Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Stay," booms a voice, harsh and powerful, thick with uncontrolled rage, "stay, visitor, and listen. I am [ Destruction ] contained. As long as I remain sealed, I will not destroy, and you cannot destroy me. The cage can only be unsealed with the purest of red crystals, infused with Destruction. There will be a time, but not right now. For now, you are a guest. For now, you are invited as a guest. Stay, a little longer guest, and let me ask a little more about you."

TheBoughman jumped at the booming voice, looking in the direction it came from with wide eyes. The voice was harsh and made him uncomfortable – the last thing he wanted to do was come toward the cage where the woman who claimed she was destruction itself was kept. A little full of herself? Oh, yes. But she sounded so angry and he was coming to find that anger was an emotion that set him on edge.

The Leshy took a tentative step toward the cage, not knowing what else to do. There were no other doors and he’d come this far. It was a dream…right?

First, visitor, tell me about yourself. Your real self.

“…My real self. Ah. Well. I am Aurel. I am a Lesovik.” He didn’t really know what else to say. He didn’t…know who he was. All his life he had been in a forest surrounded by trees and plants and animals and very little in the way of developing his own sense of self. He had his thoughts and ideas but, mostly, he was so blank it was painful. The Queen did not look impressed with his answer. “I do not know what else to tell you. I am nobody.”

The honesty seemed to satisfy the queen and, instead of pressing, she moved on.

“Next visitor, I want to hear about your journey.

“I fell down a Jacking rabbit hole, was attacked by a tree, ate weird food, shot bats and put the to sleep and had to fight nature – which was not something I appreciated.” No, TheBoughman was significantly pissed off about that fact, still. It was unlikely he’d get over it. Poor dodo bird.
Explain to me the world you live in. Not this one, the one your real bodies occupy.

“Uh, would you like to try and explain it to me, instead? Because all I know is seasons are the same and people live on fear and are born from fear.” He offered an awkward smile and scratched the back of his head, “And that everyone I have met so far is kind of wonderful.” So far. He knew dicks existed. He had yet to meet one.

Have you ever been hurt by someone you love?
“You…must know what love is, first, right? To be hurt by…” He paused and frowned. “No. Because I do not know what it is. I have not felt it.”

What are you afraid of?

“I have never thought about being afraid. I suppose if I were to be afraid of something it would be…being alone? Do not get me wrong, I love my solitude in the forest but I am afraid of being social. I do not know anything. I am so lost and I do not want to burden anyone with teaching me things I should know. I am afraid that I am…just. Here. And no other purpose.”

Tell me a secret about yourself.”

“I have no secrets to tell.”

What is it that you wish for the most?
“Direction.”

"Soon," the Red Queen finally responds, "It will be soon. I crave [ Destruction ] and should I be favoured then this world will break and crumble and I will build a new one without pain or secrets."

The cages swung open and TheBoughman, now thoroughly depressed by the questions he’d been asked, went to explore.

MY STATS

My character's username: TheBoughman
My character's level: 27
Character's HP: 30
Character's Job Class: Mad Hatter
Current party: N/A.
Current Guild: N/A
Location: Red Queen's Castle
Small IC description of character: A six foot tall male with long, messy green mosshair and the default Mad Hatter outfit - earth tones, baby. He may or may not be an awkward turtle.
Character journal: Battle Log

+ 10 levels
+ 5 loot cards
+ 3 fragments..

He could hear his steps echoing as he walked the cobbled path. He'd had to untangle his long coat at least once from the thorns to the side. It was impossible not to notice. The land was growing more and more deeply bathed in red. Only the stark darkness of the castle showed anything else. Down he went as he passed the gates. Down the stairs down the only path it offered.

A dungeon.

His feet continued to lead him along as he moved toward the far back, ignoring the rest. He had a goal, she'd be here right? A way out of here? Defeating the queen's was the goal according to Alice.

He grimaced at the thing beyond the bars, ears falling back as it spoke. Destruction. He'd heard many a thing, but he knew that could never end well. Still, even as she spoke of how she could not hurt him, perhaps he sense that he wished it. To destroy them all? Still, a few questions were simple enough. At least until he found a proper way to get rid of this dreadful queen.

"...my name is Molan." It didn't seem enough and he sighed, shaking his head. "I'm a demon. Second Year at the Academy. I have a younger brother, and I'm a bit concerned for him so I'd rather like to be out of here. Thank you." Perhaps his annoyance toward the queen showed a bit in his tone. He wasn't as perfect as his father at hiding it yet. Not by a long shot.

