Chapter Six
"Thunder Clouds"
Day Five - Continued:
The greatest defense for the city and royal palace of Eternos was its placement. To the southwest was a small pockets of mountains. To the west were, open plains full of fertility and life. To the north were a series of sloping hills. Eternos sat in the center of all of these things, upon a large field. The River Eternia flowed through the area, just west of the city, running from north to south.
The city itself was placed upon a huge plateau that rested in this place since time out of mind. The second gate to the city was the edge of the plateau and it connected with a large, steep hill by a bridge. The first gate laid at the bridge. The bridge was, indeed, part of a larger road that went up the hill from the fields below.
Combined with the great walls that lined the very edges of the plateau - walls built upon since the dawn of the Second Age - Eternos had held its position through many crisis, conflicts, and battles.
But it was this one that King Miro knew would test the strength the great city.
So far, the siege of Eternos from the army of darkness below was not heavy. No attempt had been made to breach the walls, nor storm the gate. Shadow Wing and the Bats were all waiting the wings, so to speak, for the right command from Skeletor himself.
Immediately after the volley of lightning, the evening was witness to great heaves from the Ilkorts. Rocks and debris was tossed into the city of Eternos, crushing buildings and destroying streets within. Cannons crashed from the Goblins, unleashing fireballs as well.
This was returned with volleys of laser beams and a few missiles, destroying a few lines of the army, but not many.
King Miro wondered what great plot Skeletor had in mind this eve. He forced himself to stop thinking of Skeletor as Keldor, his son, but it was hard.
As the evening hours quickly became night hours, the volleys of rocks and fireballs waged on. Lasers and missiles returned each attack, but none of seemed to stagger the enemy. Midnight came and the bells chimed it in.
No one slept in that region. Not with the great combat unfolding itself.
Day Six:
He-Man and Battle-Cat arrived at last at the Sands of Time. On the outer edges of the region, stood the ancient structure known as the Sands of Time. He-Man marveled at the sight even in the late hours of the night. According to LifeDeath, this was here he would find the Ancients of the Peoples.
The pair crossed the distance between the ledge they were perched on and the Temple. "Stay here, Cat," He-Man commanded when they reached the bottom of the steps.
He-Man walked forward, the Sword of Power in its sheath, but the Sword of the Ancients out in his hands. When he entered the large, golden doors, He-Man lifted the Sword of the Ancients. He was standing in a large, empty room.
"Ancients of the Peoples, I am He-Man - "
"Defender of Eternia," a voice completed for him.
"Champion of Grayskull," a second voice said.
"The Rising Son," a third said.
"The wielder of the Sword of Power," came a fourth.
They appeared, then, from four different doors. He-Man had seen many different things in his life. Creatures from others world, monsters, dimensional beasts, and all the like. But what he now was perhaps the strangest he ever would see.
They were the Ancients of the Peoples.
People, the one representing the many people of Eternia, was a normal male draped in a blue cloth. He was tall, muscular and lean. He had no face.
Animal, the one representing the creatures of Eternia, was short to ground, and covered in a brown, rugged fur. He was wearing a green cloth. He, as well, had no face.
Ancients, the Ancients representing those of his kin, also had no face. He was old and thin, wearing a silver cloth.
Before, who He-Man wasn't sure who he represented, had blue skin and parts of his arms sometimes looked on fire. This one also had no face.
"You were going to summon us, He-Man," People told him.
"Yes," He-Man replied.
"There is no reason for that. We were waiting for you," People told him. "The Spirit of Evil must be stopped. If not, all of those living things that we represent will be destroyed. The people of Eternia are already dying and those that stand with me will be next."
He-Man looked at the others, though his eyes stayed the longest on Before. He was so strange, so very odd . . .
"Yes," He-Man said distractedly. "I understand." He turned his attention back to the faceless man in blue.
The Sword of the Ancients began to glow, and the runes of Peoples, Animals, Ancients, and Before all began to turn blue with power.
The four Ancients of the Peoples flashed into sparks and struck their respective runes. It was over in an instant. He-Man stood there and studied the Sword of the Ancients with wonder and confusion at the same time.
"What is it?" asked LifeDeath from behind.
He-Man jumped and spun around. "What - ?! What . . . I thought I had to summon you for you to appear like that?"
LifeDeath shook her head, her long, silver braid bouncing behind her. "Nope. You look confused."
"I am. I'm very confused."
"Why's that?"
He-Man perked an eyebrow. "Because . . . everyone else had to be tested or talked into fighting. But these four . . . they jumped at it."
"Of course they did, Rising Son. Those that they represent are in great trouble. They could feel them telepathically."
"Telepathically? I don't understand."
LifeDeath shook her head. "Of course you don't. We're not gods, He-Man. We're just immortals that have a few more abilities than most."
He-Man sighed heavily. "You're not making any sort of sense . . ."
LifeDeath made for the door and He-Man followed. "You don't understand. I'm not surprised. Really, I'm not. Listen, He-Man, things will be revealed a bit more as time goes on. And when you meet my father."
"Your - your father?"
"The Master of the Ancients," she said, and then gazed up at the stars as they sat in their places above the dessert. Her eyes then sparkled with wonder and amazement. "He'll explain it all to you. He's very powerful. Very powerful."
He-Man nodded. "Is he more powerful that the Spirit of Evil?"
LifeDeath perked an eyebrow. "Perhaps. There are stronger things that you and I, He-Man. And even my father."
