Solo Mission
Another year had gone by.
Sasha had struggled…For a while….
She’d struggled trying to be strong,trying to forget the trauma of her first kill…..But eventually,as Grime had said,she’d gotten used to it.
Numb to it.
She hadn’t made any more kills,but had still gotten into fights with unruly townsfolk during tax collections and had left quite a few of her opponents without an eye, finger, limb,tail, or other appendage.
She’d grown stronger….Less sensitive to injury, pain and death.
Gore and blood were nothing to her.
Her ears grew deaf to screams, sobs and pleas for mercy.
She felt…..
Empty.
Like there was a void where her heart and soul should be.
The only time she ever felt any kind of emotion was when Grime gave her the indication that he was pleased with her or gave her some kind of praise. Even though she no longer saw herself as a child, and was an incredibly skilled, capable warrior….She still strived for his approval and praise.
That….was both embarrassing and reassuring.
Embarrassing because a warrior of her capabilities shouldn’t feel the need to gain praise from others.
Reassuring because when she felt that, she took it as a sign that her first kill hadn’t completely ripped her soul from her.
But overall, things were……
Numb.
Sasha didn’t know how to feel.
The joys and excitements of battle were suddenly dull and dreary---Everyday happenings and events that were all part of the same weekly routine.
Her life was one of survival...Not of adventure.
The few soldiers that were close to her noticed this pretty quickly.
She no longer pushed herself extra during training, no longer greeted every training practice and tax collection day with eagerness and determination.
When she did practice,it was as if it were a chore. She had no passion, enthusiasm…..No spark.
She was only practicing and fighting because….. It was all she knew.
Grime knew all too well what she felt.
The thrill of battle, the adrenaline rush of the fight….Drained from you.
The first kill almost always did that to you.
It had taken him a good long while to get his drive for battle back.
He’d been trying to think of the event that had reignited his drive to fight,his passion for the bloody art of battle.And after digging through his memories for a while,Grime remembered it.
The event that has recharged his desire to fight and had brought feeling back to his numbed body.
An event he hoped Sasha could take on…
______________________________________________________________________________
“You wanted to see me, Sir?”
“Yes Sasha,come stand beside me…”
The twelve year old warrior came over,standing beside the captain as they looked out from the balcony of his quarters in toad tower.
The sun was just slowly beginning to set,the sky a light crimson,the sun a fiery red ball.
The long,gnarled trees that stood around the tower and it’s border cast long,sinister shadows that resembled long,evacuated hands with fingers that curled like they were grabbing at something….or someone.
Sasha looked down at them. As the sun slowly sank into the horizon,the shadows seemed to grow longer,stretching out farther and farther towards them, all moving towards her,the fingers of the gnarled hands all reaching out,flexing,trying to grab at her and pull her down…..
“...You know you’re one of the best warriors I have.” Grime said.
Sasha turned to him.”....Yes sir. I know….”
“You've excelled,thrived,improved so much over what is,compared to other soldiers….a very short period of time.”
“...Thank you sir,I know…”
Sasha didn’t know what else to say besides the usual,formal,yes-sir no-sir and thank-you-sir answers that she had been drilled into her since she’d entered the toad army.
”....You've gotten very skilled….and you’ve proved yourself in battle…”
“....I’ve never been to battle sir. I’ve fought unruly townsfolk and have acted in self defense.But I have never been in a proper battle.”
Grime sighed. She was right….She’d never been in an actual, full-out war, or even turf war or peasant rebellions....Just little scuffles with unruly and uncooperative townsfolk that had failed to pay their taxes.
“Well….Maybe you haven’t been in a proper war…..However...You are certainly very experienced as a soldier…...And I’ve been thinking that it’s about time that you started doing more than just tax collections…”
Sasha looked at him, eyes glimmering with what looked like excitement for a split second before they returned to the hardened, dull violet orbs that had replaced the bright,hot purple eyes that had once been the fiery eyes of his little fire eyed creature.
“....What do you mean sir?”
“Instead of going with Mire and Hemlock tomorrow for tax collection, I was thinking you could go on a bounty hunt….”
Sasha’s eyes widened.
A….what?
“.....What was that sir?”
