Far away from Wartwood, deep within the swamp, stood a tall and imposing tower that watched over the valley. The tower itself was made of stone bricks, surrounded by a mountainous region, comprising of snow-capped mountains and ravines. There were many barren trees are seen surrounding the tower and its walled exterior. The tower was built atop a rocky cliff with one leading pathway connecting it to the mainland, serving as its only entrance. Many fire torches can also be seen, hung at the entrance as well as along the tower's battlements. A single, long red flag was placed at the top of the tower.
Inside the dining hall, various toads are seen partying and just having a good time, tongue wrestling, throwing darts, everything.
Everything stopped, however, when the massive double doors swung open, everyone looking to see an armored newt step in. The newt in question was about as tall as Anne, wearing armored greaves with blades attached to the heels and front of the legs and a brown shirt under the breastplate. He had a slim yet muscular build, having dark brown hair held in a bun, dark blue skin and golden eyes that could pierce one's soul.
Damien Fausta, right hand man to the captain of Toad Tower, looked across the crowd of silent toads, all saluting in fear at the sight of the rather young newt, at least thirteen years old, the young newt stepping from the darkness, a stern glare looking across the crowd…
…before he suddenly gave a big smile and declared, "Hey, I thought this was a party! Why're you stopping?!"
The crowd broke into boastful cheers before they resumed partying, as the young newt walked down the rows, high-fiving every toad he approached, went up to the dart board and threw several darts, hitting the bullseye with all three darts, the toads cheering before the newt stood atop one of the tables.
"How's everyone doing?!" He yelled.
Every toad in the dining hall cheered in affirmation.
"That's what I like to hear!" Damien declared before his eyes settled on a turquoise toad that seemed to be wearing his breastplate the wrong way. "Wait, are you wearing your breastplate as pants? Seriously?"
The toad in question seemed to sweat a bit, "Uh, it won't happen again, sir."
"It'd better not." Damien said. "Now, go get changed, before the captain throws you in the pain room."
"Yes sir!" The toad yelped before running off to the barracks.
"Now, to everyone else," Damien turned his attention to the rest of the crowd. "Man, it's a good day, don't you think? We're on top of things, we've got the tower. Everything is going great!"
The toads cheered, before Damien hopped down from the table, "But, we must remain on top of things and keep those frogs in line!" He then raised a glass. "To the Tower!"
The toads cheered in affirmative, before the doors swung open once again, everyone in the room going quiet at the sight of the captain himself, Captain Grime, as he entered the room. Grime was a green toad with a large and muscular build. His left eye glowed yellow-green and was in a constant squint, while his right eye was marked with a pink scar, pale blue, and dull due to the injury. His eyes do not have visible pupils. He possessed sharp, yellow teeth. He wore brown metal armor with a dark mauve cape.
Every toad quickly stood at attention, while Damien simply loused away on a chair as Grime advanced.
"So, these are the valley's strongest warriors. Pathetic!" The captain spat.
"Well, if it isn't Captain Grime." Damien said with a roll of his eyes and propping his head in his hand. "Here to sour the mood for everyone. Seriously, can't you let the boys have some fun every now and then?"
"That assumes there's anything to celebrate over." Grime retorted. "I'm sure you've all heard frogs in the valley are getting unruly. They're questioning our authority. Some towns have even stopped paying their taxes. And do you know why?"
Damien merely shrugged, but another toad spoke up, "Maybe they, I don't know, forgot?"
"No, you imbeciles!" Grime yelled. "You've all gotten soft!" He then punched a pillar, leaving an indent, causing one of the toad to gulp while another croaked.
"Dramatic much?" Damien deadpanned.
"This is no time for jokes, Damien." Grime snarled. "To get this valley under control, I need warriors who are fierce, cunning, and above all, ruthless!"
Damien made to retort, but saw the time on the clock, "Right, well, I've gotta go make sure the prisoner is fed."
Heading into the kitchen, he grabbed a slice of pie and made his way up the tower to the prison block. Entering, he saw a human like Anne sitting in the cell. The girl was thirteen years old of tall height, taller than Anne, with a slender build. She had blonde hair tied in a ponytail with a long bang parted to the right side of her head, a beauty mark underneath her left eye, and almond-shaped blue eyes. She wore a schoolgirl uniform, consisting of a light grey shirt with a pink collar and an "SJMS" crest, usually paired with a dark blue jean jacket, a short pink skirt, white socks, and a pair of black Mary Jane shoes with small heels. She also wore a purple scrunchie in her ponytail.
