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A shadow sits holding four cards in his hands, peering at the one in front of him, with nothing but distaste. Only a copy of the person he despised, for the real one is somewhere else in another place, while he was stuck in a fading reality. That would soon change, for as he looked at the four cards, he needed to oversee the game he had started, and he knew the perfect way. He threw down a card, it was the ace of spades, and he smiled mockingly at the doll before him and whispered just for their ears alone.
“And they shall be Alice, in your honor.”
The Alice of spades, dressed in red, soaked further on her way, found this door by accident and went further in. Consumed in the need to create a path soaked in crimson, while he watches on, enjoying each moment of the bloodshed. Alas, as she neared the end, he had to cut the strings of the puppet, for this Alice had only one purpose. Now when that is done, taken away is this Alice’s fate, to somewhere else, sword taken from her grasp, to stop the creation of the blood roads.“The first of your namesakes, three more to go”
Another card is down, landing on top the now blood red ace of spades, this time it was the two of diamonds.“What do you think of all this, my dear?”
The Alice of diamonds strode into the world, all dressed in blue. His voice wove stories and images for all to hear, only to warp in the sad minds of those who reside in the world. For fear from the first, from the second came insanity, though never truly knowing it. Until one day as he began to sing again, the images twisted and morphed in an old man’s head. As his blood drenched the ground, flowers bloomed the color the same as the crimson blood. This one taken away, when his purpose was done, his songs were now gone, there was no need to create a more crazed world.“Two are down, two to go”
On top of a now crystal blue two of diamonds, there now lay another card, the three of clubs was the next.“By the way I met another of your other selves; the game ended the same way.”
The Alice of clubs came, dressed so beautifully in green she strode stealing hearts along the way. As he watched this one closely he, smirked as this one did her duty, creating a kingdom to govern the world. Just like all the others, her purpose done she had to go, so came the dream, the fear to die and wither away. So locked away was this one, hidden in her castle, as he had no need for a larger kingdom devoted to someone else, and took over as she stayed in that fearful dream.
“One more too go, and I’ll still be here to play”
This one was an odd little card, the four of hearts landed on top of a now emerald three of spades. Though while the others were whole, this one split, two, two of hearts lay side by side.“Reminds me of us, so much like us but different.”
The Alice of Hearts, they both strode in, matching each other in yellow. Twins, that passed through the places where the other cards had passed and created. Pointing out the crimson that coated the roads, sipping tea among the roses, and walked around the castle of the one that was there before them. Exploring the world, passing through the many gates, showing it was possible to pass, but before they went further, they were taken away. For too much memories came up from them, and so insanity was spread to them, to stop them from continuing. Their duty was now done, and now their strings are cut by the puppeteer.“The world is done and its time to play”
As the last two cards, turned a golden yellow, five figures to the right of the table awoke to the surrounding darkness. Their colors only slightly dulled, but there they all stood, side by side looking on with eyes wide. He smirked, as warped shadowed hands came from the dark, trapping them in their bindings, and carrying them each away. He turned back towards the young woman who sat across from him, staying quiet like she had been through each stage. Her icy blonde hair held back by a simple band, and lavender eyes that stared dully at the five cards that still lay on the table.“And now our game soon begins, and I will win again, like every time.”
To his amazement the doll lifted her head, staring at him with proud eyes like those years ago, her lips twisting their way up to smile a half-smile, and actually spoke.
“The memories are coming back”
And just like that she went back to being a doll, the brief moment of a soul going through a copy of its body, before going away. Leaving the male to a now silent and dark room, only to leave sweeping the cards off the table, and slamming the doors shut behind him. As the cards landed on the floor, only the split four of hearts, found their way in the doll’s hand, as dulled eyes looked down at them, and that half-smile still lay on her face.“Twins of the court, were we.”
“Twins of the Alice were they”
“Forever intertwined were they”
“Forever broken are we”
-First Alice
“Twins of the Alice were they”
“Forever intertwined were they”
“Forever broken are we”
-First Alice