Chapter 22: Princesses Together
Ugh… What happened? His head felt like he got hit with a rock.
Izuku's vison slowly cleared more and more as well as feeling in everywhere else. He was on the ground, knees touching the cold steel floor. Izuku looked down to see what only to find his hands completely covered in some form of restraints, ending just after his wrists. The restraints themselves being connected by beams of red energy each coming from some form of coil on each side of him.
Taking in his surroundings, the greenette was in a circular chamber, red metal plating lined the walls with a black screen just imbedded to the left. It's what was in the center of the room, that caught his eye the most. The second thing he saw when he arose.
His reflection. His face reflected in dozens of disjointed surfaces on a large crimson stone which almost reached the ceiling in its height. Occasionally, crackles of red energy sparked off it's surface before becoming inert again. Was this the… No time for that! Time to get out of here.
Izuku started to struggle out of his restraints, only for a painful shock to fill his being first before he could move more. It didn't matter anyway he could barely move as is. Maybe he could scratch a rune into the floor and-
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. But please. Do try."
The sorcerer's head shot up to the sound of a woman's voice. A deep, venomous thing. Calming words hidden behind spiteful cruelty. The owner of the voice soon approached from around the stone and came closer to him. Clad in dark red robes, shadows moving and twisting at their feet as they moved closer. Face hidden behind a mask while her hair moved like the darkness at her feet.
Shadow Weaver. The corrupted sorceress looked down at Izuku. She remembered him if the narrowing of her eyes meant anything. "There you are, little sorcerer…" He looked away from the sorceress and looked to the gemstone contained in the middle of the chamber.
Shadow Weaver followed his eyes and turned to where he was looking. She let a low chuckle. "Marvelous, isn't it?" She began to speak. "The Black Garnet. An artifact of such power. Ripe for the picking at my leisure. Then again, you would know something about runestones considering you've been sleeping under one." Her hand brushed against it's rough and uneven surface before turning back to the greenette.
"Now then…" The sorceress grabbed hold of Izuku's face and lowered herself to his level. "You're going to tell me every little secret in that skull of yours concerning the rebellion. And if I am satisfied, you get to keep your tongue." Izuku remained silent. "Oh, I see. You think staying quiet will be enough?" A claw of darkness grabbed him by the hair and slammed his head into the floor.
A resonating bash echoed through the chamber while Izuku recovered from the ringing in his ears. "I don't need your mouth to learn anything." She stood back up; her condescending stare filled with a cruel joy. "In fact, I could make you bite your own tongue off and I would still learn more then you would ever say. All I need is your mind. That is if you don't choke on your own blood before I get anything."
"And even then, that would be a most enjoyable sight."
She must really hate him for denying her back in Mysticor. And did she mean by all she needed was his mind? Could she read minds? Before he could process more, the sorceress placed her hands on the Black Garnet. A choir of whispers roared through the chamber as the runestone's power ushered itself into Shadow Weaver. A fragment of the stone imbedded into her mask glowed with power until it became silent again and the fragment's glow faded.
Red lightning crackled at her fingertips as she approached Izuku a second time. "I was expecting a princess when Catra returned… Especially that glittering brat. But you will provide the same amount of catharsis." The sorceress grabbed hold of the greenette's head with both of her hands. "What will break first? The mind…"
Izuku's nerves felt like they were on fire as lightning cracked all across his body. He screamed as the pain got only worse the longer it went on. His brain barely capable of constructing any comprehendible thought except for him to shout in agony. Shadow Weaver released the sorcerer and his head dropped, his breathing heavy, a small amount of smoke emanating from his form.
"…Or the body…" She grabbed hold of Izuku's head and electrified the sorcerer's form again. He couldn't think or do anything. Or even feel anything other then his muscles wanting to contract out of his skin but unable to do so. A deep burning sensation swept over him again and again until the sorceress released him.
The sorceress stepped back and admired her work. "Still alive?" she said with a great deal of satisfaction lining her words. Izuku's head slowly looked up to the corrupted sorceress in defiance. He practically heard the twisted smile curl under the mask. "Good. Most would be begging for it cease. Or would be dead. You will be interesting to break…" Shadow Weaver glided towards a stand holding a dusty tome, overseeing its pages for a moment.
"Y-Your…Y-Y-Your…" Shadow Weaver looked back to the gasping sorcerer, still recovering from the second round of her magic. "Y-You're not… getting ANYTHING from… from me…" He had to hold on. He had to. Not a single peep.
"We will see… little sorcerer…" She slammed the tome shut and narrowed the white spaces that were her eyes. Her shadows creeping across the floor towards him. "It could be worse, you know. There are a great many soldiers here who would love to beat you to death with their own hands. To avenge the lives of their comrades. The ones you've killed…"
Don't listen. "Then again, they hate anyone a part of the rebellion. Princess, common militia… those who wield magic against them. For the fear that it has wrought them…" Don't. Listen. She's trying to mess with you. To make you slip. Stop and focus.
Stop and focus.
"So, you don't care if you take a life? How heartless…"
"Shut up…" Izuku rasped. Those were accidents… Accidents…
"You know how it feels to actually have power! To such lowly beings, the arcane is nothing more then a tool or something to fear. But not to people like us."
Shut up.
"To a sorcerer, magic is our very life blood. It is what drives us in the everlasting pursuit of knowledge and power. That more is just beyond the horizon or right there for the taking! It is what allows us to stand against the princesses and their natural born gifts that they squander and hide with."
You don't know anything… "The princesses… They have the power to wield Etheria's very elements against us and yet they do nothing with it. Only sit and twiddle their thumbs, throwing parties, perfectly content to ignore the responsibility of what goes beyond their walls and towers."
Don't.
"To let 'innocent people' die…."
"You don't know anything!" Izuku lashed out. Shadow Weaver let him speak. "The others are some of the most heroic people I've ever met! They only keep to themselves because their afraid of losing more in this stupid war! That more will be taken, killed or tortured. They would never let anyone down when the time comes."
