Chapter 3
He-Ro woke as the warning bells of Eternos City rang through the halls of the royal palace. As He-Ro got out of bed the door to his quarters opened and one of the palace guards came in.
"What's happening?" He-Ro asked the guard as he put his armor on.
"There has been a sighting of Snakemen." Said the guard. "It's Hiss sir!"
"I'll be right there." Said He-Ro. As the guard turned and left He-Ro walked over to the secret compartment behind one of the walls and grabbed the Staff of Light.
"Hold it right there!" called out one of the palace guards from his sentry's post. Hiss staggered towards the city of Eternos. He was exhausted and bleeding from the lacerations he had received from his battle with a roaming pack of Beastmen.
"I said. Hold it!" the guard, shouted this time.
Hiss staggered forward one more step and then collapsed. The guard jumped down from his position and was about to open the gates just as He-Ro arrived.
"Be careful." Said He-Ro as the guard drew his sword and make his way through the gates and go over to the fallen Hiss.
"Look at him. Sir. He looks half-dead." Said the guard never taking his eyes off the motionless body of Hiss.
"I know." Said He-Ro. "But remember Hiss is a master of dark magic. This could be a trick. Let me make sure that he is truly harmless."
He-Ro then lifted his staff in to the air and a thin blue mist appeared from the top of the staff and floated over Hiss's body.
"It's safe now." Said He-Ro. "I can not sense any deception from Hiss."
Three guards instantly raced over to Hiss's body and lifted it up and carried Hiss in to the city of Eternos.
"Take him to the healer's tent." Said He-Ro. "I want to save his life if we can."
As the three guards carried Hiss past He-Ro Hiss lifted his head and turned to He-Ro.
"It isss not me that you have to worry about." Said Hiss his voice no louder than a whisper. "There is a great evil coming. It will destroy usss all."
Hiss's head then slumped to his chest and the guards continue carrying Hiss to the healer's tent.
"What do you suppose he meant by that?" asked one of the guards after they finished securing the gates again.
"I don't know." Replied He-Ro. "But Hiss is possibly one of the most powerful sorcerers of all Eternia. And someone or something has almost destroyed him."
"If that's true." Said the guard astonished. "Then I do not want to be around if whatever it is comes after us."
He-Ro turned to the guard.
"You're right." Said He-Ro. "I must go to Grayskull. The Goddess may know what this is all about. If the king asks where I've gone tell him I've gone on an important mission."
He-Ro then took hold of the rains of a horse and climbed in to the saddle. Once the gates were opened again He-Ro raced off towards Castle Grayskull.
"I have sensed the arrival of this power. I believe that this power is not magical but it is a force of nature." Said the Goddess of Grayskull as she sat in the mystical throne.
"A lifeform?" said He-Ro.
"Yes." Replied the Goddess. "But it is unlike any that I or the Elder's have felt before.
"He-Ro. Tell me once again about Hiss's warning."
He-Ro told the Goddess exactly what Hiss had said before he had passed out.
"From what you have told me I fear that the Snakemen may already be in possession of this lifeform." Said the Goddess. "To be more precise this lifeform may be in possession of the Snakemen. I sense that this lifeform may be using the Snakemen as some kind of host."
"That would explain why the Snakemen had attacked Hiss." Said He-Ro. "Hiss is the Snakemen's most powerful sorcerer. He would be the only one who would have been able to see it for what it truly is. He could even have been a threat to it."
The Goddess shook her head.
"No He-Ro." Said the Goddess. "This lifeform has nothing to fear from Hiss. I believe Hiss is being used as a warning for this lifeform's intentions. I must discuss this more with the Elder's. I will send for Eldor he will relay any information that we uncover."
The Goddess then closed her eyes for a second.
"You must return to Eternos." Said the Goddess. "The lifeform is leading the Snakemen in an attack on the city."
He-Ro nodded and left the great hall of the castle and raced for the city of Eternos.
"What have you found?" asked the Goddess as she felt the presence of Kelka the leader of the Elder's of Grayskull walk up behind her.
"It is not pleasant." Said Kelka.
