Chapter Three
"Weapons of War"
There was darkness.
CLANG CLANG!
But slowly and surely, it began to fade to gray, becoming like a cloud before Teela's body. A fog now filled her vision, and it was slowly lifting, revealing spots of green before her. Teela suddenly realized that she wore no clothes, as this jungle became apparent to her.
CLANG CLANG!
Yet Teela's nudity didn't bother her. It felt natural for some reason . . .
CLANG CLANG!
The pounding echoed throughout the air, stirring her onward, hoping to find its origin. She walked forward, bare feet pressing against the dirty floor of the mysterious, foggy jungle. Teela perched on a rock, ears listening the source of the sound.
CLANG CLANG!
Teela walked forward, and the sound grew louder. She had to find the source of this noise, for its reason for clanging was just too much for her to put out of her mind.
CLANG CLANG!
Coming down an embankment, Teela spotted to the source of the noise. It was a tall, dark man standing at anvil next to a bucket of water and a small oven. A blacksmith, who seemed not to notice Teela standing there in the complete, naked flesh.
CLANG CLANG!
"Hello?" asked Teela, stepping forward.
The blacksmith turned to her and smiled, ceasing his pounding on whatever he was forging. She couldn't see what it was exactly, only that it wasn't anything she had seen before.
"Hello," answered the blacksmith. He lifted his hammer onto his shoulder. "I'm glad you made it on time. I thought you wouldn't be here for it."
"For what?"
"For your heart. I'm almost done with it."
Teela paused, squinting at the blacksmith in confusion. "Is that what you're doing? Forging my heart?"
The blacksmith chuckled. "To an extent. Wait one second."
He turned back, stoked the fire again and started pounding at whatever he was slamming his hammer on.
CLANG CLANG! CLANG CLANG! CLANG CLANG! CLANG CLANG!
Teela paused and leaned against a nearby tree. She played with long, red hair as the blacksmith slammed against his object. Sparks flew wildly from the anvil, and Teela watched with fascination.
CLANG CLANG! CLANG CLANG! CLANG - !
He turned around, holding the object he was forging in a pair of tongs. They were wings, which were still red-hot from the forging.
"Turn around. This will hurt."
She nodded and turned around. The blacksmith pressed the wings firmly against the flesh of her back, causing it to burn. Teela winced at first, the hot metal searing against her skin. But as they sat there, the searing turned to sealing . . . and the wings became part of her body.
Teela could feel them cool, the metal becoming feathers, her blood filling them, moving at her command. She smiled as the feather brushed against her flesh. The wings unfolded at her mental command, spreading out from her back.
The blacksmith grinned with satisfaction. "It may take a while for those wings of yours to let you fly, but they will aid you in finding your destiny."
"Destiny?"
He put a finger up against her lips. "Shhhh. Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?"
Teela wasn't sure how to answer. The blacksmith turned from her then, and began to cool to stoke the anvil again. He would be working on sword, but Teela knew that it wasn't for her. She knew, for some reason, she had much farther to go.
Turning on around, Teela walked nakedly back deeper into the foggy jungle, her new wings fluttering.
***
Duncan sat next to Teela's bed, his face worn with emotions. He pressed a damp cloth against her welted face, sighing heavily with sadness and frustration. He frowned, and leaned in close. Kissing her on the forehead, he whispered to her.
"Come back, my child, my only sweet daughter . . . come back to us . . ."
The machines around her kept her alive. Respirator, heart monitor - they all kept her living. All of the scans revealed heavy damage to her brain, which was never good. There was a strong chance that if - IF - she was revived, Teela would have either complete amnesia or barely enough brain power to operate her body at all(the former being the best case, the latter being the worst).
"Teela," Duncan whispered, holding her hand, "I don't know what to do. I'm suddenly so lost without you. I've spent so much time in my lab, Teela, that I don't think I've been outside in nearly ten days. And now there's this war . . . and . . . I don't know if I can do this alone!"
