A/N: Thank you for the reviews, follows, favorites, and interesting plot predictions from a few of you. You'll never understand what your comments and support have meant between each chapter of this story.
Although I love for readers to develop their own vision of what a character should look like, I imagine the Black Fairy being played by Geena Davis.
I dedicate this chapter to all of you who have taken this journey along with me. And to my friend, the Captain from the Burgh; who continues to remind me that there is no wrong way to tell the tale, so long as you have the courage to tell it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon a Time or its characters.
Chapter 33
The humming in Emma's ears and pounding in her chest grew stronger, the grief from watching her son disappear into the night sky now morphing into anger; as she pulled her glare up to meet Maleficent's yellow slits. Never before had Emma felt such hate for another human being, the emotions boiling in her blood and rushing throughout every inch of her being.
"We don't need them now that we have the ringed wand," the Black Fairy shouted with victory in her tone, as Killian held Emma from behind. "There is nowhere either of them can hide from us anyway."
Don't let your last moments be of hatred and regret.
Think of Henry…
But the image of his tear-stained face and the feeling of separation from her child only infuriated her more; that Gold and his evil hags had been so greedy for power, they didn't care how many lives they destroyed.
"I must admit that we had assumed it was the baby prince or Aurora's brat that we needed, until your oh-so-passionate night in Narnia with the pirate," Maleficent taunted, Emma's breath catching in her lungs.
No. Not like this...
Killian must have sensed the change; taking both of her hands into his calloused palms, as her arms shook with fury. Emma felt the familiar sensation of tingling in her toes and fingers, as Maleficent seemed to feed off of her anger.
"It was then, that the vision became much clearer… much clearer, indeed."
Killian's hushed words pulled her from what felt like a courtroom interrogation, the cavern suddenly becoming smaller and smaller as if to close in on them; and Emma's anger was replaced with uncontrollable anxiety.
"What is she on about, luv?"
Emma simply couldn't meet his stare right away, while her heart pounded a loud and treacherous rhythm against her chest; the desperation in his tone suggesting that Killian had realized their enemies knew something he didn't.
She heard the mocking in Maleficent's words; the hint of victory in her tone. "Oh. You didn't tell him, did you?"
He glanced over at the sorceress for only a moment, before Killian darted his eyes back to Emma's, his heart breaking right in front of her.
"Emma…?"
The hurt in his voice was enough to spring tears to her eyes, which were already swollen from her goodbye with Henry. Undeterred by the dangerous conditions or inopportune situation they were in, Emma closed the small distance between her and Killian; slowly grasping his hand and holding it to her abdomen without a word.
His eyes fell to their interlocked hands, the man's beautiful features crinkled with confusion for mere seconds; before the blue orbs lifted to meet her green ones again, his chapped lips agape. Killian's utter look of shock was what Emma imagined hers had been when she found out, the breath catching in her throat, as time seemed to stop completely.
For an agonizing moment, she feared that he would be upset; that his fury would overcome him, and he would rush at Maleficent and Gold without a second thought. But as Killian's features softened, a look of pure amazement appearing on his face, Emma knew she had been such a fool to worry about his reaction.
"You're with child," he whispered in awe, his voice resounding through her entire body, despite the noise of spewing lava and crackling fire surrounding them, and Emma nodded her head quickly.
"I found out last night before we fought the Hydra. I should have told you, but… oh Killian…"
She couldn't find the right words, but didn't need to; as he gently pulled Emma's forehead to his, a wide and astonished grin spreading over his face. If there was ever a time that she had been happier to see him cry, Emma couldn't recall it now.
"A baby…"
Killian seemed to be in an overjoyed trance, as a choked laugh escaped him, and a single tear slipped out, running down into his scruff. Emma mirrored his movements, putting both of her hands atop of his, letting her features mirror his happy ones.
