After Kenn and Sophie returned, there were a few things that needed to be cleared up… Liza didn't really trust Milim either, but she had the feeling that Milim didn't have anything truly evil in mind.
(in the year 1250)
In the year 1250, the first great war in Wonderland broke out. It wasn't the first war ever, but it was the first on this scale. Back then there were no atomic weapons or insane magical bombs yet… It was a war between non-mages and mages.
Mages at that time were oppressed and seen as evil people. The witch hunts were so bad that people would cut the witches' corpses into pieces and leave them in front of their families' houses.
The leader of the witches and mages back then, Zephyr, decided recklessly to start a war…
But what was surprising was that the mages lost.
Yet Zephyr wasn't satisfied. Out of rage and hatred toward the non-mages who had oppressed his people and killed his children, he created the Necromancier, a dark magical book.
This book contained curses and forbidden contracts, whether with spirits or with dark fairy-tale beings.
In that war, more than 45 million people died…
At first, the mages tried not to kill innocents, but Zephyr used their pain. He reminded them constantly what the non-mages had done to their families. Because of that, the war became brutal.
After the war, Zephyr was banished, even though the war was lost. The new king, Tristan, decided to grant mages rights and peace after the death of his cruel father, Leonard II… on the condition that Zephyr would be banished for using violence.
Right after he was banished, while he wandered the forests seeking revenge, Zephyr created the Necromancier and the Black Eye Order, who lived by dark magic and forbidden rituals. Later, they also developed weapons and machines, especially after Zephyr's suicide.
Here, people don't call that time a "world war", but the Dark Wave Era, because it came in waves of darkness. The war lasted 20 years, and even after it ended there were still many problems.
King Tristan did manage to bring peace, but there was one issue: the people didn't trust him. His own people believed that King Leonard II had been murdered by his own son, Tristan Leonard. Whether that's true or not… no one really knows.
In any case, the state of the world changed. Since 1370 there have also been weapons like pistols, atomic bombs—though different from normal ones. Just when the Wonderland world started to change… the second war came, which people call the Atomic War.
It began when the Mirica reich worked on a bomb, as did the Levro reich. But they played with fire: these bombs contained atoms, chemicals, and even magic borrowed from some mages.
(back to the present time)
Kenn: "Hmm…"
Rita: "So… I'll introduce you to the group. This here is Lernard… he's nice but really shy."
Lernard: "H…hello…"
Rita: "This here is Daisy—"
Kenn: "This one…?"
Rita: "Wasn't in school… sorry…"
Kenn: "(Sweats.)"
Sophie: "You mean this girl, not this here."
Kenn: "You weren't in school either, were you?"
Sophie: "Do you seriously think there were schools or teachers in the Black Eye group, idiot? There were 'teachers', yeah… but they taught killing, abuse, and torture."
Kenn: "Oh…"
Sophie: "Hmm."
Rita: "Daisy can't really speak… not much… it's hard to explain…"
Daisy: "…that's why."
Liza: "Ugh… huh…"
They just stared.
Rita: "Well… um…"
She pointed at Daisy's neck. There was… a key there.
Rita: "When Daisy was thrown down here, she landed without injuries… except for that wound. This key and the machine—she had them from the beginning…"
Sophie: "Ugh…"
Kenn: "…Horrible."
Rita: "Daisy says it only hurts when it doesn't work…"
Jill: "Let me see, sweetheart…"
Daisy opened her mouth.
Jill: "Huh… hmm…"
Jill touched Daisy's neck very gently.
Jill: "…that's impossible… your throat… you don't have a throat!"
Daisy: "I do… but…"
Jill: "But… it's connected to the machine."
Daisy: "Mhm…"
Jill: "Who did this to you?"
Daisy: "Mama didn't like my voice… so she cut me with scissors…"
Sophie: "Ugh…"
Liza: "…ugh…"
Jill: "(…What a horrifying…crime…)"
Sophie: "(Why… why would someone do that to their own child… I thought I'd suffered enough… but at least I had parents who loved me… nothing is worse than being abandoned by your own family and then treated like this.)"
Daisy: "…hmm…"
Sophie knelt down.
Daisy: "Huh…?"
