Shadow of the Past - Journey to Kranor Rill

She woke up.

She heard the buzzing of the insects that inhabited this accursed swamp. The bloodthirsty bastards wanted nothing more than to disturb her peace. Fortunately, they had no intention of feeding on her blood, an unexpected advantage of her state of health. Everything in the tent was damp, she couldn't keep warm under the blankets. Her body ached from lying on the ground and riding those damn mechanical horses, though she didn't want to take Shadow on this trip because she was afraid her favorite horse would go lame or something else would happen to her. She got too attached to it. "Who would ever have thought that you would worry that something might happen to your horse. The sufferings of Catra and Adora, your daughters, did not concern you." She thought and smiled bitterly. She stood up feeling pain in all her bones. "Is this rheumatism? Could I have rheumatism?" she thought in surprise. "What's on your mind, old witch? You've never been a fan of outdoor adventures. You've seen virtually no wildlife in the last thirty years, except for that brief period of occupation by the Galactic Horde, and it's been no better before. You were used to a comfortable life, even in the Horror Zone, where you had incomparably better conditions than those poor kids forced to grow up in your… shadow. Now you want to play monster slayer and this is the price you have to pay for it. So focus and don't let such inconveniences distract you, she thought and stretched, feeling her bones cracking. Then she left the tent.

Their camp didn't look very professional. The whole expedition had been summoned on an ad hoc basis when she wrote to several powerful landowners living near those cursed swamps… The tents were set up haphazardly with no plan, just closer to the fires. Guards were posted randomly, and she had the impression that most of the guards spent more time on drinking than guarding the camp. With one glorious thread…

"You're not sleeping…" said Asindesa di Vir staring into the darkness of the night. The stars above them shone brightly, for they were far from any source of industrial or light pollution. There was no industrial center for hundreds of miles, and they had left their last settlement of Fort Bitterdale two days ago, to the dubious looks of soldiers and trappers. "I'm actually in the most Etheria-like place I've ever seen on this planet if it weren't for the stars."

„I don't really need to sleep. Sometimes it's just my mind that needs to turn off... Otherwise, I start acting a bit maniacal, or I fall into depression..." she said staring at the lamp around which moths and mosquitoes were flying. „I don't have to eat either, I can draw energy from the magic permeating the world ... But I can also eat in a different way if necessary." she directed her hand towards the insects and dark purple energy flowed towards her. The insects fell dead to the ground.

"If I hadn't held your hand in my hand and felt your pulse…" said the hellknight, smiling slightly. She was glad that it was dim, because she had the irresistible feeling that she was blushing.

"I'm something of a magic-eating parasite." she said, "A monster… A sadist who enjoys hurting children."

„Are there many such creatures in the place where you come from?" asked the Lady of Blades, looking askance at her.

„No... Now there's not one left. "May there be no one like me there. The nightmare cannot happen again."

They were silent for a moment, listening to the sounds of night.

„Do you have someone? Someone other than Lady Cala?" the Lady of Blades asked after a moment.

"It's Lady Cala Has Me"

:No... Just a half-elf servant Leris... I don't have time for friendship or... things like that. I socialize with most of the important people on the planet…but nothing more than that." she said in a firm tone. She had the impression that Asindesa was satisfied with her answers.

„And invthe place where are you from ... Waldenese?" asked the hellknight after a moment.

This time she had to think seriously about her answer, because… she wasn't sure what it should sound like. She knew she'd hurt a lot of people in her life, not just Adora and Catra, not just Mikah. The hundreds of kids she had raised to be soldiers, Scorpions, poor rebel soldiers, even that son of a bitch Hordak. He too was a pawn in her game, though she had never even been a player.

„No ... There was no one left there who could remember me fondly." "Even you Glimmer and Castaspella. Not after they found out what I did to Mikah," she thought bitterly. She was lost in bitter thoughts again. Suddenly she felt the touch of a strong grip on her shoulder. She shuddered.

„Did something happen?" Asindesa asked anxiously. She immediately took her hand away.

„No ... Because of my condition, I got weaned to touching." she replied carefully

Ever since the ritual, she hated being touched. Once, when it was cold because the central heating in the Fright Zone had failed, Catra came under her blanket. When she noticed this, she threw the girl away and slapped her hard in the face. Cara never touched her in a friendly way after that. She also never hugged Adora, although she often assured her that she was important to her. In all these years, she'd only been hugged once, by that overjoyed flower girl... How was she... Perfuma?

„Is… Can't you be helped somehow? I remember there was a girl in our Order once. The explosion left her with only a shred of flesh, but thanks to magic and technology, she was able to lead an almost normal life."

She smiled sadly and shook her head.

