The Land of Shadow

by A Petal on the Rose

Regina & Cora have stolen Gold's dagger, and now Regina is the Dark One. In order to free her from the darkness, Emma, Neal, & the Charmings must find the one person who would know how to defeat the Dark One. Unfortunately, he is dead, trapped in The Land of Shadow. Now, he must face the fury of Hell AND a woman scorned in order to save Storybrooke.

1. Act 1

Dear Readers, I wrote this speculation script back in 2013 when I was trying to snag an internship with Disney/ABC. After watching episodes 508 & 509 ("Birth" & "The Bear King"), I decided that this script deserved a home somewhere beside the bottom of some exec's trash bin. All of these ideas were formulated during Season 2, right around the time "Manhattan" was airing. Of course, since then so much has happened that this story does not line up with the current OUAT canon or character development. Such is the life of a fanfiction writer! However, I do hope you enjoy...and thank you for reading. :-) Love, A Petal on the Rose 11/17/2015

---

ONCE UPON A TIME "The Land of Shadow"

Written by Brooke Summerlin

ACT ONE

OVER BLACK. We hear the mournful tones of ORPHEUS SONG on a WOODEN RECORDER.

FADE UP ON -

EXT. MOUNTAIN PATH - NIGHT (DUSK) -LAND OF SHADOW

We see The Land of Shadow: a world of blues, blacks, and grays. A narrow PATH, dotted with BOULDERS, winds around a CLIFFSIDE. We float down the path. Ahead is a shaft of WHITE LIGHT - the way out.

A MAN, fear and doubt in his dark eyes, stares straight ahead. He is unkempt with wavy, dark brown hair and a shaggy beard. This is ORPHEUS. He takes one step into the light. He removes the recorder from his lips.

ORPHEUS
Do you follow?
(beat)
Eurydice? Do you follow?

Silence. He looks back slowly. We see EURYDICE: long, black hair, pale skin, and kind eyes. She wears a GREY CHIFFON DRESS - a death shroud or a wedding gown? Smiling, she opens her arms. He reaches out to her, hopeful, desperate.

ORPHEUS (CONT D)
Eurydice.

WHOOOOSH! A gust of WIND blows back Eurydice's hair, pushing her thin dress against her body, carrying her down the path.
She is screaming, but we hear only a faint whisper -

EURYDICE
Orpheus!

The PORTAL closes. In shock and grief, Orpheus' hand still reaches for his wife. CUT TO -

TITLE CARD

Title is SUPERIMPOSED over a MISTY FOREST. A hunched OLD MAN in RAGS pushes a FERRYBOAT, through the mist and trees. A dim LAMP hangs on the POLE he uses as an oar. In the back of the boat stands the shadowy form of MR. GOLD, head hanging down.

EXT. OPEN FIELD - DAY

ANTON and RUBY stand over flowering BEANSTALKS in the middle of an OPEN FIELD. Anton rubs a pod between his fingers gently, exposing three glowing MAGIC BEANS.

ANTON
They're ready.

RUBY
They're ready. They're ready!?

Exuberant, Ruby grabs Anton's shoulders. Anton does not match her excitement, but he glances where her hands touch him.

ANTON
Yay.

RUBY
Don't you know what this means? We can go home!

ANTON
Yeah. Great. For you maybe.

RUBY
What are you talking about?

ANTON
Not all of us have homes to go back to.

Ruby softens. She touches his arm again.

RUBY
You have a home. With all of us.

Anton sighs and slumps his shoulders, staring out into the field.

ANTON
When we go back, I'm gonna get big again. Then what's gonna happen? I'm not gonna fit in -
literally, you know?

RUBY
If they can make room for a girl who turns into a wolf,
they can make room for a giant.

ANTON
(mutters)
Yeah.

Unconvinced, Anton stares out over the field and sighs.

EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY -FAIRY TALE LAND

A WOODEN SIGNPOST points to "HAMELIN." Orpheus sits on the ground, leaning against a TREE, hitting the back of his head against the trunk gently. He plays Orpheus Song softly, making PEBBLES roll on the ground at his feet.

FOOTSTEPS approach. We see a pair of RED LEATHER BOOTS.
CLINK. A gold COIN falls at Orpheus' feet. He doesn't look up.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (O.S.)
What interesting music.

ORPHEUS
I don't want your gold.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN
Come, come, come. Surely you must have something. For your troubles.

ORPHEUS
Coin cannot relieve my troubles.

Orpheus begins to play again but is immediately cut off by Rumple, who squats on the ground to get a closer look at the bedraggled musician.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN
No. No, what you need is something a bit more...
personal.

