Chapter 15
The Death Marshes

Anthony and Alec held on tight to Blue's enormous wings, wrapping their arms around the Dragon's bones on the front edge of each wing, talking to each other at the peak of each flap.

"Anthony, I want to ask you something important, I have been thinking about it for a while and though you have the memory sometimes of a goldfish and the mind of a munchkin," We both laughed, it was a silly comparison, but true nonetheless. "I want to know, if you would be interested in taking the throne in my stead," I was immediately taken by surprise. Could he seriously have just asked me that? I was happy and excited, but also confused and terrified.

"Alec what are you talking about? You're Ozma's son, the one true heir to the throne of Oz, you're blood royalty, You are prince of the Emerald City!" I pointed out. Alec gave me a look like I said something stupid, but funny and I laughed again.

"No no no, I mean yes I am, but that's not the point! I am only a 20 year old right now because of the curse the Emperor put on me, when he dies, if we kill him, I will go back to being a baby. I can't rule a country as a baby! I need someone I can trust. Someone I know and like, and someone with magic, and knowledge of Oz's history, to be able to defend it, and to serve our people. I have seen you enough lately to know all these to be true in you, but it's up to you, will you take the Emerald Crown when this is all over?" He asked the final question.

"I was truly touched that someone I have only known for only five months trusted me that much to offer the Crown in my name, the most powerful position in Oz, Throne Minister! I was also surprised he didn't say Glinda, but then I remembered, she was dead. Well, as dead as anyone immortal can be I guess, we haven't seen her since her escape through however rumored a death can be for someone like her, and while we believed her to be alive, we had to recognize the fact that she may not be. And as far as Alec was concerned, our lives were about to be more at risk than they ever have been, and he wanted to get this question answered soon for Oz's future was at stake. Blue suddenly was looking side to side rapidly, no doubt listening to our conversation.

"Hahaha, care to take a seat Blue?" I asked him. Blue let out some fake coughs.

"No no, carry on I was just uh, scanning the grounds, we are almost there young master," Blue reported.

"Thank you Blue, begin your descent," ordered Alec. Suddenly our ears popped as we began to land. Farther down we went and at first all we saw was black clouds. And then, we had just gone beneath them. We could see all of Oz from this high up. It was a very frightening image, one that refreshed the validity and seriousness of the Emperor's force, and rule. Then there was a rumbling thump and dust from the ash covered ground being thrown around from the wind of Blue's wings. We jumped down brushed ourselves off, and had one more meeting with the three of us. This was the last time we would be able to talk as truly ourselves. Lurline knows what'll happen to us when we start. The entrance to the death marshes was not very subtle. The ash that covered most of Quadling now, suddenly turned to a thick mucky black substance, clearly marking the specific territory of the Death marshes within Quadling its self.

"SO what happens now?" Asked Blue.

"Anthony and I go into the Death marshes and try to find the entrance to the Emperor's lair. Blue I need you to listen very careful because I'm going to ask you something extremely difficult." Prince Tippetarius answered.

"Whatever you command it shall be done Prince Tippetarius," Blue respectfully answered.

"If I tell you to run you stand your ground, if you see any of us becoming something, dark, destroy that darkness. Bluefire above all if you feel like you should go and save yourself, that is what you must do. Im not sure whats going to happen, but you can't let us leave. However painful we must go through. You cannot let us escape, no matter what I say, do you understand? Anthony do not look so panicked, we have a Dragon on our side, and my mother in our hearts," Prince Alec said. It seemed like he was the only one not worried. So we said our goodbyes, and walked towards the Death Marshes.

One more step and we had officialy entered them. No going back now, one last chance to get what's ours.

Immediately we were affected. Vision went fuzzy, heads and hearing went dull and numbed. Dizziness was an understatement, and we collapsed. Alec was alright at least from my drugged like perspective. I all of a sudden felt extremely tired. Weak in the joints, and harder to breathe. My hair slowly grew longer. I had less and less strength, and now could only crawl, even that took my breath away.

I was aging. My vision went bad, and arthritis in my joints kicked in. With every inch I aged five years. Alec was now experiencing the same thing only a little slower. I tried speaking but my voice was so worn out it was unrecognizeable. My bones began to get brittle now, onwards I tried to move, still desperately holding onto my staff despite the aged weakness. Now I was about 40 years old, and still aging.

