Daniel's POV

I crossed blades with the man who I had known my whole life. I struggled with myself; with my anger, with my passion, with my cold hatred. I wouldn't fight him for myself. No, I would not kill my Brother simply for childish revenge. I would do it for the whole of Underland, for the White Queen.

With a metallic twang our weapons collided. My brother's eyes were furious and cold as he swung his arm down, aiming for my head. I blocked the blow, still struggling with myself.

She is still controlling you a smirking voice murmured inside my mind but I knew it was wrong. Perhaps the White Queen still pulled on my heart but she would not control me, she wouldn't make me die for her.

Again my brother swung his long black blade, this time he aimed for my legs. I jumped over the low swinging weapon.

"Why don't you fight me, baby brother? Hmmm? All this talk but you are nothing but a boy trying to be better then a man." He was trying to provoke me, make me lose my head in blood lust. I would not lose this fight.

So many times as children we had fought in this very courtyard. Our wooden swords would clank together again and again as our feet moved in perfect time, until inevitably he would press his toy to my throat and declare me dead. I would not die this time.

I pushed my blade past his tight defenses nicking him on his shoulder. "I will not die tonight." I growled. He looked shocked for a moment and I knew I could take advantage of his pause and end the fight now but I would not be the coward. He recovered and a new sort of rage was clear in his stance. His brown eyes were glazed over with bloodlust, and his attack was no less then an onslaught.

I blocked blow after blow, spinning and striking him over and over again. Every time my weapon stroked his skin he grew more furious.

"Stop playing with him, Ilosovic, end it now!" Ania ordered from the sidelines, and I noticed Alice stir within the circle.

"What do you think I am trying to do, woman?" my brother gritted his teeth together and I could help but laugh.

"Trying and failing." I remarked, still grinning. A particularly hard blow shook my bones, and I nearly collapsed under my brother's force.

We exchanged thrusts and parries several times more before the battle reached its fateful end.

My brother lifted his sword high into the air and with all the force he could muster brought it down but I shook the stroke off. I made to jab my sword into my brother's unprotected side when the word went black.

A muffling abyss suffocated me and I knew no more.

Alice's POV

I opened my eyes just enough to view the terrible world around me. I watched as the two men I hated battled each other. I watched as the two brothers tried to kill each other. I did not understand.

Why would Daniel fight against the man he had proclaimed would be King?

But I did not need to understand his motives to understand what happened next. As Daniel moved to kill his sibling, his only brother pushed his weapon deep within his side.

The green-eyed man fell back, falling out of the bloody weapon and onto the stone ground. He did make a single noise as he lay bleeding.

Stayne paused for a moment. I wondered what he was feeling, regret? Disgust? Sorrow? But my ponderings only lasted a moment before he turned back to me.

"She's awake." His voice was flat and emotionless. Then once again I was forced into unconsciousness.

Hatter's POV

I fast approached the looming castle. I was getting good at this whole running thing. I could feel the static of Magic in the air, and I could smell the stench of fast approaching death.

I ran faster.

Alice was somewhere before me, and so was my Fate.

Time's POV

I watched as my people stumbled through their Destinies.

Tarrant Hightopp, a man I had once tortured into insanity, ran to save the Women I had once blessed with time. His long legs stretched as he struggled to maintain his rushing pace.

I broke my gaze from his struggle and watched a different moment.

A Young woman lay within a magic circle. A dark man and women stood hand in hand, words of Magic flowed from their lips. A malicious black cloud hung over them.

Something Evil was a foot, and I could feel the chill in the air.

Hatter's POV

I could hear the chant ring through the air. Shivers ran down my spine as I neared the place where Alice lay.

"Nuair a chuaigh tríd an sruth foraoise adhmaid
Agus adh na stens ann sheas
Ar plain, tá Theith amach agus ard-
leathann an Dragon a sciatháin
maidir le cosáin i gcás ina
aon uair amháin timpeallaithe ag oíche
An Jabberwocky dwells anois
fuar cloiche, a ní amach ag am
Beidh aon duine beo agus glacfaidh sí gach bás
seasamh dúinn bás a fháil
ar na cnoic i gcás ina cuileoga an Beast
Scáthanna ag deireadh na marbh na hoíche agus léargas orthu sna spéartha
An macalla tháinig chomh fuar le bás
Tá Fada na cosáin, ar scáth a rinneadh
Níl aon ghealach ann, aon ghuth, aon fuaime
As beating croí; osna domhain
Mar a faint mar sleeper deepest's anáil
An Tír ina suí ar an Dead Feithimh,
I gcuid smaoinimh's scáth, ag aon ghealach lit
I bhfad ar shiúl thar a d'fhéadfadh an lae
Agus tá a leagan ar an talamh na marbh na lobhadh fuar mortal"

As the Dark song was sung my blood curdled. Every word was a twisted version of Magic. There was something cruel and wrong.

I had only one thought Alice is there.

They were summoning the Great Bestie and Alice was there, in danger.

I stepped through the arching gate, and prepared to battle against the evil that awaited.