#Daemon:[Verses]Calm&Peace

[storiesofthenight]

Daemon Tag dump

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Daemon:[Verses]Main Daemon:[Verses]Calm&Peace

[bohemian-nights]

What’s your favorite Nettles/Dettles headcanon? Mine is that Nettles speaks with an accent.

Oh, I love that headcanon 🙌🏽 She does grow up in a port city so that makes a lot of sense. Honestly, my favorite changes like the wind, but for Nettles specifically, it’s that she can read, write, and is a lot more knowledgeable than people give her credit for.

For Dettles, I like to imagine that Daemon likes to watch Nettles while she’s sleeping. It calms his nerves to see her safe and peaceful(it’s vis verses, but Nettles doesn’t tell him until he catches her doing so).

[secret-engima]

In the Demon in the Dark 'verse - I have a sudden mental image of the King-of-Night Noctis just. Sometimes, visiting his Uncle's grave. There wasn't anything to bury - in either universe - but there's a gravestone. Because - evil and vile and /hurting/ as he may have been, but Ardyn was a /person/, and, to Noctis's mind, deserves at least the dignity of a grave - of not being brushed over or forgotten. Noctis is - really the only person who visits, but he does visit, sometimes. (cont)

hamelin-born said: (cont). And maybe it isn't an empty grave, maybe it's an empty tomb - erected as much to the memory of the Ardyn-that-was as it is to the Accursed-he-became. Maybe it's a monument to both Ardyn's - the one from Noct's home 'verse, and this one's Night King. Either way - it sits on a hill overlooking the sunset, in an area bathed equally in sunlight and shade. It's quiet. It's peaceful. 'Ardyn Lucis Caelum' is carved on the tomb - 'Brother of Somnus, Beloved of Aera, King of Light, King of Night'

hamelin-born said: (cont) No one - other than Noctis - from canon!verse visits the Accursed's empty tomb. Once or twice - others tag along. Prince Regis (and perhaps his retinue) followed Noctis, once, when he went to visit his Uncle's tomb. And perhaps Queen Sylvia, during her visit - their reactions would have been. Interesting. Noctis brings flowers, sometimes - flowers to *plant* around the empty tomb, and, occasionally - a hat.

....

Me: *sniffles* oh no I’m a FEEL™.

Yes. He does. His brothers look at him sadly, not understanding why, but understanding that he feels he needs to do this. The daemons watch as he oversees the construction of a tomb on a hill mere feet outside Insomnia’s magic clouds that overlooks the sunset, a place of endings and beginnings, sunlight and shadow. It is a beautiful tomb, simple but clean, and Noctis has no body to bury, but inside it is not empty.

Inside it is filled with flowers.

Fresh flowers, LIVE flowers, because Noctis constructed the ceiling out of a special kind of glass that cannot be seen through, but gathers sunlight well enough. There is a water system running through it, carefully feeding the flowers inside and filling the silence with a soft babble of the things the water has seen as it travels out of the tomb and toward the sunlit sea. Noctis visits regularly, to weed the garden and push magic into the flowers to keep them healthy and strong.

The flowers are Sylleblossoms. HIS Sylleblossoms, from his world, not the glowing, magical things of this world. No one but Gladiolus knows where he got them, because he was the only one around with eyes to see that day before the Long Night, when they stopped in Tenebrae and Noctis had hesitantly accepted a small packet of seeds from the old servant woman he spoke with. They are unlike any other flower in this world, and the only place to find them is here in the tomb and the hillside on which is lies.

In the tomb, on the far wall from the door, is an empty coffin, made half from obsidian and half from pure ivory all swirled together into patterns of dark and light. On the coffin reads a small plaque: In memory of Ardyn Lucis Caelum. Brother of Somnus, Beloved of Aera, Healer, Accursed.

Chosen King of Dawn.

It is a quiet place, and Noctis does not speak when he is inside it tending his flowers. He has only spoken once inside the tomb, the day he found an silly old hat and brought it to rest it on top of the coffin, a few years after the tomb was finished.

“I forgive you.”

He does not say more, does not explain why, does not react to the wide-eyed, tentative Regis staring into the tomb from the doorway, not daring to enter further.

Noctis turns and leaves and Regis follows, not daring to ask questions.

Regis looks over his shoulder sharply halfway down the hill when he is certain he hears someone whisper, “Thank you, Nephew.” but when he looks no one is there. When he looks back at Noctis, the Night King had not stopped his slow walk down the hill, acting as if he hasn’t heard a word.

Regis politely pretends not to notice that Noctis is now crying.

(Perhaps it is silly to shed tears for an enemy. Perhaps it is foolish to honor an Accursed. Who hurt him, who destroyed his city, who killed his father, who murdered his lover. But Noctis has never considered himself wise, and his heart has always been secretly too kind. More than that, Ardyn wasn't not always Accursed, once he was a kind man, a healer and a lover and a gentle man.

Once he was an older brother.

And Noctis, who holds the memories of over a hundred lifetimes he has never touched, cannot help but think of him, love him, as such.

So he does not visit the tomb of the Accursed, the empty resting place of the Night King and Adagium. When he enters the silence of the tomb and tends to the flowers there, spreading his magic out like a blanket of memory and affection and calm, he is visiting Ardyn Lucis Caelum. King. Healer. Friend.

Brother.

Uncle.

And even if he is the last and only person to remember those things, so long as he lives, he will not forget.

And so he visits. Just once in a while. In the gentle silence that comes from knowing there is nothing left to say.)

[mtraki]

That OTHER fic idea...

You ever have a fic idea all plotted out, and you keep thinking about it, but you never really want to get around to writing it out-- you just really want to talk/obsess about it?  I do.

So here it is.  Come yell at me about it? :

Niflheim wins.  They used Ardyn for his knowledge of Magitek and then betrayed him, locking him away in a windowless room for the rest of his immortal life-- because somebody paid attention to history.

  And sure, the first Lucian king ‘erased him from history’ but not entirely. After all, there’s a painting of him riding into town on a white chocobo as the all-loved healer he was.  So clearly they recognize he’s a) Lucian royalty--technically b) he’s somehow immortal and finally c) he’s probably up to no good.  Still, the Emperor relies heavily on the power of the daemons and so the ‘vanishing sickness’ is spreading, albeit much more slowly.

Loqi, Caligo, Ravus, Glauca and Verstael Besithia are left to keep the empire running while Aldercapt slowly succumbs to his madness from the daemons and his lust for the Crystal-- as well as advanced age.In order to get beyond the New Wall of Insomnia, they fake a peace treaty like last time, but it is Ravus and Lunafreya who propose it-- Ravus, more politically schooled than the others is made Chancellor on a probationary basis in Ardyn’s ‘absence’.  His first move as Chancellor, to prove his loyalty and competence was to marry Ariel Trammel to cement a firm bond between the Imperial government and the independent government of Accordo.  Lunafreya fears for her brother and sister-in-law both as well as fearing for Noctis and the line of Lucis agreed to go with her brother, if only to find her opportunity…-- and many events play out similarly to Kingsglaive.  Except Lunafreya goes to Altissia like she’s supposed to, with Ariel, to marry Noctis (this was NOT Ravus’s plan nor Glauca’s) and they are all picked up by Niflheim there.

Because Luna isn’t in Insomnia to get ‘kidnapped’, a bunch of people don’t die unnecessarily (Crowe...) However, obtaining the Crystal is a much bloodier affair with the Kingsglaive there.  Especially since a number of Glaives, dissatisfied with Regis’s efforts concerning Galahd and other territories outside Insomnia AND how the king is agreeing to release them to the Empire in this treaty, go turncoat and help the Empire to secure the Crystal-- stating it was a long time coming for the cold-hearted people of Insomnia.

Events at the treaty signing go much unchanged.  The still-loyal Glaives and the few Crownsguard guarding the Crystal are able to warn Cor and the other Crownsguard.  Cor returns to the Citadel.  Some of the Glaives are able to get into the signing chamber to help defend Regis’s life.  They are no match for Glauca and Ravus, however, and are forced to retreat with the king.

Cor meets them in the underground passageways and Regis passes him the Ring of Lucii, commanding him to take it to Noctis.  Glauca kills Regis and Clarus.  Ravus stops Cor and informs him that Noctis, his retinue, and Lunafreya are all in Niflheim custody, and demands his surrender in return for sparing Noctis’s life.  Because Ravus really wants Noctis dead.  But he also really doesn’t want Cor wandering free.  With the life of the new king-- the Prophesied King of Light, no less-- weighing on his decision, Cor surrenders.  Killing Ravus and even Glauca here would not secure the kingdom if Noctis remains imprisoned or is executed.  Insomnia falls, no Diamond Weapon is needed, and the Old Wall does not erect in defense of the city.

So all these jerks are prisoners of war now.

Luna is placed back in house arrest with her brother and sister-in-law.  Noctis and Gladio are secured in a dungeon separately where Noctis cannot use his power of kings to summon weapons or warp or anything.  Ignis is interrogated thoroughly as Glauca/Drautos knows he was being groomed to be the future Hand of the King.  Prompto is initially taken back to his creator, but when Besithia notes that he is ‘flawed’ he declares he does not want him and that he ought to be destroyed.  Ariel denounces this and takes custody of him.  Because Ariel is pretty pissed about what was done to Lunafreya here-- how Lunafreya personally blames herself for everything that has occurred. So now Ariel is baring her teeth and showing off her political know-how.  Prompto is put under her custody and is taken into her house.  She also slowly convinces Drautos to let her take over Ignis’s interrogation-- she can read minds, after all.  She also arranges for Luna to be able to see Noctis regularly, though these meetings are always very strictly guarded and secured.

Nobody really knows what to do with Cor.  50% of the time they want to just kill him, because interrogating him would be useless-- Drautos is not stupid in this. Noone has discovered that Cor has the Ring-- otherwise Ravus would have taken it and tried to become the Hero of Light.  Or Drautos would have.  (You can’t trust anybody with the damn Ring except literally Cor…) Cor considers off and on putting on the Ring, however he’s well-versed in the lore behind it and decides that ‘Immortal’ or not, he’s just a lowly soldier and the old kings of Lucii would probably recognize that. He determines that he’d only put it on if he absolutely had to-- like on-his-way-to-the-gallows ‘had to’.   Until then, he’s keeping it hidden and safe until he can pass it to Noctis.  With Ariel becoming more and more involved with the situations of the prisoners-- she’s also improved accommodations and care for Noctis and Gladio, and Ignis’s circumstances have improved tremendously (he almost even likes her for it-- because of course part of the interrogation is informing him and providing evidence of how well she’s been trying to take care of everyone.  It’s fairly successful…)-- she eventually discovers Cor. Unfortunately, it’s more or less love at first sight for her.  She’s in a loveless marriage to a man who half the time despises her lack of actual royal pedigree and the other half is trying to barter with her to somehow forward his own political agenda-- because she has more sway over the Emperor than he does.  Pretty girls who smile get by better than pretty boys who frown, it seems.-- and the whole time is rather indifferent to her desire and need for attention and affection.

Glauca is 300% against letting Ariel take Cor under house arrest and Ravus isn’t too far behind him-- both of them suspect the house will not be enough to hold him, even though it proves enough to hold Prompto.  Though, admittedly, Prompto is a completely different kind of prisoner altogether, and admittedly he feels a great deal of loyalty toward Ariel lately. She saved him from liquidation and is doing her best to protect his friends.  And she’s a pretty girl who talks to him!  Regularly!  And even Prompto thinks it’d be a dumb idea to try an escape while all his other friends are held hostage.  It’d be different if there was some place to go, if there was a resistance force he knew of, but so far, Niflheim’s victory seems pretty complete.  Ariel and Luna manage to badger Ravus enough to agree to moving Cor to the house, and Ariel also receives the blessing of the Emperor to do it.  Her argument is that like Ignis, Cor has vital information, namely information concerning the rest of the Crownsguard and the Kingsglaigve, who are unaccounted for-- who they are, what they can do, what threat they may pose, and where they might possibly be.  Certainly classic interrogation methods would prove even less effective against ‘the Immortal Marshal of the Crownsguard’ than they did against Ignis, but then surely her methods could prove just as effective as they do on everyone else.  Cor is moved to Ariel's house and is secured separately from Prompto.  Glauca is mad.

