TEN
Planet Phantos
Phantos Star System
5 June 2017
It took less than a day to reach the Phantos system. Routine scans from the edge of the system revealed a lot of activity. Most of the ships moving among the planets appeared to be unarmed cargo and transport ships. A few vessels were undeniably the space versions of ocean liners. Captain Majourny continued scanning the system while Ace set a leisurely flight path toward the distance third planet. A scattering a spacedocks and repair facilities were identified, but nothing suggested any kind of military buildup was going on anywhere in the system.
Horde Intelligence could be wrong, Jo-jo mused, watching the scan results scroll across the left-hand panel. The shipyards could be cloaked. Or they could be in a completely different location. It's a big galaxy. They could be hidden anywhere.
Sensors caught sight of the patrol craft when they were almost on top of the Eternia. The four craft together barely matched half the Eternia's volume, but the power readings were more than twice what ships their size should have. Jo-jo had no intention of finding out just how powerful those little ships really were.
At ten thousand meters, the lead patrol ship issued a challenge. The language was unfamiliar to the translation program, so Jo-jo asked them to repeat their message. This time the lead craft's pilot responded in what they knew as Eternia Standard. English, on Earth.
"Identify yourself and state your purpose in this system," a gruff voice demanded. The inflections spoke of military discipline.
Jo-jo nodded to Lieutenant Satori to open the channel. "This is Jo-jo Majourny, captain of the starship Eternia. We are on a diplomatic mission to open relations between Phantos and our homeworld, Earth."
"You ship is more suited for space warfare than diplomatic missions. We have no need for making new friends. You should leave this system at once," the lead pilot replied.
"If our efforts are to be without success, I would prefer to hear it from Queen Elmora, herself, not from some patrol pilot," Jo-jo replied evenly.
"If you will not leave this system willingly, we will force you to leave. We are well aware of your battle with the Horde. I will not allow your war to come here," the unseen patrol leader responded. He didn't bother to hide his anger or his contempt for Jo-jo and her ship.
"If you think you can muster enough firepower to stop us from freely entering orbit and requesting an audience with Queen Elmora, you are welcome to try," Jo-jo invited, crossing one leg over the other, and crossing her arms. "I would be very interesting in the queen's reaction. Is it really her policy to turn away people who come in peace? Or yours?"
There was a long pause as the man considered Jo-jo's reply. Obviously, she was calling his bluff about using force to kick her out of the system. Ace kept the leisurely course toward their destination with two patrol craft cruising on either side. They had made no move to bar their path so far. Keeping the weapons and shields powered down lent a legitimate air to their claims of coming in peace. If it came down to trading shots with them, Jo-jo felt confident the Etherium hull would stand up to any punishment the Phantosian craft could dish out long enough for her crew to get the shields up and the weapons brought to bear.
The patrol captain came back on the line just when it looked like they might have to shoot it out. "Clearance approved for standard orbit. Contact ground control for further instructions." Gruff and to the point, the man sounded slightly annoyed; he must have been overridden by his superiors.
Jo-jo decided to rub a little salt in his wounds. "Thank you. Have a nice day." She tapped a control to close the connection. "Ace, take her up to point five. Set course for the third planet and get us into stationary orbit over Phantosia City."
Ace acknowledged the order. Lieutenant Satori contacted the city's ground control to coordinate where they would park in orbit.
Jo-jo turned at a quiet chuckle behind her left shoulder. "What?" she asked Hohiro, putting on the air on innocence.
"Oh, nothing," the oriental replied. He watched the patrol ships break formation and continue on their assigned patrol pattern.
"You still think Jon got the better end of the deal?"
"More than ever," Hohiro replied, turning toward the lift.
Jo-jo swiveled her chair around. "You aren't going to stay for round two?"
"No. Someone needs to make sure our trouble-making Harris and his buddies don't do something incredibly…stupid." The lift doors parted at his approach, and closed once he was inside.
"Indeed," Jo-jo mumbled, turned back to the view port.
