CHAPTER TWO
The collection of strange Ozians -- the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, the Patchwork Girl, the Clockwork Man and the Glass Cat -- followed Belldandy down a white marble path and across a bridge that soared over empty space. Everywhere they looked were platforms and small floating islands. Some where quite large, and held beautiful gardens, small forests, and wonderful buildings. Nowhere did they see anything that you might call solid ground.
The Tin Woodsman paused at the top of the bridge and leaned out over the railing. Platforms, bridges, small islands of land, and spiraling staircases extended as far as he could see. One island had a magnificent river that flowed over the edge and poured down and down, becoming nothing but a silvery mist in the distance.
"That's a long ways down," the Tin Woodsman said.
"How far down is it?" the Scarecrow asked. "To the bottom, I mean?"
"Well," Belldandy said, "it all depends. In one sense, Heaven is infinite, and you might fall forever and ever and never reach the bottom. In another sense, the roots of Yggdrasil extend deep into the Earth, so you might eventually land back there. But of course, Yggdrasil reaches into many more planets and planes of existance, so perhaps you would end up somewhere else. But the truth of course is that you can't fall out of Heaven, nor can you be injured or killed here. You would fall until you landed on another platform, most likely in another garden or one of the large grassy fields or forests. I would let you find out for yourself, but we don't have the time."
The Scarecrow shivered. "I will believe that it's harmless if you say so, and in any case my straw body is nearly immune to damage from falling, but if it's all the same to you I would not jump off no matter how much time we had."
"You've fallen great distances before," the Tin Woodsman said. "Why once, didn't you slide down your pole far into the depths of the Earth?"
"Yes," the Scarecrow said, "and it was a most disagreeable trip. Although that was when I discovered my family tree, and that I was once the Emperor of the Silver Islands, so it wasn't all bad."
Scraps laughed and began to dance around, singing:
"Down and down, and further down,
"Whenever shall you meet the ground?
"Is it Heaven? Is it Earth?
"How much is the answer worth?"
Belldandy laughed and clapped her hands together. "Oh, Scraps, how clever you are!"
"Clever is not the word I would use," the Glass Cat muttered. At the same moment Scraps spun into the Scarecrow, knocking him right over the railing.
"Look out!" Belldandy cried out. But it was already too late. Arms and legs flailing wildly, the Scarecrow fell down and down, until his body caught in the branches of a large tree far below.
"You see what I mean?" the cat said.
Belldandy leaned over the rail. "Hang on Mr. Scarecrow!" she called out.
"I don't have any choice!" the Scarecrow called back.
Belldandy leaped to the top of the railing and then, to the astonishment of the others, stepped off. But unlike any normal flesh-and-blood girl, the goddess did not fall, but floated serenely down until she reached the Scarecrow. She hovered in the air and carefully disentangled him from the branches of the tree, then the two of them flew back up to where the others waited.
"Now," Belldandy said, setting the Scarecrow down gently, "I hope you'll be more careful. As I said, we don't have a lot of time. We're only here to do research on that wicked witch and the spell she's cast on the Emerald City, and then we must be gone. The five of you may not be mortals, but Yggdrasil is still not a proper place for you to be."
"I was being careful," the Scarecrow said. "It was Scraps that sent me flying."
Scraps laughed and did a somersault. She sang out:
"How far down will a Scarecrow fall?
"Where will he go once he hits the wall?
"What will he find? For it seems to me,
"That in the end, he'll be up a tree!"
The group continued across the bridge and down a path that wound between many large trees. Blue and red and lavender flowers dotted the edges of the path.
"This place is more beautiful than even the Emerald City," the Scarecrow said to his friend the Tin Woodsman. "But I must confess, it has given me new appreciation for our beloved capital. Never before did it occur to me to be thankful that the streets of the Emerald City are so firmly attached to the ground."
Presently they came to a place where large balconies encircled a wide, empty space. In the center was a great floating ball of light. Holographic images and patterns appeared and disappeared in rapid succession on its surface. Sometimes there appeared to be writing in an unknown script, but the images changed so fast that there was no time to really study them.
Several goddesses were seated at small work stations that jutted out from the various balconies. Each was working at what appeared to be a sort of loom, but made of gold and silver, and which wove no cloth. The Ozians were somewhat familiar with the concept of computers, for although Oz was a magical land, they were not ignorant of science and progress in the rest of the world, and both Glinda and the Wizard owned and used personal computers. So it was that, as they watched the goddesses at work, the Glass Cat suddenly exclaimed, "Why, those aren't looms at all, but computer terminals of some sort!" And instantly the others realized that this was so.
"Yes," Belldandy said. "This is the heart of Yggdrasil, the command and control center. From here, we can monitor all parts of the Yggdrasil system and all of the realities that it extends into."
"I see," said the glass cat. "It's a giant computer of some sort."
"Indeed it is," said Belldandy.
"But isn't there some sort of high god that's in control of everything?" the glass cat asked.
"The Almighty is of course in charge of all," Belldandy said. "But he leaves the day-to-day details of running Yggdrasil to others."
One of the goddesses sat at a station set above the others. Her loom was larger, and the chair she sat in resembled a high-tech throne of sorts. She was dressed in an elaborate outfit of black leather that revealed more than it hid.
