Chapter Seven – "Avion"
A cold wind blew into Fantus. Chief Murlo large fur robe was pulled tighter against his body. The wind came from the north – the Mystic Mountains. They stood far into the distance, well beyond the northern boarders of his land.
"Your next visit?" asked Murlo.
"Yes. Avion next, then Insectia and Moriana. Should be quite the trip."
"Enjoy it, but be aware of the dangers of the Mystic Mountains. They are treacherous this time of year."
Adam smiled. "I think I'm up to it. Chief Murlo, thank you so much for your agreement and help."
Murlo bowed. "Our peoples have always enjoyed peaceful relations. I am more than willing to continue this."
Adam's company departed from Fantus shortly there after and made for the north. So far, the trip had been very beneficial. Tools were coming from Arcadia. Food from Hourglass Mountain. Clothing, blankets, and towels from Fantus. Adam's group was doing their best back at Eternos to make sure that all of this got spread out to all Eternos, ensuring the kingdom would recover. That was going well, too, from what Adam heard from Adora.
Three days came and went quickly. The mountains were huge towers that stood all the way up to the clouds. Still a day away from Avion, Adam was surprised to find that Stratos and a group of Avions were coming quickly down from the sky to meet them.
"There is trouble, Adam," Stratos said as soon as he landed.
"What is it?"
"Ilkorts. They've come out from wherever they were hiding on the coast and are moving in-land towards Avion. It seems they're looking to disrupt our return home."
"What do you suggest we do?"
"My people have spent the last four years in the Mines of Alluray. I will not stop their homecoming because of the Ilkorts feud," Stratos responded defiantly. "Our military is split, but I think we can meet them head on."
Adam pulled out the Sword of Power. "I'll help you. Can you see to it that my people get to Avion safely?"
Stratos nodded. "I will have a transport here in a few moments."
Adam turned to the others. Teela was out, as she had to watch Addison. Moss Man and the newcomer, the Woodsman, were the best possible choices. They were in. The Songster and Orko weren't much in a fight, so they were out. Clamp Champ and Rio-Blast were easy choices.
"Teela, you go with Orko and Songster to Avion. Clamp Champ, Rio-Blast, Moss Man, you're with me and Stratos. Woodsman? Feel up to a fight?"
Woodsman nodded. "Yes, sire. I think so."
"Good." Adam lifted his Sword of Power. "BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL . . ."
The sound of construction was in the air as Adora followed Gleep and U-R to the Starship Eternia. By her side was Man-At-Arms, who was engrossed in a report.
"Are you certain you two can fly this thing?" Adora grumbled.
"Please! He-Man barely knows how to turn it on!" Gleep yelped.
Adora rolled her eyes. "That doesn't really answer my question."
"I wouldn't worry about it, your highness," Man-At-Arms then said, putting the report into a pocket on his pants. He was still walking with a cane – and still would for quite some time. Probably his whole life. The decrease in his mobility was something the Horde had taken from him . . . but he was lucky. He survived two Horde wars and all he got was a bad leg.
Besides, he had already turned the cane into a laser pistol, communication device, and was trying to get a few more gadgets into it.
The four of them walked up the gangway and into the Starship Eternia. Duncan was again entranced by the amazing and foreign technology within. Gleep and U-R assumed the stations they had taken on the way to Eternia from Primus.
"It's strange," Adora said after they left the atmosphere. Bright Moon, Dark Moon, and Org loomed massively before them. "Two worlds within the same solar system, both with moons named 'Bright Moon' by their separate populaces."
"Quite the coincidence, huh?" Duncan asked.
"Part of me thinks it's more than that."
Duncan shrugged, not really answering. Not really sure how to answer.
The Starship Eternia curved across the Bright Moon. The lunar kingdom stood as it had last time he had seen it. As Duncan's instructions, the Starship Eternia careened towards the landing pad where Professor Orion stood waiting for them. By his side was King Barbo of Dark Moon. His own transport vessel was sitting on a nearby landing pad.
"Professor! King Barbo! An honor to see you again!" Man-At-Arms greeted.
"The same to you, Man-At-Arms," Orion replied.
"I concur," grunted Barbo. "Queen Adora, I presume?"
"You presume correctly, your highness," Adora responded. "Professor Orion, good day."
"My lady."
Adora looked to the two of them over. "I was glad to hear that your kingdoms were untouched during the Horde occupation. Also, that you both able to maintain your peace treaty."
"The moons of Eternia are mighty, Queen Adora," Barbo said matter-of-factly. "I learned a while ago that only united can we be mightier."
"A very truthful thought," Adora answered.
"Tell me, Queen Adora, what have you come from Eternia for?" Barbo then asked.
"Nothing. We came to check on your status. To make sure all is well."
