"Pieces of a Shattered Future"
By General Stingrad
This story takes place shortly after "God and Mammon"
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
It has been months, since despair nearly possessed and almost took my life, but life hasn't been all that great.
Our food supply has been running low and most of us are beginning to suffer from malnutrition. I fear we may not hold out much longer and when we're gone, Etheria will go as well.
Hunger, however has been the least of my problems. Every night I am plagued by the vision I had seen that one night: the very fact that Hordak would become a god and turn Eternia into a prison. It couldn't be real. It was trick of the mind nothing more, but yet it seemed real, as did the mysterious being who showed me them, Chronos. Who was he; was he real or did I make him up?
If I ever was going to get any rest I needed to find out the truth of this matter and the only person I knew might know is the Guardian of the Crystal Castle himself.
BOW'S LOGBOOK
The past few months have been difficult. The food has been dwindling and have ordered the we start rationing, but even then the food will only last a few more weeks. We need a source of food and soon or else we'll die.
The starvation has taken its toll on us, but especially in Glimmer. Since her suicide attempt, she has been suffering from fevers, chills, and sweating. Without advanced medical equipment I can't diagnose her, but my guess that she has blood poisoning and combined with lack of food, it has made the poison spread faster than normal.
Seeing her like makes me sad, but there is nothing we can do. To my knowledge there is no food source near the castle, for once I fear that we are at last defeated, but I hope that is not the case and Hordak, where ever he is will be stopped!
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
Victory is at last mine, not only have I conquered Eternia and Etheria, but I have now also defeated the Goddess of Grayskull and merged her powers with mine and have decreed that Eternia worship me as a god. But still there are problems. Some villagers have been rallying people to revolt against me. I have stepped up my forces but still they stand up against my troops.
These revolts have cost me three projects in the past months- first a small rebellion disrupts the mining of gold on the boarders of Eternos; then another uprising halts construction of a temple I had ordered; and finally an uprising manages to destroy my statue that I had built months ago, my beautiful monument destroyed. I have put up with it long enough. Soon I shall silence these fools once and for all; it is a matter of time!
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
I had to find Light Hope, a task that is easier said than done. Since Hordak has taken over he has retreated to the most secluded parts of the castle and is rarely seen anymore, but I wasn't going to let that stop me.
Before I left for my search I went to get some food for my journey, a task that made me lose appetite, I had discovered that our food was starting to go bad. But until we can leave here or I find another source of food it will have to do, I took a small amount of food and started on my journey.
I decided that I should start at the bottom, which meant I would have go into dungeons of the Castle, an area that has been visited by living beings in millennia, no one said this was going to be easy, but I'm not going to let it stop me!
Before I left, I went to check on Glimmer who was suffering from blood poisoning due to her suicide attempt months ago. Bow is trying his best to treat her, but without the proper medical equipment, her chances of getting better aren't good.
"How is she Bow?" I asked him worriedly, she was looking pale and was listless, and I could see that she was suffering.
"I wish I had some good news, but unfortunately all we can do is make her comfortable," he said grimly as he said he checked her vitals and tried to make her comfortable.
"I am going to find some food. I have heard stories of a pond located near the castle, it might have fish in it, keep me updated on Glimmer's condition," I told him as I left to start my journey.
"Just be careful, Adora," he said as tended to Glimmer, I just hope I can complete this mission.
BOW'S LOGBOOK
Adora has left to find us some new food. I think it will end in failure but then again Adora has rarely been wrong about this.
Taking care of Glimmer is a full time job, so we all take shifts. Right now Casta is on shift now, giving me a chance to rest, if you call being locked up in here rest.
I can't rest even when I'm not on shift, I keep thinking about Glimmer and how's she's suffering. I wish I could do more, but we can't leave this castle.
While I was thinking, Casta came to see me, she told me that Glimmer's fever returned, she tried to use her powers to help ease her symptoms but it only ended up making her worse.
"How dare you not consult me on this treatment, she could have died!" I yelled at her, furious she would do something like this.
"I…I…I'm sorry Bow, I didn't mean to hurt her, I only wanted to help her," she explained to me.
"Well next time keep your parlor tricks on the stage," I snapped backed, still fuming.
"How dare you insult me!? I am no stage magician and know what I'm doing, unlike you and your stupid plans!" he shouted back.
"I am a good leader, unlike you who fled her kingdom," I retorted as I raised my fist at her.
"I can take you any day of the week," she threatened as got ready to cast a spell.
We almost fought had Flutterina not intervened.
"Hold it you two! We're supposed to be friends, not enemies," she said breaking us up, "right now is not the time to blame each other, now is the time we need to band together. What would Adora said if she saw you two argue? What would Glimmer say?" she said trying to cool us down.