“A bounty hunt. King Andrias recently released a new law that allows the toad army to carry out bounty hunts and the captures of criminals that have escaped Newtopia, as well as tax collection.You see...The Newtopian army is considered to be the strongest,largest,most highly skilled army in all of Amphibia….Yet when it comes to chasing down escaped criminals outside of Newtopia and seeking out suspicious citizens outside of Newtopia….anything outside of Newtopia, really…...They're suddenly “ Too busy to attend to such matters” or “ Newtopia has more serious issues.”...Cowards...Pathetic cowards that want to do nothing but stay inside their sheltered little city and make all the little creatures feel as if they’re safe from everything…..If only they could watch us fight one of those “soldiers” ...Then they’d know just how safe they are….”
He paused, clearing his throat before continuing on.
“Since the pansy-ass Newtopian army apparently can’t deal with hunting down escaped convicts and loose criminals,”Have to devote their time to more important matters” as they say...The cowards......And due to a few, recent, very ill-handled prison breaks at the Newtopian Prison, the toad army has now been assigned to bounty hunts and catching any loose criminals that have escaped Newtopia’s borders.Any criminal who makes it out of Newtopia and gets anywhere near a toad army base….They’re all ours. Newtopia sends us the wanted posters every time one escapes the Newtopian prison, along with the prices they offer for dead or alive….”
Grime reached into his brigandine,pulling out a roll of parchment and handing it to Sasha. She took it, looking down at the parchment.
The image of a frog with black facial markings glared back at her, a scar across her lip. Underneath the picture read “ IDA YELLOWBACK. Wanted For: Escaping Prison, Multiple counts of murder, Theft and arson. Wanted dead or alive. Return to Territory Governor’s Quarters for a reward of 1000 coppers if alive, 100 coppers if deceased.”
Sasha looked it over as Grime explained the proposed mission.
”This frog was seen near us, so I’d say go to the outer borders, scout around, look for tracks and maybe interrogate anyone nearby.Spy if you must, sneak around for signs and see if you can spot them.Once you find them, you bring them back to the tower, then we bring them to Governor Greenback…. They're the governor of these parts...Once you do, they’ll reward you….try and bring them back alive, it’ll get you more….”
“....Who will go with me?”
“No one.It will be a solo mission.Your first solo mission….”
Sasha looked up, eyes widening.
A solo mission?
No one but her…?
She’d never been alone on a mission before….
Wait...why should she worry?
She was an accomplished warrior,she’d once single handedly taken down three fully grown mantises as a small child! Surely she could handle this! Of course she could! Why was she being so insecure of her own skill? It was childish!
She gripped the poster,paper crinkling in her grasp.
”I'll do it.”
Grime looked at her, a small smile on his face.
“ I knew you would.I’ve had a pack ready for you.Has food rations to last you a week--if it takes you that long, 2 full canteens of water, a crossbow and about 18 arrows,bandages and a small bit of ointment in case you should end up getting wounded, a lockpick just in case you need to be stealthy, you can bring your own sword, and it's got about….20 coppers...in case you’d need them.”
Sasha nodded.
``If your supplies run out, you either find the nearest town or village and look for more resources,or forage-Which shouldn’t be too hard.You’re a skilled hunter, and finding shelter and water shouldn’t be a worry for you.If you should lose your weapons…..Well,you’ve beaten me in hand to hand and hand-against-weapon combat practice plenty of times….”
She’d be more than capable of taking down a mere criminal such as the ones they'd been assigned…
Sasha took in his words,nodding solemnly.
”I understand.I won’t fail you.”
She wouldn't.
She wouldn't act scared or cry or be childish as she has been the night of her first kill...she was stronger now.
Far stronger.
She WOULDN'T fail. Grime nodded.” Now, to bed with you.You’ll be up before dawn, need to get an early start on your mission.The earlier you start, the sooner you’ll find the target, and the sooner you get the target, the sooner we get the money, and the sooner we get the money, the sooner we can possibly afford more food or maybe some new weapons and armor!” Sasha saluted him. “Sir yes sir!” She said, then turned and left. She wouldn’t fail him….she wouldn’t....not this time.
______________________________________________________________________________
The sky was black, and Sasha was walking.
About an hour or so ago, Grime had awoken her, armed with a backpack full of the supplies she’d need.
Sasha had silently risen from her bunk, slipping her armor over her bedclothes, grabbing the shirt and leggings she wore under her armor daily and shoving them into the pack, then taking the pack from Grime and slinging the straps onto her shoulders.
She and Grime exchanged no words, Sasha simply saluted to him, then walked out of the soldier’s quarters.
