In Search of Tranquility
Epilogue
We are standing on the edge
On the edge of time
We are the warriors at the edge of time
(Hawkwind)
They had asked the Dwarves to keep an eye on the glyph in the woods, so it was Grumpy who brought the message that it had begun to glow. Regina, Emma, Henry and Sirius made their way there at once.
No sooner had they arrived than a figure emerged out of the purple haze that had surrounded the glyph. The clothing was unfamiliar – mediaeval-looking boiled leather armour – he had a long, curved blade slung at his back and carried a larger pack than he had left with, but it was undoubtedly Killian.
Emma flung herself at him, hugging and kissing him hard, before stepping back and punching him in the shoulder with some venom.
"Don't you ever," she commanded, "go off like that again without telling me!"
"No promises." He told her with a grin. "But right now we don't have much time. Mr Black, glad you're here."
"Captain Jones." Sirius acknowledged. "I take it that this is my exit from this land without magic?"
"Yes, it is." Killian said. "But not to home, I'm afraid."
"I'm beginning to understand that." Sirius allowed. "Still, purpose is better than aimless wandering."
"You'll need these." Killian handed him the wooden box. "You need to open it here, or nothing will work."
Sirius set the box on the ground and crouched in front of it to open it. The first item he drew out was the cat-headed stave obtained from Solomon Kane. As Sirius examined it, a huge shower of red and gold sparks fountained out of the end.
"Jupiter!" Sirius exclaimed. "I've never seen such a powerful wand!" He set it aside and took out the next item, the compass, which he seemed to understand. Then came the knife, carefully wrapped with the instructions:
The Knife has been reforged, Sirius read, and will take less than it used to. But it must still be blooded. If you have the phylactery, place it on the wound. If you don't, then do not unwrap the Knife.
Sirius reached into the box again, and took out the phylactery, which he placed on the ground within easy reach. Then he unwrapped the knife. As soon as the blade was free, it seemed to twist or slip in his hand, opening a long but shallow gash across his palm. Quickly, he picked up the phylactery and placed it on the wound. At the touch of his blood, the glass dissolved and the liquid inside blended with the blood. The wound closed at once, and when Sirius looked up, they saw sudden understanding in his eyes.
"So that's how it's done!" He murmured. "So simple, but it escaped us for centuries!"
Then he reached into the box again, and pulled out the krill of Loric. As he held it up in front of him, the clear gem suddenly filled with a fierce golden glow. The dull edges were suddenly razor-keen and the blade radiated heat. Then Sirius relaxed and gem and blade were dull again.
Sirius put the compass in a pocket, then carefully re-wrapped the Subtle Knife and placed it in another one. Finally, he stood up, thrust the krill through his belt and took up the stave.
"Time to go." He said. " Captain Jones, my compliments. Henry, keep reading. Ms Swan, take care of him. Regina, thank you for your...hospitality."
Then he stepped into the glyph and was gone.
"Man of few words, that one." Emma commented.
"I'm not sure he knows very many." Regina responded. "His non-verbal skills, however, are another matter!"
Killian considered them with his new perceptions. Regina stood on a knife-edge; her taint had all but consumed her at one point, and only a stubborn capacity for love had held it off. Now she was fighting back, he saw, fighting to retain some of her self and regain more.
Emma, on the other hand, was still mostly free. But the difficulties of her past life, the hard choices she had made, had left some taint in her. The magical powers she had discovered were another problem. Mages were vulnerable, Killian now knew, and neither of these woman truly understood the danger they were in.
Henry seemed completely free, for now. But as he grew up, as he came to face grimmer, more difficult decisions, that might change.
"Earth to Killian?" Emma was saying. "You in there?"
He shook his head and grinned at her. "Sorry, Swan. A lot happened to me while I was away, and I'm still processing it. But they didn't have coffee there, so let's go and get some!"
They turned to go, but Killian lingered a moment, inhaling the air. There was something out there. Like the taint, but not quite the same. Dangerous, yes, but not without hope of becoming something better.
"C'mon, Killian!" Henry called. "Let's go home!"
Home? He supposed Storybrooke could be a home, but...Overhead, unseen and unheard by the others, a great white bird circled high in the air, uttering a lonely cry full of the crash of waves and the tang of salt air. A cry that found an answer in Killians' own heart.
Sirius Black passed through the portal into the familiar indefinite landscape of the Fade. He was aware now that the time behind him had been simply waiting, that his past life was no more than preparation. His true journey began here and now.
Ahead of him, a big man in black and gold armour beckoned. A deep voice, made hollow by the helm, said: "Come, Sirius Black, we have much to do."