"I hate to interrupt such a touching moment, but there is no reason to waste any more of our time," Maleficent said harshly; as she made her way closer to Emma and Killian, like a predator closing in on an injured prey. "You're coming with us, Savior."
Killian was in front of Emma in an instant, and she had no time to react before Gold leaped toward Maleficent with impressive speed and yanked the wand from her grasp. The tip glowed a deep golden color, before the old man pushed the Black Fairy across the cave with the wand's power; a sparkling web of golden ropes entrapping her in place against the cavern wall.
Maleficent's roar filled their ears, as she lifted the scalding lava from a river nearby, and sent it rushing toward Gold; before Emma threw her defensive magic around the man, who had been slightly caught off guard.
Gold recovered nicely, though, and flicked the wand to release the lava, guiding it safely from them and back into the gorge without any harm done. His eyes flickered to Emma for the briefest moment, before he regained his composure, holding the wand calmly in front of him with both hands, as if to wait on a train.
Maybe we can win this...
As her mother struggled against the restraints behind them, Maleficent raised her hands again, incensed with rage, and the wand slipped from Gold's grasp, falling safely back into her possession. Emma's heart sank when she saw Maleficent send Gold a wicked smile.
"You know you can't defeat me, old man," she said melodically, tapping the ringed wand to her full lips. "This wand is my birthright and you know it."
If Gold had been the least bit afraid of the sorceress' threat, he showed no indication of it, keeping his expression rather stoic.
"Let me ask you, Dearie… what is the most powerful type of magic that you have ever heard of?"
Emma noticed the Black Fairy had stopped her struggle, her daughter apparently forgetting that her mother was still trapped against the cavern wall. Though Maleficent maintained her sardonic grin, it was clear that Gold's casual demeanor had unsettled the sorceress, her grasp tightening around the wand.
"These rings, combined with the wand-"
"It wasn't the fairies who had betrayed your mother all those years ago," he interrupted hastily, his face turning to look at her directly. "It was I who took her wand and power; who ensured your mother ended up in a land without magic; which I now realize was London," he added with a sardonic smile.
"Hold your tongue, Rumpel!"
The Black Fairy howled furiously from behind Gold, and Emma was forced to use her own magic to maintain the fairy's imprisonment; as Maleficent swung her head back and forth between her mother and Gold.
Although his features were unreadable, Emma saw a flash in the man's eye that she had only seen once before; in the apartment in New York, when Neal had stepped in and interrupted their conversation.
When Gold had been reunited with his son.
No… It can't be…
"Your mother conspired with your aunt to seduce me, and steal my dagger while I slept," Gold said in a low voice, though it carried over the gushing lava and crackling flames. "I figured out their plot before they were able to control the dagger, your mother's hold over me had already been sealed."
Emma gritted her teeth and held her ground, as the Black Fairy's fury strengthened her powers, weakening the magic that held her there. Maleficent's blonde hair was slick with sweat, sticking to her bony face, as she darted her eyes over to her mother, before Gold continued.
"Something about you intrigued me, Maleficent; though I just assumed it was your fantastic potential," he shouted over the noise. "It was the reason I chose to train you; but it wasn't until you were able to obtain the wand and ring so easily that I realized it was more than our skills that connected us."
If Emma hadn't been so overwhelmed with holding the Black Fairy in place, she would have looked as shocked as Maleficent.
Gold was Maleficent's father?!
One of the volcanos exploded, shooting so much ash that Emma had to drop her hold on the Black Fairy and shield herself and Killian, who maintained his stance beside her.
"You're lying," Maleficent yelled at Gold, her voice wavering slightly. "You betrayed my mother. You used me as your guinea pig to get to your son, talked Regina into betraying me for the curse; and I ended up spending my entire life alone while she and Aurora got everything they wanted."
There was a clenching around her throat at the familiarity of Maleficent's words, at the sound of loneliness in her voice. Emma felt Killian's hands come to rest on her shoulders, and she knew that the man understood her pain as he always had.
