A new reboot fanfic

[hawggie]

I started writing a reboot fanfic. It combines some elements of the minicomics, Filmation, and MYP, but has many of its own elements. The ususal fan-fic disclaimers apply. Here's part 1 of the Prologue:

**************************************************

Adam stood in his room, inspecting himself in a full-length mirror. He was dressed in formal robes, these in the traditional green and gold of the Palace of Eternos. Beside him on the bed lie another set, in his personal colors of red, white, and royal purple. Cringer, Adam's pet Eternian Tiger, snoozed at the foot of the bed.

“Adam!” Teela's familiar voice came from the hallway. Teela herself soon followed. “There you are. What are you doing? It's time for your sword training.”

“I'm getting ready for tomorrow. You should be too... I sent some outfits to your room for you.”

“What's wrong with my outfit?” Teela normally wore a form-fitting white-and-gold jumpsuit. Not to show off her athletic body, which it did quite well, but because it afforded her the flexibility to perform the acrobatic maneuvers her fighting style required.

“It's my Ascension, Teela. It's a formal occasion. I'm going to be formally introduced to Eternian nobility.” In Eternian society, a person's Ascension marks their passage into adulthood. It occurs on their fifteenth birthday, and they are expected to assume their adult role, whether it be academic, military, or craft work. For Adam, this meant acting on behalf of the Kingdom of Eternos on diplomatic missions.

“He's right.” Duncan, the royal Man-At-Arms, spoke out from the doorway of the room. As a general in the Eternian Royal Army, and King Randor's personal bodyguard, he wore his customary green and gold armor, despite the Palace not having been attacked in a decade and a half. However, since this was a relaxed occasion, he was not wearing his helmet, revealing his short military haircut and bushy mustache. “The King needs to speak to his son, and you need to prepare for tomorrow.”

Teela harrumphed and stomped out. Adam took off the robe he was wearing, and put on his favorite red vest, then followed Duncan to see his father, calling for Cringer to follow.

“After tomorrow, do you think she'll see me as a man?” Adam inquired as they walked.

“That remains to be seen,” Man-At-Arms replied, then added, “but the two of you grew up much like brother and sister.”

“I never thought of her as a sister.”

“Don't forget, she is two years older, just like all the other kids you grew up with. When she was given the task of protecting you from the older bullies, she took her job very seriously. Try not to take it too hard if she feels her duty doesn't allow her to return your feelings. Here we are.”

They arrived at Randor's personal room, a less formal place for the King to speak with his son than the Throne Room, or even his office. He often preferred to see Adam here or among the gardens when talking to him as a father rather than as King.

“Come in. Duncan, please close the door as you leave.”

“Yes, Sire.” After listening for Duncan's footsteps to fade away, Randor turned to his son, beaming. “At last, my son has become a man.” He got up and grabbed Adam in a fatherly bear hug. After releasing his embrace, he said, “Your mother has been inconsolable. She's losing her baby boy.”

Adam began to turn red in embarrassment. “Father...”

“But, of course,” interrupted Randor, “now this means more responsibility. You won't be able to goof off anymore. From now on, you'll be spending an hour a day with me, learning detailed information about official policy, so you can act in my name. You will also be learning official state secrets, things that don't leave this room, many of which are known only by myself, your mother, and General Duncan.”

The seriousness of that last statement did not escape Adam; his father almost never referred to Duncan by his official title, other than that of Man-At-Arms.

“But for now, we have to deal with tomorrow. I have some information about the nobles you'll be meeting, so you'll be prepared.”

Several hours later, Adam returned to his room. Teela stood outside his door, tapping her foot furiously. “Is this some kind of joke? You sent gowns to my room.”

“What's wrong with that?”

“You know I don't wear gowns.”

“Well, I suppose you could wear a formal uniform,” Adam suggested. “Of course, I've never required that you wear a uniform...”

“Fine.” Teela stalked off.

Of course, Adam thought to himself, you could wear a burlap sack and look beautiful.

[hawggie]

Some of you might be surprised by what you read here...

************************************************

The next day, the Palace of Eternos was abuzz with activity. The grounds were open to all residents of the capital city, with various shows and displays for the entertainment of all. Tumblers and fortune-tellers, actors and illusionists, dancers and musicians, all plied their trades to the public. By far, the favorite was the actor known as Man-E-Faces. Many claimed that his ability to quickly change costumes and to mimic people to be almost magical.

Later that afternoon, the various nobles and emissaries from Eternos and other kingdoms gathered in the Great Hall for Prince Adam's official introduction and Advancement ceremony. Lord Stratos and Lady Delora represented the bird people of Avion. The bee people of Adreenos sent Buzz-off, a high-ranking warrior.

King Randor was dressed not in his usual red and gold, but in red and white in honor of his son. Queen Marlena chose purple from her personal colors accented with white.

Trumpets blasted, and a herald announced, “Prince Adam, accompanied by the Lady Teela.” Adam had chosen his personal colors and bore an empty scabbard, while Teela looked radiant in a gown of white and gold. The assembled crowd erupted into applause at Adam's entrance, then quieted into an awed silence.

“Everyone's looking at me,” Teela complained through her smile as they walked arm-in-arm down the steps into the Hall.

“The men are admiring your beauty, and the women are jealous,” replied Adam.

“And 'Lady' Teela?”

“It's true enough. If asked, you're a Lady of the Palace. They'll assume you work for my mother. Which, in a way, you do.”

At this point, they had reached the bottom of the stairs, and several guests crowded in to greet the man of the hour. Adam disengaged himself from Teela, and after giving her a smile and a gentle squeeze of the hand, slowly navigated his way to the dais upon which his parents sat on their thrones.

Reaching the thrones, Adam dropped to a knee and bowed his head. Randor rose, sweeping his hands in a gesture that silenced the guests. “Adam, Prince of the Kingdom of Eternos,” he began in a booming voice, “on this day, the fifteenth anniversary of your birth, by Eternian Law and Custom you become a man. As a Prince and Noble, your duty is to protect the people of Eternia and the Royal Line. Do you accept this responsibility?”

Adam looked up and declared, “I do.”

Randor reached to the side of his throne and produced a sword, the work of Duncan, The blade was forged from a rare red form of Eternium, with a silver and ruby guard and a large amethyst on the pommel. The King dubbed his son on both shoulders, then reversed the sword and bade Adam to rise.

Adam stood and accepted his new sword. As the blade found its sheath, Queen Marlena rose and continued the ceremony. “This new sword represents your new life as a man. The blade represents your power and authority as Prince and Heir to the Throne, as well as your duty to protect the people. The sheath represents your desire for peace and diplomacy, and the choice of wisdom over violence. Now, it is time for you to join us at our side.”

From the curtains behind the thrones Palace servants produced a new throne for Adam, smaller than that of his parents, and placed it to the right of Randor's. Adam took his place on the new throne, and a sage stepped up to the dais to lead the gathering in a prayer for the Elders' blessing upon Adam's Advancement.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Randor clapped his son upon the knee. “Now I suppose it's time to meet your well-wishers.” As the Royal Family rose and descended the dais, King Stephen, with his son Dell, clad in the purple of Dyperia, approached, and embraced Marlena.

“Ah, little sister, you must be so proud.”

“Yes, Adam has grown into quite the young man.”

“They grow up so fast. My own son, Dell, comes of age in three months.”

Randor clasped arms with Stephen in a gesture of old comrades in arms. “My dear friend, it would be an honor to attend Dell's ceremony. The arrangements have already been made.”

Adam greeted his uncle and cousin then began to mingle with the other guests. The first he met was a tall man, black of hair and beard but with traces of gray.

“Congratulations, young man,” greeted the tall noble. “I am Drayne, Count Marzo.”

“Marzo, I've heard much about your territory. Beautiful land, I understand,” replied the Prince.

“Ah, yes. Quite a fertile valley. Water as clear as the finest crystal, soil as black as, well, as my hair used to be.” Marzo chuckled.

“I shall look forward to visiting your land soon. I also understand you are quite the magician.”

Marzo laughed. “I am afraid that my reputation is quite exaggerated, my Prince. I dabble. Parlor tricks, mostly, to amuse the children. But of course, I should not keep you all to myself. You must attend to the rest of your guests.”

“Of course. Good evening, Count.” Adam paused to steal a glance toward Teela. As he had expected, she was surrounded by admiring young men.

He was next approached by an elderly nobleman. “My Prince.” Adam shook his hand. “My goodness,” the noble exclaimed, “your hand is so rough.”

“My father believes that a leader should take an active role in the defense of the Kingdom. 'A sound mind in a sound body' is a favorite quote of his.”

“How absolutely dreadful. Besides, there hasn't been a war in ages.”

“It is when we become complacent that danger looms.”

“More wisdom from your father, I suppose.”

“Indeed. And a fact proven over time. Forgive me, m'lord. I must attend to all my guests.”

Adam made his way to his Avian guests. “Lord Stratos, it is good to see you again.”

“Prince Adam, congratulations. Allow me to introduce my sister and co-ruler, the Lady Delora.” Adam took her hand, bowed, and kissed it, noting the reactions of disgust among some of the nearby nobles.

“How curious a custom,” remarked Delora.

“It is an Eternian custom, my Lady,” explained Adam. “”It is a gesture of respect a man shows to a woman when greeting her.”

“Indeed,” agreed Randor, who had followed his son unnoticed. Randor clasped arms with his friend, and then repeated his son's greeting to Delora, to much less reaction from the nobles. “It is good to finally meet you face to face.”

“It is seldom that we both leave Avion,” replied Delora. “It is our custom that there always be a ruler in the city. However, we felt this occasion warranted an exception.”

Stratos continued, “Avion is in good hands. General Hawk is overseeing things in our absence.”

Teela suddenly came up and whispered in Adam's ear, “Quick, put your arm around me.” He did so, and she kissed him on the cheek, then added, “I never thought I would see the day you rescued me. Now get me away from these creeps.”

“Father,” Adam said, “the Lady Teela feels the need to retire.”

Randor winked at his son and nodded. “I believe Duncan would like to speak to you before you go to bed.”

Adam led Teela through a side exit. As soon as they were out of sight of the party, she pushed him off. “By the Elders,” she swore, “if that's what passes for nobility, Eternos is in trouble.” She slipped off her shoes and walked off. “Go see my father.”

Adam watched her walk off, then headed for Duncan's lab. On his way, he came upon Orko, the court magician. Orko was a short, flying elf-like creature from Trolla, a land in another dimension. There, he was a promising apprentice to his wizard uncle Montork, but the differences in magical energies between Trolla and Eternia often caused his spells to misfire.

“Hey, Prince Adam,” Orko cried as he spied his friend. “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks Orko.”

“Wow, that is some party. Did you like your present?”

“It's wonderful, Orko. I already have it hanging in my room.” Orko had taken up painting in the five years since he became stranded on Eternia, and had painted a picture of Adam fishing, with Cringer nearby. In an example of Orko's magic actually working, he managed to enchant it so that Adam's image cast the line and reeled in a fish that Cringer promptly ate.

“Okay, well I'm going back to back to the party. Goodnight!” Adam laughed as he watched his little friend fly off, then continued on his way.

Inside the lab, he found Micheal, on of the mechanics that assisted the Man-At-Arms, performing routine maintenance on one of the Wind Raiders.

“You should be taking the day off.”

“That's what I told him,” Duncan answered from across the bay as Micheal climbed out of the Raider.

“Have you eaten yet?” Adam asked Micheal.

“Not yet, Your Highness.”

“Go on, then. There's plenty, but you should go before all the best stuff is gone.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” As the mechanic left for the party, Duncan turned toward his Prince.

“The party isn't over yet.”

“Yes, but Teela wanted to leave.”

Duncan laughed. “That's not what I meant. There is one more person you need to meet. We'll take this Wind Raider.”

[hawggie]

An hour later, Duncan set down in a clearing that led to a canyon. In the middle of the canyon rose an intimidating structure: a dark fortress that looked older than time, and yet strong enough to withstand the assault of an entire legion of Giants. The edifice was dominated by the facade of a gigantic skull, with the upper jaw lining the drawbridge to the mainland. In all, it resembled the nightmare home of some dark terrible power.

As the two men approached, the drawbridge began to lower. On the inner side, the skull motif continued, as the edges were lined with “teeth.” Adam couldn't help but to chuckle to himself. When Duncan raised his eyebrow in the unasked question, Adam pointed and said, “Jaw-bridge.”

At the other side of the Jawbridge stood a woman. Her timeless beauty seemed familiar to Adam, though he had never before seen this woman, clad in garments resembling a falcon. “Prince Adam, allow me to introduce the Sorceress of Castle Grayskull.”

When the Sorceress spoke, it was with a warmth and softness that seemed to brighten the darkness surrounding the fortress. “Welcome, Prince Adam. I have been waiting to meet you for some time. I am sure that you have questions.”

Adam looked around, his jaw open. Duncan nudged him and he regained his composure. “What is this place? Who are you?”

“All your questions will be answered in time. I am the Sorceress, Guardian of Castle Grayskull. The secrets of the universe can be found within these walls.”

Adam was clearly skeptical. “The secrets of the universe?”

The Sorceress gently took Adam by the arm. “Walk with me, young Prince. I shall explain more.” She began to lead him though the halls of the castle, Duncan following. “Castle Grayskull is the power by which your family rules. Your ancestral line can be traced to the former rulers holding seat right here in these very walls.”

Adam was confused. “I've never heard of that before.”

“It is not a commonly known history. There are many evil powers on Eternia, and if they knew to look to Castle Grayskull for power, the world, indeed the entire universe, would be in terrific danger. The story of Castle Grayskull spans the length of Eternian civilization, but is a tale for another time. Tonight I have another gift for you."

The Sorceress continued, “As I had mentioned before, this castle holds the secrets of the universe. It also stores weapons of great power. Many heroes of the past, including former Kings of Grayskull, have wielded these weapons, and I suspect that many heroes of the future will as well. Here we are.” The Sorceress opened a door, leading to a large chamber that seemed to be an armory, as it contained several weapons and suits of armor. Prominently displayed on either side near the door were a gold staff and an immense broadsword with an elaborate guard.

The Sorceress led Adam to a plaque in the center of one of the walls. On the plaque were two swords, simple and elegant in design. Their guards worked directly into ricassos. The two swords were extremely similar, as if made as a matched set, though one was more slender and featured a jewel at the base of the blade.

The Sorceress continued her tale. “Here we are. These swords were crafted ages ago. This one,” she said, drawing the broader of the two from the plaque, "has been called Fuertoshq. This name resembles different words from three different ancient languages which mean 'Power,' 'Key," and 'Incomplete.' All three ancient peoples were present in this vicinity during the creation of these swords."

The Sorceress handed the Sword to Adam. It was expertly balanced, so well so that even though it was made of a metal denser than steel, it felt much lighter. The Sorceress continued her tale, indicating the slender sword with the crystal. "This sword is known as 'Inschritgrichtas,' which in these same languages resemble the words for 'Honor,' 'Protection,' and 'Quest.' You fulfill certain conditions prophesied for the owner of the sword which you now hold."

“But I already have a sword.” Adam drew his red sword with his left hand. Curious, he asked, "What are these prophesies you mentioned?"

The Sorceress smiled, pleased that his curiosity was overcoming his skepticism. "One such condition is that the owner would be the seventh king of a great kingdom."

But Randor is the fifth King of the Eternos line. That makes Adam sixth, unless they count...no, that would be impossible, Duncan thought to himself.

Adam paused for a moment, then said, “But this is one of a matched set. These are almost a brother and sister sword. I would expect that a brother and sister should bear them.” The Sorceress shot a panicked glance at Man-At-Arms, who subtly shook his head no. “Are you sure that this sword is for me?”

“There are other signs which indicate you to be the prophesied owner of the sword,” hinted the Sorceress. “Unfortunately, at this time I cannot tell you the details of the prophecy. However, if you are the true owner of the sword, it will aid you in times of need. All you need to do is call upon its power.”

“And then what will happen?”

“That is another thing I cannot tell you at this time,” replied the Sorceress. “The prophecies require that you discover the sword's powers yourself.”

“Perhaps,” Duncan stepped up, “much like the Castle, we should keep this Sword a secret as well, at least until we discover its powers.”

“What about my parents? I'm sure they will notice a new sword, especially after the ceremony involved with this one,” Adam said, indicating his red sword.

“For now,” answered the Sorceress, “I believe that it would be best if they did not know. I can cast a spell to hide your new sword. Hold both swords out."

Adam did as he was told. The Sorceress held her arms overhead, then chanted a few words in a tongue Adam could not understand. He could, however, feel the magical energy surrounding him, and a tingling sensation in both hands. Adam's red sword seemed to fade, and an image of it formed around the ancient blade. When the spell was complete, Adam's left hand was empty, and his right held what appeared to be the red sword.

Adam was amazed. "I've seen magic before, but never anything that powerful."

