WARNING!
BEEP!
BEEP!
BEEP!
Suddenly, Argider's body betrayed her. She couldn't move. Her limbs, which moments ago had been so bold, now felt like they were weighed down by invisible chains. She blinked, confused, as if trying to will herself forward. Why can't I move?! she screamed internally.
Across from her, Fialova had closed her eyes, her expression serene but expectant. Her lips, slightly parted, seemed to invite Argider closer.
The scene could've been plucked straight from the kind of courtly romance tales Argider secretly rolled her eyes at but secretly devoured. And yet, here she was, the Emperor herself, frozen like a statue.
Argider's mind raced. What's happening?! Or—by the gods—did someone cast some sort of binding spell on me?! Her panic only deepened as Fialova, blissfully unaware of her inner turmoil, remained perfectly still, waiting.
— [PUNISHMENT FLAG]
