Chapter Five: "The War at Home and Afar"
Once upon a time, before the Horde invaded Etheria, there was city called Hammer City. It was at the convergence of many great roads and those great roads became the one and only Great Road, which went west into the lands of the Harvest Kingdom. It was named for that because of the bountiful harvest that grew along the Great Road.
The Great Road started, obviously, in the heart of Hammer City, making Hammer City a busy little place. In the days before the Horde invasion, Hammer City was a place on the edge of industrial revolution. Had the Horde not arrived on Etheria, surely Hammer City would have changed the face of Etheria.
However . . . the Horde did come. Hammer City and Harvest Kingdom was among their first stolen places. Hordak conquered the Great Road and renamed it Skullpath Road. It was filled with many evil creatures and the crops were ruined. Harvest Kingdom was renamed the Shadow Kingdom. It was placed under the direct command of one Duke Dreer. The spirit of Hammer City was crushed.
Years later, Duke Dreer came under attack from the Great Rebellion and the Shadow Kingdom was released from his hold . . . but only temporarily. Duke Dreer held out in the broken city of Hammer City and eventually retook his hold over Skullpath Road and the Shadow Kingdom. And yet . . .
The attack by the Great Rebellion sparked hope in the people of Hammer City. And when news of the massive anti-taxation movement commencing reached their ears, the citizens of Hammer City joined in. Riots have been breaking out for days. Duke Dreer, who was controlling Hammer City from miles down Skullpath Road, was aghast.
Word has only just reached Hordak and as one can expect, Hordak was far from in the mood for it.
"Horde Harbor is gone, its prisoners escaped, the Horde navy wiped out, and a major component of my plan removed," Hordak recalled and looked at the horribly beaten body of Admiral Scurvy in the corner. Hordak had taken out his disappointment on Scurvy.
"There is a movement in my lands. Taxes are being halted. Scouting parties in the Land of the Snows have been wiped out one by one. Tempest is missing and presumed captured. Horde Prime captured She-Ra, something that has humiliated me."
Hordak snorted and stared at the group of Horde members before him.
"I am not pleased. The plan is falling apart. My life is in great danger. And to top it off . . . we may have a traitor among us. How can I reverse this and save not just my life, but all of yours?"
"I may still be able to break into the Whispering Woods," Shadow Weaver told him. "There was just recently a powerful object that has appeared in a dimension parallel to ours. Perhaps I can retrieve it."
"I'll start looking for our traitor," Double-Trouble assured her master.
"What's left of our fleet can be taken to Octopus Cove," Octavia offered.
At the moment, a Horde Trooper entered, holding a report. "The riots in Hammer City are getting worse, lord Hordak."
The Horde Trooper exploded instantly. Hordak was on his feet, eyes wide with rage, hands burning with power.
"I want 1,000 Horde Troopers on the march! I am going to Hammer City to deal with this matter personally. I will no long accept failure."
She-Ra surpressed a small grin. For the most part, all drugs and weapons that were going to be used to torture her were unable to pierce her invulnerable skin. For as fair and soft as it looked and felt, it was tougher than anything the Horde could throw at her. Her super-strength even prevented them from getting into any other openings, such as her mouth or nose. Surprisingly enough, even her hair was impossible to get through, making her ears protected as well.
"Public execution is still scheduled for tonight," a Horde Trooper that looked almost human told her.
"I'm looking forward to it."
"No one even knows you are here, She-Ra. You will be viewed as a martyr."
"What about the others?"
"Your friends will get to watch."
She-Ra sighed. This meant the others were at least still alive, but she wasn't quite sure how safe they were. She pressed against her bounds again, hoping that they would finally snap. They did not. Nothing happened. Her concern for Etheria and her friends was heavily on her mind.
Could the Great Rebellion go on without her and the others? Would hearing about her death break their spirits? She-Ra did not know. But she did know that she had plans to die this day . . .
