I won't be lying if I say I never read Dmitry Glukhovsky's original Metro 2033 trilogy before playing all the games. Before that, I read books whose plots revolved around Dmitry's ideas (side stories by other authors, so to speak), and I loved everything about them, especially the concept of “the Dark Ones”. I loved the image of chthonic, terrifying creatures that destroy a person from the inside, and now I present to you my vision of these humanoids. Just this year, I finally got around to the main trilogy of books and came across the first mention of “the Dark ones”, so I decided to combine the descriptions from the book and the games. Unfortunately, I can't even finish Dmitry Glukhovsky's first book. I find it very weak and (pardon the expression) raving. I REALLY LOVE the Metro 2033 games, and I've been replaying them every New Year's since 2024, and I never expected to encounter the sense of... delirium that runs through the books. Sorry to everyone who enjoys Glukhovsky's main books. I have enormous respect for his imagination and ability to think through ideas, and without him and other talented authors, we wouldn't have such organic and vibrant games. BUT I don't think I could finish even one of his books.
So, about "The dark ones”. Having read most of the chapters in the first book, I felt like “the Dark ones" were the souls of those who died in the bombing of Moscow (those above could be described as mutated corpses) and the souls of those who died in the metro, who are now unable to ascend (I think this is most clearly revealed in the conversation between Artyom and Khan about how, after the war, heaven and hell were destroyed and now souls have nowhere to go from the world of the living). In the context of Dmitry's surreal idea, I think this concept of monsters is very good. People fear Darks because they remind them of themselves and of death, and “the Dark ones”, in turn, can influence people's subconscious because they were once like them. In the game, this was played out differently, and I like both concepts. In the book, the monsters are perceived more as a punishment, destroying groups of the remaining people, while in the game, the humanoids are more like a separate race that wants to take humans' place under the sun. I could go on and on about the whole idea of "Metro 2033," as I've fallen deeply in love with the universe. I bow to the people who created the "Metro" games, because it's hard to find games of such quality. I understand that the older versions may look a bit shabby, and the stealth in almost all the games is very linear, but these are just minor flaws that can be overlooked (at least for me).
Thank you for reading my notes of a madman. If you'd like more candor about the books, please feel free to write. I also ask you to recommend other books from the "Metro" series that are worth reading. Your opinion is very important to me, and if you'd like to discuss any of the topics in this post, I'd be delighted. Have a good morning, afternoon, or evening!
Yours, STALKER.
Я не совру, если скажу, что я никогда не читала оригинальную трилогию «Метро 2033» Дмитрия Глуховского до прохождения всех игр. До этого я читала книги, сюжет которых вертелся вокруг идеи Дмитрия (побочные сюжеты других авторов, так сказать), и мне всё нравилось, особенно концепт «Чёрных». Мне полюбился образ хтонических, ужасающих тварей, которые убивают человека изнутри, и сейчас я вам представляю моё видение этих гуманоидов. Как раз в этом году я наконец-то затронула главную трилогию книг и наткнулась на первое упоминание «Чёрных», поэтому я решила совместить описания из книги и игр. К сожалению, пока что я морально не могу дочитать даже первую книгу Дмитрия Глуховского. Она мне кажется очень слабой и (извините за выражение) бредовой. Мне ОЧЕНЬ НРАВЯТСЯ игры «Метро 2033», и с 2024 года я перепрохожу их на Новый год, и я совершенно не рассчитывала столкнуться с ощущением... психоза происходящего в книге. Простите все, кому нравятся главные книги Глуховского. Я испытываю огромное уважение к его воображению и умению продумывать идеи, и без него и других талантливых авторов мы бы не получили настолько органичные и живые игры. НО Я не думаю, что смогу дочитать хотя бы одну его книгу.
