"I don't want that! I want the other one!" Qalo attempted to snatch the Murky Clarity potion from Franny's grasp, but the young noble retreated a step, clutching the potion protectively.
"No way!" Franny objected. "Take Talax's instead!"
Talax shot an irritated glare at Franny. When Qalo turned towards him, Talax raised his hand threateningly, wiggling his fingers. "Don't even think about it! I'll splash you with my Clear Water spell!" The half-orc grimaced and backed down. Qalo’s irrational aversion to his spell, which provided them with a fresh water supply, turned the big orc into a docile lamp, eager to please and agree to his demands.
"Besides, I'm the one who discovered the potions! I get to keep one. So, either take the green one or don't take anything at all!" Qalo glared with his small eyes and responded with a huff. "Then nothing at all!"
Talax shrugged and pocketed the small vial. Unfortunately, Franny decided to offer his opinion on the matter. "You should consider taking it; it might prove useful. Plus, it matches your skin tone. Maybe one day you'll want your skin to turn greener to attract a mate of your own!"
Talax groaned as he watched Qalo's cheeks puff up in indignation. "I don't need a potion to attract a mate! I am perfectly capable..." His words were drowned out by an explosion. All three spun around, trying to locate the source of the disturbance. Further explosions echoed from deeper within the swamp. Not far from their location a big fight was taking place.
"I guess we've found your uncle," Talax remarked, and Franny nodded in agreement. "Let's go. We better see what your dear uncle was up to while we were away."
They followed the sounds of battle for several minutes. While they waded through the swamp Talax experimented with his new toy, only to find out that the water totem had enough mana again to establish a connection with. Initially he was confused but then he realized that the totem worked with mana. In reality it operated as a second mana core. As long as it had mana, Talax could use it, if the mana ran out then it was a simple trinket.
When he had initially used it, the leader toad had already drained its reserves. Later, when Talax had cast his spell, he had consumed what little mana the totem had managed to accumulate. Now, with some time having passed, the totem had partially refilled, enabling Talax to establish a connection. He refrained from casting any spells, preserving the mana in case they needed it when they reunited with the rest of the group.
The sounds of the ongoing battle suggested an intense conflict. However, Talax was confident that whatever Edward and his adventurers were up against wouldn't pose a serious threat to them. As they drew closer, new noises diverted their attention.
"Is that what I think it is?" Ferdinand asked with wide eyes.
"Again?! I'm so fed up with those slimy creatures," Qalo lamented as a chorus of croaks echoed throughout the swamp. The intensity of the noise and the multitude of voices made him uneasy. They had already killed scores of those creatures, and yet, for the first time, Qalo felt his bones tremble from the intensity of the croaks.
"What's happening?" Franny asked anxiously, his eyes wide. In silent agreement, all three quickened their steps, eager to uncover the source of the mysterious sound. They didn't have to wait long. After passing a cluster of small trees, an astonishing sight greeted their eyes.
All three stopped in their tracks, trying to wrap their heads around what they were seeing.
A small city had appeared before them. The buildings were constructed using an intriguing combination of natural materials, all easily provided by the surrounding, murky environment. Wooden planks, roughhewn, formed the framework of the structures, their aged surfaces spoke of neglect and lack of experience. Dried mud was used to fill the gaps, serving as glue for the flimsy wood. Hole ridden branches served as support beams, curving dangerously as if ready to collapse at any moment.
Woven vines extended from the buildings, connecting them with delicate bridges that spanned the area like intricate spiderwebs. These flimsy pathways seemed to defy gravity as they crisscrossed through the damp, misty swamp, creating a complex network. Lush, creeping greenery adorned every available surface, further blending the settlement with the eerie world that surrounded it.
Toad warriors were perched on sturdy constructions that encircled the settlement fiercely guarding their home amidst the shadows of the swamp. From their vantage points, they rained down a barrage of various projectiles, darts, mud bombs, and thorny vines.
