Act I: Turning Darkness to Light; Chapter IV: The Legend of She-Ra

The Full Truth of She-Ra is revealed to Adora. As she throws herself into her new role without regard, her friends begin to fear for her.

Disclaimer: I do not own the setting, characters, etc for She-Ra and The Princess of Power. I am merely writing a story that I do not profit from and hope others enjoy.


She-Ra's Apartments, Royal Palace, Halfmoon, Beneath The Whispering Woods

Catra's arms wrapped around Adora. But the blonde's haltingly returned the gesture. As Adora's arms tightened on Catra, her face buried itself into Catra's fur. Her shoulders shuddered and sobs echoed around the room. Catra's eyes screwed shut as she squeezed Adora to her. Her purrs created a low rhythm that underwrote Adora's cries.

Slowly Kyle and Rogelio stepped forward and placed their hands on Adora's back. Lonnie was the last to approach, her hand landed on Adora's shoulder. None of them knew how long they waited. Finally Adora's head lifted, her eyes rimmed red and hair dishevelled. Hey sky blue eyes locked with Catra's first.

The Magicat girl let her lips rise into a smile. Adora's return one was far weaker than normal. Lonnie squeezed The Blonde's shoulder. Adora turned to look at her. Lonnie gave her smile, one Adora didn't return. Adora caught sight of Rogelio and Kyle. Water filled her eyes again.

Catra's eyebrows knotted together as she rubbed her hands along Adora's back. The other three Horde Cadets did their best to follow Catra's lead. Slowly Adora's watery eyes faded and the last of her sobs died out. A cough drew the attention of all of the cadets to the last two occupants of the room.

The Magicat Queens stood, side by side. Neither dared to move more than an inch. Their eyes, all three of them, were wide, the shape of circles. Mel'ody and C'yra were both smiling. Catra hissed lightly. She didn't care for their adoration of what had just happened. Mainly because now all that she could think of was the fact that there was a weight that stayed over their heads. It was just waiting to drop when those two explained what the hell was going on with Adora and The Sword.

"We're happy you're awake Adora." Mel'ody stepped closer. Catra's fur puffed up in response. Adora raised an eye at the cat. Sure this was weird, but why the sudden response? Adora looked back to the white furred and black striped Magicat. She was dressed in a gold trimmed dress that was a mix of red and maroon. It covered one of her arms and hugged her fur all the way down her body. It flared out enough at the bottom so that she could no doubt move without issue. One of her arms was free and revealed the black striped pattern that ran along her arm. Her icy blue eyes watched the room despite their cool colour; they seemed warm, welcoming. Her hair was grey, curled into a beautiful braid the hung behind her back, it looked far longer than the other woman's. She had a red faceguard similar to Catra's but it was trimmed in gold and bright silver markings.

The other Magicat woman, this one had slightly lighter tan fur closer to Catra's in colour. Similar dark stripes existed on her arms as did on Catra's, but there were more markings on her forearms and backs of her hands. She was in a sleeveless red and gold trimmed top that was tucked into a golden sash at her waist. A black skirt that was open in the front and revealed grey pants with a golden line on the exterior hung down from the sash. Her face guard was similar to the ones Adora had seen before. However it was far more ornate. A gem set right at the centre of the golden marked and designed crimson face guard. She had a singular golden eye, and the other was a hazy blanked out white and deep scar marred her face. Her black hair was braided in a variety of ways and hung down around her face, only kept back by the face guard. It stopped not far past her shoulders and had just the slightest curl to it, it looked far less like Catra's normal wild mane.

Neither of the women had shoes, their pants or leggings wrapped around their feet and left the pads and claws exposed. Their bearings were so very different too. The white furred one had her weight towards one side, she certainly favoured one arm over the other. Her muscles looked relaxed beneath her clothing. The tan furred was far less relaxed. Her weight shifted ever so slightly from foot to foot. Her one good eye watched them all not entirely different from how Horde Drill Instructors would. In fact the only difference in her look was that it was… worried, not furious.

"Let her rest, we just got her back. Don't start this right now." Catra looked at them. Adora looked to her best friend, then back to the other two that were definitely the same species as her.

"Start what? Where even are we? Last thing I remember was being in The Whispering Woods after the skiff crashed. Then I found…" Adora's gaze shot to the sword that lay at the foot of the bed, carefully tucked into a perfectly designed cutout for it. "It wasn't a dream."

"Adora don't worry about that," Catra grabbed Adora's face and pulled it back to face her. Catra and Adora's eyes locked. Adora broke to look at Kyle, Rogelio, even Lonnie all behind Catra. "We're all here. We're all safe, what else matters right now?"

Adora met Catra's desperate eyes. How much she wanted to never see that look again, but the only thing she could think of was that same look as red lightning encompassed Catra's form and pulled the two apart. Adora's mind screeched to a halt. She didn't remember that. Why could she remember that? Adora broke her eye contact with Catra and looked at the two women.

"What happened to me?" Catra's fingers curled around hers and tightened. Adora couldn't look back and see Catra like that again. She didn't want to see Shadow Weaver do that again.

