Chapter Text
Imagine a place where darkness was light. Night was a time to be busy and work, while daylight hours were designated to rest. This place had a written history that went back a little more than 400 years, though the planet itself was ancient. That is the way it is, for most societies. Creatures, humans and animals alike, come and go, while nature goes on forever. Civilizations are born, thrive, and eventually fall. Their ruins are found by the next generation of sentient beings, and are explored extensively. There’s always that question, what were they like?
This world was no different. Seasons changed, kingdoms are lost, and new reigns began anew.
This planet went by the name of Skaia, though the origins of the name are unknown. Some say it was the gods that gave it this title, while others say it was the first incarnation of the Zenith. In a way, it was both. The Zenith was the chosen denizen; the only being that could hear the voices of the gods. His blood burned brightly, red like the humans of old, the link between divinity and mortality. He was reborn after each death, the first guardian of the world.
He resided in a temple, located within the capital of the country Alternia. It was a sanctuary to any who wished it; Karkat would turn no one away from his halls. Along the walls of the temple were pictures of the gods, eight humans who governed them all. The walls told their story, though the meaning was lost with time. It was hard to surmise what events transgressed when they inhabited the planet, but the people of Alternia knew that they were heroes. It was why they were worshipped, why people prayed to them before bed, talked to them as if they were friends.
They were. The gods didn’t rule with the threat of punishment, they ruled with the offer of protection. They cared about each and every Alternian. This could be explained by one picture in particular, carved into the ceiling of the center chamber. It showed the meeting of the first Alternians and the humans, depicted as a giant circle of symbols, arranged around the planet.
Karkat stood beneath the vaulted chamber, staring up at the ceiling with an idle look on his face, lime green eyes glowing. He was still in his morning robe, the gossamer red clothing settling on his shoulders a little precariously. It was tied with a decorated black sash around his waist; the entire outfit was embroidered with ancient designs from his sleeves to the hem that dusted along the floor, covering his bare feet. He’d had this robe for a long time now and was very fond of it; it had been a gift from the Empress from one of the more distant lands of Skaia.
A red symbol hung around his neck, pressed against his bare chest; it was the sign of Cancer, a constellation in the sky, assigned only to the Zenith. It pulsed with each heartbeat, matching the lines that ran around the entire room in intricate designs and swirls, the light strongest beneath his feet.
Every Alternian had a symbol corresponding to their general blood color; they received them at birth and were treasured above all else. Regardless of the varying shades of blood within the groups, there were only twelve colors that the symbols could glow and they were programmed before even being given to the newborn. Those symbols were their source of light, without it, one would be lost. The symbols oscillated between the energy of life and the planet, reverberating with the heartbeats of the user to resonate with the ensorcelled lines embedded everywhere within Alternia.
Wow that escalated in complication.
Basically the symbol makes the surrounding area of an Alternian glow with whatever color matched their blood. It made for a rather pretty nightlife.
Dave liked to describe it as some “cool Atlantis shit” which was apparently a reference to a movie but Karkat wasn’t quite sure what a movie even was and he wasn’t going to give Dave the satisfaction of explaining it. The little shit would lord it over him for nights.
This way of using energy was the only major significance of an Alternian’s blood. Blood was treated as a description factor, nothing more important than something that could be used to decide horoscopes. Although some blood types were better at things than others that did not mean that they were specifically assigned to only those jobs, rather it could be defined as a suggestion to go into that field of work. Karkat prided himself on this system, implemented by his first self in the beginning of their country so as to avoid unnecessary prejudice and conflict between the blood groups. Alternia was peaceful and powerful, the surrounding kingdoms valued its wisdom and it held alliances with all but one.
Karkat’s arms were crossed within his robe, the sleeves hanging limp at his sides. One hand reached up to play with his symbol as he contemplated his most recent dream.
He didn’t remember much of his past lives; he knew only what he saw in small clips from his dreams. It was usually never anything significant; in fact, it was usually all dumb things. The smell of the air after a storm, walking down unfamiliar streets in the middle of the day, or traveling through a jungle with nothing on him but a sickle and a water skin. It was pointless, menial things that didn’t serve a purpose except to make him question what the actual fuck he had even been doing in the middle of a jungle in the first place.
