They marched Liam and Killian for several more minutes, though Liam wasn't sure how long it had actually been since they were in a very dark corridor. Finally, they jerked the two men to a halt.
"You can remove them now," Silver called out. The crew members holding Killian and Liam removed the bags covering their heads, and Killian and Liam were left blinking at the sudden brightness. They looked around at their surroundings with squinting eyes, trying to discern where they were and, if possible, how to escape it, though both brothers were shocked at where their former crew had led them. Killian and Liam were on a rocky overlook that opened to the Boiling Sea below. The other men were on the more solid cliff, and Silver was between them and Liam. Killian was a step away from Liam to his back. Two other crew members untied their arms and stepped back to join the others.
"Leave Killian out of this! He had nothing to do with it; it was my decision," Liam pleaded desperately. If he could at least make sure that Killian walked away unscathed, then the price for his perfidy would be worth paying.
"He should have gone down with the ship, same as us. As far as I'm concerned, he's guilty by association," Silver retorted, a hard look on his face.
"He didn't know!" Liam protested again weakly.
"You made a deal with the devil," Silver cut him off. "Your fates were sealed the moment you mutinied against me. Hades allowed us to die in that storm, but we wouldn't have died if it weren't for you and your mutiny," Silver sneered, clenching his hands into fists.
"If you hadn't sailed us into that bloody storm, we wouldn't have had reason to mutiny!" Killian roared. "We're not responsible for your bad decisions. The whole crew was there and witnessed your refusal to turn around and avoid it. We are not responsible for your greed."
Suddenly, a burst of fire rose up from the Boiling Sea, causing them all to flinch back. The heat was scorching, and Liam felt a palpable streak of fear at the thought that that was what he had to look forward to for all eternity. Once the fire had receded, Liam could see that Killian's words had made some of the crew think about what was happening, though it didn't appear as if anyone was going to let them go.
Silver stepped closer to Liam. "It's time for you to pay for the crimes you committed. Gentlemen, if you'll kindly step forward into the fire, we'll make this short and sweet."
"You think that revenge will right the wrongs done to you in life, but all it will do is condemn you to an afterlife of misery and torment," Killian interjected in an obvious attempt (at least to Liam) at trying to convince the other side not to fight. "It is not the ending you seek, and it won't ease your suffering here."
Silver rolled his eyes. "Oh, it'll ease my suffering," he retorted. "I've waited centuries to figure out what went wrong. Watching you two burn will make it all worth the wait."
With that, Silver moved to push Killian off the rocky precipice and into the flames, but Killian was able to sidestep away, letting Silver stumble beyond Killian, just managing to stop his momentum before he pitched off it headfirst.
Killian shook his head exasperatedly. "Pushing us into a fiery abyss is not going to get you a happily-every-after down here. All it will do is add further penance to your judgment. Take it from me. I spent centuries pursuing revenge against a wrong done to me, and it only left me with more regrets and torment from all the mistakes I made. Don't let this be your last mistake, Silver! Only forgiveness will bring you a pleasant ending now."
Silver moved closer to his crew and signaled for them to move closer in an attempt at using sheer numbers to force the two brothers into the fire. Though they seemed reluctant to Liam, they still obeyed the order. Finally, Silver turned and cast one last hard look at them.
"It's time to walk the plank," Silver simply said.
Liam watched as Killian's face fell. He stared at his brother in amazement. For all the time they had spent together, Killian had never once talked of forgiveness. Not for their father for abandoning them, not for the original captain their father had sold them to, not for Silver for his maltreatment of them after he had bought out their contracts of servitude. Killian had always said that forgiveness made a man weak, but here he was touting the virtues of it.
It suddenly struck Liam that Killian wasn't just talking about Silver and their old crew mates; he was really talking about forgiving himself. Liam had always thought that forgiveness was the mark of a true hero, and here was his younger brother stepping up to offer that olive branch to their pseudo-adversaries. Liam had never thought he'd see the day that Killian demonstrated that characteristic; he had always said it would be a cold day in Hell when Killian would propose forgiveness as a tactic.
Perhaps he didn't know his brother as well as he had thought. Liam stared at Killian, seeing before him the man his brother had grown to be. It was like looking at a whole new person, and Liam suddenly had with great clarity the thought that he had gotten everything wrong about Killian, and Emma by extension. And now they were both going to pay the price for Liam's foolish pride.
Liam stepped forward to intercept the men who were moving in closer to him and Killian. He raised his hands in supplication and said, "I'll gladly walk it. Just spare Killian, please. He has nothing to do with this."
SIlver sneered. "He should've gone down along with the ship, like the rest of us, as I said before. And now, he finally will." Silver smirked, and he moved with the rest of the crew in unison closer towards them.
