Chapter 18: Nightmare's End
Frog stalked through the fortress, somehow seeking out Akumu. Partially, he could trace the scent (he IS a frog). His yellow eyes blazed with anger, reflecting a rage not in him five, almost six months. Frog didn't think it would be possible for himself to feel so angry, but he did. He felt a deep rage towards Akumu. Over a woman.. Frog thought a minute. Was it just any woman? He thought, hard as he walked. Then it hit in head on. The way he was behaving... The was she smiled, the way she carried herself.. He was entranced by her, he felt close to her because she wasn't like other women he met. Granted, she wasn't a genius like Lucca or even ra healer like Marle, both her were QUITE unlike most women, and nor was she voracious about fighting for survival like Ayla, another unique woman. They were his friends, and they were certainly kind (although Frog was still wary of Ayla after she initially wanted to eat him), but they still saw him like other women, as a frog that just happened to walk and talk due to being cursed a frog by Magus. Reiketsu... Never treated him like that. She was certainly not unkind, despite her comment before about him and Crono (which was certainly untrue), and she didn't act as if he happened to be a man-turned-frog by Magus' curse. She ignored that. She liked him.. For him. She saw past the green skin, and all that to see the man that clung to existance inside. For ten, almost eleven years, he barely clung to his sanity. He had felt reassured and no longer ached as much after meeting Crono and company, but.. He still had a gap that his friends couldn't fill. It was not a gap left by Cyrus' death... But a gap caused by his loneliness. What woman would want to even try a relationship with a frog? None. Atleast, that was what he thought. But Rei proved differently... She seemed to like him... Although it was a long shot.... Frog blinked. He always behaved strangely whenever something happened to Rei since they met in the Cursed Woods. He didn't think it possible.. Could he love her? It had to be the only explanation... But... Did she love him back? He somehow felt she did.. But couldn't be sure. Frog shook his head. He had to focus on the task at hand. He had to defeat Akumu before the boy could harm anyone else. Frog looked up at the double paned doors... And slashed them open with the Masamune.
Akumu glanced up, kicking aside Dalton's unconcious form. He would deal with the child later. Right now... Akumu leveled his eyes at Frog, his eyes narrowing with malice. Right now.. Now was the time to destroy that annoying frog AND his cheap excuse for a sword. Masamune... HAH! It couldn't compare to the sheer strength of his Shadow magic. It was to laugh. Frog glared at Akumu.
"Thou shalt go no further, varlet! For thou hast crossed the line, and now 'tis time for thee to suffer the consequences of thing behavior!" Frog said, narrowing his eyes. Akumu dismissed Frog's word with a wave of his hand.
"I do as I please, you can't stop me." Akumu said, haughty. Frog gave the froggie equivalent of a snarl.
"Thine arrogance shallt be thy undoing! Have at ye!" Frog launched himself at Akumu. Akumu ducked to one side, sending a fire spell at Frog. Frog leapt, and cast Water, canceling out the flames. Akumu growled, casting Lightening 2. Frog gave a cry, but cast Water 2, then followed up with a Leap Slash with Masamune. Akumu whirled before Frog could see any damage done, and countered with a blast of Shadow magic. Frog brought Masamune up as a sheild. Akumu snarled, forming a blade in his hands consisting of sheer shadow magic. Frog gripped Masamune in both hands, and the two lunged. The two combatants passed each other, neight sure who's blade struck home. They landed, both on one knee, glancing over their shoulder. Suddenly, Akumu grabbed his side as blood oozed from the deep slash in his side. He already could tell it was fatal. Akumu glanced at his hands at the black and red blood clung to his hand, his red eyes slowly shifting to a soft blue, and he moaned in pain. A soft black shadow dissapated from the boy's body as he collapsed. Akumu was no more. There was only the one Rei had called Tottei left. And he was dying. But there was still... Tottei could not amend what he had done... But he could warn of the true threat.
"Don't.... Think.. I'm...The real....threat..." Tottei gasped. Frog looked at the dying boy.
"Akumu....was.... created by....." Tottei winced. It was getting so dark... Frog blinked
"Muramasa... I'm sorry.... I had very...li.little choice.... Tell.....Rei....I'm...Sorry..." Tottei suddenly gasped, gulping for air. He spasmed, then lie still. Frog looked at Tottei's body, then closed his eyes. So.. There was another. But who was Muramasa? Frog frowned, and lifted Dalton over his shoulder, returning to the group.
