Storybrooke: a place where anything was possible. Previously, the town was buzzing with life. Familiar faces could often be seen rushing about. As dusk settled, the sun sank into the horizon, melting into the darkening sky. Pink clouds stretched far into the distance. Now the residents retreated to the safety of their homes as they prepared for night.
A sudden breeze blew throughout the streets and the clouds faded to a murky shade of gray. Thunder rumbled faintly overhead. Cora Mills lay cold and still in her coffin. She had been bested by Snow White, something she never imagined remotely possible. Thunder clapped, ear splittingly loud as a gust of wind raced through the woods. Lightning illuminated the sky, striking the ground at an immense speed. Magic hung heavily in the air. The forceful beams had sent it ripping through the terrain, an invisible explosion of energy engulfing the town. It traveled deep below the roots of trees, searching for something. Anything. It found Cora.
Magic surged through her, pulsing within every inch of her body. A charge of electricity crept across her skin, the friction emitting red sparks that flared in the darkness. There was a strong jolt that caused her heart to stir. The sparks ceased, empty room humming from the lingering silence. Cora's eyes shot open and she gasped. Her chest fell and rose again. She drew in a sharp breath, savoring the feeling of oxygen in her lungs. Her heart beat faster as blood coursed through her veins, color returning to her face. Cora Mills was alive.
It took her a moment to realize what was going on. All around her was pitch black but she knew exactly where she was. The events that led up to this point were still fresh in her mind. Cora immediately felt a panging in her chest; a mix of anger, betrayal and loss. Not only did the emotions hurt, but they amused her (at least for the moment). She let a laugh escape her, grinning as tears built behind her eyes. The sound of her own voice was music to her ears. She could feel again, think again.
Cora put her hand to her chest and held her breath. She could feel it there; the rhythmic pounding of the thing that had brought her triumph and tragedy. She was delighted when her head throbbed from what she recognized as lack of air. She inhaled again, deciding she was sick of the shadows and missed the outside world. Cora raised her arm, feeling the smooth surface of the coffin lid. She met her hand with the remaining one and mentally counted to three. Then she gathered her strength and pushed. It creaked open and light poured through. At first she had to shield her eyes, but she quickly adjusted.
Cora soon departed from her "final" resting place, eager to be as far away as possible. She started walking and found her muscles tight and aching from the unanticipated use of her body. She ignored it and made her way to a different part of the woods. At one point she lost her footing and nearly tumbled down a hill. Luckily she regained her balance, halting at the bottom. "Pull it together." She thought. She smoothed the fabric of her blazer before she froze in place. Not too far from where she stood, she saw a woman on the ground. Cautiously, she ventured over. Cora observed her suspiciously, creasing her brow. She looked like a normal woman, maybe a few years younger than herself. Despite that, everything about her seemed out of place.
The stranger lay clad in a flowing, purple dress, sleeves resting below her shoulders. Her wavy, blonde hair draped over her neck in a twist. She was beautiful, yet completely peculiar. Even more so when her eyelids suddenly snapped open and Cora looked into the most frightening pairs of eyes she'd ever seen. They almost seemed unreal- fiery, golden eyes burning behind cat like slits-.
Cora, transfixed, had to consciously tell herself to avert her gaze. The woman sat up briskly, staring at Cora. She also furrowed her brow. "Are you alright?" Cora asked after clearing her throat. The stranger shrugged nonchalantly. "Well I'm just fine… How'd you find me?" She asked. Cora took notice of the southern accent that rolled out as she spoke. Definitely an outsider. "I was out minding my own business and I saw you. It's not often you find one lying around in the middle of a forest." Cora said, smirking slightly. "Oh." The woman replied. She grabbed a fistful of her dress as she rose from the ground. She swatted the lower half of the fabric before brushing the dirt off her backside.
Cora raised an eyebrow. "You're not from around here are you? I've certainly never seen you before". The woman looked up and laughed sarcastically. "If anyone's not from around here it's you. Besides, I've never seen you either." She answered. Cora found herself entertained by how little the outsider knew. "Do you even know where you are?" The stranger looked disinterested. "Of course I do" She protested. "This is Gaitlin."
What sort of a place was that? The name was not at all familiar. "Gaitlin? No, no, this is Storybrooke… Perhaps you should find your way to the main part of town. I think someone can give you directions once you're there." Cora suggested. She knew outsiders had no idea who the people in town really were, or where they came from. She tried to be as vague as possible. "Storybrooke? Please tell me this is some kinda joke." The stranger said, growing impatient. "I'm being perfectly honest." Cora replied.
The woman huffed, glow in her eyes intensifying. She pursed her lips, jaw clenched tightly. "God, I should have known you were gonna set me up!" She yelled. Thunder rumbled somewhere up above. There was no denying the fact that this woman was odd, but part of Cora felt that she almost fit in. There was something about her that reminded her of Regina, Rumple and even herself. It was something in her aura. Something that almost felt like…magic. Magic gone wrong.
