Escaping Corruption (Seasons 1-3)

S2 - Sea Of Memories

The river was incredibly wide, possibly the widest one in existence.

It was more an ocean than a river.

Catra wadded through the shallower side. The straps of her bag were tied to the back of her belt, so the bag itself was at chest level.

One she'd reached hip depth, she knew she had to retreat and rethink what she was going to do, so she did.

She didn't know why this was so hard for her,  She was usually quick with her cunning.

But alas, she couldn't think of anything, and sat tiredly on the riverbank, her legs resting under the waters surface.

She rummaged through her bag hoping for anything that could jog her mind, but made no such discoveries.

Her eyes fluttered shut, and the next thing she knew, she was lulled into a nightmarish memory she wanted to forget.

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The guards grips on her arms were painful.

But she appeared nonchalant.

She could not afford to show weakness.

Not now. Not ever.

She could hear Hordaks booming voice from the hallway as they approached.

She felt the blood rushing to her head. Her ears twitched.

She stumbled into the sanctum, everyone's eyes were on her.

She was brought right to the base of the steps leading to the throne.

A mantra played in her mind. An eternal chant of Shadow Weavers denigrating words.

Her hands are shaky as they cup each other.

Her wrists hurt from the tight cuffs.

Her eyes are closed.

Wanting nothing but to wake up and find it was nothing more then a dream.

She wishes she had taken Scorpias offer, that'd she had been a better friend, but not once did she regret declining Adora when she had asked her to go with her, if she had, she never would have met Scorpia.

And she needed Scorpia more then anyone in the world.

She had become fond of her, though it was unknown to her own self. But she had unconsciously come to lean on Scorpia for support, she hadn't meant to, it had simply happened.

If she failed this mission. She would lose Scorpia. She would lose Adora. She would lose her chance to destroy Shadow Weaver. Her brow furrowed. She could not lose.

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She snaps awake, now she knows what to do.

She slips under the waters surface, and allows herself to be enveloped by the lukewarm river.

She floats downward, her hair a dark smear of chestnut coils that reach for the surface.

Kelp curled up to her ankles, firmly grasping then and pulling her down deeper.

The water of the river is a perfect silver-blue that brought Adoras eyes to mind. She dispelled those thoughts as quickly as they came.

She falls against the seabed, memories threateh to plague her mind, but for now she pushes them aside.

She knows what to do.

From here, on the walls of the riverbanks underbelly, she can see the familiar scripture of passage. She swims toward it.

Luckily, this river was impossible to drown in. So she need not worry about her lack of abilities.

Her fingers graze the markings, and she murmurs them aloud.

'Potentia, vi et animo, amare.'

The next second she's falling.

She falls quiet, though not fearlessly.

She hits a circular patch of grass, and when she opens her eyes, she finds that she fell down a chute kind of tunnel that leads right into Freyjas massive palace foyer.

Everything around her is in shades of white, periwinkle and lilac. Flowers bloom in potted clusters. A waterfall of royal blue sits tall on the far other side of a white transparent quarter of a wall.

A silver tray of fancily scripted letters in envelopes sit on a small velvet chair at the wall between the two staircases. She just got to her feet, as the pattering of feet got her attention.

She looked up to see a tall blonde woman descending the left staircase, clutching a blurry binder and wearing a pair of brown spectacles tinted gold. She's dressed in a cream coloured dress suit, and her hair is pulled back in a tight braided bun.

When she sees her she gasps in delight and rushes down quickly.

'Catra, am I correct?'

'Yes..?' Catra blinks excessively.

'I have heard of you through my blessings and gifts, I have incredible respect for you, and I admire your courage to stand up to the horrid Puca and Horde Prime!' The woman  smiles.

'Thank you'

'Oh yes! I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Freyja, goddess of love, fertility, death and battle! I assume you've met Circe? By Hemeras crown?'

'Yes,  but I don't really understand it yet' Catra frowns.

'Well you will come to understand in due time, as for now, would you care to join us on the pavilion for a banquet would you?' Freyja smiled, holding out her hand.

'Sure...I guess?' She took the bright goddess' hand.

------------------

By nightfall, Catra and Freyja were sitting alone under the stars.

The magicat was surprised that Tír Na nÓg had them, but then again, it wasn't technically part of Etheria, as it was a magical island.

'Can you tell me about the other gods?' Catra dared to ask.

'Of course! Let us start with Moros, fate. He was born from the first galaxy, the stars collided all at once, and transformed into a being more powerful then anything or anyone. From that, he caused more neutron stars to come together, and from those he created four other deities. Then he began to create slightly different gods, and I faintly remember the kindness in his eyes as he created me from the shine of the sun. He created us all a little different, so that we would embody our aspects well. But one fateful day, direct before Etheria was created, he ordered an assembly in the pavilion of Old. Which was a floating, flat land, where us deities meet each solstice. There were few of us there, as he needed needed keep this as much a secret as possible. He sensed something odd about Melissa, and together, those who attended spilt a liter of blood each into a cauldron. Moros gave a pound of flesh. Yvonne granted the fusion intelligence, I gave it light and sun, Nemisis' granted it a cunning mind and a fearsome wrath, but Moros, he granted the child to be many gifts. Beauty, compassion, ambition, courage, strength, passion. He vowed to one day bring the child to his own level. And so overtime, the mixture child to be grew and developed over thousands of years, and then Moros sent her to be the child of an intelligent royal couple.'