"Phoenix." Bryant's eyes narrow. Purple streaks his irises.

"Hello." Phoenix smiles, but with the way his lips curl it's somewhere between a snarl and a smile.

"How'd you like the little welcome gift outside?"

"Oh, those Guard and Soldiers?"

"Yes."

"I didn't realize how little you thought of me. I didn't even have to lift a paw. Too easy. Next time give me more of a challenge, will ya?"

"I'll keep that in mind." Their words are carefully chosen, tones smooth as they engage in their dance. They wait, watching the other. Neither makes a move, and the room falls into silence.

But then Phoenix starts to snicker and he shakes his head. "Are you alright, little cat?"

"Phoenix, but yes. I'm more than alright. I appreciate your concern."

"That's great. Wouldn't want to be picking on someone too much smaller than me when I do this." Bryant lifts a hand and slams it down on the arm of the Amethyst Throne. Earth explodes up, sending clouds of dust and debris flying. I raise a palm and everything stops, hovering in the air.

How am I doing this? I've barely done anything and it's like I can do anything.

Kill Phoenix.

Shut up, snake. No.

He's threatening the Amethyst Throne. He's a THREAT! KILL HIM!

No, snake. Shut up!

KILL PHOENIX NOW!

Shut it, snake. I'm not harming Phoenix.

"I have the disease of the Amethyst Throne too, Bryant." I lower the debris harmlessly to the ground.

"Don't call it that. It's a gift! The Amethyst Throne chose you. It's an honor to get the opportunity to be a vessel for the Amethyst Throne, an outlet for its capabilities."

"It's an honor, it's a gift. Blah, blah, blah. I don't care. You're wasting your time. You're preaching to the wrong choir. It seems your little... display backfired. Hadn't seen that 1 coming." Phoenix smiles, and it's all gleaming fangs. Flames crackle across his pelt as he stalks forward.

The ridged sides of the Amethyst Throne darken, swirling with deep purples as the black cat draws near.

Kill Phoenix, Dust Devil.

Not Dust Devil. Luke.

Don't care, Dust Devil. Kill him.

Still no.

KILL HIM! The snake throws itself against the barriers surrounding it, and I stumble, falling to my knees as I grip the sides of my head. I choke on a cry of pain.

"What's going on, Dust Devil?" The snake strains to take over.

"It would seem that your disease is trying to take over Luke, not Dust Devil."

"That confidence will get you killed."

"You're thinking of arrogance. Arrogance will get you killed, not confidence. Confidence is earned."

Bryant just scoffs, rolling his eyes.

I take a deep breath as I force the snake further into my mind. It spits and hisses, telling me that Phoenix is a threat to the Amethyst Throne and must be destroyed.

Stop it, snake. Phoenix may be violent, but he's not the threat.

Yeah, right.

He's not.

I look up, getting back onto my feet. I stumble but stay upright.

The Amethyst Throne is shaped like a mountain, with the seat Bryant's sitting on carved into the top. It swirls with purples, darkening as Phoenix draws closer. "Weak, are you?"

"Talking about yourself?" Phoenix's tail lashes.

"No, I'm not. I just noticed you haven't done anything yet."

"I'm basking in the knowledge that you're going to be dead very soon. It makes my stomach flutter in glee. I feel so warm and fuzzy inside."

"Give in, Bryant. Please. You know you cannot win this. You've done too much to Ragdon. It's over."

"What happened to you, Dust Devil?"

"Luke," I snap. "It's Luke. You didn't even hear what I said, did you?"

"Did Wolf do something to you? I knew I should've killed her the instant I had her here. I knew it."

"Do you hear yourself? Bryant, it wasn't anyone but you. Yes, I decided to become a Soldier, and it was my choice. But it was you who made being a Soldier such a hardship, and it was you who created the toxic environment, and it was you who forced your vision of Ragdon upon everyone."

"Who did this to you, Du-. Luke." Phoenix turns around to face me.

"Yeah, Luke, he's not listening. I'mma kill him now, if that's alright with y-. Oh, go to hell," Phoenix roars, spinning around and throwing up a wall of flames when Bryant raises the chunks of debris from the floor and sending them flying at the black cat.

"Watch your mouth."

"What are you going to do? Throw some rocks at me? You're gonna have to try harder than that." Bryant only smiles, resting his chin on his knuckles.

Phoenix lunges for the King, but once he gets within a few feet of the Throne, he's forced to a stop. He claws at the barrier, but he cannot break through. "You see, I don't think I'll have to try harder."

"This is the coward's move. Come on, face me. Let's have a real fight... chicken."

"I'm not keen to waste my time with low-lives like you. I think not."

"I'm not in any hurry, chicken." Phoenix lays down with a snicker.

He can't go after Bryant with the Amethyst Throne still there.

Kill Phoenix.

Still no.

I have a question, snake.

Are you going to kill Phoenix?

No.

I'm not interested then.

You want destruction?

Let's kill Phoenix.

Phoenix isn't dying today.

We can change that.

Do you want destruction?

Yes, b-.

Great. Let's destroy the Amethyst Throne.

I hesitate. The snake is a part of the Amethyst Throne. If I destroy the Throne, I destroy the snake.

How? I ask, cautious and guarded.

Reach out into the power of the Amethyst Throne and then pull it from the physical body of the Throne. It cannot survive without a host.

Ok.

I follow the snake's instructions, focusing on the glimmering Throne and reaching out a hand as I search for the power residing in it. Phoenix looks over his shoulder, frowning. I look past him and deep into the swirling depths of purple, past the ridged sides of amethyst, and straight into the center of the Throne. It's a dark purple that twists and turns, continually folding on itself, with light that shines throughout the Amethyst Throne.