The first thing He-Ro saw as he rode to the city of Eternos was several hordes of Snakemen mounted on huge winged lizards. On each of the beasts sat two Snakemen each was raining arrows and rocks down on to the warriors below. He-Ro could also hear the distinctive roar of Battlecats. The huge green and yellow tigers were slashing at the palace guards with their razor sharp claws and teeth. Sat a top of the largest lizards that He-Ro had ever seen sat Viper a Snakeman who he had battled many times before. He-Ro recognised the beast it was Hiss's personal War Beast and that it was supposed to be protected by one of Hiss's spell that meant that no one could touch it or they would die. Watching in awe He-Ro realised that the lifeform the Goddess had sensed was inside Viper and protecting him from Hiss's spell.
Suddenly there came a rattling sound came from behind He-Ro. He-Ro span around just in time to jump out of the way narrowly avoiding contact with the huge tail of the Snakeman called Rattlor. Quickly He-Ro rolled to one knee as Rattlor lunged at him. Rattlor's head snapped out on its long neck and Rattlor bared his sharp fangs ready to tare at He-Ro's throat.
He-Ro swung his staff up and Rattlor's mouth clamped down on the middle of the staff. He-Ro then swung his legs up and kicked Rattlor in the guts and then pulled hard on the staff and sent Rattlor flying over his head and crashing in to a large pile of rocks.
Dazed Rattlor leaped to his feet. Rattlor's tail began to rattle and was prepared to lash out when He-Ro quickly grabbed his crossbow from his belt and shot an arrow at Rattlor. Rattlor howled in pain as the arrow from He-Ro's crossbow shot through his tail and pinned it to the rock behind him. Rattlor began to tug at his tail trying to free it when He-Ro shot another arrow this time it went through his hand pinning it to the rock as well.
He-Ro then picked up his staff and swung it at Rattlor as hard as he could. The edge of the staff struck Rattlor's jaw and the Snakeman slumped against the rock unconscious. He-Ro then jumped back on his horse and raced to the city gates.
"Keep on attacking!" bellowed Viper. His troops immediately jumped to his commands. As Viper watched the battle the lifeform inside his body slowly came to the surface and began to feed off the growing violence.
"King Viper!" said Spittor riding up to Viper. "Their defences are beginning to crumble."
"Then smash them down." Hissed Viper. "Once we have crushed the city and killed all that live there we will take over this Castle Grayskull and then the planet will be ours."
"They're breaking through!!" called out one of the guards high on top of one of the watch towers.
The great gates began to crack and splintered as the Snakemen drove a huge wooden battering ram in to them. Then suddenly the gates shattered and the Snakemen began to swarm in.
Viper sat watching the battle. Every scream of a dying guard or Snakeman was like music to Viper's ears. Viper smiled slightly as the death of every warrior fed the lifeform in side his body.
He-Ro swung his staff at one attacking Snakeman after another sending each of them crashing to the ground or in to the palace walls. Quickly He-Ro leaped over one Snakeman riding a Battlecat. Twisting in mid air He-Ro grabbed his crossbow from his belt and shot an arrow through the Snakeman's hand that held his sword. He-Ro rolled to his feet as he hit the ground and turned just in time to see a ball of acid flying through the air. He-Ro ducked out of the way just in time to avoid the attack. Spittor then leaped on to He-Ro driving him to the ground.
"I've been waiting for thisss for a long time." Hissed Spittor raising his sword high in the air ready to strike at He-Ro.
Suddenly as Spittor began to bring his sword down another sword flashed above He-Ro's head and clashed against Spittor's sword sending a shower of sparks raining down on He-Ro.
He-Ro looked up to see who had come to his rescue and was surprised to see Emperor Hiss standing there glaring at Spittor.
The two Snakemen then began to fight each other. Their swords ringing through the air each time they struck.
"I can sense something controlling Viper's body." Snarled Hiss. "But I sense no such thing in you. Why do you defy your ruler?"
Spittor swung his foot up and kicked Hiss away from him.
"You are a fool if you think I will fall for your tales of fantasy." Snapped Spittor as he span around to block a blow from Hiss with his sword. "King Viper is under the control of nothing."
Spittor blocked another blow from Hiss.
"King Viper will lead usss in to victory." Snarled Spittor as he swung his sword at Hiss. "You are weak."
Hiss swung his sword at Spittor but again Spittor blocked it.
"You have even allied yourself with the humans." Spat Spittor in disgust.
Hiss ducked as Spittor swung his sword at Hiss's head. Rolling behind Spittor Hiss kicked at the back of Spittor's legs and the Snakeman dropped to his knees. Hiss then quickly grabbed hold of Spittor's head and pulled it back.
