Hatter and Alice Journey into the Netherworlds
By Ldynwaitin
Chapter Thirty Five - An Army of Giants
Eric dragged himself up from the ground, that was the worst earthquake he's ever been in. Seeing Hatter and Alice all ready up, he hurried over to them, Dodo was waddling up towards them. They all silently watched the reactions of the creatures around them. The Bull-Guards stared up at the night sky. All their lives they lived with a ceiling above their heads. They heard stories of lights in the skies, but now, they could actually see them in a ceiling so high it would be impossible to touch it.
Tynan and Tynell stood with their heads back so far it was a wonder they didn't fall. "It's there Tynan," Tynell whispered in wonder. "I've heard of it from stories grandfather told, but never thought I would see such a beautiful thing." She looked at Hatter, "How does something so large hang in the sky?"
Hatter realized she was talking about the moon. "I don't know, it just does," he answered.
Tynell shivered as she felt something, it flowed through her fur. "Oh," she sighed. "Is that wind, is that what they call, a 'breeze'? If it is, it feels so magnificent blowing through my fur."
Allric was the one that had the most dramatic reaction. Looking up he spread out his wings and leaped into the sky. Flapping his wings, he slowly began to rise into the air. He flew higher and higher, he no longer had a ceiling to stop his flight, above him was an impossibly high sky. He soared in the air, catching a heat draft he closed his eyes in ecstasy as he hovered above Red Phoenix. He wished he could stay there forever, looking down he saw that he was able to bring in a large chunk of the Red Phoenix. He flew to its outskirts, he was happy to see nearly all of his guards, and the hollow pearls survived. Flying behind Red Phoenix he was not pleased to see how many live Bazards lingered at its very edge. There was much more than the hundred he told to be there. He would have to do something about that, he could only just manage the hundred. He didn't know how he was going to control the hundreds that now scrambled behind Red Phoenix.
He flew back to where the tea table sat. Landing he looked at the table. The objects glow was not as bright as before. The glass jar of the hookah was now only half full. It took that much magic to protect Red Phoenix while he destroyed the Netherworlds. He would use what was left of the magic to conquer the Overworlders.
Allric desperately searched the tea table. It was clear that he was looking for something important. All the objects were strewn on the table and ground. He pounced on a tightly closed jar that rolled under the table. Reverently lifting it up, he held the jar in one wing. "Now we destroy Wonderland with Wonderland."
He placed his other wing on the glass jar of the hookah. The magic in the jar began to flow through the hookah pipe and into the jar Allric held. Concentrating Allric pulled his grip off the hookah. He stood panting, "Harder than I thought," he gasped. "I see why the Queen was so fascinated with the Oysters emotions. That high can be quite addictive." Standing up he ordered two of his guards, a fox and a Bull-guard to come to him. Hatter noticed that they snapped and growled at him, then they begrudgingly obeyed him.
"You two are the first members of my magic army. An army that will defeat the Overworlders." He showed them the jar. "Drink just a few drops from this."
"Hatter," Alice hissed. "In the story, drink me, eat me. You don't think…?"
Hatter not only thought it, he knew it. Allric was using the magic of the books against his world. Once the guards took a sip from the jar he was not surprised to see both of them growing, growing to a giant size. They stopped at twenty feet, twice as tall as Daisy. But Allric made sure to tweak the spell, not only did they grow large, but so did their clothes and weapons they held. Allric now had a way to create a fully stocked army of giants. The dog began to growl, and howl, the fox angrily snapped at the dog.
"Go!" Allric roared. "Go out, and claim your new land. Kill the Overworlders for what they did to us. Destroy them so that this land will now be ours."
"How can we enjoy this world this size?" the dog growled.
"Why I'm using Wonderland magic! If I can make you giants, I can also make you small. When the fighting is done, you will be greatly rewarded, and brought down to normal size. Now go, have fun."
The giant Bull-guard and fox stomped away, Hatter could see them stepping into Wonderland. The only saving grace was that it was dark. After the tremors he was sure everyone in Wonderland was awake, but the advantage they had was the cloaking darkness.
Hatter froze when he saw Allric pulling out a familiar object from his bag. He threw a silver ring in the air, it split in two, then the two split into four, until there was enough for all of the dogs that stood guard. "There will be a reward for every kill that you make. This is how you will prove them. I want a lock of hair from each of your kills, tied to the ring."
The guards quickly picked up the rings. "Go, follow the giant's, kill whatever they cannot reach." The Bull-guards trotted after the giants. Snapping and growling as they went.
"I want you to guard them well," Allric told the twins, and five remaining guards. "I expect them to be here when I return." He then spread out his wings and jumped into the air, flying to the outside ranks of his army. Landing he saw the hollow pearls were still agitated, but he also saw Calvert was working on calming them down. Of course he would never tell Dawes he was thankful for allowing the old bear to live. That would make him appear weak, the Cheshire cat was doing enough damage. For now he had to stir up his army, send them out while the iron was still hot.
