Chapter X: Secrets from a Bygone Age
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
We had taken 2-1B's advice and walked down the hall until we came to a door with two guards standing beside it.
"Halt, who are you and what is your mission?" they said as they blocked the door with the staves.
"I am She-Ra and this Queen Angella and her daughter Princess Glimmer, we have been told the Princess Leia is expecting us," I told them as I introduced the members of my party to the guards.
The guards backed down and opened the doors, "your highness, may I introduce She-Ra, Queen Angella and Princess Glimmer of Etheria, they said you are expecting them," the introduced us to Leia who was sitting at the head of a round table with Luke standing next to her.
"I am expecting them, please come in," Leia said as she dismissed the guards and offered us a seat.
"Thank you, your majesty," I said as we took a seat at the table.
"First of all, I would like to say that I am glad to see you all alive and well," Leia said, "secondly, we have already met with the commander of your army, and we have already worked out an alliance," she explained to us.
"Tell me, your highness did this commander have reddish-tan hair and a mustache," I asked her curiously.
"In fact he did, She-Ra, and he said that he is good friend of yours," she explained to me, I knew then that the man she spoke was Bow.
"Your majesty, what is the status of our kingdoms," Angella asked as she stood up, concerned about her planet.
"I am sorry to say the news is not good, your highness, most are in ruins with few survivors, what survivors there are we are treating them in our camps," she informed Angella in a sad tone of voice.
"Your majesty, if I may speak up, Vader has to be stopped if we are to win this war," I told Leia, the only problem is that I did not know to defeat him.
"I agree with you, She-Ra," Leia replied, "do you have a plan on how to do to it?" she asked curiously.
"With all honesty your majesty, no, in fact the last time I faced him, he destroyed my sword," I told her.
Leia was about to say something when Luke interrupted her, "Leia, if it is all right with you, I would like to go with She-Ra to defeat Vader, maybe with it being two against one, we'll have a chance of winning," he said.
"Do you think it's wise, after what happened to General Kenobi, it was two years ago that he pased away," she asked him worriedly.
"I know, but it's not for revenge, I promise Leia," he told her calmly, after which she agreed to his plan.
"It is agreed then, She-Ra and Luke will take on Darth Vader, while myself, the queen and her daughter will take command of the battles and help liberate the kingdom," she told us as he got up and got up, "Luke, take She-Ra to your chambers so you two can begin your attack, I'll take the queen and princess to the war room to begin planning," she said as we got into our respective groups and left the conference room to begin the Liberation of Etheria.
THE LOG OF DARTH VADER, DARK LORD OF THE SITH
22 YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE CLONE WARS
The battle has turned against us, but we will not give up.
While the regions of Gailsbreath and Aquatia have been liberated we still have control of two of the planets most powerful provinces, Brightmoon and Mysticore and right now the queen of the latter is in my custody, who I am on my way to see.
Our forces have discovered a massive structure in an area of Mysticore known as the Mountains of Immortality, according to the reports there is immense power coming from there, I must harness this power and make it available to the Empire and I know that the queen, a woman named Castaspella, knows how that can be done.
I arrived at her cell with two Stormtroopers, "Greetings, your highness," I said as the Stormtroopers opened the door and I walked in.
The queen looked up at me her eyes full of contempt; she would have used her powers to destroy me if it weren't for the collar around her neck, negating her powers.
"I have something to ask to you, your majesty, what do you know of the structure in the mountains of your kingdom?" I asked her as I showed a holomap of the area.
"I don't know nothing about that area, it's not populated except by a few natives," she said, I could tell that she was lying.
"Really, your highness then you won't mind if I send troops to validate those claims," I said, I could sense her anguish, she knew there was something there and was debating whether to tell me or not.
"I tell you, Lord Vader, there is nothing there," she insisted, determine to keep her secrets.
"Very well," I said as I turned to face one of the troopers, "Secure a transport from the kingdom and wait for me we shall investigate the matter ourselves," I said, smiling behind my mask as I got up, "until we meet again, Castaspella," I told her a I left the cell and went to prepare for my journey.
THE DAIRY OF CASTASPELLA
FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
I fear the worst is about to happen, today that Darth Vader came into my cell and asked me as to what was in the Mountains of Immortality, I knew what he was looking for the location of the legendary Crystal Castle, until now I thought it a myth but when Vader showed me a map of it, I knew that was real and it had to be protected at all costs.
I tried to keep it secretly melted my mind, but he seemed to twist my words to get the truth out of me, now he is on there way there.
I can only hope that She-Ra is alive and can stop him, it is the only chance of keeping the castle safe from Vader, but as it stands that is very slim hope and it will be a miracle that Etheria will make it out in one piece, but right now hope is all we have, and may Light Hope make protect us.
PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY
FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
While Princess Leia, Queen Angella, and Glimmer plan the liberation of Etheria, Luke took me to his quarters so we can plan our attack against Vader.
I could tell there was something personal about this battle, Luke had a past with Vader, as if they had met, if my suspicion that he and Vader are related somehow is correct maybe his family disowned Vader after the death of his wife and Luke had asked about the relation and was given no answer and met with Vader to know the truth, but it was just my guess but I wanted a definite answer
"Luke, pardon my asking, but it seems you have issue with Vader, I'm curious what is it about him that holds so much emotion," I asked him sheepishly.
