Chapter 9
Grayskull was under attack…Again….For the third time this week.
Adam was getting a little tired of this, not that he would never defend Castle Grayskull, for he would always do what was right for Eternia. No. He was just tired of the fact that it seemed Skeletor was going above and beyond to not give the Masters a break. If anything he seemed to be going overboard with his plans to take the castle and the magic that lay dormant inside.
It was the same cycle, Skeletor attacks, he defends, again and again and again.
Honestly he wondered if he would be doing this until they were both dead.
The last time something even remotely changed was when his long lost twin sister came from another planet to help him out. Saying it in his head sounded weird but it happened and he was grateful for the shakeup. Sometimes he hoped that another one would come soon. Plus he was getting a bit lonely these days. Something was missing in his life, a new thrill, something brand new to deal with.
Battles have been getting a bit stale as well.
This time for example he wasn't even going for a strategy, he was just pushing everything at them and hoping for the best. It was chaotic as it was exhausting. The Evil Warriors are just going at it again and again trying to get close to the gates of Grayskull. Thankfully the other masters and his father Randor were keeping things at bay, but Adam was starting to get tired.
"Nyaa He-Man!" Standing on a hillside Skeletor stood with as much bravado and evil as evil, "Today Grayskull falls to-"
"I'm going to stop you right there Uncle…Man that's still weird to say" Adam as He-Man interrupted, "You have been saying this for years, and it hasn't happened, so why do you think this time will be any different".
Skeletor seemed taken aback, "Well I uh- This plan will work because-"
"Keldor!" Randor ran to stand by his son side, "Your day is coming brother"
Adam sighed, "Oh no dad please don't do this"
"Not this time brother!" Skeletor seemed to have gotten his bravado back with someone willing to play along, "This time the power of Grayskull will be mine!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it"
Before Adam could stop his father, Randor charged headfirst into Skeletor as the two brothers duked it out on the battlefield. Already he could hear the witty banter between them. Although in reality it was more like petty bickering between two siblings over the last cookie in the cookie jar.
"Still haven't learned to parlay huh, dad always said it was your weak spot" Randor chuckled.
Skeletor scoffed, "Oh sure bring that up why don't you Mr. I train for five hours strength, no one has your boundless restlessness, some of us tire out faster".
"Some us aren't lazy"
"I wasn't lazy I just tend to be slow"
"Understatement of the century"
"Oh shut up Randy!"
Adam groaned, sometimes he swore that lately he was just dealing with a family feud then the fate of all Eternia these days. Regardless he didn't want his father to go fighting alone, so he joined in the fray. Thus it was a two on one duel. Skeletor smack dab in the middle managing for the most part two of them as they swung their swords.
"Bah, father and son gang up on a poor defenseless uncle" Skeletor chastised, "Where is the honor in that"
"Oh please, remember when you and your gang used to tackle me in the courtyard" Randor declared.
Skeletor laughed, "You were so gullible randy, Beast Man always knew how to give you the best of wet willies"
"Really dad?" Adam snickered a bit, "Beast Man gave you wet willies as a kid"
Randor frowned, "Your uncle was a crafty one, also, how do you think he's managed to keep so many of his followers over the years, through charisma"
"I am very charismatic, thank you!" Skeletor said as he blasted his havoc staff at them, "Evil Warriors! To me!"
Like clockwork a few of his evil warriors gathered, Evil-Lyn, Tri-Klops, and Beast Man all rushed to his side. While the numbers were against them Adam wasn't afraid however. He's taken them all on as He-Man before he can do it again, and with his father by his side victory would be theres and evil defeated again.
"Um, boss!" Beast Man muttered.
"Not now Beast Man, now evil warriors prepare-"
"Uh boss" Tri-Klops interrupted.
"What!"
"Look"
Adam looked up to where he was pointing as well and saw above them, some sort of vortek began to form around them.
"Um, Evil-Lyn?" Skeletor voice was shaking a bit, "D-Did you summon that"
"No, I did not"
"...I was afraid you were going to say that"
With those last words Adam found himself being sucked into the vortex along with the rest of them leaving the field of Grayskull alone.
To where he was going, he really didn't know, but he was about to find out really soon.
-000-
Skeletor's head hurt and that was saying something since he got hit in the head alot.
Slowly everything around him began to come too as he began to wake up finding his foot. As he looked down he saw that he was no longer standing in a field, in fact he wasn't standing on dirt at all. Instead he seemed to be standing on some sort of metal. Around him the room was dark and hollow. Didn't have the flair or bravado of Snake Mountain.
