I apologize for any typo's. I edited quickly because I wanted to get this up as I ended on a cliff hanger forever ago. But I hope this chapter makes up for it a little. Your response to the last chapter was overwhelming, thank you so much!
Also shout out to dnmann who just read the entire story, thank you for your kind compliments. As for the rest of you who have been here either silently or reviewing all along, I truly appreciate you.
Devastation. That was the only word that could describe what was happening all around her. The terrible sound of the veil between worlds ripping mingled with Mohrion's screams was nearly drowned out by the high power wind whipping around them. The wind tore around her, clawing at her, trying to pull her focus, but even with her hair in her face, nearly blocking her vision; she kept her gaze locked in front of her, completely focused on what needed to be done. She could see Mohrion attempting to regain his composure, trying to use his own power to knock her off guard, to stop the destruction she was wreaking all around them. She could see it on his face, anguish mixed with hatred, he was losing his power to her and there was little he could do to stop her in this moment. If she let herself admit it, she wasn't sure she could stop herself either. It felt as though her powers were dancing on the edge of being completely out of her control. It was surging through her, almost begging to take over, to unleash the full horror of everything it was capable of. But Emma knew if she allowed that to happen she wouldn't just be killing Mohrion and herself. She would likely be killing everyone she cared for, everyone who depended on her as well.
"You foolish girl." Mohrion's scream rose above the wind, somehow finding it's way to her, reverberating in her ears. "You cannot understand the full gravity of what you are doing. You will not be able to control this, this power you are so clearly not worthy of. You won't just kill us, you will destroy everything and everyone you love."
"You know nothing about what I am capable of." Emma's voice rang across the void. "I will succeed. You have already lost. I will not lose anything."
"Yes, you will" A twisted grin appearing on his face. "And I will make sure of it. I may not be able to survive this, to beat you with power, but I can destroy you another way. I can take what you love most from you. You may be powerful, but you are weak because of those you love, and I will take that from you."
Emma's eyes widened in horror as Mohrion focused his energy not on her, but on the small opening that was quickly widening in the veil, revealing her world. "No." The strangled cry came to late, a beam of energy as dark as the void upon which his world was built erupted from Mohrion's hands, shooting through the opening, colliding violently with the world below. She saw a brilliant flash of light erupt in an attempt to combat the attack. Emma knew even though he may not have the power to defeat her, Mohrion's power was still far greater than most.
A feral scream erupted from within, surprising even herself at the power that came with it. Emma could feel she was barely in control of her power at the moment, but rage was the only feeling that she was capable of emitting at the moment. Throwing her hands out, a bright light erupted from her, pulling at the corner's of his world, peeling them back, causing everything to begin caving in on itself. The world around them begin to collapse, massive chunks of the great stone castle giving way, tumbling into the black void upon which the world was built. There was an anguished scream as the floor beneath Mohrion gave way. His hand shot out, power directed at the hole attempting to close it, attempting to trap Emma in his dying world with him.
Realizing she had only a moment to act, Emma pulled her power back in, creating a protective cocoon around her. With a final burst of energy she threw herself towards the rapidly closing hole, knowing she would only get one chance. She passed through the veil just at it was closing, it's edges tearing at her. Her vision tunneled as an agonizing pain shot through her body. The veil was ripping at her, trying to pull her back, almost as if it was attempting to punish her for destroying something that was supposed to forever remain hole. Though it felt like agonizing minutes, she knew it only took seconds for her to break free, sending herself plummeting down to earth.
Emma felt her body slow before impact, unsure if it was her own magic running on autopilot or the protective measure of someone else. She wasn't sure how long it took for the ringing in her ears to cease, but once it did, her vision began to return. She looked up to find a thick haze all around her, dust and debris from the implosion of a world. Pushing herself to a stand, she felt the protective barrier around her dissipate. Slowly she walked through the haze, fearful of what she would find once it finally cleared. As she held her hand up a gentle wind began to course through the clearing, blowing away the haze that obscured her vision of the tree's and what she hoped lay beyond.
"Emma." She heard the relieved voice before she found its owner. Her mother ran toward her, shocked relief on her face. Emma barely had time to react before she was pulled into her mother's arms. "You're all right." Snow breathed, one arm cupping Emma's head, the other wrapped around her waist. "Thank God you're all right."
"I'm ok mom." Emma promised, ignoring the throbbing that still coursed through her body. She would live, that much she knew, there would be time to deal with her pain later. She hugged her mom tighter, burying her head in her shoulder. She allowed herself to feel protected by the safety of her mother's embrace, giving into the naïve belief that her mother could protect her from anything for just a moment. "Everything is going to be ok now."
