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Azhara, ducking between a leaping frog and an incoming tongue, yelled, "His art was trying to suck a woman’s dignity! Don’t joke, it’s up to a woman who she wants to get licked by. We all want sir Kai to lick us. Not so ugly, stinky frog."
"Hey, stop that. We are fighting." Then he said to the frog, "They are all under my protection!" Kai growled.
anwhile, another frog was trying to sneak up on Naaro. But he failed.
Because the second his slimy foot touched the ground near her, Sha jabbed a dagger right into his butt cheek. The frog leapt a few feet into the air, scread, spun in a circle, and fainted mid-flop.
Sha muttered, "These guys drop faster than spoiled cucumbers."
A frog managed to get close to Akayoroi, tongue outstretched, eyes wild. "I claim you in the na of the Marsh!"
Akayoroi punched him so hard the impact echoed like thunder.
"You will not claim anything," she hissed.
The frog rolled across the floor, tongue still flapping like a strear caught in a fan.
Vel crouched next to another frog warrior who was holding his tongue like it was injured.
"You okay there, champ?" she asked sweetly.
The frog nodded pitifully.
She jabbed his stomach. "Too bad."
He passed out from sha and belly cramps.
Kai leapt into the center of the room, dodging two incoming frog strikes and delivering a flying kick into Kroak’thul’s chest.
"Let guess," Kai grunted. "You’re going to scream sothing about licking vengeance."
Kroak’thul croaked through gritted teeth. "I will bathe in your soul sli!"
"That’s not a thing," Kai said, uppercutting him.
The frog leader flew back into a wall again.
Sha yelled from across the chamber. "Is he gonna break the wall at this rate?"
Vel nodded. "He’s turning into a green wrecking ball."
Azhara landed on another frog’s head, twirled, and stomped both feet on his shoulders before flipping away. "I’m naming that one Fool Tongue-a-lot."
The frog choked out, "Blessed... by toes..."
Kai wiped sweat from his brow. "Why are they all freaks?"
Akayoroi whispered, "Because they were raised by crazy fungus."
More frog reinforcents spilled into the room. At least five more. Kai counted quickly. "That made fifteen still able to fight in total. More are coming."
He looked at his crew. "We’re outnumbered by a lot."
"We’re not outclassed," Sha said, brushing moss from her shoulder. "They are all stupid."
Kai smirked. "Good point."
Vel flicked frog blood off her blade. "This is more fun than expected."
Azhara was holding a frog in a headlock and whispering, "Say ’I’m a slimy loser’ or I’ll squeeze your eyeballs."
"I’m a slimy loser," the frog sobbed.
Kai sighed. "Can’t take you anywhere."
Just then, Kroak’thul rose one final ti.
His aura exploded in a sickly green light. "You will all pay!" he scread. "Help us... I summon—"
Kai threw a rock. It hit him in the mouth.
Kroak’thul gagged. "Why!?"
"Because I’m tired of the yelling," Kai said.
The frog croaked angrily. The room trembled again.
Kai’s eyes narrowed. "Everyone, fall back. Sothing’s big coming."
From the tunnel entrance, a new sound erged. Heavier steps and a heavy wet pressure rolled in like the breath of a dying swamp god. From the tunnels, a massive silhouette erged in their view. Hulking. Misshapen.
Kai’s predator instinct bulged across its back like moss covered tumors. Its eyes were red, sunken, pulsing with an eerie green aura. Sli dripped from its jowls like leaking soup. The stone beneath its webbed feet hissed as acid pooled around each step.
"Who dares to harm my soldier?"
Sha whispered, "That... that’s not a frog. That’s a toad."
Kai’s heart sank. "That’s a real six star rank general toad."
The air thickened. The poison mist burned hotter. The frog warriors all dropped to their knees, tongues flailing like mad strears in celebration.
"Toad Daddy! Our guardian! Our walking bladder! Our Toad Daddy is here!"
They slamd their tongues onto the ground in rhythm, like a bizarre frog percussion ritual.
Slap. Slap.
Slap slap slap.
"Toad Daddy! Toad Daddy! Toad Daddy! Toad Daddy!"
The sound echoed down the chamber like cursed music made from saliva and madness.
Vel gagged. "Please tell this is a hallucination."
Sha whispered, "No. This is real. Horribly, disgustingly real."
Kai took a breath. Then muttered to himself, "I’m gonna need a bigger weapon. I have to be serious now. No more joke fighting."
His tone changed. The humor drained. His jaw tightened. His eyes began to glow with internal fire.
Akayoroi stepped beside him, eyes flaring, antennae trembling from the approaching pressure.
"No matter what cos," she said softly, "we stand together."
Kai shook his head. "No. I called Alka." He turned sharply to the others, issuing orders now like a war general.
"You all go gather the eggs. All of them. We need to move before this entire colony turns into a damn soup bowl."
Sha’s eyes widened. "All the eggs?"
"Yes. Prioritize your queen’s / mother’s last legacy. Then the relics and the sealed crate."
Akayoroi narrowed her gaze. "What about the wounded sisters? Where are the four injured? And where are Xxx and Xxx? Did they get caught by the frogs?"
"No," Kai replied, "They are okay. The frog didn’t get to the healing chamber. Use the secret path."
Vel, already shifting, nodded. "I’ll get the twins and my injured sisters. Naaro and Azhara, you go to the hatchery."
Azhara grinned, then realized what Kai just said. Her grin dropped. "Wait... you said you called Alka the flying beast?"
Kai nodded once. "She will arrive soon. She’s flying above the ridge already."
Azhara blinked. "Your tad monster eagle can co into the tunnels?"
Kai gave a small smile. "She’s called Sable Crested Alkaidon. Not a monster eagle. And No, she can’t co into the tunnels. Once you all are ready I will make an opening. I will destroy the roof."
Naaro muttered, "Why does everything about him always feel ten tis cooler than it needs to be?"
Sha turned. "No ti to be a love sick girl. Move!"
Kai narrowed his gaze toward the entrance.
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