Chapter Text
The world they had returned to was definitely Etheria, but it wasn’t Mystacor. When Shadow Weaver modified the spell she made sure they’d land in the whispering woods instead, that way they’d have enough time to think how to approach their situation. It wasn’t certain they’d be welcomed back to Mystacor with open arms anymore, therefore they had to be careful.
She wasn’t quite so sure Castaspella was on the same page as her.
“We did it!” Castaspella celebrated immediately. “See, I told you I’d get you out of there! You thought I was announced the head sorceress for nothing, didn’t you? Didn’t you? Well there you have it!”
Shadow Weaver shrugged, not wanting to dignify Castaspella’s boasting with a response, and took a deep breath.
She had missed Etheria’s fresh air more than she had realized. The mask, which she had carried around but was unable to wear in the hell she had been at moments earlier, found its way back to her face.
Castaspella sighed. “Seriously? And here I had hoped you’d finally stop wearing that thing.”
“I only took it off because it was so difficult to breathe in that world.”
It was true. Shadow Weaver wouldn’t have dared to take of her mask otherwise. It had become a part of her by then, a part of Shadow Weaver specifically. A reminder of whom she was now, and that the Light Spinner in her memories had died all those years ago.
Suddenly she heard his voice again. “Light Spinner!” it repeated in her head. That damn Micah… her old name sounded so different on his tongue, now that he was an adult.
Shadow Weaver had certainly avoided hinking about it, not feeling herself prepared to confront whatever she had felt in that moment. Because Shadow Weaver wasn’t supposed to feel.
Suddenly the warm touch of a hand on her arm took her out of her thoughts. Castaspella was looking at her, something close to concern in her eyes big brown eyes. “You alright there?” She asked, like she meant it.
“What?”
“Sorry, you just seemed a bit… out of it.”
“…” Shadow Weaver shook her arm off. “Do you really have the time to worry about me now of all times, Head Sorceress?”
They were in a bit of dilemma. Just having escaped a form of hell after that guid member had closed the portal. Who knew what they had been up to during their absence.
But Castaspella only shrugged, not showing herself to care.
“Really, I think you should take it off.” She changed the topic and gestured at Shadow Weaver’s mask. “It would make it easier for me too, you know? Its easier to… see you as a person when its off.”
Shadow Weaver stared at her. Having people sympathize with her was much more crucial for survival than anything, but…
She sighed. She just couldn’t do it.
“If you don’t mind… I believe we should discuss our current situation first.”
“Oh right!” Castaspella said. “We should get back to Mystacor as soon as possible. I’ll open a portal-“
“And once you’re there, what then?” She said. When Castaspella only blinked, seemingly not understanding what Shadow Weaver was getting at, she continued. “Listen head sorceress, I’ll be honest with you. I don’t have a plan.”
She kept to herself how incredibly terrifying that was. But Castaspella must’ve been able to tell, maybe because of their conversation on their way to Shadow Weaver’s garden, so Castaspella simply gave her an encouraging smile.
“Then we’ll just improvise it, no biggie.”
…
Great.
Shadow Weaver didn’t like that smile. Nor did she like her plan, or the lack there of. Castaspella made no sense, and if there was one thing Shadow Weaver hated, it was uncertainty.
She had to think. Had to understand this woman before her, then she’d know what to do and say. She’d know how to optimize her situation like she always did. She knew with Adora, with Catra, with Glimmer and she would know with Castaspella too.
What was it Castaspella had told her again?
“It‘s… because I still believe you’re a person worth saving.” She smiled at her “I’ll get you out of here, you wicked woman.”
“That’s- I don’t understand. How am I worth saving? I think you’ve gone mad.”
Castaspella shrugged. “Who cares? Even if you weren’t, I’d save you simply because I want to. And as the head sorceress I can do what I want.”
“I don’t… understand.”
“Really? I feel like if anyone were to understand, it’d be you. You said it yourself earlier, you would’ve done quite a lot for my brother.”
