A Frog's Blessing in this Wonderful Galaxy: Chapter 3 (Patreon)

The Prisons of Commorragh

Maybe getting himself imprisoned might have not been the brightest idea. He could have fled instead but then again, that would mean getting chased and he was tired of getting chased. He just wanted to rest so he gave himself up. Unfortunately, he didn’t account for his friends being placed in separate cells… or assigned to separate working area.

“Lonely Frog in the Webway~” He sang his working song as he swung his pick against the strange fabric of the webway, “Doing my time!” The strange pick bit down hard, shattering the walls and tearing chunks out with each hit.

He had expected to be thrown in some cell but he didn’t quite expect to be used for manual labor. At least his friends weren’t here with him as Magnus was in an actual while his fairy friend was being looked after. He didn’t like how all of them got separated but he chose not to complain.

His stars were a different matter. Since they were quite attached to him and they buzzed rather angrily when his wardens tried taking them away to a holding locker, they stayed. He was quite grateful for that as they provided him with all the light he’d ever needed especially in this dark cave he’d been carving.

“Toiling away at the mines, for my crime~” he continued singing as he worked all day. It was tiring work but seeing the excitement of these… Dhrukari, as they call themselves, as he made them a path to somewhere, it seems that he was doing good.

It was a busy work area with ships hauling out the debris he made as well as ferrying in water and food for him. It was easy enough and he wouldn’t have minded if he was allowed a few short breaks here and there. Resting his pickaxe and wiping the sweat off his forehead, he gasped out, “Phew, this is tiring work.”

Unfortunately for him, his warden didn’t quite appreciate how tiring this was. He jumped in surprise as the cracking of a bullwhip snapped just beside his ears. “Hey! No Slacking!” The not so nice elf shouted. He never hit him but he would have liked if he just calmed down just a bit.

“Yeah yeah, just let me stretch a bit,” He replied as he rolled his hips and pushed against his aching back. He grunted as he felt his sore back and aching muscle now making themselves known. His noodle arms were not made for manual labor despite there being tools big enough to fit in his hands. “Oof, that does not feel good,” he then said as he lifted up his pick and continued mining away.

Adjusting the collar he wore, making sure it wasn’t going to come off any minute now, he then glanced towards his captor. He observed them to pass the time. Like all the other elves, he had this same bright aura similar to his stars but far more muted and dirty. There was also that faint trail that seemed to leak out of them towards the city; like the very light out of them was getting sucked out.

He should probably point that out at one point but then again, they seemed advance enough with their fancy hover technology. They should know this right? He had so many questions to ask them now. From their strange aura’s to what they know about whatever he was. Were there people just like him before?

He shocked his head. Maybe there are just some questions he’d have to let go especially since these people did not look nice now that he had a good look at them. Did they asked the Cenobites for their fashion sense? So spiky and edgy, he swore he could cut himself.

“Eh, as long we’re getting fed here…” He shrugged. It was not in the position to criticize their fashion sense…given his lack of pants. Scratching that annoying itch he had on his ass that refused to go away, he then noted, “Though I’m mildly concern by the slimy texture of the meal. Still ok I guess?”

“What did I just say!” His warden once more shouted, whipping at the air to emphasize his point.

“Alright alright, I’m going…” He muttered as he continued his boring work. He hated the work but he reminded himself that this was all for his little friends sake. “Just a few weeks, all of this would be over.”

-x-x-x-

He worked for what felt like an eternity but finally, he was ushered back to the city. Surrounded by escorts, he was made to walk down the street towards the large, box like building. This building of blackened stone was to be his prison.

Like almost almost everything in the city, it was covered in spikes but strangely, these spikes looked like they were tacked on rather than built with the building. Weirdly enough, the building was big enough to be his house. Even the door to the building was just the right size for him as it dwarf the elves pulling it open.

Speaking about the elves, they came in droves, watching and pointing at him as he walked by. It seemed that he had become quite the spectacle. That was to be expected seeing how he towered about them. What he didn’t expect was that the elves brought with them non-elves.

They came in colors of all manners, some similar to the stars like the bright white ones in the form of healthier looking elves but somehow, the light they had felt… muted; Like the colors were drained out of them. They were not like the manner of the Dhrukari which were being drained, they looked dirty or rather bruised. The collar some sported did not fill him with confidence. Maybe they just use prison labor on every facet of society?

Whatever it was, he did not like it but what can he do? It wasn’t like he’s some god that can force them to change their ways. Maybe this wasn’t slavery. He just had to hope it wasn’t for everyone’s sake.