„ No... It's as it should be. And even if ... No one can reverse it. I've been working on it for thirty years... However, it's only recently that I've learned what's really wrong with me. There is no force in the entire galaxy that could reverse this process... But it's better than it used to be. Much better. But thank you for your sincere willingness to help." she tried to make her smile a little happier, but it always came with difficulty.

- You're welcome... We're together... on this journey and we need to support each other

The idea for a trip to the cursed swamps of Kranor Rill came when she listened to a radio message about another attack on a settlement located near the swamps, although beyond the security cordon. Many of the planet's inhabitants were furious at the archduke's inaction. But he was not going to intervene. Apparently, he did not want to inflame the conflict with the inhabitants of immeasurable swamps, although apparently the situation was slowly getting out of control. Kranor Rill has doubled in size in the last dozen or so years and has swallowed up more and more settlements…

Hearing this, she couldn't help but smile bitterly. She remembered the beginnings of the Horde invasion and the passivity of most of the princesses who had no idea how to deal with the unknown threat. Of course, the actions of the Old King also had an impact on the whole situation, and without his support, Hordak would never have gained a foothold on her home planet. "Only if we are not the Horde of this world. Or worse, the First Ones?" she thought grimly, but truth be told, Carurystal matters would soon cease to be her concern... But she had a very important job to do... She had to meet with Asindesa di Vir... as she possessed extremely valuable information necessary for their mission. Besides, the Lady of Blades could prove to be an extremely valuable ally... Yes, by trying to make friends with her, she will undoubtedly contribute to the cause of Creeping Chaos. And couldn't there be a better way to get close to her than to go against ruthless monsters like the Riliti? After all, it was the job of the hell knights to spread order in place of Chaos! So she had a plan.

First, she decided to use her authority on Carurystal and sent handwritten letters to several of the most important families whose estates were located near Kranor Rill. In it, she expressed concern about the whole situation and expressed her desire to solve this pressing problem. The results… They weren't spectacular to say the least. Most answered her politely that it was a big problem affecting all of them, but what could they do? Many did not seem to understand her intentions, or at least claimed that they did not understand ... Such was life in a world where conventions and appearances ruled society. Sometimes she longed for the brutal honesty of social relations in the Horde, where at least she would have been explicitly refused instead of meandering around the subject…

The others told her that they would consider her proposal, but first she had to present them with a plan of action ... But what could she do, since she had no plan? Adora and her friends usually improvised, with surprisingly good results... But the Carurystalans were more cautious. So she had to go to the library, and even use the web, to come up with even the outline of something resembling a plan. This time her passion for perfection and meticulousness paid off, though she also couldn't forget that it was the transformation that allowed her to work twenty hours straight. Leris brought her food and tea, in this state she felt no need to drink alcohol, the work itself was the greatest reward. The girl seemed to worry more and more about her, but she couldn't help it. The half-elf was an orphan born in a nearby village, her parents were said to have died in a Riliti attack, though she later learned that they died in a road accident. „How prosaically random" she thought bitterly. She appreciated the girl's help and liked to look after her, it would be a pity to leave her here when she went on a great journey with Lady Cala, but taking her would be an act of sheer cruelty, too much even for her.

The most important thing she managed to get from the net were satellite maps of the entire Kranor Ril area. She wasn't a geologist or a biologist or anything like that, just a fair bit of botany, but her years working for Hordak had given her a basic understanding of a wide variety of things. She noticed with concern that the marshes spread evenly, forming an almost perfect circle. She had always liked symmetry, but seeing it in nature, and on this scale, was instinctively uneasy. But it could be more than that, she thought in amazement and felt a surge of excitement. Perhaps before he leaves Carurystal behind something of value, he will uncover an ancient secret from thousands of years ago. "Ancient secrets usually mean bitter truths that won't make anyone happier to discover," she warned herself, but continued her work and was surprised to find that she enjoyed it... She always sought knowledge, even that which made ordinary beings fearful and disgusted. …

The library of Grayskull Castle was not awe-inspiring, especially for such an old and respectable family. Lady Cala's ancestors were not intellectuals, and there were often missing basic volumes that every educated citizen should know ... Obtaining them in such a way that no one realized the extent of her ignorance was a bit difficult for her. This time she preferred to go to the Archduke's library in Lynortis. It was probably the best-stocked place on the planet, and she should have no problem finding the information she needed there. It took her several hours to get there, and she had to rent a hotel room, another thing she had never done before serving her new Lord. Fortunately, her experience of studying and teaching in Mystacor and supervising the Fright Zone meant that she had no difficulty in navigating the nooks and crannies of such institutions. The problem came from a completely different side, which as a person born on Etheria, she usually did not remember ... The inhabitants of the galaxy forgot about their past ... They lost it forever ...

