“A blooming feel, a call to fate. Struggle and fight the dream you can not wake. The steady stream that goes one path, alas all things can not last. A blooming feel, you can’t change fate. The pure-hearted warrior is called to wake!”

Luminous jolted awake at the sound of the familiar voice, the book she was reading slid off of her face and onto the wooden work desk below her.

“Master mouse?”

She looked around her moonlit bedroom from her messy bed to the wardrobe and bookshelf that were beyond disorganized. But saw no one, not even that tiny old mouse.

“Had I dreamed it?”

Luminous had gotten dressed in her comfy black shorts and pink buttoned up pajama shirt, meaning only to wear it for a little bit before she had to get dressed in her ball gown. While waiting for the time to pass, she, of course, had to read a chapter of her new book, then the next, then the next after that until she fell asleep right where she was.

Luminous yawned, her eyelids becoming heavy. Her small body slowly sank into the desk until she glanced up at the clock.

“I’m late!” Luminous jumped up. Papers from her desk flying everywhere. “I’m late for a very important date!”

And just like that, Luminous, ran to the ball without thinking about what she was wearing, or whether or not her waist-long blonde hair was brushed.

“Brend-bot is going to kill me!”

Luminous rushed down the red marble stairs. She was in such a rush to get to the ball; she didn't even notice that everything in the castle was eerily dark and quiet.

Her white socks thumped on the floor, running down the vast halls until she got to the wide double doors. Pushing them open, she ran into the ballroom.

“I’m sorry, I’m late.” Luminous doubled over panting. “But I was stopped by a raven at a writing desk who told me that if I…” She looked up, but no one was in the ballroom. “That I..”

She slowly walked around the circular dance floor, noticing just how small she was in the spacious ballroom.

“Hello? Anyone there?” Luminous called out, surely there had to be a server bot somewhere in the castle at least. “Brenda-bot?”

But no one answered. The red banners depicting the anvil and hammer emblem of the kingdom were still. Even the piano was without one note on it.

“Maybe I could see where everyone went from the parapet.”Luminous mumbled to herself. “But I’ll need something to help me reach the roof ladder.”

The patrol scoots always used the ladder themselves to get to the parapets, but since they were tall and the latter was a bit off the ground, it was never a problem for them to get to it, but because Luminous was so, well, short…

Luminous looked around to see if there was anything she could use to get up to the ladder. But the only thing she could move that was tall enough, was the queen's throne. Gulping, she took another glance around the room. If she so much as touched the queen's throne, Luminous knew that she would get the beating of her life. But then again, no one was around…

Adrenalin filled Luminous’ Lungs as she dragged the chair across the red marvel dance floor. She got to the middle of the ballroom right under the chandler when she spotted someone moving in the hallway right outside.

“I didn't touch it!” Luminous yelled, letting go of the throne as if it burned her. “I..I mean I was brainwashed too! I mean I’m a doppelganger! This is... a dream?”

“Grr…”

A low growl sounded from the hallway. Curious Luminous stood on the red cushions of the red queen's throne, hand shading her eyes, peering into the darkness.

That’s when a pitch dark hand reached out into the ballroom, and three other long dark hands pulled a big round creature forward, it’s four slanted red eyes that sat on its body opened up instantly locking onto her. The creature's smile stretched out across its frame. Its sharp teeth glinting in the dim light.

Luminous leaned back on the throne, it fell, throwing her to the red marvel ground with a thud. She lay upside down watching as the monster crawled towards her, its eight long arms dragging its fat body around with unnatural speed.

Luminous flipped over onto her hands and knees. Pushing herself off the floor, she darted towards the french doors that lead into the garden.

Her heart burned in her chest as she ran. Her small hands slammed onto the glass doors pushing them wide open. Not a moment after her sock touched the cobblestone pavement all the lights shut off around the garden. More dark creatures came out of the bushes, trees, and from around the pavilion, long dark hands wrapped around Luminous’ body.

“Ahh!” Luminous’ screams pierced the night sky. She reached out towards the air desperately, but there was nothing there to grasp.

“Underneath your bed, monsters are made, shine a light to make them fade!” An old gruff voice shouted out.

A beam of light shot through the night sky, hitting the dark creatures. They evaporated into smoke on impact like shadows.

Luminous squinted at the small light that lay low to the ground. It moved a little closer before talking.

“You’re late, young lady.” Scoffed Master Mouse, his wand illuminating his small body. “And what, I inquire, do you think you’re wearing right now?”

Luminous looked down at her pink button pajama top with the little black shorts.

“But I...It’s not like I could…I mean, I just...” Luminous stuttered before looking around the garden for answers. “What were thoughts things? What's happened to the rest of the castle? Where is everyone? The prince? Chasm?...May…?”

“Grr grrr!”

Luminous froze, hearing a growling noise in the distance.

“All in good time.” Master Mouse said. “I’m sorry Luminous, but I’m afraid I’ve been waiting for too long. You have to come with me now before it’s too late.”

She followed the small mouse. The dark green pine trees got more frequent until they covered the two completely, shrouding them even from the white moonlights' watchful eyes. It was so unrecognizable that if she lost the old gray mouse, Luminous felt that she would have been gone forever.

Master Mouse stopped in front of a giant willow tree. Its branches wrapped around an old wooden clock as if strangling it. The mouse ran up the clock, turning the hands of the clock until the clock struck one, and the mouse ran down.

The branches loosened their grip on the huge grandfather clock. It moved to the side to reveal a hole in the tree.

Master Mouse walked inside without a second thought. But Luminous hesitated for a moment, looking around the thick forest. She couldn't see the castle from where she was anymore, even if she wanted to go back. Taking a deep breath, she got on her hands and knees, crawling in after him.

“What is this place? What were thoughts monsters out there?” Luminous paused. “Is this a dream?”

“You inquire about too much, child.” Said Master Mouse. “It’s best to ask one question at a time.”

Luminous stopped in the middle of the dirt tunnel for a moment, taking a deep breath.

“Is everyone okay?” Luminous got out, willing away the lump in her throat.

Master Mouse stopped, the soft red vest he was wearing became entwined with his fingers.

“We, best keep moving.” Master Mouse smoothed out his vest. “I, I ahem have to get you out of here.”

He continued down into the dirt tunnel without looking back at Luminous. Who just bit back her tears until a bright light caught her eyes.

“Huh?”

Luminous looked up. The white moonlight showing through the full french windows, casting on the tapestries that lined the walls on the other side of the hall.