Genesis of the Shadow Sisters

[Killian]

So, about 5 years ago, I made some artwork and some custom She-Ra figures of my own original characters, The Shadow Sisters (Kind of an evil version of the Star Sisters crossed with the witches from the Winx Club cartoon).

I began writing a fan-fic (My first ever, so be gentle lol) which takes place within Filmation continuity. The story began with their creation by Hordak, who would send each of them to attack the free Etherian kingdoms of Mystacor, The Kingdom of the Snows and Brightmoon. They would be successful in this, but He-Man, Moss Man, Fisto, Battle Cat, She-Ra, Castaspella, Swift Wind, Angella and Frosta would eventually defeat them with the help of Shadow Weaver who would be jealous of the Shadow Sister's power. The power of Castle Grayskull channelled through the Sword of Power and the Sword of Protection would be instrumental in this.

Having become aware of Castle Grayskull and the potential to rule the universe contained within it, the Shadow Sisters would use their powers to influence King Hiss, Skeletor and Hordak into working with them to attack Castle Grayskull with them, but once they conquered Grayskull, the sisters would turn against their allies and take the power for themselves.

The Sorceress would bring He-Ro from the past so that with He-Man and She-Ra, she has a trio of good warriors who can challenge The Shadow Sisters. After a mighty battle, the sisters would be tricked and the magic of Grayskull would drain their abilities, making each one of them much less overpowered, and forcing them to flee.

Anyway, despite having a very long story all figured out, I've never cared enough to find the time to write the whole thing down, so here's the account of The Shadow Sister's creation by The Horde.

I hope someone finds the time/inclination to read it...

Please let me know what you think...

[Killian]

Genesis Of The Shadow Sisters

The Crawler, a formidable assault vehicle styled after a scorpion, rumbled at full speed through the ancient, shadowy ruins at the edge of the dark and loathsome region known as the Fright Zone, heading towards Doom Tower, the main seat of power on the planet Etheria for Hordak and his Evil Horde.

In the passenger seat of the Crawler, the dark sorceress Shadow Weaver hissed in frustration,
“It’s just like Hordak, summoning us back all this way with no prior notice, just when my magical experiments in the Crimson wastes were about to succeed! This had better be important!”
“Uh, yeah,” agreed Scorpia, at the controls of the Crawler, “He sent the urgent message to all his warriors to get there as soon as they could, so y’know it’s gotta be big! Maybe he finally beat She-Ra?!”
“I seriously doubt that!” Shadow Weaver spat, “It’s been years and we’re no closer to victory against She-Ra and those annoying rebels, if Hordak knew what was best, he would be summoning us all here to announce his resignation as ruler and would name me as leader of the Horde!”
Scorpia nearly choked on her laughter as she pulled the Crawler into Doom Tower’s vehicle station. “You?! Leader?!... That’ll be the day!”
“Oh, shut up you stinging simpleton!” Glowered the mistress of dark magic as they walked swiftly through Doom Tower’s twisting corridors to reach the elevator that would take them up to Hordak’s throne room.

*

Upon arrival they were greeted by an amazing sight.
All around the throne room were dozens of rows of stadium style seats filled with Hordak’s entire army of various warriors and minions, flanked on all sides by hundreds upon hundreds of his deadly robot troopers.

Sitting high atop his throne with his pampered pet, Imp, perched on his shoulder was the imposing figure of Hordak, lightly stroking the heads of his most trusted and loyal cybernetic slaves, Mosquitor and Dragstor who were in their usual place fawning at the feet of their beloved master.
To Hordak’s right hand side, in front of a bank of computer screens and mechanical controls, stood the horde’s greatest scientists, Modulok and Entrapta, looking very pleased with themselves.

There was a great atmosphere of excitement and curiosity throughout the room as Scorpia and Shadow Weaver took their seats next to Catra and Leech.
Scorpia was suddenly oblivious to the hubbub as she saw a recent addition to the Horde, the insect warrior Thug-Bug, on whom she had recently developed a romantic crush, sitting on the other side of the room. She excitedly waved a pincer at him, trying to get his attention, but his eyes widened in what looked like fear and he suddenly found something very interesting on the floor around his feet.
Shadow Weaver scoffed at Scorpia’s shameless infatuation, turning to Catra and asking the question that was on the lips of everyone in the room. “So what’s going on? Why has Hordak summoned us all here so urgently?”
“Mroww...” Purred Catra, “That’s exactly what I’d like to know, Hordak’s been so secretive over the past week. All I know is that he has had visits from three fully armed warships from Horde World, and each ship has delivered an object which must be extremely valuable. There’s never been so much security to ensure that those wretched rebels can’t interfere! Hordak has even installed some kind of force field around the tower that blocks anyone from using magic to find out what’s going on in here. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“I have.” Said Shadow Weaver thoughtfully, almost to herself. “It was a long time ago; I was a different person then... I wonder...”

