Catalyst of War

by CanadianHeMan

HeMan helps his sister on Etheria against the Horde, circa PoP episode Price of Freedom. What happens when Hordak makes a different decision than the one he made in the actual cartoon?

This story is based off of PoP episode "Price of Freedom". It is equal parts He-Man and She-Ra. I wrote it a few months back, and am putting it on this forum

for posterity. Please tell me what you think!

Catalyst of War

Chapter 1 - Mountains of Melancholy

"So, Hordak..." asked Mantenna with that unique high pitched shriek of his, "Should we dig them out?"

The opening to the mine had collapsed, due to Hordak's skillfully planned tactical assault on He-Man. He had brought great military might to bear against the meager workers of this town, all to avenge the destruction of one violently unreasonable Horde robot at the hands of She-Ra. She-Ra had fought valiantly against the overwhelming siege, but had telepathically sought out help from her brother He-Man in an attempt to even the odds. He-Man had agreed to fend off the Horde offensive as long as he could, in order to protect the miners until She-Ra could bring in further help from the main Etherian rebel forces. He had stood strong, and tall, in this defensive manuever, and had greatly frustrated Hordak and his forces with his impressive deflections. However, Hordak was not a mighty Horde General for nothing, and had correctly deduced that He-Man could not possibly deflect dozens upon dozens of freeze rays being shot at him at once... and with his carefully timed and orderred attack, he had brought exactly that force to bear upon the Eternian champion, knocking him back into the mine in a greatly weakened and almost paralyzed state, and with the mine entrance caving in upon itself. Two thoughts then occurred to Hordak... contrary to Mantenna's question, digging out He-Man and the rebels was neither.

One thought was to celebrate, and savor, this limited victory... a victory that had been so terribly rare for Hordak, and the Horde force on Etheria, since She-Ra had became the ultimate thorn in their side. Let He-Man and the rebels dig themselves out... if they can. And if they can't, that is their failing, though knowing the unquenchable luck of the rebels, they would not fail. He-Man would be more trouble than what he is worth as a captive, as She-Ra would simply rescue him, Hordak's more cynical side deduced. So, let He-Man, She-Ra, and the rebels suffer the bruised ego that he has been made to suffer for months on end at the incredibly strong and swift hands of She-Ra.

The other thought was less cautious, and more risky, but with potentially far greater rewards. Bury He-Man, and the rebels. Kill them. Order a massive bombing run to bring the entire mountain down upon itself, crushing He-Man and the rebels within. The freeze ray's effects would still be strong on He-Man, and the Eternian champion would not be able to defend himself or the rebels. Let She-Ra mourn his lost, and their lost, and let it demoralize the Etherian rebels. Let him also be rid of He-Man once and for all! Still, Hordak's more cynical side told him that such an action would merely enrage She-Ra beyond all belief, and that the Fright Zone would be so much rubble by nightfall, and his own fate would be in question.

These two thoughts jostled with one another in Hordak's mind. Each thought, if followed, would lead to a different course of action on the Horde's part, and hence a different set of consequences. Eventually, Hordak made his choice. He choose to throw caution to the wind, to press his advantage, and to kill He-Man and the rebels.

"Why should we dig dead men out of their graves, Mantenna?" asked the Horde General of his second in command for this mission.

"Y-you want them dead?" asked Mantenna with a shaky voice, slightly startled by Hordak's words.

"Yes, Mantenna..." answered Hordak, with a mocking tone, "For once in your pathetic life, you managed to get something right! I want a massive array of Horde missiles to bring this mountain down
upon He-Man, and the rebels!"

"A-as you command, great and merciful Hordak!" shouted Mantenna, being the mindless slave to authority that he is.

With that, a great number of Horde missiles struck at the sides, and top, of the mountain, rocking it with fiery explosion after fiery explosion. Eventually, the mountain did implode upon itself, burying He-Man and the rebels underneath! Hordak laughed, and snorted, maniacally in response. He had destroyed He-Man himself! This had been his finest hour since the conquest of Etheria!

"What a wonderful day!" shouted Hordak, arising from out of his command chair, and making an exuberant and victorious pose, "Let us return to the Fright Zone, and celebrate this glorious victory!"

So pleased was Hordak with today's events that even Mantenna was spared the typical practical joke at his expense. However, while joy currently gripped Hordak's heart, joy's opposite would soon plague the heart of She-Ra...

Riding upon the back of the appropriately regal and majestic Swiftwind, She-Ra was instantly shocked by the site of the mountain collapsed upon itself as she had returned from calling upon the aid of the Etherian rebels. Swiftwind, the unshakeable and wise steed of She-Ra, instantly knew what had occured, though he knew that his dearest companion would need to come to that realization in her own time. A signle tear dropped out of one of his eyes, as he was not very emotional, but nonetheless incredibly loyal and true. With mouth slightly agape, and tears already beginning to well up in her eyes, She-Ra commanded Swiftwind to land, and quickly ran over to the scene of the crumbled, and demolished, mountain.

"Hang on, He-Man!" she shouted, as she frantically began to kick, push, and throw, all of the rubble out of place in the hopes of finding the living body of her brother.

This task was not minor, however, and even her mighty muscles grew weary from the strain. Nonetheless, adrenaline flowed in her veins, and she was determined to save He-Man!

"Adam, I'm coming!" she shouted, more passionate and personal than her previous cry, as she tried to summon up enough hope to deny the undeniable.

She covered her mouth in horror after uncovering the first of several dead human bodies... the bodies of the miners. Their bodies had been crushed, and their flesh had been torn assunder by untold tons of rubble. She closed her eyes tightly to hold back any tears that may wish to come forth, and to try to compose herself. As much as she was moved by the death of the miners, she still held out hope that her dear brother was still alive.

'The powers of Greyskull must have protected him!' she thought to herself, 'He is He-Man, defender of Eternia! The Ancients would not let him die on a world alien to him!'

Finally, she came to the body of her brother through the extensive sifting of debris. Much of his clothing was dust encrusted, and his face was coverred in ash. His body, as virtually invulnerable as it was, had not been crushed like those of the miners. Nonetheless, he was deathly still, and She-Ra could instantly tell that many of his bones, and internal organs, had been broken, bruised, or punctured.

"My brother!" she cried, taking his limp body into her arms, and looking at him straight in the face, where his eyes were closed, "Speak to me! I need to know that you're not hurt!"

Alas, He-Man was much more than merely hurt. Eventually allowing reality to take hold, She-Ra began to feel for He-Man's pulse. Nothing registerred. Her brother... the brother she had been denied as a child, and now denied once more as an adult... her brother was dead.

"No...!!!!!" she shouted, holding her brother's body tightly against her, while tilting her head upwards, with great rivers of sadness flowing out of her eyes.

The explosive sound of anguish revertebrated through out the area, as several animals and birds were sent scurrying in fear upon hearing it. However, the sound ended in a relative whimper...

"No..." she said softly, burying her forehead against He-Man's brow.

The most powerful man in the universe was now dead, killed by the Horde. What would his sister do next?

Chapter 2 - Celebration and Mourning

The main Etherian rebellion force finally arrived at Dryl, upon She-Ra's request. Though Bo had been itching for a good fight for days, and hence secretly disappointed by the Horde's absence, Glimmer was relieved by that absence. Nonetheless, they could not help but notice that the mountain within which the mining at Dryl had occured had collapsed in upon itself. They could only hope that She-Ra had arrived before they had, and also had managed to rescue the people of Dryl, as well as He-Man if necessary. Sadly, those hopes were dashed when the clearly pained figure of She-Ra, carrying the limp He-Man in her arms, appeared from out of the horizon to them. Glimmer immediately gasped.

"He-Man!" she shouted, "Is he... is he...?"

"I... I'm afraid that he is..." answered She-Ra weakly.

"But... but how?!" commanded Bo, "He's He-Man! The Horde couldn't possible have done this to him!"

"But they have, Bo." said She-Ra with a matter of fact tone, trying to compose herself, and accept reality.

Bo, and Glimmer, were horrified, and shocked, and knew how much this excruiating lost affected both them and She-Ra... but they really didn't. They didn't know just how close She-Ra was to He-Man. Kowl, however, did know...

"Bo!" shouted Kowl, seeking to correct his old friend, "This is not the time to be pestering She-Ra with your doubts! It is a most ghastly occurance, yes, but it is sadly reality."

"Yes... it is..." said She-Ra, beginning to choke with tears at Kowl's words.

Kowl flew over to her, and rested himself next to She-Ra's head.

"Please don't mind me, She-Ra..." he said, turning his head to face the profile of her face, "I just wanted to stop my all too impetuous friend from adding commentary that only makes matters more difficult for you! If there is anything... anything at all... that I can do to help you right now, just ask, She-Ra!"

"Thank you, Kowl..." responded She-Ra lovingly, "But what I do next, I must do alone."

"So... are the people of Dryl also...?" asked Glimmer haltingly, not knowing whether to be silent in this grim moment, or get as much information as possible.

"Yes, they are." answered She-Ra solemnly, still carrying He-Man in her arms, "I am sorry that I have failed you all..."

"You have failed nobody!" corrected Kowl immediately.

"That's right!" added Bo, seeking to make amends with his flying friend, and to also console She-Ra, "You did what you thought was right. I'm sure that He-Man would not hold anything against you!"

"Thank you, Bo." responded She-Ra, forcing a small smile, "Now, please excuse me, but I have to bring He-Man back to his own people... back to Eternia... back to Castle Greyskull!"

A much more joyous scene was at the Fright Zone. The Horde Mess Hall had been turned upside down, with Catra and Scorpia hanging up their own freakish and shady decorations to commemorate Hordak's great victory over the fallen He-Man! A great central table had been situated in the middle of the Mess Hall, with the finest of chairs placed at the end of it for Hordak. The finest Etherian wine was served in grey goblets, and hundreds of Horde troopers had crowded into the Mess Hall for this all too rare scene of morale boosting celebration!

"A toast!" shouted Hordak, standing up out of his chair, and lifting his goblet up high, "A toast to the death of He-Man!"

"Here here!" shouted Catra, Grizzlor, Imp, Leech, Mantenna, Scorpia, and hundreds of Horde troopers in unison... all but Shadow Weaver.

"The tide now turns, my allies!" shouted Hordak, as though he was re-enacting the Horde conquests of Etheria of old, "For too long we have been on the defensive. For too long, we have fled from battle, and lost territory to the accursed rebellion! In fact, He-Man's own coming to Etheria heralded this bitter time for the Horde... but no longer! With his death, we have broken the curse that he brought to this planet! Now is the time to strike back with the full, unbridled force of the mighty Horde! Every square inch of territory that has been lost will be reclaimed... every traitor will be put down... and Whispering Woods itself will be ours!"

Great cheers erupted through out the mess hall!

"Whispering Woods itself?" asked a concerned Shadow Weaver, fearing that Hordak had become drunk with power over one lone victory of note, "He-Man may be finished, but She-Ra remains, great Hordak! We do not have the..."

"Silence, Shadow Weaver!" shouted Hordak, greatly displeased at Shadow Weaver's lack of support at such a key moment in the Horde's fight against the rebellion.

"Yeah, keep those traitorous lips sealed, Shadow Wimpy!" shouted Imp, never one to miss an opportunity to launch verbal jibes against one of Hordak's minions.

"You are concerned about lack of manpower, correct, Shadow Weaver?" asked Hordak, quickly softening on his comforting magical supporter, so as to let nothing ruin this highlight moment of his Horde career, "Well, while I appreciate such typically wise and cautious counsel, it is not needed now! I have ordered the doubling of troop production for this evening! We will be creating twice as many robotic Horde troopers today as we typically do! We will have more than enough men to commense our complete takeover of Whispering Woods starting tomorrow! While the poor, pathetic rebels weap over the lost of their dear He-Man, we will strike as we have never struck before!"

Truly defeaning, and mighty cheers, cascaded through out the mess hall due to Hordak's powerful words, while the tyrant began to laugh in supreme glee.

'He is a fool' thought Shadow Weaver to herself, 'He does not understand women... espcially women like She-Ra! I fear that he will not be prepared for her attempt at revenge...'

Such thoughts of revenge would soon capture She-Ra's mind, as she met with the Sorceress in Castle Greyskull, spirited there by one of the Sorceress' teleportations. Laying He-Man on the floor of Castle Greyskull, she quickly turned to the castle's guardian.

"Is there... is there anything that you can do for him, Sorceress?" she asked, knowing that such hope may be foolish at this point, but still wanting to explore every avenue open to her.

"I... I do not know, She-Ra." answered the Sorceress, "The Secrets of Castle Greyskull are great, and powerful, indeed... but I do not know if they can bring back the dead!"

"Then he's truly gone..." said She-Ra with deep sadness in her voice, and turning away from the Sorceress, to bend her head from the most wrenching of emotional pain, "My dear... my dear wonderful brother... is dead. And it's all my fault!"

"She-Ra..." said the Sorceress softly, placing her hand upon the Etherian Champion's shoulder to console her, "You have done nothing wrong. It was wise of you to call on He-Man against such long odds. I can tell you that Prince Adam himself raced through the portal to Etheria with out the slightest of second thoughts. He wanted to help you, She-Ra... he wanted to be there for you... Adora."

"Yes... of course he did..." replied She-Ra, beginning to choke on her tears once more, "But if I hadn't asked for his aid... if I hadn't left him to fend for himself in Dryl... if I hadn't..."

"She-Ra... you shouldn't plague your mind with such second guessing!" stated the Sorceress, "I know that you feel as though you owe a debt to Etheria for how you once fought for the Horde as Force Captain Adora. It is admirable of you to seek to free those who you were once wrongly manipulated into trying to keep enslaved! Your father, and your mother, are both very proud of you!"

"Will they still be after today?" asked She-Ra, in brooding reflection, "Will mother and father still be proud of me when they learn that I am responsible for their only son's death? Will father be enraged at me for endangering his son on a world completely alien to him? Will they still love me, Sorceress?"

Under the stress of He-Man's death, the more self-loathing elements of Adora's personality began to surface against the strong self-esteem brought about by her She-Ra persona. It also occured to both She-Ra, and the Sorceress, that her secret identity may soon be a thing of the past.

"Of course not!" shouted the Sorceress, turning She-Ra around so that the two of them could embrace, "King Randor is very proud of you. He speaks highly of you almost every day! He-Man's passing is not your fault... it is the fault of Hordak, and the Horde!"

With those words, a fierce anger suddenly swept over She-Ra, temporarily eradicating the overwhelming sadness that had been there before. Releasing herself from the Sorceress' embrace, she turned away from the Sorceress, and looked blankly ahead, very much in deep contemplation. The person ultimately responsible for her brother's death is not her... but Hordak.

"Yes, Sorceress..." said She-Ra, her eyes now dry, her mind now intensely focused, and her strength renewed, "You are completely right. It is Hordak's fault!"

The Sorceress almost instantly feared that she may have overdone it in her attempts to console She-Ra. She could sense fierce, and even potentially lethal , anger eminating from deep within She-Ra's soul!

"She-Ra..." she said, "You must not let either sadness, or anger, to consume you! Please, do nothing that you will later regret! Do nothing that would stain you as Hordak is stained!"

"I could never be as stained as he is." stated She-Ra sternly, with her right hand raised up to her breasts, and clenched into a fist, "I... will be leaving now, Sorceress. Please send my love to my father, and my mother. I will return back here shortly... certainly in time for any funeral... but there is something I must do now, back on Etheria!"

"If... if you insist, She-Ra." stated the Sorceress, knowing that She-Ra's iron will could not be disuaded once she had decided upon a course of action, "I will be here if you have any need of me."

"I do insist." answered She-Ra, "and I thank you for your kind, and supportive, words, Sorceress. Now, let me be off!"

And with that, She-Ra enterred back into Etheria... clearly with revenge on her mind!

Chapter 3 - The Fright Zone falls to a Woman Scorned

Bo, Glimmer, and the main Etherian rebellion force had returned to Bright Moon, to report the sad news of the lost of He-Man, and the people of Dryl, to Queen Angella. Queen Angella had naturally been greatly distraught, and disturbed, by He-Man's passing, and by the lost of more innocent Etherians at the hands of the despotic Horde.

"He-Man has helped us many times before..." she had stated to Bo, and Glimmer, "In fact, his help was instrumental in the liberation of the kingdom that I now rule over once more! He has been a great ally to the rebellion, and his death at the hands of those cold-blooded Horde butchers should make us realize that much more how me must... how we absolutely must ... free Etheria from their oppressive rule!"

Bo was quick to agree with Queen Angella, but Angella's own daughter Glimmer began to show fear over the Horde, and express doubts over whether or not they could ever rid their planet of the menace.

"I understand your concerns, my daughter." answered Angella, "But please remember that we still have She-Ra fighting on our side! Let us not allow He-Man to die in vain! Let his death spurn us onward, to take greater and more decisive action against the Horde!"

"Yes, I agree!" came the strong, and commanding voice of She-Ra, as she enterred the throne room of the Bright Moon palace, returning from Eternia.

"She-Ra, you're back!" shouted Bo, turning to face the ally that he so deeply admired.

"How did the Sorceress take the news?" asked Glimmer with a soft voice, attempting to bring comfort to her dear friend.

"As well as can be expected." answered She-Ra, "Now, I'm afraid that I won't be able to stay here for long. However, I felt I should tell you of my plans, and where I well be over the coming hours."

"Do you intend to make a longer stay in Eternia?" asked Bo.

"Yes!" chimed in Queen Angella, "It would do well of us to express our condolences to a just kingdom from another world who has so graciously come to our aid time and time again, now that it is their time of need."

"I agree with you, your highness" answered She-Ra, "And I will certainly share this welcomed sentiment of the Bright Moon kingdom, and the Etherian rebels, when I return to Eternia again. However, I now leave for the Fright Zone!"

"Yes! Ha ha!" shouted Bo, pumping his clenched fist into the air, "That's our She-Ra! Let us accompany you to help bring justice to Hordak and the Horde for what they've done to He-Man!"

Glimmer slightly frowned at Bo's sentiment, thinking 'does he care about nothing but action?'.

"While I deeply appreciate your offer of help, Bo" replied She-Ra with a smile, amused but pleased by her friend's offer of help, "What I do... I must do alone. Also, I do not want either of you to follow me to the Fright Zone, regardless of how long I am gone for."

"But... we are your friends, She-Ra." responded Glimmer, "While I don't share Bo's zeal for battle, I also don't want to risk losing you so soon after we've lost He-Man! Please, at least let Bo and I ride with you into battle!"

"I am moved, and touched, by your concern, Glimmer, as always." replied She-Ra, "But... this is a personal matter, for reasons that you can't be privy to at this time. All will be revealed, and shared in good time. However, I want you, Queen Angella, and Bo, to trust me on this matter. Please do!"

"I... I understand, She-Ra" stated Glimmer, hugging her friend, "Just please be careful!"

"I will be, Glimmer." stated She-Ra in quick response, reassuring her friend, "Do you agree as well, Queen Angella and Bo?"

"Well... I'd rather be there fighting with you, She-Ra" answered Bo honestly, "But I also understand your feelings here. I will not intervene."

"Nor will I." added Queen Angella, "However, I share my daughter's sentiments. Take care, She-Ra!"

"I will, your majesty" responded She-Ra with great strength and determination.

With that, she was off for the Fright Zone!

Hordak, of course, was all too blissfully oblivious to the movements of his greatest enemy. The Fright Zone was in the process of mass producing Horde troopers, while Hordak had been carefully running over detailed plans for an invasion of Whispering Woods with his top lieutenants of Catra, Grizzlor, Leech, and Shadow Weaver. Shadow Weaver had been noticeably silent during the planning stages of the invasion, as her reservations over the attack itself was not shrouded as well as she herself is. Catra had also appeared rather quiet, as her mind seemed to be elsewhere. Grizzlor, and Leech, had made some useful suggestions, but as usual, most of the planning fell to Hordak himself. No matter. He was more than up to the task... so he thought. After a couple of hours of planning, he returned to his throne room, and sat upon his throne, beckoning Shadow Weaver to come with him.

"Shadow Weaver..." he said, "I grow exasperated with your poorly hidden contempt for my plans! Did I not answer your doubts earlier?!"

"Yes, in once sense..." responded Shadow Weaver, "But no in another."

"Do not speak in riddles to me, witch!" he shouted, visibly angry with her, "I want your honest opinion... unless you'd rather me give it to you!"

"That will not be necessary, mighty Hordak..." she replied, beginning to grow angry with Hordak in turn, "Your plan for Whispering Woods would no doubt succeed... if not for She-Ra."

"Why's that?" asked Hordak in frustration, "Grizzlor, much to my pleasant surprise, actually made a good suggestion on how we can deal with She-Ra when we attack Whispering Woods!"