Frog stalked through the fortress, somehow seeking out Akumu. Partially, he could trace the scent (he IS a frog). His yellow eyes blazed with anger, reflecting a rage not in him five, almost six months. Frog didn't think it would be possible for himself to feel so angry, but he did. He felt a deep rage towards Akumu. Over a woman.. Frog thought a minute. Was it just any woman? He thought, hard as he walked. Then it hit in head on. The way he was behaving... The was she smiled, the way she carried herself.. He was entranced by her, he felt close to her because she wasn't like other women he met. Granted, she wasn't a genius like Lucca or even ra healer like Marle, both her were QUITE unlike most women, and nor was she voracious about fighting for survival like Ayla, another unique woman. They were his friends, and they were certainly kind (although Frog was still wary of Ayla after she initially wanted to eat him), but they still saw him like other women, as a frog that just happened to walk and talk due to being cursed a frog by Magus. Reiketsu... Never treated him like that. She was certainly not unkind, despite her comment before about him and Crono (which was certainly untrue), and she didn't act as if he happened to be a man-turned-frog by Magus' curse. She ignored that. She liked him.. For him. She saw past the green skin, and all that to see the man that clung to existance inside. For ten, almost eleven years, he barely clung to his sanity. He had felt reassured and no longer ached as much after meeting Crono and company, but.. He still had a gap that his friends couldn't fill. It was not a gap left by Cyrus' death... But a gap caused by his loneliness. What woman would want to even try a relationship with a frog? None. Atleast, that was what he thought. But Rei proved differently... She seemed to like him... Although it was a long shot.... Frog blinked. He always behaved strangely whenever something happened to Rei since they met in the Cursed Woods. He didn't think it possible.. Could he love her? It had to be the only explanation... But... Did she love him back? He somehow felt she did.. But couldn't be sure. Frog shook his head. He had to focus on the task at hand. He had to defeat Akumu before the boy could harm anyone else. Frog looked up at the double paned doors... And slashed them open with the Masamune.
Akumu glanced up, kicking aside Dalton's unconcious form. He would deal with the child later. Right now... Akumu leveled his eyes at Frog, his eyes narrowing with malice. Right now.. Now was the time to destroy that annoying frog AND his cheap excuse for a sword. Masamune... HAH! It couldn't compare to the sheer strength of his Shadow magic. It was to laugh. Frog glared at Akumu.
"Thou shalt go no further, varlet! For thou hast crossed the line, and now 'tis time for thee to suffer the consequences of thing behavior!" Frog said, narrowing his eyes. Akumu dismissed Frog's word with a wave of his hand.
"I do as I please, you can't stop me." Akumu said, haughty. Frog gave the froggie equivalent of a snarl.
"Thine arrogance shallt be thy undoing! Have at ye!" Frog launched himself at Akumu. Akumu ducked to one side, sending a fire spell at Frog. Frog leapt, and cast Water, canceling out the flames. Akumu growled, casting Lightening 2. Frog gave a cry, but cast Water 2, then followed up with a Leap Slash with Masamune. Akumu whirled before Frog could see any damage done, and countered with a blast of Shadow magic. Frog brought Masamune up as a sheild. Akumu snarled, forming a blade in his hands consisting of sheer shadow magic. Frog gripped Masamune in both hands, and the two lunged. The two combatants passed each other, neight sure who's blade struck home. They landed, both on one knee, glancing over their shoulder. Suddenly, Akumu grabbed his side as blood oozed from the deep slash in his side. He already could tell it was fatal. Akumu glanced at his hands at the black and red blood clung to his hand, his red eyes slowly shifting to a soft blue, and he moaned in pain. A soft black shadow dissapated from the boy's body as he collapsed. Akumu was no more. There was only the one Rei had called Tottei left. And he was dying. But there was still... Tottei could not amend what he had done... But he could warn of the true threat.
"Don't.... Think.. I'm...The real....threat..." Tottei gasped. Frog looked at the dying boy.
"Akumu....was.... created by....." Tottei winced. It was getting so dark... Frog blinked
"Muramasa... I'm sorry.... I had very...li.little choice.... Tell.....Rei....I'm...Sorry..." Tottei suddenly gasped, gulping for air. He spasmed, then lie still. Frog looked at Tottei's body, then closed his eyes. So.. There was another. But who was Muramasa? Frog frowned, and lifted Dalton over his shoulder, returning to the group.