CHAPTER FOUR

"Eternos versus the Energy Beast"

"Cutting it a little close, aren't you?"

King Adam ignored Duncan and walked right into the throne room. "Report," he said to Ram-Man-At-Arms.

"We just got word from Stratos and Buzz-Off. The Energy Beast will be here in five hours."

"Then it has passed my kingdom?" asked Talon. "Excellent."

"Our kingdoms, Talon," Stinger corrected. "And that is a very good thing. But it's still headed here - which is quite bad."

Adam turned to Machinesmith. "Any progress?"

"None. Our best bet is to just keep hitting and hope that it wears itself out."

Adam nodded assuredly. "Our only hope, then. Our quest has failed. We must re-double our defenses. I'll be in my office. I want a report on our progress every hour. Duncan, please have Teelana report see me immediately."

A few minutes later, there was a knock on Adam's door. He called for the person to walk in and in came Teelana. She frowned at Adam's expression.

"Your quest failed, I hear."

"Miserably."

"What happened?"

Adam looked up from his first tactical report and sighed. "We were called half-breeds, Teelana. Bastards of two worlds. Because my mother and father were not of the same race, the entire family was 'damned.' Loxx said that we don't deserve the power because that we weren't pure-blood Eternians. That we didn't even deserve the throne in the first place."

Teelana looked surprised. "Adam . . . I am so sorry."

"I wasn't expecting it to work out that way, I suppose. I figured I'd go in there, get the power and come back. I wasn't expecting myself nor my family to bashed for not being completely Eternian."

"There was no mistake made when your father married your mother. Such things are destiny. Such as becoming He-Man and defeating Skeletor."

Adam scoffed. "A destiny laid out by Zodac, eh Teelana?"

"I'm afraid so. But perhaps it was his destiny to journey to Eternia and disrupt the balance."

He grinned and stood up. "What do you think our destiny is today, Teelana? Do you think we'll win this day?"

"I think your destiny is whatever you make, King Adam. And I think you will win this day."

***

Machinesmith sat in the pit in the lab, trying to cobble something up. It was getting harder and harder to think now that the Energy Beast had been spotted. It was less than an hour away and to be honest, Machinesmith was getting frustrated.

If there was only some way not to energize it when they fire the lasers. But there wasn't . . . wait. Machinesmith stood up and snapped his fingers in realization.

"I've got it!"

He immediately started to reach for pieces, but realized just how much time it would take to do what he needed to do. Too long, damn it, he thought. But that wasn't going to stop him.

***

"There he is," said Addison, turning then to Adam. "Just over the horizon. He'll be coming through that forest soon."

"I want all Defenders and Heroic Warriors on alert. We'll send them on the Energy Beast first, then your troops will start attacking. We'll the reserves after that."

"Yes sir."

Adam sighed deeply. "I hate war," he said plainly, then turned on his heel and walked back towards the palace.

"Do you think we'll win this one?" asked Amelia, stepping past her father and next to Addison.

"I hope so. I hope so . . ."

There was a sudden crack in the air as trees smashed and the Energy Beast came barreling through the forest. He unleashed a gigantic roar, streams of energy flowing from his body, slamming on the terrain around him.

"By the Sorceress . . ." Amelia uttered, fear entering her mind.

Addison felt it too, but stiffened up. "Bang the drums! Prepare for battle! Blow the horns! Prepare for war!"

Sounds of readiness in the form of music filled the great city as the Energy Beast came ever closer, his body huge and powerful.

"Good luck, Addison," Amelia told her brother, touching his shoulder.

"Thank you. We'll need it," Addison whispered back. "Defenders! Stand tall and prepare to engage on my mark!"

The Energy Beast lurched forward, streams of power flying about - reaching ever closer to Eternos. Addison counted off the seconds in his head - then gave the order.

"MARK!"

Just as the Energy Beast was about to step forward, an explosion erupted right in front it, causing pause in the former ruler. That pause was all the Heroic Warriors needed.

The ground began to rumble as Exo banged his two large, exo-skeletal fists onto the sturdy floor. Talon unleashed missiles from his harness. Stinger threw her harpoons at the Energy Beast. Ice and snow flew towards the monster as Snowball released a barrage of his powers. Tail leapt in, her claws scratching part of the surface. Horn followed up with a huge sonic blast.

