Thank you for all your support up until this point. To finally answer the questions about who's with who, it'll be very clear what the pairings are, but I hope that none of you will stop reading this just because of ships.

So a little warning before today's chapter, there is a torture scene that some of you might think is too graphic (there are some intense torture scenes in Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan) and if it's too much, then I'll bump the rating to M, if not, I hope you're not that disturbed by it.

Preparations were finally finished. It was time for that man to taste the depth of pain. Oh, this was such a rare time where she was going to fully enjoy torturing someone.

"Alice, are you leaving?" the girl asked, feeling Alice's footsteps vibrate against the floor.

Alice smiled warmly. "Yes, My Queen. I won't be back for a while, so enjoy your time with Shade. I know that Shade probably has more stories for you to hear."

"Alice," she called out again.

"Yes?"

"Have a safe trip."

Alice bowed. "Of course, My Queen." After all, it's not like she can die right now. There's far too much at stake. So whatever pain comes her way, she'll just have to ignore it until the job is done.

Just how many meetings were these people going to have? While it is in the best interest for the people, shouldn't they also be focusing on restoration plans for the damage that had already been caused? Though, apparently that wasn't the most impending issue at the moment. What was more important was the matter of the Abyss. Hopefully today they would make some progress.

After all, such a 'good' omen arrived.

"The former Moon Minister has finally healed and woken up," a solider reported to the counsel of rulers as he saluted. "We are awaiting your orders, sir!"

"Do you honestly think he has any useful information? The witch didn't seem interested in picking him up after that," King King pointed out.

"He may not be useful to her any longer, but that doesn't change the fact that he has information that we can use. He's been with the Queen of the Abyss yet still maintained his duties to the Moon Kingdom. Surely, he could tell us a way of how to enter the Abyss," King Randall stated.

"True, before we banish him, it would be a waste if we didn't at least interrogate him," Queen Yamul agreed. Whatever information he had could make things run smoother, but exactly how did they plan on interrogating him?

That man could easily lie to them. He had for years and years. Or were they simply going to bribe him and ignore the crimes that he did in exchange for information? What did they possibly think? That he was simply going to hand over information?

Well, that man is just as desperate as they are to get the most of the situation.

"It's that damn woman's fault!" He wanted to throw something or punch something, but his body was still too weak to move that well. "But if the Queen was so 'all powerful', then I wouldn't have to deal with this to begin with! What a weak, useless little girl! If I could, I would've destroyed her immediately! If only I took her out earlier, I would've been the king!"

"Insulting me is one thing, but insult her and I won't let you off easily," an eerily familiar voice stated as heels clacked against the stone floor. Alice stood before walking through the bars to directly face him.

He gasped and squirmed back until he felt the stone wall behind him. "W-Why are you here?!" There was no way that he could turn this around, he knew that she never trusted him and now the Queen knows, was there any hope that he could make it out of this alive?

Her eyes narrowed. He dared ask that question?

"Let's see." She walked towards him slowly, not daring to break the eye contact between them. The former Moon Minister could only shrink and shiver in fear as she got closer. "Not only did you continue to pursue that heinous man's goal, you stole, lied, and betrayed such an innocent Queen. What does a man like you deserve?"

"P-Please…Spare—"

"Ah! I've got it," she decided cheerfully. Alice drew out her sword and quickly cut off his feet. "I'll decapitate you, then send you into the mouths of those monsters. They just love to eat up people like you!" She smiled as she heard the screams.

Next one of his arms. It's such a pain to have them on different sides of the body, really. At least, the organs are all close to each other. She heard scuffs against the stone floors as blood slowly dripped out onto the stone floor. If he dies too early, that's no fun.

"S-Stop!"

"My, this arm is quite fat." She'll have to cut deeper if she wants it off. Though why is this arm harder to get off compared to the other? Is it because this is his more dominant arm? Or was it the less dominant arm? She never bothers to remember boring details of boring people, but maybe she should start for convenience's sake.

