The Wonderful LitRPG Wizard of Oz (LitRPG Classics Book 1) Page 5

  They found the forest very thick on this side, and it looked dark and gloomy. After the Lioness had rested they started along the road of yellow brick, silently wondering, each in his or her own mind, if ever they would come to the end of the woods and reach the bright sunshine again. To add to their discomfort, they soon heard strange noises in the depths of the forest, and the Lioness whispered to them that it was in this part of the country that the Kalidahs lived.

  “What are the Kalidahs?” asked the girl.

  “They are monstrous beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers,” replied the Lioness, “and with claws so long and sharp that they could tear me in two as easily as I could kill Toto. I’m terribly afraid of the Kalidahs.”

  “I’m not surprised that you are,” returned Dorothy. “They must be dreadful beasts. What level are they?”

  The Lioness was about to reply when suddenly they came to another gulf across the road. But this one was so broad and deep that the Lioness knew at once she could not leap across it.

  So they sat down to consider what they should do, and after serious thought the Scarecrow said:

  “Here is a great tree, standing close to the ditch. If the Tin Woman can chop it down, so that it will fall to the other side, we can walk across it easily.”

  “That is a first-rate idea,” said the Lioness. “One would almost suspect you had Intelligence in your head, despite the straw.”

  The Tin Woman set to work at once, and so sharp was her axe that the tree was soon chopped nearly through. Then the Lioness put her strong front legs against the tree and pushed with all her might, and slowly the big tree tipped and fell with a crash across the ditch, with its top branches on the other side.

  They had just started to cross this queer bridge when a sharp growl made them all look up, and to their horror they saw running toward them two great beasts with bodies like bears and heads like tigers.

  “They are the Kalidahs!” said the Cowardly Lioness, beginning to tremble.

  “Quick!” cried the Scarecrow. “Let us cross over.”

  Dorothy attempted a Knowledge Nature check but only discovered that the approaching enemies were both level ten. That was enough to know that to hope for victory was impossible, especially as they had no healer. Even the Tin Woman wouldn’t be able to tank them for long.

  Instead of wasting time in casting a spell, Dorothy ran onto the tree, holding Toto in her arms, the Tin Woman followed, and the Scarecrow came next. The Lioness, although she was certainly afraid, turned to face the Kalidahs, and then she gave so loud and terrible a roar that Dorothy screamed and the Scarecrow fell over backward, while even the fierce beasts stopped short and looked at her in surprise.

  But, seeing they were three levels higher than the Lioness, and remembering that there were two of them and only one of her, the Kalidahs again rushed forward, and the Lioness crossed over the tree and turned to see what they would do next. Without stopping an instant the fierce beasts also began to cross the tree.

  Dorothy began to cast and the Lioness turned to her and said:

  “We are lost, for they will surely tear us to pieces with their sharp claws. But I will fight them as long as I am alive and perhaps give you time to complete that spell.”

  “Wait a minute!” called the Scarecrow. He had been thinking what was best to be done, “we need to push our end of the tree into the chasm.”

  But even with the Tin Woman, the Scarecrow and the Lioness pushing as hard as they could while Dorothy chanted, the tree was stuck.

  “If only I could Rage,” groaned the Lioness.

  “If only I could sing an inspiring song,” mourned the Scarecrow.

  “If only I could cast Protection from Evil,” cried the Tin Woman.

  Just as the two Kalidahs were nearly across, the spell that Dorothy had been casting completed at last. It was a Stinking Cloud, placed on the monsters and covering the remainder of their path across the tree trunk. Retching and coughing, the Kalidahs had clearly failed their resistance checks and falling down Nauseated, rolled off the narrow tree trunk. Both were dashed to pieces on the sharp rocks at the bottom.

  You have killed two Kalidahs.

  XP +12,000

  “Well done, Dorothy,” said the Cowardly Lioness, drawing a long breath of relief, “I see we are going to live a little while longer, and I am glad of it, for it must be a very uncomfortable thing not to be alive. Those creatures frightened me so badly that my heart is beating yet, despite the impressive XP gain.”

