No Place Like Home Read online

  Dorothy said as she moved her hand up her own body, and she was suddenly in that same ankle-length black robe with the red lining she had worn in battle the prior day. “Then shall we go hunting?

  A doorway will be opening soon.”

  Vermillion's eyes widened at that, and she said, “I must get home and prepare to fight for Oz.”

  Dorothy smiled so very fondly at the girl. I glanced out a window to see people gathering below, armed with a variety of weapons. Did they do that every day? Every able citizen of Oz went out to meet the enemy to fight for their land, even sweet Ver?

  With a wave, Vermillion Chrysanthemum was standing in bright green and yellow leather armor with gleaming red armor shoulder plates, a tube on her back with five sparking red javelins. Ver looked at herself in awe then up to Dot who just said, “It is the least I could do brave Munchkin.”

  Toto was pulling on a kimono as the flying monkeys started streaming out the windows. Fenriss landed beside me. I looked at my girl, then Dorothy, remembering the feeling of fighting next to Marie and how much more we could do with the three of us fighting together.

  I opened my mouth then shut it. It would be presumptuous to ask. Dorothy cocked an eyebrow almost playfully, “What is it, Parker.”

  I shook my head. “Nothing. Just thinking.”

  She exhaled long and slow in expectation, and I deflated. “I was thinking. Well, wondering really.

  You can twist the spells of others?”

  She inclined her head, and Toto stepped forward quickly with a warning look. “Parker...”

  I just asked. The worst she could do is say no, right? “I was just wondering if you could help us, and make it so that Marie could join us if even for just part of the day like Toto?”

  Like it was choreographed, Toto, Vermillion, and Fenriss all slapped their foreheads as Dorothy seemed to light up with a combination of glee and mischief. She shrugged and waved her hand. Marie came tripping out of Elle in a scarecrow costume. I blinked realizing Ella was dressed as the Tinman, I looked down to find I was dressed as the cowardly lion.

  I rolled my eyes as Ella complained, “You sodding manky bint,” as we hugged Marie almost desperately.

  Dorothy said, “If the three of you agree, you can separate for eight hours a day, but not a second more.”

  Antoinette chastised, “Dotty?”

  Dot turned to her, gave a cheesy grin then stole a quick kiss as she waved her hand and we were all dressed in what looked like Amazonian armor.

  Toni was whispering, “What did you do to them, you wicked woman?”

  Dot shrugged, looking smug.

  What? She did something to us? What?

  Vermillion was whispering in my ear, talking to me like I were an errant child, “Parker, you never ever ASK Dorothy of the Gale for anything. Don't ask and she will either bestow a gift upon you or she won't if a need is expressed. You best hope she wasn't in a playful mood when she just gifted you.”

  But she had done what I asked. They were just worried for no reason, right?

  Ver continued, “There have only been three others foolhardy enough to ask since the reign of Dorothy began.”

  She held up a finger. “Yorris, the candlestick maker, believed that since the Wizard of Oz had no successor because his heir, Princess Ozma, had died too young, that the eldest in Oz should be the rightful ruler. He asked Dorothy to make him the heir to the throne. She transformed him into the likeness of Princess Ozma, and then brought up the fact that even if Yorris were the real Ozma, he wouldn't be ruler anyway. The Wizard wasn't dead, just in another realm and had said she was to rule in his stead. The poor man can't stop from acting the part of a little girl.”

  She held up a second finger. “Jacklyn Primrose, a detestable excuse for a Munchkin, was nasty and jealous that her neighbor grew better pumpkins than her for the harvest fair. She asked Dorothy to let her grow the most perfect of pumpkins. We call her Pumpkinhead Jacklyn now.”

  She finished with, “That is why you never ASK for anything. And physically transforming a

  person requires the most magic and leaves a witch exhausted for days. That is how Dorothy was able to kill the Wicked Witch after she had transformed the brave Toto into a dog.”

