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P.S. A central character will be in a non-consensual compromising situation. If this offends anyone please don't read any further as I do not wish to offend anyone with my storytelling. Thank you!

Chapter 18

The Wine Celler

The first thing Emma hears as she walks inside are the silky sounds of a violin and a piano. They are playing a classical tune. The music is both beautiful and entrancing and she finds herself drawn to it in a calming manor.

Rumple waves his hand over her and she feels the familiar tingle of magic run through her head with tiny shockwaves that settle in her ears.

"What did you just do?"

"The music. It's meant to distract us. I've created a shield of protection for us."

"I can still hear it." She worriedly tells him.

"Yes but appreciating it and being made into a rag doll by it are two completely different things dearie."

"I'll keep that in mind."

They enter Hade's wine cellar. Unlike Regina when she was first led here, Emma and Rumple are guarded and have all their wits about them. They both stop in shock when they see the dozens of bodies bleeding over the wine barrels.

"Gold?!" Emma feels like a child having the worst possible night terror and Rumplestiltskin is currently the only near father-figure that may provide some comfort; or at the least reassurance.

"Emma we need to keep going."

"But these people..." Emma wants to cry. She wants to scream and run and 'where is Regina?'

Gold turns her around and pulls her to a hidden nook. He rests his hands on her shoulders as if he were about to give her a pep talk. Knowing how Emma grew up because of all his manipulation and scheming he wants to do the right thing now, even though he knows she doesn't trust him. He wouldn't trust himself either but he wants to help her and do what is right. If not for himself then for his son, who loved Emma enough that they conceived his grandchild together. Dark one or not he has to try for Bae.

"I know how horrible this all appears."

"Appears?"

"Please let me finish. I understand what must be passing through your mind. But we need to keep going! We must get to Regina and I must get us all out of here."

Emma looks into Rumple's eyes willing her spirit not to break as she finally asks the one question she's kept from rising, "What if he's already killed her?"

"He can't kill her. He can't kill anyone unless they surrender to him and allow him to willingly take their soul. No doubt I'm sure he has his ways but Regina is a hell of a lot stronger than that! Pun intended."

Emma closes her eyes and sighs deeply deciding she will believe him because she won't be able to take another step if she doesn't. "How can we just leave these people behind? They are alive!"

"We will take this up with Persephone once we are all safe but Emma you must understand this isn't a normal battle of good and evil. This is Hades we are up against. He is the evil."

Emma nods her head in understanding the gravity of the situation. "Let's get Regina and lets get out of here."

"Now listen to me don't look up. Don't look or listen to the bodies. Focus on Regina."

They slowly make their way into the long hallway. Emma is desperately trying to keep her eyes forward or nailed to the ground but she can't help her wondering eyes from sneaking a peek at the dying. Emma has never been a religious person but she can't help but recall one of her foster families. They were Catholics that took her in for a time. They were good people. She remembers falling ill with the flu one day and the lady praying over her and teaching her prayers. As she walks in the dim light surrounded by such horror, with pain and terror looming over her one prayer comes to mind, 'Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.'

"Thy rod and thy staff...thy rod and thy staff...My father's sword!" Emma remembers David giving her his sword before they left the beach. Out of nowhere it appears in her hand.

"What the fuck? I'm not even sure when it disappeared."

"Let's be glad you have it back then."

"Will this be enough?"

"Let's hope so."

With the vote of confidence the sword provided Emma quickly reaches the end of the hall and sees the chains of steel holding the bodies in place. She knows her sword can break them.

Rumple sees what she's planning, "Emma we don't have time. They'll land in the barrels and maybe drown, we can't save them all."

"Then help me. Help me send them to the Elysian Fields." Emma knows Cora informed her that people don't come back from there; but it's definitely better than here. Anywhere is better than here.

"How?"

"I need for all of them to hear me instead of the music."

"I can do that but I don't know that this is going to work." Gold holds his hand over her head without touching her.

Emma closes her eyes and tells them all to think of a man. He is tall and he is kind. He has deep brown eyes and a gentle smile. His name is Anthony. When she is certain she got her message across she quickly turns and cuts through the chains releasing half of the bodies. She runs across the the other side and repeats her actions.

Gold looks in amazement as the bodies once practically lifeless and in pain have disappeared.

Emma smiles and grabs him, "Let's go get her."

