CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
"Universe"
"So . . . what's he doing in there?" asked Beast-Man, who stood next to the drawbridge of Grayskull.
"Stuff! What do you think!?" retorted Clawful.
"You know, for YEARS he's been wanting in there," Tri-Klops stated. "Years. And now that he's finally inside Grayskull - "
"BACK inside. He made it in there seven years ago, remember?" Blade corrected.
"But it was like for a day. Anyways, for years he's wanted in there. Now that he has what he wants, he's in there chanting away!"
"It's a spell. He's up to something," Jitsu observed.
"He's always up to something," Beast-Man snorted. "Has anyone seen Evil Lynn?"
"No. Not since Skeletor got back," Spikor answered.
"She's up to something."
"Shut up, Jitsu. He probably got ridda her since she was taking over his turf," Whiplash sniveled.
"Did you guys hear that?" asked Beast-Man.
"Hear what?"
"Shut up."
Webstor stretched and yawned. "I'm tired! I wish we hadn't gotten rid of all those clouds. I hate this sunshiny stuff."
"We're just used to the darkness," Tri-Klops returned.
"I swear, I'm hearing something from the forest . . ." Beast-Man sniffed.
"It's Karg. He's got gas. It's coming from him, not the forest," Stinkor replied.
"I HEARD THAT! AND I DO NOT!"
"Karg, my power is to stink. I see odors. I swear, you've had too many greasy foods on the way here."
"Shut up!"
"I hear something!" Beast-Man shouted.
Trap-Jaw laughed aloud, ignoring Beast-Man. "That's rich, Stinkor!"
"Ha ha . . . oh, this is our moment of glory!" Tri-Klops laughed. "Beast-Man is hearing Karg's farts while Stinkor can see the smell! Wonderful! Skeletor is missing all the fun!"
"The army of evil marches onward, Tri-Klops," Ninjor said with a hidden smile. "Away from the gaseous eruptions emitting from Karg!"
"I SWEAR! THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE FOREST!" Beast-Man roared.
"Oh, will you shut - " Clawful started.
"WAIT!" stopped Tri-Klops, his eyes looking into the Evergreen Forest. "He's right . . . there's something in there. And - IN THE SKY!"
"Avions and Insectiods!"
In what seemed like a flash, Stratos and Buzz-Off appeared, leading nearly two hundred Avions and Insectiods warriors to Castle Grayskull. As they passed over the Goblin army, bombs and lasers were unleashed.
"Form a perimeter around the mouth of Grayskull!" commanded Tri-Klops.
"Launch our Fright Fighters!" Karg commanded, pointing some Goblins towards the dozen purple flyers. They were too late, though. Talon Fighters soared in from behind and above the flying warriors and launched their missiles at the Fright Fighters, decimating them.
"CHARGE!"
Karg turned to the Forest, where he saw He-Man, She-Ra and Randor leading the remaining army of Eternos out and straight against the Goblin army. As the two smashed into each other, the Avions and the Insectiods touched onto the surface and entered the fray.
"We have them out-numbered," Mer-Man observed.
"That won't stop them," Skeletor said from behind, seeing what all the noise was about. "Keep them busy."
Skeletor headed back into Castle Grayskull, when there was a sudden shout. He turned around to see Randor - his brother - charging forth on the back of Stridor. Stridor leapt over Skeletor's warriors and landed right onto the drawbridge.
Randor pulled out his family sword. "It's over, brother. I should have stopped you years ago."
"Brother?! BROTHER?! YOU DARE CALL ME THAT NOW?! YOU DARE?!"
Skeletor pulled out his own blade - the Sword of Darkness. It clanged against Randor's and the battle had begun.
***
He-Man pushed through Goblins as he traveled on Battle Cat as fast as he could. He saw his father struggling against Skeletor.
"Teela!" he shouted. Teela hopped on behind him. "I'm going to need your help. We need to find the Sorceress!"
"Right."
Man-At-Arms followed. "Mind if we join you?" asked the warrior.
"We could use a hand. Gwildor! Hop on!"
