“Why?” asked Dorothy.
“Because if you did not wear spectacles the brightness and glory of the Emerald City would blind you. Even those who live in the City must wear spectacles night and day. They are all locked on, for Oz so ordered it when the City was first built, and I have the only key that will unlock them.”
He opened the big box, and Dorothy saw that it was filled with spectacles of every size and shape. All of them had green glasses in them. The Guardian of the Gates found a pair that would just fit Dorothy and put them over her eyes. There were two golden bands fastened to them that passed around the back of her head, where they were locked together by a little key that was at the end of a chain the Guardian of the Gates wore around his neck. When they were on, Dorothy could not take them off had she wished, but of course she did not wish to be blinded by the glare of the Emerald City, so she said nothing.
Then the green man fitted spectacles for the Scarecrow and the Tin Woman and the Lioness, and even on little Toto; and all were locked fast with the key.
Then the Guardian of the Gates put on his own glasses and told them he was ready to show them to the Palace. Taking a big golden key from a peg on the wall, he opened another gate, and they all followed him through the portal into the streets of the Emerald City.
Chapter XI
The Wonderful City of Oz
Even with eyes protected by the green spectacles, Dorothy and her friends were at first dazzled by the brilliancy of the wonderful City. The streets were lined with beautiful houses all built of green marble and studded everywhere with sparkling emeralds. They walked over a pavement of the same green marble, and where the blocks were joined together were rows of emeralds, set closely, and glittering in the brightness of the sun. The window panes were of green glass; even the sky above the City had a green tint, and the rays of the sun were green.
There were many NPCs—men, women, and children—walking about, and these were all dressed in green clothes and had greenish skin. They looked at Dorothy and her strangely assorted company with wondering eyes, and the children all ran away and hid behind their mothers when they saw the Lioness; but no one spoke to them. Many shops stood in the street, and Dorothy saw that everything in them was green. Green candy and green popcorn were offered for sale, as well as green shoes, green hats, and green clothes of all sorts. At one place a man was selling green lemonade, and when the children bought it Dorothy could see that they paid for it with green pennies.
“Shall we check the shops to see if they have any spells I could buy?” wondered Dorothy.
Scarecrow nodded eagerly. “Or magic items.”
“But we have no money to buy them with,” the Tin Woman pointed out.
“I’m sure those gems were evil,” muttered Lioness.
There seemed to be no horses nor animals of any kind; the men carried things around in little green carts, which they pushed before them. Everyone seemed happy and contented and prosperous.
The Guardian of the Gates led them through the streets until they came to a big building, exactly in the middle of the City, which was the Palace of Oz, the Great Wizard. There was a soldier before the door, dressed in a green uniform and wearing a long green beard.
“Here are strangers,” said the Guardian of the Gates to him, “and they demand to see the Great Oz.”
“Step inside,” answered the soldier, “and I will carry your message to him.”
So they passed through the Palace Gates and were led into a big room with a green carpet and lovely green furniture set with emeralds. Both Dorothy and Scarecrow gave the jewels an appraising look, then shared a glance.
The soldier made them all wipe their feet upon a green mat before entering this room, and when they were seated he said politely:
“Please make yourselves comfortable while I go to the door of the Throne Room and tell Oz you are here.”
“What a marvelous tapestry.” Scarecrow took the Tin Woman’s arm and turned her to face the wall.
Dorothy moved towards a delicate chair whose leather covering was fastened down with pins whose heads were emeralds. Taking a seat she pulled and twisted at them to no avail. As she weighed up the possible consequences of risking casting a Magic Missile in order to try to dislodge an emerald, the soldier returned. Hurriedly, Dorothy stood up and asked:
“Have you seen Oz?”
“Oh, no,” returned the soldier; “I have never seen him. But I spoke to him as he sat behind his screen and gave him your message. He said he will grant you an audience, if you so desire; but each one of you must enter his presence alone, and he will admit but one each day. Therefore, as you must remain in the Palace for several days, I will have you shown to rooms where you may rest in comfort after your journey.”
