Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked or any characters or materials taken from the musical or book. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Note: Here it is! The official first chapter! As I said before, your answers will appear in here, though some may have been tweaked a bit. Anyway, I hope I get your characters right from here on out and if I screw up, let me know and I'll try to fix it. Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 1: A Call Answered.
Raga gazed out at the dirt road that lead to and from the Palace, meandering along in graceful curves and a small hill or two; the rich red of the soil a nice contrast with the vibrant green of the grass. Along the road, Raga could see the first of the six applicants she had summoned walking along the road. She couldn't quite make out the girl's facial expression, but she was pretty sure she was awestruck. Raga smirked. Yep, her ancestors sure knew how to impress. At any rate, Raga turned and headed into her study to await the arrival of her first guest.
Starrelyna walked along the red dirt road, pushing her long black hair out of her face and marveling at how grand the Emerald Palace was. "Wow! This has got to be the most ozmazifying building I've ever seen! It looks like its made of a real, giant emerald!" she thought as she stared up at the huge structure, her dark-brown eyes wide with wonder.
The large double doors of the Palace swung open and Chistery nodded in greeting before turning to lead the way to Raga's study. As she followed him, Starrelyna couldn't help marveling at the grand greenness of the emerald crystal everything seemed to be made of, more or less. "I wonder how long it took to build the whole Palace? Maybe I'll ask Ragaleana."
At the door of the study, Starrelyna nodded to Chistery after the Monkey had bowed, just before he turned and closed the door. She glanced around the room, taking in the unique and decidedly green style Raga obviously had. Then she saw her. At first she thought it might have been all the green in the room, but as she looked, she saw it was true. Ragaleana had emerald-green skin, just like her cousin Elphaba.
Raga smiled and waved to the chair before her desk. "Please, sit. We have much to talk about."
Starrelyna took the offered seat and listened as Raga spoke, explaining the mission they were to undertake. As she did, Starrelyna found herself rather confusified. "Did she just say that the Darkoe's plan was to corrupt people? Strange, the villains that I know wanted to kill everyone...
Wait, what?! Nessa has been with the Darkoe for five years? That is a very long time. And did she just say that we have to get Elphaba into their realm? Wow, I must say, that is a very big risk. But I have faith in her, Elphaba is very smart and I think she would make it.
The Amber Star, the Silver Moon and the Golden sun...Hmm star, moon and sun, and they will create the Spear of Light. Interesting, light will defeat darkness. Of course they are spread over the whole of Oz, but I wonder how… I mean they surely aren't easy to find." Starrelyna tapped her chin with her finger as she contemplated the information Raga provided, even if she didn't entirely understand it.
In the end, it seemed the risks were indeed great and the task not as simple as it sounded, but Starrelyna knew she hadn't come all this way only to turn back when things got tough. Looking Raga straight in the eyes, she gave her answer. "I came here to end a dark power, and maybe it's going to be hard and maybe it'll end my life, but there's no way I'm turning back. I will help you and try to get Nessa back."
Raga beamed a wide smile. "I'm very glad to hear you say that. Now, if you don't have any questions, Chistery will show you to your room. I will summon you and the others once I've interviewed all of you and assessed the situation one final time."
Starrelyna smiled back. "No, I don't have any questions." She gave Raga a quick nod and followed Chistery to her room thinking, "I can't wait to meet the others. This is the start of a new adventure for me. I can't wait to get started!"
Raga smiled, well pleased with the result of the first interview.
Meanwhile, 14 year-old Juyaliana was making her way down the road. As she walked, her red-brown braid bouncing on her back every now and again, she looked around, her hazel eyes peering through her brown-rimmed glasses, taking in her surroundings. She was slightly ozmazified that she was actually here, walking towards the real Emerald Palace. As soon as the doors opened and she saw Chistery, she gently patted him on the head and followed him to the study. Upon entering the study, she promptly walked over and shook hands with Raga, who smiled in greeting. Once seated, Juyaliana's face became very focused as she listened intently to Raga.