Planet Phantos was a beautiful blue/white world that reminded Jo-jo of Earth. There was only one major city on the surface. Phantosia; the world's seat of ruling power. Home of Queen Elmora. The gigantic city was spread out in a set of eight concentric rings. At its center lay the vast palace complex. The next four rings were residences, apartment complexes, and hotels. Beyond those were the business and factory rings. Last was the spaceport ring sporting literally thousands of berths for any manner of starship.
Jo-jo had to wrangle and haggle with the ground controller over permission to land in a port versus remaining in orbit. The man on the ground thought it odd for a warship to not have any kind of shuttle capability. Once Jo-jo explained it would take longer to disarm one of the two remaining dropships than it would take to land, ground control relented and assigned them a berth on the outer ring's northeastern side.
As promised, and envoy from the queen's court awaited them. Ace navigated the air lanes as instructed to their assigned berth. He set the great starship down with barely a jolt. All systems were shut down, and the crew went to work checking components to make sure the repairs made on Earth were still holding.
Jo-jo eyed the man sent to greet them from the forward boarding ramp. She waited with Lieutenant Satori for Captain Takamora and the trio of soldiers who would accompany them. When the captain finally arrived, he brought two more than expected.
"Expecting trouble?" Jo-jo asked idly.
"Always," Hohiro replied.
He had outfitted the honor guard only with pistols and extra power clips. They were clad in the dress armor normally reserved for official formations. It was the same as their normal combat armor only more flashy with brighter paint schemes. The six took up station beside and behind Captain Majourny as she set off to meet the queen's representative.
Rashir had been in the service of Queen Elmora all his adult life. He was a staunch supporter of his queen. Sometimes he devotion had required him to take sides on issues. Sometimes against his queen while privately supporting her. Politics. How he hated what it forced him to do for the good of the realm. Now, thirty years later, he still stood tall, nearly six feet in height, had only a sprinkling of gray in a full head of auburn hair, and Rashir still retained the sleek build he was so proud of. While other court members had grown old, lazy, and fat – men and women – Rashir took pride in his appearance as the queen did hers. The right first impression, he learned long ago, could often yield surprising results.
Rashir flashed a warm smile as the group approached. "Good afternoon. I am Rashir, emissary of the court of Queen Elmora."
"I am Jo-jo Majourny, captain of the Starship Eternia." Jo-jo gestured to Hohiro. "This is Captain Hohiro Takamora, second in command of the Guardian Force."
Introductions were made of the remaining members of Jo-jo's party. Rashir gestured to the hangar's exit, explaining a vehicle waited outside to take them to the palace. The air was warm with only a few wisps of cloud on the deep blue sky. The dusty streets were packed with people going about their business in the industrial sectors. Some shops were immaculately kept up. Others looked so run down they should be condemned. Most were in a pretty good state of repair. Everything could be found in the sixth and seventh rings. Legal and otherwise. The same diverse sights and smells here one would find in industrial centers, outdoor markets on Earth. If it hadn't been for knowing they were on and alien planet, Jo-jo would have sworn they were traveling through a major metropolitan city.
The gateways from one ring to were not all aligned. This made it much more difficult for an invading army to reach the palace. An army would be forced to fight for every foot of ground gained. Hohiro suspected there were hidden traps all along the way to destroy as much of the invaders as possible before they could reach the palace. Of course, all the defenses were useless if the enemy simply sat in orbit and bombarded the entire city with warship-grade weapons.
They left the industrial and business rings behind and entered the residential rings. This area was truly a mix of old, new, exotic, and any other combination one could think up. Rings two and three reflected the wealth of the city's ruling class. The scenery grew more and more pleasing to the eye the closer they traveled to Palace Phantos.
The transport did not, however, enter the palace grounds. Instead, Jo-jo and her party were dropped off at a luxurious hotel. Rashir explained that is was too late in the day for an audience with Queen Elmora, provided she granted the meeting. In the meantime, Jo-jo and her companions were to consider themselves guests of the queen. And should make themselves at home. Rashir promised to come for them sometime around midmorning tomorrow.
