A/N: Song used in this chapter is Bring Me To Life by Evanescence.
Chapter X
"They're back! They're back!" yells Leroy as he runs through the town, skidding into Granny's where Mary Margaret is having lunch with Henry.
"Surprise," grins Charming from behind the dwarf making his wife scream in happiness and rush into his arms.
"You're home," smiles Henry as the others pile into the diner; Merlin and Killian entering last with the sorcerer looking a little green about the gills whilst gazing all around him and the pirate keeping a close watchful eye on him.
"Freya said we could trust him," reminds Maleficent when she catches where the captain is looking. "And don't you trust Freya?"
"I do, and I am. But it doesn't hurt to be cautious, especially of a man with such seasickness."
"Is that him? He looks a little ill, is he okay?" Henry asks his mother once Regina finishes hugging him.
"He assured us he'd be fine if allowed to stay on solid land from now on. Henry meet Merlin. Merlin, this is my son Henry."
"Named for your deceased father and biological son of Emma Swan, daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, and Baelfire, son of Rumplestiltskin and Milah. Yes I know," mutters Merlin before lightly belching, his focus remaining on everything around him as he spins slowly around on the spot. "Something's not quite right. What's happened?" he questions when he suddenly comes to a halt and the green tinge of sickness fades from his face.
Before anyone can answer the door to the diner crashes open with a slam, the force shattering the glass. In the doorway stands Emma dressed head to toe in black, her blonde hair whipping back from her face as thin smoky black tendrils swarm and swirl around her. Behind her a storm is brewing; flashes of sheet lightning illuminating the thick dark clouds that seem to almost pour across the sky, blotting out all the light from the stars and moon. The occupants within the diner scream as the filaments of the electrical lights above them brighten until the bulbs shatter, scattering broken glass all around them.
"Emma, this isn't you," begs Mary Margaret tearfully, clutching her husband's arm.
Emma chuckles darkly and at the same time as a crash of thunder and the flash of lightning she shouts, "Boo!"
All the occupants jump as in that moment of illumination it showed her eyes to be completely black; the iris and white swallowed by the pupil. Mary Margaret trembles in David's arms with fright at what her daughter has become. In that moment of sight she'd seen absolutely nothing good in her daughter, and her eyes had just been empty chasms. Regina keeps herself stationed in front of Henry, Killian at her side also protecting the boy. Maleficent's own mothering instincts kick in as she drags her daughter as far away from the Darkness nonchalantly strolling through the diner. Granny stands over her counter, crossbow raised but unsteadily pointed at Emma. Everyone else cowers beneath tables and the counter; all except Merlin who watches on emotionlessly as her hands become enveloped by black and green flames.
"Let there be light," Emma whispers, her voice seemingly echoing and carrying in the space, just as she launches the fireballs at some of the wooden tables and evacuated seats.
"Mom, please stop this!" cries out Henry as he makes attempts to push past Regina and Killian.
Emma halts and tilts her head. The flames flicker around her, casting her emotionless face in shadow and light at the same time. Her eyes remain black holes, unblinking and unfeeling. Her arm raises in Henry's direction and at first her parents and son feel hope, but the moment she begins to close her hand slowly that feeling of hope is lost. Regina turns in horror to her choking son and cries out to Emma to stop, to remember their son.
"Do something!" hisses Killian at Merlin who has not moved a single inch since everything began.
Merlin beams at the captain before extending a single arm out to Emma, his palm flat. From the center of his hand a thick rope of brilliant white and silver light jets out and hits the blonde squarely in the chest. Emma screams in pain and her hands reach up to claw at her empty eyes as the white light snuffs out the dark tendrils surrounding her.
"You're hurting her!" shouts David over his daughter's cries of agony.
"Stop him," murmurs Mary Margaret. "We have to stop him."
But before the Charmings can move the screams stop. The storm outside abates and just in front of the doorway of the diner, lit by moonlight, Emma slowly revolves around hovering in mid-air. Her arms are down by her sides and her eyes are closed. Killian feels that same clench of dread around his heart when he notices her face is lifeless. He swings around, his hook glinting in the light coming through the windows, ready to threaten the sorcerer behind him.
