A/N: This chapter will be from the perspective of Zavick. With the exception of some prologues, most of the POV is from Bryson in these stories. Since the character of Zavick is an alternate version of Bryson, this rule technically still applies.
...
The land of Oz was dead.
Zavick had won.
Just as he defeated Rabadan as a boy, and just like he had defeated the theme park goons as a young adult.. he had now defeated his past self and his former heroes and friends.
He had all but destroyed his past.
He had murdered the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion in cold blood.
Impaling Scarecrow and setting his straw body ablaze..
Beheading Tin Man...
Stabbing the Lion with his flamed sword.
It had been all too easy, somehow.
The years he had spent training and planning, ensuring to see his plan to the end. It had worked itself out so well.
He didn't want to do it. Kill them. But they were in his way. And they would never see his vision the way he saw it. He couldn't have detractors in his paradise.
So, down they went. Along with the entirety of Oz.
He had saved it twice before, and now he had destroyed it to replace it with something better.
Oz was much smaller than Earth. It had been easy to pick out what he had needed there.
Zavick was standing in a white void of nothingness to see a few bodies of the people he had spared in Oz to bring back to his paradise.
They were unconscious it seemed, presumably from the force of being brought back here.
No matter. He had worked to attend to.
Now that Oz was reduced to nothing but a white void, he knew where his next destination was. He turned the dial of the Oz-hauler on his wrist, and soon enough he was on Earth.
...
He appeared outside his old cabin.
With the power of the missing shard of the Ruby Slippers, he was like a god.
As far as he was concerned, he was God now.
His next action was to slap the button on the Oz-hauler and teleport himself to the prison his old friend Donny had been kept in.
Donny had died in prison in his timeline. But his past self never got to see it. Had he arrived just weeks later, it would've been too late. Not that it mattered when he was God.
He could've done this all in one press of the watch button, but he didn't want to over exert himself. And he wanted to relish in his destruction and creation.
He approached the cops in front of the prison.
"Uh... can we.. help you, sir?" One cop asked, looking perplexed at the muscular man dressed in back in front of him.
Zavick pressed a button on the Oz-hauler device.
The cops were frozen in place now.
He unleashed his sword.
"Cops. On their moral high-horse. What was the last time you locked up somebody that deserved it? Let me show you justice." Zavick scowled.
The two men gave looks of horror. They seemed bewildered. Frozen and unable to speak. Zavick used his sword to impale them one at a time.
Several more cops stormed yelling and screaming. Presumably, they had seen the altercation over the security cameras.
Zavick tapped another button on the all powerful combination of the watch and the shard of the Ruby Slippers.
He stood there, and let the police pelt him with bullets.
They bounced on off his chest as if the setting were an old superhero movie.
The cops gave looks of pure terror and helplessness.
The man had made himself totally invincible.
Zavick used his bloody sword to mow down every last cop and guard in the building.
Prisoners cheered on and Zavick tapped another button.
Suddenly, Donny was in front of him and looking stunned.
"Go. You're free." Zavick said.
Prisoners cheered, as if expecting their turn to be next.
Zavick shrugged. So many of them were probably murderers and rapists.
He slapped the button the Oz-hauler watch and their skin was suddenly non existent. Reduced to pieces of skeleton that fell over in the cell.
He slapped another button, and the building was suddenly painted bright and colorful. The skeletons were gone.
...
His next act was to rid of teachers he had never quite liked. Ones that would only harm the children in his new world.
He didn't know where they were, so he decided to just focus. Think of the ones that had been cruel and viscous.
A slap on his watch was all it took, he could feel it. They had died just like the prisoners he had gotten rid of so effortlessly.
...
He couldn't have any other leaders around, could he?
Most of them were corrupt, after all. Including his past self.
And he could not allow any threat to his rule in paradise.
A slap on his watch was all it took, he could feel it. They were gone. Every member of every government wiped away. And so were their militaries. Anyone who could defend or avenge them. That order was a thing of the past. His paradise would need no order.
...
He remembered how much he hated his father growing up.
His father had changed, but so many other parents hadn't.
Adults were complicated in general, weren't they?
Thieves. Adulterers. Liars. Cheaters.
They just over complicated things, really.
So many wars. So much corruption, overthinking.
He didn't need that in his paradise. He could start anew.
A slap on his watch was all it took, he could feel it. They were gone. So many of them. Billions. So many adults had been wiped out. He tries to focus, to make sure the magic of the watch would spare those he wanted in his world. Those he knew he could deem worthy. But with a simple hand motion, he had killed off most of the human population.
...
Earth was empty now. And otherwise the same.
He walked through the streets and what were once busy and occupied towns only had a few people in them. Confused, lost people who panicked.
He turned a corner to see a TV reporter.
"I.. so much of my crew is gone. I.. I don't know what's happening! Everyone's gone! I've gotten a few callers. It's mostly just kids! I haven't heard about any kids vanishing, it's-"
Zavick tuned it out. Ah, yes. The kids.
He of course spared all the children.
The animals, too.
