“Good eye, Mctwisp.” Alice smiled at the holographic projection which displayed the bloodhound dead on a spear.

The white rabbit was given control over the red and white soldiers as Alice prepared herself for the final battle. Mctwisp swallowed—the guilt and confusion warring on what gets to sit inside his mind. Killing Bayard wasn’t part of his intentions. He only meant to corner them… to make them surrender however little did he know that that wasn’t an option.

He didn’t know Bayard very well. He’s only met the bloodhound a few times before he vanished in the outlands with few rebels behind his back. Still, it didn’t feel right. He tried to erase the guilt by reassuring himself that everything would be fixed once Alice reigns victorious. She possessed the time gem—capable of bringing the dead back to life.

He only has to live through the war to reset all that will happen.

“Have the Jubjub bird on the battlefield,” Alice commanded, “I fear that my precious Jabberwocky would get overwhelmed.”

Mctwisp followed obediently, accessing the internal program of the robotic Jubjub bird and sending it to the factory.

Alice sat on her control chair which appeared more like a throne and began pressing combinations of buttons. The underground laboratory grumbled and then it rotated. Moments later, they ascend as the ceiling of the laboratory parted, showing the horrific sky of thunderous clouds.

They were surrounded by blazing buildings as they reached the top. Yes, Mctwisp thought, of course they were under the Clockwork town.

Alice spread her arms in the air, like a bird about to take flight as she heaved in a deep breath—inhaling the arson and the scent of burning flesh in the mix. It wasn’t pleasant. The white rabbit even covered his nose just to block what he could from entering his lungs.

“I thought I forgot how this felt,” Alice said. Her pink skin was splashed with orange from the fires as her hair flailed like a flag towards the direction of the wind. “Stand, my friend and feel the war seep through your skin.”

Mctwisp opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted when electric projectiles landed on Alice. It was an accurate shot. Three ion blasts cleanly hit Alice and thereafter came a voice from the shooter.

“I hope y’felt that.” It was James. He carried a small gun, the mouthpiece still blowing smoke.

Mctwisp was surprised and he didn’t know whether to turn to the Xandarian looney or the March hare.

Alice laughed. She laughed so hard, her voice echoed into the sky.

“Did you think that would kill me… Thackery?” Alice turned behind her—to where the March hare was.

“It’s James!” the March hare yelled and then bombarded Alice with electrical shots. He didn’t stop until Alice’s area was covered in smoke from the blasts. He thought that’d finish the looney but when the smoke subsided, Alice stood her ground, unscathed.

“Fine armor I made,” Alice spread her arms to display the suit she wore. She smiled wickedly, “How about you… James,” she mocked, “Are you wearing any armor?”

James swallowed, gripping the gun tighter inside his hands. Before he could reply, Alice pointed a finger to him and then a small projectile flew swiftly towards his direction.

James jumped out of the way but the bullet was too fast. He got hit on the shoulder. The pain surged through him instantly. It was no ordinary bullet, he could tell. It wasn’t the first time he got shot however this felt different. He felt like he was burning—almost as if his arm fell off.

“J-james…” Mctwisp blurted out of worry but he didn’t dare to interfere.

After the March hare landed on the ground, he dropped his gun, unable to hold it with his limping arm.

“What a boring fight,” Alice pointed the same finger to James.

The March hare began moving randomly, placing his fate by mere luck however it wasn’t enough. Alice was more than what he anticipated. She was a sharpshooter. The mad scientist intended to his James on the leg and so she did… and she succeeded.

James stumbled on the ground, his blood pooling on the dirt.

“Shame…” Alice nodded her head and aimed her finger on James’s head.

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“H-he’s down…” Mctwisp said loudly, catching Alice’s attention. “He couldn’t hold a weapon, he couldn’t move—he’s as good as dead.”

Alice sighed, not keeping her finger away from James as she responded to Mctwisp. “My dear friend… he could only be as good as dead if he’s dead. It’s simple, you understand that, right?”

“But he’s not a threat anymore.” Mctwisp tried his best to convince Alice. He thought fast of any reason he could possibly say to change Alice’s mind but from the mad scientist’s face, it didn’t seem like anything would work.

“Promise me you won’t betray me,” Alice said.

“I-I promise just don’t kill him… please.”

Alice laid her hand down when in the distance was a fast approaching sprint. The moment she turned her head, a leg clashed with her neck. The force made Alice kneel but failed to make her fall.

“The ungrateful red bitch of Salazen Grum,” Alice spat and then got up. She pointed her finger at Iracebeth but the red queen was more than aware of what Alice intended to do so she combatted Alice short-ranged so as not to give her a chance of shooting.

“I’ve nothing to be grateful for,” Iracebeth said as she kicked Alice on the stomach.

