"Fight with more than just your fists." The force Cadets sit in the classroom usually reserved for any non combat exams. All of them deathly silent as Shadoweaver stalks the front of the room. "The Etherians are emotional and easily manipulated. Use this to your advantage." Shadoweaver raises a fist. "Take their pathetic notions of love and loyalty and turn them against each other. Twist their hearts with lies and make them fight each other."

Lonnie raises her hand. "Aren't the Etherians just a bunch of princesses and cowards? Why can't we just beat then up?"

Behind the mask they can all feel Shadoweaver sneer. "The Etherians fake bravery and draw false strength through the guises of friendship and love. Tear those down and they will have nothing left."

"Catra." Shadoweaver! Catra shoots up from the ground disentangling herself from Adora. Her blue and yellows eyes scan the forest for the voice and the dark mask that usually accompany it.

"Catra what is it?" Adroa sits up from the ground scanning the area Catra is looking.

Catra's eyes focus, finding nothing but the ordinary shapes and shadows of the forest. "Nothing, I thought I heard something." Catra lowers herself again slowly, still attentively surveying their camp.

Adora rubs some of the sleep from her eyes. "We can take turns keeping watch if you want."

Catra shakes her head. "No, go back to sleep. It must have just been a dream."

Bow's excitement was infectious. Glimmer had been grinning all morning, Adora had a pleasant smile on her face, and even Catra found it hard to maintain neutral expression. "So no Horde?"

Glimmer smirks back, "Nope, Mystaor is magically protected. You have to know how to get there to even tell it's there. Plus there's pretty much no chance of anyone stumbling on it by accident even with magic."

This gets Adora's attention. "What, is it under water?"

Glimmer shakes her head.

"Underground?" Catra hazards a guess.

"Nope."

Bow turns back to the rest of them. His excited grin undulled since they left this morning. "Should I tell them?"

"Nah." Glimmer's grin turns malicious. "I think we should show them the same way I showed you when you came here for the first time."

Bow turns back to the front laughing. Adora turns and whispers to Catra. "Are you suddenly scared too?"

"Not at all." Despite this she grasps Adora's hand just a bit tighter.

They continue walking for another hour before they reach a dead end. The forest ends and the group stands at the precipice of a cliff so high up that they can see clouds lazily drifting below. Catra and Adora look over the cliffside warily. "Did we take a wrong turn?"

Grinning Glimmer casually walks around them. "I don't think so? Bow we're not lost are we?"

Bow also starts to slowly slide around them. "No we're definitely at the right place."

Adora turns to look over the cliffside again before placing her hands on her hips. "Yeah there's nothing here."

Glimmer chuckles. "Didn't I tell you Adora? Mystacor is protected by magic. You won't be able to see it with your eyes." Glimmer closes her eyes and Bow follows suit. "Close your eyes and take a deep breath. If you concentrate you should be able to feel the magic. My Auntie likes to say. 'The only way to get to Mystacor is to believe'."

Adora closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Skeptically Catra follows suit still holding Adora's hand.

"Now turn to face the cliff side and imagine what you think Mystacor should look like. You should feel a sensation pulling or pushing you towards it."

After a moment Catra groans in frustration. "I hate magic. What exactly are we supposed to be feeling?"

"It should feel like." Glimmer grins maliciously. "A swift kick in the butt!"

"Wha-"

In unison Bow and Glimmer kick Adora and Catra off of the cliff. They stand there giggling hearing their terrified screams. Bow wipes a tear from his eyes. "You do know that Catra is going to kill us right?"

Glimmer gives one last laugh while walking up to the cliff herself. "True, but that was hilarious. Ready?" Bow nods and the two of them leap off of the cliff in a fit of laughter.

Glimmer puts her hands on her hips and eyes Catra warily as their flying mountain ride reaches Mystacor. "Ok Catra, you've thrown me off three times now. Got it all out of your system yet?"

Catra crosses her arms, her glare is less murderous than when she and Adora first landed. "I really hate magic."

Bow chuckles rubbing the back of his head. "You won't be saying that for long."

Seeing that Catra was finally ready to stop trying to throw her off the cliffs Glimmer decides a little warning is in order. "Ok just so you know, my Aunt Casta can be kind of a lot. So yeah, just be ready for that."

Catra leans over and whispers to Adora. "Aunt?" Adora shrugs.

"There's my favorite niece!" Catras eyes narrow at the woman approaching her. Castaspella has dark hair, a purple dress, and big smile as she embraces Glimmer. Yet for some reason she seems familiar. Somehow Reminiscent of Shadoweaver.

