Fall Of The Empire
Rating: T-17+
Disclaimer: I don't own this. . . or do I? Nah, I don't. So don't sue me.
Author's Notes: . . . okay so I said a "week" but apparently I meant that in a really loose term.
Like. . . a few weeks. But to be fair I did try really hard to make it a week. The issue I was having is my sister asked if she could come visit me here in Korealand and I said yes. So it's been a lot me playing tour guide and showing her around. Bruh I was on the go for 10 days. No sleeping in and early mornings. My brain is mush.
I went to the DMZ and got to step into North Korea again. Super educational and unintentionally hilarious because our ROK tour/guard could speak English and the sarcasm was thick with that one. I also took my sister to Myeongdong. For those not in the know, Myeongdong is "hyper-shopping." It is FILLED with Koreans, tourists, and people on missions. It's hard to get some elbow room in that place. 10/10 I do recommend it. My sister dropped like, a few hundred dollars on beauty and skincare products and we had to lug it back to our hostel.
I just about died, man. Ugh that weight was awful to carry all the way back!
But anyway. She's gone now. I get to hang out with her soon again in August, though!
Just had to explain a little. Now that that's out of the way!
Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! It meant a lot to me. If I missed you, sorry! D:
1.) The Trouble with Thunderkittens
2.) The Fourth Guardian Pt. 1 || Pt. 2
3.) Legacy Redux
4.) The Final Fight
5.) Epilogue
Part 2 is upon us, children.
*evil cackle*
"Keep it short." I told myself.
"Let's make it 14k words." My fingers demanded.
Pah.
I loved and did not love this chapter. Me and it had a love/hate relationship. But if I didn't publish it it wasn't going to get published.
Legacy: Redux, though.
Hnnggg. That's comin' up soon. c;
Also I invented a few new words this chapter. Because apparently I like pushing the envelope.
Warnings: Nothing, except for stylistic things FF loves to om nom. More blood and gore than normal. If you see anything with the first-person in it, it should be italicized. That is all.
I've adopted a lot of mannerisms from the South Koreans. I teach at an elementary school and my student's mistakes have become my own. I make grammatical and spelling errors much more frequently now. If you see anything that's incorrect, let me know and I'll change it!
. . . this text is here for a mysterious reason.
He was tall, Lion-O noted. Taller than he was by just a few inches, but he appeared a little thinner. Mako had a commanding presence — there was no doubt about that — but his body was more lithe and streamlined. Mako's muscles were compacted by slim, and given that his nature was to live in the sea and swim in its waters, it made a decent amount of sense to Lion-O. Idly, some part of him in the back of his mind wondered how long Mako could hold his breath. Did the Sharks even have to hold their breath? Or could they just. . . breathe the water? And when they shook hands, Lion-O had noticed that there was small, delicate webbing between his fingers, linking it together. It looked rather like the fish people's hands, although Mako's was finer and smaller.
"Welcome, all of you." Mako said, standing tall. The crown Majo wore looked like the rough/smooth stone they were walking on. Had it been crafted from the same substance? The pathways appeared to have been worn down by hundreds (if not thousands) of years of feet walking over them. Only a few roughened patches remained.
"Allow me to escort you to my city. We will show you the hospitality of the Sharks. It has been such a long time since we've received visitors from the surface. My people are eager to meet you."
Mako gestured for them to follow, and without waiting, he turned and began walking the way he'd come, over the opulecent pathway. His cape, tattered and threaded through with odd trinkets, dragged along behind him.
Lion-O looked at the Cats assembled. The absence of a fight had definitely caught them off guard, there was no question about it. And sending just their king (potentially, Lion-O wondered if they'd sent a bodydouble or something along those lines) without any protection to greet them? It was a great extension of trust, there was no doubt about that.
Lion-O took in the expressions of everyone assembled. Tygra was guarded, but didn't appear tense, as opposed to Cheetara, who looked unguarded but tense. Kit and Kat were staring around in wonder (the kittens never changed, did they?), the pair already wandering to the edge of the walkway to toy with the strange rock.
Panthro looked. . . relaxed.
Of all the Cats, he trusted Panthro's gut instinct the most. Panthro had seen more fighting and war than all of them combined.
"Please." Mako said gently, "You'll find no enemies or deception here. Leviathan has brought you here under its protection. If Leviathan deems you worthy, then so do I."
Mako had paused, half-turned back to them, when he realized they had not followed.
Lion-O looked at the other animal and nodded his head. This. . . Leviathan was a strong and powerful force to be reckoned with, if it could crawl inside of his head and make him sleepwalk. Not to mention it could part the ocean itself. And he could hear its' voice, deep, strong, and powerful, inside of his mind. Though he wondered why it was silent.
"We've been on edge for some time." Lion-O explained, hoping to gloss over any potential political issues, "We did not mean to offend."
"No offense has been delivered nor taken, ThunderCats. Come, come. My people are so very eager to receive you." Mako turned and began to walk again, his feet disturbing the mist.
"To be entirely honest with you, Mako, we were expecting a fight with Mumm-Ra." Lion-O continued, falling into stride with the Shark.
The Shark laughed.
"The Sharks have long remained under the protection of Leviathan," The king explained, "And that would be why that decrepit monster has never laid his filthy, vile hands upon us. Leviathan is ancient, and the most dreaded beast that lurks this ocean. Many times have we come under threat — and Leviathan has successfully protected us every time."
"You know of Mumm-Ra?" Cheetara asked. She paused, looking introspective for a moment. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Your stone's guardian seems quite close to you and your people. The other guardians. . ."
"They weren't exactly friendly." Tygra finished.
On cue, Leviathan glided overhead, dappling them in shadow.
Mako set a comfortable stride as he guided the Cats through the different hallways and archways. The latticework of stones was breathtaking and beautiful, and it looked almost ethereal with the mist gently falling around them and covering the walkway. It was beautiful in the fact that it was so very different. The architecture for every animal kingdom had been so far. Under different circumstances for his journey, Lion-O thought that maybe he would have appreciated each kingdom a little more.
"Leviathan has told us everything." Mako eventually spoke, following the rocky pathway into a long hallway, "I believe it has been influenced by the Stone's power. Leviathan knows many things. At times, I believed it to be omnipotent. It has told us all of the stories, and we adopted the mythos as legends of my people. ThunderCats," Mako said, pausing at a doorway overgrown with rocks (he led us to a dead end?), "Mumm-Ra will not set foot here. Leviathan has defended our homeland against any and all dangers that have intruded here. We have stood his test before, we will stand this test again. You have nothing worry—"
"No." Lion-O cut over him, his voice sharp as steel.
Mako blinked in shock.
Lion-O felt his emotions bubbling inside of him, threatening to explode out in a violent torrent. He felt like reaching out to Mako and shaking his shoulders, yelling into his face about what had happened with Cybele. The Summoner had said the same exact things, and look where she was then — inside of a root pod, regenerating her very life energy, her beautiful city dull and lackluster. It took all of his will to tamp down on his impulses and act professional.
"You won't." Lion-O continued, conviction in his voice. "Every animal who has said that has fallen prey to Mumm-Ra. The numbers are becoming staggering. . ." His throat closed up as he remembered Spidera.
Panthro let out a thoughtful hum.
"Hubris strikes down those animals who think they're above it all. I've seen it countless times. i did some of the strikin', I'd know."
"We had a new friend." Kit piped up.
"Her name was Cybele." Kat continued.
"The Summoner?" Mako asked. "What has become of her?"
How much has Leviathan told them? Lion-O wondered. Sure would have been nice instead of learning these things on the fly, he thought bitterly. Why had all of this information been piecemealed out to him, but not to others?
Mako, to his credit, sounded genuinely worried.
"She's alright." Tygra said. But then he paused, scratching at his head. "We. . . think? We're not entirely sure."
"The roots swallowed her up." The twins said. Kit and Kat proceeded to do a very accurate charade of what had happened to Cybele.
"We believe the forest is regenerating her energy." Cheetara finished. "She was exhausted after summoning all of her forces to help us battle against Mumm-Ra's generals."
Mako's expression became shuttered and guarded. Tense moments passed where Lion-O felt like jittering, bouncing back and forth on his feet and demanding he be listened to. The blue-skinned Shark stared at them, slitted eyes flicking from one Cat to the next.
"Has it truly been that bad?" He asked cautiously.
"Yes." Lion-O said. "It has. Don't fall victim to the same pride the rest of us have. Our last ally who said such a thing just barely managed to escape with her life."
Mako sucked in a small breath as he thought, bringing his finger to his chin and tapping it there. After a moment, he looked back at Lion-O.
