CHAPTER TWO

"The Return of the Energy Beast"

Atop a cliff, high above the Valley of the Lost, on the planet of Etheria - stood a figure, wrapped in a dark cloth robe. His hands raised, his voice called out. He's chanting, the words echoing down and down . . . into the Valley of the Lost . . . down towards it bottom . . . and towards cracks along the ground.

Deeper still, into those cracks . . . deeper and deeper . . .

Until reaching their goal.

The Energy Beast had been the ruler of Eternia in the days before the Elders and long before the Zodak ever arrived on that world. But he was defeated and imprisoned by Elders, locked away for over a millenia.

Until he was released upon the world once again and fought for its domination.

But his new campaign ended horribly when He-Man, champion of Eternia, stopped him once more. Some years later, though, the Energy Beast was set free by the conqueror of Eternia's sister world - Etheria. Hordak wanted to unleash the Energy Beast upon She-Ra, He-Man's sister.

But the Energy Beast had turned on Hordak. Once more, though, He-Man defeated the Energy Beast and it was here that he was buried. Locked away.

Unit now.

A chant from above breaks the seals. The chains that were to hold him forever snap and break. The locks that kept him in place shatter. The rock and dirt that kept him buried erupts.

In short: the Energy Beast is free!

***

Queen Adora sat bored as the woman named Peacekeeper read the report back from Eternia. As her official ambassador to Eternia, Peacekeeper kept Adora informed of all the developments back on her homeworld. But that didn't mean it all had to be interesting.

"Milady?" asked Peacekeeper, looking up from her log. "Am I boring you?"

"Hm? Oh no. Please . . . go on," replied Adora.

"My Queen, I'm a telepath. There's no need to deceive me. Trust me, I'm well aware that this information about the agricultural report from the northern regions of the Fertile Plains is not the greatest epic."

"Then let's skip it, hm? What about the treaty? Did the Bear-People sign with King Adam?"

"No," Peacekeeper replied. "I'm afraid not."

Just as Adora was about to reply, her son ran in. Cassidy looked out-of-breath and very frightened. "Mother!" he shouted.

"What is it?"

"The Energy Beast! It's been freed!"

Suddenly, a flash of light filled the room. Bolts of electricity surged throughout the throne room, shooting every which way. Finally, it all gathered together and took the form of the Energy Beast. He was weakened from his long imprisonment.

"EEEEETTTTTERRRRRNIAAAAAA!" he moaned. It could sense the dimensional gateway nearby.

The Energy Beast thundered away, straight towards the gateway room. Adora turned to Peacekeeper.

"Stay here, Cassidy!" yelled Adora as she and Peacekeeper rushed after it.

The Fifteen-year-old did exactly as he was told.

The pair headed after the Energy Beast as it smashed its way into the gateway room. The gateway room was a chamber that maintained two constant gateways to the Hidden Realm and Eternia. The latter is where the Energy Beast was going.

Just as he began to enter the gateway, Adora ran to the controls and began to scramble the teleportation codes.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Peacekeeper. "He'll still make it there!"

"Not in one piece, he won't!" Adora returned sharply. "That way my brother will be able to deal with him easier!"

The Energy Beast roared as the gateway became scrambled. But he still made it to the other side . . .

***

Gwildor, keeper of the keys between Eternia, Etheria, and the Hidden Realm, sat in the gateway room in the Palace of Eternia and immediately didn't like the looks of the energy readings that were coming in.

"Adam!" he shouted into his comm-link. "We might have a problem!"

Suddenly, the gateway shimmered and the Energy Beast ripped through it. His own body was in a state of flux, power beams drifting off of it and striking all around the room.

"NNNNNNEEEEDDDDD POOOOOWWWWWEEERRR!"

Adam entered then, with at least a dozen armed guards. Beams of energy laced through two of the guards, leaving them dead on the ground. Adam immediately ordered them to pull back.

"Evacuate the area!" he shouted.

"PPOWWWWWEEEER! NNNNOOOOOORRRRRRTTTTTHHHH!"

The Energy Beast began to swirl into itself, becoming a sphere of pure power. Then, with incredible speed, it shot towards the North.

"Machinesmith!" Adam yelled into his comm-link. "Get a lock on that energy signature that just left here!"

"Yes sire."

"Ram-Man-At-Arms!"

"Yeah?"

"Assemble the Defenders, Rammy. The Energy Beast just returned."

***

In the great halls of Avion, a protest was given before Stratos. By his own son, Talon. "Father, I can not understand why are we doing this!"

"The Energy Beast is a threat to all of Eternia. Eternos and Avion must stand together."

"Surely Eternos can handle it on their own."

"Perhaps," Stratos began, "but it is best for our three peoples to stand united against this threat."

"Our people will die in this battle."

"Less so if we are together."

"Eternos can handle this on their own. I . . . I refuse to join with you in this battle."

Stratos looked at his son carefully. "I'm not going, Talon."

Talon was stunned. "What? Father, I . . . I . . ."

The elder Avion king stepped down from his throne and walked down next to his son. He put his hand on his shoulder. "Walk with me, Talon. There is much we must discuss."

"Yes, Father."

Stratos didn't speak for a long moment. Talon felt a bit uncomfortable but adapted to his fathers behavior rather quickly. They soon found themselves at a balcony overlooking the rest of the lofty city of Avion.

It was then that Stratos spoke. "I'm old, Talon."

"Father . . ."

He raised his hand. "Listen to me, my son. I am old. I have seen far too many wars. Too many battles. Always, have I been willing to protect our people."

"I know that, Father."

"And if that means siding with Eternos, then I will side with Eternos. If I must serve with the Defenders, then I will. All for the safety and protection of Avion. We can not be isolated. We can not be neutral. If we are to be strong, our forces must side with Eternos. YOU must side with Eternos."

