Oz: The Great and Powerful Junior Novel Disney Book Group (9 page)

C
HAPTER
T
EN

S THEY FLOATED
high above Quadling Country,
Oz took in his surroundings. It was a beautiful land, full of rolling hills and picturesque farms. To his right, Oz saw water pouring out of a large moss-covered rock, and to his left huge trees with large, leafy canopies that soared high into the sky. Sneaking a peek at Glinda, Oz smiled slightly. It figured that someone as beautiful as Glinda would live somewhere as beautiful as Quadling Country.

Turning his gaze forward he saw that they were approaching a castle. It was perched on a hill, its sides gleaming white. Several large towers rose into the air, their roofs a soft blue color that matched the sky.

The bubbles began to sink closer to the ground. As they did so, Oz noticed that hundreds of people had gathered on the road to the castle. And they were all cheering. “They’ve waited a long time for you,” Glinda said to Oz.

Oz returned his gaze to the people below. They all looked so happy and excited. They were cheering and shouting, racing to the city to greet him. Or, rather, who they
thought
he was. Oz plastered a smile on his face. This was all an act, and he could be a very convincing actor.

At last, the bubbles made their way into the castle’s courtyard. Gently, they dropped to the ground and then dissolved. The cheers grew even louder. “All hail Oz!” the crowd exclaimed.

“What, no fireworks?” Oz asked Glinda as she led them through the crowd.

“What are fireworks?” Glinda asked, confused.

Oz shook his head. “Remind me to show you sometime.”

They pressed on, the swarming crowd making it difficult to walk. As they drew closer to the steps leading up to the palace, Oz cleared his throat. This was all too much. He needed to come clean. He had to tell Glinda the truth. There was no way he could save her people from the likes of Evanora. Wouldn’t it be better to tell them now so they could run?

“Look,” he said, whispering to Glinda. “There’s something I should…well…I may not exactly be…” He paused. “A wizard,” he finished.

He waited for Glinda to scream or hit him or faint in shock. But she just smiled. “Yes, I know. At least, not any kind of wizard we were expecting.” She turned and waved at the crowd.

“You could tell?” Oz said, confused.

“Yes,” Glinda replied. “I can also tell you’re weak, selfish, slightly egotistical, and a fibber,” she said.

“I see,” Oz said, his ego bruised. “Anything you
don’t
know about me?”

“Whether you’ll save my people,” she replied.

Oz paused. He had just told her he wasn’t a wizard. He had no powers. And as she had clearly pointed out, he apparently had very few redeeming qualities. Turning to look at the crowd, he sighed. How was
he
going to save
them
?

Glinda began to make her way up the steps of the palace. “If you
make
them believe, then you are wizard enough,” she said, her voice quiet. “These are desperate times, after all. Can you make them believe?”

Reaching the top, she turned and looked out over the crowd. Oz turned as well. It seemed all of Quadling Country was there, and they were all looking up at him with eager and hopeful eyes.

“Will I still get the gold?” Oz whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

Glinda sighed and rolled her eyes. But she gave a small nod.

Oz smiled. He had told the truth. His conscience was clear. Now it was time for the show to go on. He raised his arms. “Good people of Oz!” he cried. “Your Wizard is here!”

And the crowd went wild.

Through the crystal ball, Theodora watched Oz and Glinda greet the Quadlings. She fought back tears as they waved to the crowd and exchanged smiles. They looked so happy. Just like she and Oz had been once upon a time.…

As another tear rolled down her cheek, Evanora entered the throne room. Seeing her sister’s weepy expression, Evanora rolled her eyes. “What’s the matter, sister?” she said with a sigh.

“Look at how happy they are,” Theodora said as she gazed into the magic crystal ball. “Do you think she’ll be his queen?” she asked sadly.

Evanora sighed. Her sister was so softhearted. It was such a waste of a witch. If only she would stop hemming and hawing over Oz and focus on helping her destroy Glinda. But no, she just stood there, staring at the ball, wishing she were living some silly happily-ever-after.

“Of course she’ll be his queen,” Evanora finally answered, causing Theodora to gasp. It was cruel, but if Evanora’s plan was to work, there could be no room for feelings. “Well, what did you expect?” Evanora said, leading her sister on. “You can’t compete with Glinda’s charms. No one can.”