"Hi Auntie. These are my friends, Catra and Adora: who is also sometimes She-Ra."

"Well it is good to meet you. I'm glad Glimmer has more than one friend now!"

"Auntie!"

"Well anyway how about a tour? I can show you all of our facilities. Oh and we're having an eclipse ceremony this evening that you absolutely must see!"

"Auntie!"

"Now now Glimmer. Why don't we leave it up to your new friends?"

Catra looks around at the various people practicing their magic in the courtyard A place filled with magic and images? "Yeah you guys can go on the tour. I didn't sleep well."

"Oh well in that case I can show you to a room. What about you Adora do you want a tour?" Casta clasps her hands hopefully.

Worriedly Adora looks to Catra first. Catra rolls her eyes. "I'm fine Adora. Go on."

Well if Catra is going to sleep might as well see what this place is a about. Shrugging Adora looks back to Castaspella "Sure."

"Ugh I must be getting spoiled." Catra reclines on the bed in the chambers Castaspella showed her to, annoyed that it doesn't match up to the bed in brightmoon. It's still soft enough to sink into, but lacks the support of the bed she shares with Adora. But that doesn't mean it won't get the job done.

Catra quickly drifts off to sleep. It's the first time in over a week that it wasn't with Adora.

"After all she's with someone else right now."

Because I didn't want to go.

"She didn't seem to mind."

The dream shifts and Catra is no longer lying on her bed. Instead she's standing in an unfamiliar hallway where large statues line either side of the hall. All of them pristine except for one that looks to be intentionally blackened and unkept. In front of her Glimmer and Adora are walking hand in hand.

"Hey Adora." Catra calls out to them but neither of them turn to face her.

"They can't hear you. You made a mistake in allowing Adora to come to the Etherians. In the Fright Zone all she had was you. You must realize the other 'options' she now has."

Suddenly Adora turns and grabs Glimmer's wrists pinning her to the wall. She grins at Glimmer with the same hungry look reserved for Catra in the bedroom. "So princess ready to have some fun?"

Glimmer squirms in a very half hearted attempt to escape. "What about Catra?"

Adora laughs. "What about her? Catra is just some Horde stray. In the Horde she was the best I could do, but now..." Catra looks away ears drooping as Adora descends upon Glimmer. When she looks back Adora has pulled away, face flushed, and lips moist. Catra takes a step back as Adora turns towards her with a malicious sneer. "I think we both know I can do much better."

Catra shoots up from the bed covered in sweat. "...It was just a dream." despite this Catra wastes no time in throwing her legs over the side of the bed and standing up. "I need to find Adora." She raises an arm to wipe her tears before stepping outside.

"Oh your friends?" The mage Catra stopped thinks for a moment putting her hand on her chin. "Hmmm. Oh I think I saw them heading towards the healing springs. The water there is fantastic. If you head over that way they might still be there."

"Thanks." Catra doesn't spare the woman another second as she begins quickly walking towards the indicated direction.

The doorway leads into a large steamy room with high ceilings. Scattered around the room are what appear to be many different sized basins of water formed from the stone itself each filled with steaming water. The humidity in the room almost makes Catra gag.

Her eyes narrow in search looking for Adora in the steamy room. Finally they settle on the only blonde in the room and she begins making her way there struggling to see details through the steam. When she does get close enough to see she continues walking hoping that the sight before her would somehow change with distance. Adora lays peacefully asleep in the tub with a very content looking Glimmer laying against her. Adora's arms appear to be gently encircling the shorter girls waist holding them together.

"I told you."

The same voice from the dream. Catra whirls around to see the shadowy figure of Shadoweaver floating across from her. "I should have known." Catra flexes her claws as she snarls in the direction of her motherly figure. "I bet that dream was your work too. I'm not going to be fooled by your tricks."

"Tricks." Shadoweaver gestures a hand to the tub. "Surely you don't think I convinced them to lie together. To fall asleep like this. To look so happy without you."

Catra leaps forward, her claws passing harmlessly through the spectre. "Shut up!"

"No Catra. This was all your doing. You let Adora come here. You're the one letting her push away from you. If you bring her back to the Horde there won't be any princesses to compete with. It will be just you and her. Just like you want."

Before Catra can lunge again the shadow melts into the steamy air and disappears.

"Catra?" Catra turns to see Adora groggily open her eyes. "What's going on?" Catra's eyes dart around the chamber looking for unnatural shadows. Glimmer splashes into the water with a gasp as Adora jumps to her feet grabbing the sword of protection. Not knowing what to look for Adora's eyes begin carefully scanning the room.

