Chapter Text
Andrias rubbed his tender jaw, and reconsidered the situation. He stifled a groan as the aching in his shield arm swelled, prickling with pain after the human girl had shattered it. He’d very much like to repay her for that, if given half the chance. And half a chance he might have, as Anne was down for the count, not yet having control over the power the music box had granted her. She barely had the strength to stand on her own, and would be easy prey.
On the other hand though, Sasha was still on her feet, a sword in either hand, and who knew if she could also access the box's power? Not to mention her toad companion, Grime, who looked eager to go another round with his blasted hammer.
Yunan was a wild card, she hadn’t made a move against him, but only time would tell if she sided with his plans of conquest or not. He could take her either way, but she would be one of the more challenging opponents if it came to blows. Even Marcy was back, sailing through the window and bringing that annoying frog child, Sprig, with her, having saved him from what should have been a plummet to his death. They couldn’t put up much more of a fight than Anne could right now. What could a little frog with a slingshot hope to do against an armored opponent?
Though once more, he had to consider that Marcy too may be able to tap into that power, same as Anne, if all it took was some kind of trigger to do so. Was it Anger? Grief, perhaps, over the perceived loss of her friend? Would Marcy’s own anger and grief be a catalyst for her own transformation? If Anger alone was enough, he could be in very deep trouble, as the Waybright girl looked seriously close to popping a vein with fury.
Perhaps he made a mistake, revealing Marcy’s secrets. He should have just blindsided them with the box and been done with it, instead of giving in to the temptation to monologue. As it was, he stood a good chance at losing today, and if he did the last few centuries were all for nothing.
As much as it would be a blow to his pride, Andias knew he’d have to make a retreat. But not without his music box that he had waited for so long!
Raising his sword arm, the king took to action, dashing with speed that seemed unnatural for someone his size, and with sweeping blows he managed to drive off his enemies long enough to scoop the music box from it’s pedestal, the magic that flowed through it and into his castle ceasing. With a mighty leap backwards, he put distance between himself and his opposition.
“You may have won this battle, but you haven’t won the war. I may need this castle to link up to the outside systems to create my army, but you can’t guard it forever. I am a very old, and very patient Salamander, and I can wait until your guard is down, or your bodies are old and frail, or until you’re nothing but dust in the ground. Time is a luxury you just don’t have.” He was long lived, and his master was eternal, they could wait it out a little longer if it meant getting rid of their only opposition. He opened the music box, summoning a portal behind them that he slowly began to backpedal into, not giving his enemies the chance to strike his unguarded back.
“Until then, Humans, Toad, Plantars, I’ll wait you out where you can never reach, and none of you will ever be able to go home again.” He chuckled to himself as Anne gasped, and made to try and stop him, only to be held back by her frog family. Sasha readied to charge, but would never make it in time, and Marcy…
“Do you really think that little crossbow will change anything, Marcy?” He stopped his retreat, close enough to the portal that his tail dangled through, to ask the approaching human. Marcy’s arm was outstretched, miniature crossbow armed and aimed in his direction, face twisted between anger and despair to learn of his betrayal.
He scoffed, feeling almost insulted by the unspoken threat. “Those tiny arrows couldn’t even pierce my hide, much less my armor. Sorry, my dear, but for once it doesn’t seem you thought this one through.”
“I’ve thought it through enough.” Marcy snapped back, having locked on to her target, and with practiced aim, fired.
Andrias watched, smirk on his face as the small arrow, no larger than a pencil sailed towards him. He made no effort to dodge, for there wasn’t a point. Then the arrow made impact, and his world was filled with pain.
He howled and collapsed to his knees, the music box he had cradled in his arm and against his chest clattering to the floor, a solitary arrow pierced through its front. The portal, now gone, vanished, and had taken a majority of the King’s tail along with it. The smell of seared flesh filled his nostrils, and he knew the wound had been cauterized, burned by the magic in it’s last moments. He’d never grow it back.
As soon as he was down, Grime and Sasha were on him with two blades at his throat and a hammer poised to strike his head should he move even an inch. In a mere moment, his assured victory had been lost.
Anne could only stand, mouth agape as she watched Marcy pick up the music box, tearing the arrow from where it had gone through and letting it clatter to the floor. After a brief inspection, an experimental open and closing of the lid, she held it tightly against her chest.
“I broke it.” Marcy croaked. “I broke the music box…”
She turned to Anne, who could only stare in a mixture of heartbreak and disbelief. Marcy’s eyes filled with tears as she realized the consequences of what she had done, and what that meant for her friends. “I-I’m sorry, it was the only way to stop him! I’m Sorry!”