These characters don't belong to me. They do, though, belong to Mattel. I'm not making any money off of this and so on.
This fic takes place in the same continuity as "Preludes and Beginnings," "He-Man: Year One," "The Elfsong of Eternia," "The Crossroads of Destiny," "Prophecy & Change," "Just Another Day," "Liberty and Valor," "The Final Adventure," "A Winter's Heart," and "The Shroud of the Horde."
It serves as a basic sequel to "Liberty and Valor" and concludes the Destiny series that started with "The Crossroads of Destiny," and continued in "Prophecy & Change," "Just Another Day," and "Liberty and Valor."
Previously:
King Hiss released the Snake Goddess Vipera, daughter of Serpos. Exchanging places with Teela and nearly killing Prince Adam's fiancée Kathryn, Vipera released an army of Snake-Men. Eternos, Snake Mountain, and the Great Towers were all taken by the Snake-Men.
After breaking up with Kathryn because she decided she couldn't handle He-Man/Adam's lifestyle, He-Man teamed up with Skeletor. Along with Orko, She-Ra, Battle-Cat and a few others, managed to overcome Vipera and the Snake-Men . . . only to have Skeletor use the Magic Stealer to take a portion of Castle Grayskull's power and bring his Evil Warriors to him!
However, He-Man was able to stop Skeletor, but only after they were teleported aboard a starship that sought He-Man's help. Skeletor escaped the starship, leaving He-Man with Hydron and Flipshot, emissaries from the planet of Primus. They told He-Man of their worlds plight and how they needed his help to overcome the armies of the Mutant warlord, Flogg. Skeletor too learned of this information and left Eternia to join Flogg to eventually gain his trust . . . then take his army back to Eternia. With a portion of the power of Grayskull with him, Skeletor left Eternia. He-Man was forced to follow, saying good bye to his friends and family in the process.
Chapter One – "Touch down"
As the Starship Eternia arrived at the outer fringes of the Tri-Solar System, He-Man felt a pang of uncertainty. While the entire trip, he had been able to fight this feeling, it struck him hard as he and his companions Hydron and Flipshot neared their destination.
"We're here," Flipshot stated.
"Well, not quite yet," Hydron corrected, fingers running across the navigational computer. "Almost, but not quite."
"Understood," He-Man responded. His mind was wrought with doubt and frustration. The days before his leaving had been stressful and emotional, and with his quick departure, a lot seemed . . . unresolved. In some ways, He-Man felt that leaving Eternia would mean leaving behind all of the pain and emotion that had been the source of a lot of activity those last days. Unfortunately, He-Man was wrong about all that.
"We've got an approaching vessel," Flipshot reported. "It's one of ours. An Astrosub."
A small attack vessel appeared in the large window. It swept across the front of the Starship Eternia, the stopped off at its side.
"Flipshot! Hydron, is that you?" came a thick, male voice over the com-line.
"Yes it is, Kayo. What's with the escort?"
"We've got trouble, Commander. The Mutants have launched a full-scale attack. The Mothership and two heavy battle cruisers are positioned at the Oasis Hole," Kayo replied. "37 Terror Pods are currently engaged in battle with two units of Astrosubs. Plus, ground forces. At least two hundred soldiers are reportedly on the ground."
He-Man ran his fingers along the Sword of Power. "What can I do?"
"We're going to enter the battle," Hydron replied.
"I'm no good to you in here," He-Man responded. "Get me on the ground, though, and I can help there."
"All right. Hang on," Hydron said. "Kayo, we've got a plan. We have the one we were telling you about. Can you get him to the surface, near the landing point of the ground forces?"
"Affirmative."
"We'll teleport him right over, then."
Moments later, He-Man materialized in the cockpit of the Astrosub. It was two seats, the back seat empty with the controls panels him off-line. In the seat in front of him was Kayo, a well-toned man with a helmet with the face that looked like a cage.
"Howdy," Kayo greeted.