Glimmer splashes to the surface of the pool as Bow shakes himself awake. She sees Catra and Adora both tense and ready for a fight. "What are you two doing? What the heck Adora you brought your sword to the sauna! How about you both relax, we can get Catra into some water clothes and then we can all chill out?"

"Shadoweaver is here." Catra's voice is calm despite the tension in her body. "She was just here, playing her mind games."

At hearing this Adora steps closer to Catra positioning themselves back to back. "Where is she? I can't see her!"

Catra shakes her head. "She disappeared into the shadows."

Bow pulls himself out of the pool holding his hands out gently as he approaches the two former Horde cadets. "Ok I'm not sure what you saw. But it's impossible for anyone from the Horde to be here. The whole place is protected by magic remember? Besides if she was here someone would have noticed by now."

"I did." They all turn to listen to Adora. "Back during the tour, when Castaspella was talking about Light Spinner. I saw her shadow. I heard her voice."

Glimmer stands next to Bow trying to look reassuring. "Ok, standing here freaking out about it isn't going to help anything." Glimmer sighs. "How about we all get dressed and we can go talk to aunt Casta about it. If Shadoweaver really was here then my aunt would be able to find out."

Castaspella shakes her head while looking at the crystal in her palm. "I don't see anything unusual on here. The crystal would let me know whenever anyone steps through the barrier into Mystacor." She turns the crystal towards the teens and points to four multi colored sparkles on its surface. "While you can't really read it without the magical knowledge to do so, only four people have entered Mystacor today and those four people are you."

Catra glares at the woman. "Then your crystal is wrong. I saw her!"

Catra looks ready to start a fight so Adora places a hand on her shoulder. "We both saw her. Isn't there anyway she could have snuck past your security magic? Shadoweaver uses powerful magic. Couldn't she have, messed with it or something?"

Casta grins back at them. "You can trust that everything is ok in Mystacor. I am the most powerful sorceress in all of Etheria. If someone was using powerful magic like you say I'm sure I would have noticed." She reaches out and ruffles Catra's hair not realizing how dangerously close to a mauling she is. "You kids should relax. Mystacor is the safest place in Etheria. Now I have to go prepare for the eclipse ceremony. You should all come by and watch. I'll see you then."

As Casta walks away it takes all of Adora's strength to prevent Catra from attacking the woman.

"See?" Gimmer says. "Like we said, there's no way Shadoweaver was here. You guys are just super stressed from the whole killer robot thing."

Bow places a hand on Adoras shoulder. "Honestly you both look pretty tired. Maybe you should get some rest before the ceremony."

Adora runs at her eyes suddenly feeling exhausted. "Maybe you're right. Catra show me to where the room is?"

"So. You don't actually buy all of that do you?" Catra crosses her arms leaning against the doorframe while Adora sits on the bed. "I know what I saw. You saw her too. I don't care what they said Shadoweaver is here."

"I saw her too but…" Adora looks down at the sword in her lap. "They could be right. I mean what if we are just stressed?"

"That's crap and you know it." Catra snarls. "She's here and I'm going to find her." When Adora doesn't immediately react Catra clicks her tongue and walks out closing the door behind her.

Adora sighs in the now empty room looking down at the sword. In its reflection she looks a lot less tired than she is.

"Adora can be so dumb sometimes."

Adora glances up, hearing Catra's voice on the other side of the door.

"Being with these Etherians really has made her weak. I guess this is just another thing I'll have to take care of. Useless."

Annoyed Adora stands and throws open the door ready to tell off Catra. Only to be greeted by the empty hall. "Huh? Catra?" She lets the door close behind her as she looks around for Catra.

Catra is outside of the main building watching the practicing mages in the courtyard when Adora catches up to her. Catra's mismatched eyes meet Adora's cool blue ones. "Finally decided to help me find her?"

Adora sneers. "You are being stubborn. Why can't you just accept that we might have been wrong? Glimmer and Bow haven't seen anything and even Castaspella says that there's no way Shadoweaver is here." Adora sighs. "Why are you being so difficult?"

Catra turns and glares at Adora. "Because Shadoweaver is here! You know she is. Why are you being so dense. This isn't even the first time she's shown up like this. You know what she can do."

Adora crosses her arms and leans against the wall a disappointed look on her face. She mumbles under her breath. "I'm sure Glimmer would listen to me."

Memories of the earlier dream cause Catras ears to flatten. Her voice comes out in a low hiss. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"

Adora looks away.

"What does that mean!" Catra reaches out to grab Adora's shoulder.

Her hand passes right through Adora's shoulder. The area her hand passed through takes on a black shadowy visage. 'Adora' looks up at her with glowing red eyes. "Not as bright as you thought Catra."