Deep in the dungeons of Horde World sat the Great Rebellion each in a cell facing the other. Even Kowl got his own cell. Apparently, they were to watch She-Ra execution and then be shipped to a small, icy desolate planet to die of either starvation or the cold.
Flutterina tried not to think about it, though she could hardly help. Though she had grown up as Small One and lived beyond the Horde's dominion, she had fought hard against Hordak. She also owed She-Ra her life. Almost two years ago, right after her sixteenth birthday, She-Ra had found Small One when she was starving and near death. A visit to Light-Hope made Flutterina who she was today.
Now, to know that she was going to see She-Ra executed . . . it cut her. But she was young and hopeful and just tried to think about the possibilities of rescue. She herself had tried to escape by transforming into a small butterfly or attempting to blow thick glass off her cell – but it was all for naught. She looked to Bow, now, whose eyes said simply 'I'm sorry.'
"We've tried everything," Rokkon said from the cell next to hers. "But apparently, our actions aren't even enough to have the guards show up."
"I'm not one to give in to hopelessness," Stonedar then followed, "yet I'm starting to think that escape is futile."
"Futile?" questioned Netossa from a cell down. "You Eternian boys don't have very hard over there if you think us being in a few cells is futile."
"We're not Eternian - " Stonedar started, but was cut off.
"Doesn't matter. We've been fighting the Horde for what, two years?"
"Yes, sister," answered Spinnerella.
"And that's just the two of us. Bow and Kowl and all the others have been doing it most of their lives. Hordak has sought out to destroy the Great Rebellion and conquer Etheria. But he hasn't. Even after twenty years, he's barely expanded from the Fight Zone. What does that tell you? Things like light and hope and goodness – they're far more than just ideas and concepts. They are forces to be fighting for and forces that can still drive darkness away. To admit that something is futile . . . that's just asking for death."
Stonedar stood up and stared at her from his cell. "The Horde also invaded our world, lady. You weren't there. It was someone far more competent that Hordak. He was destroyed our cities, our villages – everything our society worked for was wiped out! When you come from a world like, when you see something like that, it changes you. 'Futile' becomes a pretty common idea. It wasn't until the Cosmic Enforcers came and - "
"Stonedar! That's enough!" Rokkon chided. He then turned in the direction of Netossa's cell. "We see what we've seen, you to start understand the nature of good and evil a little more. We've found friendship and hope on Eternia and Etheria . . . but the two of us also know when it's in the shortest supply and when it is, truly, futile."
After this, a long, awkward silence followed. After a minute or two, Bow spoke up.
"Well, now that our spirits have been lifted . . . how do we want to get out of here?"
Calyx saw the meters and immediately knew it. He stood up and bounded out of his office. Another teleporter. Probably one of She-Ra's allies. He grimaced at her name. Anything that had to do with Eternia, Etheria, or Castle Grayskull was something he didn't want to deal with. The scar on his chest reminded just too much about his time on Eternia . . .
He reached terminus of the teleporter's jump – and stopped dead. His eyes went wide.
"You?"
"Yes," was the reply from the man before him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Not who you expected?" questioned the man.
"Not in the least," Calyx answered and quickly commanded the in-coming Horde Troopers to return to their previous locations. "Again, what are you doing here?"
"I think you know." But the man told him anyway. Calyx listened and nodded slowly.
"That surprises me," Calyx told him.
"I know."
"And why should I let you?"
"I have made contact with Zed. His forces are on their way to the prison. You know you can't stop them. Zed's people are too deeply into Horde Prime's camp to stop him from freeing the prisoners."
Calyx said nothing.
The man continued. "The Horde is falling apart and now is the time to act."
"Are you asking me to commit treason against the Horde?"
"Yes."
"That is - that is foolish!"
"You all ready doubt Horde Prime, Calyx. You should be conquering your own worlds, not sitting here waiting for teleporters."
"Even so, what you are asking . . ."
