“AAAHHHAAA!” The man screamed as his arm was shattered.

“That is what happens when you dare to touch me.” Alice said as she did a little curtsy in her cute little dress as she held onto her doll.

A hulking brute two meters tall in a top hat and trench coat stepped back out of the shadows. It had a gaunt almost skeletal face and wicked grin.

“See, my imaginary friend doesn’t like it when you try to put your filthy hands on me. Only my daddy is allowed to touch me.” Alice said as the brute crushed the man’s other arm.

“AHHHAAA! Please... please let me go. I-I’m sorry... I didn’t mean it... please...” The man sniveled and pleaded as tears ran down his face.

She had cut the man’s Achilles tendons when he tried to run. Then he tried to grab her and her imaginary friend took immediate action.

Alice looked to be 10 to 12 years old and was the picture of innocence if she wasn’t covered in the man’s blood.

She met the man along the road. He had stopped as it seemed she was traveling alone. But Alice was never truly alone. She always had her friends with her.

Shortly after he took her back to his place “to protect” her, he did what every man seemed to do. Men and some women seemed like they couldn’t resist her cuteness and always wanted to touch her.

Every time one of them did touch her it always resulted in what was before her now.

With a thought her imaginary friend flipped the man over onto his back.

Cheerfully she materialized her blade and gleefully stabbed into the man’s gut and cut him open. “Shhh. Hush now. Isn’t that what you boys say before you try to do something naughty.” Alice said as she sliced open his abdomen.

“AHHHAAA! Please... please... stop... I’ll be good... I swear! AHHHAAA” the man pleaded and then screamed again as she began to pull out his intestines.

Her imaginary friend put his hand over the man’s mouth.

“Daddy sent me here to make new friends. I like to make boys like you play with me and my other friends but my way.” Alice said and she pulled out more of the man’s intestines.

“Let’s play jump rope, it’s one of my favorite games.” Alice said cheerfully as she began to use his intestines as her jump rope.

“See isn’t this fun!” Alice said as she continued to jump rope for a few more minutes.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

The man was barely holding on to life.

“Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be joining my friends soon enough, and then we can play forever.” Alice giggled.

Alice re-summoned her blade and began to cut into his skin. The man died screaming and begged for his life.

“Now for even more fun.” Alice said as she cast one of her favorite spells.

Spell: Create Soul-Forged Minion

Description: Seize the soul of the departed and use that soul as fuel to transform the body into a completely obedient minion. Any damage these minions incur can be healed with your mana.

Soul and death magic merged to surround the corpse and lifted it off the ground. The body morphed and stretched into a slenderer form. Armor and a mask formed over the body. Glyphs began to etch themselves all over with glowing lines of green and black. Then settled back to the ground. The lines and glyphs periodically would glow and thrum with power.

The creature rose to its feet then kneeled before its new master.

Alice clapped her hands and giggled. “Goodie! More friends who will never leave. Time to use Daddy’s gift.

Ability: Soul-Space Realm

Description: Using soul and spatial magic to create and store an unlimited number of minions tied to your soul and any soulbound weapons and items.

She opened a portal in her shadow. Pointing her finger, Alice ordered her new minion into her Soul-Space Realm. “Go join the others.”

“Uhhhh.” Was all her new minion said before walking through the portal.

Alice waved her hands and the blood vanished from her hands and dress. “There, all better.”

“Come let’s go see if we can find some new friends.” Alice told her imaginary friend.

———

Alice had been traveling with her little doll for a while now. She had been following road markers to head to the next town. Not a care in the world Alice skipped along on the road.

She finally saw the outskirts of town when she was surrounded by a bunch of green creatures in muted brown and green leathers. Alice identified as goblins. “Hello.” she said cheerfully.

The goblins surrounded her pointing their spears and other weapons at her. One of the goblins spoke up. “Girl comes with us goblins. We take you to other humans.”

“Okay. Sounds fun. Maybe I’ll find more people to play with.” Alice said cheerfully.

The goblins took her to the slave pens filled with other survivors the Sleeping Willow clan found on their scouting missions. One of the goblins opened the gate and pointed for her to enter. Alice did as she was asked.

Inside the cage were five women, three were older in their fifties and the other two were mid-twenties. Alice realized she would have to pretend and possibly even put on the waterworks. She put on a mask of worry.

The three older women came over to check on her.

“Are you okay?”

“Did those nasty goblins hurt you?”

“Don’t worry we will look out for you.”

“You remind me of my granddaughter.”

“What’s your name dearie?”

Alice squeaked out. “Alice.”

“Nice to meet you, Alice. I’m Melody. You know you remind me so much of my granddaughter. Is that your doll?” Melody asked.

“Yes. He’s my imaginary friend. My daddy gave him to me to protect me and play with me.” Alice said innocently.

Melody wrapped Alice up in a hug while the other two ladies patted Alice’s back to soothe her.

Alice just let them comfort her as she inwardly cringed at their touch.

Melody spoke up as she held Alice. “Don’t worry Dearie, we won’t let those mean goblins touch you.”

‘I liked the goblins; they didn’t eye me like some others.’ Alice thought to herself as she looked at one of the other cages.

Inside the cage was a woman that hadn’t taken her eyes off since Alice entered the adjacent cage. Alice saw the woman lick her lips. ‘Maybe she will play with me later?’