"She's not dead. Merely in stasis. Keeps the Darkness from having control and wreaking havoc. It won't hold it for long though," explains Merlin, his eyes never leaving the still moving form of Emma Swan.
"Then what do we do?" asks Killian.
"Get that child out of here for starters. His emotions and his being here stir Emma's and if her emotions shift she'll have a harder job fighting the Darkness and helping us keep it at bay, keep it asleep."
"I'm not going anywhere," declares Henry, his voice hoarse.
"Yes you are. If Emma could speak now she'd agree with me that the most important thing right now is that you are safe. She can't fight an entity that requires all her concentration if she's worrying about you," Regina tells her son to which Henry finally nods. "Okay. Good. Mal," she calls out looking over her son's head at where her old friend still stands in a fighting stance close to her daughter, "can you take Henry somewhere safe and look after him?"
"You're trusting her with our grandson?" cries out Snow indignantly.
"Keep him safe," nods Prince Charming as he places his hands upon his wife's shoulders and smiles reassuringly at her.
"Fine. Henry, Lily, out the back. I know a perfect place."
"But Emma -" starts Lily.
"You can help her by looking after her son," says Killian, his eyes on Maleficent who looks grateful for the captain's words.
"Well get going," orders Merlin before he lowers Emma's body to the ground.
"Shouldn't we clear the glass away first?" frowns David.
The onlookers gaze in awe as the glass shatters into tiny crystals of dust as soon as the white and silver light touches it. Once upon the ground though the light begins to dim and some thin tendrils of Darkness prod and pierce through the veil of light magic. Everyone else in the diner take their chance to make their own escape before Round Two commences, leaving only Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Merlin, Killian and Emma in the diner.
"Couldn't Killian just kiss her whilst she's in stasis. True love's kiss and all?" asks Regina, her voice a little shaky sounding.
"Could that work?" queries Killian as he makes a move to get closer to Emma.
"It almost worked with Gold and Belle before," remarks Regina.
"No, it almost made the Darkness within Rumplestiltskin flee him, no longer making him the Dark One and resulting in all this happening long ago," explains Merlin with a roll of his eyes. "Such an act though would release the entity from inside Emma. Only way I can keep my oath to Freya."
"Yes about that, where is Freya? And Robin?" frowns Snow.
"I told Robin to go check on Roland. I couldn't be sure of his safety if he was here for this, and I won't be the cause of the child losing both his parents. As to Freya…" drifts off Regina before she forces herself to regain some regal composure. "Freya's still in the Enchanted Forest."
"What? What on Earth happened?" cries out Snow.
"Your husband can explain later, but right now I think we're working on something a little more time sensitive," barks Killian as he kneels next to Emma's still body.
The others hold their breath as they watch Killian lean down and kiss her, but nothing happens. The pirate sits with his forehead pressed against Emma's staring at her closed eyes and silently pleading for her to wake up before trying again. Once more nothing happens. She remains unmoving and unconscious on the floor. Regina glances to Mary Margaret and David in shock. This had been their only plan. There was nothing else.
"Why won't it work?" shouts the enraged captain, looking back at Merlin for an answer.
In reply the greatest warlock in the universe blinks blankly at Killian and shrugs. Killian glares back at the raven-haired thin man and moves to get back on his feet when the noise of an ignition starting fills the air. Merlin's eyes widen in shock and he moves to the windows of the diner to peer out at the black car just as all the windows lower in it. Killian looks through the broken doorway to the Dodge Viper humming away on the street in front of Granny's.
"Freya," he whispers.
"What do you mean? What's wrong?" frowns David.
"Can't you hear that? It's static, the sound of someone tuning a radio," explains Killian.
"I don't hear anything."
"Freya told only three of you she would contact one of you when the time was right. I can feel her power because of who I am," Merlin tells them with a mysterious smile. "She doesn't have the strength to give you much more than this. Not now. Not so soon after the ritual."