Checking in was not a problem thanks to Rashir, who left them in good hands with the hotel staff before departing. They followed their guide through the marble floored lobby to the bank of lifts. They rode one to the fourth floor where they were led down an elaborately decorated corridor liberally plated with gold, silver, a bit of marble here and there, and lined with oil painting of places and people Jo-jo and company could not recognize.
Their rooms were adjoining so they wouldn't have to worry about undue separation. They were over lavish for their taste, but none of them were about to begrudge the apparent generosity.
"No bugs that we can detect," Private Corwitz replied when the inspection of the rooms was complete.
Jo-jo made a face, but said nothing. Old habits died hard. These particular habits may just keep them alive. Though things appeared normal on the surface, she had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that refused to go away.
"What do you say to taking a look around?" Hohiro pointed asked Jo-jo. She was the head of this party so the decision was hers.
Jo-jo thought about for a few moments. "All right," she finally said. "But no one goes anywhere alone. Despite the appearances, I have a bad feeling about all this."
"Agreed," Hohiro said. He split his team into pairs and sent them on their way with strict instructions not to get into trouble.
Jo-jo contacted the Eternia, told Ace to button the ship up and to allow no one other than members of her group onto the ship without Jo-jo's expressed permission. With that done, Captain Majourny joined Hohiro and Private Corwitz in the corridor. The first order of business was to sample the local cuisine.
The groups of Earthers ventured out to see what would be seen. Neon lights lined the avenues in many languages announcing all sorts of things. Anything could be purchased or traded in this hub if industry. Jo-jo had feared being out of place due to their chosen mode of dress. She quickly discovered they were, if nothing else, rather plainly dressed next to the patrons in the more wealthy quarter she and her companions traveled through. They had no problem finding the restaurants. One only had to follow their nose. Some shops emitted truly wondrous odors while others contained dishes Hohiro thought would only be useful as insect repellent.
The groups learned quite a bit about other cultures inhabiting the galaxy as far as the free trade among the different species went. Guardian Command would be interested to know of the races discovered here. Jo-jo guessed a few wouldn't show up in the pirated Horde database.
Jo-jo and her companions were heading back to their hotel after a very interesting and fruitful four hours of wandering around. Nearly an intersection forty meters from their hotel, Hohiro suddenly stopped and waved Jo-jo and Private Corwitz back against the wall. Jo-jo was about to ask what was going on when she heard the faint familiar sounds of booted feet walking in step. The trio pressed further into the shadows as the noise great steadily louder and closer.
All at once, two columns of soldiers armed with laser rifles and dressed all in shiny black armor rounded the corner and headed away from them. Fortunately. Twenty shocktroopers marched boldly through the streets forcing pedestrians to make way. They were on a mission, that much was obvious.
"What are they doing here?" Jo-jo wondered aloud.
"It's an oppressed galaxy," Hohiro replied. "They can pretty much go where they want."
"Coincidence?" Jo-jo asked, unsure.
"Most likely. If they had been prepared for us, I doubt we would have been allowed to land."
"Unless they would rather make sure we don't leave," Private Corwitz added.
No one disputed that line of reasoning. Jo-jo suggested they get everyone back to the hotel quickly before those roving troopers accidentally came upon one of the teams. The last thing they needed was an incident before they could meet with Queen Elmora. If that happened, not only would the audience with the queen be forfeited, getting off the planet might become next to impossible.
Snake Mountain
Dark Side of Eternia
5 June 2017
Colonel Markson had no idea how long they marched through the tunnel, or how far they had gone. Minutes seemed like hours in the oppressive darkness broken only by the tiny lights mounted on shoulders and to the sides of pulse rifles. After nearly two hours of walking, the tunnel ahead grew dim, then gradually brightened as the end finally came within sight.
The soldiers from Earth and the freed captives emerged from the tunnel into waning sunshine. The storm blowing in off the Ocean of Gnarl was reaching their location. They would not have to make the rest of the journey slogging through mud, however. Transport carriers with open gunner pods manned by shocktroopers resting on squat landing struts waited twenty meters away.
