Amphibia: Record of Ragnarök
By Jawmaxe
Chapter One: Light into Darkness
AN: Bold words are meant to be read as if they are voice by the male narrator in Record of Ragnarök
I don't own any character except the OC's I made for this story
She just needed one more. One more breach from the realm now called Amphibia. There lust for conquest had aided her by weaken this barrier, but those three girls had pushed it to the brink. Soon she would be free from this prison, free to enact her plan. The being trapped in to void between realms would have her vengeance against the so called three stones deity that exposed her, the humans who abandoned her, and most of all her fellow gods that imprisoned her. "They will all pay!"
The sun shined brightly as Sprig dusted off a stone tablet. "Ivy! Polly! Come here! I found something!" The trio had flow on Sparrow Joe to a recently discovered island between Amphibia and the continent discovered last year. Over their heads was a giant tree root that formed an arch.
"What is it Sprig?" Ivy asked.
"Look here. Beneath the writing this tablet shows not only frogs, toads, and newts but also these figures look like…humans. Polly, get that age detector of yours!"
"Operating my inventions for you is the only reason I came on this trip. Seriously, this is supposed to be you guys' honeymoon. I don't want to think about what you two do at night." Polly said pulling out a what looked like a cross between a metal detector and a giga-counter.
"What can I say? We wanted to go on an adventure." Ivy giggled.
The machine beeped and the screen flashed. "Woah!"
"So, defiantly older than Hop Pop." Sprig said.
"More like ten times older than Andrias!" Polly said.
"That means humans must have been here before the music box was ever made!" Sprig then pointed out some other figures. "These humans look like they are coming out from the roots of this tree, in fact it looks exactly like that root. I wonder what it means. And what about this guy?"
"A human with wings growing out is his back?" Ivy asked.
"Everyone looks like they're bowing to him." Polly added. "I don't like it."
Sprig took a picture with the phone Anne left him. "I wish we could show this to Anne, let her know how we all are doing."
Ivy hugged her husband. "We all miss her, Sasha and Marcy too."
Polly looked up to the sky. "You got to wonder what they are doing right now."
At the same time in Los Angeles Anne was waiting for Sasha and Marcy at a local park. "I can't wait to share the big news with them." Anne smiled looking her new engagement ring.
"Anne!" She turned to see her best friends coming to her. Marcy of course tripped into a bush. "I'm okay!"
"So, you said you have a big surprise for us? I doubt it's bigger than mine." Sasha said.
"Oh, oh, I have one too!" Marcy added. "On three. One, two, three…."
"I'm getting married!" The three women all said at once showing their rings.
"Wait, all of us? You two didn't say anything about your love lives." Anne asked.
"Neither did you." Sasha pointed out. "So come on girl, tell us about the guy swept our best friend off her feet.
"Well, we've been dating for a year, and I wanted our time together with you focused on us. You guys will like Daniel. He'll be here soon. We met at a coffee shop when they got our orders mixed up, we started talking, found out we both play tennis and things just seemed to flow from there. My parents love him, and he even started helping the Thai community. He's an EMT so, while we saved two worlds, I can't help but admire that he tries to save lives every day. The only time I ever seen him angry was he couldn't help someone. When he asked me to marry him, I thought I was dreaming."
"That is so cute!" Marcy said. "Sounds like how me and Tony met. It was at last years' Super Con, while it is so cool that I got my own panel it was hard to enjoy the rest of the con without being asked for my autograph every five minutes. Luckily, I had a cosplay ready of Glitter Pink from that anime about a superhero and a super villain who fell in love but try to hide their romance from everyone…anyway I tripped as usual, but I was caught by Tony who was cosplaying as Glitter Pink's love the Raven Knight. Tuns out we liked the same games, movies, and books. He even understood me when I started talking about computer systems and science. He works for Nasa! His dream is to go into space someday. We just seem fit together. Actually, he came with me on this trip!"
Sasha chuckled. "Sounds like you two are living in a romcom. Things between me and Lucas wasn't the smoothest start, at least from my side. I was in a music competition for some fun. Lucas DJ'd his way passed me to first place. Well, you know me, I wasn't happy. However, for Lucas he said for him it was love at first sight, his laid-back attitude about the whole thing made me even angrier so I said no to his offer of a date. I would have been happy to never see him again but when a college of mine found a music store that was willing to help me with my music therapy program to help keep kids out of trouble… it was his store. I was about storm out and find some other place and he just had to say I look cute when I'm mad, so we worked together. He kept asking me out so I just figured one date and it would be done but he was just so…sweet. One date became two, four, before I knew it, I was asking him to marry me. Lucas' easy-going nature balances me in a way that no one else ever had before. Lucas is the Yin to my Yang."
"Someone say my name?" Lucas was a thin man with red hair. He wore a black tee shirt, blue jeans and a pair of shades.
Sasha was surprised. "Lucas? I thought you said that you were going to see your family and tell them about our engagement."
"Well about that…"
"How has it been Lucas?" a man with blonde hair and goatee, grey shorts, and a green shirt with planets on it said. He also had a laptop case.
"Hey Tony!"
"Wait you two know each other?" Marcy was confused.
"Hope I'm not late." The third man had jet black hair, a red jacket with a white shirt, and black pants.
"Danny!" Marcy and Sasha's fiancés said.
"Okay, Daniel what is going on here?" Anne asked.
"Anne, remember when I said that today after I would meet your friends you would get to meet my brothers?" Daniel smiled before giving Anne a kiss on the check.
"No way."
"Yep, Fraternal triplets actually." Tony said.
Lucas laughed. "Yeah, when Danny shared with us that photo you showed him from your birthday last year and we saw our fiancés in it, it wasn't that hard to figure out what happened and an opportunity for a prank like this was just too good to pass up." Sasha growled. "Yep, still so cute when you're mad babe."
Sasha then grabbed his collar. "Jerk." She said before kissing him on the lips.
Marcy then began to think out loud. "Wait, Tony when we get married your brothers will be my brother in-laws…girls you realize what this means?"
It took a minute for Anne to process what Marcy meant. "Oh, my Frog! We're going to be sisters!"
The three friends got into a hug and screamed like they were in their teens again. "Frog huh? You must have picked up that habit in Amphibia." Daniel said.
"Of course, you told him." Sasha moaned. "Can't blame you, Anne. I did the same thing."
"Me too." Marcy said.
Tony sighed. "I was trying to figure out the truth of the Frogvasion for years. Then I find out the woman I love was in the center of it."
"So, like Daniel you two aren't freaked out about it?" Anne asked.
"Eh, not really. We get it was a big part of your lives." Lucas said.
"Yeah, and our family lineage makes us more open to the…unusual." Daniel added.
