The Toad King

Chapter one:

Once, long ago, deep within a richly green forest, there lived a toad king. A very happy and boisterous king who reigned over his beautiful kingdom with great joy. And the denizens of the kingdom lived in complete happiness.

The squirrels, the beavers, the lizards, an assortment of birds, and even some select insects, carried on together in a peaceful life of polyphony. The king, seated upon his throne, looked upon the inhabitants of his empire with a warm smile of contentment. He looked on as every creature fulfilled the tasks and duties which had been bestowed upon them.

The birds worked in simultaneous rhythm with the beavers to provide various Structures and housing within the province, while the squirrels worked in unison with the lizards to retrieve varying nourishment for everyone.

Squirrels procured an array of nuts and berries, as the lizards provided, and vegetation. The feasts were a flavorsome sight to behold!

Every day was an enchanting paradise within the Toad’s Kingdom. As harmony persisted throughout the beauty of the forest, The days were just as glorious and mellifluous as the day prior, and the day prior to that, and so on. Every day began with the same bright sunrise and low, flowing mists which wisped through grass and over the surface of the ponds.

However, one day, a darkened cloud of dread visited the King. He felt an unexplainable feeling of vexation. But he didn’t allow his

feeling of worry to be witnessed by his kingdom. He went on as jovially

as he’d always been, but his dreams were very disquieting.

One day, Mortimer, the king’s most trusted page mouse was taking a walk through the fields on the outer edge of the kingdom when he witnessed a very troubling sight. Afraid to venture closer to get a

better look, he stood firm where he was and observed what looked to

be giant beings with yellow helmets. These beings were accompanied by large, threatening looking metallic beasts with protruding jaws and serrated teeth. They had eyes that shone as bright as the noonday sun. The beings were marking various trees with brightly colored paint.

They were also shouting to each other. Mortimer was completely

horrified. Who were these entities, and what were they doing? He unfroze from his terror and turned to sprint back to the kingdom to tell the king of what he’d seen.

The mouse rushed into the king’s court and was out of breath as he approached the throne. With a panicked tongue, he relayed what he’d witnessed while he’d been walking through the field, and his eyes were wide as he spoke.

Moments later, when he’d finished his story, the king sat with a

fixed gaze.

“Are you sure of what you saw, Mortimer?” he asked.

“Oh yes, sire! I-I am sure!" Mortimer replied.

He continued to breathe laboriously, and a hush fell upon the masses of the court. All the animals looked at each other with looks of wonderment and worry.

The king slowly turned his head and looked at Eseptis the Lizard.

“Eseptis, you are to go and seek out The Oracle, the wise one of the forests.”

He spoke. “He will have the knowledge of what is happening. But you will not go alone.” He then looked at Emily, a squirrel with great running and climbing prowess.

“You will accompany Eseptis, the two of you should make haste and together you should be able to withstand the perils of the wilderness.”

“Yes, your grace.” Emily said.

The king said, “Once you have learned what the Oracle tells you, you will return hurriedly with news. You will have to pay him.” He looked to Mortimer the Mouse.

“Get the remittance for the Oracle. Six peanuts and an egg.”

“Yes, your majesty.” The nervous mouse said and hurried along to retrieve the items. Once they were loaded into a weathered saddlebag which draped across Emily’s back, Eseptis climbed upon her back like the rider of a stallion. Then they set off the find the Oracle.

Chapter Two:

The Oracle

For two days, they endured pelting rains, avoided the dangers of the Black Wolves, Shire Hawks, and Timber Vipers, as well as all other threats within the woods. The journey was perilous, but soon, they had unmistakably located the lair of the Oracle. It was the hulk of a twisted, giant Oak Tree, hollowed out into a cavernous creation. The area was dark and wet.

As they approached the opening of the cave, they were both startled as a gargantuan Funnel Weaver Spider slowly and indolently crawled down the side of the tree.

“Why are you here?” the spider slowly hissed.

“Please forgive our intrusion.” The frightened lizard said.

“I am Eseptis, and this is Emily. We’ve been sent by The Toad King. We seek council with the Oracle.”

The spider quietly stared at them. It said nothing for several seconds. Then, a voice came from inside the cavernous trunk. A very old and weakened voice.

“Let them in, Norcia.” It spoke.

The spider continued to glare at the two, strings of clear saliva dripping from her needle-sharp mandibles. And then, she slowly crept backwards up the side of the tree and was then out of sight.

“Come in.” The Oracle croaked.

The two slowly treaded inside the opening of the cave tree, and once inside, they observed a slouched, hooded raccoon with black, sunken eyes. The animal sat in front of a cozy fire. The flames glistened their reflection in its eyes, and with its paw, it slowly combed it’s long, white beard.

“Hello. We are sorry to intrude.” Emily said.

“But we ha- "

“Been sent by The Toad King.” The Oracle interrupted, as he gazed deeply into the fire.

“I’ve known you were coming.” He said darkly.

“An invasion. Marauders who extinguish for profit. They come for you and your serenity. I’m sorry, but nothing will be left standing.”

The Oracle continued to stare intently into the crackling fire. He said,

“All will be lost. Tell your king that the thing in which he fears and has dreadful dreams about is soon to befall his kingdom. Such destruction, I-I cannot tell you more.” The raccoon lowered his head with an expression of dejection.