Emma saw the Black Fairy storm over to them, an immense look of rage on her face and Emma was forced to raise her magic in defense once again, a sharp jabbing pain ripping through her palms and arms. If Gold didn't find a way to get through to Maleficent, there might just be a family fireworks show the likes of which this kingdom has never seen. Apparently he knew that too, his voice somber and genuine now.
"Maleficent, you don't understand," Gold said, stepping toward her, his hand outstretched. "Blood magic is extremely powerful… I'm asking you to give me the wand. Please."
For once, Emma believed his words were to protect, rather than gain power, but saw that they were wasted on his lost daughter; as Maleficent raised the ringed wand again, its light shining the deepest of purple.
"This magic is meant for me," she screamed, her hand trembling, sparks shooting out of the tip as thunder boomed over their heads. "And you've lost your chance to reap the benefits!"
The instant that Maleficent had thrust her arm forward, Gold raised both palms in defense, and the purple beam of magic surged toward its target. Before Emma could attempt to react, it ricocheted off of Gold's outstretched hands, the magic lighting up the entire cavern as it connected with Maleficent, hitting her directly in the chest.
Her full lips formed into an "O" shape, her narrow, yellow eyes widening in surprise; yet there was no sound to be heard from the woman, as Maleficent's skin turned a scaly black, her hair shriveling into her scalp like dried vines. There was one final attempt to shift her wand hand, before the sorceress' body went limp, falling hard to the hard cavern floor with a dull thud.
Everything within the cavern seemed to stop; the eerie silence piercing through Emma like the magic had done to its latest victim. Gold stared at the body, his mouth agape a moment; before he exhaled slowly, his face covered with what appeared to be disappointment and guilt.
And then Emma was in pain.
It was if she had been suddenly electrocuted; a breath-taking jolt shooting up from her hands to her shoulders. Emma released her magical hold involuntarily; as the fairy flicked her wrist violently, taking the wand from her dead daughter's grip.
The thunder above their heads had obviously not come from Maleficent, as it grew louder, shaking the cavern floor beneath them. Judging by the infuriated look on the fairy's face, this was only the beginning of what she had in store.
Gold did not attempt to placate the fairy, nor did he cower away in fear; standing his ground, as their daughter lay dead between them.
"She made her choice," he said plainly. "You should have told me the truth before-."
"Before you banished me to that land to die?! It's time to atone for all you have done, Rumplestiltskin," the fairy shouted, her complexion a deep red, her breathing heavy, and wand pointed directly at him.
Emma moved to approach the fight, hoping to assist Gold, but Killian grabbed her arm.
"Swan, please," he yelled over the explosions and thunder, his grasp slipping over her sweaty wrist. "You can't-"
"Killian, she's going to destroy him."
The pirate maintained her stare a moment, before he nodded quickly, drawing his sword and stepping beside her. The leather from his vest had been burned earlier, and from the small distance between them, she could smell the odor of scorched animal hide.
Emma had grown accustomed to the feeling of conjuring magic; her palms heating instantly, and in order to protect Gold, she pushed him aside with a swish of her hand.
Glancing over at the old man, Emma saw that he looked rather annoyed (which admittedly gave her satisfaction.) She didn't have time to revel in the feeling, though, before the Black Fairy switched direction and pointed the wand directly at Killian. The pirate doubled over in agony, the magic bringing him to his knees, and Emma screamed out, her palms growing uncommonly hot.
"Make this any harder, and I'll kill him," the fairy hissed, her eyes glowing as red as Regina's gold ring.
He looked up from the ground below, Killian's face more determined than she had ever seen it, and Emma's heart nearly stopped its rhythm, when she realized that the expression was hauntingly familiar.
"You have to go, Emma."
She stared down at her love, as he rose to his feet again; and Emma understood that this man was ready to do whatever was necessary to give her time to escape.