"I've learned that I was right. I did fall asleep. That this journey is merely a means to an end of some being in this game. But if it's what must be done to get out then I will do what I must. I've done worse." He had crossed hims arms at this point, idly shifting form foot to foot as he looked around the room.

"It's a land of fear. Knowing your love for destruction you might like it. We live to scare, we are alive because we scare. But we also have our lives. Be it working in a coffee store, teaching, or being a student. I've found I have friends and people I wish to keep safe. So that it's a world worth keeping safe."

He grimaced at the next question, ears falling back again. "Perhaps. Unintentionally. Father... can be rather strict. And he's harsh with his words. However he means only the best." He didn't want to go into it any further for some stupid game.

"..." He frowned at the question. But the being still stared. "Isolation. Finding myself boxed away from everyone." He didn't want to somehow push them all away.

Really, what a nosy being. "I... perhaps like to really hope that I am wrong. At least when I think about the things I've forgotten. I don't want to think I'd easily just... end up overly attached, but... I also like that thought too? It's something I can't recall having happen before, so I'd like to be wrong. To find out I did have some sort of feeling. But I can't say that out loud, people would expect me to remember then." It wasn't like he remembered anything about her, but... perhaps he wanted her words to be true?

And then something positive? So strange this queen. "I think to make my family proud with my choices. Or perhaps just be satisfied with my own path that I choose." That was it, wasn't it?

And with those words the qeen uttered a few words before vanishing into the castle. Further away. "Well... that wasn't ominous at all." The sarcasm dripped off his tongue.

It asked him to stay, though he was sure there was no choice at all on his part, to leave would be folly, only fuelling the rage barely contained with in. He didn’t want to stay, and he didn’t want to destroy for neither seemed like particularly happy things to do, and happiness, after all, was all he wished for. They did, however, seem necessary as he watched the Red Queen twist behind the gate, form hidden save for small glimpses from between the knotted thorns.

Stay. Tell me about yourself.

“What do you want to know? My real self is much the same really. We both want to be heroes, to be happy. I perhaps more so than him, he wants but he’s afraid to leave things be, he has to do everything, afraid to ignore the unsavory bits in lieu of the rest of the dish. He’s afraid, and that fear grips him until the only thing to give into is obliviousness, ignorance, and to do what we want anyway. But we are generally happy, yes. Would you take that away from us?”

Tell me about your journey.

The Red Queen had no interested, it would seem, in answering questions on her own, ignoring Shiloh’s and pressing on. Shiloh watched it, unsure that he should be divulging so much info with what his supposed greatest enemy.

“I ate lots of cake, all sorts of kinds. Desserts too, and cake pops, but I think the cake was my favourite most of all really. But it’s hard to decide really because the cake that was me was so satisfyingly tasty but you know, cake shared in marriage is sweeter still. Oh, that’s right! I got married!”

He showed her his hand, the gold band glinting on his finger.

Tell me about your world.

His world? Wasn’t this his world? No, he remembered, it was only a dream or something of the sort. Eventually he’d wake up and this dream would end, Wonderland would be gone and everything would be back to normal again, as normal as normal could be.

“My world, huh? Well, I guess because I’m not so sure that this is that anymore, Earth, my world, it’s vast and made up of millions of different people and animals and even things that shouldn’t exist. Somehow it’s not nearly as strange as Wonderland though, the trees don’t talk and cats generally don’t vanish into thin air.”

Tell me who has hurt you.

“I don’t want to talk about that.

Why not?

“It’s not important, it doesn’t matter. You shouldn’t dwell on those things.”

It scares you. What else are you afraid of?

“Lots of things, the dark, big scary monsters, losing people I love. Is that enough?”

Very well, tell me a secret then.

Shiloh scratched his head; did he even have any secrets? He wasn’t one to really keep them, much preferring openness and honesty. But every person had secrets, it was just the way it was, even him. They crept in without noticing, unnoticed until he really took the time to think.

He leant forward, as close to the gate as he dared, and whispered something.

After all, it was a secret.

What is it you wish for the most?

“Happiness. It’s everything.”

He walks through the castle. It's empty and his dislikes how his footsteps echo. The place is huge, but he walks like there's only one path to choose. Maybe there is. He arrives at a gate of thorns. Whatever is imprisoned behind them calls itself Destruction. Somehow it reminds him of Azrael (who is torn between puffing up or pooh-poohing the comparison).

It calls him a guest and speaks of opening the cage with crystals of destruction. Dreadpirate isn't sure he likes the sound of that. It's the quest, though, so he doesn't have much choice.

