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Chapter Text

He woke up...

He drew in a breath and sat up, panting heavily. He felt like he had only just caught his breath for the first time in his life. His lungs were clogged with phlegm and with every breath he felt the pricks of hundreds of needles. He coughed violently and spat out the phlegm. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry and his throat felt tight, as if it hadn't been used for a long time. He wasn't sure where he was, or even who he was. Darkness reigned around him, except for one place. There was a large object emanating a soft, light blue light. It seemed to be glued to the cave wall and looked like a huge pulsating chrysalis. In its light he saw a face. It belonged to a young woman with fair skin. Half of her hair was black and the other half white, and the clothes she wore were torn and stained, also with something that looked like blood. She smiled at him more gently and then he recognized her.

„Claudia … My daughter.„ He said as if stating the obvious, and tears welled up in the girl's eyes and she ran to him, then hugged him…

„Oh, it worked! You remember me, you're yourself!„ she said with a breaking voice and he felt tears running down her cheeks. He was glad to see her too, but she was hugging him so tightly that he had trouble breathing. He was so weak, however, that he couldn't pull away from her. Luckily, his daughter noticed that she was causing him pain and let go of him.

„You act like you haven't seen me in years... „ He scratched his head, trying to focus his thoughts. „How many days was I unconscious?„ He said after a moment, looking at his clothes. It was fairly new, not quite fitting, the blouse was too big and the pants were a bit too big. He had dirty hair, and a few days of stubble, he felt like he hadn't washed in a long time, his whole body was covered in something like dust or dirt. When he didn't hear an answer, he looked at his daughter's face, and saw pain and sadness in it.

„Oh daddy... You don't remember anything... „ She said in a voice in which he could hear pain, sadness and fear He felt uneasy and focused his thoughts, trying to remember recent events. He remembered the battle, the fight with that Elf and... the fall. The fall was terrifying and seemed to last forever, and then there was darkness.

„How the did I survive that fall?„ and looking into his daughter's eyes, he knew the answer before the words left her lips.

„You didn't survive, dad... You were dead.”

The words rang in his head. He was dead… He had died, killed in the battle for the stormspire. He had no memory of that time, but his daughter had somehow managed to bring him back to life.

"How... How long?" he asked simply trying to breathe calmly to control his panic. His daughter hesitated before answering.

„Two years... It took me that long to get the knowledge I needed to do this... I had to do terrible things... „ she looked down and tears ran down my face... „ But I still needed some help...” she said and then he felt that they were not alone in this room... From the corner of his eye he noticed that Someone had lit a small burner, similar to the ones used in alchemical apparatuses... In its faint light he saw a figure. At first he took her for an Elf-woman dressed in loose robes, with long hair falling over her shoulders. However, but when she came closer and the light of this strange cocoon fully illuminated her figure, he inhaled sharply and stepped back, feeling terrified. He wasn't sure what race she belonged to. She had pointed ears, and a slender figure, but she had five fingers on her hands, and no horns. But apart from that, she looked monstrous. Her face was covered in strange scars that looked like cracked porcelain. And her hands ended in claws, and her eyes were yellow with strange pupils that looked like a cross. She smiled and saw that her mouth was full of sharp teeth.

„It has been written that is not dead who can eternal lie and even death can die with Strange Aeons. And indeed, we live in Strange Aeons„ she looked straight into his eyes..“ Returning to life is always difficult... In every possible way, I know something about it... Be glad, however, that your daughter is with you in such difficult times... I was not so lucky... „ she took a few steps towards him and he noticed that you were not around her swirling and dancing, as if they were a living creature. „ I know that now you would really like to rest, However, you do not have time for it... You've been dead for a long time, and in this place even my abilities were limited... The spell we cast will only keep you alive for seven days... There are ways to prolong your existence, but we must hurry. You are still needed alive... For we have a universe to save... But first we must free the Dark Star…

A year ago

Jezz watched her brother and Irion unforge the stone sarcophagus. It had been going on for three hours already, and she had a disquieting feeling that it would take even longer. She stood watch with her bow, making sure that no nasty things happened to them while they worked. Although she seriously considered giving up on it all and helping them with their work, on the other hand, they were in Xadia, in a territory unknown to her, a place that had been forbidden to them for centuries, the land of their enemy, where death lurked… And now the three of them, human siblings and an elf, were searching for treasures here together.

She was standing at the gate of a tunnel leading to the interior of an ancient tomb. It was located in the wall of a mountain, on a slope, with only one narrow path leading to it, practically invisible from below. They had been climbing here for half a day and she was starting to worry a little about how they would manage to get down with all the treasures, but oh well, it was one of those worries that everyone would like to have.

„How much longer? It'll be dark in two hours and it'd be best if the darkness didn't catch us halfway there!„ she called to her brother, but Irion answered instead.

„It's too late to go back anyway. That's why I told you to bring warm blankets. We'll work as long as we can, and then we'll lie down and cuddle up to each other.„ he laughed loudly, and she snorted. " Whoever has someone to cuddle with, will cuddle..." she thought with a wry smile. Well, Bog and Irion had always had a thing for each other. That in itself didn't bother her, but unfortunately her brother had started taking it a bit too seriously, and that was bad for business. She waited outside until it got dark, then wrapped her cloak more tightly around herself and went inside. She wouldn't see anything anyway. She lit a lantern and began to watch both men. They were dirty and sweaty, but the prospect of getting rich soon made them seem well-rested and ready to continue their long hours of toil.

“It still looks like it's barely chipped, you guys should seriously get to work...„ she snapped at the men.

„Maybe if we bought better tools?„ Irion asked , smiling friendly. He was an earth elf, or as he liked to call it, a Earthblod Elf. He was the one who had provided them with the maps leading to the tomb. She had some doubts as to why he had sought the help of human searchers, at first she had thought that he would simply not mind betraying them if necessary, but now she had a vague feeling that no one else wanted to cooperate with some elven man . What did that say about them? Well, the two previous expeditions to the far north of Duren had brought them only debts.

"We didn't have time, remember? Your friends from the Path were supposedly on the trail?" she asked, feeling her frustration growing.

„ Perhaps it would be worth the risk? „ the elf pondered, Jezz began to grit her teeth.

„There's no point in guessing what could have been, but it isn't. The worst is behind us anyway. We've avoided a dragon attack, bloodthirsty monsters, burning alive in lava streams. Now we just have to break this stone.„ he said and pointed to the tomb's lid. It was carved in the shape of a beautiful elven woman in precious robes, who was clutching a dagger with a wavy blade and some strange creature similar to a spider. She shuddered at the sight, she really didn't like this place. The rest of the tomb didn't look too impressive. It was just a hexagonal room with walls covered in frescoes depicting the story of the woman buried here. It was supposedly called the Witch Queen, and was the ruler of the elves from ages past. Truth be told, Jezz was disappointed when she didn't see heaps of gold in the room, but she hoped that in the tomb, there would be something that would reward them for their effort and money invested. Berman would be furious if they didn't pay her back.

„What are you thinking of spending the money on?” asked irion, grinning.

"I don't know, my sister says it's bad luck to spend money you don't have yet, but I'd buy new shoes.. ouch!" her brother shouted when he accidentally hit himself in the face with the handle of a pickaxe. "I think I broke my nose," he said, wiping his bloody nose and then resting his hand on the lid of the sarcophagus.

„You see! I warned you how this would end...„ she stopped when she saw the stone slab begin to melt like wax under the influence of fire. After a moment, it melted completely, and their eyes saw the body of the Witch Queen. It was dried up, but they could still tell that she was a surprisingly young woman, quite petite. On her head, she wore a crown set with rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other precious gems. Her robe was similarly decorated. It seemed to be preserved in surprisingly good condition. She reached for it and touched her face, so young and almost alive. She felt a strange coldness that made her hand go numb.

Then the dead woman opened her eyes. She gave a horribly painful half-shout, half-whine and rose. Her mouth opened unnaturally and she began to gasp for air. Her brother's body began to dry out and in a few moments there was only dust and bones.

Irion shouted and reached for his short sword. Then the woman grabbed him tightly by the wrist and after a moment the elf met the same fate as her brother. Jezz paralyzed with horror, looked at the Witch Queen, who was no longer a dried-up corpse. A young elven woman with a surprisingly delicate appearance stood before her. She had the features of all the elven varieties. The emerald in her crown shone. She looked at her and saw in her eyes boundless sadness.

„I'm sorry about them... „ a tear ran down her face. „ But their deaths were necessary. I have to prevent his return. And gain the desired revenge...„ she said in a gentle voice. „But I have to get to know the new world.”

Chapter Text

Lady Cala uttered a very nasty curse as she saw Nightgale cower on the ground, screaming.

"What's wrong with her?" Lady Ka asked, looking at the woman with a mixture of irritation and curiosity.

„Girl... The local queen, Glimmer is trying to take her power over the Runestone, and if that happens, the sorceress will die, because she need its magic to survive.„ she explained, and left better hand of Lord Admiral shrugged.

„Well, will she have to be left behind... Or should the problem be solved in a more direct way... „ Lady Ka asked, and she gritted her teeth in rage. A few days ago she would have agreed with the woman with blue hair, but now... Now something had changed and she didn't want Nightgale to die. Besides, they needed her to fulfill the orders of the Creeping Chaos, so she had to try to keep her alive for a while longer.

„We can't do that.„ She looked at the two cultists and ordered. „Pick her up and carry her, and I'll get this damn thing up and running. „ She said and went to the Transport device's console.

„In that case I'll leave you... Just take this.„ said Despara and handed them a standard, albeit quite expensive, interstellar transmitter. Lady Ka probably had some similar equipment, but it's good that this girl thought about it... Or not... It is not known what her intentions were. However, she had no time for such considerations, she took the item, put it in her pocket and pulled the lever, activating the portal. The stone platform ignited with bright grin flames.

„Okay, go in there, but let's say no more than eight people, okay?„ She said and was about to climb on him, but she noticed that the cultist was trying to lift Nightgale, who was too heavy for her, because her companion was wounded in the leg. She cursed again and snatched the young sorcerer from the girl's hands. The cultist fell and hit the stone floor hard, but she didn't care. She took Nightgale on her shoulders and entered the flames with her. At that time, Despara entered the slit of reality with her companion, but she couldn't watch it, because for a moment she felt a strange coldness permeating every tissue of her body. It wasn't actually painful, and Lady Ka and her two subordinates who jumped in after her didn't seem to be struck by the thorns like the cultists, because the girl did bring an injured man. At her command the white-haired girl came, she preferred not to leave her behind. Then a flash of light and they found themselves in another place.

She took a deep breath and felt that the air here was warmer, even stale. She looked around and was quite surprised to find that although they were in a similar dome to the one on Etheria, this one was in much better condition. Not only was it not buried, but Someone had cleaned it up. So it was true that this place was better used than the one on that idiotic planet. On one shoulder she had a bag with a fragment of bloodstone in it, on the other she held Nightgale. She checked if the young sorcerer was okay… Shadow Weaver's daughter was trembling and clenching her hands, every now and then spasms shook her. If she were an ordinary mortal, it would probably be hard for her to carry such a tall person, but her strength was unmatched by any members of her expedition, apart from maybe Lady Sorrowflame, but she was an ancient dragoness and it was rather difficult to count her as a mortal. Unfortunately, the necrotechnician remained on the other side of the passage, and they were left to fend for themselves. Of course, there was no problem in this world that a being as perfect as she was could not handle.

Outside it was green, everywhere stretched the same swamps as on the Etherian side, the ruins of the city were not far away, so she hoped that they would not have a long walk ahead of them. The sun was shining in the sky, so it was a fairly normal place, but a pair of cultists looked at her with concern, which she had to admit, left her more. Shadow Weaver's home planet was indeed a place full of primitive savages. Although then again, compared to her kind, everyone was less than animals.

„Do you actually know where you’re supposed to go?„ Lady Ka asked her, and she nodded .

„These cities were always created in the same way... Their creators were extremely pragmatic and guided only by functionality.„ she said in a tone as if she was a specialist in Architecture and Urban Planning, in fact she had read a bit on the subject, and Lady Ka giggled.

„This means that the cities of this extinct race will function more sensibly than those I'm used to. It's quite funny.”

She had noticed that the woman was not wearing half a mask, and what she was hiding under it resembled a certain blasphemer, but she would deal with this matter in the distant future. For now, she had to focus on the young sorcerer surviving…

„There's no time for us to discuss, everyone follow me!„ she ordered and to her satisfaction, everyone did as she was told. She had to admit that this place looked much better not only than the city on Etheria, but also than the one on Carurystal... At least before the servants of The Creeping Chaos began to support its reconstruction. Or maybe she just wanted to see it that way, because it would be the Main base of operations and probably her home for a long time. She realized that once such introspection was alien to her... Could even perfect beings like her become even more magnificent? In any case, they entered the city and almost immediately she had the impression that she was being watched, but that was to be expected. The Riliti were very cunning creatures after all, who were very good at tracking and observing. And also at guarding what the Bloodstones had created. She wasn't sure what to do now... She herself was probably in no danger here, she would be able to murder all the Riliti even if she didn't have that strange sword ... but she didn't have time for that... She had to get inside this metropolis as soon as possible to save the sorcerer. Besides, she didn't want to murder her future servants... It’s mean, Nightgale 's servants . Or rather, servants of the Creeping Chaos. After all, Shadow Weaver's daughter was just a miserable middleman in the great ladder of existence.

At one point she heard movement and ordered everyone to fall to the ground… Almost everyone did. The exception was a wounded cultist, who was too slow and a spear covered in poisonous mucus hit him in the chest. After a moment his lips turned black and he fell onto the green-veined stones, trembling and foaming from his mouth. Frog-like monsters jumped out from everywhere, and a fight almost broke out. The girl with white hair clenched her fists and began to glow. Doctor Moors saved them from bloodshed . She hadn't even noticed before that the brain in the metal can had come with them through the portal, but now he stood between them all and lifted Nightgale's hand up so that the ring with blodstone could be seen. The monsters, who were ready to chop them into pieces, stopped in an instant and watched them. She couldn't say they were surprised, because she doubted their minds were capable of it. She smiled, because she hadn't thought of such a solution before, and put the dying sorcerer on her feet and, holding her under the arms, raised her hand up so that the bloodstone was clearly visible. The Riliti looked at her and then she said in Aklo .

„Take the wielder to the control center!„ she ordered hoping that none of the creatures would throw a spear again, and then the creatures thought for a moment, and then several warriors motioned for them to follow them. She smiled and took Nightgale in her arms and began to carry her.

„We can't leave him here like this.„ cried the girl with the deer antlers, but she only looked at her and said.

„ Service to the Great Old Ones requires sacrifice… „ She felt an unsendable contempt for this Girl. Unlike her, the daughter of Shadow Weaver knew what true devotion and dedication to a cause meant.

They didn't go to the center of this Arelarti for long... The dome looked cleaned and recently built, which only gave her hope. She didn't know what technology Xadia had, she sincerely hoped it was a more technologically advanced place than Etheria, which was after all the backwater of the Galaxy... It couldn't be worse here, and in that case she would need a lot of troops to fight for a position to fulfill the will of the Creeping Chaos. The interior was tight, but to me as tight as the center of the ruined center. She could only hope that there were no security measures here that the Riliti had forgotten to tell anyone about. Finally, she came to the rhombus chamber, where the crystal should have been. Now of course it was gone, but the control panel and the entire console were almost intact. She gently placed Nightgale on the floor and began to Install it, the crystal . Then this wonderful wizard appeared. He smiled at her, but then began to point to Shadow Weaver's daughter and gesture. Unfortunately, she was unable to communicate with him through voice, and it took her a moment to figure out what he was saying.

„He wants me to wake her up, because she's the one who says to start this whole thing. Do you have amphetamines or something like that?„ she looked at Lady Ka Questioningly, and the woman ordered the only one of her subordinates, the Great Gnoll, to take something from the medicine cabinet.

„I'm not sure if this will help, but we'll see.„ and she stuck the syringe in her arm. It was clearly a mixture of strong painkillers and stimulants, because for a moment Nightgale regained consciousness and said.

„She's winning... She's going to take my power away... You have to... I have to get some kind of Magic source or else... „ she said and then suddenly Shadow Weaver's daughter arched back and the shadows from her body began to flow like wax, as if the girl was a burning candle.

„Do you have something magical?„ she asked the admiral's left better hand , but she just shrugged and said.

Just a few  spell crystals and such, nothing very valuable. Or powerful.”

She pursed her lips and wondered what they could do and then looked at the cultist who was still breathing heavily. She was shocked at the loss of her friend. An idea came to her and she signaled for the girl to come over to her.

„You serve the CREEPING CHAOS with all your heart, don't you?„ she smiled at her more gently, nodded her head even more and said.

„Yes….”

„That's good. „ and she touched her cheek tenderly with one hand, but the fingers of the other turned into sharp claws, and with a lightning-fast movement she cut her throat. The shock and disbelief in her eyes were a little disappointing and made her feel a little uncertain, but she had no time for doubts, so she tilted her head back and screamed a few words in Aklo , and then added in common.

„Life is the most precious thing that anyone can give to another person, isn't it?”

She felt as if she was burning, as if her very soul was about to drink itself into ashes… Or rather into liquid iron … It was impossible to describe this suffering, but she had to endure it, even death could not escape it. But then it came, and she regained consciousness. She saw the body of the cultist lying on the floor, and she did not even asked  what had happened. Next to her there was an elven sorcerer, this time looking at her with some seriousness.

„You have little time... Soon your body will demand power again, and then you will not be able to operate this machinery as efficiently as it should.„ He said and she nodded , and then She got to her feet  with a little help from Lady Cala and began to tinker with the control board. She moved the levers and knobs according to the instructions of the ancient sorcerer. It took a long time, longer than she wanted. She felt the magic slowly leaking out of her, as if her soul was leaking. She knew that this process would accelerate, so she had to hurry more and more. The frog-like creatures looked at her with strange expectation. She wasn't sure if they wouldn't attack her if she did something wrong, or if she simply acted too slowly. She wasn't sure what to expect from such monsters. Everything she knew about them came from a few mentions of Lady Cala... Finally, however, she was slowly approaching her goal. Everything was set, there was only one thing left to do.

"Put the ring in that place, and... persevere." Aaravos said , and she reached out to the small indentation that fit her Ring perfectly. She hesitated for a moment, but then gritted her teeth and pushed the ring into that place.

And then she began to burn. Her body briefly fell apart into atoms, then fused back together, but she felt that every cell in her body was burning with living fire. She screamed until her throat was raw. Lady Ka covered her ears and looked at her with her four eyes in irritation, but Calamity watched her closely, with concern, which in her case was almost synonymous with sympathy. The sorcerer just crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her impatiently. Her agony lasted a long time, it must have lasted a long time, probably centuries. However, when it finally passed, it was so sudden that she almost fainted. She fell onto the control panel and for a moment she breathed heavily, listening to the beating of her heart. After a moment she realized that it was not only her heart that was beating, but the entire structure was pulsating in the same rhythm. So she stood up and looked at the others. The monstrous aristocrat smiled at her triumphantly.

„It worked! You're really great!„ Calamity exclaimed , and for a moment she wondered if she was hallucinating hearing the praise from this woman's lips. Then the bloodstone glowed with a ghostly bright light. It was harder to describe the green color, cold and ghostly. Then she looked at her ring and saw that it too was pulsating with the same light, the same color. It pulsated in rhythm with her heartbeat...

„ I am. I am…! „ she heard an unknown voice in her thoughts, it immediately fell silent and then all the frog”like monsters knelt before her, and she felt unimaginable power pulsating in her veins.

Chapter Text

…

She woke up... For a brief moment she thought she was sleeping on her bunk, in the Horde barracks again. Then as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw that she was in her own, albeit cramped room and suddenly thought that these were still the times when she was in Horde, and everything she had experienced after that was just a dream, as beautiful as it was false. She felt a sudden attack of panic, because she did not want to go back to those times for anything in the world. But then she felt Melog nudge her with his nose, concerned about her fear. She hugged him, getting rid of the remnants of sleep. She was lying on the narrow berth of Bina's ship . It was her first night in this place. She did not expect to fall asleep so quickly and deeply in a strange place. She had never liked flying spaceships , and on top of that there was this  weird hum of this strange drift drive, which constantly slightly irritated her sensitive ears. She was really exhausted after everything that had happened. Actually, since the war she had not experienced so much in such a short time. Still, and everything was still sinking in, she felt numb as if all these emotions were waiting somewhere far behind a glass wall. She knew that it wouldn't last forever, and that this wall would crack, just hope it wouldn't happen at the most inconvenient moment.

Now, however, she was facing many days of flying through the void of space, and she would have to spend all this time here doing... Truth be told, she didn't know what she would do here. She never liked spaceships, they gave her bad associations... After all, the first time she was in space was when she was kidnapped by Horde Prime…  She had no technical skills necessary for such an expedition. In fact, when they flew with Adora and the rest of her friends aboard Darla, the technical matters were usually handled by Entrapta with the help of Bow ... She would be unnecessary here... You had to find something to do, or she would start thinking about certain things, and that was not something she could afford.

She stretched and got out of bed. She went to the toilet, then went to the mirror. There was a non-flammable plastic note there, on which it was written to save on care products and cosmetics because supplies were limited. The handwriting was very weird so she assumed it was written by this strange lizard... She shrugged, she never got used to using cosmetics and other such things, she only needed toothpaste and dental floss, at least for today. It took her only a few minutes to brush her teeth and get herself in order, then she spent a few more on combing Melog's hair, and then all her duties for today were over. She stretched, feeling strangely anxious at the thought of slacking off all day. She had to find something to do as soon as possible.

A knock on the door saved her. Together with Melog, she went to it and opened it. She saw Frosta, who was smiling broadly, she said.

„The crew is preparing breakfast and it seems to be a big event on this ship, so I'm going to help... Do you want to join in?„ she sounded really cheerful, and her companion gave next to her in the form of a three-eyed dog. She smiled at her friend and said.

„Sure, he just did something else.„ she said and Frosta nodded and left her. She looked around the room wondering what she was really going to do. And she took almost no antiques with her. She never really got attached to things, so it was pretty empty here, although the cabin was pretty cramped anyway. She looked at herself in the mirror, tried to smile again and went outside.

The ship was quite large, and had quite wide corridors. It also seemed to be surprisingly homely, with furniture that looked like home furniture everywhere, and the air smelled of the presence of many people... and of a meal being prepared. To her surprise, she realized that her stomach was growling. She had actually only eaten one protein bar since leaving the military camp, and it wasn’t too big. She was really hungry, and it smelled incredibly delicious. She smiled to herself and entered the dining room connected to the kitchen. On other ships, this would be the Kambus , but here it was more like a room in a country house. She could see Wrongdak bustling about with the dishes, and Seahawk telling some far-fetched story to Bina , who she was clearly ignoring him. Frosta was helping to spread some sweet paste on the flatbread , talking to the redhead girl, and the lizard was checking something in the ship's systems... There was also a green-haired Saihe girl, who was sitting at the table, wrapped in blankets, and slowly eating something from a small bowl. Her hair was just starting to grow back after she was exposed to radiation, so her head looked like it was covered in moss. She didn't see a single person here.

„Good morning everyone... Where is my sister... Where is... Eti.„ She had to think before she remembered her name. Ever since she learned of her existence, she had thought of her simply as a sister, and as someone who was in the clutches of Shadow Weaver… The thought that she had her own name and her own life that she knew almost nothing about made her feel even more out of place. Everyone looked at her, and most of the entire crew seemed very confused, and it was only after a moment that Bina loked a her.

„Eti is in her own cabin and will spend some time there... Itel will bring her food and medicine as soon as we are done.„ Said the captain of this ship and she nodded and sat down at the table having the impression that something was said here that she did not understand. Soon she got her food, a flatbread with mushroom paste and a slice of something like bacon. and Melog got a bowl of boiled meat, although he did not have to actually eat, but that did not mean that he did not like to eat some tasty things. Everyone ate slowly talking about things she had no idea about, but she had the impression that one topic was constantly being avoided... No one mentioned her sister... or her girlfriend... She ate her meal rather quickly and looked at the others still feeling strange and out of place, until she finally said.

„Is my sister okay? Apart from what she did to her of course... that person...„ She still couldn't call this Warrior her sister... She was terrifying and completely evil... Or at least that's how she saw her now. Everyone fell silent again and the redhead said.

„It happens to her, especially when she travels by ship... It usually goes away after a few days...„ She explained and handed Frosta some marshmallows for her hot chocolate. It sounded true, but at the same time she had the impression that there was some understatement in it. There was some hidden information in all of this that she would have to learn. When they finished eating she started to go... she didn't know where. There was probably one place she should go, but she also had the courage to go there... Not yet, although she knew she would have to as one of the three highest-ranking people in their small Fleet.

„If you have nothing to do, I guess I should give you some individual training.„ The green-haired girl said unexpectedly, not even looking at her.

„Do you think you're ready to train?„ Bina said, but the girl looked at her and said.

„I'll manage as long as I take my meds, I'm fine, you know that. „

The ship's captain raised an eyebrow and gave her a significant look that seemed to say, "Watch out for her."

„Oh! Can I join in on this training too? Because I'm afraid my muscles will atrophy during these weeks of being locked in this metal box!„ Seahawk said , but then Wrongdak said.

"You know, I think it's something between them that they need to talk about under the pretext of training, you know?" The clone explained to him, and the Saihe girl gave him a look that expressed both surprise and irritation. Wrongdak could be both astute and completely unaware.

„Oh, well! Then I'm not disturbing you, ladies!„ said Mermista's husband.

„ Please don't worry, we will practice with you and we promise we won't cut of any limbs from you..„ said the red-haired girl and Frosta nodded. They seemed to like each other a bit already.

„Well, I guess we're going now.„ she said and indicated to the green-haired girl to lead her to the training room.

When they left Etheria and before they entered the drift, they connected the ships using cargo locks into one larger Ship, so as not to get lost in this strange place. At least that's what she was told, although she didn't fully understand how the drift drive worked. From what they explained to her, they were moving to another dimension, one that encompassed all of reality and even other, more sinister dimensions. The time it would take them to fly here depends not so much on distance, but on location relative to its navigational, local currents, and chance. It was estimated that the flight to Xadia would take them about a month and a half to two. That's a lot of time for such a group of people on tight ships and with such very different approaches to life. Free travel between ships was not possible, because each passage behind the deck required the captain's consent. Additionally, the middle and central ship was Queen Angela's ship... or rather Captain Moonshadow, and she didn't really want her uncle 's subordinates to come aboard her ship as if it were theirs. She was still leaving the ship that belonged to her sister's friends, but she knew she should meet with a few people... Her uncle, Lonnie, Mikach, Angela , but she didn't have the strength for it. She would have to finally bring herself to do it... But not now. Now she would have to pretend that she was training with this girl. She remembered that her name was probably Itel and she could summon some strange blade. She wasn't sure what kind of relationship she and her sister had, but it was probably something complicated... But most relationships were complicated, she knew something about that.

She had to admit that the Training Room was really impressive. It was a device that would allow her to simulate any weapon by simply taking its shape, while softening if hit too hard. Entrapta would probably say it was some kind of nanotechnology, damn it, she had already learned something from her . There was also a virtual shooting range and a lot of other amenities. The same things Glimmer had at her disposal in the castle. And this was just a regular civilian ship. What could she expect from military training camps?

The girl entered the big arena and told her to do the same.

„So, what exactly are we going to do? „ she said carefully looking around, and then the girl summoned a blade and attacked her without warning. She was used to the Horde's brutal training, especially against Lonnie... and anyone she got mad at, so it didn't make the impression on her that the girl probably expected. She made a few dodges, grabbed her by the forearm and knocked her down. Itel winced but immediately got to her feet and tried to attack her again. This fight continued for a while, and Melog watched everything with concern, wondering if he should save her, so she had to send him mental signals that everything was fine. Finally, the green-haired girl asked for a break. She sat down in the corner of the training mat and got a hard beating, and all her clothes were soaked in sweat... She seemed surprised that she was so tired. So she threw a few curses in a language unknown to her, which made her wince reflexively. Shadow Weaver always swear in her language, which sounded a bit similar, but harder.

„You don't like the sound of elven?„ She looked at her with a crooked smile. She shrugged uncertainly and said.

„On Etheia, your people no longer use their language... Apart from the island inhabited by Shadow Weaver's relatives... It does not evoke pleasant associations.”

This time the girl nodded as if she understood her point of view and spoke thoughtfully.

"I didn't like her from the start, just like Eti didn't like Lady Cala... But Shadow Weaver saved me and your sister a few times, so... I'd like to say I misjudged her, but I guess that's not true?" she said carefully, and she stained twice.

"What do you mean she saved my sister?" she said with disbelief in her voice.

„What I said. She saved Eti's life twice while we were flying here... Once from a bodak, an undead monster, and then from a cloud of angry ghosts and ghouls... The second time, she may have done it only in her own interest, but the first time it was completely altruistic. She was also the one who helped Eti escape when your father came to your castle... Although technically she worked for him, and I didn't even tell her why she had to do it... I don't know what she was like to you, but she wasn't that bad to your sister... Actually, she was very interested in her, especially before she found out the truth...

She smiled bitterly to herself at the words of this… Elf. Did Shadow Weaver want to make friends with her sister to redeem her sins? Treat one child well because the other was being tormented? It was so… Absurd and stupid… But she had saved Eti… And from the greatest enemy of all. Their father… Someone to whom not long ago she had been willing to give everything… In exchange for a few warm words and a promise that she would have a real family.

„Shall we continue? „ Itel said, and as soon as she nodded, which attacked her with redoubled force... She dodged the next attacks without a problem but then the girl surrounded herself with a strange dark energy shield and deflected her attacks, until finally she saw a small explosion that threw her back. If she had been closer, it might have burned her. She tripped the girl with her legs, but she kicked her in the jaw, Until she bit her cheek, so she spat out blood, and grabbed her, but then the girl let out a short cry and curled up into a ball. Scared that she had done something to her, she reached out to her, But the other one only smiled sadly and helped herself to stand up.

„Nothing is wrong, just that old wound that Lady Ka gave me... „ She answered the unasked question, and then they both sat down on quite comfortable chairs to rest. The girl was wet with sweat and the wood was heavy, so she gave her a moment to regain her breath and then asked.

„Actually, whatever has to do with my sister.”

The very fact that the girl looked away already told her a lot about it.

„It's complicated... We were friends, although Eti slept with me a few times, but she didn't treat it as a big deal, I guess she just thought she was nice... She sometimes doesn't understand certain things... And I, well... I love her... I fell in love with her the first time we met. You know, she was a girl with an unusual but charming appearance, a wronged one among the wronged... Who wouldn't love her? But it doesn't matter. Her true love is Rosie... Only now she's lost her... And we have no idea where she might be... Maybe we should look for her in the place we flew away from... „ She said quietly and for a moment they were both silent because they didn't know what to say, but then she remembered something and asked her.

„When we talked about my sister this morning, I had the impression that you hadn't told me something. That there was some issue that you preferred to remain silent. „ she looked at the Elf, who took a deep breath and smiled sadly.

„ It's nothing like that... Eti simply has better and worse days... We say that she has sunny, rainy and stormy days. When she has sunny days, she is like she usually is, a bit strange but really nice. When things are going well, she stays in this state most of the time. When she feels worse, she has rainy days, and then she sleeps in her room, she hardly leaves it. We bring her food and medicine, I usually do that, until she feels better. You have to keep an eye on her, but it's not really bad then... It's bad only when she has stormy days. Then she becomes agitated... She feels invincible and unconquerable, she thinks and acts very quickly and is constantly wondering what to do... She has no inhibitions then and doesn't think about the consequences of what to do, that only comes later when this time has passed... And then she suffers doubly... You have to watch her when she has stormy days, because she could do something really dangerous... Or something very bad... Do you understand what I mean?„ the girl She looked at her with her green eyes and nodded, knowing very well what she was talking about. She had been through some tough times herself, especially at the end of the war, before Horde Prime arrived shortly after… She didn't sleep for days, and she took it out on everyone around her, including Scorpia, who was her only friend at the time. She had better control over herself now, but she wouldn't know what she would do if someone took Adora away from her … That way, she would be ready to destroy the world again, just to Free Herself from the pain.

„Thank you for this conversation... „ she turned to the girl, putting her hand on her shoulder, and she smiled sadly.

„You're welcome... I think I need to go to the infirmary, to cleanse my body... Right now, the medicine alone won't be enough for me.„ she said and left her alone. She knew what to do now.

She went to Bina, to get food for Eti, as well as medicine. Everything was already prepared for her, and she wondered for a moment if the whole discussion with the Elf where she was had been planned by the woman with burgundy hair. Maybe it was, but even if it was, she was sincerely grateful to her. She gathered all her things and went to the cabin where her sister was staying. First she knocked twice, then once more, until she finally heard the words from behind the door

„Come in… „ I have the impression that Saying them was as much of an effort for the girl as fighting a battle. She opened the door and found herself in a cabin almost identical to hers, except for the weapons lying around. Eti was lying in bed covered with a blanket, and she was lying on her side. Her eye was bandaged, and the visible eye was looking after her without expression. They went inside  together with Melog, who was sniffing the furniture, and then a strange blue Fox flew out from under the blanket, from which small electrical discharges were shooting. The animal rubbed itself against her, and she felt the hairs on her body stand on end. Eti looked at her and said.

„This is Toshi. He likes you... But I think he likes all of us... I mean, the two of us. I think it's because he feels more discharge when he rubs against us, but he's also very nice.”

She smiled at her and petted the pet, who turned around happily, then turned to Eti.

„I brought you some food and medicine, but I'd like to stay here for a while and... talk to you. „ she said, smiling again, and the girl, after a moment's thought, nodded gently. So she took a chair and then pulled it up to Her Bed. For several long moments she sat there in silence, until she finally said.

„I don't want to say that I know how you feel... Because nothing knows exactly what the other person feels. However... I remember how I felt when Adora left...„ when she said that, the other girl looked at her from under the blanket, so she continued. „It was at the very beginning, when she found the sword. Maybe she should have followed her, but I didn't, because... I'm not sure if it was because. Then I understood why she was so valuable to Shadow Weaver. It was as if by becoming She=Ra she proved that she was objectively better than me. I hated her and I missed her, because she was the only person I loved. I was afraid, not only of what could happen to me if I failed Hordak and Shadow Weaver, but also that... I would be alone forever. I saw how easily she made new friends and how easily she got along with them. I was angry and I hated the world, I wanted to prove that I was worthy, to win... It was even worse after Shadow Weaver escaped to Adora, after I imprisoned her. From what I know now, she did it mainly to survive... But I almost died because of it... Then I was captured and... Horrible things also happened... My head was shaved, which even in the Horde had never been done to me, period. Then they broke my will, and... finally they chipped me and then he entered me, took my body and thoughts. Mostly thoughts...„ She saw her sister staring at her with fear, but then she said. „ But he never took away who I am. I always knew I loved her, even when he took away my control over my body. Even when we heard about fighting her, which I knew was important to me. And when I regained control over my body, even for a little bit, I tried to save her... Admittedly, I didn't do the smartest thing, but it worked...”

"What did you do?" her sister interrupted, and she smiled at her sourly.

"I jumped from a great height… Then I died… Literally, for a while, but Adora revived me…" She took a deep breath, because this was something she hadn't talked about with Noki, not even with Glimmer and the others.

„That wasn't very smart... „ Her sister thought for a moment and said. „She was good... I... I can hurt people... And I mean it very literally. Knowledge of what can be done to other people was crammed into my head. I can take someone's life without batting an eyelid. Then when they conducted... That test... „ she guessed that her sister was talking about the test during which she was forced to take someone's life... „I also met one of the doctors, who crammed all the knowledge I have about war into my head. She slit his wrists and I'm not sure if he survived, and to be honest I don't regret it. But she was just nice... Admittedly, during our first meeting we almost fought because her friend wanted to shoot Wrongdak, it was such a big secret... The fist was called... I mean Dilayla...”

„Oh yeah... she helped capture Lady Cala , I didn't trust that bitch from the start.„ She said and then her sister continued talking.

„You know, with her I felt almost Normal. I could be and just live... We were good together. And now she's gone... I don't know what I'll do.„ Tears ran down Eti's face, so she reached out to her, and her sister squeezed it with both hands. She felt a surprising warmth from those metal one. The girl wasn't crying, she was just... She was just sad... Immersed in hopelessness, so after a while she decided that she should say something else.

„I promise that we will save her… Since I managed to free myself, and I was enslaved by the Tyrant, Someone who destroyed worlds, and she… Lady Ka just a mean and dumb woman. “ she said deliberately not to mention their other sister, about whom she actually knew nothing.  However, she was powerful enough to be able to face She-Ra , it was something she had never heard of before...

„But how are we supposed to do that, since we're flying in a completely different direction... „ Eti said in a dull voice, even duller than usual. But then something occurred to her.

„But not necessarily... Maybe we're headed in the right direction... You said that Shadow Weaver is also looking for the same thing you're looking for... Lady Sorrowflame came to this ruined college, because she's also looking for the First Ones... If Lady Ka is an ally of this dragon, then maybe you want to help those too... Lady Cala, Shadow Weaver, they can all fly to Xadia , and if so, they'll definitely take her with them... That's what I think... So if we succeed, we'll only stop the first one, but we'll also free your beloved!„ She smiled at the second ready girl, who didn't really move, but reached out to her Fox and started to caress him , as if she was trying to focus on something...

„Maybe you're right... Maybe... „ she said, and they sat there in silence for a few more quarters of an hour, just enjoying each other's presence... Finally, however, Eti spoke.

„I guess it's not so bad having an older sister.”

Chapter Text

Lady Ka looked at the mosquito that was flying in front of her eyes, so she smiled at it, then took out her gun and shot it. She hit it, she smiled to herself with pride.

"But you know you have a limited amount of ammo, right?" Shadow Weaver's daughter said to her. The girl was even uglier than her mother, which was a truly amazing feat... Except she was over two meters tall and had massive muscles, so it was best not to make fun of her, even before she awakened some ancient shit. The ring on her hand pulsed with an eerie green light, as if it was linked to her heart. She wasn't sure what powers it had, but it was definitely dangerous, otherwise she wouldn't have gone to all this trouble to awaken it... Besides, the whole city was full of huge frog”like monsters that were obviously listening to the girl. And she also had to reckon with Lady Cala , and the beautiful aristocrat seemed to have a soft spot for the girl, or maybe she just needed her... After all, she had brought her here on her own back, which she had absolutely not expected from someone like that... No, it will be better if he takes his anger out on the Mosquitoes.

"How long will it take you to reload the portal, exactly?" the aristocrat asked, looking at them both curiously, and Nightgale shrugged.

„The first time... Quite briefly, but only because a large amount of energy was stored here... But then I'll have to wait many weeks... And that's only if I don't use the Ring too often...„ Nightgale explained to them .

„What does this ring do exactly?„ Calamity asked with interest, and the ugly girl said.

„I'm not sure yet... I've only been carrying it for a few hours and it doesn't come with an instruction manual...„ she felt like she was really tired, but that applied to all of them. She just hoped that if necessary, Calamity would carry her again. „Although I think I can do something.„ she finally said, and suddenly a green lightning bolt shot out of the Ring and hit a rickety tree that grew nearby. The plant shrunk and withered, and then began to smoke.

„So we have an Energy Pistol... Normal fucking awesome!... „ She said with a bit of contemptuous amusement, but then Nightgale looked at her and aimed the ring at the stone next to her and another lightning bolt shot out of it, this time much bigger and then the stone became red hot and began to melt. Even from a distance she could feel the heat radiating from it. She stepped back and looked at the ugly sorceress.

„I understand that the chances of hitting me were absolutely minimal?„ she said, and then the sorceress raised her eyebrows significantly.

„Since the Bloodstone needs to replenish its energy, it would be best if we didn't waste it for no reason.„ Lady Cala said and looked at the girl with white hair. Still, after installing that parasite on her neck, she hadn't done anything to indicate that she was even slightly aware of what was going on around her, which was a bit disappointing... She could take care of herself, although she had recently peed in front of them without paying attention to their presence. Lady Cala said that she would have to tell her to go to a secluded place every time to relieve herself. It would probably be quite troublesome when they reached civilization, but for now, there was no point in worrying about such matters among these frogs. „What are we going to do with her? She's useful, that's true, but she's also damn dangerous. If she ever gets out of our control, we'll be screwed.  The aristocrat said, approaching the girl.

"I can rig her with remote-detonated explosives. If we notice anything strange happening to her, her head will explode," said Shakh , her Shireen gunner.

„But you won't do that.„ said Nightgale, and everyone looked at her, And the tall sorceress smiled, revealing a multitude of sharp fangs...

„Perhaps it would be wisest.„ she replied, and from the corner of her eye she saw Lady Cala looking at her meaningfully.

„First of all, you won't, because if Despara finds out, she'll cut off your arms and legs. If you haven't noticed, her girlfriend looks disturbingly like Rosie, and that implies a lot of things. It's probably best not to irritate her, any of them.„ She said, looking at her very carefully. She snorted and said.

"The scary kitty is on the other side of the Galaxy, so there's probably no reason to be afraid of her." She grinned at the ugly woman who watched her for a moment before saying

„But I'm here...„ She looked at her with her green eyes, so she smiled at her even wider. For a moment they stared at each other until finally Lady Cala shouted at them.

„By Cthulhu and Tsatogue ! Don't argue about her, because firstly I have control over her... And secondly... I won’t mess it up... „ They exchanged glances with the sorceress, who nodded slowly before speaking.

„Agreed, but once we complete our mission, you will give her freedom or hand her over to me...„ The sorceress knew, and the aristocrat sighed and said.

„Perhaps, but I'm not promising anything.„ She looked at the girl and frowned. „Do you think we live in a civilized country and slavery is practiced?”  she said, tilting her head. She snorted.

„Slavery is practiced everywhere, only not everywhere legal... „ She said and Lady Cala mumbled something to herself. „But even there, and where it is legal, the sight of such a girl could arouse anxiety.„ she explained in her heart hoping that they would solve the problem finally and the little kitten wondered a wonderful reason for despair.

„I think I have a better idea.” said Lady Cala looking behind the bag that held the armor. „ I won't need I won't need it anyway, I won't be jumping into battle for now, but this girl is mortal after all, and a stray bullet could kill her. And this way we'll have a Black Knight like in fairy tales, and on top of that This armor has a closed circulation of secretions, so there won't be a problem when she starts shitting in the middle of the room. I guess everyone is happy, right?„ she looked at them with a smile, and Then Nightgale nodded, So she shrugged and said.

„I'm going to abstain from voting.„ she said and everyone seemed really happy. But after a while this strange cylinder with lots of tentacles came and spoke with a metallic voice.

„You did not come here to have a picnic... Our enemies may have already found out about this place, and they are just waiting to annihilate us!”

She wasn't entirely sure which enemies he was referring to, but that didn't bother her. She had never been interested in any mystical nonsense or historical events, so she did not interfere in their discussions. They'd tell them whose eye to take out, and that's what she'd do... And she was damn tired anyway.

„I'm always up for action, but my friends are a little tired of all this. To tell the truth, I'd like to freshen up a bit before we take action.„ Lady Cala explained in a slightly bored tone. She nodded to her and said.

„We cannot act blindly anyway. Nighgale, can your frog friends conduct a reconnaissance and Tell you what they saw? „ She looked high at the sorceress, who nodded.

„I think I can get into the heads of these creatures and read their memories. They were actually created to make it easy to do things like this. But it's true, I need to rest, because I practically burned alive several times.„ Said the sorceress, looking at them gloomily, and then she said. „Since you're the least tired of us all, Calamity, you should pitch your tent and stuff. I think your hands have regenerated enough by now.„ She pointed to the aristocrat's hands, they really did return to their normal state, because they were strangely smaller before. For a moment, Lady Cala pursed her lips angrily, but then she waved her hand and said.

„Okay... As long as this place has a desirable bathtub.„ The aristocrat said, stretching her back.

Nightgale  fell asleep quickly, almost immediately after she put her head on the pillow. Contrary to what one might expect, she was still dreaming… They weren't very elaborate dreams, it must be admitted that she kept dreaming about a city with a rebuilt dome in the middle, which was constantly pulsating with the beating of her heart. The city was expanding, extremely slowly, but constantly until it finally began to cover the entire planet. And in the middle of it all was her and a huge gem burning with a ghostly green light. It wasn't really a nightmare, she wasn't scared or sad, maybe a little excited. She woke before dawn. She went outside and watched the first sunrise of her life. No one had posted guards, they were unnecessary in this place, surrounded by thousands of absolutely loyal Riliti. Anyone who walked would think of getting here, would be cut to pieces, or worse. .These creatures weren't as mindless as Lady Cala thought. After all, they had been breeding here for millennia, and after a few generations, genetic changes could have occurred. Or maybe they had simply always been crooked, something the monstrous aristocrat would never have noticed anyway.

The sunrise was truly beautiful, just like she had read in books. No one born in a place that had a sun would ever appreciate it as much as she did, especially since she had spent the first few months of her life in darkness. Sure, she could see perfectly well in both darkness and bright light, but she had always loved light, which was ironic considering her background… Or maybe it was quite logical. As she watched the sun, she heard a twig snap and turned around abruptly. To her surprise, she saw several of those strange frog-like creatures she had encountered in the ruined equivalent of this city on Etheria . They were three creatures, all staring at her with a mixture of Admiration and fear. Two were smaller and more colorful, like tree frogs, and the third was huge and fat and seemed to be older than the rest.

„And where did you little ones come from?„ she said, smiling at them involuntarily. The largest of them walked up to her and bowed, almost falling over, and then said.

„Oh great and powerful and terrible and wonderful and awesome and... and in general, lady, we came here after you because we were ordered to accompany our prophetess, defend her from all evil, and fulfill her orders! I am Hit, and these are Hack and Slash!„ He pointed to the other two frogs, and she wanted to burst out laughing, because what could such tiny creatures do if someone was able to defeat thousands of monsters, as well as her companion? But she held back, because in fact she admired them for their courage and devotion. But what should she do with them now? It would be best if she sent them back to their land, but it would be expensive in terms of energy, and for now she couldn't afford it... Especially since she preferred not to draw the attention of Lady Cala'I and Lady Ka. Only when the Energy grid is developed enough to do this without attracting the attention of her companions will she send them away. She knew she was acting selfishly and was putting these beings in danger, but she still wanted them to be here… She wanted there to be beings around her who could feel something more than contempt and inhuman arrogance.

„Well done my Little servants, but for now try to remain Hidden and for no reason in the world do not get in the way of a woman with four eyes, nor of a beautiful aristocrat..„ after a moment she reflected that the creatures might not understand which of the people accompanying her was beautiful, so she added. „It's about the woman with yellow hair... Do you understand what I mean?”  She asked, hoping that the small and friendly creatures would listen to her. They consulted for a moment, and then each of them nodded. She smiled again and patted the largest one on the head. She felt much less lonely...

At noon, the Scouts brought news of the surrounding area. Nightgale had to enter their heads and browse their memories. The smaller frog-like monsters were quite observant, but unfortunately, most of what they saw could not help them much. As she understood, they were in salt marshes on some island, Or maybe between two islands, it was hard to say... She also saw that there were no other intelligent beings living in the area, Which complicated their situation considerably, although she suspected that these creatures could build them some kind of ship, and even steer it, only they would have no idea where to sail. For a moment she thought I would have to work blindly, but finally one of the Scouts gave her an image of a small ship that had anchored in one of the bays.

"I think I know where we're going," she said, smiling triumphantly.

Ires From the beginning thought that hiding on the Isle of Screams was a stupid idea. This place had been surrounded by a bad reputation for as long as people could remember, and from what she had heard recently, elves also told dark legends about this place. She didn't talk to dragons, but she suspected that they didn't like this place either. Supposedly, there were frog-like monsters living here. They were supposed to make offerings to the large demon-mouth located in the center of the ancient city or something like that. To be honest, she didn't really believe in the city, because someone would have tried to plunder it a long time ago, right? There was always at least some treasure in the ruins of the city, and she wasn't sure if any monsters would be able to stop really determined people. After all, the fleets of all the kingdoms were unable to stop the pirates, not even the dragons, as Captain Finnegrin proved.. Only now everything fell apart. Before, everyone had their own half of the ocean and that was fine. And now everyone could swim wherever they wanted. The elves had their magic, and the humans had cannons, but one day the elves would buy cannons, and the humans would still have no magic… At least that's what old Frizz , one of the most famous pirate captains in Evenere, said … That's why you had to try new ideas, their captain Dave Crookednose said… In her opinion, however, the most important thing was for the ideas to be good, not shitty, like the one he had just come up with. He decided that the Isle of Screams would be a great place to use as a base of operations, because no one would be looking for them here. The island was close to most trade routes, but no one lived here either. True, that meant there would be no one to buy supplies from, or anywhere to rest, but at least no ships of the royal navy, of any kingdom, would be looking for them here. To others, this might have seemed like a pretty good idea, except that first they would have to survive and not be torn apart by the monsters living here in order to benefit from their captain's plan. Nothing was attacking yet, and the swamp was full of game, although most of the local animals looked strange and unnatural here… Seriously, sometimes she regretted working at the University of Berylgarten, because she knew and understood too many things to be able to sleep peacefully. But despite everything, Dave's plan seemed to be working for now. If it weren't for the fact that she hated hard work, she would have thought it would be worth settling here someday. There was plenty of game to hunt, and a few areas seemed dry enough that God you could grow something here… But if she was hard-working, she wouldn't get kicked out of the university and she wouldn't have to hide among the pirates… So she leaned back against a tree while the others crowded around the fire and batted away mosquitoes and other insects. Their only scout, a short, dark-skinned man named Nale, suddenly shouted that someone was approaching them. They all jumped to their feet, drew their weapons, and began to stare menacingly into the darkness. For a moment she feared that the monsters had really come, but then a tall young woman with light blond hair, blue eyes, dressed in a leather traveling outfit, emerged from the darkness. The only thing that looked threatening about her was a long, wide-bladed sword that reflected the light of the fire. Behind her, a woman with short-cropped hair, a strange blue color, half of whose face was hidden behind a mask, stood up a third, very tall person in a cloak with a hood.

„Who are you and what are you doing here.„ said Captain Dave Crookednose, and the blonde haired woman answered him with a very nice, melodic voice.

"I am Lady Cala, and I beg you to tell me you came here to perform a pirate LARP..." She looked around at the group of them, not even paying attention to the captain.

„Listen to what I'm telling you! I'm Captain Dave and I won't let anyone talk to me like that!„ then the woman smiled at him and it was a very very evil smile, and then she jumped at him in a flash and with a movement of her hand so fast that she didn't even see it, she cut him with her sword. The captain stood straight for a moment, and then a red line appeared along his face and he split into two halves, cut vertically in half. For a few moments everyone stared at him speechless, and then First Officer Sez pulled out a gun and aimed it at the woman, but then a ghastly green lightning shot out from the hooded figure. The first officer's body arched back, her face contorted with terrible pain and began to smoke. The body fell to the ground, and she saw movement in the darkness and on the edge of the circle of light huge monstrous shapes appeared. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end and her heart stop. This place really was full of monstrosities, monstrosities that came after them. The woman with blond hair smiled at them and said.

„So maybe we'll talk like civilized people with savages, okay?„ she looked at them smiling , and Ires I silently said prayers to Phraz and Iomi to take care of her soul. „So tell me who you are and what you are doing here.„ added the woman and then Ires against all logic answered her.

„Our captain wanted to make a base here, from where we could attack ships. Because, you know, it's a Isle of Screams and all that... You know, full of monsters! „

The blonde woman nodded, and then a hooded figure walked up to them and took oh hood

„ Well, your legends were right... This world just gained a few more monsters...

You had to agree with that, because that person looked awful. Black hair fell to her shoulders, and her brother's face with a very short nose and sharp cheekbones was covered with strange scars. She had big ears, and her eyes had strange yellow pupils, which looked like they were crosses. She smiled, and showed that her mouth was full of sharp ones . „And believe me, I'm not the worst of them.”

The aristocrat Laughed and bowed low to them, then walked up to her and her fingers transformed into long claws. The pupil of one of her eyes spilled out, turning her entire face purple.

„Nor the greatest. „ I laughed brightly, then added. „Please, I've had a few bad days lately, so if I ask you questions, you'd better answer quickly and concisely.”

Nightingale watches as Calamity, in her more monstrous form, interrogates the pirates… It was a relatively mild interrogation, at least by the standards of the monstrous aristocrat. Everyone here was too scared to resist, which was a very good move. It came when Lady Ka took a pistol from the belt of one of the sailors, watched for a moment, then put it to the head of the other and fired. The others were spattered with pieces of his brain and skull. Then Lady Ka looked at the gun for a moment and said.

„So this crap won't fire again, right?„ she looked clearly disappointed.

"Well, yes, how could it be otherwise?" their scout said, and the aristocrat walked up to him and punched him in the stomach, relatively gently for her, so instead of summoning his spine, she made him bend in half.

"Can we stop killing people out of curiosity and beating them up because they don't have advanced technology?" She looked at her companions with tired eyes, and Lady Cala shrugged.

„I didn't kill him! Look how composed I've become!„ and giggled. After they had managed to get enough information, a very happy Lady Cala said.

„To sum up. The continent of this world known to them, and probably the one we are interested in, was divided into two halves for hundreds of years, with humans inhabiting the western half and elves inhabiting the eastern half. The human part was divided into five kingdoms, two of which no longer have kings, the other two are ruled by kids, and the ruler of the fifth is bedridden. I feel like I'm at a kingdom sale.„ Lady Cala did a pirouette, and then she said. „ My idea is this... Since there is a civil war in Evenere , I will pretend to be someone from this place. We will take over a port and get a few ships, and then I will sail to Katolis , and ask the little brat king there for help, and I will try to contact the local cults. Then we will look for your mother, and see what she knows. In the meantime, we will bring Lady Sorrowflame here , and I will also let her act, and your servants will start building ships so that we can go to war. This world will be ours, and I will be its magnificent and most beloved queen.... Because who will not love me... „ She laughed, and it was truly the laughter of a monster.

Chapter Text

"Does that mean I should turn it left or right?" Catra asked Alatar as she grabbed the screwdriver and pointed to the flap screw on the air filter housing and the silver-scaled Dragonkin looked at his paws as if considering.

„My left, so your right... Or the other way around... Wait, I think it should be clockwise, so to the left.„ he said, scratching his head,

She sighed heavily and tried to turn the screw, which she eventually succeeded in doing…, in the Fright Zone, at least during her reign, everything worked mainly thanks to the good will and hard work of the technical department, and when something broke, it was usually best to run away as far as possible before it exploded.

She took off the cover and tightened a few protruding screws. The filter began to hum pleasantly, so she smiled, already pleased that she had managed to do the repairs almost by herself. For three days she had been helping to set up the ship in their daily work. It took a surprisingly long time, even if most of it was simply checking that the systems were working properly, plus cleaning, and drills in case of failure. In fact, it really was a lot like living in a Fright Zone, if it were nice there and anything functioned properly. She was glad about it, because it gave her less time to think about all the terrible things that had happened to her... Although, to tell the truth, She had come out of it all the best, so she had no reason to complain.

"You know what now?" she said, looking at the dragon-like creature, who was clearly confused under her gaze. She had previously thought that dragons were monsters from children's fairy tales, even if Adora secretly dreamed of riding one someday, a bit like a pony... Apparently, lots of children dreamed of having a pony... She didn't know why... Alatar definitely didn't resemble a dignified creature from legends that a hero could ride... On the other hand, he didn't resemble a monster like Lady Sorrowflame . Was he just... a nerd? She wasn't entirely sure what that meant, but she thought she liked the term. He was nice, if a bit shy.

„I'll just check the navigation systems, but you're not needed for that anyway, so I guess you're free...„ He said, looking at her shyly, and she replied with the warmest smile she could muster. Dragonkin replied with a slightly tired and shy smile, and then got to work. She sighed heavily, aware that now she had free time, but she didn't really know what to do with it. She wasn't surprised that her sister endured space travel so badly. It was still quite a large ship, but despite that she felt trapped All she could do was wander from one room to another, lit by artificial light, breathing filtered air… At least in the Fright Zone she could try on the terrifyingly vast labyrinth of corridors, full of secrets and places that only she knew. Here she felt like a prisoner forced to live in a cage. But that wasn't the biggest problem. She could be patient when she needed to, although in recent years she had become more impatient than she used to be… But she would endure this flight, if only for her sister. Worse, she had to talk to a few people she didn't feel like talking to… That wasn't the right word… She was afraid to talk to them… It would mean facing her past, and she still had trouble with that.

So she decided to look for Frosty ... She found the ice princess in the common room, where she and the red-haired girl named  Lilka were watching some program on the TV. Her young friend now wore only a blue shirt and trousers, because it was warm on the ship, and for a girl raised in the cold it must have been as hot as an oven. She also grew her hair longer, which began to fall to her shoulders. She didn't talk to her about her... health, but she said a few words to Bina. The woman with burgundy hair made a serious face when she learned what was wrong with Frosta, but she tried to treat her as if she was just as much a member of the crew as her charges, for which she was immensely grateful. The girls noticed her approaching, and stood up to greet her. Melog sniffed Shogi , and then Toshi flew up to him , eager to play, but her companion was always a little nervous around the blue flying fox... The ancient shapeshifting monster clearly didn't bother him.

„What are you doing?„ she asked looking at the screen. It was full of characters similar to Huntara, only with green skin, who were fighting some kind of battle...

„Lilka is showing me a film about her people, The orcs.„ Frosta said with the absolute seriousness of someone trying to convince herself of something absurd. She looked at the screen, and then at the girl with red hair. She did not resemble the character on the screen in the slightest, but then again, who was she to judge her? She smiled again and asked.

„Are you okay… „ she said, and the Ice Princess looked away as if she was embarrassed.

„Yes, everything is perfect!„ she said, although they both knew it was not true. However, she did not want to pressure her, so she just hugged her and left the room.

Once she left, she went to the bridge where she saw Bina talking to someone on the other ships.

„Oh, she just came here, I won't have to look for her.„ the captain said and she knew what she wanted from her. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. The woman with burgundy hair turned to her and said.

„Captain Moonshadow, Or rather Queen Angela wants to see you Tomorrow we need to discuss what we will do when we get there.

„I see… „ she said carefully, feeling the fear she couldn't control, until Melog turned almost blue. But she knew that this moment had to come eventually, so she just walked away and headed towards the Merciless cruiser.

She didn't have to wait long before she asked for the right to move to the center cruiser, she was a grand marshal after all, and theoretically one of the most important people in their fleet, despite having virtually no real power. She had no soldiers, apart from perhaps the crew of the ship her sister was traveling on, but they weren't her people, not in the sense that sense. But still, all the Pirates she passed kept out of her way... She wondered what they knew about her... If they had any stories about what happened during the war Or maybe she just still exuded an aura of menace… Which actually made her laugh, because she felt bloody terrified of who she would be talking to, the former queen… The captain's cabin was not guarded in any way, although it was hermetically sealed, and only after a while was she allowed to enter it.

To her surprise, the queen wasn't wearing a mask here, and her mechanical arm was unfastened. She was surprisingly beautiful, despite her age, and what had happened to her... It had happened because of her, she couldn't forget that. Mikach was here too, dressed in a more lavish outfit usually, although considering how wrinkled he was... He was still close to his wife. Literally and figuratively. As soon as he saw her, he smiled at her and said.

„It's good that you're here... I wanted to meet you... We both wanted to meet you... „ he said and suddenly became serious, and she felt a lump of guilt appear in her stomach. However, the sorcerer's words surprised her.

„I apologize for not telling you about it right away... About meeting Shadow Weaver... I know what that woman did to you, What she did to all of us.„ he said, smiling sadly. The news that the queen's father had somehow found his wife didn't really surprise her... She knew that he had left Brightmoon for some mysterious reason, and taken Hordak and Castaspella with him ... The only logical solution for him leaving his daughter in such difficult times was that he wanted to find her mother... However, the fact that he had met Shadow Weaver earlier, was something she would never have expected. Of all the people on Etheria, he was the only one who hated the damned sorcerer more than she did... She guessed that it had to be a connection with Angela ... and perhaps her sister as well...

„I understand, and I guess there's no need to apologize... My sister, and a lot of other people worked with her too, and it seems to me that you had a good reason.” Looked at Glimmer’s mother meaningfully and her husband smiled at her warmly.

„Yes, I wanted to find Angela ...„ He said thoughtfully... „But I also truly believe that Shadow Weaver wants to save us from the First Ones... It's not that important now... I didn't want to tell Glimmer everything yet because of her, and also because I wasn't sure if... If I would be able to get her mother back.”

She smiled sadly to herself and then said.

„For the same reason we didn't want to tell you everything... When Adora told Glimmer that she met Queen Angela . „ she glanced at the captain of this ship. „ We thought it was better not to tell you, because we didn't know if we could save her... Save you, Queen... „ she looked at Angela uncertain, but the queen smiled and answered.

„I also wanted to apologize to you... For trying to kill Adora ... I could blame it on the conditioning that Dr. Sidonius performed on me, but that would only be half the truth. Over the last few years I have been full of rage and violence was the only way for me to vent it. I did terrible things during these years, and when I saw her, the one I considered guilty of everything I went through... I chose the simplest and worst solution... „ her voice was surprisingly melodic, She felt a sudden surge of sadness, maybe It was because she had the impression that the air here was somehow different, or maybe...

„Stop being nice to me!„ She wanted to scream, but her voice broke at the last words. Melog turned yellow and blue, expressing her sadness and stress. „ It's my fault! I'm to blame for everything that happened to you, queen... I was the one who pulled that lever... I knew what would happen... Entrapta warned me, and I sent her to the Beast Island... I didn't want to kill you... I wanted to kill everyone... Including myself... I just wanted it all to end... „ Tears were streaming down her face... She shouldn't cry now, because she was to blame for everything that happened... She did it and there's no excuse for it... She used to think she killed the queen... But now it turned out that she had sentenced her to an equally terrible fate... She wanted the woman to get furious, to punish her. To take out her Anger on her, just as she tried to take it out on her wife... Only she approached her and, smiling with great sadness, said.

„I'm not mad at you... To tell the truth, I don't remember you... As far as I know, we've never even met, I don't think I've even heard much about you, maybe just the complaints from my Daughter and Adora... I just can't be angry at you... I don't associate you with any wrongs that haven't happened to you... And besides, even if I remembered everything perfectly... Enough of revenge and hatred... For the past few years I have lived only with anger and the desire for Revenge... I wanted to Destroy everyone I hated, and I hated a lot of people... Therefore, we should end the cycle of hatred and Revenge... Let's use the fact that my life is now a clean slate and forgive ourselves, and not only each other, but also ourselves...” And then she embraced her with her one  hand and those strange, half-cybernetic wings...

When she left Queen Angela and Mikach's cabin , she went to talk to one more person. Finding her wasn't all that easy. When they left Etheria, the People's Rebellion had declared a ceasefire with the Kingdom of Brightmoon. Then, those members of the rebellion who had volunteered boarded the ships and flew with them… In the end, there were almost two hundred additional people on the ships, mostly carried by… Her uncle's ships, which were now crowded. There were soldiers from outside the former empire, as well as her former Horde comprades. They all looked at her suspiciously, making it clear that she was an outsider… Unwanted even. In the case of the People's Rebellion, she knew exactly what was going on. After all, not long ago they had been mortal enemies, ready to throw themselves at each other's throats… She herself had sworn to defeat and humiliate the General's companion for what had happened to the Frosta’s Kingdom, and for kidnapping Entrapta… Now, however, they were all on the same side, fighting the same enemy. They were allies, and they might have to fight for me, so they had to start getting along… So she went to Lonnie with the intention of talking to her about some of the issues that were troubling them.

The Comrade General was in a container converted into a cabin, and the conversion wasn't very complicated, they just put a magnetic bunk with belts inside. The scar on the girl's face had healed, but it made Lonnie look really menacing. She had been much less irradiated than the elf, so she hadn't lost her hair, which fell loosely down her back. In her hands she held this strange staff covered in suspicious-looking inscriptions. She grimaced at the sight of it, and seeing this, the Comrade General frowned and said firmly.

„What exactly are you looking for here?”

Melog turned a little red, the irritation reflecting off of her. She sighed to calm herself down before saying

"We need to talk... About how things are between us..." she turned to her old companion. Lonnie sat down on the bunk and crossed her arms over her chest.

“And how can they be? For the past five years we've been on opposite sides of the barricade.., And in the end it was all for nothing...” Lonnie She laughed darkly.

“It was unnecessary, wasn't it? If it wasn't for that, maybe everything would have turned out better.” she said coldly, and Lonnie made a sound like something between a groan and a laugh, and then said.

“Yes, it was pointless... I got my people involved in a war we never wanted... We just wanted... I don't know what the fuck we wanted... What did I want...!” She cringed and saw tears in her eyes, which she was trying to hold back the whole time. - I wanted it, and I used my subordinates and friends to fight for me. They suffered and even died for me... But why? Because I was mad at everyone for it... For ruining our lives and making us who we are. I wanted you to be punished... And now fifty of my comrades... My friends died from those killed by that woman... You know she didn't even get tired when she did it... She just killed us and we couldn't do anything... I just wanted... To win something for us, and I lost everything..." She looked at her and buried her face in her hands. She walked over to her and sat on a chair to the side.

„You know very well what I did during the war... I also wanted to win at all costs…Not because I believed in our cause... Just to prove something, or maybe just to spite the people who hurt me. To make us all suffer the same... But now we are on the same ship and we plan to do something good. Something that will save everyone... I will not lie to you that everything will be fine... I will try to never lie to myself again, although I cannot promise that, because that could also be a lie... „ she smiled sourly, when the Comrade General looked at her suspiciously...„ If you want, come to my sister's ship... They have really good training equipment... Maybe they will help you deal with all this... I will help you... „ she put her hand on her shoulder and the Comrade General frowned, looking at her distrustfully, as if she was plotting something, but then shrugged and said.

„I'll think about it.„ She said, and she squeezed her arm again and went back to the ship, hoping that they would be able to talk again.

In order to be able to contact, they had to have Time Synchronizers operating outside of relativistic space, or something like that... Yes, anyway, Alatar explained to her. The dragon-like boy was nice, but he couldn't explain the intricacies of technology well. In fact, she had just discovered that all the technicians spoke similarly to Entrapta... Only slower and less enthusiastically. However, they had somehow managed to obtain the appropriate devices during their first conversation, although she suspected that it was on Etheria that the ruler of Dryl had simply constructed in the meantime. She couldn't wait for the first conversation with her beloved after so many days of separation. She saw Adora's face on the screen and her heart immediately beat faster.

„How are you, my wild cat?„ said her Wife, and she quickly began to explain.

„Everything is fine... I talked to Angela and Lonnie... I was afraid of those conversations, but it wasn't that bad... They don't hate me, you know? I didn't expect that, but I felt such a huge relief that you can't even imagine. And I talked to my sister... It was fine, but she still needs some time to get herself together... I love you...”  she said and waited for her Wife's answer...

„We're fine. Glimmer has regained control of the runestone. We don't know where Fleet Lady Ka went though... But we're looking for her... Remember, you're wonderful! „ and a second later the connection ended. She smiled to herself, lying on the armchair in the living room, but then she heard footsteps. Eti entered the room... She didn't look the best, but she left her cabin, that was probably great progress... She smiled at her and approached me, Itel, Lilka and Wrongdak, who were also present in the room. No one hugged her, because everyone knew she hated it , but they were close.

„Are you feeling all right…?„ she asked carefully, and Eti said without even looking at her.

„Of course! How else would I feel?„ Eti replied in a slightly less flat voice than usual. And then she said. „ but something should be done about my hand and eye. „ She showed her left hand, maimed by Lady Ka, and her bandaged eye. „ To save Rosie, I have to be fully functional...

„Sure... We'll save her, and I'll help you... „ she smiled fondly at her sister.

Adora opened her tears, which she had shed after talking to her wife... It was so good to be able to hear her voice again... Unfortunately, she still couldn't see her face, not as well as she wanted. She would have to lean over the monitor, and then she would start to suspect something. For now, the doctors weren't sure what was new for her. She understood that they were staring at such an explosion, it must have damaged her retina, the soldiers from the Order had told her the same... But she couldn't give up. She had to find a cure for her condition... Everyone was counting on her. Friends, the inhabitants of the planet, members of the alliance... The galaxy... Such was her burden

Chapter Text

Lady Cala stood and tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for Nightgale to activate the portal. They didn't have a pair of mirrors with them, because Shadow Weaver had taken one and left it somewhere, but fortunately they managed to turn on the communication device on the other side, and using it practically didn't require any energy, so they would be able to use it without any major difficulties. They learned that nothing important had happened on the other side... Anyway, nothing they didn't already know. The idiot queen had regained her power, but that didn't matter anymore, she wouldn't reach them here, and the young sorceress already had her new source of power. A bigger problem could result from possible military repercussions, but that wasn't entirely her problem. She knew that Etheria couldn't afford a military response to the Lord Admiral's actions for now, especially since he represented the Pacts World, so any action against him would also be actions against one of the greatest powers in the galaxy. They had to be careful, and time was on their side. The only thing she didn't like about it was the fact that they were at Despara's mercy... She was the sister of that nasty, treacherous animal, but from her words, she was at least partly fighting for their cause... But would she want to convince her father to defend them from his other daughter's friends? Even sensible and logical people could lose their minds when it came to their children. The best example was her adoptive family, who couldn't  believe till the very end   who the child they had taken in really was. Well, they learned too late that they shouldn't trust appearances. But in Antares' case , it was a matter of which child should take over his legacy. She had chosen one side of the coin, or rather, the side of the coin had chosen her, and now she had to rely on her

In the meantime, while they waited for the device to charge, she could start preparing for further plans. They had captured a pirate ship, whose captain had maps of the main continent, unfortunately not very accurate, she was really put to a hard test by being sent to such a primitive planet, but they allowed her to get a rough idea of the situation. They intended to go to the nearest kingdom called Evenere, because there was an interregnum there, after some ambitious dark wizard decided to murder the local monarchs, thus simulating an attack on the part of the elven inhabitants of the other half of the continent, thanks to which he had an excuse to start a war. She had to admit that she would like this man, if of course some idiot hadn't killed him in the meantime. She remembered that in some way Shadow Weaver was supposed to help bring him back to life, so if it worked, it would be one of the few worthwhile things she would do in her life.

They also searched the city where they found a lot of interesting things that could significantly facilitate their conquest of this place, one of them was a map of this planet. Unfortunately, it did not take into account the current political situation, but at least they knew the exact outlines of the continents. Thanks to this, they will be able to recreate the local borders with relative accuracy.

This time they were able to move two dozen people here, but also a lot of cargo that unfortunately had to be crammed into a relatively small room. First of all, they had to have a lot of ammunition, as well as fabricators and other equipment capable of producing the necessary equipment, but unfortunately Lady Ka's dogs were not colonists wanting to settle an alien planet, just a gang of thugs, so they had to remove a few things from the ships. They also couldn't forget about Lady Sorrowflame's workshop . The ancient dragon had hers requirements, but he was so useful that she had no right to complain. Everyone gathered before leaving the portal, she also took most of their prisoners. She decided not to kill them, they weren't expensive to maintain, and they turned out to be quite useful. They helped pitch the tent, washed her clothes and did a lot of things that were worthy of someone as wonderful and perfect as her. Everyone ran quickly, because there was really no telling how long the portal would remain open. The dogs shifted all the gear as Lady Sorroflame walked to the other side with a majestic stride, her belongings no larger than a Droid looking with many spidery Legs. It was getting dark, so the ancient vampire dragon was feeling pretty good. The Necrotechnician looked around the swamp and raised an eyebrow.

"It looks the same as the other side, except the light here is provided by a burning ball of plasma." She said thoughtfully, and shrugged in response.

„ These cities were designed to look the same. However, this place seems interesting... „ she explained, and the dragoness approached their captives, who watched all this in horror. She saw a short but placed man with Dark skin, who acted as a scout here.

„Somebody hold him.„ She said in a gentle but firm doctor's tone, but Nightgale looked at her suspiciously and asked.

„What do you want to do to him?” she looked sharply at the dragoness, but she smiled and said.

„I promise that after all this he will still be with us and fully conscious. “ said the dragoness, and she added.

„He is a murderer who would not hesitate to cut our throats in any other situation to get our property. Better men than him have given their lives in our cause, including so that you could live.„ She smiled at the young sorcerer, who looked at her hard, but then looked away and two of Lady Ka's subordinates held him down, and the necrotechnician moved the injection gun to his neck and injected something.

„This is an immunosuppressive drug, very strong, so you would probably die soon from some serious infection, maybe caused by bacteria living in your body, but fortunately you won't have to worry about that.„ she loaded the new medical device into the injector and injected it into the man's body again.

„This is an extract from Ghoul's saliva. Thanks to the immunosuppressive drug, the transformation will occur with almost one hundred percent probability, it will also be faster, although probably more painful.„ She explained as if explaining the effects of the new drug to the patient. The man looked at everyone with pure terror in his eyes, and the woman who had previously proven to be the most talkative said.

„But Ghouls only live in fairy tales, in scary stories...„ There was panic in her voice, but then Lady Sorrowflame smiled, revealing her black vampire fangs.

„My dear, you will soon discover that there are nightmares in the world that even madmen howling in windowless rooms have never dreamed of.”

"What are our resources, exactly?" Lady Sorrowflame asked in a slightly bored voice, as if she had worked the hardest out of them all. Nightgale had no intention of picking on the vampiric dragoness, but that didn't change the fact that she was irritated with her. Or maybe not with her at all, but with that damned sorcerer who hadn't bothered to contact her since she 'd awakened the Bloodstone. On the other hand, she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him.

They were in a large domed building. There wasn't much furniture, just a large stone table and a few chairs. They had taken most of it from the ship, but then it turned out that when she gave the answer, some of the Riliti, the smaller ones with more developed hands, could copy any piece of furniture she showed them. On the table was a large platter of fried fish. It had been prepared by Ires, one of the pirates, who seemed to be the most organized of them all. Around it were chests, built by the Riliti, containing things they were going to show the dragoness

„First of all, we have our technology here. „ explained Lady Cala, who was smiling with obvious satisfaction. „ Although our resources will be limited, the locals are primitive backward savages who are stuck in the Lost Golarion age... „ she spoke with a radiant superiority, but Lady Sorrowflame interrupted her.

„I come from the Lost Golarion, and I remember it quite well. Conquering it was not such an easy feat, many stronger than us tried, and ended very badly.„ The dragoness said in a gloomy voice.

„Here, however, the situation is much better... The people here are divided, and in addition to that, in conflict with the other half of the continent inhabited by elves... More importantly, it seems that they are not only primitive in terms of technology, but also never achieved what the inhabitants of Golarion have in the field of magic.„ said Lady Cala, smiling slyly, but then Nightgale said.

„That's because they are essentially descendants of the First Ones, and as a result they have certain limitations when it comes to the ability to use magic, although at the same time they have enormous potential, I don't have to mention what this means.„ when the aristocrat said this she grimaced, but it came out Sorrowflame looked up in spiteful curiosity.

„What exactly does this mean?„ said the dragoness , and she began to explain.

„From what I know, they couldn't use magic directly, like you or me, but they were genetically perfect, immune to most diseases and, more importantly, they could manipulate energy if they had the opportunity to use someone else's power... That's how it is here. If the locals had access to even a fraction of the technology of this cursed civilization, their sorcerers... Perhaps they would be able to drain entire worlds of magic... „ She said, and in her thoughts added "I will be able to too..."

The dragon snorted contemptuously and said.

„Cripple yourself to prove something to others... Mortals can be absolutely pathetic indeed... But that can be exploited... I understand that dragon-elf hybrids can use some kind of normal magic.”

„Yes.„ she confirmed the words. „ They can use their innate power to a limited extent. Lady Sorrowflame , who smiled with all her fangs and said.

„ I've read about it... I would love to study these hybrids... Perhaps some of them will be rewarded with the greatest gift I can give!”

She looked at the man she had infected with Ghoul Fever earlier . He was sitting against the wall, hunched and trembling, his body wracked with spasms. He felt sorry for him, but even more for those the vampire dragon would want to reward…

„But you must be careful... The archdragons here are supposedly powerful and capable of destroying entire armies... „ she said, trying to think of a way to cool down her companions' enthusiasm.

„Archdragons you say... how many of them are here?„ she looked at Iris , she was present here, obviously not fully realizing how dangerous it is to be in this company.

„I'm not sure, but at least five...„ she said in a voice of concern with fear... The dragon smiled grimly and said.

„Well, there are at least six of them now... You see, I too can destroy an army... For I am the Flame of Sorrow... the Lady of Ashes... the One Who Brought Silence. „ When she said this, her other companions giggled at the pure horror on the pirate's face.

„So you also have your plans? As I understand it, you want to take over the power here... An ambitious plan, I won't deny it ... But I learned from the Lord Admiral that to wage war, first and foremost, you need Money, and then money, and money will come in handy. Do you know how to solve this problem?„ asked the dragoness, drawing a circle on the table top with her claws, but then Lady Cala smiled and said.

„Fortunately, finances won't be a problem for us. „ she looked at her and Nightgale smiled sourly.

„Gold is quite a useful raw material, not only because of its conventional value, but also because it is useful in the production of computers... The Krellans may have been a powerful civilization, whose technology was based on crystalline structures that used geomantic energy of the world, but they also sometimes used simpler computers, especially in the early stages of colonization, and this required the right raw materials. The Riliti had thousands of years to see the right supplies. „ She walked up to the chest made of a strange organic stone. She walked past the age and saw the golden plates. At this sight, Lady Sorrowflame's eyes flashed red. She had heard that dragons were greedy in fairy tales, but now she could see the Dragon's lust for gold with her own eyes. Even death didn't change some things.

„As you can see, I must now buy myself a few kingdoms. „ Lady Cala's eyes flashed with a vivid purple-blue light.

Prince Desmond sat down with effort in a chair in his great hall of his court. He wrote and sealed letters to the remaining nobles, clan leaders, village elders, and city mayors asking them to come to the great meeting. They had to choose a king eventually. If they don't do this soon, someone might start looking at their kingdom with greedy eyes. True, the other kingdoms had their problems, because now the fear of dragons and Xadia no longer united them. He had even heard rumors that Queen Janaia might marry General Amaya, which could completely turn the entire political system everyone had been accustomed to for the past thousand years upside down…  And external threats were only part of the problems. They had somehow avoided civil war so far, but it was hanging by a thread. If anyone decided it would be worth the risk and take the crown for themselves... Even if they only have control over part of their island kingdom, it will all go to hell, as the sailors say rudely. And then there were the Pirates, who had always been a problem for their kingdom. The outer islands, especially those in the East, had never been fully under the Crown's control, and now it turned out that the pirates from the East were also on top of everything. The funniest thing was that many of the Elven pirates had benefited more from the peace than their Human counterparts , because they could sail freely to the West, where the Archdragon was not allowed to do anything ... But there was another problem, a completely new one, one he had never heard of before. Ships full of strange people with bald heads and bulging eyes began to sail out of small villages on tiny islands and vast marshes. Slightly better-looking priests in emerald-colored robes began to preach the glory of Great Cthulhu and the Old Ones. Even in the city where he lived, a temple of the Esoteric Order Of Dagon had been built , whose priests sang strange songs before each storm, which should not be possible to articulate with human throats. He was not sure if they posed any threat to him, but he had to be on his guard. For now, however, he had done what he could and had only to wait for answers. His husband, Cyril, stood beside him. A tall and thin man with a thin face and chestnut-colored skin put his hand on his shoulder and said.

„You did everything you could.”

He took his hand in his and smiled, but his sister-in-law Clara seemed worried. She was a mage, which meant a lot on the islands of the  kingdom Evenere. The islanders didn't approach dark magic with as much nonchalance as the inhabitants of the other kingdoms. They understood how great its power was, but also how great a threat it carried. To become a mage, one had to study under another and pass many difficult tests that tested the endurance of both body and spirit. They saw themselves as people who were part of the natural cycle, taking care of a dangerous power that everyone should use... While in Katolis there was always a Royal Mage who was ready to fulfill all the wishes of the ruler, as long as they were within his reach, it was you Evenere . They served the community to which they belonged. He had heard that the king's brother was supposedly the new royal mage and did not use dark magic, but he did not really believe it, after all, humans were Doomed to use the dark arts... It was as old a truth as the fact that the sun rises every day and the dead sleep in their graves...

„ I guess we'll have to wait until tomorrow for the ravens to be sent out, there's no sign that this fog will clear up.” His Husband said, looking out the window. Indeed, the port of Rastia was shrouded in a thick fog that made it impossible for him to see anything on the street. He felt a strange pang of fear, completely irrational, because he wasn't a child to believe that monsters lurked in the fog... But when he looked at his sister-in-law, he saw that she seemed to be just as worried as he was.

And then they heard the singing. Low, steady chants singsong , unexpectedly coming in high tracks, from which even the glass in the windows of his house sent. He definitely did not like it, so he said.

„Call the guards, I need to see what they're planning.”

Prince Desmond walked through the streets of the city towards the port, dressed in light armor and holding a glaive. Behind him walked twenty of his Guards. Not a large army, like any that was on Evenere.  The land of the Emerald Dragonfly was perhaps not the least populated of the kingdoms of the Pentarchy, that title belonged to Del Bar, but its inhabitants always preferred small clashes between clans, or sea battles. Unfortunately, but the Emerald fleet had not been properly paid for two years, and besides, it was only subordinate to the king anyway, so for defense, and fighting pirates, there were small forces that local magnates and clan leaders had at their disposal, but it really wasn't much. Port Ariel may not have been the largest city in their kingdom, but it was certainly one of the top five, although compared to the cities of Katolis or Duren it was quite small. Three thousand people lived here, most of whom were engaged in the production of salt and salted fish, which were one of the main exports of this region of their country. This region of their country. It was located on the outer part of the kingdom, further to the east were the Shattered Islands, and the Island Of Screams and even further Xadia…

He did not wait for the general levy to be assembled or support from the sea watch, it would seem that already to disperse the crowd of strange fanatics Twenty well-armed men would be enough for him. They had glaives and baskets, as well as armor and they were all well trained, so he believed that they would restore order very quickly.

The streets were empty, as if most of the residents had a hunch and preferred to hide in their homes. They were probably wise to do so. His sister-in-law walked next to him, and his Husband remained at the Manor to oversee all the usual matters.

The closer they got to the port, the louder the singing became. Finally, they reached the Quay where a crowd of several dozen members of the Esoteric Order stood… Most of them were locals, whose uncertainty and fear of an unknown future had pushed them into the hands of this strange cult, but at least a few people had this strange characteristic appearance. They were massive, and their bodies were bald heads and bulging eyes. The exception was the leader of the cult, who was indeed extremely tall, but also very thin and had long gray hair that fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were also unnaturally large, and almost entirely blue, and her smile was wide and as if crazy. She seemed to him to be quite attractive, although he did not know enough about it to be able to judge.

„Are you also waiting for the arrival of the Envoy?„ she said in a quite beautiful melodic voice, tilting her head to the side. She stared at him without blinking, which in itself sent shivers down his spine.

„We came here to disperse this crowd. You scare people, and your Cult has no support among the priests of the true gods.

The woman started laughing as if he had said something that amused her.

„Oh, it's too late. It's a pity you didn't dream our dreams. You didn't see, child of the one who is Whenever or Whereve. The Child of the Key and Gate. But don't worry, You'll see her glory, before it all ends.

