by Tarl Telford
"Have you heard the whispers?" Donya asked of her daughter. "How long has it been since you have slept?"
"It's quiet here. I feel like I'm lost." Wickrie said.
Tjorn reached to take away the Crown Sarcophagus from his daughter, but she pulled quickly away from him, shielding the box with her body. "No. I need this."
Tjorn took the crate of treasures from Donya and set it down behind them. "You don't know the power you have there, Wick."
"It's only a box."
"Just like it's only fire on your hands." Donya said. "You have changed. Your hair is dark. The light is going out from you, strand by strand. Dear one, don't do this. Come with us right now. Help us finish. Help us save these treasures for history's sake. Let the cares of the world fall away. Be true to the past--be true to your past."
"If I don't help Glinda, I won't be...I can't...I'm not like you. That is not my life. It's not what I want. I need this."
"You're hurt." Donya said.
Tjorn reached out again to take the Crown Sarcophagus. Donya moved around to the other side of Wickrie. As a soldier, Wickrie-Kells recognized the strategy. But they were her parents. They were trying to stop her. Her life, her treasure, her freedom, and most of all, her power. The flames erupted from her hands and scorched the ground all around her. When the flames cleared, the tears burned away on Wickrie's cheeks. "Mom?" she whispered into the silent haze.
"We're here." Donya's voice emerged from the impenetrable haze. Then she held out her hand and gathered the final flame and haze. She crushed them in her fist, and then reached out her hands to her daughter. "We are here. Please. Stay."
Wickrie shook her head and ran as fast as she could, as far as she could. The chill inside her grew colder.
* * * * *
Inside Glinda's castle in the South of the Land of Oz, Glinda led the way to the library. She had named the castle Chronometria because she felt that it was a temple of time. The castle had previously belonged to Smith & Tinker, inventors extraordinaire, but they had given it to her as a safe haven from the Wicked Witches two years ago. Now she was bringing two of those aforementioned Wicked Witches into the very heart of her sanctuary.
Inside the library, Promethus shuffled to the mural on the wall. Glinda had seen this magic once before, just a few days ago, but she still did not understand how Promethus could create the gate. Promethus traced a pattern on the painting of the Phoenix Gate and stone hands pushed from the wall and peeled back the stone and paint to create an entrance to a stairwell. Then the old man led the way down the stairs.
Below, in the storage room, Mombi and Kally shared surprised and expectant glances as they looked all around on the shelves. These were the stored inventions of Smith & Tinker, locked away so that they could not be used unwisely, especially by the Witches. There was a Blooming Thornball, filled with spiny projectiles to create chaos among the besieging army. And there were glowing horseshoes, crystal spheres, cubes of ruby, and a bolt of spun topaz fabric that glistened and shone in the dim light. Those were just the treasures and magical weaponry that were stored on the ends of the shelves. The rows of shelves extend much deeper into the darkness. So many treasures, weapons, and fun goodies were here. Disruptive technologies that would change the balance of power in whichever kingdom used them. They both noticed that Glinda did not glance either to the right or to the left. She stared straight ahead, as if she did not recognize any of these things. She did not know the incredible value of the hidden trove she sat atop.
Promethus stopped in front of an easel covered with a canvas tarpaulin. He removed the cover to reveal the hidden treasure. "This is the Magic Painting. It is painted with Imaginary Paint."
"It becomes what it is supposed to be." Glinda offered helpfully.
"This will show us where the Wizard's body can be found." Promethus said.
"How do I make it work?" Glinda asked.
"Not here. There are too many sensitive instruments in this vault. If you activate the magic here, we could be destroyed."
"A suitable risk, if you ask me." Kally whispered to Mombi. There was no disagreement from the dark-haired Witch.
They moved the picture up to the library. Following the instructions given by Promethus, Glinda said, "Show me the Wizard's body."
The Magic Picture zoomed away from its focus on the ruined tower in the North and focused on the Emerald City. Then it zoomed further, showing Omby-Amby, Eyve, Rala, and Toro Plantain, along with some people of Emerald City, transporting the body of the Wizard. Promethus looked over at Glinda's face as she stared at the picture. Her face grew red and blotchy as the anger built up inside her.