"Wait, Danny you got Mom's permission to talk about that?" Tony asked.
Daniels face soured. "The last time I talked to Mom was right after Dad died in that car crash Tony. We're grown men, we don't need her permission for anything! When was the last time she spoke to either you?" Both of Daniel's brothers looked away.
"Uh, I think I accidentally opened a can of family drama." Anne said sweating. "You have trouble with your mom?"
"She was away all the time for…work. We barely saw her. Dad raised us." Daniel answered.
"And she isn't easy to get along with. Bad temper and a mouth that would make a sailor blush. She's a do as I say not as I do kind of mom." Tony explained.
"Bro…" Lucas took off his shades. "I get it. She hurt you. She hurt all of us. But you know her reasons. Look you know I'm the most chill guy around. But when I say you need to take something seriously you know I mean it. So seriously, it's been five years. It's time we let it go."
Anne wanted to do something, anything to help her beloved. "I don't know what happened between you and your mom. But one thing my adventure made me realize that while we don't always understand why our parents do the things they do, most of the time it's for our benefit. At least how they see it. Maybe if you ask her for permission to share this secret then she'll see you're trying to reconnect. Will you try and call her please? After all, she's going to be part of my family too."
"For you Anne, anything." Daniel gave Anne a kiss. "Okay, first let's head out to dinner together then the guys and I will talk to Mom while you ladies do what you want."
"I vote for movie night!" Marcy cheered.
Anne was very happy. She was going to marry the love of life and her best friends were going to be her new sisters. The only things she wished for now was to share this joy with her family in Amphibia and to know this family secret of Daniel's.
Back in Amphibia. "Sprig does Anne's phone have a translation app?" Ivy asked. "Polly's translator isn't coming up with much from the tablet. But I figured if humans are on it then maybe this written in some old human language."
Spring snapped his fingers. "There may be one. Anne did say most of the apps that weren't game were preinstalled trial stuff she never got around to deleting." Spring scrolled a few screens. "Here! Translate R free edition. Wait a minute I got scroll through this legal junk annnnnnnd agree!"
"Spring, you didn't read any of that."
"Yeah, Anne said people do it all the time."
"I just hope you didn't just agree to give a human company our first born."
Sprig sweated. "Uhhhh. Wait, it got something. These seem to be old Nordic runes. It's just giving one direct translation and few examples of other words."
"With some reprograming that should be all I need." Polly said. "We should have translation by tonight! I know I'm brilliant."
Later that night on earth. "Okay, you girls have good time." Daniel said outside of Anne's apartment building.
Anne smiled. "You bet. Daniel, no matter what your mom might say I love you."
"I love you too. I'll see you at the Roast 'n Toast for coffee tomorrow."
"Lucas, I'll be counting the hours until were together again." Sasha said.
"And I can't wait until then." Lucas replied.
"Tony, I'll meet you for breakfast at the hotel tomorrow. My Raven Knight." Marcy blew him a kiss.
Tony made like he caught the kiss. "Look forward to it, my Pink Glitter."
After the girls went inside the brothers turned into an alley. "You do remember how do this right Danny?" Lucas asked.
"Of course, I do." Daniel said pulling out a piece of chalk.
"The sad thing that the girls would be most accepting of seeing this." Tony said as the drawing of a large tree whose roots formed a doorway was finished.
Yggdrasil, the tree whose roots and branches reach out to all reality. With this tree the gods can travel to any continent, any planet, any dimension. Only the Divine or those who serve them may use it.
Together the three men spoke the spell. "Yggdrasil, Tree of Worlds, In the name of the gods I bid you, open the door. Valhalla!" A portal opened at the roots and as soon as they were through, it and the drawing vanished.
The three now walked the halls of Valhalla, the realm of the gods. "Just like I remember it." Daniel whispered.
"Hey, you think after we tell the girls the truth, they can meet our aunts?" Lucas asked.
"All twelve? Might want to ease into that. My cheeks get sore thinking about them sometimes." Tony rubbed one of cheeks.
"Will you two be serious?!" Daniel snapped trying to keep his voice down. "Remember people like us aren't exactly welcome here!" He then looked around a corner. "We're in luck. A friendly face."
The three approached a young girl with purple hair wearing a brown jack and black shorts with straps to a single pant leg. "Hey Aunt Goll. Been a while." Tony said.
Goll turned around. "Wow! Daniel, Lucas, Anthony. You've all got so big! You're taller than me!"
"Well, it was middle school when we last saw you." Lucas chucked.
"Wait! You can't be here!" Goll began to panic. "There is going to be a full assembly of the Council of Valhalla tomorrow! The place is crawling with gods! If they find mortals here…"
"We know. Mom told us a thousand times how the gods can be with that whole "wrath" thing." Daniel said. "But we need to talk to our mother. It's important Aunt Goll."
"Well…if we avoid the private chambers, we should be okay for now. Follow me." They followed Goll to a room where a beautiful woman with long black hair, a long white dress, and a gold hair clip in the shape of a wing sat at a desk. "Uh, Brunnhilde. Big sister, your sons are here to see you."
Brunnhilde stood up turned to see them. "I told you three to never come back here."
"Good to see you too Mom." Daniel said sarcastically. It was clear out of the three brothers he was the one who had to strongest resemblance to their mother.
"The answer is still no!"
"Woah, Mom! It's not like that." Lucas said.
"Yeah, it's actually some good news!" Tony turned to his brother. "Tell her Danny."
Daniel took a deep breath. "Look I get it. We were grief struck teens barely out of high school when Dad died. You couldn't take us to whatever afterlife he went to without raising some big red flags. And yes, I'm still angry that except for that spell to bring us here you never even tried to teach us any the powers of the Valkyrie! But like Tony said this isn't about any that. We each found someone we want to spend our lives with. We came to ask permission. Permission to tell them the truth, that we are the sons of the eldest of thirteen Valkyrie."
Goll gasped. "Really!?"
Brunnhilde smiled. "Well, it's about damn time! I was starting to think you three would all die as virgins!"
"Why does she have to be so vulgar?" Her sons thought.
"Still, do they have hearts only for you? Do they have the wisdom to know why this must kept secret? Do they have the strength and will to endure if the gods learn the truth?"
"Yes!" her sons said.
"What are their names?" Brunnhilde held up her phone and a holographic display appeared.
"Anne Boonchuy." Daniel answered.
"Sasha Waybright." Lucas followed.
"Marcy Wu." Tony finished.
The display showed the faces of the three women along with more information. "They all look so beautiful!" Goll said.
"Yes, dear sister and look at this. No wonder you boys think they can keep a secret." Brunnhilde said with a knowing smile. "My sons have charmed some interesting young ladies."