Entering the large box like building, he found himself surrounded with rows upon rows of cells stacked upon each other; each containing quite the vicious collection of criminals. They looked… angry, they felt angry; he could practically taste it, this spicy feeling of hate and vitriol. It was not a pleasant feeling to taste. Strangely, there were stray stars inside this building which soon joined his collection. That was a plus, right?

“Back to your cell! Move it!” His warden shouted at him, urging forward as he grabbed the star closely.

As he was the biggest inmate, he had the biggest cell. With thick doors with just a small slit to see through, it was quite the menacing sight. As it opened, he was quickly disappointed. With such a big door, he would have expected a bigger room; not a closet that was barely big enough for clothes.

It was uncomfortable, claustrophobic event to be forced inside. Couldn’t they make a bigger cell for him? Then again, his incarceration was just temporary. Why would they build something his size but given they had tools fit for his hands…

He threw his hands up at that. He was already tired and he didn’t have the energy to even complain at this point. Entering the cell, he sighed out in relief as finally, he could rest his weary legs. As the doors were slammed shut behind him, he found himself alone in the dark with nothing but his stars to serve as his light.

Choosing a corner to lay against, he then whispered, “Finally, a place to sleep…”

It was a long day but it was a fruitful day. He was a prisoner yes but he wasn’t stuck in a dingy cell all day, he had something to do. It was boring tedious work but looking on the bright side, it was one step closer to paying off all the damages he cost and it a very productive way at that!

“I wonder what we’ll be having for dinner,” He laughed out before he trailed off. It wasn’t quite the same without red. Despite the chaoticness of his journey into this hellscape of a galaxy, Red had always been there to keep him company. Without him, he felt just as alone as he was stuck in that black planet. “It’s just a week anyways, I’ll get to see them after all this is over” he reminded himself once more.

His words of encouragement to himself however would be met with mocking laughter. Sitting up, he looked around trying to find the source. Whoever was laughing, he was quite close. “Whose there? I’m armed!” he shouted as he pulled out the broken collar he had been wearing and wielded it as a make shift knuckle duster.

“You’re awfully cheerful for a prisoner of Commorragh,” A deep booming voice spoke out, “And quite big as well. Didn’t know they made slave collars that big,” The voice pointed out, making him look uncomfortably down at his collar. So those were slaves… had he been imprisoned by slavers?

Before he could even process it all, they would soon be interrupted by the warden. “Dinner Time!” The elf shouted as the door hinges squeaked out in protest. Hastily placing the collar back on, he tucked himself in the corner before waving at the party bringing him food.

“Heya guys, didn’t know I’d be bucking in with someone else,” he told them, making the bewildered warden and his entourage froze. Pulling out their weapons, they looked around, as if expecting to fight for their dear lives.

“Someone else? No one’s in this cell, at least any alive that is,” The man laughed nervously as he looked around, pausing as they strained their ear before they all let out a collective sigh of relief, “What do you wish to accomplish about bringing up such stories Old One? What use is it to bring up such being.”

“Geez, I didn’t mean to scare you,” He apologized, “Can I switch cells perhaps? I really do not like having to share a cell with a ghost!”

“We are not scared!” The elf exclaimed before grimacing, “But that thing, that mon’kaigh we kept here was a savage, a brutal one. Ripped the throat out of one of my boys so we just stopped coming here.”

Shaking his head, the man then told him “That prisoner is dead, you understand? I will have no more talks about dead mon’keigh” Grinning up at him the man then started mocking him, “And the last Old One, scared of some ghost? Hah! You are… what they say is projecting, no?”

A bit rude but Kermit chose not to speak. He heard and watch plenty of shows to tell him that those working in prison can be quite abusive when they want to. He just had to lay his head down low for now.

“Man up, you’re a Old One yes?” The man scolded him as he motioned for a ship dragging a barge filled to the brim with food. Looking at the dinner sized portion presented to him, he felt his mouth start to water. “So much for our creator,” the elf scoffed as the barge was cut off, dropping down to the ground with a heavy clang.

As the warden was about to leave, he then called out, “Um, wait!” The man paused, looking back at him, “My friend, Red and the Fairy Lady, are they ok?”  While he needed to lay low, the state of his friends were far more important than any short term comfort.

The elf had a look of confusion in their face before they let out an amused snort. “The red one’s a fellow prisoner you know,” pointing at a shaking box outside, he added, “Lively one that mon-keigh.”

Rubbing his chin, he then said, “As for Lady Isha? Last I heard, she’s doing quite well! For a goddess with all the plague of Nurgle, she’s quite resilient. You’re a lucky god to have carried her to us, gotta tell you that.” pounding his chest, the man claimed, “If you can trust one thing about us, then that’s piecing things back together.”

