Welcome my fellow Underlandians!
I swear to you I am done making changes to this story…I keep getting better and better ideas on how to write it. I will make episodes long if need be. A lot of detail too, and pay attention to detail! I may throw a "hint hint" somewhere.
Greetings! Welcome to my first Alice in Wonderland FanFiction! Tim Burton all around! The characters in this story will be based all on Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland 2010, Through the Looking Glass 2016 movies. I will also be putting some OC's in my story as well but, are just to fill in the gaps and story lines. Alice and Tarrant will be my main characters. By the way, I do not own any of the Disney's characters nor do I take anything from Tim Burton! Everything here is owned by the rightful owners. I just like to write alternate stories about them. And I also enjoy writing, as you can tell.
This Episode is dedicated to all fathers out there and mothers that are also playing the father role of life, for Father's day. I, sadly, lost my father this past march. He was a veteran and is buried in a veteran's cemetery. I fully support our veterans and always will. They have my up most respect. I hold doors open for them with pride! My father was also a gunsmith and loved his work with a passion till his dying day. I also support having firearms but I don't care to use them. I prefer archery and sword smithing. RIP Dad. You will be sorely missed but never forgotten. This episode is for you! Love you bunches! Never lose your fathers, for you never know when their last day on this earth will be.
I hope everyone will enjoy the first episode of Season 1: The White Knight of Underland! No reviews yet on here. Hope to hear how I am doing soon. It gives me drive to write more and faster. The more reviews, the faster episodes will come. Remember I do make most of this stuff up as I go. If you have any questions or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact me. I love to hear from everyone!
Having this story in Season and episode form, it has made writing it so much easier and more interesting. I'm putting a little medieval twist into it and it has been working out nicely. Since there are castles and such and of course it's in the movies, I figured to bring a little in. I also love that time period so, win-win. I'm also going to make it more on the lines of Lord of the Rings adventure like style. Hope I can do my best in making it an adventure everyone will like!
Please Read and Review my story! I will update as best as I can on here. I'm rusty! I haven't written anything for a very long time and I am sure to get better as I go on. Grammar is also appreciated if you see anything that could need a touch up!
Ok I'm done talking. Please read and Review! It helps out a lot!
Sit back, relax, and join for the next exciting episode of The White Knight of Underland!
Fairfarren All!
AIW FanFiction Season 1: The White Knight of Underland
Episode 1: Secrets and Truths
Time: Autumn afternoon, 2 years after Through the Looking Glass
Place: Kingsleigh Estate in London
Alice sat under an oak tree, in her family's garden, leaning back and enjoying the last warm autumn day of the year. In the peaceful quietness of the garden, her eyes were closed, lost within her mind. The sun peaked through the tree's shade and danced on her cheek. Deep inside, something was missing in the warmth of the sun that day. She was feeling the urge to explore and take another daring adventure someplace new, but it wasn't in a place of the Upper land she was thinking to seek out.
Alice was missing her dear friends, even more now than before. The White Queen, Thackery, Mallyumpkin , Bayard, and the others, but only one was on her mind almost all the time. She left that person back at Time's castle at the end of her third journey, through the Looking Glass, two years ago. She had cared and missed this person the most. She missed their smile, their laugh, the madness and their ever loving personality. None if it could satisfy her thoughts that day. Underland had been on her mind for days, maybe weeks, even months. She came to think maybe it has been a year. She couldn't remember. Time decided to grant her this moment of memories. She thanked him for that.
There still was no end to the thought lurking in the back of her mind of all her adventures in Underland she had in the past. It has been two, long years since she left through the Looking Glass. Thinking of that one moment, that last moment, when she stood for the last time, in front of him. The one she couldn't stop thinking about, his name was, Tarrant Hightopp.
Back in times castle, when time was reset back to its original brilliance, everyone rejoiced for Alice did the impossible once more. She saved the Hightopps from the Red Queen, and saved Hatter from a fate that was not his.
Tarrant, "Hatter", Hightopp ran up to Alice, and hugged her with rejoice to his family's safety and love once more in his life. So excited to finally spend time with his long time friend and savior, Tarrant couldn't help but to ask Alice once more to stay in his own little way.
