THE TOAD KING OUR SHORT STORY
*The Toad king*
"It seems like, you've learned a new trick, you can tell me now, where'd you hid it, where's the half of it?" One of the man said, looking at Fredrick's coffers. There are eight of them surrounding him, clothes rugged like rogues. He took all his bag and pockets from his work's wages. He tried to fight back but his weak enough to be outmatched by one of the lanky lad they brought with them. He brutally slapped him in his face over and over as he tried to resist against him but it was no use.
"Hey! Let go of him!" One of them turned and face the young lady who's name is Arta, he's Fredrick's best friend. She's wearing a hunter's guild scarf, blond locks and green eyes glared at him. She knew this was happening to her friend since then but now is the time to get those bully busted.
"Back off girl, this is none of your business." Said the young man who's probably the leader of the group.
"You stinking hell of a bastard, let go of him! Or I'll tell everyone what's up inside that bag of yours, Thief!" He winced from her statement saying the word 'thief', he walk toward her and close distance between each other's fate.
"Look girl, you'd better get out of this, you wouldn't like to have much troubles... Or you might like to get some pain." he met her gaze trying to intimidate her, but this doesn't got her off, she knew she could intimidate them with her authority as a guilds woman but it that doesn't show on their face. The men surrounding Fredrick stalked around her now, she hardly shove the lanky boy on her side but her strength wasn't good enough to repel him, instead she was pushed back tossing with the other man looking at him with a grime expression on his face, she's surrounded with boys taller than her size nevertheless she still feign courage.
"No! Leave her alone! I'll give you it!"
"You'd better know that I'd be collecting thrice of your boons from now on. It'll start tomorrow." he grab Arta and tossed her to him they bumped to each other but he hold her tight from losing her balance. "This because of what you were doing all along chimp. And you there girl, we're not done with you yet." he continued walking off them.
"Are you alright?"
"You don't need to be afraid of them, I'll report this injustice to the guild." He just nod looking at her with anxiety.
After things got settled they both ran back to the village, Fredrick wave goodbye to her as they part ways. He's going home to his father's cottage where his younger siblings used to live. Fredrick shares a cabin with his older brother near the woods were his father works as a lumberjack, it was a storage and supply house but their father built extra quarters for it to make it larger for a suitable shelter when he needed a base and a retreat from days end but now, Fredrick and his brother agreed to stay in it as forest rangers. He was a street away when he saw Redsleeves soldiers on their way to the village but some had already backing up, either in a marching group or with village men and women with them. He hurried through the streets to see what was going on. He was undoubtedly surprised on what he's seeing on the plaza, Young men and women in his age are all gathered around in the circle, they're surrounded with soldiers studying every move they made. Fredrick hid behind an oak wagon, his instinct told him something's not going well around the village, soldiers are shattered through the area. Some guards had men with them unconscious and are beaten, those bodies are on the ground might be one of those or worst. He observe those whose inside the circles, a mix of fear and confusion were looming on their faces. He wasted no time and darted through remaining distance to his home. He make turns to avoid the guards patrolling around every corners. He was peering behind his direction when hit something hard, a full armored Redsleeve stood in front of him.
"You're not suppose to be stalking around here boy," with that he grabbed him by his arm and dragging him along with his fellow men as Fredrick struggles against his iron grip but he couldn't get free of himself but suddenly he heard a loud thump which made the guard collapses to the ground. His father came in and grab him by his shoulders.
"Fredrick! Son, you're here. Come on let's get out of here."
Before they came out of the alley another Redsleeve officer came on their way.
"Our land is under invasion of the holy empire, Your nation demands soldiers to defend our lands or else we will surrender our freedom and will all kneel to their wretched God," the Redsleeve officer came closer at them but his father stood in front of him "Now you may chose to defend, and let your aggression take place on the battle, would you?" With that he yells "Guards!"
"They're at the Mill, leave at once! Be it without me!" His father says as he lunge toward the Redsleeve. He wrestle with the officer buying him time to escape, as he continue running he look back at his father who's getting beaten to death by five men around him, hacking and kicking him on the ground but he's doing what he's told the last time he look back, his father head was crushed. He arrived at the stock mill sobbing and found his siblings waiting.