"Belldandy?" the goddess said. "I thought you were out delivering a wish."
"Good day, Peorth," Belldandy replied. "I was, and I still am. We've run into a few complications. Is Urd about? I need to do some research."
"Urd's in the library, in fact," Peorth said. She eyed Belldandy's companions. "Have you brought mortals into Yggdrasil? Security isn't going to appreciate that."
"They aren't mortals, exactly," Belldandy said. "In any case, I couldn't leave them where we were. And as soon as I've finished my research, we'll be leaving, so I don't think it will be a problem."
Peorth raised an eyebrow. "If you say so. Just be quick about it."
Belldandy nodded, then led the others down another path and over a bridge. They approached a large building -- one of the largest they'd seen. It was as wide as the Emerald City Palace itself, and towered many stories into the clear sky. Marble steps wide enough for an army of elephants led up and up. After more than a hundred steps they passed through a massive circular gate and into the interior of the building, where shelves filled with books soared many stories up until you couldn't make out where they ended. The entryway led to a bridge-like platform, which spanned a large open space and led to the center of the library.
When the Scarecrow carefully glanced over the side, he saw that the bookshelves also extended downwards many stories, and that he could barely make out the library floor below.
Here and there among the bookshelves were more computer stations. The Scarecrow tried to imagine how much information might be stored in such a place -- a place that, if he understood correctly, oversaw all of existence, or at the very least a large part of it. Even a library that seemed nearly infinite in size would have to keep most of the information in computer files only.
"What a marvelous place this is," he said. "I thought the Emerald City library was huge, but it's nothing compared to this. In my experience, knowledge is the most important thing one can possess. It's the key to all of existence. Now that I think of it, it only makes sense that such a wonderful library exists here, of all places."
"It's the largest library I know of," Belldandy said.
Bungle craned her kneck looking up at the many rows of books. "If you told me that every book ever made on Earth could be found here, I'd believe it."
"Every book ever made on multiple planes of existence, I think," the Scarecrow said.
"As far as I know, that's true," Belldandy said. "Although I'm not sure how you could ever prove it."
"Then does this li-bra-ry con-tain a co-py of Glin-da's Book of Re-cords?" Tik-Tok asked.
Belldandy looked thoughtful. "I hadn't considered that," she said, "but of course, even magical books are not excepted. We have many powerful magical books here, so I'd assume we hav a copy of Glinda's book too. Mind you, many places in the library require high-level clearance to access, so it wouldn't just be lying about."
"What are those things?" Bungle asked.
"What things?" Belldandy asked.
"Those flying things," the glass cat added. "They're everywhere!"
Indeed, small, colorful creatures were flying to and fro among the towering rows of books. They seemed to be transporting books back and forth, pulling them off the shelves or refiling them.
"Those are the library dragons," Belldandy said. "They work here. They sleep here as well. They're a special breed of miiature dragon that hungers for knowledge above everything."
They crossed the wide platform and followed it into the center of the library. Here they came to the help desk -- a large circular desk with several goddesses seated behind it. One of them had very dark skin and whilte hair, and wore an off-the-shoulder gown of blue trimmed with gold that was cut to reveal a lot of cleavage. She glanced up as they approached, and her eyes lit up.
"Belldandy! You're back already? How did it go?" The goddess examined the rest of the group, and her eyes widened. "Who are all these -- people?"
"Good day, Urd. It hasn't gone well so far," Belldandy said. "Little Dorothy has been put to sleep with a spell, and so I can't wake her or grant her a wish. The old woman who cast the spell was not very helpful at all, and so I need to do some research to learn how to break the spell."
She paused, and turned to the rest of the group. "This is my older sister Urd," she said. "Urd, these are the people I rescued from the enchanted palace. This is Scraps, the Patchwork Girl, and this fellow here is Tik-Tok. This is Nick Chopper, known as the Tin Woodsman. This is the Scarecrow. And this beautiful creature is Bungle, the Glass Cat."
Bungle had leaped up onto the counter. "I am made of beautiful glass," she said. "So long as I'm careful to avoid being shattered, you may well gaze on my beauty forever. Note especially my beautiful pink brains. You can see them work!"
But Urd wasn't paying attention to Bungle. She was staring at the Tin Woodsman and the Scarecrow.
"Do you mean the Tin Woodsman, and the Scarecrow?"
"I'm certainly the only Tin Woodsman I know of," Nick Chopper said. "Nor have I ever met another living Scarecrow."
Urd glanced back at Belldandy. "But then... you were sent to grant a wish to Dorothy Gale?"
"Why, yes," Belldandy said. "Do you know her?"
"Dorothy Gale of Kansas?"
"I'm fairly certain Dorothy is a Princess of Oz," Belldandy said.
"But she's from Kansas originally," the Scarecrow added.
Urd closed her eyes as a pained look crossed her face. "No. That can't be. This must be a dream!" She pinched herself, and then swore under her breath.
"Is something wrong?" Belldandy asked.
"Sis, haven't you ever seen 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'?"
Belldandy's expression was blank. "No. What is it? Should I have?"
"It's only one of the most famous movies ever made," Urd replied. "It's been on television dozens of times!" In her excitement, she not only jumped out of her chair but actually floated several feet above the floor, and continued to hover there.