Silence. Then a quiet laugh. "Is that why they haven't come to save you? Because the time hasn't come?" Wha-What? "If the princesses are as heroicas you say they are, why haven't they come and bashed down that door to save you? One little magic caster. Out of a possible dozen more they could recruit."
Shadow Weaver stood right in front of the kneeling sorcerer. Knowing her words were having the effect she wanted. Shadows crept closer to the greenette. "Why should they save one sorcerer when they could have a dozen more take your place, hmm? If you were a princess, there would have been alarms of attack blasting all across the Fright Zone and yet…" She put her hand to her ear. "Nothing… Not a single squeak or waste of air."
She… She was wrong! They would come for him! They were probably thinking of a plan to rescue him now. "Or… mourning your death…" Izuku looked to the sorceress in complete disbelief. "I could simply cast an illusion of your rotting corpse and send it off to the rebellion. They would only come to avenge your oh so gruesome death and retrieve the sword."
"And once they believe they had their so-called justice and the sword returned, they'll leave. Not bothering to come look for a body and just replace you if they haven't already. Because that is what you are…"
"Expendable. Just like every other rebel who thinks they truly matter." No… No… She was wrong… They wouldn't leave. Not without proper proof… right? Glimmer wouldn't replace him… Would she?
"Or better yet, I could just take your hands and drop you right at Brightmoon's doorstep. Unable to cast the simplest of spells, no longer any use to the rebellion, they would have you sit in the castle doing nothing or have you leave. Simply leaving you to stew while they forget about you and get another bright-eyed fool."
No… You know I'm right. No no no nonono NO!
Horrible thoughts started to plague the sorcerer's mind. The worst one being they would forget about him if he wasn't useful anymore. That he was just dead weight and should be left alone and pushed away. That all of his hard work could be taken in a flash.
They would care for him for a while. Then would just leave him be after his self loathing annoyed them too much and they just forgot him. Without any power he was worthless. Useless.
A Deku…
Unable to process his surroundings anymore, Izuku deep in his own mind, shadowy tendrils twisted and crawled along his form like living tattoos until they seeped under his eyes. Almost looking like blackened tears as they moved further into his blank eyes. Lost of the light that once shown in them.
Shadow Weaver's spell was in affect. Trapped in a prison of his own thought's creation.
And so quickly as well. There must have been many doubts within his mind to cause such an effect. To have the sorcerer that denied her Adora laying there in a purgatory of his own doubts and hateful thoughts, it was a fantastic sight. Unfortunately, she couldn't leave him like this if she wanted any information.
If left to fester, the spell would eat away at his mind and drive him insane, unable to distinguish friend from foe. Reality from fiction. …Something to keep in mind for later. After she gets her information, Shadow Weaver could have him thrown out in the Whispering Woods, hunting rebels for the sick joy that his mind would think was right. What a glorious possible outcome.
A possibility for the future, for now she must prepare her scrying spell and tune it for minds. Shadow Weaver started to leave the chamber, knowing her prisoner couldn't go anywhere even with the thought prison he was consumed in. Before she left however, she spoke again. Her prisoner's head mindlessly lifting up to see.
"Do not worry. A small part of me wishes to see them come as well. Adora will come for the sword that I know will come to pass. Ah, before I forget…" She turned towards the open door, hands behind her back. "If you ever feel like dozing off or if your heartbeat lessens from a specified number, your restraints will release a rather hearty shock. Not enough to cause you a great deal pain or kill, but just enough to keep you awake. Living through every waking moment."
"Don't want you getting too comfortable, do we?" Shadow Weaver left the chamber, the door hissing closed behind her. The princesses will come for the sword. And with the sword, comes Adora. Back into the sorceresses' arms again.
--- War Room, Brightmoon Castle ---
She wanted to keep this quiet. To have a simple get in, get out plan. But with her friend's life on the line, Glimmer couldn't take that sort of risk. Which is way she told her mother about what happened front and centre. No hiding in her room to sneak out herself, no having a secret meeting under her mom's nose. Glimmer needed a plan. A good plan. She was going to rescue Izuku.
With or without the queen's consent.
So, there they sat, the alliance together again. Minus Frosta who stayed behind to rebuild her grand hall and to check the structural integrity of her runestone's chamber and the Fractal Flake itself. Other then that, Plumeria, Salineas, Dryl, and Brightmoon, stood together once more. Ready to strike at their enemy's heart.
That was if they could agree on a plan to get there first. Glimmer was trying to figure how to get there while the others tried to think of ways to get in once they get to the Fright Zone. It wasn't just the life of Brightmoon's only sorcerer on the line, but also, She-Ra in a sense.
Without the sword, Adora couldn't transform and take on the warrior's power. And if the rebellion found out that both were taken, morale would plumate. So, they had to find out how to-
"Ok, I get why we need go for the sword, just not the green guy." Mermista asked. "I mean, wouldn't it just be easier to get another sorcerer? They can't all be against-"
Glimmer slammed her fist against the table, her anger spiking again, as well as cutting off the sea princess from another word. The other princesses looked towards Glimmer except for Entrapta who was more focused on hacking and tampering Horde communications with a test tracker the rebellion procured.
Bow on the other hand was quick on the draw to diffuse the situation. "I think what Glimmer is trying to say is that Izuku is the only sorcerer supporting the rebellion right now. A lot of people look to him as an example of what they could accomplish. But more importantly, he's our friend and you can't replace that. " Glimmer relaxed into her seat again, thankful she wasn't the only one to miss the greenette.
"Indeed." The queen spoke out after the archer. "With the majority of Mysticor still taking a neutral stance at this current time, sorcerers who wish to stay within the isle will not provide aid. And most are not natural fighters."
"Our sorcerer is a great beacon for the people. His loss will only do harm and the rebellion will lose heart." Angella sighed. "I still do not agree with sending you out to unknown territory, however. Or if I should at all." Entrapta perked up that it wasn't that unknown, still focused into her tinkering.