Goll looked over the info. "That invasion on the mortal plain elven years ago? They stopped it and saved another world?"
"Yes, Goll and have lived exemplary lives since then."
"Figures you would have that information." Daniel said.
"That's the Akasic Records for you. You know how the gods are. They all have to look like they are 'all knowing.' Very well you have my permission, on two conditions."
"Conditions?" the men asked.
"First when you leave you are not to return unless it is an earth-shattering emergency. Second you are not to teach your brides to be the spell that can bring them here. It's for their own protection."
"We understand. Thank you, Mom." Daniel said as they left.
"Wait I don't understand, why can't they teach them the spell?" Goll asked.
"Remember when they were younger Goll?" Brunnhilde asked. "We had to make sure the boys knew to use the name Midgard instead of Earth."
"Yes. The world tree Yggdrasil only takes you to a place when you use the name the gods gave it."
"Exactly. This realm those girls went to, Amphibia, there was no mention of a place with that name in the records until eleven years ago. Amphibia is the name those that live there gave it. Whatever gods went there would have given it another name. One that has been lost to history. If those girls tried to use the spell to go back to that world to visit the friends they made there, then it would be the same using the spell with Earth or no name at all. They would be screwed."
Meanwhile in Amphibia…
"Sprig, Ivy, you two got pants on in there?" Polly asked kicking their tent.
"What is it, Polly?" Sprig asked from inside sleepily.
"The translation is done! It's some kind of incantation for travel to other worlds! We could go earth!" (Yep, they're screwed.)
"Really!?" Spring came out of the tent still getting dressed. He grabbed the device from Polly.
Ivy also came out getting dressed. "I always wanted to see Earth. It's sounds so amazing when you describe it."
"Gross." Polly said as she followed.
The Planter family could not have known that the spell they were about to cast, would bring them, Anne, her friends, and the sons of Brunnhilde into the depths of despair. And unleash a great evil.
Spring stood before the giant root, at the exact same time Daniel readied the portal home. "Yggdrasil, Tree of Worlds, In the name of the gods I bid you, open the door." However only Daniel said. "Midgard!"
The portal formed beneath the root and a mighty wind began pulling the frogs and giant sparrow into a void with many portals flying by them. "Sprig!" Ivy grabbed her husband with her tongue. Polly got a hold of Ivy's hand and wrapped her tongue around Joe's leg who was flying with all his might toward the portal back.
In the darkness, the forgotten goddess felt her chance. "Yes! At long last!" She already got one tool she would need now she set her sights on earth and three mortal friends who were key to her plans.
In Anne's apartment nothing seemed wrong. "The popcorn is almost ready." Anne said.
"I just think a spring wedding would be nice. So why not March?" Sasha asked going over her calendar.
"The week of the 14th is when Nasa is going to have the physical test for their next astronauts!" Marcy said. "Please Sasha! I know you want a beautiful wedding but don't let it come at the cost of Tony's dream!" Marcy gave her friend puppy dog eyes.
"Okay fine. Finding wedding dates that fit everyone's schedules is such a pain."
"We could have one joint ceremony." Marcy suggested.
"Sorry Marbes." Anne said putting down the bowl of popcorn. "You know my parents are going to insist on a traditional Thai wedding. But we'll find a way to make it all work. But right now, let's enjoy a great romcom. I'm going to marry the love of life, my best friends are going to be my sisters, you know I never thought I'd say this, but my life is just about perfect right now." As Anne reached for the remote something felt wrong. "What? I, I can't move! Sasha? Marcy?" Anne thought seeing her friends were frozen in place too. The room grew dark as a black portal opened above them. The next thing she knew they were laying down next to each other in some place dark, Anne could barely see anything. She could barely make out the feminine figure in black robes with purple hands and long dark nails.
"Fear not my children. You are about to receive the greatest gift you could imagine." The woman said as she began to work some kind of machine.
"Is that a loom?" Anne thought before she, Marcy, and Sasha felt like they were being burned, torn apart, and put back together at the same time. Though they were in agony they could not scream and whatever was being done to them made all of creation tremble.
Back on Amphibia Sparrow Joe managed to pull the frogs out of the portal. "Well, that was a bust!" Polly said.
"Sprig, I'm sorry it didn't work." Ivy reached her hand out.
"I, I saw it! I saw Earth in there!" Sprig said. "We must have done something wrong."
"Well maybe Maddie could help us out. Let's pack up camp and head home."
"I'm down with that." Polly grabbed her tools. "If we take turns driving with a few stops to let Joe rest we should be back by morning.
On earth the three brothers hit the wall opposite of the portal. "The was a rougher ride than usual." Tony said.
"I'm sure it's nothing." Lucas said dusting himself off. "That tree is like older than the dinosaurs. It's bound to act up once in a while.
"I hope so Luke." Daniel said. "But it's late and two of us have work in the morning. Tony how about we bring the girls to lunch at the restaurant Anne's parents own and share our heritage with them together.
Tony gave a thumbs up. "Yeah, they'd like that." Both groups left not knowing something was very wrong.
Anne didn't know how long she suffered in the dark. Hours? Days? She must have passed out from the pain. Her eyes focused and she now found herself in a marble palace with blue tapestries everywhere on a bright sunny day. "Sasha? Marcy? Are you here?" she called but nothing. "Daniel! I can call him!" She reached in her pocket. "Of course, my phone is gone." She sighed as she thought. "I better not be dead again, that so called multiverse guardian promised me at least another seventy years and I want to spend them with Daniel!" "Is anybody here?" Anne yelled echoing in the halls.
"Well, well, well. Look who's finally awake after all this time. Personally, we wish you all could have stayed asleep forever, but we can make this fun." There was something strangely familiar about the voice.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Anne asked, then one of the walls opened to a room with a throne draped in blue satin. On that throne sat her younger self fully powered by the blue stone? No, she looked to be the same age as her, there were no twigs or leaves in her hair, her armor emphasized her feminine figure, her boots were armored stilettos, and she held a spear with a blue shaft and crescent dips in the sides of spear head. Anne approached the throne. "Are you me?"
"I'm better than you ever were Anne. I'll explain everything but first things first." The strange lookalike snapped her left fingers.
Chains flew out from one of the pillars in the room and wrapped around Anne and tied her to the pillar. "Hey!"
"First we need to establish who is in charge here."
"Let me go! What did you do Sasha and Marcy?"
"No, I decide what we talk about! Now to answer your second question we're in, what was yours, but is now, my mind."
"So, this is some kind of dream?"
The armored woman chucked. "For you it's more like nightmare but it's much more. Reality has changed and now Anne Boonchuy no longer exists."
"Cut the crap and tell me what happened to my friends!"
