A/N: Sorry this update took so long. Real life has kept me busy this past month or so and I've been concentrating on updating my multi-chaptered stories when I had free time.
This particular one-shot has been requested by several reviewers: how Aurora and Mulan managed to restore Philip's soul. It doesn't look like we'll be getting an explanation for it on the show. I decided to have a little fun with it. Since the show has played with a little mythology in the past (Medusa comes to mind), I figured I should incorporate some mythology into this story. I hope everyone enjoys it.
Not a day passed that Aurora did not reflect on Cora's taunts about restoring Philip's soul to its rightful place. At first, she assumed the witch was lying, trying to goad her into fealty. Now, she was not so sure.
If such a feat was even possible, it sounded easier said than done. Neither she nor Mulan said it aloud, but there were times when they wondered if Cora truly had been spinning tall tales. They didn't even know where to start on the journey to this so-called realm of the dead. How was it possible to restore a person's soul to their body once they had lost it?
What did they have to lose?
On the day they agreed to begin their journey, Aurora went to Philip's body to say her goodbyes. He lay where she once did and appeared to be merely sleeping. Without a soul, his body was a hollow shell. Aurora softly brushed the hair from his pale forehead and found his skin cold to the touch.
You once fought valiantly to rescue me. Now I must return the favor. We will be together again.
She bent to kiss his lips. It was not a simple peck; she poured all of her grief and passion into that kiss. Meanwhile, she recalled his last words before that wraith sucked out his soul-I love you.
She loved him truly.
He once woke her from her slumber with the power of a kiss. Perhaps...
Perhaps...
Her lips parted and finally rose away from his. She peeked at him through her eyelids, longing to look into his smiling, lovestruck eyes, but his eyelids remained tormentingly still. Not even so much as a flutter. His lips were rigid and pressed together, his chest never puffed with a single breath.
That was the tenth-or was it the eleventh?-time she tried true love's kiss. For some reason, she fooled herself into thinking the next time would be the charm. Even though she dreaded the journey ahead, Philip was worth it. Perhaps that was why she kept trying to enact true love's kiss. She was willing to do whatever it took to return Philip's soul to his body, but now it just seemed so...daunting a task.
Aurora sighed and gathered her skirts in her hands, stumbling away from his resting place. She turned her back to Philip's lifeless body-hopefully not for the last time-and became startled when she found Mulan standing beside one of the crumbling, vine-covered pillars. As usual, she was dressed head to toe in battle armor, with a sharpened sword at her hip and her helmet under her arm.
"How long have you been watching me?" Aurora pressed a hand to her heart and felt it beating rapidly.
It wasn't very polite to surprise people like that. She heard tales that the infamous dealmaker Rumpelstiltskin did it constantly to those who cried out his name in desperation, and that alone left Aurora with no desire to ever cross paths with him. Thankfully, he wasn't one of the poor souls that were left behind in this devastated land.
Mulan's lips twitched in a disapproving scowl.
"Long enough to know you believed your kiss would bring him back. Again. Why do you believe it will miraculously change when the last ten times failed?" Aurora lowered her eyes like a child who had been scolded harshly.
"I keep hoping," she whispered. Mulan shook her head pitifully.
"Don't tell me you were hoping it would be that easy. You have to fight for what you want. Take pride in it."
She motioned for Aurora to step out into the courtyard with her. Once a place of beauty and prominence, it was now a desolate thing. Cracked stone and tiles were strewn across the ground, patches of rubble blocked their path more often than not, and the air smelled foul whichever way she turned.
"Of course," she murmured in reply. "I just didn't expect it to be on the verge of impossible." The realm of the dead, where wraiths sent souls after sucking them out...How could humans pass into it and carry back a lost soul? To her, it was unfathomable.
"Nothing is impossible. You have to put in some effort before you can expect results, Aurora," Mulan chastised. Aurora only wished she could be as brave and confident as the female warrior that stood beside her. She agreed to fight for Philip, but she couldn't help thinking that Mulan was better suited for it.
"I know. That's why you and I are going on this journey. I will fight my hardest for Philip. Where do we begin?" Mulan turned her gaze away to scrutinize the horizon. It stretched on indefinitely, littered with decrepit structures that had once been impressive castles and humble homes.
