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-FantasyWriterFoSho
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Summary of the Previous Chapter: Emma was miraculously healed through True Love's Kiss, despite the details of the curse or the failure of their first one, and were saved from Gold's wrath by Elsa and the Snow Queen; however, looks can be deceiving...
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Chapter Twenty-Three: Revelations
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11:50PM -Destroyed Ice Fortress; Deep in the Forest
As soon as her teleporting cloud dissipated, the Snow Queen allowed Emma and Killian to get to their feet before paralyzing their bodies.
Eyes focused on her former home, she briefly thought about rebuilding it; however she quickly dismissed the idea when she took into consideration how much magic she would need in order to reconstruct it, especially since it was destroyed with powerful magic.
I never thought that after I visited Rumple, then checked in on the town's jittery anticipation, that coming back here would be my last time inside of it…
Emma, she then thought, recalling the trance she had placed her under. Don't worry, we'll build a new home. You, me and Elsa...
Staring off into the distance, the Snow Queen absentmindedly waved a finger, illuminating the dark space around them with wisps of iridescent balls of light, while the urn she left out continued to float and bob alongside her.
Turning to look at the pair she had brought with her, she considered them for a moment before snapping some fingers, releasing the two from her spell.
Breathing heavily, Emma once again recovered first. Scrambling to her feet, she protectively pushed Killian behind her and glared at the Snow Queen, who continued to mull them over. Not liking what she was doing, Killian responded by swiftly grabbing one of Emma's arms and firmly pulling her back, not stopping until she stood flush against his chest.
"What did you do to my parents, Belle and Regina?" Emma immediately asked, concern bubbling up inside of her. "What did you use on them?"
The Snow Queen again said nothing.
Glimpsing around, Emma's heart skipped. "I don't know why you brought us here but what I do know is that you're going to release us and those you trapped inside of that urn." Using her free hand, she pointed at the object that was floating beside her. "And you're going to do it now."
The Snow Queen then tilted her head and smiled. "To answer your question of what I did back at that decrepit house," she began, ignoring Emma's demands. "I used my original plan on them. I used the mirror."
Emma immediately went numb.
"Not in the way I used it on you," she continued, sensing the younger woman's fears. "The relic was destroyed beyond the means of my magic but I managed to find a big enough piece to utilize. Scaling down my targets, I selected meaningful individuals to still get what I desire..."
"The town's magic?" Emma answered, seeing the truth in the Snow Queen's eyes and remembering what she had said before.
"Yes," she replied, a bolder smile now widening the lower half of her face. "This spell is powerful. It has the ability to turn one against the other by using their fears, anger, past history, etc. and judging by the complicated relationships inside of that room...they're probably tearing each other apart right now, or, at the very least, having a screaming match..."
"Bloody hell," Killian breathed behind Emma, his grip slightly tightening on her arm.
"A truer expression has never been uttered for this situation, Captain," the Snow Queen agreed with a smirk. "But, despite the hell that's going to be unleashed there, I'll sadly only get a fraction of Storybrooke's magic..."
"What do you mean?" Killian bit out angrily.
"I guess it's time for a history lesson about this realm," the Snow Queen began, gesturing around her. "Storybrook is a unique place and it's all thanks to that curse Regina first cast. Though it was meant to be a place without magic, the town was created with powerful magical properties that were unleashed once the spell was broken by the Savior," she paused, nodding over at a listening Emma. "Because of that, there's untapped potential in this place. Storybrooke is a hotbed of energy and through my spell, I would've been able to harness all of said magical properties when the inhabitants destroyed themselves, but due to unhappy circumstances, I'll be only able to collect some of it, which is shame because this would've been much more devastating than when it had been used the first time..."
Though she could see that she was telling the truth, Emma still questioned the validity of her words. She had never heard of any of this before, whether from Gold or Regina, and found it difficult to believe that a newcomer would know more about it than those two. "If you're not lying," she said, carefully reading her expressions and body language. "Then tell me how hitting only four people would get you a good chunk of the town's 'magical properties'?"
"I struck four important people," the Snow Queen answered easily. "The spell's castor: Regina; the reason for the curse: your parents and the imp's true love: Belle. Though, I will admit that the latter was a new target. I had originally planned on using Rumple but things changed when I decided to trap him inside of the urn instead, but fear not, his wife will be just as effective."
When they gave her nothing but horrified expressions, she continued with a smile. "It is lucky for me that those I've selected don't have to possess magic in order to make this place special. They just need to have significant ties to it which will ensure the magic's potency and endurance. So, you see...I chose them for a reason..."
