"No help at all!"
It had been only a few hours since Rabbit had abandoned the two girls in the middle of the charred Tulgey Woods, and already Alice Kingsleigh had heard that phrase muttered by her brunette friend time and time again. With a roll of her hazel eyes, she ignored the younger girl, instead focusing on the task ahead of them. They would have to reach Yur Mine before the end of the next day, or else it might be too late to shut this door. And, without Rabbit, this seemed quite the impossible task, unless Gryphon knew the way. For now, though, they were travelling the path through the woods, never once straying. After all, who knew what was lurking amoungst the burned trees?
"I don't suppose you know where to go?" Alice looked back at Alice Liddell, who was in the process of shifting position on her mount's back. She looked up sharply as the blond spoke, then shook her head.
"No, I don't. I've been to the mines before, but I didn't exactly arrive in the conventional way. Rabbit is the only one who knows the way, besides the gnomes and their Elder, all of whom reside there and rarely leave."
Well, that didn't sound promising at all. "There has to be some other way, unless Rabbit comes back to find us."
There was silence, and Alice turned back once again to look at her friend. Her green eyes were blank as she gazed off at some unknown point to her left, obviously lost in thought. Alice Kingsleigh pursed her lips. Something was off about Alice, that was for certain. All this preoccupation. Well, the poor girl did have quite a bit on her mind, if the guilt of corrupting Wonderland was still weighing on her. It was enough to provide stress for anyone, especially Alice Liddell, who was already prone to guilt. Slowing the Bandersnatch, Alice Kingsleigh reached out and gently touched the brunette's bare arm. Her head whipped sharply around, and Alice felt her involuntarily flinch under the touch, obviously not used to the physical contact.
"It's not your fault," Alice Kingsleigh kept her voice gentle.
"I know..." The lie wasn't convincing in the slightest, but Alice had the feeling that she didn't want to go on about it. The blond kept quiet, her fingers idly running through the Bandersnatch's long, spotted fur. They travelled in silence for some time, before Gryphon suddenly halted under a tree.
"Gryphon, what-?" Alice Liddell's gaze travelled up to a lower hanging branch, her lips curving downward in a scowl as it landed on the floating grin there. "Well? Have you any useful advice this time? If not, don't waste our time."
"What Alice means," Alice Kingsleigh cut in, shooting her friend a glare, "is that we'd like to know what exactly we should do next."
The grin hovered slightly before the form of Cat faded back into view. "Your problem is, you're going forward," his deep voice purred.
The scowl didn't leave Alice Liddell's face. "Don't tell me we'll have to go sideways again."
"Oh no," Cat replied, his tail already beginning to disappear slowly. "I think backwards is the direction you're looking for." And with that, he vanished.
There was a disgruntled noise from Alice Liddell. "Blasted cat. Never says anything useful."
"Now, wait a moment, Alice. That isn't true," Alice Kingsleigh turned to look at her. "If Cat says we have to go backwards, perhaps it means we'll find something where we were."
"The Vale?" The brunette considered this for a moment, before nodding. "Yes, if the Dutchess has anything to do with this, she'll be there."
That seemed to decide it. There was no point in travelling through the Tulgey Wood for ages, especially when what they were looking for was in the Vale. While Alice Liddell was wary of leaving their quest in favor of something else, Alice Kingsleigh was able to convince her that this might have something to do with the sudden decay. If anything, it would solve the problem of the burned woods, if only slightly. Travel back through the Vale was simple, but as their time wore on, the sun began to set lower and lower on the horizon. When there was just enough light to see by, Alice Kingsleigh finally spoke up.
"Alice, it's very nearly nightfall. Perhaps we should stop?"
Glancing over her shoulder and halting Gryphon, Alice considered this for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose we won't get far in the dark..." Though she sounded reluctant, even she couldn't deny that truth.
There really wasn't much to do to set up a camp beyond making a fire, something Alice Kingsleigh had become quite adept at since their last little adventure. It wasn't difficult if one had the proper tools, and after just a few minutes, there was a small blaze going the the center of the clearing. Eying it warily, Alice Liddell kept far away from the flames, sitting against a tree at the very edge of the firelight and sharpening her knife with a stone she kept in her apron pocket.
