Chapter Six- The Trials of Treasure Island
It seemed as though the lights had gone out around them. A black magic aura seemed to come out of nowhere from the caves beyond the rock wall that was just blasted open by Allan's ice magic. This black aura resembled the Dark One's magic as it circled around Allan, then Killian and the Lions.
It took Killian a moment before he realized what, who it was looking for when nothing happened to any of them.
"Ingrid!" He shouted for his daughter when he heard her gasp, then there was silence as the smoke dissipated.
The sight that greeted them was a sight Killian never hoped to see again- dark magic swirling around someone he loved, threatening to take hold. He had no idea how this dark magi came to be here with Sher Khan and Ka'a in control of the island, but all he knew at this moment was that he didn't want his daughter tempted by the same darkness if this was indeed what it was.
"Ingrid!" Shouted Allan, starting to race towards her, but Killian grabbed his arm just in time. "What're you doing? We've gotta help her!" Shouted a clearly distraught Allan.
"I know we do, but just running blindly into this thing could make it worse for her." Replied Killian.
Within the swirling dark magic, Ingrid wasn't hurting. She wasn't screaming. It was as though she knew this would happen all along. A blast from the black magic froze everyone around her. Ingrid just stared, unable to move.
"You'll be okay," A familiar voice said to her right. Ingrid looked over, to see the Dark Swan, a person she'd only ever seen pictures of in her brother's book. And hoped never to meet. Thought at first, Ingrid thought her mother had appeared before her through some Savior bit of magical deed.
"Mom? No… You're in Arandale." She blinked. "Why are you here, Dark One?"
There was a laugh to her left side where she looked to see…
"Mr. Stilkstin?" She stared.
"Well, at least a version of him." Grinned the Dark One Rumple.
"Why are you guys here?" She demanded again.
"Ingrid!" Shouted Killian to try and get his daughter to look over to them, recognize them in any way through the darkness swirling around them. It became clear that she couldn't hear them.
There were blasts of ice magic from Allan at the black magic which had the opposite effects. Absolutely nothing changed. In fact, it almost seemed to Killian that it made this swirling mass angry. It pulsed violently around Ingrid like it was about to swallow her up. The lions watched the two men get blasted back by a wave of pure dark magic.
"I'm not going to watch someone I love get swallowed by darkness. Not again!" Declared Killian after being knocked to his back as he had flashbacks in his mind of when Emma sacrificed herself to save everyone from the Dark One's magic, and became the Dark One in turn.
Allan struggled to get back up. The Lionesses went over to see if he was ok. He watched as Killian stood up, but was blasted back by the magic again.
Bit by bit he made his way to his daughter, caught in the midst of the swirling black magic. Until he could finally hear his daughter's voice again.
"I see…" She said calmly, clearly unaware of what was really happening to her.
"Ingrid, I don't know what the darkness is telling you, but you can't listen! If you do, you could fall. And it's a very long way to fall." Killian called out to her. He didn't know if she could hear him "Don't be tempted by it like I was, Ingrid! Don't give in!" He could see her reaching up to something that he couldn't.
Without glancing back, Killian jumped through the swirling black magic, finally reaching his daughter and touching her right shoulder. The moment he did, however, she passed out cold, collapsing on the spot. Killian caught her before she hit the rock floor of the caves they were in as Allan and the lions rushed over.
However, the dark magic wasn't done with INoriega yet. It all seemed to rise up above them, funneling down directly to her heart when Killian had her resting on his knees in his arms.
"Ingrid? Ingrid!" He shouted in alarm.
"What the hell just happened?" Demanded Allan, kneeling down as well.
Ingrid still wasn't responsive, and growing cold several moments on when all of a sudden a blast of pure light magic erupted from her heart, expelling the black magic mass that tried to engulf her entirely just a bit ago. It was a wave of light magic akin to the magic of true love's kiss, yet entirely different. And unbeknownst to them, it was felt across the magical realms. To the people who felt it, it was warm and gentle. Full of light, love and gentle raw power. To those who knew her knew where this blast of pure energy came from, and to her family it was especially comforting.
"Not exactly sure…" Muttered Killian as his daughter was finally stirring.
