Ben 10 & She-Ra Heroes of Power Chapter 6: In the Shadows of Mystacor, a Ben 10 + She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Crossover fanfic

Authors notes: Consider this an early Christmas present folks, chapter 6 of Heroes of Power now lets begin!

Ben 10 (c) Cartoon Network

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (c) Dreamworks Animation

:In the Shadows of Mystacor:

Night had fallen on Etheria and within the Whispering woods a faint glow of orange shone through the canopy of the forest trees. Deep in the woods, Adora, Bow, Glimmer, Ben and Rook were sitting on the ground gathered around a campfire. In the wake of the events in Dryl and recruiting Entrapta, Glimmer suggested they took a detour back to Bright Moon but as night fell Ben suggested they stop to camp for the night.

They were listening to a story told by the Omnitrix bearer, he was recounting the time he, his cousin Gwen and Grandpa Max encountered a form of living fungus at Camp Ophinicon. Bow was trembling a little in fear while Glimmer and Adora listened with interest, and Rook just sat listening.

"So when the Mycelium was getting ready to devour me and Grandpa Max the Omnitrix timed out and I was helpless. And up top Gwen and the campers were surrounded by the living mushrooms." Ben explained dramatically. "But then I remembered how the powder Grandpa gave me killed all kinds of fungus so I tossed it and my shoe into the beasts mouth and BLAM! We destroyed it."

"With the brain gone the mushrooms shrivelled up and died, then me as Stinkfly flew over the seed pods whilst my cousin scattered the powder killing them." Ben finished.

"So… while you and your cousin were complaining on your shared birthday you ended up stopping these living mushrooms from taking over your world?" Glimmer summed up.

"Yeah pretty much, took me a while to wrap my head around it." Ben explained. "I tell ya made me swear off mushrooms on pizza forever."

"I am still a little skeptical about that one." Rook said a little in disbelief.

"Its true Rook just ask Gwen she was there." Ben said.

"I have had many conversations with Gwendolyn but none of which mentioned living mushrooms." Rook explained.

"Wow I'm glad we don't have those on Etheria." Bow said a little scared of the story. "and your sure they're gone for good right?"

"Oh yeah those fungi freaks are long since gone." Ben said as he added more firewood.

"You know Ben your pretty good at this whole campfire thing." Adora noticed.

"Yeah my Grandpa taught me some camping stuff." Ben said. "But I think he was thinking state park rather than a magical forest on a planet in an unknown universe."

Glimmer then noticed the look on Bens face, she could tell that talking about his family made him a little homesick.

"You miss him don't you." Glimmer guessed.

Ben was quiet until he spoke. "Yeah I do, and I miss home, my family and heck even Will Harangue."

"But didn't you say that guy talked trash about you?" Bow asked. Remembering the stories Ben shared with them when they first met.

"Very much so." Rook said.

Flashback days before investigation:

In a television studio in Bellwood the television reporter Will Harangue now a green skinned one eyed alien with small tentacles for hands was rehearsing his show before it came on air.

"Hes a menace!" He said. "No no thats too easy, he's a.. threat to humanity itself!"

Harangue just slapped his head he was trying to think of the perfect way to describe Ben Tennyson. However he was neglecting the large booming noises getting closer to the studio.

"No used that before, maybe he's a weak minded…"

Suddenly crashing through the wall was a the intergalactic villain Vulcanus and trailing behind him was Rook who had hooked him with his Proto Tool grappling hook and tried to restrain him.

"Hello Mr. Harangue looking good!" Rook exclaimed as he was being dragged along standing up.

Not too far behind was Ben as Jetray who turned and gave a two fingered solute to the reporter who hated him.

"Nice look new hair cut?!" Jetray cracked.

"MENACE A WRECK-LESS, INCOMPETENT, UNTAMED MENACE TO THE PLANET!" Harangue shouted as his studio was wrecked.

Present day:

"I know! thats how much I miss home." Ben said.

"Hey don't worry we'll find a way to get you guys home." Bow said in sympathy.

"Yeah and when that happens I would like to meet your grandfather." Glimmer said.

"Me too." Adora agreed.

"Okay." Ben chuckled. "But if you do, just don't come hungry."The Best Friend Squad looked at each other with the same confused expression why wouldn't Ben want them to come hungry?

"Why?" Bow asked.

"Trust me I'd be doing your stomach a favour." Ben uttered thinking about his grandfathers cooking most of which was disgusting and just plain weird.

Later that night the campfire was out and everyone had gone to sleep, using grass covered rocks as pillows. Bow slept next to Glimmer, whilst Rook slept on the opposite side of her. Ben slept next to Adora. Glimmer slept using her cape as a bed sheet whilst Ben used his jacket.

However as they slept Adora kept swaying around like she couldn't sleep, the whispering voices of the woods echoes in her mind. Suddenly…

"Adora." Echoed a disembodied voice.

Her eyes shot open as she gasped in fright, she looked around her surroundings and could see there was nothing the less, she got up to look around.

The following morning:

The sun shone on another beautiful day in the Whispering Woods. Bow woke up and greeted the new day. He yawned and stretched his arms, then looked to Glimmer.

"Good morning Glimmer." He said cheerfully, however all Glimmer could do was groan as she wasn't a morning person.

"Noooo. It's too early. Five more minutes" She groaned covering her head with her cape.

"But it's a beautiful morning." Bow said looking around. "Right Ben."

"Ugh I don't want to go to school mom!" Ben groaned still wanting sleep himself.

"Today's cancelled." Glimmer agreed. "Go back to bed."

Bow just smiled and watched leaning his head into his hand as his friend continued to sleep. However Glimmer knew what he was doing.

"I can feel you staring at me." Glimmer removed her cape from her head and looked up to Bow with messed up hair. "Why is it the one who snores is always the first one to fall asleep?" She groaned.

"What? I don't snore!" Bow denied.

"Dude, you totally snore." Ben groaned as he woke up as well.

"Do I?" Bow gasped.

"Very much so." They turned to Rook who was done with his morning exercise.

"Oh hey Rook how long have you been up?" Bow then asked.

"Since daybreak." Rook said simply.

"How can you be up so early?!" Glimmer groaned.

"Because he's on Plumbers time, he rise and shines at the crack of dawn!" Ben explained.

Bow on the other hand was still fixed on the possible fact that he snores. So he looked to his other friend for her opinion.

"Adora, do I snore?" However she wasn't there, Ben looked and saw she was standing against a tree looking into the distance.

"Adora?" Bow said but got no response. Glimmer just groaned as she teleported the group over to reappeared next to Adora nudging her slightly startling her. Ben just dropped to the ground whilst Rook simply walked over.

"Sorry, too early to teleport." Glimmer said tired whilst Ben got back up again.

"Seriously warn me next time you do that!" He said.

Adora didn't respond to that as she just kept looking at the trees in the distance almost as if she was in full surveillance mode. Bow then looked in the direction she was looking.

"What are we looking at?" He asked with curiosity.

"I don't know." Adora said not taking her eyes off the forest. "I heard a noise in the woods last night. And I thought I saw something."Ben and the others looked but couldn't see anything suspicious.

"What? Like a bunny? Maybe a butterfly?" Glimmer said a little teasingly but Adora just looked away all serious looking.

Even Ben could tell that something was wrong. "Adora, you sure your feeling okay?" Ben asked as he touched her shoulder startling her. "I mean did you get any sleep at all?"

"Someone has to stand guard." Adora said rather serious and walked away a little.

"Okay, I know you're on edge because of what happened with Entrapta's infected robots, but it's all over now." Glimmer assured. "You've got to relax."

"Yeah I'm still a little freaked about what that did to the Omnitrix but I'm still cool about it." Ben said.

"So I have noticed, but still we are all a little on edge with all thats happened." Rook added. "I am also a little concerned about leaving Entrapta with my truck."

"Rook relax whats the worse that could happen?" Ben just said

Bright Moon:

Entrapta had just arrived and was already drooling with amazement at the sight of the Proto Truck that was still under reconstruction. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of this marvel.

"Log 395 I am now face to face with the greatest engineering achievement that I have ever seen!" She said excitedly as she looked over the alien space craft.

"The technology is so advanced, well not First Ones advanced but still very fascinating!" Entrapta recorded. "Now the real question is where to start fixing!"

She placed her welding mask over her face and then her hair tendrils revealed loads of sharp tools, saws, welding torches and other tools.

The Woods:

Rook just gulped at the very thought of Entrapta's over eager engineering mind working on his vehicle.

"You know Ben is right you guys need a vacation." Glimmer then said and had an idea. Which is why we're going to Mystacor.

"Mystacor? No way!" Bow gasped with excitement.

"Wait, what's Mystacor?" Adora asked.

"Yeah some of us didn't grow up here?" Ben asked also.

"It's a secret floating kingdom that's home to all of Etheria's sorcerers." Glimmer explained "It's got tranquil gardens, beautiful beaches and healing springs." She listed.

"Wow sounds kinda like the spas we have back home." Ben said putting his jacket on.

"But if it is home to great and powerful sorcerers, would we not be trespassing?" Rook questioned.

"Oh no Rook, my aunt Castaspella just happens to be the head sorceress there." Glimmer explained.

"You'll love it guys. Plus Adora, you won't have to worry about evil things in the woods." Bow said enthusiastically. "Mystacor is protected by an invisibility spell, so evil can't find it."

The group began to walk through the woods as Glimmer kept explaining about Mystacor whilst Bow picked up his weapon and Rook picked up his Proto Tool.

"It's the safest and most peaceful place in all of Etheria. We'll have you relaxed in no time." She said.

"Hm invisible protection, relaxation." Ben listed as he thought. "I'm in besides we could do with a little R&R I mean between us crashing here, joining the Rebellion, recruiting princesses, fighting the Horde, not to mention all the craziness at Dryl, we could do with some downtime right Rook." Ben said.

Rook took a moment to think and he realised that in all the crazy things he has seen both on Earth and Etheria, some relaxation time was always considered.

