Revival
(Revised Edition, January 2009)
by Cheezey
Part Three: The
When the swords clashed, Psiarik grimaced in tandem with the crack of thunder that followed the act. Just like his dream, he was too late. The swords had met, and lightning crashed as the cloaked figure—where was the other one, he wondered, weren’t there two in all his dreams?—chanted the ancient spell to invoke their end. The three rulers gasped in shock as the swords grew hot in their hands. The blades began to writhe and pulse with power, and their holders’ life energy coursed from their bodies into the ancient weapons.
“No, stop!” Psiarik shouted again, his voice unnoticeable over the roar of the supernatural storm. The terrible wind that picked up around him, WilyKit, and WilyKat impeded all their movements and muffled the twins’ equally fruitless calls to Lion-O. Alluro and Vultureman were only a few steps behind them, and they fared no better in getting closer to the center of the apocalyptic chaos.
The ground then shook with a terrible earthquake that reminded Psiarik of the day his family had perished in the Thundera explosion disasters. He and the others with him were knocked to the ground, and he found himself suddenly unable to move and overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness. “No,” he groaned, “not again.”
“Oh yes, again,” Torlei’s voice mocked from above them. They looked up and saw her in the air, levitated in flight the same way Mumm-Ra’s powers allowed him to. “You didn’t really think you could stop it, did you?”
“You!” WilyKat growled contemptuously.
“Yes, that little earthquake was my doing,” she boasted. “Being an immortal witch and a telekinetic gives me more power than you could comprehend, Thundercat.” She blasted her fallen foes with a second wave of telekinetic energy, and then focused her attention on the one she detested the most. “Well well well. I should’ve known you’d show up, brother dear. You never liked missing out on the action, did you? Well you’ve got it. I’m going to repay you in spades for what you did to me—you and Luna and the others.”
Psiarik turned his head to Alluro, unable to manage more of a move than that under the pressure of her telekinetic force field. “You know her, Dad?”
Alluro could not bear to look at Torlei as she had been twisted by Mumm-Ra, and closed his eyes. “Meet your aunt, Psiarik,” he said with a grimace.
“‘Dad’ is it now?” Torlei cackled as she looked from Alluro to Psiarik, a twisted grin on her face and a cruel glow in her red eyes. “So this is the bastard I heard about. Your little parting gift for that airhead whore Lurella that you duped into loving you as much as you loved her family’s titles and wealth.”
“Shut your mouth, you undead bitch!” Psiarik growled.
Torlei glowered and shot him with a blast of stinging energy, making his next growl one of pain more than fury. “I must say, Alluro, you haven’t done well with teaching your boy manners. How disrespectful,” she sneered. “Hmm, though on second thought I can’t blame that on you since you weren’t there, so it must be the silly slut’s doing. I suppose bastards don’t rate the good nannies even in rich families.”
Scowling and in spite of the pain he was already in, Psiarik yelled back at her, “I said shut up about my mother!”
“And I say ‘make me,’ dear nephew,” Torlei sneered back at him. “But seeing as you can’t, your blathering is as unimportant and meaningless to me as his.” She shot Alluro with a blast of burning energy that time to drive her point home.
“Everything is meaningless to you,” WilyKat said coldly.
WilyKit glared up at her as well. “Everything except your and Mumm-Ra’s insane plan to destroy three entire civilizations in the name of revenge.”
“Oh, give it up, Thundercats!” the unimpressed Torlei taunted back. “The swords have already met and Mumm-Ra’s finishing the Incantation of Destruction as we speak. It’s inevitable! Do you hear me? Inevitable!”
* * *
Aside from Tygra, Snoelle, Chilla, and Frostor, no one else on the battlefield heard Torlei’s maniacal screaming. Turning toward its source they saw her hovering above the twins, Alluro, Psiarik, and Vultureman, and both Chilla and Tygra recognized the undead Lunatac’s distant figure at once. “‘Inevitable’, now even she’s screaming about that damn prophecy,” Chilla muttered.
“If we could just figure out what the ‘impossible’ is, we might have a chance at stopping it.” As he spoke, Frostor found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the ominous sight of the three swords now bound together in magic and their holders to them.