The Sorceress placed her hands on his shoulders. "It was my pleasure to meet you tonight. However, I do think it is now time for you to return home before you are missed by your guests.”

The Sorceress led Adam and Duncan back to the Jawbridge and bade them farewell. When they returned to the Wind Raider, a communication link to the Palace was open, waiting for them, Duncan pressed the button, revealing King Randor in his office.

“I assume the mission was a success?”

“Yes, Sire,” was Duncan's reply. “The Prince has received the information, and we're heading back.”

“How do you feel, son?”

“A bit overwhelmed, father.”

“That is understandable. I wanted to tell you myself, but Duncan and I decided it was best that you learn from the source.”

“We're on our way back, Sire.”

“Excellent. There are still some guests in the Hall if you're up to it, Adam.”

Back at Castle Grayskull, the Sorceress watched from a window as the Wind Raider fly back to Eternos.

“The boy is not King yet,” came a deep, ominous voice from nowhere.

“He will be,” was the Sorceress' reply. “The Sword would have rejected the glamor cast upon it were he not its intended owner.”

“It was reckless to give it to him now.”

“I thought it best to prepare him now, rather than wait until the crisis reveals itself.” The Sorceress' voice began to lose its soft tone , betraying her agitation to this accusation.

“That remains to be seen. However, the time will come when the boy will have to prove himself worthy.”

“He has been given excellent examples to which to aspire. I have full faith that he will succeed at any test you place before him.”

“Pray that he does, Teela-Na. You have taken liberties before. Your actions were unacceptable then, and you were duly punished. Do not allow this to become another mistake.”

The Sorceress gritted her teeth. That was unfair, she thought, knowing full well that her unseen accuser could hear her thoughts as well. That was a pain almost too difficult to bear, a price I have paid for seventeen years. Soon she must learn the truth.

The disembodied voice did not answer. The Sorceress gave in to her frustration, slamming her fist into the windowsill. She then sought solace in her one freedom, transforming into her falcon form, and flying across the Eternian landscape for several hours.

[hawggie]

In the months since Adam's Ascension, he spent little time at the Palace. Diplomatic missions took the majority of his time. A month in Marzo County preceded a return home to help his father mediate a territorial dispute between Avion and Adreenos, two allies of Eternos with a strained relationship. Immediately after he was sent to the city-state of Targa.

It was during a rare visit home that he was awakened by Teela. “Adam, get up!”

Adam turned and looked at the chronometer. It was an hour past dawn. “Teela, it's too early. Come back in a couple hours.” He tried to roll over, but Teela pulled him out of bed.

“Get up, lazy bones! Our fathers want us in the War Room.” That woke Adam instantly. In his entire life, the War Room had never been used. Whatever was going on was more serious than anything he had ever encountered.

By the time they reached the War Room, a meeting was already in process. The center of the room was dominated by a large circular table with an electronic display for the top. The display showed a hemispherical map of Planet Eternia, showing both the dark and light hemispheres, separated by a glowing, blinking line. Above the table was a three-dimensional projection of the same image as a globe.

Along the walls were monitors revealing various allied leaders. One was still dark.

As Adam and Teela entered, Randor looked up, then addressed the others. “I believe you all know my son, Adam, and Lieutenant Teela.”

The last monitor blinked to life, showing the Sorceress. All except three faces in the meeting showed great confusion; none of these people had met her before. King Randor introduced her. “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the Sorceress. She helped to build the Mystic Wall.”

“I thought your Man-At-Arms was responsible,” came the wary reply from Buzz-Off, representative of the Adreenids.

Duncan explained, “The Sorceress provided magical assistance. Spells were required to prevent anyone from crossing above or below the wall.”

“I assume you called us because there is a problem with the wall,” guessed King Boreas.

“Correct,” replied the Sorceress. “Under ordinary circumstances, the wall would have stood for hundreds of years, perhaps thousands, if the appropriate spells will have been used to maintain its power.”

Duncan continued, “Unfortunately, these are not ordinary circumstances. Someone, or something, has been actively attacking the wall. We have been regularly monitoring the wall, so the attacks are either very recent, or have been extremely subtle.”

“How much time is left before it falls?” The question came from Lady Delora.

“It's hard to say,” answered Duncan. “The Sorceress and I spent two months building the wall, and we haven't yet localized the failure.”

The Sorceress continued, “The Man-At-Arms and I have repaired some of the damage, but if it shall have continued at the current rate, the barrier will be destroyed within days, perhaps weeks. If we discover the source of the damage, it may be possible to maintain the wall at its current status, but the attacks would have to cease to fully repair the wall.”

Randor took charge. “We don't have the resources to commit to maintaining the wall like that. We all knew the barrier would fall eventually. We just didn't expect it to come down so soon. Considering the forces we locked behind it, it's safe to assume that Eternos will be the first target when the wall comes down. If their leaders are the same, they will be clever, so they might attack any one of you, hoping to catch you by surprise. I suggest you gather your greatest warriors and be on alert. Keep this channel open so we can call upon each other in case of need.”

Two days later, the Great Hall was filled. Wizards, warriors, and mercenaries from across Eternos arrived to register for the upcoming defense. Albrecht the record-keeper and his staff interviewed each volunteer, and sent the reports to the War Room. Randor and Duncan reviewed the files, and divided the forces according to need. Teela was placed in charge of Palace security, and never left Queen Marlena's side. Adam, however, was inexperienced in war, and remained with his father in an effort to learn as much as possible.

“Interesting,” mused Adam, looking through one of the files.

“What is it?” asked Duncan.

“The actor Aramond, known as Man-E-Faces.” Adam offered the file to the General. “It says here that he is an expert shot, a swordsman, and can magically change costume.”

“He could be useful as a spy,” suggested Randor.

“Or a decoy,” offered Duncan. “We could pair him with Ramson, a warrior from one of the northern villages. Huge, nearly as wide as he is tall. Uses an axe like a sword. The sort of man a King might use as a bodyguard...”

“Do it.”

Two days later, the wall fell. There was no great explosion, no magical blast, no massive invasion. Reports from the scouts watching the wall indicated that the Mystical Barrier simply faded away. When the attack came a day later, nobody expected it.

The attackers arrived at the Palace without being seen by any scouts. Coming seemingly from nowhere, a herd of Shadow Beasts swarmed the walls and began to smash against them. Humanoid soldiers manned war machines that blasted the city.

Man-At-Arms oversaw the defense from the highest tower. He ordered a century of the Royal Army to attack the Shadow Beasts. A century of Royal Guards, an elite division of the Army, was sent to destroy the war machines. Both were supplemented by pilots on Sky Sleds and the new recruits. Man-E-Faces, disguised as a Captain of the Guard, joined the attack, alongside his new partner, Ramson.

Unbeknownst to anybody else, Adam thought it had been safe enough to take a break for a few hours outside the Palace. Orko and Cringer accompanied him to the lake for some fishing. Startled by the sound of the attack, they took cover. Adam looked out, and not seeing anyone, drew his sword and carefully made his way toward the sounds of battle to see what was happening.

“Okay sword. It's time to do whatever it is you do.”

“What are you talking about, Adam?” Orko asked.

“What?” Adam had forgotten about his companions, who followed him, though more for safety in numbers than for an eagerness to join the battle. “Oh, it's nothing. My sword is...enchanted, but I don't know how to work it.” How do I call on it's power? He thought to himself.

“Maybe I can help. Did Man-At-Arms enchant it?”

Adam was holding the sword up, examining it for a clue. He remembered the advice about secrecy from a year ago, but he figured it was okay to talk about it without giving the exact secret away. “It was,” he said, more to himself than to Orko, “by the power of Grayskull.”

[hawggie]

That seemed to be the signal needed for the sword. It jerked itself upward, pulling Adam's arm with it. Magical energy surrounded the clearing they were in, pushing Orko and Cringer away. The energy manifested itself in lightning effects drawn into the raised blade, then coursing into Adam's body. Rather than pain, however, Adam felt at first a tingling sensation, then a feeling of pure power. He grew several inches, and his muscles increased to immense proportions. He also seemed to age by about ten to fifteen years, including the lengthening of his hair. In a final flash of transformation, his clothes were altered to a more barbarian look, with a fur loincloth and matching boots, and an armored harness protecting his chest yet offering full freedom of movement, while his sword took the appearance of the Sword of Power.

Adam's eyes lit up. This feeling of power, he couldn't describe. He felt awed, inspired, exultant, and exhilarated. He clasped his Sword to his chest and bellowed, “I HAVE THE POWER!”

Orko could barely believe his eyes. “Wow, Adam, you turned into a real he-man!”

“Um...thanks Orko, I think.” Adam's voice had also changed, growing deeper and more manly. “You probably shouldn't have seen that.” Adam was suddenly aware of Cringer whining and cowering, off to the side. “Hey Cringe, it's me.”

Adam held out his left hand to his feline friend. Cringer took a cautious sniff, and recognizing the smell, moved forward for a closer inspection. Realizing that it truly was Adam, Cringer nuzzled his head into Adam's hand, welcoming the change in his friend.

After scratching behind Cringer's ears, Adam stood. The tip of his sword pointed toward the tiger, and a burst of energy flashed from the blade into the yelping feline. A similar transformation occurred; Cringer grew twice his original size and an armored saddle and helmet formed around him. The newly empowered tiger roared mightily, then bounded to the edge of the clearing in the direction of the battle, looking back in enthusiastic anticipation.

Adam laughed. “Well it seems you're not much of a Cringer anymore. You're a real Battle Cat now. Orko...”

“Hey! Don't point that thing at me,” Orko interrupted. “On second thought, that might help me with my magic. Go ahead.” Orko braced himself for impact.

Adam thought about it, then figured there was no harm in trying. He pointed the blade at Orko, but nothing happened.

“That's not fair. You used it all up.” Orko put his hands on his hips in disappointment.

“You wait here,” Adam warned Orko. “I'm going to go help our friends, but I don't want you to get into danger.”

Orko saluted. “Yes, sir!”

Adam climbed onto Cringer's – now Battle Cat's – back and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Okay, Cat, let's see what we can do.” They rode off toward the battle while Orko looked after them through the bushes.

The soldiers manning the war cannons were closer, so Adam rode toward them. He arrived at the same time as another warrior, a bearded giant of a man wearing a mighty gauntlet on his right hand, who rode in on a horse from another direction. On his back he carried a large sword with a purple handle.

“Sorry I'm late,” said the bearded man.

“Looks like you're right on time,” replied Adam as they reached the cannons. Adam dismounted, and clapped Cringer on the shoulder. “Go ahead, Cat.”

One of the attackers ran up, but he was having trouble drawing his sword. Adam punched him, and the soldier went flying into the side of the nearest cannon. “You're almost as strong as me,” said his new companion as he repeated the feat. “By they way, what's you're name?”

Adam realized that he couldn't reveal his real name just yet, then remembered what Orko had said. “They call me 'He-Man.'”

The other man chuckled as he dispatched another attacker. “I was saddled with Fisto,” he said while holding up his right hand, which He-Man realized wasn't a gauntlet at all, but a bionic attachment. “At least they didn't call me Lefty.”

The nearest cannon turned its gun toward these two men. Out of instinct, He-Man grabbed it. The barrel crumpled in his hands. Gritting his teeth, he pulled with all his strength, actually lifting it off the ground, then spinning and hurling it into the next cannon.

Everybody on both sides of the battle stopped to stare. Nobody had ever seen such a display of strength. Even Fisto was awed. “I take it back, He-Man. You may be the one man on Eternia stronger than me.”

The lull didn't last long, however. Two men, obviously not rank-and-file members of the army, accosted the two heroes. One was dressed in black armor, bald, with an eye patch, and bore two swords. The other had dark blue skin, gladiatorial armor, and a bionic right arm, though more primitive then Fisto's. At the end of this stranger's arm was a blaster.

The gladiator stopped to take aim at Fisto. Fisto braced for the impact, but it never came. While He-Man was struggling against the swordsman's two bladed attack, the gladiator's blaster arm produced a little white flag with the word “BANG!” written upon it.

“He-Man?”

“Wasn't me,” said the blond warrior as he frantically parried the flurry of blows from his opponent. “I have...help.”

From the wood line Orko raised his arms in triumph. “It worked!”

The gladiator pulled the flag out of his arm and dodged Fisto's sword. Tossing the flag aside, he suddenly cocked his head as if listening to something.

“Blade!” the gladiator called. “They're getting us out of here. Finish him.”

“For some reason he wants to stay alive,” complained Blade. Suddenly he found an opening and readied a killing blow, but was gone before it reached its target. He-Man clutched his chest where he thought he was hit before he realized he was unhurt.

“Looks like they retreated,” observed Fisto, waving to his compatriots across the battlefield. It was true; as suddenly as they had appeared, the attackers were gone.

Battle Cat returned to He-Man, confusion on his face. “So it would seem,” He-Man replied as he mounted the saddle. “Will you be joining the others and going to the Palace?”

“Yes. Will you be coming back with us?”

“I'll...follow shortly. I have to see to my friends and gather my belongings.” And figure out how to change back into my old self.

“I can convince them to wait.”

“No, thank you.” He needed to think of something quickly to send Fisto away. “It will take some time, and I'm sure my – the King – will want a report as soon as possible.”

That worked. “You're right. I'll be waiting to raise a pint with you.” He-Man and Fisto clasped arms in farewell, then rode off in opposite directions.

“Wow, that was great!” Orko cried as He-Man and Battle Cat entered the clearing.

He-Man flexed his arms. “Yes, it does feel pretty good. But I have to find a way to return to normal.”

“Why? You're so strong. You can be a great hero.”

“Look at me,” He-Man explained. “I can't show up at the Palace looking like this and expect them to believe I'm Adam.”

“Perhaps I can help.” An image of the Sorceress appeared in the air between He-Man and Orko.

“You're beautiful.” Orko was awed. “Who are you?”

“Orko, this is the Sorceress. Sorceress, Orko.”

“Hello, young Trollan.”

“Sorceress, you said you could help?” He-Man was eager to return to Adam.

“I cannot help you directly. However, I may be able to offer you some advice. What did you do to cause this transformation?”

He-man thought for a moment. “I raised the Sword and called, 'By the Power - “

“Of Grayskull,” Orko finished.

“Yes. By the Power of Grayskull.”

“I see,” reflected the Sorceress. “So you found a way to call upon the Sword of Power. Perhaps you should try to return the power.”

“I'll give it a try.” He-Man drew his Sword and raised it over his head. “Let the Power...return!” A crackling energy began to form around He-Man and Battle Cat. The energy flowed back from them into the sword, and the human and feline warriors began to shrink, returning to their original forms. When the transformation was complete, Adam and Cringer stood in their places. Adam nearly dropped his sword, as the power drain made him feel weak and dizzy. He managed to sheath his sword, then slowly made his way back to the lake, while Cringer crawled behind. Orko and the image of the Sorceress followed, watching as the two caught their breaths and drank some water.

After a few moments, Adam stood, his strength returning. “That was harsh.”

“I believe that your fatigue may have been a mental reaction to the difference in strength between yourself and your He-Man form. As you shall have become accustomed to the transformation this effect should go away.”

“That won't be necessary,” Adam declared. “Once I get back home, I'll transform so everybody can see who I am, and I won't have to change back.”

“Unfortunately, you will not be able to do that.”

“What do you mean? Why not?”

The Sorceress looked as if she were calm, but she took a moment to fully compose herself. “I cannot fully explain the reasons, but you are not allowed to remain He-Man indefinitely. He-Man represents your potential, not your current reality. There is an old saying that power corrupts. If the forces granting you this power shall have determined that you have become corrupted by it, they will strip you of the power. Forever.”

“But he can still tell everybody, right?” asked Orko.

“No,” the Sorceress replied. “Unfortunately, that is another rule for accepting this power. As you must not be corrupted by it, you must also not allow it to corrupt others. It is for you to use, Adam. You may, of course, help others as much as you are capable, including your father. But it does not belong to your father, and the knowledge of your power may corrupt him. Therefore, your identity as He-Man must not be known.”

* * *

Back at the Palace, Duncan watched the forest near the lake through his binoculars. There it was, a flash, similar to the one he had seen during the battle, just before the blond barbarian on the tiger entered the fray. What drew his attention to the warrior most was the sword he had carried.

“Adam.”

[hawggie]

Some of you might have noticed that Teela was called "Lieutenant" rather than "Captain" and was wondering, "What's up with that?" At this time in the storyline she is only 18, and only has three years of military service. I figured at this point an explanation of the Eternian military forces is in order.