Raga's face became very serious as she prepared to relate the speech she had prepared to present to each applicant. "Juyaliana, I have asked you here so I can tell you some things about this call to service you have answered. First, the Darkoe's goal is to corrupt all beings rather than to kill them, but they will kill you if they cannot turn you. They are also very difficult to kill, for they can merge with the shadows and become insubstantial, but in that form, light itself can burn and destroy them.
Second, is that Nessarose has already been turned. She has been in Kirzur's clutches for five years and she wouldn't have known how to resist him. However, there is hope of rescuing her, but we must get Elphaba into their realm. Kirzur wouldn't be foolish enough to allow Nessa to return, for he needs Elphaba's power, but he can only obtain it if he can turn her. She knows the risks and refuses not to take them, plus I have armed her with the knowledge of how to resist the Darkoe's influence.
Finally, in order to open the portal to the Darkoe's realm, there are three ancient artifacts that must be obtained. The first, is the Amber Star, which resides in the Great Gillikin Forest. The second, is the Silver Moon, which resides in the Vinkus. The third and most powerful, is the Golden Sun, which resides in Munchkinland. These are The Three, which when combined create the Spear of Light. This immensely powerful artifact is the key to the seal which separates our realm from the Darkoe's and will allow someone or several someones to pass through.
So, that is in essence our mission. Find The Three, unite them, enter the Darkoe's realm, save Nessa and get back home, sealing the Darkoe away forever, all without getting killed. If you have any questions, ask them, but my question to you is this. Are you ready to face a danger that might destroy you?"
Juyaliana looked back into Raga's hazel eyes steadily. "I'm ready. If I die, I die fighting for something good. But, I do have a few questions. First of all, the Darkoe. Are they slightly like vampires in that light would kill them? Secondly, Nessarose is now evil? Does that mean she's one of the shadow beings? And finally, are The Three, 'lost to the ages' artifacts or do you have at least a thought as to where in those regions they are?"
Raga beamed a radiant smile. "Excellent! I was hoping you'd say that. Now, in answer to your questions; I suppose you could say the Darkoe are like vampires in that aspect, but really they're more like demons in their nature and intent.
As for Nessa, she is and she isn't. Kirzur has corrupted her, transforming her into a twisted, dark version of herself, not a true Darkoe. She can still be redeemed, but only Elphaba knows her well enough to get through to her.
I do have a few clues as to the locations of the hidden artifacts, but they're incomplete. We will need to split up into three parties to retrieve them all in time. If that answers your questions, Chistery will show you to your room. I will summon you and the others once I have interviewed all of you and assessed the situation one last time."
Juyaliana sat up excitedly. "We have to save Nessarose! If we don't... I don't even want to think about what that'll do to Elphaba. That answers all of my questions. Thank you." She then followed Chistery to her room, Raga's speech and answers having given her much to think about.
"Whoa! This place is AMAZING!" exclaimed a brown haired, blue eyed girl named Alyriana as she approached the Palace. The doors swung open and she stepped inside exclaiming, "Hi, there! It's nice to meet you, Chistery! Am I supposed to follow you? Okay!"
Chistery couldn't help a small snigger at the girl's bubbly, extremely extroverted and somewhat Glinda-like personality, as he led her to the study. Inside the study, Alyriana waved nervously with a smile on her face. Once she sat down though, she quickly became serious as Raga's expression changed. She listened intently to Raga's speech, then replied. "I am ready. I wouldn't sign up if I weren't ready. I do have a couple questions if you don't mind. How will we know we found these objects? Are these Darkoe in physical form or more of a ghostlike form? Oh! And one more thing we need to clear up; can I call you by your informal name, Raga? That will be all. Thank you."
Raga smiled brightly, well pleased. "Good! I'm glad to hear how committed you are. As for your questions, the objects in question respond directly to the Emeraldin family magic and/or blood. If Elphaba, me, or even Oscar comes within proximity of the object, it will start to glow as its now dormant magic is reactivated.
The Darkoe can assume physical form, but they can also assume a shadow or ghostlike form. In physical form, they can be killed with conventional weapons, but in their shadow form, only light can destroy them, so in a sense they're both.
