Author's Note: This story takes place after the events of "Year One: August." It ties into "Preludes and Beginnings," "The Elfsong of Eternia," "The Crossroads of Destiny," "Prophecy & Change," "Just Another Day," "Liberty and Valor," "Manifest Destiny," "Roots," "Dues Ex Machina," "My Blue Reflection," "The Last Battle," "Return to Eternia," "A Winter's Heart," "The Shroud of the Horde," "Prelude to Hope," "Across All Worlds," and the up-coming "Endings and Epilogues." These characters don't belong to me.

He-Man: Year One

September

"Rumble"

It was a pleasantly warm late morning. Quiet. Too quiet, really. But Adam didn't mind. Two weeks after the whole event with his mother and Teela, the redhead had signed up for a training mission that operated up in the Mystic Mountains. This allowed Adam a three-week reprieve from Teela's insistent training programs.

That, of course, was not going to last long.

Adam was sitting in the sunroom, the sunlight pouring through the large windows. Cringer, of course, was napping on the ground. Adam had his head buried in a book and didn't even hear Teela walk in.

"Adam."

He looked up and saw her standing there, in the sunlight. He blinked. Did he actually miss her? Was it the time away that made her look so good to him just then?

"Oh, uh, hey."

Things had still been awkward since she slapped him. She had given him a curt apology, but he wasn't sure it was sincere, making it quite hard for him to forgive her. Teela sighed and sat down in a chair across from him.

"How was your trip?" he asked.

"Good. Great, really. I was head of the pack. The instructors were really amazed."

Adam nodded just a bit. "Neat."

"Yeah." She paused and bit her bottom lip. "Hey, listen . . . about what happened . . ."

This surprised Adam a little. She was never this straight forward with these sort of things. He closed the book and leaned forward. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. I know it's been a month and a half, but I really am sorry. I mean that."

"Really?"

"Really."

"And when you said it before? Did you mean it then?"

"Not . . . well, a little. But now I completely mean it."

Adam found himself smiling. He touched her hand. "I appreciate that."

At that moment, Man-At-Arms arrived on the scene. "We've got a situation."

"What's going on?" asked Teela, standing up immediately.

A Lizard came walking in after Man-At-Arms. "Greetings. My name is Lizard-Man and I am in need of your help. A small sect of mercenaries called the Thundertails have overthrown our leader, King Creatus."

"We owe the Lizard-People for their help during the Horde War. Adam, your father has approved a small team of soldiers to come in and secure the tunnels. Teela, you will be in command of one of the units. Roboto, Ram-Man and Man-E-Faces will be accompanying us."

"And He-Man?" asked Adam.

"And He-Man, yes. Adam, you'll have to stay here."

Teela looked to Adam. "That's a good idea, father. He's had to go three weeks without training." It was a tease, but Adam still took it a little harder than it was intended.

"You look a little nervous, Teela," He-Man regarded as they were led into a secret underground entrance by Lizard-Man.

"Hrm? Oh, maybe just a little. My first command, I guess."

"You'll do fine," He-Man replied. "Your father picked well."

"I guess my father wasn't the one that picked me. It was King Randor."

"Really?"

"You seem surprised."

"Er, not really. You're a good warrior, Teela, with a lot of potential for growth." Was in the world was he saying? Granted, he felt more at ease around Teela as He-Man, but why was he saying all this?

Teela was actually blushing.

"Oh, uh, thanks, He-Man."

"Quiet please," Lizard-Man advised. "We're nearing the entrance."

They were standing near the edge of the Fertile Plains in front of a large rock. Lizard-Man pressed a small button on his belt. The rock moved to the left, revealing a set of stairs that led deep into the underground kingdom of the Lizards.

The Lizard-People were more often than not quite happy to leave the surface world to their own devices. However, as the years went on and expansion of various kingdoms continued, their interaction had become more and more frequent – most especially with Eternos. The Lizard-People were a fairly friendly people, enjoying a stable peace and resorting war only if necessary. The last time they were forced to take action was during the Horde War when they helped the forces of Avion and Eternos against Hordak and his minions.

