The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5

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SpoilerBehold the illustrated version https://www.patreon.com/posts/28630136 or https://adleryoung.tumblr.com

>Adler: Of course they can't just come in. Why would they? Why would it be easy? Why would anything in your wretched, misbegotten life ever be easy?

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"Heh," I giggled as the irony of my situation began to sink in. "Of course, heh heh. Of course you can't come in. And I, heh heh, I can't leave the circle either, ha ha."

>Adler: Denied everything, even an honorable death. There would at least have been some dignity in being executed by elite shrub troops. Start laughing, it's not a healthy laugh.
Adler: You begin having a mental breakdown, all your emotions come rushing out, and you just begin hysterically laughing....
>Laugh insanely. Laugh maniacaly. Laugh like never before.

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"AH HA HA HA," I bellowed as I doubled over with uncontrollable mirth. "I'VE LOST EVERYTHING! HA HA HA HA HA! MY KINGDOM, MY FAMILY, EVERYONE I CARED ABOUT, ALL GONE! HA HA HA! EVEN MY LOWFOLK SWEETHEART GAVE UP ON ME AND MARRIED A NINCOMPOOP! HA HA HA HA HA HA! THE DUCHESS OF DAISIES IS FREE HA HA AND I'M TRAPPED HERE AND CAN'T EVEN RECEIVE AN HONORABLE DEATH AT THE BRANCHES OF MY ENEMIES! AH HA HA HA HA HA OH FUMA, IT'S HILARIOUS! HA HA I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING"

"Hey," the trees rustled. "Are you okay?"

>Adler: This is all their doing. Which they? Who's they? ALL OF THEM! All the people who've tugged you around on strings. Not a single action you've performed in your life has been of your own will. You're not a prince, not even a person, you have always been and always will be a puppet.
Shrubs: Become very uncomfortable watching this.
>Start cracking at the seams. Scream and tear your fur. Start babbling like a lunatic.

"OKAY???" I yelled, suddenly not laughing anymore. "HOW COULD I BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN OKAY CONSIDERING THE WAY MY LIFE HAS BEEN MANAGED FOR ME BY THE SISTERHOOD, BY THE VULPITANIANS, BY FELF, BY THE EMPIRE? EVERY DAMN GROUP THAT HAS A STAKE IN ME HAS MANIPULATED ME TO THIS POINT! WELL THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! ADLER YOUNG IS NOT YOUR PUPPET ANYMORE!"

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>Adler: You've finally hit your breaking point. This is it, you're losing your damn mind. They obviously still need you alive, which is why you're still here and why this is happening. How could any of them bear to let go of their most valuable pawn. That's what you are, a chesspiece that everyone has their hands on. Well, there is one thing you can do that they can't stop. How tragic it would be for them all to have their precious plans crumble to nothing if their most valuable patsy were gone. You still have that power, you wish you could see the looks on all of their back-stabbing, conniving faces. It'll be easy...
>???: "STOP!!!"
you know how They need to suffer now, Adler.
>Oh, it's the Duchess. Has she come to gloat about ruining you? She lost at Percythorpe too, remind her of that. Ha!

"I DO NOBODY'S BIDDING BUT MINE FROM NOW ON!" I screamed as I began apporting limbs from the surrounding woods and piling them up around me.

"Ow! Hey, stop that!" the trees objected.

"QUIT COMPLAINING!" I shrieked, apporting limbs at a furious pace. "YOU'VE WON, DON'T YOU SEE? I'M DONE BEING THEIR PLAYTHING! THEY PUSHED ME TOO FAR, AND THAT'S IT! ALL OVER! THEY PLAYED POORLY AND THEY'VE LOST THEIR PRECIOUS PUPPET! AWWW, TOO BAD FOR THEM, THEIR AMBITIONS WILL NEVER BE REALIZED, BOO HOO, BECAUSE I'M QUITTING RIGHT NOW! I'M GONNA GO OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY LIKE A TRUE SCION OF IRENAEUS AND THEN THEY'LL REGRET MESSING WITH ME! AFTER EVERYTHING I'VE BEEN THROUGH I DESERVE THIS!!"

"STOP!!" somebody yelled.

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"IS THAT YOU, DUCHESS CATHERINE?" I snarled at the peak of my fury as I held up a sizzling fire cantrip, primed & ready to ignite the pile of branches. "COME TO GLOAT? WELL YOU'RE TOO LATE, YOUR GRACE! I'VE SURRENDERED TO THE SHRUB KNIGHTS AND THEY'RE GOING TO SUCCEED WHERE YOU FAILED. YOU HEAR ME? YOU FAILED!!!"

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"PLZ STOP," Angela Weakflit beseeched me. "Dont burn Urself up, Ur Higness! ZOMG! I luv U!!1!"

"We love thee as well, Sire," several of the other Ixies stated. "Though in a completely different way."