Prompto and Cor are in separate wings/floors of the house so they cannot collaborate and make plans (Ravus’s rule) but Lunafreya is given free reign of the house, she just cannot leave it.  Ravus isn’t stupid enough to think she might not carry messages between prisoners, but he’s also certain Ariel won’t let her get away with it-- if it becomes apparent she can’t control her prisoners, she will lose custody of them and things will go very badly for them. (Ravus has not yet figured out that ‘caring for the prisoners’ is not Ariel’s end goal.  He thinks her soft, prone-to-bleeding heart is making her act out of compassion.  That’s part of it, but unlike his sister, she’s really just focused on fucking the Empire as hard as she can for what they did to Lunafreya.  And Altissia.  Keeping the POWs healthy and gaining their trust is just a part of that…)  Cor learns that Lunafreya gets to see Noctis regularly and passes her the Ring to give to Noctis.  Ariel, of course, knew Cor had the Ring (because mindreading).

However, before Luna gets a chance to do this, Glauca and Besithia challenge Ariel’s position.  Besithia, having worked with Ariel’s parents knows what she is and threatens to reveal this to the Emperor.  Meanwhile, Glauca entreats the Emperor to let him inspect their home to make sure everything is as it should be and she’s not housing a rebellion.  The Emperor grants this request-- not because he suspects Ariel, but because he 100% doesn’t, but he figures this would be the easiest way to calm everyone down.  He also wouldn’t mind learning what Ravus is up to.

Ravus is up to trying to rebuild Tenebrae, so he’s a little (lot) bit peeved at this sudden inspection.  Ariel is more worried about Besithia’s threat.  She backs down enough to satisfy him, more or less removing herself from the fortress and the Emperor’s ear for the interim.  She spends her time at the house with her prisoners-- Luna included-- who can also go nowhere.

Cor has figured out pretty quickly that Ravus’s (unsatisfied) wife is into him.  He also figures out that Ravus really doesn’t care about her.  He likely intends to use her to make an heir for Tenebrae at some point in the future, but surely isn’t working on it now.  So he feels pretty safe nurturing her feelings for him, leading her on, and convinces himself the whole time that he’s just using her and doesn’t care about her either.  The house being on lock-down doesn’t suit him at all, so he wheedles out of her that she’s being blackmailed by Besithia.  When the house inspection ends, he manages to get Lunafreya to pass along what he’s learned to Prompto-- he knows Prompto is somewhere in the house, but Prompto doesn’t know he’s here.  Ariel catches them doing this and Cor explains that Besithia threatening her puts all of them in danger, and after everything she’s done for them… it’s the least they can do.  Besides, Besithia is a damned monster.

So Ariel allows Prompto to slip out-- under many heartfelt oaths that he will return-- and goes to shut down Besithia and his work.  Cor does not go, because Cor is a high-profile prisoner and Prompto has more or less been forgotten.  Also, Prompto now knows a good piece of the layout of the facility.  Being equipped by one of the wealthiest houses in the Empire serves him well, and he is also 400% determined to get this shit done (no boo-hooing or crises of identity this time… that happened earlier before Ariel got him wrapped around her little finger more-or-less).  And he does, returning victorious and undetected by anybody that might cause trouble.  Cor is somewhat impressed at the talented little assassin/saboteur Prompto has become.

With Besithia’s grand-plans for godhood exposed, the Emperor deposes him post-mortem and Ariel comes out smelling like a rose for ‘always doubting him and the validity of his focus’.  Glauca has a little egg on his face now and decides to hush up for a little while in regards to suspecting her.  Meanwhile, Cor’s imprisonment under Ariel has not been a waste.  Unbeknownst to him, she has gleaned useful information concerning secret Crownsguard camps and hidden strongholds where the quickly splintering forces still loyal to Lucis gather.  With Cor gone and the betrayal of the Kingsglaive made public, the resistance is un-unified and split into numerous factions.  At the very least, however, this war is a political one against the Empire, and not one against the destruction of mankind.  Days are shorter, but not overly-noticeably so.  With Ardyn locked away and the King of Light and the Oracle still alive, the spread of Starscourge does not advance quickly. (with Lunafreya locked up, however, it spreads faster than it would had she remained free to accomplish her healing…)

Luna is able to see Noctis again and she gives him the Ring and tells him Cor’s intention that they escape together to join the rebellion forces and try to rally them under his crown.  Noctis wants to try and save his friends but is convinced not to due to the risk of re-capture.  Ariel discovers the plot and meets with them, giving them Gladio-- another largely ‘forgotten’ prisoner-- and a secret means of escaping Niflheim. The sisters part tearfully, unsure if they will meet again but knowing their efforts are better used separately from now on.  Ariel offered Prompto to go (she could not reasonably free Ignis or Cor for the value they still held to the Empire) but he refused, stating that with things ‘heating up here’ he would rather stay with her to maybe keep her safe, should the Empire discover her part in all the plots.

Glauca is absolutely livid that Noctis escaped with Lunafreya (and Gladio) and confronts Ravus about it.  Ravus confronts Ariel, fairly certain that any plot his sister had, his wife would know about.  Ariel asks Ravus how long he planned on underestimating the Oracle or defying the gods.  Ravus demands an explanation and Ariel denies him one.  Ravus cannot reasonably do anything about Ariel, however, because a) he fears her powers and how they’ve grown, and b) she’s the darling of Aldercapt-- who still mistrusts him.

So basically Noctis and Luna go to lead the rebellion (or try…) and Ariel saps the Empire from within with Cor and Ignis and Prompto.  Ravus will probably come around once he learns that Ariel is totally supporting the idea of Tenebrae being a kingdom again.  Maybe eventually Ariel will finish seducing Cor into the idea of finishing seducing her.  And Prompto gets to feel like a badass knight-in-shining armor.

With Aldercapt fading fast, it’s going to come to Glauca or Ravus/Ariel leading the Empire-- since the Emperor has no heirs.  Ariel is the obvious choice since the Emperor adores her and does not question her loyalty at all. (Again… mindreading, also speaking to daemons… also y’know… smiling pretty girls and old men…)  Aldercapt keeps chastising Glauca for not heeding Ariel’s advice, for not supporting and tutoring her-- grooming her to be a better Empress.  For not watching out for Ravus-- who is the real threat to the Empire!  Glauca more or less determines the best way to deal with the future of the Empire is with the sword.  He begins plotting how to murder her and get away with it...

[zetsubou--artsu]

A Ray of Light

Okay so I think I’m at the point wherein I need to look at my messy folders and start uploading some of these fanfics I wrote as a self-indulgent thing ahahahah ;w; Just a heads up: Oriana is Ignis and Io’s daughter and this follows through the Extra Verse timeline from Episode Ignis. THAT MEANS IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN/PLAYED EPISODE IGNIS YET AND ARE PLANNING TO PLAY/WATCH IT SPOILER-FREE, THEN YOU SHOULD BACK OUT NOW BECAUSE THIS HAS MAJOR SPOILERS!!!

Warnings: Spoilers for Episode Ignis, really tiny implied sexual thing at the end, lots and LOOOOOTS of family fluff ahahAH

"M-Mama!"

Sandy-blond hair neatly and loosely braided behind her crying face, Oriana wiped her tears with her chubby little fingers as she called out for her mother.

Still in her favorite blue Catoblepass-patterned dress, she walked around clumsily, sleep and tears still lingering on her mind. When she stumbled upon the kitchen, there stood her mother, long hair braided loosely and her long sweeping mint green dress visible. Oriana whimpered, a sound caught on by the young Scientia missus. She turned around gasping at the sight of her ever-lovely and adorable daughter, bawling her tired eyes once again. Io knelt down and hugged her, then lifted her up in a warm hug. The smallest Scientia sighed in content, tears still leaking out somewhat but now calmer than she had previously. Io hummed a song, as she rocked her daughter back and forth to pacify her more. Though it failed to get her to sleep, Oriana instead clutched tightly to her mother's torso, sea-foam eyes reflecting back to her mother's own pair. "Ori, what's the matter dear?" Io smiled, wiping the tears away as she kissed her forehead. Oriana snuggled into her mother's bossom as she mumbled a reply. "Papa was hurt. Mama was hurt. I miss papa... Papa makes mama and Ori happy." Io tensed a bit before smiling sadly, as she gently caresses her child's head. "Ori... papa is busy, you know that. He's fighting out there to keep everyone safe." "And when papa is home, you leave. Then sometimes, you and papa leave Ori alone..." 'Oh, Ori...' Io mentally chided herself, realizing that her daughter longed for the company of both parents. While Ori was safe within the walls of Lestallum, Io knows that the reality outside is not as complacent as it is within the last safe haven. It's only been seven years, yet time swept away any notion of what was once the city of joy and life. Outside was darkness, eternally engulfing the sky and the light, leaving a dreary and dead atmosphere. That's not even counting the daemons wandering about. Though her husband may have had a hand in preventing the worst, not all was spared. The preparations helped most people to seek immediate refuge within the safer walls of the reinforced Lestallum. Former-Glaives and Hunters alike also began performing patrols and rescue operations, some provided relief while others searched for supplies. Having handing over the intense parts of maintaining the city, the last of the 114th King's retinue began their sweep over Eos. For most part, none of them were successful but the thought of a happy future for everyone kept them going. As the pairs settled down with their own kids, the sacrifice of their own time for a bright future bore heavy weight on everyone. Io and Ignis had spent years looking for solutions to Noctis' problem, as what was shown to Ignis in his vision within the Keep. The years when there was still minimal light already kept them busy from family but now that darkness truly fell and daemons roam the land without an end, travelling has become twice as dangerous, especially when massive hordes form. Io had agreed with Ignis that someone should always be with Ori, as should one of them fall in battle... Io shook her head from the awful feeling, kissing her daughter's forehead instead. She needs to talk to Ignis, about how their daughter needs them, that time is running out both for when Noct once again emerges and for their daughter's childhood to end. The former Princess of Pacem didn't want her only daughter's childhood memories to be filled with dread and hopeful anxiety, waiting for both of their parents to arrive safely once more. She wants her precious girl to have stories to share to her future friend, her future husband, her future kids. She doesn't want her to tell them veteran stories of being stuck within the darkness as her parents fight to let her see the beautiful sun once more. Io nods to herself, resolute and determined to let her daughter have the best in life. Just as she had resolved to give their daughter a chance of peace, Io felt Ori's body tremble, as the girl began sniffling and holding back tears. The mother felt her heart ache for her daughter's anguished cries, once again rocking her gently and smothering her with kisses. Io walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, sitting on the couch to help her cradle Ori more. After what it felt like hours, Io's daughter dozed off, tired from all the silent crying. The mother sighed sadly, wanting to give her daughter everything she wanted but Io knows it's almost impossible to do so, not with so many things to do in so little time. Still, she would try, for her lovely Ori. As Io was about to bring Ori back to bed, she heard the door open and close with practiced grace and eloquence. Footsteps echo the floorboard as Io is stunned with momentary surprise. That shock slowly turned into joy as she felt her heart swell at the sight of her beloved husband, hair slicked back and still all in one piece. His gloved hand reached for his visor, taking it off as green eyes stared lovingly at the presence of his gorgeous wife. "Welcome home, Iggy." Io smiles breathtakingly, taking in the sight of her significant other. Ignis walks with a stride, and gently engulfs his two beautiful ladies in one warm embrace. "My love, it is truly wonderful to finally be home." Ignis kisses them both gently, love and affection filling his every fiber of being. The continuous search for an alternative solution drained him and his other three companions--Gladio, Prompto, and Loqi. Just as when all hope is lost, Ravus, of all people, contacted them and told them to meet with him in Tenebrae. The former Niff General-now-King, told them of a possible solution, one that is hidden deep within the recess of their former home. Upon clearing the way, deactivating some MT-jammers courtesy of the blond former brigadier, they found a hidden safe from Queen Sylva's room. Within the safe is a stack of books, hand-written by the late Queen herself. Ravus chokes up a bit, realizing these were hand-written styled diaries were the last pieces of memories his late mother took care of. In addition, an entire book is addressed to him. Quickly skimming the books, they had all found salvation. Queen Sylva was already given this vision of the future, one contrast to the bleak future her own daughter saw. A turning point, she calls it, would determine the fate of the King and his people. Conditions must be fulfilled to prevent the dark blight from ever winning. First, the king must head on willingly, seeking Providence within the crystal of his own choice. Second, the Usurper must be weakened to avoid bleak paths from forming under his free reign. Lastly, a bloodline of the Oracle must be present during the hour of the reckoning. Ignis clearly remembers the resolve and will Noctis wore as he stepped into the crystal, making the first condition valid. With the second one, he didn't know if it was enough, but Ignis tried his might to best the living starscourge as the royal adviser sacrificed all to the Ring to grant him unimaginable power. Lastly, all four looked at the silver-haired Tenebrean, hope forming and consolidating. Ravus stares back with fierceness and determination, finally realizing that his sister's work now falls onto him. Ravus promised them that he will do what it takes to bring back the light with them. They all returned home to their loved ones, heart full of hope and good news ready to be assimilated. Ignis removes his coat with swift ease and places it on the hanger. Suddenly, a muffled groan escaped from the young girl followed by a yawn and her head slowly rising from her mother's bossom. Her pudgy finger rubbed her crusty eyes from the tears earlier, earning a affectionate smile from the father of the family. Suddenly, Oriana's head snapped into rapt attention, realizing the newcomer from her sleepy daze. A joyous scream escaped from her lips as she quickly raises both her hands to reach out for the adviser. Ignis pampered his young princess as she squeals in delight within his hand. She clings to him with her entire body, refusing to let go despite the need for air. Ori calmed down after a while settling herself upon her papa's broad shoulders and nestling herself in his arms. Io looked at her family with a fond gaze, her heart settling from Ori's earlier mishap. Realizing that Ignis came home earlier than usual, Io couldn't help but ask her husband the status of the search. "More than great news, my dear. Queen Sylva had already detailed accounts of what must be done should the future she foresaw be the path chosen from our actions." "Then, that means..." "Darling, there is no longer any need for us to go forth and search for alternatives. The preparations are done, and we must simply wait for his Majesty's return." No more long nights of waiting due to the search around Eos. No more painful cries of Ori asking for both of them. Most importantly, their goal of averting Noctis' fate has been reached. Soon, Ori could grow up in peace and safety, without the curse of daemons plaguing her. Io covers half her face with her hands, tears leaking from the side of her eyes. She runs up to Ignis and hugs him along with Ori within his arms. Relief and delight oozed off of her as she laughs in bliss not found since their days spent before Eos turned to bare ruins. Ori worriedly looked at her mother's crying form and panicked, realizing that her papa might leave again or her mama might leave this time. She grips onto her papa's shirt, catching his attention. Near crying like her mother, Ori wrapped her arms around his neck as she begs him not to go again and to not let mama venture off. Their daughter's sudden change of emotions snapped the two rejoicing parents out of their reverie as they now try to comfort her. "Ori, my dear, your mother and I would no longer venture into long months without going home." "That's right. Your papa and mama's work are now done and complete." Io smiled lovingly, as she holds her daughter's small hands with her own. Ignis used his other free hand to wipe away the tears off of her daughter's charming face heart once again filling with warmth and tenderness as he observes their interaction. Ori sniffled, her face turning hopeful and eager, asking herself if she's dreaming. "Sweetie, you aren't dreaming. Your papa and I promise you would see us both more often now." "Listen to your mother, dear. Perhaps we could start planning for our adventures tomorrow, what do you say?" Ori bounced excitedly at the idea, babbling away and basking in the attention of both of her parents. The next day, she was not the least disappointed to find out that her parents were awake and not away just as they promised. As she led them to sit down with her on the floor to play 'Princess', Ori noticed her mother wincing a bit before waving her off, claiming she was just tired. The young Scientia felt shame creep up on her, thinking that it was her tantrums that made her mother tired. The sandy-haired child quickly hugged her mama, apologizing for making her feel tired. Ori glanced up and saw her mother's half-amused and half-blushing face as she reassures her that it wasn't her fault.

