One Last War to Fight Chapter Six: Guyver Ascendant
ThunderCats Bio-Booster Armor Guyver One Last War to Fight Episode Six ------------------------------------------------------------------ Primor's quarters aboard the Ravager - while considerably more comfortable than those of the rest of his crew - still made Slythe ill. It wasn't the dim lighting, nor was it the dank air, yet rather the rancid odor of unwashed monkey that made the Reptillian's gorge rise to the occaision. Slythe forced the urge to vomit down as he unrolled his map of Third Earth across the single table which rested on the far end of the room from Primor's bed. Slythe was somewhat grateful of that. That bed had to have smelled a hundred times worse than the air. "First, Captain Primor," he began, using the Simian's title merely to grease the wheels a little, "what forces have you brought to the table?" "Hoo. I have with me over five hundred Simians, as well as a sizeable crew of Scavengers." Jackals and monkeys. No reptiles, Slythe noted with some irritation. "The total number of Mutants - aside from your own guard force - is now well over two thousand strong." "Excellent, yesss. As for weapons?" "First, Slythe, what do *you* have to bring to this assault?" "Aside from the spoils of Third Earth, which you have scanned for yourself," Slythe began, "is Castle Plun-Darr, a stronghold for our forces. We also have detailed knowledge of the terrain and people of this world, as well as two Skycutters and a Nosediver at our disposal, along with our guard force." "So, a castle and riches are all you have, eh?" Primor said with a sneer that exposed several yellowed fangs. "We also have detailed knowledge of the ThunderCats' main bases, as well as their vehicles and weaponry." "With all that knowledge, and with the aid of this Mumm-Ra, you have still not been able to defeat them yourself? And you call yourself a Mutant?" Primor scoffed. "There are also the Lunataks to deal with..." "What?!" Primor howled. "Some of those misbegotten asshats are here?" "Yesss... Once the ThunderCats are out of our way, the Lunataks will fall in short order." "Hmmm.... This is indeed getting interesting," the Simian said. "So, about the spoils of this war..." "There iss no need to ssquabble over that," Slythe replied. "There iss more than enough here for all of uss. Bessides, we can usse this planet as a sstaging area for further conquest, yess?" "Go on..." "One of the reassons we were unable to crush the ThunderCatss on Thundera wass that we were divided. Once they abandoned their doomed world, and we fought as one, we destroyed thousands of Thunderianss *and* banished the last remnants of their nobility to thiss backwater world. If we unite againsst them now, and remain sso, this universse will be oursss, yess?" "Your offer is intriguing," Primor said at length. Slythe knew that such an alliance would never last, but he had a plan for that. Yesss... "Hoo HOO! Very well. I shall commit my forces to this plan." "Good." Slythe listened - eyes wide - as Primor listed his obscene array of weapons before telling the Simian about the plan of attack. With such forces, victory was as good as theirs. -------------------------------------------------------- The Berbils had been something of a surprise to Sho. With such a name - and the way Willa had mentioned it - Sho had expected them to be gentle creatures. What he didn't expect, thought, was that they were a race of robot teddy bears. On seeing the hilt of the dagger he wore, they had immediately treated him with respect. Apparently, he thought, these Berbils and the Warrior Maidens were on rather good terms. Their synthesized humming was somewhat soothing, as was their singing as he ate another of what they called candyfruit. Sho had to admit, he rather liked the Berbils so far. "Another candyfruit?" a Berbil with brown fur - many of them had that - and a small flower behind one ear asked in a vaguely female voice. "No, thank you, I'm kinda full." Somehow, he didn't think they really had anything in the way of gender. If they did, however, Sho felt no real desire to learn about it. "I really do appreciate your hospitality, though." "It is no trouble," RobearBill said as he walked up to them. This one had to be the chief of the village. "You are a friend of Willa. That makes you a friend of Berbils." "I'm glad you think so, RobearBill," Sho replied, finishing off the candyfruit. The sun was beginning to sink past the trees, heralding the approach of night. His canteen had been refilled, his stomach was full, it was time to go. Despite how nice they were, Sho had a vaguely disturbing notion about staying amongst anyone for too long. He didn't know why, but he felt that it was best that he keep moving, like some sort of ingrained instinct. "Thank you again, but I really must go." "Why?" RobearBill asked. "Night is coming. There are many dangerous things in the forest at night. You can stay here." "I... really shouldn't..." "You are a friend of the Warrior Maidens. That means, you are a friend of the Berbils." "Thank you, RobearBill, but..." "Are you also a friend of the ThunderCats?" "The ThunderCats?" Willa had mentioned them, he recalled. "No. I haven't met them." "Everyone knows of the ThunderCats," RobearBill said. "I'm... uh... new around these parts. I've heard about them, though." "Oh," the Berbil replied. "Please, Sho, stay tonight. It is dangerous out there alone." "Well..." Sho had to admit, he didn't know very much about Third Earth - and what the hell happened to First and Second Earth? - and the robot bear had a point. "Okay. One night can't hurt." ---------------------------------------------- "Who would have thought it?" Tygra asked as he glanced down at the two sketches of the Guyvers. "An exiled ThunderCat wrapped up in this myth." "Stranger things have happened," Cheetara added. "So, Duncan says the myths are just that?" "Yes," Lion-O replied. "It still doesn't explain anything about what came out of the Korath Mountains, though." "Looks like this