"You told me that Cora mentioned a realm where wraiths deposit the souls they suck out. To cross realms, you need magic. The witch that cursed you into eternal sleep-Maleficent. Her castle is not too far from here. Two days of walking, no more than a week."
Aurora already felt the exhaustion settling on her bones. No complaining, she reminded herself. Instead, she beckoned to the distance that lay before them.
"Then let's get on with it," she said. Mulan nodded once and set out across the tarnished courtyard. Aurora glanced back anxiously at the place where Philip's body lay. I will return for you. I promise. Then she hurried along to keep up with Mulan.
...
It was a rough journey to Maleficent's fortress. The terrain was often steep and uneven. While Mulan was appropriately dressed for such harsh conditions, Aurora found it quite uncomfortable to journey in a royal gown. Her cloak barely shielded her from the bitter chill of the wind and the hem of her dress trailed through the mud, quickly becoming damp and dirty.
She longed for Emma's leather corset again. She had never seen such attire for women before, but it was effective against the cold.
Despite her fumbling and discomfort, Aurora clamped her lips together to prevent any selfish complaints from leaking out. Once she might not have hesitated to voice her concerns, but there was more at stake than ever before. She pushed her legs harder to keep up with Mulan and insisted they continue on when Mulan offered her the chance to rest. Mulan hardly broke a sweat. Aurora admired her confidence and silent strength.
She would fight on until she was reduced to a mass of flesh crawling across the damp ground. This journey was made in Philip's name. It only seemed right that she fight as hard for him as he once did for her.
"The sun is setting. This is as good a time as any to stop," Mulan said, halting in her tracks. Aurora had fallen into a habit of carefully watching where she stepped and nearly collided with Mulan's back as a result. The canopy of trees above their heads blocked out most of the sunlight, but the first shadows of the night rapidly slithered along the trunks.
Deep down, she suspected it was mostly for her sake that they were stopping so soon. Mulan hardly looked worn down, even if they had been walking for the better part of the day. Mulan's pity only convinced Aurora to carry on all the more. The realm was practically empty, anyway. How many threats could there be in the forest besides the occasional Ogre?
"If we stop now, we'll waste precious time. It can't be too far," she pointed out. She peered over Mulan's shoulder, but there was only forest as far as she could see. Everywhere she looked: forest, forest, forest.
"At this rate, it'll be another day before we reach Maleficent's side of the realm. That's being optimistic. Since I doubt there will be a tavern open for business around the bend, we'll have to use the trees for shelter. We can start a fire to stay warm."
Mulan spoke with her usual authoritative tone. It was meant to leave no room for objections. She stalked past Aurora and began to collect branches that would be suitable for firewood. Somehow, Aurora felt guilty for inspiring such caution in Mulan. She had seen plenty of threats worse than whatever hid in the forest, and she also did not want to be handled so delicately.
There were also the nightmares to contend with. If she stopped and slept, they would return.
"Mulan," she protested, but Mulan cast a look over her shoulder that silenced her protests. It wasn't an angry or severe look by any means. It was pure concern, something Aurora rarely witnessed in the female warrior.
"I understand your need to fight for Philip, but you're pushing yourself too hard. I made a personal promise in Philip's memory to take care of you. At the moment, you look to be one step away from passing out. Rest. Gather your strength. We'll save Philip when we can."
Aurora knew she was right, though she was hard-pressed to admit it. Her legs had grown weak to the point of shaking, her muscles were strained and cramping. Her head felt stuffed with cotton and her eyes burned with exhaustion. If she kept going, she would likely fall and never have the strength to get up. Such reckless behavior would not help Philip.
"Thank you," Aurora said quietly and knelt to help Mulan collect the firewood. Mulan gave her a surprised look when she noticed Aurora filling her arms with dry, thick branches, but she did not say anything against it. Aurora did not always recognize the useful branches from the unnecessary ones, but she did not want to sit prim and proper while Mulan attended to her needs. She owed Mulan so much already.
"I always honor my promises," she replied. Her forehead was lined with concentration as she went about starting a fire. Aurora sat back and watched her curiously. The skills of survival came so easily to her, but Aurora was unfamiliar with any of it.
