The Seven Frog Brothers, a story in 9 parts,Dorran, the Keeper

More about The Seven Frog Brothers, a story in 9 parts,Dorran, the Keeper

The night was silent; only the cracking of trees in the wind and the quiet ticking of gears filled the air. On the back of Brontis, the ironfish, sat Dorran, the Keeper. He was the heaviest and strongest of the brothers, and his gaze was grave, as if he were already watching over all those dear to his heart. Brontis's fins were made of bronze plates, his body secured with screws and rivets. When he moved, it sounded like the sound of a deep river, hidden in metal. Dorran had once found him at the edge of a quiet lake, half rusted, half forgotten. But he had repaired Brontis, breathed new life into him—and since then, they had been inseparable. "We have a task," Dorran said quietly. "Not just to return home, but to keep watch." Brontis huffed, and steam rose from his side vents, as if he were nodding. The paths they chose didn't lead through open forests or over glittering cliffs. They walked through swamps, through lowlands where fog lay like heavy blankets. Many got lost here, and that's precisely why it was the Keeper's Way. Dorran was willing to draw danger so his brothers wouldn't have to bear it. One night, when the moon lay behind clouds, a troop of shadow creatures emerged from the water. They crawled on long limbs, with eyes like holes. Brontis stopped, his metallic flippers glinting wetly, as Dorran shifted his weight. "Fall back," he said. His voice was calm, but it cut through the darkness. But the creatures only laughed, a sound like rattling bones. Dorran placed his hand on Brontis's shell. "So be it." Brontis lunged, his jaws clacking like iron doors, and the shadows fell back. Dorran drew no sword, no weapon—he needed only his determination. For he knew: A Guardian fights not out of anger, but out of duty. As the creatures disappeared, he remained silent. "There will be more trials," he murmured. "But we will be ready."