Orpheus shoots Rumple a steely look.

ORPHEUS
I want nothing but to curse the gods and die.

Rumple stands, dusts his hands, and scoffs.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN
Do the first, and the second will follow.
However, I wouldn't recommend it. But if you want to die...

Rumple CONJURES a SWORD out of BLACK SMOKE. He suspends it in mid-air, directing it at Orpheus, who flinches.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (CONT D)
Or...

The sword VANISHES. Using sleight-of-hand, Rumple pulls out a GLASS VIAL filled with a CLEAR POTION.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (CONT D)
I could take away your pain.
The pain of heartache. The pain of separation.

Orpheus reaches out for the potion, but Rumple jerks it away.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (CONT D)
Ah, ah, ah. It comes with a price.

Orpheus glowers and resumes his song. Rumple's eyelids flutter briefly. He holds up a hand to silence the music.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN (CONT D)
Sorry! The notes are lovely,
but bending my will requires a bit more of an
(beat)
Edge.

ORPHEUS
What would you ask of me?

Rumple points at the recorder.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN
That remarkable instrument.

ORPHEUS
This? It is nothing. Useless.

Rumple eyes the wooden recorder discerningly.

RUMPLESTILTSKIN
Oh, no. It s much more than that... in the right hands. Or the wrong ones.

Rumple giggles impishly. Orpheus turns the recorder over in his hands before offering it to Rumple.

ORPHEUS
Take my pain. I'll suffer your price - whatever it is.

Rumple grins triumphantly, fingers tapping the glass vial.

INT. GRANNY S DINER - DAY

Three magic beans rest in MARY MARGARET's palm. She studies them intently. Anton and DAVID sit on either side, gauging her reaction. Behind the counter, GRANNY frowns, arms crossed. Ruby looks on hopefully.

MARY MARGARET
I don t know. I thought it would take longer.

ANTON
The soil here is good.

RUBY
Yeah, and now... now we can all go home.

MARY MARGARET
Can we? I don't think we can.

Mary Margaret hands the beans back to Anton, who places them in a RED VELVET BAG.

DAVID
I thought this was what you wanted.

MARY MARGARET
What I want is for us to be together. All of us.

DAVID
(dismissively)
I m sure we can convince Emma to come.

MARY MARGARET
Not Emma, David. Regina.

DAVID
Regina? She's the Dark One -
more powerful than ever. This is our ticket out of here. We could finally be rid of her.
Home never sounded so good.

MARY MARGARET
And Henry?

DAVID
We ll get him back.

MARY MARGARET
Even if we could, we can't just leave her behind. Not the way things are now.

GRANNY
You ask me that's exactly why we should leave.

MARY MARGARET
Regina is our problem. You all know what she's capable of doing. Are you asking me to abandon this world to her? Because... I can't do that.
(to David)
Can you?
(to all)
Can any of you?

The others look down, ashamed. Anton fidgets, glancing at Ruby. A BELL rings over the door as HENRY walks in followed by REGINA. They stand in the entrance; Regina places her hands on Henry's shoulders possessively.

REGINA
Oh, it's crowded. I do hope we can find a seat.

When nobody moves, Regina lifts her hand, swiftly unseating everyone in the diner by violently pushing their chairs out from underneath them. David manages to leap to his feet, but Mary Margaret crashes onto the floor hard. Was she pushed?

DAVID
Mary Margaret!

Mary Margaret gasps in pain. David kneels down quickly, ready to help.

DAVID (CONT D)
Are you okay?

She holds up her hand and shoots him a dirty look, refusing his help. She's no porcelain princess.

MARY MARGARET
I m fine. I m fine.

Mary Margaret gets to her feet, smoothing her dress.

Something's off with Henry; he hasn't reacted to what's just happened. His eyes are glossed over as if he can t see or hear anything.

RUBY
(to Granny)
Um, I better go check the uh...

Granny nods and Ruby removes her apron. Ruby moves toward the door. Anton points in her direction nervously.

ANTON
I'll... ah... Yeah.

Anton swiftly follows Ruby, mingling in with the other leaving CUSTOMERS. Regina doesn't step out of the way.
Instead, she enjoys how they nervously squeeze past.

David and Mary Margaret, stand to leave, nodding at Granny.
Mary Margaret restrains her tears as she reaches out to touch Henry, who is unresponsive. Regina holds up a hand, conjuring an evil PURPLE FIREBALL.

REGINA
I wouldn't.

MARY MARGARET
It doesn't have to be like this.