"I know." He said. "We were just there."
Glinda glared at the image of Omby-Amby. The Soldier with Green Whiskers had not only threatened the success of this mission. He may well have killed them all.
* * * * *
In her laboratory, Glinda hurriedly opened her lockbox where she kept all of her greatest treasures. She searched for the emerald grinder to mix the spell components. It was here somewhere. There, beneath the sapphire sceptre, was the object of her search. She pulled the emerald grinder out and blew off the ruby dust from her last project--creating the Ruby Spectacles.
The ruby dust hung for an instant in the air, and Glinda saw her nemesis, the green-haired Queen of Dreams, commanding her armies as they passed through a gate. On the other side of the gate, Glinda recognized the cliffs on one of the southern borders of the Land of Oz.
Then the vision was gone as the ruby dust dissipated into the air.
She slammed the lockbox lid closed. There was not much time left for anything. Wait. Something was missing in the box. She opened it up again. On the very top, scarcely two days ago, she had left a single pistol--one of two that she recovered from Oscar's dream. One she had buried in the forest north of here after discovering the deadly ease with which a pistol destroyed her enemies. The other she had left locked away. There had been only one other person in the laboratory at the time Glinda had put the pistol in the lockbox.
Promethus.
The aged man stood in the doorway. He understood the anger on Glinda's face was now turned toward him. "Time is short."
"Give it to me." She crossed the floor, holding out her hand. "You stole it."
"A weapon like that in the hands of an angry girl is a danger to everyone."
"You had no right."
"Right was not my purpose. I needed to know whether you could handle the power."
"And?"
"No."
Glinda turned away, clenching her jaws. Her stormy eyes imagined plenty of uses for the pistol in this moment. When she turned back to the old man, he held the pistol, butt first, toward the red-haired sorceress. She stared for a moment, then pulled the pistol from his hand and pressed it against his chest. Her breath pushed out through bared teeth as she pushed the pistol further into his chest. Then her fist wavered, and she growled in frustration. She lowered the pistol and dropped the weapon into her pocket. Glinda pushed past Promethus and stormed down the stone steps.
Promethus let out the ragged breath he had been holding. His head drooped in exhausted relief. The gamble had worked, for now. He was still alive. And while he was alive, there was a chance that Glinda would survive this impossible quest to save the Wizard.
* * * * *
Glinda arrived on the burning prairie with the other Witches and Promethus. They stopped near one group of mixed Fighting Girls and Emerald Guardsmen that were cut off from Emerald City, and from their leaders--Elka, Decla, and Bosco--by the wildfires. Their path was cut off and so they waited on the stones, above the burning sea of grass and smoke. Locasta lurked near the flames, searching for another way out.
Glinda called down a cloud from the stormy sky and created a cloud chariot for the soldiers. The exhausted soldiers mounted and the cloud lifted up and flew toward Emerald City.
Mombi found Locasta and filled in the new information. "Wickrie-Kells found
the Crown Sarcophagus. The Wizard's body is in Emerald City."
Glinda called, and Mombi took Locasta's hand. They all linked hands, and Kally led the way through the flames to Emerald City.
* * * * *
Wickrie-Kells saw the cloud chariot from a distance as the lightning stabbed down from the maelstrom and plucked them away one-by-one into the sky. The swirling storm was between Emerald City and Wickrie-Kells, but she had her duty to fulfill. The whispers urged her onward. The flames bent to her will and parted for her as she broke into a run across the plains.
HH3: Chapter 28. The Safest Place in Oz
In the West, Ondri-baba and King Winko followed the Gardener, Arturio Cake, down the golden brick path. He pointed out prized flowers and creeping vines. The silver trees moved on their own as the waves of magic energy from the center of the Land of Oz pushed outward and changed things.
A flicker of magic, something invisible, caught Ondri-baba's eye. She turned, but it was gone. "You said this place was safe, but there is something magic in here with us."
