1. At Kiamo Ko
It was just short of a year since the "death" of the Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy Gale and Oscar Diggs (alias the Wizard) were safely back in Kansas. The Scarecrow had faded into the crowd and disappeared. The Tin Woodsman had gone off to take care of some business and hadn't been seen since. The once cowardly Lion had taken his rightful place as King of the Forest. Princess Ozma was back on the throne, with Glinda the Good acting as her Lady Regent. Teenage Shell Thropp (who had been away at school in Quadling Country) had taken his hereditary office as the Eminent Thropp, and was doing remarkably well.
Yes, it was at this time that something was stirring at the fortress of Kiamo Ko in Vinkus (or Winkie) Country. The pale light of a dim lantern was shining at an often overlooked back entrance. A cloaked figure stole out of the forest and knocked on the door softly. The door opened. A second figure appeared, embraced the first one, took the lantern, and they both went inside. The second figure held the lantern at eye level, illuminating her green face.
"Any luck?" Elphaba asked furtively.
The first figure threw back his hood and removed his cloak.
"No," he sighed, then laughed ruefully, "Your friend Glinda wasn't just fooling around when she put that impassable desert around the whole of Oz!"
"You're the one who suggested leaving Oz, Fiyero," she teased.
"Don't worry, Miss Elphie," he replied, using her college nickname, "I'll think of something."
They were interrupted by a muffled thudding from further in the castle. Fiyero drew his sword and stepped in front of Elphaba.
"No one else is here, right?" he asked without turning around.
"No," Elphaba whispered back, "It sounded like it came from the south hall."
They moved off quietly in that direction, Elphaba partly shielding the lantern with her hand. In the middle of the south hall, they were greeted by the sight of a very old wooden door which had apparently finally given way and collapsed.
"I don't remember this door," said Elphaba, peering at it curiously.
"I do," commented Fiyero, "Except I was never here enough to really care about it."
"I wasn't here very often either, and when I was, I was busy copying the Grimmerie. Lucky for you that I did, or you'd still be stuffed with straw."
"We could stand here jawing about this all night, or we could figure out what's behind this door.
He walked cautiously in. Elphaba followed him, muttering: "It's probably just another storage closet."
It was a very small room; Fiyero reached the back wall in five steps. He stared at it closely. It appeared to be covered in some sort of paint.
"Give me the lantern," he called, "I think there's something written here."
Fiyero set his sword aside and held the light up to the wall. On one side was a map of Oz, and on the other was a map of a strange looking country he had never seen before. Between them were written words in Forgotten, the ancient language of Oz.
"Elphaba, come here! I think you should have a look at this."
She stepped up to the wall.
"Me shira hon. Hon mai, yr net! Ele cel hon! Mat cel yr! Hon…" Elphaba read quietly.
She glanced at the unfamiliar map. Her eyes fell on a name she remembered well.
"Kansas!" she gasped.
CRACK! A blinding light that appeared from nowhere filled the room. A mighty wind rushed down the hall and through the door. It began to circle slowly, but picked up speed to whirl around them wildly. The last thing she heard was Fiyero shouting:
"Elphaba! Elphaba, what did you do?"