"From one King to another, what would you advise me to do?"
"Evacuate everyone. Every single non-combatant. Minimize the casualties as much as possible. Please, don't repeat our mistakes." Lion-O said, trying to keep his tone as even as possible. It was hard. It was hard because he really was that desperate. And Lion-O was a good judge of character and he was only getting good feelings from Mako. He felt as though he could trust this Shark to do what needed to be done.
And he didn't want to fail. Not with everything riding so close to the edge.
Mako was silent for another moment, and Lion-O felt like his heart was beating inside of his throat. His stomach was knotting in a nervous flurry. Would the Sharks finally be the firs tot listen to their warnings?
"Unfortunately, I cannot order such a thing." Mako replied.
Lion-O felt his heart sink into his stomach.
No. . . No! Why is everyone refusing to listen to me? To us?! After everything!
"But if you would just listen—"
Mako held up a hand, cutting Lion-O off.
"Leviathan has guarded us zealously for the time that we have spent here. I am King, but I do not rule or command without reason. I must consult my council on this matter and gain their approval. if things are as dire as you say, I will set up an emergency meeting immediately and weigh our options."
Mako knelt down, rapping his knuckles against the rock pathway. A tiny. . . bug? Yes, it looked like a bug. A bug scuttled over the side, hardly larger than Lion-O's thumb, and it scurried to the king's hand on numerous legs, making a tiny tic tic tic noise as it walked. It was glowing, and a bright, fluorescent orange color, its shell glittering in the low light. Parts of it were illuminated from the inside, making its color stand out that much more brightly. Long antennae flicked up and down as Mako straightened, bringing the bug close to his face.
"Inform the council we meet at once. It's an emergency."
Understanding the message,it leaped off of Mako's hand and orange, transparent wings sprang out from under its shell. It took to the air, zipping down another hallway, disappearing in seconds.
"In the meantime, ThunderCats, I believe you should become acquainted with my city, Maui Nui. You may find refuge here while I conduct talks."
Mako held out his hand, brushing black, taloned nails over the dead-end doorway.
As though the rock had a mind of its own, it began to separate away from the archway, slipping down into the rock around it.
Mako passed through the archway and gestured to the surroundings.
"This is Maui Nui."
Lion-O wasn't alone in gasping and looking around himself in awe. He'd seen many gorgeous things in his time travelling Third Earth, but Mako's city. . . it rivalled them all. Viragor's forest had been ancient and old and whispered of wisdom. Cybele's El Dara had been glittering with precious jewels and minerals. Mako's Maui Nui was. . . gorgeous. The Sharks had carved their homes into the very rocks themselves, and the pathways glittered with crushed shells, though they were smooth and caused no irritation to walk on. It was warm, vast, and Lion-O honestly couldn't see the end of it.
Flora and fauna wriggled in every corner, bugs and crabs and all sorts of things crawling on the ground. Maui Nui looked like a gigantic farming community, illuminated by creatures that produced their own light. The water was suspended above them in a giant dome, held up by the rocks. Outside, the ocean was lit by more glowing fish and sea life, allowing plenty of light with which to see by. One might have assumed that being underwater meant that Mako's kingdom was devoid of color, or simply different shades of blue, but they were wrong. The seal life were a myriad of different colors, splashing everything with different hues of fluorescent light. The only thing that caused a darkness was Leviathan's bulk occasionally passing by, casting a giant shadow over the inhabitants inside.
The Sharks were busy at work, crafting, fishing, cooking, cleaning, mending — everything one might expect of a buzzy city. The people all looked similar to Mako, blue-skinned (although some had different shades and colorations) with fins on their arms, heads, and legs. They'd adopted a very revealing style of dress, as well. The men all seemed to wear a simple loin-cloth cover and occasionally some sort of bracers for their feet. The women wore a longer loin-cloth (more akin to a skirt) and a simple wrap that circled around their chest. Accessories were a free-for-fall, and bracelets, bracers, necklaces, and anklets were seen everywhere and on everyone.
At first, Lion-O was embarrassed to see so much skin.
But as he continued to walk into Maui Nui, he understood why the Sharks wore so little clothing.
It was hot.
And humid.
He was sweating in seconds, suffering in silent agony as his fur trapped the heat and insulated him far more comfortable that he'd have liked. He wasn't alone, either. Kit and Kat took to trudging along, whining (loudly) about the heat in protest. Panthro looked to be suffering the worst, constantly itching at the seals of his arms, but Tygra was giving him a run for his money, swallowed up in his body armor. Even Cheetara was not immune, and she was constantly tugging at her collar to peel it away from her fur and secretly waving at her face to generate a small breeze.
One Shark woman paused her farming, noting her king's approach, and pulled herself away from her crops to stand and bow as Mako had done to them.
"My king." She said.
She grinned as she looked over the cats, flashing rows of sharp, white teeth.
She has more than two sets of teeth. By Thundera, they looked sharp as knives!
"I see you have found our visitors! They'll be pleased by our welcoming."
Mako nodded. "Indeed they will, Hamera. But I'm afraid I must attend to political matters, first. I will not be present."
Hamera's expression looked highly confused. . . and immediately disapproving.
"That is not our way, my king."
"Did she just. . . scold her king?" Tygra whispered.
Lion-O cut him a stare, warning him to say nothing else. It was not their place to comment on social interactions.
But it was odd.
Mako did not look angry or offended.
"I understand your concern, Hamera. Do not worry, I will correct my rudeness later. But for now, we must leave."
"If you see my son, make sure to let him know to not climb on the statue." She said as she bowed, flashing the cats another smile, and then returned to her crops.
Mako guided them just a short ways more into the city before they reached a central pavilion which seemed to be the heart of Maui Nui.
"I must depart now to attend the meeting. I will leave you in the hands of my most capable guards and one of our many escorts." Mako flicked his wrist, and two Shark warriors approached, wearing roughly the same garb, but their accessories glittered a little more, their uniforms a little more pressed and proper.
"This is Copper and Dusky. Please take this as a sign of goodwill, we mean no ill harm or distrust. They are simply there for protection, nothing more, though my people will not seek to harm you."
Politics. His most favorite subject.
"I understand, Mako. When will we know the results of these talks?" Lion-O asked.
"Time is of the utmost essence." Cheetara pressed.
"As soon as possible. My council must approve this decision unanimously. I must argue that leaving Maui Nui — and Leviathan — is the best course of action."
Leviathan had protected them for years. In a moment of clarity, Lion-O could understand why Mako was having a hard time grappling with it. But everything Mumm-Ra had done. . . Still. They were going to talk about leaving, which is more than any animal had done before.
"Mumm-Ra has an agent," Lion-O explained, "She's not an animal. Magic and defenses meant for animals won't work on her."
Mako nodded, looking thoughtful.
"I understand—"
"Well, my king?" Said a new, young voice, "Why are you standing around and dawdling?"
The sure-fire tone and cocky voice instantly made Lion-O think to the Shark woman, Hamera. Lion-O peered down and noticed a young Shark boy, his hands on his hips as he stared up at the king, a great, big smile stretching his lips wide, showing off sharp, pointed teeth.
There was no mistaking this was Hamera's son.
Mako laughed.
"Ah, yes, I was wondering when you would appear. ThunderCats, this is Bask. Bask will be your escort through Maui Nui. He is very knowledgeable about this city. . . or I would hope, if he has been paying attention to his history studies?"
Bask shook his head. "Would you believe me if I said yes?"
"I feared so. But I must be off. Take care of our newcomers, Bask. Show them the hospitality of Maui Nui in my absence — your mother warns you not to climb the statue."
Bask, Copper, and Dusky all bowed to Mako as he took his leave. Lion-O did not bow, but he did incline his head respectfully. Once he had gone, Bask looked at them.
"Well, are you ready to see Maui Nui?"
Lion-O was, but he watched as Mako's back disappeared into a doorway carved into the rock. He wanted to sit in the central pavilion and wait for the king to return. There was no time for him to go sightseeing. He wanted to follow Mako and tell him he'd speak to the council directly and tell them how dire things were. In fact, even though he'd told Tygra they needed to respect their ways, he was—
"Do you breathe through these?"
"How long can you hold your breath?"
"How fast can you swim?"
"I hate the water!"
"Me too!"
Kit and Kat were standing next to Bask, who was only just a little taller than the kittens. The young Shark looked back and forth between the two as they peppered him with questions, opening his mouth to answer one and then immediately being asked another.
"Kit, Kat." Tygra interrupted. "Please don't cause an inter-species incident."