Duncan guy thinks that seeing is believing." "What you see isn't always what is, WilyKat," Tygra said. "I do wish I could have visited this Village of Scholars myself, but I see where Scholar Duncan is coming from. All he has are myths and folklore. Nothing concrete." "Maybe I should have told him what we really know about this," Lion-O said. "He might have..." "Said we were mad," Panthro finished. "But, it wasn't..." "Heed his words, Lion-O." The ThunderCat Lord looked up as the ephemeral image of Jaga appeared before him. "Jaga?" "The Code of Thundera forbids lies, but there are times when the truth must be couched in careful terms, and revealed with caution." "But..." "Had you told Scholar Duncan what you know, not only would he have thought you at least mistaken, he would never have given you the information you now have." "Still, what we have tells us nothing about Guyver, or what he truly is." "There is no knowledge that is not power, Lion-O," Jaga said as he wrapped his cape about him and faded away. "Remember that..." "Hey!" WilyKit piped up, "maybe this is all some kinda trick? Mumm-Ra could be trying to lead us away from something with this." "That *is* an option," Tygra admitted. "And I don't like what it implies." "I don't get it," WilyKat said. "Jaga must know something, so why doesn't he just come out and tell us?" "Jaga has his reasons," Panthro replied sharply. "Let's tighten up our security," Lion-O said. "No sense in taking chances." "Agreed," Cheetara replied. "Then it's settled," Tygra said. "Are there any objections?" Silence. "Very well. Meeting adjourned." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Slythe poured the Kirgash - a foul steaming brew which Plun-Darr was infamous for - into the four iron flasks as Monkian and Jackalman joined him and Primor aboard the Ravager's bridge. The design was the same as other Mutant ships: a central command post at the rear with the navigation and weapons consoles directly in front. Monkian and Jackalman each took seats at a console, taking a flask of the evil-smelling drink, as Slythe called the meeting to order. "The time iss now," he said. "Third Earth will belong to uss, as it wass meant to!" Each Mutant raised the Kirgash in toast, and took a swig. "Watch the viewsscreen." The blank screen flickered to life, showing an area around the Cat's Lair that they had tried - and failed - to take many times over. "As you know," Slythe began, "the Cat'sss Lair is the main sstronghold of the ThunderCatss." "It's also where the Eye of Thundera is," Monkian added. "Look, Slythe," Jackalman said, "I appreciate the Kirgash and all, but why call a meeting? All we need to do is storm the Lair with everything we..." "Fool!" Slythe roared. "Numberss alone will not win thiss war! The ThunderCatss have shown time and time again that they are more than capable of overcoming overwhelming odds! Why iss this?" "Because of that damn sword, hoo HOO!" "And the fact that their technology is - or rather - has been until now superior to our own." "True, but the main reassons are that they work as a team, and they have many allies on Third Earth, yess?" "I see," Jackalman said. "Divide and conquer, eh?" "Exactly," Slythe said with a grotesque leer. "We have only two main concerns in this opening battle, and they are the Warrior Maidens and the Tower of Omenss. In order to take Cat'ss Lair effectively, we musst divide the ThunderCatss focus. Monkian!" "Yes?" "You are to lead the Skycutter brigades. The Warrior Maidens, while primitive, are numerous. Their jungle home also makes ground fighting difficult. The only vehicle we have which can go through there is the Fist Pounder. The refits are done?" "Indeed they are!" Monkian cried with glee. "You will enter with the Fistpounder and damage their kingdom's tree supports while the Skycutters blast them from above. The fire-launcher in Castle Plun-Darr is rebuilt, and will aid in that effort." "The ThunderCats," Primor said, "will send help." "You, Jackalman, will lead a regiment of Nosedivers through the Berbil Village." "Giving *me* the easy job, Slythe?" the jackal said as he finished his Kirgash. "Allow me to elaborate. The area around the Berbil village is open enough for Nosedivers. The Skycutters and the Fistpounder can take care of the Treetop Kingdom." "Hoo! The ThunderCats will be fighting us on two fronts at once!" "Yess, Monkian, but a small force will remain at the Lair for defense. The main thrust of our assault will be there." "But, what about the Tower of Omens?" "What about it?" Slythe asked. "The ThunderCats in the Tower only have the ThunderStrike, and it is only a threat when all three partss of it are together. If they come to the aid of Cat'ss Lair, they will be facing not only more Skycutters and Nosedivers, but also the Ravager itself. Bessides, Primor was generous enough to provide use of a Warbot." "Hoo HOO! More have been made?" "Indeed, my Simian brother," Primor said. "It shall lead the assault, with the Skycutters and my own ship giving additional fire and the Nosedivers preventing any escapes or the other ThunderCats from returning." "Nyehhahahaa! Hot damn, Slythe, I almost feel sorry for the ThunderCats!" "A toast!" Slythe roared, hoisitng his Kirgash. "To Victory!" "TO VICTORY!" Monkian, Jackalman, and Primor roared. Though he would never have said so aloud, Mumm-Ra had been shocked at the amount of weapons Primor's fleet had dropped on Third Earth. Prmor, it seemed, was a warmonger in every sense of the term. Such obscene firepower on Third Earth had not been part of the plan. "Bah, it doesn't matter," he said. "When Slythe tries to seize everything, he will lose exactly that much before even thinking about warring with me." Afterward, Mumm-Ra would make a point of crushing what the reptile had left. The preparations were done, and the forces allocated to the assault were assembled. By dawn, all the pieces would be in place and Mumm-Ra would cease his protective cloaking spell. If nothing else, the Ever-Living looked forward to the