Echoes of Wonderland

Another brick in the wall

Chloe's POV

The darkness that clings to Auradon's castle makes it feel like a black hole in the daylight. Red and I are careful to avoid detection as we make our way through the labyrinthine streets. Every shadow seems alive with the potential for danger, and every corner could hide a guard ready to pounce. Now, as we stand before the castle gates, the challenge is far from over. We need to get inside without alerting the guards, who patrol the grounds with a vigilance born from the paranoia of their dark master.

I watch as Red scans the perimeter, her eyes sharp and focused. We have memorized the patrol patterns from our previous observations, and now it is time to put our plan into action.

- We'll wait for the next shift change, - Red whispers, her breath visible in the chilly air. - That's our window to slip through.

We huddle behind a large, ornamental statue near the castle entrance. The statue, a grim and imposing figure carved from dark stone, offers us some cover. We watch as the guards walk their rounds, their movements methodical and predictable. They march in a fixed pattern, their heads swiveling side to side, and their boots making rhythmic clinks on the cobblestones.

The guards' footsteps echo as they walk the grounds, their movements methodical and predictable. Red counts the seconds, her eyes fixed on the guardhouse just beyond the gates. Every second feels like an eternity as we wait for the right moment.

As the guards exchange places, we make our move. Red leads the way, her movements precise and quiet. We wait until the guard closest to us has turned his back, his attention caught by a brief conversation with his fellow guard. Using this distraction, we creep toward the iron gate.The gate is old and heavy, its iron bars blackened by years of exposure to the elements. As we push it open, it creaks softly, the sound barely audible over the distant murmur of the guards' voices. Red quickly and expertly muffles the noise, pressing her hand against the gate to slow its movement and minimize the sound.

Inside the castle walls, the atmosphere grows even darker. The sunlight barely penetrates the thick, gloomy clouds that seem to perpetually hang over the castle. The castle's architecture, once elegant, now seems foreboding and twisted under Maddox's enchantment. The walls are adorned with dark shades of purple, orange, and green, adding to the sense of melancholy that pervades the air. The once-grand tapestries now hang like faded ghosts, their colors muted and their patterns barely visible.

We move swiftly through the empty corridors, guided by our knowledge of the castle's layout. The hallways are eerily silent, and the only sounds are the distant echoes of our footsteps and the occasional clink of armor from patrolling guards. Our steps are soft, our breaths shallow as we navigate past the guards patrolling the interior. We have to be careful; even the slightest noise could alert them to our presence. Red signals me to keep close as we approach a series of intersecting corridors. We duck into an alcove, pressing ourselves against the cold stone walls, as a guard passes by, his lantern casting flickering shadows.

Red pauses near a large, ornately carved door, her hand hovering just above the handle. The door is adorned with intricate designs that seem to writhe and twist under the dim light, giving it an almost alive appearance. She studies the door for a moment, then shakes her head, turning to me.

- Too obvious. If Maddox is in there, we'll need another way in.

I nod in agreement, and we both scan the surroundings, looking for a less conspicuous route. Our eyes land on a small, barely noticeable grate at the base of the wall nearby. It's an old air vent, likely used for ventilation in the castle's earlier days. Red crouches down and pries the vent cover loose with a quiet grunt. The metal groans slightly, but it comes free without too much resistance. The opening is just big enough for us to crawl through.