He gripped his glaive tighter to take down the woman. This fight looked harder than he had expected, but he could see that they would manage. But then a ship emerged from the fog. It was a small sailing ship, probably used for trade… Or piracy. He decided that the crazy member of the esoteric order of Dagon had teamed up with the pirates, and he intended to retreat to safer positions, and even with the help of one crew they would not work much against the entire city but then two people jumped onto the pier. One of them was a tall woman with light blonde hair that hung down to her waist Her blue eyes were colder than ice, and her smile had something diabolical about it. Behind her stood a figure in strange gray armor. It was unarmed, but he couldn't see any gap in the armor, not even enough for eyes.

„You now have the honor of bowing before your new Lady and her noble knight.” 

She didn't remember Who she is, or Who she was. She had always dreamed that she existed. Her only purpose was to serve the one who holds the bracelet…. Nothing else mattered. She had once had a name, but that no longer mattered. She was a loss, that's what her Mistress had called her, and that's how she would serve her.

For two days they sailed on the sea, and she only woke up when her mistress needed something from her. Several times the other woman, the tall one with gray hair and scars on her face, wanted to talk to her, but she didn't answer her. It was pointless. Everything was pointless.

Until at last they sailed into that port shrouded in mist. They were greeted by strange people who seemed to be waiting for her mistress. But there were others who seemed unhappy with their presence.

„Who are you! Answer! „ he said clearly preparing to strike, but the lady only laughed and said.

„I am the queen of this land... Do you not recognize your rightful ruler?„ she said approaching him, and the man blushed and tried to strike, but then the aristocrat pulled out This strange sword covered in symbols that she knew from her previous life and with one blow I cut his throat. The man grabbed his throat, and his men gave a stifled cry, the dark-skinned woman standing next to him pursed her lips and began to say the words of the spell. Then she was given the order to kill.

She jumped forward, covering her mistress, and the dark energy hit her in the chest. She felt a chill that almost reached her heart, but then she absorbed all the magic power and threw the woman to the side. The next one jumped at the guards. The first two tried to stop her with polearms, but the blades could not penetrate the adamantium armor. She grabbed their watches and clenched her hands, crushing their necks. The successors tried to shoot her with crossbows and even primitive firearms, but it did little to help her. She struck with armored fists, crushing bodies and heads. With each blow, Blood and shattered bones spurted. They started to run, but she was ordered to chase them, which she immediately carried out. They were unable to escape from someone dressed in power armor. In no more than two minutes, they were all dead. She turned at her mistress's command and approached the Sorceress who was trying to get to her feet. She looked at her with horror, and then the order was given to kill her, to crush her skull in her hands, but the woman took something from a small bag at her belt and said a few words, then jumped into the water and swam somewhere. She wanted to chase her, but her mistress told her to stop. Then she approached her and put her hand on her shoulder.

„Look at your work.„ she said and then she remembered Who she was. Her name was Rosie... She looked around her and saw dead bodies torn and crushed. She looked at her storks in armor body, Covered with the remains of her victims. Her hands were red with blood. She screamed in terror, but then she forgot Who she was again... She was a servant again, a tool used only for killing.

Chapter Text

Huntara hated that thing in the sky It was the sun, wasn't it? Anyway, it was shining on her and she felt like her skin was turning dark under its influence. It was a strange feeling, a completely new and unknown feeling, and she was too old to learn new things. First there were the stars, and then guests from other planets appeared. It didn't really bother her, after all, the inhabitants of Etheria were always open to others, but now she went to another planet... What's worse, she sacrificed several gang members to get here, including one of her friends. She didn't know something like this would happen and she would never have agreed to something like this, but this man with cold blue eyes and warned them... Or rather, he didn't warn them enough about what would await them there on the other side... She didn't want to remember what she saw there... She was then again a soldier of the horde, who was sent to fortified positions, But this time it was not the troops of Etheria, but hordes of strange insectoids. She knew that it was a suicidal charge, and that she would not defeat them, she would fall in battle with such a terrible enemy... Unless she retreated... It was the only way to survive, but at the same time she knew that she could not do it. She could not turn back, nor stop... She led the charge, killing monsters one by one, but she herself received terrible wounds from claws and a corrosive substance that burned like fire. Finally, she stood in front of an unusual opponent. At first glance, she looked like all the other insects... But then she looked into his face... She was so similar to Catra, although not identical, but very similar. She was about to deal her a Deathblow, but then she avoided her, and found herself outside.

The only good thing about it all was that the land on the other side reminded her of her homeland, or rather the place she had chosen as her home... They were in a desert, much sandier, stretching to the horizon, but she still had some idea of how to survive in such conditions. The problem was that it was a desert, and even the most persistent travelers couldn't survive for too long without access to water... And it wasn’t that easy to find her. It wasn’t like in the stories, where people like her could smell water hidden underground. Unfortunately, they didn’t know anything about this place, so they had to trust their fate to luck, and she hated when her future was decided by chance. She believed that her destiny was hers, although now she was starting to have doubts about it.

Tung Lashor seemed to be just as depressed as she was, although the lizard knew much more about the galaxy than the others, although even for him this place was probably foreign. Rechiza and the other wise guy seemed to be the happiest of them all, and walked side by side like a couple in love... Hell, they probably were... The mercenary also seemed relatively happy, but she didn't blame her, because from what she had heard in this large, heavy armor she didn't feel the heat so much, and in the worst case she could process urine into water even if it seemed quite disgusting. The massive woman carried some of their belongings and helped carry the coffin with Dr. Sidonius during the day, who had only woken up when the sun had set. He seemed impatient and irritated that some of his servants had died while going through the tower, and he transformed into a Raven and flew away into the darkness of the night. The happiest of them all seemed to be Golden Eyes and Prince Zed, although since they were both machines of sorts, she couldn't imagine what could possibly worry them. Then there was Archduke Kane, and his demeanor seemed the most disturbing. He seemed lost in thought, like a man who had returned to his homeland after many years... This man, if he was human, scared her, and it was true to scare someone who lived in the Crimson Waste, but now she discovered that he had a strange sensitive side, which only made him even scarier. A bandit or a murderer was something she could understand, but a murderer with the soul of a poet was truly terrifying.

Luckily, towards the evening of the first day they found a small oasis, or rather a large puddle full of dirty water, but it could still be cleaned with the right filters, so at least they were not in danger of dying of thirst. They spent the whole next day here resting, while the archduke and the automaton planned their next move, while she, Tung Lashor and Dilayla played cards to pass the time and not think about what had happened. To her surprise, the game they taught her was very similar to what was played in most dives in the wastelands, although in their case it was called shields and swords…As soon as the sun set, Doctor Sidonius appeared... Whenever she was near this person  from nightmare stories, she would flinch ... She could be a restless warrior and always afraid of nothing, but a living dead is a living dead.

„Did you notice anything during your excursion, doc?„ said the archduke, who at that time was staring at the small fire he had made from dry bushes. The doctor smiled, showing his long fangs, and then said.

„I took a little trip and visited a nearby settlement. Apart from a small snack, don't worry, I didn't kill anyone, I also got some information.”

„That's interesting, you saved us some trouble, so thank you.„ The man with the murderous eyes said in a soft voice, and then the doctor continued.

„We are in a kingdom called Neolandia , one of five human kingdoms on the western part of the continent that belong to this species. In the east live elves and dragons, and until recently there was a conflict between elves and humans, which only recently ended...„ he said and told a story that the war ended because a human sorcerer wanted to kill all the kings, took power and led his own crusade against the elves, which however failed and he was killed... His explanation was not very detailed, but he clearly did not talk to people who knew anything more. The archduke straightened his back and said.

„Well, then we must go to the town and ask someone better informed.„ his voice was thoughtful, as if the story he had heard didn't particularly concern him. However, she felt a strong twinge of anxiety. A sorcerer wanting to seize power and murder all who stood in his way reminded her too much of a fallen sorcerer who was supposed to die, but was alive and making terrible plans. Was it similar in this place? Or had a dark magician faked his death here too and was now hiding somewhere? She was starting to come to the conclusion that she hated magic and magical matters.

„ You just have to be careful. From what I understand, there are no non-humans here, except elves and dragons. „ The doctor said… and then Tung Lashor grimaced as if he had remembered something unpleasant, and she asked.

„What does that mean? You mean that only one people live here?„ she scratched her cheek, because it seemed hard to imagine. After all, there were many different Peoples living on Etheria , and most didn't pay much attention to who was born who. Was it different? The Doctor had mentioned a war between humans and Elves... Was that a reason to fight? To shed blood? To kill each other? It was hard to understand.

„Well, that could be a problem... But not that big a problem. People can be surprisingly tolerant when it benefits them, and believe me, I can make it beneficial for people to cooperate with me. „ Kane said, smiling enigmatically, but then added.„ Dilayla and I will go to the city, because even though she is not a pure-blood, thanks to this we will learn what the real relations between humans and elves are like. Sari could go with me, because she basically looks like a human with anemia, but I prefer her to stay here in case someone comes here and we need to talk to someone. With a bit of luck, Rechiza and Arkan-tar could pass themselves off as humans, but it would be better if the rest stayed in our camp. Fortunately, I have foreseen a similar situation, and I have a few ideas on how we can solve it.

Then Quin spoke up . The rat scientist seemed incredibly annoyed to be there, since her equipment didn't tell her much about where they were, which meant she didn't have much to do.

„I have a great idea! I'll just connect to the local network and hack all the necessary data, and no one will have to visit this place in person!„ she shouted rubbing her paws together, but then Dr. Sidonius looked at her meaningfully and said...

„How to put it... There is no network in this place and there probably won't be one for the next five hundred years...”

A look of horror appeared on the rat-like scientist's face .

Kane Adamson felt strange here. He didn't remember ever visiting this place, and at the same time he felt like he knew it quite well, which was an exceptionally disorienting feeling. He also knew that he had once worked for those who tried to colonize this planet, and he had never completely forgotten about it. A dozen or so years earlier, he had sent Klest, his oldest and most talented daughter, to look for this place... He hadn't heard from her since then, and he should actually be worried, although his instinct told him that she did fine here... After all, she was a resourceful and independent young woman who could manage even in worse conditions. If what the doctor said about this place was true, then he could guess what could have prevented her…

Dilayla walked beside him as if she were his bodyguard, though anyone who looked him in the eye wouldn't think he was a man who needed protecting. The half-elf had removed her power armor but had donned her assault armor. Well, it was better to bring too many weapons than too few in their case. He himself wore no armor, just good-looking traveling clothes and a pistol holstered in the lapels of his cloak.

The settlement they were approaching wasn't very big, but it looked surprisingly decent, and in his opinion it had to be a local trading center, supported by the exchange of goods that had been carried out in this place. There was a small Watchtower here, and on the hill there was something that looked like an intermediate structure between a Fort and a palace. Perhaps a thousand people lived here, even on the scale of his planet Carurystalu it was ridiculously few... They were on a planet even more forgotten by devils and demons than Etheria. When he entered the streets of the town he felt a pang of strange nostalgia, after all he had spent most of his incredibly long life in places similar to this one. Technological development of mortals for most of history had been surprisingly slow, apart from those moments when it rapidly accelerated, finally leading to a terrible collapse. There was something unsettling about it, or maybe he was just in a reflective mood?

The guards only stopped them for a few moments, asking who they were and where they were going, and he said he was a traveler from a distant land, and the locals didn't press them too hard. It was very fortunate that the locals spoke Common, although it was also unsettling, but oh well... It wasn't much of a complaint for him.

He found the Place he was looking for quite quickly. No matter how different the cultures and civilizations of mortals were, there were still some things in common, such as the fact that it was easiest to get a language at the local bar. This one was called the Golden Finger Hand, and it looked like a surprisingly decent establishment. It was late, and there were many guests inside, and a woman with dark skin was sweeping and greeting him with a nod. There were a few tables and a small bar, behind which sat a tall man, with brown skin, who clearly resembled the woman sweeping the floor, although at least a generation older, so he was probably her father. He sat down on the bar, and the man gave him a curious look and flinched at the sight of his eyes, which promised a fruitful conversation.

„Hello, sir…„ he said uncertainly, and He placed his hand on the board and said.

„Give me something stronger to drink... What do you have here? „ he said and the man scratched his cheek and said.

„ We have beer, wine and arrack... If you would like something to eat, I have some couscous cooked in broth, but nothing else, it's late after all...„ his voice was uncertain and he seemed a little scared.

„I'll have a beer for me and arak for my companion. „ He said and began to look around the room. Actually, it wasn't the ideal time for such a task, because most of the well informed people were asleep now, but on the other hand, they would be assured of discretion. There was one person here, so he looked appropriately informed... There was an older man, with a dark face and a new look. There was something about him... Something interesting... People like him could recognize those marked by the darkness from between the stars... Maybe it was an ordinary occultist, unaware of the truth about the beings waiting in the shadow, but it could also be a cultist, a devoted servant of the Great Old Ones... There was a certain risk in this, because it was not known what the plans of the Eldrith Beings were, and he did not like to cooperate with them much, but it was a risk, which was worth taking. He approached him and sat down opposite him. The man looked in his direction and smiled slightly, as if they already knew each other.

„Who are you, traveler, and what are you looking for?„ The man said, and He answered him…

"I am Archduke Kane Adamson. I have come here from a distant land, and I would like to know something about the country to which I have come." His voice was gentle and businesslike, and he tried to smile friendly.

„My name is Prospero and I am looking for a certain place called the tower of Yithil ... I am an astrologer and... You could say that the stars told me that I would find something important there... Someone who had crossed the sea of stars and found himself in the New World. „ that the man, and then he smiled back at him and said.

„Indeed, you have found someone who has traveled across the stars so many times.„ Deep in his heart, however, he wondered if he would not have to kill this man before dawn.

Dilayla, traveling through the space between the stars, saw fire and blood... She saw the battle during which she lost her family home. She was running away from the enemy, while knowing that she was heading back to the place where she and her sister were maimed. She wanted to stop and escape from everything that had happened to her. She could have saved them all, if only she turned back, if only she had stopped, or looked for another way. But the voice told her to go forward and she listened to it, until she found herself in the New World. She had to admit that it was quite pleasant here. For a while, she was afraid that they had reached a land covered by a gigantic wasteland, completely devoid of life. Fortunately, it quickly turned out that people lived there and in quite pleasant conditions. The city looked quite okay, during her career as a mercenary she had been in much worse places, where it was scary to look at the wrong person, at least if you were not a heavily armed brawler, like she was.

She had to admit that she wasn't too happy about having to travel with the Archduke, because this man was... The most terrifying person she had ever seen. She had seen terrible things in her life, lines of enemy soldiers charging at her position, undead wanting to devour her, cultists wanting to sacrifice her to the ancient Monsters... But this Man simply looked like he could kill her, and most of the people she had met, and go back to reading a book on botany or poetry... If what she had heard was true, then he was older than anything she had known, older even than that damned Vampire. She was not happy about such company, and she was not at all sure that he needed her to defend him from anything, from her he would defend her if he felt like it, and she probably couldn't count on that.

The Archduke found some man he intended to talk to, and she was sitting at the bar drinking arak… She had to admit it was quite tasty, and warmed her up on this rather cold night, so she wasn't really mad that every Kane ordered it without asking her opinion. The owner of the place and a few of the regulars looked at her askance, so she swallowed her drink and said.

„I'm sorry, but I prefer Girls... And besides, I guess I'm a in... „ she wanted to say that she was in a relationship, but she wasn't sure if that was the right term, because her love was on the other end of the Galaxy, and she didn't know if they would meet again, so for now she preferred not to jinx it .

„I see... But actually that's not what I meant... You see... You look quite unusual and I wonder where you come from.„ said the owner of the place, and she took a long sip and answered him.

„Oh I'm just a half-elf, you've seen elves, right? Well, if an elf and a human in any configuration like each other very much, then they have children... I guess I don't have to explain this whole process to you, although sometimes it's more complicated...„ she smiled, and the innkeeper scratched his cheek before saying.

„Well, it seems so, but... Shouldn't you have some horns, you know, those tiny ones, and what's it like with your fingers then...”

„With fingers?„ She had only come across two cases where elves could have horns, and in both cases, the influence of other planes came into play, usually hell or the abyss. It didn't bode well, because if there was an entire civilization of elves with Fiendish blood here, their situation could be much worse, it seemed to them... Although maybe she shouldn't think so stereotypically...

„Well, because all elves have four fingers, Everyone knows that, but you have five and don't have horns. Although to tell you the truth I wasn't sure if people could have children with elves at all, because you know, because of this whole conflict, no elves were actually seen here, how many people thought some strange things about them, but I saw one here a long time ago , and they were, not bad. They traveled here with this woman, a rich aristocrat, and were friends with the one who talks to your companion „ he pointed to the man Kane was talking to. She glanced back and frowned, because apparently the archduke decided to have a longer chat with that man.

„You see, it's just that it varies. Besides, both of my parents were half-elves like me, so it's even more complicated. And what happened that the war ended? Because honestly, my companion and I are from overseas countries, and we don't know everything that happened here.„ She smiled friendly, knowing how strange her story sounded, but the man clearly had heard stranger things lately, so he just nodded and said.

„It all started when Old King Katolis wanted to kill thunder, you know, that great dragon that guarded the border... And then the assassins killed him and wanted to kill his son, because they thought that the king had also murdered the young Dragon Prince, but it was the Royal Mage who had only kidnapped his egg or something like that. Then the sons of the king of Katolis disappeared and the same Mage later became regent. He persuaded the other monarchs to war and he almost succeeded, but the prince, that is the king at that time, was found and imprisoned the Magus, but then some assassins killed two kings and seriously wounded our ruler, so our son, the brave Prince Kazef, came to Katolis and restored the Mage to the throne and they led a war expedition together. Only later it turned out that this Mage not only wanted to kill the princes, but it also turned out that these Assassins were shadows sent by him. In Xadia, the Magus and his army were defeated by the elves allied with the rightful king of Katolis, and our prince was killed, and now we have a pretty bad situation, because our king lies chained to his bed, and his children argue about who should be his successor…

„That's interesting. What do you think about the heirs to the throne?”

The innkeeper shrugged, probably unsure of what to answer.

„I am a simple man, and I can only repeat what others say. So the Queen Mother would most like to continue the war to avenge her beloved son Kazef and her eldest daughter Reiga is also behind it, but actually the king has appointed her younger sister Iria as regent, who is supported by her twin brother Kaiz. who is the high priest Abdra, and the illegitimate son named Cham is trying to get as much as he can for himself and his family... I'm telling you, this is not a good time to travel around our country, any longer and a bloody civil war will break out. Unless you're a mercenary, then you've come to the perfect place at the perfect time”

She laughed and said.

„It just so happens that I am and have been for many years, and many of my friends are also knowledgeable about warfare, so I guess we've come to the right place... „ she said. Although she didn't really know why they were here... What should actually worry her...

The innkeeper looked at Kane.

„Yes, he especially looks like someone who should be able to handle themselves when everyone is at each other's throats.„ And he thought for a moment before adding „ I mentioned this elven person who was here some time ago, you know, who befriended Prospero. They came here recently towards the capital... Only they were with a whole squad of mercenaries, or at least those who looked like mercenaries, and the leader was supposedly a woman with red hair, and I'm telling you... She looked exactly like your companion, she even had the same terrible eyes...

Dilayla continued to smile and took a long sip of arrack, but thought to herself that evil always comes in pairs.

Chapter Text

Miriam decided that she needed to learn a lot more swear word, because the ones she had used so far were enough to describe her level of anger… Luckily, considering who she was Traveling with, learning new swear words probably wouldn't be a problem, as most of her companions knew languages ​​she hadn't even known existed until recently.  She would never have guessed that what she would need most from new unknown civilizations would be new ways to express her hatred of her own fate. She was furious like never before… Well, maybe she was exaggerating a little, but she really hadn't been this angry in a long time. Actually, she wasn't entirely sure what she was furious about. The most obvious answer was the pain in her leg, which had started to bother her after they left Hammerhall. Of course, it was something she had already become partially accustomed to, but on the other hand, can you get used to constant suffering? What she knew, she guessed so… Anyway, she had no choice… Well, she did, but for now she didn't want to do the one thing that would end her suffering… Yet…

She had to admit, though, that Klest's companions outside of Xadia were surprisingly nice. Iath tried to help her, because she knew something about medicine, but as soon as she saw their leg, she threw out a few curses in a language she didn't know... Which definitely helped to improve her vocabulary... Then the strange elf started asking her about what had happened, and she told the truth, there was no point in hiding the facts. Then she looked at her with sympathy, and said something about maybe she should find a place on Eox, but she didn't quite understand what it was about. And she wasn't sure if she really wanted to understand...

But that wasn't the point... At least not only that. A few days after she arrived at this strange fortress, where Secrets from beyond her world were hidden, she was moved by another expedition to distant lands... She had traveled a lot in her life, after all she was the cousin of the queen of one of the most powerful countries in the world... Before... what Viren had done, they wanted to send her to Katolis for some time ... She suspected that her cousin, or one of her advisors, had come up with the idea of marrying her off to the heir to the throne's half”brother... Or maybe to which of Viren's children, because after all her preferences were already known then... Well, life turned out differently, but even before all that she had visited Neolandia and Evenere ... And then she had never actually returned to her family home, and very rarely came to the Palace, only when she needed to beg some funds from her cousin... Considering who she was traveling with now, she probably wouldn't have to worry about money...

But what probably irritated her the most was her own ignorance… Throughout all these years she was convinced that she really knew a lot about the world. The world was quite simple then, humans lived on one side of the continent and practiced dark magic, and elves lived on the other side and depending on who you asked, they would go about their business or lie in wait to attack humanity at the first opportunity. But then the conflict ended, it turned out that at least one human could cast spells without using Dark Magic, and the elves were actually quite nice... At least some of them... And now she discovered that the world she had considered the only such place in the universe was one of thousands, and that dozens of Peoples lived on them, each with a different culture, who were completely unaware of the thousand”year conflict... And all had access to inventions and spells beyond their imagination... It followed that only the humans in their world were shown in such a way that they could not use spells like everyone else... There was a certain secret in this that her companions, or rather Klest, who seemed to see much more about these matters than the others, did not want to reveal to her. And that frustrated her too... She had to find a way to find out the truth... and find out who this civilization was that everyone was so afraid of.

Not all of them were so displeased with the truths they had discovered, however. Next to her was Rao , who looked so delighted that she rode up to them and asked.

„What are you so happy about?„ she frowned looking at it, and it responded happily.

„Because that scary woman, you know Klest, said that I was a hybrid of an elf and a dragon, so I am half-dragon... I always wanted to be a dragon, and now it turns out that I always was one!”

She looked at him open-mouthed for a moment, until Potter began to slide off her mount and almost fell off.

„Be careful!„ Rao caught he and immediately blushed a little,

„Thanks! Nothing happened, I was just surprised by your words and...„ she said, not entirely sure how she should explain it to her friend... „Well, you know what I mean... „ She felt embarrassed, because she was afraid of offending Rao , who smiled sadly and said.

„Yeah, I know it sounds stupid... I just imagined what it would be like to be a real Dragon and I liked it a lot, because I would be scary and powerful... And no one else could hurt me. I know it's just a dream, but it's a really nice thought, to be a little like these magnificent beings who roam the heavens and can defeat anyone. „ Rao looked down and she put her hand on their opponent's shoulder and almost fell again because of it.

"I guess comforting someone on horseback is more dangerous than casting dark spells." She laughed, then added. "I'd say you're more of a dragony-dragon than most real dragons." They both laughed, then Rao thought aloud.

„Do you think there are dragons on other worlds too... Well, I guess there are, so I wonder what they are like?„ looked at Klest, who was riding in front of their caravan, wondering something.

„You know what? I think I'd go talk to that lizard... Especially since he looks a bit more like a dragon...

They reached Neolandia  She had to admit that she didn't like this country much, it was dry and sandy, and the inhabitants were very eager to fight. Of course, in the case of their group it didn't matter much, because they were more like a company of mercenaries than ordinary travelers. The problem was that they didn't really know where they were going, or rather Klest didn't make herself clear enough. She knew, however, that this woman, whatever one might say about her, knew what she was doing. The other members of her group clearly trusted her, although they had known her for a very long time. She had been here for at least seventeen years, and probably longer... She wasn't an ordinary person either, and even the other travelers from the Sea of Stars could tell exactly who she was.

The place they were approaching was in the north-west of the kingdom, so they would have to get closer to the capital, and she wondered if she shouldn't visit Regent Iri and perhaps win her over to their cause. They had known each other since childhood, and just as her cousin had grown fond of Prince Kazef , the three of them had become friends. Of course, they hadn't seen each other for a few years, and  Aanya had killed her brother... It would be better if no one here recognized her...

They were getting ready to set up camp for the evening, for which she thanked all the gods, both good and dark, because this day had been exceptionally tiring for her. In the middle of it all stood a wagon with their prisoner. The Moonshadow Elf didn't say much about the reason why she was traveling with them, but they knew well who she was working for. Rao was furious and terrified at the same time because of this ... Considering what the person serving in this organization had done to them, there was nothing strange about it... Actually, Rao, this nice and non-violent person wouldn't mind if Klest skinned the Ghost. For her, however, it wasn't such a personal matter, so she tried to control herself, but every time she looked at her friend's back... And so the fate of that woman didn't depend on her... And her companions weren't very eager to solve the matter finally... Actually, Klest seemed to be interested in her...

In the wagon there was also this strange metal spider creature we call Iron Hands, or Klest sister… The monstrous girl aroused a fear in her, and certainly frightened the captured one just as much…

They were sitting together by one fire, and they were starting to drink tea, and she was peeling some potatoes to add to the stew. She felt like having a more substantial dinner today. Rao was chopping dried meat finely, practically grating it, when suddenly he asked

„Prospero said that there was a tower nearby... It was an Enchanted tower that would allow you to be transported between worlds.„ Rao said suddenly . She smiled at Jej and said.

„Prospero was as much a storyteller as he was a Scholar.„ she said, but the sky-elf Person clearly wasn't convinced... They sat there for a moment when suddenly a voice cut out next to them.

„This is the Tower of Yithil! I know this place! I know-know!”

When they turned in that direction they saw Scylis , who had sneaked up to them almost unnoticed. Seeing the terrible sister Klest even jumped, she was so scared, but Rao waved at her, smiling friendly. Asked with curiosity.

„Does that mean you were there?„ their voice was filled with admiration and fascination.

The strange girl cocked her head to the side and clattered, then replied.

„I was with him... I was in him... Terrible horror-horror... He took us far-far away! Through stars, through the void, through the darkness!„ She said, although her words were not very coherent, and she was not too sure if she even really What they were talking about.

„So this tower belongs to this Yithil? And you said you came here on a starship.”

Scylis tilted her head and said, cowering and clenching her fists as if she was frightened by her memories.

„He is a predator... He always takes-takes someone from those who try to pass through him... He is in many worlds-worlds... He lurks there-there and devours those who want his help-help, But not all-all only some. If someone stops, they are lost-lost... But he shows-shows things... And you want to turn back... „ she embraced herself with her wings and Rao approached her and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, and the strange girl began to rock like a child experiencing some trauma, so the Elven person sat down next to her and hugged her. She didn't like this boastfulness very much, and now she felt a sudden dislike for this strange girl.

"But how do you know it's this tower, and that it's even here?" she said with doubt in her voice. Perhaps they were talking about completely different things, or perhaps she was just making things up.

„Because I was there-there some time ago-ago... My sister forbade me to fly here-here, and I haven't flown-flown for so long... When I fly high I look like-like a vulture-vulture, so no one will notice who I am-I am. I know-I know what this place looks like and there were others there-there... They came out of from there-there.

For a moment they both tried to understand what the girl was talking about, but then it finally dawned on her and she exclaimed.

„You mean they are people from other worlds? I mean, apart from you…!

Scylis raised her eyebrows in surprise and said.

„ I haven't thought about that, but it's very interesting... Do you think I should tell my sister about it?

Klest rubbed her temples as she listened to the words of her sister and the other two. She remembered her journey to Yithil's Tower, and it had been one of the worst experiences of her life, so if someone else had decided to do something like that, they must have been desperate, and desperate people were the most dangerous… If only she hadn't been in such a hurry... The red moon would rise soon, and then Lord Tholuvian would find her and take what was his… If only her poor sister had told them all a little earlier… But that wouldn't have changed anything. These people had already arrived here anyway, so she had to deal with them somehow… But where had they come from? From some world that was inhabited by some backward civilization? Most likely, because no one else would risk going through the guts of a cosmic predator, unless they were in a big hurry… Or knew about the star dragon… But that wasn't the most important thing, the most important thing was where they were going… Almost no one knew about this planet, it had taken her a long time to determine its location, and she had the resources and knowledge of her family, something no one else in the universe had access to, apart from her siblings of course. Were they servants of the Ancient Ones? Maybe even the Unnamed Darkness? Damn, who knows.

„We'll do this... Scylis, you'll go with Shash and you'll see who it is. Don't get into a fight unless it's absolutely necessary.”

„Can I have them-them?„ she pointed at this strange elven person who was delighted with the world, as if there was something beautiful in it. Scylis purred and  she answered.

„Why do you want to take them? The doesn't seem particularly usefull anyway„ she said, looking at the person appraisingly.

„Hey I'm very useful!„ Rao said and her sister hugged her and said.

„Because they are beautiful-beautiful!

The elven person blushed, or rather turned purple, but the sorceress looked at her sister angrily and said.

„I'm going too! I won't let her go with someone like her!”

She wanted to laugh because she had just stumbled upon a pair of lovers, like something out of an adventure romance novel, while she weighed her future in the night. After all, one could be really shitty.

„Okay, you can go with your lover, it's okay as long as your leg doesn't delay the entire march because of your lame leg.”

The Dark Mage pursed her lips angrily as she continued.

“I'm taking the Iron-hands with me and I'm going to look for a certain place, join me because I left the appropriate instructions to my subordinates. I'll prepare everything to extract the transmitter. Try to survive, but I'm not pushing it too hard, after all, your death is only a matter of time anyway.”

Ghost cursed through her lack of caution, Or maybe just stupidity, she wasn't sure which was more. She was a wise woman, and she should have known that Someone like Klest would have Ways to detect someone who was hiding using Illusions... Although then again, it was hard to predict that she would have such a monstrous sister as a guard... Although was the girl a guard? It didn't seem so, actually she was more likely to just live there, because the friends of the woman with blood-colored hair didn't really know what to do with her. Honestly, even if she was caught, she probably would have somehow lied, but unfortunately, this sky elven person knew what the snake path was, and apparently her companion had hurt them badly. She felt sorry for what Khandros had done to them… Well, even if she could, they wouldn't have believed Her that their organization had undergone a major reform… Mainly because her mistress had murdered most of those who had forgotten the true purpose of her existence. Most, but not all, and from what she had learned Khandros had worked for exceptionally lousy people even for him ... The worst thing was that she had obtained exceptionally valuable information, and had learned such things ... She wouldn't believe everything she had learned now, if someone had ever told her about it all. And yet! Could it have had anything to do with the Lord of Lies? The Chaos Singer was supposed to return and soon, her lady had sensed his power comma and was certain that he had dipped his fingers in what had happened in Katolis ... They weren't even sure if his plans had been ruined, Perhaps all of this was part of his grand vision of the future. Fortunately, let her be the one who would decide about all of this.

They traveled for many days, and every time she went out the landscape changed a little, and she guessed they were taking her to Neolandia … Well, this country with extreme weather, hot in the summer and cold in the winter, was not very familiar to her. But she knew she could cope, if she managed to escape. After all, she was a child who could cope in the worst conditions. The problem was that she was very well guarded. It was either that strange girl or that metal monster who took her away. Honestly, she preferred the girl, because at least she was nice enough, even if she didn't say much. There was something very strange about the two of them, especially in those cold eyes that looked as if death was hiding in them…

They stopped for the night and she decided to take a nap, but to her surprise they left her alone. This girl decided to switch with the metal creature, but he was then called off and she was left alone, guarded only by two human guards. She wasn't sure what had happened to make this group decide to split up, but she decided it would be a good time to take the opportunity and escape. She started planning... She already knew what she had to do to regain her freedom and warn her allies about how much the world had changed.

Chapter Text

"So, cats can only do one move in a turn?" Catra asked and Eti nodded and said.

„Yes, everyone knows that cats are absolutely the laziest and dumbest creature in the galaxy.„ she said this with an absolutely straight face. When Melog looked at her reproachfully, she added. „You are not a cat, but a shape-shifting creature that only pretends to be a feline to mock its enemies!”

Her companion looked at her questioningly, almost pleadingly.

„Okay, so why do you think the birds automatically lose all fights as long as a Vagabund is involved?„ she asked, trying not to smile, and her sister explained in an absolutely serious tone.

„Because birds are vile creatures who only know how to conspire and be broth. This true heroine with magnificent ears, an incredibly mobile tail and a sexy figure will always win with them.”

This time she allowed herself to bare a smile, and then turned to Lilka.

„Okay, now you explain the rules.„

 The red-haired girl smiled happily at her words, but Eti crossed her arms over her chest and said.

„ After all, the first time we played it, Lilka said that in the second round the orcs arrive, calm everyone down, and they all become friends!”

The redhead took a deep breath and shook her head and then said.

„Because that would be realistic, but we all know that realism has to give way to Fun in board games.„ Catra had the impression that the girl was quoting someone, probably Alatar, because he understood games the best... He was very similar to Bow in this, and in a few other things. It was only thanks to Bow that she started playing board games, although it never became her favorite pastime, but thanks to it she could spend pleasant time with her friends and her beloved, and that was always good. And so she still preferred card games, where you could bluff, and bet on various things... Unfortunately, she always won at strip poker, and that wasn't really the point. Before, Shadow Weaver tried to play with her, but she always got angry when she made a wrong move, or started losing. What was supposed to be entertainment, turned out to be another way to humiliate her. Meanwhile, her sister and her friends spent a lot of time playing games, and they were very happy about it, although she had the impression that half of their time was spent arguing about the rules, cheating, and convincing others that the rules they had made up were correct. The game they were playing now was strange, because it seemed to be about colorful animals living in the forest, but it was more blood and fighting than on Etheria during the war... Even the Rebels were mean, because they encouraged attacking the villages they were hiding in for bonuses... If she weren't in an exceptionally good mood, she would have caused her to flash back to the past, although maybe that was a good thing? Sometimes it was worth looking at your future from a distance. Apart from her, Lilka and Eti, there was also Frost, who was analyzing the boards with concentration.

„She also liked to play games... Grimmy ... I mean Shadow Weaver... She was quite good, and I really liked playing with her. She always played seriously, and then the more difficult games, more abstract and conventional... „ Her sister said suddenly, and She felt her muscles stiffen at the mention of the dark sorcereress, but She took a deep breath to calm herself, and said.

„Yes, I remember it, it was often a very... unpleasant experience.”

Eti tilted her head to the side and said.

“I learned to play games when I lived in the Jantar laboratories… Various people would come and teach me how to play to develop my mind and accustom it to strategic thinking. Always when I lost or did something wrong, the Guardians beat me, and the teachers never stood up for me, they just looked the other way... Was it the same for you?”

She nodded and the other girls looked at them with slight consternation but paid no attention to her, she replied.

„Yes, it was similar, although I suspect she was nicer to me than those people were to you. Hordak would never accept senseless harm to his soldiers, but above all she always wanted to see herself as the good one... She always believed that she was punishing me for my own good. She usually used magic, sometimes she just hit me or slapped me, but she did it reluctantly... Because I guess she considered it... inelegant? Unworthy of a person like her? But even the spells she used... I felt like every muscle was burning like a living fire... And at the same time I couldn't move and escape this torment, or she would permeate me with Shadow magic so that I felt like my soul was dying... I can't say that she did it often, usually when she felt worse, when her magic turned back, or when her plans failed.” she scratched her head... No one except Adora understood it completely... No, even she couldn't fully understand it, after all, she had never experienced so much...

„I understand what you feel.„ Eti said... „It's hard for me to see that woman who saved me and who never raised her voice at me as someone so evil. Maybe because I'm also capable of evil... I've hurt people too, My Anger... It's like a cold flame... It even burns my soul... Usually I'm just mean, but sometimes... Sometimes I do terrible things... I really was ready to destroy the whole of Brightmoon, if they hadn't freed Itel... Women, children, even you and me... I just don't have something that stops me from doing certain things. Then it's worse, but... I think she had something like that too, when she got angry. When people are suffering they can do the worst things.„ Her sister didn't stop playing when she said that, but her voice was strangely dull, even duller than usual. She thought about her words. She herself, when she suffered from rejection, stress, and self-hatred, was ready for the most terrible things. She sent her friend to her death... Well, something worse than death. She almost beat Scorpia and hit many other soldiers, and she would never know how many died because she couldn't control herself then. Was she so different from Shadow Weaver? She knew that she constantly suffered because of what she did during the ritual, that she was regularly close to a terribly Painful death, and maybe even something worse, if she understood what Calamity was saying correctly... But she wasn't going to forgive her, nothing could justify what she did to her... But at least she understood her a little better.

„You know, I think it's time to stop this game... Because I think you need to process everything.„ Frosta said, and Lilka nodded her head and both girls left.

„Well, now it's time for training!„ her sister said, tilting her head to the side. „Sometimes it's better to release these feelings in a safe way...”

She looked at Eti with surprise and smiled at her.

"Sometimes you are surprisingly insightful, little sister," she said, feeling a warmth in her heart, and Eti replied.

„ It's simple, I am just an absolutely perfect, amazing and almost unique person.”

„You see, it was quite nice, wasn't it?„ Bina said, stroking his head. Wrongdak had to agree with her. Sex was quite nice, but this was something else. He had never felt like this before. He liked the closeness of other beings, but he would never want to be close to someone like this. He didn't complain, he had to admit that he felt very happy about it... But also confused. It all started simply, Bina talked him into playing cards, but their clothes became the stakes and he had the impression that the woman won and lost whenever she wanted. This pleased  him, because he had to admit that she was pretty and he saw her prettiness even more, the less clothes she hadAnd then they were naked and had to play for kisses… And from there it was easy.

They were in Bina's cabin , which was only slightly more spacious than the others' cabins, But it was still possible to lie on a mattress on the floor. The captain began to stroke his head and asked.

„I didn't expect you to have such skills... I expected you to be more... Innocent? You know, you don't look like someone who has any experience in these matters...”

He felt himself blush, which was extremely noticeable on his pale face, though, given everything they had just done, it only made it more ridiculous.

„I think he implanted it in our minds ... Horde Prime... I'm not sure why he needed it, but it worries me a little. Glimmer once told me about how my big brother had her over for dinner and she had the impression that he was looking at her in a way that she really didn't like and that she almost... But luckily he seemed to change his mind.”

For a moment, the burgundy-haired woman considered her answer, and he felt something strange, as if something he hadn't known about had entered his mind, a memory that wasn't his own... He saw a tall, red-haired woman, wrapped in flames, staring at him with hatred. I didn't know her, but he had a feeling that he felt love-hate for her. Could this be something he had gained through Conditioning?

„Did you remember something unpleasant?„ Bina asked with concern in her voice. He guessed that she must have observed this very often in her wards, because he saw that they all had very difficult lives.

„No, it's like a memory, only it's not from my life. It sounds so strange, you know, right?„ he said, But to his surprise the captain nodded and said.

„Yes, I understand you, it's common in clones, because we often have memories of those who were our progenitors, because they are hidden in our neural structure or something like that...„ She said, and He felt both reassured and worried. Did that mean that he had the memories of Horde Prime? That was strange... And why did they come to his mind now? But then suddenly Something else appeared, one word...

„Have you heard of someone called Ruby Phoenix?„ He looked at her and saw the surprise on her face.

„Yes, I've heard something about it, I have to look into one of Alatar's books, I once read a few of them with you... „ She stood up, and suddenly her body was bent by a strange spasm, she screamed and fell to the floor. He immediately stood up and went to her, and Bina ordered him.

„Find a jar  medicine marked as “for Bina”, draw it into a syringe and perform a lumbar puncture on me. Can you do it? If not, dress me and take me to the infirmary, where Mr. Ilemshaw will do it.„ she said, gritting her teeth, but he replied, trying to stay calm.

„I can perform most of the basic medical procedures, and even the more complex ones. We had to be able to take care of ourselves, because we were clones of our Big Brother, and despite everything we were quite valued, And besides, sometimes we should be able to take care of him too.„ he said, looking for the medicine. He found it in a small refrigerator that the woman received near the cabinet for her private trinkets and took it out. He took a portion and quickly performed the procedure, with such efficiency, as if he had done it hundreds of times.

„You're pretty good, I have to admit that. Thank you so much for helping me.„ She said with sincere gratitude in her voice, and he smiled at her and answered her.

„It's no problem, but what's wrong with you?”

The woman with burgundy hair thought for a moment, as if she wasn't sure how much to tell him, but finally she sighed and said.

„Our father designed us so that after a few years our nervous system would start to die, and sometimes he would give some of us a serum that would prolong our lives a little, but we were still supposed to die before our seventh year of existence... Only we managed to create a our own serum, thanks to which we could live alone as long as we wanted... But I am slightly genetically damaged, and the serum doesn't really work on me. I have to receive a special variety, but it works less and less... This Cursed Leech Doctor Sidonius developed it, but now I guess I'll be cut off from him. We managed to synthesize our own version, Mr. Ilemshaw can really do a lot, but eventually it will stop working anyway... „ She said with resignation in her voice, and He felt a sudden surge of sadness and said.

„How much time do you have left?”

Bina thought for a few moments before answering…

„Two years... That's quite a long time if you manage your time well... I just want to finish everything now, and I'm afraid I won't manage to, and my kids will be left alone in all this.” she said, and a tear ran down her face, which he gently wiped away, but he didn't say anything, he just hugged her, and for a moment they left together in silence, until Bina finally smiled, and said.

„But for now I'm trying to take as much as I can from life ... Maybe we'll work together for a while, eh?”

Captain Moonshadow She was lying next to her husband... Her first husband, hugging him after their love ecstasies She had to admit that despite his age, Mikach had the energy worthy of a much younger man. Whether it was due to magic, the planet he was born on, or maybe simply because of the healthy lifestyle he led. She wasn't sure, but it probably didn't matter much to her now. She loved him like almost nothing in the world and that was all that mattered now. Only that and the safety of their daughter… That was what she was trying to take care of during this expedition… She knew it wouldn't be easy, and that she would have to go through many more battles, but for her family she was ready for a lot, for really anything. Now, however, they could only wait until he reached his destination and use this moment of pause in the fight to be together again and make up for all those years… Only that wasn't entirely true, she had to do one more thing, something she had been so afraid of since the moment she met her beloved again. She clenched her fists for a moment, gathering her courage.

„Is something wrong?„ Mikach asked, sensing her anxiety perfectly, and she took a deep breath before speaking.

„During those years, when I lived off our planet... When I was a pirate... I met someone... He was one of the prisoners in the camp I ended up in, and before that a member of the Resistance Movement against Azlantians, and he helped me capture the camp and escape... Then for the next few years we fought a war against Azlanti, and we were writing. You left me my first mate and husband... I didn't even know we were together, and besides, I was sure that my whole family was dead. I don't know what to do now, but I think I should tell you all about it, and if you want to break up with me now and divorce me, I understand perfectly.„ she said with her eyes closed, waiting for her husband to come out of her cabin slamming the door... Okay, just closing the airlock violently, but instead he just lay next to her for a moment, then shrugged and hugged her tighter.

„You know, even if it wasn't for that, and that you lost your memory, everyone was convinced that you were dead, and you had no reason to believe otherwise. Besides, you had a new life and you had no memory of who you were... That's a bit of a complication, I admit, but probably not that bad. If he helped you free yourself from the camp of those monstrous people, then I like him already, and it seems to me that I should trust your taste and assume that he's not a bad person.„ he explained in a surprisingly calm voice, she had to blink a few times to see if she had misheard me, and then she said

„So it doesn't bother you?”

She heard her husband sigh and reply.

„I had to reckon with the fact that you could have arranged your life without me, but maybe we could reach some kind of consensus. After all, you are a truly wonderful woman, and I am not so young anyway. I am sure that you will be enough for both of us. I promise nothing, but I will try to be open and somehow come to an understanding with him. What is his name anyway?”

„His name is Reh-zar and he is Verthani, he comes from a race of brilliant Technicians from a planet that is always facing the sun... They are a bit of a sly and a rascal, but charming.„ she said and had the impression that her husband was smiling, although she couldn't see it.

„ I like him already, I'm sure we will complement each other perfectly!”

Lilka grabbed the cleaver by the handle, adjusted her grip, took a powerful swing, and then struck again, and again, and again, until the piece of meat lying in front of her was chopped into very amusing little cubes.

„You went fast... „ said Frosta standing in front of her... She seemed really hungry, although of course they tried to feed her well, but from what she explained to her she had to eat raw meat and other such things, because he had been hit with a very bad spell... She didn't know why the girl was hiding it so much, after all Alatar also ate mainly meat, and many Vesks ate nothing else. It was absolutely nothing to be ashamed of... She carefully reached for the tiny cube and began to examine it, and she saw how the carpenter's mouth was watering, but then she seemed to sadden and said.

„I can't bring myself to... You know, I'm turning into something terrible And I have the impression that if I always eat like this now, I'll become something completely bad... „ She said, as if it was something obvious, Although she still didn't understand, although it was the truth that she tried not to understand a lot of things, thanks to it life was better, and she was a better orc! However, she had to help her new friend somehow, so she thought for a moment and then got an idea and went to the blender and threw all the meat in there, and after leaving it she added some soy milk and mixed everything until it became one liquid mass. Then she poured everything into a long glass and smiling happily she said.

„Here, drink this, a lot of people in the gym drink something similar to gain strength, so it's nothing monster-like

The ice girl looked at the contents of the glass for a moment, as if unsure what she should do with it, and then drank it all in one gulp. Her face regained color, and her lips smiled and she even burped.

„See?! It's not that bad... Although if it was real meat, it would probably be better, but the one from a food printer isn't bad either.”

„What do you mean, food printers?„ Frosta said with genuine surprise in her voice, and she began to explain.

„You know, during such a journey it is very hard to find fresh meat in Space, so for example these pirates simply print it from pure proteins... But it tastes almost like the real thing. The word of orc!„ she said smiling broadly, and after a while Frosta asked about one more thing.

„But where did you actually get them?”

She turned around and said very carefully.

„You could say that someone got on their Ship and accidentally used the manufacturers to make several kilograms of meat... But no one knows who it is, and it's not like her name is Eti...„ she said, happy that at the same time she told the truth and didn't report her feline friend...

"Okay, let's get this simulation going!" she said to her sister, who nodded and began fiddling with the console, entering data. She was a little nervous, because as they said, in the Fright Zone, the training equipment would destroy you! She knew the captain of this ship wouldn't install anything here that could really harm her charges, but old habits died hard.

„Okay, put on your glasses! „ Eti ordered, and she did as she asked. Wrongdak and Seahawk participated in the training with them . The sea captain was very happy that he would be able to show off his skills, but Wrongdak seemed strangely depressed, but when Eti saw him, she raised her eyebrows, as if she had noticed something that she did not understand, and went back to programming the training session.

When everything started, they found themselves in a city. She knew the city from the dream where she first met Eti… It had happened a few months ago, but it felt like it had happened in a completely different life.

"I know this place..." she said looking around. Her sister nodded and said.

„I remember that... I didn't like that dream, but now I think it wasn't that bad. This is the city of the rift... The capital of Atrax , built in a big rift where it's protected from the winds... That's where I was  created... That's where we were both created... It's not that bad there, it's awfully easy to sneak up on and scare people.

„ Aha... „ she answered uncertainly, because she didn't like such big cities...

"Can't you take us to the seaside or someplace where adventure and challenge are easy to find?" Seahawk called out, as overwhelmed by the vastness of the place as she was.

„You know, that's the point, to take you out of your comfort zone.„ Eti ansvered. Around them in the citizens  walked, not paying much attention to them, they seemed more like decoration than real people, apparently this simulation has its limits.

„Wrongdak and Hawkey you will go on the sides, I will go in the back, and my sister will lead the assault with her buddy.

Both men nodded , and after a moment, Ale asked a question.

„You know, it's nice that you don't call me Wormdak anymore.”

„You called Wrongdak a Wormdak? Why?„ she said. She was honestly shocked, because whatever she said, this clone was one of the nicest people she had ever met in her life.

„Because he mistook me for you, or actually, at the time I thought he called me a cat...„ Eti explained, as if she was explaining something obvious.

„And your name? Where did it come from? „ asked the clone, and her sister shrugged her shoulders and said.

„ Our uncle didn't feel like naming me, so I finally took the book and let him randomly choose a name in my hand. I chose Eterna, because that's what it actually sounds like...”

Hearing her sister's words, she felt a stab of Uneasiness. Her name sounded too similar to the name of the home world of the civilization they were fighting now. And on top of that, her sister suggested that it was her hand, which was probably also an artifact created by them, that she had chosen it herself. And that suggested... That girl had also had hands like that, or rather all of her limbs. That other sister, the one who had tried to kill her beloved. She was so lost in thought, She didn't even notice how someone was starting to believe in their words, their weapons. She reflexively did at them and jumped at the soldier with the rifle, and knocked him down.

The second one was shot by her sister, the two who tried to get to their side were taken care of by Wrongdak and Seahawk . When she looked at the soldiers, she saw that they were wearing uniforms belonging to her father's army... Their father. Eti looked at her sideways and said.

„I wanted to see if you could fight your beloved father's soldiers. Because sooner or later, you'll have to face them too.”

Her sister spoke the bitter truth. She tried not to think about how badly she had been deceived… How badly she had deceived herself… You could see that she would have to face this someday, and the Lord Admiral himself.

„Have you ever met him?„ she asked her sister, who tilted her head to the side as if she had been thinking about the answer for a moment, in the series she charmed.

„No, never. But I know that as soon as she meets him, he will die.”

Chapter Text

Eti tried not to think. She simply did her job, she went forward without stopping for a moment, because then everything would come back. Despair, sadness and fear that something would happen to the one she loved... She was helpless and powerless, just like at the very beginning, when she didn't even have her own name. She was drifting through life now, not knowing what the future would bring. They were traveling to a strange place, about which they knew nothing, and when they arrived there, they wouldn't really know what they should do. She remembered something, that they had to look for some sword there, but she didn't care. Magic weapons and great Conspiracies didn't interest her at the moment. All that mattered was finding her ... but they were really sure if she was there. What if she was still on Etheria, and Lady Ka and were hurting her… If she knew for sure, she would have hijacked one of the ships and gone back and challenged it herself… No, she wasn't powerful enough to defeat even that blonde monstrosity, let alone that one, that one…

The fact that her sister, that Smiley is alive should make her happy, But… But she helped to kidnap Rosie and tried to kill her Adora. She didn't find her sister-in-law well, but she managed to like her and knew that she was a nice woman, And she was very important to her sister… She didn't want her to get hurt, but it didn't matter. She was the one to blame, both for Smiley wanting to kill She-Ra, and for her beloved being kidnapped.

She had no idea that her sister had survived, until now she had been certain that she had been murdered… Murdered because of her, because she had managed to pass that test. She didn't know that these would be the consequences, but if she had known, would she have deliberately failed, knowing what fate awaited her, that she would have ended up on the Apostate, where...She had no idea what could have happened to her there, but she knew enough about the world that being someone's property on this planet was one of the worst things that could happen. It could only get worse if you ended up on Aucturn, although she had heard that even there it could be better, if you were willing to open your mind to things outside of this reality.

Everything that happened to Smiley was her fault, that was beyond doubt, and she should have been the Goal of her Revenge, not her loved ones! Not Rosie, who had never intentionally hurt anyone, who was afraid of her own strength. She was such a good girl that she didn't understand why she wanted to be with someone as spoiled as she was. And now she was suffering because of her sins, her first sin.

That's why she couldn't think about anything but what was happening around her, because the future and the past were too terrifying for her.

Only she could see that she couldn't last forever. What mattered now was the time to confer on what they could do when they got there. The problem was that they didn't really know what they could do. But she had to attend the conferral anyway, even if there wasn't much she could say.

They had gathered on board the Merciles because it was the largest ship they had, and it was simply the center of the conjoined ships. She also couldn't forget that captain Wingy was de facto queen, the highest-ranking person on their expedition.. Her husband sat next to her, and Ireanis sat against the wall, swaying slowly back and forth. She couldn't smell alcohol on her, which was amazing. There was also the Sister of the Grandpa-King, who looked at the whole ship suspiciously. Bina was here, clearly to protect her wards, even if it was necessary to defend others from most of them. Or maybe she knew it well and that was why she was here, because she understood how much fire was hidden in her heart? She could also sense the remnants of Wrongdak's scent from her, but it didn't bother her, after all it was her business, and if you looked at it that way, they had quite a lot in common with the not-so-bright clone... Then came Elder Wrongdak, she had seen him for the first time the day before yesterday, when she was quietly traversing the decks of a pirate cruiser, which she did to avoid getting bored and thinking about what was tormenting her. Her hand allowed her to break any security, so she could wander between ships, which she took advantage of. She had to admit that Wrongdak's older brother looked quite menacing, at least when he didn't seem angry at the whole world... She liked him right away and was glad that he would be participating in this discussion, although she guessed that he didn't get along very well with Captain Wing, let alone Scar, who was right behind him and watching him from the other end of the table, as if she wanted to tell him that she would hurt him if he provoked her. Well, she would probably have to get in line, because her sister was also glaring at him, he must have made a lot of enemies, but oh well, he was the leader of the evil Empire or something... She noticed that people usually didn't like that... She shouldn't like him either, because he was basically like her father. But somehow she couldn't be mad at him... Maybe because he was a bit like her... His mind was also destroyed, because the one on whose orders he was created needed a soldier... But he found his way, freed himself from what was done to him... She will never completely succeed, but she fights... Maybe he will help her discover a way to save her other sister... If she needs saving...

Her uncle came last, of course, specifically to show the others that they had to wait for him. After all, he liked to show how important he was. She knew she had to react to this, so she straightened up and called upon all that training for the leader she hated so much. She seemed much more confident and authoritative, and much more menacing. Her sister, who had been staring at her uncle with distrust, now gave her a surprised look, and she returned it with a barely visible smile, one of those you wouldn't want to see on anyone.

"Hello uncle, we were just about to start without you, but luckily you managed to make it in time."

Igzar was no longer angry, that feeling had long since passed. Now he simply planned… He planned how to take revenge and regain his rightful place. His niece turned out to be a mean and ungrateful brat who thought she would take his Shadows from him! Unfortunately, the girl was really well trained, and not stupid, except that she took after her genetic father… He shouldn't have left her to Bina, but who would have thought that everything would work out this way? That feisty elf was giving them the contact details of the right location. She was quite useful, and he didn't regret coming up with the idea to save her. Only he didn't expect this planet to be full of locals who weren't peace”loving, dumb savages like he had expected. They were surprisingly battle”hardened, but then again, that was hardly surprising, after thirty years of waging war… Hell, it had been almost as long as the war with Antares, which he had fought. Of course, in his case, it was all because cowardly politicians had prevented him from waging war the way he wanted. The Vesks could claim to be great and honorable warriors, but what good would their honor do him when it came to winning? The war had to be fought ruthlessly and mercilessly. The rulers were flush with wealth, while he had to earn extra money by serving as a mercenary and running small operations that undermined the authority of his greatest adversary. For a moment, he had pinned his hopes on Etheria. However, the locals had proven to be completely incompetent and couldn't even win their own war without the help of some ridiculous rainbow”lit chick. They could have been used as cannon fodder in a real war, but it all went to hell, first when his nephew effortlessly beat him in front of his men, and then when it turned out that his other niece was one of the most important people in the world and the fucking wife of that rainbow chick. That girl was… She reminded him of himself in his youth, although he could see a certain sentimentality in her, she didn't seem strong enough to sacrifice enough for the cause. But maybe she would change. Yes, those girls were a bit like him and his sister, Sword and Scepter, and if they learned to work together, they could threaten not only the Lord Admiral, but even become the terror of the entire Galaxy, if they didn't lose their fighting spirit in the meantime. But he wasn't going to wait that long. He had his revenge to take, his shame to wipe out, and he wasn't going to wait for the Girls to think twice. Luckily, he already had his plans.

She was a pirate, however, and a Vesk pirate, and one who worked for someone who did not belong to Their empire, had once been exceptionally dangerous, because he was devoid of prejudices resulting from the values ​​imposed on him by his people. Of course, they were never as dangerous as the real Pahtra, but he saw great potential in this woman, at least when it came to the things that had come to his mind.

„What's your name?„ he said as soon as she signaled him to follow her.

„Second mate Gydwa.„ Veska said in a gloomy voice, looking at him from under her scowl.

„Second mate? And who's the first officer?„ he asked smiling, and then the huge lizard woman spoke.

“Tonado, that Skittermander,” she drawled with easy-to-hear hatred in her voice, and he laughed hoarsely.

„Yes, it must hurt you that such a stupid ball of fur became an officer on your ship.”

Veska bared her fangs in a very , very nasty smile, which he really, really liked.

„He's not the real first mate here, he's just replacing her a captain’s husband, Reh-zara, who's heading to Etheria... On such an ancient ship, for the reconstruction of which the majority of our funds over the last few years have gone…„ she explained, and he could easily feel the bitterness and anger in her voice. Everything was getting better and better.

“So your captain doesn't care about money, right? - he asked curiously?

“No, up until now she's done everything to destroy the Star Empire. I understand her a little, because if I were her I would want to make all the dicks and cunts who would be responsible for what they would do to me sick, but I'm not her, and I'm risking my life for money, and those... Damn it, Azlanti, at least they were rich, and their technology was damn valuable, but now I have no idea what to do. It turns out she's the queen of this damn backwater, although her daughter is too, and now she's got us involved in a war with the damn Lord Admiral. But if that's not enough, we're going somewhere else, to a planet that no one has heard of... And there were no profits to be seen, and there still aren't any. You may think we're freedom fighters, Captain, but we... That's the answer you wanted, right?„ she looked at him with one eye, and he laughed hoarsely before answering.

„You think right. I was very curious whether you liked how your captain forgot about priorities. You are pirates first and foremost, and she plays the aristocratic rebel, and puts her family's interests above the interests of the crew. I guess every crew on a free pirate ship has a statute in its contract stating that the captain fights first and foremost for their good, right?„ he said, and Veska bared her teeth before she said.

„Perhaps, but what's that to you? I've been fighting Antares for thirty years , and if you look at it that way, you've achieved nothing, while your opponent rebuilds his empire. You're in a worse situation than you were a year ago.”

She was right, and it hurt him, but he couldn't help it. Perhaps if his dumber nephew hadn't chosen to beat him up in public, he would have brought war to Etheria... But he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

„Well, you're right about that, I failed, but in the end, there's no point in giving up after so many years, I'm fighting for something more important than your honor, for Revenge and glory... „ he said, looking around to see if anyone could hear them, But there was practically never any monitoring on pirate ships, And this former queen didn't seem like the type of person who would suspect her crew of conspiracies.

Gydwa snorted and answered him.

„Don't underestimate her, she may be an idealist, but let Damoritosh be my witness, she is no naive girl. And she is dangerous, really dangerous, so you had better not cross her path openly.. He bared his teeth, most of which had already been replaced with artificial implants, and spoke in a hoarse voice.

„But I'm not one of those who likes open combat. After all, I'm a specialist in uprisings and overthrowing governments... Pirate captains aren't much different.”

Castaspella seriously considered the direction her life had taken. She was the widely respected head of the largest and only school of magic in this part of the universe, the aunt of the queen, and someone who enjoyed a good party and embroidery, and now she was on a bloody pirate ship. This wasn't something you could get used to easily. Everyone said you had to get out of their comfort zone, but in her opinion, staying in your comfort zone was the smart thing to do.

Angela and her brother were here, so it was safe to greet each other. It was also of course Catra, who looked very tired from everything that had happened recently, and she had the impression that the girl was starting to take on too much, so she was very happy that her sister welcomed their uncle. The other Catra, this Eti was... Weird. In her opinion, if it weren't for her cat-like features, she would have nothing in common with her older sister. She was silent, practically withdrawn, it seemed that she never smiled. It was kind of understandable, because after all, she had lost her friend or girlfriend, she wasn't entirely sure. On top of that, she had lost her Eye in a fight, with someone who, if she understood correctly, was another sister of Catra, which was something she absolutely never expected. When they arrived at the battlefield, only Angela and Ireanis joined the fight while she, Mikah and Hordak stayed to protect the girls, namely Tirin and Heart Gift. She didn't know how to fight, and what she had experienced in the ruins had been enough for her for a while. You actually wondered why she had gone here, but I guess she was afraid to leave her brother again, as well as her sister-in-law. The others seemed to be happy to have her there, perhaps because she seemed to be the most... ordinary person of them all? Only she herself wasn't sure why she had to go on this expedition. She wasn't the adventurer type, and apparently she would have to go on an expedition into history, and a potentially dangerous planet. Absolutely wonderful!

"Okay, so what exactly are we supposed to discuss here?" She said looking around at everyone, she said looking at everyone and then Catra rubbed her temples and said.

„What do we actually know about the place we're going to? I've only heard that some powerful sorcerer lives there who could help Frosta. Once I would have thought it was nonsense, because no one could live that long, but since you claim to have met people who are even older, I won't argue.” She said, throwing a significant look at the silver-haired Saihe, who shrugged. And then she said.

„Actually, I'm a few thousand years old too, though not really... That's awfully weird, isn't it?„ she said, and then Catra's sister added.

„It's not exactly true, because most people in the galaxy that were over three hundred years old still lost their Memory, but not entirely because they knew everything they had learned, who they were, who their friends and enemies were. It's just that three hundred years ago, everyone's memory was wiped, except for the inhabitants of your world... It doesn't really matter to me, because most of those who remembered that event there are no longer alive, but I think you should know about it. Maybe it's similar in that place. We have to be prepared for that.„ she explained, speaking in a flat voice, as if she didn't really care, but then Mikach added.

„I wouldn't be so sure about that, after all, this place was also inhabited by the First Ones, just like our planet, and it could have been avoided by that phenomenon as well.

Catra nodded and said thoughtfully.

„That's probably good, because it'll be hard for us to look for something that no one has remembered for hundreds of years. Only we still don't know what exactly we're looking for. A magic sword? One that cuts through worlds? Wonderful, but I know full well that such things can lie lost in the wilderness for hundreds of years and no one is even aware of their whereabouts. If we're lucky, it'll be hidden somewhere in the royal treasury, or it'll be the favorite weapon of a great hero there, and we'll either have to ask nicely for it to be given to us or flown with us, or we'll have to take it by force. From my own experience, I know it's harder than it seems.”

„But you managed to take the sword once, and not only that. „ she suddenly blurted out, reminding me that the cat woman once stole the Sword of Protection at a ball, and in the process kidnapped Glimmer and Bow .

„I've actually done it twice, the second time was on the wastes. Damn I'm good at it...„ she said and her uncle smiled at her, that cat really did have a nasty smile.

„Well, I see our blood in you after all.”

„You know, uncle, my sister and never robbed orphans and peasants, nor burned crops just to starve an entire province.„ Eti suddenly interrupted in a voice so calm, as if she was talking about the weather. Igzar growled menacingly, but she only tilted her head, and the metal hand transformed into a Great Scythe, with the lower one to cut the cat-man in half. Catra raised her hands, indicating everyone to calm down a bit, and said.

„We can't rule out the fact that we'll have to rob the locals. I don't like it either, but we have to be ready for this and similar drastic steps.„ When she said this, Angela nodded, and added.

"I've raided the ships of many merchants in my time, simply trading with Azlanti. I usually tried to keep the violence to a minimum, but that wasn't always possible. Anyway, I understand you, sometimes we all have to get our hands dirty."

„I guess we should rather think about how this place will look like in terms of technological advancement?„ said Hordak, looking at them carefully. „Your planet was very backward compared to what I knew, but you still managed to preserve the remains of your technological base. I have to be different there, though.” He made gestures with his hand and turned on the holographic display, and before their eyes appeared a map of the part of the Galaxy in which they were staying. “This place is not all that far from the territory belonging to the Horde... From my wife I received all the notes regarding the exploration carried out by my brother, and from what I noticed, reconnaissance courts were sent near this area, but they did not detect anything worth conquering.

Then Bina spoke up.

„From what I heard, your brother only attacked planets that were technologically advanced.”

„Because they were the only ones that posed a threat to the First Ones.„ Catra said quietly. „That means it's probably not a more developed place than Etheria ... That's probably good for us.”

„It could also just be a radioactive wasteland, a Meteor could have hit there at some point, or a Swarm could have arrived there...„ Igzar said grimly , but then the Grand Marshal shrugged.

„ In this case, there is not much we can do... „ she said and thought hard about something.

„ I sent a notification to Reh-zar to head to this place. I hope he will manage to reach this place shortly after us.

She frowned and asked

„But who is Reh-zar?”

She looked away and had the impression that she was starting to blush beneath her mask.

„This is my first mate, deputy and... husband...”

When she heard this, her eyes widened. She was speechless for a moment before she screamed.

„But why! How! Please explain what she did to you!„ she felt disappointed and betrayed by her own sister-in-law, but then her brother looked at her and smiled gently.

„It's nothing, we've already talked it over and it's fine.„ he said. Catra looked shocked, but the others didn't seem to care, Igzar even looked irritated.

„Can we get back to the real conversation, and settle this elven soap opera between yourselves?”

Catra nodded, still in shock, but it seemed like something else was bothering her because when she spoke her voice was very somber.

„Then, when we were preparing to lay siege to Dryl, we were attacked by an enemy the likes of which we had never seen before... We were aided by a soldier who served my father, a Saihe or Elf as you call  them, and he said that these were creatures that served the Swarm, or rather were part of it.”

The cat woman looked at the others, and while those participants of the council who came from Etheri's tears seemed not to fully understand her words, those who came from the distant Galaxy seemed to be terrified. Bina took it, Angela clenched her hands on the tabletop, and Igzar uttered several particularly nasty curses, and then said.

„Does this mean that we can prepare for a plot twist, and when we return to Etheria, what will be left of it will be only a bare rock?”

Ireanis, who, despite also turning pale, seemed to be the first to regain her season and explained.

„But we expected this. Shadow Weaver warned us about this. She said that the Swarm was a tool of the first ones, just like the Galactic Horde. Only now do we have confirmation of her words, and a warning that our time is running out.”

„ Lady Cala also spoke about it. You thought that the hag was trying to scare and hurt us, because she's a sadistic monster, but now it turns out that it's different. Well, I have the impression that even monsters and experts sometimes tell the truth.„ the cat girl smiled sadly and added at the end. „I guess that's all we have to discuss, there's one more thing that I just remembered, but I have to talk to your friend about it.  Catra said, looking closely at her sister. „That should make her happy...”

Chapter Text

Rao felt both excited and scared. This whole expedition actually made they very happy. It was all something fascinating for them, an adventure like from the most wonderful books, it was almost as if they could visit distant lands! To know the world, and maybe even Other worlds!! They had always loved traveling, and discovering mysteries,  but they had never managed to discover anything valuable... Until they lost their  wings. As if their suffering was the price they had to pay, like in Human stories about fiends who demand a soul in exchange for help. This story was of course fought very hard by dark magicians, who probably took it very personally. It is said that it is elven propaganda aimed at arousing hatred for the only way by which humanity is able to survive in this dark and inhospitable world. Only that they knew that dark magicians distort truth  to look better in their own eyes. They were interested in one more thing.

„Hey, Vesh, are fiends real?„ asked the Big Lizard, and Miriam reprimanded him with a look and said.

„Don't talk nonsense! Fiends only exist in children's stories.„ She shook her head As if they had said something stupid, but Vesh said.

„Well, actually, fiends are very real. Some even serve our lord Damoritosh.”

„And they really want to take our souls to eat it?„ It cried out feeling uneasy, but the big lizard waved his looking paw and explained.

„Yes, but they need them for different reasons. You see, there are different kinds of fiends. Devils want to establish the Infernal hierarchy throughout the universe, and they themselves live in the iron grip of the tyranny of their dark prince Asmodeus. Demons want to pervert the world in the name of the demonic lords, and Daemons serving the four horsemen of the Apocalypse want to change the world for their glory, and for all this, souls are needed. Damned souls become fiends, increasing their ranks, and are sometimes used in dark rituals. There are other kinds of fiends, actually quite a few.”

„And have you ever seen such a devil? With your own eyes, not in the stories of people you have met? „ asked Miriam, looking at the lizard doubtfully, but he snorted and said.

„Once or twice When I was in the Hell Knights' commandry , and I saw imps there, such small winged devils, nasty and with poisonous stings Unfortunately, I didn't see anything bigger up close, almost nothing.„ he said, glancing at Scilis .

„Who are the Hell Knights?„ Rao asked , feeling a chill run down his spine. The Lizard bared his teeth and said.

„They are great but also fearsome Warriors who travel the universe to fight the forces of chaos and spread order. They are accompanied by powerful Infernals, which they have tamed, at least in most cases.:

Now Rao was really scared, and saw that Miriam also seemed worried, but the strange Winged girl suddenly appeared in the sky elven person and said.

„Don't be afraid-afraid! I'll protect-protect you!„ She said, and then the Dark Mage swung her staff and said.

“Leave them alone! You'll harm them even more with those claws of yours!„ She hit the monster girl a few times, not very hard, so she tilted her head and said.

„I won't-won’t do anything to them.They are adorable.„ She rubbed her cheek against their, and smiled at their friend and said.

„Don't worry, She's really nice, she definitely won't do anything to me! „ it said, but the Dark Magician snorted, crossing her arms over her chest. It seemed that Miriam had been acting strangely to them lately.

The four of them set off, although it seemed that the two of them were slowing down the whole group, especially Miriam, who was constantly cursing with her sore leg, they were delighted with their friend's knowledge of curses, and had a hard time keeping up with the rest. Sometimes Scilis would disappear into the darkness surrounding them while the two of them had poor night vision, although Miriam's night vision was much better than theirs. They were ashamed to admit to themselves  that they were glad that it was being led by her friend, because they could be cuddled up to her.

„Stop!„ the lizard suddenly shouted, and everyone had to stop, the strange girl with bat wings did it in place, making her look and feel like she was a statue, one of those gargoyles that were built on some temples in the Human Kingdoms…

„What happened?„ Miriam asked with a bit of irritation in her voice.

“There's someone there... Look into the darkness, it's coming towards us.„ Vesh said and pointed to a figure in the darkness slowly moving towards them. It saw them before the rest, but then saw Scintis' claws extend and the Winged Girl stopped with her legs spread wide and started pointing to the sides.

„There-there ! They're surrounding-surrounding us!„ she shouted and then they heard a curse spoken with a strange accent and saw that two figures appeared in the starlight, one of them was a lizard, more slender than Vash, with a whip, and the other was a powerfully built woman with strange features with something like a fighting staff in her hands.

„I am Tung Lashor , undisputed ruler of the Crimson Wastes! Whip!„ the whip-wielding lizard replied, and the muscular woman answered him.

„Come on, stop it, at least here don't act like a complete idiot.”

Sari was excited that they were in another place she didn't know. She had spent most of her life in the shadow of her father, who was one of the most famous scientists and researchers in the entire galaxy. She was a half-vampire and knew that due to her lifespan alone, she would never live up to her parent, not to mention the fact that for many years her father had not allowed her to fully realize her potential. After her mother was murdered by that AI, he had been very protective of her, overprotective even. But when he started preparing for this expedition, she could help him. First, she befriended Eti, who had interested her father from the beginning, and not only because of her hand, but because of her resemblance to the creature they had sent that had led to her mother's death. It was actually a little more than friendship, and something might have come of it if it wasn't for the fact that she had to help in other matters as well, including gaining allies, such as the Archduke. It was also she who looked after his ship as they travelled towards Etheria through the Ravaged Zone, and it was she who convinced Princess Sweetbee to talk to Kane. Yes, she felt more and more useful and valuable, and it made her gain confidence.

When they went through the tunnel inside Yithil, she found herself in the laboratory where her parents worked, and she could have stopped them, assuming that her mother would survive, but she knew very well that it was all just an illusion created by the void hunter, so she ignored everything she saw, and walked forward until she reached the airlock leading to the landing site. In this way, she managed to get out of this dream, and found herself in a new interesting place. She had to admit that she was not very happy that they ended up in the desert, even if not very hot, it was a place enveloped in bright light, in which someone who was half-vampire did not feel very comfortable. When the archduke went towards the nearest city, And  to find out more about this world, she practically became her father's second in command, Although honestly she was not sure if it was Doctor Sidonius or the ancient warrior who were the leaders of this expedition, but it did not matter for now. Perhaps in the future, when a dispute arose, she would have to support her father in his fight against the man with the murderous eyes, but for now she was glad for another show of independence.

She was making her rounds around the camp when she came across an Etherian warrior and a strange Tromlin that seemed to have once worked for the Aspis Consortium. They were both getting ready to leave, so she asked curiously.

„What are you doing?„ She smiled at the two, who however scowled at her, and the orc woman said.

„We want to scout the area before the sun rises, because it will be too warm here then. I'd rather not have anything come over us at night and not attack us unexpectedly.”

„Oh, I can go with you!„ she said, smiling sincerely, but the Warrior grimaced and said.

"You don't strike me as someone who would be able to handle a place like this. You're a wealthy scholar's daughter, and you're not exactly experienced in the art of wilderness survival." Her voice sounded as if she was trying hard not to offend her, but at the same time, she didn't really feel like talking to her. Well, certain prejudices come faster than one might think. The Lizard, however, looked a little scared, and that was also part of the problem she was thinking about.

„I understand that it bothers you that I'm half-vampire?„ she said without changing her tone of voice or stopping smiling. The warrior, however, laughed throatily before answering.

„Oh, that's not it. Honestly, I don't know much about your kind, but I have nothing against you. Your father is a real jerk, I've heard a bit about him, and the longer I know him, the more I'm sure that everything I've heard about him was the Polite Version. You're his daughter, and from what I've noticed, you're on surprisingly good terms, so I know you'll tell him everything we do and come across during this patrol, and there are certain things I don't want him to know about.”

„First of all, I can handle very difficult conditions.„ She smiled and claws emerged from her hand. Then she directed her hand towards the nearest rickety bush and uttered a few words of incantation and it withered and then crumbled into dust.

"And secondly, you're not planning on doing anything that my father wouldn't like during this, are you?" She asked, smiling at the orc woman, who cursed and waved her hand.

„Okay, you can come with us.”

So she went with her two companions, and managed to keep up with them, although she had to admit that it required much more effort from her than she expected, maybe someday she would have to train more and spend time outside her father's labs. She had to admit that especially in the dark this place was quite pleasant. The stars and the big moon shone in the dark sky, and she felt almost romantic. Her father said that there was something wrong with this place, his instruments detected something that had a strange effect on magic, but when she cast the harm spell she didn't sense anything, but that was maybe because her magic came from her blood, she was born with it, and from what she understood it was connected to the fact that she was a Half-Vampire. She wondered how much it would help her, and what effect it would have on the local magicians? It was all very interesting! Out of curiosity, she decided to cast a simpler magic detection spell and immediately sensed something strange. First she felt the eauraof death magic, the necromantic power among which she had spent her entire childhood. There was also a trace of some unknown power  because of which she felt excited. Then something else appeared, something dark and alien, which worried her.

„Watch out, someone's coming over there!„ She said quietly to her companions, and the lizard said.

„Yes, I sense some horrible smell, several sources of it. I sense death here, but even hers like yours, only worse, as if leading to complete annihilation... As if someone were capable of devouring life. This is yet another unpleasant smell, but for me it is more normal than the first one.

"I think I am starting to get an idea of what all of Catra and Glimmer's trips to the forest must be like." The large orca said grimly, and she smiled warmly.

„Eti, your Catra's sister, always had good smell scent and liked to feel her scent on others, especially those she made love to.„ her half-dead heart felt warmer when she thought of the cat girl. The lizard and the orc woman looked at her strangely and the woman said.

„Okay, maybe for now let's leave the issue of your fetishes aside and focus on the things... that are happening now. If you're so keen on them and like their smell, maybe we should wait for the archduke and Dilayla so we can deal with them together? Because if you say they seem so disgusting, then they must also be very dangerous.

She looked at the warrior and smiled reassuringly.

„I'm not that prejudiced. I was born in an outpost belonging to the cultists of Creeping Chaos, you can't even imagine how open I am. „ she said and moved towards the strangers, to talk to them.”

Miriam didn't like the way Scilis treated Rao at all... It wasn't fair! Her sister was already horrible and was constantly throwing insinuations when she wasn't hitting on her, but that creature looked like a nightmare monster. It mean, if you looked closely, she wasn't that scary, and sometimes it seemed downright cute, and it still had claws that could tear someone apart. It seemed like I was trying to seduce her friend, which was especially unfair! They had been through a lot and was very sensitive and too kind-hearted for this terrible world! She had to protect them, even if they didn't realize how dangerous this world was.

Then she saw the strangers who had come from another world, though she saw them last, because of course, as a human, she could see almost as badly in the dark as Rao. Which was sometimes embarrassing, and now it made her see the truth as a situation. One of the Visitors was a lizard, probably of the same People as Vesh, while the other was a woman, huge and powerfully built, with purple skin. The last one, however, looked almost ordinary. She had slightly pointed ears, like the Elf who had served Brumi, although they were smaller, and her eyes were almost human. She was pale, however , and a strange Predatory Aura emanated from her. There was something disturbing about it, but also attractive.

And then the lizard introduced himself, and the woman with purple skin answered him. The pale girl looked around and turned on a strange glass lamp, supposedly one of those owned by the members of the Klest expedition.

„Hello, I am Sari di Sidonia. We are travelers from faraway lands, strangers in this wonderful land, and…„ the pale-skinned woman stopped and stared at Scilis …

„ Her name is Scilis. Yes, I know, she looks a bit scary, but she's not that bad, you have my word. I am... Miriam, and next to the place Rao and Vesh... From what I understand, you also crossed the Sea of Stars, just like my companions. My friend and I come from here and this place is called Xadia ...„ she explained, preferring to tell her her true origins for now.

„It's very nice to meet you Miriam...„ said the girl with a very beautiful smile, but then a look of concern appeared in her eyes. „ Scilis , are you related to Archduke Kane? Kane Adamson?" She asked looking at her carefully, and the Winged girl smiled brightly and said.

„This is my dad! My, my, and Klest!„ she clapped her hands and jumped up and down happily.

„Who is Klest?„ said the purple-skinned warrior, and the Winged girl explained.

“My beloved sis… She will be very happy-happy when she meets her father... And then we will kill-kill him...”

Dilayla looked through her equipment suspiciously, looking through the Batteries, as if afraid that they hadn't already run out. She knew that it wouldn't happen soon, but she was aware that they wouldn't have a way to replenish them here. They would have to hurry, but they were on an alien planet, completely deprived of modern means of transport and almost without knowing what this place looked like, and they were completely deprived of any allies... Almost completely. This strange man named Prospero seemed to be very friendly towards the Archduke, which only made her think that they shouldn't trust him, and on top of that she found out about someone, it strangely reminded her of Kane . When she told the archduke about it, right after he talked to this strange scholar, he sat down in a chair and began to think before he said.

„It's good that my daughter is here. I wonder how much she managed to achieve.”

She blinked twice before asking.

„Wait, how did your daughter come here? When did you send her here? How long has she been here? Why were you looking for this place?”

The muscular man looked at her with those glowing-in-the-dark blue eyes and smiled , surprisingly friendly.

„Over thirty-five years I started looking for this planet, because I already sensed that I would need it. I have never been here, that's true, but its name exists in my memory and I am certain that I am somehow connected to this place, so I decided that I should find it, because I suspected that the old war could flare up again. Sometimes I sense when the threads of fate are being tightened.„ said the archduke

"So this all started thirty-five years ago, around the same time Minitar was attacked ..." She said quietly, but the man laughed as if she had told some great joke.

„Oh no, it all started thousands of years ago, when the First Ones began their mission to cleanse the Galaxy... Maybe even earlier, when I was created... or even earlier. The universe is really old, overwhelmingly old. The history we know, or at least what we are able to research, is only… let’s say, a few dozen thousand years old, but our reality has existed for billions of years, and believe me, there was something before that”

When the man finished speaking, she felt as if the entire weight of time, the entire scale of the Universe rested on her shoulders. Therefore, later, when Kane was lost in gloomy contemplation over a glass of wine, she decided to look through her equipment, for this purpose she gave up a cheap room, knowing that she would not sleep here anyway because they would have to return soon, but she needed a moment of privacy for obvious reasons. At one point, when she was looking through her things, she saw her military datapad . She began to look through the list of friends, surprisingly short and, partly for fun, she clicked on Tallstar ... She jumped when it turned out that the woman had answered her.

„Hello, is that you? Did you manage to get here?” said her… friend… almost Girlfriend…

„Yes, although it wasn't easy... But how on galaxy did you end up here? You were supposed to be on Etheria ... Did the Lord Admiral's troops get here?„ she said with concern in her voice, and Tallstar answered only after a few moments, and from the speaker she heard the second woman moving, and she answered her almost in a whisper.

„You could say yes, but it's more complicated. There was a battle between the forces of the Fearless Amada and... I guess the rest of the planet, and then it turned out that another daughter of Antares took over the command and assigned us to Lady Cala , who in the meantime escaped from prison and now apparently wants to build her own kingdom. She is insane, and an unpredictable psychopath.„ the former rebel explained with fear in her voice.

„Yes, I've noticed that... Where are you?„ she said, feeling terrified that this monstrosity was on the loose again, but also partly happy that her beloved was here.

„In a country called Evenere , supposedly in the southwest of the main continent. Listen, I can't talk anymore, because someone will notice me, and I've seen what Lady Sorrowflame can do to people she's not even mad at... I'll contact you in two days at the same time, then we'll be alone on patrol. „ said her... almost a girl... „ I love you!„ And hung up. The mercenary ran to the main hall, where she saw Kane , who was talking to someone on the communicator.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Calamity is here..." the comma said and the man looked at her thoughtfully and said.

„ Well, it turns out she's not the only demigoddess in this place.„ his voice was a strange mixture of sadness and anxiety.

„What the fuck are you talking about… „ she asked with unconcealed irritation, because she had the impression that the man had completely understood nothing of what she was saying to him.

„My daughter, another one is here... Her mother was also a goddess, or at least something like that.

Chapter Text

She woke up.

She groaned and stretched her back. She really was too old, or at least in too bad health condition, to spend the night outdoors. Honestly, apart from that journey to the cursed swamps of Krannor Rill, she had never really slept without a roof over her head. At least there were no mosquitoes here, although then again, they didn't want to bite her anyway. On the other hand, other vermin that crawled under clothes were irritating even for an old witch

„So how did you sleep?„ said the strange green haired boy smiling at her. She frowned because people usually didn't smile at her, but then again he didn't know her...  true nature... She was sure that when he gets to know her better he won't be like that anymore.  Good, people should learn to recognize evil when it's right in front of their eyes .

„Tolerable, but it's very nice of you to ask. Where's Claudia...?„ She asked, because the girl with the white stripe in her hair was nowhere to be found in their small camp. Terry hesitated for a moment before answering.

„She's looking for mandrake bulbs... And the larvae of the Sunray Monarchs - glowing butterfly... The mature ones help deal with the effects of magic, but you know, they're pretty hard to hold, especially when you're traveling... But the larvae, and especially the pupae, are easy to transport, right? Or at least much easier... „ He said, and she raised an eyebrow in interest.

„So the magic your girl uses has serious effects, I noticed her hair changed color and I guessed it was the result of using dark magic...”

The boy slowly nodded, but when he heard what she said dark magic he grimaced, and said.