"I suppose some R&R as you call it would be in order." Rook agreed.

"You know I've never relaxed in my life, right?" Adora said as back in the Horde there was no time for relaxing only training.

"Seriously, the Horde never let you relax?" Ben questioned in disbelief.

"Nope." Adora answered.

"Well, we're here to change that." Bow putting his arm around Adora and Ben. "Just wait."

The group left the campsite as they began their journey to Mystacor. However little did they know they were being watched, and out of the nearby bushes came a shadow spy that hissed with its red eye. Rook heard it and quickly turned around. But there was nothing there, though this was a chance to relax the Plumber knew deep down he needed to keep his guard up.

The Fright Zone:

Deep in the darkness of the Fright Zone the sorceress Shadow Weaver was in her sanctum and she was draining energy from a large red looking crystal, as the small gem glowed in her mask. This was no ordinary crystal though it was a Runestone, the Black Garnet. Though only the Princesses could draw energy from their Runestone's this masked witch had found another way to do so, all in aid of the Horde and her own agendas.

It was in that moment that Catra entered the witches lair, fully recovered from her gassing experience at Selanias.

"Shadow Weaver, you wanted to see me?" She said saluting then crossing her arms.

Shadow Weaver turned round to face the Force Captain with her gem glowing so bright it nearly blinded her.

"Ah, Force Captain so glad you could join me." She said as she looked over her reflecting pool. She saw her shadow spy which reported in whispers.

"What's up with you? You're being spookier than usual." Catra noticed.

"My shadow spies have found Adora." Shadow Weaver said as she saw the reflection of Adora, Ben and their friends heading through the forest. "She's on her way to Mystacor with her new friends."

"Mystacor. This is going to be too easy." She said rather confidently but the way she spoke the name was almost as if she knew it very just groaned at the fact this was yet another secret mission to retrieve Adora behind Hordak's back.

"Another Adora mission." She groaned "Fine. When do I leave?"

"The only place you're headed is outside my door to stand guard." Shadow Weaver instructed as she turned to the Force Captain. "I'm going to use my magic to go after Adora myself. You will see that I am not disturbed."

"Uh one small problem with your plan," Catra pointed out. "that Tennyson guy." She reminded.

"Your concern is not needed, I shall deal with this shapeshifter and make him pay for his interference." Shadow Weaver said as she looked at the Omnitrix bearers refection in the mirror. "Something you failed to do given your last encounters with him."

Catra just clenched her fist tightly at that notion given the last time she fought Ben he gassed her with something that made her look like a fool. Not to mention the incident was recorded by Lonnie who just laughed at it with Kyle and the other cadets.

"Clearly, no one else can be trusted to bring her back to the Horde, least of all you. Now go." Shadow Weaver then said.

Catra just stood in place glaring. "I SAID GO!" The witch exclaimed causing Catra to leave the room very quickly.

She stoped outside the walls breathing rather hard then quietly peeked in to see what her ungrateful teacher was doing.

The sorceress raised her hands in the air and focused all of her magical energy which emerged as bolts of red lightning.

"From the farthest reaches of Etheria, I command you, be as one!" She chanted and suddenly blackened shadows emerged from the floor and crawled into her reflecting pool.

The shadow magic flows through the sorceresses hands and emerges as a larger shadow spy with a single glowing red eye but it looked more muscular than the others as it screeched out Catra looked with a terrified and surprised expression.

Shadow Weaver turns and sees that Catra is spying on her who then creeps away just as the door is slammed shut leaving the sorceress to her work.

Meanwhile:

The Best Friend Squad begin climbing a set of stone stairs which rose high in the skies above the land itself. As Ben climbed the stairs he was still wondering what it was like where they were going. Just then out of the corner of his eye he saw something. He couldn't believe it, he saw that same winged horse he saw back at the Horde mines. It was flying around doing loop de loops.

"Hey Ben you okay?" Bow said getting his attention.

"Bow do you see that horse?" Ben answered pointing to where he saw it.

"Where?" The archer asked as he saw nothing there but green grass and clouds.

Ben just looked puzzled he swore he saw that horse. "He's gone." Ben breathed.

"Ben theres nothing there, you defiantly need a break. Come on not far now." Bow just said and with that Ben shrugged as it must have been the altitude playing tricks on him.

Soon the group arrived at the top of the stair case which soon lead to where they needed to go.

"We're here." Glimmer cheered, but to Ben, Adora and Rook there was nothing there but a sheer drop of a cliff.

"We're on a cliff, overlooking a thousand foot drop." Adora pointed out.

"Yeah I don't see any fancy get away retreat nothing but clouds clouds and more clouds." Ben added."unless you want us to jump to our deaths."

However what happened next came as a surprise to the and Bow stepped back then took a running start and jumped off the cliff and into the clouds Ben and Adora just looked horrified as did Rook.

"WHAT THE HECK!" Ben exclaimed. "Did they just jump!"

"I believe so." Rook said petrified.

"Uh, guys?" Adora cried.

Ben just readied the Omnitrix to dial in a flyer to go save them. "Hang on guys Astrodactyl to the rescue!" He exclaimed. However just then Rook noticed something as he stopped Ben before transforming.

"Ben wait! Look."

They looked down and then emerging from the sea of clouds below was their two friends, who stood on a stone platform similar to the cliff it rose up to the cliff.

"C'mon guys jump!" Bow called and Ben just gave an excited smile as he looked at his partner. Without hesitation Ben ran and jumped over to the platform, with Rook close behind.

"YAHOOO!" Ben cheered as he landed on the other side as did Rook.

"That was awesome!" Ben cheered.

"Yes that was awesome." Rook agreed in breath.

"Come on Adora!" Ben called over to his friend yet to jump.

Adora a little hesitant took a running start unaware of the shadow spy that was close behind her. She then took a leap over to the platform. All of a sudden she saw something made of shadow crawl down the cliff she leaped from in shock. She was so startled she forgot to land on the other side and ended up rolling along the ground.

"Oh, ouch. You okay?" Bow asked.

"I'm fine." Adora brushed off as she turned back to the cliff she jumped from but couldn't see anything. "I thought I saw, I must be stressed." She sighed.

"Hang in there Adora." Glimmer said with a hand on her shoulder. "Next stop, Mystacor."

As the cliff floated into the air Adora looked back to the cliff edge but still couldn't see anything, yet she still felt like she was being watched. She wasn't the only one Rook could see how Adora looked and he too was wondering if they were truly alone.

However the shadow spy was crawling on the rocks below them as it was following them to their destination.

Soon they arrived at their destination and the earthling and Revonnahgander were greeted with a beautiful them floating on a piece of land in the sky was a large looking castle with golden archways and waterfalls falling off the palace itself. There were smaller pieces of land floating around them with small huts and buildings on them as well. Rook couldn't believe his own eyes neither could Ben to him it was more majestic than Bright Moon, and it also reminded him of a movie he once watched with Kai.

"Incredible." Rook breathed.

"You said it partner, this is Disney level beautiful!" Ben agreed.

The piece of land the group were on then passed through what appeared to be an invisible force shield. The rock then landed next to the island itself. With that the group laughing in excitement disembarked.

"We rode a flying mountain through clouds. It never gets old." Bow said excitedly.

As they walked away however Adora took one last look back to make sure nothing was following her, but there was nothing there.

"Uh, sure, yea, heh. It was great." Adora said with a laugh as she joined the group.

"Great!" Ben exclaimed. "It was awesome!" He then proceeded to take a selfie of himself standing outside of the castle.

"Ben this is no time for selfies." Rook pointed out as he looked back to his partner.

"Says you I want folks back on Earth to know we saw some cool stuff." Ben said as he looked over his phone at the photo.

"Just so you know, my aunt Casta can be a lot. But don't worry, I know how to handle her." Glimmer explained to them about their just shook his head smiling he knew all too well about how aunts can be a bit much too, like his Aunt Vera. He just prayed Glimmers aunt wasn't a cheek pincher.

"Is that my Glimmer!"

Just then they saw running towards them a woman with light skin, black hair tied in a bun with two hanging strands, with a long purple dress, a pink cape and wore on her head a circular golden crown.

"Hi, aunt Casta." Glimmer greeted as her Aunt enveloped her in a hug.

"It's been so long since you've come to visit." Castaspella greeted. "And Bow." She then gave Bow a tight hug. She then turned her attention to the three newcomers.

"And who's this?" She asked her niece.

"These are my friends, Adora, Ben and Rook" Glimmer introduced her friends.

"Adoras sometimes and 8 foot tall warrior woman named She-Ra." Glimmer explained. "And Ben has a watch that turns him into different creatures called aliens. So, don't get freaked out when it happens."

"Hi." Adora said rather shy.

"Uh hey there, uh Glimmers aunt." Ben said a little shy too.

"A pleasure to meet you miss." Rook greeted politely.

"Adora Ben and Rook. How nice Glimmer has started making some new friends." Castaspella said in a friendly manner. "We were all so pleased when she started bringing Bow around. I was sure she had made him up at first."

"Seriously?" Ben asked with a chuckle.

"Oh ho yes we all thought she was just making up an imaginary friend." Castaspella explained with a little laugh whilst Glimmer just looked away in embarrassment.

"Ahem." Glimmer said clearing her throat and it was then her aunt noticed something about her niece.

"Oh, you've done something to your hair." She said.

"What? Yes, I cut it." Glimmer said.

"I can see that." Castaspella observed but as she looked at her clothes she saw Glimmer was missing something. "I also see you're not wearing the sweater I knitted for you. Don't you like it?"

"Sure, I like it. It's great." Glimmer tried whilst keeping a smile. "It's just... it's a little warm for sweaters right now."

"But you'd tell me if you didn't like it." Castaspella questioned wondering if her niece was telling the truth.

"Yes,I'd tell you." Glimmer said still couldn't help but snicker at this point, he was just loving every minute of this. Glimmer was right her aunt was a bit much.