Edward and his crew were fighting outside the fortifications a small army of toad warriors, laying waste to the small creatures effortlessly. The humans were barely using any of their abilities, simply using their weapons to carve out a path towards the settlement. Occasionally, someone would use an area of effect ability when they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of their attackers.
However, amidst this battle, one figure stood out and captured their attention, leaving Talax utterly astonished. An enormous Toad, unlike any they had ever seen, stood at the base of what appeared to be the entrance to the Toad Settlement. This colossal creature was of an astounding size, rivaling that of a small elephant. Its massive body was adorned with rolls of fat, giving it an appearance of being slow and sluggish.
The most captivating feature of this Toad was the sack that hung around its neck. With every croak it let out, this sack expanded and contracted, creating a powerful and mesmerizing effect. The water around the king toad churned from the sheer force of its croaks, creating ripples that seemed to resonate through the entire settlement and the dark, misty swamp beyond. It became evident that the smaller Toads in the settlement responded to their king's cries, and with each croak, new waves of attackers were dispatched to attack Edward's group.
This King Toad was undeniably the ruler of the Toad Settlement, standing tall amidst the shadows of the swamp. Adorning its oversized head was a simple but aged wooden crown, comprised of branches that had lost their vibrancy over the years. In its fat, wrinkled neck, the king toad wore a beaded necklace, like the ones he had seen on its smaller brethren. However, Talax realized with shock that these were not ordinary beads, like the ones he had seen on the toad warriors, but they were essence beads. Just like the ones he had hidden deep in his pack.
"Should we help?" Franny asked with uncertainty, while Talax continued to gape at the astonishing scene before him. Edward and his group appeared to be holding their own, but the Toad king's presence cast a shadow of unease over Talax. The massive toad seemed to be merely giving orders to his subordinates, concealing his true power for now.
Callum was positioned on a small island far from the battle, launching arrow after arrow at the ranged warriors atop the barricade. Vesperine remained unseen, leaving a trail of dead bodies as evidence of her presence. Walter, in the midst of the battlefield, moved with a surprising grace, his small sword adopting a crimson sheen that sizzled and left scorching marks on his targets.
Edward had infiltrated the ranks of the toads, cutting down the small creatures with each swing of his sword. His path led him directly towards the Toad King, who observed the battle with the inner enlightenment of a cow.
Despite the formidable strength of Edward's group, the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. Talax found it difficult to decide where to focus his attention. The chaos of battle made it challenging to discern where their help was needed the most.
"We should join the fight," Talax shouted over the deafening chorus of croaks. His friends nodded in agreement and began running as swiftly as the water would permit. The water level in the swamp appeared to have dropped near the settlement, but it still hindered their progress.
Their presence did not go unnoticed, and as they approached, a group of toad warriors broke away from the main force, brandishing their wooden swords threateningly. Beside Talax, Qalo scoffed and gripped his hammer. Franny, however, did not pause to engage the oncoming threat and instead made a beeline and sprinted towards the settlement, no doubt trying to reach his uncle.
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Talax unsheathed his sword and drew a deep breath to steady his nerves. The toad warriors surged toward them like an unrelenting wave. They were attacking with headlong ferocity without a sense of hesitation or intelligence, just pure animal instinct.
Talax engaged in the familiar dance of battle, one he had grown intimate with. He felt sharp pokes and stinging pains in various places on his body, and his protective ability, Armor of the Deep, activated, bathing him in a soft, blue light. However, he didn't allow the sensation to distract him.
He slashed and hacked at the diminutive creatures until all he could see was their green blood. He fought alongside the large orc, hearing distant shouts, explosions, and the despairing croaks, but his focus remained firmly on the immediate task.
He had no idea how long he and Qalo battled the little monsters, or how many he had felled with his blade. At some point, he felt a burst of mana from leveling up, but he couldn't spare the time to address it. Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand to clear some of the blood, he glanced around.
