Before anyone asks, yes I am rather aware that Skillet is a Christian Rock group and I am agnostic. They do something with their music I find rather cool: never do they use the words God, Jesus, or Christ (at least in any songs I have heard). There's no mention of eternal damnation for not accepting Jesus Christ as your savior, or how it is your duty to spread the word of the one true God. Thus the vast majority of their music speaks to people of all faiths, or lack of. Which is a big part of their success.
Don't get me wrong, if these examples are what you consider Christian music done right, I got no issue with you. What I take issue with is being looked at sidesway when I say I can't stand a song cuz it's too preachy. Anyhoo, here's Not Gonna Die.
*OUATE*
A pale young man gazed out across the sands. Dark navy robes making his complexion seem lighter; a bit of a puzzle for one who has lived in the desert lands all his life. He frowned when he realized the sky darkening far off, over the horizon. Plumes of deep purple smoke racing across the land.
"She cast it. Stupid wench." He snorted.
"Well, what did you expect from the teacher she had Moz? Though poor judgement can't really be taught..." His wife sighed, wrapping her sky blue shawl tighter. "It will wake him won't it?"
"Oh yes. That curse will shatter every ward on his tomb and his black heart will beat once more. Still, you know I like to be prepared." he held up his right hand and began to remove the leather gauntlet, black lightning surging through his body. Despite the obvious pain, he continued to pull to no avail.
"Are you insane?! You'll die!" Jasmine grabbed his wrist.
"Didn't really think that would work know as well as I that the only purpose of my birth was to be a vessel for my father's soul once I came of age. Destane forced this accursed thing on me to make sure we shared a life force. As long as I live, he will never truly die my love. This curse will take us to a world where magic is hidden from those who are not meant to see it. Can you imagine the devastation he could cause with no one to oppose him?" He kissed her hand. "No one would be safe."
"No. I have lost enough people to him!" She sobbed. "I will not lose you too Mozenrath."
"Don't cry my love. A body is nothing but a shell. The heart inside makes it special."
Without another word, he plunged his bare left hand into his own chest. The pulsing red organ flashed black briefly in his hand before returning to its natural shade. He smiled at his wife before shoving it into her body.
"Geh!"
"My heart has always been yours Jasmine. Naturally, it should be guarded by you. At least this way, he will not have my power as well. Our combined magic will shield you from the loss of your memories and powers. Unfortunately, my body will remain here."
"What can I possibly do? He taught me only so he could control me-" He press a finger to her lips.
"I have faith in you my desert bloom. This is better than having both of us ignorant of the danger in some strangeland. Just know that when next we meet, I will not be the man you love."
Their lips met as they were engulfed in the smoke of the curse.
Jasmine opened her eyes to see herself standing in a room lavishly designed. Outside the window were rolling green hills, not sprawling dunes. He mind filled with knowledge that the blinking picture box was a television, the strange pole with a light at the top was a lamp and the clothing she wore was a rather expensive and fashion forward dress and heels.
She looked around and wept. That kiss seemed to last forever, but in fact was all too short. Once again Regina had destroyed her happiness, this time on purpose.
She didn't even have the benefit of having her memories stolen. At least it gave her the ability to plan for the future...and yearn for the past as well.
*OUATE*
"Great, we have someone more evil than the Queen and the Dark One traipsing about town in a huff. Nice goin Blue." Dr. Whale noted on his way out the door, lunch in hand.
"But what does she want?" Ruby thought aloud. "Sounds like she didn't really care about our kingdoms before. Why bother with any of us? No one takes a heart for a good purpose."
"No, but until she makes a move we will be in the dark. Should she attack, fairy magic will be of little help anyway. All we can do is pray Emma and the others return before then." Mother Superior sighed.
"Why is it every time this broad opens her mouth, truly depressing shit comes spilling out?" Leon slurped up the rest of his clam chowder, ignoring the fairy's scowl."Basically, were screwed. Murphy's Law seems to hate us if you haven't noticed." The dwarf snatched his napkin out of his collar.
Granny couldn't help but feel somehow this newly revealed sorceress should be the least of their fears.