"We were just curious—"
"—because we've never met a Shark before!"
"I've never met a Cat before!" Bask laughed. "Come on. I can answer your questions and more. This way! I'll show you to the jewel of Maui Nui."
Bask led the way, and Lion-O heaved a heavy sigh as Panthro clapped him on the shoulder, ushering him along.
"Come on. Nothin' we can do but wait, Lion-O. At least this way we can see possible avenues Mumm-Ra might use to infiltrate the city."
True.
Time to do some recon, then.
Leviathan was their other companion as they walked through the beautiful, stunning underwater city of Maui Nui. Bask filled the silence by chattering up a storm, telling them everything they wanted to know and more about the city.
Lion-O tried to pay attention, but his mind was elsewhere. He was wondering if he should stop and try to communicate with the beast to see if they could enlist its aid. Maybe if he could convince Leviathan to speak to the Sharks as it had him, they would be more than willing to evacuate their city without having talks. They could save as many lives as possible. They could stop anything terrible from happening.
Maybe Leviathan could warn them that Mumm-Ra was planning an invasion and it was only a a matter of time before it happened.
There was too much at stake for them to say no. For one, if Mumm-Ra did show his face, every stone and essence would be in attendance.
Another part of Lion-O wondered if Maui Nui would be the battleground for their final showdown.
The thought sent chills racing down his spine.
Could he be strong enough to stop this glorious city from falling to ruin?
Could he save these animals?
". . . viathan brings the warm water to us." Bask continued, oblivious to Lion-O's morbid thoughts. "That's why Maui Nui is so warm! Leviathan is a kind and gentle beast. It keeps the cold water away and swims around Maui Nui to keep the warm currents circling us. Since it generates so much motion, Maui Nui is protected by a fierce tide outside. If you were to accidentally fall into the water, you'd be swept away!"
"Wow!" Kit and Kat said.
"Does that happen often?" Kit asked.
"On the rare occasion, yes. Leviathan even saved me when I was four years old!"
The trio had taken to quickly building a friendship.
"I'll stay away from the wall." Kat cringed, "I'd rather not be trapped underwater."
"I'd rather not get wet." Kit agreed.
"Leviathan has saved this impulsive pup more times than I can count." Copper spoke up from Lion-O's left. The warrior heaved a sigh. "We think Leviathan may have developed a soft spot for him."
"What does this Leviathan look like?" Tygra asked, looking up at the dome stretching above them. "All I see is a dark blob."
"Our Leviathan is a shy beast," Dusky answered, "None has seen its true colors. We are too deep within the ocean's depths — not even our eyes can pierce the gloom. Were we to try and see Leviathan, we would only see the dark shadow of it. . . unless it were to come in here."
Lion-O didn't think there was any space large enough in Maui Nui to fit Leviathan. So there went that option.
"We're that deep down?" Panthro asked, casting a glance up to the dome.
Dusky nodded. "Very deep. . . I can sense your unease, Cat. Do not worry, the water will never fall on our heads. The magic of Leviathan keeps it at bay."
But for how much longer? Lion-O wondered.
Mumm-Ra would be there soon. He could practically feel it in his bones.
"It was my knowledge that the ocean's fathoms were colder the father away from the surface you dove. It's a wonder that it keeps it so. . . warm." Cheetara commented, discreetly peeling her jacket collar away from her neck.
"The currents are part of it." Bask said. He gestured to the mist that seemed to drape itself over everything in Maui Nui. "Have you noticed the mist? We take the sea water outside and boil it with a few other ingredients to purify it of salt. We use several of our crops to. . . what's the word? Uhm. . . Oh yeah! Desalinate it. I think it all reacts together to make that mist — but we're always purifying water so the boilers are always going. The mist helps retain the heat, too, so I think that's what causes most of our warmth."
"It's too warm. I'm not sure if I like this misty stuff." Kat grumped, kicking at the fog.
"Is it your fur?" Bask asked. "I'm so sorry. We need the pure water to grow some crops we transplanted from aboveland."
"So you can go on land." Lion-O spoke up, "I was wondering. To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen a Shark anywhere on Third Earth until just now."
"We can't leave." Copper spoke up. "not with so much at stake."
"We have too much to guard down here as is." Dusky agreed.
Bask nodded. "Leviathan told us it's very important for every Shark to remain down here. Ready. It tells us everything on the surface, so we're not uninformed. But we do have too much to guard down here. The crops. Our people. And especially this!"
They came around a bend, finally clearing the markets and housing sectors. The lights swiftly changed from multicolored to strictly different shades of blue. Lion-O's mouth dropped as he stared at a massive effigy he'd never seen the likes of before. Not even the statues in Thundera could rival it.
It was carved painstakingly in the shape of a Shark, decorated with accessories and covered in writing and runes and scales. It was gargantuan, easily stretching two or three hundred feet tall. In one hand, it held a trident. Draped across its shoulders was a cape that looked like the one Mako was wearing, and the crown was an exact replica. . .
And oh.
The crown!
"It's the Stone!" He said, "We found the Stone!"
"The Stone's a crown?" Kit asked, quirking her head to the side.
"No, the Stone made the crown." Kat corrected.
"It doesn't matter." Cheetara shushed the pair, "The fact is, we found it. But I have to admit, Lion-O. . . it does not look portable."
The Shark effigy glittered in the ambient lighting, scales shimmering with crystals of its own. The crown that decorated the Shark's head was massive, just as wide and probably three times Lion-O's height. Branches of crystals forked off the main gem, which was wide as it was tall, and thick. If Lion-O had to guess, the Stone probably weighed an easy five hundred pounds all on its own. The Spirit Stone had been bigger, much bigger, but it had also been an abstract thought, a wish, in the Astral Plain.
This was a physical and tangible item.
And the crown jewel resting snugly on the Shark's crown.
"It's damaged." Panthro said, pointing, "What happened?"
He was right. The Stone bore a large, ugly-looking crack across the bottom of it. A soft blue light radiated from it, giving it an ethereal glow.
Lion-O was stunned. He'd never seen a damaged stone before. What did that mean? Was it still functional? Could it still aid in his fight against Mumm-Ra?
"Oh. . . that." Bask said, looking up at it sadly. "That was when I—"
"Hey, what's this?" Kat said, picking up flowers at the base of the Shark statue.
Bask panicked. "Ahhh! Don't touch those, it's bad luck! Those are offerings for dead kings!"
Bask scurried after the kittens, who seemed intent on giving the poor Shark child a heart attack as they started to pick through the flowers, food, money, and gifts, threatening to keep the treasures.
"Some months ago," Copper spoke up, "A thief came and tried to spirit the Stone away. They were unsuccessful, of course, but they damaged the Stone in their attempts. Rather than face capture, they threw themselves into the surf. Leviathan was so distraught it stopped swimming. The ocean was still. We gave chase, but Leviathan — upon realizing the thief's goal — worked itself into a panic. It tossed and turned, creating a violent current."
"We believe Leviathan killed the thief." Dusky continued. "It took us two weeks to collect our scattered Shark brothers and sisters. We can breathe underwater, but some were easily fifteen or thirty miles away from Maui Nui. We can only imagine what Leviathan must have to felt to panic so much."
Lion-O instantly felt himself tense and go on edge. Had Erica and Mumm-Ra already tried to attack the Shark people?
Of course. They probably had.
Lion-O groaned, burying his face into his hands. "Please tell me this isn't happening."
"It is, brother. Just our luck, too." Tygra said, cynically chipper as always. He reached over and gave him a pitying pat on the back. "This thief. Were they about yay tall, white hair, strange-looking?"
Erica.
Just thinking about her brought a tangled snarl of blackened emotions up to the forefront of his heart. In her quest to hurt him, she was willing to set the entire world on fire. And for what, simply over the Cat's accusation that she was a spy? That they'd banished her?
He was right to sentence her to death.
After all this was over, he was going to do it.
"The thief?" Copper repeated. "Uhhh."
"Bask was the only one who saw the thief."
The same Shark child that was now thoroughly distracted by Kit and Kat, who had climbed onto the feet of the Shark statue and were threatening and teasing the poor child that they were going to climb all the way to the top.
"Bask!" Dusky called. "What did the thief look like?"
Bask paused for just a second, looking pensive. He waved at the kittens, and together, the three of them jogged over to the cats and rejoined the group.
"I'm not too certain, actually. I'd uh. . . I snuck out of the house and was going to play when I heard a terrifying crack from the crown. I looked up and i saw a shadow of an animal there."
"Just one?" Lion-O asked.
Bask nodded.