Letting out a toothy smile, the man then said, “It ain’t fun if your toys are broken after all.” Before he could even respond, the man already motioned for the doors to close. “Lights out Old One, time for bed!”

“Hey wait, I still have questions!” He called out only for the door to get slammed closed at his face. Old One this and god that, they seem to know what he had become. Those title sound a bit… presumptuous to say the least. There was also the matter of his little ghost friends… one he shares a cell with… in this dark and creepy room.

“Umm…” he swallowed thickly, “Nice ghostie… I didn’t mean to threaten you! I was just shocked, that’s all!” Maybe jumping straight to threatening someone wasn’t the best idea.

There was silence and for a moment, he lowered his guard. Maybe he had just hallucinated it. The room was just so bare that maybe he thought someone else was there with him. That was until the voice laughed once more, “Hah, I’m no ghost like my brothers. Not yet at least.”

“Where are you? Show yourself!” He called out, “I don’t trust that you’re not a ghost!” He didn’t like ghost, not one bit. He’s just a simple man and having to experience the supernatural is just way too much.

“You might want to look up,” the man replied, making him turn his head upward.

“Gah!” he exclaimed, jumping up in surprise as a bright white light suddenly came crashing down in front of him. The figure crouched low, landing in a perfect 3 point kneel like in one of those movies. How the man hid himself while being that bright, he did not know but one thing was for certain, “Wow… you really have made quite the entrance huh?”

The man stood up and smiled back at him. With his stark white hair tied to a top knot, his flowing fu manchu and his rusted, yet finely made armor, he struck quite the wizened old figure, like a general of old standing before him not as a actor in some video but as a man.

“I assure you great spirt, that I am no ghost,” the man assured him as he sat down before him. Patting the ground in front of him, the man then told him. “You probably have a lot of things that you want answered about this city. If so, some, sit. We have much to talk about.”

With such a striking figure asking him to sit down with him for a chat, how could he not oblige? He at least looked like the guy that had plenty of stories to tell. How can he not sit down with the Genghis Khan look alike?

-x-x-x-

A proper meal after days of what felt running made even the most unappetizing of dishes taste amazing. Gobbling up the ground up mush with his properly sized spoon, he ate like there was no tomorrow. “This looks disgusting but man!” he exclaimed as he smacked his lips and pat his stomach, “Yeah, this hits the spot. Damn, I miss getting to eat out like a pig.”

Chuckling at him, the man told him, “I heard that the Old Ones can be quite fearsome to look at but maybe those ancient historians were talking about your appetite!”

“Hey, you’d pig if you haven’t eaten in ages,” he fired back as he felt his cheeks heat up. He wasn’t usually like this but he had been starving. He had an amazing sandwich but that was it. Now, he had an actual meal.

The man shook his head before he shifting on his seat. Taking on a more relaxed stance, he then asked him, “Pardon my curiosity but would you mind if you answer some of my questions before I answer yours?”

The man did say he could answer his questions and a question for a question seemed fair enough. He nodded easily as he gestured for him to fire away, “Shoot.”

“So, how did they caught you my dear froggy friend?” He asked as he stroked his beared, “Some terrible weapon perhaps? A new champion for their accursed race? A power that they had broken with the terrible beings that lived in the warp?”

“Woah there, you’re getting a bit spicy there with the xenophobia,” He told him. The man definitely sounded like he hated the elves.

“Oh they’re terrible. If they weren’t then my people wouldn’t have been at war with them for so long! These terrible, sadistic elves, once I get out of here!” He shook his head as he clenched his fist. Taking in a deep breath, he then let out a sigh, “It’s just been so long since I’ve last seen the greater galaxy. A younger, more foolish version of myself ran head straight into trouble.”

“But enough about myself,” Looking back at him, he pressed on, “They must have done something quite terrible to have you put that slave collar back on.” Observing his collar, the man then noted, “I never knew they made something collars that big but the more you know.”

Kermit rubbed the back of his neck as he replied with great shame. “Would it be anti-climatic if it was because I accidentally set parts of their city on fire?”

The man’s slowly smiled as he continued, “It was a terrible mistake on my part. Panicked when I crash landed so now here I am, just a frog doing my time.”

“There is no shame in destroying the slavers home and their livelihood,” the man stoically replied, approving of the destruction that he caused.

“Hey, these people have families” He argued. They might be terrible people, most likely, but they are still people. Tugging at his collar, he then told hm, “And it’s not a slave collar. This is just what they give to prisoners. Look, you even got one on yourself.” The excuse felt weak but he chose to believe that there is good in all people, even these elves.