"Shadoweaver!" Adora's face shimmers as Catra's claw passes through it. "Why are you here. Why can't you just leave us alone!"

"Hahaha. Oh Catra you always were a disappointment. Now Adora is finally realizing it too."

Catra swipes at the specter's head two more times before realizing that it's having no effect. "Quit it with your mind games." Catra stops for a second and thinks. "Why would you be here talking with me? No. Adora is the one you want." Catra's eyes widen. "You want Adora."

Shadoweaver laughs as Catra sprints through the hall towards her room.

"C'mon Adora where are you?" After checking the empty room Catra began running through the castle without any direction looking about frantically for the real Adora. She would have stopped to ask if anyone had seen her but the halls are eerily empty. No sign of Bow, Glimmer, or anyone else.

Didn't Glimmer's auntie person say something about an Eclipse ceremony?

Looking out the window Catra can see the sky start to dim as the moon casts its shadow over the the floating isle.

"I'm really regretting skipping that tour." There has to be some clue here. "C'mon think!" If the ceremony has to do with the eclipse then surely it's from a place where they can see it right? If it's not outside it would probably be in some special chamber right? One with a sunroof? "But I have no idea how to find it." Catra glances at the window again the idea striking her. "But I might be able to see it from the top."

Without hesitation Catra bursts through the window, she briefly rolls on the ground before turning and springing onto the side of the building using her claws and natural climbing ability to scale it quickly.

From here Catra can see the beam of magical energy radiating from a spire in the castle to the barrier around it. And she sees it stop, the barrier suddenly flickering out of existence.

Adora has to be there.

I push myself off of the ground. The shield of protection having protected me from most of the shockwave of dark energy. Glimmer and Bow lie on the ground behind me still unconscious. Instead of focusing on them however I change the shield back into a sword and point it at the spectre floating in the center of the room. "Shadoweaver! The only reason I would ever go back to the Horde, is to end you."

The shade chuckles. "Oh Adora. That isn't up to you. Although I suppose it's not up to me either." Adoras attention is brought to the two people entering the room. Lonnie and Rogelio, Now there is clearly something wrong with them. The former bags under Lonnie's eyes have instead become dark markings that circle her eyes entirely. Her lips are pale and the veins in her face and arms are black standing out against her graying skin. Rogelio's eyes are pitch black with no discernable pupil. His scales have dulled from their vibrant green to an almost white color with several patches of scales missing.

Enraged Adora points the sword at Shadoweaver again. "What did you do to them!"

"Nothing that they didn't ask for. Watch."

Hungrily Rogelio and Lonnie turn to the shadow. When Rogelio speaks his voice sounds horse as if he'd been screaming all day. "More.. we need... more to beat Adora.."

"I'm not sure if you deserve more."

Lonnie's eyes go wide in terror. "Please please mistress! We need it! Without it we are nothing please!"

Seeing Lonnie beg makes Adora take a step back alarmed. This is so unlike them. Just what is Shadoweaver doing to them?

"Very well."

The shadow diffuses into the air as a black mist. A mist that Lonnie and Rogelio greedily inhale. Adora watches as they do, Lonnie's black veins look even more pronounced and Rogelio's eyes widen unnaturally seeming to shed some dark light. With Shadoweaver gone Adora points the sword at Lonnie. "What was that? What are you?"

Lonnie grins showing pitch black teeth. "You don't stand a chance against us anymore Adora

We are the first of the Horde's newest and most elite unit. Even a Force Captain is no match for a Shadow trooper!"

"For the honor of-" Adora is cut off as Lonnie tackles her to the ground. The sword slips from her hands in surprise. Lonnie was more than ten feet away. "How did you?"

When Lonnie speaks her voice is distorted as if multiple people are talking. "I'm not here for She-Ra. We came for Adora." Lonnie stands up easily lifting Adora with one arm. "Ro, Catch."

With strength rivaling She-Ra Lonnie hurls Adora across the room towards Rogelio's fist. Before the impact however a third figure drops in from the moon roof and grabs Adora slowing them to a stop.

Panting Catra places Adora on the ground. "Hey Adora." Catra raises both claws and turns to face Rogelio. "Having a squad reunion without me?"

Adora takes her position covering Catra's back facing Lonnie. "I saw them absorb Shadoweaver's magic. Lonnie is stronger than she should be."

Lonnie chuckles and makes a quick practice swing with the sword of protection. "More than you know." She grins at them slipping into the combat stance that was drilled into their heads for years. "Ready?"