A blast of wind rustled through the trees and made the flames dance, but Mulan managed to keep it burning. Aurora tucked the folds of her dress over her legs and thought of Philip's empty shell of a body, resting on a slab and awaiting their return.
"Do you think Cora was telling the truth?"
It was a question she was almost afraid to ask. The alternative was that this entire journey was nothing more than a wild goose chase, and Aurora did not want to contemplate it. Cora had been a malevolent, manipulative woman. Listening to her was no better than listening to a hellish demon, but Aurora still nurtured a flicker of hope in her heart.
Mulan appeared troubled.
"It's difficult to say. There's a very good chance Cora was feeding on your desires, only telling you what she thought you wanted to hear. On the other hand, I have heard rumors of a land that contained the souls of those who passed on from this world. Key word: rumors."
Aurora frowned and felt her heart grow heavy. Rumors, especially those that began in taverns and among seafolk, were not usually trustworthy. What if this was all a foolish quest that would lead to disappointment?
"Aurora," Mulan said firmly, regaining her attention. The troubled expression had given way to one of determination. "If there is a way to reunite you with Philip, I'll see that it's done."
Aurora bowed her head gratefully. If there was one thing she learned about Mulan in the short time she'd known her, it was that she always found a way to keep her word to the best of her ability. Honor was a very important matter to her.
"You never told me how you two met," Aurora hinted with a small, sad smile. She scooted closer to the fire to savor its warmth. Mulan tossed her a skeptical look.
"It's a long story." Aurora shrugged.
"We have time, don't we?" It was either that or allow sleep to whisk her away into those terrible dreams where she had no control. She hadn't yet discovered the key to conquering them. Perhaps when Philip returned to her, the dreams would be eased.
Mulan sighed. Then she dove headfirst into an adventurous tale involving a ferocious creature called the Yaoguai. She spoke fondly of a woman named Belle and insisted that it was she that heroically freed Philip from the curse Maleficent had placed on him. Aurora wished she had the opportunity to meet this Belle, if only to thank her for saving Philip.
It's my turn to do the same, she thought. It was a vow she was determined not to break.
...
It was almost impossible to gain entrance into Maleficent's formidable castle. Almost.
The entire structure rested on a steep cliff and only a rickety wooden bridge allowed them to cross the monstrous gap in between. Mulan led the way, her gloved hands grasping the ropes as the bridge rocked back and forth. It looked as steady as a piece of paper floating on the wind.
The moment that Aurora put one foot on the bridge, she saw her life flash before her eyes. The bridge groaned and shifted to the left, nearly causing her to lose her footing. The boards did not seem strong at all. There were even a few missing here and there and it was such a long way down...
"Don't look down," Mulan had advised beforehand. Unfortunately, it was difficult not to look down when there were several spaces in the bridge where the boards had been. If she didn't look down, she would likely fall through. Aurora felt her stomach plunge as she pictured herself soaring down into open air.
"Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down," she whispered under her breath. Her hands burned as they clung fiercely to the fraying ropes, but she did not dare to let go for an instant.
"You're almost there, Aurora," Mulan called back. She had already made it to the other side of the bridge. It seemed to stretch on before her, an impossibly wide distance to cross. "Do not look down. Follow the sound of my voice. One step at a time. Slowly."
Aurora kept her focus trained on Mulan. She took tentative steps to avoid making the bridge sway. Before she knew it, and with Mulan's soothing voice to guide her over the gaps, her feet mounted solid ground.
"See what happens when you listen to me?" If Aurora didn't know any better, she'd say Mulan had a sense of humor.
They carried on through the front doors of the castle. It was dark and quiet now that the witch was gone, having been swept away with the Dark Curse. No one knew what became of her-Emma and Snow White never had a proper time to discuss such minor details. They explored the layout of the castle, despite the eerie sensation that they did not belong there. They scoured through every piece of parchment and spellbook they could find.
Aurora became distracted as she flipped through the pages of a heavy scarlet spellbook. Even the binding was brimming with the darkest of magic. She paused on an ancient page that foretold of the ingredients for a sleeping curse, just like the one that had been placed on her. Like the one that had been placed on her mother. A sinister chill skated down her spine as she was reminded that she was standing in the territory of the one that was responsible for their suffering.
