Finally within eye contact, I gazed to see cut throats rounding up chained troggies thrown into cages. Just as the musketeer said, black and orange eyes, and I'm about the see them turn yellow soon. One of the cut throats ruffle through their pockets and took out what appears to be a medallion of sort then showed it to the caged troggies.
"Lalela lawo engikhulume ngayo! Yiba izinceku zami, iziqondiso zami!", one cut throat chanted.
When hearing the chant, their eyes became yellow and soulless like what I saw at the jungle entrances. Wait I've hear this before, he said…I gasped in fright when recognized the words. Listen to those I have spoken to! Be my servants, my regulations! This is not good, no no that's Zafarian magic they're dealing with! They're using way too much, anymore and they'll cause a serious magic meltdown!
"Haha, using these trinkets really comes in handy", one cut throat said amused, "We'll find that treasure in no time"
"Yea, but let's make it quick the boss isn't a patient shark"
"Right, to the tunnels you slimy vermin!" He commanded as he walked.
They're heading towards the mountain, this is my chance to stop the other cut throat's chanting. But I can't just jump out and attack blindly, I need a plan. Looking around, my eyea caught the sights of a pebble. Hmm…
"AH! WHO DID THAT?! COME OUT NOW!", the angry cut throat roared after being hit in the head.
Yyyea, that caught his attention. Good enough to make him move to where the pebble thrown while I snuck by. With him looking through the jungle in anger, I can take this opportunity to free the captured troggies. Oh no they're too excited, please stop jumping around. Allll…mossst…free…
"So, YOU were the one who threw that rock at me!" said the cut throat who came back angrier than ever, "You're only going to regret that act you will!"
Of course he had to come back NOW. But there was no way I was fight battle alone, pointing my spells at the locks I freed the blue frogs from their imprisonment. The shark's eyes once filled with anger, now are fill with shocking terror as the angry troggies ambushed him.
"STOP! I wish to have a word with this shark", I requested, "Unless you want the beating of these creatures, I suggest you tell me what your mates are planning"
"A-alright, I'll confess" he agreed while being pinned to the ground, "We're after the treasure deep within, Skull Cave i-i-in the Temple of Gloom"
"Look there she is!", someone shouted not too far.
All our eyes turned toward a group of Musketeers and a looks like a Privateer walking to us. Good thing to, we'll need all the help we can get. A big old privateer dog and the musketeer I gave orders to, stood in front of me.
"I say, this is quite a scene here", the privateer said, "Is this the girl you spoke of?"
"She is Commander sir", said the musketeer who tried to stop me before, "She is interfering with a private situation"
"Hm from what I see it seems like she's doing something I would do", he objected, "Taking charge, standing up in the face of danger, and…and um what was that last part?"
"I hate to interrupt sir, but there a cause happening in the Skull Cave", I stepped in.
"And what matter is that?", the lead musketeer asked.
"This cut throat here told me something about some treasure deep in a place called the Temple of Gloom"
"TREASURE?!", shouted one musketeer in the back, "I hope you don't mean the treasure of Yama the Monk"
Our eyes focused on the musketeer who told us in fear about his tale. How he was the protector of this island centuries before its now given name. Powerful, smart, and above all kind hearted, he single handedly protected the land from dark spirits. But everything changed after a fearsome battle with an evil witchdoctor who corrupted him and caused him to sacrifice himself to stop them and save the people. Enterally grateful for what he did for them, they created a shrine in a temple and placed over dozens of antiques and rich artifacts in his honor. They say if anyone disturbs the shrine, the residents as well as Yama will take their vengeance upon the thieves.
Now this has gone TOO far, capturing and controlling the troggies was horrible, but using them to take gifts from the dead makes my blood boil. Just the thought of it making me grasp my staff and grind my teeth. They are NOT going to get away with this.
"Then we must make haste and head for that temple she spoke of", The Commander ordered pointing his pocket telescope ahead.
I couldn't agree more, but before we went ahead I took the medal from the shark and showed the commander what they are planning with it. With that said he ordered the troops to gather them and give them Madame Vadima. Thankfully the Commander was generous enough to let me tag along with him and the troops. We managed to make it to the mountain shaped skull, no surprise, and into the temple with no time wasted that was until we entered the place. The flooded ruins were filled to the brink with cut throats, possessed troggies, and croks, to make matters worse it was an AMBUSH. Lucky with the musketeer's muskets and the privateer's shielding abilities, they stop them from getting the upper hand on us. Man, with all this fighting, we'll never make it to the shrine in time.
"I'll go on head to the shrine!", I shouted.
"Wait!", a female voice called to me.
Turning to see who called, a female fox who looked to be a musketeer running up to me.
"This looks to be your first time here, you'll get lose", she told me.
She was not wrong and there was no time for arguments either, so with a nod we grouped up to find the shrine.
"By the way, I'm Bonnie", She introduced while running.
"Tara!", I nodded while following.
We stayed on the corners to be safe in this flooded temple to reach Yama's shrine sooner.
"Look over there" Bonnie pointed. "I think I see Sherif Shepherd up ahead"
The closer we got the more I saw the person or dog she pointed to.
"Bonnie?" he said when he turned to see us, "So you're in on this too huh?"
"Yea, but when did you get here?" She asked
"No time to explain, I saw a bunch of them cut throats make there way in here with some troggies", he explain. "Come on follow me!"
With the short introduction said by both Bonnie and Sherif Shepherd, they navigated me to what she called the hidden shrine. Now that I think about it, why are the cut throats bringing the troggies into this? I know for distraction yes, but do they know the result of their trespassing, they'll both be punished for the theft. Something isn't right about all this. The more I questioned, more it made me curious about this plan on theirs.