The Forest Guardians

11. Black Butler Chapter 9.5

Omen's POV

Friday
It was the day of the meeting that Mike mysteriously set up without Ciel knowing. While we were waiting for Sebastian to prepare for the morning, there was a question that has been circulating around my brain that I couldn't help but asked Mike.

"There is something that I don't quite understand." I said. "If Undertaker was free from the Black Pearl's control, why did he still act like he was under Dark Shadow's control?"

"Do you not know?"

Sebastian stepped into the room as he closed the door softly. I yelped in surprise.

"Dark Shadow has already placed several of his spies in many of the Worlds. Given that the Library has fallen, he would have sent more to keep a closer eye on Undertaker. He would have to take extra precautions to hide from them."

"Then Undertaker was crafty enough to hide his cinematic record and the vial of substance." Mike commented. "So are the rest still asleep?"

Sebastian nodded his head.

"We will not be disturbed for the moment."

"Alright then." Mike shifted in his seat before he fished out a letter from his inner coat pocket. It was painted red and a symbol of a spade was stamped and sealed on it.

"That!" Sebastian exclaimed. "Isn't that one of the famed letters that contained the power to enter the Dream's Wonderland?"

"Isn't that the letter that mysteriously changed my letter for Ciel?" I eyed the letter warily. "Hold on, wait. Dream? What Dream?"

"I suppose you mean the Dream that created Wonderland." Mike looked at Sebastian for confirmation.

"Indeed, that is the Dream I am talking about. I am very sure you guys know the children's book "Alice in Wonderland" but there are rumours that Wonderland existed way before the story."

"Interesting..." Mike muttered as he leaned backwards in his chair.

"Ummm... I don't quite understand. What does this letter got to do with "Alice in Wonderland"?" I inquired.

"To put it simply, there is a story before "Alice in Wonderland". A darker and more sinister one that is called "Alice Human Sacrifices"." Sebastian elaborated.

"That title alone is already enough to give me shivers."

"The contents of the story are quite morbid, I heard but I don't know the exact contents of what it is about. In this story, "Alice" wasn't the name of the little girl who entered the Wonderland. Perhaps it was coincidental with her name but "Alice" is a name to call outsiders who stumbled into Wonderland. In fact, Alice was not the first Alice to appear in Wonderland. There were others before her as told in the story."

"What happened to them?"

"I heard they died." Mike said suddenly. "They were the representatives of different poker card symbols; spade, club, heart and diamond. Wonderland was a World too foreign and strange that it possibly drove them to their deaths."

"But those are rumours." Sebastian interjected. "There are no concrete evidence to prove them."

"Until this letter came." I stated. "Mike, how did you know there was such a letter?"

"One of my old associates, Xerxes Break said that his Organisation can lend a hand. But to get to them, we will have to go to Wonderland. He sent this and you know the rest."

"Xerxes Break from the Dark Horse Organisation?" Sebastian questioned.

"Yes."

Mike took off his spectacles to rub the bridge of his nose. His brows were terribly wrinkled at Xerxes's name. It seemed that he wasn't terribly happy to be associated with such a person.