wicked witch

Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of Oz

By AJ Plonsky

(Special thanks and credit to Frank L. Baum)

Chapter: 1

A girl named Sylvia Belfrey was living in the West tower of a castle for about 6 years, now. She was being trained in the ways of magic by her sisters (well, more like teachers, but witches call each other that).

They were the witches from all corners of the land of Oz.

The witch of the South wore a red dress with flowers on it, and always had a nice smile on. She lived in the South towers.

The witch of the East wore blue and white dress and lived in the Eastern tower of the white castle that all four of them lived in. She was also a rather plump witch, while the others were skinny.

The witch of the North was the most powerful of them all. She wore a silver dress with gorgeous brown hair and had a lovely smile.

At a long round, white table, the four witches were eating their foods based on where they’re from and what they represent.

“Do any of you have something to share with all of us?” The Witch of the North asked. “Perhaps our newest member, Sylvia?”

“Well, ya didn’t let me rank to master that I applied for. So there you have it,” Sylvia said, miserably, stirring her soup with her spoon.

“You know we’re not supposed to be ranked masters until we achieve something from our spot of Oz,” the witch of the South said.

“She’s right,” The witch of the East said, “we can’t just let anyone get a wand and rank to witch. They have to prove, not how magical or skillful, but of the heart and how much courage they have.”

“Courage and sacrifice won’t win the Ogre wars,” Sylvia said.

“That’s exactly what’s going to win it,” the North witch said, “there’s a reason why men with swords and axes aren’t winning the Ogre wars at the moment. They have to have faith, have strength--”

“Why don’t we ever fight in the wars?” Sylvia asked, “why not let the magical fight the magical?”

“That’s too much risk,” The witch of the South said, “when one witch dies or goes astray--”

“--they’re entire land goes down with them, yeah I know, I’ve read the ancient Witches textbooks,” Sylvia said, still miserably.

The witch of the North nodded as though she had expected such an answer.

They had finished their food, and what did Sylvia find when she got to her room? Good question. a question she doesn’t even know, herself.

Chapter: 2

The offer

She was so shocked, she didn’t even get a chance to grab her witch staff. Her eyes just darted back and forth towards it.

There was a man leaning against the wall. He had a magical wand and had strings of greasy hair and had an ugly, squared shape, that wasn’t misshapen, but he did have yellow teeth and was apparently showing them off to Sylvia who had the whitest teeth.

The man wore long black robes and had a smooth face. Not a piece of facial hair on him.

He also had a large, pointy hat that was tan and a large grin. He was holding a large wizard’s staff, she noticed.

“You’re a wizard?”

“Close to it, dearie! I’m a dark wizard. One of the last of my kind. My mother was a fairy and my father was a gypsy. Enough about me, though! How about you, eh? Tell me about yourself.”

“Well I--”

“I’m gonna stop you right there,” he said, “I already know all about you! I also know, you’re an apprentice to the North witch who won’t give you a--what’s the mortal word for it? Oh yes--a promotion.”

“What are you, exactly?”

The man curtsied with his long black robes. “Master G at your service, dearie.”

“Your name is... master G?”

“In the flesh.”

“And why are you here,” she asked finally.

“Well, I come as any dark wizard would. Offer a deal.”

“I’d rather not get killed in a crossfire.”

“Well, I haven’t offered you anything, yet, Dearie!”

“Magic always comes with a price. Especially dark magic.”

“And fairy magic,” he said, impatiently, “and troll magic, and when an ogre blows his nose, that’s somehow magic, too. Look, I can get you a deal, or you continue to do whatever fairies do. Never did particularly use fairy magic, don’t know what they do...”

She hesitated.

“Going once...”

“No!” she exclaimed. “I am a witch. But I’m also a fairy. I cannot go into dark magic to get away from my troubles. I-I’ll find another way.”

“There is another way,” Master G said, quite annoyed, “with dark magic there’s always another way--”

“And the more dark magic deals one makes, the darker they become,” she said, gloomily.

“This isn’t the first deal you’ve made, has it?”

She hesitated to speak, then, “I’ve done dark things. Things I’d rather not say--”

“Oh and I’ve done darker things. Things you’ve only seen in your nightmares,” Master G said, darkly. Then he got back to his happy voice, “So, about that deal...”

“No!” Sylvia said, she reached her hand out for her staff and the staff zoomed out of the corner and into the hand.

“Your freedom from the wretched tower you call home. I can make you be with the people and never have to learn here, again!”

“Not interested.”