A quick cough from the man of the house distracted them all and immediately caught Ori's attention instead. She gave her mother one last worried glance before running towards her father's position asking to be held up. The tactician lifted her up and let his gaze stop at his wife's form. He smirked a bit, spotting one of the marks he left her from last night's joyous celebration. Io caught on to what her fellow tactician triumphantly smiled about, her lips forming into a pout. The intense gaze and amused light glinting on her eyes told otherwise, however. All this took place as Oriana hummed and bathed in the comfort and love of her now complete family.

[piracytheorist]

Daemons of Another Kind - Part Three (Final)

It’s done! It’s very long (about 11k words long) but it’s ready! This is going to be the last big chapter I’ll write for this fusion. I’m planning on writing a few more scenes from that verse, as well as a couple headcanon posts about it, but they will not be in chronological order.

This part covers all of Season 5B (plus the end of 5x11), but with a few minor but important for me changes in the plot. #Milahdeservedbetter

Part one (covering Seasons from 1 to 4A) Part two (covering from 4B to 5A)

Tagging @jollysailorswan because her enthusiasm about this fusion has inspired me tremendously :)

AO3 | FFnet

Emma faintly registers the sky turning brighter. She's locked herself in the bathroom, one hand holding Addar against her body, the other clutching Killian's ring. She stayed there all night, despite the occasional pleas from her parents to open the door or talk to them. She's run out of tears, body tired from the sobs that shook it all night, feeling numb. Addar is nuzzled against her chest and hasn't said a word; she has forgotten how stronger their connection felt without the Darkness intervening. The sun rises and Emma finds herself unable to move.

Until she hears the whispers.

Sitting up, she feels perplexed. The Darkness is gone; that's why she had to... do what she did in the first place. Addar looks at her frustrated as well. She knows she can't tune his voice out now. She stands up and walks to the living room. Her parents are sleeping, though apparently uneasily so, so she steps outside and follows the whispers.

As Gold explains the situation, Emma can feel her blood boil. Killian sacrificed himself - he didn't even have to spare that monster's life - and it all was in vain. She lost him so that Gold could have everything.

She won't accept that, and she can't just stand by. She feels that threatening the Dark One is the least she's capable of.

The first thing she does once she walks out of the pawn shop is to go to the hospital and preserve Killian’s body with magic. It always makes her shiver, how they look so much at peace, but this time she simply looks at his face to fuel her determination.

The next time she will look at his real body again, he’ll be alive.

When the boat appears on the lake, Emma takes a look back at her loved ones. They're not giving up on her, even if in a way she wishes they stayed back for this. But she knows she needs a helping hand down there. Who knows what it will be like down there, how and when they'll find him. She only knows that they will.

It's scary, for one thing. There is no afterlife for dæmons, they simply disappear forever. Some say that those who move on manage to reunite with their own when they reach Heaven, but for now, Emma feels shivers run down her spine as she watches the souls wander around without dæmons to accompany them. It's nothing like it was when she got out of Storybrooke to find Robin, for now she knows that those people have wholly lost their dæmons.

And if it weren't for that, there are also the Harpies looming around. Large, flying beasts with deafening screams that attack random souls, causing them to scream in agony. Gold advises them to keep away from those; these attacks would have killed those souls if they weren't already dead.

It doesn't take them long to realize that they can't locate Killian easily. They hear rumours of an underground prison where Hades keeps the souls he wants to punish, but no one has escaped from those. With a few drops from that ale - whatever that was - Killian half-appears standing on his own grave. He seems unhurt, but he's barely visible, and he doesn't seem to hear or see her, no matter how frantically she tells him to look or talk to her.

He disappears before he manages to say a word.

Shortly after, they find a woman in the woods, on the verge of madness. She tells them about how Killian helped her escape, though she fears he took the burn for it from the Harpies - those prisons are home to many more Harpies than the above ground Underworld - but it lets Emma know he's heard her. And it makes her even more determined to find him now.

Luckily, Gold seems to be of help, as he finds his ex-wife - Milah - and enlists her to help them reach the underground prisons.

As they walk through the caves, Emma glances at the other woman - beautiful, confident, snappish, exactly how Killian had described her. What she didn't expect was her being standoffish, though the way Gold introduced them probably didn't help. Milah shoots glances towards her too, as well as her dæmon on her shoulder, but doesn't say anything for a long time. At last, they seem to reach corridors with dungeons on each side, the screams from Harpies and souls alike heard from afar.

"We have to split up," she offers, and Gold snorts. She throws him a glare, but he doesn't budge.

"You think you can avoid those Harpies on your own? And don't even think about using magic - it will only infuriate them and alert Hades of our presence here."

"I will go this way," Milah says as she points towards a corridor, "and we can meet back here in ten minutes."

Emma nods. "Milah, wait," she tells her.

The other woman turns towards her, her gaze having finally softened enough for Emma to find the courage to tell her about Neal. Her stiff posture seems to calm down once she hears about her son.

"Thank you," she says softly. "Thank you so much." She means it. "Now, let's go find Killian, all right?"

The distant screams make Emma feel uneasy. She doesn't want to imagine one of them being Killian's. She has no idea where he is, what state he's going to be in, if he'll even remember her...

She only walks where her instinct is taking her. Holding onto Killian's ring tight, she turns and turns around the corridors, knowing full well that she has to go back soon to meet with the others at the start before they search again.

Suddenly, she hears a high-pitched shriek right behind her. She barely has time to turn around before she sees the Harpy lunging at her, pinning her to the ground. Addar has fallen a few feet next to her and screams her name, as Emma tries to fight the monster off of her. 

Just before the Harpy's hands curl around Emma’s throat, someone grabs the monster by the hair and pulls them back. The Harpy screams, which is no comforting sound, but soon turns towards her attacker and lifts off of Emma, who in shock realizes that her rescuer is no other than Killian. He gives her one look, and without a word he shakes his head at her, as if begging her to not make any move. He looks scared, and tired, but determined. The Harpy walks toward him, her long wings slack on her back, and she suddenly grabs him from the neck, pinning him to the wall. His mouth opens, his eyes close shut and his body tenses as the Harpy screams into his mouth.

Emma tries to move to help him, but Addar steps on her lap and stops her.

"No, Emma! She will kill you!" he says.

"I have to help him!" she whispers desperately, but truly, she knows he's right. She holds Addar close and watches as the Harpy hurts Killian. Finally, she's through, and she lets Killian fall to the ground half-conscious. She turns towards Emma, her expression no less furious than before. She hisses at her and turns around, spreading her wings and flying away.

Emma looks back at Killian and crawls next to him. He doesn't look wounded or in any form of physical pain, but he looks pale, exhausted and... lost. She cradles his head, caressing his cheeks with her thumbs. His skin is cold.

"Killian..." she whispers.

He opens his eyes for a moment, looking at her before he closes them again. "I told you to let me go," he says, and his voice sounds strained and dry. "You shouldn't be here. Nobody should."

"I never listen," she says, feeling confident.

He smiles slightly and opens his eyes. "You're impossible."

She smiles back. "And you love me for it."

For a moment, Emma thinks he's passed out. She looks at Addar. She knows what he's going to do and she feels extremely nervous, but deep down she wants it too so she doesn't stop him. Addar walks slowly towards Killian, and finally reaches up and licks his cheek. Emma feels goosebumps all over her body and Killian jerks his eyes open. 

He looks first at the dæmon, then at Emma, whose smile seems to encourage him to lift up his hand and pet the ferret's head. Again Emma feels a wave of warmth spread over her at the touch as Addar leans into it. The two nuzzle together for a bit and Emma wishes Esther were here... before she realizes that her not being here was the very reason Addar stepped up and touched Killian for the first time.

Killian finally sits up and Emma wraps her arms around him. He only manages to hold on to her arm, but she feels relief for the first time in days, if not weeks. She has no idea what the Harpy actually did to him, he doesn't say. He simply leans on her as they walk slowly towards the meeting point.

"Killian... there's something you should know." She waits until she's sure she has his attention and goes on. "Gold tricked us, all of us. I don't know how he did it, but, he enchanted Excalibur somehow so that..." Killian has already turned towards her, "so he could be the Dark One again."

"What?" Killian blurts and stops on his tracks. He stays frozen for a few moments, looking at her perplexed. "That's not possible. The Darkness died, it died with me, this isn't..." his voice trails off.

"I know," Emma rushes to reassure him. "I don't know how that was possible or how he thought of it. That's why I came down here."

"My sacrifice was for nothing." Anger slowly builds up in his expression.

"It won't be once we fix this," she tries, reaching closer to him.