"But how does radio static help us?" asks David.
"It's stopped. Now it's playing a song. What is she trying to tell me?" exclaims Killian in frustration.
"Freya was all about music having meanings. Listen to the lyrics and find the meaning of the song," Regina tells him hurriedly.
Killian shuts his eyes and carefully listens to the lyrics. Certain words jump out at him and he mouths them over and over. So much like the picture surrounding him if he were to open his eyes. Emma's soul is lost and her spirit sleeps. Her spirit that he must find and bring back to her.
(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside
(I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside
(Save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run
(I can't wake up)
Before I come undone
(Save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become
Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life
"Frozen inside without your touch/Without your love, darling/Only you are the life among the dead," Killian repeats.
Mary Margaret and David glance worriedly at one another whilst Regina remains frozen watching the growing dark tendrils carefully. Merlin leans against the wall of the diner, his eyebrows raised at Freya's choice of song. As the words of the chorus echo through the pirate's head again his eyes snap open and he carefully pulls Emma against him once more. Bending to place his lips against her ear he whispers so that only she can hear.
"I'm here Swan. Hear my voice and come back to me. Can you feel my arms around you? I'm holding you against me and I'll never let go. You told me you loved me and then you were gone. You left me but your love didn't. And neither did mine. Do you hear me Swan? I love you. I love you. I love you," he breathes against her skin, after each declaration leaving a soft gentle kiss down her neck and across her jaw until he reaches her soft pliant lips. "I love you Emma Swan and I'm damned if I'll let you disappear on me! Now bloody wake up and come back to me!" he declares loudly before planting a searing kiss upon her pink lips.
A rainbow prism of colour erupts from their kiss and explodes outwards. True Love's Kiss. Against him Emma moves and wraps her own arms around the captain's back, pulling him closer and making their kiss last. Tears of joy leak from the corners of her eyes as she pulls back and gazes into the pale blue eyes and handsome face that brought her back. The momentary happiness fades as Emma frowns and begins to gag. Her veins in her neck blacken under the pale skin and appear to worm their way to the surface.
"Emma? Merlin, what's happening?"
"Get back!" shouts the warlock. "The real battle is about to begin," he warns them forlornly just as the web of tendrils slam out of Emma and make the diner windows implode.
"Out!" yells Merlin, tripping over his feet as he scrambles out of the diner.
They watch as the Darkness grows inside the diner. The thin tendrils sprawling out from it's centre swing at counters, chairs and walls leaving deep grooves. With a whoosh it follows it's prey out into the open space. Emma stares up at the mass of black, her eyes widening in fear. Killian grabs her hand with his and threads his fingers through hers, pulling her attention away from the entity growing above them. Emma gives him a small smile as she steps back to stand at her pirate's side. She glances to her right to see her parents standing wary, but at the ready. Beside them stands Regina, clad once more in a navy suit, her arms raised in front of her and her eyes barely blinking as she keeps a close eye on the monster before them.
"It feels like it's grinning at me," murmurs Emma to Killian. "Can't you feel it?"
"What?" frowns Killian, turning to Merlin for answers. "Why can Emma feel that? And would you get off the ground."
"Who is he?" asks Emma, glancing at the man with the head of moppy black hair lying on his front behind them.
"Swan meet Merlin, Merlin Emma Swan," replies Killian succinctly, using his hook to gesture.
"He's the great sorcerer?" remarks Emma disbelievingly.
"I fell. It happens," says Merlin bitingly. "But always a pleasure to meet a Saviour. No sorry, The Saviour in this world. Or rather the Saviour for these people any how."
"I hardly think now is really the time for all this. Like the pirate said, get up!" growls David turning to glare at the young man staring up at her from the asphalt.
"Watch out!" cries Regina, diving in front of the Charmings as the creature of Darkness lashes at them and screaming out in pain as the strand connects with her chest and flings her away.
"Regina!" shouts Emma as she races to her friend's fallen body.
