Thundercats: Return By Fire
Written by Jesse Morgan
-- Disclaimer: I do not
own any of the characters. The Thundercats are copywritten
to their respective owners. The characters have been altered or developed by
me, based on characters from the cartoon and comic book series. The plot and
story is based on the anime "Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture" and the
comic book "Thundercats: The Return." This story also contains
depictions of violence and adult language that should not be read by children
of a very young age. All comments regarding the story can be sent to
catsfan1@hotmail.com --
Thundera. It was a planet once
the home of millions of anthropomorphic felines. A planet
that was filled with peace, harmony among its inhabitants. It was
protected by a group of warriors known as the Thundercats. They were trained in
several arts of combats, with mystical weapons and powers only harbored by
them. They were strengthened by the Eye of Thundera and the Sword of Omens,
only wielded by the Lord of the Thundercats. They lived by a sacred code
uttered all across Thundera: Justice, truth, honor, and loyalty.
Decades of peace swept Thundera. The
only threat of the Mutants of the planet Plundarr. Years of combat
weakened their forces and they were not enough to get past the Royal Guard
anymore. The Thundercats purpose dwindled with time and they separated, only a
few remaining at the palace to protect the King of the Thundera from any severe
danger.
Decades of peace, safety throughout the land and seas
until the most dangerous threat fell upon Thundera. Years of wait before the
Mutants sought out a new help, a new aide in their quest to rule the planet of
Thundera. Their search took them across the galaxy, through a new land of Third
Earth. There they found the mystic, the ancient evil that was Mumm-Ra. They
called upon his help, swore undying allegiance to the mummified creature that
was created by the Ancient Spirits of Evil.
On Thundera, a war began. A war between
the people of Thundera and the Mutants of Plundarr. A
war that raged with fire and death when Mumm-Ra arrived on the planet of
Thundera. His transformed body a large summit of
muscle and destruction. His skin was the pale blue of a twilight moon.
Gold bracelets bound his wrists, his chest baring the emblem of a twin-headed
snake coiled around itself. His eyes were drenched in
red, the color of the blood he shed across Thundera with the one weapon that
gave him even more power than his decaying body was endowed with. He carried
the twin-bladed Sword of Plundarr, destroying what he could with the stains of
Thunderians and Thundercats alike on it.
He began to build an empire, taking over lands all over
Thundera. He constructed a city in his likeness, with the evil Onyx Pyramid
thriving in the center of it. He succeeded in defeating thousands before
attempting to take his fight to the heart of Thundera, the city home to the
King of Thundera.
Centuries of work and buildings crumbled into broken rock
again when Mumm-Ra struck. He enslaved thousands while taking apart the city
that was once a structure of beauty and prestige. He held the King of Thundera,
the youthful Claudus, in prison, left him there to slowly die away like that of
his people. But he had faith. Though his wife's blood was taken against the
blade of a Mutant's dagger, though he'd never seen the son she gave birth to
hours before the attack, he had faith. He knew the Thundercats still lived, the
very few that were the strongest of the group. He knew the
war would not be filled with not just disaster, but the bringing of something
greater.
When the war ended, the Thunderians stood triumphant with
the assistance of another ancient being. They sought out Mumm-Rana, a
supernatural woman also from the planet of Third Earth. She was bestowed power
that equaled that of Mumm-Ra, by the Ancient Spirits of Good. She pulled
together the remaining Thundercats and battled the forces of Mumm-Ra. The
Thundercat Jaga, an accomplished warrior that destroyed many Mutants in defense
of Thundera and the royal family, supported her. He passed on the Sword of
Omens to Mumm-Rana, battled by her side as she fought mercilessly against
Mumm-Ra.
Mumm-Rana defeated Mumm-Ra, in turn shattering the Sword
of Omens in her final battle against the immortal demon. She drove a final
shard of the Sword of Omens into the chest of Mumm-Ra. But it did not destroy
him, only disperse his powers. It drove his everliving
spirit into a stone statue that remains in an unknown area of Thundera.
Evil died that day across many regions of Thundera, as
did Mumm-Rana. Her days without returning to her sarcophaguses on Third Earth
diminished her power, left her weakened and unable to take the journey back to
her home world. Her spirit, along with the others that died in the war with
Mumm-Ra, passed from the world of Thundera, left it with peace to survive
through decades more of prosperity.
Those decades left Thundera without the Thundercats,
without a reason to fear a lethal enemy. Jaga remained loyal to the old King of
Thundera, Claudus. He, along with the Royal Army, fought any new breed of evil
until his death. His old age, years of fighting, took everything from hi
Good never exists without evil. And those decades only
brought hunger for revenge, for power, for a chance to be a God rather than a
King. Many sought with that hunger and failed. Still, it never ceased to exist.
It only harbored its energy and grew until it found its proper home. It waited
for its chance. It waited because Thundera now only existed with an army of
normal warriors, a government ruled by ancient laws and the myth that one day
the lost Lord of the Thundercats might return to power. But it was a myth and
evil did not believe in myths.
**
A desert, one of the few on Thundera, breezed with the
thick, dusty air of a blazing sun. The wind carried the sand across an airship
guarded by a few mutants of the planet Plundarr. Some still lived on Thundera,
scattered in the darkest areas of the planet, hiding in fear of being exposed
and killed.
Nearby, a deep shaft carried two mutants to their
destination. They searched with a lust to gain some form of power, control over
any area of Thundera. They were known pirates of evil, but they were never bold
enough to take their hunger for supremacy to battle. They knew they weren't
strong enough to handle any member of the army.
"Caw.. There it is. We've
found it."
The Vultureman, one of the few mutants
that carried a level of intelligence above normal regard. As smart as he
was treacherous, his cowardness was only exceeding by
few. But it didn't matter now. He'd located a treasure that was unknown to
many, but to those who did, it was power beyond mild imagination.
"Yes, we've found it and now power will be mine.
Now, I will rule the universe as my ancestor Ratilla
did so long ago."
Ratar-O's ears raised and his smile was heavy with that
of power. He was a Plunderrian mutant skilled in
combat that he rarely used. He was notorious across the galaxy, his long
mustache and twin
"You? I think that we were
going to rule," Vultureman squawked, squinting
his eyes at his supposed comrade.
"Yes, yes, we shall rule. But it is I who has the
warlike nature to truly give us control over this despicable planet,"
Ratar-O argued, pulling one of his
"Ah, but I am the one with the intelligence. Only I
will know how to use this new weapon," Vultureman countered, trying to
swallow back his obvious fear. He did not dare move. He knew he would risk
spilling his own blood by the weapon of his cohort.
Ratar-O lowered his jagged blade, narrowing an eye at
Vultureman before lifting a small golden box from the dirt. He sheathed his
blade again, eyes never wondering from Vultureman. He dusted it off, an
encrusted symbol of a twin-headed snake in the center of the box. "We shall
see Vultureman."
The wind outside of the shaft shifted in a new direction,
a jackal's eyes following it as it did. He watched the sand part slightly, a
lone figure approaching. His red eyes did not
recognize the large man as he approached, his steps light but full of purpose.
The jackal lifted his gun immediately, an accustom reaction to a new presence.
The steps grew heavier as the figure approached. The sun
settled against his figure as the sand slowed its movement in the air. A saber
tooth jutted from his mouth. His body was creation of muscle and obvious power.
His one long brown mane was a short-crop of hairs. His wrists were wrapped in
black armbands with spikes. His shoulders were covered in golden heads of a
saber-tooth tiger. His fists were clenched, tightening muscles that were hard
to see in the dark but were apparent by Thundera's
bright, hovering sun.
"Who... who goes there?"
The fear in the jackal's voice was evident when he spoke. But his response, a
deep laugh, quivered through his spine quicker than the fear. It burned against
his brain like acid and his once control of his weapon seemed to be wavering as
he tried to hold it steady, aiming for his target.
The laughter stopped and dark brown eyes full of
amusement settled into a blank stare, concentrating and drawing up energy. A
small glowing light, deep red in color, radiated from his muscular structure.
His fists grew tighter shut and a snarl curled his upper lip. He brought up his
arm, elbow bent, and brought it down quicker than the
change in the wind. His fist slammed into the ground and the land below quaked
violently.
A lava-fueled fire raged up from the sands, racing toward
the jackal. His fear suspended him in motion and the flames devoured him. The
lone figure stood back, laughing again before taking slow steps toward the
others.
Screams raced through the area as the other mutants
dashed around, some thinking to attack while others trying to find the safety
of the rocks around the area. Only laughter managed to break through the
screams before explosions rocked the area.
The dark sabre pulled one
mutant up by his throat, holding him above his shoulders with a gleam in his
eyes. He held out his other hand with his palm up, a ball of energy slowly
building from the heat that swirled throughout the area. The mutant struggled
against him, as his fingers grew tighter around the mutant's larynx, preventing
him from squealing as his companions did.
The dark stranger watched as another mutant, a reptile
stepped up, holding his gun up fearlessly. He began to fire and as quick as the
lasers cut through the dry air of the desert, the sabre
yanked the mutant he was holding in front of him, using his body to take the
brute of the beams. He chuckled again, tossing the limp body away before
hurling the ball of pure fire energy at the mutant. The explosion ripped up
more of the sand while leaving more than one mutant lying in immobile and
lifeless in the sand.
"By the moons of Plundarr, what is going on out
here?" Ratar-O asked loudly as he emerged from the shadows of the shaft,
Vultureman following with a wary expression.
Ratar-O surveyed the area, observed the raging fires that
consumed the lands and the lone sabre walking slowly
toward them. He tried to concentrate on his next move as Vultureman cawed
frightfully behind him. He clutched the box to his chest and moved quickly,
dashing away from the shaft. He could hear the ramped footsteps of Vultureman
following him, calling for him, but he had no mind to turn back and wait for
the terrified mutant.
A flash stopped Ratar-O, blinding him momentarily. He dug
his feet into the sand and tried to regain his vision, blinking past pain to
watch an agile figure flip through the air before landing in front of him. She
was youthful; her short scarlet hair marked by a black stripe that ran down the
middle of it. Her eyes were a vision of ruby and orange with a smile laced with
intent. Ratar-O smiled back, undaunted by his new challenger.
"Stand back wench or taste the blade of my sai," he warned, his lip curling while his eyes
narrowed. She didn't move, only smiled harder. He watched as she adjusted the
sole strap on her blue and pink outfit, one that barely covered her soft flesh.
He tried to configure a pinpoint, an area to strike before quickly drawing one
of his
Ratar-O tried to keep his balance as he swung back, his
blade searching for flesh. Again, it only cut through air as the young feline
leapt into the air. Her body spun in circles and Ratar-O was unprepared when
she released several small marbles from her hands, each exploding once they
came near. He rolled away, avoiding the destruction while cutting his own arm
with his sai.
"By the moons of Plundarr!"
Ratar-O's voice echoed through the air as he squinted at
the feline, her body lean as she knelt in the sand, a cunning smile on her
lips. He tried to forget the pain, the sight of his own blood dying the sands
of the desert a deep red. His fingers could barely hold his sai
between them, but he managed to. He found the strength to stand when he heard
Vultureman squawking and felt the wind as he ran past him.
"Run, you idiot! Run!"
Ratar-O continued to watch his opponent,
her body still while her smile irremovable. He figured it safe to move,
detecting that her attack was complete. He dashed through the sands, clutching
the golden box tighter. He ran uninhibitedly, his fear now rising because of
this unknown threat.
Again, his steps were slowed when he got a clear view of
another figure standing on a pile of rocks a few feet away. He slowed his feet,
glared at the young male as he crossed his arms, his stance unmoved by the
swirling winds. Only his hair, a mixture of orange and white that was parted by
two black stripes, managed to shift with the current of the wind. He tilted his
head up, his eyes emerging from the shadows that played over his face. His
orange eyes squinted and he smiled a grin that was becoming familiar to
Ratar-O.
Ratar-O lifted his sai, using
his failing strength to emit laser blasts from the eye in the hilt of the
sword. The beams missed as the male leapt into the air, an
nimbleness that was similar to the female Ratar-O had encountered seconds
before. His body danced in the wind as he clenched his fist and then opened
them, strong currents of the wind forming blades that were not completely
visible to the bare eye. They cut the land before Ratar-O as he hopped back,
trying to avoid the attack. He rolled again when another small bomb was thrown
at him and tried to detour his route toward his ship. But he was too late. The
young feline had concentrated his energy again and threw another air blade toward
the ship, cutting it in half.
"No!"
Ratar-O stood in awe at the sight of his ship falling
into two uneven pieces in the sand. He tried to drowned out the sounds of
Vultureman's wailing while watching the curious male flip back onto his pile of
rocks, a grin pushing the corners of his mouth upward. He fixed his brown,
leather armbands before brushing fingers through his short hair, arching an
eyebrow with a dare fixed into his expression.
"You arrogant child. I will
not die at your hands," Vultureman squealed, dashing toward the undaunted
young feline.
Ratar-O watched with wide eyes, never calling back for
his cohort. He stared with fear at another figure appearing from the blaze, a
smile on his lips. He lifted his hand without a thought, small red flares
forming a circle, a ball of energy that he released freely at Vultureman. Those
shrieks bled through Ratar-O's ears as Vultureman's body was burned away in
seconds. He watched the ashes hover through the air, his eyes fixating on the
newcomer.
His skin was pale, almost white in the high sun. His hair
was the blue of the sky, long bangs swaying back and forth as the wind moved.
He too had a youth about him, his sharp eyes red with hollow black pupils. He
wore a long, sleeveless red coat that had tails that danced with the wind. A
sword was at his side, one that Ratar-O had seen only in paintings and drawings
on walls.
"Ratar-O, descendent of the great Ratilla, shall not meet his death by the hands of any of
you," Ratar-O hissed, gathering his bravery while drawing up his sai. He listened to a challenging laugh before leaping
forward, concentrating so that his sai might slice
through flesh and draw blood upon contact. He was met in mid-movement by a red
blast of energy shot from the hand of the newcomer, his eyes still bright with
the laughter he had emitted before. Ratar-O's body fell with a thud and a final
gasp of air; his eyes open as his death came over him.
The laughter drew through the air again as the female
stepped forward, opening the box and drawing out a golden armband. She slipped
it over the hand of the pale man, watching as it naturally fastened itself to
his wrist. It gleamed in the light of the sun and his smile grew larger.
"Stupid mutant. Did you
really think that you could stop me from getting a piece of the armor of
Mumm-Ra the Everliving?"
The pale man drew out his sword and watched flames engulf
it. He swirled it around, drawing up the heat from the area before releasing a
fiery blast that annihilated the remains of Ratar-O's airship. He snickered and
leapt into the air, floating for moments with the power of the sword and the
armband. His smirk never faded.
The young, female feline glanced at her companions while
stepping back. She formed a small smile on her lips before whispering, "Katil's even more powerful and he only has two pieces of
the armor."
**
Feet barely touched the ground, running on the air and
almost through time itself. Only small bursts of air were left behind each time
she passed. Feet were guided on a search that kept her running rather than
trying a more logical approach to finding what she was looking for. But she
kept moving.
It was hard for her to see the faces, but her eyes kept
moving. They were mostly a blur of adults, women, men, and children. Just her
fellow Thunderians passed in the blaze and if she only knew what she was
looking for, she'd take a moment to stop and memorize some of the faces. But
she didn't know what she who she was looking for, what would draw her to this
man that was hidden by shadows in her mind.
She stopped for a moment, trying to gather her strength.
She caught the looks she received from others, others that had not seen her
there just seconds before. How could they? Her race was a master of speed and
she was one of the rare ones that ran so fast that many only caught the blur or
something passing, if that.
Her head hung low, her body bent forward with her hands
on her knees. She swallowed hard, looking around. She glanced back over her
shoulder, caught them drawing closer. She knew they were following her, not as
quick as her, but a bit more knowledgeable of the quick access streets and
tunnels that got them around the city. They were cloaked, hiding themselves
from the Thunderians because if any, from the smallest to the oldest, spotted
this group of mutants, chaos would ensue.
She took in a few more breaths and tried to concentrate.
She refused to give in. She would willingly sacrifice her life in the middle of
the streets rather than be captured by them, taken back to a man that not only
haunted her visions, but her soul.
When she could hear their footsteps, she moved. She leapt
into the air, tucking her body as she flipped before closing her eyes. She
listened to the way the wind took her before unfolding her body, letting her
feet land against one of the poles erected on either side of the street. She
bounced off of the pole, using the leverage to hurl her body feet first into
one of the mutants' chest, knocking him down. She leapt up again, dodging a
jackal as he tried to grab her. She flipped over him, ducking a punch from the
mutant behind her. She sideswiped him with her foot, knocking him over and onto
the fallen mutant.
"Come here fast one," a monkey hooted, latching
his fingers into her hair. She growled, resisting. He dragged her back and she
could see the blade he was beginning to raise. She wasn't sure if she was
really willing to give up her life if it meant the end of the world she loved
so much.
The eyes of the street began to look, some screaming in
horror while others looked ready to help. She knew if anyone interfered, they
would be killed. None of the Thunderians there were ready for this group of
mutants. Not unless they were trained properly.
"It would really be a shame if you were to hurt any
hair on that young woman's head."
The voice came from the shadows and she struggled to look
and see who dared to make the first attempt to save her. She narrowed her eyes,
focusing as a man younger than her emerged from the splashes of black and gray that were brought upon the night's sky and the lights of the
street. His hair was a crimson red, a wild mane of scarlet. His muscles flexed
under fair skin, eyes deprived of intimidation. He clenched his fists, hands
wrapped in black gloves with shredded leather armbands running up to the middle
of his forearm. Black covered his body, his upper arms bare.
"It would be a shame if we left your head in the
middle of the street for these miserable Thunderians to mourn over,"
hissed one of the reptilians, pulling out his dagger.
An eyebrow arched with a stern expression before a smile
pulled at lips and drew out a snicker. "Now that wasn't very nice."
The cheetah tried to struggle against the forearm that
was pushing against her throat, holding her in place. She could do nothing but
watch. She glared as one of the monkeys dashed toward the young lion. His fleet
feet lifted him into the air, a foot landing against the monkey's jaw, sending
him to the ground. She awed at the way he ducked a blade and leapt over another
mutant, arms reaching down and grabbing the dark cloak that hid the mutant's
identity. He used his strength and flipped the reptilian, throwing the mutant
into a nearby wall while landing on his feet.
"Ooh, ooh; kill him," the monkey that held her
captivated grunted out. She closed her eyes as the lion tossed another mutant
into a nearby glass window. She took in a deep breath and jerked forward,
flipping the monkey off of her. She did not look to see whether he landed on
his feet. She turned quickly and began her dash again, leaving the scene before
a word could be uttered.
"Now what about all that talk
about my head being left in the street?" The lion ducked each swipe
of the blade from the reptile, smiling slightly. He leapt backward, his foot
catching the reptile in the chin. He landed one knee on the ground with a grin
as the mutant soared backward and onto the ground. The dagger fell from the
mutant's hand, a small drop of blood sliding from his lip down to the ground
below.
The young lion brushed the dust from his arm as the
mutants quickly regrouped and dashed from the streets, leaping into a nearby
tunnel. He sighed and glanced around, a few of the onlookers beginning to
gather. He wasn't looking for recognition or praise for his efforts. It wasn't
in his character.
"Where'd she..." He glanced around quickly,
looking for the cheetah he attempted to rescue. He did not make it an effort to
save anyone, but when he did, he did not know them to run away.
"Great job buddy."
He ignored the acclaim and focused. Since a child, he'd
been able to sense things, find those he was looking for with a familiar smell.
He could still taste the sweat from her brow against the tip of his tongue even
though he had never touched her. It was just a natural tracking ability he had
that aided him when sensing danger.
He sniffed around quickly, ignoring any stares he got
from the streetwalkers. He tried to follow her scent in the air. It was faint,
almost nonexistent. Most cheetahs of that speed were like that. Quick, leaving a small trace that most Thunderians could not follow
without some kind of mechanical device. But he didn't need any special
tool to find what he was looking for. He smiled to himself when he figured out
a direction and began to quick run toward his destination.
**
The Great Hall was a structure of a grand design. It was
an artistic sight for many to look at; one that was visited daily by the
inhabitants of Thundera. It housed a shrine to Jaga and the Thundercats made of
ivory and stone. A glass case in one corner of the long building held a replica
of the Book of Omens, one of the most prized articles belonging to the
Thundercats. It was lost sometime during the war with Mumm-Ra, never recovered.
The Great Hall was a place where diplomats met to discuss the growth of the
city and an educational front for the children to learn much of the history of
the world that was once nothing but serenity and peace.
The Great Hall housed a celebration this night. Generals,
warriors, noblemen, elder Thunderians, ambassadors from nearby planets,
dignitaries, and others all gathered to celebrate another decade of peace. They
gathered, laughed, conversed about the government and the culture that was
growing throughout the lands. All but one sole Siberian tiger who stood to the side. He observed, listened to their
conversations with a mindful eye and tentative ears.
He felt more than out of place in this gathering of greats. Who was he to any
of them? He could hear some of their whispers, women directing their mates to
the fact that he was but a blacksmith, a young tiger in the midst of higher
Thunderians. He was unclear why he'd agreed to attend the celebration?
He was Bengali, a tiger with a drea
Bengali sighed and held up his cup, swirling around the
contents inside. He thought to drink it but couldn't. He watched while a few Roberberbils passed by, carrying conversation in an
automated form that was sometimes hard for him to understand. He ran his
fingers over the azure stripes on his arm, exhaling lowly while trying to look
entertained by his surroundings.
"Lynx-O, it's good to see you here."
Bengali raised his head and turned, watching as a tiger
approached Lynx-O. He narrowed his eyes, trying to remember the face. Was he
not a warrior, or once was? A proud tiger that was the topic
of much discussion around the villages? His stature was boastful, his
smirk painting a picture of arrogance in its simplest form.
"That voice. Why, it could not belong to anyone
other than Tygra," Lynx-O grinned, speckled black ears raising
reaching a hand out. It was grabbed by Tygra, held proudly.
"None other than the great Tygra," Tygra
conceded with a healthy laugh. The two laughed together while Bengali looked on
unimpressed. He took a quick sip of his wine and kept his attention focused on
the words exchanged between Tygra and Lynx-O.
"I hear that you're training Thunderians to be
warriors now. Teaching them the art of combat at your age Lynx-O?" Tygra
inquired, still holding Lynx-O's hand. Lynx-O drew it back with a smile,
heading turning as if to look for something. Bengali stood attentive, ready to
help if Lynx-O called.
"Why, yes, I am. In fact," Lynx-O replied,
finally turning his head in Bengali's direction, "I'd like you to meet one
of my young pupils."
Bengali stepped forward quickly when Lynx-O's hand raised. He allowed Lynx-O to rest the hand on his shoulder,
trying to look proud yet humbled. He offered a smile for Tygra, one that was
returned with curiosity wrapped in it.
"Tygra, I would like you to meet Bengali,"
Lynx-O spoke up, his introduction met with a welcoming hand from Tygra. Bengali
shook it without question.
"It's good to meet a brethren
who is under the guidance of such a dignified warrior such as Lynx-O,"
Tygra said, shaking Bengali's hand. Bengali drew his hand back with a nod, unsure of what words would raise Tygra's approval for
him.
"I am honored to meet a warrior such as yourself, just as I am honored and humbled to be under the
tutelage of a wise teacher like Lynx-O," Bengali finally spoke, voice
carrying the winds of esteem. He again nodded in Tygra's direction as Tygra raised
his cup, tipping it toward Bengali. He knew it was a sign of appreciation and
hoped it would ease some of the barriers he already drew up.
"I don't know if I can still call myself a warrior
for I have not seen battle in years, but the gesture is appreciated,"
Tygra spoke before sipping his wine.
Bengali nodded, his eyes slipping from Tygra's face for a
moment. He glanced over the tiger's shoulder, toward an image that felt more
pleasing. He watched as a young puma took graceful steps behind Tygra. He held
his concentration on her as she lifted a pale hand, drawing it through brown
locks of hair before toying with the ivory ends, settling into a comfortable
stance. She brushed the back of her hand against her cheek before lowering it,
letting it drop against a brown dress.
She must have caught Bengali's stare on her because her
eyes were now on him. Her lips formed a frown and she lowered her brow,
discouraged by his look. He quickly pulled his blue eyes from her, only
watching from the corner of them as she walked away. He groaned internally,
cursing the skies of Thundera for being so obvious in his adoration of her
beauty.
Bengali lost focus on the feline when his eyes caught
another flash behind Tygra, the wind that followed her unsettling the hairs on
the back of his neck. He watched as she bumped into a large lion, her body
bouncing back and off balance.
"Whoa, watch it," the lion growled, swiftly
turning around.
Bengali glanced upon the panting cheetah, her face a
mirror of confusion. She pushed back her spotted blonde mane and regained
composure. He cleared his throat quietly when Tygra turned also, Lynx-O's head
shifting slightly to follow the pattern of the noise.
"I'm sorry, I just..."