*OUATE*
" -tea?"
"Yes please. You make a good cup my dear."
"I learned from my father, he brews it much better."
"Oh, don't sell yourself short. He got that good with practice. You're off to a good start. In fact, I'll bet you came do more than you think."
"Hm? Like what?"
"You'll-"
Jefferson had caught part of a conversation between his daughter and that woman before lapsing back into oblivion. All he could process was that she was alone with a sorceress. And he was powerless to protect her.
"-born evil. But trust me child it happens. That's how my story begins. Once, there was a happy family; father and his two daughters. The father was an advisor to a Sultan. But the sultan was a sinister black hearted man. He cared only about power so his subjects suffered and feared him. But one day his greed got the better of him-"
This fading in and out thing was becoming nerve wracking. Jasmine was telling his daughter about her life, the real version not the Disney spin on it. Anyone who traded frequently knew the word sultan implied a ruler from the deserts. Beyond that he was rather fuzzy. He just wished consciousness was stop eluding him.
"Are we done spazzing out? Never noticed it was gone to begin with but I put your heart back and you have some sort seizure. Sheesh."
Jefferson bolted upright noticing his guest seated at the edge of the bed. Stroking his daughter's golden locks as she slept in her lap. His heart clenched.
A nearly alien feeling. Obsession and a need for revenge has been the only emotions he's known for so long-
"You just woke up, let's not wander back into la la land so soon. We need to talk." Jasmine lay Grace on the bed before snapping her fingers. Seating the two adults around the patio table topped with a marvelous spread for noontime tea.
"What is it you want from me? You can skip the benevolent magical being spiel." He couldn't help the glare as she sliced a square of cheese for a cracker. "This is the part where you demand I do something followed by a threat and/bribe. The proverbial offer I can't refuse."
"..." Amber eyes simply gave him a withering stare. Their owner quietly munching on the mini sandwich. Only after an elegant sip to wash it down did she reply. "Some of the darkest magic comes from bending others until they break. Shattering soul and psyche. Were it that simple, I would destroy you in everyway possible and be done with it."
"Straight to the threats. Not even going to try to appeal to me? At least Regina promised me a better life for Grace. Lying through her of course."
"So cynical. No my dear hatter, what I need from you cannot result from dark magic in anyway. You possess an ability far more valuable than just portal jumping."
"You know that how?"
"The same way I know you must freely choose to share it for it to be worth a damn. It's not really a secret you know. Most who would seek it had the sense to realize you'd never cooperate. Those who didn't, you lied to; like Rumplestiltskin, points for bravery there. Here's the deal: If you want your daughter to aspire to anything other than a harem slave or a battle slave, you may want to dust off your craft skills."
"I never got another hat to work, the only one that did is now a rag."
"There we go with the lying. The Queen ripping out your heart waffled you powers then but you don't honestly expect me to believe you found a magical hat that only works for you do you? It's worked for you because you made it that way. Just like your mother taught you, though she wove scarves didn't she? Doesn't matter. Henry being kidnapped is the best thing that could have happened. When, not if, he returns he will bring allies powerful enough to stand against the coming threat. Still, someone with your talents would be invaluable."
*OUATE*
"Oookay..." David blinked. He was astonished that his daughter had so much bottled up inside. Neal was a stranger but his suffering was no less awe inspiring. God why was this so hard?
"I want another baby!" Mary Margaret blurted out. " I, we were robbed of the chance to be parents and I am not okay with it. We missed everything in your life Emma, first steps, first words, your coronation-okay that one hasn't happened either but still! I love you and how strong you grew up to be but I want the chance to be a mother like you still do with Henry. He's still young and needs you. All three of you. But you don't and I want another chance! I never said anything because we finally found each other and the chaos that happened, that's still happening it was never the right time and I didn't want you to feel like you weren't good enough and I just...gah! There, I said it."
Everyone just stared at her. Mainly because she hadn't inhaled once during that whole admission. Her husband however felt a lump in his chest. Because he knew that he could never give her what she wanted. Not now. If he could just go back and...go back. That was it.