"I'm wearing the socks you sent me." Bow said gesturing at his feet.

"Well, I've always been fond of this one." Castaspella said. Before leaning in close to her niece and whispered. "By the way Glimmer, your friend Ben is quite a handsome young man, is he..someone special?"

Glimmer stood frozen in embarrassment as her aunt assumed something incorrectly. "What, n-no no no no no, he's just a friend auntie! Just. a. friend!" Glimmer exasperated whilst blushing.

"Okay okay I was just asking." her aunt teased. Luckily Ben couldn't hear what they were saying."So, what brings you all the way out here to visit your aunt? Is it once in a blue moon already?" She laughed.

Glimmer tried to keep a serious posture as she walked with her aunt. "We're on a diplomatic mission, Auntie." She said "I'm rebuilding the Princess Alliance and…"

"My goodness, you must be starving. I'll have a feast prepared." Castaspella interrupted. "I'm sure your mother hasn't been feeding you."

Glimmer just face palmed herself as they followed her aunt up into the grounds.

"Man and I thought my Aunt Vera was a bit much." Ben whispered to Rook.

"Indeed, though I must admit she does have a more cheerful personality than that of the Queen." Rook admitted silently.

They began exploring the grounds around Mystacor and as they walked Adora and Ben heard some cheerful laughing. They looked and saw Etherians using magic and casting spell mandalas.

"Wow." Adora breathed in amazement.

"Oh man Gwen would flip if she could see this." Ben breathed in amazement knowing his cousin would love it here.

Rook then approached the leader of Mystacor after seeing this as well. "Miss Castaspella, am I correct in assuming Mystacor is a place where people can learn magic?" He asked.

"Very observant Rook." Castaspella said, "Yes here in Mystacor we help guide young and talented Etherians in the ways of magic and sorcery." She explained gesturing to the students studying magic.

"Wow thats incredible." Adora said.

"Yeah my cousin Gwen would kill to be a student here." Ben said amazed.

"Indeed this does seem like the kind of environment that Gwendolyn would enjoy studying in." Rook agreed.

"Gwen? You mean your cousin that you told us about." Glimmer recalled.

"Oh your cousin is a gifted sorceress." Castaspella asked with interest.

"Oh yeah in more ways than one." Ben said. "She was learning magic back when we were kids when she won a spell book of this fruit loop of a sorceress named CharmCaster. When we got older we found out she was an Anodite."

"Anodite, whats an Anodite?" Bow asked.

"Anodites are a race of beings made of pure energy, from the planet Anodyne. They are free spirited, and can absorb and harness Mana." Rook explained.

"Beings made of Mana?" Castaspella breathed in amazement.

"You know what that is Auntie?" Glimmer asked.

"Of course dear Mana is essentially the essence of magic and is even the essence of life itself." Castaspella explained. "And it is said that only one realm of legend, that has mana coursing though it."

"This realm, it wouldn't named Legerdomain by any chance?" Ben asked. Castaspella gasped in amazement how could this boy know about the realm of magic itself.

"Yes! How did you know that?" She asked excitedly.

"Oh me and my friends have been there before twice before." Ben explained "and it wasn't so bad unless you count the time I got my soul sucked out or the time one of my enemies a mana sucking parasite was manipulating Charmcaster for the magic there." he listed remembering the times he Kevin and Gwen went to said realm and nearly got killed.

"Yeah it kinda sucked." Ben said.

"Ohho ho hoho I like this one." Castaspella said laughing taking more of a liking to this young man more and more.

Glimmer then pulled Ben aside smiling "Okay now I defiantly want to meet your cousin."

They then followed Castaspella around more of the grounds and were even more enthralled by the beauty of its surroundings.

"You've come at the perfect time, there's an eclipse this evening." Castaspella explained to her niece as they looked to the three crescent moons in the distance. "I'm headed right now to inspect the lunarium for the ceremony. And nothing would make me happier than to give my favourite niece and her friends a tour."

"Uh, Bow and I have had the tour before." Glimmer tried as she didn't want to take it again. "And we don't want to get in your way."

"It's all right Glimmer." Bow assured. "Adora, Ben and Rook haven't seen it. It'll be fun."

Glimmer just squinted at Bow telling him that he wasn't helping her case. Bow just shrugged. However her aunt could see the three new comers hadn't yet seen all of Mystacor so it only seemed fair to let them see it.

"Oh, well, I guess it's up to them then." Castaspella said What do you say my dears?"

Glimmer just gave them a look that said "no no no no!" However…

"Uh sure." Adora smiled.

"Yeah why not besides I want to hear more stories." Ben said rather excitedly if anything to listen to more embarrassing Glimmer stories.

"I too would be interested to know more of this place and its history." Rook agreed.

"Oh, I like them." Castaspella said as she lead the three into the grounds leaving the Bright Moon princess groaning in defeat.

Soon the group were gathered in the Lumarium a large dome looking room, with three large purple diamond shaped mirrors surrounding a hole in the top of the roof and crystal pillars surrounded it. The three new comers were completely in awe by this room and by the small crystals that surround the room.

"Wow." Adora and Ben breathed in amazement.

"Amazing the architecture of this building is impressive." Rook said in admiration. "But what are the purpose of these lenses?"

"The lunar lenses." Castaspella explained. "We use them in the monthly ceremonies to renew Mystacor's magic defenses and keep us shielded from the outside world."

"Ah so they act as a focusing lenses to draw power and feed it into Mystacors defences." Rook deduced.

"Indeed." Castaspella explained You will be coming to the Eclipse Ceremony tonight, won't you?" She then asked.

"Well I…" Before Ben could answer.

"Aunt Casta, I've seen the ceremony dozens of times." Glimmer explained. "And we're all really tired from travelling. Maybe we'll skip it this time?"

"Nonsense. You're friends Adora Ben and Rook haven't seen it, and it's quite a sight to behold for newcomers." Castaspella said as she pulled the three friends in and tapped Adoras nose. "Besides, don't you want to spend more time with your aunt?"

"Of course." Glimmer tried "But we also really wanted to show them the beach."

"Well, if the beach is the only reason you're here, I really shouldn't keep you, should I?" Castaspella said looking away from her niece a little hurt. "I certainly don't want to waste your time."

Whilst Ben was enjoying Glimmers little aunt and niece talk, Adora explored more of the Lumarium and admired the thousands of mirrors in the room. However as Adora looked in one of them she caught sight of a shadow looking figure standing in one of the doorways. She gasped and quickly turned around and saw something fade away hissing from the triangular doorway.

"Auntie, I didn't mean it that way." Glimmer tried apologetically,

Bow then noticed Adora leaving the room in quite a hurry. "Adora?"

Glimmer, Castaspella, Rook and Ben looked and saw her hurrying out of the room and into the next one.

"Wheres she going?" Ben asked.

"Well someone is enthusiastic." Castaspella said rather impressed.

Adora arrived to find herself in a hallway with different patterns on the walls, and along the right hand side was a line of statues and they were of sorcerers and sorceresses each holding a star shaped object in their hands. Soon the rest of the group arrived and Casta continued with the tour.

"Ah, yes. The hall of sorcerers." She explained as Adora followed looking a little weary. These are the Great Ones that led Mystacor through the ages."

They then stopped at a particular statue of a bearded wizard, Ben realised this one looked a little familiar from something he saw back in Bright Moon.

"This is my Micah, my brother." Castaspella explained with a small bit of sadness. "We trained in these very walls together. Glimmer looks just like him you know."

"He had a beard." Glimmer pointed out.

"Eh must have more from your moms side of the family." Ben guessed as he looked to the statue.

"Still it sounds like your brother was a gifted sorcerer." Rook said.

"That he was, he had so much potential and I often wondered if he was the better sorcerer." Castaspella said.

"Wait, Glimmer's dad was your brother?" Adora then said.

"Adora, do you know what aunt means?" Bow wondered as he whispered to her.

"No. I was just hoping somebody would eventually explain." Adora admitted.

"Well an aunt is basically the sister of someones father or mother, Micah is Glimmers dad so that makes his sister her aunt." Ben explained the best he could. "But it also applies to grandparents like my Grandpa Max's sister Vera is my aunt being one of her relatives."

"Oh I see." Adora said getting it well sort of.

Glimmer could see this was a tough subject for her and she decided to speak up. "Auntie, we're going to avenge my dad and make sure the Horde never hurts anyone else. Mom believes in us, in She-Ra and in Ben."

"Well, if your mother believes, who am I not to?" Castaspella said "She's an angelic being after all, and I'm just a common sorceress." she said in a little envy.

"Ugh please not this again." Glimmer groaned.

"She never writes to me you know. I send letters, but do I ever get a reply?" Castaspella explained as Ben and Rook could see there was a little bit of sister in law envy going on between them. They could also see how different they were.

As they walked Adora took notice of one of the statues at the end of the line that looked almost burnt. It was of a female sorceress with a veil across her face. Ben also noticed this and he didn't know why but he was a little spooked as was Adora.

"What happened to her?" She asked.

"Hey Casta whats the story behind this one?" Ben then called. Castaspella could see they were interested in this statue so she decided to tell them.

"Light Spinner." She started. "A scar on Mystacor's past. She sought power and control above all else, and she was cast out."

"So it's one of those started out good but then went power mad things right?" Ben asked having heard similar stories before.

"Yes." Castaspella said. "Although, some say she never really left. That she's only biding her time, waiting to exact her revenge."Everyone seemed a little spooked by what she had just said about this exiled sorceress. Especially Adora.

"But those are only children's tales, of course."

"Uh yeah right besides." Ben tried to look less scared. "I ain't afraid of no ghosts."

"But you are afraid of clowns." Rook then pointed out and everyone just looked confused whilst Ben looked frozen in shock.

"Clowns," Adora said confused.

"Your afraid of clowns?" Bow said trying to keep in his laughter.

"Oh ho ho I am so getting some milage out of this." Glimmer snickered.

