Alice stepped carefully into the pool of dark liquid, letting it envelope her. Here, in her castle, she was safe from the fires and pillaging that raged outside. Should rioters dare to target her, they would only encounter the beast, anyway, and become a few more souls sacrificed for the sake of her plan. As the liquid enveloped her face, Alice drew in a tentative breath. She was as surprised as ever to find she could breath.

She was no longer underwater, but floating in a vast darkness of air. Strange spheres hovered in the distance, a mix of colors and sizes. Pricks of light dotted the distance as well, nearly identical to stars in the night sky. This place was becoming almost familiar to her. Before her towered the Great Master.

"My most humble greetings, Great One." Alice smiled at the monster towering before her. He was large. So large, in fact, that she could not see his face, assuming he had one. He was a dark mass of arms and eyes, as well as other appendages that did not resemble anything Alice had seen before. The Great Master was largely incomprehensible, and Alice did not try to comprehend.

"Greetings," his voice seemed to boom all around her, filling the empty space around her in places that weren't there. His presence still sent stabs of fear through her, despite the extended nature of their partnership.

"I have done it. I've burned the world." She took a shuddering breath. "Fear, pain, misery, death... I offer this to you, my Lord." Alice thought of the suffering she had caused, and felt nothing. Strange, how she could lose her soul without ever trading it away. All she hoped was that it would satisfy him. Perhaps, then, she could build something from the ashes.

"Yes," his voice thundered. "I feel them."

Alice had never had a strong grasp on theology, but when she first met the Great Master, she was certain that he was the devil. But he didn't know that name, and, if he was satan, where was God? Alice had learned over the years that the Great Master was the only God humanity had. If there was a good God, surely he would have saved his subjects from her by now.

"Are you... satisfied, Great One?" The Great Master laughed. It echoed in Alice's mind, cutting at her internally. No matter how much mortal power he granted her, she would always feel minescule in his presence.

"I do not know satisfaction. My hunger is eternal." A cold feeling of dread settled over Alice. This was not what she had hoped for.

"You will not be... leaving us, then?" He laughed again, the sound piercing her very being. She looked up at him, hopelessly searching for his face.

"Do you forget our contract, usurper?" Alice brought a hand to her head. Conversation with the Great Master became too much for her quickly. She wished she could claw the voice out of her head.

"No, my Lord," she gritted out.

"I could eat your realm," he thundered. "Every soul, every misery. But I do not."

"You are... very generous, oh Great One." She clutched at her head. She would need to leave soon, and go back out there. Back to what she had done.

"Because you remain. Because you produce," his voice boomed. "I allow your subsistence."

"Yes, my Lord."

"To suffer is your duty. You live because you extend my empire."

"Yes!" She screamed. The pain in her head was becoming unbearable. So many had died for this. For what?

"You will get your reward. And the suffering will go on. Life will persist to bring me death. Do you understand, usurper?"

"Yes! Yes, thank you!" She would have fallen to her knees were it not for the fact she was floating. She would say anything he wanted to hear. Do anything he wanted.

"Return. Do my bidding. Raise my son. Claim your reward."

"Thank you," Alice said quietly. "Thank you."

She returned.