The Legacy of Freedom

"We need to be ready for the supply ship today," Adora advised Glimmer. "That last battle against Hordak nearly eliminated all of our food. Thankfully, what resources we don't have here can always be made available."

Glimmer agreed, "Now that so many have spread the word about us, there are more people from distant planets that want to help the Rebellion's cause anyway they can. Soon, all will know how evil Hordak is, and maybe we can rid Etheria of him once and for all."

"I wouldn't get my hopes up about that," Bow stated as he entered the tent. "For every person out there willing to help the rebellion, there are always three more that want to stop us."

"Bow's right, Glimmer," Adora said quietly. "Unfortunately, there are still too many out there that believe the Horde is justified in their rule of Etheria. They do not understand that all Hordak wants to do is enslave the people here. They think that he is just trying to be the rightful leader to this planet, and that we are causing problems for him."

"At least we can be glad that there are people willing to help, no matter how small the numbers are compared to Hordak's following," Glimmer said.

"Right you are, Glimmer," Adora answered. "Now let's go watch for the supplies."

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A quiet village on a moon near the planet Etheria... The people prepare for their monthly trade with the Etherians. It was an agreement that had been arrived at sometime during the last six months when a native visited Etheria in a desperate search for a cure to the disease that was killing their horses. Impalla was not as highly, medically advanced as Etheria, but knew that the people of Etheria understood many diseases, and probably knew of a cure. Upon arriving in Etheria, the messenger that was sent out was captured by Horde Troopers, and placed in a cell with Bow. He told Bow about the problems that his home was facing, and Bow promised to try to help once they were free. She-Ra helped them escape, and was able to give the people of Impalla the cure. In return, they always promised to help the rebellion anyway they could. The best help that they could give the Etherians were supplies. Considering how often they were in battle with the Horde, it was what the rebels needed most. Phadra was chosen for the delivery this time. She had traveled to many other planets before, but this was her first visit to Etheria. She looked forward to finally meeting the rebellion that her Father had told her all about. Phadra had chestnut colored hair streaked with scarlet. She wore a red bodysuit with orange and yellow flames on the front and black boots with red flames up the front (with armbands to match). She had intense blue eyes that could look right through people, but she was also very wise. Her Father had taught her how to be responsible. She was one of her home's best warriors. She prepared for her trip nonchalantly.

"I will contact you in a couple days, Father."

"Take care of yourself, Phadra," her Father hugged her.

"I will, Father." she boarded her airship. She had been looking forward to the trip for months now.

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Back on Etheria, Hordak was busy as usual.

"Grizzlor, make yourself useful and go see if you can capture any of those worthless rebels!"

"Right away Hordak," Grizzlor replied and left, taking Catra with him. As they moved towards the outskirts of Whispering Woods, Catra noticed something flying over them.

"Meowrr what is that?" Grizzlor also looked up.

"It looks like an airship."

"I know that you buffoon," she answered, "Rowr, but why is it heading towards the Woods?" Catra contacted Hordak on her radio,.

"Mreow, Hordak, there is a ship headed towards Whispering Woods. Shall I go see what is going on?"

"A ship eh?" Hordak asked. He also wondered why the ship was going to the Woods. "Shoot it down, Catra. I want to know what those rebels are up to."

"Rowr right away Hordak." She turned off the radio and turned to Grizzlor, "Shoot it down before they get away!" Grizzlor aimed the tank's gun towards the ship, fired and hit the tail. Catra pushed him out of the way quickly.

"Merowr, let me handle this, you idiot!" she fired at it again, and was able to get a better shot. The ship began to take a nosedive.

"Now go after it," she commanded, "Hordak will reward us greatly if the passenger has information about the rebellion."

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Glimmer waited near the edge of Whispering Woods for the airship to land. Nearby, Bow and Adora were planning their next attack on the Horde.

"I always get stuck with the useless jobs," she thought, "I could be in Brightmoon castle doing better jobs than this like sweeping the floors. I wish they'd realize I'm not just some delicate princess. And why does Bow look at Adora like that now? He used to look at me with such respect, but since she joined the rebellion, I am no longer needed." Glimmer turned so she could watch the two better and then heard a loud crash outside the Woods.

"What was that?" Adora cried.

"I don't know!" Glimmer replied, "I just turned around for a second." I'd better go find out what it was."