"That is not the point, Hordak!" screamed Shadow Weaver in reply, growing increasingly displeased with Hordak's leadership, or lack thereof, "Unless we take a more defensive posture, and prepare for a counter-attack at any moment, I do not believe we will even get a chance to proceed with your planned attack!"

Hordak laughed derisively, and loudly, in response to Shadow Weaver's words.

"You expect those cowardly, mourning fools to manage a counter attack?!" shouted Hordak, posing a rhetorical question, "We have put fear into their hearts, Shadow Weaver! They would not dare ..."

However, Hordak's words were cut short by the sound of the Fright Zone's alarms ringing loud, signaling both the entrance of an unwelcomed intruder, as well as the truth to Shadow Weaver's words.

"What's that?!" shouted the questioning Hordak, "Who would dare attack us now?!"

"It is as I said, Hordak!" screeched Shadow Weaver in response, "That, old master, is likely She-Ra... out for revenge!"

And indeed, it was She-Ra! With the ferocity of Battlecat, and the skilled swordsmanship of He-Man, she fought through dozens upon dozens of Horde troppers! Having snuck into the Fright Zone throw an air vent, after flying to the fearsome fortress of the Horde through Swiftwind's help, she had come into a sparesly defended corridor. With incredible stealth, and speed, ironically gained from Adora's days as a Force Caption of the Horde, she manuevered from one corridor to another, dismantling and destroying untold numbers of Horde troopers from unseen attacks! Eventually satisfied with the work she had done with such sneak attacks, she now came out into the open, overwhelming remaining Horde troopers in the main corridors of the Fright Zone with her sheer might, and skill with her blade! She took pleasure in hearing the sirens of the Fright Zone roar. Let them forebear the swift descenion of death upon Hordak's brow!

Deliberately, as well as from incidental contact, She-Ra had also done great damage to the actual doors, insulations, fortifcations, and walls, of the Fright Zone. She wanted this industrialized symbol of doom, and gloom, to be utterly obliterated. She wanted it to be brought, in its entirety, crashing to the ground! A testament of her love for her brother. Finally, Hordak's lieutenants appeared on the scene, one after another, to stop her.

"She-Ra!" shrieked Mantenna, "You have done enough damage to the Horde! You will be properly vexed by my stun beams, you blonde bumbler!"

She-Ra had no time for name-calling. Not now! With the resolve of stainless steel, and with fiery righteousness like the very core of Etheria, she vaulted herself against Mantenna. Leaping over his ultimately useless attacks, she landed directly behind him, kicking him in the back, to send him crashing face first into an air ventilation grid, causing him to get stuck.

Grabbing his ears, and eye stocks, from behind, she shouted, "You will pay for your part in this travesty, Mantenna!"

"Noooooo!!!" the pitiable Horde thug cried, as She-Ra tied him up, by his multiple legs, ears, and eye stocks, into a decidedly uncomfortable, and even somewhat strangling, position.

Next to try to stop her was Grizzlor! He lurched at her with all of his might, but his attack was clumsy, allowing She-Ra to avoid it with ease. She then sent a powerful punch into his abdomen, causing his face to strain in pain! She pushed him unto the ground.

"Sword to flamethrower!" she commanded.

With that, she began to fire her new, yet old, weapon at the retreating Grizzlor, singing his fur with fire! Hordak was decidedly not pleased by what he saw on the viewing screen in his throne room!

"Why do they fight so ineffectually?!" he asked in anger, "Did I, myself, not train them?!"

"It doesn't matter, Hordak." replied Shadow Weaver, "Who could stand against her anger now? My worst fears on this matter have been realized. Our only hope now lies in us joining your remaining lieutenants in battle against She-Ra! There is no other way that she will be stopped!"

Hordak now faced arguably his greatest delimma yet. How would he respond to She-Ra's unexpected attack? Would the Fright Zone still be standing by nightfall?

Chapter 4 - Secrets and Surprises

Hordak carefully considerred Shadow Weaver's words. He sensed the truth in them, and yet, for the first time when out of the presence of Horde Prime, he genuinely felt fear in his heart. In truth, he had not yet come to know She-Ra that well. He had assumed that she was like He-Man... a hero who would never dare think of killing a villian. Indeed, she had even rescued his life once before. He had thought her to be a physically strong, but emotionally soft, opponent. Now, she fought with a hatred that he had seen focused against him by only one other, and that one lacked her incredible physical strength. He did not wish to rush into battle with one such as her, given his changing impression of her. He hoped that somehow, some way, one of his minions would actually stop her before she could reach him.

"That would normally be a good idea, Shadow Weaver." he stated, in response to her suggestion of quickly engaging She-Ra, "However, She-Ra must certainly be starting to grow weary from so much combat, and fighting. It is best to allow her to wear herself down even more in her battle to reach me. Then, by the time that she gets here, she will be very weak, and ripe to be picked for destruction!"

With that, Hordak put on a show of zealous courage by turning his right arm into a cannon, and firing off a gigantic cannon ball, making a large explosive sound, and leaving a large hole in the floor of his throne room. He then forced himself to laugh, and snort, in glee. Shadow Weaver, however, saw through this disguise of brilliant preserverance to the cowardice beneath.

"As you command, Hordak." said Shadow Weaver, knowing when not to press Hordak further.

Still, she could tell by the look in his eye, and the quick racing of his pulse... he was afraid. The 'mighty one' was genuinely afraid. Given how even he was afraid, could the Horde even dream to withstand this latest assualt by She-Ra?

"You'll pay for doing that to Grizzlor!" shouted Leech, clamping his circular 'hands' against the sides of She-Ra's face.

She-Ra gritted her teeth from the breathtaking pain of having her own energies drained out of her by this Horde parasite, but she was determined to not be stopped by such a typical offensive. She skillfully wrestled herself free, and with a superb judo throw, caused Leech to crash against the wall with his face facing downwards, and his feet facing upwards. Normally, this victory would have satisfied She-Ra, but today... she wanted more.

"So, you want energy, huh?" said She-Ra, with an atypical evil grin and a raised eyebrow, "Well, let me give you all the energy that you'll ever need, Leech!"

From her days serving with the Horde, She-Ra knew that she was close to the Fright Zone's central power generator. Creating a huge gash in a nearby wall by ripping at it, she first heard the powerful churning rythym of the generator, and then with more tearing of the walls, she could see the generator itself! She then raced back to where Leech lay, and threw him against that generator! Leech made the most awful of shrieks while in horrendous pain and terror, as he was lit up like a giant lightbulb with untold amounts of electricty! The lights of the Fright Zone began to flicker in, and out.

"Hordak?" mused Shadow Weaver, raising an eyebrow, hoping that Leech's defeat would change his plans.

"We wait, Shadow Weaver." he replied, "Though Leech lost, he was able to drain some energy from She-Ra at least, and the Fright Zone's backup generators will keep our machinery and support systems running like a well oiled machine!"

"If you say so, Hordak." said Shadow Weaver, with the smallest tinge of displeasure.

Meanwhile, Scorpia had come close to mounting her own sneak attack on She-Ra, but had been so petrified by She-Ra's attacks on Leech and Grizzlor as to begin sprinting away from her.

"Let Hordak deal with that uncontrollable witch!" she shouted, "I know when discretion is the better part of valor!"

"Too bad discretion is no longer an option for you, Scorpia!" shouted She-Ra, taking note of her fleeing foe, "Flamethrower to whip!"

She-Ra then used the whip to trip up Scorpia, causing her to land violently upon the floor of a corridor in the Fright Zone. She-Ra then whipped Scorpia repeatedly with her whip, seeking to punish the Horde minion.

"Stop!" screamed Scorpia, with welts now appearing on her legs, "Please stop!"

With her true self temporarily taking control, She-Ra stopped.

"I listened to your cries for mercy, Scorpia." said She-Ra softly, "I hope that my mercy can somehow persuade you to take upon yourself a more noble course than you have chosen. As for myself, I have Hordak to deal with!"

"Blast!" shouted Hordak in frustration, having viewed all of the action from the relative safety of his throne room, "Mantenna, Grizzlor, Leech, and Scorpia all dealt with as though they were rank amateurs! Dozens upon dozens of Horde Troopers so much scrap metal! Where is Catra? Where is Imp?!"

"I do not know where Catra is..." answered Shadow Weaver, "Imp, I would imagine, has turned himself into some innocuous piece of furniture to try to hide away from She-Ra! I'm afraid, mighty Hordak, that stopping She-Ra will fall to us!"

"Then quickly, Shadow Weaver..." began Hordak, with obvious desperation in his voice, "Conjure up some spell to stop her! Quickly! Please!"

"It's too late for that, Hordak!" came the fervent voice of She-Ra, knocking aside the doors of Hordak's throne room with her mighty arms, "Whip to blinding lamp!"

"Ggaaaahhh!!!" cried Shadow Weaver, seeking to block out the radiant beams of pure white light from her eyes, while Hordak actually cowered behind his throne, "T-the light! It is so terrible! It is so strong!"

"Not as strong as me, Shadow Weaver!" shouted She-Ra, delivering a powerful spinning kick to Shadow Weaver's face, effectively knocking the dark sorceress out.

"Now, Hordak..." stated She-Ra with great earnest, "Now it's just you , and me ! Blinding lamp to sword!"

Hordak was actually quivering behind his own throne. He had never known such fear... not even when in the presence of Horde Prime! Such incredible anger from the suppossed side of good threatened him like nothing he had encountered before! Nonetheless, he still had his pride!

"Yes, She-Ra..." he said, while managing to summon up the courage to genuinely sound impressive, and move away from his throne, and towards She-Ra "Just you, and me! This is what I have always wanted! You have done much brutal damage to the Horde today. For that, you will now pay!"

Hordak turned into a tank, and rolled towards She-Ra in an attack that would have frightenned many hardenned soldiers. She-Ra, however, was unflinching. She deftly dodged Hordak's mechanical arms that sprouted out of his tank form, and sought to tear through her very flesh, and then picked Hordak up, slamming him violently into the far wall of the throne room! Great pieces of rubble collapsed on top of Hordak. She-Ra stood still for a brief moment, knowing what Hordak would do next.

Turning into a human sized drill, he quickly dug himself out of the fallen debris, and then returned to his natural form. With an angry look on his face, he turned his right arm into a laser cannon, and fired it at She-Ra. She-Ra deflected blast, after blast, with her sword, before finally coming within arm's reach of Hordak. Hordak managed to dodge her first punch, but was then struck almost senseless by her backhand slap! He fell to the ground, clearly dazed, disoriented, and defeated. She-Ra then removed her headgear, and picked up Hordak by his shoulder straps, holding him above her, and staring up into his face.

"I am Adora!" she shouted with incredible force, "I want you to know that, Hordak!"

"A-adora?" he managed in response, "B-but how?!"

"My brother... the brother that you killed in cold blood! ... my brother, and I, were both gifted with magical swords..." she begun, "Swords that enabled him to become He-Man, and me to become She-Ra! When you killed He-Man, you killed my twin brother, you swine!"

Hordak was just barely conscious now, and not clearly hearing everything that She-Ra was saying to him. She-Ra's emotions had intensified to the breaking point. Great streams of tears began to pour out of her eyes.

"You stole me from my parents when I was a baby..." she continued, her eyes completely focused on Hordak's face, "You raised me to hurt innocent people. You tried to capture me time and time again. All of that... I forgave. I forgave it because it was the right thing to do. I forgave it because I thought, somewhere deep down inside of you, there was hope for redemption! I thought there was some small kernel of good to you. You had often been nice to me when you played the self-imposed role of my 'father'..."

"F-father?" asked Hordak, now utterly out of it.

"That is why I saved you from Horde Prime's ship self-destructing when even your favourite pupil left you for dead! I saved you because I believed in the sanctity of all life... like my brother did. But then you crossed the final line! You applied the final straw! You killed my brother!"

She-Ra was visibly shaken to the very core of her being. She temporaily laid Hordak on the ground, to wipe the tears from out of her eyes. She then picked up her sword.

"Sword to guantlet!" she commanded, causing the sword to form a gauntlet over her right hand.

She then picked up Hordak once more, this time by only one of his two sholder straps. She then pulled back her right hand, clearly intent on executing Hordak then and there with a punch from her gauntlet coverred hand! The most tense of moments continued for what seemed like an eternity. Doubts over her chosen course of action began to seap in. She wanted to pay Hordak back with an eye for an eye justice for what he did to her dear brother... and yet... one question now plagued her.

What would He-Man do?

He wouldn't kill. He would never kill, for any reason. She had chuckled when Man-At-Arms told her of how He-Man had taken the time to save a giant snake that He-Man himself had fought against from a collapsing Castle, and also about how he had lamented damage done to a tree when he had been in battle. And yet... that is what impressed her the most about her brother. So caring. So self-sacrificing. So heroic. He was her best friend. He was her hero. He, with the guidance of the Sorceress helping him, had brought her out of her life of servitude to the Horde, and back to her wonderful parents.

She couldn't do it. She couldn't kill Hordak. She dropped his now unconscious body unto the ground. She buried her face, and tears, into her gauntlet coverred hand.

She was struck by a blast from a ramhead staff.

She fell unconscious to the floor.

"Randor's son is dead." came a high pitched, yet powerful and masculine, voice of magical evil from the shadows of the Fright Zone's throne room, "Randor's daughter is now my captive! Soon, Randor, your kingdom will be mine as well! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!"

He flailed his arms above his head with great joy. Skeletor had arrived in the Fright Zone... and the Horde was now his to control!

Chapter 5 - Skeletor Takes Control

"What a simply marvelous day!" shouted Skeletor in glee, as he walked alongside the fallen bodies of Hordak, and She-Ra, "That musclebound meddler He-Man dead, my old teacher out of the way, and the problematic Eternian Princess as my captive. The Horde itself is now mine to rule!"

"Yes, mighty Skeletorrrr..." purred Catra, appearing from behind Skeletor, with her own secret plans having been fulfilled this day, "We have also gained invaluable intelligence on the enemy. Adorrra is She-Rrra!"

"Yes, Force Captian Catra." replied Skeletor, "With She-Ra's capture, we have both dealt with the one being left with the necessary power and reason to stop my grand plans, as well as gained an invaluable bargaining chip to use against King Randor. Did you get this most exciting, and touching, drama all on tape, Trapjaw?"

"You betcha' boss!" shouted Trapjaw, appearing with Beastman before Skeletor and Catra, holding a video camera next to his head.

"Ha ha ha ha! Excellent!" shouted Skeletor, "I can't wait to see the look on Randor's face when he discovers that his own children didn't trust him with the knowledge that they were He-Man, and She-Ra, respectively!"

"Will he surrrrrrenderrr when you make yourrr ultimatium to him, Skeletor?" asked Catra

"He will if he wants to have any of his offpsring left!" responded Skeletor forcefully, "Now, Catra, you know the layout of this fortress much more than I do. Please point the way to the Horde prisons for Beastman and Trapjaw, as they drag Hordak and She-Ra there. And don't forget to entrap them in cells that they can't get out of!"

"Of courrrse I won't forrrget, grrreat Skeletorrr!" purred Catra, starring into Skeletor's open eye sockets very seductively, before turning to lead his two minions away, "This way, Beastman and Trrrapjaw!"

Shortly after Catra had left the scene, Evil-Lynn appeared before Skeletor from out of a blazing fireball.

"That hussey seems to have a thing for you, Skeletor!" she snapped.

"Ha ha!" laughed Skeletor at her slight show of jealousy, "Won't all women once I'm ruler of two worlds, Evil-Lyn?"

"You appear confident that the Horde will turn their backs on Hordak's rule, and adopt you as their ruler with out a second thought!" shouted Evil-Lyn.

"Why wouldn't they, Evil-Lyn?" asked Skeletor, "Catra, who is now just as high a ranking a Horde member as any left here on Etheria, will vouch for me. Shadow Weaver, as we saw through my viewing globe back in Snake Mountain, had grown weary of Hordak before we even arrived here! It should be child's play to win her support, once she awakens. Furthermore... wasn't it I who stopped the rampaging She-Ra from annihilating the Fright Zone? Also, didn't the poor, and soon to be lamented, Hordak, die at the hands of the cruel She-Ra?"

"Aaahhhh... how delightfully wicked of you, Skeletor!" shouted Evil-Lyn with a smile, "You intend to lock up Hordak from out of sight, and hence out of mind, and present to the Horde the false account of him having died at She-Ra's hands!"

"Exactly, Evil-Lyn!" replied Skeletor, "By noon of tomorrow, the Horde on Etheria will be completely under my control! Now, did you and Clawful take care of Swiftwind?"

"Yes, Skeletor." responded Evil-Lyn, "Swiftwind has been subdued. We will lock him up back at Snake Mountain."

"Perfect." stated Skeletor in glee, "Simply perfect! Our captives will be devided between here, and Snake Mountain, making any comprehensive rescue attempts that much harder to successfully complete. Now, Evil-Lyn, please be about carefully bringing Shadow Weaver back to Horror Hall, and look after her. You are very similiar to her, and hence are the most likely to persuade her to join our cause. Be friendly to her, Evil-Lyn, and make sure that you tell her our account of what happenned to Hordak. Her magical power, and support, could prove invaluable!"

"Of course, Skeletor." replied Evil-Lyn.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, Evil-Lyn..." stated Skeletor, beginning to walk away from her, "There is much repair work that will need to be done to the Fright Zone in the wake of She-Ra's assault. I will need to work with the new Force Captian Catra on this matter."

Evil-Lyn made an angry, strained look on her face when she was out of sight of Skeletor.

'Curse that Catra!' she thought to herself, 'Skeletor is my ally, and should he ever actually realize his goals, he is my consort! He is not your's, you pretty furrball!'

After his first encounter with Hordak after almost two decades of having not seen him at all, Skeletor determined that he needed to have a double agent within the Etherian Horde. He had learned to distrust the Horde, and to distrust Hordak in particular. He did not believe that Hordak would leave his Eternia alone, particularly with Adora having been reunited with her Eternian royal family. As a safeguard measure, he wanted to have a high ranking Etherian Horde member more loyal to him than to Hordak, in order to keep tabs on the Horde on Etheria, and also to have an ace up his sleeve should Hordak ever attempt an all out assault on Eternia. Catra proved ideal for this cause.

Catra had wanted to be Force Captian, but Hordak had spurned this desire on her part, having never truly accepted former Force Captian Adora's defection to the Etherian rebels. He hence left the role vacated, perhaps even holding out some small glimmer of hope of once more having Adora fight for the Horde instead of against the Horde. Skeletor, for his part, found that Catra could be crafty, and useful, and he admired her ambition. He had no problem whatsoever with installing her as Force Captain of the Horde with him taking Hordak's position. Unfortunetly for Catra, Evil-Lyn was not pleased with how Catra had taken up more of Skeletor's time and thoughts in recent months than Evil-Lyn herself had.

Back on Eternia, Orko, Man-At-Arms, and Teela became increasingly distraught over Prince Adam's now lengthy absence.

"He's been gone all day!" shouted an exasperated Teela, having combed the palace looking for Prince Adam, "And King Randor and Queen Marlena specifically requested his presence for a late evening feast in the royal palace!"

"Have you had any luck finding Adam?" asked Man-At-Arms, running up to his daughter, after having searched much of the forests surrounding the Eternos' capitol for Adam.

"Sigh..." responded a frustrated Teela, "No, father, I can't find him anywhere! Knowing Adam, he's probably off taking a nap somewhere. Ooohhhhh... he's so irresponsible that I could... that I could...!"

Before Teela could finish her sentence, however, Orko, who had spent much of the day cleaning his room, interjected himself into the discussion.

"Prince Adam and I were off flying together this morning!" shouted the good natured, but mistake prone, mage of Trolla.

"You were, Orko?" asked Man-At-Arms, intrigued by this piece of information.

"Yeah..." replied Orko, "He had to leave for Castle Greyskull, though, when the Sorceress called for him!"

"So that's where he's to!" shouted Teela, "I'll head after for him right now!"

"No, Teela!" said Man-At-Arms, instinctively sensing that there was more afoot here than what his daughter should be privy to, " I'll head off to Castle Greyskull myself. If Adam's not there, hopefully the Sorceress will know where he's to."

"Ok, father." replied Teela, being a very good and obedient daughter to her father, "I'll wait here in case he returns."

With that, Man-At-Arms quickly raced off to Castle Greyskull, more desperate than ever to see Adam, and know what was afoot.

"Did Adam give you any idea of what the Sorceress wanted him for, Orko?" asked Teela of her small friend.

"I'm afraid not, Teela" said Orko.

"Drat!" shouted Teela, "Adam's irresponsible, but usually not this bad! What could he possibly be up to?!"

"Perhaps I can help you answer that question, Captian!" came a most unwelcomed voice, from a figure suddenly appearing behind Teela, flanked by two others.

"Skeletor!" shouted Teela, turning to face the Dark Lord of Snake Mountain, who was flanked by Catra, and Trapjaw, "And Trapjaw, and..."

