Chapter Seventeen: Hope for the Best
After holding the prisoners for so long, Netossa was glad to finally be able to take a break. She released her net, falling to the ground in exhaustion–Spinnerella was quick to help her up. "Don't worry about me, I coulda held it up way longer if I had to."
"I'm sure you could have," she replied, offering her a kiss on the cheek. "But right now, let's let them handle things."
The four spies sent by the New Horde were now trapped behind separate magical barriers, courtesy of Castaspella. Her task fulfilled, her concentration faded as well. "There, that should hold them," she said. Perhaps due to the circumstances, she was much more somber than anyone who knew her would come to expect. "So, what exactly are you planning to do now?"
Glimmer regarded the four prisoners with fire in her eyes, though remained calm. "We still don't know why Catra came back here. Until we can find her, getting someone to answer that question for us should be our top priority." She walked up to Azurite's container, the two Gems having once again fused. "Luckily, we have four new friends who should be more than willing to help us out."
Ever the dignified presence, Azurite responded by sticking her tongue out at the queen. "And what are you gonna do about it, huh? Ask us politely? Ha!" She turned away. "Get lost, glitter-pants!"
"I didn't expect this to be easy," Glimmer muttered. "Maybe one of your friends will be more willing to let us know?" She began pacing around the room, eyeing each of them as she passed. Despite her efforts, none of them were intimidated by her.
"Perhaps we could try something else?" suggested Castaspella. "Something tells me none of them are going to give up that information willingly…"
"Exactly my point," Glimmer answered darkly. She held up her fist, which began to glow with the power of the Moonstone. "How about we turn this into a game? First one to fess up doesn't get a beatdown?" She pounded her fist into her palm to demonstrate, creating a surge of energy.
Castaspella stepped forward to try and calm her down. "Actually, I was thinking something more along the lines of bribery," she said, "or at the very least, a truth spell. I'd rather not descend to the Horde's level just to get answers."
"Neither would I," Glimmer replied, "but we don't have a choice. Every second Catra's allowed to run free is another second she has to plot! We can't just leave her out there knowing she has it out for Brightmoon. We have to take action."
"But is this really the best action to take?" asked Castaspella quietly.
Glimmer looked down at her still-glowing hand. "I definitely can't think of any better options," she mumbled. "Now, who wants to talk first!? Do we have any takers?" The four of them stayed silent in contempt, still not taking her seriously. "Okay, fine! Why don't we start with you?"
She then teleported inside of Carnelian's cage, throwing her against the wall with a blast of her powers. "Glimmer, wait!" Castaspella urged, hurrying over to the magical barrier.
"You were out there with her; what's she planning?" the queen demanded, giving her more blasts of energy. Despite Carnelian's size and strength, she couldn't do much against an enemy that could warp away from her grasp. "Tell me!"
Her blasts were doing little more than annoying the Gem. "Hold still, ya little…thingy!" she grumbled, grasping at the air, just barely missing her each time. "Stop it! That's cheating!" Castaspella soon dispelled the barrier, to both of their surprise.
"Glimmer, there's better ways to go about this," she said in her best 'mom voice.' Realizing she was free, Carnelian tried to grab the sorceress, only for her to put the barrier back up, trapping her again. "I know you're eager to find this girl and keep Etheria safe, but–"
"Aren't you even a little bit angry?" Glimmer asked, looking up at her. "About what Catra did? All the pain she caused Etheria? You have to want revenge on her at least a little bit!"
Castaspella thought about the best way to approach this situation. "I…I am, Glimmer, and I do want her to be stopped. But it's the same as before: I don't want to stoop to their level to defeat them. If we become the same as the Horde–"
"We won't," she said firmly. "The difference between us is that the Horde attacks innocent people and takes everyone's land. We fight back against them. We protect people. We're doing this for a good reason, so why should our methods matter?"
"Yeah, you tell her!" shouted Azurite. Both women shot her a glare. "Embrace the hate! Become like us!"
Crita shushed her. "Don't give her any ideas!" she hissed.
Before Glimmer could give them a piece of her mind, Castaspella pulled her back. "No, keep listening. I know why you're doing this." She knelt down to be at her niece's level, gently lifting her head up by her chin. "I miss Angella too. She was a wonderful woman, like a sister to me. We may not have always seen eye to eye, but Micah loved her, and that was good enough for me. But I've seen what happens when someone goes to great lengths to defeat their enemies: this thirst to avenge her will only corrupt you, pull you closer to darkness."
Although Glimmer's countenance softened for a moment, she was still set on her mission. "Don't tell me I need to forget her," she muttered. "Because I can't. I won't. I refuse to forget her."
"And you shouldn't," Castaspella continued. "You should always keep your mother's memory alive. But would she really want this?"
