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Getting into Mumm-Ra's temple would have been much more difficult for Lion-O if it weren't for two things.

First, the entire lizard platoon guarding the northside was suspiciously spread out, leaving an open path to the temple- and to the yawning airshaft above.

Second, the yawning airshaft that led right into the temple without so much as an alarm. While he scaled up the steep wall, Snowmeow vaulted right inside and was already sniffing the ground when Lion-O joined him.

Well, three things actually.

Third, the time he spent reliving the memories of his ancestor, Leo. He looked around the corridor, thinking. He had a pretty good idea where the containment cells were and how to get to them from where they were.

He was just worried about Snowmeow. They had to be quiet and go unnoticed; he wasn't sure whether the felyne would follow his lead.

But could he risk getting into a fight without the formidable strength Snowmeow brought to the table? He only had the gauntlet and his fists. Snowmeow had giant fangs and claws, and was strong enough to bowl over giantors like they were nothing. If he ran into Mumm-Ra's generals, it could be serious trouble. All of them could easily overpower him without the sword or some other weapons, and he might not have any other option than to flee.

Was it worth the extra risk of getting caught?

… yes. That jackalman had been able to smell out Tygra while he was cloaked. If it came down to Lion-O trying to hide from him, he didn't think it'd work out the way he wanted.

"We've got to be quiet and stay out of sight, Snowmeow." Snowmeow raised his head at Lion-O and rrow-quietly. He ran out of the corridor, turning left into the hall. "The cells are this way, come on."

Thud.

Lion-O stopped and looked behind him. Snowmeow sat stubbornly in place. "Roawr." Snowmeow jerked his head the other direction.

Lion-O's brows knit. "I'm not sure I follow."

Snowmeow stood and circled in place, sniffing loudly. His tail lashed. He pawed at the floor and pointed with his nose in the other direction.

Lion-O approached and rested his hand on Snowmeow's side. "I get it. They went that way."

"Mrow."

He smiled. "Would ya look at that, you can meow. I know what you smell, but you have to trust me. The detainment block is the other way, and that's where we'll find them." Lion-O gestured behind them, the other way.

Snowmeow hesitated, glancing between the halls. After a few moments, he turned and began trotting towards the left.

Lion-O sagged with relief. It could have been real bad if Snowmeow went off on his own to try finding them; Lion-O wouldn't have had the time to chase him down.

"Good boy, Snowmeow. Let's go save them."

Lion-O recognised the sound of the jackalman's voice as it carried down the stairs into the containment block. He held out his hand to Snowmeow, who stared across the distance at the cells the cats were in and groaned pitifully, but Lion-O heard him flop onto the ground.

"How much longer, Slithe? They smell so good."

Lion-O looked around, thinking. He didn't want a fight if he could avoid it.

"Lord Mumm-Ra has plans for them." Slithe gruffly responded, growing louder as they moved closer. His eyes landed on a cell and he smirked. Perfect. He hurried to take cover around the corner, praying Snowmeow would stay low and unnoticed. "Do you want to tell that him you ate his playthings?"

"He's right, you know." Addicus said right beside Lion-O's head as they passed. "They do smell delicious."

"Ah," Kaynar sighed mournfully, "everything for Mumm-Ra. Oh, I bet he wouldn't miss one of the kittens."

The trio finally finished passing him. Can't have them getting in the way. Lion-O thought to himself. He stepped out onto the catwalk and smoothly greeted them, "Hello, generals."

"Lion-O?" Slithe hissed while the three turned around in unison.

"We- we saw you die." Addicus said, hooting nervously.

"Then your eyes must be as bad as your breath." Lion-O said, slowly walking backwards into the cell. Kaynar chuckled deeply, and all three of them fell for it. They followed him in, just like he wanted.

"Brave talk." Slithe rasped. "But without your sword, you're no match for any one of us.

He let them back him up, almost against the wall. "So, you wanna do this the hard way?"

"Absolutely." Addicus answered. The three of them let out their own growls and chuckles.

As they lunged forward, he lept above them. He pushed his hands against Slithe's back and kicked out with both his legs to his both Addicus and Kaynar in the face. They grunted as his foot met their muzzles, and he finished his jump. He darted out of the cell and pushed the panel that sealed the cell.

