Chapter 28
“Send a messenger to General Chopper,” Dorothy commanded. She paused to get her breath. Her body shone with the sweat of her efforts. “Let him know this is the last unit I'm giving him today. I want him and his army ready to attack on my command.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” the brigadier barked, snapping to attention.
Dorothy regarded the tall, muscular man a long moment. The senior officer looked as tough as she'd seen so far. He also looked eager for battle. His men, not so much. They still looked confused, looking around at their new surroundings, and listening to the sounds of battle in the middle distance.
“Men!” Dorothy shouted, gaining the heavy infantrymen's attention. “You will be ordered into battle in a few minutes. Know that I have full faith in you and your fighting skills. You honor me with your service! I could not be more proud to fight with you at my side this fine day! To victory! To Oz!”
The soldiers cheered, and shouted, “To victory! To Oz! Long live Empress Dorothy!”
Their love and devotion thrilled her. Is this why men love war so much?
Dorothy reluctantly turned her attention back to the task at hand. Gathering her far-flung army was going a lot faster than she anticipated. Her magic heels were amazing in that regard. But no one ever told her how grueling nonstop magic could be. Her insides burned in the oddest way, and she instinctively knew that wasn't good. It had reached the point that she could feel the magic flowing through her when she transported a large number of men, horses, and gear across the empire. Each transport took a little bit more out of her than the last.
Just one more time, she thought, a sense of relief flowing through her.
Sucking in a deep breath, Dorothy studied her map. She only had one more garrison to gather, and then they'd be ready to launch their attack. Of course, Lion had already launched an attack against Glinda's Sa'Kor host. Not what she wanted, but the big shifter did what he wanted, when he wanted to do it. No discipline.
Nothing like Nick, she thought.
A distant boom roused her out of her reverie. Dorothy stared down at the map in hand, concentrated on the location she wanted to go, and tapped her heels together three times. In the blink of an eye, the young woman found herself teetering atop a paved parade field at the far corner of the Empire. Going from soft dirt to hard cobble always left her unbalanced atop those sky high heels.
“Excellent. Dragoons,” she said, spotting thousands of armed, armored, and mounted heavy cavalry troops arrayed before her. Their commanding officer sat his horse before them, their regimental and squadron flags flapping in the wind behind him. “Are you ready, Brigadier?”
“Her Majesty's Horse, 11th Regiment of Dragoons – Blackhorse! Stands ready to fight!” the commanding officer barked. He was a splendid example of military manhood, tall and muscular. His gray eyes looked eager. Even his fine black stallion appeared ready to fight. “Brigadier General Alfonz Hardcastle at your service, Your Highness.”
Every man in the regiment shouted, “BLACKHORSE!”
Dorothy's skin goose-fleshed.
“Men, I need you to all move closer, clasp hands with those to either side, because I'm going to use magic to transport you to Emerald City, where the Wicked Witches are attacking us! But we will not fight Wanda and Jezebelle alone! No, the Good Witches Olivia and Diana are already on site and fighting the good fight for the Empire!”
The soldiers all cheered.
“I've placed armies behind the three armies of Glinda, Wanda, and Jezebelle, and we're about to give them a big surprise! So, are you ready to fight?”
“Blackhorse! Blackhorse! Blackhorse!”
“I'll take that as a yes,” she muttered.
It took a few minutes to get the troops pressed in close, front and back. Everyone had to be touching for her to transport them all. She really hated going back for stragglers. So once everyone was positioned, holding hands or the tails of the horse before them, Dorothy stepped up next to the brigadier and laid a hand on his thigh.
“Take a deep breath!”
They didn't really need to do that, but she'd found giving them something to occupy their minds ensured they didn't panic. Despite how common magic was in Oz, it was still a scary thing to most people. Dorothy concentrated on a spot atop a hill overlooking Emerald City, and tapped her silvery heels together. The scene before her changed in an eye-blink the second her heels met for the third time.
Dorothy stood at the very top of the hill. To her immediate left were the soldiers she'd transported there earlier. Behind them, and not too far back, Olivia's Gillikin host was marching toward the rear of Wanda's army. The rear elements of the Winkie host were starting to turn around and face them. Beyond them, she could see Jezebelle's great host on the eastern horizon as it fought the lead elements of the Imperial Grand Army. To her right, on the western horizon sat Glinda's Sa'Kor army, fighting Dorothy's soldiers.
