Chapter 2: The Sword of Protection Part 2
Adora, Catra, and Kyle were boarding one of the Horde transports. As she sat down, Adora couldn't help but feel unsure. This mission would be her first time ever setting foot outside of The Fright Zone.
"Don't worry, the first mission's always the hardest." Kyle reassured her, crouched inside the transport, his huge frame not allowing him to sit down.
"You're gonna do great, Adora. It's a simple back and forth to Dryl." Catra said, comforting Adora, "Nothing is gonna go wrong."
Somewhere in a lush forest, a redheaded man was high up a tree, gazing down the dirt road with a telescope. His red cape flowing in the wind.
"See anything?" a purple-haired woman called up to him, a sparkling cape draped over her shoulders.
"Glimmer! SHH!" The man shushed, glaring down at her.
"Bow, we're literally the only ones out here. Are you sure this is the spot?" the woman asked
"Trust me, I've been watching this road for a while," Bow said, "every couple of weeks, Horde transports come down this road to Dryl, and then it comes back on its way to The Fright Zone."
"So...what, we just wait here for the transports to come by and jump them?" Glimmer asked
"No, we wait for the transports to pass and then jump them when they come back. There's a huge Horde prison in Dryl and they'll probably be transporting prisoners." Bow said determined.
Glimmer sat down next to the tree Bow was on, waiting for anything to happen. Bow then suddenly landed in front of her, making her yelp.
"Okay, the transports are on their way, let's hide." Bow said, getting down behind the bushes, Glimmer doing the same. The two hid together before they saw the two transports traveling down the dirt road past them.
Inside one of the transports, Adora was sitting, her mind filled with excitement and nervousness, she was finally on a mission, outside the Fright Zone. She just sat there, not saying a word.
"You doing okay?" Catra asked her.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry. So what happens if something goes wrong?" Adora asked.
"Don't worry, this is a standard mission. Any fresh recruit could do it." Kyle said.
"Besides, Kyle and I are here in case anything does go wrong." Catra smiled, patting Adora's shoulder.
30 minutes passed before the transports arrived at Dryl. The Horde occupied the city due to it having a rich supply of Etherium. It was a desolate location, consisting of several small metal buildings and two large structures. One was a mine for the Etherium, and the other was a prison to provide a near-endless supply of miners. The transport stopped in front of a group of people in shackles and rags, Horde soldiers watching over them. The transports opened up, and Adora got a look at somewhere other than The Fright Zone. She was both amazed and a little disappointed, as Dryl didn't seem all that different from The Fright Zone. Soldiers started moving the shackled prisoners into the transports. Adora could see the looks on the prisoners' faces. She had to admit, something about the fear and dread in them bothered her.
"There are a lot of prisoners here. How often are these transfers done?" Adora asked Catra
"I think it's every couple weeks." Catra said
"And this place never runs out?"
"There are a lot of people who don't realize what the Horde's trying to do for this backward planet." Kyle said looking over the prisoners, "That's why we're taking them to The Fright Zone. There, they can be rehabilitated into proper Horde citizens."
Adora watched as the transports were filled up. She was still a little unsure, but what reason was there to not believe what Kyle said? Clearly, these were people who didn't realize the good the Horde was doing for Etheria and needed to be shown the truth. Once all the prisoners were loaded, Adora and the others went back in the transports as they began moving down the road back to The Fright Zone.
"So these arrows are going to do what exactly?" Glimmer asked
"As soon as I detonate them, they're going to release a foam that will get all over the transports and then quickly harden, trapping them in place. Then you just teleport in and get the prisoners out." Bow said placing several hi-tech arrows on the sides of the road.
"So we just hide and wait for them?"
"Precisely." Bow grinned as he hid behind a bush, Glimmer doing the same. The two waited in the bushes as time passed...quite slowly. 30 minutes of just sitting around behind some bushes felt like an eternity before they finally heard the transports approaching. Bow and Glimmer watched closely as the transports got closer and closer to the arrows. When the transports finally got close enough, Bow pressed a detonator, the arrows spraying out a green foam substance that quickly spread under and over the transports, causing them to stop in place before hardening.
