Calamitous Intervention

Alive But Barely Kicking

This chapter contains elements such as blood, death, corpses, resurrection, intense violence, and implied amputation. It might be scary for sensitive readers.

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Alive But Barely Kicking

SEASON ONE FINALE PT. 1/2

The day after the attack on Wartwood, the town had been rather quiet as they mourned the dead frogs that Luz couldn't bring back. She had been beating herself up about it ever since, wishing she didn't have to make such an impossible decision to bring back only five of them. If only she weren't so—...

"Luz?" A familiar voice snapped the human out of her trance, and she glanced over to see Maddie staring at her with worry written all over her face. Well, if anything, Luz was at least able to cure her friends, and they were starting to readjust to their lives, as shaken up as they were. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... fine," Luz lied, wiping her eyes as she managed a fake smile. "I've just been thinking, you know? About... everything. It's just... hard to make these decisions when so much is at stake."

Maddie listened to her words intently. She was about to start brewing a new spell she had been developing, but the last sentence gave her pause. With narrowed eyes, she faced Luz fully. "And what would happen if something had happened to Sprig or me? Would you choose to save us over a random frog?"

Luz flinched at what she implied, not expecting the young sorceress to ask something like that. "U-Um, Maddie, I can't just—"

"Why not?" Maddie cut her off with a glare, taking a step toward the human. "Choosing who to resurrect from the attack didn't seem like a problem for you."

Luz sucked in a breath, feeling her already fractured heart starting to break. "Maddie, y-you know I had to do something. Even if it was a couple of people, I—"

"So you're saying that you have the right to decide who lives and who dies?" Maddie snapped. Luz felt small and hopeless at her condescending look. "Why, Luz? I thought you were better than that. We risked our lives for you! Those innocent frogs died because you provoked the toads. If Hopediah hadn't become mayor, this never would've happened. I would've never lost Sprig."

The human collapsed to her knees at the sight, feeling broken, and tears leaked from her eyes. "M-Maddie, I never meant for this to happen. I did everything I could!"

A heavy silence followed those words, with Maddie staring down at her coldly. However, before the frog could open her mouth once more, a large, calloused hand reached out of nowhere and yanked her back, making her scream.

"MADDIE!" Luz cried out, her head snapping up in alarm. She blinked, and Maddie had changed completely, resembling her small voodoo doll form once more. Her heart sank as the familiar red hand gripped the small, unmoving forms of Maddie and Sprig, and she locked eyes with none other than Bog, who sneered at her.

"Wh-what?! How are you here?!" Luz exclaimed in alarm and reached down toward her spell bag, only to find that it was mysteriously gone. "But we beat you! How are they..."

Another blink later, she found herself in the middle of Wartwood, with unconscious bodies strewn about and flaming buildings all around her. No... she thought. This already happened! Why can't I move?!

"Stop!" Luz pleaded, trying to force her muscles to move, but she was absolutely paralyzed. "No! Not again!"

"Maybe I would've considered it had you not brought the entire town to rebel against us," Bog growled. "It's time to show you what this world is truly like, kiddo." And with that, he shoved the dagger towards Maddie.