Nodding, he then pointed out, “You don’t look much like a slave from the way guards speaks about around you,”The sheer terror he inspired despite looking like someones grandfather, he must be quite the hardcore prisoner. “You must be the big shot here, the biggest guy on the block!” He then added as he poked at him.

The man huffed as he looked away but he could not hide that prideful smile he sported,  “The guards know better than to mess with me,” the man told him before scowling, “They got lucky one time. I could have taken them if I wasn’t drunk!”

“Hah, I knew it!” He exclaimed. He was definitely the local tough guy. Setting down his bowl, he then told him, “Makes me feel a bit safer now that I know the big guy in the block is a nice guy.”

This made the man laugh. Wiping his tears, the man then said, “I like you Frog Man,” looking up at him, the man then said, “Your not half bad for a strange human,”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Kermit exclaimed as he raised his hand, “You know?” He asked, his eyes wide in surprise. Did he know that he was not some frog originally. Has he finally met someone that see him as what he is, just a simple man?

“Off course,” The man nodded, confirming his suspicion. With glowing eyes, he looked at him and through him as he started describing him, “Underneath all the shining green radiance, I see a man, an Innocent Man trapped in the prisons of the most brutal race in the galaxy,”

“If not for your tough body, they would have ripped you apart and made you into their newest art piece,” The man pointed out.

“Finally! Someone who knows what I am!” He exclaimed. He could finally have some answers. He finally met someone that might have a clue on what caused his current condition. Leaning down closely, he then asked him, “Are you some kind of psychic?”

Blinking away the light off his eyes, the man then replied every so enigmatically, “You can say that.”

“Wow… what I’d do to have powers like you,” He sighed out. He take back his words, he wants to experience the super natural if it means he could have what he had. Glowing eyes, soul seeing, possibly even mind reading. He wondered how many people would want to have powers like what this man possessed.

“Trust me big man, you’d rather not… but from the way you are, it’s probably not for you to decided,” The old man replied wearily, his youthful vigor loosing its shine as he appeared as what he was, an old man in a suit of armor. Laughing and waving off his concern, the man then said, “I can see why these bastards choice to keep you alive for now, they probably don’t even know how to pierce your skin yet much less all that soul stuff you have on you!”

“They’re not that bad…” He defended the elves. Lifting up the barge of gruel he was given, he then said, “They wouldn’t have bothered feeding me a bowl big enough for my stomach.”  It was a simple meal but the fact they bothered to make enough for him speaks well about their character. They do care… maybe?

Looking at the man, he noticed he was rather thin looking. “Speaking off, wants some?” he then offered. He already had a bite and the man could use a spoonful or two. Beside, it’s not like he didn’t have enough for seconds. He had plenty enough for himself.

The man paused, looking at the meal, before sighing, “While I do not trust the Dhrukari… I seen you eat enough that if it’s poisoned with whatever foul sorcery they have, you would have died several times over,” Kermit had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. The man sure can be quite stubborn and prideful, probably something someone develops in prison.

He had to pinch of a bit of the boat, the metal between his fingers feeling more like aluminum foil than actual metal. Forming a small plate for the the man, he then gave him as much slop as his plate could handle. Despite the pile pf food being as big as he was, he easily lifted up. Giving him an appreciative nod, he thanked him, “Many blessings to you, Old One.”

“It’s funny how people keep telling me that,” He sighed out as he raved, “Old One this, Old One that. I’m 30 years old damn it! I wasn’t even balding… well now I am…” Rubbing his bare head, he wondered if he’ll ever have hair. He really liked having hair.

The man chuckled as he replied. “It’s because you are one now. From human to an Old One yet you still are yourself. It’s quite interesting really. Normally, someone would go mad but you are still you,” Musing aloud, he then added, “Maybe there is wisdom that people with simple minds are blessed.”

He didn’t know what that meant but he take it as a compliment, “Thank you,”

The man gave him a look before shrugging. “As for what they are, they’re a precursor race, beings that came before everyone,” He explained, telling him in great detail of what he was, “Few knows what they truly are but if there’s one thing about them sets them apart from everyone else, then it is their power. They are powerful beings, far stronger than most mortals. Dare I say that they would make my fathers light small in comparison.”

“Seeding life across the galaxy, they tended to it as gardeners would be until they vanished. Nobody knows exactly what happened but they are no longer with us. Their works and the effects of their actions however could still be seen to this day,” he then told him as his brow scrunched up, “From the books of my brothers, some say that Humanity was influenced by them or even created by them but I simply don’t see it. We came from far more humble beginnings and it served as well, allowing us to adapt while the Eldari and Dhrukari decay.”

