The Shadow's Keeper ~OUAT Peter Panfiction (Book 2)

The Skeleton Key

"It's the perfect decoy," Hemlock taunted with a testy grin. Benjamin's blood boiled and he tightened his grasp back on the boy's heart, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Alright, let's just get down to the point, that...kiss," he grew timid, "that was a part of your act, too?"

"Worse," the arrested lost boy began, breathing heavily, "for a moment, I actually thought I liked you." A smug smirk returned to Benjamin's lips and his confidence returned. "It was my way of saying goodbye," Hemlock managed, pained in the face, "just get it over with," he weakly pleaded, squeezing his eyes shut tight.

"No," Benjamin emitted, bitterly humored, "I'm going to do more than that," he climbed to his feet, "I'm going to make sure every last trace of you is gone!"

Hemlock peered up in terror and uncertainty, his breathing quickening.

"Pan," Benjamin addressed the keeper, glancing back at him, "I'm ready..." With that, Pan darkly smirked and headed over. Felix followed attentively, anticipating. Pan pulled out his dagger, and said, "let's get this show on the road, boys, I have to be there when my dear old Anne wakes up." With that, he raised his blade and Hemlock panicked.

"Wait! Wait, please!" He pleaded, having realized how much he wanted to live, after all. Pan stopped, his blade mid-air and a look of annoyance on his face. "The others--! They've been plotting to over throw you since the beginning! The-the magic, they wanted it to consume you and become your ruination until you--you would b-become Neverland's shadow! They they--they were going to trap you in the dagger for all eternity!"

Pan appeared faintly shocked, alarmed in his eyes. So that was what Anwen had been planning, and Pan figured as much when he was in that cave with her and the others--when she tried to deceive him by disguising herself as Lydia.

Whatever the case was, it didn't matter in that moment because Anwen was dead. When Pan looked over, the children that had been in that cave with him, were gone, for now anyway. Pan grew more at ease the longer he stared at the helpless lost boy, though there was a disheartened look in his eyes, and although his second-in-command could see it, he wouldn't let it distract him. And Pan wouldn't hesitate much longer. He said nothing, swallowed his doubts and raised the dagger completely.

The rest of Hemlock's hope drained and with the quietest spell, both Benjamin and Felix were changing.

"Pan, please!! I'll...I'll do anything!" Of course, when staring death in the face, Hemlock's true self would burn through, the cowardice, yielding messenger boy he always was.

"It's too late!" Pan breathed darkly. Then as Benjamin's eyes changed to a wolfish, piercing gold, he mercilessly snickered, having leaned down just enough to eat out Hemlock's soul.

"Now who's the weak one?" He finished with a chilling laughter.

With that, the boys transformations began taking full effect, and for the last moment, they would be wolves, and mauled Hemlock to death. His cries rang up into the night as Pan stood in the near shadows, and not once did he ever blink an eye.

~ ~ ~

Anne laid still, the group hovering over her, anticipating her waking. It had been long enough, they thought and held their breath. Just then, Pan emerged from the forest, Felix and Benjamin following.

Isabelle nearly shrieked at the sight of Pan and stood protectively in front of her daughter. "Stay away from her!" Everyone looked over in alarm. But of course, Pan had surprised them not too long ago and they didn't know what to think.