Another Friend in Amphibia

Chapter 42: The Amphibian Army

Drake didn't think he would be back at school while in Amphibia yet here he was. Sitting at a desk as Marcy explained the various ingredients and how they worked together to create a spell. He found it strange that they would refer to their various mixtures as spells. He suspected magic existed in Amphibia, but he didn't think it would take this form. Their form of magic seemed to be based on various ingredients and rituals rather than innate abilities.

"Then you can throw it into the ground to create a concealing fog." Marcy finished. "No doubt it would be helpful for a rogue like you."

Marcy was quite the tutor. Chemistry wasn't Drake's strong suit, yet he was able to learn a lot in one session. He looked down at his notes. The spells Marcy had taught him seemed very ninja like in their effects. Spells such as temporary invisibility potions, blinding powder and fog all followed a theme of trickery.

A guard entered the makeshift classroom. "Master Marcy. I have news for you. Colonel Kerry has returned to Newtopia. He is requesting permission to march his army through the gates. He asked for you specifically."

Marcy clapped her hands in excitement. "Ooh! I was wondering when he'd come back. Come on Drake. I think you'll love this."

Marcy ran out the door with Drake following behind. "So who is Colonel Kerry?" Drake asked.

"He's a soldier I met when I first warped in here. A few days before you and Anne got here, Kerry left to recruit an army." Marcy explained.

The two teens climbed on top of the great walls of Newtopia and peered down. They were met with a massive crowd of people. They were split into four groups determined by whether they were frogs, newts, toads or axolotls. Among those four groups, they were further divided into massive square formations. Each group stood behind another one, forming a long train that stretched beyond the horizon.

A green newt riding a giant sparrow flew up to the teens. The sparrow stopped just short of the walls. No doubt he was the commander of this army. "Greetings Master Marcy."

"It's good to see you again Kerry!" Marcy waved at him.

Kerry looked over at Drake and was surprised to see another human. "Hello there, who might you be?"

"This is Drake, one of my friends I told you about." Marcy eagerly introduced him.

Drake waved his hand. "Hello, hey..."

"A pleasure to meet you." Kerry waved back. "We'll have time for a proper introduction later, right now my troops are tired after a long day of marching. They are eager to get inside."

Marcy spoke as if she was following some kind of protocol. "I hereby grant you and your army permission to enter Newtopia." she declared.

Two scrawny newts started pushing on some kind of control mechanism. Below them, the great gates started to open. "Don't get paid enough for this." one of them quietly complained.

"You seem to have quite a lot of influence in Newtopia." Drake commented.

"Oh yeah, I'm actually an advisor for King Andrias. I did a lot while I was here." Marcy bragged.

Drake looked towards a bridge where a golden statue of Marcy stood. "Clearly..."

The army of raw recruits marched inside the city. Kerry flew down, dismounted and joined his troops, leading them towards another part of the city. As the first group marched inside, the rest of the army started moving as well. The train continued for a few minutes with the tail end still not visible over the horizon.

"This will probably take a while. Do you know where they're going?" Drake asked.

"They're probably heading to the military district. Let's go meet them there." Marcy said.