Waking From Eternal Slumber
Everything felt heavy, the sword on her back and the atmosphere around her as she slowly came to. Magic, that was what she could sense and feel in the air, but it was more than what it had been, amplified ten-fold as she staggered out from the Crystal of Arxia.
She made her way slowly back through the corridor that led to the Crystal of Arxia managing to avoid the magical traps that had been set before she stepped out into what appeared to be another corridor once she had bypassed the inner lock on the door, the sound of the stones slotting back into place jarring as she glanced up and down her current surroundings; nothing looked familiar at least nothing that reminded her of Arxia as she felt her entire body tense as it was surrounded by magic; causing her to shift her gaze left and right in confusion. She was no threat although with a sword strapped to her back that was potentially questionable but she was part of the rebel force trying to take back Etheria having learnt what the First Ones planned to do with the Heart, it was why she had been sent to Arxia in the first place with her affinity to the magic of Etheria it had made sense for her to come and get the failsafe to aid Mara. Something had gone wrong, the magic flowing out of control not long after she arrived; meaning that the race to the weapon had been lost.
“Remain still the Head Sorceress of Mystacor will be here shortly.” came a voice to her left, to which she could only nod in return unwilling to speak as her mind turned over the small piece of information that she had been given. Mystacor, a name unfamiliar to her this was Arxia surely she hadn’t been gone for that long as a dark haired woman in a flowing blue and gold dress appeared before her signalling for the magical bonds that held her to be released,
“Do not think for a moment that we won’t restrain you if I deem it necessary; you have breached the inner sanctum of Mystacor but no one saw you enter.” Castaspella spoke as she looked noticing that the wall that led to the failsafe had recently moved, “Did you come from the failsafe?” she asked her gaze fixing once more on the woman that it seemed had appeared from nowhere,
“Arxia, I came from the Crystal of Arxia. I need to speak to Mara” the stranger replied unaware that her request could not be fulfilled,
“Are you a friend of Mara?” Castaspella replied earning a frown from the woman before her, something felt wrong even if she was not completely sure as to why,
“I am, it’s imperative that I speak with her. Do you know where she is?” the woman replied it clear to Castaspella that she had no idea what had happened to Mara, did that also mean she was unaware of how much time had passed,
“I don’t but I do know someone that can help, it might take a short time for them to arrive here. Please will you accompany me to a meeting room where you can wait.” Castaspella added knowing it would take a little while for her message to reach Bright Moon and for those she needed to gather,
“Of course, thank you Head Sorceress.” she replied following along as the small group made it’s way down the corridor and to the meeting room that had been suggested, upon entering she shifted her hands to unstrap the sword on her back; placing it down on the table in front of her before she took a seat; her gaze falling on the blade as she idly traced the pattern fully aware that she was under guard as she closed her eyes trying to remember what had happened.
Using the pad that Bow had left, Castaspella sent a message to Bright Moon requesting that Queen Glimmer, Bow, Adora and Catra come to Mystacor as soon as they were able to; what she wasn’t expecting was for them to appear in shower of purple sparkles a few moments later,
“I didn’t think you’d arrive quite so soon.” she managed moving to give Glimmer a hug whilst Catra did her best not to hurl at having been teleported across Etheria as Adora gently rubbed her back until she settled,
“We didn’t want to wait, what do you need help with?” Glimmer asked eager to help her Aunt as Castaspella smiled softly,
“There is a young woman asking to speak to Mara, she appeared from the inner chamber that housed the failsafe; I felt it best to contact you all immediately.” she replied guiding the small group to the meeting room where she had left the young woman with guards in place even if she didn’t feel she was a threat,
“She hasn’t given us her name, but she does carry a sword similar to She-Ra’s.” Castaspella added as she pushed open the door and entered the meeting room, noting that the young woman was still sitting at the table running her fingers idly against her blade turning her head briefly when she heard the door open before she stood walking over to the small group and dropping down to one knee in front of Catra,
“Your Majesty.” the young woman breathed out causing a few gasps to go about the group as Catra started to sputter,
“What? No…I’m not a Princess. My name is Catra.” the Magicat breathed out causing the young woman to rise back to her feet staring at Catra with confusion,
“Forgive me, but your eye colour reminds me of Queen C’yra the leader of the Magicats.” she managed before she looked closer at the group before her,
“You do know of her?” she added earning a shake of the head from the group causing her to sigh deeply,
“Something tells me that things are not what I remember. I am Alwyn of the House Grayskull, I came to Etheria with Mara and joined with the rebels when we realised what was happening to the magic; I fear I was too late.” Alwyn managed finally giving her name to those gathered in the room as she moved back to her sword glancing down at the first one’s writing etched within the blade,
“I came to Arxia to obtain the weapon; to help Mara but the magic was already being leeched by the time I got here and then everything just fades to black. What happened?” Alwyn asked her demeanour starting to shift from calm and collected to agitated and scared as she returned her gaze to the gathered group,
“Mara’s gone; she opened a portal that took Etheria out of one dimension and placed the planet and it’s Moons into Despondos, effectively stopping the Heart from activating. Etheria remained in Despondos for a thousand years, when the Heart was activated Light Hope opened another portal that pulled us back into the cosmos but that also brought Horde Prime to Etheria, we had to use the failsafe to stop the Heart and defeat Horde Prime.” Adora replied deciding that there was little point in sparing the details of how long Alwyn had been lost for and getting her up to speed at the same time as Alwyn nodded listening to what the blonde haired girl had to say,
“Mara’s gone.” Alwyn breathed out sitting back down in the chair numerous emotions running through her features as she dropped her head to the table,
“I failed; I wasn’t quick enough, and I failed. Oh Mara. I’m sorry, so sorry.” she breathed out swallowing hard as she brushed the tears that threatened to fall as she turned back to the group,
“What of She-Ra? Mara was She-Ra is she gone too?” Alwyn asked watching as the blonde-haired girl shook her head,
“No, my name is Adora and I’m the current She-Ra.” Adora replied earning herself a small smile from Alwyn as she reached for the hilt of her sword and pushed up from the chair until she was standing before Adora, unlike the first time when she dropped down to her knee in front of Catra her sword was now out in front of her,
“I once pledged my allegiance to She-Ra; that my blade would protect and fight when she could not. I failed in that pledge a thousand years ago, but I make the same pledge to you now. This world is not the one I left but perhaps I can aide you, if you would have me?” Alwyn asked softly hoping for a purpose once more.