Chapter Twelve
Goodness is a Thin Veil
Merida rubbed her tired eyes. She had found no more insight into her missing family members in the libraries of the Sorcerer's Mansion -but suddenly research did not seem so important. Suddenly she sensed what was important was right there in her dream catcher of memories. She called on Maleficent again, the fearsome sorceress who had helped her with magical inquiries-with more experience and insight than Belle.
Maleficent came downstairs and kindly waved her hand to make Merida's dream catcher shine with magic again. She was glad to help someone who had helped her daughter in Camelot. The dream catcher full of Lily's memories had been a tremendous gift- Maleficent had seen through Lily's eyes, as she had traveled about and asked if there were others like her, and even made a formal inquiry with the king. In her missing memories, Lily had kept her distance from the heroes, heard King Arthur's malice toward dragons and monsters- and befriended a few outsiders and lower members of the court, who had stories to share about the paranormal. Including Merida and Lancelot. Lancelot had revealed himself as the shape-shifting monster Leviathan, and he and Lily had flown together, swam together, and shared dragon meals together, while his old cellmate from Camelot's dungeon, Princess Merida of Dun'Broch, had shared with them her people's dragon lore.
Now Merida looked pensively at her memories of those days, rushing by. She had the knowledge and the clarity at last- her mother and three brothers were safe back at home! And- King Arthur had admitted to killing her father, in a battle long ago! She knew what she had to do. She picked up her bow and rushed out of the Sorcerer's Mansion, to hunt down Arthur.
Guinevere stopped the planning meeting with Arthur and his Knights, at a picnic table outside town hall- suddenly blinking, confused. She was caught up in a whirl of memories. Arthur was the man who had ignored her for years, researching spells and going on quests for strange magical treasures, and now she could see him as he was, not as the love-struck idealist that had once courted her. She was no longer fixed on seeing him as he used to be. Guinevere addressed the ten knights who loyally awaited her directions:
"Gawain! Bors! Kay! Tristan! Do you see what he's doing? Galahad! Lamorak! Gareth! Our king... is just power hungry, he doesn't want to get us all high positions in Storybrooke- for any reason other than- to use us! He uses us to bolster his own power!"
The knights nodded and stared Arthur down. "All for one…" began Gawain, Arthur's cousin, the knight who was closest to him. He could not finish with "one for all."
Arthur recognized that the solution to his fractured fairy tale life was wearing off. "Where's Merlin?" everyone wanted to know. Arthur took off, feeling guilty and unable to answer that. He cursed the Dark One as he ran to the woods- for the Dark One had apparently made good on his promise.
Guinevere ran indoors, in her plain red dress and black Stiletto boots, to where Princess Snow had been blithely reviewing city ordinance proposals. Snow paused with a paper in her hand, looking about, disturbed.
"Snow White! We cannot ignore our memories any longer!" Guinevere proclaimed. "The Dark One is here-under your rule- and he and Arthur seek to make Excalibur whole! Do you know what that means?"
"Yes… yes I do." She stood slowly as the weight of her memories from Camelot really hit her. "Just a few weeks ago, Charming and I tried to install you as Camelot's queen and ruler, to prevent such a crisis."
Guinevere bowed her head. "My apologies, your majesty " She regretted betraying Snow and Charming back then- but she had been tricked with magic, somehow. A typical thing for her husband to do.
They heard the prince shouting from the street. He was waving widely to Snow from the window of her old station wagon, infant car seat ready in the back. "Come on, get in!" he called. "Grumpy said big news-at the docks!"
Their old friend Grumpy had sails hoisted and his little boat ready. Regina met them and reluctantly boarded with Guinevere and Snow, uneasy about how crowded the sailboat was- but they had to get a closer look at what was happening on the deck of the Jolly Roger. Emma, their savior, had been there, talking to herself- but her image faded away and a hairier, wilder Captain Jones could be seen, muttering and gesturing grandly.