When she opened her eyes, it took her a moment to remember what all was happening.
"Papa?" She blinked, slowly sitting up.
"Okay, we're not doing that one again." Sighed Allan as he and Killian helped Ingrid to her feet.
There was a moment of silence before they heard anything coming from the caverns again. It was the same siren song, a song that Ingrid could feel in her heart as it echoed up to them.
"What kind of sorcery is this now?" Asked Allan tentatively as they slowly stepped forward.
"There's only one way to find out." Killian said, taking the lead with Ingrid behind him, then Allan and finally the Lion pride. He heard more of the tone of voice as they neared the next cavern. "Wait... I know this voice..."
"Papa?" Asked Ingrid, putting a nervous hand on his arm.
Killian led the way beyond the wall as Ingrid's magic light lit the way before them. The sound of water lapping on rock met their ears as the singing came from below the surface.
Ingrid felt something hot in her bag, reached in and pulled out her enchanted compass which was glowing. Everyone watched as the light rose up from the compass, circled around each member of the group, before riding along the upper part of this cavern to the opposite side across the lake where on the cave wall was a small blue glowing light where the golden light hovered over. It felt oddly like a moment in a video game to Ingrid.
"There it is..." Muttered Killian, having never thought he'd see this crystal again.
"It was stolen, long ago from a noble king." A voice said from the waters as they began to ripple and swell as though some creature was surfacing.
"It was paid for with many lives, before given to that king." Killian answered, making sure Ingrid and Allan were behind him as he unsheathed his sword. He could hear the lions growling.
"You speak as though you know of this stone." The voice replied as the waters surged to the shape of a being, yet not revealing who was underneath.
"You could say that." Said Killian.
"Then perhaps it is you, or one from your group who could set it free." The voice said in a high pitch, almost like it was singing. The waters began to recede to reveal a golden trident. Giant tentacles were swinging around. Allan used his ice magic to protect the lions, like it was a barrier. Then there was a figure Killian recognized for a split second as Ingrid used her magic for defense to send three tentacles flying backwards without hurting this creature.
"Ursula!" He said in alarm as the trident came swinging down. He blocked the trident's spikes before Ursula realized who she was talking about.
"Captain?" She blinked. She got a good look at him.
"What's going on?" Asked Allan.
"I don't know, but I think I just saved us somehow." Remarked Killian. "How are you here? Last I saw you, you were reunited with your father."
"Yes, well, a lot's happened in the last seventeen years. My father passed away of old age, but we had several happy years together. He taught me how to rule the seas, and be a fair queen before he said farewell to this life." Said Ursula. "Then there was a stormy night... an attack on my kingdom and I was captured. When I came to, I was here, told to protect the Eye of the Storm or my kingdom would be destroyed."
"This storm... Did it seem unnatural to you in any way?" Asked Ingrid.
"In every way it was unnatural. It was all I could do to protect my people." Nodded Ursula, not knowing who this young woman was. But she could tell this young woman was clearly related to the Captain and gave him an inquiring look.
"Sorry, Ingrid this is Ursula... An old friend of mine. Ursula, this is Prince Allan of Arandale-" He indicated the red haired man, "The Lions of Pride Rock, and my daughter... Ingrid."
"You? You have a daughter?" Ursula looked at Ingrid with raised eyebrows. "That's hard to believe after all this time." She added. "Regardless, it's lovely to meet you all. But I cannot just simply let you pass because we are friends."
"Of course... It can never be that easy..." Sighed Killian, sheathing his sword. "What do I have to do?"
"Not you, this time." Ursula shook her head, pointed her trident at Ingrid. "It must be one with powerful light magic, and I felt the wave just a little bit ago."
"Me?" Blinked Ingrid.
"It has to be earned by one who has never darkened their heart. The challenge you faced prior to entering this cavern was to test your strength of will and heart. Family and friends were important, to determine who was worthy to face this next... Most unique task... That which was bought with blood... Must again be bought with honor." Explained Ursula.
Killian looked back at his daughter, before standing aside.
"It may seem an impossible task for some. But I have the feeling that you are up to this." Smiled Ursula.
"Are you sure there's no other way?" Asked Simba.