"Too bad. I prefer the easy way."

Addicus roared and slammed his hands against the shield.

Too bad for him, those barriers were made for holding power-houses like him.

"C'mon, Snowmeow." Lion-O waved and ran across the catwalk to the cell the others were being kept in. Snowmeow's footsteps pattered behind him. The felyne was hovering over his shoulder when he opened it up.

They were clustered up in the corner, looking towards the floor or resting with their eyes closed until the field whirred down.

"It can't be." Tygra murmured.

"Lion-O?" said WilyKat.

"I told you he would come!" WilyKit exclaimed. They both let out a sound of glee and ran toward him. "I knew it! I knew it!" They both lunged at him for a hug, and he gladly caught them.

"If it wasn't for your markers, I never would have made it." It was a half truth. Snowmeow could probably have tracked them just fine- but if he had neither? He shuddered to think of what would have happened.

"It's good to see you again, kid." Panthro remarked.

Cheetara and Tygra joined them.

"How…?" Cheetara trailed off for a moment. Lion-O glanced behind the three of them. Where was Leopara? The room seemed… empty. Snowmeow let out a dismayed sound as he realised it too. "How are you…?"

"Long story, but we don't have much time. Where's Leopara?" he demanded. "We have to get the sword back."

Tygra pointed with his thumb towards the right. "Next cell over."

Lion-O hurried over. She was curled up against the wall, holding herself. Why didn't she say anything? The thought worried him.

"It's a suicide mission, you know." Panthro commented.

It's not like I'm going to survive past sunrise anyways. "You're telling me."

The barrier whirred down and Leopara's attention snapped up. She blinked her golden eyes a couple of times. "Lion-O?" she asked with complete disbelief. "That's really you?" she stood.

"It's really me." Snowmeow stepped out from behind the wall. "And I brought a friend, too."

"Snowmeow!" she called out, running forward. Lion-O was shocked when Leopara's hug wrapped tightly around himself instead of Snowmeow. The felyne responded to it with a grunt of dismay, mouth slightly opened as he stared.

Lion-O returned her hug, resting his hands on her waist, and took a deep breath. He was going to miss her- miss all of them. Thoughts of what might have been if he'd convinced Leopara to dance with him before Thundera fell would plague him in Limbo, he just knew it. Would he have fallen in love with her instead? She was beautiful, and she'd listened to him, tried to see things the way he did.

Whoever she chose as her mate, they'd be one lucky cat.

Or, at least, he hoped she would someday have a mate- other cats must have survived Thundera, it was only a matter of finding them. But, as long as she was happy… he would be, too.

He patted her a couple times to signal the end of the hug. He had to address them now.

It was a race against time, after all.

"Sorry…" she murmured, stepping back. She rubbed at her eyes with the inside of her wrists, then finally turned to give Snowmeow her attention.

"Don't be." he told her. He turned to all of them "I'd understand if you don't want to follow me in there."

"We'd follow you anywhere… Your Majesty." Tygra told him, smiling with an expression similar to the one he wore just yesterday- whiskers, has it really only been a day? It feels like a lifetime.

No one disagreed, instead watching him.

"We have to get the sword." Leopara agreed.

Six lizards guarded the doors leading into the ritual chamber.

Lion-O looked to Panthro. "General, the doors, please."

Panthro reached into his bag and withdrew a lizard mine. Did he have that this whole time? "With pleasure, my king." Panthro stretched his arm up high and slithered it towards the door, where he planted the mine. With a simple swipe, it was armed.

The mine burst with a glorious explosion that blew in the doors. Lion-O charged through the smoke.

"Thundercats. Ho!"

Their feet thundered behind him. For a brief moment, grief welled in his heart; if only he had learned his lessons sooner, he could have more time with them. Then, he shoved it aside; he'd have time for regret when he was dead.

"No! They must not break the circle!" Mumm-Ra bellowed.

Well, that was exactly what Lion-O had to do now, wasn't it?

Mumm-Ra's lizard priests rushed them, but Lion-O didn't pause; he trusted the others to handle the riff-raff in his way. As he walked up the steps to Mumm-Ra's dais, he heard Tygra's whip cracking, blaster firing; he heard Cheetara running, the slip-stream sound that always accompanied her and the thwack of her staff connecting with a lizard; the whir and thump of Panthro's fists and clinking of his nunchucks; Snowmeow roaring and wind whistling as Leopara conjured a gale or a burst of wind.

