Masters of the Universe: The Movie. Continued.
GWILDOR'S WORKSHOP
Karg was taken totally by surprise as Battle Cat leaped from Gwildor's workshop and knocked him over. The Doom Troopers aimed their blasters at the fleeing Battle Cat.
"Leave him." snapped Karg as some Troopers helped him to his feet. "Can't you see that its a diversion. The others are in there. Get in there before they escape!"
The Troopers lowered their weapons and stormed in to the workshop.
Karg watched with a perverse satisfaction as his squadron of Doom Troopers tore apart Gwildor's crowded little workshop.
"Sir there seems to be no sign of them." said the captain of the Doom Troopers.
"I can see that" hissed Karg. "There must be a secret way out of here. Use your sonic grenades on the walls."
The Trooper nodded and reached in to his weapons belt and removed two small round objects.
"Stand back." ordered the Trooper as he tossed the grandees to the back wall of workshop. The instant the grenades hit the wall they exploded forcing the wall to crumble in to a dusty heap revealing a hidden passageway.
Karg cursed under his breath and grabbed his communicator and opened a channel to Sonik at Snake Mountain.
"Sonik please inform Skeletor that the Heroic Warriors and Gwildor have escaped. We are about to follow." said Karg. Then he turned to his Troopers. "Lets go!"
Karg then stepped in to the tunnel followed by the Doom Troopers and they gave chase after He-man and the Heroic Warriors.
CASTLE GRAYSKULL
The first thing He-man noticed as he, Teela, Man-At-Arms, Rio Blast and Gwildor crept through the secret passageway he knew of and in to the great hall of Grayskull was how quiet it was.
"Be careful." whispered He-man. "Duncan scan the area."
Man-At-Arms immediately grabbed his scanner and swept the area.
"Rio Blast secure the area." said He-man. "We'll need your blasters just in case of trouble."
"I'm not picking up any of Skeletor's men." said Man-At-Arms. "But they could be blocking my scans."
"I can't believe that Skeletor would leave the throne room unguarded." said Teela.
"We'll split up then." said He-man. He-man then looked up at the throne and saw the Sorceress trapped behind a wall of shimmering energy. Immediately the Heroic Warriors raced over to the Sorceress.
When they reached the Sorceress they were shocked to see that the Sorceress was no longer the eternal beautiful being that she was, now she looked like she had aged rapidly. He-man swung his sword at the force field that surrounded the Sorceress. But his blow harmlessly bounced off.
"You can not break through the force field." said the Sorceress.
He-man turned to Gwildor as Man-At-Arms began inspecting the force fields control box for a way to free the Sorceress.
"Can you use the Key to free the Sorceress?" asked He-man. Remembering that the Cosmic Key could open a portal in time and space.
"I think I can." replied Gwildor. "I just need to find the right frequency."
"Do it and hurry." said He-man. "With the Sorceress free we can recapture the castle."
"With every day Skeletor is in control of Grayskull his evil power grows." said the Sorceress. "He is almost ready to open the eye of Grayskull. This must never be allowed to happen."
"Why what is the Eye of Grayskull?" asked He-man.
"The Eye of Grayskull is the most powerful source of magic on Eternia." said the Sorceress. "It is destined to open on the day you were granted your powers. You and She-Ra are to receive the powers of the universe. Because only with the power in your hands you can bring peace to the universe. However if Skeletor manages to receive the power when the eye opens then he will be able to remake the universe in to his domain and there will be no way to stop him."
He-man looked up in total horror as he realised what Skeletor could do with the power that the Sorceress had just described.
"Gwildor how are you doing?" asked He-man.
"I've got most of the frequencies," said Gwildor franticly tapping away at the keys on the Cosmic Key. "But something thing is stopping me from getting the last of them."
He-man span around to the others.
"Skeletor knows we're here." said He-man. "We may not have much time."
The Heroic Warriors immediately moved in to position as the doors to the great hall burst open and a swarm of Doom Troopers stormed in to the hall quickly followed by Skeletor and Evil-Lyn.