"Hi."
"Name's Kayo. Nice to meet you."
"He-Man, and the same."
"We're about to enter into battle, so I'd hold onto your seat. I'll get you onto Primus as fast as I can."
The Astrosub suddenly shot forward. He-Man watched as a nearby dead planet went flying by. As soon as they passed it, He-Man saw the three stars of the Tri-Solar Systems. They grew more and more into view as the Astrosub came ever closer and closer to Primus.
At that moment, the Starship Eternia overtook the Astrosub. He-Man blue eyes locked onto a green and wheat colored orb that was getting larger by the second. Primus, he realized. My new home.
Within twenty minutes, He-Man could feel the Astrosub slow down. Primus filled the entire cockpits view. They arched around it and that's when He-Man saw it.
A ship, massive and ugly, sat in high orbit. It looked as though it was constructed out of dirt and mud with huge spikes rising out of various sections. Along with it were three large ships, each one at least a quarter of the size of the ugly one.
"That big ones the Mothership. Those other three are the battle cruisers."
"I see."
Sitting directly below the four ships was a visible hole in the atmosphere of Primus. It was outline with what could be best described as a clear-grayish cliff in the air. As they got even closer, He-Man could see smaller ships, swarming about above the hole.
"Weapons are on-line and locked," Kayo stated. "Just hang on."
There was a sudden flash of flight and the Astrosub was rocked. Two almond-shaped ships came silently screaming towards the Astrosub and the Eternia, weapons blazing. Twin laser beams from the Astrosub fired out, in concert with four from the Starship Eternia.
They struck the two Terror Pods, blowing them to bits.
"The pilots?" asked He-Man.
"Genetic goo wrapped in a humanoid shell, with nothing but a computer and a transmitter as a nervous system."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning they're basically a communicator and a computer tossed into an armor full of snot. They have all that where you come from?"
"Um, yeah."
"Good. Yeah, they're not alive."
"Sounds good to me."
The Astrosub and the Starship Eternia blasted into battle, weapons blazing. Both ships, smaller and large, spun in and moved in towards one of the battle cruisers. The Starship Eternia opened fire, lasers striking the hull, resulting in massive explosions that ran along the top of the battle cruiser. This kept the battle cruiser's weapons trained off of the Astrosub.
The Starship Eternia then moved in front of the Astrosub as they moved even further into the massive space battle. From its sides pulsed a pair of massive laser blasters. They struck down four in-coming Terror Pods.
Three missiles suddenly launched out from the second battle cruiser, this one sitting closets to the hole. One struck the Eternia, resulting in a small explosion silently fuming from the back.
"You guys all right?" asked Kayo, moving below them.
"We're fine, watch yourselves!" shouted Flipshot over the comm-line.
Two missiles spun behind, closing in on their target. Kayo pressed a few keys. He-Man felt weapons shift and saw two explosions roar out from behind them.
"GOTCHA!" he yelled out. "Uh oh . . ."
The battle cruiser moved up, laser beam flying out, striking at both the Astrosub and the Starship Eternia.
"Full axis spin!" shouted Hydron to Kayo. "Ventral weapons fire!"
The Astrosub spun in unison with the Eternia, their bottom shields taking the brunt of the laser assault. The two ships then moved in opposite directions, the Starship Eternia looping around towards the battle cruiser. The Astrosub remained upside down and He-Man looked up (or down) at the hole at which they were right above. Below, above the green surface, the battle raged between Astrosubs and Terror Pods.
People are dying, he realized sadly.
The Astrosub rocked violently. Kayo shouted and frantically pressed a few buttons. The ship spun again, now right side up. The ship shook with another impact.
A pair of Astrosubs suddenly appeared from below, firing harshly at the battle cruiser.
"Need a hand, Kayo?" came a cheerful male voice.
"Vizor! Is that Nocturna with him?"
"Yes it is."
"Co-ordinate with us, attack plan epsilon."