"You know what?" interrupted Karikon. "I think she would! Ol' Angella was always a thorn in the Old Horde's side! In fact, I think she'd be proud of you for continuing her legacy, kiddo!"
Glimmer's fists clenched as she struggled to ignore him. "She wanted us to be rid of the Horde as much as anyone. Why would she have a problem with this?"
"Because it wouldn't be what she wanted for you. I'm sure Angella would have wanted you to be a kind and just queen, who treats her enemies with as much respect as her allies. She wouldn't want you to turn into a tyrant."
Being called a tyrant brought back memories of her argument with Adora, still fresh in her mind. "And who says I'm turning into a tyrant!?" she asked, pulling away. "We're at war, in case you forgot! What, am I supposed to invite Catra over for tea, and that'll solve everything!? These kinds of people don't respond to anything except violence!"
"That's true!" shouted Karikon. "Plus, Catra hates tea, so I don't know how well she'd respond to that."
Her patience with him had finally worn out. She warped into the makeshift cell with him, beginning with a blinding flash of light. He stumbled back, falling against the barrier. Glimmer pressed her hand against his side, her palm growing hotter as it glowed with magic.
"You wanna stop being funny and help me for a change?" she hissed, pressing her hand into where he had been wounded by He-Man. Karikon winced, but said nothing. "Where did you last see Catra? Where was she headed? Tell me!"
Once again, Castaspella tried to rein in the enraged queen. "Glimmer, that's enough! Stop this right now!" Glimmer only shot her a glare before turning her focus back to the prisoner.
Karikon grit his teeth and laughed at her. "It's cute how you think you're actually intimidating," he said. "You think a few sparkles are enough to scare me? You've been cooped up in your castle for too long! You don't know what real war is!"
With fury in her eyes, Glimmer sent a surge of energy coursing through Karikon's body. He howled and clutched at his wound, but she proved surprisingly strong, and was unable to be moved. "Glimmer! Stop this, please!" But with her tunnel vision, she could no longer hear Castaspella's voice.
Crita pounded on her barrier, trying not to look too concerned. "He's right, you know. He's endured far worse than this! You're only scratching the surface!"
"Am I?" she asked, shooting her a glare. "Then maybe I'd better dig deeper!" Glimmer then drove a glowing fist into Karikon's face, releasing a shockwave that reverberated through the room. Even the other prisoners could feel it. Rather than fight back, Karikon found himself stunned by the blow. This left him unable to resist as she struck him again and again.
"Glimmer!" Castaspella finally dropped the barrier, pulling Glimmer off of the already-wounded soldier. Not wanting to give up, she teleported out of her grip, continuing to pummel Karikon. "You can't do this! This isn't you!"
"Shut up!" Before Glimmer knew what was happening, she had whirled around and fired a blast of energy at her aunt. Castaspella's reflexes were quick enough that she was able to create a magical shield to block it, but she was still thrown back. The shock was enough to stun her, leaving Glimmer free to return to Karikon.
She placed her foot on the scorpion's wound, pressing down hard. He groaned, futilely grasping at her leg. Crita continued to bang on the barrier. "Stop it! Leave him alone!"
Once again, Glimmer's tunnel vision made her unwilling to listen. "Unless you want to keep your ribcage intact, tell me where Catra's hiding!" Her entire body glowed with energy from the Moonstone, all but blinding her victim.
Karikon coughed, spitting out a bit of blood. "Do your worst, princess," he groaned, looking up at her with a smirk.
With a roar of rage, Glimmer thrust out both of her hands, preparing to unleash all of her energy into a single blast. The effects this would have had on Karikon likely would have been devastating, had she not been halted at the last moment by a shout.
"She wants the Heart of Etheria!" Before Crita even knew what was happening, the words had left her lips. Her teammates looked over at her, shocked. So did Glimmer. "She's…we're looking for an artifact called the Heart of Etheria. Nobody knows what it is, or even what it does, but it's supposedly extremely powerful. She thinks it could finalize the New Horde's conquest of the universe."
Glimmer was a bit stunned, at first, but soon swelled with pride knowing she had finally got her answer. "See? Was that so hard?" she asked a battered and beaten Karikon. "I told you I could–" Her expression suddenly darkened when she looked over at Castaspella.
Her aunt stared at her with a mix of pity, disappointment, and, if she wasn't mistaken, fear. The realization of what she had done finally hit her, and she fell to her knees. Upon seeing her like this, all of Castaspella's doubts vanished, and she hurried over to comfort her niece.
"Why did I attack you?" Glimmer said quietly, almost unaware that Castaspella had wrapped her arms around her. "I-I didn't mean to. I just wanted… What's happening to me?"