Eternian Royal Army:
The Eternian Royal Army is trained to fight in a phalanx formation, with each platoon forming a small phalanx. The basic weapon of the ERA is the pike halberd with shield, with the short sword as a backup. Within each century, one of the platoons is a rifle platoon, armed with stun blasters, with a blast pistol and sword as backup. Soldiers are armored with a breastplate with pauldrons, a full gauntlet on the right hand, bracer on the left wrist, full boot on the left foot, and greave on the right foot. Helmets are open faced, with cheek protection and ear holes. ERA operates on a staggered field-phase, rest phase cycle. As Eternos has no current enemies, field-phase cycles include road patrols, combat drills, and village guard duty. Rest-phase cycles include drill and weapon training, physical fitness training, and opportunities for schooling and rank advancement. Rest-phase uniform is green tunic with legion symbol on the right breast, breeches, leather boots, and rank insignia.

Here are the Fabrica and heromachine versions of an Eternian soldier:


And their Sergeants:


Rank Structure:
Soldier: 10 to a squad
Corporal: Senior Soldier, usually 2 per squad.
Sergeant: 1/squad, squad leader - legion color trim on pauldrons, uniform has epaulets
Lieutenant: 1/platoon (3 squads+medic/34 soldiers) - legion color trim on helmet, epaulets have tassels
Captain: 1/century (3 platoons/104 soldiers incl CPT + magician) - legion color sash
Colonel: 1/company (3 centuries/314 soldiers incl COL) - legion color cape
General: 1/legion (3 companies/943 incl GEN) - legion color cape with gold trim

Eternian Guard:
The Eternian Guard is a special division of the ERA. It is specially charged with the protection of Eternian nobility. Each noble family is authorized to recruit and equip its own Guard force, either from within the ERA or the general population. The uniforms follow the pattern of the ERA, but are in the noble family's colors. The weapons and armor for each Guard unit depends on the needs and desires of the noble family and the Guard force commander, but for the most part are the same as other ERA units.

Eternian Royal Guard:
The Eternian Royal Guard is an elite unit within the ERA, charged with the protection of the Royal Family and the city of Eternos. Royal Guards are all Corporals or higher, and are referred to as "Guard" unless Sergeant or above. There is only 1 legion of Royal Guard, its legion color is gold. All Royal Guards are required to complete a written and oral exam to prove intelligence, and undergo a psychological exam with the Medical Corps. Guards must be equally adept with blast rifles and pistols, swords, halberds, clubs, and shields, depending on their platoons' duty locations, which rotate throughout Eternos City and the Palace. Guard uniform is similar to Soldier uniform, but the tunic is gold with green sleeves. Depending on the duty location, Guard armor consists of plate armor (city gates, palace exterior, guard towers), breast plate with throat guard, pauldrons, chain vambraces, bracers, and greaves (everywhere else)

Eternian Royal Air Guard:
A branch of the ERG trained to fight using Sky Sleds. Prior to the wall coming down, there was one century dedicated to the RAG answerable to the ERG Company 1. Currently the RAG has been increased to a legion under the command of General Valos.

Eternian Royal Navy:
The Eternian Royal Navy is based on the Dyperian model. It consists of two distinct groups: sailors and marines. Sailors are charged with ship maintenance and the actual sailing of the ship. Marines are members of the ERA who volunteer for life on the sea, and must work on a training vessel until they are accustomed to the movement of the ship and the different style of combat on sea as compared to land. Marines are trained to use blasters, pistols, spears and tridents, and swords. Sailor and Marine officers are also trained to operate ship systems, such as sonar and radar.

Rank Structure (Sailors):
Sailor: Equivalent to Soldier
Petty Officer: Equivalent to Sergeant, in charge of a team of sailors
LT Commander: Manages a section of the ship's crew, equivalent to Lieutenant
First Mate: Manages all sailors, second only to Ship's Captain, equivalent to Army Captain

Rank Structure (Marine):
Marine: 4 to a team, equal to a Soldier
Team Leader: 1/team, equal to a Corporal
Ensign: manages 2 teams, equal to Sergeant
LT Commander: Manages 2 Ensigns, equivalent to Lieutenant
Commander: In charge of all combat ops, second only to Ship's Captain, equivalent to Army Captain
Ship Captain: In charge of ship, Equal to Colonel
Admiral: 1/fleet (5 ships), equal to General

Scouts:
The Scouts come from all branches of Eternian military. All members of the Scouts are at least of the rank of Corporal. In addition to normal military training, Scouts have extensive survival training, to include hunting, tracking, and stealth. Scouts are highly proficient with swords, blasters, clubs, and bows, and have weaponsmith training to conduct field repairs and, if necessary, make their own weapons. Scouts generally do not wear official uniforms, instead dressing either to blend with the environment or local population. However, when on a rest cycle they wear green on green uniforms.

Medical Corps:
The Eternian Medical Corps receive their training at the Learning Center in Eternos City. Some volunteer or are assigned to military service, and receive field training. Upon graduation, they are given the rank of Sergeant and entered into service. After they finish their service they may choose to continue military service or be re-assigned to a hospital, as a village healer, or as a physician in the service to a noble.

Magical Corps:
The Eternian Magical Corps also receive their training at the Learning Center. Magical training is extremely expensive, and there are many students who cannot afford it. They join the Corps to help pay their expenses. They also receive military training, and upon graduation they are commissioned as a Lieutenant.

[hawggie]

Man-At-Arms met the returning forces in the Great Hall. Fisto was in the lead, and when he saw Duncan he ran up and pinned the General's arms together in a great bear hug, lifting him off his feet.

“It's good to see you, Big Brother!” bellowed Fisto, who dwarfed his elder sibling.

“David, good to see you too.” Duncan was barely able to breath. “Can I at least have a little dignity?”

“Oh. Right.” Fisto put his brother down. “But they don't call me David anymore.” He raised his massive right hand. “Now I'm known as Fisto.”

“I had heard the stories from the south. I thought that was you. So I assume the hand has been working well?”

“Thanks to you. Losing that arm was the best thing to happen to me.”

Randor joined his General greeting the returning men and women. He wore a smile, but Duncan could easily see the worry on his brow. “Where is my son? I haven't seen him in hours.”

“I haven't seen him yet, Sire,” Duncan replied. “But I believe he was helping out at the battle site. He'll be along soon.”

“Very well. I want to meet the leaders in the War Room as soon as possible to discuss the battle.”

Randor's generals, and some of the more notable warriors, ringed the table in the War Room. A three dimensional image of the battle projected from the table. Leaders from the other lands looked on from the wall monitors.

Duncan cleared his throat to quiet the gathered crowd. “Ladies, gentlemen, it's time to begin. I was monitoring the battle from the watch tower, calling adjustments as I saw them. To help this debriefing, I had sent out several camera drones to record everything. I can assure you that they did as well.” He pressed a button and the display changed to show a green and silver flying camera.

“If I may interrupt?” asked Stratos.

“Yes?” allowed Duncan.

“I believe our enemies called them Doomseekers.”

“Yes. Thank you.” Duncan took off his helmet and placed it on the edge of the table. “Part of the reason we're here is to familiarize ourselves with our enemies. As you will see, for many of us it will be to re-familiarize ourselves, because we have fought them before.

“I would like to start with the Shadow Beasts attacking the city wall.” The display showed a Shadow Beast and its master, a furred humanoid nearly as large as the Beast and wielding a whip. “Most of us recognize the Shadow Beast and regularly send out patrols to keep them in check. But these are bigger, stronger, and more aggressive. While it is possible that it is because they are from the Dark Hemisphere, I have a feeling that our enemies are actively breeding them this way.

“Which brings us to their master. For those who don't recognize him, he is a Beastman. They are a Dark Hemisphere race of primitive sentients. Once or twice in a generation, a Beastman is gifted with the ability to communicate with, and control, lesser beasts. Fifteen years ago, our enemies...”

“General Duncan.” The look on Randor's face gave his friend permission.

“Yes, Sire. Prince Keldor employed one of these men. This one is nearly twice the size of the one from fifteen years ago. This one may be the same one, having matured, or it may be a new one.”

Duncan changed the display to show the war machines used by the rear forces. He zoomed in on two of them, showing that they were not uniform.

“These were the cannons used by their soldiers. Some were energy blasters, and some launched ballistic projectiles. I believe that the lack of uniformity is because they were made from spare parts, whatever they could gather.” Duncan then specifically addressed the leaders on the monitors. “This means they will probably begin raiding outlying areas for resources.”

Duncan zoomed the projection to focus on the soldiers' uniforms. “You may recognize the soldier's uniforms. Black, with their faces obscured by their helmets, and the armor is modified from Royal Guard. The same as Keldor's personal guard. Their commanders are also known to us.”

The image altered to show the bald swordsman. “This is Blade. Formerly a soldier in the Eternian Royal Army, he was recruited into Keldor's guard.”

“I remember that one,” growled Tyros, a general with a scar running from his hairline down to his jaw. “I was his captain. None better with a blade. Not his real name, of course. I don't remember what it was, only that I would have changed it myself. He had a particularly vicious streak; instead of punishing bandits, he wanted to kill them as a deterrent to others.”

“That sounds efficient.” Buzz-Off apparently had no issue with that policy.

“But it is NOT the Eternian way,” responded Randor.

“Right,” continued Tyros. “I held back on Blade's promotions because I didn't think he should be leading men with that way of thinking. Prince Keldor recruited him, and the next time I saw him he was a captain and sported an eye patch. He gave me this.” Tyros pointed to his scar.

“Thank you General Tyros,” said Duncan. “I believe that pretty much sums up the man. Now for his partner.” Duncan switched the image to that of the gladiator. “Unless I'm wrong, that is Kronis. He comes from a small warlike city-state from the Dark Hemisphere. He was Champion of their Pit Fighters before joining Keldor's forces. A great fighter, clever and adaptive, but outside of combat he isn't much of a thinker. I'm assuming the green face and right arm are a result of his last fight with my brother.”

“Aye, and he took my drinking hand,” agreed Fisto. The others chuckled, allowing the joke to break the tension for the moment.

“He is shown here with a blaster on his arm,” Duncan continued. “But earlier in the battle,” and the imaged adjusted slightly, “he bore a wicked blade in its place. Keep this in mind if you face him; he may alter his right hand into any sort of weapon he needs. These two were not controlling the battle, however.”

Duncan changed the image to that of a nearby cliff. On the edge were a purple-clad woman and a warrior in green. The image zoomed in to the warrior, and all could see that his helmet covered his eyes, but featured three equally spaced eyes that rotated at times. “This is Triklops. He was Keldor's right hand man. A mercenary with a highly respected reputation for his skills with the sword and his keen intellect. I also understand he comes from a family of blacksmiths. His helmet gives him several different vision abilities, so for example, he doesn't need binoculars to view the battle. As you can see by the radio in his hand, he was controlling the actions of the attackers.”

The projection switched to the woman. “This is Evil-Lyn. Called a witch by many, she is a spell caster of no mean power. Her motivations were never made clear, but with a name like Evil-Lyn she is obviously not interested in peace. She is apparently responsible for the appearance and disappearance of the army.”

Duncan stood up straight, looking each member of the meeting in turn in the eyes. He could feel the tension of the unasked question, and was wondering who would bring it up.

That turned out to be Delora. “What about Keldor?”

“Keldor was nowhere to be seen,” Duncan replied. “The last time we had seen him, fifteen years ago, he was mortally wounded. He may, hopefully, no longer be a threat.”

Everyone paused to reflect on that last statement. Some with hope in their hearts, and others wondering what that may mean to these attackers.

Fisto broke the silence. “You're forgetting someone.”

“The blond warrior?” Duncan asked. His brother nodded.

“His name is He-Man.” Everyone turned to the doorway to see Adam. “He sends his regrets that he could not be here.”

“Who is he? Where does he come from?” Randor asked as Duncan displayed an image of He-Man from the projector.

“He is a warrior who said he will be around to help when needed. I met him while keeping others away from the battle. I sent him to help.”

“Excellent,” Randor approved. “That was a good call. Definitely the decision of a future king.”

[hawggie]

The lair of the enemies of Eternos was dark and menacing, the only light coming from torches that were enchanted to never burn out. The leaders of the attack stood around nervously; only Triklops and Evil-Lyn seemed confident in themselves. They were joined by others: a giant reptilian creature with a thick, powerful tail, and a crustacean-like humanoid with an enormous claw for his right hand, and a smaller claw for his left. Their attention was drawn to a throne at the top of a set of stairs. The cloaked figure sitting upon it was hidden by the hood that covered his face and the darkness that surrounded the throne.

When the figure spoke, his voice was both majestic and ominous. “Report.”

Triklops answered. “My lord, the attack went as planned. The Eternians were caught unaware due to the teleportation, but as expected, they were not unprepared. Their army is well-trained and organized, and they seem to have rallied more champions than before.”

“But I don't understand,” said the Crustacean, “why did you retreat? They had that strong guy, but the other side of the battle seemed to be going well.” He immediately wished he could take it back; the darkness surrounding the throne deemed to grow deeper, and he was not certain if it was his imagination or if he saw two glowing red spots that might be eyes.

Blade rescued his seeming ally. “The attack was not meant to be victory. It was intended to gather information about their forces. We want to know how quickly they can rally their troops, and how strong they are.”

“Speaking of strength,” mused the figure on the throne. “Tell me about this newcomer.”

Triklops turned on a Doomgiver to project an image, while Blade replied, “He said his name is He-Man. He is obviously stronger than anybody we have ever seen, but he is no great swordsman. He received some Royal Army training, but his skill isn't any better than that of a sergeant, maybe a captain. I had him dead to rights. If the teleportation spell had taken a fraction of a second longer, we wouldn't be talking about him.”

“Are you doubting your commander's decision?” There was perhaps the hint of amusement in the voice of the man on the throne.

“No.” Blade's response was measured, not hurried or panicked. “As I said to Clawful, the intent was not victory, but information. The next time I meet this He-Man, however, will be his last.”

“Indeed,” agreed his master. “Evil-Lyn, Triklops, I want a full report. The rest of you – dismissed.”

The others scurried to leave the presence of the man on the throne. Blade, however, felt a pull on his arm holding him back. He turned to see Triklops, a scowl on is face.

“So you think you could do a better job?”

“I would have been smart enough to wait a half second.”

The two warriors stood face to face, neither giving ground. Blade was the first to crack, breaking into a wide grin. Triklops immediately followed suit; this was game the longtime friends often played. Triklops clapped his sword-brother on the shoulder. “I'll see you in a few hours.” Then he returned to the man on the throne, who had descended the stairs.

The cloaked figure walked past his two commanding minions, who followed close behind. He led them to a balcony, that revealed itself to be the mouth of a giant snake, the body of which wrapped itself around the great basalt mountain that formed the lair. This motif led to the name of the monument: Snake Mountain.

The Lord of Snake Mountain looked across his demesne: dark, barren, and bleak. Ragged mountain ranges broken by volcanic craters of varying levels of activity gave way to a vast desert. The dark sky belied the time of day; on this side of the planet, dawn was approaching, but the Dark Hemisphere never saw true daylight.

“Evil-Lyn, you have been silent. Tell me your thoughts, my dear.”

“They showed no great magic,” replied the witch. “They did have some wizards, but none of any real power. Perhaps if they joined together to perform a ritual spell they may gather enough energy to be a threat.” I should probably mention that surge of energy during the battle, but I couldn't localize its source, and it had no impact. “Of course, it is possible that they are hiding their true strength.”

The cloaked figure said nothing. Evil-Lyn and Triklops waited, assuming he was pondering the news he had received. Though they had long become accustomed to his changes of mood, they were reasonably confident that they were safe from any sort of offense perceived by their master.

After a few minutes that seemed like hours, the cloaked man asked, “Triklops, what do you think?”

“Your army is inadequate. The Eternians only committed two centuries to the battle, and still had several legions to call on. That doesn't count all the garrisons throughout the land. You have two legions. Sheer numbers would indicate that the Eternian forces would win. You could always raise troops, but against a well-trained, organized army they would fall.”

“And your recommendation?”

Triklops pondered a moment, but no longer that that. “Small group attacks. Surprise raids. We need to keep them guessing so they don't know where to commit their forces.”

“Excellent idea. We can whittle their forces down. Unfortunately it may take years. I will have to be patient. I have been patient for fifteen years. I have become accustomed to it. However,” and the lord of Snake Mountain turned to face his minions, “I SHALL RULE!”

* * *

After the meeting in the War Room, Adam remained with Duncan to receive the information he missed earlier. King Randor joined the rest of the Generals to review the troops and offer condolences to the families of those lost in the battle.

“So,” Duncan said, after briefing Adam about the enemies of his country, “tell me about He-man.”

“He's a great warrior,” Adam offered.

“I noticed he was using your sword.” Adam looked toward his jeweled blade. “No, your other sword. And I noticed you didn't come in telling everyone that it was you.”

Adam knew that he had no choice but to confess. “I'm not allowed. The Sorceress said I can't reveal myself as He-Man, not even to my parents.”

“The Sorceress? Did she say why?”

“Only...that those are the rules. But I don't think they are her rules.”

