Before the idea of a united frog alliance ever crossed their minds, if the Toad Army had heard of a frog rebellion, they would have either dismissed it or crushed it before it could gain traction.
As the second class of Amphibia's caste system and the military backbone of the Leviathan dynasty, the toads of the Toad Army enforced the rule of law across the continent. This land force was led by the Toad High Council, which was made up of the four lords called Toad Lords. The Toad Lords commanded their armies from four distinct regions: the north, the south, the east, and the west. For hundreds of years, they remained in power over the frogs, keeping them in line and enforcing the King's rule.
That was until the Frog Liberation Alliance came to prominence in the south. What started as a movement by some farmers became something else, all because an old frog, who was allowed to run for mayor, won all the votes in his town, but was outvoted by the other villages in Frog Valley. This was done because of a system that allowed the toad mayors of the different villages to vote out any frogs that won the election in their town. Keeping Toadstool in power. This was the last straw for the frogs of the valley. Hopediah "Hop Pop" Plantar's bravery inspired others to rise against their oppressors.
It should have been easy to defeat. The Toad Lord of the South Tower ought to have executed Hop Pop to set an example, before restoring order and control.
But that never happened. Hopediah survived his execution, two humans defeated the army of Frog Valley, and the South Tower fell. It's toads disbanded, and the FLA was formed, inspiring others to rise against their toad mayors and lords. Captain Grime was labeled an outlaw and placed on Amphibia's most wanted list. Because of his failure, the FLA was allowed to grow into what it is now, and now, most of the valley had been liberated.
The south had fallen because Grime couldn't manage one small town and two humans.
However, weeks ago, Grime had requested a meeting with the remaining lords, asking that it be held at the North Tower, deep in the Northern Territory of Amphibia.
Like the South Tower, it was a dark and cryptic castle made of stone bricks, adorned with giant bird skulls and bones. Inside, there was a chamber filled with toads sitting on raised bleachers, facing a central stage. Quiet chattering filled the air while everyone awaited the event.
This would be the first time in hundreds of years that the Toad Lords would gather for a meeting. And the first time in history where they were reduced in numbers. The three lords who remained were seated together in high chairs on one side of the room.
"So, Captain Grime, the disgraced one, called this council meeting? Does anyone know why?" asked Captain Bufo, the Lord of the east. He was an anthropomorphic Bufo toad with grayish-green skin and yellow sclera eyes, long black hair styled in a modern version of the chonmage, a traditional Japanese hair bun, short square-shaved sideburns, and a neatly trimmed goatee.
He wore a loose set of gray ō-yoroi, an early type of samurai armor, with spaulders on each arm segmented into three pieces and fastened to the dark-gray breastplate with yellow ropes.
"Maybe he wants to be surrounded by friends when he gets arrested," Captain Beatrix said with speculative disdain. The Toad Lord of the West Tower was a short, middle-aged female toad with swamp-green skin, a light-green underbelly, and dark green spots on her. A few pointy gray teeth peeked out from her mouth, and she had deep green hair tied in a braid with a dark brown hair tie. Her right eye featured a green pupil with no iris and green sclera, while the left showcased a lavender sclera, a light pink iris, and no pupil. This eye also bore a scar around it.
Her outfit consisted of a stained purple uniform with ochre buttons, spiked, flat, round shoulders with bristles and a belt with a gold death's-head moth buckle. She also wears long ochre gloves with brown ends.
"What do you think, Aldo," Beatrix asked the last member of their council: the senior leader of the Toad Army.
The commander of the Northern Tower didn't respond to the question. In fact, he didn't do anything at all, not even when a beetle pops into one of his eye sockets and out the other. Aldo was more corpse than toad, with pale skin, and he wore a brown robe and a brown cape with a spider-shaped clasp. He had vines around his body, fully black eyes, and thick white eyebrows.
"Uh, is he asleep or dead?" Bufo asked.
"Definitely smells dead," said Beatrix, setting both of them off into fits of laughter, with Bufo slamming his fist on the table.
Up on the stage, as they laughed, Braddock pulled apart the curtains and peeked through nervously. Behind her, the others were waiting, clad in their new armor, proved by the Toad Army.
Sitting on a box, Sasha glanced at her phone, which still had power. Her armor had adjusted to a slightly lighter shade of red, similar to what the others were wearing. She had also returned to wearing a cloak and only one glove. Her left shoulder featured a smaller shoulder pad, and her hair scrunchie was dark brown.
Alone with her thoughts, she smiled sadly at the picture of her girlfriend, Marcy. Remembering their first date, Sasha reflected on everything that happened and felt its magic washing over her, calming her. Anne was grounded, and Sasha was staying with her dad. Between her mom and dad, her father was the better parent by a wide margin.
For over a year, she had begun to see Marcy in a different light. Although she played it cool and attempted not to reveal her feelings, Sasha found herself attracted to the smart girl in ways she hadn't been before. This wasn't the same as how she viewed Anne, who felt like a sister. Anne was her best friend, and that bond hadn't changed, even as Sasha realized that she liked girls.
