As the Thunderkittens rushed to their space boards, minds made up to seek out the female priestess at the White Pyramid, the other Thundercats likewise sprang to action.
"Pumyra, you and Cheetara follow them. You're one of the only two that can keep pace with the space boards for that long a distance." Lion-o stated firmly. "We may not be able to do much but by Jaga, that won't stop us!"
While Pumyra wasn't nearly as fast as Cheetara, she made up for it with large leaps and small bursts of speed. And with the way things were now, it was too risky to try anything alone.
"Ho!" Both females thrust their fists into the air and rushed toward the Thunderkittens as their space boards rose into the air.
Pumyra took a running leap over the chasm that once held the drawbridge and Cheetara extended her staff, pole-vaulting over the emptiness. As she landed, she and Pumyra took off after the twins into the distance.
Snarf looked up at Lion-o, raising himself up on his tail. "Snaaarf, do you think Mumm-Rana can help?"
"I don't know, Snarf. But she might be our best shot at answers." He looked down, laid a hand on the nursemaid's head. "The Thunderkittens will succeed, Snarf. I know they will."
OOO
The White Pyramid was nestled just outside of the Forest of Mists. It used to be part of a larger forest no doubt, before the evil of Darkside crept its way in.
But the area around the White Pyramid remained lush and fresh. There was a welcoming feeling to the area, the polar opposite of the despair that clouded the desert around the Black Pyramid.
It was a long way from Cats' Lair. While the space boards had speed and range, there was certainly a reason they usually took the HoverCat or similar vehicles to venture this far.
Now though, the journey was at an end and the two twins eased their boards to the ground. Gently setting them to rest against a tree, they made their way forward, stopping before the grand stone doorway, intricately carved on ancient symbols.
"Now what?" WilyKat asked. They'd never actually been to the White Pyramid before thought they knew where it was and had heard stories from the others.
WilyKit pondered. "Well, maybe introduce ourselves?" She approached the stove door and twapped it twice with her knuckles though the prospect of knocking on the stone door baffled her. It wasn't like she'd be heard. But it seemed polite all the same.
"Mumm-Rana! It's WilyKit and WilyKat of the Thundercats! May we come in?"
After a moment, the door creaked inward, revealing a hall of gold with white light burning in friendly torches.
"Enter and be welcomed, Thundercats."
The two held hands, walked in together, and the stone doors slammed shut behind them.
OOO
"Those boards are fast!"
Cheetara smiled. "Panthro upgraded them not too long ago. The twins love to go fast and it let them explore more places."
The two female Thundercats had learned quickly that keeping up with the space boards was quite a feat, even with Cheetara's speed. By the time the White Pyramid loomed in the distance, they were exhausted.
But their trip together had other benefits.
One thing they learned quickly was that the outside world made no response to them. They couldn't grab anything, climb anything or use anything that had not been swept away by this spell.
The ground supported them but no river gave way to them and when the few drops of rain began, it hit each time like a stone being thrown. They needed shelter for themselves as well.
As they rounded the trees, the White Pyramid came into view and the magic about it stopped the rain in its tracks. Both of them stopped, leaned over for a moment to pull air back into their lungs. While being the choices for this mission, it didn't mean they did not become winded.
A sudden cracking of stone brought Pumyra's attention up. Looking ahead, the Thunderkittens disappeared into the Pyramid and the heavy stone slab slammed shut behind them. "Wait!" She called out.
Cheetara darted forward with as much speed as she could muster but given the bursts of speed she had used getting to the Pyramid, it left her max speed beyond her reach until she recovered.
The door slammed shut just ahead of her fingers.
And with the spell in place, she had no means to move it.
OOO
"Thundercats, welcome. What brings you to the White Pyramid and to summon Mumm-Rama?"
WilyKat and WilyKit approached slowly. The chamber was reminiscent of Mumm-ra's and yet completely different. Full of white light, warmth and hope, the latter of which they were in desperate need of.
"Help." WilyKit said simply. "We…
"The Lair is gone! The others are gone!" Her brother blurted out. And that was all it took for her to get going.
"It's some evil spell, it has to be! It has to be Mumm-ra!"
"But the others aren't dead! I know they aren't-"
The mummy raised one hand. "Calm. Calm."
With a breath then another, the twins stopped their frantic convey of information and went quiet. Mumm-Rana gestured then forward and waved her hand.
A cup of liquid appeared before each of them.
"Drink." She intoned. "Drink, be calm and we will see what we can uncover."
The twins did as requested and nearly spat it back out. It was a bitter and tart taste.
"What is this?" WilyKat asked.
"Honey wine. It was a favorite of mine for relaxation before I began serving the Ancient Spirits of Good." She answered. "It may be a bit bitter for you but it will do its job."
