Swan Song ❂ Killian Jones [1]

98

They all remained as quiet as possible, wanting to disturb nothing within their surroundings as they pushed their way further into Dark Hollow. The wind continued to blow around them, growing heavier and stronger, seemingly with each step. It blew throughout the dead jungle, carrying dust and breaking of branches from the black tree stumps.

"So, we just wait for Pan's Shadow to show up?" Emma asked, unsure of what they were meant to do as the whole group slowly came to a stop. They'd made their way to the centre of the Dark Hollow.

"Yeah. And when it does, we'll be prepared." Neal announced as he took the coconut from his bag, Emma still raising a dubious eyebrow at it.

"You wanna tell me how that coconut works?" She questioned. It was a coconut! With a candle and holes in the lid. She couldn't understand how it could possibly hold in a shadow.

"We light the candle and the Shadow's drawn to it." Neal started to explain, opening up the candle and setting it atop one of the dead logs surrounding them. "When it gets close enough, the flame will suck it in. We put the lid on, and it's trapped inside this bad boy."

"Sounds like a fine plan except for one thing. Our lanterns went out." Killian spoke up as he walked over to the log too, setting down the now turned off lantern which he'd been carrying to show the lack of a flame. "Do you have that... thing?" He questioned, eyes turning to Odette as he made a motion with his hand, the same one she'd made when using the lighter.

"Lighter." She let out a small laugh, digging through the pockets of her jacket until she had it in her hand. "And yes I do." She announced, brandishing it in the air and throwing it to Neal.

"Welcome to the 21st century." Neal muttered out; tone somewhat grateful for the simple solution as he started to flick the lighter. Sparks reached out from it, but no matter how many times he repeated the motions, the flame never remained long enough to light the candle.

"Let me try." Odette stepped up, taking it from his hands and bringing it closer to the candle as she attempted to light it herself. However, the issue remained the same. "It's the wind, it keeps blowing it out." She groaned out.

"We don't have time for this." Emma pointed out, eyes scanning over the area as creeks and groans sounded around them.

"Okay, okay. Everyone put your hands around it, maybe we can block out the wind long enough to light the candle." Odette suggested, no one hesitating in stepping up to her, as close as possible as they all encircled the candle.

She tried again, and this time, the flame remained for a few moments longer. But just as she was about to bring it to the candle with a triumphant smile, it went out once again. "Damn it." She grumbled out in annoyance, looking around for some kind of solution until her eyes settled on Emma. "You."

"Me?" The blonde questioned for a moment before noticing the pointed look in Odette's eyes and realizing what she was thinking as she placed the coconut in her hands. "No, no. Not me. It took me forever. We don't have that kind of time." She tried to protest, making Odette open her mouth in an attempt to reassure her, but she never got a chance to speak. "Is that Pan's shadow?"

Emma's question had everyone glancing in the direction which she was focused on. And sure enough, they soon saw the shadow drawing closer and closer towards them, followed by two more right behind it. "Yeah, that's Pan's shadow!" Neal warned over the noises growing louder around them.

"What about the other two?" Killian questioned as he drew out his sword, both Emma and Odette doing the same with their own weapons while the group huddled together. Seconds later, the shadows reached them, circling around them until a sharp gust of wind had everyone stumbling on their feet, forcing the group to separate again.

"He's controlling them!" Neal warned out as the shadows started their attack. Odette could see one of them coming straight for Emma, jumping in before it could reach her or the coconut, and forcing it away with her blade. But while she and Emma were lucky to be dealing with one shadow between the two of them, Neal and Hook weren't as fortunate.

As the two blondes ducked out of sight, their backs pressing against one of the dark trees, they could see as the two other shadows overpowered Killian and Neal, each of them thrown against a tree and held there by the shadows.

"Killian!" Odette called out in a worried tone, about to stand up when Emma pulled her back down just as Pan's shadow flew by, ready to grab hold of Odette but missing by mere inches.

But just because Emma had pulled Odette out of its way, didn't mean the shadow was done with them. "Stay here, light it! It doesn't have to take forever. Nor does it have to be anger! It can be any emotion. So, pick one, think of Henry, think of Neal, think of your childhood. Whatever it is, use it and light it." Odette instructed her goddaughter before standing to her feet and swinging her sword just as Pan's shadow flew at them again.

The blade sliced through it, and while it did nothing to harm the shadow, it still made it retreat for a few moments again. But not long enough. Odette struggled to ignore Killian and Neal's painful screams as the shadows holding them captive started to rip their own from their bodies. But there was nothing she could do about it as Pan's flew back at her.

But it wasn't focused on her, it was focused on Emma. Emma who was giving her attention solely to the candle in her hands, doing her best to light it as Odette slashed at the shadow in front of her. This time, it anticipated her defence, and managed to avoid it. It threw Odette to the side, the blonde falling against one of the trees and clearing a path for the shadow to get to Emma.

And just as it started going right for her, Emma finally succeeded and the candle lit. The shadow, too focused on its attack, was now too close to evade the pull of the flame. It was drawn into the coconut, and as soon as the last bit of it was fully sucked in, Emma smashed the lid on top of it.

And just like that, the other two shadows evaporated from the air. Without their hold on them, Killian and Neal's bodies fell down to the ground, their shadows returning to them. With the danger now passed, Odette didn't spare another moment before pushing off the ground and rushing over.

"Killian? Are you alright?" She questioned, kneeling down next to him while he remained still in his place for a moment. "Come on, please." She pleaded as she reached for him, turning him over just as he started to come to again.

"Careful love, I might start thinking you care." The pirate groaned out, clutching at his ribs with a pained look on his face, but otherwise fine. And once she was sure of it, Odette couldn't hold back a breath of relief before she began helping him rise to his feet.

"How did you do that?" Neal's voice had the two tearing their eyes away from each other only when they heard it, noticing the way he stared at the coconut in Emma's hands.

"Regina..." Emma muttered out easily.

"She's teaching you magic?" Neal realized, obviously unsure of how he was feeling about that. And Odette could understand. His whole life, he spent it running from magic. And now the woman he loved was starting to use it herself.

"Yeah, I guess she is."

"And thank God for that." Odette announced, wanting to bring an end to the awkward situation before it even started. "Now, I don't know about you, but I really wanna get out of here." She suggested, and certainly, no one was about to protest.

They were ready to leave this damn place behind them for good. Not just Dark Hollow, but now that they had the shadow... They were ready to leave Neverland. All that was left to do was find Henry.