"I have no allegiance with the humans." Snarled Hiss.
"Then why do you fight with them?" raged Spittor.
Spittor then drove the hilt of his sword backwards in to Hiss's stomach then Spittor span around on one knee and slammed his fist in to Hiss's face splitting his lip.
"You betray the Snakemen!" screamed Spittor.
Hiss quickly wiped away the blood from his lip.
"You forget that it isss you that have betrayed the Snakemen." Hiss snarled.
Hiss then with one quick move twisted his sword around Spittor's blade and sent spittor's sword spinning through the air. Before Spittor could make a move Hiss had his sword under Spittor's chin and leaned in close to Spittor's face.
"You sided with Viper over me!" Hiss said ready to strike.
"I can not believe that Hiss is fighting with us against his own men." Said Rotal He-Ro's second in command as he fought along side He-Ro.
He-Ro barely looked away from the two Snakemen he was fighting as he spoke.
"Hiss isn't fighting with us Rotal." Said He-Ro. "He is fighting to regain the respect of his men after they turned on him to follow Viper. Remember Hiss will turn on us the first chance he gets."
He-Ro then pushed off one of the Snakemen he was fighting and did a backflip over the second Snakeman charging at him from behind. The second Snakeman drove his sword in to the first Snakeman's chest as he attempted to stop his charge. Before the Snakeman could remove his sword from the dead Snakeman He-Ro whipped his staff around and struck the Snakeman with such force that the sound of the Snakeman's neck could be heard over the sounds of battle.
"At the moment Viper is the one we should worry about." Said He-Ro once he had helped Rotal defeat his Snakemen. "Look!"
Rotal turned to where He-Ro had pointed to and saw that Viper on top of the War Beast was now standing with his arms raised in the air.
"What is he doing?" asked Rotal. "There is some sort of mist forming around him."
He-Ro could see that Rotal was right. Viper remained as still as a statue his eyes were glowing a bright crimson and a dark grey mist was forming around his body.
"I don't know what exactly is going on." Said He-Ro. "But I overheard Hiss trying to convince Spittor that something has taken over Viper's body. And the fact that he is able to touch Hiss's War Beast I think he's right."
He-Ro then began to battle through the battling Snakemen and palace guards.
"Where are you going?" Rotal called after He-Ro.
"I'm going to Viper." He-Ro called back. "If he isn't stopped all of Eternia will be destroyed."
Viper stared at Hiss and Spittor as they fought each other as the battle raged on around them. Using the power that the lifeform inside his body Viper projected his feelings of hatred and anger for Hiss in to Spittor forcing the Snakeman totally loyal to Hiss fight Viper's battles for him.
Viper slowly took his gaze away from the two fighting Snakemen as he felt a powerful energy source make its way through the battle towards him.
He-Ro battled closer and closer to Viper until he reached the main gates. Viper quickly snapped his head around and He-Ro stared in to Viper's glowing eyes. He-Ro felt his legs grow heavy as he continued to stare in to Viper's eyes and almost failed to notice Viper moving the War Beast around.
The huge beak-like mouth opened and jets of fire spewed out killing anyone that got in its way. He-Ro shook off the hypnotic effect of Viper's eyes and ducked behind the palace wall as the flames hit the courtyard.
Once the flames had died down He-Ro held up the Staff of Light and called out:
"IN THE NAME OF GRAYSKULL…………GIVE ME THE POWER!!!!!"
Instantly the top of the Staff of Light opened and the crystal inside sent a flash of bright light in to the air. The light then rained down over He-Ro's body changing his royal armor in to that of the golden armor of Grayskull. Once the transformation had been completed He-Ro raced towards viper.
He-Ro leaped through a huge wall of fire and landed on top of the War Beast the mystical armor of Grayskull protecting He-Ro from Hiss's deadly spell.
With one hand holding on one of to the beast's horns He-Ro swung his staff at Viper. The top of the staff flared with light which then shot out and hit Viper in the chest sending the Snakeman falling off the back of the War Beast.
He-Ro climbed to the back of the War Beast and was ready to jump down on the fallen Viper when leaped to his feet and a bolt of red energy struck He-Ro in the chest. He-Ro could feel the power of Viper even through the armor of Grayskull.
He-Ro fell to one knee and Viper walked up to him and grabbed He-Ro around the throat.
"You are no match for me." Hissed Viper. Viper then tightened his grip around He-Ro's throat and threw him to the ground.