Untitled Pt 1

Who We Are

"It's been a long time."
"It most certainly has, Gilderoy." Carmen smiled.
"My, how you've grown." He chuckled. The two suddenly burst into outrageous laughter and threw their arms around each other like old friends.
"I'm sorry. Am I missing something?" Marita enquired. She was met with Carmen's infamous sigh. "I'm sorry, Marita. I think it's about time I explain everything to you."
"What's that's supposed to mean?"
"Gilderoy, we don't have time for this. Remember what Conan said?" Sidney hissed, revealing his face to the small group.
"Sidney Glass?" Carmen asked in disbelief.
"Wait, how does he know Conan?" Marita questioned. "Carmen, what is going on?"
"It's complicated, to say the least. Look, I promise I'll tell you. Just let me read this letter real quick, then I'll get to your questions." She said calmly. She took the envelope from Gilderoy, her face calm and relaxed as she slipped the contents into her hand. But the further down the page her eyes skimmed, her more face twisted into one of confusion, shock, and fear. When she finished, she looked to Gilderoy, her breaths coming short and hard.
"Carmen?" Marita pressed.
"Gilderoy, find Conan's scouts and get them to the Hive. Marita, find Swan and tell her to round up the rebels and get them back there as well. Then meet back here." Carmen ordered, her face blank and distant.
"What? Why? Who is he? Why is he bringing Conan's scouts? Carmen, what is going on!?" Marita exclaimed.
"JUST DO AS I SAY!" Carmen roared. Marita reeled back as though Carmen's flesh was made of flames. Carmen blew exhaled sharply and pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Just do as I say for now. You'll get answers, I promise. But I need you to find Emma, give her the task, then meet back here. Okay?"
"Okay." she answered.
"Good. Then let's go."

∞

Regina's heart was hammering as she stumbled through the woods. Her breath came in rushing gasps, and her throat felt as though it was caving in. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks, but she paid them no heed. She held her trembling hands in front of her, staring at them as though they were weapons of mass destruction, not flesh and blood. Her emotions were in such turmoil, she felt as though she was being torn apart from the inside. A cold hand of panic wrapped its fingers around her heart, slowly squeezing the warmth and life out of it. Through the icy fingers, she could feel the pounding of her heart in her chest, sending the blood pulsing through her body, and drumming in her ears. Suddenly, red sparks began flying from her fingertips. A garnet glow surrounded her palms, becoming so bright it lit up the forest around her. The power was steadily growing, causing her hands to shake violently. Never before had she experienced magic like this. Her veins were icy with fear as the glow became brighter and brighter. In a panic, she threw her hands towards the ground as if trying to throw it away, to make it disappear. Instead, there was an explosion of red light, and she was surrounded by a swirling column of magic. It shot high into the sky, illuminating the clouds with a crimson light. She collapsed to her knees and screamed at the top of her lungs, willing with all the strength in her heart for the terror to stop. But her fear only continued to fuel the beacon.
Her fear...
And her pain.
She felt as though she were being drained, like her was energy being sucked out of her, fuelling the vortex. Her life flashed before her eyes, and her body and mind began to morph and change, swapping between all the personas and personalities she'd amassed over the years. Regina, Ravenna, Roni, the Evil Queen. All four were fighting for dominance over her battered body. The battle flooded her senses with an unbearable pain, and memories from her past came rushing back in a great flood of agony and torture. She could feel Ravenna and the Evil Queen, with their villainous ways, battling Roni and Regina, the good she'd fought so hard to gain. The four twisted and weaved their way around one another, fighting for the upper hand. The pull of the magic around her, and the battle raging under her skin was draining the last of her energy. If she didn't do something now, she would surely die. With one last attempt to end the suffering, she let loose a final burst of emotion and magic. She wrenched her arms to her chest, sending a massive pulse of magic racing up the funnel of swirling, scarlet light.
Then everything.
Just.
Stopped.
Time stood still. Leaves were frozen in mid-air, and even the vortex had ceased it's violent raging, the pulse of magic trapped in the middle; a giant red column of magic illuminating the world around it. Her body was shaking viciously as she rose slowly to her feet. As she stood, something glimmered on the edge of her vision. She looked up to see four bright lights shining through the ruby wall. It was as if four angels had descended from the heavens, beckoning her to leave the safety of her magic, and come forward to greet them. Any fear she felt was being doused by a growing curiosity, and with a mind of their own, her feet began carrying her towards them. She passed through the light, sighing as its rays washed over her like droplets from a raincloud. Outside, the forest was bathed in a brilliant red. In front of her floated four orbs of light, bright as the sun. Edging closer, she strained to make out the shapes that were beginning to emerge from the ivory light. Suddenly, the light dimmed, revealing four figures floating in the air. Her heart skipped a dozen beats as she looked into four sets of her own chocolate brown eyes. The Evil Queen, Regina, Ravenna, and Roni. The four of them landed softly on the ground, their eyes never breaking away from hers. Their arms suddenly moved, extending out in front of them, each with an index finger pointing to one place, and all converging at the same point. Their eyes flicked from her to their fingers, as if motioning for her to join them. With her cautious mind screaming at her to run, Regina crept closer to her past selves. Her eyes zipped to the convergence of fingers, curiosity seeping out of every pore. Every one of her survival instincts was grabbing at her insides, shaking her by the shoulders in an attempt to wake her from her daze. But despite their best attempts, her arm still extended itself out, reaching her finger to meet with the others. They became close.
So close.
They touched.
There was a blinding flash.
And a great explosion of noise.
Regina gasped as the force of the explosion shook her core to pieces, rattling her brain against her skull with such force that she'd have a headache for weeks. Yet, by some strange miracle, her feet remained planted to the ground, even while full grown trees were sent flying, their roots being ripped from their home in the ground, sending dirt flying high into the air. She opened her eyes to see her other selves being sucked together, morphing into one being of light; a reflection of herself. It looked like her but didn't. It looked like them but didn't. And still their fingers stayed together, locked by an invisible chain. They looked into each other's eyes, and then, in a brilliant moment of enlightenment, it just clicked. Regina's mind was suddenly filled of visions: glimpses of the past, present, even the future. She blinked, and the whole world became clearer. Droplets of water on the smallest of leaves. The patterns on a butterfly's wings. Everything around her was amplified ten-fold; and it was beautiful. Her eyes moved back to the reflection, and she finally saw who she was, and who she was meant to be. With another brilliant flash of light, the figure changed into an orb, which then channelled itself into her soul. With a gasp, she let herself be filled with magic, and all the qualities and attributes of the four versions of herself, evil and good, converge into the one true Regina Mills, Queen of Storybrooke.