"Ah!" the Scarecrow said. "The movie that was based on Mr. Baum's book! I've heard of it, but I don't believe I've ever seen it!"
Urd stared at him, then grimaced. "Okay, okay, I can deal with this. I'm well aware that there are millions of realities and planes of existence. I just never thought... so then, where's the Cowardly Lion?"
"Asleep in the Emerald City," the Glass Cat said. "Weren't you listening? EVERYONE in the Emerald City is under a spell of sleep. The only ones who escaped the spell are those of us who can't sleep at all."
Urd glanced down at Bungle as if seeing her for the first time.
"Are those your brains?" Urd asked.
"Of course! Aren't they the most beautiful brains you've ever seen? You can see them work!"
Urd stared a moment longer, then flopped back into her chair. "Okay," she said. "So Dorothy's asleep, and everyone else in Oz?"
"Just in the Emerald City, that I'm aware of," Belldandy said.
"And a wicked witch did it? And we need to know who she is and how she crafted her spell. Got it." She stood up and floated over the counter. "First things first. This could take some time, so everyone follow me."
She led the Ozians down a long aisle past many shelves of books and onto a platform that slowly descended several levels. From there they wound between more rows of books until they came to an open area with a large grey couch. "Sit down and get comfortable," she said. The Scarecrow and the Patchword Girl flopped down, while the Tin Woodsman and Tic-Toc seated themselves more gingerly, careful to do no damage with their metal bodies.
Urd spoke a few words in an unknown language, and something that resembled a sphere on a long pole rose from the floor. She placed a hand on the sphere, which flashed with colors and symbols. Next, a large translucent screen rose up from the floor.
"Since Belldandy and I are going to be a while," Urd said, "I thought that the rest of you could pass the time by watching a movie."
"As long as it's not too violent," the Scarecrow said. "I've seen a few, and they always seem to be..." his voice trailed off as the movie started. "Oh! The Wizard of Oz! I've always wanted to see this!"
Urd smirked. "Everyone should see it at least once in their lives," she said. "Especially you guys."
She turned to Belldandy. "So. Where should we start?"
Belldandy looked thoughtful. "I was thinking," she said, "that we should locate our copy of Glinda's Book of Records..."
XXX
Urd and Belldandy headed to a private research room deep in the heart of the library, where serious study was conducted and where important books such as the one they sought could be viewed. Books such as Glinda's Book of Records were normally held in a secure area of the library, and only brought out by special request.
An hour passed. Belldandy poured over the massive book, identical to Glinda's own in every way, while Urd researched the Yggdrasil data files at a nearby terminal.
Finally Belldandy closed the book and sighed.
"There's nothing here, Urd," she said. "Bungle was right. If there had been something, Glinda would have seen it."
"But isn't that a little strange?" Urd asked. "I thought that book recorded everything of importance in the world."
"Indeed it does. It's quite tedious to read through when you're looking for just one specific thing. Even though it only records items of relevance, there's still a great deal of information to sort through for even a single day."
"I wonder why nothing's there?" Urd said, frowning in thought. "You would think a witch plotting against Oz and Glinda herself would be of relevance."
"I would certainly think so," Belldandy said. "I'm afraid I have no explanation for it. Perhaps Glinda's book just failed this time."
"No," Urd said. "No, that's not it. Magical items that powerful don't just fail by accident. Think, Bell. If you were an evil witch plotting against Glinda, what would you do?"
"I'm sure I'd never do anything of the sort," Belldandy said.
"Of course not. I'm speaking hypothetically here. Put yourself in the mind of this evil witch. How do you plot against someone who instantly knows what you're plotting? Indeed, who knows every plot against her anywhere in the world?"
"I haven't the faintest idea."
"That's because you don't have a devious bone in your body," Urd replied. She sat up and began working at the computer terminal in front of her. "Think about it. If Glinda's Book of Records detailss events that happen anywhere in the world, then you just have to go somewhere else. Right?" She glanced up. Bell was watching her with a puzzled expression. Urd threw up her hands. "Think, Sis! There are lots of places that aren't 'in the world'! Yggdrassil, for instance. Do you think Glinda's book records events that happen here? My guess is that it doesn't. It can't. Even an item as powerful as that has its limitations."
"I guess it wouldn't," Belldandy said. "I hadn't thought of that." She continued to stare at her sister with a blank expression.
Urd threw up her hands. "So," she said, "if you wanted to plot against Glinda without her knowing about it, you do it from somewhere besides the physical world."
"Oh!" Belldandy exclaimed. "Why, that must be exactly what the wicked witch did!"
"Yes indeed," Urd said, turning back to her computer terminal. "All we need to do is figure out where she did it from, and look for information on what she did while she was there..."
There was a flicker, and a small image appeared on the table before them. It was a minature version of Peorth, complete with the elaborate throne she sat on.
"Peorth?" Belldandy asked. "Is something the matter?"
"Belldandy, can you come to me now?"
"I'm a little busy, Peorth. Urd and I..."
"Now, Bell. It's very important. Vital, in fact. This has to do with the security of Yggdrasil itself."
