《Artemis || OUAT》83. Firebird
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Emma looked at her sister and Regina in slight shock and said, "You told her what?"
Regina shared a slight grimace with Astrid as the two admitted in unison, "To give him a chance?"
David gave them a look and asked, "And you two thought that was a good idea because...?"
Astrid sighed, "Because I hate to admit this, but we're family, and Regina and I are trying to trust Zelena."
"She thinks she can change Hades," Regina nodded in agreement with the girl next to her.
"I'm sorry," Hook spoke up, "Have I missed the part where Zelena changed?"
"You'd think the ex-pirate with a rum habit would cut my sister some slack," Regina remarked.
Hook sarcastically smiled at her and shot back, "Well, you'd think that the Evil Queen would be smarter than to send the Wicked Witch to romance the most devious man alive."
"Hey, none of us could have bloody changed if someone hadn't given each of us a chance to prove ourselves or someone who believed in us." Astrid also threw out there.
"Easy, guys," Emma spoke up in attempt to calm them down, "We're not gonna win the war against Hades if we use all our ammo on each other."
Suddenly, Hades spoke up as he stepped over to them, "The Savior has a point."
The group looked over at the god in surprise while Hook moved his hand outstretched in front of his daughter protectively like David did, being the two was on both sides of her.
Emma moved her son behind her, "Get behind me, Kid."
"Oh," Hades said, "I didn't find you to hurt you. I came for your..." He sighed, "Wow, this is hard. Help."
David and Astrid looked over at him in confusion and simultaneously asked, "What could you possibly want our help with?"
"Simple," Hades answered, "I went to meet Zelena for our date and found this." He held up a note.
Regina took the note and unfolded it as she read, "No."
She handed the note over to Astrid who read the note herself, saying, "Zelena, she's been kidnapped by Gold and my husband."
"They're asking for a meeting tomorrow morning," Hades added.
Emma looked over her sister's shoulder at the note and spoke up, "Gold wants you to tear up the contract for his unborn child."
"So do it," Regina immediately said towards the god, "I just got my sister back. I'm not going to lose her now."
"Neither will I," Hades admitted, "I'll give them what they want. But I know the Stiltskins and their tricks. They're not gonna keep their word. Not unless I have an ace up my sleeve."
"Luckily for you, you've got one," Regina replied about herself.
"I'm sorry, you've been Zelena's doting sister for all of, what, three hours?" Hades remarked, "No."
"Who's going to be more motivated than me-- and even Astrid herself?" Regina also remarked.
Hades immediately looked over at Astrid, "You're right. Astrid is." He then glanced at Emma, "And Emma."
Both Emma and Astrid shared a look and simultaneously let out, "What? Why?"
"If Zelena gets out of this alive, I'm prepared to offer you a deal," Hades said.
"Don't trust a word he says, AJ, Emma," Hook commented as Regina agreed, "Now I agree with the pirate."
"You and I both know your family wouldn't be here if it weren't for you two," Hades told the two twins who shared another look.
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"If you and Emma help me save her, I'll take everyone's names off their headstones," Hades added.
"So we can leave the Underworld," Emma realized.
"So what do you say, Creator, Savior?" Hades continued, "Do you want to send your family home or not?"
Astrid nodded, "Deal."
***
Emma looked over at her sister as the two waited in the back room, eavesdropping on Peter, Gold, and... Malcolm talking to Hades while they held onto Zelena.
"Glad to see you followed your instructions and came alone," Peter started.
"Zelena..."
"I tried to stop them, but..." The said Wicked Witch held up her wrist to reveal a leather cuff that blocks her magic.
"It's not your fault," Hades assured before glaring at the Stiltskins, "It's theirs."
"Oh, is that so?" Gold spoke up, "Because we wouldn't be here if you'd ripped up that contract when I asked you to."
Hades made the said contract appear in his hand, "You didn't have leverage."
"And now I do," Gold smirked, "So you stand there and don't move. Except to rip up that contract. Then you get the witch."
Hades ripped up the contract without hesitation, which made Zelena smile some, "There. Now, give her back."