"Sweetheart." Snow pulled back, pushing her daughter's tangled curls out of the way so their eyes could meet. Emma immediately saw what was off about her mother's gaze. There was an anguished pain hiding in the loving eyes.
"What is it?" Emma suddenly remembered the explosion she had seen moments before everything went dark. "Mom what happened?"
She followed her mother's troubled gaze, the haze finally clearing enough to reveal a gut-wrenching scene beyond. Emma felt her heart stop as the full gravity of the situation settled on her. A single body lay crumpled on the ground, unmoving, lifeless. Sadness and regret colored Red and Evander's faces as they stood back, giving the others room. Serafine and Evan hovered over Daniel's unmoving body, both uncharacteristically looking at a loss for what to do.
"Daniel!" Emma's forward momentum almost caused her to collapse as she was suddenly caught in her mother's grasp. "No!" The cry ripped from her throat. "Let me go!"
She felt the hold against her relax, allowing her to run to the edge of the forest. "Daniel!" She collapsed to her knees next to his unconscious body. His face was ashen, the rest of his body a ghostly white. Dark tendrils slowly grew along his body, following the pattern of his veins. Emma had only seen it once before, but she knew enough to understand what it signified. It was the dark magic working it's way through his body, slowly draining the life from him. She looked up at Serafine, her mind not even registering that the woman had not been there prior to her battle. Even though she knew the answer before the question left her mouth she still had to ask. "What happened?"
"His magic came so fast." There was an unusual waver to Serafine's typically strong voice. "It was so strong, there was barely time to react."
"He threw himself in front of it to protect your mother." Evan added quietly. "His actions were heroic. It is the most honorable way one of us can leave this world."
"No." Emma shook her head, her voice thick with emotion, tears shining in her eyes. She wasn't willing to accept Daniels death. "No, no, no, no, no, no." She looked up at Serafine with almost accusatory eyes. "You said there was a price, a terrible price, this can't be it."
"Emma I'm sorry." Serafine's voice was gentle, finding its steadiness once again as she focused her energy on calming her pupil. "I truly am. But you have always know that there is a great cost in the world we live in."
"It shouldn't be this." Emma choked back a sob. "He wasn't supposed to die. He can't die, not because of me. He's given up everything for me, he has always been there for me, he can't die like this."
A look of shock crossed Evan's face as a revelation slipped from his lips. "For the battle to be won, a piece of the savior will have to die."
"What?" Red looked at the man, clearly confused.
"The prophecy." Evan explained, gazing at Daniel's body with the heavy weight of understanding. "It foretold that Emma's success would come only at the sacrifice of a vital piece of who she is. We thought it meant the loss of the purity of Emma's soul, the price one pays when magic is used to take a life.
"You think Daniel is the piece of her that was sacrificed." Red asked. "Is that even possible?"
"They have been together for so long, grown together, overcome so much together that they are forever intertwined with one another." Serafine's gaze remained on the two teenagers. "Evan is very likely right."
"No!" There was a pleading to Emma's insistence, almost as if she was begging the universe to take her instead of Daniel. "No he can't die, he can't take my place in death. I was supposed to die, not him. It's not fair." Trying in vain to hold back her tears Emma placed her heart over Daniel's chest, searching for any sign of life. It took a few agonizing moments but finally she felt it, a faint, slow heart beat. "His heart. It's still beating. I can… I can heal him." Emma looked up at Serafine, a hope penetrating her voice. She knew the danger of hope in a situation such as this. She had been taught better than to allow it to take hold of her, but it was the only thing she had. A soft golden glow began to emanate from her palm spreading over Daniel's body. She willed all the power within her to stop the spread of the dark magic, to save him, but she could see by the progression of blackness through his veins it wasn't working. "No!"
"Emma." Serafine's voice was even, attempting to calm Emma.
"I can't heal him." Emma cried out in frustration, looking to her mentor, the woman who had always held the answer to every question she had. "Why isn't it working?"
"Emma…" Serafine began again.
"I'm supposed to have the most powerful magic in existence," Anger mixed with frustration as she cut Serafine off. "What good is it if I can't I save him."
"Emma." Serafine's voice was strong and commanding, effectively pulling the girls attention. "There is one magic more powerful than yours?"
"What?" Emma implored with pleading eyes. When she saw Serafine's hesitation her frustration returned, unwilling to waste precious time. "Tell me! Please, tell me. I'll do anything."
"The only magic more powerful is that from which you came." Serafine advised. "True love."
"I thought that could only break a curse." Emma shook her head in confusion.
