Chapter Three: "The Rise of Vipera"

Adam was a blur of motion. Cringer tailing him and the Sword of Power in hand, he ran out of the banquet hall and towards the nearest empty room. He shut the door and locked it. Then, with a speed and ferocity that Cringer had never seen Adam have before, the sword was up and the words barreled out.

"BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL . . ."

The power of Grayskull swept over meek Prince Adam, transforming nearly everything about his body into the hero named He-Man.

". . . . I HAVE THE POWER!"

The Sword of Power swung down and belching a great heap of energy at Cringer. Cringer cowered as always, but was very quickly engulfed in the power of Grayskull.

"We need to move fast, Battle-Cat," He-Man told his faithful companion.

"Where are we going, though?" asked Battle-Cat.

"I'm . . . I'm not sure," He-Man replied.

As soon as they left the room, Man-At-Arms was standing on the other side. "We detected an energy spike exactly similar to the one their teleportation left. It's at these coordinates."

Man-At-Arms handed He-Man a small printout. Along with a series of numbers and letters was also a map. From He-Man could tell it was in the Sands of Fire, right between Viper Tower and Snake Mountain. There was something ominous about that . . .

"How fast can you get there, Battle-Cat?"

"Seven hours, maybe six."

He-Man grunted. "That's not going to cut it."

Battle-Cat laughed. "Best I can do."

"We're going to have to take a Talon Fighter then," He-Man replied.

"All right. Well, wait for me. The others are going to be fully recovered in a few minutes."

He-Man shook his head. "No. We're going ahead now. You, She-Ra and the others leave as soon as you can."

"He-Man, you can't honestly expect me to - "

"And neither can you," He-Man returned. "My fiancée and my best friend have just been captured by one of the most ruthless villains Eternia has ever seen. Let me get to them first. That's an order."

Man-At-Arms stared He-Man in the eyes. The order came not from He-Man, but from Prince Adam. There was anger and desperation in those eyes. Duncan didn't like it, simply because it seemed that He-Man was running more on emotion than with his head on straight. Didn't he realize that he wanted his daughter to be safe? Didn't He-Man know that Duncan was feeling the same way?

But an order was an order and He-Man had the right to make it.

"All right then. But move fast and don't get yourself into danger unnecessarily."

"Don't worry about me, Duncan."

Duncan nodded. "See you there."

Five minutes later, a Talon Fighter blasted out from the hanger of Eternos. It streaked across the early night sky, engines pushed to their limit. As he and Battle-Cat arched over the kingdom of Eternos and soon entered into unclaimed territory, a voice called into their minds.

He-Man!

The Sorceress had reached them telepathically. "Sorceress! Kathryn and Teela have been - "

I know, He-Man. King Hiss has taken them to the Tomb of Vipera.

"Who is Vipera?"

An ancient goddess from the days of Preternia. She is the daughter of Serpos, the snake god that your ancestor King Grayskull died fighting.

"I've heard of King Grayskull," He-Man replied.

That is a tale for another. However, what you must know is that King Grayskull was married to a goddess named Veena. When King Grayskull did not return home, it was Veena's tears that created the Bitter Rose. But Vipera, who was Serpos' bitch-daughter, rose against Veena. The two warred and in the end, Veena managed to trap Vipera in another dimension. Veena then cursed Vipera, ensuring that she could never again take a Snake-Man's body. If Vipera were ever to return, then she would have to take a human body. Then that means . . .

"What?"

He-Man, you must hurry.

He-Man put on the boost. The engine whined with stress. The Talon Fighter soared beyond its limits to the Tomb of Vipera.

"What exactly do you have planned here?" asked Teela as she and Kathryn were shackled.

"Keep walking," threatened Rattlor, neck elongating. He shoved Teela and Kathryn forward. Teela fake fell and knocked Kathryn onto the ground with her. Kathryn then felt something pass from Teela's hand into hers. It was small and circular with a thin metal strip coming off of it. As Teela stood, she helped to hoist to Kathryn up.

