Bryson and Tik-Tok arrived to Emerald City in the Dragon Machine and night had already striked once again.
Bryson had discarded his black jacket, left in the black pants and white button-up that was a bit undone above his chest.
The young man and the round robot had tossed back and forth ideas, and Tik-Tok insisted there was not much they could do when Rabadan had all the power he'd ever need at his fingertips with no way to steal it.
Before, there was a way to steal Rabadan's scepter from him to use it against him. Now that he had clearly become more skilled with Oz magic and the scepter itself, Rabadan had made that notion impossible.
And in that moment, of knowing there was no one else to turn to.. nothing else to be done. Bryson no longer felt the immense guilt. Like Diggs had said, there was no such thing as a perfect person. He had done what he had could to help Oz, and the only person truly at fault was Rabadan.
Oz wasn't bad because one man decided to change it, no. Rabadan may have won, but he could not win this argument.
Bryson decided the least he could do was attempt to save his friends that were still alive. Just because he had lost so much didn't mean he had to lose everything else.
"Alright, Tik-Tok. Land me. I'll search for my friends, free them if I can, and face Rabadan if I have to." Bryson decided. "Fly the Dragon Machine around to see if you can find any prisoners. Free them if you're able to."
Tik-Tok slowly turned to Bryson. "You should know that we are still very able to go to Ev, away from the war. This is a suicide mission."
"For me. If you're in danger, you're free to leave in the Dragon Machine. You won't have to be hurt." Bryson insisted.
Tik-Tok wordlessly turned and landed the Dragon Machine to land Bryson along the field of Poppies. Then, Tik-Tok flew the Dragon Machine around as he was told.
Bryson stepped out and walked back to Emerald City. Except now, he was calm. He had no weapons, no way to defend himself.
Everything seemed the same, except he noticed the dead bodies had all but vanished from the fields and the night skies were shades of pink.
There was one person, had Oscar Diggs had implied, who could still help. It was the sense of a plan he had.
He stepped to the front entrance of the Emerald City, knocking with that strange giant green handle.
The doorman surprised Bryson.
It was Finley!
"Finley!" Bryson exclaimed, who was still in his blue bell hop costume.
Finley didn't seem as happy to see him.
"Bryson.. what are you doing back here?" Finley gulped, visibly shaken. "Rabadan runs this whole place now with the Wicked Witches and practically every evil in Oz. You don't know the kinds of things he's been doing here, buddy! He's.. he's gonna do unspeakable things to you if he knows you're here. Run, run away! I don't think there's a way for you to get home, but just.. find someplace secluded. Some of managed to flee to the Land of Ev."
Bryson smiled slightly at his friend's concern, though felt sad about his fear. "Finley. It's okay. I'm gonna try to free them. Dorothy, Glinda, and my other friends. If I can't, if I'm captured and involved in his torture.. so be it. But I can't live with myself knowing they're suffering alone. Now, do you know where they are?"
Finley gulped, looking shaken. "I've been at Munchkin Land helping with stuff, and.. Rabadan summoned me here to be his slave. Just because he knew I was your friend. And I've seen what he's done to everyone and... and.." Finley gulped. "Bryson, what he has done to Dorothy and Glinda is terrible. He's.. practically made them pets. And... those kids. He killed them. He hung them and he made us all watch."
Tears fell down Bryson's face and his stomach clenched. He trembled slightly and the mourning of Kyle began to echo through him, only tripled.
They were so young. Especially Colton. Poor Charlotte was with Kyle now. And Tommy.. he had known him for so long. What would he say to Claire? If he ever saw her again, that was. His heart was splitting into two.
Yet somehow, he was mentally strong enough now to not freak out. That, or just numb.
How could he possibly process so much mourning?
"Dorothy and Glinda are still alive." He gulped. He had to at least save them from this madness, or at least be there with them. "Where are they?"
"...Rabadan's throne room." Finley hesitated. "He's always in there, but I can't take you there. There's no way to free them, Bryson. I've tried and I was severely punished. I've looked at every route. Thought of every possibility. There's nothing that can be done."
