Exiastgardsun Chronicles – Twelve Fruits of Creation

The air thickened as the party stepped into the swamp. A heavy, humid blanket clung to their skin and cloaks. Mud squelched underfoot with every step, the wet earth greedily pulling at their boots. Mosquitoes buzzed in lazy spirals, undisturbed by the occasional flick of a wrist.

The sun filtered weakly through the gnarled canopy of twisted trees, their limbs draped in hanging moss. Shadows danced across stagnant pools of water, where frogs croaked and unseen things stirred just beneath the surface. The smell of rot and wet leaves filled every breath, mixing with the sharp tang of something faintly magical.

A distant splash echoed through the bog. Something growled low, almost a warning.

"Gross," Jessica muttered, katana halfway drawn. A massive frog blinked back at her from a nearby puddle.

Yuuna adjusted her cloak, pointing with her wand. "Swamp frogs. Weak. Fast. Poisonous spit. Don't let them surround you."

Gabyola narrowed her eyes. "We'll handle it."

Yetsan grunted behind his visor. "I hate dirt."

"I thought you hated dust," Sinryo said with a smirk.

"I hate both."

Nearby, Kyle raised his rifle. "Target acquired, wait, moving too fast, "

BANG!

The bullet narrowly missed a frog, and grazed Sinryo's hair.

"HEY!" Sinryo shouted, flailing in the mud. "Warn me!"

"Oops," Kyle said cheerfully. "Reflex shot."

Sinryo lunged, then got stuck knee-deep in a patch of wet sludge. "I swear this mud's cursed."

From her safe spot on a raised root, Fahleena laughed, twin tails bouncing. "The swamp accepts you now, Sinryo!"

"Not funny!"

Jessica stepped lightly across the roots, avoiding puddles. "Let's clear the frogs before more come."

"Agreed," Gabyola said, loosing an arrow that struck a frog mid-leap.

Yuuna flicked her wand. "Speed Down." The nearest frog stumbled mid-hop.

"Light Beam!" Sakura's voice rang out, steady despite the chaos.

Her staff pulsed with mana, gathering a sphere of condensed light at its tip. With a flick, the orb released, a searing arc of radiant energy shot forward. The beam curved mid-air, weaving gracefully around the moss-draped trunk of a half-submerged tree.

It struck cleanly, piercing the swamp frog's eye in a burst of steam and sizzle. The creature let out a shrill croak and tumbled backward into the water, limbs twitching.

Sakura exhaled softly, adjusting her stance. "Curved beams don't miss."

Adiw leapt in, sword blazing red. "FlameSword!"

The frog had no time to react, Adiw's greatsword, glowing with fire, descended in a wide, brutal arc. The blade struck with a wet crack, slicing through the creature's slick body like butter. Steam hissed from the contact as the fire-enchanted edge cauterized flesh mid-swing. The two halves of the swamp frog slid apart, flopping into the muck with a sickening squelch.

Adiw landed lightly, eyes calm, sword already resting against his shoulder. "Next."

Fuhiken stood close behind, steady as a fortress. "Shield Blessing," he intoned, slamming the base of his shield into the mud with a resonant thud.

A golden shimmer radiated outward, coating his armor like a second skin. The glow pulsed once, then settled, solid, unwavering. The enchantment tightened his stance, anchoring him in place even as the ground shifted beneath them.

His eyes scanned the treeline. "Watch the left," he warned, raising his shield. The swamp rustled. Movement. Shadows. And Fuhiken was already shifting, stepping protectively between the front line and whatever approached.

Mud splashed violently as another frog sprang from the shadows, its slimy body arcing through the air with surprising speed. Its eyes locked onto Jessica, then a flash of pink darted into its path.

"Keyblade Boomerang!" Fahleena shouted, voice brimming with theatrical flair.

With a twirl, she hurled her keyblade into a spinning arc. The weapon sliced through the humid air, glinting with mana. It struck the frog mid-leap with a loud crack, sending it spiraling out of control. The impact flipped the creature head over heels before it crashed into a tree trunk, dazed and twitching.