In a fast, whispered tone, Teela spoke. "It's a magnetic lock-pick with a built in laser. Press the circular twice and these shackles will come off. Press the other end and you'll get two small laser shots. When I wink and nod, use it and run like hell."

Kathryn nodded and moved the lock-pick/laser right underneath the shackle so that it would be easy to hide and get to.

"What's this all about, Hiss?" shouted Teela suddenly as they were taken up onto the middle section of the statue.

King Hiss smiled sinisterly. "Oh Teela, my dear, you'll be trading places with Vipera."

Teela snorted. "And what about her?"

King Hiss walked over to Kathryn. "She is supper."

Kathryn's lips trembled. Tears began to bud in her eyes. King Hiss laughed at her.

"Let her go, Hiss," Teela snapped. "You don't want her. She's nothing to you. Just let her go."

"Oh, but you're both so important. Rattlor! Take the young lady here to her position!"

Rattlor grabbed Kathryn's chains and roughly pulled her up to her place. It was on the small platform atop the coiled tail. Teela could see the panic right beneath Kathryn's surface. Having been captured so many times, Teela knew just how to handle this. She needed to keep Hiss talking long enough for help to arrive.

And it was coming, she knew that.

"So why me, Hiss? Why not some other girl? I'm becoming be the constant damsel in distress. That's beginning to annoy me, you know?"

Hiss smiled. "Ah, yes. But don't you understand? I helped restore your life two years ago. Have you not wondered why I did that?"

Teela blinked. "A little, yes."

"For this purpose. I thought your body would be the perfect vessel for the goddess Vipera."

"And who is that?"

"The bitch-daughter of Serpos. Serpos, of course, became what is now Snake Mountain. But Vipera, the ancient goddess of torment and venom . . . the cursed to only inhabit human flesh and blood . . ."

"And just what do I have to do with this?"

"You will see."

At that, Teela was taken up to her position. It was in the mouth of the snake, shackled to the platform. King Hiss followed her up and pulled out the amulet. He put it around her neck and then turned to Kobra Kahn.

"I've been planning this since my return to Eternia, dear Teela. I've made alliances and then broken them to place what I needed to do this where they needed to be placed. Hordak's technology, sitting in the mouth of Skeletor's fortress. Programmed to channel just the right energy. The same, of course, placed in Viper Tower."

Hiss grinned. "You'll like this next part."

Kobra Kahn pressed a few keys on a piece of equipment sitting on the hardpan.

Skeletor looked up as magic began to swell within Snake Mountain. He stood up and as soon as he did, the entire fortress began to shake and quiver.

"What is this?" asked Evil-Lynn.

"King Hiss . . . I knew he would do this."

The pair rushed up the long corridors, passing confused Evil Warriors. Lights blinked randomly as power began to gather and fester. Skeletor and Evil-Lynn arrived at the mouth of Snake Mountain, where pale green energy was pulling together in a vague sphere.

"What do we do?"

Skeletor snarled. "We prepare, Evil-Lynn."

As soon as he said that, a beam of power fired out of the ghostly sphere. It shot across the night sky and towards the west.

He-Man had just passed the Great Towers when a beam of pale green came firing out of the mouth of Viper Tower. As soon as He-Man saw it, he knew exactly where it was coming from. He pushed on the rockets, knowing that they only had mere minutes left to live.

King Hiss watched with wide eyes as both power beams meant and struck each other. As they blasted into the other, power roared silently. The gates to an ancient prison were thrown open and a white hole was created, fueled by the energies of Snake Mountain and Viper Tower.

"What is this . . .?" muttered Teela.

Hiss, with his voice filled with exuberance, spoke with wide-eyed wonder. "All that is needed to release Vipera is pin-prick. But to even break that barrier, the power needed formed into a white hole."

Teela stared at the white hole as two streams of energy coming from both the east and west fueled it. "They'll be here soon."

King Hiss grinned at her. "Oh, pretty girl. If they get here in time, there will be no stopping the titanic forces at work here."