"Because after they destroy themselves," Emma breathed, piecing it together. "You'll be able to collect some of the powerful magic through them…?"
"Now, you're catching on," the Snow Queen said with a nod.
"But if that's true," Emma began, narrowing her eyes. "And it could be, why haven't other people tried to do what you're doing?"
"That's another fortunate circumstance," she answered with a shrug. "It's still hidden from the rest of the world and other realms. You see, during my short time here, I've done my research by studying everything pertaining to this very moment. Besides, if this knowledge was well circulated, don't you think that Storybrooke would be attacked more?"
"She has a point there," Killian whispered, so that only Emma could hear him, but she was too busy trying to process everything she had been told.
This is crazy, she thought, looking down for a second. She hasn't lied this entire time.
Then, remembering something that seemed a lifetime ago, she resumed eye contact. "Since you're in a mood of being truthful," she said, taking a step forward. "You mentioned something about a prophecy..."
"I did," the other woman confirmed. "I also said that you weren't ready to hear it then...do you think you are now?"
"Tell me."
The Snow Queen clasped her hands in front of her. Seeing that she did appear to be willing, perhaps even eager, to accept the truth, she told her the root to everything she has done. "It spoke of me gaining somebody else like me. An equal. We'll be bonded through magic and sisterhood..."
Emma's eyes widened. "And you think that's me?"
"I know it's you," she affirmed. "The prophecy beared your name."
Again, she's telling the truth…
"What about Elsa? Or Anna?" Emma asked, shaking her head. "You're their aunt. Why would you be so concerned with a prophecy when you already have them as a family?"
The Snow Queen's face turned serious. "I want a family who will completely understand me. Who won't shun me. Elsa is acceptable. Anna is not. She possesses no abilities." She then slightly turned her head away. "...and I won't go through that again..."
Hearing her, Emma raised a brow but didn't comment on it. "So, basically...you want me and Elsa to be your...sisters…?"
"You are my sisters," she corrected, turning back to look at her. "It's fated. We three are family. I plan on using the town's magic to strengthen us as well as to make it up to you. Had it not been for the curse, which resulted in this place...you never would've been abandoned..."
Not liking what was happening, Killian reacted by taking a step away, which also pulled Emma back with him. "There's a lot she's choosing to ignore, love," he whispered, leaning closer to her ear. "If you weren't sent here, there's a good chance you two never would've even met..."
Emma nodded her head. Licking her lips, she opened her mouth, terrified of the answer she may get to her upcoming question. "Then why did you trap her? Why did you trap Gold? What else besides this spell do you plan on doing?"
The Snow Queen raised her free hand and summoned the dagger, from its hiding spot, in a puff of light blue mist. Gripping her fingers around the hilt, she looked at it thoughtfully before returning her attention back to Emma.
"I plan on killing Rumple and becoming the new Dark One," she answered placidly, her eyes honest but ruthless. "Then, I'll act upon his idea—well our idea since he received more knowledge about the dagger from me—of ridding myself of this blade's connection forever by using that hat, which shouldn't take me too long to find. I must confess that when I trapped them, I briefly thought about using Elsa's magic to help fuel that special object, but that would just contradict everything I want for myself, so...I'll, of course, need to use some of the magical townspeople instead..."
Glancing at the stunned pair, the Snow Queen then opened her hand, revealing the remaining specks of the mirror dust.
Locking eyes with the stoic, but attentive, Killian, she gave him a smile. "Captain," she began, changing the topic. "I have a few words to say to you..."
"Aye," he replied slowly. "I'm sure you do. I have several for you as well..."
"I find you very...brave," she continued, noting how his brow instantly rose in suspicion. "You should know that I will always appreciate your willingness to do anything and everything for Emma, but—"
"How complementary of you," Killian interjected, waiting for the niceties to end.
"...But, she deserves someone better."
There it is, he thought matter-of-factly, his outward expression remaining passive.
"She deserves someone who has her best interest at heart," the Snow Queen continued, her gaze hardening. She needed him to understand that he was in Emma's way to greatness. To an actual future. Not one that was guaranteed to be full of false hope and suffering. "She's meant for great things. So, I would appreciate it if you would stop in your pursuits of her."
Killian released his hold on Emma and took a couple of steps forward. "It could be the familiar scenery of the forest or the fact that the ice cave is standing a few feet away, but this conversation sounds awfully like the one we had when Emma's mind was trapped inside of the mirror..."