But Marcy Wu? The smartest girl in school and the best klutz in Los Angeles? What was it that had attracted her to Marcy?
She wasn't just cute. Sasha would definitely say Marcy was beautiful in that adorable way. But it wasn't just about looks. Marcy was brilliant in ways none of her friends, especially Anne, could match, and she was able to think of solutions in seconds. Her enthusiasm was also something Sasha admired greatly. She might not have liked all the nerdy things Marcy enjoyed, but she still participated in them because it made Marcy happy.
Sasha took Marcy out for a night on the town a few days before Anne's birthday. They had so much fun together, just the two of them. They enjoyed the arcades, shopped, and explored new things that Marcy wanted for her nerd games. The photo booth was where they had their first kiss. Neither of them understood how it happened, but when it did, it made so much sense. All of Sasha's confusion vanished, and she kissed her crush again.
They began dating in secret at that time. Their relationship lasted only one week before Anne's birthday, when they were transported to Amphibia. Sasha missed Marcy terribly and desperately wanted to find her, hold her, and kiss her. That's why she was fully committed to gathering the army needed to capture Newtopia and rescue her girlfriend.
"Love you, Mar-Mar," Sasha said, kissing the screen before she turned off her phone. Sasha stood up and hooked her sword onto her hip.
The blonde girl joined Percy and Braddock, who drew the curtains and turned back to her friends. "Not exactly a welcoming crowd," she remarked.
"We'll just have to win them over," Sasha said, unfazed. "Once they hear what we have to say, they'll be begging to join us."
"Sasha, you don't understand," Percy said. "We toads haven't been united in centuries."
"That's because you all haven't had a reason to come together," Sasha said. "For all they know, they came to talk about how to deal with the FLA."
"But what if Andrias sees it differently? He initially had the frogs coming together, but now he has toads. What if he already sees this as an act of rebellion and begins preparing for war?"
"With what army?" Sasha asked nonchalantly. "What's that nerd going to do when his strongest army turns against him? And who gave him so much power over you guys?"
"Because he is our king," Grime said, striding over in his new red armor. "And it's because he is our King that he has allowed the Toad Lords' dominion to collect taxes across the four regions of Amphibia. As long as Newtopia receives its cut and order is maintained, we are granted free rein over the frogs."
"And you just let it go on like that for centuries?" Sasha asked indignantly. "Even if you had free rein, you're still under his thumb."
"And that's what we need the toads out there to understand," Grime said.
"It's not gonna be easy, getting all of them to go along with this," Percy said. "Especially that Captain Beatrix! What's her problem?
"Her problem is that she's my sister," said Grime.
Sasha stared at him in disbelief. "Wait, seriously?" she asked, pointing at her friend. "You have a sister? I thought you'd have... I don't know, really. So, why would she be a problem?"
"I might have teased her a lot when we were tadpoles," he said.
"What?!" Braddock yelled as she and her boyfriend began to freak out.
"Get out!" Percy began to hyperventilate.
"That's it! Stick a fork in us. We're fucked," the toad woman exclaimed, fearing that all their efforts were over before they even began.
Sasha, however, placed a hand on Braddock's and Percy's shoulders. Her intense training had noticeably increased the muscle mass in her arms. "Enough loser talk. We can do this," she said confidently. "Just remember what we practiced and keep your eye on the prize."
"Ooh! That reminds me," Percy exclaimed as he dashed to his bag. He pulled out a paintbrush and palette. "I have one final touch for our outfits."
Percy then began painting an eye symbol on each of his friends' cloaks and right pauldrons. The emblem consists of a circle with two lines extending from opposite ends and a single dot in the center.
"Now we really are a team," he said with pride.
"One eye. I see what you did there," Grime said, impressed.
"That's my babe," Braddock said, kissing her boyfriend's cheek. After receiving a loving glance from him, she turned to Sasha and Grime. "Actually, we've been wanting to talk to you two about something."
"It can wait," Sasha said, brushing them off. She motioned them to put their hands together. "Now, come on everyone. Let's get out there and impress some toads... or we die!"
They all cheered.
Back in the council chamber, the toads grew impatient. Bufo let out a groan. "What's bothering you, Bufo?" Beatrix asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's the recent rebellions on my part in Amphibia." The Eastern captain told her. "The frogs there are starting to revolt, demanding change. All because of that cursed Myra and her FLA."
"Ugh, don't even get me started on that cocky bitch." Beatrix says with an eye roll. "I was this close to catching her—this close! And she somehow slipped right through my fingers! Ugh... whatever, right now we have to wait for Grime's special announcement."
"Speaking of which, when is he going to start?" asked Bufo annoyed.
Just as he said that, the curtains over the window closed. Darkening the room.