That was probably how that past self had died, eaten by large, angry jungle beasts.
Another thing he couldn’t figure out was why he looked different in every memory. He could only really see his skin, the memories were all in first person, but even that changed drastically every time. Sometimes he’d have grey, translucent, or even glow in the dark skin. One time he had even had horns. He assigned this factor to the random indulgences of his subconscious; maybe it could significantly alter his dream state to make himself different.
Dude, are you going to stare at that thing all night? Don’t you have some serious business to be getting to? I mean, I know you’re important and all, but shit, is staring at the ceiling really what you’re planning on wasting your morning on? That’s weird bro, and I’ve seen weird, so if I’m saying that’s weird, you know that shit’s on a whole new level.
Karkat’s eyes narrowed in a glare at the ceiling now, his gaze locking onto the symbol of a gear as Dave’s voice echoed in his head.
The fuck do you want Dave? Seriously, do you have nothing better to do than spend your time nitpicking what I waste my time on? I’m waiting for Kanaya dumbass; I can’t go out without her covering my blood.
You can’t really blame me; all this god stuff is pretty boring. I mean, in the beginning it’s all like, “woah cosmic powers, millions of people lay prostrate at my feet, I can style my hair with a snap of my fingers~” but in reality okay, wait no, that stuff is still all pretty cool, but there’s nothing to do up here! I mean seriously, I’ve been lying on this couch for the past few nights now watching you peeps and there’s nothing going on. This wouldn’t be so bad if you guys were more modern and had fuckin tv so I could watch a soap opera or some ironic shit like that, but no, John had to make you all look like pansy ass elves and throw you in the medieval ages like it’s gonna be some Legend of Zelda/Arthurian tragedy mashup. Seriously, I can’t believe this is what he does with his turn to be creator. My reign was totally cooler; you guys had free wifi everywhere and you only sang. It was a fucking musical every day. Just think about how cool that was, oh man, those days were the best. You were like a goddamn Disney princess. Is it ironic to say goddamn when I’m a god?
You’re rambling again about things that I don’t comprehend nor do I care about. Why don’t you just get off your lazy ass and go bug Dirk? I know you’re still sore about him yelling at you but considering you fucking decapitated his smuppet robot I think he had a valid defense.
Ugh, no dude, that thing was vile. Like, I know you don’t understand exactly what it was, but trust me, things like that shouldn’t exist in any realm. I am completely faultless and will remain here until that loser comes and apologizes for breaking my turntables.
Just fucking make new turntables! You’re a god remember, shit for brains?
It's just not the same.
I don’t have time for this.
Yes you do, remember, you were staring at the ceiling for the past hour? You’ve got all the time in the world my man, well, relatively speaking for a mere mortal.
...Have long have you been watching me?
I am so fuckin bored right now you would not even believe it.
Karkat rolled his eyes, not even phased at this point. The gods had been talking to him ever since he was a kid; having them watch him without his knowledge was nothing new. They didn’t mean any harm anyways, Karkat thought that maybe they just get a little lonely. He saw them sometimes, walking along the streets, following different people around. No one could see them. Karkat had asked Dave about that once and the only answer he had gotten was "we can’t directly influence regular people, we’ve gotta follow some strict old ass rules. Which sucks. A lot."
He turned toward one of the many hallways as he heard a familiar set of heels, smiling as Kanaya entered the room, her comforting jade glow mixing with red. She carried a small basket in the crook of her arm; it was filled with makeup supplies. “Good morning.” He said, his voice automatically dropping into a neutral tone.
Dude, it’s creepy as shit when you do that. How come you’re so passive around everyone except us?
You should tell Kanaya that she is looking particularly beautiful tonight; her outfit is very pleasing to the eye.
Woah, Rose, are you trying to use Karkat to woo Kanaya? That’s messed up.
Yes Dave, that is exactly what I am insinuating by having Karkat compliment my past girlfriend, you are so clever for having figured it out.
I know.
“Good morning Zenith, I am sorry to have been a little late, I was detained by a crowd in the market district.” Kanaya said. Her voice was elegant and articulated, matching her whole persona. A long black dress flowed around her ankles as she walked, the bright red ends of her shawl floating behind her. Those who served the Zenith decorated their clothes with accents of his blood color; it was considered a high honor.