"Look and see. If your magic eye sees all, then let it see."
King Winko shuffled quietly in his shackles. There was much that he did not want to say, but his feet needed to speak. He did not want to betray the trust given him, so he kept his feet as silent as he could. While the Gardener talked, Ondri-baba only saw power.
At last they came to the clearing again. The four-horned goat was still happily munching on the the golden grass. Ondri-baba saw the female figure lined in magic, but she could not see more details, and then the moment was gone. The woman disappeared behind a tree. "I saw her again. Some spirit of the forest. Behind that tree. You must capture her."
"For what purpose? This is my garden. I grow many things in here--flowers, trees, fruits, and other things, as I see fit. This is a safe place." Arturio said.
"Yes. It must be kept safe. I will send guards to stand on the road so that none may enter." Ondri-baba said.
"You misunderstand, pretender-queen, this land is safe because of this garden. There is nothing you could do to make this garden safer. Soon, all of Oz will be safe."
"I don't understand."
"Of course not. You made your claim to power and you draw your delight from pretty metal trinkets. This garden grows the tree that overshadows Oz. It was planted from a single seed that came from the tree that once held the Giant Hourglass. This tree has grown for these hundreds of years, spreading its branches and roots, and making this land safe from invasion. The seeds from this harvest have dispersed through Oz. A young man came from Emerald City on a mission from the Wizard. He asked for the seeds of a certain tree. Now that he has planted them, they will protect Oz."
* * * * *
As the goat cart drove away, carrying Ondri-baba and King Winko, the invisible woman in the shadows, came through the shrubbery and joined her husband, the Gardener. She rested her hand on his shoulder and leaned into him. "What did she want?"
"Power. Things are changing in Oz, and the Witch Queen wants to ensure that her throne will still be hers."
"What did you tell her?"
"That it is not her business what I choose to grow in my garden. My garden holds many wonderful things--shrubs, trees, beautiful flowers, and the most precious flower of all. You." Arturio closed his eyes, and his wife was just as real and visible as any other woman--more so, because he loved her. "I wonder, can you forgive her for what she did to you?"
"Even if I could, I don't know if you would love this face you have never seen."
Arturio took her chin in between his thumb and finger. "You say this every time, Adi. I love you. I will always love you. One day, we shall see each other clearly. Until that day..."
"We look forward together, hand in hand." She finished.
He squeezed her hand to illustrate the point again. "Hand in hand."
* * * * *
Glinda led them through the gate of Emerald City. She called the city guard to follow them. She led the procession down the main thoroughfare, drawing attention and respect from every watcher. Mombi caught sight of the young architect, Perilous Eddy, as he followed along the side streets. She slipped through the crowds and stopped on a corner to intersect Eddy.
"Busy day in Emerald City, isn't it?" Mombi asked, looking at her painted nails.
"Yes. Sure. I mean, no more than normal. It's a big city. Lots of things happening all the time." Perilous Eddy answered.
"You don't have to protect them. We know you gave them directions. You know, we Witches are all-seeing. No one hides anything from us. Tell me where you told him to take the Wizard's body."
"Is that who they had? They didn't tell me." Eddy lied.
Mombi caught Eddy staring at her low-cut dress. "I doubt that. You do not, young architect, strike me as being particularly ignorant. Only one man would require access to the labyrinth below. That is where you took them, correct?"
"Yes, Lady Chamberlain. The Onyx Labyrinth. Please, I was only trying to help. Captain Omby said that the Wizard needed to get down to the engine before he died." Eddy squirmed under Mombi's gaze. "I'll get you a lantern."
Mombi dismissed him with a wave of her hand.
Then she hurried to get ahead of Glinda's troupe. "Glinda, they descended to the labyrinth below. We haven't much time. A lantern is coming."
Perilous Eddy ran up to them, holding the Silver Lantern. The shimmering silver metal shone of its own glowing power. "You will see truly in the dark with this." He directed them to the doorway in the alley by the Gray Stairs. Above them towered all of the tallest buildings in Emerald City, cloaking this alley in perpetual shadow.
