Chapter 2

Mumm-Ra chanted once again in the ancient forgotten language and the cauldron was once again thrown from the calmness it enjoyed a few minutes ago to a raging boil. "Chimaera! (Latin) Khimairia! (Greek meaning "she-goat") Step forth from the depths of the netherworld! Bring your horrible power!" He now shouted in English. A form rose from the depths of the cauldron. Its lion's head cleared the water as the she-goat's body and dragon tail soon followed. A loud magnificent roar drew from deep inside the awakened nightmare and a smile crossed Mumm-Ra's lips.

"You have freed me from my eternal prison. What is it that you think I'll do for you?" The Chimera asked as he settled on the other side of the cauldron.

"I feel that you have the talents I've been looking for." Mumm-Ra told the creature.

"I'm listening." It answered.

"There are a group of do-gooders that I need to have wiped off the planet and I can't do it alone." Mumm-Ra stepped closer to the large magical vat and beckoned the Chimera to look in.

"They are known as the ThunderCats. They stand for truth, honor, justice, and loyalty. Repeated attempts to wipe them off the face of this planet and the newly formed Thundera have been met with heavy resistance." The ancient mummy said.

"You mean failure." Chimera paused, "What are their weaknesses?" Mumm-Ra gritted his teeth. The creature was smart.

"A substance that the indigenous people call Fire Rocks or Thundrainium. If you were to coat your teeth and hooves with the Thundrainium, the ThunderCats wouldn't be able to stop you. They would be weak and you could rip them to pieces." The ever-living source of evil smiled.

"Yes but I'll be doing all the work." The Chimera said.

"I will be flying to New Thundera and dealing with the ThunderCats there. You will deal with the five that are here. It will be easier for you because one of them is with cub and they won't let her fight. There are eleven total. When your task is complete you will join me on New Thundera and from there we will deal with the remaining ThunderCats." Mumm-Ra explained.

"What do I get out of this?" The creature asked.

"You, will get to rule over Third Earth." Mumm-Ra said it but he didn't mean it. As soon as he's helped me defeat the ThunderCats, I'll send him back from whence he came, the ancient mummy thought. The Chimera looked at him skeptically.

"What guarantee do I have that you'll do as you say?" It asked.

"You do not trust me?" Mumm-Ra wondered.

"I just like to be careful." The Chimera responded.

"I assure you that you have nothing to worry about, now lets get down to business." He said. The Chimera seemed to buy it and the mummy stood above the cauldron and called out,

"Ancient Spirits of Evil transform the waters of my cauldron to molten Fire Rocks!" Immediately, the water became a hot, bubbling stew of red molten Fire Rocks. The Chimera placed his hooves, one by one into the hot material and it coated them. Next he carefully placed his face into the molten rock. His mouth was already fire-resistant so he could shoot fire from his mouth and the Thundrainium actually felt cool compared to the fire he usually spit. When he was done the cauldron returned to its calm waters.

"Show me the way to the ThunderCats!" The Chimera snarled.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWW

On New Thundera, Lion-O watched the recruits practice with Panthro. Most of them seemed to be picking up on the easier moves but some still struggled. Something in the back of his mind, warned him that Cheetara was right. Waiting for a battle wasn't exactly the best thing but he wasn't sure how else to go about it.

Suddenly a figure appeared from seemingly out of nowhere and stood in front of the Lord of the ThunderCats.

"Jaga!"

"Beware Lion-O. You will face one of the greatest challenges. Remember the stories of old if you are to defeat the beast." Jaga told him.

"What does that mean?" Lion-O asked, but he would get no response as his mentor disappeared back to the astral plane.

"Remember the stories of old if I am to defeat the beast?" The Lord of the ThunderCats wondered. That's when the Sword of Omens roared.

To Be Continued…