"What's the problem?" Kyle asked.
"Sir, the transport is stuck!" said the pilot as they kept trying to drive the vehicle forward to no avail.
"Alright, you all stay in here, I'll take care of it." Kyle said to the others as he made his way out of the transport.
Glimmer was about to teleport into one of the transports before seeing the massive figure step out of the back. Her face went pale at the sight.
"They brought HIM!?" she gasped in shock. Force Captain Kyle was known and feared among many of the Horde's enemies, the Rebellion being no exception.
"Quick, now!" Bow said, knocking Glimmer out of her panicked state. She nodded and used her magic to teleport into the first transport.
"What the-?!" one of the guards inside exclaimed as the purple-haired woman appeared in a flash. The two Horde soldiers tried to attack her, but Glimmer hit one with a magic blast and used a magic flash to disorient the other. She then grabbed the long chain that connected all the prisoners' shackles and teleported out, the captives being taken with her.
Meanwhile, Bow was observing the giant man standing outside the vehicle. Kyle was inspecting the hard material the transports were now stuck in. He then gave a hard punch to it, causing it to crack. He punched it again, cracking it further, and on the third punch he managed to break a piece off. He grabbed the edges caused by the break and started tearing off pieces of the material. Glimmer teleported to the second transport, being met by Adora and Catra.
"Hey!" Catra said before swinging her claws at Glimmer, the rebel dodging them. Glimmer dashed to the prisoners as Adora tried to tackle her, Glimmer's hand grabbing one of the chains before she teleported just as Adora tackled her. Catra looked around, Adora, the rebel, and the prisoners now missing.
"Adora? Adora!?" Catra shouted panicked before she ran out of the transport, "Kyle! Some rebel teleported in, they took Adora!"
"All soldiers, sweep the area!" Kyle ordered over the coms, the guards coming out of the transports and beginning their search.
Bow made a run to where they had planned Glimmer would take the prisoners. He made it to the edge of the forest to a grassland where he found the prisoners...as well as Glimmer wrestling with Adora.
"Bow, a little help!?" Glimmer shouted as she tried to stop the Horde soldier from strangling her.
"Right." He nodded, pulling out an arrow and firing it at Adora. While in mid-air, the tip of the arrow opened, two ropes bursting from it, a small one that wrapped around Adora's mouth and a larger one that wrapped around her body. She gave a muffled gasp and struggled as it pushed her off of Glimmer.
"Thanks. Who is that?" Glimmer said getting up.
"No idea, doesn't look like any Horde soldier I've ever seen." Bow said, "But hey, we came to rescue prisoners and not only have we done that, we even got a prisoner of our own. I'm counting that as a win." he smiled as Glimmer used her magic to blast the shackles off the prisoners.
"I guess so. Alright, let's take her for questioning." Glimmer said grabbing and lifting up Adora. Adora was still struggling with her tied-up state.
"There's a village not too far west of here, you'll find safety there." Glimmer told the freed prisoners before she and Bow began heading north. Adora tried her hardest to break free, but the rope was tight, she couldn't move her limbs. She felt so embarrassed, her first-ever mission and she was captured by rebels.
"Do you have any idea who I am!?" Adora growled
"Are we supposed to?" Bow asked
"I'm Hordak's daughter! So let me go now or else!"
"You? Hordak's daughter?" Glimmer asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.
"What's with that tone?" Adora asked annoyed
"How do I put this mildly...you don't exactly have much of a family resemblance." Bow said
"So? I'm still his daughter and princess of the Horde."
"Sure you are~" Glimmer smirked as the two continued down their path.
"Man, I knew Horde soldiers had some delusions but nothing like that." Bow said
"Yeah. Well, let's hope she knows enough actual information when we get her back to base." Glimmer replied
"Hey, hey! Don't talk about me like I'm not here, you dirty rebels! Where are you taking me? Do you think I'm going to give you information on the Horde? Never gonna happen!" Adora continued ranting at the two rebels as they just started ignoring her.