Little was known about the past during the Gap, most knowledge of what had been going on for millennia had been lost. On Etheria, most people didn't care about the history of their world after the First Ones "left" it. They lived a peaceful and relatively happy life in a world where seemingly nothing ever changed, though so much had happened over the millennia... The loss of two runestones, the loss of two schools, and the conflict of heirs... She who was born in the Isles of Sorrow knew best. They had the opportunity to know their past, even if incomplete and limited. And the inhabitants of the galaxy were deprived of it. At the same time, it made her work horribly difficult…

She let out another moan of frustration. She never took failure well, even when she was teaching in Mystacor, and the entire Danger Zone trembled with her outbursts of rage. Serving first Glimmer and then Cala's, she had to learn to control herself. Now she wanted to tear apart those two hundred pages of books about the salinity of the water in Kranor Rill. "It's ridiculous. Hasn't anyone been interested in what the darkest corner of the planet hides for these three hundred years? Is there anyone here who would be fascinated by forbidden knowledge? Anyone like me?" she laughed grimly, though she wanted to howl in helplessness. "I can't fail now. Not in this case. Must... must succeed..." She didn't know why she was so keen on this endeavor... "Not my dear Shadow Weaver... You know what's going on with you. You know well, old twisted witch. You know, but you don't want to accept it like she couldn't…" She dug her claws into the desk and ran them all over the surface, leaving deep scratches. There was nothing else she could do.

„Excuse me, but can I help you with something?" she heard a hard male voice behind the squares. Instinctively, she rose and summoned the power of the shadows, ready to freeze the attacker's heart. In front of her, she saw Archduke Adamson, who was smiling mysteriously at her. He was a tall man with blood red hair. He was a powerfully built with a wild, brutal look. But what caught my eye the most was his eyes. Light blue, they seemed to glow with an inner glow. But not like Adora, it was rather a cold fire from the heart of winter. However, despite his appearance, he had impeccable manners worthy of a true aristocrat. He was an extremely well-educated man and had knowledge on almost every subject, although he was also said to be an undefeated warrior. His name was... She couldn't remember... it was Kane?

"I am seeking knowledge of the Kranor Rill, Your Majesty, for I wish to organize an expedition to… limit its influence…" she said hastily, unsure of what to do in such an unexpected encounter with the planet's ruler. "Be careful, this isn't the grieving Glimmer or the ever-furious Hordak. His family has ruled this planet for… forever, and they are not easily fooled by a cunning witch like you."

"Kranor Rill…" he said, a strange note in his voice. "This is not a place a lady of good birth would want to go to." he said in a surprisingly pleasant voice. She could never get over how much his voice didn't match his looks. "You shouldn't be surprised at that, should you?"

"Before becoming a stewarx, I held other positions that often required me to deal with issues much more directly." she said, bringing a polite smile to her face, although there was something instinctively fearful about this man, as if she was talking to a wild beast let into the salons.

„Really?" he asked rhetorically. "Then you must be bored in our provincial Carurystal." His voice was lazy and curious at the same time, like a well-fed cat seeing a mouse.

"Until now, most of my attention has been devoted to preparing Lady Cali for adult life and managing her estates. Now that she's off to the Pact Worlds on her errands, I have some free time. „she actually said truthfully.

„And you decided to remember how it used to be. he finished the thought. Although a trip to this place is an unusual idea. Fortunately, you found someone who undoubtedly knows more about it than anyone else. Have you read The History of the Elder Races of Ajora Zrorkros?" he asked curiously.

„I'm hearing about this title for the first time." "But the mention of the Elder Races sent shivers down my spine."

The Archduke nodded his approval.

„That's good. Wrong or incomplete knowledge is more dangerous than ignorance. I know something about that…" he said, and for a split second she thought she saw a shadow of nostalgia or longing in those cold blue eyes.

„It is said that Kranor Rill did not arise naturally. Apparently, before the winds, a spaceship of an ancient race crashed there." he said thoughtfully, and she shivered hearing those words that brought to mind an all-too-familiar story.

"So these Riliti are just castaways who have lost their ancient knowledge?" she asked, surprised and a little scared. "Am I going to meet a lot of Hordaks?"

„In a way, yes... Many see them as wild and cruel beasts. The truth, however, is a bit more interesting." he said and looked into her eyes. "They're bioroids. Artificially created beings, living robots without… full intelligence. They served an ancient force powerful and sinister." he spoke in a strong voice worthy of a lecturer or minstrel. "Oh what won't you say. Ancient malevolent beings bio-engineering hordes of servants is not something I ever expected, she thought, barely keeping herself from bursting into hysterical laughter. "Something strange is happening to me... It's because of the stress"

"Could Your Majesty tell me more about this?" she asked, hoping she didn't show that she had almost lost control. For a moment, she thought she saw an inscrutable glint in the eyes of the Lord of Carurystal.

