CHAPTER 6

Somewhere off at the other end of the hellish school, Kyō began to stir and awaken from what he could only assume had been some kind of dream. However, as he rose to his knees and found himself within a barbed wire filled warped room where all the other students had seemingly become statues, he could only speculate where he really was.

This has got to be some kind of nightmare world.

The further he wandered through the dark, dank, fog-filled school, the more confused he became…not to mention worried about Alice and where she could be. Refusing to believe that all the other students were actually made of stone, he attempted to speak with one, "Hey," and inadvertently knocked over, "Oops," dozens of them in the process.

"… … …"

Crash! Bam! Thud!

His expression, which now resembled that of an electrocuted chicken, was quite priceless.

He slowly turned away, sweating profusely, mostly from fear…and slight embarrassment, "What the heck…?"

As he exited the school he brought a shaky hand to his face still feeling a bit woozy, "What's happening? Am I…dreaming?" But then he took in the outside surroundings which were much like the inside of the school but somehow far worse, "I…hope I wake up soon…" He sweatdropped as he forced himself forward.

A sudden loud bang drew his attention upward, "?!" Kyō's eyes widened in panic, "ALICE!" But she did not hear him since she was too far up, not to mention the she was standing on started to crumble and the falling rubble buried the poor guy.

"Aaagghh!"

….

….

The loud bang had come from more barbed wire falcon punching through the floors and walls to surround and slash at Alice's skin and clothes. By this point she had dozens deep and shallow scratches all over her body. But she felt no pain, only sadness and regret.

Just then, several wires wrapped firmly around her ankles and arms and forced her onto her back. She hit the ground hard and next thing she knew; Tatsuya was choking the life from her with his now demonic hand.

Alice struggled to speak but no air would come.

I…can't fight him off…

Meanwhile, Nyozeka was desperately trying to encourage her to keep fighting, "Don't give up, Alice! Call upon your courage! Use the Rangu!"

However, the rabbit girl's pep-talk was brought to an abrupt end as a barbed wire collided with the back of her small head and she fell face down into the dirt.

"Nyozeka!"

Alice struggled to move her head to see her friend and instead saw a phantom image of her sister through darkness and forest of barbed wire. Her eyes began to fill with tears.

Sis… I have to tell her…that I'm sorry.

But she blinked them back as she struggled to remain conscious.

We must go home together. And then I can tell her how I really feel. That I love Kyō, too.

A renewed stronger will to fight started to build within her, "Ra - - RANGU!"

A light so warm and gentle yet powerful enough to decimate the wires, pushed Tatsuya back and ripped out the darkness from within him; a light flowing from Alice into him to take its place.

"Alice!"

Nyozeka lifted herself off the floor, relief swelling in her eyes at the immense success Alice had just achieved.

Tatsuya dropped to the ground in shock as Alice rose to hover a few feet above it. The warm light continued to flow from her into him as though cleansing him of all dark intentions.

Alice touched down softly and slowly moved toward her attacker, a dream-like aura emanating from her.

I didn't tell you how I really felt.

"I'm sorry, Tatsuya. I…I don't want to go out with you," two steps closer, "I already have someone I care about."

But, I couldn't dare tell anyone.

Tatsuya slowly backed himself into a wall, not knowing whether to be afraid or in awe of the scene unfold before him.

Alice gave him a careful smile, "I didn't have the courage before. But someday…I'll say the words…"

She then respectfully bowed to him in apology, "Someday I'll tell Kyō that I love him! I'm sorry, Tatsuya."

She widened her eyes as Tatsuya became nothing more than an afterimage.

I said it…

Nyozeka appeared from seemingly nowhere to congratulate her charge on her great achievement.

"Alice! You did great for a beginner! When you put your whole heart into your words, they have power!"

However, Alice wasn't listening for she suddenly remembered seeing her sister not more than three meters off in the shadows. She took of running to her immediate left screaming out to Mayura's retreating form.

"Sis!"