Teela looked at Kathryn and nodded and winked. She didn't move. She was too afraid to. Teela looked imploringly at Kathryn, but she still did nothing.

"An now for the moment I've been waiting for for years . . ." Hiss said.

He stood back from Teela and smiled broadly. He pointed a finger straight at the amulet. A pulse of green energy shot out. It struck the amulet. Teela could feel it shaking and vibrating on her chest.

The jewels began to glow brightly. Teela looked to Kathryn with desperation. Kathryn finally seemed to get it. Her fingers pulled out the lock-pick and began to work it. The shackles came unlocked and Kathryn began to pulled them off. She had just gotten her legs free when she froze up again. Kathryn was staring at Teela with an expression of absolute horror.

Teela looked down and saw something pulling itself out of the amulet. It was a huge snake, growing larger and larger the further it got from the amulet. It was transparent and seemed consist of only energy. When it finally finished its emergence, it turned to Teela.

It spoke telepathically. I, Vipera, bitch-daughter of Serpos and goddess of venom, have been summoned. Who has released me?

"I have, Vipera," King Hiss said, voice shaking with astonishment. "King Anaconda Hiss, master of the Snake-Men army of the Second Age."

Vipera slithered over, rose, and looked him up and down. A Snake-Man covered in man-flesh? What a disgusting concept . . .

"I have done so to emulate you, my goddess," King Hiss replied, practically begging.

I am deeply honored. Where are my people?

"Imprisoned by wizards of man."

They shall be released, then. In due time. And man . . . man will burn.

Hiss smiled. "Yes, my mistress. Eternia shall be yours to claim."

Vipera slithered to Teela and looked her over. This is the one you claim to be my new vessel? Yessss . . . there is power here. We will trade places, then. But to do such a great task, I require strength. Sustenance.

Hiss pointed to Kathryn. "There, my mistress. She will provide you with enough, I think."

Yesss. I sense within her a life force to devour. Vipera's ghost mouth dropped open and she slithered towards the other end of the statue.

Teela's lungs filled with air. "KATHRYN! RUN! RUN FOR LIFE! FOR THE SAKE OF THE ANCIENTS RUUNNN!"

Kathryn, free of the shackles, did so. Kathryn couldn't handle this. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. The Snake-Men had caused her so much grief already. They killed her mother during the Horde/Snake-Men war. She thought that would have been the end of it.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" screamed Kathryn as she landed on the hardpan. Vipera was right behind her, her ghost-like body coming ever closer. Kathryn fired the laser, but it passed right through her.

Teela watched right horror then as Kathryn's body was tossed into the air. As it fell, Vipera's mouth opened. Kathryn passed through the ghost-like creature and then fell to the ground. As soon as Teela heard Kathryn's body fall, Vipera looked completely like a real snake.

Vipera rose up and shot right at Teela. Teela didn't cower. She didn't scream. She didn't struggle. Her chest was heaving and she had never been so afraid, but she stood up against Vipera like a warrior. Vipera slammed right into Teela.

That last thing Teela remembered was seeing her own body, and then the sky, and then the white hole . . .

"It is done," Teela's voice said. "Teela has taken my place and her body is mine now. My power sits here."

King Hiss bowed, as did the other Snake-Men.

And then came a human roar. King Hiss' eyes went wide. It was a scream so unlike any they had heard before. Agony and anguish, fury and despair . . .

He-Man atop Battle-Cat suddenly leapt onto the statue.

"HISS!" screamed He-Man, Sword of Power out. The Axe of the Heroic Warriors sat in his other hand.

"You're too late, He-Man," Hiss said with a smile.

"Who is this speck?" Vipera said. "He has within him the power of King Grayskull."

"My enemy. The enemy to all the Snake-Men."

He-Man pointed to Vipera. "Return to your prison and release Teela from it, Vipera."

Vipera growled. "You dare threaten the goddess of venom?"

"I DARE!"

