Our second chance is called Amphibia - Road to Newtopia (Season 2)

by TheRealTrunko

Two months have passed ever since the six humans ended up trapped in Amphibia, and they are now ready to set on a new journey out of the Valley in search of a way to return home. On their journey, they will face old and new enemies, uncover hidden secrets and conspiracies, make new friends and allies and experience shocking revelations.

30. Dawnblood Island Showdown

Dawnblood Island Showdown

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WARNING: This chapter contains elements of:

- TW (trigger warning) content

Read at your own risk and discretion.

We thank you for your time and wish you a good continuation of this show.

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Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.
Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.
Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.
Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

Marcy took a deep breath, the smell of salt and seaweed filling her lungs, as the ship's crew kept chanting their shanty, the words and music of the song helping them focus on their task. A loud buzzing sound and a shadow passing above their masts signaled yet another passage of Akitsu, the white dragonfly flying over the ship with Amelia on her back. The human and the bug were patrolling the area as scouts, to help the look-out notice possible dangers that could come their way.

With a sigh, the dark-haired girl decided she had breathed enough fresh air, before walking back to the quarter deck and to the room assigned to her and her squad.

Javi, Kettle and Femur were still inside, as well as Maddie. The light blue frog was completely focused on her magic spell book, while the other three rangers laid around, still looking heartbroken, like all their enthusiasm had been sucked away. She couldn't blame them – the shock of finding out that their former leader, friend and mentor had led the Order of the Olms still bore heavily on their minds. So much they had to keep themselves occupied, to fight it.

"Marcy," Maddie said softly, noticing her squad leader and apprentice was back. "Did you freshen up?"

"I did, kind off." The human girl replied, her eyes falling on the book Maddie was reading. "Anything useful?"

"I'm trying to come up with some new spells for us to use, in case Ernst has some other tricks up his sleeves. Or if he's not alone as we assume." She looked up, her expression becoming sourer as she looked back at their companions. "Poor guys, I wish I had a spell I could use to make them happier. It's like when… when I lost mom."

"That's why we are here, Maddie." Marcy put a hand over her magic teacher's shoulder, a note of determination in her eyes. "They need closure, and so do we. Even if we had to this… unofficially…"

(…)

"Request denied." Headmaster Albert replied, without raising his eyes from the paperwork. "As much as I can understand your intention, captain, I can't approve your recommendation."

"WHAT?!" Marcy gasped in shock, clearly not expecting that answer. "But, sir! From the clues we found in the Order's headquarter, we know what is his most likely hiding place!"

To prove her point, the human girl started to rummage through her bag, taking out multiple reports and maps with the name 'Dawnblood Island' highlighted in all of them, before dropping them onto the headmaster's desk (further adding to the mess already there and frustrating the newt). "We can't let him get away with what he has done! We must follow his trail, capture him and-"

"I know that damn well, captain!" Albert slammed his hands on the desk, anger burning in his eyes. "Ernst is a traitor, and there is nothing more than I wish to do that lead the hunt on himself, so we can bring him back to Newtopia in chains and have him judged for the lives he's destroyed and the damage he's caused! But as Headmaster of the Night Guard, I can't allow my own emotions to decide the actions of our force, nor can I ignore the current situation our city is in. Even if the duke and his little cabal of traitors are dead or imprisoned, the situation in Newtopia is too unstable to allow the Night Guard to go on a wild hunt for that traitor! Until we manage to fully restore order within the walls, we don't have any manpower to spare, even by pulling double shifts and working in coordination with the Army and the Navy."

"That bad, sir?" Marcy finally said after some seconds of silence, as she had never seen the Headmaster this furious before.

"Twenty-two warehouses of military supplies raided and destroyed, their contents either spread all over the city or having fallen in the hands of the criminal underworld." Ernst began to recap. "The Army lost all their secondary garrisons and bases, and one third of their effective force. Our own forces within the city are reduced to one hundred rangers, including those who aren't in condition to fight anymore. Thousands of civilians are dead or missing, while the number of wounded and homeless can easily triple that! Even the walls of our city weren't spared, causing further strain to our rebuilding efforts. And now that rumors of your little 'finding' spread among the population, fear and paranoia are at an all-time high!"

"Headmaster, I-" Marcy began to say, before she dropped her head and look shamefully at her feet "...it wasn't my intention."

Seeing the state his subordinate was in, Albert took a deep breath to calm his nerves and with a sigh continue the discussion. "I'm not blaming you for the situation, captain; I blame it on whoever blabbed out, after the King made us swear not to tell anyone until the situation got more stable. That said, the reveal that the duke was controlled by someone else the whole time had caused everyone to second-guess everything: if there was one, who says there might not be more?"

"I think that's quite unrealistic, Headmaster." Marcy replied. "As I told you before, the technology level alone-"

"I know, because you explained to me, but try and tell that to them!" The headmaster waved around, 'symbolically' hinting at the whole population of the city. "Anyone who behaves 'unlike' themselves, or even just because they look funny, can be accused to be a puppet, like the Duke. We had 15 cases already in the last few days, and only timely intervention of our rangers avoided tragedies. I'm sorry, captain Marcy, I know how important this mission is to you and your squad-mates, and I must agree that the plan of action you devised for this investigation was quite wise and carefully planned, but the Night Guard can't afford an operation of such lengths, on some faraway remote place like Dawnblood island, no matter the scope. And besides, "the Headmaster looked away for a moment, "we have received new orders from the King – with the Order's defeat, we must focus on pacifying the city."

"I-I see sir." Marcy lowered her glance once again, feeling defeated. Albert looked at her in silence for a few more seconds before standing up and walking to the window of his office, looking outside, his hands clasped together behind his back. Interpreting this as a dismissal, the human girl began to walk away, but just before she could open the door, the headmaster's voice called her once again.

"You and your squad have worked really hard this few weeks, Captain Wu." The old newt said, still looking outside. "

"And after what you went through, I don't think anyone will question it if I give you and your teammates a chance to rest and relax, perhaps someplace away from the city."

"Wha- but… sir!" Marcy was startled by this decision. "You've said it yourself! We can't allow-"

"And!" The old newt continued, perhaps a little bit harsher than he wanted, as he turned around, his eyes meeting hers. "I've also heard of your interest in Amphibia's mysterious past, isn't that correct?"

The girl nodded in silence, still questioning where he was going with the discussion.

"Then," the headmaster continued, "I'll suggest you take your squad and take them where they can relax and perhaps learn something new, maybe someplace rich with history. The name eludes me right now, but I believe it was called… the Downbad Island?"

Marcy gasped, her confusion turning into comprehension, a smile starting to blossom over her lips as she realized what her commander was suggesting. "Dawnblood Island, sir?"

"Yeah, that's the one!" Headmaster Albert nodded, going back behind his desk and starting to write on a piece of parchment. "Of course, you'll need a boat to go there, but I'm confident you'll solve this inconvenience without issue." Once he had finished, the headmaster held the parchment to her. "You will be gone for one week at least, so while you're away, take some time to check your equipment and make sure you've refilled anything you may need in the future."

Keeping herself from squealing of joy, Marcy almost jumped to the parchment. But as her fingers brushed it, the headmaster took it back one moment, his expression hardening.

"Be careful. I've heard that some dangerous creatures have made their homes on the island."

Marcy nodded, understanding the silent meaning behind those words, 'Don't take unnecessary risks.' With a firm nod, the human took the mission order before rushing outside the office...

(…)

"Hey, none of us refused to come." The spellcaster frog replied. "We're a team; we stand together, and we fight together. And we also have Amelia, and Akitsu-"

"-and me." A suave male voice finished her sentence, the human and the frog turning around to see a sharply dressed boy in a Navy uniform, a sword on his side. "Come on, Marbles, don't forget about me just because I'm the only one without Calamity Powers yet!"

"James!" Marcy welcomed him, while at the other end of the room Javi, Kettle and Femur became aware of the young officer. "Is everything alright? Something you want to tell us?"

"Only that we should arrive in sight of the island in a couple of hours. Close enough for us to reach it by mounting on Akitsu."

"Ser James," Javi said, walking towards him and saluting him, "even if I did that already, I wish to thank you again for the priceless help you've provided us so far. I know there is no way for us to repay that-"

"Nonsense! You needed a ride, and I provided that. Besides, what's the point of being Admiral Blueocean's new protégé if I can't use such relations to help my friends?"

"But still," Maddie murmured, looking aside with a nervous look, "using a galleon of the Newtopia Navy like it was a taxi-"

"The Green Lady was already scheduled to do some high-sea training." The British boy simply replied while waving away the young frog's worry. "I simply decided where we were going to have them. Plus, the captain and the crew all volunteered to be part of the operation, when you told them. And I willingly chose to come with you on the shore, to act as your liaison, since there weren't other volunteers."

"I guess we are grateful for the help the Navy is willing to provide us." Kettle nodded, looking at James with eyes filled with respect. "By the way, cap- Marcy," she hurriedly corrected herself, "what do we know about this place where… Ernst ran to?" She hissed, like just saying the name of their former captain hurt her.

"Dawnblood Island? Not much. Only what I've been able to find from the books in the Royal Library." The adorable ranger captain sighed. "Apparently, this place's one of the most remote and hard-to-reach locations in all of Amphibia. So much so, that the only reason anyone comes here is the dense schools of fishes found around the island. The only landmark worthy of note is the Dawnblood castle, situated at the very center of the island. If Ernst and any of his remaining mooks are hiding here, then the castle's our best option."