But she became blocked by more wires, "This barbed wire is in the way!" All the wires were turned to dust the instant she came into contact with it and without losing stride Alice began closing the distance between herself and Mayura.

I can tell her, now.

Closer.

"Wait, SIS!"

Almost within reach…

But before she could so much as touch a strand of her hair, a black-hooded man with pale skin and long scraggly hair stepped from the inky darkness and latched onto her sister, pulling her up out of reach.

"!"

Who's that?

Struggling not to panic it dawned on her who the man looked like.

"David Copperfield?!"

Nyozeka, having caught up with her, smacked her upside the head, "NO!"

The hooded man started chanting words Alice did not recognize and in the next instant was thrown to the ground by razor sharp blades of wind. She hit the floor hard and was knocked out. The strange man's hair started to gather and twist and then shot out like an arrow at Alice's throat. A mere second before it could connect; a real arrow sliced through the spear-like hair and imbedded itself in the opposite wall.

The sound of someone swiftly approaching and placing themselves firmly between herself and the creepy pale skinned shadow man roused Alice back to consciousness. When she opened her eyes she found her savior was none other that Kyō Wakamiya. He was covered in cuts and dirt, seeming to have gone through some kind of struggle himself. Kyō readied another arrow in his bow, having every intention of shooting the man should the opportunity present itself.

A dim light began to emanate from him, "Begone! Release the girl and go!"

But the strange hooded man said nothing in return and almost imperceptibly began slipping back into the darkness.

Alice quickly got back to her feet and gazed in awe in at her rescuer, "Kyō?!"

Nyozeka, however, was completely dumbfounded by Kyō's sudden appearance and just stared unblinkingly with a bug eyes expression.

Kyō lowered his bow a fraction, "Are you all right, Alice? I don't know where the heck we are… But, I don't think this is a dream." The light around him then became almost too bright, "Don't worry! I'm going to save Mayura!" as one of the Lotis word appeared before him in a blinding flash. Kyō then pulled the arrow back and fired it strait at the man's chest.

Nyozeka, intrigued by the appearance of another Lotis Word could not contain her excitement, "That light… Does Kyō have the power of the Lotis Words, as well?"

Needless to say, Alice was quite taken aback as well, "Kyō?!"

The darkness was now starting to close and as the arrow whizzed toward its target they all started to doubt its ability to reach it. But when they heard the loud THUNK of the arrow hitting the man square in his chests, the creep showed no sign of feeling any pain and continued to be engulfed by the darkness.

"Sis…!"

"Mayura!"

Just before completely vanishing, Mayura craned her head to look down at them and in her eyes all they could see was…nothing. They were completely devoid of any sort of emotion, like she was nothing more than a living shell of who she used to be.

Alice lunged forward, "Wait - -!" but was stopped by Nyozeka who just shook her head before turning back to Mayura. And as her sister vanished so did the hellish world they had been spirited away to. And they once more found themselves in the hallways of their school as though nothing at all strange and horrifying had ever happened.

Alice and Kyō both at a total loss glanced around in confusion.

Huh?!

All the other student were going about and morning business as though no confrontation had ever taken place.

One of Tatsuya's friends urged him to hurry it up, "C'mon, Tatsuya. We're late for class."

"Huh?"

Tatsuya, also at a loss, "Hey? What was I saying to those two…?" turned around and hurried after his classmate.

Unaware that someone was approaching them, Kyō turned to Alice and, "Everything's back to normal."

Alice glanced up at him responded with a nervous smile and then nearly shrieked when someone place a hand on her shoulder from behind.

"Good work."

She quickly turned around wondering who could possibly know what she had just done and found herself face to face with a man who bordered on beautiful.

The man's smile made her blush, "Not bad for a beginning Lotis Master. Not bad at all."

However, her first impression was completely shattered when pretty boy pulled her into his arms and planted a kiss on her cheek, "You're quite worthy of being my betrothed."

W-Who is this guy?!

…

…

CONTINUED IN BOOK 2