“But if it’s impossible, what is it, and how could we do it anyway?” said Chilla with a frosty breath that matched her anxious tone.
Snoelle shook her head. “I don’t know, but I do know we haven’t much time to piece it together.” She looked at the black clouds occluding the sky above, alive with the malevolent lighting of dark forces at work. “The ethers are rending and I can feel the energies of the crossroads to the astral all around. It’s unnatural and it’s only getting worse.”
“I have a thought,” Tygra said suddenly, and grabbed Frostor’s arm to get his attention. “What about the Incantation of Peace? Since the swords have already met…”
Frostor blinked, and then let out a dark chuckle at the irony of the tiger’s solution. “Hah! Yes, you’re right, Thundercat. The answer was in front of our faces the whole time.”
“The answer is peace? Among all of us, forever?” Chilla repeated in disbelief. “Now that is impossible!”
“And precisely why it’s the answer,” Frostor said. “There are only two paths that can be taken now, and the only thing that could possibly override the Incantation of Destruction once invoked would be the Incantation of Peace.” He eyed the cosmic unrest brewing around them and the enraged faces of their three leaders as the swords pulled and twisted together. “But we can’t do it; it can only be done by those doing fighting the battle.”
“Why not?” asked Chilla. “If Mumm-Ra can cause the destruction, why can’t someone else do the spell of peace?”
Snoelle eyed the chanting figure of the demon sorcerer in the distance, his arms stretched to the stormy heavens as he finished the final words of the incantation. “A dark mage can twist metaphysical rules to suit his needs. We don’t have that advantage.”
“But conversely, since these ancient spells were meant to be invoked by one of the sword holders, if they were to work together and recite the Incantation of Peace, they could override his destructive power with that magic,” Tygra theorized. “It’s our only hope.”
Ever the pragmatist, Chilla pointed out the next stumbling block in their plan. “And how do we get through to them when they can’t hear us?” She frowned. “I can barely hear all of you over this wind and everyone else fighting, and you’re standing right here!” She gestured to the remaining Thundercats, Mutants, and Lunatacs who had taken no notice of the fact that the four of them had stopped fighting. It was as though some force was locking them into their aggression, preventing them from seeing past it, and only those that had seen the fight for what it was had avoided being drawn back in.
“I have an idea,” Tygra said. “Mumm-Ra seems to like using illusions to do his dirty work, so let’s see how he likes a taste of his own medicine. If we flush him out, maybe that’ll make them see for themselves how they’ve been set up and do what needs to be done.”
Gripping her spear tightly, Snoelle turned her gaze briefly toward where Panthro grappled with TugMug. The two were in a brawl that had damaged both of their weapons and left them at the mercy of each other’s great strength. Stay strong, my heroic panther, and hang in there, she thought with renewed resolve and affection, and guarded Tygra’s flank. “I’ve got your back, Tygra. We’ll protect you while you concentrate.”
Raising his arm in a defensive stance at Tygra’s other side, Frostor gave his silent agreement while Tygra closed his eyes and began to concentrate.
Chilla let out a resigned sigh. “Unbelievable. An alliance of peace with the Thundercats and Mutants and we’re asking for it.”
“As Selene so wisely put it back when we first found the MoonSaber, ‘it’s better than the alternative—dying together,’” Frostor said.
“Yes, you’re right,” she said with a frosty hiss. “But I don’t have to like it.”
“That I’m right, or that we’ll be at peace forever if this works?”
“Both,” she admitted.
Closing his eyes, Tygra sought to clear his mind of all distractions and focused. He envisioned Mumm-Ra, and projected that thought with all of his energy into the skies above. The illusion was frightening, Mumm-Ra the Ever-Living in his full and angry glory alive with burning red rage against the storm-filled sky above. “Fools!” the false Mumm-Ra’s deep voice boomed, echoing across the plain. “Now you will all die and leave your miserable worlds to bow before the power of Mumm-Ra!”
The distraction worked, although the first to react was not Lion-O, Selene, or Ratar-O, but Mumm-Ra’s angry bride. Torlei rose into the sky above the battlefield in an absolute fury. “You overconfident, arrogant idiot!” she howled. “What are you doing?”
