Chapter 17: Dismantle a dream



Hordack, Shadow Weaver and Force Captain Catra were assembled and waiting in the throne room. Imp, a blue ball of bile and spite sat atop his masters shoulders, perking his ears up as the door slid open and Commanding General Onyx entered. Catra's jade eyes flared with angry heat and smoldering resentment as she watched her new commander approach the table she used to plan strategem and plot the destruction of Etheria.

On the table a map of the Eastern hemisphere spread before them.

Hordack snorted.

"Your late commander; not an auspicious way to begin your conquest of a planet." . Adora knew that the rules defining their future relationship would be decided now. She would not submit to being his underling; she would accept only equality.

Onyx smiled; a cold and grimly beautiful expression; the black leather she wore swallowing all color, making her skin exceedingly white, her lips a bright cherry red

"And what would you know of conquest Hordack." Her voice was mocking, "you've had this planet in your grasp for a quarter century and have yet to subjugate her populace. Your incompetence is embarrassing."

Catra's eyes widened in surprise a shocked giggle escaping her mouth before she could stifle it. Her gaze flew to Hordack, fearful of reprisal. He merely narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth as if to say something then closing it again. Shadow Weaver narrowed her luminous canary orbs to mere slits of menace as Hordack merely cleared his throat then gestured to the map.

"We are contemplating our next attack. Suggestions." It was a command, not a question.

Adora/Onyx approached the table, standing shoulder to shoulder with Catra and Shadow Weaver. She viewed the map carefully for a few seconds. Her stomach felt as if it were dropping, her ears began ringing.

This was it.

There was no turning back now. It seemed as if someone else was speaking and using her voice but she knew it was her. An ebony leather encased finger traced a path over the names of the places on the map as she spoke.

"Gunthor, Dwyllan, and Rendwoll are already ours," she said pointing to the three villages east of the whispering woods, "the main areas of resistance are Chill Castle to the North, that's a relatively sparsely populated area- but highly fortified; lets focus on knocking out Brightmoon and Mystacor. The downside is that we have to circle around the Whispering Woods to get to the towns that surround these two kingdoms," she looked up to make sure they were all listening. They appeared enthralled, Onyx shook off a feeling of discomfort, swallowing back bile caused by the knowledge that she was dismantling everything she worked so hard to gain for five years. A bitter truth is that it is so much easier to tear something down than build something up.

"The woods do not allow us to penetrate them, I realize you have had some success toward the middle of the forest along that thin stretch of woodland blocking your access to Thaymoore but that is only because the woods are so thin there. A large force could never move through them without rousing the trees but they do allow in rebels, however we have the power necessary to blockade the forest- at least near the towns. We need to have troops tear up the access roads to the woods and burn the surrounding land creating a clearing where the troopers can see if anyone goes in or anyone comes out. They need orders to shoot on sight any that do, then confiscate their belongings, food, weapons, anything that may appear to be of value to the rebel cause and throw them in jail."

"If we shoot them why do we need to incarcerate them, hmmm?" Catra questioned, arching one delicate ebony brow.

"We shoot to stun, not kill. A dead slave is a lost investment. There is no profit in killing." She looked to Hordack who nodded his approval.

"We need to take the villages surrounding the two kingdoms at the heart of Rebel power. We should be able to do so if we focus the bulk of our forces on one town at a time. Our land forces and battle tanks can circle up from the south of Brightmoon and take the city of Strathmoore in a day, prior to the engagement of land forces we can send a squad of batniks to panic the city. A panicing mob full of fear is easy to control and slow to organize against us. The rebels are still stunned from losing me- they won't be there to aid the city. After we control it we move to Thaymoor. That is where the real battle will take place. We will put down any opposition we encounter and make public examples of those who oppose us."

"What if we do encounter Rebels?" Hordack questioned. Onyx shrugged.

"We take them out."

"Will you kill your old friends?" Onyx shuddered.

"I am done killing. I will use the prodders, they emit enough voltage to render unconscious any who stand against me."

"And howwww will you make them examples, hmmm," Catra purred softly, "are you just going to waggle your finger at them and tell them the Horde is in charge and send them home?"

"No." Onyx whispered.

