Chapter 8; Unholy Bargain

Adora dived into the deep, cold current where the Singing River gave birth to the Wailing River- the world became new, silt spread before her eyes and parted as she swam. Shiny silver fish, elongated marvels of swift instinct darted warily out of her path as she maneuvered swiftly downstream.

The current was quick and soon she swam right into the fright zone to the chamber beneath Hordack's throne room A rusty iron grate blocked her path, whipping out an energy blade she boosted the power and sliced through each bar with swift, military precision. She swam right through and pulled herself up onto the platform Hordack had made for his lackeys to return to his throne room after he dropped them down into the river. She then untied the knapsack she had brought with her and took out a cloak Madame made for her.

Imbued with a special magic, it repelled the elements and blended, making the wearer unnoticeable unless specifically looked for. She pulled it over her head then proceeded up the stairs to the throne room.

A small wooden door opened in the back of the room. Cylindrical in shape, sterile and devoid of life a massive computer and view screen behind the throne dominated the room. Hordack's throne was meant to intimidate, placed on a raised dais, its construction was that of human bones and cold steel. Hordack, Shadow Weaver and Catra were in conference when, unnoticed Adora slipped into the room. She eased her way along the wall until she could hear what was going on.



Hordack snorted, "That idiot, if I find him he'll rue the day he decided to act on his own, the people won't simply allow what he did to happen, he's only made our job much more difficult!"

"Yess," Shadow Weaver hissed, "we should send a squadron of troopers to the three villages he attacked to keep the peace or we may end up with three more Driles on our handsss."

"Roww, mighty Hordack, shall I send a squadron to search for Leech and bring him back?"

"At once, send two squadrons I want him now! I don't know how I'm going to deal with this- subjugating a populace by brute force is one thing, but even I know every one has there own line you just don't cross." He ran his fingers over his face in frustration.

"They're just a bunch of kids who cares what happened?" Imp whined.

"The people care, they don't get roused too often complacent in their ignorance. They work extremely hard and then they die, as long as life goes on pretty much the same higher ideals such as freedom and liberty are commodities they care nothing about. But when their children are threatened and killed- well, this will have to be handled." Adora stepped away from the wall and lowered her hood.

Hordacks mouth dropped. Shadow Weaver and Catra turned to see what Hordack was looking at and Adora smirked.

"I believe I know how to handle this problem." She said. Shadow Weaver raised her

bony, clawed hands and a dark mist began to form between them.



"Hold your spells Weaver," Adora snapped, "I've come to talk, not kick your ass!" Catra moved between her overlord and this threat, not out of any sense of loyalty, merely because she knew it was expected of her.

"Hordack, should I take her captive?" Catra asked, her gaze darting between the Rebel leader and her commander. Hordack smiled.

"No, Catra, I want to hear what she has to say." Hordack eyed her speculatively. "Speak, Princess."

"I will kill Leech. The people will be satisfied with his blood and the death of the killer will avenge the children he murdered."

"Rowww, Hordack you can't let her-"

"Silence!" Hordack bellowed before scowling fiercely down at Adora. "Why would I let you kill one of the evil horde merely because he was being- well how can I say this without offending you, oh I guess I can't, too bad- evil?"

"You said it yourself, you have a major public relations crisis that needs be resolved with all possible haste. I am your solution." Adora's chin rose a fraction of an inch, "besides now or later, it makes no difference I will kill him." Hordack scratched his chin thoughtfully a moment.

"How about I have you escorted to my dungeon instead?" Adora stepped towards him, he made no move to stop her. She was mere inches from his face as she peered into his cold, black eyes.

"How about you make me Commanding General of all Horde forces and I mop up this little rebellion and deliver you this planet on a golden platter?"

His eyes widened marginally. He raised a ham fist and waved toward the exit, "Shadow Weaver, Catra, Imp, leave us!"

"I don't wanna!" Imp whined.

"Now!" Imp scurried out behind Catra and Shadow Weaver. Adora and Hordack were alone.

"Adora, if you rejoin the Horde I will be glad to let you handle Leech- at your leisure, provided you prove your loyalty to me first! However, you defected my dear, and I can't just make you leader of my forces, they wouldn't follow you."

"They would- If I gave you something they could not."

"And what is that, my dear?"

"She-ra. The Princess of Power."