"It won't be easy." James murmured. "I asked around the crew if they knew something that could be useful for you. From what they said, 'this place's so creepy it makes Cragmarrow Cove looks like Gumdrop Gulch'. The island's mostly made of bloody red stones, barren poisonous trees and the fauna composed of various species of giant centipedes or predatory insects with snake-like bodies. They even say that, if you walk on the island, you may end up cursed! It's the reason why my suggestion to set up a landing point on the beach had been rejected."

"You know, I almost wish we could have brought Jacob and Sasha into this mission as well." Marcy said out loud. "I mean, I've nothing against you and the Navy, James, of course-"

"No offense taken."

"-but perhaps, I'd feel safer if they were here to reinforce us. Sash's basically a one-girl army now, and Jacob… I can't deny he is quite a resourceful ally to have by your side."

"They're good warriors, true, but they're not fit for stealth missions like this one." Maddie replied. "Plus, they couldn't miss today..."

(…)

"Attention!" General Yunan shouted, the cadets and soldiers of the Newtopia Army raising their heads in attention, their uniforms and outfits shining, even Jacob and Sasha paying extreme attention as King Andrias walked into sight, lady Olivia at his side, while a small group of Royal guards, led by the former sergeant Ayn, escorted them.

Ayn smirked as she walked over Yunan, making sure her new uniform and rank as Captain and commander of the Royal guards, as well as the newly minted medals appointed over her chest, were visible for everyone to gaze and feel envious of. While Ayn was much more professional and easier to interact with than her treacherous predecessor, she was still a noble, and with this new social position and authority, her ego had also inflated. Rumors going around said that her family was also taking advantage of her new position to expand their own authority against various nobles' houses, many of which had supported the duke and his attempted coup.

Yet, the King promised rewards for all of those who helped put down the coup, and today, it was the Army's moment of triumph.

"Soldiers of Newtopia!" Lady Olivia announced. "His Majesty King Andrias Leviathan, Lord of Amphibia, Peacekeeper of a Thousand Years and the First of his Name, will now speak." She moved aside, next to Yunan (the general giving her a heartfelt smile as she did) as the King began his speech.

"My fellow Amphibians, it is such a joy to see so many young promising cadets." The king said in a solemn voice. "We lived through dire times; this is something you all know. While our attention was focused on the outside, against new enemies amassing their forces outside of our walls, the poisonous stench of treason had risen within Newtopia itself. The Order of the Olms, in their misguided view and their irrational fanaticism, had caused untold damage to our beautiful city. And while our forces were focused on hunting them down, a small cabal of senseless and criminally corrupt nobles, aided by those among us that were willing to sell their honor and their integrity for promises of richness and power, formed a plot to rebel against me. A coup, to take over Newtopia and rule in their name. This very castle of Newtopia had been besieged, a fact that had never happened before in the history of our nation."

"Yet, our enemies were not successful. We refused to surrender, and we fought. We stood our ground, even as the situation seemed desperate, and we lost many friends by the hand of the duke and his lackeys, but in the end, we triumphed. The rebel army, trapped among our forces, was annihilated to the very last soldier; the traitors, who attempted to backstab us, were defeated and detained; the coup was foiled; and Newtopia, once again, emerged from the challenge stronger than before!"

"Long live the king!" Someone in the third row shouted, the soldiers cheering at once, Andrias taking a few moments to savor the admiration of his subjects before resuming his speech.

"Today, we're here to bring tribute to you, courageous souls who stood together and fought to preserve our long-standing nation and our way of life, and the enormous success of which you were part of. First, all cadets and recruits who went through the attempted coup and survived are, from this moment on, official soldiers of the Newtopia Army. What you went through was much harder than any test you could have possibly faced, and couldn't ever be underestimated, nor now or ever. At the same time, each one of you who lived through such event will receive a special award, to commemorate the deed!"

The soldiers stood to attention, a couple eyeing with curiosity, as two Royal guards marched upfront and carried what it seemed like a large case, passing it to lady Olivia, the experienced politician shoving a hand inside and taking out a shining aquamarine medal. Since Yunan was standing right next to her, she could see that, on the medal's surface, was engraved a stylized drawing of Newtopia's flag symbol with the words 'THROUGH LOYALTY & STRENGTH' impressed above.

"These ones," the Royal Advisor explained, as he pinned one medal each for Yunan, Sasha and Jacob, while other officers moved among the ranks, appointing one medal for every soldier gathered in the courtyard, "are personal decorations, to each one of you."

"Ohh, give me one here, here!" Ivy cheered as she received her own, Bella helping her by grabbing the small frog with both hands and raising so the officer could pin it over her own outfit. "Yay! Bella, look at me! I've got a medal now, Polly's going to be so jealous!"

"Well, you must admit it is quite a nice reward for defeating a coup," the former bellhop nodded, looking at her own medal and smiling internally, wondering what kind of reaction her family might do once she showed them.

"And now, after the public award, I guess it is time for the… personal ones." The King nodded, Captain Ayn bringing him a smaller, yet more luxurious case, opening it slowly and allowing Yunan and the two human kids to see shiny glowing light coming from the inside. "General Yunan, please step forward."

The youngest general of the Newtopia Army stuttered for a second, before doing as she was asked, lady Olivia giving her a smile of encouragement.

"General, for having led the troops that brought relief on the Castle, after fighting your way through the enemy-occupied city, as well as for your successful assistance to the Night Guard in the final battle against the Order of the Olms, I'm elevating you to the Rank of High General of Newtopia, Supreme Commander of the Newtopia Army and leader of Amphibia's military forces."

The King's announcement caused a wave of surprise among the soldiers, with Yunan herself being the one most surprised. The title of 'High General' was one very few generals of Newtopia Army ever held before, and the fact that she was chosen to be the next bearer couldn't help but make her feel… strange. While her deeds were exceptional (she was an exceptional soldier and commander, after all!) they were not big enough to justify such a decision on the king's behalf. Was that because she was the only general that had managed to survive the coup unscathed? Or perhaps-

"Maybe now you'll be more content with spend time behaving like a general should, instead of going on whatever mission by yourself." Lady Olivia murmured with a smug smile, her tone of voice clearly telling them that she may have played a big part in this.

"And now, our brave new officers, whose already exceptional successes could be eclipsed only by the great power they managed to activate within themselves." King Andrias turned his focus to Sasha and Jacob, both teens almost jumping with excitement, as Ayn marched toward them and began to add medals over their uniforms and armor, each one receiving a medal identical to the ones the other would. "From what I've heard, until just before the coup, both of you were eagerly trying to prove yourself to get the chance to become General Yunan's second in command. You both managed to display tremendous skills and inventive to prove yourselves worthy of such role." He looked at Sasha. "Lady Waybright, your strategic and tactical skills are second to none in my whole realm, you're not afraid of putting yourself in the frontline if that means achieving success with as little bloodshed as possible, you show great protective instinct towards your own subordinates and the ones you call your friends. And from what I've been able to see with my own eyes, ever since the very first day you and the rest of your family arrived in Newtopia, your sword-fighting skills are on pair with some of our best fencing masters."

"I simply had a very good teacher, your majesty." The blonde girl replied, sending a smile to Ivy, her younger adoptive sister thumbing up to her.

"Meanwhile, you, Ser Jacob," the King turned his attention toward the boy. In response, the former prankster of Saint James Middle School slammed his right punch over his heart as a salute, his left hand holding onto his battle hammer. "You have proven yourself to be skilled in different ways, such as introducing brand new ideas to improve the efficiency and abilities of our soldiers, up to introduce a brand new kind of weapon, the firing bands-"

"Uhm, your Majesty?" Jacob interjected. "I apologize for interrupting you, but… I'm not their actual inventor. I can't claim any credit for their creation, for they were invented many centuries ago, and by now they're quite common in our world."

"And yet, not only you were able to have them replicated and built in Amphibia, but you also managed to produce enough of such weapons and train the troops under your command to use them, that we were able to employ them against both the Order of the Olms and the Duke's insurrectionists. I've heard reports, both from other military commanders than from our citizens, and even testimonies of a few enemies who chose to surrender, and they all agree that your weapons gave us a decisive advantage, again and again. For they allowed us to strike at a greater distance and rate of fire than mere bows and arrows usually could. Adding to that, your strong determination, the source of inspiration and morale for the ones following you, and last but not least, your generosity. Not many people would have hired an overworked bellhop out of pity, offering them good pay and opportunity to a better life than they could've ever hoped otherwise."

A few soldiers listening to the king turned their head to look at Bella, the newt chuckling with a sheepish expression, internally wishing she could disappear into the ground. She wasn't used to being in the spotlight, and to hear the King himself talk about her… yeah, it was making it sound like a frogging fairy tale.

"It was quite a hard choice, and I can see why a decision couldn't be taken until now." King Andrias continued. "Yet, I think I have finally taken a decision of which one among you deserves to be chosen as helper and second-in-command of General Yunan."

