Bane of His Existence

Chapter Seventeen

In Neverland years ago…

Back in Pan's camp deep within the island's forest, the Lost Boys gathered themselves together once more while they discussed a new plan to attack and kill the three heroes who had foolishly come to their realm seeking the waters from the magical spring that now no longer contained its power which brought that power to the rest of the island and to them. Felix led them in their uprising, as Pan had remained scarce since their first attack because the boys were angry. Angry that one of their oldest enemies had brought the Evil Queen and another warrior there to pillage from them, but also equally as angry because they knew now they would all age and that their leader was once again just a boy who would eventually grow up despite what all the stories ever written and told about him said.

At last, Felix shouted, "First we find them wherever they've run off to hide. And then we charge them with no mercy! We will cut them down and leave their bodies to rot where they fall."

However, it was then that Peter Pan appeared among them as he walked into their camp rather than fly in, or simply magically appear as he's always done before on account of his weakness now that his strength and magic was fading, and upon hearing the boys' lust to kill Hook and the others with the pirate, he spoke up to them firmly saying, "Now is not the time to rush them and attack. Captain Hook is wounded and while my arrow wasn't coated with the island's dreamshade, the wound was nevertheless a fatal one now that the Evil Queen is without her own magic for as long as my own lasts. Hook will die before that happens. I want them to mourn for their loss. And then we will charge in and kill her and that warrior with them."

"Pan!" Felix immediately cried out worryingly when their leader suddenly doubled over again as he gasped in pain, then lifted his right arm out in front of him when Peter could feel his magic leave him just a little bit more, while he watched in fear and anger as his hand began to whither and age. "What's going on? What's happening?"

"I'm becoming the old man I was when I first returned to Neverland so long ago," he responded weakly. "Back when I rid myself of the child who kept me from becoming my true self. Unless I find a way to restore the spring's magic, I will eventually become Malcolm once again."

Suddenly, the witch whom Pan had recalled seeing up upon the top of Dead Man's Peak in the midst of their battle against Hook and Henry, appeared among them as a bout of thunder and lightning struck, and before the Lost Boys could attack her, Gothel used her power to knock them all to their feet including Pan, then she turned to their leader while she said quietly, "That doesn't have to happen, if you are willing to discuss a deal I have to offer you."

Peter struggled to rise again to his feet while he glared up at the witch and then he questioned, "And why should we listen to you? I'm guessing you're the witch… the one whom the Evil Queen called, Mother Gothel?"

"She's hardly the Evil Queen any longer," Gothel answered snidely and then began to walk around among the boys surrounding her without any fear. "She's become a bit of a goody goody actually. It's a terrible shame really. But yes… I am Mother Gothel. I am a mother to many because I can tend to their needs… in many ways. Just as I can now tend to yours."

"We don't need a mother to look after us," Felix retorted angrily as she turned to look at the taller boy who stepped forward to stand beside his leader. "We've gotten along just fine without one for nearly two centuries."

The witch nodded, then replied, "Yes of course. I simply meant that I can help you so that your lives will once again be restored in the state they were before the heroes arrived here, as will Neverland. All I need from you is a promise… that you won't harm them so long as they're trapped here on this island. Should the magical properties that belong to the spring, all will go back to the way things are meant to be, including the Queen own power as well which will allow for them to return home to our land."

Peter looked at her more closely as he stared into her dark eyes and then asked, "Why do you care that they survive and return home? If I were to agree to this, how can you do all that you just said?"

"I care about the heroes surviving because I have plans for them, especially Captain Hook," she responded crossly the more she had to continue to explain herself, then finally pulled the small black stone which the magic of the spring became after she removed them and showed it to the boys' leader. "And as for restoring your strength and power, this stone now contains Neverland's magic. I stole it before Regina could gather enough to help Hook with I problem I made for him years ago. You see, his heart is poisoned so that he cannot ever be near his daughter again without death claiming him. And believe me, it has caused him much pain and heartbreak. You ought to be happy about that."

"Hook has a daughter?" one of the other Lost Boys asked in disbelief.

Gothel nodded and then answered, "Yes he does. Thanks to me. But my point is that you can have everything back. I just need you to leave the heroes alone. I promise you, I will see to it that they all are punished… but in a way that I see fit. They will all suffer in a plan of my own design. Do we have ourselves a deal?"

Pan reached out to try to take the stone from the witch's hand until Gothel immediately pulled it away from him, then stated, "If we have a deal… your island's power must be restored only by me. It won't work for you."

"Let's just see if you're speaking the truth," the leader replied coldly. "If your magic can do as you claim, then we will have ourselves a deal."

Without another word, despite the boys' cries in objection to the deal, Gothel suddenly waved her hand and together she and Pan vanished from before them, then they reappeared upon Dead Man's Peak as Pan demanded of her. He then watched as the witch walked through the parted dreamshade plants that once blocked the path leading to the island's spring, then knelt down above it as she tenderly dipped her hand holding the stone into the waters and used her powers to summon Neverland's magic back to where it truly belongs.

"It's finished," she whispered without standing again, then raised her head to look up at the boy above her as Pan felt his own magic returning to him and watched as his hand was restored to its youthful state like the witch promised him. "How do you feel?"

She then stood again with Pan's help while he responded gratefully, "Never better. You did as you promised you would. I'll keep my word too. Will this be the last we'll see of you here in Neverland?"

Gothel grinned cruelly and answered, "This is your world, not mine. One I wish never to see again."

"It has that affect on many who come here that don't belong," Peter Pan replied while he reached out his hand for her to shake as a way of saying goodbye. "I hope you continue to make Captain Hook suffer. He was someone who never appreciated what Neverland gave to him. And in the end, his many years here in my service was all for nothing, as he eventually gave up his revenge on his crocodile. I don't really care what happens to the others."

"Whether you do or you don't, I assure you they will all suffer," the witch finally uttered and then suddenly vanished from before him as thunder and lightning cracked around him once more.