"Hey, Sasha Waybright!" Damien greeted in a friendly tone. "I brought you that critter pot pie you wanted!"
Looking up, Sasha gave a friendly smile in return, "Hey, Damien!"
Sasha had quite the month. Upon falling in, Damien was the first creature she had encountered. Of course, he was friendly and wanted to help her, but upon bringing her back to the tower, she was immediately thrown in a prison cell. To say that it soured things between them was an understatement, as she refused to even speak to him for weeks before she decided to forgive him. Since then, he at least kept her company, the two talking about small gossip, Damien telling the human jokes to make her laugh and Sasha would find them funny, and Damien telling Sasha some things he knows about outside the tower. So far, things have been patched up between the two and they soon became closer.
"Again, I'm sorry for your treatment here." Damien said with an apologetic smile. "I tried to get you better accommodations…"
"Eh, don't sweat it too much, it's no biggie." Sasha waved it off. "Besides, despite being trapped in this gross world, at least there's a few plus sides."
"Well, I just wanted to check on you." Damien said. "Hope you don't mind."
"Dude, you're the first friendly creature I've met." Sasha said. "I totally don't mind."
"Oh, that reminds me," Damien then pulled a book from his pocket and offered it to her. "Here's the book you lent me. It was a fun read!"
"Thanks, and I'm glad you liked it." Sasha said before taking the book. "Dune is a popular book back home."
Just then, the door creaked open, a toad popping his head in, holding a bowl of what looked like slop. He was a light green toad with small green spots along the side of his body. He had a lighter underbelly and wore brown, later red, armor with leather armbands, and he wore a grey helmet.
"Hey, Sasha. Brought you dinner. Cricket Thursdays." The toad said in a friendly manner.
"Percy!" Sasha greeted with a smile.
"Hey, Percy, my brother from another mother!" Damien declared. "How's that act coming along?"
Besides Damien, Percy was one of the few toads that Sasha got along with. In all honesty, he didn't want to be a prison guard, and wanted to be a broadway performer instead. Sadly, it was kind of hard since no one wanted to hire a toad soldier, but that didn't stop Percy from dreaming.
"Oh, I've been working on it for quite a while!" Percy said. "Do you wanna see it?"
"Totally! Bring it." Sasha said with a finger gun hand gesture.
"You don't even need to ask!" Damien nodded.
"Okay, stay right there." Percy said before ducking away.
A few seconds later, he came back in with various instruments strapped to his body, including a drum on his back with the cymbals on top the drum, an accordion connected to his ankles, a harmonica around his neck and a horn in his mouth, the toad doing various moves to play music, before ending the performance with a bow.
"Ta-da!" He declared.
"Whoo! Wow! Get it, toad!" Sasha cheered, clapping her hands.
"That was legit, Percy." Damien agreed before looking at Sasha. "Am I saying that right?"
"Yeah, you've got it." Sasha nodded before turning to Percy. "Honestly, you're wasting your time here as a guard."
"You know what? You're right." Percy said, taking off his helmet and putting it on the head of a skeleton in chains, that for some reason was cleared out yet, before putting on a jester's cap. "Thanks, Sasha. I can't wait to see the look on Grime's face when I tell him that I'm—"
Without looking, he bumped right into the captain, gasping as he stared up at the older toad.
"Tell me what?" He asked in a growling tone, glaring at the young toad.
"Uh...That I quit and I've always hated this job. Bye!" Percy quickly said before running out of the room.
Grime only sighed in annoyance, while Damien facepalmed, "Walked right into that one. Literally."
"Hey there, Grimesy!" Sasha greeted, almost in a taunting manner. "What's that, like, the fifth toad I've talked into leaving this week?"
"Feels more like the seventh, actually." Damien shrugged.
"There's plenty more where that came from, and far more loyal than Percy." Grime retorted.
"Are you sure about that?" Sasha asked, checking her nails. "You're not exactly Mr. Popular around here."
"Yeah, no offense, captain, but you kinda suck with social skills." Damien admitted.
"Enough!" Grime yelled, gripping the bars of the prison cell. "Now who—"
"Sent me? No one. How'd I get here? Don't know. What do I want? To find my friends and go home." Sasha replied, laying back with an uncaring expression. "Haven't we been through this enough?"