"You are in Halfmoon, the Queendom of The Magicat people. We are beneath The Whispering Woods. My Rangers captured you before your squad could attempt to return to The Frightzone." Spoke the tan furred one. "I am Queen C'yra II, ruler of Halfmoon. You are all here as my guests."

"Adora…" Adora couldn't stop herself and caught sight of Catra. Those lovely heterochromatic eyes were filled with tears that threatened to stream down her cheeks. Adora broke and looked to their interlocked fingers in her lap.

"I need to know Catra. There's so many things in my head right now. I need to know why."

"Why?" Catra tugged on Adora's hands and caught her blue gaze when The Blonde looked up. "Why? You have me, you have your squad. What else do you need?"

"I… I need to know why I have new memories. Why I remember things I couldn't before." Adora shook her head as an image of Shadow Weaver's lightning coursed through the barracks and alighted upon her squad, her friends. The Witch's words echoed back in her mind, 'you failed me Adora, and for your failure they are punished. You must never fail.' Adora looked at The Queen. "What is happening to me?"

A cautious look between them made Adora shiver. What could possibly be so bad? She looked back at the other Horde Cadets. They looked relieved, but afraid. Catra squeezed Adora's hands again.

"Adora," The Blonde's head shot back to The Queen. "My healers believe that you have been mystically abused. That Shadow Weaver manipulated your memories and experiences while you were growing up with The Horde."

"Shadow Weaver." Adora could feel it, like a darkness had been lifted from her mind. But with that darkness lifted, with the fog gone… came something far worse. Unbidden memories resurfaced.

Adora saw Lonnie stepping up and taking command when Adora had been knocked out during a training exercise. In answer Shadow Weaver struck down the corn row haired girl with a backhand. Shadow Weaver grabbed Adora by the arm and forced her up. 'Run the exercise again!' 'Shadow Weaver we're-' 'I do not care. Run it again. They rely on you Adora, all of them.' Adora shook her head, as another assaulted her from the right.

She stepped in front of Shadow Weaver as The Witch went after Catra. Shadow Weaver's cold hands wrapped around her throat and picked up from the floor. The little girl pounded away with tiny fists as red lightning arced forward and smashed against Catra. 'You cannot save her from this fate Adora, it is the only reason I tolerate her existence.' Adora looked left.

The Blonde saw Kyle being stunned by Shadow Weaver with a Shock baton in hand. She twisted and smashed her extendable staff against Rogelio. They moved in a circle around each other. Rogelio's staff hit Adora in the ribs and she fell to her knees. A scream echoed and Adora turned to see Kyle being shocked again. 'I will shock Kyle everytime Rogelio hits you. Don't dare pull your punches either, or perhaps I stop using the stun baton.' Catra's face appeared in front of her. But it wasn't Catra's normal mane, she'd pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She wasn't in Horde red either.

"Adora?" Catra's face was twisted with worry. No, I can't let her know, I can't if Shadow Weaver finds out.

"I'm fine Catra." Adora looked at everyone, who watched her with far more love than she was worth. Shadow Weaver had made that clear to her, anyone who loved her would just end up in the firing line. "I just got lost in thought. It's a lot to take in that Shadow Weaver was… doing that to me."

"Together." Catra curled her fingers around Adora's. Adora did her best to give Catra a reassuring squeeze back, and missed by a mile, not that Catra gave it away.

"It doesn't end there. The Sword," Queen C'yra motioned to the blade still housed at the foot of the bed. "It is the weapon of The Princess of Power. The Sword of Protection has only ever been wielded by She-Ra."

Adora raised an eyebrow at The Queen. Slowly the other woman took The Queen's hand and stepped from around her. They were nearly to the foot of the bed. Adora could feel it, something was coming, something that would change everything.

"Adora you can wield The Sword of Protection, it has chosen you to be the new She-Ra, Etheria's Protector."


| Fourteen Years Earlier |


Shadow Weaver's Study, Horde occupied Scorpio

The soldier slowly entered the room, this was the last Magicat they'd captured during The Halfmoon Campaign. Shadow Weaver had already gone through the last hundred or so of the children and teenagers, and it was better to not ask questions. The teenage Magicat boy stared at the dark robed figure with shadows that seemed slough off of them. His golden eyes turned to the Horde Soldier's green visor. The Soldier pushed them into the room.

"Just don't make any noise kid, if you're lucky she might forget you're here." The door hissed closed. The young child looked back towards the figure. Slowly it rose from the desk it had sat at. The darkness of the room seemed to stretch to meet them wherever they stepped. The Figure stopped before a book on a stand and fingered through the pages with sharp claws.

He stepped back and glanced at the door. There might be a way to use his claws to pry the thing open and he could make a run a for it.

"I wouldn't if I were you." He turned back and his golden eyes locked with the white lenses of her scarlet mask. She flipped to the next page and her mask shifted so she could keep one eye on him and the other on the page. "Here it is, if this fails I'll have to do something more drastic. The Scorpioni were so much easier, they lacked the same level of inherent magical potential you Magicats have. A double edged sword really."

He looked back at the door. Taking his eyes off of her was a mistake. He turned back and his face was caught. Her sharp claws dug into the soft fur and flesh of his face. If he moved she'd draw blood. Just to her left the book floated ringed by purple magic.

