The Forest Aflame

Glinda

Jeanne shifted her shield as the pale dome dissipated, standing and letting loose one big exhalation before giving me a reassuring smile. I was impressed she still had so much energy, gripping Dorothy's arm and helping her to her feet as I gave Jeanne a wide grin. Our moment of camaraderie didn't last however, as I heard a faint gurgling coming from the direction of the now-massive hole in the clearing. I could've left Dorothy there, but I knew she wanted to see what happened next. I let her lean on my shoulder as we walked awkwardly to the hole, staring at the beast inside.

It had probably looked magnificent and horrifying. The horns at one point had probably been whole and majestic, the mane stained with blood and dirt might have looked regal instead of tattered and filthy. Its massive body might have inspired fear. But this was all speculation. I couldn't tell what this was supposed to look like.

The creature before me was a wreck. It groaned feebly, legs and arms twisted and pulverized into horrific mush. A massive tree root had separated the beast in half upon impact, what was left of the severed legs still twitching out of reflex. The crater had begun to cave in on itself, leaving the demon partially submerged in blood-soaked mud as it made piteous noises. It didn't look like a terrifying monster. It looked like a dying animal. My sword was buried in its side like a toothpick, leaving me relieved. I was worried it had been burnt to ash. I noticed Dorothy moving, and I turned my head slightly to see her shift her staff to the side. My sword plucked itself from the demons body, flying to my hand as I snatched It out of the air. My weapon secured, the entirety of the crater fell inward, the demon instantly buried among the dirt as the sides of the hole collapsed. Dorothy closed her eyes and gave a pained sigh, half exhaustion and half something else. Jeanne walked to the edge of the slightly deformed ground and held two fingers to her temple, before nodding.

"The evil is gone. The demon is slain."

I exhaled in relief, then helped Dorothy to a sitting position. The wizard secure, I promptly fell backwards into the grass, exhausted. Jeanne stood stoically above us both, staring around for any lurking danger, but I simply stared at her with a raised eyebrow until she finally sat down sheepishly. We sat there in silence for several minutes, breathing in the surprisingly fresh air and tranquil environment within the grove. I sat forward, addressing the witch about the close call we had just had.

"How come you didn't portal the monster farther away Dorothy? Could've dropped him anywhere, and it got a lot closer than it needed to be."

Dorothy stared into the sky, shifting into the face she made when she was about to give me a lecture.

"Teleport spells are notoriously finicky. Free teleporting is even worse, having to lock in three coordinates while also crafting the mana needed to secure the portal. I could do it of course, but I would need to plan it ahead of time, and I certainly wouldn't let the cast go on as long as it did."

She pointed at me, a small smile on her face.

"Instead, it's much simpler to teleport an object to a marked point. Then, all I needed to do was modify the height of the coordinate in order to get the beast airborne, and one sole variable is an easy enough task.

I pondered what she was saying before I realized why she had me rush the beast by myself, sitting up in exaggerated offense.

"You teleported it to me?! Damn Dorothy, you said you were supporting me, but if you were chanting that spell the whole time... you couldn't have helped me anyway!"

Dorothy gave a small shrug, smiling to herself as she leaned back on her elbows.

"An apprentice who cheats their own mortality is a lovely investment. All sorts of experimental spell applications become increasingly viable with death no longer a possible option."