Chapter 3

Etheria, the present

Adora closes the golden book and looks out across her room, "How strange. I didn't know that Spira knew about the Star Sisters. Where did she gather these ideas for this writing?" Unable to understand and feeling slightly strange, Adora comfortably leans back into her bed with so many thoughts bursting inside her head. The night comes easily enough though, and for that, she is thankful.

With the golden book on her chest, Adora falls into a dream land filled with imagery less threatening than before. As she sleeps so does the rest of the Eternos Palace. There are peaceful times throughout Eternia. Many thought this space of time would never occur. With the rest of the palace quiet and tucked in their rooms, a slew of bright shining stars gleam in the night sky from above; a sign of hope looking down upon a land in much need of happiness.

While the princess sleeps, the fates of others unravel across dimensions. Despondos, a realm between realms heats up as smoke billows up from cracks in the ground. Rocky formations zig and zag as the sounds of various creatures echo throughout the cavernous space.

Catra slinks quickly through a slim path between high walls of rock in silver heeled boots with her raven hair flowing behind her. Bow is quickly following behind her, keeping his eyes on her furry black skirt and pink bodice. "Catra! Slow down. Answer me!" His heart is racing as he tries to understand just where they both are. "Catra!"

The jealous beauty whips her head around, her green eyes dazzling bright, "Would you stop whining! Just follow me and shut up already!" He looks haggard she remarks to herself. Bow's once golden chest plate looks dull. The red cape on his back is riddled with holes while his pants are dingy and torn. She smirks, "You need some new boots Bow. They look dirty."

Sighing in anger, Bow shouts, "Catra. I was dead. You killed me. What am I doing here with you?" Racing faster, Bow feels like he could reach out and touch her. She won't slow down. They run through the end of the slim passageway and out into a large open space. Finding his moment, Bow lunges into the air tackling Catra.

Hissing as they hit the ground, Catra rolls over trying to scratch Bow before screaming in his face, "You fool! Get off me!" With eyes flared in anger, Catra takes a swipe as Bow grabs her wrist. Screaming back at her, Bow feels spittle leave his mouth, "Stop! We've been running and I need to know what is happening. You killed me. Damn it Catra, you killed me!" Tears form in his eyes as he recalls his near betrothal ceremony to Adora and his final goodbyes before fading away from his true love.

Catra struggles to fight him off of her, but soon realizes her only way for freedom is to explain something, anything, to the archer. "Fine. I killed you. In a fit of rage I killed you. Not long after your death, I killed myself because I wanted to be here, in Despondos." Bow looks around the rocky cavernous surroundings, "So what does that mean? Is this where we go when we are dead? Because I don't feel exactly dead Catra." Pushing him off of her body, Catra sits up stretching her arms up in the air, "Remember what I told you earlier? I needed your help finding my soul. This place around us, it's where people go when they die on worlds made of magic. We get one more chance and since others had their hands involved in my fate before I was even born, I want to find a way to make it right."

Bow shakes his head in disbelief, "Where did you get that idea from?" She looks at him, baring her heart to him, "It was in one of Shadow Weaver's ancient texts." The words cause Bow to nearly jump out of his skin. He is angry, "You killed me so that you could find something called a soul? Are you insane?! Catra, I was ready to start a life with Adora! You robbed me of that."

Matching the intensity of his anger, Catra clenches her fists, "Oh shut up! Don't mention her name. I never meant to kill you Bow. It was out of my own anger, but after you died and I realized that if I ever wanted the chance to start over, I'd need someone with a pure heart to help me. You have a pure heart Bow. Don't you see? You can help me."

Feeling defeated, Bow hangs his head, "I don't want to help you." The words hit her in the gut. Catra's mouth falls open in pure shock. Time is wasting, she can feel it, but without the help of Bow, she simply feels lost. Ready to give up, Catra calls out for fear of losing the only person she can count on, "Bow please, help me. I know I did terrible things. I was an awful person, but I don't want to be that person. I don't want to be her anymore. You have to believe me." He searches her green eyes for some bit of truth.

Sitting together in a place they've never been before, Bow reaches out for Catra's hand, "How are we going to do this?" For fear that the words might be false, Catra pauses before saying another word. About to speak, Catra finds her words interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice.