"Meow! " screeched Catra, wanting to leave an imposing first impression on Teela, "I'm Horde Force Captian Catra! I'm working for Skeletorrrr now!"

"I... see." said a startled Teela, "Well, it doesn't matter! You have no business here, Skeletor! Leave at once, or I'll call out the entire royal guard!"

"Ha!" laughed Skeletor derisively, "For all the good that they would do! However, I'm not here to fight... not now, anyway! I'm here to present King Randor with a little gift. Trapjaw?"

"Right here, boss!" shouted the mechanical mercenary, holding up a holographic projector.

"Did you include the special ending?" asked Skeletor.

"Of course, boss... you know that you can count on me to do that!" stated Trapjaw, almost insulted by Skeletor's question.

"Excellent." stated Skeletor, "Then please pass the gift for Randor unto Teela... so that the three of us can be on our way!"

"If this is some sort of trap, Skeletor...!" shouted Teela, gingerly accepted 'the gift' from Trapjaw.

"Oh, it isn't, Teela..." responded Skeletor mockingly, "In fact, I think that King Randor will find it quite enlightening! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!"

Catra, and Trapjaw, started to laugh along with their leader. A flash of teleportation magic later, and all three were gone.

"What do you think it is, Teela?" asked Orko, turning his face towards Teela's profile.

"I don't know, Orko..." she said, "But whatever it is, I'm sure that it can only spell trouble!"

Unfortunetly for Teela, she didn't know the half of it. Skeletor was about to make a heartwrenching ultimatium to King Randor. An ultimatium that would force him to choose between his daughter, and his kingdom!

Chapter 6 - Close Encounters

She awoke. There was some momentary disorientation, during which her very memories had left her. Her eyes slowly focused on the bourgany steel room that she was in. She was lying upon a silver table, and her wrists were held close to it by energized shackles. As she peered down over her outfit, her memories started to slowly flow back. She was Adora, Princess of Eternia... she was She-Ra, Etherian rebel champion. She was the twin sister of He-Man... who was dead. She had decimated the Horde, including Hordak. Yet, she was now trapped... ironically trapped on a table just like the one that...

"He-Man was held on a table like that before, wasn't he?" came the voice of a malevolent mage that she had met rarely, but heard many terrible stories about, "In fact, I believe that it was you who saw to his entrapment there, from what Catra told me. How ironic for you to be in held there now... dear She-Ra!"

"Skeletor?" she mused, still slightly disoriented, and recognizing his voice just clearly enough to place his name.

"Who else, Adora ?" he asked with a wide grin, leaning over to bring his skull close to her face, "With He-Man dead, you're my main enemy now!"

For a tense moment, she looked deep into his empty eye sockets, while he studied her eyes closely, with both hoping to find some hidden clue about the other. She-Ra also searched for a soul within Skeletor's face. She could find none. He smiled, while she now held an angry demeanour.

"What of Hordak?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hordak has been moved to Snake Mountain." replied Skeletor calmly, turning his back from She-Ra, and moving away from her slightly, "I did not feel comfortable with the idea of any of the prisons here being able to hold him. Thankfully, Evil-Lyn and I designed the perfect device to contain him within back on Snake Mountain."

"I'm sure that you did." said She-Ra, arching her neck forwards as much as she could to see Skeletor clearly, "What is your game, Skeletor?"

"My 'game' is your 'game', She-Ra." he replied in a decidedly evil tone, and with a wicked grin, "My 'game', or rather goal , is to upset the current status of power. It's to end what I view as a ruling government that has no right to exist! You could say that I am a rebel fighting against the status quo... just like you ."

"I am nothing like you!" she shouted, narrowing her eyes in anger.

"Oh ?" asked Skeletor rhetorically, turning once more to face her, "You hate Hordak and the Horde. I hate your father, and his weak Kingdom. You see your rebel forces as the rightful rulers of Etheria! I see my minions, and I, as the rightful rulers of Eternia! You, and I, have much in common!

"Your attempt to seduce me to follow your evil ways will fail, Skeletor!" she shouted, "I am as different from you as my fine father is from Hordak!"

Skeletor was enjoying himself, and his teasing of his archnemisis' sister, quite a deal. She-Ra came to a sudden, and frightening realization...

"Wait!" she shouted, after there had been a brief pause, "You know that I am Adora!"

"So will everyone soon..." said Skeletor, with a deceptively innocent smile on his face, "Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

'You won't get away with this, Skeletor!' thought She-Ra to herself, 'I'll stop you, and your mad plans, yet!'

Meanwhile, at that late and dark hour, in front of Castle Greyskull, a meeting between old friends was about to take place. Man-At-Arms had rushed to the castle in a skysled, and was eager to speak with the Sorceress. He landed the skysled about one hundred meters from the drawbridge of the castle. He then walked out of the flying vehicle, and towards the entrance of Castle Greyskull. On his way, though, he was stopped by a loud telepathic shout...

'Duncan!' cried the Sorceress, 'Please turn back! I am about a very delicate operation that will require all of my attention!'

"Sorceress!" he shouted out loud, "I am sorry for intruding on you like this, but I must know where Prince Adam is!"

'I... I am sorry, Duncan...' she replied telepathically, 'But Prince Adam is currently dead...'

"Dead! " shouted Duncan, as though he had become posessed by a demon, "But how? Where? By who's hand?!"

'Duncan... please' shouted the Sorceress telepathically, 'I am trying to use the secrets of Castle Greyskull to resurrect He-Man! I wish that I could share more with you... old and dear friend... but I must focus intently on the task at hand, if there is to be any chance of it succeeding! Please... keep Adam's death secret from the King and Queen of Eternia for now! May the blessings of the Ancients be with you!'

And with that, Man-At-Arms could feel the telepathic connection with the Sorceress dissipate. He wanted to ask her so much more... to gain more needed inteligence... but he knew when to respect the Sorceress' wishes. Was Adam's death Skeletor's doing? Was it due to the actions of a less known villian like Negator? He could only hope, and pray, that the Sorceress' magic would revive the fallen champion of Eternia. Though he doubted he would sleep much this night, he wanted to head back to the Eternos capitol now. He thought of what story to tell the King, and Queen, to buy the Sorceress some time.

Finally, this most eventual day had ended. A day which saw He-Man killed by Hordak, Hordak and his Horde decimated by She-Ra, and Skeletor begin his take over of the Horde. King Randor, and Queen Marlena, distraught and worried over their son's absence, finally grew tired of waiting up for him, and went to bed. The outraged Teela, thinking Adam quite inconsiderate to put his parents through this worry, did so as well. Orko, greatly puzzled but tired, went to sleep himself. Bo, Glimmer, Queen Angella, and the rebels, wonderred about She-Ra's lengthy absence of her own, but trusted her enough to call it a night as well. The first to rise, before the sun even could be seen on the horizon the next morning, was Shadow Weaver.

"Where... where am I?" she asked, rubbing her cloak coverred head with a wrinkly aged hand, while she lay coverred by the darkest of silk blankets in her bed, "I'm in my bed! How could I have come here?"

"You have me to thank for that." came the voice of a magical peer.

"You..." said Shadow Weaver, as her unexpected guest slowly walked towards her, holding a strange wand in her hand, "You're one of Skeletor's minions!"

"The name's Evil-Lyn..." answered the dark sorceress, "And we have much to talk about, Weaver."

Skeletor started the day bright and early himself, assuming Hordak's former throne quickly. Catra stood next to him, and he had summoned Grizzlor, Leech, Mantenna, and Scorpia to appear before him. Skeletor now donned a black cape with the Horde insignia on it, to accentuate his own purple outfit, and cast the image of a recaptured loyalty to the Horde. The cape was wrapped around where a neck would typically be in very stylish fashion, as it was held in place by a golden medallion, also with the Horde insignia on it.

"You're not Hordak!" screeched Mantenna, slurring his words.

"Very observant of you..." said Skeletor in mocking reply, "I see that She-Ra didn't hurt your eyes too much."

"Ha ha! Very funny!" continued Mantenna, "But where's Hordak?!"

"Yeah!" shouted Grizzlor, "What have you done with Hordak?! We serve Hordak... not you , Skeletor!"

Skeletor's eyes glowed a fierce red over that comment, and Catra was quick to defend her new charge.

"Meow! Skeletor is in control now, Grizzlorrr!" she replied, "Hordak, sadly, is dead!"

"Hordak is dead?!" shouted a questioning and shocked Scorpia, echoing the sentimenst of her three companions.

"Yes..." said Skeletor, beginning his act, and calming down from his initial anger over Grizzlor's comments, "My great teacher Hordak died last evening... at the hands of the villianous She-Ra!"

With that, two life sized holograms of She-Ra and Hordak appeared between Leech, Grizzlor, Mantenna, and Scorpia. They re-enacted the actual fight that She-Ra and Hordak had endured against one another last evening, only with a noticeable editing at the end. In this edited, and mute, version of Trapjaw's tape recording, She-Ra did not stop her assault on Hordak, and had finished him off with one final punch from her gauntlet coverred hand. The gruesome image of Hordak's face mangled, and killed, with blood spurting everwhere, disgusted even the Horde minions. Mantenna, in particular, recoiled in horror.

"She-Ra killed Hordak!" cried Leech, "We have to get that She-Ra!"

"I've already taken care of her, Leech." said Skeletor, "However, the death of the glorious Hordak can not be repaid with such a simple gesture. With Horde Prime's choice of me as the new leader of the Horde, a choice supported by the new Force Captian Catra, I vow to bring justice for the death of Hordak! More information will be given in time. Right now, however, I ask you for your support!"

"Yesss, mighty Skeletor..." began Mantenna, "I give you my support!"

"We must avenge Hordak!" shouted Grizzlor, "So, yeah, I'm with you too!"

"Me three!" added Scorpia.

"Me four!" chimed in Leech.

Skeletor grinned widely. His plan was going perfectly thus far. He wonderred how Randor would re-act to the gift that had been given him...

"Duncan!" shouted King Randor, already dressed in full royal garb this early morning, greeting his old friend in his inventions lab, while he was fiddling around with Skeletor's 'gift', "It's good to see you! Was the Sorceress able to tell you much last night?"

"I... I'm afraid not, your highness." answered Duncan.

"What, then, has become of my son, Duncan?!" asked an exasperated King Randor.

"He... he's fine, your highness." replied Man-At-Arms, "The Sorceress assurred me of this!"

"Hhmmmm..." mused King Randor, "Perhaps he's on a lengthy mission, like when the Sorceress sent him to retrieve my dear daughter Adora from Etheria! Yes, I should trust the Sorceress on this matter."

Ducan was relieved to see that more convincing would not be needed on this matter.

"Now then, Duncan..." said King Randor, clasping his hand over Man-At-Arm's shoulder, as the two were good old friends, "Where you able to determine if Skeletor's 'gift' is a booby trap of some sort?"

"No, sire, it does not appear to be." answerred Man-At-Arms, who had stayed up much of the night putting the contraption through many tests, "It seems to merely be a simple holographic projector."

"Really?" asked a deeply intrigued King Randor, "Then we must all gather in the dining room now to see exactly what Skeletor has cursed us with!"

"B-but your highness!" protested Duncan.

"No 'buts', Duncan..." shouted King Randor, "I demand to see what that puerile purple punk Skeletor is up to now!"

Man-At-Arms could only release a slight sigh. He correctly feared that the holographic projector would tell of the death of Prince Adam, if not feature it in all its gruesome glory. Even he, however, would be fully shocked by all that Skeletor's 'gift' contained. Quickly, King Randor, Queen Marlena, Cringer, Orko, and Teela, all gatherred around the royal dining room table, and began to watch Skeletor's little show.

"Hi there, you royal boob!" shouted a holographic Skeletor, "I'm sure that you'll be proud of your daughter after you see this, Randor! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Adora?" mused Queen Marlena, "But what involvement does Skeletor have with her?"

Then gripping combat between She-Ra and Hordak overflowed Randor's dining room. Queen Marlena gasped at She-Ra revealing that she was Adora.

"My daughter..." said Marlena, "My daughter is She-Ra!"

"This... this must be some sick trick of Skeletor!" shouted King Randor, "Don't you agree, Duncan?!"

"I... I'm afraid not, your highness." replied Duncan, knowing when a bitter truth was more needed than a pleasant lie.

After 'the show' was over, featurning himself knocking She-Ra out with his ramhead staff, Skeletor 're-appeared'.

"Aaahhhh... how touching!" he began, "Like father like daughter, I suppose. Poor Adora just couldn't do it... just like her weak father!"

"You fiend!" shouted Randor, now crying, "You would dare to lay a finger on my daughter, let alone... let alone...!"

"Now listen carefully, Randor." continued the holographic Skeletor, "Your daughter is now mine! She is under my control! The Horde is now under my control! You have twenty four hours to surrender Eternos to me, or face the full unbridled might of Hordak's minions, my minions, myself, and the Horde! Otherwise, this is what your dear daughter will look like..."

Trapjaw's 'special ending' came on. It was a most despicable image of a decapitated She-Ra. Queen Marlena began to cry uncontrollably. It took all of Randor's strength to maintain his composure. Even Teela was in tears. Cringer, and Orko, were horrified beyond belief.

"Duncan..." said Randor, after a tense moment that seemed to last an eternity.

"Y-yes, your highness?" replied Man-At-Arms, worried that the King would be upset for how he had kept the news of his son's death secret from him.

"Prepare the royal guard..." he replied, "We obliterate Snake Mountain by noon!"

War drew near.

Chapter 7 - Eternia Rises to Action

"Yes!" shouted Queen Marlena, wiping away her tears, "And I'll take the pilot seat once more! Skeletor has went too far this time!"

"Your highnesses!" pleaded Man-At-Arms, trying to calm them down, "While I share your feelings over this... this most terrible news... an attack on Snake Mountain will do us no good! Skeletor is claiming that he now controls the Horde, and given these images that he has shown us, this appears to be the case! If so, he's probably not in Snake Mountain... but rather at the Fright Zone in Etheria!"

"Why should I trust you, Duncan?" asked King Randor in reply, with a touch of anger, and raising an eyebrow.

"Y-your majesty?" replied a somewhat stunned Man-At-Arms to this question, as the King raised up from out of his seat to face him eye to eye.

Cringer, Orko, Queen Marlena, and Teela all tensed up, fearing what may come next.

"How long have you kept my son's role as He-Man secret from me?" he asked, with his brow furrowed and increasing anger, "How long have you kept my daughter's role as She-Ra secret from me? You don't believe that a father deserves to know these sorts of things, Duncan?"

"I-I'm sure that my father meant no harm." interjected Teela, coming to her father's defence, though she herself had many questions to ask of Man-At-Arms as well.

"Quiet, Teela!" shouted King Randor, starting to lose control over so many important revelations made to him in one short hour, "Your father can speak for himself!"

"Your majesty..." began Man-At-Arms in reply, "The Sorceress wanted He-Man's true identity kept secret from all but herself, myself, and Orko... for both your protection, and Adam's. She wanted to minimize the chance of Skeletor learning this invaluable knowledge, and using it against us. Once Prince Adam recoverred Princess Adora from Etheria, and she became She-Ra, the Sorceress wanted her true identity kept secret to all but a few for the same reason. Right now, Skeletor attempts to use his capture of She-Ra against you, precisely beause he knows that she's your daughter! If he didn't know that, and if you didn't know that..."

"It doesn't matter, Duncan!" shouted Randor, now very much shaken, "I am their father, and the King of Eternia! I have a right to know!"

"Randor!" shouted Queen Marlena, to correct her husband, "Duncan is clearly being honest here. You are his old friend. Please don't treat him this way!"

With that, all of the anger rushed out of Randor's face, and a deep sadness overtook it.

"I...I am sorry, Duncan." said King Randor softly, almost about to cry again, "I...I am simply overwhelmed. This is... this is so much to take. My son is He-Man. My daughter is She-Ra. My son is dead. My daughter is in Skeletor's clutches. Either one of the four is a lot to take. All four together, however..."

"He-Man... Prince Adam... may be revived." said Man-At-Arms, trying to cheer up King Randor, "That's why the Sorceress wished to keep his death secret from you. As we speak, the Sorceress is attempting to use the great secrets of Castle Greyskull to ressucitate He-Man."

"That... that is wonderful news, Duncan!" shouted King Randor, "May the Ancients be praised should the Sorceress succeed!"

"Agreed!" said Queen Marlena, very much animated over this news, "I sincerely hope, and pray, that my son can still be saved!"

"If he can be..." said Man-At-Arms, "It will be through no action that we can take. As such, it would be best for us to focus our attention, at least for the time being, on Adora's situation, and Skeletor's ultimatum."

"Yes!" shouted Teela, eager to prove her worth as Captian of the Guard once more, "Let me piece together a rescue party, and I'll go rescue the Princess from Skeletor and the Horde!"

"I'll come too!" shouted Cringer, much to everyone's surprise.

After noticing the surprise he had caused, Cringer spoke up to address what he knew was their thinking on his offer.

"I might be a coward..." he continued, "But Adam was my best friend! And Adora's his sister! Even if I can't be BattleCat, I'm going to do what I can to get back at the Horde, and get back at Skeletor!"

"I'll make a portal to Etheria for everyone!" offerred Orko.

The idea of Orko, and his unpredictable magic, playing such a key role in a rescue operation did not appeal to anyone else in the room. It also, however, highlighted a flaw in their plan.

"We can't conduct a rescue operation in Etheria with out first getting to Etheria..." said Man-At-Arms in deep contemplation, "And with the Sorceress needing to spend all of her time and energies in trying to revive Adam, she won't be able to create a portal for us either."

"Yeah... and...?" said a disgruntled Orko, upset that his offer was not more well recieved, "Didn't I just say that I'd teleport you all to Etheria?"

"With all due respect, Orko..." answered Teela in a fashion, "Your magic is not the most reliable in the world."

"Aaahhhh..." said Orko, looking down trodden and sad from the implicit rejection of his offer of assistance.

"Maybe not..." said Man-At-Arms rubbing his chin, "But your magic may still have it's uses. Orko, I want you and I to work together in my lab to try to create a portal to Etheria. Perhaps I can create an invention that will be able to stablize your magical powers, and then channel them into the creation of a cosmic gateway!"

"Yeah!" shouted Orko, pumping one tiny little blue hand into the air, "Then we'll show that Skeletor what for!"

"Good idea, Duncan." added King Randor, "Teela, I want you to ready the guard for an invasion by the Horde at any time. We don't know how much we can trust Skeletor! Even if he sticks to his offer, we only have one day!"

"I'm on it, your highness!" shouted Teela.

"I guess that I'll just go back to sleep until I'm needed..." said Cringer, curling up in a corner of the room, and beginning to nap.

With that, this left King Randor and Queen Marlena alone to consider what to do next. She turned to face her husband, and hugged him tightly.

"The next... the next twenty four hours are going to be very difficult, Marlena..." sighed King Randor, "Both of our dear children are in the most precarious of positions. One may already be lost to us forever."

"Don't say that, dear..." responded Queen Marlena, "The Sorceress has always proved herself dependable, and so has Man-At-Arms. And... I don't know about you... but the fact that our children are heroes brings me much pride."

"Yes..." said King Randor, still in his wife's embrace, and in deep contemplation, "How I regret how I thought of poor Adam all these years. All those times that he seemingly ran away... it was merely to become He-Man in secret! He was never a coward. He was the truest of courageous heroes!"

The two continued to hold one another tightly, bringing each other strength during a time of great need, both emotional and physical. Meanwhile, a much less amorous meeting was taking place at Snake Mountain.

"What am I doing here?!" he fumed in question, trying to rip himself free from the chain and metal collar that tied him to a viewing globe, "Where is She-Ra? What in the blue blazes am I doing back here... in Snake Mountain?!"

"You can thank me for that... old teacher!" came an all too familiar voice.

"Skeletor!" shouted Hordak, turning to face his former pupil.

"Yes, Hordak... though a more regal title will be fitting me soon." said Skeletor as he moved slightly closer towards Hordak.

"What do you mean by that, you terrible treasonous traitor to the Horde?!" barked Hordak in question of the liche.

"Ha!" laughed Skeletor in reply, "I now rule the Horde, Hordak! Do you like the cape?"

Hordak then quickly sized up Skeletor, and noticed that he was now wearing a cape, held together by a gold medallion, and with both having the Horde insignia. He then came to a conclussion equally quickly.

"You're trying to take my place in the Horde!" growled Hordak, shaking a fist in protest.

"I already have, old master." answer Skeletor, "And don't worry about She-Ra. I've captured her, and held her captive, as you never could!"

"Really ?" responded Hordak in a mocking tone, "And who finished off He-Man as you never could?"