"Yep, just one. The lights were so dim, and Leviathan was so still it scared me. The next thing I know, the thief dropped on top of me and pinned me down. They were soft, I remember that much. They heard the guards and jumped up and threw themselves into the water. It all happened very quickly."
A long moment of silence stretched between everyone as they tried to digest what Bask had told them.
"That. . . certainly doesn't sound like Erica's style." Panthro said, being the first to tentatively break the ice.
"It doesn't." Tygra agreed. "Lately she's been more. . . stabby."
"We're not ruling anything out." Lion-O snapped. He couldn't believe that they were defending her! Traitors. She didn't deserve mercy from anyone.
Lion-O was going to see to that.
"The thief was unlike any we had seen." Copper continued. "They were at the crystal before anybody had even seen them. And our defenses. . ." The Shark trailed off with a little wounded pride stinging his voice.
"We told you." Lion-O said blankly, "She can get through defenses intended for animals—"
Dusky shook his head. "No, you don't understand. Our defenses are still sound. None were tripped. It was almost as though. . . a ghost drifted down here."
Lion-O paused for moment, thinking on what they'd said. Maybe. . . maybe it wasn't Erica. There was a very slim chance that it wasn't (it certainly sounded like her) but even when she breezed through defenses intended for animals, the magic or methods used tended to have a very explosive side effect. If what the Sharks were saying was true, then somehow, months ago, Erica had managed to enter their lair without triggering any alarms at all.
Lion-O was confused on that. If she'd managed to do that here, why had she ripped apart Cybele's defenses so loudly and forcefully?
Glancing around as the others peppered one another with questions and theories, rehashing what little information was available to them, Lion-O saw a darkness glide over the Shark's home. He looked up, seeing Leviathan's bulk passing overhead.
Nobody had answers.
But they said that Leviathan knew many things. It had told them all about life up on the surface.
Maybe Leviathan might. . . ?
Leviathan, Lion-O thought, are you there?
He didn't want to speak out loud — not when Leviathan had already proven that it could get inside of his mind. No need for it. Voiced or not, he'd know if it could hear him. The beast did not react, gliding through the water easily, choosing to swim around Maui Nui.
We need your help. . . I need your help. These people will die if you don't help them. Mumm-Ra is coming. You and I both know that. Erica already tried to steal the stone from you. Please. Please help me. Help me to protect your people.
Silence.
Lion-O let out a pent up sigh he'd been holding, dropping his gaze to the ground.
Well. . . it had been worth a shot.
A hand tugged on his own, and Lion-O looked up to see bask standing in front of him, pulling on him to get his attention.
"King Mako approaches!" Bask said urgently. "Lion-O!"
So soon?
Lion-O perked up, his heart beating quickly. Mako was impassive as he strode toward them, crown and cape absent from his body. Lion-O eagerly scanned the Shark's face for a sign, a tell, on what kind of news he was coming to deliver.
Lion-O swallowed against a tight nervousness in his throat, his hands secretly trembling at his sides. He didn't want to fail. Not these people. Not again. Not—
A hand slipped into his.
Pumyra?
No.
Too short.
Kit.
She gave him a quick, discreet squeeze, and looked up at him with a tentative, very small smile.
"Have faith." She whispered.
He felt floored. Was it just a little while ago that she'd screamed and slapped him across the face? It felt like just yesterday. The one Cat that claimed to have faith in him despite everything. . .
"Our council has concluded." Mako said, standing before them. "It has been decided that we will evacuate. ThunderCats, I hope that you will aid us in our efforts."
Lion-O exhaled deeply, releasing all his dread, all his fear. He smiled, relief pouring through him.
"Of course we will. Cats. . . we've got a job to do."
He wouldn't fail.
Not this time.
Lion-O hissed when a laser came far too close to his cheek for his liking. The heat singed his fur, smoldering in its aftermath. Another quickly followed suit, so he forced himself to concentrate back on the task at hand.
"Shoot faster!" A lizard snapped. "Don't let up the assault!"
He told himself he wouldn't fail.
That he'd protect these people, their homes, their livelihood.
But I did fail. I messed it all up.
He wasn't sure who was winning — Mumm-Ra's forces or their own. But he had a sick feeling churning in his stomach, a dread he just couldn't shake off. In the water around Maui Nui, violent purple flashes of light kept bursting into existence before flickering away, dying, and then blazing to life again in a different location. Mumm-Ra was waging war with Leviathan, never once letting up the assault. Occasionally the whole of Maui Nui quivered from one or both of them impacting with the water-dome.
Lion-O feared that the rock, delicate and beautiful, holding up the ocean itself, would break soon.
Water was already starting to drip in several large streams from the ceiling.
He wasn't sure who was winning, but he prayed to every god that was listening that it was Leviathan.
Without the constant circling of the beast, Maui Nui was quickly starting to cool as the warm currents separated from it. The absence of heat made the mist almost chilly when it brushed against his legs and body. He disturbed it as he danced, repelling laser shots as quickly as they were coming, arms lifting and batting, defending and parrying.
He didn't know where everyone was — or how the other Cats were faring. He was too busy trying to just survive himself. He had to believe in everyone, though. In their abilities. They were battle-hardened, tried, tested, and true. They could do this. With so much at stake, they could win. Lion-O just had to have faith in his people.
He had to have faith in himself.
A laser glanced off of his breastplate, but Lion-O rocked back, the wind knocked out of him. He leaned against the rock, eyes narrowing as the lizards pressed their advantage. Lasers streaked towards him — but the Spirit Stone rebuffed them, encasing him in a protective, pink bubble. Lion-O took precious moments to drop to his knees, sucking in deep, steadying breaths. His arms and legs were shaking from the non-stop action, and he felt fatigue threatening to drag him down.
He had to rest. He had to recuperate.
The shield promised him this, but he did not know for how long.
Things had gone south so quickly. They'd promised to help with the evacuation efforts, he reminded himself grimly. And they had. Mako had commanded Maui Nui to deploy its strongest warriors to defend strategic entry and exists that only the Sharks knew. Lion-O had helped coordinate the evacuation, waving and guiding the Sharks in a calm and orderly manner. He'd been so hopeful, so relieved. Somebody had listened to him. They could minimize damage and death to the best of their abilities.
The Sharks had armed themselves with bolas, tridents, and spears.
When the citizens had emptied, secreting themselves into hidden tunnels leading away from the city, a hysterical woman's voice had cracked across the eerily quiet city.
"Bask!" She'd all but screamed, "Where is my son? Bask! BASK —"
It had been Hamera.
But then Mumm-Ra had appeared, his energy and presence cracking through the water like a lightning bolt.
Lion-O honestly hadn't expected the monster to come himself, but it made sense. The ocean, cloaked in a special darkness all its own, ensured the sun could never touch him in Maui Nui. They hadn't actually seen the mummified bag of bones, but there had been a bright, blinding purple flash (interrupting Hamera), and then Leviathan had cried out in pain. The scream the beast emitted had made everyone cringe, like sharp talons scraping across a flattened stone. Then there had been an equally loud crack, and Plundarr itself had sped through the water-dome, impaling itself onto a rock.
Mumm-Ra had been quick to recall his weapon, the sword freeing itself and zipping back into the ocean, but Lion-O had still been startled to see it.
Mumm-Ra had been explicitly hands-off until that point, trusting his generals to do his dirty work.
A laser glanced off Lion-O's shield, making him look up at the lizards who were trying to shoot him dead.
His hands started to tremble, much as he tried to still them.
This is the final battleground, he thought, where we animals make our last stand.
We can't afford to lose!
But they'd already lost precious ground they could not afford to. The last of their defenses had been pushed back by the tides of Mumm-Ra's lizard army to the bend before the Shark effigy. And Mumm-Ra's generals had set upon the Cats with a ferociousness Lion-O had never seen.
Without Pumyra, and with hordes of lizards joining the fray, the tides weren't as easy to beat back. The Shark warriors were strong, but lasers were faster and more deadly than bolas or spears.
Lion-O had been fighting for what felt like hours, beating back lizard after lizard.
Their arrival had been heralded by diving machines breaking through the water dome, opening their hatches and unleashing hordes of lizards. Almost the same amount that had flooded Thundera. Thankfully, the giant, strange-looking machines plugged the holes they created, keeping flooding to a minimum, but every animal present had still been shocked.
"How did they break through the current?" Cried a Shark warrior.
"Leviathan is no longer circling Maui Nui! The water is still!"
And then the machines had opened, the lizards pouring out.
And the war had begun.
I need to get up, Lion-O thought through gritted teeth. I have to get up and do something.
