[ Tale I ] Chapter III : "Your Late , Alice"

You only realise the truth

When you embrace it

Your path is split into two

Choose wisely , as it leads to your end.

The screams of the cursed land filled the world of Miasmodor. Burnt malformed corpses grab on to anything they can in order to remain in existence. Alice stopped by a bush and gasped rapidly. She began to burst into tears and had her head down on to the ground.

"I can't stand this place anymore…."Whined Alice with tears all over her face. As Alice was sobbing with her head glued to the dirt. Alice felt something stalking behind her. Alice immediately turned her head backwards. But all she saw was mist.

"That's strange… I thought I felt something…" Whispered Alice to herself.

Alice felt she'd better move on. As she did not felt comfortable with the feeling of someone stalking her. As Alice went on ahead back at the bush , a mysterious feline figure arose and continued peeking at Alice.

As hours past , Alice stumbled upon a section of the land where there was no longer mist. But smoke billowing from below. There were countless haystacks placed around the area. Alice slowly entered the smoky area. As Alice enters the section of the land , the temperature steadily rose. Alice began to slowly be soaked in sweat. Suddenly , a hand popped out from a haystack and grabbed on to Alice. As Alice was about to scream, another hand covered her mouth tightly. Alice then stares at the haystack in shock.

It turns out the haystacks were a bunch of burnt malformed corpses moulded to each other. Then one of the corpses placed its hand on its mouth.

"SSSSSSHHHHHH…"silenced the corpse.

Alice looks back at the corpse with great confusion. The corpse pointed behind Alice. The hands let Alice go. Alice turn her head backwards and gasped at what she saw. A giant rotten caterpillar with smoke spouting out from its jaws was gorging on the haystack of corpses. The corpses were all begging to be eaten by it. Alice turns back at the corpse who silenced her. The corpse silently pointed at another directions and whispered.

"Run….." Whispered the corpse.

Alice nodded and ran off to the direction the corpse pointed. Immediately , the colossal rotten caterpillar detected Alice's presence and dashes towards her. All the corpses tried to grab on the caterpillar slowing it down for Alice.

"PLEASE EAT US INSTEAD !" screamed the corpse simultaneously.

Alice ran onwards to the direction she was directed to. But the caterpillar steadily kept getting closer and closer despite the corpses effort to slow it down. Alice knew she could not out run it. By her instincts , she came up with a plan and began to run in a zig zag formation around the haystacks of corpses. The caterpillar furiously chased Alice in the zig zag formation and kept crashing into the hay stacks causing a lot more arms to grab on to it making it harder for the caterpillar to break free every time. Alice noticed up ahead was a misty jungle. She began to sprint towards it as fast as she could. Alice began to smirk a little. As she never thought she could make it. As everything seemed alright. The caterpillar began to breath fire , it melted every corpse hay stack in its way and screamed at Alice ferociously. Alice gasped in fear and began to run even faster. The Caterpillar began to dash its way towards Alice. As Alice began to enter within the jungle premises , the caterpillar got very close to Alice. Alice ran faster and faster but caterpillar kept getting closer and closer. As the caterpillar was about lunge itself towards Alice. Two hands grab on to Alice's torso and drag her sideways. The caterpillar lunged itself and crashed into a fort. The fort crumbled down and red juice began to spew everywhere around the trees killing off the caterpillar. Some of it eventually got on to Alice's face. Alice was gasping rapidly from exhaustion and said.

"Well…that.. could've…been…worse…."Gasped Alice rapidly in exhaustion.

Alice then noticed the hands grabbing her torso threw her backwards. Alice fell to the ground and looked back at what grabbed her. It turns out to be another burnt malformed corpse moulded to the tree.

Alice looks back at the corpse with pity.

"Don't look at me like that….if you truly want to help me….slay the queen for me….fulfill the prophecy…."Said the corpse.

Alice looks at the ground with uncertainty and left off. Alice exhausted from the peril earlier fell on her knees. Alice looked at her hands and noticed they were trembling from exhaustion. Alice released a great sigh and stared at the sky.

"How much longer will I last….."Murmured Alice to herself.

"Oh ~ But You've made it this far~ It certainly is an accomplishment ~ " Said the mysterious feminine voice playfully.