More tears welled in Theodora’s eyes and she cried out in anguish. “Oh sister! It hurts!”

“It won’t cease hurting, so get used to it!” Evanora replied harshly. “Such is a broken heart. Your precious
Wizard
did that to you!!”

Evanora’s words bit into Theodora, breaking her heart anew. Was her sister right? Was this all Oz’s fault? Had he worked some sort of magic on her, causing her heart to swell and then explode so painfully?

“Make it stop!” Theodora pleaded to her sister.

Seeing the doubts flit across Theodora’s face, Evanora stifled a smile. This was just what she wanted. “I can help you, sister,” she said, her voice growing more gentle. “But you must help me in return.”

Theodora looked up, her eyes red and swollen. “How?” she asked.

Sensing that her sister was on the verge of breaking, Evanora reached out her hand gently. “Come, sister,” Evanora said as she led Theodora into a separate room. Slowly, Theodora placed her hand in Evanora’s. Her fate was sealed.

Evanora had been waiting for this moment a long time. Soon, the Land of Oz would be hers once and for all. Settling Theodora at a table in her sitting room, Evanora went to work. She produced a vial of potion and carefully began to drip its contents onto a shiny green apple, drop by drop.

Slowly, Evanora put the vial down and held up the apple. It was ready. “One bite is all it takes. One bite, and your world will change forever. One bite, and your heart will become impenetrable. One bite, and you and I will finally share the throne. Unless you’d rather see Oz and Glinda there.…”

The last of Theodora’s doubts vanished. Grabbing the apple out of her sister’s hand, she took a savage bite.

Immediately, the potion began to work. Searing pain ripped through her body. She felt a fire begin in her belly, and then her body convulsed as the potion rushed through her veins, straight toward her heart. She pushed back from the table, clutching at her chest as she let out a shriek. Then a wave of realization crossed her face and she looked to her sister, scared and confused.

“You’re the wicked one! Not Glinda!” Theodora said, still gripped by the pain. “Sister, you lied to me!”

“It’s nice, isn’t it? How clear everything becomes?” Evanora said, still calm as ever.

“What’s happening to me?” Theodora cried as another wave of pain washed over her body.

“Oh, it’s just your heart…withering away,” Evanora
said soothingly. “Fear not, Theodora, for soon you’ll feel nothing at all. Except beautiful wickedness.…”

Theodora gasped, fighting for air as her body and face continued to contort. The pain was unbearable. It had to stop! She couldn’t take much more. Suddenly, she sank to the floor, folding in over herself. As Evanora watched, her sister’s breathing slowed and then, slowly, she lifted her head.

Gone was the beautiful young woman with ruby lips and porcelain skin. Her button nose was now hooked and her dimpled chin was now long and pointy. And her beautiful skin was gone. She was now completely green.

Reaching up, Theodora felt her chin and nose. She stood up and made her way to a mirror hanging on the wall.

Evanora recoiled, disgusted by her sister’s new appearance. “Oh, sister. You’re
hideous
. Fear not, I can cast an enchantment, and you’ll look just the way you were.”

Staring at herself in the mirror, Theodora shook her head. “No,” she said. “This is who I am now. And I want him to see me like this, I want him to know that
he
was the one who made me this way.”

She stopped and touched her nose one more time, taking in her new, grotesque appearance. Then, she let out an unsettling cackle. Yes! Oz would see
exactly
what he had done. The old Theodora was gone. She was now the Wicked Witch of the West!

C
HAPTER
E
LEVEN

NSIDE
G
LINDA’S LIBRARY
,
the Good Witch paced back and forth. Time was of the essence. She needed to get Oz up to speed and prepared—fast. As she moved across the room, he lounged in a chair, an amused expression on his face.

“It’s imperative that you behave like the great leader they think you are,” Glinda said. “Morale is essential if we have any hope of defeating Evanora.”

“I assume you have a plan,” Oz said.

Glinda shook her head. “
You
have a plan,” she corrected. “You’re going to lead us into battle, and take back the throne.”

“I see,” Oz replied. “And do we have an army to do this?”

There was a pause, and then Glinda answered, “Of sorts.”

Oz narrowed his eyes. That didn’t sound promising.