On a hilltop between the Winkies and the Sa'Kor stood a small force. According to the map Locasta gave her, Scarecrow controlled all three armies from that location. Scarecrow was protected by a full troop of Sa'Kor cavalry.
“Well, that wasn't so bad, was it, Brigadier?” she asked.
“Fastest and easiest forced march ever,” Brigadier Hardcastle said. He looked out upon the battlefield. “Squadron commanders! Take command of your troops! Prepare for battle!”
Her mount waited all by itself, munching on grass. Dorothy hurried over and pulled out her two Uzi submachine guns. She hung them on her shoulders, their straps crossing her body, with the double-holsters on her hips. Armed for bitches and witches, she thought after a glance at the Sa'Kor defending Scarecrow. And then she stuffed the Null Stone scepter into her saddlebags before mounting and pulling her sword.
Dorothy held her palm to her face, summoning a message bubble. “All commands. Advance to contact. Destroy the enemy. Now.”
She sent the bubble flying, watching it split up and fly away in all directions.
“Blackhorse!” Dorothy shouted, gaining everyone's attention. She pointed her sword at Scarecrow's command and control site. “The EVIL Scarecrow commands the Wicked armies from atop that hill. We're going to go over there and kill every one of them, including Scarecrow! Regimental front! Follow me!”
Dorothy spurred her mount forward. The 11th Regiment of Dragoons followed, thousands of hooves rumbling as they churned up the rich soil. She rode side-by-side with Brigadier Hardcastle, three squadrons arrayed behind them.
Halfway to the other hill, Dorothy saw the Sa'Kor surrounding Scarecrow turn to face her. The element of surprise was lost, so she ordered them to increase their pace. The bugler blared her command to the regiment, which surged forward.
The deep rumble turned into thunder. Horses screamed. Men shouted. Dorothy's heart pounded in her chest.
And then as they reached the base of the hill…
“Charge!” Dorothy screamed.
Chapter 29
“The tides of battle have turned in our favor!” Glinda cried.
They were close enough to see the Sa'Kor forcing the Imperial Grand Army soldiers back, some of whom threw down their weapons and ran toward the city. The sound of clashing steel sang to her soul, proclaiming her ultimate victory.
Olivia and Diana stared in disbelief. Glinda saw her opening, covertly pointing her wand at the ground and sending a spell down into the earth. There was the faintest of rumbling underground as it moved under the two Good Witches. And then she made a slashing motion with her wand, unleashing the magic on the two unsuspecting beauties.
“What the…” Olivia cried.
Dark red tentacles erupted from the earth around her. In an eye-blink both ankles, both wrists, and her neck were encircled by powerful magic tendrils. Diana wasn't much better off, with both wrists, her left ankle, and waist captured. The magic tentacles lifted Diana up, shaking her violently.
“Glinda!” Olivia shouted, bring her First Witch power to bear. Wanda
and Jezebelle cringed, and even Glinda's breath caught. “Release us, or know my wrath!”
The Witch quirked a brow. Wrath? I'll show you wrath, my pretty.
She quickly created another tendril, which she sent slither up and around Olivia's right leg. The Good Witch of the North gasped, eyes huge when it slipped under her skirt as it closed on its target.
“GLINDA!” Olivia screamed with a magically enhanced voice.
Glinda's wand swirled in the air, conjuring a spell to rip the wands out of the Good Witches' hands.
“Yikes!” Glinda cried.
A pulsing black bubble appeared right in her face, demanding her undivided attention. Her spell backfired, sending a painful jolt up her arm and into her core. She bit down on the agony, desperate to not show any sign of weakness before Wanda and Jezebelle. And then more bubbles appeared before her, and the other four Witches. Red, pink, yellow, purple, and blue bubbles bobbed in midair, all pulsing with urgency.
Olivia regained her wits, and easily dispelled Glinda's insidious tentacles. She and Diana fell back into defensive stances. Glinda scowled at them. And then Jezebelle burst her message bubble.