"Please! Spare me!" This woman was beyond terrible! He thought that if the Queen of the Abyss was on his side, he'd have nothing to worry about, but this woman! This accursed woman was more vicious than he expected!

Another arm gone. He was reduced to a pitiful ball of whimpers. Why did she have to go about it so slowly? Why wouldn't she just get it over with?!

"Spare?" She sliced off the rest of his lower body. "Did anyone spare her?" Her eyes were wide as her smile grew in frustration. "You are the same as your processor. Always seeking hatred, always seeking power, yet you never realize how blessed you were."

Someone who chose this path deserves nothing more than suffering. Is this even suffering? Compared to what that person had to go through, this was the very tip of the mountain. Does he know how it feels to be stripped of everything and everyone only to enter the depths of a living hell? No, he didn't.

He didn't have to go through this. This man could have chosen a lovely, peaceful life with a family and a home. Instead, he chose this path.

It wasn't fair. But nothing is fair.

"I-I-I'm s-s-s-sorry! Please, please kill me! Do what you want, but don't send me down there!" Even evil beings realize the horrors of such a place. Death is much sweeter than eternal torture.

"I hate people like that. Those blind, blind people," she stated, reaching for his head. She grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her. She smiled brilliantly as his blood slipped into the ends of her hair. What a fearful sight! "Blind people don't deserve their eyes!" she shouted in delight as she wrenched out his eye.

She held up his eye to see it reflect off the few rays of light in this dark place. Too bad such a terrible man had such a wonderful eye color. Purple, as dark as dusk. It reminded her of the crown her majesty wore ever since she was deemed as Queen of that awful place. Such a terrible, beautiful collar that crown made.

"It hurts! JUST KILL ME ALREADY!" he pleaded as he writhed in pain.

…Oh.

He could still scream. Maybe she should've ripped out his vocal cords or half of them. There's pleasure in having the victim scream for mercy, but at some point it gets so annoying, honestly.

"This hurts?" Her voice was calm and soothing as she crushed the eye between her fingers. "That child is suffering much more than this and you say it hurts? I wonder if you'll still be able to scream if your insides burn? Then maybe you'll understand a part of what she has to go through."

Even in his empty eye socket there were tears streaming out. Or was it blood? "Please… Please, please, please—"

Alice's eyes narrowed. "Beg them for mercy." For he'll get none from her.

"I-I!" She opened a portal and allowed his decaying body to sink into the Abyss.

She had no pity for those who betrayed the Queen. The Queen is absolute. Those who betray her deserve the harshest of death. Though even this punishment isn't enough. After all, the Queen suffers more than anyone, yet no one pays attention to her screams. No one can even hear her.

Then again, no one realizes that they should care about her.

She could hear the cell gates open behind her and someone unsheathing their sword. So it begins. Those sounds from earlier really were a guard's and that guard has called upon the king to defeat the evil witch.

Her voice remained steady as she teased him. "My, my, such bloodlust." If she turned, her neck would have cut into the sword. "Tell me, why do you have such a scary look on your face, King Truth?"

Yes, he knew his face was terrible, but who could help it when he's reminded once again of that day he lost his daughter and the days where he could do nothing to stop the Abyss from corroding Mysterious Star. "You're going to answer some questions for me," he stated, not ordered. "Come quietly, or I'll do to you what you did to him." But he won't be deceived by her illusions of someone who's already gone.

"You're too kind to do that." People like him always are. They try not to hate and despise, but then what do they do when their families are being threatened? He could try the torture game, but he'll end up haunting himself again. "Besides, who would tell you the story of what happened that day if you kill me now?"

"That's why you're telling me the whole story now." Such a scary look in his eyes. Is this what happens when humans get desperate? Desperate to destroy, desperate to find answers, desperate to protect. "Guards! The anti magic cuffs!"

"Yes sir!" They quickly put on the heavy handcuffs, making it so that she couldn't move.