Their bearded savior, now wrapped in a plain brown cloak and hood, gestured to the waiting vehicles. He spoke now words. He walked toward the craft without waiting to see if Colonel Markson and his soldiers would follow. A wicked storm blowing in from the northwest, possible pursuit from King Hiss, and a nameless man taking them to who knows where; just another day in the life of the Guardian Force.
"Mount up. Things can't get much worst," Colonel Markson replied.
"Are you sure about this?" Brad asked, unsure if this was the right choice.
"No. But if you'd rather face the Snake Men, I'm sure they'll be along any time."
They were the last to board the remaining transport. Once on board, the hatches were closed. Anti-grav drives powered up and the vehicle lifted off effortlessly. The struts were retracted, the course was set, and they were on their way and break-neck speed.
Grassy plains gave way to the far eastern end of the Graylands. A short hop over this barren stretch of land led to a turn due east to soar over the waters of the Harmony Sea. Their course bypassed the Desert of Vog entirely in favor of a brief flight over the extreme southern end of the desert known as the Sands of Time. Three hours after taking off from the field east of Palace Eternia, the escapees passed crossed from the Huklonas Desert, which lay east of the Sands of Time, into the most hostile lands on the face of Eternia.
The Serpentis Desert. A landmass of volcanoes, lava flows, sulfur springs, jagged terrain even the most experienced mountain climbs would cringe at the sight of, and a few rivers better left alone. Only one known unpolluted river was located in the harsh landscape. That which toppled perpetually over a mighty waterfall butted next to the most fearsome and infamous structure on the face of the planet.
Snake Mountain.
"So where are we headed?" Colonel Markson asked of their robed rescuer. "We're safely away. You can drop the stony silence routine."
"We are headed to a place of relative safety. A place where even King Hiss does not tred anymore."
"Ya know, I hate it when people go all cryptic on me," Jon muttered.
That's when Snake Mountain materialized out of a sulfur haze. Red highlights from lava flows too numerous to count cast an eerie throughout the land. One of the soldiers remarked that the scenery reminded her of the precursor to what Hell must look like.
Standing alone in the center of this inhospitable land was Snake Mountain. The tallest peek save for the Panthorr Mountains for the continent's southern boundary. The sounds of a roaring waterfall overrode the hissing of lava flows, the explosions of sulfur gas pockets. Red crystal eyes of the gigantic serpent coiled around the mountain twinkled in the half-light.
A large hangar door slid upward at the approach of the small convoy near the base of the mountain. There was plenty of room inside the spacious hangar for a convoy five times the size of the one setting down. Once the last transport passed through the door, the armored door slid close. More shocktroopers appeared from all over the hangar to assist with unloading the human cargo, and escorted them away to parts unknown. One disheveled, brown-haired woman dressed in a gown that had once been a medium shade of green, wearing a tarnished golden belt settled on her hips tried repeatedly to force her way through to Colonel Markson and his cloaked companion, but several robot troopers intervened and escorted her away.
"This way," the cloaked man said, heading off to the far left corner.
Colonel Markson ordered his people to see to the freed people while he, Sonya, Brad, and Jeromy accompanied their mysterious host. The corridors were not any more inviting or pleasing to the eye than the forbidding exterior. All of them commented on a the architecture in not so nice ways to kill the time, and, in Colonel Markson's case, see if they could get a rise out of their mysterious benefactor. Nothing worked. Aside from a few brief stern comments to stay out of this corridor or away from that room, and the odd command to keep up, the guide ignored them altogether.
After forty-five minutes of weaving their way through many corridors and walking up hundreds of stairs, the party of four reached the top of the fortress; the snake's head, to be exact. Colonel Markson and the three Guardians were led into a sinister-looking throne room. Brad walked toward the mouth of the serpent following the roar of the waterfall and spent a few moments taking in the view of the barren landscape. Sonya took a mild interest in the stone table with its crystal dome centerpiece and six bone-like legs snaking out from it at equidistant points. Jeromy noticed the bone rib work making up the throne, and its darkly clad occupant. Everyone would have sworn that throne had been empty when they entered the chamber. Everyone also recognized the garb from images the Sorceress had supplied.