  “Ah,” said the Tin Woman sadly, “I wish I had a Paladin Class to put those XP points into. Still, I can’t complain for I am nearly level three in Warrior.”

  “I wonder did they have loot on them?” Scarecrow peered over the lip of the chasm’s edge and although he thought that it would be easy for him to drop down to loot the dead, he also thought that it would be impossible for him to get up again.

  This adventure made the travelers more anxious than ever to get out of the forest; the wandering monsters were just too high level. The party members walked so fast that Dorothy became tired, and had to ride on the Lioness’s back. This proved to be a smart solution to speeding up their rate of travel, for Dorothy could cast Haste twice, depleting her mana for sixteen minutes of improved mobility. Then she could sit on the Lioness while her mana replenished.

  To their great joy the trees became thinner the farther they advanced, and in the afternoon they suddenly came upon a broad river, flowing swiftly just before them. On the other side of the water they could see the road of yellow brick running through a beautiful country, with green meadows dotted with bright flowers and all the road bordered with trees hanging full of delicious fruits. They were greatly pleased to see this delightful country before them.

  “How shall we cross the river?” asked Dorothy.

  “That is easily done,” replied the Scarecrow. “The Tin Woman must build us a raft, so we can float to the other side.”

  So the Tin Woman took her axe and began to chop down small trees to make a raft, and while she was busy at this the Scarecrow found on the riverbank a tree full of fine fruit. This pleased Dorothy, who had eaten nothing but nuts all day, and she made a hearty meal of the ripe fruit.

  But it takes time to make a raft, even when one has the Craft Wooden Item skill capped at 35, as the Tin Woman did, and when night came the work was not done. So they found a cozy place under the trees where they slept well until the morning; and Dorothy dreamed of the Emerald City, and of the good Wizard Oz, who would soon Teleport her back to her own home again.

  Chapter VIII

  The Deadly Poppy Field

  Our little party of travelers awakened the next morning refreshed and full of hope, and Dorothy breakfasted like a princess off peaches and plums from the trees beside the river. Behind them was the dark forest they had passed safely through, although they had suffered many discouragements; but before them was a lovely, sunny country that seemed to beckon them on to the Emerald City.

  To be sure, the broad river now cut them off from this beautiful land. But the raft was nearly done, and after the Tin Woman had cut a few more logs and fastened them together with wooden pins, they were ready to start. Dorothy sat down in the middle of the raft and held Toto in her arms. When the Cowardly Lioness stepped upon the raft it tipped badly, for she was big and heavy and the Tin Woman had only just made her crafting check; but the Scarecrow and the Tin Woman stood upon the other end to steady it, and they had long poles in their hands to push the raft through the water.

  They got along quite well at first, but when they reached the middle of the river the swift current swept the raft downstream, farther and farther away from the road of yellow brick. And the water grew so deep that the long poles would not touch the bottom.

  “This is bad,” said the Tin Woman, “for if we cannot get to the land we shall be carried into the country of the Wicked Witch of the West, and she will enchant us and make us her slaves.”

  �
�And then I should get no Intelligence restored,” said the Scarecrow.

  “And I should get no Rage,” said the Cowardly Lioness.

  “And I should get no Paladin Class,” said the Tin Woman.

  “And I should never get back to Kansas,” said Dorothy.

  “We must certainly get to the Emerald City if we can,” the Scarecrow continued, and he pushed so hard on his long pole that it stuck fast in the mud at the bottom of the river. Then, before he could pull it out again—or let go—the raft was swept away, and the poor Scarecrow was left clinging to the pole in the middle of the river.

  “Good-bye!” he called after them, and they were very sorry to leave him. Indeed, the Tin Woman began to cry, but fortunately remembered that she might rust, and so dried her tears on Dorothy’s apron.

  Of course this was a bad thing for the Scarecrow.