Her others words never made it above the sound of
shattering glass. The sound of a scream, a few gasps echoed through the hall as
a mutant, one known throughout Thundera as Monkian, stepped into the hall.
Gasps broke out through the area, fearful Thunderians taking steps backward
while others searched for an exit.
Monkian grinned, rolling a tongue over his lips while
twirling a bladed staff in his hand. His white fur moved slightly as he took
heavy steps toward the object of his mission. He eyed the cheetah trembling a
few feet away, red eyes glazed with accomplishment and fearlessness.
"If it's a fight he wants," Bengali growled
lowly, setting aside his cup before walking forward. A hand snatched his arm
and pulled hi
"No Bengali, please, let me," Tygra requested,
a face of wisdom and honesty.
Bengali did not want to back down. He wanted to prove
himself. But something in the way Lynx-O listened attentively with a face of
concern prevented him fro
"Ook, you challenge
me?" Monkian's question was dripped with sarcasm dressed in pride.
"Coming here was an unwise decision mutant,"
Tygra retorted, still walking valiantly toward Monkian. He followed the motion
of the staff in Monkian's hand, timing his meter and position.
"Challenging me is even unwise," Monkian
countered before raising his staff. He swung with might, the blade just barely
missing Tygra as he flipped to the side. He ran at Monkian, fist drawn back.
Monkian lifted the staff again, the wood catching Tygra's foot as he hurdled
into the air. Tygra came down to the ground with a crash, rolling away before
Monkian's blade could meet with his flesh.
The clatter of the metal against the stone of the ground
echoed as Tygra flipped to his feet, fist lunging and making contact with
Monkian's side. Monkian grunted but quickly countered with an elbow to Tygra's
jaw, sending the tiger back.
Tygra panted, thought of his
next move while Monkian stood erect again. He did not remember any of the
mutants being so quick or accurate. Something was definitely different about
Monkian, more advanced. He wiped away the blood from his mouth with the back of
his hand before running again, jumping upward and bringing his force down with
his feet.
Monkian backed away and yanked up his staff for another
attack. Tygra landed on his feet and rolled forward, dodging another swing of
Monkian's blade. He leapt backward into the air, trusting faith while using his
eyes to pinpoint Monkian's position on the ground. He managed to grab Monkian
by the shoulders and drive his knees into the mutant's back, causing Monkian to
scamper forward in pain. But Monkian's retreat didn't last long and his blade
came backward, Monkian's aim controlled by glancing over his shoulder. Tygra
was quick, the edge of the blade barely missing his ar
"What's the matter Thunderian? Can you not capture
me so easily?" Monkian questioned, turning to Tygra.
Tygra restrained his anger, sprinting forward. He ran
past Monkian's side, avoiding another swipe of the staff but Monkian's speed
countered the mistake and he slide the staff between
his fingers, the blunt end of it ramming into Tygra's ribs. Tygra rolled
forward on the ground until he was on bended knee, gripping his chest with one
arm while his other hand laid flat against the cold stone below him. He looked
up, Monkian but inches away with his staff raised,
ready to behead him without thought.
The sound of a crack unsettled Tygra. He watched as a
male lion kicked the staff from Monkian's hands, leaping past Tygra as the
staff slid across the ground. Tygra scuttled back with wide eyes as the lion
smiled proudly at Monkian.
"How dare you?!"
Monkian quickly ran for his staff as the lion roared,
flipping forward into the air and landed behind Monkian. Monkian yanked up the
staff and swung back. The staff made no contact with the lion as he jumped up,
coming down with his feet slamming into Monkian's hand; bones cracking like
thunder over the land. Monkian bellowed in pain but refused to drop the staff,
his other hand grabbing it and swinging again. Each swing missed as the lion
leapt back from the attack.
Monkian snarled with anger. He panted hard while eyeing
the lion jump once more, landing behind him. He pulled his strength together
and whirled his staff around once more. The lion watched the blade in the wind
and jumped, kicking the staff so that it revolved backward, the blade catching
Monkian in the chest.
Gasps fluttered through the room as Monkian fell slowly
backward, his eyes rolling back with his own weapon bringing him to death.
Cheers broke out as the young lion took a moment to regain his breath, dragging
his fingers through his red mane. He looked around as again Thunderians swarmed
him, congratulating him.
"How dare you enter the battle that was between myself and that wretched mutant," Tygra questioned,
pulling the lion around by his shoulder while still holding tightly to his
injured ribs. The lion glared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Tygra, he saved your life," Bengali responded,
confused by Tygra's anger. Maybe his pride was too much to be thankful for
being spared an unnecessary death?
"I do not care Bengali," Tygra growled, eyes
still burning as they looked upon the lion. "Who are you?"
The lion ran a slow tongue over his bottom lip. He gave
an untrustworthy glare to Tygra, breathing heavy. "Not that I owe you any
explanation, but the name's Lion-O."
"Well, Lion-O..."
"It's you; it is you I am looking for."
Tygra turned his head with a scowl, his expression
softening when the cheetah fro
"You.. You’re the one I
helped out in the streets," Lion-O noted with a lowered brow. He had
tracked her to the Great Hall. He was only there to figure out the mystery of
this cheetah.
"Yes, I am Cheetara. I've come here in search of a
great fighter, of a fighter they talk about in villages and the cities. The one
that isn't looking for glory, just the good of defeating evil and helping
others," Cheetara gushed, laying a hand on Lion-O's shoulder with bright
eyes. It was as if she'd found the final ending to a dream she had for years.
But it almost was, for her.
"And I'm that fighter?" Lion-O inquired with a
doubtful glare. He felt uneasy with the stares of many of him while this
cheetah, Cheetara, boasted of his efforts to help others.
"Yes, you are. Please, I need your help to stop an
evil that could destroy all of Thundera," Cheetara pleaded, her hand
roaming down Lion-O's arm until she could grasp his glove-covered hand. She
squeezed it tightly, the desperation in her eyes more
than just a sentiment.
Lion-O stood in awe at her sudden need. He knew there
wasn't much to consider. Thundera was his home, the place he'd fought so hard
to keep safe. The planet he was born on, though he knew nothing of his past. He
only knew of being enslaved by mutants, being forced to help create structures
in the glory of Mumm-Ra. He could remember escaping, running for days in fear
of being captured again. He could still taste the tears against his cheek as he
swore to protect Thundera from the mutants and to fight until was he destroyed.
He would never be a slave again.
"All right, I will help you," Lion-O finally
agreed, his expression easing into a compassionate one.
"You will?" Cheetara gasped with glee.
"Hold on, if any fighter is going to be on this
mission to save Thundera, I should at least be included," Tygra
interjected with a grin. He stepped forward, eyes remaining on Cheetara rather
than Lion-O.
"And you shall not be alone," Bengali said,
walking forward with Lynx-O by his side.
"If there is a need for a fighter, then I'd be
willing to offer my assistance and knowledge of medicine."
Heads turned as the female puma from earlier strolled
forward, a look of seriousness jading any stares of disbelief. Bengali smiled,
tilting his head slightly to garnish a better view of the feline.
"And you are?" Tygra wondered, scratching at
his chin.
"Pumyra," she replied before turning her eyes
on Cheetara, "And I'd willingly help if it meant protecting this
world."
"All of you? All of you would be willing to
help?" Cheetara questioned with a raised voice of joy. She squeezed
Lion-O's hand harder and tried to control her emotions.
"Looks like you've got a group of volunteers ready
and willing to help," Lion-O smiled, looking over the others. He didn't
know what to expect from this desperate cheetah. He worried about the proud
tiger, the young Siberian, the blind lynx, and the mysterious puma. He was
unsure of what the coming battle was and what role any of them would play.
**
A hand rested against glass while eyes looked out upon
the planet she never had a chance to cherish. She sighed, remembering little of
her past. She knew of her name, Wily Kit. She knew the ancient sorcerer Mumm-Ra
raised her. Stolen as a cub, she and her twin brother, Wily Kat, were forced
into suspension capsules whose technology had been altered to increase age
rather than still it.
In some ways, she still felt like a child. But her
physical maturity was there. So were the powers that the Ancient Spirits of
Evil ignited within her, her brother, and the ruthless sabre
tooth warrior Grune. It was something she just couldn't escape.
“Slithe, what news do you bring
me?”
Wily Kit turned her head, hiding the sadness as she
watched the reptilian approach. She followed him as he approached Katil, his lithe body sitting on a throne at the front of
the room. Next to him sat a large beast, one that could have been considered a
dog, a pet, but much more ruthless. She stepped away from the window and closer
to Katil, eyes quickly glancing at her brother leaned
up against one of the gold columns in the room and Grune smiling across from
Wily Kat.
"Master, I have been informed that Monkian hasss been killed in combat with a Thunderian while trying
to recapture Cheetara," Slithe hissed, bowing
his head when he finally stopped in front of Katil.
"We should have killed off those bumbling mutants
when we killed off the Lunatacs," Wily Kat remarked, adjusting the leather
band around his wrist.
"By the moons of Plundarr, how dare you?" Slithe hissed loudly.
"Oh, please, you mutants have been as useful to us
as a group of insects. I think destroying you mutants off would have been a lot
more fun rather than killing those groveling Lunatacs, Plundarr's so-called greatest
warriors," Wily Kat gushed, eyes round with pleasure as he looked upon Slithe. Grune chuckled from across him, shaking his head
while rubbing his knuckles.
"You dare," Slithe
grumbled, wild eyes glaring at the young feline.
"Enough already," Katil
sighed, waving his hand around. The attention quickly fell on him as he lowered
his hand, letting it rest on the creature sitting next to his throne. He pet
delicate fingers against the rough blue skin of his pet, eyes wandering around
the room as his followers.
"I am not concerned about Monkian or his demise. Our
concentration must be on getting the final three pieces of the armor of Mumm-Ra
and regaining Cheetara. Without her, it will be a foolish search for the final
piece. We must seek out the pieces and Cheetara and then prepare to take over
all of Thundera," Katil insisted, raising his
hand again before gripping his fingers shut into a fist. The others only
nodded.
**
Lion-O felt uncomfortable walking through the ruins of a
temple that once sent shivers through the vertebrae of thousands. He felt a
wind gush over the back of his neck, one that felt tainted with evil. He
glanced around, trying to peer down dark, shadowy corridors that probably led
to even more malevolence. He swallowed back with disgust and continued to
follow the small light Cheetara carried as she led them through the Onyx
Pyramid.
"This pyramid has been off limits to any Thunderian
or outsider since Mumm-Ra's demise. It was thought that the powers that Mumm-Ra
controlled were still buried alive within the walls, waiting to possess anyone
that dared walked through here," Cheetara spoke, running the light over
different inscriptions in the bricks of the walkway.
"But there isn't much to fear now? This pyramid was
practically destroyed by any Thunderian who could get close enough years
ago," Tygra remarked, keeping his arms close by his side.
"Foolish countrymen who thought they could destroy
the power of a demon by destroying the stone he dwelled behind," Lynx-O
chided, holding onto Bengali's arm as he guided them through the shadows.
"Unfortunately, Lynx-O is right. Mumm-Ra's true
power did not exist behind the walls of his pyramid. What we Thunderians did
not know is that the evil spirits that created Mumm-Ra put all of his real
power into the pieces of armor he wore and the Sword of Plundarr. With his two
golden bracelets, the twin blades of the Sword of Plundarr and his crown,
Mumm-Ra was almost invisible to everyone except Mumm-Rana," Cheetara
explained, stopping in the center of a dark room, holding up the light to the
others.
"But surely Mumm-Rana had to know about the power in
his armor. After all, wasn't she the same as he was?" Bengali inquired.
"Yes, and that is why she entrusted only a few to
spread his armor across Thundera before she died. She knew that if anyone else
was to wear that armor, he or she would control the evil power that Mumm-Ra
once held," Cheetara replied, carrying the light to a nearby wall. She ran
her fingers over the rough surface, searching for something. When she found it,
she pressed in, a light beaming down from the top of the ceiling, providing
proper glow for everyone to see with.
"You mean the myth about Mumm-Ra's armor is true? I
thought it was just an old tale from village to village used to scare the
children?" Pumyra questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I'm surprised the three of you were even old enough
to remember anything concerning the war with Mumm-Ra," Tygra scoffed.
"I was old enough to remember my mother dying in
that war," Bengali growled, eyes narrowing at Tygra with conviction. Tygra
remained silent, leaning against one of the walls.
"So what does all of this have to do with us?"
Lion-O asked, eyes wandering around the room to look at the paintings and
inscriptions along the walls.
"Mumm-Ra was controlled by higher beings, ones that
had one goal. They wanted to destroy the goodness of the world, control planets
with their evil. That goal was disrupted by the defeat of Mumm-Ra, but the attempt
never died," Cheetara explained.
"So you're saying they are trying to use another
body to host that power?" Lynx-O questioned Cheetara, gripping Bengali's
arm a little tighter with concern.
"They've gone past trying, Lynx-O. A being by the
name of Katil has been waiting years to seek out the
power that was promised to him while Mumm-Ra was still in power here in
Thundera. But he was still young then and the Ancient Spirits of Evil felt he
was unready. Upon Mumm-Ra's death, the spirits knew they would need a more able
being to hunt for the armor," Cheetara clarified while running her fingers
over a few of the paintings.
"Enter Katil," Tygra
noted, leaning off the wall as a speckle of dust fell onto his shoulder. He
quickly brushed it off, turning his nose up with distaste written in his
expression.
"Katil is something that
is much more cunning, much more devious than I think any Thunderian has seen
since Mumm-Ra. And his youth and growing power only makes it seem more and more
impossible to stop him," Cheetara exclaimed, silencing tears that rested
against her eyelids. Her fear could not be more apparent to the others.
"Cheetara, how is it that you know all of this and
none one else does?" Lion-O curiously asked, staring at her as she
continued to trace the patterns on the wall.
"I... I was a prisoner of Katil's,"
Cheetara replied softly, eyes looking down at the floor with shame. "A
small portion of my race has the ability to see things, if you will. A sixth
sense that allows us to sometimes see visions of the past, the present, even
the future if our power is great enough. Katil
captured me because no one is sure where the final piece of Mumm-Ra's armor is.
He tried to use me to find it and I came close, but refused to dig deep enough
to give him the ultimate power and the ultimate doom for Thundera."
Lion-O laid his hand on her shoulder,
a comforting gesture that he hoped would ease her slight shivers. Cheetara
sighed and looked up again, striving to smile for Lion-O. It was difficult, but
his smoothing hand helped.
"So how do we find these pieces of the armor, get to
the
"Katil has already been
successful in finding two of the pieces. He has one half of the Sword of
Plundarr and one of the armbands. We can reach the other three pieces, but
finding them is not so easy," Cheetara explained, stepping into the middle
of the room.
"Searching an entire planet for three pieces of an
ancient armor of evil hardly sounds like anything resembling easy,"
Bengali insisted. He could sense Pumyra's judging brown eyes on him and he
tried to avoid them. He closed his own and tried to remember the patience
Lynx-O had taught him through his training.
"Not easy, but possible. The Ancient Spirits of Evil
might have given Katil and his followers the powers
they need to succeed in combat, but he did not give any of them the knowledge
they need to transcribe the writings on the walls in this room," Cheetara
smiled. She watched as the others glanced around, some trying to piece together
the images while others tried to formulate a plan.
"This is going to take work," Bengali sighed,
lightly punching one of the bricks.
"But we can do it. I say we spend awhile in here
trying to put together what we can and then begin our hunt. We can search out Katil and his forces while still trying to find the missing
pieces," Tygra boasted, stepping into the center of the room where
Cheetara stood. He smiled at her with a glint in his eye.
"No, I'm sorry Tygra, but that won't work. I escaped
Katil in search of one man and that was Lion-O. He
should lead us," Cheetara countered, unimpressed by Tygra's approach. She
stepped back while he scowled. She turned her eyes to Lion-O, losing some of
her distain to look upon the young, quiet lion.
"I agree. I sense great power in Lion-O and believe
that he is deservedly the one that should lead us through this endeavor,"
Lynx-O concurred. Bengali and Pumyra remained silent, merely listening with
patience.
"Well, I think we should split up. Bengali, Pumyra,
Lynx-O... you three should try to figure out some of these inscriptions and
head from there. We can handle the rest. It would be easier for two teams to
find the two known pieces before we try to take on Katil
or look for the final piece of the armor," Lion-O advised, his voice
exerting a small fragment of confidence in his own words. He watched the nods
slowly, waiting for accord from each of his companions. He eyed Tygra, the
proud tiger staring at the ground with clenched fists. He waited while Tygra
lifted his head, eyes still filled with discouragement. He finally nodded,
exhaling heavily.
"Good, we'll take just a little while in here before
heading our separate ways," Cheetara chimed, turning to Lion-O. "And
there is someone I think you should see. Someone who I think could help us
figure out a few things about your past, Lion-O."
Lion-O raised his brow, curious. Even he knew nothing of
his heritage, his bloodline. He earliest memory was
that of being a slave and nothing else. Never knowing his
mother or his father. He could feel that this crusade was becoming more
than just an effort to save Thundera. Maybe it was a chance to save himself?
**
The sun was falling, leaving streaks of orange and pink
across pieces Thundera's sky. Lion-O stared up with
steady eyes, gathering his thoughts. He was seated on a fallen obelisk,
patiently waiting outside of the Onyx Pyramid. He ran a quick hand through his
crimson hair and sighed.
The flashes still ran through his mind. He could
sometimes still feel the sting against his back, old scars from a whip still
visible to him. He could feel the callus of his hands when he ran them over his
face, years of lifting rocks and moving dirt and sand. The battles he had
fought, mutants he had defeated still were just blurs in his mind. Too many for
him to remember every detail, but just enough to remind him that his life would
be nothing more than fighting to achieve something.
"It must be difficult to deal with all of
this," Cheetara spoke up fro
"No more difficult than anything else that has
happened in my life," Lion-O replied, glancing over his shoulder to view
her. He watched the wind lift strands of her spotted hair. She was calm in her
sway and he wondered how she could suffer for so long to become so gentle?
"I mean, I know it is hard to take it all in. I'm
not expecting any of you to just eagerly run into a battle you know little of,
but I have faith that this is a fight we can win," Cheetara said with a zeal in her voice. She stood in front of Lion-O and smiled, hope dancing in her quiet eyes.
Lion-O managed to smile back at her, his doubts hiding
somewhere between his need to help and his courage to face any battle. His eyes
darkened a little when Cheetara cringed, her hand quickly holding her head
while her eyes shut tightly. He quickly rose from the obelisk with fear as she
wobbled backward. He took in a sharp breath and grabbed her arm, holding her
steady as her body bowed forward.
"Cheetara," he called, his other arm slipping
behind her back.
"It's... it's okay. I just
had a vision, that's all," Cheetara breathed out, her head hung low as she
took quick breaths.
"About what?"
"Lion-O? Cheetara?"
Lion-O turned his head briskly when he saw Tygra
approaching, mystery in his expression. He looked back at Cheetara as she began
to stand erect again, still holding her head in her hand. He kept his arm
around her back while his other cupped her elbow trying to help her stand. She
lowered her hand and smiled at Lion-O, a few strands of hair falling over her
eye.
"I'm all right," she whispered, patting his
arm.
"We've found out that one of the pieces is being
guarded the samurai warrior Hachiman in a distant land here on Thundera,"
Tygra said, ceasing his walk once he reached Cheetara and Lion-O. He watched
them slowly drift apart with veiled expressions. His eyes peered at Lion-O for
a moment, unsure of his thoughts.
"Good. Katil has not found
that piece yet," Cheetara said with a soft grin on her ruby lips. She
pushed back those loose strands of hair and glanced from Lion-O to Tygra. She
could feel the tension in the stare Tygra was unconsciously giving Lion-O. He
was almost projecting thoughts that she could read somewhere in the haze
between them.
"How can you be so sure?" Tygra wondered,
drawing his gaze from Lion-O to her.
"Because my sixth sense, as of late, has been able
to let me see more than just visions. Since being around Katil
and that first piece that he attained, I've been able to sense every time he
gets another piece. It's as if his power is projected into the atmosphere and I
am drawn right to the feeling," Cheetara explained, sliding her left hand
up her right arm. She flinched slightly, eyes looking down again. It was
nothing she felt proud of. Her connection with Katil
frightened her, made her efforts more valued because she wanted to escape that
bond.
"Is that what your vision was what about?"
Lion-O asked with an eagerness.
"Oh... no," Cheetara replied quickly, turning
her head and leaving Lion-O to wonder about her mystery.
"Well, I think I know of someone who might be able
to help us in this coming battle," Tygra spoke up, again interrupting the
tension he felt between Lion-O and Cheetara. He quirked an
eyebrow while watching Lion-O slowly turn his head to him, still lost in
some thoughts.
"Right. Cheetara and me
will head out in search of the piece that is guarded by Hachiman then,"
Lion-O concurred, trying to find focus in his mission. He received nods from
Tygra and Cheetara, his solemnest fading as he found favor with his thoughts of
defending Thundera.
**
A new day was the coming of purpose. Bengali felt that as
he walked next to Lynx-O. The sun was sitting at its highest point, beaming
down feathered rays of light through the branches of the trees that stood tall
over them. He took in a quick breath, inhaling the fresh scent of the river
that flowed nearby. His blue eyes settled on the sight of Pumyra balancing
herself masterfully on a fallen tree nearby.
"I'm not quite familiar with the teachings of your
race. I've only heard the stories of pumas being more of traveling mystics
rather than warriors," Bengali stated, still watching Pumyra as she
carefully moved one foot in front of the other on the large tree.
"You should not listen to stories," Pumyra warned, her tone less than friendly. She held her arms out
to either side and concentrated as she moved.
"But I have never seen any one puma stay in one
place long," Bengali countered, discouraged by her unwelcoming demeanor.
"Why should we? All of Thundera cannot be helped if
we are sitting one place that does not need us as much as another," Pumyra
responded, keeping her eyes forward. She did not look down, letting her body
focus without fearing of making a mistake.
"And your race finds solace in that? How are
families raised? How do you find love?" Bengali inquired, his mind
drifting more to her beauty rather than her art form. Her agile body bent
forward and she did a handstand across the tree, feet landing in perfect
position when she stood straight again. She returned immediately to her former
stance and continued her walk, Bengali's eyes finding it impossible to focus on
the calling birds or the sun that was breaking through and shining into his
eyes.
"I am not here to search for love, Bengali. My
people are here to assist others when we can," Pumyra replied, breaking
her concentration to turn her head to him. She scowled, catching him off guard.
"As for family, I have made it through this life only seeing my parents
and siblings once in awhile and it has not hurt my
spirit."
"And that's the warrior ways you've been
taught," Bengali grumbled, quickening his pace.
"It has nothing to do with my combat training,"
Pumyra hissed back, returning her head to its previous position. She was losing
focus and her steps were beginning to wobble. She gripped her fists together
and sighed, trying to find her concentration again.
"Your race would rather train a female than a male
in the ways of fighting so that she might not ever find that meaning of love
and family," Bengali growled lowly, taking his eyes from her.
Pumyra jumped from the tree, her body twisting and
turning like a falling bird in the air. She landed in front of Bengali, halting
his walk. He stepped back with surprise while she held a finger up to him in
anger. She wrinkled her brow before hissing, "Do not tell me I do not know
the definition of love or family. I may be a skilled fighter, but I am not
deprived of that need to be with someone or find peace within my soul, Bengali.
I do not need a lonely blacksmith trying to assume the ways of my race or my
own beliefs."
Bengali was astonished by the anger in her voice, the way
it dropped a little with pain. He thought to apologize, seek understanding in
her now hardened brown eyes. But he couldn't. His pride was not standing in the
way, but hers was.
"Both of you, end this
now," Lynx-O demanded. Bengali and Pumyra quickly turned their heads to
the elder lynx. "We Thunderians are not here to make war with each other.
We are a planet of people who follow one law, a law that was upheld by the
Thundercats. Without unity, we will be nothing to Katil
and his minion."
Pumyra quietly took a step back from Bengali, her head
down. Her shame had taken the focus from her anger and she merely sighed and
turned away from Bengali. She waited for Bengali and Lynx-O to move before
finding a position next to Lynx-O, walking silently through the forest.
The shadows of the forest hid much, including a pair of
red eyes that stared at the three Thunderians as they walked. A soft growl came
from the beast hiding in the protection of large emerald-green bushes. The
beast took quiet steps in the opposite direction, spying them as he moved away.
He was sent on another mission and attacking the Thunderians would only anger
his master.
**
“So Cheetara and this Lion-O are headed to find the
Hachiman and one of the pieces while the three Thunderians are headed toward
one of the cities in search of the other piece?” Katil's
voice was thick with intrigue as he looked upon Wily Kit, her head bowed as she
listened.
"Yes Master Katil. Grune
is en route to the direction Cheetara and Lion-O are headed in while Wily Kat
is following the path Ma-Mutt has given him to find the three traveling
Thunderians," Wily Kit responded without restraint.