"I told you no. But it is no matter, I have found what I was looking for, now we shall proceed." Her free left hand began to draw a glowing purple circle in the air which she augmented with symbols in the centre and writing along the edge in a language the teen had seen before. It wasn't the same as The Magicat Mages used. "I would say this won't hurt, but that would be a lie."

She shoved the magic sigil at him as she released his face, she squeezed just hard enough to draw some blood.

It hit him all at once. Like being struck by a charging horse. The world seemed to be consumed by darkness as painful purple fire alighted across his fur. He screamed.

Bright blue magic began to flow from his body into the sigil she held before him. He screamed again as his fur began to lengthen and darken. His stripes disappeared and his hair began to turn into a mane. His muscles grew larger and his golden eyes dulled to yellow. His screams died down and he dropped to the ground.

Shadow Weaver inspected the larger form. She poked the large muscles. Another successful transformation. She held the ruby red crystal that looked so similar to The Red Garnet. One step close to her ultimate goal.

The figure groaned and shifted on the floor before her. Shadow Weaver hissed. She used her left hand to quickly draw a spell in the air between herself and what was once The Magicat boy. Then her hand passed through the sigil and her claws phased into his head. She quickly cut up and shredded his life in Crescent City, the boy could never remember that. He would be just another orphan saved by The Horde, and in his gratefulness joined their cause. He would need a name though.

She cocked her head and noticed how grizzled his dark beard made him look. Not to mention how much his eyes had dulled in colour or how his pupils were basically nonexistent. Grizzlor would be a good enough name. He could replace the lost Scorpioni soldiers. He certainly had the physique for it.

Her hand eased out of his head and back through the sigil. The light from the magic faded and as it did his eyes rolled back around. He groaned and slowly sat up. His eyes focused on her. His lips parted to reveal massive sharp partially yellowed teeth.

"Force Commander Shadow Weaver, what am I doing here?" Her white lenses narrowed on him.

"You were slacking off, against my expressed orders." Her claws lashed out and drew blood from his face. He howled and collapsed back to the ground. "How Hordak believes such pitiful creatures can lead us to victory I will not know. Now get out of my sight and return to your barracks."

He shot to his feet and sped for the door.

"What is your name?" He stopped dead. Half a step from completely fleeing into the hallway. He turned, one hand still clutched to his fact.

"Senior Cadet Grizzlor Ma'am."

"Good, now leave me be." He fled quickly and the door closed. Shadow Weaver stared at the stone. She just needed a way to establish a connection between this stone and The Black Garnet, then she would have all the power she'd ever dreamed of. Shadow Weaver carefully replaced the glimmering stone to her scarlet mask. The only question she had left would be where she could find a magical signature that could serve as a binding agent that would not overpower her connection.


| Present |


Octavia's Patrol, The Whispering Woods

The soldier stopped, they were staring at a tree in the middle of the path. Force Captain Octavia hissed and stomped up to the soldier. Her hand smashed against his shoulder and spun him on the ball of his foot. His green visor came into view and Octavia leaned down her single eye seemed to burn. The Soldier's helmet shifted left to right, but always came back to The Force Captain's gaze.

"Why have you stopped?"

"Ma'am. That tree, we've passed it four times." Octavia slowly straightened back up. Her eye stared at the tree. The Soldier was no doubt right, the very few reports that came back from The Whispering Woods made reference to how they tended to turn people around. Send The Horde Soldiers running in circles.

"Start making camp." She turned and pointed to one of the other soldiers. A reptilian further back in the formation. "You. Start setting up our communications. I want a link back to the Command Post in the next thirty minutes, we're overdue for check in."

The squad scattered to perform their duties. Octavia was left staring straight at the same tree. The Whispering Woods was a death sentence. What was it about this one squad of cadets that was worth so much to Shadow Weaver. Cadet Kyle was a waste of potential as a soldier, his skills were more useful as a tech specialist, but not enough to warrant such resources. Cadet Rogelio was strong, but strong was an easy trait to replace within The Horde. Cadet Lonnie's loyalty was second to none, but loyalty wouldn't garner respect from Shadow Weaver, especially if Force Captain Scorpia was anything to go off of. Catra was just a waste of potential, such a strong and powerful fighter who couldn't follow an order to save her life. Which left Cadet Adora as the one Shadow Weaver wanted.

Octavia's single eye narrowed on the tree. Cadet Adora was the best of the whole squad, a natural warrior. She was soft though. Octavia had seen it. The way Cadet Adora would look after her squad or would stoop to their level to increase their morale. Cadet Adora was a Squad Leader playing at Officer. She would never amount to what Shadow Weaver saw in her. Her scores told one story, but her personality another. The girl cared more about her soldiers than her loyalty to The Horde. She lacked the ruthlessness that Horde Officers needed to make headway. Plus that didnt even include how idiotic the blonde cadet could be. Octavia knew Shadow Weaver was grooming Cadet Adora for something, but honestly such a power play would be doomed to fail if she couldn't control the Officer Corps.

Shadow Weaver was playing a dangerous game, expending resources to recover a single individual. This could be just what Vultak needed to catapult himself back to his old position and pull Shadow Weaver down. The Witch needed to be taken down a peg, she'd grown to accustomed to her word being law. Octavia was sick of playing second fiddle to cadets. The glory of crushing The Rebellion should belong to proper soldiers, not whatever half baked abominations or random orphans had caught Shadow Weaver's attention.