"No! Something tells me I should go check it out. We may need some help. If you don't hear from me on your radio in a few minutes, then you should come looking for me," Adora said.

"You sure we shouldn't go with you?" Bow asked, "It could be dangerous."

"I'm sure. Like I said, give me a minute, and if you don't hear from me."

"Ok. Whatever you say," Bow replied. Glimmer rolled her eyes.

Adora ran through the trees to see what the source of the noise was. She came across Catra and Grizzlor huddled over a crashed ship. The supply ship! They were trying to get to the pilot. Adora radioed her friends, and told them that she was going find out what was going on.

"Go back to the camp, and I'll meet you there as soon as I know something." Adora watched as three more tanks, with Horde troopers, surrounded the ship.

"Hmm. I wonder why Hordak wants this ship so badly. He doesn't know that we get supplies from Impalla every month," she thought, "maybe I should let them take the pilot just to see what he's up to."

There were also too many troopers for her to fight. She would never beat them all in time to catch Grizzlor and Catra escaping with the pilot anyway.

"Merowr. Make sure that the rebels don't stop us," Catra demanded, "Hordak wants to see this person right away and we can't have anyone getting in the way."

They hurriedly grabbed the pilot and took her to the Fright Zone as well as her ship. Adora decided to go back to the camp and bring the others to the Fright Zone to the rescue. She quickly hopped on Spirit and rode back to the camp.

"But why would Hordak care that we get supplies from Impalla?" Glimmer asked.

"I think he is more interested in capturing a new colony of slaves," Bow answered.

"Bow's probably right," Adora agreed, "I don't think it is our supplies he's after. We should go to the Fright Zone and see what we can find out, but first, I'll see if She-Ra can help." Adora stepped outside the tent, and went behind a tree. She raised her sword.

"For the honor of Grayskull."

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Back in the Fright Zone, Shadoweaver woke the pilot so Hordak could interrogate her. "Hordak, she has woken up."

"It's about time," he said. "Who are you? And where are you from? Why are you going to meet the rebels?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Phadra answered. Her people had been told never to tell Hordak where they were from if the occasion ever arose. This was the first time one of the supply ships had ever been captured by the Horde, and the pilots were trained for the situation.

"I will ask you one more time. Where are you from? Why are you here?" Hordak demanded.

"I'll never tell you," she hissed.

"Fine! Then you can stay in the dungeon until you decide that you will be more talkative," Hordak replied. He was about to speak when Phadra drew a wall of fire around him.

"Shadoweaver! Stop her!" he yelled. Shadoweaver sounded the alarm, and an army of Horde troopers entered. Phadra began to set them on fire, but Shadoweaver had only called them to distract her while she cast a spell on Phadra to make her sleep. Phadra had her back to her and did not see the cloud forming around her until she was already falling to the ground.

"Good work, Shadoweaver," Hordak said. "Now, see to it that she has the special handcuffs put on. We can't have her escaping from our prison. When she wants to talk, she will be brought to me. Until then, she can rot. In the meantime, Catra, you and Grizzlor go see if you can find anything inside her ship. I want to see where my new colony of slaves is coming from."

"Merowr, right away mighty Hordak," Catra purred.

Just outside, She-Ra, Glimmer, and Bow listened to Hordak as he gave his orders.

"So that is what he wants: more slaves," She-Ra turned to the others, "We should split up. Bow, you can go down to the cellar and help the girl escape. Glimmer, you should go try and stop Grizzlor and Catra from finding anything out. I'll go after Hordak and keep him busy while you are leaving."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go!" Glimmer was excited to finally get a real job. At least She-Ra respected that she was not just a fragile princess. She could handle herself. She went after Catra and Grizzlor.

Bow found his way down into the cellar. He knew this place well. The dungeon was empty. He wandered down the hall, and came to a cell with someone in it. It was the pilot! Quickly, he used an explosive arrow to get through the door.

"Who are you? And what do you want from me?" Phadra asked cautiously. He didn't speak at first. He appeared startled.

"I'm Bow. I'm with the rebellion, and I'm here to free you."

"Oh. I thought you were with them," she replied, indicating the Horde. "I was locked down here because I refused to tell them anything about myself of my people."

"You're safe now. She-Ra is distracting Hordak so we can escape."