"Oh! On my way," Belldandy said. She stood and turned to a mirror on the wall behind her.
"They might be upset that you've brought mortals into Heaven," Urd said.
"But they're not mortals," Belldandy said. "Not exactly anyway. Oh, I hope I haven't caused any trouble. I'll be back as soon as I can, Urd." She touched the mirror and swiftly vanished into it.
"Don't worry," Urd said as she vanished, "I've got a lot of research to do here yet..."
XXX
In a remote alcove of the Yggdrasil library, the credits for the movie "The Wizard of Oz" rolled. Seated on a nearby couch, several Ozians contemplated what they'd just seen.
"That human did not make a very convincing man of straw," the Scarecrow said.
"Nor did the other fellow make a convincing man of tin," said the Tin Woodsman. "I'm surprised anyone fell for such a poor make-up job. And as for the Cowardly Lion..."
"Not realistic at all," the Scarecrow said. "Even Dorothy was obviously a full-grown woman, and not a little girl. You know, I'm not a movie expert, but I've seen much better special effects before."
'Of course," Bungle said. "This movie is fifty years old, or didn't you notice?"
"It is?" the Scarecrow said. "I keep forgetting, the outside world changes with time a great deal more than Oz does. Technological advancement, I think they call it. Professor Wogglebug and the Wizard are very keen on the subject, although if you ask me the jury's still out on whether anything's really being advanced."
"Certainly movie special effects have advanced," the Tin Woodsman said. "Even I know that much."
"Yes, I suppose that's true," the Scarecrow said. "Still, why did they decided to end the film by saying it was all a dream? That part disappoints me the most. But otherwise, it was a good film, and relatively accurate on the events, at least."
"What did you think, Bungle?" the Tin Woodsman asked.
The glass cat yawned. "I'm not sure that I'd call that entertainment," she said. "They should do the story of my adventures with Ojo and Scraps. Now that would make a great movie!"
"Because it would contain you?"
"Of course! But I'd have to play myself, as no other creature could possibly imitate my beautiful crystal-clear body, with my bright emerald eyes, my ruby heart, and my pink brains."
"It would contain me as well!" said Scraps the Patchwork Girl. "And I agree with the Glass Cat completely! Our tale would make a much better movie! I'm certain Hollywood has never seen a actress as colorful as myself!"
The cat hopped off the couch. "Well, that was a waste of two hours," it added, and began to walk away.
"Don't wander off, Bungle," the Scarecrow said. "We should wait here for Miss Urd and Miss Belldandy."
"I won't go far," the cat replied. "But there's so much to see and explore here! Aren't you at all curious?"
"Yes, but they left us here for a reason," the Scarecrow replied. "We don't want to get lost or separated. We may have to leave suddenly."
"I said I won't go far," the glass cat replied from further off.
"How about the rest of you?" the Tin Woodsman asked. "Did you enjoy the movie, Tik-Tok?"
When the clockwork man didn't respond, the Tin Woodsman examined him. "Oh, he's run down! Here, help me wind him up again!"
Scraps the Patchwork Girl laughed and jumped to her feet. She began to dance about in her floppy manner, singing,
"A Tic and a Toc has unwound the clock!
"And now the movie's done!
"The clockwork man has missed it all,
"And now..."
And she paused, about to leap back into the air. She remained there, motionless and silent.
The Scarecrow watched the Patchwork girl expectantly. The Tin Man was busy winding up Tic-Toc. "Scraps?" the Scarecrow asked. "Why, she's turned all white!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Just like a marble statue..."
The Scarecrow froze. He, too was now as white as a marble statue.
The Tin Woodsman glanced up. "Scarecrow?" he asked. "Is something the mat..." And he, too, fell as silent as a marble statue, which he now appeared to be.
"How did the mo-vie end?" Tic-Toc asked, and then he, too, froze.
From behind a bookshelf a wrinkled old woman with a long, hooked nose appeared. She wore black and red striped stockings, a mustard yellow dress, and a dirty blue shawl. Her silver-green hair was tied into two thick braids that stuck out from either side of her head.
Around her waist was a thick belt with gold stitching and inlaid gems. She ran one hand over it idly, as if she feared that it might disappear at any moment.
She stepped forward and ran her hand down the cold stone face of the Tin Woodsman. She cackled, and it sounded like dry wood splitting.
"That's four of them," she said. "Now, for that meddling goddess..."
Hopping about on one foot and waving her arms about in the air, she cried out:
"Ooglethorp and blundlepaste,
"Take me where I wish, post haste!"
And she vanished into thin air.
A minute passed. The glass cat padded back into the viewing area. She paused to examine her companions, now four marble statues.
"I must say, it's an improvement," the cat said. "Still, marble isn't half as beautiful as glass. You'd think a beautiful glass cat such as myself would be unforgettable, but no. They always forget about the cat. Always."
She padded off to the main library desk.
XXX
When Belldandy appeared before Peorth, she was met by three uniformed goddesses. The double-breasted green military jackets and white leggings were enough to identify them, but the complicated golden symbol on the left breast cinched it. Everyone in Yggdrasil knew that it stood for the Yggdrasil Police Security Force.
"Belldandy?" one of the three, a girl with red hair, asked.
"Yes?"