They hadn't done anything wrong.
The population satisfied him, now.
Although.. he did still feel remorseful about one thing.
...
He found a familiar farm and carried himself through a maze of corn.
He had collected some straw. Burlap. Clothes. A hat.
Zavick extended his hand and tapped the Oz-hauler. It worked its magic and created a new life form. A brand new Scarecrow.
The new Scarecrow came to life as Zavick tied it up on a post.
"Hopefully you'll be wiser than who I've inspired you off of." Zavick chuckled.
...
He had destroyed and created life. Now for the rest.
He used the Oz-hauler watch to manifest millions of bricks.
He flicked his wrist to scatter several bricks into the road. Transforming the streets.
The bricks were a bright shiny blue. And they extended across the entire planet.
...
He raised his hand, letting the Oz-hauler work its magic along the sky.
The blues were more vibrant now, and there was a certain smell. Similar to Oz, mixed in with the smell of cotton candy at a carnival.
And the skies.
Every corner now contained the brightest rainbow one could ever imagine. It was as prominent as the sun.
...
The scenery would be like Oz. Perhaps even more beautiful.
Zavick had created beautiful trails of mountains. Filled with trees, flowers all around of every color.
Streams of waterfall. Dense jungle areas teeming of life.
Countrysides, well suited for farming. But with a whimsical flair to it.
Big cities with a lot of hustle and bustle. Almost like a hybrid of Emerald City and New York.
The land he was creating was magical, but also had hints of dullness. As if to pay tribute to the original Earth.
He created numerous fields. Peaceful, birds chirping all around. Filled with strawberries and hills that the children could roll down.
He had destroyed the schools, transforming them into playgrounds.
A lot of places like that were gone, really.
There was now no such thing as a military. There were no more jails. There was no danger to fight off or imprison, now.
There were no more doctor's offices. Poor or inadequate health was no longer a possibility in his world, because he had willed it that way.
Everything was edible. Pick up a flower and it'd taste however you imagined it to. And the flower would grow back onto the ground instantly.
He had made no cities, no counties or countries. It was all the same land. And everyone could walk freely.
Because he had destroyed those he deemed a threat. Dangerous.
Trials over who could enter or really, over any matter, were no longer a possibility.
He had topped it off by constructing a large, multi colored sign over the small humble house he had manifested for himself in his utopia.
"THE LAND OF LAEDI."
Earth be damned. Oz be damned.
He had done it. Perfection, after so many years... at last.
...
Zavick could see it as he rested on his rocking chair on the porch of his new home.
There were so many children. As he had spared them all. All dressed in white choir-like robes.
Those who once starved were no longer malnourished.
He had wiped their slates clean, those who had parents he had rid of. He didn't need them to be upset or afraid.
He had willed it perfectly. They were happy here.
Claire and Thersea proved to be exceptional caretakers. They didn't question their setting. Because he had willed them not to. They had no jobs to work. They were having fun.
And they never aged. Aging was not a concept to be pushed in Laedi. Everyone would remain the same age as they were when Laedi was created, he decided.
But there was one person whose mind remained untouched.
Dorothy. He needed to know what the love of his life had truly thought. He hadn't altered the personalities of any of his friends outside of removing any fear or doubts of the land in his mind.
But he wanted Dorothy's love for this land to be real. He valued that so much, in spite of how broken he had become.
He was so much older than her now, due to the fact so much more time had passed in his dimension.
He briefly wondered what she'd look like at his age, but he didn't change her appearance.
Eventually, she had woken up. And Zavick remained in his rocking chair.
She didn't say anything. He just heard her shift around and give a few bewildered gasps and little noises.
Several minutes had passed before she had spoken up.
"You really did it." She soon said, sounding surprisingly unemotional.
Zavick slowly turned to the girl with a smile on his face. "I did. I told you I would."
"Where's Bryson? Or.. you, technically.." She sounded a bit uneasy now.
"Gone, sort of. But not really. He lives in me. Because I was once him." Zavick proclaimed.
Dorothy gulped and looked all around. "They're happy. Everyone's happy and not questioning a thing. You made that so."
He smiled. "You're so smart, hm?"
"But I am. I'm questioning this. Why didn't you make it so for me?" She asked, sounding bewildered.
"Because, Dorothy." Zavick analyzed her features. "I want it to be real. I want you to see it. How perfect everything really is now. I value you what you think. You were my greatest partner once. I need to know what you think."
Dorothy gulped, and her big brown eyes scanned the area. "Oh.. it's beautiful." Her voice cracked, a few tears flowing. "I can see it, too. The way you used to talk about Oz. I can see.. I can see it all. The work you've put into it. The thought you put into this."
Zavick stroked his beard, listening to her closely.
Dorothy shook her head, waiting a few more minutes to say anything. The sounds of laughing children was the only source of sound until she had spoken again.