Talon sighed and looked at his father, as if to say something. But there was something about Stratos that caught him differently though. Stratos looked older, white tuffs of his fur apparent as the wind swept over them. His wings were looking grayer and grayer, the crimson washing out with age.

But despite this, there was something else about him. He was looking stronger. Wiser. Valiant. And more than that . . . dedicated. He had seen this in his father before, but never this intense. Never this . . . strong-willed.

"I will go. I will fight for Avion."

"That . . . that is all I ask."

***

Exo - Philip, son of Mekaneck - pressed a button on his armor, creating an energy weave around him. It mimicked and mocked his every movement, making him more than ready to fight. His eyes moved towards Snowball, who was busy producing a dozen icicles

The brown-haired young man launched his sharp, ice weapons at Exo. He smiled, but wasn't surprised as Exo's energy-based exo-skeleton blocked and shattered them.

"Watch your back," said Ram-Man-At-Arms from the side, watching this training session.

It was then that a tall and lanky female Cat named Tail leapt in, kicking Snowball in the back of his blue and white jumpsuit.

"No fair, Tail!"

"All's fair in love and war, honey," she said, spinning around, her foot coming up for a kick in the face.

But before the feline female could reach him, his burst of cold air wrapped around it. She protested with a whine, but Snowball just smiled.

Until Exo picked him up and tossed him to the ground. Then, Exo's foot landed on his back, holding him there.

"Back-up!" shouted Snowball. "I could use some back-up here!"

A thunderous noise erupted from behind. Tail screeched and ran off as Horn came into sight. Poet was right behind him, facing Exo.

Swiftly, he wrote up the word 'PUSH' and the letters formed above the page. 'PUSH' then shot forward, smacking against Exo so hard, it set him flying off of Snowball.

Ram-Man-At-Arms chuckled and grinned. "Alright, that's enough. Everybody just be ready for da big fight, huh?"

Ram-Man-At-Arms was already late as he walked hurriedly towards the Palace Situation Room. But he wanted to make sure that these new kids were ready for this fight.

"Sorry I'm late," he apologized as he was stepping.

"Don't worry about it, Rammy," King Adam reassured him.

Ram-Man-At-Arms nodded, then looked around the room. He was happy to see that both Duncan and Teelana were there, helping out on the situation. Addison was there as well, serving as Captain of the Royal Guard. Stinger and Talon were there too, acknowledging the support of the Avions and the Insectiods. Peacekeeper was there, also, serving as the ambassador from Etheria and their representative

Machinesmith, Teela, and Adam rounded out the group.

"So, what's the situation?" asked Adam.

"The Energy Beast is at the North Pole, feeding off magnetic energy flows," Machinesmith explained. "I'd say thirty-six hours and he'll strike at Eternos."

"Why Eternos?" asked Addison.

"Because Eternos serves as the current heart of the politic scene. Eternos is the link between all major powers on Eternia. It is the Energy Beast's nature to come here," Teelana answered. Talon had to suppress a sneer.

"We can't launch an offensive," Duncan snorted. "He's too powerful up there. The Energy Beast can replenish his lost energy as soon as he losses it."

"Then what can we do?" asked Stinger, hopeful for a solution.

"We wait," Adam told her, "and prepare."

"With the kind of power the Energy Beast will be packing, there's no guarantee we'll be able to hold off his attack," Machinesmith brought up. "Any sort of energy we fire into that thing will be absorbed immediately."

"And what if we're wrong?" Talon argued. "What if they attack the Insectoids or the Avions?"

"Stratos and Buzz-Off will be there," Duncan countered. "And if that turns out to be true, we'll launch reinforcements immediately."

"It just bothers me," Ram-Man-At-Arms stepped in.

"What's that?" asked Teela.

"I just wish there was a way to defeat this guy. Our energy weapons will just be absorbed into it and all other weapons won't even hurt it."

"There may just be," Teelana tossed in, then.

"How do you mean?"

"It's a . . . rather complicated matter. One I must speak to Adam about first before addressing all of you regarding."

Adam nodded at his mother-in-law and former Sorceress; then took note of Talon's disgust at this development.

"Addison," Adam started, "I want you to start preparing our royal guards and soldiers. Conventional weapons such as knifes, blades, and crossbows are to be priority. Energy weapons secondary.

"Ram-Man-At-Arms," he continued, looking towards RMAA, "have the Defenders and Heroic Warriors all set for the fight. See if you can call in some reserves too. Then, I want you to help out Machinesmith to find a way to defeat the Energy Beast."

"What about us?" asked Stinger, motioning to herself and Talon.

"If you would, I would appreciate you training with the others, preparing for battle," Adam told them. "All of Eternia is at risk. Our peoples must stand united in this."

Talon grumbled to himself as the meeting was dismissed.

As the last of the group made their way out, Adam was face-to-face with Teelana. He was finally getting used to calling her that.

"I have to thank you and Duncan for helping us out here. I suppose no one really retires here on Eternia."

She smiled, having aged gracefully in her seventies. "Adam, I will always be there with you and Teela."

"I know, Teelana," he answered, feeling just as amazed by her presence as he had all those years ago when they first met. "What was it you had in mind?"

"Past the edges of the Sands of Fire, there is a mountain called Shadow. Deep in the heart of Shadow is a man named Loxx. He has helped the royal family out of my crises in the past five hundred years. King Vulnar the Bold summoned his power when he faced with the Sea People's monster. I have hopes that he will help you."

"How should I do this?"

"You must take the children and Teela. You will all be judged when you reach there."

"Judged? How so?"

"If your causes are noble, you will be given the power. If they are not, then you will be turned down."

Adam nodded. "Well, then, I suppose I best be getting a move on, huh?"