Philip had succumbed to something far worse than a sleeping curse. She flipped the page.
"Mulan," she called out, though her eyes did not tear away from the page. Some of it was nonsense, some of it was written in another language, but the words realm of the dead and souls jumped out at her. She heard Mulan scuffle behind her and she hoisted the book into her hands so they both could feast their eyes on the page. "Here. This page mentions the realm of the dead...the final destination of souls...It's hard to understand most of it since it's written in a foreign language."
"If only we had Belle," Mulan muttered. Her eyelids narrowed as she concentrated, her finger sliding across the page under certain lines of text. She skipped over the ones she could not decode. "It seems she translated a few key phrases. Something about a chasm...that only opens twice a year...She's included a map. It's not too far from this mountain. The chasm is the entrance to the realm of the dead."
"Philip isn't dead," Aurora corrected. She could not afford to think of him that way. Mulan's focus shattered and she gave Aurora a pained look.
"I know. I was there. His soul was sucked out and this is where souls go. According to Cora and this witch, both being women that are not known to be trustworthy."
"When does the chasm open?"
"If I'm translating her handwriting correctly...once when the world perishes, once when the world is revived again." Aurora blanched. That sounded more like the onslaught of an apocalypse. "Don't worry. She means winter and spring. I think." The last words Mulan uttered under her breath. It only made Aurora more nervous. "I think" was not something that implied much confidence.
"It's a fortunate thing that winter is coming," Aurora said.
"Depends on who you ask," Mulan replied. Something on the page made her brows knit tighter together. "The chasm will only stay open for a limited time. My guess is a few hours at best. If we're going to do this, we'll need to be swift."
Mulan stared patiently at her and that was when Aurora realized she was waiting for her to make the decision. This was her call-her opportunity to save Philip.
"It's a chance we'll have to take."
...
Mulan had been right-it wasn't too long of a trek to the isolated patch of land where the chasm was foretold to be. Aurora crossed the bridge with ease this time and they continued on with good pacing. Since winter was well on its way to conquering this side of the realm, they were forced to trudge through ankle-high snow and icy winds, but Aurora faced those obstacles with the warmth and comfort her memories of Philip brought her. She wrapped her cloak tightly around her body and buried her nose in the cloth to protect it from the cold.
When they were close to the bottom of the mountain, there was a sudden rumbling underneath their feet. It lasted only for a few seconds, but it was enough to knock Aurora to her knees. She and Mulan met eyes and both were thinking the same thing, tense with disquiet.
If it was the chasm opening...
"We must be close," Mulan estimated. She looked back at the crooked mountain, a measure of caution in case the rumbling triggered an avalanche. When there was no sign of snow rushing down the mountainside to swallow them whole, she waved her hand to beckon Aurora to follow.
They finished their descent from the mountain without too much trouble and emerged in a solemn stretch of land dominated by a thick, uneven layer of snow. In the middle of the frozen field, they got their first glimpse of it: a deep opening in the earth, the ground split apart like a dry, gaping mouth. The snow sprinkled down into its depths. They crept as close to the edge as they dared and peered inside. It was a wide valley of darkness. Aurora couldn't even see the bottom.
"Are you ready?" Mulan held out her hand.
Aurora pictured Philip's face in her mind again, her heart pumping with love for him, and it offered her the strength she needed to take Mulan's hand. Together, they swung their legs over the lip of the chasm and began to climb down into the darkness.
...
After the effort it took to climb down into the chasm, Aurora swore never to take up rock-climbing. She was lucky she did not lose her grip and fall, though there were countless times where that almost happened. By the time her feet landed safely on the ground, her palms were scraped and raw. Tilting her head back, she gazed up into the darkness. They had come a long way, so long that she could not depict the opening of the chasm from the shadows.
She only hoped it would not close and trap them in this realm until the next time it opened.
It took a few minutes for their eyes to adjust. Within the chasm was a river, a longboat bobbing gently on it. The water did not look particularly deep, but some instinct warned Aurora that she did not want to set foot in it. Mulan cautiously approached the boat and took up the only paddle that had been placed atop the seat.
