Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 8)

Ch.45 In control

Inside the Mirror World, Elena walked back and forth thinking about what happened as Mira sat down on a boulder.

"She's going after her when she's her most vulnerable" Elena said with disappointment.

"You think I don't know how bad this is?" Mira said with a frown "I fought the worst part of myself for years and I failed. Brooke doesn't even stand a chance."

"Wait" Elena held her hand out as she listened "I think someone else is here."

"There's no one here but us."

"Well-" a voice said as they turned and saw the Dragon "That is not true

"Dragon?" Mira gasped as she stood up.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Elena asked with a surprised look.

"The Evil Queen paid a visit to my shop-" he explained as he turned to Mira "After you left her for dead. When I refused to assist her, she banished me here."

"Well then I guess that makes us a club" Mira said with disappointment.

"Now you Mira, you had a battle deep within your soul, it was suppose to remain there, but you let it out."

"I didn't take a one way trip for you to pick me apart, thank you" she frowned.

"Perhaps not. Everything is about balance, the dark and the light, it is a lesson sometimes learned at great cost."

"Well-" Mira said sadly "We're about to loose a friend of ours."

"I sympathize. A long time ago I lost a daughter, and I paid the price for my ignorance."

"I'm sorry" Elena said sadly "But you understand we have to get to our friend."

"So please tell us you've found a way out of this prison" Mira begged.

"Indeed I have" he said "I've found what you call a Back Door."

___________

Now at Mr. Gold's shop that night, after picking the lock, Aladdin made his way inside as he used a flashlight to guide his way through the dark shop. But when he looked through a crack of a closed curtain from the back, he could see a figure in the back as he quickly covered the flashlight with his hand as he stepped against a wall to hopefully avoid being seen. He then peeked again and could see that it was not Mr. Gold, but rather young God who he didn't recognize. But when God started to turn around, Aladdin quickly hid as Gold came out from the back and looked around.

Aladdin watched through the glass of a counter as Gold headed out of the shop. After that Aladdin went over to the safe where he was told the wand was in as he used his lock picking skills to unlock it, and when he opened it, there was the Apprentice's wand. He gave a smile as he picked it up and examined it, his job was now done.

___________

In the Mirror World, Elena and Mira followed the Dragon to some kind of stone structure as they climbed up the steps while admiring the structure.

"You know it makes me wonder who created this place" Elena said with amusement.

"Maybe my magic mirror did" Mira said "This must of been his home."

Elena then turned to the Dragon.

"You know I was actually trying to look for you" she told him "I-".

"I know about your visions" he cut in "But unfortunately, I can't help you break away from your destiny, I'm afraid it's beyond my probability."

"Oh" she said sadly.

"But that doesn't mean I wont help you. You see, the magic mirror, or Carey, he was working on a way out."

He then pointed to a stand that had mirror shards on top and were in front of a broken full size mirror.

"With a mirror?" Elena said.

"More than that, we can put it back together again. I've been trying since I arrived, it is a feared task, but together, it is possible."

So Mira picked up a shard and went to the broken mirror, she then held the shard up to a spot as she watched it fix itself. And with that she and Elena started to find the next shard.

_________

When she made it to the vault, Brooke pulled back the curtains that closed the mirror as she looked at her reflection.

"I hope you're in there" she said "But I saw something in the mirror at the diner, and if the Evil Queen's out here, then I'm worried the tables have been turned. So if you're in here, please say something."

"It's not like leaving a voicemail Brooke" she turned around and saw the Evil Queen who was now back in her original form.

"Mirrors are much more complicated than that" she smirked.

"You trapped them in there" Brooke scowled "Didn't you?"

"You know, I never expected you to ditch your date."

"I didn't ditch him, he's somewhere safe, because I knew Mira, wasn't Mira."

"See, that's where you're wrong. Remember when Elena became the Evil Queen? Now who was it that transported the darkness from her and into herself? That was me. And you Brooke, you always want to be the hero, and maybe you can, but not if you're always hiding behind your friends."

"Nice try" Brooke frowned "I may not have a story, but I am a hero in my own, and you can't change that."

The queen then gave a sigh.

"Oh Brooke" she said "You see, I'm not really evil, just by the name. Now I may not be a hero either, but I am a leader."

And with that she went to a shelf and opened a little case and pulled out a heart.

"And leaders do what's necessary" she added.

In the Mirror World, the Dragon suddenly felt something as Elena and Mira continued to fix the mirror.

"Enjoying your little puzzle?" he suddenly said "Well don't worry, Brooke is safe with me, in fact, she's better off."

They turned to him realizing what was happening.

"It's you" Mira scowled.

"The queen" Elena said with disappointment.

"I may have put this body in the mirror-" he said as Brooke watched the queen talk into the heart "But I kept his heart."

She then waved her hand over the mirror to see Elena and Mira.

"Brooke!" Elena gasped as she ran to the mirror on the wall.

"Elena!" Brooke gasped "Mira!"

"It's alright" Elena assured "It's gonna be okay."

"You sure about that?" the queen smirked as she made the image disappear.

"Run!" the Dragon suddenly yelled who was clutching his stomach in pain.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked as she started to go to him.

"Don't come any closer" he warned "I'm sorry."

And with he began to transform. They stood back and watched in horror as he transformed into an Eastern dragon.