[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/z6cC6JC.png[/img][/center]

Alicia turned to Rachel as she offered to stay behind for the girls who had not yet arrived. [color=aba000]"I guess that works, if you don't mind,"[/color] she conceded without arguing. She had no doubt that Rachel would be able to make an impact regardless of who she went with, since that was just the sort of situation that they were in right now. It wasn't like she would be stuck on her own.

What she did not expect was Rachel to give her something of a motivational speech, encouraging her to further develop as a leader. Some part of her wondered if it was really the time for this sort of thing, but she wasn't going to try and stop Rachel in the middle of all of this. She simply took in the sentiments and committed them to her heart. She did not want to let down this trust. [color=aba000]"Thank you, I won't let you down,"[/color] she replied with a firm nod.

The last details worked out, she joined the others in making their way down the secret passage. They soon exited into a wine cellar, full of casks, pillars, a door, a bust on the wall, and a table with a drink set out. [color=aba000]"Clearly this 'secret' passage wasn't as secret as we thought,"[/color] she noted, frowning as she looked at the table. She hesitated to even call this a trap, since it being a trap implied some surprise. if you knew it was there and you stuck your foot in anyway then you really only had yourself to blame. 

For now she joined the others in looking at other options. [color=aba000]"I might be able to handle that darkness with my Light magic,"[/color] she offered as Gaia suggested exploring the passage that they had found. [color=aba000]"The drink may let you go through the door, but it also might instantly brainwash you with Wonderland magic."[/color]

After a moment her gaze rose upwards. [color=aba000]"If we're in a cellar, couldn't we just blast our way through the ceiling to the ground floor?"[/color] They could probably improvise that somehow, if they really needed to. Not as if they would know what they were getting into whatever path they took. But a less conventional strategy would probably take the Queen's forces off guard too.