“Oh, well! Looks like we’ll do this the hard way.”

“What’s the hard--”

With a lazy wave of his hand, they disappeared in red smoke.

Chapter: 3

The Cave

They appeared in a cave. There was water everywhere, and they were standing on the rocks near an archway.

“Where are we!” she exclaimed, angrily, tightening her grip on her staff.

“The river of souls.” he said, looking around, “cozy, for a river of death, isn’t it?” he giggled.

A skeleton appeared in black smoke. He was wrapped in long grey robes and was holding a spear.

“Sylvia belfrey...” he said, “you shouldn’t have come here.”

“I just wanted to show her around, you know... the prophecy?” Master G said.

“I don’t care about some prophecy! I’ve read them all! How important could this one be?”

“Show her,” Master G said. The skeleton nodded. He held up his hand and sprinkled dust into a pot in front of the skeleton.

Then, in a rainbow colored outline, there was a vision of some kind, it looked like a flat screen television. But it showed fire, everywhere and armies of knights marching.

There were lion men, with swords and weapons and there were armies of others like scarecrows all coming towards the west mountain where an enormous castle is, and then there was an older twenty-two version of Sylvia coming up the West mountain, emerging from a castle.

She had a black wand in her hand and laughed, cackling, “what a waste of time! I think I’ll make this battle special!” she started blasting the armies and turning them into 6 foot tall monkeys with wings that are 7 feet tall.

Then the vision emerged into the Skeleton’s spear, as though it absorbed it.

“I hold in my hand a spear of the prophecy. It absorbs the nearest person’s essence prophecy and sees whether they are worthy.”

“Worthy for what?” Sylvia asked.

“A wand,” a voice said. They turned around to see the witch of the East behind them, holding a wand.

“Witch of the East,” Master G said. “How nice to see you, again, dearie!”

“I wish I could say the same,” East said.

“How much did you hear?” Sylvia said.

“Enough to know that you’re not who I thought you were...” a ball of ice appeared in her hand, “and I cannot allow you to do this.”

“I’ll let you handle this one, dear...” Master G said in Sylvia’s ear.

“I can’t!” she said, “I just can’t! She’s like a sister to me!”

“And only if I destroy you, the prophecy will never be fulfilled,” The witch of the east said, a wand then appearing in the witch of the East’s left, cold hand.

Sylvie blasted fire out of her hands but The witch of the east put up a force of some kind that blocked it. It was vague and blue and effective.

“You picked up some new moves, East,” Master G said.

“And you got sloppy,” East said. Sylvia blasted fire, but East shot back a 30 feet thick wave of fire and Sylvia ducked.

“Face it, you’re no match for the witch of the E--” She stopped dead in her tracks, while she was talking, Sylvia put her to stone from toes to head with a wand.

“She wanted to hurt me!” Sylvia exclaimed, as though she couldn’t believe it. She then darkened her expression, “What is your deal, Master G?”

“I want the staff of the witch of the North.”

“And what will you give me in return?” she asked.

“I will make you the witch of the West and then you can do whatever you want with the West of Oz!”

Sylvia pondered this for a moment. She thought of the good times with those witches, but if that one witch of the East turned on her that quickly, she can’t imagine what the others might do. She nodded, “you have yourself a deal.”

“Now that one witch is out of the way, you can go after the next one... just bring me that staff!”

“It will be done,” Sylvia said, nodding. She raised her left hand and disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

In a fancy room with white furniture and a brick fireplace, Sylvia appeared and held out her hand and a Staff floated above the ground and zoomed into the witch of the South’s hand.

“Did you think it would be that easy to take this staff? The only staff that can control other realms?”

Sylvia reached out in front of her, and the witch of the North flew backwards into the empty fireplace.

“The witch of the North will stop you,” the witch of the South said, getting up.

Sylvia laughed madly. “Eventually, but in the meantime, you’ll burn and I get what I want,” Sylvia held up the palm of her hand and turned it into a fist. Flames rose into the fireplace as the witch of the South screamed “noooo!” as she melts and turns into a statue.

Sylvia gives a cackling laugh. She turns to get the staff, but she sees the witch of the North instead and grins.

“Well! lookie what we have here!” Sylvia said.

“I know you may be hurting right now, but--”

Sylvia stomps her foot and the witch of the North flies backwards and hits the wall causing a few cracks in the wall.

“You shouldn’t have taught me all your moves,” Sylvia said, walking forwards, towards her. Then Master G appeared in a puff of red smoke.