The real Mumm-Ra was only a half a second behind her, also enraged and deeply offended at Tygra’s facsimile. “Who dares to imitate the mighty Mumm-Ra?”
The moment Mumm-Ra showed himself, Tygra let the illusion drop, exposing the two outraged evil ever-livings to everyone on the battlefield, including the three who needed to see them most. Lion-O, Selene, and Ratar-O all froze in place, the anger in their faces replaced by shock even as the swords in the process of completing the spell Mumm-Ra had cast drained them of their vitality.
“Mumm-Ra!” Lion-O was the first of them to speak. “I should’ve known.”
“Yes, Lion-O, but you always were a slow learner,” Mumm-Ra taunted back at him, recovering from the indignation of being unveiled before he had been ready. “And you discovered me too late. The Incantation of Destruction has been invoked. You will all be dead soon.” He cackled. “How does it feel to have your own precious Eye of Thundera turned against you, stealing your very life and seeking to obliterate your world?”
Ratar-O tried to break free of the Sword of Plundarr’s hold, but it held him fast, and struggling only weakened him more. “Curse you, Mumm-Ra! You promised me victory!”
Mumm-Ra’s response was to laugh at him along with Torlei. “I lied, Ratar-O. The only victory here will be ours!”
“We’ll see about that,” Lion-O growled. When he realized he could not let go of the Sword of Omens, he instead used what strength he had left to thrust himself backwards, and the white-hot sword came apart from the others along with him, although it remained fast to his hand. Selene and Ratar-O in turn fell back as well, their swords still aglow, the blades shifting like quicksilver as they sought one another out to complete the magic destiny they had been summoned to.
Torlei laughed at his attempt to stop the inevitable. “It’s too late, Thundercat. The spell has been cast and tearing your swords apart won’t change anything. The more they drain your life, the more powerful they become, and they’ll rejoin in spite of it. Enjoy your last few moments of life, Lion-O. Go to your death knowing that you brought it and the destruction of your world on yourself.”
“Just like Jaga,” Mumm-Ra added with a vicious and knowing smile.
The Sword of Omens began to pull back toward the other two swords, and he, like Ratar-O and Selene also did, tried to hold his ground and keep them from merging. The ground beneath them began to quake and lightning struck the field all around. Gritting his teeth, Lion-O saw Tygra and Snoelle with Chilla and the Lunatac Governor General. “Peace!” Tygra hollered over the roar of the wind at the top of his lungs. “The Incantation of Peace!”
“Yes,” Lion-O breathed in understanding. “It’s the only way. Jaga, give me strength.” The Thundercat Lord growled with effort and managed to pull the Sword of Omens from its sinister attraction to its sister swords and held it straight above his head.
“Fool!” Mumm-Ra said, and blasted him with a bolt of magical energy. The lion stumbled backwards, grimacing in pain, but kept the strength not to fall. “You think you can possibly defeat me when you’re on the brink of destruction yourself? What do you think you’ll do that will make any difference now?”
“The one thing you don’t expect me to, Mumm-Ra. I won’t fight at all.” With a roar he shouted, “I, Lion-O, Lord of the Thundercats, rightful holder of the Sword of Omens and ruler of New Thundera, hereby use the power in the Eye of Thundera to invoke the Incantation of Peace, that our worlds might never be at odds and live in peace and prosperity for all time!” His voice surged with renewed strength as he said the words, and suddenly the searing burn of destruction in the Sword of Omens changed to a pulsing hum of white light as it detached from his hand and rose into the heavens.
“The Incantation of Peace will do you no good. Your naïveté only makes your legacy more of a mockery,” Torlei hissed.
Through shuddering weakness and burning pain, Selene heard the exchange between Lion-O and the two ever-livings. Looking upon Mumm-Ra there was no doubt that he was evil incarnate, even if she had not heard plenty of claims to attest to it from those she trusted before that moment. Furthermore he had tricked them all into an unthinkable fate, and although it was Lion-O that swung the blade that killed him, Mumm-Ra’s scheme had also cost her her only brother. Even if the welfare of her people had not been at stake, that would have been justification enough to side with the Thundercat regardless of how she felt about him.
