~Alice Of Spade: The Mobian Warrior With The Sword~
In the massive forest of Wonderland, footsteps slowly sounded as a young black and red quilled hedgehog approached the forest, in wielding his sword, he was fully silent in remembering the past of his life, seeing a huge war attack in his home village, losing all the friends he cared about during an unexpected war in his kingdom, especially a young villager girl named Maria he befriended since childhood. As he continued to walk forward, he held his sword tight.
???: Those horrid people, they have taken away all that I have loved. I will never forgive them, or anyone who comes near my path. For my falling kingdom and its people, I promise them...revenge. (soon looks at his sword blade) For you, Maria, I will make them all pay as I hunt them down and punish them for good...with execution in hand.
He continued to walk for some time in the forest but soon, he started to hear voices in the distance, voices which sounded different but familiar. The hedgehog began to follow the voices in caution and silence. Within 10 minutes, he saw a sort of clearing and saw the very same enemies who attacked his kingdom. The hedgehog soon began to glare in anger and have him hide behind the trees, eavesdropping on the enemy's conversation as they were having a camp set up. And what he heard was something to make his blood boil in anger.
Bandit 1: Those people shouldn't ever dare to cross our path.
Bandit 2: Yes, they were all nothing but weaklings and fraidy cats as they panicked. Especially the one who begged to have the village spared along with its people.
Bandit 3: Yeah, the light blonde woman was a very good target to make many pay the price when we beheaded her after shooting her multiple times. Yet she still had the nerve to survive.
Bandit's 4 and 5: Yeah
Bandit 6: Well now, our job is done, and by morning, we're gonna run amuck in more towns to enjoy our killing spree.
All Bandits: (raising their glasses of beer) Yeah!
The hedgehog's eyes were shot in shock, overhearing the enemies enjoy fighting kingdoms and villagers to kill for their entertainment while earning lots of money for their selfish games. They also wanted to keep doing it more and more each morning that came to pass, but as the hedgehog listened more, his fist clutched tight and then felt his anger build. This was the last straw, and there is no way these horrible people will get away with it. The hedgehog knew that he needed to find the right time to kill every single one of these horrible people. He gets his sword ready to kill. All the bandits were letting their guard down and then fell asleep within hours that passed. The hedgehog attacked within the silence of the night, slicing, chopping and killing all the enemies in the camp one by one, spreading blood all over the ground and trees. Hours passed and soon...the hedgehog walked forward on a path all drenched in blood, and leaving a trail of blood.
???: I've completed my revenge, but if any more dare to show themselves. I shall kill them too if they're connected to my enemies. And they will forever know me as Shadow, the swordsman of execution.
The hedgehog now named Shadow puts his blood-soaked sword away and begins to wash off the blood from his clothes and cape at a nearby riverbank. He knew that he would be the one to punish all evil who dared to kill the innocent and the weakened who needed his help. So for the rest of his days and night's, he began to slaughter and kill enemies that came in every different part of the forests, however, to spear travelers and families for protection. However, Shadow also had a very high judge of character, sensing that even if some were corrupted by such madness, Shadow would then have no choice but to execute them too. Little did Shadow know, he was about to meet his match. Two months passed, and since Shadow was able to kill many unholy mankind, covering all of the forest paths and parts of the grounds and trees were drenched in fresh blood. Shadow was doing self-training and focusing on his duty to execute enemies that came into the forest. As he sword practiced on trees, he was focused on preparing for incoming attacks in case of someone or something to come. Shadow later came to finish his training, but the moment he ended, he began to sense something odd...as if, something or someone was in watching him from hiding.
Shadow: Who's there? Come out, I do not enjoy games of such foolishness.
Shadow then felt anger and he drew his sword. Parts of his sword were drenched in dry and partly fresh blood. But Shadow began to hold his blade with two hands. His eyes began to scan all his surroundings and in silently listened. He had heard nothing, but in several minutes...something slowly began to approach. Shadow didn't know of this, but in that, who he saw was a mist-shadowy figure formed like him, however...it seemed like a reaper of its presence of death.
Shadow: What in all the kingdom are you? Where did you come from?
The being didn't speak as it stared at Shadow with a calm glance. It was silent, but Shadow could also notice a marking over its left eye, which formed of a red spade. Shadow seemed to feel unsure to trust this unwelcomed visitor.
Shadow: You have come within the forest to end up meeting your death and punishment. You should've turned back and returned to where you came from when you had the chance. I will never let my guard down (holds his sword tight, ready to attack)
???: ....Chosen....
