Sean accepted the ring and quickly pulled off his glove to put it back on his finger. Illinois drew Von Battle's attention away from him then to ask firmly. "Where are our friends? We aren't leaving without them." Von Battle reluctantly looked at Illinois, telling him calmly. "The Necromancer has them. He is waiting for you downstairs. I've instructed him to take you down into the passage beneath the dungeon. It's the fastest way you can get out without being seen. The passage will take you to the river. To the border of my domain. After that, you are on your own." Illinois shook his head, telling him seriously. "No. We don't want to get to the border. We need to go somewhere else first. We'll need our horses." Von Battle shook his head in return, stating out. "That's not possible. You'll never get past the gate with them. Googleplier will be expecting your escape. You won't be able to outrun him." Sean bit his lip, then asked quickly. "Could the Necromancer trap Googleplier in his crystals? Give us time to leave?" Von Battle shook his head, answering promptly. "No. The crystals store and preserve organic life. Googleplier is artificial. If there is a way to stop him... I've never heard of it."

Illinois sighed, reaching out to take Sean's hand. Taking it, Illinois pulled him into a swift walk toward the door. Over his shoulder though, he told Von Battle in a rush. "We'll figure it out on the way. Come on." Rushing out into the hallway, Sean listened to Von Battle tell Illinois as he followed them. "If you aren't trying to get to the border, then where are you trying to go?" Illinois huffed, retorting a bit defensively. "I'm not telling you that." Von Battle exhaled gruffly, then retorted a bit coldly. "I can't help you get there. If I don't know what direction you are trying to flee in." Illinois shot back over his shoulder as they rushed out into the main hall. "It's better that you don't." The music from the ballroom was over, but across the hall the vampires had moved into a dining hall. Softer music played and the guests were chatting softly to the sounds of clinking glasses. Von Battle gestured Sean and Illinois toward the staircase, where the Necromancer was awaiting them. Illinois moved in that direction, when the heavy doors to the castle were kicked open. Von Battle hissed aggressively at the intruder and the music in the dining hall ended abruptly.

The large metal horse dropped from its rearing, snorting a long burst of hot steam from its nostrils. Googleplier pulled on the wire reins to settle his upset steed, his eyes glowing a bright blue as he scanned the hall. Sean acted fast, shoving Illinois into the nearest hallway. Unlike himself, Illinois was dressed the same as when Googleplier last saw him. By the time Googleplier's eyes turned in their direction, Illinois was out of sight. Von Battle stormed toward Googleplier, snarling out. "How DARE you come in here unannounced! This is a private affair, Google! GET OUT! And take that hideous beast with you!" Googleplier slid off his horse, stating out fearlessly in return. "I don't take my orders from you. Stay out of my way and I'll be out of here before you know it." Von Battle pointed to the door, yelling out bitterly. "I AM THE CHESS KING OF NIGHT! I'm ordering you to GET OUT!" Googleplier locked eyes with Von Battle, calmly answering. "My orders come from the High King of Wonderland. Your authority means nothing to me. Where is the Oyster?" Von Battle puffed himself up, hissing out tensely. "Go fuck yourself!" Googleplier blinked, then without warning punched Von Battle in the face.

Sean gasped and saw the vampires in the dining hall start hissing aggressively. Von Battle touched his bleeding nose, before growling out darkly. "I'd say you were a dead man... but you'd have to be alive for that." Googleplier asked him unfazed. "Where is the Oyster? I won't ask again. If you are hiding him. You will be arrested for treason against the crown." Von Battle straightened up, removing his shirt to reveal his muscular arms. Sean's eyes widened as he saw Von Battle's back stretch out and change color into large black bat wings that matched the jet black coloring around his eyes. Von Battle's eyes turned a blazing red and he hissed in a shrill inhuman tone. Googleplier winced from the frequency but stood strong. The Vampires in the dining hall flew out on wings of their own to surround Googleplier, letting out smaller hisses of their own. Googleplier smirked to himself as he looked around, then informed them casually. "Very well. Your treason has been reported. You're all under arrest. Except you... Oyster." Sean tensed as Googleplier turned his eyes on him with a sinister grin. Von Battle arched his wings, hissing out. "You want him? Try and get through me, Google!"

