A Tale That Dawned [Book 4 of Selvina's Tale series]

Chapter 34: The Room of Doors

Chesh swung his spiked tail with tremendous force, slamming into the Black Knight and sending it crashing into the castle wall. Great cracks spread along the stone wall from the force of the impact. Chesh, still in his monstrous form, narrowed his eyes, hoping for a victory.

However, like all the other times he had struck the demon, the Black Knight shrugged the strike off and advanced once more. One hand glowed purple and when it was only a few paces away it threw it forward.

Chesh rolled aside, expecting a projectile of some sort, but once he was back on his feet he noticed, to his delight, writhing tentacles of dark magic attacking their creator. The Black Knight swung its blade wildly, severing the tentacles slithering out of its open palm and striking it like angry serpents. Eventually the tentacles stopped appearing and for a moment the Black Knight seemed confused.

Chesh resumed his attack. He assumed something in the magic of Wonderland was affecting the Black Knight's casting abilities and thanked his good fortune. He raced past, slashing at the knight's face, and then tripped it up with his tail. Now behind his enemy, Chesh raked its back with his claws with as much power and speed he could muster.

The Black Knight spun around and slashed wide, scoring a deep slash across the Cheshire Cat's chest, sending him leaping back in pain. The knight rushed on as the spiked cat monster pressed a clawed paw on its bloodied chest. The Black Knight shot out another glowing open palm but this time instead of tentacles that spread out of it there was a great explosion of dark light. The Black Knight's open hand broke apart from the premature blast and had it growling in anger and stopping its charge.

Chesh, injured and feeling weak, sensed an opportunity to attack but decided against it. The Black Knight could cast no spells in Wonderland but its sword was dangerous enough. He instead shrunk to his regular size and form and faded away. He had done all he could to slow the enemy down. He hoped it was enough.

The Black Knight, having no one to fight, turned its furious gaze back toward the castle and marched ahead.

****

"Where is it?" Alice asked the March Hare as she appeared in the courtyard with Hatter and White Rabbit, breathing hard from her ceaseless run from the dungeons.

The March Hare stood in front of a contraption that consisted of wooden planks, beams, slides, baskets, ropes, weights, several mice on wheels, a huge wooden hand with clenching fingers attached to a pole, a large pot of steaming tea, and a single chair. Gripping his huge spoon in both hands, the Hare sat on the chair and eyed the castle's closed gates ahead.

"It's coming to the gates, good General," he replied to his queen's question. "Now watch me send it away!"

Hatter, standing beside Alice, eyed the contraption and nodded with appreciation. "A fine dinglewhopper, my friend. It has to be the finest I have ever seen. Give us a good show, eh!"

"Excuse me, it's a what?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A dinglewhopper!" Hare and Hatter exclaimed simultaneously.

Alice furrowed her brows in confusion but just shook her head. "How curious. Very well, then... What does it do, dingles whops?"

Hare and Hatter burst into loud, sustained laughter.

"Oh, queen Alice," Hatter said, giving her a pat on the back as he wiped a tear of joy. "You are the greatest."

Alice, having no idea what was so funny, just smiled and shrugged. She had grown rather accustomed to Wonderland's bizarre weirdness by now and knew when not to ask too many questions. Sometimes it was best to just accept things as they were.