To decipher what in the world her motivations were, was a pain. “I’d simply save you because I want to.”
But why would she want to? What could Castaspella possibly get out of that?
All of that right after Shadow Weaver had revealed to her that she had been dishonest with her from the beginning? It wasn’t as if Castaspella had ever trusted her to begin with, so how… why…
“Why did you save me?” Shadow Weaver asked. Castaspella looked up, she had just finished preparing the portal on the ground.
“Hm?”
“Or I suppose I should ask, why did you want to save me?”
“Because… I just wanted to.” Castaspella said. “Well, the reason I gave the princesses was that you were my prisoner and I wasn’t done giving you your punishment. And I believe I told Micah that I needed to save you because of your sacrifice to me…”
“I assume neither is true.”
“Hmm no, they are true! But I guess they’re not all there is to it. I also just… wanted to save you. I know you asked why but I can’t explain it.” She said as she stretched her hand out. “Come.”
Shadow Weaver took her hand but didn’t step into the circle just yet. “You know… you know awfully little about magic for someone of your position.”
As if to prove her point, she squeezed Castaspella’s hand. It was time to test her.
Castaspella felt a joint of electricity, retreating her hand immediately as she looked towards Shadow Weaver.
“Did you just… drain me?!”
“I’m a liar through and through, Head Sorceress.”
After another few seconds of Castaspella staring at her with widened eyes, she suddenly laughed. A reaction Shadow Weaver didn’t expect but Castaspella had become more and more unpredictable.
“You really are,” She said in between chuckles, “the worst kind of person.”
Shadow Weaver said nothing. She waited until Castaspella was done with her random laughing fit, assuming the head sorceress was actually losing it.
Her laughing died down eventually and she spoke again, in a self deprecating tone. “Ahh… and I really am no better, am I?”
That part Shadow Weaver didn’t understand.
Castaspella now grabbed Shadow Weaver’s wrist. “Come on now, I do actually have a plan, okay? Just be cooperative for like 10 minutes!”
And before Shadow Weaver could mutter even a single word, she was yanked into the portal.
They reappeared at Mystacor, in the middle of the room they had previously been in. And it seemed the guild members were still present, staring at the two women.
Then Shadow Weaver noticed Micah among them. She felt sick.
“Casta!” He immediately rushed over, crushing her into a warm hug.
“Hey, sorry, are we interrupting something?”
“No! No of course not…” his eyes glazed over Shadow Weaver for a second but he didn’t address her. It was for the best. She didn’t know if she’d be able to bring herself to talk to him anyway. “Casta, how? How are you back??”
Castaspella linked her arm with Shadow Weaver’s as she grinned. “Her brains and my brawn!”
“Head sorceress, Castaspella!” A loud voice then addressed her.
“Oh, if it isn’t, Orion… see, I’m awfully curious why you closed the portal right when I was about to pass. Trying to get rid of me, are we?”
Everyone gaped at her. Even Shadow Weaver was taken aback, oh dear, she has truly rubbed off on the head sorceress, hadn’t she.
“You owe us an explanation.” Orion then said.
“Didn’t you just hear what I said? I think it’s you who needs to explain.”
Orion grimaced. “You- it was a mistake. I didn’t mean to close the portal, it was a difficult spell-“
“A difficult spell? Are you not a member of the guild? It’s not supposed to be difficult for someone of your level.”
Shadow Weaver recognized her own words in Castaspella’s, and so did Micah. He gave Shadow Weaver a glare as if to say stop being a bad influence on my sister.
Whilst Shadow Weaver was focused on escaping Micah’s sharp eyes, the other guild members seemed to have joined the discussion and it got increasingly heated.
“Stop blaming Orion!” and “You are being unreasonable!”
Castaspella brushed those comments off like buzzing flies. Then finally, another person spoke up.
“This isn’t like you, aunt Casta!”