Everyone gasped, most internally, a few literally, their eyes widening as they leaned forward, trying to be as wary and attentive as they could to not miss anything the king was saying. Even Yunan and Olivia, from where they were standing, reacted with expressions of bewilderment: it was clear, at least according to the face lady Olivia was making, that this was not planned in advance at all.

Of course, the most interested in the King's words were Sasha and Jacob, but human teens leaning closer, hope and fear mixing in their hearts, forming a dangerous mix: as the King said, they were both excellent choices, but the position was for one alone. Which one of them would get it?

"Lady Sasha," King Andrias said after a long, pregnant pause. "It is my decision that you shall take such role and assist our new high general from now on! Congratulations, Captain Waybright."

"Yes!" Ivy couldn't contain her enthusiasm anymore, literally jumping in sight. "My sister won! My sister won!"

"Huh!" Jacob gasped, his hope busting down as disappointed quickly took its place, Sasha looking back at him with a smug expression. "But I-how-why-what… ow." He looked down, the taste of defeat feeling even bitter than he imagined.

"Your Majesty, I must protest!" Bella came in assistance of her boss, she too, indirectly, feeling the burn of the defeat (and that she now owned Ivy several golden coins). "While lady Sasha's skill can't be underplayed, it is not fair to disqualify Ser Jacob. In fact-"

"You're ready to challenge your King's word just to support your commander, huh?" The giant newt looked at her, the former bellhop letting out an 'eep' as she realized what she had just done… only for the King's smile to grow once again. "Fear not, loyalty's not something to be ashamed of. And besides, I didn't say Ser Jacob wouldn't receive a reward as well."

Huh?, everyone thought at the same time, caught by surprise by the King's latest revelation. Even Sasha, who up to a few seconds ago had been overcome by joy and victory pride, froze in shock.

"As I was saying earlier, ser Jacob, your skill set and personality are more fitting for a frontline commander than a strategist. Thus, it is with great honor that I, King Andrias of House Leviathan, therefore raise you to the rank of Captain, and appoint commander… of our assault squads!"

Jacob gasped once again, his confusion turning into delight, and then into smugness, as he gazed upon the cadets in front of him. And then-

"Atten-tion!" The boy shouted, as loud as his lungs allowed him, the newt soldiers slamming their feet on the ground.

From where she was standing, Sasha could barely believe what she was hearing: Jacob, Mr. 'I prefer to ignore orders rather than give them', a captain? Jacob? Mister Prank Master? How could he be reward with such honor while she totally won fair and square?! It's unjust! It's unfair! It's totally not cool, Andrias!

Was Sasha being overly-dramatic about their competition? Absolutely, but she would never admit it.

Oh, well, it doesn't matter, the girl thought, as the king kept talking. I still have seniority on him, even if only by twenty-three seconds.

(…)

"I still can't believe we've reached this point." Hop Pop murmured, looking around with eyes filled with excitement. "The Plantars, official guest of the King and being allowed to live in the Castle?"

"I know! That's awesome, right?!" Sprig chanted. "Now we can be with Anne and the others all the time!"

"And Frobo doesn't have to stay separated from us ever again!" Polly nodded, "I was sad when those newts at the hotel said they couldn't allow him inside, just because they were afraid he might break the floors."

"By the way, where did you leave him this time?" The old farmer asked his granddaughter with an inquisitive expression. "And with who?"

"Well-"

"Gy-hai!" A female voice could be heard, the frogs recognizing it as the voice of a certain human teen who they'd taken under their wing. They rushed as fast as their feet allowed them, until they ended up in a small courtyard. Here, they found Anne and Frobo, the robot moving continuously and trying to hit Anne with his extendable arms and his eye beams, while the human girl (dressed in her usual training outfit, albeit with a few more protections and cover-ups) glowed with blue Calamity energy, moving even faster than the robot and using her Calamity energy to deflect or nullify Frobot's attacks

"Frobo, stop!" Polly shouted, the large robot hearing her voice and stopping his attack. "What are you doing? Why did you try to attack Anne?!"

"Anne, are you ok?!" Sprig gasped, reaching for her, only to see she didn't see scared at all. Rather, she looked tired, sweaty… and overall satisfied.

"I'm fine, guys! I-! I was... was just…" She held one finger in the air, making sign for everyone to wait as her other hand reached her knee, the girl taking a few seconds to breath down and slow down her fast-beating heart. "I was just training, and I asked Frobo to assist me with some mock-attacks. He's the perfect sparring partner for when I'm using my power: tireless, powerful and I don't have to be afraid of killing him if I strike too hard."

"You were… training?" Hop Pop raised an eyebrow. "As in, training your powers?"

"Huh-uh! I started taking out a few notes I had, back when I started practicing Muay-Thai, and apply its principles to my powered-up statues. Right now, I'm focusing on getting more and more used to fight with them, to reduce the strain on my physique and build up my stamina, while also learning how to preserve my strength in combat and not wear myself out. Once that's secured, I'll try to extend the time I can stay with my powers activated, so as-"

"Anne, why are you doing this?" Sprig asked, he and Polly looking at their adoptive sisters with eyes filled with worry. "You remember how badly in shape you were during the siege? You were keeping on pushing yourself to the limit, you didn't give yourself any chance to rest, I was genuinely afraid you might hurt yourself!"

"That's why I need this, Sprig." The human girl let out, the tiredness in her voice mixed with the emotions she had struggled (and failed) to repress. "Back then, when the duke and his troops were besieging us… Amelia and I had to run from one wall to another, and use our powers without rest, just so we could protect you, even against overwhelming odds. We're the reason why you're still alive!"

"HEY!" Polly protested, Frobo moving his rotating head in agreement. "We helped!"

"Yes, you did. You all did." Anne replied with a heartfelt smile, before sadness took over her once again. "And yet, the more I think about it, the more scared I am... What if we hadn't been able to hold the life until our friends arrived to save us? What if one of them had a lucky shot while I was on the floor? Unable to raise even a finger? You're children-"

"And you're not?" Hop Pop countered. "Last I recall, back when you and your friends joined our family, you told us you had just celebrated your thirteen birthday. You're thirteen, Anne! So, unless you're going to tell me that humans became adults at that age, you're still a child in my book. You all are." The old frog pointed out.

"Even Sasha?" Sprig asked.

"Yes, even Sasha!" His grandfather replied. "That's something Captain Grime and I agree on…"

(…)

"Can I try some of that?" Sasha asked with expectant eyes, pointing at the jug in front of Grime, the toad and the human sitting at the same table at Stumpy's.

"Bog Grog?" The former boss of the Southern Tower asked, before seeing the excitement in the blond girl's eyes, his voice and face hardening immediately. "No."

"What? Why not?!"

"Listen Sasha, I don't know how things work in your world, but here in Amphibia we have such a thing as 'adult drinks'." The toad explained, before looking at her. "And I am aware that you're underage, and thus, a child, albeit a somewhat terrifying one."

"So, I can use weapons and fight monsters, but you draw the line at me drinking frog beer?"

"Glad that we're on the same page!"

"NO WAY! UNFAIR!" Sasha protested, quickly gaining more and more attention onto herself. "YOU'RE SUCH A WET BLANKET-"

(…)

"But, you had that drink," Anne questioned, "the one you gave to the boys…"

"The Plantar family's heirloom drink is one hundred percent devoid of alcohol!" Hop Pop scoffed, sounding offended. "Did you seriously think I'd give to my kids alcoholic beverages?"

"It's true, I had my first sip back when I was still a tadpole." Sprig added. "Strong stuff, but all natural and safe, even for kids."

"I used it for my burping contests!" Polly agreed.

"I-I apologize. I wasn't accusing, just… confused." Anne spoke back, before continuing. "Still, we don't know what kind of adventures we might have, or what kind of danger we might run in. I need to know I can be able to protect you, even alone if necessary! And this power… for so long, we've treated it as something to use only as our last resource, right because we were afraid of any side effects it could have on us. But… what if that's not the case? What if, with proper training, we could use it for any threat we face? We would win easily, all the time!"

"Or you might end up overworking your body, further threatening your health for situations we could have managed the 'normal' way." Hop Pop said while shaking his head. "And besides, we still don't know how many side effects there might be. Sure, the King promised to help us if he found something in his library, but with everything that happened so far, I guess it wasn't one of his priorities. We must be patient and wait for the time."

"But until then, if something else happens…"

"Then we will face it, together, as a family!" Sprig hugged Anne, refusing to leave her, Hop Pop and Polly joining in, Frobo moving to imitate them, only for an headshake of the tadpole to stop him, the large robot instead just putting one of his arms on Anne's shoulder. "That's what families do, right? We help each other, and we face problems together."

Anne felt the need to protest, to say that even if that was true, there was no way for them to know if they'd be able to do that. But feeling the warm embrace of Sprig and Polly, the caring touch of Hop Pop and the reassuring metallic-hard surface of Frobo on her shoulder, she felt her fears and worries melt like snow under the sun as she returned the hug. The four family members (or rather, five, since Frobo was now included) standing there without saying anything, letting the hug and family warm speak in place of their mouths.

"And besides," Sprig said after several minutes, 'breaking' the heartwarming moment with the sound of his voice. "We have already gone through a lot of drama and dangers lately: I think we own to ourselves some fear-free time. It' not like we might face something worse soon-"

---

Far away from Newtopia and the palace where the king of Amphibia resided, there was Dawnblood Castle. Built many centuries ago by the last 'true' owners of the eponymous island, the gothic-looking fortress dominated over the landscape, allowing those inside to spot any incoming ship coming too close to the island, or anyone landing on its beaches.