"Yes, I have to thank you for that, Hordak..." responded Skeletor, his eyes now flashing red, for though he was glad over He-Man's demise, he felt inside that it should have been by his hand, and not Hordak's, "Thanks to that course of action, I will soon be ruler of two world's. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!"

"We'll see about that once I get out of this contraption!" shouted Hordak, first struggling against his bonds, and then attempting to change form, but failing, "Blast! Why can't I change my form?!"

"Evil-Lyn and I have attached a belt to you, Hordak." answered Skeletor, "A composite belt made out of Eternium, and Rainbow Quartz! Even you will find it impossible to break. That belt is locked on you, and is enchanted in such a fashion as to prevent you from using your powers. Combined with chaining you up close to my viewing globe, you are effectively ensnared!"

"Hhhrrrmmm... it appears that you're right, Skeletor." relented Hordak, "But I will get out of this ingenuious trap that only a person that I trained could think of, and when I do... you'll be sorry for it!"

"Now, now... no need to be testy, Hordak!" responded Skeletor, "I've trapped you near my viewing globe for a reason. You're going to have a front row seat for my takeover of Eternia, and then subsequent destruction of the Etherian rebellion! My viewing globe has been attuned to respond to your requests. It will show you whatever scene you wish it to show... and trust me, there will be plenty impressive scenes to see in the hours, and days, to come!"

"How generous of you, Skeletor." replied Hordak, "However, even if you do succeed in your rise to the top, I will return to knock you back down!"

"Doubtful, Hordak." added Skeletor, "But think what you will. I will tell you that Snake Mountain is now vacated, aside from you here in my former throne room, and Swiftwind in the dungeons below. I will return, however... after I rule two worlds!"

And with that, Skeletor teleported away, leaving Hordak to rot in his unique jail cell of sorts. Hordak's mind immediately began plotting a way to escape, though no such method occurred to him at the moment. In reality, his sole hope was that his brother, Horde Prime, would rescue him. Indeed, that was his expectation. Let Skeletor take over Eternia, and crush the rebels on Etheria, Hordak thought to himself, for then Hordak would rise once more to assume control, and he then would rule two worlds!

Chapter 8 - A Call to Arms!

Both the Eternos royal palace, and the Fright Zone on Etheria, were now bustling with activity. Both places earnestly prepared for the potential of all out war on the coming day, and hence began to fill to the brim with vast congregations of new allies, and heroes or villians. While her father and Orko worked on creating a stable portal to Etheria in the hopes of rescuing She-Ra, Teela was about recruiting old friends of He-Man's through out Eternia. Buzz-Off, Fisto, Man-E-Faces, Mekaneck, Moss Man, Ram-Man, Stratos, and Sy-Klone were all contacted by Teela during the course of the day, and all came to the Eternian capitol.

In the Fright Zone, new Force Captian Catra oversaw much repair work, and the accelerated build up of troop production that Hordak himself had begun. The top Horde commanders through out the planet all converged on the Fright Zone, having been sent word of Hordak's demise, and of some unknown great plan of the new leader of the Horde on Etheria, Skeletor. With that, Colonel Blast, Dylamug, Multi-Bot, Octavia, Rattlor, Tung Lashor, and Vultak were all now at the Fright Zone. Skeletor also had summonned forth, through various small portals between Etheria and Eternia, a vast array of his own Eternian minions. Along with Beastman, Evil-Lyn, and Trapjaw, who all had accompanied him in his initial trek to Etheria after He-Man's death there, was now Clawful, Jitsu, Kobra Khan, Mer-Man, Modulok, Spikor, Two-Bad, Tri-Klops, Webstor, and Whiplash. Skeletor vividly remembered what happenned the last time the Horde attempted to conquer Eternia, as both him and Hordak had been defeated then. He knew that he would need to use all of his resources if he hoped to succeed this time.

Teela, back on Eternia, was engaged in important diplomatic discussions with Buzz-Off, and Stratos.

"We will gladly send as many soldiers as we can spare to fight the evil Horde with, Teela!" shouted Buzz-Off, "The Andreenids will not allow our beautiful planet to fall to Skeletor!"

"Avion will come to the aid of the noble King Randor as well!" added Stratos, "Our planet will not be enslaved as Etheria is!"

"The King and Queen send their most sincere appreciation of these helpful gestures!" stated Teela, overjoyed at this good news.

"Speaking of which..." replied Stratos, "Where is King Randor, and Queen Marlena? Certainly, we must begin to draw up tactical plans to defend against the Horde's assault!"

"King Randor is... very distraught right now." answered Teela, with a strong sense of sadness flowing from her, "As I told you earlier, He-Man is Prince Adam, and He-Man is... gravely injured, and being healed by the Sorceress as we speak. King Randor's daughter, She-Ra, remains Skeletor's captive, and I do not believe he is yet certain of what response he will make to Skeletor's ultimatium."

"Surely he will not surrender to that dark fiend!" shouted Buzz-Off in protest.

"No... I'm confidant that he won't, as well, Buzz-Off." replied Teela, "But he will need to come to that decision in his own time. He loves his children dearly, and hence... he is in deep thought right now, and desires solitude right now."

"I understand, Teela..." stated the agreeable Stratos, "However, we will still need to draw up a defense plan. Tell King Randor that my people, and I, will be here by tomorrow morning. At that time, battle plans will need to be made."

"I will be returning with my people tomorrow morning, as well." added Buzz-Off, "Until then, good day, Captian!"

With that, Buzz-Off and Stratos both left, flying off towards their respective kingdoms.

"That seemed to go well." said Man-E-Faces, moving towards Teela along with Ram-Man, "With the aid of the Andreenids, and Avion, we will surely succeed!"

"I... I do not know." responded Teela, in all honesty, "My father has told me many troubling tales of the Horde. They will be a challenge for us, particularly with them being led by Skeletor... and with He-Man absent."

Teela's troubled mood was, however, quickly broken up by Man-At-Arm's and Orko rushing to her with good news.

"Teela!" shouted her father, with a smile, rushing towards her, with Orko following behind, "Orko and I have done it! We have created a stable portal to Etheria!"

"Excellent!" shouted Teela, greatly contented by this news, "Then let us be off immediately! Let us rescue She-Ra!"

"Yeah!" shouted Ram-Man, "Let Man-E and I come along!"

Man-At-Arm's news created a great stir amongst all of the allies of He-Man in the palace. All were eager to aid Duncan in this rescue operation, and their voices created a great clamour.

"Silence..." began Man-At-Arms, "Silence!"

With that, all of them ceased their chatter.

"While I deeply appreciate all of your offers of help, this is a rescue operation ... not a siege!" he responded, "A light force is more needed than a strike force, and I intend to get help from She-Ra's friends on Etheria since they know the Horde better than we do! As such, I want but two allies to accompany me to Etheria. They are Cringer, who has a vested emotional interest in this plan given his connection to Prince Adam, and Mekaneck, who will be helpful for his reconnaisance abilities!"

Mekaneck smiled broadly at being chosen by Duncan for this mission, and felt deeply honoured. Teela, however, was not pleased.

"Father!" she shouted, "What about me?! I am the Captian of the Guard!"

"Which is why you're needed here, Teela." answered Duncan, "No mission has an one hundred percent certain chance of success. Should I fail, and hence be captured by the Horde or stranded on Etheria, King Randor will dearly need you to defend against Skeletor's forces!"

"Sigh..." relented Teela, "As you wish, father."

"Don't feel down, Teela." said her father, in hopes of cheering her back up, "I'm sure that before everything is done, you will prove your great worth as Captian of the Guard! Orko will also remain here to provide at least some little magical resistance against any mages that Skeletor may throw against us. Now... Cringer, and Mekaneck, let us be off!"

With that, Man-At-Arms, Cringer, and Mekaneck, all journeyed to Etheria through the portal. They arrived at their chosen destination... right outside of the Brightmoon castle!

"Now, we must meet with Queen Angella!" shouted Man-At-Arms, "Follow me, my friends!"

Back at the Fright Zone, a great conglomeration of horde troopers and villians from both Eternia and Etheria were packed into Skeletor's royal chamber, which used to be Hordak's. Standing next to Skeletor's throne was Catra, and at his feet was the fierce Panthor.

"Meow!" shouted Catra, staring down at Panthor, "He's such a cute little cat!"

"I thought that you would think so!" stated Skeletor, "When I lead the Horde into victory over Randor, it will be while riding on the back of Panthor! How much longer do you think I should give the crowd to chatter, before beginning my speech, Catra?"

"Hhmmmm..." mused Catra, in reply, "I'd give them a minute. They could be talking all day if you let them!"

"Ha!" laughed Skeletor in reply, "So true. They are a talkative bunch, aren't they?"

Mer-Man was introducing himself to Octavia, who he had immediately become smitten with upon seeing her. The two were already hitting it off nicely. Grizzlor and Beastman compared notes on fortress maintenance, and controlling beasts. Colonel Blast was greatly impressed by Trapjaw's weapons arsenal, and actually made an unique suggestion for a new piece of machinery that impressed Trapjaw greatly. Kobra Khan, Rattlor, and Tung Lashor, were left in awe by this show of villianous force, but secretly lamented between themselves how it was being lead by Skeletor... and not King Hiss. Shadow Weaver, won over by Evil-Lyn's persuasive talk to accept Skeletor's new leadership of the Horde, tried to discuss various arcane magics with her, but Evil-Lyn's focus was mainly on Skeletor, and Catra. She was growing more incensed by this Catra by the moment. How dare she move in on her territory! She would have to think of some way to deal with Catra before Skeletor becomes even more taken in by her. Finally, Skeletor stood out of his throne, and lifted up his ramhead staff, blasting it at the far wall, shocking the crowd into silence. Clearly, the time to listen to the leader had arrived.

"Thank you..." said Skeletor coldly, over their new quiet, "As you all know... Hordak was viciously slain by that cold-blooded murderer She-Ra! The great Hordak, who had crushed the meddlesome He-Man, was now crushed himself. I, however, had come to the Fright Zone to congradulate him on his victory over He-Man... and hence, managed to catch She-Ra by surprise. She now remains in the Fright Zone's prison. What you may not yet know is that both He-Man, and She-Ra, are the children of King Randor of Eternia!"

All of the Etherian based villians gasped in shock over this news, while the Eternian based villians grinned at their reaction given that they knew Skeletor's true plans, and his vile deceptions.

"Poor Hordak did not know this either..." continued Skeletor, satisfied with the dramatic pause that he had left, "And, as such, he naturally thought that his true enemy was in Whispering Woods! Listen to me... Whispering Woods is nothing to the Horde. The true threat to the Horde is on Eternia... it is with the kingdom ruled by the parents of He-Man, and She-Ra! King Randor, that cowardly twerp, has been trying to use his children to destory the Horde on Eternia. Well... we will not have it any more! We will not broker any more of his interference in Etherian affairs! If he does not agree to my demand of unconditional surrender, we will all strike against him before this time tomorrow... with the full might of the Horde!"

A great, resonating cheer spontaneously erupted from the Eternian quarter of the villians in attendance, playing the role set out for them by Skeletor perfectly. A more mild applause came from the yet doubtful Etherian villians.

"How do you intend to get us all to Eternia?" asked Multi-Bot out loud, one of the more skeptical of Skeletor in the audience.

"I thank you for asking..." replied Skeletor, "The brilliant Moduluk has built a mass cosmic teleportation device. With it, we will warp ourselves, and a massive armada of Horde troopers, tanks, batmeks, air attack forces, and various weapons of war to Eternia... for the final confrontation with King Randor! Mark my words... by tomorrow evening, the Horde will rule two worlds, and the Etherian rebellion will be but an annoying footnote in history!"

With that, a greater cheer than the one before cascaded through out the throne room, as even Horde troopers in attendance shouted wildly in approval. Skeletor laid his ramhead staff against his new throne, and failed his arms wildly above his head in euphoria. Finally... finally! Everything was going according to plan. Soon, Eternia... Etheria... and Castle Greyskull... he concluded... would all be his!

She-Ra could not help but overhear his speech, and the commotion, from where she was being held in the Fright Zone. She greatly feared for her wonderful parents. She had to free herself. Somehow, she must stop Skeletor! Or else... or else, all would be lost.

Chapter 9 - Alliance Between Worlds

"I know that she instructed us to not follow her into the Fright Zone, regardless of how long she would be gone for..." stated the lovely young woman with shimmering pink hair, "But she said that yesterday ! I'm really stating to get worried about She-Ra, Bo."

"I'm worried as well, Glimmer." responded Bo, "It is very strange for She-Ra to take this long. She definitely should have been back by now! I fear... I fear that she has been captured by the Horde."

"In a sense... she has been captured by the Horde." came an unusual male voice from behind them.

Bo, and Glimmer, leapt from out of their sitting position, and turned to face... Man-At-Arms of Eternia. All three were now just inside the front door of the Brightmoon palace.

"You're... you're one of She-Ra's friends!" shouted Glimeer.

"Yes..." added Bo, "She-Ra told me about you. You're King Randor of Eternia's faithful general, and inventor! What brings you to Etheria?"

"The rescue of She-Ra..." began Duncan, with Cringer and Mekaneck walking behind him, "I must meet Queen Angella immediately!"

Meanwhile, back in Snake Mountain, the true leader of the Horde on Etheria is closely watching Duncan's movements.

"Hhmmm..." mused Hordak, rubbing his chin, and looking into Skeletor's viewing globe, spying upon Man-At-Arms, "I wonder if Skeletor has prepared for this rescue attempt? It appears as though he intends to use all of his now considerable resources in an attack on Randor's palace. If so, that is not very wise of him! I hope that I have trained him better than that!"

"Hey, boss!" came a voice most pleasant to Hordak.

"Hey, Imp..." replied Hordak instinctively, before realizing what the presence of this voice meant, "Imp! How did you get here?"

"Child's play, great Hordak..." responded Imp, changing shape
from an insect into his normal form, "I just slipped under Skeletor's new cape as an insect, followed him back here, and voila ... here I am!"

"Excellent, Imp!" shouted Hordak in joy, "Can you free me from this trap set by that unfaithful pupil of mine?"

"I'll do my best, boss!" shouted Imp, briefly posing and saluting while in midflight.

He then changed his form into that of a woodpecker, and began to peck wildly at Hordak's collar. Several 'boink' sounds where heard in rapid succession, until Imp collapsed unto the ground, his now pointy nose terribly disjointed and twisted from trying to free Hordak. He thought that he saw stars floating around him.

"Ooooo... man!" cried Imp, now lying on the floor of Snake Mountain, and in dizzying pain, "Remind me never to try that again!"

"Sigh..." added Hordak, "Imp may be smart enough to sneak here to Snake Mountain, but he won't be able to break me free from these bonds. Well, I might as well enjoy the show!"

Speaking of which, Man-At-Arms, flanked by Bo, Cringer, Glimmer, and Mekaneck, now appeared before Queen Angella in the throne room of the Brightmoon palace.

"You have travelled far to see me, noble warrior." began Queen Angella, "Please share with me the reason for this journey!"

"Your majesty..." began Duncan, very politely, "We have recently learned that Princess Adora of Eternia is actually She-Ra... and that She-Ra has been captured by Skeletor, and the Horde!"

"Adora is She-Ra?!" gasped a shocked, and questioning, Glimmer.

"And she's been captured by the Horde!" added an exasperated Bo.

"Through my sources..." responded Queen Angella, "I already knew of this."

"You did?!" shouted a now greatly stunned Glimmer, "But mother, why didn't you...?"

"Tell you about it, dear daughter?" replied Angella, instinctively knowing what Glimmer would ask, "I also know that Skeletor of Eternia now rules the Horde here on Etheria, and that he has brought together a great array of powerful minions, both from Eternia and Etheria, at the Fright Zone. I can only speculate as to the specific purpose of this conglomerate of evil, but the fact is that the Fright Zone is now a hornet's nest of trouble... one which I will not have you risking your life making a rescue attempt in, Glimmer!"

"Mother!" shouted a protesting Glimmer, with tears beginning to well up in her eyes, "But She-Ra is our friend!"

"And the leader of the Great Rebellion!" added Bo, "We must rescue her!"

"Now is not the time!" shouted Queen Angella, rising from her throne, "We must wait for the Fright Zone to thin out its forces."

Before Glimmer could protest further, Man-At-Arms relented to the wisdom of Angella's words.

"You're right, your majesty..." said a dejected Man-At-Arms, "I can't expect you to risk your people... and certainly your own daughter... in saving She-Ra. I will leave with out any Etherian aid for this mission. Let's go, Cringer and Mekaneck!"

"Wait!" shouted Queen Angella, as Man-At-Arms began to turn away from her, and leave, though he was now halted by her words, "I sense that Skeletor's forces won't remain at the Fright Zone for long. I do wish to help you, noble Eternian warrior, but we must wait for a prudent time. Wait for Skeletor's forces to leave the Fright Zone... then rescue She-Ra! Furthermore, I sense that there is more that you're not telling us..."

Man-At-Arms truly could not deny the wisdom in Angella's words. As much as he hated leaving the Eternian Princess under Skeletor's sort of 'care' for a signle minute longer than necessary... he feared that waiting until tomorrow would, in fact, be necessary, in order for any rescue attempt to succeed.

"Very well, your highness..." responded Duncan, turning to face Angella once more, "I agree to your conditions, but I will not wait any longer than tomorrow morning to launch a rescue attempt! In the meantime, I will share everything with you that I have learned..."

Man-At-Arms' went on to tell Queen Angella of Skeletor's plan to lead the Horde into battle against King Randor's Eternos, should the King fail to surrender to him with out a shot being fired. In light of the knowledge that Evil-Lyn, Shadow Weaver, and of course, Skeletor himself, would be amongst the villians challenging Randor, he openly lamented the lack of mages to help counter such magical power should Skeletor make good on his threats. Much to Man-At-Arm's pleasant surprise, Queen Angella had an answer to this concern... an answer in the forms of Castaspella, Frosta, Mermista, and Perfuma! All four agreed to represent the Etherian rebels in helping to defend Eternos from any Horde attack. With that, they travelled through the gateway that Man-At-Arms had left open, and back to Eternia.

Returning to the Fright Zone, we now turn to the current condition of She-Ra. She-Ra had struggled valiantly to break free of the bonds that held her, but like He-Man before her, she found them simply too powerful to overcome. Eventually, she was exhausted from the attempts to free herself, and rested upon the table that she was held to, breathing heavily. Her body started to flicker back and forth between Adora, and She-Ra, from energy dissipation. With out saying a single word, and with out having her sword to use, as it was held elsewhere in the Fright Zone, she finally changed back into Adora completely.

"I... I am finally in the body of Adora once more." she said aloud, since nobody was present, and she had no idea of how long she had been kept a prisoner here, "Perhaps... perhaps this is a good sign. Perhaps the power of Greyskull is being exhausted... exhausted to revive my dear brother! I pray that the Sorceress can save him. His courage, goodness, and might, is needed so desperately right now."

With that, Adora eased into a deep sleep, dwelling upon her brother as she did so, thinking of all the wonderful memories that she had shared with him in even the short time that they had spent together, in order to comfort herself in this darkest hour. Skeletor, and all of his forces, went to sleep as well, wanting to be well rested for tomorrow's invasion. Duncan, Cringer, and Mekaneck remained on Etheria for the night, seeking to learn as much about Etheria as they could while they had a chance to, and counting on Teela to handle whatever may arise back on Eternia. They were regalled with wondrous stories of She-Ra's heroics, and their spirits were greatly hightenned by those stories... as was Duncan's resolve to save Randor's young, and beautiful, daughter.

King Randor himself had made a most excruciatingly painful decision. He would not surrender. If his daughter died for the sake of Eternia... then so be it. It was a heartwrenching decision, for both him and Marlena. However, he could not allow family to come before royal obligation to his people... as much as he deeply loved his family. He could only hope, and pray, that his old friend Duncan would succeed in his mission. As did Teela, who went to her own bed, regretting how she had treated Prince Adam all these years. How she dearly wanted to speak to him, to ask for his forgiveness for being so wrong about him all this time, and... hold him in her arms. It is said that sometimes you need to lose something invaluable before you learn to stop taking it for granite, and that was certainly true of Adam's role in Teela's life. In searching her heart, she now knew that she had always loved him... as more than just a younger brother. And she loved He-Man. Only Teela's mother did not rest, or sleep, as she continued to work with out sleep to revive Eternia's greatest champion.

Finally... morning came.

It was the most impressive of processions marching out of the Fright Zone's main gates, lead by the imposing figure of Skeletor riding upon the back of Panthor. Following behind him immediately, in a 'V formation', were Force Captian Catra, Beastman, Evil-Lyn, and Shadow Weaver. Catra continued to talk with flattery towards Skeletor, amusing the dark mage and even earning complimentary reciprocation, but unknowingly enraging Evil-Lyn. Evil-Lyn's contempt for Catra grew ever more transparent, and ironically, all but Catra herself seemed to notice.

