Chapter 10
"Prefect timing." The green witch replied as Glinda handed her the Grimmerie. "Time to end this Samson." Elphaba shouted as she opened the book up.
"I won't let you beat me!" Samson yelled as he led the Destroyer's head down towards the two witches. Glinda was able to escape the teeth of the dragon, but Elphaba was not as lucky. The beast's teeth had gripped the green woman's black cloak, and pulled her up into the air with Elphaba still holding her broom and the Grimmerie. "Say goodbye to the Wicked Witch of the West!" Samson shouted as the Destroyer flipped Elphaba into the air and caught her in it's mouth and snapped it's jaws shut.
"No! Elphie!" Glinda yelled when the dragon's mouth closed all the way.
"I did it! I killed her!" Samson exclaimed wildly, but his victory was short lived as the Destroyer's mouth was pried open by Elphaba who was using her broom as a crowbar. The creature tried to shut it's mouth, but the green witch had rooted her broom so it stood up and down keeping the Destroyer's mouth unable to shut unless she removed the broom herself. With the dragon incapable of crushing her Elphaba then proceeded to open the Grimmerie and turned to the page that would bring the beast to it's end. Once the spell was found the green witch began to recite the chant.
"ENOLK DER KLAIN KEYBO ZU TINHA!" Once the last words were spoken the Destroyer's teeth started to crack and fall from it's mouth. The dragon roared loudly as the pain from the braking teeth took its toll. Like giant ice spikes the teeth fell down to the Earth and shattered completely once making contact with the ground. Samson tried his best to control the beast, but his attempts were futile. The Destroyer was in too much pain to listen to any words or commands for that matter. Once the teeth were roughly all gone Elphaba removed her broom from the dragon's mouth and flew back down to solid ground with the Grimmerie held safely under her arm. Even though Elphaba knew the Destroyer had to be stopped she did pity it. Kaida, her friend, was a dragon for crying out loud, but Elphaba had to remind herself like people not all animals were as friendly as some. The red dragon then proceeded to beat it's club like tail against the Earth making the ground shake with great strength. But this beating of the tail was out of pain and not out of aggression.
Samson tried one last time to get the Destroyer calm, but the creature only bucked wildly towards the fields. "Whoa! Whoa there! Calm yourself, beast!"
Elphaba then turned to a different page in the Grimmerie. "It ends now." Elphaba replied as she laid her eyes on the text before her. Glinda only watched as Elphaba whispered something under her breath a few times. The green witch looked stern as she gripped the blond's hands and peered at the red dragon who's movements were growing slower with every passing second. It wasn't long before the Destroyer stumbling led it to the Oz river. The red dragon made one last weak growl before it's body collapsed into the water. Samson leaped off the creature's back and into the river before making his way to shore and running off in the opposite direction. The only sight left to be watched was the Destroyer's body sinking down into it's watery grave. Elphaba then turned her attention to Glinda as she hugged her tightly. Both women sharing comfort with one another. Happy that the other was safe.
"We should get you back to the hospital." Glinda said as she wrapped an arm around the green witch's waist to help her walk with some ease. However when Elphaba and Glinda pushed out of the brush the citizens of Oz were there waiting. They just stared at the two witches, their faces neutral. Several moments passed and Elphaba could feel her heart beating fast as it waited for the next action to take place.
"She's the one!" One Ozian shouted. "The Wicked Witch of the West saved us! She's the one that conquered that red beast!"
"She risked her life for our own!" Another Ozian added.
Glinda smiled widely as she replied, "Here is Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, hero of Oz."
The Ozians then proceeded to clap for the green woman. Elphaba could only stare in awe as the citizens of Oz thanked her with applause. Just then Twyla pushed through the crowd.
"Not only has this woman saved Shiz as well as Oz there is more news about her that most of Oz does not know!" A distinct whisper echoed throughout the crowd as they looked to one another for an answer. "This green woman is the daughter of the former Wizard of Oz!" Twyla shouted only to have the crowd gasp. "It is true." Twyla replied. "I have found the old journal of the Wizard and he makes a note about this! Also before he left he confessed this news to our very own Glinda the Good!"
"That means she's the heir to Oz!" An Ozain announced.
"That is correct." Twyla answered. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I believe we have all judged this woman unfairly. We have dubbed her as a Wicked being, but I doubt anyone Wicked as we have all said would save us all from a horrific doom." The Ozians nodded their heads knowing their judgement against the green woman was miss placed. "Anything to add?" Twyla asked Glinda.
Glinda turned to the Ozians before saying, "Long live to the Witch of Oz."
Glinda's statement was then answered by a loud overpowering cheering of the people of Oz. Elphaba could only smile as the Ozians gave her their approval. Finally they were cheering her on and staring at her...in a good way.
It was a few days before Doctor Roarke thought Elphaba was up to enough health to walk on her own without a cane. After the minimum health was acquired by the green witch Glinda took her too look over her new home where the former Wizard of Oz once dwelled.
"Wow." Elphaba said as she looked at the chamber. "This needs a lot of help."
"Well you can change anything you want." Glinda replied. "You are the new Wizard of Oz...well Witch of Oz."
For Elphaba the whole situation was still amazing to her. Her eyes scanned the nearly vacant room knowing deep inside her blood father once was here. "You know its quite ironic." Elphaba said suddenly as she began to pace around. "The one who was the most hated by Oz is now the ruler of it."
"Just goes to show you the tides have changed." Glinda answered as she walked over to the green witch. "You will be sworn in tomorrow. Are you having second thoughts about this Wizard of Oz thing?"
Elphaba just shook her head as she took the blond's hands in her own. "This is something I want. Also with being the new Witch of Oz then that means almost all of my dreams would have come true."
"Almost all?" Glinda questioned.
Elphaba only smiled as she saw a winding staircase off to the side of the chamber hidden by a pillar. "Where do you think those stairs lead?" Elphaba asked.
"Probably to the balcony." Glinda replied. "It must look over the land of Oz."
"How about we take a peek?" The green skinned woman suggested.
"Lead the way, Elphie." Glinda answered as they both headed up the stairs. When the two witches reached the top a breathtaking scene laid before them. The yellow brick road seemed to glow as it was bordered by a field of poppy flowers that guided the eye to a thick row of woods.
"This seems too good to be true." Elphaba whispered. "Like any minute now I will wake up and death will be breathing down my neck again...delivered by the Ozians."
"Do you think your life is only about death?" Glinda asked as she linked an arm with the green witch to try to comfort her.
"It has always been like that." Elphaba replied. "Death has taken my family, my father, my mother, Nessa. Death follows me as well. Never leaving and always overbearing like stink upon shit."
"Oh Elphie, don't say that." Glinda said as she cupped the green witch's face. "You are here, and that is all that matters. Death has not claimed you yet, and I can only hope he won't for a good long time. I love you Elphie."
Elphaba smiled as the blond said those last four words. 'I love you Elphie.' Even though it wasn't the first time Glinda had said this. It still surprised the green witch to some extent that someone loved her. Someone truly loved her. "I love you too Glinda, and I will until the end of time." With that Elphaba dropped down to one knee. Glinda first thought the green witch was having problems with her knees again. Pain still gripped them now and then from the accident before in the court house, however Elphaba's face was anything but in pain. She just stayed in that position not letting go of Glinda's hands. "Glinda, we have been through so much and I never want to be apart from you. I want you by my side forever and me by yours, so Glinda Upland will you marry me?"
Author's Note: Only one more chapter to go.