To sneak into Tri-Klops's new stronghold and church was at least, exceptionally easy.
The crowds there were massive. People who were tripping over each other to be let in first. All Teela and Duncan had to do were to put on brown robes to obscure their armors and the swords they carried.
Right now they were in the middle of an ocean of people. People who were clearly poor and hungry, wearing rags and streamed towards the massive gates of the stronghold.
Teela looked at the big closed gate. Green and filled with wires and technology. The robed members of the motherboard were standing on top with arms behind their backs as if standing guard. And desperate people were hammering their fists on the gate itself.
And then… High above he appeared again. Tri-Klops. And the robed people stepped aside as they bowed while people below screamed and cheered as Tri-Klops spread out his arms.
"HEAR ME! PEOPLE OF ETERNIA!" Tri-Klops shouted and everyone roared. "I see you! You are thirsty and you are hungry! Your homes have been destroyed and you go nowhere to go! Magic has forsaken you. Your hero is gone. I see what you are going through!" he said.
And there was a big shout and a roar.
"Do not worry!" Tri-klops said. "Join me! Become one with the motherboard. Here you will never again be alone. Here you will not be forsaken." he said. "The motherboard welcomes all and you shall not want again. All you have to do, is to accept her gift and become a part of our dear brother and sisterhood!" he said. "Please. I invite you inside! Accept the motherboard and you will be saved! Come!" he said and slowly, the gate started to open. The moment it was just a little bit opened up people started to scream and squish themselves inside, fighting to get in first.
At ones Duncan grabbed Teelas's shoulder and held on tight to make sure they wouldn't be separated. Honestly, she was relieved.
The way all of these people acted was quite frankly unnerving.
It's not that Teela could blame them exactly. They were all scared, hungry, and desperate. But it was chilling to see just how fast so many people were willing to swear loyalty to this cult. Throw away all they had championed before by the promise of a bit of safety.
All naturally did Teela and Duncan move with the great crowd inside and found themselves inside of a massive room of wires and machinery. Oils dripping from the ceiling, sparks flying around, and all going to a massive cylinder-like machine in the middle, that seemed to be dripping oil into a golden chalice.
Drip… Drip… Drip….
With incredible speed was the entire floor filled up with people and the gates behind them were closed to the desperate shouts of those who hadn't made it in. Teela heard several. "Nooo's!" and screaming behind her. And then… The gates were closed. And they were trapped.
At least it felt that way. Trapped among these crowds of people who couldn't wait to storm the big tribune. Held back by all the robed members by the motherboard who had to use long spears to keep the masses away.
There was no natural light anymore. Just the electric lights from above and no way out.
Then Tri-klops appeared again as he walked up on the grand tribune and next to the golden chalice.
Just as the drop of black oil made the contents of the chalice spill over and one of the robed men turned a valve to make the dripping stop.
Then there was silence.
"Bring me your tired and poor. Your huddled masses." Tri-klops gasped as he held the chalice high in the air. "The desperate and tired. Those with no home and no hope! Come to me! Accept the gift of the motherboard. Drink!" he reached out the chalice. "Drink and join us. So you no longer have to fear, no longer have to despair! Here where you will belong."
And then, the robed figures finally pulled down their hoods to reveal faces that were part machine! Wires and metal plates just pocking out. Eyes covered by ugly helmets that seemed to be fused with the skin itself and Teela covered her face.
"Come child." Tri-Klops addressed a young man from the masses. "Drink. And join us." he invited holding out the chalice and already a robed man was standing ready with a new robe.
The young man stumbled forward until he was in front of Tri-Klops where he fell down on his knees and looked up with desperate eyes.
Tri-Klops smirked and then put the chalice to the young man's lips for a drink before removing it.
The young man was clearly struggling with the oily substance but finally forced himself to swallow and then… An ear tearing scream.
