The ground shook as the beasts made their way to the White castle. Emma looked down at the two women in front of the gate and hoped they would make it through fine. Looking to each side she felt like she had more back up then she had ever had in her life. She kept telling herself For the ones I love. She would take any life she had to if it meant her son would grow up with both his mothers. She would take the life of anyone who dared destroy what Regina had worked so hard to gain. She would kill any who tried to leave her brother without parents. Today she would use her power for selfish reasons because today it was needed.

Regina kept the positive side of herself in the forefront of her mind. Breathing deep with her eyes closed she focused on what needed to be done to protect what she had. She knew what she was capable of as a dark magic user. If Artrio was to be trusted then her abilities would be stronger if she let love take over. As the steps of the enemy came closer the ground seemed to be constantly moving.

"Now daughter push the fire within out side of yourself when I tell you to," Artrio was watching the enemy as Regina focused on this new way of using magic. As the Cyclops, ogres, Cynocephali, golems, and an assortment of other creatures broke through the tree line Artrio yelled out, "NOW!" Her and Regina pushed out their magic and a bright light flew from them taking out all of the beasts who were within twenty yards of the pulse. A roar of pain was heard as the beasts fell from the blast.

Regina opened her eyes to filleted corpses, "We did that?" She looked to her mother.

Artrio smiled, "Yes we did and because you haven't passed out I'm sure we can do it again." She turned her head from Regina out to the forest that had more coming their way. Regina felt herself build with confidence she had really never had. Her eyes focused now on the charging beast a smile came to her face. She was called evil once but today evil would see what the good in her could do.

Emma looked down at the first wave of defense and how effective it was with a smile of hope.

Snow standing beside her elbowed her daughter, "It looks like the Queen is back." Emma laughed at the remark as Snow smiled big.

"It sure does. Remind me to never piss her off," Emma commented.

Lily was looking out then looked to her blonde mother, "If she can do that can I?"

Mal looked at her then down to Regina, "You can try but I honestly don't know what you can or can't do."

"Don't go assuming you have God like powers just because your grandmother is a God Lily," Emma said with a smile, "We don't need you to get a God complex." Everyone laughed around her as they let the banter calm their nerves. When Emma looked from Lily to the forest several huge fireballs came flying towards them. Quickly every magic user threw up their hands and a shield stopped the flames from hurting anyone.

"Will you stop distracting use Emma," Lily said with a playful glint in her eyes as she lowered her hands.

"Blame your mother," was her inspired comeback.

The next wave of monsters came at them and this time the two on the ground waited until they were almost face to face before throwing out another blast. Again the monsters were taken out but this time Regina fell to her knees from the amount of energy she used. Artrio grabbed her and teleported them behind the walls. Water was quickly brought to her so she could gain some energy.

Artrio looked into her daughter's eyes, "Do you trust me?"

Regina looked into the brown eyes, "I want to say yes but I'm still working on the answer."

Artrio smiled, "Do you think I would kill you?" Regina shook her head; Artrio smiled, "Good." She waved her hand and a goblet appeared, "If you drink what is in here you will gain energy to last for the rest of the day and not get drained of power."

"There's a catch," Regina stated.

"You were always quick to understand...If you drink it you will have power and strength for as long as you stay awake. The moment you lay down to sleep you will be asleep for at least three days." Artrio put the goblet into Regina's hands.

Regina looked at it and felt temptation to take the drink and be as strong as she needed to be. She then shook her head, "If I drink this then I won't actually build myself up. I won't drink this unless I have to. That isn't right now."

"You will always be my hero," Artrio said as she hugged Regina tightly.

"Fire," Emma yelled as more beasts came close to the walls. Lily, Mal, and Emma threw a blast of magic out taking out several of the beasts. Lily and Mal teleported the shapeshifters and Emma threw everything she could out at the beasts. She looked back at the other two then in a quick decisions teleported herself down into the battle field. Regina ran up to the wall just as she teleported down. She kept Emma in her sights as the woman fought with everything she had against any beast that came near her. A cynocephalus fought hard as it tried to take Emma out. With quick movements it found a weak spot in Emma's armor and sliced her open. It turned to run but Emma was angry and threw a blast that incinerated it. As its ashes went into the air its weapon and something else fell to the ground. Another of its kind ran and picked the object up calling a retreat as it went into the woods. The battle quickly ended as the attackers disappeared back into the woods.