Daisy's eyes looked tired. She had orange hair, green eyes, and a few freckles.
Sophie: "Hmm… Sophie. That's my name."
Daisy: "Oh… hello…"
Her voice was soft… painfully soft.
Jill: "Can I ask how you eat?"
Daisy: "Oh… I don't really eat at all… I only drink."
Jill: "What?"
Daisy: "Mhm… I just drink… soup through a glass… or other drinks. I've never eaten meat… or fish… and some other things like big fruits or food with too much fat. You usually have to mix things with water… then I can drink them."
Liza: "…ugh… (…a little girl… they took away her right to enjoy food…)"
Daisy: "But it wasn't really my mom… it was my father's wife… hehe… I don't know my real mom… and Papa didn't like my voice either. This machine was made by a nice mechanic who lived nearby…"
Sophie: "…hh…"
Daisy: "Huh…?"
She saw Sophie's tears.
Sophie: "…huh…"
Daisy: "Why are you crying?"
Sophie: "Uh…"
Daisy: "Did I do something bad?"
Sophie: "Oh no… no, sweetheart… no…"
She put her hands gently on Daisy's shoulders.
Sophie: "…you're a brave girl…"
Daisy: "Me?"
Sophie: "Mhm."
Daisy: "…oh…"
Kenn sighed.
Dante: "Really horrible…"
The Gift: "Typical… humans are and always were worse than the monsters and animals…"
Kenn: "Now I understand why my mother always told me to be careful of the people around us. She always said: 'Animals hurt you, my son… but they do it out of fear, or because they don't know better. Humans, on the other hand… enjoy causing pain.'"
Rita: "And here we have Jimmy… Jane, Lana, Himari, Timmy, Rolend—yes, Rolend—and also Felix, over there Helma, and over there Pierro."
Rita continued walking.
Rita: "Be careful with Pierro, he suffers from terrible ear pain, he can't stand loud noises. Helma can't see… at least not well, without her glasses. Himari can't walk, and Jimmy has autism."
Jill: "Wait… that actually makes sense."
Dante: "What?"
Jill: "Most of the kids here are suffering from something… maybe that's why their parents abandoned them."
Sophie: "They're still their children."
Liza: "They can't do that… it's not their fault…"
Zoe: "Seriously…"
Kenn: "How did you survive here for so long…?"
Daisy: "Thanks to Milim…"
she said.
Daisy: "Milim is super kind… she took care of us… like a big sister… or even a mother…"
Sophie: "Hmm…"
Rita: "You must be hungry… I'll go cook for you…"
She went off.
Sophie: "Rita is incredibly strong for her age."
Daisy: "She's sick too."
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Jill: "What does she have?"
Jimmy: "Celiac disease."
Jill: "What…"
(meanwhile)
Rita: "…(Bleargh!)… ghhhhhhh… ghhhhhhh… ghhhhh… (Bleargh!)"
She vomited blood.
Rita: "Hahhh… hahhh… damn… ghhhhhh…"
She fell to her knees.
Rita: "Hhhh…"
She tried to stand, but stumbled—just then someone caught her.
(Patch!)
Jill: "Got you…"
Rita: "Hahh…"
Jill: "Are you okay?"
Rita: "…uh…"
Jill: "Why didn't you say you have celiac disease… seriously…"
Rita: "I… didn't want… ghh… you to worry…"
Jill: "Hmm…"
Rita: "About me…"
Jill: "Hahhh…"
She supported Rita.
Jill: "What symptoms do you get?"
Rita: "Throwing up… fever… mostly…"
Jill: "Hahhh…"
Rita: "I… have to cook…"
Jill: "Wait… in this condition? You can barely stand…"
Rita: "Ugh…"
Jill stroked her head.
Jill: "Rest. I'll cook…"
Rita: "You can't… most of them here have illnesses… there are things they can't eat…"
Jill: "My father was a doctor… I know a bit about this…"
Rita: "Ugh… then I'll help…"
Jill: "If you must."
(a few minutes later)
Sophie: "Hmm…"
Kenn: "Really awful, isn't it."
Sophie: "What is?"