“I agree with that.” Duncan pondered exactly how much he should tell the young man about their mutual friend. “The Sorceress has great power, and is probably the single most powerful person on all Eternia, but she has limitations. She is the caretaker of Castle Grayskull, but there are forces within the Castle, and the planet, that she must answer to, as, in the end, we all do.”

“Did you manage to finish that training robot you were working on?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I was almost killed out there,” Adam explained. “I need some extra training.”

Just then, the door opened, and Queen Marlena and Teela entered the room. “I just heard the most amazing thing,” Marlena remarked. “The warrior Ramson broke his axe during the battle, but he didn't run away. Instead he began to grab the enemy soldiers and head butt them. At one point, he charged one of their war machines and smashed it with his head – like a human battering ram!”

“The soldiers have taken to calling him Ram Man,” Teela added.

Marlena continued, “He's in the infirmary right now. That tactic knocked him silly. Man-E-Faces had to pull him out of there. That's why I'm here, Duncan. I want you to build him a new suit of armor that will protect him in case he does that again.”

“Yes, my Queen.”

[hawggie]

This was something I came up withafter writing Chapter 3, so I called it 2.5...It takes place hours after the War Room meeting which introduced many of the villains.

************************************************** **********

Adam sat a table in the Hall of Records with a large stack of books. He was flipping through his third book. Teela stood off to the side, thumbing her sword. Highly intelligent, she nevertheless did not like to sit and read; she preferred to learn from experience.

"I found it!" Adam cried out. "Teela, look!"

Teela crossed over to see what Adam found. "What is it?"

"You remember the meeting after the battle? They said the troops and leaders used to fight under my uncle Keldor."

"Yeah, so?"

"I found him!" Adam showed Teela the record.

"He's blue." Teela was confused.

"My father told me the story the other night. My grandfather, King Miro, had two wives. His first wife was Kelanya, the daughter of a high-ranking noble in Anwat Gar. They were blue because they come from the Dark Hemisphere. The Gar are as Eternian as you or me, but their skin is blue instead of shades of brown like us."

"Okay, Mister I-Took-Advanced-Ancient-Cultures, why are they blue if they're Eternian?"

"Nobody knows. Professor Melaktha thinks that whatever caused the Dark Side to be cast in permanent night turned their skin blue. A few centuries ago, a group of them formed a new kingdom on an island to the west, just across the border between the Light and Dark halves. Anyway, Kelanya was the only noblewoman of marriageable age at the same time as my grandfather. Not long after, there was a revolution, and all the Gar nobles were killed."

"So Keldor was first-born? Why isn't he king?"

"Well, he is, or was, kind of. He is the rightful king of Anwat Gar."

"Wait, so your father is half Gar?"

"No. Kelanya died in childbirth, and my uncle was named in her honor. a few years later, my grandfather married my grandmother, Ranna. When Keldor Ascended, my grandfather took his two boys and told them that Keldor was going to be king of Anwat Gar, and my father king here. King Miro assumed that a Gar king of Eternos would lead to a revolt from the nobles."

"But Keldor wanted more," Teela concluded.

"I guess. But he took a Legion and his personal Guard, and went to Anwat Gar. Everything seemed okay until the Time of Troubles. King Miro disappeared, and Keldor returned, pretending to be an adviser to my father, but secretly seeking the throne. When I was born, Keldor revealed his true intentions and openly declared war. In the final battle, Keldor and Kronis were mortally wounded and their forces withdrew. My father was unable to find King Miro, and reluctantly accepted the crown. Hmm..."

"I know that look," Teela observed. "What are you thinking?"

"They never found my grandfather. He might still be alive."

"I hate to say it, Adam, but I doubt it. I'm sure they would have found him by now."

"I can feel it, Teela." Adam was starting to get excited. "I know he's out there alive somewhere. We just have to find him."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"I don't know, Teela. I don't know..."

[hawggie]

Adam eased himself into the hot water of the tub, then turned on the bubble jets. This was the only bit of relaxation he seemed to have over the last several days. He spent two hours this morning training with Duncan's robot, followed by another three after lunch.

Just as he had settled in and gotten relaxed, there was a knock at the door. It burst open, and Teela walked in. Adam tried to hide his modesty, but the towel was out of reach. “Teela!”

“So this is where you've been,” Teela accused, somewhat playfully. “Everybody's been looking for you for days. Let me see your hands.” Adam was somewhat confused, but obliged.

Teela seemed satisfied at the calluses she saw. “Well, at least you've been doing something. And I hadn't noticed before, but you've been filling out quite nicely.” Teela grabbed Adam's bicep and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Um, Teela – why are you here?”

“The first reports from the scouts have come in. Our fathers want to have a meeting in ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes? I have to get dressed!” Adam started to get up, then remembered what he had been doing. “Can you hand me that towel on your way out?”

Teela laughed and tossed Adam the towel, then left so he could get ready.

Eleven minutes later, Adam walked in late to the meeting. Randor looked up disapprovingly at his son. The scouts were giving their report. It was already known that the Dark Hemisphere was a barren zone, but the scouts were giving details of the different groups found closest to the former wall. It seemed that they were mostly tribal, and the chaos of that realm led to much conflict. However, it seemed that they weren't yet aware of the wall being down.

"Hmmm," mused Randor. "It seems the same as before. But no evidence that they have organized under some central leadership?"

"No," replied General Tyros.

"If they were to organize, what would be the most likely location for a stronghold?"

"Our reports of this region are old, from when your father first began his rule," replied Duncan, "but there is what seemed to be a fortress centrally located within the hemisphere. It is a massive basalt mountain, almost a monolith, with a giant snake wrapped around it. They called it Snake Mountain, but nobody was able to explore it. It was filled with deadly traps. But, with fifteen years and nothing better to do, it could be safe to assume that our enemies have had time to make themselves at home."

"How long until we know for certain?"

"Considering it's location," considered General Sunda, who hailed from the south, "I would say that it could take up to a year. We would want to do it safely, and find out what we have between us and the mountain."

"What if we use the Raider?"

"It would probably take most of the day to get there, and a couple days to look around."

Randor thought for a minute. "Very well. Take Adam, and Lieutenant Teela, and Man-E-Faces, and whomever else you feel you need. I want a report within a week."

"Sire?"

"Yes, General Duncan?"

"I understand why you chose Man-E-Faces, but the others don't have much experience."

"That is why I chose them. They are the future of Eternos, and they need to know what they're in for."

* * *

That night, the four designated spies, along with Lieutenant Glass and Sergeant Blanque from the Eternian Royal Scouts met in the hangar of Duncan's laboratory, where Micheal waited with six survival packs. "Father, there are six of us," observed Teela, "but the Raider can only seat four."

"You're partially right, Teela," returned the Man-At-Arms. "The Wind Raider is too small. But tonight, we're using this." Duncan and Micheal pulled a tarp to reveal a vehicle that looked like a larger version of the Wind Raider, painted black. "I call it the Max Raider. It's larger, armored, and has a greater arsenal. I had Micheal paint it black to camouflage it in the night sky."

They climbed into the Max Raider and took off. Duncan flew the Raider straight to the Dark Hemisphere, then began a somewhat circuitous route to the coordinates given for Snake Mountain. Glass and Blanque turned on a specialized computer and began tracking the peoples on the ground. The data was non-specific, noting the location and size of each village, the kinds of dwellings they used, and an estimate of their level of technology.

After several hours, Adam, who was behind the controls, sharply turned the Raider. When Teela asked him what he was doing, he pointed in the direction from which he had turned away. "There are flying creatures that way."

Sergeant Blanque set the tracker in the direction indicated. "Six of them, humanoid, with wings." He adjusted the machine for greater detail. "Their features seem - batlike. They seem to be flying in a hunting formation. Hmmm..."

"What is it?" asked Duncan, having roused from his nap of opportunity.

"They spotted us. But...they're not pursuing."

"Why not?" asked Adam.

"My guess would be that they saw how big we were and decided that discretion was the better part of valor," replied Duncan. "Continue what you were doing."

The rest of the flight continued without incident. The darkness barely lightened for the dawn when they set down a few miles from Snake Mountain, in an area in which it would be easy to camouflage the Raider. As the others began to unpack the Raider, Duncan turned to the two scouts. "Glass, Blanque, you two go check things out. We'll set up camp."

"Just those two?" asked Teela.

Duncan allowed a bit of a smile. "Show them why just you two."

Glass and Blanque each pressed a button on their bracers, then disappeared. A few moments later, they reappeared.

"Invisibility," breathed Man-E-Faces, clearly impressed.

The two Scouts each grabbed their survival packs and rifles, then went invisible again and left camp. The others began to set up the shelter and camouflage.

"Aramond," Duncan called.

"Yes, sir?"

"I have a present for you." Duncan produced a large blaster pistol. "I figure you should have a weapon that befits your marksmanship skills." He also pulled out a high-tech harness with a microphone. "This will allow you to capture and reproduce any sound you can't mimic."

"But I didn't get you anything."

Duncan gave him a grim smile. "Don't worry about it. It's my job, as Man-At-Arms, to provide the Defenders of Eternos with the proper weapons and armor. Here, take this." Duncan handed Man-E-Faces a pair of binoculars. "Look over there."

Man-E-Faces used the binos to look in the direction indicated. "I see some peasants working in a field."

"Probably slaves," answered Duncan. "Do you think you can get close to them without arousing suspicion?"

"I thought slavery was abolished centuries ago," said Teela.

"Eternian laws don't apply here," returned Adam. "I wouldn't be surprised that they have slaves."

Man-E-Faces continued to watch the workers. "These are the blue-skinned people like that Kronis warrior from the battle. I could change my appearance to look like one of them, but I don't know enough about them to walk up and get them to trust me."

Duncan nodded. "Right. Best not to let them know we're here yet. Well then, let's finish setting up camp."

They spent the next several hours keeping watch. They traded shifts observing the field workers with the binoculars and sleeping. At the end of the "day," a man dressed in the uniform of a sergeant in Keldor's guard approached the workers and cracked a whip. The slaves gathered up their tools and marched in line back toward Snake Mountain.

About an hour later, a low whistle came from behind a boulder. Duncan replied with a double whistle, and then the sounds of footsteps entered the camp. Glass and Blanque reappeared and saluted.

Duncan returned the salute. "Report."

Glass began the report. "We could only find one entrance, Sir. It led to a slave quartering area. It's almost like a city in there."

Blanque continued, "The slave city is well-organized. They seem to be segregated by race, but I didn't see any evidence of mistreatment."

"Are you sure they were slaves?" asked Teela.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Blanque. "That is what the sergeant leading them in called them."

"What about their army?" asked Duncan.

Glass replied, "There is a garrison and training field on the other side of the mountain. They seem to have about two legions housed there."

"Did you find any way up or down?" asked Duncan.

"Not yet," replied Blanque. "We felt it was best to come back and give a report. To fully map the interior would take at least several days."

"Very well. Let's input the information you found into the computer and see what we have."

Glass and Blanque plugged their trackers into the computer, and Duncan mapped their progress. The projection showed the slave quarters in Snake Mountain. The combined data showed an area on that level that was not yet explored and could indicate a possible way to get to another level. "Okay, we'll concentrate our investigations there. Tomorrow, Glass, you and Teela will take the invisibility bracers and see what you can find there. Man-E-Faces, you will join them."

"Are we going to free the slaves?" asked Adam.

"Not now," replied Duncan. At Adam's questioning look, he added, "We don't want to announce our presence just yet. We'll need a much larger force to free these slaves."

Duncan checked the chronometer on his wristband. "I think it's time to start sleep ops. Blanque, Adam, you have the first watch."

Several hours later, Teela was startled by a cold grip around her throat. She was turned around to come face-to-muzzle with a large reptilian. "No scream," he warned. The words were harsh and raspy, as if he had difficulty forming them; not surprising, since he didn't have lips as Teela knew them.

"Hold it right there!" cried Man-E-Faces. His call awakened the others.

The reptilian man turned to keep Teela between himself and her companions. "No move, or I snap neck."

"Man-At-Arms, the monitor didn't show any heat signatures," said Man-E-Faces.

"He's cold-blooded," explained Duncan. "And the Caligar are noted for their stealth."

Suddenly, there was a loud metallic thunk, and the Caligar went limp. Adam stood behind him, holding his sword with the flat of the blade turned out.

Teela turned to look at her savior. "Why didn't you stab him?" she shouted.

Adam was flustered. "I...thought that it would be better to knock him out."

"Good call, son," Duncan said, as he quickly found some shackles to bind the prisoner. "We can take him back and interrogate him. Glass, Blanque, load him into the Raider. The rest of you, pack our camp."

* * *

The Caligar awoke in a cell. He was manacled to the wall, but otherwise comfortably laid on a bed. A tray near the cell door held a pitcher of water, a bowl of fruit, and a roasted hunk of meat.

"We don't know much about your kind." The Caligar looked outside the bars to see Adam rolling a scroll. He waved it to indicate the source of his information. "It says here that you get stronger, faster, and smarter during the day. Is that true."

The Caligar looked at Adam as if to size him up. He then got out of the bed and picked up the meat. "I like raw." He tore off a huge bite of the meat, then lifted his chin to let gravity work the meat down his throat. He seemed surprised at the taste. "What is?"

"Roast beef."

"Is good," the Caligar said almost absently, then tore off another bite.

After he finished the meat, Adam asked, "What's your name?"

The Caligar fixed his eyes on Adam, then let out a reptilian growl. He thumped his chest, then repeated the growl.

"That's going to be a bit difficult for me to pronounce. Do you have another name, something people like me can call you?"

"Whiplash."

The word was hard to understand. "Did you say Whiplash?" Adam asked. Whiplash nodded. "Why do they call you Whiplash?"

The Caligar seemed to smile, then, without warning, smashed his tail against the cell bars as he pulled the shackles that held him off the wall. Adam jumped back to avoid getting hurt, but the cell held. Several guards, and Duncan, rushed into the hallway to support their prince. The guards leveled their halberds toward Whiplash, who backed away smiling.

"The cells are enchanted against attack," warned Duncan. "We didn't expect you to be able to pull those shackles off the wall. Rest assured we won't make that mistake again."

Whiplash laughed; it was a honking sound. He pointed at Adam. "He ask." Then he swallowed the rest of the meat.

Duncan nodded. "Sergeant."

The sergeant among the guards snapped a salute. "Yes, General?"

"Now that he's up and we know what he's capable of, I want three guards on him at all times."

"Yes, General."

* * *

At Snake Mountain, Beastman was swiftly moving from room to room. Finally, he came across Clawful. "Where's Whiplash? He wanted a baby griffin for dinner, but he hasn't been around to get it."

"He said he saw something a few hours ago, but I haven't seen him since."

Beastman growled to himself, "I already broke its neck."

"Baby griffin, you say," Clawful mused. "I've never had griffin before. I guess it shouldn't go to waste..."

"Knock yourself out. Have the slaves bring it up." Beastman stalked off.

[He-Man54]

Keep it up, man. I really like where you are going with this story.

[hawggie]

Thanks. I'm still writing chapter 4, not sure when it will be finished.

[hawggie]

Chpter 4 is quite a long one. I'm doing something different here: there are four different breakdowns going on, all at the same time. I'm sure most of you will recognize the main story though. I know it originally took place later in the He-Man storyline, but I think, for the purposes of my story, it fits better where it is. So without further ado, I present Chapter 4 - A Trip to Morainia:

* * *
Adam

Adam stood outside the door to his father's office. He steeled himself for whatever his father's demeanor may be. King Randor had been quite critical of Adam lately. Then Adam knocked.

"Enter," Randor commanded.

Adam walked in, and his father indicated that he should sit. "General Duncan has given me a report of the mission you took with him to Snake Mountain."

Uh oh, thought Adam. He's using the "official" voice. This can't be good.

"He says that you were the one who struck the blow that knocked the Caligar out." Randor looked his son in the eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"Well done." Adam breathed a sigh of relief; his father was not going to lecture him again. "Lately you have been... somewhat lackadaisical. Arriving late to meetings, having trouble staying awake. I had begun to think you weren't taking your job seriously., but this shows that I may have been wrong. I am going to give you a new assignment, a show of trust."

King Randor handed a letter to Adam. "This is a diplomatic mission to Morainia. I wish to renew our trade contract with them, and I am sending you as my representative."

"Don't they supply us with our power crystals?" asked Adam.

"That's right," Randor replied. "They have developed new, more powerful crystals, and we need to negotiate a trade agreement. That's what you are going to do."

"You can count on me, father. But Teela is still in the infirmary."

"You shouldn't need a bodyguard. King Boreas is a good ally. You'll be safe."

* * *
Triklops

The master of Snake Mountain sat brooding on his throne of bones. Triklops entered the throne room and addressed the dark figure: "You wish to see me?"

"You are acquainted with Anwat Gar, are you not?" There seemed to be no malice in his voice, more a mused accent, as if something had suddenly occurred to him.

"Yes," Triklops replied. "My father spent his youth on the island before returning to the mainland."