“G?” The witch of the North said, getting up and looking concerned, “you’re working with him?”

“Well, I’m not exactly working with you doing this, am I?” Sylvia said.

“Don’t do this, Sylvia,” she said, “G will twist every word that comes out of your mouth.”

“I’m just here to watch the show! And to watch the entertainment of how you failed as a teacher!” G said, giggling.

Sylvia stretched her arm out and turned it into a fist and her feet turned to stone, her lower leg turned to stone and grew up her body.

“Well, if there’s no way to stop you, at least I’ll give you what little magic I have left,” the North witch said, “I give a curse! Because a 12 year old mere girl has beaten me, one day, there will be a girl to destroy you...” Then the North Witch’s chin was stoned along with the rest of her body until she said, “and there is nothing you can do about it!”

“A mere girl defeated me?” Sylvia said, then she laughs, “Very well. Bring. It. On.”

“I think this calls for a new name! Sylvia sounds a little bland...” Master G said.

“You’re right,” Sylvia said, “I am the wicked witch of the West.”

Chapter: 4

Dorothy from Kansas

20 years later, a green tornado came whirling around the forest. A small white house is floating a few inches above it.

When the tornado stops, a girl about 12 years old walks out of the house from the door. “I don’t think I’m in Kansas, anymore!” she said. A dog came out with her. A bichon frise dog.

Then there was a loud clicking sound coming from behind her. “Who’s there?” she said, rather nervously. As it got closer and closer, the sound didn’t just get louder and louder, it got more and more clearer. “Who are you? Identify yourself!”

Then a man made of Tin came walking towards her. “Dorothy?” he said, sounding surprised, and maybe... even scared.

“What--who are you?” she asked.

“For the who I am part, I am Nick Chopper, former friend to the Wicked Witch, for the what I am part, I am made of tin.” This man had a saddened voice of pity.

“A wicked witch?” Dorothy asked, trying to change the tin subject.

“Yes, she was once a kind and gentle soul, until she grew dark and greedy onto her quest for power across the land of Oz.”

“Did she succeed?”

“Not in the way she wanted to,” he said, sniffing his nose, as though he were a wolf sniffing for food, “yes, she succeeded in greater power, but by doing so--” he stopped dead in his tracks, ” she’s coming,” he said, sincerely, “you have to run. I will do all I can to defend.”

“What, why?” Dorothy asked, nearly in tears.

“No time! Run to the center of Oz! You’ll see a castle! Just run!”

Dorothy didn’t run. She started to, but couldn’t resist seeing what horror was upon her new friend. She hid behind some rocks that were surrounding them both at the time.

The wicked witch wore a black dress, a brown pointy hat, green skin, and looks much older than when she had met Master G all those years ago.

A woman came from under the house and erupted out of the wooden piles of scrap.

“Pleasant afternoon, isn’t it, Sylvia?” Nick said, as though she hadn’t just survived a house crash.. Somehow calling her that name had angered her.

“Don’t call me by my former name, sonny boy.”

“And, what, the name ‘wicked witch’ sounds any better?” Nick said, then he glared out of resentfulness, “you’re despicable.”

“And you’re bloody disgusting,” she said. She sounded like she was from England. “We can roast each other all day, or you can tell me where Dorothy is from Kansas?!”

Nick’s eyes darted towards where Dorothy was hiding. He was sweating silver sweat, but his words didn’t define his actions, “I haven’t seen nor heard of that name,” he said.

The wicked witch uppered an eyebrow. “Really, and to whom were you talking to, then?”

“Why myself of course,” he said, still nervous “did you know 39 percent of the brain relies on--”

“I didn’t ask for that, and because you’re not telling me anything, I have no use for you,” the wicked witch said, she pulled out her wand and pointed it at him.

“Go ahead, do your worst. Like you did to my father and his father before him!”

“Oh I assure you, I will,” there was a green flash, and something told Dorothy to run.

Chapter: 5

The abandoned castle

Dorothy honored his death by doing as he said. Running. And eventually running towards the white castle.

She ran past hundreds of trees until finally stopping at a large white castle.

The castle had truly changed since Sylvia left. There were vines running down where once-great glass windows stood. And there was poison ivy and oak trees glowing all throughout the castle.

She went inside. There was white furniture and the fireplace. The witch of the South was still slowly melting in the same fireplace that Sylvia had left her in, and the witch of the North was still a statue.

Dorothy looked around, she then noticed the melting-in-progress witch of the South and the statue of the North.