"Rook did we really need to mention that?!" Ben gritted through his teeth.

"You said a subject I just added to the conversation." Rook explained.

"Anyway, on with the tour." Castaspella said getting everyones attention. "Are you hungry? I've had the dinning room redone since the last time you were here, Glimmer."

Adora though couldn't help but look at the statue, and for some reason felt as though something was familiar about this Light Spinner, almost as if she had met her before. Suddenly the shadow from the statue grew and morphed into the shadow of someone that Adora knew all to well. She gasped and looked around the room in a fright, but no-one was there. Suddenly Glimmer teleported in with Bow and the others which did make Adora scream in fright.

"Okay. Aunt Casta's gone to fix us a big dinner and now it's finally beach time." Glimmer said excited.

However Bow and Ben saw that Adora looked a little startled, and not just by their arrival.

"You okay?" Bow asked with concern.

"Yeah you look like you've just seen a ghost." Ben noticed. Adora just looked to the wall but there was no sign of that shadow.

"It's worse than we thought. You need warm sand and calming waves, stat." Glimmer decided.

However as the group walked away a shadow from the statue grew and revealed itself to be the shadow spy that hissed. Rook quickly turned around but saw nothing, he was starting to grow even more suspicious he had thought of telling his comrades. However he also knew they were here to help Adora relax so he felt it best not to stress her further.

The Fright Zone:

Shadow Weaver continued to watch the group through her magic mirror and could see that she had already planted a seed in Adoras mind. However she could also sense something else.

"The blue one suspects." Shadow Weaver said. "Its time for something more."

With a raise of her hands the shadows grew even more powerful extending her reach to Mystacor.

Mystacor:

The Shadow Spy rises from the ground and becomes even more powerful ready to carry out its mistresses instructions.

Meanwhile, Glimmer, Bow, Adora, Ben and Rook arrived at the beach which was not at all what the two Plumbers were expecting. Instead of water the waves were the very clouds themselves. Ben looked out upon the waves and couldn't find the words to describe this.

"Wow this is the weirdest beach I've ever seen." Ben said.

"Indeed, but it is also quite remarkable." Rook agreed and they turned to see Glimmer and Bow placing blankets down on the ground. So they went to join them.

"So, we just, like, lie here?" Adora asked confused.

"Absolutely. Letting your cares melt away." Glimmer explained "Didn't you do something like this to relax in the Horde?" She then asked.

"Uh, no. We hit things." Adora said simply.

"Wow didn't those guys ever hear about all work and no play?" Ben asked.

However Glimmer and Adora were all but confused by what the Omnitrix bearer had just said. He could tell they hadn't heard that word before.

"I believe that is an Earth expression that Ben uses, many of which tend to confuse me also." Rook explained.

"Oh. Right," Adora said understanding.

"Well, this is so much better." Glimmer said smiling "Right Bow?"

However Bow was lying on the ground snoring and drooling at the mouth. As Rook sat down on the ground on his own blanket.

"It would seem he has the relaxing aspect down at least." He noted.

"Just try it, okay?" Glimmer said just ignoring this and lay on the ground.

"Okay." Adora just took a deep breath as she lay her own blanket down next to Glimmer whilst Ben placed down his blanket next to her.

For the first few minutes she lay still and just looked up at the clouds above her and listens to the calming waves of the cloud sea, which already were helping Ben relax and Rook who was already fast asleep. However for the former Horde soldier it wasn't as easy, she even started making random noises beeping and squeaking. Ben could tell she couldn't relax and to be honest he couldn't blame her. She stared at the clouds again, and she tried to relax but nothing worked.

"Okay." She said but all she ended up doing was grunt, groan make stupid faces and mumble more Glimmer could see that this relaxing waves technique was not working on Adora, even Rook saw it.

"This isn't working for you, is it?" Glimmer finally conceded.

"No. Can I move now?" Adora finally admitted in a groan.

"Yes" Glimmer said as Adora sat up still looking tense and stressed, Ben then sat up as well.

"Clearly we're going to have to take this relaxation thing to the next level." Glimmer decided standing took a moment to think about what could help Adora relax, then he thought of something as he looked at the cloud sea.

"Maybe what we need to do is try a different approach." Ben said.

"I just said that." Glimmer said.

"Yeah and calming waves are good an all but I think what Adora needs to do is loosen up a bit." Ben suggested. "And the best way to loosen up is to have some fun."

"Okay any ideas?" Adora said.

"Yeah." Ben said. "Surfing on the cloud sea."

"Surfing?" Glimmer asked.

"A human sport where humans ride boards on giant waves of water in order to, I believe they call it hang ten." Rook described. Bow had only just woken up as the Revonahhgander finished his explanation.

"But you can't swim out in the sea it's clouds you'll fall through?!" Glimmer questioned.

Ben just smirked as he stood up and then pulled out of his jacket a small circular white disc with green lines. Everyone was a little confused with what Ben just pulled out however Rook recognised that all too well. Ben then pulled both sides of the disc and it extended into what looked like a board with green circuit like lines and circles on the end.

He then drops it only for it to hover on the ground, everyone present was taken aback by this development.

"Whoa!" Bow said in surprise.

"What is that?" Glimmer gasped.

"This my friends is a hover board." Ben introduced whilst Bow just awed at the board floating on the ground.

"Whoa never had those in the Fright Zone." Adora breathed in amazement. "Not unless you count the skiff crafts."

"Well it works the same, you just stand on it and the board will hover in whatever direction you want." Ben explained. "And the best part is it can fly over the cloud sea."

Adora approached it slowly then stood on it one foot in front of the other. She nearly lost her balance but Ben helped balance her.

"Hm seems simple enough to use." Adora mused but then suddenly it surged forwards and she screamed as she flew over the cloud sea.

"WHOA WHOA TOO FAST TOO FAST!" She exclaimed as she tried to maintain her balance.

"Oh boy!" Bow breathed.

"She needs help!" Glimmer exclaimed.

"I'm on it." Ben activated the Omnitrix and dialled in an alien and slammed the dial down transforming him.

He was now what looked like a giant turtle like alien with large flipper arms, stumpy legs with three toed feet and the tips of his arms have three holes in them, with six holes in his shell, black stripes under his eyes. The Omnitrix symbol was in the centre of his chest.

Glimmer was just bewildered by Bens new found form but after her experience in his shoes at Dryl she's learned not to be so surprised.

"Oh great a giant turtle how does that help!" Glimmer exclaimed.

"This!" Terraspin exclaimed as he jumped in the air and then his arms and legs became triangular shaped fins and turn fast like a propeller and the alien turtle just flew across the cloud sea.

"Whoa, flying turtles who knew?" Bow said in surprise.

Meanwhile Adora was struggling to control the hoverboard and she nearly lost her balance. If she wasn't stressed before she was now.

"Adora!" Called a voice and she looked to see what looked like a turtle flying in the air. She thought she was crazy but then saw the hour glass symbol on its chest.

"Ben?!" Adora cried.

"Yeah it's me, listen calm down!" Terraspin instructed. "Just keep your balance and ease up."

Adora did what he said and kept her balance and gradually the board slowed down to Terraspin's speed. As she slowed down she began to calm down as well.

"Okay we're gonna have to take this slow and easy, now just hover slowly, then if you get more confident pick up a little speed." Terraspin explained.

With that Adora started hovering slowly over the cloud sea, then as she was starting to get the hang of the board picked up speed slowly. She then saw a wave of clouds approaching her and she moved to glide over the wave.

"Hey this is kinda fun." Adora admitted and started to pick up speed on the board flying around on the waves of the clouds, and even cracked a few laughters.

"Now your going!" Terraspin called.

Adora was having the time of her life she hovered, did a few twists and turns and was even bold to do a few loop da loops. She had a smile on her face as she enjoyed herself and felt the wind through her was starting to relax.

However that feeling was short lived as all of a sudden "Adora" Called a voice and she looked down and saw something in the cloud waves it was a black shadow which erupted from the clouds which caused Adora to yelp in fright and to fall off the board. She would have fallen into the cloud sea if Terraspin hadn't caught her on his shell.

"Adora are you okay?" He asked.

"Ben did you see that!?" She gasped for air.

Terraspin looked around as he hovered but he couldn't see anything though he thought he saw a rainbow coloured wing emerge from the cloud bank but when he shook his head he saw it wasn't there.

"See what?" He asked took several deep breaths to calm down, and eventually she just looked down.

"Nothing." She said as she grabbed the board and the alien turtle flew back to land. Unaware of the shadow spy hiding in the clouds.

Back on land the group saw them return and just as they arrived the Omnitrix timed out and reverted Terraspin back to Ben just as he put Adora back on the beach.

"Are you alright?" Bow asked with concern.

"We saw what happened." Rook agreed.

"Sorry I just thought I.." Adora was about to say something but she decided to brush that thought aside.

"..I just lost my balance and got overexcited." She said simply as she handed Ben back his board and he folded it up and put it back in his jacket.

"Well it nearly worked." Ben said looking on the bright side.

"Okay now to try something else." Glimmer decided. "Come on Bow, we need to show them the Steam Grotto."

"Whoo! Steam grotto." Bow cheered.

Soon the group were in a stone room with pits full of steaming hot water, the steam was covering the whole room. The group now wore bathrobes and underneath wore bandaged garments.

"Wow." Adora gasps in wonderment.

"Cool steam baths." Ben said.

"Indeed, steam is known to be very soothing, in most cultures it can cleanse the mind and spirit." Rook added.

"Right?" Bow said as he and Glimmer discarded their bathrobes to reveal their bandaged garments Glimmer had them across her chest and pants whilst Bow had them in an 'x on his chest whilst wearing bandaged proceeded to enter one of the pools stepping in step by step the hot water did sting a little but he eventually got used to it and lay back to relax.