"So much is happening to you," Castaspella replied. "Everyone you've lost, and now you're faced with all the responsibilities of being a queen, coupled with the threat of war…it's no wonder, with all the stress you're under! But please, Glimmer–Angella wouldn't want her little princess to turn out like this. She also wouldn't want you to have to face this alone. Just because you're the queen doesn't mean you have to shoulder all of these responsibilities by yourself.
"Yes I do," Glimmer said, barely audible. "I owe it to her. I have…I have to do this on my own."
Castaspella got to her feet, helping Glimmer to hers. "The only thing you owe Angella is being a good daughter, and as far as I'm concerned, you've got that covered already. Come on–I think you need some rest." She quietly put Karikon's barrier back up, wincing sympathetically as he pulled himself back up. The two of them left the room, heading for Glimmer's bedroom.
Once the two of them had left, Azurite immediately turned on Crita. "Nice job, you traitor! Way to tell them everything they wanted to know! If Catra asks us why the Princess Alliance is on to her plans, I'll tell her it's all your fault…"
"What was I supposed to do? Just let her kill Karikon?" she protested.
The injured Scorpion man almost looked offended. "Hey, I'm a tough guy, I can handle a few sparkles!" He looked down at his battered form, realizing that Glimmer had messed him up pretty badly. "Still, though…thanks. I, uh, appreciate the sentiment."
Azurite rolled her eyes. "Oh, now don't you start!"
"You're welcome," Crita said, a bit more aggressively than she meant to. "Besides, we aren't finished here yet. There's still time for us to escape."
"...How?" asked Carnelian.
Karikon chuckled. "Oh, don't you worry. I put in a call to some friends of ours!"
As she headed up the spiral staircase, Glimmer pondered on what kind of queen she was becoming. Had Adora been right all along? Was Hordak really turning her into another version of him? No, of course not, she was in full control, she was still the queen after all. But the thought that she alone was responsible almost made her feel worse.
"Aunt Casta?" In that moment, all of Glimmer's grudges and duties were forgotten. She was simply a scared child who lost her mother, something she hadn't allowed herself to be. "I know you're probably busy in Mystacor, but…do you think you could maybe stay in Brightmoon for a couple days? I don't…I don't think I can trust myself…"
"Of course," Castaspella assured her. "You shouldn't have to do this alone."
"Thank you," Glimmer said softly. "Because I need all the help I can get."
Castaspella assumed she meant help with her queenly duties, or help keeping her on the right track. But now Glimmer knew what Catra was after, and she needed help if she wanted to take her down for good.
Connie accompanied Steven through the castle, holding onto the Sword of Power for him. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked. "I know we can find another solution if we try."
Steven's hand had been placed on his stomach. For all his life, his gemstone had a comforting warmth to it, especially after he began discovering his powers. But for some time now, it had been absent. Part of him wondered if turning into He-Man was a desperate attempt to get it back. "Thanks, but I'm sure. I don't want to risk it."
"If you're sure." Connie held the sword close to her, while also trying to keep it away from him. A part of her still blamed Jasper for this, but Steven was convinced it was all him. And besides, giving up this power was his choice. All she could do was support him, and make sure the sword stayed someplace safe.
On their way to the armory, the pair ran into Adora, who seemed lost in thought until seeing them snapped her into the present. "Oh! Uh, hey. Sorry about all of that back there, I guess I just got a little heated…"
"No worries," Steven assured her. "Just a…little argument." They all knew Adora's and Glimmers disagreement was much more than 'little,' but decided to leave it alone for now. "How are you holding up?"
At first, it looked like she didn't know how to answer. "...Fine, fine," she said eventually, though it was clear she didn't quite mean it. "Hey, have either of you seen Lars anywhere? He wasn't at the meeting."
"I think he's outside with that new ship," Connie said, looking out towards the yard. "Why?"
Without stopping to explain, Adora headed in that direction. "I have some stuff I need to ask him about. Sorry again, see you later!" Staring after her with an odd look, Connie and Steven decided to carry on.
But something was still nagging at Connie's mind. "Adora?" she called after her. Adora stopping, turning around. "Have you ever had…problems with She-Ra? Like, where you lost control?"
Adora noticed the Sword of Power in Connie's hands, as well as Steven's nervous demeanor, and drew the connection. "Oh…um, sorta. Certain First Ones artifacts could corrupt the sword, and make me go berserk when I was transformed. I don't know if this is the same thing, but it might be related."
Steven wondered if Jasper counted as a First Ones artifact, but doubted it. "Thanks anyway," he said. "I'll let you know if I have any more problems, but at this point, I probably won't."
"Um…I'm glad I could sort of help," said Adora. "Good luck with dealing with that." Connie and Steven left to store the sword, while Adora continued out to the castle grounds. The ship that used to belong to Mara sat in the middle of the grassy field, surrounded by Lars and his crew. She took a deep breath, hoping he would be willing to listen, and approached.