And it was here, far away from both the vengeful gaze of King Andrias and the burning revenge of Newtopia's inhabitants, that the newt known as Ernst (formerly captain of the Night Guard rangers, and later the leader of the Order of the Olms with his 'Goldmask' alias) had taken refuge, accompanied by his still-faithful underling Dark Armor.

Or at least, that's what he assumed until now.

"Are you sure about this?" The former ranger gasped, his eyes rising from the paper lying in front of him, shock and betrayal on his face. "It couldn't be an error of some kind?"

"Sir, this looks too blatant to be a mistake. Either your associate's a complete idiot, or some kind of reverse genius that come up with stuff that's the complete reverse of what he wants to do." Replied the figure in front of him, shaking her head. The 'figure' being a small newt with spiky hair and sickly green skin, big teeth visible on her mouth, and an eyepatch covering his left eye socket. Her name was Bomme Frite and from what Dark Armor had learned when Ernst first introduced her, she was a mercenary that the former leader of the Order hired to provide additional security to the castle.

In short, at least in Ernst's opinion, nothing more than a paid goon, perhaps skilled with her contraptions, but whose alliance rested with her greed, rather than with her creed. Someone whose loyalty couldn't be earned, but bought.

"Dark Armor!" Ernst hissed, realizing he had been played like a fool. "Where is he? Where-"

"Speak of the Devil-" a voice began to say, Ernst and Bomme turning their head at the same time to see that the tall, dark figure of the armor-clad warrior was already there, "-and he shall appear!"

"YOU!" Ernst marched up to him, his face livid. "What the frog's going on? What have you done?!"

"Everything went exactly as planned."

"Oh, that's what you think happened?" Ernst challenged, with a tone full of mockery. "Do you see me rich and happy, ready to start a new chapter of my life? From the very moment I decided to take you in, nothing went as planned! Your hit on the Night Guard's headquarters did nothing but strengthen their resolve, and we lost many of our best soldiers for nothing! Then I allowed you to manage our alliance with Duke Pyrofrian and his cronies in my name, and you messed up again! You told me those bombs of yours would only cause some smoke, a little show so their Act would come to pass, and instead we ended up blowing up the city to the sky, losing everyone we had in the operation! And what's worse, you told me it was because they didn't follow your instructions, but that's not true!"

Ernst pointed at Bomme. "She told me, because apparently she's much more skilled at managing explosives than you are! And after checking one of your leftover packages, she was able to tell me they were much more powerful than you told me, and that they would go off instantly, not after some time like you claimed! Due to you, I lost the King's trust; I made myself an enemy in the eyes of everyone in Newtopia; I lost so many valuable manpower that I could've used for other plans; I was forced to sacrifice the rest of the cultists just to be able to escape, I was exposed to my former squad and now I'll have to live in hiding for the rest of my life, because the second someone ever recognizes me, I'll be brought back to Newtopia, where I'll be trailed, condemned and executed! YOU MADE ME A PARIAH! Now you tell me, how's that supposed to mean that 'everything went exactly as planned'? ANSWER, YOU FROGGING MORON!"

For a few seconds, Dark Armor said nothing, silently glaring back at Ernst, before looking at Bomme, the smaller newt shivering as she was given an order.

"Leave us."

"You stay right there!" Ernst counter-ordered. "I'm in charge!"

In response, Dark Armor raised one of his hand and placed it on Ernst's shoulder.

"Do you feel in charge?" Dark Armor seemed amused.

Silence. Bomme immediately left, walking as fast as her legs allowed her, Ernst stood motionless, in stunned silence, taken back by those words and considering the hand over his shoulder, his blood turning cold, as his mind realized the implied meaning of those words.

"I accepted you into the Order. And I even offered you half of my riches-"

"And that gives you…power, over me?" Dark Armor scoffed with disapproval. It was then that Ernst realized, the armored being in front of him didn't have a tail.

"What is this?" The former Night Guard captain murmured, horror taking over his mind, realizing he knew nothing about Dark Armor. The being who used to be his most trusted subordinate gently moved his hand from the newt's shoulder to his neck, before grabbing it.

"Your cultists, your resources, your name, have been important." The disguised human unlocked his helmet, raising the visor and allowing the newt to see his actual face for the first time, grinning as he saw the terror in Ernst's face. "'Til now."

"It-it can't be… you're one of them?"

"I'm Amphibia's reckoning, a holy sword of justice sent to into this world of infernal monsters and freaks, who dare to rebel against the natural order set by God. I'm here to put an end to this mockery and insult to the Divine Creation that your mere existence represents."

It was then, than Ernst could finally see clearly, free from the scorn and hate who had been with him for years, ever since he lost faith in the Guard and realized he'd rather work for his own gain, rather than for some abstruse cause like 'justice' and 'honor'.

Now, he could finally see Dark Armor for what he was in truth. He was the kind of evil that he had often taught young recruits and cadets against, the kind of evil who was never looking for anything logic, like money or power, and thus, couldn't be bought. They couldn't be bullied, because they had no fear, nor anything they had to lose. They couldn't be reasoned with, for they were irredeemable. They couldn't be negotiated with, because there was nothing that you could offer them.

The kind of evil, who just wanted the world to burn.

The kind of evil, that wanted others to suffer for the sake of suffering.

The kind of evil, that mothers used to scare spoiled efts and tadpoles who didn't want to sleep.

The kind of evil, that had to be stopped, to protect the innocents.

The kind of evil, which new ranger recruits sworn to protect Newtopia and his citizens from, no matter what.

The kind of evil, that Ernst himself had spent so many years fighting.

And now, the kind of evil whose hand Ernst was going to die from.

"You… you're pure evil."

"I'm necessarily evil." The human spoke one last time, grabbing his face with the other hand and turning it around, Ernst's neck breaking instantly before his body slammed against the floor, the dying newt letting out a muffled cry of pain.

From where she was standing, Bomme heard the scream, immediately making her blood turned cold. This turn of event made her decide that, no matter how much she had been paid, surely wasn't worth it. Even if this 'Dark Armor' was going to take over her contract and offer her twice the amount Ernst had promised her, there was no way she was going to work for him, having seen him murder the other newt in cold blood. Besides, if he had been able to kill his own 'boss', what could've stopped him to offing her as well, so he didn't have to pay her?

Her legs began to walk, and then to run, not caring where to, as she was only thinking about putting as much distance as possible between her and that crazy dark-armored psycho.

Screw the money, she thought as an escape plan began to form in her head, money's not good if you're not alive to use it!

(…)

"Ok, guys: we're here!" Amelia announced as Akitsu lowered herself, until the giant white dragonfly was hovering a few feet off the ground. "Get off!"

"Brin briz!" Akitsu buzzed in approval, her exoskeleton sending her a shock of pleasure as the rest of her 'passengers' (two humans, one frog and three newts, one of whom almost as heavy as Soggy Joe, all wearing heavy armor and carrying equipment) jumped on the ground, Javi and Kettle inspected their surroundings while James checked his handbag.

"Ok, squad," the human Navy officer nodded. "We have at least five flashing beetles here. That means five times we can request the assistance of the Green Lady's artillery, should we face unexpected resistance." Still wish I could've brought a few sailors with us, at least to secure our landing point. Frogging curse-fearing cowards…

"That is, as long as they remain in the area." Maddie nodded. "How long will that be?"

"Two days, unless something happens. Or we return earlier."

"Good enough." Marcy nodded. "Let's move guys. If Ernst is really here, we don't have any time to waste. To the castle!"

"OK, my little wabby-tabby," Amelia gave a small pat to Akitsu, the large dragonfly purring as she did. "We'll approach the castle by foot, to avoid being detected. While we do, you stand on guard and watch out if you see anything bad we should be informed about. And if I need you-"

"Brin brin! Brin-din-ding!"

"You got that right, girlie!" The young samurai replied. "There's no way we're going to let them escape from us, ever again!"

"Huh, Kettle?" Javi asked, approaching his squad mate as the group got march to the castle, low so no one else could hear him.

"Yeah? What's up, Javi? Did you see something?"

"No, actually, this is more of a personal question. I wanted to ask you… once we return to Newtopia… would like to, you know, go someplace, perhaps? I know a nice restaurant where-"

"Wait, you're asking me on a date?" Kettle gasped, barely able to contain her surprise.

"I guess I am." Javi took a deep breath. "Sorry, I know this is quite unexpected, and I agree if you'll say this isn't the best time, but… after everything that happened, finding out that Goldmask was actually…Ernst," he said, pronouncing the name of their former captain in a low, seething tone, like a child who had grown disillusioned with their own father. "And now, we are going to face him one more time… I realized that I can't keep fooling myself. And that I need to enjoy the people I have around me, for as long as they'll be with me."

"That's… quite an insightful way of thinking, Javi." Kettle replied, feeling her own brain and heart messy due to Javi's sudden reveal. "I'll be honest, I don't know what to say. But, I promise I can answer you, when we're done with this mission of course."

"No problem, I can wait for your answer." The noble scion nodded with a weak smile. "Plus, you're right to postpone this, in hindsight: let's deal with our former captain first, then we will discuss our future."