"Alice you must come and meet my family. We can have so much fun together." Tarrant said as he took Alice's hand in his. THE Alice who did the impossible thing of bringing the Hightopp family back Tarrant, and saving him from Fate herself.
Alice smiled then noticed the Looking Glass's surface was swirling in indication it was time to go. Tarrant also saw that dreadful sign that HIS Alice was going to leave him once again. His Alice was leaving his side all over again. Not once did he tell her the truth. Not once did he say it. He wanted to tell her more than anything. He just couldn't come to grips of telling her. He would go mad to the fullest if he told her and she would never come back to Underland, if the truth was told.
Alice didn't want to go back. She wanted to stay and meet all the Hightopps and have more grand adventures, but Underland had other plans for her. Underland had its weird way of knowing when it was the right time for Alice to return.
"Oh, but of course, you have a family of your own." Tarrant said as he looked away from the mirror. His heart was now breaking into thousands of pieces. "Important thing Family, you know." Tarrant was losing his very reason to go on. He needed something to remember about her. He took a good look at his Alice. He took in every inch of her features. Remembering every detail like it was the most realistic painting he had even seen. Her golden waves of hair, the clothes he had made her that she wore, her gentle hands within his. How soft her skin was against his rough mercury stained hands. He then looked upon her face for the last time. It gave him some relief of the madness from the painting he made within his mind. Tucked away safely within his memories, he knew he would never forget HIS Alice.
"Hatter, I'm afraid I will never see you again." Alice said as she looked at him and studied him as well. Not wanting to forget her most dear friend from the world she loved, Alice studied Tarrant's jacket down to its smallest detail. It wasn't his normal attire he usually would wear. He was wearing a red, safari like explorer's suit. She wished it would have been the one she first saw him in when she first came to Underland, with his unforgettable top hat. She then took notice to his bruised up fingers with their mercury stains holding onto her hand as if it was the only thing holding her there. She then looked at his face. His white complexion, the mercury colors around his eyes, his gap toothed smile. Every detail of his face framed with his wild orange hair, but the happiness on his face was gone. It was full of sadness. A sadness she never saw in him and if she could be correct, she could have sworn she saw a tear fall down Tarrant's face.
"Oh, my dear Alice. In the gardens of memory, in a palace of dreams, that is where you and I will meet." Tarrant said softly with his gap toothed grin. Taking her by the hand, he guided her toward the mirror and turned her to face him.
Alice imagined that beautiful place he described. It was impossible even for her to imagine. Then reality set in. "But a dream is not a reality." Alice said with a heavy heart, feeling the happiness being sucked right out.
Then Hatter leaned forward with his ever loving smile and said, "Who's to say which is which?"
Alice gave him a reassuring smile and walked over to him. Fear in him disappearing from her grasp. Tarrant was caught off guard and could only think of one thing to do. He ran his hand down the back of Alice's head and felt her soft golden locks. He took in her scent. She smelt of flowers and sunshine on a spring breeze. Tarrant didn't want this moment to end. He begged time to let him be frozen there, in that moment. Knowing it couldn't be so, he had to let her go. Leaving each other's embrace, Mally come up to them with the others and started to cry.
"You did it Alice, An impossible thing." Mally sniffled her words as she wiped a tear from her eye. Alice smiled at her encouraging gesture.
It was time. With a sad smile Tarrant helped her up to the looking glass and held into her hand. "The impossible thing is saying good bye to all you my friends." Alice took one final look at Tarrant and with her grieving heart, the words she never thought she would have to say left her lips. Wishing it was different words coming out of her mouth. Knowing it may be the last time she would ever see him again, she said her final words. "Goodbye Hatter"
With a heavy heart Tarrant said his words in return and prayed it wouldn't be the last words he said to his precious Alice. The one he knew that could make anything impossible, possible. Letting go of the gentle hand that was just in his a second ago, slid away from his sight and into the glass. Treasuring her touch, all he could manage to say was his final words that day. "Goodbye Alice."
