"Brook," Clap whimpers, turning around. "Why did th-they do that t-to her?"

"Because they're monsters." My voice is icy as I stand up.

You're going to regret this, the snake hisses.

Yeah? Well, should've when you could've, and I don't think so.

"Are you ok, Luke?" Freedom takes a step toward Clap.

"Fine. Bryant's just gonna have hell to pay."

"Very well. I do not have any complaints with that."

"Luke, c-can you make Brook disappear? I don't want h-her t-t-to be a-alone out here." I stiffen at Clap's request. The only time I'd turned anyone to dust was to kill them, and I'd always felt terrible afterward. It's your fault she's dead. It's the least you could do, the snake says.

"Sure." I glance over at Freedom, and she nods.

Really? You think this is nice? It's the same as the Guard and Soldiers you've killed.

No. No, it's not. I'm following Clap's request.

I curl the tips of my fingers, and the dust circles around me as the ebony veins fall from my eyes and the horns sprout from my head. My right hand tightens into a fist before I reach out and spread my fingers, sending the dust toward Brook's body. At first, it's just the feathers on her hooves that shimmer and dissolve, but the rest of Brook's body soon follows and she crumbles. All that's left is a bit of dust that soon blows away in the breeze.

Nice job, Luke. Another 1 down.

I hate you, snake. You really have no conscience.

Everything I do, I do for the King. You're just helping me.

Not anymore.

We'll see.

Clap stares at the spot where Brook had laid. Then she turns around. "Can we kill the King?"

"That's the plan." A faint smile tugs at the corner of my mouth.

"He send-sent th-the guys who killed Brook." Her tail rests against the ground and her ears droop.

"He'll pay. I promise."

"Wh-why did they kill her?" Tears water in her eyes.

"They're monsters." Freedom echoes my words.

"Sh-sh-sh... sh-she didn't-. She... why?" Clap's voice cracks.

"I wish I could say."

Nice, trying to comfort Clap when you got Brook killed. How nice of you.

You're despicable, snake.

At least I'm not trying to comfort the stepdaughter of the being you got killed. Aren't you something special.

I didn't get Brook killed. The Guard and Soldiers killed her, not me. I'm not responsible.

Keep telling yourself that, Luke.

Shut it, snake. It goes quiet, curling up and watching from the back of my mind with glittering amethyst eyes. If it could smile, I'm sure it would be right now.

"Freedom, keep Clap safe. Get out of here, and stay away. Bryant won't get away with anything."

"You're really gonna k-kill him?"

"He's done enough. He'll pay."

"Ph-Phoenix said he was g-going to."

"If Phoenix does, great. But he will be held responsible for what he's done." The ground begins to rumble beneath my feet, but I silence it.

"Be careful, Luke. I know of a spot we should be safe. Come on, Clap. Let's get you out of here, alright?" Freedom's voice turns soft as she talks to her daughter.

Aww, how sweet, Luke. You're trying to protect Clap. Big softie.

You're disgusting, snake.

Aww, thanks. You're disgusting too.

I can't wait to figure out how to get you out of my head.

I'm rather comfy.

You won't be for long. You'll be gone.

We'll see about that.

"Stay safe, Luke. I'll be with Clap." I nod, and Freedom leads Clap away.

I know I said I'd stay with Clap, but I can't. Not when Bryant's going to just keep sending more Guard and Soldiers. I can't. Besides, Freedom can protect her better than I ever could. I can't with the snake in my mind.

Hmm. Afraid are we?

Shut it. I'm not afraid of you.

Sure.

The trek back to the White Tent Sea is quicker. Partially because it's downhill, and partially because I'm in a hurry.

The sun beats down overhead until a few clouds roll in overhead. Ragdon Volcano eventually becomes another feature in the landscape behind me.

xxxx

Dusk is falling when I reach the White Tent Sea. Or, should I say, what remains of the White Tent Sea. The sturdy tree trunks that had held up the walls of the tents are splintered and strewn across the ground. Arrows riddle the ground, and I see bodies laying motionless, some in the middle of the streets of the Sea, others beneath debris. Dried blood coats their bodies like a 2nd skin.

"Dust Devil!" I whirl around.

"Don't call me that." My voice is cold.

"S-sorry." The person holds up their hands.

"What do you want?"

"I-I was just hoping you could help."

"Help with what?"

"Th-the King," the person's voice shakes as it turns soft.

"The King?"

"Yes."

"What about him?"

"H-he sent th-the Guard and Soldiers. They d-d-destroyed th-the Sea!"

"They did this?" I turn around to look at the carnage before facing the person again.

"Yes. Wolf, Phoenix, a-and those 2 f-from... wherever they're f-from k-kept them from completely d-destroying everything."