Kenn: "Leaving children here alone… abandoned by their own families…"
Sophie: "Mhm…"
Kenn: "Hahhh…"
Sophie: "…hmm."
She looked at Daisy.
Kenn: "What do you think… about that Crimson, Milim?"
Sophie: "She seems… she's apparently kind… at least kinder than the kids' families…"
Kenn: "…mhm…"
(Cough.)
Sophie: "Ghhh…"
Daisy: "Ghhhh…"
The key in Daisy's neck suddenly turned. Her voice suddenly sounded like a broken robot.
Sophie: "Oh no!"
They ran to her.
Kenn: "Hey…"
Sophie: "Daisy…"
Timmy: "Wait… that's normal…"
Daisy: "Ghh…"
Sophie: "What?"
Timmy: "Uh… or maybe it's not."
The key jammed.
Sophie: "Ugh…"
Kenn: "…damn…"
Kenn pulled out a small lockpick. He carefully put it into the keyhole where the key was stuck and moved it.
(Krack!)
Sophie: "Hahh…"
Daisy: "Ghh…"
The key slowly turned until it was back in its normal position.
Daisy: "Thank you…"
Kenn: "Anytime…"
The door opened.
Rita: "Food is ready."
Jill: "…Sit down."
They all sat down. Daisy just watched.
Daisy: "Hhhhh…"
Sophie: "Hmm?"
Suddenly Daisy jumped onto Sophie's lap.
Sophie: "Whoa… hehe…"
She stroked Daisy's hair.
Sophie: "Don't you want your own seat?"
Daisy: "Hmm…"
Sophie: "Or do you like sitting on my lap?"
Daisy: "Mhm."
Sophie: "Then stay."
Rita: "Wow…"
Liza: "Hmm?"
Rita: "Normally Daisy doesn't feel safe with others… but with Sophie and Kenn…"
Liza: "Oh… Sophie is really good with kids…"
Rita: "Oh?"
Liza: "She was forced to work in an evil organization… if she didn't, they would do horrible things to her. So she had no choice. But she never hurt children… she always took care of them, even though it put her in danger… because she didn't want any child to be harmed."
Rita: "I see…"
She looked at Sophie.
Rita: "Hmm… Kenn seems kind too."
Liza: "They're together, after all."
Rita: "Ugh… right… that explains it."
(a few hours later)
Rita: "After dinner, it's time to rest and go to sleep…"
Rita gave each child a kiss on the forehead before they went to bed.
Rita: "Hmm… I'll go to sleep too."
Jill: "Hmm… wait…"
Rita: "What?"
Jill put a hand on her shoulder and kissed Rita on the forehead.
Rita: "Huh?"
Jill: "You deserve one too… hehe. Good night."
Rita: "…uh… thanks…"
She went to bed.
Jill: "…hehehe…"
Then her face turned serious.
Jill: "…hmm…"
Sophie: "Something wrong?"
Jill: "I don't know… I have a bad feeling…"
Sophie: "You too… what?"
Jill: "Like… we're being watched…"
Sophie: "Not like we are… we are being watched…"
Jill: "Why do you think that?"
Sophie: "Because I found this outside."
She showed her.
Jill: "Ugh…"
It was a letter. On it was written: We will come back.
Sophie: "What do they mean by that?"
Jill: "Crimson?"
Sophie: "Why would they send a letter…"
The door suddenly opened… strangely, there was no one there. Except… a hand.
Sophie: "Uh?"
The hand moved.
Milim: "It's me, Milim…"
Sophie: "That's… weird…"
Milim: "It's my back hand… I wanted to talk. Get the others."
(Hmmm)
They were being watched…
(Hrrrr… hehehehehehehe…)
(meanwhile)
Milim waited in the forest.
Milim: "Oh, there you are."
Jill: "So… something happened, right…"
Sophie: "What do you want…"
Milim: "Hmm."
The Gift watched carefully.
The Gift: "Hhmmm…"
Everyone was there.
Milim: "That letter you found… it wasn't from a human. It was from a Crimson…"
Sophie: "What?"
Dante: "Hmm?"
Jill: "They can write?"
Milim: "We Crimson are very intelligent, you know…"
She stood up.
Milim: "The Crimson… have their own realm."