Emma teleported back onto the wall as she held her side where the blade made contact. Regina quickly removed the armor and healed the wound. Artrio looked out into the battlefield, "That was too easy."

As Regina looked over the wound one more time she spoke, "Agreed. They were after something."

Artrio looked to the others pointing to Emma as she spoke, "Her blood."

Everyone froze as Regina asked what they wanted to, "Why? What could they do with it?"

"Depends...They may think she is the light one or her blood is the key to something." Artrio stated as she looked out into the forest.

Regina looked from her mother to the Charming family, "That map...Was it protected so only your family could see it?" Snow nodded and Regina sighed, "We are going to have a bigger problem on our hands very soon."

"Why is that daughter?"
"They just found a way to see the map that holds the location of the dark one. He will help them get what they want. I fear we may lose this one."

Artrio smiles at her daughter, "Nonsense! You are stronger than the dark one and they don't even know it. They think she is the light one," Pointing to Emma, "Or they think that another is. No one will see you as such." She shrugged, "They only see the light one as a pure being and if Isaac is helping them he won't know who the light one is either but he will know its not Emma. They may even think its Snow here or Bradamant even but you were touched by darkness so everyone assumes you are off limits. Most don't realize the only way to understand the light is by understanding the darkness. You know what fear and hate can do and now you understand what joy and love can do. Which do you think is stronger?"

"Joy and love. When I released my magic it was like an eruption and it felt like true protection not something I was throwing out to save myself from pain. It didn't feel like fear." Regina seemed to come to an understanding about her own powers.

"You need to see the bad to be grateful for the good. Now that you understand that on a very deep level you have a choice; Be the monster the dark one wanted or be the light one you were born to be."

"What if I don't want either," Regina questioned.

"Unfortunately, my dear, you don't get to not choose. You have power that attracts the strong. You will always be fighting against a corrupt world." She looked beyond Regina, "But you don't have to do it alone."

Regina turned to see all those who were there to fight back with her. With tears in her eyes, "You're right, I don't."

"Well a Goddess is rarely wrong," Artrio said with a smile on her face.

Zelena took the vial from the monster with a gleeful smile. Using only one drop of blood she watched as the map came to life and showed the location of the dark one. She looked to Hook, "A little patience is all it takes dear. You still with us or do I need to lock you away?"

Hook turned on his most charming smile, "What choice do I really have love. I said I would do this and so I will stick by my word." He bowed.

"Good. Let's get him and move on to the next part of the plan." She motioned with her hand and they teleported to the dark one's prison.

"Well," He said from his cell, "What do we have here?" He smiled wide when he took in his old student.

"Hello Rumple," She greeted, "Its been a long time."

"Indeed it has," He stood tall. "What do you need dearie?"

"Well I have a plan to give the villains a happy ending. We just need your blood and the blood of the light one."

Rumple laughed, "Good luck getting that dear."

Zelena walked up to the bars quickly, "You know who it is?"

His smiled grew wider, "Of course I do."

She looked at him waiting for him to educate her but nothing came from him, "Well...Who is it?"

He tutted at her question, "I won't give anymore information out unless I get out of this cage." She gave a bit of a growl then took a few steps back. Grabbing a piece of parchment from her cloak she opened it up and blew. The ink ate away at the bars of the cell. Rumple side leaped from the prison with a gleeful laugh. "Well now dearie it would seem I owe you a debt."

"Then you will help me complete my tasks so that I can get all our happy endings." She smiled wide as she looked down at the crocodile.

"First we must get to the light one," Rumple said with a smile. "She is not going to be easy to get to but we can do it with a well thought out plan."