chaos about to be unleashed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cheetara sat before the main viewscreen and watched as the first tinges of dawn slowly crept over the horizon. All had been quiet - boring, really - and the cheetah was looking forward to a little catnap. First light was only twenty minutes away, thank goodness, and... "What?!" It happened all at once. Every alarm in Cat's Lair began to wail, sensors and threat readouts alike going insane with sudden influx of information. From the east and west, great explosions bloomed into the rising day, Cheetara struggling to assess just what the flaming hell had happened. "By Jaga..." The viewscreen showed the Treetop Kingdom rapidly succumbing to flames that cancelled out the sunrise. Meteors of ignited fuel and rock rained down onto the home of the Warrior Maidens as tiny specks whizzed about over the trees. "What the blasted hell?!" Panthro shouted as he emerged into the control room, the other ThunderCats just behind. "The Warrior Maidens..." Cheetara began before Tygra rushed to the monitor and enhanced the image. "Skycutters!" he snarled. "I count... Great Jaga..." "Over a hundred..." "Movement on the ground!" WIlyKat said, having awakened with his sister and activated another console. "Lone vehicle, it's huge! It's knocking the trees down left and right!" "Registry identifies it as the Fist Pounder!" "Cat's Lair!" Lynx-O's voice said as a quarter of the main screen flickered and his face appeared. "The..." "We see it!" Lion-O shouted. "What in the..." "The Berbil Village is under attack!" Cheetara said as another quarter of the screen showed thier huts burning and the tiny robots running for their lives. "I count seventy-five Nosedivers!" "The Mutants are trying a squeeze play," Lynx-O said. "I am also registering enormous fireballs being launched from Castle Plun-Darr! How did they..." "The Warrior Maidens and the Berbils are calling for help, shneyarf shnarf! What are we gonna do?!" "We can't leave them to face these attacks alone!" Lion-O forced his mind to clear itself, to focus. "Cheetara, do you scan anymore Mutant forces?" "None!" "You, WilyKat, WilyKit, and Snarf stay here. Put all defenses on full." "Got it!" the twins choroused. "Panthro, you and Tygra take the ThunderTank and the HoverCat to the Berbil Village. You must hold off those Nosedivers!" "Understood!" Panthro exclaimed as he and the tiger charged off to the left hangar. "Lynx-O! You, Bengali, and Pumyra take the ThunderStrike and meet me at the Treetop Kingdom! I'll take the ThunderClaw and we'll clear out those Skycutters!" "Lion-O," the old lynx said, "this may be a trap. There may be other forces..." "There's no time!" Lion-O shouted back. "Understood. Just hang on until we get there. Tower of Omens out." "Lynx-O has a point," Cheetara said before Lion-O could go the the right hangar which housed the ThunderClaw and the Feliner. "Cheetara, I cannot let the Berbils and the Warrior Maidens get slaughtered! If this is a trap, and you can't defend the Lair, take the Feliner and run." "But..." "Listen, the Lair isn't worth your lives. If it comes down to it, then run!" "Good luck, Lion-O," WilyKit said, clearly frightened at the sudden catastrophe. "Thanks, and the same to you." "HO!" --------------------------------------------------- Sho leapt clear as another of the strange vehicles screamed past, the drill on its front ramming into a Berbil hut and grinding it to dust. His heart pounded like a mad drum in his chest as he coughed against thick smoke. Screams of agony and lasers filled his ears in a ghastly symphony, one hauntingly familiar. He knew he should be terrified, yet any fear was displaced by... by *it*... the presence which always waited behind. Only now, it no longer waited. He could feel it more clearly now, could sense its urgent pleas. What did it want?! "Nooo!" Sho looked up as the Berbil lay on the ground, one leg mangled and the strange vehicle's grinding front poised at it. The thing stopped, and its pilot emerged... Sho's heart skipped several beats at the sight of the humanoid jackal. Hatred began to bloom in his chest, rage at the thing (Zoanoid) which threatened the Berbil. The presence was screaming, now, as Sho picked up the length of timber and charged. Jackalman hefted his axe, savoring every moment. No Mutant could resist a helpless victim, and... The blow landed squarely in his back, sending him head over heels onto the grass. He rose up, furious, groping for his axe at the sight of the lone human with the burning eyes. "You... *dare* to assault a Mutant?" Sho held the shaft of wood ready, instincts he didn't know he had coming to life. He did not flinch as two more Berbils appeared and scurried away with their injured comrade. He had eyes only for the jackal in front of him, yet he still heard the presence begging him for release. "ThunderCats!" he heard a voice shout. The jackal spun about, and Sho siezed the chance. The timber came down on the canine-man's shoulder, bringing a howl of pain from him just as two of the yellow vehicles exploded and a strange white tank emerged. Panthro roared in fury as he set all the ThunderTank's weapons to auto-fire. Each cannon sent blasts of concentrated ions lancing through the smoke-blackened air, each striking true and sending a Nosediver and Mutant to death. He didn't need the radar display to show him just how bad the scenario was, as a blast glanced off the tank's armor. "Tygra! There's too many! Clear out some of these Nosedivers so I can get room to move!" "You got it!" the other's voice replied as three more Nosedivers burst into flames. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Rally!" Willa shouted above the cacophony of shrieks and weapons fire. The arrows flew from their bows, streaking skyward to impale the monkey pilots of those flying machines. Many arrows were rewarded with the taste of blood, sending the machines out of control and tumbling into the others. "It's coming!" "Look ouuuuAAAUGHH!" Willa looked down at the enormous machine, twin fists smashing every tree in sight as it rolled over the burning forest floor and any warrior unlucky enough to... "NAYDA! NOOOOOO!" She was down there, arrow aimed at the monkey driving the machine. All else faded, unimportant as she prepared to let fly the shaft of wood and flint, the enormous white fist of the machine streaking forward, the..... Willa shut her eyes too late to prevent the image of her beloved sister's broken form sail away from the metal fist, its white armor now coated red. The flames now burned within as well as without. The screams of her dying Warrior Maidens fell on her deaf ears, the horrible whooshing roars of the massive fireballs went unheard over the singing fury in Willa's veins. Her legs moved of their own accord, dagger drawn as she leapt nimbly down the branches of what trees were still standing. "Blood shall be paid with blood, filthy APE!" Monkian looked up in time to see her bearing down on him, her dagger gleaming wickedly in the flickering light of the fires. The mace was in his hand, however, far too late to prevent the blade from ebedding itself deep into his chest. His nerves lit with electical torrents of pain as his heart tore itself asunder on the razor keen steel. Monkain's last act on this mortal coil was to swing his mace about, and his last pleasure was the sound of it crunching the skull of the Warrior Maiden which had impaled him. Lion-O was blessedly unaware of the death of his friend as the ThunderClaw pierced the haze of smoke and its main guns belched ionic death. Two Skycutters erupted into balls of liquid flame as several more converged on him. He horsed the control yoke back, sending the ThunderClaw racing skyward into a swirling mob of Mutant vehicles and scattering them in confusion. I have to keep them off balance, he thought as a burst of gold colored energy lanced past his arm. The Sword of Omens rang in the sky, assuming full battle length without the command, and Lion-O willed it to act. "HOOOOO!" The shield encompassed him, deflecting several more angry bursts of laser fire. If he could hold on long enough.... "YES!" he whooped as the ThunderStrike came into view. The two pods split from the main body of the ship, arcing off to engage Skycutters while Lynx-O in the central section fired bolt after bolt of blue energy around Lion-O's position. The ThunderCat lord relaxed his shield once the debris was past, and joined the battle once more in earnest. "By Jaga..." he muttered as he glanced down at the flaming ruins of what had once been the proud and noble Treetop Kingdom. Though Castle Plun-Darr was too far away to be seen, he could still trace the incoming ballistic arcs of the fireballs being launched from its hideous face. "Be careful of those fireballs!" he shouted over the commlink. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The ThunderCatss are fully engaged, Primor," Slythe said, rubbing his hands together with glee. "It iss time." "I've always wanted to do this," Primor snarled as he ordered the Ravager forward out of the range of the last vestiges of Mumm-Ra's cloaking spell. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Oh, this looks bad," Sho gasped as he crouched over RobearBelle. He knew nothing of Berbil physiology, but he could easily tell the the robot bear's wounds were fatal. The shadow came and went as the flying vehicle - piloted by what looked like a human tiger - flew overhead. Twin lasers flared from its front, exploding two more of the yellow flying drills. (Guyver.) "Huh?" (You must release it.) (Release what?!) (Fool!) the voice screamed in his head. (You know what it is. You feel it, you feel its calling! You must release it!) (How?) Another explosion, this one far closer, sent a cloud of splintered wood sailing just over Sho's head. (Speak its name! Call it, damn you!) (It's... name...) The world ground to a halt as the connection was made. He could see it, floating in the ether, hear it calling his name. He saw, he heard, and he knew. The word filled his mind, ricocheting about the insides of his brain like a mad bullet, building power for its release into the physical world. His shoulders tingled, the air all about him charged with terrible energy. It was time. The word came up in his throat, and instead of pleading, Sho heard it cry, "Yes! Yes! YES!" "GUYVER!!!!!" Panthro gritted his teeth as the burst of laser energy hit the ThunderTank broadside. Many spots on its armor were black and dented from the beatings it was taking, and the wailing of damage alerts only made matters worse. One front paw of the tank was nearly sheared off, the cannon beneath a smoldering wreck. She can't take a whole lot more of this, Panthro thought as he brought the skidding rear treads back under control. All about the ruined Berbil village were the burning wrecks of homes and Nosedivers scattered amongst the twisted ruins of what were once Berbils and Mutants. "You freaks are gonna pay for this!" he spat as the auto-target systems identified a Nosediver directly ahead and locked the remaining weapons on it. Just a little pressure on the firing button and... Panthro forgot to shoot when a massive explosion hammered the air. Stunned, he whipped his head about to the source - a human boy standing in a crater amid flying topsoil. What kind of weapon... "Panthro, what's happening?" Tygra's voice shouted over the commlink. "No idea..." It was over as soon as it began, and Panthro's eyes widened at the sight of it. The lean, alien figure stood tall within the depression of smashed dirt. Plates of pale teal armor covered its body over coils of purple matter that seemed to writhe within the carapace. On each arm was a short spike, both of which extended backward suddenly into graceful, shimmering blades. On its head beneath a tiny emerald was a glowing medallion, two more such embedded in tracks near the fin atop its head. It was a near duplicate of one of the sketches he had brought back from Duncan's home. "Looks like things just got complicated," he muttered.`