[Killian]

Shadow Weaver didn’t get the chance to finish however, as Hordak suddenly rose to his feet, transforming his arm into a powerful energy weapon which let loose a deafening blast, destroying a large statue on the far side of the throne room and giving him everyone’s undivided attention.
“Silence!” Demanded the ruthless leader, surveying all the shocked and inquisitive faces of his minions, his arm reverting to it’s natural form. “Now that you’re all finally here..” Hordak said, with a venomous look at Shadow Weaver and Scorpia who both sheepishly slumped lower in their seats. “I have news. News that will lead to the destruction of the so called ‘Great Rebellion’!”

Hordak gestured to Modulok and Entrapta, who carefully activated their control panel.
A huge mechanism in the ceiling of the throne room whirred into life filling the room with the sound of grinding gears as a large panel slowly slid open.
A gigantic cylindrical device descended smoothly from the opening until it was positioned about fifteen feet above a small platform in the middle of the room.
“Behold, the Crystals of Chaos!” cried Hordak, shattering the expectant hush of the room as he gestured towards the lower section of the strange device.
Shadow Weaver almost fell off the bench in shock as she realised what Hordak was pointing at. At the base of the device, suspended above the platform were three large crystals, pulsing with dark, mystical energies, the likes of which had only been seen on Etheria once before...


*
As Shadow Weaver looked on in excited disbelief, Hordak continued to address his assembled forces about the crystals.
“Long ago, our forces discovered a crystal like these and realised it was a source of incredible evil magical power...
In return for her betraying Etheria’s Council of Kings and helping us to conquer this world we bestowed the dark magics of the crystal upon Shadow Weaver, giving her magical powers and transforming her into the horror she is now.
Unfortunately the forces of goodness attacked during Weaver’s transformation and destroyed the crystal before she could absorb any more than a third of it’s power, meaning she has been of very little use to The Evil Horde, but...”

At this point Hordak was interrupted in his address as Shadow Weaver rushed forward, unable to contain her happiness and excitement at seeing more crystals like the one that had empowered her all those years before.
“Oh Hordak! I had no idea more of these crystals existed!” She exclaimed joyously as she floated greedily towards the magical stones, “With the added powers of the three Crystals of Chaos I will be unstoppable! The entire rebellion will fall before my devastating power! Oh, thank you mighty Hordak! You are indeed magnificent!”

The shrill sound of an energy discharge rang out across the chamber as Shadow Weaver felt the numbing sting of a stun beam blast her forcefully to the ground...
She shakily raised her head to see Hordak with his arm converted to a powerful stun cannon, pointed at her, his bony face contorted with rage.
Many of the Horde warriors began to cower in fear and cover their ears as their leader began to bellow his displeasure at the disoriented Shadow Weaver, except for Imp who was grinning cruelly at the witch, he was going to enjoy this.

“How dare you interrupt me?! How dare you presume that this has anything to do with you?! Roared Hordak, as Shadow Weaver lay dishevelled and ashamed in the centre of the room.
The wind well and truly knocked out of her, Shadow Weaver’s voice came out thin and scratchy. “But Hordak.. I..”
“SILENCE!!!” he thundered. “Give you more power?! If anything I should take your powers away as punishment for the thousands of times you have failed me!
Even with everything I have given you, you are still nothing more than a third rate trickster! A nobody! Undeserving of your magic!!
If what we are about to do here today leads to my desired outcome, I may yet remove your powers and give them to someone more deserving!”
He waved over two of his troopers who picked Shadow Weaver up and clumsily deposited the disappointed witch back in her seat to recover from the effects of the stun beam.

[Killian]

Calmer now, Hordak transformed his arm back to normal, and continued speaking.
“As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, we had believed the first Crystal of Chaos to be unique in all the universe, it’s power and potential wasted on an unworthy recipient, but recently these three additional crystals have been discovered in the farthest reaches of distant galaxies by our Horde patrols.
The first of these three crystals, known as the ‘Stone of Shadow’ is very similar to the original crystal and contains the magic of shadows and darkness.
The second, known as the ‘Stone of Storms’, holds the power to create and control destructive thunderstorms and tornados.
The third crystal, known as the ‘Stone of Snows’ is the key to controlling ice and unleashing devastating blizzards.