Ursula shook her head, and held out her left hand to Ingrid who stepped forward.
"You must allow me to reach into your heart. If you are Killian's child, then you must know by now that my gift is being able to bring out the song in-"
"Everyone's heart..." Ingrid was looking down at the waters as this realization came to her.
"It is not an easy task... One many would shy from." Ursula looked at Ingrid, who looked back up at her at last.
"If there's one thing my Master taught me, is certain acts invoke a different type of magic." Replied Ingrid.
"He sounds like a wise one." Smiled Ursula.
"Eh." Ingrid nodded while having a rather sarcastic look on her face as she thought about Phil. "Mostly cranky, and bossy. But yeah, wise is in the top of his personality list at least there."
They could hear Killian and Allan chuckling. Even Ursula smiled again.
"Shall we?" She glanced over at the blue crystal.
Ingrid glanced back at her father, Allan and the lions. Killian nodded. She took a deep breath, turning her head back to Ursula.
"Do what you need to do." She said.
"Right." Ursula led Ingrid to the surface of the water. Walking very unsteadily, Ingrid allowed herself to be led away from the shoreline. So no one could help her.
At some point, Ursula let go of Ingrid's hand, then stepped away from her until she was at Trident's length from the young woman. Raising her trident, she reached up to touch Ingrid's heart.
There was a soft, warm glow that seemed to fill the watery cavern. And a song that seemed familiar, yet different to Killian slowly reached them. There were no lyrics, but the song touched everyone's own hearts so that it felt as though there were lyrics, and then Killian knew where he'd heard it before as courage seemed to swell in Ingrid's face and the song sounded as though it were echoing on loud speakers.
"Once I lived in darkness,
Frightened and alone.
No place I could call my home.
Running from this terror,
Like nothing I'd ever known.
Until somehow a light to me was shown.
Through the fear and hatred,
This song was inside of me,
Filling me with courage and hope that I never thought could be.
Being brave, and having courage and love at heart
Are all a part of who I'm meant to be.
Because that's what defines my family."
Ursula continued to sing the song that came from Ingrid's heart, while in her trance, Ingrid raised her right hand to reach for the crystal.
"No longer in darkness,
I was never alone.
I know now where I can call my home.
Through the fear and hatred,
The light inside of me, passed on down through family.
Grows even brighter because of who I learned to be.
Family, friends and comrades
True love has many names.
Through the fear and darkness,
We can show them all... With a song!"
At the very end the cavern lit up with a blue light which engulfed Ingrid's hand as Ursula's melody to the song swelled. The crystal at the other end vanished, reappearing in Ingrid's hand. Gripping the crystal gently she felt it's power as she held it, and brought it close to her.
"Well done..." Smiled Ursula.
"Now what?" Asked Ingrid.
Ursula chuckled, leading the way back to the shore.
"Now you need to figure out the next step on how this crystal can aide your escape from this island." She said.
"But what about you?" Asked Nala.
"Hm?"
"She's right... You helped us, now we can help you. We can all get off this bloody island together." Nodded Killian, knowing what Nala was about to say right away.
"There is no escape for you!" The Tiger's voice roared in the caves.
"Get down!" Shouted Ingrid to the Lions out of instinct as a rumbling came their way from the only entrance to this cavern.
Allan felt the air changing as well, and a wall of ice erupted around them.
They could feel the pounding of strong wind beating on the ice wall as Allan held his hands up. The magical storm chipping away, trying to force its way through.
The Lions stood behind Killian and Ursula.
"Ursula, can your Trident control these waters?" Asked Killian, to which Ursula nodded.
"Guys, I'm not sure how long I can hold this!" Allan shouted over the sound of the storm scraping a thousand times over on the ice wall he was generating.
Ursula raised her trident, the water being controlled with it and her will it rose to the shoreline.
"This should help strengthen your defenses, Your Majesty." Said Ursula.
"Thanks." Panted Allan as the water then infused with the ice.
All while this was happening, Ingrid was looking at the other side of the cavern where the Heart of the Storm crystal had been placed. There was something that had caught her eyes. As she looked at it, she stepped to the water's edge.
"What do you see?" Asked Simba.
"I think it might be a way out." Said Ingrid a little louder.