"These pools are full of magical healing minerals." Glimmer explained as she helped remove Adoras bath robe and she wore bandaged garments on her chest and waist as pants. Ben and Rook removed their bathrobes and they had bandaged pant garments which did show Rooks white chest and tiger like stripes on his arms and legs.

"The sorcerers use them to cleanse themselves of worry and fear before big ceremonies or spells." Glimmer explained as she helped Adora into the steam bath as Ben and Rook followed.

"Now just clear your mind breath deeply." Glimmer said in a soft voice and slowly she started to relax. "Focus on the warmth on your skin. Let your body go perfectly…"

Eventually everyone was relaxed and practically sleeping in the steam baths. Adora felt like she could finally relax as she briefly opened her eyes and saw Glimmer cuddled up next to her. She breathed out calmly. However even that was not to last as the steam seemed to suddenly turn black and a shadow of a certain figure emerged.

Adora gasped in fright and immediately jumped out of the steam bath surprising Glimmer who stumbled backwards. Ben was startled as he woke up and immediately used the Omnitrix to transform.

Adora was running from the growing black smoke which began to take the shape of something, Adora quickly picked up her sword and swung it at the shadow creature in black smoke faded and a shadow could be seen in the mist it was a very tall looking shadow.

"No, no, no, no, no! Help!" Adora screamed and swung the sword only for it to be caught by something.

"ADORA!" Called a voice and the steam cleared to reveal a mollusk looking creature with a red coloured shell, with a grey mouth, and four slitted green eyes. He has grey spikes on his legs feet and hands which were four fingered with several barnacle like portholes on his shoulders arms and legs which also had several black spots on them. His chest had green eye shapes and over his head he wore a hexagonal shaped hood.

"Adora calm down it's me!" WaterHazard exclaimed. Adora calmed down and she saw the hourglass symbol on the creatures chest.

"Ben, oh my…" She said gasping for air as she lowered her sword.

"Adora." Glimmer called as she, Rook and Bow came over.

"What happened?" Rook asked.

"Shadow Weavers here!" Adora breathed in fright. "I saw her!"

"Who?" WaterHazzard asked.

"Adora, there's no one else here." Bow assured as the steam cleared. "You brought your sword in here?" He said as Adora looked around defensively.

"Are you ok? What happened?" Bow asked just as WaterHazard tapped the Omnitrix symbol turning him back into Ben. Adora then sat down on a stone seat.

"Shadow Weaver was here. In the grotto." Adora explained. "And she was in in the sorcerers hall too. I saw her shadow on the floor."

"What are you talking about?" Glimmer asked.

"Who is Shadow Weaver?" Rook asked.

"Shadow Weaver." Adora breathed as she calmed down enough to talk. "raised me in the Horde. She taught me how to read and tie my boots and how to subvert the enemy and be victorious in battle."

"OK. Sure, mom stuff." Glimmer just shrugged.

"I don't know that doesn't sound like mom stuff to me." Ben doubted.

"No, commanding officer stuff...and mom stuff." Adora explained.

"Adora, she isn't here." Glimmer assured. "She was never here. It's not possible."

"Yeah I mean maybe the steam was playing tricks on you it happens back where I'm from too." Ben agreed.

"But you don't know what she's capable of." Adora with every amount of trembling fear in her voice.

"Sounds like this Shadow Weaver really did a number on you growing up." Bow said putting a hand on her shoulder before pulling her into a hug. "But you're okay now. You got away from her."

Just then a thought occurred to Ben. "Adora, the one who told you that who you were before didn't matter, was it her?" He asked to which Adora answered with a nod.

Ben started to see what an impact this Shadow Weaver had on Adora while she was still in the Fright Zone. He was now more concerned for his friends if this was affecting her mentally. However in his experience he felt maybe there was more going on.

"Do you wanna try something else? We could get massages, or find you something to hit, if that would work better." Bow then suggested.

"No. It's okay, I'm okay." Adora assured. "I think I need to be alone. Clear my head."

"You sure?" Glimmer asked just to make sure.

"Yeah." Adora answered.

"Very well we will give you some time to yourself." Rook said and with that the group left the room but at the same time he and Ben both had a look of concerns on their faces.

Glimmer and Bow looked at Adora then each other in concern before leaving the grotto. Adora sat alone in the grotto contemplating her thoughts.

Just then. "Adora has finally lost it." She heard Glimmer whispering She went over to the door and listened closely to the wall.

"Did you see her in there? I think she's going nuts." Glimmer said.

"Yeah she's getting paranoid." She then heard Bens voice seemed hurt by this but then frowned as she went into the doorway.

"I'm not crazy!" She said. However when she looked there was no-one there just a deserted street and the distant clouds.

"I'm, I'm not crazy." She said calmly to herself, but deep down she began to wonder if she was letting the thought of Shadow Weaver cloud her mind playing tricks on her.

Meanwhile:

In a separate room, Ben and Rook had now changed back into their normal attire and as Rook placed his Proto-Tool back on his shoulder Ben slipped his shirt back on but gave out a sigh as he did. Something his partner noticed.

"Something troubling you partner?" Rook asked.

Ben was quiet for a moment before answering. "Yeah, Rook I'm a little worried about Adora, I mean she told me about how this Shadow Weaver told her who she was didn't matter before the Horde, and now she's letting this haunt her."Ben voiced his concerns. "I'm worried it might push her to the edge."

Rook stayed quiet for a moment as he listened but he felt it was time he shared his own concerns.

"I agree, however despite what Bow and Glimmer may think, I am starting to believe Adora's so called paranoia may have some credibility." He said, this immediately got Bens attention.

"Come again?" He asked.

"Well I did not want to say anything to worry her further or for anyone to think I was paranoid, but.." Rook began. "Ever since our arrival on this planet, I have had this feeling that. That we are being watched, when we first crashed in the woods, at Sea Worthy and even before we came to Mystacor." Ben listened closely to what his partner was saying.

"It is almost as if someone or something is stalking us… somewhere in the shadows." He finished.

Ben took a moment before he spoke again and when he did. "Good so it's not just me."

Rook was taken aback by what Ben had just said. "You mean…"

"Yeah I've had a feeling we're being watched too, ever since we got here the hair on the back of my neck have been standing on end." Ben said stroking the back of his neck.

"I fail to see how the hairs on the back of your neck have anything to do with it?" The Revonahhgander questioned.

"Well Rook its kinda how humans sense somethings wrong or if they feel spooked." Ben explained. "When we do our hair stands up on end."

"Ah a fear response I see." Rook understood. "However if you felt we were being watched why did you not say anything."

"Well for one thing I didn't want to stress Adora any more than she already is." Ben explained. "And like you said I didn't want people to think I was crazy."

"You mean aside from your horse stories?" Rook asked.

"I'm telling you I have seen a horse with wings!" Ben exclaimed but he was getting off topic. "But thats besides the point, the point is someones watching us how else do you think Catra found us so easy at Selanias?"

"Agreed." Rook noted. "Which means whoever or whatever is watching us has every intention of stalking Adora, haunting her but for what purpose?"

"I don't know." Ben answered. "But we're gonna have to keep our eyes open. I've got a bad feeling the trouble around here may just be starting."

Little did he know how right he was as the shadow spy outside their room disappeared from the hallway.

Elsewhere:

Adora stood alone looking at the statue of the sorceress Light Spinner in the Hall of Sorcerers. She was sure Shadow Weaver was here but she still couldn't help but wonder if it was the stress that was going to her head. She took a deep sigh facing reality.

"You're just a stupid statue." She said to the statue. "Pull it together Adora, there's no way Shadow Weaver can be here."

However when she looked down on her shadow, before her very eyes she saw it shift into the shadow of a certain shadow spy.

Adora gasped in horror as the shadow spy growled and blasted past her sending her crashing to the ground. She looked up and saw the creatures shadow on the ceiling then disappeared.

"FOR THE HONOUR OF GREYSKULL!" Adora raised the sword and a bright light from the Runestone turned her into She-Ra.

She-Ra stood ready with her sword in hand. She looked around in the shadows of the hallway. All was quiet, then suddenly.

"Hey Adora." Said a familiar voice. She-Ra turned round but saw no-one behind her.

"Catra!" She-Ra breathed. "where are you? How did you find me here?"

She heard Catra laughing and the sounds of footsteps on the floor. She-Ra looked behind one of the statues but she wasn't there.

"Nope. Getting colder." Catra's voice taunted.

She-ra looked around the room ready for her opponent to strike but an attack never came. "Whatever you're doing, you won't get away with it." She-Ra said. "Did Shadow Weaver send you?"

"What do you think? Shadow Weaver controls us both. She always has." Catra's voice echoed all over the room and the foot steps lead the Princess of Powers gaze towards the door leading to the Lumarium.

"Catra wait!" She-Ra said as she hurried after the footsteps into the Catra's laughter echoed into the air.

"Wheres Tennyson now Adora?" Her voice echoed. "he's not around to bail you out this time!"

"Catra?" She-Ra called. She looked around the room but there was no sign of her former friend anywhere in the though her laughter was replaced by another a voice she never thought she would hear.

"The Horde had high hopes for you, Force Captain." She-Ra's eyes shrunk she knew who that voice belonged to.

"Disappointing, does the Rebellion truly think you can save them?"Hordak taunted.

She-Ra breathed heavily in fear looking around for any sign of the enemy there was no way he could be here its impossible.

"Nothing can stop the Horde, least of all you."

"Show yourself!" She-Ra demanded.

"You will lead them all, every Etherian, to their complete and utter annihilation." Hordaks voice echoed but She-Ra just closed her ears hearing none of it trying to block him out.

"Your so called new ally will not interfere with my affairs, for his defiance I will break him where he stands, and everyone you love all you strive to defend will be no more!" Hordak continued as She-Ra kept trying to ignore him.

As she looked into one of the crystals in the Lumarium and saw the reflection of Lord Hordak himself she gasped in horror.

"Nothing will be left of Bright Moon but smoking ruins. Your new friends buried beneath!" Hordak threatened.