“Oh no!” Dorothy said in shock. But then as she walked closer, she noticed the statue started to unveil the witch of the North, and the witch of the South was slowly reincarnating itself back to proper form.

“Over 15 years in the same position,” a voice said. Dorothy turned and saw the witch of the North smiling at her. “Thank you, Dorothy.”

“You think you had it bad?” another voice said, “I was slowly--”

“I had it double worse, I had to watch it over the past 10 years,” North said.

The witch of the South and the witch of the North ran towards each other and hugged.

Footsteps from the staircase came. East emerged from the stairs. “Alright, alright break it up. We should be helping Dorothy defeat the witch!”

“I just want to go home! I don’t want to hurt anybody,” Dorothy wined.

“We know, but defeating the witch is the only way you will be able to go home,” North said. “She has my nine realms staff. Go to her, and pour water on her and then bring me the staff.”

“What will happen after I pour the water?” Dorothy asked, quite worried.

“She will pass and there will be peace,” East said, “look, kid, we don’t like it either. And this is as much help as you’re gonna get so I suggest you take it.”

“That’s it?” Dorothy said, “all the help I’ll get?”

“No, not all the help,” the witch of the North said, “There should be a man named Lion. Find him and the scarecrow. They will guide you.”

“Don’t forget Tinman Nick!” South said excitedly.

“He--he died. Died at the hands of the witch.”

“That can’t be--,” East said.

“I watched him die.”

North didn’t seem surprised or worried. “Was there a flash of green light?” she asked.

Dorothy made a face, “Now how did you know that?”

“What on Earth is that?!” South exclaimed, pointing to the sky. Everyone either turned around or looked up. There was a gigantic 6 foot tall, muscular monkey with some sort of dragon wings.

“Long live the Queen!” he exclaimed, stretching out his claws, coming closer and closer towards Dorothy.

Then, a miracle happened, the witch of the North took her staff of the nine realms, and aimed for the monkey.

“Don’t hurt him!” Dorothy wined.

A jet of blue light came out of the staff and filled the sky, hitting the monkey. The monkey’s wings started to shrink, and started to fall.

East and South put out their hands and as the monkey started to transform into something with silver legs, he slowed down from falling.

Finally, the body was replaced by a dirty grey skinny body, and the head was then replaced with the tin man’s head.

“Nick!” Dorothy exclaimed.

Chapter: 6

The Second Tin man

“Who’s Nick?” the tin man said.

“What do you mean who’s Nick?” Dorothy said, confused and excited, “You are! You’re Nick chopper!”

“I am not. I believe you are referring to a different one of my kind. There are thousands of us.

“After the queen took out the witches, there was a great war of lions, tin men and even scarecrows but we were all turned into monkeys. Flying monkeys,” he explained.

“So Nick--”

“Is flying around as a flying monkey, yes. But I am still willing to help. I was a knight in the army of Tins. She turned the armies of Tins into flying monkeys and few were able to escape into the forests. I was one of the few survivors, the rest of us went into hiding, but not me. I stood against her. I drew my sword, and she turned me into a flying monkey as well.”

“Wow,” Dorothy said.

“Point is, I am not one of those who would run into hiding. I am a knight, I swore to the Knight’s code of Oz that I would protect Oz and being a monkey hasn’t exactly changed that code.”

“Thank you,” the witch of the North said, “One other thing, Dorothy. Go to the wonderful wizard of Oz. He will help you get home but only if you defeat the wicked witch.”

Dorothy nodded. She didn’t like the sound of this at all, but she did want to go home.

“If she does get to us, won’t I become a monkey?”

“She only turns males into monkeys, Dorothy,” the tin man said, “she doesn’t want them to breed.”

“WHy, though?” Dorothy asked.

“She wants to make an army herself,” East said, “one of the reasons she left in the first place. She wanted to be alone. Do things for herself.”

“Not always,” North said, “She was a lot like you, until she started making deals. We caught her with a man named Randex, a magic dealer, a darker wizard, Randex’s magical master came to her and offered her a deal to get out and she-- she went on a darker path.”

A moment of silence, and then finally, “I suggest you two go ahead. Follow the yellow bricks and ONLY the yellow bricks and that will lead you to wherever you need to be.”

Dorothy looked around there as only forest, “But I don’t see any yellow--”

The witches held out their hands and a path of yellow bricks appeared.

“They will take you to the witch’s castle,” The witch of the North said. “Don’t follow it, and you might as well be a flying monkey, already.”

Dorothy smiled, but she wasn’t sure the witch was joking.