Katil laughed lowly, running
his fingers over the golden armband on his wrist. He admired its shine with
lidded eyes while speaking. "Then I will go to where Grune is so that I
can meet the Thunderian that killed Monkian."
Wily Kit looked up with astonishment. She had not known Katil to willingly head into a confrontation he knew his
other warriors could handle. She took a quick step forward.
"Master Katil, Grune is
already heading to take care of Lion-O, capture Cheetara and get the next piece
of armor. There is no need for you to go," she insisted.
"I know, but I am intrigued by this Lion-O. The
Monkian might have only been endowed with a speckle of the power that you, your
brother, and Grune have been given, but to defeat him in such a manner has me
curious to see this Thunderian's true power," Katil
replied, keeping his eyes on the armband. It was hard for him to look away, the
sheer power enrapturing him. "Besides, I can sense Cheetara's trust in
this Thunderian goes past the fact that he saved her. I can feel her affection
for him."
Wily Kit raised her brow, her surprise growing. She did
not know how he could feel it, how he knew the things he did. It had to be the
armor and the power it was releasing. His strength was growing, but Wily Kit
could feel that his attachment to the power and the supremacy the armor was
giving him was more dangerous.
**
The night settled into a war
"Do you think we should stop for the night,"
Lion-O inquired, turning his head to the quiet cheetah. She turned her head
with a smile, shaking her head.
"We don't have to if you think it's best we
not," she smiled out, brushing fingers through her soft hair. She found it
difficult to be concerned about their exhaustion when walking near Lion-O.
"Okay, but..."
Lion-O's words were only a backdrop to he scream that
rang through Cheetara and Lion-O as they walked. They both turned their
attention to the direction of the shriek, not hesitating to run toward the
noise. Cheetara reached their destination first, stopping immediately with a
quick gasp. She threw her hand over her mouth and felt everything inside of her
shift.
In the midst of the street stood Grune,
the broken lights of the street shining on his muscular form. Cheetara
quivered, watching him hold up a young, struggling Intergalactic Control Force
officer by the throat. Near his feet laid two more officers. Cheetara sensed no
life left in them, but she had no time to mourn them as Thunderians scattered
in utter panic.
Grune smiled at Cheetara, squeezing a little harder
against the IFC officer's throat. She struggled and tried to scream, kicking
legs becoming slower with little life left in them. Grune's grip did not become
any looser as he lowered her, waiting for Cheetara to react.
Cheetara felt her body tremble in fear, unsure of how to
save Grune's victim. She had seen the power Grune possessed, knew it was
something she might not be able to battle alone. She could taste her own fear
on her tongue, even when Lion-O emerged from the side street.
"Is this one of Katil's
warriors?" Lion-O questioned, panting for breath while still standing
battle ready. He gripped his fists shut and eyed Grune with rage burning in his
eyes.
"Grune." It was all
that Cheetara could muster up. She was still paralyzed with fear as Grune
walked closer, dragging the IFC officer's shivering
body with him.
Lion-O did not wait for a further explanation from
Cheetara. He quickly jumped forward, pulling together his strength. He caught
sight of Grune releasing his victim, the officer struggling for breath as she
crumpled on the ground. He kept his focus on Grune while drawing his fist back.
A burst of blue light illuminated from his fist and he swung it forward, the
energy released in his punch and sending Grune back a few feet. Lion-O pulled
up the officer and moved back, shocked at the way his attack only caused
Grune's feet to drag and pull up the ground fro
"Be careful Lion-O," Cheetara called out,
moving forward as Lion-O moved backward.
Lion-O laid the officer to the side, her voice still gone
as she continued to reach for air. He flipped backward and eyed Grune as he
walked forward again, unfazed by Lion-O's previous strike. His arm was held out
and Lion-O watched as a ball of red energy began to form in the palm of his
hand.
"By Jaga, what is this?" Lion-O whispered,
preparing to move again. He was prepared when Grune released the ball, Grune's
movement looking effortless to Lion-O. Lion-O leapt out of the way of the
blast, watching as it shattered through a nearby shop and exploded. He rolled
forward and out of the way of flying debris. He regained his composure and felt
Cheetara aiding him in standing.
"Lion-O, he's very strong," Cheetara warned.
Lion-O nodded, standing straight while still eyeing Grune. His approach was
slow, taunting, and Lion-O wasn't sure how to strike.
"Get ready to run," he whispered before
charging forward, ignoring Cheetara's call for him. He watched the grin on
Grune's lips grow. Lion-O hurled forward, his first kick blocked by Grune's
arm. His second kick connected with Grune's thigh just as his other leg came
back down. His attack brought Grune to one knee and Lion-O reacted quickly. He
spun around from his position, allowing the back of his fist to crash into
Grune's jaw. Grune fell slightly and Lion-O took it as a sign. He dashed back
and grabbed Cheetara's hand, fleetly moving from the area.
It wasn't hard for Cheetara to keep up with Lion-O. She
followed him into an abandoned structure, the shadowy building discouraging her
footsteps. She glanced around as Lion-O slowed, listening to his deep breaths
and the stillness of the structure. She released Lion-O's hand and tried to
ignore instinct inside of her telling her to keep moving, to keep Lion-O
running from Grune. But she sensed greater danger.
"So this is the great Lion-O that defeated Monkian
and the mutants."
Cheetara gasped at the voice, watching a figure emerge
from the shadows of a corner of the room. She stepped back in horror, watching
as a familiar large beast followed the figure, growling deeply.
"Katil," Cheetara
stuttered out, backing into Lion-O. She watched a grin curl across Katil's lips. She looked down to the beat, Ma-Mutt, and watched
him remain by his master's side. She swallowed back some of her fear, but it
was impossible for her not to shiver at the mere sight of her once kidnapper.
"Cheetara, I expected you to at least seek out the
help of someone who could at least defeat Grune. After all, you know of my
limitless power," Katil chuckled, taking another
step forward and sending another quake across Cheetara's spine.
Lion-O carefully moved Cheetara aside and then behind his
own body. He held his fists shut and narrowed his eyes, sensing something more
than evil in Katil. He waited to see if Katil would move.
"Lion-O, be a good boy, and surrender what is
mine," Katil requested with his painted smile.
He held his arms crossed over his chest, unfazed by Lion-O's appearance.
"That is not going to happen
Katil," Lion-O replied fleetly, still standing
ready for any attack.
"Is that so?" Katil
asked with another chuckle. He moved quicker than the wind itself, catching
Lion-O off guard. His first punch slammed into Lion-O's jaw, the second landing
against his chest. He flipped upward, his foot catching Lion-O in the chin. He
landed in the same area he had stood before with Ma-Mutt by his side, Katil laughing with pleasure as Lion-O fell to his knees.
"Come on. Is that your power?" Katil inquired with a mocking grin.
Lion-O panted hard, the back of his hand wiping his
mouth. He looked down at his knuckles, saw the blood
that was smeared there. He did not know how great Katil's
power was before. He had yet to meet an enemy like this. He looked up when he
felt a shadow casting over him. He eyed Grune smirking at him, standing over
him.
"Grune, he is no match for me. Rid this planet of
him," Katil scoffed, walking toward Cheetara.
Lion-O was quick about his actions, pulling his energy together
before hopping to his feet and kicking Grune hard in the temple. It knocked
Grune off balance and he rushed to Cheetara, standing in front of her as Katil stopped his motion. He was still weakened by Katil's attack, but not defeated.
"Since you won't just go away, I suppose I will have
to destroy you," Katil sighed, holding up his
hand. Lion-O eyed the red energy ball that began to form in front of Katil's palm. He took deep breaths, preparing for the
assault.
"No," Cheetara called out, her body moving
quicker than Lion-O's eyes could. She stood in front of Lion-O, surprised him
as she offered her own body as a sacrifice.
"Dear Cheetara, why must you be so
heroic?" Katil asked, closing his fist
and dropping his hand. Lion-O questioned Katil's choice
to stop his attack. He could not kill Cheetara. Lion-O knew she was the one Katil needed to locate the last piece of armor. Without
her, he'd never have the full power of Mumm-Ra.
"Get ready," Lion-O whispered to Cheetara,
pulling what energy he had left together. A di
Lion-O's eyes reopened and he drew his ar
"What a fool," Katil
laughed when the debris ceased to fall. He lowered the force field he had drawn
up around himself, Grune, and Ma-Mutt once Lion-O threw his blast. He glanced
around, still sensing Cheetara's existence amongst the fallen bricks and rock.
"They live to see another moon."
**
Music echoed through the night's sky, cheers from around
carrying the notes of instruments into the memories of many. Lights of various
colors danced off of homes and shops while a group marched down the streets of
a village. A parade entertained the inhabitants of the village and the visitors
that occupied the sides of the streets.
Bengali watched with a stern appearance, still
questioning why he, Pumyra, and Lynx-O had stopped to watch the parade. They
were in the village because they had received word that there could be a clue
as to where one of the pieces of Mumm-Ra's armor might be. Yet, he was
convinced by Pumyra's desire to view the spectacle, convinced by Lynx-O's need
for rest for a moment. And he wasn't quite sure where Lynx-O was in the crowd
anymore. He had allowed the older Thunderian to walk alone as he watched
Pumyra, watched something resembling a smile cross her lips as she watched
children dance and colors flash.
Bengali sighed as Thunderians ran about, some covering
their faces in painted masks that resembled creatures he'd only seen in books.
He caught a glimpse of a child being thrown into the air with glee, probably by
her father. It was something he was not well connected with. His own memories
of his father were about proving himself. A constant quest to
be a strong tiger. It wasn't his goal, but if it meant finding some kind
of joy in his father, he was willing.
He watched with admiring eyes when he saw Pumyra dancing
with a few of the children. Even her dance steps were graceful, something he'd
never truly viewed before. Her hair danced in the opposite direction her body
moved, white tips occasionally falling over her face like painted swipes of
snow. Her hands were in the air, her eyes filled with peace. He caught her
looking his way and hoped that he was seeing forgiveness in her expression
rather than just the beauty that encompassed her. He hoped that smile she shed
was just for hi
Lynx-O walked with his sense guiding him. He could taste
the happiness in the air, a taste and sensation he rarely experienced. He felt
gusts of wind when Thunderians past him, helping his mind to guide in the
direction he needed to walk. He needed to find an area clear of joyful
Thunderians so that he could rest, give his body a moment of relaxation.
He was unprepared when he bumped into something, a noise
come from it. He was surprised, his senses failing him for the first time in years.
He reached out and down, feeling fur when his hand came level with his thigh.
"I apologize," Lynx-O said quickly, still
feeling around. "You're a snarf?"
"Yep, snarfer
snarfer. Are you blind?"
The voice was pitchy, something Lynx-O had come to know
from the race of snarfs he had met in his lifetime. "Yes kind friend, I
am."
"I'm Snarfer. I've never seen you around here
before, snarfer snarfer.
New?" Snarfer questioned, a proud smile on his
lips.
"I am Lynx-O and me and my
friends are here in search of something," Lynx-O replied, sensing the good
spirit in the snarf's voice. He smiled and let his
hands rest at his side.
"You bumped into the right snarf then, snarfer snarfer," Snarfer
cheered.
Lynx-O raised an eyebrow curiously. "Then you've
heard of the armor of Mumm-Ra?"
"You bet," Snarfer replied happily.
Bengali felt a shift in the air, his eyes quickly looking
around. Something inside of him reacted and he felt the hair of his head
tingle. It was a cool breeze, one that ran down his back and left everything
inside of him unsettled.
Then he saw it. He saw a lone figure flip into the air,
his body spiraling before landing in the midst of the children and Pumyra, the
gusts of wind following him in strong currents. He clenched his fist tightly shut,
untrusting of this new stranger. He watched the way the crowd dispersed, the
parade halting and moving aside while Pumyra stood straight.
"What a beautiful sight you are. You can call me
Wily Kat," Wily Kat gleamed, offering his hand to Pumyra without
inhibition. She merely stared back at him with narrowed eyes.
Bengali found it impossible to hold his anger. He stepped
forward quickly, not close enough to Pumyra and Wily Kat, but close enough to
be seen. "Pumyra, move away."
"Pumyra? So beauty comes
with a name," Wily Kat purred, running a slow finger over Pumyra's arm.
She jerked back quickly, her upper lip curling. She swallowed a growl as Wily
Kat laughed deeply, still smiling with that haunting look.
"I assume that you are with Katil's
forces," Pumyra hissed, one hand resting on the tan belt that was wrapped
twice around her waist.
Wily Kat watched her hand, aware of his full surroundings
while staring at Pumyra. He did not let his smirk diminish, eyeing Bengali from
the corner of his eye. "I'm just here to warn you, the blind lynx, and
your little boyfriend that you should avoid getting in Katil's
way. He will get the armor of Mumm-Ra and Thundera will be his."
"What makes you so sure?" Pumyra asked through
gritted teeth.
Wily Kat merely laughed at her response, swiping his hand
over her bare shoulder before leaping back into the air, his form disappearing
as quick as the winds that raced through the streets
upon his jump. Pumyra placed a hand over her eyes, shielding them from the
flying dirt as pieces of the parade were whisked into the air by Wily Kat's
action. She turned her head to Bengali, his eyes still peering with fists still
clenched.
"I know where one of the pieces is," Lynx-O
called out, interrupting the stare that Pumyra and Bengali shared. Pumyra
looked away from Bengali first, still contemplating Wily Kat's words. She
didn't want to admit to the truth in them or the thoughts that they encouraged
inside of her.
**
Tygra held a steady hand on a door, questioning whether
or not to open it. He glanced around the street he stood on, a street deserted
with almost no signs of life. He was in a town that almost devoid of existence.
Shadows traced over everything as the sun slowly faded across the buildings and
dwellings that ran down the street. Tygra felt a tingling on the back of his
neck, an honest reaction to being in such a desolate place. But he was there
for a reason.
He pushed opened the door, eyes glancing around the small
shop. He glanced at different metal objects, some resembling weapons while
others resembling creations. He ran his fingers over glass, a case holding what
looked to be designs for some sort of vehicle. Tygra took a closer look,
admiring the penciling that made him yearn for his days of doing architecture.
"Sorry, shop's closed. Bring back what you have in
the morning."
Tygra grinned, listening to the deep voice fro
"Sorry old friend, I didn't know that the rules
applied to former partners," Tygra grinned. The panther stayed quiet and
Tygra took a few quiet steps forward. "What's wrong Panthro? No words for
me?"
"That would require me to ignore the fact that I
know you are here for more than just small talk and faded memories,"
Panthro replied, stepping from around the wooden table he stood behind. He
dropped the metal object into a pile of metal on the floor, the stuttering
clank resounding through the shop.
"How you know me still so well," Tygra grinned,
crossing his arms while eyeing Panthro.
"Who could possibly forget the invisible tiger
Tygra? He comes when he wants and goes before you ever see him," Panthro
replied with a hearty laugh, shifting through a few papers.
Tygra laughed lowly in response, walking toward his aging
friend. He laid a hand on Panthro's back, causing the panther to turn around
with surprise. "Thundera needs your help."
"Get real Tygra," Panthro chuckled, turning to
face Tygra. He watched seriousness glaze over Tygra's face and sensed things
weren't quite as they should have been. He clenched the papers in his hand and
looked at Tygra through lidded eyes.
"Old friend, evil is on the rise and I've come here
to get your assistance," Tygra said, laying a hand on Panthro's shoulder
for assurance. "Think of it? You and I, side-by-side again, fighting off
the evil on Thundera.”
"Tygra, you were but a young tiger when I was
fighting evil," Panthro interrupted him, shaking off his hand.
"But..."
"I'm too old now. Thundera has an army of willing
Thunderians," Panthro added, turning away from Tygra. He dropped his
papers back onto the table and laid a balled fist on the table, ignoring the
burn inside of him that called to help Tygra.
"An army of useless Thunderians who don't have the
power nor the intelligence that you have Panthro. We
both know that it's been over a decade since a Thundercat was even anywhere
near battle. And the army has none, nothing like you," Tygra argued,
offended by Panthro's refusal to aid him.
"But I'm not a Thundercat," Panthro grumbled,
rolling the edges of the papers he had.
"Aren't you? We both know that not many Thunderians
posses the powers that you have and the ones that only you know I posses,"
Tygra growled, his patience fading like the sun outside.
"Oh and that makes us Thundercats?" Panthro
countered, turning around briskly with a wrinkled brow. He still clenched the
papers in his hand, crumbling them with each growing thought.
"No," Tygra replied, his voice drying out and
becoming soft. He stepped back, his face settling into an expression of
disappointment. He had known Panthro for years, just a young tiger watching the
warrior that Panthro was. And that's what was the truth
now. Panthro once was a warrior. But Tygra could see that he was not anymore.
"Tygra..."
"There are things that you don't know Panthro.
Things that are happening that are greater than what has happened in the past.
And something tells me the Lord of the Thundercats shall rise again,"
Tygra insisted, still taking careful steps back towards the door. When he felt
the wood pressed against his back he sighed. Panthro still could not speak,
just stare at him. And he still could not believe the spirit had died in
Panthro.
**
Cheetara wasn't sure, but something told her they had
been buried for hours. She brushed away dust from her shoulder, struggling to
move. She had lost consciousness sometime during the initial falling debris, but
she knew where they were and who was with her.
Her eyes adjusted quickly to the dark as her hand tried
to move, fingers bumping against muscles. She gasped a little when hearing a
groan, unsure of Lion-O's injuries. She managed to pull back, but only slightly.
She could feel Lion-O's warmth to the side of her, her head spinning dizzily as
she tried to turn it.
"Are.. you..
okay?" Lion-O grunted out, rolling a little in
Cheetara's direction.
"I'm fine," she replied quietly, pressing a
hand to Lion-O's arm. She could feel a slickness
there, eyes trying to focus as she lifted her hand to her face. She could see
the crimson blood on her fingertips, its color almost purple in the darkness.
"Good," Lion-O sighed out, a hand moving up and
covering his eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me you had powers like
that?" Cheetara wondered, lying on her back and staring up at broken rock
above her.
"I just thought... I don't like to have people
question the power I bring to a battle. I'm just as capable of defeating an opponent
without them," Lion-O responded weakly, lying next to Cheetara.
"Do you think some Thunderians will think you're a
demon for having them?"
"Do you?" Lion-O countered, turning his head to
look at Cheetara. Her focus remained on the rocks above.
"No. All cheetahs have the psychic ability I
have," Cheetara retorted with a frankness in her
tone that bothered Lion-O.
"Yes, but from what I know, it is a latent power
that most of your race cannot tap into as easily as you can," Lion-O
added, still glaring at the young cheetah, trying to break past her mystery.
"It's not easy Lion-O," Cheetara sighed,
finally turning to look at Lion-O. The throb in her head seemed to dull a
little when she peered through the shadows to look into Lion-O's eyes. She
wanted to lift a hand and brush away speckles of dust that dusted over his
cheek. She resisted.
"It can't be. Being bonded to Katil
the way you are? It must be a constant struggle," Lion-O remarked while
turning his head to glare up the air above.
"It's more like being bonded to the armor rather
than Katil," Cheetara replied while still
staring at Lion-O. "To live with that evil burning against your skin,
leaving you wanting to destroy it with any force you can. To
know that the armor should have been removed from Thundera, to distant planets
to save Thundera rather than curse it again."
Lion-O fought off urges to turn on his side, to find some
form of being behind Cheetara's mystery. He was not fighting to save Thundera
to see who Cheetara was. He was fighting for a purpose. A purpose he found hard
to remind himself of when trapped beneath rubble with Cheetara calmly lying
next to him.
"Why did the Thunderians never know the power of
Mumm-Ra's armor? Why wasn't it made common knowledge?" Lion-O wondered,
finally finding the words to speak again.
Cheetara turned her head and focal point back to the
rocks above. She could feel her strength returning and knew there was a mission
to complete. "No one really knows. Thunderians still believe that Mumm-Ra's
power exists in his pyramid and in the Ancient Spirits of Evil."
"Because they were told that," Lion-O muttered,
holding his hand up. He scratched at the rocks above, speckles of dust falling
downward. He squinted his eyes and pushed a finger
through, finding the debris above to be shallower than he thought. He lowered
his hand while concentrating his energy.
"Ready to get out of here?"
Cheetara questioned, watching a small glow form around Lion-O. She watched him
nod, remaining silent to gather his strength. She followed his lead, staying
quiet as he mustered his strength. She didn't know what to say, how to
encourage him. She wanted to escape her closeness to him just as much as she
wanted to stop Katil. The waves of joy she got from
Lion-O were threatening, emotions she had not encountered in so long.
**
"By Jaga, what is taking him so long?"
Pumyra's frustration was loud. She paced around a rock
that Lynx-O sat peacefully on, savoring the smell of the wind that brushed
gently against his beard and over his body. She ran a quick pale hand through
her hair, scowling when she looked over her shoulder at a cave. Bengali was
inside, trying to break through rock and dirt to uncover the missing piece of
Mumm-Ra's armor. And Pumyra tried not to let her frustration with being told to
remain outside be her only reason for anger.
"He's doing this on purpose Lynx-O," Pumyra
hissed, stopping momentarily in front of the serene lynx. He did not respond,
only guided his head in the direction of the sun to draw in its soft warmth.
Pumyra groaned, finding it easier to fuel her anger when
Lynx-O did not agree with her. She turned her back on the sun,
let it wash over her shoulders and back. She ran a finger over the hem of her
brown skirt, tilting her head to find a spot of peace inside of her. It was
almost impossible for her to try.
"It's all he knows Pumyra," Lynx-O spoke,
causing Pumyra to return her attention to Lynx-O with fascination. He turned
his head in her direction, the scent of her and the shadows that made the heat
less threatening across his face helping to guide him. "Being
a blacksmith, working with hammers, earning his place in this world.
It's all Bengali knows. When he is not given that right, he doesn't feel
alive."
Pumyra stared at Lynx-O with surprise. She had not
considered the Siberian's reasons for working in the cave alone to find the
piece. She had not thought to think of Bengali's feelings, his reasoning. She
was only guided by impatience.
"He's never had a real family to grow older to
protect. His father only desired for him to get past being a blacksmith, being
something he figured his son would never be valued for," Lynx-O further
explained, head tilting back to capture some more of the sun's drifting rays.
He ran gentle fingers over his beard while lowering his head, again rotating in
the direction he sensed Pumyra stood in.
"He's never known his mother. He can only recall
memories of her voice, the way she smiled at him. Therefore, if it seems he's
trying hard to find a piece of a woman he can share, it's because he feels
something that he never felt from another. Not a lack of love from a mother,
but a lack of love he tries to find in himself," Lynx-O added.
Pumyra stood uneasily, taking quick glances toward the
cave. Still the echoing sound of a hammer clashing with rock
in the background. She frowned, turning her eyes downward. Her ache told
her she should not be so hard on Bengali, but it had become so natural for her
to build those walls. Yet, she felt vulnerable around him. She so easily
prepared herself for battle, for other men that might approach her, for the
quickness to help others. She couldn't find a way to prepare herself for
Bengali.
"And for some reason Pumyra, I sense that maybe your
anger isn't really anger, but an attempt to shield the feelings you obviously
have for Bengali," Lynx-O said with a grin, startling Pumyra. She looked
at him with wide eyes, a hand resting over her belt. How could it be denied if
even the blind could sense her struggle?
Pumyra turned her back to Lynx-O, brush a section of her
hair behind her shoulder. Just as soon as she brushed it back, it feathered
forward, a sharp, cool gust of wind pushing it there. She shivered a little,
unsettled by the wind. She glanced over her shoulder, curiously. The air was
still, the wind quiet. She was puzzled by the origin of that gust of air.
"Pumyra..."
Pumyra's eyes quickly fell on Lynx-O. He was slowly
standing, a concerned expression racing over his face. She held onto her belt
with one hand, glancing around briskly. The echoing sound of Bengali's hammer
continued, but something else seemed to cut through the air around her. Her
sharpness led her to peer her eyes toward a fell trees
nearby. She caught a quick glimpse of it, something invisibly moving across the
air toward her. She leaped into the air quickly, dodging the current of wind
that cut through the air. She landed in a crouched position, one hand slowly
pulling up a small rock from the ground. She squinted
her eyes and watched as a figure appeared fro
"Wily Kat," Pumyra snarled, eyes still peering
as Wily Kat stepped into the light of the sun.
"So nice to know that a beautiful puma such as you
would remember someone like me," Wily Kat grinned, adjusting his armband.
He glared at Pumyra before winking at her, taunting her.
"And are you here just to remind me of what I'm
missing or could you be here in search of a piece of Mumm-Ra's armor?"
Pumyra questioned, standing to her feet. She gripped the small rock in her
hand, the smoothness pressing hard against her palm.
"Well since I'm not worried about you forgetting
about me, I'd say option number two sounds more appropriate for the time,"
Wily Kat grinned, unmoved by Pumyra's stern stance or the appearance of Lynx-O
on the side.
"I bet," Pumyra grinned back, her fingers
fastening around the belt around her waist. She jumped into the air, the wind
carrying her lithe body high into the air as Wily Kat looked up with interest.