"You two were just pawns in a much larger game," the Black Fairy said scathingly, her raspy voice sounding much like the crackling flames around her; as Emma realized that it was not Maleficent, but her mother, who looked to bring the vision to fruition.
"The child will be ours."
She had only a short moment to predict what was about to happen, before a silver flash erupted from the wand, and Killian was pulled forward violently. Emma managed to grasp unto his wrist in time, as a strong force pulled at the other end, dragging both of them closer to the surrounding fire.
"You and the baby will be pulled into the inferno," he yelled breathlessly, his pleading expression asking her to do what she couldn't.
Surely he had to understand her love for him; surely Emma wouldn't need to repeat those same words as she had in her vision. She could not, and would not, let the unfathomable devastation become reality.
The eager flames licked at them both, as the last of Emma's strength slowly ebbed from her body. Killian gave her a small, accepting smile; and she took note that in any kind of parallel life or vision, this man would always dedicate himself to her and their child.
Knowing what he would say before the words were even uttered, her eyes widened; as Emma realized what must be done.
"Emma, let go."
There was a bright blue flash before her eyes, as she threw a layer of defensive magic around Killian, letting go of his hand; and Emma spun around, shoving the Black Fairy backward with all of her might, sending the woman crashing into a boulder behind her.
Killian fell rapidly toward the flames, his face showing neither fear, nor defeat. Emma barely had time to open her mouth to scream, before Gold suddenly lunged forward, knocking the pirate out of harm's way.
She didn't have time to let her surprise at Gold's actions take over, the lava now spewing out from various spots on the cavern floor, the smoldering heat worse than ever. Gold stood up and shouted to her over the angry flames.
"It has to be you," he said firmly, looking at her directly over Killian's unconscious form, breathing heavily. Although his resolve looked stronger than ever, she could tell that the man had conceded that his role in the battle was finished.
"Do what you came here to do, Miss Swan."
Another series of rumbling thunder echoed loudly above their heads; and Emma saw massive, black clouds gather in the night sky, looming over them as if a foreboding of what was to come.
"This is only the beginning of what this wand can do," the fairy bellowed behind them, as Emma slowly turned to face her foe.
She had a moment to take a single breath, before the fairy threw her magic outward, connecting with Emma's shield; and she understood immediately that her power would be no match for the ringed wand.
"I've been following you all along," the fairy continued, undeterred, circling her with a confident stance, as the onslaught of bright, silver magic pushed against Emma's hazy blue.
"From the moment you and your sniveling son left that city."
As the fairy held a contented look on her face, much like the one Maleficent had in Storybrooke; Emma now understood that the mother-daughter tandem had orchestrated this entire thing: from the prophecy in New York, to getting the savior and her unborn prodigy to fall right into their eager hands.
Holding power of this magnitude at bay felt similar to what she had experience during Henry's birth; sweaty chills layering the surface of her skin, as jolts of stabbing pain wracked Emma's entire body. The difference this time, however, was that she understood the stakes; Emma knew that her life and all of those she cared for were on the line.
Suddenly, the temperature rose to extremes, as the flames closed inward, circling around them like a fiery tornado. Without thinking, Emma threw her defensive magic around Killian and Gold, protecting them from being burned; though the unbearable heat seared over her skin, as if she was trapped inside a massive broiler oven.
For a moment, the faces of her parents appeared in her mind, their eyes hollow and dark like Graham's had been. Emma had never opened up to them either; and now she may never get the chance to.
"So typical of you to waste your power on protecting everyone else, instead of fighting for what you want..." the fairy jeered; her expression showing no sign of tiring, though Emma felt on the brink of letting go.
It seemed like she had already run a marathon, weakness slowly overcoming her and as Emma felt the overwhelming dread creep into her heart, whispering the harsh reality that they would not make it out of this alive.
"And you know you can't protect your unborn child."
Emma's head snapped up at that, and suddenly there was a tingling sensation that buzzed through her limbs; giving her a surge of energy she recognized immediately. Despite the fire that raged on around them, there was a new level of heat; throbbing painfully, but powerfully within every inch of her body.