A punch was thrown- one Dark One attacked another, and Killian Jones' host body acted this out. He could be seen hitting and throwing himself, while he perceived strong, wiry Dark Emma fighting solid, overconfident Nimue. They were having a terrific battle over what Killian should do.
"There's been quite enough, of us trying to pacify your family!" Nimue said to Emma. "They don't even like Hook anyway!"
"Stop beating yourself up over this!" Emma shouted to Hook exasperatedly, as she dodged a blow and a kick from Nimue. "We can still have a good life, here in Storybrooke!" She grabbed Nimue by her shirt collar and robe, lifted her up and tried to throw her overboard. "The Dark Ones want to snuff out light magic- honey, it can wait!"
"You expect him to wait- for your grandchildren to have children?" Nimue asked.
The water darkened as it got choppier. A storm was rolling in.
"End the charade, Hook!" Nimue shouted, and broke away from her struggle with Emma. She was out of breath and her neatly braided brown hair was starting to fray- but she was still winning.
"I-I hate you, Emma," Killian grumbled, letting himself exhale with those surprising words. "You were just- a pretty blonde distraction who led me away from my revenge! And I followed like a pathetic puppy dog. Now- no closer to having a good life with you. We can't even really touch!" He reached for her hands- but without focused Dark One magic, she was no longer solid. Her outstretched hands, her dispirited face, were just visions.
Killian could be seen staggering backwards with despair, as the heroes on Grumpy 's boat neared the side of the Jolly Roger. They had seen him hitting and kicking himself, and heard the strangest things- now he was going on about how Nimue was right.
"Nimue?" Guinevere asked Snow and Regina, who shook their heads in confusion. Perhaps this was another missing piece of a great puzzle. "I have heard that name before," she said. "It was one of the secrets that Merlin revealed to Arthur. This Dark One knows the secret too!" She got ready to confront the Dark One, as she had once before, before any of the Curses that had stopped time in Camelot. She would get to the heart of this. Guinevere leapt from the sailboat to grab the ropes holding a lifeboat to the side of the ship- she held tight and started climbing up the side, to the poop deck.
Regina used her magic to bring her and Snow White aboard. They were not greeted by a raving mad sorcerer-pirate- but by a lonely man hunkered down at the bough, who was staring at the Dagger of Kris. He just gave them a nod over his shoulder and didn't look up.
Killian, ravaged by the love that roiled into hate within him, slowly brought the dagger's point to his heart- he didn't care who witnessed his escape. Nimue was stopping him, with her strong arms holding his still.
"This won't work," she shamed him. " This will just send us back to the Dark Vault, and who knows where it opens to now… now that the Enchanted Forest is likely gone!" She butted her head against his to stop his stubborn suicide attempt.
The dark hearted man fell against the railing by the bough, passing out from the effort of resisting all the Dark Ones. Thunder clapped and lightning struck the cliffs in view; the wind whipped about the hair of the heroes who approached him, as rain was moving in. Snow White spied the dagger in his limp grip-the dagger that read Killian Jones! She slowly edged near him, crouching, reaching carefully for its black handle.
Regina prepared to defend them all with magic, should the pirate wake. But if Snow could get that dagger… the threat of the Dark One would be under control!
At the mayoral mansion, Henry was fixing a snack for him and Violet- and Nicodemus, who had graciously carried them here. The doorbell rang and Henry Mills was shocked to see the piercing Dark-lidded eyes and big red lips of Maleficent through the peephole. "My mom's… not here," he said, opening the door- and she easily let herself in in.
"No matter, dear... I need your help, Henry." She showed him a surreal looking mushroom that had been in her blazer pocket. "It turns out the Crimson Crown… will not speak to just anyone. It will establish communication between two people who have already chosen each other. The Sorcerer and his Apprentice… who, unfortunately, is dead… or the Sorcerer and his Author. You." Maleficent walked briskly to the kitchen and pulled out a large steel pot.
"My mom doesn't do potions in the house…" Henry objected.
