War on Mount Tytus

By Hordak Alpha

            Just a few short hours earlier Castle Grayskull had returned to Eternia after an absence of one year bringing with it the return of He-Man and She-Ra as well as a new Council of Elders along with a massively powerful army.                       Castle Grayskull’s troops were being rallied for battle in order to topple the ancient Titans of Preternia from the stranglehold of power they held over all of Eternia during the Year of Darkness.

            Taking a short break from battle preparations, He-Man and She-Ra agreed to accompany Teela and Orko back to New Vulnar.          Swift Wind and Battle Cat were left behind at Castle Grayskull for they would not be able to ascend to the heights of the jungle city within the trees without the possibility of attracting some sort of Loyalist attention.          An Attack Trak, New Vulnar’s second of two of the assault vehicle,  clanked and whirred through the thick jungle at a  hurried pace.      The Attack Trak eventually came to a stop within the deepest parts of the Valley of He.

       “I have not been in this part of the jungle for years,” said He-Man, “The last time being during my days with the Vulnar.”

           “I suggested this area to King Randor and Queen Marlena,” said Teela,   “I figured this part of the Vine Jungle is the most well hidden area from sky surveillance and civilization to keep the Eternos survivors safe.”  

              The four Eternians disembarked from the Attack Trak.           Teela picked up the camouflage netting made from jungle vegetation and placed it over the Attack Trak  in order to conceal it from those Loyalist forces who may just happen to wander into the territory.    Under the vegetation net the Attack Trak looked exactly like a small hill within the jungle.

          “So,” said She-Ra, “Where do we go from here?”

                Teela jutted a finger skyward, “Up.” she said.

                 Teela began scaling up a moss covered tree with vine entanglements swathing all about it.          Orko floated gracefully upwards into the jungle canopy with He-Man and She-Ra climbing behind.       Eventually the foursome reached the city within the jungle canopy.

                  “Here we are,” said Teela, “New Vulnar.”

                   He-Man and She-Ra looked about at the tree-top city of huts and vine rope bridges that were nestled securely in the tree-tops.

             “Simply amazing,” said He-Man, “Quite a perfect place to hide out.”

                “Does everyone in New Vulnar wear that mud on their bodies?” asked She-Ra.

         “Yes,” said Teela, “Everyone wears this.         The green and black mud paints were used by the Vulnarians to hide out amongst the jungle foliage.         We all wear the mud coverings on our bodies all day and all night only having to replace portions of mud covering which eventually becomes dry.”

                Teela lead her companions across several vine rope bridges until they came to a specific hut with a royal crest carved across its face.

                    “Here we are,” said Teela,   “New Vulnar’s version of a royal palace.”

                He-Man and She-Ra postured themselves.     This would be the first time they had seen their royal parents in a year.    A form of nervousness crept into their throats at the possibility that Randor and Marlena just might blame them for the occupation of Eternia by evil forces.

               Teela went in first.         There, sitting before her on two thrones made of thatched wood and leaves were King Randor and Queen Marlena. 

              “Captain Teela,” said Randor, “What brings you here to see us?”

                 “New Vulnar has two visitors who wish to see your highnesses.” said Teela.   

                 “Show them in, Teela,” said Marlena,   “if the visitors wish to see us they may.”

                He-Man and She-Ra entered the hut nervously.          They gazed upon their parents and were quite surprised at the appearance that the king and queen now sported.            Both Randor and Marlena had long hair on their heads flowing down their backs like manes.          He-Man and She-Ra were surprised to see their parents dressed in loin cloths and covered in the black and green mud paint.

               “Adam, Adora,” said Marlena as she got up from her make-shift throne, “You have returned.   We thought you to be lost forever.”

                 Marlena ran over and embraced both of her adult children.       Randor, stoic and unmoving, remained in his throne with a rather unpleasant scowl on his face.

             “So,” said Randor, “The so-called champions of Eternia finally return.”

                “Father,” said She-Ra,   “It is wonderful to see you again.”

               “I wish I could say the same if I were in a better mood, Adora,” said Randor, “But, I am not.”

             “Randor,” said Marlena in defense of her offspring,   “They are our children.       Why are you not happy to see them alive and well?”

        “Look at them, Marlena,” said Randor, angrily, “Even now they look wealthy and unaffected by the conditions of poverty that all of Eternia is forced to live in.”

