Return to the Land of Oz: The Second Adventure of Dorothy Gale in the Land of Oz

Chapter 1 How Queen Roquat conquered the Land of Oz

Once upon a time, in a distant era shrouded by the mists of legend, the Land of Ev stood defiantly across the desert from the mystical Land of Oz. This vibrant land was once under the iron-fisted rule of a despicable tyrant known as Evoldo, whose heart was as dark as the shadows of night. Yet, amidst his malevolence, he shared his court with a radiant queen and ten enchanting offspring—five gallant boys and five winsome girls. However, in a moment of seething rage, he bartered them all to the merciless Queen Roquat, a sorceress of unparalleled wickedness who reigned from her eerie fortress atop Nome Mountain, where a subterranean kingdom of gnome creatures toiled ceaselessly to unearth the world's treasures.

In exchange for this grim transaction, Roquat granted Evoldo the gift of longevity, sealing the fate of his beloved family. Through her twisted sorcery, she transformed the king's kin into ornaments, imprisoning them within her opulent chambers of her grand ornament collection. Overwhelmed by remorse for his heinous deed, the King of Ev attempted in vain to rescue his kin from Roquat's clutches, only to be met with a wall of impenetrable enchantments. Consumed by despair, he flung himself into the depths of a dark lake, surrendering to the icy embrace of its waters. Queen Roquat then took power over the entire Land of Ev.

With power over the Land of Ev, the malevolent queen's ambitions swelled like a tempest, her covetous gaze fixed upon the neighboring fairy lands, including the illustrious Land of Oz. Yet, her powers proved insufficient to conquer these lands, until fate intervened in the form of a serendipitous event. One fateful day, Dorothy's Ruby Slippers descended upon her mountain domain, bestowing upon her an unforeseen opportunity to realize her insidious dreams.

Amidst the shimmering aura of the ruby slippers, the malevolent Queen now possessed the formidable might to seize dominion over the mystical Land of Oz. With relentless determination, she embarked on her conquest, accompanied by the wicked witch Mombi from the Gillikin Country of Oz. Mombi, the clandestine guardian of the true heiress to the throne of Oz, the illustrious Ozma, concealed the lineage of the young princess after the fall of her father, King Pastoria. Following the usurpation of power by the sisters, Evanora and Zelphaba, Ozma was surreptitiously handed over to Mombi by the malevolent Evanora, to prevent her rightful ascension to the throne.

Raised in servitude by Mombi, Ozma remained oblivious to her royal lineage, kept in the shadows of her heritage. When the enigmatic Oscar Diggs from Omaha ascended to the throne of Oz as the fabled Wizard of Oz, he made dealings with Mombi to safeguard Ozma's secret, and never unveiled the secret of Ozma to his successor the Scarecrow, who had taken the throne when Diggs returned to Omaha.

When the tyrant Roquat seized dominion over Oz, Mombi cunningly delivered Ozma into her clutches, bargaining for a title as Princess and viceroy in the land of Oz. Roquat also granted the vain witch thirty exquisite heads, once belonging to a princess of the Land of Ev, to replace her own. In a bold and audacious move, Roquat swiftly brushed aside the conquered King Scarecrow, labeling him as nothing more than a stuffed figure never deserving of his royal station. Granting Mombi free rein, she permitted her to exercise her will over the hapless monarch. Without hesitation, she ensnared him within the towering confines of the palace, plotting to use him to start a bonfire. But destiny, with its capricious ways, had a different narrative in store. The indomitable Scarecrow, refusing to succumb to his fate, valiantly shattered his bonds, thwarting Mombi's wicked machinations before they could come to fruition.

Breaking free from his captivity, the Scarecrow embarked on an exhilarating escape, reuniting with his steadfast allies, the Tin Woodman and the Cowardly Lion. Their quest beckoned them back towards the southern lands of the Quadling Country, where they sought the wisdom and guidance of Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, who had helped them once before at the end of their first journey through Oz with Dorothy Gale. Though unable to directly assist the Scarecrow in his quest to reclaim the throne, due to his lack of royal heritage, Glinda delved deep into her mystical archives, fueled by intelligence gathered by her spies during the Wizard's reign. Unveiling a trail of secrets, she uncovered the Wizard's mysterious dealings with Mombi concerning the elusive Ozma, hinting at the young princess's hidden whereabouts. United by a common goal, the trio embarked on a daring odyssey to the Emerald City, determined to confront Princess Mombi and unveil the truth about Princess Ozma's fate, and put the elusive girl in her rightful place on the throne of Oz. Little did they know that their company would soon expand with the unexpected return of Dorothy Gale, who was destined to play a pivotal role in the unfolding saga of Oz...