Song: "End Credits Medley" from The Music of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

I have fallen and hit bedrock. But at least bedrock is solid.

❂❂❂

Light Spinner staggered outside and raised her hands. Each speckle of moondust that rained downward energized her until she could stand, the partially-executed Spell working the way it should have. Her hair swirled above her head as she took a deep breath, able to live again, able to rise by her rage.

The Arrowhead Canal was the border between the Fright Zone and Bright Moon. A choice was set before her: she could return to Bright Moon and beg for Angella's mercy, or she could enter the Fright Zone and offer her knowledge about runestones to the Horde's shadowy leader, perhaps even landing a place in his army.

If I go to Bright Moon, I'll be imprisoned and away from Micah. And powerless, too.

If I go back to Bright Moon, I'll die.

Both options carried risk, but only one of them meant others ripping her away from Micah: going to Bright Moon. If she had to be away from him, it would be her choice. But she was done pretending who she was for the sake of others' comfort. She would not deny herself anymore, and she would hurt the world the way it had hurt her.

As soon as that thought entered her mind, Light Spinner grinned with joy despite the pain. Placing the shard of the Black Garnet on the sand, she ripped off her clothes and dove into the canal, shallow enough for her to swim in.

The water was icy and goosebumped her skin, but she didn't care - it assuaged her cuts, dulled the pain. Her broken rib barely ached as the magic moondust fell on her bare shoulders and soaked into her skin. Light Spinner scrubbed blood and grime off her arms, laughing to the sky, her body alive with pure ecstasy. Only a week ago she'd never have done such a thing; now she had no one to please but herself. No rules, no expectations, no pressure.

Don't think about Micah. Don't think of how fun it would be to go to the beach together. Don't think of how you never will now.

Light Spinner had never realized how good freezing water felt. She had never understood the freedom that came from being lonely. Her silly past self, always terrified of being alone, had never understood that being alone meant one could dive naked into a river and feel the greatest pleasure, just because one could.

After she was clean, she exited the water. Gazing at the hideous scabs along her body from the Spell - long, snaky marks that were undoubtedly permanent - she curled her lip. Panic filled her to her core; great blackness surged in her thoughts, and she trembled, almost gasping for air.

I have new powers. What can I do with them? "Cover me," she said, focusing on the dress she wished to wear. Within moments, thick velvet fabric trailed along her arms and body, all the way down to her fingertips.

Coldness rested over her face, and she touched hard metal - a mask. She frowned as she gazed at the sky. Unless the specks of moondust collected on her ears or fingertips, she wouldn't absorb them unless she made a conscious effort. Plus, I only collected this much because I was naked. I'm sure not going to strip under the sky each eclipse.

She had to get the Horde's runestone. The Spell had unlocked new possibilities, new spells, new horizons for her to explore. And she was ravenous for power after what she'd felt beneath the eclipse. She needed a constant flow of magic, and though she had failed before, there was something within her that knew she could unlock the stone for herself.

She set her eyes upon the Fright Zone, its fiery glow bright in the distance, and placed the shard of the Black Garnet in the folds of her dark pink skirts. And through the slight tremors that accompanied her steps, she started walking, teleporting slowly here and there to save her energy.

✧✧✧

Panting sounded from a nearby butte. She swallowed, staggering to her feet, and walked with her hair dripping to the other side. A felinetta sat against the wall, guzzling water and allowing it to run down her chin.

The felinetta wiped her mouth and wiped her hands - which dripped with sweat - against her leggings. Her dress was torn and tattered. Light Spinner cleared her throat, and the cat-woman stared upward, her bright blue eyes exhausted. She gasped out her words in Etherian Standard. "I ain't lookin' to cause no trouble. My master just died, an' I'm goin' to the Horde to find 'nother."

"You're a Kryteyan," Light Spinner replied flatly, her voice still hoarse from screaming and vomiting. "I'm joining the Horde as well." A pause. "Your clothes are ruined."

"It's no big deal, miss," the felinetta said. "I'm Carmen. I was Lord Javier's before the Horde sacked Clerbélia. Who're you? You from Meya?"

"I'm..." Light Spinner was a known Horde criminal. "Shadow Weaver. I was cast out of my kingdom by its government."

"Shadah Eevah?" Carmen repeated. "Y'know, I think I'm just gonna call you Shads. That okay?"

"We'll be parting ways soon," Shadow Weaver said flatly. "I'm not in the mood to deal with Kryteyans. But I can provide you with better clothing."

Carmen perked up. "With respect, I think I'm supposed to serve you. It's mandated by my religion that I've got to choose another master if mine dies."

"I don't want a Felali servant," Shadow Weaver said, conjuring a jumpsuit for the felinetta. "I can do just fine on my own."