            “I can explain why we were away for so long, father,” said He-Man, “Just hear me out.”

            “There is no excuse for your absence,” said Randor, angrily, “You left Eternia when she and her people were in their direst of times.    You left all of us to become prey before the Titans.”

             “Father,” said She-Ra, “We were away for a good reason.”

               “Leave these chambers at once!!!!” roared Randor.  

                 “Perhaps it would be best for the two of you to leave and give your father a chance to calm down.” said Marlena. 

                He-Man and She-Ra nodded and embraced their mother once more.    They then left the royal hut silently with Orko and Teela following behind them.

                “King Randor has really been taking the entire conflict rather hard lately.” said Teela.

		“He has every reason to,” said He-Man, “We did abandon all of Eternia for a year.      There is no doubting that.” 

		“It was for a just cause,” said She-Ra,   “We were away preparing an army powerful and just enough to topple the Titans from power once and for all.”

                    “I understand that,” said Teela, “But King Randor doesn’t.    You know that he never really was very happy with the two of you abandoning your duties to the royal family to serve Grayskull.”

                  “Serving the cause of Grayskull is more important than being an aristocrat,” said He-Man, “An aristocrat would not be able to do a thing to combat the forces that seek to raze and destroy civilizations.”

                       Teela lead her friends across another vine rope bridge to a hut that was rather large.    Inside were found all of the heroes who had served alongside He-Man and She-Ra in times of the past.          Everyone within were awestruck at the appearance of He-Man and She-Ra.

                  “He-Man, She-Ra,” said Clamp Champ who was barely recognizable under the camouflage paint,   “You’re alive.”

                  “That and more, my old friend,” said He-Man, “We have returned with a powerful force of righteousness to topple the Titans from power and restore the ancient kingdom of Grayskull to the land.”

                    “We haven’t much time,” said She-Ra, “The forces of Grayskull and the new Council of Elders are many but we still need the aide of the finest warriors in Eternia.”

                      “We aren’t any good without our old weapons,” said Fisto, “Fighting the Titans with blow guns and spears won’t get us very far.”

		“Take comfort in my next words, friend Fisto,” said He-Man, “An assortment of weaponry and technology await you in the halls of Grayskull.       Devices and weaponry have been crafted especially for each and every one of you.”

                        “That sounds great,” said Rio Blast,   “Is there any chance my cybernetic arms and legs could be mended and receive maintenance?”

                        “Yes,” said She-Ra,   “Anything you need will be provided.”

		    “Where is Duncan?” asked He-Man,   “I have personally crafted a new suit of armor just for him.”

		“Adam,” said Teela, “I hate to tell you this but my father is dead.”

                      “I thought of all people that Duncan would be here,” said He-Man, “He is the greatest warrior I have ever known.”

                  
		“He was hurt very badly,” said Orko, “Considering there were no efficient medical supplies in our possession during the time of escape, Man-At-Arms was badly inflicted with an infection of his injuries.      He died a few days later.”

		He-Man hung his head quietly and strode out of the hut.    Teela went after him in order to offer consoling.        She-Ra remained with Orko in the hut to address the old Eternos warriors.

		“I am saddened by the loss of Duncan,” said She-Ra, “but now we must focus on the task at hand.”

                     “Being?” asked Snout Spout.

                      “At this moment the forces of Grayskull are preparing to attack the Titans at the very center of their power,” said She-Ra, “We must now rally there without delay.”

                         “What are you saying?” asked Lizard Man,   “Do you mean we are going to attack Mount Tytus directly?”

		“Yes,” said She-Ra, “It is the only way to topple the Titans from power.”

                       “I hope you’ve got an extremely powerful number of people,” said Fisto, “Otherwise we are going to be heading into a suicide mission.”

                        “Rest assured, my dear friend,” said She-Ra, “The forces of Grayskull are more than a match for the Titans.”

                         

		After a few hours the Heroic Warriors gathered within the halls of Castle Grayskull.          Teela had elected to stay behind at New Vulnar to lead the security forces of the tree-top city in case of a surprise attack by Loyalist forces.                  The Heroic Warriors discarded their primitive loincloth garb for fresh, clean uniforms.            New weaponry and gadgetry awaited them as well.            Rio Blast’s cybernetic limbs were serviced and put back into working order.         Clamp Champ received a new pair of clamp attachment weaponry.

