“Mission in the Kingdom of Snows” PART 5 (Despara Au)

Notes:

You must can read previous chapters here:

Chapter 1 ✨

Chapter2 ✨

Chapter3✨ 

Chapter4✨

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This story takes place shortly after the events of this mini comic: Despara Minicomic

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In the icy shadows of the palace corridors, Catra stealthily made her way towards the Runestone room while Scorpia and the others kept the bothersome Sparkles occupied. She knew every second counted. As she approached, the light emanating from the magical stone seeped through the cracks of the ajar doors, drawing a trail of sparkles along her path.

For Catra, accustomed to the dark and monotonous Fright Zone, the sight of the Runestone seemed like something out of a dream. Floating in the center of the room, the gem radiated a hypnotic beauty, as dazzling as a star in the celestial sky. She had never seen the stars, but in her imagination, they must be a similar spectacle.

Clearing her mind of distractions, she stood before the imposing floating Rune, her heterochromatic eyes reflecting her determination. Using her skilled hands, she retrieved a small device from her jacket’s inner pocket, a valuable gift from Adora, obtained through the mystical power of her sword. It looked like a small dagger, with an incredibly sharp and thin blade, almost like a needle.

It was time to fulfill her mission: break the magical link between the Runestone and Princess Frosta to facilitate the absorption of her power. The sharp weapon she held would be the vessel for that powerful ice magic.

This task was her golden opportunity to prove her worth, gain Hordak’s recognition, and finally earn the approval she so longed for from Shadow Weaver. Adora had entrusted her with this important mission, which meant she would no longer have to live in anyone’s shadow.

With the small dagger in her trembling hands, Catra couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness remembering Adora’s drastic change. The girl who used to be her friend, her companion, now seemed to be on a completely different path, in a world apart from hers. The gap between them had grown so much that it sometimes felt like they were in separate universes.

Guilt resurfaced as she recalled the moment she betrayed Adora, revealing to Shadow Weaver what had happened in the forest with that cursed sword. Back then, fear dominated her; she feared Adora would leave the Horde to learn more about that new princess-y identity. She felt she had no other choice. She expected Shadow Weaver would just take the sword away, but what Catra hadn’t anticipated was that the sorceress would use that newly acquired power to train Adora, taking her even further away from her. In her desperate attempt to keep her friend, she had contributed to her transformation and the growing chasm between them, a burden Catra constantly carried.

With her heart racing, Catra pushed those thoughts aside and forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Despite the sadness that engulfed her when recalling the past, she knew she had to stay focused on the present. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, and dropped her purple jacket to the ground. Now she felt lighter, ready to face whatever it took to complete her mission.

Leaping deftly from platform to platform, Catra confronted the challenging height and slippery ground. Despite the cold that chilled her, sweat beaded on her forehead and her heart pounded fiercely. The mission was clear in her mind: drive the fine needle into the massive stone with a precise and firm strike, following Shadow Weaver’s teachings to the letter.

Glimmer’s tumultuous entrance broke the tense silence of the room. Her flushed face and sweat-soaked appearance betrayed her exhaustion, indicating that her teleportation magic was at its limit. Scorpia followed closely, her stinger raised, an uncharacteristic expression of fury on her face. Between gasps, she lamented not having managed to stop the elusive princess.

“Stop!” Glimmer shouted desperately, extending her hands towards Catra as she caught her breath. “Please! Don’t do it!”

Something inside Catra hesitated for a moment, the hand holding the needle trembled as if something within her was pulling that arm. Catra’s gaze met Glimmer’s, who looked at her pleadingly. The dark storm of emotions within her intensified. Memories of her friendship with Adora —the moments of complicity, the laughter they shared, the promises made in the darkness of the Horde— surfaced with unexpected intensity.

Urgently, Scorpia blocked the massive doors behind her with her pincers, shouting agitatedly: “Hurry, Catra! The palace guards have alerted Frosta! Time is running out!”

As Glimmer struggled to maintain her magic, Scorpia clung tightly to the enormous palace doors, desperately trying to prevent the guards from entering.

With a barely audible growl, Catra landed gracefully on one of the sharp peaks of the Runestone. Her posture radiated determination as she raised her arm decisively, ready to drive the needle with a precise strike.

Cursing under her breath and with a final effort, Glimmer materialized in a pink cloud and sparks right above Catra. Exhaustion caused her to lose precision, and she fell, clinging tightly to Catra’s waist. “Hey!” Catra exclaimed, surprised, as she slipped. To avoid falling into the void, Catra deftly clung to the dagger with both hands, driving it into the Runestone, which resonated and vibrated like a crystal about to shatter.