They were taken to Horde World to our ruler Horde Prime, who in his infinite wisdom decided that the power of the crystals should be awarded to three of the Horde’s most accomplished Force Captains, warriors who have proven their worth conquering and destroying worlds in the name of the mighty Horde empire!
With their new powers, these three warriors will accomplish what none of you worthless minions have been able to achieve.... The complete destruction of the Rebels and full and lasting conquest of Etheria!”

Hordak gave a nod to Modulok and Entrapta, who once again activated a device on their control panel.
This time a panel slid open in the small platform below the Crystals of Chaos, an elevator system activated, and three tall and majestic female figures dressed in variations of the traditional uniforms of Horde Force captains slowly rose up to proudly take their place underneath the sinister gems.




None of the gathered Hordesmen had much chance to get a good look at them as Hordak issued an order to Entrapta and Modulok who once more activated a mechanism causing the large cylindrical device to shudder into life, humming loudly as the Crystals of Chaos began to glow and shimmer, suddenly bathing the three mysterious Horde captains in a strange, sickly aura, both blindingly bright, yet infinitely darker than any darkness anyone present had ever experienced. It caused everyone sitting around the chamber to shield their eyes for several minutes as they sat in awe and wonder at what was taking place.
Only Shadow Weaver herself, a creation of the same dark energies, was able to watch the spectacle, her heart filled with a greater rage and anguish than she had ever experienced, and a deeper hatred for Hordak than even his long time nemesis Skeletor possessed.

[Killian]

As the mysterious aura of energy finally dissipated and the device housing the now dull and lifeless crystals withdrew back into the ceiling, the breathless audience were greeted with an amazing sight.
The three warrior maidens were now floating a few feet above the ground, their eyes glowing with arcane energy, their uniforms transformed into gorgeous costumes to match their new powers, and each of them radiated a strange unearthly beauty as well as generating waves of raw magical power that seemed to fill the air with electricity.
They hovered gracefully across the chamber to take their place on the platform next to Hordak’s throne where they could better survey the assembled Horde as Hordak triumphantly stepped forward to introduce them to his incredulous minions.

“Behold! The Shadow Sisters!”




Gleefully, Hordak continued his address,
“When The Horde were experimenting with the first Crystal of Chaos all those years ago, our technology was not as advanced as it is nowadays, so there were unpleasant side effects of the power transference, Shadow Weaver’s body was corrupted by the dark energies of the crystal we used on her, twisted into the hideous form she now hides within her shadowy robes.
Since then however, Horde Prime’s forces have taken many more worlds and acquired much more sophisticated technology, giving Modulok and Entrapta the ability to refine the transformation process so my Shadow Sisters have avoided any disfigurement and can walk among the people of Etheria unsuspected, until they choose to wreak devastation in the name of the Horde!...
And wreak it they shall!” Cackled Hordak, gesturing towards each of the Shadow Sisters in turn.
“I give you Chillith, Queen of freezing death!”
One of the Shadow Sisters stepped forward, the energy of the Stone of Snows had turned her hair snowy white, her uniform had been replaced with a black and blue ice themed costume, trimmed with fur and complete with a furry cape. An ominous cobalt blue energy shimmered in her eyes.
Chillith raised her arms and, with a cruel smile on her face, gestured towards a nearby Horde Trooper, the temperature of the room became painfully cold as her hands emitted a strange light which surged towards the trooper bathing him in an eerie glow for a few seconds and leaving him coated in what seemed to be a thin film of ice. The Trooper tried to step forward and merely crumbled into frozen metallic dust, having been exposed to a cold strong enough to turn every part of his metal body completely brittle.

[Killian]

Suitably impressed, Hordak continued,
“I give you Thundra, Mistress of Storms!”
The second Shadow Sister took to the air, floating towards another Trooper near the centre of the room. The Stone of Storms had turned her hair a deep green, like a stormy ocean, her uniform was now a green and black costume with lightning bolt designs and she wore a long, dark green cloak which billowed out behind her as she began to channel her power.
With her eyes glowing an unsettling sickly green, she raised her hands and the room was filled with a rushing wind as a huge black stormcloud began to gather.
With a flick of her wrist, Thundra concentrated the wind into a powerful gale, sweeping the Trooper into the air and tossing him around like a rag doll, higher and higher. With a terrifying clap of thunder, she discharged a bolt of lightning from the dark cloud, blasting the trooper apart and showering the centre of the room with molten fragments of twisted, melted metal.




