Chapter Seventeen - "The Rally of Eternos"
An explosion filled their vision. Duncan held his laser to his chest and allowed himself to fall back into the trench. He began to shout order into the comm-line, hoping that the others were listening. By the next afternoon, the Horde would be on Eternos land and would be at the city shortly after that. There wasn't much time left to hold them back.
"Duncan!" yelled Randor, running along the trench. "The Horde Troopers are moving in! We need more time! If we can get back to Eternos, then we can still stand a chance against them!"
Another explosion roared, noting the onward march of Hordak's forces. "Right! I've got an idea! An electro-magnetic pulse should knock out their circuits for a few minutes!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah! I need back to one of our Battle Tanks!"
An explosion blasted nearby, spraying them both with dirt and dust.
"I'll come with you!"
"No, sire! It's too dangerous! You can make it back to Eternos!"
Randor shook his head and shoved his friend out of the trench and back towards a lone Battle Tank. "This is an order! You rewire the Battle Tank and I'll cover you!"
Duncan grunted, but pulled open a panel on the Battle Tank and went to work. After a few minutes of heavy fire and Duncan cursing at the Battle Tanks circuitry, Randor gasped.
"I see him," he muttered.
Duncan followed Randor's line of sight. Laser fire heated the winter air and shot back and forth with intense fury. Half a mile away, the Horde Troopers were stationary, letting lose their lasers. Duncan could make a figure that was very much not a Horde Trooper.
"Who?" asked Duncan, straightening his priorities and turning back to the Battle Tank.
"Keldor," Randor replied. Duncan sighed. He was one of the few people that knew that that man was, in fact, Randor's own brother. "I have a clear shot, too. I could take him out of his misery. I could end this. That would leave Hordak without his right-hand man."
Duncan gulped as he watched Randor position his weapon. But he never pulled the trigger. He loosened his grip. Randor said nothing, but Duncan knew the truth. As twisted as Keldor had become, he still couldn't kill him. Randor still loved his brother, at least on some level.
"Don't worry about it, sire," Duncan assured him. "I've got the EMP ready."
Randor grinned. "You know, Duncan, when this is all over, you're getting a promotion. I'm making you the next Man-At-Arms."
"Sire, if we make it through this at all, I'm going to grow a mustache."
"Well, you better turn on that EMP first, then." Randor then picked up his communicator. "This is King Randor. All forces fall back and prepare to retreat to Eternos."
Duncan started the Battle Tank. It roared to life and went flying towards the Horde Troopers. In Duncan's hand was a small remote that would activate the EMP. Randor smiled at his friend, then Duncan flipped on the EMP. And as Horde Troopers began to shut down across the battlefield, the pair laughed.
They didn't stop until they returned to Eternos.
"We've lost a quarter of our Troopers," Keldor reported. Static filled the comm-line.
"A brilliant move on Randor's part," Hordak replied. "However, I don't see this as much of a delay."
Keldor muttered something that Hordak couldn't make out over the comm-line, but had a general idea it was nothing complimentary. Was he losing that much control over the boy? What was Keldor up to these days?
"When will you reach Eternos?" asked Hordak, turning his attention to the current situation.
"By the morning after next."
Hordak nodded and snorted. "All right, then. Move along, Keldor. Have Calyx prepare for battle."
The next morning, Randor and his soldiers returned to Eternos. The entire city had twenty-four hours before the Horde reached their gates. The vaults beneath Eternos were being filled with rations, as well as supplies that would allow the citizens to survive down there for an extended period of time. Soldiers from North Eternos and West Eternos had arrived in the night, led by King Stephan and the three months pregnant Queen Johanna and soon-to-be King Edward.
The walls were being fortified, as were the gates. Secret passages beneath the city in the vaults were being cleared. The same was for the Palace. Randor was not surprised when Marlena told him she was staying at Eternos for the duration of the battle. He had insisted that when things went bad, she would take Adam and Adora through the secret passage out of the Palace (this was one that not even Keldor knew about; whether he knew about the others was a concern for Randor - but he had many concerns).
As the sun fell in the horizon, Randor addressed his people alongside the rest of the royal family.
"Dear people of Eternos, hear me, your king. Our scouts have spotted the Horde army crossing into our beloved kingdom. By the time the sun rises, the Horde shall be on our gates. I encourage you all to take leave of the city. If you leave within the next two hours and head northwest or southwest, I can guarantee that you shall find safety."
Chatter and whispering went through those that had gathered in front of the Palace. No one moved. Randor cleared his throat.
"If you wish to stay here, know that it is by your will. Know also that we shall protect you. Eternos has endured for many thousands of years. It shall not be snuffed out against the storm. The Horde will break against our mighty walls. They shall crumble against our armies. Our will shall last out this war - we shall the night of Horde fade against the dawn of victory's sun!"
The crowd roared and cheered. King Randor lifted his Honor Sword in victory . . . and hope.
As the hours passed, Randor promised himself some sleep. He found none and neither did the rest of Eternos. No one slept. The kitchen was ordered to produce more coffee than ever made. It was put into every imaginable cup and tin, which were all passed out to the soldiers stationed along the many inner walls of Eternos.
Marlena kept herself in the high tower with Adam and Adora. Susannah was with her as well. Outside, it had long since stopped snowing. The wee hours of the night were filled with tension and darkness. The moons were new and no where to be found amongst their sea of stars.
As the hour of 2 Bells in the Morning came along, Randor spotted two in-coming figures from the sky. Since no alarms had gone off and no one had notified him, Randor made the assumption that they were not hostile. As the figures landed, he saw that they were indeed friends.
