Another Friend in Amphibia

Chapter 71: The Triumvirate

Drake held onto Nyx for dear life as she swam to the surface of the ocean. Despite having a magical bubble of air around his head and Nyx swimming for him, he could never get used to being underwater. Then he felt the wind as they emerged from the water. Nyx swam towards the nearby beach, carrying Drake the whole way. Drake finally let go once he was certain he was back on dry land. His heart was still racing. He needed a moment to calm himself down.

"Thank you, Nyx," Drake panted as he laid facing upward.

Torches can be seen in the distance, illuminating the toad siege camp. At Newtopia, more fires were visible. Aside from those fires, the area was so dark, Drake couldn't see what was right in front of him. Clouds covered the entire night sky, hiding both the moon and stars.

"Nyx, you still there?" Drake reached his hand out, trying to find Nyx.

Nyx pressed her head against his hand and hissed, indicating her presence.

"It's too dark and the toads don't know me. We need to remain unseen until we find Sasha. I can't see though, and I can't risk starting a fire. I'll need you to be my eyes," Drake explained.

Nyx hissed and got underneath him, so he was riding her like a horse. Then she got lower and stalked towards the toad siege camp, being careful not to make a sound. Luckily Drake's outfit blended with the night sky, making it perfect for this kind of situation.

The two moved through the camp, avoiding campfires and listening to tents to try and find Sasha. The camp was a pretty big place and it stretched all along the ridge that separated Newtopia from the mainland.

It took a while before Drake finally found the tent he was looking for. It was a bright pink tent decorated with flowers. This made it stand out compared to the plain looking tents dotted around the camp. Sasha really did like girly decorations.

Inside the tent, Sasha was sitting at a round table with the other leaders Grime, Captain Bufo and Captain Beatrix.

"I need the siege equipment ready as soon as possible. Drake is all alone in the capital, he may not hold out for much longer," Sasha said.

"Our engineers still haven't finished our trebuchet. We're in no position to attack the walls," Captain Bufo objected.

"Things like this can't be rushed. If we fail in our attack, we may have to abandon the siege," Captain Beatrix explained.

"Your friend is a lot tougher than you think Sasha. He'll be fine for now," Grime reassured her.

The tent flaps suddenly opened and a head poked in. "Hello? Sasha? Are you in here? Oh..."

The four military leaders looked at the newcomer. They were a little surprised someone was interrupting their conversation. Even more so, this stranger managed to slip past the guards.

"Drake! You made it!" Sasha called out.

Drake felt his arm get grabbed as Sasha pulled him into the tent. "It's nice to see you made it out of Newtopia," he smiled.

Sasha noticed the vines on Drake's shoulder. There was some blood on it but it seemed like a large bandage. "Dude, what happened?"

"Oh this?" Drake moved his shoulder, causing some pain. "I got into a fight in Newtopia, and barely survived. But hey, I made it out alive. So I would call that a win."

"How did you even get out of the city anyway?" Sasha asked.

"I actually had some help from a friend. Hey, Nyx! Come on in!" Drake called out.

A large lizard stepped into the tent. Sasha, Grime, Captain Bufo and Captain Beatrix all reflexively took a step back.

"This is Nyx, she has her own army and has agreed to help us in the siege," Drake introduced the snapdragon.