"Where's father?" his older brother asked
Fredrick told him that he didn't make it by fighting for him to get away from the soldiers, they were all saddened and even it was hard for them they had to decide that there's no way to get him back to come with them but to leave the village now before guards catch them up.
Fredrick and his siblings traveled days on foot on the long road, they got plenty of supplies left and it will likely to be depleted before they get to their destination. Their journey was uneventful for days, not until a man stepped forward and declared their presence, They realized that there were bandits around them.
"Hey over here! We found some people." one of them says out loud. The other ones started asking what they've got but they only got plenty of foods.
Sir, we're vagabonds, we have nothing on our pockets, we're empty handed and been scavenging foods for months my sister is terribly sick and we're-" Said Fredrick's older brother but he was cut off.
" Shut up, you there, you might be of a use, yes, we could sold you out instead with the sergeants looking for footmen." They all took their supplies but he continue pleading.
" Please sir, my brother has a disease, he might infect someone and die-"
"Look lad, we're not here to speak nonsense with a blabbermouth like you, we're gonna take what we wanted to take because you're our slaves, Boys! Get hold of him." with men approaching him, he grabbed a short sword from one of them and started fighting.
"Run now!" He yelled at Fredrick. Everyone attention was drawn to him as he took one man, He thought this will be the only way to make their way out of this even it would be without him. Unable to help his older brother, he decided that it may be the best to fly away before they were caught by their pursuers, he let his two sibling run pass him to guard their backs as he watch behind, their leader drew a short sword out from his brother's left rib, he almost fell down but he ran as fast as he could glancing at his fallen brother dropping onto his knees. Tears and sweat wet his whole face, he shout at his brother and sister to run as fast as they could, eventually the bandits retreated chasing them.
"No, let them die there. No one left the place alive" says one of the marauder who's panting heavily.
They arrived on the foot of the cursed forest Leapmount, dead dark trees hang around like huge hands protruding out of the eerie marsh land, the atmosphere's dense and misty the area is completely damp. Fredrick took his made-up bow with him and tell his siblings that he will hunt for the day's food, he told that his siblings stay on the camp and call out for him if ever something worse is going to happen. With his father and older brother gone and nothing left of their things, Fredrick will be the only one to look out for his remaining family, he thought he could've save them if he was strong enough but he's ashamed of his weakness, unable to do it by his own. He wandered around the grounds of the Leapmount searching for food or something to hunt down to eat. His mind wanders as well with exhaustion slowing him down, he begins hallucinating and started seeing and hearing things he wasn't suppose to. That is not until a hooded figure came out of thin air on his path, He's too dispirited and tired to be terrified by the spectre's sudden presence, He knew the Leapmount is enchanted, that he may encounter stranger things worse than this, and he knew whatever imminent danger comes he wouldn't even thought of protecting himself. He knew he's all powerless. Fredrick jog away getting as fast as he could but the spectre shows up in front of him before he can proceed.
"Always running... Running away." He heard the dark creature's wispy voice speak to his mind,
"I am a Fae-demon I could grant you wish with the price of your soul."
"Pardon me but I cannot do such thing." Fredrick says as he hurry back to their camp
"Hold back young man, I am not done speaking to you." The spectre answers him suppressing his movement. He felt something isn't right, He arrived at the camp and saw a terrible scenery he could ever have thought of, a huge wild boar is feasting on mutilated body of his brothers and sisters, His eyes widened at this horrible setting.
"Nooooooo!" he cried loud, the boar notices him and start charging toward him, he stood motionless, tears falling down on his cheeks, but before those boar's large tusk penetrate his chest the spectre blast a ball of flame at it. The boar was torn of into burning pieces and did not succeeded to kill the grieving young man who's dropped onto his knees.
"If only you only have power, you could've save them." The Fae-demon says mockingly.
"It's too late, they're all gone." he says sobbing.