She pulled her belt from her waist while throwing the rock into the air in
front of her. Her arm swung around before the rock could drop lower than her
body, the tan belt catching the rock like a sling. She hurled it toward Wily
Kat, the piece of gravel catching the heat as it sliced through the air.
Pumyra's eyes grew wide when the rock bounced off some
sort of field of wind that circled Wily Kat as soon as the rock got close
enough. She felt her teeth gritting together as she refocused her plan. She
leapt forward, attempting to kick Wily Kat. Her velocity was timed, but his
movement wasn't. He shifted back, her first attempt missing him. She was quick
with her counter, leaping up and spinning toward him with her belt in hand. Her
spiraling body moved so quickly in the air that it drew what heat was around
her, a dim scarlet glow forming around her body.
Wily Kat was stunned by the attack, the heat bursting
through his protective shield and sending him falling backward. He stumbled
back, quickly regaining his balance. He scrunched his face in anger as Pumyra
leapt at him again. He raised his hand, the wind pushing her body out of his
direction. He was unprepared for her quick response, a foot slamming into his
gut. He grabbed his stomach quickly, the anger flaring up in him.
Pumyra flipped back, whipping her belt at Wily Kat. A
portion of it wrapped around his forearm, trapping him momentarily. Pumyra held
the other end, tugging on it. She smiled from the corner of her lips, trying to
drag Wily Kat toward her.
"Fool," Wily Kat said, smirking. He used his
free hand to grab the belt and tug forward. He spun quickly around, his
strength levitating Pumyra into the air as she held onto the other end of the
belt. He jerked on the belt, pulling it from Pumyra's grasp, leaving her to fly
into the air. He chuckled quietly, concentrating his energy to change the
direction of the wind. The current grabbed Pumyra and flung her to the ground.
"Pumyra?" Lynx-O
called out, trying to use the sounds of Pumyra's whimpering to lead him toward
her.
Pumyra grabbed her head with one hand, the other
clutching her ribs. She struggled to sit upright, using what strength she had
left to recover from the attack. She grunted back hard when trying to sit up,
the pain throbbing in her head. She could already see a bruise beginning to
form on her shoulder and a small cut from the rocks below scratching against
her leg. Her eyes quickly turned to Wily Kat, the young feline standing over
her with a wild grin.
Bengali gripped the golden box under his arm tightly,
running past shadows and broken light as he tried to escape the cave. He wasn't
sure if he had heard something the first time, the resounding sound of metal
cracking against rock distracting him. But he had heard Lynx-O call for Pumyra,
heard her screa
His eyes adjusting to the bright light of the haloing sun
did not stop him from running. His feet dragged against the ground as he came
to a stop, astonished by the sight before him. His jaw went slack when he
stared at Wily Kat, a broad grin painted across his lips. He was holding an
injured Pumyra, one arm pressed across her throat while the other held her hip,
preventing her from moving away. He caught a glimpse of Lynx-O standing near
by, ready to attack at any moment.
"So your boyfriend makes his triumphant return
pretty," Wily Kat boasted, tightening his arm around Pumyra's throat as
she began to call for Bengali.
"Release her," Bengali growled, fury beginning
to rise inside of him.
"Oh, I'll release her in one piece once you release
that beautiful golden box to me," Wily Kat replied, his grin only growing
when watching Bengali gripped a fist shut.
Bengali thought over the choice. He watched the fear in
Pumyra's lidded eyes, something trying to run across her lips but the grip on
her throat holding her at bay. The power inside of hi
"Bengali... concentrate,"
Lynx-O warned, his senses altering him to Bengali's resistance. He had his own
thoughts of attack, trying to place together the sounds that came from Pumyra's
body. He could see a target in his mind, feet sliding against rock altering him
to the distance between himself and Pumyra and Wily Kat.
"That's right old man, get control over your charge.
You wouldn't want anything to happen to the pretty puma here," Wily Kat
warned, chuckling lightly as Lynx-O too tightened up in frustration.
"Let her go," Bengali finally hissed, taking a
small step forward. He laid the box on the ground before him, no longer caring
about the armor of the ancient demon that once plagued Thundera. He was too
infuriated, to concentrated on killing Wily Kat and
freeing Pumyra. He watched her shake her head with disappointment, small tears
lining the inside of her eyelid. He desperately wanted to help her.
"Good little boy. I wasn't in the mood to make this
beautiful feline suffer anymore," Wily Kat asserted, stepping forward.
Pumyra's feet drug across the ground as Wily Kat yanked her forward. He
gradually began to kneel forward to lift the box, never removing his eyes from
Bengali.
When Bengali saw the bend in Wily Kat's body, he felt the
fire spark. He sprinted forward, a bright blue glimmer enveloping his form. He
drew his fist back, his energy streaming up into his balled up hand. He was
forced to stop his fist from its target immediately, Wily Kat jerking Pumyra in
front of him. Bengali gasped, directing his fist in another direction when he
saw it inches from Pumyra's cringing face. The force of energy blasted across
the ground to the left of him, tearing up rocks and dirt.
Wily Kat snickered, merely blinking an eye before a
current of wind forced Bengali back with a loud groan. He formed a small orb in
his hand and chucked it at Bengali before he could recover, the orb exploding
in front of Bengali. Bengali's body skid across the ground, tumbling until he laid still in the ground, struggling to recover.
Wily Kat caught the sound of Lynx-O growl as he jumped
into the air. He scowled with anger, moving aside before Lynx-O could kick him.
He moved stealthy, his body apart of the air with Pumyra still locked in his
arms. He ducked each punch Lynx-O threw and sprung into the air with Pumyra,
avoiding some form of yellow blast that Lynx-O threw at him. He tried to focus
while in the air, pulling his energy together. He waved a brisk hand through
the air as they descended to the ground, a sharp squall of wind catching
Lynx-O. It hurled Lynx-O backward, his body cutting through the trunk of a
tree. The tree fell away from them, smacking into other trees before thudding
against the ground.
Pumyra gasped when they landed, staring through a haze of
smoke to see Lynx-O's body. It was lifeless, not a breath of air escaping. She
felt a small tear roll down her cheek. He laid there, body broken, all life
escaped. She shook her head, destroyed by the death of the older lynx.
"Foolish ingrates," Wily Kat hissed, releasing
Pumyra to the ground. She fell immediately to her knees, inhaling deep breaths
while trying to resist the tears stinging at her eyes. "How did they
believe they could defeat a warrior that can control the very winds at his
command?"
Pumyra was unaffected when Wily Kat disappeared from the
area, her eyes still blurry with tears as she stared at Lynx-O. She swallowed a
sob, emotions she had not touched in years welling inside of her. She heard a
soft groan and turned her head, hands aching from the rocks they were pressed
against but body unwilling to remember the pain of her hands when her heart
ached much more.
Pumyra found the strength to stand and slowly walk over
to Bengali. She knelt before him, watched him roll onto his back, a motion that
looked painful for him. His eyes blinked only halfway open, staring up at
Pumyra. She tried not to feel guilty when looking at Bengali, running a gentle
hand over his hair. He grunted and tried to sit up. Pumyra was quick to help,
laying a hand against his back.
Bengali reclined his back against her leg and coughed. He
gripped at his chest, eyes shutting tightly at the pain. He pried his eyes open
again when Pumyra's hand traced over his cheek, a gentleness he wasn't sure
existed but did not resist. His eyes focused as he looked across from them, a
body lying motionless in the grass with a fallen tree close by. He felt a
tightening in his chest, his mind sending all the signals he needed to know it
was Lynx-O. It was his mentor, his friend.
"Pumyra," he whispered, unable to utter
Lynx-O's name.
"Bengali," she whispered back, eyes looking
down at Bengali. She knew if she looked at Lynx-O, it would hurt too much. She
just let a tear slip from her eye, spiraling down her cheek until it slipped
off and fell onto Bengali's, his body not even flinching as he eyes continued
to stare at Lynx-O's lifeless body. She heard the crackle of thunder and could
only think of her guilt rather than trying to escape the coming rain.
**
A sword cut through the damp air inside of a temple. It
moved without thought, hands guiding it in different directions. Only streaks
of silver could be seen as the sword moved, light often catching its radiance
and creating a glow as the blade moved. Shadows danced all over the room inside
of the temple, but the light of the sword kept the eyes guiding it focused. Its
aim was deadly, but its opponent invisible.
Hachiman swiped his sword through the air one last time,
holding it still in front of him while concentrating. His training was
constant, his purpose of common knowledge. The art of a samurai kept him
focused while the codes of bushido kept him controlled. His sword, the Thundercutter, was his guide to battle. But he was not
intent on battle while at the temple. He was there to protect Thunderians
seeking assistance and to protect the treasures that were hidden inside of the
temple.
An applause broke Hachiman's concentration, his eyes quickly darting toward
the source of the sound. A petite figure emerged from shadows that traced the
walls in front of him. Hachiman immediately brought his sword up, his
armor-covered body going into a fighting stance he was accustom to practicing.
"Who dares enter the temple of the Hachiman
uninvited?" Hachiman questioned, peering eyes glancing over the young
feline that approached. He studied the black stripe that ran down her short red
hair, the way a smile dared to roll over her lips without reservation.
"Not that you would know me, but you can call me
Wily Kit," Wily Kit replied, sauntering further into the light. Hachiman
slid a foot across the ground while eyeing her, tilting his blade forward until
the edge was facing Wily Kit. His movements were silent, hollow as the wind
that barely reverberated through the temple.
"And you can call him Wily Kat," Wily Kit
sneered, pointing to the figure that launched from the shadows behind Hachiman.
Hachiman turned, but he wasn't quick enough. Wily Kat's
fist dashed across his jaw and made the samurai stagger back. He recuperated
quickly, avoiding Wily Kat’s fist again. His hand reached out and seized the
young feline's ankle as he attempted to leap backward. He swung him aside with
ease, sending Wily Kat's body in the opposite direction. He eyed the small orb
Wily Kat hurled at him, his wrist flicking just slightly to make his sword cut
through it before it could explode. The clattering sound of the split orb
skidding across the ground did not distract him from the second one Wily Kat
threw from the ground, rolling away as it exploded against one of the walls.
Hachiman drew up his sword once more, a quick glance over
his shoulder to survey the damage. The gaping hole in the wall, fallen broken
bricks laying across the ground enraged him. He turned
his head back, watching Wily Kit assist her twin brother in standing.
"By Jaga Wily Kat, if you destroy the temple we will
never get the second half of Mumm-Ra's sword," Wily Kit hissed, stepping
in front of her brother.
"Sword? You've come to my
temple in search of a sword?" Hachiman inquired, holding the Thundercutter ready for battle. His fingers gripped the
leather wrapped around the handle of it, eyes shifty as he watched both
Thunderians remain still across the room.
"That's right old man. Now give it up," Wily
Kit replied, easing forward.
"The only blade you will see in this temple is the
blade of my Thundercutter," Hachiman insisted,
the winds from the outside running a small breath of air across the back of his
neck.
Wily Kit giggled softly before replying, "So be
it."
Wily Kit ran swiftly, her body leaning toward the side of
the room. Hachiman stared in disbelief as the young feline ran up the side of
the wall, her movement almost unviewable to his
trained eyes. He drew his blade back and waited. She leapt forward and he swung
instinctively. She avoided the blade, her foot landing against the armor on his
shoulder. He stumbled back but continued to swing, each slice barely missing
the young feline as she continued to try and hit him. He twirled the handle in
his fingers before swiping forward, the very tip of the blade nicking her skin.
"Shit," Wily Kit growled while flipping
backward. She looked down at her arm, watching a small drop of blood run down
it. She gripped her ar
"I don't know from what magic you have came, but you shall not defeat this samurai warrior. My
people have protected the treasures of Thundera for decades and you child shall
not get them," Hachiman boasted, aiming the Thundercutter
at Wily Kit with intent burned into his dark eyes.
"I beg to differ," Wily Kit retorted, still
smiling. She arched an eyebrow and closed her eyes. Hachiman watched as her
body began to illuminate. He looked around in shock as small beads of moisture
began to appear in the air, all of them slowly being drawn toward the young
feline's body. He had not known Thunderians to have the speed that she did, the
agility she possessed. And this power? He had battled
many enemies, but none with the power to collect the smallest amount of water
in the air and draw it toward them.
"What is this magic?" He asked softly, eyes
turning toward Wily Kat. He leaned against the wall closest to his sister with
a proud grin, rubbing his hands together while staring at Hachiman.
The water began to circle around Wily Kit's feet, her
eyes still closed. She opened them quickly, the suddenness releasing the water
that swirled around her. It gushed across the room with a speed unknown to
Hachiman. He wasn't prepared for it to wash over him, knocking the Thundercutter from his hands and swashing it away from him.
He coughed heavily, trying to drain his body of the water that had managed to
enter his system. He doubled over, still shocked by the attack. His
concentration was shattered and he was unable to pull his energy together to
summon his Thundercutter to his side. His barely open
eyes looked up, unaware that Wily Kit had thrown an
orb at him. He was stunned by it floating in front of him.
The explosion sent Hachiman's
body whirling backward. His body crashed against the wall behind him, bones and
armor cracking at the powerful impact. Blood slipped from his lips as he tried
to take his last breaths, watching the twin felines laughing from across the
room. He couldn't move, his body was lodged into the
wall. He could only watch the shadows and the darkness cloud his vision as the
twins walked toward him, cheering in their victory. He could only think of the
ancestors he had shamed and the Thunderians he had cursed by losing his battle.
**
Silence made the sound of birds louder, the pound of rain
drops against stone a little more meaningful. Cheetara took it all in, climbing
steps that led up a hill with Lion-O by her side. Their silence served a
purpose that she was unclear of. She thought it might have been Lion-O's
injuries that prevented him from saying much, but he didn't show any signs of
fatigue or weakness. He was steady in his march next to her, eyes forward with
his head up.
Cheetara sighed, pulling her fingers through her spotted
hair. They were climbing the stone steps to reach Hachiman's
temple, to locate one of the pieces of Mumm-Ra's armor. Her eyes found
something else to focus on rather than watching Lion-O fiddle with the black
band that was wrapped around Lion-O's wrist and forearm. Her eyes narrowed as
they got further up the hill, the image of Tygra sitting on a rock near the
temple confusing her. His head was low, his hands
toying with a bolo whip in his hand. She noticed Lion-O's footsteps became
quicker once he saw Tygra. She followed, still baffled by Tygra's appearance
near the temple.
"You're too late. Hachiman's
dead and it looks like Katil has another piece of the
armor," Tygra said before Lion-O and Cheetara could stop their quick pace
toward him.
"No," Cheetara gasped, steps faltering when the
announcement was made.
Tygra stood from his rock, wrapping his whip around his
left forearm with anger burning through his soul. He scrunched his face at the
tightness but cared not for his pain. His agitation was too loud in his head.
He was growing weary with the idea of waiting on the coming battle. With every
piece captured by Katil, the desire to save his
planet grew thicker inside of Tygra.
"What happened? How did they know?" Lion-O
asked, urgent in his tone as he jogged closer to Tygra. Cheetara wasn't far
behind, just as curious if not more distraught by Tygra's revelation.
"They attacked and killed him. Two
of them; twins."
The voice was foreign, not Tygra's. Eyes immediately fell
upon the small figure that limped into view. It emerged from the side of the
temple, a cloak covering its feature, but it was evident that he was a snarf.
"Snarf, you came," Cheetara chimed, covering
her mouth with one hand. She smiled behind that hand, watching as the snarf
removed the hood of his cloak, offering a diminutive grin for her. Tygra and
Lion-O divided their stares between Cheetara and the snarf, perplexity
shadowing their private thoughts.
"Osbert, Cheetara. Call me Osbert. I dropped the
Snarf name after the fall of Claudus," Osbert replied, turning his head
immediately to Lion-O. "And it's good to see you again Lion-O. By Jaga,
the years have made a man of you."
"What?" Lion-O questioned, his voice hitched
momentarily as he glared at the snarf warily. Lion-O could not put together the
face, the image of the snarf. His mind told him he did not know him, had never
crossed his path in any time. But his heart's palpitating offered a different
response.
"So... it is him?" Cheetara inquired with a
burning tone of excitement. She clasped her hands together and exchanged her
glares between Osbert and Lion-O.
"We should talk," Osbert remarked to Lion-O,
unaltered by Cheetara's question. The young lion regarded him with even more
mystery, still unsettled by something inside of him trying to recreate memories
with the snarf. He was forced to swallow that ache when he heard a loud gasp
escape Cheetara's lips, his head turning in time to see her fall to her knees.
"I can see him. I can see his power," Cheetara
whimpered out, hands grasping her head in pain.
Lion-O moved to her quickly, but not as swiftly as Tygra.
He stuttered in his steps as he regarded Tygra, a cautious hand on the back of
Cheetara's neck while the other cupped one of her elbows and tried to assist
her in standing. He observed the sudden disappearance of anger in Tygra's face,
the expression replaced with a more compassionate one.
"Katil?"
Tygra asked, his face so near Cheetara's.
"Yes... it's just a vision. He has just one more
piece to get," Cheetara panted out, an unconscious hand reaching up and
brushing against Tygra's arm.
"We must talk," Osbert said again, a small hand
resting on Lion-O's hand. Lion-O's eyes remained on Cheetara and Tygra, though
his thoughts did begin to meander. He found it hard to look past the image of
the two.
"He's right. I'll be fine. You need to talk to
him," Cheetara insisted, waving a hand in Lion-O's direction while still
holding her head with the other.
Lion-O nodded, unable to find words to speak otherwise.
He felt the tug on his hand, but his eyes felt powerless to move away from the
vision of Cheetara and Tygra. But he caught the look Tygra shot him. The one that was confused by Lion-O's stillness and his apparent
disillusion.
**
Darkness clouded his vision, but it was only the shadows
his hands created in front of his eyes. His head rested in his hands, palms
pressed against his cheeks while his eyes tried to peer through the small
spaces between each of his fingers. He was trying to resolve the blaring noises
inside of his head, the flashes of light that were brought upon by the words
from Osbert. He squeezed his eyes shut because the memories were beginning to
fill him and he wasn't sure he could handle accepting the truth. He wasn't sure
if it was the truth. But it sure felt like it was.
He lifted his head from his hands, striving to disguise
the tension in his face. It wasn't possible. He ran a hand over his red hair,
trying not to grab onto the ends and pull hard from the stress that was aching
throughout his body. He looked at Osbert, the cloaked snarf just staring at him
without a willingness to give him sympathy.
"How can this be? How can I be the son of King
Claudus? How can I be the Lord of the Thundercats?"
Lion-O's questions were quick, but filled with angst. He
wanted to find some sort of explanation in Osbert's
face, but it did not exist. It was just the truth, something for Lion-O to
swallow and not inquire about.
"I know it's hard for you to accept any of it, but
it is something you have to. A force greater than any of Thundera could be
released soon and as Lord of the Thundercats, you must be prepared to help stop
it," Osbert insisted, resting on a small rock behind himself. His tail
wavered behind him as he watched the young lion.
"Accept? By Jaga, I've lived my life in slave
trenches and fighting off mutants because I had to. And you come along, telling
me stories of being taken from my parents and my mother being a Thundercat and that
is why I have the powers that I do," Lion-O growled back, fists tightening
as he tried not to harness that power inside and destroy something, anything
nearby.
"Lion-O, we couldn't do anything once you were born.
We had to let them take you or risk you being killed instead. Your mother
wanted to tell your father, at least share with him your name. But they killed
her. Mumm-Ra knew she was a Thundercat and never wanted any child of a
Thundercat to exist again here on Thundera," Osbert stated, a helpless
need stringing through his nasally voice. "And it might be the way again
if you do not stop Katil."
"Stop him? Stop the man that's trying to destroy the
world I was meant to rule by birthright? By Jaga, I'm meeting my 'nursemaid'
for the very first time and hearing about how I have to save this world?"
Lion-O fussed, his eyes unrelenting as they stared at
the snarf with annoyance. His jaw muscles tightened as he watched the way
Osbert refused to offer up formal sentiment.
I'm old, Lion-O. I have seen a lot in my lifetime and if
given the chance to watch after you in a world that was deprived of those years
Mumm-Ra and his minions had control was an option, I'd gladly have taken that
option. But now you have the opportunity to save Thundera from that fate
befalling this world again," Osbert pleaded, rising from the rock. He
limped toward Lion-O, his age showing but his determination outshined his
weakness.
Lion-O did not have enough resolve left to argue or to
search for more answers. His life had always been a question rather than a
given purpose. He did not know whether to accept the reasoning behind his past,
but he knew that he had to use what he had learned through his own trials to
continue on. He refused to be shackled again, to be put under the control of a
mutant or any being with the smallest hint of the power Mumm-Ra wielded. He
took another glance at Osbert, that will still
circling his orange eyes. His choices were already made.
**
The Onyx Pyramid once stored the power of Mumm-Ra, its blackened
walls and dusky corridors housing evil unseen. Now its shadowy passageways were
heavy with tension and fear. The silence was only maintained by many refusing
to vocally speak. The thoughts of their minds, however, drenched the tomb with
an overwhelming essence of defeat.
Bengali sat in a corner of the room he had only visited
once in the pyramid. It was the room where it all started, where he was sent on
a mission that he thought he was strong enough to handle. But defeat and death
had now ghosted over his thoughts, leaving him only to stare at his ivory
hands, sometimes taking moments to admire the blue stripes on his forearm and
try not to think of burying his mentor, his friend just a sunset earlier.
Pumyra leaned against the opposite wall, Tygra brooding
next to her. She could not encourage herself to search over the drawings and
inscriptions on the darkened walls again. She was too focused on Bengali,
watching the young tiger stare at himself and nothing
else. The ache inside of her only grew, tears shed silently before she had
arrived at the pyramid with Bengali. A Thunderian had died because she was
unsuccessful as a warrior. She could not heal a broken, empty body. She could
not heal a broken heart that seemed to scream ever so loudly from inside of
Bengali.
"There has to be something in here that we're
missing. Something that can stop him," Cheetara persisted, running a light
over several of the fading images. She grazed her fingers over dusty bricks,
her resolve unrelenting. A burning inside of her refused to let her cease her
hunt, even with the loss of Lynx-O and two of the pieces of armor. She had
enough sympathy, just not enough desire inside of her to sulk when time was the
only thing that she managed to have in her possession.
"Shit, we have nothing," Tygra growled,
slamming his elbow into the wall behind him. His patience had become
non-existence since their return to the pyramid.
Lion-O's eyes quickly darted toward Tygra, disappointment
setting into his stare. Before he could speak, Pumyra replied softly,
"He's right. We don't have anything left to go with."
This time Cheetara turned, unsettled by Pumyra's
concurrence. She lowered the light a little, dimming more of the room. Shadows
cast unfamiliar patterns across faces and darkened the appearance of figures
across the room. Cheetara trained her eyes as she glanced at Tygra. He stayed
silent and angered while leaning against the wall. She shook her head, not
bothering to look at Pumyra or Bengali. She could feel their hopeless demeanor
through her skin. It left her cold.
"We won't give up. We can't give up. If we do, we
might as well shackle ourselves up now and prepare to work in Thundrillium mines for Katil. And
we might as well say farewell to the world we knew," Lion-O announced. He
was unclear if his courage was increasing, but he knew that a life of slavery
was a life in the past for him.
"And should we say farewell to our lives as well if
we head into this battle once more? Or have you already forgotten that two
young teenaged twins killed a great warrior like the Hachiman? And what about Lynx-O?" Tygra growled in protest,
stepping in Lion-O's direction. His fists remained balled while the lines in
his forehead refused to smooth out. His upper lip began to curl and the others
could only watch the defiance from Tygra.
"He died in hopes that you might live another decade
Tygra," Lion-O responded, his teeth clenched while his voice was a heavy
hiss.
"Really? Or did he die on a
quest you were supposed to lead?" Tygra grumbled back, leaning his upper
body in Lion-O's direction. "Why don't you ask Bengali and Pumyra whether
or not his death was in vain?"
Lion-O's eyes shifted to the quiet puma and the brooding
tiger. Neither spoke. Neither bothered to lift their eyes to look at him, but
he refused to be moved by their abandonment. He dismissed their quietness for
hovering feelings of guilt and returned his focus to Tygra. "What kind of
warrior will you be if you accept defeat now and permit each one of these
Thunderians to die? Will you have accomplished something? Or will you prove to
everyone that you are a warrior, a born Thundercat whose
willing to fight for a life he believes in?"
Lion-O's words may have been a slow hiss that bounced off
the walls of the room like rain drops falling in a small jar, but they were
enough for all heads to be lifted and all eyes to fall on him. Pride was no
longer a ruby-eyed demon that preyed upon them. The cold air in the room wasn't
brought upon a change in temperature, but a change in thoughts. It encouraged
Pumyra to lean off of the wall, pale white hands brushing over the fabric of
her brown outfit while nervous feet stepped forward in unity.