ThunderCats Bio-Booster Armor Guyver One Last War to Fight Episode Six ------------------------------------------------------------------ Primor's quarters aboard the Ravager - while considerably more comfortable than those of the rest of his crew - still made Slythe ill. It wasn't the dim lighting, nor was it the dank air, yet rather the rancid odor of unwashed monkey that made the Reptillian's gorge rise to the occaision. Slythe forced the urge to vomit down as he unrolled his map of Third Earth across the single table which rested on the far end of the room from Primor's bed. Slythe was somewhat grateful of that. That bed had to have smelled a hundred times worse than the air. "First, Captain Primor," he began, using the Simian's title merely to grease the wheels a little, "what forces have you brought to the table?" "Hoo. I have with me over five hundred Simians, as well as a sizeable crew of Scavengers." Jackals and monkeys. No reptiles, Slythe noted with some irritation. "The total number of Mutants - aside from your own guard force - is now well over two thousand strong." "Excellent, yesss. As for weapons?" "First, Slythe, what do *you* have to bring to this assault?" "Aside from the spoils of Third Earth, which you have scanned for yourself," Slythe began, "is Castle Plun-Darr, a stronghold for our forces. We also have detailed knowledge of the terrain and people of this world, as well as two Skycutters and a Nosediver at our disposal, along with our guard force." "So, a castle and riches are all you have, eh?" Primor said with a sneer that exposed several yellowed fangs. "We also have detailed knowledge of the ThunderCats' main bases, as well as their vehicles and weaponry." "With all that knowledge, and with the aid of this Mumm-Ra, you have still not been able to defeat them yourself? And you call yourself a Mutant?" Primor scoffed. "There are also the Lunataks to deal with..." "What?!" Primor howled. "Some of those misbegotten asshats are here?" "Yesss... Once the ThunderCats are out of our way, the Lunataks will fall in short order." "Hmmm.... This is indeed getting interesting," the Simian said. "So, about the spoils of this war..." "There iss no need to ssquabble over that," Slythe replied. "There iss more than enough here for all of uss. Bessides, we can usse this planet as a sstaging area for further conquest, yess?" "Go on..." "One of the reassons we were unable to crush the ThunderCatss on Thundera wass that we were divided. Once they abandoned their doomed world, and we fought as one, we destroyed thousands of Thunderianss *and* banished the last remnants of their nobility to thiss backwater world. If we unite againsst them now, and remain sso, this universse will be oursss, yess?" "Your offer is intriguing," Primor said at length. Slythe knew that such an alliance would never last, but he had a plan for that. Yesss... "Hoo HOO! Very well. I shall commit my forces to this plan." "Good." Slythe listened - eyes wide - as Primor listed his obscene array of weapons before telling the Simian about the plan of attack. With such forces, victory was as good as theirs. -------------------------------------------------------- The Berbils had been something of a surprise to Sho. With such a name - and the way Willa had mentioned it - Sho had expected them to be gentle creatures. What he didn't expect, thought, was that they were a race of robot teddy bears. On seeing the hilt of the dagger he wore, they had immediately treated him with respect. Apparently, he thought, these Berbils and the Warrior Maidens were on rather good terms. Their synthesized humming was somewhat soothing, as was their singing as he ate another of what they called candyfruit. Sho had to admit, he rather liked the Berbils so far. "Another candyfruit?" a Berbil with brown fur - many of them had that - and a small flower behind one ear asked in a vaguely female voice. "No, thank you, I'm kinda full." Somehow, he didn't think they really had anything in the way of gender. If they did, however, Sho felt no real desire to learn about it. "I really do appreciate your hospitality, though." "It is no trouble," RobearBill said as he walked up to them. This one had to be the chief of the village. "You are a friend of Willa. That makes you a friend of Berbils." "I'm glad you think so, RobearBill," Sho replied, finishing off the candyfruit. The sun was beginning to sink past the trees, heralding the approach of night. His canteen had been refilled, his stomach was full, it was time to go. Despite how nice they were, Sho had a vaguely disturbing notion about staying amongst anyone for too long. He didn't know why, but he felt that it was best that he keep moving, like some sort of ingrained instinct. "Thank you again, but I really must go." "Why?" RobearBill asked. "Night is coming. There are many dangerous things in the forest at night. You can stay here." "I... really shouldn't..." "You are a friend of the Warrior Maidens. That means, you are a friend of the Berbils." "Thank you, RobearBill, but..." "Are you also a friend of the ThunderCats?" "The ThunderCats?" Willa had mentioned them, he recalled. "No. I haven't met them." "Everyone knows of the ThunderCats," RobearBill said. "I'm... uh... new around these parts. I've heard about them, though." "Oh," the Berbil replied. "Please, Sho, stay tonight. It is dangerous out there alone." "Well..." Sho had to admit, he didn't know very much about Third Earth - and what the hell happened to First and Second Earth? - and the robot bear had a point. "Okay. One night can't hurt." ---------------------------------------------- "Who would have thought it?" Tygra asked as he glanced down at the two sketches of the Guyvers. "An exiled ThunderCat wrapped up in this myth." "Stranger things have happened," Cheetara added. "So, Duncan says the myths are just that?" "Yes," Lion-O replied. "It still doesn't explain anything about what came out of the Korath Mountains, though." "Looks like this Duncan guy thinks that seeing