Fourteen Royal Soldiers followed He-Man, Teela, Roboto, Ram-Man, and Man-E-Faces into the depths. From what Lizard-Man had told them, there was close to twenty-five mercenaries. They had hostages – namely the king. The one in charge of the Thundertails was a Lizard by the name of Whiplash.

"This way," Lizard-Man said, leading them into one of the lesser known tunnels. It would eventually take them into the hub, which was where all of the tunnels came together and where the king – and the mercenaries – was.

"So what now?" asked He-Man.

Any sort of answer was cut off rather violently. The entire tunnel suddenly exploded around them. He-Man was thrown forward on the ground. He could hear the sound of rocks crashing and crumbling around him. There was a second explosion and this one launched him forward again, slamming him into a rather large chamber.

He stood up, body covered in dirt. Pressing his communicator, he hoped to reach Teela. She was his first concern, but there was no time to wonder why.

"Teela! Are you okay?" he yelled into over the comm-line.

"Fine, but I've got trouble. The Thundertails are here!"

The comm-line was suddenly cut off. He-Man turned back to the caved-in tunnel, but was suddenly slammed to the ground. He rolled back and was on his feet, Sword of Power at the ready. A tall Lizard male stood before, large with muscles and thick scales. A massive tail swayed behind him.

"Whiplash, I'm assuming."

"You assumption right."

"Assume correctly, you mean."

"Shaddup."

With stunning speed, Whiplash spun, his tail in fast motion. It slammed into He-Man, sending the champion of Grayskull smashing into the wall. He could already feel a bruise on his chest, despite the powers of the harness. He was just about to call upon his battle armor when he was struck again, this time in the abdomen.

He-Man staggered to his feet, but suddenly found Whiplash's hand on his head and he was slammed onto the dirt floor once more. Whiplash then banged his foot onto He-Man's head, grinding the side of his face into rock.

"Not so tough!" Whiplash exclaimed.

Dropping the Power Sword, He-Man firmly placed both hands around Whiplash's ankle. He pulled forward, propelling Whiplash back and pushing himself up. However, in mid-air, He-Man received the thick ball of Whiplash's tail right to the face. He-Man went back onto his bottom, rubbing blood from his face.

"You're really starting to piss me off," He-Man grunted, reaching for the Sword of Power . . . only to receive another strike from the tail.

"I don't care," Whiplash snarling. "Here I thought you were a big warrior. Skeletor said he was afraid of you."

"Skeletor?"

"Whoops."

Whiplash swung his tail again . . . only this time, He-Man caught it. Using the momentum, he swung Whiplash clear across the room. Whiplash slammed into the wall. He-Man leapt and pushed him back into the wall when he started push away.

"What's Skeletor got to do with this?"

"Nothin'."

"Heck no, nothin'," He-Man said in reply.

The tail was suddenly around He-Man's waist again and he was tossed across the chamber. This time, He-Man did his best to ready himself. He turned, pressed his boots against the wall, and was propelled right back at Whiplash.

His fists collided right Whiplash's gut and the large Lizard was bounced back. Whiplash was about to lash out at He-Man, but He-Man dodged the tail and punched Whiplash across the face.

"Got anymore info for me?"

"None."

"Yeah, right."

He-Man punched Whiplash again, knocking him right out. Sighing, He-Man proceeded to tie him up.

"That should hold you for a while."

Meanwhile, in the haze of confusion that was the explosion and its aftermath, the Royal Soldiers and Lizard-Man were seized into another, larger chamber. However, Teela, Man-E-Faces, Roboto, and Ram-Man were all still in the tunnel, behind a small wall of freshly fallen rocks.

"What now?" asked Man-E-Faces.

Ram-Man shrugged. "Get help?"

"We don't have time for that," Teela said.

"Then what do you recommend we do?" asked Roboto.

"You're asking me?" she questioned, seeing them all stare at her.

"You're the voice of experience here, Teela. You know these situations better than the rest of us."

Teela sighed heavily and nodded. They were right about that. Think Teela, her mind commanded. Get to work.

"Roboto," she addressed, "can you get me a sensor sweep?"

Roboto paused and she could see small devices inside his chest blink and flash. "Three of the Thundertails are standing near the entrance, with the rest in a perimeter around our soldiers. Two are watching over the king and Lizard-Man."

