Chapter Nine: In Search of Merlin

The Dark One waited impatiently concealed in her invisibility spell for the heroes and Vivienne to leave the ship, but they couldn't leave until Regina put up a protection barrier to keep her out. What a joke since she would be inside the barrier in seconds. She felt Emma stirring inside her inner prison. The foolish woman wanted to be with her family. It made her sick.

She waited for Vivienne to transport everyone away from the Jolly Roger before she rematerialized. "Ah, now that's better. How Vivienne has survived all these centuries is beyond me. I was practically under her nose and she didn't even know I was here. On to the boy then the book with be mine." The Dark One held out her hands bringing the Evil Queen's barrier down. She vanished from the cover of the forest and reappeared inside the Captain's quarters causing the boy to jump. "I'm sorry...did I frighten you?"

"How did you get through my Mom's barrier?"

"With magic of course, silly boy. You should try it. Oh, that's right you can't."

Henry glared at his Mom covered in the Dark One's scale like skin. "What do you want?"

"You're a brave boy to demand answers from me. But I suppose I'll indulge your curiosity. I want the book."

"Why would the Dark One want a book of stories?"

"It's my business why I want it!"

"You think you can get to Merlin through the book? This is past events...you want to change that past."

"You're smart too. Now give me the book before I take it from you."

"Bring my sister's soul back from the Isle of Tormented Souls, and I'll give it to you."

"Why would I want to do that when I could just take it from you?"

"You're right you could, but my sister can't defend herself there. I don't want her to die."

"Not my problem, boy."

"No, but it is my Mom's problem."

The Dark One smiled and waved her index finger in the boy's face. "You won't bring Emma out that easily, boy. Fine, I'll bring your sister back as long as you hand over the book first."

"No deal, Dark One," Henry said holding the book against his chest. "I can't trust you to hold up your end of the deal."

"And you expect me to trust you?"

"Have I ever gone back on my word?"

"This is getting me no where. You won't live to see tomorrow if you break our deal." The Dark One snapped her fingers.

Lexi gasped as her soul reentered her body. She opened her eyes and froze seeing Henry so near the Dark One. "Henry, what's going on?"

"Nothing, I'm just finishing a transaction with the Dark One." Henry kept his eyes glued on the Dark One.

"You what?! You can't trust her!"

"Be silent or I'll send you right back where I rescued you from! We had a deal, Henry!"

"And I'm holding up my end of it." Henry held out the leather bound story book in his hand.

"No, Henry, you can't give that to her!"

"I'm beginning to lose my patience!"

"Then take it, Dark One. A deal is a deal." Henry didn't resist as the Dark One snatched the book from his hand and vanished.

"Henry, what did you do that for? I thought we needed that book."

Henry smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "We do need it now more than ever."

"Then why did you give it to the Dark One?"

"I didn't."

"What? I just saw you, Henry."

"You saw me give her a book, but it wasn't the Camelot story book. And before you say it I didn't break the deal. She never specified what book she wanted. She just demanded I give her 'the book.'" Henry smiled down at his sister.

"It wasn't?"

"Nope, it was the original story book that started all of this."

Lexi smiled and slowly sat up. "That was pretty sneaky, Henry. But when she realizes you tricked her she'll be back."

"And we're going to be long gone."

"Where are we going?"

"To Camelot," Henry said opening his bag and pulling out a leather bound story book.

"I don't understand. Aren't we all ready in Camelot?"

"Yes, but Merlin is lost to us right now."

"Henry, you're talking in riddles."

"The Dark One wants this book so she can go back and kill Merlin."

"But the book can't change the future. It's just stories about what happened in the past."

"She must think she can recreate Zelena's time portal with the book. But we don't need a time portal. All we need is this. Henry reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny gold key he used to free Isaac.

"If we go inside the book we might never come out."

"We have to try, Lexi. I can't sit here and do nothing while everyone else is risking their lives to save Mom. How about you?"

"Do you really think the Merlin from that book will help us?"

"Yes, I really do."

"Then I say lets try."

"Okay," Henry said waiting for Lexi to stand beside him. He took a deep breath, flipped the book to a marked page, and inserted the key then turned it. He smiled feeling the magic in the book grab both him and Lexi pulling them into the book.