Alice arrived back to her home of birth, the Upper land, she felt like she was back in a cage. A cage that held her back from her free spirited heart. Her adventures will never be the same again. No more Queens, no more tea parties, no more evil, and no more battles. Everything was gone. "Fate be damned." she thought in her mind, but she knew that Time was right.
Alice opened her eyes and looked around. This wasn't home. She felt she belonged elsewhere.
"Why didn't I stay? Why did I let Underland go? Alice softly said to herself under the tree, feeling the light breeze blow through her hair. Alice felt a tear fall down her face from the memory. She needed to go back. She needed Underland and all of her friends, but there was no way she knew to return to that place where they all dwelled. That place she were she would go back to, more than anything right now, to call it home for the rest of her life. Living in the Upper land again was not for her anymore. She needed to escape this world, find a way to escape back to her real home to dream the impossible.
She decided to visit her father's study and look around and see if she could find anything to ease her aching heart. Then one thing came to mind on her way there. She got up from the tree and headed to her father's study with the speed of her heart.
She entered her father's study quietly. She didn't want to be bothered or found in her time of silence, a time for searching the impossible. She locked the study's door behind her and went to sit at her father's desk to start pouring over old books and maps of her father's, to pass the time. She knew she couldn't be caught under the darkness of the night, hopefully.
The sun had set almost an hour ago. The candle light, from the stick candles on her father's desk, lit up the room. Darkness lurked outside the study's windows. Knowing and hoping that everyone was asleep at that time, she placed the book she had in her hand, onto her father's desk and sighed. It was time.
Alice knew of one thing to satisfy her world-weariness soul and it was being curious. She decided it was time to try again to figure out the one thing that struck her curiosity all but a year ago. It made go mad like a hatter with curiosity. She made sure she was alone and no one was around to stop her. She quietly stood and moved the chair she was sitting on toward the bookshelf that was across the study.
In her past visits to her father's study, she had been reading his old books to ease her pain of her father's passing. Shortly after coming back from her last voyage, she wanted to know where her father wanted to go before he died. What place did he want to go to when he was talking to his friends in this very study, when she was a child? That day she told him of her nightmare.
That concerned face her father gave, that night of her nightmare years ago as a child, kept playing in her mind over and over. Why her father was so concerned and worried what her dreams were about, were beyond her thoughts. More and more the thought got deeper. When she would mention the blue caterpillar, her father looked as if she said something wrong or worse, did something wrong. What if he knew something about Underland but didn't want to say anything. That would be impossible, but that never stopped Alice thinking the impossible. No. Something was in the back of her mind scratching and pulling her more toward the answers to her questions. She was even more determined now then ever.
Alice also had found something far more impossible. She put the chair against the bookcase to assist her in reaching the destination she sought out to find. She stood upon the chair and looked for the book she labeled to find again. She found the books and pulled them off the shelf to place them down on the chair with a couple other books to move out of her way. Waving the dust from her face, made by the disturbing of the untouched knowledge, and saw what she had been seeking. The unfamiliar symbol she had found.
She had found an old, worn away symbol hidden away behind one of the books, amongst the dust and years of age on the mid shelf of the bookcase, where it has been long forgotten. She wanted to know its true belonging there in her father's study, hidden away from the world. The symbol looked to be of royalty.
Alice ran her fingers over it to see if she could make out the design better after wiping some dust away. She had studied it several times, but nothing came new of it. It was worn profusely to the point of hardly making out the design. Any kind of well detailed design was gone over the long periods of time and decay of the bookshelf. Some of the wooden bookcase started to show through the design, making it harder to study it any further. Then she thought. "What would a symbol like this be doing on the back part of the shelf behind the books? Why was it there? What was it for? What was father hiding?"
Just before she went to put the books back on the shelf, the symbol started to glow blue. The blue light coming off of it was in a familiar shape of a Spade. Then what sounded like a hard clank of a large lock, sounded loudly in the study from behind the bookshelf. The book case itself started to slowly open, like a door, to a crack. Alice didn't expect anything to happen this time. Fear started to settle in. What is she to do if some horrible things lurked behind this mysterious door?