Regina wavers in and out of consciousness. She's somewhat aware of what is taking place but she's having a very difficult time reconciling with her current prison. The agonizing pleasure she feels is nothing short of blissful torture. She struggles to keep her eyes open in vain, if not from the natural reaction of her body being pushed to the brink of climax every few minutes but from her life force, that is slowly being drained from her. She has moments of such wrath in between the slave's ministrations. For how could she have allowed this? How is it that her magic wasn't strong enough, 'isn't strong enough' to fight this?! She knows she started at a deficit when they overpowered her but she feels so guilty to be in her current predicament. She feels ashamed and embarrassed. 'I should have listened to Emma. She was right all along it was me he wanted. And now it may be too late.' The thought of both Emma and her being doomed to hell for all eternity filled her with anxiety. Anxiety only interrupted by a gentle and taunting caress to her nipples. 'Damn it! I need to fight this but it feels so damn good. I must find a way to warn Emma. She must not come for me. Hades will take her. Oh God!' Regina found herself in silent prayers, something she had not done since childhood. She felt that realistically there would be no way out for her; but Emma no, she couldn't allow her to fall victim as well. She simply wouldn't allow anything to happen to her. Henry needed her and Emma had already suffered so much. And then she felt it. A phallus-like sensation stimulating her g-spot to the edge of near bliss. "Oh my God!" She whispered as her upper body fell forward and curled up on itself. 'They are truly evil!' Regina was fighting so hard not to succumb to these fallacious pleasures. She knew they were only working to drain her of life. Torturing her over and over, taking what they needed but never truly allowing her to climax and rest. It was a state of circular pleasure that had no happy ending like the crescendo decrescendo of the violin that played in the background. Regina felt tears stinging her eyes. It was too much. She couldn't take it anymore. But she struggled in vain. It was as if the very air that filled her lungs was slowly abandoning her albeit painlessly. She only knew her life force was being taken because of her magic but the effects were monumental. Never had she felt so physically weak before not even when she was being electrocuted. She wanted to panic but didn't have the strength to do so. She knew that Emma would come for her sooner or later and she felt guilty at the thought filling her with selfish hope. She even felt more guilt at this being the singular thought that moves her to open her eyes and look around the room for her friend. Every time she sees no sign of her she closes her eyes in defeat and subconsciously gives in just a little more to their torture. As the painstakingly slow time passed Regina kept one thought racing anytime she was cognizant enough, 'find someway to warn Emma.' But she had no way to warn her. She couldn't use her magic and her voice felt like nothing short of a whimper. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to will her thoughts as a warning but she couldn't be sure that would work. And as much as the thought of never seeing Henry again destroyed Regina she couldn't understand why the thought of harm reaching Emma finally made her fully surrender to these demons. 'I will no longer fight this,' she pleaded with herself, 'not unless it is to help those I love, my family.' She had been struggling against them for what felt like hours but she had no more energy to fight. Regina may as well have been a vampire's victim being drained of blood. 'I have no more...I am done.'

Emma and Gold finally make their way into the throne room. Emma feels a shudder envelope her as the cold air hits her face like tiny knives. The place looks like something pulled out of a Freddy Kruger horror movie. There are fire geysers rising from the dirty earth despite the cold she feels. It's very dark but she can see creatures behind dungeon-like bars in the distance wailing at them as they walk about. It's all so filthy and there are cobwebs and bats flying around them. She notices the music has grown louder as they move further in. The worker souls of hell all look at them with fear in their eyes and draw away like Frankenstein's Igor. Emma tries to ignore the crunching sounds of the insects beneath her feet as they walk through a central path. Gold is waving most of them away...at least the snakes. Emma tries to avoid looking at them as her stomach is already doing summer salts and snakes are creatures she has never taken to. Gold looks at her with understanding, keeping the creatures away from himself as well.

Emma feels a nervous cold sweat forming behind her neck. She wonders where Regina could possibly be but as frightened as she is she knows Regina is alive; she can't understand it but Emma can somehow feel it. She tries to reason with herself, 'If Hades wants her he wouldn't kill her and Regina would never let him.' Emma wants to cry out and call her name so Regina can bitch at her saying, "What took you so long?!" She'd instantly know Regina is safe and they can leave this dreadful realm. But Emma is quickly drawn out of her fantasy, for finally, as if in slow motion, being the only bright thing present in this dark and dreary place...Emma sees her.