Cora narrowed her eyes some, realizing there was more to this stranger than she knew. "So, Storybrooke clearly was not your original destination. Where is it you're trying to go again?" She inquired. "That's nothin' for you to worry about." The woman snapped. Cora was in no mood to be trifled with. "Listen." She folded her hands neatly in front of her. "I can help you get to wherever it is you're trying to go. But if all you would prefer to do is whine, then be my guest. I don't like to have my time wasted, it's too valuable." She retorted. The stranger scoffed, gazing upon Cora with a look of scorn. "Don't test me; you don't even know who I am. I can find my own way to Gaitlin…what could you possibly do to help anyway?"She asked.
If only they were back in Wonderland. Cora could rip out the woman's heart in a flash. That would put her in her place. "Well calm down and you'll see…For starters I'd like to know your name." She offered her hand. "I'm Cora. Cora Mills." She held her head a little higher as she said so. She wasn't normally one to shake hands, but things were different now. It was a gesture done often in the modern world and she wanted to look like she belonged. The woman hesitated, lifting her dress off the ground as she walked closer. There was a touch of bitterness in her face. "Duchannes. Sarafine Duchannes." She stuck out her hand, lightly grasping Cora's. Just then, the most unexpected thing occurred. The second they made contact an electric charge rushed through them. Friction commenced, provoking red sparks.
Cora jerked her hand away, confounded. "What in the seven hells…That's never happened before. Who are you?" Sarafine questioned, turning her head slightly. "I should be asking the same. I knew there was something different about you." Cora responded, now alert."Gaitlin isn't a normal place is it? I bet things happen there that shouldn't happen… almost like magic, right?" Distrust flickered in Sarafine's eyes. "And what would you know about magic?" Cora smirked. "Much more than you think. This town is full of it." She told her.
"In my family, we call ourselves casters. There's a whole long line of us that use our powers for dark or light… I'm one of the darkest casters livin' today." Sarafine looked her up and down before nodding once. "What about you?" "Me? Well where I come from I'm the Queen of Hearts. Of course, it takes very strong magic to get to my kingdom." Cora said, suddenly missing the Fairy Tale world. "So you're a Queen…of hearts? Where exactly is your kingdom?" Sarafine appeared confused. Cora smiled. "Yes of hearts. I find that the heart is the easiest way to control someone. Once you have it in your hand, you can make them do anything. It's what I do best… My kingdom resides in a place called Wonderland. It's very far from here and I doubt you've heard of it." "…Can't say I have." Sarafine replied. "How'd you get here?" Cora glanced at the ground. "Everyone in this town is from a different world. My daughter cast a curse that sent them all here. How I arrived…isn't important. Let's just say I found a way…although magic made matters complicated."
Sarafine chuckled mockingly. "Yes, I imagine you did. Mortals have always been oblivious to things of that nature. Even as a mortal with powers, which I must say is not common; I think you're just the same as the rest of them." She said, wallowing in self-assurance. Cora was growing irritated. She hated being degraded and categorized. She stood straight and tall to match Sarafine's level of confidence. "Oh, you foolish woman!" She insulted. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'never judge a book by its cover'? I'm far more powerful than you think." She took a few steps closer to the caster, the opposite of intimidated. Sarafine raised her eyebrows at Cora's defensive manner. "No mortal is more powerful than a dark caster."
Cora had reached her limit. She felt the energy building up inside her, something she knew all too well. She lifted her hand and the dark cast was suspended in the air. Her breath caught in her throat from anticipation. She's nearly forgotten what it was like to use magic. Sarafine was pulled up by something unseen, dangling high above the ground. She hadn't expected that. "I suggest you watch your tongue." She heard Cora say. It was no matter. A mortal was no match for someone like her. It was time to show who was really in charge. "Do you realize how pathetic that is?" Sarafine said. She stuck her arm out as if reaching for something and closed her hand into a tight fist. Cora suddenly found herself gasping, air no longer coming through. She wrapped her hands around her neck, desperate to break whatever enchantment the caster had put on her.
Sarafine was released from Cora's hold. Despite the fact that she was able to slow her fall, she still dropped to the ground with a light thud. Cora didn't wait to make her next move. With her enemy on the ground, she waved her hand and the roots of a nearby tree worked at her command. They grabbed at her wrists, ankles and waist. For a moment, Sarafine fumbled with her restraints before she cackled loudly. Cora's face dropped at the sight of the roots crumbling. They had been turned to dust. Sarafine stood, wiping her dress off. Lightning split through the clouds, which had transitioned from gray to black. A bolt struck only a few feet away from Cora. Sarafine glared, hair whipping around in the wind. It was then the Queen of Hearts realized that the dark caster was changing the weather. It seemed there was one thing left to do…
Cora's ruby lips curled into an evil smile. She disappeared into a thick cloud of purple. Sarafine froze, searching the grounds with her eyes. All of a sudden, Cora poofed in front of her, reached into her chest and grabbed her heart. This time it was Sarafine who gasped. She'd never felt such immense pain from something so minor. Cora gripped tightly, the caster gaping from the strain. It was almost as if her heart had convulsed. Before anymore damage could be done, Cora was sharply pushed away. She flew back, hitting the ground roughly.
