CHAPTER FOUR

"Alliances"

"We made an agreement," Adam said as members from the many different peoples of Eternia followed him into the throne room. "After Skeletor was defeated five years ago, we agreed that if Eternia is threatened once more on a planetary level, we shall all stand together."

"Avion stands with Eternos, Adam, that you know," Stratos replied.

"And so do the Insectiods. We have not been let down by your service to the world," Buzz-Off followed up.

A Troll from Darksmoke, who spoke in the name of new Dragon king Epoch, grunted. "Granamyr may have bound us together with you fools, but that doesn't mean we should follow everything you say."

"I agree with Grimm," said the Treeperchaun named Tullamore. "Skytree says nothing of this. All the great tree has said is that we must ally ourselves with Eternos for our protection. Just as he ordered us into the Hidden Realm when Hordak attacked. For our own protection. We are peaceful people, King Adam, but we are defensive when we need to be. We will stand with you, but we must have a plan we are ready to agree upon."

"We have yet to hear from the Bear-people," said King Paw's son and now ruler, King Felinus. "It is of a concern to us."

"The Bear-people didn't sign the agreement with us for some reason," Adam returned with a heavy sigh. "Though I don't know why. But that doesn't matter today. What matters is that we stand together."

"And we do," Mer-Man said suddenly. "Our peoples are the only hope for Eternia."

"Not necessarily," came a husky female voice. The entire group looked towards a window and found a tall, trim woman standing there. She was dressed in light, black clothes, but had a tumbling white hair coming across her shoulders.

"Evil Lynn?" wondered Mer-Man.

"The name's just Lynn now, fishy. And I have brought news."

All of them stepped onto a balcony, which held a number of chairs in a circle with a small table in the middle. They all took their seats, eyes on each other as they did. Adam took a breath and nodded.

"What is it you wanted to share with us, Lynn?"

"I've been keeping an eye on Count Marzo, Adam," she replied. She brushed a stray hair behind her ear, then began to sway her fingers about. An image appeared above the table. "Count Marzo has taken up many alliances in his long lifetime. His armada is made up of ships gathering from at least seven different species across the stars. I expect you have the current course projections?"

Adam nodded. "He'll be landing here, at Eternos."

"The most heavily populated area of all Eternia," noted Stratos.

"It is here we shall make our stand. Our finest warriors must be able to meet the enemy and defeat it easily," Mer-Man stressed.

"There is something else," Lynn said. Adam looked at her and found himself noticing how less-pale she appeared. Overall, Lynn was looking far healthier than he had ever seen here. It was kind of a shock, but he realized that she must have begun to study the light arts, putting the dark ones behind her.

"What is it?" asked Tullamore.

"His plans. After he got his armada together, he freed his henchman Chimera. He's after something here on Eternia."

"Do you know what, exactly?"

"An artifact known only as the Gardener's Stone."

"Excuse me?" asked Grimm. "What in the name of Granamyr is that?"

Lynn sighed. "It's a stone that can turn any sort of surface into fertile land. It's been hidden for centuries, but I believe he has found its location."

"So, what's he going to do with it?"

"While Chimera and the space armada destroy the leaders of Eternia, Marzo will keep the populace around as slaves," Lynn explained. "He'll use the Gardener's Stone, then, to turn all of Eternian soil into fertile soil. He plans on turning our world into a harvest planet."

"For what?" asked Grimm.

"Black Flowers, mostly, but probably some other narcotics as well," Lynn told him. "To which he'll sell to unsuspecting rulers and planetary overlords. They'll ally themselves with him or pay him far too much money. He'll start his collection on planets starting with ours."

"Wonderful," sighed Stratos.

"We'll start to gather forces, then," Adam told them. "If you're with me."

"It seems we have no choice," Grimm muttered.

"Good. Let's get started."

***

"Thanks for all the help, Duncan," Ram-Man-At-Arms told his old friend. "Some of this more science-y stuff I just can't figure out."

"Oh, it's no problem, Ram-Man, er, At-Arms," Duncan replied, adjusting some of telescopes. "There we are. By the Sorceress, there's a lot of them."

"That armada?"

"Yeah. I don't know how we're going to do this. Beat them all, that is."

Ram-Man-At-Arms slammed down onto one of the chairs and shook his head. "I dunno why Adam made me the new Man-At-Arms, Duncan. I mean, I don't anything about this stuff. All I've really been doing anything other than training people."

Duncan turned to his old friend. "What do you mean?"

The giant hero looked over, a sad look upon his face. "I mean, you were the greatest ever. When Randor, He-Man or anyone needed you to make something, you wiped it up under ten minutes. No matter what it was, you had for them. I don't have that. I wish I did, but I don't. And Adam's been very understanding about that. But now . . . now he needs me more than ever and I don't know what to do. I can't make anything. All I can do is smash into things."

"Ram-Man, listen," Duncan said, sitting down next to him, "you've got a good head on your shoulders."

"No kidding, Duncan. That's what I smash with."

"That's not what I mean. Your legs are like hydraulics, Ram-Man, and you certainly know how much pressure to put on them. Not to mention the fact that you know at what angle to smash things at. These aren't things to be taken lightly. Alright, so you don't know how to build a time machine or a toaster of something. But you know how to attack things. You know how to angle something. You know how to situate something to where it needs to be. You can do this, Ram-Man-At-Arms."

Ram-Man-At-Arms looked up at Duncan grinned a little. "Thanks Duncan. You're a good friend."

"I try."

***

Adam was still trying to get used to calling Teelana by her real name. Ever since he had met the woman, she had always been the Sorceress. But now, even without the wear that she had given up five years ago, he still fought it.

Luckily, he remembered it when she came to join him that evening. "Adam."

"Teelana. I'm glad you and Duncan came. We needed your help."

The two hugged, then released. Teelana smiled at her son-in-law. "Adam, there is something we must discuss."

"Is it a sure fire way to prevent out planet from becoming Count Marzo's backyard?"

She smiled a little, then nodded. "Yes. You see, Adam, there are many legends that drift back and back . . . before our Age, and even farther back. Before the Zodak came to Eternia. Before the Council of Elders. Before, even, the reign of the Energy Beast. Back to the foundations of Eternia.

"One such legend is that of a group of stones, created to embody the elements of all Eternia. These stones were scattered across Eternia, never before seen again. The Gardener's Stone is one of them - though it knows many names. Count Marzo knows its location and he will have it."

"What can I do to stop him?"

"Your spirit is strong and full of power, so I will tell you this. There is another stone that can be used against Count Marzo. It is the only stone to which I know the location of."

"What stone is that?"

"The Stone of the Phoenix."

"The Phoenix?"

"It can manipulate life, death, and re-birth."

"But the binds of death have been cut from Count Marzo. I can't kill him."

"No. Death does not sway upon him . . . but life and re-birth do."

Adam felt a smile creep upon his lips. "Where is this stone?"

"North. In the heart of the Vile Jungle. This compass will guide you. But be warned, King Adam, there are many forces working against at all times. This journey will be very perilous."

The king of Eternos sighed, but he knew what he had to do. What was facing him out there, it must be faced and brought down. He had no other choice.