Так вот, о «Чёрных». Прочитав большинство глав в первой книге, мне показалось, что «Чёрные» — это души людей, погибших при бомбёжке Москвы (тех, что находятся сверху, можно назвать мутировавшими мёртвыми телами), и души умерших в метро, которые теперь не могут вознестись (мне кажется, что сильнее всего это раскрывается при разговоре Артёма и Хана по поводу того, что после войны рай и ад были разрушены и теперь душам некуда уходить из мира живых). В контексте сюрреалистичной идеи Дмитрия мне кажется, что данный концепт монстров очень хорош. Люди боятся «Чёрных», потому что они напоминают им о себе и о смерти, а «Чёрные», в свою очередь, могут влиять на подсознание людей, потому что они когда-то были такими же. В игре это обыграли по-другому, и мне нравятся оба концепта. В книге монстры больше воспринимаются как кара, наказывающая оставшихся людей, а в игре гуманоиды - это больше как отдельная раса, которая хочет занять место людей под солнцем.
Я долго могу рассуждать по поводу всей идеи «Метро 2033», так как данная вселенная очень полюбилась мне. Я готова кланяться людям, которые создали игры «Метро», потому что настолько качественных игр нужно поискать. Я понимаю, что старые версии могут выглядеть немного пошарпано, и стелс почти во всех играх очень линеен, но это лишь маленькие недочёты, на которые можно закрыть глаза (по крайней мере, мне).
Спасибо, что почитали мои записки сумасшедшего. Если выхотите больше откровенности по поводу книг, то обязательно пишите. Также прошу посоветовать мне другие книги из серии «Метро», которые стоит почитать. Ваше мнение очень важно для меня, и если вы захотите по дискутировать на любую из тем в данном посте, то я буду только рада. Хорошего вам утра, дня или вечера!
Skończyłam Metro. Ryczałam. Wciąż trochę zbieram szczękę z ziemi. Nawet nie jestem zła na Tyomke. Będzie dobrym ojcem.
"I take off a glove and gently touch his head with my bare hand.
I fear I might scare or hurt him.
And I understand that he's alone in the whole world.
He has only me."
Nie wiem czy teraz zabierać się za drugą część trylogii. Nie będzie tam Artema a jego nieobecność, po tym co się odwaliło, chyba by mi rozerwała serce. Może kupię grę. Tylko obawiam się, że jednak Tyomka będzie tam nieco inny. To w końcu gra, nie będzie siedzenia mu w głowie, nie będzie przeżywania wydarzeń oczami bohatera (i mean - będzie. Ale nie w taki dokładny i przemyślany sposób jak w książce). Może się zaskoczę pozytywnie - we will see!
Mam nadzieję, że Metro 2033 też wam się podobało. Zajebista książka
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Emma stared at the sword in the stone. She could just see the beginning of the name etched into the side of its blade. Taunting her, reminding her of the curse she caused.
. She saw the cost of her mistakes, and now she needed to pay for them. She needed to stay away from everyone so they could have their best chance. Just until she could solve this problem. She wanted to tell them the truth, but it had to be this way.
“We still have work to do,” came the incessant commentary of the demon in her mind. The embodiment of the darkness that only a Dark One unwilling to accept their abilities could see. She was beginning to wonder if it was also a sign of her slowly slipping sanity, all things considered.
“I’ve embraced the darkness, you got what you wanted.”
It gave a mirthless chuckle. “Yes, and now I want something else.” It gestured to the stone.
“Too bad,” she replied and turned away.
It flashed in front of her, “don’t tell me you’re still upset about crushing your pirate’s heart underneath your ill-advised boot heel.”
She tilted her head and entertained him for only a moment, “he’s stronger than that. Stronger than anything I could throw at him. He won’t give up on me that easily.”
“Yes,” came its slimy reply, its tone sounding more as though it were talking to itself than her. “The bane of our existence: the love that refuses to give up on us.” It shuddered as though disgusted, and she glared at it. She didn’t give in to its coy games though.
They weren’t in Camelot anymore, and she refused to let it control her in her own home. She wasn’t going to let it dictate her actions.
She had control now, and she’d be damned if she’d let anything take it away from her.
She flicked her hand and the cutlass from the Jolly Roger appeared. The one Killian had no idea she’s escaped with.
The one that had touched the previous dark one when he was still a man, and could therefore wake him from his cursed slumber.