They were giving it their all, just as they had time and time again.

So he had to give them his all in return.

"Mumm-Ra, you have something of mine." he stood firm within the circle. The Sword of Omens was just behind Mumm-Ra.

"And without it, you will never defeat me."

A growl rumbled within Lion-O's chest. He just had to keep Mumm-Ra's attention on him, and lure him away from the sword.

"Ancient Spirits of Evil," Mumm-Ra's voice boomed in the chamber, "transform this decayed form into Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living!" He roared as purple lightning flashed in his hands.

He fired a beam directly at Lion-O.

Lion-O could have stood his ground there with the Spirit Stone, but he needed Mumm-Ra to move- so he did the only sensible thing. He lept backwards and cartwheeled through the chaos, spinning in the air to avoid arcs of lightning until he landed, facing Mumm-Ra down.

"You may have the Sword of Omens, but I still have the Spirit Stone. And I am King of the Thundercats." Lion-O declared. The stone glinted and lit up pink, summoning its barrier just in time to meet Mumm-Ra's lightning head on. The lightning scattered around the shield into several smaller, weaker beams- but not dispersed. The force of the purple lightning began pushing him backwards.

Lion-O grit his teeth. Whiskers. He needed to do something- fast.

Mumm-Ra still stood atop the dais, standing in place. He was still between Lion-O and the sword.

But the room was mostly clear now, with the fight between cats and lizards surviving mostly on the other side.

That's it! Mumm-Ra's not moving, so I will.

It wasn't going to be easy, and Lion-O was counting on Mumm-Ra continuing to not move. A dangerous gambit, but the only one he had to slip past the ancient evil and get the sword.

Just as the lightning would have pushed him to stumble, Lion-O bolted into action. Repulsing the lightning with the Spirit Stone every step of the way- which was not as easy as it looked- he ran in a half circle around the dais. As he came close to the jutting formations in the room- he really didn't know what function they served other than aesthetic, he took a risk and lowered his shield so he could run for it. Mumm-Ra's lightning sputtered all around him as he vaulted up and as he raced along the wall, but never found its mark.

Now's my chance!

He pushed off the wall with all his strength and dove for the sword.

Time slowed as he did. His heart hammered in his chest so hard he thought it would burst, its sound drowned out the world all around. Every moment he was in the air, he expected a blast of lightning to bowl into him and knock him away from his prize, for Mumm-Ra to be one step ahead.

But the blast never came.

Time resumed as his hand closed around the sword's hilt and he flipped in the air to land on his feet.

"No!" Mumm-Ra roared.

At any other time, Lion-O would have smirked. The Eye of Thundera opened, looking at Mumm-Ra with contempt- if contempt was a giant, red beam of energy.

Mumm-Ra groaned and struggled against it for several seconds before Lion-O let up the pressure. His body hissed with steam.

Lion-O adopted his stance, blade leveled at Mumm-Ra, and charged with a battle cry.

Mumm-Ra turned and ran he reached the center dais and jumped down, to where Lion-O didn't know but he was going to find out. He was going to end this tonight.

Except, Panthro caught him and snapped him back to reality. Alarms were blaring overhead and he could hear the sounds of at least a dozen lizards running their way.

"Forget him, Lion-O. We've got to get out of here."

Lion-O glared for a moment more, then let it go. He only had until sunrise; what if he died before Mumm-Ra? Then he would have lost the sword and the gauntlet for the cats.

He and Panthro made a mad sprint for the stairs as blaster fire rained down upon them. Leopara was waiting for them with a barrier glistening around her as its watery surface caught and reflected the green lights of the blasters. Snowmeow stood adamantly by her side, roaring at the lizards and batting the air in their direction.

As soon as they joined her, Lion-O reached out to grab her and sweep her off her feet.

Leopara looked at him with wide eyes and an agape mouth, but the distorted sound of blaster fire drumming against her barrier snapped her back to it.

He sprinted after his brother, Cheetara, and the twins, making it through the door before it closed shut behind him. He set Leopara down and took hold of her hand- they couldn't be slow now.

