Charmina and Angela

"Damn," said Charmina. "I missed." She looked around her, taking in the new surroundings. The land around her was beautiful and almost idyllic, in a way that seemed almost wrong to someone who had spent almost all her life in the grimy streets of Varga.

She looked at the other woman. She was also very beautiful, with light brown hair and wide green eyes, and had an air of innocence about her that Charmina hadn't seen in a long time. She was looking down at her hands in shock. "Did I just... how did I do that?"

"If you don't know, I sure don't," said Charmina. "You aren't from here either, are you? Wherever here is."

"No, I'm not, I don't think. My name is Angela. I'm a Protector."

"You're a what?"

"I'm a Protector. I was created to protect people in need."

"So you're a golem, huh? That's weird. You're far more well-constructed than any golem I've ever seen."

"I don't know what that is."

"It means someone who was created from nothing rather than born."

"Then maybe I am, but... Sometimes I remember having a mother. I don't remember much about her, but..."

"But you said you were created to protect people."

"I know, I... It doesn't make sense!" She started crying. Charmina instinctively reached out to comfort her, which surprised her. "Who are you?" Angela asked her.

"I was born as Gloria, but I'm known as Charmina now," she told her.

"Why would you change your name?" Angela asked.

Charmina hung her head sadly. "My father was a merchant, but when I got sick and almost died, he lost all his money buying medicine for me. When he lost all his money and had to steal the medicine, he was put to death by rich thieves for not being rich enough to bribe his way out. The man I came to know as my father was killed by the criminals who ruled my city for refusing to join them. I've spent all my life fighting for revenge. I had to make a new identity for myself so they wouldn't know suspect me." Charmina found herself deeply surprised that she had told Angela that much about herself. It had been a long time since she'd ever met anyone she'd had the intuitive sense she could trust. But could she really trust her? It was too late now.

"That's sad," said Angela, after a long time. "But isn't revenge wrong?"

"Maybe it is," said Charmina thoughtfully. "But it's all I have to live for now."

1. At that moment, Astra began to stir.
2. Charmina and Angela then saw a man flying through the air.

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