Hello, my beautiful Darlings I'm here to give you a slight warning this chapter does have more cursing then previous chapters and also a little bit of a racist tone towards the Wicked Witch's family. Please if you feel offended I do apologize but it's something that needs to be added to the story due to the history between the two sides, especially with the war. Also, I brought another character from Heart of Oz, which is a story that I referenced in the first chapter. Please go read that story as well. It is a wonderful read even though it's not finished. That's all for my warning. I hope you guys have a wonderful day and enjoy this new chapter.

12

New Era

Off in the far reaches of Oz, a young man stands cloaked in black with skin a lovely shade of emerald green. He rubs a yellow brick with his foot before sighing. He remembers what his father said back with his court of followers,

~^0w0^~

" You want to WHAT, that is completely asinine my son. What are you thinking, they have been our enemy for centuries?"

The young prince stood there stone-faced as they threw insult after insult not letting him speak, but inside he was inflamed. His father speaks again

"Evermore my dear boy get your head out of the clouds, we will never unit with Oz after what they did to your aunts."

Evermore grimaced as he folded his arms

"Eliphie tried and failed to take over Oz. Elizabeth first off was terrorizing a small village and accidentally got killed by a magic mishap. You know she was not the best with magic and loses control of it all the time."

The old king slammed his fist down in rage.

"That's enough, you have embarrassed me for the last time now go to your room and don't you dare leave it till that ridiculous fantasy is out of your head."

~^0w0^~

Evermore looked back at the large magical green smoke cloud made by his father. He knew that there is no turning back, if they refuse to do what is needed to be done then he will. As dusk drew near he searched for a place to set up camp, in the distance he sees a large blue sign that reads "Munchkin Country". Evermore frowns takes in a deep breath before saying out loud

" I'm going to try my damnedest to fix my family's past no matter if they want me to or not. I can't let this go on anymore, there so much dread just caused by my power-hungry ancestors. Enough's enough, I just hope this Scarecrow The Wise is really as wise as they say he is."

He pulls his hood down as he prepares to sneak into Munchkinland, in the dark of night he slips through the houses till he stands in front of the mayor's home. With a nervous sigh, he knocks on the door and quickly covers the old man's mouth and quickly explains

"Please don't scream I'm here to warn you of the danger that's coming. You need to get all your people to the Emerald City as soon as possible, an army is coming and they will kill all who stand in their way."

Evermore removes his hand and is about to run back to the shadows but is stopped by the mayor's question.

"Who are you?"

The prince turns back the man and kneels down pulling back his hood.

"A man trying to set things right and fix what his family has done."

With that, he vanishes leaving the old man in the moonlight as the realization of what had happened fully formed. The Prince of Ewrevell just betrayed his own kingdom. His breath seeable in the cold air he says,

"A new era has begun it seems."

~^0w0^~

He lays in the grass legs sore from the two weeks of traveling on foot. Two nights ago he warned the mayor and saw the next day the village racing to prepare to leave with messengers running off to the other villages to warn them as well. Evermore smiles as the warm sun dances on his skin, he closes his eyes to rest a bit longer.

"One more day till the Emerald City."

He sighed, letting the warmth of the sun melt his worries away, until he feels a presence around him. When his eyes open he is met with weapons inches from his face. Four scouts stand before him with hatred in their eyes, Evermore smiled nervously

"Oh bloody fuck."

The first scout to speak was a male fox by what Evermore could guess is the leader.

"Don't you dare move. Your pretty far from home aren't ya greenie, what's your business here in Oz? You do know that we're currently at war with each other right?"

Evermore glares at him before responding in a cold tone.

"My name is Evermore, prince of Ewrevell and i came to turn myself over to the kingdom of Oz in hope to avoid this useless war. If you don't believe me check the emblem on my chest, and who are you?"

The fox uses his sword to reveal the golden emblem that shines on Evermore's chest. As he stares at the young prince he replies,

"I'm Sir Terryck of Oz, one of the King's personal guards."

The silence grows thicker before Evermore smiles and replies with

"Wonderful you can take me to see the King then can't you?"

Terryck is flabbergasted at the reply for a second before retorting

"As a prisoner then yes."

Evermore happy as can be smiles willfully

"It doesn't matter how I meet with him as long as it sooner than later, do what you have to do and lets go shall we."

They all stare at Evermore in wide wonder before the silence is broken by Terryck as he motioned to the smallest of the group.

"Cuff the weirdo."

Without a single complaint, Evermore followed the guards even though they were rough on him and the cuffs for a little bit tight. As they walked to the guards camp out he kept on smiling as if he was the luckiest man alive. By the day's end, he will be in the city and so much closer to stopping his father. The guard who cuffed him, a gray anthropomorphic bunny girl, with annoyance,

"Why are ya so damn happy being dragged to your possible doom."

Evermore turned to her with a charming smile,

"I have been walking on foot for the last two weeks. I can now get some proper rest sooner than expected."

Her ear twitched as questions filled her mind

"But you have magic don't ya, where is your broomstick?"