Bryson nodded slowly, not wanting to imagine what Dorothy and Glinda might have been enduring.
"..Do you know where Theodora is?" Bryson questioned.
Finley looked slightly bewildered. "I.. she's in her chambers. I saw her not too long ago. It's very late, everyone's settled. Why? Are you gonna kill her? I don't see what good that'll d-"
"I'm going to speak to her." Bryson replied.
"Speak to her. Oh, yeah, that'll go over well. I'm sure the Wicked Witch of the West will be one for polite discourse and conversation. Yeah, that'll go over well." Finley scoffed. Bryson was at least glad to see that sense of humor still present.
"Can you just... please?" Bryson asked softly. "I won't be happy fleeing. If I die tonight, get captured, whatever. So be it. I have a plan involving her. Just trust me."
Finley looked at Bryson like he was crazy, but he sighed and shook his head. "Alright. Your funeral, buddy." He said as he opened the door. "Just.. hurry. I don't want Rabadan seeing you." Finley flew and hovered close to Bryson, pressing him forward down a long green hallway. It was empty, and Bryson wondered where everyone was.
Soon enough, Finley had led Bryson to a large door at the end of the hallway. "Theodora's chambers. Try to not get yourself killed." Finley scoffed and gave Bryson a reassuring pat before he flew off.
Bryson took a few moments to himself before he knocked.
Theodora had opened the door in a white blouse that would seem extremely vintage by the standards of his world, along with white leather pants and heels with her nails and lips painted red.
She seemed stunned at the sight of Bryson before her, red lips agape. Bryson finally broke the silence.
"Are you surprised I came back?" He raised a brow.
"I.. not exactly. I figured you would find a way back here. You're not one to give up." Theodora said lowly.
Bryson just looked at her, feeling odd about the circumstances between them.
"You can come in.. if you would like." Theodora acknowledged, stepping aside to give him a way of entry. It felt so casual considering what she had tried to do before.
Bryson did just that. This room was large and lavish, reds and blacks and hints of gold covering the room.
"Would you like something to drink? I imagine you're somewhat malnourished." Theodora noticed, as if she had cared.
"I'm alright." Bryson retorted. "Is it alright if I sit down?"
Theodora pointed to her large red duvet sofa. Bryson slowly stepped over and sat down. Theodora seemed cautious, but she took a seat a few feet away from him.
"Why did you come to me?" She wondered, looking at him wearily and examining his clothes as if searching for a bucket of water he was prepared to throw at her.
"Because I want to talk to you. Because you're the only shot I have at taking back what's left." Bryson gulped, a few tears formed in his eyes as he was still hurting over the fact all the children he had known in Oz were dead. The place that was supposed to be their fairy tale had allowed their lives to be taken.
The witch furrowed her brows at the young man after a brief pause. "I don't follow. What do you expect from me?"
Bryson leaned forward slightly after his own pause. "In spite of everything you've done.. I know evil was not the path you initially chose. I know you've been manipulated by your sister your whole life. Bullied and tossed aside in childhood. Betrayed by the Wizard. You've had the only person in your life killed, then your own life taken and now you're back. And in spite of the things you did to me against my will.. I saw what you said at the trial. Some of the things you said to me while my memory was gone. And I know some of it was real. At least.. a little bit of it, wasn't it?"
His eyes poured into hers, searching for something. Her own eyes were filled with emotion and she gulped. "You're trying to trick me again.."
"I'm not. I have no reason to because Rabadan is the root of these problems. I know the woman you were is in there. Before you bit into that apple. Bef-"
Theodora cut him off and looked up at him.
"I have everything I've ever wanted, now. Rabadan is in his throne room, doing as he pleases with those he's enslaved. And he's left me with Evanora to rule the kingdom of Emerald City, to do whatever we please. And the people of Oz actually like me now, given the circumstances. The ones that are still here. There's been no more battles in Emerald City. And yet..." She shook her head, as if in disbelief. "It feels wrong."
Bryson raised a brow. "Oh?"
