Kairouan, the emerald of the green solo moon world

It had been a week and just like in the grey-scale mountains years back, Rufus and his friends were hostages in a foreign land with a hostile environment. The queen of the desert had refused all requests for an audience, leaving them roaming around the locust-infested palace to pass the time.

"Where is that blonde olympian?" Joan said as she entered their room where Edward was passing the time by spitting on the roof.

"No idea....and don't really care," he replied back.

"Can you stop that...I live in this room as well."

~~

Amala was in her room, shooting her archers at the furniture. Couches, tables and chairs had already been destroyed as Amala was taking out her frustration on them.

"Are you really going to be in there the entire day!" Amala yelled annoyed to the bathroom.

Inside there was Pema, bathing with a hot towel on his head, not caring about the ruckus in the other room.

~~

Yosef and Doreen were walking around the streets of Kairouan. They were being trailed by four witches, to make sure they would not try and escape.

"Well...I have always thought being chased by four women would be fun, but this is just disturbing," Yosef noted.

Doreen tried to get closer to a stall where they sold fruits, but the Saracen just waved her hands to make Doreen go away.

"Human-on-human discrimination looks weird...." Yosef said.

"Do you always try to annoy everyone around you?"

"I believe I do not try but succeed in it pretty well. What do you even want from the market?"

"Don't really know even, just wanted to get out of the palace I guess, and see if I can find anything special here in the market," Doreen said and scanned the entire market.

Doreen then spotted a stall where someone sold books. The merchant was an old woman, who didn't seem bothered by the outsiders.

"You don't seem to be bothered by me looking at your products?" Doreen asked the merchant.

"I can't afford to discriminate, even how ugly the client is," the merchant said and pointed at Yosef.

Doreen opened one book, but the text was unreadable. It was written in an unknown language and an unknown alphabet.

"Where did you get these books?" Doreen asked.

"These books were found in the desert hundreds of years ago. No one can read them, but they are a type of collectible. They look nice on the shelf I guess if you want to impress someone," the merchant explained.

"Books found in the desert? That's hard to swallow," Yosef said in pessimism.

"Believe it or not. People say they fell from a large ship that broke and exploded up in the skies of our moon world. You can find the wreckage of the ship all over the desert, but these types of books are the only thing to survive that are of any use. Some people even believe that these books are divine."

~~

Rufus had climbed on top of the palace ceiling. Up there Haley was brooding and had been quiet and distant for a long time.

"So....we now only have time. Mind telling me now what has been bugging you," Rufus questioned his sister.

"I don't want to say."

"What do you mean?"

"Because if I am honest with you, you will not like it. I am not a good person like you."

Rufus didn't know what to say but was not going to leave, and Haley knew it.

"I, unlike you do not care what happens to other nations and kingdoms. I do not care that much if a city burns in the hands of the empire. The only ones I cared about were in the slums. Harley, Old man Haufen, miss Jean and you, and of those people only you are left," Haley opened up.

"Do not get me wrong. It's not like I don't care about Edward, Doreen, or the rest. But for me, I wouldn't mind if we would just run away. To just live for ourselves. That doesn't sound so bad. Unlike you, the biggest pushover I know, I am more selfish. I hate myself for my lack of compassion and strength that you have," Haley continued.

Rufus was not mad or anything, but instead started laughing. He laughed so hard that his laughter could be heard far and his ribs hurt.

"Why the hell are you laughing after I opened up like that, you dick," Haley yelled angrily.

"I'm sorry, I am just extremely relieved. At first, I thought you were angry at me, but now I am so happy," Rufus said while trying to hold back his laughter.

"Still, you shouldn't be laughing at people who open up like this," Haley yelled.

"I know, I know. I am a horrible therapist, but also remember, you are not horrible yourself."

Haley was quiet.

"As long as you are still willing and right here right now helping me, us all, you are not a horrible person. I bet many people would think like you in your situation."

"But not you of course."

"Yeah, but as you said...I am a special kind of pushover. I am one of a kind. So you shouldn't compare yourself to me, or anyone else, but instead just walk forward in your life, with me," Rufus said and patted Haley on her forehead, as she blushed.

At that moment, they both felt a strong divine pressure. They both knew to whom it belonged.

"I think your work to ensure the protection and future life of us all starts now," Haley said and jumped off the ceiling with the help of crystals that floated in the air.

Right at that moment, a large cloud of locusts flew behind Rufus. When they dispersed, they revealed the queen.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you and your sister, but I have heard that you have wanted an audience with me for a while. So, here I am," the queen said.

"No worry, and thank you for hearing me out."