Terryck growls

"Stop talking to the prisoner Ciela."

Ciela's ears tuck down, Evermore waved it off

"It's alright, the thing is we don't have many magic users we are mostly Alchemist rather than Wizards and Witches. Elphilie, Elizabeth, and their brother are the few rare powerful exceptions."

They all stopped suddenly and Evermore continued to walk.

"You see there needs to be balanced with magic and I'm here to keep it that way. For every magic-user dies the next in their family line or a declared heir inherits their powers that's how my father got his and how I will soon get mine by my next birthday. Two days way"

Terryck aims his sword

"Why tell us this."

Evermore stares at the soldier

"I want to fix the damage they have done no matter what cost, me and my father …. Are the last in our bloodline."

Terryck places the tip of his sword to his throat.

"What stops us from killing you now."

Evermore stands firm

"My father can always have another child if I die. Killing me solves nothing for you."

The sound of the woods fills the air as they stand still then with a quick motion Terryck cuts the ropes that bond Evermore.

"You can help us get to the City faster not being bound, but if you dare betray this trust I'm placing on you, your dead where you stand."

Evermore smiles as he pulls his hood up

"Loud and clear"

With that they quickly get to the campsite and set up some horses for Terryck and Evermore while the other pack up everything.

~^0w0^~

Back in the Emerald City we met our heroes in the dining hall, Dorothy and Scarecrow just entered the room, trying to keep their act up. Glinda smirked as they walked in,

"You two took your sweet time"

Her eys never left and her smirked only grow as the two laughed nervously. Dorothy thinks fast as and replays with an innocent smile.

"Scarecrow was filling me on all the war deals for the next meeting."

Glinda gave a cringey smile to the lovebird's delight. As they took their sets, Nickol scooted closer to Dorothy smiling endlessly. As our heroine took Nickol's aperents closer then when they were in the study, her eyes widen. Nickol had short copper-colored hair and caramel skin that seemed to glow dotted with freckles. She had thick beige denim skirt worked down over time with her tools hanging from their hoops. Her white blouse was dingey and lightly stained with oil and rust-colored spots mostly on her flowy bell-like sleeves, she reached out her hand to Dorothy's surprise was a robotic prosthetic arm. Nickol gave off this warm and friendly ora that reminded her so much of Kansas's sun back in the days where the golden seas were endless, as she spoke her voice was smooth and so lively at the same time.

"I have heard so much about you from the boys, I definitely see way Scarecrow adores you so dearly."

Dorothy blushes lightly before giggling in a way that makes Scarecrow melts on the inside and he had to turn away in embracement and to stop his temptation to kiss her. Dorothy sighs light-heartedly as she replies

"I'm glad they still think of me even after all these years, I would love to hear more about you and Leona. How did you two end up falling for those lovable dorks"

The two ladys started to giggle as missives smiles and glances were shared while Tin and Lion became worried about what their loves were scheming to bring up. Before anything can be said a loud thud ringed through the dining hall asTerryck came rushing in with Evermore intoe. Terryck gasps for air as kneels before speaking.

"Your Highness, me and my men found out what is coming and a…"

When he realized that Dorothy was sitting there and what he had just interrupted, his mind goes blank. Terryck whispers loud enough to be heard,

"Dorothy Gale you have returned to us."

This caught Evermore's full attention, he steps forward and bows to her as he addresses her

"Miss. Gale I am Evermore Prince of Ewrevell, I am here to give myself to Oz in hope to end my family's tereny."

Scarecrow stands in a way that guards Dorothey from Evermore's sight, he steps closer to the kneeling prince before asking.

"By doing this you have betrayed your own kingdom, your home. Why would you leave your life behind for this chance of redemption?"

Evermore looks up to the straw king and speaks with all the pain in his heart.

"That place is no home to me, all my father and aunts wanted was power over everyone. I was seen more as a replacement for when one of them falls and if I died another would take my place. Thats what my father says my purpose in this family is till I get my magic and become ruler of a land I have concord, I am replaceable and will be killed onec one of my father's concubines bares a child or two."

Evermore raises to his feet and faces Scarecrow head on.

"I have been surrounded by their hate for all my life but not now. I want to be free even if that means risking my life for what's right."

Dorothy comes around them and grabs Evermore's hand as her nurturing side takes over.

"I'm sure with your help, we can end this useless war once and for all."

The warmth of her motherly smile smothered any doubt of his plans working, he smiled at his new allies. Though they are rightfully still wary of him, he feels at peace at last as he thought.

I'm so close to right these wrongs, this savor of OZ could also be my savor as well. It's funny, the so called "Murderer" of my aunts is so much nicer to me than any so called family. His vision starts to darken as days of malnourishment, dehydration, and stressful traveling catch up to him. His grip on Dorothy's hand tightened and her mothering instincts kicked in as he started to fall. She grabbed a hold of him as Scarecrow realized what was happening and called for the medic before helping her. The gang started gather around him as empathy overpowered skepticism, Evermore looked up seeing them once more.

We will win this no matter what.