The tower was pitch black, but years of soldier training outside before the sun had even started to come up had allowed her eyes to become adjusted to seeing in the dark.
She made her way downstairs,walking out into her main hall and then out of the already opened entrance,the patrol guards closing the door as she exited.
She didn’t look back to see if anyone was watching her.
She just started walking,everything around her dead silent,making her footsteps upon the dry earth sound louder than they really were.
She was still walking as the horizon began to grow lighter,and she was still walking as the sun began to rise from the horizon,the bright red ball surrounded by an amber halo, like flames around a fire.
By the time the sun had finally found its place in the sky and the sky had lightened up and filled with clouds,Sasha was still walking,and had not once taken a rest.
After another hour of walking,she finally found herself at the edge of a small town,the sound of daily life and activity slowly becoming louder as she stepped towards the town.
The tiny huts and houses had smoke coming from their chimneys,and frogs were rushing out their doors,running around all over the place,in a rush to complete their morning tasks.
The target could be hiding amongst them.
Or was hiding near them.
Time to do some interrogating.
Sasha walked towards the town,slowly entering the bustling little town. No one noticed her,too busy with their daily routines to notice the tall,armor-covered stranger that had suddenly strode into town.
Sasha scanned the area,trying to recall the face of the target.
For the first time in hours,she stood still. She took her pack off her back,then rummaged around until she found the rolled up wanted poster. She took it out,unfurling it, the face of the target staring Sasha dead in the eyes.
Black facial markings,her forehead and the top of her snout a lighter color,eyes slanted in malice behind wild looking hair, mouth contorted into what appeared to be half arrogant smirk and half grimace of disgust and anger.
Sasha looked around again…..none of the frogs running around her remotely resembled the image. She huffed,rolling the paper up and tucking it into her belt,the paper nestled right next to her sword as it lay secure and hidden in its sheath.
She looked around, spotting a young looking frog, who she guessed was a farmer, based on his muddied overalls,gloves and slightly sunburned yellow skin. She slowly walked over to him, being as quiet and stealthy as she could be at that moment.
The young frog took no notice of her at first,walking over to a nearby stand where a stout vendor sold rather misshapen loaves of bread. Sasha began walking up to the farmer frog as he purchased a loaf,only for him to turn to the right, not noticing her as he walked over to a medium sized snail. She huffed, growing impatient as she finally found herself right behind him, only for him to hop up on the snail.
That’s when she grabbed his ankle.
Hard.
The sudden hard pressure on the frog farmer’s ankle made him look down,then jump a little as a very,very strange creature looked up at him with hard, dull, determined purplish eyes.
He opened his mouth to yelp,but a large,rather calloused and strangely warm hand grabbed his mouth and clenched hard,any sound he was making becoming muffled and then nonexistent as he froze completely.
Sasha looked around….Still no one had noticed her…..The oblivious,stupid creatures were too busy bumbling around with their day to day lives to notice the tall creature, or that one of them was in potential danger.
“Listen here frog,listen carefully….Do you understand me? Nod if you do.” Sasha growled.
The frog slowly took in her words, then nodded, her hand still grasping his mouth as he gripped the reins of his snail with trembling hands.
Sasha held up the wanted poster, the paper unfurling and the image of her target becoming visible to the frog.
”Look at this image-you know this frog??” Sasha asked, voice low and threatening.
The frog looked at it over, eyes scanning the picture before him carefully, sweat beading all over his face. He slowly nodded.
”Tell me when and where -- Scream or yell and I’ll slit your throat.” Sasha demanded, slowly removing her hand from the frog’s mouth.
The frog gulped,opening his mouth slowly,struggling to find his voice.”
T-T-Th-The-The-The B-Bu-Bu - Buttonbrush Inn….She….R-Rented a r-R-Room there…….Three nights ago….Ah...Said she was...T-T-T-Traveling t-To M-M-Meet S-So-Someone….”
“Where is she now?”
“P-Probably there still….P-Please...Have mercy…”
Sasha rolled the poster up, tucking it back in her belt.
”Take me to this Inn.” She commanded,voice cold, even and even more threatening.
The farmer nodded shakily, then jumped with fear as Sasha jumped up, pushing him aside and sitting beside him on the rider’s seat atop his snail. He tugged at his snail’s reins, the large creature slowly pushing itself along the dirt road.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
An hour or so later, after what was a very tense, nerve wracking and potentially life threatening journey for the farmer, a giant blue mushroom that had since been turned into a building fit for amphibian occupation became visible, a large wooden sign with the words “ The Buttonbrush Inn.” mounted atop the mushroom’s cap.