                      He-Man, in the saddle of Battle Cat, sat at the lead of the Grayskull forces.            She-Ra, atop Swift Wind, was beside him to lend leadership support.         Behind them was a mass of armed soldiers, all of the Heroic Warriors, Blaster Hawks, Talon Fighters, Battle Tanks and other military support.

                      “We now go to war, my friends,” said He-Man, “Eternia has been under darkness for too long.”

                        Cheers of agreement resounded from the masses at He-Man’s statement.

		“The year of preparation is now over,” said She-Ra, “The forces of justice are now ready to destroy the invaders.”

		  After another sounding of cheers and applause She-Ra and He-Man lead the forces of justice away from Grayskull in a long journey on a course directly through the Sands of Fire to the border line between the Light Hemisphere and the Dark Hemisphere.           On this border line laid the immense fortress of the Titans known as Mount Tytus.     

                           The Titan Council sat within their chambers atop the mythic mountain in a formal session.          Kronos, the new leader of the council, sat at the head of the massive table that occupied the council chambers.                Serpos flanked him on the right while Procrustus was on his left.            The other assembled members of the council sat all around the circular table of epic proportions.

		“What be the affairs that we shall address this day?” asked Kronos.                    

		“The victory that we have finally achieved,” said Syra, the siren goddess, “the defeat and capture of our traitorous brother and former leader, Tytus.”

                          “I already know of that, dear Syra,” said Kronos, “I was there personally to apprehend our traitorous brother.”

		  “I have recently lead a force acrossss the land of Dark Ssssmoke,” hissed Serpos, “and have crushed the entire dragon nation.    They will not provide any further resssssisssstance.”  

		“Excellent,” said Kronos, “Now the only force that has any impediment towards us is the small force of Eternos survivors.”

		A powerful explosion shook Mount Tytus and disrupted the meeting of the Titans.    

		“What manner of disruption is this?” asked Kronos angrily.

		The Titans looked outside and were shocked at what they saw.    The sky was cluttered with a mass of Talon Fighters and Blaster Hawks while the ground several thousands of feet below was littered with thousands of Grayskull troops and armaments.

                   “Thissss issss imposssssible.” hissed Serpos.

                      “The kingdom of Grayskull has somehow returned,” said Syra, “and they dare to defy us by attacking us upon our sacred ground.”

		Procrustus quietly watched the display of attack and thought of how He-Man had shown him mercy the year before.          He quietly left the council chambers.

		  The Grayskull ground forces clashed violently with the troops of the Titans.          The Titan forces were composed of the lifeless armored soldiers of dark sorcery, ogre warriors, mages, trolls, archers, barbarians for hire, stone golems, goblins, and other assorted denizens of dank and darkness who pledged loyalty and fealty to the will of the Titans.           Even the Titans themselves joined into the battle.               Blaster Hawks and Talon Fighters were engaged in their own affairs by combating the wyvern and serpenitors of the Titans.               Blaster fire clashed with fire blasts and electrical fury high up within the sky.             Explosions rocked both the sky and the ground as troops of both sides were hurled into the air and dismembered under the explosive clashes.

		“To the sky, Swift Wind,” said She-Ra,   “We must reach the council chambers of the Titans if we wish our mission to succeed.”

		The winged horse whinnied loudly and flapped his long feathered wings.           Swift Wind carried She-Ra up to the highest altitudes of Mount Tytus, directly through the aerial clash.               A wyvern strayed from battle and made an attempt to knock She-Ra and Swift Wind from the skies.                  She-Ra turned on the creature and fired a golden power blast from the blade of the Sword of Protection.           The wyvern was struck between the eyes by the power blast.          Fragments of skull and brain matter spilled through the air as the winged reptile spiraled down through the vast distance towards the ground below.              

		He-Man hunkered down into Battle Cat’s saddle as the armored tiger used every ounce of his powerful strength and speed to scale up Mount Tytus from the bottom up.           He-Man wished to confront the council directly.

		   “Prepare for battle, my brothers and sisters,” said Kronos,  “I have received a report from some of our ground forces that the two main servants of  Grayskull’s blasphemous powers  dare to seek direct conflict with us.”

