In the shine of enchanted moons

After dinner, everyone prepared to return to their rooms, but first they all went out to the terrace to look at the stars. Everyone who wanted was brought a cup of mulled wine or hot chocolate, if they wanted it. The Queen cuddled up to her almost-husband, staring at the stars, lost in happy thoughts about the future. Nightgale would normally feel a pang of jealousy, her physiology was complicated and she never knew it well, Unfortunately no one could examine her because she didn't know anyone knowledgeable enough in the field that she could trust enough to reveal her true identity. Now she found this information very interesting and potentially troublesome for Lonnie, because the popularity of queens and princesses always increased when they were expecting children, and any attacks against them were met with a furious response from their subjects. This news completely changed the balance of power. Glimmer already had support in and around Brightmoon, and now support for the rebellion will completely disappeared. They don't actually do anything, but rather by doing something very pleasant, it has wiped out almost all their successes. If she didn't want to make things worse, Lonnie would have to rethink all her plans. But that was the least important news. The arrival of a war fleet from outside the empire completely changed the balance of power on the planet. She knew that Horde Prime's Empire had not conquered the entire universe, after all, the cultists were in contact with their master, who knew the truth... In its purest sense. But meeting people from there was something completely different. Meet those who did not know the fear of the mad tyrant, although as it turned out, they brought their own nightmares with them. The Lord Admiral was a formidable man, a true warrior, born to rule others, trained from childhood to be a Leader, not an accidental warmaster like her… father. His army was not like Etheria 's . None of the princesses wanted war, and deep down Lonnie didn't want it either, and she certainly didn't want the kind of war this man could give them. Perhaps Comrade General should seriously consider signing an armistice or some other agreement, their greatest victory was not achieved thanks to military actions, but to political intrigues that were not even their work. The most important thing, however, was that Antares was Catra's father. For this reason alone, they should seriously consider again the goals they want to achieve. Until now, bringing justice to Catra had been one of the main demands of the People's Rebellion, at least for Lonnie, although everyone realized that the chances of its implementation were low, but now they have dropped to almost Zero. If Comrade General continues to pursue her personal vendetta, it could bring doom to them all. Although on the other hand, the fact that Catra is the daughter of a military leader outside Etheria with unclear and potentially hostile intentions towards their home could be used in their propaganda...

Catra has a father… It wasn't something either of them expected. Although she had heard some of Dr. Moors' recent hints about the Grand Marshal's origins, she had previously considered them of little importance... However, they turned out to be upending the balance of power on the planet. But was this news so important from the point of view of her true master? It was hard to say, anyway, as she looked at the Lord Admiral with a hint of a smile as he watched Catra, who was sipping hot chocolate with Adora, she felt the bitterness pulsating in her heart, for she was sure she would never experience anything like that.

The situation was different with the second guest who came to Brightmoon . Lady Cala seemed to be everything they had been promised, though now that she had finally arrived, she felt a strange uneasiness at seeing her feasting with Glimmer and the rest of the guests, who were completely unaware of her true, monstrous nature. She was just starting to realize what they had brought to Etheria and she wasn't sure she liked it. She felt something like remorse, but now it was far too late for any doubts. She suspected that Lady Cala knew she was a servant of the Creeping Chaos by the way she looked at her. However, she was sure that she did not even remotely suspect who her parents were, and considering the way she spoke about Shadow Weaver, it was better for her not to find out the truth for now. Well, unlike most of Etheria's inhabitants, she knew it was not wise to risk the wrath of the gods, even the half-blood ones….

"Since you performed the ritual, I'm more and more concerned about being trapped on my small, backwater planet. You can't even imagine how boring it would be to spend centuries locked in my prison. Days after days, one like the other, and the only hope for freedom are those who found those damn mirrors. However, most of them disappoint me." said Aaravos, who was floating in the air with his hands under his head. He stayed elsewhere throughout the dinner, but when he returned, it turned out that he was perfectly informed about what had happened during his absence. Could he access her memory? It was a disturbing thought.

"Has my mother disappointed you too?" she asked in a sour tone. Aaravos thought for a long moment before giving her his answer.