"Years ago, Vader was once a Jedi, one of those sworn to bring peace and justice to the Galaxy, but he betrayed the Jedi and helped the Empire destroy them, including my father and a few years ago, he killed a friend of mine, Obi-Wan Kenobi," he explained to me.
I could sense there is more to the story than he knew the link between Luke and Vader was stronger than before, as if one shared between, no it couldn't be, but still it was undeniable that the link was there.
I turned my focus away from Luke and Vader, and towards the battle we about to engage in.
I explained to Luke how I faced Vader before and how I lost my sword and that I would need a weapon to face him again if I had any hope of victory.
"I have answer for that She-Ra," he said as he handed me a sliver and black cylinder, "it's a lightsaber, I found this in my master's hut, it belonged to a friend of his, it's a Jedi's weapon, just press that button in the middle," he said pointing to the activation switch.
I pressed it and a beam of green energy emitted from it, it was an awesome weapon, I could feel the weight of the blade even though it was mostly energy and the strangest thing was that although I had never wielded on before, it did not feel foreign to me.
"Thank you, Luke," I said as I turned the weapon off and clipped it to my belt as it had a hook for doing so.
"anytime, from what your friend Bow said, your weapon looked it as if it put up quite fight before Vader cut through it," he replied curiously.
"It's a special sword with magical properties," I told him.
"That can help, from what records I've discovered magic can empower a blade to withstand a lightsaber," he explained, "At any rate we should begin planning how we're going to defeat Vader," he continued.
"Do you have any idea where, Vader could be at, Luke," I asked him, I had the terrible feeling that he was near to discovering one of Etheria's deepest secrets.
"I can punch up a holomap to find his location," he said as he sat down at desk and called up a map of Etheria, "from the looks of it, he's with a group of Stormtroopers in the eastern mountains of the planet in a kingdom called Mysticore," he told me as he showed me the map.
I swallowed hard when I saw that Vader was making a B-Line straight to Mount Consecro and the Crystal Castle.
"Luke, we have to go now," I told him panic-stricken.
"Why, it would be dangerous to climb the mountains, Vader would have the advantage," he told me.
"I don't care Luke, there is something in those mountains, a secret I have been sworn to protect, if Vader gets access to it, he could unleash a power that could allow the universe to fall to the Empire, we need to go now," I told him pointing to the door.
"Okay, I'll just tell Leia our location and we can go," he said as he sent Leia a message and we left the room to find a transport.
If Vader gets the Crystal Castle he would be more powerful than Hordak, it seems odd, but I keep wondering about Hordak and how he's coping with this invasion, it's more of a curiosity than concern but still, this must be taken a toll on Hordak and his forces, and it is funny to think of him, being overpowered, but right now other things are on my mind like saving the crystal castle, which on our way to do and with Light Hope's help we will make it in time.
LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL
FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF MY OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA
The Fright Zone had been invaded, Shadow Weaver was right, I should not have sent reinforcements, it attracted the attention of Darth Vader and gave him an excuse to conquer the Fright Zone.
I sit in one of the Fright Zone's cells, and I await to hear to my fate, this Empire is good, they have put a collar on me to block my magic, but even if I did have my powers I would not attack now.
Now is the time for planning, the Empire may have us outnumbered, but we still have the home advantage and when the time is right I will strike, reclaim my base and then show these Imperial cowards why even the strongest of men, tremble when they hear the name Hordak!
While I was thinking of my revenge, two guards came to my cell opened the doors and threw Shadow Weaver into the cell.
"Weaver, they got you to?" I asked as she got up and looked out to the hall.
She did not answer, instead she walked over to me slapped me across the face with her hand, "You are a fool, Ralabad, you brought this on yourself, not only have endangered your mission, but the entire Horde there is nothing stopping this Vader from taking over the Horde!" she yelled at me.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME THAT YOU MISERABLE LITTLE…," I snarled before the collar gave out an electric shock, sending me to my knees and shorting out the life support systems in my armor.
"This is not the time for fighting, oh great and powerful Hordak," she said as she walked over to me and helped me sit up.
"You're….right….Weaver," I admitted as I tried to take in oxygen but only felt as if my lungs were on fire," Weaver….I….need…air," I said trying to breateh.
"Let's see if I can do anything to help that," she said as she removed the front panel from the armor, exposing the circuitry.
"You're lucky it seems only the power source is shot, I think I can bypass it so that that it takes power from the collar," she explained as she gently opened up the collar, removed the power source from the collar, placed it in my armor, closed up my armor and placed the bad power source into the collar.
"Thank you, Weaver," I said as the life support systems started up again and I was able to breathe.
"Anytime, my liege," she said as she stood up and looked out into the halls of the Fright Zone, "for once, I think it is in our best interest to hope the rebels actually win for once," she said as she walked back to the cot.
"The best result would be if both sides annihilate each other, but if I had a choice between having Etheria under the control of Vader and dealing with She-Ra, I would pick She-Ra," I told her as I stood up and looked out into the Fright Zone's halls wondering what the future held for the Horde.