"Feels like the fiftieth time, actually." Damien said. "Seriously, captain, she doesn't seem like anyone important, so isn't her answer enough?"
"It'll be enough once she starts giving me real answers." The captain retorted. "Until then—"
Just then, a female toad barged in. This toad was a light purple toad with violet shaded spots dotted across her cheeks and a light-yellow underbelly. She also had blonde hair tied back into a bun with a loop of string and wore leather armbands and brown iron armor alike the other toad soldiers.
"Captain Grime! Captain Grime! Sir!" She saluted the captain before turning and smiling and giving a friendly wave at Sasha and Damien. "Oh, hey, Sash. Dam."
"Braddock! Hey, girlfriend. How's the garden coming along?" Sasha asked.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Damien said. "How about those cacti I asked you to plant?"
"Oh, it's gorgeous, the cacti especially. You should see the squash—"
"Did you need something, soldier?" Grime interrupted.
"Oh! Right. Yes. We may have a small problem."
She then led the toad captain and newt lieutenant to the top of the tower and pointed outward, "There."
Off in the distance were two herons the size of tyrannosaurus Rex's, looking about and screeching.
"Kill the torches. Fast!" Grime whispered.
"Sir." Braddock saluted before heading back down.
Looking through the barred window, Sasha watched with a questioning look, "A bird? You guys are scared of a bird?"
"Quiet." Grime hissed.
"It's not just any bird. It's a heron." Damien whispered to the human. "I don't know what herons are like where you're from, but these are murderous predators that happens to love the taste of flesh."
One of the herons screeched, showing the blood and guts within its beak.
"Cute." She said, a little more afraid.
"The most important thing right now is that we be very, very quiet." Grime stated silently.
At that moment, the main gates to the tower creaked open, the four looking down to see Percy, still dressed with his one-man-band instruments, walking out, his instruments playing very loudly. The four silently called for him to return, the toad turning around and saw them and called out, "Sorry, guys. But this toad's gotta follow his dreams!"
Suddenly, one of the herons slammed its foot next to him, the toad looking up to see the two herons towering over him, letting out a screech, the toad screaming in horror and attempted to run, only for one of the herons to pick him up by the drum on his back. The drum snapped off, the toad making a run for the tower, the herons chasing after him.
"Don't lead them here, you fool!" Grime yelled before pulling out his horn and blew into it. "CLOSE THE GATES!"
"Wait for me!" Percy screamed as the gates began to close, the toad managing to jump just in time.
"Whoa, this is serious." Sasha remarked before one of the herons smashed through the window of her cell and let out a screech. "Oh, crud!"
"Hey bird brain!"
The heron looked up in time to see a metal boot make contact with its head, sending it back outside, the newt boy having unlocked the cell and sprung into action.
"Whoa, killer kick." Sasha complimented.
"I don't like getting my hands dirty, so I fight with my legs." Damien said, holding up a leg for emphasis.
The heron screeched before coming back in for another round, the second heron having already reached inside the fortress and swallowed one of the toads whole.
"Ah, this place is falling apart!" Grime shouted.
The poor soldiers were too terrified to properly counterattack, and instead were hiding clutching their weapons or sobbing.
"Find a happy place. Find a happy place." One of the soldiers muttered before Grime picked him up by the collar.
"Come on, you cowards! Fight back!" He shouted, shoving a mace into his hands before throwing him. "DO SOMETHING!"
"Bring it on, birdbrain!"
"Try to keep up, blonde!"
Confused, Grime looked over to see his lieutenant and the human working together against the other heron that smashed through the cell window, Sasha throwing the bowl of food in its face, giving Damien the opening he needed to deliver lightning fast kicks to the face, causing it to shriek in pain before rearing its head back.
Grime was impressed with the scene unfolding before him, "So, the creature can fight. She could be worth something."
The heron, now fueled by anger rather than hunger, lunged forward with its beak, only for Grime to jump in and grab it by its beak.
"And Grime joins the fray!" Damien declared before smashing the chain that held Sasha's ankle. "Come on, Sasha, let's-" But when he turned his head, he saw that she had already run off. "And she's gone. Yeah, really should've seen that comin'."
The heron shook its head, throwing Grime on top of him, both men falling to the ground, Grime glaring up at the bird, "I'm not afraid of death."
"Hey, ugly chicken!"