"In the old days, a race tried to harness power through geomantic constructs that were overseen by crystalline computers, self-aware entities, created as part of a web that was supposed to bind the whole universe together, make it a single structure…" he said, and she tried to stop her body from trembling. . „But there was a rebellion, the crystals wanted to take over and enclose the world in their symmetrical structure, in order to gain power overshadowing that of the gods. Yet they were annihilated almost without exception. The last of them was destroyed by one of my ancestors thousands of years ago ..." he said. She felt relieved, but anxiety still smoldered in her heart.

"I understand, but Riliti… Do they still carry out their creator's orders?" she asked, pondering the implications of what she had just heard. The Archduke considered his answer for a moment before speaking.

„Maybe, but I don't know for sure. All I can tell you is that in the center of Kranor Rill is the city of Arelarti. The center of all the infrastructure of this fragment of the structure Look for answers there. Or questions." He finally said and left. There was one question she had to ask him, though.

„The creators of these crystalline computers... Were they human-like?

It was probably the first time in years that someone had surprised the Lord of Carurystal.

„Hunan-like? Not at all. They were reptiles. It is from them that Riliti was created. Well, that's certainly not what they expected from their creations... But we're often destroyed by our own creations, don't you think?"

She should have been relieved to know she hadn't gotten into the mysteries of the First ones again, but... the fate of Riliti's ancestors sounded all too familiar...

It had taken her a week to get everything ready, and she had decided that she should have spent much more time on it, but the Archduke's tales had given her no peace. Besides, Lady Cala's had been gone for almost half a year now, and she feared that the day of her return was drawing near. She had to… get the information before that happened.

Few answered her call, mostly a few bored descendants of wealthy families, young and stupid, or a few old military men who had never seen a fight in their lives. Most came with their own equipment, although it was hardly adapted to conduct operations in such an area. Logistics was one of the elements of warfare that she understood, and she hoped that at least that aspect of the expedition would succeed. General Harmus, the commander of Fort Bitterdale, agreed to sell her some of his surplus supplies and gave her the maps he had, but he could not offer her the support of his troops, because Commander General Rafel personally forbade military expeditions into the Kranor Rill, although she was not authorized to do the same with private ventures. They stayed in a shelter, and some of their subordinates were placed in private homes. In total, there were about twenty people. Although theoretically the highest military post was held by Retired General Elisa Nortingthon, a half-elf from a wealthy family, she found herself unsuited for the job, as she was only an honorary commander, so she proposed Sir Rakim, Vesk and a devoted follower of Imodae, he inheritor, whom many considered as a goddess of humanity, though she had many followers of all races among her faithful. In addition. Elf girl named Krianess, follower Eloritu, volunteered to become their "Science Officer", although she had never even thought of creating such a position. She felt off balance, hated to lose control of the course of events. But this time she had to accept it. "Because these are not helpless children trembling at your wrath, whom you might have broken to force obedience. You have to accept their decisions and, as always, bow before those stronger than you." She thought bitterly as she drank the locally produced whiskey, a very good one she had to admit. But there was something else. Rakim and Krianess were mystics devoted to higher powers, gods many times more powerful than mortals like her. They sent power and favors in exchange for devotion, at least that's what it looked like to outsiders. She spent most of her life among the non-religious, though strongly spiritual Etherians, or in the extremely materialistic Horde. All the prayers and rituals looked ridiculous and unsettling to her, and devotion to a higher power reminded her too much of the madness of Horde Prime, or the darkness of the creature she had sold her soul to. "But not heart and mind. You can be proud of yourself in that regard, my dear Shadow Weaver."

However, the biggest disappointment was the lack of the one for which she organized this venture. Asindesa did not come, and she felt that she no longer cared about all this. "Maybe it's time to call off all that chutzpah. I'm just kidding. It was all the pathetic idea of an old idiot who thinks she's a teenager all along anyway." she thought bitterly and poured herself another glass of whiskey, looking sadly at the rest of the company cheering happily as if she was going on a picnic. Actually, it wasn't very different from what she was used to on her home planet. Despite all their differences, the inhabitants of Carurystal and Etheri shared a naive ignorance of the darkness that the galaxy hides and a belief that they are the center of the universe. When she was thinking so grimly, the shelter door opened wide and a figure stood in them, at the sight of which her heart beat faster. The whole room fell silent and looked at their new visitor.

"I am Asidesa di Vir, Lady of the Blades of the Order of the Eclipse." I would like to register my participation in this expedition. the knight said in a serious voice. She was dressed in the full armor of her order, and she had a sword in her sheath. Rakim stood up and asked her.

„It is an honor to welcome such an eminent person among us in our humble company. Does this mean that the Order will want to support this Expedition with its forces?"

Asidesa shook her head.

„No, I came here on the call of a friend." said the Lady of Blades and gave her a friendly smile.