She narrowed her eyes as the distance between them receded, seeing exactly how he was wearing his robe. At her look he rolled his eyes, putting his arms back through the sleeves. Only his fingertips showed due to its wide placement at his shoulders.
Kanaya was Karkat’s oldest friend. She had been looking after him ever since they were ten and she was officially assigned as his head assistant. Her mother and she were the only ones that knew of his secret, that his blood was lime instead of cherry, something unheard of for the Zenith. The blood colors were both exclusively his, no other Alternians had those shades, but the Zenith had only ever had cherry red blood before.
Karkat was pretty sure he knew why his blood was lime green this time around, but he didn’t want to worry anyone with hypotheses and assumptions, preferring to keep the knowledge hidden. Kanaya helped him every morning to disguise it. Alternians normally had pale skin from their lack of sun exposure, which meant that in certain places their blood would show through fairly easily, tinting it the corresponding color.
That wasn’t difficult to handle though, a little make up and the lime green shadows beneath his eyes disappeared. The main problem was what lay above those lack-of-sleep bruises. His irises, like all other Alternians, matched the color of his blood. Kanaya had a special mixture created that would change them for around twelve hours. When the sun's rays began to show once more over the horizon he had to make sure to retreat to the privacy of his chambers before they switched back, which was rather annoying.
“It’s busy already? It’s rather early isn’t it?” Karkat asked, surprised. He began walking when she reached him, heading towards his personal rooms. He matched his pace to hers, his usual rapid strides slowing down to accommodate her shorter gait.
“There is a new merchant in the city and his crafts are rather exquisite. Apparently he makes jewelry with a high level of skill and was giving a demonstration on the creation of a necklace.” Kanaya said, her black painted lips pursing delicately. Her lips were normally painted a different shade each night, always matching her outfit perfectly.
Karkat looked at her with a raised eyebrow, a knowing grin growing on his face. “You wanted to buy it just so you could make a new outfit, didn’t you?”
“Well, maybe not that necklace in particular, but he had a lot of inspiring pieces. I think I am going to revisit him when I am done with my duties here, hopefully the rabid crowd will have thinned at that point. I am not much of one for rush hours.” Kanaya smiled back, her gaze travelling along the wall as they walked, looking at the depictions of the gods.
Karkat grasped the heavy brass ring of the one of the two doors to his chambers; the smooth metal was worn from centuries of use. The painted designs on them were faded where his fingers always touched, he kept meaning to get them touched up but never seemed to find the time. He held it open for Kanaya, his back pressed against the door as she walked through. The door shut of its own volition when he walked away from it, coming to a gentle stop and barely making a sound.
The room they had entered was another, large vaulted circle. It was his study. The walls were lined with shelves of books and an elegant mahogany desk stood in the center. Upon that desk was a large map of Alternia; several pins were allocated to certain spots, pointing out the areas that needed improvement. Karkat pulled out his desk chair, turning it sideways to face Kanaya and sitting down rather indelicately.
Kanaya bit her lip to keep from smiling at his lapse in grace, revealing one long fang. He was always trying to be this impressive, serene idol that the people imagined him as, it was only in the little moments that she got a glimpse of what was really on the inside. She set her basket on the desk, leaning her hip against it while she pulled out a headband and pushed it through Karkat’s unruly mess of black curls.
Pfffft.
Shut up Dave.
It gets me every time.
Go suck a dick.
John’s busy.
Karkat blushed and Kanaya looked at him curiously before she grinned, “Talking to the gods again?”
“No, I’m talking to a vexatious child.”
She chuckled and tilted Karkat’s head back, a hand placed beneath his chin as she administered the drops to his eyes. The mixture burned for the first few moments. Karkat closed his eyes tightly, counting backwards to try and distract himself. It itched like crazy but Kanaya yelled at him the last time he scratched at it, the mixture had gotten all over and had proceeded to turn his eyelashes red along with his irises.
“You’re admirer told me to tell you that you’re looking particularly beautiful tonight.” Karkat commented while waiting for the sensation to subside. Kanaya turned his face as she began to apply a foundation, her lips growing into a soft smile.
