Chapter Two
"Meetings of War"
Horns blew.
Fires were lit.
Banners waved in the winds.
Mekaneck felt a pang of dread in his gut and a sudden urge to rush into battle. Instead, he did his best to control it and lowered his head. "This is bad," he told Sy-Klone.
"No shit," Sy-Klone replied harshly.
"Hey, lay off, okay? I've NEVER seen an army like this."
Over the ridge the pair were hiding behind, and ten miles away, a massive army was forming at the base of Snake Mountain. There were many of them assembled there, races of evil from across Eternia. Ilkorts, Orcs, Goblins, Mer-People, Kobloids, the Rock-People, Torgs, Ogres, and many more all stood together, ready for war.
"You've heard the rumors?" asked Sy-Klone.
Mekaneck nodded. "Of course I have. There's more on the way."
"We'll beat 'em. After we take Castle Grayskull, this puny little army will be nothing to us," Sy-Klone replied.
Mekaneck scoffed. "I can't believe King Randor's been sitting on his ass all this time. The true power to expand his kingdom lies in the one place that we've been able to access for years."
"Yeah, well, I've always been curious as to why Skeletor REALLY wanted in there," Sy-Klone wondered.
"Why? Thinking about joining up with the enemy again?"
"No! Shut up, Mekaneck! Let's get out of here and report back to the Palace."
***
Meanwhile, at the northern boarder of the Evergreen Forest and the southern boarder of the Vine Jungle . . .
Marcus lumbered forth, the great waterfall rushing down, glowing in moon light of the late night sky and entering his black eyes. He was a scout for the Bears, and they were about to claim this region as their own. It made the most sense for his kingdom. A strong, clean water supply for the village, plenty of fish flowing through the area, and it marked their entrance into the Vine Jungle.
But just as he was about to place the banner into the ground, his brown-furred snout caught scent of another. A Cat. She came leaping out of the Vine Jungle and landed on a rock on the other side of the river, just at the bottom of the waterfall. Immediately, her pupils grew larger, and then narrowed. Her ears went flat and rotated backwards; her tail swishing behind her nervously, the fur bristled.
Marcus growled, stood to full height, and looked directly at the Cat. His ears went flat and back, and he poped his jaw.
"Who are you?" Marcus snarled.
"My name is Lily, an emissary for King Paw of the Cats. I have come to stake claim on this area in the name of our kingdom."
Marcus laughed, but it sounded more like a roar. "This river has been claimed in the name of King Jade, leader of the Bear kingdom. This area is to be part of our ever-expanding kingdom."
Lily hissed. "I don't think so," she replied. "This area is full of fish for us to eat. It is a strategic place as well - bordering with . . . enemies."
"And what enemies would that be?"
"You."
Lily pulled out a long, curved dagger from her built and screeched as she leapt from rock to rock, not touching the water once. Marcus roared, and unleashed a long metallic spear.
"So . . . negotiations have ceased," he mumbled between long roars.
***
As morning came upon Eternos, Marlena was unable to deal with what was happening. Everyone seemed so different, so angry, so . . . evil. It seemed, for all day and night, that it was only she that noticed. Marlena felt so alone and so alien. This was not her world; she was not being affected by it.
Marlena found herself sitting alone in the courtyard, deciding not to go to the strategic meeting. Not far away from her, Adam, Man-At-Arms, Randor, and Teela were all standing around, planning out the taking of Castle Grayskull. She never thought she'd see the day when Grayskull's greatest allies would turn against it.
Last night, Randor has explained it as a way of defending it. By taking Grayskull for the kingdom, Eternos would remain secure for centuries. With news of Skeletor's ever-massing army, they would need all the help they could get.
"Your majesty," said a familiar voice then. Marlena looked up and saw Detective-Sargent Lubic standing by her side.
"Lubic?" she asked, surprised. Marlena had forgotten that Lubic was just as human as she was and probably noticed the differences too.
"Yeah," he replied. "Me and the others. We was just wondering . . . all our Heroic Warriors aren't acting very heroic."
Marlena stood straight up, a smile rising on her face. "You noticed too?"
"Yeah. Something's up."
"The Spirit of Evil must only be able to effect Eternian minds," Marlena told him. "What others were you talking about?"
"Rokkon, Stonedar, and Orko."
"Take me to them," Marlena ordered.
Above, Randor watched from a balcony as Marlena and Lubic left the courtyard together. "I knew it," he whispered to himself. "Probably missed the touch of her own kind. No wonder last night she and I didn't . . ."
"King Randor," interrupted Man-At-Arms, "we need to get back to meeting."