She chuckled as she felt the heavy stone. She examined them and knew exactly what they were. "Cuffs made from the crystal found at the bottom of the sea that borders the Jewelry Kingdom."

"Suitable for someone like you," Truth commented quietly but with a fierce glare.

"I'm honored that you would think of me," she stated as one of the guards poked her to move but she remained. "What if I don't follow you? What will you do then? You can't kill me or torture me." He's not crude enough for such things on a normal basis.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, pressing the sword closer to her throat causing a few red drips to spill out. Then again with everything that's happened at this point, he might even be happy if he killed her. Still, King Truth has morals. "You aren't immortal. Now get up or you can be dragged."

She giggled, sending chills down the guards' spines. "I suppose that's true," she admitted while rising.

"Just move you witch." He'd be a lot more convincing if he wasn't trembling in his boots.

"Yes, yes." She'll obey for now.

"Father! Why won't you let me come?" Rein demanded to know as soon as she saw him. But if she said something like that then she would just look like a kid. "I thought that you were going to trust me more when it came to things like this. I don't want to remain ignorant to the current situation."

"Rein, please," Truth pleaded with her quietly. "I promise to tell you everything afterwards, but there are just some things that I don't want you to see." If they have to resort to it. True, even a father wants to continue to be someone that their child can look up to, someone to admire, someone to strive to become.

"What don't you want me to see?"

"Rein, just know that the rulers of this planet only want what's best for our people." Do pure intentions justify all forms of action?

So in the end what is 'good' and what is 'bad'? Is the end just a way to justify the means? If we use 'evil' for 'good'? Then which is it? Or is it just a gray space that no one knows how to fill? How confusing.

"I know that, so why—?"

"I promise that I'll tell you everything later Rein. Please just go to your room." He wasn't looking at her as he requested this of her. Was, was he trembling? Was something scary going to happen?

"I understand Father. I'll go to my room." And go to her room she did, just like a perfect, obedient daughter. But perfect obedient daughters don't always get to know what they want, now do they?

Oh, she knows she shouldn't do this, but she really doesn't want to be kept in the dark anymore! So Rein pulled down a certain book, causing the bookshelf to slide across for a passage to be revealed. The passage was dusty, but she still ran towards the council room before it was too late.

She hardly ever used the passageways within the castle, but for some reason she knew about them well enough. They were like the perfect hiding places, so maybe when she was younger and played hide-and-seek with the maid she used them? She couldn't quite remember, but there were more important things than childhood memories right now.

Through the small grates, she could see everything yet not be seen herself. Ah, Lione, Mirlo, and Bright-sama were there! If they got to go, then why was her father so persistent on not letting her go? Even Milky was there. Though… in Milky's situation, she was probably the only one from the Moon Kingdom who could be there.

"Get in already," the guard commanded as he pushed Alice onto the stand. She fell onto her knees and the guard prodded at her to stand. Despite her heavy chains, she smiled.

"My, all the people who want to see me beheaded," Alice calmly greeted as she looked up at the kings and queens of the countries. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Enough pleasantries!"

"And here I thought I would get to have a decent conversation with someone. When someone's screaming then mumbling and pleading, it's so hard to understand them." Well who's fault was it that they were screaming them mumbling all while pleading for their life?

"You nasty little witch." There were probably many more not so pretty things that were running through their mind but there were young people here so they might as well show some restraint.

She smiled brightly. "Thank you very much."

But some people weren't interested in such small talk. Milky's voice rang out and even though it was quiet and low, her question was clear. "Why?"

"'Why'?" she parroted back. "Exactly what are you referring to when you ask 'why'?"

"Why did you take him away from me?"

Alice giggled lightly. "Do you even know the definition of 'take'? That person wasn't taken away."

Milky slammed her hand against the wood. "You—!"

"Princess Milky, please. You'll get caught up in her pace if you don't calm down," Queen Nina requested. Milky reclined back into a perfect sitting posture, but her expression was still filled of hate. Queen Nina looked down at Alice. "You're quite a confident talker, but I wonder what you're hiding underneath that arrogance."