"First, visitor, tell me about yourself. Your real self."

It isn't hard to answer. "I'm a soldier. A Hunter. I kill the things that go bump in the night so they can't attack humans." Left unsaid is the fact that he suspects she may be something that bumps in the night - if she exists outside of the dream-game.

The room gets a little colder. Maybe she wants more. This entire realm does seem designed to draw out his memories and life story. But he thinks there's been enough of that already. He waits to see if she asks anything else.

"Next, I want to hear about your journey."

Does she mean Wonderland? "It's a strange place you've got here. I've gotten lost on forests of talking trees multiple times. I've fought flowers and candy and birds and all sorts of strange creatures. I've traded riddles with cats. I've tranquilised bats. I've been married, of all things, to a woman I only met here. There was a door that led to a forest where everything was ... experiencing errors. Skips and static and glitches - if you know what those are, you might not have them in your world. I've run for a Jabberwocky, I've had memories pulled from my head like someone's reached in, plucked them out and set them to play on a plasma tv. It's been pretty crazy."

Crazy. That summed it up well.

"Explain to me the world you live in. Not this one, the one your real bodies occupy."

Dreadpirate pauses. "That might take years. Um. I suppose the biggest difference is that there's logic there. Things make sense. Animals and plants don't talk. Roads and paths stay where they are and always lead to the same place. We have less forest or woods and more cities - huge towns, I guess. Most people don't have to fight on a daily basis. Most don't even realise that monsters are real."

"Have you ever been hurt by someone you love?"

He's about to mention his ex when he pauses. Maybe he's heeding Azrael's constant irritation at the topic or maybe he's evaluating the end of their relationship more clearly.

"My dad died when I was a kid," he says instead. He doesn't know why he's telling her this. It's private. "Mum didn't take it well. She just fell apart. Me and Sarah had to take care of each other. I guess maybe I blame him for leaving. And then she left, too, in a different way. She should have been looking after us. She was the adult, not Sarah."

He wasn't sure what that had done to his and Sarah's relationship. For a long while they'd been close, but then once he was an adult, she'd still been trying to be a mother and it forced them further apart than normal siblings should have been. Maybe he blamed his parents for that, too.

"What are you afraid of?"

Monsters. Being useless. Failing. All the things he should have said. Would have said, two years ago. But he's been alone, but not alone, for two years now. He's been staring into the abyss that shares his mind, and Azrael has stared back. He's no longer sure which of them were changed the most by it - his recent nightmares are proof of that.

"Me," he eventually says.

For once, the Red Queen doesn't press for further answer. "Tell me a secret about yourself."

"That doesn't count?" he asks. Of course not, or she wouldn't have asked. "I need people more than I let on. I'm lonelier than I'll tell anyone. I put on a strong face, but... I need my allies - see, can't even call them friends - more than they need me."

"What is it that you wish for the most?"

"The monsters defeated, wiped out," is the instant answer. It's the party line, the expected response form the good soldier. It also happens to be the truth. He wants them wiped out. Once they're gone, then there's no chance of finding out any of them are more like Azrael (kind of decent company) than the bloodthirsty monsters preying on humans he believes them to be.

"Soon," the Red Queen says. Several cage doors open. Dreadpirate enters one, just wanting to get away from her.


+10 levels
+5 loot cards
+3 fragments

...Well, this was certainly sinister.

It was a stark contrast to the previous areas of the game except, he supposed, the glitch area. But this was much more unnerving considering that it was originally standing like this, instead of being corrupted by glitches of this dreamworld. In all honestly, Hades was still rather confused by this all, but he continued walking anyway.

Perhaps they were nearing the end. Perhaps they would know the truth behind this all soon, and what the Alice AI had hinted towards.

Someone was trapped here, he realized, as he moved forward curiously and cautiously towards the voice. Someone whose voice was as loud as thunder and dark as storm clouds.

And all she wanted was for him to answer some questions.

"My real name is Erebus." He said, swallowing back a lump in his throat. "And I am a Cerberus demon." Why was this information even relevant in this world?

Next visitor, I want to hear about your journey.

"I've been exploring this world, I guess. I formed a guild with a few others, and I also ran into... a glitched part of this world? It was very strange." He still wondered if the glitch would spread further.

Explain to me the world you live in. Not this one, the one your real bodies occupy.

"About Halloween?" He asked, scratching the back of his head. "Um well, I come from a particularly hot part of Halloween, what would be called the Underworld, I guess. Helldogs and all, after all. There are demons, reapers, monsters, ghosts, all sorts of creatures in our world." Of course, there was a small puff of pride when he mentioned his own faction.