He spoke softly to Violet, "Don't worry, she's a friend, " and gulped.
"Desperate times, child," Maleficent answered him, and in a flash the pot was bubbling up some magical substance, green steam rising. A section of the large red and white mushroom was tossed in- and as the steam turned gray, Henry came over to peer in.
"Whatever magic separates us from Merlin… you should be able to see through that boundary, Henry!" Maleficent said, folding her arms and Stepping back.
His curiosity drew him to look for Merlin in the steam. Faintly- a man's profile could be seen. Head of short, curly hair, shoulders draped with an old robe and cape. Faintly, he heard a young, worried voice say, "Oh no, the Dark One is coming!"
As Henry stared at this image, he saw Merlin come into focus- again and again he looked into Henry's eyes and then turned to look over his shoulder abruptly. Merlin's image-or soul, or whatever this was- he was stuck in a loop. "You must find Nimue! -Oh no, the Dark One is coming!"
"Whoa. I don't… know what this means," Henry said, relaying Merlin's message to Maleficent and Violet.
"It means this town needs to wake up and find out who Nimue is!" The house shook with thunder in the storm. Maleficent looked between the two youths-it seemed they had woken up from their stupor of the past several days.
Henry watched the echo of Merlin's message again, spying a hill and an altar behind him- and yes, a figure was coming up the hill for Merlin.
"You must find Nimue! -Oh no, the Dark One is coming!"
He called his mother's phone- no answer. He wasn't able to get through to either grandmother- but his grandfather answered, saying, "Stay where it's safe Henry! Your mom and Snow are going after the Dark One!" His baby was screaming in the background.
"Grandpa, I found out -Nimue is the key!" Henry was good at finding keys, but he wished there was more he could do- about what was behind them.
Wind, waves and blinding rain were making the deck of the Jolly Roger impassable. By the time Snow White reached the incapacitated Dark One, he was stirring- subconsciously gripping his dagger tight. The voice of his girlfriend roused him, whispering that he must get up- they were coming!
When Killian's eyes opened, he saw Snow White through the sheets of rain- and he sensed she wasn't alone. The heroes were very prompt in coming for his blades of power! He jumped up and grabbed the arm that had reached for his dagger, twisting it. Regina transported right next to them in an instant, but there was nothing she could do. Killian made sure of it- with magical shackles he conjured up that would limit her abilities.
Sopping wet Guinevere, Regina and Snow were transported to a daybed in the Captain's quarters, so Killian could glare at them, the witnesses to his work.
"So you came for the show, eh?" he asked eerily, getting out dry clothes, including a red trench coat and three-corner hat from a closet. He put on the outerwear of the ship's previous Captain, then said, as he locked the door to the little cabin, "It's just beginning. Sit tight- dearies."
With a poof of smoke, Killian Jones returned to the cave under his house. He tilted his hat and snapped his fingers- Rumpelstiltskin appeared before him, looking healthier than the last time they faced off in this cavern, but just as contemptuous.
"Dark One… you're really filling out your role," Rumpelstiltskin said through clenched teeth. The man who had abducted him had a pirate's hat and dusty old coat with tails, shirt buttons loose to reveal his reptilian scales, and longer black whiskers than ever- he was letting his freak flag fly at last.
"Pick. It. Up." Killian gestured exaggeratedly towards Excalibur. His prey would not resist the urge to attack him again with one of the only weapons that could hurt him. Once the lowly Crocodile grabbed the sword, Killian brought them both back to his ship's cabin.
Rumpelstiltskin was caught off guard- and stumbled over to the daybed to sit with the local matriarchs. Magical ropes leapt up from the floor and bound them all; they couldn't move, and due to her shackles, Regina couldn't conjure.
"You wanted to control me?" Killian accused Snow. "And not just in the way you control everyone else- by giving them hope, as long as they're good!" He pointed the Dark One dagger at Rumpelstiltskin, who quivered with anger as he struggled to raise up Excalibur. "You- you wanted to kill me? With that? Too bad heroes don't kill!"
