Exoplanet Pioneers
Chapter Seven
"We are surrounded by Shadow-Beasts!" Malcom's frantic voice shot through Duncan's communicator that he had behind the boilerplate shielding on his armor that was in front of his face.
"Do you know how many there are?" Duncan asked.
"Several of the beasts are on top of the Sky-Hawk. I cannot give you their total number." Malcome answered.
"The Hawk-Wind isn't detecting their presence?" Duncan asked in disbelief.
Malcom was about to answer when the beasts started to violently shake the ship.
A high-pitched screaming noise was heard in Duncans intercom which pained his ears!
The pitch was so high that even Zarek had to cover his ears as well.
A rattling noise then came through the audio, which was followed by Malcom, "There is a commotion outside the ship. I cannot see what is going on but some of the beasts that were on our ship went to intervene. It may be an argument that needs to be settled between them."
"I don't care what there fighting over, where on our way!" Duncan confirmed.
In the cavern where Mer-Man was first met, Skeletor sat unmoving on a seat of stone, waiting for the sea-creatures return. The body of the pool filled the width of the cavern, where it bathed the rest of the cave in its green glow.
The only things moving in the cavern besides a now bare-chested Beastman, who was climbing the walls of the cavern were the fish that swam in the pool below him.
A rumble started inside of the pool as bubbles began to permeate within it. Beastman ceased his rock climbing when he saw who was bubbling out of the pool.
" Master look! The Mer-Man is back!", Beastman shouted as he scaled back down the surface of the rock wall.
Skeletor remained still as Mer-Man made his way to the edge of the pool, where he then climbed out from.
Beastman watched Mer-Man's intent carefully in a crouched position in preparation to attack if he threatened his master.
Mer-Man who was dripping wet, stood before Skeletor with both of his arms open wide, one was empty while the other held his three-pronged golden trident.
Skeletor still did not stir, instead he waited for Mer-Man to ingratiate him further.
Mer-Man cocked his head to see the red furred Beastman crouched down not far away from him.
"Don't look at him." The voice of Skeletor boomed within the cavern.
Mer-Man quickly returned his gaze to the seemingly lifeless Skeletor who spoke again," Address me, for I am the one who has waited patiently for your return. Then tell me, what is your decision?"
"I will work with you." Mer-Man said spreading his arms further apart as to demonstrate his loyalty.
"Then let us begin." Skeletor said finally beginning to stir.
Beastman gives a growl in favor of his master's acceptance of Mer-Man as he erects his posture.
Skeletor proceeds to walk down the slope of rock that he had been perched on.
"What lies below that pool you travel under?" Skeletor asks after making his way down.
"Underwater caves that start on the dark side of Eternia then stretch out to the Ocean of Gnarl." Mer-Man states.
Skeletor then relates something seemingly unrelated, "I need to amass an army to conquer this king Miro. That is where I shall begin." Skeletor says, unveiling the next step in his preformed plan. "I have been in contact with the tortured spirits within Snake Mountain. I must return to the location, where I stored the remnants of a space fairing vessel. I am going to use this vessel in an incantation that will trap the roaming spirits of Snake Mountain. Once housed within the wreckage of the spaceship, the spirits will be recast in my image fueled by hate. The ships mantle shall become their armor, there will become my own. Then I shall unleash this skeletal scourge of phantom flesh upon the face of Eternia."
Mer-Man began to see this Skeletor for what he truly was, a powerful demon from another dimension. It was in his best interest to help him in every way imaginable so that he could enact his revenge upon the people of Eternia.
"I can take you back to Snake Mountain faster under the water than if you went back by foot." Mer-Man offers.
In order to demonstrate this Mer-Man dives back into the water!
"We have been lied to!" Beastman growls not knowing Mer-Mans intentions.
"Silence." Skeletor says, as he waits to see what Mer-Man's next actions were.
Inside the pool, Mer-Man was creating many tiny bubbles with his movements. Mer-Man then viciously begins to consume all the bubbles that he produced as quickly as he can!
Mer-Man not swallowing the bubbles, instead floats back up to the surface of the water where he begins to blow them out. Though not in the entirety that he had collected them but as one continuously large bubble from his mouth.