"Tell me you have good news," hoped Randor of newly arrived Buzz-Off and Stratos.
"We have none, I'm afraid," Stratos confessed.
"However, we have both take a leave of absence to aid Eternos in its valiant effort against the Horde."
Randor smiled and put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "My thanks, gentlemen."
Two hours later, the heart of the leadership assembled in the Throne Room. In two more hours, the Horde would be upon them. Captain Stark, Captain Dekker, Man-At-Arms Rohad, Commander Duncan, Captain Edward, Queen Johanna, King Stephan, Queen Marlena, King Stratos, and General Buzz-Off all stood before great King Randor.
"This war has waged on for too long, my dear friends and comrades. And though we are strong, I fear for our very survival," Randor told them all. "Should Eternos fall, all Eternia will soon follow. The Horde is vicious. Fight not just for our lands and our people, but for all people! Eternos must stand true and strong! We must not fall - no! WE SHALL NOT FALL!"
And nearly two hours later, as the winter sun rose over the horizon, so did the Horde appear to all of Eternos. 25,000 Horde Troopers marched from the Dark Hemisphere just to wipe this city and Palace off the map. Eternos was outnumbered by three-to-one.
Randor stood on the balcony, gazing at the approaching army as it continued towards his home. He looked down and watched as the soldiers nervously bite into the last of their rations and sipped at their cold coffee. Randor let out a breath and watched it form before his eyes in the cold winter air.
"Captain Stark?" Randor ordered, gazing as the Bat-Mechs that hovered above the Horde army. "Prepare your Battle Hawks. Stratos? Buzz-Off?"
"We will be joining them, sire," Stratos answered for both.
"Captain Dekker?"
"All soldiers have their orders. Our first lines are ready."
"Commander Duncan?"
"The gates are secure. We have soldiers posted at every entrance both into the city and at the Palace."
"Man-At-Arms?"
"I present to you this army, your highness. The Royal Guard of Eternos is at your command. We are ready for war."
King Randor nodded. The Horde army marched ever closer. The sky turning orange and yellow on the horizon as the sun rose. Dawn.
"Prepare for battle, Man-At-Arms. Win this war, gentlemen."
With that, all those left on the balcony were King Randor, Queen Johanna, and King Stephan.
"He's out there somewhere," said Johanna quietly.
"I know, sister," Randor answered. "But he has changed so much. He is hardly the Keldor we recognize."
Johanna nodded a little.
Stephan stepped up. "Randor, you know what this means if we win this."
"Yes."
"It will mean that we are the greatest power on all Eternia. We'll practically be the capital."
Randor raised his hand to halt his brother's words. "Let's win the day first, brother."
There was a sudden noise from the great field before Eternos. The Horde Troopers began to line up long rows. Their tanks and other great war machines sat between every other row of Horde Troopers. Bat-Mechs were stationary in the air above the army, hovering and ready for battle.
"Let bring battle upon these vile creatures," Randor grunted.
The dawn broke.
Hordak's wave had caught up with Calyx's and Keldor's not long after the EMP shorted out all of the Horde Troopers temporarily. He now stood at the front of the lines alongside Calyx and Keldor and looked upon the great walled city that sat on its tall plateau. It's pink and red towers reached for the slowly bluing sky. Hordak snorted and promised himself that he would see those towers crumble under his might.
"Sir, we are receiving a communiqué from Eternos," stated one of the nearby Horde Troopers.
Hordak snorted again, the early morning air catching his cape in the wind. "Let's see it."
A hologram of King Randor appeared before Hordak.
"Hordak, this is King Randor, master of the lands of Eternos. I am asking you one final time to disband your army and withdraw your forces from Eternos. If you do not, you shall face the consequences."
Hordak chuckled loudly. "Your precious kingdom will burn. I will then conquer the rest of this pathetic world, cull the weak from the strong, and enslave the survivors. Surrender and I may just show you mercy."
"There will be no mercy on either of our parts then, dark one."
The hologram flickered off. Hordak pointed to the walls. However, before any of his Troopers or tanks could fire, Eternos unleashed itself first. Arrows and spears shot forth wave after wave. Following this came missiles, which crashed upon various sections of Horde Troopers. However, for each section that was destroyed, their neighbors remained mostly intact.
The Horde opened fire. Lasers and missiles retaliated. Small explosions echoed out into the early morning.
The Bat-Mechs zipped forward, engines pulsing and sending them towards the city.
Stratos and Buzz-Off flanked Captain Stark in the lead Battle-Hawk, both in a battle armor. As the first round of laser fire was unleashed between the two armies, Stratos opened his comm-line to Buzz-Off.
"It's a fine day for battle," he told his friend.
"Why's that?" questioned Buzz-Off, grabbing hold of one of five long spears.
"No snow."
Buzz-Off chuckled nervously as he narrowly avoided a searing laser beam. "Superstitious Avions. You're fine against an over-powering army of enemies, but the slightest amount of flakes sends you in a tizzy."
Stratos laughed and the two separated, trying to aid Eternos in the battle in the sky. Buzz-Off slammed one spear right into the top of a Bat-Mech, ripping right into many of its key circuits. Sparks and small explosions ripped along the hull and Buzz-Off yanked his spear. He spun and threw it at the front of an in-coming Bat-Mech. It went clean threw, tearing up the inside.
"Two down," Buzz-Off said with a smirk.
"Behind you!" roared Stark on the comm-line. Buzz-Off hardly had enough time to move before another Bat-Mech opened fire at him.
Buzz-Off dove, then shot up, dodging each and every laser blast that came at him. As he then spun around, he was able to avoid being killed by the on-coming Bat-Mech. The trouble was, of course, that the Bat-Mech was following him.
