The King's Remorse

Just a Short Little List

A soft purple glow casts shadows across the walls. My fingers curl, and my fingernails lengthen into claws. The leftover food on the tray begins to shimmer violet as my fingers clench in fists. Blood drips from my palms. It turns to dust by the time it reaches the floor. The food soon follows suit, wasting away and crumbling before disappearing altogether. Why? Why do I have to do this? I'm destroying the world around me.

I try to fight back against the disease, but every 1 of my attacks does nothing. It's as if the snake or disease didn't even realize I was doing anything.

I continue to watch myself as the disease sinks its talons deeper into my mind. The snake's eyes glow as I'm pulled into a trance, fatigue making me process the world around me far slower. I stop trying to fight the disease and snake; it just takes too much effort. A soft sigh escapes my mouth as I give up and let the disease weave whatever magic it wants, hoping the outcome isn't too bad in the end.

My fists tighten. Dust swirls around me before exploding outward in a shower of brown tinged with purple. Veins crawl up my neck and from my eyes. Horns curl from my head.

I look on helplessly as my armor crumbles and becomes a pile of dust. No, no, no! What am I supposed to do? I need that armor! But then it's as if time moved in reverse; the dust besoms my armor once more. That happens a few more times before the disease moves on, as if it became bored with my armor. The violet paint on my wall falls to the floor, then the chest becomes dust, revealing the folded stacks of my still-intact clothing. But those soon fall victim to the disease and snake as well. Just like before, the dust moves upwards, restoring the paint on my wall, the stacks of clothes, and the chest.

Watching my armor and clothes turn to dust and back again instills some of the fight back in me, but it's like trying hold water in a basket that's got holes. You can't. The snake doesn't look back when I try to force my way back into control of my body. I take a few deep breaths, willing myself to somehow be able to breakthrough. But I never can.

Time slips by like sand, and I lose track of how long the disease and snake have kept me locked in the back of my mind. Please, please, please let me out, I think, letting my hands drag down the barrier that prevents me from regaining control of my body.

After what feels like an eternity, the barrier gradually falls. I breathe a sigh of relief when I can once again move my body with my own commands. The veins disappear, and the horns turn to dust.

I fall back onto my bed and run my hands over my face. Why did I let the barriers in my mind fall? Why did King Garonda XIV, or rather Bryant, tell me to do that? He knew what would happen, right?

My mind wanders. Whatever the disease is, it doesn't seem like it will be going anywhere anytime soon. The dizziness is nearly gone, and I chase away the last bits of it. Almost back to normal. But the snake still remains curled up in my mind, chain body shifting as its purple eyes glitter darkly, as if it knows I'm looking at it. Why'd you have me kill the Guard and Soldiers? I don't want their blood on my hands.

Everyone's going to think it was me who killed the Guard and Soldiers. I've got no way to prove them wrong. I killed them, but it was the disease and snake controlling my body, not me killing them because I wanted to. How am I supposed to tell them that?

xxxx

I lose track of time, zoning out until I'm snapped back to reality by the pounding footsteps of Guard and Soldiers rushing about to start off their day.

"Bryant, here I come," I mutter. I quickly change and slip out the door, shutting it behind me.

Guard and Soldiers turn around when they hear me approaching. "Dust Devil!"