The Off-Colors were deep in conversation. "I can't believe Glimmer wanted us to kill someone!" moaned Rhodonite. "Even someone as bad as Catra!"
"Technically, she just wanted us to take her to Catra so she could kill her," Lars clarified. "Which isn't much better, now that I think about it. But hey, if it'd stop the New Horde…"
Both Rutile twins looked at him incredulously. "Lars, are you saying you think she should kill Catra?" asked left. "You always seemed like more of a pacifist," right added.
Lars floundered for a moment. "I'm not saying I think she should, it's just that, maybe, it's the quickest way to stop the war. It's obviously not the best solution, and I'm against it, but…"
"Nobody's killing Catra." They all turned towards Adora, who had declared this with certainty. "Not while I'm still here. Yes, she's evil, and yes, she's trying to take over the universe and almost killed us all…but she was my friend. That has to count for something, right?"
"I foresee Adora being conflicted about her loyalties," said Padparadscha. "She will be forced to choose between Catra and Glimmer, which will make her sad."
Adora stammered and tried to deny this. "I-I'm not choosing sides! I just don't want anyone to get hurt! Look, we can deal with that later, right now, I need to ask you all a favor. Is that alright?"
"Whaaat dooo yoooou neeeeed?" asked Fluorite.
"I…" Adora hesitated. "Okay, so Glimmer asked you to take her to Catra, right? But she won't need you to anymore because Catra's already here. So, since you're not busy, do you think I could borrow your services in a bit? Just a quick flight, honestly."
The Off-Colors looked at each other in silent deliberation. "Yeah, I think that's fine," Lars said. "Where do you want to go?"
She took a deep breath. "I recently found out where I came from before I was brought to Etheria. The coordinates should already be on Mara's ship. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go at first, but with everything that's going on…I think I'm ready."
"Ooh…learning about your origins, that's very important!" said Padparadscha. "But…why do you want to keep it a secret?"
"How did…nevermind. She's right–could you all not mention this to Glimmer? I don't think she'd approve."
"Your secret's safe with us!" Rhodonite assured her.
Adora smiled in relief. "Thank you. I'll let you know when I'm ready to leave." She turned to head back into the castle. "But right now, I've got to make sure everything works out with Catra…"
"Alright, c'mon, let's make this quick," mumbled Tung Lashor, accompanying Callix and Octavia through the desert. "I hate having to play babysitter for a couple o' traitors longer than I have to…"
"Nobody's saying you have to," Octavia grumbled, also not happy about their arrangement.
"Actually, Hordak did," Tung shot back. "So drink fast."
He led the two down to a river near the settlement. Octavia submerged herself in the water as the others waited patiently for her to remoisturize. Tung made sure to keep a close eye on them in case they tried anything funny. Callix seemed like he certainly wanted to, but wasn't sure it was worth the risk.
While Octavia was hydrating, she noticed something moving in the river next to her. "Huh?" The shape darted towards the shore, careful not to be seen. She considered alerting Tung Lashor…but decided to see where this was going instead.
"If you hate him so much, why are you working for him?" asked Callix. "You seem like the sort of man who prefers to call his own shots."
"Let's just say that's how we do things in the Crimson Waste," Tung replied. "I could say the same about you and Catra. Why follow her?"
The rock-man averted his gaze. "Things are different now," he muttered. He wasn't exactly glad at being left behind while her old boss went off with her new friends. He wondered what he would say to Catra if she was here now…
"What are you doing in there!?" asked Tung angrily, stomping over to the bank. "You'd better not be trying to escape, otherwise–" A tentacle shot out of the water, wrapping around his neck. With a shout, he was suddenly pulled under.
Callix was in no hurry to save him, but was still a little annoyed. "Octavia, please don't make this harder for us," he mumbled, approaching the spot where their chaperone had been dragged into the water. "How will the princesses react if they hear we tried to stage an escape?"
"That wasn't me." To his surprise, Octavia pulled herself out of the river several feet away from where Tung Lashor disappeared. "There's somebody else here."
"Who?"
"Us." Callix turned around, and was shocked to see Catra standing behind him. "You didn't think we'd leave without saying goodbye, did you?"
Unsure of how to react, Callix only stammered out a basic question: "W-why are you here?" Given the look on Octavia's face, she was wondering the same thing.
Catra smirked, and began walking around the pair. "Simple. I made a promise to the New Horde that we would destroy the Princess Alliance once and for all, and I'm here to make good on that. That is what you want, isn't it? To get revenge on the princesses?"
Before Callix could air his grievances with his former leader, Tung Lashor suddenly shot out of the water. He crashed down in the sand, unconscious. Sqalish emerged from the river behind the pair, flexing his tentacles. "I wouldn't let this opportunity slip by," he said.
Octavia spoke up before Callix had the chance to. "We're in!"