"Trouble all right," he muttered. There was no time to grab a spear and chuck it. By the time he had a line of sight and made all of the proper adjustments, he would be fried.
That was then, of course, the Bat-Mech exploded in the hail of laser fire from Stark's Battle-Hawk.
"Keep safe, kid. I'm not going to watch ass all throughout the battle," Stark chided him.
"Gotcha, Captain!" Buzz-Off replied, saluting him.
Buzz-Off just started to shove off towards a trio of Bat-Mechs, when two others slid right by him. General Buzz-Off turned around and watched in silent horror as the Bat-Mechs fired all weapons at the Battle-Hawk that Captain Stark was flying.
It exploded in a fiery blaze. Captain Stark had no time to eject.
The sky war continued on . . .
King Randor slammed his fist of the railing of the balcony. "Damn it all . . ." he grumbled. "Not Stark. Damn it, not Stark."
Explosions cracked and thunder from the walls of the city and from the sky above. Debris rained down on their heads as more and more vehicles were obliterated in the wild blue yonder. The walls shook but remained solid.
The battle was 80 minutes long and it seemed to have passed in a matter of 5.
Far below, Hordak watched as the soldiers of Eternos continued to rain lasers, missiles and spears down upon his Horde Troopers. He snorted and turned to Keldor and Calyx.
"Enter the city," he stated with strong determination, "and destroy it."
As the pair began to march forward, signaling for Horde Troopers to follow them, Hordak reached out and grabbed Keldor by the arm.
"One moment, Keldor."
"What is it?" Keldor asked, sneering a little.
"Understand something, boy. Cut this tie and you cut them all. You confront your family in there. You will confront your past in there. Stay firm in the ways of evil and any light that shall come to you will be drowned out by your darkness."
Keldor nodded. It would be last lesson Hordak would give him, his star pupil.
"They're attacking the First Gate! They're attacking the First Gate!" shouted a soldier from below. Randor and Stephan both looked and watched as Keldor and Calyx led Horde Troopers to the First Gate of the city. The first of three, they would still be safe if it went down.
"Concentrate all firepower on those Horde Troopers!" Randor commanded.
"Randor!" cried Stephan.
All of sudden, the Horde Tanks moved forward and their volley got even stronger. Explosions tore through the city as the Tanks unleashed their artilleries.
"They're trying to tear us in two," Randor muttered. "Maintain attack on center lines! Keep them away from the gates!"
But Randor was too late. Randor watched in shock as the Horde Troopers pelted the First Gate with explosives and laser fire. As the smoke cleared, Calyx went rushing forward. His massive stone body destroyed the doors, sending huge chunks of wood and stone all across the ground.
"Have Dekker and Duncan hold the bridge between the Second and Third Gates. They get no farther than there," Randor commanded to Man-At-Arms.
Missiles and high impact lasers continued to bombard the city of Eternos, but Randor still lost none of his faith in the fortification of this capital of Men. He looked to the Second Gate and grimaced as Calyx smashed against it and Keldor used his sorcery. If not for the sounds of explosions all around Eternos and its field before it, then surely the racket being caused by Calyx and Keldor would have echoed out for all to hear.
Just beyond the Second Gate was Dekker and Duncan, ready for action with nearly fifty Royal Soldiers. Randor tried not to wonder, but he couldn't help but think of just how many wouldn't make it. Just how many people would lose their very lives here?
Buzz-Off sent his spear into a Bat-Mech, which sliced into his navigation systems. The Bat-Mech spun in mid-air and crashed into a companion. The two Bat-Mechs exploded furiously. Buzz-Off briefly enjoyed the burst of heat in the cold late morning hours. But his enjoyment was not long.
He dove towards Stratos, who was giving all he could against a Bat-Mech that was narrowly avoiding hitting him. Missiles fired past the flying war machine. A laser beam from the Bat-Mech nearly sired off a wing. Buzz-Off tossed one of his spears at the Bat-Mech.
Combined with Stratos' missile, the thing exploded. Stratos and Buzz-Off smiled at the other for a brief moment and then split off, heading in their separate directions. The battle continued on furiously . . .
Despite all of its fortifications, the Second Gate fell apart with a powerful mixture of sorcery and brute strength. As soon as it did, both the Royal Soldiers and the Horde Troopers opened fire. Sizzling laser beams cut through the winter air, striking both sides with intense ferocity. However, for each and every Horde Trooper that was turned into slag, there seemed to be two that took its place.
"We're losing ground," shouted Dekker to Duncan at his side.
"Agreed. I think it's time for plan B!"
Dekker pressed his communicator to his ear. "Your highness, we are being overwhelmed. Recommend we go to plan B!"
There was a crackling pause. Dekker tried to ignore a fresh corpse that appeared at his feet.
"Affirmative, Dekker. Blow the bridge."
Duncan and Dekker started to step backwards, the rest of the Royal Soldiers following suit. As soon as they reached the 20-foot portion before the Third Gate that was not the bridge, Dekker pulled out a large explosive. He tossed it in the air so that it would land on the bridge and blow it.
Unfortunately, Keldor threw out his hand from his violet robes and the issued a small spell. The explosive vanished in a brief flash of light. A second later, the explosion went off . . . right behind the Third Gate. Immediately after this, Horde Tanks from below and a few Bat-Mechs from above issued forth searing laser beams at the explosion.
The Third Gate crashed and crumbled in a series of explosions. The way into Eternos was cleared. The Horde moved forward as the Royal Soldiers pulled themselves out of shock and did everything they could to get back into the city. Laser beams sliced through dust and smoke.