She looked away from him and nodded, gulping. "Rabadan has humiliated Dorothy in ways that are beyond my wildest dreams. And Glinda. I will... spare you the details. And because of my hatred over how Glinda used to treat me.. and because of Dorothy causing my murder, I... I reveled in it. Her torment."
Bryson's stomach turned. He did not need to know what Rabadan had done to the two, but he hoped to whatever god that may be left that it wasn't severe.
"And.. I've got what I wanted. Her defeat. Oz at my feet, loving me. And... somehow, I am still not happy. It just... does not feel right." She shook her head. "After the initial glee at seeing Dorothy and Glinda being tormented.. I realized it didn't change anything. That there was no reason for it. It's.. funny. How you can get everything you thought you wanted. But when it happens, you realize it's not what you wanted at all." Her eyes stayed focused at her clasped hands.
Bryson could relate to this. He always used to want to stay in Oz. Having the chance to rule it.. he felt he could perfect it after the last few messes. And it proved to bring him nothing but pain and misery.
"And I.. have you here. Somehow, you've come to me and I have no desire to do those things I had said. To do as I pleased with you while Dorothy watched. It's.. not worth it." She cleared her throat. "None of it was." She looked off into the distance. "I see the hurt in your eyes and seeing you in pain somehow hurts me, too, somehow. I saw how badly effected you were with him, with Rabadan. And I.. couldn't stop thinking to myself that I didn't want this, really. I thought I did. But I don't."
This was progress, Bryson thought to himself. Immense progress.
"Theodora, help me. Please. You coud turn a new leaf. Dorothy and Glinda and I could help you with Oz. We could deal with the evils ourselves. Oz is so broken, but I won't let it be beyond repair." Bryson tried to reason with her.
Theodora's eyes shifted from her hands to Bryson's face. "It's impossible, Bryson. Rabadan is like a god with that scepter. He's mastered its use for years. Dorothy and Glinda are going to be his now. There's.. there is nothing we can do. I'm not trying to trick you this time. There isn't anything for us to do. And... even if there was... it's too late for me to join forces with the likes of you all. I'm the Wicked Witch of the West, and it will stay that way."
Her voice was sincere. Gone was any trace of evil allure or manipulation. He had only heard this tone of voice from her a few times before.
"Well, I don't see any green skin. And even if I did, what's on the inside is what counts. I believe there's good in you. This life has offered you no happiness." Bryson insisted.
Theodora paused, looking at the floor. "I'm sorry, but I can't."
Hearing her say "sorry" felt so odd, somehow. The sincerity had him shaken.
Bryson slowly sat up off of her couch and began to walk away. She had him right where she wanted him, but she was no longer treating him like property. Or being evil at all, really. He wondered what her game was.
"Wait, Bryson. You're going to face him, aren't you?"
He turned around. Her tone of voice and face actually seemed.. concerned.
"You're welcome to come." He shrugged.
"I can't. And I won't. Perhaps my enjoyment in tormenting Gale and Glinda has faded, but I am no hero. It's not what I am." Theodora insisted. "And you are a fool, Bryson Scott. You're going to be hurt very badly or killed. You have no weapons for defense. You cannot free your friends, they are with Rabadan at all times. There is no way to sneak past him."
"If you're not going to help me, this is indeed a suicide mission." He turned his head to her. "Whether he tortures me or straight up kills me. I've.. I've been to Oz, gone on adventures. Done good and bad, helped people. Seen things most wouldn't. Led a land. Met so many people of different species. And if I fail or straight up die tonight, so be it. I'm not afraid to die." Bryson said.
He gave her a final look. "Goodbye, Theodora. If I die.. I can only hope you'll show Oz the goodness in your heart. And pick up the pieces of what's left. And make Oz happy."
She looked down, as if ashamed to be in her own skin. Bryson shut the door.
He was prepared to face Rabadan. And yes, he had no weapon. But any weapon was useless against an all-powerful scepter.
Theodora had been his last hope, and despite glimmers of her goodness, she refused.
So he marched on to Rabadan's throne room by himself.
...
We're coming up on the last few chapters of the story and the series overall. How will the series end? What are your hopes and predictions? Let me know, and have a great day.x