Strings of Sin

Chapter 6

December didn't take his time packing. Adventure was calling his name, and he was super insistent on leaving his old life behind. After all those years of imprisonment, all those times his father told him to get away and go up to his room, all that time he was bounded to responsibility and all those painfully long periods of isolation, he was finally going to be free. Nobody could tell him who he should be anymore, he was free to choose his own destiny now, and he wasn't even sure if he wanted to be Des anymore, he wasn't exactly sure who he was if you would even call him a he. But they would find out who they were on this journey, they had to.

Stardom had watched his friend run around the room, stuffing bags with books and scrolls, shoving a large sword in too, he said it was for relentless killer purposes, a vital map of the continent was added, as well, and was that... of course, a crown... made of flowers. December was an odd icewing that liked to wear costumes and cast himself as characters, or at least, that's what Stardom had observed. He thought it was very amusing, but the icewing pressured the importance of the costumes and playing on him. Everyone has their own reasons for putting a price tag on an activity or possession, and Stardom would never hate or love that value unless he fully understood why that action or item was of value to someone. And he always felt proud of that belief, he always felt like it made him more valuable in society to think that way.

Currently, the two dragons were already on their way to The Kingdom of Sand, which was southeast of Stardom's hometown, and their first stop would be at Queen Thorn's Palace. They had left without a word, and they hoped to get far enough away to the point where their parents would give up on finding them, which wouldn't be too long, and that's why they had left in the first place. It made Stardom somber to think about the consequences of his actions, but then he began to question if we even owned our actions because society controls every single one of our actions. Was this true freedom? Why didn't it feel like freedom?

And then he brought his mind to the twines of responsibility, once again, as it wrapped around his sinful body, and he began to feel the weight of a thousand strings on his back.

***

"Why did I leave? I would have never left on my own. But December helped free me of regret, and so, I am here now. I don't know what to do, I feel so alone. But December's here, he'll speak up for me. Will I ever see my hometown again? I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I feel so... so... hopeless."

"Where is my mom now? She left me, and I assisted in the murder of a poor dragon that I didn't fully take the time to understand because her voice disappeared. I let my animalistic nature take control. I'll never let it take control again! I hurt my father, who I didn't fully understand, and that makes me a horrible dragon! Those... those... those, thoughts too, I... I wanted to take someone's life just a couple of hours ago. What am I becoming, mother? I'm absolutely terrible, I'm no hero!"

"But this is my chance to redeem myself. I must help those in need with Des. I must never tell Des of the innocent dragons I hurt. I must study the world around me and make a better world for us to live in. I must be a hero!"

"I'm sorry father, Enlightenment, Provoking, Bitter, Chill, everyone... everyone I abandoned. I will return, one day, and by then, I will have earned your forgiveness."

***

And then December disrupted Stardom's regret with an excited babble. "I feel the sand between my talons, Star! I've never felt sand before! I can't wait to meet my first sandwing! I can finally be free with you! It's going to be very hot in the morning, so we better hurry to Thorn's Palace! I can't believe I'm going to meet the queen! She was a great character in the Dragonet of Destiny novels! I loved how fair and commanding she was! But Queen Glory will always be my favorite queen."