"Oh, you can have her back," Gold began as Peter added, "But we didn't say anything about her heart, did we?"
Astrid slightly widened her eyes some as she continued to remain quiet where she hid.
"See, my body is ready to walk the earth again, except for one thing," Malcolm spoke up, "A living heart. So, if you don't mind-"
"My heart has a protection spell on it," Zelena argued.
"You may be good at magic, but my sons and I are better," Malcolm remarked.
The older man went to shove his hand through the witch's chest until both Emma and Astrid blasted him away from her with her magic.
"You sure about that?" Emma smirked.
"Ooh, sorry," Astrid also smirked,"Have you already forgotten about my sister and I?"
The two sister moved over to Hades's side while the god commented, "I was beginning to think you two couldn't get in."
"Locks don't bother us much," Emma replied, glancing at both Gold and Peter, "He ripped up the contract like you wanted. So leave."
"Since when does the Savior and the Ender answer to the King of Death?" Malcolm remarked.
"Since he's the one getting my family home," Emma said.
Astrid kept her smirk and stepped back over to Malcolm, "And I'm the Ender. I'm the Creator." She suddenly punched the man in his face, "That's for what you did before you died."
Peter couldn't help but smirk proudly at that, "That's my wife."
Astrid smiled and moved back over onto Hades's other side.
"You picked the wrong team to back, Ms. Swan, Astrid," Gold commented, "You won't get what you want from him."
"Really? Because you just did." Emma pointed out as her sister also added, "Which is making me wonder why you and Peter are still here."
Gold shared an amused look with his brother as Peter replied, "Yeah, I suppose you have a point, love. See you in a little bit."
Astrid nodded as he and Gold then vanished in a cloud of red smoke.
Malcolm widened his eyes some and let out, "Peter, Rumple..."
"Looks like your little boys only came for what they wanted." Zelena remarked, "And I don't think you're going to be that lucky."
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Malcolm glared at her before settling his gaze on Astrid again, "It's always a pleasure, Astrid Jones. May we meet again." He then vanished in a cloud of smoke also.
Astrid cringed in disgust, "Creep."
"Zelena," Hades let out and moved over to his love, making the cuff around her wrist vanish, "Are you all right?"
"You tore up that contract for me," Zelena smiled some, "I didn't think you'd do it."
"When will you believe I'd do anything for you?" Hades replied.
Zelena softly laughed and placed her hand over his chest where his heart was, "I think I'm getting there."
Emma and Astrid awkwardly looked away when abruptly a wave of pure magic washed over them as they looked back at the couple.
"Is that...?" Zelena gasped in surprise, feeling his heart beating once again.
Hades nodded and smiled, "It's beating." He kissed her again when the whole place began to shake.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Astrid questioned first after steadying her sister from stumbling.
"My banishment, it's over," Hades admitted, "I can finally leave this place for good. Very soon, at the cemetery, there will be a fully formed portal back to Storybrooke. But it will close at sunset."
"First things first," Astrid replied, "My sister and I held up our end of the deal. Now it's your turn."
"We're going home through that portal, too," Emma added, "All of us."
***
Regina, Hook, Emma, Henry, David, Zelena, Hades, Peter, and Astrid stood in front of the headstones and faced the broken off clock tower as its hand moved fast.
"How did it get here?" David asked.
"The hands are moving," Emma also asked, "Is that a good sign or a bad one?"
"It's a great one if you want to leave," Hades answered, "When those hands spin fast enough in about an hour, it'll turn into an open portal back."
"Which we can't go through because of those," Peter spoke up as held his wife's hand as he gestured to the stones, "So let's get on with it."
"Gladly," Hades nodded and waved his hand, magically erasing the names off of the headstones, "There. As promised. You are no longer tied to this realm."
"I told you love could change him." Zelena said to her sister.
"I don't buy it," Hook spoke up, "A man can't change that quickly."
"We're free to go through the portal when it opens." Emma started.
"Which means it's time to split my heart so you can leave with us." Peter finished, facing his wife who smiled a little and murmured, "Aye, my love."
Peter faced Regina and nodded, "Do it."
The former Evil Queen removed his heart from his chest as he gasped, seeing her split it in half and took one half in his hand.