"So? What's da plan?" Ram-Man asked.

Teela took quick stock in the facts. Her mind was racing, but she did everything she could to stay on top of it all.

"Okay. All right. Ram-Man, listen up."

Three minutes later, the wall exploded. Rocks and stones came flying forth – as did Ram-Man. While rocks and small boulders slammed into the mercenaries, Man-E-Faces and Roboto unleashed a sweep of laser fire. Half the mercenaries were down, but were still caught off guard.

Teela rushed over to the pair that was watching over King Creatus and Lizard-Man. Two quick stun shots with her laser pistol took care of one. Teela then slammed her staff onto the head of the other, then knocked him out with a quick kick to the face.

Ram-Man was back in action, knocking down three of the mercenaries.

Teela untied Lizard-Man, who attended to the king.

"Get him to safety!" Teela ordered, spinning around and taking shots at the mercenaries.

"I'm on it!" Lizard-Man replied, helping King Creatus up.

"My thanks!" Creatus shouted back.

Man-E-Faces (at Teela's command) was repeatedly switching between MONSTER and ROBOT modes. Ram-Man had taken down two more. Roboto was just wrapped up the final members when there was a rumble near the entrance and He-Man appeared.

"Wow," he said, taking in the sight of the defeated mercenaries and the now freeing of the Royal Soldiers. "Man-E-Faces?"

"It was all her, boss," Man-E-Faces replied.

He-Man looked to Teela, who was sweating and wide-eyed. "Well done, Teela."

Much to both their surprise, Teela hugged him. "Thanks." Then, leaning forward and whispering, "I can't believe I just did this."

When Whiplash came to, he was not in the chamber as he expected. Nor was in one of the jail cells, as he also expected. Instead, he was on the surface, in open air. He was terrible with maps, but judging by the amount of heat he felt in the air and smell of flames, he guessed he was on the Dark Hemisphere.

"Finally."

He looked up and saw Skeletor standing above him. In the hot breeze, Skeletor's cloak flowed around his body. Clutched in his hand was an amulet – it was a crimson oval crowned with two silver wings.

"You did your part," Skeletor said. "And now you're finally awake."

"You picked up the thingy."

"The Nurrune. And yes."

"And what about me?"

"You have a place in my Evil Warriors, Whiplash. Welcome aboard."

Adam came down the stairs and headed straight for the throne room. Lizard-Man, King Creatus, and a few other Lizard-People were visiting the Palace to help honor them after the attack. As Adam walked down the corridor, he caught Duncan staring outside. The sun was diminishing over the city, washing it in an orange and gold light.

"What's wrong?" asked Adam.

"I am troubled, Adam. Aren't you?"

"About Skeletor?"

"Yes. His involvement, plus the reports of a missing artifact and Whiplash not taken in . . . it bothers me. He's up to something. I can feel it."

Adam sighed and nodded. "Me too. There's trouble afoot. Guaranteed."

"Well," Duncan said after a moment of pause, "we have a banquet to attend."

"Yep."

The pair of them walked into the throne room, where Orko was currently showing off a small-scale magic trick to a few of the younger pages and stewards. Teela – who was wearing a dress for once – was currently having a drink with Lizard-Man. Randor and Creatus were engaged in deep conversation.

"I was just talking to Lizard-Man about He-Man's offer," Teela said as Adam walked over.

"Oh yeah? Thinking about joining the Heroic Warriors?"

"Maybe in a part-time, reserve status. I still have my duties as ambassador and emissary between our two kingdoms," Lizard-Man replied.

"Well, either way, I think it would do a lot of good to have you aboard."

"Thank you, Prince Adam."

"Excuse me!" announced King Randor. "If you'll all turn your attention to me, I'd like to make an important announcement." The king waited until all parties were looking at him before he continued. "I was waiting until I had spoken in detail to King Creatus in regards to this decision, but now that I have, I believe my judgment is sound. As you all know, Captain Tares has decided to step down from his role. We have been in need of a new Captain. After listening the words of King Creatus, He-Man, and the Royal Council – and based on her experience in recent affairs – I therefore elect a new Captain to the Royal Soldiers and Royal Guard. I hereby name Teela, daughter of Duncan, as my new Captain!"