Lexi landed on the ground with a thud. She picked herself up and dusted herself off. "What part of the book did you drop us into, Henry?"

"I'm not sure. The page I marked was a time when Arthur is still alive so that means Merlin hasn't been trapped yet by Morgan."

Lexi winced and glanced around. "Careful Henry, we don't want to draw too much attention."

"Well, the way we're dressed that's going to be impossible."

"I can fix that, but no more talk of you know who until we see Merlin." Lexi waited until Henry agreed before waving her hands covering them both in a white puff of sparkling smoke. As the smoke cleared she smiled seeing their clothes had changed to match the peasants from the Enchanted Forest. At Henry's raised eyebrow, she shrugged her shoulders. "I think this works in any fairytale realm."

"Okay, lets go find Merlin." Henry slipped the tiny key into his pants pocket as they began walking toward a village.

The Dark One smiled as she reappeared at the ruins of her father's home. She opened the book and her smile turned into a snarl. "Damn that boy!" She threw the story book across the room and began pacing back and forth.

"He's a smart kid."

"Shut up, Emma! He should know better than to get in my way!"

"What do you expect, Morgan? He's trying to save his family. He's trying to save me."

"No one is going to save you, Emma! I won't allow it!"

"You won't have a choice, Dark One. Once everyone finds Merlin. He'll destroy you."

"But it won't save you, Emma. It'll kill you. Well, it'll kill this body. You'll all ready be dead. And I'll finally have my revenge on Merlin."

"What are you talking about?"

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, Emma. I don't know why I didn't think to do this sooner." The Dark One thrust her hand into her chest grabbing the beating heart and ripping it out.

"What are you doing?"

She looked at the beating red organ and smiled. "I'm getting rid of you, Emma. I'm tired of hearing your voice in my head. This isn't your body anymore. It's mine."

"You can't get rid of me."

"Really? I think I can then I'll be free to do as I please and turn this heart as black as my own centuries ago." The Dark One waved a scale covered hand over the heart laughing as a white light shot out of it and pooled on the stone floor. Before long the light took on the form of Emma Swan.

Emma placed her hands on the stone floor only to realize she could see right through them. What the hell was she...a ghost? She picked herself up surprised she didn't go right through the stone floor and glared at the Dark One still holding her heart in it's hands. She noticed the color of the heart was no longer bright red but a faded red. It appeared to Emma that the life had been sucked out of it. "What did you do to me?"

"I told you, Emma. I'm getting rid of you." The Dark One shoved the dull heart back into her chest. "That's better...no more annoying voice in my head constantly fighting me. As for you Emma, it's time you die." Her fingers tingled as she threw her spell at Emma.

Emma gasped as a bolt of dark magic shot at her. She had no time to get out of the way, so she did the only thing she could. She threw her hands in front of her and turned her head away closing her eyes. She opened them seconds later realizing she was still stand there. What happened?

"No! That's impossible!"

Emma kept her hands where they were and turned her head. Her hands were glowing white with her magic and the dark magic hovered a few inches from her body. "What's the matter, Dark One? This isn't what you were expecting?"

"You're a spirit! You shouldn't have your magic! It should still be inside this body!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Dark One. I guess my magic is tied to my soul not my body. I'm tired of holding this. You can have it back." Emma shoved her hands out sending the dark spell back in the direction it came from. She mentally sighed in relief as the Dark One waved her hand destroying the ball before it reached her..it.

"It's no matter. I will kill you, Emma."

"Not today you won't...Morgan." Emma waved a hand around herself vanishing into a puff of what sparkling smoke. She had Morgan to thank for unknowingly teaching her how to do this new form of magic.

"What is this place, Vivienne?"

"It's the original cave Morgan trapped Merlin in." Vivienne waved her hand instantly lighting torches all around the cave.

"It's also the place Merlin turned organ into the Dark One. Is it safe for us to be here?"

"Is that a hint of fear I hear in your voice, Snow?"

"No, Regina, not fear...concern. I don't want any of us to get hurt."

"Yes, it is safe. Merlin isn't here so we have nothing to fear from Morgan."

"So how do we find Merlin from here?"

"We must follow the magical clues."

