"Ludwig," the voice echoed through his mind.
The Knight King's voice cut through the noise cleanly, grounded and steady.
"Seems like you need a new necklace," he added, almost dryly.
Ludwig glanced down between the folds of his regalia. Nestled against his chest was the necklace, a simple thing at a glance, a small vial suspended on a chain. It had once held water drawn from the sacred Life Tree of the elves. A tool given to him by Queen Lorina herself, meant to soothe and suppress the Heart of Wrath coiled inside him.
The vial was empty. Completely dry. Not even residue clung to the glass.
"Probably," Ludwig replied mentally, the admission coming easier than he expected.
He hadn't realized it at the time, but during his fight with the Envious Death, he had pushed his aura too far. Overextended it.
