Icy Snow
Adora thrashed in her sleep. She was almost caught in an invisible fight between the waking and dreaming worlds. Sweat covered her forehead and body as though she was sleeping inside an oven. Her hand gripped the sheet over her body like her life depended on it. Her breath became shallow and hoarse. She heard muttering and whispers in her ears, making her head spin like she was being plunged into a whirlwind of emotions.
"Adora…"
"Adora…"
"Your… destiny… re-clai-... your duty… You are-"
Images of the Battle for Brightmoon flashed at a breakneck pace. Shots of She-Ra battling the soldiers were clouded in bright lights like those of the sun. Instances of He-Man echoed with a loud rumbling thunder. It was like images and pictures of a past life passed on a film reel over and over again, trying to remind whoever was watching them that they happened. And each time the images flashed and passed before the watcher, the more realistic and vibrant they felt.
Adora couldn't help but feel like she was strapped to a chair and forced to watch everything in an endless loop. Her eyes were unable to look away, as the images were engraved in her memories. She begged for it to stop, but her mouth was gone. She tried to look away and make a run for whatever way was the exit. But she couldn't move.
Like a puppet with no one pulling her strings, she remained in one spot, looking out with focused eyes.
"...Adora…"
"Adora…"
"Adora!"
Adora shot up, awake and coated with a layer of sweat that would've left an athlete in shame. She looked around to find herself in an unfamiliar place. She could tell it was a transport truck from the Horde, but she didn't know why she was in it. Her breath was erratic and she felt like she was losing more oxygen than getting it in each gulp.
"Adora, calm down, we're here." Lonnie grabbed Adora by the shoulders, hoping to calm her down. "You're safe. Just take a deep breath and let it out slowly."
Adora did as Lonnie instructed her. As she focused on her friend, unsure of what had happened.
"L-Lonnie? Where? Where are we?" Adora asked. "What happened?"
Lonnie couldn't help but look at her friend incredulously.
"You're kidding, right?" Lonnie asked. "You don't remember anything?"
Adora shook her head, wincing. She felt like her head was on fire or had been.
"You turning into She-Ra and wrecking both Muscular's forces and attacking Brightmoon?" Lonnie asked.
Adora's eyes widened at the question. She remembered it. She remembered taking the sword from Catra and then nothing. Her mind went blank after that. She didn't know what had happened, but Lonnie's words made her think of the strange dream she had experienced. Deep down in her soul, she remembered. She remembered what had happened to her.
"Did… Did I actually do that?" Adora asked in fear of what had happened. "I didn't know that being turned into a princess was contagious!"
"Yeah, I don't think this is something that you can catch like the flu." Lonnie handed Adora some food rations. "So, um, I got good news and bad news."
"What's the good news?" Adora asked.
"The good news is that we managed to get you out of there before things turned ugly and they could capture you. We found this busted truck, fixed it up and we got out of the Whispering Woods while the getting was good." Lonnie leaned against her chair, rubbing her eyes.
"And the bad news?" Adora finished her food.
"Um… We might've deserted and Muscular sent word to Horde high command and now we're on their most wanted list…" Lonnie muttered.
Adora's eyes snapped open as she almost choked from the news.
"What?!" Adora snapped in shock.
Just then the back door of the truck opened up to reveal Scorpia carrying some equipment.
"Hey Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelio need help fixing the radio, mind switching with me?" Scorpia noticed the awake Adora. "Adora, you're okay!" She dropped the radio, rushing to hug her friend. "We were worried so much when you didn't wake up for three whole days!"
"Three days?!" Adora snapped, freeing herself from the hug. "I've been out for three whole days?"
"I was hoping to ease her into it," Lonnie groaned.
Adora rushed out of the truck, nearly falling on her face when she saw that they were parked nowhere near the Frightzone. She felt the grass of the plain under her feet as she realized just how much she had missed. And that wasn't the only problem she was facing. Her memories flashed before her and had returned her to that fight against the forces of Brightmoon and what she had done to Izuku and Catra. Her legs became as weak as wet noodles, dropping her to the ground.
"Adora!" Lonnie and Scorpia rushed to help their friend as Kyle and Rogelio noticed what was happening. "Adora, are you alright?"