"Force Captain, I have the link up. Communication with The Command Post has been established." Octavia stormed through the partially built camp to the communications station The Reptilian had constructed. She swiped the device from his hand and held it up to her mouth.

"This is Patrol Alpha to Command Post Omicron. Do you copy?" Static burst from the receiver as Octavia waited. For a second she turned a single burning eye towards The Reptilian before another burst of static appeared and a voice echoed through.

"This is Command Post Omicron. We are reading you Patrol Alpha. Advise of status."

"We have started going in circles from the looks of it. I have ordered camp be made, we'll break at first light and continue deeper into the woods."

"Hold on Patrol Alpha." There was a sound of shuffling and a new voice, once Octavia was far too well accustomed too as of late came through.

"Force Captain Octavia. You will hold your position and await reinforcements. I have martialled what remains of the infantry contingent and they will march to you under the command of Force Captain Grizzlor. Expect them by nightfall tomorrow. When they arrive, contact us immediately." Octavia gulped, even from here Force Commander Vultak's voice reminded her of Lord Hordak's, it caused her tentacles to ripple and her lips to twist.

"Understood Command Post Omicron." The link crackled for a second and then died. They were once again all alone in The Whispering Woods. Octavia looked at the shorter soldier. "Help the others finish getting camp together."

The Reptilian Soldier charged away. Octavia turned and found her gaze once more locked on the tree. There was something about all of this that seemed wrong, like they were being watched by someone… or something.


She-Ra's Apartments, Royal Palace, Halfmoon, Beneath The Whispering Woods

"What does that mean?" Adora leaned forward, just the fraction away from Catra and the rest of The Squad. She looked at The Queen, who seemed less than enthused to be having this conversation, like someone had crushed their favourite flavour of ration bar underfoot.

C'yra glanced at Catra, whose eyes darted between Adora and her. This was most definitely not the conversation she wanted to have right now. It was all still so fresh, wounds were far too easy to reopen. She'd just started to get to where she could think of broaching who Catra was. Now Adora wakes up.

"She-Ra is the protector of Etheria, an almost mythical figure from our history who could wield the power of Etheria's magic in defence of our world. The way we know the story is that her magic was passed from one to another as every lifetime moved on. The last She-Ra was a First One, a named Mara. Mara disappeared at the same time as the stars. With her went She-Ra. We experienced an era of peace until The Horde appeared. It rose quickly and before long we were embroiled in war. Some believe that She-Ra would return to save us."

"You said you-"

"Catra," Mel'ody stepped forward. "We are only explaining. No one here expects anything. Neither of us want that life for her. But we promised you all answers, so here we are giving answers."

Catra's lips curled, they didn't know Adora like she did. Had she known what they would say… What would you have done? Adora would have found out one way or another and gone for it anyway, there would be no stopping this in the long run, just delaying the inevitable. Catra squeezed Adora's hand again.

"I'll do it." Every single Horde Cadet turned to stare at Adora. She wouldn't meet their eyes. Adora stared straight at the two queens. "If I'm the only one who can be She-Ra, then I'll do it. I'll help save Etheria."

"No." C'yra shook her head. Adora's expression curled, and her eyebrows pulled together. All the while behind her Lonnie glared. C'yra carefully lowered herself to the bed.

"But you just said-" C'yra waved a hand and Adora stopped. Her single eye swept over five innocent children, all of them hurt or worse because of her mistakes, because of a war Hordak started.

"I will not allow children to fight a war that should belong to us adults. I, my people, we have all lost so much because of this war. Too many children, teenagers, and adults have lost their lives, or lives they should have been able to lead." C'yra glanced at all of them again. "I cannot therefore in good conscience allow that to continue. If you wish to be She-Ra then you can train, you can learn to control that power and when you are of the age of consent by Magicat laws you can choose to fight, but I will not condone such actions before that time. I will not lower myself to The Horde's standards."

"But you said She-Ra is the only one. She-Ra can save Etheria and turn the tide in this war. If The Horde employs and allows people like Shadow Weaver then they betray the very order they seek to instil. The Light they wish to show to Etheria is a lie!" Adora felt a hand land on her shoulder and she turned to see Catra. The Blonde also caught sight of Lonnie, who had her arms crossed over her chest and wouldn't meet Adora's eyes. C'yra places a soft hand over Catra and Adora's linked fingers. Adora and Catra both looked at her.

"What I said is not as important. We must protect what we can, and no one can protect anything if they do not know the power they wield and lack control over it."

"So I have to train?" Adora stared at C'yra. The Queen nodded and Adora huffed. "Fine."

"This is… obviously a lot. We'll leave you alone to discuss, there should be some food coming up shortly. I wish…" C'yra got up from the bed, her hand moved and she already missed the small contact she had with Catra and Adora as her hand felt cold once more. The Horde Cadets did not look pleased right now, she really hoped this wouldn't set things back too far between her and them. She wanted, no she needed Catra, C'yra couldn't lose her baby kitten again. "I wish it wasn't like this. We'll come back to check on you in a few hours. Once we've done that and you've had your meal I believe it would be safe to allow you all to roam about the palace as you see fit, I'll make an announcement to my guards before we return so they are aware."