"What?" Killian looked around.
"Papa, look. Do you see what I see?" She asked.
"That's light coming through..." Breathed Killian.
"Ursula... If I use my magic to keep these walls from coming down on us, and I poofed you over there... Think you could break through over there?" Asked Ingrid.
"Worth a shot." Nodded Ursula.
"What is it? What's going on?" Asked a struggling Allan as the storm became even more fierce than it was prior.
"Just hold on for a bit longer." Said Ingrid.
"How long do you need?" Asked Allan.
"As long as you can give us." Replied Ursula, to which Allan nodded.
Ingrid and Ursula vanished, reappearing on the other side.
Killian and the Lions watched as Ingrid used her magic to protect them from potential collapse, while Ursula used her tentacles to pull away at the rocks from the weak spot Ingrid discovered.
On the other side of the caves from where the group was trapped was an open beach which led straight to the seas beyond. A low rumbling shook the shoreline as it burst apart...
Back with the group, the cave walls erupted open just in time as the storm finally managed to bust through the ice barrier. At once Ingrid poofed them all out, her father, Allan, Ursula and the Lions. They collapsed onto the beech which lay on the other side. The force of the storm sent ice and water spilling out of the new entry way.
Landing rather gracelessly on the beach, Ingrid collapsed. She'd used a lot of magic in the last several hours as they explored the caves.
"We did it," Panted Allan, looking back as the water settled into the sand, promptly turning it to mud.
"But we're right back where we started." Said Ingrid as her father helped her to her feet.
"This time you're not alone, though." Ursula reminded her.
"The Crystal... It has to be the key to getting off this island." Simba said, walking up to Ingrid to look at the blue stone in her hand.
"I agree... Or my brother wouldn't have pointed us towards it." Nodded Killian.
"I've been trapped on this island for years, and I wasn't able to find a way out of those caves until you got here." Ursula said.
"Same with us." Nodded Nala. "If it was you who was able to get the stone free through an act of honor, then perhaps it's you who will set all of us free." She looked at Ingrid.
"No... Not just me... All of us. We worked together to get out of there. And together we can get off the island... Somehow..." Smiled Ingrid.
Killian was looking at his daughter with an expression Ursula never thought she'd see on her face- that of a proud father.
"Right then, why don't you pull out that compass of yours. It might lead us to where we need to be next." He suggested.
Ingrid nodded, putting the crystal in her bag, then pulling out her compass.
"That's your compass?" Blinked Ursula. "It looks rather plain."
"Don't let it fool you," Smiled Killian as he let his daughter take the lead.
"It led us to the caves where we found the Pride, and then you. It's quite handy, that compass." Agreed Allan, dusting some dirt off his clothes and joining the group.
Ingrid was holding out the compass, like someone lost trying to find her way. Pointing it at the jungle first, nothing happened.
"I will say one thing... I'm glad that storm from earlier finally blew itself out." Commented Killian. "Anything?" He asked Ingrid.
"Nothing yet." She said. "Sometimes it takes a while-" She directed the compass to the opposite end of the beach, when it finally started glowing. "Here we go."
Stepping forward, she led the way across the beach for what seemed hours until they reached a point where the compass stopped glowing.
"What do you think it means?" Asked Simba.
"Not sure." She replied, looking up and around in front of her. She took a step back, staring straight upwards.
Ursula could see what Ingrid was looking at. Before anyone knew what she was doing, she sent one of her tentacles out, searching for a large bowlder, chucking it with force at this thing that impeded their path.
The huge rock was blasted apart, causing pieces of rubble to fly right back at them. At the last second, Ingrid's magic turned the rocks to dust before actually hitting any of them.
"Thanks for that," Said Killian, who was just about to duck out of the way while Allan had the look on his face like that was too close to call and the Lions were standing back up.
"What is that thing?" Asked Simba.
"It's a giant wall of impending doom, that's what..." Commented Allan.
As though insulted by Allan's sardonic remark, electricity shot out from the barrier at them. In an instant their screams were filling the air on the island. Ursula raised her Trident to create a barrier, but it only lasted for a moment or two. It was long enough for Ingrid to magic the compass to her back, and summon her wand before the barrier faded as the lightning sent Ursula flying backwards.