"Excellent. I had a palace there. It was called Infinita, the Palace of Infinite Wisdom. I want you to go the Anwat Gar and scout the island. See who is running things in my absence. Find out how powerful they are."

Triklops went to Blade's quarters and found the colonel there. "Blade, we have a mission."

Blade's eyes lit up at the suggestion of combat. "Who do we kill?"

Triklops chuckled. "We're going to Anwat Gar."

"An-what?"

"It's an island. We have to see who is in charge, and find out how powerful they are."

"Sounds like fun."

"Great," Triklops finished. "Meet me in the hangar in half an hour. We're taking the Battle Raider."

* * *
Man-At-Arms

Duncan finished turning in his report to King Randor, then made his way to his office. Today he was to begin interrogation of the Caligar named Whiplash, who was imprisoned in a specially-created dungeon for high-powered prisoners.

Waiting in his office was Justor, Chief Judge of Eternos City. Duncan had requested his help because Justor had graduated from the School of Wizardry in the Eternos Learning Center. Justor had specialized in magic of the mind, and had the ability to tell the truth from lies.

Duncan removed his armor; this was a deliberate act to show Whiplash that Duncan was not afraid of him. Then he picked up a pair of shackles, and motioned for Justor to follow.

He led the judge down several corridors until they reached the prison. Three guards stood at alert before the cell of the Caligar. "Do we feel like talking today?" the General asked, in a cheerful voice that mocked the other.

"You die soon," was the reply.

Duncan nodded to the Sergeant of the Guard, who then opened the door to the cell. The other guards immediately took position, pointing their halberds at Whiplash's throat. The sergeant aimed a stun blaster. Duncan entered the cell, brandishing the shackles. "Hold out your arms."

Whiplash looked at each of the guards in turn, then did as he was told. He was bound at his wrists, ankles, and the tip of his tail. "These are Power Bindings," explained the Man-At-Arms. "The stronger you fight against them, the weaker you become." Duncan gestured to the guards, and they led Whiplash to another room.

* * *
Trap Jaw

The lord of Snake Mountain gathered his remaining warriors to his throne room after sending Triklops on his mission. "It has come to my attention that Morainia has developed a new power crystal. I want that power crystal. I hear that Randor has sent his son Prince Allan-"

"Adam, My Lord," interrupted Evil-Lyn.

"What?"

"His name is Adam," she explained.

"Oh. Well it doesn't matter," he decided. "Allan, Adam, pretty soon there won't be enough of him to give a name!" He threw back his head and had a hearty laugh, the others joining in. After composing himself, he continued, "But seriously, Trap Jaw, you and Beastman go to Morainia. They have developed new power crystals that I want. If Boreas won't give it to you, take it."

[hawggie]

Adam

Orko decided to travel with Adam because he had never been to Morainia. Adam, of course, brought along Cringer. Adam decided to take the Wind Raider because it was the fastest method of travel. With the emergence of the evil warriors, he did not want to give them a chance to find him out in the open.

Adam flew north until he reached a mountain range. He set down at a port at the base of one of the mountains. "Is this Morainia?"

"Not really," replied Adam. "This is the border of Morainia. The main part of the country is surrounded by these mountains. They're too high to fly over with a Raider, so we have to land at this port and take the pass."

Adam donned his winter cloak, then received his port pass from the deck officer. "You want to rent a sled?" the officer asked?

"No, thanks," said Adam. "The walk will do me good."

Adam led his two friends through the tunnel that led into Morainia. The tunnel opened into a snow-covered pass. Adam drew his cloak closer. "Are you cold?" asked Orko. "I can cast a heat spell."

"Orko, no-" Adam began.

Orko waved his arms and chanted, "Cold weather go away, let's have some heat today!"

The immediate area did get warmer, but the unnatural difference in temperature caused the snow to become unstable. Within seconds, the snow began to slide down the side of the mountain, catching Adam and Cringer and carrying them over the railing into the draw below.

"Adam!" Orko cried as he watched his friend disappear.

Luckily, Adam and Cringer were able to ride on top of the avalanche. Once it stopped flowing, they were able to crawl out of the snow. They were slightly battered, but the snow was soft enough to not cause too much damage. Orko floated down, his hands behind his back and his head down in a posture of guilt.

"Awe, gee, I messed things up again. Are you okay, Adam?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How ya doing, Cringe?"

Cringer shook of the snow and continued to shake from the experience, but was otherwise unhurt.

Adam smiled and put his hand on Orko's shoulder. "Relax, Orko. We're all okay. Besides, you tried to make heat, and you made heat."

Orko brightened up, "Hey yeah, you're right!"

"Now we have to find a way back up. That snow is too soft to climb."

Cringer suddenly stopped shivering, and stood frozen, eyes wide and ears flattened. "What's wrong, buddy?" asked Adam.

He turned to look in the same direction Cringer was staring and saw a giant furry arachnoid creature. It raised its claws in a threatening manner and clacked its mandibles. Adam drew his sword, then looked back up at the pass: nobody was around. "By the power of Grayskull!"

He-Man's outfit was different from the last time. His harness was lined with fur, and his pauldrons held a fur cape in place. The snow creature backed up at this change, but quickly regained its composure and advanced.

"A shield would be nice," He-Man said to himself. Suddenly, his left bracer began to glow. It expanded and formed a shield. He-Man did not have time to be surprised, as the creature attacked. He put the shield into use, blocking the strikes of the claws.

Battle Cat pounced, and his attack pushed the creature to the side. Orko backed away, not wanting to get in the way, and not wanting to hurt his friends with a miscast spell. He backed into the wall, then disappeared into the snow. "It's dark in here," Orko said to himself. "I think I have a light somewhere." He began to dig in his sleeve pockets until he found a familiar metal cylinder. He pressed a button, and light flooded the area, showing him to be in a large cave.

Orko flew back into the draw. "He-Man!"

He-Man blocked another strike. "I'm a little busy, Orko."

"There's a cave over here!"

He-Man hazarded a glance to see where Orko was, then called out to Battle Cat, "Cat, we need to draw the creature towards Orko!"

Battle Cat growled in understanding, and He-Man began to back up slowly. The Snow creature followed, prodded by the tiger's pushing. When they reached the cave, He-Man said, "Give me one good push, Cat."

Battle Cat pushed the creature into the cave. "Keep him in there until I can find a way to close the door, Cat." He-Man looked around, but the only thing he saw that might work was a shelf of ice above the cave entrance. He sheathed his sword, then tested the weight of his shield.

"Step back, Orko," he warned. "Okay, Cat, you can come out now."

Battle Cat bounded out of the cave, and then He-Man tossed his shield at the ice shelf. It cracked, then slid down to close the cave.

"That should hold him until we get out of here."

The trio continued down the draw past the avalanche. Not far away, they found a spot that they could climb back up to the path. He-Man looked around again to make sure nobody was around, then raised his sword again. "Let the power return!"

* * *
Triklops

Triklops and Blade flew their Battle Raider low and slow, because the open cockpit prevented extreme flight. As they flew over the sea, Blade suddenly saw a creature on the sensor. Before he could say anything, the creature burst out of the water; riding on top was a fish man wielding a bronze trident.

"Behold, land dwellers!" the fish man cried in a raspy voice. "You trespass on the demesne of Mer!" The fish man aimed the trident at the Raider and blasted it with electricity, shorting the controls.

Blade and Triklops, great warriors that they were, were able to sense the fish man's intentions and fired attacks before the Raider was disabled. Blade blasted the giant sea creature, while Triklops trapped the fish man in a binding energy field.

The creature swam away, and the Raider splashed into the water; fortunately it floated. After regaining his balance, Triklops stood and addressed his prisoner. "It seems we are at an impasse, Mer-Man. Our craft is disabled, and you are trapped within that force field."

"Fool!" Mer-Man cried. "I can simply blast my way out!" Mer-Man fired another shock of electricity from his trident, but it rebounded from the force field and struck the fish man, who cried out in surprise and pain, dropping his trident and falling to his knees. "Very well," he said softly. "If you release me, I will help you reach your destination."

"I don't think so," replied Triklops. "You are the reason we are in this situation. You help us first, and then you will be released."

"How do I know you will keep your word?"

"You only have my word," said Triklops. "On the other hand, we have several days' supplies on here, and you are stuck in there, with nothing to eat. Are you prepared to wait until you are rescued?"

Mer-Man bowed his head in defeat. "Where are you headed?"

"Anwat Gar," Blade replied.

Mer-Man looked up in surprise. Within seconds, the Battle Raider began to move. Blade and Triklops looked over the side to see two creatures similar to the one that Blade had blasted pushing the Raider.

"How did you do that?" Blade asked.

"I have the ability to control creatures of the sea," replied Mer-Man, regaining some of his pride.

Triklops and Blade exchanged looks. "He will want to know about this."

Several hours later, the Battle Raider ground ashore. Blade and Triklops jumped out and began to pull the craft further onto shore. "Have your creatures help us," Blade ordered Mer-Man.

The sea creatures gave one last push, then swam away. "Your ship is beached, now let me go," cried Mer-Man.

"We can't," grinned Blade. "You damaged the controls with your blast."

"You lied! You promised you would release me!"

"I know your kind can survive for nearly a day away from water. That should be long enough for us to reach the city and get what we need to fix the Raider."

* * *
Man-At-Arms

Duncan led Whiplash into an interrogation room and sat him down at a table. He and Justor took seats on the other side. "Allow me to introduce this man. His name is Justor. He can tell if you are lying or not."

The Caligar regarded the judge coolly. He didn't seem to care about Justor's presence. "What you want?"

"Who is your master?"

Whiplash snorted.

"Is it Keldor? Evil-Lyn? Triklops?" Whiplash continued to snort at each name. Duncan looked to Justor, who shook his head no. None of them.

"We know that Evil-Lyn and Triklops led the assault on the city. Who is their leader?"

Again the derisive snort. This time Justor nodded. So there is a leader, Duncan considered. If it isn't Keldor, who could it be?

* * *
Trap Jaw

Several hours later, the duo met with Evil-Lyn in the ritual chamber. She was finishing the spell that would teleport them to Morainia. A glowing portal opened in the wall.

"How do you do that?" asked Trap Jaw.

Evil-Lyn giggled. "A lady must have her secrets. But since you asked so nicely, I will tell you. This gateway is formed by the Charm of Arymos." She held up a jeweled pendant that exactly resembled the glowing portal. This will provide you one-way transportation to the outskirts of Morainia. I have never been inside the kingdom myself, so this is as close as I can safely send you. You will, however, have to find your own way back."

"Right," said Beastman. "So, is it ready?"

"Yes. Go right through."

Trap Jaw and Beastman stepped through the portal and found themselves several miles outside Morainia. "Well, I guess we better get going," Beastman growled to his partner.

Back at Snake Mountain, Evil-Lyn returned to the throne room to see its master brooding. She slinked up to him and caressed his arm. "We have the place to ourselves. We can do anything we want."

"Someone's missing."

"They're all gone, my dear. You sent them out on missions. All except Clawful, but he doesn't count."

"No. Whiplash. I haven't seen him all day, and he was not here when I called everybody in. He had better have a good excuse."

The Lord of the Snake Mountain stood and walked down the dais from his throne, his witch following. He waved his hand, and a table pulled out from the wall. The table was topped with a crystal screen. The screen lit up, then formed an image. Whiplash was bound in chains, being interrogated by Randor's Man-At-Arms.

"We're going to Eternos."

[hawggie]

I hope you guys like the slight changes I made to the royal family of Morainia.

* * *
Adam

The trio reached the main gate of Morainia without incident. They were greeted by Dunos, the king's cousin and personal secretary, then conducted straight to the palace and the throne room. King Boreas sat upon his throne. He was a large man, barrel chested, which was common for this northern climate, and dressed in furs; even his crown was furred. His coppery beard was double braided, though his hair was worn loose as was the fashion among his people.

King Boreas greeted them warmly. "Prince Adam, welcome to Morainia. We pride ourselves in our hospitality here. Make yourselves at home. Allow me to introduce my children, Prince Esker, my eldest and heir, and Princess Janice." Esker was in his mid-teens, taller than Adam, but not yet having filled out his frame. His long red hair was tied in a ponytail and he was showing the beginnings of a beard. Janice had the bright blond hair and freckles of her late mother. Both dressed to match their father.

"An honor, I'm sure," bowed Esker.

"Welcome to our home," curtsied Janice.

"Father already said that. You're so stupid," said Esker, more loudly than was necessary. Janice wrinkled her nose at the insult.

"And you're skinny, Gandar Fuzz."

"That's enough, children." Esker and Janice separated, glaring at each other. "Prince Adam, unfortunately, royal duties will occupy Prince Esker and me for quite some time longer, so I won't be able to give you a tour of our crystal facility at this time."

Adam bowed. "I fully understand, Your Majesty."

King Boreas continued, "However, Princess Janice is well acquainted with the city. I am sure she would be happy to act as a tour guide."

"Yes father," Janice bowed. She took Adam by the arm and led him out of the throne room. Orko and Cringer followed.

"Thank you, Princess," Adam offered.

"Please, just call me Janice."

"Okay, Janice," Adam laughed. "And you can call me Adam."

"And I'm Orko!" The little magician popped in between the two.

"Oh hello Orko," Janice giggled. "I've never seen anyone like you."

"I'm from Trolla. It's an amazing place."

"A spell brought Orko to us here on Eternia many years ago," Adam explained, "but left him unable to return to his home. Cringer and I were exploring the Tar Swamp and got ourselves in a sticky situation. Orko rescued us and I brought him back to the Palace. My father awarded him for his actions, and my mother invited him to become the Royal Magician. He's been a part of the family ever since."

"Awe gee," Orko seemed to blush, as his face was hidden, but his blue hands turned a violet hue.

"I'm not stupid," Janice blurted out.

"What?" asked Adam.

"Earlier, my brother called me stupid," Janice replied. "It's because he's older and I'm a girl. He thinks that automatically makes him smarter."

"Well, you were pretty sharp with a comeback. I almost laughed when I realized his resemblance to a gandar fruit." Adam and Janice shared a chuckle.

"So what are we going to do first?" asked Orko.

"Have you ever been skiing?" Janice replied.

* * *
Triklops

Before the pair could reach the main shore, they were stopped by a patrol of guards, lightly armored and bearing naginatas; they were a mixture of blue- and tan-skinned. "Halt," the leader cried. "Identify yourselves!"

"My name is Triklops, and my companion is Blade. Our craft has been disabled, and a fish man is trapped with it. We seek supplies to fix our craft and release the fish man."

The patrol leader looked over Triklops' shoulder to see the Raider on the beach. "Very well. But you will need to bind your weapons before entering the city." He signaled one of the guards, who stepped up and produced some lashings. He tied Blade's swords down so they could not easily be unsheathed, then looked to Triklops.

Triklops turned to allow his sword to be bound. The guard began to tie the sword, but suddenly stopped. "Commander, look!"

The patrol leader recognized the Gar workmanship in the sword. "Where did you get that?" he demanded.

Triklops remained cool. "It is a family heirloom. My father's father earned it, and it has been passed down to me."

The commander regarded him for a minute, then called for three guards. "Escort these men. Take them to Master Jitsu."

* * *
Man-At-Arm

s

Duncan was snapped out of his interrogation by a commotion down the hall. He told Justor to stay where he was and stood to investigate the racket. Suddenly, the door to the room burst open. In strode a cloaked figure, carrying a ram-headed staff, with Evil-Lyn close behind.

"Keldor!" Duncan cried.

Flames burned in the hood of the imposing figure where the eyes would be. "Keldor is dead. He died sixteen years ago." The menace pulled back his hood to reveal a bare skull for a head. "I AM SKELETOR!"

Skeletor pointed his staff at the general. The Havoc Staff amplified the energy of the magic and focused a blast that threw Duncan into the wall, creating a hole about half a foot deep. Satisfied at his demise, he turned to his chained minion.

Whiplash brightened at his master's arrival. He stood and held out his chains. Skeletor waved his hand, and the shackles dropped. Skeletor turned and strode out of the room, assuming his minion would follow.

He was met by Randor, leading a group of Guards. Skeletor turned to Evil-Lyn. "Take him back. I have some business to attend to."

* * *
Trap Jaw

Beastman and Trap Jaw quickly made their way to the Morainia border port and snuck into the mountain pass. They soon came across a recently cleared avalanche. Shortly after, Beastman sees a furry eight legged creature in the draw below.

Trap jaw followed his companions gaze. "Can we ride it?"

"Urrrrrr," Beastman growled in frustration. "It's an insect. Difficult to control. Give me a minute." He leaned on the railing and furrowed his brow in concentration. The snow spider turned to look at the new intruders. It began to walk away, but then turned back, walking to a spot below the two villains.

"Let's go." Beastman jumped down next to the spider, landing with an agility that belied his great size. Trap Jaw had to lower himself over the edge and then drop, using the fallen snow to soften his landing. They both climbed onto the back of the spider and rode off through the draw.

