The Other Dark One

Disclaimer: I do not own Once Upon A Time, only the idea. If I did, you wouldn't see it on .

Prologue: Rumpelstiltskin

As Rumpelstiltskin stabbed Zoso, he saw the words on the dagger fade, only to be replaced by his own name. The new Dark One nearly dropped it in shock.

"Thank you." Zoso breathed, and the life sagged out of him.

"Why?" Rumpel asked the empty night. He had not been expecting an answer.

"Because he grew weary of the burden." A woman answered.

Rumpelstiltskin spun around, his skin already changing into a scaly sort. "Who are you?" His voice, he noticed, had also changed, becoming higher, darker.

She giggled. Rumpel couldn't see her, for it was pitch black. "My name is Lilith, the Other Dark One."

"Other?" Rumpel asked in confusion.

Lilith nodded. "I am the first. I cannot be killed, unlike you, because that dagger," She gestured towards the kris dagger that he still held. "That dagger was enchanted for me to ease my burden. All of the power you now have- a mere quarter of my own. Wield it wisely, and I won't have to incinerate you." She sneered at him.

"Can I traverse to other worlds?" Rumpel asked, forcing down a giggle.

His hopes were dashed when Lilith shook her head. "I alone wield that power. Now, the rules."

"Rules?" Rumpel repeated dumbly.

"Yes, rules." Lilith snapped impatiently. "The first one: You are not allowed to bring someone back from the dead. Two: You can't force someone to love you. The love potions you make cannot be used by you, or for you. Three: You can't fly. You can teleport, you can leap great distances, but you absolutely cannot fly. If you do, you lose your power, and die in minutes. Four: You cannot use your power to make yourself a king. That rule is in place because of one incident, about a century back. And five: You cannot suicide. Someone has to kill you, but somehow I don't see you ever wanting that. Clear?"

Rumpel nodded, still wondering about the fourth rule.

"Wonderful!" Lilith said. "We'll get along swimmingly." She stepped into a beam of moonlight, and removed her black hood. Rumpel gaped. She was a beautiful woman, with black hair, pale skin and bloodred lips.

"You aren't scaly." He noted.

"Of course not, at least until I want to be. I can shape-shift." With those words, she transformed into the pirate that stole Milah.

Rumpel hissed. "Could you maybe tell me where he is?"

Lilith shrugged. "I don't know, but I can tell you this: You will find him. You'll never kill him, but you'll find him."

Rumpel sighed, but understood that he wouldn't get any more answers from her. "Will I ever see you again?"

Lilith turned back, looking at him with piercing green eyes. "Yes. Call my name, and I might just grace you with my presence."

As they were about to part ways, Lilith stopped. "Rumpelstilitskin." She called. He turned, and she said: "Seers never lie. What she said will come to pass."

"What-" Rumpel began, but Lilith disappeared in a cloud of black smoke.