"But I can't," Carmen argued back. "I'm only sixteen. I dunno if I can get by in the Horde on my own."

"You'll have to learn."

"Shads," Carmen said, "please. I have to - for my people - for my God!"

Shadow Weaver sighed. I don't want to deal with another person who's just going to betray me! "What does your servitude entail?"

"You can ask me to do anything except kill myself," Carmen said. "I'll do it. I gotta. It's a curse, our destiny as Kryteyans."

"And you can't leave?"

"No! Never. There's strict whippin' if we do. And I ain't got no whippin' marks."

This could prove useful. "Very well. I accept you as my servant."

Carmen beamed. "Thank you, my lady. I won't let you down. We're together now - for life!"

✧✧✧

Micah stood alone in front of Light Spinner's statue, holding a fistful of daisies. The statue was scuffed up and scarred almost beyond recognition - not that anyone cared. They didn't, not about her.

Norwyn had had a memorial already, but Light Spinner wouldn't - Arvina had said it would have condoned her actions. So Micah would sit here and grieve her privately. The hours passed by, his only company the mounds of moondust that collected in the corners of the room.

✧✧✧

Shadow Weaver arrived at the large gates of the Fright Zone at midnight. "Stay silent," she instructed Carmen. "I can get us in."

The stench of smog stung her nose; part of her loathed the Horde for what they'd turned Tropicilas into. The beautiful city of Clerbélia was no more, replaced by a hulking mass of molten fire. She clenched her fist, and shadow shot from her feet, strangling one of the guards at the gate. Maintaining a regal pace, she kept the soldier in a chokehold. The other soldier slowly dropped his weapon, then spoke. "Halt! What business d'ya have in the Fright Zone?"

Shadow Weaver narrowed her eyes. "Tell Hordak there is someone here who can help take him to victory."

He flicked his tail - another felinetta. Jibril. The felinetta from Illuras. "First, release him." He was resolute and calm, and didn't tremble before her.

Never, Shadow Weaver almost snarled - but she had very little power, and appearing before Hordak weak and pathetic would be bad for her case. She released the other soldier, who hid behind the felinetta despite being almost a foot taller than he was.

He spoke. "Hordak doesn't like to be called on. Who are you?"

Of course. I completely forgot. "A wanderer who was cast out of my kingdom. The others are afraid of what is to come, but I am not. I will fight and liberate Etheria from the princesses in Hordak's name."

The felinetta raised an eyebrow, his lips unmoving. "I gotcha." He flicked his tail. "I'll go see where Imp is. He'll take you and the girl there."

Shadow Weaver stepped backward, and a demonic screech echoed throughout the area. Carmen shivered a bit beside her. Then a little gremlin creature scurried up Jibril's back and perched itself on his shoulder. It opened its mouth and spoke in a deep voice. "I am intrigued. Bring her to my sanctum."

This wasn't Hordak, but a mere mouthpiece. Was he mute? Did she have to rely on this ugly creature anytime she wanted to speak to him?

Deep breaths. She and Carmen followed the other felinetta into the complex. Her mind repeated every security code, took note of every corridor. She would be the best leader the Horde had.

As they walked, Carmen spoke. "So...what's your name? You gotta give me somethin' to call you by."

"Jibril."

She gazed ahead, shrugging. "Carmen. This here's my lady, Shadah Eevah. But I just call her 'my lady'."

"I see," Jibril said absently, his Etherian Standard much more refined. "Always nice to have a few more members of the army." His voice was every bit as slimy as in Illuras.

Does he know who I am? Shadow Weaver wondered. All that was on her mind was how she would convince Hordak to hire a sickly, Spell-induced Delvalian who had no military expertise besides reading to his ranks. She inhaled. You know runestone magic. You're a Delvalian, and you've studied Etheria. You're organized, intelligent, ruthless, and brave. And you can get into the secret kingdom of sorcery, something most Etherian traitors can't say.

She and Carmen reached a gate of double-doors, and Imp hurried off her shoulders as she punched in the code. "I can't help you none from out here," she said. "But I hope we can hang out again real soon. I'm gonna go to my quarters."

Her smile was so wide that for a moment, it reminded Shadow Weaver of Micah, but she pressed on the feelings until they dissipated. And with a deep breath, she entered Hordak's sanctum.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

● Carmen becomes a very major character in Starwalker. I'm really excited to write her.

● In the 2018 episode, Shadow Weaver showed up to the Fright Zone wearing a bandage over her face. I tweaked that slightly in my works because I didn't want to add an extra scene of the Fright Zone manufacturing her mask (since that's weird to me).

Tell me what you think...

● Why is Shadow Weaver okay with joining the Horde now?