I did it again.
A spell from the red-covered book had vanquished a threat for the second time.
I wasn't sure whether to be proud of my strength or worried about it.
Nevertheless, what's done is done.
I glanced back and noticed everyone staring at the aftermath, completely bewildered and astonished by what had happened.
Maybe I should say something, or they'll remain standing like statues.
"So... umm, what do you guys think of my performance?"
"Hmm?"
Perugius was first to snap out of his stupor, masking it behind a composed expression.
"I suppose it's acceptable," he remarked honestly, "but your mana control needs practice."
"...Mana control? What was—huh?"
Before I could finish my sentence, my vision blurred, and everyone suddenly grew taller. No, that wasn't it. My legs had given out, and I found myself kneeling on the ground.
"Alice?!"
Elinalise's voice rang out in alarm as she rushed to my side, her hand gripping my shoulder to help me balance.
"Karowante—check what's wrong with her," Perugius ordered without delay.
I then sensed one of the familiars approach me and place a hand on my head, staying still for several seconds before pulling away.
"It appears she ran out of mana," he diagnosed. "Her whole reservoir was completely drained after casting that spell."
Oh, I see... so this is the consequence of my actions. It wasn't bad, but not good either.
With that in mind, I tried to straighten myself, but my strength failed me halfway. Fortunately, Elinalise tightened her hold, stopping me from slumping forward completely. Even so, a sharp pain pierced through my head, nausea following close behind.
"Yuruzu—heal her up quickly," Perugius commanded again.
Another familiar stepped in and pressed their palm against my back. A cool, gentle sensation then spread throughout my body, washing away the pain and fatigue.
The dizziness faded first, then the headache eased, and finally, I could think clearly again.
"Whoa... that feels better," I muttered, exhaling slowly, and turned to Yuruzu. "Thanks..."
He nodded and returned to treat the combatant familiars' injuries.
Just as I was about to get up, Elinalise suddenly embraced me with both arms.
"Please don't push yourself like that again," she whispered, her voice tense with concern.
"There, there," I muttered softly. "Could move a little, my butt is hurting me."
She didn't budge one bit. Her grip on my body didn't loosen, as if afraid I might disappear the moment she did.
"You're fortunate this happened after the enemies were dealt with."
Perugius's voice interrupted the moment, calmly walking towards me.
I glanced up to meet his gaze, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
"He meant if your mana had declined mid-combat, the consequences would have been more severe," Sylvaril interjected. "So you'd better watch yourself next time when casting spells."
"Oh... I'll keep that in mind," I replied weakly.
With that response, Perugius and Sylvaril walked away and confronted the familiars.
As I contemplated their warnings, the Cheshire Cat descended in front of me, his tail swaying lazily as he floated upside down.
"You're quite fortunate to have people helping you," he remarked playfully. "However, if you're not careful with that book, your luck may run out soon."
His statement made me feel anxious about using the book.
"Hey, stop that," the White Rabbit interrupted, hopping towards us. "At least she did what she could to protect everyone from the Card Soldiers."
"I'm just saying," the cat replied, shrugging his shoulders. "She could've done it better."
The rabbit pouted angrily before turning towards me with a reassuring gaze.
"Don't listen to that grinning idiot," he comforted. "In any case, we should be able to navigate the maze without any interruptions for a while."
"You mean there won't be any Card Soldiers spawning?" I asked.
"Of course not," replied the Cheshire Cat. "They're still out there, but they won't be swarming us if we don't disturb the maze as that Dragon King did."
The moment those words left his lips, Perugius looked over his shoulder with a harsh gaze. It seemed he didn't appreciate that comment.
THUD!
Just then, a loud metallic thump echoed from a distance, drawing everyone's attention.
"What was that?" Elinalise asked, pulling away from the embrace.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The loud thumping continued, approaching our direction.
"Something is coming," Perugius muttered. "Everyone, battle formation."
With that command, the familiars quickly assembled in front of us, taking their positions.
THUD!
From the corner of the path ahead, a massive figure emerged.
--------------------------------------------
Clad in jet-black armor, the figure resembled a towering knight, its silhouette sharply looming against the false daylight overhead. However, something about it felt off. When I looked at its head, I realized why. It was oddly shaped like a chess piece, specifically that of a king.