The woman walked up to Anne and slapped her in the face. "Know your place bug!" She then sighed. "But I guess we're not going to get anywhere unless we show you three." She tapped the blunt end of her spear against the floor and the room shifted. Now Sasha and Marcy were chained to the pillars next to her, to either side of the throne were two others one red and the other green. Standing in front of them were stone powered adult versions of Sasha and Marcy. Sasha's twin held a large single serrated bladed axe with a red shaft but had no scar on her face. Marcy's double had a golden bow draped over her shoulder.
"Anne! Sasha! Are you okay?" Marcy asked.
"Except for being chained be crazy lady that looks like me I'm fine." Anne said.
"You sickos aren't going to get away with this!" Sasha yelled.
The other Sasha growled. "The only reason we haven't killed you is because you must suffer."
"Well said sister." The other Marcy giggled.
"Sister?" the originals asked.
Anne's double then said. "As I said you three have never been born now, but in place of your mortal selves we Three Goddess Sisters now exist!"
"Goddess? That's a little presumptuous." Anne snapped.
"You will all see in time. Proper introductions are in order."
The Marcy goddess struck a pose. "I am Marcelia, goddess of knowledge and wisdom."
Sasha's counterpart twirled her axe. "I am Sashin, goddess of strength and war!"
The Anne goddess gave a simple nod. "And I'm Anjia, goddess of justice and judgment."
"I don't care what you think you are! We stopped a wannabe god before!" Marcy yelled.
"Yeah! You're nothing!" Sasha roared.
"You tell'em Mar Mar!" Anne cheered.
"The Core? That junk pile collection of old newts is nothing to true godly power." Marcelia said.
Sashin just laughed. "Face it girls. You're out, we're in and we are the ones with the power of the gems. You don't get to "beat the bad guys" anymore. You're the princesses locked in the tower now, and no one is coming to save you!"
"That's not true!" Anne yelled. Daniel he'll…"
"Your boyfriend? He and his brothers couldn't help even if they wanted to." Anjia interrupted. "How many times do we have to say it? You were never born!"
"Your friends…" Marcelia began.
"Your lovers…" Sashin continued.
Anjia finished. "Even your parents don't know who any of you are! None of them ever knew you. Your story isn't only over it has never been written! While ours is just beginning!" In each of the goddess sisters' hand what looked like visors matching their colors appeared. "The Core's favorite trick was controlling people through illusions of something they feared or wanted the most. But for you, we will torment you with cold hard reality!"
Marcelia giggled. "Think of them like reverse VR goggles!"
"They'll let you see and feel what we do in the real world." Sashin shoved the glasses onto Sasha's face.
"And you'll be unable to look away from what is going to happen. Powerless to do anything!" Anjia said as the world shifted again.
Anne could feel a breeze on her skin, her head turned on its own to see destroyed buildings, burning wetlands, Sashin and Marcelia, and finally looking up a familiar pink moon. "Amphibia!" Anne's voice was just an echo in Anjia's head now.
"Amphibia of over one thousand years ago, from your perspective actually."
"These buildings, this is Newtopia!" Marcy cried as an echo.
"Was Newtopia." Marcelia corrected.
"You three just missed the party where we burned the whole city, the whole kingdom to the ground! What a night!" Sashin laughed.
"You monsters!" Sasha screamed.
"Why? All those lives…" Anne cried.
"Are just the beginning. This world is full of sinners waiting for judgement…" Ania said.
"…and you three have a front row seat to it all!" The sisters laughed.
"Guys! Stay strong don't let them break you!" Anne yelled.
"That is enough. We are the gods. We are in charge. You three don't get to talk to your friends anymore." Anjia said.
"Say bye-bye Sasha." Sashin mocked.
"Maybe if you girls behave yourselves, we'll let you chat in about four or five hundred years." Marcelia cooed.
With each only hearing their own mortal's voice now the goddesses smiled. "Well, this is a good start, but we have a lot of work to do to fulfill Mother's plan my sisters." Anjia said.
"And only a thousand years to prepare. We must start subjugating this world at once." Marcelia agreed.
"Yes, but it is going to be a whole lot of fun and so much blood…I can't wait!" Sashin squealed with delight as they went off to conquer the world.
Daniel had been waiting for Anne in the Roast 'n Toast for almost an hour. "Where are you? We're both going to be late for work." He grumbled. His phone then rang it was Lucas. "Hey bro."
"Danny, can you come over to the shop? Tony's here and something is freaking him out."
"Okay, I'll just tell the hospital that I have a family emergency. See you soon." Daniel hung up and turned to the teenage girl at the counter. "Suzy if Anne comes in and askes where I am, tell her I'm helping my brothers."
"Anne? Who's that?" Suzy asked.
"Come on Suzy. You know, my fiancée. We meet because you gave her my dark roast and me her light roast."
"Oh, well we get so many customers it's easy to lose track. Congratulations!"
Daniel drove to Lucas' store and found Lucas at the counter. "Glad you're here. I had him go into the back room so he wouldn't scare away the costumers."
They came in and saw Tony on his laptop. "No. No. No! Nothing!"
"Tony what's wrong?" Daniel asked.
"She's gone! Marcy's gone! I was woken earlier this morning by a phone call from one of my coworkers wondering why wasn't in the office. I told him I was on vacation here with Marcy and my supervisor approved it a month ago. He didn't know who Marcy was even though she makes his favorite web comic. That should have been a red flag, but it was five A.M. After I got some sleep, I found my suitcase was missing, I thought someone broke into my room, so I complained to the manger. He had no record my staying there, so I told him to look under Marcy's name and the same thing. So, I called her cell to try clear that mess up, and I got a stranger on the other side! That was when I remembered what happened earlier. Ever since I've been checking everything! Marcy's comic, her social media pages, they're all gone! It's like those movies where someone changed history. There is no trace of her!"
"You sure she isn't spending the day with Anne or Sasha?" Lucas asked.
"I'm not crazy! Of course, I got their cell numbers yesterday! But when I called the same thing happened as when I tried Marcy's!"
That sent a shiver down other two brothers' spines. "Wait, Anne never met me for coffee and Suzy didn't remember her!" Daniel said.
"Now that you mention it, when I opened up the shop there was this kid tagging the back door. Thing is he's one of the kids Sasha councils so I scolded him I asked what she would think, and he said he didn't know who I was talking about."
"It's worse than I thought!" Tony yelled.
Daniel dialed Anne's work number. "Los Angeles Aquarium, how may I help you?"
"Yes, I need to speak with one of your employees, Dr. Anne Boonchuy."
"I'm sorry no one by name works here."
"But she's your herpetologist…"
"The only herpetologist currently employed here is Dr. Richard Hall."