He was Lion-O, King of the ThunderCats, chosen champion of the stones, was cowering behind a shield because he felt too off-balance to fight back. He had promised that they wouldn't fail the Sharks, but here he was, willing to give up on them. Willing to fail.
"No." He hissed to himself.
Taking up Omens in his hands, Lion-O sucked in a deep breath, tensed his muscles, and swung it.
The shield exploded outward, knocking back the lizards who were trying to kill him. They all toppled to the ground, knocked down by the concussive blast of the shield breaking. Lion-O didn't know the extent of their injuries, and he didn't care. He couldn't afford to care. If only Tygra could have heard Lion-O's thoughts, he was sure that his brother would have laughed, made some smart quip on how much he'd changed over the course of their journey.
Lion-O leaped up onto the rim of the rock, grateful to be out of the pit. The lizards had managed to push Lion-O into the natural indent, and had surrounded the rim and fired down into it. It had been incredibly disadvantageous, but he'd survived it.
All that mattered now, was that he escaped, and that was all —
A sword slashed in front of his face, making Lion-O bite out a sharp curse. "Whiskers!"
He jumped back, dodging the strike, and prepped his guard. When he realized who was holding that sword, however. . . all of his logic flew out the window.
In the span of a few seconds, he launched himself at Erica, giving her everything he had. She held her blades in each hand, striking and parrying and clashing with omens as she tried to break his guard. Lion-O was eager to respond in kind.
Blood.
He wanted her blood.
He wanted to see her writhe in pain for everything that she'd done to him. To her. Lion-O had lost track of the amount of times they sustained nicks and grazes as their swords bit into one another, drawing mild gashes and cuts.
Her blood left a heavy copper scent in the air, heavier and tangier than his own.
It was a revolting smell.
He was disgusted by everything about her.
Erica dropped her guard, moving to try and strike him a second time, and Lion-O was quick to bat her sword away, opening her up. Omens was occupied, keeping her other sword locked on his own, leaving only one of his hands free. Erica cursed, realizing the position she was in, and Lion-O was glad to hear it. He curled his fingers into his palm and cocked his fist back and punched.
He was fairly certain he felt something fracturing in her mouth when his hand connected.
It was decidedly satisfying to watch her sprawl into a heap of human as she fell onto the ground, spitting blood out of her mouth.
"You're going to pay." Lion-O hissed, advancing on her slowly, his hand locked over Omen's hilt. "For everything you've done."
Erica looked up at him, blue eyes reflecting a sharp grief and rage that in no way could parallel his own.
He'd lost Pumyra.
She'd lost Sunny.
An animal life could not compare to one of a machine.
Erica got up, attempting to stand, but Lion-O was quick to kick her down, flipping her onto her back. Before she could react, Lion-O punched her a second time, catching her in the nose. It made a rather satisfying popping noise under his hand as he broke it, and the gush of blood that accompanied was cathartic. She deserved to bleed. To be in pain. Ghost Echo, if she saw what he was doing, wisely made no move to show herself and intervene. Grabbing Omens, Lion-O lifted it up and decisively brought it down, impaling it just a hair's breadth over her head.
"Just do it, you coward." She spat, blood dribbling onto her perfect little uniform.
Lion-O uttered a harsh growl.
"Shut up. You're going to look me in the eye and tell me you killed her! You tell me you murdered Pumyra!"
Erica looked up at him, blue eyes narrowing in rage.
"You murdered Sunny, you son of a bitch. He was innocent!"
"So was she!"
"She killed herself!"
Lion-O, rage stoked, snarled in bloodthirsty rage as he drew back Omens. He tucked it into his gauntlet, safekeeping his sword. She didn't deserve to be stabbed through with Omens a second time. That would be too easy, too merciful. He was going to make sure her death was slow and painful. He was going to watch the last of her breaths leave her body as he choked them out of her.
Lion-O lifted a fist, readying to—
"So emotional. Panthro has taught you nothing."
Something hard and unrelenting smashed into the back of his neck.
The world turned varying shades of gray immediately.
Lion-O felt his body collapse numbly to the ground, sprawling over the smooth rocks. Consciousness began to draw away from his body, and his eyes slowly started to roll back.
"That was not the plan." Grune's voice continued.
Erica glared at him from her place on the ground.
"I don't give a shit. I wanted to get a few licks in. I'll just —"
"Get up. I'll secure him. You are to report to Lord Mumm-Ra."
Erica snarled, scrubbing blood off of her face. She looked at him, glaring outright acidic hate at Lion-O, before she got up, collecting her fallen swords.
Lion-O's eyes finally closed.
I. . . I did fail. . . after all. . .
"Kneel." Slythe growled.
His head was throbbing as he stared at the floor of the dais, his vision swimming for a moment. Slythe, impatient, grabbed his shoulder and forced him down with a heavy hand. Lion-O winced as his knees cracked against the stone, his greaves only doing so much to minimize the impact. He was embarrassed and ashamed as he knelt, tied up and trussed like some prize beast, hunted down. He wasn't the only one who had suffered the same fate, either. All the Cats were tied up and kneeling in a row, Mako and a handful of surviving Shark warriors at the end of the line.
No Kit and Kat. . . where are they?
Safe, he had to pray. Safe and sound and far, far away from the awful tragedy he was sure would take place here. He felt awful, his head pounding, the worst headache of his life thundering in his skull. Getting hit by Grune hurt. Lion-O didn't think he ever wanted to repeat it.
Breathing out a heavy, shaky breath, Lion-O tried to still the trembling in his hands.
The final battleground, and he'd allowed his emotions to cloud his judgement.
Tilting his head back, Lion-O looked up at the water dome, instead of Mumm-Ra's forces, gathered around them.
I'm so sorry, he said, feeling tears threatening to gather in his eyes, for failing you. Your people. The planet. The universe.
Leviathan's body was resting on top of the dome, casting a large shadow on them all. Lion-O knew it was dead. . . he knew because Mumm-Ra was standing just tens of feet away from him, Omens and gauntlet clenched tightly in his mummified hands, one of which was clad in his own gauntlet. The gauntlet was snarling, the Stones fighting against him, snapping and cracking. The mummy was having a difficult time sliding his hand into the gauntlet, but he finally managed it.
Lion-O watched as he snatched his hand back, extricating it from the lightning trap the Stones had turned his gauntlet into. He held the essence in his hands, rolling it around between his fingers. Almost carelessly, he chucked the gauntlet onto the floor. Where was the fourth essence? Had he already implanted it into the Tech Stone?
"You foolish Cats," Mumm-Ra hissed, voice black and oily, "Time and time again, you think you can stand against me. It is no matter, I have finally won. All that remains now is for you to witness my grandest victory. I want you to remember this moment, how I carved history to my desires. . . for as long as I let you live, anyway."
"A fan of grand theatrics?" Cheetara hissed, "Just kill us and be done with it!"
Lion-O agreed with her. He didn't want his nose to be rubbed in this. He didn't want salt to be poured in the wound. He closed his eyes, wishing he could shut the world out forever. He felt guilty and ashamed. And though he knew he should be glaring down Mumm-Ra and biting out insults to the end, he just. . . couldn't bring himself to do it. Mumm-Ra chuckled, though, and he knew he couldn't. He had to sit and watch. Mumm-Ra was right. He had to bear witness to his greatest failure of all.
Mumm-Ra inserted the essence into the Tech Stone, and his gauntlet came to life, red lines flaring green as the stone responded to its heart.
"In time, my dear. All in good time. I do so despise loose ends, and here I have so many dangling before me. The child king of the ThunderCats. . . how does it feel to be faced with such failure?"
Lion-O grit his teeth, though the pressure made his headache throb in response. He dropped his head away angrily, refusing to hold the gaze of his greatest foe. His mind was swimming, churning with probabilities and theories. If he'd managed to repel the lizards just a few minutes earlier, would he have encountered Erica? If he hadn't, how might he have changed the outcome of what had happened? If he had encountered Erica, what if he'd struck her down immediately instead of seeing red and needing revenge for Pumyra's death?
And Erica. . . where was she? Not in front of them, not by Mumm-Ra's side. Behind them, then?
"Look up, Cat!" Kaynar hissed, seizing his mane painfully and twisting his head up. "Look up at your Lord!"
Lion-O felt tears in his eyes, but whether it was from his mane or something else, he didn't know.
Mumm-Ra laughed, the sound sick and oily.
"So lost in the depths of despair you are. I can see it now. The child king ponders on what might have been, if he had been stronger. But you animals are foolish. You will never stand against my might. For centuries, I have forged myself in wars the likes of which none of you will ever understand. But it is time for me to ascend. To see my dreams realized."