I looked around and noticed everyone, including the White Rabbit and Cheshire Cat, tense up upon seeing the black-armored knight. Meanwhile, Elinalise tightened her grip on my body as her gaze locked onto the massive creature.
"What is that thing?" Perugius questioned, confusion evident in his voice.
I furrowed my brows, equally perplexed. "Wait, you haven't seen it before?"
Sylvaril glanced back at us, a deep frown pulling her lips downward.
"No," she denied anxiously. "This is our first time facing something like this."
That was weird. How come they have gone through the labyrinth before without running into a monster like this?
"Why?" the White Rabbit asked, disbelief creeping into his tone. " Why was the Black King on the second floor?"
"It's either the Red Queen was desperate enough to exterminate everyone," the Cheshire Cat replied lazily, "or that Hat Guy failed to keep this hunk of metal in check."
Hat Guy? I had no idea who he was referring to.
More importantly, they mentioned the Red Queen. If I were not mistaken, she was the central antagonist of Alice in Wonderland.
"O̵͍͠F̵̟͋F̵͙̑ ̴̛̬W̴͕̊Ḯ̶̹T̵̖͊Ḩ̶̈́ ̶̣̋T̷̳͋H̸͙͝E̷̼̚I̸̧̊R̶̒͜ ̷̝͘H̸̩́E̸͚͆À̸͔Ḏ̵͛S̶̗̈!̴͕̓"
The distorted voice echoed once more, thundering through the hedges as if the maze itself had spoken. Given the context, I could safely assume it was the red queen issuing her order.
THUD!
In response, the Black King strode forward. His left arm extended outward, palm facing the air, and from it seeped a familiar black ooze. The substance writhed unnaturally before hardening, slowly reshaping into a massive sword.
Wait a second. That ooze... wasn't it the same substance we encountered on the fifth floor?
"Almanfi, Trophimus, Gall, Furiousful, you know the drill—attack!"
Perugius barked his command, and the four familiars surged forward without hesitation.
Fwoosh—! Swoop—!
Almanfi and Furiousful were the first to attack, their weapons aimed at the king's armor.
Clang! Clank!
The impact rang out sharply, but the armor remained untouched. Not a single dent or scratch marred its surface, as though it were unsusceptible to physical force.
"Icicle break!"
"Earth Pillar!"
Trophimus unleashed a flurry of icicle shards while Gall summoned a huge boulder overhead, sending it crashing down onto the Black King.
Clink! BAM!
The spells struck true, frost exploding against the armor and stone shattering on impact.
Yet the monster didn't slow down.
It didn't even react and kept moving forward.
"Why are their attacks not working?" Perugius demanded, frustration bleeding into his voice.
"You fool," the Cheshire Cat muttered ominously. "Of course, they won't work here."
Sylvaril glared at the grinning critter, seemingly offended. "Care to explain your comment?"
Intimidated by her tone, the Cheshire Cat flinched, his grin wavering slightly.
"What I meant to say is that the Black King doesn't belong to this floor," he corrected quickly, "which makes him completely immune to any attacks when he's outside of his own territory."
Hold on, isn't that a bit too overpowered for an upper-floor monster?
THUD!
Before I could process that revelation, the ground trembled again.
I looked ahead and watched as the Black King stopped moving twenty feet away from us.
Then, slowly but deliberately, he raised his sword, preparing to strike.
"Everyone, retreat!" Perugius abruptly shouted.
He and the familiars quickly turned and ran in the opposite direction, concern etched on their faces. Elinalise stood up and pulled me to my feet, grabbing my arm tightly as she hauled me away from the looming danger.
"Hurry up, Alice!" she urged, her voice laced with panic.
I stumbled a little, barely keeping my footing while holding the red-covered book. Meanwhile, the White Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat trailed closely behind us.
KABLAM!
The Black King slammed his sword into the ground, unleashing a dark shockwave toward us, cracking the earth and scattering debris everywhere.
Fortunately, we managed to turn a corner and avoid the devastating attack.