Brad rejoined his companions, taking in the room and their two hooded hosts. Colonel Markson let the pulse rifle hang loosely from the carry strap and rested his arms on the weapon. He waited expectantly for them to make the next move. Finally, the figure on the throne set aside the staff capped with a ram's head. In the dim light the head looked to be made of bronze. Black gloved hands, whose fingertips were capped with polished silver, reached up and drew back the velvet hood just enough to allow the visitors to finally see the identity of one of their enigmatic hosts.
Only Colonel Markson looked like he expected the revelation.
"Is that who I think it is?" Brad blurted, as shocked as Sonya and Jeromy were.
"It ain't Cobra Commander," Colonel Markson answered lightly. "I take it we have you to thank for the timely intervention?"
"Out of the goodness of his heart," Sonya commented dryly.
Skeletor turned his head slightly to the cloaked figure on his right. "Him. I am Skeletor, Overlord of Evil. I do nothing out of the 'goodness' of my heart."
"Of course not. One must first have a heart," Brad advised the colonel.
"Well, I've got bad news for you," Jon told the black robed ruler of Snake Mountain. "From what I've seen you are overlord of two things right now. Jack and Squat." He turned to the mystery man standing apart from the gathering. "And unless your name is 'Jack', I'm betting he left town."
Unimpressed by Colonel Markson's witty repartee, Skeletor forced himself out of his throne. The other man lowered the hood and stood revealed for the first time. Where Skeletor was grim and outwardly condescending, using the unnerving visage of his bleached skull to his advantage, the mystery man was quiet, reserved, and weary. Years of living in hiding had not been kind to him. The stress of the past several years living day to day, worrying about his planet, and fighting occasional desperate battles with the Snake Men lined his stoic face. Gray sprinkled his full beard and, about half his head of brown hair was now gray. The man standing before them was older, but Brad managed to make the connection with the last know images stolen from the General Rongar's battleship.
"King Randor?" Brad spoke softly, hardly believing his eyes.
Randor nodded. "Former king of Eternia. King Hiss now rules the land." Despite the aging of his face, Randor's voice, like his body, was still strong and commanding.
Skeletor examined the shrunken suits of armor Brad, Sonya, and Jeromy wore. He waved a gloved hand toward the stone table. "In that crystal I can see anywhere in this universe, or any other. I watched your battle to claim these suits of battle armor." Skeletor circled the quartet while he talked. "I must say they don't look very impressive now. Colors are all wrong for the environment."
"Let me guess," Brad said dryly. "You're a fashion consultant in your spare time."
While it was impossible to see emotions on exposed bone, Skeletor's mannerisms indicated that he was somewhat less than amused.
"You have no idea what you have gotten yourselves into, Earthers. This is a war you can not win," Skeletor spat. "Many have tried. All have failed. Even the mighty He-Man and his sister She-Ra failed."
"Hence the reason for our visit to this neck of the oppressed woods," Colonel Markson said. "We came to find out what happened to He-Man and the Masters."
Skeletor turned away, and slowly strode out into the serpent's gaping mouth.
"What happened?" Jon repeated, though it was apparent the self-proclaimed Overlord of Evil did not want to answer.
Frustrated, Jon turned away from the mass of black cape. "C'mon. We're wasting our time here."
The quartet headed for the corridor that brought them to the throne room. They were willing to risk getting lost in the massive mountain riddled with tunnels and chambers rather than continue the pointless interrogation.
King Randor's quiet answer froze them at the exit. "They fell."
No one needed elaboration on what the deposed king meant.
Castle Grayskull
Graylands, Eternia
5 June 2017
Rain scoured the lands clean in driving waves of falling water. Wind speeds were clocked at over thirty miles per hour by the APC sensors. No one really needed that to tell it was better to stay indoors. The amazing things was will the driving rain pounded the outside of the ancient stone castle, none of it blew into the eyes and nose of the skull face, or the windows in the towers. Though there were no active energy fields found when scans were taken, the humans from Earth concluded, some grudgingly, that some force was at work.