The keyblade curved in its flight and zipped back into Fahleena's waiting hand. She caught it effortlessly, grinning. "Critical hit~!"

The frog dropped, twitching.

Gigih grinned too wide, mana crackling at his fingertips. "Fire I!"

A burst of flame exploded. Too large.

BOOM.

Three frogs incinerated, along with part of a tree.

"Too much again…" Gigih murmured, blinking at the smoldering crater.

Fuhiken sighed. "Control your output, Gigih. You're going to barbecue the forest."

The battle ebbed. Frogs retreated or fell still.

Breathing steadily, Gabyola glanced at her sisters. "All clear?"

"For now," Jessica said. "That was… satisfying."

Yuuna nodded. "But just the beginning. Swamp training takes time. Stay alert."

They made camp atop a mossy rise, just above the waterline where the ground was firm enough to rest. Damp, green tufts of moss cushioned their steps, and a ring of faintly glowing mushrooms offered a natural perimeter.

Sakura moved among the group in quiet circles, staff in hand. "Heal," she murmured each time, her voice soft but certain. Gentle light glowed at her fingertips as she touched bruised shoulders and scraped knees. Minor burns from Gigih's earlier explosion faded under her care. Yetsan grumbled less with his joints restored. Sinryo, still drying from a full-body mud dive, gave her a thumbs-up between sneezes.

The party settled into a rhythm, rotating watch shifts, checking gear, and sparring with the remaining swamp creatures. Training became methodical. The frogs, once an annoying threat, were now handled with practiced ease. Each hop was met with calculated counters, Yuuna's debuffs, Kyle's clean shots, Jessica's swift slashes.

Twice, enormous Venus flytraps sprang from the undergrowth, teeth glistening with acid sap. The first time, Fuhiken intercepted with his shield. The second time, one snapped around Fahleena's arm.

She didn't scream.

Instead, with a grin, she leaned in and bit back.

The flytrap recoiled in shock, giving Adiw time to cleave it in half.

"Next time," Fahleena said, licking sap off her teeth, "maybe bring seasoning.".

---

More mudmen emerged over time. Humanoid sludges, shambling and slow, but numerous. They melted under fire, but their numbers grew.

Yuuna stood on a large rock, wand at the ready. "Binding Chain!"

Chains of blue mana snapped into place, freezing two mudmen.

Gigih raised a single hand. "Fire again."

Fuhiken warned, "Don't over, "

BOOM.

Four mudmen evaporated.

"Oops."

Fuhiken's armor was scorched. "GIGIH!"

Kyle laughed. "Hey, we needed that firepower."

Sakura healed Fuhiken with a tight grip on her staff, lips pressed in a firm line. The glow of her magic flared brighter than usual, brisk, focused, almost forceful.

She didn't speak, but her glare at the fallen frog nearby said enough. She hated frogs.

And healing her mud-covered teammates, again and again because of them, only deepened her quiet fury.

From the side, Yetsan growled. "Everything stinks. Everything's dirty. I'm covered in mud."

"You're in full armor," Jessica said.

"I can feel it inside."

Kyle snorted. "That's just paranoia."

Suddenly, the ground trembled.

Yuuna's eyes narrowed. "Everyone, formation."

A hulking figure emerged from the mire, rising like a nightmare born from the bog itself. Its towering frame glistened with muck, every movement sending rivulets of slime cascading down its limbs. Wet, green moss clung to its hunched back, tangled with vines and bits of bone, remnants of past victims or perhaps its own discarded trophies.

Its chest heaved with each breath, nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air, sensing prey. Thick arms the size of tree trunks lifted, and with a guttural snarl, it slammed its fists into the earth.

The impact shook the ground. Water surged. Mud leapt into the air. Nearby trees quivered. All around, the swamp seemed to respond, as if welcoming its champion to the battlefield.