The pair of Queens exited the room. The Horde Cadets all looked to Adora. Then Lonnie shouted.


The Black Garnet Chamber, The Frightzone

Shadow Weaver limped towards the massive glimmering red crystal hanging suspended in the centre of the chamber. Shadows screeched and pulled themselves free of her with every step. The living lightning writhed beneath her skin, it revolted as her arm spasmed. She hissed and her left hand encircled her right wrist. The limb jerked and twisted against her grasp as lightning as scarlet as her robes arced between her claws and threatened to discharge into the metal plated floor. Shadow Weaver's breath hitched, then a cough echoed from between her lips. Her chest burned as every attempt to suck in air seized and halted at random. Her knees felt weak and two steps before reaching the stone a pained hiss echoed through the room.

Shadow Weaver collapsed to the ground as searing pain roared through her legs. Her right hand thrown out connected with The Red Garnet. Her head fell forward as the red lightning coursed over and under her skin. The pain that scorched from her bones began to subside. Her hair hung down as she reached up and slowly undid her mask. Her gasps filled the room as her breathing evened out. Her unruly hair flickered lightly with every spark of lightning.

She brought the mask up and stared at the dying glimmer of the red stone at its forehead. Even now that cat was still a thorn in her side. Shadow Weaver was certain she'd be fine once Catra was gone, but apparently her spell hadn't been enough. The stone and The Black Garnet's connection weakened slowly with every passing day that Catra was further from Shadow Weaver than she'd ever been before. What a cruel twist of fate that the girl she'd done so much work to keep beneath her thumb could be the cause of her demise.

Shadow Weaver's form stabilised, the shadows that had sought to flee her carefully folded back into her. She dropped the mask to the ground and placed her other hand on The Black Garnet. Lightning coursed through her, it freshened her. Her old bones lightened like weight had been removed from them. Her joints strengthened and felt far more flexible. She needed to get Catra and Adora back, quickly. Her condition would only worsen. Why hadn't she simply completed the ritual in its entirety so many years ago, if she had this wouldn't be a problem.


She-Ra's Apartments, Royal Palace, Halfmoon, Beneath The Whispering Woods

Adora lifted the sword from its place at the foot of the bed and stepped into the centre of the room. She'd pulled a white training shirt and a pair of basic grey pants from the box of clothes and showered and changed quickly.

The sword was easily half Adora's height in length. It was also ridiculously wide, the thing was more like a broadsword than a normal weapon. Adora moved through a few practice moves, each one was better than the last, but they were slow and clunky. It looked more like Adora was trying to shift through barely remembered stances than actual combat training.

Catra bit down the urge to laugh. She was still pissed at Adora. Lonnie hovered nearby, her eyes going over Adora. It made Catra's stomach turn. Lonnie seemed to be taking this seriously. Kyle was looking through the historical texts to fsee about what they'd been told. At least he was doing something useful instead of entertaining whatever was in Adora's head. But none of this worried Catra as much as how Adora had jumped right into it. It was the same thing she'd do in The Horde, rush into whatever was next, especially if there was something she didn't want to deal with.

Adora swung and Rogelio moved back. He had chosen to act as a moving target, something for Adora to swing at. It helped, but not much. Adora still missed another blow by a mile as the sword nearly dug into the flooring.

Lonnie pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head while her free hand rested on her hip. In all honesty Catra wanted to join her, but that meant supporting Adora's stupid hairbrained idea. Catra was seriously beginning to consider the idea that Adora's hairpoof had taken away some of her brain cells… then came the remembrance that Shadow Weaver had been playing with Adora's mind, in fact she probably played with all of their minds… Catra shook her head to keep the idea away and looked at poor frustrated Lonnie.

"Alright, if no one else is gonna say, I will. We just spent ten minutes arguing about this, Adora you are talking about going to war with the people who raised us, who protected us! All of this because you are supposedly the 'saviour' of Etheria." Lonnie placed a hand against her chest and stepped close to Adora. "We were supposed to help Etheria, what part of we'll get control of The Horde and make changes have you forgotten? It was supposed to be all of us, making a difference that matters!"

Lonnie threw her arm wide to motion to the rest of them. Catra could sympathise. Lonnie had made it clear she wanted to leave, Catra wasn't exactly in that camp, but she certainly didn't want her blonde idiot going to war.

"You make it sound like we can still do that Lonnie. The Horde hurt us. If they're willing to hurt their own people, their own soldiers, what will they do to innocents who have nothing to do with this? I can't go back there, not if this is how they act." Adora turned back to Rogelio and tried for another swing, but it was clear Adora's brute force wouldn't get her any kind of skill with a sword like that.

"They raised us Adora, we all knew they weren't perfect. We all knew Shadow Weaver was a grade A piece of shit, but we had each other, we had a plan." Adora stopped and lowered the sword so that the tip just barely rested against the ground.