Cheetara smiled, taking a small step until she was behind
Lion-O. She could feel the courage inside of him leaving small tremors of heat
across her heart. She watched as Bengali raised to a
crouching position and then a standing one, an emptiness still in his
expression but a trust in Lion-O spreading like wings of a bird in his cobalt
eyes.
"Even if we do decide to continue on this 'mission'
to stop Katil, none of us know where the final piece
is," Tygra sighed out, brushing fingers through his hair. He turned his
head slightly, losing his courage but not his vindication.
Cheetara eased past Lion-O, nerves rising up inside of
her. She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and took a quick glance at
Tygra, his head still turned from them. She swallowed a sigh before saying,
"I think I can help there. See, I never tried to pull all my powers
together when Katil wanted me to help him. I believe
if I concentrate hard enough that I can pinpoint the area that the last piece
might be."
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lion-O inquired,
laying a worried hand against Cheetara's shoulder blade. She did not flinch and
Lion-O could feel the warmth from her skin.
"It's the only way," Cheetara whispered from
over her shoulder, turning her head slightly so that Lion-O could spy the slight
hesitation in her eye. She stepped forward, away from Lion-O's touch before he
could offer up any real concern. She watched as the others took small steps
back and she sighed a gentle exhale, closing her eyes
to draw together everything she had inside of her.
It started like a slow sifting burn, some kind of fire
radiating through her blood and coating her bones. She held her arms out to
either side of her, eyes still closed while her face rid itself of a fearful
expression. She had done this before. She had allowed her feet to move in a
circular motion, spinning her entire body in a clockwork fashion. All of the
shadows around, the Thunderians who were on the quest with her began to fade
away. She could only feel the force inside of her throbbing through each fiber
of her soul.
Her movements were faster, but everything inside of the
tomb remained still in her vision. She batted open her eyes, trying to focus on
the images that formed in front of her. Flashes of golden light passed over her
eyes, visions of the past streaking through her mind. It was a strong haze of
pressure, draining Cheetara's stamina as she continued to spin in circles
attempting to find the clues she needed.
Streaks of scarlet burned against her brain as she tried
to piece together the images that passed before her. Her muscles grew weaker,
but her determination kept her moving. The images of the past dancing before
her eyes like fireflies burning against the night's sky. She strived to keep a
hold of those vision, her mind fitting small broken
images together to form events that she had never seen. Events that she had
only heard of left an aching in her soul. Pictures of Mumm-Ra, Mumm-Rana, a war raced through her vision. It was a familiar taste in
her mouth, but one that as vile and unwanted.
She could feel herself panting, needing to escape the
thousands of shattered dreams that quaked against her spine and blurred her
vision. However, he knew if she stopped, if she ceased her movement, she would
lose all of the visions she saw. She would lose the chance to end a war that
had not happened, but one she could see when she concentrated hard enough. One that would leave her Thunderian friends dead and her world in
fire.
And there it was, like a small golden orb that fit into
her palm. She reached out with her mind, grabbed the part of her dreams she
could never reach before. It pointed her in the direction her heart told her to
go, unlocking mysteries that she knew no other Thunderian knew. Only Mumm-Rana
could know this feeling, this smooth touch rushing against her skin like lilacs
and auburn leaves. She gasped hard and felt it take over, showing her what she
needed to see while burning against her bones and leaving her to fall to her
knees and out of the dream state.
"I know..." Cheetara panted hard, reaching for
air with her hands in her lap and her head lowered. She kept her eyes closed, trying to flood her mind of the other visions she
had seen. She did not want to remember any of them. She did not want them
haunting her dreams and reminding her of things she should not have seen. She
looked up when Tygra knelt next to her, one arm sliding over her shoulders. Her
eyes opened, tears dancing down her cheeks with her breath still slightly
unsteady. "I know where the final piece is. I know where to find it."
Cheetara glanced up to Lion-O, his concern circling
through his eyes but his stance was less than unnerved. She did not attempt to
wipe away her tears, her sacrifice melting against her heart and leaving her
with enough pride to let the tears stain her cheeks rather than leave her
ashamed. She swallowed hard, the tender tough of Tygra's hand not enough to
comfort her, but enough to ease the quick pace of her beating heart.
The others concentration on Cheetara left them deaf to
the sound of claws raking against stone. They were unaware of the beast that
race through the halls of the pyramid, dashing toward an exit only it knew of.
Ma-Mutt ran with the echoing speed of the dead-spirited wind. His growl was low
as his red eyes glow through the climbing shadows of the walls, his destination
found once the falling sun of Thundera coursed over his eyes and his large form
met with the dead air of the outside, his eyes spying Grune, Wily Kit, and Wily
Kat all standing near a fallen obelisk.
"So Cheetara knows where the final piece is, eh? Katil will be pleased then," Grune grinned once
Ma-Matt came near. The Beast crouched next to him, humbling itself.
"This just doesn't feel right. His power is great
yet his hunger is far from quenched. Shouldn't we be concerned about what will
come once he does garnish all of Mumm-Ra's energy through that damn
armor," Wily Kit hissed, turning her head from the others to watch the
falling sun. She often wondered if each sun would be the last that she would see? She pondered what it would have been like to grow up
watching that sun, living to learn its meaning and beauty.
"Stop worrying Kit. Once Katil
has captured all of the armor, then we will be Kings and
"And are you sure there will be cities, villages or
even Thunderians left to worship us?" Kit argued softly, turning her eyes
back to Wily Kat. He scoffed at her, kicking up dirt with his foot.
"It doesn't matter right now. What matters is
informing Katil about the missing piece and doing as
he wishes," Wily Kat grumbled, turning his focal point on Ma-Mutt.
"Return to Katil and inform him of what we know
Ma-Mutt."
Ma-Mutt quickly stood again, a small scowl on his face.
He growled deeply, a blaze of red fire rising around his body. His being slowly
began to dematerialize before them, disappearing into the darkening air of
Thundera. Only ashes were left on the ground before Grune's feet, the others
gathering together their thoughts for preparation.
**
The night's fallen shadows decorating the landscape of
Thundera failed to cloud all of the lights of the silent world. The high moons
of Thundera lingered with an ivory glow reflecting off of a passing river, the
shimmering beams emulating against Pumyra and Cheetara as they sat near the
water. Their words were quiet and peaceful as they watched the traveling waters
move slowly in their course.
The light traveled through stretched out branches and ivy
green leaves across the river, over Bengali's white skin. The only noise coming
from him was the sound of panting while his fist and feet repeatedly slammed
into the nearby trees, his training unremitting. His mind tried to focus, tried
not to listen to the sounds of his body crying out for rest. The aching in his
knuckles could not distract him, could not block out the visions of Lynx-O's broken
body lying on the ground or the clear tears that fell so freely from Pumyra's
eyes. He moved in circles, from tree trunk to tree trunk without thought, just
a haze of actions that expressed his tangled mind.
Cheetara watched Pumyra, her silence and peaceful nature
a guise that Cheetara found hard to peal past. She observed the way the wind
lifted strands of her hair, the white tips fluttering across her face like
quiet wisps of snow. She could feel Pumyra's mind elsewhere, concentrated on
something that did not revolve around Mumm-Ra, Katil
or the armor they were searching for.
"You feel guilty about it, don't you Pumyra?"
Cheetara inquired, drawing Pumyra's brown eyes away from the quietly drifting
waters.
Pumyra lifted her head, turning it toward Cheetara with
surprise. She raised one of her eyebrows, curious by the question.
"Guilty?"
"About Lynx-O. You feel
like he blames you and you blame yourself for Bengali being depressed,"
Cheetara replied, bending her leg at the knee before pulling it up until her
knee was just under her chin. She watched the surprise continue to mold over
Pumyra's face, a small smile forming over her own lips.
"How did you know?" Pumyra asked,
her words quick with a hint of urgency and shock.
"I have another talent besides my sixth sense
Pumyra," Cheetara grinned out, winking at Pumyra. Pumyra's brow raised with interest and Cheetara could no longer harbor her
laugh. She glanced out to the river with a glimmer passing through her soft
tangerine eyes. She turned back to Pumyra with a brighter smile while giggling
out, "It's called woman's intuition,
Pumyra."
Pumyra blushed heavily, ducking her head. She traced
nervous fingers over one of her ears while staring at the grass below, striving
to hide her shame. She was unsure on how to respond, what words would alleviate
the awkwardness she felt.
"You care for him, don't you?" Cheetara
inquired, a knowing look washing over her face as she watched Pumyra wrestle
with the question.
Pumyra's lips parted to respond, but the struggle inside
of her prevented anything other than a sigh from crossing her lips. She pulled
her legs up, resting her chin on top of her knees. She traced the top of one of
her white boots with her finger, adjusting to the feelings that were settling
inside of her. She wasn't sure if the feelings were ready to be spoken. She
didn't even know if they truly existed. But they were there.
"Do you care about Lion-O?" Pumyra asked,
turning her head so that her cheek rested on her knees while she looked at
Cheetara.
"Not as much as you care for Bengali," Cheetara
snickered out, trying to shield her own feelings. She eyed Pumyra as she nodded
with a grin, one that managed to break through Cheetara's defensive walls and
cause her to snicker with Pumyra.
"Glad to see someone's happy," Tygra remarked,
observing Pumyra and Cheetara from his position next to a small fire. He
thought of drawing closer, maybe speaking with Cheetara before the night truly
took over and they were sleeping away in the forest. He held his position, not
wanting to come between Pumyra and Cheetara or giving Lion-O a reason to cease
his practicing a few feet away.
"It's good to know that someone is able to relax
before the coming battle," Lion-O remarked, his fists cutting through the
air as he concentrated. Each swing was more calculated than the one before, his
mind aiming for an object that did not physically appear before him.
"Is everything a battle for you Lion-O?" Tygra
asked, his other words halted in his throat. He could
feel it, all the air surrounding him slowly evaporating into nothing, leaving
him to gasp for oxygen. His hand instinctively reached for his throat as he
tried to swallow some of the remaining air, unaware of what was stealing all of
the air from around him. He coughed before falling to the side, unconscious
without air to breathe.
"Tygra?" Lion-O
questioned when turning, observing the tiger lying across the grass near the
fire with one hand at his throat. He raised his brow, something inside of him
needing to race over to the fallen tiger. A thud against the back of his neck
prevented him from moving. He groaned out in pain, his body falling forward
until he was on his knees. He could only watch the fire's glow against Tygra's
body as his other surroundings slowly faded to a blackness that haunted him
until he could see nothing more.
"Controls over all of the winds of Thundera and it takes you that long to render that jabbering tiger
unconscious," Grune grumbled as he and Wily Kat stepped from the shadows
nearby. His large form towered over Lion-O, staring down at him with an
embittered grin. His foot kicked into the still lion's side, moving him until
he rolled over onto his backside. He released a low laugh that rested in his
throat.
"Not all of us can be brutes like you Grune,"
Wily Kat grinned. He ran a brisk, confident hand through his hair, strolling
past Tygra's motionless body with a wider grin. With a quick flick of the wrist
and an uncaring wave of his hand, the wind swept by Wily Kat's feet and
extinguished the fire.
"Better a brute than an overconfident kitten,"
Grune mumbled, nudging Lion-O's body with his foot once more as Wily Kat
glanced over his shoulder, winking at Grune with a smugness that made the
muscular sabre scrunch his face in anger.
**
Cheetara's laughter ceased, the
echo unable to distract her mind from her thoughts. The suddenness hollowness,
the quiet that came from a fire no longer crackling in
the distant background burdening her as she turned her head slowly. She glanced
over her shoulder, a nothingness in the shadows behind
her that made a small shiver rivet up her spine and her eyes peer with intent
through the trees. She remembered a small glow there before, one from the fire
she and Pumyra had escaped when Tygra began to brood again. That glow no longer
existed and her thoughts of peril began to flow against her heart.
Cheetara attempted to pull her energy together to try and
feel for signs of life in the area they once sat in. Her endeavor was made short
when the sound of the river water became unstable rather than calm. Her head
snapped in the direction of the water and her eyes squinted when she saw Wily
Kit standing on the other side of the racing waters, a unique smile feathered
over her lips.
"Move," Cheetara insisted with an alertness
vibrating through her tone. She grabbed Pumyra's wrist and pulled her up
quickly as Wily Kit held out one of her arms from across the river. She pulled
Pumyra backward as Wily Kit jumped forward, an intense glow surrounding her
agile form as her feet ran effortlessly across the splashing water.
Pumyra watched in awe while Cheetara observed with fear.
She was aware of Wily Kit's control over water, informed enough to know that
the water would not break or swallow her lean form as the young Thunderian ran
across it without fear. She backed up again, clutching Pumyra's wrist tighter
while striving to hold her trepidation inside. She was forced to release
Pumyra's hand when Wily Kit leapt into the air and hurled a small orb toward
them. Cheetara pushed the younger Thunderian in the opposite direction before
rolling away. The orb exploded against the trunk of a nearby tree, shattering
it at the base and causing it to fall. It created a natural bridge across the
river, one that Cheetara considered running across to escape her hunters, but
she could not abandon Pumyra and her thoughts of Lion-O's location held her
kneeling on the ground.
Cheetara brushed strands of hair from her face, surveying
the area when she heard a cool laugh. She looked to her right and watched as
Grune and Wily Kat walked from around the fallen stump where the tree had
broken from. Her eyes fixated on them with terror when she saw the two bodies
Grune drug one either side of his large form. Her bottom lip quivered and her
fingers dug into the grass below, dread and fury overcoming all of her other
emotions as she watched Grune drop Tygra and Lion-O in the grass. Her fingers
scratched at the surface of dirt when Wily Kat smiled at her. His sister stood
over a weakened Pumyra, a confident hand on her hip with a sly smirk still
painted across her lips.
"Bastards," Cheetara growled, pushing herself
up quickly. She briskly sprung into the air, her body twisting like broken
pieces of sunlight. She tucked her body, her hand moving quickly and pulling a
small baton from her boot. She landed gracefully before Wily Kat, his surprise
pleasing her. She spun the baton in front of him, the golden rod extending into
a staff between her delicate fingers. She stopped her twirling with an
abruptness that shocked Wily Kat again and she took his surprise as an opening.
She flicked her wrist quickly and swung at the young feline, his head briskly
ducking and dodging the attack.
A hand grabbing her shoulder and squeezing hard stopped
Cheetara from swinging the staff at Wily Kat once more. She groaned in pain and
tried to wrench free of the hold, glaring back at Grune as he grinned at her.
He squeezed harder and she was forced to release her staff, the muscles in her
shoulder giving way to intense anguish.
"That's enough Cheetara," Grune insisted,
pulling her back until her body thudded against his chest. "You wouldn't
want anything to happen to your friends."
The warning brought Cheetara's eyes to Lion-O and Tygra,
Wily Kat already standing over them with angry seering
through his darkened eyes. He held a small orb above Tygra's head, his other
hand squeezed shut and glowing. The pain in her shoulder no longer held her
attention when she spotted the intent in Wily Kat's eyes. She swallowed in a
deep breath of air and closed her eyes, her defeat soaking her courage.
Pumyra pushed herself to her hands and knees, biting back
a groan as she watched Wily Kat kick at Tygra's unmoving body. She narrowed her
eyes, thinking of Lynx-O's lifeless body. She felt her teeth grinding together,
her anger growing while glaring at the feline that had taken the blind lynx's
life.
She glanced to Cheetara, watched the loss wash over her
face. She thought to struggle to her feet and attack, but she knew her
limitations. She knew she could not defeat all three Thunderians alone. She
could not risk trying, couldn't risk one of her friends being killed in the
process. She could only close her eyes and whisper a quick prayer, hoping
Bengali was still alive somewhere in the forest.
"You know we are only here to take you back. Don't
let more of your Thunderian friends shed blood over you," Wily Kit warned,
taking a small step closer to Pumyra. Pumyra growled lowly in her throat, the
need to attack increasing inside of her kneeling form.
"But you would be doing us a pleasure if you did
resist," Wily Kat added, leaning down so that he was slightly closer to
Tygra's limp form.
"Stop it," Cheetara ordered, her voice raised
and echoing through the area. She lowered her head, defeat overtaking her as
she ceased resisting the grip Grune had on her. She shook her head, her
thoughts drifting to where it began. She thought of the dreams she wished she
didn't have, the thoughts of victory that had crossed her tongue and were now
leaving an unwanted taste there. It left her to sigh before whispering,
"I'll go with you, but you have to leave the
"Good little cheetah," Grune chimed, leaning
his head in close before taking a quick sniff of Cheetara's spotted hair. She
shivered at the action.
"But if you hurt them, I swear that I will kill
myself before Katil finds out anything about the
remaining piece," she warned, turning her head slightly so that Grune
could get a glimpse of her eyes.
"Save us your last best effort at being heroic
Cheetara. There will be no need for bloodshed on the behalf of these
Thunderians," Grune chuckled, wrapping an arm around Cheetara's waist with
a confident smirk. Cheetara stiffened under his touch, her despise evident when
she turned her head from him and closed her eyes tightly.
With a small touch of one of the small circles on Grune's
belt, a small portal opened below he and Cheetara,
waves of energy hovering around their bodies. Cheetara took in a deep breath,
prepared for the magic of ancient spirits. She took a brief glance at Lion-O
and Tygra, small tears finding their ways to the lids of her eyes. She let her
eyes drift to Pumyra, her cloudy vision still allowing her to watch the
disbelief and fear shift through Pumyra's once lively brown eyes. She wanted to
lift a hand and reach out to the younger puma, but couldn't. The field around
them drew inward and Cheetara could not remember seeing anything else.
"Oh good, now that the bore is gone, we can have
some fun," Wily Kat cheered, a splash of deviousness washing over his face
as he turned to Pumyra. She cringed at the sight of his expression.
"By fun, I hope you mean seeing how much pain it
takes to make this little puma growl," Wily Kit hissed, a hand quickly
grabbing the end of Pumyra's hair and yanking her back. Pumyra screamed out
with shock, her body falling backward until her back was pressed against Wily Kit's
knee. She struggled against the grip Wily Kit had on her hair, the sight of a
small orb near her cheek being viewed from the corner of her eye.
"Sister, that's exactly what I was thinking,"
Wily Kit grinned, edging toward Pumyra and Wily Kit with a closed fist still
surrounded by an amber glow of hovering energy. His steps were light as the
wind and deliberately slow. Pumyra did not know if she had enough strength to
mount a proper attack, but her thoughts never drifted far from them when she
watched an anxious glare rush over Wily Kat's eyes.
A whirl sliced through the air, a foreign sound that
captured Pumyra's eyes when the moonlight's flashed over an object twirling
toward them. It cut between Pumyra and Wily Kat, causing his steps to halt as
the object slashed into the ground, embedding itself into the dirt. She stared
down at the object with awe. It was a hammer, its head now partially buried in
the dirt in front of her.
"Bengali," Pumyra whispered and a sudden shift
in the wind caused her to look up, eyes finding life again when she saw the
white tiger standing on one end of the broken tree that stretched across the
river. She felt a smile bite at her lips, but her still thriving fear prevented
it from finding true light.
"Don't you dare think of harming her," Bengali
warned with a deathly tone, his fists clenched and his once pure blue eyes dark
with the shadows of his thoughts.
"Looks like the boyfriend has come to join in on the
festivities Kit," Wily Kat announced, turning to Bengali with a curvy
smile. He continued to concentrate his energy around his closed fist, waiting
to see if Bengali dared to strike.
Bengali's eyes began to narrow when he watched Wily Kit's
grip tighten on Pumyra's hair, drawing her back with a pained expression dancing
over Pumyra's face. He titled his head slightly with a raised eyebrow before
hissing out, "I guess you're hard of hearing."
Bengali sprung forward before either of the twins could
respond, his body moving through the air like water against glass. He drew his
ar
"Bastard," Wily Kat growled, closing his fist
once more. Bengali narrowed his eyes and watched Wily Kat lift his arm and then
drag it back down, hurling a near invisible blade of air toward Bengali.
Bengali's eyes widened while his mind produced rapid thoughts. He jumped to his
left and used tact feet to run sideways across the trunk of a few trees, the
blade of wind cutting through one of the trees. The crackle of wood breaking
and chips of bark flying caused Bengali to look behind himself
as he landed back on the ground, eyeing the falling tree and the direction it
toppled in. He stared as it crashed into other trees, creating a blanket of
shadows across the land behind him.
Bengali's head snapped back around when he heard Wily
Kat's growl, his eyes concentrated on the leaping feline. He took a small step
back as Wily Kat pulled a small marble from his side, tossing it at Bengali
with little effort. Bengali eyed the ball as it managed to float through the
air without velocity, carried by the wind. He knew to roll away, but he
remained positioned ready for the attack.
The marble exploded in front of Bengali, creating a large
flash of light that blinded the baited tiger. He threw an arm over his eyes,
groaning in pain. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to regain some of
his vision.
"Now die!"
Bengali lowered his arm from his still shut eyes and
quickly held it in front of his face, his reflexes preventing Wily Kat from
striking him. He could still feel the sting on the back of his eyes from the
flash bomb, but his ears were open and his senses aware. He was confident in
his ability to battle while temporarily blinded. He had studied years under
Lynx-O, often training blindfolded to increase his sharpness during battle. A
portion of his mind found itself remembering his years with Lynx-O when Wily
Kat went for a second assault, this time trying to catch Bengali in the side
with a kick. Bengali hopped back, not concentrating on seeing but on hearing.
Wily Kat groaned in frustration and leaped backward, the
sound a sharp cutting through the air that made Bengali's ears perk up. He
managed to blink open his eyes, still trying to adjust to the darkness of the
sky and the fading light that still left small circles in his vision. He caught
the movement through the air, another blade of wind slicing toward him. He
flipped forward, avoiding the attack as it cut up grass and dirt instead of
hitting Bengali.
Bengali rolled into a running position, pulling up speed
as he sprinted toward the landing Thunderian. He hopped forward, catching Wily
Kat off guard. His foot jammed into Wily Kat's stomach, causing Wily Kat to
lose much of his breath and double over in pain. His left fist crashed into the
groaning Thunderian's shoulder, the sounds of bones cracking and the feel of
muscles tightening relieving some of the pain that burned through Bengali's
knuckles. His foot lifted again to kick Wily Kat in the lip before the other
fist mashed against Wily Kat's temple, the once agile feline falling to his
knees before thudding against the ground unconscious. Bengali watched a small
trickle of blood emerge from the fallen attacker's lip, the crimson sight not
enough to pull a smile across his lips but something inside of his soul was
satiated.
"Die tiger!"
Bengali's head briskly turned in the direction of the
declaration, watching Wily Kit twirl into the air. An urge to move clear of
Wily Kit's path was halted when Bengali spied an orb being tossed by the
flipping female. He cringed a little with fear as the orb whirled through the
air toward him. It made a sharp whistling sound as it glided through the wind,
one that distracted Bengali slightly as he thought of a counterattack.
"Not tonight kitten," Pumyra called out,
leaping in front of Bengali. Bengali staggered back with surprise, astonished
when Pumyra's lean form jumped in front of him. He stared with wide eyes as she
caught the flying orb in mid-air with her belt, using the tanned belt as a
sling.
Pumyra twirled the orb in her sling above her head,
narrowing her eyes as Wily Kit landed on the ground a few feet from her. She
flipped back, launching the orb from her sling back toward Wily Kit. She was
quick to push Bengali back, rolling away while Wily Kit sprung into the air to
avoid the explosion of the orb when it landed on the ground.
Wily Kit somersaulted onto the fallen tree that bridged
across the river, catching her breath quickly. She growled when spotting Pumyra
spinning in the air toward her. She did not have enough speed at the moment to
move away, watching some odd white glow shift around Pumyra's body as it spun
toward her.
The back of Pumyra's fist cracked against Wily Kit's jaw.
Her feet landed properly on the deteriorating base of the tree, standing before
the kneeling nemesis with a newfound fire to her brown eyes. She could sense a
smile tugging at her lips as Wily Kit used the back of her hand to wipe away
scarlet blood from her bottom lip. The agile fighter ran her tongue across her
lips with a devious smile that unsettled darkness in Pumyra's heart and
prompted fear to return to her mind.
"You'll have to do a bit better than that to defeat
me wench," Wily Kit hissed, finding strength to stand again. She stood
straight with her fist at her sides, slowly concentrating her mind and energy.
"I'll try," Pumyra grumbled back, one of her
hands twirling her sling at her side. Her resolve was still strong,
her mind drifting from thoughts of her years of combat training to the pale
tiger she knew stood not too far away watching her. She swallowed back that
lump of fear that lingered at the back of her throat and inched a foot forward,
waiting to counter any of Wily Kit's attacks.
Wily Kit sprinted toward the patient puma, taking a small
jump backward when she was mere steps from Pumyra. Her back bent into an arch,
allowing her foot to rise up and catch Pumyra under the chin. She laid her
hands flat on the bark behind her to complete a handstand from her arched
position while Pumyra fell to one knee with a grunt. She giggled softly,
sliding forward on one foot while Pumyra quickly began to regain a vertical
stance. She lodged a kick into Pumyra's upper thigh, sending her to one knee
again while Wily Kit jumped back. She closed her eyes and released the energy
she had gather inside of her, causing the waves of the river to increase and
splash up against the tree with a harsh intensity.