"This bubble will provide you with protection as I carry you back to Snake Mountain." Mer-Man said as he presented Skeletor with the most unusual mode of transport.
Skeletor walks into the bubble without instruction, whereas Beastman with his mouth agape seems reluctant to follow.
Skeletor commands Beastman from inside the oval bubble, "If you delay this trip any longer then you will have to walk back the way that you came."
The threat from Skeletor leaves Beastman with little alternative, so despite his fear, the servile creature joins his master inside the large bubble.
Somehow, Mer-Man sticks the tri-pronged tips of his trident into the bubble without piercing it. Then using the trident, Mer-Man begins to pull the bubble with both Skeletor and Beastman down under the water.
The waters beyond the cavern were bursting with colorful scenery that included purple stalagmites, white coral, and blue green rock all around.
The undersea cave was teeming with life from schools of multi-colored fish ranging from bright yellows and greens to the more muted colors of oranges and reds. Some sparkling translucent jelly fish floated by as Mer-Man started to swim up a shaft in the ceiling of one of the caves he passed into. Mer-Man would on occasion avoid protruding rock like branches that shot out of the walls of the ever-lengthening vertical shaft way.
As Mer-Man ascended, with the bubble in tow, a light shown from above the shaft.
The light became brighter as they were pulled up to it by Mer-Man, until they escaped the shaft altogether!
A heavy rush of water began to pull everyone along with it in one direction! That was until Mer-Man took control of the situation and pulled the bubble higher still, until he breached the surface of the water!
Mer-Man now treading above the water of this new location said, "This is a river that flows underneath Snake Mountain."
"Is this part of Snake-Mountain?" Skeletor asked from inside the bubble as it bobbed above the surface of the river.
"Yes." Mer-Man said adding, "It was built a millennia ago as an underground water system. We are nearing a tunnel that will take us above this waterway."
The rush of water was slowing, when an island in the middle of a pool of water with a large column at its center appeared. There were three other riverways beside the one that Mer-Man brought them through. One continued past the island, while the other two riverways ran parallel to that one. The waterways which ran parallel entranceways were sealed off by cast iron gates.
Mer-Man pulled the bubble to the island, then climbed out of the water. Then Mer-Man hoisted the bubble onto the island, showing that Mer-Man possessed great strength to lift the bubble with both Skeletor and Beastman so easily. Unless of course the bubble made their weight less heavy.
Skeletor instead of walking through the bubble as he had done before decided to burst the bubble with his ram's head staff. The bubble made a stretching sound when Skeletor pushed the head of his staff through it until it burst apart unleashing a brief rain shower!
Skeletor admired the room they were inside to himself before allowing Mer-Man to lead him into the doorway that was connected to the column.
"Keep your lanterns ready in the front." Duncan told a row of soldiers beside him.
Duncan left the row of soldiers as they marched on, turning to face behind them another row of soldiers.
"Ready your lances but do not fire until I give the word." Duncan ordered," The first line of defense is to use the light from the lanterns. I don't actually want to hurt the Shadow Beasts just scare them off."
As if on cue, deafening cries from the Shadow Beasts echoed in the valley. Duncan feeling the tension of his men, urged them on with a wave of his arm," Cast the fear out of you! We must rally to prince Randors aide!"
Duncan checked his hand-held bird shaped scanner," Where less than half a klic away. Hurry!"
"Malcome...can you hear me?" Duncan spoke into his communicator.
"What's your status?" Malcome immediately asked.
"Were almost at your location. What's going on?" Duncan asked.
"The Shadow Beasts are trying to settle an argument between themselves. We have been generally ignored here in the Sky-Hawk. There is only one Shadow Beast attending to us at the moment. Though its attention is divided between us and the commotion of his pack." Malcome concludes.
The vehicles near the Sky-Hawk that Malcome and Zarek had used to pull the wheeled trailers full of soldiers were surrounded by two factions of Shadow Beast. As one faction tried to actively break the vehicles apart or separate them from the trailers another group intervened to stop them. The back and forth between the two factions had produced a stalemate where neither faction could proceed. A very large Shadow Beast would flail his arms around once the skirmish had been quelled but its uproar instead of rallying his pack together just seemed to confuse the others. Then another Shadow-Beast would encourage the others to tear the vehicles apart as if challenging the others authority.