  But hadn't Dorothy transformed those demons on the field of battle into goldfish? But in a flash of insight I realized that the others were living flesh, demons weren't. They were just artificial magic constructs that the thousands of tortured souls that made up each demon could inhabit. So it was no different than Dorothy morphing our clothing.

  While those were particularly wicked things to do to people, I found my curiosity piqued. “You said three.”

  She gave a sour face. “That would be Tipper Tapper, the performer, he had asked that everyone remember his name. Whenever anyone says Tipper in earshot, he... um... farts. And he feels compelled to introduce himself to all.” She pinched her nose.

  Dot said from between us, leaning in, her face inches from ours, smile bright as she whispered,

  “And everyone knows his name now don't they? Just like he asked?”

  I jumped. How long had she been there?

  She shrugged at me. “I've every intention of changing them all back, but not until this demon mess is done. They almost broke our lines the two times I transformed people. I was weak for days. With your help, maybe this can end, and I can fix my little jokes without endangering our defense. Well all but Tipper, I could dispell that at any time, but that stays, the man tried to cop a feel that day, and my ass belongs to Toto.

  I looked at Marie who was smiling and looking at her hands like it was the first time she had seen them, and Ella, looking so cute in her real body, then asked, “You didn't, umm... I mean, I didn't know you didn't like to be asked to use your power.”

  She shrugged and assured me, “I am in such a good mood today, I wouldn't worry... too terribly...

  much.”

  Why did that not instill confidence in me?

  She asked excitedly, like a child on Christmas morning, “So what do we do, spin you around and you beep and point?”

  God, that was close to what Ella had said when we first met. I wasn't some sort of tracking device.

  Bells interrupted us, hundreds, no thousands of bells in the city and beyond came echoing up through the open windows. I heard people calling out below, “To arms! The demons are coming, Old Man Dandelion's Meadow!”

  Dorothy snarled, “Fuck!” She looked at us then her girlfriend who was in dog form. Fenriss was slapping a harness with pouches around it over her and fastening it as Dorothy said to us, “Find that

  demon! Take Toto, she'll call me when you locate it. I must get to the front lines.”

  I almost pulled back when Toto grabbed my wrist in her huge jaw, Fenriss wrapped his tail around my waist as he grabbed Vermillion's hand. Seeing this, Marie and Ella quickly grabbed me in the nick of time as we found ourselves outside and being consumed by a tornado. It was odd, but I felt like we were part of that swirling tempest, and I wasn't afraid.

  Chapter 11 – Hunt

  We were whisked to the north at incredible speeds, and before I could get my bearings, we were deposited on the edge of a forest overlooking a meadow that was an ocean of yellow dandelions. At the far end was a gateway with demons spilling out.

  It was complete chaos.

  Munchkins, flying monkeys, porcelain people, and clockwork animals were already engaging the demons. It was shocking to me that all manner of creatures and people were streaming in with makeshift weapons. The people of Oz were valiant and determined. There were even some women, taller than Munchkins, throwing magic to divert the incoming demons. Witches? Were there more magic users than just the Cardinal Witches here?

  I heard a tiny scream, “Incoming!” and we ducked as a swarm of fairies flew just over our heads carrying a pot. They buzzed down over the chaos of battle and dumped the contents of the pot, an oily black pitch, onto a large demon who had just eviscerated a
couple munchkins with a swing of its tusks.

  Then I heard a tiny chorus of, “Fire!” and looked down. Swarming past our feet and toward the battle were hundreds of little white mice, all with tiny bows and flaming arrows. They let loose, and the tiny arrows seemed to glide on the wind and struck the demon, igniting the pitch, and the demon screamed in pain, thrashing around trying to put the flames out.

  I was absently wondering what kind of flame hurt demons from hell. That's when a mobile apple tree slammed a branch down on him, pile driving his head into the ground with a sickening wet crack.

  My god.

  The tree dove into the little stream going through the meadow, putting out the flames which had transferred to its limb from the strike.

  We started running for the portal, Ella and Marie pulling power into themselves, but Dorothy called out, “No! Find who is creating these portals. I've got this. This ends today!”

