Author's Note:
These characters don't belong to me. They do, though, belong to Mattel. I'm not making any money off of this and so on.
This story is set about seven weeks after the final episode of "She-Ra: Princess of Power" - the episode entitled "Swiffty's Baby."
This fic takes place in the same continuity as "Preludes and Beginnings," "The Elfsong of Eternia," "The Crossroads of Destiny," "Prophecy & Change," "Just Another Day," "The Final Adventure," "A Winter's Heart," and "The Shroud of the Horde." It serves as a basic sequel to "Just Another Day" and continues the Destiny series that started with "The Crossroads of Destiny," continued in "Prophecy & Change" and "Just Another Day."
This story is the sequel to "Liberty and Valor - Book One: Hope," "Liberty and Valor – Book Two: Resistance," and "Liberty and Valor - Book Three: Endgame" which is summarized below.
Previously:
After two years of intensified fighting, Hordak and his associates devised the ultimate plan - to conquer Etheria within six months. However, Queen Angella's undercover agent Double-Trouble managed to sneak these plans to the Great Rebellion. Angella brought together the nations and kingdoms of Etheria to attack the Horde. After many battles, the Army of Etheria came to the Fright Zone and a combination of He-Man, She-Ra, Queen Angella, King Randor, Skeletor, and King Hiss were able to defeat Hordak.
However . . . the Horde Troopers continue to fight on . . .
Chapter One: "The Fourth Meeting"
She lowered her hand, wide-open. Hordak paused, but gave in. His gloved hand covered hers and she hauled him up. Hordak's entire body felt weak and . . . strangely limp. His head was spinning as he stood up. All of his power was gone and that would make anyone feel drained. But there was also a complete physical exhaustion.
"What are you doing?" he questioned her.
"I'm getting you out of here," she replied.
He squinted. His eyesight was blurry. What was wrong with him?
"Why?"
Adora wrapped interlocked his arm with hers and guided him over to a large array of computers. "They're going to kill you. And while I think you need to be brought to justice, outright killing you in wrong."
Hordak leaned against the computer controls and hung his head. "Adora . . ." he whispered for no reason at all.
"We don't have a lot of time, Hordak. I can fly us out of here, but the Bat-Mechs won't respond to my commands."
He looked to her and saw in her face the same person she was so many years ago. The baby he kidnapped, the child that he helped raised . . . the young woman that turned on him? Why was she here?
"I don't understand . . ."
"Hordak, He-Man, She-Ra . . . all of them are coming back here to kill you in a few minutes. I sneaked up here as soon as I heard and I just knew I had to get you out."
Hordak snorted. There was something not quite right about that, but he couldn't think straight.
"Why - why are you doing this?"
"Because you raised me, Hordak. You were more than a father to me than my real one. I may not agree with what you've done, but I can't let them kill you."
Hordak took a deep breath and tried to steady himself. "All right. I think . . . I think I understand you."
"You're in no condition to fly right now. I need you to open up the command controls. That way, you can re-register me."
Hordak nodded and his fingers instinctively typed in the correct codes. The screen displayed a number of selections. Adora's eyes slid across each one: Bat-Mech Registration; Power Grid Control; Horde Trooper Command Lines.
"I am . . ." Hordak started, but he suddenly couldn't finish. His fingers were quite numb. His head was swimming, his senses in dulled. And that's when Hordak realized it. On top of the massive power burn-out - he had been drugged.
Hordak collapsed, unable to stand any longer. He looked to the computer screen and watched and command controls were left open.
"No . . ."
"Don't like it? Don't like my betrayal?"
Hordak snarled. "Traitor . . ."
"Me! You were the one that lied to me. You were the one that hid my life from me. I betrayed you? Well, it's only the beginning for as much as you betrayed me."
She kicked in the face and Hordak was out. Adora, anger raging in her chest, turned back to the command controls. Delicate fingers danced along the keys, accessing the Horde Troopers Command Lines.
Adora then put in a command that was never before used.
'HORDE TROOPERS: STAND DOWN AND SHUT DOWN.'
Adora checked on Hordak then transmitted a message to He-Man. He was on his way back up to collect the ruthless leader.
The kidnapped baby who became a student of evil who became a Force Captain who became a Princess and finally became a leader and a heroine walked out to the balcony. Outside, as she watched Horde Troopers halt in their tracks and stand stock still, she embraced the moment. The sun was starting to peek over the morning horizon. All throughout the Fright Zone, cries and shouts and roars of triumph filled her ears.
She smiled and brushed away a tear.
The Horde had been stopped, once and for all.
By mid-morning, Adora had become She-Ra again. The Horde Elite and Hordak were all imprisoned and heavily guarded. The leaders of the Army of Etheria met in the camp in front of the Fright Zone.
"As we speak, soldiers are wiping out all Horde Troopers we can find," Angella explained.
"The most dangerous of the Horde are currently in drugged, nets, frozen, and locked up in those portal cells we brought," Frosta added.
"Major casualties?" asked She-Ra.
"Out of the leadership, we lost Darius and the Mayor of Elberon. Sweet-Bee and Bow are in critical condition, but will live," Glimmer explained. "Spinnerella was drained by Leech, but is recovering nicely."
"Bah," hissed Hunga. "What about the weapons? What about the vehicles? We split them up between us all?"
"No," Mermista replied. "We destroy them. All evidence of the Horde is going to be wiped out."