While the Vale had been beautiful in the daylight, Alice Kingsleigh found that at night, it was extremely eerie. Then again, firelight tended to transform even the most lovely of places into a hellish realm of dancing shadows and reddish light. For her own part, Alice stayed closer to the fire than her friend, wanted to be near something that might protect her from whatever was lurking about. Already, she'd heard twigs snapping beyond their clearing, and though most creatures in Wonderland tended to be harmless, Alice didn't want to take her chances. Nearby, the Bandersnatch laid on the grass, allowing it's usual rider to lean against it's surprisingly soft fur for comfort. Alice's hazel eyes had very nearly drifted closed when the sound of Alice Liddell standing up sharply drew her attention.
"What is it?" the blond girl blinked tiredness from her eyes as she watched her friend staring intently at a spot somewhere in the darkness of the forest.
"There's something out there," came the quiet reply as Alice tilted the Vorpal Blade slightly in her hand, letting the light of the fire glint off of it.
Alice Kingsleigh's response was immediate. Her hand shot for the Vorpal Sword, which was in a sheath by her hand. The glittering sword was drawn in a flash as she stood, walking to join Alice Liddell. Squinting, she peered into the gloom, but couldn't make anything out. Blaming this on her friend's imagination might be insulting to one that had spent nearly ten years having hallucinations, but Alice couldn't help but question the possibility.
"Alice..."
The whisper was very, very soft, but clear as a bell. The two girls tensed, remaining perfectly silent as they started into the woods, eyes searching for any sign of movement. For a moment, the only sounds were the fire crackingly ominously and the two girls breathing heavily out of nerves.
"What have you done...?"
Alice Liddell's breath caught in her throat and Alice Kingsleigh quickly turned to see something emerging from the gloom on the other side. There wasn't much to discern about it other than an amourphous shape, blacker than the night itself. However, once firelight was cast onto its features, Alice Kingsleigh let out a sound of revulsion, stepping back towards her friend. The creature looked to be made completely from some form of black goo, with the texture and look of oil. Metal pipes stuck up from it's back and, most horrifyingly of all, a doll's white head was stuck in the center, its empty black eyes trained on the two girls.
The creature seemed to study them for a moment, then the doll's mouth opened, letting out an inhuman screech. From the edges of the clearing, more emerged, surrounding the two completely and beginning to close in. Thick, black smoke belched from the pipes on the creatures' backs, blotting out the moonlight until there was nothing but the fire remaining.
"W-what are those things, Alice?" Alice Kingsleigh looked over to where the brunette girl was standing, eyes wide with horror. She shook her head in response, but at that moment, a deep voice purred from the shadows.
"Might want to get a move on. These creatures have a tendancy to ruin their opponants."
Alice Kingsleigh's gaze just caught a vanishing pair of yellow eyes, before turning back to the things...the Ruin, if Cat's words where anything to go by. They usually were.
"Alice...what have you done?" the whisper came again. Though the doll mouth's never opened, it was clear they were the source. Hazel eyes widened as Alice quickly figured the reasoning behind this phrase, and Alice Liddell's reaction to it.
"Alice, don't listen to them!" she cried, only to turn and see her friend on the verge of being overwhelmed by the Ruin. Alice Liddell hadn't moved since the first of them made its appearence, as if she were under some kind of trance. "Alice!"
The younger girl remained frozen in place, and Alice quickly took the situtation into her own hands. Obviously, if they remained like this, both would perish. Grasping her sword, she quickly spun, slashing into one of the Ruin as it neared. The creature was cut in half, shreiking in agony as it faded into the dirt, leaving only it's doll's mask behind. Good. The Vorpal Sword had an effect on these creatures.
Slashing again, Alice twirled among the Ruin, lashing out in every direction to strike each and every one. At first glance, the creatures seemed to have no manner of defense whatsoever, not until one of them suddenly shot pieces of whatever goo they were made of towards Alice. The stuff burned the instant it touched her skin and she let out a cry of pain, quickly going about wiping whatever it was away. It was rather like ink and oil at the same time, but wasn't too difficult to get away from her. Alice stapped forward, taking out the Ruin that had injured her and moving on to more.