Adora couldn't help but whisper only one word. She didn't mean to say it, but it came to her over and over again. Like an echo of a past life, she muttered the word. The one word that had messed with her since day one and also the one that held all the answers to who she was.
"...She-Ra."
Far from the plains where Adora and her friends had made their camp, in the northern regions of Etheria, and close to the Kingdom of Snows, the Horde had set up shop in the Icy North. The Horde soldiers were working tirelessly under Modulock's orders, setting up the base and searching for the technology that had been left behind by the First Ones. The icy temperatures were quickly taking their toll on the Horde's people, but the land of ice and snow wasn't the only problem they faced.
"Move on, you wimps! Hordak wants the tech buried under this ice come hell or high water!" Modulock called out, barking orders from under a heavy coat.
The Horde scientist pulled out a data pad from his coat. He observed how the screen lit up with the pictures of the newest most wanted people on the Horde's list. Smirking at the picture of Adora in her She-Ra form and the faces of her former task force.
"Oh how I wish that I could see Shadow Weaver's face. After all, having your star pupil turn into a traitor and turn that other kid into a monster has to sting." Modulock looked out into the ever growing hole in the snow. "But enough about pleasant thoughts. Give me a status report on the progress of the tech retrieval." He ordered one of the soldiers.
He gazed down at the deep black hole in the middle of the white snow. Pulling up his readings, he made sure that the tech was indeed under their feet. He narrowed his eyes as he noted that this was a very good change of fortunes. The scientist couldn't tell how long ago it was that he had caught such readings for First Ones' tech. A dark theory started to worm its way through his mind as he played the recording of Muscular's encounter with this new She-Ra.
"Oh, we're going to have so much fun," Moculock chuckled as two figures squirmed around in the darkness below.
In the icy waters of the Northern sea, the Dragon's Daughter III sailed towards the area of heavy Horde activity. Sea Hawk was at the wheel with Loyax making sure that he didn't do anything too drastic. Izuku, Catra, Glimmer, Bow, Mermista and Frosta were all keeping their eyes open for anything that might attack them or hamper their progress.
"Why is it so cold?!" Catra groaned under her heavy coat. "This is worse than the Kingdom of Snows."
"Well, we're farther north than my kingdom, these waters are often full of ice and waters so cold not many can survive without warming spells." Frosta moved a large piece of ice from their path.
"I gotta side with kitty here, I'm more of a warm blooded girl myself," Mermista said, hugging Izuku and Catra, trying to gather more heat into her body. "You want to add something, boy scout~?"
Izuku blushed, as did Catra and Glimmer. They didn't know how, but Mermista had been winking and looking at them with sultry eyes during the whole trip. It was as if she knew what they had done and wanted to have a taste of it for herself. As though she were a siren, singing for her lovers to join her, Mermista kept them as close as she could with her arms.
"We should look for any activity from the Horde," Glimmer cleared her throat. "Bow, what does your pad say?"
"According to the reports and the data Entrapta's recorded, there had been a substantial spike of First Ones' tech activity all over Etheria," Bow explained. "One of the strongest signatures is not far from here, which coincides with the reports that Frosta has received. We should be there in a few minutes before we have to go on foot."
"What could the Horde be looking for in this desolate land?" Loyax asked. "If they're willing to venture here it must be dangerous."
"If it's First Ones' tech then we don't need much help imagining it." Glimmer shivered.
"Not to mention all the legends and rumors of creatures that swim in these waters," Sea Hawk added.
"Then we best keep our eyes open," Izuku added.
The ship continued on its path until they came upon a stable enough clearing to disembark. Izuku, Catra, Glimmer, Bow, Mermista, Frosta got off the ship, giving instructions to Sea Hawk and Loyax to return to the Kingdom of Snow's outpost in case they didn't return. It didn't go well with Loyax, but the weather made for a great reminder that they needed to be ready to leave as soon as they could.
The group followed Bow's datapad as it was picking up the readings from the First Ones' tech. The ice and snow were making the trek hard enough, but the blowing winds were holding the entire expedition down. Izuku had tied a rope around their waists, keeping them all together as they made their way to where the signal was coming.