Have you ever been hurt by someone you love?

He found himself hesitating. "N-no?" It wasn't the truth, and yet it wasn't a lie as well. Things that had happened to those he loved had certainly hurt him, but... "It was all my fault really." Because he hadn't the strength to protect them and be there when he was needed.

What are you afraid of?

These questions were certainly starting to make him feel uncomfortable. Hades felt himself grow utterly silent but the room also seemed to grow colder all around him, as if the voice was getting impatient. "That I'm not good enough for the family name."

Tell me a secret about yourself.

"I... I don't know." He faltered. He hadn't told anyone that he felt inferior of course, and he had always seemed so proud of his distinguished ancestors. "I guess that I always felt like I was never as good as my brothers."

She did not press on, but asked him one last question.

What is it that you wish for the most?

"To bring honor to my family." He said quietly. It was all he ever wanted, after all.

He had no idea what to think of the Queen, and instead, found himself trudging onwards.

First, visitor, tell me about yourself. Your real self.

Wiz frowned before lowering her head in thought. Here we go again with these thought provoking questions! Whats with this game any way? Sighing, the caterpillar looked back up before promptly answering:

"My name is Anasia Thalmir. I am a Jotunn, erm....Frost giant in common language. I currently live in a frostier part of Halloween that's always cold and snowy with no warmth in sight. There's nothing to do except cook, clean, pillage, eat, use the bathroom, shower, and explore the same frozen tundra every day of the year. There's not much life, but its something...Ummmn....This isn't my full height. I'm actually around...two stories tall, making me the shortest in my family thus far.

There isnt much else besides the fact that I like to collect things and put them into jars. I also talk to them occasionally becauseIhavenofriends, but that's beside the point here..."

The Queen remains silent for a minute or two before continuing on, much to Wiz's confusion.

Next visitor, I want to hear about your journey.

Wiz shuddered before taking another deep breath. Her journey was a long and strange one...She didn't want to tell the queen everything so she decided to just sum it up in a couple of sentences.

"It was.....Strange, frustrating, and very fun for the most part. What I really hated was talking to that stupid cheshire cat in the beginning of the game as well as walking through that stupid forest! The mad hatter tea party was the easiest part, except I didn't get to do one or two quests because I fell asleep? i don't know... Anyways, after all that mad hatter stuff, I made my way over to your castle! I still don't know what to think of it....I could use some brighter confetti or somethin--"

Wiz instantly noticed the room was getting colder and she quickly shut her mouth with a small gulp. Sometimes, people don't want to hear about ways they could spruce up their dungeon....

It warmed up a bit before the queen asked her next question:

Explain to me the world you live in. Not this one, the one your real bodies occupy.

"Uhhh I already told you most of it, but we have these creatures called mini's that we like to capture and keep for our own. Its a ncie feature of our little world. I'm sure the stupid things in Midguard don't have something like that!"

For some odd reason, she got the feeling that the queen didn't want to hear that answer, but Wiz shrugged. She didn't care much really.

Have you ever been hurt by someone you love?

Well that was a rather invasive question....She really didn't want to answer it, but she simply nodded.

"I have yes....Why are you asking these questions?

The queen ignored her, asking her how and when, which was in her opinion, another invasive a** question.

"Ive been hurt by my father when I was younger. Hes constantly told me I wasn't good enough, that I'm annoying, alien. He thinks I'm not....Jotunn and tells me this everyday. I'm never good enough no matter what I do."

What are you afraid of?

Whats with this woman and the invasive questions?!

"I'm afraid that....I'll never good enough for anyone. That I'll always be alone because I'm different from the rest. Ill never fall in love, Ill never make friends, Ill never get the chance to experience what its like to be wanted....Ill never know what the love of friends and a boilfriend is...."

She would NOT cry in front of this stupid thing....She cant allow herself to no matter what. Wiz looked away from the queen before waiting her next question, wanting to leave her presence as soon as she could.

She was starting to get tired of this place.

Tell me a secret about yourself.

Well this one was easy, it didn't have to be a deep dark secret, so she grinned before answering:

"I love fluffy things......"

It was a short answer, but she didn't care at this point. The Queen did however and the room grew a bit colder as she asked her final question.

What is it that you wish for the most?

Well that was an easy question to answer as well. Why didn't she do this for the previous questions? Dumb program with its invasive questions, trying to make her cry and junk...How rude!

"I wish for happiness...


"Soon," the Red Queen finally responds, "It will be soon. I crave [ Destruction ] and should I be favored then this world will break and crumble and I will build a new one without pain or secrets."