Mudmen began crawling up around it like summoned soldiers.

"New target," Yuuna said. "Trolls summon. Range attacks. Keep distance."

Yetsan stepped forward, bracing. "Defensive front."

Fuhiken joined him, shield raised. "Hold the line."

"Sharp Shooter!" Kyle's rifle fired a clean shot, chipping the troll's arm.

"Hawk Eye," Gabyola whispered. Her next arrow pierced the troll's knee.

Gigih flipped a page in his spellbook with practiced ease. Symbols glowed faintly, then burst into a crackling circle of electric blue light hovering in front of him. Mana surged from his fingertips, weaving into the intricate runes. The air hummed with raw energy as sparks danced along the edges of the circle, ready to unleash a powerful thunder spell.

"No big spells," Fuhiken yelled.

Gigih smirked. "Just one."

"Thunder I!"

Electricity snapped and hissed as it tore through the swamp's thick, humid air. Jagged bolts of lightning leapt from the glowing magic circle, striking two mudmen squarely. Their sluggish forms convulsed violently, bodies sizzling and breaking apart into steaming puddles of sludge. The troll, caught off guard, convulsed as well, its massive limbs frozen in place by a sudden burst of searing electric pain, leaving it momentarily stunned and vulnerable..

Sakura swung her staff. "Defense Up!"

Blue light rippled across the party's frontline.

Jessica's form flickered as she activated Quick Step, time seeming to slow around her. In a flash, she darted forward with graceful precision, katana slicing through the air like a silver streak. Her blade met the mudman's sloppy form with a sharp, wet sound, then followed through cleanly, reducing the creature to a shattered heap of sludge and broken limbs. Without hesitation, she pivoted, ready for the next target.

Adiw's eyes narrowed, muscles tensing as he stepped into the fray beside Jessica. The swamp's oppressive weight pressed down on him, but his fiery spirit burned brighter. With a guttural growl, he raised his greatsword, feeling the earth's raw power pulse through the blade.

"Earthbreaker!" he shouted, voice steady and commanding.

The ground beneath him seemed to respond, cracking and rumbling as he swung his sword downward in a devastating arc. His mind raced, not just to strike, but to shatter the swamp's grasp and protect his friends. The earth itself obeyed, erupting in jagged fissures that launched mudmen into the air like ragdolls.

'This swamp won't hold us', Adiw thought fiercely. 'We'll carve a path through this muck, no matter what.'

The ground cracked, launching several mudmen into the air.

Sinryo shadow-stepped behind a slow one. "Sneak attack!"

Then got pulled down by the same mud pit again. "Not again!"

Kyle took aim again, laughing. "You're magnetic for sludge."

The troll let out a deep, guttural roar that shook the air, a bellow of rage and pain that echoed through the swamp like a beast calling for war. Its massive body twisted, flinging mud in all directions. Steam hissed from its moss-covered back, where Gigih's lightning had seared a blackened scar into its thick hide. Charred vines crackled and fell away, sizzling as they hit the damp ground. The stench of burnt moss mixed with the swamp's natural rot, creating a pungent haze. The troll's breath came in heavy grunts, and its yellow eyes scanned the party with renewed fury.

Yuuna cast, "Paralyze."

The spell slowed the troll's limbs. "Focus fire!"

Gigih raised his hand again. "Overcharge."

Fuhiken's eyes widened. "Wait, no, "

BOOOOOOM.

The explosion erupted with a deafening roar, a blinding flare of light and heat that split the swamp in two. Flames tore through the mist, illuminating the twisted trees and murky waters in a hellish orange glow. Shockwaves rippled outward, sending ripples across every stagnant pool. The mudmen, caught in the blast, didn't stand a chance, their sludgy forms were torn apart mid-shamble, vaporized into boiling puddles of muck that hissed as they evaporated.