Pumyra groaned while standing, quickly flipping forward
into the air and avoiding a wave as it crashed against the area she had been
kneeling in. She growled with vengeance as she landed in front of Wily Kit,
whipping her sling at Wily Kit. The sling entangled itself around Wily Kit's
right forearm, drawing up a gasp of surprise from Wily Kit as she struggled to
pull the sling away. Pumyra flipped into the air once more, looking down at
Wily Kit with a smile before giving a sharp tug on the sling. She yanked Wily
Kit's smaller form into the air with her, her skilled feet landing on the
slippery trunk without difficulty while her strength swung Wily Kit down onto
the tree with force.
Wily Kit's body slammed into the tree, bark breaking up
under her spine as her head bouncing off the wood. She cried out with pain but
was quick to shift its hungry pull at her to resign fro
"You won't win," Wily Kit panted out, eyeing
Pumyra as she yanked up the sling from the trunk of the tree, steady waves
crashing at either side of the unmovable tree. "Not the
war at least."
Pumyra growled lowly at the last statement, once again
whirling the sling on one side of her body. She arched an eyebrow when Wily Kit
sprung up into the air, Pumyra quick to follow. She ducked a kick from Wily Kit
while in air, hooking her sling around the foot as Wily Kit passed. She yanked
forward, dragging Wily Kit in the air with her.
Wily Kit's face slapped into the drenched wood while
Pumyra landed on her feet, turning as the struggling feline tried to return to
her feet. Pumyra leapt into the air again before Wily Kit could fully regain
her concentration, spiraling around in the air with her belt whipping about as
she spun. An ivory glow once again floated over her body like a ghost drifting
in the wind. The tail of her sling sliced across Wily Kit's cheek, the velocity
in which it moved through the wind managing to cut Wily Kit's face. She
shrieked, trying to back away. Her movements were not quick enough. Pumyra's
foot caught her jaw before she could move further back, the hit lifting Wily
Kit's body into the air. She fell back onto the tree with a resounding thud,
her motionless body being washed over by the rippling tide.
Pumyra landed in front of the end of the tree, a small
smile finally mingling with a face of satisfaction. She brushed a swift hand
through her hair and turned her attention to Bengali, the calm tiger a mere
step from her. She found her smile weakened by his wide eyes, but her shyness
could not bite back her feeling of victory.
Bengali eased forward, making the distance between them
just a breath of space. The sounds of gushing waters, soft night breezes, or
insects of the forest did not drowned out the sound of Pumyra's soft breathing
in front of him. He could hear the way it quickened with a nervousness that he
could breath in and feel a slight amount of joy in it.
She was never so unraveled before him and it urged him into a state of
contentment.
"Bengali, I'm sorry about Lynx-O and..."
Bengali's eyes stopped her from saying anymore, her lips
staying slightly parted because the words still lingered against her tongue. He
lifted a hand, fingers threading through pieces of her hair and pushing it
behind her ear. He brushed a finger over the tip of her ear, fascinated
momentarily by the softness of the flesh that led to the pointy tip. He curled
his hand around to the back of her head, refusing to focus on words anymore.
His crisp blue eyes admired her velvety pink lips for a second, his head
naturally leaning in as she tensed up. He knew it was momentary fear. A smile
folded over his lips when he saw her eyes slowly closing, long lashes batting
over cheeks with anticipation.
Some kind of untouched dream washed against needing skin
when their lips finally pressed together, an explosion of illusion and sweet
symphonies. Pumyra had no choice but to surrender to the kiss, to the emotions
that swiped against her heart in a cadence that was foreign but welcoming. The
hand against the back of her neck kept her lost in the kiss, but if it was
removed, she didn't think she'd be able to fight her own need to stay trapped
against Bengali's lips. It was more than intoxicating. It was freeing in a way
she had never known, but was willing to explore.
Bengali drew back, much to Pumyra's dismay, but there
were hidden promises circling his tender blue eyes when she finally looked into
them. His face stayed near, his lips just within distance. She controlled
herself, watching softening emotions mold against his face like clay. She
smiled softly, unable to remove her eyes from his pale face. Everything under
that mixture of white and pale blue on his skin made her want
to reach out and feel its uniqueness under the tips of her fingers.
A low growl that came from neither Bengali nor Pumyra
startled the
"It never ends, does it?" Bengali growled out,
gripping one of Pumyra's hands.
"Maybe we should move," Pumyra advised, her
foot instinctively sliding backward across the grass.
A growl from Ma-Mutt is silenced by the sound of cracking
wood. Eyes immediately turn toward the fallen tree laid against the river. A
panther stands proud, swiftly and skillfully swinging a pair of nunchucks in front of his muscular form. His orange eyes
are laced with a dare for the beast to try and attack. A crooked smirk ran
across his lips as the muscles under his gray skin tightened,
the challenge still open as Ma-Mutt took a small step back.
"If you don't want to return to your master a bag of
bones, I suggest you return to where you came from demon."
Pumyra felt the grip on her hand lessening, Bengali's
apparent concern fading while watching the warrior stare down Ma-Mutt. She took
a moment to observe the panther, the stories of his past victories and skill
aiding her in unlocking his identity. She knew him only as Panthro the deadly.
But her focus was interrupted, a bark coming from Ma-Mutt before a flame of red
glow sizzled around his form. He growled deep, Panthro still unmoved by his
actions, before evaporating into the air.
Pumyra felt Bengali pulling away, interlocking their
fingers as he edged toward Panthro. Admiration seemed to cloud his usual
curiosity as he looked upon Panthro, Pumyra standing behind him with a small,
appreciative smile.
"Glad to see you two could stop kissing long enough
to see we have a battle to finish," Panthro teased, hopping off of the
broken tree. His moves were quick, even with his large, muscular form. He
tossed his nunchucks around his neck and surveyed the
area, taking a brief moment to stare at the still unconscious bodies of Lion-O
and Tygra. He shook his head, fists clenching before a small laugh rumbled out
of his throat. "Tygra always had trouble holding his own. Even it was
against kids like those twins."
Pumyra raised her brow with surprise. She turned her head
quickly to Bengali when she heard him joining Panthro in his laugh. She settled
a hand on Bengali's bicep and sighed lowly, leaning her head against the rear
of his shoulder while thinking of Cheetara and the morning to come. She sensed
the fight, the clash that would inevitably destroy either a greater evil or
Thundera itself. She could only hope her world survived it.
**
Streaks of sunlight slashed across Cheetara's eyes when
they batted open, her hand automatically lifting and shading the light from her
eyes. She groaned softly, unaware of her full surroundings.
She could feel the ground below her, small pebbles and rocks pressing against
the small of her back and her legs. She turned her head when a shadow crept in
the way of the sun's unforgiving rays. Nothing of the prior night remained in
her mind, nothing after watching those small fearful tears form in Pumyra's
eyes.
"It's a good thing you finally woke up. I didn't
want you to miss any of the good action."
Cheetara felt her mouth run dry as she scrambled to get
into a sitting position, her hand lowering so that her eyes could look up at Katil. His proud form stood over her with a vengeful grin.
The smirk and soulless glare in his eyes sent a cold ache up her spine. She
could feel her bottom lip trembling as she struggled to scoot away from him,
undying fear still existing through every inch of her.
"Where... where are we?" Cheetara questioned,
glancing around the desolate area. She could see the ruins of something clouded
by mist behind Katil. It was almost recognizable,
something from her visions. It was something that brought small flashes before
her eyes, small glimpses of the present and the future. It left a full ache in
the back of her head.
"Why don't you know? Haven't you seen this place
before? Do you not recognize the place that you had been trying to hide from me
for so long dearest Cheetara?" Katil inquired
with a boastful chuckle, turning to face the misty area behind him. He admired the
area, the broken ruins, with a plastered smile.
"Katil, sir, Ma-Mutt
reports the twins have been defeated by two of the Thunderians."
Cheetara's head snapped in the direction of Grune, her
eyes tracing downward to see Ma-Mutt a few feet behind the large warrior. She
shook her head with shame when staring at Grune, the once Thundercat. It was
the power that corrupted Grune, gave him a reason to
betray Jaga and the other Thundercats, but she could never piece together what
drove him now. It was as if his soul had managed to slow dissipate and leave
behind a great warrior with nothing true to fight for.
"It's a shame they did not kill them. I swear, I don't know what the Ancient Spirits of Evil saw in those
two. They were children in matured bodies," Katil
chuckled out, glancing over his shoulder at Grune. The large Thunderian only
managed to nod and bow his head.
"Nevertheless," Katil
grinned, turning his attention to Cheetara before adding, "I do not need
Thunderian kittens when I have the power to destroy whatever force decides to
oppose me."
"You can't do this!"
Cheetara's outburst barely drew a reaction from Katil, his wild grin only subsiding slightly as he looked
at the pained expression melting through her eyes. He laughed to himself,
shaking his head at her desperation. He gripped a fist shut and raised it, his
only response to her declaration. He was too drawn to the power, the
overwhelming nectar of energy that he could lick his tongue out and taste. He
could sense it through every fiber, could feel its nearness pulling him closer.
He turned his attention back to Grune, Slithe and Jackelman waiting
solemnly behind him. He pushed past his yearn to reach his awaiting power to
let a boastful grin dance over his lips. "You three know what to do. Stop
Lion-O and his followers when they arrive. Let their blood be the first spilled
in honor of my ascension."
He receives just simple nods, muttered words that he
chooses not to examine. He gathers his strength into what feels like a small
ball of energy in the palm of his hand and glancing down at the still shivering
Cheetara. He feels a small falter and he shakes his head at her again. He
motions toward the mist, the broken ruins and empty temple that he knows holds
the source of everything he wants to become. His steel gray-blue skin shudders
with excitement and he waits for Cheetara to stand, patiently takes in final
breaths of air he knows will no longer hold the same scent once he unlocks the
ancient power awaiting him. He holds back a proud grin when Cheetara stands
near him, her head low and completely defeated. He wraps his fingers around her
forearm and gives it a slight tug, reveling in the power of not having to use
energy but mere threats to get the Thunderian to follow him toward the temple.
**
The wind caresses the back of Pumyra's neck, her eyes
slightly narrowed as she looks down at the temple surrounded by a cloudy fog of
white. She had arrived before the others, her fleet feet carrying her across
wind and desert at a pace that only Bengali and Lion-O managed to keep up with
slightly. She refused to glance back, the sounds of panting alerting her of her
approaching companions. She's focused on the ground below, standing high on a
rock that kept her a distance from the temple and the enemies she can sense
below.
She was unable to understand Lion-O's tracking abilities.
He managed to lead them to this destination all on the scent of Cheetara, the
scent that carried across several lands. She did not choose to question it,
having faith enough to know the lion would find Cheetara. She wondered if it
might have been some form of belief that he was the Lord of the Thundercats? It was an idea she had questioned, one she
found little favor in. She did not know enough about Lion-O to place such a
commanding faith in, but she knew that faith had to exist for her to follow him
this far.
Dust kicks up and settles behind her. She smiles inwardly
and glances over her shoulder, watching Bengali lean over to catch his breath
while Lion-O brushes off his exhaustion to concentrate on the temple before
them. His resolve intrigues her and she looses focus of the fact that Bengali
is rubbing the small of her back for attention.
"This is it?"
"It has to be." Pumyra is quick to respond to
Lion-O's question, curious brown eyes returning to the vision of mystery. She
takes a quick swallow, hoping she ingests any form of fear that is still
lingering inside. She feels Bengali step away to admire the fallen fortress and
wonders the origin of such an old structure. She had not heard of it before,
read about it in any of the books she had browsed through or studied.
"Then we should be ready for anything. Katil is a very powerful man," Lion-O warned, blinking
back doubt when turning to face the others. He watched Tygra and Panthro draw
closer, each feigning their weariness.
"Well if we're gonna do it, let's do it,"
Panthro insisted in a heavy voice, drawing his nunchucks
from his back. He swung them around in an artful display, pulling together his
own courage.
"Glad to see you're so willing to meet your death,
yes," Slithe hissed, leaping fro
Lion-O quickly stepped forward, fists clenched and ready
for attack. The others quickly joined him, each drawing what weapon they had.
Lion-O could feel a force rising, could see something different burned into Slithe's eyes. He could feel the same power that he sensed
in Monkian. The energy ran shivers across his skin, a
power that Lion-O knew enhanced what strength and skill the mutants had into
another degree.
"Why, you didn't actually think I would come alone,
did you?" Slithe grinned, waving a large hand in
the air. "Not when there are so few of you and so many of us."
Lion-O glanced around with shock, watching as more
mutants appeared around them, surrounding he and the
others into a tight circle. He listened to small gasps and muttered remarks
from his friends, his eyes narrowing as he thought of a plan of attack. He eyed
the mutants as some drew closer, an excitement running over their faces.
"You don't really think you can win, do you?" Jackelman cackled, patting the end of his round club. His
eyes were also bleached in a red glow that discouraged Lion-O.
"They're not normal mutants," Lion-O warned, the muscles in his arms and legs tightening as he
tried to slow the sound of his pounding heart. He felt the wind dance over his
red hair and ignored its presence, avoiding thoughts of anything except
reaching the temple below.
"Really? I would've never
guessed that," Tygra responded sarcastically, cracking his whip at a few
of the mutants that tried to draw closer to him. He snarled lowly, his need to
seek out Cheetara tugging blindly at his concentration.
"Lion-O, you should go. We've got this," Pumyra
insisted, slipping a rock into her sling before whirling it above her head.
"Speak for yourself,"
Tygra grinned, shaking his head to one of the approaching reptilians as a
warning. He snapped his whip in the air as a warning, the other mutants never
moving far from the corner of his eye.
"Go Lion-O," Bengali demanded, his eyes hooded
as he gathered the energy inside of himself. He knew the mutants were awaiting Slithe's command to strike, a signal that Bengali
continuously watched for as Slithe and Panthro
exchanged intense glares and even smiles.
"As long as I get Slithe,
it doesn't matter who goes after Katil," Panthro
sneered, darkened eyes watching the hunched reptilian run a pointy tongue over
his lips.
Panthro's history with the deceitful mutant was known to
many of the nobles and warriors. The battles they had during the war, some of
epic nature while others were more of quick encounters amongst a mass of
Thunderians and mutants. Still the anger and resentment Panthro had toward the
mutants was enough to ignite the warrior fire inside of him, images of his
sister being captured by mutants and the woman he loved being murdered by a
band led by Slithe. His need to shed Slithe's blood brought a flutter to his heart that he knew
was not normal, but it was encouraging.
Lion-O could feel his need to question his fellow
Thunderians. His uncertainty when it came to their skill began to weigh on the
back of his mind, his head turning to take quick glimpses at each of them. He
knew he did not have time to question faith. Pumyra and Bengali had defeated
Wily Kit and Wily Kat. Panthro's history as a warrior, though fading with age,
was well known to him. Tygra's ambition to protect Cheetara,
despite the reasons that were still unknown to Lion-O, helped to bring a
certain solace to his mind when it came to Tygra's capabilities. To have
a passion that strong meant to have a spirit that brave and Lion-O sensed that
it would not weaken Tygra's ability to fight.
He gripped his fists shut with a snarl before leaping
forward, dodging fickle attempts to attack hi
**
The whirling sound of a rock slicing through the air
distracted one of the mutants. It spiraled toward the monkey, his eyes wide
before it smashed into his head, sending him howling to the ground. Pumyra
smiled at the fallen mutant, running a quick hand through her hair. She spied a
jackal dashing toward her, the smile on her lips never faltering as she leapt
into the air. She hooked her sling around the jackal's neck, landing behind
him. She yanked forward on the sling, the tight belt choking the jackal before
Pumyra jerked him into the air. With the assistance of her sling, she flung the
jackal into a monkey charging her. The two collided and tumbled on the ground.
"So I was thinking," Pumyra said,
her eyes on Bengali for a moment. She jumped over another mutant in attempts to
get closer to the white tiger. She ducked the swing of an axe, tripping a
jackal as he tried to cut her again. "What are people going to think about
a relationship between a puma and a tiger?"
"Relationship? Doesn't this
kind of thing happen all of the time?" Bengali asked back, slamming his
fist into a reptile's jaw while kicking back one of the attacking jackals. He
jumped into the air, catching a monkey in the chin with his foot before landing
behind another jackal.
"No hammer boy, it doesn't," Pumyra replied
with a small grin, doing a back handstand before elbowing a reptile in the
chest. She swung the back of her fist back, landing it against the reptile's
throat to send him to his knees. She was unprepared for the jackal the yanked
her back by the ends of her hair. She struggled for a moment, watching as a
monkey approached with an axe drawn in her direction. A small shiver of fear
danced over her spine as she strived to think of a plan of escape. Her thoughts
were interrupted when Bengali leaped forward, pulling her into his arms before
the blade of the axe could cut her. It slashed across the jackal, his scream
only faint before he fell to the ground without life.
"It does now," Bengali smiled, still holding
Pumyra in his arms. She smiled back, a silent gesture of appreciation before
Bengali released her and returned to battle. She snatched up a rock and found
it hard to erase the smile when she hurled the rock at an approaching reptile.
Something about Bengali's easiness made it simpler for her to fight on.
"Could you two not talk about this right now?"
Tygra requested, strangling a jackal with his whip while ducking a mace that
flew past the side of his head. He kicked back a monkey before releasing the
lifeless jackal. He smiled inwardly and hopped into the air, avoiding reptiles
that ran at him from either side. He spun his whip around himself loosely while
in air, his body disappearing from the mutants’ sight. His invisible body moved
stealthy through the area, knocking a few of the mutants down before becoming
tangible again.
"Nice trick," Jackelman
chuckled, pulling a dagger from his side. He ran at Tygra fro
"I thought that was a better one," Tygra
chimed, staring down at the dead jackal. He found not time to boast as he
quickly rolled away from another jackal charging him.
Panthro growled lowly, the chain of his nunchucks preventing the blade of Slithe's
sword from cutting him. He struggled to keep the blade back,
Slithe's enhanced strength daring to rival Panthro's.
He watched the gleam settled in Slithe's eyes, the
reptilian finding pleasure in coming close to spilling Panthro's blood. He felt
a snarl rattle in his throat and it only encouraged him to pull his strength
together.
Panthro was quick about his actions, lifting his foot to
kick Slithe in the gut before flipping back. His nunchucks relinquished its hold on Slithe's
sword when he leapt into the air, his body spinning before landing a few steps
away from Slithe. He watched the grin increase over Slithe's lips, his tail lashing as he turned to his side
with his sword raised. Panthro gripped his nunchucks
in one hand and raised his other, a welcoming gesture toward Slithe. He called for the mutant to attack, his mind
already preparing for counterattacks.
Slithe charged Panthro, his
sword slashing through the air at the muscular Thunderian. Panthro deflected
each swing of the sword with his nunchucks, hopping
back as Slithe drew closer. He was quick to kick Slithe's thigh, taking away some of the reptilian's
vertical base. He slammed the end of his nunchucks
into the side of Slithe's head. A flick of his wrist
swung one of the battle sticks back in a circle, the end of it curving up and
catching Slithe in the chin. The reptilian stagger
back, swinging blindly at Panthro. The edge of his sword
manage to catch the panther off guard, slicing shallowly into the skin
of Panthro's arm.
Panthro stumbled backward, swiftly dropping his nunchucks to grab his upper arm. He watched streams of
blood slip through his fingers, the scarlet substance running a river against
his deep gray skin. He groaned quietly, holding back an instinctive need to
scream.
"You should know that once he releases that power of
Mumm-Ra that you are all doomed," Slithe
chuckled, his long tongue slowly sliding out to lick a drop of blood from the
edge of his sword. He limped toward Panthro, grinning uncontrollably. "You
all will die just like that woman you loved Panthro. Blood will be shed all
over Thundera once again and you will have no Mumm-Rana to save you."
Panthro let Slithe draw closer,
his own breath labored to exhale out the pain that ripped through him. He
gripped his arm tighter, eyes squinting slightly while blood continued to coat
his hand. He waited until Slithe was inches from him,
the reptilian's sword raised in an almost boastful form of victory. He released
his arm and hopped into the air, kicking the weapon from Slithe's
conceited grasp. The sword flipped in the air, Panthro raising his uninjured
arm to snatch it from the air. He swung it back, the blade slicing across Slithe's exposed throat.
Panthro took a deep exhale when Slithe
fell back, everything in front of him starting to lose focus. He looked down at
the fallen mutant. The years of needing to seek revenge all seemed to mean
nothing when he looked at the lifeless eyes that had haunted his dreams for
years. He took in a strong breath, grabbing his arm again before whispering,
"We don't need Mumm-Rana. We have the Lord of the Thundercats,
Lion-O."
His words seemed to fall like dead leaves on the wind.
They float for mere seconds before falling away, Panthro falling to his knees
in pain. Everything died away, but he knew he was still alive. Satisfaction had
taken what was left of his fighting spirit from him and he fell unconscious
onto the dirt.
**
Lion-O felt the gush of wind dance over his skin, nothing
about it distracting his gaze from Grune. The distance between them was lengthy
but Lion-O found tit dismal and almost nonexistent. He saw it as another small
amount of distance he would have to cross to reach Cheetara. And it troubled
him. It almost discouraged him to know he was striving to reach Cheetara rather
than trying to stop Katil and save his world.
"Shall we do this cub?" Grune questioned, a smug
grin coating his lips as he adjusted his armband. He glanced up at Lion-O,
watching the way the lion stood ready for combat but unwilling to make the
first strike. He had watched years and decades pass with warriors never
governing enough courage to stand awaiting a battle with him. The ran in fear, all but Jaga. All but the one Thundercat
that manage to secure enough strength never to fear Grune or the strength he
carried. And Grune could not help but to wonder if maybe he saw pieces of Jaga
buried in the young lion?
"Why will you fight for a being that would not do
the same for you?" Lion-O inquired, fists clenched and jaw tight. He could
see the entrance to the temple just a few feet behind Grune. He thought of
running, leaping over the muscular warrior and following his senses to
Cheetara. But he couldn't. If he could not defeat Grune, he did not know how he
would rescue Cheetara from Katil or stop Katil from capturing the power of Mumm-Ra.
"Don't ask questions cub... just fight," Grune
insisted, finally lashing forward toward Lion-O. Lion-O's eyes grew wide,
watching the flaring red glow that surrounded the sabre
as he dashed toward Lion-O. Lion-O was brisk with his leap into the air,
tucking his body inward as he flipped through the air. He landed behind Grune,
rapid thoughts of running again twisting through his mind. He avoided them and
turned to Grune, the bulky warrior turning swiftly to face Lion-O.
Grune grinned menacingly at Lion-O, raising his hand to
reveal a small red sphere of light. Lion-O eyed the small sphere, the flare of
red light surrounding it distracting him. Cheetara had warned him of Grune's
power, his ability to control heat and fire at will. A gift bestowed upon hi
"Your quickness will not save you," Grune warned, a blink of his eyes releasing the ball toward
Lion-O. Lion-O dodged it quickly, the sphere exploding against one of the
decaying pillars of the temple. The pillar crumbled immediately, shattered stone
almost blocking the entrance to the temple.
Lion-O rose from his crouched position, head turning away
from the sight of the broken pillar. He was greeted by a swift punch to his
gut, another fist ramming into his shoulder as he tumbled back. He briskly
rolled away from Grune's second advance on him, clutching his side with one
arm. He spied Grune gather energy in his palm again for another orb. He swiftly
sprung into the air, his foot landing against Grune's jaw.
Grune was unsettled by the swiftness of Lion-O's kick,
his concentration broken and his energy dispersed. He growled loudly, an
unfocused punch thrown in Lion-O's direction. It missed, permitting Lion-O to
land another kick. Grune groaned when Lion-O's foot slammed into his abdomen,
drawing back from the swift fighter.
"It would seem my quickness is saving me
Grune," Lion-O announced, a diminutive smile glossing his lips. He pulled
his arm away from his side, forcing his body to adjust to the pain. He ran his
fingers over his knuckles and watched Grune glare at him with resentment.
Grune charged Lion-O once more, his fists being thrown
blindly and with rage. Each punch was deflected by Lion-O, his swift movements
rivaling that of Grune's. The thought of the lion being stronger and swifter
than Grune only drew his anger higher, his mind focusing to draw all of the
heat in the area toward him.
Lion-O sensed the temperature change in the area, his
watchful eye watching for Grune's every attack. He ducked another punch and
managed a strike of his own, his knee lifting and slamming into Grune's hip. He
flipped backward as the sabre once again stagger pain
with surprise.
"You shall die Thunderian, whether by my hands or Katil himself," Grune declared, once more trying to
establish his energy. He sprinted forward, his fist drawn back and surrounded
by an almost blinding red glow.
