Parallel Binds [Kingdom Hearts Watty Awards--Parallel Universe/Canon]

:12: Wonderland

The group's next arrival fascinated Dark. As they stepped off their ship, Dark gazed upwards into the thick vegetation their ship had landed in. A dimly lit place that was practically drowning in weeds and tall, untamed bushes. Dark rushed through the shrubs and stopped at the edge of the foliage. They were on a cliff overhanging a large valley. The valley closest to them was nearly completely brown; a forest it seemed. Rather, an ex-forest. The trees were dead. Beyond that, an enormous, well tamed castle stood. It boasted white pillars and arches, as well as a giant garden that filled the entirety of the courtyard. The flowers, visible from the miles away that they stood, blazed crimson. The sun rising behind the castle covered it in an array of colors, as well as lit up the mountains and rivers behind it. He saw a giant heart emblem etched on the outside of the castle's lookouts and knew exactly where they were.

Donald and Goofy were struggling through the bushes behind him, getting tangled in vines and bothered by bugs, and he snapped out of it. The sight of so many colors in the scenery had shocked him. "Come on," he commanded, and started walking along the edge of the cliff. 

Dark reached the bottom in no time, though was met with a path that led into the dead forest, a maze of rotten trees and twisting thorns. The path led deep into the darkness. Dark turned his head up to the trees that framed the edges of the path, which turned in and curled into an arc over the path. Donald and Goofy finally tumbled down the hill, intertwined with each other and struggling to stand up. Dark ignored them and mumbled to himself indecencies concerning his company. But soon after, something caught his eye.

Deep in the darkness, he saw two glowing orbs, just floating in the blackness. He found his curiosity grow irreversibly stronger and was soon following them into into the forest.

Donald turned around once, confused to see Dark sauntering into the dark woods and wondering if it was an illusion. But it wasn't, and Donald's feathers ruffled. "Dark! Where do you think you're going?! Dark?!"

Goofy looked down to Donald. "Oh, I don't think it'll be a problem, Donald. As long as we stick together, right?" Goofy laughed and looked back to Dark. But he was gone. Both gasped and Donald shot forward, calling for him. But as Donald and Goofy returned to each other, it was quite clear that Dark was long gone in the forest.

Dark found himself unable to hear the two calling behind him, and he didn't quite seem to notice. All he could look at was the two golden orbs that floated through the dead forest, entrancing him. After he stumbled as he walked through a bush, he frowned as he lost eye contact with the thing that had interested him so and turned around in a panic. There was no wide, paved path anymore. He stared for a moment.

He turned forward again, only to find the two orbs to be gone as well. He froze, barely breathing to listen to the forest. But not a sound was made, no chirping creatures or the howl of the wind. It was if the rotting forest was frozen in time. He swallowed, chilled by the feeling around him. He heard and saw nothing, but it felt as if something was watching him. Not that he could even tell where the awful feeling was coming from. 

Soon enough, he turned around and started walking again, determined to get back to the path. But after a good ten minutes, it was no use. He could have sworn it took less than a minute to get where he was, so how did he manage to get himself so far into the woods? And up ahead... his eyes squinted as his mind raced through how it was even possible...

He walked up to the same bush he left behind him ten minutes ago and touched the branches he had snapped while stumbling through it. I couldn't have gone in a circle! I've been heading uphill this whole time, I'm sure of it! He growled to himself as he saw a glow of gold in the trees just ahead and stomped through the bush again, not noticing that he stepped right next to a sprout of green that was rising out of the ground.