Catra clung tightly to the dagger, which began to emit a strange heat as the Runestone’s crystal started to crack. Her eyes widened in alarm. “Uh oh…” she murmured, realizing something was terribly wrong. Glimmer, still clinging to her waist, seemed on the verge of fainting. “Catra, what have you done?” she whispered, barely audible, with a mix of surprise and concern in her voice.

Scorpia watched the scene in horror, her heart pounding in her chest. The dagger Catra held began to emit a large, strange black cloud that moved and snaked around the two girls like a serpent of dark smoke. The cloud seemed alive, probing the air with sinister intent as the Runestone’s glow darkened, pulsating with chaotic energy.

Catra, with sweat beading her forehead and muscles tense, stood on the brink of the abyss. Her hands trembled as she clung to the dagger, which now vibrated alarmingly. Every time she tried to stabilize herself, the black cloud pushed her closer to the edge, threatening to make her fall.

“This... isn’t supposed to work... like this!” Catra shouted, her words filled with frustration and fear. Her body trembled under the effort of holding on, the tension in her arms almost unbearable.

Glimmer, still clinging to Catra’s waist, fought to stay conscious. The magic within her was rapidly depleting, and the darkness of the black cloud seemed to suck away what little energy she had left. “Catra... we have to stop this,” she murmured weakly, her voice barely audible among Catra’s grunts of effort and the ominous hum of the Runestone.

But Catra was completely absorbed in her struggle, focused on her task of containing the Runestone’s power within the dagger. She knew she couldn’t afford to fail this mission. Adora and the others had trusted her, she had to bring this contained magic back to the Horde or be willing to die trying.

Desperate, Scorpia took a step forward, her eyes filled with worry and fear. “Catra, let go! It will kill you!” she shouted, her voice filled with urgency and fear for her friend. But the black cloud extended further, forming tentacles that seemed to reach towards Scorpia, forcing her to retreat.

“Lonnie, Rogelio, we need help, now!” Scorpia shouted into her earpiece, her voice breaking. “Catra is in danger!”

With significant effort, Glimmer concentrated what was left of her power to teleport with Catra away from the Runestone before Catra could stop her. The sparks of magic flickered weakly around them as Glimmer struggled to stay conscious, her exhaustion evident. With a final flash, they disappeared in a pink cloud.

The two girls fell heavily, rolling on the ground as the sinister black cloud exploded in a burst of dark energy. Glimmer, exhausted, lost consciousness instantly; her magic was completely spent. The rumble echoed through the room, accompanied by sinister flashes that illuminated the unleashed chaos. With quick reflexes, Scorpia lunged towards them, catching them just in time before they were engulfed by the darkness.

Catra, dazed by the impact, looked up in horror at the dark cloud that was dispersing with a dreadful roar, but the chaos was not yet over. The Runestone roared with uncontrolled fury, unleashing a surge of frost and sharp ice spikes that began to invade the room, tearing the walls apart as if they were paper. One of them cracked from top to bottom, and a huge gap opened, revealing the ruthless storm swirling outside.

The frost spread like sinister ivy towards them, enveloping the room in a deadly cold embrace. Scorpia pounced on Catra, who struggled and screamed:

“Scorpia, wait! We can’t leave the dagger here!” Catra exclaimed, her voice resonating with urgency as she fought to free herself from Scorpia’s grip.

“We don’t have time for this, Catra! We’re leaving now!” exclaimed Scorpia, her tone urgent as she dragged Catra toward the crack in the wall.

“We can’t go back without it!” Catra screamed, anguished. The mere thought of facing Hordak and the others without having completed the mission paralyzed her with fear. The image of what could happen to them for having failed chilled her blood.

“I’m sorry, Catra, but there’s no other choice! Let’s go!” Scorpia responded with a mix of softness and firmness in her voice, reflecting her understanding of the situation. Determined, Scorpia took the lead towards the exit, dragging Catra with her as they escaped the growing calamity surrounding them.

The palace guards burst into the room, alarmed by the commotion. Princess Frosta led the group, her normally serene face now showing traces of contained fury as she extended her arms to contain the icy current emanating from the corrupted Runestone.

However, the snowstorm that had been unleashed seemed to defy even the princess’s power. Despite her efforts, the magic had completely detached from the Runestone, acting independently and chaotically, as if it had a will of its own. Frosta frowned, feeling the cold penetrate her bones as her hands trembled from the icy wind. She scanned the hall for the culprits of this chaos, but only found Glimmer lying on the ground, unconscious. There was no sign of Catra or Scorpia. A furious tear rolled down her cheek as she accepted the harsh reality: her kingdom was in danger.

to be continued…

Chapter 6

Art and Story: Iria Abella

Script: Henar Torinos

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