02-20-2026, 06:04 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-20-2026, 06:05 PM by Sparrow.
Edit Reason: why do the forums hate line breaks so? Et tu?
)
Chapter 4: And Falling is Scary
Their Second Name
There's few things that the desperate won't do for power. These desperate people are the preferred target of the beings known as witches. The lonely, unloved, and wounded. They lure them in not with promises of power as you'd think. There is some measure of that, of course— Meranthe is a land where the fittest survive and the weak die off. But more importantly it's the community, A found family no-matter how fake it might be.
This was a path that Kateto knew that they ought not tread, and yet. Perception cracked and split, eyes clouded with grief and rage? They didn't care. If they could burn Dal'thala down? Strike Arcadia from the worlds record for their compliance? They would have at this very moment, describing them as simply 'angry' feels like such a lacking way to describe it and yet the Common tongue has failed completely in coloring this emotive sensation in color.
There was one place Kateto had always been told not to go, by their friends, by their newfound family. And yet, in this dark time they believed that these terrible and dangerous people they'd been warned about might be more kind to them than the world which had brought only scorn, and with their Mentor abandoning them for their acts in Arcadia— And their best friend being dead? There was so little to lose.
Gemini was their mentor in the dark arts. A powerful one at that, the eventual, or perhaps at the time current Supreme of the Atrellyan sect. They inducted Kateto after demanding a tithe of five arcanium to prove their sincerity, a price which Kateto barely flinched at giving. All for their wish. To destroy Arcadia and Dal'thala for what they did, and they were told that all they had to do was—
Sign. The dotted. Line.
A black book isn't something you can be tricked into signing, your soul knows even if you don't, somehow figure it out. Having to sign it in blood does that for most. It's a willful act of evil. Despite this willful act of evil Kateto found themselves too soft to give fully to the coven, and at the same time. The powers offered, the promises of their fellows amounted to little. Revenge unsatisfied and bleeding heart pouring profusely across the floor.
"Your kindness will be your downfall" Kateto once heard from one of their coven-brothers, words that stuck like a knife in their flesh and would haunt Kateto for the rest of their lives. Because even as a witch, even with plots of revenge clouding their minds they could never hurt others with a clear heart. They always made sure their victims could be brought back to safety, or even escort them back to civilization directly for medical attention.
This does not justify what they did- Though it is a good example; that just because someone has done something wrong does not mean that they cannot come back from it. Regretting something that you've done is one of the first steps you need take.
This came to a head when one day a prisoner was dragged in by the demon-bears of Atrellya. Aricles Alline. One of Kateto's first friends- One of their best friends now.. Held captive by the Fel, and it took only the smallest of glances for them to see through Kateto's weak disguise. The first words out of their mouth? Why? Why'd you join them? Why are you doing this? You tell me not to and then go off and—! ...These aren't questions with suitable answers, Kateto knew that. And being grilled about it so made them hesitate, reconsider. Though it was all they could to eventually get Aricles out of their covens custody by whatever means made themselves available to them, and in turn Aricles turned to pull Kateto out of the darkness they'd mired themselves in. It was that mutual trust they shared, the bond that Kateto credited with being keyed to them changing their ways.
It seems hard, redemption is scary. But this was the first step, the second, and third soon after. growing closer to Lavenza's sister Maria Malibu, and talking them out of a reckless, suicidal charge against the Atreyllian fortress, Kateto felt their first taste of love, then, That new feeling. The support of their best friend, and a couple of late-night heart to hearts with their adoptive mother encouraged Kateto to turn themselves in.
Chapter 5: You needn't forget. But you must forgive
Their Second Name
After turning themselves in Kateto found themselves collared and restricted to the lands of the Republic, Gloomlight, Goldlight and Nilhirra. Redemption was... Not all that Kateto thought it would have been. For eight years they stayed there. And for eight years others continued to rub salt in the wounds. Yes, I know I've done bad. It's why I turned myself in. And people felt the need to keep reminding Kateto of this. After admission of their guilt. After turning themselves in. After trying to turn their life around, to continue learning medicine and to practice within the republic.
It's important to not forget what someone has done. to guard yourself near them such that you don't suffer a repeat of the events. Most in Arcadia, even. Have an unofficial policy of how many times they try on someone before they give up, I've seen such with my own eyes though Koretheia herself admits that she's never given up on someone... She cannot manage Arcadia herself.