And by all means, call me Raga! I much prefer that to any title. Anyway, Chistery will show you to your room. I will summon you and the others again once I have interviewed you all and assessed the situation one last time."
Alyriana beamed happily. "Thank you very much, Raga! I can't wait to meet everyone! Once again, thank you and good day." She then stood and left the room, holding Chistery's hand.
Raga chuckled at the girl's exuberance. "Yes, Glinda will like her a lot. Those two should get along famously."
Nelliee looked up at the large emerald building. It sat in a valley surround by many tall mountains covered in tall, dark conifer forests, the highest peaks capped with pure white snow. Grass almost the same color as the building blanketed the valley floor, making the red soil of the road stand out in sharp contrast. She was pleased by the size of the Palace and very intrigued. The two large double doors swung open and she took this as a sign to approach.
Right inside the door stood Chistery. Nelliee was more fascinated with birds but any animal/Animal with wings was more than pleasing to her. The Monkey began to walk and she followed, keeping a steady three steps behind him. He stopped at a door and pushed it opened. After bowing, which Nelliee found very pleasing, Chistery left.
Looking across the room Nelliee saw a desk made of solid emerald crystal. Beside it was a dark-green, almost black, plush chair with gold filigree on it. Nelliee loved the color of the Palace, but thought it could use some polishing and some other colors as well. Nearly everything was green this or green that, and even though it was her favorite color, it was a bit blinding. Behind the desk, sitting in an ornately carved, black wooden chair, was none other than the green-skinned, raven-haired Ragaleana Emeraldin. She smiled and waved and Nelliee politely waved back, taking a glimpse of her self in the pair of scissors she had been holding before sitting down.
Raga proceeded to tell her about the mission, which Nelliee only partly understood. She simply nodded and murmured an, "uh-hu," and, "yup," at times. Nelliee only began to fully listen at the last part. "Artifacts?" she took a mental note.
"Yes," Raga replied. "The first, is the Amber Star, which resides in the Great Gillikin Forest. The second, is the Silver Moon, which resides in the Vinkus. The third and most powerful, is the Golden Sun, which resides in Munchkinland," she explained.
"And together they'll open the portal," Nelliee said before Raga could.
She nodded and smiled. "Precisely. So, that is in essence our mission. Find The Three, unite them, enter the Darkoe's realm, save Nessa and get back home, sealing the Darkoe away forever, all without getting killed. If you have any questions, ask them, but my question to you is this. Are you ready to face a danger that might destroy you?"
"Yup. As long as it doesn't really destroy me. You see I have this fear... Okay, I'll just, uh, go," Nelliee shut her self up. "Thank you," she curtsied and stumbled away clumsily.
Raga stood quickly, stepping in front of Nelliee. Laying a gentle hand on her shoulder, she gazed into her eyes calmly. "Wait, I know you're afraid of death, but that doesn't mean we can't use your gifts and abilities. I know I make the situation sound grim and it is, don't get me wrong, but the truth is, we need all the help we can get. Further more, I can promise you this, I and everyone here will do everything in our power to make sure all of us, come out of this alive. If you're still afraid, I won't keep you or think any less of you, but I do hope you'll help. Will you?"
Nelliee looked down at her feet as she thought of her response. On the one hand, this was an amazing opportunity that would make her a hero, but on the other, she couldn't stand any harm to come her way. Taking a few more seconds to think, she looked up at Raga and slowly nodded.
"Alright, if you insist, I'll help." A small smile played at the ends of her lips as she stood up straight and tossed her braided hair behind her shoulder.
Raga beamed. "Excellent! I'm really glad you decided to stay. Now, if you don't have any questions, Chistery will show you to your room. I will summon you and the others once I've interviewed everyone and decided on a plan of action."
Nelliee nodded. "Okay," she responded. "Thank you," she said before following the Monkey back into the hall.
On the road, another young figure was making their way to the Emerald Palace. The girl, Nathalinia, skipped lightly down the road, her long black ponytail bobbing a bit. She came to a stop just outside the doors and gaped at the size of it. "Wow! This palace is huge! I can't believe I'm at the real Emerald Palace! Okay, pull yourself together, Nathalinia. You're here on business," she muttered to herself, barely containing her excitement.
