Lancelot believed he was dead. The evil witch, Cora, used magic to rip-out and crush his heart before his very eyes. However, a moment later, Lancelot found himself in a tropical forest. Tall trees and the sound of animal cries surrounded him. His armor had been replaced with a white shirt, jeans, a brown leather jacket and mountain boots.
"At last, you are here!" Someone exclaimed.
This person's voice came from behind Lancelot. When Lancelot turned around and saw a man dressed in a black suit, black tie, black pants and had tall black hat. The man was slightly pale with light-blue eyes. He sat at a small wooden table that had two cups of tea, two pieces of chocolate cake, and an empty chair opposite the man in black.
"Please, sit down." The man said with a smile which revealed his golden teeth.
Despite his instincts telling him not to, Lancelot sat in the chair, but he did not taste the tea or cake. Lancelot only remained there for answers. He was certain he had died, but this did not feel like the afterlife. Something was wrong and Lancelot needed to find out what.
"Are you sure you don't want something to eat or drink?" The man asked.
"I don't have much of an appetite." Lancelot replied.
"Death does tend to have that effect on people." The man said.
"So, I am-" Lancelot started.
"Not quite." The man interrupted. "Right now, you are in a realm that exists between the world of the living and the worlds of the dead. I caught your soul before it passed on to the next world."
"Why have you done this?" Lancelot asked.
"Because I have a task for you." The man replied. "Oh, where are my manners? We have not been properly introduced. You may call me Mr. D."
"Well, Mr. D, what is this task you have for me?" Lancelot asked. "And why should I do it?"
"I want you to find and kill a sorcerer specialized in potion and curse making." Mr. D answered. "Painlessly, if possible. He has aided me a few times in the past. Once you do, your reward will be a new life. You will not have to pass on yet. Instead, you will be able to live again."
"Why should I kill a man I know literally nothing about?!" Lancelot replied. "I am already dead! Why should I not pass on and face whatever awaits me?"
"I could let you pass on, but I don't think you will want to after I tell you about what will become of Snow White and Prince Charming if you remain dead." Mr D said.
"What do you mean?!" Lancelot asked. "Are they in danger?!"
"Not yet, but they will be." He replied casually before taking a sip of his tea.
"Are threatening to hurt them unless I cooperate?" Lancelot asked as calmly as he could.
"Not at all." Mr. D said. "Your former king- Arthur -that will hurt them, along with all those they hold dear. All for the sake of his mad obsession with completing Excalibur. What I am offering you is a chance to stop that vile man."
Upon hearing that, Lancelot lost control of his anger. He kicked the table over and was about to punch Mr. D in the face when some invisible force suddenly restrained him. It felt as if a cobra had wrapped itself around his entire body. Lancelot could not move at all. Then, this invisible force lifted Lancelot into the air. While Lancelot was high in the sky, Mr. d calmly picked up the table. Once everything was set-up as it had been, Lancelot was lowered back into the chair. His body moved into a sitting position without him wanting it to.
Now, Lancelot knew something very important. Mr. D had magic, and this magic kept Lancelot from hurting him. He was at Mr. D's mercy, at least until he could come up with some kind of strategy. For now, he needed to keep up the conversation and see what he could learn.
"Was that really necessary?" Mr. D asked.
"I don't like it when someone lies about and insults my friend!" Lancelot replied.
"I did neither." Mr. D said calmly. "I simply stated a few facts."
"Those were lies!" Lance shouted. "They could be nothing but lies! Arthur may seek to complete Excalibur, but he would never hurt innocents to achieve that goal!"
"Wrong." Mr. D said, then snapped his fingers.
When he did, Lancelot suddenly had visions. Ones he understood completely, despite the speed at which the formed and faded. These visions were of Arthur, doing terrible deeds. He invaded other kingdoms, killing people, and torturing many men and women. It was all as Mr. D said. Arthur's desire to complete Excalibur had consumed him and he would do anything to achieve that objective. As much as Lancelot did not want to believe these visions, he knew that they were true. Somehow, he just knew. After the visions subsided, Lancelot saw Mr. D smiling at him. He knew that Lancelot was now considering his offer.