However he could sense that this was a dark place, all the evil energies around him were terrifying and powerful even for him. This would be a place where he would need to proceed with caution if he was to get out of whatever mess he found himself in.
Getting up he saw that his Evil Warriors were behind him also rising, along with Randor and He-Man.
Holding onto his havoc staff tight Skeletor readied himself for enemies, "Where are we!"
Adam began to stand, "W-What happened"
"Where did you take us brother" Randor accused sword at the rady.
"T-This isn't me, trust me, I want to attack Grayskull not randomly blink us somewhere else!" Skeletor accused.
"Welcome!" A shrill voice called, "You are here at the behest of the ancient ones?"
"Ancient ones?" Skeletor blinked, "What ancient ones"
"DO YOU NOT REMEMBER SKELETOR!"
Skeletor jumped as he recognized those voices, "A-Ancient spirits of evil"
Looking up he saw the four statues of the ancient ones towering over him. They were imposing, scary and most of all radiating in evil power. Skeletor couldn't help but respect this, as well as fear it. He could just feel the evil radiating from these statues. The limitless power of evil and darkness that had such a hold over the cosmo's and beyond.
"YES SKELETOR, I HOPE YOU HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN OUR REQUEST FOR YOUR SERVICES"
"N-no of course not, it's just, you didn't really give me a schedule or a date so I was just uh-"
"SILENCE!"
"Okay shutting up" Skeletor's body felt stiff.
A shrill laugh came as now a new benign wrapped in a red cloak and bandages arrived, he looked old and ancient. Someone Skeletor thought he could easily best in combat, but for some reason there too was a sense of power within him as he approached. Everyone just stood there in fear as they saw this creature.
"Greetings Skeletor, I am Mumm-Ra, the Ever Living, and this is my pyramid" his eyes turned to Adam and Randor, "I see we have uninvited guest, allow me to subdue them for you"
Adam drew his sword, "I like to see you-"
Before he could even finish Mumm-Ra unleashed a bolt of heavy magic upon both of them causing both Adam and Randor to shriek in pain. The two of them were lowered to the ground, weakened, smoke from the energy still coming off of them. Skeletor was shocked by how powerful this creature was and by how quickly he was able to take down He-Man and his brother without even lifting a sword.
Why couldn't he do that!
"Y-You knocked out He-Man and Randor in one shot!" Skeletor gasped.
"That's some power right there," Trap Jaw gasped.
Evil-Lyn snickered, "Indeed, guess eve the mighty Skeletor can't do that"
"Zip a lip Evil-Lyn" Skeletor muttered glazing over to the bag of bones, "Why have you brought us here, if you don't know I was in the middle of conquering Castle Grayskull"
Mumm-Ra eyes glowed red, "I know of your pointless conquest of that ancient relic, but I did not bring you here, you were summoned by the ancient spirits themselves, for they desire assistant in something you may be invested in"
"Invested in, the only thing I am invested in is beating my brother and conquering grayskull, and you are taking away one of those things" Skeletor eyed the now knocked out king of Eternia.
"Look into the cauldron" Mumm-Ra pointed his bony hand to the pool in the center of the chamber, "And all your questions will be given"
Skeletor looked to the others who shrugged before slowly walking over to it. The water fizzled for a moment before revealing a very familiar looking blonde haired girl along with a few of her friends and allies around her.
"She-Ra!" Skeletor declared, "What is she doing here"
The ancients lights glowed, "WE HAVE A CHANCE TO RID OURSELVES OF SOME OF OUR GREATEST OPPOSITION! WE WILL REQUIRE YOUR ASSISTANCE! CONSIDER IT REPAYMENT FOR SAVING YOUR LIFE!"
Skeletor bit his jaw, but knew that he was outpowered here at the moment.
The ancient spirits of evil were the ones who gave him the life that he was now living. If he did not do as they say his life would be forfeit along with all his plans for glory, conquest and the crushing of his brother Randor. Though the idea of taking orders from anyone was affront to his Overlord of Eviliship.
'YOU AND MUMM-RA WILL WORK TOGETHER TO CRUSH OUR ENEMIES, THE DEFENDER OF ETHERIA AND THE THUNDERCATS! DO WE HAVE A UNDERSTANDING!"
Mumm-Ra glared but nodded, "Of course, my masters"
Skeletor gripped his havoc staff a bit and nodded, "V-Very well, the Evil Warriors are at your service, Ancient Spirits of Evil"
"Good" Mumm-Ra hissed pointing to Randor and He-Man, "I'll have your enemies escorted to my dungeons, they will make bait to lure our enemies, when need be"
Skeletor smirked, "Well, at least I'm getting something out of it"
This would be an unholy and uneasy alliance, a deadly combination indeed.