As they neared the gates into Morainia, Trap Jaw observed, "The guards aren't going to just let us inside. We have to find another way in."

The spider paused for a moment. Beastman said, "There's a side passage hidden from view." The spider followed a different path and led them to a break in the mountains behind a storage warehouse. The two villains left the spider and began sneaking around the back alleys, looking for the crystal factory.

[hawggie]

Adam

King Boreas personally led Adam on a tour of the crystal production facility. Prince Esker joined along, while Orko and Cringer remained behind with Princess Janice. As Boreas walked, he explained how the new crystals were formed.

"It's amazing. My scientists and wizards worked together. They were able to devise a manner to cut the crystals from the mines to maximize their potential, and a pass through the maximizer takes two crystals and combined them into one, which actually multiplies the power output tenfold."

"Father," Esker interrupted, "where are the guards?"

Suddenly, Adam saw a large orange blur, then felt his ribs break as he was struck in the chest, and sent flying through a door into a storage closet. Beastman grabbed Boreas while Trap Jaw lifted Esker by the throat.

"Hello, boy," started Trap Jaw. "Bring us all your new crystals, or we will kill your father." He lowered Esker, the struck him on the head to knock him out.

Before he would pass out, Adam forced himself to breathe. The pain involved also nearly forced him to pass out. He managed to roll over onto his hands and knees, and crawled to the door. Esker was unconscious, and nobody was coming to help them. He sat back on his knees and drew his sword. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he raised the sword and barely breathed, "By the power of Grayskull."

After his transformation, He-Man knelt to check on Esker. He was getting a lump on his forehead and a bruise on his throat, but he seemed otherwise unhurt. He-Man gently shook him.

Esker woke, coughing. He held his head, and then his throat. "Father," he croaked.

"Are you okay?" He-Man asked.

"They took him!" Esker shouted. The he looked up, and not recognizing the warrior, backed up against the wall in terror. "Who are you? Guards!"

"I think the guards have been taken out. My name is He-Man. I am here to help. Here," he held out his hand, "let me help you up."

Esker looked at the hand, then at the man. While he was large, like the other two, he wasn't a monster, and he had a kind face. Esker timidly let himself be drawn to his feet. "What do we do?"

He-Man replied, "First, we should get you back to the palace. You can gather the king's advisors and form a plan." He led a stunned Esker back along the street.

As He-Man and Esker entered the palace, the guards and king's advisors surrounded them. "Where is the king?" they demanded. "Who are you?"

"I don't know," was all Esker could meekly reply, while He-Man introduced himself.

"He-Man, I've heard of you," said Dunos.

"Yes, he's a friend," replied a breathless Janice, who had run up to join the discussion. "I saw him rescue Prince Adam's party from a snow spider in the pass."

He-Man paused for a beat, then took control of the situation. "Prince Esker, tell your advisors what happened."

Esker pulled himself together enough to answer him. "Two monsters took my father. Oh! Prince Adam!"

"Prince Adam is safe," He-Man quickly replied.

"But I saw him get struck by that beast!"

"He had the wind knocked out of him, but he is fine now. He wasn't able to tell me exactly what happened, but even now he is trying to find a way to help rescue your father." It would be some time before he realized that every word he said was true, even if, in a way, it might mislead the listener as to what happened. "Did these monsters say anything? What did they look like?"

Esker blinked for a few minutes, recalling what happened. "The furry one attacked Prince Adam then grabbed my father. Then the blue one with the metal arm grabbed my throat and said to bring them all the crystals or they'll kill Father."

"Did he say where to bring the crystals?" asked one of the advisors.

Esker paused confused. "Ummm, no. I think he forgot to mention that."

"What do we do? How do we find them?" the advisors asked.

"I don't know." Esker began to panic a bit, and the others led him to a chair to calm down.

"I have an idea," Janice said softly to He-Man.

"What is it?"

"The guards will be searching the city for these monsters, but if they're in the mountain pass, there is only one place they can hide."

"Where is that?" He-Man asked.

"It's too complicated to tell you," Janice replied. "I have to show you."

"That would be too dangerous. I can't let you go there."

"I'll be fine. I go in there every day by myself. I can be very sneaky."

He-Man thought about it for a bit. "Very well, Princess. You seem to be very capable. But I'm going to have to find Orko so he can keep you safe, just in case."

* * *
Triklops

Triklops and Blade were brought before a robed man sitting upon a throne. He had the lined face of an old warrior, wore his hair in a top knot, and his right hand bore an oversized golden gauntlet.

"Master Jitsu, these are the intruders," one of the guards announced.

"One of then was armed with this," another guard produced Triklops' sword. He brought it up to Master Jitsu, who examined it with care.

"This sword was crafted on this island," he observed. "It is not commonly given to mainlanders. How did you come by such a blade?"

"My father's father saved the life of a Gar noble," Triklops explained. "He was presented with this blade as a token of appreciation. It was handed down to my father, and then to me."

"And now it has returned home. One such as yourself could not possibly be worthy of such a weapon."

"Would you care to test that evaluation?" offered the captive.

Jitsu laughed at the suggestion. "You would not survive such a test."

"Does that mean you are afraid to test me?" Triklops knew that this was a gamble: Jitsu must not lose face.

Jitsu leaped to his feat. "You dare question my honor?" He looked around to see the others staring at him. "Give the man a sword. Ha-Chi...test him."

One of the guards handed Triklops a sword. Ha-Chi, a warrior in traditional Gar armor, advanced slowly. He and Triklops saluted each other, then stood and faced each other. It seemed an eternity as they stared into each other's eyes; Ha-Chi broke first and attacked. Triklops easily avoided the blow, and in a few swift movements, had his opponent disarmed, on his knees, and with a blade at his throat.

"You are beaten. Do you yield?"

Ha-Chi glared at his opponent, then subtly nodded.

Triklops sheathed the sword he had been given, and returned it to the guard. He turned to face Jitsu, who returned to Triklops his sword. "You have shown yourself to be an honorable warrior, worthy of such a blade, mainlander. I could use one such as you in my army."

Triklops bowed in respect. "That would be a great honor, Master Jitsu. However, I already have a master. I could not leave him."

"Is there no way I could persuade you to join me?"

"That would not be possible," Triklops replied. "I was blinded as a child, and my master gave me this," he indicated his visor, "which restored sight to me. I am now one of his most trusted advisors."

Jitsu considered this, tugging gently at his goatee. Triklops would certainly be a great asset in building his empire. But he seemed to think like a Gar, and honor would dictate that he be released to his master. "Any man who would inspire such loyalty must be great indeed. Perhaps I should meet this man to discuss a possible alliance."

Just then one of Jitsu's advisors leaned over and whispered into his ear. Jitsu nodded, and the fish man was led in. "I believe you have all met."

"Yes," replied Blade. "We had a ... misunderstanding." He looked at Mer-Man as if daring him to disagree.

Jitsu was intrigued. "Do explain."

Blade said, "He attacked us without provocation, and we retaliated."

"They invaded my territory!" countered Mer-Man.

"Is this true?" Jitsu asked.

"We flew over the sea," agreed Triklops. "but there were no borders to indicate ownership of the air."

Jitsu looked toward Mer-Man as if to say, He has a point.

Mer-Man, defeated, backed down. Jitso returned his gaze to Triklops. "You never mentioned why you chose to invade my island."

Triklops bowed. "Master Jitsu, invasion was not our intent. We have been stuck behind the mystic wall for many years. Our master sent us here to learn what has happened in the intervening time. He is especially curious of a location he called the Palace of Infinite Wisdom."

The gathered Gar began to murmur amongst themselves, but Jitsu spoke up. "You wish to investigate that particular location? You are either very brave, or very foolish. Whichever it is remains to be seen. I invite you, rest up, enjoy life on my island, and gather whatever supplies you feel you need. Whenever you are ready, I will send a guide to take you there.

* * *
Man-At-Arms

Skeletor turned back toward his opponent. "Hello, Randor. Allow me to introduce myself." He removed his cloak to reveal a blue-skinned man wearing a purple armored mantle, with a smaller hood to cover his skull head. He dropped the cloak on the floor, then leaned his Havoc Staff against the wall.

"I am Skeletor. I am here to take your crown."

"And you think I'm just going to give it to you?" The old warrior in the king was resurfacing.

"Actually, I was hoping you would resist. It's much more fun that way. However..." Skeletor gestured with his hands, and the guards slammed back and forth into the walls, falling unconscious to the floor. Skeletor then drew his sword. "I would prefer a more even fight."

The two opponents began to face off. Skeletor struck first, then the fight began in earnest. Both men struck and parried for several minutes, finding themselves evenly matched. Randor was accustomed to reading his opponents' expressions to determine their actions, but this man bore an expressionless skull that made him a much more dangerous foe.

I've fought this man before, the king thought. But I would remember a skull-faced demon. Who is he?

The fight continued for several more minutes, moving back and forth within the hallway, but neither man truly giving ground. Randor caught some movement out of the corner of his eye, and decided to work the fight toward it. He backed Skeletor into a doorway.

Skeltor suddenly felt something attack his legs. It was weak, but he was distracted, and had to dodge a deadly accurate strike. General Duncan was crawling on the floor, still trying to protect his king.

"Even in your dying breath, you're still fighting?" He kicked Duncan away, then had to quickly scramble to avoid Randor's attack. He backed into an intersection, then suddenly jumped away.

Fisto and Ram Man had come to investigate the disturbance, and were waiting at either side of the intersection. As Skeletor had backed in their direction, Fisto threw a punch, while Ram Man jumped to attack, the men attempting to smash the blue demon between their strikes.

When Skeletor dodged their attack, Fisto quickly opened his giant metal gauntlet to catch Ram Man and slow him down. The two heroes then drew their weapons and advanced into the hallway.

Skeletor looked to see his disadvantage in numbers, then reached out to his Havoc Staff and cloak, which flew into his grasp. "Another time, then." As the others tried to capture him, he struck the butt of his staff to the floor and disappeared.

* * *
Trap Jaw

Beastman squeezed the air out of Boreas until he passed out. He then slung the king over his shoulder and set off back to the hidden entrance to the city. Trap Jaw followed closely, watching out for guards. Inside the pass, they re-mounted the snow spider and set out to a cave in the middle. Once inside, Beastman tied Boreas then turned to Trap Jaw. "What do we do now?"

"Let them wait about an hour," suggested his partner. "After that, we send them his cloak, and ask for the crystals. If they refuse, we start cutting off parts."

Boreas awoke slowly. He saw his two captors plotting. "Who are you? What is it you want?"

Beastman bounded over and was about to strike the king when Trap Jaw stopped him. "Wait. We need him alive, at least for now." To answer Boreas he said, "We want all your new power crystals."

Boreas began to laugh. "What's so funny?" demanded Beastman.

"I was on my way to the crystal facility when you attacked. If you had waited a few minutes, you would have had them."

Beastman smacked him across the face. The way he was tied did not allow Boreas to wipe the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. However, his features hardened, and his voice took on a different tone. "What are your plans to collect your ransom? Perhaps you should go arrange a collection."

Trap Jaw turned to Beastman. "He's right. I'll go make the arrangements."

As Trap Jaw walked off, Boreas addressed Beastman. "Do you think you could loosen these ropes?"

Beastman did as he was asked, but the snow spider prevented Boreas form leaving. Not able to do anything else, he decided to take a seat on a nearby rock.

Trap Jaw walked about a mile before his mind cleared. "Son of a- How did he do that?" He turned around and ran back to the cave. Entering, he immediately ran up to Boreas and stuffed his hand into the king's mouth before he could say anything else.

"Tie him back up!" he shouted to Beastman. After that was completed, he tore a strip of cloth from Boreas's shirt and stuffed it into the king's mouth. "That oughta keep you quiet."

[hawggie]

This is the final part of Chapter 4. Some things get wrapped up, and others leave questions behind.

* * *
Adam

Janice rode on Battle Cat while He-Man walked on one side and Orko floated on the other. Shortly, they neared the cave that Janice believed the villains were hiding in. Battle Cat began to tense with anticipation. "He smells something," He-Man said. He helped Janice down. "You two stay here. Battle Cat and I will check things out. Orko, protect the princess."

"Yes, sir," agreed the Trollan.

He-Man drew his sword and advanced with Cat. Within seconds, the snow spider attacked. Battle Cat responded, pouncing at the spider and flipping it on its back. The spider righted itself, but Battle Cat kept it occupied. He-Man continued on.

Rounding a corner, he found Trap Jaw and Beastman threatening King Boreas. "Two against one isn't exactly fair," he announced as the others spun around, surprised at his appearance. "Are you sure you don't want to call for help?"

"He-Man!" Trap Jaw cried. "You won't be so lucky this time."

Beastman cracked his whip, but He-Man caught it and yanked the villain in, knocking him down with a clothesline. Trap Jaw pounced, his arm ending with a sword blade. He-man parried, then dodged as Beastman attempted a tackle, resulting in the two villains tumbling into the wall. Trap Jaw had the wind knocked out of him, but Beastman hopped up and renewed his attack.

He-Man only had enough time to sidestep him and hiptoss him into the other wall. Both villains got up and squared off against He-Man, when they all heard King Boreas yell, "Stop!"

He-man felt an odd compulsion to follow the king's order. All three fighters stood motionless. He-Man was able to turn around and see Janice and Orko untying Boreas. "Sorry, He-man," Orko apologized. "I couldn't stop her."

"I think you boys should go home now," Boreas said in that strange voice.

"Let's go," Trap Jaw said to Beastman. The two villains walked off.

He-Man turned to the king. "King Boreas, are you alright?"

"I am unhurt, He-Man is it?" Boreas answered. "I thank you for coming to my rescue. But I must question why you brought my daughter."

"I brought him here," Janice corrected. "I was the only one who knew where to find you."

Boreas was surprised. "How did you know they would bring me here?"

"I explore the pass every day," Janice explained. "I know it like the back of my hand. You and Esker always think I can't do anything, but I am quite capable."

"Well that shall change from now on," Boreas returned. "From now on I shall make sure to consult you as I do your brother. But for now, I believe we should go home."

He-man said, "I'll send Orko with you as an escort, Your Majesty. Prince Adam is somewhere in these caves. I should find him."

"I'll help," Janice offered.

"No, you should be with your father," He-man replied. "I'll have Battle Cat with me. His nose can sniff out the prince."

He-Man waited several minutes after the others left before changing back into Adam. He took his time in returning to Morainia, making sure to avoid the snow spider. He arrived to meet an overjoyed royal family, but Boreas's smile seemed to fade a little when he did not see his hero.

"Where is He-Man?" he asked. "I had wished to formally thank him for his service."

"He-Man had to leave," Adam replied. "He doesn't seem to stick around after the excitement is over."

"I see," said Boreas. "A man of action, but not ceremony. I can respect that. If you see him again, I should like you to pass on our thanks. As for your own efforts, allow me to offer our gratitude. Randor has produced a fine heir."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I shall tell my father of your praise."

"I have already told him myself. I am sure that he will be quite pleased to see you again when you return home."

* * *
Triklops

The guide led Triklops and Blade to the Palace of Infinite Wisdom, but refused to even step on the stairs leading to the front door. "Why are you stopping there?" demanded Blade.

"The place is haunted," replied the guide. "Nobody has entered for nearly twenty years."

Blade laughed. "I have seen horrors the like of which would turn you into a gibbering idiot. No mere ghost can scare me."

The palace was an amazing structure. Formed in the same pagoda style as other architecture on the island, it was much larger with seven layers, nearly forming a pyramid. It was crafted of materials exotic to the island. Large, pale blue rock formed the base, with rare and expensive woods forming the walls of the upper levels. Each level was shingled with various forms of agate, and the roof was capped in obsidian. Gold, silver, and other precious metals trimmed the building, while jewels were used to create details.

Triklops and Blade walked up the steps to the double doors. They stood fifteen feet tall, and eight wide. Triklops reached out to one of the doors, and it opened easily at his merest touch. Inside was black.

Triklops drew his sword an rotated his visor to his night vision eye. Blade went back to the guide to retrieve a torch. After lighting it, he too drew a sword and returned to his companion. The duo entered the palace, and the door shut behind them. The pale light showed that the floors were formed from a blue stone with flecks of yellow, and the walls were crafted from Eternian redwood and irontree. All were carved with mystic runes.

Suddenly, darkness descended upon the pair. They could see that the torch remained lit, but it cast no light. Even Triklops' night vision could not pierce the darkness.

Carefully, the duo proceeded forward. Soon, they could see a green glow coming from down the corridor. "What is that?" asked Blade.

"The ghost, perhaps?" replied Triklops.

"Who dares disturb my rest?" demanded a hollow, disembodied voice. The green glow materialized, forming a skeleton with a halberd. "Why have you come here?"

Triklops was suddenly stricken blind, while a warrior manifested in front of Blade. Blade grinned, eager for the challenge, but was quickly overpowered, and soon began to give ground.