The sight was horrible. From underneath the young man's skin, machine parts appeared and seemed to burst out. The wires wrapped themselves around the man and contorted his hands and spine. It grew right out of him and the man tossed and turned as he screamed in pain, transforming into a cyborg right in front of them, and then it was over and the young man silenced.
Tri-Klop grinned. "Welcome. Brother!" he stated and the robe was wrapped around the newly transformed young man who stood up and then without a word took his place among the others.
Teela gasped. And fully expected everyone to scream and turn around, trying to escape the stronghold.
So she was shocked. Utterly shocked when that didn't happen. People kept pressing forward! Trying to get first to the stairs so they could take a sip of the chalice.
What madness was this?! And then a woman was drinking, after having seen what happened to the young man. And the transformation repeated. It was awful!
This was wrong! Too wrong! But what was Teela to do?! None of these people were forced. They were all doing it willingly even when they had seen the consequences for themselves. And Teela and Duncan were clearly far outnumbered by all the robe glad members around them.
Then a boy screamed as a mother was dragging him up the stairs. "No. NOOOO!" The boy screamed as he struggled while the mother dragged him up the stairs.
"Be quiet!" The mother hissed. "It's for your own good!"
"I don't want to drink it!" The boy struggled.
"Don't you want us to be safe?!" The mother lectured. "We'll be together and we'll be safe! That's all that matters!"
"Noooo!" The child cried again.
Teela had had enough. She could not let them do this and so she ran forward as the mother was holding her own kid down and Tri-Klops was lowering the chalice to force the kid to drink.
"It'll all be over soon." The mother whispered with tears in her eyes. "We just have to drink!"
"STOP!" Teela jumped up as she flung away her robe and pulled her sword. "If you want to drink it. That is your own choice but do not force others!" she shouted.
The mother sneered. "Stay out of this!"
"You want to force your kid into this?!" Teela shouted. "Look around you! Those who drank that stuff are not free anymore! You would give up your child's future and freedom for this?!"
"IF I DON'T HE'LL HAVE NO FUTURE!" The mother screamed.
"That's not true!" Teela exclaimed. "Prince Adam will find a way to save our world! You just have to have faith and hold on a little longer!"
"How much longer?!" The mother cried. "My child doesn't have any food now! Move aside and let my child drink!"
Then Tri-Klops chuckled and Teela turned to him to see the man holding his Chalice.
"Teela I am not forcing anybody," Tri-Klops smirked. "They are all choosing to come here. Choosing to drink and become part of the motherboard."
It ran cold down Teelas spine and she gasped then she shook her head. "I can't let you do this!" she said. "I was tasked with protecting the people of Eternia! This has to stop. Now!"
"Oh what a great job you are doing." Tri-Klops snorted. "They are all starving to death out there. How easy it was though," he smirked. "They lost their hero. So they all came running the moment a new one presented himself." and he laughed. "Skeletor was right! These fools are practically begging to be ruled."
Teela hissed and then turned towards the crowds of people all wide-eyed looking at her. "Is this what you all want?" she asked. "Think about this! Look I know things are hard! I know it's hard to keep hoping. But we cannot give up hope!" she said. "If we give up hope we already lost!" she said. "Look at these people!" she gestured at the robed people who had become part machines. "This is not freedom! This is not living. It's awful!" she said. "We don't need this! If we all just stand together and work together. We can find a way. This isn't the answer!"
There was silence. Utterly silence and then. A low chant.
"Motherboard… Motherboard."
And more voices joined in.
"Motherboard. Motherboard!"
And finally, all the people were shouting and chanting together.
"Motherboard! Motherboard! Motherboard!"
Horrified Teela stepped back as she wide-eyed looked at them and Tri-Klops grinned.
"That's right! THE MOTHERBOARD WILL ACCEPT YOU ALL!" Tri-Klops held up his chalice. "All you need to do! IS TO ACCEPT HER!"
And then suddenly a magic beam shot forward and hit the chalice in Tri-Klops's hands sending the golden chalice flying and all the oil-like substance spilled out as Tri-Klops sneered. "Who dares!"