The farmer tugged the snail’s reins, the creature halting. Sasha swiftly hopped off of the snail, glancing back at the farmer, who had been shaking and sweating the entire time.
” Go back to your town. Say nothing of this. Otherwise the next thing that comes out of your mouth afterwards may be your own blood. Understood?”
The farmer nodded hurriedly, then tugged his snail’s reins, the creature following it’s riders directions and turning, slithering along the road, picking up pace as its owner snapped its reins, urging it to get them as far away from the strange and sinister creature that had ordered them there.
Sasha watched them until they had made it out of her line of vision,then walked over to the Inn, pushing the door open.
The inside of the inn was dimly lit, the stench of wet, moldy earth strong and almost suffocating. Apart from an old, obese frog sitting at the check in desk to Sasha’s far right and a small frog that wasa asleep at one of the tables in the small dining area across the room, the place was vacant.
Sasha closed the door, eyes scanning the room as she cautiously walked over to the check in desk. The fat old frog at the desk was asleep, rising up and down a little with each heavy, flesh-hindered breath. A small, grimy silver bell sat in front of him, a few cobwebs clinging to its surface, indicating just how little it had been used, and just how frequently visited the place was.
Sasha swiftly slammed her palm onto the bell, feeling dust and semi-hard grime come off onto her palm. She wiped her hand on her pants as the old frog slowly stirred from his slumber, slightly cloudy yellow eyes opening up, not really taking in the tall, armored creature that stood in front of him.
”...How may I-''
He yawned, the vile, putrid stench of his breath made Sasha feel the urge to retch, but she simply held her breath and swallowed, keeping her stoic, hard,emotionless visage as she took the wanted poster back out.
The old frog finished his yawn, slowly thinking back to what he’d been saying prior.
``How may I help you..?”
“ I was informed that this frog is currently residing here.Is she still here?”
Sasha unfurled the poster, holding it in front of the fat old frog as he lazily blinked at it. She wondered if he was even registering it.
”Yeah...She’s here...Might still be in her room….Room 17….Or 15….Either way...Room will be upstairs….. On your right….”
He slowly fell back to sleep, letting out a few loud, stuffy snores before quieting.
Sasha rolled the poster back up, tucking it back into her belt, then looked around, spotting the hallway that led to all the rooms. She walked down it, spotting a small, narrow staircase at the very end of the hall. She quickly walked upstairs, soon finding herself in the upstairs hallway. She looked to her left, a row of wooden doors with numerous golden numbers meeting her gaze. She followed the numbers, searching for the numbers the old frog had given her.
Room 11….13..15..17.
The old frog had mentioned the target inhabiting 15 or 17….
She decided to try 15 first, grabbing the doorknob and feeling to see if it was locked.
Sure enough, it was locked, but that wasn’t an issue.
Sasha carefully took her pack down from her back, opening it up.
The thin, shiny silver lockpick was hiding behind the quiver of arrows she’d been packed as well. She took it out, gripping the handle gently as she inserted the long, needle-like tool into the lock, twisting and turning it with quick, subtle motion until the sound of the lock’s inner workings sliding into place was faintly heard.
She carefully pulled the pick out and tried the knob, the door creaking as it slowly swung open.
The room was empty-save for the bed, bed stand,lamp and small closet that were in the room, all of which were covered in a thin layer of dust.
No signs of habitance….Better check the other room.
She went out to room 17, trying the doorknob ,only this time it was unlocked.
The knob twisted and the door gave way with ease,swinging open.
Once again, no one was in the room.
But this room,unlike the other room, had a singular window,and the window was wide open, the warm breeze flowing in.
Sasha went to the window,searching for any sign of the target.
Nothing…..
Guess she’d have to look harder.
Just as she turned to leave,she heard a yelp.
Then someone yelling.
“SHIT MOTHERFUCKER!” The person cursed, loud enough for Sasha to hear from the room.
She ran to the window,leaning out and looking around.
She heard snail sounds- Grunts and angry sounding trills. She looked to her far right, seeing an area of posts meant for tying up visitor’s snails.
She saw a large snail,which was angrily thrashing and struggling as a hooded figure violently tugged and yanked at its reins.
