In Obscurum (1/9), an Alice in Wonderland fic
Prologue: The Revolt
“Hightopp.” There was no mistaking the disgust in her voice.
“Mirana,” he spat.
“Have you come to surrender?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at the Outlander that stood before her.
He laughed, the bitter sound resonating throughout the empty throne room. “You would like that, wouldn’t you, Mirana? To have me come to you, ending the biggest threat to your reign. You should know by now, we are not going to give up without a fight,” he said, taking a step menacingly towards her.
She snarled slightly, revealing her yellowed teeth. “Hightopp, your mutinous ways are admirable. But never forget,” she said, stepping off her throne to stand in front of him, “I am your queen.”
“Not for long.”
She eyed the broadsword that was slung haphazardly over his shoulder. “Are you going to try to assassinate me again, Hightopp? You should know by now, you cannot surprise me. I have the Oraculum. I know what you are going to do before you do it.”
“Unless it’s been replaced with a fake,” he said, pulling the sword from its sheath. He grinned wickedly at the panic on her face.
At this, Mirana took a step back. “But Absolem--”
“You should never trust any crawling creature, especially a grub such as Absolem,” he chided with a wicked grin. “All we had to do was promise him a position of power when the revolution was finished and he was quite willing to help our cause.”
Her eyes shot around the room, looking for her guards that were nowhere to be found. “Where is he now?” she demanded.
He sighed dramatically as he ran his hand over the back of her throne. “I’m afraid after he has finished his duty to the Cause, the rebellion had no use for him. But, Mally was in desperate need of a meal,” he answered as he raised his sword.
She closed her eyes as the truth of the situation weighed on her. After so long, Hightopp had finally out-maneuvered her. She allowed no scream to pass through her lips as the fatal blow came crashing towards her. She would not give him the pleasure of hearing that sound.
Her body thumped to the ground, the blood soaking her black dress. “You will be stopped,” she managed to whisper.
“By whom?” he sneered.
“She will come. She will stop you.”
“I am afraid, once again, you are wrong, Mirana. No one will be able to stop me now.” He looked down and saw her lifeless eyes staring back at him.
Finally , he thought as he looked down at his now-helpless victim.
Hightopp laughed almost manically as he cleaned off the bloodied blade with his oft-used handkerchief. Just one more stain to add to the collection, he thought as he watched the blood soak through the thin fabric. One more life sacrificed to the Cause.
It was her fault, really. If she hadn’t used them for her purposes, then none of this would have happened. Her lust for knowledge had led to her untimely death.
He looked down, watching as the blood pooled around her midnight black hair, staining the marble floor. With a sneer, he stepped over the puddle and walked out of the room.
One queen down, one more to go, he thought as the laughter bubbled up in his throat again.
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Next chapter
“Hightopp.” There was no mistaking the disgust in her voice.
“Mirana,” he spat.
“Have you come to surrender?” she asked, narrowing her eyes at the Outlander that stood before her.
He laughed, the bitter sound resonating throughout the empty throne room. “You would like that, wouldn’t you, Mirana? To have me come to you, ending the biggest threat to your reign. You should know by now, we are not going to give up without a fight,” he said, taking a step menacingly towards her.
She snarled slightly, revealing her yellowed teeth. “Hightopp, your mutinous ways are admirable. But never forget,” she said, stepping off her throne to stand in front of him, “I am your queen.”
“Not for long.”
She eyed the broadsword that was slung haphazardly over his shoulder. “Are you going to try to assassinate me again, Hightopp? You should know by now, you cannot surprise me. I have the Oraculum. I know what you are going to do before you do it.”
“Unless it’s been replaced with a fake,” he said, pulling the sword from its sheath. He grinned wickedly at the panic on her face.
At this, Mirana took a step back. “But Absolem--”
“You should never trust any crawling creature, especially a grub such as Absolem,” he chided with a wicked grin. “All we had to do was promise him a position of power when the revolution was finished and he was quite willing to help our cause.”
Her eyes shot around the room, looking for her guards that were nowhere to be found. “Where is he now?” she demanded.
He sighed dramatically as he ran his hand over the back of her throne. “I’m afraid after he has finished his duty to the Cause, the rebellion had no use for him. But, Mally was in desperate need of a meal,” he answered as he raised his sword.
She closed her eyes as the truth of the situation weighed on her. After so long, Hightopp had finally out-maneuvered her. She allowed no scream to pass through her lips as the fatal blow came crashing towards her. She would not give him the pleasure of hearing that sound.
Her body thumped to the ground, the blood soaking her black dress. “You will be stopped,” she managed to whisper.
“By whom?” he sneered.
“She will come. She will stop you.”
“I am afraid, once again, you are wrong, Mirana. No one will be able to stop me now.” He looked down and saw her lifeless eyes staring back at him.
Finally , he thought as he looked down at his now-helpless victim.
Hightopp laughed almost manically as he cleaned off the bloodied blade with his oft-used handkerchief. Just one more stain to add to the collection, he thought as he watched the blood soak through the thin fabric. One more life sacrificed to the Cause.
It was her fault, really. If she hadn’t used them for her purposes, then none of this would have happened. Her lust for knowledge had led to her untimely death.
He looked down, watching as the blood pooled around her midnight black hair, staining the marble floor. With a sneer, he stepped over the puddle and walked out of the room.
One queen down, one more to go, he thought as the laughter bubbled up in his throat again.
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Next chapter