A spotlight flicked on and illuminated the stage just before the curtains opened to reveal Percy and Sasha. A drumroll resonated through the room, and as Sasha set down an easel, and the music transitioned to pop music. Percy began to dance, causing the toads to gasp in awe.
Operating the spotlight, Braddock shifted it to focus on Grime. The former captain stood above the stage with a rope in hand. He swung onto the stage and landed on a loose floorboard, sending Percy into the air. While he was up, Percy used a t-shirt cannon to launch t-shirts that read 'Toadz Rule!' into the crowd. A few fans managed to catch a shirt, while others were hit in the face.
Finally, Grime cleared his throat and began to speak into the microphone he held. "My fellow toads," he said as Sasha flipped through the pages on the easel while Grime spoke. "As we all know, the FLA has truly grown beyond our control. The King has ordered us to put an end to this movement, restore order in the south, and manage the kingdom's servants. But are we not merely servants ourselves? The FLA wants liberty and equal rights for all frogs? Well, I can support that, but what about us toads! But that will never be permitted under our King. And that's why I propose a future where toads overthrow King Andrias and take our rightful place as rulers of all Amphibia!"
Sasha approached Grime and whispered, "Psst! Drop the mic!"
"Oh! Um, right!" Grime dropped the mic to the floor, and feedback screeched around the room.
Initially, Sasha expected a response from the crowd, whether it be cheers or even boos. Instead, all she heard were crickets chirping in the sudden silence.
Finally, Bufo stood up and spoke. "You all took a huge risk coming here to gain support for your rebellion," he began, but Beatrix finished for him.
"And it paid off," she proclaimed. "We frogging loved it!"
The toads cheered for the four of them.
"Nicely done, Grimothy," Beatrix teased with a compliment.
Grime's face turned bright red as Sasha, Percy, and Braddock looked at him. "No way!" Sasha started, playfully teasing the toad. "Is your real name..."
"We're not discussing this!" Grime shouted before he could hear that embarrassing name again.
"So tell us, who's leading this revolution?" Bufo asked.
"I was thinking... us?" Grime said, invitingly moving his arms as if inviting them to come up onto the stage.
The toads looked at one another, clearly unconvinced. Bufo and Beatrix whispered to each other. When they finished, they turned back to the four of them. "Yeah, I don't think so," the Eastern captain said. "Don't get us wrong, we love your vision, but no toad is going to follow the command of a fugitive and his hummus."
"Humans," Sasha corrected him, annoyed that they weren't going along with the plan. "We're called 'humans'."
"Bufo's right," Beatrix said. "Besides, who's gonna follow the toad that failed to stop the FLA from forming, and his hummus? From what our reports have been telling us, you hummus are unstoppable killers. And with King Andrias working with three other hummus, there's no way this rebellion would even succeed."
"Wait, three other humans?" Sasha asked, as realization dawned on her. "They must be talking about Frank, Anne, and Marcy. I can't believe it. They're working together? Without me?!"
"And apparently aiding the crown," added Grime
"Speaking of which, this whole thing is beginning to sound too risky," said Bufo. "Guards! Arrest them!"
Armored toads began to march toward the stage, spears at the ready. But Sasha didn't care.
This can't be happening , Sasha thought to herself as she began to shake with anger. In her mind, this wasn't how it was supposed to be. Anne was supposed to be dependent on her, Frank was supposed to be a distant memory, and she was supposed to rescue Marcy. But, once again, Anne was thriving without her to guide her. Frank was there with her, laughing and trash-talking about her. Now, they had Marcy. They probably told her everything—how she stole the shoes, ruined Frank's life, and plotted to go home. That wasn't how it was supposed to be.
Sasha was supposed to arrive in Newtopia first and find her girlfriend. She was supposed to explain to her that there was a misunderstanding and try to get her to understand that framing Frank was all an accident. She was supposed to get Marcy on her side so that she had a buffer between herself and Frank. Then, she was supposed to win back Anne and force them away from Frank again, just like she did back then. But just like always, the Hispanic bastard had to ruin everything.
They were likely back in Wartwood, gossiping about her to Marcy behind her back. Sasha couldn't let that happen. She wasn't going to lose Marcy like she did Anne. She was determined to regain control!
Sasha let out a furious scream and charged at the toads.
"Sasha, no!" Grime yelled, but there was no stopping her.
One of the toads attacked her, but Sasha dodged the spear thrust and punched the creature in the face, seizing its weapon. She then stabbed the second toad so hard that the gun went through the armor. As he yelled in pain, Sasha kicked him back, all while her allies watched her in fear.
After defeating the toads in battle, she used the first one as a stepstool to confront Bufo and Beatrix.
"Listen here, you motherfuckers!" she shouted at the terrified toads. "What's it gonna take to prove that you should follow us?"
CRACK!
When they heard that crack, a shiver ran up Sasha's and the toads' spines. Turning toward the source of the sound, they saw that the Lord of the North, Aldo, had moved his fingers. Then he pulled himself free from the vines that bound him to his chair. As his form shifted slowly, he spoke in a deliberate, strained voice.