Grabbing Plundarr, and with more strength than Lion-O thought that Mumm-Ra could have in his shrivelled body, he extended the blade. His eyes were on the final stone.
From the corner of his eye, Mako shook his head. "For all that is holy and precious, don't—"
Addicus reared back and smacked the Shark king, sending him toppling face first into the ground.
"Quiet." The ape growled.
Mumm-Ra hadn't even noticed, nor did he seem to care.
He prepped for the next swing, and in moments, he threw Plundarr. For a second, Lion-O feared it was all an act, and he would simply behead them all in one fell strike, but Plundarr's course was not destined for them. It arched up to the beautiful crown on the Shark statue, and with a thunderous crack, pierced the area behind the crown jewel with a fine precision. And for a long, tense eternity, there was no sound, no movement. Lion-O even doubted that anyone was breathing. Lion-O prayed that the stone would not be so easily removed, that the Sharks had booby-trapped it the way the clerics had the Book of Omens.
But Lion-O felt dread knot his stomach so tightly he swore it was cramping. Cracks branched in the crystal around it, destabilizing the crown, and a heartbeat later, it shattered. All but the crown jewel itself fractured, falling from the Shark statue. Lion-O watched with a lead-filled heart as the broken parts fell to the dais with an equally loud thoom. His ears rang, only exacerbating his headache, and dust and debris from the battle went flying towards them.
Pieces of the crystal, sharp and ready to impale them, whistled through the air, intent on impaling them—
Only to shatter or fall to the ground as they impacted with an invisible shield.
The dust settled seconds later, and Lion-O sat there, breathing heavily, as steady footsteps circled from around back of them, originating somewhere behind him. His earlier theory had been right — Erica had been behind them all. She strode forward, dropping her hand as she moved towards Mumm-Ra.
"I am pleased to see that your recent injury has not affected your abilities, beloved."
There was blood all over the front of her face. Lion-O looked at her, wanting to hate her, wanting to blame her for everything that had happened — but he was at fault and he knew it. And he needed to start getting his act together. Things looked hopeless for him now, but did they always? He'd pulled their hides out of the fires more times than he could count. He could do it again. He just had to have faith in himself. No more pity-parties. No more weeping. He needed to be a king and pull through for his people.
"I'm fine." Erica said, scrubbing at some dried blood. "Let's just hurry up. I don't like this place."
A flash of blue caught Lion-O's eye.
His mouth damn near dropped open when he saw three decidedly familiar heads peeking over the edge of the dais, looking at them all. Bask. Kit. Kat. They'd managed to hide themselves away. Kit looked at him, and Lion-O shook his head sharply. The last thing he needed was the kittens and Hamera's child popping over the lip of the dais and trying to rescue them.
Mumm-Ra recalled Plundarr again, the blade singing as it unlodged itself from the rock and flew back into Mumm-Ra's hands. The mummy didn't move as he caught it, seemingly strong enough to stand the force of it.
Lion-O looked at Erica, panicking as she shifted, wondering if she'd spotted the youngest members of their party by the dais.
But she looked. . . off.
She was staring explicitly at the stone, a strange expression on her face. What was it? Relief? Guilt? Anger? He didn't know.
But for some reason, it unsettled him.
"Lieutenant," Mumm-Ra rasped, gesturing to the crown, "If you'd be so kind as to retrieve the crystal for me, I would greatly appreciate it. I want our esteemed guests to watch."
Erica looked at Mumm-Ra, flicking those blue eyes to him, and then to the line of hostages — to him.
And Lion-O noticed that her expression was different. Genuine. She was. . . she was hesitating.
It had been seconds since the command had been given, and instead of smirking and stalking over to it with dark glee on her face, she seemed. . . uncertain.
For a long moment, Lion-O held her gaze, puzzling as he stared at her. She looked uncertain, rage and grief and insanity decidedly absent.
She opened her mouth, looking right at him, as though she were about to say something—
"Lieutenant." Mumm-Ra prompted.
Erica startled, blinking away from him.
"Yes sir, my apologies."
And she began to walk to the crystal, boots stepping over the ground. Each echo of her footstep was like a countdown to when they'd die.
Lion-O swallowed back his pride. He forced himself to stomach his dread, his despair, his grief, his everything. As turbulent as his emotions were, he knew that if Mumm-Ra got his hands on that stone, it was all over. Every essence was there, Leviathan's having been harvested since he fell in battle. He could only guess where it was. And if he sat idly by, Third Earth. . . no, not just Third Earth — the entire universe would fall victim to Mumm-Ra.
"Erica." He hashed, having difficulty trying to speak as he tried to keep his words straight, "Please. Please. Don't do this. You know what he's done. What he's going to do! He's going to kill us all!"
Kaynar laughed, fingers tangling in his mane that much tighter. "Silly cat king, thinking he can change things—"
"Release him." Mumm-Ra ordered. "I do so love watching drama unfold."
He sounded positively gleeful. Mumm-Ra's. . . Mumm-Ra's hands were shaking.
Why is Mumm-Ra trembling? He has no fear. He's won.
Regardless, Kaynar did as commanded. Lion-O shook his head, using his pain to help him focus.
Erica stopped in front of the crystal. When it had fallen, it had twisted, the crack (and the glowing light) was facing away from them.
"Erica, please. Listen to me!"
Mumm-Ra grated out a caustic laugh.
"Appealing to the human now, child king? After everything you've done. You killed an innocent, went against your oh-so-holy pious morals. I wonder what Omens must think of you now. . ."
Erica reached a hand out, touching the crystal. She slowly began to make her way around it, dragging her hand over its uneven surface, never once looking at him.
Lion-O grit his teeth, ignoring the barbs.
Erica came to the crack, and she unsheathed one of her swords, lining it up to the crack. Lion-O knew there was an opening. He could see it. Her hands were shaking as she held her sword.
"Erica, I'm begging you. He's going to slaughter everyone."
Erica looked at him finally, glancing up for just a moment, a single fraction of a second, and Lion-O could see indecisiveness and fear there—
And then she drove the sword down into the crack.
The jewel hissed.
What?
Erica stepped back as it began to move, separating of its own accord, obscuring her from view. A gentle blue light spilled over the reflective crystals that had fallen around the stone, highlighting her shadow as she moved.
Lion-O felt his heart sink into his stomach, his tears burning his eyes. He didn't care who saw.
He'd failed.
The whole of Third Earth was going to die, and it was his fault.
Erica moved, retrieving the Stone, her footsteps light and echoing as she began to walk back from the crystal, holding her prize.
She appeared a heartbeat later, but instead of what Lion-O expected. . .
She was walking backwards, her hands clutched tightly to her chest, something metallic sparkling in the dull light, wrapped around her left hand.
The Stone. . .
Erica took a step, another — and then she stumbled, falling down, landing heavily on her backside. Her mouth had dropped open, and her eyes were wide.
Where's the Stone — in her hands? Is that's what's sparkling?
"I. . . I can't. . . I don't. . ." She stuttered, shaking her head. In a flurry of movements, she twisted herself around, both hands clenched as she used the ground to brace herself and look at her master.
"What. . . what is going on?" She asked, her voice shaking and fragile.
Silence reigned supreme, interrupted only by the sound of dripping water.
Lion-O hardly felt his headache anymore. His own mind was spinning, unable to understand what was transpiring. Where was the crystal — in her hands? Why did Erica look so frightened? Was this some sort of test?
Erica tensed, anger flashing through her eyes.
"What the fuck — a-answer me! What the fuck is going on?!" Erica yelled, desperation and something like hysteria lacing her voice.
After a pregnant silence, Mumm-Ra grinned, his mouth gaping wide like a wound.
Erica flinched.
"How does it feel?" Mumm-Ra purred, his smile widening. "To have every voice, every fiber of your being screaming at you to stop, to turn back? Were you sick, I wonder? Did your stomach knot? Your hands were trembling when you held your blade. You wanted to tell me no. You wanted to stop. But you did not. You followed me."
Erica bolted up to her feet, looking down at her hands. Her entire body was quivering now, and she was shaking her head. She took a few steps back, but she hit the crystal. She made a startled squeaking noise before she backpedaled away, as though it had physically burned her.
"So blind. So pathetically loyal, even to the bitter end."
She looked as though she'd been slapped.
Lion-O understood. He felt like Kit had slapped him again, too.
Nobody understood what the hell was going on.