Daniel hung up. "It can't be…"
"No Carrie, Sasha Waybright! You work with her! You helped connect my store with her music therapy program!" Lucas yelled, "Forget it!" He then turned to his brothers. "This unreal, I never lose my cool."
"Their social media pages are gone too! Just like Marcy's!" Tony said.
"We can't be the only ones who remember them! What about their folks?"
"Right!"
While Tony and Lucas called Daniel had a thought. "If history really has changed then everything involving Anne and the others should have never happened. If it is true, then…"
"Marcy is your daughter Mrs. Wu! You have to remember her!" Tony pleaded.
"Mr. W please! I'm not joking! Sasha is… he hung up on me." Lucas sighed. "He didn't even know who I was!"
"Same here." Tony said.
"Guys check this out!" Daniel called sitting at Tony's laptop. "I looked up the frogvasion, it is the biggest historical event the girls took part in. But there are no news articles, no video footage, it's like it never happened!"
"No way, if something this big is wiped away…what could have…" Lucas stammered.
"Come with me!" Daniel said.
"What? Where are you going?" Tony asked.
"Anne's parent's restaurant!"
One drive later the three stepped into Thai Go. "Have a seat gentleman, I'll hand you three menus in a moment." Mrs. Boonchuy said.
"Oum, it's me. Daniel Bentson! I'm marrying your daughter Anne!"
"How do you know my nickname?"
Mr. Boonchuy came out of the kitchen. "You must be mistaken sir. My wife and I have no children, it is the one regret we have."
"That's not true Bee!" Daniel flipped a table over, tears in his eyes. "You do have a daughter! Anne! She loves tennis, k-pop, boba tea, those stupid Love Choice movies! When she was 13, she and her friends went missing and you were worried sick for months! But it led to the greatest adventure the three of you ever had! She is kind, smart, and beautiful! She deserves more than to be forgotten like this! Just erased from existence like that! They all do!"
During Daniel's rant Mrs. Boonchuy grabbed her phone. "Hello police? We have an emotionally disturbed man in our restaurant! I'm scared."
"Danny, we got to go." Lucas whispered.
The brothers ran back to their car. "The house she grew up in, there must be something there!"
"Danny, I want answers too, but I don't think breaking and entering is going to help us!" Tony said.
"They may not remember but they gave me a key." When the Bentson brothers entered the Boonchuy house they found no pictures of Anne growing up, none of her old toys or clothes, her room was now an office space. "No…"
"I don't get it! Why are we the only ones who remember them?" Tony cried.
"It's like we're in hell or something!" Lucas said panting like he was about to have a panic attack.
That last word gave Daniel a thought. "They did it. They're the only ones that could. Those bastards must have found us out at last!"
"Who?" his brothers asked.
"Who do think?! The gods!"
"But why do this to the girls?! Why not just scorch us?" Lucas asked.
"To make us suffer! Mom always said the gods are nothing if not cruel!"
Tony took a breath. "Changing history sounds like an earth-shattering emergency. Think Mom can help?"
"I hope so. Let's go to Valhalla, I don't care if I must take on every god with my bare hands! I'll make them give me Anne back!"
Hours earlier the Planters had made their way back to Wartwood. "Home sweet home." Sprig said.
"I can't wait to share the news with Hop Pop!" Polly said.
"Guys, I hate to spoil the mood but does the town look different to you?" Ivy asked.
The siblings saw that a large building was in the center of town that wasn't there before. On the outskirts a series of stones made an outline for an even larger building. As they approached to the farm there was no sign of Frobo, any of the other robots Polly built, or any avocados. "What the Frog?" Sprig said.
After they landed Sparrow Joe, they saw Hopediah was loading vegetables on to the wagon wearing simple robes with a purple horn like symbol. "Where have you kids been? Sprig, Ivy, don't think you can use being newlyweds as an excuse."
"Hop Pop what are you wearing?" Polly asked.
"I was about to ask you the same. That is hardly the outfit of a prospective temple maiden."
"Uh say what now?"
"Never mind. We must not be late."
"Guys." Sprig whispered. "I got a bad feeling about this. We should play along until we know what's going on." The girls nodded in agreement.
The family made their way to the center of town where it seemed everyone was dressed in similar robes, and they were all going to the same building they saw earlier. "Sprig help me put this week's sacrifices in to offering bin."
"Uh sure Hop Pop." Sprig couldn't help but think. "Sacrifices? This is enough vegetables to sell at the stand for a week! Things couldn't have gone back as bad as they were, could they?"
Hop Pop had them come inside where all the towns folk were knelling in front of stone banisters all facing a large curtain with the same symbol as their clothes. As they continued to play along former mayor Toadstool stepped out from behind the curtain wearing fancier white robes than everyone else and a really big hat. "Brothers and sisters, it gladdens my heart to see each and every one of you on this blessed day given to us by the gods."
"Praise be the gods." Everyone but the three Planters said.
"We begin today's service with the traditional offering. The temple maidens will now bring your sacrifices forward." As Toadstool said the several young women wearing white dresses with the horn symbol including Maddie came in carrying various items while singing some kind of hymn.
"Hop Pop wants me to be like them?" Polly whispered.
"None of this make sense." Sprig said. "I hate that this place has replaced Anne's statue!"
Ivy was shocked when the curtain was pulled back. "It's still here, just different."
"Anne?" The statue was now of an older Anne in her stone powered armor. It was now made gold and far larger. Statues of Sasha and Marcy flanked it and a large trench was in front of them that the maidens placed the sacrifices in.
Toadstool continued the service. "Anjia, Sashin, Marcelia, we give you these humble offerings in thanks for your divine guidance and protection." He then threw a torch in, and the offerings began to burn.
"Holy is Anjia. Holy is Sashin. Holy is Marcelia." The crowd chanted.
"Let us now hear their glorious words as written in book 45, chapter 36, verse 13 of the Hundred Books of Virtue." The Planters felt this was going to take a while.
Anne found herself back in Anjia's mind palace. "Happy anniversary Anne." Anjia said.
"Anniversary?" Anne said just happy to have some relief from this torture. She was still chained, exhausted, her hair was disheveled, Anjia had long ago stripped her down to her now tattered underwear.
"Yes! We've been together like this for a thousand years now." Marcelia said as she Sashin appeared with Sasha and Marcy who were in the same state as her. "We're letting you talk to each other again as a present!"
"No, cake though. Can't have you lot think we might actually like you." Sashin said.
"Sasha, Marcy, you're alive!" Anne cried.
"If you could call this living." Sasha said.
"Anjia, Sashin please! Marcelia can do whatever she wants with me! Just don't hurt my friends anymore!" Marcy begged.
