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.

I soon pick up on some tracks of the Guard and Soldiers and track them toward the peak of Ragdon Volcano. From there, tracking them gets harder as the ground turns to rock. Plants thin out and eventually disappear, but Freedom finds an arrow that had likely fallen out of a quiver. "So you know Clap?" Freedom says.

"Hm?"

"You know Clap?"

"Not that well. I was busy with Bryant and trying to be the Dust Devil. Didn't really work out that well." The humorless laugh that threatens to escape is shut down by Freedom's magic.

"What was he having you do?"

"Become the Dust Devil, mostly."

"Have you seen Ice anywhere? Or Lynx?"

"I don't know about Lynx. He was at Bryant's castle, but then I took off the muzzle and haven't seen him since. Bryant had me capture Ice, though..." My voice trails off and it sounds so nonchalant. I internally cringe. Freedom stops walking.

"Wait, I think I see something up here."

I start to speed up but stop and turn around when I don't hear Freedom behind me. She's frozen, wings brushing the ground, completely motionless, save for the tremors that rack her body every so often.

"Are you ok?"

"You... you captured Ice and brought him to Bryant?" Guilt washes through me, but it's forced down by the sickening calm. I squeeze my eyes shut in my mind.

"Yeah," I manage to say after a few long moments.

"You brought Ice to Bryant?"

"Yes," I repeat. Freedom just stares at me.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure it means nothing, but I'm sorry." I look to the side, keeping my gaze on the ground.

Freedom's black eyes harden into swirling abysses of fury. Her trunk curls up and her ears pull back. Hatred burns, radiating from her in thick waves.

"Stay away from Clap. I'll find her and Brook, but don't go anywhere near Clap. In fact, just stay away from all of us. I don't want to see you again." Every word is laced with venom.

"I-."

"Save it. I don't want to hear you speak. Don't worry, I'll take back the magic. If I see you again, I'll do far more than keep you feeling calm." Freedom rushes at me, head high, wings flared, and tail lashing. I retreat to the side, shoving down the snake's cries to fight back as her magic dissipates and it comes out of hiding. No, is all I think. She doesn't slow, racing right past me with a snort. 1 of her wings lashes out and I fall to the ground, not fighting it. I exhale sharply as the jagged rock cuts into my palms, though the scrapes are shallow.

"I'm sorry," I whisper as I watch Freedom make her way across Ragdon Volcano and eventually disappear.

I'd just wanted to be the model Soldier. The 1 everyone thought I was. Bryant told me to find and capture Ice. He told me to, and I wanted to be the model Soldier so I did. I captured Ice and brought him to Bryant.

I sit down on a rock and let my head fall into my hands. My fingers curl into my hair and tug until I feel the sharp needles of pain.

Why can't something just be easy? I was following Bryant's orders, trying so hard to become the model Soldier and see Bryant how everyone else did and hang onto his every word how everyone else did. I captured Ice and brought him to the foot of the Amethyst Throne. Call me cruel for using Ice to try to become the model Soldier; I just wanted to be like them. But it failed. I still questioned Bryant. I still felt like I was dragging myself through every day. I still didn't agree with everything Bryant said. I still wasn't as bloodthirsty as the other top Guard and Soldiers, as willing to mindlessly follow Bryant, however hard I tried.

When asked, I'd said I didn't want to be the Dust Devil or a Soldier. I knew I wasn't lying. Being a Soldier is all I know. I look up to the sky. As if the sky'd be able to help. It's just air and clouds. Tears water in my eyes, but I blink them back. I'm not going to cry over Bryant. He's gotten enough of my tears. No need for more, no matter the pain he's caused me.

The snake stirs, sensing my wavering loyalties. A low hiss slips from its mouth and its amethyst eyes flash. Stop it, snake. He's not good. Even you should know that. Well, you're a product of the Amethyst Throne, so who knows what you think.

xxxx

Several minutes pass by before I see movement below me on the slopes of Ragdon Volcano. I squint, trying to figure out who the figures are. My stomach sinks when I recognize them as Guard and Soldiers. Have they gotten the pewter pendant? Dread seeps through my tissues and I feel sick. I jump off of my rock and watch the Guard and Soldiers. 1 of them yells something, but I can only make out 'can't'.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please comment and consider a vote!

Hmm. Got some Guard and Soldiers. What are they saying?

Have they gotten the pewter pendant?

Freedom found out Luke captured Ice and told him to stay away from Clap. What's going to happen with that?

I hope you're all having a wonderful day!

-Werewolf14-