The troll reeled backward, its massive frame silhouetted in the firelight. Burning vines and moss clung to its back, crackling and spitting embers as it flailed in agony. Its roar was weaker now, less rage, more desperation. It dropped to one knee, steam pouring from its scorched flesh, then pushed itself up with trembling arms. For a moment, it stared at the party with hollow, furious eyes, then it turned.

Sloshing, crashing through the swamp, the troll fled into the mist. Flaming footprints sizzled in its wake, each step slower, more uneven. It vanished into the tangled fog of the trees, leaving behind smoke, silence, and the bitter scent of scorched earth.

"Chase it!" Kyle shouted.

"Yeah!" Sinryo leapt, 

And immediately, Sinryo's triumphant leap turned into a slapstick disaster. His foot caught on a hidden root, treacherous, ancient, and smug, and he pitched forward with a surprised yelp. He hit the mud face-first with a gloriously wet splat, limbs flailing like a marionette mid-seizure.

Kyle, right behind him and still laughing, didn't even have time to react. "Wait, " was all he got out before the same cursed root snagged his boot. He spun midair like a poorly-thrown dart and crash-landed beside Sinryo with a synchronized WHUMP.

They both lay there, dazed, dripping, and blinking mud out of their eyes.

"…We're professionals," Kyle mumbled.

"Elite adventurers," Sinryo groaned.

Fahleena clapped politely from a dry log. "Ten out of ten for the landing. Would recommend goggles next time."

Fuhiken sighed deeply, covered in mud and soot. "This is my life now."

Sakura healed Sinryo quietly. Gabyola helped Kyle up.

The party stood in the wrecked clearing, sizzling water, burst trees, bits of scorched mudman everywhere.

Yuuna made a small note in her journal.

"Training successful," she murmured.

Behind her, Fahleena raised her keyblade toward the sky. "We survived the Swamp of Trials! None shall surpass our luck!"

Jessica stared blankly at the ruined battlefield, steaming frog guts, scorched mud, and a barely-simmering swamp. She wiped slime off her cheek with the back of her hand, her katana still dripping.

"I hate frogs," she muttered, voice flat and soul-weary.

Yuuna, perched on a muddy rock, scribbled in her journal with a grimace. "They're fast, slimy, and statistically irrelevant. Also, they smell like wet socks left in a dungeon for a week." She flicked frog goo off her pen.

Gabyola knelt beside a fallen log, cleaning her bow with surgical precision. Her eye twitched. "They hop unpredictably. They squeal. They're the worst targets."

Sakura didn't even lift her head as she muttered, "They make me waste precious mana… and they always aim for my cloak." Her staff glowed slightly, as if sharing her offense.

Orchid tilted her head, wiping frog sap from her sword with the gentleness of a confused child. "I thought it was kind of cute."

Everyone turned to stare at her.

"…What?" Orchid blinked innocently. "The way it screamed before it exploded was... endearing?"

Silence.

Then a sudden gust of magical wind whipped through the air as Fahleena stood atop a stump, twin tails fluttering like battle flags. Her eyes gleamed with divine purpose, and she raised her glowing keyblade high.

"Begone, vile spawn of filth!" she cried. "Witness the celestial arc of judgement, Keyblade Boomerang: Frog Massacre Deluxe Mode!"

She hurled the weapon in a brilliant, spiraling burst. The keyblade whirled through the air, homing in on every remaining frog in a glorious, exaggerated loop. One, two, three frogs fell mid-croak, violently twirling into the mud like tragic dancers in a doomed ballet. The final spin knocked a swamp toad out of a tree. It landed with a squish at Fuhiken's feet.

The blade zipped back to Fahleena's waiting hand. She caught it dramatically, twirled once, then struck a ridiculous pose.

"No more shall you croak in this sacred realm, swamp demons!"

Jessica stared at the carnage, lips twitching. "…I hate frogs," she said again, but this time, with a small, bitter smile.

"I hate dirt," Yetsan said again.

Fuhiken looked at the sky, praying for patience. "Please let the next swamp be dry."

Well. if dry swamp exist.