She walked to the couch where the man in question was still sleeping, a breath above death. Surrounding him were herbs and ingredients to cast a spell from Merlin’s books. With the cutlass in her hands, she concentrated. She felt the magic stir in her chest and expand out. She felt it encompass the man who was once the most powerful being in the land.
Then she felt him open his eyes.
*
“So he just… vanished?” Killian asked in confusion as he stared into an empty, locked, holding cell. David had asked for his assistance that morning during their breakfast, needing a second opinion from someone with a history of… escaping confinement.
“Could it be magic? Did your squire wield such magic?” Robin asked. Of course, when David asked Killian for help, everyone decided to move their daily meeting to the sheriff’s office to investigate together. Killian was glad for it, he kept seeing flashes of Emma all around the room and with more people it was easier to block out the fear and fury that was threatening to overtake him, even now.
King Arthur responded, “Not that I ever saw.” He sighed heavily, “he must have lied about having the bean.” The bean that had been stolen from his kingdom’s magical artifact reliquary that David had helped track down. Killian sighed, a magic bean could get these people back to their home and the Storybrooke residents could focus fully on the important mission of getting Emma back. “He must have used it to escape.”
Arthur’s queen gave a small cry of desperation, “How could he be so selfish? We could all be home right now!” With a hand to her forehead she continued thinking out loud, “Our people need something to raise their spirits. They’re giving up any hope of returning home. That’s why he did this. What else will our people be driven to do, the longer they’re in this strange land?”
Snow nodded in understanding. “People need hope.” Killian felt a small smile at the beginnings of a familiar speech. It felt enough like old times he half expected a pressure against his hook as Emma took it in her hand. “As hosts and leaders of this town, it’s up to us to provide it.”
Regina finally contributed to the conversation and, to the surprise of everyone, it wasn’t a complaint about another hope speech, “What did you have in mind?”
There was the unmistakable sound of a cell phone chirping and Killian looked to Henry. The lad was glued to his talking phone lately, and now he was smiling the kind of gleeful but shy smile Killian remembered from his own youth. David sauntered closer and looked over Henry’s shoulder at the screen. “How about a dance?” The boy suggested as he quickly pocketed his device.
“Looking for an excuse to ask your girlfriend out on a date?” David asked, sitting next to his grandson.
Killian smirked when David caught his eye. Not how he would have handled the situation, but they were different men. And Killian couldn’t help but find it humorous to see the difference between how David reacted to Emma dating versus Henry. Even if Killian himself were on the receiving end of the man’s ire.
Though to be fair, he doubted the girl he’d seen Henry with was a reformed pirate with a reputation for a host of unsavory, and satisfying, offenses.
Regina, though, was focused on a different point, “Girlfriend? What girlfriend?”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
Killian pulled a face and began sauntering forward to add his own input into the discussion.
“Who’s not your girlfriend?” Regina continued and caught Killian’s eye. He raised a brow. He knew something she didn’t, and he relished it for a moment.
Snow White tried to regain control of the conversation, “I think a dance is an excellent idea!”
But Regina was having none of it, “Henry, who’s this girlfriend?”
Robin opened his mouth to attempt to steer Regina away from the topic, a more level headed man than Killian.
“Well, if you need dating tips, lad, I know my way around women.” He chuckled at Henry’s horrified face, one of those women being his mother. Killian outright laughed.
Regina added, “Over your dead body.”
“Alright-” Robin finally interjected, “let the boy breathe.” He lowered his voice to mumble to Regina, “and not threaten people’s lives.”
“Do you know this girlfriend?” She asked him, and Robin shrugged helplessly. Killian grinned wider and winked at Henry before nodding his head to the door.
Henry took the hint and rushed out the building for school.
*
The chains rattled as Gold tried to stand, but without his magic and without his cane, he did a very poor job of it before slumping back down against the wall. “You have so much power, I remember what it’s like. When you first feel it running through your veins, right at your finger tips. What could you need Excalibur for? What do you need me for?”
“When you were the Dark One, did you advertise your plans?” Her voice was low, menacing. It was a threat to watch his tongue when speaking to her.
He sighed and his throat clicked, he seemed moments away from breaking into tears. This was the man Killian had told her about, who went to his ship and begged for his child’s mother to be spared. Emma had felt for that man, fighting fear to face the younger, stronger man to save his wife. Knowing that woman wanted nothing to do with him.