Chapter: 7

The village

They had just left the abandoned castle and were in the middle of the yellow path.

There were magnificent-looking trees on either side of them with many paths.

After a while they got tired.

“Why is Oz so big!” The Tin man said.

Dorothy then spotted a small village with mushroom shaped houses... like a smurf village.

“Look, a village! We can rest there ’till nightfall!” Dorothy said.

“I don’t think so,” the tin man said, shaking his head, “the witches said to follow the yellow path. This probably isn’t safe...”

“Oh come on, lighten up!” Dorothy said, happily, already running down the hill towards the village, “what do they know?”

“Literally everything in the land of Oz,” he said, sternly. Then he sees she’s already being greeted by the villagers and starts running downhill as well.

“Wait up!” he exclaimed.

Finally, he caught up with Dorothy. “Dorothy, the witches said to go straight to the castle!” the tin man said, catching his breath.

The village was indeed small, it was built on a wooden platform about a foot big and the villagers were all 4 feet tall with green jackets over their purple shirts.

HThe houses were shaped like mushrooms. There were white circular walls with a red, triangular roof atop of them. There were 16 houses and they were in a straight line (8 on each side) and the scenery looked a little too neat.

“No, they said to follow the yellow path,” she said, smiling to the villagers, “And this is right off the yellow path.” The tin man was about to retaliate but then a man with blue robes and a wand in his hand with a white beard leaning on a brown staff he was using as a cane.

“What’s going on here?” he said.

’We’re on the way to defeat the wicked witch!” Dorothy said, excitedly, “we’ll need some food and rest.”

“Then that you will have!” the man said, “we shall have a welcoming celebration in your honor!”

Dorothy looked delighted, but the tin man looked dead suspicious. It was awfully suspicious that one built a village right next to the yellow path, and they couldn’t be too far from the wicked witch’s castle. Something was off.

Then, a short , hairy man ran towards him and whispered, “meet me at the garden during the celebration.”

That night, there was a rather loud celebration while the tin man walked around looking for where the garden was, and then he saw it. A large garden with a fountain pouring water all over the center. It was beautiful, but he had to focus. He looked around and saw the short man emerge from the trees.

“Why have you asked me to come here,” the tin man said.

“This village is not what it seems. Do not be fooled by his hospitality,” he said, pointing at the man in blue robes dancing around a fire with the rest of the townspeople.

The tin man lowered his voice, “What the bloody hell is happening here? Why was this village built right next to the yellow path?”

“We did not build this, the queen did. The wicked witch.”

“What? Why?”

Now the man lowered his voice, “anyone who goes on an adventure to kill the queen, we drag them here. We make them feel comfortable, and then they sleep overnight, and then in the night, we kill them. What do you think they’re burning? Those are the charred bodies from previous killings.”

“Why tell me?” he said, “Dorothy--”

“They’ve already won her over and tonight they’re planning to burn her,” the man said, “I told you because you still have your mind together... do not sleep tonight! We must save Dorothy!”

“How do you know all this?”

“I’m sure you have a lot more questions, but it’s only a matter of time before they realize we’re gone. So get to fake celebrating!” he said and he started pacing up the hill. Somehow the tin man trusted him and followed.

Chapter: 8

Finally, while Dorothy was sleeping, the short man and the tin man both snuck over and attempted to drag her out of the cabin in her sleeping bag and almost did, when they heard clapping.

Loud echoey clapping coming from around the corner. They all looked at the corner, the old man was standing there, with a big smile on his face and two skinny, tall men with spears coming towards them. They also had purple skin, and green eyes.

Dorothy woke up. “Wha- what’s going on?” she said, sleepily.

“Just a rescue mission,” Tin man snapped.

Dorothy noticed the tall, skinny men with spears, “great job.”

“I really thought this was going to work, really,” the old man said, “but didn’t the scarecrow tell you? There’s no way out.”

“Scarecrow?” Dorothy said, confused.

“Scarecrow?” Tin man said, ”scarecrow? After all he said and that’s how much you got?”

“Can we talk about that later?” the short man said through the corner of his mouth.

“Looks like you’ll be here for a long, long time, buddy boy,” the old man said, “because I assure you, you’re not going anywhere!” He cackled, madly.

“RUN!” the short man and the tin man said at the same time. And they all made a break for it though the door and out into the starry night.

They ran for the yellow bricks. “Get to the yellow bricks, they can’t reach us there,” the short man said.

They ran and several spears did throw at them, but missed as they got farther out of range.