Anjia wagged her finger. "Now, now, Marcy. You know the rules. We are the goddesses, so we get to do what we want. Now dry those tears, this is a happy time!"
"Yeah, we're on our way to a party!" Sashin cheered.
"No! Not another party! Sashin I'm begging you!" Sasha cried.
"Please! No more death and suffering!" Marcy pleaded.
"You'd think after a millennium they would have been desensitized by now. Oh, wait. We don't let them be!" Marcelia mocked holding Marcy by her chin.
Anjia smiled a cruel smile. "And the best part about this party Anne is that we're going to your old stomping grounds, Wartwood. You might even see some familiar faces!"
"No, no, no, no, no, no! Anjia please they never did anything to you!" Anne begged.
"Too late! Now let's get ready, the party is about to begin." The goddess sister laughed they put the visors back on.
In Wartwood Polly was at the breaking point. "We've been listening to Toadstool go on for six hours."
"I think all this kneeling has put my foot to sleep." Ivy complained.
"I just can't believe there is now a whole religion around them. Most of these passages seem to have rules on just about everything." Sprig pondered.
"What is with you three today?" Hop Pop whispered. "You're acting like tadpoles who never been to temple before!"
"And that concludes todays service." Toadstool said.
"Six hours!" Polly rasped.
"Go with the divine ones' blessings and see you tomorrow."
"We're expected to do this every day?" Ivy whispered.
But then a commotion was heard from outside. The temple was surrounded by toads and rusty headless frogbots with frogs riding in them with makeshift controls. Their leader was a large red newt with a blade replacing the missing end of his tail.
"It's the heretic army!"
"No! Gods save us!"
The red newt spoke. "No one do anything stupid! You are our hostages! The only ones we wish to kill are the false gods!"
"Blasphemer!" Hop Pop shouted.
"I don't care what you call me old man. Whether you want it or not today you shall taste freedom."
Then the sky turned red and in a bolt of lightning a massive marble palace appeared in the stones circle.
"The Holy Palace!" Hop Pop said in awe.
The newt had an angry look in his eyes. "They're here. Let them go! We have a battle to wage!"
"You ready for this Darius my old friend?" Grime asked, he had his severed arm back.
"I've been ready my whole life."
The army left but many of the townsfolk followed them. "Come! Let's see the gods give them their just punishment!"
"This is insane! First there is a temple to Anne and now there is a holy war?" Sprig said as he, Polly, and Ivy reached a hill looking over a battlefield with hundreds of frogs, toads, and newts facing the palace.
The stone doors slowly opened through his telescope saw three familiar but strange faces. "It really is them! Anne, Sasha, and Marcy! Look out, Anne!"
"Party time sisters." Anjia said.
"Catapults, archers, fire!" a newt said, dozens of boulders and hundreds of arrows were shot into the air.
"Ignorant fools." Marcelia pulled back on the string of her bow and an arrow of lightning formed.
"No not again!" Marcy cried as Marcelia loosed it high into air and it spilt into a hundred lightning bolts shattering the boulders, burning arrows and the newts below.
This display struck fear into many, but Grime said. "Come on brothers! No toad lives forever, charge!"
The toads ran right toward Sashin. "No Grime! Run away!" Sasha begged knowing he couldn't hear her.
"Yes! Bleed for me!" Sashin swung her axe with one hand she let out a red shockwave cutting all the toads in two making Sashin laugh.
The frogs were the only fighting force left. "Charge weapons to full power! Give them every…" the commander was silenced when Anjia wordlessly thrust her spear making it stretch forward piercing the robot, the poor frog inside, and everyone behind them. When the spear head reached the end of the column it bent and turned doing the same to the next, and the next, and next, all in a matter of seconds. The spear retracted and every frogbot fell to the ground all their pilots dead.
The Planters couldn't believe their eyes. "This…this can't be real." Polly said.
"It's a massacre. They each took out a whole army in a single move!" Ivy shook with fear.
"Anne what happened to you?" Spring asked. The next thing they heard was cheering.
"Praise the gods!"
"Serves those heretics right!" a crowd was forming in front of the sisters and the Planters ran toward it hoping for answers.
Marcelia and Sashin dropped an injured Darius right in front of Anjia. "Here you go sister." Sashin said.
Then Marcelia said. "As always, we left at least one alive for you."
"No! Not another judgement! Anjia stop please!" Anne pleaded.
Anjia placed her hand on Darius' head. "It is time for your judgement. I offer you a chance to save yourself. Speak your name and repent your sins."
Darius stayed defiant. "I am Darius Leviathan, last of the bloodline of Prince Andrias and my only sin is failing to kill you three! I read Andrias' writings, we were a great civilization until you monsters appeared in that storm and in a single night destroyed Newtopia and dragged us all back into the dirt! You decide what we do and do not know! You force us to fight those who will not bend the knee. And what I will never forgive is that you take people and break their spirits and call it justice!"
"Repent." Anjia repeated squeezing his head cause it to bleed where her fingertips touched. Darius' only reply was a scream of pain followed by him spitting in her face. "So be it." Anjia closed her fist crushing the newt's skull leaving his headless body to fall at her feet.
Toadstool, Toadie, and Maddie came running up the latter two offering a bowl of water and a towel. As Anjia cradled her spear in the crook of her arm and began to wash as Toadstool spoke. "Oh, your eminences it is a privilege to see you in all your glory! To bask in your divine presence! My goddesses to see your power was wonder to…"
The next thing anyone knew his hat was cut in half in one swift motion. Anjia leaned over and looked Toadstool still in shock in the eye. "Your goddess in clean and dry now. And she has something very important to say. So, if you would be so kind as to keep silent." Toadstool nodded and backed away with the others into the crowd. "Our children the last of the heretics is dead and the great work that you and your ancestors have strived a thousand years for is nearly complete! There is but one task left to my sisters and I, but it means we must leave you for a time."
Marcelia held up her hand and want looked like screen appeared before the people, and not just in Wartwood this was seen and heard all over Amphibia. "Behold, a realm known as Earth. Be not fooled be its beauty. For it is home to a darkness most vile."
The image shifted to human beings who were making war, cutting down forests, and basking in wealth. "These evil creatures, humans who mock our divine forms, have brought the earth the brink of ruin! So, we with our fellow gods shall put an end to them once and for all!" Sashin said.
"And when we return, we shall bring you all to the Earth and with our guidance you all shall rebuild it into a true paradise, and you will see it all!" Anjia finished.
The crown knelt and chanted over and over. "Praise be the gods!" as the sisters turned and entered the palace
"No! This can't be happening!" Ivy said.
"This nightmare! Anne wouldn't…she can't…" Polly stuttered.