It was her majesty, stepping forward from behind her father.
“Glimmer-“
But instead Glimmer’s gaze no longer lingered on Castaspella. She was staring at Shadow Weaver instead, her eyes mirroring her father’s.
“What have you done to her?! What have you done to my aunt!”
It was the best course of action to remain quiet and let Castaspella handle it.
“Emelaine, Meridia, Orion.” Castaspella called the names. “Leave.”
Her voice was stern. To argue back was of no use and so they did, reluctantly.
Only Glimmer, Micah, Castaspella and Shadow Weaver remained in the room. And Shadow Weaver dreaded the conversation they would have, although she had to admit she was a bit curious too.
It was only a little difficult, with Micah’s presence. Without him, she might’ve been able to enjoy herself, but that disappointing look defeated any chance of glee.
At first, the room was silent. Castaspella had thankfully captured the attention again so at least Glimmer was no longer looking at Shadow Weaver.
“Aunt Casta… do you not hear yourself?”
“What do you mean.”
“I was like that too! When I became queen and…” she the bottom of her lip and once again glared at Shadow Weaver for a brief moment. “And started to listen to her.”
“Glimmer, you can’t compare our situations-“
“How when they’re the exact same?! You let her get in your head and boom you’re acting like an egotistical maniac and start looking down on other’s and…” she turned her head to Micah. “Dad! You- You say something too.”
“I have nothing to say…” Micah said. “What about you, Shadow Weaver?”
She hadn’t expected to be addressed, but knew better than to admit her confusion.
Sure, she had tried to gain Castaspella’s sympathy to get her way again but she hadn’t actually come that far… With Glimmer it was easy, building her ego and guiding her towards isolation. Having her lose her trust in other’s so that she’d rely on her.
Especially since she had lost a mother, it was incredibly simple to fill the role of a mother figure as well.
But with Castaspella, Shadow Weaver had barely done anything. Her behavior, it couldn’t have been strictly because of Shadow Weaver’s influence, could it?
“I am but a mere prisoner. I’ve got no say in this.” Was what she settled on eventually.
Micah seemed unsatisfied with her response, that was to be expected. What wasn’t to be expected was Castaspella’s reaction.
“I would like to hear what you think.” she said, in a tone that made it clear Shadow Weaver couldn’t refuse.
“Fine. I didn’t do anything, I think your aunt is just tired of getting looked down upon by her peers, especially when she ranks higher than them…” now that she thought about it, she had actually brought Castaspella’s attention to their behavior, so maybe it was Shadow Weaver’s influence after all.
The others remained quiet so Shadow Weaver continued. “The first thing the guild member’s should’ve done was apologize, but they didn’t even look sorry. Who wouldn’t get irritated at such a display of disrespect?”
Castaspella smiled and took on a lighthearted tone. “Yup! Like she said!”
“But Aunt-“
“Glimmer…” she sighed desperately, wrapping her arms around the younger queen as she let her body slack. “You know what it's like to get looked down upon, right? It's good to sometimes tell ‘em who’s boss!”
“But that wasn’t what you were doing…”
Castaspella shrugged. “What’s done is done! Don’t worry, I won’t get to do it again anyway! I still have to talk with them about the investigations.”
“Wait, Casta!” Micah finally spoke. “You aren’t planning to-“
“I am!” She said. “I’ll admit that it was me who caused the earthquakes.”
Shadow Weaver gaped at her. That… that couldn’t be, that was ridiculous. After everything they had gone through to cure her and hide what she had done… “I don’t think that’s a good idea, head sorceress.”
Castaspella laughed. “Like I’d listen to you!”
Glimmer blinked. “Huh?”
Shadow Weaver tried again. “At least wait until they’ve cooled off. Their verdict might not be as harsh-“
“No, I’ll do it now.”
“Wait aunt Casta, that’s actually not a bad—“ But Castaspella had already left the room. “—idea…”
Glimmer turned to Shadow Weaver, Shadow Weaver only shrugged.