"What do you think the Horde is hoping to get up here?" Catra asked, holding onto Izuku's shoulder.
"There have been some found ruins of the First Ones here and there close to these parts, but always like they were old outposts looking far north," Frosta replied.
"So why are they suddenly acting out like this?" Mermista asked, using her trident as a walking stick.
"These ruins aren't the only ones acting up, other places around Etheria with First Ones' ruins have been giving off the same kind of signatures. Almost as if they've been turned on or powering up." Bow almost fell on the snow only for Glimmer to catch him.
"You guys think Light Hope must be behind this?" Izuku asked, remembering the old AI being dead set on returning the First Ones to glory.
The rest of the group looked at Izuku as he looked down at his own hands with determination. They realized that he was still working out the revelation that he was a First One and that he almost conquered Etheria.
Catra and Glimmer placed their hands on his shoulders, trying to cheer him up.
"I don't know if that old hologram lady is behind this or not, but if she is, we'll just kick her ass, got it boy scout?" Mermista hugged Izuku with one arm, pressing his face into her breasts. "So quit that mopey attitude. You've got us to fall back on. Got it you three?"
Mermista looked at Izuku, Catra and Glimmer with a determined look that only a sea captain could give her crew. As soon as their gazes met the three met a warmth that was more than just physical.
"Um, hey, guys, we've got something!" Frosta said, knocking them back to reality.
The group looked down and spotted large tracks in the snow. They looked like tank and vehicle tracks but they were much smoother with some holes next to them. One thing was for certain, though, whatever had made these tracks was large. Very large.
"Wow, look at the size of these," Bow said.
"These aren't tank tracks or those of any Horde vehicle." Catra knelt down to look at the tracks more carefully. "Something else made these tracks."
"Frosta, do you have any idea of what might have done this?" Izuku asked.
"Not really, but I have heard stories of some creatures that roam these parts. Large beasts with glowing red eyes and iron like skin, with jaws big enough to bite down on passing ships, leaving them to sink down to the depths of the icy waters." Frosta used her hands as jaws to sell her point.
"So we've got the Horde and strange monsters to deal with at the same time, great." Glimmer growled at the situation. "Can you tell where the tracks are headed?"
"It looks like they're heading East." Catra pointed.
"Which is where all the readings are coming from," Bow added, holding up his pad.
"Terrific," Mermista muttered.
Back at the Horde base, Modulock was supervising the acquisition of the new pieces of First Ones tech. And so far he wasn't as pleased with his findings. The pieces he was observing and analyzing were far too deteriorated to be of any use and the others were frozen to the point of being no better than ice cubes. He growled at the sight before him.
"This is far too sad to be funny. This can't be what has been sending the signals from this forsaken pit of snow," Modulock mocked. "Could the damn tech be hidden under a thick coat of ice? Why would Hordak send me here if not for something important?"
Just then, the screen of his personal computer lit up with an incoming transmission.
"Speak of the devil." Modulock answered the call, which turned out to be none other than Hordak. "Lord Hordak, what a lovely surprise it is to see you. I would've sent a postcard if you were missing my charming disposition. How may I be of service?"
"Have you recovered the technology from the tundra region?" Hordak asked.
"We've run into some problems but we're making progress. Sadly the bits and pieces we've been able to dig out of the ice are in too poor of a condition to be of any use for your project." Modulock gestured to the table. "However, the readings still show that there is still something deeper, under the ice."
Hordak's eyes narrowed at the monstrous scientist.
"Then why haven't you dug it out?" Hordak snarled.
"We've run into some… complications." Modulock revealed a torn bot that looked like it had been bitten in half. "It seems we're not as alone as we'd hoped."
"The guardians are as effective as ever. They won't stop until a First One commands them to stop, but I suspect that after all these years, their systems have gone feral." Hordak scratched his chin. "If you encounter them, eliminate them."
"May I keep one as a guinea pig?" Modulock asked, twirling his claws like a child asking for a toy.
"They are a product of a bygone era, corrupted by magic. I want them gone!" Hordak cut the transmission with one final glare.
"Oh well, I'll see what I can learn from their remains." Modulock sighed.
