STORYBROOKE...
David, Snow, Belle, Hook, Emma, Regina, Henry and Blue all stood in Regina's vault. They all stood, waiting, hoping that Emma could summon the book to them. After a few tries and a few encouragements, a quick light zapped through the air and the book was suddenly laying on the altar. "You did it! You found the book!" Henry exclaimed excitedly. Emma smiled.
"Sure did, kid." Emma said proudly. Blue closed her eyes in relief.
"Now you must make the journey to the Land of Misfortune. There, you must look for the one called The Guardian. He will lead you to the Savior." Blue instructed. "You must warn him of the Black Fairy's plans." Emma nodded.
"How will we find him?" Regina asked with a hand on her hip.
"You will know when you do." Blue replied gracefully placing her hands under her cloak. Regina rolled her eyes and sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"So, you don't even know who he is?" David asked. Blue shook her head lightly.
"I'm sorry, I don't know anything about him. Only that is in the Land of Misfortune." She responded sadly not able to give any more information.
"We'll find him." Emma said confidently.
"What makes you think that we will find him?" Regina asked again. The others looked at her annoyingly. She shrugged her shoulders.
"Because we have to." Was all Emma needed to say to convince Regina that their plan would work. Regina looked at Emma and knew that she was going to do this, with or without her. Regina sighed, stood up straight and then said,
"Okay. Let's go find this Guardian."
The Land of Misfortune
The clouds covered the sky, blocking out the sun and preventing a sunny day from ever being a reality. The people in Corgan Village busted about, some working in their shops and others desperately trying to sell as many goods as they could before the day was over. The king's men would be coming for their tax collection any day. The people in the kingdom, not just Corgan Village, had to pay the king an incredulous tax. Many of the king's people had no money to buy food and they were lucky enough to survive the winter. But he didn't seem to care as long as he had table's full of food and beer in his belly.
A man came running down the road from the south yelling. "They're coming! They're coming!" He ran to a house on the corner and shut the door behind him quickly. Several of the other people in town hurriedly ran back home and shut the doors. Within seconds the king's men rode in on their horses loudly making it known that they were there. One of them, tall, dark eyes, half of his dark brown hair pulled back in a bun stepped down from his horse and looked at the now empty town. He walked to the nearest building and banged on the door. As he waited for the door to open, a few of the others began banging on the rest of the doors in the village. A few remained on horseback ready to take any necessary action.
The door opened and a man of about 40 something appeared. He had white peppered hair and a small scar across the right side of his neck. "Sir Gregor." He greeted with a little unpleasantry. But the knight didn't seem phased. In fact, it seemed only to please him.
"Good evening, Toman. I trust you know why I'm here?" He simply asked. Toman huffed and stepped behind the door a moment. He handed Sir Gregor a small pouch. Toman started to close the door, but the knight shoved his foot inside the threshold and stopped the door from closing. Toman looked up at him confused. Sir Gregor began to open the pouch, intending on checking the contents.
"I assure you, it's all there." The defensive man declared, clearly annoyed.
"Come now Toman, you know we always check the count." After a moment he looked up with a disappointed look. "I'm afraid it's not all here." He said disappointedly. The healer looked surprised, and his brow furrowed in confusion.
"No! I checked it myself. It's all there. Four pieces of gold." He replied feeling his anger slightly rising. The knight only laughed in his face, which made his temper grow even more.
"I'm afraid the tax has been raised to 6 pieces of gold." He explained with a raised eyebrow. He was curious to see the 'peasant's' reaction to the increased tax.
"6 Pieces?! That's ridiculous!" Toman responded with outrage. "How do you expect us to survive when the tax keeps rising? We won't have enough to buy the supplies we need to sell our product. You can't just-"
"Oh, I'm sure you can get by. Besides, this was ordered by the king himself. We have no choice but to obey." He said with smooth venom to his voice.
"Yeah, I'm sure he did." Toman responded in kind. The Knight only smiled. One of the other knights rushed up to Sir Gregor and whispered something in his ear. After a moment, he looked at the doctor for a moment before he stepped away from the house and moved to the center of the village.
"People of Corgan village! Hear me!" Some, who were inside, opened their doors, others stood outside to listen. "The king is expecting us to bring back the full amount of his tax. You have yet to pay your all of your share. But don't fret. We will return to collect. We're not unreasonable. You have until sundown." As the knights began to leave, the people relaxed from the exhausting tension. They talked amongst themselves, wondering how they were going to get two more pieces of gold each to pay the rest of the tax.