“Thank you,” replied the girl; “that is very kind of Oz.”
The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, “Follow me and I will show you your room.”
So Dorothy said good-bye to all her friends except Toto, and taking the dog in her arms followed the green girl through seven passages and up three flights of stairs until they came to a room at the front of the Palace. It was the sweetest little room in the world, with a soft comfortable bed that had sheets of green silk and a green velvet counterpane. There was a tiny fountain in the middle of the room, that shot a spray of green perfume into the air, to fall back into a beautifully carved green marble basin. Beautiful green flowers stood in the windows, and there was a shelf with a row of little green books. When Dorothy had time to open these books she was disappointed not to come across any new spells, but found them full of absurd green pictures that made her laugh, they were so funny.
In a wardrobe were many green dresses, made of silk and satin and velvet; and all of them fitted Dorothy exactly. A Detect Magic, however, revealed nothing unusual about them.
“Make yourself perfectly at home,” said the green girl, “and if you wish for anything ring the bell. Oz will send for you tomorrow morning.”
She left Dorothy alone and went back to the others. These she also led to rooms, and each one of them found themselves lodged in a very pleasant part of the Palace. Of course this politeness was wasted on the Scarecrow; for when he found himself alone in his room he stood stupidly in one spot, just within the doorway, to wait till morning. It would not rest him to lie down, and he could not close his eyes; so he remained all night staring at a little spider which was weaving its web in a corner of the room, just as if it were not one of the most wonderful rooms in the world.
The Tin Woman lay down on her bed from force of habit, for she remembered when she was made of flesh; but not being able to sleep, she passed the night moving her joints up and down to make sure they kept in good working order. The Lioness would have preferred a bed of dried leaves in the forest, and did not like being shut up in a room; but she had too much sense to let this worry her, so she sprang upon the bed and rolled herself up like a cat and purred herself asleep in a minute.
The next morning, after breakfast, the green maiden came to fetch Dorothy, and suggested the young Sorceress dress in a gown made of green brocaded satin. Dorothy also put on a green silk apron and tied a green ribbon around Toto’s neck, and they started for the Throne Room of the Great Oz.
First they came to a great hall in which were many ladies and gentlemen of the court, all dressed in rich costumes. These NPCs had nothing to do but talk to each other, but they always came to wait outside the Throne Room every morning, although they were never permitted to see Oz. As Dorothy entered they looked at her curiously, and one of them whispered:
“Are you really going to look upon the face of Oz the Terrible?”
“Of course,” answered the girl, “if he will see me.”
“Oh, he will see you,” said the soldier who had taken her message to the Wizard, “although he does not li
ke to have people ask to see him. Indeed, at first he was angry and said I should send you back where you came from. Then he asked me what you looked like, and when I mentioned your silver shoes he was very much interested. At last I told him about the mark upon your forehead, and he decided he would admit you to his presence.”
Just then a bell rang, and the green girl said to Dorothy, “That is the signal. You must go into the Throne Room alone.”
She opened a little door and Dorothy walked boldly through and found herself in a wonderful place. It was a big, round room with a high arched roof, and the walls and ceiling and floor were covered with large emeralds set closely together. In the center of the roof was a great light, as bright as the sun, which made the emeralds sparkle in a wonderful manner.
But what interested Dorothy most was the big throne of green marble that stood in the middle of the room. It was shaped like a chair and sparkled with gems, as did everything else. In the center of the chair was an enormous Head, without a body to support it or any arms or legs whatsoever. There was no hair upon this Head, but it had eyes and a nose and mouth, and was much bigger than the head of the biggest giant.
As Dorothy gazed upon this in wonder and fear, the eyes turned slowly and looked at her sharply and steadily. Then the mouth moved, and Dorothy heard a voice say:
“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?”
