Cinnamon Bun

Chapter Two Hundred and Thirteen - Toadbreakers

Chapter Two Hundred and Thirteen - Toadbreakers

Chapter Two Hundred and Thirteen - Toadbreakers

The tentacle toads tongue whipped out at me, slashing through the air followed by a trail of drool.

Bastions sword cut through the air ahead of me, so fast that all I saw was a grey blur through the fog.

The tongue flopped off to the side, the bulb at the end detached from the rest of it.

The tentacle toad croaked in pain and slurped its tongue back, but not before I ran up to it. I planted a foot on the ground just before the monster and shot into the air. It wasnt a huge leap, just a couple of metres nearly straight up.

My spade came down, point-first, and with one foot riding on the top of the shovel part. Thats how I landed atop the toad, the shovels blade digging in right between the monsters eyes so hard and fast that it sank in to the hilt.

The toad croaked, then burst apart in a huge cloud of mostly fog.

I landed with a stumble, then spun my spade around and started looking for the next tentacle toad.

Emmanuel was fighting one of them, parrying its tongue-strikes with his sword and occasionally scoring a slash against the toads rubbery skin. Bastion, meanwhile, was nearby, staring into the fading mists and searching for the next toad to try something funny.

Over there! he said, pointing with his sword-tip into the fog.

I glanced that way, and could only just make out a big blotch moving that way.

Ill light it up, you get in close, I said.

Got it, he replied.

The fog was starting to clear, bit by bit. It started almost as soon as Emmanuel and Bastion took out the first toad, which made sense. They were the ones making the fog, getting rid of them meant less monsters producing it.

They were big, and their tongues were nasty, but otherwise, the toads were actually pretty weak.

I jogged over to Bastions side, careful not to trip over anything. My attention was split as I created nine fireballs in my free hand. Ready?

Go, Bastion said.

I flung the fireballs towards the lumbering form in the fog, and knew Id hit something when the toad croaked in pain.

Bastion took off like a bullet, following the trails left by my fireballs with his wings beating to displace the air behind him.

A moment later a big burst of fog filled the area ahead of him. Hed gotten it.

I ducked down a bit and started searching for the next tentacle toad. It was getting easier to see already. With the mist clearing up, I was now able to make out the walls and the pond, and even the rooms where Howard and Amaryllis and Awen were still waiting.

Amaryllis light balls, which shed tossed out here and there, were helping too.

If it wasnt for those, I wouldnt have seen the toad leaping over towards the room where Id been with Howard. Oh no, I said.

Was it going to try and attack my friends through the gate?

I heard something go clunk and the toad stumbled back mid-leap, then the far end of the cavern exploded with bluish light and the snap-crackle of live electricity being zapped out at something unfortunate.

The tentacle toad exploded.

Right, my friends could take care of themselves.

I spun around, looking for another toad. Instead, I found... nothing at all.

Had that been it?

Ah hah! Cur! You have been defeated by the one and only Emmanuel Aldelain Von Chadsbourne!

I found Emmanuel bouncing and cheering, his hooves cracking at the stone floor while he stabbed at the air with the point of his sword.

I looked over to Bastion who was casually wiping his own sword clean with a piece of cloth. The room seems clear, he said. Unless there are any of them hiding within the water. I cant sense any more danger.

I nodded, then allowed the notifications stacking up at the back of my head to ping away.

Ding! Congratulations, you have made three (3) Tentacle Toad, Level 8 croak their last! EXP reduced for fighting as a group!

Nothing else? Well, I supposed that I hadnt really used that many skills in the fight, and other than being a bit scary at first, it didnt really feel that hard. Alone it would have been very tough, but with some help from my friends, it was easy.

We did it! I cheered.

The doors leading into the lever rooms opened and Howard and my friends stepped out.

Amaryllis immediately crossed the little bridge in the middle of the room, her stomping steps leading her on a straight path towards Emmanuel. You! she screeched.

Pardon? the cervid asked.

Amaryllis almost ran into him with how close she stopped. She jabbed at Emmanuels chest with the dull side of a talon. You are an idiot. No, thats too kind. I know some idiots and theyre quite nice. Clever even, in their own way. You are a buffoon. An ignorant horse.

Amaryllis, I said.

Not now, Broccoli, she snapped.

Miss harpy, I find this behaviour highly irregular, Emmanuel said.

Miss... did you not even bother learning our names?! Amaryllis shouted.

I moved over to my friend and placed a hand on her shoulder. Amaryllis, its okay, I said.

It is very much not, she said. This twit could have gotten all of us killed.

Thats... well, thats true, but Im sure hell learn his lesson from it, right mister Emmanuel?

The cervid stood a little taller. Of course. Putting the lives of others at risk is unheroic.

Broccoli, Amaryllis said. She was looking at me with naked concern. You know that people can lie, right?

Uh, yeah? Its rude though.

And you know that some people, usually clownish oafs, will believe their own lies, right?