Toman rushed back inside where his wife and son sat together, fear evident in their demeanors. "Toman. What will we do when they come back? It's not possible that we'll have any more gold to give them." He hurried over to his distraught wife to soothe her.
"Do not worry. He will come. Everything will be alright." Toman's wife shook her head still in fear of what was to come. He pulled her in closer and held her close. "Everything will be fine. You'll see."
The Land of Misfortune 300 years later...
"Are the outfits like this everywhere besides our world?" Emma asked as part of her dress got caught on a twig. She broke it and continued walking. David smiled.
"Not everywhere, just most places." He said with a slight giggle. Emma looked back and gave the look any annoyed daughter would. But that only made David's smile grow. "What's this town called again?" She asked cutting down some thick weeds with her sword.
"Corgan Village. The blacksmith said the town is protected by a great warrior. A man they call the Guardian." David replied from behind Emma.
"And how do we know that this is the Guardian we are looking for?" Regina asked stumbling on a big root. David caught her before she could fall. "Thank you."
"Everyone we've spoken to says he's the only one. So, I'm guessing we're going in the right direction." David answered her question.
"This way." Belle said from a few feet away. " I think I see a road." She said again. The others hurried to follower her onto the dirt path. They looked around and only saw more and more road.
"Great. More trees." Emma huffed. "Okay, the blacksmith said once we get to the road to go East. Which way is east?" Emma asked and then looked at Killian when he moved to stand in front of her. Killian held up a finger and stepped forward and looked up to the sky.
"East is going to be... this way." He said pointing towards the left side of the road. Emma looked at him. Regina seemed skeptical.
"Are you sure that's East? We are in a completely different realm, in case you forgot?" Regina said in her usual tone.
"I'm a bloody sea captain. Of course, I'm sure." He said sure of himself. Regina raised her hands in mock surrender.
"If you say so guy-liner." She said smiling and walking in the direction Killian had gestured towards. He faked a smile at her in response and they all began walking in the dame direction.
"Alright. Corgan here we come." The group made it to the village in no time. It was only another hour of walking down an empty dirt road. They saw no one on their journey to the village. They thought it strange, but then again, the blacksmith did say that the king of this land was an angry selfish man. Who knows what they were going to find once they got to their destination.
They passed a couple of farms as they got closer to the village. No one gave them so much as a smile or any kind of greeting really. They either ignored their presence or they ran inside their homes. Emma looked at others questioningly. David shook his head and Regina just shrugged. They eventually got to the village and people were bustling about, some were buying supplies, others were trading and working. There were food carts passing them by, standing with different sorts of goods to be sold. Several of the villagers noticed them and stared. No one dared say anything to them though. Emma looked around trying to see who would be willing to talk to them when someone from behind them spoke.
"Our town is not used to visitors." The small group turned around to face the owner of the voice. He was tall, had dark hair and a square face. He wore a leather jacket and he seemed guarded, as if all strangers were no good to his people.
"Sorry. We don't mean to intrude. We were just looking for someone. He might be able to help us. Or we might be able to help him." Emma explained walking closer to him. She noticed that he didn't retreat, so that meant he wasn't threatened, which was a good sign.
"We've had no other visitors but you." He responded back. Emma knew he wasn't lying. They hadn't had any visitors for a very long time.
"Perhaps he visited before your time then. He's called the Guardian." Regina said moving to stand next to Emma. The man's face lights up with recognition of the name. He tried concealing it, why? They didn't know.
"You recognize the name. Have you met him? Do you know where he is?" Daivd asked hope evident in his voice. The man was quiet for a moment, obviously trying to think of what to say next.
"No, I do not." He answered. Emma studied him for a moment.
"I don't believe you." Emma immediately responded. He looked at her with mixed emotions of fear and determination. "We don't want to hurt him. We need his help. Please if you know anything, if you can contact him and get him a message-" Emma was cut off by the villager.
"I cannot." He simply said. Belle looked somewhat shocked that he was so resistant.
"He's in danger too, mate. He's going to need our help just as much as we need his." Killian shot back hoping to convince him. The man looked at all of them once before he spoke again.
"There's nothing for you here. We cannot help you. You must leave." And then he turned and left. The others turned to look around the village again. Emma watched to see which building he went into. She made a note in her head to revisit him later.