The trio of Astrosubs all flew down, spun, then flew back up, spinning, lasers firing away. They swung and spun as they did this. This ensured that the battle cruiser was unable to maintain a weapons lock. It also meant that the Astrosubs were unable to as well, but it didn't matter nearly as much since the battle cruiser was by far, much larger.
Explosions grew and grew along the bottom of the battle cruiser until they began to spread out in a jagged line across it. They Astrosubs closed in, their surfaces nearby touching that of the battle cruisers. Lasers pounded against hull. Explosions followed them.
Finally, the trio pulled away. As they did, so too did the Starship Eternia. Judging from the top of the battle cruiser, they played a similar assault. It was ablaze with explosions that started cascade. The battle cruiser was being sheered apart by these monumental explosions.
The four vessels were then joined, and went straight down into the hole.
"All right, He-Man," Kayo started, "I'm going to do my best to get you close the landing point. These three are, unfortunately, needed up here."
"Not an issue," He-Man responded. "Just get me down there and we'll be fine."
"Gotcha, partner."
They shot down past Terror Pods and Astrosubs, their three escorts clearing the path for the new hero of Primus and his new ally.
The Astrosub tore through the atmosphere, heat briefly overtaking it. As they did, the two other Astrosubs and the Starship Eternia pulled back.
Finally, they arrived. He-Man could see the invading army standing in long lines not far away. The Astrosub set down about five miles away from the army, which was about ten telks in Primian.
"Best I could do," Kayo said.
"Not a problem," He-Man replied, feet landing firmly on the soil of Primus. The gravity was only slightly lighter than that of Eternia. "You said they're not really alive, right? Just gunk and a computer tossed into armor?"
"Yeah."
He-Man pulled out his Sword of Power and his shield. "Good."
He ran, feet thundering on the grassy surface. Kayo was left in the dust as He-Man quickly became a dot in his vision.
Crouching low in the bushes, a twelve-year old boy stared in wide-eyed wonder and terror. He smoothed his dark hair back as he watched the army of Mutants prepare to march onward, into the Oasis. Caz had come out from his farm to see the attack, the call to action far too loud for this young man.
A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulders and he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Caz!" came the hushed shout of his older sister, a blonde haired woman in a pink skirt.
"Um, Drissi, hi."
"What are you doing out here?"
"I wanted to see the battle."
"You . . . Caz, we need to go! They'll catch us any -- !"
Before Drissi could finish, however, there was rush of wind and a man came flying by.
"Who was that?"
"I have no idea . . ." Drissi replied, wonder in her voice.
He-Man leapt into the air, arching high above the Mutant soldiers. They didn't see him coming. Sword of Power drawn, he landed in the dead center of their lines, smashing three soldiers into the ground, which breached their light violet armor. Goo spilled onto the ground.
He-Man was in action immediately.
"Three down," he said as he spun, deflecting lasers blasts with his Power Sword and shield, "one hundred ninety-seven to go."
He attacked with fury and strength. His sword strokes were broad and wide, slicing through armor around him, tearing apart the soldiers. They crumbled to the ground in heaps of armor and goo, wires sparking just a little. He-Man shoved his Sword of Power through the head of one, then sliced off the arm of another, then kicked a third and then a fourth, then punched right through one after he sent his sword into two at once.
Laser guns were sliced in half, flesh collided with armor, boots with metal, and shields with heads. He-Man fought hard and with a ferocity he had never known. It was as if all the frustration and anger and guilt that had been building up since the moment the Snake-Men crashed his engagement party was finally coming out in full fury.
He-Man leapt up as he was beginning to be surrounded. He landed briefly on a rock that was jutting from the surface. He then jumped off of that, landed on the ground. He feet stomped hard, toppling some of the soldiers. He-Man held his shield out and ran forward, slamming fifteen of the soldiers into the rock. They were destroyed.
