Chapter 5
"Shoot her on the spot!" Samson yelled to his men. "Show no mercy!" As each guard got to his post Elphaba taunted them by flying in circles still cackling. "Kill her!" Samson shouted as guns fired, but weapons of lead are no match for speed.
"Is that the best you got?" Elphaba shouted to them as she darted away and towards the castle flag. With her free hand Elphaba grabbed it and flew back off to the sky. "How about a little fire, Fiyero?" She then made a U turn, soared down, and dropped the flag in a lit torch setting it on fire right next to him before flying back off.
"Forget the guns." Fiyero said as he approached Samson. "Get the catapults ready!"
"Load the catapults!" Samson yelled to Alaric.
"Hit me with your best shot!" Elphaba shouted back to them. "I'll be ready for your shooting rocks!"
Fiyero only snickered, "Rocks, heh."
"Fire at will!" Samson commanded. Elphaba listened carefully for the sound of flying boulders, but heard no such thing. She heard something much lighter. When she realized what is was the green witch barely got out of the way in time, as the water droplets came in the thousands. Huge pool fulls of water were being thrown at her. "Next round!" Samson yelled as he could see the water traps were working. Elphaba growled angrily as she led her broom near the castle at top speed. She had to take advantage of a catapult's weakness which was close range attacks. The water volleys still came but no longer posted a threat to Elphaba. She then flew by a guard and stole his spear from his hand. The green witch then took the end of the weapon and drove it into a window, shattering the glass. With the glass broken she could fly inside the castle without problem.
"Sir! Sir!" Alaric cried out. "The witch is in the castle!"
"Curse that witch." Samson spat in rage.
"Patience." Fiyero answered. "There is still time for Elphaba to meet her doom."
"And once she dies I get Glinda right?" Samson asked.
"Yes as promised." Fiyero replied. "But only if the green witch dies. Now gather the majority of your men so they can release the first beast."
Elphaba flew at great speed through the castle but had no luck finding Glinda. "Where are you Glin?" Elphaba whispered out loud as her hazel eyes scanned the stone area. Suddenly she heard a barbaric sound like armor itself was walking on it's own. "What in Oz...?" The green witch only got out as something hard hit her in the side. Elphaba tumbled to the ground holding her arm in pain. The green woman went to snatch her broom up, but it was forcefully kicked away out of reach. Elphaba's gaze climbed upward to see a giant beast standing before her. It was a monstrous creature that looked like a ox, but she knew the true name of such a creature was a Minotaur. The great beast wore an assortment amount of armor. In one hand he carried a club and in the other a long razor sharp hook that was stained in blood. He gave a sizeable roar before kicking Elphaba in the gut. The force from the kick sent the green witch into the other room that looked like a mini arena. Bones as well as weapons, mostly broken, laid before her. With great haste Elphaba grabbed a sword that was not broken and clutched it tightly. The Minotaur only snorted as he charged her.
"Good news, Fiyero, the Minotaur has found Elphaba." Samson said.
"Prefect." Fiyero replied as a new idea came to his corrupted mind. "Samson, get Glinda. It's only fitting that she witnesses the death of the Wicked Witch of the West."
The Minotaur was powerful but Elphaba was holding her ground. With the sword she could block the beast's attempts in producing a fatal blow. With a cruel growl the Minotaur charged again horns pointed out. It was dangerous but Elphaba would wait until the last possible moments before dodging away. It was the only sure way the Minotaur wouldn't change directions and hit her. Elphaba wished she could get her broom, but that proved to be impossible since it was out in the hall somewhere from the Minotaur's kick. The creature then turned around and whipped his hook close to the witch's head. With a well timed duck Elphaba escaped the hook and brought her sword across the Minotaur's arm. With a painful cry that consumed the ears like nails upon a chalkboard the brute pulled away, his wound bleeding quite well.
"I don't wish to kill you, but if I must then I will." Elphaba said as she watched the creature lick his cut.
"Don't listen to her!" Samson's voice came out. "Kill her!" Somehow Fiyero, Samson, and the guards could watch the battle.
"Heed my words beast." Elphaba replied.
"What are you waiting for?" Samson's voice came again this time filled with fury. In turn the Minotaur turned his attention to Elphaba ready to attack.
"If that is your choice." Elphaba answered as she held the sword out and began to whisper a chant. "LLAF, ELEKA ELEKA, EID, HTAED, EID, EID!" As soon as the chant was complete the Minotaur began to sway.
"What is she doing to him?" Samson asked in confusion.
"She's killing him." Glinda replied.
