Well I think this is a record...sorry for such a delay! I've been away having kids and changing careers but I promised I would post it all and I am! As I'm doing them all at once I'll not do chapter previews. I'd strongly recommend refreshing your memory of previous chapters as even I could barely remember. Thanks to all of you for following and I hope you enjoy the last 5 chapters and I hope everything makes sense!
A year earlier...
There was a crash of chairs as a small 3 foot man ploughed into another, beer and nuts flying all over the bustling bar. Walsh continued his drinking, uninterrupted by the fracas taking place behind. His mind was cloudy with little room for anything other than the resentment and desire for vengeance that had plagued him ever since he had been freed from his winged prison. He had been one of the most respected men in Oz, created power for himself beyond imagination and it had been stripped from him, mercilessly. He had been cast down to nothing more than a pet, forced to do the bidding of a woman he despised.
Even now that her spell over him was broken, it had been impossible for him to restore his place. He had managed to play this system for so long, but the cards would forever be stacked against him. He swigged at his beer, the gravelly taste making him long for the fine wines he had been able to buy in his time in New York. Wincing as he downed the last drop of it he made his way towards the door, pushing out one of the lollipop fighters on his way and catching a snippet of a conversation being had by two other stragglers propping up the bar.
"Back again, green and furious as ever. Dropped right out the sky."
The words instantly caught his ear and he swung round, grabbing the man by his collar.
"Who is back? The witch?" He slurred angrily as the man tried to rip his shirt from his grasp. "Zelena?"
"That's what the rumours are saying. Now get off me!" The man bit back furiously, kicking at his leg to try and force some distance.
The fire in his heart suddenly flared, illuminating ever bit of stored resentment into a mess of adrenaline.
Zelena had been missing for months, all they had known was that the spell was broken, nothing else had been heard. If she was back the consequences could be unpredictably dangerous. Walsh's breathing increased, feeling his grip tightening. Not this time though, this time he would have the upper hand.
The sobering news had propelled his initiative and he stormed towards his former lair, clattering through the various objects and magic trinkets he had accumulated. Their power all seemed to pale in comparison to the humiliation he had suffered but he knew this was a chance for him to channel that into something for himself. Something so glorious he would be able to not just restore his reputation but to surpass it.
Finding no inspiration from his equipment he moved to his vast library and spent all night searching and scouring. After many weary hours he finally caught some keywords that triggered a maniacal grin.
Emma pressed the sword closer to Walsh's neck, more as an instinctive response to the complete confusion than real aggression.
"You died. I watched you die! You were shot off the roof!" Emma blasted, fear creeping into her shout.
"I materialised back here before I hit the floor...until the spell broke and I got my life back. I wasn't in control, Emma. You know it's true."
"Who is this, Swan, what the hell is going on?" Regina looked between her friend and the floppy haired man pressed up against the wall.
Emma was too distracted to answer. She was lost deep in the mess of her prisoner's eyes. At one stage in her life they were the eyes of the man she considered marrying but then a day later they had glowed red before trying to kill her.
"Look, I knew you wouldn't be jumping into my arms but I did just rescue you. You could at least let me swallow." His eyes were pleading before they took a glance at Regina, stood behind with fireball in hand. "Clearly your sidekick has more firepower than that sword can offer."
"Call me a sidekick again and you'll feel just how powerful I am." Regina retorted, flinging the ball inches from his head before conjuring another and moving a step closer. Taking advantage of the moment of silence she leaned in closer to Emma. "Whoever this is, we need to get out of here. You said the dust was greeny yellow - "
"Not now Regina!" Emma silenced her, so haunted by what she had in front of her and the memory of how he had manipulated her that she had room in her brain for nothing else. Regina huffed out her frustration, realising that intervention was futile.
"How do you expect me to trust you after what you did?" Emma barked, pressing the sword against him closer, but desperately trying to find some look of regret.
"Because, we had a life together!" He pleaded. "Come on, you know me! You know -"
"I know you as the psycho that stalked me for 8 months, proposed and then turned into a flying monkey that tried to kill me!" She cut him off as Regina's eyes bulged in shock.
"You were engaged to this man?" Putting aside the urgency of her previous thought, she looked between them in horror as to how she could have missed this as a detail.
"Almost. Though as you can tell, it was a lucky escape."
"Right, because he was a monkey. From Oz." She asserted as Emma nodded with fury, before quickly noting the silence and aggression in Regina's voice. She turned around and glared at Regina in panic, the reality hitting.
"Oh, you've caught up." Regina met her look with damning eyes.
"You insisted we weren't in Oz!" Emma protested with horror. "You said -"
"I know what I said, don't rub it in!" Regina sighed, angrily. "The glamour, remember. This is exactly where she wanted us." She pelted the fireball to the floor, making Walsh flinch before turning from Emma in a strop.
"Who 'she'? Zelena, she?" Emma guessed catching sight of Walsh's fixation on where the fire had exploded and reinstating the position of the sword close to his neck.
"Is Zelena doing this? Is she the one who stole our magic?" She demanded but Regina answered for him.