Duncan began to weep, and put his face into his hands. "I need you back, Teela. You're my only child, and I can't go on without you. No parent . . . no father . . . should ever outlive their child. Never."
He started the break down even farther, and now just let it all out. A light hand touched his shoulder, then, and startled him from his stupor.
"Duncan," came a familiar female voice. He turned around and was shocked to find Queen Marlena standing behind him, looking sadly at her old friend.
Duncan wiped his eyes, and began to stand up. "Your majesty, I - "
"Shush, it's alright."
Marlena walked passed the embarrassed Man-At-Arms, making for the limp and burnt form of Teela. "I'm sorry," he apologized for no reason inparticular.
"Duncan, it's alright. How is she?"
"Hanging by the thinnest of threads, your majesty."
Marlena dappled the cloth against Teela's burns, carefully moisturizing them. "These burns are awful."
"Yes, they are."
After she was done, Marlena turned to Duncan. "Duncan," she began, "I have a question for you."
"Okay. What?"
"Are you hurting?"
He nodded. "Very much so. I feel so alone, Marlena. Without Teela, nothing makes sense. It feels like . . . like . . ."
"Like you're only half a person?"
"Yes. Exactly. How did you - ?"
"Because I lived with that pain for nineteen years, Duncan. Never knowing where Adora was, whether or not she was dead or part of some bizarre experiment or what. It was not easy, and it never got easier. You're in the same position we are. You don't know what's going to happen, everything is unpredictable. But . . . Duncan . . . you don't have to go through this alone.
"Randor and I . . . we're here for you. We're both willing to talk to you. Help you through this. We want Teela to come out of this unscratched, of course, but we're also hoping for the same with you."
Duncan nodded. "Thank you."
She put her arm around his shoulders. "Come on. Let's go find my husband and we'll sit down and talk about this. All right?"
"Yeah . . . yeah, that sounds like a good idea."
***
Slithering across the ground, hidden in the brush that sprouted around the Great Towers, a group of snakes made their way to their destination. Viper Tower.
Sealed at all entrances, Viper Tower was forbidden to any member of the Heroic Warriors - or any civilians. This was purely for the reason that great evil stood behind it's dark walls, and evil should not be even thought of with temptation.
But King Hiss never yielded to such laws. He slithered through a secret entrance, gaining himself entry into the Viper Tower. The snakes moved swiftly into a small chamber off a formerly corridor that was once considered insignificant.
He realized this now, as the king of the snake moved into his humanoid form. A secret left behind years ago. Something unexpected by the Elders. A dimensional gateway, that would allow him to access the void that the Snake Men were stranded in.
Who left for him, he thought for a moment. Who hoped that the Snake Men would rise again? And why would this information surface now and not be known to anyone else?
Hiss hardly had time for this. According the information from the scroll that was purchased from Marzo, it would hardly be difficult to summon the troops he needed. In the room in question was a mere statue of a snake's head. In its mouth was a small talisman that showed a green snake moving through a circle.
King Hiss picked it up and smiled. It would be soon.
***
Counselor Ari made his way carefully through the tall rocks. He bent down, his old knees cracking as he did so. Bending forward, he peered down to the plains below and realized now that his fears had been confirmed. The Golden Isles were being invaded and none of the people that lived there were able to oppose the forces that had arrived.
The Horde.
Ari had heard of the Horde during their war on Eternia years ago. But the war had been halted. What were they doing back? King Randor and the guardians of Eternos had defeated the Horde back then, so it was only right that they were contacted again. Put a stop to it before it began again.
Ari stood up and started to walk towards the shore - when he was suddenly struck on the back of the head. His last vision was of a red bat symbol on the chest of a metal man.
***
The air on Eternia was growing tense in the late evening. Skeletor could feel it as it he stood at the mouth of Snake Mountain. The war would be starting soon - this he knew. That fool Hiss had started something he knew he would regret with Hordak and it would not be good.
Not for Eternia.
Not for the Horde.
Not for the Snake Men.
Not for Eternos.