Why hello there, Throne.

My surroundings have gone blank as I focus on the insides of the Throne. I see shapes within the internal power, snakes, dragons, stars.

I hear Phoenix ask me a question, but I can't make it out and I don't answer. I curl my fingers and begin to try to pull the power of the Amethyst Throne from its host. It takes all of my focus to remain seeing past the sides of the Throne and not return to my surroundings. The instant I try to move it, the Throne fights back. The ground vibrates, and my focus begins to shake.

My hair sticks to the back of my neck as I strain to break the Amethyst Throne's power from its host. I feel the heat of fire around me.

Let go, Dust Devil. You'll never win.

Maybe, maybe not. But after what I've done, I need to try.

And what is it that you've done now, Dust Devil?

Kill. Let you into my mind. Lie.

I weasel the Amethyst Throne a little further from its host.

You willingly let me in. I cannot gift anyone with my power without their consent.

And that's on me. I should've never agreed. It's on me for the rest of my life.

Don't you know what happened to Seneca and Icarus when they helped destroy me?

Yes. But they couldn't wield the power of the Amethyst Throne.

And what makes you so sure it'll work this time?

I'm not sure. I might fail. But I won't ever live it down if I don't try. Attempting and failing is far better than repeating history that never worked before. I might not be like Phoenix when I want something done, but I will not stop him when he goes to attack.

Hate to break it to you, Dust De-.

Stop calling me that.

Oh, what? Dust Devil?

Yes.

But that's your name. It became yours when you let the snake in.

My name is Luke. It's never been Dust Devil.

You let the snake in.

And I'm forcing it back out.

Sweat coats my skin as I fight for every inch I manage to drag the power of the Amethyst Throne. I can feel the snake's presence lessening. It tells me that I've betrayed it, but I ignore it.

The ground shakes around me, and I stumble. Hands steady me before they leave. Voices shout but I can't make them out.

Come on, Throne. I'm not going to let you win.

Glad we can agree on that. I'm not letting you win either. You're mine, Dust Devil. You agreed to let me in, and I don't let go of my vessels.

I'm sorry, but I cannot allow you to torment Ragdon any longer. Your time is up, Amethyst Throne.

It feels like an eternity that I'm grasping onto the Throne's power, pulling it bit by bit from its host. My muscles burn and ache but I don't let go. 

Just a little longer, I tell myself over and over until it feels like I'm trying to convince myself that it won't be for much longer.

As I bring the Throne's power closer to the surface, I begin to catch pieces of what's said around me. I hear Wolf's voice, and Seneca and Icarus's. And absolutely Phoenix. He's snarling at Wolf to set him free so he can go after Bryant, to which Wolf responds by saying no.

"Snap Luke back to it! Get him to say what's wrong." I feel the heat of Phoenix's flames as he bristles

"Phoenix, shut it before I make you. Whatever Luke's doing, no 1 will know until he says." Wolf's tone is sharp.

"Is it me or is the Amethyst Throne changing color? And your dear King seems to be awfully quiet now, doesn't he?" I hear Seneca walking by.

"Hmm. It does seem paler than usual. Is that Luke's doing?" Icarus's talons sound beside me.

The Amethyst Throne fights back tenfold as I bring it just below the surface of its vessel, and I struggle to keep my grip. My fingernails dig hard into my palms, causing blood to drip from between my fingers. I hear crackles splinter across the walls and ceiling of the castle. Someone curses. Something crashes to the ground.

"Dus-. Luke, stop it." Bryant's voice wavers ever so slightly.

"What's he doing?"

"He's pulling the Amethyst Throne's power away from its host."

"He's taking the Throne from you?"

"No. We're vessels for the Amethyst Throne. Its host is my throne."

"The power resides in the Amethyst Throne. Interesting," Icarus murmurs.

The snake writhes in my mind, cursing me and telling me that I'll regret it. But it grows weaker by the second, a force that's easier and easier to push away.

"Guys, what's going on?" Seneca's voice quivers.

"I honestly don't know. Luke, are you alright?"

I still cannot speak as I wrestle with the power of the Amethyst Throne.

"What the hell is he doing? Wolf, get Luke back to normal. It's a little creepy how he's just standing there. Use 1 of your constellations or somethin'. I've got this little itty bitty chicken King to kill."

"Is your King this quiet?"

"No. He's chatty. It's hella weird. Are you feeling alright, King? I wouldn't want to destroy someone who wasn't feeling well. It would be a shame."

The 1st mistake the power of the Amethyst Throne made was trying to weasel out of my grip rather than fight back. That cost it precious distance from the outside of the Amethyst Throne. And the 2nd was trying to get Bryant involved. The King hadn't moved from his throne in so long that he didn't know how to fight. That cost it more distance, and the power of the Amethyst Throne was now almost fully removed from its host.

"Anyone care to explain why the Throne is now almost see-through except for the spot over there?" I imagine Seneca was pointing, though I cannot be sure.

"He's almost removed the power from the Throne," Wolf murmurs. "You've got this, Luke."

Another minute or 2 that feels like an eternity, and power of the Throne comes loose with a snap.

Thank you for reading! I really appreciate it! Please comment on your thoughts and consider a vote if you enjoyed this chapter! This is the second-to-last chapter of The King's Remorse before the epilogue, so the story's wrapping up quickly!

Luke's pulled the Amethyst Throne's power from its host. Is it really over?

Will Phoenix be able to kill Bryant?

Is the snake gone from Luke's mind?

What will happen now that Luke has separated the Throne's power from its host?

I hope you're all having a great day

-Werewolf14- :)