"Alec, we mus... find the lair!" I tried to yell, the energy required to yell was not enough in me and he was looking about 40 now too. My voice was soft, and older, slower and harder to understand.

"I know where… follow … me!" Alec tried to yell back as Blue watched in surprised horror as we rapidly aged before him.

Alec turned suddenly to the left so I stopped to let him lead the way. We both now looked like old dwarves, long beards and long mustaches and long greying hair. I had liver spots now on my face and on my arms, and suddenly I let out a moan as I reached 60, my bones were much weaker and my spine was starting to hunch.

Alec was now army crawling on the floor, it took too much muscle to lift his body onto his knees now, as did mine. On we crawled across the floor aging faster and faster. We still had the same clothes, unlike naturally when you age your clothes do too from the adventures you have in them, but since it had only been moments, our clothes were oddly vibrant against our dulling skin and wrinkling faces.

"What does the entrance… look… like…Alec?" I asked him panting heavily.

"It's a magic… gate… it needs … payment… to.. open" Alec attempted to reply.

"What kind… of … payment?"

"However… much… is…. Required" The answer scared me. First of all it obviously did not mean we had to give the gate, coin. It most likely meant blood to weaken us further. But how much? Would we survive and have it still not open?

"Just a little….. further brother…" Alec said encouragingly. I looked behind me and couldn't see Blue anymore. The Death marshes were meddling with my mind, my sense of time and distance were all inaccurate. The gross thick black muck got all over us, on our clothes, hair, everywhere. It was like a weird combination of mud, oil, and sulfur, and dirt.

WE crawled on the floor now actually rolling side to side to make forward movement. I felt 90 years old, my hair was thinning and my flesh thinned on my bones, we looked like corpses cursed into some kind of physical training.

Now we could no longer talk, we were far too old, and our voice boxes were failing.

I stopped for a minute laying still to get some rest, and then started closing my eyes. I was fading.

"No! you…. Will not… take him…. You cannot… have… him Shell… I….. always…. Win!" Alec raspily and very slowly and quietly said. He knew The Emperor was watching from his hideout in the Black City. He also was still the son of Ozma and had tricks up is uniformed sleeve. He whispered something in language Anthony had only heard Glinda and Ozma use, and suddenly I opened my eyes again. I thought Alec was weak as well, but again I forgot he was Ozma's boy.

"Come on Anthony…. It's right…. Here….." Alec dragged me behind him, seeing I was far too weak to move anymore. He didn't care, he pulled me with him and screamed in pain as the strength required for him to do it simply wasn't there anymore and he sprained his ankle and wrist.

"Do not give up Prince Tip! You can do it! Remember who you are! You will prevail!" Blue encouraged in the what sounded like thousands of miles behind us. I was almost deaf I had become so old.

Suddenly the gate came into view as we laid on our stomachs next to it. Made entirely out of Ozian citizen's bones, it was the collective positioning of their skulls that formed a much larger skull, and it was painted black. The Skull gate was smooth on the surface though, or at least it was smooth. Large bulges deformed the Skull gate, but these pounds looked like they came from the other side, as if there were someone inside trying to get out, that couldn't. Suddenly the jaw of the Skull Gate moved.

"Gentlemen. You have faced my first challenge. The next is somewhat easier for you. I shall require only…" The skull laughed like Elphab. "Only most of your blood." The Gate said.

"I swear to you….. if I give you…. My blood…. And you don't…. open…. I will…. Destroy.. you" 80 year old Alec threatened.

"You can't even speak! Give my thy blood, and alas my chamber will show its self to thee. But fail to give me thine blood, and I will never stop drinking it. Never!" The gate explained. Alec nodded and conjured a ghostblade in his hand. With his other hand he placed one on my heart and said something in the same language as before. Suddenly I grew younger, from 100 down to 50, as Alec thinned and aged ten times as fast as before.

"What, Alec, No! What are you doin? We are in this together! Until the end you and me!" I protested.