I stepped back and calmed down. "You're right, we need to focus on getting Glimmer well. I'm sorry I snapped at you Casta, I know you meant well," I told Casta sheepishly.
"I'm sorry too. We're just sick of being locked up here. Right now Glimmer needs us," she replied as we sat down and rested for a bit, so we can slow down and think clearly, about Glimmer and Adora. I hope they will survive this.
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
I have arrived at the dungeons of the Crystal Castle, it seems odd that such a beautiful place as the Crystal Castle could even have a dungeon, but here it is none the less, complete with dank cells, rats, and skeletons.
Just being here is giving me the creeps. My mind plays tricks on me, I think I hear the cries of prisoners, ghosts from a dark time in Etheria's history.
"Light Hope! Light Hope!" I shouted hoping to find him but all I heard was my echo. As I stared in the darkness I thought I saw a light and went to investigate it. While I was walking, I tripped over a piece of wood and fell to floor.
"My ankle!" I cried out, as I tried to pull myself out. I felt my ankle, it wasn't swollen it wasn't broken and a few moments later I was able to get up.
While I was lying on the floor, I discovered something unique, a strange symbol on the floor, a clock but instead of clock hands, a pair of scythes pointed to the time, and they seemed to point north.
"I wonder," I said as I wiped the dust off the floor and found and arrow in the direction the scythes, it was a path.
I followed the arrow and found it led to a door carved into the floor, I felt around and found an a raised area. I pulled it and the door opened into what appeared to be cavern,
"Well Adora you did say you wanted to start at the bottom," I said to myself as I carefully entered the room. Hopefully I can find Light Hope and get some answers.
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
Soon I will destroy these pesky uprisings and regain control of this planet, but first I needed an update from my forces.
"Grizzlor, what is the status of the machine?" I yelled into the comlink, anxious to start my plan.
"We are having some problems my lord, the circuitry is complex and need time to get it operational," he explained nervously.
"How hard could it be to fix a robot?" I snapped at him
"Well we're not exactly sure where the Monstroids came from and their technology is like nothing we've seen," he told me
"Well you better find how to fix it or I will fix it that you will not have to worry about your job and your life," I threatened him. "I want those Monstroids ready to serve me by sundown!" I told him.
"Yes, my master," he said as he signed off.
If this plan works, I will use the monstroids to keep the population in check and if anyone rebels, I will have them destroy the town and then I will finally be in complete control once more!
BOW'S LOGBOOK
After cooling down, I went to check on Glimmer. She seemed to be improving, her fever went down for the time being, and she seemed to be resting comfortably. I just hope she continues to improve, but that will be a miracle
Mermista, Casta and Flutterina are resting leave me to guard Glimmer. A few times she would awaken but she would be delirious and amnesic, then after awhile fall unconscious again. I wish I could ease her pain, somehow.
I also wish I could know if Adora's okay and how's her journey going. If she finds a lake and food it would help Glimmer immensely, but it seems foolish. However, when Adora sets out to do something it usually means there's something to do it.
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
It's amazing, I have discovered beneath the Crystal Castle there is a series of caverns beneath it. From what I can tell I'm somewhat closer above a ground and still no where near the First Ones' underground kingdom. But wherever I am, it seems like I am the first down here in a long time.
As I look around, I come to a striking conclusion, this cave is man made, someone had made this thousands of years ago for some unknown reason.
I took a closer look and found carved on the walls are more clocks with scythes, I didn't occur to me at first, but these clocks remind of Chronos, the mysterious man in my dreams. Could he have been here long ago?
As I continued my journey, I began to hear a noise. It was running water! And as I walked towards the sound, I began to see a light! Was this another trick or was it real? I had to find out!
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
At last, Grizzlor has finished fixing the Monstroids, and all that needs to be done is to activate them!
"Beautiful, aren't they?" I said as looked upon the fruit of my labors. Soon these machines would be put to good use, subduing any rebellions that might pop up.
"Everything is ready my lord," Grizzlor said as he prepared to power them up.
"Excellent, you may proceed," I told him as he threw the switch and watched as they were brought to life, now nothing will stop me!
BOW'S LOGBOOK
Flutterina is on watch now and told me to go lay down. I wish I could relax. But I have too much on my mind, I keep thinking about Glimmer and Adora. I hope Glimmer pulls through and Adora succeeds in her mission, because if she is successful it could be the turning point that could help Glimmer, but if she's too late nothing will be able help Glimmer.
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
I couldn't believe my eyes; I had found a secret exit from the castle and found an undisturbed paradise, an oasis in the desert that is now Etheria.
It was a lush grove with all sorts of plants growing and in the middle a beautiful lake.
