Chapter Four - "Duel"

Horror Hall stood out like a sore thumb in the new, second Whispering Woods. Guards of Mystacore stood at its large doors, which were flanked by two white pillars with gargoyles on top. The doors stood sealed with four guards at the entrance. Castaspella looked over the structure, satisfied.

"Every magical object has a containment field around it," she explained to Peek-A-Blue, who had just now arrived. "We're going to have a wizard and four guards on duty at all times."

She pointed to a small house of the edge of the pit that Horror Hall sat in. "That will be our look-out station."

"It sounds secure," Peek-A-Blue stated. "My vision reveals that all is safe within those walls."

Perfuma, who was standing nearby, was busy admiring some of the flowers that had sprouted unexpectedly. The new Whispering Woods were soon being refereed to as the Valiant Forest, for its containment of the Horde and for the bravery and valor that the Army of Etheria fought the Horde with.

She suddenly had a bizarre feeling that someone was watching her from with within the forest. Her eyes looked up and searched for a sign of someone in the trees, but found none. A hand then fell on her shoulder and Perfuma jumped about a foot into the air.

"Whoa! What's wrong with you?" asked Flutterina.

"Just . . . um . . . nothing."

The pair walked over and joined Castaspella and Peek-A-Blue.

"You ladies want to grab some lunch?" asked Castaspella.

"That sounds like a good idea."

"Yeah. Perfuma?"

The blonde looked at the woods, but snapped back when her name was said. "Oh, yes. Lunch sounds good. Yeah."

The four started towards the Butterflyer, when suddenly, Madame Razz appeared. She came barreling out the sky, riding poor Broom harder than ever.

"Oh deary my, we have situation!"

"What is it, Madame?" asked Castaspella.

"Queen Angella needs Peek-A-Blue back at Brightmoon Castle immediately!"

Castaspella nodded, issued forth an incantation and a portal opened. The six of them entered, arriving at Brightmoon instantaneously.

"What's the problem?" wondered Peek-A-Blue as they walked through the foyer and into the throne room.

"It's Hunga. She apparently stole stockpiles of Horde weapons before we collapsed the Fright Zone," replied Angella.

"These weapons are very destructive," Micah continued. "We need you to find them for us."

"But of course!"

Peek-A-Blue closed her eyes. As soon as she did, her feathers opened. Her mind raced with her vision, flowing outward across Etheria. She concentrated on Thorn Mountain and saw the small stockpile at the base of the mountain.

"I have found them. They are at the base of the mountain, on the northwest side."

"Then we must go there - immediately."

"Weapons! They come at us with weapons, Hunga! They come to kill us!"

Queen Angella glanced at the Harpy that was diminishing at the presence of the entire Great Rebellion, save Bow and She-Ra. "Silence!" Angella yelled.

A number of other Harpies stood in front of the bunker at the bottom of the mountain. There was a screech from above, however, that caught all of their attentions. Hunga sailed down from the sky, with two other Harpies behind her.

"Hunga, we know about the stockpile. Give up the weapons and we'll leave you in peace," Angella warned.

Hunga hissed. "We shall not."

"Then we'll take them by force."

The Great Rebellion strode forward and many of the Harpies squawked in agitation. Apparently seeing the Great Rebellion in full force today brought back the recent memories of the battles against the Horde.

"I look forward to it," Hunga snarled.

"There can be another way, Hunga," Angella approached. "A duel. You and me. Magic, blades, doesn't matter. You win, you keep the weapons. I win, we take the weapons and destroy them. Deal?"

Hunga grunted, then nodded. "Yes, yes. Deal!"

Angella glanced back at the Great Rebellion. Concerned looks returned her glance, but she merely nodded. The Queen of Brightmoon then turned back to Hunga and pulled out the Sword of Uriel. Hunga pulled out his blade. It was long, jagged and rusty.

The battle began in earnest. Both women charged forward, swords out. Hunga landed, holding a slash on her stomach.

"First blood to you? I am surprised."

"You should have expected no less, Hunga," Angella replied, missing a small bit of her hair in the attack.

Hunga came at her now, sword up. She was in the air at a moments noticed and then charged down. Angella blocked it, but it gave Hunga the opportunity to blast her bit with her magic. Angella stumbled, then was slashed on her side, right below the ribs.

Angella swung around, then, and sent her elbow into Hunga's face. Hunga's snorted, and slashed Angella right under chest. Angella pushed away, then lifted her free hand. A blast of magic fired out. Hunga did the same.

Their swords went flying out of their hands.

Hunga then launched a burst of orange streaks from her fingers. They slammed into Angella, who mustered a defense at the last minute. Angella went flying backwards, crashing onto the ground, but was unharmed for the most part.

Before Hunga could muster another attack, Angella rolled out to her feet, and unleashed a swirling white pulse at the Harpy. Hunga was tossed into the air, but managed to land on her feet. As soon as she did, Hunga fired out a bolt of green. Angella not only blocked it, but sent it flying back at Hunga.

It slammed into Hunga at a diminished power, not doing a lot of damage. Hunga hissed.

"Do you know how long you kept me locked up, Hunga?" asked Angella, wings flexing behind her, hands glowing with power. "Seventeen months, two weeks, three days, and two hours. I counted EVERY HOUR!"

A bolt of white energy seared out of Angella's hands, striking Hunga hard. "I'll see you as my prisoner again, pretty one."

"You will hold no one prisoner . . . ever again!"

Angella felt anger flow through her as her hands surged with power. But that was her mistake. Because of her pure fury, she lost concentration on Hunga's location. Hunga slid around it and struck Angella hard enough to knock her onto the ground.

"MOTHER!" shouted Glimmer, but Netossa held her back.

"It's over, now," Hunga said, hands glowing with intense power.

"No. It's not."

Angella's hand flicked and the Sword of Uriel flew right into her hand. Before Hunga could strike, Angella slammed it right through Hunga's abdomen. Hunga gasped, the blade ripped right out the other side. Angella stood up and kicked her enemy to the ground.

And then Queen Angella did something that surprised Hunga and all those there. Angella bent down and put her hands on wound. Her healing powers kicked into high gear, sealing and repairing the wound.

"You've lost, Hunga," Angella told her. "And I hold your life in my hands, just as you did. But I will not sink to your level. I will let you go freely."

Hunga said not a word as her wound was fully healed. The Great Rebellion moved to the bunker door and took it down, then went began to pull out the stockpile of weapons.

Glimmer attended to her mother. "Are you all right?"

"I am fine, Glimmer, my daughter. I am finally . . . free."