"My. I don't think I'm such a complicated person."

"Then answer simply. How were you able to open a portal to the Abyss?"

"I was graced by the Queen."

Her answers were blunt, not to mention vague. But they couldn't get anything useful out of her.

"It would have been easier if the former Moon Minister was here!" Simply speaking to this girl gives them painful, throbbing headaches.

"That man had nothing to offer to you. He had no secure way of getting into the Abyss without the Queen's help. He didn't even understand what her Majesty wanted." Well, it's not like someone like him could ever hope to understand. Just think of all the people he had to crush before getting to that stage.

"Then what was the point in torturing the former Moon Minister and sending him to the Abyss?" Queen Yamul asked with the grip on her staff tightening from frustration.

"Anyone who betrays my master deserves nothing less," she answered curtly. Now thinking about it, had there been more time she really should've plunked off his fingernails and ripped out some teeth. It would have been much more painful and much more fitting for someone like him.

Finally, King Randal asked the most crucial question that deserves an answer. "What is the goal of the Queen of the Abyss?"

"I wonder~," she sang out.

"So does that mean the Queen doesn't trust you enough to tell you what she wants?" Does that mean that it's possible to lure her to their side?

"She trusts me more than you and my loyalty belongs to her." Alice smirked. "You can't bribe me. You can't torture me. You're not getting anything out of me."

"Guards," Truth called out. He was tired out this. If they can't get any useful information about the Abyss from her, he at least needs one question answered. The question that's been haunting him for years.

The guards beside Alice straightened up a little and held their weapons to her back. "On your mark, Sire," one of them dutifully responded.

What were they planning on doing? Truth gave the signal causing Rein's eyes to widen at what happened next. The guards' staffs brimmed with power and they electrocuted her! Even though Rein knows that they wanted information, wasn't this going too far?

Again, she giggled. "Is this supposed to hurt?" But even Rein could see that she was trembling as she clutched onto the stand. "I told you. You can't do anything to make me talk."

"What happened that day?" Alice didn't answer. "You know don't you?"

"I wonder; what day are you referring to? Tuesday? Or perhaps last Sunday?"

"Don't play stupid! You know very well what I'm talking about! What did you do to her?" Would it make him feel better to know? Or would it make him feel worse? Is there security or even comfort in knowing?

"Who knows~" she sang out once more.

Truth slammed his fist down. He was tired of all her hopelessly vague answers. "ANSWER SERIOUSLY!" No one dared interrupted. After all, the ones that were there either couldn't speak out because of their position or already knew what's haunting him.

She answered with a question, knowing exactly where his weakness was, "Is it your sadness or your regret that fuels your hatred? You couldn't protect her." Who was Alice talking about? Was she talking about Fine?

"Silence…" Truth muttered out.

"You couldn't do anything but hear about it."

"Be quiet."

"Do you hate me because you don't have power? Are you envious of my power?"

"Be quiet!"

"If you had power, that wouldn't have happened. If you had power, you could have destroyed the Abyss earlier and prevented that from happening."

"SHUT UP ALREADY!"

Dark blue eyes gazed into sea green. Anger glared daggers. Rein has seen her father happy, she's seen him when he's tired and sad, she's even seen him when he was upset, but this— She's never seen such anger and hatred darken the look in his eyes. What was that? Her kind father looked like a demon! His eyes were only filled with that dark hate while he nearly snarled out at her. Was this even her father?

She couldn't think and stood there, trembling in fear. Rein couldn't bear to see it and ran back, before someone could hear her shock.

"This is boring," Alice stated simply. She slammed the middle of the handcuffs to break them, then kicked the guard next to her to grab his keys. Before they realized it, she was free and running.

"Get her if it's the last thing you do!" Truth commanded fiercely as he slammed his fist down once more. Even though she was already far down the path, Rein could still hear his voice echoing throughout the halls and she couldn't stop feeling afraid.

