Hi!
This next chapter shows more of Destane whom I haven't shown much to make room for character development and backstory. Now that the story's really going so are his machinations. And they are ev-il. If you thought Rumple, Pan, and Regina were bad, well...
Let's just see. Clue du jour is Black Heart by STP ft Chester Bennington. It's pretty much covers both the characters introduced and explained here very well. Hey, you know that thing I do where I destroy the image the show creators have of a fairy tale character? Yeah...guess what...
*OUATE*
A wet gurgling scream slowly cut off, eerie silence reigning in the dark woods. A meaty thud signaling a body being carelessly thrown to the grown. Followed by a growl of frustration.
"What's the matter? Another of your toys break?" a teasing voice filtered through the trees.
"They don't last long enough." the young man replied, tilting his head to the side. "And he screamed so pretty."
At his feet lay the mangled corpse of a young man. Over the last 30 minutes, he had dismembered him piece by piece with a knife, delighting in the poor bastard's tortured cries. His fun ended when the guy choked to death on his own blood. He'd survived him breaking his legs so he couldn't run, missing fingers, toes, both hands and one eye. Even having a great area of skin filleted off. But the blood flowed too fast when he severed his tongue.
The most frightening thing about the whole scene, the killler couldn't be any older than 11 or 12. The pale moon reflected off of his torn and tattered clothing to reveal it and his skin drenched in blood. His matted hair dripping with the stuff. This man though young had been full grown and he some how was overpowered by this manic child even as he fought for his life. With each scream, the child absorbed more of his essence.
"Oh...they really have no idea what they've done..." the bodiless voice continued, dark and lilting all at once. Seeming to come for everywhere. "Or perhaps they do After all it was in this realm they made you of all places. We're all a bit mad here."
"Where is here? And who are you?" Wild brown eyes combed the area, searching for the other presence.. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and sighing as he exhaled the breath. "You have MAGIC..." the boy hissed, irises flashing red.
"Indeed I do. The same magic that forged your dark little soul. Or lack there of." A broad grin materialized on a branch above him too far for him to reach. Then the outline of something plump. Slowly purple cat with an impossible smile was looking down at he murderous child tail swishing like a fine boa. "My, my. For such good witches they certainly know their way around a dark spell. But the sacrifice of one child must be worth it to be rid of the Queen of Hearts. Sleep child."
The wild boy dropped to one knee, snarling. His body sagged, all his strength left him in an instant. Soon, he could barely focus his sight. What trick was this?! Tricks don't work on him! They made him stronger! How could a mangey fleabag make him so...weak...
A black plume erupted next to the downed child. A tall man dress in royal blue robes surveyed his latest...acquisition.
It never cease to amaze Destane how some people could prattle on and on about good and evil and the eternal struggle. Light and dark magic as if they were mutually exclusive. Then turn around and do THIS to an innocent child 'for the greater good'. It wasn't as if he pitied the boy, he just found the so called forces of 'good' rather hypocritical. Still, they'd provided him a very useful pawn. It was no small feat to subdue him, his body like a black hole that devoured magical energies. Where his soul, should be, nothing but a ravenous void within him. No conscience, no morals, no cares, only a desire to feed the emptiness within. Kill and consume. In all likelihood he was running loose like this because he'd slaughtered his creators and devoured their life force. Cutting a bloody swath through the countryside unrestrained.
If you're going to set a trap, it's wise not to get caught in it yourself.
"Didn't even try to be subtle did they?" He tutted at the tattoo on the boy's throat. A red heart, bleeding black blood run through with a gold dagger. Much like the one he used to carve up the unfortunate hunter. "What am I to do with you, my boy?"
*OUATE*
Memories were funny things, Destane mused to himself. Bubbling up unbidden at the slightest reminder. Watching Belle brush Mozenrath's hair for some reason reminded him of how and when he came upon who would grow to be one of his greatest assets.. The woman, powerless in every sense of the word, had a certain fire to her. A will he would enjoy breaking, given time. For now, she would do as his pet's caretaker and free Sadira to attend to more pressing matters.
In her short reign up until his discovery, the Queen of Hearts had transformed the whimsical world of Wonderland into Underland, a place she ruled with an iron fist. The woman delighted in crushing dreams and hearts at every turn. Outrageous taxes, nonsensical laws, inhumane punishments had the citizens coming and going. Cora had power in spades (he couldn't resist the pun) and knew it. Throwing her weight around since she was pretty much the most power creature anyone had ever seen there.
She was his kind of woman.
