Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT.
Thanks for the first four reviews (naley1223, sudoku, and two Guest reviews)!
Sudoku - *laughs* I was thinking about going with the present day storyline first, and then slowly edging into his past. I think you might be psychic.
The Dark One
All fourteen year old boys were required to participate in the Ogre Wars. Rumpelstiltskin knew this, having prior experience with "fighting" against ogres. They were brutal, nasty creatures with no sense of compassion or mercy. Baelfire was only three more days until he turned fourteen.. the cursed age for boys to be at during the Ogre Wars.
Rumpelstiltskin loving stared at his nearly fourteen year old son. Looking at the rising sun, he realized it was time to leave. As he nudged his son, he failed to hear the faraway noise of horses' hooves clopping down the pathway. Baelfire woke up groggily and smiled at his father.
As they quickly ate their breakfast, they walked out to the dirt road. This time, Rumpelstiltskin heard the noise of hooves. He was too late as he pushed his son behind him. The knights saw Baelfire and one drew his sword dangerously to Rumpelstiltskin's neck. Rumpel breathed heavily and Baelfire winced, barely able to open his eyes.
"How old is the boy?" a cruel, steely voice rumbled.
"He's... twelve," Rumpel said, trying to lie his way out of the situation.
The knight holding his sword to Rumpel's neck pretended to chop Rumpel's head off. Rumpel cringed, and his muscles tightened in fear. Not hearing the sickening slice of his neck, he opened one eye. The knight who had spoken to Rumpel earlier stared at the sword wielding knight. He nodded and the sword disappeared, only to be replaced by a hand tightly grasping Rumpel's neck.
"Don't lie, peasant. How old is the boy?" Rumpel could feel the smirk, even through the helmet.
"Only three more days until he turns fourteen," Rumpel gasped. The knight nodded at his companion, and the hand was released.
The silent knight adjusted his sword case before "staring" at Rumpel. "We will be back in four days to collect your son."
Rumpel breathed heavily and fell down onto his knees. Baelfire, who had been silent during the whole ordeal bent down next to his father and cried.
In four days his son would be fighting in the Ogre Wars.
As Rumpel tried to console both himself and his son, he stared at the nearing city that lay just below the hill. At least there was some flickering hope... that someone would help him and his son.
"It's okay, Bae," he whispered, stroking his son's hair. "It's okay..."
Zoso, the Dark One, sensed an air of desperation as it entered the city. He took this opportunity and dressed himself up as an old beggar. He walked toward to desperation to encounter a man and his son.
"What is wrong?" Zoso wheezed, giving the air of an old and poor beggar.
The man stared at Zoso sadly. "My son will be collected to fight in the Ogre Wars in four days. I don't know what to do," he cried.
Zoso reached out his scaly hand to "pat" the man on the shoulder. He sensed a great longing of desperation and futile hope.
"I think I can help you," Zoso grinned inside his dark, masked hood. "You see, there is a legend of a dagger that belongs to the Dark One. Find that dagger, kill the Dark One, and you will possess the magic needed to defeat all of your enemies."
"How do you know so much evil, witch?" the boy cried out in horror.
"Tsk, tsk," Zoso frowned. "Your father wishes to protect you. Now, you can find your dagger here." Zoso produced a map of a castle. "The Dark One is this man," he said, pointing to a picture of himself. Of course, the man and his son didn't know Zoso was the Dark One. "This is the plan," he whispered, bringing the man to his ear.
The man grinned happily and brought his boy into a modest inn. Zoso sighed in hope. His curse would be broken now. No more being the Dark One. He could be human in death, stripped of any magical remnants.
Of course, Zoso remembered he was like the man, except he was not desperate to save anyone special to him. He was hungry for power. He killed ruthlessly until he realized how much the dark magic had consumed him. He regretted it almost immediately and spent his days hidden in his castle, terrorizing only the unlucky few who dared to enter his castle grounds.
Rumors spread like wildfire about him, the man in the castle. Shrouded by mysteriousness, and violent deaths. No one dared to associate themselves with the castle and himself anymore. Losing any chance of human contact, Zoso was greatly saddened and he tried to find a willing "apprentice" to become the Dark One. Of course, it had been two hundred years until he found a man like..
Rumpelstiltskin.
He grinned evilly and returned to his castle, preparing for his death.
"Papa, you can't be thinking of killing the Dark One!" Baelfire cried in horror. "You can't do this! I won't let you!"
"Son, I'm doing this to save you!"
Baelfire was silent, admitting defeat. "What's the plan?" he said, cringing.
Rumpelstiltskin grinned. This was going to be easy.
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If I can get four reviews, I can manage to get ten, right? :D