"I'll kill him," he whispers, looking down, and Emma knows that he means it. After having seen his rage as the Dark One, she knows that this threat is real.

Yet she can't find herself to care, besides from the fact that they actually need Gold's help.

"We need his help to get out of here."

He looks back up at her again. "And then I'll kill him." She knows he can see the same rage he feels in her eyes. She wouldn't oppose to it, damn it, she would have stabbed Gold first chance she got if that didn't turn her into a Dark One again. But for now they need him.

"Let's just go home," she says softly and reaches to touch the brace on his left arm. Addar walks down her arm onto Killian's shoulder and nuzzles his head by his neck. Killian looks up at Emma and smiles softly. Emma guesses she'll never get used to the excitement this kind of touch brings her.

The finally reach the meeting point at the beginning of the dungeons. Milah has her back turned on them, her arms crossed, but once she hears footsteps, she whips around and stays frozen for a moment. Emma smiles and nudges at Killian, whose head is hanging low with exhaustion. He shoots it up towards Emma, and she nods towards the other woman. Killian turns to look at Milah.

There is no word to describe the emotion on his face. He tries to run towards her, but he barely manages two steps before he almost collapses on the ground. Emma keeps him steady as Milah runs towards them as well. She lets go once Milah is close enough to wrap her own arms around him. They hug and get down on their knees, and Emma is happy to realize that she doesn't feel a hint of jealousy. She looks at Addar and they smile at each other. Killian and Milah pull apart and as Emma thinks they're going to stand up, Milah leans forward and kisses him and, wow, that's awkward. Emma looks away to give the couple their moment as she brushes her fingers in Addar's short fur. She looks at Gold instead, who has his back completely turned away from the couple, his lack of patience showing.

So be it, Emma thinks.

Milah helps Killian stand up, and she runs her fingers along his brace and hook. The two look at Gold, and Emma follows, and with three sets of eyes - four, with Addar - glaring at him, all Gold can do is flick his wrist and poof them all back into the living room. Of the house that was supposed to be theirs, that will be theirs, Emma reminds herself.

Emma nods at Milah, and the latter takes Killian to the couch as Emma and Gold step into the kitchen.

"We still need a boat to get out of here," Gold notes, caressing the snake on his arm.

"I seem to have noticed, thank you," Emma says.

"It's about time you said that," he replies with a smirk.

Emma rolls her eyes and scoffs.

"And there's still the matter of him finding a heart."

"I've got that one covered."

"You think you can do it yourself?"

Emma shrugs. "I have a few unpleasant memories of ripping people's hearts out," she gets a glare from Gold at that and a short hiss from his dæmon, probably for the Merida thing, as if his crime was less horrible, "and I'm not sure I'm actually willing to do it on my own."

Gold raises his eyebrows. "Would you give me the honour?" he asks, waving his hand.

"Like you did with her?" she retorts, pointing towards Milah with her head. She hears a soft mumbling sound from Addar for her crassness, and it does make her feel a bit guilty. She lowers her gaze and drops the subject. Suddenly, Milah raises from the couch, and gives Killian's shoulder a small squeeze before she walks towards the door. Emma follows her, but before she can say anything, the other woman speaks first.

"Hey, Emma, I wanted to say I'm sorry for... before... I was a bit too-"

"Don't worry about it," Emma says with a shake of her head. "I understand," she adds and she smiles.

Milah smiles back and goes to open the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To bring reinforcements."

"Reinforcements?"

"We still need to find a way against Hades, right? I think the more of us you have on your side, the better."

"Who are you going to find?"

"Killian's brother. Liam. He's here," she says with a small smile before she exits through the door.

Emma looks at the door, her mouth slightly agape at the new information. Liam. Now that's someone Killian never felt too awkward talking about. And Emma's going to meet him... suddenly her gaze falls on Killian, who is still sitting on the couch, his gaze down and restless. Emma turns towards Gold.

He sighs. "I guess I need to inform the others of our success," he says but, before he can poof away, everyone barges in from the front door. David, Regina and Robin walk to Emma, while Henry and Snow rush over to Killian, obviously overwhelming him.

"Heart-split?" he barely whispers.

"It's a good plan, it will work. Trust me," she says.

"But... what about Esther? She's gone."

"So was Rydel," David says, petting his sheepdog's head. "But she came back right after Snow's heart was put inside me."

Killian nods reluctantly, stepping back to give Regina space. But it doesn't work.

There's something particularly creepy about seeing your own name written on a tombstone. Faceless, emotionless, alarming.

Technically, they're not dead, but they still can't leave. Killian tries to pull away, searches around as if hoping he can find Esther and confide in her. As they poof back home, Emma tells the others to leave; Liam is coming at any moment and Killian already seems overwhelmed.

She sits on the couch and rubs Killian's shoulder with her hand. Even in the sunlight, tinted red as it is, he still looks pale, and his skin is still cold. Slowly, she leans in to kiss him, but he pulls away, looking elsewhere. For one treacherous, horrible second, the thought 'Milah gets a kiss but I don't' crosses her mind and she hates it.

"What's wrong?" she asks.

"A lot of things are," he says. "A lot has happened between us."

"That's in the past."

"It's a problem, and I'm that. Emma, you were the Dark One for six weeks, and only gave into the Darkness out of love. I plunged in head first in a second, for revenge. I was weak!" he grumbles and stands up, walking around nervously. Emma catches herself looking around for Esther, for some help to back her up in convincing him.

"Not in the end," she finally says. She's feeling her own confidence rise now. She didn't come all this way for nothing.

"You raised the bar very high, Swan. The fact is, I don't measure up."

Oh, for crying out loud. "Let me be the judge of that." She stands up and walks to him. "If you didn't, would I have come all the way down here to save you?"

"That's my point," he says. "I'm not sure I deserve saving."

What? "What are you saying? You want to stay down here?"

And right then someone knocks the door. Wonderful. She wants to blast anyone who dares interrupt them away but she tries to keep her composure. It could be her parents, Henry, anyone. She opens the door and sees Milah standing next to a man, who smiles as soon as he spots Killian.

"Killian," he says.

Killian looks at him awestruck. "Liam?" he asks, his voice uncertain.

"So the rumours are true. After all these years, my little brother is finally here," Liam says.

Emma has a strange feeling in her gut, as if Liam is happy to learn that Killian has died. However, the look on Killian's face distracts her from that. She can't help smiling as he, almost absent-mindedly, puts his hand and hook on his brother's arms, the other man returning the gesture. Liam finally puts his arms around Killian, and Killian's face finally turns from disbelief to relief and happiness, however slightly contained. He leans into the embrace and slowly hugs him tighter before he pulls away and looks at all three of them in disbelief. The three people he loved the most in his life, meeting each other for the first time. It's weird.

And even weirder is how Liam and Milah keep trying to cover the fact that they’re staring at Addar. Emma wishes she could give them the freedom to touch him, if only to feel the touch of a dæmon after having spent centuries without one, but she knows it's not something anyone would find acceptable; Addar touched Killian for the first time less than an hour ago. The ferret turns to look at her. He understands her frustration but is respectively reluctant to touch the others.

As they sit down and talk, Emma notices Killian's hand resting on his lap, unconsciously trying to reach for a swan's head that is no longer resting on it. Even with Milah warming up to her, Emma still feels awkward, what with her earlier conversation with Killian being interrupted and not brought up again. How could she tell in front of them that she's here to bring him back, while nobody did that for them?

"Milah, I think you should move on," Killian says.

She grins and shakes her head. "No way am I-"

"Hades has already trapped Liam and Emma here. I cannot let him hurt you too."

"But I want to help! I can't just leave you here like that."

Killian reaches over and takes her hand in his. "Your unfinished business is over, right?"

She nods, and turns to Emma, giving her a soft smile.

"Then please, do what's best for you. I already have more help than I could ever hope for. Please."

She sighs. "Fine. But only if you at least let me help you find that book."

Emma had heard a lot of things about Liam. His bravery, his selflessness, his wit and logic. So the last thing Emma expected from him is to berate her.

"If Killian defeats Hades today, he'll forgive himself, and he'll have another chance to move on. When that happens, stop thinking about your own desires and let him go."

It's all Emma can do to convince Addar to stop gritting his teeth at Liam. She expected a few bumps in getting to know Killian's brother, but listening to him call her out on her mistakes hits hard; probably because of how much she knows he loves Killian. And she's scared of what influence Liam could have on him, after what he told her. Killian already looked reluctant to accept Emma's offer to be brought back, if he had Liam to back him up, well, that would make things even harder.

If only Esther was there now, to gawk some sense into his head.

And so, as they search around the Apprentice's house for the book, she splits up with Milah.

"What do those Harpies do?" Emma asks.

Milah shakes her head discouragingly. "They're vengeful creatures, entitled by Hades to the role of keeping things the way they are here. They... reach into your soul, making you remember your guilt and they feed off from the misery this causes you."

"And that could kill us?"

"You don't want to go through that, Emma. It may be fatal, I honestly don't know. You're the only living souls coming here that I’ve seen in my years. But they can't do worse than cause us pain. But only because we're already dead, I gather."

Emma decides to drop the subject, not wanting to imagine what that Harpy forced Killian to remember.

"What has Killian told you about Liam?" she asks instead.

"Oh, many things. He's got him pretty high up in the pedestal, if you ask me."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Killian seems... different now, from how I knew him. Of course, I can understand, a few centuries can do that to you but... Killian always looked up to his brother. In rare times, he would tell me that he felt like he'd failed him."

"Always to the extreme, right?"

Milah shrugs. "Honestly, Liam never talked too much. Time is not of the essence for us here, we can't really feel how much time is passing, yet... I'd hoped I could at least learn something more about him. Like what his unfinished business even is."

"You don't know?"

"I think not even Liam knows what his unfinished business is. As if he doesn't want to accept it."

But even with that, Emma's nagging feeling won't subside.

"Milah... I'm here to bring Killian back."

Milah turns to her. "Yeah, I got that."

"What do you think of it?"

"I'm happy you had the chance to do it and took it. Are you asking me if I'm jealous? Because nobody did that for me?"

"Well..."

She shrugs. "As strange as it sounds, there's nothing for me to go back to now. My unfinished business is no more, and that is enough."

Emma looks at the other woman, wondering what this... afterlife has been like for her. Not knowing about Neal, about Killian... being fine with no one coming back for her...

"And what do you think about Killian? Shouldn't he move on too?"

"What does it matter what I think? It's his decision to make." Milah looks closely at Emma, and she understands. "He's not too sold on this idea, is he?"

Emma shakes her head. "And Liam seems to agree."

"Maybe that's the problem," Milah says, seeming thoughtful.

"What do you mean?"

"Let me guess; Killian always presented to you a positive image of Liam, didn't he?"

"Yeah..."

"And how often has he presented a truly positive image of himself? He's lived a lot of his life judging himself for not being as good as Liam, and now..."

"You think Liam doesn't want him to live his life?"

"I think he's missed him. I've missed him too," Milah confesses sadly, "but with Liam... it's different. He'd taken care of him for so long... I can't really put it. I just don't blame Liam for wanting him to move on."

"Instead of having a second chance at life?"

"Look, I agree with you, but I think Liam sees it differently. He probably thinks that Killian doesn't have that much to go back to, or that at least he will be at peace when he moves on, I don't know... I can see that you love him, Emma, but we love him too. What is it that he can do up there that he can't do if he moves on?"

Before Emma has any time to think on that, Killian hurries into the room. "We found it!" he proclaims.

Upon further search, however, they realize that the pages they need are already missing. Or torn from the book, if the marks are anything to show by.

"You found the book, Liam. Was there any evidence it had been tampered with?" Emma asks, paying attention to his body language.

"No," he replies, and Emma worries at her lie detector not tingling. He is telling the truth, and she is upset about it.

Damn, he really needs to talk to him. And Killian.

As they start splitting up to search further, Emma finally confronts Liam.

"I think you know what your unfinished business is," she says, calmly. "You just don't want to admit it."

"Oh? And who are you to tell me so? Maybe you could even elaborate on what it is?"

"I don't know. I may have an idea or two, but I don't know that much. I feel that it has to do with Killian."

"So you think I lied to my brother?"

"I don't know... yes," she admits, straightening her posture. "But I believe it was with right reason."

Liam huffs and turns around.