"Actually, I'm a bit more worried about the reaction our current captain may have." Kettle looked back to Marcy, the dark-haired human girl taking notes on her journal of the environment around them, Amelia and James flanking her. "You know she gets a bit over-enthusiastic, and I'd rather have time to clear my head before she starts squealing about 'Keetvi'."

"Kettvi?"

"She chose the name."

"That's absurd! Why not 'Javettle'?"

"That's what bothers you?!"

(…)

Slow and steady, the team of humans and newts (and Maddie) marched through the island. Despite a few encounters with the local hostile fauna, they keep pressing onward to Dawnblood Castle. On their route to the fortress however, the three human kids and their friends quickly realized that the island was a lot more than meets the eyes. All around they could find ruins of mysterious nature with architecture of futuristic design, covered by moss and vegetation,

Ruins that, while the three newts had never seen before, Maddie and the humans had.

"I-I can't believe it." James gasped, as he approached one of the most visible buildings sticking out of the ground, taking out his phone and scrolling the photos until he found the ones he was looking for. "This stuff looks just like the ones we found back at the Ruins of Despair!"

"Frogs, you're right!" Marcy replied, adding more notes and sketches on her Journal while Amelia and Maddie came to help them, the samurai girl snapping a few new photos of the decrepit structure while the frog began to inspect them. "Do you think they may be something like that, and this was perhaps another automated industrial zone? Or perhaps it may have a different use? Oh my, this is so exciting! As soon as we tell the others-"

"Huh, excuse us," Javi raised his hand, "but you just say, 'Ruins of Despair'?"

"Yup!" Amelia nodded, as she explained. "We passed through there on our way to Newtopia, and they decided to take a skip and explore the area instead of staying onboard the fwagon like Hop Pop and Felicia wanted. They found out only much later, so they had to rush back to get them. And then we all got punished."

"Not one of our brightest moments, I'll admit it." James nodded, kneeling over what looked like either a rusty cannon or some kind of jet engine. "Frog, we should take note of this site and report it to Newtopia, once we come back. Perhaps we could take some stuff, to show off the others? I bet Jacob would like that."

"Hey, guys, look!" Amelia called, pointing out a ruined wall with an old inscription sketched into it, all written in Ancient Amphibian runes. "Looks like there's a message."

"That's the words of the ancients," Keetle said, glancing over the wall with Femur. "I wonder what it may say-"

"What will happen to us?" Marcy began to read, after taking a photo of the inscription. "Ever since the Box left our world we have been plunged into a new dark age. The technology we once used to control wildlife is no longer available to us. Our cities are becoming overrun with beasts and monsters which have not troubled us for centuries. We cannot find a new way to live. Oh stones, oh glorious mother…why have you abandoned us? Is this our punishment? Did our greed bring us here?" The ranger captain gasped, her brain connecting the dots. "That's… an account from the Old Era! The Ancient Amphibian civilization that once ruled the continent, and who had technologies far beyond what we had in our world! And it references the Box, and how its disappearance collapsed everything! Just like it was said in Hop Pop's book!" She began to yell louder and louder, her eyes shining green with enthusiasm. "This gives us so much insight of the fall of-"

"Huh Mars, can you please calm down?!" Maddie called out, "You're glowing. And levitating."

"Eh?" Marcy turned her head, only to see her magic teacher was right, the green glowing energy disappearing just as fast as it had surged. "Sorry, I was letting myself get over-excited… wow, what a rush! Still, this is an amazing discovery! We must absolutely secure the area and dig for more; we can't let such a breakthrough go wasted!"

"As much as I agree with your enthusiasm Marbles, we have a mission to follow." James pointed out, taking as much old tech-trinkets into his backpack. "That said, it doesn't mean we can't return here in the future. With the photos we've taken and this stuff, we can show Lady Olivia and the King the historical importance of this place, before convincing them to send an expedition. And maybe-"

"Huh, Captain Marcy, Ser Jacob, Lady Maddie?" Javi spoke with a gentle voice, Kettle and Femur standing next to him. "With due respect- WHAT IN THE KING'S NAME ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" He shouted, as loud and powerful as his lungs could, before reassuming a gentle, mild expression. "Sir."

"I guess we never told you the whole story, huh?" Marcy took a deep breath, looking at James, Amelia and Maddie, all three giving her supportive nods. "Well, it started like this-"

And so, she told them everything. The full unabridged version of how they had come to learn the existence of an ancient civilization in Amphibia, from a trip taken in the Ruins of Despair and finding out they were in fact factories, to having to rescue Hop Pop and Felicia after the factory got reactivated 'by accident', how that thing came to play into the story told by Hop Pop's book, the hypothesis they had so far, how Frobo was the probable final product of the factory they had blown up, and how they had tried to look for more and more info in the castle's library, only to find nothing.

And as she explained, Maddie and the other two humans would make interventions from time to time, James giving his own hindsight and opinion of what he had seen within the mysterious factory, Maddie telling them how the stuff she had seen didn't 'feel' like Magic while still looking similar to it, and Amelia narrating her own experiences at Quarreler's pass, the meeting with the Olms, and other stuff she had seen or found in her 'adventures'. The newt trio listened with wide eyes, absorbing everything they were told, as they began to make their own analysis and deductions, their brains making connections with what they had undergone.

"You mean… those cultists were right? At least on something?" Kettle could only gasp. "You did meet two Olms after all!"

"Perhaps, we don't know if those were real Olms or just pretending to be." Amelia nodded. "They surely looked like Olms are usually portrayed: huge, serpentine bodies, pale skin, blind-"

"And you say the Box, that thing that brought you here and gave you those powers is also connected to the supposed ancient civilization you learned about, and that its disappearance kick-starts its fall?!" Javi's voice was a mix of shock and horror. "Oh my- by the king, that's why Ernst and his lackeys were destroying all those ancient papers: they were trying to destroy any knowledge about the past!"

"That would surely explain our lack of results, at least within Newtopia." James nodded. "But then, could it be that Ernst's mysterious employer may know about it, and try to destroy such knowledge for their own ends? But what are such ends?"

"The prophecy." Amelia stated, and once again, everyone shut up, eyes looming onto her as her eyes widened, her mouth beginning to speak almost automatically. "Seven stars burning bright, come from beyond to expel-"

"GAAH!" A voice yelled as something (or rather, someone) rushed out of the wilderness and slammed onto Marcy. The dark-haired ranger captain let out an 'eep' as she fell onto the ground (for once, not by her own fault), the other members of the group snapping out and coming to help her, finding out the 'aggressor' was actually a small newt with spiky hair and sickly green skin, wearing an eye patch and carrying a few handbags on her.

"Those uniform- you're members of the Night Guard, right?!" The unknown newt gasped, getting back on her feet and starting to talk with a pleading voice. "You got to help me! I'm in danger! That guy… I was just with my employer, Ernst, and now-!"

"ERNST?!" The group gasped, the ranger nets taking harsh expressions, Femur grabbing the 'intruder' from behind and immobilizing her, Kettle taking away her bags and beginning to inspect them while Javi walked in front of her, his eyes mirrored into hers as he began to interrogate her.

"Speak. Now."

(…)

The newt talked quite easily, without even attempting to lie or hide the truth, James recording her 'confession' on his phone while Javi, Maddie and Marcy kept asking her more and more question.

She told them that her name was Bomme Frite, and she was an engineer turned mercenary to fund her experimental gadgets, and that she had been hired by Ernst to protect him and fill its current refuge, Dawnblood Castle, with many traps and pitfalls, as well as to protect him should the Night Guard or someone else come to look for him. She also told them how Ernst had arrived accompanied by just one individual, called 'Dark Armor', and they both mostly kept to themselves on the upper level.

As the interrogation showed, Bomme had no knowledge about the Order of the Olms or their crimes in Newtopia, claiming Ernst had never mentioned to her when she was first hired nor at any other moment. When she found out about the chaos the Order had unleashed on the city, Marcy saw her face fill with dread, as she realized her employer was a mass murdered… and frantically pleading as to not be accused to be his accomplice.

"I had no idea, I swear! I'm a mercenary, but even I have standards! Had I known beforehand-"

"Shut it." Javi replied. "You said that you found out something in the boomshrooms explosives Ernst gave to you, and that when you reported that to him, he became furious. And then, what happened?"

"He went on to face Dark Armor, telling him he was at fault for what happened, and then Dark Armor… he already looked scary before, but then he became even worse! He told me to leave, so I just did, and then I heard a horrific sound- please, I have confessed everything, I'm willing to pay for my crimes! Let me rot in the darkest dungeon you have, exile me, just put me someplace as far as possible from that maniac!"

"She sounds genuinely scared," Maddie murmured to Marcy, "I doubt she's lying. And if she hadn't lied about the cult and truly has no idea of what they'd done… they I guess there is nothing we can accuse her of. And, if she is the one that designed all the traps in Dawnblood Castle, then she surely knows how to avoid or neutralize them."

Marcy nodded, marching up to Bomme and looking at her in silence, Javi moving aside as the mercenary's eyes focused on the creature in front of her, her body trembling, panic setting on her mind.

