Fragments (Entrapdak)

II: Alliance

Entrapta ran a gloved hand along the circle that enclosed the barrier around her. "Wow," she breathed, looking up with shining eyes. "Hordak, have you ever been in one of these before?"

"No," he answered dully.

As soon as they arrived at the Alliance, the pair of them had been imprisoned inside these strange circles by a sorceress Hordak did not recognize. The Alliance then left them there to deliberate on what to do. One princess insisted on staying behind on guard duty. Frosta, the smallest of their number, princess of the Kingdom of Snows.

The girl scowled at them from where she stood by the entrance, hardly saying a word. Hordak was not fooled by her diminutive size. He recalled enough to know this princess was quite powerful. She had been eager to strike him on his arrival, but the older princesses denied her the opportunity. Alone with no one to stop her, he was surprised she did not take advantage. Her restraint was impressive for one so young.

"Ack!"

Hordak flinched at the flash of light, opening his eyes to find Entrapta cradling her hand against her chest, staring at the barrier that surrounded her. "What happened?" he asked sharply.

"I wanted to see what would happen if I touched it," she explained, bringing her hand dangerously close once again. Hordak's ears flicked back as an arc of energy sparked toward her fingers. "Whoah, did you see that?" She extended her finger even closer. Another spark struck her glove. "Fascinating!"

Entrapta drew her recorder from her pocket. "Edit to log," she began, "the barrier appears to have some sort of energy charge, shocking the occupant on contact...."

Hordak tried to force his ears into a more neutral position, hiding his mounting fear. The sparks dancing around Entrapta's glove confirmed exactly what he'd felt when the barrier closed around him. The deep sense of unease, a strange vibration in the air. Hordak never liked being in such close proximity to strong concentrations of magic. It made his skin crawl and his mouth go dry, filled with the instinct to run.

There was nowhere to run now. He was trapped here, at the mercy of the Alliance. Hordak tried not to dwell on it, but there was nowhere to look that did not remind him of the spell. The tent surrounding him was tinted by the blue glow of the barrier, and even if he were to close his eyes, he would still be able to feel it.

Suppressing a shudder, Hordak tried to focus on Entrapta. She was examining the markings along the base of the barrier, a thoughtful expression on her face, the short tails of her hair swaying back and forth. Hordak tilted his head, a sudden realization piquing his curiosity. Entrapta's hair was surely guided by magic, and yet it did not repulse him, not even direct contact. He could think of no explanation for this. Strange .

The entrance to the tent opened noiselessly. Hordak looked up at the sudden movement, and a chill swept through him.

Crimson robes and long black hair, face hidden behind a metal mask. A sorceress, a practitioner of dark magic. His senses told him before his memory could supply a name. The air inside the tent seemed to draw thin and bitter.

Entrapta's head snapped up at her approach. "Oh, hi, shadow lady!"

Hordak was not so welcoming. His eyes narrowed, his lips drawn back into a snarl. What is she doing here?

Shadow Weaver glided forward with unnerving grace, as if her feet did not truly touch the ground. The white eyes of her mask were trained on Hordak. Though those eyes were blank, he could feel the intensity of her gaze. Hordak had an alliance with this woman once, that much he knew, but he did not trust her. If she had betrayed him directly, he could not recall. Regardless, her mere presence made him deeply uneasy. He was determined not to show it.