Robin looked around the empty cave. "What magical clues? I don't see anything but rocks and stones."

"The clues aren't in what you can see, Robin of Loxley. They are in what you can sense and feel."

"The magic is all around us. We must simply tap into it in order to follow it until we reach Merlin." Rumple nodded his head understanding what they must do.

"Wait! We aren't alone anymore. Don't you feel it? It's coming from the corner of the cave."

"Elsa, wait! It's me...Emma." Emma slowly stepped out of the dark shadow into the light.

"Emma, is that you?"

"Yeah, Mom, it's me." Emma shrugged her shoulders as she slowly stepped closer toward everyone.

"Oh, Emma..." Snow rushed forward only to stop in her tracks. "Emma, why can I see right through you?"

"Swan, how is this possible?"

Emma stepped up beside her mother and placed her hand on top of Mary Margret's hand only to go right through it. "I don't know how this is possible, Killian. I'm not a ghost, Mom. I'm still alive, but Henry and Lexi are in danger. Morgan is after the story book."

"What do you mean they're in danger?"

"Are you really here, Swan? Or is this some cruel joke?"

"It's no joke, Killian. Morgan ripped out my heart then somehow stripped my soul from it. As long as she's inside my body I'm alive, but..."

"But what, Sweetheart?"

"But if Merlin succeeds in taking the darkness out of me while I'm not inside...I'll die."

"Then we need to reunite you with your body, Ms. Swan."

"It won't be easy especially if the Dark One is after the story book. How do you know, Emma?"

"She went after it after you all left the Jolly Roger."

"Oh my god...but I put up a protection spell. It should have kept you...I mean her out."

"Well, it didn't keep her out. If Henry hadn't somehow switched the books..."

"He switched the books? He must have known she was coming."

"I don't think he did, Regina. He looked startled when she walked into the room. The danger I'm talking about is Morgan is going back for that book. Lexi is awake, but she doesn't have enough power to hold off Morgan."

Killian smiled hearing the news. Leave it to Henry to get his sister back. "What does she want with the book?"

"Who cares...she's going after my son."

"She wants to create a time portal. With it she can kill Merlin before you rescue him to save me."

"If she succeeds then this search will be for nothing. We have to get back to Henry." Regina silently cursed herself for agreeing to leave Henry behind.

Ema moved to Regina's side. She tried to put her hand on her shoulder only to go right through it. "Damn it...Regina, this isn't your fault. Henry's a smart kid. He'll be all right."

"I know. I'm just worried."

"So am I, Regina."

"Perhaps we should split up. Some of us continue on to find Merlin while the rest return to Henry."

Killian frowned at the Crocodile. "And I suppose you want to find Merlin."

"I'm not after my old power, Killian. I just want to help save everyone I've hurt which includes Emma, Henry, and your daughter. If you want me to go to Henry's aid I am more than willing to go. My point is we're wasting valuable time."

"He's right, Killian. We all can't go back to the Jolly Roger. There's a mission that must continue. I'll continue on with Vivienne. Perhaps my ice powers will help free Merlin." Elsa nodded her head toward the group. "Go make sure Henry and Lexi are all right."

"Thank you, Elsa." Emma smiled at her friend.

"It's my pleasure, Emma. Go save your family."

Emma nodded her head before turning around to face Regina. "Be careful, Regina. She's expecting me to tell you her plan. She might be setting a trap for us."

"I'll be ready for her."

"Good...Mom, Dad, I think you should go with Vivienne and Elsa."

"Emma, no, we're going with you." David wasn't about to leave his grandchildren to the Dark One.

"I can't protect all of you like this and I'd never survive losing any of you. Morgan knows that. Please go with Elsa. Regina, Gold and I can do this alone."

"Swan..."

"No, Killian, I've all ready watched you die once. I can't do it again."

"Swan, I told you I'm a survivor." Killian extended his hand but instead of touching her face it went through it. "Bloody hell..."

"I know. I love you, Killian."

"I love you too, Swan."

"Henry, what's going on?"

"I don't know. It looks like a jousting tournament."

"I thought you said Arthur was alive."

"He is. What are you getting at, Lexi?"