Behind this vanguard, and primary strike force, was an awesome assortment of Horde tanks, thousands upon thousands of Horde troopers, batmeks, Horde bombers, and, yes, two specially designed Doom Balloons. Following these weapons of war, were an assortment of Horde lieutenants, and Skeletor henchmen, unlike any seen before.

Finally, this procession came to a stop, just between two rocky cliffs.

"Moduluk!" shouted Skeletor, looking to the side of the cliff, where Moduluk now stood, "Is your teleportation device ready?"

"Yes, great and mighty Skeletor!" answered the ingenious inventor.

"Then use it now, you hesitating dolt!" screeched Skeletor, allowng his act to fade, as he had grown tired of exchanging pleasantries with minions that he truly had no care or concern for, "We don't have all day!"

"A-as you command, Skeletor!" answered Moduluk nervously, genuinely taken aback by Skeletor's insult.

With that, a massive portal openned in front of Skeletor, causing beams of brilliant radiant light to sparkle across the faces, helmets, and/or skulls, of all. With out a word, Skeletor enterred the portal first, with his vast force following behind him. Slowly, bit by bit, and one by one, every being and weapon of war in this mighty procession enterred the portal... causing it to close behind them. Moduluk himself followed at the last moment, his teleportation device tightly secured in his many arms. All of this had been carefully spied by Mekaneck, with his neck stretched to the limit.

"They're gone!" said Mekaneck in a loud wisher to Duncan, Bo, Glimmer, and Cringer, who were all crouched behind the rocky edge of a cliff with him.

"Excellent!" shouted Duncan out loud, no longer worried about who may hear him, "Then we race towards the Fright Zone. We will free She-Ra, and stop Skeletor!"

The rescue mission was on!

Chapter 10 - Operation: Save She-Ra!

Man-At-Arms, Bow, Glimmer, Cringer, and Mekaneck all raced towards the Fright Zone, eager to finally rescue She-Ra. It didn't take them long to reach the Fright Zone, as Skeletor's forces had not travelled far from it before teleporting themselves to Eternia. Once they came to the edge of a cliff that was a mere fifty feet from the Fright Zone's entrance, Man-At-Arms had Mekaneck complete a thorough analysis of the building's exterior defenses. There were a few token Hordesmen left behind, and several exterior viewing cameras as well as laser turrets.

"Do you think that you can pick off those exterior cameras, and defenses, Bow?" asked Man-At-Arms, of his new comrade.

"With pleasure!" responded Bow, taking out his weapon of choice, and letting fly with several arrows.

Each arrow was shot with great precision, and skill, and all of the exterior cameras, and weapons, that threatenned the success of the rescue operation, were destroyed in the resulting explosions of smoke and sparks.

"Now..." stated Man-At-Arms, "With Skeletor seemingly leaving only the most token of defenses behind, we'll make our entrance through the front gates! I have brought with me a few very powerful explosives that should blast them open. While I prepare them, I'll need you and Glimmer to take care of the Horde troopers out front!"

"What about me?" asked Cringer, "Let me take part too!"

Man-At-Arms was stunned by Cringer's question. In truth, he had only brought Cringer along since he felt that he would be of little, if any, use in defending the royal palace against Skeletor's attack, and hence there was little harm in him tagging along for this rescue operation.

"I am... truly impressed by your lack of fear, Cringer." replied Duncan, "You have grown more courageous these past two days, and that is great to see. Very well... take out some Horde troopers with Bow, and Glimmer!"

First, Glimmer used her powers to create some blinding lights all around the Hordesmen guarding the front gates of the Fright Zone. They were instantly blinded, and disoriented, and began to flail around trying to recover their equilibrium. This enabled Bow to try out a new arrow that he had just been dying to try. The arrow was connected to a long, white rope, but it also had boomerangs carefully taped unto it. These boomerings caused the arrow to turn around, and head back towards the initial point of the arrow shot, and then double back again towards the initial target. Needless to say, it served the purpose of tying up several Horde Troopers! Cringer managed the most fearsome growl that he could, and leapt at the lone remaining Hordseman.

"Get back, you mangey cat!" he shouted, trying to swat Cringer away with his Horde ray gun, "Back... back !"

"No!" shouted Cringer, catching the ray gun in his teeth, and spitting it away in the distance, "Not after what you Horde people did to He-Man!"

In the most ironic of scenes, the Hordesman began to race away from the chasing Cringer! Mekaneck began to laugh gleefully at the scene, while Man-At-Arms set up the explosive charges in front of the Fright Zone's front gateway.

"Now..." he shouted to his allies in this mission, racing away from the explosive charges, with it timed to explode in ten seconds, "Get back from them, and hide behind the nearest rock formations!"

The explosive charges went off, leaving much debris and smoke in their wake. However, they had done their intended job, as the gateway to the interior of the Fright Zone were now blasted away!

"Mekaneck!" shouted Duncan, "I want you to take the lead position, so as to allow us to more effectively sneak about the corners, and edges, of corridors inside the Fright Zone. Bow, I need you to be prepared to let fly with arrows at a moment's notice... keep your weapon primed and ready! Also, use your arrows to take out any cameras, or laser turrets, that you may see! Glimmer, if you notice any Hordesmen, or unknown target, nearing our way, before either of the rest of us do, do not hesitate to subdue it with your ability to hold them in place with your magical energies! Once Cringer catches up to us, I'll give him a specific role as well. All of you keep your attacks as silent as possible, to avoid drawing the attention of more enemies than we can handle at once. Are you all clear on the plan?"

"Yes!" shouted an enthusiastic Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck in unison, "Let's go!"

Bow and Glimmer were both in awe of Duncan's abilities as a Commander, and as a soldier. How they wished he was an Etherian, and could help lead them like this every day! However, most of all, they wished to rescue their true leader... She-Ra!

Duncan's special ops team of sorts began to carefully skirt around the corners, and edges, of several Fright Zone corridors. With impressive silence, and the guidance of Mekaneck contorting and stretching his head and neck into the most awkard of positions to see all with out him himself being seen and then relay that information to his friends, each member of this force had managed to disable and destroy numerous Horde troopers.

Duncan, for his part, was impressed with the discipline, and enthusiasm, of his new allies Bow, and Glimmer. They did not stray from his plan whatsoever, and executed it with impressive zeal. They would make the finest of royal guardsmen back on Eternia, and they certainly did Etheria proud, he thought to himself. However, Cringer had brought some unwanted attention to them.

"Hey!" he shouted out loud, now betraying some of his natural fear, after finally managing to come close to Man-At-Arms, Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck, "Wait up for me!"

"Cringer!" stated Duncan in a loud whisper, turning to face the cat, "Be quiet... you might draw attention to yourself!"

Unfortunetly, he already had done so, and as such was soon the target of several Horde trooper ray guns! With the hairs on his back starting to stand on end, and goosebumps all over his head, Cringer leapt high upwards latching unto the ceiling above, with a spinetingling scream, trying to avoid the blasts.

"I'll take care of these Hordesmen!" shouted Duncan to Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck, "Since Cringer has given us away, there's no point in slowing our progress down to maintain the element of surprise any longer. Race through the unseen corridors of the Fright Zone, and find She-Ra!"

"Yes, sir!" shouted Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck, as all three raced off down the nearest corridor.

Man-At-Arms for his part began blasting at the Horde troopers with his wrist lasers, effectively destroying three on the spot. He then motioned over towards Cringer, and looked up at Cringer.

"Cringer!" he shouted, "You can come down from there now! I've cleared out all the Horde troopers!"

"O-O-Ok!" responded the clearly petrified cat, before letting loose of the cords that his feet and legs were now entangled in.

He came crashing down from above, landing right on top of Duncan!

"S-s-sorry, Duncan!" cried the playful cat, now on top of Man-At-Arms, who in turn was flat on his stomache!

"Cringer!!! " shouted an angry Duncan, "Sigh. Oh well, hopefully Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck are having more luck."

Adora lay weak on top of the silver bed in her cell. She was very hungry, and thirsty, as Skeletor and his Horde had neglected to offer her any food, or water, and she herself was too proud to ask for such from such truly despicable fiends. She would not give them the slightest satisfaction of having her plead for food, water, or any help from the likes of them. Nonetheless, the pain of hunger and thirst was becoming unbearable, and she desperately wanted to be saved. Thankfully, that saving finally came, as the door to her cell was kocked back by an oversized arrow!

"Bow!" she cried, as he enterred her jail cell, with Glimmer and Mekaneck accompanying him, "And Glimmer, and...?"

"The name's Mekaneck, young Princess of Eternia." he stated with a smile, "It's very nice to make your lovely acquaintance."

Adora smiled broadly at Mekaneck's kind words. It was so nice to hear such chivalrous and gallant words again, after having to endure the twisted lies and insults of Skeletor and his forces.

"I see that you've changed back into Adora." said Bow, ending any pretense of keeping secrets that Adora may have, "Is this Skeletor's doing?"

"No, Bow..." replied Adora, "The power... the power of Greyskull just drained out of me!"

"Let me turn off those energized shackles." stated Mekaneck, manuvering towards a control pad in the jail cell.

And with a push of a button, Adora was truly free once more!

"Thank you so much!" she cried, hugging Glimmer tightly.

"It's great to have you back, Adora... She-Ra..." stated Glimmer softly, not knowing which name to use.

"Now let us get out of here!" shouted Bow.

"Yes!" cried Adora in turn, "I can't wait to get out of this dreary place!"

Adora, Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck all exited her cell, and looked side to side as though they were about to cross a road to see if the coast was clear. Thankfully, they saw no Horde troopers. With that, they raced down the corridor, eager for a most pleasant change of scenary! However, Mekaneck was struck down from behind by a laser blast.

Adora, Bow, and Glimmer all turned around to see what had blasted their new friend. What they saw did not please them at all.

"You're not going anywhere!" shouted Grizzlor, "Skeletor left me in charge of defending the Fright Zone, and that's what I'm going to do!"

On one side of Grizzlor was Tri-Klops, who had been the one to strike down Mekaneck. On the other side was Leech. Skeletor had been wise enough to leave some powerful minions behind, to hold She-Ra. Could Adora, Bow, and Glimmer, overcome these enemies? Had Grizzlor set the perfect trap to ensnare them all in?

As Skeletor's forces slowly moved towards the Eternos' capitol, these questions plagued Adora's mind.

'Mother... father...' she thought to herself, 'I will not fail! I will save your kingdom yet!'

And with that, the battle was on.

Chapter 11 - Horde Prime's Not on Vacation

As Hordak had hoped, the recent events concerning the Horde on Etheria had not escaped Horde Prime's attention. Furthermore, the supreme leader of the Horde was not easy to decieve, or trick. He knew full well about Hordak's current predicament, and Skeletor's trechery. On board the newly reconstructed Velvet Glove, an operation that had required a massive amount of resources and had left almost an entire world stripped of its natural resources, Horde Prime was discussing the recent turn of events with Inspector Darkney.

"So..." began the ominous, and demonically powerful voice of Horde Prime, "What do you think of the current situation of the Horde on Etheria, Inspector? Should we allow Skeletor to continue with his no doubt self-serving plans, or take action to reinstall Hordak as leader of the Horde?"

"Skeletor is obviously not loyal to the Horde, great and mighty Prime." began Darkney in answer, with his arms folded behind his back, and observing video feed of notable events on Eternia and Etheria from the previous forty eight hours, "Nonetheless, Eternia is one of a precious few planets to actually stave off the Horde. It would do well of us to conquer it, to prevent Eternia from becoming a glowing example and inspiration to other worlds on how to overcome the Horde!"

"Particularly given their connection to Etheria!" echoed Horde Prime, "I grow increasingly impatient over the failure of my forces to completely annihilate the pathetic rebellion on that planet!"

"Yes, my dear and perfect Prime..." responded Darkney, hoping to gain yet another promotion from Horde Prime with his sugary words, "And Hordak is largely responsible for that failure! While he is more loyal than Skeletor, and he is to be credited for He-Man's death, his victories have been too few and far between. Let us give Skeletor a chance as Horde General, and should he succeed in enslaving Eternia, he could perhaps become one of our greatest generals ever!"

"Agreed." stated Horde Prime, having made his decision, "However, Skeletor is a dangerous wild card. Unlike Hordak, he is fiercely individualistic, and is loyal to none but himself. If he dares to approach Castle Greyskull with out direct instruction from me to do so, I want him taken out! Such power can not be allowed to fall into his hands. Please monitor his actions closely, Darkney."

"As you command, magnificent Horde Prime." replied the Inspector with a curtly bow, and then making his leave.

Back in the Fright Zone, the time for such discussion had passed, and the fight for freeom continued unabated! Armed
with a laserbow, Grizzlor fired off a powerful blast at Bow. The athletic archer counterred it with an arrow that had dynamite connected to it. Once the bow met the blast, it resulted in a brilliant explosion of fireworks. With this opening attack
by Grizzlor, the alarms of the Fright Zone began to screech loudly.

"Heh..." grinned Grizzlor, "You fell right into my trap. Even if you three manage to defeat Leech, Tri-Klops, and I, it will be too late... for hundreds upon hundreds of Horde troopers are racing towards our location right now!"

With that, Leech leapt at Mekaneck, attempting to clasp his circular hands of sorts about Mekaneck's head, and then drain away all of the Eternian's energy! However, Mekaneck merely extended his neck to avoid the attack, resulting in Leech actually grabbing his neck instead. With that, Mekaneck began to twirl his neck around in a circle wildly, sending Leech flying right into Grizzlor, and the both of them crashing unto the floor a considerable distance away!

"Well played, Mekaneck!" shouted Bow, "We need to take care of these monstrous minions quickly, so as to get out of here before those hundreds of Horde troopers arrive! Let me take care of Tri-Klops!"

With that, Bow shot an arrow at Tri-Klops, only to have it defelcted by Tri-Klops swatting it away with a most unusual sword... a sword with a shimmering gem in the middle of it.

"My sword!" shouted Adora, "I need that sword!"

"I'll get it for you!" shouted Glimmer, using her magical powers to grab the sword out of Tri-Klops hands with glowing, solidified pink energy, and then having it hand that to Adora.

"Give me that back!" shouted Tri-Klops, racing towards the Etherian heroes, and effectively tackling Bow to the ground.

Grizzlor, and Leech, were now back up... Grizzlor had managed to ensnare Mekaneck within an overwhelming bearhug, while Leech placed his hands around Glimmer's head, causing her to scream for help! Thankfully, help was about to come...

"For the honour of Greyskull!" shouted Adora, holding her sword aloft, "I am She-Ra!"

Simply gorgeous sparkles came raining out of her sword, slowly transforming Adora back into She-Ra. Her hunger, and thirst, were magically removed by the transformation, and she felt completely invigorated!

She-Ra then leapt into action, picking Tri-Klops off of Bow, and hurling him at Grizzlor's back, causing the beast to drop Mekaneck, who quickly raced behind She-Ra. She then grabbed each of Leech's arms with one of her hands, and pulled his hands away from Glimmer's head. She then threw him at Grizzlor, and Tri-Klops, piling the villians on top of one another.

"Thank you, She-Ra!" shouted Mekaneck.

"No problem, my friend." she said with a smile, "Now let's get out of here before the Horde troopers arrive!"

"That sounds like a great plan to me!" shouted Bow in response.

With that, She-Ra, Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck all raced off to free themselves from the Fright Zone. She-Ra was also eager to get back to Eternia... to stop Skeletor! Speaking of which...

The Eternos palace was effectively surrounded. Thousands upon thousand of Horde troopers, Horde tanks by the dozens, batmeks by the hundreds, two Doom Ballons, and sneering and jeering minions of Hordak and Skeletor, had the picturesque city surrounded. Riding Panthor, Skeletor had his pet cat leap on top of the largest of the Horde tanks, redesigned to have a large skull on it instead of Hordak's face! Holding his havoc staff above his head, Skeletor reinterated his ultimatum.

"Randor!" he shouted, using magic to make his voice ten times as loud as normal, "Your time is up! Do you surrender unconditionally to the Horde, and to me... or not?!"

King Randor, Queen Marlena, Buzz-Off, Teela, and Stratos, overlooked the scene from a balcony.

"My people are prepared to fight to the last to defend your beautiful city, and Eternia at large!" shouted Buzz-Off to King Randor.

"As am mine!" added Stratos, "Please believe in us, your majesty! The enemy is powerful indeed, but the spirit of liberty that flows in the heart of every Eternian is more powerful still! Together, we will stop this intergalactic force led by a local trouble-maker! Do not surrender to Skeletor!"

King Randor looked sternly, and thoughtfully, out towards the great numbers of enemies before him, and his old enemy Skeletor, empowerred as never before! Queen Marlena held her husband's hand tightly, wanting to be there for him as much as she could during this most troubling hour. She had recently told him of how the people of her planet once sacrified mightily to defeat bloodthirsty tyrants like Hitler, and Stalin... her world's versions of Hordak, and Skeletor! He had been moved beyond measure by these stories, and knew that he could not succumb to the evil forces of tyranny that now threatenned his world. With the loudspeakers of the palace turned on, and a microphone next to his mouth, he made his response!

"Hear me, all of great Eternia!" he began, "Today we once more see the Horde in all of its might, and power! We see the evil Skeletor lifted up high by their sheer numbers, and weapons of war. Freedom... freedom, as I've learned from my daughter, and my wife, and my son... freedom comes at a price. It is a most invaluable treasure, one that you should never allow a malevolent thief to take from you! Peace... peace is what we all desire, and rightly so. But peace under the boots of an evil dictator is not a peace worth having. Today, your pulse may race, and you may sense that your hearts will fail you! Today, you may feel like all hope is lost. Hope is never lost, my friends! In the darkest of hours, the light of goodness and truth can illuminate every corner... and our cause is good, and true, and just! Fight! Fight with all of your energies! Fight as you have never fought before! We defeated the Horde two decades ago, and we will defeat them again! For Eternia... for the kingdom... for liberty... defeat Skeletor and his Horde!"

Teela was left in awe of King Randor's words. Buzz-Off and Stratos quickly flew off to lead their own armies into battle. Queen Marlena was very proud of her husband. The people of Eternos shouted with cheers to support their just, and noble, King. The royal guard already rushed forward, to engage the Hordesmen that were their enemies!

"So, Randor, that is your answer?" replied Skeletor, now using his normal voice once more, as he was talking to himself, "Very well, old fool. Your people will be slaughterred, and your capitol will be razed to the ground! Then, I will take great pleasure in forcing you to watch the execution of your own daughter. None can resist Skeletor! Eternia will be mine!"

And with that, war was met.

Chapter 12 - The Tightening Grip

The Eternos captiol was under seige within mere seconds of King Randor's reply. The smaller Horde tanks began to blast away at the walls, and towers, of that capitol. Dozens of Horde troopers holding unto a large battering ram began to pound away at the closed, and locked, gates of the city. Buzz-Off's forces, as well as Stratos' forces, quickly engaged the batmeks, and bombers of the Horde air division. Teela, for her part, quickly flew off on a Talon Fighter, leading one of Eternos' air divisions into darting and dashing incursions against Skeletor's Horde troopers, hoping to thin their ranks and push them back. Skeletor responded by having his two Doom Balloons, and more unusual Horde airborne weapons of war, strike against Teela, and her forces. Many royal Talon Fighters were struck out of the sky, swirling as a mess of melting metal and flame into the hard ground below. King Randor's reply to this was to release a second wave of Eternos air units, in the form of dozens of manned Wind Raiders.

Both King Randor, and Skeletor, deliberately held back most of their more capable, and powered, soldiers, with each side hoping that it would dominate the early stages of battle, and hence force the other side to risk removing these key actors in the theater of war from their secure defensive entrenchments. Indeed, Skeletor even had Evil-Lyn, and Shadow Weaver, set up a virtually impenetrable mystical shild around virtually all of his powered minions, keeping almost all of them well back from the front lines of battle. However, he kept Force Captian Catra close at his side, as he wanted her to lead the ground assault, and urban warfare, against the Eternos capitol once its gates would inevitably fall. He also had Colonel Blast, and Trapjaw, nearby for their tactical expertise, and ability to defend him from getting struck during this outright warfare. Of the more powerful villians in attendance today, all but these three, and Skeletor himself, were kept inside Evil-Lyn and Shadow Weaver's shield.

With cries, shouts, and explosions, all about him, Skeletor talked to both Colonel Blast, and Catra.

"The city gates... the city gates should have fallen by now!" he shouted in frustration.

"Meow!" screeched the equally annoyed Catra in response, "They would have, mighty Skeletor, if our ground units weren't getting blasted at from above by that inferrrnal Teela, and the Eternian airborne units!"

And, indeed, many of Teela's exceedingly skillful assaults had effectively dispatched Horde troopers who were swinging the giant Horde battering ram, hence slowing down the Horde's progress in knocking aside the gates. Furthermore, Moss Man had summonned forth very thick foilage and vines directly behind the gates, to make the gates that much harder to breech.