Just what looked like a demented and twisted metal graveyard leaking horrid smoke into the air sitting right in the middle of a mountain pass that looked like a pair of jaws within a desolate mountain range and wasteland.
Nothing unknown about that. "…Not only that, if the people learn She-Ra was taken as well, they might give up entirely." Adora looked down after that. A tinge of shame shooting through her. Her hands clenched into fists as she stood up from her seat.
"It's obvious they want me. We'll try a stealth mission! I go back alone and pretend to surrender and-"
"NOT. HAPPENING." Adora looked over to the glittering princess beside her. "I'm not losing another friend. Especially with a certain someone in the Fright Zone." Right. Shadow Weaver. Who knows what she was doing to the greenette. The thought made her shiver. "Can we please get back to the task at hand."
Like getting to said enemy territory as quickly as possible and getting past any defences they must have setup for any sort of attack. Nothing much grew out there so Perfuma couldn't take them on a root and bust down the front door. The only water there was in the Fright Zone so they couldn't ride a wave or take a boat there, ruling out Mermista. Even then, it was polluted, festering, and glowed like irradiated tar.
Glimmer was not strong enough to teleport them all to the Fright Zone and back to Brightmoon yet. Nor did she have the time or patience to take them in groups of two. They could steal a transport but who knows how long that'll take! There was the idea that Entrapta could make some sort of transporter with First One's tech, but everyone really wanted to keep their insides… inside. And to their own bodies preferably .
It was when most suggestions were not going to work did, Netossa raise her hand, awaiting her turn to speak. "I've got an idea." She spoke nonchalantly. Everyone at the table looked towards the other princess. Spinerella, sitting beside her partner, rolled her eyes towards her as Netossa told her plan. "I may have 'procured' some Horde skiffs during our last op. Small, fast, can hold three to four people. Will that work?"
"Wait. How long have you had enemy vehicles? And where have been keeping them?" Bow spoke up as everyone else's jaws dropped. Netossa however, grinned.
"Heh, well if you must know, In a daring operation, with my loving partner by my side, we-"
"She had them for a few weeks." Spinerella cut off her wife from another "Daring Tale" "During one of our op's, some of the Horde forces at a refueling depot 'left' their skiffs behind after 'my loving partner' got the jump on them and tied them down." Netossa's expression tanked. "We were going to tell the rebellion we had them, but Nessy wanted to take them out for our anniversary first."
Nessy?
Netossa was a little upset her spotlight was taken so swiftly and by the woman she loved as well. Spinerella apologized and asked if she wanted to tell everyone where she had them. The bluenette princess sighed, pulling out a pair of activation keys from her pocket and tossing them to Adora. "Go nuts. Just make sure you bring one back. There in the spare stables…"
"Thank you, darling."
"Whatever…" Netossa muttered, slumping in her seat. The purple haired princess kissed her partner on the cheek and Netossa's face was consumed in red, trying to act cool despite it.
With the means of transport secured and it being the enemy's own, there'd be no way they would see the princesses coming close until they were right at their doorstep. And with Adora leading them through the nooks and crannies, there's no way they couldn't succeed!
All that was left was what her mom thought. Angella sat in silence. Most likely debating with herself on if she should send the alliance out on its first real mission as a team. But Glimmer knew they could do it. All of them had seen combat and knew what was at stake. The fate of a friend and a powerful artifact rested on them to save both.
"Mom- Your majesty, it's now or never. Either way, whatever you say, I'm going. And nothing you say can change-"
"I know!" Angella met her daughter's eyes. Seeing she was never taking no for an answer. "I know…" Wait, really? Just like that? "Like you said, you would leave no matter what I said. There's no sense in fighting you for it." The queen looked to the rest of the alliance. "Make your preparations. Bring our comrade and She-Ra home." The meeting dismissed, the other princesses left the war room to gather necessary things for the journey and possible prison break.
The glittering princess stopped Netossa right at the door and thanked her for giving them this chance and the skiffs. She smiled. "Don't mention it. I basically watched you two grow up together. I might as well be Greeny's wicked cool aunt!" She chuckled before putting a hand on Glimmer's shoulder, her expression serious. Glimmer looked to the older princess.
"Bring him home, okay?" Was there any doubt? Of course, she would. Netossa laughed, far lighter with relief. "Don't get yourself killed, alright? I still want to see a rematch between you two. Heck, maybe even Adora too!" Both said their goodbyes and the bluenette wished Glimmer good luck. Before Glimmer left to the Fright Zone, there was one thing she needed to give her that edge.
In a flash of light, she zipped into Izuku's room. Shelves filled to the brim with books and tomes from all across Etheria lined the walls of his room, a few of them cracked open on his desk. His translation notebook sitting right beside one of the tomes. It might as well be a library in here, she mused. It was quiet too.
She didn't like it quiet. As much as it annoyed her, the mumbling of dozens of theories and potential idea's that rattled out of the sorcerer's mouth were interesting to listen too. Filled the quiet of the castle's walls when they were younger. Plus, all of sleep overs the original three had here were… She shook her head out of the moment and walked over to a lone desk on the other side of the room.
A tome filled with all sorts of runes both from Mysticor and his own experimentation sat on a stand. Plates of metal strewn about the desk with different runes etched into them. All in various states of progress. Close, but not what she was looking for. Where were they? Glimmer looked through a few drawers to finally find what she wanted.
A pair of rune gloves, ready for action. Glimmer slipped off her own gloves and swiftly put on the other pair. Flexing her fingers through the heavy material to see if it fit alright. They weren't fingerless like hers were and definitely a lot tougher too from the material. The plate with the rune etched into it sat on top of the wearer's fist, modified for ease of use and lightness. Seamlessly weaved with the material of the glove.