I dont think thats what Emmanuel is doing, I said. Hes just, um.

A dimwit? A doofus? No, hes neither of those, Amaryllis said. That would imply that hes merely a simpleton of some sort or another. Simpletons are fine as long as they stay far away from me. This man, this cervid, is a jackass.

I am no such thing, Emmanuel said.

I shrunk back a bit. I didnt like hearing Amaryllis talking about someone that way, even if she might be a little bit right. Emmanuel was... a bit of trouble. Mister Emmanuel, I said as I turned his way. What you did was irresponsible and endangered all of us. Bastion and I had to step out to save you, which meant splitting up our group. Thats dangerous on its own. And it meant leaving Mister Howard behind. Hes a brave fishperson, but hes not a fighter.

Yes yes, shall we move on?

I blinked, then spoke with a bit more force to my voice. Mister Emmanuel, I said. None of us are going to move on until you explain to me why what you did was wrong.

The cervid reeled his head back. What? What sort of requirement is that?

A really simple one. You did something that I think all of us agree was wrong, and dangerous. That kind of stuff happens sometimes, sure. Ive done dangerous things before that I probably shouldnt have, but I try to listen when my friends warn me about them later. I just want to make sure you understand.

Emmanuel crossed his arms. He didnt look very pleased with things, but a glance over my shoulder showed all of my friends staring at him. I suppose what I did wrong was... moving in without warning you all?

Yes, and what else? I encouraged.

He looked like he'd just chewed into a lemon. I... perhaps shouldnt have put you at risk?

Not just me or my friends, but yourself too. Did you hear what Howard said about the fog?

Emmanuel glanced towards Howard. No?

I sighed. He said that it left, on its own. If we just waited a little bit we wouldnt have to fight at all.

I suppose that would have been the... less brave but... perhaps least dangerous path to take, Emmanuel admitted. It doesnt do for a knight to put his charges at risk when he can avoid it.

Thats, uh... close enough, I think? I looked to Amaryllis for confirmation.

I still think we should kick him out, she said.

I turned to my other friends.

Bastion was the first to reply. Hes serving as a great object lesson, and in a low-risk, but not riskless, environment.

Um, Awen began. I think Mister Emmanuel could probably use a bit more time with Broccoli.

Huh?

Because hes a little bit bad at making friends and being... nice. So, maybe we can keep him with us for a little bit more, as long as hes learning? Awen said. She didnt sound entirely sure, and she hugged her crossbow close for comfort as she spoke, but I think I understood what she meant.

Howard just shrugged. I dont rightly know. Never expected to see toads in that fog. Might explain a few things. Some folk will be glad to know. Otherwise, whether or not the cervid stays is out of my hands.

I tapped my chin. Fine. Mister Emmanuel, you can stay with us, but I really expect you to try a little harder to remember that your actions can hurt others, alright?

The cervid smiled and nodded. Of course! he said.

I didnt have much confidence in that smile, but, well, I was willing to give him a chance. Alright. I gestured to the door at the end of the room. Shall we continue then? Howard, is there anything we should know about the next area?

Just a corridor, the fishman said. Its a little tight at first, but itll bring us to the main cave. The next floors just around the corner after that. Looks like a little village.

A little village? I asked.

Like Insmouth, but not quite. Very old, and everythings rotten out. No point in gathering much from there, unfortunately. Occasionally, we'll find a nice trinket there, but not enough to make a job of collecting them. Not when the second floors the way it is.

That sounds ominous, Awen muttered.

Aye, the second floors not for the faint of heart.

We formed up a bit as we moved out of the first floor. I ended up with Amaryllis walking by my side while Bastion and Emmanuel ranged out ahead.

Hes going to be trouble again, Amaryllis said.

I know, I said. But just because someone is troublesome that doesnt mean theyre not a potential friend. My shoulder bumped against hers. Lets give him one last chance?

She huffed, but it was a huff that agreed with me, if only reluctantly. Youre far more patient with people than I am.

I know. If I wasnt I dont think wed have ever become friends.

She snapped her head around. I am nothing like him.

Hmm, I said before tapping my chin. I dont know. Noble, full of ideas about how things should be. Very rude.

She huffed very mightily. I am not that bad.

Youre not that bad now, I agreed.

Nor was I ever that bad, she said.

Eh, I dont know.

Amaryllis shook her head. Well, youve certainly improved a little too. Youre not nearly as irritating and stupid as you once were.

Really? I asked.

She nodded. You seem to be getting less dumb. Slowly. Exceptionally slowly. I suspect that in a few decades I might even consider you to have an average amount of common sense.

I laughed, and she joined me with her own birdy whistles. I even heard Awen giggling away behind us until I reached back and pulled her closer. The corridor was hardly so small as to require us to be split in pairs, and I wanted to have all of my friends close.

We were about to face another challenge, which was the best time to keep ones friends close!

***