Triklops realized all his senses were gone. He could not hear anything, and the dusty smell of the place was gone. He became aware of a slash on his arm, but could not feel it, nor could he tell the extent of his damage. He dropped, trying to feel his way out, but his sense of touch was gone as well.

Blade valiantly fought his attacker, but was severely overmatched. This warrior was too quick, and seemed to predict Blade's every strike and parry. Soon, he was bleeding from many wounds.

Triklops worked his way into a seated position, then rolled over and crawled in what he assumed was the direction of the exit. At some point, he thought he slipped.

Blade continued to give way to his opponent, then tripped over something on the floor. he didn't have time to see what it was, because the warrior pressed the advantage. Blade barely dodged the attack, rolling out of the way. Then he got up and ran for the door.

The door opened, and sunlight flooded the hallway. Blade turned around to face his opponent in open quarters, but he seemed to vanish. Triklops' sense of touch returned, as he felt the stone floor and the warmth of the sun. Blade noticed that his wounds seemed to fade away much like his enemy. Triklops' other senses returned; the pain of the cut on his arm was tremendous, and he realized that he had bled quite a bit.

"What happened in there?" asked Blade.

"I lost all my senses. I couldn't see, hear, smell, or touch anything."

"And I faced an opponent that easily bested me with a blade. But my wounds, they're gone."

Triklops stood up. "Mine isn't. You must have cut me in your fight." Blade retrieved a bandage from his pack by the door and covered his companion's wound.

"We need to get you to a healer."

Master Jitsu was astonished to see the two Eternians return from the palace. "I see you survived your expedition, but not without some damage."

"Yes," agreed Triklops. "It would seem that the reports of a ghost are true indeed."

"You saw it, and you survived?" Jitsu was incredulous.

"Escaped is more like it," replied Blade. "That thing gets into your head."

A healer ran up and looked at Triklops' wound. He cast a spell that closed the cut, then applied a new bandage. "This needs to be covered for several days until it fully heals. Here, drink this." He produced a healing tea, which gave Triklops an unexpected boost in energy.

"Master Jitsu, I'm afraid that we must return to our master and tell him what we have discovered about your land," Triklops said.

Jitsu considered this for a moment, then agreed. "Very well. Your craft has been repaired. My healers will provide you with more tea to speed your recovery." He stood, and walked down the dais to stand face-to-face with Triklops. Jitsu grasped his arm in a warrior's handshake. "You will always be welcome if you should choose to join me."

Blade flew the Battle Raider back to Snake Mountain. Entering the throne room, they found Skeletor brooding. "Do you have a report?" the lord of the Dark Hemisphere demanded.

"Anwat Gar is ruled by a warrior named Jitsu," Triklops said. "He seems to command absolute loyalty among his subjects."

"Interesting," mused Skeletor. "And the Palace?"

"It's haunted," said Blade. "Some sort of glowing green skeleton or ghost. It nearly killed us."

"Did you destroy it?" Skeletor asked.

"No," replied Blade. "It attacked our minds. We had to live through our greatest fears. We-"

"So it worked," Skeletor interrupted. "Excellent work. You are dismissed."

* * *
Man-At-Arms

"Duncan!" Randor cried. Fisto picked up his older brother and ran straight for the infirmary. He wasn't breathing, and the smell of burnt flesh choked Fisto's nostrils. The healers went to work right away.

"His ribs are broken," diagnosed Cadusor, the head physician, after a quick examination. "We have to work quickly. His vitals may be damaged." He chanted a quiet spell and laid his hands upon Duncan's back.

Fisto winced at the cracking sounds of his brother's bones setting back into place. He was surprised when he heard Randor come in behind him, helping an injured Justor, who had broken his leg in the attack.

"How is he," asked the king, worry evident in his voice.

"We're still working on him, Your Majesty," said Cadusor. "We should be able to heal his injuries, but he was struck with very strong magical energy. We don't know yet what kind of damage that caused."

The spells seemed to repair Duncan's internal injuries, but he was still not breathing. Respiro began to perform rescue breathing, and Pressman started chest compressions. After a few tense moments, the Man-At-Arms coughed, then began to breathe on his own.

Randor and Fisto let out their held breaths. "I knew he was too stubborn to go out like that," said Fisto. He and his king let out a nervous chuckle.

"What's so funny about this?" croaked Duncan. "How about one of you take a blast from that staff and see how funny it is." He began to cough.

"Don't talk," Cadusor admonished. "You need to rest." He chanted a spell, and Duncan fell asleep. Cadusor turned to Randor and Fisto. "I sedated him. He's stable now, but we need to keep him for observation. You two can't do anything here."

"Sire, you need to go be the king. I'll stay here with him."

Randor reluctantly nodded. Fisto was right. "Let me know if there is any change." He turned, signaling for his guards to follow, and returned to the jail section to take charge of the cleanup.

* * *
Trap Jaw

Following the hypnotic command of King Boreas, Beastman and Trap Jaw walked out of the cave and into the mountain pass. "So what do we do now," asked Beastman.

"I don't know," replied Trap Jaw.

Just then, a patrol of guards bearing a power crystal rounded the corner. Both parties stopped, stunned at the appearance of each other. They all recovered quickly, and took battle positions.

"You have our crystal," remarked Trap Jaw.

"Where is the king?" asked the patrol leader.

"Give me the crystal and I'll tell you," replied Trap Jaw.

The patrol leader nodded, and the crystal was brought forward. Trap Jaw took the crystal in the claw on his mechanical arm, and instantly felt the energy contained within. He nodded to Beastman. "Let's go."

"Halt!" commanded the patrol leader. "Where is the king?"

"He's back that way," pointed Beastman. The two villains took their prize and left, avoiding all the guards at the docking port. They stole a craft and flew back to Snake Mountain. They brought the treasure straight to Skeletor.

"You brought me one," said the lord of Snake Mountain.

"That was all that they had ready," lied Trap Jaw.

Skeletor stared at him with cold eyes. Trap Jaw felt uncomfortable, barely able to maintain eye contact, but kept his silence. Satisfied, Skeletor pressed a button on the console in front of his throne, summoning his scientists. They arrived with a container, took the crystal, and left with it.

"Begone," Skeletor declared.

* * *
Epilogue

The Morainians held a celebration for the recovery of King Boreas and the new contract between Morainia and Eternos. Adam received a special commendation for the bravery he showed by chasing the villains himself. After a week, he returned to Eternos with the first shipment of power crystals. He was greeted with a hero's welcome for all his efforts in Morainia.

He was happy to see that Teela had fully recovered, but surprised to find Man-At-Arms in a wheelchair, still recovering from Skeletor's attack. When they found a quiet moment together, Teela gave Adam a quick hug.

"What was that for?"

"My father told me that you were the one who knocked Whiplash out and saved me. You did good, kid."

[hawggie]

This chapter is considerably shorter than the last one, but be warned, it might be considered quite controversial. Also, I remember reading that some people didn't like the MYP style fight scenes with everybody involved. In that case, you might not want to read this battle...

* * *

Randor summoned his mightiest warriors to the War Room. Notable in his absence was Man-At-Arms. "Thank you all for arriving so quickly. As you know, General Duncan has been gravely injured. I suspect that Skeletor will exploit this and attack again. We need to press the attack and go to Snake Mountain."

"Who will be taking over for my brother?" asked Fisto.

"General Valos of the Royal Air Guard will take field command of the rest of the Guard. General Tyros will assume command of the rest of the Eternian Royal Army."

"What's the plan?" asked Ram Man.

"We take the fourth and seventh legions and move on Snake Mountain," said General Tyros. "They will be led by a vanguard of Scouts and Eternian volunteers."

"I volunteer!" Fisto bellowed.

"Me too!" Adam cried.

"No, Adam," Randor said. "You are the only living heir to my throne. This mission is too dangerous to risk you losing your life. I will be going, with Lieutenant Teela at my side. Man-E-Faces will go disguised as me, with Ram Man."

"I too would like to help," declared Stratos from his screen. "I believe this Skeletor presents a threat to all Eternia."

"I volunteer as well," said Buzz-Off. "If he succeeds in his goal to take your throne, who is to say Adreenos or Avion would not be next?"

"Very well," agreed Tyros. "We leave at dawn."

* * *

Skeletor called a council of his trusted warriors. "The Eternain military commander, General Duncan, is dead. Now is the time to launch an attack,while they are still in mourning. Triklops, you go ahead to Anwat Gar. Get your friend Jitsu to help. The rest of us will follow tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning, Adam and his mother bade farewell to Randor and their friends. The Eternian army took the entire fleet of air barges and set sail for Dyperia, where they met with the Avionians and Adreenids. Together they made arrangements; the Dyperian navy would transport the Eternians across the Ocean of Gnarl. Just as they were about to depart, a last minute addition to the attack made his appearance.

"He-Man!" Randor called. "It's an honor to finally meet you." He gripped He-Man's hand and shook it vigorously.

Fisto joined his king in welcoming the newcomer. "Glad to see you again. I don't think they'll be able to escape this time." The others came by, seeking to meet this hero that they had heard about, but never actually seen before.

Shortly after departure, Randor received a message from Stratos on his communicator. "My scouts have spotted a number of boats to the west."

Randor turned to the boat captain. "It's the Gar," the captain said.

"Anwat Gar? I haven't heard about them in ten years."

"That was about the time they got new leadership. Some warlord named Jitsu. He chose to cut the island off from the rest of the world. Our fishermen and theirs meet on occasion."

An hour later, Buzz Off reported in. "There are griffins to the south west. They appear to have riders."

Randor turned to General Tyros. "Put out the alert. Skeletor obviously had the same plan."

All the warriors braced for battle. The boats were pushed to maximum speed, and within an hour, the Gar ships with their griffin escort were in view. Jitsu stood at the bow of the lead ship. On another stood a well-known Caligar.

"Whiplash," Teela whispered. As soon as the ships drew near, she leaped from her ship to attack the reptilian.

"Teela, no!" Randor cried. It was too late to stop her, but He-Man was right behind.

Whiplash was not prepared for her to strike from that far away; she put her entire body and the full length of her staff into a thrust that hit the Caligar square on his nose, spraying blood. Instinctively, Whiplash turned around and swung his tail, blindly hoping to take out his attacker. Teela easily leaped over the tail, allowing it to knock down several of Skeletor's soldiers.

He-Man saw that Teela seemed to be in control, and turned his attention to the other soldiers on the ship. He easily parried the first sword strike, then grabbed the man and threw him into his partners, knocking three off the deck into the water.

On another ship, Jitsu met Fisto. Each swung a mighty punch, causing golden gauntlet to meet bionic fist. The force of the impact rocked the ship. Inspecting their hands, both noticed dents along the knuckles.

"You son of a-" Fisto swung with his left hand, but Jitsu sidestepped him and performed a defensive throw, sending him over the rail.

In the air, Stratos, Buzz-Off, and their warriors began an intricate battle against the griffin riders. Stratos saw Beastman and reasoned that if he were to be taken out, the griffins might scatter, no longer under his control. He flew high, then began a steep dive intended to knock Beastman off his steed. Beastman saw the incoming attack, however, and was able to roll to the left and avoid contact.

Buzz-Off spotted Blade riding another griffin. He readied his axe and flew in swinging. Blade easily parried, but Buzz-Off flew away before the swordsman could return the blow.

The lead ship was boarded by a group of soldiers led by Trap Jaw. He spotted Randor and readied his hook. Randor had his sword drawn and was ready to fight, but Ram Man stepped up first, catching the hook on his axe.

Whiplash's eyes cleared and he saw Teela's foot heading for his face. He barely ducked in time, then grabbed her leg and threw her in the direction of the mast. He-Man jumped in the path and caught her before she got hurt. "Thanks, He-Man," she said.

"You should have kept to the plan," He-Man grinned.

Teela grinned back. "But this is just as effective." She turned to face Whiplash again.

Randor breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Teela safe. He looked around to see if he could find the leader. He saw magical blasts coming from one of the griffins picking off Avionians and Adreenids one by one. "Stratos, I believe I see Skeletor up there."

"Aye, I see him," agreed Stratos, "but I have other concerns at the moment." He swooped down, but Beastman managed to wrap his whip around the Avionian's leg. Beastman pulled Stratos in to slam him against the griffin, but before he could repeat that action, Stratos pulled a knife from his boot and cut himself free from the whip.

Buzz-Off hovered in midair, coming up with a strategy against Blade. The Eternian was able to block every blow the Adreenid attempted, but Buzz-Off flew away before he could riposte. He suddenly had an idea: he swooped in for another attack, but after flying off he immediately pivoted and fired a stinger blast from the tip of his axe that struck Blade in the back of the neck, knocking him off the griffin.

Ram Man pushed Trap Jaw away. Trap Jaw looked over his two opponents, and drew a sword for his left hand. "Ha!" Trap Jaw bragged. "It's going to take more than what you two have to beat me!" He parried a blow by Randor, then one by Ram Man, the spun and kicked Randor in the chest, sending him into a bulkhead. The image of Randor fizzled, revealing Man-E-Faces underneath, before re-forming as Randor.

Jitsu looked over the railing to see that his foe had fallen. He was met by a massive fist, which he nimbly avoided by backflipping. Fisto vaulted over the railing back onto the deck of the ship. Jitsu placed a well-aimed roundhouse kick to Fisto's midsection, but the blow barely affected the armored warrior. Fisto caught the leg, spun around, and tossed Jitsu into the ocean.

The water began to bubble in front of Randor, and an enormous fish-like creature burst to the surface. A fishman was riding on top, bearing a trident. "Fear, Land dweller," cried the fishman, "for you shall feel the power of the seas!"

H-Man saw the attack on the king and sprang into action. He vaulted the railing, landing on the fish, just as Mer-Man climbed onto the deck to fight Randor. While they parried back and forth, He-Man grabbed the fish monster's tail and began to run toward the ship's deck. Once he reached the ship, he hurled the fish into the air, taking out a couple griffins.

Skeletor saw the fish flying and decided that this "hero" needed to be taken care of. He began to fly a little closer.

Whiplash swung his tail again, but Teela jumped over it again. He anticipated this, and quickly reversed his tail in an attempt to catch her off-guard. At the last second, however, Teela managed to drop to the deck, under his strike. She popped up again to avoid his tail once more, and the deck splintered as he smashed it.

Buzz-Off landed on the back of Blade's Griffin. He quickly jumped away to avoid Blade's sword thrust; the Eternian had caught the stirrup of his saddle when he fell. Buzz-Off flew to the griffin's other side and cut the strap, watching Blade fall to the ocean while the griffin flew away.

Beastman's griffin reached up and grabbed Stratos. It was about to bite his face off, but Hawk blasted it with a rifle, distracting it long enough for its prey to escape. Stratos quickly righted himself and flew off. The griffin, excited by the prospect of a chase, followed. Stratos turned on his jets just enough to keep ahead of the beast, until he reached the other Avionians. They began to fire upon Beastman and his griffin, and the villain forced his mount to give up the hunt.

He-Man looked up and saw Skeletor approaching. He began to climb the rigging to try to reach the leader of the villains. As he reached the yard, he was met by Triklops, who already had his sword drawn. "Go ahead, climb up. You must be He-Man" Triklops allowed He-Man to get his bearings and draw his sword before pressing the attack.

Having nobody else to fight, Fisto decided to make his way to Randor's ship to aid his king. Meanwhile, "Randor" and Ram Man were hard pressed to fight off their attacker; Trap Jaw's experience in the gladiator arenas in the Dark Hemisphere taught him to handle multiple opponents. He obviously could not match Ram Man's strength, so he focused on defense while attempting to get both heroes to trip upon each other. Unfortunately for Trap Jaw, both men were too skilled to give him an opportunity to change his hook for a better weapon.

Jitsu surfaced and swam to the closest boat. "This is not our fight," he told the captain. "We were to provide travel to these soldiers, nothing more. Signal the fleet. We are turning back."

Whiplash had struck the deck too strongly. The entire ship began to rock wildly, then break apart. Teela managed to jump back to Randor's ship before other boat completely split. Mer-Man had backed off and pointed his trident at the king. Teela guessed at his intention, and swung her staff, hitting the tip of the trident and sending the blast of electricity wild.

This guy's better than Blade said, Triklops thought as he fought He-Man. He had to suddenly jump back as a bolt of electricity flew up from the ship below, aimed right at his feet. He-Man took the distraction as an opportunity to jump to Skeletor's griffin, as the villainous leader had flown close enough to inspect the battle.

"Your war is over, Skeletor," He-Man ordered. "I have you now."

"I think not, you muscle headed buffoon." Skeletor raised his Havoc Staff and focused his full force into a blast. Acting more on instinct than anything else, He-Man tried to block the blast with his sword; it worked, sending the eldritch energy back into Skeletor. The Lord of Snake Mountain fell, making no attempt to brace himself for landing in the ocean.