Duncan went stumbling into the city. His body felt shaky and his lungs heaved. He had inhaled a lot of smoke and dust. He couldn't breath . . . he couldn't see . . .
He tripped over a warm corpse and passed out.
Meanwhile, Dekker fired back at the on-coming wave of emotionless death machines. They were in the city and that fact was known to everyone. Getting them back out was going to be difficult. Calyx led the charge; Keldor had seemingly vanished.
Hordak, far below, pointed towards the demolished entrances.
"Set up a temporary bridge! All forces - converge on the interior of the city!"
Far from the sounds of battle, in the Main Chamber of the Hall of Wisdom, sat the Council of Elders. They monitored the battle at Eternos with intense interest, but spoke not a word to each other of aide nor neutrality.
That was, then, until they had a visit. They thoughts were overcome by the telepathic lyric voice of Teelana, the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull.
Something must be done, she told them.
"We find it best not to involve ourselves in this battle, Sorceress," Eldor told her.
You must!
Morgan, an elder with long gray hair, raised her hand. "Your emotional tie to Commander Duncan notwithstanding, it is not our place to - "
Duncan is not my chief concern and you should know me far better than that. My concern is the children!
"Which ones?" asked Lula, a man who looked to be in his teens despite being nearly 1,400 years old.
"Adam and Adora," Eldor answered. "We have sensed their power, but - "
They are the ones! He is the Rising Son and she is the Princess of Power! Do you not understand? The blood that runs through them . . .
"They will be the pair to finally lay claim to the Sword of Power and the Sword of Protection," Eldor concluded.
"Of course . . ." grumbled Ali.
"How could we have been so blind? Ancients curse us!" Schemendrick snapped.
"What is the immediate danger to the children?" asked Brunte, a relatively small Elder male.
Hordak knows that they are destined for something special, but knows not what. The Oracle of Truth revealed that much to him. It is through Hordak's connection with you that has allowed you to be blind to their nature, the Sorceress explained further.
"We will go there as soon as we can, Sorceress."
Queen Marlena sat in the high tower, holding the slumbering Adora in her arms. She watched from her window as large explosions accompanied lasers and arrows in the pale winter sunlight. The Horde Troopers were flooding the lowest level of the city and clashed with Royal Soldiers. It was a gruesome scene.
There was a knock on the door. Marlena laid down her baby girl and opened it, nodding to the guards that stood on either side. Susannah stood in the hallway, eyes full of fright.
"Hordak and his apprentice have entered the city."
Marlena took a deep breath. "Thank you."
"The King asks that you exit the Palace through the hidden tunnels."
Marlena shook her head. "No," she said with hard determination. "The place of the Queen, Prince, and Princess is with the king and throne."
Susannah said nothing, merely nodding. "I will inform the king."
It was one of the few moments when Susannah and Marlena were Servant and Queen as opposed to the friends they had become.
"I will have an extra set of guards here, though," Marlena then ordered.
"I will inform the king."
Suddenly, the tower shook lightly. Marlena glanced out the window, watching as Stratos made a quick pass.
"God save us," she whispered. She then turned back to Susannah, their roles gone and friendship returned. "Be careful."
Stratos barreled away from the core of the city, trying to do everything he could to keep the Bat-Mechs away from the heart of the kingdom. Things were falling apart up here. The Bat-Mechs were making a number of strafing attacks, laser and missiles blazing against the Royal Soldiers that had yet to see the brunt of combat.
Worst of all, since Captain Stark's death, the Battle-Hawks were disorganized and leaderless. Buzz-Off suddenly spun down, flying next to Stratos. He turned to him.
"We need to get these people organized," Buzz-Off told him.
"Agreed. Time to take some initiative," Stratos responded. He pressed a button on his helmet, getting him in touch with Randor immediately.
"Stratos, what is it?"
"We're falling apart up here, sire," Stratos reported. "I need your authorization to take command of the Battle-Hawks."
"Authorization given, Stratos," Randor replied and changed the frequency to wide-band. "All Battle-Hawks, King Stratos is now in command. Follow his orders."
"This is Stratos. All Battle-Hawks, decrease altitude. Protect the city. Circle the Palace."
The Battle-Hawks, many scarred from the harsh combat, swung down, hovering 20-30 feet above the highest towers and roofs. The Bat-Mechs began to swarm down, weapons firing, raining upon the orbiting Battle-Hawks. A full minute of this passed. And then two. And then . . . Stratos gave a new order.
The Battle-Hawks lifted right up, throwing everything at the legion of Bat-Mechs. Weapons roared fiercly into the cold air, blasting the attackers out of the sky with wild infernos of debris. The sky war began to come to a close.
But on the ground, the Horde War was moving ever onward. On the two lowest levels, the Horde Troopers came against the Royal Soldiers with furious strength and a will of cold robotic logic. Killing was a program and they would execute it no matter what.
Yet on the highest level, in the area surrounding the Palace where Randor, Stephan, and Johanna stood in constant commanding vigil, the Royal Soldiers stood in tense waiting, weapons at the ready, prepared for battle against their metallic foes. Yet who it was that confronted them was not whom they expected.
The fighting on the two lower levels were harsh, but were being fairly well contained. However, it was not to last. Randor heard a sudden noise from below the main balcony and watched in horror as Royal Soldiers around the Palace entrance were being tossed backward, small trails of energy grabbing hold of them and throwing across the pavilion.
"Inside. Now."
Stephan and Johanna looked at with surprise . . . and then saw what it was that was troubling him. Hordak with Keldor by his side; Keldor in that violet cloak, keeping his sky blue face hidden.
