Alice followed the guards to the room in which her armor and sword were kept. The door was pushed open to reveal the silver breast plate Alice had worn all those years ago. She smiled as she looked at her reflection. The palace maids really knew how to police a metal surface. She looked around the room and suddenly saw the most displeased expression plastered across a white knight's face. "What is it?" She asked.

"It's gone." He growled, lips pressed into a thin line. Alice cocked her head to the side and gave him a puzzled look. "The vorpal sword is gone."

Alice's eyes went wide, "I beg your pardon? My sword is missing?" She half shouted.

The entire tower soon began to quake beneath their feet. Two of the guards fell to the floor. Alice steadied herself and growled, snatching the knight's sword from its sheath at his hip. "I have a feeling something is going to happen in this room. Quickly. All of you huddle with your backs together."

The group did as they were told. The doors soon came swinging open, creaking on their hinges as they were not built to go as far back as they were shoved. The other's drew their weapons and watched the masked figure that approached them. One of the men advanced on him, lunging with his sword at full length. The man in the cloak drew from somewhere on his being a bag and tossed a strange array of glitter into the air of the room. The slight sent of peaches betrayed Alice's nose. The men in the room aside from the attacker and the Champion fell to the floor. Alice gripped her sword tighter. "What did you do to them?" She hissed.

"Hmmm... This is quite curious. I wonder why the mixture did not work on you. It is meant to paralyze any creature from Underland."

Alice smirked, "I'm not from Underland, I just live here."

His hand went to his hip as he spoke again. "No matter. I'll just have to take care of you on my own." He drew his blade and crouched. Alice took note of his weapon of choice. It was a sword. She was pleased with this. This meant this fight was going to at least be partially fair. "Alas, I will ha have to be swift. Don't expect me to go easy on you."

She spun her adopted sword as if she'd practiced with it her entire life. "I don't.

"Maybe," He purred, "If you bed me now, I'll end your life quickly and with almost no pain."

Her lips turned down into a frown, "No thank you."

He lifted his sword, "Very well then," And lunged at her. She dodged -barely. A nice size cut opened on her form. She growled and his blade his hers, knocking it out of her hand. He kicked her feet out from under her and she landed with a thud. Her eyes closed as the breath was knocked out of her.

When her eyes opened again, she saw her opponent with his sword lifted, prepared to take the final strike and kill her on the spot. Her gaze darkened as realization dawned upon her. She kicked his knee with all her strength and rolled over. She scrambled over to the sword, dirtying the skirt of the dress she was wearing, and grabbed the sword.

Her opponent rose and cursed under her breath. She swiped her weapon towards his feet. He jumped, landing on the blade of the sword. She pulled it back with all her strength. He lost his footing and fell back on his behind. She held her blade steady at his throat. "Give me back my sword."

He glared at her and hit her sword, rolling to a standing position. "Your sword?" He swung the blade hard and cut the sword she'd been using in half. He looked into her glowering eyes. "So you're the one that mad man is infatuated with." His expression changed. "How does it feel to know you are destroying a man shred by shred? I must say, it's quite impressive. You've completely bewitched him. If you aren't from Underland, then where are you from? Perhaps that kingdom in the queen's hedge maze? You'd never be found if you went in there, you know. Many have been put in there for her enjoyment alone."

Alice threw down the blade and grabbed a mace from an unconscious guard. "What is it you're babbling about now?" She swung it to the best of her ability.

He pushed the blade of the Vorpal sword closer to her throat. She backed up. "That insane hatter of yours, he's losing it, young one. Pretty soon that anger he kept up inside waiting for you will be unleashed. He can barely control it now. Perhaps I should kill you now –out of pity of course. As you know, the mad men of the world just get angry and the angrier he gets the more violent." He lunged a little at her, the tip of the sword barely missing her skin.

Alice stepped back and was tripped by a fallen guard. She cursed as her rump hit the ground and looked up angrily at her attacker. "And the hatter will-"

He would never finish that statement. A slick knife's blade was pressed against his throat. "An' whit will Ah dae?" (And what will I do?) Tarrant's thick brogue sliced the air.

Alice smirked, "Talk about perfect timing."

Suddenly the ground began to tremble again. Tarrant stepped back a little to keep his balance, the attacker crouched a little. The man in the cloak took this opportunity to strike. He slung his blade down at the young woman. She lifted her hand over her face, sure this was the end.

A light radiated from her chest and the vorpal blade. He found himself unable to harm a hair on her hair with the sword! He growled and pushed down on it harder. The same result came of it. He groaned and pulled the sword back to his side.

"I'll be back," He murmured. He lifted his cloak and wrapped it about his form before slowly beginning to disappear.

"My sword!" Alice shouted, jumping after him. All that was left was a cloud of ashes that fell to the ground with Alice. Tarrant knelt by her side and helped her up.

"Are you alright?" He asked.