Vira gripped the croquet mallet tightly as she walked down the path, swallowing her anxiety. She still didn't know where to go, even though she was out of the Woods. With no set destination in mind, she kept walking, following the checkered pattern on the walls around her. When she rounded the last corner, she stopped and stared in awe. A splintered chessboard served as a stairway to the top of a rocky hill. Immediately she could see that the squares formed dips and blocks, and she knew it wouldn't be an easy climb.
The sound of someone calling her name tore her away from the sight. She spun around and saw the Cheshire Cat emerge from the air. "Vira!"
With concern clear in his eyes, he didn't seem intimidating anymore. After he had saved her from the Duchess Vira considered him a friend, and it was a silent relief to be able to talk to him. "Is my mother here?"
He nodded. "When I left her, she was traveling with Turtle."
"So why did you come to find me?" Vira asked.
"I…" he stopped. He really had left because of his strange premonition about Vira. He didn't want her to know that. Not yet. "…Alice was worried about you."
As his words turned in her head, Vira started to remember…Alice calling her back from the field early…Alice forbidding her to go to the forest…"Worried?"
"Yes…she doesn't think…" the Cat said, noticing the change in her voice.
"…that it's a good idea" Vira finished, ignoring the strange look the Cat was giving her.
"Vira…"
She stamped the croquet mallet on the ground. "Doesn't she know I'm not a child anymore? Why does she care so much? I'm old enough to take care of myself, and she should believe me! I believed her all my life, and now I end up here and find out that everything was a lie!"
"She's your mother, she cares about you!" the Cat snarled. His voice softened. "She doesn't think you're helpless…but she won't give up looking for you."
Vira thought in silence, then said quietly, "I want you to do something for me, as a friend. Tell her I'm alright. Tell her I said I'm alright."
The Cat tried again. "Vira…"
"Please."
He nodded and turned around, melting into the air.
Once he was gone, Vira took a steadying breath and started to ascend the hill. The higher she climbed, the taller the stairs were, until she had to use the hooked end of the croquet mallet to haul herself up. She was rewarded with the sight of a portal when she reached the top and walked through eagerly.
The first thing she noticed when she entered the Pale Realm was the eerie quiet. From the waxy, chess board patterned walls and ground to the dark sky dotted with stars, the Realm was deathly still. She took a few timid steps forward, stepping into what looked like an abandoned town that must have belonged to the White chess pieces.
A loud clomping shattered the silence. Vira turned around and saw a figure advancing on her with startling speed. Rooted to the spot, she saw as it drew closer that it was a dark red horse holding a shield and weilding a double edged sword. Her brain screamed at her to run, but her legs wouldn't respond.
Get out of the way…get out of the way…
Leaping forward and swinging the sword wildly, the Red knight shouted, "You! Don't move!"
Get out of the way!
She swung the croquet mallet, deflecting a blow from the sword. The knight hopped back a pace and swung his weapon down in a mighty chop. Vira let out a high pitched gasp, blocking him again. His blow failed to break the mallet, but the force knocked it from Vira's hands. Defenseless, Vira froze with the horse's sword point inches from her throat.
"You're my prisoner" it snarled.
Before she could react, something soared over her head, knocking the Red knight backwards. She swept her mallet off the ground and stood back, watching the two figures as they leaped and slashed at each other. The figure that had jumped over her was a White Knight, identical to the Red knight except for his color.
Vira sprang forward as the White knight fell back, suffering a deep cut to the shoulder. She swung the mallet and the hooked end sunk deep into the Red horse's unprotected neck. As she wrenched the mallet free, blood spurted from the puncture she had made, spattering everything that was around it.
She stood staring at the dead chess piece in disbelief until she was pulled away by the White knight. "You okay, m'dear? You look like you've never seen a little bloodshed before."
Vira wiped spots of blood from her cheek and looked down at her red stained apron. "Well…"
"Ahoy! Takaz!"
Another White knight bounded to her rescuer's side. "We have to get to the Castle now, by the King's orders! It won't be much of a good impression for the younger recruits if we show up late, you know!"
He pointed to one of the buildings. Several pawns, rooks, and other varieties of White pieces were gathering outside, talking eagerly.
The one called Takaz gestured to the body of the Red knight. "Well, Etam, I wasn't about to let a villain take this girl prisoner."
Etam looked questioningly at Vira. "Is she a White piece?"
"I'm not sure," Takaz answered, "I didn't have time to ask."
"You'd best find out, then" Etam advised. "If she's with the Red side, you'll have to kill her."
Takaz looked at Vira, then back at Etam. "But I've just rescued her. It's bad form to kill someone you've just rescued."
Their talk of killing her was making Vira nervous, so she decided it was a good time to interrupt. "I can assure you that I'm a White piece."
Etam nodded with satisfaction. "Good." He looked her up and down and said uncertainly, "It's been so long, but I believe we've met before…Alice, I think your name was?"
Vira was getting used to being mistaken for her mother. "Vira. I'm Alice's daughter."
Takaz smiled. "Why didn't we think of it, of course. Alice is grown up now…"
Suddenly they both looked downcast. Takaz looked at Vira solemnly. "We have grown too, hardened by battle and torn by war. Ever since things went wrong the Red pieces have become relentless. They're determined to murder our Queen and wipe us out."
They fell silent, each wrapped up in his own memories of the time before.
