Chapter 1

Another Mystery

The next few days more people vanished mysteriously. One by one children in families all over Oz disappeared overnight without a trace. Natlee the Ozmist was still missing and the new man darkening the doorway to the Emerald City remained nameless and unseen still. What was he waiting for?

It was only assumed that he was the cause of the disappearance of random people, and eventually the pattern got closer to Anthony than he would have wanted.

Sir Ben the Pure in Heart was in Gillikin taking a status report in the former Glikkun mines. The head of the mine showed him the emerald ore deposits and the many dimly lit caves and alcoves of the Emerald Mines. Exports to the City were high and product was well in supply.

"Very well master Bree, thank you for the tour, keep up the excellent work. I do have one question however," Ben said as he felt the handle of his mace, just a sentimental touch, remembering old days.

"Yes of course Sir, ask a question and I will answer thee," Bree replied, a dwarf, he was the least crude of them all. Spending most of his days in the Mines, he only knew his miners, and never thought it right to be boorish among his fellow miners.

"The dissappearances happening lately, you wouldn't know anything of that would you?" He was merely curious.

"Now why would you as a question like that to a person like me in a place like this?" Bree answered, a little insulted, but over defensive thinking Ben had implied he was the cause. His facial expression edged Bree on.

"Oh alright. I know that all the villains in our great but saddening nation have something in common. I don't know what it is yet, but doesn't it strike you as odd that so far three enemys, that we know of mind you, are all family members? To me it seems like this new guy, is trying to isolate someone or something. That's why people are vanishing, but Im just a crazy fat dwarf, what do I know of politics? Did you hear that another old friend is coming back soon? Yackle the gypsey woman! Munchkinland should be excited about that," Bree walked off leaving Ben with the answer he needed. It was true, Elphaba, Nanny- Mombi, and Nessarose were all related, is it possible that Langwidere, and the Nome King were related somehow too? Nahh, "im just thinking too much because we don't know anything yet!" ben reassured him self, and walked out of the Mines, to return to Gillikin. When he exited the mines however, something bashed him on the head, and knocked him out.

When he woke up, he was on the ground, and tied up. It was dark, or they were insisde or underground, he couldn't tell which yet. There was a tall man clad all in black from head to toe. Except for his face and hands. They were white, white as bones. The Man wore a long black cape, and a top hat torn in two looking like horns on his head. Again and again the man kicked him, whipped him, and beat him. Ben was bleeding, and bruised all over, another kick and his head hit the floor. Stone, inside then. Then the man chanted something in an unfamiliar tongue and he no longer felt pain, nor could he move, or even breathe. The mysterious man disappeared in a swish of his long cape, and left no trace of his torture.

After only a few hours, word spread like wildfire to the Emerald City that both Ben, and now Argy had gone missing as well.

"We have got to do something Julia, we cant just sit here!" I exclaimed in Mockbeggar Hall, ana greed upon location equidistant from us both at the time.

"What do you want to do Anthony! We know nothing! This person hasn't even shown himself, hes an invisible kidnapper or murderer, who knows ANTHONY?" Julia yelled back.

"We know enough Julia! Shell has returned somehow, and everyone is vanishing! What if Glinda's next? Or you? Or me?! We need to do something; a force field, or a secret hideout, or something!" I loosely proposed.

Before Julia could say I was wrong again, all the lights went out, the doors slammed shut and locked, and the shutters on all the windows locked themselves too. I pounded the bottom of my staff on the ground lighting it, and forming a shield around us both as Julia drew her pink blessed sword. Suddenly I dropped my staff, and was instantly reduced to tears. Sudden visions of death to past Ozian friends and of Natalee, wouldn't stop. I fell to the ground and couldn't stop crying.

"Anthony, what's going on what's the matter?" Julia shouted, I had never done that before. Then it was her turn. Visions of what could happen in the future for her, the final death of Anthony, Glinda, and her own past lovers from Earth flushed her mind and heart, consuming her quickly. She too was reduced to sobbing and fell to the floor. When Anthony was completely motionless and unconscious, a large light grey cloud of smoke appeared in the center of the room. The cloud grew lighter to almost white, and formed its shape into a skull. When the smoke settled, the black, cloaked figure of the same man who banished and tortured Ben appeared. Julia somehow managed to keep from slipping unconscious, and tried to stand up. The man had a bright white skull head, and bright white fleshy hands, but the flashes of lightning made his hands look skeletal too.

"You're the one getting rid of everyone, who are you?!" Julia yelled, grabbing her sword and pointing it at the dark man.

"I am of the same blood as the late, Eminent Thropp of the West. Shelltegard Thropp! I am hunting for something, a weapon of great power and might. Do you know of what I seek?" AS Shell spoke, he leaned closer to Julia, as if intently watching her every move, facial twitch, eye direction, to see if she was going to lie or not. She panicked. In truth she had no idea, but other hadn't a clue either and were sent away somewhere. She had to think of something. A trap of somekind.

"It's in the Deadly Dessert, beyond the entrance to the Nome King's Dominion," She closed her eyes, hoping he would be stupid enough to fall for it. Fire engulfed Shell's white glowing hands, and he slammed her neck against the stone wall, choking her with his hand.

"YOU LIE! THAT'S ALL YOU EVER DO! YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS OZMA! YOU HAVE MURDERED MY FAMILY, STOLEN MY POSESSIONS, AND NOW YOU ATTEMPT TO TURN ME INTO SAND. My dear, I can read your heart. Such despair, such fear. Worry not child, Emperor Thropp will not hurt you," The flaming skeleton/man petrified Julia, stopping her movements but left her alive. The man had the most disgusting of intentions and all Julia could muster was, "GLINDA!" through her frightened tears and shaking voice.

As he leaned in to embrace the hexed Dame, the doors to the hall flung open and Lady Glinda the Good with Commander William entered the confrontation. Glinda wore her silver armor with the leather gilded skirt, and her golden head bore the rose crown, and spun her matching scepter. At the last moment, Shelltergard Thropp turned around and faced his sister's nemesis.

"NO!" Was all Shell spoke before disappearing in the skull shaped smoke. When he left though, so did Julia, leaving Anthony alone on the floor. Glinda brushed her hands together, wiping her hands of his presence it seemed.

"Whew, what a smell of sulfur," she coughed.

"Just like his sister," said Commander William.