And he was right. It wasn’t promising. Leading Oz outside, Glinda brought forth the assembled troops, if they could be called that, for his inspection. It was a ragtag group. First there were the Quadlings, who were farmers, not fighters. As they offered to bake bread, hoe land, and even make scarecrows, Oz felt his hope for an easy victory begin to fade.

Next up were the Tinkers. Unlike the Quadlings, who were short and stout, the Tinkers were tall, thin, and for the most part, decrepit old men. They had long white beards and pointy ears. Seeing the doubt in his eyes, Glinda spoke up. “What they lack in stamina, they make up for in ingenuity. The Tinkers can build
anything
.” Oz held back another groan. How could they
build things when half of them couldn’t hear and the other half looked like they could barely stand?

Glinda led Oz to the last group. “And finally, the Munchkins,” she said, gesturing to rows of little people dressed in very frilly clothes.

“Ah. You saved the best for last,” Oz said sarcastically.

The Munchkins all began to giggle.

“What did I say?” Oz asked, confused.

“Nothing,” Glinda replied. “They do that when they’re nervous.”

Perfect. That would be extremely helpful on the battlefield. “Do
any
of you fight?” he asked.

One of the Munchkin women stepped forward. “No,” she said. “But we can make pretty clothes.”

Then a Munchkin man spoke up. “Also, we sing.”

Without warning, the Munchkins broke into song and began to dance around the courtyard. “The prophecy was clear! The wind would bring you here! And so it was, a man named Oz, did magically appear!”

Oz watched, unsure of what to do. When the Munchkins started a second verse, Oz yelled to them to stop. The Munchkins instantly grew quiet…and then they all began to giggle again.

This was ridiculous. There was absolutely no way he was going to be able to lead any of these people into battle. “Wanda—” he began.

“Glinda,” she corrected.

He nodded. “
Glinda
, these are all lovely people, but do you honestly think they can kill a witch and an army of flying baboons?”

Glinda shook her head. “I don’t expect them to kill anyone.”

“What do you mean?” Oz asked.

“I mean, the good people of Oz are forbidden to kill, even in battle,” she answered.

Oz shook his head. Had he just heard what he thought he heard? Pulling Glinda aside, he leaned in close. “You want me to lead an army,” he whispered, “that can’t kill?”

She nodded. “If it was easy, we wouldn’t need a wizard, would we?” she said.

So the Witch’s army could kill but his army could not? He hadn’t expected this to be a walk in the park, but he didn’t think the odds would be so much in the enemy’s favor. And while Glinda had power, he was only a fake wizard.…

Suddenly, a Quadling woman screamed out and pointed up into the sky.

“Look! The Wall!” exclaimed a Munchkin man.

Oz and Glinda looked at the horizon. Sure enough, the translucent wall that protected Quadling Country was buckling as a glowing ball of fire pushed against it, causing the wall to sparkle and crackle.

“The Wicked Witch isn’t powerful enough to get through the Wall!” Glinda said, confused at what was happening.

“Looks like she’s managing,” Oz replied as the fireball intensified.

Glinda was silent for a moment, her face serious. “She’s not,” she finally said. “Not by herself she isn’t.”

“What does that mean?” Oz cried. “Is someone
helping
her?”

Glinda didn’t have time to figure that out now; she had to act fast to protect her people. “Everyone, take cover!” she yelled. “Hurry! Get the children to safety!”

Just then, Oz looked up to see the huge fireball burst through the wall—and it was hurtling straight toward them. Oz quickly pushed Glinda out of the way as the fireball smashed into the town square with a thunderous explosion. Smoke filled the center of the square, sending Munchkins, Tinkers, and Quadlings racing for cover.

When the smoke and fire cleared, Theodora stood in the rubble of yellow bricks that had been the town square. Her bright red coat was gone, replaced by a black dress and a tall, pointy black hat. She looked around at the crowd, which stared back at her fearfully. The Wicked Witch of the West had arrived.

“There’s so much good here,” Theodora said as she looked around. “It sickens me!” she hissed as the crowd recoiled in fear. “Still think your Wizard can save you? From the likes of
me
?” she asked. She sniffed the air with her long green nose then turned and lunged at a terrified Quadling. “Speak up, or I will tear out your tongue!” she ordered.