"Ingrid! What're you doing?" Shouted Killian over the noise and screams.
Ingrid didn't answer, but gave him a look of 'trust me, papa', to which he nodded before being sent flying backwards into a nearby palm tree.
She raised her wand up high as Ursula rolled on to her side. The Lions were crouched, crying in pain as the wand began to glow. The lightning then was attracted to this magic, attacking the source instead of everything around it, giving the others a chance to breathe as Ingrid fell to one knee, focussing all her magic to her wand.
"That's it, keep going-" A voice told her. A voice from someone that wasn't present on this island.
"You can do this-" Another voice said.
"We've got your back."
Ingrid could've sworn she felt an encouraging hand on her shoulders, which held her wand arm steady when it started to shake.
"Something's happening..." Said Nala, causing Killian to look up. He saw pale auras circling around Ingrid. Something he'd never seen before, and he'd seen plenty of crazy things in his life time.
"Hurry! Go!" Shouted Killian as a storm began to form, winds began and trees started swaying. "This island isn't letting it's prisoners or treasure free without a fight."
The last of the Lions went through the portal, and it disappeared.
"So you've managed to once again steal what is precious to us." Came Sher Khan's deep, bone chilling voice as a giant tiger came around the corner from behind.
"Something precious that you stole." Killian retorted.
"Let's not get messy over schematics now, Pirate." SherKhan growled.
There was a low hissing that Killian heard.
"Papa!" Shouted Ingrid as ice came seemingly out of nowhere, blocking several strikes from Ka'a in her snake form, giving Killian the chance to draw his sword and whip around. Ka'a's fangs instead of striking flesh met with the cold, unforgiving steel of Killian's blade which forced her back to SherKhan's side several feet away.
"Not this time, snake." Said Killian as Allan stood on one side and Ingrid stood behind.
It had been a long time since she'd seen her father wield a sword in a combative situation. But even though years had gotten past them, none of his skill had been lost. As her grandfather, Prince Charming said to her, it was just like riding a bike.
SherKhan and Ka'a turned to their human forms.
"I'd say it's time to settle an old score, Pirate. You and me, winner takes all. Including their lives. Loosers will be trapped here forever." SherKhan said, drawing his own sword.
"Papa..." Ingrid muttered.
"Don't worry, your old man may be long in years but he's still got his fight in him." Killian joked. "All right, tiger, you've got yourself a deal. But leave these two out of it." He went serious again, facing SherKhan.
"Very well."
A ship was on the horizon as the duel went under way.
"Look!" Shouted Snow White as she spotted four figures on the beech, two of them dueling with swords in what appeared to be a life or death battle.
Emma took a pair of binoculars out and focussed on the figures.
"That's Killian all right..." She said, standing next to her mother. "Then that means..." She looked at the three standing to the side. "Ingrid..." She gasped. Her daughter looked entirely different than when she last saw her. "Prince Allan and... Ursula...?" She could hardly believe her eyes.
"I don't know what's going on, but we need to get on shore and fast." Charming said as Captain Red Beard charted the course to dock off shore.
Ingrid had been focussing on the duel between her father and SherKhan. This was what a real fight without magic looked like, with everything at stake. Perhaps she was a little too focussed on the fight. Ka'a seemed to vanish as she took to her snake form, slithering silently around to take advantage of the three's distraction.
Ka'a was going to hurt the pirate where it hurt him most. Only when she was behind them did she take to her human form, drawing a sword to strike.
Ingrid heard the sound just in time of a sword being unsheathed from behind.
"Watch out!" Ursula shouted as she whipped around, unsheathing her own sword to block the blow before it struck her.
"How...?" Gasped Ka'a.
"Come now, you didn't think this sword was just for looks, didja?" Grinned Ingrid as Ka'a pressed hard on her own, her face inches from Ingrid's to the point where Ingrid could catch the stench of Ka'as breath on her. It smelled rotten, like death itself. "And you aught to look into breath mints and mouthwash, it can do wonders for a breath that reeks of Ode de Death." She pushed Ka'a back with skill that Killian saw out of the corner of his eyes and made him a proud father.