She felt nothing for the man before her now.
Gold sighed and tried a different tactic, “Maybe not, but every time I used magic, I told myself it was all for my son. To protect him, to find him again.”
Emma didn’t want to hear about Neal, “How noble,” she turned away, done with the conversation. She didn’t need to entertain her hostage in order to get what she needed from him. She only had to entice that scared man who stood up anyway. She just hoped that man was still inside the smarmy pawn broker she knew him to be.
“Despite my best intentions… I still lost him.”
She growled out, “I am well aware. I was there.” They sat in silence for a moment, before Emma finally taunted. “But I’m stronger than you ever were.”
“That doesn’t really matter.” He gave a sarcastic chuckle. “The more you justify what you’re doing, the more you’re going to push them away. Take it from me… You will always lose the ones you love most when you choose the darkness.”
She raised a brow and tilted her head, “thank you for the advice. I’ll be sure to consider it.”
“There’s another option you know.” He said, a clear attempt to save himself with more talking, but she was done. She turned to walk away. “Excalibur and the dagger are meant to be whole. Whoever has their name carved on the blade can pull it free.” Her step faltered. He was bluffing. She continued walking.
But it was too late. She knew he saw her from the way his head tilted in contemplation when she flicked her gaze back to him.
She kept walking, leaving him alone with the stone. Even if he could pull it free, it wouldn’t make a difference. He didn’t have any magic to wield it.
Leaving the basement, leaving the house, she walked to the shed in the back yard. It was filled with gardening tools, she knew Killian had always loved the idea of a garden, something he’d never been able to have with a life at sea. Something his mother had loved before her untimely death.
But until she finished what needed to be done, she also stored something else next to the shovels and trowels.
Hanging from every spare surface were dreamcatchers. Each cast with different ribbons and trinkets. Hours spent focusing on her task while everyone else in Camelot slept. Her fingers brushed against them as she looked for the right one. Flashes of the memories they held projected across their chords as she brushed them.
Finally she found the one she wanted. A tawny brown with seashells and a strip of blue velvet. She took a steely breath and waved her hand to watch. Every day she broke her heart just a little more as she watched someone else’s memory of how she had failed. How she had given into the darkness just a little, and hurt them. She swiped hastily at the warm tear as it fell down her cheek as she watched herself break her own son’s heart.
She wouldn’t push him away. She was trying to save their future. All of them.
This was the only way to save her family.
*
Everyone was constantly trying to make Henry pretend everything was normal. Like his mom wasn’t the Dark One.
Little did they realize, the kids at his school were less eager to help him forget that fact. There was an exception, though. He watched her dark hair bounce as she walked down the hallway, turning every way trying to find her classroom. He smiled to himself and rushed over to her. “Hey. Did you see my text? My grandparents are hosting a block party on Main Street.”
Violet’s eyes widened and he saw the excitement slowly fade to sadness, “Oh… yes…”
“Everything okay?” Henry asked, his stomach dropping that she might hate him, too. It was his mom who brought her away from her home, forcing her to experience high school. A torture he wished on no one.
“I’m not really in the mood for parties. My horse, Nicodemus, ran off this morning.”
Henry’s eyes widened, of course she had a horse. “Oh… Did- did you check the stables?” He tried not to cringe at what could have been the dumbest question anyone had ever asked.
She gave an agitated huff, not even phased by his stupid comment, “He’s gone. My father’s trying to lure him back with some pumpkin. It’s his favorite.” Her voice broke on a sob and Henry took a step forward.
“It’s okay, the town isn’t that big. Maybe the dance can get your mind off of it.” He offered.
Her head jerked up and she looked offended. Maybe he could say something more dumb next time and win an award. “Henry, I can’t dance, or go to a party” she said the word like it was foreign, “He’s out there, in this world he doesn’t know.”
Henry’s gut reacted before his brain, “I’m gonna find your horse, Violet. I know exactly who to ask,” he said with a smirk. This would be perfect. Not too much significance that going wrong could have terrible consequences, just serious enough to prove she was still in there. He needed to talk to his mom.