Rein hurried as quickly as she could, practically out of breath by the time she reached her room, but she continued to move about. Occasionally, when Rein gets too nervous, she starts pacing around, hoping that her movements would take her mind off the situation, but in this case, it only made her focus on the situation even more.

Those torture methods, that anger, the hatred! Her father would never think of doing such things! He's too kind to even imagine such things!

But… He did it.

Sure, Alice is terrible beyond belief and it would better to get rid of her since she's so valuable to the Queen and honestly the smaller the Queen's forces were, the sooner they could find Shade and return him to Milky. Despite all of that, isn't it still wrong? But right now, it sounds more logical to torture for the sake of diminishing the darkness. Wasn't that a contradiction?

Nothing seems to make any sense! What should she believe? None of this would've happened if the Abyss just hadn't existed! If the Queen of the Abyss didn't exist then Alice wouldn't have done any of this and everyone would be better off!

"It has to be all her fault!" Rein concluded.

She blinked and blue eyes stared directly into hers. "Just who are you referring to?"

Rein jumped. When did she get in the room?! "What are you doing here?"

"You know, getting interrogated like that is boring. Being around people like you is much more interesting." If Rein didn't hate her, she would be amazed by her calm and grace, but it was impossible not to hate such a person. "My, what's with that look?"

Rein snarled out, "I hate you!"

With wide eyes she asked, "You hate me?"

"Of course I hate you!" How could she even be shocked?! "You're the reason that everything has become like this! You're the reason why the Abyss grew so strong! You took Shade away and destroyed the door to the Abyss in the process! How could that even be a question!"

"If you hate me, do you hate the Queen as well?"

What a foolish question!

"Of course I hate her! I hate what she's done and everything she represents! It's all her fault that you've done all these terrible things! Everyone's pain and suffering is her fault! If she didn't exist, Shade would still be here and no one would be suffering!" Rein breathed deeply. Anger takes up too much energy.

Her eyes narrowed as her smile disappeared. Is she getting serious? Rein backed a step away and held her hand close to her compact in case she needed to fight.

"Let me tell you something my dear," she said, as she stood to face Rein with a cool confidence. "Wake up already. Realize that there's more than what you know and what you assume. If you don't, your world, this world, will become trapped in a false light forever. Do you think that those in the Abyss are all turned into mindless unfeeling puppets? Do you honestly think that he was taken away from you? If you can't figure that much out, then you can't do anything, you're a useless key that can't save anyone."

"What do you know about me to say any of that? I know that the Abyss is the heart of darkness, it's the reason for everyone's sufferings and I will destroy the Abyss, if it is the last thing that I can do!" Rein declared. If she could just do that—

"Light, dark, good, evil, those things aren't so strictly defined." She did not waver as the gentle princess glared daggers. "Do you think that there are only criminals and sinners in that place?" Her question was quiet but steady without the hint of hesitation. Her eyes pierced through Rein with pity. "You are beyond wrong, you foolish child of light. That girl…"

The guards burst through the doors. "Stay away from the princess!"

"Barbarous fools. You always know when to interrupt," Alice stated as she walked to the window. "Be silent for a moment, will you?"

"We're warning you!"

"Princess, are you alright?"

"And here, I asked politely." Well, what can she expect with their current thoughts on her? "One more thing to ponder before I go. Fine." Rein's eyes widened. Why? "Do you honestly think the Abyss killed her, the first born of the Sunny Kingdom?"

The window was opened and Alice flipped backwards, disappearing from sight and leaving Rein frozen and trembling. What did she know about Fine? How did she know of Fine? Why did she know Fine? Just when she thought she understood, she ended back up in the dark again.

"Rein! Are you alright?" Bright hurried into the room and held onto her since she looked faint.

Her voice was faint as she called out his name. "Bright…"

"What's wrong? Did she hurt you? Did she say something?"

"She knew about Fine." Rein's trembling hands grabbed onto Bright's suit and whispered with fear painting her face a shade deeper than before, "She knew about my sister."