"And girl?" Fredrick thought for a moment to realize that there's still his friend Arta who's probably held captive by the Redsleeves. Fredrick bowed his head to the spectre.
"I will seek revenge, I need power." he finally says. "Grant me power." this made the spectre laugh wickedly.
"wise choice."
With this, he started chanting with the waves of hands
"You will be unforgiving, you will show no mercy, you will bring fear. You will destroy all hopes your enemies desire and always let the hatred flow through your veins for this will be your power. these will be done by your will and you will become deathless." Fredrick falls to the ground and begins to flutter furiously. He groaned in pain, fighting over it. His eyes turning into
perfect pitch black reflecting every light that he came to see, his skin is turning dark brown with splotches of gold and green and his whole body is entirely taking shape his muddy shirt is tearing apart as his torso blew up, his limbs were taking form too and later on his metamorphic transformation will come to an end.
"Henceforth to this day, there'll be none mortal blade that can pierce through your skin, there'll be no faint sound you couldn't hear, there'll be no man that is safe from above the highest tower for you can leap as high to the sky and there'll be no rocks you cannot crush for you have the might of a dozen men, I will now bless you by the price of your humanity for an unyielding power, rise my friend. Your wish is granted." after his transformation take place the Fae-demon disappears, he stood up and feel the newfound strength within him. He look at his reflection in the waters, Frederick is no more.
Mutated Fredrick, came back to his home, to the kingdom's Borders where the battle will be held nearby, he's already seeing soldiers camp and a stronghold next to it. He entered the building and stormed toward the rooms and other parts he thought he might found his friend more likely in here but he only found numerous rooms. It was probably not a camp for soldiers for as long as he knew he should be seeing one walking along the way, he trailed the faint moaning sounds and led him in strange quarters full of rooms, he found some girls in laying in the bed sheets covering them, some were moving and some might have even seen him passing but there were never a surprise in their expression. He saw a masculine man in one doing a gruesome act with the girl who's hands tied upwards, helpless against the wall, he stepped into the room, the man was preoccupied by the pleasure he was having that he never even had mind what was about to come after him. Fredrick wasted no time and begin to shoot his long sticky tongue at the man's bared back, the impact was so much forceful that his tongue penetrated through his torso, he pulled him quickly and devoured him whole leaving the poor tortured young woman unattended.
He search through the rooms and find more girls, a lone or in group he just wish he could save them, he knew they were from the same small village where he and his family live some are familiar faces but he's wishing that he may not found someone who's dearest to him in this hell and that is not until he'd never expect what he's about to. He stepped inside a room and found his best friend Arta lying on the cold ground, barely clothed with the look of agony marked on her face, her hands were chained on the vices, no chance of escape. She was one of the young women who where collected in the levy and sent along these quarters among with every other unfortunate girls. It makes sense that they were given a choice to fight or were forced by the top ranks to serve soldiers comfort, but it seems like the latter was more strongly a matter of fact.
" Arta..." he muttered his huge reptilian eyes wide in disbelief. He crouched next to her and brush off a portion of her hair that covers the half of her face. She's got scars and injuries she might have got from abuses. It's a heartbreaking scenery for him to witness his dearest in her grime state this increases his wrath as he failed to save another person he cared for.
"Fredrick... What happened to you? Fred..." she's faintly breathing, squinting at him.
"What have they done... " his voice shaken, eyes filled with hatred, rage and undeniable chagrin, he cradled her with his hands as she gone off from consciousness heaving her last breaths. She must've been suffering in this place for awhile. He took her with all his strength and leave the stronghold. He took her in his cabin where he used to share with his brother, and laid her down. He look at his friend with eyes swelling in tears, he never thought everything he had in life would end this way.
A day earlier, He traveled to the east by hoping large leaps, murdered his way the imperial palace and confronted the emperor, everyone in the imperial courtroom was terrified by his presence, thinking Kek, their God came down to punish them. Without second thought, he drew his tongue swiftly towards the emperor and pulled him, devouring him earnestly. He left the empire with its army eradicated telling everyone on the courtroom that he's the new king of Malakath and that, they empire should serve well.