"Lonnie, you don't remember half of what I do. Shadow Weaver is much worse than that. We can't trust her, and if Hordak lets her stick around then we can't trust him. The rest of The Horde could already be willing to kill us on sight just because we've been gone!" Adora turned and faced Lonnie. "The Horde can't be trusted because Shadow Weaver can change our memories on a whim. What happens if we go back and she decides to erase all our memories of this place, then take those memories and uses them to attack these people!"

"We'd be safe." Lonnie didn't dare look away.

"You still think we can trust them don't you?" Adora looked at Lonnie, and finally the other girl's gaze broke from hers. "If you think there is still some good in them, then how about this. The next target, the one I was supposed to lead an attack on was Thaymor, at the edge of The Whispering Woods. We go there and see what's become of it. If it is a rebel stronghold and The Horde have dealt with it accordingly we go back. If not, if it's a civilian town they've laid to waste, then we stay here."

"Let's do it." Catra left the bed and stared the two down. She didn't want to leave, she felt so close to something here, like she finally had a home that didn't rely on The Squad, on Adora. But Catra couldn't let this continue. Adora was liable to self-destruct if she kept on this path, and Catra didn't want to, no she couldn't watch that happen.

"If Catra agrees then I do." Lonnie looked at the two boys. Rogelio nodded and Kyle followed suit. Now they just had to figure a way out of Halfmoon without alerting The Queens.


Main Military Courtyard, Royal Palace, Halfmoon, Beneath The Whispering Woods

Their black and gold armour seemed to glow under the light of The Tiger's Eye. Every single guard had been mustered and stood at full attention. It certainly was a sight to see the sixty or so guards all arrayed out across the courtyard.

Tall and proud in his black and gold armour, at the head of the guard as was his role was none other than Da'reth. C'yra felt like a knife had been stuck in her back. It twisted violently as she stared at him. She remembered a time when he would have smiled at her, winked even, the cheeky bastard. Now… now his eyes wouldn't meet hers. Da'reth's height was shorter than it used to be, his back ever so slouched.

C'yra pulled her focus back and examined the rest of them. Her guards were as impeccable as ever. They need not just look the part though. She knew every single Magicat in that courtyard was an exemplary warrior, a fighter few in their society could rival. Yet she somehow felt she was asking them to care for something more valuable than ever before. Catra wasn't just her daughter, Catra was a hope for Halfmoon's future, C'yra's hope… she couldn't lose that again.

"As you are well aware we have Horde Cadets here in the palace. Starting tomorrow they are to be allowed full passage throughout the palace." The Guards didn't even mumble, but C'yra could feel Da'reth's eyes fall from her. She bit her lip and held back the water that threatened to fall from her eyes. "You will grant them your protection as you would any guest or member of my family, is that understood?"

"For The Queen!" echoed up from the courtyard. C'yra nodded. She stalked down from the podium and waved a hand to the guards. They broke, but Da'reth and Ar'ini remained. She stopped before them.

"What of the rangers who have been bunking with you?" Da'reth looked to Ar'ini and back at her.

"They are soldiers, they were my best Rangers. They certainly could do with a new assignment. If you plan to assign them to The Royal Guard I think they are capable." Da'reth still wouldn't meet her gaze. C'yra cocked an eyebrow at him, all the while she felt that knife twist deeper.

"Thank you for your assessment, Captain. I'm certain you have other duties to attend to. Lieutenant Ar'ini and I can finish up with them here." Da'reth bowed and fled, in the most gracious way he could without making it look like he was doing just that. If Ar'ini had anything in their mind to say, they thankfully didn't. "If it is true that She-Ra has returned to us then those Rangers will be good candidates for her Honour Guard."

"My Queen?" Ar'ini cocked an eyebrow. She nodded. "But there hasn't been an Honour Guard since the last Magicat She-Ra."

"Times have changed Ar'ini. Times have changed. I believe ten of them will be sufficient for The Honour Guard, I want you to vet them personally for the position. The other half will have a similarly important task." Ar'ini nodded in time with her words as they stopped before the door to the barracks the dismissed Rangers had been bunking at.

"Might I know what this other position will be?" C'yra smiled at them.

"You will know more when the time is necessary, but I believe there is a need to expand The Royal Guard and I believe the other ten rangers in there would be perfect candidates." Ar'ini bowed.

"Then as you wish, My Queen." C'yra nodded and Ar'ini rose from their bow. They spun on the ball of their foot and entered the barracks. C'yra stalked away, she just hoped Da'reth would understand, he'd come around eventually, there was no way he could deny Catra was their daughter.


Octavia's Patrol, The Whispering Woods

The Octopod Force Captain stalked from one side of the camp to the other. She hated waiting, it was little more than a waste of her time to sit waiting for reinforcements. What could Grizzlor bring that she did not already have other than more soldiers. She had enough soldiers, she wondered ever so briefly if Vultak was setting her up for failure. Octavia quickly dismissed the idea. Vultak was a military commander. He wasn't politically minded, even by Horde standards of aggressive negotiations and backroom assassinations of character, and sometimes literal assassinations. The Force Commander was first and foremost a prominent air commander, his relation to Hordak was why he had been trusted as he was. That said Shadow Weaver had easily manipulated him and Hordak out of his old role of Force Leader and taken the position herself. If Vultak wanted her to wait it was because he thought it would increase her chances of success not hamper them.

