I love how you all start assuming the worst. It's the best!

NellytheActress: Well, you're right about that.

ExoticPeachBlossom: Thank you!

Elphaba'sGirl: I NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT KILLING YERO! I'M NOT THAT WICKED!

Elphabalover101: Hmm, I never thought of it like that. Yes, I think you are.

"NOOOOO!" Fiyero shouted as he pushed Elphaba out of the way. Elphaba stumbled away, not expecting to be pushed. Fiyero jumped out of the way of the bullet, nearing missing it by a hair. He stood in front of Elphaba, protecting her against the guard.

"You fools," the guard sneered.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you shall get," Fiyero said bravely, drawing his sword.

"Yero?" Elphaba whispered, taking a small step towards Fiyero.

Fiyero turned around. "Fae."

Elphaba slowly lifted her hand to his face and gently traced over his features. "It is you."

Fiyero smiled as he pulled Elphaba in for a hug.

"I… I thought I would never see you again," Elphaba whispered, tears streaming down her cheek.

"You can't get rid of me that easily," Fiyero smirked, kissing her forehead.

"Good," Elphaba whispered. "Because I don't want do."

Having seen and heard enough, the guard raised his gun and aimed at Fiyero's heart. Fiyero turned around just as the gun was fired and quickly ducked.

"Yero," Elphaba whispered.

"It's alright, Fae. Just stay here," Fiyero whispered, giving Elphaba a final kiss before pulling a gun out of his back pocket.

"Yero, no!" Elphaba called, begging for her husband to come back.

"Stay there. I'll be right back!" Fiyero called over his shoulder.

Elphaba shrank back into the corner. She heard the sounds of guns being fired and she shrieked. She prayed to the Unnamed God that Fiyero would be alright. She knew there could be only one winner. And that winner had to be Fiyero.

After a few minutes, the gunshots stopped.

"Fiyero?" Elphaba whispered, slowly pushing herself to her feet. Not getting a response, she tried again. "Fiyero?" Still nothing. "No," Elphaba muttered, sinking to her knees. "No, no, no!"

"Okay, first things first," Elisa said as she and Lanie ran away. "We need a plan on how to stop this war."

"How do you stop a war?" Lanie questioned, struggling to catch her breath.

"That's what we need to figure out."

"Well, let's start small. First, what is this war over?"

"That's easy. The jewels in the Vinkus."

"Right."

"And with the jewels from the Vinkus, General Osmium will have enough power to take over Oz," Elisa concluded.

"General Osmium? Isn't your father the king?"

Elisa bit her lip. "My father is dead. Until I am old enough to take the thrown, his head general, which would be General Osmium, would be King Regent."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Lanie whispered, pulling Elisa in for a hug.

Elisa pulled away. "It's alright. Let's just focus on the task at hand."

Lanie thought for a moment before blurting out, "The Grimmerie!"

"Pardon?"

"The Grimmerie!"

"What's the Grimmerie?"

"An ancient book of spells. We could use that to help us!"

"Where is it?"

"Back at my castle in Kiamo Ko."

"That's in Oz. We can't go there!" Elisa protested.

"Why not?" Lanie asked, confused.

Elisa crossed her arms over her chest. "In case you haven't notice, we're in a war. And I'm the princess of Oz's enemy country. I can't be seen anywhere near Oz, much less a castle."

"Do you have a better idea?"

"No," Elisa said after a very long pause. "Okay, supposing we get back to Oz safely and get the Grimmerie. What are we going to do next?"

"We can think about that when we get that far!"

"No! We need to think about this now! Does brainlessness run in your family?"

"Do you want to stop this war or not? Because the only way to do that is to trust me and help me out. Do you trust me?"

"Well, if you can't trust the princess of your enemy country, who can you trust?" Elisa shrugged, grabbing hands with Lanie. Lanie muttered a spell under her breath and they vanished into thin air.

"A-Are you sure about this?" Arlis asked, looking down at the bomb in his hands.

"You pathetic wimp," Gyra muttered. "Just do it."

"But… her family…"

"Arlis," Gyra said in a hushed whisper. "Do you think I want to do this? You think that I want to take part in killing innocent people?"

"Well, you seem to not let this bother you."

"I does bother me, Arlis. It bothers me more then you'll ever know. I had a family too, Arlis. You know I did."

Arlis closed his eyes. He knew how hard it was for Gyra to bring up her family. "Gyra-"

"I had a mother, a father, and a little sister. We loved each other so much," Gyra sniffed. "They were kill… executed because of my stupid mistake." She turned to Arlis. "Succeed in this task, you will still have a change to go back to your family. Fail, and, well, you know what will happen."

Arlis nodded. I'm so sorry, Lanie. Sneaking up to the castle with Gyra by his side, he took out a matchbox from his back pocket. Pulling out a match and lighting it, he lit the bomb and threw it into an open window in the castle.

"Let's go!" Gyra said, pulling on Arlis' arm.

Arlis ran behind her. A split second, an explosion, and then… silence.

"We're here!" Lanie announced as the arrived at Kiamo Ko castle. She knelt down on the grass, trying to catch her breath.

"Oh my," Elisa muttered, looking at the sight in front of her.

"What?" Lanie breathed. She followed Elisa's gaze and gasped. "No…"

"The castle was… bombed."

Tears quickly formed in Lanie's eyes as she looked at the remains of her home. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned around. She saw Elisa standing next to her, a look of pure concern on her face.

"I'm so sorry," Elisa whispered.

Lanie nodded. "T-Thanks. I-I'll see if I can find my family. You look for the Grimmerie."

Elisa saluted. "What does it look like?"

"It's a large, brown, leather-bound book."

"Got it!" Elisa said as she ran after her friend.

Lanie cried as she searched around the rubble, clinging to the false hope that her godmother and aunt and anyone else who was in the palace would be alive.

Please, she prayed. Don't leave me. Please don't leave me.

Come on. I warned you all before the story started. CLIFFIES! And lots of them. I know you guys want to kill me, and I completely understand why. Reviews make me extremely happy, which means that the next chapter might get happier.