Miles stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat as his eyes adjusted to the scene before him.
It was a grotesque parody of a world he vaguely recognized from stories he read when he was a child. Wonderland, or what remained of it, lay sprawled before him, a broken land, corrupted and twisted into something sinister.
The sky above was a sickly green, swirling with clouds that seemed to pulse unnaturally, like living organisms. The air was heavy with the smell of decay and something sweet, like rotting fruit. Towering mushrooms loomed overhead, their caps glowing faintly but oozing a dark sludge that dripped into the gnarled roots below. Flowers with mouths full of jagged teeth snapped at invisible prey, and a crooked path stretched ahead, lined with signs pointing up, down, left, right, even in directions that did not make any sense.
"Welcome to Wonderland," the White Rabbit smoothed its waistcoat. Its tone was sarcastic, almost amused. "Or what's left of it, anyway."
Miles tore his gaze away from the landscape to glare at the Rabbit, a faint glow of recognition deep in his eyes. "Why does it look like something out of a nightmare?"
Before the Rabbit could answer, [Cheshire's Gleam], still in Miles' hand, began to vibrate. The runes along the blade flared to life, and the sword seemed to pulse with a rhythm that matched the corrupted land. Miles felt a sudden, sharp heat in his palm and dropped the sword with a yelp.
The weapon hit the ground, but before Miles could react, it began to twist and change. The glowing runes detached themselves, coalescing into the shape of a wide grin and two slitted, gleaming eyes. The blade melted into a sleek, shadowy form, and moments later, the Cheshire Cat stood before him, stretching languidly.
"Ah, finally free," the Cat purred, its grin widening unnaturally. It padded toward Miles, its ethereal body flickering between solid and smoke. "I was beginning to think you'd never make it. Quite the delay it was, you know. You're always late…"
"Great," Miles muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Now the sword talks. What's next, a tea party?"
Cheshire chuckled, its tail curling in amusement. "Oh, you'll find Wonderland full of surprises, my dear boy. But don't worry… I'll be your guide through this delightful chaos. Along with our punctual friend here, of course." It nodded toward the Rabbit, whose expression soured. "And maybe there will be a tea party." It chuckled.
"Focus," the Rabbit snapped, glaring at the Cat. "We don't have time for your games. We need to get to the Queen of Heart's castle before sundown."
"What's at the castle?" Miles asked, glancing between the two. "And how do you know when is sundown, here?"
"Answers," the Rabbit said curtly, already hopping onto the crooked path. "You'll see about the sundown if we don't make it in time. But pray we do, now follow me."
Reluctantly, Miles followed, the Cheshire Cat slinking beside him. The path twisted and turned, leading them deeper into the corrupted Wonderland. Every step seemed to take them further from anything resembling sanity.
The trees leaned in ominously, their branches curling like claws. The ground beneath them was soft and spongy, pulsing faintly with an eerie light.
"Keep your wits about you," the Cat murmured, its voice low and velvety. "This place has a way of getting in your head."
Miles nodded, his eyes darting around, watching for movement. He didn't have to wait long.
A low growl echoed through the twisted forest, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. Miles froze, his heart pounding as a hulking figure emerged from the shadows. It was a grotesque amalgamation of animal and machine, its body patchworked with rusted metal and rotting flesh. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Miles, and it let out a guttural roar.
"What the hell is that?" Miles shouted, backing away.
"A Card Soldier," the Rabbit said grimly, stepping behind Miles. "They were once the Queen's loyal subjects. Now, they're mindless guardians of her ruined domain."
The Cheshire Cat grinned, its eyes narrowing. "And they don't take kindly to trespassers. Shall we?"
Before Miles could respond, the Card Soldier lunged. He barely had time to dive out of the way as its massive, clawed hand slammed into the ground where he'd been standing. The Rabbit darted to safety, and the Cat leapt onto Miles' hands, becoming a sword once again.
"Any advice?" Miles shouted, scrambling to his feet.
"Don't die," the Rabbit called, its whiskers trembling furiously.
"Not helpful!" Miles growled, dodging another swipe from the Soldier. He lashed out with [Cheshire's Gleam], striking one of the creature's exposed joints. Sparks flew as the blade connected, and the Soldier let out a pained roar, staggering backward.
"Good," the Rabbit said, hopping closer. "Aim for the gaps in its armor. That's where it's weakest!"
Miles pressed the attack, aiming for the weakness in the monstrosity's armor, as the Rabbit told him, surprised with how easy it had become. He darted around the Soldier, striking at its exposed flesh whenever he saw an opening. The creature roared and thrashed, its movements growing more erratic as it took damage. Finally, with one last strike, Miles drove his sword into the base of the Soldier's skull. It let out a final, mechanic guttural groan before collapsing in a heap.
Miles stood over the fallen creature, panting heavily. "This place just keeps getting better," he muttered.
"Oh, you've barely scratched the surface," the Cat said, its voice echoing in Miles' mind. "Still, not bad for a first fight. You might even survive this journey."
Before Miles could say anything, though, the system echoed in his mind soon after Cheshire was done speaking, almost as if respecting the cat's time.
[You killed a – Card Soldier]
[You received: ??? EXP]
"Let's keep moving," the Rabbit said, already hopping back onto the path. "The castle isn't far."
The rest of the journey passed in tense silence, although kind of peaceful. The forest thinned out, giving way to a barren wasteland littered with broken chess pieces and shattered teacups. In the distance, the ruins of a castle loomed, its once-grand spires now crumbling and overgrown with thorny vines. A faint red glow emanated from within, pulsing like a heartbeat.
"There it is," the Rabbit said, stopping at the edge of the wasteland, pointing in the distance. "The Queen's castle."
Miles stared at the ruins, a sense of unease settling over him. "And what exactly am I supposed to find in there?"
"Patience, dear boy," the Cheshire Cat purred in Miles' mind. He could feel its grin widening. "After all, you have the answers with you already, do you not?"
Miles sighed, gripping the sword tightly as he stepped forward. The Rabbit and the Cat followed close behind, their eyes fixed on the castle. As they approached, the red glow grew brighter, and a low hum filled the air, resonating deep in Miles' chest.
"Whatever's in there, it better be worth it." Miles muttered. "By the way, what do you mean by I already have the-"
Miles' eyes widened as realization dawned on him. He had been so focused on the novelty of his surroundings, the ever-present sense of danger, and the madness that now represented that demented Wonderland, that he did not even think about opening neither his quest window, nor checking his stats.
When he did, though, he gasped in utter bewilderment.