  “I am now worse off than when I first met Dorothy,” he thought. “Then, I was tied a pole in a cornfield, I could try to earn XP by completing the task of scaring away giant rats and crows, at any rate. But surely there is no use for a Scarecrow Bard without spells or abilities, stuck on a pole in the middle of a river. I am afraid I shall never have any Intelligence again, after all!”

  Down the stream the raft floated, and the poor Scarecrow was left far behind. Then the Lioness said:

  “Something must be done to save us. Although my Swim skill is only seven, I think I should try to swim to the shore and pull the raft after me, if you will only hold fast to the tip of my tail.”

  So she sprang into the water, and the Tin Woman caught fast hold of her tail. Then the Lioness began to swim with all her might toward the shore. It was hard work: she was so big and her checks were a mix of success and failure; but there were no fumbles, so by and by they were drawn out of the current, and then Dorothy took the Tin Woman’s long pole and helped push the raft to the land.

  They were all tired out when they reached the shore at last and stepped off upon the pretty green grass, and they also knew that the stream had carried them a long way past the road of yellow brick that led to the Emerald City.

  “What shall we do now?” asked the Tin Woman, as the Lioness lay down on the grass to let the sun dry her.

  “We must get back to the road, in some way,” said Dorothy.

  “And to our friend, the Scarecrow,” added the Tin Woman. “A Paladin… that is to say, a Warrior never abandons a companion.”

  “The best plan will be to walk along the riverbank until we come to Scarecrow again and after that, the road,” remarked the Lioness.

  So, when they were rested, Dorothy picked up her basket and they started along the grassy bank, to the road from which the river had carried them. It was a lovely country, with plenty of flowers and fruit trees and sunshine to cheer them, and had they not felt so sorry for the poor Scarecrow, they could have been very happy.

  They walked along as fast as they could, Dorothy only stopping once to pick a beautiful flower; and after a time the Tin Woman cried out: “Look!”

  Then they all looked at the river and saw the Scarecrow perched upon his pole in the middle of the water, looking very lonely and sad.

  “What can we do to save him?” asked Dorothy.

  The Lioness and the Tin Woman both shook their heads, for they did not know. So they sat down upon the bank and gazed wistfully at the Scarecrow until a Stork flew by, who, upon seeing them, stopped to rest at the water’s edge.

  “Who are you and where are you going?” asked the Stork.

  “I am Dorothy,” answered the girl, “and these are my friends, the Tin Woman and the Cowardly Lioness; and we are going to the Emerald City.”

  “This isn’t the road,” said the Stork, as she twisted her long neck and looked sharply at the queer party.

  “I know it,” returned Dorothy, “but we have lost the Scarecrow, and are wondering how we shall get him again.”

  “Where is he?” asked the Stork.

  “Over there in the river,” answered the little girl.

  “If he wasn’t so big and heavy I would get him for you,” remarked the Stork.

  “He isn’t heavy a bit,” said Dorothy eagerly, “for he is stuffed with straw; and if you will bring him back to us, we shall thank you ever and ever so much.”

  “Well, I’ll try,” said the Stork, “but if I find he is too heavy to carry I shall have to drop him in the river again.”

  So the big bird flew into the air and over the water till she came to where the Scarecrow was perched upon his pole. Then the Stork with her great claws grabbed the Scarecrow by the arm and carried him up into the air and back to the bank, where Dorothy and the Lioness and the Tin Woman and Toto were sitting.

  When the Scarecrow found himself among his friends again, he was so happy that he hugged them all, even the Lioness and Toto; and as they walked along he sang “Tol-de-ri-de-oh!” at every step, he felt so cheerful.

  “I was afraid I should have to stay in the river forever,” he said, “but the kind Stork saved me and if I ever get my Intelligence back, and with it my Bard spells and abilities, I shall find the Stork again and do her some kindness in return.”

  “That’s all right,” said the Stork, who was flying along beside them. “I always like to help anyone in trouble. But I must go now, for my babies are waiting in the nest for me. I hope you will find the Emerald City and that Oz will help you.”