„Claudia really doesn't like it when people pronounce that word the way you do, as if it was something bad. After all, it was the only way human could survive in this inhospitable and hostile world... „ He smiled friendly, and she looked around ... This world may not have been as... friendly as most of Etheria , but it still looked much nicer than the Isles of Sorrow , not to mention the Thousand-Times-Cursed Aucturn... She could recognize the words of manipulation, but for now she had no intention of leading him to the truth, she would have time for that, and she still hadn't gotten all the facts.

„It's very useful... I understand that your girlfriend has often used this butterfly to… remove the effects of her Magic?„ she looked more gently at the boy, who shook his head period.

„If you cast carefully, the problems are minor. Claudia says that only the most powerful rituals or long-term use of magic can lead to serious side effects... Her father supposedly had to struggle with them, and often had to consume one of the butterflies, but he did great things, like once saving an entire country from famine.

She raised an eyebrow, because that did sound like an impressive feat, even on a galactic scale. Except, in her experience, great power never came for free.

"What was the price?" she said, looking at the boy, who hesitated before answering.

„You had to sacrifice the heart of a magma titan... The last one in the world. It was actually mercy, because there was no one else like him, so he didn't have to live in solitude... „ he said it as if he was using excuses made up by someone else.. She guessed that he must have heard these words from Claudia, and she probably heard them from her father... It was fascinating how people could justify their actions and how easily they could sacrifice others. She said it perfectly using her own example. After all, she planned to use Adora in the same way ... Sacrifice her for the greater good... Of course, it was much easier to do it to stranger, someone you had never met before, and who probably belonged to a different, completely alien species... It was so easy to decide to sacrifice others for the cause... After all, it was always better when others had to pay the price of our power… She just wonder what that giant thought about all this... Did they even tell him why he had to die... And did it even matter... But she was slowly starting to understand why Aaravos was so interested in this man. He and she were so similar, both were determined to do anything to achieve their goals. And they were always able to find the perfect justification for their actions.

„Don't you have anything similar to Sunray Monarchs? Because I think if you asked nicely Claudia would happily let you have them!„ Terry said pleasantly as if he had just come up with a wonderful idea, but she started laughing loudly and unpleasantly.

„Well, there are types of dark magic whose effects even the Gods themselves cannot remove... Sometimes, however, it is we ourselves who have to pay the price of power... And believe me, my appearance is not the most important part of it...”

The boy looked at her for a moment and flinched, then said.

„Maybe I'll make some tea after all.”

Claudia arrived some time later bringing a large quantity of pupae in a bag, as well as some edible tubers..

„Well then we'll have dinner...„ Said the girl happily, and seeing them she could almost hear their stomachs growling in her ears, so  she sighed and reached into her packages and pulled out one of the few self-heating meals she had received from the cultists. She opened it, and used the self-heater, and then watched the other two as they stared at the steaming package in disbelief. She smiled and held the package out to them saying.

„Help yourselves, I don't need to eat much, and you look exhausted from living in the wilderness...”

„Oh, no need!„ They both said, but they were staring greedily at the container of food, and after a moment the girl reached out and took the container, and then began to eat greedily.

„This is quite tasty! What is it exactly?„ the girl asked and she responded with a shrug.

„I'm not sure, but it smells like curry and there's probably pasta in there. It's not something that was produced where I lived, it was imported, I think from Ikarus. It doesn't matter. I'm glad you like it, from my experience with similar inventions I was afraid it would be much worse.„ She said, and in the meantime Claudia gave the package of food to her boyfriend, who ate but with more caution.

“Much worse?” the boy asked around a mouth full of food, and she nodded.

„When she served in the Horde, most soldiers were given rations bars… Nearlty everyone hated them…„ she explained, reaching for the tea. It was still hot, but it would be drinkable soon.

"Were you a soldier or something like that, like a battle wizard?" the boy asked with genuine curiosity, and she laughed darkly and bitterly before answering him.

„ Actually not, although everyone there was a soldier, in one way or another… I was the right hand of the local Horde Ruler, trying to help him conquer my world, which I betrayed in order to survive.„ When she finished, she took a sip of tea. Both young people looked at her in disbelief, as if they weren't sure if she was joking.

„Everything I said is true... In the end, I became the most hated person in the place I lived, I worked really hard for it.„ when she said that she smiled to herself. This tea was really tasty!

The silence dragged on for a while as her companions struggled. Finally, the girl broke it.

"Is this the magic of your kind of elves? Locking power into objects?" said the voices in curiosity, and she sighed heavily and said.

„No, it's not the magic of my people, or any magic at all, just technology... I'm not sure how advanced your world is, but if you have magnifying glasses, or I don't know... Clocks or fireworks, it's something like that only much more advanced... „ She said, and Claudia slowly nodded and fell silent, but her companion asked with curiosity.

„But what's the difference? These things are as amazing as any magic I've ever seen in my life!!”

It was a good question, after all, Magic and technology in the galaxy very often intertwined, suitably developed technology was not indistinguishable from magic and vice versa... Her planet was the best example of this, after all, the First Ones could not use magic the way she did, they had to use machines that focused it. They also had to draw power from external sources, and often simply steal it, suck it out like magical parasites, like her for example. She looked at the girl, who clearly had quite a large admixture of the blood of this race in her... She needed the bodies of living beings to cast time... She saw in this an obvious similarity to what her brethren had done in her world, and to many others. However, she thought about the answer, although she knew she could not tell her the whole truth, not yet.

„Technology is repeatable, and easy to recreate, unlike Spells. Once built, the device can be used by anyone, although of course with varying results. My former ruler despised magic precisely because it is unpredictable and does not operate according to the laws of nature. When a sorcerer creates a spell, he is never entirely sure what the final result will be, and in the case of technology, the engineer knows everything before the device is even created, unless some unforeseen problems occur along the way... At least that is usually the case, because I knew an inventor whose inventions were... as unpredictable as the most chaotic spells„ She said, remembering Entrapta .

„So this, you know... Technology... What can it do?„ the boy asked and she smiled and replied.

„It allows you to travel through the stars… Settling the bottom of the sea… Curing terrible diseases… Turning cities into rubble and even entire worlds into a glassy wasteland… And when combined with magic… The possibilities are endless…„ She said, smiling with grim satisfaction.

A moment later, her companions began to pack up. She looked at the spot where they were resting and stretched her back once more.

„Where are we going?„ She asked them and the girl smiled and said.

„Towards the Stormspire His body lies there... He said that you've done everything necessary to resurrect him... „ when she said that he pointed to a large purple centipede that lay curled up in a ball. She had seen this monstrosity before, and from what she had heard her daughter had created something similar, albeit much smaller. It allowed her to communicate with Aaravos without the need for a mirror. She only wondered if she had already grown a monstrosity of such size, if she needed it. „ This is what I've been preparing for for two years... He calls it the Opus Magnum... It mean Great Work

„Indeed, a great work awaits us.” she replied to the girl with a thoughtful expression. “Indeed, a great work is looming before us. Perhaps greater than any that any of our contemporaries has faced.„ In her voice could be heard bitter amusement.

A year ago

Ignas inhaled the smoke from the pipe he was smoking. The herbs in it made him feel relaxed. He also knew that they were clouding his mind and that in this way he was more vulnerable to attack, but he could afford it. He was the undisputed leader of the snake path and thanks to that he could Feel safe... He owed it mainly to the fact that he knew what his subordinates really wanted. And they wanted exactly the same thing as everyone else... A peaceful life. Full bellies, a warm and dry shelter... A certain future for themselves and their descendants... They were outcasts, it was true, but that didn't mean they couldn't Enjoy life. His predecessors wanted their organization to be concerned with cultivating some damn oath from thousands of years ago. However, he knew how absurd it was and chose a completely different path. Of course, not everyone obeyed him at first, many stuck to the old rules and, unfortunately, a lot of blood had to be shed. But since then, everything has changed.

He smiled to himself and went outside to look around.

The large cave that was their haven was located near the burning border. About half of it was occupied by a warm lake, and at the top there were many brightly glowing crystals, thanks to which it was always as bright as dusk. In fact, it was a very friendly place. They were able to grow plants here, although only some varieties, those that tolerated low light and humidity well, but the moonshadow elves knew many plants that met these requirements. In addition, they could catch pale fish living in the lake and nearby rivers, eat albino lizards that hid in nooks and crannies, and also grow mushrooms. The nearby caves were full of valuable resources that they could mine. If they were not a collection of thugs and murderers, They could create a real city here... In fact, that is what he wanted to happen, who knows, maybe in the future he will reveal the existence of this place to the whole world, but not necessarily, because after all, secrecy was one of their greatest advantages. He looked at his men living among the rows of huts and cottages built from whatever they could get underground or bring from above. Many of them did not participate in what the organization lived off, they simply fished, sewed clothes and shoes… They forged weapons and repaired armor, in short, they did what the civilians of each stronghold did or did. The rest were engaged in smuggling, murder, intimidation, as well as drug trafficking and stranger things. Of course, this required a certain ruthlessness, but he discovered that there was never a shortage of ruthless people. During his rule, the city grew almost three times, and its treasury swelled with the wealth gathered there. Of course, many didn't like it. Once, it was believed that secrecy and loyalty to the organization's ideals were the most important, but he focused on effectiveness and loyalty... To him, of course. Even during the times of his predecessors, everything was heading in the direction in which he pushed their organization, but everyone simply preferred to pretend that they were still idealists fighting for a long-lost cause, for a ruler about whom he actually remembered nothing in this world, or probably to any other, if any other world existed, apart from perhaps the one inhabited by shadows summoned by lunar magicians. He simply did what everyone had always dreamed of, but was afraid to say. He would be remembered in the future as the one who made the Snake Path great.

Of course, even he had to admit that not everything was going as he had planned. He had seen a few buildings on the coast marked with a yellow sign, which made him strangely uneasy. Those who lived there, as they claimed, served the King In Yellow. He didn't know which king he was talking about, in his opinion they were a cult of lunatics and idiots, but they were useful because they sold star bile, which they obtained in a way unknown to him. From the moment they came here, he had wanted to discover their secret, but the few subordinates he had sent to find out the truth were missing. The last of them, a young warrior named Sandho came to him, with his eyes gouged out, which he hid in his closed hands, which he put into a fire and said that the court of the King in Yellow did not wish for anyone to interfere in their affairs... Sandho then found himself new friends among the Order of Worms who were to serve the being called Shude-mell , the devastator of cities... He slowly began to come to the conclusion that there were too many strange corners in his city, and perhaps it was time to get rid of them all. As soon as Khandros returned, he would speak to him to solve this problem.

The other problem was those who still believed in the old ways. There were still many of them, and unfortunately most of them were the most trained of his People. He looked at Llewelyn , a tall moon elf illusionist who was talking to her son. She might not be as hard-headed as some, but she still supported those who stuck to the old ways. Well, it didn't bother him that he looked bad in the eyes of someone who had gotten his sister killed, and won over the guy who had dumped her anyway when it turned out her son was a weakling cripple. Rakcham , the only human in the entire underground city, and his personal jester, watched them. As soon as he saw the bo, the human man put on a wide smile and approached him, bowing from the waist.

"Does your Lordship wish anything from your humble Servant?" the man asked in a jovial tone, and hearing his words made him feel like a true ruler of a true kingdom. Truly, the decision to let this man live was one of the best he had ever made. The man had so manyadvantages  that it was sometimes hard to understand why he would ever consider killing him.

„Nothing, nothing . I just look at my domain, and admire how much I have managed to achieve.„ he said, smiling to himself.

"Indeed, your accomplishments are incredible, outshining many monarchs who are considered exemplary among men. You are very close to becoming one yourself. Perhaps if you release me, I can gain many new allies for you. That way, you will no longer have to fear repercussions from the arch dragons and other enemies," the man said.

„I'll think about it.„ he said, coming to the conclusion that it would be worth it to finally get rid of this man. He was useful, but in recent years his usefulness had slowly begun to wear off, and with the end of the conflict, it would be much easier to get another man... But not today, somewhere he was in too good a mood to be bothered by something like that.

He wanted to go to the small peninsula where the local tavern was located and buy everyone a drink, at his expense, but then he saw Ghost walking towards him. He grimaced, because this woman was one of the old guard, and she was also very clever and popular, and she gave him a reason to get rid of her. Unfortunately, the fumes of the herb were still clouding his mind, so he couldn't think of a good argument to get rid of her yet.

"Pathfinder, we need to talk." she said looking at him hard and he rolled his eyes because he hated it when she used his traditional title for him. It was so pretentious.

„Then, now I have more important matters.„ he said and headed back towards the tavern, but the woman bit into Asia and stopped him.

„We need to talk about matters related to the human kingdoms. A year has passed and we still don't know how to react to the fact that the war is over... This completely changes the balance of power...„ she spoke to him in a harsh voice, he bristled in irritation, turned to her and replied angrily.

„Listen my dear, this is none of your business at the moment. Go back to work and sell yourself for information.”

Even under the white tattoo he saw how reddened her face was, and he felt satisfaction from that, but then he saw the turmoil under the statue of the witch queen, which was the service their organization was devoted to, at least according to the traditionalists. He cursed again and summoned a few of his guards, then drew a long, narrow-bladed sword from its sheath. He ran to the statue, where a crowd was slowly growing. To his irritation, the Ghost ran there too. Under the statue, all young women, who were singing some song in an old dialect, which was still used in the days of his youth by some of the inhabitants of the valleys near the border.

„Shut up here!„ He yelled to everyone who seemed to be listening to the song as if hypnotized. Some people reacted, but many were still listening to the girl, so he decided to solve the problem quickly and easily. He approached her, breaking through the crowd and grabbing the weapon with both hands, he was about to ask for time when the girl turned around. At first glance, she looked strange, he saw in her features of all kinds of elves, but there was something else... In her eyes he saw sadness, as well as centuries of wisdom.

"Don't you want to hear the story of Aldehyde?" she asked, her voice gentle and disappointed at the same time.

„Story about what the fuck? „ he said, trying to stay calm, even though the girl scared him so much.

„A story about a city that was a promise. A promise of peace and Brotherhood. A promise fulfilled. A city that was betrayed, by its own ruler... A woman who killed all its inhabitants, but even She was a victim here, betrayed by the one who promised her world. And also a story of revenge... But the story is not over yet… Will you help write it?„ she asked him, smiling and tilting her head to the side.

„And fuck you!„ He shouted and took the sword to strike, but then he felt that all his muscles were starting to burn, thorns wrapped around his legs, he dropped the blade from his hand. The girl approached him and he saw sadness in her eyes.

„Well, it seems you don't want to take part in our great work...„ and she planted a kiss on his lips, and then hell flared up in his lungs...

Chapter Text

Archduke Kane Adamson felt rage boiling inside him. He had felt this cold flame burning like a second sun, destructive and hostile to life, many times in his existence. But he was a murderer, so it was probably quite normal… But he had never felt so angry towards any member of his family, at least not since he had Strangled his brother. This time, however, he knew that this flame was fueled by helplessness, because his daughter had done something she should never have done… She had brought Scilis here … Of all his children, she was the only one who had not been affected by the Curse so much, and she was the only one who could live a relatively happy life. She had no great needs or aspirations, and she also seemed not to fully accept the fact that time was flowing around her  like sand in an hourglass. He forbade everyone to involve her in their affairs, their plots and plans, and in the meantime Klest, the one of his daughters whom he knew best and trusted the most, the first of his children whom he had met, decided to take her to this place. Of course, it wasn't as bad a planet as some he had lived on, which was why he didn't want to kill her right away, but maybe that would change soon, depending on what his other daughter said.

Of course, he had bigger problems on his mind. The fact that the servants of the Creeping Chaos and the Great Old Ones would operate in this place was obvious, but the fact that That woman had come here... He hadn't seen much about this creature, apart from the fact that the doctor was supposed to send her to Etheria, but he had only sent that cat-like girl, and that she had grown up on his own planet... He didn't really like the fact that he had such a creature on his premises, but since it had ended up on Etheria, it had ceased to be his problem... At least partly, because he had seen that there was a big chance that it would cross his path someday, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon and under such circumstances In this world he was much weaker and did not have most of his resources at his disposal., and from what he had managed to find out, that creature had made an alliance with the Bloody Lord Admiral, and that meant serious complications... Perhaps he should have stayed on Etheria longer and gotten rid of that man, or at least secured his interests on this planet, but unfortunately, things had turned out differently, and now he would have to deal with it.

He was just returning to camp when he met the mysterious man he had spoken to earlier. Prospero seemed to be well informed, which meant that one should not speak in case of trust.

„Greetings, Archduke. I have heard that someone I once taught is nearby. I wanted you to give them a gift.„ He said and handed him a box made of a strange organic metal... It seemed to be a riddle in itself, and he guessed that opening it by someone who did not know the solution was not only impossible, but downright dangerous, at least for someone who did not have the vast knowledge that was hidden in his head.

„I will pass it on to your student, as I understand it you will not have the opportunity to meet him?”

The scholar nodded with a thoughtful expression and said in a soft voice, smiling apologetically.

„Even though I like Rao very much, unfortunately I have to go my own way, because a very important Mission awaits me and I can't let personal matters tear me away from her.”

He nodded to him and looked around to see if anyone was around, but it was still dark and they were just outside the town limits... The only person who was around was Dilayla, who was eagerly waiting to return to their little oasis, so he thought about it for a moment and made a decision With a lightning-fast movement of his hand he hit the man in the throat so much that he doubled over, and then he grabbed him by the neck and with a quick movement broke it. The mercenary looked at him with terrified eyes and jumped at him, trying to hit him with her metal fist, but he quickly dodged

„Are you fucked up? Why did you do that?”

He shrugged and said.

„I don't really like the people he could work with. He knew a lot about the universe, and believe me, it's not knowledge intended for ordinary people. What's more, he was very willing to share this knowledge, and I suspect that he learned more from us than we did from him, at least in terms of the importance of the information... I don't usually kill people after a simple conversation, but...„ he tried to explain it to her as best he could, although I suspect that the anger he felt towards his daughter made him decide to do so, but the woman interrupted him and pulled out a gun.

„People are not killed just in case! This is sick! You are no better than Calamity and monsters like that!„ She screamed and it hurt him. He had taken many lives in his life, and for many years he had no problems with it, and in fact taking life and inflicting suffering seemed to get easier and easier, and then there was the Gap and for centuries he was no longer as prone to violence as he used to be. But now it was starting to change... It was actually interesting... Only now he had no time to think about such matters.

„Please don't point a gun at me, I really don't like it, although I understand your reasons. I've killed thousands of people in my life,  personally... That's why it comes so easily to me... Do you have any siblings...„ he asked the woman, and she hesitated Zadzim said.

„Yes, sister... But what the fuck does that have to do with what you did?„ She looked at him menacingly, and he responded by smiling sadly.

„You see, I killed my brother... I loved him, but I had to do it...” and then with a faster movement than the eye could see he hit her in the neck, stunning her for a moment and then he took the gun and started aiming at her… „I barely know you and you're indifferent to me, so if I have to, I'll kill myself without hesitation. So please, help me hide the body somewhere on the side of the road, and then we'll go back to the others.„ he said and began searching the body, finding several interesting things, including a certain symbol depicting a silver key. „ And if you still have remorse, then look at this... This man served the Great Old Ones just like Lady Cala... He may not have been as bad as her, but he was on the same side. Perhaps he has already somehow informed the cultists about our presence, although fortunately it is doubtful that they will be able to organize any action against us in the near future, especially since we will now be cooperating with my daughter's forces...”

Rao decided that they liked the camp of these strange people from another world. Well, actually, they lived in a camp where many people came from another world, but it wasn't quite the same. They had already fit in here, and these were completely new to this world, so they could show them all the wonders and warn them against the bad! It was like having her own children, only she didn't have to change their diapers and feed them porridge with milk... They hated porridge with milk since childhood, although maybe because her mother gave their milk from flying rabbits... It was fat and smelled...

The guests were indeed strange, and they looked at them with interest... Truth be told, not all of them aroused their sympathy. It was a strange man with lots of spider  legs and arms, Who for this reason looked like a creature from a nightmare. This strange couple also looked a bit disturbing, especially the woman with metal eyes, who was strangely looking at Miriam. However, the worst was this pale girl... She was suspiciously nice to their friend, as if it were school friends! Of course Miriam didn't notice anything, and yet she was the one who always claimed that they were naive and good-natured. And now she was talking to the pale girl, as if they were friends... They felt indignant, watching them with its arms crossed on its chest. They felt Scilis's hand on their head, as the Winged Woman stroked them. They smiled, because it seemed that this girl was really nice to them. They looked at her, and then she rubbed her cheek against hers, a bit as if she were a cat.

„I would take you home-home ... Would you live-live with me... I would feed-feed you every day! Until you died-died... „ She said, and they frowned with concern.

„That sounded weird... But what do you know about that girl, I mean, she looks sick, doesn't she? Don't you have a cure for such strange diseases?”

Scilis tilted her head, looking quite like an animal like a bird or Winged mouse. Then she laughed, and they felt like asking a strange and silly question.

„Cure-cure? It's very interesting-interesting ... But, from death-death , you can't cure, and it is half dead-dead ! It is half vampire. Don't you smell death-death from it?„  She looked at them, smiling friendly, and they asked.

„What do you mean? I've heard legends of dead monsters, but they looked more like shadows...”

The winged girl shook her head before answering.

„Vampires look like humans-humans … Usually… They drink-drink blood to live-live ! One of my brothers-brothers is half vampire like her she!„ She cried and squeezed them very tightly. They felt the blood in her veins freeze. They had heard stories of a bloodmoon huntress who supposedly drank the blood of her victims. From what they knew, the stories about her were the source of all those scary stories that humans Told about the moonshadow elves.

„We don't actually drink blood anymore, at least not from someone's veins, there are ways to make artificial blood.„ They heard a male voice behind its back. they jumped in fear and turned around. They saw a tall man with pale skin, an aquiline nose, and a top hat on his head. When he smiled, it saw that he had very long fangs.

„Who… Who are you!„ Theygroaned nervously, and the man laughed, took off his hat and bowed low.

„Oh yeah, where are my manners! My name is Doctor Sidonius, a galactically renowned scientist who seeks to learn all the secrets of the universe.”

Their eyes flashed, and in that moment her scholarly nature triumphed over her fear.

„Oh! I'm a scholar too! I mean, no. I didn't study at any University, but I met a few scholars and read a lot of books, And my friend is a mage.. You know, a human one...„ they explained to him, feeling the excitement growing, and the scholar raised an eyebrow and said.

„Oh, that's very nice, I didn't expect to meet someone educated in this place so soon. I understand you're one of those strange elves here...”

They nodded happily and said.

„Yes, I am a bit of a dragon, and I am terribly happy about it! Only now I wonder why we were not told about it! It is very wonderful!”

The man sent sadly and said.

„Unfortunately, I have to admit with regret that ignorance is a truly powerful force in the universe, and its power is used by those who want to limit it just like we do.”

Then this strange woman with metal eyes came up to them and said.

„Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Just look into my eyes to see for yourself.”

Rechiza felt surprisingly good here, better than any of her companions, except maybe Arkan-tar. But he was actually one of the main reasons she was so happy here. It wasn't that she was in love for the first time. It had happened to her in the past although not once since the tragedy had befallen her. She didn't have the time or the courage for lasting relationships, or for simple love affairs because that was against her temperament. But now she felt happy, she was everything and with someone as educated and nice as Verthani... She hadn't thought before that they would be able to get so close, but now... They even managed to consummate their relationship, and in such a way that no one here noticed, so she was doubly happy. They were sitting together, hugging each other, when the doctor's daughter brought the strangers... Technically speaking, they weren't strangers, but locals, inhabitants of this planet who were the first to come across their small expedition. She wasn't sure who to expect here, but she was surprised to see a Vesk, although she had heard that representatives of this species were present on Etheria, so why not here? On the other hand, a human girl living on this planet was a downright disappointing sight, this species was disturbingly widespread in the universe and it should actually be studied… She remembered that the only First One still alive actually looked like a human, and this planet had once been a First One colony… There had to be a meaning and she would gladly have thought about it longer, but there was also this strange Elf, who at first she thought was a mixture of a devil, and before this Winged creature arrived... At first she took her for some Strix , a representative of one of the winged species living in some regions of the pact Worlds. But then she looked into her eyes and understood who she was.

„It's his daughter. The Archduke's daughter...„ she said with disbelief in her voice, but Arkan-tar, clinging to her, said.

„He has a son on Carurystal, apparently a very nice and handsome man, who is considered the best heir imaginable.

„Wonderful, There are more like him. The universe is a truly terrifying place.„ she said and watched as Doctor Sidonius talked to that strange elven person, and finally she couldn't take it anymore and walked up to them.

„Sometimes ignorance is bliss though, look into my eyes to see that.„ She said staring at the person with her metal eyes, making the person flinch.

„I wouldn't say ... Knowledge is the key to power and so on...”

The doctor laughed, but she smiled at her sadly and touched her eyes. She felt pain, but was able to endure it, to show this person where curiosity leads.

„As you can see, sometimes knowledge has a price, and a terrible one at that... I was lucky, because when we were exploring the ruins of a certain extinct civilization, all my companions died.„ She smiled sadly and added. „ People believe that only power has a price, but the truth is that we have to pay for everything, one way or another...

The Archduke and Dilayla, arrived to them shortly after. The half-Elf did not look well, but according to Kane, not much happened there, except that they learned that Lady Cala was coming to this place, and with allies from the Fearless Armada. That in itself was enough to scare them, but from what she understood, for now the Monstrous Woman seemed to be busy with her own affairs. Perhaps something had such an effect on the mercenary, but she was not sure. As soon as the Archduke appeared in their camp, this strange Winged Woman stood before him, and for a moment they stared at each other, and she even had the impression that the man with the eyes of a murderer seemed embarrassed by this meeting. The girl looked at him strangely, and then hugged him tightly and said.

„Hello-hello father! I would like to kill-kill you, but not now-now! You are needed-needed , so hello-hello„ she said and threw herself on his neck like a little girl to her father who had just come back from work. Then Miriam, who was almost certainly a rather suspicious type of sorceress, but seemed to be an aristocrat too, considering the aura of authority she spread around herself, invited them to their camp...

„As I understand it... You are the father of our social Klest, right? Well, she wanted you to come and join us. For now, she's gone to some people because she's been threatened by some Lord Tholuvian, but I don't know much about that. I just hope she hasn't left us for long.... „ she explained, but then the archduke cursed particularly nastily and said.

„ If you have a horse or some other mount, give it to me, because I have to meet her... If the bloodmoon goes down soon... With me she still has a chance. „ he said, but the aristocrat shrugged.

„We have mounts, but only at the camp. Either way, you have to come with us.”

Kane threw her a glance but said nothing, just allowed himself to be led to the seat.

They quickly packed up, only Although the inhabitants of Etheria seemed to be much more tired than those who came from off-planet, Well, for her, Traveling through the galaxy was something obvious. Even if a significant part of the population of other planets never left their home, they could always do it without a problem, if only they had the time and a little money, not that much.

The camp they had reached made her feel a twinge of unease. At first glance, it looked like a mercenary camp, which had many implications about the nature of the Archduke's second daughter, but beyond that, on closer inspection, she saw that many of its members appeared to be scholars, and the combination of scholars and soldiers always reminded her of one occupation, an occupation she despised so much  and hated, despite having spent quite some time doing it, just like her beloved. Arkan-tar said what came to her mind.

"They look like Treasure Hunters." He said, and she nodded.

„ Yes, But on this planet the treasures can burn your brain, or trap you in an eternal nightmare, if certain stories are true.„ she remembered the accounts of some places where the ruins of the First Ones were hidden.

As soon as their group arrived, a tall elf approached them and called out

The Ghost fled!„ and when she said this Miriam almost fell over, but the elven person supported her, but she looked as agitated as the strange aristocrat.

„We have to catch her, she can't run away or she'll warn the others... She'll warn the Snake Path!”

At this time the Archduke reached for his horse and said.

„I'm going to Klest... Try to join me, because I suspect that that place might be interesting for our research, and one more thing. „ He threw a strange box made of organic metal towards the elven person and said. „Your friend Prospero wanted to give you this as a gift, you probably know how to open it.„ and set off on his journey.

Escape was much easier than Ghost had expected, although maybe because she was a moon elf you knew her really well at sneaking around without anyone noticing you. She knew there was some commotion in the camp, although she wasn't sure what it was, but she didn't care, because she had a very important task to do. She left the camp and found herself in the desert, it wasn't the best place to lose a pursuer, but she counted on her companions having other things to do than search for a prisoner who no longer mattered, at least in her opinion. She understood why that sky elf person hated her, but well, she couldn't do anything about it. At least this night was coming to an end and she could continue her service to her mistress... When they thought she felt a surge of pride and joy, because she was the one who had restored their organization to its former glory... They were well on their way to becoming an ordinary criminal gang devoid of any shred of honor. She owed her not only her life, but her soul as well.

It was then that she felt the power, the great and magnificent power of all the primal sources combined into one. She knew it was unnatural, but this power was not her mistress's choice, it had been manipulated by a fallen star, a dark sorcerer who manipulated the course of events in the shadows... Who had returned to once again wreak evil and ravage this world. Only the witch queen could stand against such power...

Her mistress gave her wrapped in flames and lightning. She was beautiful and terrifyingly sad… She smiled at her, In her eyes she saw sadness and longing.

„Its great to se you madam, I apologize. but I think I'm disappointed... I've disappointed you so much my lady.„ she said bowing her head, but the witch queen approached her and used her head with her hand and said.

„Everyone makes mistakes, and believe me, yours was truly insignificant. The other one too.”

„What second one?„  she asked  and her Mistress turned to the side, raised her hand and dispelled the spell that flew towards her…

Miriam made more discoveries that day than in her entire life, although she had to admit it wasn't very long. The man who seemed to be Klest's father aroused fear in her at first glance, no one should look so dangerous, but she couldn't get to know him better, which she was actually glad about, because he left looking for the scarlet-haired woman, and they had to take care of the escape of the Ghost. This woman wasn't really dangerous, not in herself, but she saw how dangerous her friends from the Serpent's Path were, and she had to stop them. Only it wasn't that easy... She didn't know how far away this woman was from here, although she had a few fairly good trackers. To her surprise, the strange woman with metal eyes, who came from another world, offered her help.

„I can detect magic and read the aura of other Beings.„ She explained, and although she didn't quite understand what she meant, she agreed to her help.

Quickly finds the trail of the Ghost, who had not gone far. Direct only approached her, even She sensed the power... It was both Dark magic and the magic of primary sources, something she had never known before.  She saw the spirit kneeling before a elf, who had the features of all the varieties of this people inhabiting Xadia . An Aura of such great power emanated from her, that she was unable to resist it... However, the metal-eyed woman from the stars uttered the words of the spell and threw an energy projectile, which was however dispersed by the elf without effort.

„Don't do anything bad to her! „ The Ghost suddenly shouted, covering the other woman, But the other one only smiled good-naturedly and said.

„Don't worry, nothing will happen, it's just a misunderstanding.” she said looking at the one she cast the spell. The woman curled up on the ground, and vomited. Rao clenched his fists, ready to attack and Called.

„What did you do to her?”

The second woman smiled sadly and replied.

„Nothing at all, this place is... Different than it should be. Drawing Magic from external sources is difficult, as it was said... So it wasn't just lies, they really left these safeguards, but they are weakening. I can feel it... They will cease to exist soon, but it doesn't matter.„ Miriam had the impression that the woman was starting to talk to herself.

„Who are you?„ she asked looking at the woman. She seemed young and there was something so sad about her that she wanted to hug her and comfort her.

„Me? I am a heroine who was made into a monster, who made herself a monster, who was forced to be a monster. All of this is real at once. But I feel the Dark Star returning… I feel something has changed in the universe, some of the old power has returned. I feel something is coming, I should care, but… I only know that the one who took everything from me wants to come back again, and I can't let that happen.

Then she saw tears streaming down Rao's face...

„You don't know what he did to me! Someone who was in your service! I don't know what happened to you, but you do the same evil as those who hurt you!”

 The woman turned her head and seemed to come back to reality.

" I am so sorry for what happened to you... My only excuse is that I was dead for fifteen hundred years. The wicked took over those who swore to serve me when I returned, though it took longer than I expected.”  he looked up at the sky and said. "I would love to talk to you, but for now I must go. I sense an ancient power approaching, powerful and evil beyond all imagination. There are forces that even the witch queen cannot stand against..." and she vanished  like smoke on the wind.

Chapter Text

„I'm not sure if he's your father for sure, but it seems like it could be. I'm sorry I'm only telling you now, but... Damn, there's no good explanation for this. I just connected the dots now.„  Eti’s Sister explained to her, and she tried to understand what she had said to her. Her father was alive, her true fater, the one she was related to... More often, her family was alive, she wasn't alone anymore... Only she had the impression that it didn't really matter to her, that it didn't really change anything. Five years had passed since Kesler's fall, five years during which she had become a completely different person, and that girl, who was offended by her parents for sending her to boarding school, and for not having money for new clothes like her friends. That girl was dead, she died the moment she killed that woman on the boat. If she saw that girl as she had become now, she would run away from herself screaming. This young woman expected to start crying with joy, or maybe dancing and sing but she simply felt nothing, actually even more than nothing... She was tired, although that was probably partly due to the fact that she had to take medication and undergo therapy for radiation sickness, so there was no reason to be surprised, but despite this, she felt as if all her strength had left her. Not only physically, but also as if... As if something inside her had died after they had fought that fight on the glacier.

„Thank you, I'm very happy about that. „ she said to Catra, smiling as if she was really happy. And the girl frowned, but said nothing. Did she know that she didn't mean it? It probably didn't matter much, right?

They were now in the common room, where Lilka and Frosta were talking Watching some old movie about the Curse Of The Crimson Throne, when suddenly Catra looked at them and said.

„I guess you also had relatives on Kesler, a brother, right?„ she said, and then Lilka answered.

„No, Lilka Wagardotir had no siblings. Her friend, a completely different Lilka, had an older brother and a younger little brother, But they are gone, just like her...„ she explained in an uncharacteristically cheerful voice. Catra looked at her for a moment, as if wondering what she meant , until she finally sighed heavily. She approached her, knelt by the chair, and then began to explain.

„Itel’s father told me that he is friends with a boy named Kai, who I think is your brother.”

She didn't want to explain to Eti’s sister that this conversation probably wouldn't take the direction she expected, it would be better for her to see for herself.

„He must be the brother of the other Lilka, who is no longer there. Someone has to tell him that his little sister left and is nowhere to be found. Now I guess I have to go to training.„ She stood up and quickly moved deeper into the ship, leaving them here alone. The cat woman watched the girl leave, completely unable to understand what was happening. This strange feline creature shimmered with different colors, she wasn't sure, but he seemed to be just as confused as his mistress, which wasn't surprising. They were probably expecting something completely different from this conversation, but oh well, Sometimes it's hard for others to understand that they've experienced something they'll never experience. She smiled bitterly at Catra and said.

„We said goodbye to our families five years ago when Kesler fell. Only memories remained of them. Now you suddenly say that the dead Came back to life, but you don't understand that we also died then, our families, our loved ones wouldn't recognize us And we probably don't have anything in common anymore. Sometimes it's better to leave the past dead than to try to revive it. That's what they say on Eox, although they don't say it metaphorically„

„I think I'll go get her. Maybe I just need someone to talk to about how she feel.„ Frosta said and went after the red-haired girl. She was nice and friendly, but nice and friendly people wouldn't understand what they had survived through. She had heard that she was a princess ruling some strong kingdom, for whose lands they had actually fought back then. Lilka was a girl raised on a farm. At least that much they understood from her stories, but surprisingly they had become friends . But is she able to understand what loss is? Catra followed the girl with her eyes, and then looked at her.

„I hope I didn't offend your friend, I just wanted to help.”

Itel shrugged.

„But you didn't help. I just hope that the other girl won't make things worse. She has no idea what Lilka came to.”

Catra smiled crookedly and said.

„ You probably have a false idea of ​​what happened on Etheria during the war. You still see us as happy idiots who know nothing about real life, right?„ In response, she shrugged, and the other continued. „Frosta lost her parents at a very early age, and her mother died in the war, and her father... He broke down and they had to imprison him, for his own good. Imprints practically had to be a ruler and did not have a normal life. The shadow of death and the threat of a coup d'état were always with her.”

She looked at her in surprise. She wasn't sure what to make of her words, but she didn't like admitting she was wrong, especially to Eti’s sister. The woman smiled at her and replied.

„ I know that you have turned your suffering into a shield, but also a weapon, thanks to which you not only separate yourself from others, but also feel superior to them. You can despise them for being weaker than you, for not having experienced what you have. But the truth is that you start to feel comfortable in your small, gloomy world, that you forget that there is something beyond it.„ She looked at her for a moment longer, until you finally said. „I have experienced it too, and I know that the Path you are following leads to only one thing. You can continue to follow it, I am not able to turn you away from it. Just remember that there are those who care about you, maybe not in the way you would like, but they love you nonetheless.”

„What am I supposed to do with my life? Eti doesn't want to be with me, and besides, all I have left is Revenge, but the Lord Admiral is beyond my reach, especially since we'll be back on the other side of the known world...”

The cat woman sighed heavily and spoke in a tired voice.

„I don't know, but you know what I'll tell you? In reality, most people don't live for anything, they live for life itself, to enjoy it, what the next day will bring, for small everyday pleasures. Maybe you're already waiting for something beautiful in the future, you don't know about it, but if you look, maybe you'll find happiness. Or it will find you, sometimes it's like that. For example, my friend Scorpia had a crush on me, but I rejected her, but she found love in a completely unexpected place... And now he has a wife and they are happy together.„ she said, and Itel remembered the woman with the tongs, who was nice to them, especially for Lilka, and also her Wife... It was intriguing, she didn't think that someone like that could have such a past. She also understood the allusion that Eti’s Sister made... This gave the default.

„I'll think about your words, but now I need to rest. I feel worse today, and you can watch the same movie the girls watched. I wonder what will happen to Ileosa ...”

Catra smiled at her and said

.”I think I'll watch, I have nothing better to do anyway...„ and she sat down on the couch, and the strange shapeshifting creature placed its head on her lap.

Lilka held the axe in both hands and dealt blow after blow, defeating countless hosts of the enemy. They charged at her, but she was an orc after all, and even the bugs couldn't stop her! They were practically sworn enemies of her Clan, and every member of it had to defeat at least a hundred to be considered a true warrior. She had actually defeated only a few, a long time ago , but she was smaller, so each counted as ten! Usually she didn't fight for so long, but now she felt... Sad, although she didn't know why, so she figured it would be best if she tired herself out fighting these monsters because it usually worked pretty well!! Only not this time. She couldn't stop thinking about what  Eti’s sister had said... It was... It didn't matter, because that girl was dead, there was only Lilka the orc! She was strong and Undefeated! No one could stand in her way! She couldn't stop being an orc and become that weak and scared girl!

"You've been doing this for two hours now, you know that? Don't you get bored with it?" Frosta asked, and she turned off the holographic projector and took a deep breath. She realized that she was now completely wet, her hair was matted together, and every muscle in her body ached! She went to the water tank, and poured herself a glass, and drank it in one gulp. Then she looked at Frosta who was watching her with interest.

“You see, real orcs in war can fight the enemy from dusk=to dawn and then to Dusk and then to dawn again! I'm just practicing now, it's no big deal! When the time comes, I'll have to be ready to stand on my feet for weeks!„ she explained to her friend. It was obvious to her, but there were very few orcs on that planet, and even those who lived there didn't know how to speak orc.

„Aha.„ Said the Ice Princess and then walked up to her and started looking at her equipment and then asked. „ Can I train with you?

„Of course, if you can keep up with me!„ She said, although she felt all her muscles pulsate with pain from exhaustion, but she couldn't afford to insult the honor of all true orcs! The girl put on the holographic imagined equipment, allowed her body and power to be scanned, so that szecould use it even in the virtual reality used during training. They found themselves on a rocky plain covered with thorny bushes and single boulders. This place was similar to the Akiton Deserts, where they often stayed during the few years they traveled together.

„So what do I do now?„ Frosta said in a hushed but excited voice, looking around.

„Now we will wait for them to come and show them what a real orc and… Etherian can do … „ She said and Frosta smiled at her and said.

„You know, Adora used to have a training place like this, but no one else could go there and train with her, and it turned out the whole thing was run by that evil Light Hope.”

She nodded, Although she didn't really understand what she was talking about, but it wasn't that important, was it? Soon, the worms came and they had to fight!

They came from all sides. They were the usual bugs you usually encountered. They effortlessly managed to defeat them one by one until a whole pile was lying around them. She dealt blows with her axe, slicing the monsters in half, while Frosta created icy fists and projectiles , turning the ground into an ice rink or creating icy walls, she had to admit that these powers were very useful! Sometimes one would hit them and they would feel a slight pain, but nothing serious and they decided to take a break, but then she noticed that her companion seemed strangely worried.

"Are these the monsters the ones you fought on your planet?" She asked and she nodded so Frosta continued. „Well , you see, when we were in our military camp, I felt worse and went to the mountains to hunt something and... They even attacked then! There were a lot of them and it was really hard to defeat them.”

She felt her heart start beating faster again, as if she was scared, although she knew no fear! She was brave and Undefeated! She couldn't give in to ordinary bugs, but still... She turned off the holographic devices and sat on the floor, hugging her knee. Her companion sat down next to her and, after some thought, hugged her.

„Don't worry! We'll defeat them somehow! You know, those bugs. We'll fight together.„ She said it like it was something easy, but there was no way she could know... She'd never been there, she'd never seen her planet being devoured.

"They can't be defeated... You can only run away from them, nothing else." She said, her voice devoid of any emotion, but Frosta said it.

„Bullshit, anyone can be defeated! They said the same about Horde Prime, but you know what? We defeated him! We punched him in the face so hard together that he couldn't get up! And I didn't have that yet!„ she raised her hand and long claws came out of it. „ I'm telling you, they don't stand a chance against us and our friends.

Kyle knew that everyone was feeling depressed, but especially Lonnie. All her plans and intentions had come to nothing, and now she was serving under Catra again, and following her orders, not even complaining about it. On the other hand, she didn't seem happy either... But at least she survived, which couldn't be said for many of his comrades who had been killed by that terrible Warrior. He had never thought that they would have to face someone so dangerous. None of them were able to oppose her. They were practically helpless against her, despite the fact that they had been trained to fight since childhood, but that didn't matter at all against this woman. Only Lonnie was able to resist her might for a moment, but even then she almost got defeated and joined their dead friends. If it wasn't for... that Big Guy... He was able to win that fight for all of them, he even saved Adora ... He was the real hero that day... He, but not Kyle . He would never have been able to fight like that without his sword, or face that woman. He wasn't him, he was just changing into someone completely different, someone brave and strong. He had no problem with that, because thanks to that he could save his loved ones, but the problem was that they found out the truth, or at least Rogelio found out .

They hadn't spoken to each other for the past few days, and he had been avoiding his boyfriend because he was afraid of the reaction to what he had found out. He had been keeping a big secret from him that had come out. He didn't understand why Rogelio hadn't told Lonnie about it, but he supposed that the Other One was simply waiting for him to reveal the whole truth to their Girlfriend. Only it wasn't that easy, I couldn't imagine how the comrade general would react to what he had been hiding from her for so long that he was some kind of She-Ra... He had already accepted that they would break up, and could only hope he wouldn't be kicked out of their rebellion, though he wasn't sure what a rebellion was anymore.

He still need to talk to my boyfriend though, he owed him that much…

He found Rogelio in the warehouse, where he was looking through their supplies. He took a deep breath and walked over to him, then said.

„I have to apologize...„ she said, and then the lizard looked at him with surprise and asked why.

„For deceiving herself all this time, for not telling me who I was.”

His Boyfriend looked at him in surprise, as if he didn't quite understand what he meant, so he took a deep breath and began to explain.

„You know that I am... Well, you know that I am… That big guy who fought that scary woman, and before that, that monster. I've been able to do it for some time, since I found that sword... I guess that means that I'm someone like Adora... I don't know how I ended up here, but apparently I'm also one of the First... Until now I didn't know anything about it, I didn't even suspect it! After all, I was always just stupid Kyle , the biggest loser of the whole Horde... But now I'm someone else, only I don't know exactly who. If you want to break up because of this, I understand and I won't be mad at you, because you have the right to.„ he said and lowered his head, and felt tears running down his cheeks. Fuck his surprise Rogelio went up to him and hugged him.. At first he was too surprised to do anything and then they hugged each other nicely.

„Does that mean you're not mad at me? That you're not mad that I kept this secret from you.”

Lizard showed between his fingers that only a little, and He felt a great weight fall from his chest. Until now he had been panicky afraid of losing all his loved ones, Now he felt almost euphoria because of the fact that all his fears were developing.

"You know, I guess I'll just go to Lonnie's and tell her everything too!" He was turning to run back to their girlfriend when Rogelio put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

„Maybe you're right, it's probably better that she doesn't know about everything yet, she has to recover and so on.„ she said smiling.

Chapter Text

Klest raced ahead, with Ironhands keeping pace with her, and they managed to cover the distance to the ruins she sought relatively quickly, but she was still irritated that she couldn't urge her mount to speed up. She felt it coming, that this would be the night when Lord Thouluvian would go hunting. She must find a safe haven by then. Since she was twelve, so long ago, she had known that someday she would have to face this being. She was not sure why it was only now that he had come after her, Who was so powerful as to encourage him to violate the old agreement between the seventh Lato, And her father, Or had it been broken long ago, only they no longer remembered? The worst was that she knew nothing about it and had to leave it to fate.

Her father was here too, which complicated everything. Their relationship was… complicated to say the least, and she wasn't sure how she would react now that she met him… Unfortunately, she knew it was probably inevitable, you could only wonder if he had already brought more of her siblings here, she missed Gabe and Henoch, even Rafaella …

Anacite Companionship had one Indisputable advantage, certainly no bandit would attack when something like that was in its vicinity. That was good, but of course the descendant of an ancient civilization was somewhat problematic if they came across the working ruins of the First ones…

Her horse had died that afternoon as they were descending the stony Hill. It had tripped and broken its leg, and she had had to finish it off. It seemed to her that finishing off wounded horses was harder than killing people, even though she had done both thousands of times in her life.

„Now you're going to have to give me a ride.„ she said to Iron Hands who tapped his limbs nervously and said.

„I'm not someone who signed up to be a riding animal!”

She rolled her eyes and said.

„But you are much stronger than me, and if the situation were reversed, I would carry you, like any decent companion would carry another companion

The creature's metal eyes looked at her skeptically as he spoke in his artificial voice.

„No, you wouldn't do that, because you wouldn’t be able to lift me, and even if it was just a guess. But all right, I'll carry you, because it's no problem for me, just be careful not to fall, because I'm not adapted to this function.„ Said the thinking machine, and then the Woman got on it. Then the Then the Mechanoid broke into a run, and she felt herself being thrown this way and that, but she was strong and agile and she had ridden on far stranger mounts in her life, literally and metaphorically.

After a while, when it was already starting to settle in, they reached the Rock Cliff. Although she was so battered that she probably had a lot of bruises and she suspected that a large part of her muscles had been pulled or even torn, she didn't complain. She only injected a regenerative elixir, although all of her wounds would regenerate sooner or later anyway, it was an element of their curse after all, although also a bit of a blessing, because everyone without it should have been a hulk without arms and legs long ago. She smiled despite the pain and looked around.

"Do you sense anything?" she asked her mechanical companion, and Anacyte began to look around and pointed with one of his arms.

"There's an empty space over there," he said, and she looked in the direction he was pointing. There was a cliff overlooking a narrow beach. She squinted, because it was a strange place to hide any kind of installation.

„ I must admit that I find it very suspicious that we managed to detect this place without any major difficulties. It was clearly not hidden, it happened much later.”

She nodded anxiously and looked for a way down. To her surprise, she saw a way down. It was a narrow staircase, long ago, probably by smugglers or travelers, but maybe... She bit her lip and slowly began to descend, while her companion climbed the wall and found himself at the bottom much faster. As she descended, she looked at the horizon and saw that the sun was setting, but she still couldn't see what she feared.

When she finally got downstairs, she put her hands on her hips and asked aloud.

„So what now?„ she said, and Iron Hands replied.

„Personally, I think you should use explosives. I brought a plasma bomb  with me, especially for such an occasion.”

Her question was actually rhetorical, but the answer was surprisingly satisfying.

"How quickly could you get it installed here?" she asked, a sudden surge of hope on your part.

„This will definitely take a few hours, and besides, it would be good if we got some distance.”

Now she felt disappointed, so she went over and took out her Datapad and began scanning the wall. Sure enough, there was something behind it. She checked the chemical structure and it indicated that it was an artificial creation, some form of concrete that looked like stone. It was actually interesting, and she wondered again if this place had been used, although if so… That had very deep and disturbing implications. But it also meant… She smiled to herself and put on her very valuable glasses, they allowed her to show shadows of the Past a little. She had heard that only two copies of the magical invention were known, and the other was in the possession of Dr. Sidonius, who was light years away. She quickly saw shadows that seemed to be climbing the wall. She nodded and began to feel the wall until she finally felt something.

„Please scan this.„ she asked Iron hands, who followed her instructions and responded after a moment.

„I see magnetic disturbances here, but I suspect they are genetically activated. You probably won't use them.”

„Shall we make a bet?„ she said and reached into her backpack and pulled out soft leather gloves. It was her father's invention, actually created for a completely different purpose, but here to say it worked perfectly... After all, its creation required Abhoth's tissue, and hell only knows how hard it is to obtain something like that. She began to fruit the wall, feeling a growing fear, because she knew that at any moment the scarlet moon could appear, and then she really wouldn't have much time before the Unnamed Darkness wanted to claim her. Fortunately, after a moment she felt her hand stick to the stone, and then she pulled herself up on it and found a second handle.

„I wonder what genes activate this mechanism.„ said Iron Hand to himself, but then She climbed higher, she had no time for idle chitchat, she had to get to her destination as soon as possible. It was obvious to her anyway, although the implications were shocking, and if her companion understood the truth, her situation could be seriously complicated. She didn't slow down for a moment, feeling darkness fall around her. Everything hurt, but she had been in much worse situations, so it didn't really bother her. However, she saw that Iron Hand was climbing next to him, but it was going much slower than before, because the price was much smoother here, and besides, going uphill he had to carry his own weight, and whatever you say, it was significant. Finally she felt that she had something with a slightly different structure in front of her. It was as if softer, and when Iron Hand approached her.

„There is an empty space behind that thing... But I don't know how we can get in there... I suspect that this wall is strong enough that even my laser won't penetrate it.„ said Anacyta , and she nodded to him, because he was right. However, she had to get there and quickly. She wondered if she had anything that could help. But those who used this place had to get in somehow, but she couldn't see any place for a keycard or anything like that. Besides, she rather doubted they used something like that, after all, it could be easily lost. And in that case, it would never be possible to get into this place again. Someone could also steal it, which would probably be even worse. She thought for a moment and, risking a fall, she put both hands on the wall, moving her face away and holding her breath so that no additional biological contaminants would get there. After a moment, she felt the wall in front of her change color and become something like a crystal, and then rise inward. She almost fell over when she lost support for her hands. But she managed to pull herself up and go inside. It was always made of crystal and covered in the writing of the First Ones. It was surprisingly bright here, but it also seemed like no one had been here for a long time. The floor was covered in dust and although she could see footprints, they were also partially covered by another layer of dust. She looked around and felt satisfied, she was there. Maybe she could…

And then the crimson glow of the red moon embraced her… She crawled inside and stopped, knowing that she had to find as far away from the world as possible On which the lasting light fell. Finally, she ran into a large hall with a protruding crystal obelisk, which radiated a faint pink light. She began to look around, searching for a way inside. She wasn't sure what she might find there, but… But there was definitely something that would allow her to save herself. After all, the First Ones were not on good terms with the Great Old Ones and Outer Gods, right?… She just needed a little more time…

And then time ended. She felt a fear that would have driven anyone who wasn't Kane Adamson's child mad. The light darkened, as if someone had taken the colors out of the world, and she felt heavy breathing above her ear. She turned slowly, because she knew what she would see. A tall man stood before her, with a smooth face of dark blue, and at his side a huge Hound. The beast didn't look like a dog, but rather like the image of a wolf, or a hunting hound, the embodiment of the Hunter, from whom there was no escape. The perfect predator.

„Hello Klest, It's been a while since we last saw each other. „ he said in a seductive voice. In his eyes, however, she saw pure evil and unspeakable cruelty. She drew her weapon, though she knew it would be useless against such a creature, and said.

„Well, I won't give up my soul easily.„ and despite the hardness in her voice, she wasn't sure the creature would be a match for someone like this monster. But he just laughed and answered her gently, as if talking to a child.

„Oh my dear, so much time has passed... So many empires have turned to dust, so many gods have ended up in tombs between worlds, so many cultures have been forgotten. I think you should measure time by the fall of subsequent civilizations, that would be the best point of reference.„ He spoke as if he was completely ignoring her. „Since then, so much has changed that I personally believe that I have better ways to use you than to torture your soul for all eternity.„ He said and She felt, to her surprise, curiosity, and above all, inexpressible relief. Her tens of thousands of years of escape from an eternal horror beyond mortal imagination had just ended.

Lady Solace looked at the sky, where the blood moon had just raised. This was the time of the Unnamed Darkness, the one that was at the very core of every mortal's soul. Once she would have considered it something worthy of Contempt. But five years ago she changed her mind. In the moment of truth everyone discovers their true nature, and she discovered that she wanted to live, and above all, she wanted her works to continue to exist. For many years she wondered why the Administrators were willing to ally with someone like the Unnamed Darkness, but in the end she understood that this entity was the closest of all the so-called gods to Mortals, it had been a part of them from the moment of birth, even before the self had awakened in their minds. He is the primal fear, the horror of the ultimate darkness.

It was fascinating that thanks to the alliance made by those who had betrayed her people, she could witness the Rising of the Blood Moon, the symbol of Lord Tholuvian's coming. She thought how much she had changed over the years, but the world had changed too, hadn't it? The thousand-year war had ended, and the border between the two halves of the continents had opened. But that was just a small change in the context of the Galaxy. Something else happened, something she had never expected. An ancient weapon had been activated. And then destroyed. The first of these events... She had been ordered to help restore the Heart project to action and had sacrificed a great deal to be able to launch it, but she had never learned what it was supposed to be, she had not expected its goal to be... Annihilation on such a scale. But the real surprise was that someone had managed to deactivate it. She knew well how Incredible and magnificent the Heart project was, and its vastness... Even for the Empire it was a gigantic undertaking. But then came the betrayals that tore them apart their a glorious empire, and she had to fall into a thousand years. And when she woke up, there was nothing left of what she knew.

„This is a strange phenomenon, don't you think?„ said Mother’s Love, her private AI. She was floating right next to her, as a semi-transparent holographic figure visible only to her. She smiled at her and said.

„Yes and no. It could be explained as a simple refraction of light or something like that. But we know very well that this is the work of a being so old and alien, and yet so disturbingly understanding of Mortals. Sometimes two contradictory answers can be true.

The AI tilted its head and said.

„I'm sorry , but I cannot understand the logic behind these words.”

She smiled warmly at her and replied.

„Because you are artificial intelligence and we created you incapable of this type of action.”

She was on the balcony of her Manor. Her residence was quite large, especially for the realities of Del-Bar. This country was poor and sparsely populated compared to other countries in Xadia, but its people were very open and honest. She had no problem finding a home among them when she arrived here a few years ago. Of course, due to the passage of time, there were some problems related to the fact that she did not age properly. It had to be admitted that this was an unforeseen effect of modern genetic therapies. After all, they were perfect, and these people were only defective genetic hybrids full of flaws and genetic flaws. For now, all that was needed was to use the right makeup, but soon she would have to think about a more radical solution, which she did not like at all, because it had taken her a long time to arrange this life, and she suspected that now she could not afford to devote so much of it.

„Sometimes I wonder if I should look for my daughter after all.„ She turned to the artificial intelligence, but it answered her in a serious tone.

„That would be unwise. This girl has many flaws. Her mind did not function properly, she was neurologically different, and in the old Empire she would have been eliminated. People like her are a burden and always cause more problems than gains.”

„Despite everything, she had proven to be quite capable. Out of all my children, she was the one with the greatest potential.„ she said in a confused voice, and Mother’s Love replied

„We must not allow sentiments and small benefits to make us abandon our ideals.”

Logic dictated that she agree. Her daughter was intelligent, she had to admit that she never appreciated it, but her mind was different, she didn't think like other people, and she saw the world differently, and these were flaws that were hard to accept. Despite everything, she turned out to have great potential. which her father used. Maybe she made a hasty decision to leave her with him. Despite everything, she could have some use for her, certainly more than her brother......

She touched her forehead, knowing that such considerations were pointless now. What was most important now was to realize her next plans. Unfortunately, she didn't have much control over the course of events, and from what she had heard, her allies had failed her. Sometimes you have to take care of certain things yourself. She sighed and took refuge inside the house. A servant was already waiting for her there, bringing news from the head of her Guard, Umbars .

"Lady Lissa, the carriage is ready to go," the girl said, and she smiled gently at her. The sad truth was that most people were pathetic and flawed creatures, but useful.

Nightgale looked at sky, on whom shone a crimson moon. It was quite a beautiful night, although it was strange to look at sky, on whom there was only one moon. She felt power from him, although it was not the power she had knew. This time, however, It changed into something more familiar and alien at the same time. She felt strange vibrations typical of the Dark Tapestry. She had already managed to get used to them, it was definitely a bad sign of how she had arranged her life. But nothing related to beings from the Darkness Between The Stars was natural. However, it was something she had to deal with.

Aaravos appeared next to her , dancing with himself in the rays of the blood moon. She frowned and asked.

„Why are you so happy?„ and in his voice one could hear intentional suspicion.

„Oh, that's obvious! I'm leaving resurrected soon! Well, maybe very soon , but it's a matter of months, after three hundred years of imprisonment it's a very short time indeed, almost a blink.„ he winked at her, and she, not hiding her irritation, rolled her eyes and said.

„So maybe you could tell me what's up with my mother?”

The blue-skinned wizard laughed and said.

„Nothing happened to her. He gets along well with Claudia, shares his knowledge with her and I think the girl will be a good student.„ he said looking at her meaningfully, and she smiled at him with a hint of Contempt. She suspected that he wanted to make her jealous, but she wasn't so childish as the Monstrous aristocrat to feel jealous that her Mother had found herself a student, especially since she was doing it especially for her. It was doubtful that she would help someone like Aaravos if it wasn't necessary to save the universe and her daughter.

“Well, then congratulations on your progress,” she said, smiling wryly.

„Indeed, there is much to be happy about. Will you dance with me at the moonlight to celebrate?„ he said, extending his hand to her, but she grimaced in response and looked at him with a dotted look.

“What exactly is this moon? Its Light is... I feel great power in it, but I cannot recognize it.”

The Star Elf cocked his head to the side, as if wondering if he should answer her, until he finally spoke.

„ This is the symbol of the Unnamed  Darkness, Or rather its avatar Lord Tholuvian... Together with the Creeping Chaos and the Nameless Mist are the trinity of outer gods that is most closely associated with mortals.

She frowned before he spoke.

„I haven't heard about this, could you tell me?”

The sorcerer bowed courteously and said.

„I am glad that I can give you such important knowledge! The Outer Gods personify the basic laws of the universe, its most fundamental features. For example, Azatoth is atomic bonds, and Yog-sototh is space-time. However, the Creeping Chaos, the Unnamed Darkness and the Nameless Mist are different, because they represent characteristics typical of intelligent beings. So the Unnamed Darkness is a primal fear, a fear that makes us forget about our own Self and all morality. There remains only the desire to represent. The nameless fog is the desire to disintegrate one's own identity in the group, the desire to annihilate one's own identity.„ He Said, smiling at her, and then asked.

„What is Creeping Chaos?”

She saw the pride in his eyes as he answered.

“It is the will. The ability to do evil or good, for them it does not matter. For him it does not matter whether you want to set the universe on fire or save it, the important thing is that you do it for yourself and only of your own free will, and not guided by animal instinct or conformism. That is why of all the external gods he loved the garbage cans the most, even if it is a difficult and demanding love

She looked at the sea, in whose waves the crimson glow of the moon was reflected comma and she really had to admit that Nyarlathotep's love was difficult... But in what way was it necessary, which made them even more terrible

Chapter Text

The Archduke rode after his daughter, uninterrupted by anything or anyone. He wasn't sure if this place was so sparsely populated, or if everyone simply recognized how dangerous a person he was. He suspected that the latter played a greater role. Unfortunately, he couldn't ride any faster, for fear that his mount would fall halfway down, so he had to be careful. The area was a rocky semi-desert, dry but quite cool, which actually favored him. Riding in full sun on a desert located in the warmer regions of the world, even in the evening, was something exceptionally unpleasant. He was tired, he hadn't slept a wink since yesterday afternoon, but in his incredibly long life he had been much more exhausted, sometimes having to stay on his feet for days, fighting monstrous opponents and enduring the fury of nature. Just like his daughter, he was no ordinary human, his creator had made sure of that, and all of his children inherited his skills and endurance. Fortunately, Klest had little of her mother, unlike his other children, the relationship with her mother was exceptionally difficult. However, he knew that he could always count on this girl, he had saved her from a fate much worse, and so far she had never let him down. He was slowly getting over his anger at her taking Scilis here,, perhaps it was a good thing, because this place seemed surprisingly safe compared to the rest of the Galaxy... There were no enemies here, after all, this place seemed to be more forgotten by the rest of the Galaxy. Perhaps his less human daughter was safer here than anywhere else, but he still preferred to know the motivation behind Klest before he forgave her..

It was getting dark so he had to slow down even more, because although he could see in the dark, his mount was devoid of this ability. It was going to be a beautiful night indeed, the sky was dotted with stars, no city lights outshone them like they did on more populated planets, even his provincial Carurystal. It was quite cool here after dark, but at the same time it invigorated him. When he looked at the stars, he didn't recognize the constellations, so they were in an unknown part of the galaxy. He had visited so many worlds that he had practically gotten used to it, although there was always something... mysterious about seeing stars that weren't right. However, after a while the moon came in and lit everything up with a crimson glow. He threw out a few curses, some in languages ​​that had died out so long ago that no one remembered they had ever existed. He couldn't remember when he had last seen a Blood Moon, but he knew well that it didn't bode well. The Unnamed Darkness was one of the most terrifying of the Great Old Ones, or rather a Great Outer God, who was probably the only one who drew pure satisfaction from the suffering of mortals, but after all, what could be expected because the personification of primal horror? He never appeared on Carurystal, that he would appear there, from what he knew. It was the result of a ritual he performed so many centuries ago, and on other planets he rarely appeared, even the dark gods were not very happy about his presence on the lands where their followers lived. It seemed to him that they had made an agreement long ago and had something like respect for each other, but he could not be completely sure of it, especially since his memory was so flawed because of the Gap. Besides, he was not sure if such a being would honor their agreement in the case of Klest. His daughter had once been offered to him by her mother, so that he would kill him. Even if he gave up honoring this part of the agreement, he could still take his daughter's soul, after all, it had been promised to him.

Even in the darkness, he was able to see traces of his daughter, especially since she had lost her mount some time earlier and mounted some strange creature made of metal, with many spider legs. This made things much easier, despite the fact that the creature, or rather simply Anacite, had heard that his daughter Traveled was with one of them, he was really fast. Fortunately, I didn't have to travel long, his daughter soon reached her destination. It was a high stone Cliff, on the wall of which there were narrow stairs. This worried him, the stairs themselves were not easy to create, and if they were created near ancient ruins, then they implied a lot. He went down slowly, leaving his mount at the top, hoping that he wouldn't go anywhere, and that nothing would happen to him. Fortunately, the journey didn't take too long, and after a few moments he found himself at the bottom where he saw Anacite.

„Oh, it's you, Archduke! I'm so glad you're here... Your daughter is hidden inside this building.„ The mechanical being said.

„I see, but what exactly is this structure?„ The Archduke asked looking up, despite the darkness he could see the entrance, although getting there would be quite troublesome... for someone else.

„These are the remains of our creators! These ruins were built by the First Ones! Something happened to this place, filled with the holiness of those who created us! I know that it is difficult for you, a man who does not know his Creators, to understand this, but from the moment we awaken, we know who we owe gratitude to for existing.„ said a mechanoid with a passion in his voice worthy of a true zealot.

„What could you know about me and my creator.„ he replied, smiling, and in the metal eyes of this being he saw a mixture of anger and Holy indignation.

„Don't play with my faith, man, although your daughter hired me and I even respect her, it doesn't mean that I am your property.„ there was a sharply angry note in the metallic voice. However, he smiled at him sadly and answered.

"I rarely ever play with anything, I wouldn't have lasted this long if I was reckless." He looked back at the Stone Wall and added. "How did you get in there?"

„There are gravity anchors here, activated by the right DNA, but your daughter somehow managed to find them, which honestly worries me a bit. „ he said and added. „ I can already climb well enough, maybe you can too if you have the right equipment.”

„ Fortunately, I've also lived this long because I am a very cautious person. „ he said and took out of his backpack falcon boots, which created their own gravitational field. Thanks to them, he could climb the mountain without much effort, which could not be said about the Mechanical Being, who climbed very slowly to the very top.

The interior didn't look impressive at first, it looked like the entrance to a crypt or some ancient tomb. But he wasn't discouraged and took a few steps further, and saw that everything was shrouded in the soft glow of the First Ones' symbols, which even he couldn't read. Only Doctor Sidonius had managed to crack their secrets. From what he had been able to discover, they seemed to float over the mind of the one who tried to read them, preventing others from understanding them. There was something ingenious about creating a language that no one understood, except members of the race or group that had invented it.

The mechanical being seemed to be in a religious ecstasy, and he should have understood it, after all, not everyone could see the work of their own gods, walk where they walked. They passed through corridors and finally reached a room with a large crystal pillar. He began to look at it. Curiously, Anacite looked around, and he could almost hear himself taking a deep breath of delight before he said.

„That's wonderful! Some might consider me a blasphemer, but there's such a thin line between a prophet and a blasphemer. I can feel their thoughts, I can see their hand in every nook and cranny of this... „ and suddenly a small round object flew towards them, which suddenly exploded with a wave of electricity. Anacite gave a terrifying cry, and began to beat spasmodically, and then He froze and lay like a dead spider. He himself felt only small electrical discharges on his body, unpleasant but not very dangerous. After a moment, Klest emerged from the shadows.

„Hi dad, good to see you! „ she said smiling at him

He responded with a grim smile, then looked at the corpse of the mechanical creature.

„As I understand it, it was necessary, right?”

The woman shrugged and said.

„This place was sacred to him, and we are going to desecrate it.  It is better not to come between the devotee and his God, don't you think?”

He nodded because her words sounded reasonable, but he knew very well that the best scams always sound reasonable, which is why they are so effective.

"Still, it was ruthless. You've lived here together for so many years, and I don't think you'd hesitate to murder him."

She shrugged before answering.

„Ruthlessness and pragmatism have always been valued in our family, I think you'd agree with that, Dad? We've killed even our best friends without batting an eyelid, so there's no point in us shedding tears over our coworkers. Don't you think?„ she looked at him with a sly smile on her face. He couldn't disagree, but he still felt a little unsatisfied. Perhaps it wasn't his daughter's actions that were the issue, but what might have been behind them.

"What exactly are you looking for here?" he asked, looking around the place cautiously. His daughter smiled again, slyly, as if to tell him she knew more than she was going to say, and she did.

“I am seeking access to Xadia's planetary archive. Thanks to this, I have gained detailed information on all the secrets that the planet may hold. Thanks to that I've gained detailed information on all the secrets that the planet may hold.„ she explained to him, and he nodded and asked.

„Do you know how to break into it? It won't be easy, neither of us knows the First One’s language.

Klest shrugged before answering.”

„I have not been idle for the past thirty years... After all, I came here to learn the secrets of the First Ones.„ said the woman with scarlet hair, and he bowed his head and said.

„Okay, then lead the way. „ he said to his daughter, trying to be careful, and the woman did as he asked. That is, through the corridors, driving into the next rooms with pillars. He knew that these were si matrices, crystalline computers made in the style of ancient bloodstones, although he was not sure where he had this knowledge from, probably from the time when he worked for the First Ones. Most of them were damaged and cracked, probably not able to function properly, but despite this they must have stored huge amounts of data. I wonder what energy source these structures use, what he managed to recall, they were probably powered geomantically. It was an exceptionally strange experience, as if investigating something that was both ancient and so very familiar. Well, such was the Curse of Longevity. Everything that was once familiar eventually became an echo in the future, which even the greatest murderers did not discuss. As they wandered, he asked Klest about one matter that had been troubling him since the moment he found out who she was Traveling with.

“Why did you bring Scilis here? You know very well that I forbade you to involve her in our affairs.”

Klest She lowered her head before answering.

„It's not what it seems. She somehow found out where I was organizing the expedition and asked me to take her. I didn't want to do it, but she said her mother lives somewhere here.”

„Thanikest is here?„ he asked, genuinely surprised, and his daughter shrugged before answering.

„Perhaps, but I'm not sure... Scilis couldn't explain it to me. How she knew or why she was looking for her. And when he arrived she didn't seem very interested in finding her..”

He nodded, Thanikest was a member of an ancient race, a half-breed, the child of their god and high priestess. Their god was one of the nicest Elder Gods he knew, and truth be told, there was no evil in him, although he could be very dangerous when he defended his people. He never fully learned the truth about how Thanikest' ice was destroyed, it seems that it had something to do with their fondness for peering into space-time. That woman was powerful enough to maintain the existence of ghosts of her race, until eventually their daughter began to accompany her. For millennia, he had tried to keep her away from his dark dealings, because out of all his family, she paradoxically had the most humanity in her heart.

Finally, his daughter led him to a room full of smaller pillars that hadn't been destroyed. He saw many closed cradles here, chambers where those who sought shelter here could stay in a state of Temporal Stasis. He wondered if this room was some kind of shelter, a place where the last of the First Ones hid after losing power? He looked into one of the chambers and saw a dried up, deformed corpse there. Well, sometimes even the most modern technology had to lose to the passage of time. He looked at the main Pillar and noticed that it was practically undamaged, which was interesting because it meant that he had access to one of the functioning computers of this ancient race, although on the other hand he suspected that the ones on Etheria were in much better condition. The infrastructure there was incomparably more developed and probably had at least basic self-repair systems, but still, ideas appeared in his head on how he could use it. And that was his mistake, because he became lost in thought and noticed a daughter dressed in gloves made of Abhoth's tissues, placing her hand on one of the smaller pillars and then the entire system was activated. He heard a soft female voice speaking.

„System activation initiated. Security facility sustained major damage. Neurological structure scan performed. Welcome, Professor Kane. „ He heard the voice and remembered that in this place he did indeed hold the title of professor. It was equal parts interesting and unsettling.

„Thanks dad. You don't even know how good it is that we are cursed and the neurological structures of our brain are basically unchangeable.„ Klest said turning to him, and he saw a triumphant smile on her  face. „ The least you could do for me, father.„ she added and then he felt a sharp pain in his back. He turned and saw a tall figure with dark blue skin, which I was looking at with his hands crossed behind his back. It was Lord Tholuvian, the Unnamed Darkness.

„Hello Kane. It's good to see you after all these Millennia, but unfortunately I have to inform you that for the next while you probably won't be fit for conversation, which I regret very much, because discussions with you were always something wonderful.„ Said the Great Outer God, and he was sitting behind his back and took a needle out of there. Then his eye saw a simple mechanism, threw out a dart that someone had placed on one of the chambers Where the First Ones were supposed to rest. He understood that his daughter must have done it. He let the bird catch him right in the trap.

„We had to activate this system to gain access to the database, and also deactivate the dream chamber's security, and only someone who was among the superiors could do that, and unfortunately you're the only one within my reach. I'm sorry, but I thought it would be better if you were unconscious for the foreseeable future, maybe forever, because unfortunately you've got some black lotus extract in your bloodstream, and you know that it brings on very unpleasant dreams. See you later...”

Nightgale headed for the port. The city was deserted at dusk, Lady Cala had imposed a curfew, although from what she could see she wasn't very meticulous about keeping order here. Actually, the aristocrat wasn't too concerned about establishing her power over this place. She wasn't really surprised, after all, it was a small town located on the border of the smallest of human kingdoms. To her surprise, Lady Cala had given her a significant portion of power over this place. She was happy with that, because it allowed her to limit any excesses of this monstrous creature.

The aristocrat sat on her Monstrous mount, and watched as the crew loaded supplies onto her ship. She took over all the ships that docked in the harbor, none escaped her, which was greatly helped by the support Esoteric Order Of Dagon's.

"We grow, we grow faster and faster, but still too slow, too slow." She heard the Bloodstone's voice in her mind, but she answered him, he wasn't very keen on listening to her. She wasn't even sure if he was conscious, but she didn't complain about it. One ancient evil contacting her mentally was more than enough.

„Tomorrow we sail east... There must be some civilization there.„ said Calamity , and she shrugged and said.

„Don't expect much, it's still the same planet with the same low level of technology. „ she said and the aristocrat sighed heavily and said.

„So I'll be facing huts made of shit again.”

She rolled her eyes. Perhaps this place was a bit out of the norm she was used to, let alone a woman in the distant parts of the Galaxy, but it was surprisingly pleasant here, and considering that they had just been conquered by monsters, cultists and bandits, the inhabitants were surprisingly decent. Although perhaps they were simply afraid to show their darker side in front of someone whose one word was enough to lose their life. She looked at the ring pulsating on her hand. To be honest, it didn't really take one word, just a slight movement of the hand, and soon the mere thought would be enough to take someone's life. Her power increased every day, although very slightly. Once she would have considered the ability to cast murderous spells from the rings to be something amazing, but for now I was less threatening than some of  Lady Ka's soldiers. The woman stood on the deck and eavesdropped on the people loading. They took the largest ship available here, but she couldn't take too many subordinates, let alone equipment, so she was irritated. She didn't know the woman very well, but she had the impression that she wasn't very complicated. Cruel, ambitious, and with a sadistic sense of humor. At first glance, she seemed to be an ordinary bandit who had gained power that he should never have had, but the longer she spent with her, the more she saw that she also concealed Diabolical cunning, as well as surprising determination. She couldn't deny her courage either. Although she was in the company of Lady Cala and her monstrous Allies, she didn't seem to care. And from what she had heard, she had faced Eti and Catra, as well as her friends, and she didn't hesitate. Of course, courage didn't go hand in hand with honor and willingness to sacrifice herself for the Others. Sometimes you wondered what she was doing in such company, because she had the impression that she was the only one among them who had a conscience, at least when it came to the commanders. She saw the elf standing next to Lady Ka, who watched without emotion as the soldiers and workers cleaned up the ship. She was able to recognize the resemblance between him and the other elf, Itel, who had accompanied her mother. They had known each other for a few days, but that was enough for her to remember her facial features and be able to find them in this man. It was actually funny that Lady Cala was not able to see it, even after several weeks of traveling with that crew. It said a lot about how she perceived other people. She had no intention of saying anything, unless it threatened the success of their mission, she did not want to have more blood on her hands than she already had. Besides, throughout her stay here she tried to limit the number of victims, for example she did not allow the esoteric order to sacrifice the local priests. She didn't know much about religion, but from what she saw, they were highly respected and seemed like nice people, and these monsters... Well, Great Cthulhu was one of the most powerful Old Ones, but also the most repulsive. But then again, He was also the embodiment of the ruthlessness of the deep sea, what was the point of judging him by the standards of mortals?

Another person waiting for them at the docks. Lady Sorrowflame stood on the pier, staring thoughtfully ahead. The woman with scarlet hair seemed thoughtful, even melancholic. Of all her companions, she seemed the most mysterious. Guessing Lady Cala's intentions was like predicting a child's whims, even if the child was a psychopathic sadist and Lady Ka was a cunning viper, but the ancient dragon had his own goals and intentions that none of them could see through. And even if he did, there was little they could do with the knowledge.

„What are you doing, learned lady?„ the aristocrat asked the necrotechnician, who slowly turned towards them and said thoughtfully.

„I sense powerful magic in the Northeast. Magic of death and decay. It comes from a very interesting source. I'll go there, I don't think you need me for now anyway. I'll just grab my things, but don't worry, we'll keep in touch, it's not a problem these days. „ She said and began to transform. Anyone who saw it was probably terrified by the sight of a giant red dragon that appeared in the place of the learned woman, although on the other hand the residents had already become accustomed to various monstrosities. Lady Cala smiled and approached the sorcerer and looked at her critically.

„I guess you'll have to wear the same illusion you used before.”

She smiled at her and replied,

„ Now I have more power... I will put on a new body, much more comfortable.”

The monstrous aristocrat smiled in her cold way and shouted to the crew.

„ p, you scumbags! We'll soon sail out to the ports of Katolis, and there we'll go to court.

She smiled and looked at the sea, illuminated by the crimson glow of the blood moon. For a few moments, she thought about the past that awaited her here. This was a new world, and although she was on a mission for the ancient evil, she wasn't burdened by the past, the deeds of her parents, she could start everything anew here. So as she stared at the gently rippling water, she smiled at the thought of what the future would bring her.

Chapter Text

Rechiza followed her companions, heading towards the place where the Archduke's second daughter was supposed to be, as well as himself. She and some of her companions were riding horses, although she had to admit that she could ride better than Ankar-tar, who was holding on to the water and was terrified of falling. The Vesk who accompanied them simply ran alongside them, as did Dilayla, and the Winged Girl simply flew above their heads. Huntara wasn't the best rider, but at least she could ride a steed, although it made her main task of tracking the Archduke more difficult. In her opinion, they had to hurry, as did that strange creature they had met. At first glance, she looked like a girl, belonging to the same kind of Elven Hybrids, as the person who accompanied this sorceress, but there was something about her... She effortlessly dispelled her spell, which was surprising, because although she was not the most powerful sorceress, she used the strongest spell she knew, and on top of that, she attacked unexpectedly, but for the other one it was like swatting a fly. Then she felt a strong nausea. At first she suspected that it was her who caused it, because she was emanating an aura of dark and perverted magic, but after a moment she realized that it was something else that was around her, as if the planet itself was trying to stop her from casting Spells. For a moment she struggled to control the nausea, while the other woman talked to her companions for a moment and then disappeared, only the fugitive remained weakened and resigned. She didn't understand what Miriam and the person with her had against this woman, but it seemed that for some reason she aroused their rage. It seemed that she had hurt this elven person in some way, but she didn't quite understand how. The Ghost, for that was the woman's name, was quickly led back to the camp, without the slightest resistance, and then This strange girl with wings, who strangely seemed to be much more human than her father, said.

„We have to go-go!... For our father-father! For my-my sister! We can't leave her alone-alone! „ she said, clenching her fists, but Arkan-tar said.

„I'm not sure I want to be around when those two meet. If his daughter is even half as much as him…”

„She is even more terrible...„ said Miriam, massaging her injured leg. „I did not know yours well, but she is not completely sane, and she can Kill people. You do not have a reason, it is enough that the mouth, that it is necessary for her, or that they pose a threat.”

When the sorceress said this, Dilayla looked at them meaningfully, and in her eyes he saw guilt, This made her worried because clearly something very bad had happened during her short trip with Archduke..

„All the better to stay out of their way, because I don't think they like each other very much...” Verthani said nervously adjusting his glasses, and she smiled at him and said.

„Family is best in a portrait, but I'm not sure if it's good to let things happen on their own, without our involvement. I don't trust those two, and I don't serve them but the order!„ She said with anger in her voice, and Miriam looked at her with concern.

„What order are you talking about? she asked looking at her carefully, and she smiled realizing that these people actually knew nothing about the galaxy and answered her.

"I serve the Hellknights, specifically the Order of the Eclipse, which fights existential threats." She was actually a bit off the mark. She was more likely just working for the order, but that was an unimportant detail, at least for now. "We all came here to find a way to defeat an ancient enemy that threatens us all."

The sorceress uttered a foul curse, the elven person seemed delighted, as if hearing good news.

"We've let those with questionable reputations run wild before, and it didn't end well for anyone, least of all us." She explained, exchanging knowing glances with the doctor Quin, Verthani, and Dilayla. "That's why we're going together... I don't know what lies beneath the ruins, but I suspect it's nothing good." She pointed to her metal eyes for the umpteenth time that day. "Just look at them."

That strange elven person inhaled the air with the dawn, and looked at her with sympathy, so she felt ashamed and said.

„We have to move immediately! We can't stop for a moment.”

She wasn't sure, but she felt that time was of the essence. So they set off together, but it still took them almost half an hour to get ready. The Archduke had an hour and a half advantage, not to mention his daughter.

They rode without obstacles, uninterrupted by anything, and by no one. There were many wild animals living here, after all it was an untamed wild planet that was inhabited by Very few humans and elves, as well as dragons... And if what Dilayla had said was true, Now the one of worsts monsters from the Darkness Between The Stars had arrived here... For now she tried not to think about what Lady Cala was doing here... She wasn't even sure when she had managed to get here, after all they had only been here two days ago, and before they had left Etheria, this woman had still been there... She must have moved here the same way they had... But Dilayla had probably mentioned it to them, Only something didn't seem right to her... Some detail in the way the mercenary had described what her friend had said... She stopped her mount, and so did her companions, although Arkan-tar almost fell off his mount and then she asked the tall woman in power armor.

„Dilayla, did your friend say how long they have been here…?”

The half-elf frowned, surprised by her question. She thought for a moment and said.

„She said that the Evenere were operating in the country and there... I'm not sure, but it seems to me that since the Lord Admiral's army is there... I'm not sure how long, but it seems to me that for some time... „ now the mercenary realized the same thing that the witchwarper was thinking ...

„Does anyone of you know how to check how long ago we arrived here...?„ She asked, looking at the others, although the question was directed only to her two companions... Because the rest couldn't know anything about it.

„Wait, does anyone of you have a working datapad … „ He looked at the giant lizardman and the Winged Girl who had landed next to them and was looking around. The Vesk grunted and said.

„I charged mine shortly before setting out on this expedition, but I try to use it as rarely as possible, because the only place I can replenish my energy is by our ship...„ He said and showed them the device.

„What's your date?„ Verthani said checking his portable computer, and when Vesk answered him and explained.

„Apparently that creature held us inside for several weeks, maybe a month and a half...”

When he said this there was silence, although one thought that the sorceress and this strange Elf did not want to speak out on a matter they did not fully understand, although the Elven person looked over her beloved's shoulder, clearly intrigued by the device...

"How much does this change our plans?" she said, and Arkan-tar shrugged before answering.

„It's hard to say, but it follows that Lady Cala may have already made significant progress... I'm not sure how much... As for the rest, I have no idea, but I don't think the threat is so great that it would make that much of a difference.„ She said, but Miriam looked at her and said.

„ What threat are you talking about? You keep dropping hints about great threat, but you don't explain much to me. They also... They mentioned the First Ones, but I have no idea who they were... I only know that they were very important in other worlds, but I don't think they exist anymore.”

She sighed heavily, because it was hard to explain something like this to people who had grown up outside the main culture of the Galaxy. A big question that was answered would only raise many more, until she would have to summarize the history and geography of the Galaxy. She had to say it as simply as possible.

