(I'm all alone again...)

As the darkness encroached her vision bits by bits, Alice heaved out a grunt while dragging her feet using the sword given by Vane. It was almost a miracle she could stay conscious, much less being sane after seeing deaths for times and times again. However, it was also her misfortune to let others becoming her shields and sending them to death no matter who or what they were for her.

The moment she tried to take another step, the sword quivered as it was not stabbed into the ground properly resulting in Alice falling down. Silence ensued, but the girl slowly got up from the muddy ground and reached for the sword. Standing up and walking away as if uncaring about her ragged appearance.

(...Why...?)

A question resounded in her mind. Alice thought of it strange, but now she was sure that her fate would not end here. It was always like this whenever she desired to live strongly.

Monsters would not attack her, humans would choose to keep her alive, and Voyagers would even sacrifice their lives just for her to escape. Alice doubted it had anything to do with her being a Cursed Child rejected by the Heaven, but she knew she was being guided by someone or something.

Even though she knew nothing about the way, she instinctively headed to a direction. Even though she could not see anything, something was as if pushing her back to move. Even though she did not wish for it, Alice took another step forward.

(I... want to live... I want to live...... but...)

Why? Why is this weak me still alive? Why am I being granted with a chance to live?

There was nobody at her side to answer her question. There was no one remaining but her. A lowlife who had survived thanked to her cowardice while those with noble hearts were killed without mercy.

While she survived, the girl had no doubt that the world was evil for letting the innocent to be massacred while the sinners such as her continued to live. Hogging all of their chances to see a brighter future.

(......then... Why... Why do I want to live...?)

Alice craved for freedom, yes, but she saw nothing beyond it. If living meant she must abandon those who could care for people like her, isn't it better to die so that they could live? The girl gazed at the forest canopy shrouded with eternal darkness once she stopped moving.

Her eyes saw nothing but darkness. The abyss was right around her and she could not remove her gaze from watching it. The thought of committing suicide crossed her mind yet...

"...I don't... want to... Why...? Why..?"

Losing strength in her grips over the sword, Alice fell down to her knees. As the dark eyes glimmered faintly from the reflection within the blade of the sword, the girl squeezed the hilt tighter than ever.

"Why....! Why...!! Even living like this... won't give me what I want... So why!?"

Alice could feel her heart bursting like a broken dam. Overflowing emotions created pain which was attacking her head and she groaned while trying to cling to the last fragment of her sanity.

I don't want to die. I want to be free. I don't want to die. But living like this is wrong. I don't want to die. This is wrong... I don't want to die! Then why am I running!? I don't want to die...!! Stop it! Just release me from all this pain!!

"Agh...! Nnngh...! Aaaah!!" Alice screamed, and drawing the sword with a reversed grip. Then she aimed the sharp blade to her chest where her heart resided in and--

"Ah...! Ghh!! Hah...! Hah!!"

Just a little more, and the girl would have herself be freed from her maddening despair. Her heart beating faster and faster, she sensed her blood circulating and boiling as her body trembled out of fear to resist her attempt in killing herself.

However—

"Oh, there's a woman! How lucky I am to find one still alive!!"

At once, Alice turned and exasperated upon seeing someone clad in light armors over a black-blue uniform.

"Hm? Are you in the middle of something? Would you like some help?"

At that sentence, Alice could feel freezing coldness running down her back. At once, the girl turned to the Knight and readied the sword. Suicide was no longer in her mind and the instinct to self-preserve controlled her body.

(...what... Why...)

Alice wondered, but one she laid her gaze at the man who was heaving his shoulders up and down, the man soon burst out a laughter which threatened to erode her sanity just by hearing it.

"Hah ha ha! A mere slave like you dare to go up against a knight such as me?" He said. Then he brandished his sword, "You need to know your place, you little bitch."

A battle was unavoidable. As the Knight ran to Alice, the girl seemed to catch only a blurry image which weaved through the distance between them. Alice immediately raised her sword above her chest and the blade met another blade.

"A...kh...!"

Pain shook her body. The numbing sensation froze her to stay on the spot Nd be glared by a violating gaze from the man before her.

"Heh? You can take a hit huh? Then how about this!"

*BANG!* —Alice's vision shook with her body blown away for some feet. Her arms trembled and the sword in her left hand was shaking after defending against the full power slash.

However, as if something inside her flipped over, Alice planted her feet firmly on the ground. The girl bit her lips upon worsening her sprained ankle and yet she held her sword with definite determination.

"Still able to fight? You really should know your place!"