"I am Officer Arielle of Heavenland Security. Could you come along with us?"
"Oh? What seems to be the problem?"
"Just come with us."
Belldandy frowned. "But what have I done? I have a right to know. If this is about the people from Oz that I brought here..."
"I think you should be aware," a second guard said, "that there's an invasion of Heaven in progress."
"What?"
"Because of your actions, an intruder has forced her way into heaven," Arielle said. "This is a serious problem. I'm afraid I have to place you under temporary arrest."
"What? An intruder?" Bell asked. Arielle stepped forward and took Belldandy's hands. Moments later, her wrists were bound by cuffs of glowing yellow-white energy.
"Forgive me, but I have to do this by the book," Arielle said. "It's just a precaution. I have my orders."
"It must be the wicked witch!" Belldandy exclaimed. "But -- to bypass the security of Yggddrasil? I had no idea her belt was so powerful!"
"Wicked witch?" Peorth repeated. "Wait a second... did you mention Oz a moment ago?"
"Yes," Belldandy said. "The people I've brought with me are from Oz -- as is the wicked witch."
"This belt," Peorth said. "Are we talking about the Magical Belt of the Nome King Ruggedo, alias Roquat the Red?"
Belldandy blinked, looking confused. "I... I guess that would be the one," she said. "I really have no idea. It belongs to Princess Ozma of Oz, I believe."
"That would be the one," Peorth said. The three security goddesses gasped in shock.
"But that's one of the most powerful magical items anywhere!" Arielle exclaimed.
"You bet it is," Peorth replied. "With something like that, it must have been child's play to enter Heaven, despite our security."
"She must be after the Scarecrow and his friends!" Belldandy said. She made a motion as if to fly or teleport away to the library, but Arielle held out her hand.
Wait! You must remain here, Belldandy. You're under arrest."
"But the people I've brought here may be in grave danger!"
"You brought mortals into Heaven?" Arielle said, her frown deepening. "That's a very serious offense, Belldandy. Your license could be suspended or even revoked."
"They aren't mortals," Belldandy replied. "Not exactly. None of them are flesh and blood."
Arielle continued to frown. "That may be," she said, "but arguing semantics isn't your style, Bell. Anyway you well know that Father nearly always holds to the spirit rather than the letter of the law."
"It doesn't matter," Belldandy said. "I had to save them, so I had little choice. I thought bringing them here would protect them from that contrary witch. It appears I was wrong." She turned to her friend. "Peorth?"
"I'm on it," Peorth said. "You just hang tight." She turned to one of the other central command goddesses. "Arda, you're in charge."
"Miss Peorth! May I remind you that we have an invasion in progress? You should not leave your post at a time like this."
"That's exactly what this is about," Peorth snapped. "If Belldandy's right, then our intruder is in the library." She turned to Arielle. "Can you have some security meet me there?"
"I don't... I mean... I should check with my superiors..."
"Then do so, but get somebody over there. Now! Before we miss her!"
XXX
Back in the research room, Urd was busy running searches on some of the more specialized Yggdrasil databases. Her hands flew across the loom-like interface. Symbols etched in bright light flashed before her eyes, moving past seemingly too quickly to follow.
Finally she sat back and sighed. "This is taking too long," she said. Her only audience was one of the library dragons, a small fellow about a foot and a half long with shiny violet scales and leathery wings of a dark purple. It was perched in a vine that climbed the wall on the far side of the table. It watched her intently.
"Still," she said, "I know I'm on the right track with this, and I even think I'm getting somewhere." She patted the large book on the table in front of her. "Tell me. You're familiar with this book, yes? The Book of Records, owned by Glinda the good witch of Oz?"
The violet dragon inclined its head. "Yessss, of coursssse."
"Do you know if Lord Morpheus owns a similar book, one that covers his own realm?"
"Yesssss," the dragon replied. "The Book of Dreamssss."
"Aha!" Urd exclaimed. "I thought he might! I'd like to see our copy of that book."
The dragon again inclined its head and, stretching out its wings, lept into the air and flew off. A few minutes later it reappeared, carrying a book at least as massive as Glinda's Book of Records. Although the book was much larger than the dragon itself, the little creature carried it easily. It set the book in front of Urd, who reached out for it eagerly.
A fraction of a second later, Urd jumped completely out of her seat and over the table. The chair she'd been sitting in was now made of white marble. "Ha!" Urd exclaimed. "No second-rate witch can catch me that easily! I've forgotten more about witchcraft than you'll ever learn, old woman!"
The wicked witch, hooked nose, leathery skin, twin silver-green braids and all, stepped out of the shadows. She peered at the dark-skinned goddess intently.
"You're different from the other goody-two-shoe goddesses of this realm," she said, her voice rasping. "I sense demon blood in you, child. But no matter. You may be a match for me, but you are no match for this belt."
Urd growled and raised her hands. She began to chant a spell. The vines behind her came to life, wrapping about her arms and legs. They pulled her back until she was bound fast against the wall. Unable to complete her spell, Urd struggled in vain to free herself. Meanwhile the witch cackled and stepped forward to peer at the two books on the table.
"What have we here?" she asked. "A copy of Glinda's book, and what else? Oh, The Dreamlord won't be happy that you left this lying around, oh no!"