Anger.
Emma attempted to calm her emotions, focusing on the wand in the fairy's hand, hoping that she would be able to conjure it into her possession, as she had on the castle's rooftop.
"Don't fret though," the Black Fairy cackled, the thunder booming above them. "You won't live long enough for the little princess to meet you…"
There was a beat of silence after the fairy's words, and suddenly it hit Emma harder than any magical spell ever had.
Maleficent, Regina, and Emma. Three ringholders, but…
It was why the evil fairy had been watching Emma from the start; why Zelena had kept Emma alive in New York when she could have easily killed her. It was why Gold had seen the Waterfall from Narnia in his vision all those years ago; since it had been the site of her unborn child's conception.
The conception site of the fourth and final ringholder.
She had felt the rush of maternal instincts before, protecting Henry from evil and harm on more than one occasion. Still, the thought of this evil woman using her baby for magical experimentation; the image of her child being ripped from both of her parents ignited something deep inside of Emma that she never knew existed.
It was if her hands acted on their own accord, a rising anger and adrenaline rush surging through her veins, filling every inch of her body with an electrifying strength that Emma was unable to control, even if she had wanted to.
And right now, she didn't want to.
The ground beneath them shook violently, as lightening lit up the sky; and Emma felt an inward spark of satisfaction that came from the surprised look on the fairy's face. Raising her arms over her head, Emma lifted the cavern floor below their feet, and launched them upward; shooting toward the stars, and away from the raging fires below.
The chilly air eased her burns immediately, and Emma ignored the part of her that was utterly baffled by the magnitude of her own power. She noticed the rolling hills of grass and trees as they landed heavily onto the ground where the castle had once stood, Emma's knees jarring from the impact. Emma glanced over and was relieve to see that Gold and Killian appeared unharmed, lying twenty yards or so away.
Infuriated, the Black Fairy raised the wand without warning, swirling her arm in a circular motion; creating a large cluster of magic, as if to pull energy from around them. Emma struggled against the cool, but furious winds, her hair whipping about her face, as she glanced over to see a bemused Gold.
"You will never see her again," the fairy yelled over the blistering storm; as rain drops began to fall, pattering on Emma's still-sizzling skin. "She will be ripped from you, like my daughter was from me."
Suddenly, the massive ball of energy had warped into a gaping hole, hovering between them like a strange, floating, vortex of emptiness; its odd humming sound both frightening and intriguing. Though only the size of a portal, the vortex seemed to pull Emma's body toward it against her will; like two ends of a giant magnet, making the hair on her arms stand up.
Whatever this was, she wanted no part of it.
It seemed to come from nowhere in particular, a sudden flash of blue light that struck directly in front of Emma, and a hazy image appeared in her mind. It was not a memory or full-blown vision, but a glimpse of a face; the strong, beautiful, determined face of a young woman with flowing, dark hair and devastatingly green eyes. She smiled at Emma; a gentle and knowing smile that only came from the familiarity of a mother and daughter.
Her daughter.
Emma felt no doubt or hesitation, the magic coursing through her arm as she reached out toward the Black Fairy, her face seeping with confidence. The wand suddenly disappeared from the fairy's grasp, as the evil hag screeched out in surprise; before Emma's palm filled with the smooth, ebony-colored wood.
The wand felt as if it had been created for her; the silvery handle illuminating around her hand, as the sparks morphed into a remarkable collision of blue, green, red, and purple. Without any effort on Emma's part, she raised it toward the heavens, as if to call her magic home; over a dozen streaks of lightening converging together at the tip of the Black Wand, its shaft turning a bright blue.
The wand was no longer a weapon, but a part of Emma; an extension of her power and life force. An electrical current resonated throughout; rushing through her veins like caffeine, as the realization hit Emma suddenly.