"That was close," I commented, my voice shaking slightly. "But how can we defeat something so overpowered?"
"It's easy," the Cheshire Cat answered sarcastically. "We just need to find the Red Queen and eliminate her for good."
"But where could she be hiding?" Elinalise asked, frowning in fear.
The White Rabbit hopped forward and pointed upwards.
"She's on the first floor."
--------------------------------------------------
The first floor...
Of course, it makes sense that the Red Queen is located there.
After all, it's the last place the central antagonist would hide.
Looking back to the battlefield, the familiars continued to attack the Black King, even though their spells and strikes had no effect. Meanwhile, Perugius surveys the fight helplessly, trying to analyze the source of the monster's invulnerability.
"Sir Perugius!" I called out urgently.
He noticed my voice and turned around. "What is it?"
"We have to head to the first floor and slay a monster called the Red Queen," I explained. "It's the only way we can deal with the Black King."
Perugius furrowed his brows and returned his attention to the battlefield.
"Everyone, fall back!"
At his command, the familiars immediately ceased their assault and withdrew. We then ran as one, putting distance between ourselves and the Black King, which began to pursue us with slow, deliberate steps.
"Clearnight, look for another way to the first floor!" Perugius continued.
The bat-masked familiar nodded, scanning the area with sharp focus before pointing toward a narrow path. "This way."
We followed Clearnight's lead, taking a winding route through the maze. Behind us, the Black King's footsteps echoed steadily, each thud pressing against my nerves like a ticking clock.
"Look over there," Sylvaril declared, pointing upward.
We looked up and noticed a large gap in the ceiling with stones sealing the other end.
"So that's where the Black King came from," I blurted out. "But it's blocked off."
"Apparently," the Cheshire Cat retorted. "The Red Queen may be feeling desperate right now, but she also knows how to tread carefully."
Talk about being paranoid.
Eventually, the hedges grew taller as we moved, their walls closing in as though the labyrinth itself was aware of our intentions. The false daylight overhead dimmed slightly, casting long, distorted shadows across the path. Every turn and corner felt wrong and overly deliberate.
"My lord, the maze is closing in!" Sylvaril informed urgently.
Looking behind us, I noticed the maze is changing.
She's right. The paths that should have remained open abruptly sealed behind us, the hedge kitting themselves together with unnatural speed.
"That's what I expected," Perugius commented, showing no surprise. "Look over there."
Following his finger, I noticed something ahead.
Not only did the labyrinth obstruct the rear, but it also seemed to guide us onward, almost as if it were leading us to an inescapable destination.
"Halt!"
Clearnight suddenly raised a hand, signaling us to stop. Right ahead, the path widened into a circular clearing where the hedges spiraled inward like a twisted crown. At the center stood a spiral stairway, each step carved with faint chessboard patterns.
As I tilted my head upward, the staircase faded into a huge opening in the ceiling, which had the same pattern spiraling toward the center.
"So this is it," I muttered.
"That's right," the White Rabbit confirmed, his ears drooping slightly. "Once we ascend those stairs, there's no turning back."
THUD!!
As if to reinforce his statement, a distant thump resonated through the maze, followed by the hedge shaking violently behind us.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The thumping continued, getting closer and closer.
Don't tell me... is the Blank King bulldozing through the hedge?
"Everyone up the stairs," Perugius ordered without hesitation. "Now!"
At his command, we hurried forward, boots and bare skin hitting against the cold stone steps as we climbed. The chessboard patterns beneath our feet pulsed faintly, alternating between black and white.
Halfway up, the atmosphere changed.
It felt heavier. Colder, even.
Every breath tasted faintly of iron and dust, as though this floor had not received challengers in a very long time.
I glanced downward.
The clearing below was already diminishing, with the hedges twisting back to place. But then the spiral staircase began to tremble, not because of our presence, but rather the Black King was climbing it like a rope.
Seeing that, we hurried our steps and just as we reached the top—
BAM!! KABLAM!! BOOM!
Loud, heavy impacts echoed above us, as if a fight were taking place up there.
The moment we set foot on the upper floor, the environment changed.
It is no longer a hedge maze, but something else entirely.
