Chapter 9: Tension
All of the soldiers sheathed their swords at the command of Frog. All except Captain Pierce.
"What is the meaning of this Frog!? These are clearly enemies. They work for the Black Quartz army!" Pierce said.
"You memory hath not served you well if thou canst remember Marle, the one who appeared one year ago." Frog said.
"How can you be sure that she is the same?" She can be the enemy in disguise!" Pierce said. "And why would she be traveling with the Evil Wizard Magus!? You are a fool if you think that I am going to just sit here and let these..."
"HOLD THY TONGUE!" Frog yelled. "Though you are Knight Captain, I am now the General, as well as the body guard of the Queen. I am your superior so you shall listen to me!
Frog's tone softened, though his voice was still deep.
"If they were the enemy, the Masamune wouldst have been glowing crimson." Frog said.
Magus started clapping slowly.
"That was a good speech. It almost had me scared." Magus said in a sarcastic tone. "That was until you toned down and became soft like a sissy. That is your weakness."
Frog stared at Magus and then, while ignoring him, turned his attention to Marle.
"It has been a while. How have thee been?" Frog asked.
"I've been fine until recently." Marle said. "We've come here for an important reason, but it seems you have your own problems. What happened here?"
"Come hither and we shall ride to the castle." Frog said. "I shall fill you in on everything once we get there."
Pierce, who had been standing there furious with Frog, slowly walked away to continue patrolling with the other soldiers. Before he left, he walked up to Frog and said,
"You forget that the Masamune glows no more!"
Marle and Magus looked at Frog, who glared at Pierce. Marle climbed aboard Frog's horse and they galloped away. Magus glanced one quick time, back at Pierce, before floating away after Frog and Marle. After traveling through the forest, they reached Guardia Castle. Security was on high alert. Instead of the normal 2 guards, 6 guards stood at the main door inside the castle.
"Halt! Who goes there?" demanded one of the guards.
"Tis only I and my allies." Frog replied.
"Oh my apologies Sir Frog." said the guard.
"Frog will do. No need for titles." Frog said.
The guards all glanced at Marle and Magus, but it seemed they were concentrating more on their duty, which was guarding the door. Frog, Marle, and Magus walked into the Throne Room. King Guardia XXI and Queen Leene were sitting on their thrones.
"I hath returned." Frog said as he bowed.
"I'm glad" said Queen Leene.
"As am I." said King Guardia. "Did you take care of the intruders"
"They were not intruders, but old friends." Frog said.
He stepped aside. Marle stepped forward and bowed.
"It's nice to see you again." she said with a smile.
"Why it's you." said Queen Leene. "It's been a whole year since you last appeared."
The King stood up with an angry look in his eyes.
"YOU! HOW DARE YOU SET FOOT INSIDE THIS CASTLE!" King Guardia yelled. "GUARDS!"
He was looking at Magus. Just then, more than 20 Guards rushed in with their weapons.
"WAIT!" yelled Frog. "He is an ally."
"HE IS AN ENEMY TO THE KINGDOM OF GUARDIA!" The King yelled.
"Please! You must understand that he won't cause any trouble." Marle said.
Queen Leene rose from her Throne.
"Guards! Return to your posts!" she ordered.
"What do you think you are doing Leene!?" Guardia asked.
"They say that he is not an enemy then it must be true. There is no reason to go into an outrage." Leene said.
The Guards had already retreated. King Guardia was still angry. Marle could tell be the veins in his forehead, not to mention he still had a frown on his face. He slowly sat back down on his throne. Queen Leene did the same. She looked up at Frog.
"Now Frog, tell us why Magus is here. As well as Marle." Leene said."
"Actually, I don't know that your majesty." Frog said. "I was about to tell them of the events happening in our Kingdom."
"I see..." Leene said.
"Please your majesty..."
Marle walked up to her and bowed.
"...What has been happening here? Why is everything destroyed?"
"Well it a long story. It all started..." Leene started.
"Pardon me your highness, but please allow me to tell the story." Frog interrupted.
"Very well." Leene said.
King Guardia got up from his seat and walked toward the stairs leading to his chambers.
"Pardon me, I must retire to my room for I am exhausted." he said.
"Shall I send you up your supper?" Leene asked.
"No thank you." He replied. He continued up the stairs. Frog resumed the story where Leene left off.
"It all started a few weeks ago. A mysterious army wearing Black Crystal-like armor attacked Guardia. They had deadly powers, using evil witchcraft as strong as Magus'. The soldiers did the best they could, but many of them perished. The army proceeded closer into the village so the only thing for me to do was use the Masamune's power to destroy them. I thought I succeeded, but days later they reappeared. They attack the village and burned it. Most of the town people were killed either by the fire or the soldiers. I once again warded them off with the Masamune but soon after, 5 mysterious cloaked fighters appeared. They introduced themselves as commanders of the "Black Quartz Army". I was almost successful in defeating them. Most of them escaped but one drew a cursed sword. We fought for hours, but he emitted some sort of dark ray from his blade and aimed it at the knights. The only way I could stop it was to block it with my sword. He escaped right then, but the rays from his sword did something to the Masamune, and now its power shines no more. It is as strong as a normal sword now." Frog said.
"That's a horrible story!" Marle said.
"I kinda liked it. All it needed was more bloodshed. Haha." Magus said.
"You are a horrible man!" Leene said.