Oz was baffled. He thought he had met the Wicked Witch already. Was Glinda not telling him everything? “Now who is
that?
” he asked, leaning over and whispering into Glinda’s ear.

But his whisper wasn’t much of a whisper and Theodora heard every word. “Don’t you recognize me, Wizard?” the green woman asked. “Have I really changed so much?”

“Theodora?” Oz asked in disbelief. This woman could not be the lovely and innocent woman he had met in the forest. This woman was cruel and heartless…and very, very green.

“May I have this dance?” the Wicked Witch asked.

Then, with a wave of her hand, Oz was lifted off the ground. He spun in the air several times—over and over and around and around—as though twirling to unheard music.

“Theodora, stop!” yelled Glinda. “You’re hurting him!”

The Wicked Witch of the West glared at Glinda. Then, with another wave of her hand, the Witch sent Oz flying across the square. He landed with a thud on the cobblestones. Shaken and bruised, he looked up, his eyes filled with confusion and pain.

“Theodora?” Oz asked. “What…happened to you?” he stammered.

“YOU happened to me!” she roared, raising her hands as if to strike at him again.

But before she could, Glinda waved her hand, blasting Theodora with a powerful gust of wind. “This isn’t you, it’s your sister,” she said. “She worked her evil on you. I’d hoped you’d see through her.”

Theodora sneered at Glinda. “I never liked you, Glinda. It’s such a relief that I don’t have to pretend anymore!”

That was all that the Quadlings had to hear. The Witch might have tormented the Wizard, but the good people of Oz were not about to let this Witch speak against their Glinda. Grabbing a broom, a Quadling woman brandished it menacingly before the Wicked Witch. And soon, she was soon joined by other Quadling women, all of whom stood against Theodora. “Begone, Witch!” the woman with the broom yelled. “Before the Wizard makes mush of you!”

“You all believe in him,” the Witch began. “Well, so did I…once.”

“No, you just got the wrong idea—” Oz tried to explain.

“I opened my heart!” the Witch quickly retorted. “And you crushed it!” she said with an angry scream. Taking a moment to compose herself, Theodora continued. “That will never happen again,” she said to him before turning her attention back to Glinda and her people. “As for you, my pretty one, when I return with my sister and her army, the Yellow Brick Road will be red with the blood of every farmer, Tinker, and Munchkin in your kingdom,” she threatened.

“You underestimate us,” Glinda replied. “We are a strong and united people. Now the Wizard will lead us.”

But Theodora knew the truth about Oscar. “As for your Wizard,” she said to the crowd, “if he has not run away by tomorrow, he will be the first to die. And you will all see that he is nothing but a deceitful, selfish, and extremely mortal man.”

Theodora turned to the Quadling woman with the broom and grabbed it from her hands. “It was a broom you wanted, wasn’t it, Wizard?” she hissed. And with a loud cackle, she jumped on the broom and flew away, leaving a stunned crowd behind.

Glinda immediately tried to console the frightened crowd. “It’s all right, she’s gone now,” she said. “Don’t be afraid. Now that the Wizard is with us—” But her voice just trailed off. The Wizard named Oz was gone.

As soon as Theodora—who was now known as the Wicked Witch of the West—flew away, Oz took off too. Enough was enough. He had thought he was in over his head, but now he was certain. He had two Wicked Witches very angry at him, and one Good Witch with an army of people who couldn’t fight who expected
him
to fight their battle for them. He knew when the show was over—and this show was definitely over!

Racing into his room, he grabbed his satchel. He clutched it to his chest as he ran down a long hallway. But just when he was about to reach the large double doors that led to freedom, they began to open magically by themselves. Glinda was standing on the other side, hands on her hips.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked.

Oz let out a sigh. “Look, obviously there’s been a terrible misunderstanding.”

“You promised to help us,” Glinda said, cutting his protests off.

“I know, but I’m only making things worse!” he shouted, losing his temper. “Before you had one Wicked Witch, and now you have
two
.”

“That’s all the more reason to stay and fight,” Glinda said, unswayed.

The woman was infuriating! Was she so stubborn that she couldn’t see how bad off they were? They had an army of fossils and bumpkins. “I’d like to stay and help,” he finally said. “But I can’t.” He pushed past her, heading for the exit. “Good luck, Glinda.”