"Anne! Sprig yelled as he chased after he friend.
"Sprig wait!" the girls said they followed him into the palace. They then felt it shake and was surrounded by a flash of light.
When it cleared the sisters were standing right in front of them. "What are you doing here?" Anjia asked.
"Anne, Sasha, Marcy! What's going on? What happened to you three?" Sprig cried.
"How do you know those names mortal?" Sashin demanded.
"Come on guys tell us this just some elaborate sick joke!" Polly said. "You saved Earth and Amphibia before! Now you want to turn around do what Andrias tried yourselves?"
Marcelia was intrigued. "They remember the previous timeline. They must have been between worlds when reality shifted."
"Wait so it's the past that's changed?" Ivy gasped.
"Anne, why? What did this to you?" Sprig asked Anjia as she trembled. What happened next shocked everyone.
Anjia fell to her hands and knees and began to cry. "Sprig! Help us!" It was Anne.
"Sister!" the other two goddesses yelled.
"They took our bodies, our lives, they've been tormenting us for a thousand years! Help please Sprig!"
Sprig reached for his friend. "Anne…"
"Enough!" Anjia shouted raising to her feet and wiped away the tears. "Tears are unfit for the face of a goddess."
"Are you okay Anjia?" Marcelia asked.
"I'm fine. A momentary loss of control. It won't be a problem soon." The door swung open, and the goddesses went outside the frogs following.
"We're back on the island where all this started!" Ivy said.
"What did you mean by not a problem?" Both Anne and Sprig asked.
Anjia explained. "Our mother told us that if the mortals we once were ever reawakened all we need do to be rid of them is severe all their remaining ties to humanity and so when we destroy the human race they will disappear."
Sashin then told the Calamity Trio. "That's why we let you talk to each other today. It's so you three can say goodbye before you go poof."
They had reached the root archway. "It's been fun making them suffer all these centuries. I'm going to miss it." Marcelia said.
"We're not going to let you…" Sprig yelled before all three Planters felt the power radiating off the goddesses. All three of them frozen in instinctive fear.
Anjia turned to the frogs. "Yes, I learned I love letting mortals wallow in their own powerlessness. So that is my judgement for the three of you. We will let you live for now. Anne will suffer knowing you are also suffering, in the knowledge that you can't help her and when our task is done and we've destroyed the humans and the other gods, we will return, only then will we kill you. And I won't feel bad about it. Not one little bit."
The sisters then turned to the arch and together said. "Yggdrasil, Tree of Worlds, In the name of the gods we bid you, open the door. Valhalla!" They walked in and vanished.
"No…Anne." Sprig cried.
"Sprig darling, we can't give up!" Ivy said. "You reached Anne once you can do it again."
"What?"
"She's right big brother." Polly added. "They are about to destroy humanity! If that happens, we lose Anne and the others forever! But we all heard them! They added one word to the spell to make it work! We can go after them!"
Sprig felt his determination returning. "Then let's go."
The Bentson brothers ran down the halls of Valhalla. "So do we actually have a plan?" Lucas asked.
"So far just find Mom and/or confront the first god we see." Tony answered.
Then the brothers heard an unfamiliar voice. "Anne! Anne where are you?"
"This way!" Daniel said. Turning the corner, they found the three frogs. "You, your Sprig Planter! Anne told me all about you! You remember her!"
"Woah who are you?" Sprig asked.
"Right, my name is Daniel Bentson and these are my brother Lucas and Tony. This maybe a shock to hear but I am or was…Anne's fiancée. But now it's like she, Marcy, and Sasha never existed!"
"It's worse than that." Sprig went on to explain everything they saw in Amphibia. "So that's how we followed them here. Can you help us save them?"
"In a way that's why we're here. There's someone in this place that might be able help us." Tony said.
Lucas waved them on. "Yeah, follow us. We've been sneaking in and out of this place since we were kids."
The group went through the realm of the gods until they found Brunnhilde. "I told you three to never come back here. And what are those?"
"Great you don't remember either!" Daniel said. "Mom! We were here yesterday! We asked you to let us tell the women we were going to marry about you! Now the past has been changed and somehow, they're now these cruel goddesses that came here to wipe out everyone on earth! We need your help! Please Mom! I need Anne back!"
"I need Sasha back!" Lucas pleaded.
"I need Marcy back!" Tony begged.
"We need them all back!"
Seeing the pain and sorrow in her sons' eyes, Brunnhilde knew one thing. They were telling her the truth.
"I'll do whatever can." Brunnhilde said.
"Thank you." Daniel said.
"Changing the past is one of the few things the gods forbid each other to do. I don't know which one would take that risk, but we'll figure that out later. If those three came here to destroy humanity, then I know exactly where they are. Follow me but be silent and try not to be seen."
The group came upon Goll. "Sister why…"
"Later." Was Brunnhilde's reply.
"Right, it's time now Brunnhilde. Looks like everyone's ready."
In the next chamber a multitude of beings sat, including the Three Goddess Sisters. "Now we end things." Anjia thought as a gavel banged.
"Well then everybody, it's been some time since we've all been together, hasn't it?" Zeus, king of the Greek gods said. "Let the council of Valhalla now begin. Deities have assembled from the world over to decide on the fate of humanity. So, let me ask you, should we allow mankind to exist for another thousand years and forgive their crimes? Or alternatively do we put an end to them for eternity? By the will of the gods, you will show me what you have chosen."
"Over here." Shiva the Hindu god of creation and destruction held up paddles for a destroy vote. "I say we finish off the wretched things. I've watched them for a millennium, and I haven't caught any sign of them learning from their mistakes. Let's give them the old fire and brimstone."
Shiva's right." Agreed Aphrodite, Greek goddess of beauty. "Everything is just as he says. As time goes on the world becomes uglier and uglier. The sea fills with trash and oil, the forests have disappeared, countless creatures have gone extinct. So, if I may, mankind is out of control, they have become a cancer that threatens to destroy the earth."
"We agree!" The Three Goddess Sisters said together.
Marcelia went first. "The humans have access to more knowledge than ever before and yet their ignorance and short sightedness is greater than ever."
Sashin followed. "The lazy things each seek to make their lives easier not caring who or what has to suffer."
"And even saying to uphold justice not one human on earth today has ever gone without breaking a rule for their own benefit." Anjia concluded.
They once again spoke as one. "They are evil and must be annihilated!" As the other gods discussed more and more saying humanity must be destroyed Anjia thought. "We had to hardly do anything."
"No! Not like this!" Marcy cried.
"We can't be wiped out by some stuffy jerks without hearing our side!" Sasha raged.
"We're flawed but you can't destroy a whole race!" Anne screamed. But of course, no one not even the gods could hear them.