"To some extent, yes, but not entirely. She performed the ritual as I wanted her to, but then she broke off all contact with me, and this could have cost us all a lot, as you have probably already guessed. If only she would renew our contact…. Everything could have turned out completely differently. However, you have to accept reality as it is. It's a pity that I still know so little about what really happened here... we all know too little, unfortunately, but maybe when I meet your Mother, I will get the answers I need, and the unnamed darkness knows how much I need them. My plots on Xadia turned out to be too successful, and even if I am released, without anyone's help, hundreds of years will have to pass before the inhabitants of my planet go to the stars, and that is definitely too long, especially if my creators want to return, and as we see, they have already taken some steps." he said, looking at Adora, who took a large sip and kissed Catra . "it's very strange to see another She-Ra. I didn't think they would try the same idea twice, but if it's a good idea, why not try it again..." Saihe wondered strangely.

"Have you met Mara?" she asked quietly with curiosity

"Mara ? No, we haven't met, I haven't talked to the previous real She-Ra either, although due to a certain... project in which I participated, I know quite a lot about her."

She blinked several times in surprise.

"The previous real She-Ra? What do you mean?" she asked curiously. The love of secrets was in her blood. Aaravos laughed, and there was so much evil and wickedness in that laugh that she felt her soul tingle.

"Sweet child of spring. You don't know so much about the history of your planet... In its own way, it says a lot about the memory of mortal beings." he said thoughtfully. She was about to ask him to explain what he meant, but then she heard a beautiful, resonant voice behind her.

"Hi... Your name is Nightgale, right? I cannot devote too much time to you so as not to attract the attention of nosy and uninitiated people. Let me just say that I am very pleased to meet someone who serves such noble lords... or has such great friends." Lady Cala said, smiling serenely at her and slightly bowing to Aaravos. She felt a strange twinge of jealousy when she saw the saihe sorcerer respond to the woman with a polite bow. Until now, she believed that she was the only person who could see him. Now it turns out that she is not the only one. But on the other hand, could she blame such a creature for knowing her secrets? Her father know everything after all. She also bowed to her and spoke softly.

"It's a real honor for me to meet you. We've been waiting for you for so long."

The creature hiding behind the face of the beautiful girl leaned towards her and whispered almost tenderly into her ear.

"I know you're something different than you seem, but I'm not sure who yet. But I can't wait to get to know you more personally." she said and kissed her on the cheek.

"It was a very busy day, considering that we were officially just relaxing." said Lady Ka to the Lord Admiral, who was drinking his second cup of mulled wine. Usually, her commander avoided alcohol, but this time he indulged a little. He was very pleased, because it must be admitted that his entire stay there turned out to be a great success. He made the right impression on the people of Etheria and, most importantly, on his daughter. They still didn't trust him, of course, the locals weren't as idiots as they seemed, but that was to be expected. It was only a matter of time to gain their favor. They had too many common enemies, and nothing united sentient beings like a common enemy. Although who is whose enemy remains to be seen.

Politics is an activity that requires constant vigilance, because every gesture, every look is a weapon and a shield. It is like a theater, but unlike the pathetic fools that fill Parliaments or councils, a true statesman knows that he can never afford to step out of character, while never forgetting that it is all just a game." Antares said in the Vesk language, which certainly none of the locals understood.

"It must be admitted that this Shadow Weaver helped you a lot in implementing your plans, although probably unknowingly, unless she is a smarter bitch than we think." she said, glancing at the Hell Knight

"Doubtful. From what my daughter told me about her, she was intelligent and skilled in dark magic, but she was very easy to give in to impulses and petty desires. Such people are usually not able to plan such complex intrigues... And besides, she had no right to know that whatever was connected between me and her former ward, she probably doesn't guess the truth even now." Antares explained with a hint of contempt in his voice. Was it on purpose or was the wine speaking through him?

"I'm more and more curious about what happened on Carurystal that made our noble knight more gloomy than usual. Were they very… close friends? Such a weakness for a Hellknight..." Lady Ka had a hard time keeping herself from giggling.

"Everyone has the right to weakness, and love for the wrong person is one of the most difficult to resist. The fact that we sometimes give in to them is not a problem, it is worse when they start to rule our lives." said her commander seriously.