"She-Ra is really here? I have heard so much about her!" Phadra said excitedly. Bow pulled her up and shot an arrow at her handcuffs, breaking them.

"She's really here," he smiled. "But you can meet her later. We need to get out of here first."

They ran out of the cell and down the hall. They ran up a flight of stairs and Bow noticed a window.

"We can get out through there," he said. He shot an arrow with a rope attached through the window,

"Hold on to me. I'll pull us out." She grabbed him and they were free, but their companions were not having quite as much luck.

"Hello Hordak! I don't think today is tax day. Why are you sending people into the dungeon already?" She-Ra asked.

"Blast it, She-Ra! You have no business here." Hordak called his troopers in. They surrounded She-Ra. She knew she was in for a long fight.

"Merowrrrr. Grizzlor!" Catra shouted, "Have you found anything yet?" She was tired of looking through the ship.

"No, Catra. Wait, I think I have something here." Grizzlor answered.

"That's what you think!" Glimmer appeared. She used her staff to blind them and grabbed the badge that Grizzlor had found.

"This must be the pilot's," Glimmer thought. "I'd better do something with these two before they can get back to Hordak. She quickly tied them up, and went to meet She-Ra in the throne room.

"She-Ra!" she shouted when she saw her friend surrounded. She ran over to help. She-Ra was already taking out some of the robots, but they were coming at her from all sides.

Glimmer was glad to help, and began pushing them out of the way, using her light powers.

"Just in time, Glimmer," She-Ra smiled. Glimmer beamed the last of the troopers over the head, and they decided to make their exit.

"We are going to meet Glimmer and She-Ra here just as soon as they are finished," Bow told Phadra. "They were distracting the Horde so I could rescue you."

"What are we going to do about my ship?" Phadra asked.

"I don't know. Maybe She-Ra will have a plan. "By the way, I told you who I am; what is your name?"

"My name is Phadra," she told him.

"Really?" Bow smiled. "That is an interesting name."

"It has a story to it. I'll have to tell it to you sometime." Phadra said.

"I'd like that," he grinned.

"Bow! You got her out. Good. We need to get out of here before Hordak calls some more troops after us," She-Ra ordered. Glimmer was following close behind her.

"What am I going to do about my ship?" Phadra asked.

"Well, if you need to go back and get it, we will stand a much better chance as four than we did as two," She-Ra suggested.

"I know right where it is," Glimmer added. "All we have to do is sneak in through the back."

"Great! Let's go." Bow said.

"You bumbling idiots!" Hordak yelled. "I need to find out where that pilot is from! Go after them. If you do not find them, you will all be severely punished!"

The remaining troopers ran in the direction that Glimmer and She-Ra had left in. The rebels had been sitting outside the throne room waiting to see where everyone would go.

"Now, Catra, Grizzlor, lets go investigate that ship. Maybe we won't need that worthless pilot after all," Hordak considered. Four against three seemed much better odds to the rebels. They jumped through the window and surrounded Hordak, Catra and Grizzlor.

"I don't think you'll be doing anything to that ship, Hordak." She-Ra said, "It doesn't appear to be your property."

"You again," Hordak groaned. "Well, you won't be able to catch me this time. Hordak transformed into a rocket and flew out of the Fright Zone to safety.

"Get them, you fools!" He ordered as he left. Catra put on her mask and began to stalk Glimmer. Grizzlor moved towards She-Ra. Suddenly, Shadoweaver appeared, and went after Phadra. Glimmer easily dodged Catra's pounce, and in the process, knocked her cat-mask off, transforming Catra back into her human shape.

"You won't be needing this," Glimmer cried as she ran towards Catra.

"Merowor, I have better things to do than to play tag with you," Catra exclaimed, and quickly fled.

"Sword to rope," She-Ra cried as Grizzlor advanced towards her. She tied him up and brought him over to Hordak's trap door.

"No! Please She-Ra, I can't swim," Grizzlor pleaded.

"All right then," She-Ra replied, and untied him. He pretended to run away, but as She-Ra turned her back, he ran towards her. Expecting it, She-Ra threw him over her head, and opened the trap door.

"It's not nice to lie!" She-Ra giggled as Grizzlor fell. She felt a splash of water on her toe as he hit the surface.