Killian and Liam took a step backward, being careful not to step off the rocky overhang. The fire churned below them, seeming to feed upon a fuel source that was invisible to them as it surged higher. It was as if the flames sensed that they were there, hoping not to be taken by the flames, and the flames wanted to devour them despite their wishes.
Silver and his men continued to press forward. One step, two steps, three. Killian and Liam backed up smaller steps in response. It truly looked to Liam as if this was the end for them both. He turned to his brother to say the words that couldn't make up for all that he had done, though he hoped it would bring the two of them closure.
"I'm sorry, Killian. I wanted to be this perfect example for you… to make up for our father being such an abysmal one. I wanted to be a hero for you, to be worthy of your praise. I wanted to inspire you to be a hero, too."
Killian looked at his brother, pain, grief, and regret shining out of his eyes. "All you did was raise the bar so high, the only thing I could do was fail," Killian responded. Liam wondered if that was what plagued Killian the most now, that he thought he had failed in his endeavors to be a better man, a hero worthy of the title. From what Liam had just witnessed, Killian had more than succeeded at becoming a hero; he had exceeded all the expectations and hopes Liam had had for his brother when they were growing up.
"No more talking!" Silver shouted, an unpleasant look on his face. "Time to face justice, boys!" He laughed a maniacal laugh that some of the crew echoed, though not every one of them did.
Just as they were about to move closer to shove Killian and Liam off the rock, a bright blue light erupted behind them. They all turned and saw the light was coming from the blue flames that preceded Hades' use of magic as transportation. Sure enough, as quickly as they had come, the flames died down to reveal Hades. He glanced around at the gathered group and smirked.
"Did someone decide to have a party and forget to invite me?" Hades asked rhetorically.
Silver looked shocked to see the god standing there. "Lord… Lord Hades," he choked out before his voice failed him.
"So, what are we all doing here? Huh? This is an odd place to meet, isn't it?" Hades reached out to straighten Silver's collar.
"We… we were just…" Silver started, his voice failing him again.
"I mean, this is a place for judgment, but I haven't ordered for any of you to be Judged." Hades turned and glanced over the crew members, who said nothing, before turning to look at Liam and Killian Jones. "Who gave the orders for this?"
"No one gave us any orders, my Lord," Silver answered after gulping nervously.
"No one gave you any orders," Hades parroted, placing his hands in his pockets. "Then why would you take judgment into your own hands?" Hades grasped his chin in mock thought. "Oh! I bet this is for the mutiny attempt that resulted in your deaths, is it not?"
No one responded. "Is that true, Captain Silver?" Hades pressed.
Silver nodded once. "They should pay for what they did," he responded, feeling slightly bolder since Hades hadn't done anything to him for bringing the Jones brothers to this place without permission from the god.
"I see," Hades said simply. "And why is that?"
Silver blinked. "Because… because I nor none of my crew would have died, my Lord. We'd have been able to continue with our lives if not for their treachery. They were the ones who cost me my happy ending in life. Without their actions, we might have been able to recover the Eye of the Storm, and we would have all been very rich men, able to live out the rest of our days in comfort!"
Silver's tone grew more and more indignant as he carried on, and Liam had a sinking feeling that that tone was going to cost him dearly. He watched as Hades tilted his head one way and then another in exaggerated consideration for Silver's words. Silver, getting caught up in his emotions, didn't realize how dangerous the situation was.
"Oh, but you see, the Jones brothers had nothing to do with your deaths," Hades interupted. "You were on borrowed time regardless. You wouldn't have made it out with the Eye of the Storm. You were fated to die."
Silver sneered. "Not if Liam Jones hadn't listened to you!"
Hades hummed. "I suppose that's true. But you can't fault him for following orders. After all, you always beat him and his brother when they didn't follow yours."
"Only when he didn't follow my orders!" Silver hissed. "And I never gave them the order to shipwreck us and drown us!"
Hades smirked. "No, that was me." Having had enough of the conversation, he blew softly in Silver's direction. The wind generated picked Silver up and tossed him off the rocky overhang on which they all still stood. Silver's eyes grew wide as he realized what was about to happen. He grasped the air uselessly, trying in vain to grasp back onto the rock to keep from falling, but it was too late.
Liam watched in horror as Silver screamed a long, "No," but none of them could intervene. The flames grew higher and higher until they had surrounded Silver's form and dragged him down into the depths of the boiling sea churning below them. The surface of the liquid flames lurched and ebbed as it swallowed Silver. Liam peered down into the depths, but it was no use. Silver couldn't be found. Liam exchanged horrified looks with Killian before they both turned back to Hades. The crew members watched with increasing fear as Hades turned his attention towards the brothers Jones.