"It's either act now, act later, or not act at all. And if you chose the last one, you can expect to go down with Horde Prime."
Calyx looked away from the man and thought deeply. "Act now, then," he said at length.
The man smiled. "Good."
"I still don't understand why you are doing this."
The man walked along with Calyx, the pair of them heading towards Horde Prime's citadel. "I have my reasons."
All throughout Hammer City, people hid in alleyways and homes and buildings and nooks and crannies, all trying to make way to what was coming. 1,000 Horde Troopers, all led by Hordak himself, marched in unison into the Hammer City. Above them, in the evening sky, dark clouds were gathering. A storm threatened to break just as the Horde threatened to destroy.
Hordak led them in the heart of the city and the Horde Troopers stood in perfect rows before him. Hordak's voice echoed out for all to hear. Duke Dreer was at his side.
"ATTENTION PEOPLE OF HAMMER CITY! I SHALL MAKE YOU THIS ONE OFFER! PAY YOU OWED TAXES THIS DAY! ADD ON TOP OF THAT HALF OF WHAT YOU HAVE NOT PAID! IF YOU REFUSE, YOU SHALL PERISH! I WILL TAKE NO MERCY PLEAS FROM YOU! YOU HAVE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS!"
Silence, deep from the filled houses and empty streets. And then, there was a noise. A rumbling, but not from the clouded sky . . . but from the roads that came in from the east. The sounds and neighs of horses. The battle cries of soldiers.
In an instant, Horsemen wearing the banners and markings of Kingdom Brightmoon came rushing forward. Their numbers were small, comparatively. 400 against 1,000 were not good odds, but there were 300 more promised from Mystacore. Leading the way as the warriors collided violently with the Horde Troopers, was Queen Angella and Glimmer, Sweet-Bee, and the Star Sisters (being Starla, Jewelstar and Tallstar, respectively) flanked her.
"Tear into their left flank, daughter, and be careful," Angella warned.
"Yes mother. And what about you?"
"I'll be handling Hordak."
Queen Angella's large, beautiful wings pushed her farther into the air, riding the currents right towards where Hordak and Duke Dreer remained as the battle began.
Her hands shackled along with her feet, She-Ra was led down long corridors by quite a sizeable contingent of Horde Troopers. Weapons trained on her, She-Ra began to feel a horrible sense of hopelessness. Her invulnerability would help her, as would the power of Grayskull that remained with her. But both could only be stretched so far.
The shackles were of a substance unknown to her. They were unbreakable, even in these long, desperate moments before what could very easily be her own death.
They stopped at last before two large doors. The doors swung open and She-Ra entered into the chamber beyond them. She was led into the middle of a large platform. Darkness filled the rest of the room. She-Ra's shackles were clamped down to the floor, keeping her in place.
The Horde Troopers that led her in here turned on heel and marched right out. A formation in the darkness before her stirred. Energy pulsed. A large mechanical hand swung down from the rafters. She knew who this was immediately. Horde Prime. His body was rarely ever seen or used – his life force was projected into this legendary and hollowed chamber.
"She-Ra . . ." came a voice that thundered.
"Horde Prime." Her voice was strong and confident, but she knew what fate was awaiting her. She-Ra's only hope was that she survived Horde Prime's first volley and it shattered her shackles. Slim hope, but she held onto it dearly.
"You have been a nuisance to me long enough."
The large mechanical hand opened up, the claw-like fingers revealing a forming energy cannon in the palm. She-Ra closed her eyes and concentrated all of her power to her invulnerability, hoping and praying she lived through this . . .
The beam didn't come. Instead Horde Prime shouted "YOU!"
She-Ra's eyes opened and couldn't believe who it was she saw standing between her and Horde Prime.
It was Skeletor.
She heard sounds of chaos from outside the doors. What was going on here?
Horde Prime's palm cannon fired, but it was useless. Skeletor through up a shield, protecting both him and She-Ra.
"Your time is over, Horde Prime!" Skeletor cackled.