"Why are you coming to me for help?" I'm the last person you should be asking for help against Bryant.

"Wolf s-said you didn't want t-to be a Soldier." The person looks at the ground, shifting on their feet.

"What's your name?"

"I-. Uh, Miles."

"Oh, the doctor?"

He nods, and I hum in reply.

"Where did the Guard and Soldiers head, Miles?"

"Phoenix killed most of them. He was h-heading for the castle. The 2 from the other... is it dimension of Ragdon? They chased off the rest, though."

"Seneca and Icarus. Seneca's the deer, and Icarus is the eagle. Has Phoenix reached the castle?"

"I-I don't think so. Last I saw, Phoenix and Wolf were in a huge argument over that hill. The 1 on the way to the castle. They might've been fighting. It was hard to tell."

"Thanks. Stay away from the castle."

"Wait, you don't want to be a Soldier, right? You said not to call you Dust Devil, and Wolf said you didn't want to be a Soldier."

"That's true. Don't call me Dust Devil."

"What's your name?"

"Luke."

"Good luck, Luke."

"Thanks. It won't be luck that I need." It'll be the strength to hold back the snake.

Sure enough, as I draw up to the crest of the hill Miles had mentioned, I see Wolf and Phoenix. Constellations glow on Wolf's skin, and fire blazes around Phoenix. "I told you I was going to kill the King. Tear his life from his body. See the fear in his eyes as I shed his lifeblood after forcing him to watch as I destroy his measly little Throne. Now, let me go before I force my way through." Scorpius gleams brightly on Phoenix's pelt.

"You heard what Seneca and Icarus said; destroying the Amethyst Throne killed every magic-wielding citizen except for them!"

"That's what happened in their world."

"Each dimension of Ragdon is nearly identical."

"Nearly."

"The differences are insignificant with this. You go after the Amethyst Throne, you kill countless here in this dimension of Ragdon."

"I'm willing to take that risk. He has to pay. He has to feel just a FRACTION of what he did to me and my family. He slaughtered my parents and newborn -NEWBORN!- sister. She didn't even get a SHOT at life. And then he forced Ky into using the last of the Blood Demon's power." Phoenix's eyes blaze in a furious inferno as his sides heave with each seething breath. Every muscle is tensed and his claws dig into the soil.

"Please, let's figure out how to safely destroy the Amethyst Throne. You... you can do what you want with the King, but leave the Throne alone until we know how to safely destroy it. Please?"

"You know, I thought you would've been more excited about the KG14 dying. He did kill Dove, you know?"

"I know," Wolf's voice is soft, but her magic still swirls around her in a kaleidoscope. "I know he had Dove killed. But I don't wish for violence in the same way you do. You harbor the biggest grudge. I wish he weren't in power and weren't here, but I know what you're going to do to him and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. But... I won't stop you. I want him to suffer, but I do not wish the death you want for him on anyone."

"You wouldn't be able to stop me."

A rock is shaken loose when I take a step, and it tumbles down the hill. Phoenix's head snaps up and I duck down, flattening myself against the hillside. Did he see me? My heart races in my chest. But the black cat never races over. And after another few moments, he snorts. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure," Wolf says. I creep along the hillside until I reach a couple of trees and press my back flush up against 1 of them. A couple of leaves are drifting toward the ground.

"That was too close," I murmur under my breath.

Hmm. Shall we just kill them? They might've seen us.

Shut it, snake. I'm not killing them.

I peek around the side of the tree. Wolf and Phoenix are now talking. The look Phoenix is giving Wolf could easily put someone 6 feet under.

I make my way through the small collection of sparse trees. Bryant's castle is coming into view and is just past the next hill. I'm soon reaching the top of it.

The marble walls of the castle stretch tall into the sky, gleaming underneath the sunlight. Guard and Soldiers patrol the grounds.

"Dust Devil!" 1 of the Soldiers says when he notices me.

"Out of my way." I shoulder past him, ignoring his attempts to talk to me. I don't have time for them.

"My apologies, Dust Devil. I didn't mean to disturb you. Please forg-."

"Shut up and leave me alone," I snarl. The Guard and Soldiers who had been approaching me stop, hesitating and giving each other a confused look.

The ground rumbles as I enter the castle. Memories wash over me, but I force them to the back of my mind. The walls of the castle glow from the torches burning softly but are otherwise bare. The few people walking in the halls move to the sides when they see me coming through. A few greet me but I don't reply.

And soon after I'm approaching the double doors to Bryant's throne room. The same 2 Soldiers are standing guard, and 1 blocks the entrance. "Move," I say.

"What is your reason for being here?"