She-Ra just lets out a yell and suddenly a beam of energy emerges from the tip of the sword and blasted all the glass crystals in the room. She-Ra breathed heavily in panic her eyes full of then Castaspella entered the room and gasped at the remains of the smashed crystals.

"What have you done?" She then looked to see She-Ra standing in room gasping in horror at what had just happened.

She let go of the sword and changed back to Adora who just trembled. "Uh,sorry. I didn't mean... I thought I just saw…"

"Adora!" Glimmer exclaimed as she Ben, Bow and Rook entered the room and saw what happened.

"Whoa talk about ten years bad luck." Ben said looking at all the cracked crystals.

"What happened here?" Rook asked as they came over to Adora.

"Your friend has destroyed a thousand years worth of sacred writings." Castaspella said rather displeased "She could have destroyed the lenses that protect Mystacor."

"She didn't mean to. Adora would never…" Bow defended.

"It wasn't her fault!" Ben then called out. "Look I was hoping not to say anything but since we got here somethings been hiding in the shadows haunting Adora!" Ben said.

"Thats impossible nothing can get through Mystacor's shield." Castaspella said denying the accusation.

"Well theres a first time for everything!" Ben exclaimed still pushing the issue.

"Ben is correct, somethings clearly managed to circumvent your defences!" Rook agreed.

"This is the kind of people you hang around with?" Castaspella looked to her niece. "People who are seeing paranoid delusions or make ridiculous accusations!"

Casta then stormed out of the room leaving the group alone. Ben couldn't believe he was hearing this he looked to Adora and saw she was more than hurt.

"Auntie wait." Glimmer tried.

"Glimmer." Adora said worried.

"Its okay I'll handle her." Glimmer said as she went after her aunt.

"Sorry Adora, I tried to help but I guess it just made it worse." Ben apologised feeling some guilt.

"No Ben its not your fault. I just…" Adora tried but she just couldn't finish that sentence.

"The Horde isn't here, Adora." Bow assured, worried for his friends health "You need to sleep. Promise me you'll try."

Adora knew her friend was right she needed rest no matter what stress she was feeling. "Okay I'll try." Adora promised.

She and Bow left the room leaving Ben and Rook completely alone. The Omnitrix bearer looked around the room then glared in anger and clenched his fists. Whatever or whoever was doing this to his friend has just crossed the line.

"Okay this is gonna end now!" He growled and Rook saw the angered look in his partners eyes he knew what this meant. Ben was angry.

"What are you going to do?" He asked.

"Whoever's doing this wants to hide in shadows" Ben began with a hint of seriousness in his voice as he left the room. "Then I'll just bring it into the light, Rook stay with Glimmer and Bow."

Rook nodded as he saw his partner leave the room knowing what to do next, if he wanted to help his friend he had no choice but to bring whatever was doing this out into the open. The shadow spy hiding behind the crystals hissed as it saw another opportunity present itself.

Elsewhere:

Meanwhile in the room that Adora had settled into, she lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling and the open skylight. She was trying to rest but it didn't work. She was welcomed here with open arms and she just wrecked some of the prized possessions because of the voices in her head. Was she really letting the stress get to her?, Was she loosing her mind? She just didn't know what to think. She was about to break down into a sob.

Just then she heard the door knocking, then entering the room was Glimmer.

"Glimmer." Adora said happily glad to see a friendly face. She ran over to her "Look, I'm really sorry about…"

"Save it." Glimmer said rather sharply as she closed the door behind her. "Adora. How could you do this? I thought you were supposed to be our friend?" she then said walking closer and closer to her.

"You've ruined everything I've worked for." The princess said rather harshly "What kind of friend does that?"

Adora couldn't believe what she was hearing, why was her friend saying these things."Glimmer." She tried

"You know what?" Glimmer then said. "Maybe you should just go."

She then left the room slamming the door. Adora was left alone more hurt than she was before she was nearly on the verge of tears as she was completely alone.

Outside in the corridor Ben was walking towards the room, before he went hunting for the one taunting Adora he decided to check on her. Just then he saw Glimmer going down the corridor leaving her room at the opposite end.

"Glimmer?" Ben said in confusion. "Hey Glimmer!" He called. However it was almost as if she didn't hear or even see him.

"Ben" He jumped in fright as he turned to see Glimmer standing behind him.

"Glimmer?!" He gasped.

"Sorry if I spooked you." Glimmer apologised. "Listen I just spoke to my Auntie and she's calmed down about things."

"Well thats good to hear a.." Just then Ben realised he saw her leaving Adoras room so how could she be here?

"Wait, have you been to see Adora?" He then asked.

"No Bow told me she was trying to sleep." Glimmer said.

This had gotten the alien hero more confused than before if Glimmer hadn't been to see Adora, then who was that he just saw. Then it hit him!

"Ben?" Glimmer said.

"Uh yeah, you said that eclipse thing was on tonight right?" Ben asked which Glimmer nodded. "Well why don't you head down and meet up with Bow and Rook."

"Your coming too right?" Glimmer asked.

"Yeah I'll catch up later, just gotta check up on Adora." Ben answered.

Glimmer just smiled as she teleported away to find Bow and Rook. Ben however grew a determined scowl, as whatever was haunting his friend had just made its first mistake. He ran down the hallways past Adoras room and slid round the corner. He looked around and then heard a door shut from the left, running down the hallway he then opened the next door and found himself in a lonely hallway, with windows that overlooked most of Mystacor.

He knew he wasn't alone, he had considered transforming into an alien but remembered a lesson his grandfather and Azmuth taught him. Never go into a fight without knowing what your facing. So he held off on the Omnitrix for now and walked down the hallway. He wasn't fond of the idea of playing bait especially after what happened when he fought Eon when he was ten. However it was the only way to find out who was behind this as if he didn't already know.

"I know your listening!" He called out. "How about we make this easy and come on out!" There was total silence. "I don't know what your game is or whatever your scheme is, but when you play mind games with my friend thats where I draw the line!" He continued to call out. "Well that stops now! So show yourself you coward you can't hide forever!"

However all of a sudden unbeknownst to him his shadow began to change shape into something else.

"Oh but I have nothing to hide!" Echoed a voice then suddenly Ben turned around to see the shadow spy swat him in the face catapulting him across the room. He recovered to see the large Shadow spy looming down on him with its red eye glowing.

"Whoa I think I like it better when I couldn't see you." Ben joked.

The shadow spy hissed as it tried to swat at him again but Ben quickly dodged out of the way to avoid its attacks. He tried to activate the Omnitrix but the shadow flew over and swatted him into a wall preventing him. Ben groaned but recovered quick to avoid another attack. He tries again to transform but the Shadow Spy swats him away again across the hallway to stop him.

"Gah this thing isn't giving me much breathing room." Ben groaned as he held his side.

The Shadow Spy hissed as it lunged towards its prey. Ben knew there wasn't time to transform, and he couldn't fight this thing alone. Then suddenly he remembered something he learned, he just hoped he'd be able to pull it off. The Shadow Spy was going in for the kill but then..

"CONTIGO!" Ben pronounced then all of a sudden a large pink coloured energy shield appeared in front of him which catapulted the Shadow Spy into the wall.

Ben just looked in pure shock, he had just performed magic. He learned that spell from his cousin Gwen but was never able to perform it but now he did.

"I… I did it!" Ben breathed. "I just did magic! Oh man if Gwen could see me now!"

His celebrations were premature, the Shadow Spy recovered as it roared at Ben with a-vengeance. It charged towards him. Ben knew he had some breathing room but as he activated the Omnitrix he had no time to dial an alien in so he hoped whatever he turned into it would be one he could use. He slammed down the dial and was consumed by a green light.

The shadow spy was dazed by the light but was suddenly met by the fist of something as it was catapulted to the floor. It looked up and the light revealed something else. Standing in Bens place was a robotic humanoid like being with a green and white body with cylinders for arms energised with dark green bubble like spheres these could also be seen in his chest which had an Omnitrix like symbol. Its head was a pointed metal helmet and was mouthless. The Omnitrix itself rested on his waist on a green and white bolted belt.

"You had your shot smoke stack! Now it's the turn of Atomix!" The alien exclaimed righteously.

The Shadow Spy hissed as it charged at Atomix again but this time he was ready.

"Homina! Homina! Homina!" Atomix chanted and in his hands a small sphere of green nuclear energy was generated and it shone as bright as the sun.

The light and heat from the sphere was so intense the Shadow Spy began to burn until it was rendered to ashes. The creature was defeated and Atomix powered down the nuclear sphere which then disappeared.

"Nothing like a little Fusion Cuisine to help the light shine through even the darkest shadow!" Atomix said in victory.

However though Atomix won the battle something else was going on inside the Lumarium. Just then the communicator in his Omnitrix sounded off.

"Ben Ben come in!" Rooks voice exclaimed.

"Partner whats wrong?" Atomix asked.

"Code red… something…Lumarium!" There was static in the transmission this told him something was wrong. He moved to the window and looked outside he noticed the shield began to flicker and when he looked to the Lumarium building the windows were darkened in shadow. As the Omnitrix timed out and reverted Atomix back to Ben he realised whats happened.

"The shield!" Ben gasped. "That thing was just distracting me so it could get to the lenses that form the shield!" However there was one thing that still puzzled him.

"But then why would…." Then suddenly it dawns on him. "Oh no! Adora!" He breathed as he took out his hover board and rode it out of the window and across the grounds as fast as he could hoping he'd reach his friend in time.

Meanwhile:

Elsewhere on the grounds Adora was walking alone she was about to leave after that harsh conversation with Glimmer and everything else that happened since her arrival, she decided maybe it was best if she left. Just then she looked up and saw the shield was flickering then it just fell in echoing sounds of screaming and panicking could be heard within the palace grounds as she looked towards the Lumarium building.

"Adora!" Called a familiar voice and she looked to see Bow running past her.

"Come on, we have to get out of here now!" He said.

"What's happening?" Adora asked running after him.