"You've been walking on thin ice, haven't you?" Marcy spoke, trying to channel her best 'Sasha' interpretation. "Yet, I'm willing to offer you a chance, if you're telling the truth and you're willing to cooperate. But if turns out you have lied to us-"

"I didn't! I swear!" Bomme began to cry. "Please, I'll do anything you want if you keep me away from him! Anything-!"

"Then, first thing first, you said Ernst hired you to booby-trap the entire castle, right?" She took out her pen and a piece of paper. "I want you to give us a full report on all traps you placed. How to avoid or disarm them, plus every hidden passage and secondary way to move you're aware of."

"Sure, sure! Give me that pen, I'll tell you everything!" Bomme nodded, Marcy giving Femur a nod and letting her go, the mercenary newt began to sketch a map of the castle on the paper, pointing out every trap she had placed and how to circumvent or neutralize them.

"James," the ranger girl, meanwhile, turned to her friend. "I'll be taking my squad and Amelia with me. No offense, but I think we should leave someone out, at least in case things get bad. And… we need to be sure she won't run away or do something while we're checking the fortress."

"Understandable." The boy in Navy uniform nodded. "Perhaps while you're busy, shall I take the chance to explore more of the ruins? I mean, the more stuff we can collect and show off, the better."

"As long as you pay attention, yes. Especially if you find more inscriptions or texts written in Amphibian runes to translate."

"Then, if there is no garrison for us to sneak beyond or fight our way through," Amelia proposed, "we should focus on securing our target and take out any way for them to escape! If you can avoid them run through some hidden passage or break through us, Akitsu and I can cover for the sky."

"That would be wise." Maddie nodded. "Last I recall, your dragonfly is no longer the only flying mount in all of Amphibia…"

(…)

"-and done!" Kettle announced with a triumphant voice as the last trap was successfully deactivated. "Here, the path's all clear now. According to Bomme, there shouldn't be any more traps from this point on."

"I wouldn't say that," Maddie corrected. "She said she didn't put other traps beyond this point, but that doesn't say Ernst or Dark Armor might have done that."

"Maddie's right, and we can't take unnecessary risks." Marcy nodded. "Kettle, you and Javi check on the right; Amelia, you take Femur and secure our left; Maddie, you and I shall proceed along the hallway. Be careful where you put your feet everyone. Last thing we need to do is to warn the enemy we're here."

"You, warning us to be careful where we put our feet?" Amelia chuckled, amused by the irony of such sentence. "They won't even know we're here."

Her crossbow ready to shoot while Maddie walked just behind her, a spell bag in each of her hands, Marcy nodded as the group divided one more time, the two of them proceeding along the hallway while their companions moved to investigate two other corridors. Kettle and Femur were both holding crossbows while Javi and Amelia held their respective blades, before moving forward, their attention equally divided on the floor and for any possible sign of the enemy's presence.

As they proceeded through the insides of the abandoned Dawnblood Castle, the human felt more and more nervous the more she looked around, the portraits of newts all dressed in shiny clothes and royal outfits seemingly glancing at her. That creepy atmosphere reminded her of the time Sasha invited her to try a videogame called 'Vampyre Empire', a horror set during the Middle Ages. It was the scariest game she ever played, and the one and only time in her life she regretted spending fifteen minutes personalizing her in-game avatar. She much preferred to play fantasy adventures!

Or at least, she used to.

"Stop."

"Maddie, what's wrong?"

"I smell… something, coming from that direction," the light blue frog pointed at the end of the hallway, where according to the map Bomme had made them, the throne room of the fortress was located. "It smells like death… and blood."

"You think-"

"Someone died recently, that I can say. I suspect our little collaborator made the right choice to run and don't look back when she did." She said, remembering the destroyed contraption they'd seen at the entrance of the castle. "Too bad for that weirdo's flying vehicle, it broke just as the worst moment."

"That wasn't fate, neither misfortune. That was me." A voice called out, the human and the frog almost jumping in surprise, looking around to try and see where it came from, only to see no one. "I knew you had arrived, so I allowed that pathetic mercenary to leave after sabotaging her vehicle, to make sure she would fall into your hands."

"Dark Armor!" Marcy hissed. "Where are you hiding, you coward?"

"I'm not hiding, rather, I'm waiting. Waiting for you." The voice replied, the duo seeing the door to the throne room opening, like an invitation to get inside. Nervous, yet determined, the teacher and the apprentice nod at each other's before they walk forward, ready for everything, until they entered the room.

The first thing that Marcy noticed was the smell. A pungent, caustic iron-like smell, permeating the room and making the girl gag for a brief second, before regaining her composure. A few seconds later, her eyes widened with horror, and a loud, pitch scream escaped her lips, as she realized the source the smell came from.

Lying into the middle of the room, was Ernst. The former ranger captain and leader of the Order lying motionless, his eyes wide open, a large stain of blood poured off his mouth and dripping on his chest.

His whole body had been placed on the throne, like some sort of mocking figure, to insult him even after death. The traces of blood and the other wounds over his body hinting that the same person who moved him had 'gone mental' on his remains, even after the former captain's demise. And now, his cruel end served to create horror and disgust into those who had met him, and yet who had arrived too late to save his life.

"Captain!" Marcy could hear Kettle scream, as she heard footsteps around her as her friend and companions regrouped. Kettle rushed into the throne room before stopping right in her tracks, as she could only stare at the cadaver of her former leader. The one who was once a source of inspiration and heroism for the whole Night Guard, was now reduced to nothing more than a cruel mockery of his life, dressed in an armor literally worth its weight in gold, yet richness wouldn't bring him any benefit in death.

Kettle turned back, tears falling off her eyes, both from the horror she had witnessed and the shock to find him dead.

Javi seethed, finding Ernst's cruel death to be disproportionate even with all he had done.

Femur held Kettle, allowing her to weep on his chest, patting her back, while struggling to manage his own emotions.

Amelia stood still, holding her katana, murmuring something under her breath.

And Maddie… she looked away. Away from that revolting appearance that was now Ernst's lifeless body, turning her focus on the figure on the opposite end of the room. A figure giving his back to the group, and was instead more interested in gazing onto the horizon from the only stained glass whose decoration had been broken free.

"I'd say, you don't look too happy to learn your former leader had paid for his crimes." He spoke, drawing the focus of Marcu's squad and friends onto him, their horror and shock turning into anger. Had look been able to kill, then the being dressed in the pitch-dark armor would have several times on that day.

"Dark Armor." Javi seethed, holding his sword with both hands. "By the power given to me as member of the Night Guard-"

"You think you have power, mudfreak? You think that something like you can threaten… me?"

Marcy's eyes widened once again, as she remembered the last time she heard those terms, while the figure began to remove his helmet, quickly discharging it on the floor before turning around, revealing himself to be a figure with aquiline nose, short blonde hair and a face that very few had seen, before.

A face that Marcy and Maddie had first seen in Wartwood, months ago, during Hop Pop's frog of the Year party and the toad assault onto the town.

"Aiden." Maddie sneered, while behind her,

"I'm pleased you still remember me, Flour. Your father's arm is healed, by the way."

As the young witch's face filled with horror, to know that this monster had been close enough to her family to know about their well-being, Marcy took a determined step forward.

"It was you." she said with a solemn tone. "All this time, it's been you. You joined the Order and manipulated Ernst to turn him into your patsy, like you already did with Grime. You tricked them into their new violent paths. The attack on the University, the destruction of the Night Guard HQ, the explosions… just how much of that stuff is the result of your doing?"

"My doing, Marcy? My my, your intellect surely is vast, quite fitting for the Princess of the Tang; however, I wasn't the one to set the chessboard, I merely interfered. Ernst," Aiden glanced over the dead body of the newt, like he felt disgusted the more he looked at him, "was skilled, yet too arrogant for his own good. It was easy to sway him with a few words, and manipulate him into doing what I wanted. Yet, he was useful, just like the fake cult he had put together just to destroy a few old books."

"Tell us, what was he aiming for?" Kettle threatened, using aggressiveness to hide her own fear. "What there was in those books that he was ordered to hide? What kind of secrets were you trying to cover up?"

"So many questions, yet what makes you think I'd willingly satisfy your thirst for knowledge? Knowledge is a weapon, the most powerful of all, capable of breaching even the strongest walls and topple whole kingdoms, if applied correctly. And as such, it can't be shared with everyone. Even less with beasts who can't properly treasure it."

With every word and sentence Aiden spoke, the anger within Marcy's companions kept growing, barely kept in check by their self-control.

"This time you're not going anywhere, Aiden!" Amelia spat, getting into position with her katana, like she was going to jump on the offense any second. "You're surrounded! Drop your weapons, raise your hands and I promise we won't hurt you… too much at least."

"Ah, such hatred! Such desire for blood, shining into your eyes!" Aiden seemed to 'compliment' her. "You surely shall be the deadliest of the assassins, as soon as you'll be in my service!"

"For the last time, WE ARE NOT GOING TO JOIN YOU!" Marcy yelled, the anger in her voice shocking (for a brief moment) even her friends and companions. "None of us will! Jacob won't be your general, Amelia will never become your assassin! And we, we will NEVER," she spat out in disgust, like just simply thinking about the scenario made her feel like she needed to puke, "NEVER marry someone as vicious and monstrous as you!"

