"You don't throw a whole life away just because they're banged up a little."-Tom Smith, Trainer of Seabiscuit
Chapter 1
The Meeting of the Dark Ones
The walls of Tartarus were a lot more common than one would expect. The deepest pit of Hades was now fit to meet the age of which the earth now held. It was like any other dungeon, but with differences that one would expect when entering the land of the dead. The glowing volcanic rock surrounded the prisoners, the hot stone serving as the building material for the bricks building the dungeon wall. The walls were paved with brimstone mixed with tar. The smell of sulfur wafted through the air as the foul environment encompassed the lowest criminals of the underworld. Through the smoke-strangled air an ancient language whispered and echoed. It spoke in a long lost language that no man or woman dead or alive remembered. It was the raw language of magic, speaking the raw language of the universe from which virtue and evil is built. The language could either goad the actions of man or push them away from such actions. In the middle of this particular dungeon sat a cracked black marble table, lit by a blue flame in the brazier at each corner of the room.
Perhaps even more terrifying were those who gathered around the table to meet. These had been the prisoners of this dark realm. They were known in life as the dark ones. They were the most feared sorcerers in the land. Like pit vipers, they could kill with a single strike. The men and women with glittering golden scales covering their bodies showed that same pension for greed. In life, every decision that they had ever made had been selfish. All magic is based on emotion, and theirs was born out of thoughts and emotions of darkness. Selfishness, greed, envy, pride, gluttony, adultery, cowardice, hatred, jealousy, bigotry, sadness, pain and fear only named a few fires which fueled their powers. They wore cloaks so dark that one could mistake them for shadows covering their glistening features. Around each of them was a heavy pile of golden chains. Every man, woman and child who dies receives a chain to bear as punishment for their misdeeds in life. Every act of kindness and goodness causes them to be free of a chain link. Every act of evil causes them to gain a chain link. A ponderous chain encircled and fettered each of these individuals, so many that their spirits could hardly move. Every one of their faces showed the same expression: one of regret.
There were two dozen of them that had lived these past four thousand years since the first dark one had walked the earth, yet only one of them was female. The first dark one appeared at the head of the table, a woman who had a sad and faraway look in her amber eyes. Zozo, the last dark one before the one who now lived was the first to speak up. "Nimue, why have you called us here? Aren't our afterlives hard enough without some tedious meeting? Speak, woman." And it should be noted that that one person was rather bitter, even more so than the others. Nimue, carrying the regal air of a queen, placed her hands on the table in a gesture of power and stood up among them once again. "I have called you here because we have a new dark one. Zozo has joined us in death, which means another dark one now lives." Boron, another of these dark creatures spoke up bravely. "Yet we have never had a meeting before this. Why have you called us here when in the past we just let them live out their lives? Why have you called us here…why now?" Under the questioning, she maintained that queenly way in which she carried herself. "I have called this gathering because Rumplestiltskin has been called to a very important mission for the rest of us. He alone is fit among us to carry out this task. From his loins shall spring the new light one."
With this admission, disagreeable sighs, glares of disbelief and restrained and doubtful laughter came from the rest. "Rubbish." One of the others said. "There has not been a light one since Merlin and he has been transformed into a tree. He didn't stand a chance. And of course you know all about that…" he said with somewhat of a teasing smirk. Nimue's eyes immediately began to burn with anger and a look of heartbreak began to cross her face. An animalistic growl issued from her throat in the way that all dark ones growled when they became exceptionally angry. "You speak of Merlin that again and these claws go in your throat. I will find a way to make it hurt." With this threat, the insubordinate one backed down and slunk to the end of the table where he once was. Zozo raised another point. "He does have a son, I know this to be true." Nimue simply shook her head. "No. It will not be Baelfire who will carry on my lover's legacy. The boy was spawned when Rumplestiltskin was human. Have you all forgotten the prophecy?" and what she had gotten back were blank stares.
She gave another growl as she paced back and forth like a human lion. "You didn't even read the book of the dark one, did you? Unlimited power and ultimate opulence just to read a book and you still couldn't do it!? And don't give me that look, Rookworm, when each of you took on this mantle you were given the ability to read! Must I do everything myself? Men…" she said with an annoyed sigh and waved her hand. A book appeared in her hands. "Rumplestiltskin, another one who hasn't even read it yet. He won't miss it for a moment." With a roll of her eyes she turned to one page in particular, an illuminated text with a celtic design of a horse with wings, and the only page in the book which had color. The vibrant colors and the gold text itself shone in the darkness, as if they entire page echoed the knowledge within its words.
One day, a second light one will return to walk the earth. This creature will pay the price of magic so that every dark one along with everyone who practices magic shall be not be automatically met with damnation at the end of their lives. This will come in the form of a child, for the innocence of children is the only light from which the magic of true love and light can emerge. The child will be the offspring of a human mother and a dark one father and the product of true love. Other children will come before her, but not one will meet this requirement. The sex shall be female to make amends for the actions of the first dark one. She will not be what you expect. She will meet many challenges and undergo much suffering within her life so that she will learn compassion for those who suffer. She will appear both in the form of a child and a horse. She will be the most powerful light magician to ever live and will bring light to those who dwell in darkness. She will feed the hungry, house the poor, and protect all children like herself. She will raise the dead. Horses will be sacred to her and animals will worship her. This child will come in an unexpected way. Therefore, do not judge by appearances, for a book cannot be judged by its cover.
"The problem is…" Nimue sighed some. "…this child will not be born for another three hundred years. Certain events must take place first before she can arrive in the world. And a certain mother must be chosen out of all. She must be Rumplestiltskin's true love, not just some woman that he beds. She herself will not be born for another two hundred and seventy-five years. In order for us to be freed from our chains and from this prison, we must guide him towards the right path. The seer that spoke with him fourteen years ago has already set things in motion, but now she is even more under my control. I plan to inspire her to take a prophecy to him that will lead him down the right path. Until then, we must keep hope. She will return to us, and she will come to save us. This meeting is now adjourned." And as soon as she said that, the spirits were gone, all to their separate cells in tartarus, Nimue being drawn back into her own. Her clawed hand lay over the one physical thing that she was allowed to bring with her into this realm. She closed her eyes and held the engagement ring gingerly within her claws. She remembered him…how he worked and slaved so hard to save up for that ring. She remembered how he had been transformed into a tree, how he had died. He was trying to stop her, trying to save her from herself. She had her own doubts. If Merlin could not save her…how could a child save all of them? But she would not lose hope. She would see him once again. I'm coming, my love. Wait for me still.