Skeletor's Havoc Staff began to glow. A swirl of air spun around it. Little streams of energy arced through the room. And then – in a monumental force of power – a beam of pure silver blasted out from the head of the Havoc Staff.
The beam slammed into Horde Prime's life force. The hand exploded, huge chunks of technology blasting from skeleton of pistons and servos beneath. The brimming energy that was Horde Prime swirled and distorted around the impressive beam that Skeletor was now projecting. Explosions popped up all across the dark chamber.
Skeletor spun around as Horde Prime began to recollect himself. Her waved his hands over the shackles and they vanished, only to reappear a few feet away.
"UP! NOW!" Skeletor commanded.
She-Ra didn't need to be told twice. She was on her feet, running down the platform with Skeletor, heading towards the door.
"Mind if I ask why?"
Skeletor through the doors open, revealing a pitched battle between Horde Troopers and the Evil Warriors.
"It would have been a delight to have seen you perish," Skeletor stated. "But after what happened to me when Hordak held me prisoner last year . . ." He took a long pause. "I will see him broken. I will see him on his knees, his precious empire shattered. However, I am too preoccupied to seek revenge on him myself. However, with you being his enemy . . ."
"You figured I could do it for you." She-Ra dodged a stray beam from a Horde Trooper. "It was very sweet of you to - "
"Don't! I still plan on having your head on a pole!"
"Sure ya do. Where's my sword?"
Skeletor paused briefly and then pulled it out from behind his back. She took it and smiled. The power of Grayskull grew stronger within her.
"How do you plan on getting us out of here?"
"I took the liberty of contacting Prince Zed. He'll be on the roof in three minutes. Go with him then rescue your pathetic friends."
"And yourself?"
"Oh, we can handle this." He fired a beam of energy straight up, blasting a hole in the thirty-five floors above them. "I have a friend who will be providing some very well-timed power outages. You have a ten minute window to rescue the others."
"Thank you again."
Then, much to Skeletor's discontent, she gave him a peck on his bony cheek and then leapt upwards into the hole in the ceiling. She leapt from floor to floor, making for the roof. Skeletor groaned and began to prepare for the Evil Warriors teleportation out of there.
"I'm going to regret this, that's for damn sure . . ."
As Hordak directed his Horde Troopers, there came two pure white beams of light that struck him square in the chest. He stumbled backwards, stunned. Then Angella came up and kicked him in the face. Hordak once more stumbled, but this time transformed his arms into two large energy cannons.
They fired, but Angella managed to avoid both beams. She herself fired two streaks at him and destroyed both cannons. When Hordak shrieked in pain, she used a 'push' spell that sent him sailing into a wall.
"End it here, Hordak," Queen Angella of Brightmoon Kingdom declared.
"Never."
Burning energy leapt from his fingers, striking Angella's wings. They seared in pain and she folded them behind her.
"Why do you resist?" he growled, energy still unleashing from his fingertips, making for her body. She had them blocked, but just barely. "Give in, Angella, and I'll let you and your little friends and citizens live."
"In slavery, you mean?" She then threw her arms wide, white stream of power flowing from her. Hordak's attack was halted. "Better to die on our feet than live on our knees."
"Then die you shall."
Hordak unleashing a pulse of power so strong that it sent Angella straight to the ground. It was a dark, cold power that had passed through her. One, no doubt, he had received from Dark Hope. Her wings felt icy in the aftermath of the pulse, her limbs numb.
"Do you not understand the nature of the Horde, woman? We have been battling for nearly twenty years now and still it seems as though you just plain don't understand what it is we do."
"I understand that you and your master bring nothing but death."
"So close-minded." Another pule went through her and Angella felt her entire body go limp. She couldn't move. "We are the heralds of transformation! We bring order to chaos; spreading a blanket of pure darkness over a sea of horrendous light. Life can not go on as it is. It must be conquered and held tight."
"And the Horde is the best one to grip it?"