A silence came between them. She took a deep breath and looked to him. "Okay. I'm done. My siblings Time and Space will be at the Dam. You may want to hurry. The attack on Eternos began. And it's going to get worse." LifeDeath then looked at He-Man and he found he was gazing at two of the most honest eyes he had ever seen in his entire life. "I can feel it in my bones," she said, but it was quiet enough to be a whisper.
***
As dawn arrived, King Miro began to grow nervous. Because, at dawn, the launches of rocks and cannons had halted. There was an eerie pause that latest for nearly an hour now.
"What is this?" he asked Mekaneck, who stood beside him on the balcony.
"I can't tell," replied the Heroic Warrior. "But something is up if they stopped firing."
"Sire," asked Buzz-Off, "should we open fire?"
King Miro thought long and hard about this as he gaze upon the startling army beyond the walls and the cliffs of the Eternos. "Wait ten minutes, then launch a full volley of missiles and lasers, Buzz-Off."
"Yes, your highness," Buzz-Off said with snip in his voice.
Miro went back and upon his throne. This wasn't easy for any of them, suddenly taking orders from a person they didn't know and didn't exactly trust. But it was Miro's job to keep the throne safe, and to keep it in order while the Spirit of Evil controlled his children.
It was a task he was barely up to taking, and sitting here, at the throne of Eternos, was one that was greatly uncomfortable. But he had to do it. That he knew - he must do it. For the sake of all Eternos . . . it had to be done.
And that's when a great rumble filled the Palace. Clamp Champ and Extendar rushed into the Throne Room.
"They've launched an aerial attack!" yelled Clamp Champ.
"Launch the Talon Fighters and the Wind Raiders!" commanded Miro. "All Air Chariots must commence with take-off - now!"
Miro rushed to the balcony and stood in shock at what he saw now. The sky was filled the Bats and their leader, Batros. Shadow Wing, the dragon, launched up now and unleashed a huge fireball down upon the city. Buildings were suddenly aflame.
And then Shadow Wing cast his gaze upon the Palace.
With a mighty roar, the dragon dove for the Palace. His wings thundered in the morning air, and his mouth spouted smoke from building flames. He screeched, his target in his sights. But still, Miro stood against the enemy.
Suddenly, from the sky, came a volley of missiles. They struck at Shadow Wing. Though they did not damage, it caused Shadow Wing pain. The dragon squealed and stopped, wings flapping more and more to keep him in place.
Stratos of Avion appeared, with Buzz-Off shortly behind. And then, moving in behind them, were Air Chariots, Wind Raiders, and Talon Fighters, weapons blazing. King Miro's heart lifted. This was good. This was very good. This sky war was one they may just win . . .
Except . . .
These warriors that fought now fought with no mercy in their hearts. They fought on and on, killing each and everything that crossed their paths. Miro stood shocked by this, but couldn't let it sway him. He was not affected by the Spirit of Evil, and therefore could not show that he was greatly against this.
"Mekaneck!" he shouted and spun around to his lookout man. "The wall, man? What is the status of the wall?"
Mekaneck stuck his head out and watched. "I can't tell, sire. It looks like they're massing troops around the road to the bridge."
Miro nodded and knew what that meant. If they breached the First Gate, the bridge would be theirs. And if they took the bridge, the Second Gate would be only be a matter of time.
***
"Take the gate!" roared Skeletor, pointing to the First Gate.
Above him, Shadow Wing roared as Air Chariots and Talon Fighters outflanked him. Skeletor looked towards the Torks and Ilkorts rushing towards the road up the plateau. All of a sudden, though, missiles began to pour out of Eternos.
They landed on the road, blasting up dirt and rocks, which all mixed in with blood and body parts. These explosions were throwing the Torks and Ilkorts back, and they smashed against the ground. Haramesh was already recalling the Ilkorts, as was King Von of the Torks.
The missiles moved, then, firing and exploding all across the army. Skeletor threw a force field around himself and Panthor, protecting the pair from fireballs and debris that leapt up and pounded the army. He turned to Negator.
"Destroy them!" he shouted.
"I can not destroy them," Negator replied. "But I can disable them."
Negator concentrated on the missile launchers . . . they were part of a greater array . . . which connected back to a weapons control room. He reached out with his mind and grabbed hold of the array, and disabled it.
***
"We've lost missile launchers!" shouted Man-E-Faces from the comm-link.
King Miro shook his head. This was getting bad. The hours were slipping from him, he noticed. It was nearly noon already. How soon would it be then when the gates fall? How soon would it be when his youngest, traitorous son would come and kill both Miro and Keldor's siblings?
"No," he muttered to himself. "I can not lose faith in this. I can not!"
He stood up now and lifted his Royal Sword. "Prepare the troops for war! If they want Eternos, they shall have Eternos!"
***
King Hiss stood next to Skeletor as the two watched the ariel battle begin to flader out. Already, Shadow Wing was forced to pull back, and it looked like the Bats were taking quite the beating.
"I did not expect them to fight without such mercy," Skeletor noted.
"I believe we have only just begun to see the loss of their mercy, Skeletor."
"What do you mean?"
Hiss waved it away. "Nothing. Just half-a-thought."
Skeletor nodded and continued to gaze out at the faltering battle. The sun was growing higher into the sky. It was early in the afternoon, now, and he was sure the city would his by nightfall.
"Prepare the Rock-People and Torgs. We shall try this again. We shall take the First Gate, Hiss. And the bridge, and the Second Gate. And then the city . . . and then the Palace itself."