"I'm driving," she announced with finality. Her firm tone was meant to prevent Aurora from arguing and she didn't let a single complaint fall from her lips. She doubted Mulan knew where to go anymore than she did, but she took comfort in her friend's sense of leadership.
Mulan rowed the boat down the river with ease, as if she had experience in commanding a boat before. It wouldn't surprise Aurora if she had. She gazed over the edge of the boat, down at her reflection in the black water. The boat rounded a bend and then a painted wooden sign came into view. Beware of Dog.
"Dog?" Aurora murmured out loud. Mulan held up a hand, demanding silence.
Up ahead was a pair of iron black gates. Decorative iron letters adorned the top of the gates, issuing a sinister warning: Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here. From the shadows that lurked beside the gates, a deep growl rose. It was followed by a second growl, then an even louder third growl. Six yellow eyes gleamed in the darkness.
"Mulan," Aurora whispered, lightly touching her friend's arm. "The sign says beware of dog. There are three dogs."
"Not quite..." Mulan squinted, as though trying to get a better view of the creature.
The rocky ground that bordered the river shook as the monstrous being lumbered to its feet, towering over their heads. As it drew closer, Aurora was able to see it for what it was: a massive dog with three ferocious heads. Mulan raised the paddle in defense as the heads focused on them, the black lips curling away to expose three sets of fearsome yellow jaws.
"Aurora, stay very still. No sudden movements," Mulan said over her shoulder. Aurora gripped the edge of the boat until her knuckles turned white and her heart hammered in her chest.
The creature sized them up, the growling a steady buzz in the dogs' throats. Then, miraculously, the creature yielded. It settled down on the platform and lowered all three of its heads. The gates swung open before them, allowing them entrance. Mulan did not remove her eyes from the now-whimpering creature until they had nearly passed through the gates.
"Was that meant to be a guardian?" Aurora pressed a hand to her chest and felt her heartbeat slowly return to normal. "In that case, it didn't do a very decent job."
"It all depends on its duties," Mulan argued. "My guess is: it isn't stationed there to keep people or souls from entering. It's there to ensure they never leave."
Aurora felt her pulse quicken again under her fingertips. For the first time she understood how much she underestimated this journey to save Philip. Getting in wasn't the hard part-it was returning to the land of the living that was the trick.
...
Aurora and Mulan docked the boat and climbed out onto a stone platform. Before them was a winding set of stairs, leading deeper into this gloomy underworld. They ascended each step tentatively and it felt like an eternity passed before they reached the end.
I hope the chasm will stay open for us, Aurora thought nervously, glancing back over her shoulder at the swirling shadows in their wake. Being in that world of the dead sent a chill down her back and filled her with an unexplainable sense of dread.
They entered a hollow cavern. Aurora shivered as a draft skated over her skin. It was impossible to tell how big the cavern was due to the swarming shadows in the corners and above their heads. There was an enormous throne in the center of the room, though it currently lacked an authoritative figure. Not too far from it, there was a table containing a rusty pair of shears and a bowl filled with a small pile of what looked like pomegranate seeds. A sudden strange craving overwhelmed her and she reached out to take a few of the seeds.
Mulan caught her wrist.
"Do not touch anything. More specifically, do not consume those seeds," she said in such a grave manner that Aurora had no desire to hold a single seed in her palm. Mulan's face bore a grim expression. "According to the rumors I've heard, consuming even the smallest portion of food in this world will bind you to it. You won't be allowed to leave."
Aurora backed away from the table, cradling her hands over her chest. She wanted to find Philip's soul and escape that place as soon as possible. Mulan motioned to another path across the room and Aurora followed on her heels. She did not wish to tempt fate and end up separated from Mulan.
The path was narrow, forcing them to take careful, slow steps to avoid falling. It led to another pool of water, this one much deeper and casting off an eerie emerald glow. They knelt down at the end of the path and looked into the seemingly endless depths. There was something floating in the water. It was when Aurora bent her head closer to the surface of the water that she realized the mysterious pale forms were souls drifting by, spiraling within the emerald vortex.
Was Philip's soul one of the thousand souls wandering restlessly beneath the surface?