"Do you think I would not notice your entrance in to my fortress?" snarled Skeletor.
"Grayskull is not yours. And it will never be." called out He-man.
"Look around you." said Skeletor triumphantly. "Your allies are gone. The city of Eternos is under my control, even Castle Grayskull is finally mine. Along with the Sorceress."
He-man turned to the Sorceress, as every second past the Sorceress grew weaker. He-man had to distract Skeletor long enough for Gwildor find the frequency for the force shield around the Sorceress with his Cosmic Key.
"This is between you and me." said He-man. "It has always been."
"No!" shouted Skeletor. "It is over between us. The only thing for you to do is witness me receiving the power of the cosmos once the Eye of Grayskull opens."
Evil-Lyn watched silently as He-man and Skeletor argued with each other. Suddenly she heard the faint sound of Skeletor's Cosmic Key. Walking up to Skeletor Evil-Lyn pulled at Skeletor's cape to reveal the Cosmic Key. The lights on the key were flashing brightly. Closing her eyes Evil-Lyn allowed her mind to travel the space between herself and where the Heroic Warriors were hiding.
"The little worm has another key!!" screamed Evil-Lyn as she saw Gwildor tapping away at his Cosmic Key.
Skeletor instantly grabbed his key. Seeing that Evil-Lyn was right Skeletor turned to his troops.
"DESTROY THEM!!!" commanded Skeletor. "AND BRING ME THE KEY!!!"
Instantly the Doom Troopers raised their blasters and began to fire.
He-man quickly leaped to one side as the blaser fire rained down on them. The Heroic Warriors instantly leaped in to action as Rio Blast stepped out from his hiding place. The laser cannons attached to his body snapped out and began blasting away at the troopers.
Man-At-Arms and Teela grabbed their blasters and began firing in to the crowd of Doom Troopers.
"That went well I thought." said Man-At-Arms as He-man raced to their side.
"I thought so." said He-man as he took the blaster that Man-At-Arms offered him. "How's Gwildor getting on?"
Gwildor looked up from his key.
"I'm almost finished." called out Gwildor over the sound of blaster fire. "I just need a few more minutes."
"We don't have minutes!" snapped Teela.
"What can I do?" asked Gwildor. "If I get even one tone wrong the Sorceress could end up being part of the walls."
Man-At-Arms assessed the situation, with every Doom Trooper that was destroyed several more took its place.
"Then get us out of here!" called out Man-At-Arms.
"We can't leave the Sorceress here." said He-man.
"We have no choice." said Man-At-Arms. "If we stay we will be killed."
"Duncan is right." called out the Sorceress. "Eternia needs you alive."
Gwildor punched in a code on the Cosmic Key and a portal opened before him. Instantly Teela ran for the portal and leaped through, Man-At-Arms next ran for the portal and turned at the last minute as he realized that He-man wasn't behind him.
"Come on." called out He-man.
He-man stared at the Sorceress refusing to leave when Rio Blast raced up to him.
"He-man you have to go." said Rio Blast. "I'll protect the Sorceress as long as I can."
"You are a true hero." said He-man. He then turned and ran for the portal. He-man scooped up Gwildor as he ran past.
Gwildor dropped the key as He-man jumped in to the portal. Rio Blast continued to blast away at the oncoming Doom Troopers. Evil-Lyn saw the Cosmic Key, seeing Rio Blast in the way of the key Evil-Lyn raised her hands and blasted Rio Blast with a bolt of magic. As Rio Blast fell Evil-Lyn raced for the key. Evil-Lyn leaped at the key just as a grapple hook shot out of the portal and snatched the key from her grasp. Evil-Lyn watched helpless as the portal closed.
Evil-Lyn stood snarling at the space where the portal had once been. Rio Blast slowly got to his feet. Evil-Lyn span around and charged at Rio Blast. Rio Blast quickly aimed one of his lasers at Evil-Lyn but was struck by a energy bolt. As Rio Blast was thrown through the air he saw Skeletor glaring at him, his Havok Staff glowing an eerie red light.