“Oh did she now? I will have to stop by her shrine later to pay my respects and thank her for the compliment. What I have done to acquire the notice of a goddess is beyond me though.” The Zenith’s temple resided in a forest, halfway between the palace and the city. There were eight worn pathways that stretched from the temple, going off deeper into the wooded area, each of them dedicated to one of the gods. At the end of the pathways would be small springs or clearings with a statue of the particular deity and another pathway to connect them all in a giant circle. Karkat walked the paths each night, right before dawn.
It was sort of his way of keeping in touch with them, even though he could hear them constantly in his head. When he visited their shrines they were usually hanging around there, in an ethereal form only visible to him. He kept them company while he cleaned up the shrine areas, sweeping and monitoring the plant growth around the stone bases.
Kanya turned his face from side to side, checking that it was evenly covered before she picked up his hand. She brought out a bottle of paint, covering his nails expertly with a bright red hue. “That should do it then.” She said, screwing the cap on the bottle and placing her equipment back in the basket.
“Thank you Kanaya.” Karkat said, standing back up and yawning, revealing all his pointed little teeth. He snagged one of his robes from his large closet, swinging around with it held against him for Kanaya’s approval. Three tries later and he was all ready to face the night.
“Why don’t I watch the little tykes for the evening. You can go and get your pretty trinkets while I distract them.” Karkat said, fixing the sleeves of his simple black robe. It was embroidered with a sheer black thread so the designs were only shown when reflected by light.
Kanaya bowed elegantly in thanks, before picking up her basket and walking with him back to the center chamber. He turned to the hallway beside the one that Kanaya entered, it lead to the guest rooms of the temple. The walls of the hallway dropped off to be replaced by columns, allowing access to the inner courtyard. The fresh smell of the earth surrounded him and he closed his eyes as he walked, allowing the different scents of nature to overwhelm him.
The sun’s rays were just fading in the distance, dulling his red light as he walked. He opened his eyes once more when the columns became solid stone again, walking past several doors before he stopped at one on the left. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity at seeing the door slightly ajar, before smiling when he saw a slight violet glow from beneath the doorframe.
He pushed the door open slowly, walking in as unsuspectingly as he could. There were three small beds against the far end of the room; two of them carried little mounds that almost certainly had children hiding underneath them. The third was empty, though he knew where that one was.
The door swung shut behind him and he turned to see a young boy standing behind him, holding a wooden sword. “Arg, put yer hands in the sky, yer bein’ ambushed by the dread pirate Dualscar!” He said, his voice squeaking as he tried to pull off a pirate’s gruff accent. He had a purple blanket tied around his neck, which he dramatically swooshed when Karkat looked down at him. “I’ll be takin’ all yer doubloons bucko.” There came a small cackle and a shush from the covers.
“Oh no, not my doubloons! You’re so fearsome Mr. Pirate, won’t you have mercy on a poor soul?” Karkat held his hands up, dropping to his knees, “Oh whoever will save me from this mighty pirate?”
“I’ll save you! This is a job for, the Disciple!” A small girl jumped out from beneath the covers, bounding across the ground to dash around Karkat and tackle the dread pirate. As they rolled across the floor Karkat stood back up, brushing off his knees. A pair of red glasses peered out from beneath the last remaining bundle of covers.
“Are you going to separate those two?” He asked, pointing his thumb at the bundled mess of green and violet, wondering what the third role was in this imaginary escapade.
“Redglare does not feel like getting involved with the petty squabbles of pirates and hunters. Redglare instead will wait until Meulin rips Cronus’ blanket and a trial is in order.” Came the voice, in a very sensible and yet gleeful tone.
Karkat laughed, “That’s my girl, you got your priorities in order.” Latula popped out of the covers when Karkat got near, holding her hands out to him. He picked her up, swinging her around before settling her on his hip. She cackled happily, clapping her hands.
Latula was the oldest of the orphans, though they all acted the same age. She was seven and had an infatuation with social order and being a daredevil, it was a rather charming combination.
Cronus was the middle child at the age of six. He had tattoos along his body, markings from the nomad tribes in the south; the tattoos were given at birth and were stylized as the individual grew older. Karkat didn’t know why Cronus had been orphaned, but the boy didn’t seem to mind, and he thought his markings gave him a rather cool edge. He told Karkat on several occasions that he intended on getting them updated when he was old enough and needles weren’t so scary.