The two saw Sasha had returned, with a barrel raised over her head before throwing it, the barrel smashing over the heron's head, spilling grog all over it, the heron whimpering before retreating.
"Those were some moves, Sasha." Damien complimented.
Grime laughs aloud, "Where did you get moves like that?"
"Cheerleading, believe it or not." Sasha said, dusting her hands off.
"I'm sorry, cheer what?" Grime said in confusion.
"Okay, listen up. If I help you get rid of these birds, you will give me provisions and release me. Deal?"
Grime stared at her for a few seconds before grinning, "Deal. Now grab every toad you can and head to the safe room." He said, the herons screeching outside. "Quickly!"
Soon enough, the three rounded up the remaining toads and guided them to the safe room, almost everyone was muttering in fear, while Damien was trying to think up a way to fight back.
"You know what would lighten this atmosphere a little bit?" Percy asked, hoping to lighten the mood. "A joke! How many herons does it take to storm a castle?"
"Percy, now's not a good time." Damien said with a hand on the toad's shoulder. "Especially given the situation we're in."
It didn't take long for Grime to turn to his soldiers in frustration, "You lot are, without a doubt, the most useless group of toads I have ever seen!" This disheartened the toads further, much to Damien's ire, which Sasha took notice of. "Maybe if any of you had a scrap of courage, we wouldn't be in here cowering like a bunch of—"
"Okay. All right. Let's take five." Sasha laughed a bit, pulling Grime to the side. "Grimesy, a word in private, please?"
The two went off behind a banner, with Damien following behind, the human addressing the captain, "Okay, if you keep yelling at them like that, they'll keep being useless, and we'll all die."
"What do you suggest, I congratulate them? Give them each an award?" Grime asked, spitting off to the side, the saliva melting through the stone.
"How about giving them compliments and acknowledgement when they earn it?" Damien pointed out.
"Exactly, Damien!" Sasha said. "Just try saying nice things for a change. Get them to love you, and they'll do anything for you."
"That actually works?" Grime asked.
"Oh, it works, all right. Trust me." Sasha assured.
"Some of the greatest armies are built by a leader acknowledging their troops." Damien nodded.
"Mmm. I don't know." Grime still seemed unsure.
"Here, I'll give you a head start." Sasha said before speaking aloud. "Whoa, Grime! So you think your guards are all amazing but you're afraid to tell them your true feelings?"
"What? What are you—"
Seeing what the blonde was doing, Damien chimed in, "What's that? You think Braddock is the toughest toad in the tower 'cause she doesn't take garbage from anyone?"
Looking at Braddock, who seemed as confused as he was, Grime declared, "Uh...Yes! Braddock is tough. Tough as beetle skin."
Hearing the compliment made the female toad blush, "Oh, well, I do wash with a steel wool brush. It really hurts."
"And what were those nice things you said about Gary?" Sasha continued, gesturing to the toad covered in bandages and holding a crutch.
"Oh, Gary. Gary, Gary." Grime said, before thinking of something. "Um...Gary never missed a day, even when he was sick."
"What can I say, I'm dedicated."
This plan was working. The confidence of the toads and the morale was increasing.
"And now for the piece to resistance," Damien whispered before declaring, "And Percy?"
Looking at the young toad, who was giving puppy dog eyes, Grime looked back at the newt, "I don't wanna do Percy."
"And Percy?" Damien insisted through gritted teeth.
"Percy's a grubbing idiot!" Grime snapped. Every toad gasping, Percy gave a hurt look, both Sasha and Damien facepalmed. Realizing his mistake, Grime corrected himself. "Uh...But, when he makes a mistake, he owns it. And he doesn't stop until he makes things right. And because of that..."
All the toads watched with baited breath. What was Grime going to say?
"Come on, come on." Sasha insisted.
"Just say it, you stubborn old toad." Damien added.
Grime then finally said, "He's earned my respect."
Every toad gasped, Percy looking up at him with awe, "I have?"
Grime stammered a bit, "Yes?"
A happy tear dropped from his face before Percy gave a salute, "Captain Grime, sir, we're taking this tower back, even if we have to fight through 20 herons!" He then faced the other toads. "Now come on, you toads! No one wants to live forever!"
The crowd cheered before rushing out, the human, newt and toad looking at each other with grins.
The army soon reached the outside before confronting the two herons, the giant birds screeching.
Gulping back his fear, Percy shouted, "For Grime!"