In turn Elphaba quicken the chant, "LLAF, ELEKA ELEKA, EID, HTAED, EID, EID!" As the green witch spoke her chant the Minotaur gripped his ears in pain, and began roaring in a futile effort to drive the words from his mind. "LLAF, ELEKA ELEKA, EID, HTAED, EID, EID!" Suddenly like thunder had hit him the Minotaur fell to the ground. His lungs struggling for air. Elphaba then walked up to the beast who looked to be in great pain. "Forgive me." She whispered before thrusting her sword into it's heart.
"Damn, you witch!" Fiyero yelled.
"Mindless beasts are no match for me!" Elphaba shouted as she left the small arena to find her broom.
"You seem surprised she bested the Minotaur." Glinda said her voiced filled with pride for her love.
"I still have more tricks up my sleeve." Fiyero sneered as he turned to Samson, "Let the free the second beast."
Elphaba sighed in relief when she found her broom. The green witch then secured her sword to her belt before taking off. By flying down to the cellar Elphaba found the dungeon where it made sense she would find Glinda. The well designed prison carried a unavoidable stink that only seemed to only grow worst the deeper she flew. Rats as well other small vermin were found adding to the stink. "Glinda! Glinda!" Elphaba shouted but got no answer from her curly love. Instead she got a long hiss that echoed throughout the prison. "This can't be good." Elphaba spoke aloud when she saw a giant snake come around the corner, red eyes burning with hate. Knowing she could never win a fight down here Elphaba turned around and directed her broom up to the main floor.
"Let's see your witch get out of this one." Fiyero spat. "The snake giant doesn't fall easily to magic like the Minotaur before it."
"Be careful Elphaba." Glinda whispered as she felt Samson pull her to a better location to watch the brawl.
The snake was extremely quick and agile. There were many times Elphaba barely escaped the snakes's jaws as she made her way to the first floor. "Your quite determined." Elphaba said as she drew her sword from her belt. "Well so am I!" With that statement she turned around and cut the snake under the eye, but the snake in turn whipped his tail and hit Elphaba with great strength. But not enough to throw her off her broom. "Good try!" Elphaba said before her voice erupted into a great and terrible laugh that only the Wicked Witch of the West could deliver.
"She seems to be enjoying herself, sir." Samson pointed out.
"Only that ill mannered witch would find enjoyment in a fight like this." Fiyero answered his voice filled with disgust.
"You can't win Fiyero!" Elphaba yelled. "I will beat anything you can throw at me. For Glinda I will face anything. I love her! I LOVE her!"
The rage in Fiyero's eyes only grew at the hearing of the green witch's short speech. His gaze then fell upon Glinda who was clearly moved by Elphaba's words that were just spoken. "Send some of your men to help the snake giant take care of that green witch." Fiyero ordered.
"Do you think that is wise, sir?" Samson asked.
"Do you want Glinda?" Fiyero questioned.
"Yes of course." Samson answered.
"Then get your men down there to help finish the job." Fiyero replied his voice rising with anger. Samson only nodded his head as he motioned to his guards the command.
With her broom Elphaba had the advantage over the snake. All she had to do was were it down, but her plan would soon be disturbed when she saw some of Samson's men coming from the opposite side. When they saw her they made a uniformed line and took stance to fire their weapons
"Prepare to fire!" Samson's second in command Alaric ordered. Instead of flying away Elphaba took a different position in front of the line of guards and in between the snake giant. So the beast was behind her.
"Hit me with you best shot." Elphaba spat.
"She's crazy." Samson chuckled. "She's right in the line of fire."
Fiyero didn't respond as he watched in confusion knowing this green witch must have something else on her mind to do such a thing, like putting herself between a snake giant and a line of guards with guns.
"Shoot her down!" Alaric screamed as the guards took aim.
Suddenly it clicked for Fiyero but it was too late as he called them to stop. It was indeed too late as Elphaba might have escaped the bullets, however the snake giant was not. Instead of the bullets hitting air, the bullets landed themselves in the snake's skin. With a weak hiss the snake giant's red eyes rolled behind it's head as it fell to the ground. It's blood flooding down from the bullet wounds. Elphaba only cackled in response as the dead snake laid for all to see.
"What do we do now, sir?" Samson asked.
Fiyero remained silent at first, as he drummed his fingers on the wall. After a beat or two he turned to Samson and replied, "Follow me and bring Glinda."
Some time passed and no other attacks were sent upon Elphaba, but the green witch doubted Fiyero and the others had given up. But what struck Elphaba as strange was no guards were even combing the castle grounds. Elphaba rounded two corners before she came to three of Samson's guards standing in front of a large double door. It was the first sighting of guards since the fight with the snake giant. There was no second thought in Elphaba's mind. Glinda had to be in that room. Before the green witch could think of a plan to distract the guards she saw Alaric run up to the three guards from the opposite way.
"Quick! Follow me!" Alaric ordered. "Samson has spotted the witch near the top floor! There is no time to waste. We will need all the fire power we have to bring her down." Not wasting any time the three guards followed Alaric away from the room.