Sean jumped back as Von Battle's shadow moved across the floor to grab Googleplier's shadow. Googleplier fell to his knees just as his own shadow did from being grabbed from behind. The shadow clawed its long nails across the chest of Google's shadow, causing large tears to appear across Google's shirt. Google looked down at the shadow, but Von Battle flew off the ground and slammed into him. The other vampires swarmed in with Von Battle, slashing their claws at any part of Google that they could. The Necromancer rushed up to Sean, pulling him away as he yelled out. "You've got to go! Quickly!" Illinois rushed out to join him, following him toward a door set into the side of the stairs. The Necromancer opened the door, then screamed in pain as a hand shot of the shadows to touch shoulder. Sean screamed, jumping back behind Illinois as he saw a man within dressed in black robes with red lining. The man took his hand off the Necromancer, revealing the blade that retracted back into his gauntlet. The man then quickly pulled a dart from his belt and threw it toward Sean. Illinois moved into the way of it, the dart impaling his arm, before he kicked the man in the chest. The man fell back into the shadows and the Necromancer slammed the door shut on him.

Illinois yanked the dart from his arm, staggering to a knee as he whined out. "Assassins. Fuck..." Sean tried to coax Illinois back onto his feet, pleading out desperately. "Get up! We got to find another way out!" The Necromancer handed the crystals to Sean, yelling to him as he stumped to the floor in front of the door. "Take them! Go! That way!" Sean stuffed the crystals into Illinois's pockets, yanking him up to help him down another hallway. They had only just moved into the hallway, when glass shattered in the main hall and a figure dropped down before the entryway. Sean glanced back, seeing another man in a set of dark green hooded robes with a bow slung over his shoulder. Rising from his crouch, the man pulled two hand axes from his belt and started running straight for him. Illinois stumbled to his knees, yelling out. "Sean, RUN!" Sean released Illinois but didn't run. Instead, he looked for a weapon. When he didn't see one, he did the next best thing that he could think of. He ran up to the hooded man. The man swung an axe out at his legs and without thinking about it, Sean jumped and kicked the man in the chest.

The man fell back, but quickly rolled backward to spring back up onto his feet. Sean landed on his side, but as he rolled up onto his feet again, he swung out his leg to try kicking the man across the face. The kick missed, but it kept the man back. Both of them got to their feet and as the man swung again, Sean blocked his arm and punched him. The man swung the other axe in return, prompting Sean to jump back to avoid the axe hitting his gut. As the swing passed him, Sean ducked to avoid the man's returning swing and tackled him. The man dropped his axes, grabbing Sean's shoulders to use the momentum to flip Sean off him and into the wall. The wall knocked the air from Sean's lungs, but he was barely breathing as it was. Focusing on the man, he watched him roll up to his knees to try thrusting the gauntlet blade at him. Grabbing the man's wrist, Sean kicked the man in the ribs hard and then wrapped his leg around the man's arm to go into a roll to pin him down against the floor. Realizing what he was doing, Sean gasped. Where had he learned to do this?! The man grunted, then arched his body to kick Sean in the back. Sean fell across the ground, allowing the man to snatch his ankle and yank him under him to pin him down.

Sean panted hard, when the man pushed his large dark green hood back to finally reveal his face. Looking up into his cold blue eyes, the man told him a little breathlessly. "Give us the ring or die!" Sean panted out to him firmly. "No! It doesn't belong to you!" The man raised his hand like he was going to punch him, but his action hesitated when he suddenly asked him. "Sean? You're alive?" Sean blinked, asking him just as curiously. "Who told you I was dead?" The man gawked at him, blurting out. "Everyone. Anti said-" A loud bang cut off the man's words as the door that the Necromancer was holding shut was kicked open. The man dressed in black robes started to storm toward them, removing a blow gun from his belt. Sean tensed, watching the green robed man spring up to his feet to tell the approaching assassin. "Wait! He's not with the Red King! It's Sean!" The dark robed assassin stopped short, blurting out. "What?!" The green assassin rushed in. "I know! We don't have time. Let's get him out of here!" Sean sat up, rushing out. "What did you do to Illinois?!" The green assassin turned, rushing to grab Sean to yank him up onto his feet. The dark Assassin rushed past them to heft Illinois over his shoulder, both of them heading back toward the door under the stairs.