„The First Ones were an ancient race that created an empire that covered a large part of the Galaxy, colonized many Planets, including Abalon, where they created seven magnificent cities and brought into existence the Ancytes , who worship them like gods. However, until now we only knew fragments of their heritage, because the center of their empire was in a place we call the Ravaged Zone, where until recently a mad tyrant ruled, who fortunately was recently defeated... Defeated by a being who was the last representative of this species, and her companions from a planet that was once colonized by the First Ones and converted into a weapon. A weapon that was used against the entire galaxy and so long ago, because five years ago, and miraculously managed to prevent annihilation on a scale unimaginable... I'm not sure if this world was chosen as a target, but it's possible that thanks to the efforts of just a few people, two damn girls, you were saved. But it's not over yet and... To tell the truth, I don't know what we're supposed to do, that's why we need the Archduke.„ She sighed and said to the staring inhabitants of the planet and friends, or rather allies of Klest. „So can we go now?”

Following the Archduke and his daughter wasn't that hard, though they couldn't afford for their Tracker to dismount. There weren't many horses here, and besides, Anacite left very obvious tracks, so there was little chance they'd lose their way, even if night began to fall. But as it grew dark, she saw something that made her four-chambered heart freeze. The Blood Moon rose ... Her metal eyes didn't allow her to admire the full spectrum of scarlet colors that his light emanated. But with her very being, she could sense what it was. It was a sign of the Unnamed Darkness, one of the most terrifying Outer Gods, who had come to this place. She stopped her mount for a moment, and everyone was staring at her, and when she realized it, she shook her head and said.

"We have to go, and we better not stop. There's no telling what might lurk in the darkness on a night like this." Her voice was serious and she didn't hide the fact that she felt fear.

They no longer stopped or slowed down until they reached the rocky cliff that was above the sea. They could no longer go too fast, because not all of them could see in the dark, and that also applied to their mounts. When she saw the stairs leading down to the rocky beach, she felt peace because she knew that the work of human hands in such a place, near the ruins, could mean something very bad. She wasn't sure if they were the first to create a Cult that was themselves? From what she had seen on Etheria , even those they had enslaved after hundreds of years treated them with almost religious respect. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Etheria knew little about religion and she wondered how much of it was the influence of that ancient species... When they found themselves on the beach, it was enough to look up to see where the ruins were hidden. There was an opening in the wall, like a cave carved in solid stone. Scylis flew inside without waiting for anyone, she flew inside.

„She's in a hurry to get to her sister and Father... Do you think we can trust her in this matter? „ Arkan-tar said distrustfully, and she moved to me with us and said in a somewhat resigned tone.

„Does anyone know how to get in there?„ she turned to her companions, and the orc woman snorted and said.

„A child could climb up there if she tried, Give me a rope and a stake, I'll drive it in and tie her to it, and we'll all be there in a moment. „ she said and spat to the side, and the strange elven person pulled it out of the luggage, and Huntara began to climb up. She climbed up slowly but tirelessly, and as they waited, the local Elf asked her.

"So you're one of those Hellknights?" he asked shyly, and she grimaced and replied.

„I am not one of them, as I have already said. I simply work for the order, partly for the money, but mainly because we share common goals, namely fighting the servants of Darkness From Between The Stars... I am a hunter of sorcerers, as well as cultists and the like...”

„But I saw that you can cast spells... That means that not only elves can cast spells among you...

She smiled, but also felt curious, so she decided to find out something.

„Yes, I can cast spells, I am a witchwarper, a person who reaches between dimensions and draws power from there... But your friend is also a sorceress, I can sense her power, very... unusual. „ She looked towards Miriam, who seemed to be lost in thought and also exhausted, but she had already sensed a strange dark power from her. completely unnatural, not even the magic of death, but the power of complete annihilation, something more terrible than death, Annihilating the very essence of life. It was an evil and Corrupted power.

„Humans can only use dark magic, and it requires fragments of magical beings, but it is very powerful and versatile, unlike our Magic, who draws from six primary sources, but in most cases, each can only use one source, the one related to his people... But recently a human Mage appeared... In the kingdom of Katolis , he helped end the thousand-year war. I also have another question, how is it with these devils... Is it true that your knights summon them and that they are as terrible as in the stories?”

She considered this for a long moment before answering.

„Yes, the order sometimes uses their help if it is necessary to fight a greater evil. It is true that they are more terrifying than in any stories, but believe me on one more thing. Mortals can be far more terrifying than even the most terrifying monsters.„ She said smiling at them sadly. At that moment, Huntara climbed to the very top and threw them a rope.

„Get upstairs, this is a fucking nasty place, even I don't feel like staying here alone...”

Miriam sighed heavily, but Rao hugged her, and then the woman smiled and pulled something out of her bag. She uttered a few words in a foul language, and suddenly she grew membranous wings, similar to those of their Winged friend, and flew up

„She could have told us about it earlier, it would have saved us time.„ said Rechiza, smiling bitterly.

It took more than fifteen minutes for everyone to get to the top, during which they had to wait in the light of the blood moon, but Rechiza knew that in such a place they could not afford to be separated. When they were finally together, she said.

„Me and Arkan-tar will go ahead, because we know the most about traversing this type of ruins, but all of these will be ready to fight. „ she looked at the elf, whose name was Rao, if she was not mistaken, and he clenched his fists, as if giving them a taste that they could fight too, although she was not sure how much to believe her .

The walls of the corridors were covered in writing that this was a shelter in case the planet was taken over by enemies. They said that everyone would be safe here until help arrived. She wondered how true those assurances were, and a part of her soul was glad that there were things the First Ones feared, and from which they had to hide. She feared most the mechanical insectoid warriors that supposedly usually guarded their ruins, and everything they left behind. If the words of the Archduke were true, then their fascination with insects had turned into the Greatest Scourge of the Galaxy…

She felt a shiver on her forehead, where her antennae had once been, as she heard a quiet cry, and the others drew their weapons or simply assumed fighting stances. But when they approached, they saw the corpse of Anacite, who was supposed to accompany Klest, and Scyli , who was kneeling by their. The monstrous-looking girl was sobbing from the sorrow and saying.

„Why-why ! He was a friend-friend! Why-why did she kill him!”

„Who killed him? Who are you talking about?„ she said, however, she guessed who Scylis was talking about

„My sister, Klest… Why did she do that?„ Scylis looked in their direction, and she examined the corpse… Although she didn't know much about Anacite anatomy , she saw that there were no traces of any serious wounds on them. But she saw that in some places his metal body was charred, and she could smell burning and hot metal, so she guessed that an Electromagnetic Pulse had been used.

„It is not known if it is her! It could have been one of the traps here. Witchwarper, have you already explored similar ruins, could there be electromagnetic traps here?„ Vesk asked, and she shrugged and said.

„They can be, there can be the most terrible and unexpected traps, so we must beware of everything.„ she said, but she also glanced out of the corner of her eye at Rao and Miriam, who exchanged significant glances.

„Either way, we have to move on. Be ready for anything, especially a surprise attack.„ Verthani said, but they both knew they were in a very dangerous situation. Whoever killed that thinking machine, whether it was the Archduke or his daughter, was a threat to all of them.

They moved on, and She read the instructions on the walls addressed to those who were to take shelter here. They were reassured that the Temporal Stasis procedure is completely safe and they have nothing to fear, and also that they leave all organic objects in their possession, and also warned against attempting to interrupt the procedure after it had begun. It was interesting, because she had heard of various methods of hibernation, but most of the non-magical ones were time-limited, and all were absolutely unreliable, and temporal stasis sounded surprisingly interesting, However, when they approached the interior of the building they found themselves in a room with many pillars, and also many like cradles, She guessed that the chosen ones who had hidden in this place were supposed to take refuge there. As soon as she found herself in this place, she felt severe pain and nausea. In the middle of the room lay the body of the Archduke, they were not sure if he was alive or maybe already dead, and Klest was sitting at one of the pillars and giving orders in a hushed voice. Scylis ran up to her father, and began to watch him while the rest of them watched as the woman with scarlet hair worked.

„Klest... What happened?„ she asked her, looking around the room carefully. All the chambers reminded me of cradles for adults... Or very technologically advanced coffins with white signs "Caution, system failure. No ability to support life..." Which meant that these were difficult... with one exception

„I just wanted to take my fate into my own hands and I must admit that I succeeded.„ said the Archduke's daughter, while her sister said it out loud.

„He is alive-alive , but he is unconscious ... And he is dreaming.„ She said, and Rechiza sensed that the entire room was saturated with a dark aura, it was probably this that made her feel sick. She tried to control this feeling, and asked Klest...

„What have you done? I sense the presence of something... Monstrous... Who have you summoned?”

Upon hearing her words the woman laughed almost historically, and then replied in a voice as if she was holding back tears.

„I didn't call anyone... Ob came here, just like when my mother called him... He came for me, but this time I could negotiate... I could fight... And now, excuse me, but I have to go... I have a great work ahead, indeed a great work... Unfortunately, I can't let you chase me, Fortunately, this place has some pretty interesting defense systems...„ Klest said and gave a command, and then a bright light flashed and all her companions screamed more towards the ground. But not her... The woman with scarlet hair tilted her head to the side, curious about what she saw the dot

„ And that's interesting, it didn't work on you... But I guess it doesn't matter, because I can take care of you myself... „ she said and pulled out a gun, and we didn't hurry, giving her time. She moved her hands and suddenly the whole room was covered in a mudguard with the substance that made Klest stumble, so She threw a spell at her, a chromatic projectile, very chaotic but also destructive, which hit her in the shoulder. The woman bent from the pain, but she had enough consciousness to shoot in her direction, and call out.

„Teleportation immediately!„ and disappeared in a beam of light. The projectile hit her, but fortunately it only hit the light armor she wore under her clothes and slid off. Knowing she was safe, but also aware that her companions were suffering, she approached the pillar. She noticed a manual interface in the air, which the Archduke's daughter couldn't use, due to her inability to read the First Ones' speech. There was a simplified interface, so she managed to turn off something called the "forced obedience" system quite quickly and turned it off. Her companions stopped writhing on the ground, except for the Archduke, who seemed to be just as unconscious as before.

„Damn, I feel like someone is slicing my brain.„ Arkan-tar said, he looked sore but he smiled at her, and after a moment he said. „Great job, honey.”

„Sure... Unfortunately, that woman ran away somewhere... I think she made a pact, probably with an Unnamed Darkness... Unfortunatel , I can't say more or less, but it looks like I now have access to a pretty good source of information about the infrastructure of this planet... „ She started browsing further, and then suddenly in the year she saw information about a new threat. She touched that place and saw a caption tempting that unknown ships had invaded the system... Concerned, she ordered their view to be displayed, and when she saw the whole group, she sucked in her breath with a hiss...

„Damn, they flew here... Captain Moonshadow, Bina and the rest.”

"Is that a good thing?" Verthani asked her, but she shook her head and read the next message aloud.

„Defense systems have been activated, the procedure for awakening the void dragon is beginning… Dilayla, do you have any way for us to contact Bina?”

Chapter Text

„Okay, we're turning on the neural feedback ...„ Mr. Ilemshaw said, and after a moment she felt her head begin to tingle, and then she felt a sharp pain in her eye socket. And then... And then she began to see. For the first time in a month and a half, the world on the left side of her face was no longer a black void, but instead shapes and colors. She hadn't felt how much it bothered her before, she had been too depressed to focus on the world around her. Although she had never considered the world to be something wonderful, as so many people had talked about, she had only liked fragments of it... And one in particular, which she wouldn’t see now...

Despite everything, she felt better… Before, it was like standing in the pouring rain. What she felt now was like standing in a drizzle compared to before, nasty but bearable.

„So how? Does it work?„ Her sister asked, looking at her carefully and anxiously. For her, cybernetics was something new, something she couldn't fully trust. She smiled and said.

“The world looks the same as before... Give me a mirror, because if it turns out that I have a squint, we'll be eating fish fingers today.”

„That's a very unkind threat, especially since I'm a professional and I would never let you look worse than before... Unless you wanted me to.„ Mr. Ilemshaw said in a slightly offended voice...

„The idea of eating fish fingers still worries me.„ Catra said with a crooked smile, and handed her a mirror. She looked at her reflection, her eye was now blue, just like one of her sister's eyes... She wasn't sure why she had wished for such a thing, but it was probably because she wanted to... She wanted to tell Catra that she was her sister, that she accepted that they are family. She was happy for something, that she finally had a family, and she had to manifest it somehow... Of course, this eye was no ordinary eye... It had many additional improvements, although of course it was not top-of-the-line equipment anyway, she had taken it from her uncle's subordinates, but she had given it to the fish”like creature that had been Traveling with them since the beginning to perform the operation. Despite everything, she did not trust your uncle enough to let his subordinate take care of her. Of course, the eye was not identical to her sister's, it glowed with a cold, blue metallic light.

„You look pretty good in this. „ Itel said, and Alatar nodded. He was the one to help her choose the right model.

„But that's not all, because I decided to fix one more thing. „ she said and raised her left hand. Everyone saw that the tips of her fingers were reconstructed, although the claws were not as long as Catra's...

„No one could recreate your claws... Like I used to have, so I decided to make it something different.„ she said and short blades emerged from under her nails, which vibrated making a very unpleasant sound. „I won't be able to cut through armor plate like you, big sis, but it will go through muscle and bone like through butter...„ she explained and smiled and it was a very menacing smile. Catra looked at her hands and said in a thoughtful voice.

„I expected all Pahtra to have such sharp claws... Actually, since I'm only half-blooded Pahtra, shouldn't they be smaller and less deadly? Was it the idea of the man who created us?„ she said, mentioning Jantar, a cloning Master not much less insane than Horde Prime, although truly brilliant. From what it turned out, the two insane megalomaniacs were somehow connected. She guessed that the sight of Lady Ka's three eyes, in exactly the same places as Horde Prime's, was shocking to her. To her, it was just another reason why her father shouldn't be alive... But luckily for her, she wasn't her priority...

„Okay girls, how was the surgery?„ Bina asked them as she entered the Ambulatory.

She looked at her and said with absolute seriousness.

„Can I check if I can see what you have under your clothes…”

Itel looked at her with a frown, as if wondering if she was serious, and Alatar rolled his eyes, but Their captain laughed and replied.

"Sure, I believe you... But if you want, then look, it doesn't bother me!“She laughed again and added. "If everything is all right, then please come to the bridge, because we'll be coming out of the drift soon."

Without arguing, all three girls and the dragonkin moved towards the bridge.

Bina was happy with how their journey was going. She was happy that Eti had bonded with Catra, and that Itel had become friends with her as well, though she knew that both girls still carried many wounds in their hearts, and it would take a long time for them to stop bleeding. However, when she looked at Catra , who despite the suffering she had experienced in her life, was able to find peace, she believed that both the elf and the cat girl would find happiness... She was probably more worried about Frosta ... Like most people, she instinctively feared the undead, and the girl was slowly becoming one of them. The Ice Princess seemed to be a nice girl, but she saw Lilka making her a protein drink from raw printed meat, which she drank without a grimace. She knew that there were different culinary tastes, but something told her that she had not eaten anything that looked like it had been freshly cut from an animal before. Lilka didn't mind, but she had her own reality, where pink ponytail boots were the perfect orc outfit. She had to keep an eye on her, and she wouldn't let her hurt her kids.

She also felt better, Or rather, she was happier… Wrongdak was a big part of that, because he was really nice and affectionate. She decided that she could be with him for a while longer, after all, she still had some time left, and it would be nice to spend it together in good company.

The bridge was occupied by most of her crew, minus Mr. Ilemshaw of course , and most of their guests from Etheria , making it quite crowded. She also contacted Mercyless , and Black-Hand, Igzar 's heavy destroyer. She sat down in the captain's chair, and said.

„Listen, we're about to leave the drift and we'll be in the Xadia system. I'd rather appear on the outskirts, because I don't know if this planet has any defense systems, either native or left by the First Ones.

„There is no indication that you have space travel technology, and you certainly cannot travel outside your system.„ Captain Moonshadow said, and the nasty black cat added.

They are probably primitive savages who will pose no challenge to us.”

She sighed heavily and answered him.

„Please, do not start conversations with the locals saying "primitive". "savages ", because even I know that this bodes very poorly for future Cooperation. And besides, from what I know, we are not here to be a challenge for anyone, I hope, we will not fight anyone at all.„ she said, and then Captain Moonshadow nodded and said.

„We didn't come here to rob and plunder, we are here to prevent a catastrophe.„ when she said this, she noticed that the Vesk woman standing there grimaced. It worried her, but she shrugged, At most, she would have to talk about it with the winged captain later, But she would have to find time for it in the future.

"Okay, let's go!" she said, and all the connected ships shook . External sensors began to project an image into the material space that surrounded them. The view was the same as almost everywhere else. Stars and the dark emptiness of space, which was surprisingly disappointing considering their mission.

„Well, we're here, let's see what the scanners say.„ she said and together with Mr. Ilemshav began to review the data. This system had five Planets, only two of which were rocky, orbiting a sun of the same Class as the sun around which the lost Golarion had once orbited. The only one that had any life on it had only one moon, and there was no sign that its inhabitants had left the atmosphere of their planet. They would be able to learn more as they got closer…

„So, as we suspected. It is a planet without technological development, whose inhabitants lead a simple life.„ said Captain Moonshadow, and her husband smiled sadly and added.

„But we will be the ones who open them to the greater Universe... Let us prove to be better than... Those who visited us...„ when he said this, he looked at Hordak, who angrily clenched his lips and lowered his head.

"Okay, so we're going to do a quick jump..." She started to say, but then she heard her Datapad vibrate and send her a message.

„Wait a minute… „ She said feeling anxious because she had no idea who could be calling her since almost everyone who had the chance was talking to her. To her immense surprise, she saw that it was Dilayla trying to contact her. Feeling a stab of fear piercing her heart, she answered the call

„Hi Bina. You're probably wondering how he called you, but it's time to explain, because something will soon want to eat you...”

A little earlier... Doctor Quin was working on one of the devices she had brought to this planet. She tried to ignore the fact that this was probably the most technologically advanced place on the entire planet... When she had undertaken this expedition, she had not expected that she would end up in increasingly backward and primitive regions of the Galaxy, but unfortunately that was what was happening. Of course, it had one advantage, now he had absolutely no right to question her education and technical skills, because everyone else was an uneducated ignoramus. Perhaps it would be so that she could use quite a large supply of Interns, because the daughter of the Archduke, had just brought quite a few people, and she certainly would not hold it against her if she used a few of them to help with her research, and most of them would probably survive anyway, so she could give them back to her. But she would think about that later, for now she would have to take care of securing the equipment she had already managed to bring, fortunately Dilayla had brought the most crucial equipment, as had that strange orc woman. Besides, from what she had noticed, the Archduke's daughter had also brought some equipment with her, although it was as good as the one she had. Maybe she could conduct some proper research here, thanks to which she would obtain not only a habilitation, but also a professorship? If she was so lost in her dreams, she heard her Datapad buzzing, so she sighed in irritation and picked it up. It turned out to be the Mercenary.

„Quin ,is there any way you can boost my datapad's signal so I can contact someone in space?”

She frightened her mustache with irritation and said.

„First of all, Dr. Quin, and secondly, I have a lot of work right now, so I don't know if I have time for such unimportant...„ she started, but then the mercenary shouted at her.

„This is fucking important... Do as I tell you, or Bina and the rest of her friends will die!„ The half-elf still seemed pissed off, at what?

„Why should I care? We flew together a bit, it's true, but we only hired them...”

„ Fucking hell! Listen to what I'm saying! They're good people, much better than us! Just do what I ask!„ the mercenary screamed …Ysoki sighed and started tinkering with the signal amplifier…

Bina gasped for air… For a moment she thought they would be able to land here without any problems,= .

„What do you mean, wants to eat us?„ she said now as everyone looked at her questioningly.

„We're in the First Ones ruins, and Rechiza says that some Void Dragon has been activated. Or at least they're trying to activate it. Now we're trying to somehow disable it, I don't know how long it will take for it to reach the edge of the system. Watch yourselves!„ the mercenary said in a voice that was a mix of fear and irritation, but probably not at them.

"It couldn't have been easy, could it?" she said to herself, and then Captain Moonshadow said.

"Activate all targeting and early warning systems... Our waxing system won't do much good since we're connected to other ships..." Catra then cut in.

„I can help... Melog can make himself and others invisible, we even used it a few times when we were trying to break through Horde Prime's blockade for example.„ She explained looking at them seriously.

„If it can hide all our ships… When they are connected…„ Said Captain Moonshadow and Igzar laughed darkly and said.

„So that's why you keep that furball? If you manage to do that, girl, I'll be impressed. „ Said the gloomy cat… And then Tirin , the Navigator on Mercyless , spoke over the communicator.

„Our sensors detect some object approaching us... Only... There's something wrong here... It appears and disappears... As if jumping through space and we detect... Something like a space-time turbulence... Somewhat similar to entering Drift, but they don't exude as strong arcane energy...”

„Okay, I have an idea, we'll jump into Drift and get as close to the planet as possible, and then we'll go... But first let's try to become invisible, maybe she'll lose interest in us... „ The Pirate Captain explained, and Bina nodded and looked at the cat woman.

„Well, let's get to work.”

Catra  suspected that coming to this planet wouldn't be as easy as everyone hoped. After all, over the course of her life, she had grown accustomed to the fact that people rarely got what they hoped. She wasn't sure what was hunting for them, but it had to be some creation of the First Ones, and she knew all too well how dangerous They could be. You leaned over your companion and whispered in his ear.

„Come on, my dear, try to hide us... I know you can do it!„ She said, hugging her friend, who grunted uncertainly and braced himself with his paws, and then the ship began to flash. However, after a moment it became fully visible again, and her companion looked at her with a sad look.

"Okay, you know this might be hard... This ship is huge now..." she said, while everyone synchronized their drift drives for the jump.

„That's a really fast son of a bitch! „ Bina said, staring at the sensors, and the strange fish-like creature added through the speakers.”

„It's already halfway from where we detected it to where we are. We only have three minutes. And you have to drift or else...

At that moment Alatar pressed something, and the display that had previously shown the black expanse of space, now showed a momentary creature. She had seen something like this before, not long ago, during the battle over the Dead City. It was a dragon, huge, with gleaming blue scales that seemed to sparkle like stars. It was beautiful, yet terrifying. Its body seemed to be made of crystal, and its black eyes were dark as the black holes that Entrapta sometimes showed her with her usual unsettling fascination.

"How big is he?" she said quietly, and Alatar looked at the sensor readings and said in a dead voice.

„About three hundred meters…”

She felt the hairs along her spine and tail raise, and then Melog, so blue it was almost black, closed his eyes and spread his legs wide, and then began to growl. She felt himself trying to turn his fear into anger. The dragon was almost there , or so it seemed to her, for she was aware of the scale of interplanetary space. But then again, did it matter to such a monster?

Suddenly she saw on the targeting screens that. which the monster was marked with was in the same place as their ship…

And then Melog succeeded! They didn't actually see that their ship had disappeared, they only saw that it had become more... dim, blurry? At that time Alatar switched something on the displays and the pond screen showed this monster. The creature was floating around them, as if it was able to glide in the void, they had the impression that with every larger flap, the monster's wings emitted a wave of energy. They fell silent, although they knew well that in the void of space it would not be able to hear them, although on the other hand who knows what such creatures were capable of. It seemed that the creature would be able to find them, but then its eyes flashed with white light, and suddenly she realized that she could see them. It opened its mouth, and darkness began to appear, devouring the light, but then they disappeared in the drift.

Miriam wasn't sure what the woman with the metal eyes intended to do, but she saw that ghostly writing was floating in the air. It was beautiful, it looked like someone could write with stars, she didn't think that those whom her companions feared so much would come up with such a beautiful solution.

„Okay, I see something, I think we can designate an area he can't approach, I'll mark the area beyond the moon's orbit... Only the signal here is too weak, because these are bloody ruins after all... I need someone who can cast spells, because these damn things are powered by Arcanic energy ... Only it would be best if this person was as high up as possible.„ Said Rechiza, and then Miriam reached into the bag and pulled out the necessary ingredients.

„I think I'll be able to fly into the air.”

The tall woman with blue hair and metal limbs turned out to be so strong that she didn't so much help her Run as simply carry her. It didn't bother her, because thanks to it her aching and tortured leg could rest for a moment, and then she found herself at the exit of the ruins.

„When I start dictating, come out and throw me when I'm done!”

The woman with blue hair looked at her in surprise, then did as she was told. She had never cast a spell under such pressure, but thanks to this she could quickly rise into the air. She flew towards the stars and the crimson Moon,  taking out the crystal staff that Rechiza had given her. She rose higher and higher into the air, until she finally held it out in front of her, and with her other hand she reached for one of her most precious treasures, the Fire Crystal that her cousin had given her. power from it, an art relatively unknown among dark magicians, usually used when it was necessary to somehow infuse a certain object with magic, and then the Crystal Staff flashed with power, and then the energy shot into the star-covered Heavens. Suddenly, however, she felt a strange coldness seep into her body, and suddenly her wings disappeared, as if the object had also sucked the power of her Charm. She felt herself starting to fall, looked down and knew that she was high enough that when she hit the ground, she would shatter. It wasn't the worst death, after all, she had died to save a lot of people... But suddenly she saw a creature gliding towards her... It hit her and she felt the strong grip of clawed hands.

„I've got-got you!„ said Scylis .

„It was close... „ said Bina, rubbing her forehead... „We'll leave the Drift in a minute ... „ She added, without unbuckling herself from the captain's chair, aware that at any moment it could turn out that they would have to maneuver violently. She was most afraid of that Horse, because they had absolutely nothing adapted for him... So if the violent maneuvering began...

They emerged from the Drift, still very far from the planet, at least on a human scale, not a cosmic one. And the screens showed an image of a planet with two main land masses, although the second, according to scanners, was radioactively contaminated. They could only hope that this wasn't where they would have to go.

„Okay, I guess we're landing on the prettier continent...„ she said, but then suddenly the tracking systems warned them that the exact spot they were in had been exited by a dragon...

„The bastard followed us!„ She fell asleep watching the monster shrink towards them and Captain Moonshadow said.

„Immediate separation of ships!„ and indeed, they began to rapidly separate the ships, which then spread out to be a more difficult target for this monster.

„Scattered formation, quickly into orbit before it gets too close to us. „ Igzar said . The ships accelerated rapidly, trying to get out of the monster's range, and they were getting closer to the planet, but their ship was slower than the others. Soon it was at the end so the monster was getting closer, Bina could almost feel the beast's jaws approaching them, and how the creature would tear them apart, or destroy them as soon as it did with its terrible breath, but then they saw the monster stop as they got close to the moon's orbit... For a moment They felt relief, but then they saw on the rear sensors that the dragon was opening its mouth, and then it was starting to suck in the light, and their ship whispered.

„It damaged some of our engines, it almost fell off.„ Alatar said with panic in his voice.

„I think we're in for a difficult landing.„ she said, and they began to enter the planet's orbit.

Chapter Text

„Okay! Hold on because we're going to shake, but I'm pretty sure we won't burn up in the atmosphere.„ Bina said with a barely perceptible trace of panic in her voice. Alatar tried to strap himself into the chair as quickly and as tightly as possible, the one who could hold him, because, apart from Swiftwind and Mr. Ilemshaw, he was the largest person on the entire ship and because of that he required certain amenities... In life, his size usually didn't bother him much, but now, when he could be subjected to Great G-forces, it could be a problem. It was a good thing that modern ships had artificial gravity, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to fly on ships whose gravity was controlled only by thrust... He began to pray to Abadar and Sarenrae, hoping that both of them would help him in his time of need. He knew that many of his companions were not religious, He himself was usually not thinking much about gods and other such matters, But still, from time to time he prayed and usually it brought him relief... He saw Catra looking at him from under her brow, as if his behavior irritated her, But she said nothing. She also buckled herself, and her feline companion changed shape and clung to her. The whole ship started something, and Bina and the Lord tried to slow the ship down so, And they burned in the atmosphere… For a moment he was thrown mightily, and then he heard.

„We are already in the atmosphere... Now we have to brake, and choose a place where we will not crash.„ Their captain said...

„Don't worry, I've already crashed onto the shore and look, I'm fine!„ said the Seahawk sitting next to him, who seemed disturbingly pleased that they were going to crash... He seemed scared the whole journey, and acted a bit like I had... space sickness? He had heard that some people had a similar condition, although he had expected the most famous captain of Etheria to suffer from it, or maybe he should? After all, the sea is a vast open space, where one can breathe freely, and the emptiness of space is cold and hostile, and one can only travel through it by being enclosed in a metal box. So he partly understood him.

„Okay, I see some sandy plain, If we manage to approach at the right angle, and there will be too many invisible boulders there... „ Bina said, and then he felt a powerful blow, he felt as if his arms were about to be torn off, and his head would fall off. They were all thrown around for a dozen or so seconds, and finally it jerked very hard, so that he was certain that it would tear him out of the chair, and then there was peace. For a few moments everyone sat in their places, breathing heavily…

„Is everyone okay?„ Lilka, who was sitting next to her, also did the same, as she was looking for one person in particular.

"Oh that was really great! You're a great pilot!" said Swiftwind , who was standing exactly where he had stopped earlier. There was no sign of anything bad happening to him.

„It's good that nothing happened to you!„ Bina said with obvious relief in her voice, and Lilka unbuckled herself and ran to him to hug him.

„You know, I'm protected by the power of She-Ra, after all I'm her loyal steed, what could possibly go wrong with me?

Many kilometers from here, King Ezran, The boy who was forced to become king watched the night sky from his balcony. He had never seen such a red moon, and the sight aroused in him an unexplainable anxiety. He told himself it was a childish fear, but something in his heart told him that the scarlet light heralded something… He wasn't sure what, but it couldn't be anything good. He had heard a few stories about the Blood Moon, and in all of them it heralded the coming of great strife He sighed, because recently he and his subjects, as well as friends, had suffered enough tragedy… It was cool, despite the late spring, and he felt the cold wind roll in and out of the hills surrounding his residence. He wrapped his scythe more tightly around himself, and covered Bait. He heard approaching footsteps, and turned nervously. He had never been a fearful person, and even after the Moonshadow Elves had murdered his father… That night, however, he felt strangely restless, as did Bait , who also growled when he heard footsteps. Opeli entered the balcony, looking around anxiously.

„Your Highness should take at least one guard with you onto the balcony, and in fact you should not sleep in a room with a balcony, as it puts you in particular danger.”

He grimaced, because his advisors and the high priestess Iomi in Katolis were sometimes… Too distrustful… He understood why that was, but it could still be very irritating.

„Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? Surely no one wants to kill me, and besides, if they wanted to, they would find a way to get into my room anyway...„ He explained, and the woman smiled and said.

„Sometimes you forget that you are a ruler, and because of that you are more vulnerable than others... However, a trusting ruler is better than one who sees enemies everywhere.”

He smiled sadly, because the duties had fallen on him two years ago and he still didn't feel fully ready to fulfill them, but he had to do it...

„Why did you come here? Because you certainly didn't come to tell me not to sit alone on the balcony... Besides, I'm not sitting alone, because Bait is here.„ he asked, stroking Bait's belly, who seemed to be irritated that someone was bothering his master.

“Lady Cala Grayskull will be arriving soon. She is said to be one of the candidates for the throne in Evenere…She is said to be one of the people seeking the throne in Evenere ... She has already taken power over one of the cities, Port Ariel, although I am not sure if we should support her, but let's try to get to know her, because she is the first pretender to come to us after it was revealed that the Royal Mage had murdered their previous ruler... „ she said and he, curious, asked.

„Who is she?”

Opeli thought for a moment and spoke carefully.

„ I haven't heard of her until now, but Evenere has many nobles... She certainly has nice handwriting, and she seals herself with a very complex symbol, or is it something like pentagram, but more chaotic.”

"Is she a Dark Mage...?" he asked anxiously. He knew that there were many different mages in Evenere . He hadn't trusted them since Viren, so he was afraid of what might come of it.

„Probably not, but apparently her companion is interested in magic... her name is Nightingale... But he assures me that he is not interested in what we call dark magic, whatever that means....”

He paused for a moment. It was probably good that things were slowly starting to fall into place on Evenere … Apparently this country had it the hardest of all after the death of its ruler… He smiled to himself and then saw a shooting star in the night sky. It was falling much slower than most similar ones, which was strange…

„Make a wish Your Highness.„ Opari said in a warm voice, and he closed his eyes and thought about what he dreamed of the most… About everyone being together again… Him, Calum , Rayla , Aunt Amaya and the rest… Even Claudia…

Claudia was excited, because almost everything was ready to perform the ritual, thanks to which she would be able to bring her father back to life! She needed one thing, but it was something that was not easy to obtain... She shivered, thinking about what awaited her. She looked at the gloomy elf who sat next to her and stared thoughtfully ahead. She wasn't sure what to think of this woman... She had come from afar, but Aaravos assured her that he would help her perform the ritual... She knew that she was competent and that she had great knowledge, which she shared very carefully, which was understandable, after all, her father had taught her that knowledge was a weapon for mage... If there was something more to it... She would occasionally throw in allusions and suggestions, and other times she would tell directly about things so extraordinary that they were impossible to imagine... It all sounded as if she was only showing her a path to knowledge that she had to travel on her own... Actually, Aaravos did the same, only that when she followed his instructions, she understood his goals all the better, while there the gloomy woman led her to conclusions that made her doubt and anxiety... Maybe it was a test? To test her resolve for the cause. It had to be something like this, nothing else made sense. She smiled, pleased with the conclusion she had reached, and walked over to Shadow Weaver.

„We have an unusual moon tonight, don't we?„ she said in a cheerful tone, and then the gloomy Elf looked in her direction and said.

„I would rather use the word ominous...„ She looked at the Blood Moon that shone in the sky... It was beautiful in its own way... But at the same time, she was staring at it so hard that she felt shivers run down her spine.

„A bit like that... But I've never seen a similar moon... It's a very interesting astronomical phenomenon, but probably nothing more „ She said, trying to sound as cheerful as possible, but Shadow Weaver laughed next to her and said.

„Many astronomical phenomena are nothing ordinary… The movements of the planets and stars influence forces that are beyond our comprehension…”

She frowned, this woman was doing it again, and now she had to solve the mystery somehow…

„From what I know, all attempts at fortune telling from the stars and so on are rather a fairy tale, pushed by charlatans on uneducated people... Stars are stars, they are right, as always.

As she said this, she heard the Dark Mage burst into a sharp laugh. It was the first time she had heard her laugh so loudly…

„Oh girl! The words "the stars are right" are often the first words spoken as the beginning of a terrible catastrophe, leading to death, or worse, of countless lives, so now I feel even more alarmed.„ she said, and she thought for a moment what to say, and then she burst out laughing.

„It's a joke, right? In the sense that when people say now everything will be fine then something bad happens, right?

Dark Mage looked at her askance. They stopped by a small river, And set up camp nearby, in a dense grove... They came here for a reason, and also to freshen up a bit before going to bed… But now such a discussion had been resolved… She looked at the stars again, but she still didn’t understand what could be wrong with them being right… Suddenly she saw a shooting star, so she jumped for joy and smiled as she said.

„Look at that shooting star! Where is the beautiful…„ She pointed at a bright object gliding across the sky, but Shadow Weaver, as soon as she looked in that direction, frowned and said.

"Let's hope it's just a star..." Her voice was gloomy, but also full of concern.

"What else could it be?" she said in a confused voice.

The gloomy elf looked at her and said.

„Lots of things... Some even worse than me...”

Rayla looked at the sky. She didn't like this moon... It reminded her of events from her past. She only hoped that the bloodmoon huntress wasn't lurking anywhere nearby... She was tired, she had been on the road for almost two years, and she felt that this journey had left its mark on her body and spirit. The worst thing was that she had accomplished nothing. She still had no idea where Claudia was... And her parents... And Runnan. She had learned from Soren that his father knew some spell that allowed him to transform people into something, so she looked through his journals and learned that he could lock souls in coins... It was a very powerful Magic... The journal didn't say exactly how to reverse this time, but she suspected that all she had to do was find another dark Mage, or someone with knowledge on the subject, to discover a way to free her loved ones... But first she had to find them, and she had absolutely no idea how to do it. She left Calum, explaining that she had to find her parents. He understood, but she had only sent a few letters since then, and the last one had been almost half a year ago. She had been among not very nice people, in very distant parts of Xadia, and sometimes even the human kingdoms. It was not easy to find someone willing to deliver a message to Castrum Katolis… Still, few elves traveled to the Pentarchy, and those who did did not necessarily feel like going there. She did not have unlimited funds, and the cost of sending such a letter would be significant. Besides, she preferred to be careful not to draw too much attention to herself. Something was happening in the shadows. She heard Whispers of mysterious organizations, strange creatures sneaking in the darkness, sinister cults that began to preach the glory of gods with terrifying-sounding names. She had often felt that she was being followed. She had heard someone trying to enter her room in the inn, or people following her when she was in the city. She had even fought them a few times. And although she had not killed any of them, she still could not bring herself to do it, she had overpowered two of them, and when she searched them, it turned out that they had strange symbols on their arms... One had a strange yellow sign, and another had a tattoo on his chest of a grotesque octopus head, green with red eyes that seemed to stare straight into her soul, as if they were real. She was not very superstitious, although her boyfriend had a different opinion, although people had different standards of superstition, but she felt an instinctive fear when she looked at this likeness. That was why she felt so very uneasy as she stood now on the top of the Hill, hidden from everyone's view by her magic. Stella had come out of her packages and stood next to her. You smiled at your companion and petted her. Soon she would be in... She couldn't say home, because it wouldn't be her home, the one she had lost forever, but probably the place that was closest to him... Two weeks, maybe longer, if the winds were favorable. With a bit of luck, she would make it before Calum's birthday, he would definitely be happy... She would have to buy him a gift, and it was hard to find the right one for someone who was a royal high mage... He could have practically anything he wished for. But she would think of something... She still had some time...

Then she saw a shooting star. It wasn't falling as fast as it should have, which was quite strange... But in their culture, shooting stars were always a harbinger of great changes, usually for the worse. She made a few gestures that were supposed to ward off evil, although she didn't really believe in their effectiveness, but sometimes such things were done to calm down from yourself. Then she set off, because despite the night's fear, she still had some way to go, and not that much time until Calum's birthday, after all.

„We did better than we expected! „ Bina said smiling at them. Itel had to agree with her, no one had broke a single bone, or even been bruised, which could be considered an incredible coincidence... They had probably used up Their share of luck for several decades, and in her case probably for a whole century...

Inside There was a mess, although fortunately they were sensible enough to have almost everything attached to something with magnets, so they didn't have to clean up the broken furniture and destroyed household appliances. They only publicly arranged a few blankets that had come loose from the Velcro, and then they all went to the exit together.

„Okay, let's see how it is there!„ said Bina, and the sea captain stood next to her, paying her on the shoulder, and in the other hand holding his rapier, and said.

„Don't worry, I will protect you all, for I am...„ He didn't finish, because Bina shook his arm, and Eti, who had sneaked up behind him, said.

„Hey Hawkey... „ She touched his neck with her tail the moment she said those words, so the man jumped and turned to her in surprise. Eti, when she did that, could be really scary, so the captain had no reason to be ashamed... But he still irritated her. „You know, I think the best use for you is to use yourself as bait. We'll just push out in front, the monsters will start eating you alive, slowly and incredibly painfully, and then we can have a snack and shoot them... Or we can stuff you with poison, and just let them eat you alive, slowly and incredibly painfully... And we'll have a snack...„ Her would-be girlfriend finished.

The Captain from Etheria  looked at them for a moment, open-mouthed, and Bina patted him on the shoulder and said.

„Don't forget that our dear Eti can be really scary. And you absolutely never know when I'm joking...„ she winked at the cat girl, who frowned, clearly offended.

Then they opened the side door, and their eyes met a sandy plain, covered with many low trees, many of which they managed to destroy during landing. The sky above their heads was covered with countless stars, and the moon, which glowed with a scarlet light.

"I don't really like this..." She said, remembering the legends and stories her parents told her... She felt a pang of sadness as she thought of those good old days that would never come back. The others began to leave and look around, and Catra and her companion began to sniff and then the cat woman said.

„This place doesn't smell like Etheria... Even in the Fright zone, you could feel something that I couldn't feel anywhere else... But there's something different here... There's power here, wild and primal... „ she said, and Bina added.

„Only our ship got hit, but the others are currently trapped in the planet's orbit until they figure out a way to take down that bastard... So we can say: Welcome. Xadia!”

Chapter Text

Many light years from Xadia, on distant Etheria, Entrapta was working on her project. She had to focus on it, it was very important after all. She got more modern geological scanning systems, as well as some alloy of metals not found here, primarily adamantium... It was incredibly hard, and showed very interesting properties when it came into contact with magical objects. It was able to destroy them much more easily than other metals. Enchanted objects had much greater durability than ordinary objects. She wasn't sure why this was, it seemed that magic somehow bound the molecules... It was fascinating, because it meant that all you had to do was use magic to make materials much more durable, even without any more complex manipulation! However, Adamantium somehow broke these bonds, which made it even more fascinating! She regretted now that she couldn't examine the staff Lonnie was using... Maybe she should ask Adora to let her talk to her comrade general... It would only be half a minute, but maybe she would notice something interesting, and besides, it could be repeated several times, Catra and Adora knew each other very well, and if they didn't talk to each other for a while, nothing would happen... Of course, whenever she suggested it, Adora asked her if she would like to talk to someone else, but half a minute wasn't enough for a proper conversation with Wrongdak anyway... The same with Emiliy... She didn't know Mikah and Castaspelia well enough to waste the time of her loving friends... Of course, she could talk to Eti and her friends, and ask if they had managed to find out anything about that miraculous hand, but she wasn't sure if the other feline would want to continue her research. There were no other reasons for her to contact that ship... Absolutely none!

Now she was in the workshops located in Brightmoon Castle . Since the end of the war, they were supposedly not fully used, she didn't understand why. After all, they were really well equipped, and after all, constructing machines was a great occupation, why were so few people interested in it? Of course, her own workshop on the Beast Island was much better equipped than this one, but... She preferred to stay here, in case Glimmer or Bow needed her advice... Of course, she had to ask a few people to bring a few things from her new castle, but no one really got hurt, only a few people ended up in the hospital, but it was no big deal

She looked proudly at the prototype of her new vehicle… The molewalker was an incredible feat of engineering, robotics, and metallurgy. It was a magnificent creation! Once they managed to get it up and running, they would be able to dig all the way to the planet's core… She wasn't sure what was down there, after all, the First Ones had once taken over their planet, and they had transformed it beyond recognition. Her island, the Beast Island, was the best proof of that . In fact, her home was like a boil, a festering growth on Etheria's body , thanks to which they could try to learn… She understand, of course, how dangerous this place was, during those five years together with… They had only managed to make a fragment of it relatively safe, and even here everyone had to be very careful not to fall victim to the countless monsters inhabiting it, or worse, its terrible assimilation call, which had once almost consumed her. What the island had become was just an accident, an uncoordinated action of a huge number of abandoned devices, That had outlived their creators. But there would be real protections there, one she had already seen in an unexplored part of her own castle. She couldn't imagine what might be waiting for them there and she felt very excited at the thought! She wasn't worried about whatever might happen to her, after all her friends would be there with her, And besides... Well, sometimes you have to sacrifice a lot in the name of science... She blinked and shook her head... No, she couldn't sacrifice herself, not even for science. She looked at the Child who was tinkering with the molewalker sensors, And smiled at him, You can't forget that she's with her mother, and she can't abandon her own child like she had, but fortunately she had already made some preparations.

Then she heard a knock on the door, so she reached for one of her blankets and opened it. Adora stepped inside.

"Am I interrupting?" she asked carefully.

„Not at all! We're just getting ready to start our vehicle's engines here, and it would be good if you could see it” she answered.

"Yes, that would be good to see." Adora said, and something in her voice made her turn around.

„Sorry, I was so focused on this technological breakthrough that I forgot about your… eyesight.”

Her friend smiled sadly and said.

„It's a little better now, I'll finally see like before... You don't have to worry.”

Since her friend said there was nothing to worry about, she decided it was time to get back to work.

„The molewalker is almost ready! Soon he will be able to do everything I created him for!„ She burst into loud, joyful laughter that made her friend jump. Then she cried out.

„Child! Turn on the power…„ she said and the child did as she told him. Adora looked at her slightly shocked and asked.

„Your child is your lab assistant?”

„Of course, who else could it be?„ she said, feeling an indescribable pain in her heart.

„You know… They are still quite small…„ she explained, and then she said.

„I was only four hundred days older when I built my parents.

„Oh yeah, I forgot about that.„ Adora said, and after a moment added. „I won't bother you anymore. I just wanted to check on you.”

„You don't bother me at all.„ she said. But after a while she forgot that someone was visiting her because she still had so much work to do... And work allowed her not to think about it... About being Betrayed again.

Adora didn't really need any help navigating the castle. She had vision problems, but not enough to not know where she was going.  And it wasn't just that she already knew Brightmoon Castle well, or that her upbringing in the Horde had given her an excellent sense of direction, which made life in the Fright Zone much easier. Still, she had to step back when she passed people, and she was never sure if she was walking next to someone she knew. Right now, she wished Swiftwind was with her. Her mount would have helped her sometimes if she hadn't accidentally spoken up for someone she knew. There would have been less chance of anyone finding out about her condition.

She tried to hide from everyone what had happened to her… She didn't want to cause panic… And arouse unnecessary pity for me… Especially since it would pass anyway, soon… She just had to wait… Yes, she would just have to wait and everything would be fine with her. Only she wasn't sure if she could afford to wait… A lot of things were happening on Etheria, and most of them could lead to tragedy at any moment. People needed She-Ra to protect them again, but it was not known if she was able to do it. She mean, she was able to take her form and she probably hadn't lost most of her power, only she wasn't sure if her power would be useful in the situation they all found themselves in… This time their enemies… They weren't exactly enemies. Glimmer sent a diplomatic note to the commanders of the Fearless Armada, asking why there had been a clash between Lady Ka's soldiers and her and her wife... They received an answer that the forces of the research and exploration fleet had engaged in combat with the Shadows of Tarak, who were considered a terrorist organization by most governments in the galaxy. And if there had been any other clashes, it was probably the result of a misunderstanding that would not happen again... However, there were still many of her father-in-law's soldiers on the planet, primarily those who had served under Lady Ka, but not only... That was why she was going to Glimmer now, so that they could talk about it.

It was only after fifteen minutes of switching it on that she realized she was lost in the castle. It was really big, and she often used the bas-reliefs on the walls as her guide, but this time she probably misidentified a few and ended up in the Castle kindergarten… After all, the employees had to leave the children somewhere, and it was more practical for you to do it in the castle

At the sight of her the children began to squeal and scream with joy.

„She-Ra has visited us!„ said a child with small horns, and another with tentacles similar to those of her old friend Oktavia approached and said.

„Will you change?„ There was a plea in his voice, so she laughed and replied

„But some of you see me every day!„ She said, but the child with tentacles protested.

„But not as She-Ra!”

She laughed and spoke the words, and then the entire room was enveloped in a grove of Rainbow light.

„And how do you like it?„ she said smiling at everyone, and for fifteen minutes she let the teacher rest and took care of the children.

„And where is Catra? Will she come too?„ said one child and hearing her she smiled very broadly in her heart. Her wife used to be afraid to meet the inhabitants of Brightmoon, She wanted to help her overcome it, so first she started taking her to meetings with children... The children immediately liked the beautiful cat girl, who really liked to play and treated them as equals. She listened to their regrets and sorrows better than she did. Of course, they both had to admit that all the children liked to play with Melog the most, but they were not surprised by that either, after all, the resident of the planet Kryatis was in this form, as he had taken for Catra, basically a Big Cat, who liked the closeness of other people and changed color very nicely... And he liked to cuddle, which she had learned more than once

„Catra is on an important mission, but when she returns she will bring you someone else, someone special...

The child nodded, but seemed sad, but then one of the teachers said.

„Maybe She-Ra will read to you?”

When the child heard this, it brightened up, and ran to one of the shelves and then handed her the book. She sat down in the armchair, smiling at the children, and opened it... But when she looked at the letters, she realized that she could barely see them... They were smaller than in a typical children's book, and she had to bring the book very close to her face to be able to read it. The children probably didn't notice anything, but she sensed that the caregiver was looking at her strangely, and she felt growing anxiety and embarrassment, and then she said.

„ My eyes hurt today, but I promise I'll be back soon and read something to you! „ she said , hiding the embarrassment in her voice, and then she got up from the armchair and left, followed by the surprised glances of the children...

Glimmer groaned rubbing her temples, because her head hurt… It hurt mainly because of what had happened recently… And also because of what was happening next And what would happen in the future. She thought not long ago that thanks to the presence of the Visitors from distant regions of the Galaxy her Work and the lives of all the inhabitants of Etheria were getting easier, or at least safer. However, it turned out that they had gained a new enemy, at least one, which they could not fight openly… Sometimes she began to understand why Lonnie was a supporter of isolating their planet from the rest of the Galaxy.

„Ginger tea?„ her husband said and she smiled at him and said.

„I'll gladly, I'll set you up, you feel like I have constant heartburn.„ she said and accepted the jug from her beloved. On the table were maps of Etheria and all its kingdoms... Fortunately, they had satellites and ships that were now combing the entire planet... They found out where Lady Ka's subordinates had retreated a few days after they left the battlefield, but they couldn't catch them. They didn't know how it would be interpreted by the Dauntless Armada and Catra's Father... She doubted he would be happy about his subordinate trying to kill his daughter... Only there was another girl there, his other daughter. She remembered that she had tried to deliberately hurt Adora in front of Catra and helped kidnap her friend's younger sister's beloved. What did her father know about this... How much did he approve of these decisions...?

At that moment, Adora entered the room in the form of She-Ra. She seemed even more depressed than usual in recent days. She understood her, because not only did she partially lose her sight, but her beloved had to fly far away, and no one could say for sure that she would come back. But there was something else... She had the impression that her friend was hiding a secret, maybe even something that she wasn't fully aware of, but something that made her... That she wasn't like she used to be.

„Hello! Am I late?„ Adora said and she smiled at her and said.

„Actually, you came first, I'll go get the rest.„ she said and disappeared in a flash of light.

She decided to move everyone one by one. First she came to Netossa, who was playing with her younger child. Then she saw her, hugged her, said she would come back today and left her in her care and then went with her.

Mermista writing, and as soon as she saw her she almost jumped and abruptly closed the book she was working on, and without the usual boredom and complaining, went with her.

Then she brought herself to Scorpia and Perfuma. It took a while before she managed to find both women. The ruler of scorpions was just resting after a workout at the gym, but as soon as she saw her, she hugged her so hard that her back cracked , and then she looked for her wife... She found Perfuma when she was meditating, which didn't surprise her because it was one of the favorite forms of relaxation for the Flower Princess, and she somehow expected what kind of company she would be in. She was accompanied by that strange insectoid , who helped Frosta wake up from her nightmare. She came here with her wife, who smiled and waved at Perfuma's guest.

„Oh Reverend Zimah!„ She said and asked. „Are we not interrupting anything?”

„I absolutely do not!„ said the spirited insectoid . Then the ruler of Plumeria stood and smiled at her, and then said.

„Yes , yes ! I remember the conference!„ she said and allowed herself and her wife to be taken to the Castle... Only one more person was missing.

Entrapta actually lived in the workshop they assigned her, but considering she had turned her own castle into a workshop, and a laboratory at that… It actually felt like home…

„Great that you're here! I was just about to test the new Sonic Blaster, which we'll probably need when we have to defend ourselves. Child, get to work!„ she said and the little one with pale skin pulled the whip , and a scream came out of the mouth of the strange mechanical Mole, shattering the metal dummies standing in front of it.

„Oh… Your child helps you test your inventions?„ she asked, genuinely confused, and the princess inventor looked at her in surprise.

“Well, yes, it's quite big now and would be perfect for a lab assistant... You'll see, yours will help you like that too.” Entrapta explained, and didn't want to argue with her friend so she brought her to the rad room along with her baby.

She also brought the High Minister Shou, who was sleeping in her bed, suffering from a slight cold, as she claimed.

Once she got there, she started counting… Adora, Entrapta, Mermista, Perfuma , Scorpia, Shou, Netossa, Asindssa di Vir…

She blinked in surprise as she saw the Hell Knight present here. The woman was all there, dressed in her sinister looking armor, the hand she had lost already replaced with a cybernetic prosthesis.

„I apologize for coming unannounced, but I believe that because of the decision I made recently , that we stand on the same side.„ She said in a voice that felt the immense sadness...

Chapter Text

The Lady of the Blades Asindes Di Vir knew from the moment she decided to remain in the order that she would have to make difficult decisions that she might later regret. Such was the burden of being a commander... This time, however, she knew with full certainty that she had done the right thing, even if she had opposed the order's decision. It took a moment before she gave orders to her soldiers, because she had to decide... What she did was practically breaking the alliance between the order and the research and exploration fleet, but I saw that she had to do it... Her ship arrived almost immediately, as if her subordinates had expected what she would do... Maybe it was so, everyone knew what kind of man Lord Admiral Felix Antares was.

She didn't expect to face another of the children of the former ruler of Tarak... She had fought demons many times, monsters from the darkness between the stars and the most terrible creations of the Swarm, but no battle was as difficult as this one. Although she had She-Ra'a to help her, whose divine power she could sense, they miraculously managed to gain the upper hand... At least for a moment because then she lost her hand... If not for the explosion of the rock incinerator... But it was too bad, she could still say that they had succeeded in this battle because they had driven away Mrs. Ka's dogs, which had succeeded in the desolate regions of the planet... It could be considered a truly magnificent victory. But she saw that it didn't matter anyway, because once again she had broken the rules of the order... As if the fact that she had gone to bed a cultist and servant of Nyarlathotep wasn't enough to deserve the highest punishment. Now she just waited for an answer from her adoptive father… Until then, however, she could help at least somewhat atone for the evil that had been caused by her blindness and following her heart.

She didn't actually know that there would be a war council, she wanted to talk to the queen in private, but when she told the guards that she wanted to visit her, she found out that the queen was having a serious conversation, so she used her position and authority to invite herself here... Glimmer stared at her in surprise. But after a moment, she smiled and nodded...

„I'm glad you're here, we could really use your help... From what I know, you were one of the people... From the Lord Admiral's closest circle... So could you tell me what this man might be planning to do now??”

„Apart from attacking us, bombarding us from orbit or whatever you guys do in war, of course„ Mermista said in a grim voice , looking at the knight suspiciously. You smiled grimly and replied.

„No one really knows what's going on in Antares' head. He's a secretive man, and very cunning... Always making sure that everyone sees in him what they're supposed to see. He's dangerous, but he's never guided by emotions, or rather, usually not... I'm sure he'll want to deal with one threat first before he returns to us. But you have to know that if he turns against you, he'll strike with all his might, on all fronts... Not only on the battlefield, but he'll also want to divide you, undermine your unity. But most of all, you have to find out who his next daughter is... She was... I sensed in her the spirit of someone who was almost Forgotten among thousands of years... I sensed in her a divine presence... And then I saw a shadow... The shadow of Achaekek... The red mantis... The god of murderers and assassins...„ She said looking at the faces of the gathered. A tall blonde woman named Perfuma covered her mouth, clearly worried, but the others looked at her skeptically… The queen's husband in particular seemed unconvinced.

„You know, we've probably noticed that you talk about these gods very often... And I think people very often say that they cooperate with them...” he said

Sometimes she forgot the specifics of this place. She took a deep breath, and began to explain.

„Please believe me, I know what I saw. The Red Mantis is a very old deity, dating back to the times of Lost Golarion... He was a patron of murder, but in his own way a Just One, and he was guided by a strange code of honor…”

„And what is the difference between a just and an unjust murder? Because on mine it's basically the same thing!„ said Scorpia, not trusting the browser. 

„Truth be told, no one ever knew exactly what the Red Mantis was driven by, nor did his sister, the Grandmother Spider . Both were very difficult for ordinary mortals to understand... „ She explained, and Mermista rolled her eyes and said.

„So, as usual, they did whatever they wanted, convincing everyone that they were guided by some higher ideas... Wonderful!”

„ Listen, I believe what the lady of the blade says... „ said the queen. “If she claims that with... That woman, this Achaekek merged, it means that he was present there. We just have to find out what that actually means for us „

She looked at it, took a deep breath, and shrugged.

„We don't know much yet, but we think that it can't mean anything good. Achaekek killed a God once before, Gorum known as the Our Lord in Iron, the God of War... He caused a divine rain then... But that's another story... I don't know what his intentions might be, maybe he just wanted you to...„ she said and looked at Adora ... But she shook her head.

"I don't think so... She... I don't think she wanted to kill me... Just force me into something. She said to reach deeper... Although I'm not sure what that meant." The Princess of Power replied, then frowned and added. "She also said something about your sword... About it being given to you. " Adora looked at everyone and she sighed heavily.

„Indeed, it is a very, very unique artifact...„ she said, remembering how she obtained it.

„Yes, very unusual! It had inscriptions in the language of my people, just like the hand of Eti, my wife's sister... Your sword was called  End of Eternity. The hand of that girl was called the Punishing Hand. I think they were both made of the same metal...„ She said, but then Entrapta groaned and said.

„It wasn't metal, but nano-technological energy particles that only took its shape. I saw with my own eyes how she could change her form, as well as conduct energy, and that's probably just part of its abilities!„ She let out a loud, almost painful squeak, and then added. „ It's such a shame I couldn't see your blade...! It would be so wonderful to examine it and discover all its secrets! Do you think if we send a request to that other cat girl, she'll let us borrow her for a while?„ Princess-Inventor looked at them questioningly, but Glimmer answered cautiously.

„That is rather unlikely.”

„Even if we ask nicely? „ Entrapta said, and Mermista ansvered.

„It's never happened before that anyone would do something like that when asked politely, the most we can do is try to steal this sword... Although it wouldn't really be stealing, because it doesn't belong to that girl, but to the Lady of Blades...„ she looked significantly at Asindesa , who shrugged.

„It's hard to say... It was given to me, but I find it hard to think of it as my property, I feel more like a wielder who is temporarily taking care of it.”

Then Glimmer frowned and asked.

„Where exactly did you get it? It wasn't your family's property, was it? Does it belong to a order?”

She shook her head and said.

„No, it's a much stranger story... Please let me tell you.”

She had been traveling in  drifting on the Interdictus-class cruiser “Necessary Measures” for several weeks now, to join up with the Intrepid Armada and the research and exploration fleet they would theoretically form together… All this time she felt joy but also anxiety. Soon, she would see her beloved... She also knew that many dangers awaited her. Despite the information provided by Lady Cala, many commanders suspected that their goal, Etheria, could turn out to be one of the most dangerous places in the galaxy... She was not afraid for herself. After all, she was a warrior, she had faced the most dangerous enemies of all righteous beings more than once... She knew that Miss Daisy was a brave woman who had taken part in battles, she had seen it herself. However, fighting an enemy face to face and sneaking into his lair were completely different things... However, there was little she could do about it. Her beloved had to deal with it herself... She had to trust her competence.

Perhaps she would be calmer if it weren't for the dreams. They had started a few days ago, and they didn't stop haunting her. If it was just her, she would have ignored them, but her officers had dreams too. She saw a large temple, or rather a cathedral, rising from the rocky wastelands of some abandoned moon. It was monumental, designed in a style completely foreign to her, although it had to be admitted that she was no architecture specialist, and perhaps someone with more knowledge would be able to say a little more about it. She felt the presence of someone Suffering there, very lonely but at the same time determined. This someone was calling her, ordering her to come, to fulfill her destiny. She had no idea who this person was, but she knew where this place was, she had been given the coordinates... It was surprisingly nice and useful, but after all, as a Hell Knight, she knew well that servants of evil could lure into a trap. Many demons and beings from the Darkness Between The Stars used dreams and nightmares as methods to lure their victims, or torment them. However, these dreams seemed unusual, as if directed directly at her... Of course, this could also be a trick, many such spells and powers made the person believe that they were directed specifically at them, appealing to the ego and desires of the person, but in reality they were simply examining the memory and subconscious of the victim. Another thing is that this spell really could be directed directly at her, her position was widely known, and during all these years she had gained many enemies, and not only in this plane. Both demons and beings from the Darkness Between The Stars wanted not only her blood, but also her soul. That was why she had to beware. Only... There was something else in these dreams, it seemed to be about how the being who summoned her suffered, and also about the strange sadness she sensed. She was not sure if she should trust something like that, but still... Sometimes demons and monsters also appealed to the noblest qualities of sentient beings… Pity, mercy and honor. So she knew that she was risking a lot by going to the indicated place, but she decided that she should check it out, maybe she was just curious, or maybe the desire to relieve the suffering of that Being, such was the meaning. She gave the order to head to the place that the coordinates indicated and they left the drift. They found themselves in an uninhabited system, whose star shone blue. The planet they were interested in, from which the signal came, was the fourth from the sun, with a residual atmosphere, but devoid of developed forms of life.

All seemed safe, although she ordered weapons control to be ready for orbital strikes at the slightest suspicion of a threat to the ship. She took only two people with her, the Aasimar Camalia Sandak , and the human warrior Grimbern. They had been her guard for some time, and she knew she could trust them… Besides, they didn’t have dreams, so she knew they weren’t under the influence of the force that was affecting her, so if anything , they would be able to stop her from doing something very unwise. They landed on the surface of the planet in a small reconnaissance ship, sometimes also used to track down criminals and villains. The three of them in full gear were a bit cramped there, but it was still supposed to be a strange expedition from a distance. They could already see a huge structure from the orbit, which up close took their breath away… It rose hundreds of meters above the rocky plain, and was made of a strange metal that she couldn’t recognize. It seemed to be half-liquid, she had the impression that the strange decorations and bas-reliefs covering every millimeter of this structure changed their appearance depending on the angle at which she looked at it. As they came closer, it turned out that they were strange, slender knights with unnaturally elongated limbs, who were fighting with various creatures. She recognized some of these beasts, after all, the Darkness From Between The Stars had always existed, as had demons and Daemons ... She did not recognize many creatures, however, and some ... She had the impression that large creatures similar to lizards or frogs, Or rather something in between, They were disturbingly similar to those they had met in the cursed swamps of Krannor-Rll . This made her particularly anxious, and not only because she had almost died then. The creature that had hidden here had called her, was it also because of those events? It was quiet here, the sensors did not provide any sound signals. Actually, it should not have surprised her, after all, there were probably no living creatures here, apart from the one that was hiding inside, but even so she had the impression that all sounds, even the footsteps of her heavy armor, were somehow muffled. She walked in front, clutching her weapon in her hands.

„You have to admit, someone had a lot of stylr here!„ Camalia said in a cheerful tone, but she could sense that she was trying to hide her anxiety in this way.

„But they hardly look like a welcoming ones.„ Grimbern added in a gloomy voice, and tightened his grip on the heavy rifle he was armed with.

"We're just too intimidating and embarrass them!" Camalia said , but this time she didn't laugh as they slowly approached the entrance to the gargantuan cathedral. Even though they wore environmental armor, she still felt like she could feel the freezing cold. As they crossed the threshold, she felt like it was penetrating some thin membrane, and she heard what sounded like a thud. A heavy, relieved sigh.

"Did you hear that?" she said to her companions, who looked at each other and Grimbern replied.

„I didn't hear anything, but you were the one who had the dreams, so it's no wonder that only you can hear such things.”

She nodded and they moved on. The darkness was everywhere, though not the impenetrable darkness one might expect in a place that looked more like an ancient tomb or a Cursed temple. She had heard of places where dark was like a living thing, hanging like the tentacles of some monstrous predator. She thought of Miss Daisy and her power over shadows. She shook her head, trying to dispel those thoughts… She didn’t want to be distracted by her beloved right now…

She saw many windows here, a soft light coming from a few. Sensors showed that they were half-open portals leading to distant places, but fortunately located in this world, because they did not detect the interference typical of interdimensional passages . Most of them, however, were dark and sensors said that the gates were inactive. The vault was dark, it brought to mind a starless night, which made even someone like her shiver. And the closer they approached the center of this cathedral, the more she felt the sadness and suffering of the one who called her. She stopped suspecting that this was a trap set by some sinister forces. The being who called her was desperate, even desperate.

Finally the huge structure began to narrow and she knew they were almost there. Finally they stood at the entrance to a small room where the one who wanted to meet her must have been staying.

„You have to wait here, I'm sorry but I have a feeling I'll have to do this alone.„ You turned to your companions and Grimbern nodded and replied in an absolutely serious tone.

„If you go out and act suspicious, I'll shoot you, and if I can't, I'll call in an orbital bombardment, and this place will be reduced to dust.”

„ It's a pretty radical idea, but I think you understand that we'll have to do this, and it will turn out that you're no longer... yourself.” Added Camalia

She nodded, understanding their concerns well, but at the same time certain that something like that would not be necessary, at most to turn this place into a tomb for the one who died there.

And when she got inside, she found herself in a room that resembled a living room and at the same time a prayer hall. There were a few pieces of furniture, chairs and chests, and even a table with tools. There were also bas-reliefs here, but they did not depict scenes of battle, only ceremonies and the daily life of knights. She felt a growing sympathy for them, because they reminded her of her companions, who had been her family for so many years. At the end of the room was an altar, on which she saw a symbol depicting a star made of swords... At the foot of the altar on a step, a creature made of strange metal sat half-lying in the field, but it was not a robot or another machine, and there were no visible joints on its body, as if it were a cast statue... A statue that someone had tried very hard to destroy. The body was covered in many lacerated wounds as if someone had tried to tear the metal with claws and other weapons. It had one hand and one eye missing, and its face seemed to be horribly mangled. But the only visible eye, which looked like a blue gem glowing with an inner light that reminded her of the Archduke of Carurystal, was a relief to see…

„I'm glad you decided to come here. I know that for someone like you, your... training has made you  distrustful, and rightly so. There are many threats in the universe... I don't have much time left, so I ask you to take this.„ he showed her the sword that was lying on the side and said „ This is End of Eternity. Vengeance Blade. Take them, for the day of vengeance draws near. Punishment Day.”

She felt an overwhelming urge to reach for her weapon, but she hesitated and looked at the metal figure.

„Who are you, and why do you think I should reach for that weapon?”

The creature's barely visible metal lips twisted into something resembling a smile, and then it said.

„In a sense, I am one of the last Knight Eternal, although I am not sure if I deserve this title... My former compatriots helped to annihilate these noble warriors, along with their world of Ur , as well as the holy fortress of the Old Pharos .. However, I do not have time to explain everything... To be honest, I have to admit that you are not the best candidate, but all the others, whose fates are intertwined with what is coming, are beyond my reach... You know very well that sometimes you have to make do with the tools that are left to you… After all, that's what my Companions were, wasn't it?„ He laughed to himself, and she had the impression that he wanted to sigh heavily, like someone very tired. He looked at her and said. „Take this sword already, this must all end now... I am so tired... There are beings older than me... Who must struggle with the curse of longevity... Maybe I was never strong enough to bear this burden. It doesn't matter anymore.„ He said, and she reached for the sword, and when she took it in her hand, she saw that the metal figure froze and then his body began to melt, as if it was made of wax. She sighed and said.

„ Rest in peace nameless warriors, your fight is over. „ When she left her companions looked at her carefully and then at the blade and she saw suspicion in their eyes.

„This is almost certainly not a cursed sword, but I'll have to try and scan it for you. I suspect you've brought the right equipment. But please, don't look in there... This place is truly a tomb now... And our rule is that we don't disturb the dead unless we have a clear need.. She said and they continued towards the exit, no longer stopping by anything or anyone...

„That's it... That's how I got this sword... I saw that girl and her hand seemed familiar to me then... But... We only talked for a moment because I was busy... With other things. „ she said, remembering her failed date with Miss Daisy. To your surprise, she noticed that most of the people present were looking at her with sympathy, especially the tall woman with the tongs and her wife. She felt her heart warm up, but then she asked.

„I'm not sure what this sword really is. Your wife's sister... Both sisters have body parts that transmit the mind of that warrior...„ she turned to Adora , who sighed heavily and said

„I can't say much about it, because I don't know much myself... But it all has to be connected somehow... Unfortunately, I can't put it all together into one whole.”

Glimmer smiled at her surprisingly warmly, then said.

„No one is asking you to explain everything yourself... We want to gather more information ourselves, but in order to do that we need to take certain steps... Our friend is going to travel to the core of the planet and some of us will accompany her.„ She pointed at Entrapta , who was starting her hair like a human's hands. There was something very disturbing about it, but as far as she could judge people, this woman seemed practically harmless...

„This may be a good decision, but I suggest taking more decisive steps. Where are Mrs. Ka and her subordinates?„ she looked at the Queen, who shrugged and Ordered to the location on one of the maps.

„From what I've heard, they've hidden in the swamps of Krannor-Rill, where they plan to... You don't know what they're doing there, and I'm not sure if we should counterattack without first making sure we won't provoke a response... „ she didn't let the girl finish...

“So you have Krannor-Rill here too?„ she said, feeling her heart sink. The others present looked at each other, surprised by her reaction, and after a moment Mermista said.

„Does that mean that others also have swamps with the same name? I'm sure that doesn't mean anything good, am I right?”

She nodded at her.

„Yes, these are swamps inhabited by feasome Riliti… They are located on Carurystal…”

"Isn't that the planet Lady Cala came from?" Adora said and she nodded and continued.

„Yes, we went on that expedition with... Shadow Weaver... „ she had to think for a moment before she remembered the real name of the one she fell in love with. „Almost everyone died, except for the two of us... Then I spent a few weeks in the castle, sick from the poison those creatures used... Lady Cala wasn't in the castle then and it wasn't long before we all set off to find ourselves here... At the time, none of this seemed suspicious to me at all… But then i was guided by my heart instead of the iron judgment that Hell Knights should be guided by... „ She felt sadness and guilt flood her heart, and then the queen appeared before her and went a hand on her shoulder.

„There's nothing wrong with following your heart and trusting other people. Sometimes they deserve our heart, but... „ she looked at Adora and added „ We can't lose faith in others... „ She had the impression that she wanted to ask something else, but she fell silent. and then Mermista asked.

„ So you think he might be hiding there?

„I rather doubt it, she visited her family... The Isles of Sadness separated from us a long time ago anyway, and I know she has family there... I don't think they like her, but you never know if she would be able to manipulate them to use them. „ Said a woman with white hair, who was probably General Netossa . „ However, if she's hiding there, there's no way we can reach her without starting another war.

"So what exactly is the plan?" The blue-haired girl asked again , and Glimmer said.

„ We must isolate these swamps, and also explore the deps of the planet, and discover what is hidden there. If it is true that the Starstone is there... What should we know about it. Perhaps then we will be able to better understand the secrets of She-Ra... „ She looked at her, and then the Knight said.

„Please let me accompany you on this journey, I will do everything to make amends for my mistakes.„ She smiled to herself, because maybe there was an opportunity during this expedition for me to give my life and thus not force my adoptive father to make such a difficult decision.

Chapter Text

Frosta had to admit that the whole journey, maybe except for the very end, wasn't that bad. She learned a lot about the world beyond Etheria and the former Empire... And also about traveling through space. Although Lilka, who felt responsible for taking care of her during the journey, wasn't a very good source of knowledge about... Probably anything, but she was really nice, so she didn't complain.

After a while, however, these weeks began to drag on, especially because of the uncertainty of what awaited her. She was cursed, and she knew how to lift the curse that was changing her… Into something terrible. During the journey, partly thanks to those strange drinks made of meat and milk that Lilka gave her, she managed to lull the beast that was slumbering in her heart… In fact, she had almost forgotten what it was like… When something took control of her body, when it had to give in to such primal Instincts. She slowly began to believe that it was just a one-time case, that she would never stop being herself again… Or maybe it was something like the flu, that she would just have to wait for everything to return to normal? The longer they traveled, the more she believed that it was so. Once, however, when she was searching through Alatar's film library, she found one Film about some Carrion Crown... On the cover, she saw a skeleton with glowing eyes with a staff topped with a jewel, and all sorts of creatures, including a pale monster with pointed ears and lots of teeth, who was gnawing at a human leg. She felt a sense of horror then, as if she were about to become something like that... She put the film away, and, breathing heavily, sat on the couch with her head down. At first, she thought that no one had noticed, but when she looked for the film again, to see what she could become, it was gone. Deep in her heart, she was grateful to everyone for that.

She was more surprised than scared when that terrible dragon attacked… She really regretted that there was no way she could fight it. She couldn't just go outside and throw blocks of ice at it… I guess… Although, on the other hand, Adora had managed to fight Horde ships, so maybe if she put on a spacesuit…

And then they started falling. She closed her eyes and pursed her lips, letting herself be thrown so hard she thought the restraints would snap and she would fly across the ship, flattening herself against the cockpit. But when they landed, she was unharmed, except for a bruise on her elbow. The whole ship was a mess, but she had seen worse, like when the Seahawk had sailed into a storm once. Then they went outside, and suddenly she felt it…

As soon as the crimson moonlight fell upon her, she felt an itching on the tips of her fingers and in her gums, so that she could barely keep her claws from coming out. She felt her stomach growl as all the scents of the wild reached her nostrils. Involuntarily, she went outside and began to look around as if looking for something to hunt. Her hearing sharpened, and she could hear the sounds of wild animals, which were hiding among the grass and bushes, terrified by what had come from the stars. Her mouth watered, she felt hungry, and she took two steps towards the bushy plain, ready to rush in pursuit of her prey.

"Hey Frosta, would you like to come with me and check out the area?" Catra said smiling at her, and then she snapped out of her strange trance.

„Of course! Of course I'm going with you!„ she said, feeling embarrassed that she had almost lost control of herself.

„I'm going with you too! „ Eti added, appearing out of nowhere right next to her sister.

„And can I too? Because you know, if you were attacked by some gang of Mites and Udehafns , you might need a real orc warrior to help you!„ Lilka said with a serious face, and Eti added.

„Indeed, there is probably no orc on this planet more orcish than Lilka!„ the cat girl's voice was absolutely serious. She alone had already seen a few films and looked through a few books and it was very hard for her to see any resemblance, and not only in appearance, between the red-haired girl and orcs... Of course, you could tell me more about these things.

Catra laughed warmly and said.

„Sure...„ and looked around Standing in front of the ship's door and added  „ This place really doesn't look dangerous... I feel a little... Disoriented...„ She pricked her ears, but didn't seem scared, just like her companion. Melog had a slightly greenish-yellow color that seemed to express curiosity, although she wasn't sure. She hadn't learned to recognize all the colors of the older cat girl's friend well yet, especially since she had the impression that sometimes they depended on the context of the situation.

„I'll just take my medicine and join you... „ said the green-haired Elf, and then Bina laughed who was standing next to her and said.

„Go scout the rest of us right away! I'd join you, but I still need to talk to Captain Moonhadow ... See how they're doing and find out what they've managed to see from orbit.”

Then Seahawk ran out in front of the ship and cried out loudly.

“And I will lead you to adventure!”

Eti tilted her head and said.

“Sure, you must go first and you will fall for all the traps they leave for us! Don't worry, we will avenge you!”

Catra nodded, then straightened her back and gave a sign to them to go..

„Well, let's go! A new world awaits!”

Bina made it to the bridge and activated the communications system.

„Hello hello! Can you hear me there from orbit!„ she said and then Captain Moonshadow appeared on the monitor with her husband and sister-in-law, as well as several of her officers. Next to Bina stood Wrongdak and Ireanis, who waved at the human Sorceress, from what the silve-haired elf noticed she considered her best friend.

„How are you? Is everyone okay?„ the former queen said, and she smiled at her and replied.

„It's a really good ship, even the plates didn't break. Whatever you say, the doctor really got us some good equipment... „ She said happily, because she really felt relieved. This place didn't look scary, so for now she and her kids are in no danger, and they'll finally solve the problem of that dragon somehow. Captain Moonshadow smiled warmly and said.

„It's very good that no one got hurt, everything is fine with us too.„ Then she looked at the ship's systems and added. „We scanned the planet a bit more. It has very low CO2 in its atmosphere, and we haven't detected many sources of energy or radiation. There seem to be a few reactors here, but they are very scattered and seem to be hidden underground or even underwater. After dark, this planet is actually dark, much darker than Etheria, even before the Horde arrived... It's really disturbing that we are now the most technologically advanced people on this planet.„ Said the woman, and she saw that the huge Vesk standing behind her was smiling at her nastily. She felt uneasy and sent a warning to the former queen on a private channel, but she didn't show that she noticed anything.

„Well, that's both good and bad... Send us traces of those energies, and we'll try to find someone here and question them if possible . I hope they know a common...”

„Maybe this friend of yours will contact you... „ Mikah suggested ...„ The one who warned you about that dragon.

Bina nodded cautiously.

„It would be worth talking to her, she is a decent woman and we fought side by side, so we can trust her to some extent.„ She said, but she didn't forget that she and her companions hadn't told her that they were working for the damned Lord Admiral, and she suspected that the woman had at some point realized that Shadow Weaver was on their ship...

Igzar made a cool appearance , looking like he was clearly being designed to start the discussion without him.

„You could have waited for me... I have to lead my soldiers, I can't come for a chat so easily, because I have to give them orders, especially in a situation like this. where are my nieces?”

She laughed and replied.

„Your nieces are alive, as is the rest of my crew, I'm very sorry about that. And back to the topic, nothing important was missed, only that this planet is practically devoid of advanced technology. The locals probably don't even have cars or anything like that...„ she said and sent him the same data she received from the winged captain.

„That doesn't look bad.„ said the old tomcat with a nasty smile, and she snorted and said.

„Anyway, I can try to talk to Dilayla.. She's been here, I'm not sure how long, but I think she might know something about this world....”

„Who are you talking about?„ The black cat asked, narrowing his eyes more menacingly, and she waved her hand and said.

„An acquaintance of mine, with whom I was traveling for some time... „ she explained, seeing no reason to reveal to the old terrorist the fact that the mercenary had been working for the Lord Admiral for some time.

She tapped into the contact path from her Datapad to the ship's communications system and began calling the mercenary . It took a moment for half-elf to appear on the monitor.

„Hello everyone... Has anything interesting happened on Etheria lately? Apart from the fact that the Lord Admiral had an argument with the Queen, I think?

Dilayla was very relieved that she had managed to warn Bina and her children in time. Although they had not traveled very long, she had grown fond of the crew of that ship, and she would not have wanted anything to happen to them. They were on a beach, below a rocky cliff, resting after exploring the interior of an ancient shelter. Miriam sat next to her, looking as if she were about to give up the ghost. Rao was cuddling up to her, and Scilis was petting her on the head as if she were a pet. Arkan-tar and Rechiza were exchanging data on what they had discovered underground. Huntara simply walked over to her and was already sitting next to her so she could see Bina in the datapad, but then her mouth dropped open when she saw some fierce-looking black Pachtra, whom she recognized as the legendary Igzar, the supposedly deceased Nemesis ofLord Admiral, and Captain Moonshadow, next to whom sat some guy who looked like a wizard and a woman who looked like him.

„Queen?„ said the Orc Warrior, completely surprised by who she saw. „You 're alive! „ she said and then Moonshadow probably smiled sadly, although she wasn't sure, because of course the pirate was wearing a mask.

„Yes I was a queen, Should I remember you?

Huntara shook her head and replied.

„No, we've never met before, but everyone thought you were Dead.... How on earth are you alive?”

Igzar said irritably , and Bina smiled crookedly and replied.

„The fact that you're alive would probably surprise a few people too... As for Queen Angela, it's a very long story and I think it would be good for Dilayla to tell you about it. By the way, I didn't expect you here even more than I did her. „ she said and winked, she wasn't sure which one of them... Unless it was both of them. They glanced at each other, slightly blushing. But then the mercenary took a deep breath and said.

„ I can guess why you went here, probably for the same reason as me... Or rather we...„ she said, grimacing and continuing. „ Besides me, there is also Rechiza, Arkan-tar , Doctor Quin, from Etheri There came a lizard named Tung Lashor.„ She said and then the woman with burgundy hair burst out laughing and then interjected. „I happen to know him.”

She smiled, because she had to admit that the strange Tromlin was much funnier than he had thought, but then she added much more seriously. "We came here together with the Archduke of Carurystal Kane Adamson, Prince Zed , and Doctor Sidonius , who claims to know you." She said. As she said this, anger appeared in Captain Moonshadow's eyes.

„Then it would be best if he stayed out of my way. I remembered a bit about him and if it's true that he bit my daughter...„ the kaptain said menacingly. The mercenary shrugged and said.

„I'm not going to defend him, because he's a real bastard. If you want to get rid of him, I'll gladly help. I have a lot of heavy weapons and I know a little bit about how to kill vampires...„ she said and the older man next to the queen nodded, looked at the winged woman and said softly.

„He probably knows something about what we're looking for... Nova Blade... He didn't come here without a reason... I know you have reasons to kill him, I have them too. Not only for what he did to you but also to our daughter, but I think that for now we can... Try to use him...”

The capital slowly bowed its head and the black cat bared its teeth

„As for me, I'll drive a stake through his dead black heart. The bastard hid a lot from me, and in my opinion he has no reason to exist. But I won't look for him, because I have... better plans.”

At that moment a dark-skinned girl with slightly reddish hair appeared next to Igzar , who looked at her distrustfully, and then said.

„I'm Comrade General Lonnie... Sorry I showed up so late, but I had to get from one ship to another, which takes some time, and no one on my ship wanted to connect me to this discussion, so I came here.”

They summarized their current conversation for her in two sentences, and then The Girl Said.

„I hate vampires, hell, until recently I didn't even believe they existed... Tell me more about this world and whether it's a safe place where I could house my people...”

Dilayla smiled and called Miriam and Rao , who had come here to her. The pretty blonde was looking suspiciously at the Datapad screen, but the horned elven person smiled broadly and waved, she noticed that Ireanis also smiled broadly and waved back, and asked.

„Hello, I'm Rao , traveler and scholar! I'm very happy to see another person who has sailed across the stars! Some say I'm a bit of a dragon, is that true? And do you have a dragon with you?  when she said that, the dark-skinned woman grimaced, and Bina laughed warmly and explained.

„We only have Alatar, and please call him a little dragon, because it offends him, but otherwise we don't have anything even resembling a dragon

„I saw one dragon from afar and that's enough for me for the rest of my life! Please don't tell me there are more here!

Then Rao's eyes lit up with joy.

„Oh! We have lots of dragons, we have even a Dragon Queen…„ it remained, and Lonie groaned painfully, but then the mercenary remembered something very important.

„Listen, there is one more thing, Lady Cala has arrived here, as well as Lady Ka and Lady Sorrowflame …

When she said that, everyone stiffened, and Lonnie let out a few rather ingenious curses. Bina, however, was the first to recover and said

„It's even a good thing... That bitch kidnapped Eti's girlfriend... Rosie... If that's who she is, maybe we can save her.„ She said smiling, and in her eyes she saw unexpected relief.

Chapter Text

Eti felt quite bearable, which considering her recent experiences, was a great achievement.  She no longer wanted to stop feeling, to disappear from this world. Now she wanted something completely different. She dreamed of certain people disappearing in a macabre and painful way. Of course, she was going to free Rosie first, that was the most important thing, but if she only had the chance, she would cause Lady Ka, Lady Cala'i and the others as much suffering as she could… And she knew how to hurt others, Jantar and her father had already taken care of that…

Besides, they landed... She had always felt better on the surface of the Planets, where she could go wherever she wanted, and the sky was open above her head, than on a ship zooming toward the starry abyss... It was probably something she had inherited from the Pahtra. Their ancestors had loved living in the wild, and she had heard of an ancient coming-of-age ritual, sometimes still practiced among some of the more traditionalist groups. She looked curiously at your sister, who knelt so close to her, earning and sniffing.

„How do you like it here?„ She said looking at her. Catra hesitated.