"I just want you to know that I have my reasons too. I don't want to bring him back just for me. I want to give him a second chance, to fix the wrong someone else did." Emma sighs. "I wanted to show you this," she says, showing him the ring Killian gave her. "Do you know what Killian told me when he gave me that? That it belonged to a much better man than him. You're his hero, and I think you know that very well."

Liam dips his head, a small smirk that is so like Killian's on his lips. "I was there for him when nobody else was, and he for me. The feeling is mutual."

"Does he know that?" she asks, almost ready to reach her point. Liam raises an eyebrow at her, looking offended. But before anyone can say anything, Killian walks up to them.

"Liam, Emma, what's going on?" he asks.

"Emma thinks I'm lying to you," Liam says without hesitation, and Killian looks back at her.

If that's how you wanna play, buddy...

"I think he knows exactly what his unfinished business is, and it has to do with you, Killian," Emma starts, bold at first, but her voice slowly drops as she sees Killian's face turn bitter, "and that he's simply not admitting it."

Killian gives a side glance at Liam, then shakes his head and turns back to Emma. "This isn't about my brother," he says.

"What is it about?" she asks, genuinely confused.

"Us. You think that proving that Liam is lying will somehow convince me that I'm a good man, that I deserve saving... and a future with you."

His words cut deeper than she could have imagined. "How can you agree with that? I came here-"

"- without even knowing what you were up against," he interrupts her. "And who is to blame you don't have the alethiometer to ask?" he asks, his face falling.

Emma looks down for a moment, remembering Killian destroying the compass in front of her eyes. She's been trying to fix it, but her magic hasn't been enough to restore it properly.

Emma looks back at Killian, his heartbroken expression tearing her apart. She knows that he wants to be with her more than anything else, but it breaks her heart that he thinks he doesn't deserve it. Because as many times as she tells him he does, he has to forgive himself first.

She walks far from the manor without even realizing it, Addar curled on her folded arms. She can tell how much he misses Esther, how upset he gets by seeing all those souls without their dæmons. She walks and walks until she hears footsteps behind her. She turns and sees it's Liam, his hands in his jacket pockets, approaching her casually.

Great. She sighs. All of her hopes of having a good relationship with Killian's family...

"Hey Emma," he says as he reaches her. "Things got a bit heated back there..."

She looks at him and vaguely wonders if "heated" is a word he would use when he was alive or if he picked it up here, in this distorted version of Storybrooke. "And?" she says simply.

Liam purses his lips in a tight smile. "I didn't really intend to come between you and Killian. I can tell you care for him, but really, Emma, I think you understand that I want what's best for him as well."

"And what is that?" she pushes, raising her eyebrows. "What do you think it is that Killian deserves?"

He sighs. "Peace. He's had a hard life. Perhaps it's time to help him-"

"Liam," Emma sighs. "How long had you been taking care of Killian?"

"Our whole childhood," he says, emphatically. "I hope you can understand that that-"

"That meant Killian learnt to hold onto you. I know why he does that, but did you ever think that he can stand on his own feet, and that you can take a step back and let him do it on his own?"

"I was just helping him."

"Exactly. When did you let him help you? Did you ever show him that you need him too? That the fact that you cared for him wasn't because you thought he was incapable of taking care of himself, but because you wanted to see him happy? Liam, you were just a kid-"

Her phrase is cut short by a high-pitched shriek coming from above the woods. Flapping sounds accompany the shriek and finally they see a Harpy emerge from behind a tree.

Immediately, Liam steps front. "Emma, step back," he says.

"But-"

"Emma, she could kill you! The worst she can do to me is... incapacitate me. She'll fly away afterwards." He turns to her and for that moment, she sees the heroic face Killian probably looked up to. So high up he probably thought he could never reach it.

The Harpy lunges forward, towards Liam. Now is probably her only chance. She pushes Liam aside and stands her height in front of the beast. Without a second thought, Emma talks to her.

"Wait! Why are you doing this?"

"Emma!" Liam says, standing up from where Emma had pushed him down.

"Wait," she says and motions him to stop. She ignores his terrified face and turns to the Harpy, who lands on her feet and watches her.

"It's my job," a rough, deep female voice comes from her mouth. "To keep things in balance."

"You feed off on people's regret. What if someone doesn't have any regrets?"

"Those souls don't belong in the Purgatory. They move on.”

"So you haven't tried plucking happy memories out of people?"

"The souls are unwilling to hand them on."

"Okay, then. How about me? I could give you a happy story," Emma says, trying to calm her erratic heartbeat and a shaking Addar on her shoulder.

The Harpy stands taller, looking at Emma. "Interesting, mortal. Why would you choose to risk your life for a dead soul? My games can't kill the dead. But you..."

"Because nobody else has done it before," Emma replies, feeling her confidence boost as the Harpy listens to her. "They have nothing left to lose, so why would they fight back?"

"But you, mortal..." the Harpy says and raises her clawed hand, letting it hover a few inches away from Emma's neck.

"Emma..." Liam whispers, but Emma calmly shushes him.

"Yes, I have something to lose. But I'm..." she takes a breath, trying to calm down from the threat the Harpy imposes, "I'm willing to show you that you're capable of more than what Hades has asked of you."

The Harpy withdraws her hand, but only slightly. Emma takes another deep breath.

"Look, I... I have regrets. I don't think there's one person in any world that doesn't. But one of- one of my biggest regrets is- is giving up on hope." Emma's voice wavers, and it takes Addar to put his tiny legs around her neck to help her steady it. "For a long time, I thought that I would never experience true love, that I would never find someone that would love me as much as I did them... and after some point, that I would be incapable of loving someone else. But now I'm here, with... with my family supporting me in something so risky, wanting to right a wrong and bring back the man I love..." her breath halts as the Harpy stretches her arm, gently placing her fingers around Emma's neck, causing Addar to withdraw on her shoulder. But the Harpy is merely touching her neck, not gripping it, and closes her eyes, breathing in...

"You're telling the truth," she says.

"Yes," Emma says and smiles. "I am. And now I truly believe that. That even if I spent so long thinking I wasn't worthy of love, now I appreciate and accept every loving gesture I get. And that could be true for all souls. No matter their unfinished business, everyone has a happy story to tell. Does it really make you happy, making them miserable?" Emma can hardly believe the words coming out of her mouth. She never thought she would be so inspired under that kind of pressure.

Finally, the Harpy breathes in one last time and withdraws her hand again, only to touch Emma's forehead for a moment before she smiles - yes, smiles - and turns around, flying away.

It's only then that Emma realizes Liam is right by her side, who catches her by her arm as she momentarily loses her balance.

"Are you alright?" he asks, his eyes wide open.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Emma breathes, shocked at her own resistance.

"How the bloody hell did you do that?"

"No idea," she replies, holding Addar close to her chest, letting him nuzzle on her.

"Did you just risk your life to spare me some pain?" His face hasn't changed from the one of utter surprise he's had since the Harpy left.

"Yeah... yeah, I did." She turns to him. "How does that feel?"

Liam shakes his head. "Weird, coming from you. I thought you hated me."

"I don't hate you," Emma says, turning her attention back to her dæmon. "You may get on my nerves a bit, but that's all."

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I don't know, I'm feeling okay and I didn't scream, did I? Wait, were you worried?"

"Of course I was! If the Harpy killed you, how could I face Killian after? How could I have the courage to look at him after I'd failed to..." his voice trails off as he thinks. "Wait... you didn't do this on purpose, did you?"

"What? Risk my life to show you my perspective? I'm not that desperate." She looks back at Liam. "But did it do anything?"

"Well, I'm not used to being protected... and if I had failed to help you, I- I wouldn't forgive myself..."

"And do you think Killian would have blamed you?"

"No, no, he wouldn't..." he shakes his head and lets it rest on his palm. "You think that's what he needs? To learn to blame me?"

"What he needs is for us to talk to him and not about him. But I think he's put a lot of blame on himself for not being like you, and that you know that. That's why you couldn't move on."

"Because I was scared I didn't raise him to believe in himself enough," he admits.

"It's not your fault, Liam," Emma says and puts her hand on his arm, piquing his attention. "You were both very young. Killian eventually chose his path, but I think he deserves to hear it from you. That he doesn't need to hold himself to a standard he thinks is too high for him."

Liam nods. "I think we've talked enough about him. Shall we?" he says and points back to the direction of the manor with his head.

Emma watches and listens from afar as the two brothers converse on their unfinished business. Killian's denial slowly dissolves into acceptance. It must not be easy to see your role model admit to you that he’d done you wrong, that he always feared he wasn't a good enough role model in the first place.

However, she can only imagine how that must be like for Killian. "We didn't have one," Addar whispers to her and she pets his fur.

But even if Liam has admitted what his unfinished business is, there's still the matter of convincing Killian. Liam seemed to trust her after she calmed down the Harpy and probably turned her with them, but that was only the start.

Finally, Killian walks towards her, and she appreciates Liam standing back for this one. She wouldn't want this moment to feel as if she's in court, trying to convince everyone.

"Did you really stand up to a Harpy to save Liam?" Killian asks once he reaches her.

"Well, not only for Liam," she admits. "I think this Harpy might stop hurting people in general now, so that would be like, a bonus or something. Aren't you worried I did?"

He raises his eyebrows and tilts his head. "You're safe. And I'm not really surprised you took that risk." He smiles.

She smiles back. "Look, Killian, I know you think you don't deserve me coming to save you, but - let me finish," she says when she sees him purse his lips and look elsewhere, "this isn't just about me. You could have lived, Killian. We could have found another way to stop the Dark Ones and get rid of the Darkness inside us. When I saw that Gold still had magic, I felt so furious... that you were gone and lost in vain. And I wanted - still want - to make it right."

"By bringing me back?"

Emma huffs. "Okay, you know what? I'm just gonna be clear. Do you still want to make up for your past?"

Killian looks confused. "What?"

"Do you?"

"Of course I do. Why do you think-"

"And are you still willing to help us? To help others?"

"Yes," he replies in a soft voice.

"I want to give you the chance to keep doing that. I know it sounds ridiculous or crazy, but if you're judged, and if you stay here, you won't be actually able to help others. Killian... you have a life back up there, you can have the choice to do that... to forgive yourself on your own terms."

That seems to pique his interest. He looks at her, and a tiny smile appears on his lips. However, he only nods.

She leans in and puts her arms around him. He's hesitant at first, but finally he relaxes in her embrace.

Emma can't be sure, but she thinks that once Megara moved on, she was reunited with her dæmon. Hercules didn't have one to begin with, and there was so much light for Emma to see if her dæmon was back.

She keeps that to herself as Killian and Milah separate from her and Liam to say goodbye. She doesn't want to give them false hope.

Emma doesn't feel jealous, but she turns away as Milah and Killian kiss goodbye as a show of respect to their old love. Milah caresses Killian's face and walks along the bridge, stopping mid-way to wait for Liam and turns around.

Killian's face is devastating. She knows what he knows; eventually, and hopefully after many long and happy years, he will reunite with them for good. But still this doesn't stop him from embracing his brother like his life depends on it. For a few years, it probably did, Emma thinks sadly.

Eventually, the brothers separate, Liam tousles Killian's hair and finally moves to meet with Milah. Emma approaches Killian and holds his hand when she sees unshed tears in his eyes. She's never seen him cry before, and with Esther missing, she only hopes she can be enough help for what comes next. She watches Liam and Milah walk towards the light, but as she holds Killian's hand, she feels the slightest tug at it, as if he's holding himself back from following them. She looks back at him and sees tears run down his cheeks and his lower lip bit between his teeth.

Finally, the two pass the threshold. Emma can barely make out their figures, but it's enough to see a dog rubbing his head on Liam's feet, and a small animal, probably a raccoon, resting on Milah's shoulder, their humans responding to their touch with obvious happiness, before the light consumes them and they disappear from view. Emma turns to Killian, and she now spots his trembling chin.

"Alinda... Macon..." he whispers and starts sobbing, falling to his knees as Emma wraps her arms around him. Addar walks to his lap and lets Killian hold him tight to his chest as he cries, his shoulders shaking from sobs. Emma rubs circles on his back, her forehead resting on his temple, her own eyes running after a few moments. She's never seen him like this, so vulnerable, so broken, so open, even back before he was reunited with his dæmon. Now he lets Emma comfort him and touches Addar with all his love, weeping until he doesn't need it anymore. Finally, his tears dry from his face and he stands up. He looks at Emma, his eyes red, and he smiles.