Hordack gazed at her a moment before laughing. He laughed deep. He laughed long and he laughed hard. Here was the Adora he had trained. Without Weavers spells to cloud her mind, without all that goody good garbage, here was the leader he had groomed to replace him. He saw in her eyes an unwavering desire to kill. Once she crossed that threshold there would be no turning back. Ever. She-ra was an added bonus. Adora was the prize he desired- still he had to be sure.

"I will allow you to fight Leech if you prove to me you have severed all ties with the rebellion, I will even allow you the chance to command my forces provided you hand me She-ra, but You must earn that right from any who would take it from you. Yeees, I believe a tournament is in order. I will appoint you second in command but any who covet that title for themselves will have the chance to fight you for it."

"After I kill Leech, right my lord Hordack?" Hordack was shocked to feel his eyes misting over with tears. With the greatest effort he held them back. Reaching up he caressed her golden hair, letting its silky texture slide through his fingers. He snorted. Twice, before he could speak through the lump in his throat.

"Of course, and welcome home Commander."

"Commanding General, sir."



Chapter8; Commanding General Onyx

"I'm cold, Peeka, why are we here again?" Spiritina asked timidly, as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, the chill predawn air raising goosebumps on her lavender skin.

"I've had a vision; we are here to see my power either confirmed or disproven." Spiritina eyed Peekablue's pale features with troubled concern. Her blue eyes were wide and glassy, large, dark shadows beneath those shimmering orbs made her appear small and fragile.

" What was your vision?" Spiritina asked. Peekablue was silent a moment, the twiggett almost thought she wouldn't answer- and when she did the sprite wished she hadn't as her reply raised goosebumps on her skin that had nothing to do with the coolness of the air.



"Within the shadows of tomorrow I saw night pass across the heavens; it's greedy hand dimming the stars. I saw the brightest light in the sky get swallowed by the darkness and then a light illuminated the dim."

Spiritina ventured a small smile, "well, that's good, at least there was light after the dark, right?"

"The light was from our world. It was in flames."

"What does that mean?" The wood sprite whispered.

"It means the darkness begins here, and from here it will spread to consume the entire world in dark fire. We are going to have company soon. I am tired, wake me when they arrive."

"Who?" Squeaked Spiritina. Peekablue was already asleep.

They arrived as dawn began oozing across the sky; like a scarlet infection on the horizon it crept over the cobalt abyss.

Three squadrons of Horde troopers encircled the town and began waking the citizens, shoving them from their beds and their homes and escorting them to the towns center where Force Captain Catra waited, with her force squad Mantenna, Scorpia, Grizzlor and a slave transport. Men, women and children were herded like animals in their nightclothes to face the squad.

Peekablue and Spiritina watched them from their hidden alcove between two buildings. Suddenly Peekablue stiffened.

"Look!" She rasped, "there." Spiritina turned her gaze to where Peekablue pointed and gasped in fear.

Beautiful and deadly and chiseled of stone an Angelic apparition swathed in night sat atop a demon steed of ebon-hue.



"Peeka, wh-what is that?!" Spiritina asked, her voice quivering in fear. Hate emanated off the beast in waves.

"Horde steed." Peekablue muttered grimly.

"What is it- what is a horde steed?"

"Raised on Horde world they are the foals of the gentlest mares, trained by the beast masters they are bred on hate and raised in the flaming bowels of volcanoes."

"Did you say gentlest mares?" Spiritina questioned in disbelief.

"Yes, they are broken young. Right after birth. Weaned on the dark magiks of the horde and their mother's blood."

"What!" Spiritina cried revulsion apparent in her voice, posture and face. Peekablue nodded.

"After the birth of a black foal the mother and any siblings are slaughtered and bled, their blood is what nourishes the steed, they bond with no one, kept in their own hell until called on to serve as instruments of terror for the Horde's foulest servants. This is what we fight. This is the evil Horde. This is why they cannot be allowed to win."

Spiritina's eyes were glued in awe to the beast- monstrous in size and totally black, flames of hatred burst from its nostrils and its eyes gleamed crimson with deadly purpose. The soul of the beast had been destroyed and something darker had risen in its place. A worthy match for the rider of inhuman and terrible beauty.

A woman, garbed from head to toe in jet black armor with what looked to be some kind of lightweight metal plating clinging to her like a second skin- carried herself with a menacing presence.