„I grew up in the Fright Zone... That place was... An industrial nightmare, full of factories and barracks, where nothing ever grew on its own, and the sky was filled with toxic fumes... Life there wasn't easy... But I have the feeling that I liked that place in a way, or maybe I felt... Attached to it... It's strange because even when Adora left it, I felt much better there than being outside, among the forests and fields... Even though she was there...„ She pursed her lips, both of them seeing who she was talking about, and then continued” The first time I was outdoors for a longer period of time was when I was banished to the Crimson Wastes. Scorpia went with me, although she didn't have to... You know, she had a crush on me back then. You met, right?„ her sister asked, and when she nodded in response, she continued. „It's strange, but even though she also grew up in that horrible place, she managed better in the waste than I did. She actually liked them quite a bit.... Although she felt good in the Fright Zone too. And I think she likes extreme conditions... Sometimes I can't stop being surprised that she is with the Flower Princess. I guess opposites attract...„ She laughed quietly and continued. „But getting back to the topic, I also liked the Crimson Wastes but I didn't stay there for long... After the war, I could wander wherever I wanted, but I preferred not to visit the places I grew up in. Partly because of that, bad memories were attached to it, but not only that. You see, I did a lot of really nasty things during the war, but while the other inhabitants of Etheri were never fully aware that I was in charge, the soldiers, as well as the ordinary workers of the Horde, knew very well who the orders came from, and by whom they had to take unnecessary risks and work to exhaustion. It's hard for me to look them in the eye, even after so many years... However, I liked the forests and mountains of Etheri, we often go to the Camp together with Adora, Bowe and Glimmer, although of course she cheats terribly, because whenever she has a whim, she returns to the castle and brings back what she wants from there. At first, the forests scared me, especially the Whispering Forest, because I constantly felt like I was being watched. You know, all those noises and smells constantly attacked my senses, and I didn't have a moment's peace. But then I found… Rhythm, I learned to connect with the wild. I guess it's part of my instinct. I'm not sure though.„ She looked at her questioningly, and she took a deep breath and said.

„Pahtra like to live in the wild... Even now, after they were conquered by the Vesks ... I've never been there, and honestly, I've never been drawn to it... I'm not attached to places... Rather, to people and...„ She thought, trying to find the right word, until she finally said. „To my aspirations, goals that I want to achieve... I guess this was implemented in me when I was conditioned, I wanted to be able to focus absolutely on my goal, and nothing would distract me. That's why for a longer life I didn't want to have any goals and aspirations, and I was quite okay with that.

"Focus and don't get distracted.." Catra said darkly. She looked at her and stated.

„She really liked these words… I remember her saying them more than once…„ She frowned and said. „Our upbringing was sometimes really similar, only mine was a bit more intense... Many things were simply drilled into my head, and on top of that, during training I was expected to be perfect.”

„After all, you are an absolutely perfect, awesome, and unique creature. „You know, sometimes I wonder if I should ever visit my planet, that is, the one from which our mother's people come....”

She tilted her head to the side as if considering and said.

„I'd suggest joining one of the traditionalist settlements. All the kids are thrown out into the jungle when they turn fifteen and have to fend for themselves for a few months. You know, real Pahtra have several children in a litter. They must have some way of dealing with the excess offspring...”

Her sister looked at her with her mouth open and then said.

„So maybe I'll skip visiting my mother's homeland... I understand that it's better not to show myself on our father's planet either, because someone might find out that I'm related to him and be... not very happy about my existence.„ she smiled sourly, and she shrugged, and thought for a moment, and then said.

„I... I was born on Atrax, but I don't know this place well. Apart from Jantar's headquarters , I spent only a few weeks there. During all these years I have visited various, and before this expedition I spent the most time on Akiton, called the red one. It is quite a nice place. It is completely covered with red wastelands, there are also many cities, half deserted, but still huge, where there are many gangs, rich people who prey on the misfortune of others, local warlords. They also have Arenas there, where you can fight with gladiators or monsters. The wasteland, in turn, is full of monsters, as well as such warlike four-armed humanoids called Shobhads.

Catra tilted her head curiously and said.

„If they have interesting technology there, maybe I'll go there someday with Scorpia and Entrapta . Such a reminder that we were super pal trio after all.„ Her sister lay down on her back and stretched her arms, and that shapeshifting creature that only the biggest idiots could mistake for a cat lay down next to her… After a moment of thought, she moved closer to both of them and also snuggled up to Melog… They lay together like that for a moment, and then they heard Alatar's loud shuffling, so it was an annoyance, because she was already starting to doze off, she said.

„Drakey, if you found someone selling gold for ten credits per kilogram, then I tell you right away that this is a scam.....”

Alatar rolled his eyes and said

„Itel found someone, so it would be useful for you to be present, because we want to interrogate him lightly...”

She didn't hide it and started to get up, but she found herself on her feet as she said.

„That’s all for relaxing and having serious discussions about planetology... I hope this guy knows something!„ And then the three of them headed to where the others were.

Itel admitted that it didn't look so bad, at least when it came to this place. It was already night, and in the sky shone that damn scarlet moon, which gave her the shivers, but the planet itself seemed so... Ordinary. There were trees and bushes, animals scurrying into the shadows... Just like on Kesler . It was a bit disturbing, or maybe rather depressing? Usually she stayed on planets about less or a more alien environment, which were very different from the place where she was born, but first she came to Etheria, and then to this place. She thought more and more often about her old home, about what she was going to lose forever. But now it turned out that her father was alive... It changed a lot, or maybe nothing at all. She knew that she would never be with Eti again, she saw how much she despaired after losing Rosie, it was a better proof of their great love than the sight of both girls kissing... She had almost died, and she knew that without the help of great magic, she would have to take medication for the rest of her life, she would get sick from time to time, she might have to have transfusions sometimes, and also injected with nanobots to cleanse her body of constantly developing cancers. She was dependent on technology, even if she didn't feel it all the time. Of course, she would also have problems having children, but she wasn't thinking about that at the moment, after all she had no one to have them with...

They walked quietly, or rather she tried to, because of course Lilka, Seahawk , and above all Alatar weren't very good at sneaking... Honestly, the more they tried to be quiet, the more noise they made. So when she saw a light in the distance between the trees, she fell stood and said.

„Stay here! But no, you Alatar Go get Eti and Catra , I know they needed a moment to be together as sisters, but they're the best when it comes to sneaking up on others.”

Dragonkin nodded, and she headed towards the light. She walked slowly and carefully, after all she wasn't as good as her feline friend, and she didn't have any camouflage equipment, but after all she had grown up in the forest and had been taught to sneak up on wild animals since she was a child, she was also better at tracking than the others. When she got close enough she saw a blond man with large whiskers , dressed in what looked like a slightly worn-out uniform. He seemed to be a man who had seen his best days, but he also seemed to be someone used to a better life. He had a sword on his belt, and she wondered if he could be a good swordsman, she had the impression that he had at least once served in the army. After all, there was only one, and they all knew how to deal with really dangerous enemies. He also looked like someone who had wandered a lot, and that was exactly who they were looking for. They needed someone to tell them where he should go, and most of all, where they actually were. Well, now we just have to wait for Eti and Catra … How long did it take?

„Do you think he's Hawkeye's cousin?„ said Eti right next to her so suddenly that if she hadn't been used to it, she would have screamed.

"Does she always sneak up like that?" Catra asked, looking at her sister with slight confusion, her weird cat seemed just as confused. She shrugged and answered.

„Yes, it's her favorite pastime.”

„ This is not entertainment, I am not interested in any entertainment at all, I just want to educate people, specifically educate them about hearing well... We left Alatar behind... Where did you leave Hawkey and Lilka„ said the girl with the metal hand, and she looked at her in surprise.

„So you didn't meet them on the way?”

And then two figures entered the circle of light.

"Oh, hello fellow traveler! What news from the trail!" Sea Hawk said, holding his hips and smiling broadly. Lilka, standing next to him, raised her axe into the air, swung it above her head, and called out an Orcish greeting. The man's eyes widened, he rose to his feet, and reached for the hilt of his weapon, but then he looked at the newcomers and said.

„Who are you guys exactly?„ He looked at them, and seemed to calm down a bit. The guy with the mustache, walking around in a sailor suit with his jacket unbuttoned, and the girl with pigtails, pink shoes, and lots of rattling things pinned to her poncho didn't exactly look like robbers... Unless they wanted to lull someone into a false sense of security. But luckily, not everyone was as paranoid as she was.

„I am the famous captain of the Sea Hawk! „ said the captain from Etheria, and Lilka added.

„And I am Lilka Wagardotir!„ he came and leaned on the handle of the Axe. The man frowned.

„ If you're the captain, what are you doing inland?„ He asked in a suspicious tone, but Lilka answered him.

„It was stolen by ship thieves, it is truly a terrible plague!„

To her surprise, the man relaxed and then sat down again.

„Well, it happens. The world is full of robbers, and their numbers have increased tenfold since that kid opened the border.„ He came back, gripped the hilt of his weapon tighter, then sighed and continued. „Sit down, it's good to meet two decent humans on the trail instead of those nasty, treacherous elves. My name is Tristan, and I used to be a soldier, before everything went wrong.”  He signaled for them to sit down, and Sea Hawk did as the man asked and said.

„Hello Tristan! Are the vile elves always up to something, damn them!”

Lilka, however, looked around, frowning and asked.

„Where is the other human?”

Well, we almost managed to settle the matter without any major complications.

The man looked at the red-haired girl with surprise and asked carefully..

„Well, you are human, aren't you?”

Linka cocked her head to the side, then laughed out loud, bending in half.

„You have terrible eyesight problems... You should eat more carrots, they are really good for your eyesight, the mother of a girl who was also called Lilka kept telling her that.”

"Lilka was a cook on our ship and she told everyone that carrots would improve your eyesight, it was so weird! So we had two Lilkas on the ship." Seahawk said , laughing nervously. The man looked even more worried.

„And what is this orc?”

„Me? Can't you see? You've probably never seen an orc... Have you even seen an elf? „ said the red-haired girl, and the infrared man furiously clenched his chest, then stood up and, gesturing strongly, began to speak.

„Of course I did! One of them once tried to steal my magnificent blade! Luckily, those vile creatures only dare to stab brave men in the back, instead of facing them face to face!” He shouted really furious, and Lilka shook her head and said.

„You really don't know anything about elves. My friend Itel is behind you, and she has no intention of stabbing you in the back!!”

Well, it has begun!

The man's eyes widened, then he took out his weapon, which turned out to be a dagger glowing with fire, and looked around. She sighed heavily, summoned her moon blade, and was about to step out of the shadows, but then Eti appeared right next to the man and spoke in her dull voice.

„Your blade isn't particularly impressive...„

The man jumped in fright and turned towards her, then said with anger in his voice.

„It's not the size that matters, but the power hidden in the blade!”

Then Catra appeared behind him with Melog. She laughed mockingly making Tristan jump back again, and then the older Cat girl said.

„Everyone says so... By the way, my wife has a bigger sword than you... Much bigger!„ She laughed again, and then Eti interrupted.

“And now look at my blade! „ she said and Tristan turned to her. She looked at her friend and saw that her metal hand had turned into a large curved scythe. The man groaned quietly, and began to look around, only to see that Sea Hawk and Lilka had also drawn their weapons, So although he turned pale, he said firmly.

„I won't give up my life without a fight!”

Then she sighed, because they came here to fight with anyone, only to get information from this guy.

„Listen, I'm sorry this looks so weird, but we really don't mean to hurt you, we just want to talk for a minute!”

He looked at her  and his eyes widened.

„Elf! Mutant Elf!„ he said and charged at her. She felt furious. She wanted to talk to him, and he attacked her and even called her mutants! He charged at her, but she managed to avoid his attack, and then she slightly angered him in the law. A jump appeared on his face, like most people he did not expect that the impact of her blade would be cold, but then he clenched his jaw tightly and tried to cut her, but she blocked with her moon blade, which caused him even more surprise, and then she kicked him in the stomach with her knee and summoned a dark sphere that pulled him back, knocking him behind his back, and then she jumped at him and pressed him to the ground with her knees. She knelt down and put the blade to his throat.

„Surrender!„ She said sharply, and the man listened to her command, then said in a pleading tone.

„Please don't drink my blood!”

She blinked in surprise, then said.

„Why would I drink your blood? Do I look like a vampire to you?„ she said, feeling really offended.

„I told you, This man has never seen an Elf!„ said Lilka, and the man looked at her indignantly.

„Of course I did! One of them tried to rob me!”

„I like her... Do you know where she is and if she has a girlfriend...?„ Eti asked, pointing at her. „ I'm asking on behalf of a friend!”

She looked at her friend with irritation, but then Catra, who was looking around worriedly asked.

„Do you know where Frosta is?”

She looked at the older feline woman and said.

„She said she wanted to go and be alone for a while.„ she said, and in the meantime Eti began to Bind Tristan.

„You can't let her go alone like that... Something will happen to her!„ Catra said furiously, But then they heard heavy footsteps and saw Alatar, Frosta and Shogi emerge from the trees. The ice princess looked embarrassed, and her face and clothes were all smeared with blood. Her claws were still longer, but she didn't seem to notice it, unlike the man who turned pale at the sight of her..

„You said you didn't drink blood! I, I'll do anything you say!”

Frosta lowered her gaze and said.

„I'm sorry, but I had to... I had to hunt. But now everything will be fine... For a while”

Chapter Text

Frosta up until now you were feeling really good. But then as soon as she entered the forest her senses were aroused and she felt her second row of teeth slide out of her gums. She swallowed hard fully aware that something inside her was slowly taking over. As they went deeper into the trees she slowly started to fall behind and as Catra and Eti separated she said.

„I need to be alone for a while... Won't that bother you?„ She said, but the green-haired Saihe just waved her hand... She didn't say anything, she just slowly backed away into the trees and began to sniff. She was really hungry and needed meat. Shogi walked beside her, in the form of something that looked like a cross between a snake and a weasel, with six short legs and a long tongue, sniffing along with her, searching for prey. This forest was wild, maybe not as wild as some parts of her own Kingdom, but there was enough game here that it wouldn't take long to find the right scent. She began to creep, her friend walking right next to her. She saw a small animal, some kind of antelope or deer, unaware of the threat. Both of them crept up on it, ready to attack at any moment. This time the hunt was easier, and after a few moments they managed to bring down the prey. She sank her teeth into the meat, biting off a few pieces, then stepped back. This time she was fully conscious, and after a moment she felt disgusted with herself for what she had done. Hunting in her country wasn't anything strange, but this was about why you did it and who you became when you chased your prey. For a moment she began to cry tears of blood... This wasn't how it was supposed to be. She wanted to just be... Just be a heroine again, having adventures and doing great things! And first she lost her kingdom, and then she became this thing... But she couldn't stay here forever, because... She still had friends who understood what, who she had become... What she had become! She tried to wipe her face, took out a handkerchief and soaked it in water, but it didn't help much. She sighed and returned to the place where Itel and the Rest had been. However, only Alatar was there, taking pictures with his datapad. When he saw her, he frowned, but didn't ask and didn't seem shocked.

„Where's the rest?„ She said shyly, he nodded and said.

„Itel went to see who was there, and told Lilka and the captain to stay here, and sent me for Catra and Eti. However, when I came back, she was gone, so the felines went to see what was going on, And I'm still waiting here because I'm really bad at sneaking. You know, I'm a bit too big, and I grew up in the city, or rather the suburbs.

„Aha.„ she said, pleased that her friends couldn't see her in this state, and then added..  “Don't you feel... disgusted at the sight of me?„ She asked shyly, and he shrugged and replied

„Eti sometimes comes back with birds hanging from her belt, she always claims they are following her, and besides, I've seen a lot of really horrible things in my life, and a girl who is raw meat is definitely very far from the first place of the worst” He thought for a moment and then said. „ Besides, I'm a dragonkin, and we eat mostly meat... Eti teases me that I'd rather eat an elven princess anyway. Whatever, I guess it's time to check what's going on.”

When he said something they heard noise and screams so they quickly ran. When they got there they saw the others tying up some guy with a mustache and Eti was looking at some blade that seemed to be glowing.

„I have a knife that turns any slice of bread into toast... It's probably the greatest achievement since the invention of space flight.„ she said with complete seriousness.

Catra was glad that her young friend was okay, though she was worried that she had been hunted again. She had almost forgotten what had happened to her during the flight, but now she understood that until they found a way to cure her, everyone would have to deal with this problem, especially Frosta. So the sooner they had answers and information, the better.

Lilka added wood to the fire, by which time it was starting to die down and they sat the man on one side and they surrounded him in a semicircle.

"So we just have a few questions for you," she said, trying to sound friendly. But the man looked genuinely scared.

„What... What do you want to know from me? I'm no longer in the army, I don't know anything, I really don't know anything.„ He replied with a hint of panic in his voice, but her sister tilted her head and said.

„We'll see what you don't know, everyone claims to be absolutely innocent and after a good interrogation, it turns out that he was in possession of information that was usually valuable and key to achieving Victory. Sometimes it involves waterboarding or electric shocks, but we have to settle for roasting you”

She looked at Eti sideways with slight concern and spoke slowly and carefully.

„We have no intention of torturing you or harming you. You were the first to pull a weapon on us... „ she said, although in truth both she and her sister scared him, but he simply irritated her with what he said about elves, the Saihe. She herself could have been prejudiced, because one of the representatives of this people almost ruined her life, but she wasn't. She wasn't sure what the other had done, he still had the blade, and he didn't seem to be seriously hurt, it seemed to her that his pride had been hurt the most.

“Speak for yourself, I can move on to advanced interrogation techniques.” Eti replied, and the man smiled at them with superiority.

„Aha! So now you're playing the good and bad cat-elf in front of me.„ He said and snorted with contempt. Then her sister walked up to the man and started playing a song with the finger of her metal hand.

„What Cat? Man, do I have to punch you in that stupid head of yours! Where do you see a cat, where! You must be blind... I'm going to dig your grave, because there's no point in talking to you!„ she turned around as if she wanted to go somewhere, but Itel put her on her shoulder, stopping her, and then turned to the man apologetically.

„Sorry, but my friend is very sensitive when it comes to comparing her to a cat. you want this to go the… Friendly way, then don't do it again, okay?”

The man looked at her with genuine confusion, so she sighed and asked him in a soft voice.

„Listen, we've had our fair share of very unpleasant experiences, and to get here we had to fly across a large chunk of the Galaxy, and on top of that we were greeted in orbit by a Void Dragon, so please understand that we're in a pretty damn bad mood.„ she said more menacingly, because she was slowly feeling more and more frustrated herself, and then added. „Just answer the questions, and when we don't have any more, we'll let you go.”

The man frowned as if suspecting some sort of trick, then said with resignation in his voice.

„Okay, ask away... „ He lowered his head as if he was expecting punishment, until Seahawk put his hand on his shoulder and said

.”Don't worry, they're honorable girls and they won't do anything to you. You have word, captain!”

"I don't even believe now that you ever had a ship!" Tristan said indignantly, and Sea Hawk looked at him as if he had just been seriously hurt. She rubbed her temples and said.

"First, maybe tell me where we are?" she said, and the man frowned and said.

„In the kingdom of Katolis ruled by our young king Ezran II. It is the most powerful and magnificent of the Pentarchia states . „ He said with strange pride.

„So we caught the patriot...„ Eti said with a sarcastic tone, and then she asked herself „ What is this Pentarchy?”

„This is an alliance of five human kingdoms that have promised to support each other against Xadi's evil schemes!” He shouted with anger in his voice.

„But wait, I think this whole world is called Xadia ...„ She asked, a bit confused; she had never liked historical and geographical topics, not counting the things needed to wage war.

The man looked at them confused and shrugged.

„I don't know much about it. I only know that the Xadians exiled us to our half of the continent, where we must lead our grim existence in their shadow, deprived of access to their magic!„ he said, and she began to have disturbing associations.

"Who exactly are the inhabitants of Xadia?" she asked, feeling an unexplainable unease. And then the man answered.

„Elves and dragons live there, but normal elves, not like this one here!„ he pointed at Itel. „And really big dragons, not tiny ones like this one!„ Now he pointed at Alatar, who looked at him indignantly, and Eti extended the index finger of her metal hand, changed it into a long, curved metal claw, and touched the man's forehead with it, and then said.

“It's really not wise to insult my friends... I can sometimes be mean to Alatara, but anyone else who is mean to him can suddenly lose a few limbs, or eyes. Believe me, friends This is all I have, I won't let anything happen to them!”

The man swallowed loudly and apologized, so Eti stepped away from him and she was about to ask another question, but then Bina called her on the Datapad.

„Hey, could you put it on speakerphone?„ the captain of their ship said as she put her phone on speaker and announced that she could talk..

„Listen, I managed to contact Dilayla, our former passengers from the ship are also here, accompanying Archduke Kane. Doctor Sidonius came here with him.” the woman with burgundy hair continued. When the doctor's name was mentioned, she felt a strange cold in her chest. She didn't remember this man, but she knew very well that he had sent her here, because of him her entire childhood had turned into hell... Of course, if he hadn't sent her here, she would never have met Adora, and everything would have turned out completely differently, maybe even Horde Prime would have destroyed the universe, and he would definitely continue to devastate this part of the Galaxy... So she wasn't sure how she should feel about this person, but it certainly wasn't good that he was here.

„Only the old nasty leech was missing here.„ Eti drawled quietly, and then Bina spoke again.

„You're probably not happy that he came here either, but that's not our biggest problem... Is Eti nearby?” There was tension in her voice and she looked at her sister, who shook her head, so she said.

„For now, it's gone to pee... What's going on?„ She asked, not sure if she should lie to the woman who was basically like a mother to her sister... But she didn't want to hide anything from the girl.

„ Listen, you have to break it to her very gently, because she might get angry, and believe me, when she gets angry, blood might be shed. Lady Cala ended up here too…. And Lady Ka and Lady Sorrowflame… And that also means that Rosie is most likely here… - She said and there was silence, only their captive stared fascinatedly at their Datapad. She looked at Eti, on whose usually dispassionate face relief appeared for a moment, and then cold Fury burned in her eyes. She jumped at their captive, transformed all the fingers of her metal hand into long claws, grabbed him by the neck with that biological hand and took a swing as if you wanted to hit him with the claws of a metal one, and then said.

„Have you seen a short and beautiful girl with white hair and blue eyes here? Or a woman with blue hair walking around with a mask covering half of her face, or a tall blonde with gorgeous hair and cold eyes?” There was a fury in her voice that she had never heard before, and judging by the reaction of her friends, they had never seen her like this either. She carefully placed a hand on her shoulder..

„He probably doesn't know anything anyway... This world is big, so there's little chance he'll stumble upon any of them, I promise you we'll look for them. You will be back together with your loved one, I promise you..„ she said, and then the girl thought for a moment and let him go, but she didn't let the lady return to her previous form, still letting them be claws.

„So Eti was nearby after all, and when she heard the news, she attacked someone, right?„ Bina said with irritation, and she replied, slightly embarrassed.

„Yes, she was nearby, she got a little nervous, but nothing serious happened. However, I think she should know about it. You shouldn't hide such important news from anyone. „ She said, thinking, and then added.„ We have some guy here, whom we can question. Do you have any questions for him?

„Sure, could you tell me where the places are that were marked with a glowing dot? I'm sending you a map on the Datapad.„ She said and then a map of the continent they were on appeared on the old man, along with the location of the place where they made an emergency landing. She walked up to the man and turned the Datapad so that he could see the screen and asked him.

„This red dot on the screen is where we are, roughly, and you yellow ones are places where we would like to go... Could you tell us what is there?”

Tristan stared at the few closest dots as if entranced, then looked up and said.

„The two closest are... This is the Royal Castle of Katolis , or the Stone Lair, and the other one is the Cursed  Caldera... I was in a nearby town, showing off my swordsmanship, when I came across this vile elf!„ He said, but Eti interrupted him.

"That wasn't a very interesting show, was it?" She tilted her head and Tristan pursed his lips angrily, but the man ignored her and continued.

„It was a cursed place, full of Monsters and all sorts of horrors, and it wasn't long before it turned out that there was some kind of Dark Elven temple there, which probably explains where all these monsters came from. After all, every sensible person knows that elves worship dark deities like Zon-Koth or Urgatha!” he looked defiantly at Itel, who looked at him menacingly. She grimaced when she heard about the temples, she had only been to one once during her visit to Eridani, but that place reminded her a lot of Velvet Glove and everything Horde Prime had done to her and she was not happy at the thought of having to visit one to look for the item that had been talked about so much..

„Do you recognize any others?„ She asked the man, trying to distract herself from his dark thoughts.

„ I don't recognize this one, quite close to the castle, but I know that the one in elven territory must be their city, the city of Sun Forge, Elven dread capitol, fortunately Royal Mage Viren cursed it and now only monsters live there. So is Stormspire, where the Final Battle took place, which we lost because the young king betrayed his own subjects and allied himself with the invaders.„ he explained with bitterness in his voice.

„Wait, this is Elf territory, I think, so they were invaders in their own country?„ Itel asked suspiciously, and Tristan glared at her and said.

„All actions aimed at protecting humanity from the constant threat and persecution of the elves are fully justified! Your vile race has done everything to prevent us from developing since the beginning of our history, and if it were not for the innate superiority of our kind, we would have long ago been destroyed by the ruthless forces of nature and wild beasts - He nodded his head strongly, as if to show that these wild Beasts were all around.

„Okay, you'll write us the details right away, and then we'll let you go.” she said, looking significantly at her sister, because at that moment she wasn't sure whether even if the man left, she would let him go, and then she thought of something and asked about one thing.

„Have you heard anywhere here about a tall elf with a scarred face and yellow eyes? She has long dark hair and wields the power of shadows…”

The man frowned uncertainly, then asked…

„She looks ugly even for an elf…„ he said and she smiled and replied.

"Because she's nasty, nastier than anyone you've ever met, and while I doubt it'll help, pray you never get in her way," she said, and left him.

They left the man after he told them what he knew about the places they wanted to go, and then went back to the ship. Bina led them to the bridge, could she greet the Queen and Lonnie, who looked more sour than usual, which was saying a lot.

„So we managed to get some information from a man we met on the way.„ she said, and Eti pointed to the man she had taken,

„We also got a special toast knife!„ she said, holding it out, and Bina, standing next to her, said.

„Only you could rob the first person you met on a newly discovered planet. What testimony do you give to the galaxy?”

Her sister frowned and said.

„Wait a minute, How do you know I stole it? Maybe someone decided I was the true chosen one of destiny and gave it to me? Or maybe someone was standing by the stone where it was stuck and as soon as I pulled it out, said that a heroine had come to bring us salvation! Things like this happen all the time, Think of my sister-in-law!

„But you took it from that guy... Although I don't blame you, because he was the one who pulled a knife on us first, and besides, he has some weird prejudice against elves.„ She shrugged and showed me the map displayed on the wall. „I'm not sure where you want to go, We're going to that royal castle...”

"We can send a ferry to transport youQueen suggested, and for a moment she considered her offer. But then she said.

„It's not far, and if Lady Cala and above all Lady Sorrowflame are really here, then we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves for now... Besides, we know if there are any other defense systems, but if there are complications, we'll ask you for help. You'd better investigate these more distant places, maybe you'll be able to determine something. We will also have to keep in touch… With that other group…„ She wasn't sure if they should cooperate with the group that included Dr. Sidoniów , but she wasn't sure if they had a choice either. „We'll try to talk to the king, considering that that guy really didn't like him, it may turn out that he's not that bad, but for now we'll try to observe the situation. We'll go to the nearest city, and then we'll see.„ So she rubbed her temples, „ The problem is that we'll have to get on a ship. You have no idea how much I like traveling by sea.

Chapter Text

"This town looks pretty normal," Catra said, looking out over the town from a hidden spot on the roof. Her sister looked at her glumly.

" I don't know what towns on Etheria look like, but in ours we have electric lights, cars, and gangs armed to the teeth. Without these, there is no civilization!!” she said in a voice that was dull with a hint of irritation.

„Until recently, cars were a rarity on Etheria, and they still aren't common. I won't mention gangs, not counting the wastelands and other areas. It's peaceful here..„ she said, and Eti snorted contemptuously and muttered fatalistically.

„I doubt whether they will find a better means of transportation here than a canoe made from a hollowed-out tree trunk.”

„I know you're still mad that I didn't want us brought in by space shuttle, but I don't want to risk that woman detecting us, or that we'll activate some other defenses. I'm not sure if that dragon was the only weapon the First Ones left here," she explained to her sister in a soft voice.

„We can take a chance. At the most, that bitch will find out we're here, and that's good. Let her be afraid of us! We can't waste time... They're holding her... We don't know what they're doing to her... Maybe they're hurting her... And besides, do you remember that ship that's heading this way? The one that's supposed to destroy this planet? Do you think we have time?” Eti spoke in a voice in which she heard fear and pain instead of her usual indifferent calm. Eti spoke in a voice in which she heard fear and pain instead of her usual indifferent calm.

Her sister was right, their time was limited. She had heard that this ship could take a very long time to get to this one, since it used a somewhat backward drive, very similar to what Darla used, but it wouldn't last forever. She still wondered if she should listen to her sister, but after some thought, she, Mikah, Captain Moonshadow, and Bina decided that keeping their heads down and remaining undetected might be more important

„ Then we're just going to that Royal Castle. If the king doesn't want to help us, we'll use all the technology we have to find that sword and free your beloved, even if it means starting an interplanetary war. Agreed?” She explained, feeling guilty that her sister and Rosie would suffer.

 Eti looked at her gloomily, and then nodded and continued to observe the town. By Etheria's standards, it wasn't that small, a few thousand people, although she knew well that there were cities in the universe with tens of millions of beings, so it barely deserved to be called a settlement. It looked fairly decent, although she had the impression that the cities on Etheria were more decent, cleaner, and somehow more... Cheerful? Of course, her perspective was distorted because of where she grew up. After all, compared to the Danger Zone, every place seemed cheerful and joyful. She looked askance at her sister, and wondered whether to ask her how this city looked compared to those in the galaxy, but on the other hand, she had recently heard a little about the places Eti had been, and besides, the girl seemed to be in a very gloomy mood...

They packed up first thing in the morning. They took as many supplies as each of them could carry, although they tried to take a lot of food, instead they had a lot of coins made of precious metals. From what she had learned, they had bought them with the intention of staying on her planet, because it was believed that no one would accept credit there, which was true. She was also amused by the fact that a lot of this money came from Lady Cala'i's treasury, which was apparently now financing their stay here. First of all, they took as many batteries as they could, as well as a small accumulator that could charge itself, because it had a retractable fan, there it could also draw energy from fire if you put it in it, and even then they had to be careful with using anything that required electricity and energy weapons. They also took a lot of medicine for both her sister and Itel, as well as the more common ones, they even had to take some feminine hygiene products, because who knows if anyone here has them, and the body still had its cycles... They were taken to the borders of this city in this strange transporter, which constantly warned her about cats, and dreamed of running over small cars. The same people who went on the scouting went on the Road... She wasn't sure if it wouldn't be better to take Bina with them, but she said to stay on the ship, as if contact with the queen was needed... Captain Moonshadow... She understood her, so she didn't question her decision.

The city was called Blackcliff, as its name suggests, because of the high black cliffs towering over the foaming sea. They left the vehicle, which returned to their ship, or so she hoped. They put on long cloaks, and Stopped in a small forest, and then the two of them, together with Melog, went out to scout. They were practically invisible, and with a little care they could walk down the middle of the street, as long as they were careful not to run into anyone, although they preferred to walk on the roofs whenever possible. Unfortunately, as soon as they got into the city, they noticed one major problem with their plans.

The city was inhabited only by humans. It wouldn't be such a big deal if they just had to sneak through, but they wanted to get on a ship that would take them to the other side of the bay. It was a problem they had to solve somehow. So they went back to the others, Eti meanwhile stole a piece of quite tasty-smelling sausage from some shop, and stood in front of her friends relaxing in the shade of the trees.

„Listen, I saw a few ships in the port, I suspect it won't be difficult to charter one, we won't spare any money... „ She began to explain.

„But…„ Itel said, looking at her significantly, and she sighed and began to explain.

„ I'm not sure if we'll be able to rent them, because in this city... How to put it... Only humans live here, and a lot of us aren't members of that scecies. We've seen recently that some of the locals can be a little unfriendly to persons from other peoples, and our presence can cause a lot of trouble. So I decided we'd have to use a trick. A few of you will have to go to the port, find the captain, and convince him to take us on board after dark and set sail. He'll only find out our true nature once he's far from shore, and with any luck he won't want to throw us overboard or whatever captains do. So it'll be Frosta, Lilka, and Seahawk..." She said, pointing to the three people... Sea Hawk looked delighted, but the other two had some reservations.

“Since there are only humans here, I guess the sight of an orc should cause as much commotion as the sight of you. - The girl with red hair explained. She wanted to say that she was a human, not an orc, but she bit her tongue just in time. She wasn't sure how she could convince Lilka that no one would recognize her as an orc, but then Eti came to the rescue.

“You know, if you paint your face white with toothpaste and let your pigtails down, no one will mistake you for an Orc.”

The red-haired girl slowly nodded, but to their surprise Alatar spoke up.

„But isn't that a bit speciesist ? You know, it's basically Human Face, and it is terribly offensive…„ he said thoughtfully, but Eti and Itel looked at him menacingly, so he fell silent.

“I'm not going.” said Frosta. The ice princess was sitting under a tree stubbornly with her back against it at a distance from the others.

“But you are a human and you look normal. - she turned to her younger friend, but she lowered her head and said.

„What if something like last time happens? What if I lose control of myself and turn into that thing again?”

She looked at her sadly, but she didn't know what to say. Did she want to order her from something, so that she wouldn't hide here, But on the other hand she knew that she had to overcome her fear herself, so she decided that she wouldn't push, at least for now. Of course, she would prefer that Frosta accompanied Lilka and Sea Hawk , because she was sure How much she could entrust those two with such a serious task, but she didn't really have a choice.

Lilka and Mermista's husband went to Blackcliff, and they waited for them in the grove for several hours, bored and yet having to be completely vigilant, lest someone approach them. Once or twice someone passed by their grove, once a pair of wanderers with sticks leading some beast of burden, which was covered in clattering pots, and another time a middle-aged woman who seemed to be picking mushrooms. They played cards and gazed at the sky, and also dozed. Her sister seemed to be getting more and more irritated, and late in the afternoon it seemed to her that the girl would go into town herself and do something... She had the uneasy feeling that this something might involve hitting people over the head with the butt of her rifle until they gave them the ship they wanted. She was already starting to get to know her sister and understand what her problems were. Itel seemed thoughtful and restless, and looked around, and Frosta seemed strangely withdrawn and gloomily fatalistic. She tried to talk to her, but the girl just lay cuddled up to Shogi, who decided that the form of a hairy snake suited him best. She herself felt growing nervousness at the thought of a sea voyage, although she was ashamed to admit it. She still hated the water, she hadn't learned to swim, and the several accidents that had come in the meantime hadn't helped her at all. In addition, it was a sailing ship, a ship without proper propulsion, and although she tried to calm herself, she was increasingly afraid that it would sink and they would go down together.

Finally, towards evening, Sea Hawk came with Lilka. Everyone looked surprised, because it turned out that they had bought new clothes. The captain bought a red sailor's scarf, which he wrapped around his head and a dark blue jacket made of thick material, and the red-haired girl put on something like a traveling cloak, to which she pinned all her amulets and talismans, which she unpinned from her poncho.

„So you had time to visit the tailor?„ asked Alatar, who was watching them with narrowed eyes.

„You know, if I'm going to pretend to be human, I'll need a good disguise made of human clothes!„ the girl said, and Dragonkin narrowed his eyes even more.

"But you took all your amulets, which are clearly orcish, at least according to you." He added in a sour tone, and the redhead replied.

"Not according to me, but according to any true orc, and secondly, without them I could be attacked by evil spirits."

Alatar wanted to say something, but she didn't let him, she just asked the two who had returned from the city..

"But did you at least find a ship?" She looked at them with a tired expression, and then Sea Hawk answered.

„Yes, we found the best captain I've ever seen, and I said it myself Sea Hawk... The greatest captain of Etheria! We just have to help him as a crew, but that won't be a problem, because I'll instruct you what to do.:

"Yes! He's a really great captain, and he has a parrot. A parrot means someone is a really good captain." Lilka said with absolute certainty.

At that moment she felt a twinge of Anxiety in the back of her mind, but she wasn't sure what had caused it, maybe it was the joy in the eyes of the both of them, but they couldn't possibly come up with any really stupid idea, right?

"And he agreed to take us? Does he seem like someone who would want to get rid of us once he finds out who we are?” she asked, watching them glumly, but Sea Hawk waved his hand and said.

"I'm sure he won't bat an eyelid about this!" The captain sounded so full of himself that even She was starting to believe him.

They waited until it was completely dark, and entered the city... The guard wouldn't let them in, but they threw him a few silver coins, and they were able to get through the gate without a problem. In the evening, almost no one paid any attention to them in the city, it was dark, and she was glad that she could see in the semidarkness. They wore large hoods, and after dark, that would probably be enough to hide most of their identities, but unfortunately Alatar had to use Melog's power to remain unnoticed, because they had nothing to hide the fact that they looked like a small dragon. It was a good thing there weren't many people on the street at this hour, because he would probably bump into someone every now and then.

They reached the port quite quickly and then Sea Hawk pointed at the ship.

"That's what we're going to sail on! Isn't it beautiful?" the captain said in awe and she looked at the sailboat. It wasn't big, it had one mast and she had the impression that it didn't look like something that would be able to survive a storm. She swallowed and spoke in a hushed voice.

„I hope it swims better than it looks.”

She saw one man on board, he was standing at the wheel, she guessed it was the captain. Everyone quickly boarded the ship, although the gangway under Alatar buckled and it was all over... They were on board, and there was no turning back, they had to keep sailing. She felt the ship rocking under her feet, and then she felt a growing nausea. She pursed her lips, knowing that this was going to be a really hard journey, then she approached the captain, still wearing her hood, to greet him. The man looked like a typical ship captain from an illustration in a book. He had a triangular captain's cap, long red hair and a long beard, a colorful bird was sitting on his shoulder. She felt a little relief, maybe he was really good at his job, and she stopped wondering why the other two were so happy with their choice. She stood behind him and said.

„Good morning, or rather good night, My name is... Cat and I am the leader of our small group. I hope that our cooperation will go well and I am very glad that you agreed to sail out after dark.„ She felt a strange discomfort at the thought of them deceiving the man, almost wishing they were some smuggler or some other scoundrel who wouldn't be a shame to exploit. The man laughed genuinely and said.

„You know, in my case, sailing out after dark doesn't make much difference, and it's even easier because of the wind. „ He said and turned to her. She felt the hairs along her spine and tail bristle with horror. The man had eye patches that crossed over his nose, over each eye… Now she understood why Lilka and Sea Hawk had been so thrilled to have found him. They had simply found the blind captain.

„What? Didn't anyone tell you that he can't see anything?„ the bird screeched , and the capital laughed in the house and said.

„Don't worry, I've been sailing for many years. Although I can't see anything and I haven't sunk yet, I probably won't sink with you! I feel that your friends have already summed up the ship and we're setting sail! Something tells me that this is going to be a really great cruise! - he said and laughed again. Indeed, she felt that the Ship was rising, so she ran to the gangway in horror, but it wasn't already pulled in. They had really set sail, there was no resque for her.

Her heart was beating faster in her chest. Never, not even in her worst nightmares, would she have imagined that she would be sailing on a ship steered by a blind captain. For the next few days, she would be trapped on this floating coffin. Of course, it was unlikely that this voyage would last several days, surely in a moment the ship would hit something or capsize or something and everyone would drown. She could already feel the water flooding her lungs and she was being pulled into a dark abyss. She was breathing heavily, her hands and feet felt strange, as if they were ice, but a cold sweat was also pouring over her. She sat down and leaned against the bulwark and breathed heavily for a moment, and then her companion clung to her. He was blue with fear and was growling darkly. She looked at him, stroked him, and then felt the fear transform into rage in her heart. She knew well that he was to blame for the fact that he would never return to his wife. She gritted her teeth, claws extending from her fingers, and ran toward Sea Hawk, who was sitting against the hull, trying to look majestic.

„Are you crazy? You hired a ship for us commanded by a blind captain! He'll kill us all!” She screamed at him, but the Etherian captain looked at her surprised as if she had said something absurd and said.

„You know, he doesn't look young at all, that means he's been sailing for a few years. And since he hasn't sunk a ship in that time, that means he must be the best captain on the planet! You know, it's like those blind swordsmen who find their opponents using echolocation! I hope I can learn a lot from him, and my skills will grow even more!” he said in a dreamy tone, and she stared at him for a moment. What he was saying made some sense, or maybe her terrified mind was just trying to hold on to the smallest shred of hope that she would survive this journey. She looked at the Captain for a moment, and then said with resignation.

„I'm going below deck, maybe it won't be so tossed there, and if we start to sink I'll drown faster!” and she headed towards the entrance to below deck. She started slowly going down the stairs, and her companion followed her step by step, but suddenly she felt that someone wanted to go up the narrow stairs. However, she was tired, and on top of that she wasn't used to the wobbling deck, so she tripped and collided with that person. They both rolled down to the floor. Then they spoke to each other and stood on their feet. She saw a girl in a tight green outfit in front of her, who pulled out two curved swords.

„Who are you, and what are you doing here?„ the other one growled. She had white hair, light skin, slightly pinkish, and looked like Sahe , but she had a pair of short horns on her head. Her face also had some kind of tattoos running from her eyes to her mouth. Seeing that the other one was armed and would probably fight, claws came out of her hands.

“I am the one who rented this ship. I was not told that they carry armed passengers here! You better tell me who you are and what you are doing here, or” she said smiling and getting ready to fight

Chapter Text

Rayla couldn't wait to get back to Katolis, to Calum... When she went there the first time, it was with the intention of murder. She came to exact Revenge for Avizdum ... She and the other Asasins moved through the forests and wilderness of the human kingdoms, almost unnoticed. They sneaked in to kill.

A lot had changed since then. Now she could wander freely through all the lands, even if she wasn't welcomed everywhere. No one stopped her, she didn't have to sneak through the forests and mountains at night... So the purpose of her visit was completely different... This time she didn't want to hurt anyone, she just wanted to visit friends she hadn't seen in over a year. And she also wanted to make it to Calum's birthday... She couldn't be late. He was... She wasn't sure what their relationship was like now... They kissed and confessed their love, but that was before she set off on her journey. She left him, she had to do it for the sake of her parents, whom she had to save... He said then that he understood and supported her, only that months had passed since then, during which she hadn't given any sign of life. She knew that he had the right to be angry with her, and that maybe, during that time, he had found someone... But she still had to come back, because if she didn't, she would really hurt him very badly. That's why she had to make it before his birthday, only it wasn't that easy. She was still quite a long way from his home, and was traveling through the more remote regions of the eastern part of the kingdom. Luckily, she had managed to contact a few friends earlier, and an old acquaintance would be waiting for her at the nearest port.

Captain Villads was one of the most unusual Sea Wolves sailing the known seas, but also one of the best sailors, and someone she knew and who had nothing against Elves. As she walked through the city, some gave her unfriendly looks, but it was a port city and from what she had heard, ships from Xadia were already welcomed here, so the sight of an Elf here was nothing unusual. As she had been told, the ship was waiting in port. The captain often changed crews, many people were afraid to sail with him, although his ship did not need too many people to serve. No one noticed her as she boarded the ship, but there were no other crew members or passengers there either. The captain was sitting on a bench on the deck, drinking hot tea. He heard her before she spoke, she wondered if she could sneak up on him without him noticing her. But she didn't want to try, she had no reason to scare the only  captain she trusted.

„Hello Villads, is there room on board for an old friend?„ she said and smiled, even though she knew her interlocutor wouldn't notice.

„For a friend like you always.„ He said, also smiling. Maybe he could somehow knew that his interlocutor smiled, or maybe he simply guessed it. She reached into her bag, into her purse, which was already very light, and took a few coins from there.

"It's not much, but I can help by working off the money," she said, feeling a little scared that she would have to work on deck. She was still afraid to swim, and the rocking of the ship made her nauseous, but at least she could repay the blind captain for his help. The man hefted the coins in his hand, hesitated, then put them in his purse.

„I already have a crew, and they paid well for the travel, so you don't have to work anything off. Truth be told, if it weren't for my partner, I wouldn't take your money, but she expects her share of the profits, too.” Villads said as if he was apologizing to her for not being able to work on his ship.

„Sure, I understand perfectly.„ she said, Although she didn’t really understand human relationships when it came to making money. Humans had created a ton of ways to make money, most of which she didn’t understand. It was still less complicated than humans buying shares in a ship. How could you Own a piece of a ship? Like, someone only had one plank or something? She hugged Vilads again and headed belowdecks, trying not to look at the sea rolling around her. Stella, who she’d let go of when she’d boarded, was running around, exploring her new temporary home.

Belowdecks, she leaned against one of the crates in the hold and pulled out a piece of wood. She couldn’t draw, but she could carve wood pretty well, though compared to Calum’s drawings, it was nothing. Both humans and elves said that it was the intention that mattered. So she figured Calum would like a hand-carved birthday present more than anything I could give him. She just hoped he would want to talk to her.

She carved like this for a few hours until she felt the ship unmoor and began to sail. She decided to go beyond the deck and greet the crew that Villads had hired. She was a little afraid that the people the captain would betray might not be too happy about the fact that he was transporting an elf. And she was so happy that almost no one knew that she had taken part in the Assassin expedition to Katolis, as a result of which the king died. However, when she was about to go up the stairs, someone suddenly came down and collided with her. They rolled down the stairs, hitting the steps. When she fell to the deck, she saw a strange feline creature out of the corner of her eye, so she stood up and drew her weapon. She saw that next to the creature stood a woman with caramel-colored skin and two-colored eyes, who was not a human or an elf. She had ears like a cat's, and a long tail. Her eyes had vertical pupils like a night predato

„Who are you and what are you doing here? „ She said, getting ready to fight. B

„I am the one who rented this ship. I was not told that they carry armed passengers here! You better tell me who you are and what you are doing here, or…” Claws emerged from the woman's fingers. She had never seen anything like it, whether it was a dark Mage using some spell to make himself look like a predator or the result of some horrible dark magic experiment she had no idea, and she wasn't sure she wanted to find out.

„I also chartered this ship... I doubt Captain Vilads would agree to transport someone using dark Magic like you!” she screamed, ready to chop up this monster.

„What are you talking about! Dark magic... I have nothing to do with it!„ she had the impression that the other woman had gotten furious when she had mentioned magic, was she hiding something or what? And that cat-like creature had turned furious red. She had heard voices on the deck, so there must have been more of them here… Had Villads given his ship into the hands of the adepts of darkness, or perhaps someone as evil as those people who had been following her on her journey? She had to get out of here, and somehow save the captain, and then… Escape, although she did not know how to do it. They stood opposite each other, glaring at each other menacingly, and then suddenly she rushed towards the Stairs. However, the woman was surprisingly fast, and she managed to grab her by the arm, so she cut her legs and both of them fell to the ground, and for a moment they struggled and One of her blades fell from her hand, but she managed to strike the girl in the stomach with her elbow, which pushed her away for a moment and she was able to move her sword to her neck.

„Let me go or I'll cut your throat.„ she said, but then she felt a slight sting on her own neck and looked to the side, she saw that the strange feline woman was putting her claws to the back of her neck.

„So we have stalemate...„ said the other, smiling at her. She had sharp fangs like a predator. She heard the strange feline beast following her. Sure enough, there was an impasse. For a moment they were panting heavily, looking at each other, until she finally said.

„Okay, I guess we started our relationship off on the wrong foot. My name is Rayla and I'm a friend of Captain Villad.

„And I'm Catra... „ said the other one. It was a very strange name, Although quite adequate. The other one must have noticed from her face that this name sounded strange to her, and she grimaced, and added.

„Yes, I know. It sounds terribly stupid, my wife gave it to me. In her defense, I must say that she was two years old at the time...”

When she heard the woman's explanation, she felt confused. She wasn't really sure why they had started fighting, she had definitely been the one to draw her weapon first, although her excuse was that she had been surprised. Now it seemed pretty absurd to her that she had thought the other one was a dark magic spawn. Dark magic spawns don't have such stupid names...

„Okay, I'll withdraw my blade, and you'll stop digging your claws into my neck and tell your pet not to look at me like you want to eat me, okay?” She said and the strange Cat woman nodded very gently and moved away from her. She also withdrew her blade, and the strange, slightly transparent cat changed color from red to purple-blue.

„Melog is not an animal… He is just as intelligent as you or I. „ The woman there stroked your companion on the neck. She understood that well. After all, Stella was as smart as any human or Elf, and she suspected that was the case with Bait.

"I'm sorry Melog." She said to the feline creature, then looked at Catra . "That means your wife is here too?"

Then the cat woman's face showed pain and she replied

„No, She is far away from here... You can't even imagine how far away.”

At that moment, she completely stopped considering Catra an enemy. She felt sorry for her, and she understood exactly what she felt. She, too, was separated from the one she loved. They had broken up a year ago and hadn't exchanged a single word since then. Usually, she managed not to think about it, but on dark, moonless nights, she missed her so much. She smiled sadly at her and said.

„ I'm sorry about that... I hope you'll be together again soon... I also have someone... Whom I had to leave, but I hope we'll meet again soon.”

The other woman responded with an equally sad smile, and then the ship shook. Probably some sudden gust tilted it, but she crouched down, spreading her legs wide, and felt her dinner rise to her throat. The cat woman, on the other hand, turned pale all over, and dug her claws into the deck of the hold, and her companion changed Color to blue and yellow. When it stopped rocking, they looked at each other and laughed.

„You don't like swimming either? I've hated it since I was a child! When I was a child I learned to swim and I almost drowned.”

Catra nodded and said.

„Yeah, I had a similar experience. You know, I grew up in the barracks, and we were taught to swim by being thrown into a pool of cold water, and we had to crawl out while the other cadets pushed us back in. If it wasn't for my wife, I would have drowned for sure. The fact that I was tortured a few years ago while being submerged in water didn't help either...„ the feline said,  and she looked at her for a moment, wondering if I was joking, but clearly she wasn't.

„I'm sorry.”

Catra shrugged and replied.

„Fortunately, that's behind me… Come on, I'll introduce you to the rest of my companions, there are quite a few of them so it might take some time”

They were about to go up the deck when suddenly she felt something grab her by the horns.

„Are they detachable?„ and two hands pulled her horns. she got scared and turned around abruptly, and saw in front of her another cat-like girl. She was a bit taller than the other one, had dark red hair in a braid, and it seemed sharper from the face, and one of her hands was made of a solid piece of metal. She wore a coat and what was the strangest, she was standing on the ceiling but even so her hair and clothes did not fall down. The sight made her feel sick.

„You've just met one of my... team members. I'd like to introduce you to my sister Eti, and if you're wondering, yes, she's weird.” Catra said

The girl who was named Eti frowned and said.

„You pronounce  very strangely absolutely perfect, awesome and unique creature  sis.

The cat girls led her to the deck. Indeed, she had to admit that their group was quite large and quite unusual. She saw first a tall man with blue hair and a magnificent mustache, who was probably the most nautical sailor she had ever met.

„Hello, inhabitant of this world, I am famous throughout Etheria, Captain Sea Hawk! „ Said bowing low, and she asked.

"This world? Etheria?" she said confused and then Catra sighed heavily and said.

„We'll get to that later. This girl here is Frosta... Princess Frosta... And her companion Shogi.„ She pointed to a girl with dark blue hair, next to whom stood a strange creature with spider legs and the head of a Dog. The girl looked at her and straightened up, then approached and bowed courteously with a serious face.

"Nice to meet you..." she said and she blinked a few times and then bowed as well and said.

„Nice to meet you, Your Highness.”

When Frosta heard her words, she grimaced and replied.

„I am no longer any highness...„ then she tilted her head and said. „You have probably already talked to the princes and people on the throne, right?”

She smiled at her and replied.

„Yes… King  of Katolis and his brother are my friends…”

Catra and Frosta raised their eyebrows in surprise, and Eti tilted her head.

„That's very interesting... We're also going to meet the king because we have to inform him about something very important...„ said the older cat girl, and her sister took her by the arm and pulled her.

„We'll explain it to you in a moment, I have to introduce you to a few more people, including one you absolutely have to meet!”

The next couple she was taken to were much more unusual. As if I were a red-haired girl who had so many small ornaments and objects that looked a bit like amulets attached to her clothes that they jingled with every step... She carried a large axe on her back, which she drew out when she saw them, and then swung it over her head, and then the blade flared up, and the girl said a few words in a language she didn't know.

"Fire on the ship?" Rayla said quietly to herself, feeling a renewed surge of Uneasiness.

„Yes, we are great at setting things on fire.„ Eti explained to her proudly in a strangely flat voice.

„What I said was an Orc greeting. We Orcs once fought elves and weirdos like you, and now we're all friends.„ The redhead explained, and the younger feline explained.

„Don't try to understand, just accept.„ and then she pointed at Another passenger, and then opened wide opened her mouth of surprise. She saw before her a dragon, with silver scales and a strange glass eye, standing on two legs and clawing with its claws like a square flat object.

„Is that a dragon? I mean, it's pretty small, but it's a dragon!„ she said, and the dragon looked at her darkly.

„First of all, I'm not that, I'm just Alatar and I'm definitely not a dragon, and definitely not a small one, just a Dragonkin... Forgive me, but this mistake is very offensive to us.„ he said sarcastically, and Eti replied.

„You don't hit on her anymore... And now I'll introduce you to someone you should meet.„ and she led her to the girl straightening rope. I'll send her back, At first she thought she was an earthblod elf, because of her short green hair and dark complexion, but apart from that she looked strange... She had no horns, and on top of that her hands had five fingers... Suddenly she understood who she was dealing with.

"You're a half-elf!" she exclaimed suddenly, and both girls looked at her in amazement and disbelief.

 Who am I supposed to be?„ the green haired one said clenching her fists and she said slightly confused.

"You know, the child of a human and an elf..." she said, and then Eti said.

„Itel Is a pure-blooded Elf, I can tell the difference between an elf and a half-elf, I've slept with both of them... „ She looked at her with resentment.

„But... You don't have horns, and you have a fifth finger...„ she said carefully, and the strange Elf frowned and, crossing her arms over her chest, said in a hard voice.

“Because unlike you, I'm not a Tiefling…”

„Who?„ she said, feeling more and more confused, and then Eti began to explain.

„You know, someone whose ancestors are devils, demons and so on... Your parents were probably ashamed to tell you. Anyway, let's talk about important things now. I'm sure you'll like Itel! She's a great swordswoman, smart, athletic, and great in bed! I checked myself! „ The cat girl said and took out a brush, then started combing the green”haired girl's hair. Both she and the other Elf blushed, then Itel looked at Eti angrily and said.

„First of all, why are you combing my hair with Toshi's brush, and secondly... Are you my matchmaker?”

„First of all, I don't have another brush, but there's almost no hair left in it, and secondly, I'm not matchmaking you, I'm just advertising you, that's something completely different! „ the cat girl replied.

„But I have a boyfriend!„ She said with a trace of panic in her voice, Eti tilted her head to the side and said…

„Have you seen each other for a long time? Besides, Itel would certainly agree to share you, she had many parents.”

She slowly started to back away, but she saw Catra approaching her. She had a questioning frown on her face, so she too felt uneasy, and then the feline said.

„ If you've met everyone... Then we need to talk. „ She motioned for them to come near the mast, and then Catra leaned her back against the pole of the Mast, and asked

„Is it true that your friend is... a king, yes?”

„Yes, and his brother and I...„ She said and scratched her temple. „We are together...„ she finished, and then Eti, standing next to her, looked at Itel and said.

„You better try harder, because I won't take care of everything for you, or you'll miss the opportunity unless you get them as a package.”

Catra, however, sighed with relief and said

„You can't even imagine what a wonderful coincidence this is... And not only for us.„ She looked at her very seriously, she also got a little scared and added. „Listen, what you're about to hear may be shocking, but you have to find out...„ she didn't finish, because Eti took the floor.

“On your planet appeared a monstrously evil and terribly stinking woman called Odora, who looks like a beauty, But in reality she is an ancient monster, and she is accompanied by a psychopath in a half-mask, and an ancient cybernetic vampire dragon. They will probably want to kill you all and then turn you into zombies, just for fun, but don't worry, Before that happens, someone will probably destroy your planet. The only thing is not known, will it be an ancient ship of a certain nasty race, Which flies here to fuck it all up, or will there be a swarm, i.e. a gigantic army of large bugs, which will eat it all. That's it, but look on the brighter side of life, before you die and lose everything you know and love, you met me.“ She patted her on the shoulder.

Chapter Text

Evangeline was dreaming and fully conscious at the same time, one of the many gifts she had received from her Father. She felt the space stretching around her as her ship sailed through the wondrous nothingness of space. She felt her place in time and space, in her father's domain. In her father's body. She no longer remembered what it was like to perceive the world with ordinary senses, she had been exalted so long ago. She had awakened to her heritage, opened eyes that had been so blind before. She saw that the way she now perceived the world would be a nightmare for other beings... At least that's what they told her, but she often didn't listen to them, preferring to open her minds To the beauty of the singing primordial chaos and the terrifyingly beautiful reality imperceptible to mortal senses, as much as to open their  bodies. She was certain that all those whose minds were enlightened by her Were happy, they were just afraid to admit it, because the bourgeois vision of the laws of physics and logic and the puritan ideals of mental health did not allow them to fully understand the happiness they experienced. Fortunately, she knew well that all the protests and pleas for mercy were just teasing, and those whom she enlightened truly loved How she carved in their body, mind and soul, After all, pain and madness were the best ways to know true beauty.

Now however she had to stop for a while in her mission to open her eyes to the wonder of the universe because she had to do what one of her father's friends asked her to do. She smiled remembering one of her friends who came from the place she wanted to go to but first Unfortunately she had to visit some rather sad individuals but she believed that thanks to her visit their faces would appear a smile... Or some other grimace but it didn't matter, the important thing was that they taught them to live better as she always did wherever she went..

Her small crew were the Denizens of Leng, a fabulously beautiful plateau where her castle had been for thousands of years. They were obedient and hardworking, although she had to admit that many of them were not as good companions as ordinary mortals, but perhaps because she was half human after all, and the ordinary inhabitants of the Galaxy were obviously closer to her than these magnificent but strangebeings. Although on the other hand... She often had the impression that their minds were too tightly bound by the shackles of logic. Perhaps she should check, or I had to go from work to make myself happier, more capable of listening to the music of the spheres... After all, it was the most beautiful song in the entire Universe!

Her ship was created from the fusion of the bodies and souls of two Kaiju, and its hull was made of living tissue, but inside it were placed Cords made of adamantium and other precious metals, resembling a termite nest formed in a flesh tree, it was so beautifully artistic!

She didn't travel through a regular Drift, but rather glided on the edge of the beautiful space that was her father's soul. They were faster this way, and more importantly, it was much harder for those who hadn't made a pact with the true masters of this Universe to detect them... And also to avoid contact with the minor deities who had access to the dimension created by Triune. When her ship's senses began to inform them that they were almost there. She smiled and mentally ordered the ship to return to material space, where the detection systems of the Seven Celestial  Brothers quickly located them. The first ships, guided by artificial intelligence, flew towards them and opened fire. The shields of her ship were resistant enough to Withstand the fire, and then the Song of the Void extended its tentacles, which created an electromagnetic storm that destroyed most of the ships that attacked her. She smiled sadly, and then her ship opened its mouth and threw a plasma beam at the nearest larger ship, which exploded in a beautiful ball of flames. It was quite fun, but she didn't come here to play, so she opened the comm links and said..

„ I am Evangeline de Maledictus, Wanderer Of The Vast Void, Wanderer Through Time And Space, Troubadour Of The Songs Of The Spheres, Artist Without Boundaries, Sculptor Of Bodies, Painter Of Souls, Shatterer Of Minds! I have come here through The Darkness Between The Stars to speak with the Seven Celestial Brothers. I know they may be a little nervous about my presence, but I assure them that all I desire is peace and love, as the Great Horde Prime desired them…”

She waited a moment. It might have been an hour, or maybe a whole day, for someone as magnificent as her it didn't matter. After all, she had lived for millennia, and time and space were just a river created from the body of her father Yog-Sototh, who himself was just a dream of Azatoth, the idiot god of nuclear chaos.

„You may come as long as you pay respect to our great leader, the protector of the seven heavens, the one who lives, though he has been killed a thousand times, the one who cast out the shadows, but if we detect even a shadow of unbelief in you, you will be annihilated!

She was offended, both by the suggestion that they would do her harm and by the doubts about her faith. After all, she was a daughter of God, who could have more faith than she did, who had insight into his mind and soul?

„I think it must be really nice there, I would love to land there.” Heart  Gift said sitting next to Tirin, who shivered slightly at the thought and said.

„It's probably the same there as on Etheri... But you've already been there.”

„And I really liked it there! You know, when I was... just part of the archive, I didn't know how good it was to experience things physically. I have hundreds of sensors, but they don't provide information as well as a mind in a real body. Now I understand the context of everything I saw and felt.„ The ancient AI said, and smiled warmly at her. She felt strangely embarrassed and looked away. She had grown fond of Heart Gift throughout the journey, who was nice and full of… Pure joy. She saw the world as something completely different from her, as something beautiful and wonderful. Although she wasn’t After all, an unaware child, at least not entirely. She had experienced a tragedy, she had lost both Mothers… Women she loved, and Who loved her. She wasn’t sure if when she was alive Heart Gift knew that they were her mothers, but she had definitely experienced that tragedy, she had seen her crying in those underground. Now, however, she seemed so strong, as if the evil she had experienced was nothing. Meanwhile, she was hiding from the world that terrified her, which no longer posed as much of a threat to her as it once did. Both were also descendants of criminals who were ready to kill and torture anyone who opposed their superiors. However, she would always live in the shadow of what her father had done, how her captain had wronged her… If it weren’t for Moonshadow, she would never have redeemed her sins. Who knows, perhaps she herself would eventually become part of this monstrous apparatus of repression…

However, even now she couldn't see the beauty in the universe like her friend, enjoy nature, trees and other ordinary things. She envied her, although that wasn't the right word, rather... She longed to be like her, even though she knew she would never be, not after what her mother had done to her. She could only hope that in the future she would be able to enjoy life half as much as Heart Gift. To distract herself from these sad thoughts, she smiled and spoke to her friend.

„Can you connect to installations on Etheria now?”

They were near the water purification plant, where they often spent time together, because usually no one would disturb them here. Heart Gift thought for a moment, then shook her head and answered.

„No, we're too far away and the relativistic effect makes it impossible, and my body doesn't have space communication systems, let alone magical ways of transmitting information or through the Drift.„ she explained, but then smiled and added. „However, I can connect to any ship system if I want.”

She raised her eyebrows and spoke in her voice, which, despite being processed through a speech synthesizer, had a hint of mischief in it.

„Try it, we'll see if they listened to anything interesting.”

Her friend walked over to the terminal and placed her hand on it, then tilted her head.

„So Ireanis is bathing and singing.„ she turned her palm up and displayed a hologram of a silver-haired elf singing in the shower. She felt her face begin to blush, so she looked away and said.

„Maybe we should look for someone else... Maybe we should check on the captain.„ She said and the android nodded and a hologram appeared on her hand showing Captain Moonshadow, who had her blouse unbuttoned and was hugging her husband.

„Oh no! I definitely don't want to watch this!„ She cried, covering her eyes, and then Heart Gift replied.

„ Maybe we should see what's going on with Bina , you were friends with her crew, right?

You could say that, although they visited each other less often during the flight than they did during her time as a random prisoner of war and then a member of the people's rebellion , so she figured it was a good idea.

She saw on the display of one of the cameras showing Bina playing cards with Wrongdak. Only she started to take off her blouse, so she immediately signaled to the Android to turn it off.

"I guess the fact that everyone is a bit relieved after we escaped from that dragon, and this planet seems to be quite nice, so everyone seems to want to express how much they've been used to it..." She said out loud, more to herself than to her companion, and Heart Gift tilted her head in curiosity and said.

 "You're talking about everyone wanting to make love, although that probably doesn't apply to this Elf, I'll make sure... Now it does, although she's by herself..." The android also seemed confused...

„You probably... know about these things...?„ she asked her companion timidly, and she almost had the impression that the other girl was starting to blush, although when she answered, she could hear certainty in her voice.

“Of course I know, I have a lot of knowledge... Also about the biology of most species known to the First Ones... Only that... My mothers didn't explain certain things to me... Those not entirely related to physicality... And what do you know about all this?” Heart Gift She looked at her questioningly, and she began to look carefully at the feet of her suit. Because of what had happened to her, she knew that she would never start a family, although her father tried to betroth her to someone from the Great Families of the empire anyway, after all she had pure blood, and in his opinion there was definitely a way for me to have offspring who wouldn't be infected with parasites and toxins flowing in her blood. Perhaps it would even be possible, but she wasn't sure if her father's bloodline should be continued... To be honest, she never thought she would have to talk to someone about such topics, after all she was Tirin, a crippled navigator in a suit, whose body was just as dangerous to others as it was to her. In fact, she had never had another person who could arouse her… interest… But now I looked at Heart Gift and She felt something she had never felt before. It wasn't just desire, But something more complicated, a warmth spreading throughout her body, pleasant but unsettling, So she decided to change the subject again and asked.

„Maybe we'll see what Castaspella is doing! She's definitely not doing anything strange!„ she said with great hope in her voice, and her friend nodded and an image of the Sorceress, who was watching some elven soap opera with bated breath, appeared on her hand.

„I don't spy on anyone, but I've noticed that over the past week she's been spending most of her free time watching TV series that Alatar sent her. At least she does it every time I visit her.”

She grimaced, then looked at Heart Gift , who was smiling more gently… She had really pretty lips. The thought made her feel a sudden surge of panic, so she spoke with a desperation in Italy that she hoped her friend hadn’t noticed.

„This could search the entire ship, and those in the area. Maybe there's something interesting.”

The android squinted for a moment as if searching for something, then frowned and said.

„It's strange, but there is one room here where Blackout Enabled ... I mean, all recording systems have been cut off. It's very strange.”

Trin felt a twinge of Anxiety, and asked for a Heart Gift .

„Are you able to check who was looking into this room?”

The android nodded her head and her gaze became focused, as if she was watching something visible only to her.

„Only Igzar and the second mate Gydwa and Boatswain Kaerth were present there.„ The android explained , and she felt her anxiety grow.

„Could you see what they are doing there?” She asked her friend, who looked at her and asked.

„I suspect it's against the rules here, besides this ship doesn't have a full monitoring system, I'd have to hack into their datapads, and I'm pretty sure it's against the rules and regulations set by Captain Moonshadow.„ Heart Gift said looking at her with concern, and she hesitated only for a moment, she asked again.

„Please do it. Do it for me!”

Heart Gift nodded then took out her Datapad and turned on the speakers.

„ ...but is she still your captain? You can see that she is following the orders of my older niece, the one who was the right hand of one of Horde Prime's henchmen... The other one tried to steal my soldiers from me to please her older sister. The truth is that we are all now playing knights in shining armor, who are supposed to forget about why they became rebels and pirates.„ Igzar said in an angry tone, and she felt that her concern was fully justified

„So tell us my dear what should we do about it?„ asked the second mate Gydwa and he laughed quietly and said.

„What do you think? Walking in the void will surely kill even someone who is supposedly immortal!„ replied the leader of the Shadows of Tarak, and She felt, her heart was squeezed! This man wanted to kill her captain! A woman who was like a mother to her, who was better to her than her mother. Without her, she would still be the only child in the labor camp on Jadehell. She must do something, She must save her!

„ Only you don't know her, she's a really good Warrior. Dozens of Azlanti have seen how dangerous she can be. You haven't seen her in battle, but I've heard of those who say your younger niece defeated you, so how do you expect to face such a great pirate? Not to mention that now there's her old husband, a supposedly very powerful wizard, and your two nieces and their friends.„ She heard the skeptical voice of Boatswain Kaert , and then Igzar growled menacingly and answered him.

„They are both not here, they are on the planet playing heroine again. But think about what you can do, it's your ship, you have access to the ventilation system, I just need to let in the gas and I'll have a lot of really poisonous gas!”

„That changes things, and it would actually be kind of ironic if after all that escaping from Jadehell, she was finally killed by something she was breathing into her lungs…„ Said the second officer Gydwa and the nativity scene laughed darkly

There was silence for a moment, and she felt her heart beating faster and faster. So it was true! They wanted to kill her captain! They already had a plan! They must have already made preparations! She had to… She had to warn her… And quickly! She looked at Heart Gift , who looked equally shocked, then looked at her and said.

„Quick, we have to warn the captain! They... Quick!„ she said trying to control her panic, and her companion nodded and said.

„Then we'll have to postpone the kissing lessons until later.„ and she took her by the arm and pulled her along. She was so scared that she barely realized what the android said.

The Song of Void was just docking at the great spaceport located on the shattered moon. This place was called Sarebath , and it was one of the places of great importance to the Galactic Horde ... It was said that this was where the great Horde Prime had set up his sanctuary, where he would come to meditate on his divinity, and when he felt defiled by the filth of the universe. Many believed that he himself had shattered the moon, but that funny little liar had never denied or confirmed it. However, she had been on a picnic with Mr. Glaki, where, during a meal made of several people from the nearby Town, she was absolutely certain that they were very happy to let them have such a good time, she learned that this place had been torn apart by the Krellans, during the Bloodstone War, to consume the ancient moon goddess who lived there. It hadn't quite worked, they had maimed her but definitely not killed her, and even now she could feel traces of her power, though she was a demigoddess... Although unlike her sister, she had never felt superior to anyone because of it.

When her ship docked, she headed for the docking lock, then fell to the floor. For the first time in a long time, she felt that strange force that is gravity. She felt cold metal under her bare feet, and her cartilaginous skeleton took a few moments to get used to gravity again, but when the lock doors opened, she was already used to the new conditions. She was greeted by a delegation consisting of clones and robots, all pointing their weapons at her. It was so funny how hard they tried, they were like children threatening a warrior with wooden swords. She laughed at the thought, and they continued to act so serious!

„You're coming with us, you'll stand before the Celestial Brothers!„ said their commander, and she giggled and allowed herself to be led.

They didn't walk for long at all, until she finally found herself in a large circular room dominated by an empty throne with numerous stairs leading up to it, at the feet of which stood seven Horde Prime clones, surrounding her in a semi-circle.

„Why did you come here!„ said one of them, who seemed to be the leader, and she smiled at him, making him flinch, and then she spoke in her gentle voice.

"I want to experience your unity. Is that a noble goal you consider?" she said, tilting her head slightly to the side, and they looked at each other in confusion...

„Does that mean you'll let them chip you ? „ said another one with a mixture of surprise and suspicion in his voice, and she nodded vigorously.

„Yes, I absolutely understand and completely agree to everything that comes with it. I hope to bring to your community a love of beauty, love of neighbor, and my mercury heart.

Usually when she spoke of her mercury heart, others were surprised, but this time they didn't even notice, which only made her happy. This collaboration was shaping up to be really delicious. She waited a moment for the technicians to arrive, and she saw the brothers exchanging glances and furtive smiles, like children who wanted to play a trick on her. They would only laugh when they saw what a trick she had prepared for them!

Installing the chip took only a few moments, someone simply put a small object against the back of her neck and it bit into her flesh, she just had to stop her natural regeneration, and in a moment everything was ready, they just had to connect her to the collective consciousness. She waited a moment, with an effort not to giggle, and then she felt their minds open to her, and then she showed them her magnificent self in all its glory. She felt a thousand minds freeze in unspeakable awe and wonder, and then she reached out to them, all at once and each separately. A shriek rang out from the throats of thousands of beings inhabiting the territory of the Seven Celestial Brothers. The brothers fell to their knees and began to writhe, in indescribable suffering, some of them digging their fingers into their eyes and gouging them out. Their bodies bent, muscles tore, bones broke but in her infinite love she did not let them die, she ordered their bodies to regenerate, wounds to heal, bones to set, but that was not all! She began to carve into their tissue and minds, so as to extract true beauty from them, like an artist carves in wood and marble. She decided to do in spite of their creator, she gave each of them a unique shape, beautiful in its monstrosity... Now everyone understood that they were exceptional! She tore them away from the shackles of sanity, through torment she allowed them to get to know themselves, to extract what was most beautiful from them. She looked at the shapes crawling around her and decided that it was good! A tear of delight ran down her cheek, she had been so proud of herself for a long time and she could not get over the magnificence of what she had done. She decided to stay here for a while, and together with all the selves sing together a song of love born of suffering, and beautifully hidden in unimaginable horror... Her duties could wait a few days, but then... Then she would visit a certain place... She would like to meet her sister, and teach her to look at the more monstrous part of life, and then fulfill the orders of the Crawling Chaos. She remembered something else... She had a daughter after all... She hadn't seen her for so long... But now she would meet her again. I wonder how she has grown! After all, thousands of years have passed

Chapter Text

Captain Moonshadow lay in her husband's arms. They were fine, after all these years they were together again, they had managed to escape from danger, and she no longer worried about how his relationship with her second husband would work out... It would be fine. They just had to complete this mission... Of course, it was easier said than done, after all they had to do it in order to defeat an extremely powerful and mysterious ancient Race that wanted to cleanse the universe of intelligent life. But in the end her daughter had defeated, or at least helped defeat one of the greatest tyrants in the galaxy, and now they could work together to achieve victory... For her daughter... For her daughters, and also for her grandchild, whoever it was.

She had trouble getting used to the idea that she would be a grandmother, but after all, she was over five hundred years old, and from what she remembered, she was a mother for the first time. So she would also be a grandmother for the first time. You smiled at that. Think and hugged your husband tighter. Soon they would want to Consider what to do with the situation, and where to land. However, they could lie in bed peacefully for a while longer…

Only, the peaceful lying in bed ended when Trin ran in with Heart Gift. She stood up and wrapped herself in the sheet, frowning in surprise, but when she saw the terror in her daughter-navigator's eyes, she understood that the situation was really serious, so she gave up on modesty and started to dress.

„What happened? The dragon came back? The Azlanti came? Did Igzar go crazy?”

„Yes!„ Trin said , then shook her head and corrected herself. „ Igzar wants to overthrow you with the help of Gydwa and probably Bosman Kaert, but I'm not sure he agreed, because we didn't eavesdrop on everything.”

„I can still eavesdrop on them, I told you I have access to their Datapads …”

She looked at the android  Even though the other girl wasn't really an android, She was something much more Strange and unknown, but she had to trust her.

"If you can listen in on them and keep track of what they're doing, that would help us a lot." She said, and the girl nodded and seemed to listen for something, then frowned.

„I think they got separated, Igzar went to his people and Gydwa goes to the communication center, I'm not sure where Petty Officer Kaert is, he never carried a Datapad, but I can't hear him anyway.”

"What exactly is Igzar's plan?" Mikach asked, and Tirin answered him with a trace of panic in her voice.

„He wants to spray poison gas into the aeration systems. If only Gydwa helps him, everyone he wants to kill will die... You will die, my captain.„ Ammonia-smelling tears flowed from her eyes.

She cursed, and quickly began to think about what they had to do. She understood that she should have expected something like this a long time ago. Gydwa tried to undermine and oppose authority. However, she was too cautious to accept power herself, and on top of that, she had recently achieved some successes... But not entirely. Her people did not fight Antares' subordinates , but she still messed with one of the most dangerous people in the galaxy, and above all with someone who dealt cards with the anointing of the authorities of the Pact and Veskarium worlds . On top of that, she discovered the truth about herself, and got involved in the matter of her world... In the matter of her daughter... She probably expected too much from pirates, admittedly more decent ones, but still living for fighting and robbery, above all robbery. If there were no Shadows, perhaps her second mate would not have dared to mutiny, but unfortunately Igzar was a person full of treacherous cunning and decided to take advantage of the discord between her and the Veska warrior. Now she understood what a mistake she had made, but there was no way she could fix it…

„We need to contact the loyalists quickly or be warned, because I'm not sure if Igzar won't want to get rid of them in the process... After all, they're useless to him, they're just a drain on his resources, unless he can somehow come to an understanding with his fellow general...„ She wasn't sure if that was possible. From what she knew, Lonnie had been involved in a conflict with Catra for the past few years, who was now, or rather whose sister was, Igzar's rival, humiliated him, so they could ally as well... But she had to take the risk.

„Heart Gift, you can open a secure connection, With all the people I mentioned…”

The Android girl nodded and said.

„Yes, I can even Make you see their holographic images and you can talk together... That's what I did with you when Tirin was looking for you.„ Android explained in her strangely gentle and calm voice, and then Miikach asked.

„Does that mean you… saw us?”

„Yes, but we didn't really see anything, just like Bina and Wrongdak, who were playing strip poker, And Ireanis taking shower, Although here we saw a little more...”

Must remember to talk to Heart Gift about privacy sometime…

„Alariel ! We have been married for a hundred years and you leave me for this girl!„ Prince Ingaros cried , and then his wife clutched her heart and said.

" You think we've been married for a hundred years, but in fact she was my wife long before we met, and it was your mother who had her kidnapped by the cabal of darkness!" Alariel spread her arms wide, and Castaspella shook her head in disbelief and said.

„This is normally real life, even more than real.„ And She took a big sip of tea. She had never watched TV in her entire life, mainly because it didn't exist on Etheria. She regretted it very much, because it was a very interesting invention. Dozens of stories that could be enjoyed with just one click of the remote control. The technological progress was something amazing! If she were a less confident person, she would worry that such discoveries and inventions would make magic less necessary, but she was above such matters! Besides, what she was watching was the highest form of art! Life, death, love and hate, tragedies and happy moments, elven soap operas contained it all. Now she focused on watching one, because she didn't have much to do during the entire trip anyway. It was called “Full of sorrows and joys, the stars dance under the night sky” and told the story of an elven family, who had to deal with the problems of everyday life, and also avoid the machinations of a greedy Drow corporation, managed by a certain Elspeth , the dark character of the entire series. The series had been broadcast for a hundred and fifty years, and supposedly had several thousand episodes, and she had only watched a hundred and so many things had happened! She wasn’t sure if she would live long enough to watch it to the end, and there were still a lot of other interesting things, for example a documentary about people investigating the wrecks of lost ships, or storage wars!

But those elven soap operas were the best. She had always liked romantic stories, and this was something so much more wonderful, so much more alive and real! Some wondered why she liked a love story, considering she wasn't interested in that sort of thing herself, but she always said that many of those who read adventure stories didn't want to face a giant monster either, but they enjoyed reading them! It was the same with her! Just because she didn't seek love in her life, either physical or spiritual, didn't mean she couldn't enjoy watching others fall in love! She had always been happy that her brother loved his wife so much, and even now, after all these years and despite how much they had all changed, she liked watching Mikach and Angela together. If it weren't for that one thing... She understood that her sister-i-”law didn't remember who she was, she had no idea that her husband was alive, that he had a family, but she still felt like she had been betrayed... To her surprise, her brother didn't have any major problems with it... She couldn't understand it, but she was more tolerant and more inclined to judge others... She remembered how long they had been in conflict with Angela , and then she had a hard time tolerating Catra ... Maybe she should learn to be more understanding...

She rewound a part of the episode from the series, because she was lost in thought. She smiled seeing the dramatic conversation of the couple in love continue and smiled to herself, understanding how much all these series resembled normal life. For a while longer she followed the fascinating fate of the elven aristocratic family, she still couldn't quite get used to the fact that The Saihe were called Elves here, and then She heard someone texting her through her Datapad … She sighed in irritation, paused the movie, and turned on the device, then received the message.

„Head sorcerer Castaspella ! Igzar plans to kill Captain Moonshadow! You must quickly report to the indicated...„ she didn't have time to listen to the end, because someone grabbed her by the throat and started choking her.

Lonnie wiped her face with a handkerchief, then went back to her exercises. Her leg had stopped hurting. Thanks to modern healing, as well as the use of magic, it actually wasn't as good as it had been before, maybe even better. She grimaced, despite everything, remembering how long it had been hurting. Only, as she grimaced, she felt the stiffness of the skin around the scar. Which made her flooded with a sudden surge of irritation and anger. This wound took longer to heal than the shot to the leg, and in a way, it bothered her much more. It didn't really hurt, but with every stronger grimace of her face, it reminded her of what had happened Down Under. Not long ago, she had felt anger towards Catra for what she had done to her there, but now it was all gone. It wasn't that she had forgiven her, it was just that she understood how senseless and absurd that fight had been. Because of her ambition, everyone was now in danger. The alliance with the Mi-go was probably broken, and the doctor had to return to them. Or had he found new allies, just as repulsive as he was? First she wanted to use this ship to ensure her rebellion's victory, then she wanted to use it to defend all of Etheria from the forces of the Lord Admiral and his minions, but it turned out that the ancient warship had other plans. Now the world they were orbiting could be destroyed. And if that happened, it would be her fault!

„Maybe rest for a moment, and have some water or tea? I just made some good ones with raspberry juice! „ Kyle said, smiling at her, and she smiled back. One positive thing that had changed recently was the fact that her relationship with her Boyfriends had returned to normal, as evidenced by tonight. She smiled to herself at the memory. Despite everything, she still had them and her people, and as long as they were together, they could handle anything!

Then she heard the Datapad start to make a sound that meant someone was sending her a message. She raised an eyebrow and turned it on, and then she heard the voice of that strange artificial person Queen Angela had found on her quest, and that Kyle had met twice before .

„Comrade General Lonnie! We must warn you that Igzar wants to take control of our mission and the cruiser Mercyless. We ask that you try to take over your ship and... And somehow save yourselves.”

She exchanged glances with Kyle, who was looking at her with horror in his eyes, she didn't blame him because suddenly their situation had completely turned around. Just a moment ago they were safe, and now it turned out that Catra's uncle and Eti, whom she had beaten up because he was a dangerous psychopath in her opinion, were a threat to them. She had to think and act quickly! Because if she was late, she would let everyone down again. She would let her loved ones down, her friends, her family! She couldn't let that happen!

„Kyle , Notify the officers and my Guard... And of course Rogelio.„ She said to her boyfriend, who with shaking hands began typing something on his Datapad, while she reached for her staff. She smiled at the feeling of the cold metal in her hand... The only good thing that came out of starting to work with Mi-Go ... And maybe that one night Scarlet... Which never existed...

At that moment she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, pressing the metal staff into her hands, and saw the man Saihe in front of her, who, from what she remembered, was an officer on the ship of the former queen… She spread her legs wide, taking a fighting stance, and Kyle grabbed the sword, as if he believed he knew how to use it. Since he had it, he had become more confident.

At the sight of this, the man raised one hand, and then she saw that with the other hand he was clutching his arm, from which blood was oozing.

„Calm down! I came to you... Although I see I'm late.”

Castaspella had never been a warrior, at most a teacher and university administrator, but she had been in combat a few times over the past few years, and had somehow managed to acquire a few reflexes… So when her attacker's arm tried to wrap around her neck to squeeze her throat, she tried to claw and scratch him. This only succeeded in preventing him from immediately distracting her by cutting off the blood supply to her brain, but there was not much more she could do. She tried to quickly recall the things Ireanis had taught her during this journey, but she failed, she was close to panic. She regretted now that she had not become a true war mage like her silver-haired friend… Just when she thought she would have to give up and let her enemy take her down, she heard behind her.

„You won't hurt your sister-in-law of Mrs. Captain! „ and then she heard a short and muffled cry and a hug, and then the attacker fell to the floor.

„And you see! Such is the fate that befalls all who cross Captain Moonshadow and her magnificent First Mate!”