Lion-O felt the sting in his side start to burn as he did
a one-handed handstand to escape Grune's attack. He spun around briskly as the
warrior flipped backward, trying to catch Lion-O with a kick. Lion-O took a
quick step back, pulling together his own energy. His time was short but it all
seemed to move slowly once his energy began to gather inside of him. He struck
forward with his fist, a velvet blue glimmer around his fist. When his fist
clashed against Grune's chest, the rough black material that covered his fist
ripped away in tattered shreds.
The energy released itself just as fast as it was gather, exploding at a force that caused Grune's body to
burn backward into another of the pillars. His body cracked into the pillar,
his head snapping back. His eyes were wide and his mouth drawn open. Everything
inside of hi
"You could not... how could you..." Grune
gasped out, unable to find the words to describe his loss. His breath was
shortening and he could feel everything begin to slip away. "Grune, the
Destroyer, killer of Thundercats and Thunderians... killed by a cub."
Lion-O panted heavily, watching as Grune slowly faded
from life. He gripped his side once more, his own strength reduced from his
last attack against Grune. He felt his body tensing, but his drive refused to
fade. He pulled together his strength and fought against the pain. He ran
toward the entrance of the temple, hopping over the broken pillar's remains to
gain full entry into the temple.
**
The streaming light of the sun haloed from above. The
small opening at the top of the room allowed broken light to spread unevenly
throughout the shadowy room. But the light's focused attention fell toward one
area, donning a glimmer across a golden crown with twin snakes raised on either
side of it and a red jewel in the center. Behind it were ivory statues of
unknown figures, ones that existed before most of civilization on Thundera was
established. All but one, a statue of Mumm-Ra that stood
behind the crown.
"Years of waiting to unlock the endless power
promised to me upon creation and now it is so close," Katil
announced, his gaze focused on the crown. He lightly ran his fingertips over
the surface of the crown, something inside of him surging the moment the pad of
his finger grazed one of the snakeheads. He shivered with excitement, his
tongue rolling over his lips while his fingers passed over the ruby jewel.
"And you really believe this power can be contained?
Do you truly believe the Ancient Spirits created you to control such an
unearthly power?" Cheetara questioned, her voice
loud with anger. She dared not to move close to the crown or Katil, remaining close to one of the walls of the room with
fear still echoing against her bones. Her body wanted to shift into the nearest
corner, cower in it until the end came.
"Why not? Why not fix what
they ruined when empowering that devil priest Mumm-Ra will power he knew nothing
of?" Katil countered, turning to look back at
Cheetara. His sneer alone caused her head to lower.
"You are just another pawn in their game,"
Cheetara growled, her head lifting with the small stripes of pride she had
remaining.
"Then I think it's time that the pawn became a
king," Katil grinned, turning back to the crown.
He took a moment to look over the statue of Mumm-Ra, a grin still creasing his
lips. With the four other pieces of armor cladding his body, he felt a power
never known to him. He shook his head at the statue, his own pride lifting him
above glorifying his power to the motionless object. He grabbed the crown on
either side and lifted it, admiring it as the sun touched it in a new light.
Lion-O sprinted into the large room, his feet halting
when he saw Katil holding up the crown of Mumm-Ra. He
had only seen it in books and the paintings that were on the walls of the Onyx
Pyramid. Its appearance was haunting, a treasure only wanted by the blackest of
hearts. Hesitation caught him for a moment, his mind fearing his actions were
too late.
"Katil stop!"
Katil turned slowly toward the
sound of Lion-O's voice, his grin diminishing slightly. He narrowed his eyes
and lowered his brow at the panting lion. He lowered the crown and shook his head,
mindful that Lion-O gripped his side with one arm while his other hand no
longer bore the black band around it.
"I must admit that I was unaware of your true power.
To have gotten this far means you have killed Grune. It's a shame that you did
not die a less painful death by his hands rather than mine," Katil remarked, lifting the crown once more. He spotted the
injured lion taking a few steps forward, but he was undaunted by Lion-O's
attempt to stop him. He shot Lion-O an uneven grin before adding, "You've
come this far only to die Lion-O. But still, I will admit, your efforts were
braver than most."
The final word barely escaped Katil's
lips before he raised the crown and slipped it onto his head. It was but a
moment before an echoing thunder resounded through the room. Winds rose up
throughout the room, strong gust ripping at solid stone and murky shadows.
Streaks of red lightning crackled through the air above the temple, flashing
brief crimson veins of light through the room. The light traced over Katil's form as transparent bands of light circled him.
Golden light emanated from the pieces of armor Katil
wore while the Sword of Plundarr forged itself together.
Lion-O braced his forearm over his eyes as the wind
lifted dust and small rocks into the air. He could feel his body being pushed
back and did his best to dig his feet into the ground, the floor beneath him
cracking. He took a quick glance to where Cheetara was, her once erect form now
kneeling on the floor quaking with terror. He braved the winds for mere seconds
more before they died down, his arm gradually lowering to look upon Katil.
Mist clouded the area, the ground below Katil's feet sizzling. Katil
emerged from the mist with slow, light steps. His skin was the color of the
ocean, his hair now purple in color. His eyes were now a solid red, a haunting
blood shade that revealed none of his thoughts. Mumm-Ra’s golden bands, small
spikes extending from the bands, encircled his wrists. Shredded bandages were
wrapped loosely around his arms and legs. The center of his exposed chest was
tattooed with a red symbol, a twin-headed snake coiling around itself in the
middle.
Katil lifted an arm, staring
down at it as his muscles tightened under his skin. He smirked, turning his
wrist slowly. His bone wept with pleasure, his skin alive to everything
surrounding him. He opened his hand, a small red orb floating above his palm.
He sneered quietly, waving his other hand in front of the orb. The orb followed
the effortless movement of his hand. He chuckled again before turning his head
to glare at Lion-O.
"Can you feel it? Can you feel the power?" Katil's eyes would not abandon Lion-O, watching as the once
brave lion glared at him with subtle indications of fear lacing his eyes. Those
signs only helped to encourage Katil's grin. He let
his eyes roam until they found Cheetara still cowering in the corner. He titled
his head at her and dimmed his smile, his sympathy dead to her.
"You can't win," Lion-O declared loudly, his
palpable attempt at distraction.
"And you plan to stop a demon like myself with
what?" Katil questioned, rotating his head until
he was looking at Lion-O again. He forged his smile again as Lion-O merely
stood still, panting with lingering trepidation. He laughed gingerly, waving
his hand dismissively near the red orb hovering his
other hand. The orb moved through the air slowly toward Lion-O. Katil watched as Lion-O barely flinched, the orb stopping
directly in front of Lion-O.
"Better move."
Lion-O did not take Katil's
warning flippantly. He briskly leapt into the air, flipping backward. His feet
were barely touching the cold ground below before the orb exploded, the blast
surprising Lion-O momentarily. He stepped back and quickly tried to look past
the haze of smoke for Katil. He peered through the
dispersing smoke and could no longer find his enemy there. A sudden shift in
the wind made him turn around, glancing in the shadows for a second before Katil appeared from the air. Lion-O flipped back again,
dodging a strike from Katil.
Lion-O landed swiftly but was unprepared when Katil again emerged from the air, his body moving quicker
than the winds. Katil's lit fist rammed into Lion-O's
jaw, sending the lion back a few feet. Katil caught
him fro
Lion-O was released unexpectedly. He staggered forward, a
hand unconsciously lifting to wipe away blood from his mouth. He panted hard
and turned his head to glance over his shoulder. His eyes grew wide as he
stared at Cheetara. She had her staff in hand, unremittingly trying to strike Katil with it. His body was just a shadow, an illusion of
itself every time she tried to attack. His movements were quicker than Lion-O's
eyes, but Cheetara's were beginning to quicken too in attempts to injure Katil.
Orange eyes followed Cheetara's movements as best they
could, but Lion-O's pain kept him from holding his concentration. His hand
gripped at his side while his tongue licked away blood on his bottom lip. He
panted heavily, trying to keep his strength together. He felt his breath hitch
at the sound of Cheetara's staff clattering against the cold stone of the
floor, his eyes following her kicking feet to her struggling body. Lion-O
forgot to breathe for a moment, watching as Katil
held Cheetara up by her throat, his hand gradually placing more pressure at her
throat and cutting off her air supply.
"It truly is depressing that we must say goodbye
this way my precious Cheetara. We've been through so much together," Katil remarked, a grin twitching against his lips. His
fingers dug into her skin, scarlet eyes watching as life slowly began to slip
from the struggling cheetah's face.
Katil's grip on Cheetara was
relinquished when an elbow jabbed into his side, the attack startling him and
causing him to drop Cheetara to the ground. He lurched back, eyes immediately
falling upon Lion-O. The heaving lion, glared at him with resentment flooding
his eyes. He still held his side, straining to flood the pain from his mind. He
could not afford to glance back at Cheetara, hoping she would find the strength
to get to her feet and run from the temple. He spotted Katil
looking past him to Cheetara and knew his chances to save her were slowly
fading.
Lion-O dashed forward again, his energy quickly gathering
together as he ran toward Katil. He heard a small,
blistering laughter as he pulled his fist back, ready to attack. He blinked in
surprise as Katil disappeared before him. A punch to
his back broke his stride, his feet faltering and his legs giving from under
him. Fingers gripping his hair snapped his head back. He cried out, his bones
aching while his blood burned. Tears stung against his eyes before he was
lifted from the ground by his hair, his body hurled backward by Katil's demonist strength. He could only view the grin on Katil's lips through watery eyes before his body crashed
into a wall, his breath escaping him. The stone behind him cracked and fell,
his body falling first and smacking against the ground. He knew he was losing
consciousness but his eyes could only watch Cheetara as she struggled to get to
her feet.
Katil's menacing laughter
filled the room, dark shadows shivering against walls as he raised an arm in
triumph. He merely had to wave a hand to draw up more power, every course of
his being riveting with energy. He glared down at Cheetara, bright eyes of satisfaction
folding over her still kneeling body. His hand reached out to touch her, but he
never got close enough. A haze of blue light dashed before him, inches from his
fingertips. He watched a steaming hammer clatter across the ground. His head
turned slowly, eyes narrowing as he looked upon his attacker.
"I would not touch her if I was you," Bengali
warned, his finger pointed in Katil's direction with
determination thundering in his deep blue eyes.
Katil raised an eyebrow, a
challenge for Bengali set in his expression. He was greeted swiftly by the
white tiger, Bengali's quick feet carrying him to the demon. Bengali's fist
immediately aimed for Katil's face, his attempt
thwarted by Katil's own swift movements. He felt the
wind shift behind him, his mind still trying to find a way to keep up with Katil's shadowy movements. His ears perked up at the draft
of wind behind him, his body instinctively rolling forward and avoiding a fist
thrown by Katil.
Bengali took a quick breath before running forward, his
feet climbing the wall in front of him for leverage before he vaulted off of
it. He spiraled forward feet first in a stream of blue light. Again his attempt
to strike failed as Katil leapt into the air, closing
both his fists tightly while drawing energy to himself. He opened his hands
again, two orbs floating above his palms as he soared through the air. He threw
them toward a still Bengali, the tiger's eyes growing large as he watched the
speeding balls of energy race toward him. He hopped backward, letting the orbs
crash against the ground and explode. He shielded his eyes from the debris with
his arm, his thoughts clamoring with ways to defeat the demon.
"Foolish tiger," Katil
whispered as he emerged from the shadows behind Bengali.
Bengali could not turn around fast enough, Katil's fist pounding into the side of his head while a
kick swept him from his feet. His head bounced off of the floor, his body
aching. He gripped his head and sat up, his vision hazy as he tried to look up.
He felt the constant throb in his head increasing as he stared at Katil standing over him, a victorious grin washing over Katil's lips. He watched as Katil
lifted his hand, his vision beginning tar as a small red orb began to form in
front of Katil's hand.
Bengali cringed, bracing himself for death. He peered
past Katil for a brief moment, watching a graceful
puma flipping silently toward them. He looked to Katil
again, aware that Katil's concentration was fully of
him. Katil did not sense Pumyra and something buried
inside of Bengali wanted to call out and stop her. His hesitation defeated him.
Pumyra completed a final flip, leaping up and kicking Katil's hand. She prevented Katil
fro
Katil's movements were quick,
his body moving just a blur of images as it dodged the small orbs. They
exploded behind him, tearing away a stone column and the pieces of the ground.
He laughed menacingly, glaring at the young puma as she landed in front of him.
He shook his head at her while saying, "Nice trick. It's a shame you did
not kill those useless twins before stealing their weapons. I suppose I will
have to kill you for failing to do the same to them."
Pumyra felt her upper lip curling and her anger rising,
instinct trying to override her training. She waited on Katil,
waited until he attacked. She ducked a punch and hopped back from another. She
flipped forward into a handstand, her feet kicking Katil
in the chest. She flipped into the air when Katil
tried to kick her, landing further back from him. She turned away quickly, her
quick feet running toward the wall in front of her. Her agile body and swift
feet assisted her as she ran straight up the wall, letting gravity catch her
until she flipped backward. She twisted her body into position until she landed
on top of Katil's shoulders, startling the angered
being.
Pumyra lassoed her sling around Katil's
throat, getting a tight grip before dropping down behind him. The sling
constricted around Katil's throat, Pumyra pulling on
it fro
Katil's rage grew as he pulled
the sling from his throat, holding onto it while he watched Bengali struggle to
his feet. He flashed a diminutive grin toward the weary tiger before yanking
forward on the sling. He swung Pumyra and the sling toward Bengali. He watched
in pleasure as Pumyra slammed into Bengali, both Thunderians briskly falling to
the floor. He took steps toward them with malicious intent, but was again
halted from attacking.
The crackle of a whip in the air forced Katil to turn his head toward the entrance of the light,
rays of the sunlight sparkling over Tygra. A cocky smile pushed its way onto
his lips, a flick of his wrist drawing his whip back to his side. He raised his
brow and took a small step forward, orange eyes or pride watching Katil stand still in his position over Bengali and Pumyra.
He shook his head as a warning to Katil when the
demon glanced down at Pumyra and Bengali with a minuscule.
"Don't you dare."
"Finally, a Thunderian who has use of his
backbone," Katil laughed mockingly, raising his
hand toward Pumyra and Bengali again. "Would you care to stop me?"
"To say it would be my pleasure would be an
understatement," Tygra replied. He coiled his whip around his body before
hopping forward, his foot extended to kick Katil.
Katil's movements were
effortless, his body shifting to the side as Tygra leapt toward him. He caught
Tygra by his foot, holding the tiger idly upside down. He carelessly tossed
Tygra toward the wall behind him, never bothering to glance back at the tiger.
He lifted his arm toward Pumyra and Bengali again, a smooth smile cracking over
his blue lips.
The snap of a whip cutting through the air again
distracted Katil momentarily, his eyes slowly
drifting downward when the end of Tygra's whip wrapped around his forearm. His
smile remained as he turned to glance over his shoulder, watching the bold
tiger grin back. Katil's eyes glared at the whip
around his arm once more, shaking his head. He gave it a small tug, watching
Tygra stay cemented in his spot with a tight grip on the whip.
"Nice trick, but the wounded, pretty puma already
tried that before."
Tygra lifted his grin a little, shaking his head back at Katil. His confidence flared as his thumb slipped to the
underside of the whip, pressing down on a small button on the bottom. He
swallowed back a chuckle when he felt the heat, fire sizzling from the end of the
whip to the portion wrapped around Katil's arm.
The small inferno caught Katil
off guard, the sting causing him to stagger back and break away from the grip
of the whip. He growled out in anger, instinctively shaking his arm to dull the
pain that he felt. His fury rose, his ruby eyes glancing down to the marks the
fire left on his arm. He thought to grab the Sword of Plundarr that he had
abandoned near the statue of Mumm-Ra during his battle with Lion-O. The power
that rippled through his body did nothing to sooth his rage when staring at the
marks, his mind unaware of how such marks could be left on him. He had the
power of Mumm-Ra and yet he still had the flaws of a mortal.
Tygra took Katil's distraction
for a moment of gain. He leapt forward toward Katil,
swinging his foot around to kick Katil in the back of
the head. The angered demon moved away without looking at Tygra, his attention
still briefly focused on his arm. When the Thunderian landed in front of him,
his back to Katil, Katil
struck forward with unguided punches.
The swift fists missed their target, Tygra ducking the
"We Thunderians have defeated enemies of your kind
before," Tygra warned as Katil charged him
again. He stepped back on one foot, his back arching backward to avoid another
punch from Katil. "You will not accomplish your
goal here."
Tygra pulled his strength together, balled fist, and then
struck forward. His fist smacked into Katil's
stomach. Tygra hoped for some form of painful reaction from Katil,
some retreat. He looked up, wide eyes staring into a smile that terrified him.
The powered demon was unfazed by the strike, standing erect with a painted grin
ruling his lips. Tygra could taste fear slicking his tongue and drying his
throat.
"If you had defeated my kind before then I would not
be here," Katil replied, a concentrated fist of
energy striking Tygra in the chest. The tiger flew back a few feet, his body
skidding across the cold stone of the ground. "It would seem whether you
are a Thunderian or a Thundercat, you can never destroy true power."
Katil lifted his hand up, his
palm facing Tygra. Small sprites of red light danced before his palm, forging
to form a ball of energy. He sneered as Tygra tried to garnish enough strength
to get to his feet. He shook his head at Tygra, not in pity but pure
entertainment. He suppressed a victorious laugh as Tygra reached to his side
and lifted his whip. Katil found it to be an
ineffective attempt, but let the tiger rise to his feet with the whip in one
hand.
"It's a shame you cannot stop me," Katil finally laughed out, blinking an eye before the ball
of energy was released.
"But the Lord of the Thundercats can," Tygra
retorted. Tygra watched the ball hover toward him and briskly wrapped the whip
around himself. He gathered his strength without
thinking, an instinct he had learned through years of training. He took a deep
breath and closed his eyes, his hopes high.
Katil glared to the area Tygra
once was. The moment the whip wrapped around his body, the tiger disappeared.
The ball exploded into the wall that was once behind Tygra while Katil searched the room for the missing Thunderian. His
upper lip curled with displeasure while his senses tried to search the room for
Tygra's invisible form. He felt the shift in the air, the sudden heat behind
his own body. He grinned and waited, felt the gush of wind draw backward before
the sound of movement drew closer. He laughed quietly and used his power to
turn himself invisible, dodging Tygra's fickle attempt to punch him.
Katil reappeared behind Tygra,
a quick hand reaching out and grabbing locks of Tygra's hair. He yanked back,
pulling the groaning Thunderian to the ground. He stood over Tygra's head, his
smirk still loud on his face. "And where might your Lord be right now? You
Thunderian warriors are weak compared to my power."
Tygra head pulsed and his eyes squinted. He looked up at Katil, still trying to keep some of his focus. He watched
as Katil lifted his foot above his own head, his eyes
mildly hazed by the dull ache behind them. He knew to move, roll away somehow,
but his strength was still reduced. He swallowed hard, his fear somewhat heavy
against his heart.
The race of his heart slowed slightly when Katil's foot never came down. The shadow it created over
his head faded, Tygra's eyes adjusting to the strips of light that came from
the opening above the room. He rolled to his stomach and pushed himself up, surveying the area to see what stopped Katil. He blinked his eyes quickly,
shocked to see Bengali fighting Katil back with swift
feet and even swifter punches. He panted softly and turned his head, eyes
observing Pumyra as she aided Cheetara to her feet. He was unsure where Pumyra
and Bengali found the strength to get up again, but he knew that he had to
gather his own strength to assist them.
Bengali threw his punches with strict concentration. He
felt heat course through his muscles and his body was weary, but he continued
to strike. Katil's counters were quicker than
Bengali's fist, but that could not stop the Thunderian. He continued to swing, hoping one of his fist would find its mark while Katil continued to slide backward and away from him. His
cobalt eyes stared at the corner behind Katil, an
area he knew he could trap Katil in and prevent him
from escaping the fight. He licked away a smile that was tickling at his lips
and hurled another punch at Katil, this time
connecting with Katil's arm.
"Back off tiger," Katil
growled, hurling his own punch at Bengali. His fist jabbed into Bengali's
chest, the velocity of it shoving Bengali lurching back with a groan. He panted
hard, watching Bengali's body tumble across the ground. He clenched his teeth
and took fast steps toward the fallen Thunderian, thoughts of nothing but
Bengali's blood smeared across his knuckles racing through his mind.
"How about you back off," Tygra snarled,
kicking Katil in the gut. He released a stiff punch
to Katil's bowed head as the demon tried to stagger
back. He wanted to trust that his attack would hold Katil
back long enough for him to run to Cheetara's aid, get her out of the temple.
He ceased his thoughts of her. He knew if he abandoned Pumyra and Bengali to
another fight with Katil they would not survive. He
sighed heavily before running at Katil again, his
only hope that Cheetara managed to escape on her own.
**
Cheetara struggled to keep Lion-O supported, one of his
arms strewn around her shoulder while her arm rested around his back. She
watched as he slowly regain consciousness, his eyes
briefly shifting to watch the war that waged on between Bengali, Tygra and Katil. She sighed with fear clutching her throat, eyes
turning to look at Pumyra as she held Lion-O up by his other side. Her
premonitions never showed her any of this. Her visions never revealed what she
thought to be the answer to Thundera's coming doom
fallen, broken, and barely able to keep his head up.
"Lion-O, please, pull it together," Cheetara
whispered, turning her head until her lips were just near his ear. She felt
tears biting at her eyes and held them in, her fear ghosting over her blood as
she continued to struggle with Lion-O's almost limp body.
Lion-O blinked his eyes open, his tongue licking over his
bottom lip to taste blood. He watched wearily as Tygra and Bengali both tried
to attack Katil from either side. His mind was almost
blank, small, broken images of his previous fight with Katil
flooded his mind. He took in a deep breath, swallowing back blood as Katil hurls Tygra to the ground. He flinches when the
ground breaks under Tygra's back, but the brute tiger manages to stand up
again. He eyes Bengali as he kicks Katil, only to be
punched back.
"Get out of here," Lion-O advised, pulling his
arm off of Cheetara's shoulders. His face scrunched up as he took a small step
forward, that constant ache in his side dulled by the pain he felt through his
bones. He continued to step away from Cheetara and Pumyra, ignoring Cheetara's
pleas for him to stop. He took in another deep breath and tilted his head,
gathering his strength. He was not defeated. He was bleeding, but not broken.
He was the son of the once king of Thundera. He breathed in deep breaths of
air, watching as Tygra again tried to attack. He would not let his Thunderians
die in a battle he was supposed to be in.
Lion-O sprinted forward once Katil
had thrown Tygra aside. He pulled his fist back, a growl booming from his chest
as he ran toward his target. He did not feel intimidated when Katil turned to him, eyes of scarlet anger staring at
Lion-O. Lion-O kept his feet light against the ground, his speed increasing as
he drew closer to Katil. He struck forward with his
fist, expecting Katil to move. He smiled inwardly
when the demon did, his knee lifting and catching Katil
in the side. When Katil stepped back with a small
groan, Lion-O swung up with his other fist. He wondered if he had heard his
knuckles cracking or Katil's jaw?
The throb, burning sensation against his knuckles offered a small answer, but
his mind swiftly thought of another attack when Katil
disappeared from sight.
Lion-O was quick to flip backward, his past mistakes
alerting him to move from his former position. He landed with curious eyes
glancing around the room, his vision only showing images of his fallen comrades
and the ruins of the room. He tried to track the mysterious demon with his
senses. The constant ache through his bones hampered him from fully
concentrating, but his eyes continued to shift around the room.
"It looks as if our young hero has returned to the
fight," Katil sneers before ramming his fist
into the center of Lion-O's back. He laughed proudly as the young lion stumbled
forward before falling to his knees. He clenched his fist, power still tingling
against his fingertips as they curled into his palm. He kept his eyes centered
on Lion-O. "And he has only returned to die."
Pumyra's feet were like wind breathing against the
ground. They were silent but quick, her determined brown eyes glaring at the
back of Katil as he stood over Lion-O. She knew
Lion-O wanted them to escape, to flee the temple in fear of being destroyed by Katil. She had no fear. Dying was an option she retired
long before entering the temple.
When she was close enough, Pumyra flipped upward. Her
body was a blur of browns and whites before she landed in a seated position on Katil's shoulders, the empowered demon caught off guard by
her actions. Pumyra grinned, locking her ankles before arching backward. She
felt Katil's fingers grip into her skin, pressing
against the muscles of her thighs. She endured the pain long enough to throw
her full weight backward, tipping Katil back. She
managed to draw her strength together, her pale hands laying
against the broken ground below while her legs threw Katil
backward.
Pumyra remained kneeling on the ground, watching Katil from over her shoulder as he landed on his feet. Rage
began to dominate his expression, her own pride scooping a smile onto her lips.
She watched Katil form three small spheres of energy
in front of himself, his chest lifting and falling quickly as he panted in
anger. She ran her tongue over her upper lip and slipped her hand into her
boot. She stood slowly, the demon glaring at her while she cupped three marbles
in her palm. She untied her sling from her waist and winked at Katil, daring him without words.