is believing." "What you see isn't always what is, WilyKat," Tygra said. "I do wish I could have visited this Village of Scholars myself, but I see where Scholar Duncan is coming from. All he has are myths and folklore. Nothing concrete." "Maybe I should have told him what we really know about this," Lion-O said. "He might have..." "Said we were mad," Panthro finished. "But, it wasn't..." "Heed his words, Lion-O." The ThunderCat Lord looked up as the ephemeral image of Jaga appeared before him. "Jaga?" "The Code of Thundera forbids lies, but there are times when the truth must be couched in careful terms, and revealed with caution." "But..." "Had you told Scholar Duncan what you know, not only would he have thought you at least mistaken, he would never have given you the information you now have." "Still, what we have tells us nothing about Guyver, or what he truly is." "There is no knowledge that is not power, Lion-O," Jaga said as he wrapped his cape about him and faded away. "Remember that..." "Hey!" WilyKit piped up, "maybe this is all some kinda trick? Mumm-Ra could be trying to lead us away from something with this." "That *is* an option," Tygra admitted. "And I don't like what it implies." "I don't get it," WilyKat said. "Jaga must know something, so why doesn't he just come out and tell us?" "Jaga has his reasons," Panthro replied sharply. "Let's tighten up our security," Lion-O said. "No sense in taking chances." "Agreed," Cheetara replied. "Then it's settled," Tygra said. "Are there any objections?" Silence. "Very well. Meeting adjourned." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Slythe poured the Kirgash - a foul steaming brew which Plun-Darr was infamous for - into the four iron flasks as Monkian and Jackalman joined him and Primor aboard the Ravager's bridge. The design was the same as other Mutant ships: a central command post at the rear with the navigation and weapons consoles directly in front. Monkian and Jackalman each took seats at a console, taking a flask of the evil-smelling drink, as Slythe called the meeting to order. "The time iss now," he said. "Third Earth will belong to uss, as it wass meant to!" Each Mutant raised the Kirgash in toast, and took a swig. "Watch the viewsscreen." The blank screen flickered to life, showing an area around the Cat's Lair that they had tried - and failed - to take many times over. "As you know," Slythe began, "the Cat'sss Lair is the main sstronghold of the ThunderCatss." "It's also where the Eye of Thundera is," Monkian added. "Look, Slythe," Jackalman said, "I appreciate the Kirgash and all, but why call a meeting? All we need to do is storm the Lair with everything we..." "Fool!" Slythe roared. "Numberss alone will not win thiss war! The ThunderCatss have shown time and time again that they are more than capable of overcoming overwhelming odds! Why iss this?" "Because of that damn sword, hoo HOO!" "And the fact that their technology is - or rather - has been until now superior to our own." "True, but the main reassons are that they work as a team, and they have many allies on Third Earth, yess?" "I see," Jackalman said. "Divide and conquer, eh?" "Exactly," Slythe said with a grotesque leer. "We have only two main concerns in this opening battle, and they are the Warrior Maidens and the Tower of Omenss. In order to take Cat'ss Lair effectively, we musst divide the ThunderCatss focus. Monkian!" "Yes?" "You are to lead the Skycutter brigades. The Warrior Maidens, while primitive, are numerous. Their jungle home also makes ground fighting difficult. The only vehicle we have which can go through there is the Fist Pounder. The refits are done?" "Indeed they are!" Monkian cried with glee. "You will enter with the Fistpounder and damage their kingdom's tree supports while the Skycutters blast them from above. The fire-launcher in Castle Plun-Darr is rebuilt, and will aid in that effort." "The ThunderCats," Primor said, "will send help." "You, Jackalman, will lead a regiment of Nosedivers through the Berbil Village." "Giving *me* the easy job, Slythe?" the jackal said as he finished his Kirgash. "Allow me to elaborate. The area around the Berbil village is open enough for Nosedivers. The Skycutters and the Fistpounder can take care of the Treetop Kingdom." "Hoo! The ThunderCats will be fighting us on two fronts at once!" "Yess, Monkian, but a small force will remain at the Lair for defense. The main thrust of our assault will be there." "But, what about the Tower of Omens?" "What about it?" Slythe asked. "The ThunderCats in the Tower only have the ThunderStrike, and it is only a threat when all three partss of it are together. If they come to the aid of Cat'ss Lair, they will be facing not only more Skycutters and Nosedivers, but also the Ravager itself. Bessides, Primor was generous enough to provide use of a Warbot." "Hoo HOO! More have been made?" "Indeed, my Simian brother," Primor said. "It shall lead the assault, with the Skycutters and my own ship giving additional fire and the Nosedivers preventing any escapes or the other ThunderCats from returning." "Nyehhahahaa! Hot damn, Slythe, I almost feel sorry for the ThunderCats!" "A toast!" Slythe roared, hoisitng his Kirgash. "To Victory!" "TO VICTORY!" Monkian, Jackalman, and Primor roared. Though he would never have said so aloud, Mumm-Ra had been shocked at the amount of weapons Primor's fleet had dropped on Third Earth. Prmor, it seemed, was a warmonger in every sense of the term. Such obscene firepower on Third Earth had not been part of the plan. "Bah, it doesn't matter," he said. "When Slythe tries to seize everything, he will lose exactly that much before even thinking about warring with me." Afterward, Mumm-Ra would make a point of crushing what the reptile had left. The preparations were done, and the forces allocated to the assault were assembled. By dawn, all the pieces would be in place and Mumm-Ra would cease his protective cloaking spell. If nothing else, the Ever-Living looked forward to the chaos about to be