The evil one, or- the newly evil-
He needed to talk to Emma.
That afternoon, he was standing in front of the large white house. It was imposing, but he felt strangely comforted by it. When they first came back from New York, he’d wanted to find a place with Emma. An apartment or something that was theirs, like the apartment in the city was. Something that could be roots for the both of them.
When she opened the door, he smiled, her eyes were wide like she was surprised to see him. Like she couldn’t imagine he wanted to be there. To see her. “Do you remember why I first brought you to Storybrooke?” He asked, getting right to the point. No wasting time asking about those missing weeks. She’d tell him when she was ready.
She sighed and he saw a flash of the woman that raised him in those false memories, “Of course… Operation Cobra. Bring back all the happy endings.”
He nodded, “well, your mission isn’t over.”
She scoffed, “Henry, things are different now.” The door opened wider, but he didn’t enter. He had a mission to initiate.
“They don’t have to be. Show me that the mom I know is still in there somewhere.”
She took a step out the door, “She is. This is me.”
He scrunched his face like he didn’t quite believe her, but was willing to listen to her argument, “Then prove it. Help me help my friend.” Her head tilted in that almost inhuman way, but then she smiled and nodded.
She gestured for him to lead the way.
*
“Showtime” Regina whispered while tucking her phone into her pocket. “Henry says he’s got Emma occupied.”
Killian scrunched his brow, “you told Henry what we’re doing?” He accused. Robin kept his mouth shut behind them but gave a look that made it clear he was deferring to Regina’s opinion. Killian was still finding his footing on the “raising Henry” team between Emma and Regina, and Robin was clearly an even newer initiate unwilling to further complicate matters just yet. But with Emma currently out of commission, the thief was taking on more and more of an active role. Except right now, when Killian could have used the support. That said, though. Did Killian even have a right to make decisions around Henry when he and Emma weren’t even technically together? But none of that weighed on Regina’s mind as she carefully responded, “No, but he’ll let us know when she’s headed back. Let’s do this.” She reached for the door knob but a sharp spark caused her to pull her hand back.
“You okay?” Robin stepped forward to inspect her now red palm.
Regina nodded and shook out her hand, “protection spell.”
“It would appear she doesn’t want you trespassing.” Killian supplied, fighting the smirk threatening to break free at Regina immediately getting her comeuppance at putting Henry in possible danger. Though that wasn’t entirely right, he knew deep in his soul Henry was the safest of them all. Emma would never do a thing to that boy.
“You want to try, Pirate?” Regina asked, and while her tone was condescending, it was also plain. She really thought he would have a chance at being an exception to the protection spell. But he didn’t even need to try.
They’d laid lines in the sand the other day on his ship. He was no longer a person she considered safe for her. “I know she doesn’t want me inside.”
It was Belle who finally spoke up, “Even when Rumple was at his darkest, Baelfire would have been able to get to him. She’d let Henry in. Do you have anything of his on you?” She asked looking first to Regina then to Killian.
Regina smirked and waved her hand, and Henry’s scarf appeared between her fingers. “I do now.”
They walked into the house and Killian gestured to the locked door under the stairs.
“Yea, I did not notice that when I was here.” Regina said as she stepped closer.
Killian clenched his fist and recalled what Emma had told him on his ship, With my powers, I could hide anything from your prying eyes, anyway. He doubted Regina hadn’t noticed the giant lock from a lack of attention. Emma had it hidden until he’d stepped inside.
Why?
He stood out of the way and let Robin pass him with his tool kit. It took no time at all for the lock to spring free and they made their way downstairs. Unlike the rest of the very modern, very world-without-magic appropriate house above, the basement was something straight out of their home realm. A dank, dark cave with torches ensconced on the walls and a cell at the back of the room.
There in the center of the room was a large stone, and protruding from it was an elaborate sword with a ruby gilt handle. The kind of sword a king might have for looks instead of battle. He drew close to it. It took no stretch of the imagination to realize this was the legendary Excalibur.
“Now we know why she didn’t want you down here.” Regina mumbled.