"It seems like, you've learned a new trick, you can tell me now, where'd you hid it, where's the half of it?" One of the man said, looking at Fredrick's coffers. There are eight of them surrounding him, clothes rugged like rogues. He took all his bag and pockets from his work's wages. He tried to fight back but his weak enough to be outmatched by one of the lanky lad they brought with them. He brutally slapped him in his face over and over as he tried to resist against him but it was no use.
"Hey! Let go of him!" One of them turned and face the young lady who's name is Arta, he's Fredrick's best friend. She's wearing a hunter's guild scarf, blond locks and green eyes glared at him. She knew this was happening to her friend since then but now is the time to get those bully busted.
"Back off girl, this is none of your business." Said the young man who's probably the leader of the group.
"You stinking hell of a bastard, let go of him! Or I'll tell everyone what's up inside that bag of yours, Thief!" He winced from her statement saying the word 'thief', he walk toward her and close distance between each other's fate.
"Look girl, you'd better get out of this, you wouldn't like to have much troubles... Or you might like to get some pain." he met her gaze trying to intimidate her, but this doesn't got her off, she knew she could intimidate them with her authority as a guilds woman but it that doesn't show on their face. The men surrounding Fredrick stalked around her now, she hardly shove the lanky boy on her side but her strength wasn't good enough to repel him, instead she was pushed back tossing with the other man looking at him with a grime expression on his face, she's surrounded with boys taller than her size nevertheless she still feign courage.
"No! Leave her alone! I'll give you it!"
"You'd better know that I'd be collecting thrice of your boons from now on. It'll start tomorrow." he grab Arta and tossed her to him they bumped to each other but he hold her tight from losing her balance. "This because of what you were doing all along chimp. And you there girl, we're not done with you yet." he continued walking off them.
"Are you alright?"
"You don't need to be afraid of them, I'll report this injustice to the guild." He just nod looking at her with anxiety.
After things got settled they both ran back to the village, Fredrick wave goodbye to her as they part ways. He's going home to his father's cottage where his younger siblings used to live. Fredrick shares a cabin with his older brother near the woods were his father works as a lumberjack, it was a storage and supply house but their father built extra quarters for it to make it larger for a suitable shelter when he needed a base and a retreat from days end but now, Fredrick and his brother agreed to stay in it as forest rangers. He was a street away when he saw Redsleeves soldiers on their way to the village but some had already backing up, either in a marching group or with village men and women with them. He hurried through the streets to see what was going on. He was undoubtedly surprised on what he's seeing on the plaza, Young men and women in his age are all gathered around in the circle, they're surrounded with soldiers studying every move they made. Fredrick hid behind an oak wagon, his instinct told him something's not going well around the village, soldiers are shattered through the area. Some guards had men with them unconscious and are beaten, those bodies are on the ground might be one of those or worst. He observe those whose inside the circles, a mix of fear and confusion were looming on their faces. He wasted no time and darted through remaining distance to his home. He make turns to avoid the guards patrolling around every corners. He was peering behind his direction when hit something hard, a full armored Redsleeve stood in front of him.
"You're not suppose to be stalking around here boy," with that he grabbed him by his arm and dragging him along with his fellow men as Fredrick struggles against his iron grip but he couldn't get free of himself but suddenly he heard a loud thump which made the guard collapses to the ground. His father came in and grab him by his shoulders.
"Fredrick! Son, you're here. Come on let's get out of here."
Before they came out of the alley another Redsleeve officer came on their way.
"Our land is under invasion of the holy empire, Your nation demands soldiers to defend our lands or else we will surrender our freedom and will all kneel to their wretched God," the Redsleeve officer came closer at them but his father stood in front of him "Now you may chose to defend, and let your aggression take place on the battle, would you?" With that he yells "Guards!"
"They're at the Mill, leave at once! Be it without me!" His father says as he lunge toward the Redsleeve. He wrestle with the officer buying him time to escape, as he continue running he look back at his father who's getting beaten to death by five men around him, hacking and kicking him on the ground but he's doing what he's told the last time he look back, his father head was crushed. He arrived at the stock mill sobbing and found his siblings waiting.