"I still have my muchness." Alice thought proudly to herself. "I have you my Hatter, to thank for that." Alice felt her muchness grown with the helpful thought of the Hatter.
Her curiosity was a-flame once more. She couldn't help her self and wanted to look inside. Fear kept her all but a couple inches away from knowing what lay behind it. Alice hopped down from her chair and placed the books on the chair. She stepped closer toward the mysterious darkness behind the door. She felt deep inside that this hidden treasure of a door was meant for her and yet felt forbidden.
"What do you have to show me father? What didn't you want me to see or know?" Just as Alice placed her hand on the edge of the hidden door frame, she heard the study's door fly open and slam into the wall.
"ALICE NO!" An older womanly voice shouted in fear of something unspeakable had happened within that room.
"Mother!" Alice jump out of her skin. She stepped away from the door and huffed. Not knowing her mother was listening in, outside of the door, she felt defeated. Alice looked to the ceiling with frustration and let her arms fall to her sides. She waited for her mother to speak again about her free spirited curiosity.
"It's not your place to be looking around in here Alice!" Helen said as she walked over to slam the door shut. "What are you doing in here Alice? How did you open this door?"
"I don't know how I opened it. It just did it all on its own." Alice fibbed about the symbol under her breath. "Anyway, how do you about this door? What are you keeping from me Mother? How is there a door in my father's study and I never knew about it?" Alice was now confused but looked at her mother waiting to hear more.
"Well how ever you opened it, you need to stop Alice. Stop getting into things that are not yours to be in. I can't keep watching over you like a hawk. Now we are done with this. I don't want to see you in this study again and the door is none of your business Alice." Helen sternly commanded her youngest daughter. Alice huffed in greater frustration and returned the gesture by walking past her mother with anger. Alice hated it when her mother was the voice of reason.
"I will know what is behind that door. What secrets it holds. All you seem to do is keep things from me. First you kept the wedding party from me and expected me to marry someone I didn't love or even care for. Then secondly, you tried taking father's ship and your own home and sell it to the Ascots to make a better future for me that I may never have wanted in the first place. Now you keep secrets from me about my father. I guess keeping secrets is something both you and father did very well." She sad coldly pointing toward the door behind the bookcase.
"Alice, please. Not today." Helen said with her famous words. She always said to Alice when she was fed up with her silly nonsense.
Alice tried to explain Underland to her only a couple of times. She felt as if her mother could never understand. What she had gone on about smiling cats and cake that makes someone taller, or a potion that made you smaller than a mouse. She didn't know how to tell her anymore. Alice gave up trying to explain things to her mother.
Alice leaned her back against the doorway frame and sighed. "Ever since I arrived back from my last voyage, you have been very secretive about things. Even now, you're secretive about the door in the bookcase. You know you can't keep secrets from me forever. I will find out what it means and do what I have to do to know the truth."
"Alice, you will know in time, as to what is behind that door. Right now you need to worry about what is going on in your life now. I'm sure you don't want to go back to the insane asylum. If people hear you going on about mystery doors in your father's study and about strange creatures from another world, that is when they will put you back there again. I'm not going to have my daughter put away and forgotten." Helen knew Time would have his way with Alice, and she will find out things she wouldn't be able to handle or explain. She had to do what was best for Alice and her safety.
Alice turned into the hallway, glaring at her mother in defeat once again. No words could come out of her lips to say in return. Helen held her ground and told her to leave once more. Alice left and headed toward her room upstairs.
If her father hidden something from her, then what was the reason? Was it to protect her from a fate that was not hers to have? Or was it a future he didn't want for her? She ventured to Underland three times within her life and knew she was apart of it. It felt like home. Underland was a part of her now, but all her adventures to Underland, felt as though there was still something missing.
Hours later, Alice laid in her bed tossing and turning, fighting sleep. She kept thinking of that symbol ever since she came to her room hours ago. Why was her mother so protective of the new discovery? She contemplated on her next move. Should she confront her mother the next morning about it? Or would she just force herself by her mother and fight her way to the secret door? She was beside herself.