"Mer-Man!" Triklops screamed. "Find Skeletor!" The fishman jumped into the water, eager to be away from the now three opponents. He called his giant fish creature back to help him seek the rapidly sinking wizard.

Triklops leaped to the griffin, pushing He-Man off. He-Man held onto his sword and oriented his body for a dive. He swam back up to the surface, and grabbed the rope lowered by Teela. He sheathed his sword, then climbed up. When he reached the deck, Randor was consulting with the captain of the ship and with General Tyros. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Triklops swoop down on his griffin and snatch Trap Jaw, while Beast Man did the same with Blade.

"Their ships are a lot faster than ours," the captain said. "We won't be able to catch them."

"What do you say?" Randor asked Tyros.

"We suffered some heavy casualties. They did too, but we don't know how many they have in reserve. Skeletor fell, he might be dead. I would prefer that we go back and regroup and recover before we try this again."

Randor paused to consider the advice. "You are right, of course." He turned to the captain and ordered, "Take us home." He turned to see the blond warrior and said, "He-Man, I get to thank you for your help this time." He held out his hand.

He-Man returned the gesture, and the two clasped arms in a warriors' handshake. Fisto joined them. "How did you manage to blast that demon?" he asked.

"I guess you could say he blasted himself," He-Man replied. "I was able to block it with my sword and the rebound struck him."

"Well I certainly hope that you will remain with us after we reach the shore. You were vital to the success of this battle. We should like to hold a celebration in your honor."

"It would be an honor to attend the festivities, Your Majesty."

After the fleet returned to Dyperia, the force remained to hold a parade and a week of celebration. After two days, He-Man approached Randor. "You Majesty, unfortunately, I am needed elsewhere. But I will always be available to help the people of Eternia."

"I understand, young man," Randor allowed. "Eternos owes you a great debt, one we may never be able to repay. You are welcome to join us at any time."

* * *

Triklops worked his way through a fissure into an open cave. In the middle was a spring, heated by the geothermic activity deep inside Snake Mountain. He enjoyed the luxury of this particular location, and none of the others knew of its existence. He removed his robe, then lowered himself into the water.

Just as he was about to settle in, he recognized a familiar spell. How did she find out about this? Seconds later, Evil-Lyn entered the cave, took off her robe, and slid in beside him.

"Hello, dear."

"You missed the excitement, Lyn. Where have you been for the last three days?"

Evil-Lyn laughed. "I was... occupied. Lady's issues."

Triklops looked her over appreciatively. "Whatever you did, it worked. You look ten years younger."

"Ten years," Evil-Lyn mused. "I was hoping for something a little more subtle, five years or so." She shifted to give Triklops a better view. "I knew you had to have something like this hidden away. You're just a bit too stoic for living in Snake Mountain."

Triklops suspected an ulterior motive for this visit. "Why did you follow me? Not just for the hot spring..."

"I want you to take off your visor, Trey," Evil-Lyn replied seductively. "It's been so long."

Triklops pressed a couple buttons on the inside of his visor, releasing the locking mechanism. Then he pulled it off, revealing a shaved head and empty eye sockets.

Evil-Lyn stroked his head. "You had such lovely, black hair."

"It gets itchy if I let it grow too long."

"Hmm. You were always practical." Evil-Lyn kissed him, and Triklops returned in kind. She then straddled him and held his face in her hands, kissing him intensely. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. Magical energy began to form within Evil-Lyn, which then passed to Triklops, returned to Evil-Lyn and intensified, then back to Triklops in a cycle. This continued for quite some time, until a final burst of energy pass between them. Evil-Lyn disengaged from Triklops, then leaned forward, examining his eyesockets. There is still hope, she thought to herself.

"What was that?" Triklops exclaimed.

"A spell of healing. Obviously, one that could only be performed when Skeletor is...otherwise occupied. I was able to repair some of the damage to your optic nerve. When the euphoria wears off, you will have a headache until you adjust to the extra sensation. Also, it may have to take it easy when using the visor. Your vision might become sensitive. Now," Evil-Lyn got out of the pool and put her robe back on, "I must go attend to Skeletor. Let me know if you wish me to continue treatments while he is incapacitated."

* * *

It was the day of King Randor's return. Duncan wheeled his way into his laboratory early in the morning and saw Micheal looking out the window. "They're not scheduled to arrive for another six hours."

Micheal, jumped, turning around red-faced, as if he had been caught committing a crime.

"Wait a minute," Duncan said. "What were you just doing?" The window was eight inches above Micheal's head.

"Nothing," Micheal lied.

"That was not nothing. How long have you been able to stretch your neck like that?"

Micheal slumped his shoulders in defeat. "As long as I can remember. But that isn't really very long. I don't remember anything before my tenth birthday."

"Where did you grow up?"

"In an orphanage in Marzo County," Micheal replied. "Nobody knew anything about my parents, or where I came from, or how I got there. When I Advanced, I left Marzo and came here."

"Very interesting," the Man-At-Arms said, stroking his mustache.

[hawggie]

I edited some of the earlier chapters while at the same time I'm working on the next material. If you're interested, I altered "Prologue - part the final" where Adam gets the sword. I removed the reference to Allan the first Man-At-Arms and added a new dimension to the past of the swords.

In Chapter 2 part 2 I removed the one-line mention of Mer-Man so his later introduction makes a little more sense. I also corrected a few grammar errors in chapter 2.5, so it makes a bit more sense now.

I also added the bit about Triklops rescuing Trap Jaw from being captured as the Evil Warriors escape in chapter 5, so I deleted the post about it.

[hawggie]

I realized that He-Man shows up for battle, but there was no mention about suspicion of Adam's disappearance from the palace for days. This little bit explains how he got out of the house:

* * *

Adam watched the fleet leave and sighed. "I understand, my dear," Marlena said to her son. "You would have liked to be at his side, but he has to make the best choices for the kingdom."

"I know, mother," Adam reluctantly answered. "I think I'll go to bed early tonight."

As Adam lay in bed, an image of the Sorceress appeared before him. "Prince Adam!" she called.

"Sorceress?" Adam was confused. He had seen nothing of her since his first transformation.

"Your father and friends are in grave danger."

"I know. They left to attack Snake Mountain."

"It is more dangerous than that, I am afraid," replied to Sorceress. "Skeletor and his warriors have left Snake Mountain to come this way. They will be sailing with an army as great as that with which your father has planned his attack."

"Then they will meet in the middle of the Ocean of Gnarl," Adam reasoned.

"That is most likely. Skeletor has stated that his intention is to rule Eternos. He nearly killed the Man-At-Arms. I do believe that when he attacks your father, he will not fail to destroy him."

"I have to help him!"

"As Prince Adam, you are not strong enough to face Skeletor. Only He-Man has the power."

"Then He-Man will join the battle. But I need a good excuse so my mother won't worry." Adam stood up and thought for a minute. "I have it! I'll tell her that I'm going to see you."

"Do you think that it would be wise?"

"My mother knows about you and Castle Grayskull. I'll tell her that I want to learn more about my ancestors."

Adam went straight to his mother. "I thought you were going to bed," she said.

"I just had an idea, mother. I am going to Castle Grayskull."

"Why do you want to go there?"

"I would like to talk with the Sorceress some more. I'm curious about my ancestors."

Adam took a Wind Raider to Castle Grayskull. The Jawbridge was open, with the Sorceress waiting for him. "Welcome back, young prince. You have a question for me."

Adam found it curious that she phrased it as a statement rather than as a question, but dismissed it as part of her power. "I was hoping you could tell me more about my grandfather."

"King Miro was a good king. He took care of his people." The Sorceress closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Your father came to me as well. Unfortunately I must give you the same answer that I gave him those many years ago. I cannot tell you the fate of King Miro. If it is your desire to discover what had become of your grandfather, then I wish you luck in your quest. However, I must warn you, the truth may be difficult for you to hear."

Adam looked down, pondering the strength of her words. The Sorceress placed a comforting arm around his shoulders. "There are other concerns for you at his moment, Prince Adam. I believe He-Man is needed in your father's upcoming battle."

Adam looked up at her. "You're right." He gently removed her arm, then raised his sword. "By the Power of Grayskull!"

[hawggie]

Adam and Teela walked together to King Randor's audience chambers. Adam's father was seated at the head of the conference table, with Man-At-Arms seated next to his right. Duncan was still recovering from his last encounter with Skeletor; he was able to walk on his own now, but still had to limit his physical activity. Continuing along the table were General Valos, commander of the Royal Guard, a Colonel and a Captain bearing the serpentine symbol of the Third Legion, and Sergeant Andra of the Royal Guard. The King silently directed the young pair to the chairs directly to his left.

The two fathers looked at each other for a moment, then Randor began: "Lieutenant Teela, as I am sure you are aware, we are approaching the time for promotions. You have three years of service in the Royal Army, with two years in the Guard and one at your current rank. Your service has been exemplary and certainly places you in line for promotion."

Teela bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"However," Duncan continued, "your duties as Royal Bodyguard have been somewhat of a disservice to your career. You are currently outside of the regular chain of command, answerable only to myself and the Royal Family. You have not been placed in command of a platoon yet, and that is a requirement for promotion to Captain."

"Father, General, what are you saying?" Adam looked back and forth between the two older men.

"At the end of the month, Lieutenant," Duncan replied, with everybody in the room feeling the awkwardness of him addressing his daughter in so formal a manner, "you will be transferred to a line platoon for a minimum of three months."

"That's the next promotion cycle," blurted Teela.

"Exactly," replied Randor. "General Valos has made a valid point that Prince Adam is of an age that he should no longer require a full-time bodyguard. Sergeant Andra here will, for all intents and purposes, take over your position, as she is being promoted to Lieutenant. However, she will remain within the normal chain of command, and be responsible for general Palace security, as well as having the additional duty of royal protection."

Duncan continued, "Sergeant Andra will be shadowing you for the next week, to find out what you do and how you do it. After that, you will report to Captain Drittes here, commander of the Cobras from the Viper Company.. They will be in rest phase, allowing you to integrate within the Century before going on patrol."

"Yes, Sir."

"At the next promotion period your new chain of command will be in charge of your evaluation. As a Captain you will be in high demand..." Randor observed. "And now," he said standing, the others following suit, "I will leave you to get acquainted. Son, let's leave the soldiers to their business."

As Adam and his father left the room, Randor told him, "Son, I know you and Teela have been friends since childhood, so this will be difficult. Just remember, Duncan and I had a similar experience when he was rising through the ranks." He placed his arm across his son's shoulders. "Besides, I think she'll be quite tempted to return as soon as she can. Duncan and I are putting together a band of warriors ready to defend Eternia at a moment's notice. Skeletor's attacks have shown that regular troops may not be enough. We need a group of champions to fight his powered minions. Ram Man and Man-E-Faces have already proved themselves, as has Fisto. The Avionians and Adreenids will also be represented. We were hoping to invite He-Man, but we haven't been able to contact him."

"I'm sure he will make himself available when needed," Adam replied. "That seems to be something he would be interested in."

"I believe you're right. Duncan thinks he might have another recruit, but he won't say who. We're putting out a notice for a tournament next week for anyone who missed the first battle and is seeking glory."

After the meeting, Man-At-Arms made his way to his laboratory. Micheal was working inside. Man-At-Arms crossed to a cabinet. "Micheal, come here."

Micheal did as he was told, and Duncan opened the cabinet. "I have something for you." He pulled out a red breastplate and helmet. The armor had some sort of microphone near his mouth and the helmet was sharply angled with a pair of silvered lenses. "Try these on."

Micheal did as he was told, and felt a tingling around his neck. His vision now included a head's up display, showing him the distance to each object he focused his attention upon, as well as various tactical information that could be detected; for example, the General's temperature was slightly elevated, and his breathing was shallow and rapid. Micheal caught a look at himself in the mirror: He was heavily protected in the front, but what was that silver at his throat?

He felt his neck, it was covered in metal. "It's part of the armor," informed Man-At-Arms. "As long as you wear both pieces, a metal brace will extend from the base of your skull to your back to protect your neck and throat. no matter how far you stretch your neck." Micheal tried it, his silver neck extended nearly a foot.

"Why are you giving me this?" Micheal asked. He heard a strange echo, then realized that the "microphone" he had noticed earlier was a speaker.

"King Randor and I are assembling a group of warriors to defend Eternos, and all of Eternia. We could use someone of your particular abilities."

"But I'm not a warrior." The speaker echoed his words again.

"The switch for the speaker is here," Man-At-Arms said, turning it off. "And I remember you used to be a pretty good torkball player. That's why I also have this for you." He produced a golden torkball club from the cabinet. "It's specially hardened, and has a hollow, liquid-filled center to increase striking force."

Micheal accepted the club, and took a few test swings. "It has a good balance. Too bad it would never pass in regulation play."

Man-At-Arms chuckled. "Our opponents don't exactly play by the rules. So, what do you say? Are you in?"

Micheal considered for a moment. "I'm sure it's going to be dangerous. But you took me in and made me your apprentice ten years ago. I feel like I owe you."

Man-At-Arms clapped Micheal on the shoulder. "It's good to have you aboard, son. I just hope you find another reason besides debt to stay with the group. But everybody seems to have some sort of code name. How about...Mekaneck?"

*********

Okay, I'm sure most of you saw this coming. I know there are a lot of Mekaneck haters out there. I never cared for the "he got decapitated/broke his neck and Man-At-Arms gave him a new one" origin, so I came up with something I liked better.

[hawggie]

Man-At-Arms mentioned that Micheal (Mekaneck) is a torkball player, so I figured I might as well come up with the rules for the game. As implied, torkball is a game created by the Torks (Filmation race that seemed interchangable with Orcs - in this particular fanfic universe, both Torks and Orcs are the same and called Torks)

Torkball can be considered an amalgamation of baseball (the club), football, and rugby. It arose among the Torks as a form of celebration of victory in battle or an especially successful hunt, and as a way to settle territorial disputes. While a pickup game can be started using rocks or whatever is at hand and either found sticks or individual weapons, a ceremonial game uses an oblong ball made from the stomach of a sacrificed victim (from the aforementioned battle or hunt) filled with sand or sawdust and a knobby club. The combination of oblong ball and knobby club forces players to develop great skill to successfully strike the ball with any accuracy. Eternians use basically the same club, but their ball is made from leather. Padding or armor is up to the individual, but with the great likelihood of getting struck with the club, almost all players wear some form of protection. Eternian regulation games require a helmet and shoulder/torso pads.

A regulation torkball field is 50m long by 20m wide with a 4m wide by 3m tall goal at each end. 5 players from each team take the field - a goalie, who has no club to allow for both hands to catch the ball; a defender, who must remain on the back side of the field; a tosser, who also has no club and can travel freely between the forward and back fields; and two strikers, who must stay on the forward side of the field.

Play begins with the ball in the center of the field and each team on its own goal line. Both teams scramble for possession, determined by whichever team's tosser manages to grab it. During the scramble, clubs may only be used in a pushing posture, or to move the ball, although kicking the ball is also allowed. There are three ways to pass the ball - tossing, kicking, and striking with the club. If the ball is tossed, it must be either kicked or struck. If kicked or struck, it may be caught before passing to another player. Tossers and goalies are the only players allowed to run with the ball, though that leaves them open for tackling by the other team. If the ball falls to the ground, the other team gains possession, with the tosser picking it up to resume play. Interceptions can be made at any time.

A point is scored when the ball is either kicked or struck from a pass into the goal; in other words, a striker cannot catch the ball before attempting to score. After a goal is made, the goalie passes the ball to a teammate. Games generally last until one team scores 10 points. In the Eternian Torkball League, play consists of four 15-minute periods, with the high score determining the winner if no team has scored 10, and ties continuing for another quarter. The World Championship Game is played to 15 points without a time limit, with a five minute break after each evenly numbered quarter.

Mekaneck himself never went pro, choosing instead to work in Duncan's lab, although he was scouted by several teams while still a student at the Learning Center of Eternos.

[wolfsfang]

Ok that took a bit of reading but I managed to get through it

Some interesting ideas in there such as Mekaneck (Michael's) origin and some well written action scenes. Good work

[Machinitess]

Hmm... this feels really really familiar.

[hawggie]

Ok that took a bit of reading but I managed to get through it

Yeah I realize that I tend to write a lot, especially if it's something I really like. When I was in school the hardest part of the interesting writing assignments was cutting it down when there is a limit.

Some interesting ideas in there such as Mekaneck (Michael's) origin and some well written action scenes. Good work

I had to laugh when I read the NV bio of Mekaneck. I guess he's a "love 'em or hate 'em" character. I really didn't care for his figures, or either cartoon character, so I had to come up with some story that actually made him interesting (at least to me). I also had to figure out why he had the weapons and armor that he had.

As for the action scenes, I try to picture them in my head first, visualize it like a movie, and then describe it shot by shot. Thanks for the kudos.