Hades chuckled for a moment before saying, "I give the orders around here, not him. And as for the Jones brothers. One of them kept up his end of our bargain and gets to live, while the other escaped my dungeon, and for that, he has to pay. At last, we'll see the end of Captain Hook and this time, you won't be able to protect him," he addressed Liam.
Liam quickly stepped in front of Killian. "No," he stated, shaking his head. "I won't let you hurt Killian, no matter what kind of deal we made."
Hades shrugged. "Fine, have it your way. It makes no difference to me whether you join him or not." Hades blew again a breath at Liam, knocking Liam back and off the rock. Unlike Silver, Liam's flight path helped him end up just over the cliff face.
He heard Killian cry, "No," and to his astonishment, Liam saw that Killian had managed to grab his hand to keep him from falling over. The only thing keeping Liam from plunging into the depths of the roiling flames below them was Killian's hand clinging desperately to his.
"Liam, please," Killian panted. "Hang on."
Liam shook his head. "I'm sorry brother. For everything I've done. I just wanted you to have the example in your life that I never had. Can you forgive me?"
Killian blinked and shook his head in dismissal. "Yes," he breathed. "I forgive you. But that's not what's important."
Killian paused for a moment, thinking about Emma's message just before he and Liam had been dragged off, about forgiveness of yourself being the most important thing to redemption. He thought of how he had told her of his belief before he had discovered that she had turned him into a Dark One against his will that all sins could be forgiven when someone loved you. Perhaps he was right in his belief, but he finally realized that forgiveness of others meant nothing if you couldn't forgive yourself of the role you had played in others' turmoil. Emma was right all along.
"But you need to forgive yourself," Killian told to Liam, his voice straining with the effort it was costing him to hold onto his older brother for just that little bit longer.
Liam processed this and shook his head. "I can't," he stated firmly. "Not after what I did to you. Not after what I cost you. The only way to make amends is for me to pay the price. I finally understand that. This is the price for my cowardice."
"No," grunted Killian. "No. Liam!" He yelled desperately, trying to clutch his brother's hand more firmly in his, but it was too late. Liam had let go, finally understanding that the path to being a hero wasn't just giving speeches and encouraging words for others to follow. It was about walking the hard path even when it would be easier to go along with what everyone else did. It was about actually forgiving others for their transgressions against you and standing up for what was right.
It was about paying the price so that others wouldn't have to.
Liam plummeted to the flames, keeping his eyes on his brother's anguished face. He hoped Killian wouldn't blame himself for not being able to save Liam from his fate a second time. He hoped that Killian would understand that he made his sacrifice for Killian's future. He hoped that Killian would be able to return to life with Emma. He felt a brief pang of regret for leaving things the way he did with Killian's beloved. As the flames finally rose up and engulfed him, burning his flesh and his clothing, he hoped above all else that his sacrifice would enable Hades to be brought down once and for all.
Killian rose to his feet, unbeknownst to Liam, to face Hades. A look of resignation covered Killians' face, though there was a slight hint of dread at what was to come. Killian knew the misdeeds he had done, the sins he had committed. He was ready to face them, though his still heart lurched at the thought of Emma never knowing what had happened to separate them this time. As he stared at Hades, a white light began to shine, steadily growing brighter and brighter until it captured everyone's attention.
Hades and Killian turned to look. The Boiling Sea had morphed in the time it had swallowed Liam into an ocean of the bluest sea Killian had ever seen. The sky was near cloudless, with only a few white puffy clouds lazily floating past in the distance, and a beautiful brigantine bobbed in the water, her sails unfurled to catch in the breeze that was now filling the cavern.
"No," Hades breathed with a sharp exhale, suddenly as angry as Killian had ever seen him.
"What's happening?" Killian asked, turning to Hades for answers. Hades glared at him murderously, and suddenly, Killian knew that whatever this was, it was the exact opposite of what Hades had intended. Killian felt a great satisfaction come over him at Hades' angry and mildly frightened look.
"You will pay for this," Hades vowed to Killian before disappearing in the same blue flames that had signaled his arrival.
Once Hades had disappeared, Killian turned back to the ocean scene in front of them and gasped. Liam was standing in a row boat being lifted back up to safety by a plume of water. Liam looked his hands over in astonishment, for the last thing he had seen and felt was the searing pain of being burned. There were no traces of burns anywhere on his body; the fire had judged him and deemed him worthy of a more peaceful afterlife.
He looked up at Killian, who had been kneeling throughout his exchange with Hades. Liam's row boats slowly rose the rest of the way until the water was level with the cliff, lapping at its edges. Killian turned in astonishment and slowly stood.
"Liam," he said, "you're safe."
Liam smiled. "Yes. It appears I am." He chuckled, looking down at the floor of the rowboat. "I suppose this was a sacrifice I should have made long ago. Now I can finally depart from this place." He raised his head and met Killian's eyes. The boat docked itself to the ledge, steadying in the wake after a brief moment of rocking.