  “Thank you,” replied Dorothy, and then the kind Stork flew into the air and was soon out of sight.

  They walked along listening to the singing of the brightly colored birds and looking at the lovely flowers which now became so thick that the ground was carpeted with them. There were big yellow and white and blue and purple blossoms, besides great clusters of scarlet poppies, which were so brilliant in color they almost dazzled Dorothy’s eyes.

  “Aren’t they beautiful?” the girl asked, as she breathed in the spicy scent of the bright flowers.

  “I suppose so,” answered the Scarecrow. “When I have Intelligence, I shall probably like them better.”

  “If I only had an Atonement, I should recover my feelings of love,” added the Tin Woman. “Then I would present these flowers to the boy of my heart.”

  “I always did like flowers,” said the Lioness. “They seem so helpless and frail. But there are none in the forest so bright as these.”

  They now came upon more and more of the big scarlet poppies, and fewer and fewer of the other flowers; and soon they found themselves in the midst of a great meadow of Poppies of Slumber. Now it is well known that when there are many of these flowers together their odor is so powerful that anyone who breathes it and fails their will save falls asleep, and if the sleeper is not carried away from the scent of the flowers, she sleeps on and on forever. But Dorothy did not know this, nor could she get away from the bright red flowers that were everywhere about; so when eventually she failed her will check, as was inevitable, her eyes grew heavy and she felt she must sit down to rest and to sleep.

  But the Tin Woman would not let her do this.

  “We must hurry and get back to the road of yellow brick before dark,” she said; and the Scarecrow agreed with her.

  Although only half awake, Dorothy could see the value of casting Haste on the entire party. That helped and they kept walking at the additional speed until after two uses of the spell Dorothy’s mana pool was exhausted and soon after, she found she could stand no longer. Her eyes closed in spite of herself and she forgot where she was and fell among the poppies, fast asleep.

  “What shall we do?” asked the Tin Woman.

  “If we leave her here she will die,” said the Lioness. “The smell of the flowers is killing us all. I myself can scarcely keep my eyes open, and the dog is asleep already.”

  It was true; Toto had finally failed his will save, despite a +6 Magic Resistance, and fallen down beside his little mistress. But the Scarecrow and the Tin Woman, both having the No Breath buff as a condition, were not troubled by the
scent of the flowers.

  “Run fast,” said the Scarecrow to the Lioness, “and get out of this deadly flower bed as soon as you can. We will bring the little girl with us, but if you should fall asleep you are too big to be carried.”

  So the Lioness aroused herself and bounded forward as fast as she could go. In a moment she was out of sight.

  “Let us make a chair with our hands and carry her,” said the Scarecrow. So they picked up Toto and put the dog in Dorothy’s lap, and then they made a chair with their hands for the seat and their arms for the arms and carried the sleeping girl between them through the flowers.

  On and on they walked, and it seemed that the great carpet of deadly flowers that surrounded them would never end. They followed the bend of the river, and at last came upon their friend the Lioness, lying fast asleep among the poppies. The flowers had been too strong for the huge beast and she had failed her resistance check only a short distance from the end of the poppy bed, where the sweet grass spread in beautiful green fields before them.

  “We can do nothing for her,” said the Tin Woman sadly; “for she is much too heavy to lift. We must leave her here to sleep on forever, and perhaps she will dream that she has restored her Rage at last.”

  “I’m sorry,” said the Scarecrow. “The Lioness was a very good comrade for one so afflicted. If only she had Rage, she would have been immune to the effect of the poppies. But let us go on.”

  They carried the sleeping girl to a pretty spot beside the river, far enough from the poppy field to prevent her breathing any more of the poison of the flowers, and here they laid her gently on the soft grass and waited for the fresh breeze to waken her.

  Chapter IX

  The Queen of the Field Mice

  “We cannot be far from the road of yellow brick, now,” remarked the Scarecrow, as he stood beside the girl, “for we have come nearly as far as the river carried us away.”