He saw the Bull-guards lingering in a group, their eyes were blood shot, their jowls pulled back. They looked at the Eagle with hunger, but Allric did not notice, he was to busy instilling his plan. "As you can see, I've brought Red Phoenix above, the world we were imprisoned in for so many years no longer exists. This is our land now, our land to take. We've arrived at a time when the Overworlders sleep, a perfect time to strike. I know they all must be awake by now after our appearance, but they think they are safely hidden inside their homes. They are not organized, far from ready to battle, where we are the opposite."
He held the vial high in his hands. "My magic is powerful, I've created a potion that will help us destroy the Overworlders. They didn't want us around, they imprisoned us under their feet. Well I say, no more!" The guards let out a howl. Allric pointed to the retreating giant Bull-guard and Fox. They were all in shock as they saw them grow in the distance. "A select few will drink my potion, the rest will follow, entering the buildings to flush out the Overworlders from their safe homes, out into the streets where my giant army will crush them, destroy them." He held opened his bag and pulled out a handful of rings. The multiplied as he threw them in the air. "A reward will be given for each ring that is filled with locks of hair from your kills. By morning this city will no longer belong to the Overworlders, it will be ours!"
Hatter and Alice watched in horror as they could see in the distance giant heads of the Bull-guards and foxes popping up, then moving away, into the city.
"Alice, we have to do something," Hatter hissed.
"But what?" she anxiously replied.
"Brother," Tynan purred. "Now that Allric is gone, I think it's time for us to play with our new pets."
Hatter instantly reached for Alice, but he was to late, Tynan used Lefty's hook and grabbed Hatter by his arm, jerking him towards her. Tynell rushed to Alice, she quickly backed-up. Eric tried to block the ferret, but he was to quick for him. He lashed out with the stun stick, slamming it into Eric's stomach, sending him to the ground writhing in pain. "Don't worry, pretty lady," Tynell purred. "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm not like my sister. I promise I won't let Allric kill you, you're mine now, I'll keep you safe from harm." Alice's eyes searched for an escape. There were five Bull-guards around. She would never make it away in time. Hearing a cry of pain, she looked at Hatter.
Tynan had him trussed up like a thanksgiving turkey. She could see her eyes glow in joy as she pulled out a small blade from her jacket. Distracted by what Tynan was doing to Hatter, Alice didn't see Tynell rush toward her until it was to late. He threw a rope over her, cinching it tight over her arms. "There you go my lady, safe and secure." He slowly began to wrap the rope around her body. He saw her eyes narrow in anger as another cry of pain came from Hatter. Tynan glanced back at his sister, "He's not going to last long if you keep that up," he shouted to her.
Once Tynan pulled Hatter close to her, she quickly brought out a rope. Hatter tried to fight her off, but she was just too quick. Once she roped his hand, it was seconds before she had him on the ground, tying him up so tight he was unable to move an inch. "Oh, I've been dreaming about this," Tynan panted. "I told you before, no one rejects me. Last one that did, well let us say he begged for me to end his life. Of course I didn't, not right away that is."
Finished tying him up, she slowly pulled out a thin knife. She held it up in the air, it's sharp blade glistened in the moonlight. "Love these, they make small biting cuts. Not deep enough to kill, but sting like hell." Extending a claw, she began to slowly open Hatter's shirt. He still wore his body armor. Tynan made a clucking sound. "Mustn't have this." She pulled the armor up, exposing his stomach. "Oh yes, such nice soft skin, I love humans, I get to see my handiwork. Animals fur just hide it away."
Leaning down she slowly dragged her blade on Hatter's exposed stomach, his head lay back as he let out a scream. The blade was as sharp as a razor. Bringing the blade up, he felt the sting of the entire cut. Tynan brought the blade to her mouth, she slowly licked the blood off of it. "Oh yes, just as sweet as I remember." She lovingly stroked the blade on the back of her hand. "Now then, that's the top of the T, I just have to…" She brought the blade down again, looking down Hatter could see that she was etching a large T on his stomach. He clenched his teeth and tried to take the pain, but it was just to much for him. He cried out again, as she dug this one in a bit deeper.
Panting from the stinging pain Hatter heard Tynell shout, "He's not going to last long if you keep that up."
Tynan leaned over Hatter, she wiped the blood from the blade on Hatter's face, "Oh yes he will, won't you my pet. Yes," she rubbed her head against his chest, "You're mine now, I put my mark on you." The tip of her claw followed the cut on his stomach. "T, that's my mark, any animal that sees it will know that you are my property. Mine to do with as I want."
