ruin the moment, but run."

Without hesitation, she grabbed his hand—

And they bolted.

The world became a blur of green and gold as they tore through the trees, dodging branches, leaping over roots. The guards shouted behind them, crashing through the undergrowth in pursuit.

Rapunzel's heart pounded. Adrenaline surged through her veins.

They weren't going back.

Not to the dungeons.

And definitely not to the tower.

She tightened her grip on Eugene's hand. "We need to lose them!"

"Working on it!" he called, skidding around a fallen log and yanking her forward.

The forest opened ahead.

A river. Fast-moving, its surface glinting like glass.

Eugene's eyes widened. "Well, I don't love this idea, but—"

He turned to Rapunzel.

She understood immediately.

Together, without hesitation, they leapt—

Into the rushing current.

The water swallowed them whole.