"The Hammer of Dawn."
This alarmed the toads, with Bufo staring at him in confusion and alarm. "The Hammer of Dawn? You've finally gone senile, Aldo," he said.
"Yeah, that's a suicide mission," Beatrix agreed.
Despite the objections, Aldo continued. "Just as it's said that Hellcat's Claw can only be wielded by Amphibia's true King, the one who wields this hammer is the true leader of all toads. It's the only thing that will prove we should follow you.
"Great!" Sasha said, smiling with determination, while Percy and Braddock hugged each other, shaking in fear. "Done! You'll have it in your Crypt-keeper hands by morning."
Both Bufo and Beatrix gasped and laughed at her.
"No toad has ever gone after the hammer and returned alive," Bufo said with a malicious grin. "This I've gotta see."
A few hours later, far from the North Tower, Sasha, Grime, Percy, and Braddock sailed on an old boat. They were heading into the swamp to find the hammer, guided only by a vague direction. Jumping down from the mast, Sasha adjusted the sail on the boat as she asked Grime, who was looking at a map anxiously, "So, what's this hammer, and why are you all so scared of it?"
"A little late to be asking, don't you think?" asked Grime, looking up from his map.
"Whoa, what's with you," Sasha asked, not understanding the attitude she was getting.
"Sasha, we were supposed to be gathering support for our cause, not going on a suicide mission!" Grime exclaimed.
"Uh, that's exactly why we're going on this quest. We need to get the army we require for our rebellion," Sasha said, hands on her hips. "And to do that, we have to retrieve this ridiculous hammer. Piece of cake!"
"This isn't just any hammer, Sasha," Percy remarked, looking as scared and worried as his girlfriend. "The Hammer of Dawn is the weapon of the legendary toad warrior, Barrel the Brave!"
Braddock added, "Barrel sacrificed his life defending an innocent village from a terrifying beast!"
Percy fearfully grabbed his girlfriend and held her tightly. They both looked at the blonde girl with puppy-dog eyes. "Legend has it that this very beast guards his hammer to this day."
"Enough whimpering!" Grime yelled, pushing past Percy and Braddock. "We don't even know if this tadpole tale is real."
Despite Grime's words, Percy and Braddock began to shiver, knowing Barrel was real. If he weren't, the toad wouldn't be mentioned in so many stories, and his tale wouldn't have been retold repeatedly. And that's what scared the couple the most.
If Barrel were real, that meant the beast guarding it was real too.
Sasha noticed how scared Percy and Braddock were. She smiled sympathetically at them. "Listen, if things get too wild out here, just give me a signal, and I'll call the whole thing off," she said, making the two toads look at her.
"A signal? What kind of signal," asked the male toad.
"Hmm. How about this? Do your best kawaii pose. It's something we do for photos in my world. Like this." Sasha demonstrates by giving a spin and turned back to the toads, giving them her best kawaii pose, complete with a wink.
It was so weird for the toad couple to see.
"What's a photo," asked Braddock.
"Just try it."
Braddock and Percy exchanged glances for a moment. What did they have to lose? They both turned around and managed to strike the same pose as Sasha did. They held it for a second before bursting into laughter together.
"Nice! Those are definitely cute, but not as cute as Marcy's," Sasha said, smiling with a blush as she recalled how Marcy did kawaii poses.
"Who's Marcy?" Percy asked, making her blush even more.
"Well... she's one of my friends who also came to Amphibia," Sasha said bashfully. However, the looks on their faces told her that they weren't buying it. "And... she's also my... secret girlfriend."
"Ooh, Sash has a secret girlfriend!" Percy exclaimed excitedly. Braddock eagerly added, "Spill the tea, girl!"
"Oh, where do I even start?" Sasha asked, rubbing the back of her head. "She's smart, fun, and..."
"Pretty?" Braddock suggested.
"Beautiful!" Sasha said with a grin. The female toad rolled her eyes with a smile as the blonde girl continued, "She has these big, dreamy eyes and this hair—wow! And her smile. It brightens your day!" She sighed dreamily, hands on her chest, leaning back against the boat's mast.
"Sounds like a knockout."
"Yeah, she is. She can be oblivious and clumsy—I mean 'really' clumsy." Sasha sighed again before adding, "But I love her."
"Heh, sounds like me and Percy," Braddock said, hugging her boyfriend.
"Oh, right," Sasha said, looking curiously at the two toads. "You two wanted to talk to us about something?"
"Oh, right!" Percy exclaimed, taking Braddock's left hand with both of his. "Sasha, how would you like to be the bridesmaid at our wedding?"
Sasha's brain needed a moment to reboot before she fully understood his question. "Wait, Percy, Braddock? Are you..."
"We're engaged!" Braddock said happily, showing her best friend the simple silver ring.