Alice turns her head around in shock. And then behind Alice , a voice burst out.

"Peek a boo ~" Whispered the mysterious feminine voice.

Alice screamed and fell backwards from where the voice came.

"Hahahahaha ~ That was really cute of you little elf ~" Teased the mysterious feminine voice. As Alice looked at who the voice was , she saw a white human sized overly furry cat with its paws supporting its chin while looking at Alice with an excited face floating in mid air.

"Who…WHO ARE YOU !? , WHAT ARE YOU!?" Asked Alice in fear of what its intention was. Alice then drew out her sword and pointed at the cat.

"Who am I?...What am I?...Why I am Cheshire ~ The Grand Trickster Of Miasmodor ~ "Replied Cheshire in enthusiasm.

"Oh and I suggest you drop that iron toy of yours~ It will not do much against me ~ That is if you want to try it out on me ~"Suggested Cheshire.

Alice dropped her sword and sheathed it. As she felt comfortable with her.

"If I may ask…Where am I Miss Cheshire?..."Asked Alice curiously.

"My ~ You're at the once beautiful Royal Forest of Clovers~ But Oh well~ Ever since the queen burnt the land ~ Everything has been very chaotic ~ " Explained Cheshire in annoyance.

"And I bet your wondering why are you even here~ Right ~ RIIIIIGGGHHHHTTT ? ~~~~"Teased Cheshire.

"Thanks for trying to fill me in. But one of the corpse had already told me.." Replied Alice gratefully

"Aaawwww~~~Too bad I can't see that horrified face of yours ~"

Teased Cheshire.

Alice frowned at Cheshire with uneasiness.

"HAHAHAHA ~~~~ You really are ADORABLE ~~~" Laughed Cheshire.

Cheshire then teleported behind Alice and asked Alice upside down floating in mid air.

"So ~~~ You haven't introduced yourself little elf ~ Let's start with your name ~ What do you say? ~" Asked Cheshire curiously.

"Errmmm…..My name is Alice.. Alice Florencia…" Introduced Alice.

"MMmmmm ~ Alice ~ Alice Florencia ~ That's a very beautiful name you got there ~ Lil Alice ~ " Replied Cheshire happily.

Alice thanked Cheshire for her compliment.

" Follow me Lil Alice ~ There's more you need to know ~" Teased Cheshire.

Alice was confused by what she said.

"EErrrmm… Wait up ! " shouted Alice.

As Cheshire warped from tree to tree playfully , Alice ran as fast as she could to follow her. As the cycle went on , Alice bumped into a graveyard in the middle of the forest with pumpkins littered everywhere around the grave and far away in the middle of the graveyard she saw a table that had a tea party going on. Alice stepped forward into the eerie graveyard. The graveyard was filled with graves and tombstones of different shape and sizes. Alice could hear very soft whispers of the creepy dead trees surrounding the graveyard. As Alice venture deeper and deeper into the graveyard. She noticed the graveyard was filled with crows who didn't make a sound but would only stare at her. Alice felt uncomfortable and quickly walked her way towards the tea party. As she reached the tea party. She saw Cheshire in one of the seats. "There you are~~ " Said Chesire excitedly.

Then at the other end of the table , a very tall scarecrow dressed up in a suit and a tophat smirked at Alice.

"Welcome to the my TEA PARTY ~ " Welcomed the Scarecrow formally with a British accent.

The scarecrow stepped on the table with both feets and walked towards Alice kicking all the cups and plates off the table. Alice covered her ears from the shattering. As the scarecrow reaches the other end of the table , he stepped down from it and approached Alice. Alice felt uneasy with the weird behaviour of the talking scarecrow.

"Oh my ~ Where are my manners ~" Apologized the scarecrow. The scarecrow snapped his fingers and all the cups and plates were magically fixed and placed back to their original positions. Alice was amazed by his magic.

"Sorry about that... It's just that I got REALLY EXCITED~ when I saw you ~" Apologized the Scarecrow excitedly. The scarecrow then bows to Alice and looks into her eyes. Alice immediately felt a shock and covers herself in agony.

"Ahhhh~ Alice ~ Please to meet you ~" Greeted The Scarecrow.

'How did you?..."Questioned Alice uncomfortably.

The scarecrow smirks at Alice and replies.