Bow and Catra turn to stare in shock at the arrival of the glamorous double agent Spira, code name Double Trouble, and the Bright Moon healer Minwu. Rushing away from Catra, Bow greets his long lost friends in a touching form of reunion. With a sweet face under a heavy green helmet, Spira hugs Bow tightly, offering a faint whisper, "I knew we felt you." Seeking assistance in understanding the strange place of Despondos, Bow listens to Spira and Minwu detail their own knowledge of the dimension; a place where everyone is not quite dead, but not quite living. All beings both good and bad are connected in Despondos with the ultimate goal to find their way out. Catra listens while standing off to the side.

Spira looks at Bow strangely, "When I died on Etheria, I came here, instantly. I remember my last thoughts as I fell down that pit bleeding from the bolt through my chest, and then I was here. I found Minwu; rather, we found each other. We could sense one another. I can't explain it, but I knew he was here too." Minwu nods as he recalls the events clearly. Clad in a white robe and hood with gilded trim, Minwu offers another spin to the story, "But as quickly as Spira appeared, she also quickly vanished." Spira nods with one final offering, "I don't know where I went to. Bow, I was here, in Despondos and then I was gone, only to return again; with new marks to add to the one on my chest." Her hands travel across the scar around her neck.

Bow can only shut his eyes in sadness as he realizes Spira knows nothing of her return from the dead. Still silent, Catra lets something slip, "You were reanimated, courtesy of Shadow Weaver and Hordak." Spira looks towards Catra as if noticing her for the first time, "What?"

Walking away from Bow and Minwu, Spira approaches Catra from a stance of wanting to learn more about her horrific return to Etheria. Catra offers up all she can, "You were undead and feasting off the flesh of innocents. Hordak manipulated your powers. He wanted you to be a fake of She-Ra, to strike fear into Etheria while finding a way to have everyone turn on her."

Shaking at her actions, Spira turns towards Bow, "Is this true? Was I turned into some sort of monster?" Bow can only hang his head as tears form in Spira's eyes. Minwu tries to change the subject by asking how the other members of the Great Rebellion were faring after his passing. Most importantly, he asks about Perfuma's well being. As Bow discusses his last memories of Perfuma, Spira learns about Catra's aims to leave Despondos.

"Catra, you can't just leave this place." Standing over Catra, Spira shakes her head for further emphasis on her words. Refusing to believe a word while growing even further agitated, Catra purrs menacingly, "I know there is a way. And I will find it. Now I understand that you and the healer could feel Bow's presence in this dump, well I feel the presence of someone as well. Someone who would love nothing more than to rip me to shreds for ending her life…" She is referring to Entrapta, the tricky golden beauty slaughtered at the hands of Catra, "…so I am going to ask you to help me or get out of my way." The two women stare at each other; a dueling vision to behold. There is something, possibly desperation in Catra's eyes, Spira is not sure. The one thing that is certain is that Catra knows about this dimension from a prior position of learning on Etheria when no one else in the small group had ever once heard of Despondos.

A sense of purpose burns across Catra's skin radiating a heat that is urging for action. Spira tilts her head with a slight grin, "All right. We can do this. I know someone that might be able to help." Motioning for Catra and Bow to follow, Spira walks ahead with Minwu, taking them deeper into the mystic and foreign realm of Despondos.

The day is brand new at the Eternos Palace. Adora wakes up in her room with the sun shining brightly through her window. Grinning from a night of decent sleep, Adora remembers the golden book she was reading the night before. With the book in her hands Adora thumbs through some pages trying to learn more of the story. So much of the plot sounds too real to have been made up by Spira alone.

Realizing that there is only one way to seek the answers on her mind, Adora gets dressed for the day while quietly leaving the Eternos Palace with the golden book in her arm. She makes her way across the land towards Castle Grayskull and a shining portal. One easy step is all it takes and in just a matter of seconds Adora walks through into the courtyard of Bright Moon in Etheria.