Well, that was a very...Scary scentence. Lets hope this queen doesn't escape anytime soon...

The voice disappears and several of the cages swing open, each one leading to a different area.

Wiz jumped and took that as her que to exit, picking a random cage to go into.

There was only one path leaving the Mad Tea Party zone, so B.B followed the path and arrived at a castle. The gates of it was made of thorns and there was only one way to go - downstairs. The rabbit girl discovered it was a dungeon, the prison doors were sealed and the corridor was lit by red torch lights. On her way, she heard a voice calling but she couldn't get it well, so she continued until she reached the end.

At the end, she was stopped rather abruptly by a voice, only a voice called themselves DESTRUCTION. It said she was a guest and asked several questions. Her first question was "First, visitor, tell me about yourself. Your real self." The rabbit girl smiled because she was the visitor, so if the host asked something, she should politely answer that. "As you can see, I am a tiny girl. I born in an Asian family and was the youngest daughter. I have two sisters that loves me a lot." She paused and smiled sweetly. "Um - I am a bunny here but actually I'm a human." She paused again while thinking what to say further. " -I joined the hunter quite for a short time", she raised two fingers on each hand and resembled the quotation marks. "I still have a lot to learn as a newbie there, but I have been working hard. I like things that normal girls like, desserts, cute clothes and plushies. I do admit I'm easily attracted by good looking people especially those wear glasses. I guess that's enough?" She didn't mention any about her father or mother because that was not necessary.

Her question was responded with another question. "Next visitor, I want to hear about your journey. " The rabbit girl tilted her head. "Where should I started? .....I started as a white rabbit, then by wandered around the Tulgey Woods, I strengthened up myself by finishing some quests. Then, with the new friends I made, I carried out some training by fighting plant monsters and exploring some dungeons. The Jabberwock was rather scary, but I managed to escape. Later, I found a way to the Mad Tea Party zone, where difficult quests and harder monsters were waiting for me. To be honest, without others' help, I won't be able to finish the dungeon located there. Soon, I was qualified to promote and became a white rabbit herald. I got better skills and stronger weapon, which assisted my adventure forward. That zone was like a paradise, but I want to explore more so I left it and ended up here." She smiled again, waiting for the voice.

"Explain to me the world you live in. Not this one, the one your real bodies occupy." She startled a bit at the question, so they knew they were sleeping? Remained silence for a while, B.B frowned and again thinking where to begin with. "As I mentioned before, I am a human, so I live in the human world. It is a big sphere made of land and ocean, it is divided into five main continents and seven main oceans which populated with different colored skin races.........the continent I am living is Asia, where I live was just a small part of it......I live in the cities but there are also beautiful natural scenery on the countrysides...." The girl planned to briefly introduce her world but got a bit too far.

"Have you ever been hurt by someone you love?" Her long speech was stopped. "Er-yes.....I have." The girl lowered her head, with a sad tone and little voice. "How and when?" She wasn't happy about that and asked if it was really necessary. There was a moment of silence but she suddenly felt cold and started shivering. "Ok....My mama and papa. They always hurt me, always....." The rabbit girl was wearing a sad smile on her face. "My papa said I am ominous and blamed me for all the bad things happened....My mama...she's nice, but too obedient. She was a traditional Asian woman and she obeyed her husband. So every time I got beaten, she only asked me to endure.....both of them....hurt me....one doesn't care at all...one....doesn't know she did."

Her silence was broken by the next question. "What are you afraid of?" B.B scratched her head and held herself with both hands. "I am afraid of darkness and-and blood." She held herself tighter. "Among all, I am afraid of not able to protect the one I love." She put her arms down, hands held into fists.

She wished this was the end, but it wasn't. "Tell me a secret about yourself." She hesitated, secret was a secret because no one knew.....but it won't be a bad idea to share it with someone. It was hard to just hide the secret by yourself. "I have a weird habit of hugging random person, it was a sequela after my sisters died." She swallowed, felt it had not to cry.

Then, the voice asked the last question. "What is it that you wish for the most?" She smiled. "That's simple." She closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them. "I wish I have more power, so that I can protect myself and the one I love." Her expression was serious and determined.



After the voice - Red Queen said of her soon release, several cages opened and she knew -

It's time to explore.


Quest Complete Reward:
After completing the quest, please claim this prize. You can only claim this prize ONCE even if you come back to do more of these effects. The doors that open up lead to the SIDE QUESTS.

+ 10 levels
+ 5 loot cards you can redeem HERE
+ 3 fragments