"What would Hatter do?" She thought. He would do what he knew was right and fight for it, nothing to stand in his way. Not even Red Queens and Knaves could keep him from fighting for what is right. Her mind was made up. She would confront her mother and demand the truth in the morning. Nothing will stand in her way. Nothing will keep her from the truth.
Alice woke up exhausted having only a couple hours of sleep, after the endeavor with her mother the evening prior. Alice got out of bed and dressed herself as if she was going to go on another adventure or quest. She put on the dark pink and black outfit she last wore in Underland before she went through the Looking Glass. It was given to her by Hatter himself. She pulled her hair back and fastened it. she was ready for a battle, a battle for the truth. A battle in which was to confront her mother about the unknown door in her father's study.
Alice made her way down to the kitchen where she could smell breakfast and tea being made. The aroma made her stomach growl when the scent of food hit her nose. Entering the kitchen, she saw her mother cooking like always every morning before the days work. Alice took a seat at the table and waited to see if her mother would say the first words of the day, scolding her for going into her father's study against her mother's commands. Minuets go by and nothing, not a word came from her mother. She then found her muchness and started the day with a greeting in hoping her mother would talk.
"Morning mother, how did you sleep?" Alice asked awaiting her mother's response while sipping on her tea.
Helen finished preparing their plates and sat down at the table to join her daughter for breakfast. She filled their cups with tea and sugar after handing Alice her plate. The silence was thick, thick enough to cut it with a knife. Even the madness of a hatter couldn't handle such silence. Alice couldn't take it anymore.
"What is that door in father's study? Why are you keeping it a secret from me? Tell me the truth NOW!" Alice said as her voice rose with frustration. "I'm done with your secrets and games. I need to know the truth."
"Alice, I don't think you are ready to know what is in there." Helen finally spoke after taking a sip of her tea calmly.
"I don't care mother. I want to know everything about father and all his secrets. Please tell me. I can handle anything you tell me." Alice was determined to find out what was so secretive. She would fight another Jabberwocky if that's what it meant to know what her father was hiding. She would even go to the ends of Underland to find out the truth.
Helen sighed and knew that Time was pulling her daughter closer the truth. She could no longer keep things from her. She knew this day would come, but never knew it would be this day of all days. She sat her cup down on the table and stood.
"Come with me Alice. I have to show you something." Helen said as she headed toward the hall that led them to the study. Alice followed close behind her with anticipation. Had Alice finally got to her mother to crack after a year of waiting? Helen stopped at the study's door and faced toward Alice. She knew once they entered, Alice's life will change forever. She knew it was time to let her go.
"Alice, once we go in here, there is no turning back. What I am about to show you will change everything." Helen unlocked the door and entered with Alice close behind.
Helen walked over the Charles's desk and opened the one drawer. Alice stood next to the desk and waited to see what her mother had to show. Helen pulled out a book from the one side drawer of the desk. The book looked very old and well worn of continuous use. The cover looked to be made of dark blue velvet and the edges of the book looked to be made of pure white gold. Upon the cover of the book, was the same symbol that was on the bookshelf. Alice's eye grew wider than saucers. It looked to be detailed with fine silver and blue gems on the corners of the cover. The crest looked to be that of a royal family, but not of this world. Underland perhaps? Some spots for the silver were even tarnished. The book also had a lock on the side and looked like only a key could open it.
"Now Alice, before I tell you anything of this book, you must promise me something." Helen looked at her daughter that was shaken with confusion, fear, and most of all, deception. "I was scared of this day and hoped that I would have never had to explain any of the information in this book to you. Time has his way of changing things like that. I need you to promise me, you will do anything to keep this book out of the hands of evil. For it will destroy everything you know and love about Underland."
Alice paused for a second and realized her mother was referring to Time as a person and Underland a real place. Then things started to make sense, but then pieces of the puzzle were still missing. Could her mother be answering the questions she kept asking herself for over a year?
"Wait you just said "Time" has his ways as though you knew him or of him? Then that means you know about Time himself? How? How could you know of him? I never said anything about him. Also how do you know of Underland like you were there?" Alice's head was spinning. She now realized that her mother indeed knew of Underland as did she Time. Why would her mother keep her from knowing the truth of Underland?