They had finally vanquished the toad warriors that had come for them, but the rest of the battle seemed unaltered; the toad numbers had barely diminished as more of the creatures leaped down from the barricade, joining the fray and bolstering their forces. Additional toad leaders had appeared atop the wooden barricade, leaping around in a frenzied dance.
At that moment, he noticed the water surrounding Walter begin to churn and move in an impossible manner. Four whirlpools formed around him, trapping him in a confined space. The toad warriors he was contending with didn't seem to be hindered by the aquatic traps as they effortlessly jumped over them. Callum loosed an enchanted arrow, striking down one of the toad leaders, killing it instantly. The whirlpool vanished, but before long, another toad leader took its place and summoned a fresh whirlpool.
Callum's attack drew the attention of the ranged warriors, and they began raining darts and other projectiles down on the bowman. In an attempt to evade the attacks, Callum had to leap and dive to the side, leaving Walter to fend for himself.
Observing the situation, Qalo placed his hands to his mouth and shouted, "I'm going in. The little man could sure use some help!" Talax nodded and waved him away.
Talax sheathed his sword and unstrung his bow, activating Explosive Arrow and infusing mana into his shot. He took aim at the barricade, focusing on a cluster of ranged warriors who were targeting Callum to alleviate some of the pressure on him.
He released the arrow, watching as it struck the wooden structure with a resounding boom. Toads were sent flying through the air, and a section of the wall sustained damage from the mana explosion, with chunks of wood and dried mud falling into the water below.
Talax nodded in satisfaction and continued to shoot at the ranged warriors. He fired arrow after arrow, depleting his limited supply, but he understood that only he and Callum could help thin the ranks of the toads positioned high on the barricade, who were constantly causing problems for the rest of their group.
Amidst the chaos, he heard a triumphant yell and spotted a furious Edward activating an ability that made his sword shimmer with the blue hue of mana. He swung his greatsword in a wide arc, causing the toads in a large area around him to practically disintegrate from the attack, leaving only destruction in his wake. Edward didn't stop there, lunging forward with his still-glowing sword to deal another devastating blow on a nearby cluster of toads, with a triumphant shout escaping his lips.
Edward's triumphant shout drew the attention of the toad king, who had been calmly observing the battle until that moment. Witnessing so many of his kin being felled in a single sweep prompted the toad king to react for the first time. The enormous creature stood up, revealing its imposing bulk. Its head grazed the top of the wooden entrance it had been blocking with its body. The toad king's eyes underwent a swift transformation, shedding their placid look for one of fierce determination and lethal intent.
Talax felt the ground beneath his feet tremble as the toad king took its first step. The creature croaked with such force that its bellow drowned out all other sounds in the dark swamp. The sheer power of its cry created a small crater around it as the water struggled to escape.
Another bead of sweat trickled down Talax's spine as the creature took another menacing step, dominating the battlefield with its presence. Qalo's voice reached his ears, and he saw the half-orc battling against two dozen creatures. The small toads had overwhelmed his friend, crawling all over his body and mercilessly stabbing him with their wooden swords, leaving behind open, bleeding wounds.
"A little help!" Qalo's cry was barely audible as toad warriors clung to his face, attempting to poke out his eyes.
Seeing his friend in distress, Talax slung his bow onto his back and began casting a spell. The agonizing five seconds it took to cast Fog of Mystica felt like an eternity. He watched the creatures swarming all over Qalo, leaving behind a trail of blood. His friend's skin had lost its green sheen from the loss of blood, appearing sickly and pallid. When the dense fog began to envelop his friend, Talax let out a sigh of relief. The cacophony of croaks of distress filled the air as the bewildered creatures tumbled from Qalo and into the water, their grip loosened by the confusion brought on by the magical fog.
Talax didn't stop there; he started casting Stone Spike again and again until the number of the creatures thinned, and he was sure that Qalo would be able to finish off the rest of the attackers. Then, he shifted his attention to the ranged warriors, whom he had made a personal vow to eliminate. He cast Stone Spike again, but to his dismay, the spell couldn't reach the barricade; he was too far away.
