"If I can't find her, I can bring her to me," the Jones man announced while keeping his eyes glued to the Dark One dagger before letting out a long sigh, "Dark One. With this dagger I command thee. Return!"
When all he received in response was nothing but the whistling of the wind, Killian's grip on the dagger tightens. "Dark One. Appear!"
While Killian continued to stare up at the sky, Everly looked over at Henry, only to find him staring at the ground with tears in his eyes. On the other side of him, David and Mary Margaret were holding each other in their arms, both unable to watch the pirate captain any longer. Sam and Katherine were tightly holding each other's hands as they stared at the pirate. And the Jones girl was left standing there, knowing exactly how Killian felt at that moment. He was desperate, and that was never good.
It wasn't long after that when Regina let out a long sigh and walked back toward the Jones man. "Put that thing down before you hurt yourself, Guyliner. I thought you knew the dagger's rules."
"With it, I can summon the Dark One from any corner of the world," Killian stated before turning around to face the former Evil Queen.
"Well, there's your answer," the Mills woman announced, drawing everyone's attention toward her, "she's not in this world."
It only took a moment for her words to sink in before everyone began exchanging worried looks. What felt like another eternity before they headed back to the Pawn Shop in search of answers. They instantly made their way into the back of the shop to find the Apprentice lying down on the cot. As she watched the Blue Fairy tend to the gray-haired man, a strange feeling watched over Everly, knocking her off balance. Sam instantly caught her and helped her steady herself before sending her a strange look, one that she chose to ignore.
"Apprentice," Killian said, drawing the Jones siblings back to him, "that monstrosity took Emma. Where did they go?"
"She is now where all darkness is born," the Apprentice exclaimed before letting out a painful sigh, "in your realm."
"Then take us there."
"I am too weak now," the gray-haired man responded before holding his arm up in the air, making a wand appear in his hand, "but this will help. It is a gift from the Sorcerer, from Merlin. On the day I became his apprentice. In it is all the light magic."
"It can take us to our daughter?" Mary Margaret asked without even bothering to hide the desperation in her voice.
"Not on its own," the Apprentice answered despite how much energy it was taking out of him, "in order to cross realms, it must be wielded as it was forged. With both sides of the coin, the light and...the dark."
As soon as the words finish leaving his mouth, the Apprentice takes in one last breath before letting out a painful grunt. It wasn't long after that when all life faded from his eyes as his arm dropped, causing the wand to hit the floor. No one said a word for a very long moment before Regina reached down and picked up the wand.
"Guess that's my cue," the former Evil Queen sighed while twirling the wand in the air. They waited for a portal to open and take them to Emma, but nothing happened. Regina just stared at the wand for a moment before repeating the motions a few more times, only to be greeted by the same outcome.
The pirate captain couldn't help but let out an annoyed sigh before opening his mouth to speak. "Enough. You're going to embarrass yourself and waste our time."
"Watch it. I know what I'm doing," Regina warned while keeping her eyes glued to the wand.
"Well, that's not enough. You heard the man. It needs darkness. You've gone soft."