"I. . . I don't. . . I c-can't—" Erica's hands flew up to her head, pressing against her temples in pain. The metal string glittered on her left hand, stretched over her fingers.
Mumm-Ra laughed, almost hysterically. He wasn't panicking, nor lost in despair. He was happy. Almost uncontrollably so.
It was downright terrifying. Lion-O didn't think he ever wanted to hear him laugh like that again.
"You ignored every warning. Every sign. And this is what your stupidity has wrought you!"
Erica hissed, shaking her head.
"My h-head—"
Mumm-Ra only laughed harder.
"Now they seek to warn you! How foolish. How utterly stupid and prideful. Humanity has been far, far too shortsighted and flawed. We waged a war for generations! Endless bloodshed with no logic, no purpose! How many hundreds of thousands did we slaughter in our own conquest for power?"
He chuckled, looking at Plundarr. "I get the last laugh. I seized the very power we were hoping to wield. Soon, it will be mine in whole!"
Erica wrenched her eyes shut, as though his words were swords slicing into her. She stood there, blood dripping out her hand as the stone cut into her skin. Was it rejecting her? Was it trying to escape from her? Why were her knuckles bleaching out to white? With a pained groan, she dropped to her hands and knees, breathing short and raspy, as though she were injured.
"My Lord," Grune said, breaking rank and walking to Mumm-Ra's side, "Is it time? Will you finally give me what I am owed?"
"Oh yes, general. Our contract has been fulfilled." He grinned, red eyes glowing.
Grune nodded before he stalked over to Erica.
Lion-O was lost. Confused. So, so confused. What was happening? What the hell was going on?
Grune said nothing. He merely grabbed Erica by the back of her neck and hefted her up onto her feet as though she were a weak, helpless kitten. The human staggered, about to fall over again, and Grune responded by picking her up and roughly shoving her towards the crystal.
Erica stumbled, but caught herself on it, using it as a prop to remain upright. Her eyes were slits as she stared at him, breathing quick and labored.
Grune's reached for his hammer, unholstering it from his back.
"Do you wonder why I protected you? It was not out of pity or the kindness of my heart. It was merely to take your place." He said, placing the top of his hammer on the ground. He held the hilt loosely in his hand as he stood in front of Erica, towering over her.
"I am not without honor. The Astral Plains showed me many things, human child. A great many things. Truths and understanding beyond any Cat's wildest dreams. But it also showed me your truth. . . or, at the very least, a part of it."
He trailed off, looking at Omens, safely tucked in its gauntlet and laying on the ground next to Mumm-Ra.
"You waged a duel, all those years ago. A duel that I must see to the end. Omens will be mine. And to win it, I must fight you. To your feet, child. We will duel, as you did, long ago. And I will win and take your place to fight for Omens."
Erica shook her head. "I can't stand. My head—"
Before she could finish, Grune hefted up the hammer and brought it down.
Erica only just had time to duck out of the way, tucking and rolling.
"Stop—"
Grune gave her no reprieve. Erica did her best to duck, weave, and dive out of the way, but Grune was going at her with the intent of pounding her into the ground. Mumm-Ra watched, laughing, seemingly uncaring about the fate of his human comrade.
Grune finally managed to strike Erica with his hammer, and the blow was devastating. She was sent flying back — and she hit the Stone. Crystal shards shattered from the force of her impact, and Erica let out a sound Lion-O had never heard before. A half-wheeze, half-cry. She dropped to her knees, the crystal breaking and falling around her.
Lion-O was confused on what he saw at underneath the crystal. It was. . . it was. . . black? The inside of the crystal was black?
Erica coughed, blood hitting the ground in front of her.
Grune smacked his hammer down in frustration, cracking the stone floor with a loud clang. The general was bristling with anger, his fur standing on end.
"Fight!" He snarled. "Give me what I am owed!"
Erica stared at her hands, at the blood that dripped from her lips. She didn't move.
Grune snarled, hefting up his hammer, charging up a laser.
Lion-O realized that if she didn't move, something bad was going to happen. Something he wasn't sure he wanted to find out. Not her death — something else. Something much more sinister.
If Erica lost. . .
Lion-O breathed in. "Erica, fight!"
She looked up at him, tilting her head back. Her face was illuminated by the sickly green glow of Grune's laser. Shadows flashed over her face, making her look more than alien for a few long moments. Hearbeats passed as Grune's laser got stronger, the whine nearing its highest pitch. Lion-O felt his heart clenching in his chest.
"ERICA!"
The fog in her eyes cleared, and Erica swiped at her mouth with her clenched hand, smearing blood across her lips.
The laser fired.
Lion-O watched as Erica jumped, her foot catching on nothing in the air. She hovered there, suspended by emptiness, her feet resting on an invisible platform. The laser impacted with the crystal, sending it skittering backwards. The crystal that had hinged up caught on the Shark statue, making a decidedly metal crunch as it crumpled onto the feet of the Shark. Kit, Kat, and Bask, still undetected, flinched as the oversized jewel almost collapsed on top of them. Luck was looking out for somebody at least. Bask pointed, and the trio made their way around, disappearing from sight.
Lion-O prayed they would run away from Maui Nui.
Erica stood in the air, glaring down at Grune, her clenched hand refusing to uncurl, blood dripping from it in a steady stream. Lion-o didn't know what was wrapped around her fingers to make them sparkle, but it too, looked vaguely metal.
"Fight!" Grune barked.
Erica obeyed him instantly, her invisible platform disappearing. She refused to draw two swords — she kept her fist tight to her chest as she unsheathed only one and began to fight Grune. Her laser edge crackled to life as she attacked him.
Lion-O didn't know why she was crippling herself.
You can't lose, he thought, his stomach clenching. You can't.
Grune and Erica fought, Grune seeking to kill the human. He came at her, holding nothing back, swinging his hammer with bloodlust in his eyes. Erica used her mind to stop the hammer, deflecting it and its force. The hammer went down at an angle, cracking as it became embedded in the rock. She swiped at his head with her sword. Grune abandoned his hammer, ducking under the sword—
And he tackled her.
Erica let out a gasp, but that was all she had time to do. Grune crashed to the ground, the pair of them spilling over the dais. He twisted so Erica took the brunt of the fall, her chest smacking into the smooth, flat rocks. Her other hand, clenched tightly into a fist, opened on reflex. The sparkling glimmer in her hand slid out, sliding across the floor, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
Whether it was fate, or merely chance, Lion-O did not know. But it had skidded to a halt close enough that he could get a good look at it. He glanced down to see what Erica had been holding onto so desperately.
It was two, thin pieces of metal. Dark. Sleek. Like two computer chips held together on a chain. Was this the Stone? But. . . but that wasn't right. There was writing — engraving — on the computer chips. What did it say?
Erica's pained wheeze made him look up again. Before she could react, Grune tangled his hand in her messy white hair. He lifted her head up.
And then he smashed it down.
Lion-O wanted to look away.
He really did.
But he couldn't.
Mumm-Ra's general did not stop at one blow.
Two times. Three times. Four times. . . five.
Erica went still, and finally Grune declared it a victory. He rolled off the top of her, and when Erica remained still, he nodded his head. A part of Lion-O, despite the savagery of what he'd just witnessed, relished it. The dark part of him was glad that Erica had been so wounded. The other, much more saner part, was horrified.
"This is what bested you?" Grune demanded, getting to his feet and looking down at Erica's still body with open disappointment, "Child's play."
Mumm-Ra was walking forward, waving his hand. "The circumstances back then, general, were. . . decidedly different. She stood against me longer than any had. The question is. . . will you?"
It hadn't been a fair fight. Lion-O knew that. Erica had seemed. . . caught off guard. Distracted. She'd crippled herself by holding those strange computer chips in her hand. If those chips were important, Grune didn't seem to care as he walked past it, tugging his hammer out of the ground where Erica had lodged it.
Grune smiled, insanity and obsession dancing in his eyes.
"I will. And I will win."
And he launched himself at Mumm-Ra.
"Ancient Spirits of Evil, transform this decayed form into Mumm-Ra, the Ever-Living!"
The air became thick as Mumm-Ra transformed in record timing, abandoning his withered corpse for a muscled titan.
What followed was another fight. One that Lion-O paid some attention to — but his mind was elsewhere. As Grune and Mumm-Ra exchanged blows, Plundarr striking against Grune's hammer as he sought to overthrow his master, Lion-O tried to think. None of this was making sense.
If those computer chips in front of him, were, indeed, the Stone, why were they two? Why had Mumm-Ra not collected them himself? He'd sent Erica to do it. And she'd been scared, had reacted strangely. What Mumm-Ra had told her confused her. And why had she been in pain? What warnings had been given to her — was it Leviathan?
