Unbroken: Rise of the Horde

Chapter Seven

The clone stopped in front of a cell and peered through a green wall of lasers. Hordak decided to take a little trip to the holding cells of the Fright Zone. On the other side, Shadow Weaver lay motionless. Her hair had stilled, and she lost her powerful aura. Now she seemed... ordinary, almost. Hordak glanced toward her mask and noticed a huge jagged crack running from the top to nearly half way down. The crystal that had once connected her to her precious garnet was gone.

Catra did a number on her, he thought. The young hybrid had been relentlessly harassed by this woman her whole life. Why not serve up a little payback?

Hordak found a reason to get rid of Shadow Weaver. She attacked a fellow Horde officer. After twenty eight years of hearing "I assure you," and "but my lord!," she'd finally been shut up.

The prisoner certainly did do something to the garnet. Hordak knew she sapped magic from the other runestones to make it more powerful. It threw the entire planet out of whack. The black clouds always hanging above the Fright Zone were now sizzling with lightning. The air around them couldn't make up its mind about temperature. Camera posts and scouts from around Etheria were sending in crazy pictures of was happening to the planet.

As amazing as it was how scientist hacked the planet, Hordak's mind was still centered around his portal. After he visited Shadow Weaver, he went outside for about 0.0001 seconds to see the disharmony for himself. He preferred to see things through computer screens. Being aloof gave him a sense of power.

When he returned to his sanctum, he began soldering different wires together. Thunder outside crashed so loud that he accidentally touched the heated metal. He winced, but didn't cry out.

I've lost my sense of non-reactivity since I left Lord Prime. His time away from his big brother had changed him. He was no longer able to remain still and unresponsive in the face of danger. His thoughts always got in the way, and he screwed up. He was losing the clone side of him.

The side that binds me to my brother, he thought pitifully. 

"Lord Horak," Catra's image flashed on the TV. Hordak abandoned his work and retreated to his throne.

He faced her, drumming his claws across the armrest. She looked tired, but in that yellow eye of hers, Hordak could tell that she was thrilled about something.

"Why do you disturb me?" the clone questioned.

Catra cleared her throat. Her ears flattened in a submissive posture like she was still uncomfortable with speaking to Hordak. "The Black Garnet has been taking power from the other runestones and has thrown the world out of balance."

"I am aware."

"Entrapta claims to make an effect like this permanent, we'll need to destroy another runestone," she stated. "The Whispering Woods are frozen over, and now is our chance. I am asking for permission to march on Bright Moon so we can destroy the Moonstone. We can wipe the Rebellion out once and for all."

Hordak narrowed his gaze. He was not aware the woods had been killed. He should get out more.  Catra certainly proved herself a resourceful Force Captain. With nothing to shield Bright Moon from the might of the Horde, they could finally destroy Etheria's last line of defense. Then nothing could stop Hordak from ensuring victory.

"Very well," he agreed. "Inform our troops: they will be marching to Bright Moon in three hours."

"That way, we'll be in range by dawn," Catra concluded.

Hordak nodded. "The best of luck, Force Captain."

With a final salute, Catra signed off.

Imp flew down and perched on Hordak's shoulder. The clone drew out a deep breath. This could be it. With the Princesses destroyed, he could return all of his focus to sending a message to Horde Prime.