WilyKat considered telling her that they were absolutely not allowed to drink wine but given it was a cultural treasure for her, he deemed it acceptable and chugged down the rest of the glass.
WilyKit was a bit slower but she too came to the same conclusion as her brother and quickly polished off the small glass.
"Now," Mumm-Rama intoned. "You say the other Thundercats are gone?"
WilyKat nodded. "And so is the Lair. And probably the Tower of Omens. All our equipment."
"But not us or our space boards." WilyKit clarified. "For sone reason, it hasn't hit us."
"Hmm." Mumm-Rana raised her arms. "Ancient Spirits of Goodness, allow me to see into the past. Show me what evil Mumm-ra has done!"
The cauldron bubbles and WilyKit and WilyKat leaned in closer. Mumm-ra's image appeared and they heard his cold voice, pleading.
But if you will grant me one final chance, I will call upon a linking spell.
"A linking spell?" WilyKat said aloud. "What's a linking spell?"
His sister shushed him and the image swirled again.
One, for those unshielded.
Twice, where safety is yielded.
Thrice, thrice, I say
From this world, I damn my prey.
Into oblivion, yet not to death.
When my body spent, no more breath.
Away. Away. My enemies flee.
Where none are heard and none can see.
"A linking spell." Mumm-Rama's voice was empty. Full of despair. "How desperate must he be for a linking spell?"
"What's a linking spell?" WilyKat asked again.
Mumm-Rana looked at the two. "Most spells are cast using one's own power. But a linking spell is a spell where the user becomes a conduit for the Ancient Spirits. It is their power that drives the spell."
The twins exchanged glances. "So it isn't just Mumm-ra?" WilyKit breathed.
"No, my dear." Mumm-Rama confirmed. "This is done by the Ancient Spirits of Evil themselves." Her face went sorrowful. "Mumm-ra has pulled your loved ones from this plane but stopped them from entering the next. And there, they will linger until starvation takes them."
"No!" Kit shouted, her voice weary. "How do we undo it? What's the counter spell?"
"The danger of such spells, my dear child, is that there is no counter spell."
WilyKat's eyes filled. "No. No! There has to be something we can do!"
"Anything! Anything!" His sister added. "Please, Mumm-Rana, there must be something!"
The mummy was quiet but then the statues about her took on an eerie blue glow. "I…yes," she said softly. "Yes. It is possible."
She looked to the Thunderkittens. So young, so small and yet so full of heart. "And where there is heart, there is hope." She said aloud before saying, "There may be a way. But it will be long, hard, and perilous. No one else has ever attempted and succeeded."
"If it'll save the others, we'll do it!" WilyKit declared. "Just tell us what to do!"
"Anything! We have to save them!" WilyKat was full of fire.
Mumm-Rana looked to the Statues who rumbled in response. They grew bright in color, light blue that exploded out of the Pyramid in a wave.
"The Ancient Spirits of Goodness have opted to intervene on your behalf. They gave faith in you. As do I. Love is a powerful motivation."
WilyKit asked. "What did they do?"
"Right now, your friends are in stasis, frozen as of outside of time. They do not need food nor water. Once the third wave of Mumm-ra's spell completes this eve, that will lift. The Ancient Spirits of Goodness have cast a spell to keep them frozen outside of time. They have bought them a year's time. They have given you a year's time."
The twins exchanged looks. What was needed to free their friends that would take up to a year? And that was perilous?
No matter. They have one another a firm nod. They would do whatever they had to in order to get their friends, their family back.
"Look into the Cauldron, young Thundercats."
The two kittens obeyed and found themselves staring at a map of Middle Earth. They recognized their continent readily enough. Then, the globe turned, going downward over a wide ocean to a smaller continent they did not even know existed. It panned over the land and they saw forest, Salt flats, desert and snow before ending up at a mountain top where a black temple stood.
"Far beyond here, beyond the Midnight Horizon Sea, there is the land of the Unseen. This is the Temple of the Ancient Spirits of Evil. It was here, many millennia ago, that Mumm-ra took his vow and became the servant of evil." She paused. "As Third Earth moved and shifted, it has moved. It now lies 9000 miles away."
WilyKat choked. "Ni-nine thousand?"
"And in a land permeated by the evil vows the Ancient Spirits have made over the years. Mumm-ra is not their first servant. And the remaining dark energy of their past slaves have poisoned the land. It is full of danger: elements, animals, spells and illusions. But—" She smiled. "Your hearts are stout and your cause just. If anyone can make the journey, you can."
The two clasped hands and gave a nod.
The water swirled. "But within this temple, you will find Mumm-Ra's Vow." A stone appeared, carved with the two snake symbol the twins knew so well. "Break the Vow Stone and you will sever Mumm-Ra's service with the Ancient Spirits of Evil. Without their power, both he and the spell will crumble."