The two would be a match made in hell heaven if not for a few minor details. For one, The Queen's lack of empathy and compassion was very literal-she had no heart and therefore could feel nothing in the correct sense. All her so called emotions were merely parody. For all her hemming and hawing about tearing out her heart because love was a weakness, she could not escape its grasp. The thing she loved most was her daughter, in her own twisted way. She turned out to be right, love is a weakness but only if you allow it to be. And it would be her downfall.
And that is why he could not stand Cora. When confronted with a golden opportunity,she squandered it. She gave up the power she could have had with Rumplestiltskin so her precious child could one day be a queen. Really woman? Stiltskin could have given you any kingdom you desired. Better yet under his tutelage you could have taken what you wanted. And once all your hard work paid off, what was your reward pray tell? Banishment, by the hand of that beloved daughter, beyond the looking glass to a people eventually driven to attempt your assassination. Something that might not have been an issue if you had considered your options a little better that night.
Stupid wench.
He on the other hand could feel the entire spectrum of human emotion. But instead of locking them away, he used them. Recognized just how powerful they were not just in others but himself. Yes even he, the Black Death, had once found his True Love. Married her. Sired a child, a son with her knowing how powerful that child could become.
Then he killed her. Kadija was his only weakness, therefore had to be excised like the cancer she was.. With her dead, there was nothing that could be used against him. No temptation from his boy he made sure knew of her fate so he would grow to hate him and no father son bond could ever be forged. As the boy grew into a man, he took after his mother in beauty, but him in magical strength. But power means nothing if one cannot properly wield it. And when the boy came to avenge his mother, he found himself sorely lacking in experience and easily outclassed.
Instead of killing the fool, he found forcing the gauntlet on him a much more satisfying victory. Letting him know his place would forever be under the thumb of his betters. Because of that brazenness, he had a wonderful spare battery. Something to anchor himself to and use as a fulcrum to escape his body as it remained entombed after his 'demise' at his darling second wife's hand. Allowing them to live in ignorant bliss for a time while he continued his quest for ultimate power.
"Oi! What the fuck do you want now?"
So much for reminiscing. The flash of red before his throne brought him back to the present.
The wild child had grown into a charmingly handsome young man if one were willing to ignore what came out of his mouth. Average height, lanky build, accent common only to Wonderland, dressed in red and black leathers. Absolutely nothing to suggest if given the chance he could gut a full grown troll stem to stern with only a dagger. If given the chance would gladly slit the throat of his master and suck out his soul. Thankfully the manacles on his wrists kept him a semi-obedient slave.
It pays to be a hoarder. Never know what use you might find for the hide of a dragon slain by it's own fires.
"Bastard! Talkin to you, don't zone out! Why did you summon me? Can't your lil bint handle whatever?"
"Must you me so uncouth?"
"I'm 'ungry and you interrupted my snack! Course I'm right bitchy." the young man snarled.
"You're always hungry. How would you like to feed on some of the most powerful creatures in all the realms my boy?"
"I'm listenin."
*OUATE*
"How does any of this help us?" Emma glared at Pan, who was back to that infuriating smile of his seconds after Felix left. Telling that story just to mess with them seemed right up his alley.
"It doesn't. Pan's all about mind fucks." Gold glared.
"While I'm sure my angel mostly did do it for shock value, it's pretty important. Baelfire, Neale, you are Destane's diamond in the rough and he has been slowly working to polish you into the perfect gem. The child of the Dark One, True Love of the Savior, Father of the Truest Believer. And a Lost Boy therefore connected body and soul to Neverland who was allowed to age with a Heart Grown Too Cold to Care...almost. The nexus of power centered around you is no coincidence. In all our planning to keep him from winning, Destane has been herding us in the direction he wanted all along. Without my Sight at full strength, I could never see far enough into the future to ever piece it together. In fact, all we really have going for us is he may have shot himself in the foot by not preventing us helping you reconnect with Emma and meet your son. It's the ONLY reason my Angel was able to become whole again. The only reason your heart began to thaw." Gabriel frowned.
"Well that's just dandy. So we're all just chess pieces in your game." David hugged his shaking wife. Snow had begun to cry as soon as she realized how much of their lives weren't even their own decisions.
"What else is new?" Regina mumbled picking herself up off the floor, magicking away the blood on her face.. "Quite and entrance Jazz. Still I deserved that."
"You're lucky you can get up." The desert queen hissed. "If not for your help being needed, I would turn you into a Mamluk for what you've done Gina."
"Claws away. I'm sure the ruckus has woken up Henry already." Emma rolled her eyes and made her way to her bedroom door.
"Oh, Henry's not here. Been gone for a while now. Did I forget to mention?" Peter feigned a sheepish smile.