It was happening again as the challenger to the larger leader instructed his faction to pull the four wheeled vehicles apart from there hitches!
Duncan along with his men stood in awe as they witnessed the great apes fight amongst themselves. The shrieks from the Shadow Beasts were ear shattering as they cried for dominance! Then some of the Shadow Beasts started to make another kind of very high-pitched squealing sound. This new sound caused all of the creatures to stop what they were doing then turn their attention upon the soldiers.
"Get into your positions!" Duncan ordered his men.
Upon instruction, the front row of soldiers crouched down on one knee then pointed their lanterns at the beasts. The lanterns were cylinder shaped, flashlight looking devices strapped to their wrists. The bulbs inside the circle mouth of the lanterns were already emitting light. The way the soldiers were holding the lanterns made it appear that they could increase the intensity from the lanterns if given the order.
The second row of soldiers had long lances directed at the Shadow Beasts like rifles, ready to fire if also given the order.
"There here." Malcom said reassuringly to both Glenn and Randor.
The Shadow Beast was fully engaged with what was happening outside the Sky-Hawk. As well as everyone within the Sky-Hawk.
The great one horned leader of the beasts gave an angry shriek towards the soldiers!
"The beast seems to be offended by us." Zarek says sarcastically.
"The beast is asserting its authority. It may be the leader." Duncan mentions.
Then behind the Shadow Beast leader, the challenger directs three other beasts towards the Sky-Hawk!
Their leader screams for the three Shadow Beast to stop, which they do as they turn around.
"If that is the leader then that other one is surely challenging him." Zarek says.
"Or trying to for whatever reason." Duncan concludes," Which make me wonder if someone had directed these beasts to carry the wreckage of the spaceship off."
"This Keldor." Zarek says, mentioning the name of the one who blew apart the spaceship to begin with.
"It's a power struggle." Duncan then explains his meaning," The beasts came back to the location expecting to see Keldor or whomever. Once the beasts saw us instead, this challenger tried to assert its dominance. This beast challenging for dominance appears more vicious than its leader."
This conclusion from Duncan as to the challenging beast's violence is only proven more correct when it disobeys the leader's decision to stop. Whereupon the challenging beast decides to attack the Sky-Hawk himself this time.
"I think this beast means business!" Malcome seeing the charging beast shouts as he pulls down on a lever on the control panel.
The bundled thrusters on the tail end of the Sky-Hawk burst with power as they are ignited at once!
The startled Shadow Beast that was on the Sky-Hawk leaps ten feet into the air from the shock of the erupting engines!
The blast also stops the charging Shadow Beast dead in its tracks!
Malcome maintains the murmuring engine of the Sky-Hawke to remind the beasts of its power.
The only Shadow Beast brave enough to step towards the Sky-Hawk is the leader.
"That must be the leader." Malcome proclaims. Then speaking into the intercom on the dashboard once more Malcome asks," I don't think these beasts mean us any harm. They seem to be more confused about us than anything else."
"It's almost as if they were expecting someone else." Duncan adds.
"Well, I think we should call it a night." Malcome says not hiding how he truly feels.
"Zarek and I will drive the Battle-Chariots back to the Royal Palace." Duncan concurs with Malcome.
"Soldier, hand me your lance!" Duncan tells one of the soldiers next to him. Then within the grip of his green gloves, Duncan begins to fire the lance's energy at the ground between the Shadow Beasts and the Sky-Hawk. Taking notice of the piercing energy fire, the beasts back up! Duncan yells out after returning the lance back to the soldier," Start moving in the direction that I fired off in! I want lanterns at the front of the line! Let's shine a path forward! Move!"
A soldier shined the way for four soldiers, then another followed after them, as they blinded the Shadow Beasts with their lanterns!
Malcome cheered upon seeing the soldiers head towards the vehicles!
"Let's get out of here!" Malcome said as he cooled off the rear thrusters, he started to lift the Sky-Hawk with the bottom thrusters. The shadow of the Sky-Hawk shown behind the light of the lanterns being used by the soldiers.
Twin beams of light sliced the Shadow Beast with its glare, driving many of them back! The beams came from the front lights of the Battle-Chariots as soon as their riders took to them!
"The beasts are totally shunned by the light cast onto them." Observed Glenn.
