Crimson Blood

Chapter 16

Still No One's POV:

"What the heck is that?!" Adora screeched, seeing Shadow Weaver tower over her and Catra.

"Wh-why is she here?" Catra asked, more sturdy this time as she switched her posture into one with two fists out in front of her and her back leg ready to kick off.

"I don't know but I'm guessing it's something to do with wisdom..." Adora wavered, looking at the image of Shadow Weaver towering over her with red crackling energy in her right hand and a red gem in the other.

"Great job idiot," Catra mumbled at the obvious remark before brushing it off, "Um... hey Adora, isn't that a part of the Black Garnet?" she asked, nudging her shoulder.

"Now that I look at it, yeah I think so..." Adora said, her words drifting off, "But, don't worry! I'm sure we can do this!" Adora exclaimed with false enthusiasm, hoping it would cheer up Catra.

As soon as she said that, millions of sparks of red statics came shooting through, landing between Adora and Catra. They fused together creating some sort of barrier.

"Catra!" Adora called out, slamming her body into the barrier but instead receiving painful jolts up her spine, making her fall back.

Catra heard a fuzzy thud behind the barrier and knew better then to touch the wall so instead she carefully attempted to peer through it. With no luck she silently called Adora's name.

"Adora... you okay?" Catra called softly reaching out but then jolting back at remembering not to touch the red wall.

Adora groaned and sat up while rubbing her head in exhaustion and pain.

"Teehee sorry guys, wrong test this was supposed to be for the third trial of fear, seems like I can't erase it though hehe." the voice exclaimed, with a pep in her voice.

"Are you serious?!?!" Adora yelled, trying to find the speaker so she could obliterate the annoying little thing.

"I'm sure you can find each other though, oop- I've said too much, I should go before the master gets mad, oh wait I'm stuck here nevermind. Horde Prime will not be happy about this," the voice grumbled, settling into her role.

"Horde Prime? Where is- nevermind, let's focus on the task at hand," Adora sighed.

"Adora?" Catra called out, looking for the blonde with her eyes glancing around the huge area.

"Catra? Catra! Where are you?!?!" Adora exclaimed in fear, trying to find the feline.

"I think I'm near err- the pit of shadows-" Catra said, her eyes following the writing on the rusty sign near the pit, attempting to read the dark writing.

"Wait, I know where that is!" Adora exclaimed, quickly bounding off of her feet and almost catapulting her legs over. Her feet skidded to a halt as she found the rusty old sign by the endless pit.

Adora opened her mouth, ready to talk to the heterochromic feline before feeling a push on the back of her neck. She plummeted rapidly and her stomach started to feel uneasy before her vision blurred out.

"Adoraa!" a hollow voice came from the top of the pit.

Catra looked at Adora's body falling into the pit in terror and shock. Without thinking, her body started running to the edge and she swiftly jumped in. Her claws raked across the jagged rocks covering the pit's sides.

Catra tried to jump across the pit and keep up agility to slow down the force of the fall but she felt a hit on her back and lost balance.

A golden eye winked open before her eyes fluttered, noticing Adora laying on her side.

"Adora! Are you okay- y-you're still okay right?" Catra panicked trying to take Adora's pulse.

"Relax- I'm fine," Adora croaked with an attempt to reassure Catra.

"I'm so- I mean okay whatever," Catra said trying to switch her panicky tone to a calmer relaxed one.

"I'm just-" Catra started before instinctively wrapping her arms around the blonde girl and digging her head into the crook of her neck.

"Worried about me kit- I mean Catra?" Adora asked with a smug smile, gazing over Catra's teary eyes.

'Actually yeah-' Catra thought trying to push the words out of her mouth but instead her brain decided to say, "Whatever, I'm guessing the portal won't work without you,"

"Oh- um okay," Adora said, her eyes gazing down with a saddened expression. Her former smile had morphed into a gaze of disappointment.

"Can they just split up already," a voice in the shadow mumbled too quietly.

"Heyy! Whatcha saying Brandon, they're cute together, besides our only job is to announce and tell them rules," the other voice shot back in a high squeaky tone.

"Mariah- you were always too caring, you know very well our job is to split people apart, not bring them closer together," Brandon replied, "It's what Horde Prime would want,"

Mariah sighed, "Whatever you say Brandie but I did not just do all that work of pushing Adora down that pit just to have to break them up again,"

"Why would you do that?!?! You know what Horde Prime does to people that don't follow his rules!" Brandon exclaimed in anger at Mariah.

Mariah sighed sadly, "I know, and I promise I'll split them apart like we've done to everyone else that came here."

"I'm sorry Mary, it's just what we do, we've been here for eons, no one's brave enough to face Horde Prime." Brandon sighed softly.

"But how? Look how cute they'd be together," Mariah pointed out trying to convince Brandon to not follow through with the plan.

"Mariah, you know how much I love your shipping heart but there's more to life then shipping and you can't just do this to every group or pair of people we see come here. You've followed through with it in the past and now you'll have to again," Brandon said with obvious guilt in his voice.

"So what do you suggest?" she asked with a more serious tone.

"You know exactly what I'm thinking," Brandon pointed out.

"The fourth stage- are you sure?" Mariah asked, uneasily.

"What other option do we have?" Brandon asked and when hearing no sound through the static, he sighed.

"Alright," she gave in and got ready to turn on the speaker to deliver the next set of instructions.