"I'm nott…. Going to…. Die Anthony….. I need….. you on your …feet again… pay the skull….. with my blood… and get your friends…..I'll ….protect you…. from here….." Alec said with tears streaming down his ancient sad face. I shed some tears as well, in complete humbled gratitude that he laid his life further on the line exponentially, for me. I took the ghostblade in my hand, and decieded to help him too. Instead of giving the Skull Alec's blood, I chose my own. I sliced my hand and held it over the mouth of the Skull gate. It coughed and spat it out.

"I did not ask for your blood pathetic mage! I command Prince Tippetarius to shed his blood for me! Do this or I will consume you BOTH!" The Skull's eyes glew red for a moment.

"YOURE A FUCKING SKULL! HOW CAN I TAKE ORDERS FROM AN OBJECT TO HARM MY FRIEND?" I Punched the gate and gave it a few hits and swings with my staff. Nothing happened

"Alec, I'm sorry I tried to help you, but it will only work with your blood, I'm sorry," I cried feeling like I made Alec's time harder now I also was starting to age again. Alec now 90, alowly raised a shaking hand, and mumbled,

"Do it…. Take my hand…. And give it my blood…." Alec wheezed and coughed as his hair thinned and his skin wrinkled more.

I hesitantly took the ghostblade from his other hand and held the now empty one.

"Hang on Alec," I said.

I sliced his hand and suddenly a goblet formed underneath, in the shape of a skeleton's hand, and filled slowly with Alec's blood.

"More," Said sthe Skull.

"Damn you! You fucking Gate!" I cursed it.

"MORE!"

So I obeyed as Alec and I both stopped the tears and now felt only rage as more blood filled the goblet. Alec's hand turned whiter, and he was breathing heavily.

I put a hand on his neck to feel his pulse which was slowing.

"MORE!" Said the Skull.

"HEY! FUCKHEAD! YOU SAID YOU'D OPEN WITH HIS BLOOD! YOU KEEP WANTING MORE AND I 'LL SHED YOUR OWN! TAKE WHAT WE HAVE, OR I'LL FUCKING BLOW YOUR MASTER'S BRAINS OUT! REMEMBER ELPHABA? THE STAIN AT THE BASE OF THE EMERALD PALACE? I PUSHED HER OFF THE TOWERE ROOF! YOU'RE NEXT!" I yelled at the top of my abdomen. So loudly in fact, that my throat burned afterwards.

"I suppose this will do, give me the Goblet," So I hugged Alec to thank him for his sacrifice, and then handed him the goblet.

"I don't have hands you fool, drink this blood payment for me, BEFORE YOU RETALIATE! If YOU DO NOT DRINK THIS CUP OF BLOOD FROM THE SON OF OZMA, I WILL CONSUME YOU AND THOSE BEHIND MY LOCKED STATE! NOW, DRINK I SAY!" The Skull's eye's enflamed and this time stayed that way. I suddenly wasn't able to control my self. My eyes lit bright white and I chugged the blood down like it was alcohol. Because I was still human however, I gagged, and even vomited. Drinking human blood is not pleasant, and there was an entire quart to be drunk. I drank the last drop and threw the cup down as the Skull released his hold on me .

"Good, now, kill him. KILL HIM ANTHONY NOW! YOUR DARK EMPEROR WILLS YOU SO! KILL HIM OR YOU SHALL NEVER AGAIN SEE YOUR LOV.. YOUR FRIENDS!" The skull was so disgustingly evil he could not even utter the words loved one. I had a plan though. The ghostblade was still in my hand and I looked at Alec who was thinking the same as me, and he edged me on slightly moving his head.

"yes, as you, desire, your WICKEDNESS!" I yelled loudly as I lunged the ghostblade deep into the Skull's mouth. I twisted the blade, and made sure to cut the fuck out of it. Once I was satisfied, I used my staff to fire its nice level of fire, molten lave and lightning simultaneously into its broken jaw. The Skull screamed loudly and shook the grounds, and erupted the volcanoes. Then cracks appeared all over it.

"Elphaba," it pitifully and fucking pathetically whispered, and then exploded in a black dust cloud that held its form of a skull.

The gate was open, but the trial was not over. This looked like Oz's sewers, waste water from the irrigation mixed with whatever Shell wanted was absolutely disgusting and deep, up to my knees. I picked Alec up and carried him on my back as I entered the lair and used my staff for good measure.