Regina grins, enjoying the delicious victory of this moment.
Hello happy ending. David pulls at Mary Margaret's elbow.

DAVID
(to Mary Margaret)
Let s go.

David guides Mary Margaret out of the diner. Regina dissolves the fireball and lowers her hand. Henry blinks, becoming aware of his surroundings again.

REGINA
Well, Henry, looks like it's just you and me.

HENRY
Yep.

Henry walks over and hops up onto a STOOL at the counter.

Granny smiles; however, it's strained.

GRANNY
Morning, Henry!

HENRY
Morning. Pancakes, please.

GRANNY
Coming right up.

Granny removes a PENCIL from behind her ear and jots down his order on her NOTEPAD. Her smile fades as Regina sits down,
placing her BLACK HANDBAG on the counter next to Henry.
Granny glares over the rim of her SPECTACLES.

GRANNY
Your majesty?

REGINA
Coffee. Black.

Regina arches an eyebrow, begging to be defied. Her smirk says it all: The Evil Queen is back and loving it.

EXT. SPARSE FOREST - NIGHT (DUSK) -LAND OF SHADOW

Mr. Gold, obviously disoriented, walks through a SPARSE FOREST. There is little light and almost no visibility. He appears in his human form; however, he does not limp.

MR. GOLD
Hello? Hello? Is anybody there?

Ahead, through the FOG, he sees a ferry in the RIVER at the end of a WOODEN DOCK. In the ferry, a frail, old man leans,
unmoving, against a long pole. A lamp hangs from its top. His back is to us as he gazes at the far SHORE. This is CHARON.

MR. GOLD (CONT D)
Excuse me, I seem to be a bit
lost. Can you tell me where I am?

Charon doesn't answer, but continues to stare across the river. Both rough and wide, it's strange: misty, murky, full of shapes like ghosts. Swimming is not a viable option.

MR. GOLD (CONT D)
Can you take me across?

The old man turns slowly and stares at Mr. Gold as if he has been awakened from a dream. We see his bald head and scraggly white beard. He gestures at the ferry, resembling a gondola.

CHARON
Gold.

MR. GOLD
You know my name.

Charon holds out a gnarled hand.

CHARON
Gold.

Mr. Gold pats his empty pockets.

MR. GOLD
(to self)
Well, this is a first.
(to Charon)
I haven't got any.

Disinterested, Charon looks away. Mr. Gold grimaces.

MR. GOLD (CONT D)
Surely, we can make some sort
of arrangement.

CHARON
Gold.

MR. GOLD
Yes, I know. But you see, I
have no gold.

Charon extends an arm, pointing to the GOLD TOOTH in Mr. Gold's mouth. Mr. Gold jerks his head back.

MR. GOLD (CONT D)
No, no, no. Certainly not.
There must be some other way!

Mr. Gold tries to force his way onto the boat, but Charon blocks him.

CHARON
Gold.

Charon grabs Mr. Gold's shoulders; he's not so frail after all. It's been centuries since anyone has dared to lay a hand on Mr. Gold; he's caught completely off guard.

MR. GOLD
What? What are you doing?!

They struggle as Charon rips the tooth right out of Mr.
Gold's mouth. Mr. Gold screams. BLOOD dribbles down his chin. Charon pockets the tooth and moves aside so Mr. Gold can board.

MR. GOLD (CONT D)
Fantastic.

Mr. Gold spits and wipes away the blood with the back of his hand.

SERIES OF SHOTS

A.) Mr. Gold steps onto the back of the ferry, putting as much distance between himself and Charon as possible.

B.) Charon pushes the ferry away from the dock.

C.) Charon pushes the boat across the river with his pole.
His rhythm is weighted, unhurried, and laborious.

D.) Gold stares ahead as they arrive at the empty shore across the river. The rain subsides.

EXT. RIVER SHORE - NIGHT (DUSK) -LAND OF SHADOW

They arrive at the small shore which is beside an empty GRASSY FIELD. The sky above is a BLACK VOID. With a bowed head, Charon gestures at the shore.

CHARON
Rest.

Mr. Gold steps off the boat, walking along the shore trying to get his bearings. In the background, we see Charon heading back to the other shore. A familiar voice startles Mr. Gold.

VOICE (O.S.)
Long have I watched these shores for your coming,
Rumplestiltskin.

Mr. Gold turns around.

MR. GOLD
Milah!

MILAH
Hello, dearie.

She pulls her fist back and punches as hard as she can. TO BLACK.

---

Please, please, please leave a comment. I have 5 more acts which I will format and publish on this site, but a kind word or two is always appreciated.