For a few seconds, Aiden stood in silence, almost taken back by Marcy's outburst, Maddie and Amelia internally hoping her words had finally got their intended objective. And then, he started laughing.

"You have no reason to fear me, I am already aware of the truth. Your eyes are closed and blind, your time spent among these animals is making harder for you to see the light. But I am patient, and I can afford to wait. After all… time's never been an issue for me."

It was then, as Aiden's hand moved to grab something hidden in his armor, the rangers immediately jumped on the offense, only for Aiden's 'something' revealed to be a smoke bomb, filling the throne chamber with fume. And in the times it required for their eyes to adapt, a crash was heard and they saw what looked like a cloak jump out of the window, a giant hairy bat creature with crab claws retrieving him and speeding away, seemingly to bring him away.

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" Amelia yelled, realizing their enemy was trying to escape once again. "Not this time! By the power of Yamato! Akitsu, I summon you!"

The large dragonfly dived from the sky, stopping in front of the broken window and allowing Amelia and Marcy to jump on her back before zooming forward, leaving Maddie and the newts behind.

"This time he won't escape!" Amelia hissed, glaring in direction of the large bat that was carrying Aiden to safety. "Akitsu, maximum speed ahead! Try to move above it, then we'll dive into them!"

"Brin-bruz!"

The large white dragonfly flew as fast as she could, slowly yet steadily gaining ground and with an angry buzz, Akitsu closed her wings and dived onto the bat creature, hitting it on the flank. The half mammal, half crustacean critter hissing and trying to counter, only for Amelia to jump on the offense, cutting one of its claws with her katana while Marcy hit it in the eyes with her crossbow. The combined attack gave Akitsu the opening she needed to sink her legs in her adversary, before her wings started to flap even faster as she moved to control the fall. She unceremoniously dropped the monstrous bat back on the island and landed to a few meters of distance, allowing Amelia and Marcy to rush in and grab its 'passenger'.

"You thought we wouldn't be prepared for such trickery, this time?" Amelia hissed in satisfaction, seeing the unmoving figure of Aiden on the ground. "Well, too bad for you, Akitsu- what?!" She yelled, as Marcy, after she had reached for Aiden and pulled it on his feet, revealed it was a dummy made with straws and a few other trinkets, with a cowl to cover it.

"Oh no." Marcy murmured, realizing that Aiden had foreseen their preparation too. In the chaos caused by the smoke, he must had tore up his cowl and used it to disguise the dummy, before throwing it out of the window to make them believe he was trying to escape by air, as he did once already.

But then, where was he?

(…)

"Captain?" The Green Lady's first mate announced, saluting the ship's commander. "The sailors are getting restless, sir. It's been hours since Ser James and his Night Guard friends disembarked, and they still haven't sent us the signal either to start bombardment or retrieve them. You don't think that, perhaps-"

"-they've been killed?" The captain finished the sentence, scoffing. "I think you're underestimating the Admiral's new promising cadet. Even if they did face harsher resistance than they expected, they wouldn't have allowed themselves to be defeated without so much as a warning. If they haven't sent us any signal yet, then it may be their infiltration mission may be going better than we hoped for, and our support was unnecessary."

"If that's so, sir, perhaps we could… move a bit, perhaps a little further from the island? We'd still be able to provide support or retrieve them, and it would surely raise everyone's moral. The crew's on edge and the lack of communication with Sir James made them think the ship may be attacked by a-"

"Monster!" One sailor shouted, panic spreading from his mouth as he pointed at something. "A monster! It's attacking the ship!"

Immediately, the officers dropped what they were doing and rushed to the side, a few propping out binoculars and telescope as they began to look in the direction the old sailor pointed. Soon enough, it became clear what he was pointing at:

At one and half miles from the Green Lady, on the starboard quarter, the sea seemed to be illuminated all over, two large glowing lights and several smaller more tracing on the sea, a long oval-shaped dark figure attached to them, moving through the water at greater speed than any sail-powered ship could muster, even with favorable wind and light cargo.

"It's the island's curse, I knew it!" Another sailor shouted. "Our presence angered the monster living around the island, and now it has come to punish us!"

"By the King, look how big it must be!"

"Shut up!" The captain yelled, determined to stomp out panic with discipline, before beginning to address new orders. "All hands! Battle stations! Get to windward!"

"All hands, windward!" The lower officers repeated, the sailors scattering all over the ship, setting up to change the ship's sails.

"Harden up two points!"

"Two points!"

"Load the ballista!"

"Gunners, take posts!"

"Take position!"

In a few minutes, the crew had readied themselves for the fight. The ship's heavy ballista were now loaded with piercing and explosive projectiles, and everyone's eyes fixed on the unknown aquatic creature with glowing eyes that was still moving in their direction.

"Sir, ballista ready to shoot at your signal!" The First mate announced, as the captain kept looking at the creature with his telescope.

"Ready to shoot! Steady, stead…"

Suddenly, the creature seemed to 'acknowledge' the Green Lady's presence, but instead of changing route or retreat, as the captain had internally hoped, it launched an unholy sound, like a horn blowing, and charged forward, blowing up a stream of water from above as it accelerated toward the ship, trying to ram it.

"Fire!" The captain shouted at full lungs, and immediately, the crew began to shoot, a few missing, but most of them hitting their target. Yet, the beast didn't seem to be wounded, apparently unfazed by the bombardment it was subjected to, nor did it slow down, and quickly slipped out of the ballista's minimum rage, and rushed to the ship's side, the crew and officers panicking as they realized what was going to happen.

"BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Someone shouted, and then, a few seconds later, the Green Lady shook, every crewmember who hadn't previously secured themselves thrown into disarray, a few ballista ripped out of their position as sails and cordage falling from above. The loud crunching sound of wood being rip apart signaling to the crew that the beast had managed to tear the ship's hull, water beginning to fill the cargo hold and threatening its equilibrium, even as the water pumps began to get to work.

Then, apparently uncaring of the damage it had inflicted upon the ship and the fate of its crew, the beast kept zooming forward, quickly disappearing from the sights as it kept fast-traveling northward…

---

"-extensive damage to our hull, plus loss of over a quarter of our sail power. We will try to do some emergency repairs, then we will set eastward toward the Caecilian Coast. If damage proves to be unfixable, we will try to have the ship stranded." James read the message the captain had left for them, alongside a patch of food supplies. "We will try to send message to get you rescued as soon as we can. Two weeks from now, maybe more. If possible, try to find another means to return to the city."

"Great, just what we needed!" Amelia pouted, kicking a stone with her boot. "Not only Aiden managed to escape, not only he tricked m- us with that dummy, not only our mission proved to be a failure, but we're now stuck on this island! Why couldn't they stand around at least so we could join them?"

"When a ship's taking water, you don't have much time to waste if there's no harbor around." The British boy replied with a stern look. "And if they were attacked by some kind of aquatic creature as they claimed, then we can't blame them for putting their survival above. All considered, our situation's not as bad: we have still a decent stash of food supplies, enough to last three weeks, maybe more if we ration it carefully it. And nothing forbid us to hunt for more."

"Nothing expect the fact all creatures living on Dawnblood island are not safe to eat." Bomme murmured, sitting aside her ruined 'contraption'. "I know, I checked them myself in the spare time. Almost all are toxic, others are utterly devoid of nutritional value, all inedible. Perfect to boost the island's defenses and keep intruders away, but they can't be used as source for food. And if there are sea monsters in the water, then fishing is also not an option."

"Then, we can only rely on what we have left?" Javi began to make a mental count of the stash and divide if for everyone, trying to understand what kind of rationing regime would assure their survival the longest. "How long we could last?"

"Not enough." Marcy replied with a sigh. "Even if we're careful, we can't take in account something would not happen in the way. And we may be stocked on food, but we don't have any medicines, beside what we still have and… what healing spells Maddie could work out."

"And while I would be glad to help you, I don't know enough this island's flora to use them as ingredients." The spellcaster frog added. "I would need to run some tests, but, well, it will take time"

The group stood on the beach in silence after Maddie's statement. Her words had, once again, confirmed what they all already knew: for the time being, they were stranded on the island. With a defeated sigh, Marcy decided to act as the captain she was and coordinate the group's efforts.

On the first day, they tried to keep themselves busy by building a semi-permanent shelter on the beach. This way, it would be easier for them to spot incoming ships or for rescue parties to locate them first. And while using the castle would have been easier, after what they went through, none of them was willing to stay there.

On the second day, Marcy, James, Amelia and Akitsu continued their exploration of the various ruins that littered the island, while Maddie and Bomme stayed at the camp, the former making experiments with the various plants of the island while the latter tried to keep herself busy by drawing new designs and ideas in her notebook.

As for Kettle, Javi and Femur… well, they came to request Marcy's permission to go back to Dawnblood castle and search for anything useful it was left, as well as to 'take care' of an important matter. At first, the human girl was confused by such formal request, but her confusion became realization when they explained themselves.

"We had a long discussion and… and we think…" Kettle tried to say, awkwardly holding one of her arms and keeping her head low. "He deserved something better than to just be left there, to rot…"

Marcy looked at her friends, all determined to do what they thought was right, the dark-haired human ranger nodding in acknowledgement. She could understand why they wanted to do that: while they weren't celebrating what Ernst had become; they wanted to honor who their former captain was.