It was not such an awful voice as she had expected to come from the big Head; so she took courage and answered:
“I am Dorothy, the Small and Meek. I have come to you for help.”
The eyes looked at her thoughtfully for a full minute. Then said the voice:
“Where did you get the Silver Shoes?”
“I got them from the Wicked Witch of the East, when my house fell on her and killed her,” she replied.
“Where did you get the mark upon your forehead?” continued the voice.
“That is where the Good Witch of the North kissed me when she bade me good-bye and sent me to you with a Protection from Evil,” said the girl.
Again the eyes looked at her sharply, and they seemed to accept she was telling the truth. For Oz then asked in a more conciliatory tone, “What do you wish me to do?”
“Teleport me back to Kansas, where my Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are,” she answered earnestly. “Although your country is so beautiful and full of interesting adventures, mobs and treasure, I am sure Aunt Em will be dreadfully worried over my being away so long.”
The eyes winked three times, and then they turned up to the ceiling and down to the floor and rolled around so queerly that they seemed to see every part of the room. And at last they looked at Dorothy again.
“Why should I do this for you?” asked Oz.
“Because you are level fifteen and must surely have the Teleport spell; because you are a Great Wizard and although I have reached level eight, most of my skills are still at their level one cap.”
“But you were strong enough to kill the Wicked Witch of the East,” said Oz.
“That was extraordinary luck,” returned Dorothy simply; “I could not help it.”
“Well,” said the Head, “I will give you my answer. You have no right to expect me to Teleport you back to Kansas unless you do something for me in return. In this country everyone must pay for everything he gets. If you wish me to use my magic power to send you home again you must do something for me first. Help me and I will help you.”
“What must I do?” asked the girl.
“Kill the Wicked Witch of the West,” answered Oz.
“But I cannot!” exclaimed Dorothy, greatly surprised. “I might be level eight, but I’ve only got five spells in my spell book.”
“You killed the Witch of the East and you wear the Silver Shoes, which bear a powerful charm. There is now but one Wicked Witch left in all this land, and when you can tell me she is dead I will send you back to Kansas—but not before.”
The little girl began to weep, she was so much disappointed; and the eyes winked again and looked upon her anxiously, as if the Great Oz was saying that he would help her if he could.
“I never had the opportunity to kill anything in Kanas,” she sobbed. “And I’m so underpowered here for my level. Even if I wanted to, how could I kill the Wicked Witch? If you, who are Great and Terrible, cannot kill her yourself, how do you expect me to do it with only five spells?”
“I do not know,” said the Head; “but that is my answer, and until the Wicked Witch dies you will not see your uncle and aunt again. Remember that the Witch is Wicked—tremendously Wicked—and ought to be killed. Now go, and do not ask to see me again until you have done your task.”
Dorothy rallied herself and looked at the Head, whose eyes shifted away uneasily. “Can you at least give me more spells for my spellbook? You must have… oh… fifty, a hundred even, at your level. Fireball, Lightning Bolt and Summon Monster IV would all be very useful…”
“Stop! You have heard my instruction. Go now and ask for nothing until you have killed the Witch.”
Sorrowfully Dorothy left the Throne Room and went back where the Lioness and the Scarecrow and the Tin Woman were waiting to hear what Oz had said to her. “There is no hope for me,” she said sadly, “for Oz will not send me home until I have killed the Wicked Witch of the West; and that I can never do. I’m sure she’s a boss fight that needs a whole raiding party.”
Her friends were sorry, but could do nothing to help her; so Dorothy went to her own room and lay down on the bed and cried herself to sleep.
The next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Scarecrow and said:
“Come with me, for Oz has sent for you.”
So the Scarecrow followed him and was admitted into the great Throne Room, where he saw, sitting in the emerald throne, a most lovely Lady. She was dressed in green silk gauze and wore upon her flowing green locks a crown of jewels. Growing from her shoulders were wings, gorgeous in color and so light that they fluttered if the slightest breath of air reached them.