-000-
"Nya, even this place is more impressive!" Skeletor whined as they walked through the hall, "Did you see those tanks! Everything these days is making Snake Mountain look hollow".
"Well if you just let me do some upgrades" Tri-Klops suggested.
Skeletor scoffed, "And have you destroy the place I don't think so, I rather have hollow than homeless"
"Besides who needs fancy machines when we have heart, evil heart!" Beast Man replied.
"Oh I don't know, if we actually were winning and conquering Eternia, that would be helpful" Tri-Klops muttered.
"Silence" Evil-Lyn rubbed her head, "Your all giving me a migraine"
Evil-Lyn didn't like this idea of an alliance just as much as Skeletor, however she was impressed by Mumm-Ra's resume.
This ancient living benign ruled over this pyramid and within it laid the foundations for a truly mechanized and terrible army. Thousands of various animal creatures labored within it. Many of them slaves. Part of her contemplated that perhaps she was serving the wrong master. Though she would not risk her independence that she had under Skeletor to serve someone who clearly was perhaps more powerful than her.
Better to be the power behind the throne even if the throne itself was incredibly wobbly.
Mumm-Ra explained some of his plans for conquest, and the power but once they were alone she carowled Skeletor and the others to a corner of the Pyramid to where they could talk in peace.
"So what do we do?" Evil-Lyn asked.
Everyone remained silent.
Skeletor seemed unsure, "We help the Ancients Spirits…So that I can live…Obviously" he squeaked in evil glee, "Still, it is nice to see Randor locked up in a prison cell for once, oh how I am going to have oodles of fun
"This place as has A LOT of interesting tech" Tri Klops looked around intrigued, "Maybe we can look over it and bring it back to Snake Mountain when we're done"
"Hmm…Perhaps" Skeletor eyes widen, "Perhaps this alliance could give us a spaceship that we need to find magic from other worlds"
Evil-Lyn frowned, "If they honor their word, which i don't think they would"
"The Ancient Spirits of Evil may be evil, but they want servants of evil to spread there whills throughout the universe, avatars of darkness who can insure that evil dominance in every world and planet". Skeletor mind looked like it was going into his memory, "It is why I am the Overlord of Evil after all"
Evil-Lyn sighed but nodded in agreement. She knew what Skeletor had done when he had become the man or skeleton creature he was now. How much he had given up. Perhaps a bit of his own sanity. Granted as Keldor he was never the brightest boy in the world. Still arrogant and stuck up as ever. But merging with the dark force was still something that had changed him greatly.
"So how come we don't have any of this cool stuff" Trap Jaw blurted out, "First the Horde has cool bunks and now this place with all the tanks, makes me think the Evil Warriors is operating on the cheap"
"Oh sorry I don't have millions under my command and forces I can just build tanks with" Skeletor huff, "Besides blame Tri-Klops, he's our so called inventor"
"I do with what i can work with" Tri-Klops muttered, "You people are supposed to give me materials here!"
"Oh sure, blame me," Skeletor replied, looking insulted, "Blame the leader, it's always my fault".
"Well then it is your…Oh forget it" Tri-Kloped groaned rubbing his forehead, "Maybe I'll see if they'll let me look at one of those walkers and I can think of something for us later"
"Oh I'd like to look at one of those two actually" Trap Jaw added looking excited, "Haven't' really driven anything massive since my days in the Eterian military"
"I'll come too" Beast Man added.
The three of them left, leaving Evil-Lyn and Skeletor alone again in the middle of the Pyramid hall.
"Probably get themselves killed just by staring at it" Skeletor muttered.
Evil-Lyn nodded, "We need to be careful"
"Why?"
"I don't trust this Mumm-Ra let alone the ancient spirits of evil?"
"Really? I thought you would LOVE to serve Mumm-Ra he seems powerful" Skeletor groaned sighing, "Another powerful overlord who seems to be having a better time at it than me"
"You know me better" Evil-Lyn hissed, "I may love power, but I'm not about to trust an ancient demon to value me for myself. At least with you I know where we stand?"
"Which is?"
"Your a fool, yet one I've been following for decades"
Skeletor frowned but nodded, "Fine! Guess I'll have to accept that for now, but we can't just rebel against the Ancient Spirits of Evil, there the Ancient Spirits of Evil for evil's sake! Besides they have Randor in a cell, you know how long I've yearned for something like that. Oh I just want to taunt him right now. In fact I think I shall, COME EVIL-LYN!"
Evil-Lyn sighed but followed, this was going to be a lot harder than he thought.
