A Door that Opens Part 20

The Queen bore witness to her zombie army being crushed by a gatling gun from a ship out by the river that ran west of her Kingdom. She could not fathom the level of anger she felt in that moment. Her true skin was showing, the skin of a banshee, solid white skin, hollow eye sockets, and her gruesome, black dress that hung just over her feet. She stood nine feet tall now, towering over all of them save for the giant purple and white spider that was once her servant, who was now Rinji. That was when she saw them approach her, all of them. Her zombie army laid in shambles, many of them trying to get back up, but could not as they were ripped in half, or worse.

All of the pirates stood in front of her now. Chio, who could barely stand, but was keeping on his feet all the same. Usagi, whose sword stayed unsheathed and in a fighting position. Nikk, who while battered and beaten, stood with a blank look on her face, but her eyes glared directly at the queen in an unshaken manner. Then there was Alice who stood in front of all of them, even Rinji who stood more in the distance, but faded away into nothing but a grin, that was until he floated downward, decreasing to his normal size. The spider was gone.

Alice: You are beaten, Godless Banshee. You are hereby no longer fit to rule as a tyrant over this fair land. I will tell you again; stand down, and leave this world. Go back to your nightmare realm, immediately!

The Banshee once known at the Queen of Hearts knew that she was right. She looked beyond them to see Alys, who was still covered in blood, and trying to clean herself off as best she could, but wasn't getting much of anywhere with it. Even she was defeated, which was a good thing in the queen's eyes. Still, it did not help her in this instant.

Banshee: You have not beaten me yet! This only accelerates my plans that I had for this horrific place! Once I am finished with YOU [screaming now] I will destroy this world! Then I will follow suit with the other fifty-four worlds! All of it shall die! AND DIE IT SHALL!!!!

The banshee's mouth opened wide, and the same white, beaming light emitted from it. It powered up, causing them all to get to their guard.

Alice: [Turned toward them] Get down! All of you, GO!

A terrible shriek came at all of them then, Alice stood at the brunt of it. A powerful beam of light blasted through her, and she heard the most horrible scream that no one could ever imagine hearing for their entire life. The ground beneath her was destroyed, and she flew straight back toward them. It was Nikk who jumped up and caught her as she flew by. The beam dissipated and the beam cut straight through the ground around it, causing a huge ditch where it crossed.

Usagi: Alice!! [Began to run toward her and Nikk very quickly.]

The former queen gazed at her with her hollow eyes and began to emit the same light from her mouth. She powered it, ready to blast all three of them at a time, but she didn't see the one who was now right beside her face.

Chio: Soru! Rankyaku! Chio Katana!!!!! [Kicked a shortrange energy blade which both sliced the banshee's cheek wide open and caused her to emit her scream backward, blasting a huge hole into her castle behind her. The castle, which was already halfway destroyed, was all set in ruins now. The blast crumbled the foundations of it and whatever was standing then, all came crumbling down.]

The banshee reached up toward Chio, growing out three foot tall claws that shot out at him from behind him.

Chio: Geppou! [Emitted a burst from his feet which carried him far upward, causing the claws to miss. Chio landed on the ground in front of her.]

Before Chio could make another move, though, the banshee took him by surprise with a sudden burst of energy from her mouth. A low level scream that still had the power to bust the ground below him apart and send him careening backward, cauing him to slide on the ground on his shoulder and skin it something horrible.

Her mouth began to power up once again, ready to take him while he was down, but then a huge purple and white, clawed fist came from the side and smashed into her. Her power scream was interrupted, and she gazed at the nine-foot tall Cheshire cat who stood against her.

Rinji: Mewhahahaha! Get ready for this! [Clenched his fist tight] Rinji Kyokan Roketto KEN!!!! [His fisted detached from his wrist, leaving a trail of his purple vapors, and flew straight into the banshee's face, knocking her for a loop and causing her to get knocked back a few steps.]

Banshee: You cannot win! [She took in a deep breath and began to emit a scream that blaired all around her. Dust began to kick up, the ground began to crumble, and Rinji's cat-like hearing was going absolutely haywire! He tried to get away from her, but her scream was far too loud and powerful to be ignored. All of the pirates started to cover their ears and cringe as the land around them began to shake apart from the horrible, quaking shriek.]

Alys, having resistance against the queen's horrific powers, ran toward Nikk, Usagi, and Alice, the two pirates using their bodies to shield the poor little Alice girl, who lied, broken and beaten within an inch of her life. At that moment, they were trying to find a way to get her to the ship, but it was being blown away from the shore, unable to aim its cannons because of the shriek causing a horrible tidal wave.

Alys: Alice!!! ALICE!!!! [She ran toward her, and as she did, Usagi looked toward her and began to unsheathe her sword, but Nikk stopped her and shook her head.]

Nikk moved them both out of Alys's way and let her get close to the heavily injurred girl.

Alys kneeled toward her as the quaking stopped, and the banshee caught her breath. She cradled Alice's head in her arms which were now covered in dried blood. She leaned forward toward Alice's ear, and began to whisper.

Alys: Alice... I am so sorry for what I've done. I had no idea that you would have taken me with you. Your friend showed me what I was missing. I was so caught up with ruling everything that I didn't realize that you would have held my hand and skipped to the top along with me. I was so selfish, and I want to make it up to you. [Tears began to roll down her dirty cheeks] Please, let me come with you, accept me into you, and I will do everything I can to help you. I...

Alys was interrupted as Alice's hand grasped onto her wrist. Alice could barely open her eyes to look toward Alys and managed a very tiny smile.

Alice: From this day forth...

Alys smiled, and leaned forward, placing her forehead onto Alice's, and she began to weep. The two of them began to shine, as all of the powers of wonderland emitted from them and surrounded their forms.

Alys: Thank you. [Soon their heads began to lean within one another, and their hands passed into one set of hands. It wasn't long before their entire bodies became one, and it stood tall, shining a brilliant light amidst all the gloom around them.]

Banshee: No! This can't be happening! I am the ruler of this world! Not you! NOT YOU! [She summoned up a ball of deathly, black energy that pulsed within her palm.]