As soon as they left the balcony, there was a crash from below. The doors to the Palace had blown open. Hordak and Keldor were inside the Palace and it was a sure bet that Horde Troopers were right behind them.
"Stratos," Randor stated through the comm-line, "we need some support up here. Hordak and his apprentice have slipped through the lines. They're at the Palace. They're inside. Gather Duncan, Dekker, and Man-At-Arms. I need them here immediately with as many Royal Soldiers as they can muster."
"Yes sire," Stratos returned.
Randor, Stephan and Johanna entered the Entrance Hall, where Hordak and Keldor were tearing through guards that came against them.
"Stephan, take Johanna out of here," Randor ordered. "NOW."
"No."
Randor snarled, harsh anger filling his voice. "I AM THE ELDEST BROTHER! DO AS I SAY!"
Stephan and Johanna began to turn around . . . when suddenly, Keldor was in their way.
"Still listening to him?" question Keldor, Sword of Darkness out, Havoc Staff on his back. "Use your better judgement. Leave here and surrender your kingdom to those who are mightier!"
"What has happened to you, brother?" gasped Stephan.
"You did."
With that, Keldor fired a blast that sent Stephan barreling into the next chamber. Johanna screamed and ran off from her warring brothers. Keldor hissed, but continued towards Stephan, who was gathering himself in the next room.
"I'll be after you in a moment, sister."
"NO YOU WON'T!" shouted Randor, unsheathing his Honor Sword.
But before Randor could take another step, a burst of energy blasted in front of his feet. He spun around and saw Hordak, standing amongst a pile of either dead or unconscious Royal Soldiers.
"Not so fast, good King Randor," Hordak mocked.
"I'll handle Keldor," Stephan shouted, sword raised in the next room as Keldor walked in.
"No you won't," Keldor replied and the doors slammed.
Hordak snorted. "I will take great pride in killing you, King Randor."
"Then you shall have no pride this day," Randor answered.
A bolt of power fired out from Hordak's hands. Randor raised his blade and the bolt struck it, leaving no mark.
"What is this?" rumbled Hordak, stepping forward. "That blast could tear through a wall!"
"This blade has been passed through my family since King Gray the Great. It was enchanted by the Ancients themselves."
Hordak grunted. "I will see it shattered."
Hordak leapt forward, rage in his red eyes, screeching like a horrible banshee. Power fumed from his hands, ready to destroy the King of Eternos. Randor punched him in the face right as he reached him. Hordak, shocked and stunned, staggered and Randor slashed his armor as the abdomen.
"I am the King of Eternos!" shouted Randor. "I am the son of Miro the Wise and heir to royal throne! I will not see my people or this world crumble at your feet!"
Hordak slashed at him, but Randor avoided it. He slammed his elbow into Hordak's ribs and hard. Hordak stumbled. Randor took advantage of this and slipped his leg in between Hordaks. He then swept his leg through and knocked Hordak right on the ground. Honor Sword even with Hordak's neck, Randor grinned mockingly.
"If you have indeed conquered other worlds, Hordak, then they must been ruled by rodents and insects."
Hordak's eyes glowed sharply and streams of energy flared out, ripping at Randor's body. His Honor Sword fell and skidded on the ground. Randor went flying across the room, body convulsing as it crashed against a wall.
"YOU DARE MOCK ME!" screamed Hordak, horrible rage in his voice and he went at Randor with a fury the king had never seen before.
Duncan! The children!
Duncan's eyes shot open as Sorceress's telepathic voice rattled his mind. He sat up, hand on his head.
"Teelana . . ."
A pair of hands grabbed his arms and Duncan was suddenly hauled from the debris. He looked up and saw Stratos carrying him.
"You all right?" asked Stratos.
"I'm okay," he responded, body aching.
"Hordak and his apprentice have entered the Palace and now the Horde Troopers are concentrating all of their efforts on getting up there as well."
Duncan looked down, his senses catching up with him quickly. It was true. The Horde Troopers were ignoring Royal Soldiers left and right and were just following Calyx up to main road, destroying everything in their path.
Stratos put Duncan at the Pavilion in front of the broken doors to the Palace and in the shadow of King Gray the Great. There as well was Buzz-Off, Captain Dekker, and Man-At-Arms Rohad.
"Our soldiers are confused by this," Duncan said, brushing dust off his uniform.
"The comm-lines are broken. We've no way to gather them."
At that moment, the huge rock man known as Calyx arrived on the spot, body huge and stony.
"Surrender," Calyx cried out.
"Never," Man-At-Arms replied.
"So be it."
The Horde Troopers began to line-up at the edge of Pavilion, but didn't move. Calyx stepped forward. As soon as he did, Duncan and Dekker opened fire. Calyx shrugged off the lasers and charged right in. His massive stone fists crashed into Duncan and Dekker, sending them spinning off to the side.
Stratos was kicked in the gut, an action that hurt far more since the foot was a rock. He was then slammed into Buzz-Off. Calyx then shoved Man-At-Arms onto the ground and stood over him.
"I'm surprised that your brittle old bones didn't shatter to dust at that," Calyx snapped. "Prepare to die, old man."
Rohad, Man-At-Arms to two generations of kings, spat in Calyx's face. "You honestly think I was ready for you? You no good stony mother-er. You're stupider than, well, a bag of rocks."
At that, Rohad whipped out a small drill and slammed it into Calyx's chest. It swirled and drilled right into the rock-man's stone chest. Calyx gasped . . . and then saw what was the at the end of the drill.
A grenade.
Rohad rolled away and pressed the detonator key on his transmitter. Calyx's chest exploded, small chunks of rock flying in all directions. What looked like liquid concrete poured out of the gaping wound. But Calyx, for all his injuries, was still alive.