Once, the Knight swung down his sword diagonally. It was quickly met with Alice's sword though there was next to no resistance as the man overpowered her within a moment. Being forced to take a step back, Alice raised her sword again.

(...Why... am I fighting...?)

Metal sang profoundly. Deep within the dark forest, orange sparks danced while Alice defended herself from the attacks of the Knight with difficulties. Her breathing became ragged and her vision blurred every time the girl swung the sword which was way longer and heavier than her wounded arms could handle.

However, Alice did not stop to prevent him from hurting her. The girl's gaze was focused on the sword and the hand which was moving like a drunkard and she observed her enemy closely.

His behavior: arrogant and careless.

His action: reckless and wasteful.

His sword: flowing with simplicity.

The swords collided for a number of times. Though Alice was being pushed back, her timing to defend herself from the knight's attack became more precise and quick. His smile started to wane as if he had noticed it too.

However, Alice could not see any change in his behavior so she believed him to cast off the doubts away. Certain that this moment is the chance for her to act but for what?

To defeat him? To kill him because he intended to hurt me? Why? For what reason?

The girl asked herself. She knew that winning would not grant her anything other than some sense of achievement. The girl knew that it would not bring back the dead nor would it be able to help her escaping from this forest.

(Then why am I fighting? Why can't I wait for my demise to arrive?)

The sword she wielded never faltered. Her strong rejection against death played her body to protect her life from being extinguished. Guided by numerous battles and pains she had experienced, Alice moved and honed her skills in fighting further.

Yet what was her resolve? What did she want by fighting?

As the blades collided, shrieking noises appeared with sparks which vanished into emptiness. Alice grounded her teeth and as she held the hilt of the sword tightly, a voice told her.

"You are a human."

*BANG!* —Alice deflected the sword. Her dark eyes witnessed her opponent agape in surprise. Next, the girl swung her sword which was dodged frantically.

"You have the right to live."

As the Knight touched his cheek, his expression twisted and he realized he was wounded. With anger, the man yelled as he rushed to Alice.

"You filthy whooooorrreee!"

The girl received his attack in succession. Not only once but twice, thrice and so on. She noticed his erratic breathing interval, illogical swings of his sword and the clear recklessness fueled by wounded pride.

"You have the right to fight."

*BANG!* --suddenly the Knight swung his sword mightily and it caused Alice to be thrown off from the ground.

Alice's eyes widened as the man raised his sword above his head. With one mighty swing and how Alice was floating in midair, she was certain Death would end her.

"If you really want to be free, then do it. Kill me."

Light emerged in Alice's eyes. The girl moved her right hand which was supposed to be unusable to hold the hilt of her sword along with her left hand. Blood trailed, fatigue was suppressed by biting her lips as she swung the sword from below.

The two weapons were about to collide. Wind coiling around the blades and they never hesitated to fulfill their wielders' wishes. As the blades contacted each other... Alice released her sword and stepped to the right which allowed her not to be hit by the sword.

The girl saw her reflection displayed in the eyes of the Knight. Bewilderment. Confusion. And most of all, surprise for her who discarded her weapon so easily.

And yet, the Knight must have never anticipated this outcome. He must have not realized his foolish deeds by letting himself consumed in anger. After all...

Alice needed no tool to kill her enemy.

The girl leaped to her enemy as he destroyed the sword she was holding for an instance earlier. She raised her left hand, readying her fingers and aimed them at the only thing which was vulnerable to anyone be it mortals or immortals at blinding speed.

The sounds of raspy gurgling echoed. Rippling and ejecting crimson fluid around, the fingers pierced the retinas and tearing apart the enemy's eyes mercilessly.

The man screamed a voiceless scream a moment later. His grip over his sword loosened and Alice did not even let the chance to kick the arms. Resulting in the weapon to fall off from the knight's grasp as the girl pulled out her fingers from the bloody sockets.

*CLANK* —the sword made a profound sound as it struck the ground. Alice descended and bent down to pick the sword up before evading the erratic swings of Brown's limbs.

"Gah...! Gaaaaaaa! My eyes...!! How... dare you...!! How dare you!!"

Alice scoffed as she circled around the knight and slashed at his back.

*CLANG!* —the blade and the light armor resisted each other. Numbness crawled over her hand but Alice knew that light armor made of leather and thin plate of iron would not last against a sword strike.

However, Alice also realized that her chance was slipping off her hands. With the desire to kill Brown, the girl pulled her sword in before thrusting it forward quicker than before.

