Amphibia: The Forgotten Stone

Chapter 10: West Tower

Nowhere: Hello, little one.

Mark saw the giant eye within his own hatred.

Mark: Thank God for you. Look, I need you to help me. Give me some power to stop the thing from the box.

Nowhere: I could. But you are not yet ready. I am not the one to help you right now.

Mark got angrier and the darkness surrounding the two of them was becoming vicious. Looking like it was going to jump out.

Mark: Then who?!

???: I believe that's me.

Mark turned around to see someone who looked like him but was as pale as possible and had white hair.

Mark: Who are you?

???: That's a secret. You can call me...

The doppelgänger stood there thinking until he snapped his fingers.

???: Luos. Call me Luos.

Mark: Ok, "Luos", What can you do?

Luos: Trust me when I say I can help and you'll see.

Luos held his hand out.

Luos: Shake it and the deal is set. You want power? Shake my hand.

Mark hesitated but grabbed his hand. As soon as he did, black veins sprouted all over his body and surged energy through him. Causing immense pain. He dropped on the ground from it.

Mark: AHHHH!!!

Luos: I'm giving you a third of all this. Be grateful

After 10 minutes of consecutive screaming, strands of his hair turned white, his skin turned slightly pale, and his horns grew a small bit longer. The whole time, he felt screams fill his head. Screams that weren't even his. Screams that were pleading for life. The hatred inside him grew even darker than before somehow.

Mark: HELP ME!!!

Suddenly, The pain ended and he was laying down in a mattress. He escaped the dream. He tapped all over his body until he felt his horns grew slightly.

Mark: What?

He pulled out his phone and checked the camera. Some of his hair was white and his skin was lighter.

Mark: Fuck Me...

He got up and felt lighter. Way lighter. Walked immediately made him trip. As if he was in a new body.

Mark: Ow!

He got back up and walked around to get used to the lightness. He Tripped many times but got used to it eventually. He pulled out the compass and decided to head to his destination. If not, he'd meet failure. The gate had come and mark stepped through. In front of him after going through was the western toad tower. He walked to the front gate to see a single guard

Guard: Stop, Creature!

Mark: I'm here to see your captain. Captain Beatrix.

The Guard was surprised at mark speaking but retained composure.

Guard: You may enter. But I will follow.

The guard opened the front gate to the tower and they both went inside. Mark got looks but he didn't care too much. They walked all the way to the top of the tower leading to a single room.

Guard: She's waiting.

The guard left back to his post. Mark opened the door and found a toad at a desk with a scar on her left eye.

Mark: Ehem, Captain Beatrix, I am but a human traveler looking to train to learn all fighting styles.

Beatrix pulled one of the axes on her back out and slammed it onto the floor.

Beatrix: Spare me the extra details. I'll take you in. If you join our army.

Mark gulped. He couldn't join their army. He was affiliated with a entirely different group. He'd be a traitor to both sides and be hunted for his head.

Mark: I'm afraid I can't do that. Is there anything else I can do?

Beatrix grew a sour face.

Beatrix: Bring me the tooth of a heron if you are so intimate for this

Mark looked in his pocket and pulled out the bird tooth he got from the heron he hit. Beatrix's eyes widely.

Beatrix: Alright "human". Maybe you're worth training.

Mark listened and followed Beatrix to the courtyard outside the tower.

Beatrix: This is to determine where your at now.

Mark: All right.

There was a pause for multiple seconds as mark readied himself.

Beatrix: Begin!

Mark dashed forward and thrusted his blade into Beatrix's armor. This did not pierce it but was close to doing so. Beatrix grabbed Mark and almost squeezed the air out of him. But he broke out and kicked her knee. Making the captain drop. Before she could get up, Mark had his blade in front of her face.

Mark: I win.

Beatrix growled and got up.

Beatrix: Alright human, you're worth teaching.

Mark smiled.

Mark: I hoped you'd see it my way.

They fought for hours on end and mark could see the difference in toad and salamander fighting. Toads had brute strength while salamanders were evasive and perceptive. With mark's newfound power, He was stronger than he could have ever expected. He learned much throughout training. The hours evolved into days, days into weeks until he had learned everything he needed. At this point, he could defeat any toad in the tower. As the time of his training finally passed, he could rest inside the plantar residence. He was in the basement, thinking on what to do.

Mark: I need a frog teacher. But on the map, all it had was Beatrix and Yunan. What do I do?

Mark dropped the map and looked at it. He sighed at the sight. Anne came inside a basement.

Anne: Hey dude- Woah. What happened to you?

Anne looks at all of Marks new features.

Mark: I guess you didn't see me for a bit. Heh.

Mark thought and spoke again.

Mark: The perks of being cursed I guess. What of you? Where'd you get a suit?

Anne was indeed wearing a suit.

Anne: Oh, I was elected frog of the year!