Glimmer looked over her new gloves one last time before taking a minute to figure out how they worked. She's seen them work before, all Izuku did was clap his hands together and something popped out of the ground. Or he made things just by focusing a different aspect of the runes. She could do that! She probably had double the magical power the sorcerer did!
Of course, that came from a whole lot of hard work to figure out his magic. While Glimmer was just kind of born with all that power. She closed her hands and started to concentrate. Think of his gauntlets, you can make those now that you have these. Just focus your own power into the runes and it should work.
At least, in theory anyway. Glimmer began to focus her power through the runes, hoping they could handle it. Instead of the green she was used too seeing, the runes began to glow a light purple/pink colour as they began to envelope her forearms. Come on! Come on! She was almost there! Just a little more! She fed the runes more power and the light got brighter.
She closed them as a final flash of light almost blinded her. Glimmer's arms were as far away from her face as they possibly could be just in case, she made spikes out of her arms on accident. Glimmer slowly peeled her eyes open to see if it worked or not. In a great amount of surprise, her arms were now covered in a pair of light-based gauntlets, the same colour that shown before they were created.
Although that wasn't what surprised her more then it should have. It was the blades sticking out of the gauntlets that caught her off guard. The blades starting right at the edge of her armored fist running along the side of the gauntlet before ending just after the elbow to a sharp point. Facing outward from her body so she didn't accidently cut herself when swinging.
It worked… It worked! She could learn sorcery alongside her own light powers! It was gimme too, but she wasn't sure if it was going to work in the first place. Flexing her fingers in the bladed gauntlets, everything felt and moved well. Now for a test drive. Don't want to charge a battalion only to find out her new blades went right through the person she was fighting like nothing.
Glimmer looked around the room to find something she could whale on. Luckily finding a makeshift dummy sitting not too far from where she was standing. The blades glowed brighter, seemingly more solid, after seeing her target.
With a smirk, she rushed the dummy in a flurry of teleports before coming down in a diagonal slash from above across the dummy's chest. Landing, the princess stared where she struck the dummy and, in a moment, the upper half slid off the lower part and fell to the ground. Whoa, that was a lot more kick than she was expecting.
"Perfect." Now with these, she could do all sorts of rune-based sorcery. Glimmer would need all the help she could get if this rescue was going to succeed. And she needed it too. Glimmer shook her hands and the gauntlets dissipated. She then looked out an open window, staring off into the far distance, eyes determined for what came next.
"Just hold on a little longer. I'm-… We're on our way." With those final words, she teleported out his room to the spare stables where everyone else awaited. Two Horde skiffs, there engines powered down, sat awaiting to head out. Adora was showing everyone how they drove and to turn them on.
As Glimmer approached the rescue team, one of them roared to life, lifting off the ground before steadily floating, ready to go just like she was. Bow, Glimmer and Perfuma climbed onto one while Adora, Mermista, Seahawk and Entrapta climbed onto the other, putting in the key and it roaring like the first.
With confirmation between the two groups on their own skiff, Adora explained how to pilot the craft to Bow from hers. With instructions mostly clear, the archer stood ready at the controls, waiting for Adora to lead them forward. She would lead the group to the quickest way to the Fright Zone. Once boots were on the ground at the enemy stronghold, she would lay out a plan of attack for both teams.
Nothing else or problems left to stop them, the alliance blasted off. The hovercrafts swiftly picking up speed as they traversed the swamplands surrounding Brightmoon to the forests proper. Heading straight for their destination.
--- Force Captain's Quarters, the Fright Zone ---
There Catra sat, back against the wall, on the floor, staring into the blue jewel of her prize as she spun it occasionally on its tip. Everything. Everything that happened. Her leaving you, forgetting your dream together, all because Adora decided to grow a conscious. How stupid could she have been? Of course, Adora doesn't… want to stick around. All her princess friends filled in that gap a lot better then Catra did apparently.
Even then, she still missed her. Her laugh, her being the only one to put with Catra's shit and stick around. Her smile… It doesn't matter now.
She left you! When are you going to wake up and realize she hates you!
Catra stopped spinning her prize and just looked at it. What made it so special? What made it make Adora abandon her the Horde? It obviously made her go into super princess mode after she swung around like a lunatic. But how? Out of all of the people she thought they would be interested in this thing, Shadow Weaver wanted nothing to do with it.
Something on the lines of "Without Adora, it might as well be an oversized toothpick." Then proceeded to slam the door in Catra's face. No acknowledgement, no praise, not even a wink of approval. Just waft of disdain that Catra was the one to bring it here instead of-
Adora this, Adora that! What made her so special!? Why can't I-
Even though her mind was running rampant in rage, Catra sat on the cold floor, holding her 'oversized toothpick' in quiet. The same one that Shadow Bitch should have at least taken interest in considering it's the same thing that knocked her ass on the floor during her 'Mysticor trip' or whatever it was called.
Speaking of Mysti- Whatever, when she brought Mophead instead of a princess, Catra could absolutely tell that Shadow Weaver was going tear her tail off. But got over it, leading back to the disinterest in the sword when Catra showed it off. Guess she was looking forward to torture then She-Ra.
As if on que, Catra heard a something hard hitting someone and a gasp of air leaving that same someone, echoing through the dusty vents. Either mophead was being introduced to a more physical persuasion or someone was being beaten into the ground in the prisons or the barracks. Now thinking on it, there would be little reason to beat him except for the joy of it.
When Shadow Weaver could just screw with his head and peel it back like a ration bar. She knew how that felt. The shocks, the beatings, the shadows creeping into her skull, making her think Adora would abandon her sooner rather then later. It was only a matter of time until Shadow Bitch gets bored and makes mophead's skull pop like a balloon.
Or choke on his blood. She knew that feeling too. Or, the most likely thing to happen considering she had this thing, the princesses come for a rescue. Catra took the sword and scratched a tally into the wall of her quarters. Her empty, lonely quarters. Something to pass the time while they waited for the princess rescue that was bound to happen.
