Killian's Inferno

Chapter Four

Killian sat on the cold, hard ground on his knees while his upper body was wrapped in chains that seemed to zap any strength he had left in his body, or spirit, or whatever it was he was now that he was dead, his arms stretched out tightly and restrained to the stone pillars at his sides. His head hung down on his chest and he couldn't move. All he could feel was an unbearable amount of pain after what felt to him was endless torment being inflicted upon him by Hades himself, though not physical, but torture of the mind.

Once the three witches had left wherever it was he was being held, the Lord of the Underworld bound him, then reached his hands out as he placed them gently upon the sides of his head until the grip tightened and dark memories suddenly flooded into Killian's mind, memories of all the pain Killian caused those he had ever come across in his long life while a pirate. Then worse, memories of the horrible things he had said and done while he had been the Dark One, especially of how he had hurt the woman he loved so deeply with his cruel words.

When Hades finally let up and released his grasp, the God knelt down before Killian once again as he looked at his newest soul with pity and said softly, "You have done so many horrible things in your lifetime, Captain. So many acts of evil and have sent so many of my kept souls, including your own father to me. I should thank you."

Tears slipped down from his eyes as Killian answered weakly, "I know… know of what I've done. No one regrets my actions more than I."

"And yet you don't try to justify your sins by bringing up all the good you pretended to do after you met Miss. Swan," the God continued cruelly as he lifted the pirate's head to force the man to look at him by taking his chin his hand. "You tried Killian, but you failed, again and again. One final act of nobility cannot not keep you from eternal damnation and you shall be one of my favorites."

"Actually, perhaps I just might have a better idea for this man, my friend," someone from behind the God spoke smugly as the being suddenly materialized from out of nowhere, someone who's voice Killian recognized even more so than even Emma's. "Forgive the intrusion, Hades, but might I speak with you?"

The God laughed upon seeing Rumpelstiltskin in his Dark One form once again standing before him, then embraced the man joyfully and shook his hand as he responded, "Of course, man! What the devil are you doing back down here? I wasn't informed that you were… But you're still alive and very well off it seems. I can see and sense that your powers are stronger than ever before. How is it that you have you come to return?"

Rumple smiled as he moved around the God to observe his enemy's torment for a few moments before replying, "It's an old, timeless tale of love and one woman's search for her own happy ending. Emma Swan and her cursed family and friends have come down to the Underworld in hope of rescuing this vile man whom I have finally rid my world of once and for all. The Savior left me no choice, but to help her get here. However, we both know that we cannot allow Swan to succeed in bringing him back."

"I agree, I have enjoyed my time with, Captain Hook, immensely and I do not wish to give him up," Hades answered, then took a minute to think. "I shall send some of my minions to find them, to destroy them."

"They will try, but ultimately your beasts and putrid souls will all fail," Gold responded with frustration as he knelt down before Hook and yanked his head back sharply by grabbing hold of his hair in order to help the pirate look at his face, feeling an immense satisfaction upon seeing tears in his eyes and running across his cheeks. "Take it from someone who's had plenty of experience in trying to defeat them all. We must come up with something better and I think I know just what to do. Enjoying your new accommodations, dearie? How does it feel, Captain, to finally be dead at last? Does it pain you to know that the woman you love has dragged her family and others down here in Hell to come and save you, when there is no way they shall succeed, when all they will succeed in doing is die?"

Killian tried to muster up as much strength as he could as he looked into is enemy's eyes while fighting through his pain and replied sternly, "You said it yourself, Croc… Crocodile. She is a survivor. I hold no hope… that her foolish endeavors to rescue me… will prevail. I accept my fate, but you will not… defeat her either. Emma Swan is far stronger… than you… will ever be."

The strongest of Dark Ones to have ever lived chortled and then answered, "My, my, you are a brave man, or a foolish one, but you have always underestimated how far I am willing to go to get what I want. Hades, I propose that we send, him, to kill the Savior. Only Hook will be able to get close enough to be able to do so and what a perfect way to sever their true love once and for all."

"I will never…" Killian tried to protest until Hades immediately cut him off by using his powers to choke him as if he was being strangled.

"You say you accept your fate, Killian Jones, but I wonder if you can really resist, a chance to live again in the world above, a chance to end your torment here and now," the Lord of the Underworld responded gleefully and cruelly. "I will send you back to the land of the living, where you will be free to have a brand new life with no memories of your life in Storybrooke, no memories of your love for the Savior, and no memories of your many, many sins. I will grant you this one chance to be smart, but only if you will get close to the woman you love and kill her, along with as many of her family and friends as possible. What do you say?"

When the God released his hold on his throat, Hook's head dropped back down to his chest as he replied faintly, "Ne… never."