Beneath us stretched a huge plane of black and white stone, stretching far beyond what my eye could see. Massive figures are scattered across the board—knights, bishops, rooks, and pawns, all cracked and motionless, like someone destroyed them.
"What happened here?" I asked curiously.
"It seems like someone was enjoying himself too much," the White Rabbit grumbled angrily. "I mean, look over there."
At the far end of the board, a blonde-haired man in a fancy suit and raised hat stood before a gigantic, feminine figure dressed in scarlet and a crown on her head.
It's the Red Queen! And that man... could it be?
"Hey, Hatter! Having fun over there?" the Cheshire Cat called out playfully.
The man turned at the sound of his name, blood dripping from his lips.
He then wiped it away and smiled confidently.
"Not yet."
---------------------------------------------------------
Hatter? As in the Mad Hatter?
What is he doing here? Did he beat up those chess pieces himself?
I have so many questions, but this is hardly the time to ask them all.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the fallen figures around us starting to contort and rise from the ground. Upon seeing that, the Mad Hatter swiftly leaped toward the Red Queen.
"Take this!"
He swung a wooden cane at her, but she blocked his assault with a magic staff and smacked him away, knocking him toward our side.
"Hatter!" the White Rabbit cried out, rushing towards him. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he replied, dusting his suit while getting up. "That harlot just stings a little."
"I assume he's a companion of yours," Perugius speculated calmly.
The White Rabbit nodded in confirmation. "Our master summoned him to hold off the queen."
S̶͙̠͘C̴͔̈̿R̶͉͇̄́͝E̴̳͌E̵̦̭͑E̷̼͚̼͊͝Ê̴͚̟̐Ė̶̼Ẹ̸͂̇É̵̺͊Ę̸̔́Ë̷̱̈́!̴͉̩̦̉͝!̵̨̤̮͊͝
The Red Queen then let out a piercing screech that echoed across the entire chessboard.
Cold air itself seemed to fracture.
At the same time, black and white tiles beneath our feet illuminated in a blinding grid. Streaks of silver light shot outward, dividing the battlefield into straight squares. The ground quaked, then locked into place with a resounding click.
Meanwhile, the rising figures slowly rebounded and moved towards the Queen's side.
Broken knights reassembled their shattered limbs. Bishops rotated stiffly at the waist. Rooks slammed down like towers being anchored into stones. Even the pawns, small yet numerous, snapped into uniform ranks.
I swallowed nervously as I observed the formation and turned my gaze to Perugius.
"So... What's the plan?" I asked anxiously.
He turned to his familiars for a second and then back to me. "You and Elinalise should remain close to Sylvaril while we deal with those monsters."
The White Rabbit hopped forward, looking a bit tense. "That seems to be a good plan, but..."
THUD!
As soon as those words left his lips, the ground shook again. We turned around and saw the Black King reaching the first floor. We stepped back from the monster as it lifted its immense body out of the hole.
"Oh, great, this hunk of metal has joined the party," the Cheshire Cat remarked sarcastically.
The Mad Hatter chuckled slightly. "I suppose he wasn't done playing with me."
I flickered my gaze between the King and the Queen's army, who were flanking us from both sides. Then I glanced at Perugius, who met my gaze and nodded.
"Everyone, battle formation!"
At his command, the familiars raised their weapons and took a defensive stance. Elinalise hid herself behind me, gripping my arm firmly. I, on the other hand, carried the red-covered book and sharpened my senses, bracing for what was about to happen.
"O̵͍͠F̵̟͋F̵͙̑ ̴̛̬W̴͕̊Ḯ̶̹T̵̖͊Ḩ̶̈́ ̶̣̋T̷̳͋H̸͙͝E̷̼̚I̸̧̊R̶̒͜ ̷̝͘H̸̩́E̸͚͆À̸͔Ḏ̵͛S̶̗̈!̴͕̓"
The Red Queen shouted those distorted words like a decree carved into the air.
In response, every chess piece began to move towards us.
THUD!
The Black King stepped onto a square and then raised his sword over his head.
"Look out," I cautioned. "The king is about to attack!"
"I've got this," the Mad Hatter declared, charging towards the Black King. "Eat wood, you old rustbucket!"