”YOU FILTHY BEAST!! Just stay still and behave will you??? It’s not like your owner will miss you much, all he does is sleep at that desk all day unless he needs to buy more food to stuff his face with!” The figure barked at the snail,tugging the reins, the snail yelping and trilling in distress.
Sasha ran out the room, grabbing her pack and rushing downstairs, running out of the inn, the heat of the air and glaring sun hitting her at full force. She breathed in and out, slowly creeping closer and closer, breathing slowed, sweat dripping down her face and drenching her clothes, gripping the straps of her pack with one hand, her other hand still gripping the lock pick….Hadn’t realized she’d been holding it the holding it the entire time.
The figure and distressed snail slowly came into view, the figure's cloak obscuring their face.
Sasha breathed in, composing herself, slowly putting the lockpick back inside her pack, then took the pack off her shoulders and reached down, hand grabbing the grip of her sword, preparing to draw it when needed.
She crept closer, trying to see the figure’s face. The figure was too busy trying to get the snail to stop fighting them and allow them to jump on it’s back.
It wasn’t until they saw the tall figure out of the corner of their eye that they stopped fighting with the animal, turning.
They froze, a spike of terror rushing through them at the sight.
A strange, tall being, clad in armor, their face was….Repulsive.
Strange, long, flat yet bumpy….And those piercing dark purple eyes that just screamed “ I am going to harm you in some incredibly slow and unpleasant way.”
The creature slowly spoke, and the figure’s fear dissipated as the familiar sound of their own language came from it’s mouth.
“ You. What do you think you’re doing? Pull down your hood.” Sasha demanded, standing tall and menacing.
The figure stood still, then slowly spoke.
” What’s it to you what I’m doing? Mind your own business.”
“ Uncover yourself.” Sasha demanded yet again, slowly drawing her sword, making it visible to the figure. The figure sighed, then chuckled.
” Trying to intimidate me, eh? I once faced off against seven Newtopian guards at once.I was the only one that came out of that battle alive.”
“ The Newtopian guards are a bunch of sniveling, weak imbeciles that flee at the slightest but of danger. They are nothing compared to us toad soldiers.” Sasha growled, pointing the sword at the figure, eyes narrowing.
The figure was once again silent for a few moments, then began chuckling.
” A TOAD soldier? Well you’re the strangest looking toad I’ve ever laid eyes on. Oh let me guess, you're here for a bounty hunt? ”
The figure finally pulled their hood down. Sasha recognized them almost immediately.
The black markings on her face, the top of her snout and her forehead a bright yellow, eyes glaring at her through a curtain of wild hair, a scar across her lip, mouth forming an amused smirk.
This was Ida Yellowback.
This was her target.
” A skinny lil thing like you, think you can take me down? I’m surprised the Toad Army was stupid enough to send a skinny little monster like you after me.” Ida spat, amused and already itching to fight. She reached behind her back, a thin, dangerously sharp dagger tucked behind her belt, ready to slice and dice this strange beast like an onion. Maybe she could sell their remains for quite a bit of money….
Sasha stood her ground, eyeing Ida’s every move. She felt trace amounts of adrenaline coursing through her...She hadn’t felt that in a while…..
Why?
Maybe it was because she was alone…..No backup, no fellow soldiers nearby to aid her…..
But she was the Mantis Slayer, she’d taken down three fully grown mantises….Without any help…..She shouldn’t be feeling at all excited or jumpy…
But then….This wasn’t a mantis….
This wasn’t some dumb animal that only knew how to kill for food and defense…
This was a fully sentient being,someone on the same intelligence level as her,a being that wouldnt just kill for survival and defense.
This being could hurt…
Could torture…
Could kill for the sake of killing….
And Sasha was facing off with her one on one,without any backup nearby in case she should find herself overpowered.
Sasha knew she was a good warrior,a fine one,Grime said so himself!!! But ….. Even so….Little seeds of doubt were sprouting in her mind,creating a kind of sickly unease inside her stomach,her heart slowly beating faster and faster as she prepared to fight.
”You're coming with me...Resist and you’ll see just what a skinny little monster like me can do to you.” Sasha growled,voice low,even and agitated.
”Oh please,I don’t think those twiggy ass little arms can do much,even with your little sword to help you out.” Ida hissed, chuckling menacingly.
With that, Ida rushed forward,wielding her dagger. Sasha braced herself, but as Ida got within an inch of her, she suddenly jumped up, high up in the air for a few moments before coming down, both feet kicking Sasha hard on the top of her head, the human falling to the ground with a loud grunt of pain.
