Drifting in Dreamland With You

There Will Come a Soldier...

Barrel was a farmer toad, way before the rumors about toads being violent started. He was raised on his family farm, which was passed down from generation to generation, being passed down to him when his father took his final breath.

So how did he become the one to bear the gift of strength? Afterall, the violent toad accusations started with him becoming a general…

"Barrel the Brave, step up to the throne." The King's voice echoed throughout the throne room. The crowd split for the toad to walk through.

Barrel slowly marched up to the King, bowing for the large salamander.

"Barrel the Brave, I have watched you progress through your destined trials, ruthlessly slaying the beast that stood in your way. The strategic movements you've displayed shows me how worthy you are to carry the gift you do." The King announced.

Barrel looked up, confused. "What gift…?" He asked, scratching his chin.

The King chuckled. "Why, my dear toad, you carry the gift of strength…! Our lord has chosen you well, Barrel the Brave." He exclaimed.

Cheers rang out, newts, toads, and frogs alike. The unity was strong as always.

Barrel sighed, watching his memories get projected in front of him.

The history was written wrong, the three factions fell apart after his time, he observed. Andrias spewed lies the moment he and Rosetta were out of the picture...

Andrias never changed. That leviathan was still blinded by his lord's false prophecy.

Barrel grumbled under his breath. He sparked so much in his limited time, but he couldn't do enough. His own faction suffered day in and day out because they felt like they had to upkeep his image, even though he was never the violent type.

Rosetta sat down next to the toad. "Still pondering over your life…?" She asked.

Barrel huffed, looking over at the pink frog. "I need to do something, dude. He's gotten so far into his plan. My successor is struggling with her mental health, and I'm expected to just sit back and watch. That's crazy talk, bro!" He rambled out. He coughed violently, then grumbled. "Of course the afterlife doesn't heal your condition…" He muttered sarcastically under his breath.

Rosetta patted the toad's shoulder. "We can try to contact them. My successor is on Earth, I can finally reach her now that she's home and connected to the stone." She offered. "There wouldn't even be a successor if the Calamity Box was never found though…" She then hissed out in distaste.

Barrel sighed, rubbing his chest, deep scarring formed there years ago from Andrias' killing blow. "I don't think she wants to hear random voices in her head… She just spent a lot of her energy expelling his lord from her mind…" He muttered.

Rosetta froze. "They have a connection…? Oh no… Oh no that's not good… That's not good at all." Blue energy wrapped itself around the pink frog. "You have to do something. I will talk to Boonchuy, at least she's understanding and can tell a kind presence from evil."

Barrel grabbed Rosetta's wrist. "It's not worth it to try and step in. Littlepot has us locked here. Our powers won't work." He said.

The blue fog dissipated, and Rosetta sighed. "I want to help them… Andrias is cruel, manipulating children for the prophecy…"

Barrel nudged Rosetta lightly. "False prophecy…" He murmured. "You don't believe that all still, do you?" He asked.

Rosetta's brows furrowed. "There's a prophecy there, he just… He never told us the real one." She said, looking away from the toad.

Doubt seeped off the frog. "Perhaps, but we can never be sure now, can we…?" Barrel murmured in response.

"We're stuck just watching to find out…" Rosetta sighed. "When Andrias dies, I will kill him again. He doesn't deserve this afterlife with us." She growled out the promise.

"Sorry to break your little moment, but Littlepot requests your presence." A hooded figure cut in. They looked over at the projector Barrel was using. "I don't think you're permitted to have that." They then said.

Barrel stood up, towering over the hooded figure. Maybe that's why he's seen as intimidating… He's quite large for a toad. "I don't care if I'm permitted or not, dude. I have a right to look back on my own life to try and figure out something."

The hooded figure yelped and dipped their head. "Yes sir…!" They scrambled to say.

Barrel snorted. "No formalities, bro. I'm not the general Andrias painted me out to be." He reassured. He patted the cloaked figure's back, making them stumble at the sudden force.

"Y-Yes, of course." They replied. "Shall I escort you to Littlepot then…?"

Barrel shrugged. "You can tag along, but I've been here for thousands of years, I know my way around by now."

Rosetta finally got up, walking over to the large horned toad. "To Littlepot, you big lug." She said, grinning at Barrel.

Barrel's face heated up in embarrassment. "Your name calling is known in my own faction now… Are you proud of yourself, dude?" He grumbled.

Rosetta's grin widened. "Yup…! And I won't let you live it down…!" She exclaimed.

Barrel shrugged. "Fine, fine. To Littlepot, you bumpkin." He shot back.

Rosetta giggled. "Yessir." She jokingly saluted, then pulled Barrel along.