And then Dekker lifted a laser pistol and opened fire, blasting at the same wound. Duncan pulled his out and fired as well. Stratos and Buzz-Off joined in. The wound was being ripped into, huge stones and rock chunks rolling out of the hole in Calyx's chest.
The great Horde general then collapsed, the liquid concrete-like substance pouring from his vast wound.
However, at that exact moment, the Horde Troopers were action, closing in on them. There were at least a hundred of them, all weapons locked on the small, exhausted group.
"Not good," Buzz-Off muttered, spear at the ready.
"Easy, friends, easy," Duncan grunted, though felt as though this was the end.
"Just take out of as many as you can," Rohad told them. "And remember your loved ones."
But it was at that moment that something strange happened. All one hundred of the Horde Troopers that stood on the Pavilion were suddenly washed over in a blue light. When the blue light passed them over, they all collapsed in huge heaps.
"What on Eternia - !" cried Duncan.
"You can thank us later," came the soft voice of Eldor.
The Council of Elders was coming around from the side of the Palace, aglow in a blue light. "We have come to aid Eternos in this time of need. Hordak is our responsibility," Eldor went on.
"We could use some help the Horde Troopers," Dekker suggested, waving at the breached city of Eternos and the battle continuing on below them on the lower levels.
"Our battle is with Hordak, Captain," said the lean Medlar.
"We need help, at least, mustering our soldiers," responded Rohad, almost pleading.
"Ah yes," Eldor said with a knowing grin. He pulled out an ivory horn from his robes. "I teleported this out of the Eternos Museum just as we arrived. Figured you could use it."
Eldor placed in Rohad's hands. "This is . . ."
"The Horn of the Man-At-Arms. It hasn't been used since the days of King Andrew the Brave nearly three hundred years ago. However, I believe you find it very useful today. Legend has it that when the Man-At-Arms presses it to his lips, all of the soldiers shall rally with the strength of the call."
Rohad nodded, eyes wide with amazement. "Indeed . . ."
"Then put it to use, good sir. We must attend to Hordak."
As the Elder filed into the Palace, Rohad lifted the Horn of the Man-At-Arms. But before his lips touched the end, he stopped and turned to Duncan.
"Here," he told the Commander, handing the horn off.
"What!"
"King Randor informed me of his decision. It is yours now. You are to be the new Man-At-Arms. It is your place to blow on this horn."
"But I . . ."
"Let it be my last order to you as a superior officer."
Duncan's eyes welled up with tears and nodded. He gripped Rohad's hand and shook harshly and formally. And then, he lifted the horn to lips and let loose and mighty blow. The sound echoed out into the city of Eternos. Those even below in the vaults and shelters could hear and were suddenly filled with hope and joy. No robot would use a horn!
The great rally began and the Royal Soldiers of Eternos fought on with a strength previously unknown to them.
Moments earlier, just as Calyx suffered his wound, Stephan stood against his brother. Keldor was merciless. Each jab was strong and fatal, but lacked the years of training Stephan had over Keldor. So, about the time the Elders came to Duncan and the others, Keldor cheated. He tossed a bolt energy at Stephan, which sent the King of West Eternos slamming into a wall.
"It is over, my brother. All the taunts . . . all the laughing . . . all of the PAIN you have caused me . . . it ends at last!"
Keldor lifted his sword and let it fall - only to have it blocked by another.
Queen Johanna stood there, blocking Keldor's Sword of Darkness with her own blade.
"Don't you do this, Keldor. There's still some good in you. I know it. I see it. You're still you!"
"Be silent, bitch!" snarled Keldor and sent a telekinetic push at her. It sent her back, but didn't topple her.
"I - I will stop you!"
She charged at him again, sword raised. But Keldor yanked out his Havoc Staff pointed it at her sword. The sword vibrated and then shattered. The hilt crumbled into dust. Johanna stared at her hand in disbelief - and then was knocked down by another force push from Keldor.
His Havoc Staff was glowing hotly. He held above her, ready to attack.
"Please, Keldor . . ." she pleaded. "I'm pregnant . . ."
"Filthy cow slut," he spat.
"GO TO HELL!" screamed Stephan, who rammed into Keldor. The two rolled across the ground, the Havoc Staff abandoned.
Keldor tossed Stephan off of him. Stephan was up against a large table and Keldor came at him, Sword of Darkness drawn. Stephan planted a boot right into Keldor's gut before his younger brother could even make a cut.
"For all your new skills - " He punched in the shoulder, dislocating it, the Sword dangled wildly at his pain-ridden fingers - "your new heart" - He kicked him in the ankle - "your new lot in life - " Stephan then grabbed Keldor by the shoulders - "you still have a lot to learn."
Keldor was then thrown through the doors and right back into the Entrance Hall. Stephan turned to Johanna.
"Are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm okay."
"Go to safety. Get some more soldiers down here. We need Stratos and some of the others."
"I'll get them."
Stephan just stepped through the door into the Entrance Hall - and received a crack on the back of his head as the Havoc Staff flew to its master and made a detour before hand.
"You're an arrogant dung-eater," Keldor cursed.
Hordak nodded and smiled, eyes looking towards the bleeding and beaten body of King Randor.
"This war is over."
That's when the Elders came in.
Outside, the Royal Soldiers came against the Horde Troopers with power and strength. They crumbled as the Royal Soldiers and their leaders took them to a new of level of bravery and virtue. The rally of Eternos would be renowned for centuries to come.
The Horde Troopers were pushed out of the Third and Second Levels and the battles in the First Level were slowly turning the tide in the favor of the Kingdom of Men.
