Amphibia: Embrace The Fall

The Hive Mind

Darcy looked out the castle window as their hold over Amphibia wavered. Three months ago, Strength drove them out of Frog Valley. Then, a few weeks later, Heart returned from Earth and defeated their army in the Arctic.

But there was something different about them.

Strength had managed to take control over the valley as the mountains surrounding the region protected it from the castle's laser cannon. However, once Strength tried to push beyond the mountain pass, a few warning shots stopped her advance. According to Darcy's frobot scouts, frogs were being expelled from their homes by the Toad Army. Some fled, while others were executed. From Wit's memories, Darcy knew that Strength could be controlling at times, but she wasn't this ruthless.

And then there was Heart. Seemingly out of nowhere, a massive energy surge was recorded with multiple sightings of the blue gem holder being reported by frobots across Amphibia. As soon as they heard, Darcy ordered Andrias to ready the army for an attack on the castle, but it never came. Instead, Heart went to the Arctic, destroying every frobot in her path. Andrias had ordered the frobots in the region to attack under the assumption that Heart's powers couldn't last forever, yet much to Darcy's annoyance, she never powered down, quickly taking control over the Arctic. However, for some unknown reason, once she had control over the region, she didn't advance any farther. The frogs living there reportedly started worshiping her as a god. According to Wit, Heart was kind and could be selfish at times, but never to this extent. Something had changed in them.

The minds of the Core argued over what their next move should be. Some wanted to retake these lands while others thought it would be best to ignore them and focus on preparing their forces for the invasion of Earth. One mind even suggested initiating the final gambit.

The newest mind of the Core decided to speak up. "Why do we have to fight Anne and Sasha?" Marcy asked. "Couldn't we work together instead?"

"Impossible!" Several minds yelled out. "Strength and Heart are stars of the prophecy!"

"But you're already working with me and I'm a part of the prophecy!" Marcy countered. "Even if I didn't consent to joining you guys initially."

The rest of the Core thought about the proposal. Strength and Heart did seem different. Maybe different enough that they would even help them conquer the multiverse.

Aldrich spoke first. "Alright Wit, we'll entertain the idea and offer them a deal."

~~~

Darcy walked from their place at the window, down the hall and to the throne room. When they opened the door, they did not like what they saw.

Andrias was kneeling on the ground, a red piece of paper in his hand and tears in his eyes. "After all these years...after all the things I've done...all the pain I've caused..."

Next to him, a small pink frog whom Wit knew as 'Sprig' turned away from him at the sound of the door opening. "Wait...Marcy! Is that you?"

Andrias looked up. "What are you-?" Andrias looked at Darcy with unbridled fear in his eyes.

Darcy smiled menacingly back at him. "Nice job bud, looks like after a thousand years you finally made another friend." At that remark, Andrias managed to snap out of his shock and grab Sprig, running for the Music Box.

"Oh no you don't," Darcy yelled as they flung a flaming dagger at Andrias. The King of Amphibia just barely stumbled out of the way, his crown falling off his head in the process.

"Andrias, what do you think you're doing!?" Darcy spat. 

The newt looked back at Darcy, now with a look of determination. "Something I should have done a long time ago, standing up to you!" He quickly grabbed the Music Box off its pedestal and jumped out a window with Sprig in his other hand.

~~~

To put it mildly, Darcy was angry. Never in a million years did they think that Andrias had the metaphorical guts to betray them. "We had him under our thumb for centuries and all it took was a simple letter from an old friend to turn him against us?!"

Darcy had sent a group of frobots to take Andrias out, but they had a feeling that it would do little to stop him. Thankfully, the castle had stored enough of the box's energy to keep itself in the air and power the frobot factories, but Darcy knew this power wouldn't last forever. It was time to call them in. Darcy pushed a button and two newts with bright purple eyes entered the throne room shortly afterward.

"You both have one objective: return the Music Box to us. We don't care if you have to kill Andrias or anyone else, just get it done." Darcy commanded as they stared at Olivia and Yunan.

"Understood." They both said in unison, immediately hopping on two mind-controlled sparrows and flying in the direction that Andrias had last been seen.

"That pathetic excuse for a king is going to wish that he'd never been born." The Hive Mind said as their strongest soldiers flew away.