Chapter #1

"You fool!" Shouts The Evil Queen and stares down furiously "How could you let Snow White escape! I gave you one simple task!" Her black dress flows on the ground like fire as she paces back and forth before the kneeling Knight.

"My Queen…" The Knight starts and stares at the ground intently, trying not to aggravate his Queen any further.

"Shut up!" Regina snarls and stops in front of him "Get him out of my sight" She says to the nearby guards and they roughly grab the Knight under his arms, with a strong and quick pull the Knight releases himself from their grip and stares them down, his nearly black eyes like daggers. The Knight growls in pain as he is consumed in fire and forced down my Regina's powerful magic "You have heart… Perhaps I should change that" Regina steps forward with her claw like hand reaching for the Knights chest but is abruptly stopped by sounds of harsh footsteps sprinting towards the chamber.

"My Queen!" The guard shouts and stops to catch his breath.

"What is it! Can't you see I'm busy?" The Queen retracts her hand and tilts her head in anger staring at the panting guard.

"Snow White was spotted! Along with the Prince" The guard stands up straight as Regina swoops over to him and grabs his collar.

"Where?" Regina tightens her grip.

"I don't know my Queen, I was only told to inform you!" The guard tries to cower but can't move and Regina throws him back into the doorway knocking him off his feet, he quickly tries to recover scrambling to his feet and looks down.

"Idiot" Regina looks back to the large Knight kneeling, his hands at his sides and his black armor lightly shimmering in the moonlight "I'll be back for your heart soon enough, bring him to the dungeon" She quickly starts for the door and the cowering guard turns and starts walking down the dank corridor guiding the Queen.

The two guards reach for the Knight but stop as he slowly stands up and turns to face them. The Knight slowly looks them both up and down.

"Try it"

The Queens Guards slightly step back and look at each other and reach for their swords.

"You're unarmed! Stand down!" One of the guards shouts. The Black Knight looks him dead in the eye and the guard tries to keep his calm staring at the black plated metal along the Knights arms and chest and along his legs, the Knights helmet has jagged points all around with metal blade looking spikes rowing down the top of his head to the back. The blackness of the eye slits make the guard think of death himself and the guard draws his sword and holds it out trying not to let it shake too bad, the other guard readies his sword as well. The Knight quickly reaches out with his chainmail gloved hand and grabs the guards swords blade and twists it out of his hand and tosses it aside, the second guard lunges forward and the Knight quickly dodges and turns around smashing the guard in the face with his elbow sending the guard onto his back crying out in a gurgling shout. The first guard turns and quickly darts out the door and the Knight turns to the table on the far side of the room where his sword and shield lie.

A thunder of footsteps ring out down the corridor and the Knight sprints to the table and readies his weapon, and sea of faces and armor stamp into the room and quickly corner the Knight, spears and swords point all waving and jabbing towards him, beckoning him to dare to come near. The Knight swings his swords trying to keep the small army at bay and checks his options for escape; none.

"This doesn't have to end bloody!" One of the guards shouts out from the crowd. The Knight hisses and lunges towards the crowd and the guards, almost as one take a step back and quickly steps back forward forcing the Knight to retreat. A loud crack and black smoke explodes between the Knight and the guards flinging the guards back and slamming the Knight back into the wall.

"Hehehehe!" A wicked laugh rips through the rooms and before them stands a strangely dressed man with a shimmering gold face. The man looks to the guards on the floor and waves his hand sending them further back sliding them on the floor and smashing them into the wall behind them, the men grown and rolls around in agony. "I need this one!" The man turns back to the Knight with his hand still in the air with his palm towards the ceiling smiling widely. The Knight regains his stature and takes a wide swing at the man. "Ah ah ah!" the man cackles and easily moves out of the way and places his hand on the Knights shoulder and in a flash of white light the air itself changes and the Knight loses balance and lands face first into a pile of leaves.