Octavia paused as the brush in front of her began to rustle. She turned her good eye towards the sound and drew a stun baton from her belt. Octavia turned,some of her soldiers had noticed the same thing. Rifles and weapons were trained on the brush. There was no way it could be Grizzlor, it was only midday. Green lightning flared at the tip of her baton as a grey armoured soldier with Horde wings embolized on their chest stepped free.

Then another. Octavia examined each of them, there was nothing amiss in their armour, everything looked to be in order. They looked like standard forward scouts for a formation.

"What's your unit?" Octavia stepped closer to the two, stun baton still levelled with them. Each of the soldiers glanced between each other then looked back at her.

"Force Captain, we're the forward scouts for Grizzlor's reinforcement infantry." The Soldier snapped a quick salute.

"It's only midday, how did you get here so fast?"

"No idea Ma'am, we just followed the beacon on your badge as ordered. Grizzlor and the rest of the infantry should be no more than ten minutes behind us." Octavia nodded and motioned to her soldiers. The weapons behind her slowly lowered.

"Radio back to Grizzlor and let him know you made contact with my patrol. I'll report this to Force Commander Vultak." Octavia moved quickly to the communications set up. She picked up the transmitter and paused. She looked back at the two new soldiers. This didn't make sense. The Whispering Woods let Grizzlor's men find her, that wasn't normal. She had been surprised when they'd gone in three circles yesterday, she'd expected more. Now this…

"Force Captain?" Octavia turned and caught one of her soldiers. "They made contact, Force Captain Grizzlor and the rest of his infantry will be here soon. They've brought flame thrower units that Force Commander Vultak found."

Octavia nodded and waved. The soldier bowed their head and walked away. Flame throwers could let them burn a path through the woods that larger units could use to get through. She held the transmitter up to her lips.

"Patrol Alpha to Command Outpost Omicron. Do you copy?" static answered her. Octavia waited, but right as she was about to speak again static and a voice burst out.

"Force Captain Octavia, report." Vultak. She suppressed the shudder and clicked the button to talk again.

"Patrol Alpha has made contact with scouts from Reinforcement Group 1. I repeat Patrol Alpha has made contact with scouts from Reinforcement Group 1."

"Force Captain, your reinforcements have already begun to arrive?"

"Confirmed." The silence stretched as she waited. Octavia knew this could only mean one of two things. Either The Whispering Woods wasn't trying to confuse them, and they might actually make it through. Or it wanted them all in one place so it could kill them all in a single fell swoop.

"Burn a path to Brightmoon Force Captain, I will report this back to Horde Command."

"Understood." Octavia clicked off the transmitter and lowered it back to the communications set. Her lips pulled into a toothy smile. She had always wondered what it would be like to see Brightmoon, guess she'd get to see it now.


Horde Command Post Omicron, Thaymor, Outskirts of The Whispering Woods

Vultak stared out to the woods as he lowered the transmitter to the desk. If Octavia could succeed in burning a path to Brightmoon he could convince Hordak and Shadow Weaver that it was time to crush The Rebellion once and for all. They would need more troops and material though for a siege such as that. Which meant he had to sell this to Shadow Weaver instead of her pet cadet. He turned and looked at one of the attending soldiers by the door of the ruined building.

"You, prep a skiff. I have news I need to return to The Frightzone to deliver," The soldier nodded and disappeared out the door. He stepped out not long after them and turned towards the small set up barracks.

Vultak pulled open the flap to see Force Captain Scorpia engaged in a dice game with her soldiers. His lips pulled and twisted, which revealed his blood red glowing teeth. He fully entered the makeshift barracks.

Scorpia's dark eyes caught him. She jumped to her feet and knocked over the whole table. The other soldiers scrambled out of the way. When they saw him they got to their feet quickly. Every present soldier snapped a salute.

"I am returning to The Frightzone to deliver important information pertinent to the continuance of this operation. You are in command until I return Force Captain Scorpia, do not disappoint me."

"Of Course Force Commander Sir! You can count on me!" She smiled at him. His eyes narrowed and he turned on his heel.

"Clean up this mess, Force Captain." He left as she shouted her affirmation of his order. He needed this to succeed. Shadow Weaver would demand her cadet, if he could secure Brightmoon and expose Shadow Weaver's mishandling of resources to Lord Hordak he could return to his position as Force Leader. The war effort had all but stopped since Shadow Weaver had taken over. She seemed more concerned with her experiments and The Black Garnet than she was with The Horde's goal. It sickened him that such an outsider was allowed more power than him, but he couldn't argue. Lord Hordak had made his decision, and it had been based on a very painful memory for him, one he wished he could forget.


| Ten Years Earlier |


Main Atrium, Temple of The Tiger's Eye, Beneath The Whispering Woods

C'yra padded into the room. Her single eye drawn to the massive tree rooted into the soil at the centre. Braziers made of different metals burned around the room. Shadows danced across the floor from their glow. She glanced up to the slowly closing roof, the glare of The Tiger's Eye slowly disappeared and darkness consumed the space.

She looked at the statues set into the walls, each a different Magicat. Some were carved in armour, others in cloth. Some held weapons while others brandished their claws or swirls of magic. She stopped however when she caught sight of white fur clad in robes of maroon and silver trim. C'yra looked back to see which of the statues Mel'ody sat before.