As the doors opened, she caught sight of Chistery. "Oh, look! There's Chistery!" she thought excitedly, petting him behind the ears.
Chistery turned and headed into the Palace. Nathalinia blinked, confusified for a second. "Where is he going? Oh, I think he wants me to follow him," she realized, quickly following him.
Chistery opened the study door and ushered her in with a bow, before leaving. Nathalinia stood starstruck as she beheld Raga seated behind her desk. "Oh my Oz, it's Ragaleana Emeraldin! How do I address her? Your Ozness? Your Queenness? Your... something-ness? Oh, what the heck! I'll just call her 'Your Majesty' and keep it simple for everyone." She slowly took the offered seat and neatly folded her hands in her lap. "Here goes nothing. I'm ready for this. I've prepared for this interview and I even wore my lucky pink headband. I've got this!" she thought enthusiastically.
As Raga spoke, Nathalinia's face became a mix of confusification and a little bit of fear. "Darkoe? Who is this Darkoe? He sounds... dangerous. Not that I expected him to be like a little fluffy bunny. This sounds like a very hard monster to kill.
Nessarose is Elphaba's sister, is she not? Then I will do everything in my power to save her and to defeat these Darkoes. OK. Actually, now I'm quite terrified.
Well, this just added to the fear. Now we have to find three objects, each in different parts of Oz. It will be difficult, but not impossible."
As all these thoughts buzzed though Nathalinia's head, she realized Raga had asked her a very important and rather terrifying question. Taking a few seconds to think, Nathalinia took her courage in hand and gave her answer. "I am more than ready to face this danger, even if it means sacrificing my life so that others can live. Thank you so much for entrusting me with this opportunity. I have only one question, when do we begin?"
Raga smiled broadly. "Excellent! I'm very glad to hear that. We shall begin as soon as I receive the final report on the situation and decide on a course of action. If you have no other questions, Chistery will show you to your room. I will summon you and the others when it's time. Oh! And you can just call me Raga. I don't much care for titles."
"Thank you for your time... Raga," Nathalinia grinned, happy to know Raga wasn't a stickler for titles. "I look forward to working with you and the others on this mission. I will not let you down." She then followed Chistery to a very pink room (one that had had a personal Glinda touch).
A short while later, a young man with a suntanned complexion, dark-brown eyes and a mop of curly black hair was making his way down the road. His stride was long and easy and he looked about with what appeared to be a casual air. He took note of the lay of the land and scenery as though he were merely taking a stroll through a park. He came up to the large double doors of the Palace and they swung open to admit him.
"This place…." Darian thought as he took in the entrance, running his hand along the doorframe. "I think I'm going to enjoy staying here," he thought smiling slightly for the first time since receiving the summons.
Chistery nodded to him and turned, leading the way through the many passages of the Palace. Darian gave a low whistle, impressed by the vastness of the place. "Ok, so the outwardly stunning palace is even more elegant on the inside, and I can even deal with the Monkey leading me to who knows where. By the looks of it, he knows how to navigate this maze of a building," he thought with a smirk.
Chistery opened the study door and ushered him inside with bow, then left. Darian glanced around, an eyebrow slightly quirked. "I know the place is called the 'Emerald' Palace, but they might be overdoing it a bit on the whole green motif," he thought before turning to Raga. She seemed nice enough, though he could sense there was more to her than first appeared. Curious. Her sudden shift in attitude didn't make him nervous in the slightest, though he found it amusing to see her try.
Darian listened to her as she discussed the dangers and threats of the enemy. The more she talked the more interested he became, especially the bit about them being difficult to kill. "That shadow ability seems quite a nuisance though, but she said light can harm them. Good to know," he thought to himself before she continued.
"This Kirzur sounds like a huge pain in the a**," he thought. "Traveling between realms won't be easy, especially if these guys are apparently counting on Elphaba being in Kirzur's grasp." He stroked his chin as his thoughts took a strategic turn. This was going to be fun.