"Now then, it seems the meeting has reach consensus." Zeus said. "Let the record show that the Council of Valhalla has managed to agree on a unanimous decision to end the human race!"
"Sasha! Marcy!" Anne cried.
"Marcy! Anne!" Sasha also cried.
"Anne! Sasha!" Marcy cried too. They all felt like the was the end as the gavel came down.
"Just a moment!" Brunnhilde yelled and Zeus stopped.
"What is that wench doing?" Marcelia whispered.
"What in the world do you think you're doing sis? You can't just raise your voice to the all-powerful like that!" Goll said panicked.
Brunnhilde continued. "Pardon my intrusion your eminences. But with all due respect, there is something I wish to discuss first."
"Be silent Brunnhilde!" two voices said. Goll screamed as she looked to Odin, king of the Norse gods.
"Bastard! You're nothing but a common demigod!" Huginn, Odin's white raven said.
"How dare you loosen your tongue in the presence of greatness!" Muninn Odin's black raven scolded. "You halfling! Are asking for a challenge?"
As Muniin ranted on from the hallway unseen Lucas said. "Jeez. Mom gets mouthed offed to by her boss' pets? No wonder she's always cranky."
"I will admit, the sins of man are indeed unforgivable." Brunnhile said to the gods.
"Please be going to a plan with this." Ivy thought out loud.
"Despite that fact, for you to simply wipe them out... Well for you it seems quite dull."
"Oh, make it fun uh?" Sashin whispered.
"Consider this then. A proposal. A trial to decide if humans might be worth keeping alive for years to come. To demonstrate the power and benevolence of all the gods. Why not put humanity to the test?"
The goddess sisters did not like where this was going. "What's your plan? To flood the earth into one big ocean again?" Huginn asked.
Muninn continued. "Or are you thinking about starting another ice age to freeze them?"
"Neither." Brunnhilde answered. "Because I've come up with a far more effective method."
The council began discussing what she could meant while Anjia thought. "No! No! No! Blasted Valkyrie! We're so close!"
"I propose the ultimate trail between trail between the gods and mankind, the Ragnarök."
What she said shocked everyone except for three confused frogs. "The Ragna-what?" Sprig asked.
"No! You can't be serious!" Goll said.
A book appeared in Brunnhilde's hand. "It's a special provision, from article sixty-two, clause fifteen of the constitution. It stipulates the following. A final battle between the beast and his creator. A one-on-one showdown."
"Are we really that desperate?" Daniel muttered.
Behold! The god versus man final battle law, known as the Ragnarök. It is a series of duels between thirteen fighters representing the gods and the human race. First side to seven matches wins. If humanity loses it would face destruction. Of course, if man should reign victorious the gods must let them live for another thousand years. However, this law has never been exercised in the entire history of civilization. Their reasoning, that man would never prevail, their success would be impossible! In other words, it's an extra-judicial clause. A superfluous technicality enacted purely for divine amusement.
"Ha! What are you blathering about? Surely even a Valkyrie can comprehend the ridiculousness of that!" Huginn mocked.
"Man is nothing in the face of godly power!" Muninn added.
"What pointless idea!" the said together.
"Yes, it's completely illogical." Marcelia agreed along with the rest of the gods.
"We're losing them!" Tony said sweating.
"I see. So, the gods have decided to obliterate the human race and be done with it." Brunnhilde said calmly. "To be clear you're trying to avoid a direct confrontation with them. Would you say that's correct?" Brunnhilde's question got many to wonder what she was talking about. "You'd prefer to destroy them without having to fight them yourselves. Sounds like you'd rather not like to be put in the same ring. And if that's true…no don't tell me. I might be wrong but that means…You're all completely terrified aren't you!" Brunnhilde's jab echoed through the chamber.
"I should have known she'd try to pull something like this." Daniel sighed.
"I like her." Polly said.
"If that's the case then a thousand apologies for my careless outburst your greatnesses." Brunnhilde said sarcastically.
"Uh, that's a joke right sis?" Goll asked.
"Silly me, feel free to disregard everything I just said. Let's forget about that Ragnarök nonsense and get back to it."
Goll however was scared. "Hey enough kidding around! Forget about wiping out mankind cause at this rate they're going to wipe you out first! Just hurry up and apologize to them for real! Say you're sorry and they might just so us mercy!" Then Goll heard laughter. "What's so funny? Shouldn't they be mad at us? They're all laughing."
At the same time Daniel had a different question. "Sprig where are girls in there? I don't see them."
Sprig pointed. "There, the ones with the glowing hair."
It was then they saw all the gods were laughing at the thought at of they would to Brunnhilde. The three sisters stood up as one leaving the imprints of their palms in the stone bench in front of them. Seeing the cruel anger in Anjia's eyes broke Daniel's heart. "No Anne! That can't be you!"
"Just as I thought. The gods have much shorter tempers than humans do." Brunnhilde thought.
Then every god stopped as Zeus laughed in amusement. "What a fascinating idea! A proper Ragnarök. I must admit I'm quite please you brought it up. Why, I can almost begin to picture it in my head. Surely, I'm not alone here. Please, the rest of you are intrigued as well, no?" Looks of excitement could be seen on the faces of all but three of the gods. "The mighty wrath of the gods, overwhelming power, a gratuitous display of strength and authority! How very exciting isn't it!? Tell me everyone, what do you think!? Let's have a brawl between man and maker! A death match unlike any the world has ever seen!" Zeus banged the gavel, the decision was made, and the gods cheered. "Hear that Brunnhilde? The humans need a vanguard to represent them. I'll permit you to choose candidates on their behalf. You do want to assist them, don't you? A curious inclination for a tragic Valkyrie like you. A half god and half human who hopes to save mankind despite once been slain by them, right?"
This was news the Brunnhilde's sons. "Mom what he does mean?"
Brunnhilde bowed. "There is over seven million years of human history. I will select the thirteen most worthy of this particular challenge."
As those who now the fate of the human race rested left, the Three Goddess Sisters debated. "This is not part of the plan." Marcelia whispered.
"Eh, it'll be easy. Maybe we can fight! Won't that be fun!?" Sashin said.
Anjia had a sour look on her face. "Either way we must play along for now. We have no choice. Mother is not going to be happy about this."
Daniel looked down at the pink frog with the green cap. "With everything Anne told me about your adventures together I feel like I already know you."
Sprig looked up and sighed. "I have to say, with everything that happened today, Anne marrying a guy I never met before didn't even register."
"I know what you mean. Yesterday we were so happy, looking forward to our future together, and now to even have chance to save her soul, we must trust the fighters of a battle for the fate of my whole species against the gods themselves! We have to win Sprig. We have to."
…and so Ragnarök begins.