Shadow Weaver thought that with Adora being all 'noble' and stupid garbage like that, she would willing come to the Fright Zone alone, hoping to trade his life for hers. Catra knew better though. She was too obsessed with bringing the blonde back. And she knew it was going to blow up in the witch's face eventually.
All that was left was who would be pulling the detonator.
No sense stewing on nothing. Catra got up, throwing the sword onto her bed and went to leave her quarters. The door slid up, to show standing right outside her door was Scorpia, just about to knock by the looks of it. What was she doing here? "Hey, sorry if I was bothering you or if you were napping. Force captain-ing can be a hard gig, I should know." She chuckled, bumping her elbow into Catra with a wink.
What. Do you. Want? The scorpion chuckled again before clearing her throat. "Just wanting to make sure if you sent out any scouts as of recently. Gotta make sure everything moves smoothly, right?" No? Why was she asking that? "Well, it's just that two skiffs came back not to long ago and there were no reports of them being sent out in the first place."
Missing skiffs? "So, I just came to hit two birds with one stone as they say. Check on my best buddy and clear this up." Where were they left? "Just outside the main perimeter. Came from the…" She checked her data pad. "From the forest sector or somewhere in that direction. We do have a refueling depot out there too, so that does make sense."
Scorpia then asked what they should do about them. The scouts apparently were no where to be found. No scouts, unidentified skiffs just dropped off, from the forest miles away, the oncoming princesses- Oh. Oh, so that's why. "Leave 'em." Catra answered. "Scouts probably forgot to check in, lazy bastards." That was lie. She knew exactly who was or were on those skiffs.
Guess that explosion was happening faster then she thought. But she couldn't make to easy for them. "Send a few patrols around that area just in case. Maybe they'll find the scouts and bring them back in." Catra explained her order. Scorpia saluted with her pincer, before asking Catra if they could go grab something in the mess before anything else stopped them together.
…Eh, sure. Why not. Might as well pass the time before she went on a 'patrol' of her own. And before things got… hectic.
---
So far, so good. The alliance hadn't entered the main complex yet but were already split into three teams. Team A, which consisted of Bow, Perfuma and Seahawk. Team B, Glimmer, Adora and hopefully Izuku when they found him. Team C was Entrapta and Mermista. Their jobs were to shut down any possible alarms that would ring off and clear a way through the sewers to make their escape route.
Bow's team would be to find the sword and get out. Once team A and B had gotten their objective, look for any nearby sewage drain and jump in. Mermista would locate them and bring them back to the skiffs were and all would leave together. No dangerous maneuvers, no running ahead of your team, just sticking with the plan and hoping the layout didn't change since Adora left.
Adora led team B to one of the many entrances of the stronghold before Bow took his team down another path, spitting them up for the time being. So, there went Glimmer and Adora, the blonde leading the princess through the steel halls of the Fright Zone's many complexes.
For about four seconds when Glimmer jumped a random soldier minding their own business and started shaking them for answers. With, apparently, arm blades Adora was sure she didn't have before, nor she saw them on before they got in. Glimmer on top of them, blades right at their throat. "Where's Shadow Weaver?" She demanded.
"What are you doing!?" Adora whisper yelled, quickly running over to the princess's side as the frightened soldier tried to blab anything so the crazy girl got off of them and that their head stayed on their shoulders. Clearly not getting anything, Glimmer knocked them out with her armored fist and got up.
Running ahead, Adora double checked the split hall the two were heading towards. No guards heading down either way. But before doing anything else, she turned around and looked right at Glimmer. "Ok, I know stealth isn't really your thing, but I'd rather try and do this as a team. And as quietly as possible." Adora whispered, looking down the hall a second time.
"And I know our friend is in the hands of a crazed psychopath sorceress! Said same lunatic is doing stars know what to him! So, excuse me if I'm in a bit of a rush." Glimmer fired back. Adora furrowed her brow and Glimmer sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just… worried… and scared that I might be too late." Before Adora could comfort her, knowing that feeling somewhat, the princess walked past her and looked down the split paths.
"I need to find him." She looked back to Adora. "Which way?" Now knowing that Glimmer was in a rush and now knowing her temper was flaring, Adora said to the left. Despite going past the barracks, there was an adjacent catwalk which led straight to Shadow Weaver's chamber. The most dangerous but quickest way there.
Although that wouldn't be the case as a single grunt turned the corner behind them, seeing the two and the unconscious guard at their feet. The guard looked at the two, then the knocked-out guard, then to the alarm button beside them. Glimmer slowly shook her head and narrowed her eyes towards them while Adora frantically shook her head, as if trying to tell them not to go for it.
After another rotation of trying to understand their current situation, the grunt went for it. Only to be met with a sudden steel beam shooting out of the ground pinning them to the wall, knocking them out instantly. The princess beside Adora had her hands on the floor, pink energy sparking off Glimmer's gauntlets into the metal floor. She stood back up and inspected her gloves again.
"Ok, glad that works too." Glimmer murmured.
What was that!? "Explain later. Right now, we need to go." As much as Adora wanted an explanation, the resounding bang when the grunt hit the wall echoed through the steel corroders like a chime in the wind. Which meant people heard it. And in that case, it wouldn't be long until more showed up to investigate.
Just as they were about to leave the scene, Adora heard the stomping of a few dozen boots going down both paths. Adora and Glimmer went back-to-back as dozens of guards blocked both sides. So much for stealth until they were heading out. If only she had brought another weapon! Glimmer brought her hands together in a resounding clap, before bringing them down to the ground.
Magic crackled again from her hands into the floor as it began to shift before her eyes. Before long, a staff emerged from the twisting steel. Glimmer grabbed hold of the created weapon and tossed it to Adora, who was quick to catch and ready herself. Then she knew now how Glimmer was doing all of these things as it all clicked.
"You took Izuku's runes gloves!" Glimmer flinched a little before looking over her shoulder with insincere smile and a shrug. How she figured to use something Adora thought only the greenette could do so quickly was both impressive and questionable. The guards ignited their weapons and charged the duo.