"It is said that the Shadow Beasts were created my dark magick." Prince Randor informs Glenn.
"Where going to leave soon." Malcome states, "I am just keeping the Sky-Hawke in hover mode, until the troops start clearing out."
The two Battle-Chariots begin to turn in the other direction with their cargo in tow. The Shadow beasts make no attempt to attack as the two wheels of the tractor sized vehicles steer there cargo around. While the robust back tires of the machines treed forward backed by their powerful motors! Two soldiers in the rear of each trailer aim there lances out of window slots in case the beasts try to attack.
The Shadow Beasts remain at a safe distance away, watching the smaller Battle-Chariots pull there haul away. The chariots build up speed as they drag the large containers away with them.
As the vehicles recede in the distance back to the Royal Palace, the Sky-Hawk quickly ascends upwards, as it carries itself out of the valley!
Though as the search party travels back home, a golden falcon looks on high, perched on the cliffs of the valley.
In Snake Mountains enormous room where the Rainbow Explorer lay, in so many fragments and pieces, an outline was drawn around the heap. There wreckage lay in the center of a carved in circle in the rockface floor. Then another more intricate line was carved around in-between the heap as well as the circle, this line had six starry tips on each end with two tips in its center that looked like valleys. The stary tips were the only six lines that shown both inside as well as outside of the circle.
Skeletor stood before the cryptic diagram that showed the fragmented heart inside it. The only others in attendance of the seance to be performed were Skeletors savage servant Beastman along with the ocean warlord Mer-Man.
The performance was proceeded by a communication from Skeletor to the mountain itself," I call upon the derelict spirits within Snake Mountain...here my call to you..." Skeletor raises his rams head staff along with his other hand up above his black hooded head.
"Arise from your torment! Suffer no longer in the wandering isolation of limbo!" Skeletor bolsters.
"Let me release you!" Skeletor says as he brings his staff in to himself. Only silence is heard as Skeletor clutches the ram headed part of the staff in front of his skull outlined face.
A deadened focus is placed on the ram's head held by Skeletor.
"Yes!" Skeletor exclaims." I sense your number, prepare for a mass exodus into my haven of havoc! Where you can exact revenge for your past torments!"
Suddenly, numerous sharp clanking sounds are heard from far way. The clanking sounds then becomes a lurching cranking! The echoed sounds meaning was as if some steely cages were suddenly shut then slowly opened up again.
"Yes! I hear your calls!" Skeletor cackles.
Skeletor, holding his staff before him begins to emit a brimstone charged burst of energy at the pentagram with the husk of detritus inside!
As the energy flows into the circle, a vortex of swirling fire starts to form inside!
Skeletor shunting off his blast of demonic energy basks in exhilaration of the combustion inside of what is now a ring of fire!
The debris of the wrecked spaceship is consumed by the swirling magma pool for which the inside of the circle has become!
Unbelievably, all of the destruction is safely contained inside of the circle, no heat or flame escaping outside it. Skeletor watches in satisfaction as the swirling fire pool rises like a guizer within the seal.
Then like the conductor of a great finale, Skeletor raises his hands above him, where he then crashes them down, signifying the climax!
The guizer falls upon the commanding gesture where it begins draining into itself inside of the circle!
The drainage of the fiery whirlpool continues until it is no more! Only the rockface of the floor is left inside of the pentagram, without so much as a plume of smoke as evidence of what has transpired within it.
"I have pierced the void!" Skeletor proclaims, when suddenly an innumerable number of heavy footsteps draw closer.
The large room that they were in was now becoming less voluminous as skeletal creatures not unlike Skeletor start filling in. These blue skinned creatures with the resemblance of their creator save for beak like mouths as well as two protruding horns atop their heads wore protected scaled chainmail, metaled hoods, and carried an assortment of bladed weapons.
A near endless march of these skeletal warriors continued from across the bridge outside of Snake Mountain overlooking the lava waterfall. Then the creatures continued past the cave like prison towards Skeletor, where they kept coming.
A golden falcon soared above Snake Mountain, witnessing the birthing of these skeleton creatures. The bird's keen eyesight watched as the creatures scaled the steps of the exterior of Snake Mountain like insects crawling up a dried-out snakeskin.