“Shoot farther you idiots!” they heard the old man say.

“I told you we should’ve gotten guns,” one of the tall ones said.

Finally, they got to the yellow bricks, and could no longer see the village.

“That is a twist I did not see coming,” Dorothy said, catching her breath.

“I told you something about that place was fishy!” the tin man said, then he caught Dorothy’s eye. It was on the man. He was transforming...

There was a blast of yellow light that blinded the two of them and he was turned into a scarecrow!

The scarecrow was skinny and made of straw like most, but in his hand he held a spear and he wore armor like a knight.

“I’m back!” he said.

“How is this possible?” Tin man said, “to change your appearance?”

“I’ve been in that little camp for ten long years. Ever since I escaped the wicked witch. I was once a monkey. I was sent to the wonderful wizard of Oz and he turned me back into what you see before you: a scarecrow.”

“There was dark magic there, it relaxes your mind, makes you not want to escape. This land was once full of centaurs, Satyrs and other half-breeds. Before the witch. She turned them all into flying monkeys, or they would be trapped in where I just was.”

“She built camps like those all around the yellow paths. The yellow path guides people, but should they become a little distracted, they would be lured into those mushroom houses and manipulated into one of them. If they don’t turn into one of them by midnight, they destroy them, which happens more often than you think.” He turned towards them, “you helped me escape my prison. I will help you defeat the witch in any possible way I can.

Chapter: 9

24 years ago, 4 before Sylvia had become the wicked witch, she had been invited to the wonderful wizard of Oz’s castle.

The castle was magnificent looking. There were about 30 towers all next to each other and beside the main golden gate. The castle was completely green except for the gate where twenty guards stand with pointy hats patrolling the castle gates and whatnot.

The guards stood against the metal gate, whereas there was a moat in front of the castle. The gate had a drawbridge behind it when Sylvia arrived on horseback.

As soon as she got close enough, the drawbridge came down to let her in. She walked through the ginormous archway, and the guards let her in as well.

Many hallways she passed, and she saw a door that was golden but it wasn’t in the center, There was a wooden door in the center.

The letter she had received hadn’t told her where to go. She assumed the room would be big, so it must be in the center, but the gold represented the gates. She walked through the golden door.

When she was inside the golden door, she fell a hundred feet and then heard a deep voice, “this was a test, young one,” the voice said, “you failed, I will tell your teachers you will never be a witch. Never!”

She raised her right hand and she disappeared in green smoke and soon enough, reappeared in the room with the brown door.

In the room, there was a large purple curtain covering the wonderful wizard of Oz. Next to the curtain, there were two windows revealing a gorgeous day outside of the castle.

Sylvia didn’t have time to look outside. In her hand she held fire, she ran towards the curtain, but she bounced off the curtain right as she was about to see who was behind it.

The deep voice chuckled, “did you think it would be that easy to get past to me?”

“So you can do a decent shield charm,” Sylvia growled, “I still will get my revenge,” she then was walking towards the door when, “you passed the second test.”

She stopped walking. and turns around, “what ‘second test’?”

“The test to get past the first test. You failed the first, though,” he said.

“What is it you want from me?” Sylvia asked.

“There is a man named Randex. He is teaching someone named Killian James Jones.”

“And why the bloody hell should I care?”

“Killian happens to be your brother.”

“WHAT?”

“Randex is a powerful master and teacher, but Killian is struggling with his magic. Go to Randex’s castle, it is possible he will train you instead of Killian.”

“But I’ve already got a master!”

“I know what’s been troubling you,” the deep voice sasid, “you still want a different master, correct? Someone who will rank you to witch, faster?”

“Well yes, but--”

“The rules are a lot looser in Randex’s castle,” the deep voice said.

She looked hopeful and annoyed, “oh fine! where will I find his castle?”

“It is in another realm. Go to that realm and you will find the castle.”

“How will I get to such a place?”

“Look at your feet,” the wizard’s voice said.

At her feet there were silver slippers.

“Tap the feet three times, and you will get to your destination. Just imagine this,” and an image appeared to reveal an enormous brown-colored brick castle.

She did as he said and she disappeared.

Chapter: 10

In a large castle, Sylvia appears in a bedroom. It was an enormous bedroom with white walls with white bricks in the background.

This must be Randex’s bedroom, Sylvia thought, admiring the mirror. She looked into it and saw herself.

“I don’t think I invited guests,” a man’s voice said.

She jumped, surprised and turned around. A man who looks like he’s been alive for centuries stands in the doorway, staring at her in disbelief.