"Now she say's I'd be participating in some magic treasure hunt across Oz with whoever else is in our little club. I don't know what to think about how this is going to go down. I'm hoping there's no one that I'm going to want to strangle before this quest is finished," he mused with a smirk. He looked up at her with a grin.
"Oh, I'm ready alright, dearie," he answered her question before getting up and sauntering around the room slightly, taking several items before leaning against one of the walls and looking back at her. "And for my questions, I'd like to know who else is joining our little super-secret boyband dearie, and what preparations are we going to have before we start looking for these puzzle pieces of power?" he queried leaning back, folding his arms as he looked at her with a grin and a raised eyebrow.
Raga quirked an eyebrow. "Good to know, but don't call me, 'dearie'. I know I don't look a day over 25, but I'm actually 1025. As for who else is joining, well, let's just say you're the only male to have responded. But, each of the members has unique gifts and abilities that will come in handy. Also, this isn't exactly 'super-secret'. I did send that letter out all across Oz, but apparently, most Ozians are more scared of fighting, than of being ruthlessly conquered by a demonic force.
Pre-mission prep will basically be me explaining the final status of the situation once I have it. Then you'll each be put through your paces. One other thing…" Raga paused and smirked, holding out her long, slim green hand, "Hand 'em over sticky fingers, and don't try keeping anything back. I'll know if you do."
Looking back at the now known to be much older woman, he gave her a grin. She was a smart one. Not many would pick up on the subtle movements and sleight of hand he had used.
"Well it's good to see you're observant, dearie," he said with a smirk. Reaching into his jacket, he removed several of the items he had picked up, including two books, which had been tough to hide. Raga gave him a glare. He leaned in closer to her after putting the items down. "Is that acceptable, Your Majesty?" he asked smoothly.
Raga rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed. "You really have a thing for older women, don't you? I suggest you don't try smooth-talking me again if you have an interest in preserving your pretty face, 'dearie'. And just call me Raga. By the way, a word of warning. Don't try hitting on Elphaba. If she doesn't kill you, and that would be a miracle in itself, Fiyero certainly will, seeing as he's her husband and all. One other thing… that letter opener in your pocket contains a poison needle. I'm not joking. My great-grandfather had an unhealthy obsession with such things. I only keep it around 'cuz it's a great way to 'subtly' get some of the more… irksome officials out of the room. If that's all, Chistery will show you to your room. I'll summon you and the others for the pre-mission prep, once everything's in place."
Darian looked back at her once more before giving a small courtly bow. "Until then, dearie," he said teasingly, before exiting the room to avoid possible bodily harm from the monarch. Darian giggled lightly under his breath as he followed Chistery to his room. "This is going to be quite fun. That Raga woman will be most fun to tease. Just, probably shouldn't push her too far. She is the most powerful sorceress currently living. Not wise to make an enemy of her."
Raga sat back in her chair with a tired sigh. "This is gonna be a lot harder than I thought."
"What? The mission or keeping these kids in line?" Elphaba entered the room from a secret panel in the wall behind the desk.
"Both! But mostly the latter. That boy is going to be trouble. He's arrogant and cocksure, and if he doesn't get himself killed I'll be surprised," Raga let her head fall onto her arms as they lay folded on her desk.
Elphaba walked over and began massaging her cousin's tense shoulders. "Hey, if anyone can pull this off, it's you, Raga. I know you and you would never let a little thing like death stand in your way, or even a bunch of inexperienced kids. You've got this."
Raga raised her head, a small smile on her face. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'm really just tired, little Elf. This mission… if we fail, Oz will face a worse threat than Morrible could ever be."
Elphaba shivered at the thought. She then set her face like steel. "We won't. You know I will stop at nothing to free my sister, no matter the cost. Just… promise me you'll look after Fiyero and the children."
"Hey! Don't talk like that! We're all going to get through this. Your children are not loosing their mother. I forbid it," Raga's eyes burned with a determined fire.
Elphaba smiled. "Well, in that case, we'd best get going. Don't want the recruits getting too restless."
Raga grinned and followed her cousin.