Ida stood in front of her,smirking as Sasha glared up at her.
”I’m gonna hang and gut you like a cricket,and when I’m done with you I’ll sell your meat and see if you sell for much….” Ida growled, walking towards Sasha, her smirk growing as she anticipated ending the skinny little bastard’s life.
That’s when Sasha felt it.
The feeling she hadn’t had since she’d made her first kill.
The rush of rage, of adrenaline, of excitement…
Of pure desire to tear flesh and smell blood and feel power.
She bolted up, standing tall, eyes glowing a bright, vivid violet as she whipped her sword in front of her.
”YOU DARE SHOW SUCH INSOLENCE AND DISRESPECT TO A TOAD WARRIOR!! You may be worth more alive, but I’ll make you wish you were dead once I’m through with you….” Sasha threatened, her voice loud and clear and full of fiery rage.
Ida laughed. ”A fiery one aren’t you? I’ll soon fix that..”
She lunged at Sasha, Sasha quickly blocking her dagger with her own blade, forcefully pushing her back then swung at her again, Ida jumping back,t hen jumping up again, high up in the air.
Sasha was prepared this time,holding her blade so Ida’s feet collided with the side of the blade instead of her head, the frog jumping off of it and going high up again, flipping herself over so that she fell face first, holding the dagger in front of her.
Sasha quickly lunged out of the way, swinging her sword as she lunged, the blade coming into contact with Ida’s wrist.
Ida yowled in pain, then grabbed the blade, flipping over the sword and kicking Sasha in the stomach. Sasha lunged back,swinging her sword, Ida letting go, then lunging at her again, Sasha blocking the dagger with her blade, one hand on the grip as she reached up and punched Ida in the eye with as much strength as she could muster.
Ida growled and fell back, holding her eye, then lunging at Sasha again, dagger aimed high to stab her in the eye, Sasha blocking her once again with her sword, her free hand grabbing Ida by the wrist and pulling her to the side swiftly swinging her sword towards Ida’s side, the tip of the blade going right through cloth and flesh as it penetrated the frog’s side.
Ida opened her mouth to scream, but Sasha let go of Ida’s wrist and rammed her fist down her throat, choking the frog before any screams could emit from her throat and alert anyone nearby.
Ida dropped her dagger in surprise, Sasha kicking it away from her as she rammed her arm further down Ida’s throat, hearing choking noises coming from her mouth. She slid her sword deeper into Ida’s side, feeling her ribs scrape the blade, then stopped, remembering that the bounty reward was higher if she was brought back alive.
” Alright, listen, you filthy maggot….You filthy, worthless, brainless, disgusting little bastard...Your life has no meaning, except to earn me a good amount of money when I turn your ass in to Governor Greenback.The only thing stopping me from killing you here and now is that money. So here’s what you are going to do….Once I remove my hand from your throat, you’re going to shut your mouth, then you’re going to come with me, and we’re going to go to Toad Tower, then your ass is heading to Governor Greenback. If you try and do anything to try and escape or cause me trouble, I’ll see to it that you never walk again. Do I make myself clear….?”
Ida made a few more choked, pathetic sounds,then nodded slowly.
Sasha slowly removed her hand from Ida’s throat, Ida retching and coughing, then vomiting, gasping for air as Sasha threw her to the ground, letting the frog get covered in dust and her own vomit.
Sasha glared down at her, then looked over at the snail Ida had been attempting to steal. The creature looked at her, cautious, Sasha putting a hand out to show the snail she meant it no harm...Yet.
She walked over to the creature, grabbing it’s thin leather reins. She raised her sword, cutting the reins..She could use the leather cord to tie Ida’s hands together and prevent her from attempting to fight back and escape.
Ida stared at Sasha as she laid on the ground, her side bleeding profusely, her throat burning like the fires of hell.
She felt terror….
Pain….
Rage….
There was no way in hell she was going back to prison….
No way in hell….
She looked around for her dagger, spotting the silver object a few inches away from her.
She glanced at Sasha, then began slowly dragging herself to the dagger, wondering if she could manage to stand and fight back, even with the pain….
She was slowly getting closer, the dagger getting within her reach.
She reached out, fingertips grazing the handle of the dagger.
Just one more scoot forward…
Thats when Sasha’s foot suddenly come down on her hand, exerting enough force and pressure that she felt the skinny bones within her hand crack and splinter within the confines of the flesh surrounding them.