Outside the Horde base, Izuku, Catra, Glimmer, Bow, Mermista and Frosta were observing the base from behind one of the snow mounds. They were looking at the soldiers securing the perimeter as they moved some heavy digging machinery into the large hole they were digging.
"Well here's the Horde base, and it looks like they're digging up the First Ones' ruins." Glimmer observed through her binoculars.
"What do you think they want with them?" Izuku asked, looking at some of the wrecked equipment. "And what did that?"
"Angry polar bears?" Catra joked.
"More like the snow monsters," Frosta replied.
"Either way, the Horde is really after whatever is down there. It must be important," Glimmer said. "Bow, can you tell us anything from your readings?"
Bow lifted his data pad, but he only received static and a strong beeping coming from the hole. He turned the dials and pressed the buttons on his pad, hoping to get a better reading, but no luck.
"I can only tell that it's a strong energy signature. Must be something big for these ruins," Bow replied.
"So what? We go down there and beat them to the punch or we just wreck their stuff and seal the hole?" Mermista asked. "Frosty and I can make that hole into an icy pool."
Izuku narrowed his eyes at the Horde operation. It would be pointless to lie and say that he didn't want to see what was going on at the bottom of that cold pit in the middle of the frozen wasteland like the rest of the Horde wanted with baited breath, but another part of him was whispering sneaking feelings of curiosity of what was under the ice. He bit his lip at the thought of learning more about the First Ones. Izuku hated the feeling of being the part of a higher game in which he had no control over. His time as Light Hope's puppet left a bad taste in his mouth and he wanted to get even with her by stopping her and the Horde. His grip on the snow was crushing it into a melting ice shard in which he was pouring all his frustrations and indecisiveness.
"Hey, there's movement over there," Bow commented, snapping Izuku out of his thoughts.
Izuku and the rest of the group looked up to see what Bow was pointing at. They spotted Modulock and a few of his robots walking up to a platform at the edge of the hole before it slowly started to lower down into the deep. They noticed that the head Horde scientist had a strange machine that he was towing behind him like a travel bag.
"What was that he carried?" Catra asked.
"It could be a bomb or something." Glimmer glared at the scientist as he went down. "Knowing that crazed scientist he could be carrying something very dangerous."
"If he detonates a bomb or anything under the ice caps, it could cause a chainreaction that would threaten my kingdom." Frosta's eyes widened in fear at what that could mean for her home. "I won't let that happen."
"It looks like we'll have to go down there and stop whatever he's planning," Izuku said. "Let's go."
The group made their way towards the large dug out hole. Using the blizzard as coverage, they became invisible to the other soldiers. They struck quickly and silently, knocking one with an electric arrow, teleporting another one away, freezing a few, and hitting a lot more with Mermista's trident, Catra's sword and Izuku's fists.
"That's the last of 'em," Mermista said, as they left the soldiers locked inside their base without their weapons. "You guys ready to get down there?"
Izuku tightened his fist, nodding in a determined look.
"Well, let's not keep the doc waiting." Catra held up her sword. "For the Honor of Grayskull!" She transformed into her She-Ra form once more, standing tall in the middle of the icy tundra around her.
"Hey, Catra, aren't you cold in that form?" Bow asked.
Catra was about to answer but then she did notice her lack of cold weather wear thanks to her transformation. She remembered the many theories that Izuku had come up with regarding her transformation and how her clothes changed and then returned to normal without the slightest hint of wear or tear. He had told her that maybe her clothes transformed with her and that was why she always had no problem with weather or conditions while she was transformed. She usually had just shrugged it off to be tough enough to keep up with it.
"Guess she's just that tough," Glimmer commented. "Alright, everyone hang onto me and I'll teleport us down to the bottom."
"We don't know what's down there, icy caves could be home to some very dangerous creatures and other things," Frosta countered.
Izuku looked at the platform and then got an idea.
"Frosta, could you and Mermista make some kind of elevator platform like the one Modulock used?" Izuku asked.
Mermista and Frosta looked at each other, considering the idea that Izuku had suggested. They smiled.
"I think we know what you're going on about, Izuku," Mermista said.
Mermista and Frosta created a small river and icy platform with their combined magical powers for the team's travel into the dark depths.
