After quite a long walk, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Duchess finally reached the 'largest rock'.
As the trio rounded the place, the shadows pooling at its base began to shift unnaturally. They moved with a life of their own, coalescing into a dense, swirling form that stretched upward until it loomed above them.
A low, guttural growl rumbled from the dark mass, and two piercing red eyes flared open within its depths. The air turned frigid, and an oppressive weight seemed to press down on them. The thing's form began to solidify, taking the shape of a monstrous wolf-like creature, its body wreathed in darkness that seemed to ripple and hiss like smoke.
The Duchess stepped forward, her fists clenched. "So, this is the treacherous one Humpty warned us about. No key comes without a fight, I suppose."
The shadow-wolf bared its fangs, its voice an eerie whisper that seemed to echo from everywhere at once. "You dare approach the fragments of the key? Fools. Your light will be snuffed out here."
Before anyone could respond, the creature lunged, its massive claws raking the ground where they had been standing moments before.
"Move!" the White Rabbit shouted, leaping aside and clutching his watch.
The Mad Hatter dodged with an unexpected nimbleness, his hat tilting dangerously as he reached for a small flask tucked in his coat. He hurled it at the beast, and the flask shattered on impact, releasing a burst of bright, blinding powder.
The shadow-wolf howled, recoiling as the light from the powder momentarily dispersed its darkness. "Clever," it hissed, its form flickering like a dying flame. "But light fades, as will you."
The Duchess charged, her movements swift and decisive. She grabbed a jagged branch from the ground, her strength transforming it into a makeshift weapon. With a fierce swing, she struck the creature directly in its swirling chest.
For a moment, the shadow-wolf staggered, its form rippling. But instead of showing signs of damage, it let out a low, guttural laugh. Its red eyes gleamed brighter, and the shadows around it seemed to grow thicker, darker.
"Ah, shadow energy," it murmured, its voice dripping with satisfaction. "Thanks for the meal."
The Duchess froze, her eyes narrowing as she watched the beast's form swell slightly, its claws elongating.
"Damn it," she muttered under her breath, stepping back. "It's feeding off my attacks."
The Hatter, already scrambling to retrieve another flask from his coat, called out, "Well, that's a lovely revelation to share now! Care to rethink your strategy, dear Duchess?"
"Shut up, Hatter," she snapped, tossing the branch aside. Her sharp gaze never left the creature, its shadowy figure now prowling toward her with an almost taunting swagger.
The White Rabbit, holding his watch tightly, glanced at her in alarm. "Shadow magic—of course! It's drawn to its own kind. You'll have to sit this one out unless you want to make it invincible!"
The creature's guttural laugh echoed around them. "Invincible? Not quite... but close enough."
The Duchess clenched her fists, frustration flashing across her face, but she stepped back reluctantly. "Fine. But if either of you dies, I'm not cleaning up the mess."
The Hatter grinned, though his eyes were sharp with focus. "Noted. Now, let's see if a little light can ruin its appetite."
He tossed his flask at the beast, and it shattered in a burst of luminous powder. The creature snarled, recoiling as the light disrupted its shadowy form. It growled low, its voice resonating with an almost amused tone. "Light or dark, it matters not. You will all fall."
The Rabbit flipped open his watch, the golden glow from before intensifying. "We'll see about that."
The Duchess stood back at first, her arms crossed and her eyes narrowing as she watched the Hatter and the Rabbit dart in and out, their coordinated attacks keeping the shadowy creature on edge. The Hatter hurled flask after flask, each one bursting in flashes of light that made the creature snarl and recoil. Meanwhile, the Rabbit darted close, striking with his glowing pocket watch before quickly retreating.
The Duchess's jaw tightened as the creature began adapting to their tactics, its form shifting and twisting to evade their strikes. This isn't working, she thought, her stubborn pride refusing to let her stay idle.
Her fingers twitched, and dark tendrils of energy began coalescing around her hands. "If these two clowns can't finish the job, then I'll just have to step in and end it," she muttered to herself.
While the creature's attention was focused on the Hatter and Rabbit, the Duchess whispered a series of incantations under her breath. The shadowy energy around her grew denser, forming into a swirling, ominous orb.
"Duchess!" the Rabbit called out, his voice strained as he dodged another swipe from the beast. "Whatever you're thinking, don't—"
But it was too late. With a sharp motion, the Duchess hurled the orb straight at the creature. It struck the shadow-wolf square in the chest, and for a moment, the beast howled in pain, its form writhing violently.
The Duchess smirked. "See? That's how you deal with a—"
Her words were cut off as the creature stopped writhing and let out a deep, guttural laugh. Its form began to grow, shadows swirling around it like a storm. Its claws sharpened further, and its glowing red eyes blazed brighter than ever.
"More... power," the creature growled, its voice resonating with newfound strength. "How generous of you."
The Hatter spun around, his eyes wide with fury. "Are you out of your mind? I told you to stop making it stronger!"
The Duchess frowned, her expression faltering for the first time. "I thought—"
"Well, you thought wrong!" the Hatter snapped, throwing another flask that barely managed to slow the now-empowered beast.