Standing around while taking in the glorious nature around her, Adora realizes what she just did. She has not been on Etherian soil for awhile. Her heart feels funny, almost as if she is hoping to turn and see a familiar face, maybe the face of her love. Bow is not waiting for her. He is dead she reminds herself. She is standing in the courtyard that they were to have been married in. It all seems so long ago.

The world is a different place. Threats of evil are gone. Peace continues to reign and the flowers can truly grow. Half expecting to see someone she knows, Adora does breathe a sigh of relief that no one has seen her yet. Not one to cause a flurry of excitement, Adora quietly leaves the courtyard with the memories of a happier time behind and searches for a few friends.

Inside Bright Moon, Adora marvels at the palace. People walk around enjoying their day. Everyone seems happy. Adora wonders where her brother is at and if he is happy. Now is not the time though to be socializing. She is there for a reason. Staying off to the side, Adora continues to walk through the common areas until she finds her footing towards the hallways that mark the personal rooms of those living in the palace. Recalling the guest rooms that the Star Sisters stayed in, Adora quietly knocks on the door, hoping that at least one of the sisters will be there. No one answers.

Whispering a few greetings, Adora waits patiently for a response. Nothing. Looking up and down the hall again before opening the door; Adora carefully steps inside one of the Star Sister's rooms. She can't recall if all three sisters roomed together or if they eventually received their own space. Adora can see that she is in the right spot, even though no one is there.

Standing in silence, Adora simply looks at the bare room. A few articles of clothing are neatly folded on a bed. A smaller cot is on the floor. Maybe two of the sisters decided to stay together. "Where are they though?" Adora asks out loud. Feeling awkward at her position, Adora quietly leaves the room unsure what she should do next.

Before a plan can be fully devised, Adora jumps as she hears her name being called out. Turning to walk away from the voice, Adora realizes she is being rude. She pauses before facing Glimmer. The pink haired princess of Bright Moon runs up to Adora with the look of concern on her face, "Adora? I wasn't sure that was you. Did you hear me calling your name?"

Adora nods as she hugs her friend hello, "Yes. I heard." Glimmer steps away to train her gaze on her friend, "What are you doing here? Have you been here long?" Adora shakes her head, explaining that she just arrived. Smiling at the news, Glimmer grabs hold of Adora's hands, "Well come on Adora! Everyone will be so excited to see you. I just saw your brother earlier today."

Standing still, refusing to move, Adora shakes her head rather quickly, "I'm not leaving... I'm sorry. What I mean to say is that I am only here for a short while and I do not have the time to reunite with everyone. I can't leave with you to find the others." Glimmer feels a sting in the words, though she is sure Adora does not mean anything hurtful. Wondering what Adora could possibly be going through, Glimmer inquires, "Why are you here Adora? It seems like a lifetime ago since we last saw you. How have you been?"

Staring in a slight daze, Adora shakes her head, "I've been fine." This is a lie. Adora has not been fine. She wants to cry out, "I can't sleep. My nights are restless and full of nightmares. I'm not sure I know who I am anymore. I feel lost and every moment that I am here on Etheria I am reminded of everything I have lost. I can't be here." These are the statements she desires to make clear and instead remains in her lie that she is just fine.

Glimmer points to the bedroom door that Adora just left from, "Were you looking for Jewelstar? That's her room. Well, she shares it with Starla. Tallstar's room is right next door. We've been trying to make extra space in the palace, but it has been busy." Adora nods, "Where are they? The Star Sisters?"

So she wants to know where the Star Sisters are and yet she is not interested in finding everyone else, not even her own brother, Glimmer quietly thinks. Trying to not show her hurt feelings, Glimmer answers Adora simply, "The Star Sisters left a few days ago. They decided after all this time they were going to go on holiday and finally see Etheria."

A chill runs through Adora, "They finally got to see the world." She smiles to herself while Glimmer stands there in confusion. Adora is still holding onto her golden book and realizes that too much of real life and the fictional story inside the golden book are melding into something strange. Glimmer wonders what is happening to Adora, but is silent. Soon Adora speaks, "Is Peekablue still here?" Glimmer nods explaining that Peekablue never returned to the Sun Tower. Adora asks to see her, she needs help seeing just where the Star Sisters are, for she plans to find them and hopefully answer some questions.