"It is a very appreciated gesture," Professor Orion said. "Luckily, the Horde let us be."
"It is not a surprise, really," Man-At-Arms said. "They were too busy conquering the rest of Eternia."
"Plus their non-aggression pact with us. Our hands were tied, really," Orion said resentfully.
"An act of cowardliness, in retrospect," Barbo added.
"It's in the past, King Barbo," Adora said soothingly. "We're here to talk about the future. Our future."
"Ah, so we come down to it," Orion said, now leading them into a large domed room.
Adora handed them a copy of the peace treaty. "One of our goals is to make sure that another Horde War does not break out. Despite the civil wars now tearing the Horde Empire apart, we must keep a weary eye to the sky. That is why we need your help. Only together can we stop invasions from the skies."
Barbo looked over the peace treaty, then nodded. Orion did the same.
"Then let us all know safety," Orion said.
"There they are," said He-Man, pointing forward. At the other end of a large valley was a mass of tall figures. Ilkorts, under the command of Haramesh.
"How many?" asked Stratos, who was by his side.
"70 . . . no, 80," Battle-Cat answered.
"We have the superior numbers," He-Man stated.
Stratos nodded. Behind them were 114 soldiers – mostly Avions, though a few were Royal Soldiers from Adam's entourage. Stratos took in a deep breath, greatly disturbed that the day his people were to return to Avion was one that would be marked by bloodshed.
"Remember," he said to his troops as the Ilkorts came ever closer, "immobilize or render unconscious. Use lethal force only if necessary. Always remember that they may not show us the same mercy."
"Recall as well that these soldiers are working under the punishment of death. They are only fighting because they are forced to," He-Man added in.
Behind his goggles, Stratos' eyes widened. Realization sank in. A new idea formed in his mind.
"This is not their battle," Stratos said. "This is a war fought on the behalf of Haramesh." He then turned to He-Man. "New plan?"
"What is it?"
"Trust me."
"Implicitly."
Stratos turned to the soldiers and the few Heroic Warriors. "Set your weapons on their lowest power level. I want you to fire at only those that fire first. Do not worry about knocking them unconscious unless absolutely necessary. Target the center flank around Haramesh, but do not strike at him." Stratos turned back to the approaching enemy. "Haramesh is mine."
Mere minutes later, the two armies began to grow ever closer. The Avions took to the sky and landed just less than a half mile away from the in-coming Ilkorts. Stratos took the lead, standing just a few feet in front of He-Man.
"ILKORTS!" shouted Stratos. "THIS BATTLE IS USELESS! TURN BACK! THIS BLOODFEUD IS ANCIENT HISTORY! I KNOW THAT YOU FIGHT ONLY UNDER THE SHADOW OF THREAT!"
Haramesh roared. "SILENCE, STRATOS! YOUR WORDS ARE POISON!"
"YOUR'S ARE THE ONLY POISONOUS WORDS, HARAMESH!"
Stratos blasted forward. As soon as his wings unfurled and his jetpack blasted, the Ikorts opened fire. He-Man deflected some of the laser beams from Stratos, while Stratos himself dodged the rest. With amazing speed, he slammed right into Haramesh.
The Ilkorts leapt into the battle, but the Avions Troops fired at the in-coming Ikorts, making sure the battle remained between Haramesh and Stratos.
The old story goes like this:
The Avions once inhabited this land in the days of the First Age. However, towards the end of the First Age, the Ilkorts forced the Avions out, stealing their land and killing much of the Avion population. They claimed it was their right to have this land.
But the Avions got help from the Ancients. The Egg of Avion was created, which gave them flight. They struck back at the Ilkorts a century later, driving them out and taking back the land that was properly theirs. The Ilkorts broke into tribes, the largest of which hid in the eastern coast of the Mystic Mountains. It wasn't until the last one hundred or so years that the Ilkorts felt aggressive again.
Thus why Haramesh joined with Hordak years earlier. Hence why he was fighting Stratos now. The blood feud, however, was something that most Ilkorts didn't care about. Except Haramesh.
Haramesh landed the first punch. Stratos was knocked back, but he used his momentum to flip back. His fist collided with Haramesh's face. Haramesh stumbled back, which allowed Stratos to kick him in the chest. Two quick punches to the face later and Haramesh was down, unconscious.
"ILKORTS!" Stratos shouted, lifted the knocked out Haramesh into the air. "YOUR TORMENTOR IS DEFEATED! I HAVE NO ISSUE WITH YOU! RETURN TO YOUR LANDS AND KNOW PEACE!"
The fighting stopped. The Ilkorts turned to each other and immediately began to debate in their own, strange language. After a few minutes, the group turned away and headed back east, towards their homeland.
Stratos tossed Haramesh to his soldiers and smiled.
"Lock him up and let's go home."