There was once a nightmare who roamed around Wonderland. Who dreamed it was unknown, but to every place the nightmare went, there was darkness and destruction in its path. It crept into the minds of the weak and vulnerable, searching for a host; but there were none who lasted. There were those who had managed to resist for some time, but eventually, they were overcome by the evil within their own hearts. The nightmare wandered from city to city, taking over person after person, yet there was no satisfaction for the hunger it had. Until, when chance came, it encountered a strong-willed woman draped in red. Her azure eyes met with the nightmare’s and he was intrigued. She was filled with determination and something more. The nightmare saw within the Woman in Red a greater amount of evil than it saw in other mortals. She had traveled the lands in search of the nightmare to end its reign of terror and begin her own. She wielded a large sword and courageously lifted it against the nightmare, challenging it to a duel. It accepted graciously, easily exciting itself over the possibility of having this woman as its new host. They fought for days, the nightmare taking over a new host each time. But soon, the Woman in Red failed and the nightmare overcame her. Her crystal gaze became tainted by the darkness of her soul and her blade was stained with the nightmare’s cruelty. Together they painted the snow a deep crimson and danced across a path of bones. This nightmare raised her sword against any who dared to obstruct her wrath and soon, she was destroyed by her own evil.

Now, without a host, the nightmare began to wander the lands once more. Just the same as before, it left destruction in its path. There was no other like the Woman in Red, she had resisted longer than most mortals and served the nightmare well. But she was too strong and overpowered the nightmare herself, a feat unachieved by her predecessors. Here and there, the nightmare would take up a host to fuel itself for some time and each time he would cast them aside in disgust.

“Is there no other better than she? That cursed Woman in Red!” it would often wonder out loud. Surely, it thought, surely there was at least one other the same as the woman. Perhaps even better than she, it hoped. There was no time to waste in finding another, for the nightmare was growing weak. It craved the chaos, the terror, the havoc. There were days when the nightmare itself would dream of a scarlet world filled with agonizing screams and panic. On one such day, there came a man covered from head to toe in blue. There were roses pinned to his breast pocket, the stems concealed beneath the fabric. As he passed the nightmare, he tipped his hat in its direction and whistled a docile tune. Fascinated by this man’s coolness, the nightmare followed him as he journeyed throughout Wonderland. Everywhere the Man in Blue visited, people welcomed him into their homes, for he was loved by all.

“Him,” said the nightmare. “He will make a fine host for me.” True to its word, the nightmare came in to overtake the man. It expected a fight, and a good one at that, but to its surprise, the man had been waiting.

“I knew you’d come,” he said, his voice smooth and composed. “I’d hoped that you followed me on my journey, for you see, I believe I am a worthy candidate for your purpose. I knew that Woman in Red. We once had a sparring before she found you. I witnessed your power first-hand.” The nightmare recognized this man’s darkness, not much effort would be needed to overtake him. His soul was at the halfway point between good and evil. “I think it will be interesting, don’t you? The mess we could create in this world.” The man began to laugh, slowly at first, but it gradually became a crazed chortle. Seeing this as all the encouragement it needed, the nightmare took over the Man in Blue. It used his voice to lure in the prey, and they all went happily to him, gleefully singing the man’s fanatical ballad as they entered their graves. Just as a rose conceals its thorns, the man’s nature wasn’t shown until the final moment. The Man in Blue’s reign lasted longer than that of the Woman in Red and he dutifully served the nightmare’s purpose, until one day he grew tired with the nightmare and its turmoil.

“I no longer share your dream,” he told the nightmare. “I wish to be set free and live the rest of my life in peace.” Without another word, the man pulled the nightmare from within him and continued down the path. He had not forgotten the invincibility the nightmare provided for him and as he sauntered down the dirt road, a bounty hunter shot the man mid-song, the bullet lodging itself between his blue eyes. As the nightmare came to look over the man, he noticed the maniacal smile on his face.

“He had planned it all along.” The nightmare concluded.

The third host was no trouble at all. She was a young woman, a queen to be exact. The subjects of her small kingdom adored her and she loved them all dearly. She held power over everything in the land, and wished to rule it for all eternity. The nightmare recognized her lust for power and immediately took an interest in her. He saw through her the fulfillment of his dream and overtook her mind with ease. She ordered the gates be sealed; no way in, no way out. An invitation was sent out daily, to join the queen in her throne room. No one foresaw the massacre, no one suspected their beloved young queen to be anything but caring. Together, the nightmare and the girl tinted the green lands red and brought distortion to the minds of her subjects. As a reminder of her subordinates, the queen decorated her throne with the hearts of those she had won over and often turned to them for comfort. The girl would never wake from the nightmare, and as she rid her kingdom of subjects, she welcomed a new set of citizens who wished to be included in the wealth of her small kingdom. Again and again she would empty her lands only to refill them almost immediately. The nightmare saw his dream fulfilled and the girl was left to wander through Wonderland forever.