“Wrong, Mumm-Ra,” Selene yelled, and struggled to hold the MoonSaber aloft as Lion-O had his sword. “Peace and life are always better than death and mindless destruction. There’s been enough of that already, and I won’t be a party to more of it. I, Selene, Queen of the united kingdom of the Moons of Plundarr, rightful holder of the MoonSaber, hereby use the power within the Crescent of the Moons to invoke the Incantation of Peace, that our worlds might never be at odds and live in peace and prosperity for all time!” she cried, and released the MoonSaber into the skies above to join with the Sword of Omens. Both she and Lion-O then turned to Ratar-O, their eyes alive with hope once more.
Mumm-Ra roared in outrage. “So the Lunar Queen has joined you. Without the Mutant Warrior King joining you, your heroics will amount to nothing, and he would sooner die than ally with you!”
“Just how stupid do you think we Mutants are, Mumm-Ra? There’s no glory to be had in sacrificing my life to be rid of my enemies when it won’t be Mutant-kind that rules in the end. You’re the fool if you think I’d listen to a word out of your decayed, rotting hide now!” the angry Ratar-O retorted. “Revolting as an alliance with Thundercats and Lunatacs may be, it’s far better than going down in history as the Mutant who let Plundarr fall to the likes of an undead bag of bones!” He thrust the still-burning Sword of Plundarr high into the air. “I, Ratar-O, Mutant Warrior King of Plundarr, rightful holder of the Sword of Plundarr, hereby use the power within the Serpent Eyes of Plundarr to invoke the Incantation of Peace, that our worlds might never be at odds and live in peace and prosperity for all time!” The rat nearly choked on the words as he spoke them, but he managed to get them out nonetheless, and the Mutants’ sword joined the one of the Thundercats and the one of the Lunatacs in the sky above. A brilliant bolt of lightning parted the stormy heavens and filled all three blades with new power.
“No!” both Mumm-Ra and Torlei hollered.
“Yes,” a hopeful WilyKat countered, finally able to rise to his feet along with the others Torlei had trapped beneath the force field. They all stood to watch, as did the other Thundercats, Mutants, and Lunatacs who had been fighting. Invoking the Incantation of Peace had been enough to break through their blind anger, and rather than continue their scuffles, they rallied around their leaders in a show of support.
The mixed assemblage of spectators watched in awe as the three swords flew higher into the sky and began to meld and combine once more. This time the energy surrounding them was not harsh and destructive, but vibrant and protective. Curling around one another, they met in another flash of light. When it faded they saw one single awe-inspiring blade, too large for any mortal to wield, brilliantly shining against the cloudy sky.
“The mighty sword of lore, weapon of the gods,” Frostor breathed in wonder. “I’d believed it was just a legend.”
“Legends have a way of becoming reality. We’ve all found that out firsthand,” Snoelle remarked in response.
Now fully forged, the sword of their deities began to glow, and then shot upwards at a speed that would impress a cheetah. Its magical tip sliced a rip into the cosmos itself, exposing shadows of a whole other dimension beyond. The blade then took aim at Mumm-Ra and Torlei and blasted the pair of ever-livings with a beam of pure white light. The unholy pair screamed in agony as it struck and engulfed them, trapped them, and sucked them through the dimensional rift. The portal then sealed as though it had never existed at all, leaving no trace of the wicked beings behind. The mighty sword then flashed through the entire visible spectrum of colors before it exploded in a beautiful and breathtaking flash of light. Each sword, asleep and at peace, floated back to the hand of its keeper, while the earthquakes ceased and the stormy skies cleared to reveal the sparkle of stars and the peaceful glow of Plundarr and its Moons.
“It’s over,” Lion-O breathed in relief, savoring the essence of tranquility in the air. “It’s finally over.”
“And we’re at peace,” Selene added softly.
“Like it or not,” Ratar-O finished. The rat’s voice held no malice, however, only sarcasm. The drive he had before to eliminate his enemies had evaporated with the negative energy of Mumm-Ra’s spell.
Facing Selene with a somber look, Lion-O searched for the appropriate words to convey his regret at what had happened before Mumm-Ra had been stopped. “I know words can’t make it up… but I want you to know that I’m truly sorry about your brother.”