		“Your loathsome beasts on the ground are correct,” said Eldor, the sorcerer of ancient times, “the time of your rule is about to end.”

		             Kronos, the Titan giant, scoffed at the sorcerer’s appearance.            “Your blasphemous power cannot contain or thwart the powers of your Titan Gods.”

		“I believe that we shall prevail this day,” said Eldor, “but not to contain you.”

		Eldor unleashed a power blast of lightning fury that shot upward towards Kronos.           The Titan deflected the blast away from him with his giant axe.                   The blast struck the ground directly in front of Eldor.

		“Dispose of this loathsome blasphemer, Serpos.” commanded Kronos.  

		The three headed snake god responded to the command by blasting the ground of the council chamber with heated magma and lava that burbled and gurgled from his three mouths.              Eldor waved a hand and teleported away as a river of lava crept towards him.                  

		The attention of Kronos was diverted by the whinnying of a horse.          He spun his massive head towards the noise and saw the winged horse Swift Wind on a direct collision course with him.          She-Ra, with her long cloak fluttering behind her, held a death stare with Kronos.          Kronos swung his massive axe in an attempt to cleave the winged horse in half.             Swift Wind expertly dodged and weaved past the axe as Kronos made several attempts of attack.

		Eldor reappeared before Serpos.        He launched a deadly assault of fire blasts up towards the snake god.               The fire blasts were smothered out by heated streams of lava that were vomited out by Serpos.             He-Man, atop Battle Cat, snatched up Eldor and cleared away from Serpos.

		“Master Eldor,” said He-Man, “Allow me the pleasure of defeating the snake demon.      Your importance is needed elsewhere.” 

		“I agree,” said Eldor, “The centuries have withered away my reflexes.”

		Swift Wind wailed in pain and horror as Kronos landed a successful blow with the massive axe.              She-Ra leapt clear of her fallen horse as Swift Wind was cleaved in two.

		“Barbaric monster!!!!” shrieked She-Ra as she landed on the giant’s shoulder,   “You shall pay for the slaughter of my beloved steed with your life!”

		As Kronos made a move to swat the warrior woman away, She-Ra plunged the Sword of Protection deep into the giant’s shoulder blade.          A flash of golden lightning lit up brightly and traveled into the Titan’s nerve system.

		“Auggh!!!” roared Kronos as his giant body convulsed in pain.

		She-Ra then withdrew her sword and leapt high into the air.         She slammed a fist against the Titan’s jaw.          The force of She-Ra’s powerful strength was enough to topple the mighty Kronos to the ground.     A massive tremor shook the entire mountain as he landed.

		Serpos spewed lava stream after lava stream down towards He-Man.              Thanks in part to Battle Cat’s swift reflexes, He-Man avoided each and every lava attack.

		  “Take us up, cat,” said He-Man, “I want to look in the eye of this monster while I smite him.”

		“Which eye?” asked Battle Cat,   “He has got three pairs of them.”

		  “Just comply with my command, cat,” said He-Man, “We cannot delay in our task any farther.”

                       Battle Cat roared and leapt high into the air.            He-Man held his Sword of Power in a tight two handed grip as he neared one of the heads of the mighty Serpos.               Battle Cat dug his claws into the snake god’s flesh to maintain a firm grasp.             He-Man plunged his sword deep into the monster’s flesh and unleashed a full assault of lightning fury.           

		Serpos hissed and screeched under this pain as glowing fissures crept all the way through his inflicted head.         He-Man then withdrew his sword and smashed his fist against the creature’s flesh.             The strength of the blow coupled from the cragged fissure cuts smashed the snake god’s third head to pieces.                The entire council chamber of Mount Tytus was filled with a dread shreik of pain as massive chunks of skull and bloodied brain matter sailed across the chamber.

		Kronos back handed She-Ra across the expanse of the massive chamber.              The warrior maiden crashed against a rock wall.         The force of impact forced her to lose grasp of her sword.          Before she could retrieve it, She-Ra was forced to dodge a mighty axe swat from the Titan that she had challenged.

		“You shall be punished for your insolence, blasphemer!” roared Kronos.       

		 “My sister,” shouted He-Man from across the expanse, “take up my axe while I retrieve your fallen sword!”

		    He-Man’s ancient battle axe went twirling through the air blade first.           She-Ra caught the axe and brandished it in a tight two handed grasp.