She picked up both books and slipped them into a satched slung over her shoulder.
"Well, Miss I'm-Better-Than-Any-Witch Goddess, what shall we turn you into? You look so pretty wrapped up in that vine. Perhaps I'll make you a part of it forever!"
"Why are you doing this?" Urd asked.
"Why do I need a reason?" the witch snapped. "Mind your own business!"
"Everyone has a reason for their actions," Urd said. "Unless you're insane."
"Oh, I'm quite sane," the witch replied. "It's the rest of the world that's mad. Haven't you noticed? Now, be a good vine and be quiet!"
The witch muttered something under her breath, and Urd faded until all that was left was a thick Urd-shaped section of vine.
"Second-rate witch indeed," the old woman muttered. "More like second-rate goddess. Now, for the other one, and I'll be done here..."
She hopped about on one leg and said,
"Iffle Piffle Whiffle Wow,
"Take me to that goddess now!"
And she was gone.
A few moments later, a violet dragon flew down and deposited a clear glass cat upon the table, then settled beside it. The cat stared up at the vines and frowned.
"I was afraid of this," Bungle said. "A city full of gods and goddesses, and naturally I'm expected to save everyone."
She glanced at the dragon. "I think we're going to need help. I may be beautiful and I may have exceptional brains, but magic like this is a little out of my league."
XXX
Belldandy was led into a large hall with marble pillars that rose to a ceiling high overhead. There were no walls here, and a gentle breeze blew through the center of the building. Birds swooped in and then flew back out into the sunlight.
In the center of the hallway, standing before a marble podium, was an imposing god with long black braided hair. He was very tall and superbly muscled, with skin darker than Urd's. His robes were decorated with African tribal patterns and left much of his chest and arms exposed. In one hand he clutched a long black sceptre.
Belldandy was led before him by Arielle. Her wrists were still bound by glowing bonds. She bowed low. "Lord Kalunga, adjudicator First Class" she said solemnly.
"Belldandy, Goddess First Class," the god replied. "Never did I think that you should be brought before me."
"Nor did I," Belldandy replied. "But I do believe I can explain my actions."
"I certainly hope so," the adjudicator replied. He turned to Arielle. "What is the charge?"
"If it please the court," Arielle said, "Yggdrasil has been invaded by someone with malevolent intent. We have yet to determine exactly who or what this is, but preliminairy indications are that the invasion was a direct result of Belldandy's actions."
"Is this true?" The god turned to Belldandy.
"It must be the wicked witch," Belldandy said. She quickly explained her visit to the Emerald City in Oz and her current quest to unravel the spell of the wicked witch. "I'm certain she's after the friends I rescued from Oz," Belldandy said. "They're in the library at the moment. I wanted to go there and to warn my sister Urd, but since Arielle had placed me under arrest, Peorth went in my stead."
"Reportedly, this witch has access to the Magic Belt of the Nome King Ruggedo," Arielle added. "I've sent a team of three security goddesses to the library to investigate, but my orders were to take Belldandy into custody and bring her here..."
"You know better than that, Arielle," Lord Kalunga said. "Father holds to the spirit of the law rather than the letter of it. Which is more important, detaining Belldandy, or expelling the invader from Yggdrasil?"
"My lord, I... I only thought..." Arielle fell silent. She stared down at her feet, embarassed to have her recent admonision to Belldandy turned back on her. "Expelling the invader is of primary importance," she said.
"Just so," the adjudicator said. "And so we shall go to the library without delay."
"No need," a voice like the dry desert crackled. Everyone turned to see the wicked witch hovering in the air nearby. She bowed mockingly. "Greetings, Lord adjudicator," she rasped. "As you see, I have come to you."
XXX
The Glass Cat and her purple library dragon friend were waiting at the library's front desk when Peorth arrived, followed by three goddesses in green security uniforms.
"Ah," Bungle said. "I was wondering when someone would finally get here."
The four flew straight to a library goddess who sat behind the front desk with computer in front of her. Above her head hung a large sign which read "Information".
"Give me the location of Urd, goddess second class, and of the five guests from the land of Oz which Belldandy brought with her to Yggdrasil," Peorth demanded. "And make it quick, the security of Heaven may be at stake!"
The hands of the desk goddess flew across the computer skein.
"I can not locate Urd, goddess second class, at this time," the Information Goddess replied. "The creature known as Bungle the Glass Cat is located at the front desk of the library, five meters to my left. I can not locate the other persons you specified at this time. Perhaps you should restate your request using their given names, to help aid my search."
Bungle padded quietly toward the Information desk.
"I don't remember their names," Peorth said. "Didn't you see them arrive? Why can't you locate them? What about the witch?"
"I'm sorry Miss Peorth. I don't know why I can not locate Urd, goddess second class, or the four other guests from the land of Oz at this time. I can give you their last known locations if you wish. As for your second request, I can not locate a person known as 'the witch' at this time. Perhaps you should restate your request using this person's given name, to help aid my search."
"Don't bother," Bungle said. "She's long gone. She's after Belldandy now. She's already turned my companions into marble statues, and Urd into a part of that vine there. I can lead you to them if you like."
Peorth glanced down at the cat, as if seeing her for the first time.