When the Scarecrow had bowed, as prettily as his straw stuffing would let him, before this beautiful creature, she looked upon him sweetly, and said:
“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible. Who are you, and why do you seek me?”
Now the Scarecrow, who had expected to see the great Head Dorothy had told him of, was much astonished; but he answered her bravely.
“I am only a Scarecrow, stuffed with straw. I have been Cursed and Polymorphed, and I come to you praying that you will restore my Intelligence so I can regain my Bard abilities. And while there are tactical advantages to being made of straw, I think I’d like to resume my body and be just like any other human male in your dominions.”
“Why should I do this for you?” asked the Lady.
“Because you are wise and powerful, and no one else can help me,” answered the Scarecrow.
“I never grant favors without some return,” said Oz; “but this much I will promise. If you will kill for me the Wicked Witch of the West, I will bestow upon you a Dispel Magic to remove the curse, and moreover a Headband of Intellect, since even with your Bard abilities restored, you will want to avoid the penalties on certain skills that come with a low Intelligence.”
“I thought you asked Dorothy to kill the Witch,” said the Scarecrow, in surprise.
“So I did. I don’t care who kills her. But until she is dead I will not grant your wish. Now go, and do not seek me again until you have earned the Intelligence you so greatly desire.”
The Scarecrow went sorrowfully back to his friends and told them what Oz had said; and Dorothy was surprised to find that the Great Wizard was not a Head, as she had seen him, but a lovely Lady.
“All the same,” said the Scarecrow, “she was unfriendly and thought only of killing the Witch.”
On the next morning the soldier with the green whiskers came to the Tin Woman and said:
“Oz has sent for you. Follow me.”
So
the Tin Woman followed him and came to the great Throne Room. She did not know whether she would find Oz a lovely Lady or a Head, but she hoped it would be the lovely Lady. “For,” she said to herself, “if it is the Head, I am sure I shall not be given an Atonement, since a head has no sense of romance and therefore cannot feel for me. But if it is the lovely Lady I shall beg hard for an Atonement, for she is more likely to be kindly hearted.”
But when the Tin Woman entered the great Throne Room she saw neither the Head nor the Lady, for Oz had taken the shape of a most terrible Beast. It was nearly as big as an elephant, and the green throne seemed hardly strong enough to hold its weight. The Beast had a head like that of a rhinoceros, only there were five eyes in its face. There were five long arms growing out of its body, and it also had five long, slim legs. Thick, woolly hair covered every part of it, and a more dreadful-looking monster could not be imagined. It was fortunate the Tin Woman had no heart at that moment, for it would have beat loud and fast from terror. But being only tin, the Tin Woman was not at all afraid, although she was much disappointed.
“I am Oz, the Great and Terrible,” spoke the Beast, in a voice that was one great roar. “Who are you, and why do you seek me?”
“I am a Warrior, and made of tin. I lost my feeling of love and broke a young man’s heart along with my Paladin Code of Conduct. I pray you to give me an Atonement so that I can restore my Paladin class.”
“Why should I do this?” demanded the Beast.
“Because I ask it, and you are a ruler over divine casters who can grant my request,” answered the Tin Woman.
Oz gave a low growl at this, but said, gruffly: “If you indeed desire an Atonement, you must earn it.”
“How?” asked the Tin Woman.
“Help Dorothy to kill the Wicked Witch of the West,” replied the Beast. “When the Witch is dead, come to me, and I will then make you the highest level and kindest Paladin in all the Land of Oz.”
So the Tin Woman was forced to return sorrowfully to her friends and tell them of the terrible Beast she had seen. They all wondered greatly at the many forms the Great Wizard could take upon himself, and the Lioness said:
The Wonderful LitRPG Wizard of Oz (LitRPG Classics Book 1) Page 7