There was a gasp, and then, "AAAAAAAAAAH!" Sasha screamed, ran over, and, with her freakish strength, picked up both toads. Twirling them around, she tearfully exclaimed, "Yes! Yes! God, yes! I've been waiting for this moment forever! I'm so happy for you!"
The three then hear Grime clearing his throat from the crow's nest before he says, "Percy, Braddock, first of all, congratulations. Now, Sasha, if you're finished being lovesick, I need you and those two to STAY FOCUSED! We're getting close."
Setting down the engaged toads, Sasha surveyed the swamp around them. The place they were entering felt truly alien, with water as red as blood glowing like molten lava. Strange creatures inhabited the decaying trees. Though there were few pieces of land, Grime found one large enough for them to disembark and venture deeper into the bog.
They docked the boat, and Braddock disembarked as Grime secured it to a stake. Percy stopped Sasha before she could follow. "Hey, Sash. Thanks for that," he said. "I've been really worried about the engagement and the rebellion, but I already feel better."
Percy's gratitude surprised Sasha for a moment. "Hey, it's my pleasure. And don't forget—just strike a pose, and we'll leave," she replied.
"And by the way, if you ask me, Frank was wrong about you. You're actually a really great person," Percy said, stepping off the boat.
For a moment, Sasha felt warmth in her heart. No, she didn't consider herself a good person for what she had done to Frank, but he wasn't completely wrong. Despite hearing what Percy said, her smile faded. Then, she shook her head and refocused on the mission.
The four of them trekked through the bog, with Sasha in the lead with the map. "According to the map Aldo gave us, we should be close to where the Hammer of Dawn was last seen," she said.
"This is insane!" Grime yelled, throwing up his arms. "Even if it exists, we'll never find it."
"Found it," Percy suddenly said.
The group stopped and looked at the toad at the back. "Huh," Grime asked in disbelief.
"It's right over there," said Percy, pointing to a clearing just to the right of the ground.
Sasha and the others looked in the direction he was pointing, and their eyes widened. He was right. The hammer was there, partially buried in the ground, steam billowing out of vents around it as light shone on it.
With wide eyes, Sasha and the others slowly approached the Warhammer. The Hammer of Dawn was a stunning weapon crafted from metal in various shades of gray. Its head was large, with runes etched into the face and a tapered end on the opposite side. It was mounted on a shaft wrapped in purplish-gray leather, featuring a rounded pommel at the end.
"Huh, that was easy," Sasha said.
"I don't believe it. The Hammer of Dawn. It's real!" Grime said, laughing as he gazed at its magnificence. "Our ticket to revolution!"
"And no beast in sight," said Percy. "Could life actually be this easy for a change?"
"Quick, Grimesy! Yank that thing out already," said Sasha.
"Will do!" Grime said, grabbing the staff of the hammer. "And don't call me Grimesy."
Thinking that it would be easy to pick it up, Grime attempted to pull the hammer out of the ground, but to no avail.
"Uh, a little help here?"
"Okay, gang. On three," said Sasha as she and everyone clustered around the hammer. Grabbing onto the staff. "One, two, three!"
They all strained to pull out the Hammer of Dawn, but all they were able to do was barely budge an inch.
And yet, it was enough to get a reaction, as the ground started to shake.
Everyone except Percy pulled out their weapons. "The b-b-beast!" Percy stammered.
"Look alive!" Grime said. "Who knows where it'll come from—"
He was interrupted when the ground beneath them violently shook and began rising, causing Sasha and the toads to topple over and fall into the water. They all quickly swam to the nearby boat, and Sasha and Grime climbed aboard, while Percy and Braddock followed behind them
The blonde girl looked back and gasped as the island they were on shifted. Realizing that it wasn't a piece of land, the beast rose from the bog.
The narwhal-worm was truly an enormous serpentine worm with one large horn on its head similar to that of a narwhal's tusk, hence its name. The several rock-like stumps and moss on its back, which was covered by a shell, allowed its body to blend into its swampy environment easily. The creature had glowing yellow eyes, a mouth full of sharp teeth, and a portion of its head that released clouds of smoke into the air.
The giant beast bellowed out an ear-piercing hiss that caused Sasha to cover her ears.
Grime, on the other hand, laughed in the face of danger. "What a great way to go!" he yelled, drawing his sword and pointing it at the creature.
Hearing two pairs of feet stepping on the floor, Sasha looked behind her and saw Percy and Braddock desperately making kawaii poses. They wanted out of this situation and they wanted out now. Sasha had to, she gave them her word.
And yet, she turned back to the beast. The Hammer of Dawn was lodged in the scales on top of the Narwhal Worm's head, as the beast continued roaring. It was right there. If she doesn't cease the moment now and get that hammer, she will never have another chance to start her rebellion. Never had the army to take Newtopia, and get her friends back.
She'd be breaking her promise to her friend, but if it meant getting what she wanted, Sasha knew what her decision was. If they were loyal to her, they could handle it.