"Who else could it be? I sent her back here to banish her out of my life. Of course that stubborn frog-witch would somehow find the means here to trick you into getting us locked in her prison."
"You know what, you're the one who stopped me from killing her - "
"- in order to save you from losing yourself and murdering someone." The back and forth continued until Walsh yelled for silence.
"And this arguing won't stop her but I can! You can - with my help!" He pleaded as the two women gave their attention back to him.
"And why should we trust you? Apparently you were her golden boy chief monkey." Regina turned her anger to him as he set his sights to Emma.
"How many times? I was under a spell! He pleaded, as Emma gave him an exasperated look.
"You were a henchman directly doing her bidding." She protested furiously. "You had magic."
"Only an extension of hers. She was controlling me with the spell."
"Reminding us you were her puppet is not helping your case, fleabag." Regina flared up a fireball again.
"How did the magic even work?" Emma demanded. She pressed the knife closer as Walsh gulped again, trying to maintain his composure.
"The same way your magic is working here. She has ways of storing it. These amulets absorb and hold magic. A clover, light, dust-"
Emma shook her head, desperately trying to think back to his appearance at the time.
"You didn't have a necklace...I'd have noticed that."
"But there was something I never took off. You even commented on it." He twitched his eyes. "Remember? We'd just had a particularly intimate moment -"
"I remember." Emma cut him off, catching Regina's eye and flushing with gentle embarrassment. "So you had it in your watch." She deduced. "That proves nothing."
"Doesn't it?" He pulled back his sleeve showing he no longer wore it. This revelation softened her, evident by the relaxation of the blade against his throat. She looked deep into his eyes, desperately trying to read him but she could see no sign to distrust him.
"I just rescued you, Emma. Trust me when I say nobody wants to destroy Zelena more than me. Use your superpower. You don't have to trust me but I know how to destroy her. That's why I sent the riddler."
"You sent the riddler?" Regina stepped up, furious.
"Yes. To help you." Walsh replied, eagerly.
"That creature tried to send us right to the guarded gates." She squared up to him, her voice showing no mercy. Emma decided to take a backseat, trying to corroborate this information with what they already knew.
"Yes, at the gates with the chant so you could recite the verse. That's the point!"
"He admitted it was a trap." Regina fired back as a new fiery concern flashed through Walsh's eyes.
"What? How? Why would he do that? They guide you to your aim. They're guides! They can't be evil nor can they be interrogated." Walsh appeared truly baffled.
"We used a truth spell and he showed his true intentions and ergo your intentions. Emma, I've had enough of this joker."
"Wait." Emma relaxed her hand again. "What do you mean 'how'?" She queried. "And superpower, remember."
"No. Fireball. Remember that. "Regina punctuated the threat, not willing to leave it to chance.
"You can't trick a riddler. They're creatures of honour." He articulated, trying to explain. "They need to be respected. I thought you'd know that. You're two of the most powerful beings in the world! He'll never come back now!" Walsh let his frustration slip as Regina stepped forward, unappreciative of the implication. He swiftly raised his hands in defence, biting his lip. "What I mean is you can't force answers out of them. It defeats their purpose."
"So we walk into a trap because a yappy, well-dressed quadruped makes us? Emma are you seriously entertaining listening to any more of this man's bullshit?"
Regina's frustration was growing but as was Emma's doubt.
"The passage, Regina. The riddlers. As I said before, they aren't meant to be enemies." She replied quietly, already lacing her words with defence knowing she was about to need it. Regina's eyes widened in disbelief.
Walsh could see that Emma was wavering and caught her eye contact again.
"Without getting you caught I couldn't free you." He insisted. "I may not be under her spell but I've been trapped in this building ever since she returned. It's not even my old lair in the emerald palace! She may now have your magic but it started with ours. It's taken this long for us to get a message to you through Glinda."
Emma flashed a look to Regina who was fixed on examining Walsh's face for weaknesses. "The chant." He continued. "She protected this place but now you are within the walls with it and the cup...you can set the magic free and defeat her."
"We set our magic free we're still stuck at the mercy of Oz magic. How will that help us defeat her?" Emma pushed, trying to convince her conflicted mind one way or another.
"Because you are not the only ones whose magic is in that cone. As I say, the powerful witches of Oz; all of our magical saviours have been rendered defenceless. They will form a force she cannot reckon with but only you have the power to free it."
"And how do we know you're not a puppet of hers still?" Regina challenged.
"Because when has she ever backed down from fighting you directly?" Walsh pointed out, both of them knowing in their gut that was true.
Taking a deep breath Emma slowly put down the sword.
"Emma..." Regina warned, knowing where this could be leading.
"What do we have to do?" She gave him a further chance. "No riddles. Why and how."
"Emma!" Regina spat more furiously but the sheriff ignored her, as did Walsh.
"The chant means 'Keeper. Free the power. Call the magic. Give it to the people'. The Keeper commands the person in control of the vessel. It forces them to unlock the magic from its prison."
Emma looked to Regina who shook her head gently.
"How does that work?"
"It contains water of obligation. By using your names you are making yourselves do it. Forcing yourselves to do something you can only do with greater power. You gain power you wouldn't otherwise possess. Don't you see? The water gives you ability!"