  She clapped her hands together, and the ground churned under the incoming stream of demons, and it flopped over, burying dozens of them alive.

  I was wondering if any survived until she clenched her fist and the ground compressed around her prey. I could hear cut off screams and the cracking of bone over the din of battle.

  A roar of cheers rose throughout the meadow. Dorothy's name was being chanted on the wind over the din of battle. I just got a glimpse of her face as she straightened and strode toward the portal like a wraith on the hunt. It chilled me to the bone. I could not only taste, but see the deep well of pure evil inside Dot, the emerald flames flickering in her eyes, and she was reveling in the glee of it. This was

  where she could let the wicked out and not feel ashamed of her actions. And it was frightening.

  I swallowed, and Toto barked once at me. I looked at our group and was stunned to see Vermillion pulling a javelin in a smooth motion and hurling it with a grace I envied. I watched the red javelin fly through the air above the battlefield in a smooth arc, over a hundred yards, to impale a goat demon who was strangling a flying monkey. When the demon fell, it resealed the monkey who inclined its head to her then turned to grab the javelin. It started impaling the demon over and over to assure its demise.

  Ver nodded back, growled, then turned to us.

  While I blinked, Marie pulled my attention to her. “Concentrate, my Parker.”

  I nodded as Ella started pulling up slabs of granite from the earth to contain the demons on our end as they approached, Ver readying another javelin. I closed my eyes and just let my senses go – flowing out to touch the world around us, and I gasped. There was so much magic everywhere. I gasped and staggered. Both Ella and Marie grabbed me to steady me.

  I whimpered and let go, “There's so much. I... can't.”

  We all watched as a little girl in a pretty blue frilly dress came running past, wielding two long knives and screaming in challenge as she darted down to the battle. Ella started after her to stop her, but Vermillion placed a restraining hand on her are and just said, “Yorris, the candlestick maker.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. Well, he did make a cute little girl.

  I turned back to our detachment and almost jumped, Toto was there right in front of me. Naked except the harness with the packs on it I just looked at her face as not to be distracted. She had no modesty. I guess I wouldn't either after a couple of centuries switching back and forth from dog form.

  She said in earnest, “Just concentrate on what you are looking for, Parker. Block out each thing that isn't it. Let it all fade back to background noise.”

  I cocked my head in question, she seemed certain I could do this. She shrugged and said, “It is how Dorothy keeps sane. She can... feel, all of Oz, at all times, and it would break her like in the beginning without learning how to filter it out. That little asshole Baum showed her how on one of his quick visits.” Then she was gone. I looked down at the huge, dangerous-looking dog with human eyes.

  Marie nodded encouragement to me as Ella suddenly flung her arms wide, sending a shower of lethal crystal projectiles slamming into nothing just feet away from us. They stuck, and black ichor oozed from where they hovered in the air that was warping just slightly.

  With a snarl, Fenriss launched himself through the air and landed on the distortion, shrieking and rending demon flesh with his fangs and spitting it out.

  Vermillion thrust the javelin in her hand into the middle of the suspended crystal shards and with a hiss a huge snake with pearlescent scales that writhed like faces contorted in pain, collapsed onto the

  ground, going still. Fenriss slammed his fists a few times on its skull for good measure before he hopped off the decomposing body to calmly walk back up to us, smiling with black ichor dripping off his fangs. I smiled hesitantly back at him, and that pleased him.

  I asked in wonder, “Ver, you're so proficient with those things. I thought you were a seamstress by trade.”

  She shrugged. “All people of Oz heed the call to arms. Every day for centuries we have come under attack by these vile creatures. We all stand with our Dorothy of the Gale and fight for Oz.”

  Then she shrugged cutely. “I've picked up a thing or two.”

  I wondered how long she had been doing this. The way she spoke sounded as if she had been around when the demons first came. She didn't look any older than me. Just how long did Munchkins live?

  I noted that the tube that held five javelins still held five as she pulled the third one out. Ella asked,

  “So Dorothy knows you? That you prefer javelins?”