She turned around and saw this strange fluffy creature with six arms, which was now holding bloody blades, and next to him lying on the floor a man with several wounds around his thighs and lower back. This was not the first corpse she had seen in her life, not even the most mangled, during a great battle victims of a spell cast by Shadow Weaver, a much more horrible sight. She took a closer look at the person who had been killed by the tiny swordsman. He wore simple and colorful clothes, which meant he was probably one of the pirates subordinate to Captain Moonshadow.

„He probably just wanted to immobilize you, otherwise he would have cut your throat or just shot you in the back of the head.„ Her savior explained, shaking the blood off the blades, and she shuddered, realizing how close she had come to being captured or dead….

„Mrs. Castaspella, can you hear me? „ came the worried voice of a young… Not-so-young AI from the datapad. She ran over and grabbed her datapad, aware that her brother and sister-in-law were probably scared.

„I'm fine. One of the Pirates tried to overpower me, but luckily that six-armed ... Angela's officer knocked him down.”

„That's good, because your brother was starting to worry... The captain says you should meet near the gardens, where it should be fairly safe, or head to the nearby escape pod, they're capable of landing on the planet.„ Heart Gift replied, and she smiled at the Datapad and said.

„Okay, we'll try to hit one of these two places!„ She said and looked at the screen, where the soap opera characters were unknowingly continuing their discussion. She felt that she wouldn't be able to continue her new hobby anytime soon.

„Oh, I haven't watched such old episodes, they were probably filmed during my great-grandfather's lifetime, but I think I have them all copied on my Datapad ... Then it turns out that her wife is an ancient vampire dragon, and the Mother of his son's child.„ he explained, and she nodded seriously and said quietly.

„Normally Just life.„ and no longer feeling disappointed at having to interrupt her new favorite pastime, she began to follow the little swordsman.

"It's great that Tonado is with your sister, together they will be safe." She said running ahead. Her husband, as well as Tirin and Heart Gift ran alongside, keeping up with them without any problems.

„ What are you going to do?„ Mikach asked and she looked at him and replied with sadness in her voice.

„We have to evacuate from here. If it was just my crew, we'd manage somehow, but if they get support from Igzar , we don't stand a chance. I'm sorry to say, but the only thing we can do is escape.”

Mikach nodded in understanding, and then they continued forward without stopping for a moment. Fortunately, the android hacked all the Datapads, so they knew where everyone was and how to avoid other pirates, although the news of the usurpation of power had probably spread. They had to enter side corridors a few times and once even a shaft above the main part of the ship, but they didn't have to face anyone. When they were close, they heard the voice of the second officer Gydwa over the speakers...

„Listen, together with the commander-in-chief Igzar, we decided that it was time for a change... Our captain started playing the fucking heroine, instead of being someone who leads our crew. Damn it, we never signed up to be some saviors who serve a queen cursed by devils and demons! We are free pirates of the dark void! We fight for glory and gold! Not in the name of the ideals of fucking aristocrats! I promise you that we will use our position to gain power on this primitive and backward planet, thanks to which we will flow with riches and Honors! Anyone who wants to side with this winged whore, however, will have to learn to breathe in a vacuum!„ and the alarm sounded. She saw the anger on her husband's face when he heard the insult thrown by the huge Veska, but he said nothing. After a few moments, they found themselves at the entrance to the garden… The Gardens of the Long Death… She grimaced as she looked at the door, adorned with the broken symbol of the Star Empire. She hadn't been there since she had come to Etheria. It was a place that represented everything that was worst in her, the darkest side of her nature. It was Captain Moonshadow's sanctuary, a place where she could immerse herself in her angry hatred. But it was also a place that was rarely approached, especially after the death of the last prisoner who had failed to withstand the conditions here.

"There's a passageway to the shuttle we'll use to escape on the other side. That's why I put the garden here, in case she needs to evacuate. This is the safest place on the entire ship, in a way." She said and looked at the others and sighed heavily.

„I locked up here the officers of the AeonGuard, and not only... They put me here, very slowly. I know it's terrible, and you'll have to see how...„ she said to her husband. He had no shield, Who was there to protect him from the toxins that floated there, nor from the players of the plants, and fungi that lived there. Tirin's suit was definitely protected from what was there, and she was sure of the Heart Gift . She took off her mask from her face and gave it to Mikach , and then said.

„You and Heart Gift will have to share this... „ But then the tiny android interrupted her .

„I'm adapted to cope with these conditions. It's a really well-designed body.”

„I'm glad.„ and looked at Miikach, who didn't seem to be scared, although he should have been, and she said.

„Don't take off that face for any reason! You should still have eye and skin protection, but unfortunately we don't have time to get ready. Follow me and don't stop!„ She said, But then her husband looked at her and shook his head, trying to give her the mask back.

„I can't accept this! What's with you, my love!

She smiled and replied.

„I survived there for ten months, ten more minutes won't hurt me!„ and she put her hand on the door which opened and their eyes saw a poisonous green greenhouse. Then the four of them plunged into the green hell of Jadehell.

Mikach, as soon as they found themselves in this strange garden, felt a burning sensation in his eyes, and also on his entire skin. This place looked beautiful, it was covered with vegetation, so green that it seemed to burn the eyes, as strongly as the fumes that rose here. Angela covered her mouth with her sleeve, and seemed to be coping for now, but still He took her by the arm and they walked forward together along the narrow path. And so they were led by these two girls, the navigator in the spacesuit, who was now also his new daughter, and the work of the ancient race.  These two seemed to pay almost no attention to where they were, maybe it was better this way. He sensed that this place emanated death, that a lot of people had died here and most of them died quickly! He glanced at his wife, who was pressing her lips together tightly, trying not to breathe too hard. Now he finally understood who the one he loved had become, during those years when she was a pirate, that what had been done to her really wasn't just about her body, but her soul had been mutilated as well. He felt his skin and eyes sting, for now it was bearable, but with every passing moment it was getting worse. Once he brushed against a strange growth on one of the trunks , which belonged to a short twisted tree and felt a strange itching in that place, and saw that the skin was covered with something purple and slimy, and then Angela created this icy flare and gently put it on that spot, which hurt, but he understood that for some reason it was necessary, apparently what his skin was covered with was more dangerous than possible frostbite. They kept walking, and he was more careful not to touch anything, but it was getting harder and harder, because his eyes were stinging and watery, he suspected that special glasses were usually worn in such a place,. But with Angela it was getting worse. She tried to stand up straight, but with increasing effort, though she tried to hide it. He thought, and then took off the mask, and felt what lungs were flooded with the sour, corrosive smell, and then he gave it to her. Angela shook her head and pushed it away, but then He gave it to her, and said, choking.

„Take it, I'll manage... My body isn't ruined like yours... It's just a few more moments.„ he said, and his wife nodded. They continued walking for a while longer. I try to stay as far away from these plants as possible and above all not to touch any of them. Fortunately, Tirin used the weapons of her bionic suit to move the leaves and branches away, so that none of them got in their way. Every breath was more and more difficult, he felt his tongue, esophagus and even gums burning, he salivated, and the taste of this saliva was disgusting and toxic, he had to spit out the sputum on the ground several times, spitting on himself a few times. It was horrible, and he couldn't help but admire that his beloved had survived in such a place for so many months, knowing that she probably wouldn't get out of there... He took her by the arm and let her insist on him, it was getting harder and harder for them and now he practically had to drag her forward. but eventually they reached the front door and his wife put her biological hand to the DNA reader. It made a few squeaky sounds and the large side door opened , simultaneously flashing a sign warning of Contamination by whatever the local plants were secreting. He squeezed his wife tighter and practically pushed her out, then moved her away from the door and they breathed heavily together.

"You were... So strong." He whispered to his beloved, who collapsed onto his shoulder, but he saw her eyes smiling, with a mixture of relief and triumph.

„I've worked a bit on the ventilation and now the fumes from there will be sucked onto the bridge, they probably won't kill anyone, but they'll definitely have to get everyone out, and that should buy us some time.”

His wife nodded and said…

„Yes, I only regret that I was not able to help Lonnie… and actually Where is your sister?„ she looked at him as anxiously, and then Heart Gift closed her eyes and said.

„Tonado sent information that they both got into the escape pod and are heading towards the planet's surface... I also tried to contact Chef, but he hung up and...”

Then an explosion rocked the ship, and the android made a pained face and looked at them with strangely absent eyes and said.

“Gozamund sends his regards and says it was an honor to serve under you, but she wanted to weaken that nasty cat's position, so he blew up the armory.

Angela looked down and said.

„You know, we will come, the friend I lost... And may the gods have mercy you, Gozamund.”

Chapter Text

Rayla stood on the deck, wrapped in her cloak, wondering how the world she knew had ceased to exist in the course of a single conversation. Not long ago, the universe had been limited to a single continent, where humans and elves had been mired in a thousand-year conflict, and her greatest concern had been how Calum would react to her return. Now, it turned out that the entire world was in danger, threatened by forces they had no idea existed, could not even imagine. If you think about it, even during her journey in search of the coins her parents had been Transformed into, she had begun to realize that the world was changing, and in ways she had not fully understood, but now she saw that everything that had recently happened on Xadia had been completely irrelevant. And no matter who won the battle at Stormspire, they would all suffer the same fate! There was nothing they could do about what was coming to them… All they could do was cooperate with these strange visitors from outside their world. She turned and looked at the crew Vildas had hired. These young people, because most of them weren't with the humans, certainly didn't look like someone who could Save the world... But then again, she, Ezran, and Calum didn't look like someone who could end a conflict that had lasted over a thousand years and change the face of the world either... Maybe she was judging them too harshly? The girl with the cat ears, who seemed to be the leader of this group, approached her, smiling half-heartedly, probably trying to mask her seasickness. She had almost forgotten about her own, after all, she had more terrifying things on her mind than even the deepest and darkest ocean depths. But when she thought about it, she felt a return of nausea.

"How do you feel about the knowledge we gave you?" Catra asked, and she grimaced and replied.

„And how would you feel if you found out that your world could be destroyed by some beings from between the stars. For us, until now, the stars have personified hope, lit the way at night, were the jewels of the heavens. And now it turns out that they hide Horror that cannot be imagined.

Stella got out of the bag and started looking around, the cat woman leaned over her and started scratching behind her ears.

„Where I come from, we didn't know the stars because our world was cut off from the rest of the Galaxy. And even if it wasn't, where I grew up, the sky was still obscured by factory fumes, and we spent most of our lives under a metal ceiling.”

A moment ago she had been watching Catra, trying to process the new horror she had heard about, while Stella had created a tiny portal into her pack and pulled out a peanut. The cat girl had been looking at her with her mouth open, then suddenly lay down on the deck and started laughing, holding on tightly to her rib. She had been watching her for a moment, wondering if she had somehow broke her, and then she had asked.

„Is everything okay?”

The cat-girl rubbed her eyes and said

„I'm sorry, but you can't even imagine how funny this is to me! You see, for many years I was a member of a certain... Very evil army if invanders, and its leader has been trying to create a portal through which he could get out of my world for over thirty years, and he only managed to do it because I recruited the most intelligent person on the entire planet for him, and your funny monkey can make such portals just like that! This is really funny, although I suspect it's hard for you to understand why. If he saw her, he would probably burst a vein. In fact, he will be able to see it, because he is in orbit!”

She blinked her eyes twice and asked.

"You mean you brought the commander of some evil army here?" She felt her heart sink with horror. She hadn't expected yet another nightmarish piece of news. Did that mean the place she was born in was just a battlefield between invading forces? The feline woman smiled sadly and shook her head, then said.

„No, he's not in charge of anything anymore... Truth be told, now that I think about it, he wasn't that bad... No. Compared to his brother, who was able to glaze entire worlds just because they weren't perfect like he was in his opinion... But don't worry, he was destroyed five years ago. By my wife, by the way... She's... Someone extraordinary. I think it would be worth bringing her here someday... She'd like it here. „ The cat girl said in a voice full of sadness, and then she heard someone climbing up the deck and saw Eti walking over the side. Her right metal hand transformed into a curved hook, and short blades like metal claws protruded from the fingertips of her left. Apart from that, she was completely naked. She lowered her gaze, and then her sister also turned to the younger cat girl, her eyes widened and she screamed.

„Why are you walking around the deck and flashing your boobs in front of everyone!”

Eti tilted her head and said.

„First of all, my boobs don't flash, if they did it would be a sign of something very bad! And secondly, I won't swim in my clothes, especially in sea water!

Catra ran her hand over her forehead and then said.

„Does it bother you that you want to maybe see you... Naked?”

The naked girl shrugged and replied.

„The captain can't see anything anyway, Hawkey is married, Itel saw everything anyway, you're my sister, Lilka and Icey probably aren't interested anyway, and Alatar is a stupid nerd anyway, let him look. As for the Razor, I need some arguments to encourage her to cooperate. After all, the sight of an absolutely perfect, magnificent and unique creature in all its glory would arouse a flame of desire in anyone!”

„What? Is she talking about me? Why doesn't she call me a razor and I have a boyfriend anyway!„ she exclaimed with a growing panikin her voice... She wondered if the potential possibility of the world's destruction could be more terrifying than the prospect of continuing her journey with this girl.

„Because that's your name, you have two razors!„ said the younger cat girl, and her sister sighed and explained

„Eti has a tendency to give others names she has invented... And by the way, Eti, is that you? Aren't you afraid of swimming?”

Eti tilted her head as if she wasn't sure if I had heard her correctly, then she replied in her usual oddly toneless voice.

„Well, why should I be afraid of that? Swimming is wonderful! Especially in the sea, you know that view of the bottomless abyss beneath you, the waves tossing you around like you're nothing and only one breath away from death!”

Catra frowned and spoke very slowly and seriously.

„You're doing it on purpose, right?”

The younger feline girl tilted her head and replied.

„Of course on purpose, why would I not do it on purpose? I am created for purpose myself, so I do everything on purpose!”

Her sister wanted to argue with her, but then she pulled out this strange rectangular object and went to it, then cursed and said.

„Get dressed, something's happening in orbit!„ She looked at her and then said „ You come with us too, maybe we can introduce you to the others...

„I'm staying up here, I'll watch over that fake Skittermander!„ Eti said and threw Stelia an accusing look. „I know you're up to something!”

Tirin watched with concern as the captain walked crouched behind her. She wasn't sure if such exposure to the toxic environment of that planet would be enough to affect her health so much, or if the deterioration of her condition was due to the fact that her stay in the gardens brought back so many terrible memories. She tried not to think about it herself. He had more tangible worries. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, even though the health management system of the suit wearer was giving her sedatives. They were close now, so soon they would be safe on the terrifying surface of the planet under the terrifying open sky. She was only glad that Heart Gift would be there with her ... She had the impression that thanks to her the outside world no longer terrified her so much. She wasn't sure what caused it... But she felt different near the android ... She didn't know what to call this feeling, but she was very happy to have met her.

They were close now, the small dock where their shuttle was docked was at the back of the ship. She was here quite rarely, in fact only once or twice, because she usually didn't like to leave the deck unless it was necessary, she never went down to the surface of the Planets, she rarely even visited space ports. However, when they were already in the corridor, where the airlock was located, through which one could get to the shuttle, they saw a few guards there. She heard Mikach curse, and then said.

„Honey, can you help me take care of them?„ he helped his wife stand on her own feet and prepared to cast the spell.

„I'll try... „ Captain Moonshadow croaked, and a cold flare lit up around her hand. She prepared herself for the fight. Although she had never killed a sentient being in a face-to-face fight, she had already taken enough lives, so she shouldn't take on a few more, should she? Heart Gift stood next to her, looking uncertainly at their opponents, perhaps this would be the first real fight... The pirates were well-armed, she knew them, although maybe not personally, but she had seen them on the ship. As soon as they saw them, they aimed their guns at them and the first shots were fired. The captain's husband threw several energy bolts and one of them knocked down the guard, the tall and well-muscled Lashunti , who groaned in pain, but the others opened fire and she had to fall to the ground, and one of the electric bolts hit Mikach, who crouched down holding his arm. The captain sped up quickly, avoiding the shots and taking down another of her former subordinates herself, but there were three more and they were still shooting at them, so they had to retreat and hide around the bend. They had a moment to breathe, because the group that approached the bend first would be under fire from the other, so for now both sides were waiting on alert. But she could see that time was against them. They could count on reinforcements, and they would soon be surrounded and then they would have them.

„How are you feeling, my dear?„ said the captain in a slightly more melodic voice, and the wizard motioned to the slightly burned skin on his hand and said.

„On Beast Island I've gotten hit worse, and I was alone, so it is acceptable.

Moonshadow was about to say something, but then they heard gunfire and screams on the other side and saw a long beam of energy working next to them, and then they heard a voice around the corner.

„It's safe now, I've subdued them.„ Hordak said and a moment later appeared in front of them. He wore Heavy Power Armor and watched them grimly.

„Thanks for the help.„ Mikach said, smiling at him, in her opinion very sincerely and gratefully.

"I would have helped earlier, but you didn't let me know you were coming here..." She could hear the unconcealed resentment in his voice, but then Moonshadow coughed and said.

"We should... Thank you for your help." There was a firm note in her voice, but she felt a little embarrassed as well.

„I don't expect gratitude. I know that I still have a lot of work to do to gain your trust, but I hope that one day I will receive your forgiveness for my crimes.” He said in a hard voice. But then Heart Gift spoke in an uncertain tone.

„I don't want to worry you, but I sense more of your former crew members are approaching, Captain, so we need to hurry up with the evacuation.”

The captain nodded and then signaled for them to follow her, you know, when they were already at the lock door leading to the ferry, she asked.

„And who actually notified you that we were evacuating?”

„ Your sister-in-law… I wouldn't believe it myself, I haven't talked to her.„ Said the former ruler of the Horde.

„Okay sorceress, I hope your seatbelts are fastened properly, and here's some anti-G medicine so you don't have a stroke, with a bit of luck she should survive.„ Said this small hairy creature to Castaspelia , and she swallowed loudly. They managed to get to the escape pod without actually stopping, she suspected that it had something to do with the fact that the ship was shaken by an explosion, she hoped that the ship didn't suffer any serious damage because of it, because explosions on a spaceship were definitely not something good. She hoped that her brother and sister-in-law were safe, just like those old Horde cadets, and... She sighed heavily, because she had to do something, which she didn't feel like doing, but she knew it had to be done. She took her Datapad and opened a communication channel with Hordak .

„What was that explosion? Did the ship depressurize?„ he said grimly, And she sighed heavily and said.

„Listen, there's been some kind of coup d'état on the ship, although I'm not sure if that's what they call it on spaceships... I think we need to evacuate... My sister-in-law told me it would be best if we went to either an escape pod or a shuttle...

" I know where it is... I have a pretty good memory for the layout of the rooms, it's just a matter of conditioning and training," he said in a raspy voice, then hung up.

„Hold on tight, because it's going to shake. You'll actually feel like your insides are going to escape through your ears, and your head is about to export. The latter can happen, that's why you're getting this medicine.„ The six-legged creature explained to her, and she closed her eyes and tried to think of something pleasant... Like an afternoon spent watching TV series and eating sweet cookies.

Angela wanted to curse, her lungs, eyes and skin ached, and she was worried about the wounds on her husband's arm. He claimed it was nothing serious, but she suspected he was just trying to calm her down. Luckily, they were already on the shuttle, so at least some of her worries were behind her, now they just had to land safely in the atmosphere without getting shoted down. Luckily, the explosion and the poisonous fumes on the bridge would prevent Mercyless from functioning fully after a while, but they still weren't sure where they should land.

She called Bina, who in turn called Catra, and then both of them appeared on their communicator screens.

„What happened? Is everything okay with you?„ Bina asked with concern in her voice.

"Did the dragon come back or did some other defense system activate?" Catra said and she managed a weak smile and replied.

„It's much worse!„ and briefly explained the situation. Both women almost simultaneously growled, and the cat girl said.

„Why does my whole family have to be so… fucked up!”

She smiled at her and replied.

„We're entering the atmosphere for now . Ours managed to escape, though I'm not sure about Lonnie.„ Before she had even finished speaking, a third face appeared on the screen, that of the Comrade General, whose face, crossed by a long scar, showed a mixture of relief and irritation.

„We're fine, we've taken on one ship and somehow squeezed in, although it'll be tight. „ she explained, and behind her appeared Boatswain Keart , holding his bleeding arm.

"I apologize, Captain, for not being able to stop them. It's been going on for some time now. Gydwa has been trying to undermine your authority since the very beginning of this expedition, but I've always defended myself, though I must admit that I myself have been unhappy with your choices at times, but now... I would never fail to rebel against you, you have to believe me!" the half-drow said , and she grimaced and replied.

„Let's not dwell on this for now, we still have to land. I suggest we don't start in one place, it will be harder for them to warn us or attack us after we land, if they feel like doing that.

Everyone agreed, and Catra called out to Alatar and said a few words.

„We had already scanned several maps belonging to the captain whose ship we had hired.„ explained the great Marshal of Etheria , and then the maps were displayed and they could see what the political map of this world looked like, although the maps were not very detailed anyway.

„I suggest you try to land on the western part of the continent and avoid the place called Evenere, because that's where Lady Cala is.„ she said, and then a strange elf with horns, probably a tiefling, appeared next to her, although the latter option was extremely rare. She widened her eyes at the sight of her, and then said.

„Also, be careful, if you come to the Eastern part of the world... To Xadia , many of my compatriots still don't like outsiders, the fact that they have to tolerate humans is a lot for them, and dragons are even worse.”

She nodded in agreement and began to quickly examine the map, noticing Lonnie doing the same.

„We're landing at a place called Del Bar.„ She said after a moment, pointing to the country to the west.

„We'll try to land, Closer to that kingdom in the north-west... Neolandia or something like that. But it'll be harder for us, because the ship is big,

„And where will Castaspella land?„ her husband asked her and she shrugged and said.

„The capsule is already on its way, and they will be entering the atmosphere soon, unless they have a way to connect it themselves, I hope they choose a safe place. Then Catra looked at Lonnie and asked.

„Who exactly is flying your ship? I'm sure they didn't teach us how to fly spacecraft during our Horde training.

The Comrade General smiled crookedly and pointed to the staff she was leaning on.

"You know his capabilities well." The Comrade general said glumly, and Catra grimaced and said.

„I remember well what it can do... You do too”.

The two young women exchanged a glance which evidently concerned some event that had taken place between them of which she was unaware.

„In that case, next time we'll probably talk on the planet... I know that the inhabitants of my planet are not religious, but I still wish that Desna and Besmara would light your way.„ she said and then both nodded to her and then hung up. She was about to take the controls when she saw that Hordak was taking the pilot's seat. She looked at him menacingly, and he responded with a sour smile and said.

„I guess you can trust me on this one, after all, I don't intend to crash, and believe me, I can pilot absolutely anything, that's what I was created for.”

Chapter Text

King Ezran adjusted himself on the oversized throne, nervously waiting for the delegation from Evenere to enter the throne room. He felt nervous, although this was not his first time officially receiving guests from abroad. He had already received a visit from Queen Aanaya and a delegation and emissaries from Neolandia. The latter in particular was… problematic. The son of the king of that country had deprived him of power in favor of Viren , and shortly afterwards had died in a battle during which he and his friends had faced the forces of the former Royal Mage… He knew that nothing significant would probably come of this meeting, he would only greet the only one of the candidates to the Throne of the most distant and Mysterious of the Pentarchy kingdoms. He doubted that anything bad could come of it, especially since he had heard so many good things about the woman from Opari. She had supposedly been elected ruler of the city as soon as she arrived, and several noble families had sent letters of recommendation with veiled requests for her support, including one of his mother's distant relatives, Jaso, who ruled Eronesse Town, which had supposedly been in his family since the kingdom was founded. She had been so highly praised that he could not refuse her, and he expected that he would have to support her, at least by words if not by lending his soldiers, which he really did not want to do. He had not ended one war to start another now.

He sighed heavily, and shifted in his throne again. It was definitely too big for him, it was his father's, the one he had sat on long before he was born. It was terribly uncomfortable, and his back still ached from the straight wooden backrest. He wondered if his father complained of backaches after all the years he had had to spend sitting on it? He wondered if Viren had been aware of how uncomfortable it was to sit there when he had first tried to kill him, then removed him from power and imprisoned him in a dungeon…? Did he know what a heavy burden it was? He rather doubted that, as far as he remembered him, he had always been happy to hold power.

He heard hurried footsteps and his brother ran into the throne room, out of breath as usual, because he was late for the meeting. He was always late, he was too absorbed in learning Magic, but after all, he was the first human magician in centuries. He had to learn all by himself, and after all, he was a high royal magician, he held one of the most important positions in the country, and he was not even twenty. Although he was of course the king, and he was only twelve…

„Uf! I'm here, sorry but I've been stuck trying to decipher these scrolls that ibis sent us... I don't quite understand what they're about, but maybe thanks to them I'll be able to discover why I can do magic and other Humans can't, but they're very old and written as if they were some kind of equation, or geometric pattern and I don't understand much of it. To be honest...„ his brother started to explain, and Opari standing on his left rolled her eyes and said.

„The world doesn't end with magic and spells...„ and then Sorren interrupted .

„It depends on who for whom... For my sister it really ended with magic, but not for my father.„ the young warrior became sad because he remembered his family. I don't blame him, his father died during the battle, for him twice, and there was no news about his sister for two years. He knew that he was very close to Claudia, just like his brother... Many were sure that Calum and the daughter of the Royal Mage would become a couple, but life created a completely different story. He also missed Rayla, she was like an older sister to him, but his longing was nothing compared to what his brother felt. They hadn't heard from her for many months that from this letter, and both were worried, after all, of course Calum assured that someone like the elven The assassin can handle anything.

While he was thinking about his old friends, the Herald entered the throne room and cried out loudly!

"Lady Cala Grayskul and her Royal Mage Nightingale!" and in walked the commander of the Royal Guard, Zane, a man appointed by him only two years ago, after two of his predecessors had fallen within a few months of each other. He was a tall, muscular man with dark skin, serious but competent in his opinion. He ushered in two guests. One was a tall young woman with long, flowing blonde hair, and light blue eyes. She was very beautiful and gave the impression of a true Lady, but the confidence and strength visible in her movements reminded him of Rayla , which meant that she was probably a great warrior. The woman who walked next to her was even taller, she was probably the tallest person he had ever seen. She was over two meters tall, and she was muscular like a real knight. She had light red hair that fell loosely to her shoulders, dark green eyes, and she wore a green robe that reminded me of the robe of a priest or... Mage. She had leather gloves on her hands, and a metal-bound staff on her back. However, it was another feature of hers that made everyone focus on her more than on her aristocratic companion. Her ears were pointed, and her facial features were a bit more delicate than most people's. They looked at each other as the two women approached the throne, when suddenly Soren said.

„ Are you... Half-Ef ... or something like that? Or halfhuman, or maybe a human-elf ... Does anyone know what to call someone like that so as not to offend them?”

Opari shot the young knight an angry look, but the tall red-haired woman stopped along with her companion and spoke in a deep and resonant voice.

„I think the term half-elf is appropriate, at least that's how I think of myself.”

„ hat's how Everyone addresses my friend, although I understand your confusion, after all, even here people like her are almost unheard of.„ said Lady Cala smiling Friendly at them. Then Opari looked at him meaningfully, and he cleared his throat and rose on his oversized throne and said.

„I, King Ezran the Second, ruler of Katolis and protector of the kingdom, greet you, Lady Cala Grayskull and I grant you hospitality under my roof. Use it as you please.„ He bowed and the beautiful blonde haired woman responded with a deep aristocratic bow and said in a melodic voice.

„Thank you King Ezran for your hospitality and I swear on my soul to obey all the laws of your kingdom and support you as much as I can, and if I must, to die for you.”

All the courtiers, even Opari looked at each other, but he smiled at the woman and said.

„I am sure that last will not be necessary... I hope you will like my kingdom. The chambers have already been prepared for you and I hope that you will be present for the evening dinner.

„In fact, I will be there currently with my companion, as well as my seneschal, Lady Ka.„ The aristocrat said, then looked at the red-haired woman who came forward and said, looking at them with her piercing green eyes.

„My name is Nightingale, and I am the royal mage of Lady Cala . I entered her service only recently, because all these years I preferred to hide my talent, knowing that many dark mages would envy it or would want to use it to gain power.„ she interrupted, looking at them carefully, and for a moment he had the impression that he saw a strange green light in her emerald eyes, which pulsated in rhythm with her heartbeat. „However, after I learned that a Mage who does not use the dark arts lives in King Ezran's court, after many months of gathering courage, I decided to reveal my Talent to my friend today, who accepted me without hesitation and from now on I serve her faithfully as only a mortal can.„ she said and then made a movement with her hands, multi-colored birds woven from pure light rose in the air and everyone present in the throne room exclaimed with delight.

Night Gale breathed a sigh of relief as her visit to the royal court ended. Next to her walked Lady Cala, who smiled gently at everyone, as if wishing each of them a long and happy life.

„It's a good thing it's over, because I wanted to squeeze the brat's neck until his brains fell out his ears and his eyes popped out like ping-pong balls.„ said the blonde aristocrat in Aklo, thanks to which no one understood what she was saying. Her facial expression didn't change a bit as she spoke about killing the Ruler who had just given them hospitality. Before she met her, she couldn't imagine that someone could maintain such control over their voice and facial expressions that they wouldn't be able to see the connection to what was hidden in his heart. On the other hand, this beautiful monster had to pretend to be a noble aristocrat in front of the social elite of his planet, and even his family, for years, although the latter only for a while...

„Regardless, watch what you say. We don't know if anyone in this castle doesn't know this language. Even on Etheria it's not that hard to learn, and I'm perfect proof of that.„ she said in the same language. Aklo didn't sound very pleasant, and to some ears it could arouse suspicion, after all it wasn't a language created by mortals, but by beings much more powerful and alien, but the truth was that she didn't know any other language than the common one, which was used here for reasons unknown to her. She didn't even know the native language used by her mother's people...

They went to the chambers that were assigned to them. Iron Lair Castle was not very impressive, compared to, for example, Brightmoon Castle or Castle Crypto made a very modest impression, but on the other hand it was more of a private residence of the king than the capital of the country, from what they had managed to find out, it was the city of Ironhammer, although she was not sure if it was only in terms of economy. This world had fewer inhabitants than Etheria , and even so they were in a more populated part inhabited by humans. The entire elven half of the continent had only a few larger cities. In terms of technology this place was also much more backward. They did not even have electricity here, and from what she had heard, steam engines were not used either. Fortunately, people had at least basic scientific knowledge, so they did not have to worry about someone putting  leeches on them when they got sick. For a moment she wondered what her father would do in this world if he landed here, but the answer was probably one. A big nothing. Without even a basic industrial base he would not be able to build his Horde. He would probably try to conquer them single-handedly for some time in the name of the Horde Prime until someone bashed his head in in his sleep and that would have ended the Horde's tyranny.

They had already had a chance to settle in, even before the official audience. The chambers that the young king had assigned them weren't particularly large or spacious, but each of them had been given their own room with a bed, a table and two chairs. It was worth noting that the beds were doubles, and for a moment she wondered if the locals thought that she and the beautiful blonde girl were a couple. Well, if she didn't know what Lady Cala was, she would have considered that option, but knowing what a monstrosity she was, she wouldn't have been able to bring herself to even kiss her. On the other hand, she had to notice that their relations had undergone... Something like a warming. Calamity had been nice to her the whole way, politely asking her about her past, although in that respect there wasn't much to tell, because she had just started her sixth year of life. She was also interested in what she thought about this country, the towns she passed, the people she met. She wondered if her mother's protégé had some hidden agenda in this, and came to the conclusion that there might be some calculation in it, but also something more. It wasn't love, romantic infatuation or even lust, but rather... She had the impression that her companion wanted to have a friend, someone with whom she could share the joys and sorrows of her existence that inspired terror in others, although in fact she probably didn't understand what friendship really was. Despite this, she decided that she would allow her to do so, let them be friends, she herself was no better than her. She had betrayed those who showed her heart, serving the eldritch  evil.

In front of the door to their room, Lady Ka was already waiting, smiling mockingly with half of her mouth visible. Graag stood next to her , clutching a large hammer in his hands. Most of the subordinates that the Lord Admiral's left hand had taken seemed to be similar enough to humans that with a bit of make-up or Illusion they could not draw attention to themselves, but that was not entirely true of Grag. She had heard that there were people of similar height, and even much shorter, but they had slightly different proportions and were definitely not as muscular. But surprisingly, No One paid that much attention to him. Thanks to her height, she attracted much more glances.

"And how was your visit to the gracious king?" said Lady Ka, as if the word king was an insult, and Lady Cala looked at her and said.

"Even though King Ezran the Second is so young in age, he already commands respect in the hearts of women like us. I believe with all my heart that his reign will be celebrated in legends and chronicles for centuries to come." There was so much conviction in her voice that it seemed she truly believed what she was saying, even though not long ago she had laughed at the thought of murdering that child. Lady Ka rolled her eye and said with a crooked smile.

„ Suggest that we talk in your chambers, because I'd rather no one accidentally listens to us, and from what I know we have to talk in Common. I know a few languages, which are not spoken on this planet, but the Sorceress probably only knows Common and as I heard this language... Which makes my ears hurt. Don't worry, I checked your chambers, and there are no hidden passages or places that bring good sound, thanks to which it would be easy to eavesdrop on us. This castle is strange. To be honest...„ said the intelligence officer and giggled, and she sent her a reproachful look.

„Really watch what and where you say...„ she said and went inside. There was only one person there, a figure dressed in Adamant armor , who stood absolutely still, waiting for what they would order her to do. Whenever she saw her, she felt pain in her heart. What they did to her was probably one of the most horrible things they could do, and there was no forgiveness for them. Unfortunately, now they could not give her Freedom, she could see well how dangerous this girl was, how much power she had. If she ever managed to free herself, there could only be hope that it would be far enough so that she would not have time to catch them. Lady Cala smiled at the girl enslaved by them, and then sat on a chair facing the backrest, on which she fell her head and began to speak.

„I have to admit with sadness that this whole place is disappointing. I expected... Damn it, it's worse than an open-air museum... I really wonder if we couldn't just kill them all here, maybe those who surrender could be spared and sent to find your beautiful friend's prison.„ the aristocrat said in a voice as if she was talking about In the fact that she would have to take part in a very boring party. She shivered, partly because of her sociable tone, and partly because they really could do it. Lady Cala herself was an extremely difficult opponent to defeat, and then there were Lady Ka's subordinates armed with modern weapons, and she herself, after all, she was not only a rather talented sorceress, but also wielded a bloodstone that gained in power with each passing day. She constantly felt its pulsation as if a warped heart was pumping blood through her veins.

Aaravos appeared next to her . At the sight of him, Lady Cala beamed. The ancient sorcerer smiled and said

„Hello. I've come to inform you that my new protégé and my former student are working quite well together. They will soon be able to resurrect Viren, which is essential to our plans.”

"I thought our plans centered around freeing you," she said, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice . She wasn't sure if Aaravos had noticed.

„Of course not, I told you that our goal is to determine the location of the First Ones, and discover how to reach them and most importantly, how to eliminate them. However, for the first one, five sorcerers are needed, including at least one who has the knowledge that the First Ones had. That's why it would be good if I was released...

She thought for a moment, then frowned and said.

„You have me and my mother, but if you need five... then who are the other two?”

The strange Elf smiled and explained.

„Of course I mean Claudia and Viren , they are both very talented… Claudia especially reminds me of my daughter.”

This was something new, and considering who she was talking to, very disturbing. She repeated the rest of what the ancient sorcerer had told her, and then Lady Ka said quietly

„You have no idea how schizophrenic it looks when she talks into the air.”

Lady Cala, however, also took note of the statement of the Lord Admiral's left better hand and asked.

„However, I would like to know what we are to do in the short term. Your grand plan must be magnificent and has been centuries in the making, But what is our role in it, oh great ancient one!”

She couldn't help but roll her eyes as she heard the Monstrous Noble speak of the ancient elf, and then she said.

„I support my companion. I don't think it's good for our talents to go to waste here while we sit on our asses, excuse me.”

Aaravos Laughed and said.

„Lady Cala should try to contact the local cultist network, fortunately it is more extensive than those on Etheria, although unfortunately I have no direct contact with it. As for Nightgale, she should try to get to Viren's former research facility , and also look for his master K'par's laboratory and learn its secrets, which will be more difficult, because from what I know the entire structure is one big mystery. I may be able to pass on a few clues if I get them from... my informant, but I hope you can handle what they give. „ The eldritch  sorcerer thought for a moment, and she repeated his words, and then he added.

„Besides, it would be good if you established friendly relations with the inhabitants of this kingdom. They may be useful to you in the future, because thanks to them you will know what the intentions of the king and his brother are. I also suspect that the Agents of the First one’s may be operating here, and it may be worth using the young ruler against them, and at the same time, thanks to this we will distract them from my actions. However, if it turns out that the Firsts do not have their agents here, we may have to sacrifice a few of our servants. You should also not look out here to see if your Old Friends from Etheria have arrived ...

"That shooting star we saw recently... Not long before we got here, do you think it could have been a spaceship?" she asked, suddenly realizing what the object they had just seen could have been.

„I suspect so. Fortunately, my countrymen helped create a certain security system that protected this planet for some time. It was supposed to protect us from the scout ships of the Galactic Horde, unfortunately they were too weak if Horde Prime had hit here with full force. But that's not all, little one more request to Nightgale. Befriend Calum. This boy has a truly great talent, and perhaps I can use him to achieve our goals. I think that's all my lady... And you, my noble dwarf.„ He bowed to the duergar , although he couldn't see him anyway, and then disappeared. When she relayed his words, the blonde-haired aristocrat stretched and then said.

„I'll pretend to rest for a moment, because then we have dinner. In the evening I'll go for a night ride to look for traces of our allies. You rest too. „ the beautiful monstrosity smiled at them, and Lady Ka bowed to her and together with her subordinate went to the quarters they had been assigned. So she was left alone, apart from her room, and she really should take the opportunity to rest. The journey wasn't long, but it was quite hard, especially since she wasn't used to riding horses or sailing ships. However, this other occupation made her feel so exhausted. Get up, she went to the mirror that hung on the wall, and began to look at herself. She had created a new body that combined the features of both Scarlet and her real body. It was much more comfortable and she hoped that I could stay in it for much longer. She smiled to herself, pleased with her work... Even her new name showed that she could become someone else...

She turned and looked at Rosie, who was trapped in an adamant armor, without control over her own body and mind. She sighed heavily, because she knew that no matter how much she pretended to be a new person, as long as she cooperated with Lady Cala and for that matter… She would never cease to be just the sum of her parents’ sins…

"And I grow, I grow ! Thanks to me, you will become more, much more!" „ Bloodstone said, and she looked at her hand. Although she was wearing a glove, she felt as if she saw a shadow of light, and she could feel the pulsation perfectly coordinated with the beating of her heart. Yes, she was becoming something else. He was a threat the likes of which had not been seen in the galaxy for thousands of years, something even more terrible than Lady Cala. Well, after all, an ancient Terror is best defeated by a greater Terror.

Chapter Text

Nyx stretched in her small hut, yawned deeply and went outside where she was greeted by the rays of the rising sun. For a moment she watched with boredom as the luminous disc was immersed in the blue sea, it had to be admitted that it was beautiful here, and then she drank some water, and with what was left she washed herself and spread her wings. Actually, she was hungry, but according to her calculations, Captain Vilads' ship, actually partially her ship, should be nearby, so she saw no point in lighting wood, it was much easier to just fly to the ship and eat what the Captain had in stores, after all she was his partner, and he should have shared with her, right? She jumped from a not too high cliff and immediately flew into the air. For some time, she fly above the waves of the sea, near the shore that until recently had been forbidden to her. In fact, traveling to Pentarchia was one of the best ideas she had ever had in her life! No one knew her here, except perhaps for that wizard prince, but he was far away and in his castle and certainly had bigger worries than a certain magnificent thief. Thanks to that, she didn't have to constantly struggle with absolutely unjustified prejudices against her, constant accusations that she had stolen something, pulled some scam, or stabbed someone in the back. She had never actually done the latter, maybe twice or five times, and besides, no one had proven anything.... In any case, a sea of new possibilities opened up before her, as great as the one beneath her.

She finally saw her partner's ship, and smiled at you, then dove toward it and gracefully landed on the deck. She looked around, and at that moment she wondered if she was hallucinating from hunger. She had seen many strange crews and adventurers in your time , but absolutely nothing had prepared her for what she had just seen.

On the stork's nest sat some red-haired short girl, who happily waved her axe at the sight of her. She was still quite ordinary, but then she saw a relatively small dragon with silver scales and a strange glass eye pulling the sails... She knew that there could be smaller dragons, but this one had a body structure similar to a human or an elf, and it even had hands with thumbs. When he saw her he raised an eyebrow and bowed politely… On the bow stood an elf wrapped in a cloak, who looked in her direction and tensed up warningly. There was something very wrong with her, she didn't have horns, but why did she have five fingers... A half-elf, or what? Did they appear so quickly?

She ran to Captain Vilads , who was dozing at the wheel.

„Hey Vilads, do you have a moment?„ she said, and when the captain heard her, he turned around and said.

„To my beautiful and wonderful partner, always!”

„Did you see...„ she bit her tongue and corrected herself. „Do you have any information about the crew you hired?”

„Yes, they are very unusual young people. They have a real experienced sea dog here too. „ His parrot at the man with blue mustache and hair, who was trying to light a torch. When he saw her, he waved at her, smiling.

For a moment she was all open-mouthed, until she suddenly felt something hairy touch the back of her neck, so she jumped and turned around to see a girl with cat ears, a metal hand and cat eyes, who was looking at her menacingly with furrowed brows. She was dressed only in underwear, and her cat tail was wagging violently in all directions.

„You are a living insult thrown in the face of my family!”

"What?" she said uncertainly, not knowing how to react to the new arrival.

„I would write it to you again, but it's hard to hide any notebook or writing implements in this outfit... I would prefer to go naked anyway, but my sister has some absolutely unjustified objections! You are a disgusting  crow, with two different colored eyes, which is how you insult me, and my amazing sister who in her greatness once decided to fuck up her own planet, and that is really no small feat! Who are you anyway and what are you doing on our ship.”

When she heard the words “our ship” she was thrown into consciousness and felt her blood boil with anger in her veins.

„Your ship! This is my ship, I won it honestly in cards and only cheated a little! I am Captain Vilads' accomplice, and one word from me will be enough to send you all overboard.”

The girl narrowed her eyes and spoke very slowly.

„Shall we make a bet? Because I'd love to! Come to think of it, I haven't eaten any broth in a long time!”

She clenched her fists and wondered if she should cast some spell, but then again, this girl probably had friends, so an open confrontation wasn't advisable for now! But she was Nyx after all, and she had basically become the ruler of all the seas, so she was a master of trickery and an artist of deception!

„Shall we play cards?„ she said, smiling slyly to herself.

Up until now, space flight had been quite pleasant, in fact much more pleasant than sailing a ship, but now... She felt as if all her bones were about to turn into jelly and her head would fall off. She bit her cheek, but it was better than biting off her tongue . After they entered the atmosphere, they began to brake and the powerful gravity pressed her so hard into the seat that she began to fear that her eyes would fall into her skull and fly through her brain. She could hardly breathe, if it weren't for the special seat, all her ribs would probably be broken. She could hear the strange creature that had somehow become her sister-in-law's first mate  laughing quietly in the speaker in her ear, and she wondered if it wasn't some kind of brain damage or delusions that appeared just before death. She was glad, though, that their ship didn't have windows or anything like that, because watching the planet approach would be too old for her !

Eventually, however, it shook the entire escape pod so hard that she momentarily lost consciousness. When she came to, she felt dizzy, but she realized that at least she wasn't being thrown at everyone anymore. They sat in silence for a few moments, and she breathed heavily and wondered if any of her bones were broken, but the pod's diagnostic system said she was fine. Her hands were shaking, and she felt sore, but she was out of danger for now... maybe... Tonado unbuckled her seatbelt, and helped her out of the seat.

„See? I said that we'll almost certainly survive? I did! Now we just need to rest for a while and we'll see where we are!„ He said in a really happy voice, but she wasn't sure if there was anything to be happy about. She had heard many stories about terrible places in the galaxy. Besides, she didn't have to look far, even her native Etheria had plenty of them... It was enough to mention the Beast Island, where her brother had been imprisoned for so many years... She tried to stand up, but she staggered and had to lean on the chair, and then they went to the hatch and she was about to press the button to lift it, but then the hairy creature came up to her and said.

„We need to get ready to fight! If there are any enemies out there who have come to check out what just fell, then we need to be ready to repel their attack!”

She nodded in agreement with him, because she had just thought of something similar, and prepared to cast a ranged combat spell she knew. Then Tonado pulled out all of his sabers and gently pressed the button with the flat of his only blade. The hatch lifted up, and to her surprise, she saw that there were trees growing around, although some of them were slightly broken due to their landing… The sun was shining in the sky, and the air smelled of the forest. And there was something else. As soon as she took a breath, she felt magic permeating her body. It wasn't as strong as it had been on Etheria after the Heart had been destroyed, but it was comparable to what they had known before. After weeks of traveling through the void, she smiled to herself, because she felt like she had finally taken a breath after an incredibly long time… Maybe this wasn't so bad?

„Okay, let's go outside and look around carefully. Is there anyone waiting for you to eat us alive, or to lay eggs inside us, so that their young will eat us from the inside„ Tonado said . She looked at him, wondering if I was joking, but from what she could tell from his expression, he was absolutely serious. So she nodded and followed him, still preparing for a fight. The area looked friendly, she had to admit that... They were in the forest and some small round colorful creatures started to run away from them, but after a while some of them looked at them with interest. Her companion gave them a menacing look, which brought a smile to her face, and she started to look around,... Then she saw the first thing that worried her. It was a narrow strip of red glowing in the distance, like a red ribbon wrapping the ground. Only after a while did she realize that it was lava. The others probably mentioned something about the inhabited continent being crossed by a long scar, but she didn't think it was a burning river of magma. She shivered and decided to look the other way, hoping to see something more pleasant there. She saw a magnificent city on the horizon, and immediately smiled happily, glad that she could see the first signs of civilization and culture! She was a good diplomat and always got along great with people, so she believed that she would quickly make friends with the inhabitants of this city, explain to them what their problem was, thanks to which she would gain their support in their case, and then everyone would be grateful to her and consider her a hero of Etheria, and finally she could calmly return to her work in Mystacor as the Head Sorceress! She smiled to herself at the thought that her life would finally return to normal, but then the wind blew from the city and she felt IT! The dark magic that emanated from that place. Only once had she experienced something like this, when they had wandered through the ruins of Umbracor, especially when they had met Lady Sorrowflame, but that evil was like the light of a candle flame next to a blazing fire, and yet she was so far away… Someone had corrupted that city irreversibly, and she couldn't imagine what it must look like up close. She felt a sickness rise up inside her that she couldn't resist, so she simply threw up.

„Yes I know, anyone can puke if I shake them like I did to you, there's nothing to worry about! „ Tonado patted her on the back, clearly not fully understanding where her condition came from. Then she straightened up and took a deep breath, wondering what to do now, but suddenly she felt a powerful magical emanation from behind her and turned around, casting a combat spell...

Ireanis looked in the mirror, smiling at herself. She hadn't felt or looked this good in years ! She hadn't had a drink in two months, maybe even three, and although she was constantly thirsty, she knew if she was on the right track to a life of sobriety! She wondered if Miss Daisy, or rather Shadow Weaver, felt this good and still wasn't drinking? Probably, because they both had an important mission to complete, although if she remembered correctly, they probably didn't fight on the same side, but she could be wrong! In any case, she decided to hold out as long as she could and not let her friends and allies down. She grabbed her hips, made a pirouette, then raised both thumbs up to herself and went to the main corridor of the ship. Unfortunately, there was no one here, so she started looking for Bina , because if she remembered correctly, the Kids had gone on a trip to explore this fascinating planet. She found the captain on the bridge, where she and her new boyfriend were talking about something with Eti's older sister. Everyone seemed very worried, so she approached and asked cautiously.

„Is something wrong? You know, I'm a combat sorceress , so he could solve almost any problem!”

Bina and Wrongdak looked at her suspiciously,

„There was a coup on Captain Moonshadow's ship, and our people had to flee from Igzar's wrath ...”

She frowned and looked at her in surprise.

„Who would have thought that Igzar would do something like this?! He was always such a nice kitty.„ She said in a thoughtful tone, and Bina looked at her sideways and said.

„That nice kitty threatened to throw you out the airlock, and I'm sure it wasn't an idle threat... Anyway, never mind! Everyone managed to escape safely, except for your buddy. Castapelli , and we're trying to figure out where she is, because she flew out in an escape pod.”

She felt a surge of Uneasiness at first, because Casta was her best friend, and perhaps the only one, with maybe exception of Shadow Weaver  she had at the time, but that didn't matter! She bared her teeth and cried out in a voice filled with joy and pure confidence.

„Don't worry, or VIP the wonderful Ireanis Toromach, called the silver flame is coming to the rescue!„ and before anyone could do anything to stop her she cast a teleportation spell to move to her friend.

Castaspela had already cast time before she realized that it was only Ireanis who had teleported behind her back. She should have foreseen something like this, after all she was Glimmer's aunt, she teleported very cleanly suddenly near other people. In her defense she only had that it emanated a completely different kind of power than the one her niece was using. At the last moment she managed to redirect the power to the side, and only burned some tree. The Saihe woman, or rather the elf as they would call her practically did not notice it, she just smiled broadly, raised her thumbs up , and then blood flowed from her and she fell to the ground.

She had to grudgingly admit that Hordak was a really good pilot. They entered the atmosphere without any major problems, and I won't deny that he managed to dodge the plasma missiles fired from Mercyles a few times, but they were already in the atmosphere by then, so the gun couldn't do much to them, because it wasn't designed for such fire, and on top of that, the shuttle had really good jamming systems. There was a certain irony in the fact that it was flown so well by guy who was a clone of someone, the embodiment of everything the empire hated in the inhumans. She was just a regular rebel, and from what she knew, Horde Prime considered himself a perfect being, infinitely better than any human, which was the greatest insult in the eyes of the Azlanti. For a moment she wondered how her former enemy would get along in a completely unfamiliar control system, but it turned out that for him to figure out something he'd never seen before was no problem; apparently all the clones were trained to be able to operate captured equipment, which also explained a bit how he'd so quickly understood the principles of how the technology used by the scorpions worked.

During the entire flight she looked at her husband, it seemed that the advice she had received there was harmless and thanks to modern medical supplies, and perhaps the help of a mystic or priest, she would be cured without major difficulties, as soon as they reached some center of civilization. Of course, they would have to be careful, because from what Catra had told her, only humans and elves were live here, and other species were completely unknown. But they would worry about that once they landed. For now, she was happy that they had managed to escape her ship alive and without any serious injuries.

"Okay, I'm coming in for a landing. I assume I should land somewhere away from any human settlements?" Hordak asked in his usually hard and grim voice, and she nodded.

„I'm landing on a provincial planet again... Only this time I'm not the greatest threat.”

Capturing the ship turned out to be surprisingly easy. At first, he was afraid that he would have to draw his sword and become that guy, but Lonnie managed to use her staff and take over the mind of one of the ship captains, and then, thanks to the fact that they had a separate communication system, but the paranoia of the general's companion came in handy this time, they managed to quickly gather on one ship, although he had to admit that they would be cramped, and that they would have to find some supplies quickly. So far, no one was shooting at them. neither from the planet nor from the ship, so they were able to enter their atmosphere without any problems, and despite the fact that they were all thrown around terribly, they managed not to bang themselves too much. Eventually, the spell used by Lonnie began to wear off, and they saw that the pilot of the ship, a red-haired, stocky cat-man, blinked for a moment, and began to look around.

„Don't even move!„ said his girlfriend, putting a good Horde electric baton into the Term pilot's head

„After all, if you use this, you'll know how to land... The ship will crash, and you'll all die!„ said the cat, baring all his fangs, and then the general's companion clenched her teeth and said, "Drop!"

„Then you too will die! Don't be afraid of death?”

Their pilot let out a short laugh, surprisingly similar to the way Catra had once laughed.

„I'm more afraid of what Igzar might do if I fail! He'll probably skin me alive...„ he said with a sneer in his voice, But then that guy with the gunshot wound, said smiling.

„I can actually turn on the autopilot on this ship, I've flown similar ones before and I've learned how to do it.”

The cat guy's eyes widened, but his girlfriend simply activated the electric baton, advised him, and pulled him out of the seat, and then his boyfriend pushed the pilot into the vacant seat, and their new ally began tinkering with the Desktop, and after a moment the ship spoke.

„Command accepted, we are starting the emergency landing procedure.”

"See what a useful little creature I am?" the man said, then quickly began to strap himself into the seat and added. "Now hold on tight, because the landing is going to be really hard!"

She did as he said and then she felt such a strong shock that for a moment she felt like her head would fall off and then there was silence and peace… at least for now.

Catra rubbed her temples with her fingers. It seemed that everyone was safe, though it was no fault of hers. At least one crisis had been averted. She looked at Rayla , who was leaning against the inner wall of the lower deck, clearly lost in thought, and after a moment she asked.

„Do things like this happen to you often?”

She considered for a moment, then laughed and said.

„We had a break for a few years, but once we stopped a certain Star Madman from destroying the Galaxy... It's a really long story.”

The girl was looking at her a moment ago, then laughed and said.

„I thought that a Dark Mage wanting to take over the continent was the worst thing that could happen to me.”

„Do you have dark magi too? I was raised by one, and thanks to her I have no good memories from my childhood. Almost none.„ she said, and Rayla laughed darkly and said.

„This is the only type of magic that humans can use. It involves the Mage stealing power from some magical creature or its body part, or some other magical source... It twists the user and slowly turns them into a monster, both physically and spiritually.

She felt the hairs on her spine stand on end as it reminded her all too well of the magic practiced by Shadow Weaver, as well as the speculations Mikach and Entrapta had made about the magic of the First Ones. After some thought, she asked.

„And all human wizards use it?

Rayla smiled warmly and replied.

„ Not everyone. My boyfriend Calum is the first human mage in centuries who can tap into the primal sources. We still don't know where his Talent came from...”

She wanted to ask more questions, but she saw her sister running up to them and asking.

„I need to borrow Melog , it's absolutely necessary!”

„And what is he necessary for?„ she asked, looking at Eti suspiciously. The other tilted her head and said.

„I'm playing cards for this ship, and I need something to bet.”

She blinked several times and then screamed.

„ I won't let you play for Melog! And what do you need a ship for anyway?”

And the sister sighed heavily and clapped her hands wide.

„I don't need it, but I'm just looking out for you! This ship will be for you and thanks to it you'll be able to undergo the therapy for treating hydrophobia through exposure... I'll have to ask Hawkey to set it on fire.”

Chapter Text

Calamity charged at her opponent, dealing blow after blow, forcing him onto the defensive. She was Inhumanly strong and unnaturally fast, after all, so an ordinary human posed no greater threat to her… But she had to restrain herself. She couldn't kill the Royal Marshal in front of everyone, even if slicing that idiot from top to bottom wouldn't be much of a problem for her… One lightning-fast swing, and she'd see a vertical red line across his face, and then the two halves would fall to their sides with a lovely splat. With her unmatched strength, she could do that even with the dull training sword they were using. She smiled at the thought, then took a few of Soren's attacks on her own , allowing him to gain a momentary advantage. That was also why she couldn't fight as best she could. She didn't want to reveal all of her skills, because someone might start to wonder how even such a magnificent creature as she was capable of such incredible feats, and that would only complicate her task... After all, it was some entertainment, after so many days of boring and pointless wandering through a wild barbarian country inhabited by ignorants not even aware that they had the honor of breathing the same air as a magnificent creature like Calamity ... It had to be admitted that the boy was quite good for a mortal, although of course she had fought better ones... She remembered that training in Brightmoon Castle , where she had faced Adora and Asindesa, and felt a sudden surge of righteous anger. She pushed Soren a little harder and he almost fell over. She cursed inwardly, then let out a short girlish cry, covered her mouth and looked at him with terrified eyes. Then she ran up and grabbed his hand, and then asked.

"Are you okay?" She tried to make her voice sound genuinely scared, but the blond-haired man just waved his hand and laughed.

„Oh, that's something normal during training! You've probably trained a lot too, I can see it in your fights, so you know how it is!„ He laughed again, and she made an embarrassed face, and explained.

„I was taught by fencing masters, but now I'm training with the marshal of the kingdom, whose help I need, so it would be stupid to hurt you!” she said, almost not lying, which only made me laugh inwardly.

"Oh! Could I know the names of those who trained you? I know little of the art of fencing practiced on Evenere." He asked, genuinely curious, and she cursed again. She had said too much, and she couldn't give the names of her real teachers, and she hadn't thought of any yet. If by any chance this guy knew one of the famous fencing masters from that pathetic swamp kingdom, things could get very awkward, to put it mildly.

„They're just local fencers...” She said now she quickly had to think of some sensible lie.

„She trained with me the most, although I must admit that Lady Cala simply has a natural talent, but unfortunately she could not develop her skills in any way until she met you, noble Soren.” Nightgale said in a melodic and deep voice, which was more pleasant to the ear than the one she had in her true form. Her ally watched them during training, leaning against the wall with her hands crossed behind her back. In addition to the three of them, in the training room of the Royal Castle there was also that puppy wizard Calum and a few Royal Guards, and of course the white-haired girl locked in armor. Everyone, except the little brat-wizard, watched their training, although she could not be sure about the creature they had enslaved. It was not surprising, after all, the sight of perfection incarnate practicing fencing was an honor they probably did not deserve.

„Oh ! I didn't know you were such a good fighter! I've come to expect that mages are usually better with a pen than any weapon.” he looked pointedly at the young Royal mage, then raised his gaze and looked at him resentfully.

„You know, not everyone has to be a knight, and besides, I'm good with not only a pen, but a pencil as well... Look at how I drew you! „Calum said, showing them his drawing of her and Soren standing opposite each other with crossed blades... The drawing was really good, although of course no mortal could do it justice, but she still had to mentally praise him for what he had done without any preparation! She smiled at the younger man, then looked at the knights and clapped her hands as if she had a brilliant idea.

"You know what! How about you and Nightingale face off?" she said, giggling like a teenager trying to set up her friend with the boy she liked. Shadow Weaver's daughter tensed, even seeming a little scared. Which was pretty funny, but the blond knight smiled broadly at the suggestion, then called out.

„That's a great idea! I'd love to see what you can do!”

„Okay, but my fighting style is quite... unusual... „said the tall woman, and then grabbed a wooden training stick, and she moved away from the training mat, and leaned her back against the wall. Her magnificent blade lay next to her. During her journey to the royal castle she learned to change its shape, so that it was not a wide two-handed sword like the Hell Knight used, but a magnificent saber with a curved blade, more elegant and befitting someone as wonderful as she. She smiled to herself, proud of her own intelligence, and watched as her companion and the young Marshal fought in a mock duel. This was another reason why she did not want to train too hard with Soren , to give Nightgale a chance to prove herself. She found that she felt a strange... sympathy for the Sorceress, she did not quite know why. Maybe it was because for most of her life no one knew her true nature… She could never be herself around anyone, except for her dark mentor, but she showed her contempt mixed with disgust, even though she was the fulfillment of her dreams of the perfect protégé. There were of course cultists of all kinds, but they groveled before her, which was perhaps the right behavior, but at the same time it was so boring. Nightgale, however, treated her differently. She looked at her carefully, as if she saw something that even she herself could not see in herself. She had the impression that she was probably the only person in the entire universe who understood the enormity of the injustice that had befallen her. She saw that the only reason she had been created for, her destiny, had been taken away from her and she had been forced to play the beautiful and good Lady Cala … If it weren't for that blonde idiot and her bestiality lover, she would now be a heroine who inspired fear and respect in the inhabitants of the Galaxy. And who was she anyway? A beautiful lady, accepting the weaknesses of all the inferior, dull creatures around her, and pretending to be perfect according to their imaginary moral standards! Besides, the fact that she had to earn her respect made it a challenge, and she was born to take on the hardest challenges, and in this one she was similar to the idiot who had stolen her place. In fact, she thought that gaining the respect and affection of the daughter of Shadow Weaver would be the wardst way to inflict pain on the woman who had never felt the same way about her two pathetic charges. And there was one more thing. She couldn't deny that Nightgale was incredibly useful. She had inherited her mother's knowledge of human nature, and she was intelligent, good at magic, and wielded a bloodstone, an artifact that even in her own mind inspired peace. She had already learned that Allies were a real treasure!

The sorceress stood in front of Soren , taking a fighting stance, ready to duel. The man smiled at the sight and said.

„I see you're serious about this! That's really cool! „And he charged at her, and they exchanged blows for a moment. She had to admit that Nightgale could fight really well. From what she had heard, even before her so-called birth, her father had placed the same training program in her mind that he had received from his creator, and from what she knew, Horde clones Prime were well trained. She wondered why he had given them such advanced hand-to-hand combat skills, but oh well, she probably wouldn't ask him. And she was even sure if necromancy would help in this matter , because even after this false being there probably wasn't a soul left that could be summoned. It was a just fate for such a blasphemer!

Even though Soren was really good, for a human of course, her companion quickly started to gain the upper hand and eventually with a powerful blow she cut his legs off and put the tip of her staff to his neck.

„I surrender I surrender! „He said and laughed, and Nightgale helped him to his feet, while everyone watched speechless at her feat. Then he added.

„That was amazing, where did you learn to fight like that!”

Her companion lowered her gaze and blushed! It was a strange sight, to tell the truth she didn't even imagine that her companion was capable of that.

„It's very nice of you to say that! My skills... Even more than my companion's, they are an innate Talent... Absolutely innate.”

Nightgale walked along the wall, and Soren walked beside her … She tried not to look at him, mostly because of the emotions he stirred in her. But not only because the man was hiding a secret he wasn't even aware of, or so she thought. But most of all, it was about how her heart behaved around him…

„Father often walked these walls thinking about... Some important matters. I followed him, as his guard, although I'm not sure if he needed that, because after all he was a powerful royal magician... He never valued physical fitness, like you do! „smiling broadly, and she felt herself blushing, and a pleasant embarrassment in her heart.

„My strength and talent for fighting have saved my life several times, so it's no wonder that I try to develop my skills... Your father was a magician... And your sister?

He nodded, saddened when she mentioned his family, and then he said.

„They were dark mages... They drew power from destruction... I wonder how much it warped my father... It didn't affect my sister as much, but she's not much younger than me... But she was always specific... I hope that after his death she found her own path and is happy.„ he smiled sadly, And she didn't have the heart to tell him the truth. About the fact that Claudia, at the urging of an ancient sorcerer, wanted to resurrect their father, And that her mother was helping her in this... A woman cursed by the ancient powers she had allied herself with... Just like her. She wondered what he would do if he learned the truth about her... saw her true form warped by a dark ritual, saw who her allies really were, and why she had come here... He would learn who the mysterious knight of adamant armor really was, what they had done to that girl to subjugate her... She didn't want to think about the extent of her lies, So she decided to redirect the topic of conversation a bit.

„My mother was also a dark mage... Although not from the beginning... She did a certain thing... To gain power and respect... And to fight this enemy that threatened the place where she lived... A certain raider who wanted to impress his master with his conquests... In the end, she ended up serving him. This man was my father... He... He imprisoned my mother after she failed him, but she escaped and then he won me...  she said telling him as much truth as she could... She could only hope that she didn't reveal too much to him...

„Oh ... I'm so sorry about what happened to you.” He said, and then he unexpectedly hugged her tightly, and she felt warmth flood her body. „Before you met Lady Cala , you must have been very lonely.

„Because I was... „she said thoughtfully and added. „I had a friend who took care of me... But then she died, murdered by soldiers of the one my father used to serve. I joined a group of some bandits... Nice enough guys, but I had to hide my... origins from them. In the end, it was only in the service of Lady Cala that I could be who I really wanted to be. „she said, trying to tell as much truth as she could without arousing suspicion. The situation in Evenere, as well as in more distant islands, was so complicated and tangled that she hoped that this story would sound likely

You've been through a lot to have someone so young... „he said and suddenly became thoughtful, making a gloomy face, and then added. „Was part of what happened to you because of what my father did? „he looked into her eyes, and she lowered her gaze and smiled bitterly.

„Probably partly, but don't blame yourself for that, because you didn't help him. The sins of our parents are not our sins! „she said, understanding that you were saying absolutely sincerely what she thought. Her father was guilty of the deaths of thousands... Just like Viren ... To be honest, she didn't blame herself for what Hordak did... Or her mother... She wasn't even born then... She was rather afraid of the hatred that both of them caused in the inhabitants of her world. That was a burden she would have to bear... But now she herself gave everyone reasons to hate her, not for the actions of her parents, but for what she had done. A thought came to her mind, so she pulled away from Soren and asked.

„Tell me about your sister… Claudia.”

Soren seemed to stare at her in surprise for a moment, she wasn't looking at his face, and then he sighed heavily and said in a hushed voice.

„She was always smart, if a little... Fixated on certain things... When she set her mind to something, she couldn't think of anything else... She wanted to be a good daughter to our father, and did everything to please him... Our mother... She left us when we were children, and she wouldn't take my sister with her, precisely because of her strangeness... She did some terrible things, and helped our father attack Xadia , but deep down she's good... I should go on an expedition and look for her sometime soon.

She smiled grimly. She knew well that this girl was now her mother's student... She really was that talented... Maybe they could actually resurrect their father. But something else in Soren's words struck her . Claudia had always wanted to be a good daughter to her father...

„Was she nice and obedient? Didn't ask too many questions, just did whatever was asked of her?„ she looked at the marshal, who made big surprised eyes and said.

„Yes, that suits her well... I guess you've known similar people in your life?”

She shook her head and explained.

„No, I'm just quite familiar with human nature... „She said truthfully. Aaravos had something of a predator in him... He seeks out his prey, when they are susceptible to manipulation. Her mother met him when she had achieved everything she could with her power , and suddenly she could become a hero, if only for the full ritual... She did when her mother was imprisoned and needed power to free her. That girl, Claudia, was left alone and wanted to resurrect her father... She also understood one more thing. Neither she nor her mother would ever be as good a protégé as a nice and obedient girl who asked no questions... She sighed heavily, but oh well, she never expected Aaravos to become his favorite student... She never even wanted it. But that girl… She was certainly happy to have found such a wonderful mentor… She was worried, because now the other one was with her mother, but Shadow Weaver was unable to see the ancient sorcerer, she couldn't know what that person needed from his new apprentice, who would probably listen to everything he told her.

"Is something wrong?" Soren asked with concern in his voice. He must have seen her feelings on her face, so she smiled at him reassuringly and explained.

„I just thought about my mother... She's alive, but I haven't seen her for a long time and I'm afraid she might be in danger... „She explained carefully. Then the two of them gazed at the setting sun. It was warm and pleasant. She listened to the rhythm of her heartbeat, wondering about the feelings that burned in it... She wasn't sure if it was love or just... sympathy. She wasn't sure how to assess her feelings. She didn't even know if it mattered, because she had her own terrible mission to fulfill.

„I didn't tell anyone much about it, but I had a sister... Older than me... Only that our family is haunted by a certain disease, Like a Curse... I recovered, but she didn't... „He said and she put her hand on his shoulder and said.

"I'm so sorry, but I'm sure she's waiting for you somewhere, even if it's in another world." She said honestly, although she meant something completely different, Let the young man assume.

Chapter Text

Eti felt different than usual. She was impatient… She couldn't wait to get there and… And get started. Finally, after these long weeks of wasting time, they had finally done something that would bring them closer to the end of their mission! To recovering that damned sword, though that was the least of her concerns. But also to meeting Stinka… its mean Lady Cala, and above all, to freeing Rosie. Every day without the one she loved made her feel like her wounded soul was even more dead… Before, she could sink into her armor in apathy and just wait for what fate would bring, but now… Now that the chance for her release was so close… She could barely think of anything else; she barely slept and didn't feel like eating. She tried to hide it from her sister, even though she knew it wasn't right, but if Catra discovered the truth, everything would become complicated. Fortunately, for most of the time they were at sea, the older cat girl was too busy with the mutiny their uncle had caused aboard Captain Wingy's ship ... But that had passed, and she wondered when the other girl would start to worry.

She also spent a lot of time swimming. For most of her life, she tried to wear as much clothing as possible because it made her feel safe, untouchable, and invisible! Ever since she'd boarded that ship, she'd bathed naked or in just her underwear. She loved the feeling of the water surrounding her, the way her body moved gracefully through the blue depths, and the way she floated freely amidst the vastness of the ocean… And she also loved the dark, unchanging ocean beneath her. She was tempted to dive in, to be swallowed forever by the lightless blackness… She couldn't afford that while Rosie was in the clutches of Lady Ka and Lady Cala . But although she opposes it, she does not renounce it. The dark abyss will wait for her.

As she climbed aboard, thanks to her arm, which she had learned to transform into a hook, she approached Captain Blindy and looked at his parrot.

"Are you sure you can trust that little bird?" she said, watching the blind man give the peanut to the disgusting creature. The man laughed and said.

„Since I lost my sight, she has been my eyes... Although I must admit that I manage quite well because I can feel the wind and the sea currents.”

"Oh..." she said and looked behind her hand. "I was half blind for a while until I got a new eye... It was irritating, especially shooting, it was difficult. And I knew I'd have to shoot a lot of people, so I got artificial eyes... Maybe we could make you one?" She looked at him, and he helped her with his arms.

„I'll think about it... But how did you lose your eye?”

"My sister scratched me..." she said, recalling that terrible moment when she stood in front of Smiley, but after a moment she added, so the captain wouldn't think anything unnecessarily, "Another sister... I have another one... Her name is Smiley... I named her that... And I named myself too..."

„Did your sister have a reason to hate you so much?”

"I don't know, I never wanted to hurt her... But I did  something that sent her to a terrible place. Back then, I couldn't do anything to prevent it." She shook her head, feeling a sudden flood of emotions she wasn't sure how to cope with. All these years, she'd tried not to think about the sisters she'd lost. It hurt too much, and she'd already suffered enough in her short life. When it turned out one of them was alive... The other had blamed her for everything she'd been through, and she was right. She'd seen how badly her body had been damaged by her stay on the Apostate... She was already afraid of being consumed by the thing that had made her limb, but all of Smiley limbs had been replaced with those strange prosthetics... Just like her eyes. She had scars, and probably not just on her body. How could she endure all this? She'd found part of the answer... She survived through hatred... She hadn't been able to hate anyone that much... Until recently.

"Listen, young one. I'm not experienced enough in life to give everyone advice. I'm just an old sea dog who had the misfortune of losing his sight. If I know anything about life, it's that..." Suddenly, his head fell back and he began to snore. Never before had she been so surprised, she touched him with her finger and released the energy from her hand. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make the man gasp and jump.

"What was that? Never mind! I think I fell asleep, but you know, I have narcolepsy, and sometimes I fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. What did I say?"

"That you can only tell me one thing about life," she said, looking at him with even greater fascination. Whatever he said, if he was still alive, he must have been a truly great captain!

„Aha! Well, I can tell you that everyone is their own ship, and that they can either sail with the current or against it...”

"That sounds like one of those stupid things that's supposed to sound terribly clever," she said, frowning, and Captain Blindy shrugged and replied.

"I didn't tell you it waclever! I just told you it was the only wisdom I knew. As you yourself pointed out, I'm only a Blind Captain."

She looked at him for a moment, wondering if he was really talking nonsense, or if he was trying to help her in some twisted way… She decided it didn't matter.

„You know, I think I even like you...” She thought for a moment, then asked, „What's the name of your ship?”

“Ruthless „He said simply, she tilted her head and added”

„We previously traveled on a ship called Mercyless…”

„And it was probably like “in my case, that the captain's wife was named Mercy and she didn't like traveling on it?

"No..." she narrowed her eyes at him and said. "Our captain simply wanted to show her enemies not to expect mercy from her... Wait, you're married?”

Lady Solace slowly traveled through the Del-Bar Mountains, contemplating what she intended to do. She didn't have a specific plan yet, but she increasingly suspected that the shooting star she'd seen a few days ago signaled a change... She pondered, knowing what it could be. One such star had awakened her, the last of the research team, decades ago... From the records, she knew that a thousand years ago, another similar event had occurred... However, that earlier event had had no significant impact on the fate of the world... Or so she thought. She hadn't encountered the first incident survivors. But then again, if the locals had forgotten their glorious heritage and their magnificent Empire, and had intermingled with the descendants of forced laborers, couldn't they have forgotten a single ship in a thousand years? The second one, however, the one who awakened her, was a completely different story… It was thanks to him that she found herself in Katolis and met Viren , but he wasn't the reason she came there… She searched for survivors, but found only one… She only met him on his deathbed, and what a coincidence, when her new husband tried to help him, following the old king's orders. The survivor married Sarai , a member of one of the oldest families in the kingdom, who likely never learned the truth about him… Or maybe she was wrong? Was that why she wanted to marry Harrow? To give this child, with blood beyond Xadia, a better chance to fulfill his potential? It probably didn't matter anyway, because five years earlier, everything had changed... An ancient weapon had been used, and she had accepted an offer from one of the Empire's ancient enemies... She had been betrayed, exploited By those for whom she had sacrificed so much, so she hardly felt guilty... She had sought an ally who didn't hide from her the fact that she was merely a pawn in an eons-long game... She slightly regretted sacrificing her first daughter, the only child in whom she had seen true potential, for those who were unworthy...

As she reflected on the past, however, she saw another shooting star. One might have been a harbinger of trouble, but two in such a short time clearly were. Furthermore, this object fell much slower and, after a moment, stopped burning. Even from this distance, she could make out the nozzles of the retrograde engines, which emanated ionic energy.

"Madam, I don't know what this is, but we have to get as far away from it as possible..." said the commander of her guard, but she spoke more to herself than to him.

„We can't escape from what this thing brings... It's better to see it up close...”

"I suggest caution. You don't know what they're looking for here, or if they're the only ones!" Mothers Love replied in her mind, and she smiled and replied.

„It's obvious, as obvious as the fact that we have to find out who they are, without revealing the truth about us..., But let's be honest, they probably don't expect to be greeted by a scientist from a fallen ancient empire.

Tirin was glad she was wearing her suit, as she barely got hurt. Unfortunately, unlike the rest, she knew the worst was yet to come. No one was actually hurt, except for Mikach's arm, which was a bit sore, but the ship's diagnostic system and her suits' systems said his wound was minor, and he'd been injected with a Healing Serum, so he should be fine. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to head outside.

„Do we... Do we know if the atmosphere is breathable, or if there are any hidden microbes here that would kill us?”

Hordak looked at them grimly, then said.

„As for the first, we've already examined the planet and it has a standard oxygen atmosphere, and as for the second matter... We've detected a population here, so there can't be anything absolutely lethal. And even if there is something, you and your friiend have the best chance of survival... I think so too, my body was designed to be resistant to most biological weapons.” he said, and then Heart Gift stood next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She smiled at her friend, trying to control the oncoming attack of agoraphobia. As the shuttle's side hatch opened, sunlight fell on their faces, and she knew Mikach and the captain were breathing a sigh of relief, seeing that everything was safe and, in their opinion, quite pleasant.

„I guess that means we can go out for a reconnaissance.

"I'm probably the best at it, but unfortunately not in this armor. It's too heavy and too noisy to sneak anywhere."

"I also suggest you put on a helmet to hide your identity. If it's true that there are no other species here except humans and elves... I look strange, but..." she hesitated, and Hordak smiled wryly.

"You look like an immortal Heavenly being, and I look like some creature used to scare children... I'm not as unaware of what's going on around me as you might think... Besides, I really was used to scare children in old time," he said grimly, and they didn't protest.

"I'll go scouting! This is a truly magnificent body, and I can sneak around in it. Besides, I look just as strange and alien to the locals as Mr. Hordak. " The android explained , and the captain nodded, giving her permission to go scouting.

The others went outside, though she lingered as long as she could, and finally found herself under the terrifyingly open sky.

She left her guard and servants behind and spurred her horse on. She heard the thunderous crash as it hit the ground, but she guessed the ship had slowed enough to land safely.

"You could send your subordinates there; that's why you have them. Unfortunately, I don't have to save my life for no reason," said Mothers Love, floating as a hologram next to her head, but she had no intention of speaking to her. She wasn't entirely sure why she'd been the first to rush to the crash site. Perhaps she simply wanted to meet someone from beyond this cursed and backward planet after all these years. Deep down, she dreamed it might be someone from her glorious empire, though she understood it was impossible. During the months she'd spent in the ruins of the haven, she hadn't managed to make contact, and all the messages she'd received suggested that her Empire had lost the war to all its enemies. Of course, few of her species had survived; after all, she'd received orders from a research facility on a hidden planet, which she'd followed to the letter... But she shouldn't delude herself that help had arrived, that she could exterminate the countless traitors and reestablish her rule over this place. Look, as soon as she saw the ship and its passengers, she understood how vain those hopes were, though she felt a pang in her heart. She saw before her a man of lesser blood, a staff in hand, suggesting he could manipulate arcane energies . A skill her people had long ago renounced so as not to disrupt the development of their civilization, a ability so deeply regretted by many later. There was also a young girl, and her cybernetic enhancements had detected a multitude of microorganisms marauding within her body, deadly if left unchecked. In her opinion, such individuals should be eliminated at the first opportunity, so as not to become a burden to society, but she had learned to keep such thoughts to herself. Only once, when she saw the king's deaf sister-in-law, had she let slip that she couldn't understand how queen wasn't ashamed to be seen in the company of such a person, but fortunately, only her husband and the woman who had read her lips heard her. She only learned about it when she went to get some fresh air and Amaya met with her privately, apart from her translator, of course. It wasn't a pleasant conversation. Even a deaf person can be scary if they're angered. Well, she'd try to be more diplomatic this time. There was also a tall man in power armor, and finally, she saw a tall woman with slightly purple-pink skin, a cybernetic arm, and a strange mask on her face. She wasn't human, but she couldn't tell at first glance what species she belonged to, and her implants also allowed her to determine that great power flowed through her veins. She might be the biggest threat, but she also seemed to be the leader of this group, so she had to proceed very carefully. All four of them looked at her, clearly awaiting her reaction to seeing the people from the stars. She could see that she had wasted some time staring at them, letting the surprise and disbelief come naturally. So she decided to slightly alter her original plans.

„By all the gods, someone has finally arrived here... More castaways from the stars, just like me!”

As soon as she heard the approaching horse, Tirin was ready to fight. That was partly why she reacted this way, drowning out her fear of the open space she found herself in, even though her suit had given her sedatives, albeit in a reduced dose, as supplies were limited, and she suspected she would have to spend weeks, if not months, here. But when she saw the rider, she was surprised to see that it was a woman in her thirties, with fair hair and blue eyes. She was very beautiful and radiated health and strength, so it hurt when, as she gazed at her, she saw contempt bordering on disgust in her eyes. The others, however, didn't notice, and when, to everyone's surprise, the woman introduced herself as one of the survivors from the stars, the captain said:

"Indeed, it's truly an incredible act of the gods." Captain Moonshadow said, then pointed at Mikach “This is my husband Mikach, and this is my navigator and adoptive daughter Tirin … That man was the terrible Ordak. I'm sorry he's so armored, but he's a cyborg and probably wouldn't survive this. And somewhere around here is…" She didn't finish, because Heart Gift appeared from the trees.

"Your private reconnaissance android," she said, her voice much more robotic than usual. Her suit displayed a message from her friend saying… "Be careful."

Lonnie breathed a sigh of relief when they landed. For now, everyone was safe; they were out of danger. Of course, she knew she'd have to spend hours figuring out where to get supplies for her subordinates and so on. They could stay on the ship for a while, though she wasn't sure if it was safe, as Igzar still had quite a fleet in orbit and could probably track where they'd landed. She hoped, however, that he wouldn't focus on that, but would instead try to manage the situation among his people and consolidate his power. She remembered well how tough his niece was, while he was supposedly much meaner, a fact she was slowly beginning to believe. She gathered her Guardsmen and headed for the ship's exit, deciding to give her boys a moment to rest. As soon as the exit lifted, she saw they were surrounded on all sides by rocks and gravel. It wasn't so bad; after all, they'd spent a lot of time in the Crimson Wastes, and it was similar there. They'd manage somehow. She'd already managed to secure a supply of food for her people once, and far more than they could muster, though she had to admit they were in a much more familiar place then. She could now hope that things were coming together here. As she surveyed the expanses of sand, her Datapad buzzed. She checked it to see if she'd received any messages. To her utter surprise, she saw a message from a infamous Dr. Sidonius … She'd heard of him from the former queen and Eti's friends.

„I learned that you landed nearby, which is very good for me, because I believe that our cooperation will be very fruitful.

She sighed heavily, because even though she had heard that this individual was someone extremely nasty and dangerous, they would obviously have to actually cooperate.

Nyx breathed a sigh of relief as her passengers disembarked near the port. They wouldn't have to enter the city, considering how they looked; they certainly would have caused a huge stir, and they didn't have to sail very far with their skeleton crew. Come to think of it, this expedition had turned out to be quite fruitful. They'd transported valuable goods, not only hadn't had to pay for water, but they'd even received a ton of their money, and so what if , in coins she couldn't recognize, gold was gold. She thought she could take a break from traveling and trading for a while and finally go looking for Rao ... She had to find them eventually...

„Do you smell smoke?” said Captain Vilads .

Damn pyromaniac.

Chapter Text

Shadow Weaver followed Claudia, making her way through the forest. The girl was younger than her, and more agile, though also rather careless. She had trouble concentrating and was easily distracted, especially when she saw magical creatures. She had to admit that the flora and fauna of this place were surprisingly interesting. Even the flowers that farted when you touched them, after all, were something she hadn't encountered before. She wondered for a moment how she would have viewed this place in old  times. Perhaps as a land full of resources to exploit, thanks to which she could satiate her constant hunger for magic, or perhaps even gain the power she always dreamed of. She wasn't sure what had changed in her, whether she was simply more apathetic, or perhaps, on the contrary, more focused on a goal that was still so distant.

She looked at the girl who was leading her, and saw the hunger in her eyes. She should have expected it, after all, she knew full well who her master was and what kind of magic she practiced. Besides, the blood of the First Ones flowed in the girl's veins; she had no doubt about that. Unfortunately, she hadn't met enough people from this world to be able to say if it was true for all of them. Her elven boyfriend possessed innate magic, and she wondered how much of it was connected to what had been taught to her world. However, these were idle speculations for now; she needed to gather more information to learn more about it... But did it even matter now?

„You must have really loved your father... „She said to the girl, who stopped abruptly and looked at her in surprise, and then smiled at her uncertainly.

„Of course, I'm his daughter after all!”

It was an evasive answer, so she looked at Claudia carefully and spoke slowly.

„I have three daughters. Two adopted, and one with whom I am blood related... Well, I know it's strange , but I only learned of her existence recently... Anyway, the girls I adopted hate me and wish me dead...”

Claudia widened her eyes and said.

„That's terrible! Why do they hate you?”

She laughed bitterly, then looked at the girl and said.

"I told you I was, and probably to some extent still am, an exceptionally horrible person. I manipulated and tormented them, especially one of them, so i don't blame them for that... You have to face the consequences of your actions, and I earned that hatred very hard... My biological daughter... She loves me, though I'm not sure why... She did something terrible, performed the same ritual that makes me look like the monster they use to scare children with, just to free me..." She didn't tell the girl that it was Aaravos who had tricked the Nighgale into summoning the Devourer of Light, which is why they both ended up here.