“Great One! We need your help! General Chopper and an Imperial army has appeared out of nowhere behind us!”
Everyone froze. Glinda's heart skipped a beat. She had two black bubbles demanding her attention, so jabbed one with her wand.
“Mistress! Beastmen are attacking our rear, led by Warlord Lion. What are your orders?” So she popped the other bubble. “Glinda!” Scarecrow's voice shouted angrily. “Dorothy is attacking me! Her troops outnumber us!”
The Witches all popped all of the bubbles, receiving cries for help, warnings of at least three Imperial armies appearing out of nowhere. The whole affair stank of magic, but Glinda had been so caught up in the throes of battle she hadn't noticed such powerful spellcasting.
“Take care of the Good Witches,” Wanda shouted, jumping back onto her broom. “I'll go take care of Dorothy!”
“Stop!” Glinda cried, but Wanda flew away.
Olivia and Diana attacked. She had to defend herself, and help Jezebelle as well. Then the Wicked Witch of the East took flight, abandoning her to the two Good Witches. Olivia had such a look of satisfaction on her face.
Glinda scowled at her. “Gloat, Olivia. This little victory will prove fleeting, for I will make you both grovel and beg before me.”
With that, Glinda summoned her flying carpet and sped away. The two Good Witches cried out in frustration, but went their separate ways as well. Diana headed south, back toward her own host, while Olivia flew due north and back toward her army.
Once she had a little height, Glinda surveyed the damage. Three new armies had indeed appeared behind the three Wicked armies. Plus, Olivia's Gillikins had maneuvered to bring Wanda's Winkies between them and the new Imperial army. Wanda's army was about to be crushed while she chased after Dorothy and her Silver Stilettos.
Looking back at her Sa'Kor. Her soldiers were fighting on two fronts. They had the Imperials running, but Lion's beastmen were slowly pushing them back. More and more of her troops were being forced to turn back to fight the shifter army. If the Imperial army found it's backbone before they dealt with Lion, then her army could be destroyed as well.
“Today is an unmitigated disaster, and it's all Dorothy's fault.”
Wanda had a good head start, and was slowly pulling ahead even further. Nothing was faster than a broom. Well, except pure magical energy.
An evil grin curled Glinda's lips, even as her eyes narrowed. She thrust her wand toward Wanda, muttering her spell as she drew tiny runes of power in the thundering air. A rope of shining pink energy shot out. The end raced straight at Wanda, while a loop formed in the end. Glinda watched intently, controlling the “lasso” with runes and words, until it looped around the shaft of Wanda's broom, just inches behind the Witch.
“Ha!” Glinda cried, yanking it back with supernatural power.
Wanda squawked, but hung on for dear life. The power of Glinda's spell yanked her straight back and then flung her toward the city walls to the southeast. Glinda felt such accomplishment.
“We're still not even, Wanda,” she sneered. “You will pay for every indignity you heaped upon me while your prisoner.”
Her full attention turned toward Scarecrow's command hill. A full regiment of Imperial dragoons were surrounding the single troop she'd given Scarecrow. The former King and Wizard stood in the very center, a sword in each hand, fighting off the enemy. He fought like a demon. It took a moment longer to locate Dorothy within that undulating mass of humanity. She'd already fought her way halfway through the Sa'Kor, coming up behind Scarecrow.
A blade wouldn't kill Scarecrow, but they could cut off his arms and legs, thus rendering him helpless. Hell, even cutting off his head wouldn't kill him. Did Dorothy understand that, and he'd not be dead until every last straw and scrap of fabric was burned? Even one tiny speck could bring him back.
The Witch adjusted her flight, changing to an intercept course. Dorothy would not reach Scarecrow. She would not win the day. That honor would go to Glinda.
My wrath will be terrible!
Glinda tapped her throat, and shouted, “Dorothy Gale! You are mine!”
Chapter 30
The 11th Regiment of Dragoons thundered up the gentle slope, Dorothy in the lead by half a length. Her sword pointed forward at the grim-faced Sa'Kor soldiers arrayed before them, all armed with swords and round shields. No lances. No spears. Nothing to stop a cavalry charge. And nothing to stop her bullets!