-000-
Adam slowly woke up, unsure just what had happened, the last thing he remembered was a weird mummy looking fellah, and that was about it. Eye blinking a few times he saw that he was in a small looking cell, with what seemed to be closed by a energy shield.
"Great" Adam sighed, "High tech cell, that's just great"
"Adam?"
Adam blinked to look down to see his father on the ground, "Dad!" he ran to help him up, "You okay?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, b-but where are we?" Randor looked around.
"Locked up, sadly" Adam groaned.
Randor sat back down and groaned, "Great," he took a deep breath, "What was that creature"
"Not sure, didn't look friendly though"
"Oh he's not!" Came a familiar nasally voice.
From the shadows Skeletor emerged, a wicked grin on his boney face, Evil-Lyn by his side as always. The two villains look so smug from the outside of the cell.
"Brother" Randor stood and walked over to the cell, "What are you doing here, what sort of evil are you committing"
Skeletor shook his head, "Oh Randy, Randy, Randy, you have no idea what powers you are going up against, but I do and I'm gonna take advantage of it just to make you squirm! Payback for the cookie incident at last!"
"You just won't let that go will you" Randor groaned.
"One of many things I will never let go!" Skeletor declared proudly, "But today I will finally have the upper hand, for you are in the prison of some powerful individuals"
"Friends of yours?" Adam asked.
"Bah, hardly!" Skeletor scoffed, "But useful pawns in my grand design"
Evil-Lyn snorted, "Yes, sure, believe your the mastermind behind all this"
"Quite Evil-Lyn, I'm trying to be threatening" Skeletor muttered.
Adam chuckled, "Let me guess, you have no idea what's going on like we do, only difference is you sold out, honestly can totally see you doing that"
"Silence nefarious nephew" Skeletor huffed.
"You won't get away with this Keldor"
"Ah but I already have"
"Have you?" Evil-Lyn blurted out deflating the whole tension, "You don't even know what he's planning, all we know is that we get to part of it"
Skeletor frowned, "Don't tell them that!"
"I mean it's kinda obvious you aren't in the know like the rest of us Unc" Adam replied.
Skeletor paused by smirked, "Oh but I do know one thing my boy"
"What?"
"I know your sister and mother on this planet, and my new friend is interesting in both of them"
Randor eyes widened, "Marlena"
"Mom!"
"Yes" Skeletor laughed, "And oh do I intend to assist in that!"
"No!" Randor punched the gates of his prison but was pushed back.
"I'll stop you" Adam raised his hand, "By the power of Grayskull"
He closed his eyes expecting the power to flow through him.
But nothing happened.
"Um, hello?" Adam waved his hand again, "By the power of Grayskull…Hello…Adam to Grayskull, come in Grayskull"
All of them suddenly jumped as an evil cackle came from the shadows as Mumm-Ra himself appeared before them now. A wicked grin on his face, as his laughter showed off his horrid teeth and spit from his mouth.
"Fool!" He declared, "The Power of Grayskull is of no use to you here, in my pyramid, only my dark powers and that of evils will can be used, your powers, are useless"
Adam gulped, "Uh oh, this is not good".
"Ha! Just as intended" Skeletor said, much to Evil-Lyn's announcement.
"So, those First One's are your family I see…" Mumm-Ra eyed Adam and Randor carefully, "I sense it in you boy, but not in him"
"First One?" Adam repeatedly thought, "Wait like mom?"
Mumm-Ra nodded, "Indeed, I have a history with her kind, one that I hope to put an end to once as soon as possible. In the meantime enjoy your stay in my Pyramid, I will ensure a family reunion occurs soon. Come Skeletor, we have much to plan"
"Uh, r-right away partner" Skeletor said, trying to assert some authority, but clearly failing.
Adam watched as the villains left, wondering just how he was going to get out of this one and more importantly just as he would have to find his sister on this planet and stop Skeletor from whatever he was planning with this creepy Mummy guy.
"So, how are we gonna get outta this one?" Adam said more to himself than to his father.
Suddenly there was a shift in something as a tiny little creature emerged, a bear creature peeking its head as well.
"Oh uh, h-hello" Adam waved a bit confused, "Who are you?
"My name is Robearbill"
Adam blinked looking at his father and then shrugged, "Oh hi Robearbill, you wanna help us get out"
"Yes, but can you help me save my friends, friend Hordak and Entrapta"
"Hordak and Entrapta?" Adam muttered recognizing the names, "Y-Yes of course will help, we have to!"
"Yay!" Robearbill pushed some buttons and the cell deactivated.
"That was easy," Adam smirked.
Randor frowned "Nothing is ever easy Adam, I have a feeling this place is going to get a lot harder before we find ourselves getting out of here".