We Have the Power!
Copyright© 2026 by Carlos Santiago
Chapter 16: The Clash
“War were declared.”
— Recruitment Officer (as voiced by Maurice LaMarche), in Futurama, Season 3, Episode 2, “War Is the H-Word.” Originally aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company on November 26, 2000. Written by Eric Horsted. Directed by Ron Hughart. Supervising Directors: Bret Haaland and Rich Moore. Created by Matt Groening and David X. Cohen. Produced by The Curiosity Company and 20th Television Animation. Copyright © 2000 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved.
She sat with Marzo in a small room.
Lyn handed him some cheese and breas that Sorceress had given her.
“It’s not much, but it is edible.”
“I should assume so,” Marzo said. “Sorceress is known for her honor and nobility in all timelines, but she won’t kill me or harm me until she knows to whatt extent I have damaged the timeline.”
Lyn laughed somewhat nervously.
“I suppose so,” she said.
“You suppose so?” Marzo asked.
He folded his arms over his chest.
“Oh no. Out with it, woman. You did not come to give me cheese and bread. Though, if you could, a little milk would go a long way to this paltry meal.”
Lyn laughed.
“I will see what I can do,” she said before sitting next to him.
That was not entirely what she did. Sitting requires intended movement and grace. Lyn slumped against a stone wall and slid down until her posterior found the floor.
“I just ... You know how I feel about Adam.”
“I do,” Marzo said, inspecting the grain and dairy items.
He seemed to be ensuring they were of a certain level of quality before he would ever consider putting them into his mouth.
“But you said in no other timeline do he and I come together, or ... well...”
“Become a couple?” Marzo offered.
Lyn nodded.
Marzo set the food down and let down laughed and laughed.
“The great Evil-Lyn stumped and silenced all over a boy!” Marzo proclaimed.
“If you’re not going to take this seriously—”
“Sit down, Evelyn,” Marzo ordered. “I was having fun. That’s what friends do.”
“Are we friends?”
“After what we’ve been through and might go through?” Marzo said. “I should think so.”
“Very well, friend, what great wisdom do you have for me?”
“No, Lyn,” Marzo said slowly. “In every other timeline, Adam ends up with Teela. I am sure there’s some offshoot where you end up with He-Man, but no ... Not Adam.”
He gave her a comforting smile.
“Don’t you see, Lyn. That makes this union special. You chose him, to trust him, to care about him, to stand by him despite him doing something incredibly stupid. That’s love, and right now, I think you’re afraid of what that can mean.”
“But what should I do?” Lyn wondered.
“Love the idiot boy, Lyn. Maybe he dies to internal bleeding, maybe he dies to Skeletor, but is it not better to have loved and been loved in return and lose that rather than not having the affection at all? Has not Adam, and this little adventure made your life more full?”
Lyn nodded.
“Good, then love the boy,” Marzo said, patting his hand on her.
For a brief moment, she felt the kindness from the wizard.
Then ... he spoke again.
“And could you get me some milk. This bread seriously looks dry.”
The Wind Raider descended before the battered gates of Castle Grayskull.
Its engines slowed to a gentle whine before Duncan leapt to the ground.
He was not alone.
Teela followed immediately, Her staff and sword were secured across her back. This was the moment she had trained for all her life. This would be her chance to properly join the Defenders of Eternia.
Stratos landed then. He looked about, making sure that they were safe despite the obvious dangers.
Ram Man hefted his massive helmet beneath one arm before slamming a gauntleted fist into his chest.
“About time we gave Bonehead another thrashing after what he did to the palace ... twice!”
Mekaneck extended his neck high above the others, scanning the distant hills.
“I don’t see them yet ... but since Man-at-Arms said there’s danger, they’ll be coming.”
Roboto’s mechanical eyes glowed brighter as he completed his calculations.
“Probability of direct assault: ninety-six percent. This seems illogical”
Duncan nodded.
“Skeletor knows he has the advantage. He could be sneaky, but I think he believes that will give us time to counter him. Little does he know, we are ready now.”
The drawbridge had been repaired by Sorceress, which was both good and bad. This gave Duncan a place to stand to defend the building, but it also provided Skeletor with a path to victory.
“Form a defensive line,” Duncan ordered.
Without hesitation, the Defenders moved.
No matter what was to occur, Duncan knew his mission. He was to repel Adam, and if at all possible, get the Sword of Power to Adam. Unfortunately, he could not tell the others. The lie about Adam and He-Man was hanging on by a thread, so it would be best not to tempt fate any further on the matter.
Ram Man planted himself at the center, an immovable wall of muscle and steel.
Roboto took position beside him, his arm already transforming into an energy cannon.
Teela stood on Duncan’s opposite side, her hand resting upon her sword.
Stratos remained airborne above them, circling patiently.
Mekaneck continued watching the horizon, but then his head turned, seeing a dark cloud of dust starting to rise. He narrows his head, so he could be certain of what he saw.
“They’re here,” he said.
Though he tried not to allow it to occur, fear seeped its way into his words. This was the battle the Defenders had been training for all their lives, but even as they thought about this wondrous moment, they could also tell that such an instance also came with finality.
This could be the final resting place for some or all of them. That was the life of a protector. To live and die in the service of others was the highest honor.
Every Defender tightened their grip upon their weapon as the forces of evil moved toward Castle Grayskull.
A cloud of dust rolled across the plains before Castle Grayskull.
One by one, dark figures emerged from it.
Skeletor walked at their head, his Havoc Staff resting confidently upon one shoulder. The Sword of Power hung on his side while the Ram Stone and Marzo’s strange amulet waited from his belt.
He could feel it. This was the day when everything would change. Eternia and the universe as a whole would be his to claim.
Behind him marched the Evil Warriors.
Who they were and what they could do was immaterial. Though Tri-Klops was loyal and would fight tooth and nail for Skeletor and Beast Man would be ferocious and Trap Jaw would be destructive with his augments, none of it mattered. They were merely accessories to him, swords and weapons to bring down on their opponents.
Together they stopped before the drawbridge.
Across the broken span stood the Defenders of Eternia.
Ram Man and Roboto formed the center.
Man-at-Arms and Teela stood beside them.
Stratos circled high overhead while Mekaneck watched from behind the line. Though, he was retracting his neck to better fight with his hands.
Standing among them, her black robes stirred gently in the wind.
Evil-Lyn.
Skeletor’s grin slowly faded.
“ ... Well, it seems there’s a traitor on your side, Man-at-Arms,” Skeletor said calmly.
“Not gonna lie,” Teela whispered to Ram Man. “I don’t know what she’s doing here.”
“Hush, Teela,” Mekanack said. “Your dad she’s an ally, so she’s an ally.”
His voice was calm.
“I’m no traitor. I just know what side I belong on,” Lyn said, holding her scepter forward.
“Come back, Evil-Lyn, and stand beside me as you always have.”
Lyn tightened her grip upon her staff.
“No.”
The single word echoed across the valley.
“I stand with these Defenders and with Prince Adam”
“I see,” he said. “It seems I saved your life for nothing. Your father will be hurt when hee hears you tragically threw your life away with these miscreants.”
“I threw my life away to do the right thing,” Lyn said back.
Skeletor ignored her and raised the staff toward Castle Grayskull.