Helen saw Alice try to process even just that much of the truth. She knew she had to face the consequences of her long kept secrets.
"I'm sorry to keep secrets from you Alice. It was Charles's job to tell you all of this. He left us before he could tell you. I tried to let it fade away and be like it never happened, but it seems that things have their way of coming back to haunt me. I kept the truth from you and I am deeply sorry. I regret not saying anything until now. Alice, I know about Underland and everything about it. You yet to find things out about Underland and truths that lie there. You now are ready to find out truth about you and the past. What you find in this book is just the beginning. I have no knowledge on how to open this book, but you have unlocked the door behind the bookcase. You have figured that out on your own. I can only tell you what I know of this book. Your father was the only one that knew how to open it and everything that is inside. Time is running out, for others will now try to stop you from returning to Underland once again."
Alice was stunned to everything her mother explained to her. Her mind was lost in thought and was falling down a whole new kind of rabbit hole. How was all of this possible? Then a question came to mind on who would be out there to stop her from returning to Underland.
"Mother?" Alice asked then paused in thought. "Who is out there that would want to stop me from returning to Underland?"
Helen took in a deep breath and sighed. "I don't know who they are, but your father said they will do anything to stop you. No matter what the cost. Only he knew who that person was and he never came to tell me their name. All the answers you are seeking are in this book. I don't have the key to open it. It lies in Underland somewhere and you now have to find it. I will do what I can to help and tell you what I know."
"Who ever is out there that wants to stop me, better know who they are dealing with. Please tell me all that you know." Alice sat down on the nearest chair.
Helen knew Alice would return for her final time to Underland sooner than she wanted it to happen. It was closer than Alice realized. To save Underland once again and to save her daughter, she took her turn in telling Alice everything she knew. As hard as it was for her, she knew she would have to let her daughter go.
"There is one thing that I can tell you about the book. It's the last bit of history that has been long forgotten in Underland. This book must be kept safe. It holds many secrets and truths about your past and of Underland. You are now its protector. Your father was its previous keeper." Helen paused to see Alice intrigued about the subject.
"You have my full attention." Alice begged out of curiosity. Alice was astonished as a tear fell from her eye. A possible way to return was within her reach.
"There is also a Legend he told me about. It's a Legend that is told in certain parts of Underland. One so old that many don't know it anymore for it is almost forgotten. It comes from an island just off the northern coast of Crims across the Crimson Sea, Legend of the White Knight of Underland. I will show you what I know of the legend. The only thing your father had of this legend was a scroll." Helen walked over to another bookshelf behind the desk and tilted one of the books forward.
Alice rushed over with excitement to find out more. The one section of the bookcase turned and revealed a small hidden hideaway just big enough to hold the scroll. Helen took it out from its hiding place, and unrolled it on the desk. It looked similar to the Oraculum. Alice looked at all the drawings move very slowly as the Oraculum did. The people on the scroll looked to be all in armor but one stood out from all the rest. It was a white armored knight standing in front of other soldiers as their leader. The armor also had a Royal crest on the breast plate but she couldn't make out any detail on it.
"It is said that the White Knight of Underland will return in the time of need and save Underland once more. A brave soul must give his life in order to stop the evil that will destroy everything. The White Knight will also need help in his destiny. He will need the help of the White Phoenix of Underland."
Alice noticed writing on the scroll and unrolled it a little further. "It's in another language. I can't read it." Alice pointed out to her mother.
"It's in ancient Underlandian. It's almost a dead language in Underland. Only a few remain who know what it says. No one knows where they are anymore or even still alive. Of course Charles was one who knew but never fully told me of the legend. That's all I know. The rest is in this scroll itself." Alice rolled the scroll back up and placed it on the desk.