"I think.. the saddest part of this all.. is that it would be so nice. If you hadn't killed all those people for this. It.." She shook her head again. "It's not right. It doesn't feel okay. You can't just pluck people out of their home and create a new one. And will them to love it. This isn't.. real love, this place. You've... you've taken your own moral compass and become a god with your power. As if you know the answers, as if you know what's right." She shook her head. "The enchanted nature of this all is nice. It really is beautiful, but.."
Tears began to flow from her face.
"Oh, you can't just do this all yourself! Determine how everything should be yourself and rid of anyone who shares a slight disagreement. I wish it was this easy, but it isn't! Oh, don't you see it? This isn't Oz, this isn't... anything. This is all.." Dorothy looked around, trembling and shaking her head. "Hollow! Phony! There is nothing to achieve! No peace! It's been built over the destruction you caused! You've given these people no agency of your own! You've made your own little play and you're the almighty director. This isn't a way to live, this is sickening!"
Dorothy jolted up, sobbing slightly as she shook her head at the man. "You can't be him! You're revolting! You actually did it! Oh, I can't even look at you! Bring him back! Bring Bryson back! I don't want Zavick, I want Bryson! And I want everything to go back to the way it was! We can fix it! Maybe use that magic of yours to bring back what we lost, but not just destroy what you don't like and force everyone to go along with it! This perfection you're seeking isn't possible! Why can't you see that?! Why, it's... it's... oh, it's turned you into a monster!"
Dorothy sniffled and sobbed more, snapping her head around and running away from him in agony.
And Zavick was left broken.
"She's just.. shocked. She will... come around." Zavick whispered to himself.
...
The hours passed and boredom had already overtaken Zavick.
There was.. nothing to achieve, like Dorothy had said.
No obstacles to overcome.
No adventures to be had.
Because everyone was happy now.
Happiness he had created through magic, yes. But everything was.. complete.
"Hm.." He muttered to himself.
He used the Oz-hauler watch to undo the happiness he had inflicted on the people of his land.
Children began to cry, begging for their parents.
They had all they could want. Toys, endless supplies of food.
Sure, some of them were better off now.
But those who loved their parents, who loved going to school, who loved adventuring and dreaming of how their lives would precede with growth and journeys of self discovery.. they were devastated.
With a tap of the Oz-hauler, he had read a million thoughts at once and it was...
Devastation.
Even when he had used the watch to transfer all the knowledge of the land they could want, the reassuring comfort that sickness and hunger was gone and he only had the best intentions.
He could still sense their devastation.
Not even he was satisfied now.
He had seen it.
The perfection he had been chasing for so many years was for nothing, because there was no such thing. And striving for it so intensely had only brought out the worst in him.
He stood up from his rocking chair, the hurt clear in his hear.
...
He had teleported himself to Dorothy's presence.
She was in a field, she had found the new Scarecrow he had made.
She was clinging to it, sobbing in its chest as if to convince herself it was her Scarecrow. The one he had brutally murdered.
Zavick sighed. And Dorothy did not notice his presence until he lifted his watch.
She looked up curiously, sniffling.
He could have undone this all gradually.
But no.
He needed to rectify it all at once.
He didn't know if his mortal body could take using so much magic at once.
But that was part of the idea.
After what he had done, he did not deserve to go on. Nor did he need to. His past self had been right now. And he would continue in the way he was meant to.
He slapped the Oz-hauler watch and...
...
Everything was back to normal.
Oz was standing in its state as he had left it, as was Earth.
He was in Oz, with the fighting Ozians around him as if nothing had happened.
He had willed it so only Dorothy would remember it. And so would his past self. He willed the events of the act into his head. Just to make sure he'd never fall down the same path.
They were in Emerald City and Bryson Scott was below him just as he was before, gasping. The effects of seeing what Zavick had wanted him to see seemed to have manifested. And he was shocked.
And now, everything that had occurred after he had retrieved the watch was undone.
He just needed to do one more thing, he realized. Bring back those he had killed. And Kyle, the poor boy didn't deserve to die like that.
But as he lifted his wrist, he realized that undoing his utopia in one foul swoop had indeed taken its toll.
He felt weakened, stilted all of the sudden.
He felt electricity writhing through his body, and the Oz-hauler began to fry and melt on his wrist, along with the Ruby Slipper shard. As if it had taken too much power in the one act.
Zavick fell over. Dead.
Bryson watched on in sheer amazement. He had seen it, everything.
The utopia Zavick had created and then undid.
The glimpse of his possible future was now gone. But unable to rectify anything else.
Bryson Scott was left with a broken Oz. A dead Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, Kyle, and so many others.
His future self was no longer a problem. But now he didn't know what to do to pick up the pieces.
Oz was left ruined.
Dorothy hadn't been punished for something she didn't deserve to be punished for. Outsiders weren't forced out of a land due to hate and bigotry.
But the conflict continued, and so many had died.
It was a hollow victory.. to put it lightly.
...
Zavick is gone, but that was never going to be the end, as Bryson is now left to pick up the pieces of Oz.
How will our heroes proceed now that Oz is seemingly too far gone and destined to be a war zone of conflict and corrupted leadership?
Can it ever get better?