It was none other than C'yra the First, her own namesake and old relative. C'yra took a deep breath. She did her best to warm her freezing soul, which had only gotten colder since Mel'ody had refused to see her outside necessary interaction. She wanted her friend back, she couldn't stand to lose anyone else.

C'yra continued further and saw Mel'ody's ears flick towards her. Still the snow furred Magicat Mage remained focused on the feet of the statue. C'yra stopped about a foot from the other woman. This was not something she wanted Mel'ody to feel pressured to return. She reached up and slowly removed her face guard. She was not Queen C'yra right now, just C'yra.

"Mel'ody, I…" C'yra paused and looked up to her ancestor. How long had it been since she'd done more than pray for Catra's safe return? How long since she'd communed with The Nine? C'yra looked up to see the constellations that had been so carefully carved into The Atrium's closing roof. She could see The Heart of Etheria and every moon in the sky. The stars had been gone for so long, yet still they were important to her people. Her people who had no doubt spent time here communing with the nine founders of their society. She glanced around the room that was still occupied by only a few different Magicats. Mel'ody had been right, she had been consumed, she still was. "Mel'ody you were right."

The white furred woman turned and looked at C'yra over her shoulder. A single icy eye locked with her golden one.

"I am haunted by what I could have done, what I should have done. I miss her, I miss both of them." C'yra collapsed against the steps at the foot of her ancestor. Her shoulders hunched, her legs and arms closed and wrapped around herself. "I was a fool. I thought we could avoid war, that Hordak could be appeased. I shouldn't have ever believed that. What he did to The Scoriponi… It was clear. I should have waged war, dictated the terms of what was to happen. Maybe if I'd done that neither of them would be gone…"

"My Queen-" C'yra held up a hand, the same one that still held her face guard.

"I am no queen, especially not now. I have betrayed my people. So many of us are dead or gone… and for what? My false hope of peace?" Something soft settled on C'yra's shoulder. She looked up and through her water clouded vision she could just make out Mel'ody.

"C'yra. You couldn't have known. Wage a war, stay at home, go left, go right… There was no way to know the outcome." Mel'ody turned and looked back up at the statue. "I know I made the wrong decision."

C'yra raised an eyebrow and wiped the yet unshed tears from her face as she looked on. The Mage had her other hand on the plaque inscribed at the foot of the statue. There was something in her eyes, something that C'yra had seen every morning for the last three or so years, regret.

"I chose to come study the powerful spellcraft of all Magicats in Crescent City. I left my home and family in Clawfoot Bramble at the edge of The Whispering Woods. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. To see the capitol of our people and learn from our greatest magical minds. My mother and father cried as I left, they begged me not to go. I told them I'd see them again one day. My brothers and sister had just watched." Mel'ody brushed her fingers over the plaque again. She closed her eyes. C'yra could almost see it, the same way she looked when she thought of her family, of her daughter and the man she had loved. "Here I was, just some magically inclined cat from some middle of nowhere village on the edge of our society where the only export was some random herb we don't even use anymore. Now it's all gone. Every building, street, stone, plant, and person. Not a single thing remains of the place where I grew up. The Horde destroyed it all. I… I constantly ask why I wasn't there, why I had to be here."

C'yra reached up and closed her hand around Mel'ody's. Was this all they were, two people thrown together by the worst possible circumstances they'd ever known?

"I come here to ask The Nine, to see The Stars and The Moons. I beg them for guidance, but the only thing that seems to happen is that I come back to you…" Mel'ody finally returned C'yra's gaze. "Whatever decisions we've made are in the past, no matter how much we cry, shout, beg, and claw we cannot change them."

C'yra didn't have words. Her mouth opened, but her tongue couldn't force a single word past her lips. She had lost her daughter, the man she'd loved, her people were broken. Yet she was still here, and she still had purpose. Mel'ody had nothing but purpose and life. Everything The Mage had known was gone, her home, her village, even the place she had come to study at.

Mel'ody squeezed C'yra shoulder. C'yra looked at her, and their eyes met again, but there was no sadness in Mel'ody's eyes. Mel'ody stood.

"If you ever want to speak again C'yra you can find me here on the grounds. The Temple staff were kind enough to offer me a room. I hope you can find something here. I'm still searching, but this place has offered what I never thought. It offered hope." Mel'ody turned and walked back around the tree and was out of sight.

C'yra glanced up at her ancestor. Nothing was simple, even for Mel'ody. Her people had suffered. What was she going to do? C'yra reached out and touched the statue, she begged The Nine for some kind of answer, but as her eye searched the room nothing appeared. Her hand slipped from the statue and she began the walk back.


A/N;

I hope that you'll be seeing this chapter around Christmas of 2022 or a little bit later. I'll see you in the next one. ChapterI IV! I did it! I'm making progress! We're closing in on halfway through this story, that feels weird. I know that I don't know when exactly any of you will read this, but I hope you all enjoy it!

I lie! My birth month is soon so as a gift to myself here I am posting another of these chapters. Hope everyone enjoys!

-Six Out!

Update List:

- SatSWC Act I Turning Darkness to Light (You are Here)

- Time Itself

- Imperial Academy