"We had a deal," Killian said as SherKhan stepped back a few paces.
"But Ka'a never made such a deal." Grinned SherKhan.
"Bloody loop holes." Grumbled Killian as the duel continued. Parring, dodging, clashing. Metal on metal echoed across the beech.
It all seemed to happen in slow motion around them. Allan and Ursula helped Ingrid fight Ka'a who took on all three at once with Ursula's Trident magic, Allan's Ice magic and Ingrid's own sword. Ingrid saw an opening as Ka'a jumped snake like into the air with her sword raised above her head. Ingrid's own sword met Ka'as body just as Emma, Regina, Snow White, Prince Charming, Phil, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff all materialized on the beech side. The sword went through Ka'as heart while Ingrid's face remained impassive, her arm raised to meet the moment of life or death.
"NO!" Shouted SherKhan. All these years, no one had ever bested Ka'a to the point of death.
"Ingrid!" Called out Emma in alarm as Ingrid withdrew the sword, and Ka'a collapsed on the ground.
A rage washed over them all as Ka'as eyes clouded over. It was a slow death. To ease the passing, Ingrid sheathed the sword then with her right hand reached in to the chest where the heart rested, yanking it right of the body as Phil taught her. It had something different to it. This woman had been manipulated all her life into believing SherKhan. Ingrid could still see a last ray of light glowing in the heart.
"Please..." Gasped Ka'a. "Grant me my freedom." She grasped Ingrid's arm. Someone at last understood. Even with her eyes clouding over. "Defeat him as I never could." Only Ingrid and Allan heard this as Allen knelt next to Ingrid.
It was a long moment. Ingrid had never done something like this on purpose. But Ka'a wished for it. Perhaps she could redeem herself in the afterlife? Ingrid could feel a lot of what was going on in Ka'as mind through her heart as the beating slowed. Ka'a wanted this as her last wish. There was something more to Ka'as story than merely being the one in charge of Sher Khan.
"I promise you, we will find a way to defeat him." She whispered back. There was a small smile that flitted across Ka'as face. It was never Ingrid that she was upset with to begin with.
Standing up, Allan blinked. None of them noticed Emma or the others.
"Ingrid... What're you doing..." Allan breathed. Ursula watched silently, thinking she had an idea what young Ingrid was doing.
Turning around she looked right at SherKhan with the heart in her hands.
"Ingrid, think about what you're doing." Breathed Killian in alarm.
"I am, papa..." She answered simply.
"Ingrid!" Shouted Emma.
"Mom..." She gave a sad smile. It was the first time in a couple years now that she'd seen her family. She didn't know what would happen when she did this, the Tree of Destiny showed her many paths she could take in her journey as the Light One, but she was ready.
Her hand crushed the heart into powder. Ka'a faded into powdery dust as SherKhan screamed in rage.
Everything around her became loud. Screams, thunder, lightning. A rushing of darkness raged around her as she faded into blackness itself...
Author's Comments-
This chapter is a bit special to me. Ingrid meeting her uncle in a dream during their time of need is reminiscent of me meeting my own Uncles in real life when we were in peril. And as a line from Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter in the Deathly Hallows states- Of course it's in a dream, and all in your head, but why would that make it any less real?
Ingrid's ability to communicate with the dead, and see the Olympian Gods in visions will come in handy later as well. I always loved the idea of the Light One in the show, and wished they'd explored it more than leaving it just as part of the other world story. In my story, the Light One is the child of the Savior. So as there've been other Saviors and Dark Ones, there's been other Light Ones if the Savior lived long enough to have offspring.
This is the story of Ingrid coming into her own role, and accepting it. She's always loved her parents and family, even if she had a complicated school life not being the perfect student of magic until later in her teens. Just as Henry has found being the Author to be challenging, Ingrid will find her role as being the Light One- one who always makes the right decisions, no matter how difficult they may be- a challenging shoe to fill.
But a person can't grow without conflict, or trial being absent in their lives. They can't know the best version of themselves without struggle, or even heartache. While I wish that on no one, at the same time it's a part of life. And we must figure out what to do with our existence while we're here. And it's a lesson Ingrid will struggle to learn, especially now that she is of age. At almost twenty years old.