The team followed the platform's path down with their eyes open in case of any unforeseen surprises. However, the more they went down that path, the darker the way became.
"How deep do you think we're going?" Glimmer created a ball of light in her palm as Catra used the Sword of Protection like a long light stick.
"Pretty deep. So, any idea of what could be down here?" Bow asked.
"If it is from the First Ones it has to be bad," Frosta replied, making Izuku slightly flinch.
Mermista noticed his reaction before pulling him to the side.
"Mind giving us a sec?" Mermista asked, putting Izuku and herself in a water bubble.
"Hey, what gives?!" Catra and Glimmer snapped.
"What do you think that's about?" Bow asked.
Catra and Glimmer just glared at Bow, causing him to jump back in fear.
Inside the water bubble, Mermista looked at Izuku dead in the eyes, pressing her chest against his own.
"Me-mer-Mermista, what's wrong? Why are you doing this?" Izuku asked.
"I should be asking you the first question. You still have a chip on your shoulder about what Light Hope did to you and being a First One," Mermista said. "So what exactly bothers you?"
Izuku tried to break eye contact with Mermista, but she was doing everything to have him pinned and unable to look away. Her brown eyes were drawing him back to her all too much, just like when Catra tried to get the truth and information out of him. He let out a sigh, admitting the truth.
"I just don't know how to feel. I've met people with a positive outlook on them and some with a negative outlook. I didn't know how to feel about them then, I guess. Then I found out that I was one of them and that they did something to Etheria that I didn't like. Whatever they did was wrong, I can feel it." Izuku tightened his fist as he tried to rationalize his thoughts and say them without rejecting them. "I don't want to be like them, governing people like that. I am nothing like them."
"Hey, no one is saying that you are. So you can read their chicken scratches and make their stuff work, so what? Take it from me, you don't have to be something you don't want to be only because your blood comes from a couple of assholes." Mermista looked away, remembering her parents with a sigh. "You might be many things, but you'll be the best you you can be. Your choice, remember?"
Izuku hadn't thought about it. He might be a descendant of the First Ones, but he didn't have to be like them. His actions were his own and his decisions didn't have to be like theirs. He would learn more about them, but not become like them. With a determined fire in his eyes he gave Mermista a strong hug that made the princess stiffen up, blushing from the sudden action. After a few seconds he pulled out of the hug, and gave Mermista a genuine smile of happiness.
"Thanks, Mermista. You're amazing," Izuku said, giving the princess a sunny smile that made Mermista weak at the knees and warm in her heart.
Mermista couldn't understand how someone like her, who had been with several lovers, was being moved by a few nice words and gestures of true care. It was like she was a young princess once more and a dashing sea knight was wooing her like in the stories of old.
"D-Don't mention it, boy scout," Mermista stuttered slightly. "You'll pay me back later. With interest."
Mermista pulled down the bubble, letting Izuku step out before hugging Catra and Glimmer in a bear hug.
The two girls returned the hug without a second thought. They looked at Mermista, mouthing a 'thank you' only for Mermista to flirty wink back at them. The sea princess was making them know that she knew what they had going and that she was eagerly awaiting her turn.
Just as Catra and Glimmer were about to blush, the group heard a loud roar coming from below.
"That didn't sound like an angry polar bear." Bow prepared his bow only for a few energy shots to fly out from below.
Izuku looked down to see the origin of the roars and lasers.
"Uh oh."
Down below he saw that Modulock was not alone with his bots. He saw the ruins of another First Ones construction, with ice covering bits and pieces of it as the ravages of time had tried to bury it from anyone and anything that sought to plunder the secrets within. And just between his team and the ruins there were two massive beasts roaring and attacking the bots that Modulock had brought with him.
The beasts were as large as whales with metallic skin covering their bodies, a gray underbelly that reached onto their lower jaws that resembled more like the mouths of a machine than an actual living being. They had small spike-like legs on either side of their bodies that helped them move and long heavy tails meant to crush anything in their path. And with a pair of red glowing eyes on top of their oval shaped faces tied up the look of the vicious guardians.
"Oh great," Catra groaned.
"Are those Elementals?" Glimmer asked.
