Anthony the Blue Wizard, and reigning King of Oz, was having trouble in deep sleep. He was dreaming, or rather having nightmares, many all at once. First he dreamed that all the people he tried to help in the past, were alive, but being tortured by some new villain, who refused to show its face. Everyone he loved was slowly turning against him and then out in public and in front of his people, this unnamed enemy accused him of being mentally incapacitated and as is Ozian law, there was a public vote. Then the dream flashed forward. This time he was alone, in a world where only smoky, ashen remains covered the setting. It was much like Oz after the Wicked Witch stole the Ruby Slippers out of Natalee's tomb. There he was alone with the destruction of his realm and the death of those he worked so hard to unite. Lastly, the most troubling of the three dreams, he was doing what he was now, sleeping in his bed with a safe kingdom. Then around the emerald corner, the ghost of the Wicked Witch of the West slithered through the air over to his unaware self, and loomed over him. She waved a sharp nailed hand and cuts covered him head to toe, then she used magic to throw everything around the room, dressers mirrors, book cases, and beat him to death without a sound, and disappeared cackling. Anthony woke up still in dream world, and found the heads of Glinda, Ben, Argy, Natalee, Julia, on pikes before him, and the Witch cackled throughout the air again with her face appearing in all of Glinda's prophecy crystal balls in the room. Anthony woke up screaming, and sweating.
This brought attention to the Palace and lady Glinda came running, using only her dimly lit staff for light so as not to disturb more people. "Anthony you're going to wake all of the undead with that shout! Whatever is the matter dear?" She sat down next to me as I sat up in my bed.
"I had a dream, the Witch, in ghost form killed everyone and destroyed my kingdom, then there was a vote, someone else took my place as ruler by popular vote! Glinda what the hell is going on?!" I panicked. Glinda tensed up. She knew what he was speaking of was not dreams, but premonitions. His power from being in Oz for so long without leaving now was so strong, that he was able to do more new things every day that he was unaware of. Soon Glinda thought, he wouldn't need a staff anymore. And soon enough, she could tell him something else about him… Something that explained why he knew everything of Oz's history, and future…
"Take a deep breath dear, everything is alright. You must rest, tomorrow is a big day, for tomorrow you will meet my son," Lady Glinda said. Anthony thought about that for a moment, what was she getting at? WE planned to meet her son a few weeks ago but we never did. Who was he? What does meeting him have to do with keeping calm? She has a plan I thought. At any rate, I need to raise my own personal guard.
The next morning I got up early and dressed in my robes and crown and staff, and called for a state of the realm speech on the famous balcony. Down before me were all the thousands of citizens who looked up to their King right now in anticipation of whatever it was the King wanted to tell them. Side boys filed in formation leading to the Main Entrance to the Throne Tower, and played a fanfare. Confetti dropped from overhead by the Birds who were on their way to another annual Conference, and as the people arrived, faced the balcony I was standing in, and bowed and returned to their spots in the crowd.
As I saw the people come in, I grew nervous about public speaking, all the pressure to give assurance of tranquility when I knew in my heart that something bad was going to happen. Then I looked up and saw a beautiful fair sorceress in a glistening gown and gilded hair floating closer to me in a pink bubble. Everyone in the crowds bowed as Lady Glinda the Good made her entrance, initiating to the public as the last family arrived, that the speech was to begin. The People knew the King was here, and that Glinda still had strong holds in the City. She stood beside me and held my shoulder.
"Fellow Ozians, thank you for coming out on this beautiful day! I have summoned you all here today to alert you all that I intend to raise my own personal guard. I am looking for men and women, Elves and Dwarves, Munchkins, Quadlings, Gilikenese, and Vinkuns. I need soldiers. That means people that will obey my command under certain doom; to fight for their country and for their loved ones as I have done five times before now. I feel a change in the winds now though, and I come to you now in hopes that you will set my worried mind at ease with your numbers and your unique skills. Recruitment will be in Mockbeggar Hall all this week, and Lady Glinda will be there to see you all and fit you for your suit of arms. Times are changing everyone, I need to better protect you my people. To do that, I need an army of the citizens I swore to protect. That is all. Enjoy the rest of your day ladies and Gentlemen." As people began filing out, I saw lady Glinda paying closer attention to the people's departing conversations enchanting her ears.
"What is it my lady?" I asked her.
"The people are beginning to worry about why you need an army all of a sudden, nothing more. Anthony, listen to me. Times are changing if they haven't already. You need to go to South Stairs, and visit, her,"
"It's too dangerous Glinda,"
"She can see the future and manipulate destinies Anthony. She'll guarantee yours and Oz's safety, I can't. Only she can set your mind at ease."
"How can I trust what that old crone says?"
"You can't. You can only trust me your friends and yourself. You must go see her before sundown Anthony. I will be in Mockbeggar hall, meet me there tonight when you're done."
"What about my friends on Earth? It sounds like I may need them again,"
"Visit the prisoner first, and we shall go from there. Now go my dear run!" She waved her hand and I was spun around in the air by her magic, and then a blue cloud engulfed me.
I appeared at the Entrance to Southstairs. This was Oz's insane Asylum, high security prison, and torture chamber all in one. When someone was convicted of breaking the Oziad, they were lowered in cages underground into the Prison, and never seen again. I got to the guard, a Beast. The body of a bear and head of a Lion, the Beast was covered in blood of some unfortunate soul.
"I am King, let me pass Beast, I have business with the Woman Seer," I explained. The Beast bowed his head, and watched keeping his bow as I passed.
"You will be in grave danger my King, be warned she who you intend to converse with is at her most vital state, and she's been… cursing," I turned my crowned head to pay attention to him but continued walking.
The place was gruesome indeed. Dark as night and cold as a winter morning the dreary dungeons were. The air stunk of blood, sweat, and other things. The stone walls echoed with the rattling of sentence enforcing chains, and the soft distant screams of lesser unfortunate people. The people who were there however, as Anthony soon saw for himself, were those who were traitors of Oz. Henchmen to Witches, (Langwidere and Elphaba); the Nome King's henchmen; the Dragons; the Spiders and Vultures etc.
"LURLINE DAMN YOU! DAMN THE KING! YOU STUPID FAT BOY YOU'RE DOOMED FOREVER!"I could pick out every other phrase, but ignored them all. Then suddenly, my veins started glowing bright blue.
"Anthony, I have long waited your arrival. Come closer if you have the temerity to face your true original opponent," The woman was wearing a clearly aged, green, sharply- pointed, shoulder padded dress, and was standing in the shadows. Her hair was messy, but obviously her intended way of having it was in two buns on her head, like round devil horns it felt like. She had magic too I saw, and was holding a pocket watch with a dragon as its gears. Fire billowed out of it and I fainted, thinking of how I missed my friends and longed to see them again. It had been a cycle and a half without them. Only forests of time and oceans of distance stood between us. Well, that and the impending trouble that lay ahead. Anthony hoped in his few moments that this woman would be selfless and true. His situation was dire, and he needed help, not more trouble. Glinda knew what was happening, but was not worried. She could feel it with her magic, and her heart.