She wanted to dive in and find him, but as with the bowl of pomegranate seeds, she suspected it wouldn't be as easy as it seemed. It was supposed to be impossible to bring people back from the dead. What was the price for restoring someone's soul?
"There must be a consequence for bringing back one of these souls," she thought aloud. Mulan was serious as usual and lost in thought.
"I'm willing to bet that only Philip's true love would stand a chance of saving his soul from this pit. Anyone else would pay a gruesome price. I may not dabble in magic, but I know enough to understand that true love is some of the most powerful magic out there."
Mulan looked to her and deliberately nodded to the strange pool of water.
"Both of us love Philip. Shouldn't it be both of us that saves him?" An unexpectedly sad look filtered through Mulan's intelligent eyes before Aurora even finished speaking.
"While that may be true, you have always been his true love. I understood that the moment his kiss woke you from your sleeping curse. You two share a powerful love-one that transcends curses and death alike. It should be you that saves him."
Mulan half-smiled encouragingly. Aurora's heart went out to the female warrior as she realized Mulan was ultimately sacrificing the love she felt for Philip. Aurora had come to accept the fact that Mulan cared deeply for him and that her bond and adventures with Philip were part of a world that Aurora would never tread.
That is the price to be paid, she thought, gently covering Mulan's hand with her own. While Mulan tensed from the physical contact, Aurora smiled sympathetically. She is sacrificing her love so that mine may prevail.
Maybe, somewhere in the world, Mulan's own true love waited.
Aurora examined the pool of water again. She scooted to the edge of the path, the closest she could without falling in, and slowly let her hands descend to the water. Closing her eyes, she dipped her hands in and found it to be quite cold, like a lake on the cusp of winter.
She thought of the first time she met Philip while taking a springtime walk through the woods. She'd been picking fresh berries and singing an old familiar song. He had surprised her by appearing at her side and singing along. She thought back to the time he saved her from the sleeping curse, of how she had been in such a lonely, dark place while caught in its grasp. She felt her heart swell when she pictured his smile or heard his laugh echo in her ears. He was her light, her strength, her heart. More than anything, she longed to have him back.
Something brushed her fingertips. She opened her eyes and gasped, though she did not wrench her hands from the water. Under the surface, she briefly glimpsed Philip's face. It must be his soul. Aurora wasn't sure how one went about grabbing a soul, but she struggled to hang onto Philip's soul and lift it out of the water. It was light as a feather, whispery as a delicate breeze. The moment it was free of the pool of water, his soul transformed into a thin silvery stream of light and soared toward Aurora's chest. She practically felt it when Philip's spirit entered her heart and she knew she carried him with her.
"You did it," Mulan exclaimed in absolute wonder and praise. Her eyes were bright with excitement for Aurora's accomplishment. Then she latched onto Aurora's hand with urgency. "Let's go."
Aurora and Mulan raced back up the path, retracing their steps. For some reason, Aurora sensed time quickly slipping through her fingers. A tendril of apprehension slithered down the nape of her neck, causing the hairs there to stand on end. Please let the chasm be open, let it still be open, she silently pleaded.
Mulan led her through the cavern again, though she paused to consider the bowl of pomegranate seeds again. After a heartbeat of silence, she scooped up a handful of seeds and carried on. Aurora stared at her in bewilderment.
"I thought you said-"
"These seeds aren't for eating," Mulan cut her off. They returned to the longboat, with the iron gates wide open, tempting them with freedom. Aurora remembered the three-headed dog beyond the gates. How were they supposed to slip by that ferocious guard dog?
"Stay here and stay hidden," Mulan ordered quietly. Then she slipped down into the water, slowly so that she would not make much noise.
Aurora tried to wait patiently when Mulan's head sunk beneath the dark water, but she feared for her friend's safety if she got too close to that creature. She heard the pomegranate seeds rain down over the ground. She started to call out for Mulan when she heard the three-headed dog move away from the gates to investigate the noise, all six ears perked.
She jumped when Mulan stuck her head up from the water and wrapped her damp hand around Aurora's ankle.
"Into the boat-hurry."