"Where's father?" his older brother asked
Fredrick told him that he didn't make it by fighting for him to get away from the soldiers, they were all saddened and even it was hard for them they had to decide that there's no way to get him back to come with them but to leave the village now before guards catch them up.
Fredrick and his siblings traveled days on foot on the long road, they got plenty of supplies left and it will likely to be depleted before they get to their destination. Their journey was uneventful for days, not until a man stepped forward and declared their presence, They realized that there were bandits around them.
"Hey over here! We found some people." one of them says out loud. The other ones started asking what they've got but they only got plenty of foods.
Sir, we're vagabonds, we have nothing on our pockets, we're empty handed and been scavenging foods for months my sister is terribly sick and we're-" Said Fredrick's older brother but he was cut off.
" Shut up, you there, you might be of a use, yes, we could sold you out instead with the sergeants looking for footmen." They all took their supplies but he continue pleading.
" Please sir, my brother has a disease, he might infect someone and die-"
"Look lad, we're not here to speak nonsense with a blabbermouth like you, we're gonna take what we wanted to take because you're our slaves, Boys! Get hold of him." with men approaching him, he grabbed a short sword from one of them and started fighting.
"Run now!" He yelled at Fredrick. Everyone attention was drawn to him as he took one man, He thought this will be the only way to make their way out of this even it would be without him. Unable to help his older brother, he decided that it may be the best to fly away before they were caught by their pursuers, he let his two sibling run pass him to guard their backs as he watch behind, their leader drew a short sword out from his brother's left rib, he almost fell down but he ran as fast as he could glancing at his fallen brother dropping onto his knees. Tears and sweat wet his whole face, he shout at his brother and sister to run as fast as they could, eventually the bandits retreated chasing them.
"No, let them die there. No one left the place alive" says one of the marauder who's panting heavily.
They arrived on the foot of the cursed forest Leapmount, dead dark trees hang around like huge hands protruding out of the eerie marsh land, the atmosphere's dense and misty the area is completely damp. Fredrick took his made-up bow with him and tell his siblings that he will hunt for the day's food, he told that his siblings stay on the camp and call out for him if ever something worse is going to happen. With his father and older brother gone and nothing left of their things, Fredrick will be the only one to look out for his remaining family, he thought he could've save them if he was strong enough but he's ashamed of his weakness, unable to do it by his own. He wandered around the grounds of the Leapmount searching for food or something to hunt down to eat. His mind wanders as well with exhaustion slowing him down, he begins hallucinating and started seeing and hearing things he wasn't suppose to. That is not until a hooded figure came out of thin air on his path, He's too dispirited and tired to be terrified by the spectre's sudden presence, He knew the Leapmount is enchanted, that he may encounter stranger things worse than this, and he knew whatever imminent danger comes he wouldn't even thought of protecting himself. He knew he's all powerless. Fredrick jog away getting as fast as he could but the spectre shows up in front of him before he can proceed.
"Always running... Running away." He heard the dark creature's wispy voice speak to his mind,
"I am a Fae-demon I could grant you wish with the price of your soul."
"Pardon me but I cannot do such thing." Fredrick says as he hurry back to their camp
"Hold back young man, I am not done speaking to you." The spectre answers him suppressing his movement. He felt something isn't right, He arrived at the camp and saw a terrible scenery he could ever have thought of, a huge wild boar is feasting on mutilated body of his brothers and sisters, His eyes widened at this horrible setting.
"Nooooooo!" he cried loud, the boar notices him and start charging toward him, he stood motionless, tears falling down on his cheeks, but before those boar's large tusk penetrate his chest the spectre blast a ball of flame at it. The boar was torn of into burning pieces and did not succeeded to kill the grieving young man who's dropped onto his knees.
"If only you only have power, you could've save them." The Fae-demon says mockingly.
"It's too late, they're all gone." he says sobbing.