Alice was sent in the distance, half-kneeling and before she could get up, Iracebeth bombarded her with punches, giving her no chance to use the weapons of her armor.

“Futile…” Alice said as she blocked Iracebeth’s punch. “Don’t you see that you’ve no way of winning?” she ducked to evade the swing of Iracebeth’s foot. “Even if I sit idly as you punch me all day, I won’t die or even feel a thing.”

Even so, Iracebeth didn’t stop. “I’ll think of some way to bring you down,” Iracebeth caught Alice’s arm and twisted it behind her, incapacitating the scientist.

Alice laughed.

Iracebeth was now behind Alice, holding her arms behind her back. “What’s funny?” Iracebeth whispered to Alice’s ear.

“I was just playing around with you.”

Before Iracebeth could even think of the words Alice said, a powerful current surged through her body, paralyzing her. The red queen dropped on the ground, shaking.

“Sloppy… but still more fun than with the March hare.” Alice was about to shoot Iracebeth when a burning wood was sent flying towards her, hitting her hand. The shot was redirected and just in front of Alice, her third opponent waited—the white queen.

“Leave my sister alone… Alice.” There was a pause before Mirana mentioned Alice’s name as if she feared the name itself or disgusted it altogether.

“That’s a wrong way to fight me, Mirana,” Alice smiled. “You know I could just shoot you… but that would be too boring.”

Mirana swallowed. Carefully, she began walking towards Alice—calm yet thundering inside. “I didn’t know you played so unfairly… fighting unarmored opponents and killing them as they lay helpless.”

Alice was provoked. “I won the fight,” she said through gritted teeth, “and the price of it is their lives.”

Mirana kept her face directed at Alice but every once in a while she looked to James’s direction, signaling the March hare to flee with her unconscious sister. Mirana walked around Alice so the Xandarian scientist would face her and the March hare would have an opportunity to escape.

“Do you wish to test me…Alice?” Mirana stalled.

Alice chuckled. “What would I gain if I test you?”

“Providence,” Mirana looked beyond Alice where James limped to drag Iracebeth out of the battlefield. “Or do you admit that a guinea pig is much stronger than you are?”

Alice was laughing manically now. “Do you think I’m a fool?” she lifted a finger at Mirana. “I know what you’re trying to do. If providence is what I gain then I’ve no need to strip of my armor. It’s a battle of capability. I know what you’re capable of, Mirana and you know mine… I’m wearing it.”

Mirana swallowed. “Very well then.” She walked towards Alice.

They meet each other eye to eye for seconds before Alice surprises with a grab which Mirana evaded by stepping back. Alice swiped at Mirana’s direction but the white queen ducked and thrusted her palm against Alice’s chest. The looney was pushed back but hardly damaged.

Alice lunged towards Mirana with a forward kick. The white queen caught Alice’s leg and kicked the other with her foot. When Alice was on the ground, Mirana drowned Alice with blows of her elbow.

Alice blocked with her arms and palm-thrusted upward hitting the white queen under the chin. Mirana fell on the dirt as Alice stood up and picked her up. Mirana clutched the dirt and at the right time, when Alice held her midair, she threw the dirt on Alice’s eyes, blinding her.

Alice dropped Mirana on the ground and the moment the white queen was on her feet, she ducked low and struck Alice with both hands on the stomach. Alice fell on the ground. Mirana sat on top of Alice and began striking her head which was the most vulnerable part.

Just after a few punches though, Alice activated her electrical field, shocking the white queen.

“I know I’ll never win a hand to hand combat with any of you,” Alice got up as she stared at the twitching Mirana. “But as I said—it’s a battle of capabilities.” She looked around and noticed that the March hare and the red queen weren’t at the battlefield anymore.

Though weak and paralyzed, Mirana chuckled. “One life for two others.” She lied on her back, staring at the sky.

“Mercy, Alice…” Mctwisp whimpered as he looked at the white queen.

Alice spared no words as Mirana spared a gaze to the white rabbit. Lying on the ground, she turned her head to Mctwisp. “You’re there…” she whispered and then frowned, “That’s not you.”

Mirana turned her head once more to the sky. The canopy of dark clouds and lightning met her vision but she imagined that it was just one summer morning in the white palace. After all these years, there was actually a time she felt happy in Wonderland. In the garden of white roses, under the shade of a tree, cooled by the midday breeze, her sister and her friends visit her to offer some flowers. Perhaps offer a short time as they all sit together, reminiscing about the war beside her tomb.

The Clockwork town turned a dim orange as the fire subsided, leaving giant embers of wood and ash-black bodies. A loud shot escaped into the sky, enticing James’s ears to rise towards its direction. He swallowed, nodding his head slowly side to side as he endeavored to drag the red queen to safety behind the wall of trees.

Grief overrode him as the sky mourned for drops of tears began to fall.