Rushing down into the darkness, the green assassin pulled the door closed to the sounds of clashing swords and hissing bursts. Sean couldn't see, but he could feel the icy cold beneath his bare feet. The Assassins led them down the dark steps, and through the dark tunnels. When Sean listened closely, he heard the sounds of a bird cawing whenever the assassins slowed to a stop. Sean shivered from the intense cold, chattering out. "Where are you taking us?" The green assassin answered in a hushed whisper. "The stables. You're going to get us out of here." Sean stumbled a little, saying perplexed. "Excuse me?! How?" The dark assassin that was just ahead of him, answered swiftly. "The ring. You can use the time slips like Time can." Sean blinked, stammering out. "I can? How do I do that exactly?" The green robed man stopped him and Sean heard the other assassin climbing something. Illinois grunted and whined in protest, but it was muffled by the green assassin asking him a little put off. "You don't know? How is that possible? You are only one of three people that can use it in all of Wonderland." Illinois growled in pain, then snapped out. "He lost his memory. Now are you going to tell us who YOU are?"

The dark assassin shushed them, then pushed up a trapdoor slowly, letting light from above stream down into the tunnel. The assassin signaled something to the green one, then quickly crawled out with Illinois. The green assassin pulled Sean up to the metal ladder as the trapdoor closed, sending them back into darkness. After a minute, the assassin coaxed Sean up but patting his hips. Hefting up his skirt to drape it over his arm, he started climbing. Halfway up, Sean stopped as loud voices echoed throughout the tunnel. Someone was ordering others to take the different passages. The assassin touched his leg, encouraging him to keep going without words. Reaching the top, Sean pushed up the trapdoor. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he almost screamed at the sight of a large albino eagle peeking in at him with interest. The assassin quickly cupped his mouth, whispering into his ear. "She's with us." The assassin scanned the area, then pointed toward the open stall where the other assassin was crouched and waiting. Struggling to crawl out, Sean scrambled over to the other assassin. The dark dressed assassin, whispered to him softly. "Can you ride?" Sean shrugged, mumbling out. "Define riding?" Illinois chuckled, then winced as he grumbled out. "Fuck... I can't feel my right side."

The assassin shushed him, counting the horses tied around the stable. When the green assassin joined them, he told the other nervously. "The L.G.L. are here. There in the tunnels. While I want to believe they'll get lost... If Googleplier is leading them..." The other assassin nodded, pointing to the other horses, when he gruffly said. "Ya. I just noticed that. We have a small window to do this in... Let's not screw it up." The green assassin nodded, flipping his hood back up and answering swiftly in return. "You take Sean. I'll take his friend." The green assassin rushed off to grab Illinois, helping him onto a beautiful white mare. Illinois pointed to their horses, forcing the green assassin to gather Diesel and Shwoompl. The dark dressed assassin took Sean's arm, guiding him over to a light brown horse. Helping Sean up, he swung on behind him and whispered over his shoulder. "The fountain in the back of the castle is our exit. Open it and we'll ride through." Sean nervously asked over his shoulder as he shivered. "And if it doesn't?" The assassin's hidden face looked at him, saying seriously. "Then we are going to crash into a fountain. Obviously."

Sean shrugged, mumbling out to himself. "Ya... Obviously." The assassin kicked his horse into a trot to leave through the open doors, then turned his horse around to head into the dead garden behind the castle. There the place looked as dark and gloomy as a graveyard. A faint mist hung in the night air and yet... in the center of the ashen garden was a large stone fountain with a massive realistic looking heart made of prism glass. The fountain pumped out red water from the tubes of the heart and it almost shimmered in the moonlight. Raising his hand as they rode closer, Sean tried to open whatever time slip they thought he could do. The horse reached the base of the fountain and still nothing happened. Sean groaned, trying to force it but it wasn't working. The assassin turned his horse around to walk farther away to try again, telling him seriously. "Not to rush you... but we are being hunted. So...? What's the hold up?" Sean glared at the man, snapping out. "I don't know what I'm doing!" Illinois told him to take a deep breath. Sean tried but the pressure was getting to him. He hated being under pressure. From the stable, the trapdoor banged, and someone yelled out. "They took some horses! Quick! Mount up! After them!"

The Assassins shared a look, before the dark dressed one, stated out. "Time is up. Do we run for it?" The green assassin shrugged, then stiffened. Everyone followed his eyes to the end of the garden where two other people were riding slowly into the clearing. They looked exactly like Googleplier, but one had a red shirt and the other was wearing yellow. To Be Continued...