Adora took on right side group while Glimmer fought off the left side. The blonde wielded her weapon with a master's grace, more familiar with a staff then a sword from the countless training exercises when she was a cadet. Taking down grunt after grunt with her slightly increased strength. Cracking the armor of the grunts a few times with her swings.
Glimmer on the other hand was right in the middle of the fray. Slashing across the grunts and cleaving their weapons in half like paper with her blades. Taking them down with fully charged glitter blasts before teleporting in and out of enemy range and attacks. Slashing through until most were on the ground armor and weapons broken while Glimmer's blades grew brighter with power.
With her path finally clear, Glimmer ran forward down the hallway, as Adora ran to catch up finally taking down her side of grunts. Only to be cut off as two heavily armored drones rolled in, stopping Adora from reaching the princess. Glimmer looked back as Adora was stopped by the drones. "Keeping going! I'll catch up!"
Hesitant at first, Glimmer ran further on her own. Hopefully she could find her way without Adora. The blonde readied her staff as the bots began to charge their lasers. Just as she was about to go in for a few quick blows to their exposed joints, a trident flew by Adora's head, impaling the drone on the left. Mermista dove past the blonde, landing on top of the ruined bot and pulling out her trident from its wreck.
The second bot was too slow to lock on to the new target as the sea princess stabbed the drone in its eye with a heavy thrust. Causing it to sputter and the back of the drone to explode from the built-up energy it tried to fire. Mermista pulled her weapon from the second bot, exasperation covered her face. "Mermista! What are you-"
"PLEASE tell me you've seen Entrapta." Uh… No? Mermista groaned before facepalming, her hand running down her face. What. She didn't know where Entrapta was. Where was she!? "Well… She was with me in the really gross sewer, never ask me to do that again by the way, going off about theories and all of the tech the Horde must have stashed here. I look away for ONE second and the next thing I see is her crawling into a vent like some sort of gremlin." Adora couldn't believe her ears.
"Then I thought, oh shit, maybe I shouldn't let the techy crawl around incredibly deadly territory on her own. So, I ran out of the sewers, which again, super gross." She made that really clear. "Then the last I saw was her was ON TOP of a bot, running around like it was no big deal into a random hallway. Which I got lost real quick and ended up here." All of the plan was going out the window!
The sea princess then looked around, noticing Adora was missing someone. Right! Glimmer! But Entrapta! One could take on a multitude of drones on her own, the other… actually she's never seen Entrapta fight before. Huh. But that meant Adora didn't know if she could handle herself! Which one did she go after. With little time to think it over much, finding Glimmer who most likely would-be fighting Shadow Weaver took priority.
Touching her earpiece, Adora thought that Bow might have seen Entrapta and could send Mermista that way. When the archer's voice came through, sounding a little confused. And judging from the maniacal cackling in the background, they had Entrapta. And not in an echoing hall, where were they? "Outside. Overlooking a lake of… glowing toxic goo. Any ideas?" They must be at one of the observation decks. Any luck on the sword?
"Kind of? Every time we get close, either there's a wandering patrol or it just moves on its own." Adora was pretty sure the sword couldn't do that. Or most swords for that matter. "I would try and get a better signal, but Entrapta said there some serious detection equipment here and the littlest unsanctioned signal would go straight to the Horde."
Which means they would know where exactly to find the team. No alarms yet, but no exact signal tracing either. "Is our escape route clear?" Adora asked the sea princess beside her. All of the patrolling drones were taken care from the specified spots the blonde picked out. So, exits were a go. "Bow. I'm sending Mermista your way. I'm going after Glimmer."
"Roger that. Wait, Glimmer's not with you!?"
"She just ran off and- She really wants to know Izuku is safe." Or crack the skull of Shadow Weaver, Adora really couldn't tell at this point. Bow sighed but understood why. He then said he'd try to get Entrapta to stay put long enough for Mermista to get there. That was until Adora heard Perfuma frantically looking around for the tech princess again.
With a groan, Mermista followed the blonde's directions towards them while Adora tried to catch up with Glimmer, hoping she wasn't causing too much mayhem.
---
"Out. Of. My. Way."
In a wave of sparkling light, Glimmer blasted away another group of guards. Drones crawled over the slashed bodies she already took care of and started firing on the princess. She fueled the runes with power and slammed the ground with her hands, causing a line of jagged spikes to impale the drones and absolutely shred their mechanical centers.
One of the guards tried to crawl away silently but was introduced to Glimmer's armored fist. She rolled the unconscious grunt over to see the Horde symbol on their chest flashing. Must've been some sort of distress beacon. And since the entire place wasn't on lockdown, that meant Entrapta took down the alarms. But who knows how long that'll last.
This would be so much easier if she didn't leave Adora and if there weren't so many faces to break in her way. But judging from the bodies at her feet, she was getting close.
So, she kept going. Nothing was going to stop her.
As the princess navigated the steel halls, not a sound was heard, her boots barely making a clang against the metal floor. No one behind her and it only got darker in front of her. The magic was starting to get thick too. She could feel it. She was close. Which meant Shadow Weaver wouldn't be far. Hopefully Izuku wasn't far either.
Following the cold feeling at her back, Glimmer kept walking until she finally found what she was looking for. A dark red door, offsetting the dull greens and grey's that coloured the halls leading to it. Glimmer examined the door to see if was magically charged or had any traps on it. Finding no such traps and nothing magical other then the creeping feeling on the other side, Glimmer stood back and summoned a pillar.
It bashed against the door, leaving only a minor dent. This definitely was the place to be. Seeing that wasn't working, just as she about to see if her arm blades could cut the door, it slid open. Dark tendrils grasping outward before retreating back inside. Her fists tightened and she stepped inside the chamber.
The first thing that caught her eye was the obvious runestone in the middle of the chamber. Deep red, much like the chamber it was contained in. She then looked off to the side and that's where she saw-
"Izuku!"