"The protection spell is failing." Bow explains as he ran. "We need to go!"

"Wait, stop. What do you mean failing?" Adora tried to reach for his shoulder. "Where's Glimmer?" Suddenly when she tried to grab him her hand passed through him almost as if he was a ghost.

She looks to see 'Bow' had stopped running and then turned to face Adora.

"Everything that's about to happen is your fault, Adora." He said. "You're to blame." His voice suddenly changed and he shifted into a shadow spy that hissed and dissapeared.

Adora gasped in shock she couldn't believe what she had just seen. She then looked at the Lumarium building and realised that something was seriously wrong.

"Adora!" Called a voice and she looked to see Ben on his hoverboard speeding towards her. He dismounted the board then ran over to her.

"You okay I…" Just then out of nowhere Adora hugged him. "Uh what was that for?"

Adora broke off the hug as she looked at Ben. "I needed to make sure you were real." She answered and only then did Ben realise what she meant.

"Let me guess a dark shadow creature?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, I just I just don't understand whats happening!" Adora said.

"Well long story short, that creatures been the one messing with your head Adora, thats whats been stalking us the whole time since Selanias." Ben said.

"The shields down we need to get to the Lumarium if we don't then Mystacor is defenceless!" Adora exclaimed.

"Lets go! Hop on!" Ben exclaimed as he boarded his hover board and Adora held onto him as they sped over to the Lumarium building as fast as they could.

Lumarium:

The two quickly arrived and found a horrifying sight, they found Castaspella and other sorceress's on the ground groaning and unconscious. They looked around and saw Glimmer, Bow and Rook lying on the ground too. Then they turned to see the one responsible for all the mind games and it was a sorceress that Adora recognised all too well.

"Adora." Shadow Weavers projection said.

"Shadow Weaver!" Adora exclaimed in horror and Ben just gasped he knew from Adoras story she seemed creepy but this lady took this to a whole new level.

"Whoa you never said she was scary!" Ben exclaimed.

Adora hurried to her friends only for Shadow Weavers shadow magic to create a shield separating them. Ben scowled towards the witch.

"Big mistake lady! WayBig!" Before Ben could use the Omnitrix he found himself suddenly tied up in shadow magic pinning him to the floor with his hands behind his back.

"You have interfered enough boy!" Shadow Weaver growled.

"Ben!" Adora exclaimed. But before she could reach him Shadow Weavers projection cut her off from him and then tried to cup her face.

Adora just broke free of her and tried to get to her friend only for Shadow Weavers laughter to echo all over the room. Shadow Weaver then reached out and grabbed Adora only for her projection to fade holding Adora frozen in place.

"The eclipse is nearly over Adora." Shadow Weavers voice echoed. "When it is, the shield will be down." Adora looked around the room for any signs of her former mentor.

"The Horde will conquer Mystacor and bring you home to me."

"No! I'll stop you." Adora defied.

"Why?" Shadow weaver said reaching out her hand to Adoras shoulder spooking her to turn round. "To help these people?" She gestured to her unconscious friends and her restrained one.

"Who are they to you? They don't understand you. Just as they did not understand me when I walked among them as Light Spinner."

"What?!" Adora and Ben gasped. now they new how Shadow Weaver was able to bypass the defences because she used to be one of them it was an inside job.

Shadow Weaver then turned to her most cherished protege. "They feared my dark power. They'll never accept you. Not like I do."

"No, no! You're wrong!" Adora didn't want to hear another word out of her former tutor. She drew the sword.

"FOR THE HONOUR OF GREYSKULL!" She cried.

However all the runestone did was blink weakly she couldn't transform into She-Ra. Adora saw that something was wrong. Ben didn't like this one little bit, so he struggled with all his might to try and reach the Omnitrix with his restrained hand.

"You know deep down what I say is true."Shadow Weaver continued to taunt her. Adora readied her sword to attack but let her teachers words flood her mind. "You are the ambitious, cutthroat, ruthless warrior I raised you to be."

"No!" Adora looked down at the sword and dropped it to the ground. Ben growled further as he kept trying to reach his watch. He looked and saw Adora collapse to her knees.

"The Princesses don't care about you. They want to use you for your strength." Shadow Weaver taunted as she kneeled down to Adora and cupped her face. "Return now to the Fright Zone. Rule by my side."

"Why!" Shadow Weaver looked over and saw the source of the voice was the restrained Ben Tennyson. "So she can be your puppet again! Don't even try to play the victim here lady!"

Shadow Weaver glared as she moved her projection over to Ben and looked over him.

"You dare judge me!" Shadow Weaver exclaimed. "I raised Adora since she was a child I see the true greatness in her! One that the likes of you and the Princesses would never comprehend!"

"Yeah whatever you say to help you sleep at night, but after what I've seen its people like you and the Horde that don't understand Adora at all!" Ben exclaimed. "You filled her with lies about the outside world, told her only what you wanted her to know, moulding her into someone she never was!" He shouted. "You think Adora's what you raised her to be well your wrong, I may have only known her for a short time but I know she's so much more, she's kind, compassionate and knows whats right in her heart even when others tell her its wrong thats the Adora I've come to know, the Adora… that I call my friend!"

Adora hung on every word that Ben said and was completely touched by his words, how much he truly respected and cared for her as a friend.

"What do you know of such things you are not of this world yet you choose to interfere with business that is not your concern!" Shadow Weaver said getting right into his face.

"When innocent lives are at stake I make it my concern!" Ben glared as he continued to reach for the Omnitrix. "And you know I have seen a lot and I mean a lot of villains, and crazy withes in my time but you take the cake lady, but you know I wonder what your boss would think?"

Shadow Weaver stopped and listened to what he said as did Adora.

"You know from what I've heard Hordak doesn't come off to me as the kind of guy who would give a damn about a defective soldier same as any other tyrant." Ben explained stalling.

"He leaves the details to me, and I am free to do as I please whether he sees the potential in my toils or not!" Shadow Weaver exclaimed.

Just then Ben realised it. "Wait a minute. Hordak doesn't know about you trying to get Adora back does he?" He guessed.

Shadow Weaver remains silent as she turns to Adora once again which just confirmed it and finally he got his hand free and was able to reach for the Omnitrix dial.

"This is the kind of thing I have been telling you Adora, this boy or these people don't care about you they only care about the power you have!" Shadow Weaver continued as she kneeled down to Adoras face again.

Adora thought for a moment but then broke away from Shadow Weaver and ran to the unconscious bodies of her friends.

"These are my friends." Adora said kneeling down to them. "They've been kind to me. Something you never were." She glared.

"I prepared you for greatness!" Shadow Weaver shouted.

"No you only prepared her to be your puppet, you don't really cared about her all you want is power!" Ben exclaimed.

Shadow Weaver just glared and tightened the grip she had on Bens restraints causing him to groan in pain Adora could only watch in horror.

"You know nothing child!" Shadow Weaver growled.

"I know far more than you know, and I've met loving parents and you don't make the cut!" Ben exclaimed. "You just moulded her into who you wanted her to be! You never gave her a choice, all you did was lie to her all her life, the Princesses aren't the real monsters you are!"

Adora listened to what Ben was saying and then the realisation hit her. "He's right!" she finally said.

" You never loved me. You just played twisted mind games." Adora said as she stood up and faced her tormentor "I'm none of the things you say I am. I'm not like you." You are bitter and cruel, and you're the one who used me!" She exclaimed. "This is who I am. You hurt my friends, so now you're gonna pay!"

Ben smiled knowing that Adora was finally standing up for what she believed in and standing up to the one who lied to her all her Shadow Weaver just burst out in laughter as she looked down upon her former student.

"It's too late." Shadow Weaver laughed as she pointed their attention to the eclipse of the three moons. "The eclipse will be over in moments. Mystacor will fall and it will be your fault!"

"Don't bet on it lady we're still around to stop you!" Ben exclaimed.

Shadow Weaver just laughed as she looked over to her helpless victim. "How can you possibly hope to stop me your powerless, helpless theres nothing you can do!"

Ben however just smirked. "You know in all my years of fighting creeps like you Shadow Weaver, you know what I have learned?" He then asked.

"What?" She dared ask.

"The bad guys always gloat too much!" Ben finally activates the Omnitrix and slams down the dial blinding everyone in a flash of had transformed into Heatblast and used his flames to blast himself free from her shadow magic.

"Oh yeah I'm all fired up!" Heatblast exclaimed. Then attacked with a fire blast from his hands which blasted through Shadow Weavers shadows.

The sorceress yelled out in anger as she flung her shadow tendrils at the Pyronite who dodged to the left to avoid them and then tossed more blasts of fire at the sorceress. Adora saw this as an opening and ran to pick up the sword from the ground and sliced it free from the tendrils holding it. Heatblast kept swinging fire blast after fire blast at the shadow projection. Shadow Weaver had just about enough of this pest and managed to grab the alien in her shadow tendrils and swatted him into the wall.

"You have meddled in my affairs long enough boy!" Shadow Weaver warned. "Why should you suffer, just leave now and I shall spare your life."

Heatblast just spat at the witch. "Lady if I had a nickel for every time I heard that death threat!" The Pyronite fired another blast of flames straight at the sorceress however this seemed to have no effect on her.

"Pathetic!" She spat.

"Heh I'm just warming up heh get it Heatblast. Warm?!" He tried to crack a joke.

Shadow Weaver just glared her eyes and then proceeded to smash Heatblast into the walls again and again sending him rolling to the ground. He groaned in pain as he tried to get up.

"Time to pay for your defiance!" Shadow Weavers shadow grew over him ready to finish him off until. Adora stepped in front of him and readied her sword. Shadow Weaver attacked but Adora didn't move.

"No!" She exclaimed, then all of a sudden out of nowhere the sword glowed then change shape, It was now in the shape of a gold winged shield with the runestone in the centre.

The runestone glowed and shone a blast of rainbow coloured light straight at the shadow and the sorceress cried out in pain. Heatblast had just regained consciousness and he saw what happened, he was amazed.