"Now to help my friends," she thought. Shadoweaver was preparing another spell for Phadra, whose back was turned (she had been watching Glimmer). Phadra had not even seen Shadoweaver appear. Bow, jumped to her, knocking her out of the way, got up, and shot an arrow at Shadoweaver. Seeing that she was beaten, Shadoweaver transported herself to safety.

"Thanks, Bow!" Phadra cried breathlessly. "She already got me once today with her spells.

"Not a problem," Bow replied as he helped her up. "Just glad that you're ok."

"All thanks to you," Phadra smiled. Glimmer was not happy about the connection that had obviously formed already between the two.

"I think you can go check on your ship now."

"Right. Then we can all fly out of here." Phadra was oblivious to the jealousy in Glimmer's voice and dagger in her eyes. She made sure all the controls were intact and quickly repaired the damage from the Catra's tank. Then she contacted her father to explain that she was safe. She would tell him about her encounter with Hordak later. Then, she flew them all to the safety of Whispering Woods.

Back at the camp Phadra unloaded the supplies.

"I guess you'll be leaving now," Bow muttered sadly.

"Yeah, I guess so." Glimmer tried not to smile.

"Actually, I won't be." Phadra replied. "I wanted to meet you, She-Ra because my agenda in coming to Etheria was to join the rebellion as well as to bring the supplies."

"You are sure that you want to leave your home?" She-Ra asked. "Don't get me wrong; we would be more than happy to have you, but we don't want you to feel that you have to leave your home for us."

"I am sure, She-Ra. I have been hearing stories about the rebellion for awhile now. If given the chance, I can show you that I am a good warrior, and I would like nothing more than to help free Etheria from Hordak. I asked to be the one to bring supplies to Etheria this month because I wanted to see for myself the war that the rebels faced, and I now know that I made the right choice. My father is the only family I have left on Impalla, and he encouraged me to come here. I can always go back and visit, but as a true warrior, I want to help you fight for freedom until you have it. It is so important to me that people are free to live as they wish." Phadra explained.

"Well, if you are sure about this." She-Ra began.

"Welcome to the rebellion," Bow stated. Glimmer fumed silently.

Later that night, Phadra watched her old home as it rose over Etheria. Bow came up beside her.

"Are you sure you aren't going to be too homesick?" he asked concerned. She turned to him.

"I am sure. I have a destiny to fulfill. I have to live up to the name my Father gave to me."

"I would like to hear about that," Bow pressed her.

"Well, my Mother died giving birth to me. My Father raised me all by himself. He named me Phadra because it means glowing. I was also born with the ability to control fire. My Mother had been a great warrior while she was alive, but had fallen ill during her pregnancy with me, and was bedridden the last month that she carried me. My Father was also a great warrior, but decided to concentrate on his wife when she became ill. They passed on their gifts to me, and I was trained all of my life for battle. I became quite good at it. My Father knew that he was getting older, and pushed me to help others. He wanted me to pass on the family's legacy in the name of freedom. I have been passed down my Mother's ability to control the 'glowing embers.' It always makes me happy to help others so I agreed to come to Etheria to see if this would be a good place for me to start my new life. Apparently, it was the best choice I could have made. So now I am here for as long as I am needed. And I can go back to see my Father anytime because Etheria is so close." Phadra looked at Bow, "You are smiling, but you are not happy. Why is that?"

"How did you know that?" Bow asked. He had thought he could his feelings of sadness for her in.

"My family also has the gift of telepathy," she answered, "And yes, I am sad that I never knew my Mother, but I feel closer to her knowing that I am carrying on what she has done in the past. My Father feels that this is a good way for me to cope with the loss as well. I know that she is alive in my heart, and that is what is important. She will not be forgotten, even if I did not know her."

"That is an amazing story," Bow exhaled. "You are a wonderful person. I am glad the rebellion has you here." He turned to kiss her, and she accepted, embracing him. She had wanted this since the second she first saw him. His lips were even softer than she had imagined, and he held her gently. When they parted, she looked into his eyes.

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to that. You do realize that I can never leave now, don't you?" Bow laughed.

"Well, Phadra, that is just fine with me. I have been waiting for you for years anyway, and I'm not about to let you leave." He took her hand and led her back to the celebration that was being held in honor of their new addition to the rebellion.