Glimmer took another step and suddenly a rune ignited beneath her feet. A painful shock filled her being as she collapsed to the floor. Glimmer tried to get back up but the magic that shocked her kept her down. She tried reaching out to the sorcerer, his head down, unable to see his eyes covered by his dishevelled hair. Then echoing laugh bounced around the chamber.
"I knew someone would come for him. And I was hoping it would be you." The corrupted sorceress floated from behind the runestone and looked down at the disabled princess. "Although I wished you didn't come so soon." She spat. "Now my only choice is to make you watch while I bleed him of whatever resistance he has left… What a shame."
"If you even lay a decrepit finger on him, I swear I'll-"
"Or what, hmm? You'll cut me down?" Shadow Weaver laughed. "Please. Even with the amount of power you could wield, I doubt you could even attempt it." Glimmer tried teleporting, only to be met with another painful shock as the rune ignited again, keeping her in place. "See? You are powerless here." The sorceress floated over to her prisoner.
"Now then…" Shadow Weaver raised her hands as more shadowy appendages grabbed hold of Izuku's head. "Let us finally learn something." Glimmer struggled against the magical ensnarement as the sorceress probed Izuku's mind for any useful information. "Be silent. When I'm done with this one, I'll need a refresher of magic and you look like just enough to make up the cost of this spell." The greenette started to groan and mutter.
Glimmer's eyes grew as she could only watch in horror. Shadow Weaver kept digging into his memories to find something of note. Battle plans, strategies, anything revolving around the rebellion. Only to find scenes and places she's never seen on Etheria. Entire cities filled with people and powers beyond her comprehension. What was this? Was he from a-
No… No… That was impossible. It makes no sense how some average sorcerer discovered a different plane of existence! This must be his final defence, making up a fake world to better hide his secrets. He thinks to make a fool of her!? "You think to mock me, boy!?" The shadowy appendages became jagged blades as Shadow Weaver dug deeper, ignoring the screams of agony from the sorcerer. And the screams of rage from the princess. "You WILL tell me everything! I COMMAND IT!"
And it that moment, something ignited in the princess. Something she had never felt before. Power swelled within her as her emotions reached their peak. Her eyes burning like stars as she slammed her fist into the floor, denting it. Shadow Weaver was too absorbed in her work to notice Glimmer getting back up.
The trap tried to push her back down, only to fizzle and break when she slammed the rune again with a cry. Shattering the rune and the floor that held it. The corrupted sorceress finally turned to see the princess had destroyed her spell. "How did you-!?"
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!!"
With a roar, Glimmer teleported right in front of the sorceress and before she could react, delivered a colossal blow directly into the witch's face. Cracking a portion of her mask off and making her collapse. Glimmer now stood between Izuku and the collapsed witch, looking down at her as Shadow Weaver did to the princess. "Who's powerless now?"
"You… You dare!? YOU DARE!?" Shadow Weaver got back up; fury filled her face as the cracked mask showed the horrid visage it tried to hide. A single disfigured, bloodshot eye stared at the powered-up princess as darkness coalesced around the sorceress, her arms became large claws of shadow as jagged tendrils protruded from her back. "I WILL DRAIN EVERYTHING UNTIL YOUR NOTHING MORE THEN A SHRIVELD HUSK!"
"We'll see about that." Glimmer flexed her fingers into fists, readying two orbs of light in her hands. "Let's rock." She had to end this fast. Who knows what shape Izuku was in. The corrupted sorceress unleashed a barrage of attacks and blows towards the princess only for her to dodge and teleport above her, charging the finishing blow.
Instead of her usual orbs of light she was used too, a spear began to form in her hand as Shadow Weaver looked up and sent countless bladed arms towards the princess. A few scraped her as she threw her spear into the witch's shoulder with enough force to push her back and pin her to the opposite wall. A blood curdling scream rang through out the chamber as Shadow Weaver tried to remove it.
Glimmer returned to the ground and looked towards the pinned sorceress, looking back with such rage, trying to reach for the runestone, only to fall unconscious as the light burned away whatever shadows were protecting her. Before the princess could deal the final blow, she fell unto her knees in exhaustion. Heavy breaths took the moment as the rush of power left her, her eyes returning to normal. Her gauntlets were beginning to fade as well.
"G-Gli-Glim-m" A voice rasped behind her.
Izuku! The princess picked herself up and made her way back to the greenette. She knelt down and grabbed his face carefully and examined his state. Heavy bags sat under his eyes as if he didn't get a lick of sleep and barely audible rasps left his lips as he tried to say something. Cuts and bruises were exposed by the tears in his suit, made by sorceress's shadows most likely.
"G-Glim-mmer I-I-I… I-I-I can still-" She waited to see what he wanted to say.
Glimmer didn't like what she heard.
"I-I-I c-can still be… be useful… please…p-please don't go…" What did she make him see? Glimmer's worry turned back to anger, her head whipping back to Shadow Weaver. Only to find her gone. Wisps of darkness escaping into the spaces between the haphazardly welded plates of steel strewn along the walls. Forget it. It was going to get loud anyway. She looked back to Izuku and started to shake him.
"Izuku! It's me! I'm here!" Glimmer shouted, making him look at her directly. "Snap out of it!" Where was a healing light from, She-Ra when you needed it! She grabbed the sides of Izuku's head again and made him really look. "I would never leave you; you hear me. Never! We're the Best Friend Squad, nothing stops us! Especially some stupid magic, now look at me!"
Please.
Izuku's faded eyes looked into Glimmer's own. Worry on her face completely. "Gli-Glimmer…? Your really…?" The light slowly came back into his eyes as whatever darkness that covered his mind lifted, Shadow Weaver no longer able to keep her spell up. Izuku blinked a few times to clear his eyes to make sure what he was seeing was real. "G-Glimmer? Is that really you?"