But in forgiving someone for something you lose the right to try to use it as ammunition against them later. It rubs dirt onto the person for daring to have tried to seek forgiveness, and breaks your word which should be sacrosanct. It is not good for either party. Every instance of this is a step backwards for someone trying to achieve redemption, another wound to their heart that only encourages one to go back to the Fel influence that seduced them in the first place. Kateto's eight years within the republic were filled with this. They wrote at length for this period of time. How they were spat on, kicked while they were down, unable to defend themselves properly. I saw such acts even in the modern day goldlight from the time I moved there up-until Sarina mellows took over and brought one Valdis Hiraeth into the knights to help people just like herself- Achieve that redemption. But in the past? Before that? In Valdis's case before those changes happened?. Abuse hurled at people genuinely trying to redeem themselves, chairs, too. Towards someone simply trying to change, trying to help. Some people simply don't wish to forgive, others "forgive" though perhaps the latter group is more problematic than the former.
They stewed there, rotting in what felt like a cage for such a long time. Practicing their medicine and feeling scorn even with every person they helped. It was their old mentor Nomul Nightfall that would give Kateto a suggestion to simply leave. The republic wouldn't accept their apologies so, why bother? Why stay? It was a pointed question to ask, and one that they did not have a true, suitable answer for, outside of their small group of friends and family they had little reason to truly stay, it was clear that so many would never truly forgive them... It was something that they turned over in their mind again and again, it was... Almost impossible to get it free from their mind once that seed was planted.
Tyrium, it turns out breaks surprisingly easily under the hands of an experienced artificer when they have help.
And then they were back on the run, a fugitive again traveling to the west ends of Meranthe. Within the deserts they lurked and hid and plied their trade as a medic though the hollow lack of fulfillment they felt never truly abated. A part of their soul, no-matter how small was still missing, they were left with an empty feeling that they tried to use alcohol to cope through, bear with and ignore... As if it would fill the hole left behind but it did little to aid that sensation. Wallowing in their own chemically-imbalanced misery they met Aricles again, and once again, did he pull them back from the brink, while helping a wandering poet Chevron forge a blade for their self defense the Aerodyne had found them, Kateto didn't wish to give into the pull they felt. To return to their coven. Where they would likely be welcomed, slipping back into the inky depths from which they had tried to rise. It took so much from them to resist that pull and yet... Why were they even bothering? Aricles reminded them, again. And again, as many times as it would take. They conversed for hours and eventually, their conversation culminated in the two battling for Kateto to be able to vent properly their feelings, their destructive urges and rage at their treatment.
And Aricles won, they calmed those raging emotions and they got the felinae to return to goldlight and again, turn themselves over, to repent and apologize, unlike the first time however. This seems to have worked, their next journals speak of their life as a free felinae, having moved to their grove in the shadowlands to avoid the ire of those of goldlight, there being still many among their numbers who would scorn them.
It's there that they began to foster a love for the lands. A love for the land that they taught to me in much detail.
Their Second Name
There's few things that the desperate won't do for power. These desperate people are the preferred target of the beings known as witches. The lonely, unloved, and wounded. They lure them in not with promises of power as you'd think. There is some measure of that, of course— Meranthe is a land where the fittest survive and the weak die off. But more importantly it's the community, A found family no-matter how fake it might be.
This was a path that Kateto knew that they ought not tread, and yet. Perception cracked and split, eyes clouded with grief and rage? They didn't care. If they could burn Dal'thala down? Strike Arcadia from the worlds record for their compliance? They would have at this very moment, describing them as simply 'angry' feels like such a lacking way to describe it and yet the Common tongue has failed completely in coloring this emotive sensation in color.
There was one place Kateto had always been told not to go, by their friends, by their newfound family. And yet, in this dark time they believed that these terrible and dangerous people they'd been warned about might be more kind to them than the world which had brought only scorn, and with their Mentor abandoning them for their acts in Arcadia— And their best friend being dead? There was so little to lose.
Gemini was their mentor in the dark arts. A powerful one at that, the eventual, or perhaps at the time current Supreme of the Atrellyan sect. They inducted Kateto after demanding a tithe of five arcanium to prove their sincerity, a price which Kateto barely flinched at giving. All for their wish. To destroy Arcadia and Dal'thala for what they did, and they were told that all they had to do was—
Sign. The dotted. Line.
A black book isn't something you can be tricked into signing, your soul knows even if you don't, somehow figure it out. Having to sign it in blood does that for most. It's a willful act of evil. Despite this willful act of evil Kateto found themselves too soft to give fully to the coven, and at the same time. The powers offered, the promises of their fellows amounted to little. Revenge unsatisfied and bleeding heart pouring profusely across the floor.
"Your kindness will be your downfall" Kateto once heard from one of their coven-brothers, words that stuck like a knife in their flesh and would haunt Kateto for the rest of their lives. Because even as a witch, even with plots of revenge clouding their minds they could never hurt others with a clear heart. They always made sure their victims could be brought back to safety, or even escort them back to civilization directly for medical attention.
This does not justify what they did- Though it is a good example; that just because someone has done something wrong does not mean that they cannot come back from it. Regretting something that you've done is one of the first steps you need take.
