The details of this war were gruesome, and I shan't describe what it's like for an Obtainment Acolyte to suck the magic from a victim. The foolish woman did this once or twice in her life and was horrified every time. She's glad she has no thirst for blood anymore. But I digress.

❂❂❂

Micah ran, just as Shadow Weaver commanded him. He raced down the corridors of the Fright Zone, trying desperately to concentrate. He didn't know why she spared him. She wanted to kill him before...

I will not miss again.

Shadow Weaver made her choice. So now, he was going to escape, just as Carmen had offered. Micah was curious to know if the felinetta had influenced Shadow Weaver or if there was an upcoming betrayal planned by his old teacher.

He raced despite the pounding pain in his head. Ran despite the voice inside him telling him to surrender, to cave. Bullets popped off the wall as Shadow Weaver screamed with glee. "That's right, run away! Leave me here, as always. What's one more wound if I become God?"

Micah teleported, drawing in trace magic from the walls, the air, and sweat. Shadow Weaver's rambling screeches were soon a distant noise.

Micah rounded a corner, swung a door open, and fell into an empty broom closet. He placed a mop on top of the hooked handles. Curses came from beyond the wall; Shadow Weaver shouted an order. "What are you standing around for? Get a battering ram, and break down this door!"

Micah swallowed. What was she doing?

"Micah," a voice whispered. He lit magic in his hand. Carmen's blue eyes glowed; she was only a heartbeat away from him in the dark. The felinetta pressed a piece of metal into Micah's hand, and he closed his eyes, trying to regain his bearings as he ran his hands over it.

"It's a Guild badge," he whispered.

"Yeah," she said. "Ya told me Spinner used to live in Mystacor. This here's her badge. I snagged it for ya."

Her voice sounded too eager. Micah still didn't trust her. Had Shadow Weaver rigged her old badge to destroy him? He didn't sense any dark magic hidden within it. Not really...

His fingers touched ridges on the back of the four-point star – words etched in Meyan. So small he could barely feel what they said.

Encara hi seré.

I will still be there.

His eyes filled with tears. "Did you write this?" he whispered to Carmen.

"Uh... what's 'this'?" the felinetta asked.

"Did you?" Micah snapped.

"I dunno what you're talkin' about! I'm s'posed to help you – that's all I know –"

"Wait. Supposed to?"

He could almost feel the felinetta wince in the dark. His fingers traced the etchings again and again. Heart pounding, blood roaring, breath racing, body quaking.

"She loves me," he whispered.

"Who?"

"Your lady," he said. "Alura – Light Spinner. She loves me!" He pulled the broom off the closet. "Carmen, we're going to get her out of here. She's going crazy – there's no time to waste!"

"What's wrong with ya?" Carmen cried as he opened the door. "She's gonna kill both of us! She wasn't jokin', y'know!"

"I don't care!" Micah returned as they raced in the opposite direction. "I'm never going to give up on her. Not even if she gives up on me."

"That don't make sense!"

"I know," Micah said, looking over at the felinetta. Despite her protests, she held a determined look on her face. "But between us, I'm the one who acts on instinct. Nell still loves her, and Angella can help us. They all think we're dead!"

Carmen was silent for a while. "We gotta head past Hordak's sanctum to find her. Think I heard Shads headin' there to get a batterin' ram. This'll be mighty risky, but if we avoid patrols, we should make it. Just gotta make sure the Honor Guard don't catch us – they're his personal attendants..."

They slowed to a jog, out of breath. "I'm doing this for you too, Carmen," Micah said. "If we're able to save her, you don't have to worry about doing evil things anymore."

Carmen nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Mike...if there is any way for her to be better, I'll be right there. I'll help, too. I'm done obeyin' blindly."

"Good," Micah whispered, turning them both invisible as soldiers walked by. These ones wore gas masks and carried tasers in their hands. "Is that the Honor Guard?"

Carmen nodded. "They're prob'ly checkin' to see where you last went."

Figures. "There are cameras, right? So we'll have to grab Shadow Weaver quickly and get her out of here."

"Yeah. C'mon, follow me. Think you can keep that cloak up?"

Micah sighed. "No," he admitted. "If I do any more magic, I might not make it. So you can pretend you caught me."

"Yeppers. Oldest trick in the book." The felinetta stood, placing an electric rod against Micah's back. He dropped the spell, and they headed toward Hordak's sanctum.

He counted his heartbeats. I'll use the electric rod to drop Shadow Weaver. It'll hurt, but then we can teleport.

And if he couldn't make it? If he couldn't get the three of them out of there?

Think later. Act now.

He growled. "Unhand me, Horde scum!"

"Bold'f you to call me scum! You're...uh, worse than scum." Carmen giggled, coaxing panic from Micah. She was a terrible actor – what if she couldn't get them there? What if her ruse wasn't convincing?

They stepped to the side. "I'll lure Shads out," Carmen said, giving him the electric rod. "You stay till we come."

Micah nodded, swallowing and staying behind. Carmen entered Hordak's sanctum, and Micah tried not to dwell on the fact that he was a sitting duck. If he made any mistakes, if anyone came close, he would be recaptured, and Shadow Weaver would kill him. Please. Please, Carmen.

A minute passed.

Five minutes.

Ten.

Twenty.

Thirty. Carmen's in trouble, Micah realized. Had Shadow Weaver killed her own servant for helping him? Had she seen through Carmen's lies? Oh, moons...

Micah gripped the electric rod till his knuckles turned white and opened the door, walking in. "Carmen?" he whispered. "Where are you?"

Muffled screaming sounded from ahead. Micah lit the rod; he didn't know how to use one of these. What if he got himself killed in the process?

He stepped ahead, making out his ally's form in the dim light. Carmen lay bound and gagged, muted cries resounding around the sanctum as the soldiers dragged her into the darkness.

"I demand to see Shadow Weaver," Micah said. "If I'm going to be executed, she might as well get it over with. Take me to her, and please – spare Carmen's life. I forced her to help me."

A long silence passed, but nobody came. Where was Shadow Weaver? And where were they taking Carmen?

Clank. Clank.

Clank. Clank.

Clank. Clank.

"Rebel of rebels," a male voice said, harsh yet quiet. "You have a death penalty on your head, and thus your life would not ransom hers had I planned to kill her. No. The only two people who will die are you and the Lady Weaver – for she has managed to commit the worst of treasons against us both."

Treasons?

Micah swallowed. Moons above...

He had barely any time to register what the voice said. Instead, a burning pain combined with pins and needles raced through him. His limbs locked up, and he keeled over, his vision gone – not that it mattered.

He could almost hear Shadow Weaver's voice speaking in his head.

You should have run.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

- This is another "Kelsier moment" from Mistborn: The Final Empire that made its way into this story. Although Shadow Weaver isn't really redeemed here, the fact is she still cares about Micah and can't stop herself from that.

- Hordak's first meeting with Micah is one of my favorite scenes. His title "Rebel of Rebels" for Micah is so badass.

Tell me what you think...

- What will happen to Micah now? What about Shadow Weaver and Carmen?