With some hesitation, he decided to move closer to his targets, crossing several meters and positioning himself at the edge of the battle. A few warriors spotted him and launched an attack. Talax swiftly retrieved his sword, activating his ability, Mighty Blow. Mana surged into his hand, boosting his attack, and he swung his sword in an overarching arc. His blade collided with the two nearest creatures, reducing them to a mangled mess of goo.
He continued to engage the toad warriors, but his attention was drawn away by a disgusting sound. His gaze instinctively shifted toward the source of the noise. He saw the Toad King doubling over, webbed hands clutching his knees as if in distress. For a moment, Talax was confused, wondering if Vesperine or someone else had wounded the creature.
Then, he heard a rumbling sound coming from the Toad King, as if the creature was having stomach problems and was about to throw up. In that moment, the toad king raised his head and opened his mouth. A ball of green-black liquid shot forth from his mouth and sailed through the air. The sphere crossed the battlefield and came to rest in the center of the swamp. With a loud splash, the large ball broke off into five smaller orbs.
All eyes in the dark swamp were fixed on the five small orbs, which shone like miniature suns. The next instant, the orbs began to rain down drops of a poisonous liquid. Cries of distress filled the air as Talax's allies came in contact with the poison, which caused festering wounds and corroded metal in its wake.
The Toad King had effectively turned the gloomy swamp into a festering pool of poison in an instant, as the toxic substance seeped into the water, causing it to turn a sickly green hue. The toads appeared to be immune to the poison, but everyone else, including Talax, felt its effects. Fortunately, Talax remained at the edge of the fight, beyond the immediate area of the five orbs' influence. However, the water around him had already changed, adopting a noxious green tint from the constant rain of poison. He experienced a stinging sensation on his legs, and felt his body weaken from the draining effect.
Surveying the scene, he saw everyone being affected, particularly Edward and Franny, who were closer to the Toad King. Their armor showed signs of corrosion, as if they had been bathed in acid, and small wounds on their skin continued to worsen with each new wave of poison rain.
Franny managed to dispatch the few toad warriors still standing nearby and joined his uncle. They exchanged a few words and began advancing toward the Toad King together.
It didn't take long for the Toad King to notice them. He croaked angrily, and the force of his cry made Franny's blond hair whip around violently. Edward killed a toad warrior with a flick of his wrist and then cut in two, the toad leader next to him. Franny, however, was struggling against a small group of warriors next to Edward, huffing and puffing from the effort. Both nobles were too engrossed in their own battles to notice the presence of the Toad King.
The massive creature raised a webbed paw to his neck, forcefully tugging and freeing one of his essence beads. With effortless precision, the Toad King hurled the small bead in front of the two humans, who remained oblivious to its presence. The bead submerged into the water, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, a brilliant black light shone from the depths of the swamp, causing both nobles to cry out in surprise, their surroundings plunged into disorienting blindness.
The Toad King wasted no time and seized the opportunity, opening his mouth wide as an impossibly long tongue lashed out. Talax felt his breath catch in his throat as he watched the slimy tongue extend for meters on end, hurtling straight at the two nobles. Edward seemed to regain his bearings at the last possible moment. He spotted the elongating appendage hurtling towards them and, for an instant, locked eyes with his still-blind and bewildered nephew.
Talax desperately wanted to shout, to yell at the older noble to jump out of the way. However, Edward didn't do that. Instead, he seized Franny and, just as the monstrous tongue was about to strike, he used Franny as a shield.
Talax stood frozen in place, his eyes wide and his mouth agape in mute shock. The sound of bones crunching and metal whining filled the air as the tongue crashed into his friend with the force of an enraged mountain. He watched Franny's unconscious body sail through the air and crash into the poison-tinted water, disappearing from sight right before his eyes.