The Rabbit skidded to a stop beside the Duchess, his breathing labored. "Yeah, it's about time that you stop feeding it!"
The creature snarled, its towering form advancing toward them. "Yes... give me more. I'll devour you all!"
The Duchess gritted her teeth, her hands balling into fists. "Fine. You handle it, then!"
"We were already trying to!" the Hatter yelled, frustration etched across his face. "Just don't help anymore!"
The group braced themselves, the shadow-wolf now more formidable than ever, its red eyes gleaming with malevolent glee as it prepared to strike again.
The shadow-wolf lunged forward with ferocious speed, its claws slicing through the air. The Hatter and Rabbit dodged just in time, the beast's massive swipe carving deep grooves into the earth.
The Hatter rolled to his feet, panting heavily, and glanced at the Rabbit, who darted in close. With a swift flick of his glowing pocket watch, the Rabbit struck the creature's legs, sending a burst of energy that made it stagger.
The Hatter's brow furrowed in surprise. "When did you learn to use your watch like that?" he called out, dodging another swipe from the shadow-wolf.
The Rabbit didn't look back, his focus fixed on the beast. "This isn't exactly the time for that!" he snapped, leaping away just as the creature retaliated with a vicious claw swipe.
"Fair point!" the Hatter replied, rummaging through his coat for another flask. "But remind me to ask later—if we survive this!"
He hurled the flask at the creature's face, the explosion of light momentarily blinding it. The shadow-wolf roared, shaking its massive head before surging forward again, faster and angrier than before.
The Rabbit darted to the side, sweat streaming down his face. "It's too strong," he panted, clutching his watch tightly.
The Hatter nodded grimly, his chest heaving. "I'm out of flasks," he admitted, his voice filled with frustration. "And it doesn't look like it's tiring anytime soon."
The shadow-wolf's laughter rumbled through the clearing, deep and menacing. "You're slowing down," it mocked, its glowing eyes fixed on its prey.
The Hatter stumbled back as the beast swiped again, its claws grazing his coat and sending him sprawling to the ground. The Rabbit tried to cover him, but his movements were sluggish, his strikes less precise.
"We're not going to last much longer," the Rabbit said grimly, his breaths ragged.
The Hatter pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly. "We've got to keep fighting," he said, his voice hoarse. He shot a look at the Duchess, who stood nearby with clenched fists. "Unless you've got a trick up your sleeve that won't make it stronger this time?"
The Duchess scowled, her pride and frustration evident. Her gaze flicked between the shadow-wolf and her exhausted companions.
The shadow-wolf roared, its claws tearing through the ground as it lunged at the trio once more. The Hatter narrowly avoided a swipe, grabbing the Rabbit by the arm to pull him out of the way. The Duchess, still fuming from her earlier failure, hurled a stone at the beast, but it harmlessly passed through its smoky form, earning another deep, guttural laugh.
"We need a plan!" the Rabbit shouted, skidding to a stop near a dense thicket.
The Hatter ducked behind the foliage, his chest heaving. "Working on it!" he hissed, glancing at the Duchess, who reluctantly joined them.
The beast prowled closer, its glowing eyes scanning the underbrush. The Rabbit's ears twitched nervously as he clutched his pocket watch. "This isn't working. We need to retreat—now!"
"And leave that thing roaming free?" the Duchess snapped, her voice low but sharp.
"Do you want to get us killed?" the Rabbit countered, his voice firm. "If we stay, it'll devour all of us. We need to regroup and rethink our approach."
The Hatter hesitated, his face a mask of frustration. "He's right," he admitted, much to the Duchess's visible annoyance.
The Rabbit didn't wait for further argument. He stepped back, raising his watch. "I'll create a portal. We'll retreat and come back better prepared."
Just as he began to mutter the spell, a piercing shriek split the air, followed by a loud, sickening crack. The trio froze, their eyes wide.
The Hatter cautiously peeked through the bushes, his jaw dropping at the sight. The shadow-wolf staggered, a massive hammer embedded in its head. Standing over it was none other than the March Hare, his usually jittery demeanor replaced by a rare, steely resolve.
"Not so tough now, are ya?" the Hare muttered, pulling the hammer free and raising it for another strike.
A small figure darted down from a nearby branch, landing nimbly on the wolf's back—the Dormouse. "Stay still, you oversized puff of smoke!" she shouted, plunging a needle-like sword into its shadowy form.
Above, the Gryphon descended with a powerful beat of his wings, landing with an earth-shaking thud. "You should've stayed in the shadows, beast," he growled, swiping at the wolf with razor-sharp talons.
The Hatter blinked in disbelief before a wide grin spread across his face. "Well, I'll be… reinforcements!"
The Rabbit lowered his watch, relief washing over his features. "Looks like we're not done here after all," he said, stepping out from their hiding spot.
The Duchess crossed her arms, a smirk tugging at her lips as she watched the shadow-wolf falter under the onslaught. "About time someone else pulled their weight."
The battle wasn't over, but the tide had turned—and with their allies by their side, the trio's hope rekindled.