The Black Cygnet: A Captain Swan Fanfiction

8. How Does One Obtain Magic?

Emma and Killian walked very close together on the way to Elizabeth's house. They gazed into each other's eyes and smiled, completely in love.

Regina cleared her throat. "So, Elizabeth, you have magic?"

Elizabeth spun around, defensive. "How do you know that?!" She demanded.

Regina rolled her eyes. This Elizabeth girl was so much like Emma. "You appeared in a puff of blue smoke. That's how I know."

Elizabeth's cheeks reddened. "Oh, um, yeah, that."

"Yes, that. How come you have magic?"

Elizabeth sighed. "It's a long story."

"We've got time."

Elizabeth brushed her hair out of her eyes and began...

Elizabeth ran through the forest, her dark hair whipping her face. The cold stung her cheeks, but she couldn't stop. They would catch up to her if she stopped. But what if she was cornered at the edge of the Underworld? She couldn't let that happen. Oh, why hadn't she listened to her mother and stayed away from sword? Now the Black Knights would surely kill her. Elizabeth saw the surreal image of her dead city at night, coming up behind the trees. She bolted into town and sprinted down an alleyway. She looked around to figure out where in town she was. She saw the back entrance to Granny's Diner, all boarded up. Elizabeth tore though the boards, clawing her way to a hiding place, to an escape. If she could get in there, she would be safe. She quickly took enough of the boards down to open the door, and she wasted no time running inside. But when she got inside, she was greeted by the sight of many figures dressed in robes. Scared, Elizabeth hid behind a booth. She looked up at the hooded demons, curiosity getting the better of her. They each looked into a small crystal sphere, chanting about revenge. One of them reached out and touched the crystal orb, reaching a hand out to another one of them. Soon, they were all holding hands, joint as if for a symbolic sacrifice. Bolts of lightning shot out of the sphere, one hitting Elizabeth. She blacked out, darkness seeping into her vision.

    "...and when I woke up, bam, I had magic," Elizabeth said, finishing her story.

    Regina thought for a moment, wondering if these 'hooded demons' could be The Dark Ones. Creepy-sacrificial-chanting-seances definitely sounded like something they'd do. She shuddered, hoping she wouldn't have to deal with anymore Dark Ones than Gold, but with her luck, it didn't seem likely. "That's quite strange. I wonder if-"

Regina was cut off by a woman appearing right in front of her, a woman Regina had hoped she would never have to see again.

"Hello, Regina."

"Hello, Mother."

Cora began to walk around the group, who were now frozen in place. "Whatever are you doing in my lovely little town? Surely you haven't been killed yet."

Mary Margaret attempted to look defiant. "We are bringing someone back."

Cora just laughed. "You're bringing someone back? This is the Underworld. You can't just bring someone back."

Emma protectively stood in front of Killian. "Oh yeah? Watch us!"

"Listen, you sad little excuses," Cora began rather softly, "there is no way for you to get out of the Underworld, so I might as well give you the grand tour."

"No thanks. I'm pretty sure we can find our way around post-apocalyptic Storybrooke ourselves. Now if you'll excuse us," Emma said as she walked forward, Cora surprisingly moving out of the way, "we have somewhere to be."

"You can't escape the Underworld!" Cora shouted to the heroes as the walked of into the distance.

"You don't know what we can and can't do!" Emma yelled back, leading the group as the day turned to night.