At first Vira thought both knights were identical, but as she studied them she saw how very different they were. Takaz was pure white, while Etam was dappled grey. But what really set them apart was their battle scars. Takaz was missing half his left ear and had long scars on each side of his face. He was sporting a fresh wound on his shoulder from the recent fight with the Red horse. Etam had a long, jagged scar that sliced diagonally across his face. It started at his right ear, narrowly missing his eye, and ended at his throat.
When they pulled themselves out of their thoughts, Etam resumed control. "Front and center!" he barked at the group of White pieces. They immediately jumped forward and formed three lines. "It's been heard that the enemy is planning an attack on the Castle. We are to march there, double time, and help those stationed as Castle Guard. Take no prisoners and protect your Queen! Move out!"
The White pieces broke into a swift leaps and bounds, staying in their lines. Etam hung back and spoke quickly to Takaz. "You can take Vira to the Castle in a few minutes. I don't want her caught in the middle of everything."
"Agreed, brother" Takaz answered with a salute.
Etam returned the gesture and promptly caught up with his squad.
"You're brothers?" Vira asked Takaz once the group had disappeared around a corner.
Takaz nodded. "Aye, brothers and Captains of the army. We're responsible for every pawn, knight, rook, and bishop. We're responsible for protecting the Pale Realm and the King and Queen."
They started walking, taking a different route than Etam. "That's why it's so vital that we stop the Red pieces from getting in the Castle. If the Queen dies, Red wins."
"So, if the White Queen dies, you just…lose? That's the end of everything?" Vira asked, incredulous.
Takaz looked thoughtful. "There is a way…if a pawn is brought to the center of the Red Realm within an hour of the Queen's death, the pawn will become the new Queen. But to get to the very center, you'd have to get past the Red King. And then there's the complication of getting the White Queen out of the Red Realm."
"I've never really been much of a chess player," Vira remarked, "I don't know much about it."
The knight looked around. "You'll learn fast, if you want to stay alive."
They walked on for a few more minutes in silence. Takaz stopped and looked down an alley. "If Red hasn't attacked yet, Etam should have his soldiers ready by now. And if Red has attacked, Etam should have disposed of them by now."
He led her down the alley, which ended in a wide town square. Across the square, Vira could see an enormous marble castle, varying in shades from white to black to grey.
Takaz suddenly let out a startled gasp. "No…"
He charged across the square. With no time to think, Vira sped after him.
As they neared the archway that stood in front of the Castle, Vira could see three figures lying on the ground. When she got closer, she could tell that they were a pawn, a rook, and a knight, all slain and lying in blood. Takaz dropped to the ground next to the fallen knight and turned it over. The horse was dappled grey, with a rough scar cut diagonally across his face.
"Etam…"
Vira stopped when she saw Takaz hunched over his brother, allowing him a moment of silence. As tears welled up in her eyes at the sight of the lifeless Etam, she noticed that the world around her was shifting. The chess pieces faded away and the square was replaced by a deep forest. In front of her was a young Alice, accompanied by a man dressed in armor that was sitting on a horse.
Under her breath, Vira whispered the Cheshire Cat's words. "When they are slain, you will see them as Alice knew them."
"It was a glorious victory, wasn't it?" said the White Knight, as he came up panting.
"I don't know," Alice said doubtfully. "I don't want to be anybody's prisoner. I want to be a Queen."
"So you will, when you've crossed the next brook," said the White Knight. "I'll see you safe to the end of the wood -- and then I must go back, you know. That's the end of my move."
"Thank you very much," said Alice. "May I help you off with your helmet?" It was evidently more than he could manage by himself: however she managed to shake him out of it at last.
"Now one can breathe more easily," said the Knight, putting back his shaggy hair with both hands, and turning his gentle face and large mild eyes to Alice. She thought she had never seen such a strange-looking soldier in all her life.
The forest swirled away and disappeared, leaving Vira in the square. Takaz was standing, breathing heavily as he stood over his brother. Suddenly he threw his head back and roared to the starry sky, "I WILL TASTE THE BLOOD OF ANY RED PIECE THAT STILL STANDS IN THE PALE REALM! THE POWER THEY IMPOSED ON US DIES TODAY! THE SCUM THAT MURDERED MY BROTHER WILL DROWN IN HIS OWN BLOOD!"
He whipped out his mighty sword and made a mad dash to the Castle, his voice booming all around them.
I'm calling out only echoes respond
But I scream until my voice is gone
Crouching in corners and hiding your face
I'm sick and tired of playing your games
I'm not alone! I stand amongst the
Voiceless millions in the unforgiving sun
Here arm in arm, we parade these streets
And sing our songs…
We've had enough
Is there even anything left to explain?
We've had enough
Am I really someone you need to restrain?
We've had enough
Can't you listen to what we have to say?
Unknowing, we lie in wait for the rain
To wash away what they have made
Facedown in the dirt with your foot on my back
In the distance I hear thunder crash
C'mon stand up! This system of power and privilege
Is about to come to an end
Here come the clouds
The first drop is falling now…
Our futures burn on red horizons
Ashes scattered in the winds of change
Casualty numbers rising now it's
Time to raise the stakes
We meant for something more that
Living just to put food on our plates
I can't help but wonder
Why should we participate?
We've had enough
Is there even anything left to explain?
We've had enough
Am I really someone you need to restrain?
We've had enough
Can't you listen to what we have to say?
-Rise Against
The First Drop