"Yes."
"Arrogant bastard."
Hordak was about to reply when – suddenly – he was swallowed up in an intense golden light. Angella looked over and watched as Castaspella brought forth a golden rage of magic against the ruthless leader. Hordak was launched across the rooftop.
Castaspella leapt over to Angella. With a mere touch, Angella felt fine once more. Hordak was heading towards the pair of them, but Angella fired out streaks of energy like lightning. They struck Hordak and hard. Castaspella joined her.
Hordak crumbled and leapt off the side of the building. They both watched him teleport away. Down below, knights and soldiers from Mystacore joined in with those for Brightmoon. Together along the citizens, the Horde Troopers were being wiped out.
"Where's Duke Dreer?" asked Angella.
"Caught him while he was making his escape." Castaspella then waved her hand over the side of the building where Hordak had teleported. "Hordak's back at the Fright Zone. This battle is over."
Angella shook her head and looked out at the horizon. "No. The battle's just begun."
There was a low rumble that shook Bow from his slumber. He looked to his captured associates, curious. "Anyone got any ideas just what that was?"
"None," Flutterina replied, eyes wide, listening hard. There was a second rumble, this one much nearer. And then, the ceiling exploded, revealing the 'sky' and a spaceship waiting for them. Two figures leapt down – She-Ra and Huntara.
"Huntara!" yelped Flutterina.
"Hello," Huntara replied, helping She-Ra open cells. At that moment, the power went out.
"Right on time," She-Ra stated.
In seconds, Rokkon, Stonedar, She-Ra, Huntara, Flutterina, Bow, Netossa, Spinnerella, and Kowl were out of their cells and in the ship awaiting them. Within was Prince Zed.
"Welcome," Zed offered, the teen pressing numerous controls.
A woman appeared then, looking much like Rokkon and Stonedar. Both their jaws dropped. "Grantia?"
"Yes! Rokkon! Stonedar!"
The woman, who despite her rocky appearance, was rather thin and attractive, hugged Rokkon. She smiled at Stonedar.
"It's so good to see you again," Rokkon confessed.
"The feeling's mutual," she replied, then glanced at Stonedar. "To the both of you, of course."
"You guys know each other?" asked Bow, curious.
"We, ahem, used to date," Rokkon answered.
"Ah. I see."
"Everyone hold on!" shouted Zed from the controls. The ship suddenly lurched a little as a few Horde vessels began to open fire. "Grantia, I need you up here."
She nodded and sat down next to him. Her fingers danced across the weapons controls, the lasers working hard against the pursuing ships. Zed made for the one of the gaps in the surface and blasted forward, the ships still following them.
"We're making for a territory controlled by the resistance," Zed told them. "You know, no one took this resistance movement seriously until we started to grasp a few of our star systems."
"Peacefully, right?" questioned She-Ra.
"Of course."
Two of the pursuing ships exploded silently, just then.
"Nice shot," Rokkon complimented.
"Thanks," Grantia returned.
"Prepare for hyperdrive!" yelled Zed. And, just a minute later, the ship blasted out of the solar system, heading for the fringes of the Horde Empire.
A couple hours later, the ship came to halt right above a large, dead moon. It was then She-Ra and Zed were able to talk in private. She-Ra explained to Zed Hordak's plan and just how the Great Rebellion planned to turn that plan against them. Zed listened intently and when she finished, Zed took a few moments to digest it all.
"I've heard rumblings about Hordak and my father," Zed told her at length. "There are rumors that if Hordak fails, it will be evidence to many of those just close enough to join me that the Horde is falling apart. To rectify that, my father plans on executing Hordak if he does indeed fail."
"To serve as an example that failure is no longer an option, thus strengthening the tight reign Horde Prime has on his warlords?"
"Exactly. That's my Dad, for ya. Always thinking ahead."
"So what should we do, then?"
"Move forward with your plans. Just make sure that Hordak remains on Etheria."
