The King's Remorse

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The snake reacts for me and I rise to my feet. Dust swirls around me in a storm and the horns return. My fingers snap and the arrow drops to the ground. Is the snake-.

"She's mine. Leave. Now," the snake snarls through my voice. Of course.

"As you wish, Dust Devil. We will join the others who are tracking down the pewter pendant as we speak." The Soldier ducks his head acknowledgement before waving the rest of the group with his fingers and starts off in the direction Clap and Brook had run.

"Are you feeling alright, Luke?"

"The snake is taking control again," I manage to spit out after forcing the snake back some.

"Will the snake take the pendant from Clap?" I can only nod before the snake is the 1 controlling my movements.

"I'm sorry, Luke." I barely hear Freedom.

The rainbow feathers on Freedom's wings begin go glow and shimmer. The fur on her dragon's tail does the same. As soon as the snake sees the sparkling light, it spits, baring its teeth. But before it can send a wave of dust crashing into Freedom, I shove it back just enough so that it cannot control my magic. Stop.

Tendrils of yellow light swirl around Freedom, reflecting in her black eyes. They begin to move toward me, and I freeze. Panic begins to sink its talons into my stomach. No, don't you dare. S-stop. The tendrils wrap around my ankles, and I'm helpless to move. Don't take control. Stop it. No more, just let me be. Freedom's eyes are cold, completely different from how they were before, and her wings are flared out to the sides.

The anger I'd been feeling melts away, leaving me calm. Too calm. Fake calm. The snake retreats, slithering to the back of my mind willingly. It curls up, content. I look at my arms and hands before looking up at Freedom. "Wh-what did you do?"

"I stopped you from chasing down Clap."

"I-I know, but like what did you do to me?" Anything I feel other than calm is forced away, and I'm left feeling numb.

"That's my magic. I can control others' emotions."

"Take it away. Make it stop." My body trembles. Not someone else controlling me again.

"No, you -the snake, whoever- are going to chase down Clap."

"Let me go. Please." Once again, I'm trapped in my mind. But this time I have full control over my body, but I'm forced to feel only calm. Nothing but calm. I shiver in my mind, silently screaming for it to stop. I can't. Please, let me go. Let me be my own person again. Let me go, Freedom. It's not my fault I have the snake in my mind. It makes sense why Freedom did what she did. I can't argue against it. But... I don't want someone else controlling me, controlling what I do.

I take a deep breath.

"As soon as Clap is safe, let me go." My heart sinks. Just make it quick.

"I will. I promise." I've heard that 1 before. I don't reply, instead just nodding and bracing a hand against the tree trunk as I stand up.

"You were a Soldier. How do we find them?"

"They're not very quiet. And they won't split up. They won't stop searching until they've found Clap, but they're not very smart."

"Any suggestions on how?"

"Look for footprints, keep your ears and eyes open. Follow the direction Clap went. They'll be there." Make it quick, Luke. Make it quick and you'll get your emotions back sooner.