The youngest of the group was Meulin. She found her way to the temple on her own, attaching herself to Karkat on one of his dawn walks and never letting go since. She was rather a wild one and on several occasions had made Cronus cry from playing too rough.
They had each been taken in at different times but they still regarded each other as family nonetheless, it was one of the most important things that Karkat taught them. Latula looked after the two younger ones, acting as a medium between the two. Cronus and Meulin could get a little out of hand if left to their own devices.
There was a ripping noise and Latula whispered, “My services are needed.” That was her signal for Karkat to put her down.
They spent the rest of the evening playing Judge and Jury. When the Empress found them later Karkat was walking with them in the courtyard, listening to them rambling on about their make believe selves. Well, two of them were walking. Cronus was still upset over his blanket and was sulking on Karkat’s back. Latula and Meulin each held one of Karkat’s hands, simultaneously trying to pull him in opposite directions.
“Alright alright, one at a time.” Karkat complained. When they both wanted to go first he lifted his arms up, pulling them into the air and distracting them. They squealed and hung on tighter as he lifted his arms up and down, wondering how long he’d get to do this for before they were too big. There came a laugh behind him and he turned to see the Empress and Kanaya looking at them with bemused expressions. The Empress was wearing one of her adventuring outfits, which was mainly comprised of a lot of leather, an “adventuring” hat, and tall boots. A lasso was clipped to her belt, which Karkat still had to figure out the use for, he had never seen her use it and would be almost positive it was for decoration if he didn’t know her better.
“Aradia, you’re back.” Karkat said in surprise. He set the two girls back on the ground and they ran to Kanaya. He crouched down so that Cronus could slide off, but before the boy did so he squeezed Karkat’s shoulders, giving him an extra hug before taking off to follow the girls. Karkat smiled fondly at them as the kids and Kanaya disappeared down the hall, most likely to start their lessons. “How was your trip to another part of Alternia?” He asked Aradia, taking up a leisurely stroll with her. “I believe this time it was to Psiion? How are they doing?”
Psiion was one of the many large cities that made up Alternia, overrun by mages and science. It was from Psiion that the lines of Alternia were made, the mages spent ten years working to cover the entirety of the country so that wherever an Alternian walked there could be light.
“It was wonderful Karkat, you wouldn’t believe all that they’ve accomplished! And their work on ships is progressing amazingly! The lead mage, called the Psiionic, showed me around, his work was spectacular. He singlehandedly drafted the new ship designs to run on an automatic power, similar to the symbols but it keys in with the pulsing of the waves.” She tipped her hat back so that she could look up at him without a brim obstructing her view. She was rather fond of her hat and wore it more often than her crown; which was ironic because Karkat had given it to her on her coronation night.
“You mean the current?”
“Oh don’t be so smart about it, that doesn’t sound half as fun. The Psiionic was so nice, he spent all his time answering my questions and taking me to their different schools of learning. It was wonderful! I wanted to ask him more about the ruins that they’d recently discovered but I ran out of time.”
“Sounds like someone is developing a crush, I assume this Psiionic wasn’t half bad to look at either, hm?”
“My eyes were in luxury the entire time.” Aradia and Karkat shared a grin.
They soon found themselves outside, a canopy of leaves above their heads and the fresh scent of the forest surrounding them. It was a different kind of atmosphere than what was in the courtyard, more wild and fresh.
They walked as equals; the Zenith and the Empress ruled the country together. It wasn’t uncommon to see them spending time together and many nights, when Aradia was actually home, they would walk in the city together, taking in the sights and talking with their people.
It was because of their close relationship and equal standing that Aradia found it easy to bring up a new topic, one that they had been feuding over for a while now. “Are you sure you wont change your mind?” She said, after there had been a significant pause in their conversation.
Karkat knew what she was referring to; they had been fighting over their neighboring country. Cherubim was the only surrounding country that they didn’t hold an alliance to and currently it was going through a rough spot as the new leader was being elected. The votes were split between a brother and sister, Calliope and Caliborn.