EARTH
The portal opened high above swampy ground. Teela was first to emerge, using her superior agileity she avoided landing in the swamp. The next to come through the portal was Man-At-Arms, then He-man and Gwildor. Once the portal vanished Teela began to scout the area. While He-man and Man-At-Arms began to scan their surroundings.
"Do you scan any of Skeletor's troops." said He-man.
"No." replied Man-At-Arms. "It looks like wherever Gwildor sent us it was far enough away from Skeletor's forces."
"Speaking of Gwildor where is he?" asked He-man.
Suddenly they heard the gargled cry of Gwildor. Following the noise they found Gwildor head down in the mucky water of the swamp. Quickly He-man grabbed hold of Gwildor's kicking legs and pulled him from the water.
Setting Gwildor on his feet the Thenubrian shook his head and sprayed mud from his gills.
"Oh thank the Elders." gasped Gwildor, then he looked up to see He-man and Man-At-Arms smiling at him.
"What's so funny?" called out Teela as she came back through the trees.
"Its these two." said Gwildor then he turned to He-man. "You try breathing with clogged gill slits."
"What have you found?" asked He-man turning to Teela.
"The area is clear of Skeletor's forces." reported Teela. "Though I don't know where we are exactly."
The Heroic Warriors turned to Gwildor. Gwildor knew exactly what they were about to ask and he nervously smiled.
"I didn't have time to punch in any co-ordinates. So I typed in a random code." said Gwildor.
Teela instantly lashed out and grabbed Gwildor by the neck.
"Listen you Thenubrian worm." hissed Teela. "Our friends are in danger. You best have a way back for us."
Gwildor couldn't speak as Teela choked the life out of him.
"Teela calm down." said He-man as he gently removed Teela's hands from Gwildor's throat. "We're all concerned about the other's. I'm sure Gwildor has a way back for us. Right?"
"Of cause I do." said Gwildor rubbing his throat. "I'm not stupid. Even though the codes I typed in were random I built in a homing key. All I have to do is tap the red key and we'll be back in Castle Grayskull."
"And where is the key?" asked Man-At-Arms.
Gwildor grabbed the grapple hook hanging from his belt.
"Its right here." Gwildor held up the grapple hook, but the hook was empty.
CASTLE GRAYSKULL.
Skeletor watched as Rio Blast was being tortured by electronic shocks that were coming from Trap Jaw's weapons arm.
"You must know where they went to." hissed Skeletor. "Tell me or I'll have Trap Jaw fry every part of your body."
Rio Blast screamed in pain as the electric shocks raced through his body, but he still didn't speak.
"This is growing tiresome." said Skeletor. Suddenly the doors to the throne room opened and Sonik walked in.
"What have you to report?" demanded Skeletor.
Sonik walked past Rio Blast and Trap Jaw to kneel in front of Skeletor.
"I have scanned the entire surface of the planet. There is no trace of Cosmic Key activity anywhere."
Skeletor erupted in fury.
"Find them you fool!" snapped Skeletor. "I cannot risk He-man ruining everything for. Not when we are this close to the opening of the Eye of Grayskull. If the people of Eternia find that he is still alive they will have hope. I will not allow them to have hope."
"If I may interrupt." said Evil-Lyn. "The people of Eternia do not need to know that He-man is alive."
"Explain?" said Skeletor.
"Tell the people He-man is dead, that way they will be too distracted with their grief that they will not stand in your way, and your troops can search for the Heroic Warriors." said Evil-Lyn.
"I like your idea." said Skeletor before turning to Sonik. "Activate the Holocron, I wish to speak to the people of Eternia."
Sonik saluted and left for his communications station.
"The people of Eternia will never believe your lies." said the Sorceress from her force shield.
Skeletor slowly turned to her and smiled.
"So she decides to speak." said Skeletor mockingly. He then got up and walked over to her. "I do not need everyone to believe me. The Eye of Grayskull shall open in two days time, by then my troops will have found He-man and his allies. And then no one will be able to stop me from ruining the universe."
To Be Continued ....