"Your time here has ended, Hordak."
Hordak stood against them, red eyes glaring. "No. It has not."
The Elders lifted their hands and streams of blue energy streaked towards Hordak. Keldor, seeking to prove himself before the Elders rather than saving his own master, stood up, Sword of Darkness in hand. The streams of energy struck the Sword of Darkness instead. Most of them were absorbed into it, but some scrapped away, tearing into the walls and ceiling.
What Keldor was unaware of was that the Sword of Darkness could not operate like that. It expanded all of its power in one burst, as opposed to its twin blade of Power and Protection. While this strategy worked for a brief moment, the Sword of Darkness then rejected this power. The streams of energy coursed against Keldor and the former prince screeched as one streaked across his face, leaving a deep scar.
Keldor crumbled, the Sword of Darkness smoldering. But it was screech that awoke King Randor. Weak, he gazed at the Elders as they stared down Hordak.
"You think you can truly defeat me, do you?" questioned Hordak, arms crossed.
"You shall be, apprentice," Eldor retorted.
"We have a bond, Eldor. We all do. When I assassinated the other apprentices 1,000 years ago, I felt that bond break. I knew that feeling . . . I held onto that feeling. I turned it into a weapon. If things hadn't gone off plan at the Hall of Wisdom, I would have used there. But now . . .oh yes . . . feel my power."
A magnificent burst of power leapt from Hordak like a glowing ribbon. It moved swiftly from him and before the Elders could muster a defense, it slammed them like a searing hot wave. Pain and agony and dark power coursed against the mighty Council of Elders. Streams of lightning crashed from Hordak's hands as the ribbon continued to ensnare and assault the Elders of Eternia.
And then -
Two arms reached around and grabbed hold of Hordak. King Randor, battered and nearly defeated, lifted Hordak up off the ground. The ribbon was ripped from the Elders and it spun in place, the lightning tearing through the room.
"It's over, you son of bitch," Randor whispered into Hordak's huge ear, which was mere centimeters from Randor's lips. "You day is done."
The ribbon whipped about, then turned and went straight through Randor and slammed into Hordak. Randor felt nothing but warmth as it passed through his mid-section, for he had no connection to the Elders like Hordak. But Hordak felt pure pain and agony as his weapon was being used against him.
A burst of furious power exploded into the room as Hordak cut the ribbon. Randor was thrown back a few feet, next to the form of his waking brothers. Hordak fell to his knees, tendrils smoke rising from his body. His mouth, eyes and ears were bleeding.
Keldor stood up and grabbed his master and hauled him up.
"Stand down, Keldor and Hordak," warned Eldor.
"Never."
Keldor then touched a small button on Hordak's belt. The pair flashed in a spiral of light and vanished from the room.
"Outside!" coughed Randor, forcing his body towards the doors. The Elders and Stephan were right behind him.
What they saw astounded them. The Lower Levels were cleared and most of the fighting had either been contained or was concentrated at the Third Gate and the Horde's temporary bridge.
In the fields below Eternos, where only about 200 Horde Troopers were, Keldor took in the sight of the Horde being defeated.
"Report," he snapped to a command bot, tossing the unconscious body of Hordak to Horde med-team.
"The Royal Soldiers rallied. We have fallen back. Most of number is destroyed. The odds of taking Eternos are 14 and dropping steadily."
"Where is Calyx?"
"Seriously injuried. We have recovered his body and have him in stasis."
Keldor gritted his teeth. "Order our retreat. Pull us out and make course back to Snake Mountain."
"Yes sir."
"And clean him up," he told the med-team, sneering at Hordak.
Randor heard the words loud and clear from Duncan himself. "They're retreating!" Duncan shouted, the comm-lines now open and free.
King Randor smiled broadly and pulled out his Honor Sword. "VICTORY!" he declared. "VICTORY!"
And as the Horde diminished into the late afternoon, snow began to fall in light flakes around the city. Johanna, Marlena, Adam, and Adora were soon at Randor's side, as was Stratos, Buzz-Off, Duncan, Dekker, and Rohad.
"It is over," declared Eldor from behind them
A few hours later, as Eternos began to feel the rush of joy and victory and news spread throughout the world of this great battle, Hordak awoke in the transport that traveled east. A phrase rolled through his mind like thunder.
"Both children have a special destiny, but what it is I can not say."
Those words came from the Oracle of Truth. They lingered heavily in his mind.
"What is happening!" he shouted and charged right out of the transport. He landed squarely on the ground looked for the Horde Command Tank - a huge tank complete with a mini-war room. He found it, leapt onto it and climbed right in.
Keldor was in the war room, watching a fuzzy monitor of the celebrations at Eternos. He was looking depressed and down, which wasn't a big surprise.
"Keldor."
Keldor leapt up out of his seat. "Hordak!"
"Are we retreating?"
"Yes."
Hordak snorted. Keldor expected a harsh reply, but go none. Instead, Hordak mulled over those words. "Both children have a special destiny."
"Tell me, Keldor, how would you feel if we hurt your brother in a way that will never stop hurting?"
Keldor perked his eyebrows. "I would enjoy that," Keldor responded, smiling.
"Are there any secret entrances into Eternos?"
"Yes. Many."
He looked to the monitors of the celebrations. "Then we must move both quickly and quietly. Leave your weapons. The two of us must return to Eternos and strike in a way that will destroy your oldest brother."
Keldor nodded. "We'll leave immediately, then." He then sighed heavily. "What about the war?"
Hordak snorted. "The war is over. We'll be leaving Eternia shortly, I believe."