"Fine," snapped Randor and he turned around and walked back inside. Within, the others were studying a map of Castle Grayskull.
"We'll send in all Heroic Warriors first," said Adam. "Led by He-Man."
"I don't trust He-Man," grumbled Randor.
"I do," Adam returned harshly. "I spoke with him and he pledged his loyalty. He-Man will help us take Grayskull. The Sorceress has been keeping her secrets from him for years."
"Fine, He-Man will lead," Randor replied. "But how will we mask ourselves from the Sorceress' detection?"
"She'll be expecting us all at once," Teela said. "So instead, we'll be sending each Heroic Warrior in one-at-a-time and from different directions. Each one will use their powers as soon as they reach. Together, we should be able to break through her force fields and bring the drawbridge down."
***
"This is the plan, then," Marlena told Rokkon and Stonedar. "A ship is sitting at the launch pad. You two will take it and go find Zodak as soon as possible."
"Why Zodak?" asked Stonedar.
"Zodak is a Cosmic Enforcer. He specializes in the balance between good and evil and finds that that balance must always be in check. Zodak is the only one that can possibly help us."
"How are we supposed to launch? I thought we needed an access code to launch," questioned Rokkon.
Marlena nodded. "As the queen, I have one of the access codes. Lubic will escort you to the launch pad, and then will return immediately to the palace."
"Why's that?"
"We're heading to Castle Grayskull, the three of us," Marlena returned, pointing to herself, Lubic, and Orko. "I'll retrieve the plans after the launch and we'll get out of here as fast as we can. Only by reaching the Sorceress can we hope to muster any sort of restoration."
"Sounds like a good plan, then," Orko said. "But I'm a little worried about everybody. I don't want them to stay evil."
Marlena gave him a small grin. "Neither do I, Orko. Neither do I," she answered. "Now, are we in agreement?" All four of them gave her a nod. "Good. Then let's get to work."
***
As the twilight hours settled in, Marlena and Orko snuck into Man-At-Arms' lab and reached the launch computer controls. Using her access codes, Marlena activated the pre-launch sequence. Lubic signaled that Rokkon and Stonedar were in position, and she went to work.
Within moments, a loud rumble filled the air, and bright fire fumed from launch pad. The ship lifted into the sky and towards the stars. Marlena pegged her hopes onto that ship, and managed to say a little prayer for those that flew on it.
"Good work, Lubic," she said over the communicator. "Now head on back. We may need you here."
Randor stormed into the Throne Room, where Man-At-Arms was checking in with a few soldiers. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!" he thundered.
"King Randor, someone just left in one of the ships."
"I realize that! Who was it?!"
"We just did a head-count, sire. It was Rokkon and Stonedar."
"How did they manage to take off? It requires an access code to get into the launch controls and - "
Man-At-Arms smiled and handed Randor a printout. "Already one step ahead of you, sire. I'm afraid you won't like the answer."
Randor looked at the paper, then proceeded to crumble it up in his hands. "I knew it . . ."
***
Marlena moved quickly into her and Randor's bedroom and looked around for the plans of attack. She spotted them on his desk and opened them up. "They're coming from different directions, all of them. No wonder they're making this a surprise attack."
It was then the doors flew open. Randor ran in, his face red and Marlena stood still in horror as he charged towards her. Randor ripped the plans from her hands, and then smacked her harshly across the face.
"Traitorous bitch!" he screeched.
"No! Randor!" Marlena attempted, but Randor lunged for her. Marlena ducked and slammed her plan into his chin. As he toppled back, she kicked him in the gut.
"You are not yourself!" she called. Marlena went for a kick to the face, but Randor grabbed her ankle and pulled, sending Marlena onto her back. She attempted to stand up, but Randor grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off the ground.
"Spy!" shouted Randor, holding Marlena up by the neck. "I knew it! I KNEW IT!"
"Randor . . . please . . ." gasped Marlena, struggling against him as her husband choked her. "Don't . . ."
He tightened his grasp on her. "I should have realized it sooner," he told her. "You show up only a year or two before Hordak does? And then you allow him to take one of YOUR children! You're his! You're both his spy and his lover!"
Marlena couldn't believe the madness that was spewing from Randor's mouth. "No . . ." she attempted, but his fingers were clenching too hard.
"And now - now you sent your two little friends off to Horde Prime, no doubt, to attack us while I'm taking Castle Grayskull! Well, I may have been too late to stop Rokkon and Stonedar, but I'm not too late to stop you!"