He didn't want to let go just yet.

Leopara stumbled behind him, running as fast as she could to keep up with him. When she tripped, he tugged her back to her feet and pushed her ahead of him.

They have to get out, no matter what.

Snowmeow kept pace with them, meowing at Leopara. She latched onto his fur and pulled herself up without him slowing down at all; in fact, as soon as she started to climb on, he picked up his speed and was soon outpacing Panthro, then Tygra and Cheetara.

They exploded into the desert, leaping down into the sands and charging past the token force of lizards surrounding the temple, and they didn't stop until they were under blue skies and Mumm-Ra's temple, and its storm, was a hideous landmark on the horizon

It was almost sunrise. Any moment, his soul would leave his body, and he would collapse dead in the sand. His final as king would be successful; he saved the others and the sword.

While most would watch the sunrise, he turned to watch Mumm-Ra's temple.

It wasn't over yet.

"Okay, Lion-O." Cheetara said. Everyone had caught their breath. "I think it's time you told us what happened to you."

He sagged with grief. If only he had the time…

It was too hard to look at them. They expected him to be their king and lead them.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave."

"Leave? Why?" WilyKit asked.

They fell into a hushed quiet as the Spirit Stone twinkled and gleamed. In the light of the sun, the giant, transparent visage of Jaga appeared.

"Because he has paid the ultimate price."

Lion-O barely heard Leopara's whisper of, "Jaga?"

"Sunrise." Lion-O murmured, staring at the horizon. The yellow sun finally crept above the desert dunes. "I guess it's time."

"Time to use what you've learned to lead your people to victory as the reborn king of the Thundercats."

"I can stay?" If he could stay… he could make up everything to everyone- "How? The trials…"

"The trials were designed to test more than just your skill. They were designed to test your heart. When you made the ultimate sacrifice to save your friends, you showed what it means to truly be a king."

"What trials?" WilyKit asked.

"Yeah, what trials?" WilyKat asked.

And just like that, everyone was on him, asking questions. I have a lot of explaining to do. he thought.

But he was just grateful to get to talk to them.

"What do you mean by 'ultimate sacrifice'?" Cheetara asked.

Tygra and Panthro spoke over each other, so he didn't catch either of their questions.

"Okay, okay, slow down. I can't answer every question when you ask them so fast." He glanced to the side, to Leopara. She was clutching her staff tightly, watching him with a pinched expression.

"I… I died." he said, swallowing around the lump in his throat. He tore his gaze away from her to face all of them. "But this," he held up the gauntlet to show the stone, which glinted in the sunlight, "-gave me a second chance at life, but I had to earn it. I was tested in trials, one for all of you. Well, almost. Kit and Kat tested me together." he gestured to them both. "But everyone else… you all taught me something. I'm grateful.

Lion-O paused.

"So… what was the 'ultimate sacrifice'?" WilyKit asked with air quotes.

Lion-O took a deep breath. "I didn't pass the trials… in order to return, I offered up my soul. Jaga told me I would have until sunset to save you, and then…"

"You'd die." Leopara finished in the quietest voice he'd heard her use yet.

He nodded solemnly.

Leopara looked away.

He wished he had her ability to sense emotions. He wanted… needed to know what she was feeling.

"Well, it's good you passed the final test, then." Cheetara commented.

"It's good to have you back, little brother." Tygra said. He tugged at his suit's collar. "It got a little… rough without you."

"Yeah!" the twins chorused. "Kit drew on all those rocks for you!" WilyKat exclaimed.

"I knew you'd find us!"

Panthro slapped his back. "It's great to have you back, kid."

Everyone began chiming in again.

Everyone except Leopara. She stood there, looking away with a tense expression and clutching her staff to her chest.

Lion-O swallowed hard. It hurt to tear his gaze away from her again, but he didn't know what to say that could make it better. The others wanted his attention, so he gave it to them.

… he would just have to catch up with her later.

Thank you everyone, especially The Night Whisperer, Heart of the Demons, and Frankannestein. You three have been a major reason why I reignited my passion for Thundercats and for this fic! Can you believe we'll be on Chapter 30 next week? I've never gotten so far writing a fanfic before, so... thank you, all of you. I'm so happy to get to share this journey with you guys and keep moving forward :)