Her heard jerked up, she growled as Alice shouted to her, "Leave him alone, or I'll kill you!"
Tynan gently patted Hatter on the head, 'Like a dog,' he thought. "Stay here my pet, this will not take long."
She rose up, she slowly stalked towards Alice. Tynell immediately flew in front of her. "No sister, I told you before, she's mine."
"Move away, brother. This is between me and her."
"NO!" Tynell shouted. He ran to her, both twins met, snarling and clawing. Fur flew as the twins viciously fought. Hatter and Alice both watched, eager to see who won the battle. Suddenly they heard a whistling sound, and then an explosion. It happened right where Tynan and Tynell was fighting. They heard several other whistling sounds, and explosions, each time it hit where the Bull-guards were standing. Once the smoke cleared the guards and the twins were lying on the ground, unconscious.
Grabbing one of Tynan's knives Alice rushed to where Hatter was trussed up, Dodo and Eric joined them. She used the blade to cut the ropes Tynan cruelly bound him with. As she was helping him to stand, they saw a large shadow lumbering through the remaining smoke of the explosions. They all smiled in relief as they saw Culver loping towards them.
"Culver," Hatter sighed. "I don't know how you did it, but I'm glad you did."
"We'll talk later," Culver insisted. "Let's get to a safe place first, and no arguments. I'm carrying you." He wanted to help Hatter, but he waved him off. "Really big guy, I'll be fine, lets go."
"No," Alice said.
"No," Hatter briskly replied.
"I have to get something first." She ran to the table and grabbed Pitney's stake, and Dodo's cane. She handed the cane to Eric. "Keep this safe Eric, we'll need it later to wake up the others." Alice nodded her approval, "Okay, now we can go." They began to run away from the tea table, Culver and Alice kept Hatter between them, making sure he was well enough to run. Seeing that Dodo would have a difficult time keeping up, Eric picked him up and carried him away.
They didn't stop running until they came to the edge of the Red Phoenix. Alice saw several hollow pearls standing close by. She was about to pull out Pitney's stake until Hatter stopped her. "Don't," he told her. "They're better off the way they are, no one will bother them. If you make them normal, we'll have our hands full tryin' to explain to them why we've got a talkin' bear and Dodo with us."
Eric agreed, "He's right, I've been normal for days and I'm still having a hard time accepting it."
Hatter searched deep into Alice's eyes, "I promise, we'll be back to help them, but for now we've got to get to a safe place." The Red Phoenix was sitting a foot above Wonderland. Culver jumped down first. He helped the others as they jumped down onto Wonderland soil. Once he realized where they were, Hatter didn't stop running until he was sure they were far enough away. Hiding under a stairwell, Hatter sat back and took a closer look at the cuts on his stomach.
"You're lucky," Culver said. "I've seen her make her mark before. She held back, these are not as deep as others."
"Oh yeah, lucky me." Hatter hissed.
"Culver, what about the others, did they make it out safe?" Alice asked him.
"We were coming to get you, but Cayto stopped us. He said that the entire Battalion would never make it there in time. Pitney was going to show them a way to get up. I decided to go on my own to the Red Phoenix." He shyly smiled. "I promised that I would protect the two of you. I always keep my promise." Hatter pulled the thin body armor shirt over the cuts and gingerly began to button his shirt. "Well Culver, I have to tell you. I was never so happy than to see your big brown head coming through that smoke."
"What are going to do now?" Alice asked. "Allric is starting to create a giant army, we have to find a way of warning your people, Hatter. We need to find out if Jack and the battalion made it up in one piece, and I still have to wake up the hollow pearls." She patted her boot where she placed Pitney's stake.
"Okay, information overload, my head hurts now," Hatter moaned.
"Great, it'll help you forget about Tynan's love taps," she gently patted him on his stomach. "I think we need to first find out if Jack made it."
"And how exactly are we suppose to do that?" Dodo asked.
"Rubetta," Hatter said, with a snap of his fingers. "If she was able to get word to the Netherworlders in time, they should be in the open areas, come with me." He grabbed Alice's hand and pulled her down an alley. They soon realized that the street lights was not working. They guessed it must have been caused by the falling of Wonderland. Racing down an alley, Hatter skidded to a stop. His whole life he saw a huge drop at the end of this alley. Instead he could hear the sound of crying, and talking below. Carefully looking down, he was surprised to see hundreds of eyes looking up at him.
"Culver, that you?" a large female badger called out.
"Blisse, it's me," he shouted down. The animals were about twenty feet down. Hatter searched the gap, he was relieved to see that there were many animals here alive. Rubetta managed to save them, he hoped she was able to save more.
"They all did not die," Culver roared in happiness.
