Art by CtheTtheG!

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains a mild reference to sexual abuse, as it's a part of Carmen's backstory. If you don't want to read that, please feel free to skip the second scene of this chapter.

Yet I feel I am obligated to speak of the ill effects that power brings, so you have all the information possible in order to make the best decision for Etheria in the long-term.

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That night, Micah levitated, jumping between the bulbous spires of Bright Moon Palace until he reached a balcony at the very top of the enormous structure. Queen Angella stood on the balcony as Micah grabbed hold, climbing over and dropping the levitation spell. Out of breath, he bowed before her, grinning. "Your Majesty."

Angella bent down slightly and kissed him on the cheek. "Hello, Micah," she said softly. "How did this evening go?"

"Terribly," he said, smile enduring. "We met a strange lady typing on a holo-pad, but I didn't have enough evidence to investigate her."

His fianceé smoothed her white skirts, frowning slightly. "I see. And what was her name?"

"I don't know," Micah said, leaning back over the balcony slightly. He'd grown used to heights since perfecting his skills with levitation, and now the ground below didn't seem so overwhelming. "She was mute. Nell knows how to talk to nobles better than me – we handled it fine."

"Did you access the holo-pad, by chance?"

Micah nodded. "She was typing a report explaining what a party was. I don't know why."

Angella's eyes darkened at this news, and she brought a gloved hand to her chin. "That is strange. Who was she explaining it to?"

"Some sort of 'lord,'" Micah sighed. "It was the strangest thing."

"Not if her leader came from another world...which I'm certain Hordak did," Angella said, sighing. "Stars, now we have a dark sorceress to deal with on top of everything else."

Micah crossed his arms, forcing himself not to dwell on recent battles. In the past month alone, the Horde attacked many villages on the edge of the Whispering Woods – Thaymor, Lorayna, Adatha...

Illuras had undergone an attack seven years ago; Micah had been part of the rebellion force, along with Light Spinner. But the lack of attack – or even scouting – in the golden city worried him. What was the Horde planning?

"I'll stop her," Micah said. "I have to."

Angella nodded. "But don't work yourself too hard, Micah...you have two lives. The general, and the man. Do not forget the latter, my love."

Her rosy skin was tinted by blue moonlight, and her long pink hair waved over her shoulders in the gentle breath of the wind. Micah didn't care that she was immortal – he loved her. Whereas she was drawn to the scrappy, funny man who'd grown up a pauper on the shores of Tropicilas, he found her quiet elegance to be irresistible.

Micah inched closer to her, kissing her. Angella's skin always smelled of jasmine; her lips were warm against his. When he had first met her as a young teenager, he never dreamed he would end up as her fiancé once he became an adult.

Some people are worth growing up for, he thought, mind lost in bliss.

✧✧✧

Carmen sat on the floor, brushing Catra's hair. Felinetta fur was right difficult to groom, and her daughter's caterwauling hurt Carmen's overly sensitive ears. It was all she could do not to cringe, to cover her ears till the din subsided.

But by golly, she loved her kit. Catra was a miracle child, with a stillborn twin; Carmen had named her sibling Salam. Peace. She never knew the baby's sex – felinettas had to develop for a little longer after birth before one could tell. The name was all Carmen had of the other kit. That, and her baby Catra. The merciful gift from Raiya in the midst of that hellish year.

She finished brushing Catra's hair and tucked the kit into her crib, wondering how long it'd be before Catra stopped screaming at everything. Carmen wouldn't complain – she loved her baby – but between her screaming and Li'l Miss Adora's, it was a wonder she wasn't deaf yet.

Shads entered the room, exhausted, and took Adora from her crib. The human baby cooed softly as she was reunited with her mama, and Shads lay on her bed, Adora's chubby little body on her breast. They always shared a bed; Carmen couldn't fathom how one did that, what with the threat of screamin' next to her ears. Raiya forbid!

She cleared her throat, walking over and sitting on a stool. "How was it?"

"Disgusting," Shads said bluntly, patting Adora's bum. "Carmen...tell me a story. Please."

"A story?" Carmen echoed. "Well...I don't read much, my lady."

"You have a holy book," Shads said. "Don't those have interesting tales?"

"I ain't allowed to read it," Carmen said. "It's prideful."

"Then how will you know the truth?"

"The priests tell me, my lady."

"And what if they lie?"

"They'll stand before Raiya for that," Carmen said with a shrug. "My lady, with respect, I know you're an atheist. Would'ja please respect my faith?"

Shads was quiet for a moment. Carmen winced; she had no right to demand respect from her masters. Adora stuck her meaty fist in her mouth as Carmen's lady shrugged. "Very well. Tell me about the creation of the world."

Carmen swallowed. "A'ight. So at the beginning, there was this big ol' god named Raiya."

"Rhea?"

"Rye-a," Carmen said, saying the word slowly. "He's all-knowin', all-lovin', all-powerful..."

"Religious scholars call those the omni attributes," Shads murmured, closing her eyes. "Go on."

Carmen nodded. "Long time ago, he created lots'f different races on this planet. Kryteya's its namesake, but we've never been able to dig up what the actual place was called." She frowned. "But then...there was a war."

Shads perked up; Carmen loved when her lady showed interest in things, rather than the sad apathy that seemed to radiate off of her. Carmen swallowed. "Most'f us sided with the enemy, y'see. As punishment, Raiya said we had to become his auto...auto..."

Damnit. Don't know the word in Kriesges. "Robots," she tried. "We couldn't think, couldn't have free will, couldn't feel. One of our leaders, the Intercessor, went an' talked to him. Said we would willingly subject ourselves to servitude, in hopes'f escapin' the fate'f losin' yourself."

"How...sickening," Shads murmured. "And you believe Raiya is good?"

"'Course," Carmen said. "We disobeyed." Clearing her throat, she shifted on the stool. "But the Intercessor broke the deal. He took about five thousand'f us to Etheria. Raiya destroyed our planet, renderin' millions'f people dead..." She bit her lip. "And then the stars burned out. We saw what happened to our home. We saw, an' we changed. The Kitab Al'aqdas is our book – we obey it, live by it. And pray Raiya's anger won't find us."

A moment of silence. "That's dreadful," Shads murmured. "I love it."

"Whatcha mean?"

"Religions always have the most interesting fairy-tales," she explained. "The Seraphites have many of their own." A chuckle. "Thank you, Carmen. You may retire."

Carmen nodded, although she wasn't sure why her lady discounted the Kryteyan stories. It was only natural – karma was how the world worked. Carmen had hidden her womanhood from her previous master. A master whom she'd thought loved her. 'Cause of that, Jibril had forcefully – terribly – deflowered her in his own cell.

How else could Carmen make sense of the world? If she had been better, it wouldn't have happened. It was freeing, in a way, to know that she had control over her circumstances. That way, she could ensure they didn't trap her again.

She lay on her cot, curling up on her stomach and dozing off with this in mind.

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Did you know...

- Originally, Carmen and Shadow Weaver had a tenser relationship. However, given that I didn't want to make the conflict seem contrived and boring, I cut this and replaced it with something better. Keep reading to find out what it is.

- I had a tough time figuring out where to place Micah and Angella's relationship, but ultimately decided to place it at "engaged", even though Micah is very young when this is taking place. I aim to portray him as someone who "grew up too fast", so I think it still works, even if it wouldn't be ideal in real life to marry so young.

Tell me what you think...

- What stands out to you about Kryteya?