Rumplestiltskin had finally found a place in all of Westeros that had the power he needed for what he needed to do. There, beyond the Wall, he had found an altar made of ice. And around the altar stood colossal ice boulders, standing in a circle. Whatever it was made for, it had a tremendous sense of power attached to it. Maybe enough to hijack the power to do what he wanted.

Taking out his miniature house and his miniature shop, he used his magic to merge the two. Once they were merged, he placed the tiny object on the ground and stepped away, using his magic to make it big again.

He found his potions inside and took what he needed before turning to Belle. "Stay inside the house," he told her.

"Why?" Belle asked.

"Because what I am going to face is too dangerous for you," Rumplestiltskin said. He needed to face his past. But not only his past. But the past of the Dark One. "I need to speak to the first Dark One. And she is someone who you don't want to meet. Stay here. I'll be back shortly."

Belle nodded, watching as Rumplestiltskin exited the house. He descended the steps of the balcony, approaching the centre altar. He looked down at it and took out some vials.

He poured drops of the potions over the icy altar, then waved his dagger over it. It glowed white, and as soon as it did, he held his hands over the bright light. "Bring me what I desire," he said, concentrating on what he wanted. "Bring me the broken sword."

The light dissipated, and then once it did, half a sword was lying on top of the altar. It looked similar to the dagger of the Dark One, but it was missing the tip. It was the other half of Excalibur, with its other half being the dagger of the Dark One.

Rumplestiltskin looked down at it and nodded. "Now then," he began as he held his dagger in front of him. "Bring me who I want to see."

"Don't bother," said a voice behind him. Rumplestiltskin turned around. It was Nimue, the first Dark One who existed. "I know what it is that you want. And what you want to do. Been watching you for quite some time."

"Then you know what I want."

"Of course I do," Nimue answered. "You want Excalibur. But why? Why use it on some pointless quest when you could be the greatest Dark One who ever lived? You'd be so powerful no one will ever stop you."

"I need it," Rumplestiltskin began, "to stop what's coming. The battle against whatever darkness threatens this realm."

"Or is that darkness you?" Nimue asked. "Us. All the Dark Ones joined together to snuff out the light. You could lead us all to glory. That Iron Throne could be yours. Yours for all of eternity."

"Rumple … What's going on?" said a voice behind them. "Who are you talking to?"

Rumplestiltskin turned around. "Belle, I told you to stay in the house."

Nimue walked towards Belle. "And who's this? Could it be the maid that you fell in love with?"

"Leave her out of this," Rumplestiltskin demanded.

"I don't think I will. I think she may help me to persuade you," Nimue said, and she began to choke Belle and lifted her in the air magically. Belle began to gasp for air, clawing at her throat.

"What are you doing?" Rumplestiltskin asked. He dashed towards Nimue. "She has nothing to do with this. This is between us."

"I'm not doing anything, Rumple," Nimue said. "You are." She gestured back to him, and he looked down.

His hand was the one that was choking Belle. Then he remembered. She was all Dark Ones. Including him. And since she wasn't really here, she was manipulating him into doing it. Again.

"Love has made you weak, Rumple," Nimue added.

Rumplestiltskin glared back at Nimue. He shook his head. "No. Love has not made me weak. It has never made me weak. On the contrary, my love for her has made me stronger. It illuminates me through the darkness."

And with that, he managed to use enough force to release Belle and push Nimue back towards the ground. He walked over towards her, staring down at her. "I will have what I came for."

Nimue looked up at him before sighing. "Here. Take it," she said, magically poofing a small black box into Rumplestiltskin's hand.

Rumplestiltskin nodded before rushing over to Belle. "Belle? Are you alright?"

Belle nodded and gasped for air. "What happened?" she croaked. "Who were you talking to?"

"A ghost from my past. Well, the Dark One's past," Rumplestiltskin told her, but he could see she was still visibly confused. "Nimue … She was the first Dark One who was created. And she lives inside all Dark Ones. Including me. And whatever she does, well, it goes through me. As if I'm some avatar for her."

Belle nodded slowly. She began to understand but still wasn't that sure about many things. "But she gave you something? That black box."

Rumplestiltskin looked down at the small black box. He had heard tales of it but didn't know he would ever see it in his lifetime. The Flame of Prometheus. "She did. And I need to use it to reforge Excalibur. You'll see," he said softly and nodded.

He stood back up and helped Belle before walking back to the altar. He looked down at the two halves of Excalibur before opening the black box that contained the Flame of Prometheus. He magically lifted a spark of it up into the air. He guided it with his magic before it rested on the altar in front of him.

Closing the box, he waved his hand over the spark, and it ignited. The fire cackled as it roared into life before Rumplestiltskin lifted it in the air. He stared at it before using both hands to wrap around it, squeezing it into a tight orb. Letting his hands go, he watched as it glowed brightly before taking his dagger and the other half of Excalibur and plunging them into the middle of the bright orb.

The orb glowed brightly before it disappeared into the blade. And then only the newly reforged Excalibur was in its place. It hovered in the air, and all looked at it. Rumplestiltskin. Belle. Even Nimue.

"You have done well, Rumple-" Nimue began to say, but she disappeared before finishing her sentence. Rumplestiltskin turned around and saw a blue figure made of ice approach him. A White Walker.

The White Walker drew its ice sword and brandished it at Rumplestiltskin. Rumplestiltskin gasped, took Excalibur in his hand, and held it out in front of him. The White Walker aimed the ice sword at him, but Rumplestiltskin parried, using Excalibur to block the thrust of the ice sword. The swords clanged against each other, much to the shock of the White Walker.

Belle watched in awe as the two beings battled each other, their swords clashing in a fierce dance of metal and ice. She had never seen anything like it before. Rumplestiltskin fought with a ferocity that she had only seen glimpses of before, his magical powers augmented by the strength of Excalibur.

The White Walker was relentless, his movements fluid and graceful, but Rumplestiltskin was determined to defend himself and those he cared about. He was not going to let the White Walker win.

Their swords continued to clash, each blow ringing out through the cavern. Belle could feel the intensity of their battle, the tension in the air thick with the danger of what could happen if either of them made a mistake.

Finally, with a final thrust, Rumplestiltskin plunged Excalibur deep into the chest of the White Walker. The creature let out a blood-curdling scream before shattering into a million pieces of ice.

Belle ran over to him. "What was that thing?"

"I don't know," Rumplestiltskin admitted. "But whatever that creature was, it was amazed to see Excalibur." He held the sword up with his name on the blade's tip. The part that had been his former dagger. It wasn't calling to him now. He could feel that he was no longer tethered to the dagger, and it could no longer control him or his powers. He looked down at Excalibur. Rumplestiltskin couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. He had done it. He had reforged the legendary sword, and he had used it to defeat a White Walker.

"But I think there would be more coming after him. We best get out of here," he added.

Belle nodded and gathered their items. Rumplestiltskin looked over at his house, and he used his magic to make it miniature again. Once it was, he picked it up, and he and Belle disappeared from the ice altar in a cloud of maroon smoke.