"Remember in the Sword and the Stone, there was a jousting tournament going on when Arthur pulled the sword from a stone...wasn't there?"

"Yes...crap, I think I brought us too far backwards in the story. Arthur is alive but he's only fifteen."

"Which means the jousting tournament is to crown the new king."

"We still need to find Merlin."

"I agree, but it's going to be years before full peace is brought to Camelot. We don't have that much time."

"Actually, you have all the time in the world, Alexis Jones. The real question is why have you and Henry chose to enter a 'book' to find me?"

Lexi spun around and looked up at a middle aged man dressed in a blue robe. "Merlin...is that really you?"

"It is child, but my question still remains."

"We've come to ask you for your help. Our mother is the Dark One, and we need your help to save her."

"Sadly, Henry, I have no idea what you're talking about since I haven't created the Dark One yet."

"And you won't get the chance if Morgan finds a way to travel backwards through time to kill you." Lexi was in no mood to beat around the bush.

"She doesn't have the power to kill me, Alexis."

"Yes, she does Merlin, because you gave it to her when you turned her into the Dark One. We wanted to warn you but we didn't know how to actually travel backwards in time or think about how to get ourselves out of the book."

Merlin looked at the two teenagers and sighed. He saw the truth in their eyes, but he also saw something else. He saw Arthur. They all shared the same emerald green eyes and the fierce fighting spirit. There was only one way to test his theory. "Once the book ends the two of you will come out. Do not worry about your ages, Henry. You will return to the teenager you are now, but the knowledge you learn you will keep."

"What knowledge are we going to learn?"

"Come with me Alexis, and I will show you."

Lexi glanced at Henry who nodded his head. "All right, we'll come with you."

Henry looked around as he walked beside Lexi and Merlin. He was excited to learn from Merlin, but a lot could change in a matter of seconds while they were stuck inside the book. They rounded a corner and Henry stopped in his tracks. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Yup, it's a sword in a stone. Why did you bring us here, Merlin?"

"To test a theory, Alexis. Try to remove the sword from the stone."

"Only Arthur can do that," Henry protested.

"And I think other wise. Take the sword from the stone," Merlin urged.

"Fine, but it won't move an inch." Lexi walked up to the stone, took a deep breath, grabbed the handle of the sword firmly in her hands, and pulled. Expecting a struggle, Lexi stumbled backwards with the sword clutched in her hands.

"Just as I suspected."

Lexi shook her head as she quickly returned the sword to the stone. "That's not possible."

"Take your turn, Henry. Pull the sword from the stone." Merlin gently pushed Henry toward the sword.

"I can't, Merlin. Lexi has all ready pulled it out."

"Yes, and it will come out for you too."

Henry shook his head as he grasped the sword's handle and pulled. The sword came out of the stone with ease. He starred at it with his mouth slightly open. "What does this mean?"

"It means you are descended from Arthur Pendragon, and I have much to teach both of you." Merlin took the sword from Henry and placed it back into the stone before turning back around to face the teenagers.

"But Arthur never had any children per the legend except for Mordred."

"And yet here you are, my boy. Come we have much to discuss."

"What about Arthur and the sword?"

"Arthur arrives tomorrow, but until then you have much to learn, my girl."

"Wait, if you didn't know about the Dark One how do you know who we are?" Lexi stopped walking and starred at the Wizard.

"All I can say is I have much to tell and teach you, but you must come with me now."

Lexi watched the Wizard then slowly nodded her head. "Okay." She glanced at Henry and frowned. "What is it?"

Henry laughed as they began following Merlin again. "It's nothing really. I just see you've inherited our mother's super power."

"Her what?"

"Her super power...the ability to tell when someone is lying to you. I've seen the look you gave Merlin a thousand times. I never told you about it?"

"No, but I'm glad you told me now." Lexi smiled at Henry feeling a tiny bit closer to their mother.

"Me too," Henry replied returning the smile. He understood Lexi's need to know their mother, because he felt the same feeling when he began looking for her all those years ago. He just hoped they would be able to save her so Lexi would be a happier person in the future. Not only that, but because he didn't want to lose his little sister. If they failed Lexi and Liam would never be born which meant she wouldn't be able to travel from the future to help save them. They had to succeed for the sake of their family.