Zeni raced up another winding stone stairway. Behind her, the monstrous swarm was gaining, their grotesque bodies clambering over each other in their rush to reach her. Despite the terrifying pursuit, she couldn't help but cast frequent glances down to the platform far below where Nighty remained, encased in an ocean of monster corpses.

Every passing second brought a fresh wave of horror. The armored titan was standing waist-deep in the massacred bodies, his fists rising and falling like hammers against a relentless anvil. His destruction was relentless and he was unyielding. But the true horror wasn’t his brutality. It was the incredible amount of monstrous bodies surrounding him, refusing to dwindle. The corpses multiplied faster than Nighty could reduce their numbers.

If I can draw enough of them away... she thought, casting her gaze back at the swarm tailing her. More and more of the monsters were breaking away from Nighty and joining the pursuit against her, attracted by her vulnerability. She could see the cunning in their beady eyes, the gleam of anticipation. They were hungry, and she was the perfect prey.

When she finally reached the top of the stairs, her breath hitched in her throat. There, across the wide platform, blocking her way to the next staircase, was an army of the creatures. They’d anticipated her, had gotten ahead, and were now awaiting her with malevolent grins stretching across their misshapen faces.

I need a plan... she thought. I can... I can...

But her mind was blank, the imminent danger clouding her thoughts. She took a moment to steady herself, inhaling deeply, feeling the Ka swirl inside her, warming her blood, preparing her for what was to come.

I have power, right? I can do this! Can I do this? I have to do this...

Zeni steadied her gaze on the monstrous army arrayed before her, the echoes of her own internal pep talk reverberating within her mind. She was a wielder of Ka, a future Rahhalah, gods willing. She wasn’t going down without a fight.

Okay, Zeni, think. Think! What have you got at your disposal? She considered quickly.

I have pluck! But that might not be enough… Wait! I’ve also got a bunch of creepy dark Ka flowing through me, so maybe that’s something? Ah, cripes, I need something more substantial. I shouldn’t be using that stuff anyway. After filtering it through the scarab…

Her mind stuttered.

I have that jade frog pin! What can it do?

Her thoughts raced as she put a barrier of flame between her and the monstrous swarm. They skidded and howled at the unexpected heat, providing her with a few precious moments of respite.

She reached up to the jade pin adorning her outfit and extended her senses towards it. The material world faded into the background as she dove into the depths of her Ka perception.

Where's the dang on switch for this thing?

Inside the pin, she sensed a life force. It wasn't human, nor was it like any creature she had felt before. It felt like marshy wetlands after a rain, like the exuberant life force of a creature yearning for the freedom to…fly? It was contained, dormant, and somehow...expectant. Zeni pushed further still, attempting to wrap her entire understanding around the force within. She felt something similar to a "catch," like a trapped spring waiting to be released.

Here goes nothing... she thought, and mentally released it.

With a flash of emerald green Ka, vibrant and wild like a swamp teeming with life, the jade frog pin burst into illumination. The light was nearly too bright to bear, and she squinted as she summoned forth…a shape.

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As the energy coalesced, forming into more defined features, she almost chuckled. Materializing before her was the frog from Heket’s realm—but it wasn't as small as she remembered. It stood nearly three feet tall, a giant compared to its earlier form, with the familiar orange spot adorning its back.

A heavy silence fell between them as the monstrous army momentarily forgot their pursuit, just as surprised as she was by this sudden turn of events. This, to her, was so absurd it was humorous. The frog turned its head to regard her with its bulbous eyes, its gaze unreadable.

In the midst of the chaos and danger, there was a moment of tranquility. The frog blinked slowly, its third eyelid sweeping across its eyes in that peculiar frog-like way, as if acknowledging the the situation.

Then, in a low, questioning rumble, the frog croaked at Zeni. It was a sound that reverberated in the massive space. Zeni stared back.

Where’s the manual for this thing?

She’d summoned a huge frog, but now what? There was still a moment of quiet before the horde, apparently quite uninterested in sitting around and waiting for something to happen, moved. Together they went back to their usual configuration of being terrifying and bloodthirsty, and began their monstrous charge. With a gulp, Zeni slowly pointed.

“Uh…” she started, not sure exactly what benefits the creature could offer. “...attack?”