The toads fought with everything they had, but the herons still gave them trouble. One of the herons cornered Percy and Braddock, the female toad holding a sword while the male held a noise maker.
"Before we die, Braddock, I love you. I've always loved you." Percy confessed.
Gasping, Braddock then slapped Percy before kissing him.
"Up here, pheasants!"
Everyone gasped when they saw Grime standing on top the rubble, with Damien and Sasha by his side before the trio descended, Sasha and Grime beating down one of the herons with clubs, while Damien grabbed on the other herons neck, the bird flailing its head around before throwing Damien upward, but as he came back down, he started spinning forward before sticking his foot out, and as he descended closer, he delivered an ax kick across the herons neck, the blades of his greaves severing the head and killing it.
Sasha and Grime were still fighting the other heron, Sasha jumping over the head before Grime struck it in the head with his club, before Damien jumped into the fray, before slicing off one of its legs with a bladed kick, the heron screeching in pain before attempting to fly away. Grime held out an arm, allowing Damien to hop on it before throwing the newt high, the newt coming down on the heron with a devastating kick, stabbing it through the neck and killing it.
Sasha looked at Damien with wide eyes of amazement, "Whoa, that's cool."
"The style of the kick." Grime stated. "A style that only Damien and a small handful of newts know. He's proven to be quite the fighter and loyal to the cause."
After the herons were defeated, the toads gather in the courtyard, with Grime standing before them, with Damien and Sasha by his side.
"Toads of Toad Tower, today was a great victory!" Grime declared. "If it weren't for your bravery, the fortress would be lost. You're all heroes!"
The soldiers were amazed by Grimes words before they cheered in victory.
"All right, troops, listen up!" Grime shouted.
"Sir, yes, sir!" The troops give their full attention.
"Okay. Wow." Grime seemed surprised before regaining his composure. "Um...Head down to the mess hall for some food and a round of beetle mead. You've earned it."
"Sir, yes, sir!" The toads declared before marching away.
Grime was greatly impressed by what had transpired, "Unbelievable. This compliment stuff is witchcraft."
"More like common sense." Damien said.
"Uh-huh, yeah, okay." Sasha quickly said. "Anyways, I upheld my part of the deal. So give me some rations, a map, maybe a cool cloak or two, and I'll be on my way."
Before Grime could say anything, Damien spoke up, "Captain, why don't you let me handle things from here? I'll handle negotiations here."
"Very well." Grime nodded. "Make sure she understands the circumstances she's in."
Before Sasha could ask what he meant, the captain already turned and walked away, leaving the human with the newt before Damien sat on the rubble.
"I'm not gonna lie; if Grime had his way, he'd keep you locked up." He said, choosing to be honest with her. "I mean, you're dangerous and manipulative, and quite frankly, I don't blame him to not let you roam free."
"You sneaky little—" Sasha made to ready for a fight, but Damien raised a hand for her to remain calm.
"But, unlike Grime, I don't go back on my word." The newt said. "And besides, eventually we'd slip up and you'd be long gone." He then pointed a thumb at the gate. "So, you're pretty much free to go. Grab a weapon, a map, however much provisions you need, a spider mount if you want, and wonder the valley alone as a vagabond, where you will most likely be killed by the wilderness."
Looking beyond the gates, Sasha had a clue that there were more deadly creatures than the herons, before looking back at the newt, "Or?"
"Or stay here." Damien suggested. "Help us rebuild the tower. Maybe serve as my partner and serve as Grime's second-in-command. And when we're done here, you, me, Grime, and the entire garrison will march on the valley, restore order, and find your friends." He then extended a hand. "Now, how does that sound?"
Giving it some thought, Sasha felt the desire for power and ambition flood her thoughts, smiling before taking his hand and shaking it, "I think I can live with that."
"Awesome!" Damien declared. "I'll discuss things with Grime and we'll get started." He turned to leave before looking over his shoulder at her. "Looking forward to working with you, Partner."
He then winked before heading off, leaving Sasha with a blush on her cheeks before she composed herself.
'Charming, charismatic and loyal to the core; he'll be very helpful.' She thought before pulling out her photo of herself and her friends, running a finger down it. "Hold on for a little longer, girls. I'm coming for you. And when I find you, we're gonna get home."
Lowering the photo, she had a wicked smile on her face, "But first, I think we're gonna have some fun with this place."