A quick glance up revealed the darkness of Leviathan still laying above them. It hadn't moved.
Not possible. Leviathan was dead.
Then who was warning her?
The crystal had been damaged before they'd arrived. A thief had tried to spirit it away. If Erica had already been there, she wouldn't have been scared of its contents — whatever they may be.
And why was the crystal blue on the outside, but the inside was. . . metal?
Grune cried out in pain, a purple flash of light blinding everyone as Mumm-Ra blasted him backward. He actually collided with Erica, who toppled further away from the fight. . .
. . . and closer to them.
Her face was a mess. It was swollen, her lips were split, and her nose was still broken from their altercation earlier. A rather decent knot was forming on her forehead from where Grune had struck her. But her chest was rising and falling — she was still alive.
Mumm-Ra laughed, his armor brighter and more powerful, enhanced by the Tech Stone and Spidera's essence.
Lion-O. . . he had to do something.
So much was happening he didn't understand. What were those computer chips?
"Erica." He called.
She did not stir.
Mumm-Ra's and Grune's weapons clashing against each other was drowning out his voice.
"Erica!" He yelled. "Erica, wake up! Wake up! You have to get up!"
Her eyes flickered behind her eyelids, her breathing hitched a notch.
"Erica, you have to get up! Get. Up! WAKE UP!"
Miraculously, she did.
Lion-O breathed out a sigh of relief. He hated her. He hated her, but he hated Mumm-Ra more than he hated Erica.
She stirred, eyes flicking open, albeit they were clouded with pain and a confused daze.
"Erica." Lion-O said, locking eyes with her, "Free us. We can help you. But you have to hurry! Mumm-Ra's going to be done soon!"
Erica made a pained groan, but she rolled over, slowly, drunkenly, flipping onto her stomach. She started to slowly push herself up, one hand sliding out, following the blood trail. . . and she grabbed the computer chips.
"Erica, please-"
"Ah, I see you're solving problems with that thick head of yours, lieutenant." Mumm-Ra crooned.
Lion-O looked up. . . and he blanched.
Grune was. . . Grune was. . .
The sound he made when Plundarr sliced across his chest wasn't one Lion-O wished he could repeat. The general collapsed in a puddle of blood, a death rattle wheezing through the air. Carelessly, he disposed of Grune, chucking him to the ground. Lion-O felt his mouth go dry as the hulking monstrosity grinned, thin lips stretching into another gaping wound of a smile, and he began to walk over. Lion-O tried to plead with Erica to get up, to hurry and get to them, to free them all.
And maybe she did try.
But it wasn't good enough.
Mumm-Ra flipped her over onto her back, and reached down, wrapping his hands around her throat. As easily as though she were a newborn cub, he lifted her up, holding her at arm's length.
Lion-O bristled, enraged that every time he'd seen an opportunity to help, to try and get them out of their current situation, the opportunity had been ripped away from him.
"You honorless, disgusting monster!" Lion-O hissed. "Good to know the great and powerful Mumm-Ra employs filthy tactics to win his own fight. What was the purpose of this? You got what you wanted! Just finish it already!"
"I haven't." Mumm-Ra said calmly, "But I will. Soon. Do you begrudge a person for saving their victory? How long ago was it your ancestors overthrew me?"
Lion-O snarled.
"You have everything—"
"No." Mumm-Ra said, looking at Lion-O. "I do not. There are four Stones of Power. Between us, child king, there are only three Stones present. And this last stone, The Soul Stone. . . It is a smart, and crafty force. Far too intelligent for its own good."
Mumm-Ra squeezed Erica's throat, and the human wheezed, hands coming up to try and pry it off. With two sharp nails, Mumm-Ra grabbed the computer chips Erica was holding and plucked them out of her grip.
Carelessly, he tossed them at Lion-O. The ThunderCat blinked when he deposited the chips onto his lap. Erica's blood seeped into his pants, and he stared, hard, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Why would Mumm-Ra just give him the Stones? Was he expecting Lion-O to duel him as well?
"If it's a duel you want, release me. I'll use this Stone and—" Lion-O hissed.
"That? That is not the Stone, child king. I just told you the Soul Stone is a wise, intelligent presence. It orchestrated this madness, I'm sure. But even forces such as this can be tamed. Broken. . . Can't they?"
Mumm-Ra had never taken his eyes off of Erica.
"You would assume it would not attempt to protect itself?"
"She's. . . she's the Stone?!"
Lion-O wasn't sure who said it. Maybe it was himself. But he felt stunned.
She was—
"No." Mumm-Ra said. "But what a clever ploy. Attempting to protect yourself. But it is time to heed your master's will again."
Mumm-Ra released her.
A dark power stirred in the air as he chanted, his hands moving in tandem to each other, drawing symbols in the air—
And Erica screamed.
A bright, white-blue light whisped off of her skin, curling like a fog. Mumm-Ra held out his hand, curling his talons inward as the mist from Erica arched towards it, meandering, uncaring of her pain—
Kat's flank wrapped around Mumm-Ra's face, pulling taut, yanking his neck back. Kit ran forward, and instead of using her flupe. . . she. . .
She kicked him.
Mumm-Ra staggered, caught completely off guard as the kittens attacked him. Bask raced forward, dodging two lizards as he ran towards Erica and the wispy light. Lion-O called out to the Shark child, but his voice died in his throat as he saw Basks's face.
The child did not look scared.
He looked. . . ancient. Those eyes had seen far too much for the ages, and they held a surprising darkness. The child ran up, grabbing onto the white-blue fog, and Lion-O sat there and stared dumbly as he watched the Shark child deflect the fog back onto Erica.
The effect was explosive. Erica went rocketing backward, toppling over the dais, limbs flailing as she rag-dolled away, striking against the rocks and breaking through the water barrier that protected Maui Nui. The water stirred in seconds, whisking the human way.
"What. . . what. . ."
"NO!" Mumm-Ra roared, grabbing Kat's wires and flinging the kitten away.
Kit did not share an equal fate. Mumm-Ra seized her, bodily grabbing her and throwing her. She collided with Panthro.
"Lion-O."
He blinked.
Bask was in front of him, bending down on one knee.
"Bask—"
"Listen, O King of Kings. Your struggle will not end here. Maui Nui will not become your tomb. Your destiny awaits you on the surface, but the hour rapidly approaches. Find the human. Keep your heart strong, and your resolve stronger."
Not Bask.
This is. . .
"Leviathan?!"
Ba—Leviathan smiled.
Behind him, Mumm-Ra charged power — or was trying to, before the rocks above him cracked, sending a cascade of water down upon him.
And as though that had triggered an event, the rocks everywhere began to crack and splinter, sending water down in great deluges. But Bask. . . and the Cats. . . they were safe. The water did not touch them.
"A year ago, I instilled my essence into the body of this child, when he first fell into my domain. I needed a place to house my essence. I sensed such a travesty might occur. . . I took the necessary precautions."
A purple flash.
Mumm-Ra was not so easily dissuaded.
Lion-O shook his head, lost and confused, his heart seizing in his chest. "I don't understand. I don't know what's going on!"
"You will. In time. For now, we must part ways. . . thank you, Lion-O. You kept my people safe. Many survived today because of your actions. You didn't fail me. I heard your prayers. And now, I answer them. As you have defended mine, I shall defend you. May we meet in another life, another time. Safe travels."
Mumm-Ra, roaring with energy and rage, burst through the water, Plundarr glittering in what little light remained in Maui Nui.
Leviathan frowned, turning, racing to confront Mumm-Ra.
"No! No!"
If Leviathan heard him, he did not respond. The water was quickly flooding all of Maui Nui, the ocean rushing to fill the gaping hole the Sharks had created. And it wrapped around him, filtering everything through a watery lens. The other Cats were wrapped, as well, but that was the last thing Lion-O saw. His pocket of air began to zip through the water, rushing away from Mumm-Ra and Leviathan at dizzying speeds.
He saw flashes of purple, fading as he was whisked away.
And then a blinding, brilliant explosion of light, growing dimmer and dimmer as the bubble raced away—
And then it popped.
Lion-O panicked, his hands still bound, his mind disoriented and confused. He didn't know which way was up or down. He couldn't see. He couldn't breathe!
He panicked, his lungs burning, his eyes stinging from the salt.
Hand seized him.
Lion-O tried to hold his breath.
He really did.
But he needed to put the fire out.
He opened his mouth, his mind going gray, his body going limp.
Find the human.
His eyes slipped shut.