The Apprentice

The words Final Battle weighed on her. Emma tried not to dwell on the unknown; especially now that she found her parents. Emma Swan was a skeptic when she was seventeen and was thrown into a land with fairytale characters and magic. It was hard to wrap her mind around at first that fairytales were real but the actual stories she knew were wrong. Now that Emma is a full believer in all things fairytale and magic with her pirate husband, it is still hard to comprehend that her parents are Snow White and Prince Charming (Emma always thought that Prince Charming was Cinderella's prince, but his name is Thomas).

Emma and Killian went with her parents to their kingdom to make good on her promise. Emma repaired the castle with her magic. After the reconstruction was complete, Emma and Killian got a tour of the castle.

The Nursery was still, for the most part, intact. It wasn't any nursery it was meant to be her's. After seeing the room, she knew they loved her and that she was wanted. Snow was a bigger carrier of Hope that Emma was; because of that, a ball was planned. Emma and Killian protested because they just got back, but Snow used a well thought out hope speech.

"We do the ball because we just got back. It will show everyone there is nothing to be afraid of. Regina, George, Cora, and Rumplestiltskin are nothing to be scared of. Plus it will give us the opportunity to introduce you as both the Light Queen of Cygnus who defeated Cora and our daughter who is the Savior of the Dark Curse. The ball will give everyone Hope." Snow said with a huge smile. Yes, the villains were taken care of, but there was still the threat of the Final Battle looming over Emma.

"Fine. Fine. You make a good point. I guess it would be nice to meet some other people. But Elsa of Arendelle, her sister and brother-in-law must be invited; they are close friends and the only kingdom I have trade relations with." Emma said; she was excited to Elsa and Anna again it had been a few years since she last saw them. "Sn... Mom." That got Snow's attention. "What am I going to do with this Final Battle. Did the Dark One say anything about what would happen during it." Snow shook her head.

"No, he didn't. But who knows it might not come to pass because I don't think he predicted you coming to the Enchanted Forest." Snow said trying to reassure Emma.

"Emma. Snow is right. If it makes you feel better, there may be someone who can help." Lancelot said, and Emma nodded for him to continue. "I am sure you have heard of Merlin. No one has seen his centuries, but he does have an Apprentice that used to live on the Edge of the Enchanted Forest; which is at most a two days journey from here. Since everyone is back from the curse, it is possible he is back. He may have some answers." Lancelot finished, and Emma gave him a bear hug.

"Thank you. I am going to go tell Killian." Emma said running out of the room on the hunt for Killian. When she found him, she told him about the Apprentice. The decision to leave that day. Emma needed to know what evil was going to interfere with her happiness.

CSCS

Two days later; Emma and Killian were at the Edge of the Enchanted Forest. They stood in front of a small cabin; which was difficult to find since it was hidden in the woods. Emma was about to knock when the door swung open. There was an older man with a white beard standing in the door frame.

"I was waiting for the two of you; please come in." That was creepy but, Emma and Killian needed answers, so they went into the cabin.

"You're the Apprentice?" Killian questioned, but it was fairly evident that he was someone important.

"That I am and you two are Killian Jones and Emma Jones."

"What is the Final Battle? What evil is going to strike the Enchanted Forest?" Emma asked.

"The Dark One's prophecy was true, there was going to be a Final Battle, but even prophecies change; the future is never set in stone. The Final Battle would have tested your belief in magic; though I am not sure how it would have played out." Emma and Killian were both surprised by this. But the man continued. "Originally it would have taken you longer to believe everything was real and the Final Battle would be your test, but that changed when you landed here a decade ago and started to believe not only in magic but yourself. But, your other job as the Savior was to bring back everyone's happy endings."

"I did that didn't I. I mean everyone is back," Emma stated.

"You did. Even Regina and the Dark One are happy in the Land Without Magic otherwise they would have come back it was their choice to stay. There is only one person who hasn't gotten their happy ending." The Apprentice said.

"Who is it? Killian asked.

"Cora. She is the only one who is unhappy because she is heartless." The man said matter-of-factly.

"I mean I knew she didn't have her heart in her chest, Killian told me that, but how could I make her happy?" Emma questioned but also didn't want the answer.

"Cora ripped out her heart before she married Regina's father, so technically she has never truly loved her daughter. If you received her heart and gave it back to her, you can also give her the opportunity to start her life over in the Land Without Magic."

"But wouldn't that just be banishing her to another realm?" It was Killian's turn to question the man.

"No, It would be her choice to go. If she did, Cora would be able to start her life over in a place where no one knew her and if she wanted she could try to mend her relationship with her daughter." Killian and Emma were considering, but the man continued to speak. "You wouldn't have to worry about her magic because the town Regina created with her curse is now real but doesn't have any magic properties to it, plus you can keep the handy cuff on her wrist if you choose to. You would be helping Cora and possibly Regina; all while getting rid of all currently known evil. I may also be able to mend the prophecy so that helping Cora is your Final Battle." The man said, and that was all Emma needed.

"So if I give Cora her heart back and get her to agree to go to a different realm I would complete the task of the Final Battle?" The man simply nodded.

"But this will not be the end of all evil. There will be more, but you can complete the task of the Final Battle by helping Cora."

"Where is Cora's heart? And how would we get her to the Land Without Magic?" Killian asked.

"I can open the door to the realm, I have done it before for a woman looking for her magical sister. I can get Cora to the land, as for her heart, it is currently in Wonderland."

"Bloody hell! Wonderland!" Killian yelled, but Emma didn't hear she was more focused on the apprentice's use of the words 'magical sister' the words made her think of Ingrid.

"What was the woman's name that you sent to the other realm?" Emma had to know, so she questioned it.

"Her name was Ingrid."

"Could you bring her back? She might be able to find happiness here, I knew her." The apprentice simply nodded.

"Okay. I... We will deal with Cora if you can get Ingrid back." Then what Killian said sunk in. "We have to go to WONDERLAND!" And he nodded. Emma looked at Killian, and he nodded too. She didn't want to waste time; Emma wrote a quick letter to her parents and Robin explaining that they would be back as soon as possible. Emma handed the note over to the man so he could deliver it. The man nodded, he picked up a wand and a looking glass appeared. Killian and Emma grabbed hands and walked through the looking glass into the realm known as Wonderland.