Glimmer and Bow kept walking down the grassy field for a good hour. Adora took a moment to look at her surroundings. She had to admit, the sun shining on the grass, the clear blue sky, the herd of large, purple-furred creatures grazing on the field. It all looked so...peaceful. The three then entered another forest. As soon as she was brought into the forest, Adora felt something strange.
"What is this place?" Adora asked confused.
"The Whispering Woods. Most magical forest on Etheria." Bow said
Adora looked around, trying to find the source of the strange feeling. She didn't quite know what it was but it almost felt like something was watching her, and that was when she heard something.
"Adora..."
Adora quickly looked around, trying to see who spoke her name. She looked at her captors, who were just walking like nothing happened.
"Adora..."
Adora heard it again. What was that? Someone or something was saying her name but she didn't see anyone. She then realized this must be some kind of trick. Yes, that must be why the two rebels looked like they didn't hear it.
"Nice try, scumbags, but I'm not falling for it." Adora glared as she started struggling again even harder, shoving her head into Glimmer's repeatedly.
"Ah!" Glimmer said annoyed at Adora's struggling, "Let's take a break, Bow."
"Good idea." Bow said as the two stopped to rest, Glimmer placing Adora on the ground. Adora kept trying to escape her bonds when she heard the voice again.
"Adora..."
She looked around, but this time, she did see something. A humanoid shape, seemingly made entirely of light, standing there in the distance. Bow handed Glimmer a canteen before he saw Adora. She was staring into the forest, her eyes glowing white.
"Uh, Glimmer? Take a look." Bow said
Glimmer turned to look at their captive. She walked closer and waved her hand in front of Adora's eyes, but there was no reaction, she just kept staring.
"Bow...I think she's having a spiritual vision." Glimmer said, "Madame Razz has told me about them. Those who have a connection with magic spirits will sometimes have visions of their world."
"Well...what should we do?" Bow asked, unsure what to think about any of this. He'd heard of spiritual visions, but he'd never seen one in real life. Glimmer thought about it, Madame Razz told her to always trust someone who has a spiritual vision but...this was a Horde soldier experiencing one.
"I...We'll untie her and follow her." Glimmer ultimately decided, "but have another trap arrow ready if she tries anything funny."
"Gotcha." Bow nodded
Glimmer, with hesitation, untied the ropes restraining Adora. As soon as she did so, Adora got up and began walking in the direction she was staring. Glimmer and Bow looked at each other unsure before following her. Up in a nearby tree, a green vulture-like bird was watching them.
"Adora...come." the figure said as they floated further from her. Adora didn't know why, but something about this figure made her feel...at ease. Like she could trust this strange being she'd never seen before. She continued walking toward the figure as it led her through the forest. She kept following the figure through the woods until they reached a small clearing in the threes. A large stone stood in the middle of the clearing. Embedded in the stone was a sword with an elegant design and a gemstone near the handle.
"Pick up the sword, Adora." said the figure, "Pick up the sword and achieve your destiny."
"Who...who are you?" Adora asked
"All will be answered in time. But first, you must wield The Sword of Protection."
Adora was hesitant, but much like when she heard the being's voice, for reasons even she did not understand yet, she trusted it. She slowly walked towards the sword and grabbed it by the handle.
"Alright...now what?" Adora asked confused.
"Pull the sword from the stone, raise it in the air, and then proclaim the enchanted words. For the Honor of Grayskull. Shout it out to very skies above." the being instructed.
Adora took a deep breath, she couldn't believe she was doing this but this whole situation was already very weird. She pulled the sword from the stone with ease and raised it up to the sky.
"For the Honor of Grayskull!" she yelled out. The gem on the sword began to glow with a bright light. Adora briefly covered her eyes before she saw the light enveloping her whole body. The light changed her outfit, the black and gray becoming angelic white and gold, her clawed gloves becoming gold bracelets, the red gem on her chest turning blue, and a gold tiara forming on her head. Glimmer and Bow stared in awe at what was happening before them.
"Awaken, Warrior of Light. Awaken, Princess of Power. Awaken, She-ra!" the mysterious being declared as Adora opened her now glistening eyes.