The sound of her friend crying out seemed to snap Alice Liddell from her trance, for the brunette suddenly blinked, then moved to draw the Hobby Horse from her apron pocket. She smiked. It was time to try out her new weapons. Hefting the heavy weapon up, Alice let out something between a grunt of effort and a war cry, slamming the hammer-like Horse down on the Ruin closest to her. Not only did this instantly take out the creature, but it also sent out a shockwave that sent the others reeling back, falling over themselves. Twirling the weapon to build momentum, Alice swung again, sending another Ruin flying.
Unfortunately, a metal pipe from the creature's remains hit the fire, causing one of the burning logs to go flying into a nearby brush. In moments, the surrounding area of the clearing was ablaze, and Alice Liddell's eyes widened again in pure terror as she gasped, shying back from the fire. The Ruin as well, fell back screeching as the flames burned some of their comrades into non-existance.
"Ooh, Alice...now look what you've done," the whispers returned, now filled with fiendish glee.
"Alice! The Ice Wand!" Alice Kingsleigh shouted, her voice calling over the whispers as she continued to fend off the Ruin, the Vorpal Sword a silver blur as she swung it towards her attackers.
Subconsciously, Alice reached for the weapon, drawing it out in place of the Hobby Horse and firing it towards the flames, putting them out just as Alice Kingsleigh stabbed through the last of the Ruin.
An eerie quiet desecnded, broken only by the clatter of the china doll's head that fell to the ground as the Ruin disappated into a black splotch on the ground. Alice Liddell fell to her knees, breathing heavily as the Ice Wand dropped from her hand. The weapon's blue glow was the only source of light in the clearing now, but it was enough to Alice Kingsleigh to see that her friend had nearly crumpled, arms wrapped around herself as she trembled.
"Alice..." In an instant, Alice Kingsleigh was by her friend's side, hands on Alice Liddell's shoulders as she knelt as well. There was no flinch at the contact this time, perhaps because the younger girl was too focused on other things. "Alice, please, you have to listen to me. None of that was-"
"My fault..." The response was a vague whisper, as if Alice were talking more to herself than to her friend. Her gaze roved the now burnt clearing. "My fault, my fault, my fault..."
"Alice!" Perhaps a sharper tone would do better. It seemed so, for Alice looked up at the older girl as she snapped, listening. "I highly doubt you could predict the attack, and I doubt even further that you would know that one of those...things would hit the fire. So, stop deluding youself, and focus!"
The brunette blinked, coming out of her trance and looking now to Alice Kingsleigh's eyes. Her head shook for a moment, before she straighted and looked her over. "Your arm," Alice Liddell finally spoke, holding out her hand.
"Hm? Oh..." Looking down at the aforementioned limb, Alice spotted a few minor burns from where the Ruin had hit her with whatever that stuff was. They shone agaisnt her skin in the light of the Ice Wand, and it was only now that she began to feel the pain of them.
Impatient, Alice Liddell grabbed her arm, causing the older of the two girls to wince in pain at the sudden movement. This either wasn't noticed or wasn't paid mind too as the younger girl used her free hand to search a nearby pack, drawing out a small jar of salve and beginning to rub it on her friend's injuries.
"You're lucky that I went to Mirana for a few things before we left," Alice muttered, finishing up by tying a bandage around the wounds.
"I suppose it would be against our better interest to make another fire..." At the moment, Alice Kingsleigh was too exhausted to even think about gathering more firewood. Sensing this, her friend nodded and grabbed the Ice Wand from where it had fallen. Walking to the center of the clearing, Alice shoved the end of the weapon into the ground letting the illuminated ice crystals stand upright and continue to light the clearing.
"That should be good enough until morning," she surmised, with a nod of affirmation to herself.
Alice Kingsleigh raised an eyebrow, somewhat in shock over her friend's sudden change of mood. "Are you alright, Alice?"
"Perfectly fine," came the clipped response as the younger of the girl went about slipping the medical supplies back into the pack slung over the Bandersnatch's back. Somehow, Alice doubted this, but decided not to dwell on it. It would do them no good to be visiting the past when at the moment, they had worse things to deal with.