"My unfinished business is defeating Hades. Then we get out of here," he says.

"We," Emma repeats and feels more tears threatening to spill.

Killian lets Addar rest on Emma's shoulder again. He pets his fur one last time before he turns to Emma again. "Yes. I’m sorry I doubted you, Emma. Nothing I can do will ever fully express my gratitude for what you've done."

He leans in, and Emma finds herself so happy she's unable to respond; so he moves for her and kisses her. She kisses back and runs one hand through his hair, the other wrapping around his waist and her leg around his. They kiss and she realizes how much she's missed it, breaking it to give him numerous kisses on his lips, which slowly lift upwards for a soft smile. She rests her forehead on his and they stay there for a while, two lost souls reunited against all odds, right in front of the pass to Heaven.

If she wasn't so damn excited, she would have wondered how weird her life has become.

She barely sleeps through the next days, though Addar dozes off once in a while as he rests on her shoulder or lap. They still have to find a way to defeat Hades, and with Zelena, her baby, and an apparently pregnant Belle ending up in the Underworld as well, things are getting even more complicated.

When she does give herself the chance to sleep, she regrets it for the nightmare it brought on her. Watching her mother die in the past was enough. Having nightmares about it happening really soon, well...

And then her mother is gone. In a good way, of course, but still Emma knows she'll miss her for the days it will get them to go back up to Storybrooke. Days... Killian senses her worry and wraps his left arm around her right one, and prompts Addar to leap on his shoulder and rest. As he does, Killian starts petting his white fur, softly combing his fingertips through the short hair. Immediately, Emma feels a warmth spreading along her spine, feeling the comforting touch on her own body. She rests her head on Killian's arm as they walk back home, rubbing his bicep with her free hand.

And finally, finally, it's over. Emma feels goosebumps in her spine, and actually sees Addar's coat rise up, as Hades himself approaches them in the middle of the street, appearing non-threatening. She still has to get used to the idea of him being in love with Zelena, of all people. She looks at Killian, who doesn't seem any less distressed. He prompts them to not trust him, but the deal he's offering, letting all of them go in exchange for help saving Zelena, sounds really tempting.

As she has to watch the God of the Dead kiss the Wicked Witch of the West, she hides Addar's disgusted face from them and turns around as well, not wanting to have this image engraved in her memory. However, as she feels the wave of a True Love's Kiss spread around, she looks back at them.

"I held up my end of the deal. Now it's your turn," she says with confidence, unwilling to give Hades any opportunity to pull back.

She would have thought that having her name removed from a gravestone would make her feel something. Well, apart from the obvious joy that they can finally go back home, all of them, she doesn't feel anything else. But this isn't important now.

"We're free to go through the portal when it opens," she says to Killian. "It's time to split my heart so you can leave with us."

Back home. Him, and Esther. She really can't believe how much she's missed her. She can only hope the dæmon won't remember missing any of them.

"Aye, love," he says and he gives her a smile, though it looks uncertain. She knows it's only leftover fear over what she's about to do.

So she turns to Regina and she nods. Regina nods back and shoves her hand in her chest, as smoothly as one can do that. It still catches her breath, and Emma has to consciously stop herself from blasting Regina away, to let her do what she has to do. Finally, her heart is in Regina's hands, which break it in two with ease. Emma barely looks at her heart, taking the one half and turning towards Killian. She sees him raise his shoulders, take one last look at the half heart and close his eyes. With all her thoughts focusing on her hope, she pushes her heart against Killian's chest.

It feels worse than anything she's felt before. Her breath is gone, her knees go weak and she feels all lost again. It only lasts a second, as long as it takes for Regina to put the two halves together and then the whole heart back in her chest. She finds her footing and grabs onto Killian.

"Why didn't it work?" she mutters breathlessly. It should have worked... her parents, it worked with them.

"I told you we couldn't trust him!" Killian shouts, looking back at Hades.

"That wasn't me," the god says, appearing calm. Did he already know? He goes on about how David was saved because his soul didn't even go to Underworld before they revived him.

"So Killian's been down here too long?" Emma asks, panic rising in her voice. No...

"His dæmon turned into Dust and flew away. Now there's not enough Dust settled on him for the dæmon to come back."

Emma turns to Killian, his face crumpled in sadness. She lowers her eyes from his face, and feels him finally take a breath, if only to speak.

"Well Emma, it appears you have to return without me," he says, all certainty gone from his voice. Emma shakes her head and opens her eyes again.

"There has to be another way," Addar whispers to him.

"Addar, please," Killian begs.

"You're telling me no one's gone to the Underworld and brought someone back?" As she speaks, she feels her confidence rise up again, her voice becoming steadier with each word. Finally, she sees uncertainty cross Hades' face. "They have," she whispers. "Who? Who did? How?"

"It was a long time ago, and it was a rumour," Hades admits. "There's no proof it actually worked."

It works for us, Addar thinks and Emma hears the thought in her mind. "Tell us everything," she tells him, feeling Killian nuzzle into her hair. She closes her eyes and wraps one arm around his back, holding him close. They can do this.

All it takes, Hades says, is for a living person to follow a dead soul into the Mist. The living soul will be tested, and if they pass the test they will manage to find the tree of ambrosia. Eating from its fruits would give off enough Dust for Esther to come back.

Back. Killian's face lights up at the mention.

"Are you sure you'll be okay alone down there?" David asks her as they're about to descend.

"You've done enough," Emma says emphatically. "Stay here and make sure you go through the portal if we don't make it back."

"You will make it back," Henry says and hugs her. She turns and hugs her father too, Addar leaping on Rydel's back and hugging her back.

With a final nod, Emma, Addar and Killian step into the elevator.

Their destination is unsurprisingly a cave. They step out and after a few steps they see a wide opening in the cave, like an exit; a light mist starting at the end of it, covering what seems to be grass. They move on, their hands holding each other's, Emma confident but Killian still a little anxious.

"We'll be okay," she tells him, caressing his hand with her thumb.

"I know, I know, love." He takes a breath. "It's just... about that test..."

"We'll make it. I didn't come all the way down here to stop now." She smiles at him, and he tries to smile back. It's tentative, but it seems real.

"Aye. We'll see Esther again."

It's his look that shows how much he's missed her, the dæmon that was his soul and mind.

"Yes," Emma says softly.

"Do you think she'll appear right there? Right after her Dust comes back?"

She smiles. "We'll have to wait and see, I guess."

"You know, I... I never told you about... seeing you when I first came to Storybrooke."

"You what?"

"I saw you. I mean, I was far, far from you, but suddenly you appeared in my vision. First it was at the town line, after Gold attacked me for shooting Belle. Then it was while I was being held hostage by Tamara."

Emma drops her head, thinking. Those were the two times she saw Esther in her cage before finally freeing her. "And you never imagined what it truly was."

"I had convinced myself that Esther was gone, I... I just thought it was my mind playing tricks on me."

"Tormenting you with images of me?" she says with a smirk.

Killian simply huffs a laugh. Emma looks back forward.

"That's the Mist," she says, pointing forward. "It can't be that far now."

In front of them they see a small pier hovering above a long lake. On the other side there's another pier, barely seen through the thick mist covering the air above the lake. On the end of their pier a boat floats on the water and a tall, slender figure with a hooded cape stands on its bow, holding an oar.

"The ferryman," Killian whispers. Emma nods and holds his hand tighter. She feels Addar shiver around her neck, terror creeping up on him.

"Shh, shh, it's alright," she whispers to her dæmon.

They reach the end of the pier and look at the boat. It seems small, big enough to hold only one person and the ferryman. They look up at him.

"We want to reach the other side," Emma demands, another shiver running down Addar's spine.

"You may step in, but only one at a time," the figure says, voice a whisper but loud enough for them to hear.

Killian looks at Emma with worry. "You will come back for the other?"

"I shall," the figure says.

Killian breathes out a sigh and looks at her again. He nods, and Addar looks up at him, a soft whimper escaping his little mouth.

"Hey, it's alright," Killian says, stroking the ferret's white fur. "I'll just be on the other side, waiting for you two."

Killian's touch doesn't seem to do anything to calm down the dæmon. Emma takes him and hugs him against her chest, soothing him with her thoughts. It will be okay.

She knows, deep inside, she knows that Addar wants to tell her it's a bad idea, maybe Hades has tricked them. But he loves Killian too, as much as she does, and he can't pass up the chance to save him.

Emma turns to Killian and nods, slowly letting go of his hand as he steps into the boat. Slowly, the ferryman rows them towards the opposite pier, Killian's eyes never leaving Emma's. Addar grows more and more anxious by the moment.

It's okay, it's okay...

The boat reaches the opposite pier, and Killian steps out, seemingly unharmed. The boat comes back, and Addar can't stop shivering and whimpering now.

"Emma..." he rasps.

"Shh, it's alright-"

"I don't like this," he whispers and buries his face into her chest. Emma strokes his fur helplessly.

Finally, the boat reaches her pier, and she goes to step on it.

"Only one," the ferryman says.

"What?" she says, half-dazed from Addar's trembling.

"Only one may step in the boat," he repeats, one skeleton finger pointing at the ferret on her chest.

"But... we are one. I can't let go of him."

"You may both step in, but the boat will leave only if there's one on it."

Emma looks up towards Killian, terrified. It's too far away. The farthest she's ever been from Addar is a couple of yards. And now...

"Emma..."

"I can't lose him, he is me, a part of me."

"Isn't that what you're willing to give up?"

Her heart.

Half her heart, half her soul.

Half her dæmon.

Addar reads her thoughts.

"No!" he says, but it's weak, because he wants what she wants with the same passion.

But it hurts Emma too, the thought of leaving him here, alone...

"I'll be back, as fast as I can," she pleads and starts lowering him to the ground.

Addar shakes his head. He tries to claw onto her jacket, his tiny paws unable to let her go.

"Addar, please..." her voice is a whisper now. Addar lets out a sob and Emma feels tears prickle her eyes. She wants to look at Killian, gather courage from him, but in this moment all she can do is look at Addar's pained face as she steps on the boat.

As soon as both her feet are in it, the boat starts moving. Addar's paws slip from Emma's fingers, and she desperately watches him curl into a ball and weep.

She tries not to count the distance. She's too shocked to count correctly anyway, but she gives up the moment she feels an iron hand clutch at her heart. It's hot, as if drawn from fire, and it feels like it's trying to pull her heart out right there. Not like magic. Just pure pain. She falls on her knees, clutching at her torso with her arms and cries. Tears run down her cheeks, a despair she's never felt before clawing its way inside of her.

Abandoned, all alone... every time she was left behind flashes in her mind...

And she did that to herself...

She weeps and cries and doesn't realize she's reached the other pier even when Killian's arms wrap around her and hold her tightly from behind. He buries his face in her neck, his cold breath a blessing on her skin, his hand rubbing on her arm. And she cries.

"Shh, shh, Emma, he's alright."

She hears him but the words don't register.

"He's alright, he's safe, waiting for you..."

She sobs. Addar is all alone...

"You'll find him. He's waiting for you and you'll find him. Feel him, you can do that."

She tries to listen to him through her sobs.

"He's right on the other side, not going anywhere. Feel him, Emma."

She tries that. What she feels is pain and despair, but at least it's there.

"Addar..." she whispers and looks up. The mist has gotten heavier, and she can't see the other pier anymore, though she can still feel Addar's presence, as strong as ever.

She takes a few ragged breaths that don't manage to calm her down. Killian keeps rubbing at her arm and she suddenly realizes. She turns and looks at him. At first his head is still dipped down, but she raises his chin with her hand. His eyes are teary and his expression is almost as pained as hers must be. The words he told her... his own voice breaking while he soothed her...

That must have been how it felt like for him when he first lost Esther.

His expression turns into a guilty one. She wants to tell him it's not his fault, it was her choice... but she still can't utter any words. So she leans in and kisses his lips. He kisses back, if only tentatively, and keeps his arms around her.

"I didn't want you to do this..." he says after he breaks the kiss.

"Shh," Emma says and holds him tight. She turns back and realizes the ferryman is gone from the boat. Well, they'll have to row back themselves. She hopes - she knows Addar will be waiting for her, and when they do come back, Esther will be with them too.

Reunited against all odds.

She's still in agonizing pain, but she knows they have to go on.