"We all regret the choices we've made." He spoke aloud. "It doesn't matter if it was for the best or not. We all have something we wish we could undo. Rumple regrets letting Pan die as a child. Don't give me a bitch face, you do. Regina wishes she didn't have to give up her only true friend to finally see her mother did not love her like she deserved. Neal, you think you were selfish to use the bean; that everything that happened after was a punishment. Emma, even though you know now what really happened, some small part of you still thinks you don't deserve anyone to love you. Snow...it's fine for you to want a child. We did what we had to do for Emma but you're scared it will happen all over again. That's what you fear."
"The things we can't let go of." Gold mumbled. "Blurting them out doesn't solve any of our problems though. Not even yours Snow White."
"What?"
"Tell her dearie. Only way to get out of here." He hummed.
"How do you know?" David glared.
"Neverland's magic is wafting off of you like cheap cologne. There's only one reason for that to be. Rather surprised Regina hasn't noticed."
"Hy!" Said queen huffed.
"Charming what is he talking about? When we go home, we can have what we want."
"No, we can't. When we were ambushed, I was grazed by an arrow tipped with dreamshade. The only cure is water from a spring in the mountains. That's where Hook took me, he used the hope of a compass to get me to come with him. But there never was one, he knew I'd think it was a waste of time we didn't have. Once you drink from the water, it cures any ill."
"What was the price?" She demanded. "All magic has one, what was it?!"
"...Should I leave Neverland, I will die."
The cave rumbled, stone shifted. The sound of rocks grinding and the earth moving of it's own volition was deafening. So distracting that no one noticed the cave floor ripple like a building tsunami until they'd all been thrown into the air. At a solid wall.
To their suprise, only hard dirt and daylight hit them. Team Good n Evil found themselves sprawled out in front of a hole in the rock face that certainly wasn't there a moment ago.
"Were we just ejected from the Echo caves? There's a terrible pun in there somewhere." Regina rubbed the shoulder that took the brunt of her fall. "Well, we survived the night and we know each other's darkest secrets now."
A chuckle made her blood run cold.
"Well, that's all rather heavy stuff. Don't you agree?" Pan chided.
"Oh yes. Such a shame they can't just let it go." Felix nodded with a smirk.
Everyone drew their weapons or prepared a spell. What good did it do to have an epiphany if it literally threw them at the enemy's feet-
"Wait!"
"He-?!" Regina and Emma called out the instant they saw him step out from behind the demonic duo. He threw up his arms in a panic, gesturing for them to stop and a strange tingling washed over them. Now the six of them were frozen in place. Like a still frame.
"Oh no."
"(Sigh), magic is all about focus love. You can't just go waving your arms about like a loon with only vague intent." Pan laughed. "Just try think of them moving like normal and try again."
Henry bit his lip and closed his eyes then swept his hand wide. His mothers, father and grandparents were blown backwards about a foot.
"Sorry!"
"Fuck!" Neal swore. Swearing meant breathing. So he managed to negate his own spell. Sorta a win.
Right?
"Don't worry, you won't be a the only one to get laughed at while they learn to control their powers properly. The two of us are in the same boat." Felix pat him on the shoulder. "I probably would have blown them to hell by accident."
"What the hell was that?! Henry has no magic." Regina barked. "What have you done to him?"
"I did nothing. Henry gave me his heart. Or rather, he gave it to someone whose heart I already held." The Prince of Neverland shrugged. "The three of us now share two."
"WHAT?!" The adults yelled in stereo.
"Did you practice that or something?" Pan chuckled again, only to have Henry jab him with his elbow. "Oy, watch it squirt!"
"Be serious for five minutes then! You guys have no idea what you missed. Freak out about me sharing a heart with them later. We have MUCH bigger problems now." The eleven year old sighed.
*OUATE*
So, what do you think? How are they going to handle Henry's actions and the consequences? Is anybody going to realize Jaz isn't what stories say? What are they going to do about Destane and what powers does Jefferson really have?
Reviews are like hugs! Sirensoundwave out!