Killian and Liam looked back to the crew members that had been affected by Liam's decisions so long ago.
Killian looked back to his brother, finally content that this would be the last time he would see Liam. "Then go." He turned to their former crewmen. "All of you. Now that you finally know the truth, your unfinished business is complete as well," he continued, realizing only now that that was the reason they were all in this same place. Liam's refusal to accept his role as a villain in their stories was the reason why they couldn't move on, and now that Liam had accepted it, there was nothing holding them here to this part of the Underworld.
"Get on board, men." Killian knelt to study the boat so they could all embark as well. The crew moved forward hesitatingly, smiling once they realized they actually could board the rowboat with Liam. Once the last remaining crew member boarded, Killian let go and stood up from his crouched position.
Liam looked at his brother with concern. "What about you, brother? What will you do now?"
Killian shook his head. "My unfinished business isn't done yet. Not until Emma and I have defeated Hades."
Liam grimaced at the mention of his brother's lover. "Tell her I'm sorry, and I was wrong. She does want what's best for you."
Killian smiled in acknowledgement at just how true that statement was. Killian had never had someone other than Liam fight for what was best for Killian, and Liam could now recognize it. He couldn't have asked for a better partner in life for his younger brother, Liam decided, than Emma Swan.
Liam smiled at his brother. "And don't worry about reaching that bar anymore, Killian," he said firmly. "You've become a true hero in a way I never could."
Killian nodded his head, lowering his eyes bashfully at the compliment from his hero growing up.
Liam held out his hand to shake Killian's one last time. "Goodbye, younger brother."
Killian grinned broadly at Liam finally getting his title as the middle son right. "Goodbye."
They broke their handshake and Killian took a step back. The rowboat magically undocked itself and began making its journey to the brigantine in the distance, needing no one to row it. Killian stood there on the ledge, with his hand in the air, waving his goodbye to the best influence he had had in his childhood.
Liam watched his brother shrink in the distance, not wanting to take his eyes off of Killian's figure until he absolutely had to. He wondered at life's twists and turns that had resulted in him getting to this point. Though Liam had never pictured his end being like this, he couldn't help but be grateful that his fate had ended with him once again sailing the sea. Finally, once Killian had disappeared, he turned and looked at the brigantine that was looming largely ahead.
Once the rowboat had reached the ship, it docked by itself. Liam reached out to steady the lifeboat and assist the other crew members with boarding. Once every man had ascended the top ladder up the hull of the ship, he climbed it as well. Once he got to the rail, he swung his legs over, and at last, at long last, he was back on board a sailing ship. The smell of the sea air called to him. He had thought he would never again get to experience it.
Turning back one last time to the place they had come from, Liam realized that the cavern was no longer visible. Instead, only ocean could be seen as far as the eye could see. Nonplussed but convinced that it simply had to be the magic that formed the Underworld, he turned back to the first mate, a young man in his early thirties with sun-bleached brown hair and deep skin, who was waiting patiently for Liam to acknowledge him with a smile.
"Welcome aboard the ship, sir," the man smiled.
"Thank you," responded Liam. "Might I have the pleasure of making my introduction to the captain of this fine vessel?"
"Why, that would be you, sir." The man bowed his head.
"I'm the captain?" Liam asked disbelievingly.
The man nodded again. "That would be correct."
Liam stared. "What would the name of this vessel be, by any chance?"
The first mate shrugged. "She's nameless at the moment."
"Really?" Liam asked.
"Yes," the first mate replied. "She's been waiting for you to give her a name."
Liam nodded. He thought for a brief moment before making up his mind. "Let's call her The Savior's Light ." He could think of no finer name for this beautiful vessel than one that would honor the woman that had enabled him to be brought to her.
"Very good, sir. And what are your orders?"
"First, tell me your name, sailor."
"Smith," replied the first mate. "Matt Smith."
Liam smiled approvingly. "Well, then, Mr. Smith. Let's see how far this horizon goes, shall we?"
Mr. Smith grinned broadly. "Aye, aye, Captain." Liam watched in satisfaction as the men all jumped to carrying out his order as the first mate cried out, "Weigh anchor! Hoist the sails! Mister Bloom, work out our heading! We're chasing the horizon!"
The answering cries of, "Aye, aye!" put a broad smile on Liam's face. If this was the afterlife, he could get used to it. Liam smiled. Perhaps he would even encourage the crew to stock up on a few barrels of rum while they were docked at the next port.
Feeling content for perhaps the first time since he had joined the navy, he allowed himself to hum a line from a sea shanty, finishing it by singing under his breath the lines, "Drink up, my mateys, yo ho!" Liam grinned broadly as the ship began to pick up speed beneath his feet.