Shadow: W-What? What did you say?! (still on his guard)
With nothing to say, the being charged with its sword in hand and attacked, but Shadow blocked the attack with his sword and struck back at this unknown being. But it fazed through it. This made Shadow angered by what he just saw and attacked the being no matter where it vanished to, even to block its attack. But then, they both soon entered a dark bush-like cave and in the moment Shadow and the being pinned each other to the rocky wall...something like chains and steel bars were suddenly heard. Shadow jolted in shock as he saw himself about to be imprisoned in this forming prison cage. The being soon fades and escapes out of the cage, repeating its sentence...but then to speak more.
???: ...Chosen for the spade, Alice...
Shadow: Alice? Excuse me? My name is Shadow! What are saying, what are you speaking about? Let me out of this prison! Who are you?
Soon the being began to reveal itself and to then soon answer Shadow's questions
???: I... was Alice of Spades, a powerful assassin to helped save souls. But the madness consumed me, taking my life to trap me inside this very cage you now stand, and now I found my new replacement...you.
Shadow: Replacement?! What do you mean? This is such madness!
???: No madness, but a pledge to your role as the new Alice...even if it was to pay the price.
Shadow: (shocked in silence in few moments) I do know and understand, how in the world have you become this Alice of Spade and how did you become like this?
The beings soon sitting beside the prison began to share their story as they remembered what happened to them before their tragic result.
???: In my previous life, I, too, was angered by things as I was forced in calm matter to execute all within my path. In short terms, my last life was here to come in paying for my sins of murder, trapped in the cage of guilt...for my actions you are doing
Shadow: The actions? How could that connect with you and me?
The being began to form into a human version of Shadow, seeming to have the scars on their body but also the spade mark over the left eye. But what also made Shadow in shock was the being's old wounds as he was stabbed and cut in places, along with part of his neck in rope marks, it gladly told more about its story to explain it clearly for Shadow.
???: We are death... spades is death
Shadow: (felt shocked at this) Is...is there a way to avoid fate and repent the sins we committed? I was so angry at the loss of all my friends, family, the kingdom we lived in and...my childhood friend, Maria. The enemies who attacked my home were all killed and in hell, as it was my revenge for all I lost.
The Alice of Spade turned to Shadow, seeming to understand his past and concerning pain. He then slowly reaches his hand to Shadow, seeming to want to keep him company and have them to be free from the pain they caused.
???: Yes, there is a way, rumors of the True Alice will come to Wonderland if they're to be pure and innocent. Aiding those who are trapped like us, and freeing us from our curse. Shadow the hedgehog, swordsman of Wonderland, if you accept to be Alice you'll be free of the pain we both suffer each.
Shadow: And what will happen to us both?
The Alice of Spade soon thought of the question, seeming to understand the situation. Soon, holding Shadow's hand, the Alice of Spade began to bond with Shadow as one answer for them both became clear: The True Alice will come to save all, trapped within Wonderland...be patient and wait for them to come."
Shadow felt a jolt of pain at first as the two bonded, this was nothing that Shadow had ever felt or experienced before in his living life. After giving a loud painful scream, Shadow slowly became the new Alice of Spade, and the spade formed onto his sword's handle. The young hedgehog fell and passed out after the bonding was finished. As hours passed, Shadow slowly opened his eyes, his eyes gleamed in a shine before the prison door opened for him.
Shadow, the Alice of Spade: This is a very new start for me, and painful at first glance. However, with this price to pay, I shall await for this True Alice to come at all costs. But for now... It shall be time, for a new start of life for us both. Time to begin hunting for food first.
Shadow then drew his sword out, and before glancing at his reflection, a small smile formed as he knew this new spree to kill...would become fun and vengeful for him. Now, it was time for him to begin the hunt of his life, and to end unholy life possessing the human souls. As Shadow walks out of his cage to return every morning to rest after his hunts at night, he doesn't sense a person watching him, and within moments, a little girl's voice echoes, singing a song, seeming to be part of Shadow's new life as Alice of Spade.
???: The first Alice walked into the woods of Wonderland.
Bravely with a fearsome sword held tightly within his hand.
Slicing all whatever lay in his unyielding wrath.
Leaving chaos in their wake by a red bloody path.
Then Alice stray too far, lost within the woods.
In the end due to all his sins, locking him away for good.
Much like the blood some path that marked in his ways, still, his life remains a mystery to this very day.
The child then smiles and fades away, leaving the doors with the Spade mark before the cave's entrance, seeming to allow her to visit the area to see Shadow's progress. Leaving her also to search for the next Alice...the one known as the Alice of Diamond.
{Next Time In Alice of Diamond...}