"WHAT! I can't leave Eternia! What about Eternos? Grayskull?"
"This is not open for discussion. Now, prepare yourself. We must travel quickly."
Keldor's pure hatred for Hordak even larger.
When evening came, celebrations were immediate. Fireworks were blasted into the snowy, night sky. People were rushing about, raving about the victory, honoring the fallen, and sharing joy with the living. King Randor felt strong. His wounds weren't much of anything.
After downing an ale with King Stephan, he excused himself. Marlena was still in the tower, exhausted. Though she had seen no combat herself, it had been an emotional day. And she was still getting over the birth of the children.
"Such beautiful babies," Randor said, holding Marlena.
"Yes. We're so lucky to have them."
Both suddenly began to cry. Perhaps on some level they were aware of a secret door opening about a mile away and two cloaked figures were entering it.
Randor held Adora while Marlena cuddled Adam. After a few minutes, the twins calmed and were laid down next to each other.
"I'm heading back down to the party," Randor told her. He then glanced at the open window. "Why don't you close that? It's letting snow."
Marlena shook her head. "It's so stuffy in here. I think once the kids wake up for their feeding, I'll take them back down to our room."
The Sorceress stood in front of the Mirror of Space and gazed deeply at Eternia. Could she have been wrong? The Ancients, the Spirit of Grayskull, all of them . . . they had warned her of Hordak's plot to steal the children tonight. But were they wrong?
And that's when her eyes landed on Eternos. A small part of the wall opened up and Keldor and Hordak emerged. Everyone else was distracted with the celebrations.
"NO!" she yelled. "I can't let this happen!"
A face suddenly appeared to her. The Spirit of Grayskull - the source of some of its power. "Go then and save the children. Take with you the Crystal of Alynel."
A panel in the floor opened up and a pink crystal came to her.
"It will allow you to maintain your power and shape outside of Castle Grayskull for a brief period of time."
She put it on a chain and put it around her neck. She wouldn't be able to reach Eternos in time, so she reached out and touched Duncan's mind once again. The Sorceress was ordered not to reveal too much by oath, but she hoped that Duncan could put two and two together.
"Aren't kids great?" asked Randor as he passed Duncan on the stairs.
"Oh yes. Teela's such a pretty little thing. Changed my life."
Randor squeezed his shoulder. "Same here."
They then continued on their, Randor back out the party, Duncan upstairs to the tower to check on Teela again. Teela and her caretaker were in the room just below Marlena's. Just as he was about to turn down the corridor, the Sorceress' voice filled his mind once more.
DUNCAN! THE CHILDREN! THE TWINS! THEY'RE COMING FOR THE TWINS!
Never before had he heard such desperation in her voice, not even when she was at Keldor's mercy when they first met. He spun around ran up the stairs.
One flight up, Marlena gently rocked her children to sleep. Had she had the window closed, she would have heard it open. However, it wasn't until Hordak was halfway through did she realize the danger.
The ruthless leader leapt in, Keldor right behind him. She got up, but Keldor grabbed her - one arm around her abdomen, his other hand on her mouth. She struggled harshly as Hordak reached into the crib and pulled out Adora, wrapped in her pink blanket.
"Don't worry dear 'sister,'" Keldor whispered mockingly. "We'll take these brats off your hands."
She bit on his fingers. His fingers unwrapped a little and she grabbed his arm, flipping him over her body. He thudded against the ground, but stood up.
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABIES!"
Hordak snorted in laughter and started to reached for Adam when -
A beam of energy exploded through the room, firing right near Hordak. Duncan was at the door, laser drawn.
"Duncan! He has Adora!" screeched Marlena in pure terror.
Keldor was up in the air, in a second, rushing towards the crib. Duncan fired and the former prince fell to the ground, limp. Marlena dove for Adam and pulled him out of from Hordak's grip. But he still had Adora . . .
"Let him go!" she yelled, hoping to reach for a weapon.
"This is crazy, Hordak. Put Adora down and we'll let you go."
Hordak smiled. "Adora, eh? Such a pretty name . . ."
Hordak wiggled his fingers above her and Adora suddenly started to bawl. Duncan aimed carefully for Hordak's head and prepared to fire. Hordak, though, shot across the room and jumped out the window. Marlena, holding the now sobbing Adam and sobbing herself, joined Duncan at the window.
Hordak teleported away halfway down the tower wall.
"NO!" Marlena wailed.
At that moment, a few guards appeared at the door. Duncan turned them, eyes hard and determined.
"GET THE KING NOW! SECURE THE CITY!" he exploded at them with a furious tone. "PRINCESS ADORA HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED! GET QUEEN MARLENA AND PRINCE ADAM TO SAFETY! TAKE THIS MAN AWAY!"
The guards did so. An alarm blazed. Duncan rushed out of the chamber, holding Marlena and Adam until the soldiers were able to get her away. Seconds later, a second team of guards arrived and took away the unconscious Keldor. He took a deep breath, calming himself. Did this really just all happen?
"Duncan."
Duncan turned around and found the Sorceress standing there.
"Teelana!"
"You can no longer call me that," she told harshly. "Right now, we have greater problems to deal with."
She grabbed his wrist and brought him to another window. The crystal dangled around her neck as she rushed him over.
"Do you know where she is?"
Sorceress nodded. "Yes."
"Let's go then."
As three crescent moons rose over the horizon, Zoar carried Duncan out beyond the panicking city. They were on a quest and went east to Snake Mountain. The Horde War was over . . . but at what price peace?
TO BE CONTINUED!
LOOK FOR "PRELUDES AND BEGINNINGS - BOOK FOUR: PEACE" COMING SOON!