"Come on," she tells Killian, and he stands up. He supports her while she stands up on shaky legs, hand resting on her pained chest. They turn forward and they see the Mist clear out, revealing a small field under an amber-coloured sky, a tree on its center. Ambrosia.

"That was it," Emma whispers. The test she had to pass. Killian strokes her arm gently but doesn't say anything back.

They walk slowly but steadily toward the tree, though something looks weird with it. They realize what's wrong as soon as they take a better look at it.

It's cut.

Half of its trunk and its branches have fallen on the ground, rotten-looking fruit spread out around them. Emma lowers herself to the ground slowly, touching one fruit. It dissolves into dust, as if it never existed.

"The ambrosia are dead," she mutters.

Hades tricked them. Killian grabs her by the hand and pulls her away before she even manages to search for a seed, one good-looking fruit, anything.

"There's no telling what Hades has done to your family!" she hears him say, but her mind is set on finding a way. They have to-

He makes an abrupt stop when they reach the end of the pier. Emma looks at the thick mist in front of her. Addar is waiting on the other side, but she can’t see him now, only feel him and only if she focuses on it.

She finds herself half-walking into the boat, but Killian hasn't moved an inch.

"What is it?" The boat can hold them both now, why isn't he coming?

"I'm not going back with you," he says.

She looks him in the eye. He can't be-

He's serious.

"No. Killian, I came to the Underworld to save you." She hates how weak her voice sounds. "I'm not going back without you."

"I'm afraid we don't have that choice, love," he whispers. He can't mean it.

She looks back at him, stricken, and swallows hard.

"Look, I just want to say my goodbyes down here, without everyone watching." His voice is still a whisper, as if he's scared of how it might sound if he raises it just a bit.

"No," she says, desperate, determined.

"We've already had more time than we were ever meant to."

"That's not true."

"We both know it is." His face breaks down in sadness, despite his attempts to keep it straight. She knows how much he's trying, but all she wants is to fucking follow her-

"You should have let me go in Camelot," he finally says, and all her determination shatters. She didn't listen to him, the one time he begged for something in return... "Don't make that mistake again."

How? How is she supposed to do that? She knows she has to, but... it's all wrong, and she's too scared and in pain...

"I just..." she manages. "I don't know how to say goodbye," she confesses and she feels tears come back.

"Then don't," he says and moves closer to her, a tiny, brave smile on his lips that falls way too fast.

"Just promise me one thing." His hand is on her cheek, barely even touching her as if afraid she'll go away, and his head drops down as he continues. "If I helped you trust in love again, don't pull away from it just because you're going to lose me."

He cries. This is nothing like saying goodbye to Milah and Liam, this isn't bursting out. He's crying right now, for this moment, and her own tears start falling too.

She wraps her arms around him and feels his hand brush into her hair. "I promise," she says. She doesn't know how she'll manage to do that, to open up her heart to love again, but she can try, for him. For the man who saw her as she was and loved her for it, who did his best to bring her up and never asked of anything... she can't just go without making sure he'll try to be happy as well.

"But then you have to promise me something too," she says with a broken voice, stepping out of their embrace. "Don't let me be your unfinished business. Move on from here, don't wait for me to show up."

He tries to smile through his tears. "Aye, love. I think I can manage that."

Lie. Lie, lie, lie, she thinks, but it's the only thing she can hold onto. Hoping that soon it won't be a lie and he'll find a way to move on.

They can't stop looking at each other, but gently, Killian pushes her to step in the boat. He says nothing, though she knows he has so much to tell her.

With her one foot on the pier and the other in the boat, a realization seems to hit him.

"I love you," he says and leans down to kiss her.

"I love you too." They kiss, and it's bittersweet. It's full of a desperate hope to not let go, to let Killian come as far as he can with her...

But they have to stop it here. The closer they are to the portal, the more painful it will be. And he wanted the moment to be just for them...

He didn't even say goodbye to Addar. A sob escapes her at that thought, as she touches her forehead to his.

With one final smile, Killian steps back, and she reaches for his hand. It has to be her, to take the final step in the boat. So she does.

They're both crying and the boat starts moving. Killian holds her hand tight, his thumb caressing her fingers as she unwillingly moves away from him. Before she’s too far away, he leans in and kisses her hand, looking at her with teary eyes on the last kiss, when she’s gone too far for his lips to reach it.

A sob escapes her and she stretches, as does he, trying to hold on to each other as long as possible. Eventually, their fingers slip from each other’s even as Killian struggles to hold on to hers. His hand drops, but Emma’s stays a little extended as her knees give out and she sits down on the boat.

She looks at his face, his pained, tear-stained face, and slowly loses focus as more and more mist is put between them.

When she’s sure she can’t see him anymore, she hears a soft thud; her heart breaks further when she realizes it was the sound of Killian’s knees hitting the wooden pier.

Her tears have dried by the time she reaches the other pier; this whole time, she’d almost forgotten her pain of being separated from Addar.

She steps quickly on the pier as soon as the boat stops moving and looks around.

“Addar?” she says softly.

The only response she gets is a soft whimper coming from ahead. Addar reveals himself, his face down but having stopped whimpering.

“Oh, Addar…” she says and picks him up, and finally the pain is over. She’s hugging him close when she feels the ground shake.

“The portal…” he says.

Emma nods. She turns and looks back. The boat is gone already, but she knows Killian won’t return so fast.

“He’ll wait until we’re gone,” Addar whispers and Emma sobs again. “We have to go,” he adds and pats her chest with his paws.

More tears coming back, Emma turns to the entrance of the cave, her steps heavy. She takes one last look at the empty pier, feeling empty herself, and then steps into the elevator.

Addar doesn’t ask her what happened. He already knows.

But it’s still hard when she has to explain to everyone - even her mother once they’re back - why Killian couldn’t come with them.

It was all for nothing, and now they even have an unleashed Hades in Storybrooke, ready to cause havoc.

The only thing Emma manages to convince Gold to help with is the alethiometer. With his new-found power, he succeeds in restoring it.

Much good it does her, though. She realizes she can’t read it anymore, no matter how hard she tries.

It hits her like yet another loss.

Later, after Killian has sent the pages they needed and they defeat Hades, she decides to spend a few more hours in the library to research on it. Anything to postpone having to go to the hospital, lift the preservation spell from Killian’s body and move on with the funeral procedure.

As she does, she realizes Addar can walk as far from her as he wants. Again, they don’t actually desire to be apart from each other, especially now, but at least it won’t hurt them again - exactly how Killian and Esther were.

She finds about one of the compass’s previous owners, Lyra Belacqua, who at the age of only twelve knew how to read the compass flawlessly, just like Emma used to do. However, after she also went to the Underworld to save her friend’s soul, she also lost her ability to read it by nature, and only managed it again later in her life after careful study on it.

Emma knows she has no mood to become a scholar for the compass’s sake.

“It’s time,” Addar finally says, even though he’s as unwilling to do it as Emma is.

When the sheet is lifted and Emma sees Killian’s body, still in the clothes he died in and the wound on his neck still intact, she breaks down. He was pale in the Underworld, but not as much as… this. She promised herself that she would bring him back, and now...

“I’m sorry.” She touches his cold forehead with her hand. “I hope you’re in a better place now… and I want to be happy about it but that means you’re really gone and…”

She bursts out in sobs. She takes her hand away to hold Addar close to her chest, and cries.

Finally, she takes a steady breath. Pushing herself forward, she waves her hand above Killian’s body and lifts the spell.

She lets out another sob and turns away.

“I miss you,” she whispers.

A gust of wind suddenly knocks her a few steps ahead, and she barely manages to stay up from its force. She looks at Addar, who also looks confused, but he seems alright.

“Swan?” they hear.

Emma whips back. She would recognize his voice anywhere, but it can’t be…

Yet there he is, his natural colour back and his blue eyes open, looking at her. Specks of Dust start gathering on his chest and morph into Esther.

“Killian,” she says and stays frozen for a second before she runs to him.

He carefully rises from the table and has barely stood up when she collides with him, crashing her lips to his. His kiss is finally warm, and living, and real. She feels Addar jump from her shoulder to wrap his body around Esther’s neck, touching her and feeling her again after so long.

She tries to get him to explain what happened, but she’s too busy kissing him and seeing him smile and feeling him to actually hear what he’s saying, so she resorts to saying she doesn’t care how it all happened.

“I’m just glad you’re here,” she says and buries her face in the crook of his neck, finally feeling his warmth.

“I’m so happy you’re alright,” Killian responds and hugs her tight.

When they pull back, they look down on Esther, still being peppered by love from Addar. Killian then looks back at Emma.

“I think there will be no better time, right love?”

Emma nods, her hands still on Killian’s arms as if he’ll go away if she lets go. Killian crouches down and picks up the two dæmons, holding Esther close. Esther rubs her head on his shoulder, and Emma knows she’s talking to him, and she can’t be happier to see the relief on his face on finally having her again by his side.

“You ready?” he tells Emma.

“Are you ready?” she says back, directed both at Killian and Esther. He simply nods and extends his arms a little. 

Emma raises her hand and slowly, carefully, touches Esther’s head. She hears Killian giggle at the touch, and it’s like music to her ears. She looks at him, her tears now of happiness, and puts her own arms carefully around Esther’s body. They all lean onto each other, Emma’s and Killian’s foreheads touching as they wrap their arms together around their dæmons.

Reunited against all odds.

Together again.

Notes: If I'd begun writing this after Wilby was introduced in the show, I would have chosen that name for David's dæmon. Alas, my fic came first.

For anyone wondering about Robin, yes, he’s still alive and well in this ‘verse.

I have a lot of thoughts about this verse! This may be the final chapter, but I’m planning on writing more separate scenes that didn’t make it to the original chapters, like Killian’s POV from certain points - seeing Emma through Esther’s eyes, reuniting with Esther at the end of Season 2, trying to navigate through New York with her by his side... and perhaps a few flashbacks from any time, with Liam, or Milah, or even Nemo and Liam II, or a few scenes from Season 6. It will all depend on how inspired I get :)

[fluidsf]