Hiss stood before Vipera. "Let me handle this cur. You must conserve your strength."

"How very considerate of you . . ."

Hiss walked towards He-Man, fleshing ripping. Hiss noticed then that there seemed to be tears coming from He-Man's eyes. He said nothing, though and just charged his viper heads forward.

"You'll pay for what you've done," He-Man stated flatly. There was far more than just tears in his eyes. There was rage, unbridled and unabated.

"And you will die for your insolence."

Hiss shot four of his heads forward. He-Man thought of Kathryn's dead body on the hardpan below and only of that. He-Man struck with mercy. The Sword of Power and the Battle-Axe of the Heroic Warriors were in motion and sliced off three of Hiss' five heads.

"AHHHH!" screamed King Hiss, blood pouring from the wounds.

"Somebody help him!" yelped Kobra Kahn.

Rattlor's eyes, though, caught movement of people near the end of the statue. "We have company."

Below, She-Ra atop of Swift-Wind led the Heroic Warriors. She halted as soon as she saw the body of Kathryn. Her breath was gone in an instant. Man-At-Arms was at her side.

"We were too late," Man-At-Arms muttered.

She-Ra lifted the body. The skin was dry and wrinkled. It was also quite gray. The hair was frizzed. Her eyes were red. She-Ra knew it was foolish, but she felt for a pulse. She felt for long seconds, her eyes filling with tears. Nothing . . . nothing . . . nothing . . .

And then . . . a beat.

"What?"

Man-At-Arms looked over to her. "What happened? What is it?"

"I'm getting a pulse. It's extremely weak, but I'm getting one."

Man-At-Arms spun and turned to Pelicor. "Take Kathryn to Castle Grayskull as fast you can! The rest of you, this way!"

As King Hiss staggered away from He-Man, the Heroic Warriors stepped to their champion. She-Ra walked over to He-Man, Sword of Protection raised.

"Return Teela!" shouted He-Man.

The Snake-Men took defensive steps forward, but Vipera halted them. "Teela is gone." She waved her hand at the white hole. It vanished instantly. "And you can not retrieve her. Embrace death."

Power of unimaginable destruction flew from Vipera's hands.

"SWORD TO SHIELD!" shouted She-Ra.

The Sword of Protection transformed instantly into a massive shield that spread itself in front of and slightly over the Heroic Warriors. The power struck the shield hard and She-Ra pushed against. As the power curved around the shield, the statue began to crumble.

Vipera must have changed the direction of the attack, because the stress of the shield was gone, but the statue itself was exploded beneath their feet. As dust and debris collapsed along with the entire group, Man-At-Arms turned to Gwildor.

"OPEN A PORTAL! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!"

"What about Teela!" shouted He-Man.

"There's nothing we can do right now. Trust me."

Vipera appeared in Teela's body. She stood at the edge of the broken statue and smiled. "Run away, run away. I enjoy the hunt."

The Cosmic Key went into operation. The portal appeared between them and Vipera. The Heroic Warriors rushed in, defeated for now.

"What about Kathryn!" shouted He-Man as he almost shoved into the portal.

"Pelicor took her Grayskull. Come on!"

The portal closed and Vipera took a deep breath. She hated this fleshy body . . . but it felt good to breathe the air of Eternia again. Vipera turned to King Hiss and waved her arms over his body. The heads that had been lobbed off were suddenly returned.

"You have freed me, restored me, and I know that you love me. This body is also appealing and is quite pure. That was why you put the love spell on it so long ago? You knew then that you wanted Teela to change places with me?"

"Yesss. And my greatest thanks on returning my limbs." He re-grew his human flesh.

"When the time is right, King Hiss, this body shall be yours to mate with. But until that time, you and I shall launch our campaign against Eternia and the world of man! Let us be bound by that."

Teela's arms wrapped around King Hiss' body. Teela's lips pressed against lips that would have set her into revulsion. But Teela wasn't there, only her body. Teela was far, far away . . . and the time of Vipera was at hand.