Selene’s eyes lingered on Silvian’s still form for a moment. “I know.” She turned to meet the lion’s gaze. “I don’t blame you. I blame Mumm-Ra. We were all manipulated by him, and on Mumm-Ra, his death has already been avenged. I bear you no ill will, Lord of the Thundercats.”
Vultureman, who had returned to the ship to retrieve Chet, deposited him in Psiarik’s arms and pointed to Lion-O, leaving him to do the diplomacy and explaining. The psi went over to Lion-O and held the cub out. “I was told that he belongs to you.”
“Chet!” Lion-O’s eyes filled with relief and joy, and he immediately pulled the child into his arms for a big hug.
“You found him!” Cheetara exclaimed, equally ecstatic. She leaned over and kissed Chet’s cheek affectionately and smiled at Psiarik. “You found him! Thank you, Lunatac,” she said with heartfelt sincerity.
Selene meanwhile beamed and hugged her husband. “I thought I told you to stay at the Tower! You defied my royal order,” she berated playfully, even as she leaned up to meet him and he bent down at the same time to give her a kiss.
“He needed my help,” he said, gesturing in Chet’s direction. “And you ought to know that I don’t listen. How many times have you complained about me stealing the covers? Besides, someone,” he gave Alluro a knowing smile, “told me that women like to be rescued because it feeds their egos. I thought maybe you needed a little ego boost.”
Selene’s smile broadened as she leaned her head against his torso. “You jerk. How dare you be right?”
“I am sorry about Silvian,” he went on to say, his tone growing somber. “You know that for as much as he and I liked to argue, he was still like a brother to me too.”
“I know,” Selene whispered back, and fell into silence along with him as they took solace and comfort in each other’s embrace.
Cheetara, meanwhile, continued to fawn over Chet. “Sweetie, I was so worried about you!” she gushed, just as Snarf, Snarfer, and Pumari joined them. From the Lair where they had held the fort, they had also anxiously watched the battle’s progress. Once it had become clear that Mumm-Ra was defeated, they wasted no time in coming out to join their friends. Snarf pulled young Chet into another bear hug as soon as Cheetara was willing to let him go.
WilyKat eyed the reunion with warm amusement. “This is one of those ‘mushy’ moments that Chet will look on with complete embarrassment in a few years.”
Alluro also watched the exchange amongst the Thundercats, and found himself wondering what his own son had looked like at such an age. He felt a pang of regret at not having had the chance to do so.
“Hey, what’s with you?” WilyKit asked the hypnotist, noticing his wistful expression. “We did just win, you know.”
“I know,” he said with a nod, back in reality. “I was just thinking.”
“Well don’t strain yourself,” quipped Luna as she and Amok joined his side.
“And to think things were going well,” Alluro replied with a roll of his eyes.
If Luna heard his remark, she chose not to grace it with a response. “Do you see that?” She pointed to Selene and Psiarik, where the first of the two had just been scooped up into the arms of the other in a dramatic sweep. Psiarik then gave his wife a passionate kiss, making her giggle afterward, which in turn led Luna to shake her head. “Your son is making Selene make an utter fool of herself. Is that any dignified way for the queen of the Moons to act?”
Alluro chortled. “You, of course, being an expert on such matters.”
Overhearing their brief exchange, Frostor joined them. Chilla, TugMug, and RedEye were only a few steps behind him. “Personally,” Frostor said, giving Luna an amused look, “I think our dear Luna is jealous that no one gave her a celebratory kiss.”
“What?” the tiny Lunatac squawked. “Who do you think—?”
Before she could continue her rant, a grinning Frostor leaned over and planted a frosty smooch squarely on her lips, leaving a trace of ice crystals on them. Luna shivered and glowered in embarrassment, but also shock and if she was honest, a bit flattered. Frostor, meanwhile, chuckled. “Think about that, dear Luna.”
“Amazing!” TugMug exclaimed. “Frostor’s managed to do something no one has ever done before.”
“Kiss Luna and survive?” RedEye laughed. Chilla and Alluro’s laughter mixed in with the darkling’s, and even Amok contributed a few snickers at Luna’s expense, while Luna only glared at RedEye and TugMug shook his head, also snickering.