“Indeed. I don’t think she wants anyone to see this, and I think I know the reason why. Take a gander.” He pointed at the bit of blade visible above the stone. The blade had a waved edge, something no weapon forged for battle would have. Then there was the fine black filigree they were all familiar with that decorated it. “Excalibur looks quite familiar, wouldn’t you say?”
Belle gasped as the first to realize it, of course she was. She was as familiar with that blade as he was. “The dagger. It’s the… it’s the same design, the same edges.”
Regina put her hands on her hips and took a step back as Killian took another step forward. “What the hell does she want with this? And with Gold. What is she up to?”
It was then they became aware of the clatter of chains from behind the bars. “She wants me to pull the sword from the stone so she can unite it with the dagger.”
They all warily backed up, but Belle was the first to step forward when she realized, “Rumple!” She cried and threw herself against the bars. She reached through and both gave cries of happiness at finally seeing the other again. Killian hated them for it.
Belle deserved happiness, of that he had no doubt. But he hated that her happiness came at the cost of the Crocodile also finding and knowing love. All while Killian’s own happy ending was out there doing hell only knew what and taking the darkest path possible.
It wasn’t right.
It wasn’t fair.
He looked at the sword again. “Let’s take away her chess piece then.” With grit teeth, Killian reached forward. He wanted to take the sword and-
“Stop!” It was Belle who came to her senses, “it may be booby-trapped. And- the sword only allows a true hero to pull the sword from the stone. I-” She hesitated when she said the next part, “I don’t know if your heart is pure enough.”
He tightened his hand into a fist. He felt the overwhelming urge to reach for it anyway, to prove a point, but he knew she was right.
There was a small sound and Regina pulled her phone out of her pocket, “it’s Henry, she’s on her way back.”
Bella tried pulling open the cage, “someone help. Hurry.”
Regina flicked her hand but nothing happened, she tried again with more attention focused on the lock.
Rumplestilskin covered Belle’s hand grasping the bars, “you need to go, Belle,” He said quietly, resolutely. Calmly. “Belle” he said again to get her attention fully on him, “I’ll be okay. She still needs me. You need to go. You’ll be safe if you leave now. You can try again later,” he offered. But Killian knew the man better than he knew himself, he was actually being self-sacrificing. Killian put his hand on Belle’s shoulder and she jerked to shake him off.
“Belle, we need to go,” he said with force.
She turned and gave him a glare so angry that for a moment he actually stepped back. She turned to face Rumple again. “I’ll be back for you.” He only nodded and grabbed her hand, placing a fierce kiss to her knuckles before letting her go.
Killian hefted her up to his side and began the line of procession up the stairs and out the door. He opened the door and moved out of the way to allow Belle and the rest through while he kept watch on the rear door, just in case. But when he swung his head to do so, something glinted on the table. He walked into the dining room to investigate and found a flat, octagonal box with a mirror on the lid right in the center of the table, as though forgotten. “Hey, what are you doing?” He heard Regina ask from the door, but he ignored her. Without thinking about potential booby traps or tricks, he flipped the lid open.
“What the hell is that?” Robin asked from behind him, Killian hadn’t heard them approach. His body was ice cold.
He gently plucked it from its resting place and said, “It’s a dreamcatcher,” He turned it in the light and caught rays of sun in its many beads of glass. Shells and ribbons were randomly tucked in its webbing. “Baelfire gave her one similar to this a long time ago,” he recalled the late night conversations they’d had about the man they both once knew. “But this- it’s different.”
Regina took it gingerly from his fingers, “When imbued with magic, they can become very powerful.” She looked up, “I think I know how Emma took our memories.”
*
Mary Margaret rocked her newborn gently while her husband sat next to her at a very uncomfortable picnic bench. While they wore clothing appropriate for the realm they know lived in, across from them King Arthur and Queen Guinevere sat in their regal finest. Looking more befitting an October holiday fête than the block party she’d arranged.
“She had Excalibur?” Arthur asked in awe.
Killian nodded solemnly, “trapped in a stone in her basement.” Mary Margaret offered a half smile in shared misery at the pirate her daughter had come to love.