  She shook her head and blushed. “Oh heavens no. This is the first time that the savior of Oz has spoken with me. She is a busy woman, keeping us all safe. She must have seen me fighting before and gifted me with these finely crafted weapons. I feel humbled that she had noticed me at all, what with all the valiant people who answer the daily call to battle.”

  Fenriss offered, “The Dorothy lady hass sseen you many timess, Vermillion lady. Your hair iss very disstinctive. You wield the javelin like a masster.”

  She blushed even redder, her skin almost matching her hair.

  Toto barked once, and I smiled down at her. “Sorry, I get distracted easily.”

  She whined and rolled her very human blue eyes.

  I almost chuckled as it was usually me who kept the Avatars on task back home.

  I closed my eyes and tried again. It was so chaotic when I reached out to touch the world around me. The raucous thunder of the battle below faded as I closed all my other senses and just concentrated on my ability to sense, to feel, to taste and smell magic.

  My sensitivity to it is what brought me together with my love... well, loves would be more accurate now that Marie walks the world with us now, if just for a short time.

  They steadied me again when I swayed as I was inundated by so much magic all around me, Marie giving my arm a squeeze in encouragement. I nodded to myself and listened to the magic. Most of it tasted so very bright and full of life, it was the magical fabric of Oz I realized.

  Gasping, I peeled it away, like I was pushing a heavy blanket down on me in bed. I took a couple breaths and centered myself, ignoring the weight of Oz bearing down upon my senses. I smiled at a

  familiar black magic glowing in my mind's eye, it was Marie, Ella, and me. The feel of something so familiar calmed me and let me look even farther.

  The vile taste of demon magic came to my tongue, and I grimaced at the pungent smell of it, tinged with the sulfur of its origins. It too was familiar, we had fought it often enough back in the mortal realm until we vanquished the greater demon, Styche.

  There was so much of it, though not as much as the bright spots in my mind's eye that was the people of Oz, fighting and dying for their land. I had to push that away again as I almost went mind blind at the bright seething mass of energy down there that was Dot.

  I mumbled, “There are so many.”

  I heard a scuffle around us and the familiar whump of Ella punching something with the power of the earth a
round us. Marie was there, whispering in my ear, her hot breath on my neck sending goosebumps racing across my skin. “Eet won't be here, my Parker. Reach beyond the battle. Look for something outside that doesn't belong. Oui?”

  I heard Toto growling, then snarl, and the sound of a demon screaming in the voices of the damned souls which it was comprised of. Then a snapping sound followed and a satisfied harrumph from Toto.

  I don't think I want to know what had just happened.

  I was endangering everyone by doing this on the fringes of the battle in the meadow here. I nodded, keeping my eyes closed as I started turning, looking at the blurs of magic moving in my mind.

  The darkness of the demons punctuating the bright background of life that was Oz. The purple haze of black magic around my girls... I froze when I was turned away from the battle. There, somewhere above us in the distance, a single unmoving mote of that darkness that exuded from the demons. I pointed.

  I opened my eyes, looking at the ridge not far away, overlooking the battle. I realized what I was doing and rolled my eyes as I said, “Oh hell. Beep beep beep... up on that ridge. There is demon magic there, I don't know if it is the demon we're looking for.”

  Toto's head swung up to the ridge, then she let out a long baying howl as she just started running toward it. We all ran with her, I could see her consternation that we were slower on our two feet than her on her four paws. Only Fenriss could keep pace with her as he flew above her, flapping his leathery wings.

  We dodged around a seething, screaming mass as we went. I blinked in shock when I saw it was thousands of ants, about an inch tall, dressed in revolutionary war looking uniforms all chewing a boar-like demon to death.

  An incoming wave of hundreds of Munchkins, armed with rakes and shovels and improvised clubs,

  split to allow us to pass through on our way to the ridge. They were all fearless. Not even the military in the mortal realm dared to go up against the demons there, usually leaving it up to the Avatars to handle them.