"Agh!' The Knight yelps and rolls over examining the new forested environment. "Where have you taken me fiend?!" The Knight quickly stands and tries to ready his sword but screams as his palm begins to burn as the hilt of his sword flashes a smoldering red. The Knight releases the sword and has to quickly rip off his chain metal gloves as well and tosses it to the ground and glares at the man and tries to take a step forward but is stopped as roots rip up through the dirt tightly gripping his ankles and wrists making movement impossible.

"Relax dearie! Although I like your fighting spirt, means you're a good candidate!" The gold faced man snickers and dances around making various gestures with each word. The Knight stares at the strange man.

"A candidate for what? Who are you?" The Knight continues to hopelessly attempt to escape from the roots.

"Who am I? He he he! Why I'm Rumplestiltskin!" He waves his hands around in the air.

"The Dark One!? What do you want with me!?" The Knight struggles further and the roots grip tighter and cause the Knight to grit his teeth in pain.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you dearie!" Rumplestiltskin gestures towards the roots "Those will slice right through ya! Hehehe! Now come on Aiden! Take a load off! Hehehe!"

"How do you know my name!?" Aiden shouts and screams as the roots start to crush his armor into his legs. Aiden can feel trickles of blood drip down his feet.

"Oh I know a lot about Sir Aiden! How you were once an honored Knight of King Midas! Tell me dearie, what made you go Dark Side? Hehehe!" Rumplestiltskin dances around Aiden.

"None of your damn business!" Aiden hisses under his black helmet trying his best to follow the circling Rumplestiltskin. He stops in front of him and grabs his helmet and takes it off Aiden's head and dances away tossing it to the side. Rumplestiltskin suddenly stops and turns to Aiden and moves in close grabbing him by chin digging his nails into his black five-o'clock shadow.

"Now you listen to me, I need something, and you're going to fetch it like the good little lap dog you are" Rumplestiltskin menacingly stares at Aiden.

"Why would I help you?" Aiden says through gritted teeth.

"You want to keep that ticker of yours don't ya?" Rumplestiltskin taps Aiden's chest motioning towards his heart. "Regina wants it; I can get her to… Drop all charges if you will, for a deal that is" He lets go of Aiden and paces back and forth, Aiden's eyes cautiously follow him.

"What could I possible get for you that you can't get yourself?" Aiden asks snarkly. Rumplestiltskin stops and sharply looks at him.

"Because what I require isn't from here" He motions around "I need someone to retrieve it for me"

"So you will have me go to another land?"

"Now you're catching on! Hehehe!" Rumplestiltskin rapidly claps his hands and his wicked smile returns "Well another world really!"

"Another world?" Aiden replies squinting in confusion.

"Well it's a long story, but basically I need you to travel to another land to gather skills necessary to retrieve the item I need!"

"I have skills to defeat any who stand in my path!" Aiden puffs his chest out and looks down his nose at Rumplestiltskin.

"Hehehe! No no no dearie! Where you're going it will take a lot more then 'little sword tricks'! Hehehe you will need a whole new arsenal of tricks to take on what is in store for you! But I'm getting ahead of myself!" Rumplestiltskin reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small object that looks like a clear bean.

He then makes what looks like random motions in the air and a small backpack of sorts poofs out of nowhere into his hand. He tosses the bean onto the ground and a massive gust of wind forces Aiden to look away. Beaming green light pierces the darkness and Aiden tries to look and sees what looks like a portal in the ground, the roots around Aiden's arms and feet loosen and he collapses to his knees. Rumplestiltskin tosses the backpack and Aiden catches it against his chest.

"I don't even know my task!" Aiden shouts over the loud whipping and warping noises the portal is making.

"Instructions are in the bag! Hehehe! Don't keep me waiting!" Rumplestiltskin dances over behind Aiden and kicks him into the portal.

Aiden tightly clutches the bag and clenches his eyes shut but is still almost blinded. The loud buzz off the portal almost deafen Aiden and with a loud crack toss' Aiden up in the air and violently smash him against the hard packed dirt of a new land.