Madeline and Madder Hatter
First and Second Madness Mage Incarnations
London, England
Affected RP'ers: @Awasfriend @AWA1997

Madder snorted at the name and shrugged. "Most people just call me that guy that murdered half of England but hey whatever floats your boat, mate." Madder looked at Madeline. "I know where Maddox is, Madeline. If you get ahold of yourself, we can go."

"Madder… I don't know if-"

"That's not an acceptable answer, Madeline. Think about this for a second. The only reason I have an inch of control is because I know Maiden wouldn't want me doing this. Do you think Maddox would want you doing this?"

"N-No…" Madeline squeaked out, her face pale and her eyes wide as the realization came to her. She let out a long slow sigh then smiled. "Thank you, Madder." Dismounting her horse, she put her scythe on her shoulder. Madeline looked at John. "I would suggest locating Maddie. She's going to be the most unstable of the four of us."

With that, Madder summoned a card to his hand. He pressed it between his palms and began to chant what sounded like Latin, then threw it into the air in front of them. Suddenly, a portal opened, a blurry image of Maddox in Glasgow on the other side. Maddox summoned another card to his hand, The Tower, and looked at Madeline. Without a word, the two charged into Glasgow.



Maddox Hatter
Wraith Mage
Glasgow, Scotland
Affected RP'ers: @Neo Emolga

Things were not looking up for Maddox. Just as Tyler predicted, Maddox had caught on to the fact that his casualties no longer seemed to stay dead. He thought about retreating, but discarded the thought. He still had another trick up his sleeve. Maddox flicked his wrist, summoning a pocket watch to his hand. Holding it by the chain, Maddox let the pocket watch fall open, the face towards the soldiers. It began to glow but before anything could occur, space ripped open between Maddox and the soldiers.

"Tower, please, bring me your shield!" A red barrier formed between the soldiers and the Mads. Madder threw out four more cards to strengthen the barrier, his eyes glowing the same red. "Go Madeline! I don't know how long I can hold this!" Madeline turned to face Maddox.

"Maddox Poe Alastor Hatter! You stop this nonsense right now!" Madeline shouted. Maddox stared at Madeline, startled by the sudden cease in gunfire. He watched as Madder directed two of the cards to extend the barrier to protect them from the helicopter as well. Intriguing.

"Why should I, Mother? I finally have my chance at life. I get to experience the earth beyond the underworld! I finally get to live! Don't you want that for me?"

"I do, sweetie! I do. But killing people is not a way to live. I know, Maddox. Earth and all its wonders are fantastic, but is it right to strip other people of their ability to experience it?"

"If I get to experience it, then yes!" Maddox snarled at his mother. "I have lived all my life in the underworld! I've never seen the sun before, Mother! I've never felt the wind! Everything here is so… beautiful. And they're trying to send me back to the goddamn underworld, to a father that stripped me of my ability to see this."

"Maddox Hatter! You will not speak of your father like that. We both know it is not his fault that you died. Please, Maddox, just listen to me-"

"No!" Maddox yelled, "You're just trying to strip me of life too! I thought my own mother would support my decisions but I guess not. Which means…" Maddox summoned another hook sword to his hand, the blade sparking to life with black voltage. "you have to die too."

"Madeline! Watch out!" Madder screamed as Maddox charged and stabbed Madeline straight through her chest. Madeline didn't flinch, she didn't move, she only smiled. As her blood splattered across Maddox's face, something lifted from his eyes. He gasped and released the hook sword, the weapon disintegrating as it left his touch. Maddox dismounted his horse and picked up his mother's body.

"No! No no no! Mom! Mom!" Madeline's eyes fluttered slightly and she coughed.

"Hey baby, are you back to your senses?" Tears began to trace down Maddox's face.

"Mom! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. Mom, please, don't die again." Madeline reached up and touched Maddox's cheek.

"Shh, it's okay, baby. I know you didn't mean to. I don't mind dying. Third time around, you get pretty used to the feeling. Though I can tell you're not as strong as your father just yet. Even at full force you couldn't kill me with one shot of a death volt. Your father killed me at barely half strength. But still, you're so powerful, Maddox. I'm so proud of you, though it'd be nice if you didn't kill people with those powers."

"Mom, now is not the time for jokes," Maddox said flatly as Madeline giggled.

"I'm sorry but when your mother is completely insane that kind of thing tends to happen." Madeline sucked in a shaky breath. "So how does it feel, Maddox? How does it feel to finally be alive?" Maddox lifted his head a little and closed his eyes.

"Warm," he murmured, "the sun is so warm. The wind is chilly but not horribly so. The colors are all so vibrant. The sounds are so melodical. The air is so crisp, so fresh. Everything is breathtaking. I love it." Maddox sniffled, tears still coming down his cheeks.

"I'm glad," Madeline whispered, no longer able to speak up above that volume. "Enjoy it, okay? I know I won't be here to enjoy it with you physically but, I'll be watching over you and experiencing it all with you, even if you don't want me to." Maddox chuckled and let Madeline pull his head down so she could kiss his forehead. "I love you, Maddox."

"I love you too, Mom." Madeline's head lolled back and Maddox gently closed her eyes. Then, her body slowly disappeared, merely fading from existence as her soul was sent back to the underworld.

Meanwhile, Madder was silent. He was putting all of his strength into these shields but it wasn't going to last. Maddox winced as one of the cards above Maddox caught fire, then one of the ones in front of Madder burst into flames as well. Madder stepped back, drawing closer to Maddox and condensing the shield to a ball around the two of them, barely large enough for both of them to stand in. They were trapped.