“I guess it’s better we go after her…” Micah then said and watched his sister disappear into a different room at the end of the hallway. “This can’t go well…”
“Indeed.” Shadow Weaver agreed, following him alongside Glimmer.
“Once this is done…” Micah said, not looking at her. “Let’s have a chat.”
Shadow Weaver swallowed. “Fine.”
Whatever that conversation would be about, Shadow Weaver didn’t want to think about. Apparently she was living her life in uncertain spontaneity now, and god, if it wasn’t the absolute worst.
When they arrived at the room the guild members and head sorceress were gathered in, the atmosphere was incredibly hostile, even more so than earlier!
Meaning Castaspella must’ve just blabbered out the truth in the short amount of time she’d been in there. That stupid woman.
“YOU DID WHAT?!” Orion yelled.
“Hey, it was a mistake! It happens!” She brushed it off lightheartedly, like it wouldn’t make her case so much worse.
“Not only did you make such a careless mistake, you also tried to hide it.” Meridia glared at her. “Do you even know how serious this is?”
“Oh, now don’t be like that.” She responded with a pout. “Shouldn’t I get some praise for coming clean?”
“Casta…” Micah sighed at her.
She turned around, not having noticed them behind her earlier, and smiled.
“Oh, hi.” She greeted them quickly. “Okay, so I did what I had to do, I’ll get back to work-“
“You’re joking, right?” Emelain said. “You’ve got to be.”
“Yes yes, of course, what's the verdict? I assume I will lose my position of head sorceress?”
“Obviously!” It came from Orion. “And not only that, you harmed people and tried to cover up the truth, using your position no less!”
“Okay… so what’s my punishment?”
“For now…” Meridia said. “We’ll have you imprisoned. Guards!”
The guards appeared behind her seconds later, forcefully grabbing Castaspella at both of her arms. Castaspella shook her head. “Oh no, there has to be a misunderstanding.” She said. “I only asked out of curiosity.”
“What…?”
Castaspella yanked her arms out of their grasps and thick white smoke appeared out of thin air. The guards, members of the guild and their own little group began to cough as could be heard, but the smoke was too thick as if to see anything.
Then suddenly Shadow Weaver felt someone’s grasp. She had felt it fairly often that even without seeing who it was, she could tell.
Castaspella dragged her away, through half the castle it seemed. The entire area was covered in smoke, which was absolutely insane considering how draining the spell was to hold up.
Shadow Weaver knew it well enough. It was invisible and ineffective to the one that casts it, so Castaspella had no issue guiding Shadow Weaver to safety without having to throw a coughing fit like the rest of them.
But to cover so much of it and having to hold the spell for multiple hours wasn’t only difficult but also incredibly exhausting.
Why she was doing all that was a different question, but Shadow Weaver has stopped asking that. Uncertain spontaneity was her motto now, after all.
Castaspella finally stopped in her tracks after seemingly entering a room and let go of Shadow Weaver. Shadow Weaver couldn’t see her after all, and she was busy coughing from the smoke to care about that.
“Don’t worry, we’ll be out of here in a minute…” She mumbled.
Shadow Weaver could hear loud steps and coughs approaching them from outside the room, but before anyone could open the door, Castaspella grabbed onto her again, pulling her forward.
A portal, of course. They found themselves again back in the middle of the whispering woods. Great. So that had been the plan she had talked about…? Antagonizing the guild, admitting to her guilt and then running away?
But well, at least Shadow Weaver didn’t have to cough anymore.
“You’ve gotten better at that…”
“Portals?” Castaspella asked. “I studied them a bit at Mirabels place while you were sleeping.”
“I meant magic in general.”
“Oh… yeah I’m surprised too, to be honest.” She let out a weak laugh.
And then collapsed to the ground.
Of course. Shadow Weaver knew that spell would’ve been too much for her…