Puppet

Everyone except the King was taken aback. He killed his own people! As the War Master, it was unthinkable to do so on a mission. Bane stood up, unsure what to do. But he steeled himself as he had to know more. 

 "Continue." 

 Freego, still under the Command Authority spell, continued, "Afterward, I could see myself walking back to Algoro. Upon reaching there, I felt myself giving orders and moving guards from their posts to certain spots. I tried and screamed, but it was as if I was in a cage while someone else was at the helm. That night, a horde of over fifty Ifrit entered the Kingdom where the guards previously were. They quickly tore through the outer layer and moved into the inner layer, killing people where they slept. It was a massacre. Before the Tribesmen or the guards even knew what was happening, the Ifrit had already pushed all the way to the castle." 

 "They were finally able to mobilize forces, but by then it was too late! I felt myself go to the Tribesmen and try to lead them to safety. Or so I thought. While they weren't paying attention, I killed them as well. I was a mere puppet." 

 Freego stated this, and although he was under the Command Authority, Bane could see tears rolling down his face. He could only imagine the guilt Freego felt as he watched his own body be used like a tool to bring about his Kingdom's demise. 

The rest of the Vanguard listened, struggling to comprehend what that could have been like. Danity tried to imagine her own body being used to kill Sylvie. Even Vanguard Kane was unsettled by this. But for a different reason. 'Such a power actually exist? What a terrifying power' he thought as he contemplated what he'd do if he had it. Vanguard Serena took this the hardest as she was the current War Master of Mordell. The ultimate betrayal by the position you'd least expect it from. She couldn't fathom it. 

Bane took a deep breath and urged Freego to finish his story. 

"After the Kingdom was overrun, another Ifrit I referred to as Chinni appeared. I then started to speak to him as if I was his leader. I spoke in a weird language, though I was able to understand it. I told it, 'Now that this one has fallen, another phase can be started. Do not disappoint me.'" 

"Beta then disappeared with the other Ifrit as Shai appeared in front of me. 'You have served my purpose,' it said, then I was impaled through my chest. As I lay there, I could feel the link severed. Alpha began glowing and leaped off into the night. It must not have been able to see my soul ability, as I was able to heal and wander away from the Kingdom. That is until I came into contact with the Mordell Warlord unit. 

Bane disconnected the Command Authority. Freego, regaining his will, immediately started to cry. It all had come back to him—the smell of the bodies, killing his own people. The advisors could not believe the story. 

"I'M SO SORRY, OH MY GOD, I'M SO SORRY!!" Freego screamed and cried. The Vanguard could only sit and take in everything that had been said. The King stood and then looked towards Bane. 

"Since he is yours, I will let you decide your judgment as you see fit." 

Bane nodded and moved toward Freego. As he knelt, Freego was so overcome with grief and guilt that he was slowly breaking. Bane summoned a hydra blade and drove it into Freego's heart. "It's okay now, brother. You can rest. Be at war no longer." 

 The rest of the Vanguard all silently approved the judgment. As a War Master, there would be no way for Freego to ever forgive himself. If Bane didn't do it, he was likely to take his own life. Freego slowly slumped forward. 

The room fell silent, the weight of Freego's words sinking in. The advisors looked horrified, and the Vanguard members exchanged uneasy glances. The King broke the silence, his voice steady but grim. "This is more dire than we anticipated. If the Ifrit can control our warriors, it means they possess a new level of threat we aren't currently prepared for. Servious quickly came over to retrieve the body. 

"With your permission, I would like to study him. If it's true the Ifrit have somehow gained an ability to take over a body, I would like to start researching counter methods." 

 Bane nodded as it made sense. This was now a new threat they must be able to combat at all costs to prevent a repeat of Algoro. As Servious carried Freego's body away, Bane turned to the King, his eyes full of resolve.