"Who are you?" she asked.
Bungle sighed.
"Are those your brains?" Peorth added.
The cat noticeably brightened. "Yes, and they're beautiful and they work very well. But we don't have time for that, do we?"
XXX
The wicked witch floated several feet above the marble floor of the Justice Hall. The green pigtails which stuck straight out from her head flapped up and down as if they were wings which held her aloft. Before her stood Belldandy, Arielle, Kalunga the adjudicator, and the other security goddesses.
The witch cackled maniacally. One hand caressing her wide jeweled belt, and she said, "Well, isn't this a pretty collection of self-righteous do-gooders? I've only come for the nosy wish-giving girl, but since the rest of you are gathered here I might as well do you all too. Don't move, this will only take a second..."
"Cease and desist at once!" Kalunga commanded. His voice, low and booming, held such an air of command and authority that any normal person would have obeyed instantly. The witch only laughed again.
"Sorry, handsome," she said. "Can't do that. No time!"
"Please!" Belldandy called out. "Why are you doing this? Please let us know!"
No thanks!" the witch said. "I gave your demon friend all the explanation I intend to give. I've no time to tell you what or why like some B-grade villian. Now, hold still!"
One hand on her belt, the wicked witch said,
"Dust to dust and ash to ash,
"Turn this haughty god to glass!"
"Look out!" Arielle cried out. Kalunga jumped to one side. Behind him, his podium was transformed from marble to glass.
"You dare, in the heart of Heaven and the seat of all Justice?" the god exclaimed.
"I dare anything, Sonny!" the witch said with a laugh. She cried out,
"To the marrow, to the bone,
"Turn this goddess here to stone!"
A flash of magic shot out to Belldandy, but Arielle jumped in front of her. The beam hit the security goddess in the chest, and she was instantly transformed to stone.
Kalunga flung out his staff and a flash of pure white shot out at the witch. The bolt of magic bounced harmlessly off of an invisible barrier two feet from her. She laughed and flew about the room.
"Fine! I'll turn you all to stone if I have to!" she screamed.
"From my pigtails to my socks,
"Turn this goddess here to rock!"
Kalunga grabbed Belldandy roughly by the arm and yanked her out of the way. The bolt of magical energy misses her nose by centimeters, burying itself in the floor.
Belldandy cried out. A half-dozen hairs had been brushed by the energy bolt and transformed to stone. They fell to the floor and shattered into a thousand fragments.
"Stop being difficult!" the witch snapped. "You can't stop me, I'm far too powerful! Now stand still and let me turn you to stone!"
There was a shimmering in the air, and suddenly the room was filled with people. Among them were many members of the Yggdrasil Police Security Force, but also there was Peorth, Urd, and all of the Ozians. At the sight of these people, the witch's eyes bugged out.
"What are you doing here?" she yelled. "I transformed you people! What are you doing walking around? You should be statues! You should be stone and glass and marble and vine!"
"Didn't you know?" Peorth said. "Transformations don't work very well in this place. They are, by their very nature, decietful and misleading, and therefore not allowed. It is only because your belt is so powerful that you were able to enact transformations at all, but they're really quite easily reversed."
Peorth turned to Arielle's statue and whispered a spell, and the security goddess was returned to her normal body.
"Many thanks, Peorth," the security goddess said.
"Oh, you people are no fun at all!" the witch rasped.
"This also isn't the witch's normal appearance," Peorth said. "She's wearing a disguise."
"Impossible," the security goddess Arielle replied. "Illusions and disguises aren't allowed in Heaven."
"Nor are transformations," Peorth said. "You haven't been listening, have you? Oh, but you were turned to stone... suffice it to say, laws were made to be broken. It's not legal for her to even be here, but clearly she is here. Certainly its difficult to hide your true self here, but not impossible if you have powerful enough magic. And that belt is a very powerful magic item.
"In any case, I sense this is a disguise that she's remained in for years, so it's almost like a second skin to her. That makes it easier. Doesn't it, Andreologo?"
The witch's piercing shriek filled the room. "How do you know that name?" she demanded. "I hid it that no one would ever find it!"
"Heaven knows all," Peorth said.
"You and your nasty databases! I won't have it! I won't!"
The witch began to mutter under her breath, but Peorth began to sing in a beautiful language that none who were not of Yggdrasil could hope to understand. Peorth finished her spell first. Green magic mist swirled about her, then reached out and enveloped the witch. Andreologo's muttering was instantly muffled. Moments later, the green mist faded, revealing a very different person where the witch had been.
She was young and very beautiful, with lightly tanned skin and long, braided hair. She was, in fact, not so different from Belldandy herself, save for the hatred which twisted her features.
"Now you've made me angry!" she spat. "Meddling do-good goddesses! Why can't you just leave well enough alone?"
She began to spin about in the air, singing,
"Ooglethorp and blundlepaste,
"Take me back to Oz, post haste!"
And with a flash, the witch vanished.
Peorth tapped one of the bracelets on her arm. "Arda?" she said. "You got a reading on our invader?"
Moments later, the voice of Arda drifted out of the bracelet: "The Witch Andreologo is no longer to be found within Yggdrasil. All indications are that she has left and returned to Oz."
