The King's Remorse

Kill Her!

Drawing upon my anger when Dove was about to be shot by an arrow, I burn, exploding into my wolf form. Elastica barely has any time to react as I land on her back, tearing into her skin with my claws. Green runs down towards the ground and coats the fur on my paws.

The She-Wyrm twists around, and she tries to wrap one of her tentacle-like arms around me, but the end of her arm is still a few feet from me. I try to bite at her neck, though she jerks her head back. A look of disbelief mixed with horror and confusion takes over her face. I jump down from her back to stand beside Dove, who's still in his bird form.

"What are you?" She breathes. The growl rumbling in the back of my throat is the only response the She-Wyrm gets. A sick smile spreads across Elastica's face as realization dawns upon her.

"Looks like I'll just have to kill you without using magic then. I like a challenge."

She starts to float closer, but a rustle in the bushes makes her hesitate. "Wait right there!" It's Phoenix and Ky who appear. Phoenix throws himself at Elastica with a roar, and the temperature around me spikes. Elastica rolls to the side as Phoenix barrels into her, and her skin darkens as it burns. Droplets of green fall to the ground. It's only a minute or two longer before Phoenix is holding onto the She-Wyrm by her throat. Elastica goes still.

Phoenix's eyes glow like an inferno. He tightens his grip, digging his claws further into her skin. The darkened patch of skin on Elastica continues to grow. Elastica's emerald eyes flutter, and her long mane of hair falls softly against her back. A few moments later, Elastica closes the gap between her and the ground. Twigs snap as she falls to her side, and Phoenix keeps his forepaws forcing her to the ground. The black cat tightens his grip more, causing a thick stream of green blood to bubble around his mouth. His sides tremble with fury.

"Don't you think we should show her a bit of mercy? She's given up," I murmur after shifting back to my human form. Dove follows a moment later.

"No. Finish her off, Phoenix. Just like you said, show her what KG14 has done to us but tenfold," Ky says. He's oddly angry, more like Phoenix than himself.

"Elastica tried to kill us, Wolf." Dove turns to me.

"I know... But she isn't fighting back. It doesn't feel right."

"If you really want to spare her, we can."

"No! We can't! Phoenix and I vowed long ago that we would kill each and every one of KG14's minions, leaving him for last. Elastica dies today." Ky whirls around, disbelief and anger written across his face.

"What if she dies later? We can kill her with KG14 watching. One more for him to watch die as we leave him for last."

Ky ponders Dove's words. He takes a deep breath, and the fury bleeds from him.

"Fine," he says. "Phoenix, let her go."

Phoenix snarls in response, not following what Ky said. "Let Elastica go, Phoenix. Wouldn't it be better if she died with KG14 watching?" The black cat hesitates at this, and his grip on Elastica's throat loosens just enough for her to be able to draw in a slight breath, though the She-Wyrm remains unconscious.

"See, Phoenix? Elastica's unconscious. She can't fight back, and she isn't fighting back. Could you please show her a little mercy?" I shift uncomfortably since I know Phoenix wants nothing more than to rip the She-Wyrm to pieces.

After a few long moments of deliberation, Phoenix releases his hold on Elastica's throat, and the She-Wyrm falls to the ground with a thud. Blood slowly flows from the wound on her neck, just below her jaw. Phoenix sends Elastica a death glare before stalking back towards us. He continues on, shouldering his way past us, and we follow him.

"We should've killed her," Phoenix growls once Dove finds a spot to stay for the night.

"She wasn't fighting back. It didn't feel right," I say, climbing a nearby tree and sitting on the lowest branch.

"Elastica supports KG14! She has to die! Anyone who supports that evil, miserable excuse of a person-." Phoenix tears deep scores in the ground with his claws as he bares his fangs.

"Phoenix, calm down. It's alright." Ky closes the distance between him and his brother in a few strides.

"No, it's not. It won't be alright until everyone who thought, even for the tiniest sliver of a second, that KG14 was right about anything is lying dead in a heap of ashes, and KG14 and the Amethyst Throne have been charred away to nothing."

"Take a deep breath, Phoenix. Take a deep breath. You need to calm down."

"Don't tell me what to do, Ky," Phoenix snarls.

"Elastica is in the past, Phoenix-."

"No, Elastica most definitely isn't in the past, Ky. She is still alive and breathing since I didn't kill her, but I should've. I should've killed her. I should've ripped out her throat, torn her apart to bits, let my fire rage until she's nothing more than a pile of ashes." The ground at Phoenix's feet is curling up as it chars. Ky shakes his head.

"You'll have your chance, Phoenix," is all Ky says.

"Well, since you two didn't catch anything, Ky and I will go get something to eat." Phoenix starts off back into the forest, and Ky trails behind him by a few steps.

Dove climbs up the tree and sits down next to me. "What's next?" I ask.

"What do you mean?"

"What are we going to do next?"

"I'm not really sure. Obviously stay away from Guard and Soldiers and anyone else who works for King Garonda XIV. Perhaps see if we can find Arcane, if he still exists."

"So..." My voice trails off.

"So, what?" Dove turns to me.

"Are you mad that I didn't stay in the tree?" I wince, waiting for him to get mad.

"I wouldn't say I am mad, but I am a bit disappointed in you, Wolf."

"I'm sorry, Dove."

"It's alright. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" I can hear the smile in my brother's voice.

"Well..."

"What you did was dangerous, and, honestly, pretty stupid. But thank you. I'm just glad you're safe, Wolf. Let's try not to do that again, though." Dove pulls me into a hug from where he's sitting on the branch, and I don't hesitate in wrapping my arms around him.

Dove jumps down from the tree, turning around and reaching out a hand once he's on the ground. "Come on. You're going to need to know how to fight."

"Alright. How long is this going to take, though?" I jump down next to him.

"It shouldn't take too long. You already know how to fight, but it's locked away somewhere in the back of your mind. We just have to find it. It'll all come back to you. Ready?"

"Yeah?" It comes out more like a question.

"Great." Dove smiles before he lunges.

Thank you for reading! Please vote if you enjoyed this chapter, and please comment!

Was it a mistake of Wolf to let Elastica be spared?

What's going to come of her decision?

Will Wolf remember everything of how to fight?

-Werewolf14-