"Well that went well." Belle said sarcastically. "What do we do now?"
"Well we could do what he says and leave." Regina said until she spotted an Inn just across the village center. "Or we could stay a while." Emma tilted her head studying the place.
"Is it sanitary?" She asked with a little sarcasm.
"Oh, come on, love. We're on an adventure. Nothing is sanitary." Killian said taking her hand and leading towards the Inn. Regina rolled her eyes but followed nonetheless.
Later that night, after the group of heroes asked whoever would talk to them about the Guardian, they settled into a tavern. They were drinking and discussing how they would explain to the Guardian what was happening, when they found him. Noises could be heard outside and the others decided to check it out. Once outside they realized that the noise were screams. People were being attacked. A woman was running by to get away from what looked like a knight on horseback. Emma grabbed her and pulled her inside the tavern safely.
"Hey! It's okay. What's going on?" She asked quickly.
"The kings men! They've come! We have to get out of here." She said and she tried to run off but David eased her back to the group.
"Wait, why? Why are they attacking you?" He asked wanting to get out there and help.
"The tax was changed. They said we didn't give them enough. They came back for more but we... we just don't have any more to give." The woman explained. David glanced at the others.
"Alright. Stay inside." He directed. David and Emma moved back to the doorway where the others stood, watching the chaos outside. "The king's men are raiding the village because they didn't pay enough tax." He informed them. Regina rolled her eyes in annoyance. Belle looked angry, something the lot of them were not used to.
"That's horrible! What kind of man does this to his own people?" She asked incredulously. "We have to help them." She said. Emma and Daivd looked spoke to each other with a couple of looks.
"She's right. We can't sit here and do nothing. They need our help." Emma eventually said using words. Killian, who was watching the slaughter outside, leaned back inside when he saw something peculiar.
"I don't think we'll have to, love. Look." He said pointed outside. A hooded figure in brown leather was attacking the kings' men, protecting the villagers. No one saw his face, he was so fast and it seemed like he made sure no one saw what he looked like. He took out six of the knight in hand to hand combat, the knights tumbling and being flung every which way. He pulled a bow off his back and shot at some of the knights. One was hit in the leg another in the abdomen and a third in the shoulder. The knights gathered in numbers, they formed a large circle around him leaving him no way out. He turned facing each man anticipating what moved they might make next. He realized they were going to attack all at once, so he decided to do what he hoped he wouldn't have to.
He stood straight and closed his eyes focusing. He reached deep down for the energy he was calling upon. After a moment the brutal men decided they would take their chance to strike. They took a few steps forward, swords in the air ready to end him. Suddenly a burst of white energy erupted from the hooded figure. The force threw the armed men away several feet. The Storybrooke residents looked on in awe at what just happened. They didn't expect this man to have magic, let alone that much power behind it. Emma immediately looked at Regina and they both had some sort of recognition in their eyes. They either found the Guardian, or the Savior. Either way they had to talk to him.
Unfortunately, the knights had planned for his appearance for he had interrupted their raids in the past. Another group surged forwards prepared to take the man dead or alive. Several of the men moved in for their chance to bring him down. "Alright, I think it's time we stopped watching and started helping. Belle and David stayed together and moved to take on a couple of the knights closest to the buildings with the most people. Emma and Regina took on their own batch of knights using hand to hand combat and magic. Hook fought some of his own near the well with his sword.
Unbeknownst to everyone in the town square, an archer, with a special kind of bow, was perched high up in the trees. He aimed for the hooded figure, pulled back his arrow, and released. The arrow struck him in the left side of his chest without a warning. He was knocked to his knees in shock and pain. The knight he was fighting took advantage of the single incursion and moved to finish him. But the hooded man surprised him with a deafening blow to the head with the hilt of his sword. However, there plenty of knights to take their shot.
Before another one could attack him, Regina and Emma used their magic to blast away and remaining knight in clos proximity. Thankfully, their captain called for a retreat and the knight began to run out of the town square. It took other who were on the ground or injured a little bit longer. The others didn't feel sorry for them either. By the time they turned around to help the mysterious hooded man, he was gone.
"Where is he?" Regina asked frustratedly. Emma and the others looked around but saw nothing.
"Wait. There." Belle pointed to the very same building they first came to just as the door was closing. Emma expression changed to that of determination, and she started to walk quickly to the house Belle pointed at. The others followed and watched as she banged on the door.