She knew how hard this was for herself. She’d just got her daughter back. They were starting to figure out their relationship, as awkward and complex as it was. Losing her again when she was still right there was eating her up inside. She held Neal closer. She couldn’t imagine what Killian was going through. Imagining if it were David turned to darkness and away from her- she suppressed a shudder.
Arthur nodded, “Well then, we need to get it back at once. It would be disastrous if the Dark One took possession of it.” Mary Margaret noted how Killian’s fist squeezed tighter under the table. If her arms weren’t full, she’d have rested a hand on his arm. No one else seemed willing to comfort him.
“That have anything to do with its striking resemblance to the Dark One dagger?” He asked, bitterly.
Arthur practically jumped forward when he whispered, “How do you know about the dagger?”
Killian’s scoff was anything but light, “I’ve spent a lifetime trying to end the Dark One’s existence. I know much about the dagger. What I don’t know about is your blade. Care to enlighten us?” He had that nasty tone in his voice that even when they’d first met he rarely used. Even as a villain, he’d been charming more often than not. Mary Margaret understood the appeal he’d held for her daughter even then.
Arthur contemplated for a moment, tapping his hand against the wood top of the table before he glanced at his wife. With her terse nod he responded, “There’s a reason they resemble each other. They were originally forged as one weapon, then broken in two. I’ve spent years trying to reunite them.”
A lightbulb went off for Mary Margaret, “That’s why you were so interested in the dagger when you arrived.” Arthur was keeping secrets from them. Big ones. Especially after they’d told him who Emma was. What she had become. She watched him closely as he explained himself.
“I apologize for not telling you sooner, but I had to make sure I could trust you. The restored weapon has great power. It can eradicate all dark magic forever.”
David was shaking his head, “That’s a good thing, though.”
Arthur shrugged, “Of course, but in the wrong hands it can also destroy all light magic.”
Mary Margaret tensed and Killian cursed. “That’s her plan,” he said. Mary Margaret shook her head as he continued, “to snuff out the Light forever.”
“What happened in Camelot? How could she fall so far?” She was unable to push anything more than emotion past her vocal cords, her voice was barely a strained whisper.
Killian caught her eyes and they shared the same overwhelming sadness in that look.
Mary Margaret found herself even more disheartened that her daughter didn’t share True Love with the once fearsome captain. It could have solved this problem.
She looked into the deep ocean blue of the man whose legends even she had heard while growing up. Saw the despair and hopelessness wallowing in their depths as his jaw ticked.
How could he and Emma not share True Love? This man who loved so deeply he’d survived centuries to avenge a woman he loved. And her daughter who grew up thinking she was unwanted and yet still loved with everything she had. She’d doubted it the other day, doubted that he had changed enough. Doubted that Emma might have changed enough.
But Mary Margaret knew the course of love, and she knew the course of hope. She rebalanced Neal in her arms and reached out to the man her daughter chose for herself and fought for every day.
She watched his sharp pain melt slightly at her support and he smiled a little. One of those tiny smiles that Emma told her about but Mary Margaret hadn’t had the chance to see for herself.
A smile that told her he wasn’t giving up that easily. She returned it.
She knew it was going to be difficult. But her daughter was worth it, and she wasn’t alone in thinking that.
She knew what people like Arthur would plan to do to her baby girl if it meant winning. But she knew when the moment came, there would be more than just her and David standing in front of Emma.
“What the hell?” He heard David mumble, and quickly turned to him. He was smiling. Proud.
She swirled to see what he was watching and saw Henry, leading a horse down Main Street. “Oh!” She gasped.
Killian just laughed.
“Well that’s a knight in the making if I ever saw one,” Arthur declared jovially as he and his queen took their leave.
The tension that had settled over them with the reveal that Emma was planning to destroy light magic was cast aside as they watched their boy lead a large brown steed to a pretty girl. “Is that his girlfriend?” She whispered.
It was Killian that answered, “Aye, he’s been talking to her nonstop since meeting her at Granny’s last week.” Mary Margaret turned to him but he was still watching Henry with the same proud glow that David held.
“Someone better warn Regina-” She started but her step-mother sat down across from them with a heavy sigh.
