At this moment, they stood deep within the maze, surrounded by dense walls of thorny vines. Despite their exhaustion, a hint from the last vial of potion in their packs suggested that the final puzzle would determine the fate of Wonderland.
In the center of the maze, there was a massive and ancient stone door, lying flat on the ground of the maze garden. In the middle of the door's seam were three gemstone recesses glowing with different colors. It looked like the stone door that had sealed the rabbit hole Alice had fallen into years ago, but this hole was as large as the White Queen's palace. Each gemstone on the door was inscribed with ancient text. Alice gently touched the stone door and deciphered the meaning of the text: "Only pure hearts and deep emotions, the blood of Wonderland, can open the final gateway." It turned out that each gemstone corresponded to the color of the potion to be used. Clearly, they needed to pour the last vial of red potion into the last recess, forming the red gemstone on the stone door.
The puzzle before them was now clear, but they hadn't realized that the thorns of the vines had scratched Alice.
As they continued to explore the stone door and the text, Alice suddenly felt dizzy. A dull pain spread through her arm. Looking down, she found that her arm had been scratched by a poisonous thorn while they were cutting through the vines earlier. The wound seemed small but had already begun to emit a deep purple toxin pattern, spreading along her skin.
"Tarrant... I... it seems like..." Her voice gradually weakened, and her steps became unsteady.
Tarrant quickly turned around. Seeing Alice's pale face and the toxin spreading to her shoulder, contaminating her blood, he慌忙 supported her. Alice's body gradually lost its support, her eyes slowly closing, and she fainted in his arms.
"No, no, no, no, Alice!" Tarrant's voice was filled with fear and helplessness. He gently shook her, but she didn't respond. Despair instantly overwhelmed him.
For a moment, he was stunned and at a loss for what to do. A small opening in his satchel, caused by his movements, drew his attention: it was the green potion given to them by the Red Queen. This potion was meant for healing wounds, but Tarrant had never expected to use it in such a situation. Trembling, he took the green potion from his pocket and carefully dripped it onto Alice's wound.
The potion glowed faintly green on the wound, and the spread of the toxin seemed to slow down, but Alice still didn't wake up, and her breathing became weak. Tarrant's heart tightened as he held her, gently resting her head on his legs and whispering a prayer: "Please, wake up quickly, Alice. I can't lose you... we haven't started yet..."
His rough fingers trembled as they touched her pale cheeks, softly calling her name, as if his voice could awaken her from the abyss. His hand lightly brushed through her hair, tender and urgent. He leaned closer to her, lowered his head, and gently kissed her forehead, eyes, nose, and then her lips. Each kiss was filled with deep love and endless prayers, hoping that these faint touches could bring back her consciousness.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment. The maze garden was silent, with only Tarrant's hurried breathing and heartbeat echoing in the air. He kept kissing her, murmuring, "Please, Alice... don't leave me... you are my only one..."
Finally, after a few minutes, the effect of the green potion began to show. Alice's breathing gradually stabilized. Her face slowly regained its color, and the toxin retreated from the wound. Her eyelids fluttered, and Tarrant held his breath, tensely watching her.
"Alice?" He called softly.
Her eyes finally opened slowly, revealing Tarrant's worried and tender face. Alice smiled weakly, her voice barely audible: "Tarrant..."
Tarrant was overjoyed and hugged her tightly. "It really... scared me a lot." He pressed his forehead against hers, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, finally relieved from his pain.
Although the toxin in Alice's body had retreated, the fate of Wonderland remained uncertain. The final puzzle had yet to be solved, and they had only one vial of red potion left. This potion emitted a strong pull, seeming to draw them into the vial. The Red Queen had warned them that the red potion possessed great power but must be used with extreme caution. It could not only grant the user immense strength but could also bring unpredictable consequences.
"Tarrant," Alice lifted herself from his embrace, still somewhat weak but with determination in her eyes, "We must complete the final task. Wonderland needs us."
Tarrant nodded, and Alice reached out to hold his hand, smiling and saying, "Come on, our emotions can conquer everything."
They carefully opened the red potion. Unlike the previous ones, this potion immediately released a powerful energy that shook the air around them.The red glow swiftly enveloped the maze garden, and Tarrant and Alice felt the power surging within them, but they also sensed the heavy pull exerted by the potion.
The final obstacle in the maze was a force connected to the vitality of Wonderland—a corrupted power that thrived as Wonderland lost its balance. The energy of the red potion was opposed to this force; it was the "blood of Wonderland" extracted from its underground by the Red Queen. They collided violently in the air, generating an intense reaction as if tearing the entire maze apart. The source of the blood was evil, and the potion would devour any living being nearby, making them "martyrs" to its cause.
Therefore, like the potion crafted by the White Queen to restore Alice to her normal size, the red potion could not resolve this crisis alone. It required Alice and Tarrant, who had fought here before, to be completely connected in heart and mind. Wonderland had chosen them; only their emotions and combined strength could direct the energy of the red potion in the right direction.
Tarrant looked at Alice, took a deep breath, and reached out to grasp her hand tightly. "We must believe in each other wholeheartedly."
Alice nodded, her heart filled with determination. "I believe in you, Tarrant."
Closing their eyes, they concentrated, pooling all their emotions and strength together. The glow of the red potion began to soften, and their heartbeats seemed to synchronize with the pulse of Wonderland. At this moment, their feelings became the strongest bond, connecting the vitality of the wonderland. Holding hands, they shielded each other from the powerful pull, slowly pouring the two potions into the grooves of the gemstones.
The corrupted force in the maze garden began to gradually dissipate, and the plants of Wonderland regained their vitality. The yellowed grass turned green again, the dormant flowers opened their beautiful petals, and even the thorns in the maze transformed into gentle vines, adorning the entire fairyland.
Eventually, the maze garden was fully restored, and Wonderland once again radiated unprecedented vigor. Tarrant and Alice released their hands, smiling at each other. Tarrant whispered softly, gently stroking Alice's cheek, "This is about the connection between us." After saying this, he leaned down and gently kissed her lips.
With this kiss, the surrounding air seemed to ignite, and the withered trees and flowers in the maze began to slowly awaken, their leaves fluttering gently in the breeze, while new sprouts emerged quietly from the previously lifeless soil. The runes on the stone statues flickered with warm light, gradually dispersing, and the paths of the maze began to slowly open.
"Tarrant, I never told you that in the real world, I often think of Wonderland and you," Alice said softly, her eyes brimming with tears. "In that world, I did many things and experienced many adventures, but nothing feels more real than the connection we share when we are together."
Tarrant's heart raced, and he took Alice's hand, gazing deeply into her eyes. "I have been waiting for you to come back, not just because Wonderland needs you, but because I... need you."
Alice's heartbeat synchronized with Tarrant's, and she felt that their emotions had reached an unprecedented depth at this moment. The stone door completely disintegrated, transforming into a gentle glow that enveloped them.