Sarafine merely blinked and a wall of ravenous flames separated them. The dancing waves if fire reflected in Cora's eyes, heat rendering her cheeks pink. She knew the caster was dangerous, but the same went for herself. She didn't like to play games. With a simple flick of her wrist, the flames rolled and grew dimmer. At last there was a long hiss, leaving them with a line of scorched grass. "How long do you plan on keeping this up? I was actually going to help you but I've certainly changed my mind!" Cora shouted. Sarafine scoffed. "Even if I wanted help, do you think I'd get it from you?!" She appeared to be preparing another move when she let out a breath of frustration. "Oh, this is pointless. You're not worth my time… You know, all I wanted was to be in Gaitlin so I could find my daughter."
Cora picked herself up. "That's what this is about?" She asked. She didn't see the darkest caster alive as the type for kids. "Oh yes." Sarafine sighed. "…Every caster in my family tree is cursed from the day they're born. You see, from the very beginning our fates have been chosen. Chosen to represent the light or the dark It isn't until our sixteenth birthday that we find out which one it is. Once you're claimed there's no goin' back." Cora noticed the air was still, clouds lightening. "It was my daughter's turn to be claimed and I tried to convince her to join my side, to embrace the darkness inside of her… There's darkness within us all, I thought she'd of learned that… but she betrayed me for a boy she loved." Sarafine said the word loved as if it were something loathsome.
Cora completely understood. "I went through something similar with my daughter. I wanted her to be Queen, but she didn't. She told me she wanted freedom. She wanted to give up everything for love… I tried to tell her that love gets you nothing but she wouldn't listen. Love is weakness." She told her. Sarafine's face softened. "I couldn't agree more… You know, she's more like me then she cares to admit. Besides, she's just not gettin' it. Love's a spell, created by mortals to give their females somethin' to play with instead of power. I want her to have power." She stated. Cora couldn't believe her ears. It was almost too good to be true. Not once had she met someone who shared the same views on life as she did. "Exactly. Love is an illusion. It fades and then you're left with nothing." She scowled. "But power -true power- endures, and then you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want."
Sarafine smiled in agreement. "So, your daughter created this curse because she couldn't be with a boy?" Cora shrugged. "Regina was unhappy and she wanted revenge, so she sent everyone to a place she didn't think would have happy endings... I just have to know, are your eyes naturally like that or is it a side effect of the caster's curse?" "The curse. It's what happens when you turn dark….maybe that's why my Lena didn't want to be claimed to my side? Although it's a stupid reason, if you ask me." Sarafine said. "Quite…Actually, being a dark caster sounds like fun. It's a shame Lena didn't take advantage of the opportunity. I most certainly would have." Cora admitted. "And why's that?" "For starters, my daughter tried to kill me. That was just unacceptable." She said. "Oh I just hate it when they do that. Lena pulled the same thing on me when I came to see her." Sarafine replied. Cora smiled slightly. "And what else?"
"A long time ago an imp named Rumplestiltskin taught me magic. He helped me become Queen in the beginning. I loved him, but knew that love would never get me to where I wanted to go. That was when I ripped out my heart, so I couldn't love… Anyway, time passed and he became one of the most powerful people in our world. I wanted that power." Cora explained. "Well each one of us casters has a different power so I'm not sure how you would have fared…continue." Sarafine said. "His power was almost a necessity for me- It was meant to be mine-. But the only way to obtain it was to kill him, which made me hesitate at first. Although it wasn't long before I realized that I didn't care. I swear, I would have achieved my goal if it weren't for that wretched Snow White!" Cora burned with hatred at the sound of her name. She resented her with a passion. "Snow...Snow that falls from the sky?" Sarafine asked, puzzled. "No, Snow is a woman. That selfish brat! She tricked my own daughter into killing me!" she growled.
"Killed you? So you died and somehow came back to life?" The dark caster questioned. "…Yes. The last thing I remember was dying in my daughter's arms… and then today I was suddenly alive." Cora said, sighing. "It just wasn't fair, I almost had everything." She stared at the bottom of Sarafine's dress, the bitter taste of defeat spoiling her mood. There was a long pause before Sarafine spoke, actually smiling. "You've certainly got a lotta sense, I think that if you were a dark caster you'd of made a good one." The Queen of Hearts looked up, returning the smile. "Perhaps I can help you find Lena. With someone to navigate your way out of Storybrooke, you're bound to reach Gaitlin in no time." She proposed. Sarafine thought about it before nodding. "Sounds like a plan…How about along the way we pay ourselves a visit to that Snow White?" she said. "Yes, I'd like that." Cora replied. They began to walk, Sarafine's dress dragging beneath her feet. "I have to say, I'm surprised. For a mortal, you're really somethin." Sarafine commented. Cora shot her a look. "Do you have to keep calling me a mortal?" she asked. "Well that's just what we call you… why?" Sarafine responded. "Because I don't go around calling you the caster." She replied. Sarafine smirked. "No I guess you don't… Cora."