Aurora didn't need to be told twice. She leaped into the boat, smoothing her skirts underneath her as she lowered her body on the flat seat. Mulan dutifully took up the paddle to steer them through the gates. She rowed as fast as possible and Aurora knew there was only a limited amount of time before that three-headed dog returned to its spot.
If it caught them trying to escape...
When they rounded the bend, Aurora heard the heavy padding of paws coming their way. The ground quaked under the weight of the dog. Six yellow eyes appeared in the darkness.
"Mulan," she shrieked. One of the heads aimed for their boat, but Mulan raised the paddle and it chomped down on that instead, tearing it out of her hands. A sharp piece of the broken paddle wedged itself between the jaws of one head, distracting the creature for a few seconds.
"Jump in the water," Mulan instructed and dove into the water before Aurora could protest. The massive jaws snapped the paddle, the remains scattering in the water. Aurora scrambled over the side of the boat and kicked toward the opposite ledge. She saw Mulan further along the bend, climbing up near the wall that would lead them home.
Aurora pushed her body through the water, though it was like wading through quicksand. Mulan offered her hand, hoisting Aurora up from the water. She looked back at the three-headed dog, who now paced restlessly near the gate. It could have pursued them across the river, but that would mean abandoning its position again.
Together they began the tedious climb to the surface. Going up felt harder than coming down. Rock-climbing was not one of Aurora's favorite pastimes. Halfway up, her hand almost slipped when the wall shook violently. A deafening roar invaded Aurora's ears.
The chasm was closing.
Mulan ushered her to climb faster. She reached the top first and stuck her hand through the gap to pull Aurora up. Aurora sucked in several frantic breaths when she noticed the opening growing narrower with each passing second. She grabbed ahold of Mulan's outstretched hand and squirmed over the lip of the chasm. The hem of her cloak got caught on a jagged rock and she watched it flutter into the darkness below. Then the chasm closed, the land of the dead concealed under the frozen earth.
Aurora laid back in the snow and concentrated on catching her breath. Snowflakes sprinkled over her nose and eyelashes, but she welcomed the feel of the earth beneath her fingers.
"Promise me something. As long as we live, let us never do that again," she said to Mulan, rolling her head on the ground to stare up at her friend. Even Mulan seemed to need a moment to gain control of her senses.
"I promise." Aurora remembered what Mulan said about always keeping her promises. After a serene moment, Mulan got to her feet and brushed the snow off her body. "We have a long journey back."
Aurora took the hint. She longed for familiar surroundings and the chance to restore Philip's soul. She gladly rose from the cold ground and followed in Mulan's tracks. It's time we finished what we started.
...
Philip's body was stiff as stone on the slab, right where they left him. The Enchanted Forest was vastly unpopulated-there was very little chance of anyone trespassing in those parts and looting Philip's body.
Aurora bent over his body and took his face into her hands. I love you, she thought and kissed him chastely on the lips. Magic pulsed through the air, a silver light ignited behind her eyelids and her heart almost skipped a beat when she felt his lips respond. Her mouth parted from his and he inhaled deeply, his chest puffing beneath her hands. His eyelids fluttered and then she found herself looking into the eyes she knew so well. He smiled and buried his fingers in her mane of auburn hair, gently caressing her cheek.
"You saved me," he breathed softly, wondrously. Aurora covered his hand with hers, never willing it to leave. "I had hope that you would." He sat up on the slab and returned her kiss passionately. She vowed never to lose him again.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Mulan smile sadly and wander off outside. She begged Philip for a moment and ran to catch up with her, for fear that she meant to leave. They had been through so much together that Aurora thought it would feel wrong to watch Mulan go. She caught Mulan's hand, halting her.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me. If it weren't for you, I might not have saved him," she said sincerely. Mulan shrugged modestly.
"I believe you would have found a way." That sad look crossed her face again. Aurora was reminded of the price Mulan had to pay, of finally accepting that she would not be Philip's true love. They had something bordering friendship, they were allies, but that was all they could ever be.
"Do you think there may be someone out there waiting for you? Someone that can love you truly?" The female warrior met her eyes and she looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Maybe." Aurora still hoped it would prove true for Mulan. Believing in a happy ending could be a very powerful thing, indeed.
...