"What about you? Can you help us out?"
"Maybe. I can't guarantee anything right now. But She-Ra - " Zed placed his hand on She-Ra's shoulder, "- don't stop now. Your Great Rebellion is the whole reason I'm doing this. Your resistance movement and mine are making huge changes that, even if we are stopped or killed, will last a lifetime and longer. We are changing things here, She-Ra. No one will forget us."
She-Ra nodded and hugged Zed.
"Thank you," she murmured.
Meanwhile, as Zed and She-Ra finished their talk, Rokkon and Grantia found themselves sitting a small room together. They spoke quietly despite their security.
"The resistance movement goes well," she told him.
"I don't doubt."
"And Eternia?"
"Just as well." Rokkon glanced at the door and then looked at her straight in the eyes. "How much longer?"
"I don't know. I haven't heard from you-know-who in quite a while. I'm still filing my reports though."
"Same here. I was contact with him about a year ago. Not since, though."
Grantia sighed and lowered her head. "I hate doing this, you know? I really do. I feel like we're betraying them."
"We're not. Just remember that. We're just submitting reports. We don't know all of the cards he's holding," Rokkon returned. "I'm more curious as to what it is he's doing with the information we're giving him."
"Same here. But . . . it's not our role to worry, isn't it?" Grantia said with a hint of disappointment.
"I suppose not. Still . . . I have a bad feeling about all this," Rokkon stated. "Anyways, in the meantime, we both have our fights to carry on. The Horde for you and the evil forces on Eternia for me."
"Yes." She looked away briefly and then back to him. "It's been too long, Rokkon."
"I know."
"I've missed you. Really."
"Same here."
The two embraced, rock rubbing against rock. They kissed and then fell onto a small cot together . . .
The next day, when the ship arrived at Etheria and dropped off the Great Rebellion and their allies in the Heroic Warriors, Rokkon and Grantia said some very long good byes.
Despite it being an easy trip to Horde World, it was harder than expected for Skeletor and his Evil Warriors to get back. To teleport out of Horde Prime's citadel, they had to jump rather quickly into a portal. But in the chaos of the battle, the portal took them to the wrong place. Evil-Lynn and Skeletor had to spend five hours determining just how to get back to Eternia. Even then, they had to stop twice on other worlds just to get back.
Finally, though, a day and a half after leaving Horde World, the group arrived at Snake Mountain. They entered into the throne room . . . only to find unexpected guests.
"Hiss!" shouted Skeletor, Havoc Staff raised.
Karg, on the ground as the only one left behind, begged for mercy. "I'm sorry, master! They came right in! I couldn't stop them!"
King Hiss stood there with entire group of Snake-Men. "Silence your worm, Skeletor."
"What are you doing here!"
"I hear our old friend Hordak is on the run. The Great Rebellion has the entire world in the state of revolution and they are planning on quite the attack on Doom Tower."
"And just where did you hear this?" questioned Skeletor, Havoc Staff still raised.
"Why, my sources on Etheria, of course. Same as you."
"What is it you want here?"
King Hiss took a step forward, smiling widely in his sinister sort of way. "I purpose we join them."
"You're joking! You'll betray me!"
"Hordak is a greater enemy than you are."
"And that's why you betrayed me to him before?"
"Those were different circumstances, Skeletor. I won't apologize for it, but I will tell you that you probably would have done the same if you were my place."
Skeletor looked deeply at him . . . and then lowered his Havoc Staff. Instead, his Evil Warriors took on a much more aggressive stance. In response, so did the Snake-Men.
"I would give anything to see my ancient enemy defeated," Hiss told Skeletor.
Skeletor nodded. "As would I." He paused, then stepped forward. "Then let it be done. We shall join the fight against Hordak."
King Hiss smiled ever wider. "And see to his downfall! Once and for all!"
TO BE CONTINUED IN "LIBERTY AND VALOR – BOOK THREE: REVOLUTION" COMING SOON!