"Catra is right, Skeletor." added Colonel Blast, "Your Doom Balloons, while exceedingly powerful, are not the most accurate of your weapons. They have already brought casualities to your enemies, but have made but a dent into their overall air offensive capabilities. As much as I am loathe to admit it, we are currently losing the fight for air supremacy!"

"Sigh..." responded Skeletor, beginning to realize that this would be more difficult than he had thought, and actually almost wishing that Hordak was handling this messy part of his plan, "Yes, yes, very well. I had hoped to not have to resort to Beastman's role in my grand strategic plan this early, but it looks like I have little choice!"

With that, Skeletor spoke to Beastman through use of a giant axe-shaped communications device that worked on a magical frequency, hence impenetrable to any conventional jamming methods.

"Beastman!" he shouted into the device, seeing arguably his most loyal minion through the viewing globe portion of the device, "Have you assembled your attack force yet?"

"Yes, great Skeletor!" responded Beastman, quite far away from the scene of battle at the moment.

"Then hurry them over here, you scared scruffy slowpoke!" shouted Skeletor, "I need their help right now!"

"On the way, master!" replied Beastman, ignoring the insult.

"I really wish that he was more pro-active like you are, Catra..." stated Skeletor to the Horde Force Captian.

"Thank you verrry kindly, Skeletorrr..." purred Catra, who had grown very close indeed to Skeletor in the past few days.

Meanwhile, with Skeletor distraught, King Randor, Queen Marlena, and Firsto were overjoyed as they overlooked the scenes of battle from their relatively secure balcony location.

"The gates are holding longer than I would have thought they could, your higness." said Fisto, who the King was counting on for tactical advice given Duncan's absence.

"Teela is doing the kingdom proud." stated Queen Marlena, interjecting, "She is doing a simply splendid job of defending the castle. I could do no better myself!"

"That's to be expected, my dear." replied King Randor, growing more at ease and confidant due to positive early results in the battle, "As it was you that trained her in flying manuevers as much as anybody did, including Duncan! Moss Man is also to be credited with strengthing the gates defensive acumen with his plant growth!"

"Yes." added Fisto, "And our laser archers, and turret defenses, are doing reasonably well in shooting matchs with enemy Hordesmen! They have lost far more men then we have, my liege!"

"Perhaps Skeletor has underestimated us." responded King Randor out loud with a reassured smile, "At this rate, by the time his forces get inside the royal gates, they will be too small in number to..."

Suddenly a large rock crashed against the side of the balcony, forcing King Randor, Queen Marlena, and Fisto, to retreat to the interior of the royal castle.

"What was that?!" shouted King Randor.

"A surprise from Skeletor, I fear." replied Fisto.

Indeed, it was, as Beastman had arrived with a great flock of fearsome flying creatures to assail Teela's airforce with, as well as Buzz-Off and Stratos' forces! The winged beasts latched unto several wind raiders from behind, ripping apart their very engines and metallic wings, and sending them crashing wildly into the ground below! Teela herself was pursued hotly by Beastman

"Heh heh heh!" grunted the blue and orange thug in mocking laugh, "You're mine this time, Teela!"

"Think twice, furbrain!" shouted Teela, using the special manuever that Queen Marlena herself had taught her to quickly turns the tables, and have herself behind Beastman, shooting him and his favoured featherred friend out of the sky!

"Curse yoooouuuu!!!" cried Beastman, pumping his fist into the air, as he began to descend downwards upon the back of the wounded wing of the creature.

"Blasted!" shouted Skeletor, having noticed this altercation between Beastman and Teela from viewing it from below, "Can't that hopeless oaf do anything right?!"

"Calm yourself, dear Skeletor." said Catra to him, wrapping one arm around his shoulder, and whispering against were most people have an ear, "Beastman may be fallen, but his attack force isn't. Look at how well they are doing!"

"Yes..." responded Skeletor slowly, taking in the scene of carnage above him, "Yes, Catra, you're right! You're so very observant, my dear. You will make the finest of Horde Force Captians!"

This compliment was particularly pleasing to Catra, as she had so passionately wanted to be considerred superior to that do-gooder Adora. On the basis of this compliment alone, if nothing else, Skeletor had earned Catra's undying loyalty... and perhaps much more besides! Evil-Lyn could only stew as she spied the image of Catra cozying up to Skeletor from afar. It was, after all, up to her and Shadow Weaver to protect Skeletor's final attack force... but how she wished she could strike down Catra where she stood!

However, her attention was soon stealed away by the sight of the royal gates finally succumbing to the large Horde battering ram!

"Yes!" shouted Trapjaw, waiting for just this moment, "Let's go, Colonel Blast! Let's take the royal palace!"

"Right with you, Trapjaw!" shouted Colonel Blast, eager for battle himself, "Don't forget to use that new attachment I suggested for you!"

"Oh, it's ready..." replied Trapjaw with a sneer, attaching it to his arm, as him and Colonel Blast raced towards the now busted open royal gates, "And it's targetting systems have a few royal guards' names on it... heh heh heh!"

'This is it!' thought Skeletor to himself, almost oblivious to Catra's caresses of him, 'Randor's kingdom will soon be mine! None can stop me now!'

However, Skeletor might not be thinking that if he knew what was going on back at the Fright Zone. She-Ra, Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck, had all managed to fight their way through half of the Fright Zone, and freedom seemed to be but a short sprint away!

Unfortunetly for them, though, they came into a paricularly large opening where six different Fright Zone corridors met, with a large transparent dome ceiling above. As Grizzlor had predicted, hundreds of Horde troopers would be upon them... and now they were! Each of the six corridors quickly filled up with wall to wall amounts of Horde troopers, all pointing their freeze rays and stunners at the four racing heroes!

"She-Ra!" screamed Glimmer, "Where did they all come from all of a sudden?"

"I don't know, good friend." responded She-Ra, "But I know that we're in a very tight squeeze here!"

"Yes!" echoed Bow, "How will we ever get out of it?"

While She-Ra and her friends were squeezed tightly into place by a mass number of Horde troopers, Skeletor's hand began to squeeze around the capitol city of Eternos! For once in his life, Skeletor truly had his enemies right where he wanted them.

Chapter 13 - Enter the Sea Hawk!

She-Ra, Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck all began to move closer and closer together, forming a shoulder to shoulder square defensive formation between the four of them. She-Ra held her sword firmly, and was ready to have to make a great number of deflections. Bow pointed his weapon downwards, but the arrow and string of his bow was pulled back, primed for release. Glimmer's hands were glowing from energy buildup, and she was prepared to use as much offensive magic as she could muster up. Mekaneck was prepared to use his neck as though it was a large, and strangling, snake. Nonetheless, all four realized that there odds were slim, and that they simply could not realistically hope to overcome them. They needed help from above. Thankfully for them, it came.

A volley of explosions rocked the transparent dome ceiling above, blasting it apart, and creating an opening to the skies above. She-Ra and her friends, as well as all of the Horde troopers, all looked up. She-Ra smiled broadly at what she saw. It was a flying ship! Man-At-Arms and Cringer looked over the ship's exterior railing, as did numerous pirates... all loyal to the rebellion! However, the most pleasant sight of all was the man that Adora had grown to love romantically... that man was Sea Hawk!

"I'm getting you out of there, Adora!" shouted Sea Hawk, "Swen, have yourself and the men help Duncan clear the way for Adora, and her friends!"

"Right away, Sea Hawk!" shouted Swen, "Well, you heard the Captian, men! Let fire with the cannons!"

Several cheerful grunts were heard in reply, as the men armed the cannons, and shot off powerful weaponry at the Horde troopers below. Man-At-Arms used his wrist lasers to also keep all the Horde troopers at bay.

"What luck!" shouted Bow, greatly enthused by this last minute rescue.

"Not luck, Bow." said She-Ra almost dreamily, flushed with love for Sea Hawk at that moment, "But the help of a dear, and wonderful friend. Sword to rope ladder!"

She-Ra's sword immediately transformed into a rope ladder of the perfect length to reach the rope above. She then flung it upwards, with Sea Hawk instinctively grabbing hold of it from his end to hold it in place, and steady.

"Now, Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck..." began She-Ra, "Each of you go ahead of me, as I can provide cover for you as you go up the rope ladder!"

Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck, immediately began walking up the rope ladder, while She-Ra worked about deflecting any and all shots blasted at her friends from the Horde troopers.

"Thank you, good friend!" shouted Bow to Sea Heak, as Seahawk wrestled Bow up unto the ship, "It is great to meet you, as I've heard only the best about you!"

"And I have heard the same about you, Bow!" responded Sea Hawk, "But now is not the time for chatter. I must save Adora!"

With all of She-Ra's friends now safely aboard the ship, Sea Hawk shouted out to She-Ra.

"Now, Adora... get up here!" he shouted, "You need to get out of that warzone!"

"I...I'm pinned down, Sea Hawk!" she answered honestly, "The Horde troopers' fire is taking all that I have to deflect!"

"For the sake of the great seas, Duncan... cover the lass!" shouted Sea Hawk, turning to face the Eternian general in desperation!

"You don't have to tell me twice, Sea Hawk!" shouted Man-At-Arms in reply, redoubling his efforts, "I will give Princess Adora the time she needs to get aboard if it's the last thing I do!"

Duncan was true to his word, and coverred She-Ra just well enough to give her the time to make a most impressive leap upwards, twirling about in the air with awesome finesse! With her landing on the deck of his ship, Sea Hawk rushed over to passionately embrace her.

"Thank goodness you're safe!" he shouted, as it took all of his composure to stop himself from crying, "Swen, get us out of here now!"

"Ahoy, Captian!" shouted Swen, beginning to steer the ship out of the Fright Zone, and out of range of the Horde troopers' fire.

Sea Hawk's ship had sustained some significant damage to it's hull, but otherwise escaped unscathed. It was all that the Horde troopers could do to pump their fists in frustration.

"This isn't good..." one said, his metallic eyes blinking red, "Skeletor is going to punish us for this!"

However, much happier thoughts dominated Sea Hawk, and his new crew.

"Ha ha!" he shouted, swinging She-Ra about in joy, with his ship moving quickly away from the Fright Zone, and into clear blue skies, "It's great to see you again, Adora! When I heard about your capture at the hands of the filthy Horde, I wanted to come immediately to rescue you! However, I first needed to equip the ship for flight!"

"You can thank me for that, young one!" came a familiar voice from an adorable, short, and stout, lady.

"Madame Razz!" shouted Glimmer with joy, "I was wondering where you were!"

"Don't worry about me, dearie!" responded the aged and wise magician of Whispering Woods, "Once I heard from Queen Angella that She-Ra and Adora were one and the same, and hence both had been captured by Skeletor, I quickly cooked up a plan to rescue her, and sought out just the man who I knew could do the job!"

"Good ol' Madame Razz..." said Brom, relaxing comfortably against the edge of the ship, "You can always count on her to come up with something!"

"Thank you, Madame Razz... and you as well, Sea Hawk." replied She-Ra, with a wide grin and great charm, "You're such good friends! I guess that Skeletor was right... I guess that everyone now knows my secret identity."

"Don't worry about it, She-Ra." said Duncan, moving towards her with closed fists on his hips, "This war has escalated beyond anything imaginable. I doubt that it will end with out one side completely annihilating the other! If we are successful, the days when such a secret identity would be of use to you will be over!"

"How did you, and Cringer, meet up with Sea Hawk, Duncan?" asked Mekaneck.

"Well, when Cringer slowed me down..." said Duncan, making a slight look of disgust at the cat who was now sleeping curled up in a corner on the ship, "I decided to send Bow, Glimmer, and Mekaneck on alone to rescue She-Ra. I then chose to clear a path back to the entranceway to the Fright Zone for them to take should they free She-Ra. Once I exited the Fright Zone, it was hard to miss the flying ship slowly moving towards the Fright Zone above me! I called out to the ship above, Sea Hawk heard me, and everything else is history!"

"It seems that I'm in your gratitude yet again, Sea Hawk." said She-Ra playfully, turning her face to face the man who currently held her in his loose embrace, "Whatever can I do to repay you?"

"Oh, I think that you know." he responded with a blush, and a grin.

With that, the two shared a deep, and overwhelming, kiss, as they tightly embraced one another. Adora's persona was firmly in charge at the moment, as her love for Sea Hawk had been fanned to a burning flame of desire by his timely rescue of her. Sea Hawk, himself, took great pleasure in the spoils of this treasure caught. Duncan raised one eyebrow in protest over this show on the part of the Eternian princess, and her pirate love, while Bow was also none too pleased.

"Ahem..." came the masterful marksman, as he stared at the two as they ended their embrace, "Aren't you going to give your competition a sporting chance, Sea Hawk?"

"Ha ha!" chuckled Sea Hawk, as She-Ra now stood side by side with him, and both smiling widely, "I am up to any courtship competition, my good man! You better be as good with your charm and dancing feet as you are with your marksmanship, Bow!"

"Believe me, Sea Hawk... I am!" grinned Bow in reply, while even She-Ra became flushed with embarassment over so much romantic attention being sent her way.

"Yes, well..." said Duncan, interjection himself, wanting to get on to more pressing matters, "Let us not forget that by now a war is raging back on Eternia! We need to get back to the Brightmoon palace immediately, so we can all head off to Eternia through the portal I have set up to stop Skeletor!"

"Yes." said She-Ra, becoming deathly serious once more, "That slimey sorceror must be stopped! I will stand by my parents, and stop his madness."

"As will my crew, and I!" shouted Sea Hawk, "Right, Swen?"

"Right, Captian!" shouted the pudgy, but very kind hearted, short priate, "We're all with you She-Ra!"

All of Sea Hawk's pirates let loose with a great cheer, showing their support for She-Ra, and the Eternian cause against the Horde.

"Yes..." replied She-Ra, now standing alone with fists on her hips, and with a slight open smile, "Yes, you are. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all. Now... off to stop Skeletor!"

However, Skeletor was not currently being stopped... as he was laughing with glee! Catra, transformed into her cat form, was rampaging through out the Eternos city, frightening the more zealous of Eternos' civilians with her sheer ferocity, quickness, and stealth. Trapjaw was using his new arm attachment, based off of the Horde freeze ray, and it had successfully paralyzed dozens of Eternian guardsmen! Colonel Blast stormed through the city, overwhelming numerous troops with his powerful blasting weapons. The ground offensive was going quite well for Skeletor, and his horrific Horde.

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!" he shouted, flailing his amrs in the air with joy, as his havoc staff had been laid at his feet, "It is now only a matter a time before Randor is forced to call upon his more powerful servants! Once he does, he will leave them open to a crushing counterattack by my powerred minions! Your reign ends today, Randor! All hail Skeletor!"

And indeed, the fate of Eternia hanged in the balance.

Chapter 14 - War of the Heart

The Eternos royal guard fought bravely, and with all of their strength, inspired by their King Randor and their Captian Teela. They had done well before the falling of the city gates. Now, however, they were not merely outnumberred by Horde troopers, but also facing the combined ferocity of Catra, Colonel Blast, and Trapjaw. King Randors's more loyal, and zealous, patriotic citizens who were not trained soldiers, also joined the battle to even the odds, and for a brief moment it appeared that they may manage to hold back the Horde's push inwards. In her fearsome feline form, though, Catra was simply too much for these men and women who lacked sufficient armour to stand up to her pouncing attacks, and sharp claws and teeth.

Fisto had effectively overseen all of this action from a central control room. Many cameras had been set up through out the Eternos capitol, all leading back to this control room, to enable the Eternian tactical leaders to better plan each, and every aspect, of the battle, once it reached inside of the Eternos capitol. Sitting on a chair, and staring at a large screen with several smaller screens within it, each showing a different slice of the broader battle, Fisto made a grim conclussion to the King, and Queen.

"They're starting to dominate the battle..." he said, with a touch of sadness, "Catra, Colonel Blast, and Trapjaw, are simply too much. If we do not call upon our powerred allies now, who I myself will lead in battle, we're doomed, my liege."

"Yes, Fisto..." replied King Randor, his face glowing from the reflection of the images on the screen in front of him, "You are unfortunetly correct. Beastman's flying beasts have changed the initial course of this battle. We will need to recapture the momentum, and steer it to victory!"

"I will do my very best, my King!" shouted Fisto, standing out of the chair, to address King Randor face to face.

"I know that you will, good soldier." responded King Randor.

With that, Fisto raced from the control room, to gather up the more powerful Eternian warriors, as well as the powerful mages sent from Etheria by Queen Angella.

"Come, my Queen..." said King Randor to Queen Marlena, placing his hand on the small of her back, "We need to head to the throne room. There's no more that we can do in this fight unless it reaches right into the center of the royal palace!"

"Will it truly get that dire, Randor?" asked an increasingly nervous Queen Marlena of her husband, placing her hand gently on his shoulder.

"I... I hope not, Marlena..." he responded softly, "But at this point, we can only hope, and pray... and also trust in Fisto!"

The various alleyways, streets, and shops, of the Eternos' capitol were now litterred with Horde troopers, the smaller Horde tanks, and also Catra, Colonel Blast, and Trapjaw. A few incredibly courageous young boys had picked up some rocks, and began pelting Trapjaw with them, to defend their city.

"Ha ha ha!" laughed the cool and calculating cyborg, "You kids think you can stop me with your little pebbles? Try my freeze ray on for size!"

With that, Trapjaw shot each of the young boys with his new Horde freeze ray arm attachment, effectively causing them to collapse to the ground paralyzed. After this successful counterattack, he laughed gleefully, enjoying this battle and war greatly.

"You monster!" came a most elegant voice from out of the shadows, "How dare you treat mere children like that?! Let's see how you like a taste of your own freezing medicine!"

The voice came from Frosta, and she sent a powerful ice blast directly at Trapjaw, freezing him in place within a human sized ice cub, just as he was about to try to shoot her with his freeze ray.

"You're not getting away with doing that to Trapjaw!" sneered Colonel Blast, seeking to defend his new favourite friend, "My hot lead is stronger than your ice blasts, witch!"

Colonel Blast let loose with a sream of explosive charges, making his attack equivalent to an automatic machine gun fused with a grenade launcher! Fisto leaped directly in front of Frosta, and had his giant fist act as a shield through absorbing the blast.

"Thank you, Fisto." said Frosta with a slightly seductive smile, and placing her fine feminine hands on his shoulders, "You saved me!"

"I'm afraid that there's no time for pleasantries, my dear." said Fisto, "I have Colonel Blast to take care of!"

With that, Fisto sprinted towards the Colonel, who deftly dodged Fisto's descending gigantic fist.

"Ha ha, you lumox!" he shouted, "Now, I'll... Oooffff!!!"

Colonel Blast had been punched strongly into his abdomen by Fisto's other hand.

"Didn't see that coming, huh, Blast?" said Fisto, "Now you'll taste my full power!"

With that, Colonel Blast was struck by Fisto's mighty hand, and effectively KO'ed.

"Now..." said Frosta, "Let's get that Catra!"

However, these significant victories marked the beginning of the final phase of Skeletor's offensive.

"Soooo..." began the new Dark Lord of the Horde, "King Randor is finally letting loose with his more powerful servants, eh? Very well, old fool... now you will know true terror! Evil-Lyn! Shadow Weaver! Bring down your shields! Everyone, begin the final phase of our assault!"

With that, Evil-Lyn and Shadow Weaver's mystical shield was
lowerred, and a vast assortment of Horde lieutenants, and Skeletor minions, raced into the Eternos capitol, through the now fallen gates. Evil-Lyn herself disappeared with a red flash of light to teleport inside the city, while Shadow Weaver made several gestures with her hands to create fiery smoke in her wake, and also teleport into the capitol.

"I'll follow on foot." said Skeletor to himself, "Let my minions wear themselves out in battle, and gradually overwhelm the enemy. I'll remain fresh in case King Randor has any last-ditch surprises awaiting me!"

Several unique struggles were now met within the red city. Fisto, and Frosta, had been unable to find Catra in their search for the smooth and sharp striker, and hence had taken to doing much damage to the smaller Horde tanks that were now blasting apart entire buildings inside the gates of the capitol. However, they were soon met by Jitsu and Spikor! Jitsu's thrashing metallic hand crashed violently against Fisto's gigantic fist, resulting in a large clanging sound. The two warriors than wrestled against one another. Spikor assaulted Frosta with a barrage of spikes, which she defended against by forming a circle of frozen sparkles all around her, which caused each spike to becoming completely coverred in snowy frost as it neared her, and fall to the ground.

The three snakemen of Kobra Khan, Rattlor, and Tung Lashor, fought side by side, and together quickly brought down Man-E-Faces, who struggled in vain against their greater numbers. This, however, enraged Ram-Man, who quickly came to the aid of his best friend by bouncing off the ground twice, and headbutting all three snakemen at once, knocking them violently to the ground!