And most of all, not for Skeletor and his plans for Castle Grayskull. He only hoped his message had been received in time. Skeletor had sent word to Eternos, hoping that He-Man and Randor would get involved enough to end this conflict. Let his enemies destroy each other . . .
"Skeletor."
Skeletor spun around and faced King Hiss. He was holding a talisman, that glowed slightly in the dim light. "What is that?" questioned Skeletor.
"It is the key to the void that my men were banished to. I can open a portal here and summon 20,000 of my Snake Men."
"20,000?"
"Yes . . . 8,000 for my march on Eternia. 10,000 for my march on Etheria. And 2,000 to keep Snake Mountain safe."
Skeletor scoffed. "What are you talking about?"
King Hiss walked to the open mouth of Snake Mountain and smiled grimly. "Truth be told, Skeletor, I tire of this rivalry between us. And I don't want it to interrupt my war. So, on that note . . . I am retaking Snake Mountain and kicking you and your misfits out."
Skeletor pulled out his Chaos Staff. "NEVER!"
Calm and coolly, King Hiss shifted into his snake form. The snakes grew larger and menacing, studying Skeletor like he was meat.
"This was my fortress first, Keldor, son of Miro," Hiss snarled. Skeletor's eyes went wide. "That's right. I know who you are. I know all about you."
"Impossible!"
"I know about your betrayal, about your quest to unlock the secrets of Grayskull, about how you think your heart is black and evil. I'll tell you, Skeletor, your heart is nothing compared to mine. Look into my eyes, Skeletor, look into my eyes and see my TRUE FORM!"
Skeletor growled and looked forward, into the red eyes of King Hiss. The red seemed to give way to darkness . . . and then to . . . and then to . . .
"We're moving out!" yelled Skeletor, moments later. Evil Lynn studied him for a second and saw something she had never seen before. Fear. Skeletor was afraid. And with King Hiss standing behind him, it didn't take long to figure what of.
"Gather your things - quickly - and meet me and Panthor outside immediately!" Skeletor commanded.
As they all filed out of the room, King Hiss grabbed Kobra Khan's arm. "Wait, my brother. You can stay."
"But Skeletor . . ."
Hiss smiled. "Is no longer worth any value on Eternia. It's time, Kobra Khan, to show where your true loyalty lies. Me . . . or Skeletor."
Kobra Khan found himself sharing King Hiss's smile. "You, King Hiss. I will serve you."
A few minutes later, King Hiss walked to the mouth of Snake Mountain and stood flanked by his Snake Men - Sssqueeze, Rattlor, Tung Lashor, Kobra Kahn, Snake Face, Blast Attack and the Meterorbs. He lifted up the talisman and began to charge with his power.
The markings on the talisman began to glow. The skies grew dark and thundered rolled across the Dark Hemispheres. The dirt below began to swirl as interdeminsional began to turn and twist, opening the proper gateways. Streams of energy began to snap out of the talisman. King Hiss struggled to control them.
Powerful tension grew below, roaring and churning like a sea during a great storm. And then - and then - the tension broke.
Thunderous, powerful light exploded below. The ground heaved as 40,000 feet appeared. The sky snapped with thunder as the roar of victory and freedom filled the Snake Men's lungs. A mist settled swiftly, and then began to drift away - showing the 20,000 Snake Men warriors.
"Glorious," muttered King Hiss before dropping the talisman. His strength had been sapped. Kobra Kahn helped him to his feet.
"Thank you. Please, take me to my quarters," King Hiss said to his new minion. He then turned Sssqueeze and Snake-Face. "Give them food and water. Then give them armor and weapons. We march into battle in one day."
***
As the moons rose, Skeletor stood upon a ledge, staring towards Snake Mountain in the distance. The others were making camp behind him, and from here, the armies of King Hiss were heard yelling and roaring into the moonlight.
Part of him wanted to go back, full-force, and reclaim Snake Mountain for his own. But whenever he thought of that - he was forever haunted by what he saw in King Hiss's eyes . . .