All of the scars and pain, every smile and laugh, all of the memories and acts of bravery, the sacrifices that had been made, and each memory of those loved and lost; they had all led her to this exact time and place.
It had all been worth it, just to understand that Emma Swan had written her own destiny; she had made her own choices, both good and bad had led her here to a happy life.
And I deserve it.
Emma's eyes darted to meet the Black Fairy's cold, black ones; a stark difference between the light inside of her own, and the emptiness from the woman staring back at her.
Rain fell heavily from the skies, the winds growing so strong that the fairy struggled to maintain her balance, the wrinkles of her skin looking deeper than ever. As Emma looked across the growing vortex, now the size of a small pond, she noticed the fairy seemed truly afraid for the first time since her appearance in the cave.
Still, with a yell and a her brow furrowed, the Black Fairy raised her large palms, creating a silver orb of magic as if to attack. Emma's wand hand was faster, though, and the two's magic collided into a fierce mass of sparks.
Besides a warm humming throughout her body, there was no pain, virtually no effort on Emma's part; and unlike before in her battles with Regina and Maleficent, Emma not only understood her power, but believed it was greater than anything the fairy could conjure.
"I don't need your child, fool," the woman spat out hysterically, the wind whipping her hair around her now sunken-looking face. "If I have to improvise the plan, than I will."
There was a final push from the fairy's magic, before Emma thrust her magic forward with all of her might; thinking of the safety of her child and her future kingdom, as wave after wave of her power poured from the wand.
The Black Fairy was overcome immediately, her face morphing into sheer horror and astonishment. It lasted only seconds, before her body went rigid, and the woman's large black-covered frame was sucked into the large vortex that swirled at Emma's feet.
For a moment, it continued to rotate, the storm raging on around them, as the faint humming grew softer; before the gaping hole grew smaller, pulling a few final stray branches and rocks in with it, before the ground closed around it, as if it had never been there at all.
The mass of clouds still hovered quietly above Emma's head, though the rain slowed to a drizzle, the wind now a gentle breeze. She gathered her breath a moment and stared at the ground where the vortex had been, glancing down at the wand in disbelief, before Gold's voice pulled Emma from her daze.
"Miss Swan?"
Emma swung around, remembering Killian; and she took off at a sprint toward him, her fingers still sparking electrical currents. Kneeling down over his unconscious form, Emma hissed painfully when her scorched riding pants pushed against the flesh of her knees.
She saw Gold raise himself up slightly, as Emma tried to rouse Killian, her lips whispering pleas into his wet hair, the stench of smoke and lava still lingering there.
"Please wake up," she whispered harshly, her hands pushing into his strong shoulders, his long lashes closed as if the man slept peacefully.
For a fleeting moment, Emma thought the warmth of his skin was simply from their time in the fiery cave; that he had somehow been hit with a curse she wouldn't be able to save him from. But as his eyes fluttered slightly, her breath came out in a relieved wave; and Emma watched the pirate open his beautiful eyes to meet hers.
He took a moment to collect his senses, the blood dripping down from the cut on his head, before Killian's calloused fingers pulled a lock of sweaty hair from her cheek.
"I knew you would find a way to overcome this, Emma," he choked out, his eyes flickering down to rest on her abdomen. She smiled at his words, knowing full well that he always had believed in her, even though it had taken her all this time to believe in herself.
The pirate slowly sat up, glancing over at Gold with a slight grimace of pain. "You alright there, mate?"
A flicker of surprise fell over the other man's face at the words; which Emma understood was Killian's version of a thank you for saving his life. Gold merely nodded without a response, though; and an awkward silence fell over the three, as crickets quietly chirped their chorus around them.
After a long moment, Killian darted his eyes to meet Emma's, a wide grin spreading over his face, as she gently healed the cut on his forehead with her magic. "I hope at least one of those water nymphs survived the battle," he drawled, though his voice was hoarse.
"I'm fairly certain my under drawers caught fire down in that bloody cave."