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David's eyes don't even have time to adjust to the darkness when the portal starts closing behind him. He has to quickly step out of the way as Regina charges back towards the portal, attempting to keep it open with her magic. When she doesn't succeed she let's a high pitch scream.
"Well that is just perfect!" She shouts turning back to the group, her glare immediately landing on Killian who was busy taking in their surroundings. "I warned you this could happen! And did any of you listen? Now we're stuck god knows where and with no idea how we're going to get back!" When Killian barely spares her a glance Regina turns her gaze onto Henry, but even in the darkness she can see he too is ignoring her. "What are we going to do?" She asks in frustration, turning to David.
But he doesn't have a chance to answer before Killian speaks.
"Perhaps if you are done shouting you can use your magic to light this torch I found." Killian says stepping forward and holding out the end of the torch in Regina's direction. "Once we can see where we are, then we can come up with a plan." She can barely make out his features, but she knows he is smirking at her.
Grumbling to herself Regina lights a fireball and holds it out to the torch. Instantly Killian is visible and Regina is gratified to know she was right and he was smirking at her.
"Here mom I found another one." Henry says stepping to Killian's side and holding the second torch out the same way.
With the two now lit the room they're in is illuminated enough for them to see that it wasn't a room at all, but a hallway. A long hallway, from the looks of things, since they couldn't see an end in either direction.
"Well how do we know which way to go?" Henry is the first to speak what they're all thinking.
"And before anyone even thinks to suggest it…we are not splitting up." Regina says, her gaze never leaving Killian, because she knew he would be the first to suggest it.
"No Regina is right." David says stepping forward to take the other torch from Henry. "We don't even know where we are. If we split up we don't know if we will be able to find each other."
"Well we can't just stay standing here." Killian points out, continuing to look first down one direction of the hallway and then the other.
"Well by all means Captain." Regina snaps, crossing her arms. "Lead the way."
"I was just saying we are going to have to make a choice and stick to it, Your Majesty." Killian snaps back.
"Come on you guys." Henry says stepping in between the two of them. "This isn't helping us get any closer to my mom or Merlin."
"You're right Henry." Regina says guiltily looking down.
"Very sorry Lad." Killian says turning back to look down the hallway again. "I suggest we go this way for some time and if we don't come across a door we turn back and try the other way." Killian says turning back to look at the group.
"I agree." David says with forced enthusiasm and before anyone else can argue he starts walking in the direction Killian indicated, leaving them no other choice but to follow.
They walk for a while in complete silence; the only noise their footsteps and breathe echoing as they go. Regina is the first to stop.
"I think it's time we turn back." She huffs. "There obviously is nothing this way."
"Shh!" Killian says lifting his hand and taking a few steps further down the hallway, holding the torch out to see further.
Regina looked ready to argue, but stops herself. "What is that?" She asks stepping in front of Henry to stand behind Killian.
"It sounds like footsteps." Killian says looking back towards David to see his confirming nod.
"They don't sound too far off." David responds coming to stand next to Killian, holding his torch out to make it even brighter in front of them.
"Stand back." Regina says pushing forward and holding her hands up, ready for whoever appears.
"Mom, stop!" Henry says trying to pull her back. "What if it's Merlin? Do you want to make him angry?"
"The Lad has a point." Killian says looking sideways at Regina. "Offend this Merlin and he might decide to not help us."
"How many times do I have to tell you that we don't even know if this portal took us to Merlin?" Regina asks, her frustration evident.
"Regina we all agreed it made the most sense." David says, never taking his gaze away from where the noise was coming from.
"Well I don't care who it is, I'm not taking any chances." Regina says refusing to lower her hands.
"Look!" Henry shouts pointing past where their torchlight reaches.
"Lower your torch." David says and when both his and Killians have been pulled back you can see a bit further down is a light coming towards them.
"We're just sitting ducks here." Regina fumes watching as the light gets closer and brighter.
"Ducks?" Killian asks confused, taking his gaze away from the hallway briefly.
"It's a saying." Henry says struggling to see past them. "Means we just waiting for something to happen."
"Aye." Killian nods his head in understanding. "What other choice do we have?"
"None." Regina responds. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Ssh!" David says raising his torch again and urging Killian to do the same. "They're almost here."
They don't have to wait much longer, Regina's hands raising a little higher when an old man comes into view. David and Killian step closer together, being sure to block Henry from his view entirely.
The old man just steps up to the group and with a pleasant, almost distant smile he nods to them. "We've been waiting for you. Follow me." He says this and turns and starts walking back the way he had just come, not stopping to see they were coming.
Henry immediately moves to follow him, but Regina holds out her arm to stop him. Sharing a look with David and Killian she shakes her head, causing Killian to roll his eyes.
"Let's go Lad." Killian holds out his arm to move Regina's, allowing Henry to step around her. Shrugging his shoulders David offers Regina a small smile before following behind them. Grumbling to herself Regina brings up the end of the group.
They aren't walking long when the man turns a corner and they come upon stairs. Without a word he starts climbing them and they have no choice but to follow. As they rise their surroundings get brighter and at the top of the stairs there is actually a perch for them to rest their torches. They are now in another hallway, this one much brighter and at the end is a large, closed door.
"If you would just wait here. I will be right back for you." The old man says and again doesn't wait for a response before walking away. Opening and disappearing behind the door.
"We should take this time to get out of here." Regina says as soon as he's out of sight.
"Mom he's obviously the Sorcerers new Apprentice." Henry says excited turning to look at her. "We're finally going to see the Sorcerer."
"Finally we will be one step closer to Emma." Killian says sharing another look with David before looking down the hall. Urging the man to come back.
His wishes are granted because the man does appear and comes back towards them. "He will see you now." And then again starts to walk away, back down the hall. When he gets to the door he just holds it open and motions for them to go in. Keeping that same smile on his face from before.
Killian barely spares the Apprentice, if that is who he is, a glance. Instead looking around the room, it appears they are in a library. One not too different from the mansion in Storybrooke, except this one is two levels and the books look much older. Looking first around the lower level Killian then looks up. And that's when he sees him.
Standing at the top of the stairs leading to the second level is hopefully the man with all the answers. The one that will help him finally find Emma.
"Are you Merlin?" Killian asks watching as he comes down the stairs.
"I am." The man responds. "I've been expecting you."
"Aye. So your man servant said."
"I'm afraid I won't be of any help to you."
With those words any hope that Killian had felt since coming through the portal disappeared and was now replaced with anger and resentment.
Merlin was supposed to have the answers. Merlin was supposed to help him find Emma.
It appeared Merlin was a dead end as well.