Her left hand released the reins, giving her mount his head. He was well trained and would continue the charge. But a second later her hand wrapped around the handgrip of an Uzi. She pointed it at her intended point of contact with the enemy, and opened fire with short bursts.
Ratta-tat-tat-tat! Ratta-tat-tat-tat!
Women dropped. Shields and swords flew off in both directions. Horses screamed in terror as they fled. The whole first rank of troops wavered. That was a weapon they'd never faced, never trained for, and didn't have a defense against. Their hesitation would be their undoing.
“Death to Scarecrow!” Dorothy cried. “Death to the Wickeds!”
Dorothy released the Uzi to fall back to her side, took her katana in both hands, and started slashing left and right as her powerful mount drove deeper and deeper within the crumbling ranks of Sa'Kor.
The wings of her regiment swept around to encircle the Sa'Kor and the Wickeds' commanding general. How they could free such an evil creature as Scarecrow, and then hand over control of their combined armies, Dorothy couldn't fathom. Desperation? Were they so desperate to vanquish all good in the world that they'd follow anyone?
“Scarecrow! Where are you hiding, you craven bastard?”
“I fear no one, Dorothy!” he answered to her front right. She leaned in the saddle, and her horse veered in that direction. “I told you. You will grovel and beg at my feet, woman!”
“Never! Show yourself, and let us settle this for once and all.”
Dorothy glanced up and around. She couldn't imagine the Wickeds would allow her to snuff out Scarecrow's life without a fight. They'd come. They'd come to save their insanely cruel and ambitious general. They’d come for the chance to take her down, and steal her Silver Stilettos. But they didn’t understand just how ready she was to fight them.
She felt the weight of the Uzis at her side. Felt them jostling and slapping into her ribs. Her pistol belt rode low on her hips, tight and heavy with a pair of pistols. Those powerful weapons gave her comfort and confidence.
Hot lead will bring the Wickeds down, she thought. And Glinda, too.
Scarecrow might be the hardest of them all to kill. Fire was the only way she could think of to end his vile existence. So she had to capture him, and then burn him. Then it occurred to her.
Scarecrow is a magically animated being. Will the Null Stone cancel out his magic? Will activating it destroy
him?
“Empress! The Winkie forces are attacking,” Brigadier Hardcastle shouted. “What are your orders?”
Dorothy reined in, stood up in the saddle, and surveyed the battle. Her regiment had encircled the Sa'Kor, but Wanda's army had come to the rescue. She'd been counting on them to engage the Imperial and Gillikin forces attacking their rear ranks, but their commander had broken off a third of his cavalry to help Scarecrow. And they were threatening to trap the 11th Regiment between them and the Sa'Kor.
A fireball streaked across the sky, followed by two more. Dorothy searched the sky to the southwest, and spotted a black clad Witch flying in on a broom. Another Witch approached her location on a flying carpet.
Witches!
“Brigadier, fight your regiment as you see fit,” Dorothy commanded. “I'll take care of the Wicked Witches!”
And then Glinda's magically enhanced voice pierced the din of battle, “Dorothy Gale! You are mine!”
Chapter 31
Lightning bolts and fireballs thundered past Glinda. The Witch slanted a sneer back, spotting both Diana and Olivia flying toward her. Those two hadn't suffered enough already? And then Wanda joined in the attack.
“You can't trust a Wicked Witch,” she muttered, and then grinned. “Yeah, well…”
The situation on the ground looked dire. The Gillikin host was fully engaged with Wanda's Winkie army. Indeed, Wanda's army found itself caught between the Gillikins and the Imperials. Didn't look good. Even worse, Dorothy had brought in a considerable Imperial army, which was splitting itself between attacking the Winkies and going to Dorothy's aid.
My Sa'Kor army has it almost as bad, she thought. Glinda was sure Lion specifically asked to lead his beastmen against her Sa'Kor. The big shifter had always resented her Sa'Kor's reputation as the biggest, baddest army in all the Lands. I swear, I'm going to skin Lion alive and use his pelt as a carpet before my throne.
Wrath of a Wonderfully Wicked Witch (Return to Oz With a Vengeance Book 2) Page 18