Sonic Picks 26 AMNESIA SCANNER: ANOTHER LIFE (2018) Reviewed format: CD Album on PAN Today on Fluid Sonic Fluctuations in the Sonic Picks review series I'm featuring the debut album by AMNESIA SCANNER, ANOTHER LIFE, released in 2018 on PAN. This fiery, bass heavy and dystopian future like sounding album is packed with 12 tracks over 40 minutes, channeling contemporary digital Electro Industrial influenced sonic manipulation into club music inspired grooves and more cinematic broding ambience pieces, most of them featuring heavily distorted and mangled voices by AS's ORACLE voice as well as Chinese artist PAN DAIJING's vocals on AS UNLINEAR and AS CHAOS. The CD of the album that I"m reviewing comes inside a thick cardboard sleeve housed inside a thin card slipcase. The cardboard slipcase features the album cover on front (with AMNESIA SCANNER hype sticker on the plastic packaging) and a 2+2=3 graphic on the back. The spine features the artist, album title, PAN catalogue number and release year. The cardboard sleeve housing the CD features AMNESIA SCANNER black and white graphics, in a kind of 80's DIY collage kind of style, mixing drawings and cartoon like imagery with various phrases relating to the music on ANOTHER LIFE. The unnumbered tracklist and album credits are added to the back of the sleeve alongside the graphics. The CD features a white design with the album title and AMNESIA SCANNER logo. ANOTHER LIFE starts with AS SYMMETRIBAL, the track begins with heavily manipulated alien vocals, sounding like a mashup of a Middle Eastern melody and a Middle Eastern string instrument playing the same melody. Then, a choppy abstract synth melody comes in with particularly hissy EDM like sharp detuned synth sound to it. Kicks blasts and noise percussion bursts accompany the alien vocal melody into a pretty chaotic yet also controlled sounding galloping rhythm. The track did take some time for me to get into, but once it does, the melody and rhythm did have quite an intense dark effect on me. After the glitchy galloping melody and rhythm end, this crossfades into a subtly brooding low synth melody, built out of mostly descending scales. Then follows AS UNLINEAR FEAT PAN DAIJING, a fiery groove driving track full of Arabic style mid tempo Industrial clanging drums as well as excellent sound design in the synths, both bass and high synth + electronic drum sounds. PAN DAIJING performs some rather fiery expressive vocals on this one, with her voice often shifting from a mixture of clean with pitched and further mangled vocal effects. Her vocals have got a great energy, not overly aggressive sounding yet also bringing enough convincing tension to the track to make it sound genuinely urgent. Excellent track and like the other tracks on this album, very well mixed by AMNESIA SCANNER, bringing out their well performed / produced dystopian Industrial structure rhythms and cinematic bassdrone ambiences really well. JEREMY COX's mastering is well controlled well, keeping the sonic balance right in the sweet spot, never sounding crackly clipping even with this much bass and hevaily compressed and distorted elements in the music. AS A.W.O.L. is one of the most straightforward songs in terms of its structure but the vocals are heavily pitched down in the verses and pitched up in the choruses. The song features Trap style bells, but its groove is filled with Industrial drums, distortion and the guitar is oftentimes unrecognizably distorted and mangled. The song sounds oddly calm but also threatening, the relative depth of he sound field also gives the ambience of the song a feeling like it describes an event happening outside in a murky and muddy place filled with a gray cloud sky and enormous factory buildings. Once the track changes its key in the second half this has a pretty frightening effect as well, sounds great. Then on title track AS ANOTHER LIFE we have a rather bassy and distortion laden groove full of piercing "drill" bass synth bursts and not quite as mangled pitched vocals over heavily EDM influenced squeaky heavily compressed synth phrases. With every pop single length track on this album AMNESIA SCANNER achieves quite a lot of captivating energy and compositional progression and it's no different here as guitar and the crunchy drums and drill bass growing in intensity blast into the room. Feels like a much darker and mechanic version of a minimalist EDM track, very nice again. On AS DAEMON a calm quirky synth pattern plays over a very low bass, heavily manipulated vocals create a kind of highly abstracted melody full of fuzzy overtones and the text the vocal is singing is not clear, but it works with the strange alien ambiences that often appear on ANOTHER LIFE. In the second half a heavily manipulated flute sound creates a simple stuttering and ring modulated ringing melody. A calm and cinematic slower beatless piece that works pretty well as a nice brooding contrast in between the more beat-heavy tracks. Then we have AS TOO WRONG, which features a pop-influenced simple vocal melody sung by very distorted alien vocals over a very crunchy bass heavy beat, besides the Middle Eastern sound there's also traces of Grime in this track. There's a lot of cool details in the sound design in here, especially in the percussion, with many distorted squeaks, metallic hihats and assorted Industrial percussion creating many variations. This track gets particularly more tense in the second half with the ending slowling the groove down and a hissy distorted and further heavily manipulated synthguitar sound playing a dramatic dark melody accompanied by intensely buzzing low bass. It creates a very nice steampunk like dystopian finale to the track and adds yet another unique element to the sonic imagery on ANOTHER LIFE. Then we have AS SPECTACULT (FEAT ORACLE) is an atmospheric piece inside a huge space in which ORACLE, who does thw vocals on most of the tracks emits short vocal phrases, like a kind of prayer ritual in the mountains in a huge temple. This is accompanied by Asian sounding instrument sounds creating an ambience of peace but also dark foreboding. This is definitely music for a cult indeed. A futuristic religious cult perhaps. Then AS FACELESS blasts in, coming in especially loud after the previous atmospheric piece. AS FACELESS is pretty much a straight-on dark and dirty Industrial glitchy Deconstructed Club groove with vocals that sound more human but again the lyrics are hard to distinguish at all which heightens the chaos as well as alien vibe of the music. Great bursts of ever heigtened aggressive energy in here with vocals, drums, choppy synths all adding blasts of Noise, harshness and squelchy or corrupted effect sounds. Very nice. With AS CHAIN we're back into the calm again, metallic guitar synths, mangled moaning vocals and subdued droning pads create a post-apocalyptic sound of quiet, walking in the ruins of destroyed buildings under the dark grey sky. Again, rather cinematic sounds from AMNESIA SCANNER in here, very good. AS SECURITAZ combines an Asian string instrument melody with a bursting screechy distorted mechanic synth and various hits of mechanic, percussive, noisy and ringing instruments and Industrial instruments, overtime building towards a rather dramatic sounding melody, feeling like the kind of music you could hear in the soundtrack of dark 80's influenced steampunk sci fi film influenced by the harsh Noise / Industrial experimentalism of David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti. It's ANOTHER LIFE's most expanded piece in both sound design and composition and definitely feels like a good track to introduce the finale of this album (with AS CHAOS FEAT PAN DAIJING and AS REWILD coming up as final pieces). AS SECURITAZ has a rather fiery and very noisy build at the end, full of fast kicks and very screechy crunchy synths which does end in a cold but still satisfying ending. On AS CHAOS FEAT PAN DAIJING PAN's vocals are much more manipulated, like human AI hybrid singer. The track features some excellent Grime influenced drilling piercing synths and crunchy and trilling drums. The piece is indeed chaos, but in a very well controlled and hard hitting groove kind of manner. Massive. Then we have final track AS REWILD which definitely feels like a film soundtrack finale. Featuring a fuzzy drone of mixed melodic sounds, dark piano chords and sad piercing vocals. The piece also references earlier pieces on ANOTHER LIFE with the stuttering metallic synth. Indeed this track really confirms my ideas that ANOTHER LIFE could ac actually be a fictional soundtrack to a both 80's and steampunk aesthetics influenced, dark dystopian sci fi film. But both as an album and this ficitional soundtrack, ANOTHER LIFE is definitely a nicely varied and thrilling journey of dark, crushing cinematic experimental music that I definitely recommend. ANOTHER LIFE by AMNESIA SCANNER packs the energy and progression of an expansive dystopian motion picture into 40 minutes of music, spread over 12 pop-song length tracks that feature immersive sonic imagery conjured up by AS' excellent compositions, sound design and unique musical concepts. PAN DAIJING's vocals add some great edges of aggression and powerful energy on the tracks she features on and ORACLE guides us through this dark world. Once again, I definitely recommend this album, for anyone into Industrial, Deconstructed Club with a hard edge as well as both Noise and more cinematic focused music. CD Album on PAN available from the AMNESIA SCANNER Bandcamp page here: https://amnesiascanner.bandcamp.com/album/another-life

[leanstooneside]

Being caught goofing off or misbehaving

Wisdom set apart from all desire A hoary Nestor with youth's own glad eyes Him

I wrapped my tears in an ellum leaf And left them under a stone And now men call me mad because I have thrown All folly from me putting it aside To leave the old barren ways of men Because my bride Is a pool

Poetry in its acme is expression

soul is exhausted

St. Victor's figure of radiation

It is here

Verona's spirit and all time Swept on beyond my ken and as the sea Hath in no wise a form within itself Cioè as liquid hath no form save where it bounden is By

book is known by them

And a cat's in the water

She is contemporary with the other persons

God our God is a gallant

And yet hath part and quality of all these three Whereto is added calm past earthly peace

I see thee as some poor songbird Battering its wings against this cage we Today Then would I speak comfort unto thee From out the heights I dwell in when That great sense of power is upon me

more I might have seen: Firenza Goito Or that proudest gate Ligurian Genoa Cornelia of Colombo of far sight That man and seer in one had well been twain And each a glory to his hills and sea; And past her a great band Bright garlanded or rich with purple skeins And crimson mantles and queynt fineries That tarnished held but so the more Of dim allurement in their halfshown folds: So swept my vision o'er their filmy ranks Then rose some opaque cloud Whose name I have not yet discerned And music as I heard it one clear night Within our earthly night's own mirroring CioèSan Pietro

bare tree is widowed

Whither he went I may not come it seems He is become estranged

mothers Will sing them in the twilight And when the night Shrinketh the kiss of the dawn That loves and kills What time the swallow fills Her note the little rabbit folk That some call children Such as are up and wide Will laugh your verses to each other Pulling on their shoes for the day's business Serious child business that the world Laughs at and grows stale; Such is the tale

wood and Though all men say that I am mad It is only that I

water butt! Thought's in your

Vicomte of Beziers's not such a bad lot

mothhour of our day is upon us

We know not definitely even this But 'cause some vague half knowing half doth miss Our consciousness and leaves us feeling That somehow all is well that sober

I have sung women in three cities But it is all the same; And

we the lusty robbers twain Black is the pitch

I I have no song Till my soul sent a woman as the sun: Yea as the sun calleth to the seed As the spring upon the bough So is she

thee is who cometh first Out

wind is up and eloquent

I feel thy cheek against my face Closepressing soft as is the South's

rest And all the sea is now

thing is not mine

flame that reacheth not beyond Mine heart's own hearth

your tastes were keen to you Gone where the grey winds call to you By that high fencer even Death Struck of the blade that no man parrieth; Such is your

It is very long That

writ till Audiart Oh till thou come again.[3] And being bent and wrinkled in a form That hath no perfect limning when the warm Youth dew is cold Upon

Aye I am wistful for my kin of the spirit And have none about me save in the shadows When come they surging of power DAEMON Quasi KALOUN S.T. says Beauty is most that a calling to the soul

Daemonalitas of the Rev. Father Sinistrari of Ameno 1600 circ. A treatise wherein is shown that there

They reach me not touch me some edge or that But reach me not and all my life's become One

Holding the dawn; There is strange Night

gleam and falling catch the sun Evan'scent mirrors every opal one Of such his splendour as their compass is So bold My

it is the sword

It is not Raama

Nor thine to hinder For the custom is full old And

we wastrels that the grey road's call Doth

they mostly had grey eyes But it is all one I

O'er sea mist and mountain is the dawn

fire then doth the spirit return unto its primal nature and there is upon it

Wherefrom we view the world of box and pit Careless of wear just so the mask shall fit And serve our jape's turn for a night

his exile that hath borne the flame Joining his freedom that hath drunk the shame And known the torture of the Skullplace hours Free and so bound that mingled with the powers Of air and sea and light his soul's far reach

Whoso combine Such works love is his

Peire Bremon's work that has come down to us

April when I see all through Mead and garden new flowers blow And streams with icebands broken flow Eke hear the birds their singing do; When spring's grassperfume floateth by Then 'tis sweet song and birdlet's cry Do make mine

I have drawn my blade where the lightnings meet But the ending is the same: Who

There's many a secret stair

Very glad for my bride hath toward me a great love That is sweeter

Thy loveliness is here

there is a trembling upon me

contemplation it radiates from a centre that is as light from the sun

nightwonder of your eyes Dies not though passion flieth Along the star fields of Arcturus And is no more unto our

Smiling is companion

yea all that dust doth symbolize Was there forgot and my enfranchised soul Grew as the liquid elements and was infused With joy that is not light nor might nor harmony

Here's to you

thou my jongleur As ne'er had I other and when the wind blows Sing thou the grace of the Lady of Beziers For even as thou art hollow before I fill thee with this parchment So is my

From the last carouse or in what measure Of so called right or so damned wrong our leisure Runs out uncounted sand beneath the sun That spite your carping still the thing is done With

Why is it

I know not any more how long it is Since

hands; My lips are cold And yet we twain are never weary And the strange nightwonder is upon us

sanction that we know not how Sans thought gives us this feeling; you allow That this not need we know our every thought Or see the work shop where each mask is wrought

meditation it circles round it that is it

[storiesofthenight]

Verse drop for Rhaenyra, Aemond, Aegon, Lucerys & Daemon

What if Rhaenyra had been there when Viserys died and his last words had been to her, not Alicent. What if Rhaenyra thus had ascended the throne and contrary to the belief of some, had not made moves against her half-siblings.

As Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, Rhaenyra is a just Queen, kind and loving and loved by many. With Daemon at her side as her devoted husband.

Aemond as half-brother to the Queen continues his life continues his studies and training, even helps her with some swordfighting basics. He turns out to be a patient teacher once the worries about his and his siblings lives are set aside. As a result of all his hard work, he is soon promoted to Master of War at Rhaenyra's council. Aegon as well, as half-brother is pretty much continuing his life as he did before. Without the fear for his life and the stress his childhood has put on him, he finds himself being a lot calmer, less likely to drown his worries in wine, and less temperamental. Rhaenyra invites him to join the council as well, him as Master of Law.

Lucerys as son of the Queen, remains in King's Landing to continue his training and studies until he is ready to go to Driftmark and take up his place there.

Mutuals, feel free to like this post for a starter in this verse. Do mention if you wish for one from Aemond or Rhaenyra.