"And girl?" Fredrick thought for a moment to realize that there's still his friend Arta who's probably held captive by the Redsleeves. Fredrick bowed his head to the spectre.
"I will seek revenge, I need power." he finally says. "Grant me power." this made the spectre laugh wickedly.
"wise choice."
With this, he started chanting with the waves of hands
"You will be unforgiving, you will show no mercy, you will bring fear. You will destroy all hopes your enemies desire and always let the hatred flow through your veins for this will be your power. these will be done by your will and you will become deathless." Fredrick falls to the ground and begins to flutter furiously. He groaned in pain, fighting over it. His eyes turning into
perfect pitch black reflecting every light that he came to see, his skin is turning dark brown with splotches of gold and green and his whole body is entirely taking shape his muddy shirt is tearing apart as his torso blew up, his limbs were taking form too and later on his metamorphic transformation will come to an end.
"Henceforth to this day, there'll be none mortal blade that can pierce through your skin, there'll be no faint sound you couldn't hear, there'll be no man that is safe from above the highest tower for you can leap as high to the sky and there'll be no rocks you cannot crush for you have the might of a dozen men, I will now bless you by the price of your humanity for an unyielding power, rise my friend. Your wish is granted." after his transformation take place the Fae-demon disappears, he stood up and feel the newfound strength within him. He look at his reflection in the waters, Frederick is no more.
Mutated Fredrick, came back to his home, to the kingdom's Borders where the battle will be held nearby, he's already seeing soldiers camp and a stronghold next to it. He entered the building and stormed toward the rooms and other parts he thought he might found his friend more likely in here but he only found numerous rooms. It was probably not a camp for soldiers for as long as he knew he should be seeing one walking along the way, he trailed the faint moaning sounds and led him in strange quarters full of rooms, he found some girls in laying in the bed sheets covering them, some were moving and some might have even seen him passing but there were never a surprise in their expression. He saw a masculine man in one doing a gruesome act with the girl who's hands tied upwards, helpless against the wall, he stepped into the room, the man was preoccupied by the pleasure he was having that he never even had mind what was about to come after him. Fredrick wasted no time and begin to shoot his long sticky tongue at the man's bared back, the impact was so much forceful that his tongue penetrated through his torso, he pulled him quickly and devoured him whole leaving the poor tortured young woman unattended.
He search through the rooms and find more girls, a lone or in group he just wish he could save them, he knew they were from the same small village where he and his family live some are familiar faces but he's wishing that he may not found someone who's dearest to him in this hell and that is not until he'd never expect what he's about to. He stepped inside a room and found his best friend Arta lying on the cold ground, barely clothed with the look of agony marked on her face, her hands were chained on the vices, no chance of escape. She was one of the young women who where collected in the levy and sent along these quarters among with every other unfortunate girls. It makes sense that they were given a choice to fight or were forced by the top ranks to serve soldiers comfort, but it seems like the latter was more strongly a matter of fact.
" Arta..." he muttered his huge reptilian eyes wide in disbelief. He crouched next to her and brush off a portion of her hair that covers the half of her face. She's got scars and injuries she might have got from abuses. It's a heartbreaking scenery for him to witness his dearest in her grime state this increases his wrath as he failed to save another person he cared for.
"Fredrick... What happened to you? Fred..." she's faintly breathing, squinting at him.
"What have they done... " his voice shaken, eyes filled with hatred, rage and undeniable chagrin, he cradled her with his hands as she gone off from consciousness heaving her last breaths. She must've been suffering in this place for awhile. He took her with all his strength and leave the stronghold. He took her in his cabin where he used to share with his brother, and laid her down. He look at his friend with eyes swelling in tears, he never thought everything he had in life would end this way.
A day earlier, He traveled to the east by hoping large leaps, murdered his way the imperial palace and confronted the emperor, everyone in the imperial courtroom was terrified by his presence, thinking Kek, their God came down to punish them. Without second thought, he drew his tongue swiftly towards the emperor and pulled him, devouring him earnestly. He left the empire with its army eradicated telling everyone on the courtroom that he's the new king of Malakath and that, they empire should serve well.
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