Peter faced his love again and was about to place it inside of her chest when a wave of pain hit him.
Astrid looked at him in worry and concern, "Peter?" She watched him place his heart back in his chest.
"Why didn't it work?" Peter began.
"I told you we couldn't trust him," Hook started towards Hades who defended himself, "That wasn't me. I'm afraid there are laws of nature beyond even my control."
"No! It should work. I died." David pointed out, "My wife's heart brought me back."
"How long were you dead?" Hades asked him.
"A minute or so. Maybe less." Regina spoke up.
"Ah. I didn't think I recalled you entering this realm," Hades realized, "Your soul never left your body, that's why it worked for you."
"So... Astrid's been down here too long?" Emma spoke up anxiously.
"And her body's rotting away up there," Hades nodded, "Even if your soul could return to it, I doubt either of you could stomach the smell."
"Well, Huckleberry, it appears you have to return without me," Astrid murmured still in her husband's arms as she looked up at him.
"No. There has to be another way, love," Peter shook his head as Astrid started, "Peter, please."
Peter looked over at Hades and demanded, "You're telling me no one's gone to the Underworld and brought someone back?"
Hades didn't say anything as Emma murmured, "They have. Who? Who did it? How?"
"It was a long time ago, and it was a rumor," Hades explained, "There's no proof it actually worked."
"Tell me bloody everything," Peter told him, kissing his wife on her forehead.
***
"Orpheus and Eurydice," Hades started and handed a book over to Henry who replied, "I know this myth. She died, and he followed her to the Underworld to get her back."
"These are the only two souls who ever escaped my realm," Hades commented.
"But how?" David spoke up once he was handed the book, "I thought you said that broke the laws of nature."
Hades nodded, "Orpheus helped Eurydice escape by feeding her Ambrosia, the food of the gods."
"And where exactly do you get some of that?" Regina questioned, "Because I don't recall seeing it on the menu at the Blind Witch's."
They suddenly appeared in the library as Hades walked over to the brick wall and removed it with his magic to reveal an elevator.
"An elevator? I'm the Savior, and my sister's the Creator. We've got magic." Emma started.
"And I'm the Lord of the Underworld. That should tell you something." Hades remarked.
He then further explained, "The ambrosia, it's powerful, and like a petty, spoiled child, it wants all the power for itself. Everything else is shut down below. There's no hopping in and out in a puff of smoke. This is the only way. And once you're down there, you're on your own."
"And then what? We're knee deep in a field of ambrosia?" Astrid began, "It can't be that bloody easy."
"I'm not that sure," Hades admitted, "Even I've never ventured that far down."
"So we're going to the one place in hell where even the devil is afraid to go." Peter remarked.
"Not hell. And not the devil." Zelena defended her love.
"And not because I'm afraid." Hades added, "There's a year to ensure that only those who are worthy of eating ambrosia can reach it, and it will require offering up your heart for judgment."
"Without magic, how am I gonna take out my own-?" Peter started but was cut off by Hades ripping his heart from his chest.
"My gift to you. Take good care of it." Hades added, placing the heart inside of a small brown pouch and handed it to him.
Peter sighed, "Let's have this be the bloody last time we do this today, okay?"
"Just trying to help," Hades shrugged and stepped back to Zelena.
"So, failing this test has, what, fatal consequences?" Emma spoke up, moving her hand and held her sister's for assurance.
"One would think," Hades replied.
"You don't have to do this, Peter," Astrid started as she made her husband look back at her.
"And you didn't have to sacrifice your life to save all of us from the Dark Ones." Peter commented, "We're going."
"We'll be right here waiting for you." David spoke up as Hook added, "Come back with him, AJ."
Astrid nodded and glanced over at Regina and her sister, "Regina, Emma?"
"I know the drill," Regina nodded, "If you're not back by sunset-"
"Everybody leaves. Promise me." Peter added to what his wife was saying.
"You two will be back." Regina and Emma assured the couple.
"I love you, Astrid," Henry spoke up and hugged his aunt who murmured, "I love you, too, buddy."
