Yet, as Shantal's laughter echoed through the now-calm waters, she suddenly felt a mysterious shift in the environment. The presence of the frogs had vanished, and her alertness returned. She anxiously scanned her surroundings, searching for any signs of the creatures, when her attention was drawn to a shadowy reflection in the water and a dark shape in the sky.
As Shantal's gaze shifted to the sky, she was taken by surprise as the frogs began casting venomous balls towards her. It happened too quickly for her to react, and she was struck squarely while on her knees. A searing pain coursed through her body, and she cried out in agony, struggling to maintain her composure.
Before she could regain her footing, another barrage of frog tongues attacked her.
Desperately, she attempted to employ the water as a shield, but the force behind the amphibians' onslaught was overwhelming. It pushed her beneath the water's surface, her vision growing murky as she slowly sank.
With her breath running thin, Shantal's mind raced to devise a new strategy. Concentrating on her innate connection with the water, she managed to divide it, creating a clear pathway on the ground while both sides of her were flanked by the liquid element.
Meanwhile, the frogs had reached the rocks and were observing each other, seemingly unfazed by her efforts. Shantal, however, was far from giving up. With a steely resolve, she harnessed her control over the water on both sides and crafted numerous swirling, circular masses of water, each twice the size of the formidable frogs. In a display of sheer determination, she unleashed this watery barrage upon the creatures, who, to her surprise, didn't attempt to evade the incoming torrents. Instead, they appeared to be smirking, an unsettling sight that she chose to disregard as she focused on her magic
With the frogs submerged in the water, Shantal had an epiphany. "Do you think I can only use water? No!" She exclaimed, realizing that perhaps these creatures could thrive in the aquatic environment, rendering her previous attacks ineffective.
Determined to overcome the challenge, she tapped into a different aspect of her newfound abilities. Shantal harnessed the power of ice, conjuring numerous ice knives and directing them toward each frog. As the ice knives pierced the circular water barriers, they rapidly froze all the frogs within. In a matter of moments, the creatures were encased in ice, immobilized.
Seizing the moment, Shantal ascended to one of the rocks, perching herself on top. She breathed a sigh of relief as the river's water level began to rise, filling the channel once again.
Exhausted and weakened from the intense struggle, Shantal contemplated her ordeal. The poison from the earlier attack had initially caused pain, but it had subsided surprisingly quickly, leaving her to ponder if she possessed some form of immunity to toxins.
Before she could rest, an unexpected turn of events unfolded. The frozen frogs began to exert a powerful force, shattering the ice that had encased them. Fionna watched in shock as the frogs emerged, now radiating an ominous red glow.
"What the hell is going on?" Shantal exclaimed. "I thought they were done for after freezing them all, but look at what's happening now – they're shining in red."
After a few tense minutes, Shantal observed a remarkable transformation in the frogs. They gradually assumed a humanoid form, their skin still resembling that of frogs, displaying shades of violet and blue. Their bodies and facial features took on a more human-like appearance, but their arms, from the shoulder to the elbow, and their legs, from the knee to the thigh, retained their frog-like characteristics.
Without hesitation, Shantal conjured two massive water hands, pooling all her strength to launch an attack. She knew that defeating them might be beyond her reach, so her goal was to push them away, creating a chance for her to make a hasty escape. With determination, she directed the two colossal watery appendages toward the transformed frogs.
However, one of the humanoid frog beings approached the impending attack. In mere seconds, it reached out and touched one of the water hands, causing Shantal's assault to dissipate as if it had never existed.
Shantal was left in a state of shock, her face and body drenched in sweat from the intense ordeal. Gathering herself, she swiftly formulated a new plan. With a powerful display of her abilities, she enveloped the transformed frogs in a vast expanse of water, immediately freezing them in place.
In a desperate bid to escape, she sprinted away, but her efforts were in vain as the icy prison that had confined them shattered within moments. Three humanoid frogs sprang towards her with lightning speed, leaving Shantal paralyzed by their swiftness.
As the frogs closed in on her, Fionna halted abruptly and summoned her magical prowess. With a wave of her hand, she conjured a multitude of razor-sharp ice knives and formed water balls, launching them with precision. However, the frog creatures effortlessly evaded her assault, displaying an uncanny agility that took her by surprise.
One of the humanoid frogs drew perilously close, winding up for a powerful punch aimed directly at her abdomen. The impact sent her hurtling through the air, and she tumbled through the forest, colliding with numerous trees along the way. Each collision elicited painful cries from Shantal as she crashed toward the forest floor.
Gasping for breath, she lay on the ground, battered and bruised, questioning her own limitations. "Why are they so formidable, and why do I feel so powerless against them?" she wondered aloud, her voice laced with both frustration and pain.