The wolf recoiled momentarily but seemed to regenerate its wounds and bruises as its eyes burned brighter. It growled, low and menacing.
Instinctively, the March Hare leaped back, gripping his hammer tightly while the Dormouse and the Gryphon regrouped with him.
"Perhaps it's not yet the time to flee ain't it Hatter?," the White Rabbit glanced at the Hatter with a wide smirk.
The Hatter, crouched behind the cover of a toppled log, glanced at the White Rabbit with a mixture of exasperation and hope. "Well, when reinforcements drop in from the sky, one must reevaluate their strategy."
The Duchess scowled, still catching her breath. "If you lot can stop talking and focus, we might survive this!"
The Shadow Wolf snarled, its dark form pulsing as though feeding on the surrounding shadows. It lunged toward the Gryphon, who countered with a powerful sweep of his claws, sending sparks of light crackling against its dark hide. The beast staggered but quickly recovered, its wounds knitting together as if taunting them.
"Right," the Dormouse squeaked, hopping onto the March Hare's shoulder. "We hit it hard, and it just gets stronger. What's the plan, smart people?"
The Hatter's eyes darted between the wolf and the growing pile of failed strategies. "We need to outsmart it, not overpower it. Something it can't absorb."
The Gryphon, flapping his wings to evade another strike, bellowed, "Then think faster!" He dove in, his claws raking across the wolf's flank before retreating, buying precious seconds.
The March Hare twirled his hammer, a glint of mischief in his eye. "If brute force won't work, what about clever force?" He feinted a strike, drawing the wolf's attention while the Dormouse scurried down his arm.
The Duchess called out, "We could use fire, light—anything to counter shadow magic!"
The Hatter suddenly lit up. "Light! That's it! Rabbit, do you still have that enchanted lantern?"
The White Rabbit fumbled with his satchel, pulling out a small, glowing lantern. Its light was faint, barely enough to illuminate a small corner of the forest, but the Hatter's grin widened.
"Everyone, focus on distracting it! Rabbit, get ready to shine some truth on this beast!"
"Time for a little dance," the Dormouse slurred, swaying unsteadily but purposefully. His movements, seemingly erratic and uncoordinated, struck pressure points along the wolf's shadowy form. Each hit caused the beast to stagger, its form flickering with instability.
As the others engaged the Shadow Wolf, the White Rabbit fiddled with the lantern, muttering, "This better work, or we're all late for tea…"
The Hatter dodged a snapping jaw, yelling, "Hurry, Rabbit!"
With a burst of determination, the White Rabbit raised the lantern high and flipped a small switch at its base. A brilliant beam of light shot forth, bathing the clearing in a warm, golden glow. The Shadow Wolf howled in agony, its form flickering and thinning as the light struck it.
The Gryphon roared, diving to pin the creature down as it writhed under the lantern's beam. "Don't stop now!"
The wolf's howls faded into a low whimper as the light consumed it entirely, leaving nothing but a faint wisp of shadow that dissipated into the air.
The clearing fell silent, save for the heavy breathing of the group. The Hatter adjusted his hat, tilting it to the Rabbit. "Not bad for someone who said this wasn't the time for discussion."
The White Rabbit huffed, cradling the lantern. "If you knew about this earlier, we could've saved some time."
The March Hare chuckled, leaning on his hammer. "Oh, come now, what's a little peril between friends?"
The Duchess crossed her arms. "If we're done congratulating ourselves, maybe we can get back to the matter of finding that key."
The March Hare rested his hammer on the ground, leaning on it casually. "So, this whole shadowy beast mess is part of your little scavenger hunt?"
The Hatter nodded. "Well, the Duchess here knows how to find them. We just tagged along."
The Gryphon crossed his arms, his feathers bristling. "We should return to the Queens. This threat is still bigger than any of us."
"We don't have time for politics," the Hatter countered, his voice sharpening. "Every moment we waste could mean losing Alice forever."
The Gryphon's eyes softened, but he didn't relent. "If we're going to face more creatures like this, we'll need all the help we can get."
The March Hare, twirling his hammer with ease, grinned again. "Well, I'm in. Who else is coming?"
The Dormouse nodded, her rapier gleaming in the moonlight. "Count me in too. We'll see this through, for Alice."
The Gryphon hesitated for a moment, glancing at the Rabbit and the Hatter. The Rabbit gave a small, encouraging nod, while the Duchess simply crossed her arms, waiting for his decision.
"Fine," the Gryphon said at last. "But no delays. We find the key pieces, save Alice, and if we happen to save Wonderland in the process, so be it."
"Deal," the Hatter said, extending a hand toward the Gryphon.
Meanwhile, in the Frozen North, a huge shadow loomed over the barren landscape, the crunch of snow beneath heavy steps breaking the silence. The air was frigid, the wind biting at the skin, but the figure paid it no mind. His massive form, draped in fur and armor, moved with an unsettling grace. His footsteps echoed, an ominous rhythm that seemed to pulse with power.
As he neared the towering, empty throne of ice, the shadow paused, his glowing eyes sweeping over the desolate kingdom he once ruled. A deep sigh rumbled from his chest, the sound like distant thunder.
"Ah, I've missed this," he muttered to no one in particular, his voice low and gravelly. "This old throne of mine... It's been far too long."
He reached out, his gloved hand brushing against the cold surface of the throne. The moment his fingers made contact, a low hum resonated through the frozen air, as though the throne itself recognized his touch. The shadow grinned, a flicker of malice in his eyes.
After a while, the sound of hooves echoed through the still air. The darkness around him seemed to deepen as the rider emerged, a headless figure cloaked in shadow, riding a horse that shimmered like smoke. The steed's hooves barely touched the ground, each step a whisper of shadow and menace.
The massive shadow stood still, his hulking form casting a long, dark silhouette against the icy expanse. His sharp, glowing eyes locked onto the headless swordsman, at it dismounted from his shadowy steed.
The swordsman, his blade gleaming faintly in the moonlight, stood motionless before the throne. He lowered his arm, a subtle, eerie gesture, and spoke with a voice that reverberated through the cold air. "The Shadow Wolf... is no more, my lord. The light... it consumed him."
The figure on the throne did not flinch, nor did his expression change. He gave a single, dismissive wave of his hand, as if the loss meant nothing. "No matter," he said, his voice a deep growl that seemed to shake the very earth beneath them. "The game has only just begun."
A dark, almost predatory smile spread across his lips, as his eyes gleamed with an unsettling confidence. "There is much more at stake than a single pawn. And in time, the others will fall just as easily."
He leaned forward slightly, the cold air seeming to bend around him. "Let them think they are winning. It will make their defeat all the sweeter when the true pieces are in play."
The swordsman bowed slightly, a nod of understanding. Without a word, he turned, mounting his steed once more. The two figures stood alone in the vast, silent landscape—one with an unfathomable power, the other an unyielding servant—waiting for the right moment to strike.