Crimson bathed her body. Spray of blood covering her sight as the sensation of shredding the skin, the muscles and the flesh ran through her fragile hands. Scent of rust permeated in the air but Alice held back the urge to vomit as the light within her eyes shone brighter than ever.

(Kill him...!!)

The girl roared and stabbed the sword deeper into the man's unguarded back where his light armor could not cover. There were chaotic screams, gushing blood and gurgling noise as the blade went deeper into her enemy's body. But a hand was not enough to finish her job, therefore...!

"Ghak..! Sto...!!"

Alice raised her right hand to hold the hilt of the sword. Letting loose a roar, she kicked the ground and exerted all of her strength to slam her enemy to a tree bark.

It mattered not even if her right arm was destroyed. It didn't matter even if she had to sever it. As long as she could kill the man who was trying to obstruct her path...

It was more than enough!!

"Aaaaaaaah!!"

With a final strike—the blade of the sword pierced through the knight's stomach and rooted deep into the tree. Warm liquid embraced her arms as she witnessed the man's twitching body before it went limp after a while. Once she confirmed his death, Alice retreated a few steps back and exhaled.

"I... did it..."

"Did what? Killing a pest?"

Suddenly, silver blade emerged from Alice's left shoulder along with sprays of blood. Her balance broken and she was slammed down to the ground. The moment searing heat was registered in her mind, her lips voiced out a deafening scream upon witnessing the sword which was pulled out from her shoulder in an extremely rough manner.

"Haha, it hurts huh? Well, I must say you are talented but I don't have any interest in letting women do other job other than being a plaything."

Alice's eyes shook when she heard the deep voice. She could not forget it so easily and she knew nothing about why he was there. Chills ran down her spine and she felt powerless as the girl had her arms pinned strongly.

Fear enraptured her mind, and the laughter which followed sealed her doubts. A truth prevailed as the girl frightfully stared at the man who showered her with a savage smile befitting a hunter.

"How delightful. It is indeed a wonderful day to see you again, Little Slave."

It was Brown, the Knight Captain who always accompanied the Duke--Alice's previous Master. And he caught the girl as easily as taking a doll from a child.

The man grinned while turning Alice to face him. On top of her, Brown was like a beast as he breathed out a foul breath.

"Why... you...! Let... me go...!!"

"Why should I? You're going to die anyway so why don't we have a little fun anyway?"

Little fun. Alice shuddered and overwhelming terror brought up a past memory. The scene she saw in that dark prison. The scene she saw when the man violated another slave heartily as if savoring rare delicacy with vile hands. It shook the girls core as she struggled to be freed from Brown's grasp.

"It's futile to resist," the man said.

Hitting the open wound at the left shoulder which was hurting, Alice responded with a wordless scream. Brown snickered in delight and he licked his the corner of his lips.

"That's right...! Scream more! This is why breaking women like you is extremely gratifying!!"

A punch flew and struck Alice's abdomen. Followed by another hit at the right arm and the other parts which were wounded, the Knight Captain mercilessly tortured Alice with a wide, crescent shaped lips under his nose.

"Agh...! Ugh...! Ah... Aah...! Gaa... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"

The girl screamed and cried. However, desires had already blinded his eyes as his ears heard the screams which were like music. Again and again and again and again until the girl's mind eroded and started to respond dully.

"Oh, I'm not done yet. It's only the start of the fun so..."

The sound of ripping appeared. Alice witnessed her clothes being tore over and she paled as a conclusion came to her mind. However, she no longer had any strength to move her. She was powerless.

Brown laughed upon seeing her skins. The man whistled and he bent down his head, licking Alice's neck which sent frightening shiver down to the marrow of her bones.

"Let's see how much you can endure the next entertainment, Little Slave..."

Hearing his words, fear enraptured along with despair. Alice saw no hope in this situation and she could not find anything or anyone to help her. The silence which ensued. The hand which was sending terror and fear to her crumbling mind.

Everything went wrong. Everything was wasted. The world the girl saw began to grow darker and darker as tears wet her cheeks...

"—get off her, scoundrel."

Suddenly, the scenery was burned with red as bolts of flare flew toward Brown. The Knight Captain quickly evaded thanked to his experiences but he scowled knowing there was an intruder.

As two pair of eyes witnessed a figure of a man who was clad with tattered crimson clothes, a frail whimper leaked out from Alice's lips.

"......Yuu...ya..."

The scent of rust traveled the air. The miasma was burned as two golden eyes glared coldly at Brown, then the person walked and stood in front of the girl.

"Don't touch Alice with your filthy hands. She belongs to me, incompetent bandit.”