Glinda lit the lantern and led her small army into the darkness below.
Perilous Eddy looked up to the hanging gardens he had planted just two days ago. The trees were grown and reaching out. They seemed to be moving of their own volition, even against the wind. They looked like they were bracing themselves, but what would cause them to act like that? The storm was outside the walls.
The Wizard's dreams must be very powerful right now. The entire city was changing and heaving. Even though it was daytime, the Wizard was changing things. Eddy knew that this would be a day to remember. He watched the trees. No planted seed was wasted. The Hanging Gardens would make the Emerald City the place to be. Everyone would come here.
* * * * *
Far away, among the desert fjords at the edge of Oz, a finger reached through the magic portal and wrote the words on the stone wall. The words were a language once known in Oz, but no longer spoken by the living inhabitants. In the deadly sands below the winding stone cliffs, the people of the sand rose up wraithlike to see this new thing. The language was not forgotten to them, for they were old when the seas still smashed against the stone. In their voices, hollow like the desert wind, with no promise of life, they intoned the new words written below the paintings to the Wren.
High above the desert, atop the fjords, a fissure appeared in the air, oozing darkness and mayhem. In response to the words spoken below, the magic opened a portal to the darker world, and a dark gate appeared, pulling shattered energy away from the runes on the cliffs below. The path of shattered magic spread wide enough to walk a battalion through. The armies from the Kingdom of Dreams in all of their chittering, inhuman glee, marched into the Land of Oz to recover the body of the greatest Dreamer Oz had ever known--the Wizard. They marched on a moving boulevard, formed of dark bricks extending from the portal.
Above these armies, at the head of a battalion of gaunts, the monkey general rose into the sky. Brutus, a Winged Monkey with broad mechanical wings, shouted to the dark soldiers, "The body of the Wizard releases darkness. We shall feast beneath a black moon!"
Brutus pointed. Three metal fingers caught the flickering light of the otherworldly portal. His one good eye looked over his demonic army and he roared in growing rage. He would have a crown of his own. No more following orders. He would rule. She had promised.
In the
distance, hovering in an ornithopter of their own design, two inventors extraordinaire--Mr. Smith and Mr. Tinker--watched the dark armies surge into Oz. They both agreed that their handiwork in building the wings and fixing up a left-for-dead Winged Monkey was quite an achievement. The living weapon at the head of this army proved that business was about to become very good, very good indeed.
* * * * *
Ondri-baba drove the goat cart for several minutes before King Winko spoke. "There is nothing to fear." He said. "Our land is safe. She will never attack us."
"Nothing you say will cause me to remove your shackles, Winko. The throne is mine. All of the West is mine. I don't care about the Albine Wall or mountains separating the Far West. It is mine. All of it. I rule, not you."
"King me?" He shook his shackles, jangling the chain.
Ondri-baba smiled. Her crinkled face scrunched inward as her lips curled. "You are good for a smile, if nothing else." King Winko looked away. There was more to say, to assure the Witch Queen that everything was safe, and that she did not have to worry. But he knew that as soon as he let his feet start talking, he would not be able to silence them until the dance was done. To keep the secrets of the Winkies, he turned his face away from the smiling Witch.
Flapping wings above them drew their attention. A Winged Monkey dropped from the sky and landed on the back of the four-horned goat. "Mistress Queen, mercy."
"I detest you. What do you want?"
"The storm."
"Deal with it. Get out of my sight and stay out of my sight. If I see you again, I will make you invisible so no one will ever see your face. Ever."
The Winged Monkey hurried away, flapping as fast as its wings could go.
"I don't like them anymore. They hang around and make messes."
"You could get rid of them." King Winko suggested.
"That is a stupid idea. What if I need them? No. Better that they stay out of my sight until a truly wonderful enemy comes. Then I will destroy him, or her, with the terror of flying monkeys. Until then, though, I just want to go back to the castle and wait out this war. Let the others destroy the land. I'll be waiting to pick up the pieces."