"So it doesn't just force you to speak?" Emma asked.
Walsh looked bemused. "What would be the point of that? Why would people covet anything other than to give themselves great power? Why else would we in Oz want it to be protected from Zelena?"
Emma bit her lip. Seeing her wavering once more, Walsh tried again to catch her gaze. "Emma. Look into my eyes. I'm not lying to you. With this cup you have the power to make Zelena relinquish everything."
She studied his face. Every part of her knew he wasn't lying. It wasn't because of any past attraction nor because of the sense of what he was saying but because she could see the desperation in his eyes. This man had been badly burnt. Changed, morphed and tortured and his eyes betrayed his desire to prevent the person who had done it to him from ever doing it again.
"Take your time to decide, but she'll already have worked out you escaped and she knows every hidden spot in this place. She will send the guards here soon enough."
Emma turned again to Regina who instantly met her with a glare of disbelief. "You have got to be kidding me..." She warned as Emma tipped her head.
"I think we need to do it." She whispered as Regina harshly grabbed her arm with her free hand and tugged her away from Walsh.
"Swan, you trust me to tell you when you are being stupid. Right now, this is incredibly stupid." She spat through a hushed but punishing tone.
"I know him Regina. He may have been a spy but -"
"He was the right hand man of my arch enemy who tricked you into falling for him and then tried to toss you off a building!"
"He was under a spell! You know Zelena's power."
"And I also know how good bad people are at manipulating good people into thinking we're on your side! For crying out loud I adopted your mother just to have a chance to curse her entire family!"
"And we're on a mission together where you have frequently tried to save my life. How is learning to trust you any different from learning to trust him?" Emma challenged, her tone becoming more vociferous.
"Because we have been to hell and back together. Literally!" Regina was becoming incensed. "Emma, if you have ever had an ounce of respect for my experience then listen to me: do not trust this just because he tells a good story."
Emma looked to Walsh and back to Regina's pleading and furious eyes.
She was completely torn.
"I really think I'd know if he's lying." She insisted, more trying to convince herself.
"You nearly married the man...while he was a monkey! Call me paranoid but I'm not sure I trust your judgement on this one..."
"Then why don't we use the cup?" She suggested through gritted teeth as Regina looked back and forth between them as Emma grew more desperate. "What other options do we have? Wait for Zelena to come find us? She will have a plan, you know it. What harm-"
"Do not end that sentence, Swan." Regina ordered. "It's the prelude to every major harm that could possibly be done."
Knowing there was nothing more she could say, Emma tried to urge with her eyes instead. They stayed in deadlock for a few moments before Regina finally shook her head.
"If you are wrong about this..."
"I'll never hear the end of it. I know."
"I wish that was the worst that could happen." Regina muttered as Emma reached into her jacket pocket, finding it empty.
"They must have taken my pad." She sighed as Walsh pointed to the desk behind. On it were some thick sheets of blank parchment. She gave him a warning look and made her way across, getting her pen out to write her command.
"Need the chant again?" Walsh asked as Regina re-flashed her fireball and he stepped back against the wall silently.
"I remember it." Emma lied, relieved he believed that was what they were doing.
Emma returned to her position in front of Walsh with her sword, handing the sheet to Regina who was now free to apply the liquid.
"You better not let me down." She whispered to him as Regina pulled out the cup at the other end of the room. Keeping her back turned she took the sheet and sprinkled the water on top before tapping her foot.
Emma was about to ask before her voice dropped down, a memory of something creeping up on her.
"Glinda's message said "them"..." her eyes narrowed in confusion and she looked at Walsh in fear. "If it was Zelena why would she not say Zelena..."
"Because she wasn't referring to Zelena..." Walsh's eyes popped wider with glee even though he knew it had been a confession. "Is that a waste of your question I have to answer? You can ask me another if you like..."
"Emma...?" Regina asked warily, sensing something was wrong. Emma's eyes expanded, a knot growing in her throat.
"I think we just made a mistake..." She whispered back, barely audible.
"That could be a question too..." He replied. "You can ask another but you may not have long. The water will filter through to the other side of the parchment any moment now.
"What do you mean?" Emma asked desperately as his grin grew.
"You'll see..." He started before there was a crack and a bright light that made Emma fly back. Regina quickly flared up a fireball and threw it but it was suddenly the only light in the room as they were suddenly surrounded by darkness.
"Regina..." Emma yelled, knowing the sensation she was feeling. "Try not to sp-...Haldjal. Friálsas vauld..." They both began to chant unable to stop as they lost control of the words coming out of their mouths. "Hrinjdu í gaiduar. Gejfa þakðs til fóiksinjur."The two of them tried to fight it as Regina lit up another fireball for light and turned the paper she had grabbed over. On the back of the paper she had written on, the now familiar symbols they had first seen scrawled by the riddler were glowing bright. As the last syllable came out there was a swirling wind around them followed by a cackling laughter. Regina's bag exploded as the cup glowed and shook in the air. With a crash the door flung open with an almighty blast and an object they both recognised from a dream flew in to collide with it.