"I will not kill an innocent." Lancelot said.
"Oh, no worries there." Mr. D replied. "This sorcerer I want you to kill is hardly innocent. His name is Lucas and in the past, he has made many poisons and curses."
"You said he used help you out." Lancelot said. "Did he make those curses and poisons for you? And if so, what did you use them for?"
"Well, it seems you are smarter than I thought." Mr. D replied. "Yes, he did, but now he has changed. He is fighting against me, working with my enemy to do something I cannot allow."
"Why did you tell me that?" Lancelot asked. "Normally, someone would lie about something like that. Especially an obvious villain like you."
"You see, a deal like the one I am offering you cannot be based on lies." Mr. D answered.
"So, you have to answer any question I ask truthfully?" Lancelot inquired.
"Not quite." Mr. D replied. "I just can't give a false reply. I can refuse to answer certain questions. And since I know you are going to ask this, the reason I want Lucas killed before he can make a fertility potion."
"You mean a potion that helps women become pregnant?" Lancelot inquired.
"Yes, and before you ask, the reason I don't want him to make this particular potion because the woman who will drink it will give birth to a child who will have extremely powerful magical abilities." Mr. D replied.
"How is that a problem for you?" Lancelot asked.
"That's my business." Mr. D said. "What you should be asking is how is it your problem. This child's mother will be the Evil Queen. Imagine a woman that evil raising a child that will one day have the power to destroy entire kingdoms by itself."
For a moment, Lancelot thought about what Mr. D was saying. He knew the horrors the Evil Queen was capable of. Her as a mother was a terrible thought. No child should ever be condemned to such an awful life. However, Lancelot still had doubts. Was it right to prevent a life from being born, even if it originated from evil?
As if hearing Lancelot's thoughts of doubt, Mr. D said, "This is not the same as taking an infant's life. What you will be doing is killing an evil sorcerer and preventing the Evil Queen from tormenting and molding an innocent child."
"I understand what you are saying but-" Lancelot started.
"But what?" Mr. D interrupted, now growing impatient. "I have offered you a great deal, but you still refuse because of silly doubts. Let me repeat what I said earlier. King Arthur will one day battle against Snow White and Prince Charming. They will suffer terribly without your help. You cannot help them until you help me. Now, make up your mind!"
Lancelot went over everything that had been said. After what felt like a long moment of silence, he said, "Yes. I hereby except the deal."
Mr. D smiled, snapped his fingers, and everything went black.
Dean was stabbed to death from behind. When this happened, Dean found himself standing in his old family home only a moment after his death. Everything was the same as he remembered it. The chairs, the tables, even the pictures.
"What the hell?!" Dean exclaimed.
He and his brother, Sam, had been hunting a vampire and no vampire could do something like this. So, Dean wondered what he was now dealing with.
"Hello, Dean." A woman sitting at the kitchen table said. "Good to see you did not take too long to die. The time between this death and your last is one years. Impressive, for you, at least."
"Who the hell are you?!" Dean asked. "Where am I? What do you want?"
"My name is … hum … how about Alice?" The woman replied in a carefree tone.
This woman looked about twenty years old and very beautiful. She had long red hair, sapphire eyes, nails painted blue and had a necklace around her neck identical to one Dean wore once, a long time ago. Her white dress was of a classic design.
"Okay, Alice, are you going to tell me what's going on?" Dean asked.
"Long story short, you are dead and if you do something for me, you get to live again." Alice said. "Don't worry, it is anything bad. You just have to protect someone for me."
"And if I say no?" Dean asked.
"Then you stay dead." Alice replied.
"Why don't I just force you to revive me, or whatever?" Dean asked.
"Because we both know you are incapable of something like that." Alice said, suddenly sounding very serious. "Now, will you take the deal or not?"
"Fine, but if I don't like what's going on, I am out." Dean answered.
"Understandable." Alice replied. "You will be going to a place called the "Enchanted Forest" to protect a sorcerer named Lucas."
"Seriously?!" Dean sighed, thinking about how crazy his life was.