		“Many thanks, brother,” called back She-Ra, “I shall use this to avenge Swift Wind.”

		She-Ra leapt into the air and landed atop the nose of Kronos.    With a powerful strike She-Ra drove her brother’s axe deep into the forehead of Kronos.          The Titan roared in agony.                    She-Ra was then pried off of the Titan’s face by the Titan himself and tossed aside.       

As He-Man and Battle Cat retrieved the Sword of Protection they caught sight of She-Ra’s peril.

 “Hurry after her, cat,” said He-Man, “She-Ra needs our aide.”

Meanwhile, high above on the Titan council table, Eldor was engaged in battle with several Titans.         As he was too old to handle all of this strain by himself, Eldor summoned up the new Council of Elders.          The Elders gathered about him and joined their powers with his.           In one fatal stroke a blast of power shot forth all around and took down many of the Titans.                

She-Ra landed hard on the ground from her fall.         She looked up into the twin faces of Serpos.           Before she could launch an attack She-Ra was assaulted and completely covered in white hot magma.     

“Aieeeeee.” screeched She-Ra as the lava burnt her flesh.

He-Man was already on the way to aide when Kronos planted his giant foot in the way.

“This is the day of your demise.” said Kronos.

 Kronos was suddenly grabbed from behind by the four armed wonder of Procrustus.              The Titan council leader struggled against the muscled arms of might.

“Procrustus, my brother, what treachery is this?” roared Kronos.

“This human showed me mercy and spared my life,” said Procrustus as he crushed Kronos with his powerful arms, “I owe him a life debt which I cannot repay in my life time.”

                     Kronos burbled out a river of blood before he died.      His crushed titanic form crumpled to the ground.         The impact sent powerful tremors through out the mountain.                 

		He-Man and Battle Cat rushed over to where She-Ra had been while Procrustus attacked Serpos.               Where She-Ra had been assailed was now occupied by a glowing white hot hole in the ground.   The heated lava had burned directly down through the mountain.

                    “My dear sister is gone,” said He-Man, “This cannot be.”

       		“We must leave at once, He-Man!!” called Eldor from the giant council table above,   “Mount Tytus has been weakened considerably from below and above; it is about to collapse.”

		He-Man bucked his heels against Battle Cat’s sides.       The armored tiger leapt high into the air and landed on the leviathan council table.           The Council of Elders and Eldor surrounded He-Man and Battle Cat.            The entire group disappeared in a bright flash of light as they teleported away.         

		As the mountain began to collapse Procrustus continued his struggle with Serpos.

		“You have condemned ussss both to death, my traitoussss brother.” hissed Serpos as he struggled against the four crushing arms of Procrustus.  

		“If I am to die this day then I will go with a joyous heart that I shall die in atonement for all of the wrong I have done.” said Procrustus as he commenced to crush the life out of Serpos.    

		   In the air outside, the aerial battle commenced as well as the ground battle that was waged below.           During all of this commotion the mighty mountain of Mount Tytus toppled and collapsed in on itself.            Cheers resounded through out the area from the heroic forces of justice as they continued their struggle against the remaining Loyalist forces.

		Some time later, in the deepest, dankest depths of Subternia She-Ra awoke to the stinging pain of burns across her entire body.     

		“Uhhh,” moaned She-Ra as she held her head, “Where am I?”

		       She-Ra was completely submerged in a mix of water and blood up to her neck.     She sat up on the bottom of this underground river and looked about.          Before her lay massive chunks of stone and rubble.       Within the massive pile lay the crushed and broken form of Kronos.       The Titan was very dead.   The blood in the water was from the Titan’s corpse.           The weight of Mount Tytus’ collapse had sent debris deep down into Subternia.       

		She-Ra got to her feet and looked down at herself.     She was completely nude at this point considering the white hot lava had disintegrated all of her clothing.          Sore burns lay across her bared breasts and entire front while open sores plagued across her face.            Thanks in part to the powers of Grayskull that pulsated within her, She-Ra had survived the entire onslaught.        She-Ra spotted her brother’s battle axe lying at her feet.          She picked it up and brandished it with one hand.             Taking one last satisfying glance at the crumpled form of the vicious Titan, She-Ra began to trek through the blood and water north in the hopes of finding an exit point that would lead to the surface of Eternia.