"Sorry, guy, but we're way too close to bail. I am not going back empty-handed," she told the two toads.
Percy stopped dancing and looked at her with a hurt expression. "But…"
Braddock placed her hand on her fíance's shoulder. "You said…"
"Steer us closer," Sasha ordered, glaring with determination at the worm. "We need to get it to attack us."
Percy and Braddock yelled "What?"
"Trust me!"
With no other option, they hoisted the sail as Grime steered the boat closer to the beast. When the ship was within inches of touching it, Sasha began striking and slashing it with her sword. It didn't even tickle the Narwhal Worm, as the beast coiled around, leveling its eyes on them and growling.
"All right, now we've got its attention," Sasha said, waving for the others to join her. They did, but the couple were very scared. "Get ready. Three, two, one, NOW!"
Just as the beast dove down and wrecked the boat, the four of them jumped out of their raft and landed on its scales. Sasha drove her sword into the beast upon landing, just before the monster straightened up. The toads began to slide. Sasha caught Grime and hung onto her sword. Grime grabbed Braddock, who grabbed Percy by his hat.
Grabbing hold of his hat, the jester caught sight of the wrecked remains of the boat. "Aw man, that was my mom's boat," he said mournfully.
Then, like the sandworms of Arakus, the narwhal-worm flattened out and started sliding across the bog. Seeing that they were finally stable and could move around, Sasha turned and saw the Hammer of Dawn, which was where it remained in its head. She used the opportunity to run to the head, with the others following her.
Grabbing the staff, Sasha yanked on the hammer. Grime, Percy, and Braddock followed suit, with the former captain grabbing the staff and the toad couple pushed on his back. They worked together, but the Hammer of Dawn wasn't budging.
"This thing's never coming loose!" Sasha yelled angrily.
Knowing that she had to take control, Sasha released her grip on the hammer and ran to the Narwhal Worm's horn. She threw her cape aside and pulled out a lasso. Swinging the lasso around over her head, she threw it up at the horn. Catching it at the tip. She yanked on the rope, and the beast was forced to lean back.
This, however, sent Percy and Braddock tumbling down its side. They both screamed in terror and would have fallen to their deaths, had it not been for them catching an edge of the narwhal-worm's armor. They continued screaming while barely managing to hold on.
It was all worth it, Sasha told herself, as she managed to turn the beast around and send it barreling straight for the North Tower.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Grime yelled, climbing to where she was.
"What's it look like?" Sasha said with a grin. "I'm getting the Hammer of Dawn back to the tower!"
"You're insane," Grime shouted, "and I love it!
However, Percy did not love it. He was screaming and just barely managed to cling to the beast with his fíancee, as large rocks and sticks flew past and hit them.
"We're going to die!" Percy cried.
"No we're not!" Braddock said, placing an arm around her beloved.
"But Sasha's gonna get us killed!"
"No, now look at me, Percy," Braddock said, making her fíance look at her through fearful, teary eyes. "I love you, okay? And I wouldn't let anything bad happen. Sasha…went back on her word, but I still trust her. She's our best friend. And she'll never do anything that would get us killed—"
That was the last thing Braddock said before she disappeared from Percy's sight. His cape ripped away with her when a large branch collided with her. On the back of the Narwhal Worm, Percy turned his head and watched as Braddock was sent flying off the beast, her body bouncing off the ground as she.
"BRADDOCK!"
Meanwhile, back in the North Tower council chamber, the meeting had moved on, believing Grime and his human were never coming back.
"Last Toad Summit was all about improvements to Toad armor durability," said a toad scientist with his model wearing a new piece of armor. "This year, the R team gives you... armor customization!" The model turned around, displaying armor with a picture of a duck and the words 'Toad Up'.
The room erupted with cheers. "Ooh, that ducky looks nice," said Bufo.
"Whoo, yeah!" cheered one toad woman. She stopped, however, when she heard a sudden roar in the distance. Looking out the window that she was sitting in front of, she saw the trees being knocked over, and elbowed her friend. "Hey, Greg, what do you think that is?"
Greg peered at it through binoculars and said, "Hmm, that's clearly a narwhal-worm being ridden by a hummus. Heading straight for us."
Greg and she exchanged glances, before they both screamed in total panic.
The narwhal-worm huffed and puffed as Sasha steered the beast towards the tower. All while her friends bounced up and down behind her.
"Sasha... please... turn around!" Percy pleaded with his BFF. Sobbing after the toad he loved was knocked off.
"But we're almost there!" Sasha yelled, looking back at him.
"But Braddock was knocked off!"
"She'll be fine! We're not stopping!"
This shocked Percy, while Grime looked ahead and gasped, "The tower! It's coming up too fast. We're going to crash into it," he yelled over the beast rushing and destroying everything in its path. "Go left! Go left!"
