My head spins as I think of my lock of hair, which had released the very first piece in this journey. Lewis had planned this all along. As always, he proves to be a genius.
A sudden loud crackling sound rose in the distance.
It’s like a microphone connected to the loudest of amplifiers. The crackling is too loud, it surpasses the sound of crashing and tumbling buildings all around us.
“What is that?” I ask The Pillar.
“Someone’s idea of this being an excellent time for having a concert.”
Someone’s voice speaks through the amplifiers, “By stepping on both white and black tiles, you have activated mankind’s last game of chess.”
The Pillar shoots blaming rays out of his eyes toward me.
“I only asked you to step on white tiles.” I scowl.
“Yeah,” he says. “It’s always my fault.”
The amplified voice laughs, ever so loud, as the shaking of the earth slowly subsides.
“Evil laugh,” The Pillar muses. “I’m sick of those silly laughs in Hollywood movies. I mean what real badass villain laughs like that?”
“Me!” The answer echoes in the empty city.
I tilt my head upward, wondering if the voice comes from the sky, but it doesn’t.
“Who are you?” I demand.
“They call me the Chessmaster,” the voice answers. “My real name is Vozchik Stolb,” the words echo like an ancient apparition in the empty city. “But I’m sure The Pillar knows that already.
Chapter 56
“You know who he is?” I glare at The Pillar.
“I wouldn’t have gone through this journey if I had, right?” The Pillar says. “He is trying to trick us for some reason.”
“Am I?” the voice says. “But hey, my name isn’t that important.”
“Then what’s important now?” I ask. “How could you have possibly arrived before us when it’s you who sent us to find Carroll’s Knight?”
“Believe me, dear Alice,” the Chessmaster says. “It had never crossed my mind that this, the Chess City, is where the final chess game would take place.”
“Then why are you here?” I ask.
“I had you followed. It’s that simple. Millions of people all around the world were scared I’d kill their leaders and put their countries into an eternal sleep, so everyone in the world was practically helping me,” he explains. “Some reported seeing you in Tibet, a few spotted the poorly disguised balloon, and finally, a few residents in neighboring Kalmykia towns spotted you enter it.”
“So you’re as blind as us to where Carroll’s Knight is in this city?” I ask.
“No quite that blind,” the Chessmaster says. “Bear in mind that Lewis Carroll was somewhat of a genius, having made the clues lead you here to a city that may also be a portal to Wonderland.”
A light bulb suddenly flickers in my head. Is it possible that the March Hare had known about the whereabouts of Carroll’s Knight all along? But that’s impossible. I know he likes me and wouldn’t keep such a thing from me. He is just a child inside a man, designing Wonderland themed gardens and cities, wanting to go back to relive his childhood.
It was all Lewis’ planning. But why?
“But you must have known something,” The Pillar challenges him.
“Not until an hour ago when I found out the clues led you here. I had my men search the empty city and found a few of Carroll’s lost diaries.”
“In this city?” I say. “What’s in the diaries?”
“The diaries don’t exactly point to where I can obtain Carroll’s Knight, but they tell of a great secret.”
“Spit it out!”
“It has to do with the chessboard you’re standing on.” The Chessmaster says.
“The one The Pillar accidentally activated.” I remark.
“Nah, he didn’t,” the Chessmaster says. “That was a joke I made up. Nothing activates it, and the fake earthquake is part of the March Hare’s nonsensical and absurd design, having planned Chess City to become another Wonderland. It’s all done with the touch of the button.”
“Never mind all that,” The Pillar says. “What did you discover about the chessboard?”
“Ah, this will really amuse you,” the Chessmaster laughed. “You see, each piece you found is connected to some of your beloved Wonderland characters. The White Queen piece was connected to Fabiola, the Rook to the Duchess, and the Black Queen to the Queen of Hearts.”
“Is that why Fabiola was poisoned?” The Pillar wonders.
“Exactly,” the Chessmaster said. “At first, I thought this was how Lewis Carroll protected Wonderlanders from me. As Death, I’ve always been puzzled about my inability to kill Wonderlanders. Turns out Lewis protected most of you with a spell that demanded he created chess pieces from his bones and hide them all over the world.”