Killian helps her gently turn Regina over; the damage of the single tendril showing in the form of a vibrant red slice across her chest. The crimson liquid spills out, soaking into the soft cashmere jacket and darkening it. Mary Margaret kneels beside the woman that was once her greatest enemy and presses her wool scarf against the wound. David joins his wife and gazes over Regina with sorrowful eyes.
"You'll be fine. You have to be. Henry needs you," cries Emma.
"Then I suggest you fight that thing Miss Swan," breathes Regina harshly, forcing herself to not even flinch at the pain ricocheting through her entire body. "He needs us both."
"But what can I do?"
"Stay here," commands Merlin, standing tall beside them but his gaze on the engorging mass above them. "Your swords could help deflect those nasty protrusions from hitting any more of you, Prince Charming and Captain Hook. Protect your women."
"We can protect ourselves," bites out Mary Margaret.
"Then best you find a weapon Snow White, and defend yourself. Emma Swan, use your light magic on your friend's wound otherwise the Darkness will be able to hurt her over and over whether or not the others can stave off any further attacks."
"But how? And what are you going to do?"
"Look inside yourself. That's where the magic lies," he beams, turning his gaze to Emma. "And I'm going to do something careless and potential stupid," he adds before striding towards the darkness. "Oi, ugly! Why don't you pick on someone your own strength?!" he taunts before whirling one of his hands at his side.
Emma watches for a few moments as a brilliant white smoke swirls beside the sorcerer and from within it he clutches an old knotted wooden staff with a topaz crystal clasped and seemingly grown into the top of it. As the sorcerer spins the staff and grasps it with two hands golden light emits from inside of the wood in the forms of several runes etched into the surface.
A soft groan from Regina returns Emma's focus. She takes a few calming breaths and shuts her eyes to block everything out. Look inside yourself she hears the impossibly young looking sorcerer tell her as she searches for the answer. Her eyes flicker open and she sets her hands over the wound and concentrates. Silver rays of light flow from the palms of her hands, spreading across the laceration. Emma laughs gleefully and a little tearfully as she watches the fissure begin to close and the spilt blood reverse and return to within Regina's body. Carefully the dark haired woman sits up and gently runs her hands across her chest. Only a slight tingling of pain remains along with her shredded suit as evidence of the attack.
"Regina, you're all right!" smiles Mary Margaret as she returns with her bow and quiver.
David and Killian quickly glance down at the pair still sitting on the road, their swords still raised in defence in case the Darkness chooses to fight on multiple battlegrounds. A sudden blast of light brings all of their attention back to Merlin's fight, just in time for the ebony vines to lash at them. The two men, prince and pirate together, swing and slash at the creature's protrusions. Mary Margaret notches arrow after arrow, firing them and diverting each tendril that tries to hit her. Side by side Emma Swan and Regina, the Saviour and the once Evil Queen, throw one fireball after another at the pieces trying to attack them. With each slash, arrow and fireball the creature pulls back the tendril attacked.
On the other side Merlin staggers back to his feet, using his precious Sidhe staff to help him. He murmurs words to the weapon, words lost centuries ago, before firing a bolt of electrical light into the very heart of the Darkness. The entity twists and cries out at the attack before all the tendrils are pulled swiftly back in and the Darkness becomes a sphere hovering above them all. Merlin's blue eyes widen and his grip on the staff shakes. His eyes dart quickly to the other five brave souls fighting the evil alongside him.
"Run!" he shouts in warning, but it is not quick enough as the surface of the sphere begins to move and pulse.
Emma and the others stare in horror at the Darkness. Their feet will not move and they can do nothing but look at the entity filling them with dread. It's evil radiates out of it as it thumps faster and faster like a heartbeat until it throbs one last time and becomes no bigger than a tennis ball. Time seems to slow and all any of them can do is watch as the Darkness bursts and becomes massive. A surge of energy - invisible to all but Merlin and Emma - blasts out from the black entity, launching them all off their feet and far away from each other.