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Nathair smiled. A smile that a little too big. Okay, definitely too big. If you heard of the Smile film, you’d know what he was talking about. Arsene was having second thoughts. He hoped that someone would find that will that he drew up somewhere.

“You think you have it all figured out, don’t you?” The distinct sound of dice was like music, as Old Snake stepped closer. He laughed softly, like he was descending into madness. Ah yes, good times. “You…want to know exactly what sort of ‘corruption’ I was in? My job was to keep Alessio alive and well”

His body was beginning to shift, just a little, face a little unnatural like a doll. Now Arsene knew why he felt a little unsettled.

“Ask me why, why I became a corrupt royal advisor to an insane war-devil and a pampered little paramour queen with more lovers than friends,” Nathair said, teetering on the edge of insanity. “go on, ask me.”

“Sounds fun, why did you…?!”

Naithar immediately grabbed his shoulder, gripping him with inhuman strength. There was no way that was the strength of a man.

“I wasn’t there for my own gain,” – Arsene started shifting his skin to the black dragon scales, but it didn’t do anything to protect him. “Do you know what people do to us? People with powers?”

Nathair leaned so close Arsene’s breath was on his neck as he whispered into his ear.

“Have you ever been experimented on, and told to be grateful to be left alive?” He said “Do you know what they’ll do to Alessio once they find him again – and they will find him, if I don’t reach him first.

“I was not hired to get a bastard-child prince off a throne that would never be his if the kingdom followed its natural order.” He hissed “If he lives to take the throne, he will be the first ability-born to have any royal ties since the Great Wars – he would be a symbol of a new age that is coming whether we like it or not.”

Arsene couldn’t focus on anything. He was seeing something, but what exactly he didn’t know. He felt the pain like needles going into his skin, seeing what appeared to be the memories of someone else. Old Snake’s perhaps.

“Every cult, every guild, every insurrection in Casumbra would kill to get their hands on an ability-born in his position or get him out of the way –“ He said softly “if you want to know where the boy disappeared to, ask him. Think what you like of my motives, but I will keep him safe and get him on that throne.

With your help –“ He dug his nails into Arsene’s arm, forcing a sharp prickling under his skin crawling with pain from experiences he absorbed that he could project at will. “or without it.”

Arsene didn’t know what happened, but he felt the mostly forgotten feel of his power activating. A burst of nether hit Naithar, stopping whatever that was. But it didn’t even work now. His power immediately deactivated. Arsene felt confused, like a part of his mind was missing. He ran, trying to get away, only to run into a wall. Naithar casually walked up to him, grabbing him by the throat.

Before whatever Snake Eye’s power was could activate again, he spoke in a sickly-sweet voice. “Sorry, but you will forget about me after this, my silly clown. Do you have any final words for me?”

Nauseous and tired, Arsene did the only thing he knew how to do. “Bubba shot the jute box last night, said it played a sad song that made him cry…”

Something dropped out of his coat, erupting in a white explosion.

 

Arsene snapped up, clutching his head. Everything seemed clearer now, but still garbled at the same time. He remembered everything that was said, but that was all. He couldn’t remember anything about old snake’s face except for that unnerving smile. Feeling in his pocket, Arsene realized something was missing. His flash powder. Wait a second, that white explosion. Was that…?

Did he just drop ALL of his flash powder because of old snake? And why was it old snake? Oh well, it was catchy and fitting. It would work until he figured out who that was.

But for now, Arsene just burst out laughing. “Good one, old snake! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, I can’t wait to figure out who you are!”

 

(DO NOT LOOK INTO THAT FILM ARSENE MENSIONED!!! IT WILL SCARE YOU INTO HIDDING UNDER YOUR PILLOW FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!)