Henry Daniel Mills - The Dark One [One-Shot]

Tenebris

It all happened so fast. First, the darkness escaped his grandfather who looked so pale and cold and so fragile lying on the ground. Poor Belle, she never seemed to catch a break. Then it tried to kill the Apprentice but Emma used her light magic and banished the Darkness out of him. And even though she succeeded, darkness took its toll on him. The man was fading. Henry decided not to stick around, he couldn't watch someone else die. First – his dad, and even though Rumple technically wasn't dead, he looked like a cadaver lying on the ground, gripping his dagger, now clean of the name of the Dark One. Looking around, everyone was busy with the apprentice, so Henry bent down and picked up the dagger, shivering as the electric feeling of pleasure coursed through his body. He had no idea why he did it—pick it up that is—but it felt right sitting in the palm of his hand. A small tingling sensation, slowly reverberating through his spine and seeping deep into his organs. He snapped out of it promptly, stepping out of the shop as if nothing happened.

Something did happen though – a commotion. Darkness, in its all-encompassing majesty, was swirling around his mom, smothering the life out of her. Henry had no idea how he knew what it was doing but the dagger was purring in his hands. He remembered all the times that he hurt her, his words cutting deeper than any weapon could. He wasn't a good son, not by a long shot, but he was not going to let some darkness take his mom away from him. He loved her, it was unfortunate how late he came to appreciate her. Walking forward with purpose in his step, he watched as his mom's new boyfriend, Robin, fruitlessly tried to get through the thick cloud of gloom.

"Henry?!" yelled Regina, petrified, yet startled to see him here. Her voice cracked, not wanting for her son to see her like this... she didn't want him to see her die.

"It's okay, Mom," he assured himself rather than her, confusing her further with his words. It was okay, it really was. He was going to fix it. Robin was lying on the ground, drowning in helplessness and self-pity, he didn't notice when Henry took out the dagger. He felt like his whole arm would fall off. The dagger, it was chanting to him, humming and murmuring. He knew what he had to do.

Regina noticed Herny's resolute face and the dagger in his hands, but she didn't get to yell for Robin to stop Henry when the boy plunged the dagger into the darkness.

Silence...

Stillness...

The whole world quieted down, not even the dagger was whispering anymore. The Darkness turned towards Henry, finding a new vessel in the boy, a new plaything. It slowly circled his arm, climbing up his hands and going to his heart, sinking inside of him.

The noise renewed...

Regina fell down, staring horrified as her son was consumed by the cloud of malice. That's when she heard Emma's boots clacking against the pavement.

"Henry!!!" she sounded just as frantic and terrified as Regina looked. Robin was hugging her but Regina didn't even register it. She was paralyzed, numb – unable to comprehend what was happening.