All in all, complete chaos now raged through out the city, with incredible fights staged through out. Skeletor, the recoverred Beastman, and Panthor walked about this carnage with out anyone stopping them, as all of the Eternian warriors were completely caught up with other opponents. They eventually came to the first of many staircases leading up towards the royal palace. There, they found Catra's feline form hiding.

"Aahhhh... so this has been where you kept out of danger, and sight, Catra!" stated Skeletor, "Very wise of you, my dear. Good of you to wait for me here, so we can begin the final assault on King Randor!"

Catra growled in response, and nodded her heand, to indicate a "yes" response to Skeletor's comments.

"Excellent." said the awesomely powerful archliche, "Let us continue on up this staircase then!"

Skeletor, Beastman, and the two panthers of Catra and Panthor continued on up the staircase, and into the above corridor... but eventually found themselves blocked by thick foilage, and vines.

"Blasted!" shouted Skeletor, "This most be the work of that wretched Moss Man!"

"The cats and I will take care of it, Skeletor!" shouted Beastman.

"See that you do!" responded Skeletor angrily.

Unbeknown to Skeletor, his small procession had been followed by Evil-Lyn. She could sense that her chance to strike at Catra would soon be coming. She smiled quite malevolently at that thought, as she spied her four "allies" from behind the corner of an adjacent corridor. How dreadfully she wanted to dispatch that Etherian two-timer! Skeletor would be her man yet, she thought, and Catra would soon be but a painful memory.

Beastman, Catra, and Panthor, each bit, clawed, and ripped at the vines. They began to make considerable progress, as Moss Man watched from a perch above.

"My leafy friends can't hold much longer." he said out loud, "I can't risk a direct confrontation with Skeletor, though. He is simply too powerful. How can I stave them off?"

"Perhaps I can help you." came the fine flowing voice of Perfuma.

"You can?" replied Moss Man with a raised eyebrow, skeptical at the offer of this Etherian trickster who he saw as more of an interior decorator than as any hardenned warrior.

"Of course!" she replied sharply, but with a broad smile, "Your lush greenery need my flowers to add some colour, and aroma , to them!"

With that, Perfuma gestured with her arms, and a vast array of flowers began to appear on Moss Man's summoned plant life. The aroma of these flowers was truly overwhelming, and caused Beastman, Catra, and Panthor, to all sneeze, effectively flinging themselves backwards violently, and also forcing Skeletor to duck and cover.

Skeletor growled contemptuously at this.

"Must I do everything myself!" he shouted, having been unaffected by the aroma due to magical protections he had placed upon himself, "Very well, I'll bash away all of this rediculiously nice, and aromatic, scenenary with my havoc staff!"

Skeletor began to thrash wildly with his staff, and also blast away with it, destroying many flowers and plant life.

"Hey, that's enough!" shouted Moss Man, getting up the courage to approach Skeletor directly, "Leave this lovely plant life alone, Skeletor!"

"Yes!" added Perfuma, joining her new friend, "I will not have you doing such awful things to my flowers!"

The two of them were about to launch an attack on Skeletor when Catra came simply flying through the air, growling with great ferocity. She was not going to let Skeletor get hurt. She was going to get back at these silly tree-huggers! However, she ended up getting blasted unconscious right along with them by a blast from Evil-Lyn's staff! The dark sorceress smiled widely, as she moved towards Skeletor, to admire her work.

"There, great Skeletor!" she said with a vicious smile, wanting to reaffirm herself as Skeletor's favourite woman, "I have taken care of these leafy fools for you!"

Much to her surprise, Skeletor was not pleased.

"What have you done?!" he asked with anger, his eye sockets flashing red, "That is the Horde Force Captian you knocked out there! Are you insane?!"

Skeletor quickly moved over towards Catra's fallen form. Then, Evil-Lyn saw something that surprised her even more than Skeletor's verbal response to her attack. He used healing magic! He actually used healing magic. She never thought she'd see the day when Skeletor would use such white magic. Her mouth was agape at the sight, as he recoverred Catra on the spot. He petted her head gently after she had recoverred, and the vile vixen even began to lick his hand in thanks.

"Would... would you have done that for me, Skeletor?" asked the witch of the night weakly, "Would you have recoverred me like that?"

"Why would I have to?" asked Skeletor, trying to dodge her question, "You're a mage yourself, aren't you... unlike poor Catra here, who your reckless attack brought crashing down!"

'Poor Catra?!' thought Evil-Lyn, 'Is he completely infatuated with her?!'

"That's not the point!" continued Evil-Lyn, almost wanting to cry, "Are you as loyal to me as you are to her?!"

"You want to discuss this nonsense in the middle of a battle?!" shouted Skeletor in questioning reply, "I have a world to conquer. This is a war, Evil-Lyn! I have no time for your sentimentalities! Come, Catra."

With that, he moved onward, with Catra at his side.

'That cuts it!' thought Evil-Lyn to herself, having boiled over in anger, 'I have sufferred my last indignity at his insufferable hands! How dare he care more for that Etherian tramp than for me! Ok, dear Catra... two can play at your game!'

With that, Evil-Lyn turned herself into a flaming meteor, and left this scene of battle in disgust. The actions she would take next could prove quite perilous... for both Skeletor, and Randor!

Chapter 15 - Turnabout is Fair Play

While Skeletor had been more active than ever before in recent days, Snake Mountain was ironically almost a den of solitude. Only three living organisms were there at the moment... Hordak, Imp, and Swift Wind. Two were prisoners, while Imp was keeping Hordak company.

"As much as I'm loathed to admit it..." mused Hordak, rubbing his chin, while watching scenes from through out Eternos on Snake Mountain's viewing globe, "He's doing well. His assault has already matched what he, and I together were able to manage twenty years ago."

"Of course, great Hordak..." began Imp in response, flying nearby Hordak, "You, and Skeletor were much younger back then. In fact, Skeletor was only a teenager at the time! Experience brings wisdom with it, I hear."

"Experience, wisdom, ... and training!" added in Hordak, in a thunderous tone, "Skeletor would be nothing with out my expert training!"

"Too true, mighty Hordak, too true!" shouted Imp, as him and Hordak were genuinely fond of one another.

The two became quiet again for a short time, as they watched Skeletor's march towards the royal palace, with the feline form of Catra close by his side.

"He's sure become chummy with that Catra!" shouted Imp.

"Yes he has..." responded Hordak with a touch of enlightment anger, "I believe that Catra is a traitor to us, Imp."

"I always knew that she was, boss!" shouted Imp, "She's such a conniving little sneak, as weak as she is! She always wanted more prestige, and more power. I think that she actually considers herself better than you, boss!"

"Yes, she probably does..." came an unexpected, and unfamiliar voice, as a woman began to walk in on Hordak and Imp's little party, "Though I know better!"

"You... you're Evil-Lyn!" shouted Hordak, "What are you doing here?"

"I have a proposition for you, Hordak." said Evil-Lyn, with the most wicked of smiles, "Catra betrayed you for Skeletor... and after the callous and foolish way that Skeletor has treated me, I'm prepared to betray Skeletor for you!"

"Really? " asked Hordak rhetorically, his mind doing cartwheels over the intriguing possibilities now put in front of him, "Yes, I'd love to be made free now. I'd simply head to the Eternos capitol, prove by my very appearance there that the story of my demise was greatly exaggerated, and rightfully take control of the Horde once more! Eternia would be mine!"

"Indeed it would!" responded Evil-Lyn with much excitement, "And all I ask in return... is to be made ruler of Eternia in your absence, as you will no doubt return to Etheria to rule the Horde there, correct?"

"Why should awesome Hordak do all that for you ?" asked an impetuous Imp, flying up towards Evil-Lyn's face, stopping only a foot in front of her, "You're part of the reason for why he's trapped here in the first place! Why, I oughta' ..."

"Silence, Imp!" shouted Hordak at his dear pet, being more pragmatic than him, "I accept your offer, Evil-Lyn!"

"But boss...?!" shouted Imp in questioning protest, flying back towards Hordak.

"This is our only way out, Imp." stated Hordak, "Beggars can't be choosers."

"Excellent." replied Evil-Lyn with an evil grin, "I'll free you from the bonds that Skeletor, and I, worked on together to hold you... and then we'll take Swift Wind to the Eternian royal palace!"

"Swift Wind?!" shouted a startled Hordak, greatly puzzled.

"I have him under my magical manipulation, Hordak." responded Evil-Lyn with a proud look, "He should serve your purposes nicely!"

Back at the Eternos capitol, the war raged on. Fisto had won his wrestling match with Jitsu, but was struck hard from behind by Clawful's larger claw, propelled by the crustaceon's charge! Frosta had successfully turned one of Spikor's attacks back against the trident-wielding trouble-maker, and hence quickly came to Fisto's aid by freezing Clawful from behind! However, she was then struck repeatedly by the many arms of Octavia, causing her to collapse to the ground, writhing in pain. Fisto leapt into action to defend his new Etherian friend from further assault, but finally was fallen into unconsciousness by the quick thrust of Mer-Man's sword, slicing a deep gash into his leg! With their enemies defeated, Octavia and Mer-Man winked at each other, and Mer-Men blushed over his impressing of his new girlfriend.

The vicious Vultak had intercepted Stratos in the bright Eternian skies, attempting to claw and screech him into submission. Modulock's many appendages attempted to overcome Sy-Klone's many winds. Webstor's webs collided with Mermista's blasts of water, causing an awful state of soggy silk to fall through out the Eternos capitol. Castaspella squared off with Shadow Weaver.

"How sad it is to see you corrupted by the Horde's evil." said
Castaspella, to a woman who was once her friend, "Still, it's not too late to leave their employ, and fight for the cause of good once again."

"What you call 'good' is actually 'weak', Castaspella." responded Shadow Weaver, "Good is a childish notion for those who lack the strength to take what they want, and have what other's can't!"

"How dark, and depressing your philosophy is, Shadow Weaver." countered Castaspella, "Perhaps some beauty, and actual truth, will lighten your mood!"

With that, Castaspella summoned forth a large painting of a brilliant sunset, which Shadow Weaver then turned into an image of death and destruction. Shadow Weaver summoned forth a scraggly, and ugly, beast to dispatch Castaspella with. Castaspella responded by turning that beast into an adorably cute bunny, which leapt happily into her arms. The two
would exchange spell for spell for quite some time to come, with the ultimate victor yet being unknown.

Such a similiar state of unknown troubled King Randor, and Queen Marlena, greatly, as they now sat in their respective thrones in the royal palace's throne room.

"How do you think the battle goes now?" asked the beautiful Earth woman.

"I do not know, Marlena." answered King Randor, "We can only trust in Fisto!"

"Then your trust is misplaced!" came an angry voice from directly outside the throne room.

The two guards that had stayed in the throne room to protect the King and Queen rushed towards the throne room doors... only to be blasted aside right along with those doors. There, appearing out of the smoke left in the wake of his awesome assault with his havoc staff, was Skeletor! Catra growled menacingly while at his side, to frighten off any one else who would dare oppose Skeletor, and her!

"Well, Randor..." said Skeletor, beginning to mock the King of Eternia, "It looks like we finally come face to face. You should have accepted my demand for your surrender while you had the chance! Now, poor dear Adora will be put to death!"

"You monster!" shouted Queen Marlena, beginning to cry.

"You will do no such thing, you base butcher!" shouted King Randor, coming out of his throne, walking towards Skeletor, and pointing his royal scepter at him, "I will defeat you once, and for all, Skeletor!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha!!!" laughed Skeletor, condescendingly, "Your emotions have truly gotten the better of you, old fool. If that's the way you want it, though, Randor... then that's the way you'll have it! I wonder what She-Ra will think when she sees your rotting corpse killed by my hand?"

However, just as Skeletor held out his havoc staff to blast King Randor away with, it was knocked out of his hand by a projectile sword, twirling in the air. The next thing Skeletor knew, he was struck in the jaw by a strong feminine fist, and sent crashing into the far wall of the throne room, eventually coming to a sitting position. Catra backed away in fear from this great enemy of her's.

"She-Ra thinks that you will never do such a thing to her father!" came the strong voice of Etheria's greatest champion, walking into the Eternian throne room, "She-Ra thinks that your mad plans of conquest are through, Skeletor!"

She-Ra was back on Eternia, and about to face her biggest challenge with out the help of her brother... or so she thinks

Chapter 16 - Loyalty and Treason

"My daughter!" shouted King Randor, and Queen Marlena, almost simultaneously, rushing over to embrace She-Ra.

King Randor reached her first, embracing her in a more traditional sense, while Queen Marlena came in third to wrap her arms around both husband, and daughter.

"Praise the ancients that you're safe!" shouted King Randor.

"Thank Heaven that you're back with us, Adora!" added Queen Marlena.

"Thank you... father... mother..." replied She-Ra, moved by her parents show of love and support, "Man-At-Arms was the one most responsible for my rescue. He deserves our thanks as well."

"Where is Duncan?" asked King Randor inquisitively, "Why, he should be here for me to congradulate him!"

"I'm afraid that he's preoccupied with a war." replied She-Ra with a grin, reminding King Randor of what was going on outside the throne room, "Man-At-Arms, and many friends of mine from Etheria, now fight for you, my wonderful father!"

Indeed, at that very moment, the celebratory Mer-Man and Octavia soon found themselves battling Man-At-Arms and his daughter Teela! Man-At-Arms dodged Mer-Man's overly clumsy attack, and brought the garbelled gill-covered ghoul down with his wrist lasers. Teela, for her part, avoided Octavia's multifaceted attack with many limbs, and defeated her with an impressive jumpkick. Afterwards, this father and daughter combo embraced briefly as well.

"It's great to see you back, dad!" shouted Teela, "It's great that you saved the Princess!"

"Yes, Teela..." replied Duncan, "But in truth, my main concern was always your well-being. If what I heard from Buzz-Off is any indication, you have made me very, very proud this day."

"Thank you, dad..." said Teela softly, as the two ended their embrace, and turned back to the matter of battle.

Sea Hawk and his pirates began to vailantly thin out the ranks of the Horde troopers that had been overtaking the Eternos capitol. Bow shot five arrows at once at Moduluk in a desperate plan to defeat the master of anatomy, though Moduluk managed to avoid all but one arrow, and began to grapple with the Etherian marksman. Glimmer engaged in a battle of sorcery against technology when she shot bright bolts of light at the arrogant Dylamug.

Back in the royal palace, the embrace between daughter and parents finally ended, as She-Ra tended to more pressing matters.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, dear parents..." she stated, "I have a certain bonehead to deal with!"

"No... no!" stated a jeering Skeletor, rising to his feet, "Don't let me ruin such a touching family reunion... especially since it'll be your last!"

"False boasts from a false ruler. Be thankful that I pulled my punch, Skeletor!" shouted She-Ra, with anger, as she stood in front of her parents, and stared intensely at the new Horde leader, "You will not be so fortunate next time!"

"I'm more than a match for you, woman!" asserted Skeletor in response, "I defeated you at the Fright Zone, and I'll defeat you again!"

With that, Skeletor extended his ring fingers and shot two powerful white blasts of mystical energy out of them, directly at She-Ra. Her sword absorbed one blast, while she dodged the other one.

"Sword to lasso!" commanded She-Ra, holding her sword aloft as it quickly changed.

With that, she swung her lasso at Skeletor's legs, tripping him up, and causing him to collapse to the floor. In truth, She-Ra wanted to inflict as little harm as possible on Skeletor, in spite of how evil he could be. She wanted to honour the memory of her brother, and she now felt that the best way to do that was to be true to the morals and principles that he had consistently held to. Her brother had told her how Skeletor, while somewhat courageous when he maintained the upper hand on, or an even footing with, his opponent, was a coward when the odds turned against him. She hoped to frighten him into submission, with a show of force, and the image of a willingness to run him through with her sword. She wanted to effectively remind him of just how powerful she was, and to force him to surrender.

"Lasso to sword!" she commanded, returning her magical sword back to its original shape.

She then held the sword tightly in both hands, and raced at Skeletor with a war cry! Her plan was to bring the blade almost all the way down on Skeletor's once more sitting form, and have it stop just short of cutting him. She never counted on Catra actually blocking her attack.

Catra leapt in front of She-Ra, taking She-Ra's attack for Skeletor! She-Ra's blade cut about two centimeters into Catra's side, leaving her with an open and bleeding wound! Catra, still in feline form, released a most anguished and horrific scream from enduring the cut. She-Ra, and Skeletor, could only stare
at her in stunned silence.

Catra immediately changed back into her human form to place human hands over the cut and stop the bleeding, while she cried and sobbed terribly from her wound.

She-Ra backed off slightly, while Skeletor came to his feet, both of them staring at the fallen Horde Force Captian.

"Catra..." began Skeletor, looking down as lovingly as one such as him could at his friend's fallen form, "I... I'll get you back to Snake Mountain immediately! I'll find some..."

"No!" shouted Catra, her eyes closed tightly, with tears seeping out of them, "I will not be the cause of you failing today! You must press on! You will be rulerrr of Eternia... and I will be your Queen!"

There was a most tense moment, when all in the room save Catra did not know what to do next. After that moment passed, it was Skeletor who had more to say.

"Curse you, She-Ra!" he shouted against the Eternian Princess warrior, pointing a finger at her, "My white magic capabilities are limited. I already healed Catra once this day, and lack the power to do so twice. How am I suppossed to heal her now?!"

"I'll heal her." responded She-Ra, shocking everyone else in the room.

She kneeled down before Catra, who was squirming wildly from the pain, and also instinctively fliching at She-Ra's touch.

"Easy, Catra..." said She-Ra, "I'm not going to hurt you. In fact, I'm going to help you."

She-Ra used her healing powers to close the cut on Catra's skin, and make the lost blood disappear. She then slowly backed away from Catra, while Catra stood up, very much frightenned and shocked over the attack that she had withstood.

"Meow!" she screeched, like a wounded cat, racing to hide behind Skeletor, "Protect me, Skeletorrr! I glady take one attack for you, but I doubt that I could withstand a second!"

"I would rather not attack either of you again this day, Catra." chimed in She-Ra quickly.

Skeletor, having picked up his ramhead staff while She-Ra had healed Catra, was intrigued by these words of her.

"That is odd sentiment to hold towards an enemy General, and his second in command, She-Ra." stated Skeletor, "What, exactly, do you mean by it?

"I mean... that I was wrong about both of you." said She-Ra softly, but with great conviction, towards Catra and Skeletor, "Catra risked her own well-being for your sake, Skeletor. To earn such loyalty and self-sacrifice on her part, you must have been kind towards her. Hence, each of you must have at least some small kernel of good within your heart. It is to that part of each of you that I now make an appeal of. Let us end this fruitless war. Let us have a ceasefire, and make peace. As Princess of Eternia, I have the authority to negotiate such a treaty... as long as it is approved by my father, King Randor."

With that, She-Ra turned her eyes to her father, hoping for his agreement.

"W-why yes... of course!" responded King Randor, "I am a man of peace, and I will welcome peace as long as I can maintain my people's freedom while doing so!"

"You heard my father, Skeletor." stated She-Ra, turning her eyes back to face the Dark Lord of Snake Mountain, "What say you?"

A very small part of Skeletor wanted to accept. He knew there was truth in the hopeful words of She-Ra. However, to accept She-Ra's offer... was to be good. It was to be reasonable. It was to be... soft. Skeletor had learned from Hordak, and the Horde, that ambition, control, self-determination, and strength, all came from evil... not good. You had to be cruel to others to not suffer cruelty yourself. You had to bully others to get what you wanted. You could never, ever appear compromising, and weak. For if you do, you then become taken advantage of... and you then lose power. More than
anything else, Skeletor wanted power.

"No." he answered simply, "Catra's sacrifice will not be in vain! We fight, She-Ra!"

"That is terribly unforunate." responded She-Ra with a touch of sadness in her voice, "But if I must fight you to defend my wonderful parents, who are good and just rulers of Eternia, then I will do so!"

At this point, the two stood with the open doorway to the throne room near the exact midpoint between them. Skeletor shot a blast from his ramhead staff at She-Ra! She-Ra prepared to deflect it back at Skeletor! Neither succeeded, as the blast exploded violently directly inbetween the two of them, having been intercepted by a second blast that originated from outside the throne room, leaving billowing smoke in its wake.

Both She-Ra and Skeletor turned their heads towards the open doorway. The shadowy profile of a familiar figure could first be seen... but after a few steps he was completely visible to all within the throne room.

"What a great day this is." he said, "My Horde about to take over Eternia, and the two most prominent traitors to the Horde about to meet their maker!"

The man who trained both Adora, and Skeletor, now prepared to battle with them both.

That man... is Hordak!

Chapter 17 - Decisive Outcomes

"Hordak!" shouted Skeletor in anger and shock, "How did you ever manage to escape the trap set for you by Evil-Lyn, and I?"