“I’ve already found out.” Her lips thinned, “Isn’t he too young for a girlfriend?” She asked the table at large.
“As long as he’s responsible, there’s no harm.” Killian offered.
Regina just pointed a finger at him, “you are not giving him dating advice.”
He pretended to be affronted and they all laughed. Mary Margaret looked back over at her grandson. “Where did he even get a horse?” She asked.
“Emma.” Regina supplied blandly. They all whipped to face her. She nodded, “That was what Henry distracted her with earlier. He asked for her help locating the girl’s missing horse.”
“And she helped?” David asked, almost incredulous. Based on what they’d just discovered, it didn’t make sense.
Regina shrugged, “well, she didn’t turn it into glue.” She sarcastically responded.
“If she wants to destroy all light magic-” Killian started but was interrupted by Regina.
“Wait-what? All light magic?”
But Killian continued as though without interruption, “why would she want to help Henry?”
Regina looked over to watch the girl hand the horse’s lead to her father before leaning forward and pecking Henry on the cheek when her father started walking away. Killian and David both made fatherly sounds of approval, while Mary Margaret cooed. Henry led the girl to the dance floor. Regina allowed them all to sit in the happy moment before she pulled the dream catcher out of her blazer, “this might have some answers.” The atmosphere cooled.
Killian eyed it warily, “You figured out how to tap into the magic.”
Regina nodded. “I started to- then I realized what it was.”
“Our memories?” David asked, desperate.
Regina shook her head. “Henry’s.” She looked to the dance floor before looking at each of them in turn. “I think we should look at them first, before-“ but she didn’t need to finish her thought. They were clearly all in agreement.
Regina rose to lead them away, but paused, “Should one of us stay?” She glanced quickly at Henry.
“If today proved anything, he’s the safest one here.” David said strongly, fully believing every word. Believing in his little girl.
Regina seemed to mull that over, before agreeing as well. “Maybe she is trying to fight this. Just in her own, messed up way.” She deadpanned before leading the group, once more, to her home.
*
The air in the room after watching the missing six weeks from Henry’s perspective was a punching weight against his sternum.
It didn’t answer everything. There were massive pieces of information still missing.
But they had enough to have a better idea of what happened.
Enough to know Emma might have more complex reasons than they’d assumed.
Slowly, he felt four pairs of eyes on him.
Regina was the only one brave enough to ask what was on everyone’s mind: “How the hell are you still alive?”
____
Important end note:
I'm taking a pause in posting for October in order to catch up on cushion chapters. So this is the last update until November. Consider it a mid season break. I already have more written, but this is a better place to pause than what I have written up to- TRUST me.
So I hope everyone has a happy happy October and Happy Halloween/Samhain.
I might post a fun one shot unrelated to this fic in honor of my favorite holiday. We'll see... Until then, see you soon, and thanks for reading!
Rewatching OUAT Season 5 and like... just how much they all distrust Hook. Like they were totally willing to let him die. How much they judged Emma for tethering him to the dagger... How Hook's backstory is him being sold into slavery by his father... how when he becomes the Dark One we see him remembering when Rumplestilskin held his heart once again being an example of him not having autonomy... how even while sitting at the same table as Regina, Zelena, and her parents (whom we established the season prior have far from a dark-free past) Emma has to beg to be given a second chance despite all she did she was doing out of love. How alone she felt, how alone Hook felt... how they were both abandoned by their families and judged for what they became and how alone they still feel
I’d like to point out that every dark magic user in WARTB (my fiction novel) that has dark veins (Darkish-Purple if they aren’t Dark Ones) and black veins if they are Dark ones. The veins pattern differs in the Dark ones (black veins that resemble human beings veins) and the other (It resembles twisted vines) a top of that, their hand caked with a light purple hue (mainly mauve) and end in faint swirls. (I hope you get the idea) The dark ones, however, their black veins extend to cover their whole bodies, even the legs and feet. Unlike the Dark Ones, the normal dark magic user; their darkish-purple veins only appear on their hands, and can’t reach the other body parts for unknown reasons.
I will sketch the dark magic effects soon, it’ll be a hands doodle only to show the idea. 😁😁