"Please ignore him your Highness." Frog said.
"I didn't come to here your story!" Magus said. "I came here for your help. I don't significantly need it so if you won't help, we'll take our leave!"
"Shut - UP!" Marle yelled. "You're starting to get on my last nerve!"
Magus just stared at her, not caring at all. Frog stepped forward.
"Magus, I will not tolerate your disrespectful talk in front of the Queen. And I have my duty to protect Guardia. But tell me, why have you come?" Frog spoke.
King Guardia staggered down that stairs. He was holding his side and his forehead was covered in sweat. All guards in the room noticed this and ran to his aid. Leene arose from her throne as Marle and Frog rushed to his side. Magus casually walked over to see what was going on. All of the soldiers were talking at once.
"Your majesty!"
"King Guardia!"
"What happened!"
"Call the doctor!"
"Are you okay!?"
"Of course he's not okay!"
"DOCTOR! DOCTOR!"
Frog started giving orders.
"You two! Hold him up!"
"You! Go get the doctor!"
"You three! Go upstairs and find out what happened!"
Frog removed the King's hand from his side. It was covered in blood from covering a deep sword wound. Frog ripped his sleeve and cast a Cure spell before covering the wound with the sleeve. Queen Leene kneeled down.
"Oh no! What has happened!?" she asked.
"Th-the knights...guards...killed." he stuttered.
"The Black Quartz Knights are in the castle!" Frog yelled.
A doctor raced in with a stretcher. The guards lifted the King on to it and they ran to the infirmary. Magus pulled out his scythe and flew up the stairs swiftly.
"Marle Let's go!" Frog ordered.
Marle and Frog drew their weapons and ran up the stairs after Magus. Meanwhile Queen Leene followed the King to the infirmary. The entered the corridor to the King's chamber in complete darkness. The candles seemed to be blown out. The only light illuminating the corridor was from the torches on the stairs.
"BURN!" yelled Magus.
He cast a magic spell that lighted the torches on the wall. The hallway lit up quickly, but there were no soldiers to be seen.
"Where are they?" Marle asked.
"COME OUT WHEREVER YOU ARE!" Frog yelled. "YOU FIENDS WILL NEVER GET AWAY WITH WHAT YOU DID!"
Magus walked toward the King's room.
"Beware. They might be in there." he said.
Frog and Marle followed behind them with their weapons drawn. They walked into the room. The bed sheets were shredded and the window shutters were wide opened. Frog, Marle, and Magus slowly walked around on guard. Marle was about to look under the bed when something caught the corner of her eye. She turned to look over the door. Her eyes widened when she saw...
"The soldiers! Over the door!" she yelled.
The soldiers dropped down and launched an attack with their swords. Frog held off 2 with his sword and shield. Magus slashed through with his scythe. Marle ran to the back of the room and started launching a volley of arrows. Frog was slashed by the sword of a Black Quartz soldier. He fell. To save him, Marle cast an ice spell and froze the soldier. She ran over and helped him up.
"Get behind me!" yelled Magus.
Frog and Marle ran behind him. Magus held his hands out to the side and started floating inches above the ground. A shadow stretched out under him. The shadow grew into a hole, sucking the soldiers in. On soldier shot a fireball at him, but Frog cancelled it with a Water spell. All of the soldiers became sucked in and they were no more.
"I don't sense them in this room anymore. That must be the last of them." Magus said.
"I hope so." Marle said.
"Thou hast done well Magus, as much as I hate to admit it." Frog said. "Let us go join the King and Queen."
"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" a faint scream was heard.
"Queen Leene!" Marle and Frog said at once.
They ran down the stairs, through the throne room, into the main hall, around the corner, down the stairs, and down the hall into the infirmary. Guards lay everywhere one the floor. The only one conscious was the King lying on the bed.
"Please...save...Leene." the King stuttered.
"Yes your majesty." Frog said.
"They're outside." Magus said.
The party ran back upstairs, breathing and sweating hard. They ran outside into the main path. Bodies of soldiers littered the ground.
"You shouldn't run with sharp weapons!" a voice said out of nowhere.
The party looked up to a near by tree. In the tree stood a figure in a purple hooded cloak, head covered by a hood. With him, he had Queen Leene. He held her in front of him with a sword to her neck.
"Release Queen Leene!" Frog ordered.
"I can't do that! She's coming with me as bait." The figure said.
"Come fight like a man!" Marle said.
"Why that's no fun! I'd rather play dirty!" the figure said. "It's what Magus would do!"
"You don't know anything about me!" said Magus.
"Oh but I do! We go very far back!" said the figure. "But enough with the idle banter. I have a message from my boss. If you ever want to see Queen Leene alive again, come visit the spot where Magus' old castle stood. You shall find us there. Farewell!"
He teleported off the scene with a loud cackle.
"There is something familiar about his voice." said Magus.
"We have no time to worry about who that was, we have to save the Queen. If she dies, I cease to exist. And even then, if I wasn't her descendant, I still wouldn't want her to die." Marle said.
"We must leave at once. We'll take horses to the Magic Cave!" Frog said.
"We needn't bother. I can teleport us there." Magus said. "But note that I'm not going to save the Queen. I want to find out exactly who those guys are."
With that said, Magus held out his arm. He was surrounded by magical energy and a magic symbol appeared under him.
"Step in the circle" Magus said.
They stepped in and disappeared.