"No Culver, but for now I think they should stay there, the Wonderlanders are not going to accept talking animals."
"But the badgers are fighters," Culver protested. "I think we should bring a few with us. If this is to be their land now, they will gladly fight for it."
Alice agreed, "Hatter, he's right. If Jack didn't make it, they are our only hope of defeating Allric."
Hatter had to admit it, there was no possible way the five of them could defeat Allric. He searched the alley for something they could use to help the animals climb up from where they were trapped. He found a rusted set of metal stairs that led to a second floor. He scrambled up to the second floor and used his super-punch just at the rusted part of the stairs. He was able to punch right through it. He held on tight as the stairs fell to the ground. Using Culver's great bear strength, they dragged the metal stairs to the edge and pushed it over. In minutes they had fifty badgers clamber up the make-shift ladder. Seeing three humans they eyed them with displeasure.
"Blisse, this is your group, we need your help." Culver explained.
"Why should we help them!" she pointed to Hatter and Alice. "They are the reason we were trapped in the Netherworlds for so many years. If it was not for Rubetta's warning we'd be crushed just as flat as our village."
"Blisse," Culver tried to appeal to her. "Hatter tried to stop it. This was all caused by Allric, he's the one that destroyed the Netherworlds."
"Yes," Hatter stepped up to them. "He's also the one that created the Bazards. He used them to destroy any that stood against him. Don't you see, he only allowed you to live, so that you could end up later as a meal for him and his army."
"Now I know you speak the untruth," Blisse growled. "Allric was our savior, he gave us the light in the day. He has always extended an invitation to us to live at Red Phoenix, the trees there keep the Bazards away."
"No they don't," Alice now had to step in. "I've seen the Bazards living under the trees, they don't stop them. They've been fooling you all these years. Please believe us when we say that Allric's only plan was to destroy the Netherworlds and create his own Wonderland. A wonderland molded in his twisted image."
"I don't know…" Blisse began to say.
Culver could see he was losing them, they were able to win them back, thanks to the littlest rebel.
"Hatter!" Rubetta chirped. She flew down from the night skies. Hatter held his hand up, she landed on it panting hard. "Oh Hatter, I am so glad to see you, so glad. See I save them, little Rubetta save them."
Hatter gently smiled at the tiny bird. "Yes you did Rubetta, I don't know how, but you did it."
"Oh, I not do alone. I have help. Cayto, help me, he say he warn other side of Red Phoenix, I take this side, this side was mine. I fly as fast as my little wings could go, flew very fast to each village. I tell them, must go to open area. Just as you asked Hatter, just as you asked."
"It was you?" Blisse couldn't believe her ears. Why would an Overworlder help them?
Rubetta flew to Blisse, she hovered in front of her face. "Oh yes, I came to tell him that Bull-Guards take villagers to Red Phoenix, I wanted to stay to help him, wanted to stay. But he tell me to warn villagers, that I needed to warn them, very important."
She flew to Hatter and alighted on his shoulder. Her small chest stuck out so proud of what she had accomplished. She saved many lives that day.
Blisse could see the affection that Rubetta had for Hatter. She spoke so easily to him, and he to her. Which was unsuall for an Overworlder. For her to leave her refuge, she would have to deeply trust him. Well, Blisse thought, if Rubetta trusted this Overworlder, then she would too.
"Very well, Overworlder. We'll help you, we may not look like much, but we are great fighters when the time comes." She stuck her paw out, Hatter shook it warmly.
"Thank you Blisse, we're going to need as many good fighters as possible. Allric is building a giant army."
"A giant army," Blisse gasped. "How can we possibly stand up to them?"
Hatter winked at her, "I've been a scrounger most of my life, I have a few caches of weapons hidden around here that may help us. We also have an advantage, I know this city like the back of my hand. They're in my territory now, lets go, we need to find out how many more survived the quakes. There also may be a battalion of Knights out there, if we catch up to them then our battle with Allric will be much easier. But we must be careful, we have to watch out for my own people. They don't realize that you're not their enemy."
"That where I help," Rubetta peeped. "I can see from above, Hatter. I can tell if the way clear, I can tell. Let me help, oh please let me help."
"All right, but only if you'll be careful, Rubetta," he pointed a stern finger at her.
"I be very careful," she promised. She flew up into the darkness, staying high enough to keep a close watch ahead.
Hatter began to lead them down the dark streets and alleys. Stopping at his secret caches, they brought with them ropes to help the surviving Netherworlders climb out, and weapons. As they moved through the night, all around they could hear the frightened cries of people in the buildings. With Rubetta flying above, she would report back to Hatter if she saw any of the Suits or Wonderlanders so that they could avoid them. They rushed through the city, picking up any animals they found that survived. Slowly their army grew as they searched with high hopes of finding the lost Battalion.