Sophie: "What!"
Zoe: "Excuse me, what?"
Milim: "You heard right…"
She looked at them.
Milim: "The realm is called Fiolen. And you are… directly underneath it…"
Sophie: "Ugh…"
Jill: "What…"
Sophie: "What do you mean…"
Jill: "Underneath them?"
Milim: "Well… not exactly. They're a bit deeper down… The court of Mother Patrica's family gave us Crimson human flesh for many years, even now."
Sophie: "Ugh…"
Milim: "Of course we hunt on our own too… but this way it's easier…"
Jill: "…Where exactly…"
Milim pointed deeper into the forest.
Milim: "Through this forest… further on… then a bit further there's a tunnel that leads downward. Then you have to walk forward again, normally… You'll then find a big gate. On that gate there's a circle symbol, and inside it a tooth symbol."
Sophie: "And… what does that have to do with us?"
Milim: "It takes about three hours to reach the tunnel below… and six hours to get to the gate…"
Sophie: "Hmm…"
The Gift: "So that means… we've ended up in a place where the Crimson realm is only six hours away."
Milim: "Exactly."
Sophie: "Why didn't you tell us earlier…"
Milim: "In front of the kids? So they can panic?"
Sophie: "Ugh…"
Jill: "Okay, and what about the letter?"
Milim: "It was the Crimson in Black…"
Jill: "In black… Crimson in black… I don't even know what that means."
Milim: "The Crimson in black… are the ones who belong to the Crimson task force. You humans would call them agents…"
Sophie: "…Huh?"
Jill: "They're smarter than I thought."
Milim: "The leader… of the task force… his name is Cetyr Dragnol. The unit is called Black Suit… or the Crimson in Black…"
Sophie: "Ugh… wait…"
Milim: "Hmm."
Sophie: "And what does that have to do with the letter?"
Jill: "Let me guess… they know we're here and they want the kids… right?"
Milim: "Correct… and not just that. They come here often. Usually, when normal Crimson show up, the kids just hide in the houses. The lower Crimson, the ones we call Crawler Crimson, aren't very smart, you know… they're like… hunting dogs, in your terms…"
Milim stood and stepped closer to Dante.
Milim: "I'm warning you… the Crimson in Black are dangerous…"
Dante: "Hmm."
Jill: "How many Crimson are there anyway?"
Milim: "I understand your confusion. You thought we were just a few creatures living like wild monsters. But we have our own realm, and there are also Crimson who don't hunt, who… just live. Even if they eat humans…"
Sophie: "…hmm…"
Dante: "What do you recommend we do?"
Milim: "Take the children and escape… before it's too late…"
Suddenly they heard a whistle.
Milim: "Ugh…"
Sophie: "What was that…"
(Whistling)
Milim: "…they're here… that's their sign. Quickly, go to the kids, take them into the forest and hide there. Please!"
Dante: "Okay…"
Milim: "And one more thing… they mustn't see me… so I have to hide."
Dante: "Why?"
Milim: "I'll explain later…"
She left.
Milim: "Hurry!"
she said before disappearing.
Zoe: "What is going on…"
(a few minutes later)
Sophie: "Hey… wake up, quick."
Rita: "What's wrong?"
Timmy: "I'm tired…"
Jill: "We don't have time, they're coming."
Timmy: "Who?"
Sophie: "The Crimson."
Rita: "It's fine, we can hide…"
Liza: "No… we can't. They're different, Milim said so. She called them Black Suit, or Crimson in Black… hurry…"
The Gift watched the situation.
The Gift: "Ugh…"
Then he saw them… several Crimson. Six of them. Crimson in black suits… black hats… like gentlemen… just terrifying…
The Gift: "You have got to be kidding me… Hey! They're here!"
he shouted.
Liza: "What?"
Kenn: "Damn, let's hide."
Sophie: "Is there a hideout? Weapons?"
Rita: "Yes… in the storage room… under the house…"
They ran there.
Dante: "Stay here, okay…"
Sophie: "We'll protect you, don't worry…"
The whistling again…
(Patch)
Cestyr: "…hehehehe… hahahahahahahahahahaha… Tempus est cenae…" (It is time for dinner.)