“Oh, hello, master Randex,” Sylvia said.

“Unless you want to die, I suggest you leave,” he said, with a flick of his hand and several knives floated in the air and towards Sylvia.

“I’m Killian’s brother!” she exclaimed, nervously. He stopped. And then the knives disappeared, as he walked around looking for something, he got a bottle out, and then picked a hair off her head, put it in the bottle, mixed it with a bunch of other ingredients and held it out in front of him. “Impossible...” he muttered.

“What’s impossible?” Sylvia asked.

Randex sighed. “You are indeed the sister to Killian Jones. Come with me,” he raised his left hand and they both disappeared in a puff of red smoke.

They reappeared in the middle of a forest. “Time to see if you really can use magic,” Randex said.

He pointed to a tree. “Picture that place in your mind, and focus on that image,” he said.

Sylvia shut her eyes and disappeared and then appeared near the tree.

She looked proud of herself, then Randex shot several tree branches her way and she disappeared once more and hit the tree across from her. She appeared next to Randex, once again.

“Impressive,” he said.

She took the look in his eye as she was invited next time and she disappeared and reappeared in the wonderful wizard of Oz’s room. In front of the purple curtain.

She returned to the castle the next day with a whole buffet of food ready on his dining table. “What’s this?” he asked, walking in the room.

“Oh, I prepared this for you!” she said, cheerfully.

“Yes, make it quick, I have a student coming,” he said.

“You’re still teaching him?” Sylvia said, disappointed.

“Well, I’m still a teacher, aren’t I?” Randex said, raising an eyebrow.

“I thought you were going to teach me?”

“And why would I do that?”

“I’m more powerful than Killian!” she said, hastily and desperately, “I can cast a curse better than him--”

“Yes, but to do more powerful curses, you’d need to give up something you look to,” he said, “something you hope for.”

“but--”

“What was it your father told you before you became a witch?” he asked.

“Everything you can hope for fades eventually...”

“You might want to take his advice,” Randex said. With a wave of his wand the buffet disappeared, instantly.

Now Sylvia was mad as Killian came in. He wore robes, and looked fairly young but older than Sylvia. He was 18 and had a smooth face with short black hair.

With a wave of Sylvia’s hand Killian disappeared. “You shouldn’t have taught me how to do that, Randex,” she said.

He didn’t look mad, but rather annoyed, “what did you do with him?” he said.

“Over in the realm of Neverland...” she grinned, “as a sea captain.”

“You--”

“I stole your memory potions, Randex,” Sylvia said.

Another flick of a hand and several potions appeared behind her and exploded. “You really should have put a more protective spell on.” She tapped her silver slippers three times and in a gust of white light, she disappeared.

When she arrived in Oz, she was outside the castle. Miles out,not even in the grounds. She was back in her chambers in the castle where she had to pretend nothing happened.

Chapter: 11

Dorothy, the tin man and the scarecrow had finally arrived at the witch’s castle.

There were spikes surrounding the castle walls, no drawbridge, but that didn’t make things any easier.

There wasn’t even a gate! There were just grey walls, with flying monkeys patrolling every corner.

The castle stood on top of a 50 foot mountain, but there was no bridge, and they couldn’t walk, either because the castle was 100 feet apart from the green hill they were standing on.

Behind them, there was a sunny day with several hilltops. In front of them was a castle with flying monkeys and with dark, grey clouds full of lightning, blocking the sun itself from shining down on them.

“How will we get over there?” the tin man said.

“It looks like only the flying monkeys can get through,” the scarecrow said.

This gave Dorothy an idea, she got up from the bushes they were hiding in and screamed, “hey, over here!”

The tin man pulled her down, it seemed like a few monkeys heard her, but didn’t see her.

“What are ya crazy? The monkeys are gonna hear us!”

“I know that, just trust me!”

The tin man let go of the tight grip he was holding her and let her go and as soon as he did, Dorothy screamed, “we’re over here, monkeys! Dorothy and her friends!”

The monkeys heard that. They flew towards them at top speed, and as soon as they got close to the bushes, they swooped down and picked them up. Now the tin man, Dorothy and the scarecrow were now flying in the air above the spikes where the bridge to the castle should be.

“That was a bad idea, Dorothy,” the tin man said.

“Hey, now we’ll be close enough to the witch’s castle to get to the witch on the inside. We’ll just be dropped wherever the wicked witch is. And soon enough, we’ll pour water on her. Piece of cake.”

“How did you get that idea, Dorothy?” the scarecrow said.