As Thundra returned to her place beside his throne, Hordak clapped his hands and snorted in glee before turning to introduce the third Shadow Sister,
“I give you Sinistrella, Sorceress of Shadows!”
The third and final Shadow Sister stepped boldly forward. After exposure to the Stone of Shadow, she was now dressed in a slinky black and purple outfit with jagged designs finished off with a long black cape. Her long, Shiny hair had become a dark shadowy purple colour and a mesmerising violet light danced in her eyes.
She made a gesture and was suddenly surrounded by writhing wisps of shadow similar to the shadow coils everyone had seen Shadow Weaver summon many times before. Another gesture and the shadows settled on Sinistrella’s back, coalescing into a large pair of wings crafted from pure darkness.




Like a Black Hole in Outer Space, Sinistrella’s wings absorbed all the light in the chamber, plunging Hordak’s throne room into a deep, impenetrable, almost tangible darkness.
A few of the more cowardly Hordesmen began to feel a little uneasy in the clinging darkness, but most didn’t see what the big deal was until they slowly became aware that things were moving in the shadow...
The room was thrown into chaos as Hordak’s minions were pinched and bitten by sharp teeth and claws that they couldn’t see, small, swift otherworldly creatures were manifesting from the darkness and swarming all over them, slicing at them with sharp talons protruding from their stinking, rotting flesh and scraping at them with matted quills or oozing slime from grasping tentacles. Sinistrella’s jubilant laughter rang out wickedly above the tumult.

[Killian]

“Amazing!” thought Shadow Weaver. As a creature of the shadows herself she could see better than most what was going on, mostly recovered from the stun beam by now, she took cover under the bench and marvelled; “She’s summoned forth the Darkdwellers, ancient beings of darkness, chaos and madness!
In all my years as Shadow Weaver, I have never come close to penetrating the Shadow Realm where they were imprisoned since the dawn of time, let alone controlling them like Sinistrella... Oh, the power that should have been mine!
Even if it takes forever I will make Hordak pay!”

“Enough!” commanded Hordak, and with another gesture from Sinistrella, the shadowy wings that formed her connection to the nightmarish Shadow Realm were vanished, returning the Darkdwellers back where they belonged and returning light to the room.
Although Sinistrella had spared Hordak the ordeal along with Chillith and Thundra, the Horde leader was still visibly shaken just by observing the attack of the misshapen horrors.

The unsettled Horde assembly began to return to their seats, dusting themselves off, rubbing their scratches and bruises and replacing benches that had been overturned in the chaos.
More composed, Hordak continued speaking.
“You have all witnessed a tiny fraction of what my Shadow Sisters are capable of! Each of them holds the power to subdue a kingdom! And that is exactly what I have in mind! Go ahead Modulok”
Modulok pulled a lever and a large holographic map appeared in the centre of the room, showing three large areas of Etheria.
“The Horde rules most of this planet”, Hordak proceeded, “Yet there are still three main Rebel kingdoms where we have been unable to establish any lasting dominance, The Kingdom of Brightmoon, The Kingdom of Mystacor, and The Kingdom of the Snows!
It is time for my Shadow Sisters to undertake the mission I have briefed them for! Chillith will invade Castle Chill and take possession of The Kingdom of the Snows, The Ice Empress, Frosta will be helpless before her! Thundra will fly to Mystacor and lay waste to Queen Castaspella’s home with her weather witchery and Sinistrella will conquer that fool Queen Angella, and take Castle Brightmoon in my name!
Go, my Shadow Sisters! Fly to victory for the glory of the Horde!!” cackled Hordak triumphantly.
Entrapta activated an armoured panel in the wall of the throne room, which slid aside to allow Chillith, Sinistrella and Thundra to take flight into the polluted skies above the Fright Zone.
Though mostly still sore, and largely terrified, the Hordesmen in the chamber began clapping and cheering loudly so as not to displease Hordak.

In all the commotion, nobody noticed Shadow Weaver teleporting out to her home in Horror Hall.
She had work to do...

[Patreek]

Ummm I'm loving the Shadow Sisters!! Very cool concept and great story!