Her mouth opened, then was forcefully slammed shut as the human’s other food slammed down on top of her skull.
Her jaw was crunched up into the roof of her mouth, and Ida felt some her teeth come loose or dig into the wrinkled flesh of her hard palate.
Ida looked up, struggling to breathe through the immense pain that wracked her entire body, Sasha’s eyes glowing a bright, hot purple as they glared down at her.
” You won't be needing that.” Sasha hissed coldly, picking the dagger up and examining it. Not bad looking. She could use it.
She tucked the dagger blade - down into her belt, the weapon now nestled next to her sword, which had been put back into its scabbard.
She then held up the leather reins, pulling them taught, then removed her foot from Ida’s now crushed, irreparably broken hand, forcing her arm behind her back, then quickly grabbed her other arm, forcing it behind her back and then grabbing both Ida’s wrists in one slim yet strong hand. She swiftly tied her wrists together tightly with the leather cord, tying a damn near untieable knot with the ends of the cord to ensure the frog didn’t escape her bonds.She then removed her Ida’s head.
” Scream and I cut your tongue out and feed it to the herons.” She warned.
Ida heeded her warning fearfully, her mouth remaining shut, blood seeping out and leaving dribbles of red across her chin.
Sasha looked down, noticing the rather large pool of blood at Ida’s side, remembering that she’d wounded her. She walked over to her backpack, eyes staying on Ida as she went over to it, grabbing her leggings and the roll of bandages out of it. She strode back to Ida, sitting her up, then tying the bandages as tightly as she could around her upper stomach, then tying the leggings tightly around her heavily bandaged side, hoping the combined pressure of the bandages and fabric would stop or at least hinder the blood flow. She then looked back at the snail, which had settled and was now grazing on some grass nearby.
It wasn’t likely that Ida would be able to walk, plus Sasha couldn’t risk her injury getting worse and killing her….
That’d mean only 100 coppers as opposed to 1000…..
She’d cut the snail’s reins, so she wouldn’t be able to steer it well, although she’d never steered or rode a snail before…..
She looked down, a few spare bandages lying on the ground.
They were long enough….She could use them to make makeshift reins...And she’d seen people riding snails before, she could try.
She grabbed the bandages, then walked to the snail, looping the bandages loosely around the snail to form makeshift reins. She then went to Ida, picking her up and dragging her surprisingly rather heavy body to the snail, pulling her up onto the rider’s seat upon the snail’s saddled shell and sitting her down. She hopped down again, grabbing her backpack and putting it back on her back before going over and hopping back into the rider’s seat.
She wouldn’t return the snail...The beast would make a good steed for the toad army alongside the tarantulas. Perhaps Grime would deem the snail a fine steed for himself.
She made sure everything was in check, making sure that Ida was still breathing and that the blood wasn’t seeping through the bandages and tourniquet, then snapped the reins, the snail becoming alert.
Sasha tugged the reins to the left, the snail moving to the left, then Sasha tugged the reins till they faced away from the post area.
There, easy enough, she could steer the beast.
She snapped the reins again, the snail following the path out in front of it.
As the beast slithered on, Ida breathing raggedly and trying to keep her life force from completely leaving her, Sasha suddenly realized something.
She felt…
Different.
Very different.
She felt….
For the first time in months…
She felt…
Alive.
The thrill of the one-on-one battle, without backup or help, the uncertainty of it all and the rush of victory when she took down her opponent….
Knowing that she had proven herself to be the stronger...The SUPERIOR creature of the two….I
t was exhilarating…
It made her remember just how much excitement battle had once given her.
She felt foolish now...She couldn’t believe she’d deprived herself of the great joy of battle all over a kill, her first kill too, the most important kill of her life! It wasn’t even like that axolotl’s life was worth anything!! Compared to her, he might as well have been nothing but a pile of walking dirt.
She felt amazing….
She loved battle again…
She WANTED to battle again!
She wanted to be powerful again…..
With a wild smile spread across her face, eyes glowing like lanterns lit with violet fires, she snapped the snail’s reins, urging the best to speed onward, wanting to get back to Toad Tower and deliver Ida to Grime so that they could get their reward.
She wanted to ask if they’d received any more wanted posters, if any more targets were around and if she could be the one to take them on.
If there were anymore duels to be had, more anymore blood to spill to soothe her burning bloodlust.
She couldn’t wait for her next solo mission.
She couldn’t wait to feel powerful again.