Astrid stepped back and gave one more look behind her at her family and smiled some before following Peter into the elevator as he closed the gate.
The elevator then began to drive all the way down.
***
The elevator stopped for a second before making it drop to the bottom.
Astrid fell against Peter slightly as he held her up, "You all right, love?"
"Looks like this is our stop." Astrid nodded, stepping out of the elevator next to him as the two now walked through the tunnel.
***
The couple walked out of the tunnel and stopped in front of a stone pedestal with brass scales on top of it.
Astrid read the foreign language on the surface of the table and translated it aloud, "Only a heart filled with true love can pass."
Peter looked over at her in surprise.
Astrid smirked at his reaction and said, "What? Hook learned this language in the Royal Navy, and he taught me."
"Huh." Peter nodded.
She added, "The only question is, what the bloody hell does it mean?"
"I think I know, love," Peter replied, "I think I have to weigh my heart to see if my love for you is true."
"Well, I'm certain it is," Astrid warmly smiled at that.
Peter couldn't help but to smile as well, "Why can you only admit how you feel when one of us is facing certain death?"
Astrid softly laughed and shook her head, "I have no idea. I guess my armor's been on for such a long that I... Sometimes I forget I don't need it with you."
He chuckled before removing his heart from the bag and placing it on top of the pedestal, "Here we go."
Astrid took a step back and watched him let go of the heart on the scale before stepping back beside her.
But nothing happened.
"Well, that was sort of anticlimactic," Astrid remarked.
Peter added, "It didn't bloody work." Suddenly, he gasped in pain and fell to his knees on the ground.
"Peter!?" Astrid let out, a hand on his arm in concern, "Peter, what's wrong?"
Peter groaned in pain, "The pedestal. Get my heart off."
Astrid went to take his heart off, but was quickly engulfed in flames as she screamed some in pain.
"Astrid!?" Peter let out, still experiencing pain, while Astrid told him, "Get your heart! Aah!"
Peter glanced back at his love and then his heart before standing back up, rushing over to his wife and pushed her out of the fire.
The couple landed on the ground with Peter on top of Astrid.
Abruptly, a door opened in front of them as the two looked at it in surprise, Peter starting breathlessly, "What the bloody hell is that?"
Astrid replied also breathlessly, "It's true love." Peter glanced back down at her as she looked up at him, "Peter, you chose me. That was the test."
Peter grinned and helped her stand to her feet before the two rushed into the chamber, the two stared at the scene in front of them.
"No," Astrid started and picked up an ambrosia as it turned into dust in her hand, "The ambrosia are dead."
Peter nodded, "And have been for some time."
"Someone cut it," Astrid realized as they stared at the stump of the a tree in front of them.
"Not someone. Hades." Peter sighed, "I knew we couldn't trust him."
"Of course we couldn't," Astrid agreed quietly.
"Hades probably did this ages ago when Orpheus and Eurydice used them to escape," Peter commented.
"Then why lie to us?" Astrid inquired, "Why send us after dead fruit?"
"Because he doesn't want us coming with him to Storybrooke," Peter realized.
Astrid looked around the chamber as Peter added, "There must be seeds or clippings or something we could use to help save you."
"Hades tricked us into coming down here." Astrid sighed, "There's no telling what he's done to our family, or what he'll do if he reaches Storybrooke."
Astrid suddenly realized something as she glanced down at her hands which started to glow white. "Step back, Huckleberry. I've got some work to do."
Peter stood back up and looked over at his wife curiously, seeing a determined look on her face, and stepped back as told.
Astrid inhaled deeply just as there was big, loud rumble; The two of them held each other up for balance.
She closed her eyes after holding onto the tree stump with both glowing hands, her veins darkening suddenly.
Peter slightly widened his eyes in surprise, "You're healing it."
Her magic continued to glow brighter and brighter, blinding the two of them temporarily.
Once the light had faded, they opened their eyes to find the tree fully grown once again and in bloom.
"You did it, love," Peter said in relief, quickly picking some of the special fruit and held it over to her, "Here. You have to eat it."
Astrid held the magical fruit in her hand as she glanced from it to her husband, "What if this doesn't work?"
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