"Yep. The one and only." Glimmer wiped away her forming tears and took a step back. Charging whatever power she had left into her gauntlet's blades. "Now duck." Before he could ask another question, one of them which is why she had his gloves, Glimmer sliced the coils that powered the sorcerer's restraints. Her gauntlets finally fading into nothing as the coils hummed their last and crashed unto the floor.
With no power to sustain them, the cuffs unlocked and fell off Izuku's hands. He rubbed his wrists and checked if he still had all his fingers, thankful to be free. Although he tried to get up, his body refused so, and he nearly fell on his face. Izuku wasn't walking on his own for now. Not that Glimmer was going to let him anyway. When they got back, she was making sure that he took the longest nap Etheria had ever seen.
That was if they could get out. With Izuku too tired to cast anything and Glimmer out of power until she recharged back home, the only option was to walk and hope they ran into someone they knew. With that said, Glimmer helped Izuku on his feet, assisting him with walking as the two left the chamber behind. The duo crept down the metallic halls once more, trying to be as quiet as possible.
Constantly checking corners, putting Izuku down for a moment just so he didn't peek out more then she did and quickly picked him back up. They kept moving until they came across a creaky catwalk. It was the only way across a wide gap which dropped into utter darkness. Just as they both agreed to cross, seeing no other way, did the two see a familiar face.
Adora was already on the other side, panting from running herself ragged and finally finding the two. "You guys! Finally! You two ok?" Both exchanged looks with one another before starting to walk across towards the blonde. Adora rushing over to pull them into a hug. "I'm so glad your safe! Wait, what about Shadow Weaver?"
"Yeah. What about Shadow Weaver."
The reunited friends looked to the other end of the catwalk to Catra staring them down, Adora's sword in hand, dragging its tip across the closest wall. Leaving a long thin scratch across it. Before raising the blade towards the three. "Gotta say, whatever you did, you really pissed her off." She must have heard the scream the sorceress made. "Shame I can't let you go after all the mess I passed by."
Adora pushed past the tired duo to stand between them and Catra. "I won't let take anyone else! I'll… I'll fight you if I have too!" Adora put up her hands, ready to fight whatever dirty trick Catra might play. Catra on the other hand saw the weakness in her eyes that said 'Don't do this. Please.' Even if it looked like the blonde was ready to brawl.
Catra closed her eyes for a second to think, blade still poised forwards. Towards her friend enemy. She sighed and threw the sword at Adora's feet. A look of complete disinterest on her face while the other three only had confusion on their face. "Well? You got what you came for now get." Catra crossed her arms as Adora scrambled up the sword into her hands.
"Catra, please." Don't look at me like that. "Come with me. You don't have to be al-"
"Don't." Catra cut her off. Anger flashing in her eyes before returning her disinterested calm. "Just… don't." As the cat turned the away, Adora spoke up again.
"Thank you."
"…I'm only doing this because you kicked Shadow Bitch's ass. Now go before I grow some common sense…" With that, Catra walked into the darkness, leaving the three on the catwalk alone. The three looked at one another before hastily getting across and making their exit. Adora quickly contacted Bow to tell him she found the others and to head back to their escape.
Just as the archer got the message, alarms began to blare all across the Fright Zone. The trio doubled their pace as drones started to roll behind them, heavily armed soldiers swiftly behind them as well. Adora thought about using the sword to fight them off, but she wasn't keen on fighting the entire Fright Zone today. So, they kept running as fast as they could. Passing by one of their escape routes due to being so closely chased.
And now the blast shields were closing too! Locking down certain paths to run. Eventually, they met up with the rest of the team. Bow leading the other team as they ran. "Great to see you guys! Minus the oncoming army behind us. Could do without that." The archer fired an arrow towards the massive rampage of Horde machines and soldiers.
The arrow hit the floor, exploding into a grey substance covering most of the path forward. The automated drones rolled into it without a second thought and got stuck in the adhesive goo. With a little break, all of them kept running save for Entrapta who was riding a Horde drone as it occasionally sputtered and sparked. Why was she- No time to think about that now!
Shutters sealed shut behind them as they ran, following Adora to a new exit. Finally finding an open exit, the alliance run through it. Just as escape in their reach, Izuku tripped, taking Glimmer with him as the two collapsed in the for some reason smaller hallway. Then they noticed a strange heat began to fill the room.
The vents that started to glow as flames began to lick at from the exhaust vents lining the hall top to bottom. Was this an incinerator!? Who has this installed!? Just before Adora could run back and help the two back up, Entrapta, on her drone she called Emily, rolled into the activating hall furnace, and grabbed the two with her twin tails, them turning into massive hands.
"Save the alien for research!" She screamed. Emily started to sputter again, and glitch out as heavy doors slowly started to shut. Adora ran past everyone and struggled to keep the door open. Entrapta looked to her precious Emily who she only knew for a few hours, to the other two who's names she couldn't remember in her hair's grasp.
Then to the struggling blonde trying to keep the door open as it closed ever more. There was no way everyone would fit through now. As the fire began to light up more, Entrapta pulled back and threw Izuku and Glimmer at the doors like baseballs, letting her step down from Emily to fix her. Adora gasped as the two barrelled into her, knocking Adora out of the closing doorway and onto the rough soil.
The three looked back to the tech princess as she tried everything to fix the drone. "Leave it!" Glimmer shouted as the doors were no longer able to fit them both through. Entrapta looked back and put her thumb up.
"Don't worry! Technology hasn't let me down yet!" Just as she finished that, the doors slammed shut with the final inch. Then all heard the locking mechanism as the doors awaited to flush out the intruder. Adora and Bow rushed over, trying with all their power to pull it back open.
Until the door became so hot, they couldn't touch it. And just as Adora raised the sword to become She-Ra, did they hear a flash and roar of fire and see the door glow briefly before it became silent again. The alliance could only stare in horror and regret at the sealed door in front of them.
Did they… lose? Izuku's head was in spirals at what happened.
They lost someone… because of him…