Turning back around, Sasha gasped when she saw how close they were getting. Grunting, she tried to steer the worm to the side. But the narwhal-worm growled and blew steam, creating a whistle sound. It rushed forward even faster.
"I can't!" Sasha yelled. "I've lost control of it!
Grime ran over to help Sasha. "There must be another way to stop it!"
Sasha looked around, desperately trying to find something that would stop the crazed monster. But there was nothing, except for one possible solution.
"The Warhammer!" Sasha yelled. "It's the only weapon big enough to dent this thing's armor."
Letting go of the rope, Sasha and Grime rushed over to the Warhammer, both straining to pull it out. But it was no use. Not even together could they free it.
Grime sighed in defeat, realizing it's no use. "Forget it, Sasha," he said. "We got to get out of here, or we'll all die!"
"No! I can do this! I am not gonna fail!" Sasha told him, as she pulled with all her might. Her eyes glowed a bit. "Not while Anne is getting by without me! Not while Frank is taunting me! Not while I still need to get back together with MY MARCY!"
Sasha adjusted her stance, gritted her teeth, and pulled on the Hammer of Dawn with everything she had. Her muscles strained, begging to stop, but the blonde girl forced herself to keep going. And it was working. Through sheer willpower, she was starting to lift the heavy hammer. Finally, to Grime's astonishment, she managed to pull the hammer out from the beast's head, yelling as she hefted it above her head.
Seeing what she'd done, Sasha laughed after seeing she'd finally done it. That was until she lost her balance and nearly fell over. Gasping, Grime rushed in to help her out. Catching the hammer before it took Sasha down with it.
Sasha looked at him in shock, as Grime grinned his sharp grin at her.
However, the moment he touched it, a chain reaction started with the Hammer of Dawn, as the staff began to light up with pink runes. The same ones that were seen on the blade of the Hellcat's Claw. It ran all the way to the head of the hammer, where electricity sparked on it.
Suddenly, the three hidden thrusters at the back burst to life, jetting pink flames in the back, and pushing Sasha and Grime forward. Both of them yelled in confusion as they tried to control the hammer, which pulled them all around.
However, seeing this as their chance, they rocketed themself towards the front of the narwhal-worm.
They leaped high into the air, using the added momentum and thrust to slam the warhammer into the narwhal-worm's head, cracking its skull beast.
The worm roared out one last death cry as blood spilled from its head. Barrel failed, but Sasha and Grime used his warhammer to finally slay the beast.
But that doesn't mean that the North Tower was out of trouble. With the beast dead, there was no controlling it, as it slid forward. However, it was starting to slow down as well. By the time it'd come to a stop, its horn smashing into the window just above the Toad Council's table.
The room fills with gasps, Bufo and Beatrix turned to look at the interruption, shocked.
They saw Sasha and Grime standing on the horn. She was brushed, cut, and bleeding, but none of it mattered.
"One Hammer of Dawn, as promised," she said, tossing the warhammer down. It landed in the center of the room, cracking the floor with a thud.
Together, Grime and Sasha hopped down from the narwhal-worm, and with the toad rushing forward to pick up the hammer. Holding it over his head and making the room erupt with cheers.
It came to a halt when Aldo held up his head. "We hereby grant you the support of all three towers for your rebellion," he announced to the human and the toads of the Toad Army.
This brought a giant smile to Sasha's face. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" she cheered, punching the air in front of her, then stepped back in the same place.
Grime came over and nudged her arm. "Well, Lieutenant, I had my doubts, but we did it," he said with a proud smile.
"Of course, we did," said Sasha, pumped with confidence, knowing that everything was finally coming back together. "After all, we're the best team in this or any other world. Right, Braddock—"
She cut herself off as a look of realization formed on her face.
"Oh, no," she said, turning around to the horn. Only Percy was crawling up it. Looking exhausted, in pain, and on the verge of collapsing.
"Please…Please, find her…" he said between pants. "Braddock…"
He tripped over himself, and fell off the horn.
His right arm came down on the sharp edge of the broken window.
The quest for Barrel's Hammer of Dawn was completed. Sasha finally got what she had wanted: an army to capture the capital, support to overthrow the King, and determination to reclaim the girls from Frank. She aimed to regain control of her friendship with Anne and reunite with her girlfriend. And yet, there would be no celebration for Sasha.
They found Braddock. She was alive, but just barely. The doctors took her to the medical wing of the North Tower, doing their best to save her.
After hours of waiting, Sasha and Grime walked down the hall toward the medical wing. There, sitting on the bench beside the doorway, covered by a pair of red curtains adorned with a white cross, was Percy. He looked utterly miserable, his eyes hollow and his bloodied cap resting on his right arm. He hadn't moved since Braddock was brought in, praying to the gods his kind worshipped that she would be okay.
By the time Sasha and Grime were just a few feet away from him, the medical team walked out, removing their gloves and masks, and taking off their blood-stained aprons. The head surgeon glanced at the jester, who stood with an expression caught between dread and hope.