"What! You joke!"
"It has been decided all ready, Hunga," Angella snapped. "You are the only one that protests."
Hunga looked like she was about to say something, but after a glance to the others, she kept quiet. The meeting resumed uninterrupted.
"What should we leave?" King Ahgo asked. "What should we not destroy?"
"Leave very little. All computer units are to be destroyed, all artifacts confiscated. We'll need to concentrate on Doom Tower, though. Leave the other sections of the Fright Zone as bare as you can, but Doom Tower is the priority," answered King Akion.
"I am concerned about the dungeons," brought up King Varn. "Granted, most of the criminals were enemies of the Horde, but how many of them are going to be trouble for us?"
She-Ra nodded. "We were prepared for that. Former Force Commander Loni's father Simon has reviewed the list inmates and has found the ones that are actual criminals to their fellow Etherians. We'll be taking them back to their homelands to stand trial. But something tells me after the way the Horde has treated them, the last thing they'll want to do is return to a life of crime."
Suddenly, a tentacle with a monitor at the end snaked into the leadership tent. The monitor clicked on, displaying Number One, leader of the Monstroids.
"We calculate that we are no longer needed here," Number One beeped. "The terms we discussed are still satisfactory?"
"They are," Angella replied.
"What of the Fright Zone? We can demolish it as soon as the carbon-based life-forms are evacuated."
"No, no. We have our own plans . . ."
"What's the prognosis, doctor?" asked Bow, Glimmer by his side.
"It'll scar," the doctor replied. "And I'm sorry to say that the vision in your left eye will never return. Other than that, you'll make a full recovery."
Bow sighed and lowered his head. "Thanks doc."
Glimmer took hold of his hand. "Oh Bow, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah . . . I know. Nothing we can do, I guess."
Across the MASH tent, Sweet-Bee was awakened by a hand on her shoulder. Her green eyes eased open and she saw a smiling face looking down at her.
"Buzz-Off . . ."
"How's the wing?"
"They numbed it, but I'm not sure if it'll fully heal."
Buzz-Off nodded. "Well, since our two races are related, I thought this might help speed things along." He handed her what looked like a huge cake. "It's honey-cake. The healing properties will enable your wing to grow back at a faster rate."
"Thank you," she replied and started to down it.
Immediately, the wing began to stitch back together, then grew strong once more. In no time, she was back to normal.
The Fright Zone was a completely different place seventy-two hours later. The catwalks, bridges and streets were bare. Huge heaps of shattered Horde Troopers were gathered in large piles at various points in the Fright Zone. Any and all vehicles were in shambles in their hangers. Weapons lockers were exploded.
Most of the Army of Etheria had moved out of the general area, most heading to their homes to tend to their dead, dying, and injured. What was left, though, stood in Doom Tower. And in the highest chamber of Doom Tower, a meeting of incredible importance had begun.
A large table, quite massive really, took up most of the room. There were nearly one hundred guards standing along the walls, weapons armed and aimed at one side of the table. On the side where the Horde sat.
Hordak, dressed in a pure black cloak, sat in the center of a long line of his allies. Shadow Weaver, Catra, Dylamug, Entrapa, False Face, Grizzlor, Leech, Mantenna, Modulock, Multi-Bot, Dragstor, Octavia, Scorpia, Duke Dreer, Vultak, Professor Tempest, Admiral Scurvey, and Captain Slime-Pig all sat on either side of their ruthless leader. There was an of grim tension surrounding the assemblage.
Directly across from Hordak was Queen Angella, who also sat in the center of her own line of allies. Mark, Vice Mayor of Elberon, Kristala of Delvan, Marcus, Serena, Corey, Colin, King Gruff, King Ahgo, King Duplis, Prince Hazor, King Sprite, Queen Sparkle, Prince Highcliff, King Varn, Prince Storm, King Akion, Chord, Jamilla, Tahndi, Prince Orwall, Baron Condor, Prince Norb, King Arbor, Bibbet Elder, Queen Frosta, King Selkia, SeaHawk, Castaspella, Mermista, King Micah, Lord Zed, and She-Ra all took up the other side. Standing with the remaining soldiers were numerous Great Rebellion members, including Flutterina, Netossa, Bow, Sorrowful, Spinnerella, Glimmer, Peek-A-Blue, Madame Razz and Broom, Kowl, Red Knight, Loni, Catillus, Fritz, Wizard, and Former General Sunder.
"Let this meeting come to order," Angella stated loudly. She opened one of a few tomes. "We the people of Etheria demand that the Horde surrender and be brought to justice. Only then, can they stand trial for their crimes against this world."
Hordak grunted loudly. "No."
Angella blinked. "What?"
Hordak remained firm. "No. We shall not surrender."
The rest of the Horde looked neither confused nor confounded. What were they up to?
"And just why is that?"
"The Horde never surrenders. We will not bow to you or your petty courts. I will only surrender when I am ordered to. Such is the way of the Horde."
Zed spoke up. "Hordak, if you don't surrender, you won't be entered into Etheria's custody. Your life will be forfeit. My father has already been planning your execution since you last approached about this plan. I thought you were smarter than this, uncle."
"If Horde Prime wishes to kill me, then that is his decision."
Queen Angella looked along her table and saw nods of acknowledgement. "So be it," she stated then. She closed his tome and then pulled out another one. "Therefore, we shall officially put you into exile."