This came to a head when one day a prisoner was dragged in by the demon-bears of Atrellya. Aricles Alline. One of Kateto's first friends- One of their best friends now.. Held captive by the Fel, and it took only the smallest of glances for them to see through Kateto's weak disguise. The first words out of their mouth? Why? Why'd you join them? Why are you doing this? You tell me not to and then go off and—! ...These aren't questions with suitable answers, Kateto knew that. And being grilled about it so made them hesitate, reconsider. Though it was all they could to eventually get Aricles out of their covens custody by whatever means made themselves available to them, and in turn Aricles turned to pull Kateto out of the darkness they'd mired themselves in. It was that mutual trust they shared, the bond that Kateto credited with being keyed to them changing their ways.
It seems hard, redemption is scary. But this was the first step, the second, and third soon after. growing closer to Lavenza's sister Maria Malibu, and talking them out of a reckless, suicidal charge against the Atreyllian fortress, Kateto felt their first taste of love, then, That new feeling. The support of their best friend, and a couple of late-night heart to hearts with their adoptive mother encouraged Kateto to turn themselves in.
Chapter 5: You needn't forget. But you must forgive
Their Second Name
After turning themselves in Kateto found themselves collared and restricted to the lands of the Republic, Gloomlight, Goldlight and Nilhirra. Redemption was... Not all that Kateto thought it would have been. For eight years they stayed there. And for eight years others continued to rub salt in the wounds. Yes, I know I've done bad. It's why I turned myself in. And people felt the need to keep reminding Kateto of this. After admission of their guilt. After turning themselves in. After trying to turn their life around, to continue learning medicine and to practice within the republic.
It's important to not forget what someone has done. to guard yourself near them such that you don't suffer a repeat of the events. Most in Arcadia, even. Have an unofficial policy of how many times they try on someone before they give up, I've seen such with my own eyes though Koretheia herself admits that she's never given up on someone... She cannot manage Arcadia herself.
But in forgiving someone for something you lose the right to try to use it as ammunition against them later. It rubs dirt onto the person for daring to have tried to seek forgiveness, and breaks your word which should be sacrosanct. It is not good for either party. Every instance of this is a step backwards for someone trying to achieve redemption, another wound to their heart that only encourages one to go back to the Fel influence that seduced them in the first place. Kateto's eight years within the republic were filled with this. They wrote at length for this period of time. How they were spat on, kicked while they were down, unable to defend themselves properly. I saw such acts even in the modern day goldlight from the time I moved there up-until Sarina mellows took over and brought one Valdis Hiraeth into the knights to help people just like herself- Achieve that redemption. But in the past? Before that? In Valdis's case before those changes happened?. Abuse hurled at people genuinely trying to redeem themselves, chairs, too. Towards someone simply trying to change, trying to help. Some people simply don't wish to forgive, others "forgive" though perhaps the latter group is more problematic than the former.
They stewed there, rotting in what felt like a cage for such a long time. Practicing their medicine and feeling scorn even with every person they helped. It was their old mentor Nomul Nightfall that would give Kateto a suggestion to simply leave. The republic wouldn't accept their apologies so, why bother? Why stay? It was a pointed question to ask, and one that they did not have a true, suitable answer for, outside of their small group of friends and family they had little reason to truly stay, it was clear that so many would never truly forgive them... It was something that they turned over in their mind again and again, it was... Almost impossible to get it free from their mind once that seed was planted.
Tyrium, it turns out breaks surprisingly easily under the hands of an experienced artificer when they have help.
And then they were back on the run, a fugitive again traveling to the west ends of Meranthe. Within the deserts they lurked and hid and plied their trade as a medic though the hollow lack of fulfillment they felt never truly abated. A part of their soul, no-matter how small was still missing, they were left with an empty feeling that they tried to use alcohol to cope through, bear with and ignore... As if it would fill the hole left behind but it did little to aid that sensation. Wallowing in their own chemically-imbalanced misery they met Aricles again, and once again, did he pull them back from the brink, while helping a wandering poet Chevron forge a blade for their self defense the Aerodyne had found them, Kateto didn't wish to give into the pull they felt. To return to their coven. Where they would likely be welcomed, slipping back into the inky depths from which they had tried to rise. It took so much from them to resist that pull and yet... Why were they even bothering? Aricles reminded them, again. And again, as many times as it would take. They conversed for hours and eventually, their conversation culminated in the two battling for Kateto to be able to vent properly their feelings, their destructive urges and rage at their treatment.
And Aricles won, they calmed those raging emotions and they got the felinae to return to goldlight and again, turn themselves over, to repent and apologize, unlike the first time however. This seems to have worked, their next journals speak of their life as a free felinae, having moved to their grove in the shadowlands to avoid the ire of those of goldlight, there being still many among their numbers who would scorn them.
It's there that they began to foster a love for the lands. A love for the land that they taught to me in much detail.