Ol'gaz's final shove had the opposite effect of what he intended. Instead of striking down the king as ordered, Florian jolted back to clarity.
The haze of rage lifted for a fleeting moment, leaving him standing at the edge of his fury. Disappointment and anger still surged within him, but for the first time, he managed to hold himself back.
"No," Florian said, his voice steady. He let his arms fall limply to his sides.
The crushing force around King Valentin's throat vanished in an instant. Gasping, the king collapsed, his body wracked with violent coughs as he clawed at his neck, desperate to fill his lungs with air once more.
Florian said to Ol'gaz, "I'm not you. And I never will be."
Without another word, he stepped over the lifeless bodies and walked away.
As Florian stepped into the inner courtyard, he came to an abrupt halt. Someone was waiting for him—someone eager not to speak with him, but with the thing inside him.
"Florian."