"This has nothing to do with that," the Snow Queen declared, darkly. "This has to do with your—"
"This has everything to do with that," Killian interrupted menacingly. He was going to move closer but it was Emma's turn to protectively hold him back by grabbing his arm. "What you did to her with that contraption was designed to tear her character apart for your own liking. You tried to manipulate her and to downplay her strengths by showing her what you wanted her to see and that," he paused, his eyes flashing. "Makes you quite similar to the man you have locked up in that urn."
The Snow Queen's eyes first widened then settled into a fiery storm of emotions. "I would phrase your next words very carefully if I were you."
"Even that reminds me of the old crocodile," Killian remarked. "I knew you two had a deep connection but I thought that it was just business related; however," he paused when he felt Emma's grip tighten on him.
"Killian," she warned, remembering when she too had compared the Snow Queen to Gold and the reaction she had gotten from it, but he was too focused on the other woman to properly hear her.
"I think what connects you two are your traits. You're disgustingly alike in your bloody ambitions..."
"Our history has nothing to do with my relationship with Emma or Elsa."
"Even I can see that you don't really believe that," Killian replied, his eyes boring into hers.
Trying to contain her fury, the Snow Queen lashed out. "Whatever feelings you have will fade! You are nothing but a passing fancy! Nothing will come of the two of you!"
"Okay, stop!" Emma interrupted, moving to stand beside Killian. Her eyes were fierce as she began to defend their relationship. "Not that it's really any of your business but he's not just a fling! He's my boyfriend and my true love!"
Taken aback at her ferocity, the Snow Queen shook her head. Though she remembered how Killian was able to snap Emma out of the mirror's power, she refused to believe that they were destined to be. Afterall, there was a prophecy about her being her sister. They were the ones who were fated! "You want him to be, but that doesn't mean that he is."
"You didn't see what happened earlier," Emma said, referring to her lethal stab wound. "I was dying from that stupid dagger," she paused, pointing at the blade in the other woman's posession. "And he healed me. Our love healed me. It saved me from that mirror and it saved me from death." She didn't feel the need to tell her that the latter took two kisses in order for it to work, but her point was made.
Killian was her true love.
He was her soulmate, as far as she was concerned, and the fact that that notion bothered the Snow Queen showed how delusional she was.
Glancing down at Emma's stomach, where she was struck, the Snow Queen took a shocked step backwards. Lowering the hand that was holding the magical dust, she then looked over at Killian, who was regarding her heavily. Internally weighting the prophecy, her strong beliefs and how close she was to achieving her goals, she froze before quickly raising her hand back up.
Eyes leveling into slits, she snarled at him. "In that case, by her own admission, you will boost and compliment the others quite nicely now that you have a real connection to this spell as the prophesied Savior's True Love."
Panicking, Emma's right hand shot out in front of Killian to either block him from rushing forward or to push him behind her again. "Why?" she simply asked, though the question required a risky answer.
"I won't let anything come between me and my family," the Snow Queen answered fervently. "I will do whatever it takes to get it back..."
Emma's eyes narrowed, her gut once again clenching at how she had said that. Once again, it just sounded too menacing and her tone played with her superpower, but now that she had her memories back, she did understand it to some degree; however, one thing negated her empathy...
Why won't she listen to me?
"You conceited bitch," she spat, tired of trying to explain her point of view to somebody who was unwilling to hear it.
"You're a bloody fool," Killian followed, his hook now raised in a threatening manner.
A glimmer of hurt shone in the Snow Queen's eyes before she pushed it away. Raising her other hand against Emma, who copied the gesture, she pushed an abrasive burst of energy into her direction.
Trying to either brace against it or to counter it, Emma's magic quickly buckled under the sheer weight of the attack and soon found herself being hurled into a dimly lit area.
"Emma!" Killian shouted, his eyes desperately searching the place she had disappeared into.
Taking advantage of him being distracted, the Snow Queen inhaled deeply then lowered her mouth to the palm that was holding the shards.
Crying out, Emma had landed roughly on her knees and took a moment to adjust to the stinging and biting pain that was radiating up her thighs. Grunting, she exhaled loudly before pushing herself up. Making her way back to the lit area, she arrived just in time to see Killian diving out of the way of the Snow Queen's poised breath.
Emma tried to run over to her but collapsed when the adrenaline that carried her over there wore out. Falling back onto her sore knees, her eyes swerved from the Snow Queen to the urn hovering beside her, an idea popping into her head.
Elsa…
Changing targets, she then waved her hand into its direction and managed to knock the floating item down with a powerful blast.
Watching it land onto a bed of grass with a soft thud, Emma saw the lid fall open and prayed that the last person who entered it would be the first one to be released.
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