unleashed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Cheetara sat before the main viewscreen and watched as the first tinges of dawn slowly crept over the horizon. All had been quiet - boring, really - and the cheetah was looking forward to a little catnap. First light was only twenty minutes away, thank goodness, and... "What?!" It happened all at once. Every alarm in Cat's Lair began to wail, sensors and threat readouts alike going insane with sudden influx of information. From the east and west, great explosions bloomed into the rising day, Cheetara struggling to assess just what the flaming hell had happened. "By Jaga..." The viewscreen showed the Treetop Kingdom rapidly succumbing to flames that cancelled out the sunrise. Meteors of ignited fuel and rock rained down onto the home of the Warrior Maidens as tiny specks whizzed about over the trees. "What the blasted hell?!" Panthro shouted as he emerged into the control room, the other ThunderCats just behind. "The Warrior Maidens..." Cheetara began before Tygra rushed to the monitor and enhanced the image. "Skycutters!" he snarled. "I count... Great Jaga..." "Over a hundred..." "Movement on the ground!" WIlyKat said, having awakened with his sister and activated another console. "Lone vehicle, it's huge! It's knocking the trees down left and right!" "Registry identifies it as the Fist Pounder!" "Cat's Lair!" Lynx-O's voice said as a quarter of the main screen flickered and his face appeared. "The..." "We see it!" Lion-O shouted. "What in the..." "The Berbil Village is under attack!" Cheetara said as another quarter of the screen showed thier huts burning and the tiny robots running for their lives. "I count seventy-five Nosedivers!" "The Mutants are trying a squeeze play," Lynx-O said. "I am also registering enormous fireballs being launched from Castle Plun-Darr! How did they..." "The Warrior Maidens and the Berbils are calling for help, shneyarf shnarf! What are we gonna do?!" "We can't leave them to face these attacks alone!" Lion-O forced his mind to clear itself, to focus. "Cheetara, do you scan anymore Mutant forces?" "None!" "You, WilyKat, WilyKit, and Snarf stay here. Put all defenses on full." "Got it!" the twins choroused. "Panthro, you and Tygra take the ThunderTank and the HoverCat to the Berbil Village. You must hold off those Nosedivers!" "Understood!" Panthro exclaimed as he and the tiger charged off to the left hangar. "Lynx-O! You, Bengali, and Pumyra take the ThunderStrike and meet me at the Treetop Kingdom! I'll take the ThunderClaw and we'll clear out those Skycutters!" "Lion-O," the old lynx said, "this may be a trap. There may be other forces..." "There's no time!" Lion-O shouted back. "Understood. Just hang on until we get there. Tower of Omens out." "Lynx-O has a point," Cheetara said before Lion-O could go the the right hangar which housed the ThunderClaw and the Feliner. "Cheetara, I cannot let the Berbils and the Warrior Maidens get slaughtered! If this is a trap, and you can't defend the Lair, take the Feliner and run." "But..." "Listen, the Lair isn't worth your lives. If it comes down to it, then run!" "Good luck, Lion-O," WilyKit said, clearly frightened at the sudden catastrophe. "Thanks, and the same to you." "HO!" --------------------------------------------------- Sho leapt clear as another of the strange vehicles screamed past, the drill on its front ramming into a Berbil hut and grinding it to dust. His heart pounded like a mad drum in his chest as he coughed against thick smoke. Screams of agony and lasers filled his ears in a ghastly symphony, one hauntingly familiar. He knew he should be terrified, yet any fear was displaced by... by *it*... the presence which always waited behind. Only now, it no longer waited. He could feel it more clearly now, could sense its urgent pleas. What did it want?! "Nooo!" Sho looked up as the Berbil lay on the ground, one leg mangled and the strange vehicle's grinding front poised at it. The thing stopped, and its pilot emerged... Sho's heart skipped several beats at the sight of the humanoid jackal. Hatred began to bloom in his chest, rage at the thing (Zoanoid) which threatened the Berbil. The presence was screaming, now, as Sho picked up the length of timber and charged. Jackalman hefted his axe, savoring every moment. No Mutant could resist a helpless victim, and... The blow landed squarely in his back, sending him head over heels onto the grass. He rose up, furious, groping for his axe at the sight of the lone human with the burning eyes. "You... *dare* to assault a Mutant?" Sho held the shaft of wood ready, instincts he didn't know he had coming to life. He did not flinch as two more Berbils appeared and scurried away with their injured comrade. He had eyes only for the jackal in front of him, yet he still heard the presence begging him for release. "ThunderCats!" he heard a voice shout. The jackal spun about, and Sho siezed the chance. The timber came down on the canine-man's shoulder, bringing a howl of pain from him just as two of the yellow vehicles exploded and a strange white tank emerged. Panthro roared in fury as he set all the ThunderTank's weapons to auto-fire. Each cannon sent blasts of concentrated ions lancing through the smoke-blackened air, each striking true and sending a Nosediver and Mutant to death. He didn't need the radar display to show him just how bad the scenario was, as a blast glanced off the tank's armor. "Tygra! There's too many! Clear out some of these Nosedivers so I can get room to move!" "You got it!" the other's voice replied as three more Nosedivers burst into flames. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "Rally!" Willa shouted above the cacophony of shrieks and weapons fire. The arrows flew from their bows, streaking skyward to impale the monkey pilots of those flying machines. Many arrows were rewarded with the taste of blood, sending the machines out of control and tumbling into the others. "It's coming!" "Look ouuuuAAAUGHH!" Willa looked down at the enormous machine, twin fists smashing every tree in sight as it rolled over the burning forest floor and any warrior unlucky enough to... "NAYDA! NOOOOOO!" She was down there, arrow aimed at the monkey driving the machine. All else faded, unimportant as she prepared to let fly the shaft of wood and flint, the enormous white fist of the machine streaking forward, the..... Willa shut her eyes too late to prevent the image of her beloved sister's broken form sail away from the metal fist, its white armor now coated red. The flames now burned within as well as without. The screams of her dying Warrior Maidens fell on her deaf ears, the horrible whooshing roars of the massive fireballs went unheard over the singing fury in Willa's veins. Her legs moved of their own accord, dagger drawn as she leapt nimbly down the branches of what trees were still standing. "Blood shall be paid with blood, filthy APE!" Monkian looked up in time to see her bearing down on him, her dagger gleaming wickedly in the flickering light of the fires. The mace was in his hand, however, far too late to prevent the blade from ebedding itself deep into his chest. His nerves lit with electical torrents of pain as his heart tore itself asunder on the razor keen steel. Monkain's last act on this mortal coil was to swing his mace about, and his last pleasure was the sound of it crunching the skull of the Warrior Maiden which had impaled him. Lion-O was blessedly unaware of the death of his friend as the ThunderClaw pierced the haze of smoke and its main guns belched ionic death. Two Skycutters erupted into balls of liquid flame as several more converged on him. He horsed the control yoke back, sending the ThunderClaw racing skyward into a swirling mob of Mutant vehicles and scattering them in confusion. I have to keep them off balance, he thought as a burst of gold colored energy lanced past his arm. The Sword of Omens rang in the sky, assuming full battle length without the command, and Lion-O willed it to act. "HOOOOO!" The shield encompassed him, deflecting several more angry bursts of laser fire. If he could hold on long enough.... "YES!" he whooped as the ThunderStrike came into view. The two pods split from the main body of the ship, arcing off to engage Skycutters while Lynx-O in the central section fired bolt after bolt of blue energy around Lion-O's position. The ThunderCat lord relaxed his shield once the debris was past, and joined the battle once more in earnest. "By Jaga..." he muttered as he glanced down at the flaming ruins of what had once been the proud and noble Treetop Kingdom. Though Castle Plun-Darr was too far away to be seen, he could still trace the incoming ballistic arcs of the fireballs being launched from its hideous face. "Be careful of those fireballs!" he shouted over the commlink. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The ThunderCatss are fully engaged, Primor," Slythe said, rubbing his hands together with glee. "It iss time." "I've always wanted to do this," Primor snarled as he ordered the Ravager forward out of the range of the last vestiges of Mumm-Ra's cloaking spell. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Oh, this looks bad," Sho gasped as he crouched over RobearBelle. He knew nothing of Berbil physiology, but he could easily tell the the robot bear's wounds were fatal. The shadow came and went as the flying vehicle - piloted by what looked like a human tiger - flew overhead. Twin lasers flared from its front, exploding two more of the yellow flying drills. (Guyver.) "Huh?" (You must release it.) (Release what?!) (Fool!) the voice screamed in his head. (You know what it is. You feel it, you feel its calling! You must release it!) (How?) Another explosion, this one far closer, sent a cloud of splintered wood sailing just over Sho's head. (Speak its name! Call it, damn you!) (It's... name...) The world ground to a halt as the connection was made. He could see it, floating in the ether, hear it calling his name. He saw, he heard, and he knew. The word filled his mind, ricocheting about the insides of his brain like a mad bullet, building power for its release into the physical world. His shoulders tingled, the air all about him charged with terrible energy. It was time. The word came up in his throat, and instead of pleading, Sho heard it cry, "Yes! Yes! YES!" "GUYVER!!!!!" Panthro gritted his teeth as the burst of laser energy hit the ThunderTank broadside. Many spots on its armor were black and dented from the beatings it was taking, and the wailing of damage alerts only made matters worse. One front paw of the tank was nearly sheared off, the cannon beneath a smoldering wreck. She can't take a whole lot more of this, Panthro thought as he brought the skidding rear treads back under control. All about the ruined Berbil village were the burning wrecks of homes and Nosedivers scattered amongst the twisted ruins of what were once Berbils and Mutants. "You freaks are gonna pay for this!" he spat as the auto-target systems identified a Nosediver directly ahead and locked the remaining weapons on it. Just a little pressure on the firing button and... Panthro forgot to shoot when a massive explosion hammered the air. Stunned, he whipped his head about to the source - a human boy standing in a crater amid flying topsoil. What kind of weapon... "Panthro, what's happening?" Tygra's voice shouted over the commlink. "No idea..." It was over as soon as it began, and Panthro's eyes widened at the sight of it. The lean, alien figure stood tall within the depression of smashed dirt. Plates of pale teal armor covered its body over coils of purple matter that seemed to writhe within the carapace. On each arm was a short spike, both of which extended backward suddenly into graceful, shimmering blades. On its head beneath a tiny emerald was a glowing medallion, two more such embedded in tracks near the fin atop its head. It was a near duplicate of one of the sketches he had brought back from Duncan's home. "Looks like things just got complicated," he muttered.`