Surrender

Chapter One

Disclaimer: "He-Man and The Masters of the Universe", their characters, and concepts are the property of Mattel.

A/N: Part IV of The Lysia Saga. This story takes place after the events in "Talk To Me."

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Teela walked into the Rusty Anchor -- a seedy tavern near the wharf -- wearing her heavy black cloak. The windows bore spider-web cracks (the results of long-ago drunken brawls.)

She walked up to the bar and said to the bartender, "I'm looking for Bandar." The bartender jerked his head to his right, indicating a table near the back of the tavern. Teela then mumbled a "Thank you", left a gold piece on the bar for the bartender (a little something for his trouble), and walked over to where Bandar was sitting.

"You Teela?" said Bandar as Teela sat down. Bandar was a street informant. He was a skeletal rat-faced man in his late forties with greasy black hair, a bony angular face, and beady brown eyes. He wore a maroon silk shirt, brown leather pants, and brown leather boots.

"Yeah," Teela replied. "I heard you had something for me."

Bandar looked around nervously. "Lysia wants to surrender."

Teela's eyebrows shot upwards. "Lysia … the WARLORD?"

Bandar closed his eyes and nodded his head. "The very same," he said.

"What brought THIS on?"

Bandar looked around once more and leaned in close to Teela, so as not to be overheard. "Lysia's got the heat on her," he said. "He-Man has some powerful friends … powerful friends who think nothing of killing people … who go after their friends. When Lysia made that attempt on He-Man's life in The Emerald Forest, she became a target." Bandar paused. "She's been marked for death."

Must be nice having that many friends willing to kill for you, Teela thought. "So … what does this have to do with me?" she asked.

"She wants to surrender … she wants out," said Bandar. He then dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper and said, "Know the stone bridge at Founder's Park?"

"Yeah."

"She wants you to meet her there three days from now at twelve-thirty hours," said Bandar. "Come ALONE."

If she wants out, I'm more than willing to oblige her, thought Teela. "Tell her I'll meet her then." She then stood up, shook Bandar's hand, and tossed five gold pieces onto the table. "Thanks for the tip." Teela then turned and walked out of the tavern.

"Pleasure doing business with you," cried Bandar as Teela left.

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If Lysia wants to meet with me alone, I'm more than willing to oblige her, thought Teela as she walked down the street and back home towards the Palace. Worse comes to worse, it won't be anything I can't handle.

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Lysia … SURRENDERING? thought The Sorceress of Grayskull as she sat on her throne, watching Teela through a magical transparent orb floating before her. That'll be the day. Knowing Lysia, it'll just be her, Teela, and ten of Lysia's henchmen waiting in ambush in the bushes. With a gesture, she dissolved the viewer floating before her. Teela's getting backup whether she likes it or not.