"We just want to talk." Emma spoke loudly. No answer. She looked back at the others and then banged on the door again. "Open up. You owe us an explanation after we busted our asses helping yours." She declared. After another moment of silence, she looked back at David, who shrugged. The door opened abruptly, yet slowly. The man from before appeared, only he kept the door open just a crack so he could be seen and heard.
"What do you want to know?" He asked, knowing they had him at a standstill.
"That man, the one with magic. Where is he?" Emma urged. The man looked down to avoid eye contact. 'First sign of lying' Emma thought to herself.
"I don't know. He disappears after the raids." He answered. Emma's superpower was telling her that he was lying. She put her hand on her hips.
"Look. You don't know us. I get it. But I know that you're lying. We don't want to hurt you, or anyone else in the village. We just need to talk to him." She tried explaining again. The man looked to be deep in thought for a moment. Then all of a sudden, he opened the door to look outside hoping no one else was around, and then he stepped aside letting all of them in.
Once inside he checked the area again to make sure no one saw then shut the door and locked it. He turned around and looked at all of their expectant faces. "The man you seek is here. And to answer your question from earlier, I do know him. And you're right, I don't know you. How do I know I can trust you?" He asked moving further inside. Regina got a little angry that he lied before.
"Well why don't start but introducing ourselves. I'm Emma. This David, Killian, Regina, and Belle." She spoke with pure trust and hoped he would return the favor.
"Toman. Toman Drake. This is my wife Sheila and my son Jonathan. But they need not be involved in this." He said quickly.
"No of course not. They're not in any danger." David reassured. Regina stepped up in front of David.
"Why did you lie to us?" She demanded.
"Easy Regina." Emma turned to calm her down. She surprisingly listened and backed off. The man bowed his head for a moment then looked back up at them.
"I apologize for my deceit. I did it to protect my family, and to protect him." He answered strongly. No doubt he wasn't lying about that.
"Protect him? The man that helped to fight off the king's men?" Belle asked curiously. Toman knew they were going to want the full story, there was no other choice.
"It is a long story. Please, have a seat." He motioned for the chairs at the table. They all sat except for Killian who stood behind Emma. Emma secretly liked that and planned on telling him later. "He's known as the Guardian. He has protected this village and many others for several generations. Long ago, since before I was born, a man appeared to us in this land with no memory of who he is or where he came from. It was my great great grandfather who found him. He helped him to readjust and settle into the village. For some time, he was a part of our people. He helped us fight the knights when they raided our village. Not long after that, we discovered that he had...magic."
"Wait, your great great grandfather found him? Well, that would make him what? Around 200 years old?" Emma asked disbelievingly.
"Actually 300." This surprised them even more. Toman looked at her will all seriousness. She knew that he was telling the truth.
"The raids were happening back then, too? What kind of king does this to his people?" Belle asked rhetorically. Regina raised an eyebrow and David looked saddened. He hated hearing that so many have been suffering for so long.
"Unfortunately, yes. The stranger used his magic only in the most critical of times. He thought it dangerous, and he didn't want to put anyone in harm's way. That's when he disappeared. He only comes when we need his help. On one particular raid, he was injured, and my great great grandfather helped him again. He was a man of medicine, a healer, like me. He was the only one who ever saw his face, who knew what he truly looked like and only he helped to keep the secret of his identity safe. That honor has been passed down in my family." He paused a moment to let everything he has said so far sink in.
"That's how you know him. You help him when he's hurt so he won't have to use magic." Emma realized. He nodded.
"As the years went by the people developed a name for him: the Guardian." He finished.
"So, he is here." Regina said leaning closer to Toman. Toman shook his head and was about to deny her statement.
"Toman, we are not hear to harm him. You can trust us. You've told us so much already, a part of you already does." David tried. The room fell silent as Toman thought about his answer. He looked to his wife who nodded.
"Come with me." He simply said. He stood and moved to the back of the house, the others following close behind. They reached an empty wall and he stopped in front of it. He looked behind at Emma and then turned back around and walked through the wall. The others looked on in surprise, but Regina smiled.
"Clever." She said before she stepped through. Emma followed her in, then Daivd, then Belle, and Killian was the last one to enter. Once inside, one after the other, they froze when they saw the figure in the bed at the far side of the room. Belle stepped forward, standing at the foot of the bed. A single pin drop could be heard in the mezmerizing silence, until Belle spoke.
"Rumple?"