He swung his wooden cane at the monster's leg, causing it to stagger momentarily. However, it quickly regained its footing and retaliated with a heavy swing of its sword.
Clang!
Dust burst outward as the force of the impact sent tremors through the ground. I coughed up and squinted, trying to see through the aftermath.
Miraculously, the Hatter blocked the attack, using his cane to wrestle against the blade.
Damn, that's one sturdy cane. Also, he took that hit without flinching.
Thud... Thud... Thud...
Just then, I heard marching footsteps from the Queen's side.
I turned around and noticed eight pawns advancing in perfect unison, their stubby stone feet hitting each square with collective precision. When they reached our tiles, each of them lifted their sword and swung at us.
"Almanfi, Furiousful, intercept."
Perugius commanded, and the two familiars rushed forward, parrying the pawns' attacks and countering with a single hammer swing.
KABLAM!!
As the pawns were sent flying across the board, a pair of knights rushed in unusual L-shaped arcs, their bases drifting smoothly without friction.
Pew! Pew!
They attempted to flank Almanfi and Furiousful, but their efforts were thwarted by Trophimus and Gal, who launched a barrage of ice and stones at the knights, causing them to stagger.
Clang!
Unfortunately, the knights quickly recovered and deflected the projectiles with their swords.
"These monsters are quite stubborn," Sylvaril observed sharply.
I scanned the board, thinking of a solution. "Perhaps killing the queen should end this battle."
"It is easier said than done," the Cheshire cat retorted playfully. "Look over there."
As I followed his gaze, I noticed the Red Queen waving her magic staff while crimson flames gathered overhead. From the looks of it, she is about to unleash a devastating attack.
"We need to stop her before it's too late!" I exclaimed, glancing at Perugius.
He didn'trespond, keeping his eyes on the battlefield.
"Almanfi, Furiousful, take out the mastermind."
Perugius issued a command, and the two familiars looked back and nodded before hurriedly charging ahead. This spurred the knights to chase them in the same L-shaped motion. At the same time, the bishops dashed diagonally while the rooks surged straight forward.
"Trophimus, Gal, cover them."
The two backline familiars chanted their spells and aimed at the enemies, staggering most of them. However, a few managed to shrug off the projectiles and continued their chase. By the time they caught up, Almanfi and Furiousful reached the Red Queen and lunged at her.
Seeing that, I clenched my fist in anticipation.
"Alright, one hit and she's—"
FWOOOOSH!!
Before I could finish my statement, I witnessed the Mad Hatter's body being flung toward the queen's side, colliding head-on with Almanfi.
"What the—"
THUD!!
A moment later, a powerful tremor shook the ground as a massive shadow moved past above us. I glanced up, only to see the Black King leaping across the battlefield, defying the laws of physics, before slamming Furiousful into the ground with his sword.
Ḧ̴̦́͘Á̴̧̧͖̞͊̐̑H̴̱̩̮͘Ȁ̸͎̠̓̔͂H̴͎͌Ą̷͂H̶̡͓̠͑̅̈́̄A̵͎̟̋͗̎͒H̷̛͕̥͈̍͝Ă̷̰̩̺̇̇̇!̴͔̲̯̌̉̆!̴̱͊̈́̐̿
The Red Queen laughed maliciously as the Hatter and the two familiars lay motionless.
"Oh no, they were taken out," Elinalise cried out in apprehension.
The White Rabbit shivered, his ear drooping a little. "And the Queen is nearly finished casting her spell! We're doomed!"
"Dammit, Hatter! You have one job!" the Cheshire Cat grumbled, shaking his paw angrily.
This isn't good. Our strongest fighters are down to the count, and the queen is getting ready to strike. The best option we have now is to hunker down and brace for impact.
sigh...
Suddenly, I heard Perugius sigh, followed by footsteps. "I suppose I have to do this myself."
"Say what?" I shifted my gaze, noticing him walking forward. "Hey, it's dangerous out there."
"I'll be fine," Perugius reassured, pulling his sleeves. "Trophimus, Gal, cover me."
The two familiars nodded in agreement and followed him into battle.