Beta platoon conducted a search of the surrounding chambers to be sure no one was home. It didn't take them long to find the primary stairwell twenty feet wide leading down into the dark depths of the ancient structure. Doors of every shape and size lined the left wall as it curved down out of site. The Sorceress had once warned people to stay away from the area three feet in front of them. This was the threshold that would cause the magic portals to open to wherever they led to. Even she did not know where all of them gave access. She did know that some of them could allow unspeakable terrors to enter Grayskull. So Lieutenant Garber left standing orders for everyone to stay the hell away from those doors. No more than two abreast traversing those weathered steps.
The eastern tower housed the Sorceress' private chambers. The stairwell also led to an exit top of the tower. The western tower contained a sizeable library, but it was nothing compared to the descriptions the Sorceress had given. This one contained volumes and scrolls referenced on a semi regular basis. The real library, according to the Sorceress, was a thousand times larger.
The roving teams failed to find the library, but there would be time for that later. The priority now was to get the people settling in. Despite finding unused and remarkably clean multi-chamber living quarters, most of Lieutenant Garber's command chose to stay in the throne room. No one really had a better description of the vast chamber. Once the supplies from the APC were sorted and stacked up out of the way, both platoons set about making bed spaces for themselves. The remaining pair on guard at the open jawbridge was called in. The jawbridge immediately began ratcheting itself close with a ringing boom when fully raised.
Lieutenant Garber watched his people settle in for a boring day stuck inside, while the torrential rains continued to fall without. His gaze strayed more than a few times to the shroud laying just twenty feet away. They had t move her aside to allow the movement of supplies into the castle. The hardest part had been getting Adrian to let go. They had to practically pry the Sorceress from his arms. Then she was moved out of the way, the soldiers treating her almost reverently. Someone had snuck a fur blanket along, which now served as a shroud for the woman.
It still seemed so surreal. For Jerrod Garber this was still unbelievable. They just couldn't have come all this way only to fail her. He kept replaying the events of the past twenty-four hours in his mind looking for anything that could have been done differently. Something that might have made a difference. The result was always the same. With the added wrinkle of King Hiss' poison factored in, there simply was nothing they could have done differently. They didn't even know the Sorceress had been bitten until Adrian Cobretti had been rescued.
Now Adrian was distancing himself from his comrades. Jerrod's eyes followed the grand staircase up to where it branched. The left branch wound up into the east tower while the right branch led up into an alcove where one could go to look out through the eyes and nose of the skull face. He was up there in the left eye gazing blankly out at the falling rain.
How did it come to this? Jerrod asked himself for the tenth time in as many minutes.
Andre Wardman swore for the tenth time he heard something. The search teams reported hearing odd noises in the dark passageways, but no source could be discovered. Despite the castle appearing to tolerate their presence, it still gave certain people the creeps.
"There it is again!" Andre persisted.
Catherine O'Rourke sighed. "What did it sound like?"
Andre thought for a moment. "Like stones scrapping together."
Frost glanced up the stairs to where they branched. "Where did it sound the loudest?" His thoughts were maybe it was something Adrian was doing. He had been concerned for his friend ever since the Sorceress breathed her last a couple hours ago.
Timidly, Andre turned toward the fur-shrouded form laying across the chamber. "There."
Catherine and Frost looked, but it was clear they didn't believe.
Andre jerked around once more.
Sighing, Frost and Catherine rose, pulled the jetty man to his feet, and together the three walked across the room. Their boots scrapped the irregular stones amid the quiet murmur of multiple conversations. Maybe it was their nerves. Maybe it was real. Maybe it was a combination of the two. All three shivered as if they stepped into a cold pocket of air. Lieutenant Garber watched the trio approach the shrouded form, but made no move to stop them. He had listened to the reports of unexplained noises, but chalked it up to overactive imaginations in an unfamiliar environment. This castle was about as unfamiliar as they could get.