And so, the heroes pushed forward passed as many Goblins as possible. He-Man could tell they were on the losing side. It wasn't going very well - none of it. But He-Man kept the faith and kept moving, as fast as he could.
***
Randor could feel the strength of Skeletor growing with each blow. There were times the King of Eternos felt like his sword would go flying out of his hands.
"It's over, Randor. Keldor is dead! Only Skeletor lives!"
Skeletor slid his sword back, which pushed Randor off-balance for just enough time. Skeletor then kicked Randor in the face and followed through with an energy blast that sent him off the drawbridge. Randor closed his eyes and prepared to face the oblivion, but then - he was caught!
She-Ra brought her father completely onto Swift Wind and carried him back to the ledge. "You fought well," she said.
"I tried."
"I'll try now."
"She-Ra . . . Adora . . . don't kill him. No matter what he's become, he's still my brother."
"Maybe."
She dropped him off at the ledge of the great chasm and then shot forth towards the drawbridge. She-Ra then leapt off of Swift-Wind in mid-flight and landed right in front of Skeletor, Sword of Protection drawn.
"Ahhhh, the silly little girl. I'll use a special sword for you. The sword of your former enemy, Hordak. The Sword of Deception!"
He pulled out the black blade and swung it. She-Ra deflected it and charged forth with the Sword of Protection. Skeletor moved away just in time and swung at She-Ra's neck. She-Ra spun herself away from him and then leapt forward, kicking the despot in the chest. Skeletor staggered backwards, but he regained himself just in time to deflect a deathshot from She-Ra.
Skeletor slashed at She-Ra as he moved and caught her arm. Blood trickled from her cut. "First blood goes to you, Skeletor. But by the Sorceress, you will be stopped."
"One of us will."
Skeletor lifted the Sword of Deception and a black beam of power surged from its end. She-Ra raised her blade just in time to stop it from crushing her. He fired again.
***
"We need to hurry!" He-Man shouted, as he pushed another Goblin away. "She-Ra's losing her ground."
"I have a plan!" Man-At-Arms exclaimed. He turned around and saw Gwildor, blasting like crazy with his energy staff. "Gwildor! Set the Cosmic Key for Castle Grayskull! We need to get in there! We'll cover you!"
The short, red-haired scientists punched in the correct keys as He-Man, Man-At-Arms, Battle Cat, and Teela protected him from the on-coming onslaught of Goblins.
"I've got it! He-Man!"
He-Man grabbed hold of the Cosmic Key and pressed the activation key. In a flash of blue light, the entire group was teleported from the middle of the war . . .
. . . to the Throne Room of Castle Grayskull. He-Man looked around very swiftly and spotted the Sorceress. She was laying on the ground, her eyes barely open.
Teela and Man-At-Arms ran over to her. Gwildor ran a quick scan of the protector of Grayskull. "She's alive."
"Tend to her," He-Man ordered. "I'm going to take care of Skeletor."
He-Man ran forward.
Outside, She-Ra was still dealing with Skeletor. They had returned to swordplay and She-Ra was gaining the upper hand. That was, until, Skeletor fired a shot of energy at She-Ra's arm. The female warrior screamed in pain and the Sword of Protection landed on the other side of the drawbridge.
Once again, Skeletor lifted up the Sword of Deception and fired a black beam of energy at She-Ra. She was unable to stop it as the energy covered her body like goo. Then, as quickly as it overtook her, it was gone.
Leaving Adora laying there, her body weary and sick.
"Now it's time to say good bye, you tart," Skeletor said, raising his sword.
"NO!" He-Man shouted. The warrior of Primus and Eternia rammed himself against the Master of Destruction and sent him to the ground. "Adora, get inside the Castle . . ."
Skeletor stood up and put the Sword of Deception back into its holster next to the Sword of Darkness. He pulled out his Chaos Staff and swung it around.
"It ends here, Skeletor. I swear upon all of Eternia, it ends here."
"Yes . . . FOR YOU!"
Skeletor charged forward, staff swinging in the air.
He-Man charged forward, sword swinging in the air.
And the heavens thundered with impact. The battle was joined now more than ever.