He then spun around, kicking the heads off three of them. The Sword of Power slipped into the belly of the soldiers, then tore out and sliced a second one in half. He-Man jumped up again, once more on the verge of being surrounded. He landed, body in action again, taking down soldier after soldier in gooey masses.
Lasers burned his skin, but he barely noticed. A blind fury of rage and frustration began to overtake him. He took down soldiers by the fives, tearing through them as he rushed forward. He moved far too fast for them to accurately aim and at time, the soldiers shot their fellow non-living companions.
His fist pounded against one, tearing its head right off.
Kathryn.
His feet collided right a soldier, it armored chest shattered, goo leaky out.
The unborn baby.
His Sword of Power ripped through the belly of a third soldier.
The break-up.
He-Man jumped up, landing on another rock that stood out from the surface. He watched as the soldiers once organized lines were in chaos. They were trying to re-group. He jumped in where he felt he could cause the most trouble.
He landed and smashed two right into the ground.
Teela.
His shield rammed two of them right into each other, causing them to collapse in a mess.
Vipera.
His hands tore into one, ripping it clean in two.
Holding her, having to say good bye twice.
He-Man jumped again, but shorter. His body spread eagle, he crashed onto five of the Mutant soldiers. Laser beams fired at him, but he blocked them, sending them randomly into the soldiers. He ducked down, then jumped up.
Both feet slammed onto the chest of a soldier.
Skeletor.
The Sword of Power tearing apart four soldiers in a row.
The Magic Stealer and the power of Grayskull.
His boots knocking of the knee of a soldier, the beheading it, leaving a gooey mess.
Forced to chase him across time/space on a mission that he didn't want.
But that was always the case, wasn't it? Skeletor was He-Man's reason for being, the reason he was given the Sword of Power. Ultimately, though, it was right of He-Man to come here? Watching as those Astrosubs exploded, people within dying.
He-Man jumped up once more, Sword of Power still drawn. Soldiers were amassing around him, weapons blazing. He-Man took some of them, deflected others. Ultimately, he didn't care. As his body was in motion, carrying out these actions, he could feel the frustration finding its outlet.
He-Man warred on and on, soldiers begin torn down. At one point a pair of Terror Claws entered into the fray. These were large machines that sat on two legs with a big claw in the front. He-Man destroyed both with a four sweeps of his Power Sword. They went down, taking nearly two dozens Mutant soldiers with them.
It was nearing the end. A few Mutants soldiers left. As he ripped through them, images blazed through his minds eyes. The Sorceress . . . Teela . . . Man-At-Arms . . . Hordak . . . She-Ra . . . Adora . . . Orko . . . Randor . . . Marlena . . . Hydron . . . Flipshot . . . Kayo . . . King Hiss . . . Kathryn . . . Cringer . . . Battle-Cat . . . Skeletor.
It always came back down to Skeletor.
He-Man sent his Sword of Power through a Mutant soldier. He heard the crunch of one final soldier behind him. He spun around, roaring with rage and fury and frustration. He threw the Sword of Power and it didn't miss its mark. It slammed right through the chest of the soldier, destroying it immediately.
Heart pounding, lungs heaving, muscles aching, and skin burned and cut a little, He-Man ripped his sword out of the armor of the soldier and turned to a pair of figures that stood at the edge of the field.
Staghorn and Quakke turned on their heels and ran towards their ship.
"By the Ancients . . ." he whispered, knees feeling weak.
"Wow!" yelled Caz, running towards He-Man. "You just saved the world!"
The Mothership pulled away from Primus as soon as Staghorn and Quakke arrived. Flogg stood on the bridge, quietly furious. The invasion was cancelled . . . today.
Between the Starship Eternia aiding in the partial destruction of one of the battle cruisers and the mysterious man who single-handedly took down the Mutant soldiers on the surface. The one called Skeletor had warned him of this man. Skeletor, Flogg regretted, they immediately ignored and had thrown into the brig.
"Bring Skeletor up here," Flogg commanded. "It's time the two of us had a chat."