*OUATE*
"Of course you'd want to destroy the town." Astrid glared at Henry. Who was resisting the urge to face palm. Prejudices ran so deep...
"For crying out loud. I said easiest. Not best. That's actually the dumbest thing we could do right now and the very thing this hare-brained scheme you're all working on will think going back to the Enchanted Forest will be any safer? That you can just pick up where your stories ended like the curse never happened? Keep dreaming. Storybrooke's existence is warping reality but destroying it could BREAK reality as off kilter as the balance is right now. Like it or not, the only choice is to stand and fight."
"Fight who? You've made it clear that our enemies are not who we believe." Mother Superior gently placed a hand on Astrid's shoulder. A sign to stand down.
"Team good n' evil that you've met includes both my moms, my dad, all 3 of my grandparents and Hook who we actually haven't seen since Neverland- um he's actually pretty powerful and not what you think he is. He IS a Wraith -don't freak out! Geez! -specifically Davey Jones but not a bad guy. Peter you know isn't very nice but me and Felix, blonde kid with the scar, can keep him from doing anything too evil for now. The Lord Moon is Gabriel, the guy with the silver hair who's been trying to keep all the realms from falling apart like a poorly knit sweater and more or less Peter's master. Ms. Jasmine I haven't met really but she has an axe to grind with the real bad guy. That and there's some bad blood between her and one of my moms..."
"Not to be nosey but which one?" Archie ventured. Things had gotten rather complicated...
"Take a wild guess bug." Leroy snarked. The therapist's ears turned red. And Granny whacked the gruff man in the back of the head. "Ow!"
"So that's who's in our corner. The challenger?" Granny ignored Leroy rubbing his sore noggin.
"Destane the Black Death."
"Impossible!"
"He's dead!"
"Everyone knows that!"
"Killed by his wife before the curse!"
Everyone began talking all at once again. After a shout, Henry got them to be quiet again.
"Yeah well, it seems rumors of his death have been greatly exaggerated." the boy sighed. Suddenly he felt a tremendous negative weight in the area. Something was coming. Something...very, very wrong.
*OUATE*
"WHAT?!" Everyone but Jasmine and Gabriel shouted.
"That stereo thing is pretty funny." Peter laughed, then snapped to attention, clutching his chest as if if a knife had been twisted in it. Staggering a bit then bracing the wall for support. "Bloody hell-!"
A young brown hair man appeared right in his face covered in blood and cuts. He collapsed to his knees instantly but he was caught by Pan before he hit the floor to the amazement of Team Good n' Evil. Smug amusement gave way to sheer panic, pain and concern for the young man in his arms.
"Michael?! What happened? Where's John?!"
"I couldn't...I couldn't stop him..." the man wailed, tears falling like a river. "I tried but John pushed me away, pushed me here. He's DEAD!"
One of his boys was dead...that awful pain in his chest was the thread connecting him to John snapping. How? Lost Boys were immortal!
"Michael, love stay with me now. Who did this?" He tried to hid the tremor in his voice but it escaped regardless. In this moment, he reminded them of the weak and helpless boy from Rumple's memories in the Echo caves. No one made a sound, unsure what to say muchless do. Even Gabriel seemed at a loss.
Gently, he pressed a finger to the man's temple only to let out a roar of agony and almost fall over onto him. The Moon knelt beside him and began healing Micheal once he realized Peter was too shaken to do it himself.
"Angel, what did you see?"
"Destane's making moves. The Knave of Hearts is loose in Storybrooke."
Well, isn't that a lovely thought?
*OUATE*
Yep. I love Michael Socha's character. I just have zero interest in the Wonderland storyline. Like a good portion of the OUAT fanbase hence the single convoluted, half assed , 'omg wtf am I watching' season (read the summaries, then watched it online just in case I was wrong. NOPE. Stuff they obviously planned to revisit in another season or two is fucking missing). Something ABC totally could have avoided if they released Wonderland during the parent series' breaks like they intended instead of at the same damn time. What we got were two competing plot lines of the same overarching show trying to get our attention at once. I don't need that shit and neither do you, explaining the low rating when most of us decided to watch the show we had invested more time in. They did however realize we love us some Will Scarlet n_n
A knave is historically a scoundrel or a criminal, someone untrustworthy and certainly not a rank in an army. My version was created to KILL Cora not serve her. But his makers weren't as forward thinking as they could have been...
Also, like everyone Oncer, there is a reason Destane is the way he is that's been hinted at. It may or may not be a good one but no one is evil just for the sake of plot in my world.
Love it? Hate it? Let me know! Sirensoundwave out!