View source for The Portal of Hope: First Step to Adventure (Bow Forte)

{{Cutscene Header
|Date of Scene=2024/02/20
|Location=Etheria - Light Hope's Chambers
|Synopsis=On an Etheria unlike Adora Rainbowfist's or Catra's, the Rebellion makes a valiant final stand and sends a warrior out to try to find the Hope of the Future.
|Cast of Characters=226
}}
Outside the structure that once housed Light Hope, things were going poorly. Ever since the Heart of Etheria had taken Etheria out of Depondos, bringing back into the universe and drawn the full attention and ire of Horde Prime, the tide of the war had turned. It had been three months since the shift, and the disappearance of Adora Rainbowfist, otherwise known as She-Ra, apparently in a sacrifice that had mirrored the same fate as the first to bear her name. And now, standing in the darkened room where that had occured, only lit by some remaining magic and his flare arrows, Bow now hoped to place Etheria's future on the same device that has led it into the brink of destruction. Everything was set. This had been done before to varying degrees of success. Today, he felt, would be special. Different. 

One of the rebels ran into the chamber, calling out. "Bow!" There was panic in her voice, "They're here! We count at least... a thousand Horde bots and air support! We maybe have a couple of minutes." 

Drawing in a breath, Bow nodded, realizing that they - the couple of dozen of them let, and numerous refugees would have no chance to fight back. It was now or never. "I'll activate things here. Go ahead and start the evacuation!"

The rebel Princess frowned heavily. "You sure?"  

"No." came his admission. "But what choice do we have?" Bow watched as the Princess gave a glum nod, and offered him good luck, before leaving him alone in the room. "So! We ready for attempt number thirteen?" Bow asked himself as he looked at the remains of the room he was in. So far, twelve other attempts at this have failed. Sure, the teleportation portals had worked - and sent him to the far reaches of Etheria, but so far, no sign of Adora, She-Ra, the Sword of Protection, or any of the missing Princesses that Horde Prime had taken. 

"Crystal?" he asked allowed, and a small hologrpahic projection of a young woman appeared. Transparent and blue, she had once been known as Light Hope - but ever since the day that the Heart of Etheria had been stopped, this was all that remained. A reformated, redeemed AI that had hoped to make things right in Mara's memory. "Let's make the jump."

Crystal chirrped gently. "You could at least say please." A slightly taunting tone as she followed it with, "Searching for energy signature - found. Locking position - portal opening in thirty seconds."  

As Crystal started to activate the portal, he glanced down at the crystals that laid about the room. Many of them were shattered, pieces of once was. A rebellion that thought it had a chance. A super-weapon that could destroy more than planets. Picking up a few of the crystals, he drew in a breath. "Maybe this will bring me some luck? I mean, it's my thirteenth try, I'm the thirteenth child. Gotta count for something, right?" 

Outside, he could hear the pounding of Horde weapons and artillery as they started their bombrdment. As much as Bow wanted to grab his quiver and bow and join the fight - the decision was already made. His attention turned to the shimmering green portal that opened, stabalized and expanded, Bow sucked in a breath and commented, "We're coming, Glimmer." before he stepped through the portal, departing from Etheria...