"For those without innate magic." Serafine nodded. "But for the few who are made from true love, it is said to hold a stronger power when used. With you it may have the power to save his life."
"How?" Emma begged.
"It will pull the darkness from him." Serafine explained. "It is exceptionally dangerous, but it can be done."
"But it's called true love's kiss." Emma emphasized, doubting Serafine's suggestion. "I don't know that Daniel is my true love. I don't even know if I love him."
"You love him Emma." Serafine promised. "Believe you love him enough."
"But what if I don't?" Fear had once again found it's way into Emma's voice, fear that despite everything she had been given, she still wouldn't be enough to save the person who had always been there for her, the person she owed her life to.
"You do." Serafine's voice was definitive, willing the confidence into her pupil's fragile state. She believed in Emma, she only needed the girl to believe in the love shared between the two. "True love does not have to be romantic. Even if he is not that one for you, the two of will always have a deep love that comes from the years you have spent together. You are each other's family Emma, there is true love in that."
Emma looked back down at Daniel, her voice shaking. "Ok."
"Believe in it." Serafine warned. "You have to believe in it or it will not work."
Emma took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Believe." Images flashed through her mind, images of her and Daniel, moments they had shared together. The intensity of the moments engulfed her, each producing a stronger feeling as it came. The significance of these moments was more than just the adventures they represented; they were the moments that had defined who she was, moments that Daniel had always been a part of. He was always meant to be a part of who she was, and he always would be. The feeling that overtook her body was overwhelming. She realized the feeling was the sum total of every moment they had ever experienced together, the simple, yet undeniable power of human love. Her eyes flashed open, her breath slowing with Daniel's. She cupped his face with one hand, a tear slipping from her cheek and landing on his. "I love you Daniel."
As their lips met the overwhelming emotion that had built up inside her began to escape. A warm glow slowly began to pulse out from them, sending a shock through her system. She could feel her power enter Daniel's body as the darkness in his entered her. Ignoring the pain the continued to kiss him until she felt his heart beat grow stronger, his body grow warmer, his life force return. With a gasp she pulled back.
"Daniel." Hope mixed with trepidation in the whisper that escaped her lips. She scanned his body, searching for any signs of responsiveness. Taking his hand into her own she quietly begged, "Please."
Slowly his hand began to close around hers. "You always have to be the hero don't you."
A relieved sob broke free as her eyes met his. "I could say the same for you."
"I was just doing what I was told." Daniel said softly, still struggling to speak.
"Easy bud." Evan put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, guiding him to a sitting position
"I've always told you that you follow the rules too much." Emma laughed.
Daniel managed a smile. "You always did say it would get me killed." Daniel looked around, finally registering all the worried, tear-stained faces watching him. He looked back at Emma. "Sorry for stealing your spotlight."
"Your job was always to get the attention off me." Emma gave a small laugh before giving into the fear and relief she had been trying hold back so as not to overwhelm him. She leaned forward and pulled him into a tight hug, letting out a deep shaky breath. "Don't ever do that to me again. I can't handle losing you."
She felt his arms gently wrap around hers, a comforting reminder that she had not lost him. "You're not going to lose me."
"Good." Emma tightened her hold. "Because I don't want to live in a world that you're not a part of."
Daniel pulled back, his eyes locking with hers. "What you saw, what you felt… I saw it too. I felt it too."
Emma gave a small smile. "So much of who I am is because of you Daniel."
"That's a good thing right?" Daniel teased.
Emma wrapped her hand around Daniel's. "I wouldn't want it any other way."
Daniel's gaze drifted down to their interlocked hands, noticing the darkness emphasizing the interweaving pattern of Emma's veins. "What happened?"
Emma looked up hesitantly. "It's how I saved you. I couldn't just dissipate all of it, I had to take some of his magic from you, I had to do it to save you."
"No." Daniel brought her hand up. "You weren't supposed to…"
"I wasn't supposed to do a lot of things." Emma cut him off gently. "But I did them anyways. And I don't regret anything." Emma held up her hand. "And certainly not this. Its mark will fade, in time, but you are still here, and that is more important to me then any magic effects I have to fight off."
"I don't mean to make more problems." Red spoke up. "But if Emma pulling out the dark magic is what saved Daniel's life, then what was that pulse?"
"The same thing happened when Charming woke me from my sleeping curse." Snow's eyes widened with recognition. "It has to mean something."
"So that kiss did more than just bring Daniel back from the edge." Evan looked at Serafine, a hint of concern appearing in his eyes. "The only question is what."
"I don't know." Emma pushed herself to a stand, helping Daniel along with her. "But we're going to find out." She looked back to Daniel. "Together."