I opened a tin of magnolia paint, only to discover an ignited burst of striking orange; a flame-throwing hit of heat.

That, I was not expecting.

I gently danced my paintbrush across the stricken wall, as the room lit-up and my heart began to glow. Life flooded into being.

A strike of magnificence.

I looked around the rest of the room, and considered how it would look to paint every wall in orange. Imagination ran wild.

The elation of free will.

Swirling scents of sensual symphony, a tempting tactile tryst. Twisting time in a sepia century; the electric paint, I kissed.

I'm free

Finally

After years of waiting, I'm free

Free

Free from the scientists who kept me

The wizards who captured me

The guards who toyed with me

Free

I'm free

But there's one thing I'll miss

Miss, about that laboratory in the heart of magic

That I was imprisoned in

It's him

Him with the golden hair

Tan skin

Baby blue eyes

Those glasses that seemed to be able to do anything

A cover for the intelligence hidden behind

I'll miss him

When he set me free that day

Broke my chains

Opened the window

Did his magic to heal my thin wings

I almost said "no"

Almost stayed behind with him

Almost let myself get killed all over again, again

But he said,

"Go free"

"Go to your family, your friends"

"Don't worry about me"

"Go on, leave"

So now

I'm free

At a cost

A fee

But I left

No regrets

I'm free

I'm free

______________________________________________________________

Now, I'm not sure if I interpreted the challenge correctly. But it was a bit vague so I just went along with it~

This "takes place" in another fantasy world of mine.

Magic is a fairly normal aspect of life, though not everyone knows magic.

The narrator is a humanoid magical creature, much like a fairy.

The "heart of magic" refers to the "capital" of the island where the "countries" are situated. It is called "Magic Heart" so I supposed it would be appropriate to call it "heart of magic", as it is also the center of magic on the island.

The lab is a famous/infamous lab located in Magic Heart.

And the island is called Avontalis or Avontalia (either) , for those who want to know.

Free will.

That's a joke.

Or is it?

Let's talk about "free will", some faiths say that all is written...

If that's so, then all the decisions that any of us have made, haven't even been ours to make. "That's the way it was decided to be".

Many say that we are granted free will. And yet, it's all written by one who knows all, the beginning and the end.

Same story.

What if we are the creators?

And it is our will that forms this world.

This reality.

What if it is our free will to believe that things are real, that makes them real?

We've made ourselves comfortable

In our perverse standards.

Now it's scary to imagine

being able to do whatever you want,

no one telling you

what they think is best

Acting like they know you

More intimately then you know yourself.

It's safe to say chains and locks are key in holding people back

Making sure they stay in line

Do as there told

Kept quiet

And peaceful

And docile.

Similarly you can say

Words and looks hold people in the same way.

Perhaps even more effectively

For encouragement,

after a beat of too long silence

Is the best way to make them rethink

Freedom.

Did anyone else think of Supernatural?

The words "free will" mean only this to me now.

An angel, a freak, and a good soldier gone rogue: interpret them however suits you, unless you've watched the show.

I'm such trash...

Anyway though.

"Free will" to me, means the opposite of its common definition. To have freedom you have to have limitations, but those limitations will always be pushed, no matter how hard you try to accommodate everyone. The people who can't settle for less are the ones who truly gain free will by rebelling. But did they bring freedom on themselves, or did something cause it? "Something" as in the circumstance they just got themselves out of. I think free will is a cause-and-effect cycle of thought which repeats and contradicts itself to no end, that created (will continue to create) life as we know it. Team Free Will for the win.