Mad Hatter's Guide to Clearing The Game

Chapter 13: Ch11. Down the rabbit hole

Chapter 13: Ch11. Down the rabbit hole

"Ungh... What the hell..." Miles grunted as he opened his eyes. Sunlight bathed the swamp with the uncomfortable wet heat that made him feeling like everything was sticking to him.

Only that there was nothing sticking to him this time...

Miles opened his eyes a bit more, fighting through the aching of his entire body, and a breeze caressed him on his lower quarters, sending soft goosebumps through his skin.

"Wait..." His eyes went wide, and he looked down slowly.

His eyes went even wider as he noticed his nakedness. Ignoring the pain, he got up with a jump and looked around.

There was no one around, and no sound came from his surroundings but the familiar sounds of the forest, bathed in daylight.

"I'm not... In the swamp, anymore?" Miles stuttered. "But... What happened?"

He thought for a moment, and only then he noticed a ceramic pot, steaming under its lid, just a few steps from him. By the pot's side, a set of folded clothes lay untouched, clean and pristine.

When Miles took a hesitant step towards the pot, he noticed a white cloth before his feet. He took it, and noticed that it was wet, cold.

"I'm clean..." Miles murmured, taking the pile of clothes and opening the ceramic lid of the pot. "My clothes are clean, looking new, and there's even food?"

The stew inside the pot smelled delicious, way better than the roasted serpent meat that he had eaten the day before. His clothes felt fresh, as though washed in peppermint tea, and left a caressing touch on his skin.

There was not a single open wound on him, too, and when he noticed it, Miles' eyes went wide one more time.

"Shit! The Rabbit!" He looked around, but the White Rabbit was nowhere to be found. "No... Did I lose it?"

Miles spent two hours looking for the Rabbit, but there was no sign of the furry figure anywhere near him, so he just went back to where he had left the pop with its lid on, his stomach grumbling and roaring like a famished beast, and started to eat ravenously.

Finally, as the sun dipped low on the horizon, painting the forest in hues of orange and gold, Miles found himself standing at the edge of a small clearing. The map pulsed brightly, signaling that he had arrived. At the center of the clearing stood the White Rabbit, its fur gleaming in the fading sunlight.

It stood upright, its waistcoat as immaculate as ever, and its beady eyes locked onto Miles with an almost expectant expression as he closed the pop-up window and stared back at the humanoid rabbit.

"You're late," the Rabbit said, its voice carrying an air of mild irritation. "I'm late, I'm late."

Miles approached cautiously, still catching his breath. "You've got some nerve dragging me all over this place. What's the deal, anyway? Why lead me here?"

The Rabbit didn't answer. Instead, it turned and pointed with a paw toward the far side of the clearing. There, hidden among a cluster of wildflowers and tangled vines, was a hole in the ground. It was larger than he expected, its edges smooth and lined with glowing blue runes. A soft hum emanated from it, sending shivers down Miles' spine.

"No way," Miles said, taking a step back. "You expect me to jump into that?"

The Rabbit smirked and shrugged, its whiskers twitching. "I'm late."

Miles hesitated, his mind racing. The hole pulsed with an almost magnetic energy, drawing him closer despite his better judgment. Every instinct screamed at him to turn back, but the quest's pull was stronger. He gripped [Cheshire's Gleam] tightly, steeling himself.

"Fine," he muttered, stepping toward the edge of the hole. "But if I die, I'm going to haunt you to the end of your days."

The Rabbit chuckled, already leaping into the hole with an effortless grace. Its voice echoed faintly as it disappeared into the glowing depths. "I'm late!"

Taking a deep breath, Miles braced himself and jumped.

The descent was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. The glowing runes along the tunnel walls seemed to come alive, their light twisting and spiraling around him. Gravity felt distorted, pulling him in multiple directions at once, yet he continued to fall, unimpeded. The air grew cooler, and a faint hum reverberated through his bones, like a forgotten song.

When Miles finally landed, after what felt like hours, it wasn't with the jarring impact he had braced himself for.

Instead, he touched down gently, the ground beneath him soft and cool. He opened his eyes and immediately froze, his breath catching in his throat.