It was unfortunate that the siblings shared such opposing personalities, for being twins it would have been expected that they were at least somewhat similar. Karkat was supporting Calliope, who he believed would be a fair and just ruler. His opinion was widely trusted by a lot of people who in turn would send their own support to Calliope. At the moment she had a greater chance of inheriting the throne than her brother, but the people of cherubim were volatile. This trait was reflected in their choice of deity to worship, they only paid attention to Roxy, the Goddess of thieves and debauchery.
Cherubim and Alternia had a rough past but for a while now things had been peaceful. If Calliope was elected as the new leader then Karkat could count on her to join in an alliance, solidifying their already good standing.
Because of him supporting Calliope, this meant that Caliborn particularly hated Karkat. Aradia was afraid of what the malicious cherub would do; it wasn’t unheard of for Caliborn to use underhanded and rather violent tactics to get his way.
“I’m sorry but I can’t knowingly support a king that would rather kill his people than negotiate with them. That’s cruel, and violent. No one should have to live a life under such a tyrant.” Karkat said, firm in his beliefs.
Aradia sighed and they continued on in silence, a slight tension between them. When they reached John’s shrine Aradia waved the air between them like she could dissipate all the emotions with just the flick of her hand. It did serve to make Karkat smile.
“Forget it, okay? I wont ask anymore. Just be careful.” She said, looking at him sincerely.
Karkat dipped his head to her in reply; “I will proceed with the utmost caution in everything I do. I will wear gloves before handling papers even, in order to prevent the most foul paper cuts.”
Aradia punched him in the shoulder, grinning, “Oh hush up, humor me a bit.”
“That’s not very Empress-like.” Karkat pouted, rubbing his shoulder. “And in front of a god too.” He nodded his head towards the statue of an ever-smiling John, carved out of a blue stone.
“He looks like he’s pleased and since when have I ever acted like an Empress?”
“You have a good point.” Karkat nodded before looking at the statue, masking his sarcasm, “Way to not have my back here John, I thought we were bros.”
Well you were being a smartass.
Dave is looking for you, John Egbert the Homosexual.
Daaaaave, what did you tell him this time!?
Nothin, I didn’t say a word. I swear on all that is good and ironic that not a peep has left these sanctimonious lips of musical genius. As if I could ever peep. What am I, a bird? No sir, I tell you, if I was to peep it would only be for the most ironic of situations and even then I would be hesitant to use it because I doubt even Dirk could understand the full ironic capacity of that single sound. Withheld within that tiny little utter of a squeak I will have unraveled all that makes up the definition of irony which may be a little too much for other peoples minds. Heck, even I am having a hard time comprehending this revelation without-
Dave.
Yes dear?
I’m gonna prank your ass so hard, you have no idea.
Oh shit. It’s on son. It’s on.
Karkat let out a short laugh, shaking his head slightly at their antics. He turned back to Aradia. “Shall I accompany you into the city? I heard that there was a new merchant in town.”
“I would but I’m afraid this was just a short visit, I left Nepeta back at the docks and I’m worried she’ll start eating all of our catch for the midsummer festival. They like to spoil her too much.” They began to walk back towards the temple, red lights beneath their feet melding easily together. There wasn’t much difference in their symbols; Karkat’s light was simply a brighter shade of red.
“It’s hard not to spoil her,” He said, smiling as he thought of Aradia’s bodyguard. Nepeta was a rather unique individual. She was trained in every fighting style imaginable, an expert in over half, and knew how to use every object around her for a lethal blow. Yet despite all this, she had the most adorable kitten face and kind personality that it was impossible not to trust her and want to spoil her rotten. She was Aradia’s only guard that went with her on her excursions; Nepeta was more than enough to handle any adversary.
When he bid Aradia farewell he returned to his own chambers, hearing the faint echoes of laughter down the hall. The room was oddly silent when he entered; with no one there beside him it felt lonely. He sat down in his desk chair, leaning his chin on a fist while he pulled out a piece of paper and searched in his drawer for a writing utensil. His pen scratched against the paper idly, tapping as he tried to think about all he had to do.
Set up for the festival.
Greet the new merchant.
Buy Cronus another blanket.
Repaint door handles.
Clean the shrines.
The list went on.
He sighed, and tilted his head back, staring up at the ceiling. Dave was right, he did spend a lot of his time with his eyes turned skyward.
It was going to be a rather long night.