The King's Remorse

Lemme Enlighten You as to the True, Twisted, Savage Nature of our Dear Friend

"Not if they kill you first." Ice's lips curl up, contorting his face as he bares his teeth. Frost erupts from his paws, shooting across the ground and running up the Soldiers' armor. The look of surprise on the Soldiers' faces becomes locked on as their bodies freeze. I see Ice breathe a sigh of relief, his head falling onto his forepaws.

This time I dive for real, and I let myself fall into a rhythm of felling the Guard and Soldiers. "Good to see you're back," Ky says to me as we pass each other. His fur is matted with blood and grime.

"Sorry, had to see if Ice needed help," I reply as I jump out of the way of a sword.

"Shut up and fight back! It's all me!" Ky squeals as an arrow slices through his bandana, grazing his shoulders and breaking a hole clean through the red fabric. I take one of the daggers from a fallen Guard and make quick work of the Guard and Soldiers surrounding me.

Soon, the Guard and Soldiers are dead. I take a deep breath, and the adrenaline begins to wear off a few minutes later, letting me feel the pain. My skin starts to heat up, the sign my healing power is mending the wounds.

"Die, you bi-." Phoenix is cut off as he snarls. Elastica's teeth sink into his shoulder. The black cat lashes out, claws flashing and flames racing across the She-Wyrm's body. Her smooth skin turns black.

Just like the fight before, Phoenix quickly gets the upper hand within a few moments. His paws wrap around Elastica's body, restraining her before pinning her to the ground. A snarl rips from his throat as the She-Wyrm strains to break free.

Her forelegs stretch to reach for Phoenix, but he's faster and slams them to the ground with a paw. Green splatters on the rocks as his fangs pierce her throat.

It's almost a mirror image from the time Phoenix nearly killed her before; Phoenix holding down Elastica with a forepaw just below her jaw and the other on the opposing shoulder, his hind legs on her tail. Elastica's forced to curl up beneath his grip, and her eyes look toward the sky. I don't see any emotion in her eyes- it's as if she's just given up.

Elastica's eyelids flutter, and her breaths begin to shudder before becoming more sporadic and weaker. Green blood runs like a river down her neck and chest, drenching the stone beneath her. I can only stand and watch.

I know she's loyal to King Garonda XIV, the person I despise the most, but I can't help but have some sympathy for the She-Wyrm as she goes limp in Phoenix's grip, leaning into his sick embrace once she doesn't have the strength to keep herself upright. A tentacle foreleg rests across his flank, and I see Phoenix's lip curl at the movement.

This isn't right. She shouldn't suffer this much. I wouldn't wish this on anyone, even King Garonda XIV. I want him dead, of course I do, but I don't want him to suffer this much. There's no stopping Phoenix though. Not after he stopped once.

Ice walks up to me. "Hey, Ice," I say as I turn my attention away from Phoenix and Elastica. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." I feel like he says that a lot, I think to myself, but I leave it alone.

"Alright," I say.

"So Phoenix is just gonna sit there until Elastica's dead?" Ice asks.

"Yep," Ky replies before I can. "Not KG14, but one step closer, that's for sure. No more She-Wyrm for the so-called King of Ragdon. One more piece taken away from him and one more piece taken to weaken him. Keep doing this and he'll be standing on pillars of sand, not that he isn't already. Time's a tickin', KG14. You won't be ruling for much longer, if ruling's what you'd call it. Don't you worry, KG14. We'll make sure you get everything you've done to us returned tenfold."