Daughter of Darkness || Once Upon a Time

Chapter Twenty-Nine | Everybody Hates Regina

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|The Fields of Asphodel, Two Days Later|
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It was two days after she and Robin arrived in the Fields of Asphodel when Regina woke up. It started with a fit of coughing before Regina opened her eyes and groaned. Robin deserted his conversation with Ruby, Mulan, and David and joined Henry by Regina's side.

"Mom!"

"Regina!"

Robin helped Regina sit up and he and Henry pulled her into a hug. When they released Regina, she looked at both of them. "How long was I asleep?"

"Two days," Henry answered.

"How do you feel?" Robin asked.

"I have a headache, but other than that, I'm fine."

Robin nodded. "Okay. Merlin said a headache was normal. Can you stand up?"

Regina stood up shakily and leaned on Robin for support as he lead her over to where David, Mulan, and Ruby were sitting. Regina hesitantly sat down next to Robin, not really liking the way Ruby and Mulan were looking at her.

"Where are we?" Regina asked, turning her attention to David, Robin, and Henry, who had gotten used to being around the former Evil Queen.

"The Fields of Asphodel," David answered. "This is Milah's restaurant, The Seven Seas. But we're planning on leaving once you feel up to it. Hook's brother, Mary Margaret, and Emma left for the Labyrinth in search of Hook."

Regina didn't act like the information surprised her. "We ran into Hook in the Labyrinth, but I left for Tartarus before anyone did anything about finding him."

"Merlin said you could use your magic to lead us through the Labyrinth," Ruby spoke up, "as long as you know where you're going. That was how he and Nimue found their way out so quickly."

"You're coming with?"

Ruby nodded. "We think there may be...um...some issues with people you hurt in the past if you don't have an armed escort. So Mulan and I volunteered."

Mulan rolled her eyes. "More like Ruby volunteered both of us. But I guess leaving this boring place sounds a lot better than sitting here for the rest of eternity."

Regina could tell Mulan wasn't entirely ready to believe she had changed, but if she was being offered an armed guard, then why say no? "Okay. So when are we leaving?"

"Do you feel good enough to leave now?" Robin asked

"Yes. But either way, we need to get to Emma and Mary Margaret as soon as possible so we can find a way to get back to Storybrooke."

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Merlin, Nimue, Milah, and the Seer stayed behind in The Seven Seas while everyone else left to make the journey across the Fields of Asphodel and the Fields of Punishment to where the Labyrinth was underneath the library. Mulan was armed with the scythe from Tartarus and Ruby had Mulan's sword. Robin also carried a sword - the one Regina had picked up in the Labyrinth. Regina could feel the magic of the Sorceress buzzing inside of her, begging to be let out, but it would be dangerous to use magic and bring attention, so swords and the scythe it was.

Not very long into the walk across Asphodel and it was obvious the armed guard was a good idea. Most people who saw Regina looked as if they would have attacked had Ruby, Mulan, and Robin not been there.

But thanks to the guard, they made it through the Fields of Asphodel without much trouble. Graham wasn't in Granny's, which struck Henry and Neal as odd, but they didn't have time to question that. The most important thing was making it to the Labyrinth to reunite with Emma, Mary Margaret, Liam, and Hook.

The Fields of Punishment were not as easy as the journey through Asphodel had been. The scythe kept some people down, but there were plenty who did attack and Ruby, Mulan, and Robin had to hold them off.

It took nearly three hours to get to the library and down to the Labyrinth. When the group was finally back down in the maze, everyone looked to Regina.

"Merlin said your magic could lead us," Ruby said.

Regina hesitated. "I...uh..."

"Imagine where you want to go."

Regina looked over to her left to see Merlin standing there.

"I'm not really here. I'm just in your head, like what happens to the Dark Ones. Just focus on where youw ant to go and your magic will lead you."

Regina nodded. "Okay." She placed her right hand out, palm up, and summoned a ball of bright white light. She focused on the room where Hook and the others had been and suddenly the light was no longer in her hand. It began floating down the hallway.

"Do we follow the magical glowing light?" Mulan asked.

"Yes. Follow the magical glowing light."

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When the group reached the room where Killian had been, the only one left was the Apprentice.

"Where's everyone else?" Neal asked.

"Hades took them somewhere," he replied. "That was two days ago, so they could be anywhere now."

"The throne room!" Henry exclaimed. He turned to his mother, "He would have taken them to the throne room like he did Robin, wouldn't he have?"

Regina nodded slowly. "That would make the most sense..."

"Then let's go to the throne room!" David said. Regina's tour guide of light began floating down the hallway, and the group rushed after it after Neal thanked the Apprentice.

Regina was first into the throne room, but before she had even taken three steps, a sword was against her throat and Hades was standing across from her, grinning evilly.

"I thought you might come back here."

By that point, everyone else was in the throne room and the ball of light magic had vanished.

"REGINA!" Emma called out from her cell.

Regina would have turned to look at her friend if there hadn't been a sword against her neck. "Long time no see."

Emma stood up and moved to the edge of her cell, her hands wrapping around the bars. "We found Killian! We just need to get back to Storybrooke!"

Hades laughed, the sound echoing loudly throughout the room. "Good luck with that!"

Mulan and Ruby stepped forwards, weapons in hand.

"How about we fight you for their escape?" Mulan offered. "Ruby and I against you. I think that's fair, seeing as you're a god and we're mortals."

"Mulan!" Emma and Mary Margaret shouted. Mulan looked over at them and waved.

Hades seemed a bit wary of the scythe in Mulan's hand, but he simply shook his head. "I don't want to fight you two. I want to fight this one," he looked back at Regina. "You are the one who has cheated death the most. For twenty-eight years, multiple kingdoms eluded death all because of you."

"Fine, fight me then," Regina narrowed her eyes. "But you have to let everyone go if I win."

"Only if you don't use any of your friends' weapons."

Regina saw the Merlin inside of her mind appear behind Hades. "You must be careful with your magic during these first days, Regina," he warned. "Until you learn to control your emotions, your magic could freeze up or go out of control."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Regina focused on Hades again. "Deal. I win, you let us all go. I lose, you can do whatever you want."

Hades smirked. "Gladly."

But before either one could make a move, Persephone appeared to the right of them. "Hades, you have caused enough pain for Zeus to take notice. You will not hurt anyone else tonight. Tonight, you will fix all you have broken."