"Whatever they are, they're fighting Modulock's bots," Frosta said.
"Then where is he?" Bow asked.
Izuku's eyes spotted the large door of the ruins was open.
"He must've gone in while the guardians were distracted." Izuku pointed.
"So what do we do, fearless leaders?" Mermista asked.
Izuku looked at his friends, giving them a smile.
"We'll have to get past the guardians and into the ruins. Mermista, Frosta, see if you can slow them down by pinning their legs." Izuku instructed. "Glimmer teleport Bow above them and fire some stun arrows at their eyes. Catra, you and I will hit them to knock them off balance." Izuku jumped forward, using One For All to his limits.
"Sounds good to me!" Catra jumped after Izuku with her sword turned into a shield.
Mermista and Frosta jumped down to the bottom, sending a wave of water and ice towards the guardians. Their combined elemental powers took the bots by surprise before enveloping their spider-like legs in a combined freezing embrace, pinning them in place.
The two guardians roared as they pulled their legs out of the ice before they were fully encased. Their large bodies were enough to help them break free, but that was all that Izuku and Catra needed.
The two friends reeled back their respective fists as they charged with energy. Izuku landed a punch on the forehead of the first creature as Catra slammed her shield on the side of the second creature. Their attacks pushed the guardians back, giving Glimmer and Bow the opening that they needed.
Glimmer teleported herself and Bow over the two elementals with two arrows ready.
Bow fired his two arrows at each of the guardians' heads. The arrows burst into bright flashes of flaring light, blinding the guardians.
As the blinded guardians roared in pain and slammed into each other and against the walls of the hole, the group rushed into the ruins, wanting to go in and stop Modulock before the ruins crumbled above them.
The group entered the ruins, noting that the remains were in much poorer condition than the Beacon. The walls were covered in ice and some icicles had even broken through them, breaking what looked like important pieces of First Ones' tech. Written on the walls were the same markings of the lost civilization's language along with what looked like numbers that spoke of what the ruins were meant to be used for.
"Alright, no killer AI yet, that's a plus," Catra said, noting the writing on the walls. "These guys really liked to draw on the walls."
"This place is running on very little power, almost as if all the energy is being diverted somewhere else." Bow looked at his datapad, observing the readings of the ruins.
"Izuku, can you read what's written on the walls?" Glimmer asked.
"And why they decided to write on the walls instead of, I don't know, a scroll or a book or one of their fancy computers?" Frosta asked.
"I don't know about that part but I can try to read what it says." Izuku read out loud. "'Archived Record of Magic Readings number 541: The energy signatures of the planet have remained slowly increasing as predicted. The inhibitors have been failing more and more as the new Runestones have been established. Must request the High Council and the king do something to suppress the flow. If this is not addressed quickly, we will not be able to maintain the standards that our society has become so accustomed to.' What?"
"That doesn't sound good at all," Catra said.
Izuku continued reading the inscriptions that weren't covered with ice. The more he read the more questions and answers appeared to pop in his mind. He didn't know if he was more shocked or intrigued by the heritage of his ancestors. He was caught in the middle once more. But he didn't take it to heart like before. He wasn't responsible for what had been done by the First Ones, but he would be responsible for his own actions.
"'We must recalibrate the Sword of Protection should it be the reason for magic's rise. This feels like a new age dawning and how the hubris of our society is crashing down around us. But some of us believe that it isn't that tool that is failing. The latest She-Ra, Mara, may be the one-.' That's all that's left." Izuku turned to his friends. "It just mentions something about a 'Layline Nexus'. But I don't know what that means."
"It sounds like whoever was running this place and the whole First One civilization were using magic as a living battery," Mermista said. "But someone stopped them."
"Mara," Glimmer added.
"Whatever she did brought an end to the First Ones and their civilization, and if that's what Light Hope was talking about, that must be why she was so focused on getting She-Ra back under her control." Izuku rubbed his chin.
"You know I was wondering what those chicken scratches on the walls were."
The team turned around to see none other than Modulock with three of his killer bots behind him, with one of them carrying a large crystal disk behind them. The heroes prepared themselves for a fight, although Modulock was writing down the information that Izuku had read.