The hand that Rumpelstiltskin once took from him, the healthy, regenerated hand that bore no rings, reached for Excalibur. It grew blue-green and gold scales and claws as it merged with Nimue ' s greedy hand-it shook as it eagerly grasped the hilt. Killian and Nimue were one! Together they wrested the sword of the stone away from the former Dark One they hated.
The vision of Emma, of course, had something to say. "Honey, please… don't do anything with Excalibur! Long ago Merlin appeared to me- and told me not to pull that sword from the stone, no matter what! It ought to stay safe in our basement, locked down in our cave..." She protested though she knew it was too late.
Killian said out of the corner of his mouth, "Shut up Emma. What will shut you up? The only way I can hurt you now- is to hurt everyone you care about!" Killian held up the two blades. "Merlin told us to believe in our future, and summon the original fire!"
Guinevere, Snow, Rumpelstiltskin and Regina gave each other confused looks.
Regina boldly asked, "Last time we saw Excalibur, Merlin s magic was tethered to it... His very soul was tethered to it. ... Where's Merlin?"
The crazed Captain turned away from them, and conjured an anvil next to his desk. "We don't have a future… I don't have a future. ... unless the Dark Ones are finally freed!" He muttered.
"Where's Merlin?" Snow asked.
Killian growled, "We killed him! With him and Emma gone, and the apprentice dead, there is only one wielder of light magic left in this town. " He nodded towards Regina and made her magical shackles tighten so she would wince in pain.
The rain was easing up, but the ambient lighting from the windows was still fading. Killian lit a couple oil lamps and set Excalibur's two halves on his anvil. Suddenly he felt crowded. The Dark Ones in his Head were innumerable, filling the ship's little cabin, all of them cheering.
"Nimue," Killian breathed, and she stepped forward from the crowd of hooded figures as summoned. She pulled out the stone box that held an ancient ember, and Killian made it burst into flame with his gaze- the flame hopped to his scaly hand gracefully.
"Don't do this!" Guinevere cried. "Whoever Nimue is- whatever she wants- her secrets are for the person worthy of Excalibur! Not… you!"
"What is this person going to do about it?" Killian whirled the flame around and threw it into his fireplace. "If I had a hammer…" He began to sing, as his fireplace roared. The other Dark Ones took up singing the old folk song.
He grinned at Rumpelstiltskin. "How about one appropriate for the occasion?" Killian conjured a particular hammer he had seen in Mr. Gold's pawnshop before, the decorated hammer of Hephaestus. "Now anyone can hammer this back together, whether they have magic or not. Who wants a turn? Ladies? Don't hold back now, jump right in!"
Rumpelstiltskin and the ladies no longer struggled against the ropes; they just glared at him. Instead the different visions of Dark Ones took turns at his side, helping him hold still the heated blades with tongs and strike them on the anvil.
Even Emma was by his side, for she could not stop him. "Merlin warned against this," she said somberly. "But you and me- we can deal with those warnings… If any Dark One has to do this, it's best that it's you and me. I am the Dark One who can steer towards the light…"
The ships rocking subsided as the waves calmed. The work was done; the long, elegantly beveled sword was whole. Its decorative engraved flowers by the base were unchanged; the scrawled name of the Dark One at its end was unchanged; the wavy, unusual tip was gleaming, as sharp as ever. The Dark Ones shouted and cheered as Killian cooled the sword in a basin of water, and held it up triumphantly in the cabin full of steam.
"Now what happens?" The heroes asked themselves worriedly.
Killian crouched down by the daybed and stroked his growing mustache. "Now you all go live your last days. I killed Merlin... to cast the curse that would bring you all back to your precious Storybrooke. Cherish it, while you can."
Suddenly they were transported to Grumpy's weathered boat. It docked in calm waters, and the heroes rushed home to break the news. The world was about to change, at the mercy of the Dark One- and Emma had not come back to save them.