"So that's a Horde steed, who is she?" Spiritina muttered to herself, tossing a glance at Peekablue.

"She is the star, she is being consumed." Peekablue answered. The twiggets neck hairs stood on end at her tone of voice, but she didn't understand. She turned her attention back to the woman.

She wore a black helmet on her head with some kind of speaker phone attachment, steel bat wings projecting from either side and Onyx goggles which covered her eyes, stripping her of her humanity and leaving her a shadowy and perilous monster. Low on her hip hung a stun gun and two electric prodders which could knock a person out or kill them depending on it's frequency.

Golden hair spilled out over her shoulders the only thing of light on the walking black hole. Wispy strands clung to the ice sculpted cheekbones as the wind blew it in wild disarray, with no regard for her rank or position as Horde enforcer.

Peekablu and Spiritina watched in terrified awe. Peekablue, though pale with fatigue and concern kept unblinking watch as people were picked out of the crowd.

Spiritina began feeling a warm clammy sensation in her mind and felt there was something familiar about the woman. Though fearful she made herself scoot forward to get a better look. The woman dismounted and began touching the villagers, not all of them merely a select few felt the cool kiss of her leather garbed hand. These were removed and placed aboard the transport.

One of the villagers who had been separated from the others would not go quietly.

"Our children are dead! You're to blame- you and your foul henchmen!" Spittle flowed from his mouth as he spoke, eyes wild, red, bloodshot from lack of sleep, grief, pain, looked as if his handle on reality had slipped..

Grizzlor held him by the wrists as he struggled to be free but the man addressed his comments to the nightmare in black which had remained silent, unmoving, unreachable, undeniably in charge.

"You tax us into starvation! Beat us into submission! Rob us of hope or joy or freedom, deny us our humanity, then kill our children!" This last was wailed wildly as he stumbled to his knees. Grizzlor ruthlessly jerked him up- no easy task as he was built like an ox, as big around as he was tall. The man began weeping piteously.

"We're not animals… we are people… my daughter…" His voice broke.

Cold as winter's chill caress over the Blizzard sea the woman's voice washed over all.



"You're not an animal." The man raised his eyes to her face but could read no emotion behind the black shield that separated this ice maiden in shades of night from humanity. But he saw her slight smile and hope blossomed in his heart.

"We- are- not- animals!" He affirmed as he struggled for composure.

"No you're not. Animals have worth. You are a slave. You have none. As for your daughter, well… she's just a dead slave." From her hiding place Spiritina gasped at this cruelty, recognizing him as one of the men who had lost his daughter to Leech. Peekablue's fingers dug deeply into her arm.

With an inarticulate cry of fury the man threw off Grizzlors restraining grip like he was no more than a bug and tackled the commander to the ground, they rolled in the dirt for a moment, until he had her pinned beneath him, his beefy hands closed around her ivory throat- no one moved to intervene or offer aid in any way. The woman quickly jabbed the man in the throat, hard. He rolled off her, coughing, wheezing, gasping for air, his face turning purple.

With the speed and grace of a deadly predator the woman sprang to her feet in one fluid motion and drew the prodders, flicking them on. Dual headed, they gave off an evil green glow.

"Rise dog, you will learn to respect your masters!"

As the man got to his feet he released a bellow of rage and charged her. She dodged to the side and as he flew past landed a blow with one of the electric prods to his midsection while ramming the other into the base of his skull. He went down and did not get up.

She did not even pause for breath as she drew her stunner, aimed at and shot Catra in the chest. The Force Captain crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"You!" She snapped pointing to Scorpia, "pick her up, the rest of you- I demand loyalty. Next time a comrade falls and you have the opportunity to render aid do so, or that-" She said pointing at Catra's prone form, "will be you." The woman mounted the Horde steed in one swift motion and left the troopers and force squad to finish with the villagers and return to the fright zone alone.

Two women gazed in arrested horror from the fading shadows- at the commander's retreating form. The mask had fallen from the woman's face and what was revealed was unbelievable.

Adora had betrayed them all.

Peekablu lowered her eyes and let the tears fall. What she had seen had come to be now all roads led into darkness.

"We must warn the others." She whispered softly. The future held fire and she did not know if any of them would survive the burn.