“Not that, although you probably do have a point!” TugMug bounced up and down once. “But I was going to say that he actually managed to get her to shut up for a minute!”
That time all of the Lunatacs that knew and traveled with Luna for so long, save Amok, burst into hysterics along with Frostor. Luna was rather displeased to hear another snicker from her mount, and she noted from the grins on Selene and Psiarik’s faces, who had joined them, that they also found humor in TugMug’s remark. “This isn’t funny!” the indignant Luna shrieked.
Selene attempted to force a serious expression. “I’m sorry Aunt Luna, but… well, the expression on your face is priceless!” Her attempt then failed altogether as she giggled again.
Luna scowled. “Augh!”
“If you ask me, I think Luna has a thing for Frostor,” Alluro pointed out, much to the amusement of the others.
“Well no one asked you!” retorted Luna. “And besides, even if such a thing were true, at least I would only have been arguing the matter for a few minutes, unlike certain other parties I could mention that deny their attraction to one another on a regular basis.” She shot both Alluro and Chilla pointed looks.
That time TugMug snickered at the expense of different Lunatacs. “Gee, I wonder who they’re talking about,” he said sarcastically.
Psiarik nudged Alluro in the side, catching him and Chilla exchanging awkward looks. “Go for it, Dad.”
The younger psi’s “helpful” suggestion only made the moment more intense, for while Luna’s remark bordered on social impropriety, it was accurate, and irritatingly so to the psi and icewalker it pertained to. Alluro and Chilla looked at one another, and Alluro decided to make the impulsive move to humor the others, and, if the truth were to be told, find out what Chilla’s reaction would be to such a thing. The volatile ice woman was in a fairly good mood, with them having just survived a near end of their worlds, after all. “Why not?” the hypnotist said with a charming smile, and drew Chilla into his arms for a kiss. He was pleased when she not only did not push him away, but returned the gesture.
The celebration had begun.
* * *
From where she stood several feet away, Pumyra let out a bemused laugh. “Well, look at that! The Lunatacs are all getting affectionate over there! Who ever thought we’d see that happen?”
“I don’t know, but I can agree with their sentiment though,” Panthro said with a knowing grin, and kissed Snoelle, while Pumyra mumbled something about missing Bengali.
Pumari made a face, as watching the adults get kissy-faced was not anything she wanted to see. Just as WilyKat said Chet would one day, she already considered such “mushy” stuff rather icky.
WilyKat noticed, and could not resist the urge to tease the cub a little. “Aw, don’t worry Pumari. Someday a guy will want to kiss you like that too.”
“No way!”
“Oh yes,” WilyKit agreed with her brother, amused by her vehement denial. “And I’m sure you’ll want him to.”
“Nuh-unh!” Pumari was quite emphatic as she shook her head.
Holding Chet in one arm with his other around Cheetara, Lion-O chuckled lightly. “Hey now, let’s give Pumari a break.” He smiled at the twins. “By the way, WilyKat, it’s about time you showed up from Third Earth. I’m glad you two were all right. Cheetara told us about what happened, and why WilyKit left to look for you.” He held Chet a little tighter, thinking about his young son’s role in it all. “What happened?”
“You know how Mumm-Ra was using illusions?” said WilyKat, and when Lion-O nodded, he continued. “He wasn’t the only one. Torlei used one on me. She made herself look and sound just like WilyKit, like she was sending me some psychic message that she was in trouble. I guess I should’ve known something was off since we’ve never had a connection like that before, just hunches and feelings.” WilyKit nodded along with her brother while he finished. “Anyway, I landed and since like everyone else, I thought Mumm-Ra was gone, I didn’t think twice about going in to look for her. I thought maybe some new entity had moved in, and it seemed and felt so urgent, I really didn’t think it through.” He sighed. “Kinda stupid. I played right into her hands.”
“Not stupid; loyal and caring,” WilyKit asserted, putting an arm around her brother’s shoulders. “And I wasn’t much better. I went in there off of Chet’s hunch and got myself captured too. We’ve all learned a few lessons from this, I think.”