Claudia thought for a moment, and she had the impression the girl had grown sad. She began to speak in a hushed voice, staring ahead with blurry eyes.

"My brother... His relationship with our father was complicated... It wasn't that my father didn't love him, he didn't hurt him... Nothing like that! He simply... He sent me on a search for a certain... Rare ingredient, and my father... He said that if I had to choose between obtaining this item and saving Soren's life, I should sacrifice my brother. It was... You have to understand that my father wanted to save Pentarchy ... Give us a place to live, a place where we could prosper and free us from the constant fear of elves and dragons' aggression... He simply had to look beyond himself and his loved ones... Sometimes, for the sake of higher goals, you have to sacrifice a lot, even those you love."

She smiled bitterly and wondered for a moment how much honesty she could afford, and then she said.

"There was a time when I would have sacrificed my daughters without hesitation for the greater good... Or for my own power... In fact, I almost forced one of them to do it.  I did only one good thing for them, which ultimately led me here..." She preferred not to tell her that her one good deed had resulted in her death. It might have led to further questions, like whether her father could be resurrected in the same way. The more she heard about this man, the less she liked him, but she was certain he wasn't a servant of the Crawling Chaos, and probably wasn't even aware of the things lurking in The Darkness Between The Stars. His daughter... Maybe there was hope for her... But she suspected that in the course of what would have to happen, what they would have to do, her soul would be Marked by the darkness. She feared she would contribute to it as well... Another sin on her conscience, but she had to commit it, she had to sacrifice her, for her daughter's sake, and for the good of the Galaxy. Yes, she was no better than her father.

The area was wild, and their supplies were slowly dwindling. If it weren't for Terry's skills , they would have starved. The boy didn't eat meat, but he could accelerate plant growth and search for roots and tubers. She also suspected that with hers magic, she could hunt any animal. From what she knew, Claudia had hunted some too, perhaps quite often, considering that her magic drew power from the forces hidden within other creatures' body parts. Still, they had to save supplies.

Claudia didn't tell her exactly why they were going; she simply said it would be better if she saw it with her own eyes. She only knew it was something needed to resurrect her father. The girl was excited, but also a little scared, and that was starting to worry her . After a while, she detected the stench of carrion, as well as the scent of acid and sulfur. They found themselves in a small valley where several geysers were located. Everything around was covered in yellow sulfur, the fumes of which stung and irritated her eyes. It wasn't a pleasant place, but if the girl only wanted to collect sulfur, it wasn't much of a challenge. Then, however, she saw the creature they were looking for. It was covered in amber-colored scales that reflected light. It had a long tail tipped with many spikes, and two golden horns on its head. She guessed it was a dragon, although she'd never seen one before, except in a few photos and a few movies she'd watched. She knew, of course, that Lady Sorrowflame was a dragon, but she had never seen her in that form. Although, from what she'd heard, she'd taken it on at Catra and Adora's wedding. This creature was truly impressive, and looking at it, she understood why they'd come here.

„So you want to kill him?”

"A dragon's heart possesses incredible magical properties. It must sustain such a powerful creature. Moreover, it is a sulfur dragon, and its heart possesses a unique power that is very useful in resurrecting living beings."

She looked at the dragon and frowned. This could be really difficult. If the girl had told her earlier, she would have tried to come up with something… Now she had to improvise…

"I've never fought a dragon, though I've participated in battles. But I know it will be a truly difficult fight. You're sure there's no other way."

"Actually... Actually, he suggested we don't fight him. We just need to lure him away from the nest, and then I'll find one of his young and... He claims that such a heart would be even better, because it was full of youthful energy." The girl spoke energetically, as if trying to convince herself and hide her shame at the same time. She looked at her, wondering how much the girl realized what she was proposing. She knew that, at least in the short term, it would be a better idea, although she suspected that this would only make the dragon want to take revenge on them. So they would have to kill him anyway... She guessed what the ancient sorcerer truly wanted. So she pursed her lips angrily and said to the girl.

„I won't hurt children... Not anymore! Listen, I have a plan.”

They waited between the stones, hidden by shadow magic. She had to admit she felt pleased with herself, as they sank so deep into the shadows that they were practically invisible. She smiled to herself. She thought she'd learned something from Catra . She wasn't sure how intelligent this dragon was; she suspected it might be as intelligent as any humanoid , or at least it was best to assume so. She told Claudia to hide on the other side. And what about further away? She was afraid the girl wasn't skilled at stealth, but surprisingly, she surprised her. She regretted a little that they hadn't brought Terry with them , because his power over plants would have been really useful here. But then again, he was a good boy, and it would probably be best if he didn't find out that his girlfriend was planning to kill a child, even a dragon child, to revive his future father-in-law...

The timing must have been perfect, though they didn't really know much about this creature's lifestyle, and they had no idea if it wouldn't fly away, even if it had young. He took a few lumps of sulfur and began chewing them carefully. She decided this would be the perfect moment to launch an attack. She shot long black tentacles from her shadow, which immediately wrapped around the dragon's limbs, while simultaneously dodging to the side and summoning a black blade of cold, shadowy flame. She wasn't young anymore, and certainly wasn't in the best of shape, so she stumbled, striking her knee painfully, but she was used to pain. Then Claudia spoke a few words in a language that made her ears hurt, and two shadow wolves shot from her hands and attacked the dragon's eyes. He tried to fend them off with his claws and also vomited boiling acid, spraying everything around him. A few drops landed on her, stinging her painfully. She cursed under her breath and hurled a beam of ice and darkness at their opponent's wing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Claudia throw a dozen spikes that grew and embedded themselves in the Dragon's muzzle and eye, making it easier for her to get closer. However, the enormous creature struggled from the grip of the shadowy masks and vomited boiling water again, this time aiming at the shadowy feline creatures, who scattered. Then she unleashed the spell she had used many times on Catra and the other cadets. The phantom pain caused terrible suffering, though only in the victim's mind. The dragon howled in terrible agony, and then Claudia enveloped its mangled muzzle in a shell of ice. She decided to take advantage of this moment and ran up to the monster and drove the blade of black flame under its ribs, aiming for the lungs but trying to avoid the Heart, which they needed so much.

The dragon sucked in a breath, then arched back and died. Claudia ran towards him even before he stopped twitching, a long knife in her hand. She plunged it into his chest and began cutting into his flesh, using a meat cleaver to help herself. She had to admit, the girl was quite skilled at such gruesome work. She looked at her, smiled despite her blood-spattered face, and said:

„Will you help me because we need to take them out when they are relatively fresh?”

She approached her and began helping her. Fortunately, she had sufficient knowledge of anatomy and experience in dissecting corpses, although they were usually the size of an average humanoid . A few minutes later, Claudia placed the heart in a jar filled with alcohol and some other chemicals and sealed it.

“You know, we are really great partners!”

"Partners in crime, definitely..." the girl said grimly, suppressing her joy. Then they heard a strange whimper. They both headed towards the sound, finding a nest made of stones and surrounded by sulfur. Inside was a tiny dragon, barely a hatchling, looking around fearfully .

"So... what are we going to do with him?" Claudia asked. She had to admit she hadn't thought about it. Looking into Claudia's eyes, she read what the girl was thinking. She sighed heavily; sometimes mercy was really hard.

Nightgale went to the inn where Lady Ka had summoned her. The town wasn't large, and there were only three inns, and of course the woman in the half-mask had chosen the worst one. Honestly, it didn't even bother her; she'd been to similar establishments before, especially right after the war, and in this guise, she scared off most people who might bother her, though of course, no one could threaten her anyway. The inn looked decent enough, but it was a royal residence, after all, and she suspected the real murderous places were in some nearby village, perhaps the river port they'd seen from afar when they'd traveled here. She saw Lady Ka sitting at a table in the corner of the main hall, drinking from a clay mug and singing loudly. Beside her sat a hooded man... Although she couldn't see his face, she sensed an aura of menace emanating from him. He seemed comfortable in the clone woman's company. When she sat down at the table next to them, Lady Ka said:

"This individual has come here to offer us an important mission on which the fate of the world may depend!" she exclaimed. They both looked at her in confusion, so the woman waved her hand and added. "That's a reference! This is  Khandros , and he has come here bringing news for our lovely leader from her allies on this planet!"

The man lifted his hood, and she regarded him with genuine surprise. He was one of the local Saihe . Unlike those, like her mother, who lived on Etheria, he had horns and four fingers. He had tattoos on his cheeks, representing some mystical symbols, which she couldn't quite decipher. His violet eyes were strange, almost as cold as the monstrous aristocrat's when they were alone, but she also saw a threat and a warning in them… And also genuine surprise.

"So it's true, you're a half-breed!" She could sense a note of interest in his voice, mixed with a touch of contemptuous superiority.

"I am, although in a different way than you think..." she said, and seeing the man move away from her, she added, "and in a different way than Lady Cala... I'm also a sorceress, and I have many other abilities..."

The man nodded and told me something more formal.

„We were sent here by the Cult of the Dark Star... I came to arrange a meeting with your lady, Lord Jaso . Here is a letter proposing a place where they can talk in peace. „he handed her a sealed letter.

She tilted her head to the side and asked.

"It's a job for an courier. But you seem much more competent than an ordinary messenger."

Saihe man nodded and said.

"Indeed, I came here to take care of a few other matters, and to defend the Lord if necessary." When he finished speaking, Lady Ka spoke up.

"Me neither. I only sent for you because I didn't feel like getting off my ass and visiting our beautiful aristocrat, and also because I have some interesting news for you. Someone's asking about your boyfriend."

She was about to deny it, saying that Soren wasn't her boyfriend, but she realized it would only backfire. So she simply asked.

„Who is this about?”

"That woman over there, the one standing across from us. I suspect she or her sister or daughter got pregnant with our beautiful boy and now she's demanding recognition as a bastard or something." Lady Ka laughed happily, as if she'd just told a wonderful joke.

She grimaced at her ally's words, but looked in the direction she was pointing. It was a woman in her forties with a sad look in her eyes. She was hunched and rather emaciated, not exactly the look of a Dangerous, or a scorcher, or someone you're returning to. Perhaps her companion was right about her, though she doubted Soren would do such a thing; he was too kind and sympathetic a person.

"Okay, I'll take care of it," she said and went to the woman, then sat down next to her, looked at her carefully and asked.”

„I heard that you have some business with the marshal of the kingdom... I'm on good terms with him, so you can tell me what's on your mind.”

The woman looked at her uncertainly for a moment, so she smiled at her friendly, which had such a good effect that she managed to force herself,

„This matter concerns my sister and Marshal Soren . Please, let's go outside so we can discuss this.”

When she heard the woman's words, she felt a pain in her heart, as if she'd been betrayed. Even though nothing had actually happened. After all, she'd just met this man... As she followed the woman, she felt the ring pulsate increasingly stronger, almost painfully, probably because of her own racing pulse. They found themselves in the back room, and the woman lowered her gaze, then said:

"What I have to say... It's a sad story. Two years ago, I found my sister at home, unable to move her arms and legs. She said a girl had come to her and I was using a year's worth of magic to steal her strength. At first, I didn't know who she was. I had to take care of my sister, who couldn't do anything around her. However, she died a month ago, and I learned from the Healer that while my sister was robbed of her strength, the marshal had a broken spine, but his sister had healed him by bringing him strength gathered from another being... I guessed what happened then..." The woman lowered her eyes and said, "I don't want money or anything like that. I just want him to know he can be healthy, that he can be the warrior everyone admires thanks to what happened to our family."

She felt relief, which quickly turned to fear. She was glad that Lady. Ka's theory hadn't come true, that it hadn't turned out that the man she was beginning to love had a child on the side. She knew, however , that if he found out she owed her health to someone else's wrongdoing… It would break him… he would hate himself… She couldn't let that happen. She remembered a spell her mother supposedly sometimes used. She hadn't been able to use it before because she was weak with electricity and similar forces, but now I had the power… She wielded bloodstone…

"Yes, I'll help you... I'll help, I'll help!" she heard a voice in her mind, and then she felt herself embrace the woman's head, smiled sadly at her, and then electricity began to surge between her hands. Pain flashed across the woman's face, she arched back in immense agony, and then she fell unconscious. Her memory had been wiped from her; she wasn't sure how exactly, but she certainly wouldn't be able to remember why she had come here. She smiled bitterly to herself, and then she began to cry out for help... Sometimes, for the sake of those we love, we must sacrifice more than ourselves... Sometimes we must sacrifice our own souls.

She went to the manor where Soren lived  which until recently had belonged to his father. It was a large, two-story building nestled against the city walls, shrouded in shadow. It was guarded by two guards, members of the private Guard employed by the old mage. The architecture here was much more… pragmatic than that on Etheria, where everything focused on aesthetics and ensuring everything blended beautifully with the natural surroundings. She was led to the drawing room, where Lady Cala was playing the piano. Perhaps if it had been anyone else, she would have felt a pang of jealousy at the sight, but she knew that the spawn of Yog-Sototh was not trying to seduce the young man. And even if she had succeeded… Somehow, she couldn't be jealous. It was like resenting someone admiring the beauty of a storm … The monstrous aristocrat was playing  a melody she didn't recognize … She was as beautiful as the girl herself. Soren listened to her in rapt attention, captivated by the beauty of the music. But she possessed a keen ear, or perhaps she simply saw through the facade Calamity had created. This melody was truly perfect, but also soulless, just like the person playing it. After a moment, Calamity finished playing and, smiling at Soren in friendship, asked him.

„Could you give me a moment, because we need to talk about something.”

"Sure! You two can chat friend to friend, and I'll see what I have in the pantry!" Soren said and left the room.

She sat down next to Lady Cala, who, however, continued playing, strangely lost in thought. After a while, she began to speak thoughtfully in Aklo.

"I can masterfully play any melody I've ever heard, and I could be rich just by performing. But you know what I'll tell you? I completely don't understand why you do this ... I only hear sounds, which together create a rather interesting harmony, but nothing else... I don't feel that thrill you're talking about..." She had the strange feeling that the aristocrat was trying to explain something to her, or perhaps complain about her inhuman otherness.

"Are you sorry about this?" she asked her cautiously, and then Lady Cala looked at her with her cold blue eyes, and for perhaps the first time I saw uncertainty in them.

„She loves music... My sister Evangeline ... This ancient being that even scares me! She has true talent, she's an incredibly gifted violinist ... I'm told I feel music with my whole being... I can't understand why we were created so differently.”

"Don't ask me why beings older than time make the decisions they do," she said, looking at her company. Then she handed her a piece of paper that Khandros had given her , and then she told her about what had happened in the back of the inn.

"I don't know why this one thing moved me so much. I've done a lot of bad things in my life, but this one thing... I'll never forget it..."

"You feel this so strongly because you did it entirely for yourself... Not even because of the guy, but so you wouldn't have to watch him suffer," Lady Cala explained, smiling serenely and warmly.

"So is that why I feel so bad about it?" she asked herself rather than the girl sitting next to her, but she giggled softly and said.

"Don't ask me questions about morality... I could kill your boyfriend and that woman if I wanted to and ask Lady Sorrowflame to revive them, after stitching them into one zombie. I'd only do it because I thought it would be funny. Because it would be damn funny."

She closed her eyes, wondering if she was slowly turning into a monster worse than Calamity.

Chapter Text

Catra rubbed her temples as she looked at their Wrestling,

"It should easily be enough for the journey, if nothing unexpected happens," she said, calculating how much each of them eats each day.

„Even if we start to run out, we can buy food somewhere... We just need to send Seahawk or Lilka... Eventually we can send Rayla...„ said Alatar, glancing at the horned Elf who was sharpening her swords, but when she heard what he was saying, she gave him a cold look and said.

„Seahawk set Captain Vilads' ship on fire ... What kind of Normal Captain sets ships on fire! The Red-Haired Girl, on the other hand, is... Weird.”

"You know, we're all weirdo’s here, that's the charm of war orphans," Dragonkin said, and Rayla sighed heavily. Then Itel spoke up.

"Lilka once tried to buy a spaceship with a colorful horse, which she believed was an ancient orc totem. She believes that jumping and screaming at the top of her voice are part of ancient orc rituals. She's my friend, but she's not the best person to entrust with a more responsible undertaking."

“But we can send Frosta with her. They like each other and she's actually quite a responsible girl, she's actually human," she said happily, having already found something to do for her friend. But Rayla frowned and asked.

„Actually a human? What do you mean?”

She became quite embrased and said carefully, exchanging glances with Itel.

„You know, she's a princess and has blue hair... You understand, right?„ She said a little too nervously so as not to seem suspicious, but the horned Saihe just frowned and shrugged and then said.

"Please, don't let that crazy guy go anywhere he could set something on fire. How on Xadia did he become captain?"

Honestly, that was a good question… She thought for a moment and then answered me.

"He's a really good sailor. Besides, his wife is a princess with the power of the sea, so she can put out any fire on the ship without a problem... She's a tough woman, and it's comfortable to be around her... Especially since I once banished her from her own castle..." She said, grimacing, and Rayla looked at her with wide eyes.

„Why did you do that?„ said the Warrior in disbelief, and she shrugged and answered her

„We had a war, just like yours, only... Much hotter than yours... Although it was nothing compared to what the others told me about the war in the galaxy... And what I saw on the Horde ship. Prime …

She was lost in thought, barely noticing Rayla flinch, and Itel grimaced and said.

„I could tell you a little bit about it, but it's probably not something I'd like to go back to...„ Saihe said  and she decided to change the subject.

„So if we need something from a village or town, or we need to talk to the locals, we send Frosta, Lilka and Rayla ... Decided?”

“I can help too, if necessary I can actually pretend to be a dragon, my parents aren't here to yell at me.” Dragonkin said, making Rayla even more confused.

Frosta swallowed the pieces of meat, feeling both ecstasy and self-loathing. Hunting the rabbit wasn't difficult, especially with Shogi and Lilka helping her. She'd hunted Arctic rabbits and similar creatures before, and it was no problem. Eating it raw, however, was something else entirely. She looked apologetically at the red-haired girl, who, surprisingly, seemed shaken.

„I'm sorry... You know that sometimes I have to eat raw meat because otherwise... Because otherwise it's hard for me to think, if I don't do it when I have full control over myself then...„ she didn't finish because Lilka smiled friendly and patted her shoulder.

"Don't worry! It doesn't bother me at all, and I know there were many tribes of orcs who ate the raw meat of hunted monsters... You just have to eat vegetables too!" The red-haired girl tilted her head and added. "Haven't you considered that you might be a bit of an orc too?"

"I don't think so, but I'd be proud if it turned out that way," she said, smiling. Although she already knew the girl wasn't really an orc or anything, she was nice to her, so she might as well do her a favor.

This was her second hunt on this planet, and five days had passed since the last one. Although she thought she could have held out a little longer, she didn't want to risk it, taking advantage of the proximity of a forest full of game. She felt a bit better since the last time, especially since they were at sea, and she enjoyed sailing. The captain was very kind and had a lovely parrot. She hadn't expected to ever sail on a ship belonging to a blind captain, but it had turned out to be quite a pleasant experience… If only Seahawk hadn't set his ship on fire… Now , if he did, he probably wouldn't want anything to do with them.

They also met two new people. They met Nyx briefly, but she seemed like a decent person, despite Eti acting as if she'd personally insulted her. Rayla was a Saihe warrior, just as athletic and agile as Catra. She became their guide in this place, though she felt like everything she'd learned from them had made her depressed and wished she'd never met them. She understood her a little; she herself wished many things had never happened… Of course, the vast universe had its advantages… Traveling through worlds allowed one to meet people one wouldn't have met otherwise. She looked at Lilka, who began throwing sticks to Shogi , who had taken the form of a werelizard . Suddenly, she thought of Nightgale … She was one of the few people who had recognized her true form. She had to admit, she liked her… But she left with Lady Cala and her mother. And since that awful aristocrat was here... That means she was probably here too... She didn't want to fight her, she wanted to talk to her, and convince her to... Stop working with those... hideous people! Maybe she could float to her like Adora did to Catra , and now they were together... When she realized what she'd thought, she felt her cheeks begin to heat up.

„And now you look like a tomato!„ Lilka said, smiling broadly, and she felt even more embarrassed and said.

"I think we'll go to the others now. I'll just wash up with some cold water from the nearby stream." She said I really needed cold water.

The travel through the forests and wilderness of Katolis went surprisingly smoothly. Itel was surprised to find herself at home in the forests here, wild and untamed, even more so than on her home planet. She liked it; she had always loved being in the wilderness, and when she came home from school, she often spent entire days there, though partly because she was simply angry at her family. Since… Kesler's destruction, she rarely had the opportunity to spend time among the shadows of trees; she usually found herself on a ship, among the half-ruined metropolises of Akiton , or in the wastelands. She saw countless animals frolicking in the branches or among the trunks and bushes. She had a tender ear for words, so she heard the constant hum of life everywhere. Yes, it was truly beautiful here! She smiled at you as she walked among the trees. She easily heard someone walking towards her, loud enough that they probably didn't want to sneak up, so, still smiling, she said.

„Are all your forests this beautiful?”

The local elf stood next to her, looking at her thoughtfully. Then she smiled sadly and said, drawing a circle around herself with her hand .

"Compared to where I lived, these forests are sad and gloomy! In the east, where I was born, trees grow to the sky, magical creatures roam freely, almost unthreatened, magic permeates everything..."

„I felt something like that on Etheria. It's a strange place... Magic also seems to touch everything that lives... It's from there that Etis sister came ... Although she wasn't born there.

Rayla nodded slowly.

"You and your friends aren't from there either?" the horned elf asked, and she nodded in response.

"I come from Kesler ... It wasn't such a wild place. Although my family, the village, owned a large piece of forest and could also hunt in state forests with certain restrictions, there were many more people there... There were also large cities... I lived in one of them, in a boarding school, to be precise... I studied there, and then you went to medical school and became a doctor... The entire settlement contributed to it. I hated it because I was the poorest student in the entire school anyway, but now I understand they meant well for me."

„It was... They wanted... What exactly happened to this place?„ Rayla asked, and she closed her eyes and, looking to the side, said in a toneless voice.

"The galaxy faces many threats, the greatest of which is the Swarm. The number of creatures roaming the void of space is uncountable. Living ships that spawn thousands of monsters that descend on the planet and kill everything in its path. A planet that falls isn't conquered; only its shell remains, all its biomass is decomposed, and its resources are absorbed to become part of the Swarm, enabling further conquests. And so on, endlessly. I lost almost all my loved ones during this phase... Only recently did I learn that my father survived... It was the same with the others... They lost most of their family and everything they knew. The exception is Eti, because she comes from a neighboring world in the same star system, and was spared the loss of everything she knew, but she, too, bears her scars."

Rayla frowned as she looked at her and asked cautiously.

„You and Eti... Were you together?”

She smiled bitterly and nodded.

"Yes, although I think it meant a lot more to me than to her. To her, I'm just a friend she sleeps with sometimes... I think I was in love with her, but that's not important anymore. She has Rosie, and she's in love with her, and it's mutual. The problem is, Rosie has been kidnapped by our enemies, and we have no idea how to free her."

They stood in silence for a moment, then she saw a large number of hazelnuts on the tree, so she ran towards it, climbed up, and began gathering them. Rayla and her strange monkey ran to help her. Luckily, the local elf had brought a bag with her, so they had something to pack for their purchase.

„And you have... A boyfriend...„ she asked, handing her the nuts, and Rayla smiled sadly, and then replied.

"Yes, his name is Calum and he's the king's brother. I told you that, as well as that he's a magician, the only human in hundreds of years who can cast spells without using dark magic. But that's not why I fell in love with him... He's wise and sensitive. Always ready to listen to others when they have a problem. He was kind to me, even after I tried to kill him..." Rayla smiled, seeing him look at her questioningly. She explained. "Actually, I was supposed to kill his younger brother... My adoptive father..." She didn't finish because they heard a voice from the bushes.

"Oh shit!" Eti said, approaching them. Rayla almost jumped at the sight. Well, she'd have to get used to the cat girl's quirks if she wanted to travel with them. "If you try to kill someone you later love, that bond is indissoluble... But you know, Itel actually likes both boys and girls, so the three of you can be together! Ask your boyfriend, I'm sure he'll agree!"

“You were following us?” Rayla said with disbelief in her voice, and Eti tilted her head to the side and explained as if she were explaining something completely obvious.

"I had to watch over you while you consummated your relationship in the forest... You missed!" Eti shouted, dodging the nut she threw at her... She looked at the horned elf, and then asked Rayla ...

„Finish what you wanted to say.”

Rayla , She looked at her with thanks and said.

"I, my adoptive father, and his companions came here to kill the king and his son in revenge for the murder of the dragon lord and his offspring. My adoptive father managed to kill the king, but in the meantime she learned that the royal magician was in possession of the dragon prince, or rather, the egg he was then. We decided to deliver him to our mother to end the war... And we succeeded!"

There was silence for a moment, but then Eti added.

„My sister and her wife also ended the war... They killed this guy who probably wanted to destroy almost the entire universe, including your planet... I think they should demand a monument here!”

They laughed at the absolute conviction in the younger cat girl's voice.

A few days earlier, Lady Sorrowflame had surveyed the vast expanse of land that comprised the continent of Xadia . She had traveled at night; she had no reason to rush, and daylight weakened her even in Dragon form. She had had to leave most of her servants behind; she had gathered only her Nightwing and some of her research equipment, primarily her Necrotech Spider Android . She also took the Ghoul she had created immediately upon arrival. She carried everything in a large bag strapped to her lower abdomen; it had been quite some time since she had had to travel this way. Even on Etheria , she had left most of her key equipment in the care of Lady Ka, who, she had to admit, had performed her duties well. However, she needed mostly research equipment, for far to the northeast, deep in the continent, a power pulsed, a Dark magic she could taste even on her dead lips.

The journey itself wasn't difficult, but there were some significant complications. The maps Lady Cala had provided her didn't include the elven portion of the continent, which was precisely where she intended to go. Why, then, had she had to find her way around? Fortunately, the area was relatively sparsely populated… The problem was , a surprisingly large portion of its inhabitants were dragons. She'd heard of this before, but she considered it a bit of an exaggeration. However, as she soared over eastern Xadia, she often caught the scent of her former kin… She wasn't sure what she should feel… For the past few centuries, she'd had virtually no contact with her own species, or rather, the species she'd belonged to in life. She wasn't sure if she should still feel part of that people; after all, she'd become an undead monster, albeit against her will. She vaguely remembered that in the old days, many of her kin had rejected her because of what she'd become. In fact, she understood them; after all, she had become the embodiment of death itself. That's why she tried to avoid all dragon lairs. It wasn't that easy, though; she suspected she'd entered someone else's territory several times, especially since the local dragons were quite small and didn't have a lair she could recognize.

One night, she reached a ravine and decided to stop. She was near a desert marked by ancient, dark magic. She was already close to her intended destination , but she decided to set off the next night so she could explore the place when she had time before dawn. She took on human form, wrapping herself in a red cloak, though she increasingly restricted her clothing. She recognized that as a dragon, she didn't need to hide her nakedness, even in human form. Besides, she was a priestess of Dahak, the God of Fiery Doom. She should walk clad only in flames. The ghoul was ravenous, but she could feed him pure necrotic essence, so she was sure he wouldn't spoil. She ordered him to stay and watch over her belongings. Soon, she reached a cave and decided the place looked quite interesting, considering whether to make it a base of operations. After all, a shelter for the night would be useful. However, as she looked around the place, she caught the scent of a mortal; even in human form, she had an unusually sensitive sense of smell, thanks both to being a dragon and to having become a predatory bloodsucker. She began to look around until she finally caught a scent, caught the scent, and ran into a side passage of the cave. Within moments, she found herself in a large chamber, where a small camp was being ruled by several people. She recognized them as local elves, though she had only heard their descriptions. There were several of them, and they looked rather pathetic, emaciated, and their clothing was in poor condition. And the sight of them taking up arms; they were clearly meant to fight her instead, which actually amused her a bit.

"You must be nervous, since you jumped to your feet at the sight of a single traveler in just a cloak, and she wasn't sneaking up on you." She said in the voice of a cat talking to mice, which apparently confused most of them. One, wielding a large bronze hammer, growled.

"Damn human... You won't tell your people where we're hiding." And he started toward her. She smiled and said a few words in Necril, and then the elf's bones began to crack and he fell to the stone floor with a scream.

„Dark Mage…„ whispered one of them, who seemed to be the commander, she looked at him and said.

"Dark Mage? More like a necromancer and priestess of a dead god, but let's say your statement is true in a sense. A human, however, by no means..." She smiled, revealing two black fangs, and then her body tore apart and she assumed her true form, a massive red dragon with cybernetic implants. The elf recoiled at the sight of her, genuinely terrified, and asked.

„Who are you!”

„I think it would be better if you said it first... „she said in the sweetest voice she could get out of her throat in this form.

"My name is Pharos , and I am… Or rather, I was a priest of the Holy Flame at Sunforge … Before that man corrupted this place!" their leader said, surprisingly quickly regaining his composure. She detected something strange in his scent, a hint of corruption similar to the one she had detected from the city…

"So you come from a place that interests me so much. You might be useful. As for my name, you deserve to know her. Most of my contemporaries call me Lady Sorrowflame , but my real name is Ashaq The Annihilator …„ And she roared at the top of her lungs.

Chapter Text

They'd learned of the royal High Mage's birthday almost by accident. Nightgale had been wandering the castle corridors, contemplating her recent accomplishments and bored, waiting for news from her mother, until she spotted Soren. This time, he was in the garden, trying to remain unnoticed. The problem was , he wasn't very good at sneaking, or anything involving deceit and cunning, which set him apart from his father, and perhaps his sister as well. She grimaced at the thought, and she crept up to the oblivious man, placing a hand on his shoulder with a friendly smile.
„Are we conspiring?
The blond-haired man jumped in fright
„No! I would never conspire under any circumstances. Do I look like a conspirator to you?”
She tilted her head to the side and spoke in a serious voice.
„All real conspirators don't look like conspirators, I know something about that!”
The man turned even paler and said.
"I'm really not plotting anything! It's just... It's complicated! The royal magician's birthday is coming up soon and..."
He didn't finish because she laughed heartily and said.
"You'd be the absolute worst conspirator imaginable! Although you have ability that make something as ordinary as a birthday seem like part of a larger plot, you're truly an extraordinary person..."
He blushed slightly at her praise, then looked at her as if she had some brilliant idea, and asked
„Maybe you and Lady Cala could come to the party... And you could also bring that third girl with you... Lady Ka... Although on the other hand... I'm sorry to say this, but she's quite disturbing.”
“Wait until you know Lady Cala's true nature.” she thought, but shrugged and replied.
„Probably because being disturbing is part of her job, after all, she is the person responsible for the safety of our dear lady... I can't say for Lady Ka, but I will definitely come!
"And Lady Cala?" the man said, raising an eyebrow. She hesitated for a moment, unsure if she wanted to invite a creature to such a joyful event; she could adorn the castle's battlements with its participants' heads without batting an eyelid. However, she knew she couldn't help but tell her, she could only hope that the Monstrous Aristocrat would find something else to do or at least he won't be bored during the party, because then he can look for something more interesting to do, for example tearing off other people's limbs.
"I'm sure she'll be interested, or at least I'll offer the young mage a gift..." She said, smiling at Soren, who almost jumped with joy, and then, with a straightened index finger, as if he'd remembered something, a dot.
"But absolutely don't tell anyone! Especially not Calum ..." He said and she nodded seriously and said.
"You have my word I won't tell anyone! I'm really good at keeping secrets," she said, absolutely truthfully.

"So the bratty king is organizing a birthday party for his nerdy wizard brother? That might be a nice change, or at least any change!" Lady Cala said, stretching on a lounger in the Castle garden. She'd come here to bask in the sun after returning from the baths, where she'd washed herself after training with the King's guards, most of whom she'd defeated. She knew she shouldn't show off like that, or someone might eventually suspect her divine nature, but she was already so irritated by the long wait to see if Shadow Weaver would manage to revive this human Warlock that she had to find something to do. Unfortunately, there weren't many interesting things for someone with her aspirations to do here. In fact, she wasn't sure if even if she managed to bring this guy back to life, they'd be notified quickly enough. Aaravos, being a respectable being who valued his time, might hesitate to tell them about the success of the grim Sorceress's mission.
Nightgale looked at her with reproach in her eyes, it made her feel bad in a strange way, and then she said.
“This brat rules the country, and he's even doing it tolerably well, and the nerdy wizard taught himself magic, which makes him actually better than me, so don't talk about them so disparagingly, because even someone like you can get burned.”
She rolled her eyes and said.
„You're starting to sound like your mother!”
Nightgale laughed briefly, she laughed surprisingly rarely, she had that in common with the Elder Sorceress, although in this form she was a bit more cheerful, and spoke in a slightly warmer tone.
"Let's just say that was a compliment. What are you planning to give this kid as a gift?"
She pouted, thinking for a moment, then smiled broadly and said.
„I will offer myself to him, of course, he couldn't hope for a greater gift!”
Nightgale blinked a few times in confusion, then asked.
„What are you talking about?”
"You know, guys his age probably dream of having their first time with someone like me!" She stood up and did a pirouette to show off her appearance.
„He has a girlfriend from what I know...„ said the sorceress skeptically, and she giggled and replied.
"That's why passing it will be so much fun! And besides, have you seen that girl anywhere?" She looked around ostentatiously. She was probably fucking every person in the five kingdoms, because she tasted forbidden fruit and told some dumb shit about great quest to a nerd. She laughed as she was offended by the boy's expression, as if he'd seen his beloved in bed with three other people. Nightgale sensed from his expression that he wanted to scold her, but then they saw Lady Ka enter the garden, hands in her pockets, looking around irritably at the trees full of birds.
"I hate animals. I guess we have that in common," she said with a predatory smile, and Lady Cala dried heavily, then shook her head with mock grimace.
"You shouldn't talk like that about our smaller brothers! They feel the same way we do," she said indignantly, then added quietly. "Some of them even get married and act almost as if they were human!"
She laughed at the Lord Admiral's left hand, she really liked this woman, for a mere mortal, because at least she had a good head on her shoulders and a healthy approach to life. She glanced at
Nightgale only shook her head, then asked the woman in the half mask.
„Why did you actually come here?”
Lady. Ka looked at one of the larger birds, and then it started singing as if she wished it dead, and then she explained
"I met with a few people last night , recommended by Jaso, who are unhappy with the current balance of power, and also with the direction our little king is taking this kingdom in." She spoke in the dwarven language, which no one here understood except the two of them. Unfortunately, Nightgale didn't understand it either, but she would be able to translate everything for her later. But for now, she had to talk to the Lord Admiral's Former Left Hand.
„Well, when is this meeting supposed to take place?„ she asked Lady Ka, who shrugged and explained.
„Tomorrow evening and the day after tomorrow you have a meeting with the Cultists of the Yellow Sign and the Children of the Shattered Earth...”
She nodded; her previous meeting with Jaso had proven more than fruitful… He had been very obliging, assuring her of his considerable influence, which she could believe, and had sworn undying loyalty to her. Unfortunately, the man had said that certain people had learned his identity, but he had promised to address the issue. He had concealed from her the fact that there had been a spaceship near his mansion in the ancient times, but it had been destroyed, causing a massive explosion, likely a nuclear detonation caused by an overloaded reactor. She had learned this from Khandros. He had told everything to Lady Ka, and they had become very fond of each other, so much so that they had ended up in bed together. They had also learned from him that Jaso didn't have as much influence, especially among the cult of the true Masters of the Universe, as he tried to claim. After all, her options here were limited. And besides, she wasn't sure how long she could stay in this world, for unfortunately, her mission was time-limited by the enemies of the Crawling Chaos, both mortal and ancient, who threatened even her.
„The Prince's birthday is supposed to take place the day after tomorrow, so we will have to somehow reconcile these two matters...„Nightgale suddenly spoke, it seemed as if she was speaking with two voices, one of which overlapped the other.
„Since when do you know dwarven?„ She asked, genuinely curious, and the sorceress shrugged and pointed to the hand on which she wore the bloodstone.
"My little treasure translates some things for me, I just discovered it now, but it's very useful." she explained, still using that strange double voice.
"Indeed, that could be very useful. Regarding what you said, I'll be at the party first, and then I'll come up with some excuse to leave. You'll feel better at the party than I will anyway. Maybe you could hook up with your boyfriend? Or the wizard prince. That would be so much fun! Even funnier if his girlfriend covered for you." She laughed happily, amused by her own joke. In her mind's eye, she saw the Elf, and the pain in her eyes, if she witnessed such betrayal. As she dreamed, Lady Ka turned and pulled out a gun and shot the bird, which fell to the ground, smoking.
"I'm sorry, but he pissed me off so much I couldn't take it anymore!" said the Lord Admiral's former Left Hand. Nightgale looked at the smoking corpse, looked around, and said.
„You just shot the dead king's favorite bird... I hope no one saw that.”
Lady Ka shrugged, She reached for the bird and put it in a small magic bag that had an interdimensional pocket , and then she said.
Then I'll take it to an innkeeper friend of mine, bake it, and then take it to the party... It's called Plot Twist!”
Nightgale buried her face in her hands, she was really quite stiff sometimes, maybe this party would actually make her loosen up a bit?

Nightgale had to admit that the party was surprisingly pleasant, though modest and started with a minor misunderstanding that allowed her to see the boy's talent.
In fact , it turned out that the bird Lady Ka had brought was the most exquisite of the three, although no one was likely aware of what it was… She doubted the innkeeper, who had even been acquainted with their companion, would have told anyone what he was preparing. Funnily enough, no one even suspected what the bird that looked so beautiful on the plate actually was.
" Actually, I haven't heard from Pip since yesterday. What do you think happened to him?" asked a serious woman in priestess clothing. The sight of her dismayed her a bit; after all, there were very few priests on her planet. She wasn't sure how to behave around such people.
"I have no idea, but I hope he's alright! He was good old King Harrow's favorite ," said the black-robed man, known as the Crow Lord. She preferred not to comment on what she'd heard, but even the whole situation was, in its own macabre way, quite amusing. She looked for Soren , who was the most interesting person at the entire party to her. She knew she should focus on either the young king or his sorcerer brother, but her heart was pulling her in a different direction. She found the realm's marshal talking to a dark-skinned man. She hadn't seen him before, but she quickly noticed that she and Soren were very close ...
"Hello Nightingale!" the blond man called out, smiling at her and waving. "Meet my friend Corvus . "
She approached them, trying to keep a cheerful face even though her heart ached.
"Any friend of Soren's is also a friend of mine!" she said, offering her hand to Corvus, who, observing her closely, shook it. He seemed to be a much more perceptive man than his companion… She also noticed that he was gently touching Soren's hand with his other hand … She wasn't sure how aware the men were of their relationship, but it was obvious to her that they were close. She engaged in casual conversation for a moment, and then, under the slightest pretext, she left them. She was proud of herself for managing to control her demeanor. She shouldn't have expected much from this relationship… They'd only met a few weeks ago, and she had no evidence that she was anything more than a friend to Soren. Besides, she knew full well that the situation they were in wouldn't last forever. Eventually, they would have to leave this place to complete their mission, whether she liked it or not. And yet, she felt a pain she'd never experienced before… No, that wasn't true. She felt the same way five years ago when Scarlet died , though of course she couldn't quite articulate her emotions back then... After all, she'd only been alive for a few months, and despite the conditioning she'd undergone, she was still so oblivious to the world around her. But now she was a fully developed woman, and she understood what a broken heart felt like. Without thinking about what she intended to do, she approached Lady Cala , who was playing the piano again, and for a moment sat beside her, lost in her own bitter sadness. Finally, the beautiful-faced monster looked at her and spoke softly.
" You know this is her piano? The girl your mother is supposed to be educating. It was brought here from their home. Isn't that a fascinating coincidence?"
The bitterness she felt in her heart made her say something she really shouldn't have said and wouldn't have said under other circumstances.
„There is another coincidence... Much more surprising and has a huge impact on everything we do.
Lady Cala looked at her, raising one eyebrow and asked.
„This is very interesting... Please tell me more...”
She hesitated for a moment and then confessed the truth.
„He is her brother... Soren is Adora's brother... I recognized the similarity in their facial features, and I also sensed it by examining their auras.”
She had to admit that Calamity was remarkably composed, especially considering her attitude towards the current wielder of the power of She-Ra… She didn't stop playing, maintaining the same tempo the entire time, not even a single false note echoing throughout the hall.
„This changes a lot... It's a pity your wonderful friend didn't tell us this earlier... Do you think the boy's father knew about all this?”
She thought for a moment and then spoke carefully.
"I don't think so, although I can't be certain. They're convinced that the eldest daughter died in infancy... This man seemed too ignorant, too focused on the local conflict to be an agent of the First Ones... I suspect his wife much more, but unfortunately she's not here..."
The aristocrat thought for a moment and then spoke in a soft voice.
„You must really care about him if you're telling me this...”
She hid her confusion and then spoke carefully.
„What do you mean?”
Lady Cala smiled coldly and said.
"I think you were like Crawling Chaos during this... He reminded me of the pact he made with your mother that none of her charges or their relatives could be harmed by me or any of his servants... Even if you think about it now, there was a hidden agenda behind it that we're only now beginning to realize." The monstrous aristocrat looked at her and tilted her head. "But you didn't remember that, so you came to me for a different reason... That honest part of you wanted me to hurt him, right? Did he turn you down?" When she remained silent, the aristocrat shrugged and said
"Personally, if I could, I'd crush his skull in my hand, but unfortunately, I can't do that. So maybe go to that little wizard and make friends with him. I don't have the time or inclination for that anyway. And I think he might be interested in something like you."
What Calamity said sounded reasonable; she couldn't deny it. Perhaps once she found a new occupation, she would forget her heartache. She looked around and caught sight of a young mage who was just returning from the balcony with his brother. She put on a cheerful expression and headed that way. When she reached the two young people, she smiled at the boy, held out her hand, and asked.
"Once again, I wish you a happy birthday. I heard, Royal Mage, that you were conducting some serious research related to a certain book... Could you tell me about it?" she finished, the young mage's eyes lighting up with enthusiasm. Sometimes it took very little to set off a trap.

Chapter Text

Calum listened thoughtfully to the conversations at his birthday party, not really enjoying himself with the others. He desperately wanted to be happy like everyone else, but he couldn't bring himself to feel joy with everyone else, even though it was his birthday. It wasn't that he felt sad; quite the opposite. He was thrilled by the new guests, and also by tomorrow's meeting with the Dragon Queen… He'd met another mage who didn't use dark magic, one who was half-elf! It was fascinating for many reasons, including ones he was ashamed to admit to himself. Nightingale was a very wise woman who knew magic, even magic he hadn't heard of, and she was also a strong and athletic warrior, which embarrassed him a bit, as he barely knew which side of the sword he held. That was probably why she got along so well with Soren, now they could both embarrass him whenever they wanted. Of course, he was very fond of Soren, and had once been close to his sister before… Nightingale, however, was always polite to him and everyone, as was her mistress. Lady Cala was an incredible woman, strong and beautiful… Although the latter made him a little uncomfortable… After all, he had a girlfriend who simply… Who had gone off to look for her parents, or rather, the one who possessed the coins they had been Changed into… He understood why she had left, and he didn't blame her, but he missed her and grew increasingly worried. They hadn't heard from her in months, and he feared what might have happened to her. Many people still hated elves, or feared them. She was a great warrior, but in the sleep or if someone tried to poison you, it didn't matter much. There was Claudia of course, he knew she was a very powerful dark mage, and he wasn't sure what to really expect from her if he met Rayla... They had once been very close, but the events at Stormspire and hers father's death had certainly affected his former friend greatly, and it was his girlfriend who had taken Viren's life , even if indirectly.

As he was thinking this gloomily, his brother walked up to him, holding Bait in his arms, and sat down on the chair next to him, looking at Lady Cala . He raised one eyebrow, after all, Ezran was at the age to slowly start showing interest in girls… He nudged him with his elbow and said.

„Well, you have to admit that Lady Cala is a truly beautiful lady!”

His brother, however, grimaced and said in a gloomy voice.

„She's kind of weird... Bait doesn't like her.”

The glowing frog grunted and looked at him affirmatively. Confused, he scratched his cheek and said.

„You know, he might be prejudiced against new people...”

Ezran frowned and said thoughtfully.

„He liked Rayla right away... At least after she stopped trying to kill us.”

It was true. Although they met under rather unusual and dramatic circumstances, it could be said that Bait was part of their small team and had saved them all several times. He was truly intelligent for an animal, and his brother, for reasons known only to him, could converse with him. He had no idea where his brother had acquired this ability; for a long time, he wasn't entirely sure if it was a real conversation, and their father had never believed his younger son, thinking it was simply child's play. All this made him reflect on what was happening around them, and then he saw Nightingale approach Lady Cala and speak to her in a hushed tone.

"She seems quite sad to me," my brother told me thoughtfully. "But she seems to be sad a lot."

That's true. It was quite surprising, because ever since he discovered his talent for primeval magic, he felt truly happy, even though opening the Arcanum was a very difficult experience.

"It must have something to do with her past. Soren mentioned something. Her family was even worse than his, but he wouldn't elaborate, saying it was indiscreet. I really should talk to her more, especially since I could learn something from it. I can't use illusions, I haven't opened that Arcanum, and Lujane even now looks at me strangely when I ask her to teach me."

Indeed, he longed to develop himself, to increase his knowledge of magic. Not simply power, but to better understand the art of magic, perhaps even master all the arcana, for that seemed to imply a perfect understanding of the world, the discovery of some great, ancient secret... However, he understood that he still had a very long way to go before he acquired sufficient knowledge on the subject. Years would pass, and it would likely be a start when he managed to achieve it, but he suspected the reward was worth it. That's why his friendship with Nightingale could prove so valuable, for thanks to her, he would be able to unlock the arcana more quickly. moon, it seemed to him that this girl was using it.

As if listening to his thoughts, Nightingale moved towards him and when she stood before him, she freed herself and said

„Once again, I wish you a happy birthday. I heard, Royal Mage, that you were conducting some serious research related to a certain book... Could you tell me about it?”

He felt such a surge of enthusiasm that he wanted to jump up and down on the spot and clap like a little boy, and he could hardly resist doing so.

„Of course, as long as my brother doesn't get mad at me for leaving the party! Because, you know, it's kind of in my honor...„ He laughed nervously, and Ezran smiled friendly and said.

„Go with Miss Nightingale, I'm sure no one will notice your absence!”

He scratched the back of his head and said.

"I'm not sure if that's sarcasm or a dig, but thank you." And he moved forward, barely keeping himself from running, and the half-Elf followed him...

They went up the stairs to his office, which was usually his room too, because he often fell asleep while researching and working. And he usually didn't feel like going to his private room when the elf mage asked.

"What kind of person was the previous High Mage? I apologize if this is prying, but the country I live in has suffered greatly because of his actions, so I wanted to know what was hidden in his heart."

"I understand, and there's absolutely no prying involved. Viren… I've known him my whole life. He was my father's best friend, and I was friends with both of his children. But I can't say I was particularly close to him, though I'm not sure anyone was." They had just left the room, so the High Mage sat down in the chair he'd indicated. He took the chair opposite her, and he pondered, then said, "He always struck me as a cold and unsympathetic man, and I wanted to win his admiration. Partly because I almost became a couple with his daughter… And partly because I dreamed of becoming a mage. I didn't see him for who he really was, and although I never really liked him in my heart, I believed he was much nobler than he actually was." Then it turned out he'd ordered his son to murder me and my brother... Only then did I open my eyes and understand what kind of person he truly was... He pondered for a moment, unsure what would have happened to him if Viren had started teaching him earlier. Dark mages were very jealous of their knowledge, despite the fact that their art was much easier to learn. Elves were born with the ability to control a single arcana, which they had to awaken within themselves, and they were eager to teach anyone who possessed it, as there were always too few mages born with the developed ability to use primal sources, while for humans, access to resources was the greatest limitation. He shook his head, because after all, it was a good thing the Royal Mage had never been interested in teaching him. He doubted she would have unlocked the Arcana then.

"What about Viren's wife ? I only heard from Soren that she abandoned them. Did you know her? Have you ever seen her?"

He looked at the half-elf with surprise, because he hadn't expected such a question from her, and told his father to remember as much as possible.

"I was a little kid when they split up, and my parents hadn't been together for very long. I know my aunt Amaya has a very low opinion of her because she used to speak very badly of her because she was deaf. I don't know why they divorced, but I remember their breakup being very tumultuous and hurting everyone in the family.. I never met her afterward, and she never visited her children, nor even wrote to them. We used to think it was because she was afraid of Viren, but even after his death, she didn't contact Soren ... Perhaps she's ashamed of leaving them with a tyrannical father, but honestly, I'm not sure..."

„So you don't know much more about her? It's a shame because... I didn't have the opportunity to spend as much time with my mother as I would have liked, and my father rejected me, so I'm curious what similar families look like... Do they have anything in common... Perhaps you can tell me more about Claudia, after all, you said yourself that you were very close... You were actually a couple, right?

He felt the change and outside he scratched the back of his head and then started looking around.

„That we were a couple, that's probably a bit of an exaggeration... We only kissed once and that was... It happened in very strange circumstances, and I'm still not sure how true the feeling was... And why are you so interested in it?„ He looked at the red-haired young woman, and she, taking her eyes off him, smiled gently and said.

„Actually, absolutely nothing, I'm just very interested in my friend's sister... And there's something else interesting that aroused your interest in her.

At this point, this conversation was really starting to get awkward. To change the subject, he looked around and saw a book that had just arrived from Xadia.

„You know, I'll show you that book you mentioned, it's a gift from the Dragon Queen.|

She nodded, still smiling softly.

„I will be happy to see the gift from the queen with you...”

The situation continued to be awkward, but when he thought about the book, he felt so excited that he forgot everything and opened it… only to see blank pages.

"That means it must have been a very good and complicated joke, right?" he said with bitter resignation in his voice. What can you expect from a dragon? She certainly had a rather different sense of humor than a human's. Or maybe she just wanted him to learn the ropes. I want to apologize to Nightingale now. But he saw her looking at the book with interest.

"This is definitely not a joke. You can take my word for it... I sense powerful magic within it, and it's also been enchanted to last a very long time without being damaged by the passage of time. It could be thousands of years old."

He looked at her surprised and asked.

„So you can sense magic?”

He noticed that she nodded absently and replied.

"It's supposedly a basic art that every sorcerer learns, but I'm as good at it as some of my mother's…" She reached for the book, but when she touched it, the book glowed for a moment, and he thought he saw a ghostly green light rushing to her fingers, and then the young woman let out a short cry of pain and withdrew her hand.

"My ring is a very old magical item, and apparently This Book doesn't like it very much, but I'm sure it doesn't mind you. Try writing something on it..."

A little worried, he did as she told him, wrote down a few letters, and then the same letters appeared on the right side of the book.

„This is very strange... Why would a book copy the letters I write?”

She shrugged, then reached for the quill with her other hand and wrote a few strange symbols. Looking at them hurt his eyes, and he felt an inexplicable revulsion towards them. Then, on the other side, the words "Key and Gate" appeared.

"This is a translator! An absolutely wonderful book that knows languages! This is amazing!" he said with delight. Nightingale nodded thoughtfully. Then, with the same hand she had used earlier, she rubbed the page and found the writing had disappeared. He looked around the room, growing increasingly excited, while Nightingale wrote another symbol, but at least it wasn't off-putting. Something about it evoked associations with a constellation. Writing appeared on the other side, and when he saw it, he frowned and asked Nightingale.

„She-Ra… What does that mean?

The young woman, who had been staring at the translated inscription with surprise, looked at him, thought for a moment, and then replied.

"It's the name of a hero from ancient times... Nothing important, just a character from a fairy tale. I didn't expect this book to be able to translate characters in this language. Have you ever seen such writing before?" Her gaze suddenly became sharper and more important, and he felt much more self-conscious now than when he'd suspected she was trying to hit on him.

"I'm not sure. I know it looks familiar, but I don't remember where I've seen it... Please. It just looks a bit like, you know, a constellation!" He explained, smiling, and then asked. "But what language is that? I've never heard of it?"

„It's the language of the First Ones, a certain ancient civilization that died out thousands of years ago... Very few people speak this language, it's hard to say if anyone can speak it at all, I can only recognize a few words.”

He nodded, not fully understanding what she was talking about, then remembered something and started looking around.

"You know, I think I saw something a little similar, but not quite!" He stood up and walked over to the mirror they'd found in Viren's office . He threw off the warming cover and then began to examine the symbol on it. They were similar to the one Nightingale had drawn, but slightly different, as if they were more like the ornate representations of constellations found on some star maps?

"Where did you get that mirror?" the Half-Elf asked unexpectedly. When he looked her way, he saw a strange glint in her green eyes, and a look of surprise mixed with concern on her face.

"That Mirror belonged to Viren... Apparently he brought it from the dragon king's vault along with the egg that contained Zym . But I still have no idea what he used it for. I don't seem like the kind of person who would enjoy looking in a mirror, and never have..." he said thoughtfully. The young mage shook her head and said quietly, looking at the mirror as if it were something blasphemous or impure...

„It's a very powerful artifact... It allows you to contact people who have another similar mirror... Distance doesn't matter or... Other factors...

"Aha... That would be very useful, if only we had more than one." He shrugged, then thought for a moment, and finally asked. " Do you think Viren used it to contact someone?"

The young woman shrugged and then said.

"You knew him, not me. However, I would like to suggest extreme caution," she said, and he nodded absently, then said, partly to her, partly to himself.

„I wonder what these symbols mean... I have to check what? „he turned to Nightingale, who smiled warmly at him and replied.

-I will be happy to help you, my lord prince ...

He smiled, and together they got down to work.

"You know, this castle of yours isn't exactly impressive... Even the Witch Queen had a more magnificent one, although looking at it makes my eyes bleed." Eti said in her typical voice, and Rayla slowly turned to her and asked cautiously.

„The witch queen?”

Catra rolled her eyes and gave her sister a reproachful look, then explained.

„This is my friend Glimmer, and she is indeed the queen, or rather the queen of all Etheria , and she is also a sorceress. And her mother was... she is an angelic being, but she is a really good friend, fearless and unyielding... Maybe you will meet someday, I have a feeling that your boyfriend will like her.”

"Or she will lock him in the bedroom like she did to me. That's what she does with her guests!"

Now Rayla she looked in disbelief at Catra , who buried her face in her hands and said.

"She imprisoned you because you and your friends tried to rob her, and she imprisoned you in the bedroom because there isn't a single cell in the entire castle. Even Shadow Weaver was locked in the bedroom... Although, to be honest, she was able to manipulate everyone so much that even Glimmer did what she wanted."

Rayla remembered the older cat girl mentioning that this was her adoptive mother's name... Like Viren , she was a dark mage, and probably a very powerful one at that, and like him, she had left scars on the souls of those close to her... Apparently, every world had to have this kind of bastard, and she could only hope that one in every world would be enough.

They were sitting on a small hill near the town, very close to where she had first entered the castle. Catra looked at the pyromaniac captain, Eti's ex-girlfriend, and the Petite Princess, and then said.

„Maybe you should try to rent a room in the inn, I think we'll talk to the king soon, you don't have to hide so much and worry that someone will start suspecting something.

She sighed heavily, because she had originally planned for their first meeting after so many years to be much more private, but if everything Catra said was true, because their world was threatened and safe in a way she could never have imagined before, then her desires might be put aside for the time being .

She looked at Catra and said.

„Okay, he's following me, just wait until I take you inside first and prepare Calum for what he's about to hear from you.

The older cat girl looked at her sister and said.

„Eti is coming with me, I don't want to leave her in a new townwhere there are a lot of things that can be burned…”

Eti  looked at Catra with hurt in her eyes and said.

„You're talking such nonsense, little sister, almost like Bina! I've never set fire to anything or destroyed anything!

Itel smiled and said.

„I remind you that the first building you entered on Etheria you set on fire!”

Eti looked at the hornless elf, put her hands on her hips and said.

"First of all, there's no evidence of that, and secondly, you were there too! If you didn't stop me, you approved of my actions!"

Rayla realized that she would have to prepare her boyfriend really well for his meeting with Eti.

"Okay, follow me..." She said and started running towards the castle. She still managed to avoid the walls without any problems, mainly because it was close to the full moon and the magic was stronger. She noticed Catra running after her on all fours, and after a moment, Eti began to do the same, although she stumbled a bit. After a moment, Melog made all three of them disappear anyway. She had seen them use this ability to avoid travelers and the like, and it proved quite useful. They slowly approached the castle, and she felt her heart pounding faster. For the first time in all these months, she would meet Calum ... She wasn't sure how he would react to her. She had a reason to leave him, she had to save her parents, but if he left her...

She felt Stella hug her tighter, so she smiled and pushed those thoughts away. He was definitely waiting for her! She hadn't considered being with anyone else. Although , to be honest, she'd never been in a relationship with anyone else... except maybe... But that doesn't matter. You just have to meet her, and I'm sure everything will be alright. She jumped onto the balcony, then turned to see Catra and Eti coming in behind her.

„It will only take a moment, but let me say hello to him, okay?”

Eti was about to say something, but her sister placed a hand on her shoulder and nodded silently. She took a deep breath, opened the balcony door, and stepped over to her beloved.

She wrote and saw him there, sleeping with his head resting on a desk, on which lay an ornate book… And next to him, on a chair, sat a very tall woman with red hair and emerald-colored eyes. She noticed with surprise that she had the pointed ears of an elf. She was engrossed in writing in some book. She didn't know who this woman was, but she was in her boyfriend's room and had been there even after he had fallen asleep… She felt a strange feeling of jealousy, and before she could think, she called out.

„Calum, who is this woman?”

Chapter Text

Lady Cala got bored with the party pretty quickly, but surprisingly she still stayed longer than the birthday boy, which would be funny if it didn't further emphasize what a pathetic nerd the Royal Mage was. In her hometown, they didn't celebrate birthdays, but rather naming day, but whenever she could, she always tried to celebrate it in good company, or at least in the company that mortals, in their ignorance, considered good. As she mounted her magnificent steed and approached the meeting with the cultists, she realized that during this trip, her naming day had passed, and she hadn't even realized it. There was something surprisingly painful about it, even though, until then, she hadn't attached much importance to such meaningless events. She finally understood that her old life was over, which she didn't regret; the problem was, hadn't she actually begun a new one? The orders of the Crawling Chaos and the decisions of the ancient beings were throwing her across the galaxy. She had traveled to the farthest reaches of the universe, learned ancient secrets, and yet she sometimes felt like a mere pawn in the games of ancient powers. It was truly frustrating, and lately she'd felt like she 'd achieved nothing in just a few months, even lost the position she'd held as Lady on Carurystal, universally loved and respected. She hated that mask, but she still had to wear it now, but now she no longer possessed the splendor and wealth she once possessed; she was far more Sun-like than her companions and allies.

She felt a strange pain in her inhuman heart, and a surge of rage, yet completely different from the one she usually felt, more bitter? She howled with fury, drew her blade, then leapt from her mount and began slashing at the bushes growing around her. This brought her neither satisfaction nor solace. She needed some way to feel her worth, your magnificence, and your power, but unfortunately, she didn't know how. She howled in a way the person she was pretending to be couldn't, then grabbed the nearby oak tree with both hands, challenged it by its roots, and hurled it across the road. She watched it roll with satisfaction. If she had met a mortal at that moment, their fate would have been so terrible that it would have been better not to have been born. Unfortunately, she was alone in the forest; even the animals fell silent at the sight of her fury. She struck a stump with all her might, shattering it as she had her own hand, then rushed to meet the cultists.

The meeting was equally auspicious as boring. Both groups were very different from each other. While the cultists of the Yellow Sign were recruited from ordinary people who worshiped the yellow-clad one, The avatar Hastura . Of all the ancients, she had the worst relationship with him. And these people seemed to dream only of power and might, making them second-rate cultists. The followers of the Shattered Earth were a different group, for they served Shude-mell, the destroyer of cities. This Great Old One was the embodiment of destruction, and his spawn inspired fear even among many ancient races. After all, a single Cthonian was capable of destroying a city even in modern times. It took strength of character to accept the fact that the God you serve would shatter the entire world you lived in. Initially, they seemed skeptical of her; after all, her appearance was not what one would expect from a child of the Outer God. She didn't blame them, but they should quickly learn respect for a higher being, compared to whom they were like worms crawling in dung. The children of the Shattered Earth gave her some credit, but when the leader of the Yellow Sign expressed skepticism about her origins and called her a crazy megalomaniac, she only smiled at him, then took his hand in hers and squeezed it, effortlessly refusing to let it go. As she brushed the brains from her fingers, she saw fear in their eyes, and then they all swore allegiance to her. She gave them orders, expecting them to be obeyed without question. To her surprise, despite her display, one of them dared to ask a question.

"What about the Unnamed Darkness? He's very powerful here. Rumors have recently spread that they have a chosen one."

These words made her uneasy. The Unnamed Darkness and the Nameless Mist often had different goals than the Crawling Chaos, though she wasn't sure if she should call them rivals. After all, such powerful and ancient beings were beyond such primitive human emotions as rivalry and envy. But she still felt uneasy about such a complication.

"We'll definitely meet again soon, and you'll all undoubtedly learn the results of this meeting," she said, trying to sound absolutely confident, befitting a half-goddess, but then Nightingale's communicator clicked on. She sighed heavily at being interrupted at such a moment, then turned it on and began talking.

„What's the matter?”

„We have a problem, Catra and Eti showed up here...”

It was indeed surprising, but then she felt joy burning in her heart, so she smiled and replied in a cheerful voice.

„It's not a problem, it's an opportunity, my dear.

The town beneath the castle.  didn't look large, but there was something strangely charming about it, so she was optimistic. Itel pulled up her hood. Unfortunately, she couldn't do anything about her eyes; at most, she'd have to invent some strange illness, or she'd finally admit she was an elf. She smiled to herself; she'd been feeling better lately... Not just better than before she'd been irradiated, but better than she'd felt in years... The best since the Swarm invasion... She wasn't sure why, perhaps because her relationship with Eti had normalized, and despite the breakup, they could at least be friends. Or maybe because she found herself on this planet, which reminded her of home... Or maybe her hatred and rage had simply faded, because the war with the Lord Admiral was no longer just her war; she now had the support and, more importantly, the understanding of people more important and influential than she. It was probably all of these things at once, and for that reason, she felt really good!

It was also good that Catra had brought Eti along so that the king's brother could meet the strangest of them all. Then the rest would seem much more… ordinary. They didn't know how long their conversation would last, however, so they decided to rent a bed at an inn or guest house or perhaps simply stay there until she invited them over. But first, they had to get to town, which might not be so easy after dark.

The town that the castle was towering over was located where two rivers met, and atop a small hill stood the Royal Castle. The outer burbs weren't high, and if they insisted, they could probably try to climb them, but they would likely alert the guards, which would only lead to complications.

They approached the gate and four guards gave them warning but also bored looks and the one who looked like a sergeant grabbed his halberd and spoke sharply.

„Stop, who's coming?”

Seahawk stepped forward, bowed low and called out.

„I am the famous Captain Seahawk, and these are my daughters Lilka and Frosta, and my wife Itel. Someone stole and then set fire to our sailing ship, so we came to the king to complain to him about these evil ship-burners so that they could be severely punished!

When the captain finished, she buried her face in her hands; she hadn't expected the man to think of something so foolish. Lilka waved her hand with a broad smile, and Frosta mimicked her, but she was clearly unsure. The guards looked at her, then at the other two girls, until they finally looked at Seahawk skeptically.

“I don't want to be picky, but these girls are neither like you, nor like each other, nor like your wife.”

" I took in these poor orphans during my travels. Their adoptive mother abandoned me for a younger one, but thankfully my new love gave me solace during the most difficult moments of my life!" He stood beside her and patted her on the back, causing her hood to fall from her head. At that moment, the guards began to stare at her open-mouthed.

„She's probably not a human... But also a strange elf, what happened to her horns?”

At that moment, Alatar stepped forward. Until then, they had assumed they would somehow force him into the city, though they had to admit they weren't entirely sure how. However, when the Guardians saw the dragon before them—for to the untrained eye, a Dragonkin was, in fact, a dragon—they gripped their weapons tighter and bowed politely, clearly unsure how to react.

"Just because my friend doesn't have horns doesn't mean she's not an elf. People are sometimes born with limbs that are too short or completely missing, and that doesn't stop them being human, so please don't pick on her because of her congenital condition."

The sergeant blinked a few times, probably because he didn't expect such a speech from the dragon, and stammered in a hushed voice.

„I didn't see that dragons speak.”

This time the young Dragonkin frowned and spoke in a voice full of undisguised irritation.

„That was speciesist! Under other circumstances, I would demand a public apology, but unfortunately, right now I'm in a real hurry, as are my friends.”

" Yeah, we didn't want to do anything speciesist or whatever you said! Absolutely not! Please don't report us to the Dragon Queen, or they'll probably assign us to guard the sewers for the next six months."

Alatar rolled his eyes and said in a very tired tone.

"Do you think every dragon knows the Dragon Queen? And what, I probably go to afternoon tea with her every week? After all, most of you humans don't know your kings either! Anyway, never mind! Just let us in instead of drowning in every word, okay?"

The guards obediently parted and opened the gate while they all watched speechless, but Alatara, who only noticed this, lowered his head and said.

„Why are you looking at me like that? Of all of you, I have to work harder to carry my body!”

They did not argue with him, but simply entered the gates and began looking for an inn.

Night Gale had to admit that Calum was a nice kid; he seemed younger than his age, at least emotionally. But then again, many of Etheria's inhabitants were similar, despite their thirty-year history. She turned in the direction of the voice. Until now, she had been engrossed in explaining all the inscriptions from the language she had ever encountered and could recall. That was probably why she hadn't noticed the elf entering the young mage's office. Of course, you'd also have to be as quiet as possible, that the horned girl. And since she was an assassin, she probably knew how to move so quietly that she probably had no chance of hearing her. Only when she spoke did Calum open his eyes, and a joyful smile appeared on his face.

„Rayla! You have no idea how happy I am to see you! I knew you'd come to my birthday!”

She barely managed to keep herself from bursting into hysterical laughter. This was something Lady Cala had expected. It was predictable that something like this would happen. After all, it made sense that the boy's girlfriend would return on his birthday; some people liked to surprise their loved ones . However, the fact that he covered her up while she tried to win his favor was a surprising twist of fate. On the other hand, it was a good thing she hadn't continued her attempt to seduce the younger man, as it would have revealed that the monstrous aristocrat possessed prophetic powers.

“I'm glad to see you too , but you didn't answer my question... Who is this woman and what is she doing in your... office.” Said Rayla

She bowed low to her, as she did not want to seem to be in conflict with this girl, and said in a gentle voice.

„My name is Nightingale and I'm here to help my friend with his research with this book here.”

Calum nodded enthusiastically, not really noticing the skepticism in his girlfriend's eyes, and said.

"Nightingale is a mage, but she doesn't use dark magic, but rather the Primal Sources. That's amazing! And she's a half-elf, which is also very interesting... For many reasons... Some of them completely mundane!" The boy was visibly confused, and she tried to look as neutral and friendly as possible.

„Yeah, that's amazing, but wait until you hear what I found out...” The Elf said carefully, and then her boyfriend replied with a bit of anxiety in his mind.

„Have you found Claudia... Did you find her?” For a moment there was an ominous silence.

Rayla shook her head, took a deep breath and said.

"No. Regarding both of your questions... But I've met a few people you should talk to because they have some very important news. And I think you'd better sit down before you listen to them... Girls, please come in." She said, and to Nightgale's surprise , Eti and Catra entered. She was so astonished that she froze, but they didn't recognize her in this body. The older cat girl stared at the absolutely astonished mage while she took a step back. Then Catra sighed heavily and said.

"My name is Catra and I am the Great..." she didn't finish, because at that moment Eti shot at her like a missile. She tried to block herself with her forearm and use the force of her blow to spin and then knock her down and incapacitate her, but the girl was prepared for this, because she dodged and then struck her in the stomach with great force with her metal hand. And then it was you who jumped on her, knocking her to the ground. She pulled out a knife and held it to her throat.

"Where is she! What have you done to her? Speak or I'll slit your throat."

She understood why the girl was angry, and that she had every right to be. For a moment, she wanted to tell her where they had locked Rosie up and how she could be freed, but then she felt a pulsing in the ring.

“Burn her, burn her!” wanted the ring, but she reached for the smallest amount of power available and blasted the bloodstone energy, stunning the girl, then pushed her away.

"Eti!" Catra called out, probably intending to run to her sister and check if she was alive, but she couldn't wait, and instead allowed another green bolt of lightning to strike the older feline woman's chest. She fell to the floor, just as incapacitated as her sister. Meanwhile, Rayla stood with her swords drawn and in a fighting stance, then glared at her menacingly, ready to attack.

„What did you do to them?” The elf said with an open threat in her voice, and she, ready to use the power of her Ring again, said without taking her eyes off her.

"I used a certain artifact I inherited from my ancestors. They'll be fine, but I suggest they be locked up in the cell block, or they might try to attack again."

“Attack?” Calum said , approaching his girlfriend. He was clearly relieved to learn they were okay; he was a truly sweet and naive boy. She smiled sadly and began to explain.

"They are enemies of my lady, spawn of the dark scale, sent by her enemies to kill her. Are there more murderers? They probably told some tall tales about their origins. They are very skillful tricksters and manipulators..." she said, but the sword-wielding elf wasn't about to believe her. Calum didn't seem entirely convinced either, but he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"For now, we need to know the truth..." he said cautiously, but Rayla tightened her grip on the handles and cried out.

"You don't believe her! I've been traveling with these girls and their companions for some time, and I can assure you they have nothing to do with Dark magic... They came here across a sea of stars from another world... I know it sounds unbelievable, but you know me! I'm not naive, and I wouldn't lie to you."

This last argument seemed to get through to the boy, as he looked at her askance and said:

"We still have to get them somewhere safe and wait for them to wake up. Then we'll talk to them and confront them, and the truth will surely come out. I think it's best if I go get Soren and the others." The boy started to leave, and Rayla walked up to Catra and Eti as if to shield them. Then she said.

"I heard about your mistress... You kidnapped the Eti girlfriend, right?" she said, and then she seemed to see something on her face, so she added triumphantly. ”As soon as Calum finds out the truth..." she said, raising her blades menacingly.”

„I understand that their story seemed credible to you, they have many ancient artifacts similar to mine, but unlike mine, they all use dark magic... You may have problems recognizing such complex and advanced Magical devices, but believe me, it is the truth.”

Rayla moved the blades to her throat and gasped.

„One more lie and I'll chop you into pieces!”

"Burn her, burn her! Killing her is easy. One thought is enough!" Bloodstone spoke in her thoughts. She knew she could do it. It wouldn't be difficult, and she would even break any promise she made to the Crawling Chaos. Only then would she have to murder the castle's inhabitants, and she didn't want to kill anyone; she wasn't a monster like Lady Cala. So she clenched her fist and stopped herself from murdering the elf. After a moment, she saw uncertainty in her eyes, too, a stark contrast to the threat contained in her words. It was very interesting—she wasn't an assassin , by any chance, and she was nervous about taking someone's life?

After a moment, they heard footsteps on the stairs, and then Rayla moved the blades away a bit, but she didn't want to take them too far. Then Soren entered the room, as well as Corvus . He looked at the body on the ground with a bit of disbelief and said.

"They look like a cat Dad had to give up on a farm once. When they lie there, you'd want to pet them until they purr... Damn, that sounds really bad. We'll take them to that empty bedroom, and then when they wake up and get better, we'll question them. Are you okay, Nightingale?" The blond looked at her. But she smiled and replied.

„I'm fine, but thank you for your concern.”

When she said this, Rayla frowned, but said nothing. Then she sighed heavily and said.

"I'm sorry, but I must inform my lady that her enemies are threatening her. Fortunately, I have my magical ways to accomplish this," she said, smiling knowingly at the Warrior and leaving the room. While on the stairs, she activated her communicator and sent a message to Lady Cala.

„What's the matter?” The aristocrat said with a hint of irritation in her voice.

„We have a problem, Catra and Eti showed up here...

"It's not a problem, it's an opportunity, my dear." She sensed cruel joy from the aristocrat.

Chapter Text

Frosta had to admit that the town didn't look so bad, even after dark. There were only a few streetlights here, and everything was shrouded in semi-darkness, but the streets were clean, didn't stink like back at the port, and she could hear bursts of laughter and happy conversations outside the windows, which wasn't something that happened in some window in these places where everyone lived in fear and poverty. Of course, there weren't many passersby in the night; after all, this was a place without electricity, and people were much less likely to leave their homes after sunset if they had to navigate in the dark. She also noticed that she could see a bit better in the dark than before, though she preferred not to think about it. She looked at Shogi , who looked like a rather misshapen dog. He was almost anatomically correct, so probably no one would question what he really was.

Despite everything, the few people on the streets took notice of their small group, and above all, Alatar, who stood out in particular. The dragon-like teenager sighed heavily as someone approached, whispering something with a mixture of fear and delight, then shook his head sadly.

"Don't worry, they'll like you here, you're quite alright. There's something about you... You seem friendly and harmless." She turned to him, and he twisted his scaly lips into what was probably supposed to be a sad smile and said.

"Well, I've always been the least... Or rather, the most stable one in our group. I'm not sure whether to take your words as praise, but you meant well... And you know, it's actually funny. Because I once went to a youth camp for scaring a few teenagers. I didn't actually do anything wrong, because I was defending a certain girl. But you get the idea."

“Girl?” she asked with interest, and saw her silver-scaled companion become confused and answer hastily.

"It wasn't a big deal... You know she's probably..." He trailed off, and she nodded, feeling guilty, bringing back bad memories. She hugged him tightly, and he sighed again and replied.

„Nothing happened... I've already gotten used to all this and the worst is probably behind me.”

"I guess so," she said, and for a moment she thought about the difficult situation she was in, but shook her head to drive away the gloomy thoughts, just in time, because they were just reaching the inn.

"This one's quite cheap. We have limited resources, and we'll be here for quite a while, and if we can't reach an agreement with the king, we have to start saving now," Itel said. The inn was called the King's Sword, and the sign depicted the king holding a sword aloft in a very strange way. She'd never been to an inn before, so she was curious what it was like!

The interior was packed, but she noticed there were still a few empty seats available. Alatar would be the only challenge, due to his size. The silver dragonkin had already caught everyone's attention, sparking conversation, so he raised his clawed hand and spoke in a slightly trembling voice.

"Hi. I'm Alatar, we're just stopping here for a moment, okay? We won't stress anyone out . By the way, I really like you guys and girls!"

For a moment, the people seemed even more surprised to see him speaking to them, but after a moment, some of the regulars calmed down, and the silver Dragonkin was able to sit in the only empty seat at the table, which was wide enough. Now everyone else began to take comfortable seats, attracting fewer glances than their large companion. Seahawk sat down among several men who looked like they were brawling, and Itel went to talk to the innkeeper. She sat down next to Lilka and sighed with relief, thinking that maybe she'd feel better after a good night's sleep in bed...

Lady Ka stretched her legs and yelled at the waitress to bring her another cup of wine. It was quite late, and this would only be her second, so she could admit she'd been acting almost ascetic that night. She felt it even more strongly because the locals had seized the opportunity to celebrate the scrawny mage's birthday, though she doubted anyone cared about him in real life. She hadn't gone to the party herself; truth be told, she didn't really know anyone in the castle. The kid on the throne irritated her so much she wanted to serve him soup made from his ugly frog... She smiled at the thought, but she knew full well it was just an impossible dream, and she'd have to be bored until the sorceress and the beautiful lady decided they had nothing more to do here. She'd actually found herself a rather pleasant pastime. She glanced at Khandros, sitting at the table next to her , who was watching the gathered people as if they were animals he wanted to hunt. If he did, she would happily join him! He was handsome and quite good in bed, but if that were all she was interested in, she would have sought out a brothel; there was one in the settlement by the river. What attracted her most about him was his personality. He was predatory and absolutely ruthless, capable of great cruelty, to = shedding blood and mutilating bodies without batting an eyelid. When he fought, it looked like he was performing a death dance in the streams of blood flowing from the wounds inflicted by his pair of swords, which he wielded with graceful mastery. She had never thought she would want to be in a relationship with anyone; casual acquaintances with subordinates or visits to brothels were usually enough for her. Lady Sorrowflame was an exception, but she was more of an ally than a lover. She wasn't afraid of being caught; her father, the creator, had, after all, ensured that his possessions couldn't reproduce too easily. Although she suspected her sisters had long since resolved that problem, she wasn't interested. She planned to slowly convince the Elven warrior to join their cause. While she wasn't sure who she truly served, she knew she had to wait for news from this more fearsome of the feline sisters. Still, she decided it would be worth seeing if he would accompany her on this wonderful adventure. Of course, this would require some time, so she decided not to rush Lady Cala and Nightgale to properly groom Khandros. She smiled to herself as she thought of the wonderful future that awaited her. Then she drained her cup of wine and was about to ask for another when the new guests entered.

She didn't recognize the first guy with blue hair and a mustache at first, nor did the short girl with pale skin and hair also blue, though noticeably darker. But the rest was quite familiar. Especially the large silver Dragonkin with the very old-school cybernetic eye was someone hard to miss.

"Fucking hell!" she said, touching her hood, then cringing. She was alone here, her only support was an elven warrior, and she suspected she could count on him, but she was only armed with a laser pistol, and she remembered how her last fight with the cat girl had ended, at least the one she hadn't set a trap for. And if both kitties were here, then she was screwed, and that gang knew how to fight too. Now she regretted letting her subordinates play in the barracks and not taking either of them with her.

"That's the smallest dragon I've ever seen, and I don't recall any besides archdragons ever speaking," Khandros said thoughtfully, finishing his beer. Then he looked at her, frowned, and asked, "Is there something you don't like about her ? You mentioned that one of your companions is a dragon..."

"That's not a damn dragon, it's a Dragonkin. Most of them come from Triaks, but this one is from Kesler, or rather was, because that shitty backwater is gone."

The elven swordsman looked at her in surprise and said.

„Does that mean they also came across the sea of stars? Are these the enemies of Lady Cala you mentioned to me?

She frowned and leaned in closer, then watched intently for a few moments.

„I don't see the Most Dangerous Two, so maybe it's not as bad as I feared... I have a plan.

„Order you something tasty... Some meat or something!„ Itel said, looking at her questioningly, so Frosta refrained from wincing at the allusion hidden in her words, because she knew that the Saihe girl had good intentions and didn't mean anything, so she said.

"Preferably some warm goulash, but even bread with something will do. I like eating sandwiches!" she said, but Lilka added.

“There have to be vegetables too! You have to eat some vegetables with every meal, and ketchup doesn't count!” Her voice was absolutely serious, and then Itel smiled at them and went to order their meal. Meanwhile, Shogi lay down under the table, and he almost managed to sprinkle himself like a tired dog, only occasionally chirping like a bird. She had been sitting at the table for a while, chatting with her red-haired companion about the place, both the inn and the town, and then a rather pleasant-looking waitress brought them drinks and a few slices of thick bread spread with lard and slices of pickled cucumbers. She took a slice of bread; it wasn't freshly baked, but it certainly wasn't stale. She smiled to herself, then took a sip from her mug and was surprised to find it was wine. She looked at Lilka and asked what was in her cup, and the girl showed her that she only needed milk. She eyed the wine in surprise. She was already of drinking age, though it wasn't popular in her country. She wasn't sure if she wanted to drink wine, at least not right now. She'd never had alcohol before, and she didn't know how she would react to it. On the other hand, they were safe, and perhaps the King would invite them over soon, so it wouldn't hurt to relax a bit. She took another sip and felt a bit of warmth spread through her body, then began to devour the bread with relish, occasionally tossing crusts to her shapeshifting companion. It had been a long time since she'd eaten so well with normal food, so she washed it all down with a mug of wine, and then she felt even her half-dead heart begin to beat faster. The sounds grew louder, or perhaps her hearing had simply become more sensitive. She heard some of the inn's regulars begin to sing in honor of the young Mage, who seemed to be having a birthday today. Everyone was happy about it, though she had the impression they were treating it more as an excuse to party than as a personal celebration, as was the case even in her own country. But some occasionally mentioned dark magic, about finally being expelled from the kingdom. They repeated that dark mages had always been a threat to the kingdom, and that the previous dark mage had manipulated the good King Harrow into conflict with Xadia, and was even somehow responsible for his wife's death! As people gossiped, she felt fear. She wasn't entirely sure what her curse was, but she had no doubt it was tainted with dark magic. Surely if anyone learned of its true nature, things could get very ugly. She hated her curse and would understand why others might hate it. She inspired fear because she was a half-dead monster. For now, she was in control of her condition; it had only gotten her into trouble the first time, and she could hope it would improve over time, but common sense told her a completely different answer… She ate four slices of bread with lard, which, mixed with the wine, made her feel sick, so she went outside before the duck to get some fresh air. She went out into the yard, where the smell was perhaps a little worse, but then, she was a girl raised in the north, and there, sometimes, you couldn't wash for days, and in the end, everyone stank. This time, there were bright stars and a single pale moon, which was truly strange. She breathed heavily for a few moments, slowly getting up to gather her thoughts, and Shogi trotted over and played, now in the form of a small dog that also looked a bit like a frog. She smiled at him and then saw the warning in his eyes. So she jumped to the side, but perhaps because of the wine she was too slow and felt a searing pain in her right shoulder.

She fell to the ground and rolled onto her back, only to see a laser gun aimed at her and a smiling Lady Ka looking back at her… Then she saw a sudden flash.

She remembered a ghostly green flash, and then an indescribable pain that shook her body. She had been electrocuted many times in her life, whether it was Shadow Weaver's spells, Horde training vests , or shock batons… She also remembered the cleansing procedure Horde Prime had administered to her, but this was far worse! It wasn't simply her body's reaction to pain, but she felt as if some force had entered hers and forced it to feel as much pain as possible. It was as if someone had ignited her soul, every nerve in her body, and commanded them to suffer. She was plunged into darkness, and figures danced around her, engulfed by green flames… She felt feverish, panting, and breaking out in a cold sweat. She felt as if someone had grabbed her, lifted her through the endless darkness. In this darkness, illuminated only by the ghostly green, she began to forget where she was and what had recently happened. Then she felt herself suddenly stop, and that jolted her awake for a moment. She saw a person with familiar features, blond hair, and blue eyes, looming over her. So, although she didn't know exactly where she was, she felt relief and a surge of calming warmth. She smiled and embraced her beloved...

„It's so good to have you here with me, my dearest...„ She said in a hoarse voice and then kissed Adora, but then someone pushed her away violently, not too violently, and responded with genuine fear.

„But we don't know each other. You're nice, but you're very much not my type, in many ways!”

The voice was clearly male, her vision cleared and she saw a blond -haired young man in front of her, whose features seemed all too familiar to her, but then she was plunged back into darkness.

She was woken up by her sister's voice.

„So they locked us in the bedroom... This kid is probably somehow related to the witch queen... So it's true that all the monarchs are one big family!

She opened her eyes, her body still aching, but not as much as before. The room they were in had only one narrow window, two small beds, and nothing else. In the Fright Zone, it would have been a room fit for an officer, but in Brightmoon, it would have looked like a storage room converted into a bedroom, something decidedly worse than a cell. So they weren't sure what their situation was... She rubbed her eyes, then looked around the room until she saw her sister sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at her intensely. She felt relieved that the girl was unharmed, in fact, she seemed to be in better shape than she was. She smiled bitterly at her and asked,

„Was that Nightgale? The woman you attacked...”

Eti nodded gloomily and said.