"Only when you succumb to your weakness, hundreds of thousands die," thought Lady Ka, but she knew that it would be unwise to say such words.

"Why didn't you tell them about the Starstone... Lady Cala or even that stupid knight could blurt out about it at any time." she finally asked.

"Lady Cala is not stupid, and I don't think she would want to go against us. She very skillfully confirmed her mentor's identity, while distancing herself from her. Asindesa cannot reveal much, and due to her connections with the dark sorceress, she is not very credible in the eyes of the inhabitants of this planet. Even if one of them revealed the truth about the Artifact, well, better them than me. Given the direction our conversation has taken today, I might come across as greedy.

Lady Ka wasn't sure she liked her boss's reasoning. Before she could say anything, Lady Cala walked up to the queen, who was beaming with sily joy, and said.

"I have an item in my possessions that Mara's daughter took with her to Carurystal. It is a certain stone, similar to the one my ring is made of." she showed her ring with a red stone interspersed with green metallic veins. "Apparently it's a runestone or something. I would like to give it away, or rather return it to its rightful owners as a wedding gift."

"Well, thank you very much for your gift." said the Queen in a gentle voice. The purple-haired idiot looked up and shouted with uncontrollable enthusiasm.

"Runestone! Can I see him? These are incredibly valuable artifacts that made you able..." she didn't finish because Lady Cala interrupted her by speaking in a gentle, soothing voice.

"Unfortunately, I left them at the place where I was staying, but I promise that as soon as I bring them here, you will be able to examine them. However, I have one extremely important question of a legal nature." the beautiful aristocrat said to the queen, who broke out of her sweet daze and looked at Lady Cala with concern.

"Yes? What's the question?"

"Maybe some of you here don't know yet, but on Icarus we met your mother, Queen Angela . In fact, I traveled with her for some time. However, since your mother is alive, was your coronation Legal and, therefore, does any document you have signed since then have legal power?" the aristocrat spoke in an absolutely innocent voice. "You don't have to answer me now, I just wanted to draw your attention to this fact." Glimmer bowed helpfully and headed towards her chambers. As she passed them, she gave them a soft, friendly smile. "So we have an unexpected ally," the clone woman thought.

He felt an burst of power and left the hut. He returned to her after his conversation with Shadow Weaver to reflect on everything he had learned. His wife is alive, and so is the woman who destroyed his life. He was able to accept that the dark sorceress was alive, but he still didn't want revenge on her, at least not enough for her to blind him. What was important now was saving Angela, everything else was secondary. But how was he supposed to do it? Especially alone? Shadow Weaver promised to help him afterward, but could he trust her? However, he had no one to ask for help. He couldn't tell Glimmer because the chances of saving Angela were slim, and he couldn't let his daughter go through the Pain of losing her mother again. He couldn't tell Glimmer about it either because of the Shadow Weaver, but even if Glimmer hadn't immediately started teleporting around the planet, alerting everyone to the Dark Sorceress's presence, she would have told Catra everything, and the cat girl's anger which still burn brightly and it could cause old wounds to reopen. Likewise, he couldn't tell any other member of the alliance, because either they herself wouldn't keep a secret from Catra, or their spouse wouldn't. The exceptions were Netossa and Spinnerella, and Huntara, although he didn't know how the latter could help them. However, he could count on Castaspella and Lance and George the most, because none of them would act rashly... For a moment he thought about telling the others about this other girl so similar to Catra and about the Heart Gift., but he decided that it could lead to this anyway that Shadow Weaver is alive, even this AI could make some comment that would reveal too much. No, for now he had to stay silent, although it was hard for him to describe how difficult it was. So he sighed heavily and with great effort put on the cheerful mask that parents so often had to put on for their children, and then went outside to greet Glimmer.

His daughter stared at the starry sky. She looked dreamy, although she looked exhausted. She turned to him, smiling tenderly.

"Do you often stare at the stars, wondering what they might be hiding?" she asked. He looked up for a moment and said.