Randor was about squeeze even harder, but a laser blast came slicing through the air, striking right next to him. Randor dropped Marlena, the queen falling to the floor, holding her neck and gasping for air. She looked up and saw Lubic, holding a laser gun.
"YOU!" roared Randor, pulling out his sword.
"Run, queenie! I'll take care of him!"
Gasping, Marlena ran. She could hear behind her as Lubic opened fire, but the sound of Randor's screams and shouts were louder. The madness that the Spirit of Evil had released seemed to be reaching its apex. She needed to get to Orko, and then - onto Castle Grayskull. She had to reach it before the Heroic Warriors.
No, she thought to herself. They're not heroes. Not anymore.
"Orko . . ." she wheezed as she came around the corner. "Orko!"
The Trollian shot into the corridor was shocked to see her in such a horrible condition. "Your majesty! What happened?"
"We need to go, Orko. To Grayskull. Now!"
Orko nodded and led the way. As fast they could, they made for the hanger. But as they raced along the courtyard, a cry rang out. "STOP THEM!" It was Randor, his voice with ferocity and anger. And betrayal, to some extent.
Royal Guards began to pour out onto the courtyard. Orko paused for a second and conjured up a spell. A wall of flames appeared in the courtyard, giving Marlena and Orko time to make a run for it. They charged for the hanger, and entered.
"Halt!" shouted a Royal Soldier behind the door.
"I've had enough of this," Marlena muttered. She spun around kicked the laser gun out of the soldier's hand and picked it up for herself. "Orko, make for a Road Ripper, I'll cover you."
As Orko zoomed over, Marlena stunned the soldier and pulled out a dagger that was strapped to her ankle. The Road Ripper turned on just as the doors opened and more Royal Soldiers poured in. Marlena leapt onto the Road Ripper with Orko and they sped out of hanger.
They shot towards the gates, which were slowly coming to a close. Marlena bent over Orko's body and clicked the Road Ripper into the highest gear. It would be a close one, but they shot straight through the doors right as they were closing up. The Road Ripper bounced on the road and then zoomed away from Eternos.
From above the gate, King Randor stood and watched as his wife and the court jester sped off together. Both spies for Hordak, he assumed within his mind. "They should be together," he muttered. "We attack Grayskull in two days anyway. What does it matter?"
But as Randor walked off, a feeling of doubt washed over him. What was he doing? What was he thinking? Had he gone mad? He just tried to strangle his wife! How was this for the best? How could he be doing this?
Then a new thought popped into his mind. He was doing this because it was the right thing to do. It was right and it was to be done simply because it was best for Eternos. Of course he was strangling his wife. She was spy for Hordak. That much was obvious. And so was Orko. And Rokkon and Stonedar.
It didn't matter, though. It didn't. Castle Grayskull would be his in two days, anyways. He would succeed where Keldor - Skeletor - his brother - had failed so many times.
***
In the darkest hours of the night, the Road Ripper came to a screeching halt at Castle Grayskull. Marlena got off and stood up, her ripped dress dancing the pale moonlight. "Sorceress of Grayskull! Open the drawbridge!"
There was a long pause, and Orko seemed to diminish in hope. Marlena grunted and was about to speak again when, at last, the drawbridge cranked open. Marlena and Orko walked inside and when they reached the Throne Room, were shocked at the sight before them.
The Sorceress was pale and limp, her body thin and her wings had a strange brown look at the tips. She was thin, sickly so. Her bloodshot eyes opened and she mustered what was an attempt at a smile at the sight of the two aliens.
"Thank the Ancients . . ." she muttered.
"Orko! Find water!"
"But your highness - "
"NOW!"
Orko shot out of the room, seeking for a pitcher. Marlena went to the Sorceress and laid a hand on her forehead. "Sorceress," she spoke to the keeper of Grayskull. "We need to call for reinforcements. The Heroic Warriors are going to attack the Castle."
"Call for your daughter . . ." uttered the Sorceress. "The Great Rebellion will come."
"What about She-Ra? Will she come as well?" questioned Marlena. "She's supposed to be the champion of Grayskull with He-Man."
Orko arrived with a glass of water. Marlena took it and held it up the Sorceress' lips. When the glass was emptied, the Sorceress looked up to Marlena with honest eyes.
"If Adora comes, so will She-Ra. Because . . ." The Sorceress coughed, then continued. "Because they are one and the same."
Marlena's eyes widened and it felt like someone punched her in the stomach. "What . . .?" She turned to Orko, who didn't seem as shocked. He knew, Marlena realized. She had suspected, but to have it confirmed . . .
The Sorceress spoke once more. "Adora is She-Ra. And, Adam, your son, is He-Man."