"Good," Peorth replied. "And now that we know who she is and what her abilities are, we can block her from ever returning."
"Well, that's good," Belldandy said. "But I still need to find out how she cast her spell on the Emerald City, and how to counter it."
Urd groaned and placed her hand over her eyes. "Rats, I completely forgot!"she said. "That wicked witch has taken the Book of Records! And the Book of Dreams as well!"
Peorth's eyes narrowed. "She did? How did she get ahold of them?"
"Bell and I were doing research in the library using those two books," Urd said. "When she came after me, she grabbed them both."
Peorth's frown deepened. "You should have said something," she said. "Losing those two books -- that's a serious security issue. Father won't be pleased."
"You think I don't know that?" Urd said. "But what's done is done. Not much we can do about it now."
"Says you. I'll have security goddesses after her in no time. We need to retrieve those books."
"I'd advise against it," Urd said. "That witch was nearly a match for us here. Now she'll be on her guard, and in Oz, her power will be much greater. If you get turned into stone there it might be forever."
"Maybe," Peorth said. "But we have to try."
"But why would she take them?" Belldandy asked. "Doesn't she already have the original Book of Records?"
Urd nodded. "Our copy is identical to Glinda's -- it can't tell her anything she doesn't already know. I'd say that she stole it to keep us from finding something out."
"But we've already looked. It says nothing of how she created the spell and plotted her revenge."
"No, but..." Urd stopped and smacked her forehead. "What an idiot I've been! It says nothing of what happened before she cast her spell, but she's been in Oz since then. Everything she's done since entering Oz would have been in there. We could have known that she was coming here to attack us, if only we'd looked."
"Oh, my!" Belldandy exclaimed.
Lord Kalunga the adjudicator stepped forward and took a good look at Belldandy's companions from Oz. "If I'm not mistaken," he said, "you would be the Tin Woodsman, the Scarecrow, the Patchwork Girl, the Glass Cat, and Tic Toc the Clockwork Man. Greetings, and welcome to Yggdrasil. I am Kalunga."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said. "But if I may ask, how do you recognize us?"
"I have read many of Mr. Baum's books on Oz," Kalunga said. "It's not hard to recognize such distinctive persons as you five, based on his descriptions." He turned to Belldandy. "Are these the so-called not-quite-mortals that you have brought into Yggdrasil?"
"Of course," Belldandy said. "As I explained, I couldn't leave them behind. They were in grave danger where they were, and I need their help to break the wicked witch's spell and complete my mission."
"Clearly that is true," the adjudicator said, "but in bringing them into the Heavens you've brought that same danger here. Even now, with the intruder expelled from Yggdrasil, your group is being watched by magical means, which yet represents a homeland security breach. At the moment, you presence here is a threat to Yggdrasil itself."
"We're being watched?" Belldandy asked.
Peorth, who'd been whispering into her bracelet, nodded. "Arda confirms it."
"It's the witch," the Scarecrow said. "She's watching us with the magic mirror."
"Oh! I hadn't even thought of that!" Belldandy exclaimed. "Can that mirror also pierce Yggdrasil's defenses?"
"It's a very powerful magic item," Kalunga said. "We can't have a malevolent magic-user like Andreologo peering into the Heavens. There's no telling what she might learn, or how she might use that knowledge."
"Well I don't wish to cause any harm or threat of harm to Yggdrasil of course," Belldandy said, "and I'm sure she's after me and my companions. But I need to finish my research on this Andreologo and the spell she's cast, or I have no hope of unraveling it."
"I'm sorry, Belldandy, but I can't allow you to remain here. You and your companions must leave Heaven immediately."
"Don't worry," Urd said. "I have everything we need, or at least enough to tell us where to look next. With your permission, Lord Adjudicator, we'll be leaving immediately."
"The sooner, the better," Kalunga replied.
"You're coming as well?" Belldandy asked.
"Of course," Urd replied. "Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for all the marshmallows in existence!"
"But where are we going?" the Scarecrow asked.
"Don't you know? We're off to see the Wizard!" Urd exclaimed with glee. She paused for dramatic effect. The others stared at her blankly.
"The Wizard?" the Scarecrow said. "Isn't he still in a magical asleep?"
"Of course he's asleep," Urd said. "Sheesh! It was a joke! Didn't you watch the movie? Humor me a little!"
"Oh, yes," the Scarecrow replied. "I think I understand." He smiled and added, "Very funny."
"Thanks for the sympathy laugh," Urd said. "Although it's also half true, because we're headed to the one place where we can still talk to the Wizard, and to Dorothy and Glinda and all the others as well."
"Where is that?"
"The land of dreams, naturally.," Urd said. "In truth, we're off to see the Dreamlord -- Lord Morpheus."
As Urd began to cast the spell of transference, Tik-Tok asked, "So how did the mo-vie end?"
"Well, you know the story," the Scarecrow said. "Nick and Dorothy and I have told it to you many times. Only, the movie made it seem as if it were all a dream of Dorothy's. As if we didn't exist at all!"
"I wish I could have seen the end-ing," the clockwork man said.
And then the spell was cast, and the five adventurers from Oz and the two Norse goddesses vanished from the Yggdrasil Justice Hall, as if indeed they were nothing but a dream.