“If no one knows what they are and what happened to them, why do you think I’m an Old One?” He asked him.

The man simply stared back at him as he replied, “Because you hurt my mind’s eye by simply looking at your direction. Your presence is like staring into the sun.”

“Huh, neat,” He replied as he looked down on himself. He was a bit on the bright shade of green but he wasn’t that bright right? “’ll try to hide my radiance?”

“I should teach you how to but for now, let me eat,” He replied with a soft smile, “Why, if I remember correctly, I haven’t eaten in a thousand years!”

“For a man starving, you look awfully spry,” He replied as he continued eating as well. The meal was tasty but with someone else, it felt more filling.

As the man took his first bite, he noted, “They actually fed you real food,” Savoring a few more bites, he turned back towards him before warning him,  “Don’t think of this kindness however, see it more as what it is, a pragmatic way to keep you in place while they decide on what to do with you.”

Scowling, he continued, “Mark my word, our wardens are nothing than animals wearing clothes,” He just nodded along at this point, ignoring the mans racist rants for the most part, “Barbaric beast, the lot of them,”

“Harsh but it’s not hard to see why you don’t like them,” He empathize with him. From how the words of his jailor, they basically left the man to die. In his opinion, that was a pretty dick move. Yes, he was a bit spicy about his racism but it must be borne out of experience from a few bad apples, “With the starvation and all…”

“It’s the least of what they’ve done,” The man muttered before silence descended between them. He honestly felt bad about the man. He looked so bitter and broken. Who knows how long he had been in here and he sounded so nice…

“You know… after I do my community service I’ll be free to go which is about in a weeks time. Maybe I could sneak you out? They think you’re dead after all,” He offered. He probably suffered enough and he didn’t sound that bad.

“Just lay off on the racism?” He chuckled, knowing full well that he’s probably hate them too much, “And it’s not like they’re all bad, They even got to help heal my companion… though I’m not sure why they trapped Red in a box,” He mused out as he laid down his plate and got up.

Walking up towards the door and peering out of the tiny slit, he sighed out, “He’s obnoxious and all but he’s fun to be around.” Yes, he can be annoying and pushy but he had been his companion all this time. Through thick and thin, he was there with him. “I miss that cyclops…”

“Wait, Red Cyclops…” The man called out to him, “Sounds Smarmy, A bit of a know it all and all to happy to tell you what you did wrong while being condescending about it?” he then described Red and he couldn’t help but laugh at how accurate he was.

“Yeah! He sounds exactly like that,” He chuckled, shaking his head at how he simply nailed the mute red sprite. “He’s this small and more of floating head than anything. I’m still surprise that you can have much ego in such a small package,”

“Hah!” The man roared out laughing just as he finished his plate. “Seems like the shard of my little brother finally came around. About time he showed up. It seems like it’s finally time,” he then told him ever so enigmatically.

“Wait, what do you mean by that?” he asked, wondering what was that all about.

“You’ll know when you see it young frog, you’ll know,” The man answered him with a mysterious smile across his face.“Best you rest for now though. Didn’t you say you have a court meeting in a few days time?” He told him.

“Ah right right, need to keep myself well for that date,” He nodded, “Don’t want to be half asleep when I face the judge after all,” Being half awake sounded like a recipe for disaster.

Walking back to his corner and laying, he yawned out. It’s been a long day and sleep sounded like a great idea. Just as he was about to close his eyes, he then remembered something.“Oh yeah, one last thing,” He called out before asking him, “Haven’t really told you my name have I?”

“You have not, young Frog,” the man replied, looking at him curiously as he too laid down.

Extending a hand, or rather a finger, for a handshake, “The names Kermit, nice to meet you.”

The man looked down on the hand before snorting in amusement as he grabbed it and shook it. The old warrior definitely had quite the grip, he had to give him that. “I have many names but the one many knows me for is Jaghtai Khan,” The man introduced himself, “Best to remember it for who knows, maybe you’d meet one of my sons,”

“I’ll definitely remember that amazing name,”  he told him as he spoke out the warriors name, “Jagthai Khan… sounds almost like that one Star Trek guy!” Chuckling at that little inside joke, he then apologized, “Anyways, sorry for bothering. Good night.”

“Good night young tadpole,” the man replied as the two rested.

Turning to his back and looking up at the dark ceiling above, he wondered what the future would bring. From getting chased across the stars to winding up in some fairy prison, his life had hit quite a strange but turn. Maybe this was all just a dream… but it was a good dream and he wishes that he could keep on dreaming.