Nothing happened.

“Sic ‘em?” she tried, but the frog just blinked back uncomprehendingly.

The monsters had almost reached them, and she was now nervous as could be. It was not her usual tactic to sit around and figure things out. She was always a woman of action.

“Uh… a little HELP!?”

At that moment, a notification blazed in front of her. The world around her slowed to a stop—which didn’t usually happen with these kinds of prompts. She stared at the words in front of her; perplexed.

Accessing the Medjai Codex.

Congratulations on your recent addition of a [Medjai - Amphibian] to your entourage. Now you may access certain abilities available only to those who have summoned their Medjai.

Without waiting for the rest of the notification to pop up, Zeni exclaimed, "A Medjai..? So you're not just a big frog, huh?"

The frog blinked at her lazily again. She sighed.

"This is helpful, Codex, but how does it, you know, help?"

She didn't expect an answer, but one popped up in front of her nonetheless:

Medjai - Amphibian Abilities:

* Adaptation: Allows for movement and survival in a variety of environments.

* Leap: Performs a high, long-distance leap. Can carry one ally.

* Marshy Veil: Spews a mist that obscures sight and dampens noise.

* Swamp's Embrace: Unleashes a wave of swampy Ka energy that ensnares and slows enemies.

* Tongue: A mid-level attack.

"Ah! Now that's useful!" Zeni exclaimed as she read through the abilities. She was so excited, she barely registered the monstrous horde closing in. But when the Medjai growled, a low, resonating croak, she turned to see the swarm just a few feet away.

"Oh! Uh, Medjai! Swamp's Embrace!"

The frog blinked at her one last time before it opened its mouth wide. From within, a dense, greenish mist spewed forth, blanketing the area around them. Immediately, the swarm slowed, their movements growing sluggish as they struggled against an unseen force. Zeni felt the ground under her feet turn damp and spongy, just like a marsh.

"Hah! It works!" She crowed. "Good work, uh, Medjie!"

But she figured the effect wouldn't last forever. They needed to get moving. As the Medjai croaked affirmatively at her, she peered into the green frog fog, considering her next move.

We need to get to Nighty. It’s going to take me forever to fight all these creatures. If I could just...

She looked down at the frog sitting placidly before her, and without any preamble, slid a leg over its back and rested her haunches on the surprisingly sturdy frame of the creature.

"Alright, let's do this. Medjie... Leap!"

The frog’s gaze seemed to sharpen at her command. It took a crouching position, its strong hind legs bunching under its bulk.

It gave a single additional croak, and Zeni could feel a thrumming of power underneath her. It was like the wild heartbeat of the marshlands, pulsating with raw, untamed Ka energy. The next moment, with a powerful flex of its legs, the Medjai leapt upward, shooting up like a rocket. Zeni clung onto its back for dear life, her stomach dropping as they soared higher and higher.

From their aerial vantage point, Zeni could see the massive stretch of the platform below, teeming with the monstrous swarm. It looked like a blackened, writhing carpet of nightmares, stretching out in all directions. Far, far below them, Nighty was a blur, his armored fists dealing death blows to any monsters that came near him. But they were too far away and far too high up for her to reach him.

The frog began to descend, plummeting back down towards the horde below. Fear constricted her heart. "Swamp's Embrace!" She yelled again in desperation.

Once again, the Medjai opened its mouth, releasing another cloud of the swampy mist as they descended. This time, it enveloped the creatures below, slowing their movements and buying them some time. As they neared the ground, the creature maneuvered its body, positioning itself to land amidst the chaos.

As soon as they landed, she yelled “Tongue!” and it launched into action, striking out with a whiplike reaction that slapped the encroaching monsters silly, some even exploding with the force of the concussive muscle. Zeni seized the opportunity, jumping off the Medjai’s back, and started a flurry of Ka-infused attacks, sending her own elemental invocations into the mix.

The Medjai, in tandem with Zeni, created a perfect storm of alamity, forming a protective barrier around them. The marshy energy from the frog mixed with Zeni's potency, intensifying their effect and giving Zeni the advantage she needed.

She could feel the exhaustion creeping in, but she gritted her teeth and pushed on, her focus solely on the battle at hand.

We might just get out of this yet.