"Look. No mysterious noises. Nothing going on. Okay?" Catherine replied, looking about for anything out of the ordinary. "It's all in your…head?"
Something definitely wasn't right. The fur blanket slowly collapsed as if the air suddenly leaked out. That shouldn't happen since the Sorceress lay beneath. Jerrod straightened from his position leaning against the wall several yards from the closed jawbridge. His instincts told him something was suddenly very wrong. Frost knelt beside the deflated blanket and reached out grasp the nearest corner. Jerrod arrived as the sniper summoned the courage to fling back the fur. With a flick of the wrist, blue fur adorned with the image of Zoar the Falcon rippled and rolled toward the feet of the body it should have been covering.
All four gasped in shock and a little fear. The body the blanket should have been covering wasn't there. Only empty gray stone stared back at them.
The body of Sorceress of Grayskull was gone.
"Were the hell could she have gone?" Frost said to no one in particular.
"She didn't just get up and walk away," Catherine replied, equally at a loss to explain the disappearance.
Andre's imagination began to run away with him as horrifying thoughts suddenly flashed through his mind. "Oh, no! No! She…she…"
Catherine quickly grabbed the panicky kid by the shoulders and spun him around to face her. "Listen to me! Listen! She is not a zombie. You listening to me? She is not a zombie."
Wardman gulped, swallowed hard, and fought down his rising tide of panic. Catherine explained about the magic of the castle. She suggested the castle might have something to do with the disappearance.
A quiet chuckle coming from the vicinity of the jawbridge interrupted the discussion. Jack Rockwell wandered over as more members of Beta platoon took notice of situation. Jack spotted the woman dressed in a white satin gown and matching high-heeled boots first when she stepped from the shadows, still chuckling.
"In spite of all the progress your people have made over the past hundred plus years you still haven't evolved above your silly superstitions."
"It's part of our charm," Lieutenant Garber replied. "Who are you?"
Kodec Ungor smiled disarmingly. "I like a man who gets right to the point."
"I know you," Jake said, his mind finally dredging up the answer. "You were in that pyramid when we went to retrieve the armor."
"Very good, Jake Rockwell. However, you do not know me. For I never gave you my name. And I am rather surprised the Sorceress never told you. Seems I will have to correct that oversight. I must remember to have a word or two with her about this."
That made no sense to anyone present since the Sorceress was quite dead. Frost pointed that fact out rather angrily.
"Oh, pooh. You people think in such black and white terms I sometimes find in humorous," Kodec said, all serious. "Death is a journey all living being must take in due time. But it isn't the end. It's merely a door, if you will, to the next journey." Blank looks were her reward for that revelation. Kodec let out a frustrated sigh. It's a wonder these people can lace up their boots. Whatever do you see in these people, Sorceress? Of course, Kodec was not going to receive an answer to her question. Not yet. "To put it in terms you can understand, her body has ceased to function, but the Sorceress' mind, her soul, I think you would call it, is alive and well. At this moment, her body lies in the pool of power somewhere beneath our feet being repaired. Her 'soul' is somewhere within the confines of this castle waiting until her physical form is restored to life. Once that happens, the Sorceress will feel an irresistible pull back to her physical form."
Then there is a chance?" Lieutenant Garber asked, trying not to let his hopes rise too much.
"There was always a chance!" Kodec snapped, indignant. She calmed after a moment remembering her less advanced audience. "Right now her body lies in the Pool of Power somewhere beneath our very feet. The castle is using its power to restore her to life. We only to wait until she arises. Her essence, what you would call a soul, roams these empty halls restlessly." Kodec took note of their confused looks and tried to elaborate. "The body is easier to repair without the complications of the soul, which is a powerful and tricky thing. And there is something she must confront. Something that is long overdue for her to make peace with."
They wanted to asked what it was the Sorceress had to confront, ever eager to help a friend in need. The look in Kodec's eyes said this was something their friend had to do alone. No one could help here even if one could. All they could do was wait for the castle to do its work.