"I shall be taking that!" A female voice exclaimed and from the crowd floated a woman who removed her robe to reveal her purple sorceress robe and headdress.
Teela gaped. "Evil-Lyn?!" she asked.
And from behind a man who was part beast roared as he grabbed the chalice to take it for himself.
"Beast man!" Teela gasped.
Tri-Klops sneered. "Get lost Evil-Lyn! You may think you're so great. But now it's my turn to shine!"
Teela blinked as she looked up. "I thought you guys were friends." she had to admit.
Evil-Lyn snorted. "We worked for the same guy. That doesn't mean we were ever friends," she stated as she send another beam at Tri-Klops and he fell back as people started to scream and disperse.
At once, the robed cyborgs came to Tri-Klops defense. Only for a new robed man with a sword to get in their way and protected Evil-Lyn while she concentrated on Tri-Klops.
Teela gasped as she tried to find out who to help. Then decided to go for beast-man so she could at least get the chalice herself. Who knew what Evil-Lyn would do with that thing!
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Teela shouted as she raised her sword in front of Beast man and Beast man sneered. "Hand it over!"
"Never." Beast man grunted.
And Teela raised her sword just about to swing it down as the robed figure that had defended Evil-Lyn sprung in and parred her sword. "WAAAAIT!" the voice shouted.
Teela blinked as she realized. The sword blocking her own was the Captain's sword of Eternia. Her sword she had received from King Randor and then lend to. "Adam?" she asked.
The man pulled off his robe to reveal a familiar yet somehow different face. He was taller, a year older in that age where a boy becomes a man. He was broader too. Of course not nearly as impossibly big as he-man but still clearly strong and muscular. His skin had become tanned and there was a scar running down his cheek.
Yet his warm smile. His blue eyes shining with kindness and blond hair were all the same as he spoke in a soft voice. "Hi Teela. It's so good seeing you."
"Adam…. What's going on?" Teela asked in a gasp. "What are you doing with Evil-Lyn and beast-man?"
"It's quite simple my dear," Evil-Lyn exclaimed as she floated in the air. Aiming beam after beam at Tri-Klops. "If we do not restore magic to this world. We're all going to die. And I have no intention of dying quite yet." she commented dryly.
Beast man nodded. "And Evil-Lyn sorcerers. Needs magic."
"Least of all do I want to lose to that fool TRI-KLOPS!" Evil-Lyn roared as she finally send Tri-Klops flying into the wall where he crashed and slunk down. Clearly unconscious.
Teela however had to turn to now protect Adam from the incoming robed figures. Only for a green tiger to jump on them and push them aside before he looked up at them.
"We have to go!" Cringer exclaimed.
"Cringer." Teela gasped. The big cat at least looked the exact same as before and he too brightened up in delight by the sight of Teela.
"TEELA!" Cringer almost cried.
"You heard Cringer!" Duncan suddenly shouted from a balcony above. "Time to get out! There's an exit up here come quick!"
Teela looked at Adam who met her eyes and they both nodded. And then while shielding Beast man who had the chalice they moved up towards Duncan who pointed at a hole in the wall and soon enough they were outside.
Only to be stuck on the roof.
"What now?" Teela gasped just as Evil-Lyn came as well.
Evil-Lyn reached up a hand and opened a portal as she looked at them. "Step through here," she asked.
Teela gasped. "You can't expect me to step through your portal."
"Teela." Adam put a hand on Teelas shoulder. "It's all right. For now, Evil-Lyn and I share a goal. For as long as that's true she won't hurt us."
Evil-Lyn rolled her eyes. "As much as a loaf to admit it. I need that fool." she snorted. "So no. I won't hurt him… For now."
Teela halted.
"Come on." Adam took Teelas's shoulder and guided her through the portal soon enough joined by all the others.
Duncan. Cringer. Evil-Lyn and beast-man. The portal closed behind them and Teela realized. They were at castle Greyskull!