Eseptis soon had tears welling in his eyes, and his face grew panicked. “We thank you for what you have warned us of, and we have brought compensation for your wisdom.”

“Go…” The Oracle Said. “I require no payment. Go in haste and tell your king what I have spoken and may providence protect you.”

Emily and Eseptis looked bewildered and soon turned to leave. The lizard crawled upon the back of the squirrel, and the two made their way outward to return to the kingdom.

Once they’d returned, they hastily ran into the king’s Hall.

“Your Grace. We bring news from the Oracle.”

“Yes?” The Toad King replied.

With a raised scepter, he ordered all animals out so as to have words in private with the two messengers.

“What has the Oracle told you?” he asked.

“Grave news, sire. An invasion approaches. The Oracle has told us that beings are now moving into position to annihilate us. Annihilate everything.”

Emily stood looking at the ground.

For a few moments there was silence among all three. And then the king, looking sad, commanded Eseptis to call everyone back into the hall as he was going to make an announcement.

Once all the concerned creatures gathered again in the hall, the king ordered silence, and then in a melancholy tone, told everyone of the approaching danger.

“Dear ones.” He said. “We are faced with a terrible thing. One of which we have no defense against. Outsiders come to destroy the kingdom; I know not why. It has been foreseen by the Oracle. The destruction will come very soon. So, my dear creatures, you must all go now. You must flee and find shelter under the fallen barks of trees. Under lily pads, and within underground caverns. You must go now." The king demanded.

And as he did, the inhabitants of the kingdom then fled the court and obeyed his bidding.

Eseptis remained as he watched the king remain seated.

“Your majesty, why do you still sit? You must let me help you make it to safety as well.”

“Go, Eseptis… go now.” The king said quietly.

Eseptis stood firm for a moment as he observed the king who was still remaining seated on his throne. His beautifully gilded crown seemed to slouch forward slightly as he gazed upon the ground.

“My king… I- "was all the lizard managed to say.

“Go now, dear Eseptis. Go now and find a safe place.”

A lonely tear trailed down the side of the Toad King’s face and he knew that soon; nothing would ever be the same.

The lizard reluctantly turned to run into the seemingly quiet, and deserted forest.

The king sat alone.

Chapter Three:

Invasion

A short time passed and soon, the invasion came. The marauders that the Oracle had prophesied about were advancing closer. These giant beings with yellow helmets were wielding deafening tools of carnage and destruction with rotating blades. They were leveling everything in their paths. They were cutting and reducing trees to defeated hulks. The giant, metallic monsters with protruding jaws and serrated teeth were slashing canyons into the earth as they roared. Their eyes were shining brighter than the sun. The noise was clamorous, the chaos was broad and , yellow helmeted entities were riotous. Nothing was being left to stand and the forest’s ruination was nearly complete. All of the helpless creatures of the kingdom remained in their safe havens and al they could do was listen as the end of the world thundered away outside.

Everything was flattened, with the exception of several trunks of trees which had been mutilated and lacerated. After several hours, and near dusk, it was all over,

After quite some time of settling silence, all of the animals very slowly and cautiously began to emerge from the places where they’d been hiding. And once that they’d all determined that it was completely safe, and that all of the invaders and the beasts had retreated, they began to footslog among the ruins of what once was, and toward the utterly devastated kingdom.

Once there, all of the animals stood in complete shock and sorrow. Nothing remained. Nothing.

That is, except the king’s battered throne. His beautifully adorned crown sat upon the seat, and his slightly bent scepter leaned against the arm.

But the king was gone…

All of the animals glanced around the atmosphere in dazed sadness as they looked for him.

He was gone…

Upon this realization, the animals wept.

Suddenly, Mortimer ran toward the throne as he saw a rolled-up parchment leaning against the other arm. He hastily unrolled it, and his eyes widened as he read what had been scribed upon it.

He then turned to face the rest of the animals who were still weeping.

“Everyone hear me! There’s a message from the king!”

All the animals were then intrigued as they flocked toward Mortimer who was holding the parchment up for them.

The Message on the parchment read,

“Dear ones,

The darkness has invaded. We have fallen prey to the motives of desperate and destructive beings. But let not this be a time of anguish. Let not your hearts be dispirited, for you live. You must go on, and you must take what has happened and be strong and learn from it. You will overcome. Some things in existence are as they are going to be, but you must regain your joy. I will always be with you. I will always cherish you, my beloved. And I will always be your king. Rise above and create your new happiness.

The Toad King”

Chapter four:

Rebuilding

And the animals did just that very thing. They took the beautiful and purposeful words of the Toad King to heart and relocated to a more secluded spot of green forest. They began the task of rebuilding their community with hearts rich with love and determination. They grew stronger together, and even more protective of one another. Before long, they once again dwelled within a rich, love-filled, and beautiful kingdom.

A large throne was crafted and was sat atop of the root of a strong Oak Tree. The King’s scepter was leaned against, and his majestic jewel adorned crown was set upon the seat.

All of the kingdom’s animals looked upon them as each and every one rejoiced in the memory of the noble and honored Toad King…

The End