Rumpelstiltskin put his hand to his ear as he asked mockingly, "What was that, dearie? I didn't quite hear you."

"I will never hurt Emma or the others again," Killian said with more vigor until he let go and collapsed as far down to the floor as the chains surrounding him would allow him to, remaining barely conscious as he was too weak to fight any longer.

"Very well, you have refused my deal, Captain, and so now you will suffer an eternity even greater than the worst of the worst souls I have collected here for your insolence," Hades spoke angrily as he once again grasped Hook's head within his hands, his hands emitting a strange, blue fire as he released his power, causing Killian to scream in agony while the God continued to speak loudly over his cries with venom in his voice. "You will not remember my friend and your enemy was ever here, nor will you remember that the woman you love has come for you. You will feel the utter anguish of your sins as they rip you to shreds over and over and never die, because death has already come for you. Suffer well, Killian. I will be by later to see you again and maybe then, I will give some of your other enemies you sent down here a chance to repay you for their own suffering. Rumpelstiltskin, shall we go catch up on old times? I believe we have much to discuss."

Meanwhile…

The moment that Emma had mentioned the name, Regina looked over at her friend in surprise as she asked, "Who's Liam? Emma, do you know this man?"

The Savior continued to stare as she slowly began to walk toward him until her father worryingly called out, "Emma, be careful!"

"I don't actually know him, but that is who you are, isn't it?" she inquired as she stood directly in front of him. "Liam Jones?"

"That's right," the stranger answered as he smiled at her, though not cruelly or smugly. "I know who you are, but I'll admit I'm surprised that you know me, Emma Swan."

Both David and Mary Margaret stepped forward to stand with their daughter as Snow asked again, "Jones, as in Killian Jones? Are you Hook's brother?"

Liam laughed and then responded, "I never did like that moniker for him, nor any of the others you've all taken to calling him. But yes, I'm Killian's older brother. I truly wish we could have met under better circumstances."

"How is it that you know about his monikers or even know who I am?" Emma questioned again darkly, recognizing that something was off about him. "You died before Killian became a pirate well over three hundred years ago. Or is it that you're not really him?"

"Oh, I'm him all right, but you'll find that centuries down in Hell changes a man," he replied bitterly as he pulled a sword from his side and pointed it at Emma until David immediately pulled her and his wife behind him while pulling out his own blade once again. "I was sent here after I died because my brother failed to convince me of my foolishness in serving the wrong kind of King and I died because he tricked me into slicing my own arm with dream shade. I have suffered and have been tortured for centuries because my brother has found a way to cheat death over and over!"

Emma glared at him angrily as her father fought him until David was knocked down to the ground, but before Liam could strike him down, Emma swiftly blasted the man back and away from the Prince as she answered angrily, "You're lying! Killian never tricked you into doing anything. He tried to warn you not to do what you did. Or at least, he tried to stop his real brother. You're not him. What the hell are you?"

Liam looked at her smugly from the spot where he was now lying on the ground as he responded, "I'm your lover's older brother."

"Wrong, because the real Liam would never hate Killian like you do," she replied more forcefully. "The way he spoke of his brother, they both loved each other very much and there was nothing, nothing that would have ever changed that. Hook didn't betray him and Liam would never betray his brother either, at any price. So again, what or who are you really?"

"Very good, Emma, the latest and former Dark One," the man answered as he stood and then transformed into Nimue, the very first of one of the heroes' greatest enemies whom the darkness had corrupted. "Congratulations on defeating us after all. It's a real shame that your handsome pirate had to lose his life and end up down here with the rest of us. I can assure you, we will make him suffer severely for his betrayal and vanquishment. His torment's already begun. He screamed so loudly and he begged for it to stop. It won't take much for us to break him. Oh, and just so you know, time here in the Underworld is irrelevant, so we can make him feel as though he's been trapped down here for as long as he managed to stay alive in the world above if we wish to. In fact, I think we will. I'll be seeing you again soon, Emma, and your one true love, even sooner."

Tears were falling down her face as Emma watched in fear when the ghost of Nimue vanished and she screamed, "No!"

Henry reached out to touch his mother's shoulder as he moved around her to look into her eyes and said sadly, "You can't let Nimue or any other daemon, or God in this place get to you, no matter what they say. They are trying to hurt you so that they can destroy you and if you die, then Killian's sacrifice will have been for nothing. We need you, Mom. I need you. We will find him. I'm sure of it."

"Henry's right," Regina responded before David or Mary Margaret could add anymore to yet another Charming hope speech that she hated so much, even if it was her son who gave it this time. "I know how difficult this is for you, Emma, but we really need your head in the game."

"I know," the Savior replied emotionlessly as she pushed onward, not caring to look back to make sure that her family and friends were following after her. "I'll be fine."