"Let's just say that I'm not the only one suffering from traitors being within the ranks, Skeletor!" shouted Hordak in reply, glancing with intense anger at Catra.

"So..." stated Skeletor out loud in response, giving immediate voice to his quick analysis, "Someone of considerable magical ability, and within my final attack force, chose to free you. Only two could have done it... either Evil-Lyn, or Shadow Weaver. Shadow Weaver has no idea that you weren't dead! That must mean that Evil-Lyn betrayed me!"

"Very good deductive reasoning, Skeletor..." replied Hordak, "I see that I trained you well. Indeed, even I must admit that you have done a simply splendid job of leading the Horde attack on Eternia thus far. Such a pity that you are beyond untrustworthy, and far too ambitious for your own good! Otherwise, you would make a fine second in command! As is..."

Hordak turned his right arm into a rocket launcher capable of launching six small rockets at once! All six were shot off at once, with five different targets between them... two for Skeletor, one for She-Ra, one for Catra, one for King Randor, and one for Queen Marlena!

"Sword to shield!" shouted She-Ra, frantically rushing to defend her parents from the rockets heading towards them.

The explosive force of three rockets striking her shield at once, left much smoke in the air, causing She-Ra, and her parents, to cough violently.

Skeletor used his ramhead staff to form a magical shield around himself and Catra, but him and Catra were also brought down to the ground from the resulting smoke inhalation.

"Excellent!" shouted a pleased Hordak, "I knew that you two greatest enemies of mine would both survive the attack, and protect a key ally or family members, but also that the resulting smoke would disorient you both. Now, Skeletor and Catra, I deal with you two first!"

Hordak turned his right arm into a lengthy black and red scimitar, shaped like the Horde bat symbol. He attempted to disect Skeletor in half with a descending attack, which Skeletor barely managed to stop by using his ramhead staff as a bo! Hordak struggled greatly to break Skeletor's havoc staff in two, while Skeletor could barely withstand that struggle. Catra immediately changed back into her cat form, and leapt violently at Hordak, effectively biting and clawing at him!

Hordak released a painful scream from Catra's teeth digging into the flesh of his right arm, and he flailed about maddeningly to fling the ferocious feline away from him. He eventually succeeded, causing Catra to crash against the same wall that Skeletor had earlier been sent flying against by She-Ra. She-Ra then grabbed Hordak from behind with both of her arms, essentially placing him in a bearhug.

Hordak instinctively changed into his rocket form, and began to fly at incredible speeds in a circle formation around the Eternos throne room, eventually changing back into his human form, and landing directly in front of She-Ra, facing her. She-Ra was stunned by the new mastery over his rocket form that Hordak had demonstrated, and this granted Hordak the opportunity that he needed to effectively change his right arm into a large pincher claw and entrap She-Ra within it, causing her to drop her sword while it was still in shield form!

"Ha ha, Adora!" he shouted, "I never taught you that trick, did I?"

With Hordak, and She-Ra, now focused on one another, Catra quickly changed back into human form, and moved to Skeletor to whisper advice to him.

"Skeletor..." she said in a low whisper to him, with both now standing, "You're going to need to use your final contingency plan. We have no other choice. Hordak, and She-Ra, will be too much for you otherwise. You must teleporrrt us out of here!"

Skeletor was terribly disappointed, and also quite angry. His plan had been rooted in the neutralization of all of his key enemies at once, with He-Man dead, and both She-Ra and Hordak his captives. It was bad enough for either one of those two to escape, but both? It was as though the fates themselves condemned him.

"Yes... Catra." responded Skeletor with more than a touch of regret, "You're correct. Hold my hand, as I use my havoc staff to teleport us away!"

With that, Catra did as she was told, and her and Skeletor disappeared in a flash of white lights!

"Huh?" said Hordak, turning his face away, from the squirming She-Ra, who was trying to break his hold on her, "Where did that cowardly pupil of mine go! You, and that conniving cat Catra can flee for now, Skeletor, but you will still face my fury!"

Focusing his attention back on Skeletor proved costly to Hordak, however, as it resulted in She-Ra freeing one arm, and punching him square in the face! A dazed Hordak stumbled backwards, and loosened the grip of his pincher claw, enabling She-Ra to pull herself away from its snare. Both quickly went into a defensive stand, awaiting the next move of the other. This would prove to be Adora's most challenging fight ever against the man who once played the role of her father, though he never was.

Meanwhile, biological father and daughter scouted out much different combat.

"Incredible." said Teela, to her father, both now perched on a high jutting precipice caused by the ravages of war, and now used by both of them to snipe several Horde troopers from, "Mere minutes ago, all four of them collectively overwhelmed Bow and Glimmer! Now they fight amongst themselves!"

Mantenna and Multi-Bot were indeed now locked in emotionally charged combat with Modulok and Two-Bad! Mantenna had aided Modulok in knocking out Bow, while Multi-Bot had teamed up with Two-Bad to bring Glimmer crashing down after her narrow victory over Dylamug! However, these temporary alliances had come to a most violent end!

"Hordak's lieutenants now fight Skeletor's minions." explained Duncan, to his daughter, "Hordak made his presence known to Mantenna, and Multi-Bot, very shortly ago, and that has resulted in a division of loyalties amongst those who were previously all loyal to Skeletor! Skeletor's Eternian minions still fight for Skeletor, but Hordak's lieutenants now wish revenge on Skeletor and his minions for having duped them!"

"We should win this war as a result!" shouted Teela, pumping a fist into the air.

"Hopefully, Teela." replied Duncan, implicitly urging caution on his daughter's part, "In reality, it gives us a fighting chance. If not for this division of loyalties, we would surely be overcome by sheer numbers by now! Ironically, Hordak's appearance in this grand theater of war may prove more of a blessing than a curse!"

"Only an old fool like you would think so!" came a screech from behind Duncan, immediately before he was blasted off of the precipice, and began to fall a far distance to the ground below!

"Evil-Lyn!" shouted Teela, turning to face the Dark Sorceress.

"Yes, Teela!" she shouted in reply, "Bow down to your new Queen... and know that Hordak will be your King! Otherwise, I will dispatch you as I just did your father! Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!"

With that, the warrior battled the wizard, in an epic battle... though not quite as epic as the battle well underway inside the throne room of the Eternos royal palace!

She-Ra's sword, and Hordak's entire body, were like the seasons of the Earth, flowing effortlessly from one appearance and effect to another, bringing storms of discontent to each other! Their fight was incredible, as they pushed themselves greatly to overcome the other. She-Ra could tell that Hordak was fighting with truly impressive zeal. Everything rode on this battle for him. Eternia. Redemption in Horde Prime's eyes. Revenge on the accursed Adora. A chance to squash Skeletor. She-Ra was his one obstacle, and hence she bore the brunt of his unrelenting force. Their dance was the greatest of spectacles. In the end... it was Hordak who stood the victor!

She-Ra had been caught within an electrified net, the final inventive assault of Hordak. She now lay on her back, covered by the net, and completely at Hordak's mercy. She could not free herself!

"Part of me is sad at this moment, She-Ra." Hordak said, turning his right arm into its more typical cannon formation, "You have been a good opponent. You have kept me on my toes, and have made me improve myself in order to try to stop you! However, you are also Adora... and I will take great pleasure in enacting revenge upon you as such! May you enter death's door knowing that your choice to betray me is the reason why this mortal realm will now be denied you!"

She-Ra braced herself for Hordak's killing blow. She had failed. She felt so ashamed. However, she was also strangely welcoming of that killing blow.

'Brother...' she thought to herself, 'I will soon join you.'

It was not yet to be, however, as Hordak was struck from behind, by two laser blasts... one from a laser blaster held by King Randor, and one from a laser blaster held by Queen Marlena.

"That's for taking my daughter away from me twenty years ago!" King Randor shouted with great anger at Hordak's now fallen, and unconscious form.

"And that's for doing what you just did to our daughter!" added in Queen Marlena.

King Randor had hid the two laser blasters underneath his throne, and his wife's throne, after Hordak and Skeletor's more recent kidnapping of Adora. He had vowed to never again be a helpless victim to either one of these monsters. With his wife's help, he now made good on that vow.

With Hordak defeated, mother and father helped their daughter get out of the electrified net, using protective gloves.

"Thank you!" shouted She-Ra, almost about to cry, embracing both parents at once, "You saved me!"

"Of course we did, Adora." said Queen Marlena, "Nobody does that to our daughter, and gets away with it!"

"Really, old alien?" came a painfully familiar, and mocking voice.

"Skeletor!" cried She-Ra.

He had reappeared in the throne room of the royal palace, with out his havoc staff, but with his half of the power sword in hand! He rode upon a rainbow coloured rock snake! He soon dismounted, as the now weary She-Ra prepared for Skeletor's latest summon.

"Get her!" he cried to his pet, pointing at She-Ra.

The snake crashed against She-Ra with incredible force, as she held her arms up to brace against the assault. Beads of sweat immediately began to perculate out of her forehead, and she released an anguished cry.

"H-how can this be?!" she shouted in questioning exasperation, "Your summons have never been this... powerful!"

"Until today, woman." responded Skeletor, "I spent months preparing this one summon. The most dense composite material imaginable, principly rainbow quartz, formed into an animated snake. It is so dense, and so strong, that even strength such as your's will soon buckle against it!"

She-Ra sadly found this to be true, as her knees began to quake in pain from the downward push of Skeletor's rainbow rock snake.

"Someone..." she cried, "Someone please help me!"

"Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!" laughed Skeletor, flailing his arms in the air while holding his purple power sword, and sensing his ultimate victory mere moments away, "No one can help you now! Absolutely nothing, and absolutely no one can stop me now!"

"Wrong."

A voice echoed, and reverberated, in the hearts and ears of all in the room. King Randor had goosebumps on his head. Queen Marlena gasped in shock. It took all of She-Ra's focus to not stop straining against the snake then and there to dwell completely on the rider of a cat in front of her. Skeletor looked like he had seen a ghost.

"He-Man!" he cried, with the greatest of unpleasant shocks imaginable churning through his mind, as he turned to face his oldest enemy.

"Yes." came the noble voice in return, holding to an awesomely muscular body riding upon a great and mighty cat of battle, "There will always be someone to stop your vile plans, Skeletor. Today, I am once more that someone!"

To be concluded...!!!

Chapter 18 - He-Man Reborn

At several fleeting instances in recent days, he had seemed truly glorious. He had his greatest enemies either dead, or at his feet. He had commanded a burgeoning conquest attempt of an enemy nation. He had the leader of that nation at his mercy. He was well on his way to completely overwhelming the incredibly powerful daughter of that nation's leader. Nonetheless, it was telling that all of this awesome progress had came while his oldest, and greatest enemy... his achilles heel, if you will... was not a factor. Now, with this enemy revived into action and life itself, Skeletor's progress was greatly threatened.

"You're supposed to be dead!" he shouted at He-Man, growing increasingly incensed over his poor turn of fortunes.

"I was dead, Skeletor." answered He-Man honestly, dismounting Battle Cat, to stand in front of Skeletor, "However, the miraculous powers of the secrets of Castle Greyskull, secrets that you have coveted all of your adult life and
for understandable reason, have brought me back to this side of the great divide. Those secrets, revealed by the Sorceress, is the tool that has revived me. While the afterlife is beautiful, as I always knew that it would be, I still have much work left to do in this mortal realm!"

"Don't stay here on my accord, He-Man!" sneered Skeletor, his eye sockets glowing the most fierce red that He-Man had ever seen, as Skeletor's skull now appeared almost demonic in nature, "I was doing quite well with out your interference!"

"That is exactly why I'm here, Skeletor." responded He-Man, his fists on his hips, "Now, call your rainbow rock snake off of my sister, and go home in peace. I have personally destroyed your two doom balloons, and all of the Horde troopers and tanks left in your attack force. Your army is defeated, and it is time for you to once again accept your defeat!"

Skeletor boiled over in rage as never before over these words of He-Man. There was no way... no way by all that is evil... that he would stand by, and allow, He-Man to foil his greatest plan ever, after having been foiled by him countless times before. Even He-Man was somewhat surprised by Skeletor's next act.

Skeletor released a shout... an excruciating shout conveying untold years of frustration suffered at the victorious hands of He-Man. He leapt very high into the air, summoning forth all of his remaining physical strength, while mystically charging his purple half of the power sword with crackling energy! He intended to run He-Man through!

"You're going back to the grave, you musclebound meddler!" he shouted with virtually incomprehensible anger, "This time, your death rightly comes at my hands!"

He-Man quickly pulled his sword of power out of the sheath that was held on his back, and raised it defensively to connect with Skeletor's descending crescent thrust! It was as though the irresistible force of Skeletor's magical and physical might united clashed with the immovable object of He-Man's imposing strength and vigor! An incredibly bright, and varied, flash of light cascaded over the entire throne room, causing King Randor and Queen Marlena to shield their eyes, while She-Ra closed her's as tightly as she could! A cacophany of brilliant psychedelic lights, as if viewed through a kaleidoscope, were accentuated with the singing clang of magical swords clashing against one another!

"Nice light show!" growled Battle Cat, the only one to actually watch the fireworks of sorts.

Skeletor flexed his own impressive muscles to try to pierce down, and through, He-Man and He-Man's sword! He-Man grunted loudly as his face was clearly contorting and straining itself as a result of his attempt to halt Skeletor's thrust. For the briefest of moments, it looked as though Skeletor would finally triumph over He-Man! However, that was when his passion was matched, and then trumped, by the impenetrable noble virtue of He-Man, and his might! He-Man knocked Skeletor's sword out of his hands, causing it to fly and puncture into the side of the rainbow rock snake, who made no sound in response. Skeletor collapsed to a sitting position, his fiery eyes having burnt out, and his energies almost entirely dissipated. He was unquestionably defeated.

"I will give you some credit, Skeletor." said He-Man, being a strong believer in redemption, and rehabilitation, "Your plan was truly inspired, and ingenious, this time. You executed it flawlessly, from what the Sorceress revealed to me. If a different plan, but of identical ingenuity, had been used to help the forces of good, it would have no doubt succeeded. However, evil such as your's will never truly succeed. Heroes will rise to oppose it, and men and women of good character will not stand idly by. Even the Horde, in Etheria, has learned that lesson from the actions of my sister."

"I have not lost yet!" contended Skeletor, "My rainbow rock snake remains, which I wager is more than even you and She-Ra combined could hope to out muscle!"

"You could be right, Skeletor." replied He-Man honestly, turning his attention towards the snake, and She-Ra weakening rapidly against its force, "Which is why I will not use muscle in this case. The lack of the reaction of the snake to your sword cutting deeply into it has proven to me that it is not alive, and hence can only be destroyed, not killed. Hence, I am free to summon an unique power given to me to end your mad goals on this day. Just as my sister was given unique powers to deal with Hordak and the Horde, I have been given unique powers to deal with the likes of you, Skeletor."

"What nonsense do you speak of?!" Skeletor barked in question of He-Man.

"I will show you, Skeletor." responded He-Man, holding aloft his sword, "By the power of Greyskull... I HAVE THE POWER!!!"

A massive bolt of magical lightning struck, and charged He-Man's sword, which He-Man then held against his chest in traditional fashion, before pointing it at the rainbow rock snake as though it was Cringer! However, transformation magic did not channel out of it, but rather a re-direction of summoned magical lightning!

"Now, She-Ra!" shouted He-Man in desperation to his sister, "Release your hands from the snake!"

The lightning struck the snake, beginning a lengthy chain of violent explosions! She-Ra leapt out of the way, to avoid being struck by this lightning of Castle Greyskull herself! In mere moments, the rainbow rock snake had been reduced to so much inanimate rubble.

"My snake!" cried Skeletor with a most distraught look on his skull, yanking back his hood slightly with tortured hands, "My beautiful, rainbow-coloured snake of destruction and doom! You've destroyed it!"

"Yes, Skeletor." replied He-Man, facing his old nemisis once more, and with Hordak's fallen body noticeably next to his feet, "Now, I believe that you should leave... unless you want to join Hordak here in the Eternian dungeons!"

Skeletor's months, upon months, of planning, working behind the scenes with Catra and Evil-Lyn, constructing this ultimate summon, and finally executing his 'flawless plan', all came crashing down upon him. He-Man's words had stirred him to the very core of his being this day. He seriously began to inwardly question everything, and everyone... including himself. He could not betray this inner reflection to He-Man, however. Hence, with out another word, he simply teleported away.

He-Man couldn't help but grin at Skeletor's disappearance.

"It's nice to be back to stop his evil again!" he shouted with a grin, before turning to face his family.

However, before he could say another word, he found a certain someone sprinting passionately towards him!

"Brother!" she cried, allowing the psychological dams that she had put up in these past few days to finally be taken down, giving full vent to her emotions, as she hugged him as tightly as her weary body could allow.

"I thought that I had lost you forever!" she sobbed, pouring her heart out to him, while her eyes also poured forth tears of joy upon his welcoming shoulder, "Thank the Sorceress that you're alive! I'm so sorry for dragging you into a war zone on Etheria! I'm so sorry for leaving you alone in Dryl! Please forgive me! I... I love you!"

"I love you too, sis." responded He-Man, gently caressing She-Ra's hair with his right hand, as he wanted to comfort her now trembling form, "Everything's fine. You have nothing to be sorry for! It is I that am sorry for failing to properly defend the good people of Dryl! I am also very sorry for everything that Hordak, Skeletor, and the Horde put you through these past few days. I wish that I could have been there for you. I... I love you a lot, sis."

"My son!" shouted Queen Marlena, taking hold of He-Man's free arm, "I, too, am so glad that you are back with us!"

The three family members eventually ended their embrace from one another, as Queen Marlena and She-Ra wiped away their tears, and He-Man would not allow himself to shed any, in order to be strong for these two very important women in his life. The scene was further added to by Teela riding into the throne room on a very familiar unicorn!

"Hi, Princess!" she shouted with joy to She-Ra, "There's a good friend of your's that wants to see you!"

"Swifty!" shouted She-Ra, kneeling down to wrap her arms around Swift Wind's long, and prominent neck, "Where did you find him, Teela?"

"That terrible enchantress Evil-Lyn had put a spell on him!" shouted Teela in response, "After I defeated her in battle, though, Swift Wind was freed from the spell!"

"It's good to see you, She-Ra." said Swift Wind, "You are my dearest companion, and friend. I am glad that you are safe!"

At the same time, Teela met with He-Man.

"It's... ah... good to see you again, He-Man." said Teela, almost shyly, "I'm... not good at this stuff, as you know. I'm... I'm sorry, Adam. You know what for. I'm really glad to see you back, though! I hope that you can forgive me!"

"Of course, Teela." said He-Man with a wide grin, before hugging her, "If I was in your shoes, I would have thought the same of 'Prince Adam' as well. It's great that you finally know that I am Prince Adam... and He-Man as well."

Queen Marlena was very moved, and touched, by this wondrous scene in front of her. She had but one growing displeasure...

"Randor!" shouted Queen Marlena, breaking up the scene by showing her anger over his inactivity, "Your son is back, and alive! Your daughter is free, and her dear friend is safe! Teela is safe! Have you nothing to say?!"

All eyes turned to the King of Eternia. In truth, his thoughts were as He-Man's. He would not cry. He simply would not cry! Hence, he had tried to distance himself from a scene that pleaded with his heart to shed tears of joy. Now, however, he had no choice but to betray his innermost feelings, as profound as they ever had been.

"I... I am the happiest, and proudest, man in all of Eternia." he said in a trembling, yet powerful, voice, standing up with his eyes welling up with tears, "This is the greatest day in the history of Eternia! Hordak is fallen, and captured! Skeletor is defeated! My dear, wonderful family is united, and safe! Long live He-Man! Long live She-Ra! Long live Eternia!"

Queen Marlena allowed more tears to flow from her eyes, as she moved other to embrace her husband, while Teela applauded his words politely and couldn't help but be moved to tears, and Swift Wind nodded in approval. He-Man, and She-Ra, stood with their arms intertwined, very proud at this moment.

Man-At-Arms, and Orko, finally entered the scene. Orko blew into a hanky.

"Aaawwwww... phooey!" he shouted, with tears coming out of his eyes, "Now I'm all crying, and emotional! I had such a great magic trick planned for our celebration! But now I can't remember it because I'm so moved by all this wonderful family love!"

"Good!" shouted Duncan in reply.

With that, everybody in the room erupted in laughter at this stark expression of Duncan's feelings. Even Orko eventually joined in on this laughter at his own expense. Laughter, and joy, would be had through out Eternia in the days to come. The Horde was defeated once more. She-Ra had won, in spite of great trials and tribulations. He-Man was alive, and had helped his sister in her moment of greatest need.

King Randor was still King of Eternia. All was right for the Masters of the Universe!

The End