"Yes, I recognized her from the way she moved and she had a similar scent, though she had now taken on a new form..." When she answered, she stood up and walked to the door, feeling it. She concentrated and tried to feel for Melog. She told her companion to stay outside, and she hoped he was there. She sensed his presence, and he wasn't even very far away. He radiated joy at being alive. She was also happy that he was okay, and she asked him to try to get closer to them.

"Are you feeling better? Good, because we have to go!" Eti said to her, and her metal hand transformed into something resembling a saw.

„Are you going to break down this door? Are you going to run away?

The younger girl looked at her as if she had said something really stupid, and said.

"We have to find Rosie. They're keeping her here somewhere... We can't wait!"

She sighed heavily, knowing full well how her sister felt. If someone had imprisoned Adora, she herself would have been capable of doing something similar. In fact, she had almost destroyed the world because she felt lonely and abandoned. However, she knew that acting on impulse at that moment wasn't very wise, so she approached her sister and said.

"First, we have to find out where they're holding her and how to free her from this... thing controlling her. We have to wait a little longer, come up with a plan to... For everything to work out, so they don't take her away again, you understand me, right?"

Eti didn't look truly convinced, but clearly there wasn't much more she could do. She had to think for herself. It didn't seem like the boy was in cahoots with Lady Cala and Shadow Weaver's daughter, but she couldn't rule it out. She hadn't gotten a good look at him, but he looked harmless. Although her perspective was a bit skewed due to her upbringing in the Fright Zone. She hadn't seen Rayla anywhere , and she only hoped nothing had happened to her. Unless she'd been working with the damned aristocrat and lured them into a trap... She couldn't rule it out, but she preferred not to think about it for now. She had just begun to consider her sister's plan, since there was nothing else they could do anyway, when she heard footsteps coming from the hallway, so she stepped away from the door and unsheathed her claws. Her sister hid in the corner of the room. Both were ready to attack the guard who entered, but the Stranger stood behind the door and called out..

"Hey, are you there? If I come in, will you try to do what you did before? It was very upsetting, and my friend would feel bad and might think some strange things." The voice belonged to a young man, and I had the impression she had heard it recently.

"Of course we won't hurt you, we're just completely harmless cat girls who will squeal with joy the moment they see you because they are such sweet, feline cuties," Eti replied in a voice so unsuspecting that it was utterly suspicious.

" Yeah, I feel completely reassured!" the figure behind the door replied in a somewhat resigned voice, and began to open it. They both prepared to attack. She doubted anyone in this castle could handle two warriors as hardened as they were. But when the Newcomer entered the room, her jaw dropped, and her sister cried out.

"Oh, a new brother-in-law, more like a brother-in-law-like, that's great. Come with us now, because we have to make one of these monsters and free my girlfriend!"

Chapter Text

As Soren walked to this cell, he hadn't expected the sight of him to shock both girls so much. Okay, he was quite handsome, he didn't hide it because he wasn't being falsely modest, but surely he didn't deserve to be so… checked out? The older woman had tried to kiss him earlier, though perhaps it was because she seemed half-conscious at the time and maybe she mistook him for someone else, but he wasn't sure. He had no idea how Nigtingale had knocked them out. He knew she was a skilled warrior and mage, though, so he wasn't surprised she'd handled the attack without a problem. But who were these girls? Why did they look so cat-like? Why had they arrived on Calum's birthday? And why had Rayla led them here ? Their relationship was quite complicated; after all, the girl had killed his father, even though he'd tried to do the same earlier… Perhaps they had tricked her, as the half-Elf had claimed?

"Oh, a new brother-in-law, more like a brother-in-law-like, that's great. Come with us now, because we have to make one of these monsters and free my girlfriend!" I said to the younger cat girl. When he looked at her, she seemed a little scary, and he blinked and asked.

„What? What are you talking about?”

„A brother-in-law is your partner's sibling, and since my sister married your sister, it means you are a brother-in-law.”

Now he understood what he was talking about and shouted.

„Does that mean she is... Claudia's wife?”

Eti tilted her head to the side as if he had said something particularly interesting, she said in a strangely dull voice.

“So there's another one? Cool! I'm talking about the other one, you know, the blonde one...”

He felt more and more confused, but this girl gave such a strange impression that she could just be talking nonsense, so he looked at the older one, who was still staring at him in disbelief.

„But what's her problem? I only have one sister, smaller than me and with black hair... Maybe she dyed her hair and changed her name and now she's with...”

The woman shook her head and said.

„No, you're just very similar to my wife and... How should I put it, no one knows where she came from on my Planet... Are you sure you don't have any other siblings?”

He hesitated for a moment. Few knew he'd once had an older sister. In fact, in recent years, he'd only discussed the matter at Nightingale, and she probably wouldn't have told them. On the other hand, it wasn't exactly a secret, so perhaps they'd somehow learned it. After all, his father was a well-known figure and employed numerous servants, so anyone needing such information would be able to embellish it and use it against him now, to manipulate him... He pursed his lips threateningly, but then remembered one thing about the whole story that didn't sit right with him.

„What planet are you talking about?”

The older girl sighed heavily and began to explain in a very tired voice.

"Your world is one of the millions of planets floating in the cosmic void,  you call it sea of stars.. My planet is called Etheria, and that's where I come from. Well, maybe not exactly, but that's not important now. My wife came there from an unknown place, and I think we're now starting to guess what... You know, it may only seem like you are or maybe we just happen to resemble each other, but..."  she didn't finish because the other woman interrupted her.

"Do you have a cool sword? You know, the kind that makes you turn into a big guy or something... That would be really useful because we have to defeat that monster together, I told you a moment ago! And now there's no time, we're going to fight," the girl with the metal arm said and started walking towards him, but he pulled out his sword and aimed it at her chest.

"I didn't let you leave. One more step or..." He wasn't sure what he would do to them. The longer he looked at them, the more he got the impression they were truly dangerous, even without weapons... In fact, he wasn't even sure if they were armed. The girl tilted her head to the side, regarding him dispassionately with her eyes, one a strangely glassy blue, the other gold with blue flecks. He had the impression she wasn't afraid of him at all, though he wasn't sure what she was afraid of.

„Listen, if you weren't my brother-in-law, I would have already beaten you so hard that you would fart with your teeth, so please don't make it harder for me to do what I have to do, because I really can't vouch for myself.”

Her older sister rolled her eyes, then frowned and asked.

„What exactly did you come here for?”

It was a reasonable enough question, so he shrugged and answered.

„I have come to take you to the king to explain yourselves for attacking one of his guests.”

The two girls looked at each other, and then the older one replied.

„Then lead us. And by the way, my name is Catra, and this is my sister Eti...”

These were strange names, But such things were none of his business, He signaled them to go and moved towards the throne room.

Itel quite liked this inn, though she usually remained even more tense and suspicious than usual in such places. She always tried to appear the fiercest and toughest of them all, even if she usually turned out to be more comical than menacing. She knew people were far more afraid of Eti, who sometimes only had to look at someone to stop causing trouble. Trying to be nice usually didn't accomplish much either, as she couldn't truly hide her usual anger and rage, while Bina made everyone like her. In fact, she noticed that Alatar was also quite successful at gaining the locals' favor, even if they took him for a rather young dragon, as was the case here. She smiled to herself as several people approached Dragonkin, and even one girl approached him. He began to talk about himself and his people, clearly pleased that someone had asked him about such matters. She smiled sadly, knowing she often disrespected her friend's feelings. Of them all, he was the one who was always the quietest and easiest to mock, even though they benefited so much from his technical skills. He was a nerd, and had been since long before Kesler's fall , and he liked games and comics, though actually, they shared at least some of his interests, partly because it was what held them together. Admittedly, Eti also enjoyed playing games, which was part of her conditioning. Despite everything, she could find true pleasure in it, even if she constantly cheated.

She began to look around and realized she was standing on the sidelines, separated from the others. Frosta and Lilka were eating their meal together, chatting about trivial matters and occasionally striking up a conversation with Alatar, Seahawk was charming the locals with his tales of his wild adventures… and she was sitting alone in a chair at the bar. She looked around and was surprised to see several young people, relatively young, probably older than her, watching her with curiosity, which shouldn't have surprised her. She was probably one of the first elves they'd seen, and certainly the first real elf. Until now, they'd probably only seen people like Rayla, and most of them weren't exactly eager to talk anyway. She smiled at them, and the petite girl with the small ponytail blushed as a dark-skinned boy whispered something to her, so she hesitated. It probably wouldn't be so bad if she met a few new people outside her small circle of friends, especially since they might stay here for a while and she could… get to know other people more closely. But on the other hand, she was afraid that whatever she was carrying might scare others away. She carried just as much scar tissue as Eti, although her former girlfriend had been scarred in a different, much more profound way. She remembered normalcy, and perhaps, with a little work, she could return to it.

She took a few steps toward the group, but at that moment, it turned out that normalcy could wait. She heard the unmistakable blast of an energy weapon coming from behind the door through which Frosta and her companion had just disappeared, and ran toward it, summoning a moon blade. She was about to open the door when an incredibly fast man leaped out of the shadows and attacked her with two curved swords. She fell to the ground and rolled to the side, and the crowd began to scream in terror. However, her attacker paid no attention and attacked her while she was lying there, so she tried to move under the table, simultaneously blocking one of the blades with his solarian weapon. To her surprise, the attacker turned out to be an elf, one of the locals. Although his facial features were different, he seemed to belong to the same group as Rayla. She felt pain in her arm as the tip of the blade grazed her skin, but fortunately, her friends joined the fight. Lilka had left her axe by the door , but she was a massive girl, despite her short stature, and charged at the attacker. He somehow sensed the attack and turned violently, knocking the girl to the ground and kicking her head with his boot. He didn't anticipate that Alatar would also join the fight, and the massive Dragonkin wasn't as easy to knock down as the charging girl, and he tried to embrace the elf and crush him. However, the powerful impact caused the wall to crumble, sending shards of stone and planks flying toward him. He had to let go of the elf because he was wounded. Although still less than most of the inn's regulars, she luckily hid behind a bench and, despite her small frame, was ready to continue fighting. But on the other side, she saw  Ka. She was aiming two pistols, so she ordered everyone to the ground, but unfortunately, Seahawk didn't listen...

The pain from the wound on her arm wasn't as severe as she might have expected, but she was already injured and knew that the real pain only came afterward, when the heat of battle subsided. However, she couldn't think about it now because she had to defend herself against a sudden attack. She had no idea how this woman had gotten here, but she knew that if it had been her companion, she would already be dead. She stretched out her arms and created a large shield of ice, which covered her as several more energy beams struck her.

"Fucking hell, I forgot you existed, you stupid cunt!" Lady Ka said, jumping aside as Shogi launched himself at her. He grew to his normal size and became a massive mess of eyes and tentacles. He slammed his full weight into the front wall of the tavern, shattering it and sending splinters and shards of stone flying inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her friends fighting inside with a Saihe of the same kind as Rayla . But then her companion let out a pained cry as Lady Ka pulled out a new weapon and fired it at him. No beam was visible, but she could sense the immense damage her friend had suffered. She pursed her lips furiously and charged at the woman just as she aimed one of her weapons at Itel. She felt long claws shoot from her fingers and fangs shoot from her gums. She knocked over the woman in the half-mother, who then rolled to the side. She thrust several sharp pieces of ice cream at her, but she only received one in the shoulder. She fired again with one weapon at her and with the other at Shogi , who began to retreat. The energy beam brushed her face, but she felt no pain. She was about to jump at the woman and sink her claws into her for what she had done to her friend, when she heard people coming towards her. She glanced behind her and saw the guards staring in horror , and Lady Ka called out.

„It's a spawn of dark magic! Shoot it, and kill that Big Thing with fire! [/i]

The men aimed ancient black powder rifles and crossbows at her, and one of them grabbed a lamp and swung it at her friend.

King Ezran waited on his throne for the prisoners to be brought in. He hadn't expected such violent events to unfold that day, and he wondered if it had anything to do with the Dragon Queen's visit the following day, though he wasn't entirely sure. He believed Ralya, who claimed they had no intention of killing anyone. She had proven herself a good friend many times, and she had never lied to him or let him down. His brother also believed his girlfriend, but not as much as he thought he should; he seemed to be equal parts confused, outraged, and frightened. Nightingale stood beside him, her hands folded across her chest, watching him expectantly. On his brother's other side, Rayla glared at the young mage. Opari had risen from bed and seemed very pleased to be awakened. There was another person here, a strange knight in gray-black armor, whose face they had never seen. From what he'd heard, no one had seen him, and he never removed his helmet in public. Lady Cala claimed it was because he'd sworn an oath to Iomi that until peace reigned in his land and it was united under one scepter, he wouldn't remove his helmet. It all seemed utterly absurd, but the knight paid no attention to anyone else, made no acquaintances, and virtually no one knew anything about him. He was a silent guardian of the aristocrat and her allies. The armor he reported was also strange, giving the impression of something strangely mechanical, as if someone had dressed a puppet, as absurd as that might sound. He never engaged in training battles and carried no weapons, though Lady Cala always spoke of him as a magnificent warrior, nearly invincible. In his opinion, however, there was something terribly unsettling, even terrifying, about him, though he could pinpoint exactly what it was.

After a few moments, he heard Lady Cala walking through the castle corridors, and a moment later, he saw her entering the throne room. He saw fear and concern on the beautiful woman's face.

„Calum, are you okay?„ she turned to his brother, who, a little embarrassed by this comment, replied.

„No, everything is fine, actually it was your friend Nightingale who was attacked, not me.”

The red-haired Mage, however, smiled at the youngest boy and replied in a gentle voice.

„My friend already knows that nothing happened to me, because I managed to inform her through magical means that everything is fine with me. And besides, she knows that it is really not easy to hurt me.

Calum nodded cautiously, and Rayla glared at the aristocrat, who smiled at her in a friendly way and said.

"Since, fortunately, no one was hurt, we should move on to discussing a more important matter. What are we going to do about the attackers?"

„It's quite obvious, we need to interrogate them and find out who they really are and why they came here.„ Lady Cala'i replied, and she also had a voice and said.

"I already know that without asking them any questions, because we've encountered their companions more than once, trying to kill me and my friends. I'm not sure exactly who these people are, but I believe they're connected to some group of cultists serving a secret organization of dark mages who want to bring about the takeover of my homeland by the forces of darkness."

Calum exchanged glances . He had never heard such a story; none of the women had mentioned a similar organization before.

"Maybe I'm not an expert, but from what I understand, dark mages don't get along very well, mainly because they compete for the same resources. It's hard to imagine them forming some powerful and mysterious organization trying to rule the world behind the scenes!" Opari said skeptically. Lady Cala smiled at her and replied.

"As you said, you not an expert The priestess glared at her when she said this, but the aristocrat continued. "The Mystacor Confederacy was only recently formed, but it wields widespread influence. Its founder, Micah, and his sister, thus created an inexhaustible source of dark magic... By manipulating the life energy of beings and warping the environment by opening gateways to dark dimensions. He and his followers, who may have been your former High Mage, seek to seize control of the human kingdoms, and perhaps even reach far beyond."

He blinked and realized he had been staring at the blonde woman with his mouth open for a moment. He shook his head and asked.

„You didn't tell us all this earlier because...?”

"Because we didn't know how far they had infiltrated your kingdom, and who we could trust. We wanted to gain your trust before sharing such news with you, as well as to better understand our enemy and gather more evidence of their activities. I know it's hard to believe such news, so we decided together that only when we had irrefutable evidence would we reveal the truth," Nightingale said in her deep voice. "I suspect both girls, as well as their allies, who must be in the city, have altered memories, because that's how it works if you're a powerful enough dark magician."

It all seemed so unbelievable, but then again, not so long ago, he and his brother had found a dragon egg in Viren's workshop , and it was the egg he had stolen from the Dragon Queen. He couldn't rule out the possibility that what the women were telling them might be true.

„What you're saying is very... shocking for all of us, so I'd rather hear the other side's version.

"The other side? This is my side! I remind you that I can vouch for these women, unlike these two! We met on Captain Vilads' ship , and at first we probably had a… argument. But we came to an understanding, and they told us everything. This girl supposedly kidnapped Eti's girl and imprisoned her," Rayla said angrily, and Lady Cala nodded and began to explain.

"It may be true... There are several assassins in my dungeons who were meant to kill me. Perhaps she is among them..."

Rayla wanted to snap back, but then Soren brought their prisoners into the throne room. To his surprise, they did indeed have cat ears and tails, and she had a hand made of a single piece of metal, which she used as if it were alive. As soon as they entered, both looked toward Lady Cala. The older-looking one's hand had claws unsheathed, and the fur along her spine and tail bristled, while the younger one stared fixedly at the aristocrat, who backed away as if in fear. It was strange; he had never seen this woman fear anyone. Then he saw Nightingale stiffen slightly, as if trying to hide any emotion she felt.

„That's it, we talked a bit about some very strange topics in their cell... „said the marshal, and then the one with the metal hand said.

„Great, brother-in-law, remember what we agreed!”

Soren sighed heavily before speaking.

They've been claiming I'm their brother-in-law ever since I walked in. I don't know what they're talking about, but it's a bit annoying.

Then the older one looked at him with her two-colored eyes, bowed and said.

"Greetings, King Ezran. My name is Catra, and this is my sister Eti. We have come here to warn your kingdom that dangers threaten it, and they are more numerous than you imagined! One of them is right here in this room."

Lady Cala smiled sadly looking at the two girls and said.

"Do you see, my king, how terribly perverted their minds have become? Please imprison them for their own good, and if you do not wish to keep them here, then allow me to take them to my land where I will care for them properly."

The younger girl tilted her head like a cat watching a mouse, then began to look around.

„The only perverted being here is you, Calamity ... „drawled the girl who introduced herself to Catra, and the aristocrat looked at her with pity.

"Really, you have to repeat the lies your sorcerer lord Mikah learned..." She said in a soft voice, and Calum glanced at her in surprise.

„Sorcered? I've never heard that term.”

Now for the first time he noticed that Lady Cala was confused, and then Nightingale joined the discussion .

"It's just another term for a magician, one who steals the life force of intelligent beings. Relatively new and not very common."

"They use a different magic. They said that the people of their worlds are no longer limited to dark magic, or even to the primal sources I don't know what redhead she used against them, but it's definitely nothing we know in our world.” Rayla said sharply , and he nodded thoughtfully. Then suddenly the other girl, the one with the metal hand, jumped towards the nameless knight and placed her hand on his chest.

"Rosie! Do you understand what I'm saying? I know it's you! What did they do to you? Please, show me how I can help you!" Her voice was laced with despair and panic. After a moment, she began to speak in sign language. Aunt Amaya was often spoken to.

"Rosie is her girlfriend, a very nice person. Lady Ka, one of  allies of Lady Cala, used something terrible to kill her and control her mind . Please order her to remove her helmet. If she doesn't, it means I don't want to show you the truth," Catra said, staring at him with her multicolored eyes.

"I already said you want it, so he swore never to show his face in public until our country was United and the dark magicians defeated." Lady Cala said quickly, like someone who wasn't being entirely honest, and now he was sure she wasn't telling the truth, at least not the whole truth.

„But I would like to see his face, since they are lying, I will apologize to you.”

The aristocrat shook her head violently, then said.

"Even I can't order him to do something like that! It's his faith and his oaths, do you really want to force him to do something against his will?" the aristocrat said in a voice full of indignation.

"Please, let your knight say it himself, or I'll write it down or show you how he agrees with you." He said, growing more and more concerned, and then Catra smiled grimly and said.

"That won't be necessary, for it's the armor my father gave my wife as a wedding gift." Then she uttered a few words, and suddenly the armor fell from the knight, clattering to the floor. He saw a petite, white-haired girl. He blushed slightly , realizing she was naked. The stench of unwashed flesh emanated from her. Lady Cala sighed heavily, then spoke in a joyful voice.

"So, no more pretending to be an idiot. Goodbye, King Brat." And when she finished, the white-haired girl looked in his direction.

Chapter Text

As the guards aimed their crossbows and muskets at her, she raised a wall of ice. She also wanted to shield Shogi from the flaming Lantern being thrown at him, but she couldn't do it well enough at the same time, feeling the crossbow bolt pierce her  shoulder She didn't feel the pain as intensely as she should have, which would have terrified her under other circumstances, but she didn't have time for that now. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lady Ka begin to aim for the inn where her companions were staying. She hurled a multitude of ice shards at her, hoping to distract her. But then the guards attacked her. They looked at her with a mixture of disgust and fear, which meant she must look different than usual. One of them, a grim woman who looked like an officer, struck her with a halberd, trying to split her in two, but she managed to dodge at the last second, then enveloped her hands in ice and cried out.

„Don't listen to this woman, she is very bad!

The soldiers looked at each other in confusion; they probably hadn't expected her to be able to speak. One of them said something to the commander, making her hesitate, and perhaps they could have reached an understanding between them, convincing them she wasn't a monster. But then the terrified Shogi shattered the wall of ice, grabbed one of the guards, and threw him hard to the ground. She heard the sound of bones breaking and began to move toward her, probably to protect her. Then the guard's companions rushed at her with weapons, striking with swords and halberds. Finally, one of them cut her with a halberd. Another approached to stab her in the chest with his sword, but then she struck him with her claws, tearing out his throat. Blood poured down on her, and then the guards, screaming, rushed at her with redoubled fury. Shogi came to her aid , enveloping her like armor, and she consciously covered it with a thin layer of ice, and now she was practically invulnerable to ordinary weapons. She had grown taller and probably began to look even more monstrous than before. Not long ago, she would have been afraid of terrifying others, but she hoped I'd leave her alone now. What she'd just done had barely sunk in. She saw it as if she had to run and hide, even though she wanted to help her friends. She couldn't see her friends, but she decided she had to help them. So she headed toward the inn, where she saw a strange Saihe fighting Itel and Seahawk in front of a ruined structure. And Lady. Ka defending herself against Alatar and Lilka; who she'd looked a bit dazed. The guards watched with growing terror, and the woman in the half-mask cried out.

"These are the servants of that sorcerer's abomination! Help me stop them before they harm your king!"

The guards, who had been frightened by one opponent, though you guessed it was truly terrifying, now had to fight more dangerous warriors. She saw Lady Ka sending them furious glances and shot one of the officers at their feet while avoiding Alatar's blow. She now had only one pistol because she was also fighting them with her hand equipped with long claws. At that moment, she saw individuals who didn't look like locals started running from the other side of the street.

"Good! Kill them all!" the clone woman said, and then several began firing in their direction. She saw one bullet hit a regular at the tavern who was trying to flee, piercing his chest. The Guard Commander began to shout something at the approaching crowd, but then a short man, whom she recognized as one of Lady Ka's main subjects, swung a powerful hammer at her, crushing her head. She took a deep breath and screamed.

„We're running away!”

Her voice seemed to be amplified by the dozens of voices emanating from Shogi's mouth , so it sounded eerie. Alatar and Lilka retreated from the enemy, but Seahawk had no intention of breaking off the attack.

Itel rolled to the side to avoid Lady Ka's shots, and Alatar did the same, but then he had to let go of the strange elf, who lightly grazed his ribs with his blade. Fortunately, his scales were thick enough that it was nothing more than a scratch. Unfortunately, the other Regulars of this place weren't so lucky! A middle-aged woman stepped into the target of Lady Ka's pistol's beam. Suddenly, it turned out that her bones were peeling off her flesh like bloody wax. It was a radiation weapon, banned in most of the Galaxy. Apparently, even Azlanti refused to use it. The Lord Admiral, however, showed no such hesitation when equipping his men. And the excuse he used was that they often fought against Hive forces. Fortunately for the woman, such a shot was almost always fatal, and she wouldn't have to suffer for long. They couldn't fight this warrior while also being under constant fire from the Clone Woman. The Elven warrior ran outside to defend his ally. It was incredible that even such a psycho could effortlessly find allies on a completely alien world! She jumped to her feet, feeling her Solarian power surge, and threw herself at the Efi warrior, who was already fighting Seahawk . Who, surprisingly, fought really well, yet was losing to this warrior. She hadn't seen Rayla fight , not counting her training, but she had heard that she had fought on equal terms with Catra, who was, after all, an excellent warrior, one of the best in her world. This man, however, fought as if this battle were a spectacle for him. Despite her aching shoulder, she lunged at the elf with a scream. He blocked her blow, then smiled with malicious satisfaction and said in an amused voice.

„This is where it gets interesting!”

He really liked this city! At first, the locals believed his cunning trick, then he met many people who happily listened to his story, although he wasn't sure how much they understood what he was telling them, but then you don't need to understand it to appreciate a good story. And then something wonderful happened: they were attacked. A Saihe man lunged at Itel, so of course he joined the fight! Without thinking, as was his habit, he drew his fiery rapier and faced the man. The man grinned at him, admittedly with a truly captivating smile, and began throwing punches, which he effortlessly dodged. After that, however, the woman in the half-mask—he wasn't sure, but he knew her from somewhere—began shooting at the men with a pistol that began to dissolve them. It was terrible; you shouldn't interfere in a fight between two such magnificent and handsome warriors! Two of them remained, because unfortunately, the great lizard was wounded. He was very clever, but he shouldn't have used the grapple in a melee fight, because it was very unfair! After a moment, Itel joined the fight, even though she was slightly wounded. He wanted to tell her that true warriors didn't fight this way, but at that very moment, the man landed several blows so quickly that he was surprised he still had his head on his shoulders! So he decided a little help couldn't hurt him. He also noticed Lilka getting up, though she looked a bit dazed, and beginning to fight the terrible woman who had been shooting at them. Immediately after, Alatar joined the fight, spitting fire at her. He couldn't focus on his companions' actions, however, because he had his own fight to win, and he had to admit, it was a difficult one indeed! His opponent moved as quickly as a wild cat, as if he were dancing. This fight would have been a pleasure if it weren't for the fact that he was trying to chop him to pieces, but he still had to admit that he'd never met such an… attractive opponent. Every thrust he thrusted back, and he felt this fight becoming more and more sensual… If it weren't for the fact that he was already in a relationship with his dearest Mermista … Although maybe if he talked to her…

"Seahawk , maybe you should try fighting instead of hitting on him?" Itel snapped at him, and his magnificent opponent looked at him with great astonishment in his eyes.

„What is he trying to do? „cried the warrior and he took advantage of this moment to launch another great attack, but then it turned out that soldiers serving their opponents were coming and started shooting at them, one even knocked down a nice guard with a hammer, and then he saw some huge creature coming towards him and calling out.

„We're running away!”

He had no idea who this creature was, but he certainly wasn't about to back down! It was unbecoming of a true warrior to cease fighting at such a moment. So he stood in the middle of the street amidst the gunfire, his eyes locked with his opponent's. This would be a battle to be remembered, one that would be told in ballads and shanties! He was about to strike another blow when Itel thrust her hand forward, and suddenly a black ball appeared, pulling the swordsman back and then tugging at his arm. They began to flee after this strange creature.

Ezran didn't understand Lady Cala's meaning at first, but then a girl with white hair jumped towards him and struck just above his head, shattering the throne with her fist. He saw that her blue eyes were covered with a slight mist, like someone very tired or attacked... His brother used to sometimes sleepwalk when he was younger, and he'd once sewn him to his bed so he wouldn't accidentally hurt himself in the night. But Calum moved clumsily and awkwardly back then, while the girl leaped at him so quickly he barely noticed. With one blow, she shattered his throne, but he managed to roll to the ground, and then he had the impression she hesitated, so Lady Cala snorted and said:

„Useless idiot.„ /and then she drew her sword, and then smiling coldly and cruelly she walked up to him and took it to end his life, but then Rayla jumped at her and deflected the blade. -

"I told you they were bad!" she called his friend and the beautiful aristocrat gave her a look full of pure hatred, but then he felt someone Lift him up by the neck and saw the white-haired girl staring at him with her other fist clenched and getting ready to strike a blow.

As soon as she saw the person in the power armor, she began to suspect the truth. She knew that even a monster like Lady Cala wouldn't kill a Warrior as powerful as Rosie, but would instead use her for her own nefarious purposes... Perhaps she would do it precisely because she was such a hideous monster, because killing someone was too little for such a thing! It was far crueler to use someone as a tool to sow death and destruction. After all, that's what her father had wanted to do to her, and someone had done the same to Smiley. As soon as she realized the truth, she ran to her and began crying for her to wake up. But her words were to no avail, as you should have expected. But then Catra uttered a command, and the armor fell from her beloved. The girl was naked and smelled terrible, but she seemed unharmed , completely unresponsive to her surroundings, until the Monstrous Woman, with a cruel smile on her lips, turned to the king.

And then Rosie leaped at the child who sat on the throne. She shattered his throne, but she knew full well that if she wanted to, she could kill him with a single blow. Which meant that somewhere inside her was a shred of her consciousness. And even under the control of this monstrous woman, she couldn't kill the child… Actually, a teenager, but that didn't matter now. But what Rosie couldn't do, Lady Cala tried to do. She drew her sword, the sight of which evoked an indescribable sensation within her, making her feel a strange heat in her metal hand. But then Hack-Slash jumped in and deflected the aristocrat's sword, but Rosie grabbed the king and lifted him into the air, preparing to strike. He saw Raylia's Nerdy Boyfriend getting ready to cast a spell. But then Nightgale raised her hand with the ring. Luckily, her sister jumped towards her and knocked her to the ground before she could fire a green bolt that hit the wizard, setting a tapestry on fire. However, she interrupted the boy's spellcasting. Meanwhile, her brother-in-law didn't know who he was supposed to fight or what to do, unlike her. She ran to Rosie's vestibule and placed one of her arms on hers, staring at her. This caught her attention, so she could start speaking to her in sign language.

"I know you're there! Remember what connects us..." She felt tears welling in her eyes. She felt as if she saw something deep within her blue pupils, and the girl let go of the child, who was approached by a small amphibian. Then she saw a blinding flash. Everything was enveloped in bright light, and for a moment she lost her sight. But she had been trained to move and fight even in darkness. So she transformed her metal fingers into claws, then grabbed Rosie, embraced her, felt for something on the back of her neck, found that hideous thing resembling a centipede, and dug her metal claws, cutting it. She didn't know if what she was doing was wise, or if there was no other way. Then she felt Rosie go limp. She had no idea what would happen to her beloved now, but there was nothing more she could do today, so she laid her down against the wall and turned to join the fight.

She knew from the start it would end this way. Admittedly, she hadn't expected this aristocrat to look so... aristocratic... She immediately sensed there was something... unnatural about her. She hadn't seen anyone perfect... But she still had the feeling that what she was saying didn't quite match what I was feeling... Something was missing... When it turned out the person in the armor was hiding a naked girl, Lady Cala showed her true face. She was ready to fight, so as soon as the woman drew her sword to attack Ezran , she immediately deflected the blade. But then the white-haired girl grabbed Ezran. She wanted to turn around to save her friend, but then Eti ran up to her and distracted her from the king. Besides, she had to defend herself against Lady Cala's attacks . The Royal Guard joined the fight, Opari  had been standing to the side, began to pray. Humans sometimes chose the wrong moment to ask the gods for help. She attacked the aristocrat, striking blow after blow, each attack so lightning-fast it would have knocked out most of the soldiers in the castle. But the woman effortlessly deflected them, sneering at her. When the guard tried to stab her with his halberd, she grabbed it by the shaft with her free hand, pulled it toward her, and with a lightning-fast pirouette, decapitated him, spraying everything around her, including herself, and his blood. She began to laugh gleefully, delighted with the slaughter she had wrought. She snarled and tried to break through her defenses, but even with the help of the Castle guards, she could do little. She had never seen anyone so formidable, so fast, and so strong. The powerful blows she delivered with that strange sword made her hands swell, and she had to brace herself to keep from tripping her. Behind her, she saw a green flash and heard an agonized scream, but she couldn't turn around. She noticed Bait entering the room, clearly wanting to defend her master and friend, and knew what to do. She sensed the right moment and shielded her eyes with her hand. Bait flashed a brilliant light, blinding most of the room. However, she retained enough vision that she was able to run up to the woman and strike her… But just before, behind them, the blades plunged into the aristocrat's flesh. She hesitated, and that moment was enough for Lady Cala'i , who regained her sight, much faster than anyone she had ever seen. She smiled at her and then said:

"You're supposed to be an assassin who doesn't like killing? That's as funny as it is pathetic!" she said, and plunged her blade into the nearest guard, then added. "But since you fight with two blades, let's make this duel even less even." Suddenly, the pupil in her eye dissolved, turning it purple, the claws on one hand elongated, a bone blade emerged from the forearm of the other, and two tentacles, each tipped with spikes, shot out from her shoulder blades. You couldn't have imagined such a monstrous combination of dazzling beauty and indescribable monstrosity. She was so transfixed by the horrific sight that she couldn't react, so the woman grabbed her wrists and drove the blade into her flesh. Slowly. It even seemed she probably enjoyed it. No creature should be able to survive something like that, but the Monstrous Woman had no regard for the laws of nature. He hit her in the face digging his claws into it, and then she said.

„I guess this is how the career of a hopeless killer will end.”

But then she heard a voice behind her.

"Hey Stinka!" and Lady Cala'a's head was struck by a hot bolt of light. The woman staggered back, and as she did so, she turned and saw Eti holding a strange pistol in her hand. But when she looked back at the aristocrat, she saw that the terrible head wound was already closing.

"So I guess it's time to drown this place in blood," said the aristocrat.

Chapter Text

At first, she almost admired Lady Cala's accomplishments. She had shown great cunning and deviousness in continuing her story, adapting it accordingly to Catra's words. She also had to admit that for quite long time she had tried to behave politely, as befits a noble aristocrat, full of kindness at heart. All this must have cost her a great deal of effort and required great self-control. It was a shame, however, that it had been doomed from the start, because she knew that no matter what Calamity said, they would believe the young sorcerer girlfriend. They knew her better, trusted her, and discovering her ally was cheating was all too easy. Yet she couldn't deny that Calamity had tried very hard! However, Catra had used their idea to outfit the poor girl in power armor against them, and that was when Lady Cala's true nature prevailed, and she gave in to her monstrous temper. Perhaps she could have killed the little king, but that wasn't their goal, merely an act of senseless cruelty. But what could she do? She had to try to salvage the situation somehow and ensure they completed their mission, instead of playing into Lady Cali's delusional vendetta. Fortunately, the local elf held off the aristocrat, though she doubted she'd be able to resist them for long, especially with Rosie joining the fray. She knew, however, that they couldn't win this fight, not if they wanted to keep their promise to the Crawling Chaos. Of course, the beautiful aristocrat could forget what the Great Outer God could do to her, but she had to seek his favor, twice over. She had to think of something really fast. When she saw the young mage attempting to cast lightning, she immediately wanted to strike him with a similar paralyzing ray she'd used against Catra. However, the feline woman probably realized what she was planning and ended up attacking her, trying to knock her down. She almost succeeded, but she was a skilled fighter and managed to stay on her feet, but she missed. Fortunately, she managed to interrupt the spell. Then the Royal Guards joined the fight. At first, they weren't sure what was happening, knowing they would quickly become a nuisance if she didn't react decisively. She clenched her fist, and green lightning shot from the Bloodstone. The first guard she hit fell, his mouth and ears smoking. She felt no remorse at that moment, only the power flowing from the Ring. The other guards hesitated, and she swung her green energy whip in front of them, striking one and knocking him to the ground with a burned leg. Despite everything, the man lived, but he was unconscious and would likely have to have his limb amputated. But then Catra leaped at her, her sharp claws digging into her back and shoulders. She felt a terrible pain, though not as intense as it should have been, probably due to the Bloodstone. She was strong, and her conditioning guaranteed her training, so she spun around, slamming Catra against the wall with all her might. She saw Catra lose her breath, but she was as immune to pain as she was, thanks to what Shadow Weaver had done to her. The feline woman swung her arm and was about to rip out Catra's throat, but she caught her wrist, and the Ring's discharges shot through both of them, though she endured them better. Catra fell to the ground and glared at her. But then Soren stood before her , leveling his sword at her chest, and spoke with a mixture of rage and despair.

"We were friends, but one more move and I'll pierce your heart." She saw pain in his eyes, but also determination. She knew that if she moved now, the sword would pierce her. She wasn't sure if she could bend her arm unnoticed without him noticing. She heard the ring whispering to her to kill him, but she couldn't do it, even now. There had to be another way. Before she could think of a way, a flash of light flashed, and everyone in the throne room was blinded. Unfortunately, she wasn't in her true form, so her eyes were almost as sensitive as a human's. She jumped to the side, but she saw one of the soldiers trying to strike her. Then she received support from Bloodstone. She felt energy flow from the ring, and the guard screamed in excruciating pain. When she regained her sight, she saw a delicate greenish mist around her, probably an energy shield created by her artifact. She saw the local Elf plunge her blades into Lady Cala , who, however, didn't seem particularly bothered by it, and lifted the girl, probably to be torn in half. She half-wanted to stop her ally, but she doubted she would notice unless she used one of her Thunderbolts against her. And yet, she didn't want to make her an enemy, because she needed her. But then an energy bolt struck the aristocrat's head. She saw Eti, whose hand fired, striking the monstrous beauty in the head. If it had been an ordinary human, he would have fallen dead on the spot, but this woman was, well... a demigoddess, spawn of the Great Outer God, the Key and the Gate! How could they think they could do anything to such a being? Her body began to regenerate, cartilage and bone knitting together, skin covering the half-burned flesh. In the aristocrat's only visible eye, she saw cruel joy. The elf slid her blades from the monstrous woman's body, staring at her with disbelief and horror. But Eti wasn't shocked by the sight, though she suspected the girl would be completely unfazed. She knew full well that Antares's younger daughter was as tough as Adamant . However, she couldn't watch the fight closely, for she had to defend herself. The guards were already regaining their sight and attacked her, but the first one to strike recoiled, struck by excruciating pain, so the next one retreated, and something from one of them pulled out a pistol, and fired. This time, she felt the shield tremble. She realized that where it was was still sufficient for the company to send it with some power over such a distance, especially since they were constantly using it for other purposes, primarily further expanding the geomantic network and also transporting more soldiers from Etheria. She hoped that soon they would be able to build a portal in another place where such swamps were also found. The soldier began reloading, and his comrades aimed their muskets at her. She hurled a bolt of lightning at one of them, killing him and knocking the other two to the ground. But then she felt a sharp pain shoot through her body, nearly knocking her unconscious. Apparently, the Bloodstone not only gave her power but also supported her body, as she had just noticed. She glanced to the side and saw Catra , holding the traditional Horde shock baton. The feline woman smiled wickedly at her and said:

„I learned some tricks from your mother.”

She responded with an equally nasty smile and groaned.

"But I know a few of my own." She uttered the words of the spell, and suddenly several identical illusionary copies of herself appeared around her, all surrounded by a greenish haze of a shield, though she thought she was inactive in those instances. The spell also affected the minds of those around her, making it difficult for them to distinguish her copies from the real her. It wasn't perfect, she knew they'd quickly figure out which one was real, but perhaps it would give her time to figure out a way to calm the situation without killing half the people in this kingdom, even if Lady Cala was very eager to do so. And then, at a most inopportune moment, Aaravos appeared . The ancient sorcerer looked around with some amusement, and she said to him in her thoughts...

„I don't have time for our conversations now...”

Then the sorcerer waved his hand and suddenly everything around her stopped.

"You can stop time?" she asked, absolutely astonished, and he grimaced and answered her.

„I can only change your perception of time, at least for now.”

She couldn't really move, but she could see that nothing was really standing still, only slowly shifting, though she could barely register it. The Startouched Elf twirled and spoke to her in a delighted voice.

"I must tell you, my dear, that we have just managed to resurrect the former High Mage Viren ! I must admit that your mother and her new ward are working quite well together."

She felt a small twinge of jealousy, but now she pushed it away and spoke.

„ I'm also glad that another wicked sorcerer walks this earth, but unfortunately we have other things on our minds right now, as you can see.”

He looked around a bit theatrically, as if he had just realized where he was and said.

"You've certainly gotten yourselves into quite a mess, but I believe that thanks to your ingenuity and the power of friendship, you'll manage to escape. In any case, it's best not to get too involved in this conflict. Go to K'par's former headquarters . There, you should find a certain book related to the use of the bloodiest magic, as well as Vitaeum. It's a very valuable substance. Whatever it is, it might be needed to accomplish the things we need. Therefore, I order you to get out of here as quickly as possible. Consider this an order."

And then the sorcerer disappeared, and everything returned to normal. While talking to him, however, she considered what they should do next, so she reached deeper into the Bloodstone night and used it to shatter the castle's will, revealing the city they were approaching.

Rayla didn't have time to consider what kind of monster they were fighting now. She only knew they wouldn't kill her by normal means, but she had no idea what she should do. She drew her blades and positioned herself defensively, believing she should try to attack the woman's limbs. The problem was, she was a truly good fighter, the best she'd ever seen, even better than her adoptive father, Runan, which was probably partly due to her inhuman nature. The woman swung her sword, but then it struck her with its tentacles, so she had to dodge to the side. She seized the opportunity and severed one of the tentacles. It fell to the ground and began to dissolve. The stump slowly regrowth, but she knew it would take at least a moment for it to reappear. Lady Cala seemed to feel no pain and was merely furious with her. But then Eti leaped toward the monstrous creature and saw that the fingers on the feline woman's metal hand had transformed into long, dagger-like claws. She struck the aristocrat's stomach, digging them in deep, then sending them upward, ripping her insides apart. Eti didn't hesitate before striking, but Lady Cala didn't seem to feel much pain from even such a terrible wound. Blood gushed from her mouth, and she stopped smiling and tried to grab Eti, who, however, sank her foot into the woman's chest and pushed away, forcing her insides out. Then she approached the aristocrat from behind and, with two swift slashes, nearly severed her legs, forcing her to the ground. Meanwhile, she saw the feline girl remove several items from the tails of her coat and hastily begin to fold them. She saw her sister fighting the mage, who had somehow created several illusions of herself, and even she couldn't tell which was the real person. Meanwhile, the aristocrat rose, and her intestines, like disgusting worms, began to crawl into her stomach. At the sight, she miraculously refrained from regurgitating her afternoon meal, but the monster still couldn't get up _. She began striking her from behind, on her legs and arms, hoping to immobilize her. But the woman grabbed her arm and slammed her against the wall, knocking the wind out of her and cracking her ribs. Several guards tried to seize the moment, but though Lady Cala now looked more like a chopped-up piece of meat than a human being, with madness in her blue eyes, she sliced one of them in half and plunged a bone blade from her forearm into the chin of another, burying it right in the guard's brain, so the others recoiled in terror. But then Calum uttered a spell, and a bolt of lightning, ordinary, like that from a real storm, struck Lady Cala, sending her inhuman body writhing. Then he cast a spell that slammed the woman against the wall so hard it would have shattered a normal human's bones, but even that had no effect on the creature. She got to her feet, but then Eti had already assembled her weapon, which looked like a strange speaker with a telescope attached, from which she fired several fiery projectiles, one of which hit the aristocrat in the body, burning her flesh, but she grabbed the girl by the leg, knocked her down, twisting the limb, and threw her into the depths of the room.

She saw the red-haired mage throw a bolt of lightning at the castle wall, making stones fly outside, and then talking to the monster in the body of a beautiful woman.

„We can't continue this unless you intend to murder half this city.”

"I promised I would drown this place in blood, and I intend to keep that promise!" the noblewoman cried furiously, though her voice was surprisingly intelligible considering the terrible wounds she had received.

"Don't talk nonsense, this fight was never our goal, my mother accomplished what she was supposed to do, she resurrected the old sorcerer, and now it's our time." When she finished speaking, she threw a bolt of lightning, aiming at no one, and then jumped out through a hole in the wall. The aristocrat looked at them with pure hatred. Then she jumped after the mage, uttering a few words. It turned out that she had caused the armor, parts of which were lying on the floor, to fold into something that looked like an arachnid and run after her. Surprisingly for everyone, the fight ended and silence fell. She tried to stand up, choking and spitting out a bit of blood, and then Calum ran to her and offered her his arm. She smiled at him and said.

"Thank you!" Then she began to look around. There were at least eight bidies in the throne room, but she wasn't sure because Lady Cala had cut at least two people in half, so she didn't know whose body parts belonged to whom. She looked around for Ezran, but he emerged from a side room with several guards, whom he had probably run after. He was holding Bait in his hands . He turned green as he looked at the carnage, but he didn't vomit, which was a good sign. Eti stood up and, dragging her leg, twisted at an unnatural angle, tried to walk toward the opening in the wall. Then she looked at the unconscious Rosie, ripped off one of the tapestries, and knelt beside her, covering her. Her sister didn't look much better, but she approached the hole and looked at the city below.

„I'm not sure if we have the strength to chase them, or even if it makes sense at all.

„Who was she? Or rather, what?”

The older cat girl shrugged and said cautiously, staring out into the night.

„I'm not sure, but she herself claimed to be with the child of some Yog-Sototh , the Key and Gate. He's supposedly some kind of outer god, but to be honest, I don't understand much of it.

Then Opeli , who until then had been standing against the wall without engaging in the fight, took a deep breath and kissed her.

„I once heard of such a creature... But not much, but from what I know it is the embodiment of evil... „then she approached Ezran , knelt down next to him and lowered her head.

„My king, I must ask your forgiveness, for it was I who persuaded you to invite this monstrosity here and it was because of me that everything happened.”

Then Catra grimaced and said with bitterness in her voice.

"Many people on Etheria believed her too; she's really good at pretending to be good and noble. She's clearly not making any sense, we need to think about what to do next. I should warn my friends, but unfortunately, our communicators were out of order after Nightgale hit us with that strange green lightning bolt."

Opeli nodded thoughtfully and said.

"Thank you for your words, but I should have been more discerning. After all, I am the head priestess of Iomi in Katolis ." When the word "priestess" was mentioned, Catra looked at her a bit suspiciously, and then the woman continued hesitantly. "However, I think there is a way I can help you. Please come to me."

With Calum's help, she did as Opeli instructed , but Catra hesitated, and Eti reluctantly left Rosie. Then the priestess uttered a few words of prayer, and suddenly a golden-blue light passed through her body, and she felt better. She was surprised, and Catra bristled like an angry cat, but surprisingly, Eti was calm. She looked at them both and explained.

„It's a regular healing spell. Most priests can do something like that.”

Opeli smiled rather foolishly and spoke in a drunken voice.

"I  didn't know i could do that, and I'm a priestess!" And she fainted, blood running from her nose, and Soren caught her at the last moment, and then looked at the others.

„And only our friend Ireanis can do something like that... „ added Eti.

„I don't think we'll let them escape... But what exactly should we do?

All three of them looked through the opening at the city below and then heard the distant sounds of gunfire and screams.

"They must be Mrs. Ka's men..." Soren said . He seemed more gloomy than usual, which was no surprise. After all, he had witnessed an exceptionally brutal fight and the betrayal of people he had previously trusted.

"Our friends are there, I have to go!" Eti said and ran down the vertical wall. Catra looked at them apologetically and said.

"I have to go too. I don't know if I can defeat this creature, but we have to save my companions." Isis began to descend the wall with credible skill. She sighed heavily and said.

"I have to go with them too! They're good people and we can't let anything happen anymore!"

Her boyfriend smiled warmly at her.

“So hold on to me tight!” He then cast a spell and transformed his arms into wings just like he had done during the Battle of Thunderspire.

„I guess I'll have to call the entire garrison to help... „said Soren , and then she grabbed her beloved by the waist and the two of them started down into the city, whose streets were drenched in blood.

Chapter Text

Frosta and her companions were fleeing from the fight. She was wounded, though she felt no pain or blood loss, which terrified her, but she didn't have time to think about it now. She heard the roar of rifle fire, the sparkling sound of energy weapons, and the screams of the wounded and dying. She was used to this from the war, but it was rare for her to flee from the enemy, leaving innocent people to their fate. She was terrified, though, and so were her companions. The town  wasn't large, and escape wasn't difficult, or rather, it didn't take long until they reached the gate, where only two guards were stationed. They could easily overpower them, but she wasn't sure she wanted to risk hurting anyone else. Besides, she wasn't sure she could leave Catra and Eti here. She thought they should return, but she wasn't sure it would be safe for all of them. So it would be better for them to retreat and then figure out a safer way to free them… But wouldn't their enemies continue their pursuit while they tried to hide somewhere in the nearby woods? Fortunately, Itel was in charge, so she didn't have to make such a difficult decision, but it didn't change much; it just shifted the responsibility onto someone else. Not long ago, she'd been a princess ruling a magnificent kingdom, and now she was hiding in the shadows like a rat! So they skulked in a side alley that reeked of damp and mold. Then suddenly, Melog appeared right next to them . That's when she truly became frightened, knowing Catra rarely left her friend for long, and she certainly wouldn't want to do so at a time like this.

"What happened?" she asked fearfully, and then a shapeshifting creature approached her and nudged her hands with its head, so she placed her hands on them. Then she saw the images. They showed Night Gale, watched by Melog through the window, hurling some green lightning bolt at her friends, leaving only Rayla threatening her with her blades. Then they were taken somewhere by a tall man… who looked strangely familiar. Then he ran to find them. She told her friends what she had learned, and then Sea Hawk called out.

"We must go to the rescue!" And he stretched his arm, holding his blade high, upwards. They looked at him, then at each other, and Itel sighed heavily and said.

“We can't just go back there and storm the castle without thinking because we'll end up like them, we have to come up with a plan quickly, or...”

She understood how he felt, having once faced the choice of borrowing friends or continuing to fight… It was when they had to leave the hidden glade after Horde Prime's forces chipped her friends. She was no longer in command, and now the burden fell on Itel's shoulders, and she had to make a difficult decision. She knew Eti was incredibly important to the Saihe girl. On the other hand, she had to look after the entire group. She glanced toward the castle and pursed her lips.

"I don't know if we can afford to act without thinking... But if necessary, we'll have to free them ourselves unless..." She didn't finish, as they heard more shouts and gunfire. She clenched her lips and fists, and everyone behind her looked questioningly.

"We can't just abandon these people, can we? We have to help them, whether we like it or not! I've been running from the enemy too many times…" she said, more to herself than to them, clearly referring to their shared memories. "We can't abandon these people like we were abandoned, can we?" She looked at the others, or at least at her friends. Sea Hawk placed a hand on her shoulder, and she saw a seriousness in his eyes that was rarely seen there.

“I also had to leave my beloved once... They did terrible things to her then, they chipped her and took away her free will! Never again, and I will not allow anything like that to happen again!”

The girl with green hair smiled at the adventurer, then turned and called out.

"We will show Madam Ka's subordinates that they are no longer safe in the Lord Admiral's shadow! For Kesler!" She called out, summoning that strange, semi-transparent blue blade, and Sea Hawk added.

“For Etheria

And then everyone started moving towards the shots.

Lady Cala landed on the hard cobblestones, her knees bent inward at an unnatural angle. A jump from such a height would have shattered a normal human's legs and likely impaled by the spine, but she was unharmed. Her demigodly body was capable of enduring things unimaginable to mere mortals, as she had recently proven. She longed with all her heart to be up there, slaughtering all the petty villains, but reason told her she should listen to Night Gale, because she was right. The Crawling Chaos had forbidden them from harming these two twisted Monstrosities. Even though compared to the rabble around her, she was like a predator fending off vermin, to someone like Nyarlathotep, she was just an insignificant creature they could crush with a simple squeeze of they hand. She glanced around and saw Night Gale landing beside her. She wasn't sure if it was through some spell or the power of the bloodstone, but it seemed the landing wasn't harsh. Her ally probably looked much better than she did, though her robe was still torn and her back was sticky with red blood. The ring on her finger pulsed intensely, in time with her rapidly beating heart. The sorceress looked at her sharply and called out.

"Follow me! They'll be here soon!" And she ran without turning around, gritting her pearly white teeth, because she wasn't used to being given orders, but she understood the truth of the Sorceress's words and did as she was told.

A gunfight was raging in the town, which brought a smile to her face. She guessed it was Lady Ka who had joined the fight because she'd met the younger feline monster's friends. She longed to kill them all, or better yet, mortally wound them all, so that the other bitches could look them in the eye and see that it was their fault they had died. Her heart warmed at the thought, but as they headed down the street, she saw several men, taken by the Lord Admiral's Left Hand, shooting at city guards and ordinary citizens. Both stopped dead, as this was not what they expected.

"What the fuck are you doing!" Night Gale screamed, and Lady Ka looked at her with her one visible eye, and they both saw that her pupils were not only dilated from the excitement of the fight, but also from other substances, she could only hope were combat drugs.

"What do you mean! We're taking fucking power! Let these bastards learn to respect Lord Admiral Antares and his brilliant intelligence officer! And if they don't like it, let them run red in the streets of this town!"

She couldn't deny that it was a really interesting idea and under other circumstances she would have supported it, but she didn't have time for that now. Besides, she was absolutely certain that this woman was starting to lose control, so they had to take over.

“I don't know what your commander's rules are like, but I rather doubt he approved of shooting civilians... at least on a whim.”

Lady Ka glared at her. An argument would likely break out, which could then escalate into blows, but neither of them really had time for that, not to mention the fact that it would likely end very quickly with the clone woman's death.

"I know we all want to bring the light of civilization to these savage barbarians, but unfortunately, I have to agree with my companion. We came here for a specific purpose, and bringing enlightenment with flamethrowers and rifles is not our goal, at least not yet... I promise that one day we will return and repay them for all the insults we have suffered here!"

The woman looked at them with irritation, then pursed her lips and said.

“Okay, but you will give me something in return... You will make me governor of the capital of Evenere.”

She smiled and then said.

“It has no capital, but I see I will make you the queen of this kingdom, I prefer to be the empress of all Xadia , because at least at the beginning I am entitled to something for all the hardships and sufferings I have experienced and will experience.”

Lady  Ka nodded, smiling cruelly, but Night Gale sighed heavily and said.

"Maybe instead of dividing a planet you don't own, you should start evacuating our group? I need to find a certain building before we leave this place, and I'm not entirely sure where it is."

“So what, to the gate now?” said the clone woman, and then the sorceress closed her eyes and after a few seconds said firmly.

"I have a better way, but it might be exhausting. How's your mount?"

She smiled at the woman, knowing her companion was approaching. She turned when she heard the thunderous clatter of multi-toed hooves, and the magnificent form of Black Wind appeared before their eyes. He was covered in blood, probably from grooms and horses. She wished she could have seen it, but fortunately, she had a vivid imagination.

"Okay, you follow us, we have cover behind us, we'll just check one spot. Do you have any means transport of your own?" she said, and the woman in the half-mother grimaced and said.

"Two gravity scooters, but they won't carry many people." she said, and she shrugged and said.

"You have many more soldiers at our main base. And if necessary, we can bring even more in time, if we find another place similar to the one we installed  Bloodstone... Don't worry, my dear, everything will be fine!" She laughed in her usual beautiful way, and the woman responded with a smile that was very reminiscent of a laughing snake.

"As the Lord Admiral says, everything in the universe is a resource!" and then she turned to her subordinates, who had just eliminated most of the enemies within their range and had overturned two carts to hide behind them "Okay, you sons and daughters of bitches. Give me a grenade launcher and some phosphorus grenades. We're going to have a barbecue here!"

She was about to laugh at the thought of the burning town and what that brat on the throne would see, his subjects burning alive, when a plasma bolt whizzed past her head. In the distance, she saw a feline, misshapen creature, and she gritted her teeth. But then Madam Ka fired a few rounds, and she mounted Black Wind, following Night Gale. They quickly reached the Walls, and then the sorceress straightened the hand bearing the ring and clenched her fist. For a moment, she saw the ring's energy gather around her hand, and then a powerful bolt of lightning struck the wall, shattering it like a porcelain vase. Then Shadow Weaver's daughter mounted her mount, and the two set off in search of…

“What exactly are we looking for?” she asked her companion, and the one in whose hair she sensed exhaustion replied.

“We're looking for the house of K'par, the previous Royal High Mage. He was apparently a friend of Claudia 's father ... There was a map in Soren's house ... I took a picture of it... Modern technology can sometimes be much more useful than the most powerful magic.

"Okay, hold on tight because this is going to be a rough ride." And she set off at a gallop, the magnificent horse leaping over the Moat.

She ran downstairs firs , wanting to chase after the one who'd finally cut off her head with a rifle butt, but she held back for a moment and waited for her sister and the others. To her surprise, Rayla arrived with her boyfriend, who, for some unknown reason, had turned his hands into wings... He was a bit suspicious, though, and she'd have to think about actually setting her up with Itel; at least her wings weren't sprouting out of nowhere...

"What do we do now?"  Rayla asked , and then she answered.

„It's simple, we're going to kill that stinking bitch. it's simple, isn't it? „she said and took a few steps but her sister put her hand on her shoulder and said.

„The problem is that it's not easy, and secondly, we have to look for our friends, don't forget that... I'll do it, and you... Take care of yourselves and remember, Eti, you have someone to live for, you're important to me and to Rosie and to your friends, so don't put yourself in danger foolishly!”

She nodded, though she knew it was easier said and done, after all, fighting was never safe… But Catra was right, she had to look after herself… She had to get back to Rosie and be with her when she woke up.

She was glad her rifle was collapsible and that she'd taken it apart before going to Rayla 's boyfriend's ... On the other hand, they hadn't searched her anyway, so she could have taken more weapons with her, like a few grenades. If she'd stuck them in Stinka's mouth, maybe she wouldn't have healed herself later... She looked at Rayla and Calum , who were trying to run after her, even though the boy was probably even more nerdy than Alatar, and he hadn't even learned about computer games yet; it was scary to think what would happen next... After a moment, she saw groups of people in front of her, some of whom had already set up their hair as a barricade and were shooting at people, followed by three people, two of whom she genuinely hated. There was Lady Ka, and Stinka , and of course Night Gale, whom she personally didn't have anything against, but you saw she'd probably have to kill her eventually if she got in her way. There was also a monster that looked like a dark parody of Hoof. Something anyone would dream of in their nightmares. Several nearby buildings in the city were burning. She also saw the bodies of guards and a few civilians. You know what, she thought a woman had fallen in a trap. She was having fun, but I'll show her what a good time is. First, however, as she ran, she aimed at Lady Cala and fired, but she mistimed her aim, and the bullet flew past the woman's head. Then Lady Ka aimed at them, and they had to dodge several bullets. Rayla and her boyfriend grimaced in a side alley.

"Doesn't this gun need reloading?" Rayla asked, and when she shook her head, her boyfriend suggested.

„I can destroy this barricade with lightning, and one large one, and then advise the curious soldiers with smaller ones , but someone has to distract them, otherwise they'll shoot them somewhere.

She nodded and said.

„We'll jump at them from the roof, from two different directions, and then you'll cast a spell, ready to climb?„ she looked at the Elf, who nodded rather uncertainly, because she knew well that her plan was risky, but this way they had the best chance of breaking through the marquee .

„We're on in three!”

Rayla hadn't realized how much she missed Calum until she wrapped her arms around his waist as they flew. Now she realized she'd missed his closeness. Now they could finally be together again... It's just a shame I have to defend the kingdom again... And against such a terrible enemy. At least Viren was human, and this creature... She saw Lady Cala in her inhuman form, riding a monster that only vaguely resembled a horse.

“He didn't look like this before.” Calum said quietly to her as soon as they saw him and then they ducked into a side alley to avoid the gunfire and then the cat girl presented her plan It wasn't risky, she had to admit, for all of them. If they could gather a guard, or wait for Soren's men to help … But she heard gunfire, and they couldn't wait, so they had to try. It might give the others time to regroup, and besides , if Catra found her friends, they might have an advantage… But she'd never fought against people armed with such weapons. But then again, she was an assassin … Except she'd never killed anyone, she didn't want to, and now she might have to…

You climbed onto the roof of a nearby building—quite steep, it must be said, but enough for her to run. Eti had an easier time thanks to her extraordinary boots, which allowed her to run on any surface. They both set off as quickly as possible, not waiting for their enemies to notice. When she reached the edge of the roof, she flexed her legs as Eti jumped between them. She immediately joined her, and once on the ground, she attacked a tall man with strange eyes devoid of white. He held out a weapon resembling a pistol, but before he could do anything, she severed the tendons in his hand. He screamed in pain, and then she knocked him down with a kick. Then his companion, a woman with many strange facial tattoos, pointed her hand and wanted to say something, so she struck her on the blade, severing several of her fingers. She grimaced, not liking the sight of bloodshed, and looked at Eti… who transformed her metal hand into a curved blade, which she plunged into the massive man's chest. She snatched his pistol from him and, using him as a shield to protect herself, began shooting at the others, knocking down two of them. Normally, this would have shocked her, but she couldn't watch the death the cat girl was inflicting, because she was attacked. To her surprise, a moonshadow elf stood before her, his face marked as a murderer, someone banished from society for crimes too great even for a spirit ritual. She parried several of his blows and then tried to counterattack, but he was damn good! Maybe not as perfect as Lady Cala, but she was an inhuman monster, so that didn't matter.

"Well, there you go! First the Magic Warrior of the Moon, and now Runan's apprentice! This night is truly interesting!" he said, smiling very wickedly. This unnerved her. She wanted to ask him what he meant, but the half-masked woman standing next to him took advantage of the moment and aimed a pistol at her. They both jumped back, but she managed to do so at the very end, feeling a strange tingling sensation on her arm, followed by a terrible pain in her hand. The man smiled at her and bent his legs to leap towards her, delivering a deadly slash. Eti was busy fighting a short man armed with a hammer and a small woman of similar height with two knives, so she couldn't help her. She thought she was lost when a large block of ice flew towards her, and she saw Eti's companions running out from a nearby alley. The elf jumped away from the combined Itel and Sea Jawk . Now the forces swung towards them, and the feline girl felled the strange woman with a wide slash, shattering her neck. She severed the short man's hand, but he struck her with his other metal hand, sending her rolling far down the street. She looked back and didn't see Calum , who should have been casting lightning bolts by now! As soon as she felt the sting of Disquiet, Lady Ka called out.

"Don't move or we'll kill him!" she said, and saw one of Lady Ka's soldiers holding Calum , aiming a pistol at his head. Their friends backed away, she saw Alatar was wounded, and Frosta had apparently somehow donned armor made of mud and eyes. The half-masked woman's subordinates, now half their number, were gathering around her. Although there were only half as many of them now. She noticed two of them unpacking some strange machines that were floating above the ground. She wasn't sure if it was magic or the knowledge possessed by the people who inhabited the sea of stars, or perhaps a combination of both.

"Now you will let me and my subordinates go free, and what if I leave this boy somewhere?" She climbed into the vehicle with the strange man, but Itel called out.

„How can we trust you, everyone knows you're a treacherous bitch.”

The woman laughed loudly, at the top of her lungs, and then she moved like David and said.

"You can't in the slightest, and that's the beauty of it!" She said, sitting on the vehicle. She was about to order one of her subordinates to take the boy to the anti-gravity scooter. But then I had the impression she was hearing soft words in a range she'd heard many times before. Suddenly, the man's belt transformed into a snake and wrapped itself around the hand holding the weapon, pulling it down. Then a bright beam of energy pierced his forehead. The man fell lifeless, and the woman in the half-mask cursed and moved on her scooter, loading some kind of weapon. The silver-scaled lizard aimed his rifle at her, but missed. The fight ended as quickly as it had begun. From a nearby alleyway , a young woman emerged, leaning on a metal staff. Next to her stood a Skywing Elf, whose gender was difficult to determine, and a tall woman with blue hair dressed in massive armor somewhat similar to the one the Eti girl had worn earlier. Calum smiled at her uncertainly and said.

„Hi Miriam!

„Hi Calum, It's good to see you and I'll tell you right away that I'm not asking for your hand in saving your life...

She felt as if the elven person standing next to her was breathing a sigh of relief, and then there were several bright explosions around her that turned the night into day.

Chapter Text

She had to hold on tight to Lady Cala, because the monster they rode wasn't keen on carrying ordinary mortals on its back, and it didn't possess a saddle. Of course, the fact that riding wasn't among the skills programmed into her mind when she was created also played a role in her nearly falling from that fearsome steed several times. While she suspected that the energy shield would have protected her to some extent, she wasn't sure how well she coped with such incidents, she was delighted when Lady Cala grabbed her with her tentacles and pressed her against her. The woman's long hair fluttered in the wind. She saw a joyful smile on her usually beautiful face, now marked with the blood of the murdered and distorted by the marks of her unnatural heritage. She guessed they must now look like a fairytale, a freedom loving princess and her wise friend riding a swift steed toward an adventurous future, only this one warped by the deranged mind of one who had gazed too long into the abyss. She wondered a little if her entire life hadn't become a tale told to warn future sorcerers of what might await in the darkness between the stars. She had consorted with monsters, and was slowly becoming one herself. Today, she had killed many people again, whose only sin was protecting their ruler, a person who undoubtedly did not deserve death at the hands of such a monstrosity as Lady Cala. She had done all this because of a promise made to her, and also to heal her body, but with each terrible thing she committed, she was less and less sure if her life was worth it all. Hers probably wasn't, but Scarlet's probably was.

It was a clear night, the moon nearly full in the sky, illuminating their path. Though with her half-elf eyes, she didn't need such a bright light, let alone Lady Cala and her mount, for both were monsters born in the Deepest Darkness Between the Stars. She knew she'd lost a considerable amount of blood from the wound Catra had inflicted, and she was already beginning to feel the negative effects. She felt cold, and her pulse quickened. With every breath and every step Black Wind took, a sharp pain shot through her body. Perhaps if she returned to her true form, she would be better off. She was part Horde Prime Clone, and they didn't feel the pain of wounds as strongly, and their blood had properties that helped staunch bleeding. But now she had to deal with this on her own. She reached for the bloodstone, trying to figure out if it could somehow ease her suffering.

"I'll help, I'll help," he said in her mind, and after a moment she felt the pain subside and the blood congeal on her back. She knew it was only temporary, and any sudden movement would only reopen the wounds. Finally, they reached the small village near Kpp'ar's house . The locals, if they had any sense, wouldn't leave their homes that night; otherwise, their fate could be truly dire. Lady Cala helped her dismount, though she staggered as she placed her feet on the ground.

"I can help you a little..." the aristocrat said, then raised her hand above it and slashed it down the middle. She felt the monstrous creature's blood flow down her back, and her first instinct was to dodge, but she was too exhausted, and to her surprise, she felt relief.

"My blood has great regenerative properties if I so desire, for it is usually a deadly poison..." A beautiful and fearsome aristocrat. She laughed softly, like a well-bred lady, which, considering her current appearance, sounded particularly disturbing. She looked around; it was actually a small town, quite prosperous, though as she had noticed here, it was typical here. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, smoothed back her blood-caked hair, and then checked her Datapad.

"We have to turn onto that path, and then at the next fork, head towards the mountains. But what do we do next? I don't know much about where this man could have hidden his secrets. And if he was a magician even remotely like my mother, he certainly kept his secrets well protected from discovery."

"Does it always have to be this hard? Normally, if we weren't running away, we could just ask the locals what they know about the mansion. Actually, we could still do something—we could just drag someone out of bed, break the arm of their child or partner, and tell them we'll rip off more of their limbs until we know everything they know about the former dark mage."

She looked at the inhuman beauty and spoke slowly.

„Really, when I think I know you well, how you can surprise me…  Not long ago, you would have started by breaking the kid's neck or ripping his hair out, and then moved on to asking questions.”

The monstrous aristocrat laughed, made a pirouette and curtsied.

„See? I'm growing!”

"A bit like a sundew after eating a fly, but yes, you're growing, that's true. Do you think Lady Ka will find us?" asked the aristocrat, looking at the Darkness behind them, and the creature as beautiful as the Monster shrugged and replied.

„I should have our transmitter... And besides, I can leave the Black Wing here .

"He'd probably break down a few doors out of boredom and start eating innocent people. We'd better take him with us." She moved on without stopping, only to hear Lady Cala talking to her manhood as if it were a small dog.

„Bad Auntie Nightgale won't let you play with the kids.”

The monster let out a terrifying hiss that would have sent normal humans fleeing in panic. She sighed heavily and set off to find the former dark mage's manor, not even glancing at her monstrous companions.

Some time before the explosion, Catra had been jumping across rooftops, trying to find her friends. She hadn't seen them, but there had been gunfire in the city, and she guessed they were trying to hide from Lady Ka's subordinates. She knew they were resourceful, and among them were Frosta and Sea Hawk, who, after all, were veterans who had fought for their planet after the war. They should have been able to handle the Bandits, whom she considered soldiers. But this was a fight, and any fight could end in death. Still, they had to stop them somehow. She was partly responsible for their being here. Her father had been the woman's superior, the one who had fueled her wickedness for years, approving of all her actions. She hadn't trusted her from the start, but she was honored to finally find a family, a place where she could belong, a legacy of her own. So she trusted her father, and they knew he was even worse than his subordinate. Lady Cala was also here because of them. If only they had watched her better… Or if they had seen through her mask of nobility and kindness sooner… Just as the inhabitants of this place were deceived by the beautiful face and smooth words of the monstrous aristocrat.

She headed for one of the gates, the only way out, at least not unless you were as athletic as she, her sister, and Rayla. There weren't many gates, only two. She wasn't sure which one her companions would choose, so she decided to take a chance, knowing there was a good chance that even if she didn't find them at this gate, they would be at the other, as it was unlikely they would escape unnoticed. This place, unlike many castles on Etheria, was designed with defensive capabilities in mind. On the planet she grew up on, majesty and beauty were more important, unless you were a member of the Horde, and even thirty years of war hadn't changed much. The inhabitants of this world were more accustomed to conflict and war; after all, a thousand years of war had raged here between the two halves of the continent. However, when she approached the gate, instead of her friends, she saw a young woman with blond hair, dressed in purple robes, shouting at the guards. Beside her stood an elven figure resembling Nyx, who had brought them here. Behind them was a large crowd of people, especially two of them whom she recognized. One was the Half-Saihe who had delivered Lady Cala to the queen . The other was Huntara.

" Huntara ! It's great you're here!" she called out happily, surprising them from the rooftop. They might not be close friends, but they both respected each other and knew the Warrior was someone they could all rely on. The guards, who had previously refused to let the group in, gripped their weapons tighter and prepared for an attack, but Huntara  definitely hadn't expected her, she said to them.

"Come on, she's our friend!" the purple-skinned woman called out, but the guards clearly didn't trust her very much, which was no surprise, as they weren't used to people from other nations than humans. But then a pretty girl leaning on a cane said in a tired voice.

"She's also with us... As I said, I'm Queen Aanika's cousin and I came here to meet with the king and his brother about important matters. What exactly is going on here?"

Before the guard could say anything, she turned to the woman she had met at Huntar's wedding.

„There is no time to waste... Lady Cala tried to assassinate the king with Shadow Weaver's daughter, and now Lady Ka and her subordinates have joined them and are trying to destroy this city!

The blue-haired warrior clenched her metal hands and then said.

„I'll gladly crush that bitch's head, just let me in because I don't want to hurt the guards!

She had to admit it was a commendable attitude. The guards, however, still didn't seem eager to let them in. So she sighed heavily and, taking advantage of the fact that they were looking at the warrior's broth, jumped towards them and struck, so that before the exit, she tripped the other one, making him fall to the cobblestones. Huntara then knocked down the one she had attacked first, thus overpowering the guards.

„You'll apologize to them later... Why is that person next to you looking at you like that, and what's your name anyway? „she turned to the beautiful blonde, who she recognized as an aristocrat, which made her unsettlingly think of Lady Cala.”

„She's as dangerous as she is adorable! Aww.„ The elven person called out, making her feel a strange mixture of irritation and pride, and the noblewoman looked at her apologetically before turning to Huntara.

"Please let Lonnie know who's here..." Then she turned to her. "My name is Miriam, and thanks to me, you were able to get to this planet safely, and now I think we need to help your friends."

When Miriam saw Calum, she felt unwillingly embarrassed, so she tried to turn it all into a joke. She felt nothing for him, at most, she liked him, but she remembered that many had wanted to marry her off to him in the old days, and somehow she couldn't forget that. Fortunately, other things quickly distracted her. However, she saw that many people had died, not only guards but civilians as well, as well as several off-worlders… She had already learned to recognize some of their weapons, and she saw that they were well-armed… She wasn't entirely sure what had happened here. She saw an extraordinary woman, with a feline appearance, who, however , seemed ordinary compared to Scyntis , and she suspected that despite her appearance, she was an ordinary girl, unlike the other Companions on this expedition, such as the woman with purple skin, who seemed capable of defeating most of her cousin's guards, all at once! She didn't quite know what to expect, but seeing the reaction of the blue-haired mercenary, she guessed that this Lady Cala was a truly nasty person, and had been mentioned several times during their journey.

However, when explosions rang out and several buildings burst into flames, there was no time to reflect on the past, everyone had to act.

"What the hell is that?" she cried, cowering, and Rao moved closer to her, as if to hug her and protect her at the same time. It was as sweet as it was embarrassing.

"Looks like phosphorus grenades. I didn't get a good look at what that crazy woman was shooting with. But it was clearly a drum grenade launcher. It doesn't matter, if we don't do something, half the population will burn." She looked at her and called sharply. "Are you a Mage? Can you put out flames?"

"That's not how our magic works, but apparently Calum knows Sky magic. Maybe we could somehow summon Rain?" She looked at the king's brother, who slowly shook his head and said.

"I'm not sure I could do something like that. Besides, it would take a long time, and people would burn. There's already a lot of danger."

True, this flame was unlike any she had ever seen, except perhaps those sparked by the Old Magic associated with that strange Rune Stone… These flames cannot be extinguished so easily… These people are about to meet a terrible death… Unless I use a certain method… She had read about it, but had never had the opportunity to try it, for the price of such a heart was so high. She looked around at the men lying on the ground; one of them appeared mortally wounded, pierced by some curved steel blade. She walked over to him and placed her hands on his chest.

Calum asked and she replied in a calm voice.

„There is a spell that can extinguish this flame, but I need to sacrifice the lives of sentient beings...”

"No!" said the cat woman and the elf, who she knew was probably a friend, or even more, to Calum , simultaneously .

"They're dead anyway... The Lord Admiral has installed chips in their bodies that can kill them at any moment, on his command or Lady Ka's. I don't believe she'll let us capture them. Besides, they're murderers anyway," said a strange Elf with green hair, probably one of those who live outside her world in the sea of stars. She didn't have time for the others to make a decision, so she focused and cast a spell. The man she touched died instantly, and then her power began to pass on to the others, for it would take much more power to extinguish all the flames. There was another spell that could help, one that Viren supposedly used on Prince Kazef during the Battle of Stormspire, but it required a certain artifact to work. However, she didn't have it, so she had to resort to another method... A wind arose, shrill and howling, and suddenly all the flames for miles around went out... The city was saved, and five new corpses surrounded her.

„This is a monstrosity... Your magic is worse than anything Shadow Weaver used... „Said the cat girl, and she smiled grimly, pushed her hair behind her ear, which had turned purple, and said

„Welcome to Xadia.”

 Calamity had to admit she felt quite relaxed. Sure, she'd failed and couldn't drown the entire city in blood, impale the brat king's head on a pike, or generally bring justice to this kingdom, but she'd killed a few people, and most importantly, she'd finally been able to Put down her mask. She hadn't realized it before, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to wear it. She seemed to be pinned down by the surroundings of her true self, and now, in her natural form, she usually felt happy. She could do what was deep in her heart, and even if she'd suffered a momentary defeat, she knew she'd done everything she could to prove her superiority to these wretched mortals.

When they reached the Manor, they saw a massive structure, worthy of the second person in the state. It was two stories tall and rather irregular in shape, a sign of the eccentric background of its owner. It had been abandoned for many years and made quite an impression, reminiscent of buildings from places like Carcosa or the Dreamlands… Perhaps not directly, but it exuded a strange aura. She liked this place and regretted not being able to meet the person who lived here.

„Okay, where exactly are we supposed to go now?„ she said and her companion shrugged and said.

„To the basement or the laboratory. And I suspect it's the same for someone like that. Those who prefer to conduct experiments underground, especially those of a dark nature.”

She nodded and they approached the door. The building was abandoned, which she considered a waste, and the door was bolted. That wasn't a problem, though. With only a slight effort, she struck the door, shattering it, then ripped the remains from the hinges. The interior looked like a cozy aristocratic home, only it had been abandoned for many, many years. Everything was covered in dust, though not as thick as one might expect. As one might expect, people probably came here from time to time, making sure everything was tidy. Nothing had been stolen, or even damaged, though you'll write to Kanga, she saw nothing particularly valuable here.

„I guess, except for your absurd Etheria , after all these years this place would be completely stripped bare.

"It's very kind of you to consider the honesty of my planet's inhabitants absurd, but you're right. Even here, we have criminals. Besides, many people would be sorry to see such beautiful furniture go to waste in an unused house. There's something strange about this place. It gives me the creeps, and I've been in contact with the Great Old Ones the Sorceress said, and they began looking around. They found some books, rather nice porcelain tableware, and a rather interesting collection of hunting trophies, but nothing truly valuable. She couldn't hide the fact that she felt a bit disappointed, but above all, they found neither a basement nor a laboratory.

"Oh fuck, couldn't it be something simple? Your mother probably hid her secrets too, in such a way that no one else could find them."

Shadow Weaver's daughter nodded in understanding, then said.

"She held a position similar to this man's, though in her case it was much less stable, and she shouldered a much greater responsibility... However, she guarded her secrets well, and to this day, no one has managed to find her secret archive. It's a shame I didn't think to ask her about it." She looked around, saw the eyebrows, and added. "This building is larger on the outside than on the inside. There must be some secret passage here. Apparently, this place was called the mystery house."

Calamity nodded, and then they began searching the house. They found a lot inside, and if they had to search all the walls, it would take a long time to find anything.

A feeling of frustration quelled her earlier good mood, so she stepped outside and began to walk around, hoping to find a back door, or perhaps a cellar entrance hidden in the grass, but of course, she saw nothing. Feeling her frustration wash over her, she slammed her hand against the tower wall, not very hard at the moment, but she was prepared to smash the entire building to pieces soon just to end this pointless search. Suddenly, to her surprise, stone blocks emerged from the wall, leading to the top of a small turret they hadn't explored.

„Hey Nightgale! At least I found something.

Nightgale felt pain as soon as she looked at the stone handrails jutting from the wall of the manor, but she couldn't help it. Despite the frame, she had to get inside; they had a limited amount of time before the Pursuit reached it, and unlike the monstrous aristocrat, she was all too mortal. So she sighed heavily, then followed her companion, finding the climb to the top so easy that even a child could do it. Satisfied, she climbed through the window, which in this case was a door of sorts, and found themselves in a small room with a carousel in the center. For a moment, she and Lady Cala stared at it, and then the aristocrat roared.

"Fucking hell!" and she was clearly ready to smash the carousel to pieces, but she remembered how easy it was to climb that tower, stopped her by putting a hand on her shoulder and then said.

"Wait, something just occurred to me," she said, and sat on one of the horses, while her companion said with genuine concern.

„Maybe you really lost too much blood...„ there was genuine concern in her voice.

„Get on the next horse and pull that lever.”

The aristocrat did as she was told and suddenly the carousel started spinning while going down. After a while they found themselves in a vast basement, this time covered with a very thick layer of dust, and then

„I don't understand why someone would put a carousel in a tower to take someone to the basement.

She looked at the monstrous woman, realizing that despite her cruelty, she could sometimes be surprisingly… oblivious.

" To lure the children here." she replied in a gloomy voice, looking around the room, and then approached the book collection.

„Oh, and why would he do that?„ asked the aristocrat, still not understanding the context, and she explained quietly

" If he weren't a dark magician, I'd suspect him of rather wicked tendencies, but in this case, he was more likely guided by his art." She reached for the book and opened it to a page where a drawing depicted a spell that nourished a person's tissues. "It was about power... And power always has a price, but wise people can make someone else pay."

She continued looking around, searching for what she needed, and found a Map that painted with the strongest Magic Aura, but when she examined it, she saw a white card.

"Probably some safeguards, we'll deal with that later," Lady Cala said, smiling friendly, almost as if comforting her. Her companion's behavior was becoming increasingly strange, or in a sense, increasingly normal, or at least as normal as Calamity could be when she was herself... They searched the basement for a while until they opened the laboratory. It looked like a real Alchemist's laboratory she'd seen in Mystacor , even if it was much more primitive due to the local level of technology. There, she found a large metal box with a combination lock. She didn't have time to open it normally, so she clenched her fist and used a tiny bit of the ring's power to shatter the hinges. Even that small amount of power was enough to make the door fall with a bang. Surrounded by sawdust, now partially rotted, was a silver bottle. She knew she shouldn't have done this, but she was too curious, so she opened the lid and peered inside. All she saw was a strange red substance, and when she shook it, it seemed thicker than blood. She closed the bottle, and Lady Cala, curious, asked her.

„What is this?”

She looked around the room and then saw a complicated diagram on the wall that depicted the process of a dead body decomposing and then something reversed, as if the body was becoming something alive again, and she spoke in a hushed voice.

„This is life... It's the essence of life, it's used to create it. Or rather, perhaps to restore it... This man wanted to revive someone!”

„Okay, let's get this all out of the way, because I really don't want to think about what was going on in this guy's head.”

She nodded her head in appreciation, and this continued for another quarter of an hour, and she felt weaker and weaker, so they went outside. However, when they were already at the top of the tower, they heard Mrs. Ka's voice...

„Hello! Is anyone fucking there?”

"You don't have to shout like that, my dear!" said Lady Cala, and then she promised her with her tentacle, probably seeing that she might not be able to get down safely, and together they descended those strange steps.

Lady Ka was eyeing their mount suspiciously, and beside her stood several of her subordinates, including a strange and nasty short man, and a tall Elf associated with Lady Cal's cultists.

"Time to run, but where exactly? Back to port and our islands, or do we seek refuge with your allies?" asked the woman in the half-mask.

"I'm looking for my mother, and I assume Lady Cala wants to come with me. You should return to our main base and continue your conquest of Evenere. Perhaps we'll receive reinforcements soon..." Before she could fully elaborate, a bright light flashed. She saw a tall, muscular man with a large sword in his hand, and he shouted something.

"Surrender or... I'll do something to you... You know what!" His voice was booming and almost covered the awkwardness of his words.

"There are two too many of you!" said Lady Cala, quickly guessing who was standing before them. Truth be told, Nightgale was surprised that Kyle was here too, but then, from what she'd heard from Lady Ka, it was the People's Rebellion that ultimately fought against her forces.

„Leave us alone, I don't want to hurt myself.„ she said, but the Monstrous aristocrat snorted and said.

"I absolutely want to!" She leaped at the young man, delivering several swift sword blows. Even with his power, Kyle wasn't skilled enough to repel the fury of the outer God's spawn. In addition, Lady Ka began firing at the boy, who retreated for a moment, but then seemed to grow in strength and size and struck with her sword, sending a powerful wave of force around him that pushed the others back, causing Lady Cala to cringe in pain. But when he looked at her, with a heavy heart, she aimed her ring at him, drawing on the power of the bloodstone, and then hurled the energy at her former friend. He blocked the attack with his sword, but she continued to advance, drawing on the bloodstone's accumulated power, even though she knew he was slowly drawing on his reserves. The boy staggered from the onslaught of her power, then dodged to the side, but she guided him with her hand, emitting a beam of eerie green light. Her power was so great that it felled not only trees but the entire forest around her, until finally, her energy beam reached the village and saw that it had obliterated several buildings. Seeing what she had done, she froze, as did her opponent. Then she reached for her companions and longed to return… to the place where she belonged more than any other. She found herself in a world filled with green flame, and then suddenly appeared in the town square of this new Arelarti … She looked around at her companions and saw that everyone was there, so she smiled to herself and slowly moved away into the darkness.