"She will be healed then?" Frost asked.
Kodec shook her head. "No. The Sorceress will be restored to life, if all goes well, but she will not be free of what was done to her. The castle does not possess the fine touch for that. Nor do I for that matter. There are several beings on this planet that can do the required work. That must wait until the castle has finished and the Sorceress has returned to her physical form."
"And here I thought it was going to be relatively easy," Frost sighed.
"Where magic is concerned nothing is exactly easy," Kodec admonished gently.
"Okay. Once the Sorceress is returned to us, where do we take her to finish the job?" Garber asked pointedly.
"One step at a time, lieutenant," Kodec responded. "One step at a time."
Anyssa cautiously walked up the stone steps and stopped where they ended at the floor giving access to the skull's eyes. The stairwell ran up from there into the east tower where the Sorceress' private chambers lay near the top. From her current position, she could just make out the shadow of a man sitting in the skull's left eye. Lightning flashes turned night into day, and booming cracks shattered the tranquility of the falling rain.
Her concern, at the moment, was for this man whose brain roiled from the mind sifter. She had seen what that infernal machine could do on too many occasions. Right now Adrian's mind would be coming apart at the seams. Coherent thought would grow steadily harder until he would be incapable of any rational thought.
Without the Sorceress, there was very little that could be done for him. She dying in his arms didn't help matters any. Although Anyssa had fought many battles in her young life, never has she felt so helpless as she did now. One soldier died in the escape from Palace Eternia. The Sorceress' body disappeared without anyone being the wiser. Now it looked like these warriors from a distant world may lose another of their own.
Without warning, Adrian rolled out of the eye into the raging rainstorm. Alarmed, Anyssa sprinted to the eye in four long strides. She arrived just in time to see a hazy armored shape disappear into the towering trees of the Evergreen Forest.
Lieutenant Garber turned at the sound of his name being shouted. He watched the warrior woman leap down the stairs taking them three and four at a time. The woman's break-neck pace brought to the group in moments.
Breathless, Anyssa gulped, "Adrian…is…gone! He toppled out of the skull's eye, activated his armor, and jetted out to the forest."
"What the hell for?" Garber asked no one in particular. He knew no one would have the answer.
Catching her breath somewhat, Anyssa answered, "I fear it's the effect of the mind sifter."
Kodec snapped around at that revelation. "Mind sifter? Hiss put Adrian into that thing? Why didn't anyone say something?" she demanded angrily.
"We didn't think it was that critical. Sure, Adrian was having trouble, but he appeared to be getting better," Lieutenant Garber explained.
"Didn't think is right! Once that thing starts tearing your mind apart it doesn't stop even when you take to poor sod out of it. We better find him before it's too late."
Garber turned to Anyssa. "Did he use his armor?"
The woman thought for a moment, then nodded. "I didn't get a good look, but he must have since his he rolled from his perch in the skull's left eye."
Garber turned to O'Rourke and Rockwell. "I remember reading a report on the suits that said something to the effect that while they were designed for specific purposes, the power signatures were pretty much the same."
Catherine nodded. "Yes. There is just a slight variation giving each suit it's own unique signature."
"You and Wardman get on it. Use Jake's armor as a guide. Give me a sensor so we can track him. It's raining so hard out there any tracks he makes will wash away in minutes." Garber watched the three hustle off to gather the equipment needed to program the scanner he ordered. He asked, "If we do find Adrian before this condition kills him, or, God forbid, he stumbles into one of the villages, what do we do with him?"
"There is someone I know who may be able to help," Kodec replied, neutrally.
Garber ordered Frost to organize a squad to go after Adrian. Kodec said she would accompany them and provide whatever they would need starting with native clothing and currency. The lieutenant didn't argue the point further after the mystery woman explained there was nothing they could do until the castle completed its task. Garber wasn't sure he wanted to know more, anyway. What he already knew was disturbing enough. Evidently, whatever rules apply to Earth isn't as rigid here, he thought.
He would find out in the coming days just how much an understatement that really was.