Not waiting for an answer Rogelio leaps at Catra who dives forward underneath him. From the corner of her eye she can see Adora and Lonnie fighting but she doesn't get a chance to take a good look before Rogelio demands her attention by sweeping out her legs with his tail.

"Pay… attention…"

Catra gracefully leaps backwards as Rogelio swings a claw at her. Her eyes widen when she sees the crushed concrete where he punched the ground. "Alright Ro. Now you have my attention."

-page break-

"You can't dodge me forever Adora!" Adora ducks under another swing calmly watching Lonnie's hands and feet. Waiting for an opening. "Fight me Adora!"

Lonnie steps forward in an aggressive swing putting her full weight on her front leg.

"There!" Adora sidesteps into Lonnie's guard grabbing her sword arm by the wrist and rotating using all of her strength Adora throws Lonnie over her shoulder.

Lonnie arches her back unnaturally and manages to balance on her free hand before flipping to her feet. "Face it Adora you can't beat me not any-" Lonnie's body shakes as she bends over coughing violently. Adora keeps her distance in case it's some sort of trick. When Lonnie raises her head Adora can see a black and red liquid substance leaking from the side of her mouth. "Damn it. I thought we had more time.."

Sensing the moment of weakness Adora runs forward she feigns a low kick before jumping to to kick at Lonnie head. Grimacing Lonnie raises an arm and catches Adora's leg before the hit lands. Then Lonnie squeezes.

Catra has to fight every instinct she has to not turn around when she hears Adora let out a blood curdling scream. As much as she wants to go help Adora she can't afford to take her eyes off of Ro. Despite his peeling scales Catra's claws haven't even been able to make a scratch on him.

Catra's eyes stay focused on him so she notices when a tremble makes its way through his body and black liquid begins leaking from his eyes.

It's not possible to tell where exactly he's looking but Catra gets the feeling that he's looking over her shoulder. "Lonnie….time…"

"I know."

The voice behind her is far too close for comfort. Catra leaps to the side turning so that both of them are in her vision. It also lets her see Adora who is writhing on the ground holding her leg. Catra carefully steps over to Adora keeping her eyes trained on Lonnie and Rogelio.

"The next time we fight will be the last." Lonnie points the sword of protection at her former squad mates. "-and if you want to see this ever again. It will be back where everything began."

Catra considers trying to grab at the sword but thinks better of it seeing Adora's pained expression.

"Ro."

Rogelio's eyes flicker from black to white for a moment before all of the light disappears.

The healing mages have left after working their magic. Despite the magic aoparebtly time will still be needed to fully heal Adora's leg. Castaspella left after apologizing for the oversight and promising to knit them both sweaters and socks. Glimmer and Bow left after extensive apologies and promises to listen to them next time.

Catra remains sitting with Adora left in bed, leg raised in her new cast. "Does it hurt?"

Adora shrugs. "We've both been hurt worse. The magic the Etherians use for the pain is nice though."

Catra gently places a hand on the cast. "You were right. Rogelio was really messed up. Whatever Shadoweaver is doing to them is killing them."

With a grim face Adora nods. "Lonnie was somehow worse than she was before. Not to mention whatever is happening to them makes them really strong." She looks down at her empty hands. "And without the sword, without She-Ra I'm not sure we can beat them."

Catra grasps Adora's hand with her own. "We can."

Adora continues looking down for a second before smiling up at Catra. "I believe you."

After a moment another thought comes to Catra's head. Something she's been avoiding thinking about. "Hey Adora. What do you think about Glimmer?"

Confusion crosses her features. "Glimmer? What about her?"

"Well I mean. Do you love her?" Catra shifts uncomfortably. "Back in Dryll you were talking about her and even today I saw you two asleep together in the sauna."

Finally getting it Adora responds. "Well to be honest I think Glimmer is great. She's dependable, fun, athletic, and her magic is pretty useful to. It's nice how she's always so energetic and encouraging. I can tell that she really cares a out other people." Catra sits completely still listening to Adora talk. "Who knows? Neither of us are really experts on this whole love thing so who knows I might love her. "But I don't think that I could ever love anyone the way I love you."

Catra looks up surprised as Adora squeezes her hand.

"I could never love anyone how I do you. I like Glimmer but I feel like I need you." Adora blushes. "Not to mention that thing that we do together. I only want to do that with you."

Catra grins down at Adora the last of the doubts left by Shadoweaver disappearing. "Good."

An: That was a lot longer than I originally intended. I almost cut it down to two chapters but I felt like that would mess with our pacing.

As always I hope you enjoy, and I look forward to seeing what you guys think, and about what you guys think will happen in the next chapter