"You truly think you can kill me so easily?" Katil questioned, his tone removed of pride or sarcasm. He
narrowed his eyes at her, knuckles rolling under skin as he squeezed his fist
tighter. The spheres in front of him shined brighter, his anger emitting
through their energy.
"No," Pumyra responded, her grin still thick.
"Because easy would not be fun."
Pumyra slipped one foot back, her patience never wavering
as she awaited his attack. The small flinch of his jaw gave away his
intentions, her body swift as she flipped into the air. Pumyra released the
marbles into the air as she bent backward with the wind, her arms dropping
toward the ground. A small flick of her wrist enabled the sling to catch the
marbles before they fell to the ground.
Her eyes caught sight of the spheres heading toward her
once she landed on the ground, deep brown eyes slanting with little fear. She
hurled the marbles toward the approaching spheres, hopping back to avoid the
effects of the collision. She sprung off the wall behind her, dodging the
sparks of the explosion created by the spheres and marbles combusting against
each other.
The crackle of stone breaking, marble cracking, and feet
moving away from the explosion did not distract Pumyra. She landed in front of Katil, a brief moment of anxiety rushing her spine as she
stared up at the fierce demon. Her left foot instinctively stepped back, but
her other reflexes permitted her to duck a fist thrown by Katil.
She took another quick step back, avoiding the other fist as it was hurled in
the direction of her head. She moved without thinking, her body bending back
into a one-handed handstand to get further from Katil.
Her balance faltered slightly when the floor below her cracked under her light
weight. She whipped her sling at another swift fist. She lifted her foot for a
smooth kick, aiming for Katil's head.
Katil's hand was quicker than
her foot, snatching her up by her ankle. He held her upside down, his expression
slowly burning into an empty glare. He ignored her struggling, the way her body
writhed helplessly in the air. He shook his head at her before questioning,
"So you came here to die?"
The flush in her cheeks, sudden spark of fear rambling
through her eyes brought a lifeless smile to the corner of his lips. She was
just another helpless Thunderian in his path to ruling this world. He sighed
heavily before lifting his eyes from her face. He tossed her body carelessly
toward the wall in front of them, unconcerned with her life as he stepped
toward the fallen Lion-O.
Pumyra closed her eyes as the wind took her toward her
destination. She whispered a small plea for life, her heart preparing her for
her death. She gripped her sling tight in one hand and took a deep sigh,
everything moving slowly in her mind. The touch of a war
Bengali landed on the ground, hunching down low while
still cradling Pumyra in his arms. He listened to her quiet panting, small tears
lining her eyelids. He brushed a smooth hand over the top of her hair and shook
his head at her. "I did not come here for you to die."
He watched a small, concerned smile run over her lips and
he smiled back, some shot of faith drenching his spirit before he released her
from his hold. He stood and turned his eyes back to Katil,
aware of the demon's walk toward Lion-O.
"Shall we finish this young Lion-O? I grow weary of
this constant interference from your Thunderian friends," Katil boasted, his feet light against the ground as he
strolled toward the still fallen Lion-O. He grinned as Lion-O forced himself to
stand, knees buckling slightly as he tried to remain upright.
"What's wrong Katil? Not
enough power to just kill them and leave the fight between you and me?"
Lion-O questioned, his voice laced with a taunt he hoped would distract Katil.
"Where is the fun in that? Killing them without
having the opportunity to rule them first? To rule this
planet and its useless inhabitants? To break your body
in two in front of these weak, meaningless scraps of meat? Why do that
when I can watch them weep for your lifeless body?" Katil
asked, an undersized amount of rejoice soaking his words. His smile was almost
helpless, remaining steady against his lips as he watched Lion-O lean against a
wall for support. He had left Lion-O this broken, this defeated. His pride
marinated in his power.
"Your hopes seem a little too high Katil."
Cheetara's statement was unexpected. Brief
but unexpected. Her words were just a declaration on the imaginary wind
that gushed past Katil when she raced in front of
Lion-O. Her body was a dull blur of gold and white, but when it stopped inches
from Katil. It was a sight he'd managed etch into his mind. In his twisted cage of thoughts, visions
of Cheetara standing before him, daring to challenge his power, never
registered.
She wasn't going to try and move Lion-O, try to save him
this time. She was standing in front of Katil, bo-staff in one hand with the other balled into a fist. Her
stance was stiff, laced with some form of wicked determination that angered Katil. The moments he could have killed her, nothing but a
wave of the hand leaving her breathless, and she had
finally decided that this Thunderian was worth dying for.
"It ends like this then?"
"For which one of us?"
Cheetara inquired, a boasting smile closing over her lips. That smile was
smacked away by Katil's hand, the back of his hand
stinging like hot razors against Cheetara's mouth. She lifted her own hand,
used the back of it to wipe away blood from her lower lip. She never removed
her eyes from him, her tongue slipping over her bottom lip to lick away the
last of the blood. She shook her head spitefully, twirling her bo-staff in front of her with gilded eyes.
Cheetara's strong stance meant nothing once Katil lifted his hand. It was almost a thoughtless action,
the small orb forming before his palm. He knew she'd move,
attempt to attack him in some form. He released the orb from his control before
she could, the projectile exploding upon impact against her stomach. Her scream
echoed the sound of his mind, slowly fading away to the power he had acquired
through Mumm-Ra's armor. But it was just a prickle against his skin when he
felt the energy surging through him.
"Useless wench," Katil
remarked while observing Lion-O fleetly moving forward and scooping the fallen
Cheetara into his arms. He knew Lion-O would come and try to rescue Cheetara.
It was tactical on his part, a thought he took time to conceive while viewing
the interaction between Lion-O and Cheetara. Why battle a power that did not
know its own strengths when he could leave the power helpless? He laughed
inwardly because he knew Lion-O was weak without her.
"Now you shall die a useless experiment of the
Ancient Spirits of Evil," Tygra declared loudly, a roar chasing his words
as he leapt toward Katil. Katil
turned to him, narrowed eyes hiding his shock once the injured tiger jumped toward
him. But that surprise was but a moment of weakness before a pleased grin
passed over Katil's pale lips.
**
Lion-O held her in a corner, her skin colder than death
itself, but her chest to lifted and fell in a ragged breath. Shadows fell
against her skin and his hand against hers wasn't enough to make her open her
eyes. Strands of spotted hair danced across her face and the quiet hustle of
thoughts in his mind could not drowned out the sound
of Tygra being beaten by Katil. But he could not find
the words to excuse himself from Cheetara's side. He could not find the belief
that if he left to battle Katil, she would survive.
"Only you can stop him."
He wanted to believe the words came from her lips, but
hers still did not move. He had to glance over his shoulder, had to look at
Pumyra. He had to peer past the simplicity in her words to find the faith in
her brown eyes. It was more faith than he'd seen before in her, confidence in
something he had that they didn't. And she did not know of what Osbert had told
him, of the leader he was supposed to be. But that faith still existed beyond
words that rattled against his thoughts.
Blindly, Lion-O nodded. He lifted Cheetara's body from
his lap and waited until Pumyra drew close enough to pass Cheetara to her. He
found his own faith in her healing skills, her ability to save a life because
all his life he was taught that her kind could. And though he had never
witnessed it, something said Cheetara would not suffer the instant death that
Lynx-O did. Something beat against his heart reminding him of what faith was.
Muscles in his body ached in places that were once quiet
and relaxed. He forced himself not to limp, to find strength in his legs again
as he walked toward the battle before him. He could not call out when Katil lifted Tygra by his throat and slammed him into the
ground. He could only bite back the vile in his throat once he saw the way
Tygra's back arched up, the faint roar being choked from his throat as the
ground below hi
When Katil's eyes fell on him,
he did not stop. Every step ached against his ankles, but he dulled the pain
mentally to gather his strength. He pulled together his energy, let the slow
glow of blue light circle his body as he advanced toward Katil.
He was unmoved, undaunted, and unwilling to cease walking toward the being that
nearly broke his body but not his spirit.
His orange eyes focused on Katil.
His hands clenched into fists and then opened again, his fingers burning
against the energy he was producing. He could still taste blood against his
bottom lip, smell its heady scent in the air. But his anger burned away those
senses. It only made him aware of the pain he had suffered at the hands of Katil and the pain he wanted to unleash from his pores.
"Again, you wish to challenge me?"
Lion-O disregarded Katil's
words of distraction. He panted hard with bitterness rather than exhaustion. He
drummed out the other words Katil tried to flood his
mind with. He did not stop to stare at Tygra's defeated body lying on the cold
ground below him, fearful a glimpse of his fallen comrade would break his
concentration. He could not bend to the wind that wanted to break him.
Then he was a few inches from Katil,
neither finding words to speak to discourage the other. Neither
had the desire to avoid the fight. They wanted it, craved it. The nearly
broken Lion-O wanted to prove himself. The barely damaged Katil
wanted to destroy Lion-O. And just a shift in the wind brought the
The smack of skin against skin vibrated off the walls of
the temple. Bones ached once Katil and Lion-O's fists
connected against each other's jaws. They fell back with the momentary stun of
the attack, Lion-O the swiftest to rebound with a kick to Katil's
stomach. Katil fell to one knee as Lion-O flipped
back, hoping to gather enough energy for another attack. He brushed a finger
under his bottom lip, unconcerned with the war
"You have a lot of innocent blood on your hands Katil. Mine will not join the others," Lion-O
declared, a small growl waiting in his throat. He peered
his eyes at the grinning demon as he rose to his feet, a raised chin helping to
model Katil's arrogance.
"It would seem your confidence has risen since I
last put you down kitty," Katil chuckled out, a
wave of his hand levitating his own body a few feet from the ground. He reveled
in the way Lion-O stared at him with subtle signs of disbelief rimming his
orange eyes. He floated closer to Lion-O, his slowness drawing out the fear in
Lion-O.
"Shall we finish this?"
Lion-O took quick breaths, running shaking fingers through
his hair. He eyed Katil, his mind drawing out various
areas of attack. He took in a hollow breath of air before rolling forward and
under Katil's hovering body. He turned just as Katil did, leaping up and slamming his fist into Katil's chest.
Katil fell to the ground and
rolled away before Lion-O could slam another quick fist into his face. He
snarled as the ground where he once laid was broken by the strength of Lion-O's
punch. He lifted his hand briskly, forming a small red sphere of energy before
hurling it toward Lion-O. He was prepared for the lion's agile escape from the
sphere's explosion. He snickered to himself before closing his eyes, his
concentration allowing his body to move in between the fabrics of time. He
reappeared behind Lion-O, yanking the heaving lion up by his scarlet hair. He
grinned at the sound of Lion-O's scream, bathing in the pleasure of watching
Lion-O squirm against his grip.
"And still you think you are Thundera's
champion? Still you believe you can save this world from its eminent
destruction?"
Lion-O felt a grow burn inside of him, a rage that
crackled against his blood and bones. It was almost an awaken,
a feeling he knew he was destined to have but tried to keep buried somewhere
inside of him. He panted hard, eyes narrowing against the pain in his brain. He
felt a snarl against his lips, upper lip curling up as his hands lifted. He
locked them around Katil's wrist, eyes closing with
irresistible anger urging his strength. He interlocked his fingers around Katil's wrist and growled lowly, tightening his grip. He
felt Katil tug harder on his mane but resisted the
songs of defeat racing against his heart.
"And you still believe that you're stronger than I
am," Lion-O hissed, wrenching forward with his strength. He used the
leverage to hurl Katil over his shoulder, the force
of his throw sending Katil into the wall in front of
him.
Bricks buckled and fell from the wall, Katil's face scrunching in momentary pain as he tried to
break free from the fallen debris. Lion-O was swift to meet his attempts, his
fists swinging in a haze of motion as they connected with Katil's
face repeatedly. He was sure that bones were breaking and bruising, but he
refused to stop. He flipped back as Katil began to
break away from him, dashing forward again to kick Katil
in the thigh. His kick lowered Katil's vertical base,
permitting him to knee the demon in the chin.
Lion-O heaved in breaths as he limped toward the
stumbling demon, Katil's red eyes wide with
disbelief. Lion-O swallowed back fear, kicking Katil
again as he tried to get to his feet. He stomped down on Katil's
stomach, shattering more fragments of the ground under Katil's
weight. The burning glow of yellow light around him did not subside, his anger
and desire fueling it to glow a little brighter as he held Katil
down with his foot.
"I am an immortal," Katil
warned with labored breaths, struggling to free himself from Lion-O's hold.
"An immortal but not undefeatable," Lion-O
responded, removing his foot only to lean down and slam another fist into Katil's jaw. He backed away, allowing Katil
to stand. He stared at Katil with little pleasure
roaming through his body. He watched as the demon stumbled forward, crimson
staining his skin and signs of power beginning to fade.
"What warrior can destroy a being endowed with gifts
from the Ancient Spirits of Evil?"
"The Lord of the
Thundercats."
Lion-O's reply brought a small gasp from Katil's lips, eyes continuing to remain wide as he glared
at Lion-O. Symphonies of defeat buckled against his skin as he formed another
orb of energy, the color mirroring the satiny scarlet shade that was smeared
against portions of his skin. He glared at Lion-O with intentions so thick they
numbed away his other senses. He watched that string of apprehension glaze over
Lion-O's eyes. He waited until it Lion-O took a cautious step back before
hurling the orb at Lion-O, desire and the taste of death warming his thoughts.
Lion-O eyed the orb as it drifted through the air, moving
slow like a leaf against a war
Echoes of thunder and wind ricocheted off of the walls as
Katil fell to his knees. He clutched his chest, eyes
watching his hands as trickling drops of blood fell to them. The contrast
between the scarlet and pale blue troubled him little. It was the sudden loss
of power between his fingers that distracted him, left him dead to his
surroundings. That fading feeling raced up his arms and down into his chest.
The crown fell from his head, his eyes gradually losing their red hue. He
glanced up, astonished while glaring at Lion-O.
"It can't be..."
"It's finished Katil,"
Lion-O announced, turning his head from the fallen demon while peeling away the
tattered remains of the black wristbands he wore on his arms. He combed his
fingers through his hair before taking a quick glance to his recovering
companions. He bit back a smile as he watched Tygra, Bengali and Pumyra rise to
their feet. He could slowly taste the flavor of peace returning to his mouth
and it was refreshing.
**
A low growl bounced off the walls like cascading drops of
water against stone. Lion-O turned his eyes with slow curiosity raising his
brow. He watched as Ma-Mutt scampered through the hollowing room, nails grating
against the stone floor with panting breaths of determination leading his steps
faster. The ghoulish animal scooped up the fallen crown with his mouth,
fearless eyes gleaming as he stared at Katil.
Ma-Mutt did not stop his movement when Katil reached out for him, calling his name in some last
fleeting effort to survive his own damnation. Ma-Mutt breezed past Lion-O,
taking large steps to gain a little more speed. He pushed up, catching flight
into the air while the others gasped. He floated in front of the statue of
Mumm-Ra, cautiously lowering the crown back onto the stone sculpture of his
former master. He hovered away, awaiting some unseen sign.
Lion-O took a swift step backward when the thunder
crackled in the air above once again. He kept his eyes fastened on the statue
of Mumm-Ra, worries beginning to rise again and flush out those feelings of
security. He swallowed back a lump while watching ivory become flesh, light
blue in color and tangible to the eye. Feet moved slow and heavily against the
floor, some sort of trance taking over Lion-O and preventing him from hearing
the small gasps from his comrades as Mumm-Ra walked toward them.
Mumm-Ra swiped up the double-bladed Sword of Plundarr, never
missing a step as he walked closer to the Thunderians and the fallen Katil. Flames engulfed the jagged blades, fingers twirling
the sword effortlessly to the side of the large demon's body. A grinning cowl
revealed pleasure that managed to display itself in scarlet eyes, Mumm-Ra's
steps never drawing lighter. He barely gave Katil a
look when he turned around to face Mumm-Ra from his position on the floor. He
just gave another effortless swing of his sword and listen to the final cries
of a fallen clone. He swung the blade back up, reveling in the sight of crimson
against the blade, shimmering in the flames that were still slowly burning
around it.
"By Jaga," Lion-O whispered out, taking another
step backward.
"He just slaughtered Katil,"
Bengali proclaimed, easing in front of Pumyra with drops of apprehension
running through his blue eyes.
The crackle of a whip slicing through the air drew
attention away from Mumm-Ra, eyes watching the tail of
the whip slash across the skin of Mumm-Ra's arm. It coiled back under Tygra's
command, his eyes narrowing with little uneasiness. It momentarily stopped
Mumm-Ra's steps, devilish eyes glancing down at the open wounds on his arm.
Blood slipped across aged muscle, never affecting Mumm-Ra. His eyes drifted
upward again, a smile smearing over his blue lips. The wounds quickly sealed
up, his skin unmarked with slight traces of blood still slipping down his arm.
"I think now would be a good time for all of you to
get out of here," Tygra insisted, glancing over his shoulder briefly at
his still stunned companions. His fleeting attempt to caution the others left
Tygra unaware. His head turned back, the sounds of footsteps too close drawing
his attention away from his companions. His reflexes weren't fast enough and a
hand cupping his face, a palm smothering him, lifted him from the ground. Nails
scraped against his scalp as he struggled to free himself from Mumm-Ra's
clutch. His actions weren't swift enough and his body was slammed into the
stone floor. He felt bones cracking under the pressure of Mumm-Ra's strength,
the ground breaking up beneath him.
"Back off you ancient piece of shit."
Bengali's fist was brute against
Mumm-Ra's head, a small flare of blue light sparking off his knuckles when they
made contact. He bounced back, avoiding Mumm-Ra's swift blade. He flipped
backward a few steps, taking a moment to regain his breath and recover from
prior injuries. His eyes strayed from Mumm-Ra to look upon Tygra, his battered
body almost unmoving. He only managed to glance up with narrowed eyes, glaring
at Bengali with some form of gratitude in his barren stare.
Attentive blue eyes traced back to Mumm-Ra, the undead
being walking closer to Bengali. He took in another deep breath, preparing
himself for a battle. He did his best to gather what left energy he had left
inside of his aching body, eyes gazing across the floor to his hammer. He
brought his eyes up again when he saw a swift streak of white run across the
side of Mumm-Ra. He gasped quietly as Pumyra leapt into the air, her body
twirling gracefully before releasing a barrage of stones from her sling.
The rocks pelted Mumm-Ra and halted his movement
momentarily. The cease of Mumm-Ra's movement provided enough time for Pumyra to
somersault forward, a brisk kick delivered to Mumm-Ra's side. She sprung back
when Mumm-Ra's blade was lifted again, a quick swipe through the air barely
missing her flesh. She stumbled back into Bengali, small strips of fear lining
her eyes as she watched Mumm-Ra draw closer.
She knew they were backed into a corner, a chance for
escape only guaranteed for one of them. The glow of fire around Mumm-Ra's blade
shined a little brighter, a fair warning to both of them that death was
approaching. And suddenly Pumyra felt colorblind, unable to run from the fate
that she had agreed to defend Thundera. Yet she thought of nothing else,
nothing except giving up her life with a willing tiger standing behind her, his
hand against her shoulder in some comforting form.
A fever rushed over Bengali and Pumyra, some odd form of
relief when they caught a glimpse of Lion-O striking Mumm-Ra fro
"Pumyra, get Tygra out of here. Bengali, grab
Cheetara."
Lion-O's command drew out instincts in Bengali and
Pumyra, their bodies automatically moving to follow Lion-O's orders. Their eyes
found it hard to stray from the battle, assisting their fallen comrades to
their feet while still eyeing Lion-O as he continued to avoid Mumm-Ra's blade.
There was some unbending faith inside of them, a trust that Lion-O was capable
of surviving the battle. But a small crimson orb sent from Mumm-Ra's fingertips
toward Lion-O began to break down that confidence.
Lion-O felt his body quake when the orb made contact,
sending him to one knee. He gripped his chest, gasping for air as he struggled
to remain conscious. He narrowed his eyes, heavy footsteps warning him of
Mumm-Ra's advanced. But something inside of him quivered, something burned
against his heart. He could feel something rising, tearing at his insides. His
eyes found it hard to focus on Mumm-Ra standing over him, one of the blades
from the Sword of Plundarr raised above the undead demon's head.
A growl rose from inside of Lion-O, the pain drawing out
some form of energy he did not know of. The fire burning against his bones,
against his flesh only encouraged him to stand and fight back its control over
him. He gripped his hands together in front of his body, heading lifting to
watch as Mumm-Ra slowly began to lower the blade toward him. He growled again,
eyes brightening from orange into a golden hue.
A streak of blue light emerged from Lion-O's interlocked
fingers. It solidified into the shape of a sword, Lion-O holding the blazing
hilt between his palms. He fought back pain as he held the energy created sword
tightly, eyes still glowing gold as he looked into Mumm-Ra's unfazed scarlet
eyes. He snarled at the powerful demon, taking a small step back. He did not
know what it was that forged this new weapon between his hands,
eyes watching the sparks bounce off of it. He could only feel the heat from the
energy singing his skin, unwilling to release a power that might help him
survive his battle with Mumm-Ra.
Lion-O inhaled briskly before raising his sword, using
the electric blade to deflect a swing from Mumm-Ra's sword. The echo of the two
energies colliding shook the room, Lion-O rolling to the side to evade another
swipe of Mumm-Ra's blade. He stood, quickly, again and lifted his blade to ward
off a third strike from Mumm-Ra. He dodged a thrown punch and managed to
control the power of the sword in one hand, swinging forward with precision.
The blade connected with Mumm-Ra's hand, knocking the Sword of Plundarr from
his grip.
The demon cried out in sudden pain as Lion-O staggered
back, internal injuries persisting to aggravate his concentration. He swallowed
back sudden fear, uncertainty that echoed against his brain and made him
rethink his steps. He charged forward, using Mumm-Ra's temporary disorientation
to his advantage. He lodged his sword into Mumm-Ra's chest, the blade made of
pure energy rupturing when Lion-O's hands released it. He backed away briskly,
shielding his eyes from the bright light as Mumm-Ra's screams rattled
throughout the room. He ducked as bricks fell, dust clouded the air and the
ground shook. He knew he had to escape, flee from the falling temple and the
destruction of the ancient demon. He took in a deep breath, filing through the
scents of the room to track that of Bengali's. He followed it, eyes blind to
the path ahead of him, but his trust in his senses high.
**
"It's over."
"But is it really?" Pumyra questioned, her eyes
falling on Tygra as he struggled to keep a standing position. She looked at the
others, watching the way Bengali glared at the falling temple. Her eyes glanced
over Cheetara as she rested on a rock behind them, eyes closed and head tilted
to the sky. She eyed Lion-O as he stood in front of them with a look of content
washing over his face.
"It's finished. Katil's
dead and Mumm-Ra has been destroyed," Lion-O replied,
his voice wet with relief.
"But Lion-O, how did you defeat Mumm-Ra? Where did
that energy come from?" Bengali wondered, stepping forward until he stood
next to Lion-O.
Lion-O lips parted, ready to utter his response but
Panthro's deep voice rose above his own. "He did it the only way a true
Lord of the Thundercats could. He did it with the Eye of Thundera."
The elder Thunderian appeared fro
"The Eye of Thundera?"
"Lord of the Thundercats?"
Lion-O smiled when he glanced at Pumyra and Bengali, the
mutual confusion between the two amusing. He too was dumbfounded by the
mystical power that had come over him, but when he opened his hand and looked
down into his palm, it all felt just too familiar for him to deny. Resting in
his palm was the sacred Eye of Thundera, something he knew to be a myth. The
jewel laid there, the light reflecting off of it in
some supernatural form. It was a sign of power, an object only seen in pictures
of the Sword of Omens. And yet he still did not know how it had come to him,
how he used its power to form a sword and defeat Mumm-Ra?
"The Eye only comes to a Thunderian born to be the
Lord of the Thundercats," Tygra noted from Lion-O's side.
"And that would mean you are our Lord, Lion-O,"
Panthro added with a broader grin.
Lion-O took another glance at the Eye of Thundera, its
power hidden beneath the wondrous jewel that rested quietly in his palm. He looked
back up, eyes wondering over his companions. Each had sacrifice all that was
inside of them to save Thundera. They embodied the characteristics of warriors
and that of friends. He sighed calmly before saying, "Then if I shall take
my rightful position as King of Thundera and Lord of the Thundercats, I cannot
think of any other group of companions to be my eyes on this wonderful world. I
cannot think of five other Thunderians more deserving of the title Thundercat
more than any of you."
All looked up with a new sense of pride, smiles crossing
their lips. They ignored pain, nagging injuries that raked against their bones.
Their pride stood higher than their need to rest. And each watched as another
slowly raised their hand above their head, fists clenched and eyes bright. A
joyous call came from the six, one that echoed across the land.
"THUNDERCATS HO!"
THE
END
** This story was started
in April of 2003 and finished in August of 2003. Please understand that the
length of the story is only to truly give an in-depth story for one to enjoy.
Consider it one of three stories I hope to complete in a Thundercat series,
sort of like a trilogy. Again, all remarks concerning this story can be sent to
catsfan1@hotmail.com **
Back to
Fanfic
Archive