Chapter-31

Chapter: The Path of Twisted Woods

The path winds deeper into the woods, twisting unnaturally, like something alive. The trees press in close, their gnarled branches reaching out, scraping against my coat as if trying to hold me back. The air is damp, thick with decay and something else—something unseen, watching.

I let out a slow breath.

"You're sure this is the way?" I ask, not breaking stride.

"As sure as a madman can be," the Hatter replies, his voice hollow, his usual manic energy dimmed by something heavier—fear.

He keeps looking back at me, his gaze shifting between uncertainty and something else. Something closer to hope.

The rabbit on my shoulder remains still, its tiny paws gripping my clothing, its breath warm against my neck. I can feel its heart beating—faster than before.

"The Queen," I say, more of a command than a question. "What does she know?"

The Hatter flinches.

"She knows many things," he mutters, running a hand over his hat. "She knows how to play the game. She knows how to survive. And she knows… that she's running out of time."

"Time for what?"

He stops walking. Looks over his shoulder at the trees, then back at me.

"Time before she becomes something else."

A slow smirk tugs at my lips. Interesting.

The deeper we go, the worse the forest becomes. The trees lean in, listening. The path shifts beneath my feet, as if Wonderland itself is unsure whether it should let me pass.

"She speaks of an artifact," the Hatter says eventually, his voice barely above a whisper. "The Heart of Wonderland."

Something stirs at the edge of my memory, a fleeting recognition I can't quite place.

"And what does it do?" I ask.

The Hatter lets out a brittle laugh. "Depends on whose hands it's in, doesn't it?" He flicks a glance at me, his fingers twitching. "Some say it can banish the Shadow. Others say it can replace it."

I hum thoughtfully.

"Then we need to find it."

The Hatter watches me carefully. "You say that like you already know what you'll do when you do."

I chuckle. "That's because I do."

The rabbit shifts slightly, but stays silent.

Then, suddenly, everything stops.

The trees no longer creak. The unseen rustling vanishes. The air turns still.

And just ahead, past the last stretch of twisted branches, a clearing.

Sickly green light spills from its center, where a ruined stone structure stands—half-buried, covered in vines, humming with power.

Before I can take another step, a sharp, piercing shriek splits the air.

"Oh, that's not good," the Hatter mutters.

From the shadows of the ruins, three creatures emerge.

They are vaguely hedgehog-like, but wrong. Their bodies are bloated, their jagged quills glow with an unnatural phosphorescence. Their eyes burn red, filled with something primal.

Guardians.

The rabbit presses itself against my neck, shivering.

"The Queen's… protectors," the Hatter breathes. "They're… not what they used to be."

I exhale, tilting my head slightly.

"They never are."

The creatures charge.

---

I barely lift a hand.

A shimmering, iridescent barrier expands outward, encasing the Hatter and the rabbit. The moment the creatures slam into it, they stop, like they've hit solid stone. They screech in frustration, clawing and snapping, their quills sparking uselessly against the shield.

The Hatter stares in stunned silence.

"Oh, that is very not normal," he murmurs.

I barely acknowledge them. A flick of my fingers, and five percent of my power ripples through the air. It moves like a whisper—quick, clean, final.

The creatures don't even have time to react. One moment they exist. The next, dust.

Silence.

The Hatter blinks. Looks at the empty space where they stood. Then back at me.

"Well," he exhales. "That was… efficient."

The rabbit peeks out from behind the barrier, its little nose twitching.

I lower my hand, letting the barrier dissolve like mist. The clearing is still, save for the floating dust motes catching the green light.

And ahead of me—the ruins remain.

I step forward, feeling the weight of something ancient pressing against the air. As I reach the structure, my eyes catch on something carved into the crumbling stone—a symbol, faint but unmistakable.

Something I recognize.

The Hatter points a shaking finger.

"That… that's the symbol. The Queen spoke of it. It's said to unlock the artifact." His voice is unsteady, laced with caution. "But it won't give up its secrets easily."

I smirk, placing a hand against the stone.

The moment my fingers make contact, the air shifts. A deep vibration rumbles beneath my skin.

Something inside stirs.

"Good," I murmur.

"I do love a challenge."