"Move. I won't ask again." Dust swirls around my ankles, and I know the ebony veins are darkening.

"What is your reason for being here?"

"Let me through." I twitch my fingers.

"Answer my question."

"Aah!" The other Soldier's hands fly to his neck. The dust had made its way into his throat, and it had cut off his breathing. I give the Soldier a bored look before holding up a hand and snapping my fingers. The choking Soldier's neck snaps and his body collapses to the ground.

I don't let myself feel the panic. I need to get through.

"Open the door." With a look of horror on his face, the Soldier shakily reaches for the handle on 1 of the doors and drags it open.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" I give him a fake smile as I walk through the doorway.

"Dust Devil! Oh, it's so good to see you! How have things been?" Bryant turns his head to the side. He's lounging sideways on the Amethyst Throne, head resting on a pillow on 1 of the arms, and his legs thrown over the side of the other arm.

"Bryant."

"Bryant, yes. Yes, that is my name. How have things been, Dust Devil?"

"They've been wonderful." Sarcasm drips from my voice as I humor Bryant in small talk.

"Yeah? Really?"

"No." End of small talk.

"What?" Bryant's face falls and he twists to be seated on the Throne. "What's going on?"

"The snake. You. Your Guard and Soldiers."

"Who did what? Who needs to pay?" Tears well up in my eyes; I know he would only react like this for me, for the Dust Devil he named, not anyone else. They're all replaceable for him.

"The snake does. And... and you. You knew this would happen. You knew it the second you told me to let my guard down and the snake infected my mind."

"What? Are you ok, Dust Devil?"

"No. No, I'm not. Because you stuck this snake in my mind and it keeps telling me to kill and it keeps taking over my body and using me to kill and leaves me to watch from the back of my mind. So no, I'm not."

"Dust Devil..." Bryant doesn't look surprised. My lip curls as I take a slow breath. Realization washes over me.

"You knew this would happen. Yet you did it anyway! How, Bryant. How could you?" Tears burn in my eyes and blur my vision. But I can't tear my gaze from the gleaming chunk of quartz known as the Amethyst Throne, and it remains stubbornly in focus. The snake rocks ever so slightly, purple eyes locked onto the Throne and held in a trance.

"You're my righthand man, Dust Dev-."

"Don't call me that! Don't call me that. You have no right. You turned me into a monster, forced me to kill fellow Guard and Soldiers, left the snake in my mind. It whispers things to me, luring me into committing more murders. It's taken over my mind, locked me away, and forced me to watch as it used my body to kill. Do you know how that feels, Bryant? Do you know how it feels when you're helpless to stop a being that's using your own body, the 1 you're supposed to feel safe in, to murder?

"You claimed to be the King of Ragdon, but you're no better than any of us. This, thing, whatever it is that you've created? It's just a sham. Get you to sign your life away, thinking that you're carrying out the 'great King of Ragdon's' wishes. But you're just using us for dirty work. So you get to sit here, never lift a finger, and rot away on the Amethyst Throne.

"You know what? You had me sold. I was ready to do anything you asked. Anything. And I wouldn't hesitate, think twice. But that little voice in the back of my head told me that it wasn't right. I shoved it back; I knew what happened when someone questioned you. They died. Despicable, really. But then I twisted my ankle and no 1 believed me when I said it still hurt, that it hadn't healed. They said it was in my head. That was 10 years ago. Before I became the so-called 'Model Soldier.' I must've done some pretty good acting, huh? Because no 1 questioned me, and everyone believed that I was the most dedicated to your cause. You know, I never really was able to figure out what your goal was beyond kill Wolf and Dove. And then you told me to let down the barriers in my mind, and the snake invaded my mind. A disease that corrupted my mind. How could you do that and not think twice? How could you do that to someone? The pain and misery it brought until I was able to get a handle on it?

"What was your goal in all of this? Just answer me that, Bryant." The walls of the castle shake, and cracks begin forming. Dust howls around me as my fingers curl.

"Dust De-."

"Luke. It's Luke. I've been serving you for well over a decade. Not once have you called me Luke. It's always been Soldier or now Dust Devil. Call me Luke. I will not ask twice."

Bryant scoffs. "Fine, then. Luke. My goal has been to better Ragdon."

"What a glaring success then, little King," Phoenix purrs, strolling into the Throne room. "Ragdon's so much better."

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of The King's Remorse! If you did, please comment on your thoughts and consider a vote!

How will Luke's confrontation of Bryant go? He seems to be acting an awful lot differently than usual

Phoenix has found his way to Bryant as well

How are Seneca and Icarus doing?

Wolf?

I hope you're having a wonderful day!

-Werewolf14-