WilyKat nodded. “Number one, never let your guard down, and don’t count your ever-livings dead when they’re not.” He glanced at the sky where Mumm-Ra and Torlei had been forced through the cosmic gate. “Though hopefully wherever they are, they’re far from here for good.”
“And number two,” WilyKit said with a nod in the Lunatacs’ direction, “even your enemies can surprise you. It was them—Psiarik, Alluro, and Vultureman—that saved us.”
“Though I’m not so sure Alluro or Vultureman would’ve gone along with it without Psiarik pushing the issue,” WilyKat admitted.
Cheetara eyed the twins curiously. “So why were they there? They came to free you?”
“To free Chet actually,” said WilyKat. “Psiarik is an empathic Lunatac. He felt Chet’s cry for help. I guess he was projecting it with the kind of powers he inherited from you.”
The cheetah smiled and tousled the cub’s mop of red hair with affection. “A hero before he can even talk in full sentences. Now that’s something to be proud of, not that we didn’t have enough already.”
Snarf bounced up on his tail. “Amazing. This old snarf can hardly believe it, but this whole ordeal actually makes me think that Lunatacs and Mutants can be—dare I say it, snarf snarf—not that bad? Civilized? Decent?”
Panthro let out a hearty laugh at that. “Now there’s something, before today, I would’ve definitely called impossible!”
“More or less impossible than surviving in magical ice for fifty years?” Snoelle queried wryly.
“More,” the remainder of the Thundercats and the two snarfs echoed in unison, leading the Thundercats into another round of light laughter.
* * *
Monkian’s face twisted in disgust as he watched first the Lunatacs, then the Thundercats, engage in shameless displays of affection. “Hoo, can’t they all go and get rooms or something?”
“Let them ssssuck face. At least they got rid of the one that ssssucks the most, that double crossing bag of bones!” Slythe said, waving his scaled hand dismissively in their direction.
Bored with the exchanges amongst the Lunatacs and curious about his old allies, Vultureman came over and greeted them. “Caw! Well if it isn’t some of my old pals from Castle Plundarr!” He nodded to Ratar-O. “And you too; I’m amazed to see you off of Plundarr these days, mighty Ratar-O.”
“Flattery won’t get you a job, buzzard,” Ratar-O said with a twitch of his whiskers. “Especially after telling everyone that the Lunatacs pay better.”
Vultureman stuck his neck into the air haughtily and folded his arms. “Not my fault that it’s true. Now if you wanted to prove me wrong…”
Ratar-O raised an eyebrow. “And rile up old Zarubz?” he countered, naming a prominent leader of the avian Mutant clan and their liaison on his council. “Sorry, Vultureman, not without something that will really impress me to show off to your fellow turkeys.”
“Caw, well anyway,” the vulture said, abruptly changing the subject, “I’m sure you enjoyed watching Mumm-Ra get his after so long, especially with what he tried to pull.”
“Yessss,” agreed Slythe. “The only way it could’ve been better would’ve been if we’d gotten to watch him and that Lunatac witch he took up with burn to asssshes and decay to nothing right in front of our eyes once and for all.” The reptilian looked up at the sky where the undead pair had been banished through the rift. “But at least they’re gone and won’t be jerking ussss around ever again.”
Jackalman, who had been quiet throughout the exchange, nodded in agreement. “Nyah, Ratar-O here is much better to take orders from.”
“Thank you, but sucking up won’t get you a raise either,” the rat replied. He twirled the inert Sword of Plundarr and re-sheathed it on his belt. “Now I don’t know about the rest of you, but personally, I’d like to go home. Just because I don’t want to conquer the Thunderians anymore doesn’t mean I want to be their best friends.” The words felt strange even as he said them, but they were true. He did not want to attack or fight the Thunderians, or the Lunatacs for that matter, any longer. The Incantation of Peace and his participation in it had left him feeling like the three factions were meant to work together, in unity, rather than be at odds.
Monkian nodded his agreement. “Let’s head home then.”
“We shall, but first there are a few things I want to make clear to our new allies. There’s no better time to start this policy of diplomacy than the present.” The rat then strode out to where they had been fighting only a short while ago and called for both Lion-O and Selene’s attention. A hush fell over the entire crowd at Ratar-O’s shout, and the other two leaders joined him in short order while the others gathered around to listen. “Before we Mutants return to Plundarr, I want the status of our new alliance spelled out in clear terms.”