“Oh, I lived in New York City before Kansas. I know when to hail a cab,” Dorothy said. The tin man and the scarecrow had no idea what she was talking about but nevertheless, decided to roll with it. She was from another realm after all.

They finally got to the castle and they were dropped into the center of the castle, the center where the witch is and where she was cooking up a spell in a smoking green chamber pot. She turned around to see Dorothy and her friends sitting with two flying monkeys beside them.

“Did you bring any water?” the tin man asked through the corner of his mouth.

Dorothy’s eyes widened. She hadn’t! She had no way of defeating the witch without water.

“Well, well!” the wicked witch said, “I don’t see any water on you! And it hasn’t rained in Oz since I took over. Looks like you’re out of luck! Put them in the dungeon. I’ll deal with them later,” she told the monkeys. And soon enough, the monkeys picked them up and dragged them to the dungeon on the first floor.

The dungeon was basically a cave. There were bricks, and there was a doorway, but it was sealed by magic. There was a bench in the shadows. “How am I supposed to find water!” Dorothy exclaimed, “the wicked witch is cooking up a potion right now to get rid of all of us!”

“Well you answered your own question there, didn’t ya?” a voice said. There was a lion shaped man in the shadowy bench on the left corner of the dungeon.

He had a yellow scarf with a brown jacket and blue jeans, but he looked like he was half-lion, half-man.

“What do you mean, we answered our own question?” the tin man said.

“Well, she’s cooking up a potion? Right?” he said.

“Yeah but--”

“She uses water in some of her potions, they’re required,” the lion man said, “just pick a potion that has water and throw it on her.”

“Why haven’t you?” the scarecrow said.

“I tried many times. She’s too powerful,” the lion said.

“That’s because you didn’t have us, we got this far, didn’t we?” the tin man said.

“You really think the 4 of us can get past her army?”

“Where can we find the potion room?” Dorothy said.

“Down the hall to the left, and then make a right, and that’s where the witch is,” the lion said.

“How will we get out?” the scarecrow asked.

The lion sighed. “I swiped this from the last time I was in there. One drop and you can go through protective spells. Even one sealed by blood magic.”

“Are you coming?” Dorothy asked.

The lion shook his head. “There’s enough in there for three drops. I have to stay behind. Or someone else would have.”

“I think we should go,” Dorothy said. Dorothy and the tin man started to go, but the scarecrow stayed behind. Dorothy and the tin man noticed and saw him behind them.

“What are you doing?” the tin man said.

“I think the lion man should go.”

“Really?” Dorothy asked.

“You saved us--”

“Do you know why I was in the village in the first place?” he asked. They both shook their heads. “I was in that village, because after the war, I was a coward! I ran from the flying monkeys and hid there. I never stood up to the Queen a day in my life! The lion should go. Not me,” he said.

They hesitated, “Go!”

The lion started to come with them, they drank a drop of the potion, “We’ll come back for you, all right?”

The scarecrow nodded and they left.

After running for a while, they finally got to the Wicked witch of the West. “Well, well!” she said. “Looks like you chose the lion instead of the scarecrow! Too bad it won’t matter because I’ll be feeding you to my monkeys tonight!” She laughed, madly.

“Well, there is one thing we’re good at,” the tin man said, picking up a sword from a fallen warrior, “kickin’ butt.”

They could hear the welcome to the jungle music playing as they ran towards the wicked witch with weapons in their hands, she then brought spikes up in front of her, and some sort of magical wall made them bounce off.

“You thought swords and spears could defeat the one and only wicked witch!” she roared.

“You’re weak! You’re using magic against weapons!” Dorothy exclaimed.

The witch got quite mad with a murderous look in her eye. Then in her hand appeared a sword.

She ran forward and the tin man’s sword and her’s clashed, sparks flew as their swords met and then the wicked witch kicked him in the chest with her black high heels. The tin man stepped back slightly, and then she stabbed him in the chest while Dorothy was looking for a potion.

“No!” Dorothy wailed. The tin man was still alive... barely. Dorothy kneeled next to him.

“I can’t save Oz,” he croaked, “but you can.”

“I’ll distract her, get the water!” the lion said.

And so while the lion’s and the witch’s swords clashed, Dorothy found water, and she filled a bucket and sprayed it on the witch.

“No!” she wailed, “what have you done!”

The witch melted. In a way, Dorothy had defeated the witch just as the prophecy said.

END OF BOOK 1

(the wicked witch and Nick Chopper will return in book 2)