And so, on the third day, as everyone was getting ready for their daily chores, an idea sprouted among them:

"Hey, why can't we simply leave the way we've arrived?" Kettle interjected, pointing at Akitsu. "We have a flying mount; she can bring us back to Newtopia and-"

"BRIN-ZIN!" The large dragonfly immediately began to protest, clearly not enthusiastic at the idea. "BRIND BRIND BIM! BIM-BUM-BAM! BOOOM-BUUM!"

"Yeah, what she said." Amelia shook her head. "At the arrival, she could carry all of us because it was a short trip, from the ship to the beach. She could never carry so much weight for the whole journey back to Newtopia, especially since we've gained… additional weight since our arrival." She looked at Bomme, the mercenary seemingly offended at the accusation, Marcy and James meanwhile exchanging glances as they looked over the ancient tech stuff the boy had scavenged from the island, plus all the seemingly important things Marcy and her squad had brought from the castle.

"What if we left it here, and returned at a later time to recover it?" The teen boy suggested. "We could even make a map, to remember where we put them."

"As much as I would love to use a pirate stratagem-" but Marcy's words stopped, as she heard something rustle, as she realized something was close to their current position. Something big.

"Captain? Captain!" Javi gasped, as he saw their leader zoom away, the others quickly following, running behind Marcy, until they arrived to a small clearing. And in the middle of the clearing-

Marcy felt her eyes widen once again, her pupils glowing with excitement, her heart beginning to beat faster and faster, as her body went into 'cuteness overload' upon seeing the large bird standing in the middle of the clearing, the remains of a few centipedes at its feet. It had a fluffy white belly with rusty orange feathers, and a scar over his left eye, probably the memory of some fight he had at some point of its life, either against a predator or another of his kind.

"Wow," Amelia gasped as she saw the bird, Akitsu buzzing nervously behind her, ready to fly if the bird showed aggressiveness toward therm. "That's one big bird."

"A giant sparrow." James mused, remembering it from one of Hop Pop's old books. "They were once one of Amphibia's most common species of travelling birds."

"Are they… dangerous?" Asked Bomme, with a worried tone, until the boy shook his head.

"No, at least, not toward Amphibians." He was about to add 'usually' but upon seeing Bomme's already stressed expression, James decided to have mercy on her and keep his mouth shut about that particular topic, and continue on with the creature's general description. "Their diet is close to the sparrows of our world, so they feed on seeds, bugs and other stuff. That said, we don't know how it may react if we get too close."

"Then, shouldn't we tell the captain before-"

Yet, before anyone ever had a chance to intervene, they saw Marcy take one step toward the large bird, her eyes glowing of green energy. Unbeknownst to all of them, the amulet she was wearing around her neck, gifted to the girl a long time ago by the Moss Man began to glow as well. The humongous bird was seemingly hypnotized by the glow and moved a bit closer, as if an emphatic bond began to establish itself between the girl and the bird.

"What is the Captain doing?" Kettle hissed. "We must rescue her before-" but before she could rush forward, Femur put a hand over her shoulder, his other hand grabbing Javi, the tall newt giving his friend and companions a glance full of meaning: stay back, and let them be. Even James and Amelia, who until a few seconds ago were going to get closer in turn, stopped suddenly, as they saw the glowing energy rushing from inside Marcy, watching over the scene like they were mesmerized by it.

And the more they looked, the more the light looked pretty… and peaceful… and soothing.

Thus, the group stood still, watching, even as their captain stopped right in front of the large bird, dropping her backpack on the ground. They stood, as they saw her pull out her violin (who she had brought to better rest and relax during the travel) and began to play, the sweet notes of 'Clair de Lune' filling the air, the huge bird chirping and singing along in harmony, picking the notes.

"I-I have never seen something like that before." Bomme commented, she too, like the others, getting progressively caught in the magic of the moment. "I feel… like my soul's healing."

"It's just… like when Polly and I met the Moss Man for the first time."

"It's… it's so beautiful." Javi began to cry, unwittingly holding hands with Kettle, the two newts acting like they had been 'released' from their traumas, even Ernst's betrayal and his horrific end now feeling far and almost forgotten.

"I've never felt more at peace with myself like I am feeling now." The British teen agreed, small sparkles of pure white light fizzling in his eyes, the energy who had been imprisoned in his mortal body for so long chanting, like it was eager to be released.

Soon, but not yet. A voice sang, but no one could hear it. Not yet but soon.

And then, as the song was finished and the music stopped playing, the energy turned down, the humans' eyes returning to normal, but still feeling mellowed, relaxed. And with the giant bird singing and flapping his wings.

"Guys," Marcy finally said, turning around and showing a large, genuine smile, utterly devoid of sadness of worry. "I think we may have found someone willing to help us leave this island!"

(…)

Meanwhile, as Marcy and her companions were making acquaintances with the large bird, far away from Newtopia and Dawnblood Island, on the outskirts of a small town of fisher-frogs, several toad warriors, holding armors and banners with the symbol of the Hand, waited among the ruins of the city they had conquered and plundered, their sight set on the city's harbor and its dock.

Suddenly, a column of hot water and steam burst from the water and a few seconds later, a large figure emerged, approaching the harbor. It had a large, elongated oval shape, resembling a long cylinder with conical ends; on top of it, there was a smaller structure, resembling a triangular prism, two large glass portholes on the front, and large bright lights that could cut through among the darkness. The mysterious vessel was built completely out of metal, and it had, on one end, a fish-like metal tail, which contained a propeller and rudder; and on the other, there was a long, sharp rostrum made of a darker-colored (and probably much stronger) metal.

It was a marine vehicle, capable of sinking and moving beneath the surface of the sea, like a fish or a cetacean, built more than a thousand years ago by a group of schoolchildren in Newtopia in an attempt to explore the depths of the deep and the life forms that lived in them more efficiently. Then, with the collapse of the ancient society of Amphibia, the vessel had been forgotten and abandoned, until a powerful enemy found it again and converted it to its own use.

"Lord Aiden," the toad in charge saluted, as she saw the human in armor open the cockpit and walk out, saluted by his troops with eager roars. "We're glad to see you're back with us. Commander Rehys sent us here, to welcome your return."

"And I'm pleased to see you again, Gutu." The boy lied, "how did things go on my absence?"

"The whole region is firmly under our control, our sovereign." Sahe smiled, glancing at her ax where the blood still hadn't gone dry. "All land connections between Newtopia and the Northern Tower have been interrupted. And with each new victory, our army keeps growing in number, as does our prisoner workforce."

"Excellent," Aiden grinned, taking out a few golden coins and dropping them on the ground, the toads who were able to see them gasping, their eyes widening. "Select a dozen soldiers, have them grab the gold inside and move it to the Tower."

"Sir, you brought… gold?!" Gutu questioned, her shock growing as she marched to the submersible ship and looked on the inside, finding out all living space had been filled with riches. "How?!"

"Let's just say I took the riches of a traitor, so they can be redeemed into our cause." Aiden smirked evilly. "Not only that, my mission had been a complete success."

"So, the information Rehys gave you turned out to be accurate, sir?"

"Newtopia had been severely weakened. Its Army and the Night Guard had suffered sever losses; the nobles' militias are annihilated, and so are several powerful households. Devastation and chaos had fallen onto the capital of Amphibia, and now suspicious and fear is spreading among them further, dividing their unity and making harder for all races to coordinate. Until now, we were forced to avoid conflict, for our forces weren't strong enough to face them in a direct fight. That, however, is no more the case."

"You mean it, sir? Our wait is finally over?!" Gutu asked, excitement and bloodshed in his eyes.

In response, Aiden didn't say anything, at least at first, taking a deep breath and listening to the sound of the toads unloading gold and riches from the submarine, as he gazed southward, in direction of Newtopia. It had been so long since he wished to bring his justice onto the city, and pay back all debts its inhabitants had inflicted upon him. Centuries of centuries he had spent in misery and hunger, while over that city, those filthy newts dared living like they were the masters of the world.

"Quite a sight, don't you agree?" The Prince smile. "This seems like a good time for a cup of wine, a feast, and a cold, calculated speech about the new era dawning upon this world."

(…)

The Army soldiers screamed, as the Toads and their metallic enforcers break through their ranks, killing them brutally and without mercy, leaving none alive.

(…)

"A speech about power."

(…)

A crowd of frogs, axolotls and newts was carried in chains, under the smug looks of the former bandits, their city burning, chains tying them together, as they were lead away by their conquerors.

(…)

"Order."

(…)

A multitude of former inhabitants of Amphibia was being worked to the death, the guards sneering and mocking them as they were forced to pull an endless stream of carts filled with iron and other metals from a mine resting on the side of a giant volcano. Every once a while, someone would drop from the group and fall, their bodies unable to survive the strain they were subjected to, yet the guards didn't allow for anyone to help them, hitting them to 'make sure' they weren't pretending.

(…)

"Justice."

(…)

A column of prisoners, recently arrived to the tower after losing so many of their friend and families in the long march, was being processed and divided, among those who would be used as slave workforce, to the right, and those who were reputed to weak and frail for that, and would be sent to the left. Children, women elderly and people who had lost at least one limb, were all being sent to the left.

(…)

"But speeches are for peace." Aiden concluded, glancing at his own reflection in a small pool of stagnant water.

"Now, is the time for war."