"She won't escape this time." Another guard said before their footsteps disappeared up the stairs.
Elphaba waited a moment or two to make sure they didn't change their minds. When she knew the coast was clear Elphaba rushed up to the door to only find it was locked. Not losing hope yet Elphaba in turn took her broom and began to use it against the door like a crowbar. With a few forceful jerks she was able to pry the door opened. The green skinned woman then rushed inside her eyes scanning the almost pitch black room. The shades were pulled over the windows as well as the curtains, preventing hardly any torch light to come in. "Glinda?" She whispered into the darkness. Her call was quickly answered by a muffled cry. Elphaba walked blindly into the room towards a small table that had a candle on top of it, but as she closed in on the candle the green witch came to a figure in a chair not too far away from it. Elphaba lifted the candle up to the figure to revel Glinda gagged and tied to the chair. "Glinda." Elphaba said as she pulled the gag from the blond's mouth.
Once the gag was removed Glinda began to speak frantically, "Elphaba, you must go at once. This is a trap."
"I finally found you." Elphaba replied. "I'm not leaving you now. We can..." Suddenly a heavy object was struck over her head. The green witch stumbled to the ground at the feet of Glinda. Fiyero stood there, a large club in his hand. He smiled evilly at Glinda before saying, "This time the Wicked Witch of the West will die."
It was many hours before Elphaba awoke from the strike to the head. She found each of her arms were being held by one of Samson's guards. Fiyero stood by Glinda who had her hands bounded behind her back. By Fiyero's feet was a large bucket Elphaba assumed was filled with water. Also in the bucket what looked like to be a paintbrush.
"So your finally awake." Fiyero spat as he held her broom in his hands. "I hope you had some pleasant dreams."
"Well as a matter a fact I was having a wonderful dream." Elphaba replied. "You died."
Fiyero could only laugh a fake laugh as he threw the broom into the corner of the room. "Make your cracks while you can." He answered. "Because I'm the one that's going to have the last laugh." Elphaba could only watch helplessly as Fiyero picked up the paintbrush that was soaked in water. "Now Elphaba, I'm going to ask you a few questions. Depending how you answer will decide on if you die a slow painful death or a quick death with no suffering."
"All right, shoot." The green witch said.
"Very well." Fiyero replied as he started to pace around the room. "Do you love Glinda?"
"Yes." Elphaba answered without hesitation. After receiving the answer Fiyero flicked his wrist once and sent water drops upon the green witch's skin.
"Elphaba!" Glinda shouted in fear as she saw her love wince in pain.
"Who do you love more? Myself or Glinda?" Fiyero asked, clearly enjoying the green woman's pain.
"I love Glinda more and I always have loved her more." Elphaba answered only to get more water droplets sent on her skin.
"Please stop this Fiyero!" Glinda begged, as tears threaten to fall down her face.
"It burns doesn't it?" Fiyero taunted angrily.
Elphaba responded by spiting in Fiyero's eye. "Face it you bastard. I love Glinda with all my heart, and nothing will change that."
"Do not tell me you love this Wicked Witch in return?" Fiyero asked Glinda as he tried to clear his eye.
"I do love her." Glinda answered. "And I wouldn't pick anyone else."
"You truly are wicked!" Fiyero shouted at Elphaba as he sent another wave of droplets to burn her skin. "You corrupted Glinda the Good! I should kill you this very second for that deed."
"Well, why don't you?" Elphaba asked.
"Because having you suffer is much more amusing." Fiyero replied. "This must really burn you. I mean the pain you must be feeling from these water droplets must be incredible."
"For Glinda I will face any pain." The green witch replied as she gave a weak smile to Glinda. "For her I would even welcome death."
"I guess you fate is to become a martyr." Fiyero answered as he dipped the paintbrush into the bucket, however a loud shout came from the roof of the castle.
Confusion rushed over the room as Alaric bursted through the door out of breath. "Fiyero, Samson, we have a problem."
"What is it?" Fiyero asked.
"Flying demons." Alaric answered. "Coming this way. The sun has just come up and we can see them flying against the horizon. In a few moments we will be over run!"
"Gather the troops and do whatever it takes to take them down." Fiyero ordered.
"Sir, it's not that simple." Alaric replied. "They are being lead by a great dragon who is unharmed by our guns."
"Kaida." Elphaba whispered.
"Don't give me excuses." Fiyero said only to have the windows of the castle being smashed and winged monkeys began flooding through over taking every guard in sight. Fiyero cursed under his breath as he dropped the paintbrush, grabbed Glinda, and escaped out of the door. Soon the two guards holding Elphaba were consumed by the monkeys as well. Once free Elphaba wasted no time obtaining her sword and broom back before following Fiyero who was making his way to the roof with Glinda.