"We did the best we could," she said, grimacing. Sasha gasped when she heard this and looked at Percy, whose shoulders slumped. She's breathing, but now, it's up to her."
Grime nodded. "Thank you, doctor."
The surgeon nodded back, and walked away.
Now alone, Sasha looked at Percy, whose back was turned to her. This was her fault. She had been so focused on getting the hammer that she overlooked Percy and Braddock's safety, putting them in danger. It was because of her that Braddock fell. If she had turned around and rushed back, they could have saved Braddock a few precious minutes. She was dying when they found her; for all they knew, she could have already been dead. But she wasn't. Sasha knew she wasn't the best fighter, but she was still a damn good soldier who never gave up.
"Percy?" Sasha said, addressing her friend for the first time since he was taken to the medical team. In that moment, perhaps out of pride or guilt, she found it hard to express the words she knew needed to be said. "Percy, I... I'm so sorry—"
"No!" Percy snapped, not looking at her. "No, you're not. You don't even know what 'sorry' means. To you, there's nothing but empty words, Sasha."
Sasha was shocked by this sudden change in character. This wasn't like Percy. He was a nice guy. He wouldn't say that to her; he would have expressed things like the way he talked about her in the bog.
"That's not true!" Sasha insisted. "Besides, we did it. We finally got the hammer."
"Would that be the hammer that nearly got me and the woman I love killed?!"
Grime stepped in to defend his lieutenant. "We all knew what we were signing up for," he said.
"Oh, are you sure about that? Because I didn't sign up to be used as cannon fodder," Percy said with venom in his voice, surprising the toad captain.
When he turned around, he glared at Sasha. The blonde girl took a step back as Percy took three towards her, shocked and even scared by the absolute contempt and hatred in his eyes.
"I gave you everything. My trust. My loyalty. My friendship...and you just kept taking. You didn't care about what happened to us. You didn't care as long as you got what you wanted. It's because of you that Braddock…she could…" Whatever else Percy was about to say was lost as he began to cry, looking down at the ground, clenching his eyes, and clenching his fist. "I can't lose her…"
He looked up and snarled at her, grabbing his cape, which he painted as a sign of unity between them.
"You want 'sorry', Sasha?" Percy pulled the cape, tearing it off. Showing Sasha the stump of his missing arm, the worst of all the wounds inflicted on him."This is what 'sorry' looks like."
Sasha could do nothing but stand there. She wanted to go to him, hold him and comfort her friend. But how could she? He blamed her for what happened, and he had every right to. It was all her fault.
"Percy," she started, but Percy stopped her.
"I hope you find what you're looking for. Because I won't be there when you do," he said, looking back at the doorway of the medical wing, "none of us will."
This shocked Sasha, who stopped looking remorseful and became upset with her friend. "So that's it? You're just gonna throw away everything we worked towards," she asked, wanting him to stay and see their plan through to the end. We are so close. I can feel it."
In disbelief, Percy looked at Sasha. "'We'? There is no 'we'. There's just you, Sasha," he told her, shaking his head at her. "Frank was right about you all along. About everything. So do whatever you want... and get the fuck outta my sight!"
Percy turned and sat down on the bench again, making it clear that he was done with Sasha for good.
Saddened and upset, Sasha tried to talk to him, to make him come back. Grime, however, blocked her way. "That's enough, Lieutenant," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her away from the grieving toad.
"Let me go, Grime," she told him, yanking her arm away from.
"Just let him go, Sasha," he said, looking at Percy with a look of sympathy.
"But…" Sasha's frown fell as guilt filled her heart again. "I thought we were a team."
Grime looked at her again and said, "We were. I know that it's harsh, but with victory, there must come sacrifice and a price. The lives of those that follow us are the price. Now come on, soldier. We've got a world to conquer."
With that, Grime left to celebrate the start of the revolution.
As Sasha stood there, she thought about what Grime said. She looked back as Percy, who looked down at the ground. "I…I'm sorry, Percy," she said, but knew it wouldn't change a thing. "Goodbye."
She then turned and started walking away. There was no saving this friendship, and it was all her fault. To get back the relationship with the girls, she sacrificed the one with Percy and Braddock.
Stopping to stand alone in the Sasha, she looked to her left and saw a wanted poster of Frank. The biggest threat to getting back her friendship with Anne, and the biggest threat to her romantic relationship with Marcy. Conveniently forgetting about her guilt about what she did to him, Sasha turned all her anger and self-hatred onto him. She needed an enemy to focus herself on her mission, and Frank was that enemy.
Glaring at Frank's face with a growl, Sasha shook with fury and gritted her teeth. Her eyes glowed pink briefly, before Sasha pulled out her hidden dagger and threw it at the poster while she yelled, hitting its mark on the Hispanic boy's head, hitting the boy's drawn image between the eyes.
"Just wait. I'm planning to settle the score soon, Amigo..." she said with a darkened expression.