"Would you mind repeating the name of that lady? It started with an M, right?" Modulock asked.
"Not a chance!" Izuku snapped with a flaring green aura.
"Drop it, freakshow!" Catra pointed her sword at the scientist and the robots, causing the bots to pull out their weapons.
"No, I don't think I will," Modulock put the datapad away. "It doesn't matter, kid. I got what I wanted and what Hordak wanted. But I will tell Shadow Bitch that you were a diamond in the rough, a real trooper. She was a fool for wanting you dead."
"You won't have to, we're taking you under arrest by authority of the Alliance!" Glimmer's first glowed brightly and with power.
"Ooh, you've gotten stronger?!" Modulock laughed. "Sorry, but I gotta go now, bye!"
Modulock's robots started shooting at the heroes, while Modulock and the other bot scurried off amidst the chaos.
The heroes jumped out of the way of the red blaster shots, jumping from side to side and avoiding the shots. The battle began with the robot's lasers hitting the walls and ceiling behind and above the heroes, forcing them to dodge both the lasers and the falling bits of ice and crystals.
Izuku and Catra used their superstrength to block and destroy any of the falling slabs of crystal and ice. Izuku smashed through the ice with a swift ax kick into the air while Catra sliced through a chunk of the ceiling before it fell on top of them. Their teamwork was the perfect shield against the falling disaster that was coming down on them and their friends.
Frosta fired ice daggers at the bots, taking out three of the four blasters they each had.
Just as the bots were about to repair themselves from the attack, Bow added his own arrows into the attack, tangling their legs and blinding them with a gooey arrow.
Using this opening, Glimmer teleported her staff to her hands before teleporting above one of the bots. She held up the staff above her head before bringing the bladed moon tip down on the bot. With a swift motion, her weapon sliced the Horde machine's head in half, causing the rest of the body to fall down to the icy floor in defeat.
Just as the second bot was about to shoot Glimmer, Mermista's trident split the bot in half down the middle. She stepped up, flooding the Horde robot before it could pull itself together.
"Let's get out of here, and stop Modulock!" Glimmer pulled out her weapon from the bot before the team ran towards the entrance once more.
They made their way outside, but were met by the giant elemental guardians and not Modulock.
They didn't have time to wonder as to the location of the monstrous scientist as the elementals were on them like a pair of attack dogs on a group of intruders. They ran around the large beasts as their large teeth lunged at the icy floor, biting deeply into it and taking large chunks for their teeth to shatter. The heroes each tried to fight against the beasts however they could.
However, as the heroes fought against the guardians with all their might, the Horde scientist and his surviving bot made themselves visible.
"I knew these invisibility devices were a good idea," Modulock chuckled as he raised the platform.
Back in the battle, the heroes were facing the guardians with all they had.
Izuku ran around the two beasts, landing blows on their legs to knock them to the ground before kicking them in the face. Catra jumped on top of them before swinging her sword at their hides, leaving a trail of sparks with her blade. Glimmer fired blasts of glittering energy at their eyes, hoping to blind them. Bow aided Glimmer by firing a few flare arrows at their eyes, managing only to make them rampage even more. Mermista and Frosta joined their forces once more, engulfing the legs of the guardians with their combined water and ice powers.
"Let's pull 'em down!" Frosta called out, encasing the guardians in ice.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Mermista smirked.
"I don't get out much." Frosta shot ice spikes onto the guardians, causing them to roar.
The guardians broke free from the ice before smacking Izuku and Catra off of them.
"These things are so stubborn!" Catra snapped, landing on her feet with Izuku next to him.
"Any ideas? I'm kinda running out of arrows here." Bow loaded another arrow on her bow.
"These things were created by the First Ones to guard this place, but how have they remained for so long?" Glimmer asked.
"It's probably got to do with their exoskeletons being as strong as reinforced steel," Catra added.
Izuku and Glimmer then got an idea. They looked at the creatures, noticing that the creatures were not actual animals.
"Izuku if these things are actually machines," Glimmer began.
"Then they must operate under a certain program that only other First Ones would know!" Izuku finished, turning towards the guardians as they lunged at them. He took a deep breath, arming himself with valor and courage. "Eternia!"