It didn't stop.

The Energy Beast marched forward. As the Heroic Warriors brought upon a second wave of attacks, the Energy Beast shoved them away with lightning bolts.

And kept on walking.

"First volley!" commanded Addison. "Launch attack! Fire!"

Scores of arrows shot through the air, striking the Energy Beast. They had no effect on the creature.

Suddenly, the word 'STOP!' appeared before Energy Beast. Not far away, the Poet smiled. The Energy Beast fired a beam of energy at Poet, but it missed, allowing him to move swiftly away. The Energy Beast then shoved through the word and kept going.

"We have to keep him from the wall!" shouted Exo, running forth.

His hands wrapped around the Energy Beast's leg and he pulled. The Energy Beast paused, ready to blast him away. But then Horn's sonic blast struck once more - this time, far harder than before. The words 'LONG ROPE' formed around Energy Beast and he was pulled back.

The Energy Beast was about to reach and destroy them both, but Stinger and Talon swooped down, distracting him. Tail was leaping and bounding around before him, distracting as well.

Adam walked over to Addison. "Machinesmith has a plan. How long can they keep the Energy Beast occupied?"

"Not too much longer."

It was then that Machinesmith came running up the stairs to the wall. He was carrying two cases of small, rectangular devices. "I've got them! I've got them! Start putting them on the power packs of your laser blasters!"

"You heard him!" ordered Addison. "First line! Display your weapons! Second line, fill in!"

"Whatever happens, whatever doesn't feel natural - don't ever stop firing once the order is given. Your weapon will overload, but should shut down before then," Machinesmith explained. "Attach these to your power packs. I'll be right back!"

"They've got a plan!" yelled Snowball, icing up the Energy Beast's leg.

"Pull back!" shouted Talon.

"Pull really really FAR back!" followed up Tail.

The Energy Beast was furious and about to strike - until laser beams started to slice into him. Suddenly, his body began to swirl and grow stronger with power and energy. The fools were causing him to grow far more powerful . . . greater and greater.

"They're making him stronger," Addison released, startled.

"Just hang on, son," Adam reassured his adopted son.

"Sir! Something's happening to our lasers! They've stopped unleashing energy! They're pulling it back in!"

"They're absorbing the Energy Beast's power."

Indeed. The Energy Beast roared in pain and frustration. His power was being drained from his body and into the power packs of the laser blasters. But they weren't enough. There was still so much of himself that they weren't tapping into.

And then a great laser cannon rose from behind the wall and opened fire. A continuous beam of laser energy flowed outward, striking the Energy Beast right in the chest. At first, his power grew - only to find that that feeling was disappearing. Replacing it was the feeling of being drained. Deeper now than ever before - he himself was being drained!

In a sudden flash, the Energy Beast was gone - trapped in the laser cannon's power pack.

"Great job, Machinesmith!" yelled Adam.

"Not done yet, sir! He's overloading the power pack! I've got to blast him out into space - it's the only way to deal with him!"

Machinesmith pressed a few buttons, the laser cannon facing straight up. It then released an erratic beam out of the end - shooting far and far beyond the atmosphere. Out of orbit, that's how powerful the beam was. Into outer space it yet, far from Eternia.

The Machinesmith released a stressed breath . . . right before everyone started shouting and hollering.

"HE DID IT!"

Ram-Man-At-Arms hoisted Machinesmith up, throwing his fists up in victory. "HE DID IT! HE BEAT THE ENERGY BEAST!"

The Heroic Warriors and Defenders crowded around, as well as the royal soldiers. He blushed and rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Aw shucks, guys, I mean - it was a team effort . . ."

"THREE CHEERS FOR THE DEFENDERS, THE HEROIC WARRIORS, THE ROYAL SOLDIERS AND - MACHINESMITH!"

"HIP-HIP-HURRAH! HIP-HIP-HURRAH! HIP-HIP-HURRAH!"

As the celebrations continued, though, Emily couldn't help but turn her thoughts elsewhere. She knew that the Energy Beast had been held caged years ago. Unable to escape. But then . . . how did it escape . . .? Or perhaps more correctly . . . who let the Energy Beast lose?