“Of course, Ratar-O,” Lion-O said. “As far as the Thundercats are concerned, New Thundera is at peace with Plundarr and its Moons. We will let your people be as long as you let ours be. As soon as reasonably possible, I’ll pass the word on to the people of New Thundera that a new and unbreakable treaty of peace has been forged, and that anyone guilty of harassing any Mutant or Lunatac traders, merchants, or visitors here on peaceful terms will answer for it under Thundercat law.” He looked to Ratar-O and Selene. “If this is agreeable to the two of you, I would like to formally ask the same courtesy to be extended to any Thunderian on your worlds.” The lion paused, and then added, “And that any Thunderian slaves you have that wish to be freed and come home be allowed to do so. I would pass the same law, but slavery is outlawed on all of New Thundera.”
“Assuming favorable trade agreements can be reached to offset an economic impact, I can agree to such terms,” Ratar-O said, and then looked to Selene. “And you, woman, do you agree to this, and to order your people to free any Mutant slaves they have as well?”
“My title is ‘queen’ in case you were not aware, Mutant Warrior King Ratar-O,” Selene corrected him gently.
“Apologies, your majesty. Mutant culture is different than Lunatac and Thunderian. It’ll take getting used to,” Ratar-O replied to the Lunatac ruler in a respectful tone.
Selene smiled back politely at the Mutant. “Accepted; both the apology and your terms. I’m sure our representatives can work out a fair negotiation amongst all the worlds. Under the new terms of peace, slavery of Thunderians and Mutants will be outlawed.”
Ratar-O gave a nod of consent and then looked back at Lion-O. “Since we’re extending that courtesy, I’m sure it won’t be an issue to insist that in return, no Thundercats or Thunderians will interfere with the legal slave trade businesses on our worlds?”
Lion-O drew a sharp breath, unsure of how to respond, while Selene added to Ratar-O’s statement. “That would be agreeable to us as well, Lord Lion-O. We will let any Thunderians and Mutants go as long as you agree to not use your Code of Thundera to impose on our own laws and social mores as long as they don’t interfere with your world.”
The very notion of slavery went against Lion-O’s Thundercat moral grain, but he supposed that his new allies felt that his requests of them put a strain on what they felt was acceptable as well. Compromise would be a part of peace, he supposed, and as long as his primary responsibility—the people of New Thundera—were safe, he could seek diplomatic ways to solve such issues at a later time. “Very well. Such terms are fair, and I accept them and agree to abide by them. No Thundercat or Thunderian will act against them without reprisal.”
“It’s agreed then. From here forward, we will act as allies, and these swords will be used only to defend our worlds from others. We will not fight amongst ourselves any longer.”
“The swords are to be used against outside or common threats only,” Ratar-O agreed.
Lion-O extended his hand for the other two to shake, and as they did, he sealed the agreement. “And so it shall be.”
Watching the scene with a sense of bemusement, Luna shook her head. “I’ve never dealt with a Thundercat or Mutant on such terms before. How will this work? What happens now?”
Lion-O faced his former foe from days past. “We get on with our lives, Luna. We move on.”
“So let’s go home and do just that,” Psiarik suggested, and murmurs of assent went through the crowd of Lunatacs with him. Vultureman said his goodbyes to his former Mutant comrades and left with the Lunatacs once more, while the rest of the Lunatacs aside from Luna and Amok went back to their ships. Those two stayed long enough for Amok to recover Silvian’s body and carry it back to the ship, and once they were inside, they took off. The Mutants followed suit, and the former warring factions flew to their home worlds with much to think about and reflect upon.
They were not the only ones. The Thundercats watched their new allies, once their enemies, leave in a contemplative sort of wonder. “Peace, Thundercats,” Lion-O said as their ships vanished amongst the stars above. “After countless years of war with Plundarr and its Moons, we finally have true peace with them.” He held out his hand, and the other Thundercats laid their hands upon it one by one, a call to follow him and the Code of Thundera.
“Thundercats, Ho!”