"Often, both during the day and at night. You see, on Beast Island I haven't seen an open sky for so many years. At first it even made me anxious, but then there was a war and I couldn't afford to be afraid... And now I like looking at it because it reminds me that I am finally free.| he said, and then Glimmer sighed and became sad, so he asked her. - Did something happen. She hesitated before answering, which only confirmed his fears. She then told him that a Lord Admiral had come to Etheria, bringing his own fleet with him, and that he was Catra's father. He fell silent, wondering how much of this Shadow Weaver knew. She had this other girl with her. She implied that she and Catra were sisters. Did the Admiral know about this too? It wouldn't surprise him if she kept it from him. Even as a Light Spinner, she loved mysteries and secrets.

"How is Catra?" he asked, thinking about his feline friend.

- She's confused, like all of us. Oh daddy, do you want me to take you to Brightmoon ? – she asked shyly. He hesitated because he knew that Glimmer was definitely counting on his support, but on the other hand he couldn't imagine how he could look his Daughter and Catra in the eye while hiding such great secrets.

"Unfortunately, I can't. I'm still looking for information about Umbracor. On my last trip, I found more questions than answers."

Glimmer nodded thoughtfully and said.

"When you come to the wedding, I have great news for you, but for now, dad, I have to go back. – she disappeared in a flash of Magic.

"I may have some wonderful news for you too, if I can" he thought and went back to the cottage to look through "The History of the Sorcerer's War" at the top of the page was written "The Secret of Kranor Rill"

Doctor Sidonius silently landed on the ground and assumed his true form. He decided that there was no point in hiding his talent on this planet, since they had already learned that the locals knew surprisingly little about vampires and the undead. On the other hand, the only person present was Archduke Kane Adamson, who was sitting on a bench and looking at the mural painted on the ornate wall. Previously, he was finished off by a nice deaf artist. She became friends with his daughter, despite her disability. He approached the mural that depicted the history of the last months of the war. He looked at the image of a tall winged woman.

"Well, so you were the queen... Who would have thought." said the ancient vampire with a smile showing both fangs. Kane looked at him with his blue eyes, glowing in the dark. Most mortals trembled under that gaze, but he was used to ancient terror… And he wasn't a mortal.

"After all these millennia, you should have noticed long ago that we encounter extraordinary people very often." said a man with hair as red as blood in a thoughtful voice. He had been in a reflective mood since they arrived on this planet. As far as he knew him, the Archduke of Carurystal had a tendency towards melancholy, which contrasted with the brutal, almost barbaric impression he had on others.

"If you say so." he said and touched the mural with his fingertips, but then Kane Adamson added.

"Or maybe this is just our impression, because due to our existence lasting eons, we simply remember only extraordinary and unique people, and we forget about the countless masses of ordinary mortals who are dubiously lucky to cross our path."

Dr. Sidonius snorted in irritation

- You're starting to talk like an Elf.

"No, probably the Elves are ones who talk like me." Kane said and walked up to the mural, looking at it thoughtfully. Dr. Sidonius looked at the image of the cat girl kissing She- Ra .

"When I told everyone that the girl survived, no one believed me, but here you go, look how high she has reached." he said, beaming with joy.

"It's not your fault, Doctor. It's probably due to fate, which, as we both know, is a nasty bitch." The Archduke of Carurystal touched Horde Prime's likeness just before She-Ra destroyed him.

"I remember a certain man, his name was Galtea the Avenger. He claimed to be a hero fighting evil, but he was a fucker even worse than me, that's quite an achievement. He didn't really accomplish much, he wanted to hunt me down before his career took off, and I'm probably the only one who remembers his existence, but... He was the first being to talk about the cold, cleansing light. Then I heard similar words many times. They were always invoked by exceptional Bastards. Horde Prime was similar to them, although admittedly much more powerful." said the Archduke of Carurystal. Dr. Sidonius shrugged.

"There are a finite number of ideas, and with the scale of the universe, it's only a matter of time until someone comes up with the same idea again."

"Maybe... You know, I was here. I don't know when or why, but I remember being there."

The Doctor looked sideways at his companion.

"And what were you doing? – he asked suspiciously.

"I'm not sure, but I think there's something very bad, even for me... I have to look for something here, something I lost. I'll leave you for a while. I'm sure you'll be fine without me." he said and set off on his way, illuminated by the glow of the enchanted moons.