"Huh?" Adora gasped seeing the newly formed shield.

"Whoa didn't know your sword could do that?" Heatblast said in amazement.

"Neither did I."Adora breathed.

The two of them then looked up and saw the time they had until the eclipse passed. They saw the moons were starting to come out of alignment.

"We don't have much time we need to realign the lenses!" Adora exclaimed. "If we don't then Mystacor is done for!"

"Okay you get to the lenses I'll take care of Scary Poppins!" Heatblast directed.

Adora hurried and climbed one of the crystals that stood in the room and then leaped from that onto another platform. Shadow Weavers laughter echoed through the room.

"Okay something tells me fire ain't gonna work against this witch." Heatblast realised. "Time to try something else!" He slammed on the Omnitrix symbol changing his form.

"I can give you Etheria. We can rule together!" Shadow Weaver tried as Adora continued to leap to the lenses and try to block her out and not let her twisted words sway her.

"You were nothing before I took you in, Adora!" Shadow weave appeared next to her and spoke in her ear. "And you will be nothing without me!" Adora shoved the shadow projection away and leaped to the next platform "You're weak!"

Adora readied her shield to block Shadow Weavers next attack then suddenly. She cried out in pain as a blast of rainbow coloured light shot through her almost burning her.

Shadow Weaver turned and saw floating behind her was what looked like a crystal like being, his body was an indigo like stone, with black spots and lines, he had pink crystal shards on his arms, shoulders, back, head and knees, with pink crystal fingers and his face was long and thin with one green eye and a face plate made of the same crystals. He wore a green and white jump suit with white stripes, wearing green and white striped gauntlets on his wrists and legs. A familiar looking hourglass symbol resided on the right of his chest.

"Your wrong!" Chromastone glared. "She's not weak, you know why? Because she has friends who actually care for her!" With that he fired another blast of ultraviolet coloured energy at the sorceress which did more harm to her as she cried out.

"Adora go!" Chromastone yelled and Adora nodded and hurried across the platforms to the main lenses.

Shadow Weaver attacked with her shadow tendrils which surged with energy and struck the Crystalsapien hard, however this had no effect on him what so ever.

"Please thats just a breath of fresh air to Chromastone!" He exclaimed and charged up an energy blast and shot it right at Shadow Weaver who cried in pain as it hit her.

The sorceress then glared and tried to swat the Crystalsapien away only for him to fly away from the tendril then blast it away from him with an energy blast. The sorceress became more and more her shadow tendril grabbed Chromastone and threw him into one of the crystal pillars.

"Why throw your life away so recklessly you don't belong here nor are you wanted!" Shadow Weaver exclaimed.

"I may not belong here but I know when I'm needed, because when the chips are down I don't stand by and let people like you threaten others!" Chromastone growled as he focused all his energy and blasted away the tendrils.

"I have clearly underestimated you!" Shadow Weaver spoke. "You need not perish you can be given mercy if you leave now or better yet join the Horde!"

"No!" Chromastone exclaimed. "I'd rather be on the right side than be a puppet of a tyrant!"

He blasted Shadow Weaver with his ultraviolet blast once again sending her away. Adora finally reached the main lenses and the light shining through the hole in the room. However then she came face to face with Shadow Weaver again just as Chromastone landed near Adora.

"Adora, enough of this. Come home." Shadow Weaver said more softly.

Adora however saw right through her and knew in her mind what she decided to do as the light shone in the air from the stars. She held up her shield and the light reflected off the runestone and began radiating rainbow coloured energy.

"I'm not going back. You have no power over me anymore." Adora declared as she reflected the beam over to Chromastone who then used his crystal hands to deflect it down to the well below.

"She's got a home now Shadow Freak and it ain't with you now how about you let the light shine in!" Chromastone declared.

The light hit the well of the Lumarium and illuminated all over the room the light was so bright Shadow Weavers shadows all but disappeared into ash!

The Fright Zone:

"NO!" The Sorceress cried as the light blasted her in the face sending her collapsing to the ground. She lay there unconscious and defeated as the gem in her mask glowed weakly.

Mystacor:

Everyone in the room from the sorceresses to Glimmer, Bow and Rook regained consciousness the energy from the eclipse surged into Mystacor restoring light to this world and outside the shield that protects this land surged into life fully restored, all was well. Chromastone descended to the ground with Adora in his arms and as they landed the Omnitrix timed out and reverted him back to Ben.

"You okay?" Ben asked his friend.

"I am now." Adora thanked.

"Adora, are you okay?" Glimmer exclaimed in relief as she and the boys came over to them and the two of them instantly welcomed them in a hug.

"I'm okay." Adora breathed in relief at last. "Yeah, I think I'm finally okay. She's gone."

"I'm so sorry we didn't believe you!" Bow said apologetically with tears in his eyes. "We've been bad friends."

"Do not be so hard on yourself my friend, it would seem we were all fooled by this sorceress's mind games." Rook assured putting a hand on his friends shoulder.

"He's right your not." Adora agreed. "This is what Shadow Weaver does. She manipulates people, she pushes them apart. But it's never going to work on me again." She said.

"Because someone believed in me." Adora looked to Ben who could only smile. "But how did you know?"

"Instinct." Ben said. "When Rook told me something was wrong and when you told us about Shadow Weaver, I knew something wasn't right." He explained. "And I trust and believe in my friends enough to know when they're telling the truth." Adora just smiled warmly at what her friend had said.

"Plus she's not the first crazy witch I've ever faced off with." Ben then said.

"Nor I doubt will she be the last." Rook agreed with a smile.

In that moment Castaspella and the rest of the mages in Mystacor approached them, Adora did feel a little bit of guilt for bringing this upon them.

"I'm sorry, it's my fault she was here. I endangered Mystacor." She apologised.

"Nonsense, you and your friend Ben saved Mystacor. Glimmer has chosen her friends well." Castaspella praised. "I'll knit you a sweater the both of you. What size are you in the shoulders?"

Ben and Adora just smiled nervously at that but on the plus side she didn't offer to make a jello mould like Bens Aunt would. But for the time being the group just shared a group hug.

"I'm like, really tired." Said and exhausted Adora.

"Well luckily I have another idea to help you relax." Ben suggested. "Don't worry this ones no hoverboards included."

The Beach:

Soon the Best Friend Squad were now relaxing down by the beach with the waves of the cloud sea brushing against the rocks. Adora lay on the ground on her blanket but this time she had what looked like small air pod headphones in her ears. Ben found another way to help Adora relax and that was to introduce her to Music, he played a playlist on his phone and she was listening to it. Remarkably she took to the music rather quickly.

(Music playing 2 Feathers by SIAMES)

Adora bounced her head up and down listening to the relaxing beats of the music. Glimmer and Ben looked to see it seemed to be working.

"She looks so peaceful." Glimmer observed.

"Yeah if theres one thing I know when stressed let the music play." Ben said as he lay down with his eyes closed.

"Okay your defiantly showing us more Earth stuff later." Bow decided.

"Then be prepared to be faced with a long list." Rook chuckled as they relaxed on the beach with the calming waves time passed Adoras eyes then shot open she looked around to only make sure her friends were still there.

"Glimmer? Guys?" She said worried.

"Right here, Adora." Glimmer assured her stroking her head in assurance.

"We're not going anywhere." Ben added smiling.

With that lay back down on the blanket and listened to the music playing, as the beats and rhythms sounded she slipped into the bliss of sleep. This frankly was the best rest she had ever had in weeks. Ben was glad his friend was safe and finally at peace. But at the same time he had a feeling that this wasn't the last they had seen of Shadow Weaver, for if there was one thing he learned from facing Vilgax, Charmcaster, Malware even Eon is that when they swear a threat, they intend to follow through on it and even defeat will not stop them. He just hoped they'd be ready for whatever came next.

Fright Zone:

In the inner sanctum of Shadow Weavers lair, Catra slipped in through the door and leaped in on all fours like a real cat. She looked around but there was no sign of her abusive commanding officer.

"Hello? Shadow Weaver?" She called. She looked around then as the mist cleared she saw said sorceress lying on the ground unconscious.

Catra just smirked she knew instantly that she failed and couldn't help but laugh as she looked in the witches reflecting pool.

"You've been going about this the wrong way, old woman." She said as her reflection changed to see Bow and the others. " If you wanna take down Adora and Tennyson, you have to go for the heart."

The reflection then changed to see Ben and she looked very closely at the watch that lay on his wrist. She began to see what it would look like on her wrist.

"And when you go for the heart you then take what gives them strength." She smirked as she had her own plan now to not only capture Adora and be rid of Ben for good but to also, show Shadow Weaver she is not to be underestimated.

Authors notes: Oh boy looks like where Shadow Weaver failed Catra may yet rise and claim victory and now it seems the cats eye is set on a larger prize now. So Bens had his first encounter with Shadow Weaver, now I know I missed the whole Lumarium ceremony thing but that took place during Bens battle with the Shadow Spy. I felt it was a good idea to show how determined he his to protect those he cares about. Also if anyone remembers the Ultimate Alien episode Ben 10'000 returns Ben performed one of Gwen's spells and from what I saw in Charmed I'm sure non magic users can use magic if in proximity to magical objects like the Alpha Rune, so in this instance he was able to perform the spell due to his time spent on Etheria which is a magically charged planet.

Also I figured the legend of Legerdomain would have been known to those who use magic outside of Hex and Charmcaster such as the council of Mystacor. For Adoras attempts to relax I thought Bens input of his old hoverboard would be a good thing to include despite the bumps in using it. Also a low key suggestion of music and incidentally my thanks to AnomalyExpert for suggesting the SIAMES music which I must admit has a good beat to it.

Anyway onto the next chapter, Ben and Rook better dust off their tux's cause they're going to Princess Prom and I have a hunch it'll be a party that no one will forget.

Merry Chirstmas and Happy New Year!