"Then tell us, Adora," Shadow Weaver rasped, "how will you make examples of these rebels."

"Those who are captured fighting us will line the roads outside of the town. They will be staked in neat little rows, stripped of all but their most basic of garments and left in the hot sun of the day and chilling winds of the night. Troopers, as I said, will patrol the roads between towns. Any person caught giving aid to the rebels will be sent swiftly to the mines. After three days of enduring the elements those left alive will be chained together and paraded through town as added humiliation and a warning to the people left that the horde does not tolerate civil unrest. They will then become slaves of the Horde and shipped off planet."

"Ingenuous." Hordack breathed. "Your evil has undone me. You will raise fear to a new level. You are indeed home, my child." His voice seemed to quiver with emotion. Her skin crawled.

"I am not evil, I merely desire unity." Her voice rang harshly, with her sincerity. " I tried to have my people united under freedoms banner. They did not want it. So They will be united- under slavery. It is what they wish as well."

"Adora, I am ecstatic that you have returned to us, but you must know I am evil and I will not go gently on these people just because you have an…odd affection for them."

"I will not harm the innocent. I will conquer this world as promised," here she straightened, planting hands on hips, tossing her golden hair over a slim, delicate shoulder, "but I only joined you to ensure that no more innocents will be harmed. I will see this thing done. I will manipulate, I will lie, I will fight when I need to and scheme as I must to win but I will not do harm." Catra smirked as Hordack chuckled maliciously, his pose mirroring Onyx's.

"Adora we are in the business of doing harm. You can lie to others but do not delude yourself." Her back stiff with pride she spoke through teeth clenched in anger.

"If I delude myself that is not your concern. They are my delusions. All you need is results. Now if you will excuse me I will organize the troops. By the way, if you don't want any more unwanted rebel visitors, block off the river beneath this room. Catra," she snapped, "you're with me." She walked with stealthy grace as she left. Catra moved to follow her when Hordack barked across the room.







"Wait." Catra turned to gaze in inquiry, but Adora merely stopped, turning an ear toward their master but otherwise remaining defiantly facing the door. "Take Imp with you. He will be your liaison with me."



"I don't need a liaison, I am the commanding General."

"Take him anyway. That's an order. He will update me on your progress so that you won't have to bother." She stayed where she was for so long that Catra was sure she was going to defy Hordack's command- Catra hoped she would, but finally she gave a curt nod and the little blue pestilence flew over to them."

"This is gonna be loads of fun!" Imp said, his annoying little laugh grating a high pitched path of revulsion across Catra's spine. The three of them left the throne room. Shadow Weaver floated to her masters side.

"Ohh, Hordack," she rasped, "you were too lenient on her. She was rude at best and insulting at the worst. She should be punished." Hordack waved his hand at her.

"Don't tell me how to run my army, did you hear her, she is truly one of us now!" He began to laugh.

"A word of caution milord, you should not trust her so quickly. Your affection for her could be your undoing." Hordack did not deny her accusation of affection.

"Do you sense that she is lying, Shadow Weaver, do you sense any weakening in her resolve?"

"No, Lord Hordack, if anything she is stronger now than ever. She really believes what she says. That she is doing this for the good of her people."

"Then I will not worry."

"This softness in you… it troubles me."

"There is no softness in me Weaver," he snapped, his dark eyes flashing, "simply satisfaction. This is the task I raised her for. The task I groomed her for since she was young. And now she has returned to me. I intend to corrupt her and make her heart as dark as- yours." He began laughing insanely. Shadow Weaver said nothing. Merely watching him with eyes devoid of humor or warmth.

"Be gone witch." Hordack snapped when she refused to join him in his little joke. "Havn't you got spells to cast or something.?"

Without a word Shadow Weaver raised her bony arms, flames swiftly engulfed her in a fiery embrace until she was a roaring inferno of magical fire with no heat; she tore a blazing path out of the throne room, across the horizon of the fright zone, to Horror Hall. Her home of darkness.

Hordack watched her go disgruntled. That stupid witch. Leave it to her sour grapes to ruin his good mood. She was just upset because his faith had done what her Magic could not. Return Adora to him. He smiled thinking about his protégé. Adora- no, Onyx was truly a marvel. He couldn't wait to see what she came up with.