"Now Alice, I would like to tell you the story about your father. How he came to be in my life. I met Charles one day while out in the city of London. I was out doing some errands when I saw a man sitting on one of the benches across the street, in the market, with his face buried in his hand and a bundle in the other hand crying. I knew he needed help. I asked him why his clothes were torn in places and he was covered in dirt as if he was attacked by someone or something. He said it was some kind of dog like creature with yellow eyes. My heart went out to him and walked to him to offer my assistance. I took him back to my home and helped clean up the both of you with fresh clothes and warm food. You were so happy after you were calmed down from whatever happened. He then explained that he was from Underland and you were a daughter of a friend. We ended up falling in love and wanted to raise you as our own. When Charles heard you were having the dreams of Underland, he knew he had to keep you safe and tell you it was all a dream. He didn't want you to meet a fate that wasn't meant for you. Before he got to tell you about Underland and all that he knew, he sadly passed away due to an illness he was not immune to up here. I miss him dearly. He was a very unique man. There was no one like him. There are many things your father wanted to tell you Alice, but now it's up to you to find out the rest." Alice wiped tears from here face and regained enough composure to talk.
Helen reached into her pocket and pulled out a bag of some kind. It was an old leather money bag with a drawstring to keep it closed.
"Your father wanted you to have this." Helen handed it to Alice. Before Alice could open it, I strange howling sound came from out side. Both jumped in alarm and looked toward the window. They went to the window to see if they could see where the howling came from. It started to rain for a storm was rolling in. The skies were dark and angry. The rain began to pour harder, making it hard to see anything. The rain hit the glass like bullets. A flash of lighting lit up the garden just outside the house. Alice saw what looked to be a large dog. The eyes were glowing yellow and looked right up at them. It howled again and began to run toward the house.
"No, not now." Helen rushed over to the desk and gathered up the book, the small bag, and scroll. "Alice it's time. You must go now." Alice ran over to her mother in fear of what was happening.
"What are those things? Are they the same dogs that attacked father?" Alice asked while trying to keep calm.
"Yes, they are the same as your father described, but now is not the time to ask questions. You must go now or they will kill you Alice."
Helen and Alice jumped to a loud crash that sounded from the front door and from a window down the hall. The dogs had made their way into the house sniffing out the one that they hunted to destroy. A third one had made its way into the window of Alice's room and started to sniff around and caught the sent of Alice right away. It plowed through her bedroom door and slammed into the railing. It was on Alice's trial. The others caught her scent as well and all started to head toward the study.
"Alice you need to open the bookcase and quick." Helen and Alice ran over to the bookshelf and Alice jumped up on the chair, threw the books out of her way to expose the crest.
Alice touched the crest and it began to glow once again. The bookshelf opened to only a crack once again. Alice jumped down and grabbed the items her mother held.
"Alice you must go now. Save Underland, for your father." Helen hugged her daughter for the last time.
Before Alice could say her love for her in return, a loud slam came from the study's door. The dogs were right on the other side making their way in. The door splintered and snapped as the tree dogs tried there hardest to break it down barking and growling.
Helen pushed Alice toward the bookcase door. Alice tried to pull it open more so she could fit in. It was stuck. Helen helped her daughter to make it open just enough for Alice to fit through. Alice wiggled herself through the crack of the door and realized Helen wasn't following.
"Mother come on." Alice motioned her to follow but Helen refused. Alice knew what she was about to do. Alice heard the dogs break down the door and made there way in.
"I love you Alice." Helen said as she shut the bookcase door before one of the dogs leaped for it. Alice heard the dogs bark and howl. Not knowing what happened to her mother, Alice pounded her hands on the back of the bookcase to make it open again. It wouldn't budge.
"MOTHER!" Alice yelled with all her might but no answer came from the other side. The dogs were no longer howling and it fell silent.
Alice fell in to knees and started crying. She couldn't hold back the tears. They fell like rivers down her cheeks. For Helen to sacrifice herself for her daughter, Alice knew that what was ever in that book, scroll, and bag, she had to fight to keep it safe.
Alice said her goodbyes at the door, wiped the tears from her face and looked around to see what she could see. Then she noticed a light blue glow coming from the bag. She opened it to find a necklace. She pulled it out and it lit up the area she was in and she noticed that it lead down a hallway. It was a small crystal held by a thin silver wire on a thin silver chain. Alice put it on and picked up the book and scroll. A new chapter in Alice's life has begun. She moved forward and prayed that the hallway led to safety.