Izuku's scream reached the two massive guardians, forcing them to stop mere inches from the heroes. He slowly opened one of his eyes, only to be greeted by the eyes of the two guardians turning teal green. All the rage and mean desire to kill faded from the guardians before his eyes.
"Wow, it worked?" Catra asked.
The guardians didn't move an inch, as if expecting Izuku to give them an order.
"Um, go into the ruins and sleep there." Izuku pointed to the ruins, hoping that the guardians did as he had instructed.
The guardians did as Izuku had told them, leaving them alone as a pair of obedient creatures.
Izuku and the rest observed the two large beasts coil around each other as they turned down for the near future. For a moment, they forgot that these creatures were large and big enough to swallow them whole, instead now they looked more like a pair of adorable tuckered out beasties.
"That's one way of winning a fight," Catra commented.
"They look so adorable!" Bow squealed.
"For giant bio-weapons that were about to kill us five minutes ago," Mermista muttered. "Anyone got eyes on the creepy scientist guy?"
"No, he must've slipped past us with that piece of tech." Frosta punched her palm in frustration. "That rat!"
Izuku and the rest of the heroes made it back to the Dragon's Daughter III and were sailing back to warmer climates. Throughout the trip they discussed all the possibilities that the Horde head scientist could do with that piece of information and technology. They didn't like the outcome of most of them. The possibility of the Horde having a powerful First Ones piece was not helping them one bit.
"You okay?" Catra asked Izuku.
"Yeah, I'm feeling better. But the Horde got away with the piece they wanted." Izuku looked down. "Then we'll have to find out what they want it for and stop them."
"Well, from what you read, that place was meant to analyze magic, whatever that means. So it must be something to do with magic," Catra said.
"And to get more answers we'll need to get Entrapta's help, that way we can stop them." Izuku looked up with determination.
In the depths of Hordak's sanctum, Modulock presented the large crystal disk to his master with a sinister toothy grin.
"Here it is, Lord Hordak. The Nexus Mother Box from the First Ones' Magic Recording Facility, just like you asked." Modulock chuckled. "With this baby, the next step of your plan will make all of Etheria tremble."
Just then, Shadow Weaver walked out of the shadows with a glare on her masked face.
"Oh Shadow Weaver, about time for you to show up." Modulock rolled his eyes. "You know I wondered what you were doing all this time. I'm out there making our fearless leader's plans work and you are sulking away with that corpse you call an apprentice."
"I have been organizing the Horde's forces to take up different territories throughout Etheria, make sure the troops are armed and ready to fight, and then look what I found." Shadow Weaver held out a wanted poster for Adora.
"Oh, they used the picture I recommended." Modulock chuckled.
"Lord Hordak, do you have any idea what this fool has done?! He has made one of our most effective Force Captains into a fugitive! All her efforts and skills are now being wasted!" Shadow Weaver ranted.
"I take it that you haven't read the reports, Shadow Weaver," Hordak replied in a calm and sinister voice. "Adora was the one that destroyed our invasive force into the Whispering Woods. She was wielding the power of She-Ra herself. Your 'pet' is a First One!"
Shadow Weaver was shocked at the statement, but she kept her composure. She knew that Adora had so much potential and power in her when she first saw her, but she never expected her to be a descendant of the First Ones. Which in turn made her far more valuable than she previously had believed.
"Which is precisely why we cannot allow some bumbling bounty hunter in search of a meal or our own armies to go after her," Shadow Weaver argued. "She would be far more favorable on our side than as a fugitive."
Hordak glared at the sorceress with glowing red eyes.
"I will not have the failed symbol of the First Ones in my army. You will cease your retrieval of this traitor and focus on her destruction! I will not allow someone that has intimate knowledge of our operations out in the world to be snatched by our enemies." Hordak snapped. "Now, unless you have anything to add of any use, you will be on your way, Shadow Weaver."
Hordak walked up to Modulock before they took the piece of tech with him, leaving Shadow Weaver to stew in her rage. He was going to follow through on his plan, making sure that only his vision was going to be fulfilled. He had seen the fall of the First Ones by the actions of one She-Ra. And now he had two She-Ras to deal with or else, face the same end that his masters fell for.
