Cheshire: The Exile

Chapter Thirteen

"Wonderland was still fairly young when this story takes place and instead of just a Red and White queen, there were several more leaders.

Things were joyous and pleasant in the realm, however beneath the surface, things were not.

Before Wonderland was created, there was a black realm. It was darker than the Red Queen's reign, and was made by a monster of a leader, called the Blood King.

He created chaos and ruled with an iron fist, and many of his people fled to the Mortal realm to escape his wrath.
The time of his reign was called the Dark Era, since his realm was shrouded over with Black mist.

Before the Blood King would be overthrown he would sentence thousands of Wonderlandians to their deaths.

One night, while the king was sleeping surrounded by his riches, three young girls infiltrated his castle and killed him while he no idea. They pierced his heart and the blood that came gushing out was poison from all the people he had killed. It stained the innocence of one of the girls and eventually killed her too.

But before the third girl died, her soul was preserved inside a gem and left in the Blood King's castle as a reminder that no soul should be stained. They say that many Wonderlandians have tried to retrieve the stone yet none have ever succeeded in even finding it."

Taking a deep breath I look back down at the map, and finish the story,

"The gem is called 'The Stone of Wonder' and has the ability to save or raze realms."

Both Natasha and Steve look amazed and slightly confused.

"Is raze a bad thing?"

I nod, "Imagine the -oh what do you call it....Ah, yes, the end of the world."

Steve goes to ask a question, but I stop him, "One last thing. Wonderland was created from dreams of the humans to eradicate the darkness of the Blood King, so that means without one side the other would be lost."

The two look lost themselves so I explain it more, "Earth is the flip side of Wonderland."

"Oh. Well then." Natasha mumbles.

"Any questions?"

Steve asks this, "What happened to the 'black Realm'?"

I had been packing my stuff away into a bag when I freeze and answer simply, "It's where we are headed."

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The Red castle has always been my least favorite place in this realm. Now that hate for it has grown now that I have to return to it for the second time.

I lead Steve and Natasha through the castle, the darkness of the hallway frightening me. Why? Need I remind you what happened the last time we were here and the hallways were dark?

However, now that I have two other people that clearly know how to defend themselves I feel better about leading them into possible danger.

Well not possible. Certain danger is more like it.

But what is an adventure without it?

During my time on Earth, i had found myself leaning more towards 'Action and Adventure' novels, since after all, it's called Alice's adventures in Wonderland.

My Cheshire self begins to speak to me from the back of my mind, and I allow her voice to filter through the block I had put up.

'Three doors down on the right. Find the Oraculum.'