"Your eyes ~" Replied The Scarecrow while smirking at Alice.

Alice tilts her head , as she did not get it.

"AHAHAHAHA ~ " Laughed The Scarecrow.

Alice frowns at the scarecrow with uneasiness.

"Ahem ... Well~ When I look into their eyes ~ I can see into their lives ~" Bragged The Scarecrow.

Alice immediately felt even more uneasy.

"That's like peeking !" Scolded Alice softly while covering her eyes.

"AHAHAHAHA ~ Don't you worry you have nothing that I need ~ Except for something to do with this magnanimous land ~" Replied The Scarecrow.

Alice then slowly removes her hands from her face and looks back at The Scarecrow.

"Let's start off by introducing myself ~ My name's Mad , Mad Hatter ~ Former Royal Magician at The Kingdom Of Spades ~" Introduced Mad Hatter.

Alice then looks behind Mad Hatter noticed a third person at the table. It was the rabbit from earlier! Alice gasped and pointed at the rabbit in shock. The rabbit in the middle of sipping his tea faces towards Alice and spits it out.

"YOUUUU!THE LITTLE ELF !" Screamed the Rabbit.

Mad Hatter facepalms himself and snaps his finger. The Rabbit's mouth became a zip and was zipped up tight making it unable to talk , only murmur. Alice looks at the Rabbit and back at Mad Hatter repeatedly. Mad Hatter smirked at Alice.

"No need to worry about the troublesome rabbit ~ " comforted Mad Hatter while patting on Alice's shoulder.

"You do know why you're brought here right?" Asked Mad Hatter seriously.

Alice nods at him.

"Do you have the courage to do it?" Asked Mad Hatter seriously.

Alice looks down at the ground with uncertainty and fear.

Cheshire warps beside Mad Hatter and begins to whirl around them in mid air.

"You know Alice ~ You're not first one to have made it this far ~" Said Cheshire while sipping her tea.

Alice looks back at Cheshire with shock.

"It's true ~ Only two have come this far to us ~ You're one of them ~" Said Mad Hatter while looking at Cheshire seriously.

"But….I...I...I'm...Not sure If I can do this...I'm just a little girl...Why must it be me?!" Complained Alice while trembling in fear with her eyes closed.

"Because it is said so in the prophecy." Explained Mad Hatter.

"But still...I'm just little girl what could I possibly do..."Whined Alice.

Cheshire approached Alice while levitating.

"Don't say it like that ~ You've proven what you said wrong earlier ...After all you are one of the two elven girls that have ever made it this far ~" Cheered Cheshire.

Alice looks away from Cheshire with fear. Cheshire frowns at Alice and was worried for her.

"Alice..."Said Mad Hatter in a serious tone.

Alice looks back at Mad Hatter.

"Do you remember Bella?" Asked Mad Hatter.

"How do you know her name?..."Asked Alice

"I've looked through your life remember?" Explained Mad Hatter while smirking.

"Your sister...Tell me what do you think happen to her?" Asked Mad Hatter.

Alice looks back at Mad Hatter in confusion. As she did not get why was he asking this.

"She... was... kidnapped by slave traders..." Said Alice sadly and she faced the ground.

Mad Hatter crosses his head.

"She was brought here as well..."Replied Mad Hatter.

Alice looks back at Mad Hatter in horror.

"No...It cant...YOU'RE LYING !..." Shouted Alice in disbelief.

"Oh but it's the truth..." Said Mad Hatter in a low tone.

Alice fell on her knees from the shocking truth. A tear rolled down her cheeks.

"Bella...No…..This cant be…" Whined Alice as she stares into the misty skies.

Cheshire frowns at Alice in pity.

"Did….did…she make it…."Asked Alice sadly with her eyes closed

Mad Hatter faces back at her with pity.

"Look around….What do you think?..."replied Mad Hatter.

Alice turned silent and slowly open her eyes.

"So , Alice ! What will it be? Will you fulfil the prophecy? Will you be the one who ends the accursed queen's rule?" Asked Mad Hatter sternly.

Alice tightens her arms and wiped her tears off. She stood and looks back at Mad Hatter stoically . Mad Hatter smirks back at her.

"Hmph ! I guess you're more than ready now. "

"Yes I am….."

End of Tale I [Chapter III]