I walked up to the lake, the water was crystal clear and teeming with fish, this could help us out very much.
While I was looking at the lake, I heard a familiar voice say, "welcome Adora," I looked around and saw Mermista sitting in the lake.
"Mermista am I glad to see you, what is this place?" I asked her curious as to where I was.
"This is the Crystal pond, it used to feed and provide water for the monks that once were said to live around here," she explained to me.
"How did you get here, how did you evade Hordak's forces?" I asked her curious as to how she managed to hide here.
"I always come here to think, but when I found Hordak's oil polluting the water I came here to escape it and now the water is so polluted this is the only fresh water on Etheria that Hordak hasn't taken control of," she told me.
"You said monks once lived here; do you know anything about them?" I asked her, she was about to say 'no' when a voice suddenly proclaimed "I do!"
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
The Monstroids have done it, they have subdued the population, all it took was the destruction a few villages to make them realize that, I, Hordak am now not only their ruler but their god, and know the punishment for revolting against me, once I am through with these planets I will extend my rule to the universe and all will fear the name Hordak!
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
I looked around and saw what seemed to be a light coming from a cave nearby.
"Adora! Wait it might be a trick," Mermista warned me, but something told that was not the case.
I walked a few feet and entered the cave, what I saw there amazed me.
I saw giant statue of an elderly man holding a scythe, it was Chronos the mysterious figure from my dreams.
Before I could say anything, a bright light suddenly filled the cave and I heard a familiar voice say, "Impressive is not, it was built long ago before even the first ones came to Etheria, by monks who worshipped time."
"Light Hope, am I glad you found you," I told him as I turned around to face him.
"I know why you are here, you seek answers about your dreams and aid for your friends," he said ominously.
"Yes, I do, I need to know was what I saw with Hordak being worshipped as a god, killing my friends true, and who is this Chronos, was he real or did I imagine him," I asked him plainly.
"As far I can tell, Hordak has defeated the Goddess of Grayskull and proclaimed himself a god, but as for the rest of your dream, I can not tell, that is future and beyond even my powers," he informed me.
"And what of Chronos, who is he, is he real, and why did I see him," I asked anxious to find out the truth.
"Chronos is the personification of Time, the Keeper of the Past, the Maintainer of the Present, and Guardian of the Future. Ages ago, the monks who lived built a temple to Chronos, who they worshipped as the Manifestation of Time, on this very mountain, but one day they vanished and centuries later when the First Ones arrived the constructed the Crystal Castle over Chronos' Temple, but so as to honor him, they dedicated the castle to him and his monks. Since then he has guarded the castle until I took over, but still he manifests himself to those who need to be directed to their destiny, such as you, Adora," he informed me.
"It all make sense now," I replied as I stared at the statue in front of us, I had lost the map to my destiny and he came to show how me how to find it.
"And what about my friends?" I asked Light Hope as I turned to look at him.
"They will not die, take some fish from the pond for food and water for drink, the fish have healing powers, no go your friends needs you, there is a passage that will lead you back to the castle not far from the first cave you entered," he said as he vanished away leaving me alone again.
I walked back to the pond and took some fish, the strange thing is that as soon as I took them out they froze instantly preserving them and filled my canteen with some water.
I then walked to cave, and found a new passage way, this must be the passage that Light Hope mentioned; I just hope I'm not too late.
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
I had sent to Grizzlor out to deal with these insurrections, but I had not heard from there in awhile and was started to get worried.
I turned on the comlink on my throne, "Grizzlor, Grizzlor, do you copy!" I shouted through the microphone, but all I heard was dead air.
Finally, I heard, "My lord, I have failed you," he said coming through choppy.
"YOU WHAT HOW COULD YOU DO THAT!" I yelled at him, "ALL YOU HAD TO IS DEAL WITH THOSE PEASANTS HOW HARD IS THAT?" I screamed with fury.
"Something has defeated me," he reported back.
I was silent for a moment, until I realized what it was, the Goddess has returned and attacked the Grizzlor, but it will not matter, she is powerless to stop me.
"Return here at once, Grizzlor, we must regroup," I told him as I signed off, if the Goddess has returned we must prepare and counter her, I will not lose the kingdom, I will not!
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
I returned to the castle just in time, Glimmer was near death, I went up to her and gently helped her take a sip of the water and something wonderful happened she was cured.
"Adora what happened?" Bow asked me astonished at what happened.
"It's magic water, these fish do the same thing," I told as I pointed to the fish, "we won't go hungry," I told him happily.
"Thanks to you Adora," Bow replied, but I did not hear him.
I was too busy thinking, thinking about the future and what it would have in store for us, I did not know, but I did know the future will be filled with one thing, hope – hope that Hordak will be defeated and peace can return to Etheria once more!